Did I Hear That Right? A Solo Adventure at WDW Updated 8/30

[mickeymouse108]

i'm here so sorry you were not feeling great on your first day I have never been to Disney by myself and love hearing how your trip was.

 

[xDisneyAngelx]

The wait time for TT was 80 minutes. I decided to try the single rider line which was only 10 minutes. I knew you didn’t get the full design experience but it wasn’t something I really cared about any way. They did have stations to design a car so I stopped and did one. If you have a RFID ticket, you use that, if not, you have to get a card from the CM there. In the single rider line, you just picked the characteristic you wanted most in a car (I think I picked power) and then they gave you about 10 cars to choose from. I picked this one because I liked the color:

This was the little area where the FP and Single riders could design a car:

Most people were walking straight through the area without stopping to do a design. A little further along, you could see the room that the people in the regular line designed their cars:

The fast pass lines and the single rider lines are side by side. Then the regular line comes up and meets the two lines from the side. There was a CM there letting people through. The single rider line continued but the fast pass and regular lines merged so there were now two lines. There were two foreign guys that jumped line from the merged FP/regular line over to the single rider line which was shorter. The CM kind of feebly yelled for them to go back to their regular line but they just kept going. The CM started to go after them but I don’t think he was allowed to leave the podium so he just shrugged and went back to his job.

We continued forward into the two lines and this is the area you see:

About that time I made my first attempt at striking up a conversation in line with a Mom and Daughter ahead of me. They didn’t want to talk so that failed.

A few more pictures from the line:

It was about that time that I discovered what they had done with the heat section of the ride! Just kidding but it was stifling in that line. I rarely get hot and I was boiling. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like in the hot summer months.

When I got to the front of the line, they sent me to sit in the back seat with a couple. But when I got to the lane, there was some kind of mix-up and there was no one in the front seat of our car. So of course I hopped up front. I scanned my card right before I got in so my car design was loaded.

So, the basic concept of the new TT is that you are riding in a “simulation car”. After each test, there is a screen where your design is compared to the simulation car. Unfortunately my design did not load right and never showed up on the screens. The track is exactly the same as the old version except the color scheme is darker and looks a lot like something from the movie Tron. I could tell where the Hot and Cold rooms used to be and when you are in those rooms, you need to look to the left and right. There are some interesting effects there that I think most people miss because you are looking straight ahead.

Another thing I discovered is that they moved the cameras to either right before or after you go outside. I can’t quite tell from the photo. It did make for an interesting ride photo though, I’ve titled it “Cousin It”:

They have a lot of interactive stuff in the dump area. You can get the score for your car by swiping your card. Mine was 192 (whatever that means) and the highest for the day was 232.

They also had virtual race tracks where you could drive your car. As you can see, not too many people were trying that:

And they had a display of Chevy cars:

I’m not much of a car person but I still drooled over this baby for a few minutes:

They also changed the design of the dump shop and the Coke area outside:

So what did I think of the new Test Track? Meh, it was ok. I only rode the original TT twice but I really enjoyed it. On the new version, I didn’t like the line. It seemed kind of closed in and if I was claustrophobic, I think it might have been uncomfortable. It was also very hot in the line and it wasn’t a hot day outside. Maybe the regular line was better but I never went through it. The ride itself didn’t really change much other than the color scheme.

After I finished with TT, I decided to head into the world showcase so I headed towards Mexico, still looking for the magic I wasn’t quite feeling yet.

Up Next: It’s a Troll World

Great photo's They did move the camera's on Test Track it is now located a few seconds after you pass through the doors. I am loving your TR. Can't wait to read more about it.

 

[Pluto0809]

Hot women and food are the easiest way to get a man to agree with you.

That is so true!! And the reason I sent him both pictures.

i'm here so sorry you were not feeling great on your first day I have never been to Disney by myself and love hearing how your trip was.

Thanks, it was not the best start but things got better very quickly. That was my first time solo but it won't be the last.

Great photo's They did move the camera's on Test Track it is now located a few seconds after you pass through the doors. I am loving your TR. Can't wait to read more about it.

Thanks, I knew they couldn't be in the old location because my hair wouldn't have looked like it did!

 

[Pluto0809]

I headed out of the World Showcase and towards Mouse Gears but stopped first for some Photo Pass pics. I really do not like the sideways one but oh well, I’ll post it any way.







Before heading into Mouse Gears I decided to stop by the pin trading place by the fountain. They had their pin board out and I traded for one Pluto pin. Here are the two pins I got for this day:



I was on the hunt for a particular kids shirt in Mouse Gears. When I was at Disney in November I had bought a Pluto shirt and wanted to find the kids version for my Cousin’s daughter, let’s just call her “J”. J will be 6 years old in November and I am “training” her to be a Pluto fan. It kind of happened by accident that she started liking Pluto but I have since taken her under my wing. She will be on our family Disney trip next February so I want us to wear matching shirts and meet Pluto together. I cleared it with her Mom and for her birthday she is getting this shirt which I did find that night in Mouse Gears.



I’m probably going to get her a Pluto pillow pet also to go along with the shirt. For myself I bought two items. I always get a Disney frame for one of my Photo Pass pictures. I keep a photo from each trip on my shelf at work. I still haven’t decided which picture to frame this time. I wanted to do one with Pluto but I really love the one with the Beast that I used in the intro. Oh and here’s the frame I bought:



During the ride from the airport, the luggage tag got ripped off of my carry-on bag. So what to do but buy a new one? I never need too much of an excuse to shop.





It was about halfway through Mouse Gears that my hip really started to hurt. As a matter of fact, it almost gave out on me while I was walking. I decided some pain meds and rest were needed so I finished my shopping and headed out to find a water fountain. I actually just got some really good news about my hip. The bone doctor said that there was nothing wrong with my bones and the spot the other doctor saw was an old injury, probably from childhood (not that I remember ever doing anything to my hip). It turns out I’ve just over used the hip probably because I broke my ankle on that side very badly about 10 years ago. I’m not walking right on that side so I start physical therapy next week to help improve my gait.

After taking some pain meds, I headed towards the lagoon to find a spot for Illuminations. I didn’t want to go too far into WS because that would mean a longer walk to the buses so I just stopped between the two stores at Showcase Plaza. Even though it was only a little bit after 8 pm, there were no spots right on the lagoon. I found a spot along a railing near one of the stores. That whole area slops up a bit so it wasn’t a bad place to view Illuminations. I sat on the ground while I was waiting and called DH. He was busy watching TV so we only talked for a few minutes and then I played on my phone till the start of the show.

Here’s my view:



And here are my pictures of Illuminations. They are definitely not the best I’ve seen.















Continued in Next Post

 

[Pluto0809]

Continued from previous post.

Some more Illuminations photos:













So what did I think of Illuminations? Well, first of all I have seen the show before and was just not that impressed. And this time I was still not that impressed. Sorry for all of those that love Illuminations but I just don’t get it. The fireworks and music are pretty but the whole globe part just bores me. Most of the time I can barely make out the videos on the globe so my mind ends up wondering. At least I confirmed to myself that I have no need to see it any more.

After Illuminations finished, I slowly wandered through some stores so I could wait for the crowds to thin out. I saw this T-shirt which I thought was really cute.



One of my earliest memories is of my first trip to Disney at age 2 ½ was buying cotton candy from a similar cart along Main Street.

I headed out to towards the front and stopped in the art store. I rarely buy anything from this store because everything is so expensive but I love looking. Shockingly I was able to find something that I could afford. They had some really cute trinket boxes that were only $20. And they had Pluto! Here’s the top:



Bottom



And a picture of it open:



On the way out, I stopped for one more round of Photo Pass pictures. The CM asked me to blow a kiss to the camera but for some reason my brain just did not comprehend what she wanted. The pictures turned out pretty funny though:









I headed out to the buses then and there was still a pretty big line. The buses were coming pretty quickly and I was on one by 10 pm. This was the only time I had to stand on the way back to the resort. The ride wasn’t bad although a bit crowded and I was back to my room by 10:20. I unpacked a little, took pictures of my souvenirs and headed to bed around 11 pm. I did find one souvenir picture I forgot to post earlier. Here’s my Carriage necklace all put together.



Ok, so now it’s time for the first set of quotes! I have three from this day.

1. “Yes, I am old enough to fly this plane”. Seen on the side of pilot’s bag while riding the tram at Atlanta airport. The poor guy looked like he was 12.
2. “Can you believe that everything in the Japan Store was made in China?” Said by a lady walking through Mexico in Epcot. Only at Disney would that sentence make sense.
3. “I don’t know what Star Wars has to do with Disney.” Said by a girl to her Mom in the art store as they were browsing. This one cracked me up because I always have thought the same thing. I love Star Wars and Disney but they just don’t seem to mix.

Up Next: The Magic and the Tears Begin

 

[cheekypoppins]

oh Arianna u crack me up! btw i have a new official nickname for you because when I called u "the pluto lady" I didn't actually know your name yet,and since I'm pretty sure you had a bagel n a banana in both tr';s u are officially ariannabagelnana

 

[katt789]

Awesome finds ahopping wise at Epcot! So much Pluto stuff! I have to agree with you on Illuminations, it just can't compare with the other nighttime shows and I've skipped it quite a few times. It's nice and all, but thats it haha. Nice frame! And the photopass pics are cute! Yay!!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

I'm glad you got good news about your hip! Physical therapy should definitely help with your gait. I hope you are feeling better soon.

I like Illuminations, but it is not must-see for me.

And yay for getting your niece into Pluto too! The pins and trinket box you got are adorable.

 

[wiigirl]

Great update!

 

[peonies26]

Love all the pictures!

 

[Pluto0809]

oh Arianna u crack me up! btw i have a new official nickname for you because when I called u "the pluto lady" I didn't actually know your name yet,and since I'm pretty sure you had a bagel n a banana in both tr';s u are officially ariannabagelnana

I'm glad I could make you laugh! I'm so excited that I now have an official nickname! It fits too. Guess what I just had for breakfast. Yep, a bagel. And I have a banana in my desk drawer for the 10 am munchies.

Awesome finds ahopping wise at Epcot! So much Pluto stuff! I have to agree with you on Illuminations, it just can't compare with the other nighttime shows and I've skipped it quite a few times. It's nice and all, but thats it haha. Nice frame! And the photopass pics are cute! Yay!!

I was so excited to find some Pluto stuff that I didn't buy in November. I thought for sure there would be nothing new.

I just don't get Illuminations. I think it's probably because it's not "Disney" enough for me. No characters or Disney Music.

I'm glad you got good news about your hip! Physical therapy should definitely help with your gait. I hope you are feeling better soon.

I like Illuminations, but it is not must-see for me.

And yay for getting your niece into Pluto too! The pins and trinket box you got are adorable.

Thanks about the hip, it was quite the relief!

I was so excited when J started to like Pluto. Not having kids myself, I was glad to find someone to pass my love onto. Her Mom is as big of a Disney fan as I am though. She's the one who I'm planning the 16 people family trip with.

Great update!

Thanks!

Love all the pictures!

Thanks!

 

[CDolacki2003]

Thanks for the camera info. I bought a waterproof one last June for our summer Disney trip but want a new one for our October trip. We love that wine too. We brought home a bottle a few years ago and cannot wait to get it again this year.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[ronnmel]

I think I need a sticker like the one the pilot had "Yes, I am old enough to drive this car". I was asked by the gas clerk this the other day. I'm over 30, yet look in my teens. Sigh.

 

[Pluto0809]

Thanks for the camera info. I bought a waterproof one last June for our summer Disney trip but want a new one for our October trip. We love that wine too. We brought home a bottle a few years ago and cannot wait to get it again this year.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

You are welcome! I love that wine so much but I'm not sure how I would get a bottle home since I usually fly. There's a possibility a group of us might drive down in May 2014 so maybe then!

I think I need a sticker like the one the pilot had "Yes, I am old enough to drive this car". I was asked by the gas clerk this the other day. I'm over 30, yet look in my teens. Sigh.

Now that's funny! I felt bad for the poor guy, it was obvious he must have been asked that question a lot because the sticker was actually home made. It looked like he had taken scrapbooking letters and put them on the side of his bag.

 

[Pluto0809]

I woke up at 6 am on Friday and was out the door by 7:30 am. As I walked towards Classic Hall, I noticed that there were a lot of cheerleaders around. I actually noticed a lot of them all week at the resort and in the parks but they never bothered me at all.

The food court was very crowded but since there were a lot of large groups, the 4-seater booths were always empty. I grabbed my food which was the same thing I ate every morning:



Yep, I’m boring in the morning thanks to my stomach issues. I find if I eat bland in the mornings it really helps me feel better throughout the rest of the day. I also took my mug with me and filled it with soda every day.



I used a carabiner clip to attach the mug to my bag so I didn’t have to take it back to the room each morning. It worked fairly well although it did get in my way once in a while.

I worked on my journal while I ate and that became my routine each morning. I finished and after a stop at the bathroom to wash out my mug (no mug washing stations in the food court), I headed out to the buses a little after 8 am.

So where was I headed for the day? To my favorite park of them all, Magic Kingdom. Needless to say I was really excited. A bus came very quickly and I was through bag check and headed to the gates by 8:40 am. This was the first day I got to use the new entry system and boy did I love it! Each entry point has two posts. The first post has a Mickey head on it. You go up to that post and tap your card to the Mickey head and the white lights on it flash. On the second post, there is a finger scanner and when you put your finger on that, the white light starts to swirl around and then turns green when they verify your identity. Once it turns green you are able enter the park. The new entry method is so much faster than the old one.

Once I got past the entry, I weaved my way up towards the front and found a spot for the welcome show. That was one of the great advantages of being by myself. I was able to find great spots for shows and parades by worming my way into areas that larger groups could not have used.



I waited only a little bit and then the welcome show started. And finally everything clicked into place and I was home! Here was the magic and the joy and the tears that I had been expecting the day before. I’ve decided that if at all possible on future trips I will be starting at MK. I was so excited to see the welcome show but I still managed to take some pictures:

























After the show I joined the masses of people heading right down the middle of Main Street.





I walked straight through the castle and to Peter Pan to grab a fast pass:



I started off my trip with the idea of taking pictures of all of the FPs I got but I only think I ended up taking a few of them.

Next I headed towards New Fantasyland to get in line for Enchanted Tales with Belle. I got slightly distracted by the Evil Stepmother & Daughters. They were wondering through Fantasyland goofing off.







Continued in Next Post

 

[Pluto0809]

Continued from Previous Post

I got in line for ETWB and was immediately adopted by the family in front of me. They started telling me about the crazy family in front of them that had knocked them out of the way to get in line. I mentioned that I had gotten a Peter Pan FP before getting in the line and the Dad decided to head out and get some while they waited. They must have thanked me about 10 times for that tip.

Even though I had gone straight to the attraction after getting the FP, I was still pretty far back in line. I took a lot of pictures while I waited:























It was about 10 minutes into the wait when the crazy family in front of my adopted family realized that they had forgotten their baby in the stroller. Yep, they were in such a hurry that they had parked their stroller and left the baby there. The dad went and got him and then proceeded to have quite the fight with his wife over who was supposed to have gotten the baby. It made for some entertainment while we waited although I’m glad that the baby was alright after being left behind.

As we rounded a corner of the building, there was this green door in the wall:



It was the GAC entrance plus it looked like it will be used for FP+. There was a CM that keep peeking his head out the door with a notepad. He never said a word but each time, the pad said something different.



If you can’t read that, it had a Mickey Head and says “Hidden Mickey”. The kids thought he was hilarious and so did most of us adults.

A few more pictures before we went inside:





Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see much of the first room because we walked straight through it and into the Mirror room. I took a few pictures before the CM said no flash.









Once they said no flash, I turned mine off immediately but only took one more picture of the room.



The CM went through the story about how we were going to step through the mirror and back to the night when Belle and the Beast fell in love. We were going to surprise Belle with a story. Then the mirror started to glow (sorry these last three are so blurry, they are the best I could do with no flash).



And then it began to grow and became a large door for us to walk through.



I’m one of those that likes to figure out the “magic” behind the magic so I watch stuff like this carefully to try to see how this was done. This was one of the coolest special effects I’ve ever seen and could not figure out how it worked at all.

After that, we headed through the mirror and into the hallway outside the library.



I’m going to leave this installment with a cliff hanger as I have a huge amount of pictures for the show itself.

Up Next: A Tale as Old as Time

 

[cheekypoppins]

oh another bagel nana lol,I'm so so excited for ETWB I can't wait for that part of my trip woohoo

 

[PhoenixStrength]

That family in front of the family in front of you sounds crazy! How could you forget your baby at all, let alone for 10 minutes!!!

The CM sticking his head out the door is pretty funny! I wish I had something like that to entertain me when I was waiting 30 minutes in line, but I only had a rude teenager in front of me with her equally rude mother.

The door effect is the coolest part of the pre-show for sure.

I can't wait to hear your opinion on the actually show, since I know how disappointed I was in it.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Now THAT is a cliffhanger!!! Cannot wait to see your updated on ETWB!

 

[Happy Duck]

Just got all caught up!

Sounds like you had a great day at Epcot! I'm glad it got better!

My sister and I missed the welcome show on our trip. We were in MK for Crystal Palace already. Great for Peter Pan but sad that we missed the show!

Seriously left the baby in the stroller? That is one of the craziest things I have ever heard!

I loved Enchanted Tales with Belle. So amazing! I played the part of Lumiere's girlfriend. Didn't think I looked much like a french maid

Love the updates!