Solo Planning Trip for my 40th Birthday - Nov. 2014 (updated 8/15/2015)

[guestswobags]

I love your morning resort tour! The WL looks so cozy on your gloomy chilly morning. And I'm bummed the Contemporary didn't have more decorations while you were there. It just occurred to me that I've never seen pics of CR Christmas decorations, even with so many pics of WL and Beach Club Christmas displays circulating, so maybe CR always goes a little more subtle, even closer to the holiday. I do love the Frozen display. They look like Anna and Elsa in South Park.

Can't wait to read about adventures in MK! I hope you found gloves!

 

[dreamseeker9]

This was totally us in October. One day it was 85 and the next day it was 50. I had only packed sweatshirts - no pants. We were FREEZING! I bought the boys $30 sweatpants in the AOA shop that day but it was worth it!

I've heard mixed reviews of The Wave. I'm debating between that and Kona for a breakfast ADR. I think the Tonga Toast at Kona will win out!

Your tour of the monorail resorts sounds great! I've never been to the GF or WL. Both look beautiful in their own way! I've read about that 4th floor fireplace at WL in lots of TRs - it looks like the perfect place to spend a chilly morning!

Yuck, I bet you were freezing! It was pretty brutal. I didn't think I would be that cold, coming from NYC in November - but it was COLD! I had to make a few purchases myself - more details to come in my next update!

I found a few little fireplaces on different floors, but that was the only one unoccupied. It was heavenly! I highly recommend checking out both resorts, and they are both so different and beautiful in their own ways.

I have an ADR for my birthday brunch with 12 people at Kona in September! It will be my first time there, but I'm so excited to try that Tonga Toast! I say go for Kona.

I love your morning resort tour! The WL looks so cozy on your gloomy chilly morning. And I'm bummed the Contemporary didn't have more decorations while you were there. It just occurred to me that I've never seen pics of CR Christmas decorations, even with so many pics of WL and Beach Club Christmas displays circulating, so maybe CR always goes a little more subtle, even closer to the holiday. I do love the Frozen display. They look like Anna and Elsa in South Park.

I think you may be right about the Contemporary's Christmas decorations being more subtle. My friends and I ate at the Contemporary Grill just after Thanksgiving in 2012, and I think there was a tree in the lobby, but that was about it.

You're so right about Anna and Elsa looking like South Park characters, that's hilarious!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Day 3 - When I break down and buy winter gear at WDW!

I was so glad when that boat pulled into the dock at the MK, it was such a cold boat ride! I was so happy to be back in the MK. I went over to the Hall of Presidents, but it was closed because the 3:00 PM parade was about to start. So I wandered a bit and took some photos of my favorite castle and favorite partners:

Gloomy day in the MK, but hey - I was in the MK, so that was all that mattered.

People were lining up for the parade, but the crowd was pretty thin - I'm guessing because it was so cold. I really loved the Christmas decorations, especially the poinsettias.

I decided to go over and ride IASW, a childhood favorite of mine. Then my friend texted me - she and her family were in Tomorrowland. I had never met her husband or two boys, so we met up at Mickey Star Traders while they shopped for souvenirs. It was brief, but again it was nice to connect with a familiar face while on a solo trip. They were also quite cold, I think they were heading back to the AKL to rest for awhile.

After I said goodbye to my friend and her family, I went back to Hall of Presidents. It had the biggest crowd I've ever seen! This could have been because the parade had just ended, and/or because people were freezing and wanted to go inside to warm up. There were still plenty of seats for everyone, and as always, I enjoyed the show.

Next, it was time for another first - the Seven Dwarves Mine Train! I was really looking forward to this. I had a FP+, so there wasn't much time in the queue, but what I saw was very impressive.

Incredible theming!

I was in line with a dad and his 4 kids. He had two little girls, one dressed as Anna and one dressed as Elsa. We talked some in the line, they were very excited for the ride. Once we got on the ride, the 6-year old girl dressed as Anna was going to sit with her brother in the front row, but the CM said because she was so young, she had to ride next to an adult. Their dad was already sitting in the second row with his young daughter dressed as Elsa. I was in the 3rd row with his other son. So the CM asked if I would switch with the son in the first row, so that an adult would be riding with the 6-year old. Sure, no problem! We had a great time - the 6-year old girl next to me had her hands up the entire time. I loved the theming, and it is a fun ride. At the end, the young girl pretty much summed it up for me - she told me she wanted it to be longer and faster. Well said, little Anna!

Here are the two ride photos:

I couldn't be outdone by a 6-year old, so I had to hold my hands up as well!

This family was just too adorable. Their dad told me they are all riders, I love it! I could've followed them around all day, but we said our goodbyes and parted ways.

I headed back towards Main Street USA to do some shopping. And I took some more castle photos, just because I could.

The crowds were getting to be fewer and fewer as the day went on, which was okay by me! I have been wanting a waterproof Disney watch for awhile now, basically to wear in the parks and to not worry about it not working when I ride Splash Mountain or any other water ride, or when it rains like it did on my Day 2! I went into Uptown Jewelers, but they didn't have any waterproof watches. I had already seen a sports watch on the Disney Store website, so I decided to wait and just buy it online. I was still quite cold, and the temperature was only going to drop as the day went on. I had a goal to stay for the Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes! I walked through the shops, toward Main Street Confectionary - I forget the name of the shops in between, but I found a pretty figure 8 silver sparkly scarf and decided to buy it.

I then wandered through the Confectionary toward The Chapeau, and I found small white gloves and bought those. I was wearing jeans, a 3/4-length sleeve shirt, and a hoodie, but I decided not to buy anything else to wear underneath, hoping that the gloves and scarf would be enough to keep me warm. The CM in the stores were quite busy, many people were buying sweatshirts and fleece blankets. I saw people wrapped in those blankets while they watched the afternoon parade. I didn't want to carry around a big fleece blanket, but it was a good idea, especially for families who had small children and could wrap the blanket around the entire family while they watched the parade.

The sun was starting to set, and I decided it was time for a ride on the WDW Railroad! I stopped on the platform to take in Main Street and the castle.

I mean... there aren't many other places I would rather be! Beyond beautiful.

This turned out to be a beautiful time to take the train, with the sun setting.

I noticed when the train went by Splash Mountain, that hardly anyone was riding it - lots of empty logs!

Fun view of Splash Mountain from the railroad, I had forgotten about this!

I was hoping to ride the Liberty Square Riverboat at sunset, but it turns out that I had just missed it. I'll put it on the list for another trip! I walked around Frontierland and Liberty Square, just taking it all in.

Continued in next post...

 

[dreamseeker9]

Continued...

I was starting to get hungry and thought about eating an early dinner, preferably something warm! I was in the perfect location to hit up one of my favorite counter-service restaurants, Sleepy Hollow Refreshments! I know most people come here for the waffle sandwiches, but my favorite food here is the chicken and wild rice soup. I discovered it last April when I had an awful cold in WDW. I ordered that and some hot tea. The soup was so good and HOT! It was the perfect dinner, especially considering there is only outdoor seating at that restaurant.

I wanted a little something more for dinner, though, so after I finished my soup, I bought some popcorn from the Liberty Square popcorn cart. I finished my tea and popcorn on a bench outside of Liberty Tree Tavern. After some people watching and soaking up the ambiance, I moved to Frontierland and found a bench outside the Shooting Arcade.

The music was different in Frontierland - I enjoyed it but liked the music in Liberty Square better.

At 6:10 PM, I realized that the Cheshire Cafe closed at 6:00 PM. There went my visions of eating a delectable cake cup while watching Wishes! Sadness.

I finished the popcorn and tea, and it was time to get moving again and get the blood circulating! But first, a pretty shot of the castle, all lit up after the Frozen lighting show.

I had a FP+ for BTMRR! It had been a very long time since I'd ridden BTMRR in the dark. I was seated near the back, and it was so much fun in the dark that I got back in line as soon as I got off, only a 15-minute wait! I absolutely recommend riding this at night, it's such a different experience than during the day.

I stopped in Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe but decided to wait and buy some things later on. Then I went on to the HM. During the ride, the doom buggies were stopped twice, and CMs came over the loudspeaker and told people to stay seated or they would be removed from the ride. Kind of a buzzkill. Then I stopped at the new Memento Mori shop, my friend had requested that I buy for him the hitchhiking ghosts ornament. It's a fun store, especially for HM fans. The CM who rang me up gave me these fun stickers:

Perfect for my scrapbook!

I walked into Fantasyland stopped and used the Tangled bathrooms - best bathrooms in the MK! I love this entire area.

I stopped and charged my phone for a bit. There was only one other person using the phone charging stations, I don't think many people know about it.

I decided to try the FP+ kiosks that are near the entrance to Mickey's PhilharMagic. The screen was temperamental, and I could only select one FP+. I decided to do Winnie the Pooh with a window of 8:10-9:10 PM.

Next, I went to one of my newer favorites - Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid!

So pretty at night.

Sadly, when I arrived, CMs were outside and said LM was down. The CMs said it would reopen, but they didn't know when. Bummer! I walked over to Dumbo and walked on. I love Dumbo at night, the lights and the view are absolutely gorgeous.

My elephant wouldn't go up at first, but finally it did, and I had great views of the castle and Tomorrowland.

Next, it was time for my FP+ with Pooh! I discovered this ride for the first time last April, and I literally felt like I was 5 years old again, immersed in one of my favorite childhood stories. I absolutely love this attraction! I got a hunny pot all to myself, too!

After Pooh, I went back to the FP+ kiosks and got a FP+ for Space Mountain. Then I walked back to LM, but it was still down. I walked over to Tomorrowland, since I was already within my FP+ window for Space Mountain - it was down, too! I decided to take a ride on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority and rest my feet a bit.

When I reached Space Mountain on the TTA, the lights were on - it was very cool to see the track inside, even if that meant I couldn't ride it.

Looking at the space, it really hit me how large the indoor area is that contains the track. But seeing the track also showed that it really isn't an intense coaster - there are no big drops, just lots of curves and small hills. But I still love it!

I decided not to ride Astro Orbiter. I walked over the bridge towards the Hub, about to encounter another first!

Coming up... lots of magic on this cold night in the MK - Wishes, MSEP, fun CMs, and a very special ride on Splash Mountain!

 

[SarahDisney]

Lower crowds at MK are always nice ... even if you need cold temperatures to get them.
I loved your story of waiting on like for SDMT. We love talking to people on line, and it's always great when you get to ride with your new friends!

I totally agree with you on BTMRR at night - it's such a great experience!
I love the pictures of Space Mountain with the lights on ... that's such a rare thing to see and it's so cool that you got to see it!

 

[crepemyrtle]

What a fun trip report. I'm cold and hungry just reading it.

 

[hokieinpa]

I'm glad found some warm gear! I saw the rush of people buying sweatshirts during the cold snap at the end of our trip - I was one of them, I guess!

Next, it was time for another first - the Seven Dwarves Mine Train! I was really looking forward to this. I had a FP+, so there wasn't much time in the queue, but what I saw was very impressive.

We only rode FP+/Rider Swap so I never saw the full queue but it seems like a great area! The interactive elements look fun!

At the end, the young girl pretty much summed it up for me - she told me she wanted it to be longer and faster. Well said, little Anna!

I fully agree! I loved it and the mine scene was great but I just wanted MORE!

The sun was starting to set, and I decided it was time for a ride on the WDW Railroad! I stopped on the platform to take in Main Street and the castle.

Beautiful pictures! I'll have to add a trip on the WDW Railroad at sunset to my must do list!

I absolutely recommend riding this at night, it's such a different experience than during the day.

I've heard that! I've also heard it's a great ride during Wishes!

Then I went on to the HM. During the ride, the doom buggies were stopped twice, and CMs came over the loudspeaker and told people to stay seated or they would be removed from the ride. Kind of a buzzkill.

That does seem to ruin the mood a bit!

I walked into Fantasyland stopped and used the Tangled bathrooms - best bathrooms in the MK! I love this entire area.

Only Disney can make bathrooms beautiful!

I love Dumbo at night, the lights and the view are absolutely gorgeous.

Dumbo at night is really quite special! Great views!

When I reached Space Mountain on the TTA, the lights were on - it was very cool to see the track inside, even if that meant I couldn't ride it.

I'm sure it looks really cool to see all the tracks!


Excited to read about the rest of your night!

 

[ember303]

I am loving reading your trip report!!!!!

Sorry to hear you didn't get your requests ... but the Little Mermaid section is pretty awesome with all the details.

How great that the bartender remembered you. I still haven't made it to the Drop Off pool bar, but if I ever do, I'll be sure to look out for Dustin!
I'm glad you eventually got your bag ... even if it took way longer than it should have. And I love that they play music themed to each section ... I noticed that last trip and it really impressed me!

Sounds like a great night at Epcot ... Illuminations really is something special. I love taking my time after the night shows end and slowly wandering around the park ... it's a really nice view with not so many people around, and they generally do not rush you out so you really can just take your time.

 

[dreamseeker9]

I am loving reading your trip report!!!!!

Thank you so much!

So sorry for the delay everyone - I went to Southern California for 2 weeks, for a conference and for some fun at Disneyland! It was absolutely wonderful. I will get back to posting here very shortly about this trip! And before I know it, my 40th birthday trip will be here - less than 90 days now, so we are making final travel arrangements for that! Our group is up to 13 people now!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Day 3 - The Best Last Night in the Magic Kingdom!

So sorry for the long time between updates!

OK, so I had just come off the TTA when I saw that Celebrate the Magic was happening. I knew that Wishes, something I'd never experienced, was going to start shortly. I walked over the Tomorrowland bridge to the hub and was pleasantly surprised to find that there was room for me to stand on the outer edge of the hub and see the last few minutes of Celebrate the Magic - yay! Once that ended, most people stayed put. I looked around and realized that the roped off area around the hub was not full, so I walked more toward the Liberty Square side and had no problem finding a spot for Wishes! I was so excited to finally see this show!

The castle all lit up before Wishes - so pretty!

A cute construction wall around the Hub.

Then it started! Oh my goodness, I kept tearing up - it was so beautiful - the fireworks, Jiminy Cricket, the entire soundtrack, the Wishes song... I loved every moment!

Some Wishes highlight photos...

And my favorite photo I took...

Once Wishes ended, I wasted no time and booked it over to BTMRR for another ride in the dark - so awesome! And then the fun continued...

It was so cold outside, so why not get a little wet?

No surprise, but Splash Mountain was not very popular! In fact, most people had left after Wishes, so the park was pretty empty! That was fine - more for me! In fact, Splash Mountain was so empty that I walked on and had my own log! I chose the 3rd row, knowing that would lessen my chances of getting wet.

I was right, I barely got splashed! I've heard that when it's colder outside, the water level can be lowered, so people won't get as wet. Works for me!

When I got back to the loading area, the couple in the log in front of me asked if they could just stay on since there was no one in line - wait, I can do that?!? AMAZING!!! I looked at my watch and saw that I still had time before the parade, so I decided, why not? When will I ever be able to ride my favorite attraction in the MK two time in a row in my very own log? So the CMs smiled and waved me through, and off I went again!

I am not sure what I was trying to do in this photo, I guess jazz hands or something. And again, I barely got wet! The CMs actually asked if I wanted to ride it a third time, but I wanted to secure a spot to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade - believe it or not, yet another first for me!

Once I made my way out of Splash Mountain and into Frontierland and then Liberty Square, I realized that I would not have to worry about finding a spot to watch the parade.

It looked like the park was closed already! Wow!!!

I still had about 10 minutes until the parade reached me, so I found a great place to sit and relax in Liberty Square.

I noticed that my camera battery was dead, and my cell phone battery was pretty low, too! I really wanted to take pictures of the parade!

Up Next... The Main Street Electrical Parade, followed by a late night snack in the MK!

 

[ember303]

Thank you so much!

So sorry for the delay everyone - I went to Southern California for 2 weeks, for a conference and for some fun at Disneyland! It was absolutely wonderful. I will get back to posting here very shortly about this trip! And before I know it, my 40th birthday trip will be here - less than 90 days now, so we are making final travel arrangements for that! Our group is up to 13 people now!

What dates are you planning?

 

[SarahDisney]

First time seeing Wishes and Main Street Electrical? Crazy!
I love how much the park empties out after Wishes. Even if its open for a few more hours ... nobody seems to want to stick around, and you get to do the fun stuff with short lines! (And that's why the last few hours its open is my favorite time at MK)

 

[dreamseeker9]

What dates are you planning?

We are going September 25 - October 2, 2015 - staying at the Yacht Club! I want to start a pre-trip report, but I want to finish this one first!

 

[hokieinpa]

Great Wishes shots! I missed regular Wishes during out last trip and only caught Hallowishes so I'm excited to see it for the first time!

How cool that you got 2 solo rides on Splash! And you barely got wet!

Your birthday trip is so close!! How exciting!

 

[wdwobsessed]

Enjoying your trip report! I have been debating a solo trip!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Enjoying your trip report! I have been debating a solo trip!

I highly recommend a solo trip! It's very different than a trip with family and friends. There are pros and cons to it. I pretty much kept to myself, but there are meet-ups through these boards on the Singles and Couples thread, and meet-ups of other Disney fans quite often, if you'd be interested in that during your visit. I may do that during my next solo trip.

So sorry for the lack of updates - I was suddenly assigned to a new project in Washington, DC, which meant I had to temporarily relocate there. I am not a fan of my Extended Stay hotel, but I do like the area. I've been here 3 weeks, and I miss home so much - my friends, my bed, my city of New York. I go home tomorrow night and can't wait to sleep in my own bed for 5 whole nights before I have to come back to DC.

Countdown is now in the 40's for days until my birthday trip, I can't believe it! I want to finish this TR and then start a PTR on that trip. I am beyond excited!

I'm off to eat dinner and then will post more on this trip! Thanks for being patient with me!

 

[beachta1]

Just joining your TR... I left the parks the day you arrived and I remember looking at the weather thinking "I picked the right week!" Although I was there in February for the cold days so it finally caught me. I have toured solo and I agree its really great to move at your own pace. I look forward to more trips alone and with friends! I hope you'll finish your report!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Day 3 - My Practically Private Parade

As I sat in the rocking chair on the porch of Liberty Square, I took in the area - the almost deserted square, the distant sounds of the Main Street Electrical Parade that started to grow louder, the few people left who were strolling or sitting on the curb waiting for the parade. What a magical, beautiful night this was!

I decided it was time to go stand on the curb when I could see the first float just starting to turn from Main Street. I really liked this spot of watching the parade as the floats made their way into Liberty Square - there was plenty of time to capture photos at different angles and just take in the floats.

The only people on our side of the street were me and another couple and their son a few feet away. A CM who was walking ahead of the parade stopped and told us that one night that week, the MK was closing at 4:00 PM for a private party, and that it would take at least $1 Million to do that. Wow! Must be nice! But hey - who needs to pay $1M when I practically had the park to myself after Wishes and got to ride Splash Mountain twice in my own log?

Finally, as I was really starting to get cold, the parade started to reach us! Another first - it was my first time see the Main Street Electrical Parade!!!

Seriously, look at how few people were there! It was crazy!

Minnie and Mickey!!!

I loved these caterpillars! They kept twirling all over the place.

Beautiful butterfly!

These performers were really funny. I know they're not supposed to break character, but there were maybe 10 people watching the parade from our vantage point. Two dancers ran up to me and grabbed my hands, smiling and laughing with their teeth chattering, saying how cold they were. It was actually very charming, I loved it and giggled along with them.

So unfortunately, this is the point in the parade when my cell phone died. My camera battery had died earlier that night. Oh, well! I still enjoyed the rest of the parade. As it ended, I slowly made my way back to Main Street USA.

Since my dinner had consisted of chicken soup and popcorn 5 hours earlier, I was hungry again. Before the parade had started, I'd asked a CM if there was any place open still to buy food. He said Casey's Corner was still open, but that it would be closed after the parade. Well that CM was wrong - it was open after the parade, and a few other people had the same idea as me. I got the hot dog meal - just a plain hot dog and fries, and free tap water (yay). It was fine, it did what I needed it to do.

With hardly anyone left on Main Street, the PhotoPass photographer was looking quite bored and ready to call it a night, so I quickly asked for a photo.

I didn't love it, so I just took a screenshot of it.

As I waited in line for the AoA bus at 11:00 PM, literally all other resorts had zero people waiting on line. The Pop bus ended up picking us up and dropping us off at AoA - worked for me! On the way inside, I picked up my 2 packages from the AoA shop - it's such a great shop, the Ink and Paint Shop. Then I made the cold and painful walk to my room. My right knee was really hurting me for some reason, and I was very cold by this point! I took a hot shower, and then collapsed into bed!

Next Up... Last day at WDW... sadness. One Park, and lots of shopping!

 

[SarahDisney]

I love Main Street Electrical Parade! It's not anything super fancy or hi-tech, but the floats are really cute. And I love when the performers interact with the crowd - sounds like you had a great chance to interact!

 

[beachta1]

We had the same experience watching MSEP in the cold! There was hardly anyone around us so the characters talked to us and paid a ton of attention since there wasn't anyone around. It made the experience that much cooler (no pun intended).