I must be crazy! - An October-November 2016 Solo PTR - Update 10/9 2 Weeks to Go - That's a Wrap

I think the most I've done is three parks in one day, but with EMH's at the beginning and end of the day, it should be doable! Definitely stay hydrated and take some breaks in the shade when needed. This is pretty much how my family tackles Disney - my dad's motto is that we can rest when we get home, ha!

The Mickey ears turned out great!
 
I've done four parks in a day a few times, and your plan is exactly how I end up doing it.

I'm glad I wasn't completely on the wrong path and that you've done it the same way - it gives me hope that I can achieve it!


DHS is a good place to use your planned out fast passes for this day to streamline your time in the park. Also, you'll be there during the peak of the heat. It may be in my head, but DHS always seems like the second hottest park, next to AK. AK is furnace mid-day, but DHS seems to be right up there too. Now might be a good time to share of the absolute most important bits of advice that I can give you for this big park hopping day: stay on top of your hydration. I know it's going to be October and it should be cooler, but still, hydrate like crazy.

Excellent advice - I generally drink at least three litres a day but find it harder to do in the parks when you either have to buy bottled water or line up at a QS to get the free ones.


If you're looking to do a nice adult style desert, I would recommend popping back over to France after Via Napoli and hitting up L'Artisan des Glaces and getting an Ice Cream Martini, because ice cream and alcohol.

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Yay!

That does look pretty good. Can you pick any of their icecream flavours?


At about the time it looks that you'll be heading to MK, the Mono may be ridiculously packed, especially during Food and Wine. An alternative route that make be a slight bit more hassle, but a nicer go in the long run would be to hop on a bus to The Wilderness Lodge and take the boat to MK. You may end up adding ten or fifteen minutes to your trip, but it's much less stressful not being packed on a Mono like sardines.

See I hadn't considered crowds when it came to transferring between parks. That's why I love these boards - you get excellent advice from people who've done it all before you :cutie:


The rest plays out pretty smoothly. I think the last bit of advice that I could give is to be willing to skip Wishes/Fireworks if you can. The ride times thin out nicely during the show. One of best views of the fireworks I had was actually while riding BTMRR. Oh, and ride Haunted Mansion because Haunted Mansion is the best!

Good point - I'm definitely willing to consider skipping Wishes on this day - I've got heaps of time to be able to see them on another day!
 
Haha, I'm way to lazy to try 4 parks in one day - I'd "accidentally" sleep in and end up missing the first park, and then the plan is shot! But your plan does sound good. The hydration advice is good too - maybe that's why I poop out too quickly.
Great AK ears!

I wish I could accidentally sleep in! I'm up by 6:30 even on the weekends


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I think the most I've done is three parks in one day, but with EMH's at the beginning and end of the day, it should be doable! Definitely stay hydrated and take some breaks in the shade when needed. This is pretty much how my family tackles Disney - my dad's motto is that we can rest when we get home, ha!

Your dad is a smart man - that's pretty much my motto too!


The Mickey ears turned out great!

Thanks!
 
I'm glad I wasn't completely on the wrong path and that you've done it the same way - it gives me hope that I can achieve it!
It's definitely doable! The construction at DHS and AK helps trim down some of the time necessary for each park.

Excellent advice - I generally drink at least three litres a day but find it harder to do in the parks when you either have to buy bottled water or line up at a QS to get the free ones.
It can be a pain in the butt, and potentially cost a bit of money, but the alternative is that gross, dried out crunchy feeling that comes from being dehydrated. Midday on a four park bender is a tough one. It's really hot and often humid. There are a lot of gross, sweaty bodies bumping into you. People forget how to walk and get the hell out of the way and just stop in the middle of everything to do whatever it is that they think stopping in the middle of everything will accomplish. It's easy to forget about being hydrated at that point, or skip getting a drink due to the inconvenience.

That does look pretty good. Can you pick any of their icecream flavours?
You get two scoops of any combination of ice cream or sorbet that they have, plus a choice of Grand Marnier, Whipped Cream Vodka, or Rum. The first time I tried it (and the one pictured) I chose Whipped Cream Vodka. Don't. Just don't. It's basically scented rubbing alcohol. The next time, with Grand Marnier, was vastly superior. I believe it says that you get a shot's worth of alcohol, though I've noticed they're a little more generous and it's closer to a double shot.

See I hadn't considered crowds when it came to transferring between parks. That's why I love these boards - you get excellent advice from people who've done it all before you :cutie:
Epcot is a strange one, especially when it comes to transferring to MK. They're very heavily reliant upon the Mono, which is generally fine, but it can be a real bottleneck. On one of my trips, the easy solution was to hop on the bus to the MK resorts and hop off at Poly or GF and take the boat taxi to MK. Those buses aren't always running though. Being flexible here is important. Your transfer over to MK could be an easy 15 minute shot. Or, it could be a 45 minute to an hour long slog through droves of people. The bus to Wilderness Lodge followed by a boat trip over to MK is a nice way to go. Another option is to backtrack to one of the Epcot resorts and take their bus to MK. If all else fails, find the resort bus with the shortest line and transfer to MK via whatever resort you end up at. Flexibility with your schedule on this day and having a backup (or three) takes a lot of the stress out of it.

Good point - I'm definitely willing to consider skipping Wishes on this day - I've got heaps of time to be able to see them on another day!
Time is a super valuable commodity to have at Disney. I'm completely envious of the amount that you have for your trip!
 


Have any of you ever done four parks in one day? If so, do you have any suggestions or tips on how to achieve it while still having a good day.

I did four parks in a day a few years ago (I won't bore you with the details), and it is a lot of fun. If your committed, you'd be surprised at how much you can accomplish in one day. That being said, do your best to stay hydrated. Also, don't plan anything early the next day. Give yourself some time to rest or you will regret it.

I would also suggest just skipping Dinosaur since you'll be riding Indiana Jones on this monster trip. Riding them that close in time together would just be depressing.

electrolytes (it's what plants crave)

:worship:
 
You get two scoops of any combination of ice cream or sorbet that they have, plus a choice of Grand Marnier, Whipped Cream Vodka, or Rum. The first time I tried it (and the one pictured) I chose Whipped Cream Vodka. Don't. Just don't. It's basically scented rubbing alcohol. The next time, with Grand Marnier, was vastly superior. I believe it says that you get a shot's worth of alcohol, though I've noticed they're a little more generous and it's closer to a double shot.

Ooh so now I'm thinking I'll go for rum with the coco-white chocolate ice cream!

Epcot is a strange one, especially when it comes to transferring to MK. They're very heavily reliant upon the Mono, which is generally fine, but it can be a real bottleneck. On one of my trips, the easy solution was to hop on the bus to the MK resorts and hop off at Poly or GF and take the boat taxi to MK. Those buses aren't always running though. Being flexible here is important. Your transfer over to MK could be an easy 15 minute shot. Or, it could be a 45 minute to an hour long slog through droves of people. The bus to Wilderness Lodge followed by a boat trip over to MK is a nice way to go. Another option is to backtrack to one of the Epcot resorts and take their bus to MK. If all else fails, find the resort bus with the shortest line and transfer to MK via whatever resort you end up at. Flexibility with your schedule on this day and having a backup (or three) takes a lot of the stress out of it.

Now I'm thinking that I should try and do it on one of the days I'm staying at WL because then I could do a quick change/freshen up before heading to MK.....

Time is a super valuable commodity to have at Disney. I'm completely envious of the amount that you have for your trip!

I am one lucky lady that's for sure!
 
I did four parks in a day a few years ago (I won't bore you with the details), and it is a lot of fun. If your committed, you'd be surprised at how much you can accomplish in one day. That being said, do your best to stay hydrated. Also, don't plan anything early the next day. Give yourself some time to rest or you will regret it.

Good tips. I could do it the day before my cruise - that way I'd have until early afternoon to recover and do nothing...

I would also suggest just skipping Dinosaur since you'll be riding Indiana Jones on this monster trip. Riding them that close in time together would just be depressing.

Indi is my 3rd favourite ride at Disneyland (behind BTMR and the Matterhorn) and I would be riding it after Dinosaur so hopefully doing it that way will reduce any depression!
 
What better way to start then with an nice adult beverage or two.

None that I can think of! :thumbsup2

Ok, you got it right, it’s monorail crawl time.

How have I never thought to do this?!

Pimm’s Punch (Pimm's No. 1 Liqueur, Hendrick's, Odwalla Lemonade, and Wild Strawberry)

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That looks yummy!

Here I’d want to order the Pimm’s Punch or the Pina CoLAVA (BACARDI BLACK RAZZ Rum with Piña Colada Mix and Raspberry Purée)

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Ohhhh! That looks AMAZING!! Want one now please!

So out of the Sand Bar, the Wave Lounge or the Outer Rim where would you go?

Outer Rim hands down! ::yes::

If I were to choose here I’d order the Mango Margarita (Patrón Silver Tequila blended with Mango Purée topped with a Passion Fruit-Mango Foam)
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Yum!!

Where I’d order the Lapu Lapu (Myer’s Original Dark Rum and Tropical Fruit Juices with Bacardi 151 Rum), because hello it’s served in a pineapple! I’d also order the Bread Pudding as my snack just to see what all the fuss is about.

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The Lapu Lapu looks so cool in the pinapple but I have heard it is really strong! (Not that thats a bad thing....:rolleyes1)

I’m thinking of either the Uh-Oa! (Myers’s Original Dark Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple, and Grapefruit Juices, Falernum, Cinnamon, and fresh Lime Juice. Recommended for Two or more Guests. Served in a souvenir Tiki Bowl) but that’s mainly for the effects because it’s still a $40 drink or the HippopotaMaiTai (Coruba Dark Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Bols Orange Curaçao, Orgeat (Almond), Organic Agave Nectar, and fresh Lime Juice). It will probably be the later.

I would go with the Uh-Oa! But thats cause I hate Almond flavoured stuff! They are crazy prices though! :earseek:

Would you all pick Trader Sam’s or is it overrated?

Even though the drinks are super pricey I would still wanna try Trader Sam's.

I’d end up picking the Key Lime Cooler (Skyy Citrus Vodka and Key Lime Juice blended with Vanilla Ice Cream) and a Pina Colada Cupcake as my snack.

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That looks sooooooo goooooodddd! :faint:

As it would be the last stop I’d probably indulge in a dessert cocktail like the Godiva Chocolate (Stoli Vanil Vodka, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, White Crème de Cacao, and Frangelico)

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All sounds good to me! :thumbsup2

Just try and remember where your hotel is! :rotfl:


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How have I never thought to do this?!



;)

Ohhhh! That looks AMAZING!! Want one now please!




Outer Rim hands down! ::yes::

Noted!

The Lapu Lapu looks so cool in the pinapple but I have heard it is really strong! (Not that thats a bad thing....:rolleyes1)

How all drinks should be made...


I would go with the Uh-Oa! But thats cause I hate Almond flavoured stuff! They are crazy prices though! :earseek:



Even though the drinks are super pricey I would still wanna try Trader Sam's.

Me too - although I will have a chance to try the original at DLR as well so I may not need to do it here.

That looks sooooooo goooooodddd! :faint:

I think this one is my must have
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Just try and remember where your hotel is! :rotfl:

If the night doesn't end like this then clearly I'm doing it wrong
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35 Weeks to Go

A little backstory about my personality before I get into this week’s update. I tend to make big decisions very quickly. When buying my last car I spent about 10 minutes reading some articles online, saw a car I thought looked alright, went out that afternoon to the car yard and bought the car without even test driving it. And I could not love my car anymore even if I’d spent hours and hours researching and test driving. And then we get to my house. I had some issues in the place I was renting and decided it was time to buy my own place instead of paying someone else’s mortgage. I went to two weekends worth of open for inspections, saw a place that fit my needs which was being auctioned the next week and then bought it.

So usually when I book something travel related that’s it. There’s no going back or regretting decisions. But I think being on the disboards has changed my perspective as I see people changing their plans all the time, moving hotels, changing dates and everything in between.

Which brings us to this week. I’ve been tracking flight prices while waiting for Southwest to release their flights this week. The flights to and from Boston for the cruise were super expensive and as I’ve mentioned before the accommodation prices are insane. I decided to see what other options were out there for that week.

I realized that I could save the equivalent of one flight ($300) if I cruised out of Florida rather than Boston. Plus I wouldn’t have to pack both a winter and summer wardrobe.

A few emails to some TAs later and I got a deal I thought would work perfectly. And I took it. I cancelled my Boston/Canada cruise – I figure I’d rather have more time to explore this area and it gives me an excuse to plan another trip!

So what have I booked instead you ask? A 7 night Western Caribbean out of Miami instead. I’ll be cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line on the Getaway and they have much better accommodation for solo travellers.

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I’ll be staying in the single studios which look a little like this.

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Plus they’re attached to a lounge that is exclusively for the use of these rooms.

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The cruise ports I’ll be visiting are Roatan, Honduras

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Belize City, Belize

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Cozumel

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and Costa Maya, Mexico.

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And by booking now I was able to get the ultimate drinks package thrown in free. This is usually $69 a day so that was a pretty decent saving and now I can have all the fruity tropical cocktails that I care to drink! :drinking1


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So there you go. I did something I never thought I’d do and cancelled one booking to make another :cutie:

And finally this week’s ears. These are just a little basic pair for Halloween. I may change the bow to orange but I haven’t decided yet.

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And that leaves the place I’m 99% picking – Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.

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Here I’d obviously break the bank and order one of the drinks with a souvenir glass (but not the nautilus – I cannot pay $50 for a drink). I’m thinking of either the Uh-Oa! (Myers’s Original Dark Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple, and Grapefruit Juices, Falernum, Cinnamon, and fresh Lime Juice. Recommended for Two or more Guests. Served in a souvenir Tiki Bowl) but that’s mainly for the effects because it’s still a $40 drink or the HippopotaMaiTai (Coruba Dark Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Bols Orange Curaçao, Orgeat (Almond), Organic Agave Nectar, and fresh Lime Juice). It will probably be the later.

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And I’d want the Chicken Lettuce Cups as my snack!

Would you all pick Trader Sam’s or is it overrated?

After the second drink stop it would be back on the monorail to last stop of the crawl – the Grand Floridian. I think this is the trickiest one as it doesn’t have a lot of appealing options.

You’ve got the two pool bars – The Courtyard or Beaches.

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These have similar menus where I’d end up picking the Key Lime Cooler (Skyy Citrus Vodka and Key Lime Juice blended with Vanilla Ice Cream) and a Pina Colada Cupcake as my snack.

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If the pool bars don’t take my fancy there is the Citricos Lounge.

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Here I’d probably order the Antica Umber (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Solerno Blood Orange, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Lemon, and Bitters)

Or I could go to Mizner’s Lounge where at least they have some entertainment (even if it is an orchestra).

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The snack options here are pretty tempting, like cheese plate or warm-chocolate banana torte tempting. As it would be the last stop I’d probably indulge in a dessert cocktail like the Godiva Chocolate (Stoli Vanil Vodka, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, White Crème de Cacao, and Frangelico)

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Having never been to the GF I’m happy to hear your thoughts on which of the locations you’d pick.

After that last drink it would be back on the monorail to Magic Kingdom and onto a leisurely boat ride back to VWL.

So there are my plan’s for my monorail crawl. Depending on what day I decide to do this (park day or other) I may end up including an actual meal either at the beginning or the end of the crawl.

If you’ve done the monorail crawl before I’d love to hear your experiences, your suggestions and any tips you might have.
I know I'm several weeks behind,but I just have to tell you how fun the monorail crawl sounds. I've never heard of it before, but now it's going on my bucket list.

As for Trader Sam's, definatly not over rated. The Oh-oa is good but strong and ment for two. Maybe not the best choice if you don't want to over do it. My standby at Trader Sam's is the Krakatoa. It tastes yummy has a good effect and tiki glass.

I think the Grand Floridian is a perfect place to end with a dessert drink. I would do the Mizner's lounge and take it out to the beautiful lobby. If the orchestra (kind of more of a big band) is playing it makes you feel like you've been transported back in time.
 
So what have I booked instead you ask? A 7 night Western Caribbean out of Miami instead. I’ll be cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line on the Getaway and they have much better accommodation for solo travellers.

Wow!! How exciting! And warmer! :laughing:

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I’ll be staying in the single studios which look a little like this.

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Plus they’re attached to a lounge that is exclusively for the use of these rooms.


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OOOOooo! Fancy! That room looks so pretty and that lounge!! :thumbsup2


The cruise ports I’ll be visiting are Roatan, Honduras

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Belize City, Belize

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Cozumel

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and Costa Maya, Mexico.

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Okay then.


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:rotfl::rotfl: :rotfl:

And by booking now I was able to get the ultimate drinks package thrown in free. This is usually $69 a day so that was a pretty decent saving and now I can have all the fruity tropical cocktails that I care to drink! :drinking1

free-vs-fee-chart-main.jpg

Now that is a good deal! :drinking1 :drinking1 :drinking1

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And finally this week’s ears. These are just a little basic pair for Halloween. I may change the bow to orange but I haven’t decided yet.

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Love them! :cutie:
 

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