Miss Independent takes on the World, a May 2014 Solo Trip

[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 1:
Hooray for Hollywood!​

My alarm woke me at 6:15am. It was my first full day in Disney. Yay!!!!
I jumped out of bed and did the shower and get ready thing. By 7 I was making my way over to the food court for breakfast. What did I get for my first breakfast in Disney?



Mickey waffles!!!! Nothing says Disney like Mickey shaped waffles. I got the kids meal because Pop Century only does Pop waffles for adults. Now those are good, but they're no Mickey waffles. The kids meal was actually a pretty decent sized meal. It came with a couple of waffles, sausage, turkey bacon and some fruit. It was really good. With my belly full of delicious Disney food, I headed back to the room to drop of my mug and get the rest of my stuff together and headed down to catch the bus.
I was on my way to Hollywood Studios. It was the 25th Anniversary today and I wanted to see the rededication and get on of the limited edition pins.
I got to the Studios around 8.



The park didn't open until 9, so I had a bit of a wait. I did the usual while I waited. Checked my email, Instagram and Facebook. Yeah, I don't know what I ever did without my iphone. Of course I also had to take a selfie.



While we were waiting, some CMs came around and handed out 25th Anniversary park maps and buttons.



Yay! Free souvenirs!
They started letting us in at 8:45 and I followed the crowd back towards Pixar Place. Most people were heading for Toy Story Midway Mania of course, however I was heading to Soundstage 1 which is where they were going to be selling the Commemorative merchandise.



Of course, I took a picture of the stage on my way lol.
I made it to Soundstage 1 and the line was outside the door, but I wasn't worried. It was very organized and they kept the line moving. By 9;30 I had my hot little hands on the limited edition "I was there" pin.





I made my way back over to Toy Story Midway Mania to use my FP+



I was hoping I was going to get through the line and ride in time to make it back over to the hat for the rededication. Fortunately, I pretty much walked up to the point where the lines merged and then was sent up the stairs for single/double riders. Sometimes being a single rider has its benefits. Soon I was breaking plates and popping balloons. And I made it out in time to head to the hat for the ceremony. Score!
Since it was like 5 minutes before, I couldn't get a great spot, but I did manage to get a spot on the side.



I love, love, love this shot of Minnie posing. So elegant lol





They brought up all the CMs that have been working at the park since it opened. That was pretty cool.





It was pretty cool and I'm glad I got to see it.

​

 

[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 2:
Even the Magic of Disney Animation Can't Save Me​

Once the ceremony was over, I headed over to the Magic of Disney Animation. I wanted to take the animation class.





I had about a 10 minute wait, but I made it into the 10:30 class.



I love the animation class. This time the animator already decided which character we were going to draw and it was Snow White! I love her, she's so precious, but my drawing... yeah she kind of ended up looking more like Quasimodo. Lets just saw, this time my attempt at animation was a massive fail. I had fun though, so it's all good,
Next I headed over to the Great Movie Ride for my FP+

















Always a fun time!
Next up was heading down Sunset Blvd for two of my favorites, the Rock n Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror!











I had a FP+ for Tower of Terror at 12, so I headed to the Rock n Roller Coaster first. I got in the single rider line and waited about 15 minutes before I boarded my limo. And this is where I experienced my first ever CM who was rude to me. I boarded no problem, restraint check was all good. The car moves forward and was sitting where it waits before it shots off. The CM there tells me I need to remove my ears. That didn't really bother me, per say because I do understand that it's for safety because hats are not always secure. I get that. My ears are bobby pinned to my head and usually I pull on them so they can see and most are OK with that. So when did that she got all snarky and said "Not anymore, they're not!" really rudely. So of course I struggle to reach around to unpin them (not an easy feat) and she's all "They should have told you before, blah, blah, blah.". Meanwhile, the guy sitting next to me is wearing his sunglasses. How that's ok I don't know. Basically between her attitude and her clear lack of consistency, I was kind of done with the Rock n Roller Coaster for the rest of my trip. Boo. Like I said, the request itself didn't bother me, but the attitude was unnecessary.
But I was on my way to my beloved tower, so all was good.



Thanks to FP+ I was pretty much able to walk right into the library. After a short wait I was dropping and it was awesome.
I was getting kind of hunger so I decide to head out. I had accomplished everything I wanted at the Studios this morning and since counter service is pretty lacking here (which is so sad because they have some amazingly themed sit down places), I headed back to Pop.
I grabbed some lunch in the Food Court.



Burger, fries and a Mickey oreo cupcake. Yum!
I headed back to the room for a bit before it was time to head off to my next adventure.
​

 

[heaven2dc]

What a great morning you had at HS! Love the ToT pic - so cool! If I was the CM working RnR I would have let you keep your ears on esp after showing they were secure on your head. Not sure why some CM's are so rude...esp when7.there are SO many Disney lovers out there trying to get a job at Disney (moi included!) Your lunch at Pop looks so yummy - esp the cupcake.

 

[pirateprincess1976]

What a great morning you had at HS! Love the ToT pic - so cool! If I was the CM working RnR I would have let you keep your ears on esp after showing they were secure on your head. Not sure why some CM's are so rude...esp when7.there are SO many Disney lovers out there trying to get a job at Disney (moi included!) Your lunch at Pop looks so yummy - esp the cupcake.

Yeah... I don't know what her problem was. Don't be hating on the Mouse. Fortunately, she's the only one I've encountered who was out and out rude. Most are perfectly pleasant.
I wish I worked in Disney, but I think I would miss my family too much.
Other than that, my morning was fabulous, I had so much fun

 

[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 3:
Festival of Fantasy​

When we last left off, I had just finished lunch. I heading back to the room for a few and changed and headed off to catch the bus. Hollywood Studios was still doing stuff all day for the 25th Anniversary, but I knew it was bound to get super crowded for the parade and fireworks they were going to do. So... instead, I headed to the Magic Kingdom for their parade and fireworks! LOL
I didn't have to wait long for a bus. I sat across from a very nice mom and her 2 teenage daughters. We chatted through the whole ride. They were from Canada and it was their first trip to Disney World. They were all super excited and were loving everything.
Soon we were at the Magic Kingdom and I bid my new friends a fond farewell and headed in.



It was just about 2:30 and I was able to score a spot right on the curb for the 3:00 parade. Sweet!



Not a bad spot if I do say so myself.
I settled in for the wait and did the usual facebook/instagram thing. Soon we were being entertained by a couple of high school marching bands.







This band was from Hudson, NH! While it's not home, it isn't too far. I know where it is, so that was kind of cool
I loved watching the bands. I did color guard all the way through high school and have such awesome memories of it. I'm definitely a fan of marching bands.
Soon after, the Grand Marshal made their way by.





And then it was time for Festival of Fantasy!!!!
I didn't manage to capture the best pictures of this parade because I was just too in awe of it. I didn't even get a shot of Anna and Elsa because I was just to mesmerized.





















I love how sassy Tink was today. Sticking her tongue out at Mr. Smee. Too funny!





The coolest part is coming up...





​

 

[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 4:
Festival of Fantasy cont.
​

These guys were kind of creepy.
They remind me of the skeksis from The Dark Crystal.



The Maleficent float!!!!! OMG this is the single coolest float I have ever seen.







I don't have a picture of it but the thing actually breathes fire! How cool is that?!?











So... what did I think of Festival of Fantasy? Going into it, I wasn't sure how I felt because it is very artistic. But I have to say... I LOVED it. Seriously, Disney hit this one out of the park. The Maleficent float alone gave me chills.
Next I headed off in search of caffeine, which we all now means Starbucks. I got an iced caramel macchiato. So good!



A little #coffeewithcarachter never hurt anyone lol
Had to go with Ariel since I was sporting my super cool Ariel ears and my hipster Ariel tee.



Oh, that first time you see the castle on your trip. Can I just live here, please?

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[LindseyLou2222]

Great updates! That DHS pin is awesome!! Love the mermaid ears too!

 

[annie170]

That's great that you were able to be there for the 25th Anniversary of HS (MGM)! I remember when it opened and can't believe it's already been 25 years!

That parade looks incredible! I can't wait to see it myself.

 

[pirateprincess1976]

Great updates! That DHS pin is awesome!! Love the mermaid ears too!

Thanks! I loved that pin, it"s definitely a great souvenir. And the Ariel ears are so cute, when I saw them I knew I needed them lol

That's great that you were able to be there for the 25th Anniversary of HS (MGM)! I remember when it opened and can't believe it's already been 25 years!

That parade looks incredible! I can't wait to see it myself.

I still can't believe I got to be there for the anniversary. It was definitely a cool experience to be able to be there.
Festival of Fantasy is seriously such a cool parade. One of the best I've seen.

 

[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 5:
Time for a Little Fantasy
​

At this point I was ready to leave the real world behind and I headed into Fantasyland. On this day the Little Mermaid area was going to be closing at 5 in preparation for the next day's media event so I headed in that direction. I wanted to be able to ride Journey of the Little Mermaid before it closed. On the way, I spotted this...





The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train!!!!!! It was such a tease watching the empty trains go by. Everyone was hoping that with the media event and dedication, that we would get a soft opening but alas, it was not meant to be. Just something more to look forward to for my September trip.



And I made it to the Little Mermaid. I love this ride. I always adored the Little Mermaid.
I didn't have to wait too long. Only about 15/20 minutes. And most of that's spent just walking through the queue.











This ride is so cute. It just makes me happy.
Next I headed over to Gaston's.



Isn't he dreamy



Digging the use of antlers in all of the decorating.



More Mine Train. With camera! Such a teases, I'm telling you...





Spending a little time with my buddy Pooh in the 100 Acre Wood.
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[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 6:
It's a Small World After All
​

Next up was another favorite of mine...



Mickey's Philharmagic! Ahhhhh I love this! It's so prefect. I get to sit there and watch scenes from some of my favorite movies and I can sing! I am so sad that it will be under going refurbishment in September. I seriously watch this every time I'm in the Magic Kingdom.
Next up was a walk on It's a Small World. This was my mom's very favorite attraction so I definitely have a soft spot for this. I know the song can get a little... annoying... but it reminds me of my mom so it makes me smile. Here's a little Small World spam lol

















After learning how to say good bye in 20 different languages, I headed towards Liberty Square via the Tangled bathrooms. Of course I had to stop and take some pictures. You're welcome.









Frying pans... who knew?



I am just blown away with all the details they put into this area. Oh Disney, you're just so perfect.
​

 

[marDgreen88]

Hahah, I was definitely one of the many people at DHS that night. I would highly recommend watching the fireworks show on YouTube if you're interested!

Isn't Festival of Fantasy the coolest thing ever?!? It's perfect. I'm obsessed.

Ahh, small world is one of my favorites too! It's just CLASSIC.

 

[Angeejoe]

Looks like a great trip! I'm ready to read more!

 

[JennK20]

My trip is looking more and more like a solo trip... so I'm definitely in for some tips/pointers/experience!

 

[pirateprincess1976]

Hahah, I was definitely one of the many people at DHS that night. I would highly recommend watching the fireworks show on YouTube if you're interested!

Isn't Festival of Fantasy the coolest thing ever?!? It's perfect. I'm obsessed.

Ahh, small world is one of my favorites too! It's just CLASSIC.

I'm in love with Festival of Fantasy! I can't wait to be able to see it again!

Looks like a great trip! I'm ready to read more!

It was a great trip! Glad you're enjoying it! There's plenty more coming

My trip is looking more and more like a solo trip... so I'm definitely in for some tips/pointers/experience!

Don't ever let being solo stop you. It definitely a different kind of fun, but I must admit, I love the freedom of doing what I want, when I want. I find my solo trip a bit more relaxed. I have time just to enjoy the magic.

 

[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 7:
Big Al's the Man!​

When I last left you I was headed over to Liberty Square.



I love this section. Ok, really, what land don't I love, I mean it's Disney World. But seriously, the architecture in this area reminds me of home.
My original plan was to go visit the Haunted Mansion but... clearly the 999 happy haunts were feeling a little mischievous. The Haunted Mansion was down In fact, it was down off and on for most of my trip. Oh well.
So I headed off. A few days before, Disney had started allowing additional FP+ after you had used your 3 FP+, or the times on all had expired. The catch is that you can only add one at a time and you have to go to one of the FP+ kiosks in the park that you want to use them in. Hopefully one day they expand the technology to being able to add them via the phone app but I digress. I decided I would try and see if I could get a FP+ for later.
I headed over the FP+ kiosk that's located by the pathway that links Frontierland to Adventureland via the restrooms. There was a small line I needed to stand in but ahead of me in line was the Canadian family from my bus ride earlier. It was nice to see them again and say hi.
Soon it was my turn and I was sent to an empty kiosk. It's a touch screen and you really have to hit it hard to get the touch mechanism to register. But it's pretty easy to use. You tap your band and the members of your party (in this case it was just me) and you select the amount of people and several attractions with availability and times will pop up. From listening to the people around me, the larger your party, the more limited your attractions and times were. It was right around 6 and I was able to snag a 6:15 FP+ for Splash Mountain! The joys of being solo
I had a little bit of time to kill so I headed into the Country Bear Jamboree.



This is another attraction that I have a large soft spot for. My grandmother took my uncles to Disney World in the early 1980s and the Country Bear Jamboree ended up being my Uncle Scott's favorite. To this day he still has the Big Al piggy bank he bought as a souvenir.



Basically, Big Al's the man lol



Pretty soon we were clapping our hands and stomping our feet.





When I got out of the show I caught the end of the characters from the Frontierland Hoedown and guess who I saw?



Big Al!!!!!
See? He is the man!
Next I headed off to use my Splash Mountain FP+





When I walked up to the FP+ line, the CM at the entrance looked really familiar. It was my IG friend @mattdesmarais1! It was so cool to meet him in person.
After my trip through the Briar Patch I headed back over to the FP+ kiosk to see if I could score a FP+ for Big Thunder Mountain. It was like 6:45 and I got one for 7:35. Sweet!
Again, I had a little bit of time so I headed to grab something for dinner.
of course I took some castle pictures on the way.





I wish I could see this every day.
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[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 8:
The Greatest Jungle Cruise Skipper EVER!
​

So what wonderful Disney food was I going to get for dinner?



Corn Dog nuggets from Casey's! Boy are these little treats tasty.
I found myself a little spot to sit and just snacked and people watched.
When I was finished I headed back over to Frontierland to use my BTMRR FP+
Along the way I spotted this little bit of "graffiti" over on Tom Sawyer's Island...



Tom loves Becky! How cute is that. I never noticed that little detail before.







I made sure I hung onto my hat and glasses for the wildest ride in the wilderness LOL
Next I headed over to Adventureland



Unfortunately there would be no Pirates of the Caribbean tonight. It was closed for a short refurb and would reopen the next day so instead I headed over to the Jungle Cruise.
It was about a 20 minute wait which was no problem. I love the old 30s and 40s music in the queue. I love the old corniness of the Jungle Cruise.



Tonight I would be boarding Ganges Gertie. Now the Jungle Cruise... what makes this attraction is the skipper. Some are pretty dry and just go with the basics of the script and that can make the experience a little boring. Occasionally you get a skipper that just totally embraces the role and just takes it to the next level. Tonight would be one of those. Our skipper was Skipper Abbie and she just took it to the next level. She kept the jokes coming, she sang, she kept it fast paced. Everyone was laughing, really laughing, not that "oh, that was supposed to be funny so like haha or something."
She was just AWESOME! I think this was my favorite Jungle Cruise ever.



#skipperabbie
At this point, I decided I needed a little treat and since I was in Adventureland, I knew exactly what that treat should be.



Dole Whip!!!! I got a vanilla pineapple swirl in a float. Sooooo goooood!
Next I decide to see my favorite Disney Fairy, Tink!
The line was about 35 minutes.



I love the pictures in the queue. I'm curious to see what they've done in the Town Square Theatre now that Tink is meeting there. Although I am a little sad that she's not meeting with her Fairy friends anymore
First up was Tink's friend Fawn.
Fawn was cute and sweet and funny. We talked about pixie dust and she impersonated Fairy Gary. It was cute.



Fawn as Fairy Gary.



Next up was my girl Tink. She was super sassy and spunky and I loved meeting her.





She loved that I had Tinkerbell pins on my lanyard.





It was almost 9 when I got out of there so I needed to hurry if I wanted to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade.


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[pirateprincess1976]

Day 2 5/1 Part 9:
Calling it a Night​

I decided that I was going to attempt to cut through the shops on Main Street to see if I could make it in time for MSEP.
I followed the Emporium all the way to the end and was able to snag a spot shortly before the parade made it's way.











Elliot! I love Pete's Dragon. Such a forgotten movie and so underrated. One of my favorite Disney songs is Candle on the Water from Pete's Dragon. It's so pretty.



I had a little bit of time before Celebrate the Magic and Wishes. I headed into the Chapeau. I wanted to get myself the R2D2 ears for Star Wars day. I also need to get a set of mouse ears for my friend's new baby.
Purchases in hand I made my way back up towards the castle in time for Celebrate the Magic.





I didn't take many pictures of Celebrate the Magic and none of Wishes because I was mostly just enjoying the magic of it all. I loved the new Frozen section of Celebrate the Magic.
Once Wishes finished I headed out to the bus and headed back to Pop.
I got ready for bed, wrote in my journal, watched some Stacey and headed to bed.
For some reason, I don't have a picture of this day's pin trades, but I did pin trade.
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[piglet50]

Enjoying your trip report. Thanks for sharing. I read trip reports when I need Disney fix.

 

[annie170]

I'm a big lover of Country Bear Jamboree, also. Most of my family does not share the love, so I've gone solo many times.

How disappointing to have both Pirates and Haunted Mansion down.

I agree that the right skipper can make the Jungle Cruise more enjoyable.