A Salute to Food & Wine but Mostly Wine..12/21 FINAL THOUGHTS...a Solo Trip Adventure

[TarzansKat]

Wonderful to read about your last days! Well, not that they're the last ones, but you get the idea.

I love that cookbook! Totally didn't see that last weekend, I can't believe all the recipes in it. I am seriously going to have to try to find that on the internet!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

what a lovely TR, sad to see it end, espically when I just started it!! The solo trip sounds wonderful! To not have to worry about what anyone else wants, a completely selfish WDW trip sounds PERFECT!!! OMG to window show and watch the shows and ride your favorite rides over and over and over again without anyone complaining! All the food you want to eat with no one to give you "the eye". Heavenly! I so want a Solo WDW Trip now!!

hi there! Thanks for finding me! Solo trips are definitely fun! Are you planning your own solo trip yet??

Hi 29!!

Christine just left today on another solo trip.... She'll be doing a TR for that one too..you should come over there...it's always fun with Christine

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

Hope to see you there!!
Paula

Thanks Paula! You are a good advertiser for me!

Wonderful to read about your last days! Well, not that they're the last ones, but you get the idea.

I love that cookbook! Totally didn't see that last weekend, I can't believe all the recipes in it. I am seriously going to have to try to find that on the internet!

It's a very neat cookbook. If you're looking for any recipes, let me know.

 

[29apr00]

hi there! Thanks for finding me! Solo trips are definitely fun! Are you planning your own solo trip yet??

I don't think my son and daughter will allow me to come without them! Dh would have no problems with me taking them by myself though. But i think that defeats the purpose!

 

[ILuvCrush]

Did you get your photopass CD yet...huh...huh????

I wanna see

 

[brookelizabeth]

I thought I had posted on here recently, but I guess not! Either that or the DIS ate my post. Anyway, I wanted to say-and thought I did-several pages back, we have a pickle ornament too! Ours isn't from WDW, and we don't do anything with it yet, but when Henry gets older I just might start the fun tradition with it.

I also love your monorail shirt! I kept pointing that out to DH in November. I am thinkin' I'll have to pick that up next month...

I am subscribed to your new PTR/TR and noticed you are back already-but I haven't had time to read hardly any of it! I can't wait to catch up sometime soon...(and see if you bought a sweater! )

Looking forward to all the details on that one, and your Photopass here!

 

[jeminni]

Christine,

It was great to meet you and Circusgirl briefly at MGm ( I hate saying Hollywood studios ;P ) Saturday night. Did you have fun at the TSM meet? That was so great riding TSM and eating all the great desserts.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Did you get your photopass CD yet...huh...huh????

I wanna see

Yes... I did. Stay tuned...

I thought I had posted on here recently, but I guess not! Either that or the DIS ate my post. Anyway, I wanted to say-and thought I did-several pages back, we have a pickle ornament too! Ours isn't from WDW, and we don't do anything with it yet, but when Henry gets older I just might start the fun tradition with it.

I also love your monorail shirt! I kept pointing that out to DH in November. I am thinkin' I'll have to pick that up next month...

I am subscribed to your new PTR/TR and noticed you are back already-but I haven't had time to read hardly any of it! I can't wait to catch up sometime soon...(and see if you bought a sweater! )

Looking forward to all the details on that one, and your Photopass here!

Hi there! I hate when the DIS eats the posts! You should definitely get the monorail shirt. Nothing says Disney to me like "por favor..." I'm so jealous you'll be there next month! I can't wait to hear all about it!! The $500 sweater... I guess you'll just have to wait and see.

Christine,

It was great to meet you and Circusgirl briefly at MGm ( I hate saying Hollywood studios ;P ) Saturday night. Did you have fun at the TSM meet? That was so great riding TSM and eating all the great desserts.

Hi! It was great to meet you too! Wasn't that just an amazingly fun night? I still can't quite believe it! I wonder what they'll do next year to top it!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Because I promised... and because you've all been so patient... I will reward you with a couple of photopass photos.

My beloved Food & Wine:

My pals at the Disney Visa Meet & Greet in Epcot. The LONGEST line I waited in the entire trip!

I just happened upon these guys in England. What a happy coincidence.

 

[kschafer]

 

[ZephyrHawk]

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Where did you buy this shirt?!? I need it! Not for me, of course, but still....Wherever did you get it?!

Ack!! I can't get it to show.. The "Por favor" etc. t-shirt. Please , please tell me where it can be purchased!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Thanks Katie.

Where did you buy this shirt?!? I need it! Not for me, of course, but still....Wherever did you get it?!

Ack!! I can't get it to show.. The "Por favor" etc. t-shirt. Please , please tell me where it can be purchased!!

It's cute; isn't it? I got it in the Tomorrowland Traders or whatever that big store in Tommorrowland is called. But this most recent trip in Dec I also saw it in the Emporium on Main St, in Everything Pop in Pop Century and in some other places. I would think you could ask a cast member and they could let you know or call Disney Shopping if you don't have a trip soon and you want the shirt sooner. Hope you find it!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hurray for the Photopass pictures!!! I love that border on the Food and Wine one!

 

[julezdisney]

Hey Christine! Cute pix- I just love 'em!

 

[ILuvCrush]

Yay photopass pics!!! You are just so cute! You look like you had a great time with the characters!! And I loved the Food and Wine border!! Why didn't I get any photopass pics in Epcot?????

Hmmmphh that'll teach me!!

Paula

 

[TarzansKat]

Love the photopass photos! You're smiling like a kid in a candy store with Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore! Too cute.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Hurray for the Photopass pictures!!! I love that border on the Food and Wine one!

Hey Christine! Cute pix- I just love 'em!

Yay photopass pics!!! You are just so cute! You look like you had a great time with the characters!! And I loved the Food and Wine border!! Why didn't I get any photopass pics in Epcot?????

Hmmmphh that'll teach me!!

Paula

Love the photopass photos! You're smiling like a kid in a candy store with Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore! Too cute.

Thanks! I think I was mostly excited in the Pooh/Tigger/Eeyore picture because it was so unexpected. I just turned a corner in the store and there they were... with no line! While I really appreciate the order and process that Disney has applied to the whole character thing some part of me still remembers fondly being a kid in the Magic Kingdom, never knowing where you'd see "someone," catching a glimpse and taking off running toward them. Of course the downside is that your photos always had random strangers in them!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Finally. Some final thoughts.

Overall the October trip was fantastic. I highly recommend that time of year- the weather is generally great, the fall decorations are beautiful, Mickey's Not So Scary is SO fun, and, of course, Food & Wine is amazing.

I can definitely see myself going back year after year in October.

A first-timer's view on Food & Wine:I'm not a foodie.. not by a long shot. In fact I'm a pretty picky and unadventurous eater. I do like my adult beverages. World Showcase is one of my favorite places in general. I didn't do any of the special events- free or paid. I was perfectly content to mosey around the lagoon munching and sipping on multiple days... and it was heaven.

Beach Club - I believe I've made my feelings on this resort clear? AMAZING. FANTASTIC. YOU MUST STAY THERE! Especially if you are a World Showcase lover. The ability to walk into Epcot or to Hollywood Studios was such a perk! And then of course there is Stormalong Bay and Beaches 'n Cream!!

Mickey's Not So ScaryThis was my first "special" paid event at WDW. Of course I'd heard a lot of commentary about the prices going up and questioning the value so I wondered what it would be like. I loved it. I think it was $50 and that didn't offend me. Maybe b/c I was in vacation spending mode and when you charge your Disney card it doesn't seem like real money. I thought between the special fireworks, parade, and low crowds that it was totally worth it. I would do it again. And I think I'd wear a costume. Maybe.

Solo TripOverall, I liked it. I am glad that I didn't deny myself the pleasure and wait to find someone who wanted to go with me. Back when I started planning this I didn't have any potential trip partners... now through the DIS I think I may have a few. I liked a mix of solo time and meeting up with others who were in the World at the same time.

As many of you know, I was lucky enough to have visited WDW again in December. I just got back last week! I made these resolutions based on the Oct trip. Did I follow them? Well you'll have to read along on that TR to find out!

Dec Trip Resolutions:

1) I need to figure out my fancy camera. The point and shoot takes fine pictures but when I see the pictures that Lady Lallie, Paula (ILuvCrush),and others turn out I want to see what I can do. I am curious though. How do you all cart your cameras around? Mine (same as LL’s , I believe) seems big. At least big for my Vera backpack. Do you just wear them around your neck the whole time? Teach me. I’m a photography padawan.

2) On a solo trip don’t make too many ADRs. I had too many in October and as you’ll see if you read it, I don’t make all of them. Plus as a singleton, it’s sometimes uncomfortable (for me). And I’m pretty low class in terms of palate so a burger and fries actually sounds good to me! So I believe I have three ADRs for this trip and that’s it. You’ll have to wait to hear what they are.

3) The mid day break is VITAL! I learned this the hard way in October. As in the hard way when I’m in the Beach Club marketplace in search of pain killer after the first day and I think my legs/hips/feet are going to fall off. So much for thinking I’m relatively in shape!


4) There are SO many details to soak in… take your time. You’ll be back.


5) Balance between group and solo time is the way to go. Solo I tended to get lonely and look for people to talk to. But when meeting up with friends I sometimes missed what I wanted to do going with what the group wanted. So you have to strike a balance… at least as much as possible.

6) Bring a trip journal. I did not in October. I made notes each night when I got back to the hotel but it would have been better to have a little notebook with me to make notes in as I went along.


7) Bring a print-out of my “must-do” list. As much time as I spent planning for the October trip I got caught up in the magic and forgot about some of the things that I had wanted to do. But here again, the good news is “you’ll be back.” NO Ahnold.

8) Really. No one cares what you are doing. Seriously. So if you want to take pictures of your food. Do it. Don’t be self conscious. Everyone is having too much fun on their own to worry about what you’re doing.

9) Your packing list needs to be refined. Too many shoes. And too many tops. It got cold some nights in October and surely will in December so need to bring some options in that regard but I don’t need 100 different options. And you need to account for the weight that souvenirs will add to your suitcase!

10) Sharing the magic feels good! I was a fairy godmailer mailing postcards to a few different kids and took pictures for many different families. It felt good… passing it on.


11) Disconnect from work. REALLY disconnect. You don’t need to check your blackberry while in line at Soarin’. Whatever it is they can deal with it without you. And there is not much you can do about it anyhow. In a true emergency, they can find you. And you can choose to help them or pretend there isn’t any cell service in the World Showcase.​

So I guess that is it on this trip. It's a wrap. The trip itself was amazing but even better than that from my perspective was the trip planning process and meeting all of you here on the DIS. I'm looking forward to living vicariously through all of your trips and who knows, maybe we'll be able to meet in WDW someday. Thanks for reading!!

 

[retiredkid]

Fantastic wrap-up, Christine. Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip. I keep hinting to DH about me going solo. I don't think it's gonna happen

Off to read then NEXT one, you lucky girl, you.

Thanks again.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Because I promised... and because you've all been so patient... I will reward you with a couple of photopass photos.

My beloved Food & Wine:

My pals at the Disney Visa Meet & Greet in Epcot. The LONGEST line I waited in the entire trip!

I just happened upon these guys in England. What a happy coincidence.

You are so cute in your pictures, you can tell that you are having a wonderful time!

I love your final thoughts. Reading your TR has really made me want to go in October. But really, is there any month I DON'T want to go in?
I can't wait to hear if you made all your Trip Resolutions, I know one that you didn't.

 

[julezdisney]

I love your wrap up! And I agree about MNSSHP and Oct. Great weather and the party is totally worth the $.

On to the Dec. TR!