crazyj4488
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Messages
- 632
All of the pics seen in this photo journal were taken by me as I travelled the parks. They follow the report as closely as possible; most of them were taken at the time in which the content refers to. Click on the links to view the pics as you read. Enjoy!
WDW SOLO trip report May 23-27, 2005
Day 2 Part 1 May 24th
Part 1 - Flying Under the Radar at the MK
Cast:
Me Jeff - 29 yr old male 10th time to WDW 1st SOLO Trip
Monday, May 24 MK Day
The phone in my room rang at 7:05 AM. I almost threw the damn thing across the room after having my pleasant Mickey wake up call interrupted by Stitch babbling in my ear. Why Disney insists on shoving this character down our throats is beyond me? Having to listen to that obnoxious freak, while half asleep, is just retarded. None of their evil marketing can make that failed production any better. Only a bulldozer could help that festering pimple of an attraction in Tomorrowland.
I was, obviously, not too excited about waking up that morning. The day before had been a long one and my body really needed more sleep. I hit the snooze button once but it wasnt long until I started thinking about invading the Magic Kingdom. So, I pulled myself out of bed, ate some granola bars for breakfast, drank some diet coke, and watched the morning news while getting ready to go. It wasnt long until the weatherman was yapping about how I would slowly begin to melt on the pavement right around Noon. I vowed to get out of the parks and retreat to my ice box of a room before it got bad.
It took me awhile to get ready and I was running a bit late. It was nearing 8:20 AM and I still was not out the door. I planned on parking at the TTC which would cost me some extra time. I wasnt feeling too confident about being ahead of the crowds but knew being alone would allow me to move swiftly around people once I got moving.
I arrived at the TTC parking lot and grabbed a tram to the main plaza. The weather was noticeably cooler than I had expected due to some nice thick cloud cover. I felt great and was picking up the pace as I successfully ignored the cast members herding everyone to the Magic Kingdom ferry boats by putting on my best impression of a blind and deaf man. I wasnt cattle and wouldnt act like it. Besides, I needed to make up some time by riding the monorail so I just jumped on the resort loop.
Magic Kingdom / TTC Parking Entrance
I talked to some friendly people on the monorail and gave them some crowd management and attraction advice. I just couldnt keep my mouth shut after hearing them talk about their poorly planned itinerary. They were going to visit a whole lot of unpopular attractions first thing in the morning. Therefore, I explained to them how they needed to save some of less popular attractions for the peak times in the parks. Popular attractions were for the mornings with minimal crowds. I wasnt forcing my opinion on them and was quite nice about what I had to say. They thanked me for my advice and, thankfully, seemed to start discussing an alternative plan. I had started my day with a good deed and a deposit into my karma bank.
The opening ceremony for the park was already in full swing as I made my way down the monorail platform ramp. The entire crowd corralling area up to the train station was filled up and I was getting a little worried. I didnt want to follow a slowly moving clump of people as they bottlenecked their way through the train station. Therefore, I passed through the turnstile and weaseled my way through the crowd. I was standing relatively close to the first rope drop just as the ceremony was wrapping up. This was another example of the advantage I had as a solo traveler at WDW. I could wiggle my way around hordes of people with ease.
Magic Kingdom Opening Ceremony
The first rope dropped and I slide through the pile of people that were gumming up the train station tunnel and made my way down Main Street. I admired the castle amidst the overcast skies, passed through the closed down Noodle Station, and stopped at the second rope. I peered into an empty Tomorrowland and I thought about how odd of a site it was seeing it completely devoid of people.
Tomorrowland at Rope Drop
After the cast member lectured us about not running to our attractions, the P.A. system boomed with musical fanfare and welcome messages. The rope dropped and off we went towards Space Mountain. Opening the Magic Kingdom in this fashion was an exciting thing to experience. My heart would always start racing a bit as I anticipated my adventures in the park for the day. It made me feel like an anxious and impatient kid all over again. The magic was still there.
I quickly grabbed a Fastpass for Space Mountain and then entered the standby queue for a ride. One of my favorite things about Space Mountain was walking down the dark tunnel and listening to the music that played inside the building. I could never seem to get enough of this attraction. It was such a classic and even the retro and outdated feel of it held an unmatched charm. Its desperately in need of an update but, for some reason, Im never disappointed with it. I think the completely out-dated feel of the surroundings allows you to escape into the whole experience.
Space Mountain Cargo Control 1
Space Mountain Cargo Control 1
Space Mountain Cargo Control 3
After taking one more ride on Space Mountain, I just had to head over to Buzz Lightyear since I skipped it on my last trip. I rode it twice and actually enjoyed it although I think the ride is mostly a cheap placement of cardboard cut outs. They could do worse I suppose. COUGH! Stitchs Escape. COUGH!
Inside the Space Ranger Spin
Crazy Creature on the way to Fantasyland
After zapping a gaggle of aliens, I headed towards Fantasyland for a ride through the Hundred Acre Wood and Snow Whites Scary Adventures. For some reason, I cant seem to get enough of the classic Fantasyland dark rides. Sadly, Peter Pans Flight was closed until the last day of my trip so I couldnt partake in that little adventure.
Poohs Adventure
Snow White Adventure
I was smart enough to save Philharmagic for the time of day when the heat would be peaking along with the crowds. Philharmagic is always a great escape from the two most undesirable features of the WDW parks. I exited stroller hell by way of my favorite path at the Magic Kingdom. While heading towards the back of the castle, I veered right, admired Cinderellas Fountain, and made my way to Liberty Square via the path the runs alongside the castle moat. It was a peaceful and quiet journey down into a different land.
Cinderellas Fountain Near the Castle
Path Next to Cindys Castle
View from Path
Liberty Square Entrance from Path
I traveled through Liberty Square, admired the Liberty Tree and its lanterns for each of the colonies, and made my way through Frontierland while heading towards Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I couldnt help but smile to myself as Frontierland looked like a true ghost town. There were hardly any people in sight.
Liberty Tree
Empty Frontierland
I first grabbed a Fastpass for Splash Mountain and then walked onto Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The ride was in pristine condition and I really began to notice some of the charming details the attraction had to offer. First, was a door near the loading area with a peculiar name on it.
Big Thunder Funny Door
Next, I discovered one particular little slice of the ride that let me in on the entire story behind one of the largest scenes your train flies by. There is a scene which features a little flooded town. Buildings are sorta floating around and animals are fleeing to the rooftops in order to keep dry. Well, if you look to your left while going down the track, you will see a cart with the name Professor Cumulous Isobar stamped on the side of it. Cumulous himself is bending down from the cart and bailing water from it. Under his name it says, Storm Maker and there is an odd array of contraptions on the roof of the cart. If you put two and two together, you quickly figure out that the good ole Professor Cumulous rolled into town offering the next best invention to help the drought stricken farmers of the West. It turned out that the Professors machine worked a little too well.
Professor Cumulous and his Rain Making Machine
I couldnt help admire this wonderful storytelling device the imagineers had come up with and placed into this ride. Your mine train ride vehicle flies by this scene so fast that you barely have the time to digest all the details. However, after repeated rides and years of visits to the park, I finally figured it out. Professor Cumulous Isobar was now one of my favorite Disney characters. Theres nothing like an idiot with a dream and desire to make a buck screwing up everyones day with a hair-brained idea.
I exited Big Thunder and headed over to Splash Mountain for a ride since I knew the line wouldnt be bad. I thought it was odd when the line stopped abruptly quite some distance from the loading area. Something just wasnt right and, in no time, they announced that the attraction had gone down due to technical issues. They handed me a ride anytime with no line ticket and off I went towards the Haunted Mansion. I now held two Fastpasses for Splash.
Dead Splash
During my last trip, I wasnt really digging the Haunted Mansion. It was in bad condition and I kept getting distracted by the little details that were missing due to the lack of upkeep. I kept an open mind and walked right into the stretch room hoping for a better experience. This time around I really did get absorbed into the story. I even smiled a bit as the magic of this well thought out attraction was evident to me once again. Some of the things that werent working the last time I rode were improved upon and that made me happy. It was a great time and I vowed to return again and again during my trip.
Haunted Mansion Time
Inside the Mansion
I headed towards Pirates but the crowds were starting to enter the park and Cinderellation has just ended. People were entering Adventureland fairly heavily so I knew I would have to turn around and head in a different direction. I cut through Adventureland and headed up into Fantasyland via Liberty Square. I sidetracked a bit over to the castle and took some pictures of my favorite building in the Magic Kingdom. For some reason, I always loved the little Sir Mickeys shop with the beanstalk growing through it. There was just something so fantastic about it. After admiring the crazy looking shop, I was instantly drawn into the castle itself. The beautiful mosaic made with pieces of 24 karat gold was a sight to see and it led me right into the elaborate gift shop.
Sir Mickeys Beanstalk
Inside the Castle - Mosaic
I contemplated spending around $600 to $800 dollars in high brow collectors items but was perturbed by my lingering guilt of leaving my business behind for a solo vacation after I had just been to WDW 3 weeks prior. Common sense kicked in and I decided to hold off until another time.
I crossed Fantasyland and saw the sign for Mickeys Toontown Fair. At this point, I was taking a somewhat casual approach to the park. I had never spent much time in Toontown Fair and to my surprise I found some hidden gems such as Mickey and Minnies house. I took a bunch of whacky looking pictures and then sat in the entrance of the judges tent where I was able to enjoy the air conditioning and some old time Disney cartoons that were playing in the queue area for the Mickey meet and greet. I found it to be a very different experience and well separated from my standard tour of the parks. The light crowds, in general, had afforded me the opportunity to slow down a bit and smell the roses.
Welcome to Toontown Fair
Petes Garage
Minnies House
Minnies Craft Room 1
Minnies Craft Room 2
Minnies Cool Painitng
Mickeys House
Mickeys Living Room
Mickeys Gameroom
Mickeys Garden
After my surreal visit to Toontown Fair, I took the deserted red path over to Tomorrowland to visit the Carousel of Progress. It was getting unbearably hot and an air-conditioned auditorium was just what the doctor ordered. As usual, it was a wonderful show and Im glad they havent removed it. What a classic!
Carousel of Progress In Show
After my lovely journey through the progress of mankind, I jumped onto the Tomorrowland Transit Authority for a nice breezy ride around the park. Putting my feet up, relaxing, and enjoying the views was just what I needed.
WedWay People Mover 1
WedWay PeopleMover 2
WedWay PeopleMover 3
WedWay PeopleMover 4
I was getting tired and thinking about a shower and nap; however, Space Mountain was calling my name. I had a Fastpass I picked up in the morning and walked right on for my third journey through the stars that day. It was fantastic fun, but three times in one day was enough for me. It was time to start heading out of the park.
I made my way down Main Street and stopped in the Crystal Shop to buy some nice glassware. Pop Century was too cheap to even provide you with real glasses and the plastic cups they had in my room were about to cut my lips open. I grabbed a nice beer mug for my pints of Fosters beer and two cocktail glasses for my White Russians. Just a small touch of class while boozin it up in my Disney dorm room was in order.
While I browsed my way through the shops on Main Street, my cell phone rang and it was a client on the other end of the line. I walked through the shops, fixed her problem over the phone, and took a mental note to bill her when I returned to my room. There was nothing like earning a quick $95 while walking down Main Street.
It wasnt long before I exited the park. I was in no real rush and no one was exiting the park. There were only people lining up to get it. I decided to get on the ferry boat for a ride across the Seven Seas Lagoon. Another client called me while I was standing on the top deck of the boat. I told him I was out of town on training, which I thought was a nice cover story. All of a sudden, the freaking horn blew on the ferry boat. It was deafening and Im sure my client thought I was nuts. He didnt say anything as I assured him that I would dispatch one of my employees to take care of him immediately. I got off the phone and had a good laugh about the horn blowing. All there was left to do was to enjoy the views while traversing the lagoon and get to my car for the ride back to my little sanctuary.
The Ferry Boat
Across the Seven Seas 1
Across the Seven Seas 2
Across the Seven Seas 3
My morning and early afternoon at the Magic Kingdom was a successful one. I had an amazing time meandering through the park with no crowds and would return that evening for the attractions I missed and a viewing of Wishes. It was now time for a shower, cold beer, lunch at the hotel, and a nap. It was 1:45 PM.
WDW SOLO trip report May 23-27, 2005
Day 2 Part 1 May 24th
Part 1 - Flying Under the Radar at the MK
Cast:
Me Jeff - 29 yr old male 10th time to WDW 1st SOLO Trip
Monday, May 24 MK Day
The phone in my room rang at 7:05 AM. I almost threw the damn thing across the room after having my pleasant Mickey wake up call interrupted by Stitch babbling in my ear. Why Disney insists on shoving this character down our throats is beyond me? Having to listen to that obnoxious freak, while half asleep, is just retarded. None of their evil marketing can make that failed production any better. Only a bulldozer could help that festering pimple of an attraction in Tomorrowland.
I was, obviously, not too excited about waking up that morning. The day before had been a long one and my body really needed more sleep. I hit the snooze button once but it wasnt long until I started thinking about invading the Magic Kingdom. So, I pulled myself out of bed, ate some granola bars for breakfast, drank some diet coke, and watched the morning news while getting ready to go. It wasnt long until the weatherman was yapping about how I would slowly begin to melt on the pavement right around Noon. I vowed to get out of the parks and retreat to my ice box of a room before it got bad.
It took me awhile to get ready and I was running a bit late. It was nearing 8:20 AM and I still was not out the door. I planned on parking at the TTC which would cost me some extra time. I wasnt feeling too confident about being ahead of the crowds but knew being alone would allow me to move swiftly around people once I got moving.
I arrived at the TTC parking lot and grabbed a tram to the main plaza. The weather was noticeably cooler than I had expected due to some nice thick cloud cover. I felt great and was picking up the pace as I successfully ignored the cast members herding everyone to the Magic Kingdom ferry boats by putting on my best impression of a blind and deaf man. I wasnt cattle and wouldnt act like it. Besides, I needed to make up some time by riding the monorail so I just jumped on the resort loop.
Magic Kingdom / TTC Parking Entrance
I talked to some friendly people on the monorail and gave them some crowd management and attraction advice. I just couldnt keep my mouth shut after hearing them talk about their poorly planned itinerary. They were going to visit a whole lot of unpopular attractions first thing in the morning. Therefore, I explained to them how they needed to save some of less popular attractions for the peak times in the parks. Popular attractions were for the mornings with minimal crowds. I wasnt forcing my opinion on them and was quite nice about what I had to say. They thanked me for my advice and, thankfully, seemed to start discussing an alternative plan. I had started my day with a good deed and a deposit into my karma bank.
The opening ceremony for the park was already in full swing as I made my way down the monorail platform ramp. The entire crowd corralling area up to the train station was filled up and I was getting a little worried. I didnt want to follow a slowly moving clump of people as they bottlenecked their way through the train station. Therefore, I passed through the turnstile and weaseled my way through the crowd. I was standing relatively close to the first rope drop just as the ceremony was wrapping up. This was another example of the advantage I had as a solo traveler at WDW. I could wiggle my way around hordes of people with ease.
Magic Kingdom Opening Ceremony
The first rope dropped and I slide through the pile of people that were gumming up the train station tunnel and made my way down Main Street. I admired the castle amidst the overcast skies, passed through the closed down Noodle Station, and stopped at the second rope. I peered into an empty Tomorrowland and I thought about how odd of a site it was seeing it completely devoid of people.
Tomorrowland at Rope Drop
After the cast member lectured us about not running to our attractions, the P.A. system boomed with musical fanfare and welcome messages. The rope dropped and off we went towards Space Mountain. Opening the Magic Kingdom in this fashion was an exciting thing to experience. My heart would always start racing a bit as I anticipated my adventures in the park for the day. It made me feel like an anxious and impatient kid all over again. The magic was still there.
I quickly grabbed a Fastpass for Space Mountain and then entered the standby queue for a ride. One of my favorite things about Space Mountain was walking down the dark tunnel and listening to the music that played inside the building. I could never seem to get enough of this attraction. It was such a classic and even the retro and outdated feel of it held an unmatched charm. Its desperately in need of an update but, for some reason, Im never disappointed with it. I think the completely out-dated feel of the surroundings allows you to escape into the whole experience.
Space Mountain Cargo Control 1
Space Mountain Cargo Control 1
Space Mountain Cargo Control 3
After taking one more ride on Space Mountain, I just had to head over to Buzz Lightyear since I skipped it on my last trip. I rode it twice and actually enjoyed it although I think the ride is mostly a cheap placement of cardboard cut outs. They could do worse I suppose. COUGH! Stitchs Escape. COUGH!
Inside the Space Ranger Spin
Crazy Creature on the way to Fantasyland
After zapping a gaggle of aliens, I headed towards Fantasyland for a ride through the Hundred Acre Wood and Snow Whites Scary Adventures. For some reason, I cant seem to get enough of the classic Fantasyland dark rides. Sadly, Peter Pans Flight was closed until the last day of my trip so I couldnt partake in that little adventure.
Poohs Adventure
Snow White Adventure
I was smart enough to save Philharmagic for the time of day when the heat would be peaking along with the crowds. Philharmagic is always a great escape from the two most undesirable features of the WDW parks. I exited stroller hell by way of my favorite path at the Magic Kingdom. While heading towards the back of the castle, I veered right, admired Cinderellas Fountain, and made my way to Liberty Square via the path the runs alongside the castle moat. It was a peaceful and quiet journey down into a different land.
Cinderellas Fountain Near the Castle
Path Next to Cindys Castle
View from Path
Liberty Square Entrance from Path
I traveled through Liberty Square, admired the Liberty Tree and its lanterns for each of the colonies, and made my way through Frontierland while heading towards Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I couldnt help but smile to myself as Frontierland looked like a true ghost town. There were hardly any people in sight.
Liberty Tree
Empty Frontierland
I first grabbed a Fastpass for Splash Mountain and then walked onto Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The ride was in pristine condition and I really began to notice some of the charming details the attraction had to offer. First, was a door near the loading area with a peculiar name on it.
Big Thunder Funny Door
Next, I discovered one particular little slice of the ride that let me in on the entire story behind one of the largest scenes your train flies by. There is a scene which features a little flooded town. Buildings are sorta floating around and animals are fleeing to the rooftops in order to keep dry. Well, if you look to your left while going down the track, you will see a cart with the name Professor Cumulous Isobar stamped on the side of it. Cumulous himself is bending down from the cart and bailing water from it. Under his name it says, Storm Maker and there is an odd array of contraptions on the roof of the cart. If you put two and two together, you quickly figure out that the good ole Professor Cumulous rolled into town offering the next best invention to help the drought stricken farmers of the West. It turned out that the Professors machine worked a little too well.
Professor Cumulous and his Rain Making Machine
I couldnt help admire this wonderful storytelling device the imagineers had come up with and placed into this ride. Your mine train ride vehicle flies by this scene so fast that you barely have the time to digest all the details. However, after repeated rides and years of visits to the park, I finally figured it out. Professor Cumulous Isobar was now one of my favorite Disney characters. Theres nothing like an idiot with a dream and desire to make a buck screwing up everyones day with a hair-brained idea.
I exited Big Thunder and headed over to Splash Mountain for a ride since I knew the line wouldnt be bad. I thought it was odd when the line stopped abruptly quite some distance from the loading area. Something just wasnt right and, in no time, they announced that the attraction had gone down due to technical issues. They handed me a ride anytime with no line ticket and off I went towards the Haunted Mansion. I now held two Fastpasses for Splash.
Dead Splash
During my last trip, I wasnt really digging the Haunted Mansion. It was in bad condition and I kept getting distracted by the little details that were missing due to the lack of upkeep. I kept an open mind and walked right into the stretch room hoping for a better experience. This time around I really did get absorbed into the story. I even smiled a bit as the magic of this well thought out attraction was evident to me once again. Some of the things that werent working the last time I rode were improved upon and that made me happy. It was a great time and I vowed to return again and again during my trip.
Haunted Mansion Time
Inside the Mansion
I headed towards Pirates but the crowds were starting to enter the park and Cinderellation has just ended. People were entering Adventureland fairly heavily so I knew I would have to turn around and head in a different direction. I cut through Adventureland and headed up into Fantasyland via Liberty Square. I sidetracked a bit over to the castle and took some pictures of my favorite building in the Magic Kingdom. For some reason, I always loved the little Sir Mickeys shop with the beanstalk growing through it. There was just something so fantastic about it. After admiring the crazy looking shop, I was instantly drawn into the castle itself. The beautiful mosaic made with pieces of 24 karat gold was a sight to see and it led me right into the elaborate gift shop.
Sir Mickeys Beanstalk
Inside the Castle - Mosaic
I contemplated spending around $600 to $800 dollars in high brow collectors items but was perturbed by my lingering guilt of leaving my business behind for a solo vacation after I had just been to WDW 3 weeks prior. Common sense kicked in and I decided to hold off until another time.
I crossed Fantasyland and saw the sign for Mickeys Toontown Fair. At this point, I was taking a somewhat casual approach to the park. I had never spent much time in Toontown Fair and to my surprise I found some hidden gems such as Mickey and Minnies house. I took a bunch of whacky looking pictures and then sat in the entrance of the judges tent where I was able to enjoy the air conditioning and some old time Disney cartoons that were playing in the queue area for the Mickey meet and greet. I found it to be a very different experience and well separated from my standard tour of the parks. The light crowds, in general, had afforded me the opportunity to slow down a bit and smell the roses.
Welcome to Toontown Fair
Petes Garage
Minnies House
Minnies Craft Room 1
Minnies Craft Room 2
Minnies Cool Painitng
Mickeys House
Mickeys Living Room
Mickeys Gameroom
Mickeys Garden
After my surreal visit to Toontown Fair, I took the deserted red path over to Tomorrowland to visit the Carousel of Progress. It was getting unbearably hot and an air-conditioned auditorium was just what the doctor ordered. As usual, it was a wonderful show and Im glad they havent removed it. What a classic!
Carousel of Progress In Show
After my lovely journey through the progress of mankind, I jumped onto the Tomorrowland Transit Authority for a nice breezy ride around the park. Putting my feet up, relaxing, and enjoying the views was just what I needed.
WedWay People Mover 1
WedWay PeopleMover 2
WedWay PeopleMover 3
WedWay PeopleMover 4
I was getting tired and thinking about a shower and nap; however, Space Mountain was calling my name. I had a Fastpass I picked up in the morning and walked right on for my third journey through the stars that day. It was fantastic fun, but three times in one day was enough for me. It was time to start heading out of the park.
I made my way down Main Street and stopped in the Crystal Shop to buy some nice glassware. Pop Century was too cheap to even provide you with real glasses and the plastic cups they had in my room were about to cut my lips open. I grabbed a nice beer mug for my pints of Fosters beer and two cocktail glasses for my White Russians. Just a small touch of class while boozin it up in my Disney dorm room was in order.
While I browsed my way through the shops on Main Street, my cell phone rang and it was a client on the other end of the line. I walked through the shops, fixed her problem over the phone, and took a mental note to bill her when I returned to my room. There was nothing like earning a quick $95 while walking down Main Street.
It wasnt long before I exited the park. I was in no real rush and no one was exiting the park. There were only people lining up to get it. I decided to get on the ferry boat for a ride across the Seven Seas Lagoon. Another client called me while I was standing on the top deck of the boat. I told him I was out of town on training, which I thought was a nice cover story. All of a sudden, the freaking horn blew on the ferry boat. It was deafening and Im sure my client thought I was nuts. He didnt say anything as I assured him that I would dispatch one of my employees to take care of him immediately. I got off the phone and had a good laugh about the horn blowing. All there was left to do was to enjoy the views while traversing the lagoon and get to my car for the ride back to my little sanctuary.
The Ferry Boat
Across the Seven Seas 1
Across the Seven Seas 2
Across the Seven Seas 3
My morning and early afternoon at the Magic Kingdom was a successful one. I had an amazing time meandering through the park with no crowds and would return that evening for the attractions I missed and a viewing of Wishes. It was now time for a shower, cold beer, lunch at the hotel, and a nap. It was 1:45 PM.
Training horn!! 
). 
