A Solo WDW Adventure: New Experiences, Repeat Highlights, & More! Oct. 2-9, 2017! *COMPLETED 12/20*

[AMusicLifeForMe]

It's a long story, but I'll be in the VIP viewing location for Illuminations tonight. More on the reason why will be in my trip report.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

My trip is now over. My updates will be starting soon. Stay tuned!

 

[Capang]

My trip is now over. My updates will be starting soon. Stay tuned!

I’m interested to hear what happened at F&W

 

[pcbianchini]

What a great way to start off your trip report. Now I'm very curious to hear about your experiences. Sounds like it will be a fun report.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

This isn't much of an update. I would just like to say that I left Walt Disney World yesterday with the weather feeling like it was 90+ degrees and humidity! I came home to a high of 46 degrees today and raining. All I have to say is...WHY?!?!

 

[wnwardii]

All I have to say is...WHY?!?!

Are you asking "Why" you had to leave WDW? Or are you asking "why" your body has to adjust to about a 40+ degree difference????

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Are you asking "Why" you had to leave WDW? Or are you asking "why" your body has to adjust to about a 40+ degree difference????

Both!

 

[lucas]

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I apologize to everyone that has been waiting for me to start my updates. I have been very busy, and I haven't been able to get going yet. I promise I'll start soon.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Hello again everyone! This is me saying that I still haven't forgotten about this trip report. My hope and goal was to get started this last week, but I am having problems with my pictures. I will hopefully get started tomorrow with updates. If that doesn't happen though, hopefully I will get my updates going sometime this week.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Day 1: Travel Day!​

Hello everyone! It is now time for me to get my updates started! So, lets dive right in!

Like every trip to Walt Disney World, I am on the first non-stop flight from my local airport to MCO. So, that always means that I am waking up at 3 a.m. which is not fun. It is always totally worth it though since I eventually get a little bit of extra time in the parks.

This morning would begin with emotions that I was not expecting. I would be departing the morning of the Las Vegas Shooting. Since the event happened after midnight where I live, I was already asleep and did not hear about it until I woke up. When I woke up a couple hours later, my phone was filled with all of the breaking news alerts. I really want to take this time and say that my thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the victims and their families during this difficult time. I would also like to thank all of the first responders for their bravery.

So, while my early morning was filled with watching the news, I ate a little bit. However, I was ready to go so I packed up the car and I was off. Since I was actually driving to the airport for once, I decided to blare and sing along to all of my favorite Disney songs! It was 4 a.m, so I had to stay awake somehow.

I would eventually get to the airport, check-in to my flight, go through security, wait for my flight, and board my plane. I would then be on my way to Walt Disney World!



While on my flight, I decided to keep the “Disney” thing going by watching a Disney movie that you might have forgotten was a Disney movie. That movie is Remember the Titans. This really is a powerful movie if you haven’t watched it.



I would be flying Southwest in the front row, so I had to take a picture of the heart.



This is my second solo trip to Walt Disney World, and I really couldn’t wait to spend a week all by myself!



The flight was a really great one, and I always like taking pictures of the clouds while 30,000 feet in the air.



While we were landing, I spotted Universal Orlando which is a place I have never been.





I would also find Walt Disney World! If you look closely, you can spot Disney Springs and the EPCOT Resort area.



We landed at Orlando International Airport!



The main terminal of the Orlando International Airport is a hotel as well. I really like walking in this area.



I would finally make it to Disney’s Magical Express and for the second trip in a row, I’m going on a Disney Cruise!!!…Just kidding. I’m just going to All-Star Music on a Disney Cruise Line bus.





I MADE IT TO WALT DISNEY WORLD!!!



I would arrive at All-Star Music around 11 a.m. I would then check-in with the luck of having a room available right then!



Since I was able to get a room, I was able to go unpack before heading to my first park of the trip! Now, which park will that be? Will I break my tradition or will I go to my traditional first park?

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Day 1: EPCOT’s 35th Anniversary + 1 Day!​

After getting settled at All-Star Music, it was time for me to head to my first park of the trip.



Now, I know that I usually go to Animal Kingdom as my first park, but I decided to break that rule. I would be heading to EPCOT for two reasons. One of those reasons was it was the day after the 35th Anniversary. The second reason was I would be seeing a friend on this day, and it was my only day I could see her.

I would arrive at EPCOT!!!





I would do a little bit of shopping for some EPCOT 35th merchandise before heading to my first attraction of the trip. That attraction would be Test Track. I also had a fastpass for this attraction.







After riding Test Track, I would make my way to the American Adventure to meet up with a friend where we would listen to the Voices of Liberty for the rest of the afternoon. On all of my trips, I will usually always sit in the American Adventure all afternoon and listen to the Voices of Liberty. They are an incredible singing group.





In between the first couple performances, I went out to get some food at the Food & Wine Booths. I would mostly get food that I remember that I liked from my previous trip, but I did try something new. My friend told me that I should go to the Brazil booth and try the Pao de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread).



I will be honest by saying that I did not like this at all. It was way to cheesy for me. However, I was hearing good things about it from others around World Showcase, so this might be an offering that you would like to try. I know I wouldn’t get it again.



I also went back to Italy and get the Calamari. If you would like to see a picture of that, check out my previous trip report.

After a great afternoon of seeing my friend and listening to the Voices of Liberty, it was time to walk around World Showcase to my first dining reservation of the trip.





I would be trying the restaurant that arguably gets the most mixed reviews on Disboards and any other Disney website. That restaurant is the Nine Dragons Restaurant. I am someone that can eat Asian cuisine any meal of the day. It really is my favorite, and I am shocked that I have never given this restaurant a try.



I would sit down at about 5:15 p.m. to a close to empty dining room. It was very nice, and I really liked the decorations.



I ordered the spring rolls as my appetizer. It came with two different sauces that I thought were tasty. The spring rolls were also very good, but they were your typical Chinese restaurant spring rolls.



Here is where I had an issue with this meal. I hadn’t finished one spring roll before my entree came out. Now, I was very polite about it and didn’t say anything…yet. I would finish my appetizer before diving into my entree which was the Honey Sesame Chicken.



I can’t say if it was hot when it came out, but when I went in to eat my chicken for the first time, it was literally cold. There was no ounce of heat on that chicken at all. So, I waved my waiter over, and asked politely if I could get it heated up. I knew they would probably just throw it in the microwave, but I wanted it to be hot. So, the waiter came back with a second plate. He told me that “we wanted to make this right for you, so we made you a new plate.” I will say that Disney handled this the right way. The second I bit into this dish, it was hot and the chicken was very good. I enjoyed the rice very much. I am not much of an asparagus fan, so I did not eat those.

I really think that the expectations of this restaurant are lower than they should be. Is the place overpriced? I would say yes. Is the food still good and cheaper than most other table service restaurants around World Showcase? Yes it is. If you like Chinese food, give this place a try. It isn’t going to be your local Chinese restaurant, but it’s still a good option. I would eat here before eating at the quick service location though. If you want good Asian food, keep a look out for my review of another restaurant I went to on this trip.

I would then continue my walk around World Showcase, and I would come across this Viking statue in Norway that I don’t think I had ever seen. I must have just walked by without ever noticing it on previous trips.



The ABC T.V. show, The Chew, would be filming during my week at Walt Disney World.



I would then make my way into Future World on this beautiful day at EPCOT.



I then had a fastpass for Mission Space where I would go on the green mission. I prefer that side since I feel like I can’t really handle the motion sickness of the orange mission anymore.



There was literally no wait for single rider on Test Track so I went ahead and rode that attraction for a second time on the same day.



My last fastpass of the day was for Spaceship Earth which wasn’t really needed. I always like this attraction.



An attraction I hadn’t done in a while is The Seas with Nemo and Friends. So, I made my way to this attraction.



MINE! MINE! MINE!



I found myself really liking the queue a lot.







Next, I would end up walking around the aquarium which is a building that I hadn’t been in for a while along with riding the attraction.









After hanging with the fishies, I made my way over to the Land pavilion and rode Soarin: Around the World. The stand by line wasn’t long at all this evening. Very close to a walk on.



After flying around the world, I found myself walking back to World Showcase to get a spot for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth right by Mexico.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Day 1: Illuminations: Reflections of Earth!​

This evening, I would see my favorite nighttime show at Walt Disney World, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth! Here are a lot of pictures that I took of the show.





























I’m so happy that the Earth opens again!!!













After the show, I would end up leaving EPCOT since the park always closes when the first firework goes off. I always like taking pictures of the “golf ball” as I exit the park.



I would take the bus back to All-Star Music to rest before the upcoming busy day.

 

[rteetz]

A lot of people tread travel days but I love traveling to WDW.

Looks like a great fun filled first day! Never been to Nine Dragons myself. Illuminations is a must do for me.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

A lot of people tread travel days but I love traveling to WDW.

Looks like a great fun filled first day! Never been to Nine Dragons myself. Illuminations is a must do for me.

I dread travel day, but I also look forward to it. It's all apart of my experience.

Illuminations is always a must for me. I always see it 2-3 times a trip.

 

[Capang]

When I was a substitute teacher I swear every teacher left Remember the Titans to watch. Not complaining, it is a great movie!

It’s always a bonus when you get in early and your room is ready!

The Seas is such a neat area. I love watching the manatees. It’s a calming atmosphere when compared to everything that surrounds it.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

When I was a substitute teacher I swear every teacher left Remember the Titans to watch. Not complaining, it is a great movie!

It’s always a bonus when you get in early and your room is ready!

The Seas is such a neat area. I love watching the manatees. It’s a calming atmosphere when compared to everything that surrounds it.

I agree how calming the Seas is. When I was there, no one was in there so it was very peaceful to just look around at everything.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Following along! I had my first WDW trip this past September (between your 2 trips), even though I'm a Disneyland local! I'm looking forward to all the special things you alluded to in your live updates

This is my second solo trip to Walt Disney World, and I really couldn’t wait to spend a week all by myself!

I also love solo trips-you can do what you want without having to plan around other people's schedules! I am planning a trip in March which as of now is solo (for Disney After Hours and Flower & Garden), but may have a disfriend join me for a couple days (I basically told her, I'm already paying for the room, so if you cover your airfare and food (she has an AP), you are welcome to join)! And then another trip in December 2018, which may be solo or could end up being with the whole family...I honestly don't know which one I prefer at this point!

While we were landing, I spotted Universal Orlando which is a place I have never been.

You should go on one of your trips, even if just for a day! Don't know if you are a Harry Potter fan, but I think both lands are so immersive, you can enjoy it without knowing about HP. And plenty of musical acts, including acapella frog choir and I think a jazz band!

I would also find Walt Disney World! If you look closely, you can spot Disney Springs and the EPCOT Resort area.

When I flew from LAX I was able to see Disneyland and was hoping to also get a photo of Disneyworld, but it was too cloudy! Also I probably wouldn't have been able to identify it from the air, as with DL I know the freeways well enough to follow them!

On all of my trips, I will usually always sit in the American Adventure all afternoon and listen to the Voices of Liberty. They are an incredible singing group.

We got to catch the end of one of their performances and they were excellent. I liked how the group stuck around to chat with people watching them after their set.

I would sit down at about 5:15 p.m. to a close to empty dining room.

Early dinner times are the best! Much less crowded and easier to do other things later that evening!

I’m so happy that the Earth opens again!!!

Darn-it didn't open for us in early/mid Sept!

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Following along! I had my first WDW trip this past September (between your 2 trips), even though I'm a Disneyland local! I'm looking forward to all the special things you alluded to in your live updates
I also love solo trips-you can do what you want without having to plan around other people's schedules! I am planning a trip in March which as of now is solo (for Disney After Hours and Flower & Garden), but may have a disfriend join me for a couple days (I basically told her, I'm already paying for the room, so if you cover your airfare and food (she has an AP), you are welcome to join)! And then another trip in December 2018, which may be solo or could end up being with the whole family...I honestly don't know which one I prefer at this point!


You should go on one of your trips, even if just for a day! Don't know if you are a Harry Potter fan, but I think both lands are so immersive, you can enjoy it without knowing about HP. And plenty of musical acts, including acapella frog choir and I think a jazz band!


When I flew from LAX I was able to see Disneyland and was hoping to also get a photo of Disneyworld, but it was too cloudy! Also I probably wouldn't have been able to identify it from the air, as with DL I know the freeways well enough to follow them!


We got to catch the end of one of their performances and they were excellent. I liked how the group stuck around to chat with people watching them after their set.


Early dinner times are the best! Much less crowded and easier to do other things later that evening!


Darn-it didn't open for us in early/mid Sept!

Glad you are joining in! I grew up around Disneyland for the majority of my life going 2-3 times a week, so it's great to meet another Disneyland local.

- Flower & Garden is my favorite EPCOT festival (Yes, I like it more than Food & Wine, because I don't drink. It's a personal choice). The theme park looks the best during Flower & Garden in my opinion.

- In regards to Hollywood Studios...I have thought about going. I am not a Harry Potter fan (never read a book or seen a movie). The other IP's that Universal has I am also not interested in. I have thought about still giving it a try someday, but that hasn't crossed my mind yet. I've been strictly a person that likes going to WDW. I will probably give Universal a try if Nintendo Land is announced to come and open in the near future.

- Voices of Liberty: Glad to hear you enjoyed their performance. It's always great to stay and talk to many of them. Since I sit there on many of my trips, many of them have continued to recognize me, so it's great to actually get to know some of them.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Happy Halloween everyone!

This is the evening where you give away all of the candy you don't like that you received from two Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties this year!

Happy trick or treating!

My next updates will be out tomorrow!