Neverland's First Solo (Kind of)

[NeverlandPixie]

Okay, this is my first trip report, so please bear with me.

Who? H20Babie, 33 (and later, Mom, mid-50s)
What? Disney World, of course
Where? Polynesian Resort
When? March 30 - April 5
Why? Graduation and Birthday Celebration

Day One - Arrival / Polynesian / Epcot

I left home at 3:30 am to be at the aiport by 4 am. Luckily, I used the web check-in and needed to only check my luggage. Unluckily, the tail end of the (hopefully) last winter storm was still surging, and we sat on the tarmac for about an hour. By the time I made it into Toronto, claimed my baggage and went through Customs, they were making the final call for my flight. Walked right on, and away we went.

Arriving at MCO was wonderful, as usual. Just stepping out of the gate and breathing in that distinct Florida air always calms me. Made my way to DME and line up past the escalators. I decided to bide my time and went outside to sit for a while, and met up with a nice man from the Penn State who was staying at WL for a OIS conference. We chatted for a bit then went in to check out the line. Thankfully, the fresh air not only cleared my head but the DME line up as well. Got in line and was on my way within 15 minutes. The DME bus went to the Contemporary first, then the Poly (me), and then GF and WL. Yup, the nice man I met sat with me on the bus. A nice start, if I say so myself. Total time from leaving the gate to pulling up at the Poly: 62 minutes.

Check in at the Poly was fast and efficient. Walking up to the CGH, I literally had tears in my eyes. I had waited for this moment for so long (and I was just a wee bit tired) and received my lei. The CM at the desk noted it was birthday and graduation and tried to upgrade me to lagoon view but none were available (no, I didn't ask if I could be upgraded; she just offered to check). She also gave me my birthday button and sent me on my way to ... Tahiti! I was in room 2007, second floor, with a beautiful garden view and a tiki torch right in front. It was breathtaking.

So, I quickly unpacked my carry on, changed, and headed to Epcot via the TTC monorail (Tahiti was an excellent location for me). However, upon sliding my key through the turnstile, I find out my tickets have not been loaded onto the card. Guest relations happily gave me a "resort convenience re-entry" card good for the day so I wouldn't have to go back to the Poly. The Beach Boys were playing "Help Me Rhonda" and really got me into the Disney mood!

Hit Nemo, Living with the Land, Journey into Imagination, and HISTA pretty quickly (no waits for any of them). Headed into World Showcase as it started to get dark. Grabbed some food at the Liberty Inn and was presented with a Magical Moment certificate and a free apple cobbler for my birthday

I was started to get really tired, having been up since 2 am, and decided to go back to the Poly for some much needed sleep. But, I had to ride Spaceship Earth so I made a detour:

Personally, I loved the refurb! Dame Judy was terrific, and the audio was fresh and clear. I enjoyed the new scenes and the interactive creation of the future. Maybe, in hindisght it was more funny than anything, because I nearly left the seat wet after that! By that time, I was done for the day, headed back to the Poly, and a view of the tiki torch outside my balcony:

All in all, a great (but tiring) first day.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Day 2: Epcot, DHS and MK

Yup, my first ever 3-park day!

I had asked for a wake up call at 7:00 am but was up by 6:00 am. Grabbed a coffee, the newspaper (which was delivered every day of my stay) and sat on the balcony until I felt I was awake enough to get a move on. Stitch and Mickey were on the wake up call, same as last year. I was out the door by 8 am, walked to the TTC and took the monorail back to Epcot for my Segway tour.

I checked in at Guest Relations on time and met with my instructor (Jim) and tour guide (Chris). Wonderful castmembers, again, and very patient and knowledgeable. There was nine of us in the group, four couples and me. We took our training in Innovations, and then we were lead out into World Showcase. Wow! It was really beautiful with no one else around and Chris would point out some of the facts and features of each country. The Segway was actually very easy to use; no one opted out after the "training." Part of the training included obstacles, slalom and hills. Once in World Showcase, we played "follow the leader" and had mini-challenges to complete. At the end, we received a special Around the World on a Segway pin. I would recommend this tour to anyone. It was a blast!

I decided to ride Test Track on the way out. The single riders line was posting 30 minutes, but it was really only 20 minutes. I browsed Mouse Gear and toured a few of the gardens before headed back to the Polynesian to get ready for dinner at the Brown Derby.

This bird kept hissing at me, and all I had was visions of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds running through my head!

 

[NeverlandPixie]

So, I headed back to the Poly by way of the TTC to get ready for dinner at the Brown Derby and DHS.

Walked back to the TTC and caught a direct bus. Checked in at the BD and was seated within 5 minutes. My server, Jerry, was great. I ordered the 12 oz. New York Strip steak and a glass of wine (and I even remembered to take pictures for the foodies).

Dinner was excellent, and worth the 2 TS credits, IMHO. Outstanding service and excellent food. After dessert (fresh berries with mango ice), I stepped outside just in time to see HSM2.

Headed towards Muppet Vision 3-D and ran into the Power Rangers!

Ended up at Star Tours, and headed back for the Great Movie Ride, Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Well, to end the day, I went back again to the Poly to change into jeans for the evening, and headed to MK. Rode Space Mountain, Buzz, Astro Orbitor, the TTA and watched Wishes from the Tomorrowland bridge. Got myself some mint chocolate fudge and took the boat back to the GF and the Poly.

Next up ... Epcot (again) and MPPP!

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Day 3: Epcot (again) and MPPP

This was my sleep in day, but I was up at 7 am and entering Epcot by 9 am. First thing I did was hit Soarin' for a Fastpass (return time was a good 3 hours later).

I hit Mission Space for the first time and absolutely LOVED it (I did Green, then tried Orange later).


[Photos to come tomorrow


Had some time to burn, so checked out some of the F&G Festival and eventually headed over to Universe of Energy:









It was now 11 am and WS had opened, so I strolled around the F&G displays and browsed the shops. (This was great to do as a solo).

 

[NeverlandPixie]

More World Showcase pictures:

 

[NeverlandPixie]

had lunch reservations at Chefs de France and it was delish! Sofiene was my server, and he was prompt, attentive and had the best French accent! I was able to speak a little French with him, so I was able to get some practice in.



I had the French Menu (french onion soup, salad, toasted ham and cheese, with creme brulee for dessert):





After lunch, guess who I ran into?



I wandered around WS a bit more before returning to Soarin':





I returned to the Poly for a much needed swim, pina colada and a nap (the French wine probably didn't help either):








Next up ... my first MPPP!

 

[NeverlandPixie]

I woke up from my nap a bit later than I intended. I'm not one to nap, and doze more often than not, so I did not request a wake up call. I woke up at about 6:30 and hoofed it to the MPPP. It was a bit cool and drizzly, so I did not wear my pirate costume and opted for comfort instead.









Made my way around to Adventureland and hit POTC. For some reason, both queuse were open but the left side had no one going down it. At the end, I had a whole boat to myself, so I rode POTC 3 times before moving on.







Coming out of POTC, I ran into these guys:



Went straight to HM and rode that twice. I really liked the new staircase scene and Madam Leota. Great improvement on the audio. If I am not mistaken, was there something extra added to the ballroom scene?



The dance parties were pretty cute, and I boogied to the beat for a little while (on the sidelines, of course).

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Hit Buzz Lightyear; my score was pathetic:



Moved on to Monsters Inc. where I "sat on a tiny monster." Crossed to Stitch, and then the TTA. I love the TTA at night. After TTA, rode Space Mountain, both tracks. Watched the fireworks from the Tomorrowland bridge and made my way to Fantasyland, where I rode everything except Dumbo and Winnie the Pooh. At Philharmagic, I was called up to the front and everyone in the room sang "Happy Birthday" to me and two others.



After that, I finally made it to BTMRR. Wow! What a difference it makes to ride it at night. After BTMRR, I rode Splash, then made my way to Advertureland for one more pass at POTC.



Made my way down Main Street, stopping at Casey's for a quick hotdog and some tea. I eventually found myself buying some fudge to take back to the room and boarded the boat back to the Poly. Put up the privacy sign and crashed.





IMHO, the MPPP was worth every penny, even just to walk on the rides nonstop.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Day 4: Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom

My mom arrived overnight with no problems with DME or check in at the Poly since I had everything pre-arranged and checked twice before leaving for the MPPP the night before. This time, too, I actually slept in, waking at 8:30. We took our time waking up, strolled the Poly grounds, and then set out for Magic Kingdom. By the time we arrived, it was already pretty crowded. We were able to ride the TTA, Splash Mountain (which we Fastpassed) and Buzz Lightyear before returning to the Poly for some swim time.











After sitting around the pool for a while, we decided to head for Animal Kingdom since it was having EMH. Beforehand, we were able to catch the Torch Lighting Ceremony:





Once at Animal Kingdom (we walked to the TTC and caught a direct bus), we hit Dinosaur, EE and Kali.



On Kali, there were only four of us on the raft. Three stayed dry. Guess who got SOAKED (and I mean down to the underwear soaked)?



It was a good reason to shop, so I bought some pjs and changed into those for the rest of the evening. Lilo and Stitch understood, and even showed some sympathy:

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Day 5: Animal Kingdom and Epcot (yes, again)

Today was our easy, let's take in the sights and not worry day. We slept in until 9:00 am, and had Tonga Toast at Captain Hook's on the patio. I have to say, the Polynesian is absolutely beautiful. If you can't stay here, at least visit and take in the ambience.







We headed for Animal Kingdom, thinking the crowds would be more manageable since EMH was the previous evening, and it was. We quickly made work of the Discovery Island trails, and saw ITTBAB. Headed for EE and Fastpassed it, with a return time of about 2 pm. We headed for the other trails and enjoyed our time on them. (The Chai Freeze at Anandapur Tea Company was amazing).





We headed toward the Wildlife Express and were stopped at the entrance, even though we could see that the train had pulled up and was empty. I looked to my right and saw ... the Dream Team! My heart started thumping, I was crossing my fingers, and they announced, "Congratulations! You are in the right place at the right time!" And proceeded to hand out lanyard and pin sets. Hey, at least I won something! Seriously, it was great, and my mom gave me hers so I could bring one home for my son (who was tickled pink by the way).

By this time, it was time to head back to EE (my mom's first time). After EE, we decided to head back to the Poly again, as we had dinner reservations at Kona Cafe.

At Kona Cafe, we both had the Macadamia Mahi Mahi (Yummy!), along with some beverages.



Kona Sundown:



Whiskey and OJ:



After dinner, we decided to just hang out at the Tambu Lounge, take a swim, and watch the EWP and Wishes (in the rain, of course).








If you've hung around, and read this far, I'll be finishing up tomorrow and adding some final thoughts.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Final Full Day (Epcot and MPPP, again)

Today, Mom wanted to check out Epcot and the F&G, so I happily went along. Actually, she was really good about horning in on my solo vacation, happy to do whatever I wanted. We Fastpassed Soarin' and then went on Nemo since she missed it last year. Then I convinced her to go on Mission Space (green) and she had a blast -- nothing like she thought it would be (I think with all the hype, the anticipation can be the killer). Went on Test Track (single riders) and back to Soarin'. We went to FW and tried to get an earlier reservation for Le Cellier, since my Mom suprised me with MPPP tickets for that night (I had raved about the no-line ups and fireworks). Unfortunately, Le Cellier was fully booked for the entire day (lunch and dinner) and they could not accomodate us. We left the ADR as it was, and continued on around FW.

It was getting pretty hot, so we went back to the Poly for a swim and a bite to eat, before getting ready for Le Cellier and MPPP. We walked to the TTC where Monorial Black was sitting, apparently out of commission. They sent for another monorail, and soon we were on our way to the most looked forward to meal of the trip.

Now, here's where the second hiccup comes in ... and it was a biggie! We get to Epcot and head to Le Cellier for our ADR. It starts pouring, we're soaked and finally we get to the check-in desk. They can't find our reservation! I had booked 180 days in advance, they had pulled up our reservation previously in the morning, and now it was gone! This was the meal I had been looking forward to for over 6 months! I was devastated. The castmember (from Winnipeg, ironically) from earlier in the day remembered us and that we had an ADR. She frantically checks under my last name, phone number, everything ... but nothing. They try to make room for us, but the only suggestion she has is to come back at park closing. She checks for any available ADRs at MK during MPPP (which is now a half hour away) and nothing. Finally, she gets us into Marrakesh, the ONLY table service available, 20 minutes later. Still raining (and I mean Raining), we head over to Marrakesh. There, we wait a good 30 minutes before being seated. Our server was great, even boxed up our dessert to go, but the food didn't agree with me. I was "gastrically" sick all the next day. The belly dancer was okay, but I've seen better here in Canada. It was a real disappointment; I can't say how disappointed I was that my last night's ADR at Le Cell never happened. I don't what happened, but the CM at Le Cellier thought that maybe it got cancelled when they brought it up earlier in the day and then got snagged by a last minute guest or walk up.

However, we put on smiley faces and headed to MK for MPPP. Just as good as the first time! We walked under the railroad station and right into the parade (I had missed it the previous MPPP). Walked onto everything, convinced my Mom to ride Space Mountain, and even found that hidden 100,000 target in Buzz. This time, we watched the fireworks from Frontierland/Liberty Square, and they were even more amazing.

We sat having some tea off Main Street while what crowds there were cleared. It was a very relaxing, yet magical end, to the entire trip, despite the Le Cellier fiasco.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Some final pictures from MPPP:

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Some Final Thoughts:


DME

• Fast, efficient and reliable; even with the long lines to check-in, I was at the Polynesian check-in desk within 70 minutes of the plane pulling up at the gate.
• Luggage was delivered while I was out with no complaints.
• Return DME was right on time, and our driver, Gregory Moore, was quite the comedian.

Polynesian

• Absolutely breathtaking. I'm really glad that I was able to stay at my dream resort. I probably won't be able to stay here again for a very long time, but the memories will last (and I can always visit)
• Transportation was outstanding, except for the resort buses. I found it much faster to walk to the TTC to take a direct bus to AK or DHS.
• Walking to the TTC to catch the Epcot monorail was unbelievably convenient. It was much more so than an Epcot area resort. My favourite was taking the boat back from MK via GF and then the Poly. Beautiful and relaxing.
• Mousekeeping was good, but not great. No complaints, but no compliments either. (No towel animals, BTW, but being a solo adult, I didn't expect or ask for any either).
• Torch lighting ceremony, Electrical Water Pagent, pools and general landscaping/maintenance, etc., was excellent.
• Kona Cafe was by far my favourite meal of trip. Although I didn't post any pictures, the Lapu Lapu comes a close second
• Rooms were large, could easily accomodate 5 and not trip over anyone. I can see why so many families book a room together here.

Disney Dining Plan

• Since it was just me, I decided to try the DDP for the first time. It's just not for me. I found that I would be somewhere, then ... oops, time to go, gotta make that ADR. I think I would rather go with the flow, book some special ADRs, and leave the rest to chance or counter service.
• A lot of food. I ended up having all but one of my snack credits left (most of my snacks ended up being from carts/kiosks that didn't accept the DDP or were cash only). I ended up having two CS meals left as well, and just paid for my Mom and Dad's breakfast on checkout day (my dad arrived just after mindnight on my check out day).
• I will not use the DDP again, or at least until my son is older and can eat more than I

What else can I say? I had a fabulous trip and can't wait to go back. I'll leave you all with the last view I had, before getting on the plane:



If you're interested, you can also take a look at my PhotoPass pictures by cutting and pasting this link:
http://www.disneyphotopass.com/photo...f-c2ecca17ce16

BTW, booked the Bounceback offer for November 30-December 7 at Pop Century! Our first Disney Christmas!