Please Don't Try to Sleep Here - A Summer 2018 Solo Trip Report - Updated 3/10

[Where'sPiglet?]

I have been on the fence regarding ROL, and since my December trip was cold and rainy, it was off the table, however now I really want to work this show into my itinerary. Your pictures are stunning.

I was able to see the Tree come to life a few years ago and it was a highlight of the trip.

I had planned to see Rivers of Light a couple times before actually making it there. It's hard when you're tired at the end of the day and want to see Pandora at night AND Rivers of Light, and ROL is in the far back corner of the park.

One thing to remember about Rivers of Light is that it is not marketed as a Nighttime Spectacular like Happily Ever After and Illuminations are. ROL is classified as I think a show. It's sort of like World of Color's little sister. It is beautiful and I love the music, but it's not the same caliber as the headliner fireworks shows. I've heard they cut the human performers in ROL, so I'm not sure how it looks now. They were a bit part of the show for me with the build-up in the stands and then the silhouetted shadows on the boats with the drumming.

Thank you for the kind words about the photographs.

Love reading your review! I am getting ready for my first solo trip in April, so you have given me some things to think about. I'm a little nervous, but excited as well. Hopefully I will navigate half as well as you did!

Thank you! I hope you have a blast! It's a different kind of trip to go solo, because you can do whatever you want! The downside is that you aren't sharing your joy or having someone to talk to in lines and at meals.

I had *just* bookmarked this for our trip in Nov! I am so excited to see how it goes and it looks awesome! Well worth the $25 in my eyes!

Yay! I hope you enjoy Caring for Giants!

I head back to Disney World in THREE WEEKS! I need to get this report finished!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Tuesday, July 31

Original Plan:
FP+ 8:50 Alien Swirling Saucers
FP+ 9:50 Rockin’ Rollercoaster
FP+ 10:50 Star Tours
ADR 11:00 Beaches & Cream
Hop to Epcot
Wander World Showcase - see Voices of Liberty & Matsuriza
ADR 7:35 Via Napoli
9p Illuminations
Epcot EMH until 11

Revised Plan:
Basically the same as above, although I considered going to MK instead of DHS to see Tom Sawyer Island, Tiki Room, and TTA Peoplemover

Sidenote: I’m really confused with writing up this day. I have photographs from my camera, my phone, and Photopass, but the timestamps don’t match up. The timestamps on my camera were on Pacific time and the timestamps on my phone camera were on Eastern time. The mystery is the Photopass timestamps, because they appear to be on Central time, but maybe that is somehow related to Daylight Savings Time? Regardless, they’re an hour behind what my phone time stamp says!

I also think I had replaced my Fastpasses for this day, but I don’t know with what, because I didn’t write it down or take a screenshot. I had written the first several and the last few days of this trip report shortly after the trip in a Google doc. However, this day was blank, along with the morning of August 1st, and I’m struggling a bit to piece things together from three photo sources!

What Actually Happened:
I got up pretty early; I had a breakfast of champions at Riverside Mill around 6:45 and was on the bus shortly after 7. I went to Hollywood Studios, where I didn’t make the 7a rope drop, but I was still there for EMH. I decided not to go to Toy Story Land, but I enjoyed really short lines in other parts of the park.

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I think I went to Rockin Roller Coaster first, judging from the 6:41 timestamp on Photopass. I think I did the single rider line for this. Curiously, I have no other photographs of Sunset Boulevard or the RnR entrance area.

I went and met Olaf with no wait, then I went and met Mickey and Minnie with no wait.

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Then I went back to meet Olaf with no wait, which was actually a bit awkward, since I had just been there. My phone says I first met with Olaf at 7:50, but my Photopass is time stamped 6:51! My timestamps on Mickey from Photopass are 6:57 and then 7:05 for the second visit with Olaf. There really was no wait for any of this!

Then, I walked on to Star Tours and something really cool happened. I got an entire ride vehicle to myself! Of course, I was the rebel spy!

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It was really hot and humid this morning, which was a recurring theme, seeing as it was July. I stopped on my way out of the park to get a wild cherry slushy, served with a Mickey straw. This hit the spot, and it came with a Mickey straw! What's not to love?

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I left the park and took a boat to Epcot. It’s interesting to see where they were on Skyliner construction in July.

I went on Journey into Imagination with Figment, watched the JAMMitors, and took some photos.
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[Nancyg56]

3 Weeks????? Time is flying by!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

3 Weeks????? Time is flying by!

It hasn't felt that way, but yes.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I was keeping a close eye on the time because I had a lunch reservation at Beaches and Cream.

On my first family trip back in 1992, we stayed at Yacht Club and we ate at Beaches and Cream. It has been family tradition to eat there on every trip. It has gotten incredibly difficult to get a reservation at this place the last few years. The food isn’t really the best on property, but I go there anyway and enjoy it.

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After lunch, I was really feeling sluggish. The heat, humidity, and relentless park touring was getting to me at this point in the trip. It was still overcast, and I went out to the beach and sat on one of the lounge chairs. These are outside of the pool area and anyone can use them.

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I fell asleep outside, only to wake up later when the sun had come out from behind the clouds and was baking me. This was about 1:00; I think I slept for around 30 minutes! I was sooooo thirsty and made my way back up to the lobby to go get some water from the Marketplace. I felt like I was in a movie about a deserted island when I was walking through the sand while so dehydrated. Looking back, I think I had fallen behind on my water consumption the day before at Animal Kingdom and it really started to catch up with me on this afternoon.

I then went and sat in the Beach Club’s air conditioned lobby for awhile, and I’m certain I dozed off again. This is at least the second time I have slept in this lobby, and it’s amusing to me because every time I’m in here, people are dozing in the living-room style furniture.

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I must have rested for about two hours, because I was leaving the Beach Club around 3:15 and the skies were looking a bit ominous. I did feel better, however, after air conditioning and water. I also stopped at the World Traveler store just inside the International Gateway to get a Coke, which is always delicious, but especially so on a July afternoon in Florida.

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I started making my way around the World Showcase. I think I watched the Impressions de France movie, which I love. The music and images pair well together. It’s not a full 360 degree screen, so you get to sit while you watch.

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Then I watched the Voices of Liberty. They are amazing. If you have the opportunity to watch them, do so! Sit on the edge of the red oval on the floor in the middle of the rotunda - the sound is the best there.

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After Voices of Liberty, I went to get a funnel cake and watch Matsuriza, the Japanese Taiko drummers. The weather at this point was not ideal, and I was concerned they wouldn’t perform since they are outside. But they are under a cover, and the rain had subsided, so all was well.

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[Where'sPiglet?]

After I watched Matsuriza, I wandered around the Japanese Pavilion for a bit. It’s really beautiful. I think it was at this point that I decided to try to collect the new Kidcot info cards and stickers around the world. This is sponsored by Ziplok, and you get a little bag that looks like a suitcase in which to collect your cards.

They had a lot of cool origami at the Japan Kidcot station.

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I also decided to try to take interesting photos as I visited each pavilion. I wanted to notice the details and the beauty.

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I visited the Moroccan Pavilion, which is full of details and intricate tile work.

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I went over and visited the France and UK pavilions before I needed to make my way to Italy for dinner.

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[Where'sPiglet?]

I watched Matsuriza again and briefly explored the America Pavilion.

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Then I went to my 7:30 reservation for Via Napoli, which is one of my favorite restaurants at Disney. Due to having two table service meals this day, it was my most expensive food day of the trip.

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After Via Napoli, I watched Illuminations and really savored it. I am sad to see that this is going to be replaced in the near future, although it’s probably time. The technology on the globe is showing it's age, and it’s had a good run.

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I lingered and enjoyed the after-Illuminations music and realized I could see some of the high fireworks from Happily Ever After.

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There were evening Extra Magic Hours at Epcot until 11p this night. I looked at the Coco artwork at the Mexican pavilion, but I don’t think I rode the ride.

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I did ride Spaceship Earth, but I have a large gap in photo timestamps between Mexico and Spaceship Earth. I think I rode both sides of Mission:Space and possibly Test Track. I have no photo evidence of this, which again is weird. I suspect I had secured my phone and camera for the rides and didn’t take photos, because I often take photos of the signs for note-taking purposes. I do know that on one dark evening at Epcot on some recent trip, I rode both sides of Mission:Space. I was confused with the ride, because I rode the green side first and it was NOT the ride I remembered from prior years. Then I rode the orange side and it WAS the ride I remembered. Later, I read that they had updated the mission for the green side and everything made sense again. I know I also rode Test Track that same night, so it’s possible this happened on a different trip. Yes, I realize this is absolutely a first world problem to have, that I can’t remember what trip I rode this ride on.

I do know that I rode Spaceship Earth before I caught the bus back to Riverside at about 11:20. One thing I noticed was that the value food courts stay open an hour later (until midnight) than the moderate food courts. This was kind of a bummer; some nights I wanted ice cream or a chocolate milk at the end of the day and I was out of luck at Riverside.

Food Spending 7/31: $77.15
Breakfast: Riverside Mill: $7.76
Snack: Ice Cold Snack Stand: $5.32
Lunch: Beaches & Cream: $26.07
Coke: World Traveler: $3.50
Snack: Funnel Cake: $7.00
Dinner: Via Napoli: $27.50

Souvenir Spending: $0

 

[portocall]

Sounds like a fun day despite the battle of fatigue and dehydration. I love Epcot and can't wait to take it slowly.
Funny story from my early EPCOT days. It must have been the second year it was open because I went with just my auta the first time. It is possible that we went twice that summer. In China, they had this wax demonstration where this lady would make intricate animals and flowers and the .give them to the audience. She gave one to my cousin and I was SO jealous. Tired, cramky, and jealous was not a good look and I sulked and tantrumed through the entire line and most of the Mexican boat ride. (Aside, at one point I stopped in fascination of the Alculpolco cliff divers and thought'' want to go there. Ten years later when I was there I was brought right back to my mood at Epcot for a minute) Anyhow, we walked around the world showcase and on our way out there was a street drama production in France. I got pulled in as the damsel in distress which was super embarrassing. At the end he wanted me to kiss some old guy who was supposed to be my knight in shining armor and I was so grossed out. Ended up having to let him kiss my hand. My mother was thrilled as if that experience was going to make up for my cousin getting this gorgeous wax thing on a stick. Worst day ever.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Sounds like a fun day despite the battle of fatigue and dehydration. I love Epcot and can't wait to take it slowly.
Funny story from my early EPCOT days. It must have been the second year it was open because I went with just my auta the first time. It is possible that we went twice that summer. In China, they had this wax demonstration where this lady would make intricate animals and flowers and the .give them to the audience. She gave one to my cousin and I was SO jealous. Tired, cramky, and jealous was not a good look and I sulked and tantrumed through the entire line and most of the Mexican boat ride. (Aside, at one point I stopped in fascination of the Alculpolco cliff divers and thought'' want to go there. Ten years later when I was there I was brought right back to my mood at Epcot for a minute) Anyhow, we walked around the world showcase and on our way out there was a street drama production in France. I got pulled in as the damsel in distress which was super embarrassing. At the end he wanted me to kiss some old guy who was supposed to be my knight in shining armor and I was so grossed out. Ended up having to let him kiss my hand. My mother was thrilled as if that experience was going to make up for my cousin getting this gorgeous wax thing on a stick. Worst day ever.

That's a crazy story from Epcot! Kiss some old guy?!

World Showcase and Animal Kingdom are best appreciated slowly, taking in the details and the entertainment, in my opinion.