And now for a change of plans-A Dec '18 Solo TR - COMPLETED 9/19

[Lesley Wake]

And now for a change of plans - AKA, getting sick at Disneyworld!

Hello! And welcome!


Another WDW trip completed, so time to start on the trip report! I wrote about my previous trips here: ​

• First visit to Disneyworld in September 2017: "We've gone too far"-A sister trip with surprise guest Irma! Sept 2017."​
• Second trip, and first solo trip, in March 2018: "Hippos, Tigers, and Flowers, Oh My! - A Solo March '18 TR"​
• Third TR but first visit to Disneyland Paris (plus my family's adventures in Paris, Loire Valley, and Normandy) in May/June 2018: "Don't Anger the Dolls - A France and DLP Trip, June '18" Note: I'm still working on this one! ​

Trip Details:

When: November 29 - December 9, 2018
Where: Split stay: Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House, studio, standard view (2 nights); Boardwalk Villas, studio, garden/pool view (4 nights); Copper Creek Villas, studio, standard view (4 nights)
Ticket: Premier Annual Pass (the gold ticket that works for both Disneyland and Disneyworld), plus 2x Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party tickets.
Dining plan: Nope, I considered it, but crunched the numbers and decided it wouldn't be worth it since I could get the AP discounts. This is also my first trip using my new shiny, Tables in Wonderland card, so I tried to take advantage of it whenever possible
Memory Maker: Yes, it came with my AP and I try to make the most out of it!​

As the subtitle mentions, this trip is a bit different, because I ended up getting one of those lovely WDW colds mid-way through my trip. That definitely led to me having to make significant changes to my plans, as I had to understand and accept my own limits. Thankfully, WDW was great about helping me change things, giving me refunds when necessary. And I have 2 more trips in the next 6 months, plus no plans to stop going anytime soon, so if I missed a particular ride, I'll have time to do it another trip!

Unfortunately that does mean at times I stopped taking many photos! Definitely not as many as my previous trips, but I guess still a bunch (it was Christmas time after all).
Introductions


My name is Lesley and I'm a 33 yr old engineer, living in Los Angeles. I've been a huge Disney fan all my life and have been a Disneyland AP for the past four years (with a few month break). Prior to my first WDW trip 2 Septembers ago, I upgraded that Annual Pass to a Premier, which made financial sense, since we got the discounts, memory maker, and overall benefits. Of course, with an AP burning a hole in my pocket, I ended up planning another trip for the following March, which then led me to deciding on this December trip, requiring another AP Premier upgrade, and of course another trip this upcoming February! And now I've also tacked on an Epic Girls Trip with about 30 dissers, for May (check out our PTR here: "The Most EPIC Pre-Trip Report"), which means another upgrade to Premier and might as well add on a NYE 2019 trip (I will be planning for and embracing the crowds). So, phew, that's how one trip and one AP turned into 6 trips, 3 APs, a cruise, and more!

Overall, thanks to that AP and my close proximity to DLR I get to go all of the time (I usually average 2-3 times per month, but sometimes I can end up going even more). I may also intersperse this TR with a couple Disneyland mini-reports!

Also, you may have noticed above that I got to visit Disneyland Paris this past summer, which I highly recommend as a great into to International Disney trips! I am also in the middle of planning a 3-week trip to Asia in the Fall to check the rest of the Disney parks off my list! I've already booked airfare, so no turning back now!

Some Disney basics:
Favorite WDW Park: Animal Kingdom
Favorite Ride: Flight of Passage
Favorite TS Restaurant: Tiffins
Favorite character: Can't choose!
Favorite resort: Animal Kingdom Lodge
(notice a theme here...)

And that is it for the introductions! I went on this trip by myself, though I would have some dismeets along the way, some planned, some unplanned. But overall, this is a solo trip. My motto is, if I have to wait for someone else to come along, I'll never get to do anything fun! In the past I was a bit hesitant about even visiting Disneyland alone. But that has come and gone and now I am so ok with doing solo trips; my crazy Asia trip is even a solo one!


So, read along and feel free to comment or ask questions! And I don't think I'm contagious anymore, so it should be fine!
​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Reserved in case

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Looking forward to hearing about it but ugh on the cold. Disney is really a germ factory (and planes if you travel that way). Glad you have plenty more plans so you didn’t feel you missed out.

 

[KPeterso]

Can't wait to hear about it!

And we must plan to meet some day at Disneyland! Also Premier AP holder that goes to WDW regularly and has a great love of AK and AKV. Except I live in Orange County, so maybe a little closer to Disneyland. Maybe not the food there though due to a sensitive stomach that does better other places!

 

[Raeven]

Following along!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Following along, excited to hear all about it, Disney crud and all!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I am here as always!!!!!

Where: Split stay: Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House, studio, standard view (2 nights); Boardwalk Villas, studio, garden/pool view (4 nights); Copper Creek Villas, studio, standard view (4 nights)

I need advise on the triple split stay!

Favorite resort: Animal Kingdom Lodge
(notice a theme here...)

I do see a very real theme!

Reserved in case

Liking just in case....

 

[jrmint427]

I'm joining in!

When: November 29 - December 9, 2018
Where: Split stay: Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House

We overlapped at AKL for one night! We left on Nov 30th. We were also in Jambo House.

As the subtitle mentions, this trip is a bit different, because I ended up getting one of those lovely WDW colds mid-way through my trip.

Oh no!! So I also got pretty sick on our trip. I did my best to power through, but I picked up both a bad cold and a stomach bug mid-way through. It sounded like there were a few bugs going around while we were there.

Overall, thanks to that AP and my close proximity to DLR I get to go all of the time (I usually average 2-3 times per month, but sometimes I can end up going even more).

I'm so jealous!! I'm sure I would practically live at Disney if I lived near either park.

I am also in the middle of planning a 3-week trip to Asia in the Fall to check the rest of the Disney parks off my list!

That is so exciting! I can't wait to read more about that trip too.

 

[QueenJen]

So, phew, that's how one trip and one AP turned into 6 trips, 3 APs, a cruise, and more!

Well...it sounds completely reasonable. You need to make the most of those AP's. We are currently on an AP break - perhaps we'll get them again about a year after Star Wars Land opens in DL.

(notice a theme here...)

I did notice. You have good taste.

My motto is, if I have to wait for someone else to come along, I'll never get to do anything fun!

Great motto.

Sorry you weren't feeling great - we've been there and it was not fun.

 

[cstorm65]

I'm here and ready to read about this trip, although sorry you had to deal with being sick at Disney. There's nothing worse, but sounds like you handled it ok. Can't wait to read about this trip!

 

[buteraa]

Following along. I really enjoy your trip reports, especially the recent Paris one since we are thinking about doing this next year.

 

[Araminta18]

Following! Sorry you got sick

 

[DLo]

Hopping over from your other TR. looking forward to reading another

 

[PrincessP]

Following along. I recall from @AMusicLifeForMe for me and his recent trip report that you are a Tolkien fan....The Silmarillion is one of my favorite books, too. I read it in snatches each time I sat with my son for his allergy shot appointments (30 minutes at a time as we waited to see if he reacted to the shot). So with all the stops and starts in reading, I had to take notes to keep track of what I had read and all the characters. My kiddos make fun of all my notes.

Sorry you got sick on this Christmas trip. I am glad you have more trips to enjoy to the fullest in the near future.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Hi Lesley! I'm here and ready to read all about your solo trip...

So happy for you to have all those wonderful trips planned...

 

[Lesley Wake]

Looking forward to hearing about it but ugh on the cold. Disney is really a germ factory (and planes if you travel that way). Glad you have plenty more plans so you didn’t feel you missed out.

Yeah, I tried to be careful, but it's always so hard to do that at Disney! Though I'd prefer to be sick at Disney than anywhere else!

Can't wait to hear about it!

And we must plan to meet some day at Disneyland! Also Premier AP holder that goes to WDW regularly and has a great love of AK and AKV. Except I live in Orange County, so maybe a little closer to Disneyland. Maybe not the food there though due to a sensitive stomach that does better other places!

Most definitely! I think I like AK so much because it's so different than anything we have out here (and while Epcot is different, it needs some updating before it makes it way into my favorite parks).

I usually try to get into the parks most Saturdays, though the early part of this year will be a bit hectic (with football playoffs and the February trip). But I'm going to the 90s night with a bunch of other disfriends!

Following along!

Following along, excited to hear all about it, Disney crud and all!

I am here as always!!!!!


I need advise on the triple split stay!


I do see a very real theme!


Liking just in case....

For the triple split stay, it was good. I mean, a bit tiring packing up rather than unpacking everything, but it was great to see other places! Best advice is to pack appropriately! I used packing cubes and put all the ones for the various stays in different cubes (so I didn't unpack the clothes for Copper Creek until I already got there)! You guys could probably even do it with different suitcases!

Luggage transfer worked pretty well. The bags had always gotten to the resort by the time I showed up (though each time they seemed to forget I called down to have them delivered, so I had to call again - I would just keep better track of the time and if they don't show up within 15 minutes, call again).

I don't know if you use room charging or not. I do, and try to pay it off with discounted gift cards. On transfer day, the charging stays with the previous resort until you go to the front desk. That makes it harder to pay off any of those charges with gift card (but of course I always spend more than my gift cards, so I just let those go onto the CC on file).

I think that's all I can think of that stood out to me! Let me know if you have any other questions you think of!

I'm joining in!

We overlapped at AKL for one night! We left on Nov 30th. We were also in Jambo House.

Oh no!! So I also got pretty sick on our trip. I did my best to power through, but I picked up both a bad cold and a stomach bug mid-way through. It sounded like there were a few bugs going around while we were there.

I'm so jealous!! I'm sure I would practically live at Disney if I lived near either park.

That is so exciting! I can't wait to read more about that trip too.

That's too bad we didn't run into each other! If I was paying attention I may have recognized your daughters from your previous TR!

Just seems like that type of year! Though I guess it may have helped my immunity, because my mom got pretty sick back home around Christmas, and I started to get the scratchy throat, but it never turned into a full-blown cold!

Well...it sounds completely reasonable. You need to make the most of those AP's. We are currently on an AP break - perhaps we'll get them again about a year after Star Wars Land opens in DL.

I did notice. You have good taste.

Great motto.

Sorry you weren't feeling great - we've been there and it was not fun.

I tried giving up my AP, but I don't know if that will work anytime in the future! It killed me everytime I drove through Anaheim that I couldn't just drive over to Disney!

 

[Lesley Wake]

I'm here and ready to read about this trip, although sorry you had to deal with being sick at Disney. There's nothing worse, but sounds like you handled it ok. Can't wait to read about this trip!

Being sick sucks, but yeah, might as well make the most of it!

Following along. I really enjoy your trip reports, especially the recent Paris one since we are thinking about doing this next year.

Thanks! Let me know if you have any questions or want advice for DLP! I really did love that park and can't wait to go back one day!

Following! Sorry you got sick

Hopping over from your other TR. looking forward to reading another

Thanks!

Following along. I recall from @AMusicLifeForMe for me and his recent trip report that you are a Tolkien fan....The Silmarillion is one of my favorite books, too. I read it in snatches each time I sat with my son for his allergy shot appointments (30 minutes at a time as we waited to see if he reacted to the shot). So with all the stops and starts in reading, I had to take notes to keep track of what I had read and all the characters. My kiddos make fun of all my notes.

Sorry you got sick on this Christmas trip. I am glad you have more trips to enjoy to the fullest in the near future.

Haha, yeah I still chuckle that Zach didn't know it was a LOTR reference! I definitely needed to keep track of things in that story too! I love all the details and epic storytelling though! I just got "The Fall of Gondolin" for Christmas, so am looking forward to reading it!

Hi Lesley! I'm here and ready to read all about your solo trip...

So happy for you to have all those wonderful trips planned...

Yeah, I can't wait!

 

[KPeterso]

Most definitely! I think I like AK so much because it's so different than anything we have out here (and while Epcot is different, it needs some updating before it makes it way into my favorite parks).

I usually try to get into the parks most Saturdays, though the early part of this year will be a bit hectic (with football playoffs and the February trip). But I'm going to the 90s night with a bunch of other disfriends!

I think that is why I love AK too - just different than anything out here. I also just love the animals. I could ride the safari all day in circles if they would let me. We had a 5 safari day last year or day before. I tell people driving the safari is my retirement job someday.

I go to Disneyland a lot on Saturdays (not all, but a fair number) or when others want to go. And my team also made the playoffs, but they are playing on Sunday. Am actually thinking about going on Saturday even though I am sure it will still be pretty crowded, but the other APs are still on black out, so maybe not as horrible.

 

[missangelalexis]

Joining in! Can't wait to hear about your trip! Ugh the dreaded Disney cold I've been there and it stinks!!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Joining in! Can't wait to hear about your trip! Ugh the dreaded Disney cold I've been there and it stinks!!