Solo Planning Trip for my 40th Birthday - Nov. 2014 (updated 8/15/2015)

[dreamseeker9]

Day 1 - An Afternoon of Firsts (continued)

My next attraction wasn't a first, but it was a favorite!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, time for a FP+ on Splash Mountain!

I'm in the third row. Somehow, even in the third row, I managed to get a face full of water at the end, but who cares - it's Splash Mountain! While I love it so much, I noticed that the audio seemed kinda wonky in several places - like I could only hear parts of it and not all of it, especially when we were outside.

After Splash, I walked back to Adventureland to the Enchanted Tiki Room. I only discovered this wonderful show in 2012, and now it's a must-do for me! I walked in as a show was just starting - it wasn't even half full, and I had a back row to myself. Loved it!

I then headed over to the Sunshine Tree Terrace. Now, I'm a Dole Whip girl - specifically, mixed with soft vanilla. I tried that for the first time in 2012 and declared it one of the best things I'd ever tasted. But I was feeling adventurous in Adventureland (ha ha), so I decided to forego my beloved Dole Whip and try a citrus swirl. I think part of the reason I thought I'd like it is because I remember that orange bird from my childhood. My experience wasn't so great. There was only one CM working the counter, and to say he looked overwhelmed is an understatement. Everyone in line was patient, and it was finally my turn - I ordered the citrus swirl in a cup. It was good, but it was no comparison to the Dole Whip, IMHO. So from now on, it's only the Dole Whip for me if I have to choose between the two, though I did hear that Sunshine Tree Terrace is now also going to sell the Dole Whip!

I had planned to exit the MK before the 3:00 PM parade. I don't consider myself a big parade lover, and I wanted to get back to my resort and swim some still that afternoon. As I walked out of Adventureland toward the hub, the parade was parallel to me in Frontierland. I decided to cut through stores to avoid people, and to do some shopping, on Main Street. I didn't see anything I had to buy, so I stepped back outside and saw that no one was in line for the PhotoPass photographer because everyone was waiting for the parade. So I jumped in there and had my photo taken with Main Street and the castle in the background, right as the parade was starting to come down Main Street - pretty cool!

He took 2 photos - I liked the 2nd one much better and ordered that print.

This photo makes me so happy, and it makes me want to go back!!!

I moved over to the Town Square sidewalk and realized that I could stand in that spot, just before the parade ends, and have an awesome spot of the parade entering and going all around Town Square and then right past me. So I decided to stay! And hardly anyone was in that spot - mental note, great spot for future parades because they rope it off last, so I was right at the rope!

This Festival of Fantasy parade was another first for me. I have to say, I absolutely loved it! The floats, the characters, the music, the dancing - I was grinning the entire time. I really was blown away by it. So here come a bunch of photos.

It's Mickey & Minnie!

I headed out then, back to AOA, hoping for a late afternoon dip in the pool. But everything didn't go quite according to plan...

Next up... All about AOA! My Little Mermaid room, other resort sections, and the pools (and also the pool bar!).

 

[SarahDisney]

The pictures from Tom Sawyer Island are great! I've never done it and your pictures really make it look like something I might want to check out.

I'm glad to hear you loved the parade. I sitll haven't seen Festival of Fantasy (despite having been twice since it started ... I just never have time for it) ... but your pictures make it look really great!

I'm looking forward to reading about your time at the hotel ... although a little nervous about what didn't go according to plan!

 

[hokieinpa]

What a great afternoon of firsts! Tom Sawyer Island looks amazing! So many fun things to explore! That was on my list last trip but it kept getting pushed back!

It sounds like you checked off quite a few classics in Adventureland and Frontierland too - Splash, Tiki Room, and Jingle Cruise!

Great luck finding an empty PP spot too! Did you get Memory Maker for this trip?

And what a great viewing spot for FOF!

Can't wait to hear about you LM room! We stayed in a Nemo suite in October and loved it!

 

[dreamseeker9]

What a great afternoon of firsts! Tom Sawyer Island looks amazing! So many fun things to explore! That was on my list last trip but it kept getting pushed back!

It sounds like you checked off quite a few classics in Adventureland and Frontierland too - Splash, Tiki Room, and Jingle Cruise!

Great luck finding an empty PP spot too! Did you get Memory Maker for this trip?

And what a great viewing spot for FOF!

Can't wait to hear about you LM room! We stayed in a Nemo suite in October and loved it!

I did hit most of the classics in Adventureland and Frontierland, it was a great afternoon!

I didn't get Memory Maker, but after I saw the prices Disney wants for those photos, I think it's worth the money if I'm going to buy more than 6 photos, geese! I'm definitely going to get it for my next big trip in September.

We stayed in a Nemo suite in November 2012 and really loved it!

 

[guestswobags]

How have I never done this before? It was absolutely amazing! I felt so removed from the rest of the MK, and transported into Tom Sawyer's story. The details, per usual Disney fashion, were perfection.

I love the Island! So chill, and such special views of Frontierland and HM. And though I'm probably too old to be so entertained by these things, I do love running back and forth across that bridge.

This Festival of Fantasy parade was another first for me. I have to say, I absolutely loved it! The floats, the characters, the music, the dancing - I was grinning the entire time. I really was blown away by it. So here come a bunch of photos.

The new parade is awesome. My sister and I were there last year just after it debuted, and I insisted on watching one afternoon ... my poor sister, who at the beginning was like, Uh, we could be on Space Mountain? totally came around by the end. It's so good. I don't even think of myself as a big parade person, either, but the floats and choreography are so creative. Next level.

I love your Christmas on Main Street pic! You look so happy!

 

[dreamseeker9]

I love the Island! So chill, and such special views of Frontierland and HM. And though I'm probably too old to be so entertained by these things, I do love running back and forth across that bridge.



The new parade is awesome. My sister and I were there last year just after it debuted, and I insisted on watching one afternoon ... my poor sister, who at the beginning was like, Uh, we could be on Space Mountain? totally came around by the end. It's so good. I don't even think of myself as a big parade person, either, but the floats and choreography are so creative. Next level.

I love your Christmas on Main Street pic! You look so happy!

That bridge was crazy! It was a lot of fun! When more than one person is on it, though, it's really unsteady! But still fun.

Yes, I agree - the FoF parade is really beautiful in all ways.

I was very happy in that photo, thank you!

Sorry, I haven't posted an update - I've been traveling for work since Tuesday and am still on the road. I'll arrive home tonight (finally!) and have nothing planned for the weekend but down time, planning for my DLR and WDW trips, and writing more of my TR! Oh, and watching college basketball, I love March Madness (even if my beloved Purdue Boilermakers lost last night in OT). Can't wait!!!

 

[jandlinz]

Joining in! Sounds like you're having a blast!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Joining in! Sounds like you're having a blast!

Welcome, and thank you! It was such a fun trip. More later tonight, after dinner.

 

[dreamseeker9]

Day 1 - AOA, Ups and Downs

I took the bus from MK to AOA. As we boarded the bus, there were several people with ECVs. The bus driver was rattled because the ramp wasn't working properly, so it took a long time to board the ECVs and then everyone else.

While I'd been in the MK, I received a text at 1:45 PM that my Little Mermaid room was ready, Room 9529. I had requested at online check-in the highest floor with a lake view. Instead, I discovered that my room was the opposite - on the ground floor with a parking lot view. Not the end of the world. I enjoyed my walk from the main building through the Lion King section.

And then I was at the Little Mermaid section! I absolutely loved it.

My room was in the King Triton building.

When I reached my room, I noticed that it was handicapped-accessible, and it was a king bed. I was fine with both of these - the bathroom was larger, and I only needed 1 bed. Here are some photos of the room - of course, the theming is perfection, really Disney beautiful!

I got to my room at 4:20 PM. My suitcase that I had checked through the DME was there, but my carry-on that I'd checked at the AOA luggage services was not there. When I'd checked it, I was told that it would be delivered to my room as soon as my room was ready. My carry-on had my swimsuit in it, and my iPhone charger. My iPhone was down to 4% battery. So I called luggage services and was put on hold for several minutes, then the luggage guy asked me, "It's not on your bed?" Um, no, I'm pretty sure I would have noticed if my carry-on bag was on my bed. He said he would have to call the bag runner again, that it should have been delivered. So I sat in my room and waited for it, until I heard a golf cart outside and thought it might be my bag. Alas, it wasn't, but I asked that bag runner - he radioed into luggage services on his walkie talkie and said that he was with the guest (since I could hear everything). The luggage services guy hemmed and hawed and then said it was on its way. Translation... they lost my bag. I asked the golf cart bag guy if I had to be in my room when it is delivered, he said no - so I figured with no bathing suit and a dead phone, what else is there to do but go check out my favorite pool bar?

I love the Big Blue Pool! This was the only day I could swim in it, too - it was closing for rehab the other days I was there. I headed over to The Drop Off pool bar. My friends and I had a great time here in 2012, and we had a terrific bartender, Dustin. So when I sat down at the bar, who should come to wait on me but Dustin! And he remembered me! So that was very fun. I had one of the fruity drinks that tastes like no alcohol is in it, but really there is. Then I had another one because I was on vacation, and why not? I people watched - it was all older men at the bar, watching sports, and me, ha ha. The pool wasn't very crowded at all. It was a beautiful afternoon, turning into evening. I finally said goodbye to Dustin and decided to head back, as the sun was starting to set, to see if my carry-on bag made it to my room.

There is something really magical about this resort at dusk.

Back at my room - no bag. It finally showed up, and it was dark out at this point. I really had my heart set on swimming, plus the temperatures were supposed to drop for my other 3 days, so I decided to quickly take a dip in the Little Mermaid pool. It was somewhat crowded but overall a really nice pool. The water felt terrific after all my traveling and then all the walking around the MK.

As I walked around the resort and then swam in the LM pool, I noticed something really cool. Each section of the resort played music that was themed to that section. The Lion King section played "Wild Thing" and "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson. The Little Mermaid section played "Papa Can You Hear Me" by Barbra Streisand (one of my absolute favorites). Only Disney would pay attention with that much detail! I loved it.

I showered and got ready for my evening out...

Next Up... My evening in one of the parks, and a new restaurant for me for dinner!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Day 1 - Taking My Time in EPCOT

My next stop was EPCOT for the evening! I really wanted to eat dinner somewhere in the World Showcase, and I wanted to see IllumiNations, I hadn't seen it since 2000. I reached the bus at AOA just in time, phew! When I arrived, I decided to first ride a favorite of mine...

No wait, hurray! I know some people don't like the ending, but I think it's fun.

After SE, I walked into the WS via Canada. It didn't seem that crowded at all, much less crowded than MK. I slowly walked around the pavilions. I was hoping for more holiday decorations. There were some but not a ton.

I realized that I was hungry, and that it was getting late - I didn't want to miss IllumiNations! So I chose a restaurant I've always wanted to dine at but never have...

There was only inside seating available (it was a gorgeous night, so I can understand why the outside tables were in high demand), and it was a 5-minute wait - not bad at all!

I used to feel very self-conscious about dining alone, but I've traveled so much for business alone, and some also personal, that it doesn't bother me much now. I people watch and play on my phone. I was seated next to a window, so there was plenty opportunity for people watching! I decided to order the Quattro Formagi pizza and a glass of Cabernet.

The pizza was good but not excellent. I'd give the overall experience a solid B.

By the time I paid my bill, I only had 15 minutes until IllumiNations! I realized that I should have used the restroom in Via Napoli (too late), so I found restrooms in Morocco - FYI, they are really nice!

I think it was a combination of the park not being too crowded and some luck, but I found a great spot with less than 10 minutes to go, on the Italy isola. While waiting there, I texted with my friend who was staying at AKL with her husband and 2 boys. We agreed to meet up the next evening at the AKL. I enjoyed the night views across the way.

IllumiNations started - what an incredible show! I teared up at least twice. I thought it was beautiful.

This wasn't my view for the entire show, but we were very near the gondolas. Overall, I thought the Italy isola was a terrific place to watch the show. I took my time after the show to slowly meander through WS - no point in hurrying and then waiting in line for my bus back to AOA. I really enjoyed being in EPCOT as it emptied out.

Italy

Germany

Mexico

MouseGear and some other shops were open. I looked at some items in MouseGear but decided to wait on purchases. As I walked out, I saw a PhotoPass photographer and grabbed the opportunity for a great shot...

I really like how this photo turned out!

I also took this photo, which is now my iPhone wallpaper:

It was 10:10 PM by the time I reached the buses. AOA had a bus pulling away that wasn't even half full and people still waiting, but another bus pulled up right behind it. There was only 1 family behind me - I'm not sure if we were on the last bus or not, but the timing was good!

I walked through Landscape of Flavors on my way back to the LM section to see what time it opened in the morning - 7:00 AM, which was a bummer because I'd hoped that it opened at 6:00 AM, since I had a plan to be up early in the morning and beat the crowd a bit - oh, well!

Once in my room, I noticed that it wasn't very soundproof. I could hear everything being said as people walked by my room (one of the reasons I didn't want ground floor), and I could hear my next door neighbors arguing. I hadn't noticed this issue when we were in a Finding Nemo suite in 2012, I thought it was very quiet.

I scheduled my Mickey wake-up call and settled in for the night. It had been a very long but a very fun day!

Next Up... Day 2 - Two parks, lunch at one of my favorite resorts, a special purchase, a lot of rain, and a reunion with my friend at AKL!

 

[SarahDisney]

Sorry to hear you didn't get your requests ... but the Little Mermaid section is pretty awesome with all the details.

How great that the bartender remembered you. I still haven't made it to the Drop Off pool bar, but if I ever do, I'll be sure to look out for Dustin!
I'm glad you eventually got your bag ... even if it took way longer than it should have. And I love that they play music themed to each section ... I noticed that last trip and it really impressed me!

Sounds like a great night at Epcot ... Illuminations really is something special. I love taking my time after the night shows end and slowly wandering around the park ... it's a really nice view with not so many people around, and they generally do not rush you out so you really can just take your time.

 

[livinginthecornfield]

I noticed you're from NYC --- so in all honesty, how does Via Napoli pizza compare with NYC pizza??? Have you eaten at Lombardi's or Gramaldi's or even John's???? I lived just over the GWB about 8yrs ago and now live in the cornfields of IL..... Pizza here was awful so I figured out how to make my own NYC style (foldable crust, charred crust, THIN crust..... I'm a pizza snob.... And I'm doing my first solo trip in May....i'm hoping Via Napoli lives up to my expectations.......

 

[dreamseeker9]

Sorry to hear you didn't get your requests ... but the Little Mermaid section is pretty awesome with all the details.

How great that the bartender remembered you. I still haven't made it to the Drop Off pool bar, but if I ever do, I'll be sure to look out for Dustin!
I'm glad you eventually got your bag ... even if it took way longer than it should have. And I love that they play music themed to each section ... I noticed that last trip and it really impressed me!

Sounds like a great night at Epcot ... Illuminations really is something special. I love taking my time after the night shows end and slowly wandering around the park ... it's a really nice view with not so many people around, and they generally do not rush you out so you really can just take your time.

Agreed, the LM section was so awesome with all the details! And so pretty at night, too! I enjoyed swimming at night there.

I didn't feel rushed at all by CMs, and several people were still shopping in MouseGear when I left. I loved being one of the last ones out of the park!

 

[dreamseeker9]

I noticed you're from NYC --- so in all honesty, how does Via Napoli pizza compare with NYC pizza??? Have you eaten at Lombardi's or Gramaldi's or even John's???? I lived just over the GWB about 8yrs ago and now live in the cornfields of IL..... Pizza here was awful so I figured out how to make my own NYC style (foldable crust, charred crust, THIN crust..... I'm a pizza snob.... And I'm doing my first solo trip in May....i'm hoping Via Napoli lives up to my expectations.......

Sorry all, I don't know how to do multiple quotes in one post.

I've had pizza at all 3 of those in NYC. Via Napoli was good but no comparison, IMHO. The crust wasn't a thin crust and not really foldable, but it was slightly charred on the bottom. But it also may have been the type of pizza I got. I had read reviews that the Quattro Formaggi was the best, but really it was just cheese and bread (no tomato sauce) - nothing wrong with that, but I ended up missing the tomato sauce. I would go again and would try another type of pizza, or a different dish.

There's a pizza window on the BoardWalk, but I haven't tried it - not sure how it compares to NYC pizza. Also, Mama Melrose's in DHS may serve pizza.

Have a great first solo trip!

 

[hokieinpa]

I love the shots of the LM room! I think it's themed so well - like the rest of AOA. But since it's my favorite movie, I'm just in love with those rooms! Too bad you didn't get any of your requests - but the king bed is nice!

I was a little disappointed in luggage services at AOA too. When we dropped our carry ons off our first day, one of the straps on my son's brand new backpack was torn. They just attached a little generic tag - he didn't really notice but I was sad! I'm sorry your bag took so long to arrive - but glad you had time to take a quick swim!

What a fun night in Epcot! I would love to try Via Napoli at some point too - but I've heard mixed reviews recently. It sounds like you had a great review of Illuminations. I love the shot of SSE and the tree!

We had a slow walk out after Illuminations too - much better to stroll through WS and browse in MouseGear than to wait at the bus stop. Very pretty PP shot in front of SSE too!

 

[guestswobags]

Aww, Epcot at night. Your pictures are so pretty!

I'm sorry Via Napoli was disappointing. I haven't tried the Quattro Formaggi. I think I had a plain Margarita or something like that when I was there, and it was decent. Not Arturro's, though, which was my favorite NYC pizza when I lived in the city. Via Napoli's pasta dishes are actually pretty good, if you ever give that restaurant another try. And I really like the pizza window on the Boardwalk! It's definitely a thicker, doughier crust, but you can get a Spinach and Mushroom by the slice that's really yummy. If you recoil from such toppings, they have red sauce and cheese too.

Looking forward to reading more, as always!

 

[dreamseeker9]

OK, I think I figured out how to quote multiple posts in a reply!

I love the shots of the LM room! I think it's themed so well - like the rest of AOA. But since it's my favorite movie, I'm just in love with those rooms! Too bad you didn't get any of your requests - but the king bed is nice!

I was a little disappointed in luggage services at AOA too. When we dropped our carry ons off our first day, one of the straps on my son's brand new backpack was torn. They just attached a little generic tag - he didn't really notice but I was sad!

I love the LM movie, too! The room was really terrific. It was a decent walk to Animation Hall, but still fun to walk through the Lion King section. And yes, the king bed was nice!

That stinks about your son's new backpack being torn! Not good at all.

Glad you liked the photos, thanks!

Aww, Epcot at night. Your pictures are so pretty!

I'm sorry Via Napoli was disappointing. I haven't tried the Quattro Formaggi. I think I had a plain Margarita or something like that when I was there, and it was decent. Not Arturro's, though, which was my favorite NYC pizza when I lived in the city. Via Napoli's pasta dishes are actually pretty good, if you ever give that restaurant another try. And I really like the pizza window on the Boardwalk! It's definitely a thicker, doughier crust, but you can get a Spinach and Mushroom by the slice that's really yummy. If you recoil from such toppings, they have red sauce and cheese too.

Looking forward to reading more, as always!

Thank you, I'm glad you like my photos! I don't think I've been to Arturo's, I'll have to try it now! Good to know about Via Napoli's pasta dishes - I'm always willing to try some pasta! I'll have to try the BoardWalk pizza window when we stay at YC in September.

 

[dreamseeker9]

Day 2 - As the Weather Turns

Monday, November 17, 2014 started out fairly warm and dry. I had made the mistake of sleeping without my earplugs in and was awakened by a child crying next door at 5:45 AM. I put my earplugs in at that point and dozed until 6:30 AM. My feet were sore from all the walking my first day in the World, but better than they'd been the night before. I knew the forecast was calling for rain later, so I packed my poncho and headed out to Landscape of Flavors for breakfast.

Some AOA lovely morning sights along my walk to the food court...

I just love how even the landscaping has the look of being underwater - so amazing.

For breakfast, I decided on the breakfast sandwich of naan, eggs, bacon, cheese sauce and chives, and a large coffee.

It was very good, though it was only 7:15 AM and one coffee station was already out. Plus, it took some time to get through the cashier's line. By the time I paid, got my coffee, and sat down, the sandwich was lukewarm. But still good.

I know some people like to read about bus wait times (including me, the ever-loving planner), so I made note of them to include in my TR. I decided to return to EPCOT this morning. I just missed the bus at 7:41 AM. Buses for all other parks came while I waited. Only AK opened at 8:00 AM today. I waited 11 minutes for another bus to EPCOT. I was in line at EPCOT turnstiles at 8:14 AM - not bad, considering I also stopped in the restroom just outside the front gate (darn coffee). It's a decent restroom, lots of stalls, and of course was empty at that time of day. It wasn't very clean, though, especially considering this was before park opening. Did I mention I also have a thing about restrooms? I like to find the cleanest ones, so I do include those in my TRs. Plus, I'm a civil engineer who works on water and sewer projects, so I can't help it.

I was 10th in line for my turnstile, woohoo! At 8:30 AM, the CMs were checking that everyone was lined up for each tap cue - our line was lined up for 2 tap cues, so we got to split our line. Now I was 5th in line!

Rope Drop was at 8:53 AM. I walked very quickly to my first attraction...

Not many people passed me, so I was on the first Soarin' ride of the day! Row 2, Terminal A. Awesome! I have to say, at first I didn't see what the big deal was about Soarin'. Now I've come to appreciate it more. I find it really relaxing. It's not one of my must-do attractions, but I do enjoy it quite a bit.

After Soarin', I walked across the way and walked right onto Living with the Land. There was a family in front of me - a little boy, maybe 3 years old, was crying because he thought it would be a scary ride and he didn't want to get on the boat. His sister was 6 and kept saying how much she loves this ride, over and over. In the end, I think the little boy liked it. It's such a pretty ride, and also very relaxing.

After Living with the Land, I decided to do another first - the Circle of Life movie. I waited less than 5 minutes. I found it very peaceful in the waiting area and in the theatre. I really liked the movie, it moved me. It ties in with my profession of being an environmental engineer. From my studies on sustainability, it is a sad fact that we are using more resources than the Earth has to give us. We have to change our ways to be sustainable for future generations. OK, off my soapbox...

The Land pavilion really is quite beautiful..

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST...

 

[GracieKam]

Loving your report! Last time I was at MK I decided to try Splash Mountain--i normally HATE water rides because walking around wet does not sound appealing to me at all--but I decided to try it and I LOVED it!! I think i might have to start trying the water rides!

 

[dreamseeker9]

CONTINUED...

Next stop was one of my favorites... The Seas! I walked on to The Seas with Nemo and Friends. People were using their FP+'s. That seemed like a waste to me. Plus, I enjoy walking through the entire queue. It's dark, but there's so much to see.

It was hard to take a photo of the screen that didn't turn out blurry.

I don't know if it's all that water or what, but I always have to use the restroom after I go on The Seas! And the nearest restroom to the ride exit is always crowded.

I really love dolphins, so I went through the aquarium to their tank. I asked a CM if they were coming out - she pointed out 'doors' in the tanks where the dolphins can come and go as they choose. I could then see them in the other tank through the doors, it looked like they were being fed. In the other main tank, there were scuba divers - how fun would that be! I walked over to the manatee area, there was only 1 manatee in that tank.

Another first for me was next - Turtle Talk with Crush! The posted wait time was 10 minutes, but we ended up having to wait 20 minutes, and it was full! I thought it was a very cute and impressive show, but I decided that it wasn't worth spending that precious morning time there when the park isn't yet too crowded.

I headed back to the main drag of Future World and stopped in at MouseGear. I knew that colder temps were coming, and I had brought a sweatshirt, but I knew I wanted to buy a WDW hoodie. I found one that I really loved, and it fit perfectly! I forgot to take a photo, but it's simple, dark grey, with WDW and Mickey nice and small on the left chest side. Just what I was looking for.

I also bought myself some new earrings!

I can't wait to wear them on my upcoming trips to Disneyland and WDW this year!

I walked toward World Showcase and stopped at the Port of Entry store. I thought this was a great shop with a little something from each pavilion, and some general EPCOT and WDW merchandise. Since it was mid-November, I was looking for some Christmas gifts and also for a host gift for my friends who were having me over for Thanksgiving dinner. My friends are big Disney fans, so I think I found the perfect gifts.

And they really loved them when I gave them the gifts on Thanksgiving. Yay! I also bought one of those hot pads for myself, how could I resist having that Mickey hand in my kitchen?

I was going to buy some German pralines for my friend, but I found out that chocolate can't be shipped to the resort like other purchases from the parks... I guess because it could melt in the Florida heat. So I decided to wait to buy those, my bag wasn't very big, and I didn't want to carry them around all day.

I walked through Canada and the UK to France. The pavilion was decorated with some holiday decorations. I really liked these...

I saw Impressions de France. I love this movie so much, the film and the music are exquisite! This is one of my not-to-be-missed attractions in all of WDW. I've only been to France once, to Paris, in 2005. I loved it so much, such a beautiful city.

I decided to stop at Les Halles Bakery... how could I not, when I could smell all of that goodness! I couldn't decide, so I bought a chocolate eclair and a chocolate croissant.

I have a secret spot in the France pavilion where I love to sit, people watch, and in this case - eat my goodies! If you walk through the pathway between the shops, there's an area that is removed from the rest of the pavilion with benches to sit and a nice view of the International Gateway boat launch to the BoardWalk and the YC/BC. It's very peaceful. Back to the goodies... the chocolate eclair was heavenly! OMG! The chocolate croissant was also delicious, but the eclair was absolutely incredible. As I sat there, Princess Aurora passed by - she was with her CM handlers, exiting a meet and greet. Always in character, she told me to enjoy a royal afternoon, then she exited through a door to the backstage area. Very nice of her!

After I ate my goodies, I went into the Plume et Pallette store. I love going into this store, but every time I'm in there, the saleswomen never talk to me. I'm not sure why they don't want to talk to me, but it gives me a complex.

It was getting very cloudy and windy. I checked the weather on my phone - the radar looked bad, rain coming soon, and there was a tornado watch until 8:00 PM - not good! I decided to take the boat to the YC!

Notice how cloudy it was!

I first checked out the BC/YC on my first solo trip in March 2014. I have always wanted to stay at one of these resorts, and I'm so excited that my dream is going to become a reality this September for my 40th birthday trip! I wanted to explore the resorts more, and I was hoping they would have some holiday decorations up - no luck there, but I enjoyed exploring!

I decided to have a late lunch at YC's Captain's Grille. I was seated right away. The restaurant wasn't very full at all. It started sprinkling outside. People were still swimming in Stormalong Bay, which I could see from my table. Might as well keep swimming in the rain if you're already wet, right? Unless there's lightning, of course! My server's name was Mandy, which is my nickname. She was very nice. We bonded over both being named after the Barry Manilow song (true story). I ordered the blackened Corvina BLT with fries and an iced tea.

While I was waiting for my food, I texted with my friend who I was supposed to meet later that evening at the AKL to see if she wanted to eat dinner together or if I should eat before we meet. Any excuse to eat and drink at the AKL! My mom texted me and reminded me to check out restaurants for my 40th birthday dinner (as if I'd forgotten). My iPhone's battery was draining rather quickly. Luckily, I discovered that I was sitting next to an outlet - bonus!

My food came out...

Unfortunately, I didn't love it. The fries were too salty. The French bread was good, but it absorbed the juice from the fish and got soggy and fell apart on the bottom. The seasoning on the fish was too salty and overpowered the rest of the sandwich. I'll give Captain's Grille another shot when I stay at the YC in September, but I definitely won't order this sandwich again.

I ate only about half of everything, it was just too salty. Plus, I was full from my French pastries. Then I wandered around the YC. The restrooms outside the YC gift shop were very nice with a separate powder area.

I stopped in at the gift shop and found some magnets that I'd been hunting for...

I love these poster magnets so much! I bought the Cinderella one for my friend, and the Jiminy Cricket one for myself. I also bought a limited edition shower gel, I liked the smell, and proceeds went toward saving the oceans - how could I say no to that?

And I made one more purchase, a first for me...

I bought myself my first set of ears!!! Or so I thought... I posted this photo of myself on Facebook and wrote that it was my first set of ears. My friend texted me 5 minutes later and said my mom had posted a reply that when I was 4 or 5, my dad had bought me Mickey Mouse ears. Oops! I forgot - sorry, Mom & Dad! But aren't they beautiful? I'm totally taking them to Disneyland and back to WDW on my trips this year!

I sat out on the patio for a bit, enjoying the view of Stormalong Bay and enjoying wearing my new ears. I walked all along the patio to the BC, inside the BC lobby, and back to the YC. It started raining harder, and a boat was coming. Time to make a decision about where to go next!

Coming up... I tour a park in the heavy rain, a few more firsts, and dinner and drinks at the AKL!