"All Alone in the World...Whatever did I do?" - A Solo Trip Report

[Practically_Perfect]

:wave: Hello everyone!!

I just returned from my first ever solo trip to my (our) favourite place - Walt Disney World. I was there for 6 magical days and had the best time ever! :yay:

This is just a little teaser post to get everyone hooked; I'll be back later with more of the "who, what, when" details. For now, I'll leave you with a little pictoral review of my trip:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01175.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01273.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01301.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01367.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0817.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0970.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_1177.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_1186.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_1219.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/USCapitol.jpg

See ya real soon! :goodvibes

Why? Because I like you :thumbsup2

Chapter Links:
Introducing me...And my Disney History (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=40804098&postcount=14)
Departure Day (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=40926059&postcount=40)
How I Fell in Love with Pop Century (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=41015586&postcount=49)
Off to a "World" of a different kind...Harry Potter's that is (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=42857847&postcount=71)
Sweets, Jokes and Butterbeer (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43016555&postcount=88)
Don't forget about me!! (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43087389&postcount=94)
Ducks Dance Too!! (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43132099&postcount=104)

[JoBird]

Oh gosh, am I first????? Thanks for the link!

I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

Nice giraffe's butt. Hope that it isn't a bad omen.:rotfl2:


Ready for more....
popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::

[mickeystoontown]

Oooh you've started! I'm here and look forward to all of the details!

[sue_88]

Hmmm... I'm interested! Bring on the report!

[Disney999]

I love your pictures of WDW! I can't wait to get back there in September. Can't wait to read about your trip!!

[Bella213]

Great pictures! I'm going to Disney in June. My husband will be attending a conference, so I'll essentially be alone and I am anxious to read about your travels and experiences!

[jessidoll]

im here 2!!!!:cool1:cant wait 4 more of ur TRpopcorn::popcorn::popcorn::
its really great tht youve started:dance3::yay:

[Practically_Perfect]

Oh gosh, am I first????? Thanks for the link!

I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

Nice giraffe's butt. Hope that it isn't a bad omen.:rotfl2:


Ready for more....
popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::

:banana: Yep - you're first! You win a prize: :flower3:

Oooh you've started! I'm here and look forward to all of the details!

Glad you came over. I'll have intro details up tomorrow hopefully...

Hmmm... I'm interested! Bring on the report!

Soon, I promise :goodvibes

I love your pictures of WDW! I can't wait to get back there in September. Can't wait to read about your trip!!

I took over 571...not sure all will make it into the report, but many will. I have TONS of Animal Kingdom.

Great pictures! I'm going to Disney in June. My husband will be attending a conference, so I'll essentially be alone and I am anxious to read about your travels and experiences!

I'll be as detailed as I can be without getting too boring, I hope.

im here 2!!!!:cool1:cant wait 4 more of ur TRpopcorn::popcorn::popcorn::
its really great tht youve started:dance3::yay:

:cool1:

[bentos]

lol @ the giraffe pic! :rotfl:

[Practically_Perfect]

lol @ the giraffe pic! :rotfl:

Yep - he was quite...shall we say...photogenic that day ;)

[JoBird]

Aww, I won a flower. :banana: Thanks!!

You say you got lots of AK pics--- I hope they aren't all of animal's behinds.
:rotfl2:

[Practically_Perfect]

Aww, I won a flower. :banana: Thanks!!

You say you got lots of AK pics--- I hope they aren't all of animal's behinds.
:rotfl2:

Well...I got a giraffe's, and probably a few rhino's, but no lions. No one wants to see a lion's behind!! :goodvibes

Also, it's not the giraffe's behind that's the bad omen...it's the Capitol Building.

[PhoenixStrength]

I'm here too! I went on my first solo trip last November. I loved it! Glad you got tons of pics at AK, that is my favorite park because of the animals.

Looking forward to reading your TR!

[Practically_Perfect]

* Sorry...this one's kinda long on words and short on pics *

As promised, I'm back with the "who" and the "when" part of this trip report. The "what" will be told in bits and pieces over the next coming weeks (and maybe months...).

First off, you'd probably like to get an idea of who it is writing this. Hi there! It's me, Katie.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/009.jpg

I'm 27 years old, I work for the Canadian government, and as such I live in our beautiful nation's capital, Ottawa! I'm also extremely proud of being Canadian, and hence you will never see me without this pin proudly displayed somewhere on my park bag:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/CanadaMickyPin.jpg

I've now been to Disney 6 times in my life; when I was 8 (1991ish), 13 (1997), 22(2006), 25 (2009), 26 (2009) and now 27 (2011).

My first trip was back when I was 8 years old. My mom had just opened a "Leo's Young Savers" bank account for me with the Royal Bank of Canada, and I was entered in a draw to win a family trip for 4 to Walt Disney World, and they pulled my name! :banana::banana::banana: Of course, my mom had to go through the stress of answering the skill testing questions, but she did great because we were soon there!

My second trip was with my father, stepmother and three stepsisters. This was huge, because my father does not do theme parks. He's a farmer, and therefore hates the feeling of "being herded like cattle". We spent a week there in a rented home in Kissimee, and we had a great time. I have a treasured memory from that trip, which I'll touch on in one of my updates later in the report. :upsidedow Here's a teaser though:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_1092.jpg

From then, there was quite a Disney lull. I finally made it back in December of 2006 with my mother, stepfather, and 5 year old little brother. We stayed off-site at the hotel mom and I had stayed at on our first trip. It was great fun, and seeing Disney in all it's Christmas glory can't be beat. :cloud9:

Then we planned another trip for February 2009. I had finally convinced my family that we needed to stay ONsite this time. I started digging around on the good old internet, and stumbled across the Dis. I lurked for a while, reading other people's thoughts, ideas and tips. I took some mental notes, tucked them away for future reference. I spent about an hour on the phone with Disney dining trying to get reservations for us all...a little difficult given that I was calling in January for a February trip! By the way, did I forget to mention that we only booked this trip on New Year's Eve?? :rolleyes1 At the end though, this was one of the best trips ever, and sparked my true and everlasting love for all things Disney.

I had so much Disney love that I was back in October for my 26th birthday. My mom was super sweet and treated me to a stay at the Grand Floridian! Oh the opulence and elegance! Such annoying friends who get to come along for next to nothing and wind up complaining the whole time...At least nothing can ruin a birthday in the house of the Mouse.

Which gets us to this trip. It was originally planned as a re-do of my 26th birthday trip. I even had it all booked - October 1-6, 2010 (catching my birthday on October 4th), staying a Pop, free QS dining. Then, my best friend decides to get married in Punta Cana. And I'm her bridesmaid, so my presence is a must. And the final payment is due in August. Wait...so is the final payment for my Disney trip. I can't afford both of these at the same time :scared1: So unfortunately, my birthday trip had to be sacrificed, even though I was stuck with a Delta credit I had to use by June of 2011. But it was most definitely worth it, as my friend was beautiful on her special day, and I would have moved mountains to make sure I could be there with her. And it included a week of fun in the sun, so :woohoo:

In December, I got a PIN offering a discount of 25% off Values. I did some number crunching and realised that with my Delta credit, I could get a trip to Disney in for just about $1000 all in! That's pretty awesome considering airfare from Ottawa can easily reach $500 on it's own. So I rebooked my trip - April 7-12, 2011, Pop Century, QS Dining, 5-day PH tickets. And the rest, as they say, is history! :yay:

Up next:

Will I make it through Customs to catch the plane on time??

[mickeystoontown]

I really enjoyed reading the history of your trips to Walt Disney World. I like those sort of backstories.

How sweet of you to cancel your Disney vacation so you could attend your friend's wedding! :littleangel: Like you said, you ended up getting to see your friend get married and you had a mini-vacation mixed in.

I can't believe that your Disney trip cost just $1,000! That's AWESOME!

[Practically_Perfect]

I'm here too! I went on my first solo trip last November. I loved it! Glad you got tons of pics at AK, that is my favorite park because of the animals.

Looking forward to reading your TR!

:welcome:

I'll probably have a couple posts of just pics from AK. I had a fantastic Safari Guide this time - provided TONS of picture taking opportunities!

I really enjoyed reading the history of your trips to Walt Disney World. I like those sort of backstories.

How sweet of you to cancel your Disney vacation so you could attend your friend's wedding! :littleangel: Like you said, you ended up getting to see your friend get married and you had a mini-vacation mixed in.

I can't believe that your Disney trip cost just $1,000! That's AWESOME!

:thanks: We had a great time in Punta Cana. We were talking last night about our next adventure - we're thinking maybe Mayan Riviera. There's about 20 people who came to the wedding who'd like to go away as a group again, so we'll see!! :goodvibes

Well...I might be doing a little bit of "Disney math" on the numbers just a little bit. ;) I mean, I had technically already paid for most of the airfare for the October trip. So it was probably closer to $1200 when you factor that in. But still, not bad in my book! I'm also not counting some of the things I added on, like a day at Universal Studios and a tour of a certain Kingdom that we all know and love :lovestruc

[Darkfirewolfe]

Subbing! I haven't ever been on a solo trip myself, so I love reading solo TRs! popcorn::

[Dizneydaz]

Can't wait to read more. Great start.

[jenseib]

I'm in too. I want to go solo some day, so I will love to hear what you do and how you do it!

[Nermel9]

I'm in! I would love to do a solo trip someday, but I'm so nervous to go alone! I can't wait to read about your trip! :)

[LMO429]

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip! :goodvibes

[heaven2dc]

I can't wait to read more! Solo trips can be so much fun (I was solo for 4 days in Dec 2008 before my DD & DGS arrived for the final 4 days). Hope you make it through Customs!

[Practically_Perfect]

Subbing! I haven't ever been on a solo trip myself, so I love reading solo TRs! popcorn::

:welcome:

Can't wait to read more. Great start.

:thanks:

I'm in too. I want to go solo some day, so I will love to hear what you do and how you do it!

:wave: I actually really enjoyed myself. I plan to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly about going solo. But it's definitely something I would like to do again!

I've been lurking on a couple of your TRs too - so I'll be sure to stop being a lurky-loo and start commenting! My dad used to be a dairy farmer (he's now in cash crops) so I'm familiar with a lot of what you post about the farm!

I'm in! I would love to do a solo trip someday, but I'm so nervous to go alone! I can't wait to read about your trip! :)

I'll admit, I was nervous too. But Disney wrapped me up in it's magic! :wizard:

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip! :goodvibes

:thumbsup2

I can't wait to read more! Solo trips can be so much fun (I was solo for 4 days in Dec 2008 before my DD & DGS arrived for the final 4 days). Hope you make it through Customs!

I had a great time...as you'll see, Customs (and most of my flights) were just a bit stressul...

[Practically_Perfect]

Hey all! I have a feeling work's going to get in the way of me doing a proper trip installment today - it's as though everyone woke up and realised we're about to get a 4-day weekend so we have to cram as much into today as we can! :sad2:

So instead - you get a quick "real life" update. I moved out of my parents about 4 years ago, and after switching apartments a couple of times, I finally found one that suits me really well. Only problem was I still had all the odds and ends furniture that I had cobbled together - a metal-frame futon, a papasan chair from Pier I Imports, etc. so it didn't really feel like a proper "home". On my mother's advice (moms always know best, don't they? ;)), I went out a bought a proper couch, and put a hold on a chaise lounge and ottoman to match.

Yesterday - after much confusion with Leon's delivery - my couch came!! And it looks awesome :woohoo:. Sorry - no pics right now (might add some when I get home tonight). I now have to decide if I have enough room for the other two pieces, and I'm thinking I do!

That's all for now. If things quiet down, I'll get my first trip installment up! If not, Happy Easter everyone!!

[PhoenixStrength]

Yay for the matching furniture! I am 27, and am in a very similiar situation to you were with the mis-matched, what I could afford at the time furniture. :rotfl: I'm hoping to be able to get a matching set this summer!

To anyone nervous about doing a solo trip, don't be! Disney is so safe and fun that I was there for 9 days and never once worried about my safety. It made me so confident that I am actually driving cross-country this fall to take a vacation. It won't be completely solo since I am meeting other people I know out there for part of the time, but the driving and several days of the vacation will be solo. Doing the solo trip to Disney gave me the confidence to do this vacation solo.

[mickeystoontown]

Hey all! I have a feeling work's going to get in the way of me doing a proper trip installment today - it's as though everyone woke up and realised we're about to get a 4-day weekend so we have to cram as much into today as we can! :sad2:

So instead - you get a quick "real life" update. I moved out of my parents about 4 years ago, and after switching apartments a couple of times, I finally found one that suits me really well. Only problem was I still had all the odds and ends furniture that I had cobbled together - a metal-frame futon, a papasan chair from Pier I Imports, etc. so it didn't really feel like a proper "home". On my mother's advice (moms always know best, don't they? ;)), I went out a bought a proper couch, and put a hold on a chaise lounge and ottoman to match.

Yesterday - after much confusion with Leon's delivery - my couch came!! And it looks awesome :woohoo:. Sorry - no pics right now (might add some when I get home tonight). I now have to decide if I have enough room for the other two pieces, and I'm thinking I do!

That's all for now. If things quiet down, I'll get my first trip installment up! If not, Happy Easter everyone!!

Yay for getting new furniture! I know that it will make you feel great when you see everything matching and looking all fantastic in your apartment. be sure to post pictures.

[littlelamb70]

Props to you for venturing to the House of Mouse by yourself, I don't know if I could do it :thumbsup2 Definitely enjoyed your first TR, can't wait for the next installment! popcorn::

[jenseib]

Yay for new furniture!

[kmrein]

Hi! I am excited to read more. I've never done a solo trip but can't wait to hear about yours. And, I really dig that giraffe pic, too! Nice to 'meet' you!

[Practically_Perfect]

Yay for the matching furniture! I am 27, and am in a very similiar situation to you were with the mis-matched, what I could afford at the time furniture. :rotfl: I'm hoping to be able to get a matching set this summer!

To anyone nervous about doing a solo trip, don't be! Disney is so safe and fun that I was there for 9 days and never once worried about my safety. It made me so confident that I am actually driving cross-country this fall to take a vacation. It won't be completely solo since I am meeting other people I know out there for part of the time, but the driving and several days of the vacation will be solo. Doing the solo trip to Disney gave me the confidence to do this vacation solo.

Hey! Even just having the couch in my apartment makes it feel more real. Need to do some measurements to make sure the other pieces will fit, but I'm thinking it should be good!!

Yay for getting new furniture! I know that it will make you feel great when you see everything matching and looking all fantastic in your apartment. be sure to post pictures.

I can't wait! I didn't get a chance to take pictures this weekend; and I wouldn't be able to upload them to photobucket anyway since I've apparently reached my monthly limit for data uploading, so new pics will have to wait until May 1 at least. My Disney pics are all in there at least, so I can keep going with this report!

Props to you for venturing to the House of Mouse by yourself, I don't know if I could do it :thumbsup2 Definitely enjoyed your first TR, can't wait for the next installment! popcorn::

:thumbsup2 Thanks! It was a lot easier to be there solo than I thought it would be :cool1:

Yay for new furniture!

:banana:

Hi! I am excited to read more. I've never done a solo trip but can't wait to hear about yours. And, I really dig that giraffe pic, too! Nice to 'meet' you!

Nice to 'meet' you too :wave2:


Hey all - sorry I've been away for a few days. Working for the government meant I got a 4-day weekend, and I took full advantage of it and did next to nothing - only went on my computer to check movie times :thumbsup2

I hope everyone had a good Easter and was able to do whatever it is they wanted to do, from visiting family to doing next to nothing! I saw a LOT of coverage of the upcoming Royal Wedding. Anyone else planning on setting their alarm clocks nice and EARLY to watch on Friday?? :lovestruc

Hopefully I'll get another installment up today. If not, tomorrow - I promise :thumbsup2

[OhMari]

I was there the exact same time, solo.
My dh was at his convention, so I always went back
to the hotel at nite for the free food and drinks.

Did you know it takes 20 minutes to circle the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon:rotfl: Maybe I should do a trip report and use that as my title, but I am such a boring Trip Report writer, and I always wonder why I do them.

Looking forward to see how you did. I've been solo 3 times now, and
my friends and family don't get it.

[Practically_Perfect]

I was there the exact same time, solo.
My dh was at his convention, so I always went back
to the hotel at nite for the free food and drinks.

Did you know it takes 20 minutes to circle the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon:rotfl: Maybe I should do a trip report and use that as my title, but I am such a boring Trip Report writer, and I always wonder why I do them.

Looking forward to see how you did. I've been solo 3 times now, and
my friends and family don't get it.

Hi!! :woohoo:

Now - is that 20 minutes just letting the current guide you, or 20 minutes racing through it like some people do (i.e., me, when I was a kid :rolleyes1)?

They never do get it, do they? ;)

[OhMari]

Hi!! :woohoo:

Now - is that 20 minutes just letting the current guide you, or 20 minutes racing through it like some people do (i.e., me, when I was a kid :rolleyes1)?

They never do get it, do they? ;)

Nope, it was letting the current guide me, and I did it twice.
So that was 40 minutes of floating solo.
I happen to see a sign that said the Typhoon Lagoon Lazy River is a 20 minute ride.

I snorkeled with the sharks 3 times too.
No one was there that day.
I just kept getting back in line.

[Cameo818]

I could get a trip to Disney in for just about $1000 all in!

Holy frijole! That's an AMAZING price! I'm in and looking forward to reading more! popcorn::

[Practically_Perfect]

I snorkeled with the sharks 3 times too.
No one was there that day.
I just kept getting back in line.

You just brought back a first trip memory for me! I did the snorkeling too, and I remember right at the end, when I was about to step up on that sandy part, all of a sudden the sand started to stir. A sting-ray had buried himself (herself?) in the sand and I almost stepped on it :scared1:!! Sakes alive, I was freaking out, but couldn't get too nuts since I still had on the mask and snorkel and didn't want to be sputtering water everywhere. I've since had a very deep respect for sting rays. To me, those things look scarier than sharks!!

Holy frijole! That's an AMAZING price! I'm in and looking forward to reading more! popcorn::

:welcome:

Well...about $1000. I'm kind of ignoring the fact that I paid most of my airfare previously. It was a "credit" that magically appeared! That's my story and I'm sticking to it :cool1:

[jenseib]

I can't wait! I didn't get a chance to take pictures this weekend; and I wouldn't be able to upload them to photobucket anyway since I've apparently reached my monthly limit for data uploading, so new pics will have to wait until May 1 at least. My Disney pics are all in there at least, so I can keep going with this report!

:thumbsup2

I just wanted to let you know that with photobucket, even though you have them loaded, each time you post and have people look at the picture it uses bandwith and that will then expire you faster. So basically every time a person looks at a picture you are using up space. I go pro to avoid all that since I post so many pictures. This time I renewed my pro for just under $8 by buying a mug from vista print. They have trial offers that give you a free upgrade and I have used Vista print twice and always made out with a much cheaper price plus an item/s that i will use.

[Practically_Perfect]

I just wanted to let you know that with photobucket, even though you have them loaded, each time you post and have people look at the picture it uses bandwith and that will then expire you faster. So basically every time a person looks at a picture you are using up space. I go pro to avoid all that since I post so many pictures. This time I renewed my pro for just under $8 by buying a mug from vista print. They have trial offers that give you a free upgrade and I have used Vista print twice and always made out with a much cheaper price plus an item/s that i will use.

Oh - thanks for the info! It's actually my ISP that's restricting me at the moment, not photobucket. But will definitely keep that in mind ;).


Okay folks - did anyone else watch the Wedding this morning? I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to watch. It put me in such a happy mood, that I'm going to write my next instalment now!!

[jenseib]

Oh - thanks for the info! It's actually my ISP that's restricting me at the moment, not photobucket. But will definitely keep that in mind ;).


Okay folks - did anyone else watch the Wedding this morning? I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to watch. It put me in such a happy mood, that I'm going to write my next instalment now!!

I saw a bit on the Today shopw at 7 and I have to say I was very UNIMPRESSED with her dress, but I am no slave to fashion either. :laughing: I liked her sisters dress better.

[kaileighbug]

I'm here and jealous of a solo trip...:rotfl: I would love to go on a solo trip but that won't happen with my DD. She would be lost without me. And daddy would be lost because he can't do her hair.:rotfl2:

[Practically_Perfect]

Sorry folks...this will be heavy on text and very light on pictures.


I'd had a very busy few weeks leading up to my trip. Between an out of town hockey tournament for my little brother, and a quick trip to visit my dad (who I hadn't seen since Christmas), I didn't really get any good time to plan and pack properly. Therefore I was shocked when I was able to get home from work on Wednesday at 6:00, pack completely and be at my parent's place by 8:15. My mom had offered to drive me to the airport in the morning for my 6:00 a.m., since their place is slightly closer to the airport than mine.

The route Delta was sending me on was an interesting one. First, I was flying from Ottawa to Detroit. Then, I was on a flight from Detroit to Minneapolis - St. Paul. Then, I was finally headed to Disney. A very roundabout route indeed, but it was the cheapest flights available. :confused3

I set my alarm for 4:00 a.m., and we were pulling up to the departures drop-off by 4:35. I quickly found the Delta kiosk, printed my boarding passes, thanked my mom and kissed her good-bye. I thought I was doing great when I was through Security by 5:00. I figured I'd even get a chance to grab one last cup of Tim's before my flight. Side note - any true Canadian will join me in extolling the virtues of a cup of coffee from Tim Horton's :cloud9:...and it was still Rrrrrrrrrrroll up the Rrrrrrrrrrim! time, so I needed to see if I could win that car (or the TV. Heck, even a free coffee does the trick).

Then I saw it. The line for Customs. Now, Ottawa's airport is not that big...it's definitely not Toronto or Montreal. But the line for Custom's was snaked. Back and forth. Eight. Times!! What the heck was going on?? :headache: Figuring there was very little I could do about it, and that it would probably move quicker than I thought, I just pulled out my book, jumped in line, and started to wait. Lines were going to be the name of the game for the week anyway, right? Ha! :lmao: Not when you're a single-rider and you know how to use Fastpass to your advantage ;).

So I wait. And I read. And I creep ahead, step by sloooow step. I resist the urge to look at my watch every 30 seconds. When I do look, the time just keeps jumping forward. 5:10. 5:16. 5:21. 5:25 - erm...that's when boarding's supposed to start and I'm still two rows away! 5:31. My Tim's dream is fading away quickly now. 5:36. Yay! :woohoo: I can see it - the border agent ready to wave me through....nope. Just a tease. A pilot gets to sneak through before me.

Finally it's my turn. At 5:42. Please, please, please don't ask me too many questions. "Where are you going?" "Orlando." "What are you going to do there?" "I'm going to Disney [resisting the urge to say, 'what else did you expect?']" Scan, stamp, stamp. "Please go ahead ma'am!". Phew!! :cool1:

It's now 5:46. Thank goodness I knew the US departures area was small. I raced through the hallway, found my gate, handed over my boarding pass, and proceeded through the walkway. Which led me to a set of stairs. Which led me to a door heading outside. Wonderful. I was on one of the small planes that you have to board from outside. It didn't matter. I made it!!!!

Then we were 20 or so minutes late taking off. Doing some quick math in my head, I realise this leaves me only about 24 minutes to deplane, find out my gate number for my flight to Minneapolis, figure out how to get there, and board. I crossed my fingers that Detroit's airport would be around the same size as Ottawa's, and drifted off to sleep.

Yeah. Anyone ever flown through Detroit? It's one of the bigger airports. To get to my next gate, I had to go in a walking tunnel under the tarmac, then get on an indoor tram since the terminal is so long. Thank goodness my gate was right at the bottom of the escalator from my tram. Also, thank goodness people boarded after me. I hate being that person. You know, that "we're just waiting on one last passenger and then we'll be able to push back" person.

And of course, this plane was also around 20 minutes late taking off. I knew I had a bit of extra time, so I didn't let myself worry about it. Again, I drifted off to sleep. The pilot managed to make up some time, which was nice because it allowed me to get some food before boarding my last flight, which would finally get me to Orlando.

Guess what!? THIS flight took off 20 minutes late as well!!! Cursed, I tell you. I should have left that Mayan gold in the cave where I found it.

Anyhow. I finally got to Orlando around 2:30 or so. Since I'd put those wonderful yellow tags on my piece of luggage, I made my way down to the Magical Express area. I only had to wait about 5 minutes before being directed to a bus. I purposely got myself a seat in the front row, because there was a picture that I just had to get.

Anyone care to guess which picture I wanted??? Would I be able to get it??

[Practically_Perfect]

I saw a bit on the Today shopw at 7 and I have to say I was very UNIMPRESSED with her dress, but I am no slave to fashion either. :laughing: I liked her sisters dress better.

Pippa's dress was fantastic! She looked sooo beautiful in it. I'm thinking she's going to become more of the fashion icon than Kate.

Kate's dress was very much what I was expecting. Classic and elegant. Aside from the time they were apart, she's always been fairly conservative in her clothing choices.

I'm here and jealous of a solo trip...:rotfl: I would love to go on a solo trip but that won't happen with my DD. She would be lost without me. And daddy would be lost because he can't do her hair.:rotfl2:

Aww. My dad was the same way - always at a loss at how to do my hair. I quickly learned how to do it myself, though I did have some...shall we say interesting...hairstyles when I was at his place.

[jenseib]

I'm here and jealous of a solo trip...:rotfl: I would love to go on a solo trip but that won't happen with my DD. She would be lost without me. And daddy would be lost because he can't do her hair.:rotfl2:

I totally understand that. I think DD would go for a week with it not brushed...he wouldn't make her do it nor we he do it himself.. LOL~:headache:

[kmrein]

Okay folks - did anyone else watch the Wedding this morning? I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to watch. It put me in such a happy mood, that I'm going to write my next instalment now!!

I did! I really enjoyed it and am glad I got up to watch. I got up around 5:00 am, Central Time and watched until the kiss and I got a ton done around the house until I had to go to work! I have to say, I am feeling a bit 'jet-lagged' now, though! Trying to get through this workday on London time might not have been the greatest idea, LOL!

[mermaid764]

Okay folks - did anyone else watch the Wedding this morning? I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to watch. It put me in such a happy mood, that I'm going to write my next instalment now!![/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]


Joining in:goodvibes

A solo trip sounds awesome and I also got up extremely early to watch the royal wedding this morning

Can't wait for more

[Villainess]

Oh I love that title for a TR!

[QUOTE=Practically_Perfect;40926059]
Anyone care to guess which picture I wanted??? Would I be able to get it??

I'm joining in! I think I know what sign ...

[DizFan101]

Hey!
I am looking forward to your trip report. Hopefully there will be picutres since the Departure Day did not have any. :sad: . I love pictures. lol.

I am looking forward to how you dealt with the solo trip because one day i would like to do a solo trip...

[mickeystoontown]

Too bad you were delayed in the airport and didn't get to have your cup of coffee from Tim Horton. I found it really odd that all of your flights were delayed by 20 minutes. Isn't that weird!

[Practically_Perfect]

I did! I really enjoyed it and am glad I got up to watch. I got up around 5:00 am, Central Time and watched until the kiss and I got a ton done around the house until I had to go to work! I have to say, I am feeling a bit 'jet-lagged' now, though! Trying to get through this workday on London time might not have been the greatest idea, LOL!

Yeah - it was definitely tough to get through work on Friday. I was supposed to drive to my dad's on Friday night too...but in the end decided to wait until Saturday morning. I didn't think it would be a good idea to fall asleep behind the wheel! :drive:

Okay folks - did anyone else watch the Wedding this morning? I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to watch. It put me in such a happy mood, that I'm going to write my next instalment now!!


Joining in:goodvibes

A solo trip sounds awesome and I also got up extremely early to watch the royal wedding this morning

Can't wait for more[/QUOTE]

:welcome:


I'm joining in! I think I know what sign ...

I'm betting you guessed right...you'll find out in the installment soon to come! :woohoo:
Hey!
I am looking forward to your trip report. Hopefully there will be picutres since the Departure Day did not have any. :sad: . I love pictures. lol.

I am looking forward to how you dealt with the solo trip because one day i would like to do a solo trip...

I'll do a "Final Thoughts" section at the end...but I would definitely go solo again! :thumbsup2
Too bad you were delayed in the airport and didn't get to have your cup of coffee from Tim Horton. I found it really odd that all of your flights were delayed by 20 minutes. Isn't that weird!

I thought it was weird too!! I understand all the flights being delayed...but not for the same amount of time on each one :confused3

Wait til I get to my trip home...that's when I learned what the true meaning of "delayed with Delta" meant :sad2:

[Practically_Perfect]

Where was I? Oh right...I'd finally made it to Orlando, headed down the "B" side (B for bus - easiest way to remember!), checked in with Magical Express, and got myself a seat right at the front of the bus.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01169.jpg

Was it because I was that much of a keener? Nope. But I had a picture to get and I wasn't going to have funky obstructions in my way to get it!! :thumbsup2

With the bus only about half full, we were very shortly on our way. The bus driver said we would be stopping at CBR, Pop and finally AKL (I think...I didn't pay close attention after he mentioned Pop). Then he put on that wonderful movie with all our favourite characters checking in to the Grand Floridian. Don't you wish you could carry around a credit card as big as Scrooge? Then people would know you were a high roller, no matter where you went? :lmao:

I had my camera ready and was keeping eye out the window. One of the first things I spotted was this:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01171.jpg

Then I spotted it!! That wonderful sign welcoming you to the most magical place on earth. We were getting close:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01172.jpg

Closer:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01173.jpg

Yes - there it is! :woohoo:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01174.jpg

We continued on. First we dropped off some people at CBR. I didn't take any pics here, but took everything in, as I think this is the next Mod I'd like to stay at.

Then we pulling into Pop Century, my home for the next 5 nights:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01175.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01176.jpg

Check in went smoothly. I had called and requested a room in either the 50s or 70s section, on an upper floor, facing Hourglass Lake. I was secretly crossing my fingers as they pulled up my reservation, and was pleasantly surprised when all of my requests were granted! I was in room 3336, which is an end room. I only had neighbours on one side of me, and never noticed them. The only way I knew people were in that room is because the light was on from time to time. Who has two thumbs and was a happy camper? This gal!

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/009.jpg

I was starving, so I headed straight to Everything Pop. I looked quickly around the store, but my hunger pains were coming on strong. I knew I needed to eat. Seeing as it was getting close to 4:00, I didn't really want a full supper yet, but didn't think just a snack would do. I chose the nachos, which were most definitely loaded with cheese sauce, sour cream, chili, tomatoes and green onions. I grabbed a water as my drink option. I also grabbed my refillable mug which came with the QS plan. When I got to the cashier she reminded me that I also got a desert with my meal...between that and the nachos, my "light" meal was out the window!

I found a small booth to sit in, and was able to watch the Disney channel on the big screen in the food court. I think that night it was Suite Life on Deck. They seemed to play the same show one day, then the next day would be devoted to a new show. Thank goodness for my 10 year old brother, so I at least knew what some of the shows were!

Once I finished, I headed in search of my room. I simply loved the location. It was close to everything, but not right in the middle of all the action. My bag hadn't shown up yet, so I set up what I could out of my carry-on luggage. I debated between going to a park right away, or waiting a bit to see if my bag would show up. Waiting won out since I was wearing long pants, it was very warm out (way warmer than Ottawa, that's for sure!), and I might have forgotten to shave my legs...:scared1:

I decided to wait until 6:00. If my bag showed up by then, I would quickly shave, throw on some shorts, and head out. If not, then I would suck it up and wear the long pants. I put Stacey on to pass the time. It was pretty much the same from October 2009!! After watching her ride Everest a couple of times, and bounce poor Mickey's head (you know, the "Sorry Mickey, Sorry Mickey, Sorry Mickey!!" part), I switched around. Can I just say you lucky Americans who get SoapNet!! I don't get it at home, and let me just say it was fun to catch up on all I was missing. :goodvibes

I started to get ready to head out around 6:00 when I heard a knock on my door. My bag had arrived!! Thank goodness I would be able to change - it was still very warm out!

I had decided to head to DHS to hit RnRC and ToT. I LOVE ToT at night, and have to do it at least once in the dark every trip. Try it - it's definitely a different experience than riding it during the day. The one thing I kinds forgot about....it was a DOUBLE Fantasmic night. Oh. my. word - the end of Sunset Blvd was busy. Neither ride had any fastpasses left. I decided to do RnRC first since it has the single rider line.

Because it was so busy, I wound up waiting close to 45 minutes. The stand-by time was 50 minutes. In the end I should have just waited in it. Once we were finally let into the recording studio, a bunch of people just pushed through the door and went to the line. Since I'm a good Disney guest I didn't :littleangel:, and the castmember finally stopped them. I kinda wish he'd let them through though...it was a group of either highschool graduates or first year college boys. Either way, they were loud and obnoxious. I made sure to keep a few paces away from them so people wouldn't assume I was with them!!

Of course the ride was fun, and all thoughts of obnoxious young males slipped from my mind. I checked out my ride pic, but forgot to take a redneck version of it. I headed towards the exit of the store...or at least what I thought was the exit. EVERY time I go on that ride, I head to the right of the cashier's desk when I should be heading to the left...:confused:

The wait time for ToT was about 60 minutes at this point. I really didn't feel like riding it again, and I knew that I'd be back later during my trip. Instead I walked around taking pictures for a bit.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01179.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01182.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01184.jpg

My brother had asked for a T-shirt, so I checked out the stores to see if there were any I liked. I spotted this one and thought of the disboards immediately:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01185.jpg

After browsing for a bit more I headed back to the bus. Once we got back to Pop, I realised I was hungry again, so I stopped and got the Chicken Parm with Penne Alfredo. It was very good and this time I remembered to get a desert! I grabbed a brownie that I brought back to the room with me, figuring I'd eat it for breakfast.

I got ready for bed, and drifted to sleep. I had to get up early - I was headed to a studio of a different kind to test my mettle against dragons, Whomping Willows and Dementors. Oh, and I knew I needed to partake in some Butterbeer!!

[petals]

joining in will be back tomorrow to read properly though :)

[jpmandan]

popcorn::

[hollisterluva92]

Hey! I'm totally in! I cannot wait to do my solo trip! I'm writing a solo ptr, you should check it out! I'm thinking I will do a solo dis meet the next time i'm there! Love the pics!

[nat1234]

I just found your trip report. I would so like to do a solo trip, so I'm looking forward to reading about your experiences doing on.:)

[OhMari]

I fly out of Milwaukee and they like to fly us to Detroit or Minneapolis, and I hate those little puddle jumpers they put you in. About 3 airlines in Milwaukee have flights to Orlando and many are cutting flights and making us take these connecting flights. I try to avoid them at all costs.

B side for Bus. What a good tip.:cool1:

[jenseib]

I LOVE that T-shirt. I'll have to look for it next time. I really think it's funny and something I would actually buy!

[Belle83]

Yay, can't wait to read more! We're the same age, and lately I've been obsessed with the idea of a solo trip.

[ClareH37]

I did my first solo trip last year, second trip later this year - it's such a fantastic feeling isn't it to do your own thing and not have to worry about other family members/friends :goodvibes

Fanastic start and what luck getting the perfect room :thumbsup2

[Corrine 1973]

I love that goofy shirt.:thumbsup2

I used to work at Six Flags Great America and had heard lots of stories of people asking about show times, but always thought they were made up stories. Then low and behold one day I was working at the Pictorium ( a movie theatre with a huge screen) and some one asked me what time the 4 oclock show started. I looked at them blankly thinking that they were joking but after a couple of seconds I relized they were not and told them it started at 4 oclock. :confused3

[petals]

I was going to do solo trip this year but everyone told me "It's not safe to go that far alone" someone is coming with me this year now but in 2013 when new fantasyland opens if I don't find someone to go I'll go solo then :)

[PhoenixStrength]

I LOVE that Goofy shirt! :rotfl:

Glad you made it and got "the picture". I always have to get that picture when I come in too!

I don't think I've ever ridden ToT at night, I will have to next time I am there. Can't wait to read the rest of your TR!

[Practically_Perfect]

Hey! I'm totally in! I cannot wait to do my solo trip! I'm writing a solo ptr, you should check it out! I'm thinking I will do a solo dis meet the next time i'm there! Love the pics!

I'll definitely check out your PTR. I meant to do one for this trip, and time slipped away from me!

I just found your trip report. I would so like to do a solo trip, so I'm looking forward to reading about your experiences doing on.:)

I definitely liked it. Of course, I was tucking away thoughts of what I'd do when I came back with this person or that, but also taking notes on what I'd do on my next solo trip!

I fly out of Milwaukee and they like to fly us to Detroit or Minneapolis, and I hate those little puddle jumpers they put you in. About 3 airlines in Milwaukee have flights to Orlando and many are cutting flights and making us take these connecting flights. I try to avoid them at all costs.

B side for Bus. What a good tip.:cool1:

Yep - after two separate trips of going down to the A side first, I came up with that memory trick :thumbsup2

I LOVE that T-shirt. I'll have to look for it next time. I really think it's funny and something I would actually buy!

I thought it was really clever too, and thought about buying it. In the end, I found a different one for my brother.

Yay, can't wait to read more! We're the same age, and lately I've been obsessed with the idea of a solo trip.

I enjoyed it and highly recommend it ;)

I did my first solo trip last year, second trip later this year - it's such a fantastic feeling isn't it to do your own thing and not have to worry about other family members/friends :goodvibes

Fanastic start and what luck getting the perfect room :thumbsup2

I was definitely happy with my room :cutie:

I love that goofy shirt.:thumbsup2

I used to work at Six Flags Great America and had heard lots of stories of people asking about show times, but always thought they were made up stories. Then low and behold one day I was working at the Pictorium ( a movie theatre with a huge screen) and some one asked me what time the 4 oclock show started. I looked at them blankly thinking that they were joking but after a couple of seconds I relized they were not and told them it started at 4 oclock. :confused3

See, I can understand asking "When does the Electrical Parade start?" or "When does Wishes start?". But "what time does the 3:00 parade start?"....it confuzzles me. :confused3

I was going to do solo trip this year but everyone told me "It's not safe to go that far alone" someone is coming with me this year now but in 2013 when new fantasyland opens if I don't find someone to go I'll go solo then :)

That's funny, because that is the place I felt the safest to go to. My flight credit was for anywhere in the continental US, so I considered trips to either New York, Boston or Washington, all of which are high on my "must visit" list. But since I would be travelling alone...I wanted the sense of safety WDW provides. I know bad people can be anywhere, even WDW, but just knowing how much security there is there made me feel very comfortable.

I LOVE that Goofy shirt! :rotfl:

Glad you made it and got "the picture". I always have to get that picture when I come in too!

I don't think I've ever ridden ToT at night, I will have to next time I am there. Can't wait to read the rest of your TR!

Definitely try it - I actually prefer it at night. It fits better with the theming ;)

And a big :welcome: to all the others who've decided to join in on my solo adventures!!

[4forWDW]

I love your trip report and can't wait to read more:)
My DD (13) is all about anything Canadian because of Justin Bieber. If there is a Tim Horton's around, we have to stop there for hot chocolate. I'll let her know that in the future she should refer to it as Tim's instead of Tim Horton's:thumbsup2
I did get up early to watch the wedding, the timing was really bad for me. The actual ceremony was between the time I am putting my DS (10) and a neighbor's DD on the bus and driving to work. But I for sure was watching all the coverage of the wedding on my computer as soon as I got to work.
(I remember watching Charles & Diana's wedding way back when.)

[Practically_Perfect]

Hi all,

Another "real life" update for you.

Sorry it's been a while since I posted, but I had a bit on my mind...

A couple of years ago, in July 2008 I witnessed a fatal hit and run. It's taken a long time, but the case is finally at trial, and I had to go to court yesterday to testify. I won't post too many details, but here's a link to a newspaper article on my testimony:

http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/05/11/hit-run-accused-swerved-at-victim-witness

Anyhow, that's now finally behind me, and I shouldn't have to testify again, barring a mistrial. I'm anxious to see what the verdict is going to be, but I might not know that for a few weeks still.

On to happier things! So long as work is not too busy today, I'll post another update, so stay tuned!

[mickeystoontown]

Hi all,

Another "real life" update for you.

Sorry it's been a while since I posted, but I had a bit on my mind...

A couple of years ago, in July 2008 I witnessed a fatal hit and run. It's taken a long time, but the case is finally at trial, and I had to go to court yesterday to testify. I won't post too many details, but here's a link to a newspaper article on my testimony:

http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/05/11/hit-run-accused-swerved-at-victim-witness

Anyhow, that's now finally behind me, and I shouldn't have to testify again, barring a mistrial. I'm anxious to see what the verdict is going to be, but I might not know that for a few weeks still.

On to happier things! So long as work is not too busy today, I'll post another update, so stay tuned!

I'm so sorry that you had to witness the horrible accident. But, hopefully, your testimony will help in making this man pay for what he did.

[Tnkrbelle565]

Joining in :thumbsup2 Great report so far!

[petals]

That's funny, because that is the place I felt the safest to go to. My flight credit was for anywhere in the continental US, so I considered trips to either New York, Boston or Washington, all of which are high on my "must visit" list. But since I would be travelling alone...I wanted the sense of safety WDW provides. I know bad people can be anywhere, even WDW, but just knowing how much security there is there made me feel very comfortable.


I would be inclined to agree. I plan someday to go solo and stay on International drive for maybe four or five days to do shopping and parks there then move to a disney hotel for the rest of the time as I would feel more secure on disney property!

[Practically_Perfect]

Another quick real life update - my family's farm was featured on Breakfast Television this morning, which is a morning show out of Toronto. My dad and sister (in the hat with the long dark hair) are featured along with the host, who tries her hand at a couple of different things around the farm. Here are some links:

http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/942100622001.000000/mountjoy-farms-pt1of2/


http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/942610502001.000000/mountjoy-farms-pt2of2/

So much fun for me!! Remember - Farmers Feed Cities (http://www.farmersfeedcities.com/)!!!

[DizFan101]

Awesome. I'll have to watch em tomorrow.
i wish i could do a solo trip. But i don't think i can financly and emotionally.
Financely because i can't afford it right now and emotionally because i have been going every year with my mom since 2005 and i would miss her dearly.

[Practically_Perfect]

I've been a bad trip reporter - getting you all excited and then walking away :guilty:. Real life kinda got in the way...real life's still around, but I swore when I started this that I would finish it, so finish it I will. :cool1:

Unfortunately, I don't have time today to do a full installment, so I'll just tease a few things...some about the trip and some about my summer! I'll leave you to guess which is which!


http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01197.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/April%20and%20Gary%20Wedding/IMG_1479.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01273.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/USCapitol.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01370.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/April%20and%20Gary%20Wedding/IMG_1602.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_1219.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/April%20and%20Gary%20Wedding/IMG_1524.jpg

I most absolutely will be back tomorrow with both a Disney update and a life update!!

Happy Monday all :thumbsup2

[jenseib]

Wow, thats a teaser alright!

[Practically_Perfect]

I woke up bright and early on my first full day in Orlando. I had plans to see a World...but not the one I was staying at. I was headed to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!! It would be my first time heading to Universal Studios too, so I was excited about that too! :banana:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0817.jpg

I had booked a deal through Dreams Unlimited travel (http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/Universal/index.htm) - you got a 1-day, 2-park ticket with round-trip transportation from your Disney Resort! Easy peasy breezy! :dance3:

My bus to Universal was leaving at 8:25 a.m. They had told me it would take about 30 minutes to get to US/IOA, so I figured I'd be getting there close to regular opening, which suited me just fine. What they didn't mention was that in addition to picking up a bunch of guests at other Disney resorts (which I expected), they were also dropping off at both SeaWorld and Aquatica BEFORE going to US/IOA (which I didn't expect). This, of course, greatly added to the 30 minutes travel time. I think we pulled in to the bus drop-off at around 9:15 or so.

Still, not so bad. And I had learned from some other trip reports to expect a fairly loooong walk from the parking garage (bus dropped us right next to it) to the entrance for Islands of Adventure. Thank goodness I had read about that, because it's a decent enough trek. Seriously, some people complain about the distance from some rooms at Pop to Classic Hall but are just hunky dory with the size of Citywalk?!? :confused3

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01186.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01187.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01188.jpg

When I finally made it to the front gates of Islands of Adventure, I stopped at a cart that was selling Express Passes (sort of like FastPasses, but just not as cool). A "2-park, 1-use-per-ride" Express Pass was $57.98 - since I was planning on doing both parks and had only one day to do it in, I bought one. The lady selling them was very nice, and even went into the system to print my actual park ticket so that I wouldn't have to go to another window, something I greatly appreciated.

What I didn't appreciate was when she held up two lanyards and said "Which would you like? This one is $8.99 and this one is $11.99". Umm...I don't particularly care for lanyards and didn't want one - not one bit. And I definitely didn't want to spend more money on one. So I asked if I absolutely needed to get one. She said ( :snooty: snottily...I guess she figured out I wouldn't be helping her upselling figures) "No, but it's better if you get one. If you lose your Express Pass we can't give you another one, and it's scanned at the entrance to each ride you want to use it for." So I kindly but firmly said "Thanks, but no thanks" thinking to myself "Lady, you're talking to an experienced Disney goer. I knows how to keep track of my KTTW card, multiple fastpasses AND a photopass, lanyard or no lanyard, thank you very much!" ;)

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01189.jpg

My park tickets and Express Pass safely secured, I entered IOA. Being a bit of a Disney snob, I must say I was impressed with what I saw. I quickly peeked in a few shops, asked a staff member about their "meal plan" (very confusing...didn't get it), then quickly started to make my way to WWoHP. This, of course, is all the way at the back end of the park. Again, glad I knew this going in! I snapped a few pictures along the way, but I was on a mission.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01190.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01191.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01192.jpg

Soon, I was walking into Hogsmeade. Wow. Just wow. It was GORGEOUS. I honestly felt like I was there, in the books. Props to Universal - they did this right. I think I'll let my pictures tell the rest of the story...

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0815.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0816.jpg

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http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01202.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01200.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01207.jpg

Up next: what to do now that I've made it? Take a Forbidden Journey? Challenge a Dragon? Fly with a Hippogriff? Eat at Three Broomsticks? Maybe....all of it??

[mickeystoontown]

I don't think I would have cared for the semi-pushy attitude of the castmember (or whatever they are called at Universal) trying to sell you the lanyard. I never ever wear a lanyard and haven't lost a park ticket or fastpass...thank you very much.

I have never read or seen any of the Harry Potter books/movies but find myself impressed when I see pictures of WWOHP.

[Practically_Perfect]

I don't think I would have cared for the semi-pushy attitude of the castmember (or whatever they are called at Universal) trying to sell you the lanyard. I never ever wear a lanyard and haven't lost a park ticket or fastpass...thank you very much.

I have never read or seen any of the Harry Potter books/movies but find myself impressed when I see pictures of WWOHP.

Yeah, I was definitely not impressed. :sad2: And I had watched her do this to a bunch of other people in line too - some of whom were already wearing lanyards! I've worked retail, I know how important it is to upsell, but come on!! :rolleyes:

BTW - didn't lose my Express Pass the whole day! :cheer2:

[nannye]

I want to go back to Disney so much, but no one to go with. I just don't think I would enjoy a solo trip BUT i am really looking forward to your trip report, might change my mind!

[Practically_Perfect]

I want to go back to Disney so much, but no one to go with. I just don't think I would enjoy a solo trip BUT i am really looking forward to your trip report, might change my mind!

To be honest, I had similar worries. Disney is tons of fun, but a part of that fun is being able to turn to the person next to you and say "Wasn't that awesome?!?!"

Surprisingly, I never really noticed that I was "alone". First off, it's so easy to strike up conversations with people on the bus, in line, etc. Second off, you're in Disney, so everybody (well, most everybody) is having a good time. Thirdly, and maybe a bit selfishly, you get to do what you want, when you want. You can eat where you want. You can stand in the 90 minute line for your favourite ride and not have to worry about keeping someone else entertained. Or, you can skip that attraction because no way in heck are you gonna wait that long. Plus - single rider lines!!!

I did take some steps to ward off the times when loneliness could creep in. I was most worried about meal times, so the only table-service I booked was Sci-Fi Diner, where people watch the big screen anyway. Pop actually turned out to be great for that, since they always had Disney shows playing on their TV in the dining area. I texted and called home a couple of times, but not that often.

[kmrein]

Glad you're back-looking forward to reading more! I am going to WWoHP for the first time this Dec.-your pictures made me SO excited.

[Practically_Perfect]

Again - I submit my apologies. I'm still not doing good with the updates :sad2:. But I promise - you'll get two updates today (one Disney, one "real" life).

My quick explanation (not excuse) is that I'm in the process of searching for/buying my first home! It's ummm...quite a process :worried:. I'm submitting an offer today, so fingers crossed! But, I'm going to try not to be disappointed if it doesn't work out. After all, I'll be in no worse shape than I was when I woke up this morning.

Be back soon with an update!!

[jenseib]

I really want to see the Wizardling world of Harry Potter. I am hoping in the next few years we can make it there

[Practically_Perfect]

So...I hope I didn't keep you all in too much suspense. Of couse, the very first thing I did after taking a few pictures, was head right up to Hogwarts. I was going to take a Forbidden Journey with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Check out the wait time...at about 9:30 in the morning!!

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0828.jpg

Also, my Express Pass (that wasn't in the US/IOA approved lanyard) was not eligible for Forbidden Journey (or for Rip Roaring Rocket (?) on the Universal side), something I knew before purchasing. I found a "Hogwarts student" (aka castmember) and asked if there was a single-rider line. She said there was, but that I'd have to put my bag in a locker.

Ummm...say what?? It was at this point that I realised that Universal has a slightly different bag policy than Disney does. And by "slightly" I mean "very". Bags are not allowed on certain rides, including Forbidden Journey and Dragon Challenge. So I asked where the nearest set of lockers were, and she said "In the castle, but you'll have to wait in that line." :scared1:

Yeah, that wasn't happening.

Then I remembered seeing lockers down in Hogsmeade, near the Hogwarts Express. So back down there I went to put my bag in a locker. Apparently, you could store your bags for 30 minutes for free. That's great, but I refer you all to the picture above. I decided to save myself some stress, and just paid for a couple of hours worth of time. That way, I could stroll around WWoHP without worrying about getting back to my locker in time.

Back up to Hogwarts I went, then followed the instructions to the single rider line. It was practically a walk-on for a single rider - I think I waited all of 5 minutes! :cool1: And that's why I love being "single". :lovestruc

I did snap a few pictures on the way in.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01194.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01195.jpg
Gryffindor Common Room

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01197.jpg
Sorting Hat - it actually talked! I can't remember what it said now, but I was impressed!

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01198.jpg
As you're boarding the ride...all very cool.

It. Was. Awesome!!! You get into a four person side-by-side car, and you're whisked sideways and upwards to start the ride. You follow Harry, Ron and Hermione on an adventure to save the castle. They've integrated both a thrill-type ride with sensory interaction (similar to Soarin'). I was impressed, and knew that I'd need another ride to really take it all in.

I perused the gift shop for a bit, and admired the Marauder's Map they had on display.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01199.jpg

Before taking my second Journey, I decided to try out the other rides first. I went on Flight of the Hippogriff, which is a tamer ride, slightly less "thrilly" than BTMRR. They had this cool thing for wheelchairs where you could wheel the chair right up to your seat, transfer directly, and a castmember would wheel the empty chair over a passthrough at the back of the train to the "exit" side. That way, the rider is going from chair to ride to chair, without having any really standing/walking to do. ;)

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01200.jpg

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http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01202.jpg

Dragon Challenge was next. There are two to choose from (I think it was either the Chinese Crested or the Hungarian Horntail...). For those that are wondering - this is the "THRILL" ride of WWoHP. Your feet are dangling, you go crazy fast, and you go upside down numerous times. And, oh yeah. If you're too tall you can't ride because your feet will kick the feet of the riders on the other dragon.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01206.jpg

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Hagrid's Cottage

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01211.jpg

Up next - some shopping, Butterbeer and Three Broomsticks!

[jenseib]

I'm loving your pictures. :lovestruc

[mickeystoontown]

I've read several reports about not being able to take bags on some of the rides at Universal Studios. I know they say the lockers are free for 30 minutes but, like you said, what ride in WWOHP has just a 30 minute wait?

[lauren_elizabeth]

Loving your trip report so far!

I want to head over and check out the Harry Potter stuff at Universal so badly on our next trip... it looks like so much fun!!

Good luck on the house search! I know how stressful that can be. We just closed on our new home/moved in last month and that whole process can be a big 'ol pain!

[Practically_Perfect]

I'm loving your pictures. :lovestruc

Thanks!! Most of these are with my Sony Cybershot, and others are with my Canon Rebel T1i, which I'm still learning about. I've had a few people recommend this photography club in the area, so I think I'm going to look into joining so that I can learn more about it. I know that I could be doind so much more with it!

I've read several reports about not being able to take bags on some of the rides at Universal Studios. I know they say the lockers are free for 30 minutes but, like you said, what ride in WWOHP has just a 30 minute wait?

Exactly. I was able to do it in other parts of the parks, but I was using my Express Pass. If I didn't have that, I'd be paying for sure!

Loving your trip report so far!

I want to head over and check out the Harry Potter stuff at Universal so badly on our next trip... it looks like so much fun!!

Good luck on the house search! I know how stressful that can be. We just closed on our new home/moved in last month and that whole process can be a big 'ol pain!

I actually have news on that front too - I'm a (soon-to-be) homeowner now! :woohoo: I made an offer on a place on Friday, negotiated some details Saturday and we came to an agreement on Sunday! I take possession November 17th - so less than a month away! I'm very excited, but there's so much to do between now and then :scared1: Not to mention that I'll be travelling for work November 11th to 18th. :rolleyes1

[lauren_elizabeth]

I actually have news on that front too - I'm a (soon-to-be) homeowner now! :woohoo: I made an offer on a place on Friday, negotiated some details Saturday and we came to an agreement on Sunday! I take possession November 17th - so less than a month away! I'm very excited, but there's so much to do between now and then :scared1: Not to mention that I'll be travelling for work November 11th to 18th. :rolleyes1

Congratulations! That's awesome news!! :woohoo::woohoo:

[Practically_Perfect]

Hi all! Here's a quick real-life update before getting back to our regularly scheduled programming....

As I mentioned earlier - I bought my first house! It's been quite an experience - with everything from being crazy excited :banana::banana::banana: that my offer had been accepted, to freaking out thinking "what have I just done?!?!?!? :scared1: "

I've spent this week on the phone with my mortgage broker, emailing lawyers, looking into moving companies, and on and on and on....

To throw another kink into things, I'm out of town for business the week leading up to me taking possession. I leave for Nova Scotia on November 11th, coming back on November 17th - the day I close! :headache:

So - some fun organizing and scheduling to take care of, but at the end of the day, I'm going to be moving into a cute two-bedroom townhome, with gorgeous dark hardwood floors. The neighbourhood is pretty much all new builds within the last ten years, with great schools, community centres, parks, etc. so I know I'm gong to be happy with this place!! :cloud9:


Oh - and there's a pretty good chance that another trip to all of our favourite place is in the cards - likely for late Feb/early March with my mom and brother!! Fingers crossed :goodvibes

Up next - more of my day at IOA!!

[mickeystoontown]

Hi all! Here's a quick real-life update before getting back to our regularly scheduled programming....

As I mentioned earlier - I bought my first house! It's been quite an experience - with everything from being crazy excited :banana::banana::banana: that my offer had been accepted, to freaking out thinking "what have I just done?!?!?!? :scared1: "

I've spent this week on the phone with my mortgage broker, emailing lawyers, looking into moving companies, and on and on and on....

To throw another kink into things, I'm out of town for business the week leading up to me taking possession. I leave for Nova Scotia on November 11th, coming back on November 17th - the day I close! :headache:

So - some fun organizing and scheduling to take care of, but at the end of the day, I'm going to be moving into a cute two-bedroom townhome, with gorgeous dark hardwood floors. The neighbourhood is pretty much all new builds within the last ten years, with great schools, community centres, parks, etc. so I know I'm gong to be happy with this place!! :cloud9:


Oh - and there's a pretty good chance that another trip to all of our favourite place is in the cards - likely for late Feb/early March with my mom and brother!! Fingers crossed :goodvibes

Up next - more of my day at IOA!!

Ahh the stress of buying a new home.....NOT! Seriously, I am so excited for you and can hardly wait to see pictures of your townhome.

Yay for another trip!

[jenseib]

Congrats on the new home... It's so exciting and stressful at the same time.

[Practically_Perfect]

So after having gotten my fill of rides in WWoHP (well, almost), I decided it was time to start checking out the stores.

I took a look at the line to get into Ollivanders, which was pretty much rivalling that of Forbidden Journey. Since I didn't have any children with me who were insisting that they get a wand (yay for being solo!!) I decided to skip it. I had already passed some carts where I could buy a wand if I so desired, without having to wait in a ridiculous (or should I say "Riddikulus") line to do so. I was pondering getting one for my little brother....

As I walked away from Ollivanders, I came across a CM holding the Book of Monsters (remember, the one that Hagrid assigned them when he was Care of Magical Creatures professor?) and I just had to take a pic:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01215.jpg

I then walked over to Honeydukes and Zonkos to peruse what they had. There are separate outside entrances for each of these, but they are connected inside. Honeydukes had a lot of the candies and sweets described in the books, including Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, etc. They were also selling pumpkin juice!

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0823.jpg
This pic is from an outside stand, but they were selling the same stuff inside.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01204.jpg

Zonkos had some cool things too - obviously not as described in the books, but they did take some typical joke/gag shop things and rename then with Rowlingesque names.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0819.jpg

I then decided it was time to try some Butterbeer. I headed over to this cart and started waiting in line.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01205.jpg

I also noted that it was most definitely getting to be lunch time. I figured I'd grab some Butterbeer, then head in to Three Broomsticks to have lunch. I mean, doesn't this sound like a perfect plan??

Ahh - not so much. A perfecter plan was soon proposed to me by a CM, who said that I could order my much anticipated Butterbeer in Three Broomsticks! Done and done :thumbsup2 Before heading in, I saw this notice:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_0826.jpg
(Okay, fine. Not the best picture, and you can probably see more of me than Sirius Black - but it's the notice that he's on the loose, moving picture and everything!)

So...any guesses as to what I had for lunch? There were a few options on the menu, including the Great Feast:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01220.jpg

Since I was alone, I decided to opt for something a little smaller. Instead, I had the Fish and Chips:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01219.jpg

And, most importantly, I had my Butterbeer:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01222.jpg

I had read on here before leaving that you could get either plain Butterbeer or frozen Butterbeer. Based on those descriptions, I went with the frozen one. It was okay - tasted kind of like how I imagine a frozen butterscotch pudding would taste like. I didn't finish it; the meal was very filling. I also probably wouldn't order another one just for me, but would most definitely share one with someone.

Since I wasn't at Disney, I wasn't on the meal plan. Here's my OOP costs for lunch:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01223.jpg

After lunch, I decided to head back to the Castle, to see if I could see more of the much lauded queue before sneaking through to the single-rider line. I asked a CM, who told me to follow the signs for the "Castle Tour" which would bring me straight to where the single-rider line starts! Score - I would get to skip the crazy line, see most of the Castle (you don't get to see the Greenhouses), and get on the ride for a second time that day! :cool1:

Here are some pics I took inside the castle...

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01226.jpg
Godric Gryffindor

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01227.jpg
Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin

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Helga Hufflepuff

These were the only pictures on this whole wall that would move and talk. Slytherin was complaining about muggles being in the castle, and the others were essentially telling him to suck it up, buttercup!!

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01224.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01232.jpg
Dumbledore's Office - I loved this area. I also tried to snap a few pics of the pensieve, but they turned out awful. The lighting was really low, and my p&s didn't like it :sad2:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01236.jpg
The Fat Lady - just before heading into the Gryffindor Common Room, where single-rider line starts.

After another awesome ride, I decided to leave Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, and head for other parts of US/IOA. I had about half a day left to explore the rest of what they had to offer.

[lauren_elizabeth]

Everything at WWoHP just looks like so much fun!!

I really want to try a Butterbeer, too!

Congrats again on the new house! That's great news!!

[hushupu]

great trip report I always considered doing a solo trip and probably will eventually. The company I work for is connected to universal so I get room and ticket discounts. I like US/IOA but find I can see everything with an overnight stay because of the guest fast pass thing. Last trip I got to Portofino about 1pm and went on just about every ride out side of WWoHP by 9pm. Next morning I took advantage of the early rope drop for guests and was done with WWoHP by 1 pm and just headed over to the Boardwalk to check in for the Disney part of our vacation.
BTW you are killing me on the acronyms on the other trip report I am reading.

[Practically_Perfect]

Everything at WWoHP just looks like so much fun!!

I really want to try a Butterbeer, too!

Congrats again on the new house! That's great news!!

It definitely was a lot of fun - I'm really glad I decided to take a day and head over there. I've loved the books ever since my grandmother bought the first one for my younger brother when he was a baby and I "borrowed" it. I wound up buying "him" the rest of them each in hard back, justifying it by saying that at least he'd have a full set of them when he gets older. Of course, he hasn't cracked a spine on a single one of them yet! :rotfl:

great trip report I always considered doing a solo trip and probably will eventually. The company I work for is connected to universal so I get room and ticket discounts. I like US/IOA but find I can see everything with an overnight stay because of the guest fast pass thing. Last trip I got to Portofino about 1pm and went on just about every ride out side of WWoHP by 9pm. Next morning I took advantage of the early rope drop for guests and was done with WWoHP by 1 pm and just headed over to the Boardwalk to check in for the Disney part of our vacation.
BTW you are killing me on the acronyms on the other trip report I am reading.

Yay for US/IOA discounts!! :thumbsup2 I would love to stay in one of their resorts some time, but they seem kinda on the expensive side....but I'm only checking through the US website, so I'm sure there's better discounts that I'm just not finding.

I'm really glad I went over to check it out, even if I did wind up skipping over a lot of things. It turned out to be a really expensive day (likely the most expensive day of the trip), but I enjoyed myself.

[Joyciemc]

Hello! I followed you from Ben's TR (nice job on the acronyms, BTW!)


Really enjoying your TR! Hogsmeade is pretty amazing, isn't it? We stayed at a Universal hotel, and got to go in early. The difference in crowd level from one hour to the next was amazing! But gotta love single rider. Especially on Forbidden Journey, since you're sectioned off from the other people in your bench!

[Practically_Perfect]

Hello! I followed you from Ben's TR (nice job on the acronyms, BTW!)


Really enjoying your TR! Hogsmeade is pretty amazing, isn't it? We stayed at a Universal hotel, and got to go in early. The difference in crowd level from one hour to the next was amazing! But gotta love single rider. Especially on Forbidden Journey, since you're sectioned off from the other people in your bench!

Hi!! and :welcome:

You know, a couple times on Ben's report I've thought "I'm pretty sure I read one of Joyce's reports before..." Now I remember, I read the "This Trip Broke the Bank" one! I'm pretty sure I just lurked, but I remember I liked it! :thumbsup2 I'm going to head over to your May report as well - even though I'm probably eons behind! :rolleyes1

[Practically_Perfect]

I finally left Hogsmeade/Hogswart after one last Forbidden Journey. I hoped I'd be back someday, because I knew there was more to explore.

I'd had a friend at work suggest what else I should do at Universal, knowing that I only had one day to do both parks. With her suggestions and my Express Pass in hand, I headed over to the Jurassic Park ride.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01240.jpg

I liked it - kind of like Splash Mountain only with scary dinosaurs instead of friendly Briar Patch creatures. I did slide forward in my seat at the bottom of the drop, causing a nice bruise on my left knee :headache:. Oh - and like Splash, I got soaked!

Next on my list was Spiderman. I really had no idea what to expect on this one, but thought it was really cool. Universal seems to have the "visual interaction with ride vehicle motion thingy" down pat!

For my last ride at IOA, I went over to The Hulk. This is another one of those rides where you have to use the lockers for your stuff. Since I had an Express Pass, I took a chance and decided use the free 30 minutes. After a wait of just a few minutes, I was on. This is quite an intense coaster - lots of speed, twists, loops, etc. I liked it, but once was enough.

I left IOA, and made the long journey over to the Universal side. I took a couple of pics along the way:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01241.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01242.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01243.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01244.jpg

First on my list at US was Shrek 4d. I don't believe this had an Express Pass option, so there was a bit of a wait. I did notice some Disney jealousy during the wait:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01245.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01246.jpg

I was also asked to complete a survey during the wait before we were brought into the pre-screening room. I liked the theming of the pre-screening room, particularly the Three Little Pigs.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01247.jpg
Notice their cages are made of straw, wood and brick?

The show - not bad, but Disney does it better in my opinion. I love Mickey's Philharmagic and Muppets 3D. Heck, I'd even take It's Tough to be a Bug over Shrek, and I'm totally the one that sits waaaay forward in the seat, with my feet lifted, my nose plugged, and I refuse to look up (why...why did it have to be spiders???).

I made my way over to Twister. I loved that movie when it came out. You know the scene where they're driving down a road, and a tractor falls on it and she screams "Left!", then a combine falls and she screams "Right!", then a house flips into the road and he goes "I think we're going in!!!.....Now what way?" and she goes "I have no idea." (Sorry...that scene makes me giggle.). Well - that tractor and that combine are actually model toys. My dad has a whole collection, and as soon as he saw the combine fall he went "I have that one!!!" Whoo - that was a bit of a tangent. Anyhow, I was hoping there'd be some fun facts like that shared...

Yeah...this "attraction" sucked. You wait in line, then you enter a room where Bill Paxton does a little spiel. Then you go into another room and Helen Hunt does a little spiel. Then, you enter a "hot set" where they "recreate" the effects of a tornado. My hair, which was loose, didn't move. :sad2:

Up next was The Mummy. I've never seen this movie, but thought these guys were kinda cool:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01248.jpg

Again, I stored my bag, and went in the single rider lane. The single rider loading happens on the opposite side of regular loading. I walked up, and the CM in charge of loading asked me to stand to the side. Since I'm a helpful tourist, I did so. He loaded up one ride vehicle, then another, then another. I was about to step and say "umm...I'm still here..." when he turned around and went "Oh my goodness, I forgot about you!! Come on up, we'll get you on the next one!" So, sometimes being a single rider can come back to bite ya! Even though I was forgotten, I still really liked this ride. Pretty comparable to Dinosaur, but not nearly as loud!!

I then went over to Disaster! to be an extra in movie about a natural disaster in New York (?). I thought briefly of throwing my hat in the ring to have a more starring role, but decided that nothing would beat me getting to ride on the big bumblebee from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" during my very first visit to Disney. So instead I was a member of the studio audience while the selected few did their thing, then did my part as an extra on the subway. Universal, learn from yourself. This is how you do an audience interaction recreation (I'm looking at you, Twister).

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After looking at the time (I think it was getting to be about 3:45 or so), I decided to call Mears to schedule my pick-up shuttle. I asked for the 5:30 return bus, and got my way!

I was in Amity, so headed over to the somewhat "headline" attraction - Jaws. Again, I flashed my Express Pass, and pretty much walked on the ride. I was seated with a family who'd obviously ridden it before, because the mom went "Oh, great. I'm on the shark side." I was on the opposite side, and I took that to mean that the Great White would attack her side first. Even with that knowledge, I still managed to practically jump into her husband's lap when we were in the garage part. They were nice about it, and only laughed at me a little bit :blush:

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I had passed a soft-serve ice cream stand, so I bought myself a mixed (half chocolate, half vanilla) cup, found myself a bench in the shade and people watched while enjoying my ice cream. It was during this interlude that I decided to skip MIB, and just do The Simpsons ride.

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So, for the last time that day, I flashed my Express Pass, and made my way over to Springfield. This is a visual simulator ride if I ever saw one. Anyone who has issues with Mission Space or Star Tours should definitely avoid this ride! I, however, enjoyed it. Go Mutant Maggie, Go!!

I stopped into the Kwik-E-Mart, and bought a souvenir pin for my brother. Apu was there to thank me and asked me to "Come again!"

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I started making my way back out of the park, snapping a few pictures along the way.

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Hey - that's my brother's name!

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The wonderful actress who portrayed my namesake!

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On my pitstop I saw these hand dryers for the first time. They are the best!!! :cool1:

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I knew I had taken this picture - I couldn't find it when I was writing the WWoHP part of this TR! Anyhow - bye Harry!!

While I slowly made my way back to the busses, I spotted a store selling Vera Bradley bags. This is a big deal, since there are no VB outlets near where I live, and I can't figure out how to get the VB site to deliver to Canada (it probably doesn't due to customs restraints). If anyone has tips - let me know! After perusing for a bit, I found the bag I wanted:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/IMG_1213.jpg

After a bit of a wait, the bus finally came to take me back to Pop. I had decisions to make. Did I have enough energy to head over to Epcot for EMH, or would I just wind up crashing after such a long day?

[sue_88]

Hello, I decided to drop by your report today (and I enjoyed it!).
I have been to Universal before, but not since they added the Wizarding World. I really considered going on my upcoming trip but decided I would relax more if I just stay at Disney. But, I am a little sad that I am not going to eat at the Three Broomsticks and see the paintings in the castle.

[jwhtewolfd]

I am enjoying your report! I did a solo trip Jan '11, and going again Jan '12. I'm eager to read how you spent your time in WDW, but I was really curious to read about US/IOA. I keep toying with the idea of heading over there to check out WWOHP, but leaving WDW and touring a new place alone keep holding me back. Can't wait to read more!

[Joyciemc]

Loved your day at Universal! You had a lot of the same experiences I did at the attractions.

We did not care for Shrek. In the pre show, Farquaad kept saying we were going to be tortured, and instead we watch a movie (which wasn't great, but it wasn't torture).

And Twister was sooooper lame. But we REALLY liked Disaster! and thought Christopher Walkin was hilarious in it! Overall, I really enjoyed Universal.

[PirateKate]

WWoHP looks really cool! What a great way to spend the day.

I'm hoping you did make it to EMH at Epcot...it seems like a solo trip is just right for staying out extra late at night.

[heaven2dc]

I am having so much fun living your TR through each day! Love the bag - I'm so jealous!

[Practically_Perfect]

Hello, I decided to drop by your report today (and I enjoyed it!).
I have been to Universal before, but not since they added the Wizarding World. I really considered going on my upcoming trip but decided I would relax more if I just stay at Disney. But, I am a little sad that I am not going to eat at the Three Broomsticks and see the paintings in the castle.

I debated for a while about whether to go to Universal or not. My main reason for wanting to go was to see WWoHP, but I didn't feel that it was enough of a reason to spend all that money to go. I spoke with some friends at work, and when they convinced me to check out both parks, and when I found the transportation/ticket deal from Dreams Unlimited, that's when I decided I should give it a go.

I am enjoying your report! I did a solo trip Jan '11, and going again Jan '12. I'm eager to read how you spent your time in WDW, but I was really curious to read about US/IOA. I keep toying with the idea of heading over there to check out WWOHP, but leaving WDW and touring a new place alone keep holding me back. Can't wait to read more!

:wave:

The rest of the trip is all Disney - I promise!!

Loved your day at Universal! You had a lot of the same experiences I did at the attractions.

We did not care for Shrek. In the pre show, Farquaad kept saying we were going to be tortured, and instead we watch a movie (which wasn't great, but it wasn't torture).

And Twister was sooooper lame. But we REALLY liked Disaster! and thought Christopher Walkin was hilarious in it! Overall, I really enjoyed Universal.

I had a great time at Universal too! I'm pretty certain (though nothing is booked and I haven't been given any dates) that I'm going to Disney in Feb/Mar with my little brother and mother, and am debating whether to work in another Universal day or not. I think it'd be cool for them to check out a new park, but my brother is not super into "thrill" coasters, and he's also not all that into HP (much to my chagrin), so I'm not sure it'd be the best use of our time and money.

WWoHP looks really cool! What a great way to spend the day.

I'm hoping you did make it to EMH at Epcot...it seems like a solo trip is just right for staying out extra late at night.

I'll try to get another installment up today to ease the suspense over Epcot EMH. I will tease that this was not the latest I stayed out. MK had EMH until 3:00 a.m. one day....:rolleyes1

I am having so much fun living your TR through each day! Love the bag - I'm so jealous!

I now have two great park bags depending on what I feel like carrying on a particular day. The VB one is great when I'm just bringing basics and my point and shoot camera. I also have a MEC bag (http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/TopSellers/PRD~5001-497/mec-right-hand-pod-sling-pack.jsp)that I can also fit my DSLR camera into if I want that one with me.

[hushupu]

I think Disney just pays a lot more attention to detail than any other amusement park. Although I do think Universal did come close with the WWoHP. I remember walking in and seeing the snow on the roofs and getting a little chill even though it was July and around 95 degrees out.

[Practically_Perfect]

I think Disney just pays a lot more attention to detail than any other amusement park. Although I do think Universal did come close with the WWoHP. I remember walking in and seeing the snow on the roofs and getting a little chill even though it was July and around 95 degrees out.

I agree - they definitely did WWoHP right. I also got that feeling when looking up at the snow - you truly felt immersed in the theme.

[jenseib]

I have always loved disaster too...though it's been about 10 or more years since I've been there. Fun day! I really want to get over there someday

[Practically_Perfect]

The return bus ride home, included one....not sure if "gentleman" is the right word here, but sure - we'll go with gentleman...who was very concerned with making it to the Luau. Sample dialogue: "Ma, ma!! Ma!! MAA!!! This bus has gotta hurry up - we're not gonna make it! Ma - seriously - the luau. We gotta get to the luau!!" (BTW - this was a guy in his mid to late 30s...not a 5 year old.) My stress level was going up listening to him....though I'm not sure if was because I was worried they wouldn't make the luau, or if it was because I was one "Ma...MAA!!!" away from turning to him and going "Dude...relax about the stupid luau!!"


We did pass through my first ever Disney resort, which helped with my stress.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01260.jpg
POR - I'll be back just as soon as I visit a few other resorts first!

I got back to the room at around 6:30 or so, and flipped on the television. I don't think I've mentioned how jealous I am that you guys get Soapnet down in the States...I would kill to have mid/late afternoon access to the vintage Beverly Hills, 90210 episodes. I probably watched to the end of the current episode (for those who remember vintage BH90210, the episodes that week were right at about the "OMG - Dylan's 'family' is going to rob him blind!" part of the series) while fixing my hair to head out that evening for Epcot's EMH.

About 7:00 I headed down to the bus stop. There was another family from Ottawa on the bus, and they spotted my ever-present Canadian Flag Mickey Ears pin, so we started up a conversation. I gave them some tips for the week, including that Wishes was a must-do, and we had a nice chat.

Once I got to Epcot, I made a beeline for Morocco. I did take some time to take a few pics, even though there was a rumbly in my tumbly.

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Needed this pic, since I was staying in the Tramp section at Pop.

I had set a challenge for myself to try all sorts of new CS restaurants, and to steer clear of the standard burger and fries fare. Tonight I was trying out Tangierine Cafe. For those not from here, I must tell you that Ottawa has got to be Canada's (maybe even North America's) shawarma capital. You can barely walk two city blocks without seeing a shawarma place. All this to say, I know from good shawarma - so I was interested to see what Tangierine Cafe could serve up.

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I went with the Chicken and Lamb combo with Tabouleh salad. I had ordered a Diet Coke, but when the CM went to hand it to me, the cup slipped out of his hand and it spilled everywhere! He quickly poured me a large (what he thought was) Diet Coke, but when I took at sip at the table it turned out to be Coke Zero. Anyhow - this is why I have two cups on my tray.

All in all, not bad! The humous and tabouleh were very good, as were the meats. My only suggestion for improvement would be to give more garlic sauce. Shawarma is not shawarma without good garlic sauce. I would definitely eat here again :thumbsup2

After my meal (and being slightly entertained by a group of three gay guys who were hilarious - one kept refusing to try the lamb, while the other two kept insisting that he should! It was hard to keep my giggling to myself, and in hindsight I should have introduced myself and gotten on the "Try the lamb!" bandwagon), I headed over to Soarin'. The wait was about the 20 mins as predicted, but I asked to wait for B1. I absolutely love this ride! I timed it well, since the wait time grew after I left.

I then went on Living with the Land, which had been closed the last time I was there. Part of my reason for going on is because my dad's a farmer, so I always like to try things that relate to what he does. Some of the things they had going on there were really cool!

I then went over to The Seas with Nemo and Friends. By now it was after 9:00, so EMH had kicked in, meaning I had to dig for my KTTW card to prove I was allowed to go on the ride. I grabbed a few pics too, but I bet they'd be better during the day.

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After riding along with Marvin trying to find Nemo, I decided to head over to Test Track. I hadn't done it the last time I was WDW and really wanted to check it out again. On the way, I passed through the opening by the Character Spot and spotted this:

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/Disney%20Vacation%20-%20April%202011/DSC01273.jpg
Dancin' Donald!! :rotfl:

Obviously Donald had a bit of a lull while people were meeting Mickey and Minnie, so he decided to entertain himself (and me!) by doing a little dance. His handlers were laughing their behinds off!! I later bought a CD that had "Ducks Dance Too" on it, and it makes me think of this every time I hear it.

Once Donald finished up his jig, I kept on going over to Test Track. I decided to go with the Single Riders line, since the wait time posted was something like 45 minutes. I'm not sure that being single this time paid off.

This was also my first encounter with the many grad trips happening that week. There was a group ahead of me that kept telling their friends to "just cut through". I would have been annoyed, but one of the guys had severely torn his shorts to the point where you could see the cutesy boxers he had on underneath, and listening to him trying to tell the story was hilarious. I'm pretty sure he said he cut them on the ride in Mexico, but for the life of me I can't figure out how he could have done it. His explanation was no help either...

After I helped test the car to make sure it could withstand all it would need to withstand, I headed over to Spaceship Earth. I've kind of created a not-on-purpose tradition of having this be my last ride of any Epcot visit. I think it's a nice way to end a visit in that park. I tried to snap a few pics of my favourite parts.

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This is supposed to be the sleeping monk, but it's really blurry.

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Printing Press

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Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel

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Telephone Operators

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Watching the Moon landing

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Her outfit gets me every time!!

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What a beautiful sight...

I left the park at around 11:45 and headed back to Pop. This is when I noticed the one thing that Pop's missing...a hot tub. After my very long day, it would have been nice to have a quick 15 soak with a jet right at my shoulders. Instead, I settled for a nice hot bath before jumping into bed. I didn't set a specific alarm for the next day, figuring I would just go with the flow. I didn't want to burn out too early on my trip!

Up next: Day 2 (finally)!! Which park would I visit? Would it be just one, or more? And most importantly, would I find the yummiest drink I've ever had at WDW??

[Joyciemc]

Wait, this was all Day 1? :rotfl:

You had quite the busy day! Can't wait to see what happens next.

[jenseib]

Great evening. You did quite a bit too. It was a long day...my kind of day! :thumbsup2

[PhoenixStrength]

Nice Day 1! I visiting Universal last November during my trip specifically for WWoHP. I was bummed though because FJ was broke down all day. They did still let us walk thru Hogwarts though so at least I get to see inside and get pictures.

Can't wait for Day 2!

[Practically_Perfect]

Wait, this was all Day 1? :rotfl:

You had quite the busy day! Can't wait to see what happens next.

Yep - this was my first full day in Orlando (I originally typed "at Disney", but technically, I really didn't spend the full day there). I guess I like to keep busy!! :goodvibes

Great evening. You did quite a bit too. It was a long day...my kind of day! :thumbsup2

It didn't feel like it at the time, but in writing this I realized just how long my day was!!

Nice Day 1! I visiting Universal last November during my trip specifically for WWoHP. I was bummed though because FJ was broke down all day. They did still let us walk thru Hogwarts though so at least I get to see inside and get pictures.

Can't wait for Day 2!

That sucks about FJ :sad2: Although the Hogwarts tour is really cool - I'm really glad I was able to find a way to do it without waiting for eons....

[BennyFedora]

I've been a negligent follower :rolleyes1

Congrats on the new place! We bought in 2007 and actually signed the offer letter the evening before we were heading on our first WDW trip together. I still remember taking a call from the appraiser right in front of Small World. :goodvibes

Awesome trip so far...can't wait to read more :thumbsup2

[Practically_Perfect]

Hey all! I've been neglecting my TR again, which is a bad thing. Update to come today (hopefully, so long as work cooperates), but first I wanted to share the pumpkin I carved for a Halloween raffle at work.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/ksmountjoy/IMG_0202.jpg
Jack Skellington

[PirateKate]

Epcot EMH looks like fun! Twenty minutes for Soarin' is awesome. I don't think I've ever seen it that low, even during EMH. Of course, it's been a few years since we've stayed late at Epcot.

I love your Jack o lantern! That turned out great! :)

[Evelyne]

Hi,
I am not a big fan about reallity shows, I don't really care about juicy details about other people lifes, but your story cought me. We seem to have some things in commun, we live close by, I live 45 min. from Ottawa in Québec. I work for the gov. as well ,but for Québec. But our biggest thing in commun is Disney I totaly love it and since a couple of years stay at Pop. I never thought of doing a solo trip to the World, but from what I can see it is something very interesting.
Thank you for the inspiration!!! :) ;)

1990 to 1992, off site with DB+ friends/ 1994 off site with DB+ family/
1995 off site DB, DS (2) and DD on the way/ 1998 off site DB, DS DD/
1999 off site DB, DS, DD, + family/2000 to 2003 DB, DS, DD All star Sports
2004 to 2008 Pop Century with DB (after 20 years, I can say DH), DS, DD and family
2008 to 2009 Pop Century DH, DS, DD/2010 and 2011 Pop DH, DD and her friend
September 2012 DH and me alone for the 1st time. Can’t wait to check inn at the POP!!!




http://www.mickeypath.com/id/1348729281.jpg
('http://www.mickeypath.com/')