3 weeks to plan a solo trip! Nov. 2014 (COMPLETE)

[dreamseeker9]

Disney has been on my brain non-stop lately, or at least that's how it feels. I'm starting to plan for my 40th birthday celebration at WDW next fall, where friends and family are planning to join me for some Disney fun (and it just happens to be during Food & Wine, yay!). I just booked a Royal Room at Port Orleans Riverside for a week in September-October 2015. So what did I just do 2 days ago? I booked a last-minute solo trip to the World, of course!

Work has been insane lately - lots of traveling, and I'm starting a new assignment. Once this assignment kicks into high gear, I won't be able to take vacation for quite some time. So I decided to take a week off in November. Now the question was - what to do with my week off? Here's how my thought pattern went... I could do a staycation. I could visit family and friends. Or... I could go to DISNEY WORLD! No, that's crazy talk! That would be in 3 weeks! Let's put that idea on the back burner.

But you know how it is... once the seed is planted, does it ever grow! I actually decided not to go, then I realized that I had enough points for a free flight on JetBlue. I kept checking on resort availability, not wanting to spend a fortune. POP had good rates, but I don't know why - I wasn't feeling excited about it. And then it happened... all of a sudden, there was availability at AOA for a Little Mermaid room! I absolutely love The Little Mermaid! I stayed with friends at AOA in November 2012 (TR link in my signature, and I need to finish writing it, my bad) - we were in a Finding Nemo suite and absolutely loved it. I literally had butterflies in my stomach when I saw that LM room available. So I decided to go for it! My compromise was that I'm only going for 4 days, so that will save me money, and I'll still get a half-week of a staycation. It's a win-win!

A little about me...
I'm 39, single, and I live in New York City. I love Disney (duh!), especially Mickey. The Muppets are also near and dear to my heart. I actually did my first solo trip earlier this year, 5 days in March-April... and I had the worst cold the entire trip! I was so disappointed that I didn't get to do a lot of things because I felt so rotten. So maybe that's partly why I want a do-over.

Here I am, outside one of my favorite attractions in 2012:


Trip Details:
4 days - Sunday, November 16 - Wednesday, November 19
I am flying JetBlue out of JFK, a very early 6:00 AM flight. My flight on Wednesday night isn't until 8:35 PM.
I'll be using Magical Express to and from the airport, then the Disney transportation system on property.
I'm staying at AOA in a Little Mermaid room.
No dining plan, I may make a few ADRs.
I'll have a 4-day PH ticket.

What I want out of this quick trip:
I want to see if it's possible to still do a last-minute trip to WDW. I am a planner by nature, I already have a spreadsheet for my September 2015 trip. This trip is making me nervous but also very excited! It helps that I know I'll be back next year, and I'd rather wait and experience the 7 Dwarves Mine Train with friends and family, so I'm not bummed if I can't get that FP+.

While I am a morning person and will not have a problem making it to rope drop, I'm not a night owl. But I want to see Wishes, MSEP, IllumiNations, and Fantasmic! I didn't get to see any of them last time because I was so sick, I couldn't last that long each day. I know in 4 days, it will be a stretch to fit them all in, but I want to fit at least 2 of them in.

I don't know how many holiday decorations will be up, but I want to take time to see them, including at some of the resorts.

AOA has a great pool and really yummy drinks at the pool bar. If it's warm enough, I definitely want to swim and have a drink poolside! Some down time in general will be good, I don't want to be rushing around.

Status of my plans:
I just booked my flight and hotel 2 nights ago. I still have to buy my tickets and then make my FP+ reservations. I'm working on an itinerary. I haven't booked any ADRs yet.

Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear any suggestions on what to do while I'm there, or recommendations for last-minute planning! :good vibes More to come very soon!

 

[dreamseeker9]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Intro - Who, When, Where, Why
My Wish List
18 Days! Planning Status Update
Tickets Purchased (with a slight hiccup)!
Day 1 Plan - Arrival, MK, EPCOT
Day 2 - EPCOT, Resort Exploring, and DHS
Pools and the Forecast
Day 3 - AK, Resort Exploring, and a Magical Evening at MK!
I scored a FP+ for SDMT!
Plan B for each day, FP+ changes, and my shopping list!
3 days!!!
Disney changed park hours on me!
I'll be in Orlando in 15 hours!

 

[SarahDisney]

Hi! I discovered your PTR and decided to read along.

Little Mermaid at AoA is awesome!!! I'm sure you'll love it.

I did a last-minute (also booked around 3 weeks before) a few years ago, and it's definitely a different trip than one you spend months planning, but it's really fun to just be spontaneous and not have everything totally planned sometimes.

In terms of advice - Take it easy, enjoy your downtime, and remember that this won't be one of those "perfectly planned trips." If you see something witha short line, even if it's not something you'd normally do, consider trying it - it might be something you don't have time for on your more planned trips and so you should experience it now. Who knows, maybe you'll even find something new that you love that you might not have tried otherwise.

I'm looking forward to seeing how your last minute planning goes!

 

[ladywebby]

I'm looking forward to reading along I will be there at the same time and although I'll be with friends this time, I can see myself doing solo trips in the future. I'm also in my 30s, single, and from NY!

I was able to snag us some FP+ for 7DMT yesterday. They released a whole bunch for our dates

 

[dreamseeker9]

Hi! I discovered your PTR and decided to read along.

Little Mermaid at AoA is awesome!!! I'm sure you'll love it.

I did a last-minute (also booked around 3 weeks before) a few years ago, and it's definitely a different trip than one you spend months planning, but it's really fun to just be spontaneous and not have everything totally planned sometimes.

In terms of advice - Take it easy, enjoy your downtime, and remember that this won't be one of those "perfectly planned trips." If you see something witha short line, even if it's not something you'd normally do, consider trying it - it might be something you don't have time for on your more planned trips and so you should experience it now. Who knows, maybe you'll even find something new that you love that you might not have tried otherwise.

Hi Sarah! We must have discovered each other's PTRs at the same time, too funny!

I am SO EXCITED to see the LM section of AOA! I was blown away by the Finding Nemo section and all the special details. Even the scent in the hallways felt magical, I loved it!

I like your advice... I may get to AOA and decide to spend the afternoon by the pool, and that's okay! It's a great pool! So while I am a bit crazy when it comes to planning, I'll be sure to be flexible. During my last trip, I had to be flexible because I was so sick - I hated having to leave EPCOT mid-afternoon, but my body was in no shape to be pushed to stay any later than what I'd already done. Also, great tip about jumping in a short line, even if it's not an attraction I'd normally consider doing. I tried Winnie the Pooh last trip, and I was transported back to my childhood - it was absolutely delightful. I can't wait to ride it again!

I hope you have a great trip, and enjoy the tail end of the F&WF!

 

[dreamseeker9]

I'm looking forward to reading along I will be there at the same time and although I'll be with friends this time, I can see myself doing solo trips in the future. I'm also in my 30s, single, and from NY!

I was able to snag us some FP+ for 7DMT yesterday. They released a whole bunch for our dates

Hi, thanks for reading along! I am very excited to see how many decorations are up by the time we are there.

Yay for NY, I love it.

Do you have any special plans for your trip?

 

[Desiree]

Your TR caught my eye as I'll be there that same time as well. I've never braved a solo trip before but could easily see one in my future at some point. (Hubby isn't quite as gung ho with Disney as me!)

We are checking into CSR on the 17th and will be there until the 24th. I've never stayed in AoA but I can't wait to follow your report and read up on it!

 

[ladywebby]

Hi, thanks for reading along! I am very excited to see how many decorations are up by the time we are there.

Yay for NY, I love it.

Do you have any special plans for your trip?

This is my third November trip in a row. All of the decorations will be up and the Christmas music will be playing It's a bit odd before Thanksgiving but it's still so much fun! The only thing that won't be happening is the Epcot special events. Still lots to see tho!

I'm from upstate NY It's a bit less crazy up here!

During our trip we are going to EAT EAT EAT all of our favorite foods and attend the Christmas party! Can't wait!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Your TR caught my eye as I'll be there that same time as well. I've never braved a solo trip before but could easily see one in my future at some point. (Hubby isn't quite as gung ho with Disney as me!)

We are checking into CSR on the 17th and will be there until the 24th. I've never stayed in AoA but I can't wait to follow your report and read up on it!

Hi Desiree! LOL about your hubby. Maybe he won't mind sitting a Disney trip out at some point.

I stayed at CSR on my last WDW trip, it's a very pretty resort. The pool was great!

 

[dreamseeker9]

This is my third November trip in a row. All of the decorations will be up and the Christmas music will be playing It's a bit odd before Thanksgiving but it's still so much fun! The only thing that won't be happening is the Epcot special events. Still lots to see tho!

I'm from upstate NY It's a bit less crazy up here!

During our trip we are going to EAT EAT EAT all of our favorite foods and attend the Christmas party! Can't wait!

I went with friends in November 2012 - we went the week after Thanksgiving, and it was dead! It also looks like crowds will be low this time, awesome. I'm so glad the decorations will all be up and Christmas music playing, yay! By EPCOT special events, do you mean the Candlelight Processional? We saw that in 2012 with Neil Patrick Harris, very beautiful.

I like upstate NY! I travel for work and am up there every few months. I've been to Rochester and Syracuse so far this year.

I was debating whether or not to go to the Christmas party. It's only on the first night that I arrive, and I have a 6:00 AM flight, so I'd either have to take a nap to last that late, or I'd be a zombie by midnight! Have you been before? Is it worth the cost?

 

[dreamseeker9]

I have a wish list for all things Disney (doesn't everyone?). So of course, I took a few things from that list and made my wish list for this trip!

RESORTS

• Swim in the AOA pool, and enjoy a beverage at the poolside bar!
• Eat at AKL at Sanaa, Boma or Jiko.
• Watch the Electrical Water Pageant from one of the MK resorts.
• Check out Christmas decorations at GF, Contemporary, BWI, BC, YC, and AKL.

MK

• Liberty Square Riverboat at dusk - I've never been on it. Can't wait!
• Tom Sawyer Island - never been!
• Swiss Family Treehouse - never done it!
• Splash Mountain, my 2nd favorite attraction behind DHS' Tower of Terror. I want to ride it at night!
• Winnie the Pooh - I discovered it on my last trip, and I felt like I was 5 years old again (in a great way). I can't wait to hop into that hunny pot again!
• Enchanted Tiki Room - last trip, some idiot answered his phone - twice! - during the show. I need to replace that memory with an uninterrupted show!
• Dole Whip - sooooo good!
• Wishes - I've only seen it from the California Grill (I know, poor me). I want to see it up close and personal!
• Main Street Electrical Parade - I've only seen it while riding Splash Mountain.
• The Kiss Goodnight - I've read so much about this magical way to end the night at MK. Now I just have to stay awake long enough to make it to closing time!

EPCOT

• Soarin' - I didn't ride it last time and wish I had.
• The Seas - I absolutely love water, the ocean, the animals - you name it! The dolphins weren't around last time, so I want to see them this time.
• IllumiNations - it's been a very long time since I've seen it, not since 2000.

DHS

• Tower of Terror - my favorite!!! I want to ride it at night.
• MuppetVision 3D - love my Muppets!
• Beauty and the Beast show - I've never seen it!
• Animation Academy - I've never done it, but I know it takes some time, so this one may have to wait for another trip.
• Fantasmic! - I've never seen it! I know, it must be rectified.
• Osborn Festival of Lights - I've seen it once before, but I want to really take it all in this time (we'd had a few cocktails before seeing it 2 years ago). And I hear it's gonna move next year and may not be quite as elaborate.

AK

• Kilamanjaro Safaris - I love seeing all the animals!
• Expedition Everest, multiple times single rider
• Festival of the Lion King - I've never seen it!

Miscellaneous

• Sleep in one day, and make an ADR for brunch.

I do realize that I'll only be there for 4 days, so I will definitely have to prioritize and save some things for my next trip.

 

[dreamseeker9]

I can't believe I'll be in WDW in just 18 days! It all feels surreal.

Planning Status Update:
I've made a rough itinerary. I chose parks for the 4 days, based on Touring Plans and EasyWDW crowd estimates and park recommendations.

Here's how the plan looks right now:

SUNDAY - Arrive at MK in time for lunch, after checking in to AOA. Stay at MK until I have to leave because of MVMCP, then EPCOT in time for IllumiNations. Or I crash hard because I will have been up since 4:00 AM for my 6:00 AM flight that morning.

MONDAY - EPCOT, then BC/YC, then Boardwalk, then boat to DHS for the evening.

TUESDAY - AK, then AKL for lunch, then MK for the afternoon & evening (possibly a break back at AOA).

WEDNESDAY - Whatever I didn't get to, I have probably until 6:00 PM when I have to board the ME back to the airport for a late flight home.

Tomorrow after work, I want to create some personalized touring plans, so I can figure out the best times and best attractions to make my FP+ reservations.

Friday, I'm going to buy my tickets from Undercover Tourist - a 3-day park hopper with an extra day free, $27 savings from Disney! Then I'll link the tickets to MDE, and start making my FP+ reservations! I also need to decide if I want to make any ADRs or just wing it.

So that's the latest! Thanks for all your great comments so far. These 18 days are gonna fly by! It will be time to go before I know it!

 

[ladywebby]

I went with friends in November 2012 - we went the week after Thanksgiving, and it was dead! It also looks like crowds will be low this time, awesome. I'm so glad the decorations will all be up and Christmas music playing, yay! By EPCOT special events, do you mean the Candlelight Processional? We saw that in 2012 with Neil Patrick Harris, very beautiful.

I like upstate NY! I travel for work and am up there every few months. I've been to Rochester and Syracuse so far this year.

I was debating whether or not to go to the Christmas party. It's only on the first night that I arrive, and I have a 6:00 AM flight, so I'd either have to take a nap to last that late, or I'd be a zombie by midnight! Have you been before? Is it worth the cost?

That's funny. I went the week after Thanksgiving last year and it felt very crowded. The previous year we traveled the weekend before Thanksgiving and it was better. I'm hoping this year is even less crowded but not sure. Yes, I meant the Candlelight Processional and also Story Tellers at Epcot. Those don't start until the day after Thanksgiving.

What kind of work do you do? I'm in Rochester Small world!

We went to the Christmas party last year and liked the experience. My favorite part was the parade and the snow on main street. It all felt very magical!

 

[dreamseeker9]

What kind of work do you do? I'm in Rochester Small world!

We went to the Christmas party last year and liked the experience. My favorite part was the parade and the snow on main street. It all felt very magical!

I'm an engineer, I was in Rochester earlier this year for a conference. Small world indeed!

The Christmas party does sound fun, I just don't know that I'll have the stamina for it. How crowded is it? I'd be most interested in shorter wait times for attractions. How were the lines?

 

[ladywebby]

I'm an engineer, I was in Rochester earlier this year for a conference. Small world indeed!

The Christmas party does sound fun, I just don't know that I'll have the stamina for it. How crowded is it? I'd be most interested in shorter wait times for attractions. How were the lines?

Very cool! I sometimes think it would be fun having to travel for work

We went on a sold out night and anywhere near main street was jam packed with people. The rides that we did experience had no wait (space mountain, buzz, people mover) and I'm sure the same was true for others on the opposite side of the park. We were more interested in dance parties, shows, and parades last year. This year, I think we will do more attractions. It is a late night so you might be better off skipping if you're going to be up that early. Personally, I always wake up early and go go go the entire day. Most people think I'm crazy

 

[dreamseeker9]

Very cool! I sometimes think it would be fun having to travel for work

We went on a sold out night and anywhere near main street was jam packed with people. The rides that we did experience had no wait (space mountain, buzz, people mover) and I'm sure the same was true for others on the opposite side of the park. We were more interested in dance parties, shows, and parades last year. This year, I think we will do more attractions. It is a late night so you might be better off skipping if you're going to be up that early. Personally, I always wake up early and go go go the entire day. Most people think I'm crazy

It is fun traveling for work sometimes, and it's great for racking up points for free flights and hotels on vacations. But the past 2 weeks, I had 2 business trips with a bad cold, so that wasn't so fun - I just wanted to be home when I was sick! I'm finally feeling better, though!

I think I will wait on MVMCP for another time. I'll probably leave the MK when the party starts at 7:00 PM and either go crash at my hotel, or head over to EPCOT for IllumiNations. I wonder, though, if a lot of people do that, and how much the party in MK affects the crowds in other parks? Hmm... there's always something to consider! As a planner, I love it!

 

[dreamseeker9]

I hit a little snag with the tickets, but it worked out. My plan was to buy tickets from Undercover Tourist and save $27 on a 4-day PH ticket. When I went to buy them from UT, they would've taken 7 business days to ship to me. Since I'm not leaving until Nov. 16th, they would've reached me in time, but I wasn't sure if I would have to have the tickets in hand before I could link them to MDE and start making FP+ reservations, and I wanted to start making them NOW! So I decided to suck it up, pay the extra $27, and buy the 4-day PH from Disney so it would be linked to my account immediately. That worked, but the weird thing is that I have to pick up the tickets at Will Call. Since I have a MagicBand, I'm not exactly sure why I have to pick up tickets - aren't they supposed to be on my MB? Regardless, I'll stop by Will Call on that first day and figure out what I need to do to get those tickets on my MB, if they aren't on there already. Oh, Disney! It's a good thing I love you. :roll eyes:

So now I can start making FP+ reservations!

 

[dreamseeker9]

I like to plan my itineraries day by day, one at a time, instead of all at once. And then if I get to the end and haven't fit in something that I really want to do, I'll go back and figure out where I can fit it in. It sounds somewhat cumbersome, but it works for me.

So DAY 1! I will wake up very early, around 4:00 AM. No doubt I will not have slept well, because I'll be excited about the trip and nervous about getting to the airport in time. Since I live in New York City and don't own a car, and it will be very early, I'll reserve a car to pick me up at 4:15 AM, so I'll arrive at JFK by 4:50 AM. I'm hoping that since it will be so freakin' early in the morning, that 30 minutes will be plenty of time to check my bag for ME and get through security at the JetBlue terminal - I love JetBlue, but the TSA security set-up at that terminal is one of the most inefficient I've ever seen.

We will start boarding the plane at 5:20 AM. I'll have my WDW podcasts loaded onto my iPhone, though I may save some of that battery since I don't know when I'll next be able to charge it. I will try to sleep, but I've never been able to sleep on planes, so I'll probably just close my eyes instead and daydream of WDW.

We'll take off at 6:00 AM and will land in Orlando at 8:46 AM. I'll probably bring a KIND bar to eat with coffee served on the plane. I figure between debarking, walking to the B side of the airport for ME, and waiting on a ME bus to AOA, I'll probably be on ME by 9:30 AM. This should put me at AOA around 10:15 AM to check in, or at least to drop off my carry-on bag after I change clothes (if it's warm enough) if my Little Mermaid room isn't ready.

I love AOA. I stayed there once before, in November 2012, and it is just so Disney. It makes me feel like a kid again. It's so colorful and cheerful.


Depending on how hungry I am, I will either grab an early lunch at the AOA food court (excellent selection!), or I'll hop on a bus to the MK and eat lunch there, probably at Columbia Harbour House - I've never eaten there, but I've heard amazing things!

Magic Kingdom, how I love you, especially all decorated for the holidays.


I'll have to stop at Will Call to make sure my tickets are on my MB (see my last update for that confusing situation). Then it's through the turnstiles and onto Main Street USA!




I may shed a tear (or two) of joy as I walk toward the castle and see it come into full view for the first time.


I will of course have to stop to take a photo, then I'll make my way to Buzz Lightyear. I haven't been on this in a very long time, and I'm itching to try it again!

One of my goals this trip is to try new attractions and see new entertainment - new to me, anyway. I read about the Main Street Philharmonic musicians, I think I'd really like to see them. So my plan is to see them after Buzz, then move into Adventureland and go through the Swiss Family Treehouse - a first-time attraction for me! Then it's on to CHH for lunch, if I didn't already eat at AOA.


After lunch, I'll walk into Fantasyland and enjoy one of my newly discovered favorites, Mickey's PhilharMagic! Then it's back to Tomorrowland for my first FP+ selection, Space Mountain! Then more walking to Liberty Square, where I'll do another first - the Liberty Square Riverboat! I hear the views are amazing from the top deck. After that, it will be time for the 3:00 PM Festival of Fantasy parade - I haven't seen this new parade yet, I'm looking forward to seeing it! But I want to pick a good spot for viewing, but also not one where I'm trapped afterwards, waiting for the crowd to disperse - any suggestions?

I may want a snack after the parade, so I'll head back to Adventureland to my favorite snack stop in MK- Aloha Isle for a Dole Whip! My favorite is the pineapple swirled with vanilla soft serve. Yum! Then I'm going to try another first, Tom Sawyer Island. I'm excited to do all these firsts!

Then back to my remaining 2 FP+ selections - BTMRR, of course, and then my favorite attraction in the MK - Splash Mountain! I should have time after that for some of these: Tiki Room (another favorite), Jungle Cruise with the holiday overlay, Under the Sea, and Winnie the Pooh. That should put me right at 7:00 PM, when I'll either be ready to collapse after having been up since 4:00 AM, or the Disney adrenaline will have me going strong, and I'll take the monorail over to EPCOT!

I'll do Spaceship Earth, lines shouldn't be long at about 7:30 PM. Then I need to find a good but quick place for dinner, preferably in the WS. Any ideas? I was thinking maybe Tangierine Cafe in Morocco or Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie in France, then to grab ice cream at L'Artisan des Glaces in France just in time for IllumiNations.

I haven't seen IllumiNations since 2000, so I'm very excited to finally see it again! After it's over, I want to take my time leaving EPCOT - so sense hurrying out and then waiting in long lines for the bus to AOA, I'd rather take my time leaving the park, enjoy the decorations and the nighttime charm of WS and Future World. Once I'm back at AOA, hopefully my checked bag from ME will be in my room, and I can unpack and then collapse into bed, but not before requesting a Disney wake-up call for the next morning.

Phew, that sounds like a long day after writing it all down! I may not get to it all, and that's okay. I'd love to hear any suggestions or feedback, and any ideas for where to watch Festival of Fantasy parade, and where to eat dinner in EPCOT before IllumiNations.

 

[MaryPoppinz]

I'm having fun reading your PTR and living vicariously. I so want to do a solo trip!

I totally agree about AOA. We stayed in a Cars suite in January then spent one night in a LM room when our flight was canceled and we had to stay another night (so sad, hahahaha). The theming in the whole resort is amazing. It makes me happy just to remember it!

RE: FoF parade. We got a pretty good view and even seats when we walked up to Sleepy Hollow treats just a few minutes before the parade. It was easy to get from there back to Fantasyland once the parade was over. I've also heard good things about watching from the train station at the front of the park then hopping on the train once the parade is over.

I hope you have a blast and post some pictures of the fun!

 

[dreamseeker9]

I'm having fun reading your PTR and living vicariously. I so want to do a solo trip!

I totally agree about AOA. We stayed in a Cars suite in January then spent one night in a LM room when our flight was canceled and we had to stay another night (so sad, hahahaha). The theming in the whole resort is amazing. It makes me happy just to remember it!

RE: FoF parade. We got a pretty good view and even seats when we walked up to Sleepy Hollow treats just a few minutes before the parade. It was easy to get from there back to Fantasyland once the parade was over. I've also heard good things about watching from the train station at the front of the park then hopping on the train once the parade is over.

I hope you have a blast and post some pictures of the fun!

Thanks! I'm excited to stay at AOA again. I hope it's warm enough to enjoy the pool, though 2 years ago in November we enjoyed it anyway, even though we were shivering.

Thanks for the parade tip - I'll check out Sleepy Hollow treats for a spot. I like the idea of watching from the train station, too. I bet those would both be good spots for MSEP, too, and then to stay there to watch Wishes.

I'll definitely post pictures after my trip and do a trip report!