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

[dreamseeker9]

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!

I absolutely loved it! Some performers weren't interacting much at all, but they all must have been freezing. But I had a lot of fun with those who did interact!

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).

I agree, that's the way to do it! When I go in September, I doubt it will be that way - the MSEP is only showing once each night, in between the Halloween party, so I'm sure it will be more crowded. Maybe I'll try a different viewing area, though this one was excellent!

If anyone is interested, I've started my PTR for my 40th Birthday trip here. It's getting to be so close, I can't believe it!

 

[hokieinpa]

What a special experience! I love that you basically had a private MSEP! And Casey's seems like the perfect end of the night snack!

 

[dreamseeker9]

What a special experience! I love that you basically had a private MSEP! And Casey's seems like the perfect end of the night snack!

Casey's was great - I sat outside while I ate and watched the few remaining guests leaving the park. I didn't get to see The Kiss Goodnight as I'd hoped, but it was awesome to be one of the last to leave the MK at night!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Day 4 - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Ah, the last day of a WDW trip, always bittersweet. Unfortunately, I was awakened again at 5:30 AM by the loud child next door. I really love the AoA, but I found the Little Mermaid room to lack soundproofing for both the walls and the door to the outside, enough that I wouldn't stay in the LM rooms again. When we stayed in a Finding Nemo suite, I don't remember hearing others at all. Anyway... I put in my earplugs and went back to sleep. I decided to take my time this morning, packing and checking out. I ate breakfast at AoA's food court, the Landscape of Flavors - I tried the world taste breakfast platter. The eggs were plentiful and good. There was one slice of bacon, greasy and not crispy. There was also one link of Portuguese sausage - I didn't care for it, I found it to be dry and chewy. Two redskin potatoes were basic, nothing special. The naan was good. I ate around 9:30 AM and was surprised that the food court was very busy, I would've thought that most people would already be off to the parks by that time.

When I went to check my luggage at AoA, it took several minutes. There were only 2 people working, and several people in line. My recommendation: leave at least 15-20 minutes for this!

On this trip, I had not yet gone to AK. I really love that park, but I decided to spend the day in EPCOT for a few reasons - I had some shopping to do that couldn't be done anywhere else, and I wanted to take advantage of being solo in the World Showcase and really explore the pavilions. So I was off a little after 10:00 AM on a bus to EPCOT, standing room only by the time I boarded the bus.

Sometime between my last visit to EPCOT on Monday night (Day 2) and today (Wednesday, Day 4), Christmas topiaries were now out in Future World at the park entrance and further on past the fountain toward the World Showcase. Yay!

I stopped in MouseGear, not crowded at all at this time of morning, and used a 20% coupon to make a few holiday purchases:

A Minnie Christmas sweater for me!

This ornament was for my friends' Christmas tree, they asked me to bring an ornament back that represented WDW.

For me.

Also for me.

Next up, Test Track! The single rider line was much shorter than the FP+ line, which looked huge. I waited 10 minutes for single rider, not bad! I've found that in Test Track, people don't realize that single riders will be added to their cars, so they leave the middle seat empty until the CM tells them they have to scoot over. The dad who had to scoot over for me acted kind of put out, but whatever - it was a fun ride overall.

Continued in next post...

 

[dreamseeker9]

Continued...

From Test Track, I was in the perfect location to continue on into the World Showcase. First stop, Mexico!

There was no wait for the Three Caballeros boat ride, always enjoyable! Some day, I want to eat at the San Angel Inn. Also on my wish list - buy the dolphins or something else in La Cristal store. I window shopped but didn't find anything that I would be buying today. Moving on...

Norway! My first stop in this pavilion - the restrooms! I noticed that they are already ice blue and will fit in well with the Frozen theme. I was disappointed but not surprised to see that lots of merchandise in The Fjording and the Puffin Roost stores is all Frozen now.

I had something to check off my list in Norway, another first...

School bread! YUM! All the raves were right on - I loved the bread itself. The cold vanilla custard on top and in the middle was delicious, and the topping was a mixture of coconut and something else, maybe nutmeg - so good!!! Birds were very active around me, snatching up crumbs (not that I left many!). But next time, I'll split the School Bread with someone - it's quite big!

Next pavilion - China!

I have to admit that this is one of my least favorite pavilions, for a few reasons. For starters, I don't like Chinese food. Also, the room inside the temple of all the tomb warriors creeps me out! I did enjoy walking around the garden.

The inside of the temple is very impressive, too.

I don't remember ever walking down the Street of Good Fortune, so I took my time wandering through and looked at the different goods in the shops and stalls.

I also saw Reflections of China and really enjoyed it. China looks like a beautiful place from the film.

Next up... The World Showcase tour continues, and I discover the bathrooms to absolutely avoid at EPCOT!

 

[hokieinpa]

Love this update! One of the things I'm looking forward to the most about my solo trip is really exploring World Showcase. That's not easy with 3 boys along so I'm excited to have some time to check out each pavilion.

I've never had school bread either! It always looks so good!

 

[SarahDisney]

I think the noise issue is something I've had at all the Disney hotels I've stayed at ... but they've all been values with similar setups to Little Mermaid, and I think the suites are much better built in that regard.

I love that you spent time just exploring World Showcase. That's one of those things I've never taken the time to do, and there really is so much to see!

 

[pookersmom]

Just spent the evening catching up on your trip report. Kinda makes me want to do a solo trip!

 

[dreamseeker9]

Just spent the evening catching up on your trip report. Kinda makes me want to do a solo trip!

Hi, and thanks! It is nice to have the freedom of going solo, I highly recommend giving it a try. it's definitely a different experience than going with friends and family.

For my upcoming birthday trip, I think it will be the best of both worlds - our group will be between 3-13 people over 6 days, then I'll have 2 days solo at the end. I can't wait!!!

 

[pookersmom]

Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun!