Ridin' those rides and Trekking thru Africa, a Solo TR! FINAL UPDATE 10/28

[PhoenixStrength]

Life seems to get in the way of our Dis time every once in a while. I liked the first three things but hated to hear about your friend in Florida. Unfortunately, I hear those type of stories each and every day (remember I work for a divorce/custody/family law attorney) and it hurts my heart what all the people go through. It sure does make me appreciate the relationship I have with John. All you can do is be there for your friend and listen to him when he needs an ear.

Thanks Lisa! I'm sure you hear those kind of stories all the time. He is actually happy about the divorce, it just was bad timing for everything to happen at once. Thankfully they don't have kids, which makes things much easier. He did say they are getting along amicably and everything is going smoothly with settling everything they need to for the divorce, which is great. I know being there for him is helping, I just wish I could do more. But that's life!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

DAY 2, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12TH, PART 1
THE MONORAIL AND FERRY AREN'T WORKING?!?​

Forgive me because I forgot to bring my notes to work with me, so I'm going off memory only. While I remember it well, I may forget things. If I find something important I forgot tonight when I double-check my notes I will post it later.

So, I woke up around 7am and took a quick shower and got my backpack set with everything I needed. I walked out of my room around 7:45am and headed to Everything POP to fill my mug with some water. I took a picture of my view of AoA on the way out my door.

I went to the Magic Kingdom bus stop and dropped my mug, spilling all my water everywhere and breaking the lid. While I waited for the bus I took some pictures around the bus stop.

I don't understand why they have coverings over the benches behind the bus stops, but not over the lines themselves, but oh well. The weather was not good that morning, it was very windy and pretty cool for Florida. I think is was only in the low 30s then. I had on a long sleeve shirt with a short-sleeve over it, and my Mickey hoodie, and was still chilly.

After only about a 5 minute wait the bus came. For the only morning this trip the bus wasn't full in the morning. In fact, there were still empty seats when we left for MK. I don't have the exact time, but I think it took about 16 minutes total from when we left POP to arrival at the MK bus stop.

I took some pictures as we drove up to the bus stop of the Monorail, Polynesian resort and the Grand Floridian.

My friend Jennifer, who lives in West Orlando, was joining me at MK for the first part of the day. I text her after I made it thru the short bag check and turn stile lines. She said she was parking her car and would meet me by the tree I told her I was waiting by. This was about 8:30am. I took some pictures as I waited for her and the Opening Ceremony.

Just before the Opening Ceremony started Jenn text me saying that the Monorail wasn't working for some reason, so she was waiting on the ferry and would be over soon. I was able to get some pictures of the Opening Ceremony as it happened. It was busier by then, but not super crowded.

The family of the day officially opened the park...

and then everyone started heading in. Well, almost everyone!

Jenn still wasn't there, so I waited around as Mickey gave one last wave to the crowd as it walked in.

UP NEXT: BEING A BAD DIS-ER, AND RIDING LOTS OF RIDES

 

[KatMark]

I am back and FINALLY caught up (sorry about that...too much going on).

First, I am sorry about your friend who is getting the divorce and losing his job. Life is so unfair sometimes. I hope something good comes for him soon.

I would have been saying SOMETHING to that woman on the plane. I hate flying to begin, and then to have some rude person sitting next to me. Oh no....I think not.

Sorry you didn't get a DME bus; I was so happy I did in January for my first DME experience.

Love all your photos around the resort and at DTD. We looked at the place you ate dinner at when we were at DTD and it didn't look too good...I'm glad we bypassed it.

Hooray for going to the MK on your first full day (those temperatures were a might "chilly" first thing in the morning). Great photos of the opening show.

Sorry your friend was stuck meeting up with you. I truly do NOT like the monorail.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

DAY 2, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 12TH, PART 2
BEING A BAD DIS-ER, AND RIDIN' LOTS OF RIDES​

As the Opening Ceremony was ending Jenn text me saying her ferry had just left the TTC, and she would explain when she got over to me. While waiting for her ferry to arrive I took a few more pics.

The Epcot monorail came, but that was the only monorail I saw all morning.

About 9:15ish I saw the ferry pull in and then Jenn joined me and we walked into MK. She told me that while waiting on the Monorail platform they announced that the Monorail wasn't working and everyone needed to go to the ferry. Problem was, the ferry wasn't running either since it was so cold and windy. So it took a while to get one going and that's why it took her 45 minutes to get from her car to the gates of MK.

And this is where I was a bad Dis-er. Jenn and I were talking so much that I only took 3 pictures until she left, which was mid-afternoon. Of course, one of the ones I DID take was this!

We went over to Tomorrowland and rode Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger spin. I think we waited maybe 5 minutes tops before we were on. In line Jenn told me that she hadn't been to MK since high, over a dozen years before. She hadn't ridden many of the rides that are there, and had forgotten much about the ones she had ridden before. Buzz Lightyear was one of the ones that was new to her. She did well, but I did better.

And the last pic I took for hours, Buzz himself

From there we rode Space Mountain, which was another 5 minute wait. She had ridden that before, and enjoyed it again. Since it was so cold and windy we decided we didn't want to be up in the air spinning, so we skipped Astro Orbiter and headed over to Fantasyland. We rode Winnie the Pooh, her first time and my first since they re-did the line. I liked the new interactive stuff for kids this time, though later in my trip I wouldn't like it so much. (foreshadowing! ). From there we rode Snow White's Scary Adventures and then watched Philharmagic (her first time for that too!). We skipped Peter Pan as the wait was I believe 40 minutes and she wasn't in the mood for waiting. We did ride It's a Small World, since that line was only 5 minutes (notice a trend?).

After a bathroom break we headed over to Liberty Square and rode The Haunted Mansion. I enjoyed seeing the new line going through the cemetary, since that was added right after my last trip. I wish I had gotten pictures, as the rest of the trip I headed through the shorter side to skip the cemetary.

After Haunted Mansion we decided to stop at Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Inn and Cafe for lunch. It was about 11am by that time and we were both getting hungry. We each got the Taco Salad and loved it! I really love their toppings bar and being able to basically create my own meal with lots of what I wanted in it and none of what I didn't! Since I was on the DP I got the chocolate cake for dessert. I only took a bite of it since I'm not a big chocolate person. It was good, but since I'm not crazy about chocolate it wasn't my thing.

After lunch we tried to decided where to head next. Jenn didn't want to ride Splash Mountain, and I couldn't blame her. It was still only about 40 degrees and windy, and who wants to walk around wet it that weather? So, we headed to Pirates of the Caribbean instead. The line was so short that they only had the right side open, so we almost walked right on, maybe a 2-3 minute wait. We both remarked afterward that we remembered it having 2 drops, but it only has one drop now, the one near the beginning. Am I wrong about this?

We looked around the shop after the ride, and then Jenn asked if I wanted to head to Port Orleans resort and get some beinets. Umm, do you really need to ask?!? Problem was, she couldn't remember if it was only one of the resorts that had them, or both. And she couldn't remember which resort she had that at before. After she described what she remembered I figured out it was French Quarter she had gone to, so we headed to the bus stop and got on the bus headed there. We talked about our dogs (she has 5) and jobs on the way (she works in finance). When we got to POFQ she said we were definitely at the right place. We headed to the food court and got a 6 pack of beinets to split. They were divine! We noticed as we ate that a table that had 4 older women near ours kept staring at us while we ate. At first we thought it was because we were making a mess with all of the powdered sugar but they eventually asked us if they were as good as they looked. We convinced them to get some and they loved them too.

After the beinets we hoped on the bus back to MK, which came right away. Jenn needed to head back home to take care of her 5 dogs, so we said bye there and she headed back to the ferry. We didn't know if the Monorail was working again yet, and she didn't want to head all the way there to have to come back. It was about 2:45pm by then I think, and still only maybe in the upper 40s. The wind was finally starting to die down though, so it felt nicer out at least.

NEXT TIME: BEING A GOOD DIS-ER, BUT BREAKING SOME RULES!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

I am back and FINALLY caught up (sorry about that...too much going on).

First, I am sorry about your friend who is getting the divorce and losing his job. Life is so unfair sometimes. I hope something good comes for him soon.

I would have been saying SOMETHING to that woman on the plane. I hate flying to begin, and then to have some rude person sitting next to me. Oh no....I think not.

Sorry you didn't get a DME bus; I was so happy I did in January for my first DME experience.

Love all your photos around the resort and at DTD. We looked at the place you ate dinner at when we were at DTD and it didn't look too good...I'm glad we bypassed it.

Hooray for going to the MK on your first full day (those temperatures were a might "chilly" first thing in the morning). Great photos of the opening show.

Sorry your friend was stuck meeting up with you. I truly do NOT like the monorail.

I completely understand life getting in the way!

I wanted to say something to her, but I knew I then had to stay there next to her for 2 hours and she seemed like the type that would just act worse to get back at me.

I wish I had gotten an actual DME bus too, but there's always next time I guess. And Pollo Campero may be a great place, but it wasn't that night for sure.

It was a chilly morning, but still warmer than it was in MD that morning (it was snowing there!) so I didn't mind too much. The weather the rest of the trip was warm so one cool day wasn't bad.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

DAY 2, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13TH, PART 3
BEING A GOOD DIS-ER AND BREAKING A RULE!​

After Jenn left I headed back into MK, with my camera out this time. But, before I went back in I got a photopass photographer to take my picture!

As I walked back under the train station there were several characters right there signing autographs and taking pictures. I didn't stop for pictures with them, but I did take pictures of them.

I stopped at another Photopass photographer and got my picture in front of the castle.

I stopped in the Hub and got another picture of the castle itself, and one of the Partners statue.

There was a little show going on in front of the castle, but I just snapped a quick picture and kept going toward Tomorrowland.

Which attraction was I headed to you ask? Here's a hint "Hellooooo Humans!".

I only waited a few minutes for the doors to open, and got a some pictures in while waiting.

Soon I was heading thru the doors and into Monstropolis to wait some more in there!

After we learned why we were there we all headed into the theater, which is where I broke a rule. There is no picture taking in the theater, but I took a couple as people came in before putting my camera away.

The show was funny and cute, as usual. I headed over to Space Mountain next, and got a picture of Space Chip and Dale on the way.

I think the wait said 10 minutes, or maybe 15. I don't think I wound up waiting more than 10 minutes to ride though in any case. As you can see, the line was not very long at all.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

DAY 2, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12TH, PART 4​

After riding Space Mountain again I got on something I hadn't done earlier that day, PeopleMover! I enjoyed the relaxing ride, and took some pictures of the other attractions along the way.

After that relaxing trip around Tomorrowland, I got back on Buzz Lightyear.

I improved on my score from earlier that day.

And took a redneck ride photo of myself. This was the only ride I never tried to make a funny face on, as I forgot everytime.

Buzz was posing and signing autographs right outside the ride exit.

I headed over toward Fantasyland again, and took some pictures of the construction over the fence.

I grabbed a Fastpass for Peter Pan's Flight, then headed to my next ride. Any guesses which ride?

Any guesses?

Haunted Mansion, of course!

I skipped the new section of the line, and headed right in front of the cemetary.

Continued in next post.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

DAY 2, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12TH, PART 5
​

I only waited 10-12 minutes in line before I was in the stretching room. I managed to take a few pics, including an okay one of the hanging!

I was slowly corralled with many others into the small line, and took a picture of the light fixtures while shuffling in.

I only got one decent picture while on the ride, of the "ghost writers" busts in the library.

I got a couple of pictures as I walked out the exit, including Mr. Toad.

I headed toward Frontierland next, and got a couple pictures of birds making themselves at home on the pathway.

I decided that despite the cooler weather I would go ahead and ride Splash Mountain, especially since the wait was only 10 minutes posted, though it probably took only 5 minutes until I was on. And most of that time was walking through the long que line to get up to the ride!

I was soon on the ride, and in the front seat. I was not looking forward to that, since I wanted to avoid getting soaked, but oh well.

We got to the bottom of the last climb before the big drop and.......























Nothing. The ride stopped right below the vultures.

We sat there for about 5 minutes listening to the same lines over and over before they cut the sound and turned all the lights on. They made announcements to stay in your car and that the ride would be re-starting soon. Several CMs were running up and down the stairs right there talking on the phones and resetting things as the announcer told them to. It finally restarted after about 10-12 minutes and the rest of the ride went smoothly. My ride picture wasn't good. I was trying to look bored, but was facing the wrong way.

But, since we were all stuck on the ride for so long we all got Fastpasses good for 3 days for any ride in Magic Kingdom!

NEXT TIME: CONTROL YOUR SON!

 

[KatMark]

Great updates! You got quite a bit done with Jen, and then went to have beneigts (I know that is spelled wrong) too (have never had one--have heard pros and conds).

Love your photopass pictures--very cute. And what cute photos you got of all the characters.

You are a brave woman going on Splash Mountain that weather. We skipped it...it just wasn't warm enough for us freezy cats.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Great updates! You got quite a bit done with Jen, and then went to have beneigts (I know that is spelled wrong) too (have never had one--have heard pros and conds).

Love your photopass pictures--very cute. And what cute photos you got of all the characters.

You are a brave woman going on Splash Mountain that weather. We skipped it...it just wasn't warm enough for us freezy cats.

It was really slow that day, so we were able to get a lot done in a short amount of time. The beinets were excellent, but everyone has their own likes and dislikes. If you've had and liked Funnel Cake, you'd like beinets.

I debated Splash back and forth. I wound up taking my jacket off and putting it in my bag so that it would be dry to put back over me when I got off. My pants wound up quite wet though, which was not fun for a while.

 

[jenbear123]

Great pictures from Haunted Mansion! I'm never able to get good pictures from that ride. Too bad about Splash Mountain. That would've stunk if you were following a touring plan. Nice reward after the ordeal though! I find Splash goes down a lot. It also happened to me one morning. What should've been a 10 minute experience turned into a 20 minute ordeal....and it was first thing in the morning!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Great pictures from Haunted Mansion! I'm never able to get good pictures from that ride. Too bad about Splash Mountain. That would've stunk if you were following a touring plan. Nice reward after the ordeal though! I find Splash goes down a lot. It also happened to me one morning. What should've been a 10 minute experience turned into a 20 minute ordeal....and it was first thing in the morning!

Thanks!

Splash does go down a lot. I rode it again later in my trip and it went down twice while I was in line!

 

[mickeystoontown]

You were able to get quite a bit done at the Magic Kingdom! I am sure you were loving the fact that the lines were short and, from the pictures, it doesn't look crowded either.

Thanks for posting pictures of the Fantasyland construction. I can't wait to see what it looks like once the walls are down.

I think that the picture on Splash is great! You look sooooo bored and "let's get this over with". Love it!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

You were able to get quite a bit done at the Magic Kingdom! I am sure you were loving the fact that the lines were short and, from the pictures, it doesn't look crowded either.

Thanks for posting pictures of the Fantasyland construction. I can't wait to see what it looks like once the walls are down.

I think that the picture on Splash is great! You look sooooo bored and "let's get this over with". Love it!

I did get a lot done, and there is still more to come! The crowds were not there, that's for sure. The only line more than 20 minutes all day was Peter Pan.

I got more pictures of the construction later in the trip to post.

Thanks! You guys inspired me to try for funny pics. More to come later!

 

[aprilisis]

Great photos! What kind of camera did you use to get the photo inside the HM? I can never get those to come out. Awesome photos of the birds, too- I love birds. What did you use to keep your camera dry on Splash? I love the photo looking up the final hill into the light! You are looking super-fit, by the way!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Great photos! What kind of camera did you use to get the photo inside the HM? I can never get those to come out. Awesome photos of the birds, too- I love birds. What did you use to keep your camera dry on Splash? I love the photo looking up the final hill into the light! You are looking super-fit, by the way!

Thanks! I used my Nikon CoolPix L120 for all the pics I took and are posting. I put my camera away in a plastic gallon size bag in my backpack during the drop and pull it back out afterward to keep it dry.

Thanks! I had lost 41 lbs at the trip, and have lost 2 lbs more since the trip. I'm glad it shows!

 

[MissManda]

So enjoying your updates. I can't believe though you did Splash Mountain when it was so cold. Brave person! I don't think I could have.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

So enjoying your updates. I can't believe though you did Splash Mountain when it was so cold. Brave person! I don't think I could have.

Thanks! I think cold is a relative term. I don't even put a coat on unless it is under 30 degrees, so it wasn't the temperature that bugged me as much as just liking wearing wet jeans around for hours.

 

[aprilisis]

Thanks! I think cold is a relative term. I don't even put a coat on unless it is under 30 degrees, so it wasn't the temperature that bugged me as much as just liking wearing wet jeans around for hours.

I am the same way! Anything under 30 degrees is coat weather, 30-48 degrees is sweater weather, 49-65 degrees is t-shirt weather, & anything over 65 is swimming weather!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

I am the same way! Anything under 30 degrees is coat weather, 30-48 degrees is sweater weather, 49-65 degrees is t-shirt weather, & anything over 65 is swimming weather!

Exactly! I think it's because we live further north, where colder temps are a reality of life!