What an amazing night!
I arrived just before 6:30. They were holding the DAH people until 7, so I went in the regular entrance with my AP. I started with dinner at CHH and then a FP at JC. There was quite the line and it started raining before I was under cover. Then the ride itself was very wet, so I started my night cold and drenched. Honestly, I was thinking longingly of my warm and dry room at POFQ and starting to regret buying a DAH ticket. But I decided to tough it out and told myself that I could leave early if I stayed miserable (hah!). Splash was a walk-on and I was already wet, so I got into the line before I could talk myself out of it like I’ve done for every other trip. And I survived! I bought a pin to commemorate the occasion and then found a spot for HEA just before 8:30. It rained on and off before and even during the show and thoughts of leaving early drifted through my mind again. So I wasn’t in the most positive frame of mind to start the event. I rode the People Mover, missed CoP because it had already closed, and then walked back to the Hub to catch OUAT for the first time.
Then it was 10 and the walk-ons started immediately with HM, as I walked straight through the queue and was the only person waiting at the doors. There were maybe 12 of us in the stretching room. I walked to Fantasyland and discovered that every party was given their own boat for IASW. With PP, I walked right up and was asked if I wanted to ride in a red or blue ship. The few behind me flew empty. I grabbed ice cream and water and sat for a minute at Friar’s Nook (looking at all the empty tables and laughing at the memory of fighting for a spot just a day earlier). Then I decided to wait in what I was sure would be a line for 7DMT, only to find yet another walk-on. I rode 3x before I started getting dizzy and then did Pooh before heading across the park for BTMRR (with only the first and last rows occupied) and POTC (my own boat again). I got more ice cream, crossed the park again for Buzz, decided to skip SM because it’s so jostling, had a private ride on Dumbo, went UTS, headed back to do 7DMT 4x, and then ended my night with PP. I happened to be walking right in front of the castle at 1, so I had a prime spot for the Kiss Goodnight. Then I walked out through a near empty Main Street to find a bus already waiting.
Overall tally: 7DMT 7x, PP 2x, plus 8 other rides during the event. All walk-ons and I could have done more if I walked faster instead of enjoying the ambiance. There were times when I looked around and saw no one else. And walking on Mine Train was insane. We were all getting off the ride and then looping through to the load zone to board again immediately. I shared the same car with another solo traveler on two rides in a row. The pictures are funny because he’s in the left seat behind me for one ride and the right for the other.
Best. Event. Ever.
