Solo trip and Wine/Dine Half... ok so I'm A LITTLE bit late

[MeganFyne]

This is my first trip report and it's from my first solo that was 4 months ago so bear with me. I'll try to make it as painless as possible.

I got up early in the morning to get to the airport about 3 hours early - because I'm crazy. This is not a post 911 thing this is a "what if there's traffic for some reason at 5 am" thing. I also weirdly like/love/adore the excitement of waiting at the airport for my very own flight on my very own vacation. I brought my e-reader, loaded up with my Unofficial Guide, and Disney Magic, and Castmember Confidential, and I Drink For A Reason (they are not all Disney books and I was on vacation)

If you're curious, LaGuardia sucks. Every single time. But they toast a mediocre bagel and have cream for your burnt coffee. So yay.

PS Even though my ex and I went to the world less than 2 year prior I COMPLETELY forgot about there being roughly 700,000 children under the age of 3 on the plane. But it's cool. I got a beer at the Orlando Airport. Ok it was before noon. I maintain that I was on vacation.

Neat fact about the flight: It was JetBlue and the in-flight tv thingy was broken so they did a raffle for free miles. The kids got to pick the seat numbers (how they picked the winners) and it was really fun for everyone on board. I didn't win, but I was listening to NPR anyway. Way to go JetBlue! That lemonade was way better than the lemons.

Landed in Florida, I happened to kinda sorta remember how to get to Magical Express. Because I went alone I was staying in All-Star Music to save on money (don't worry, I managed to spend that money in other places)

It was weird not being in the moderate line, sigh, but everyone was all Disney friendly. I live in NY so the friendly is a bit jarring, and to be fair, I'm not used to people moving so slowly. But I slowed my pace and moved through the line. In real time I was probably in the line 30 seconds. It was late September.

I got GOOSEBUMP excited on the Magical Express bus! Tears in my eyes excited and happy. I'm getting that way right now just thinking about it. I never was able to go on vacation by myself and I've never felt so amazing. I did exactly what I wanted, and that was to go to Disney World. And here I was about to embark on my trip.

I sat next to a sweet teenager (I was unaware of their existence. I myself was an ******* from age 12-19) from New Zealand who was on holiday with his family, traveling the states. I told him a bit about what I remembered and he was totally impressed that I, an adult (kinda) woman was going to Disney World by myself. Of course I wasn't on any 6 week New Zealander vacation but baby steps.

I took out my headphones to listen to the silly tape on the bus. Yes I silenced Marc Maron in favor of Donald Duck. I think he'd approve.

I watched outside the window as the dry crackly Florida landscape turned into the beautiful manicured laws of Walt Disney World. That first sign you pass under, that big one with the Mickey hands and the Welcome To Walt Disney World? Well I couldn't hide my tears from the teenager. He had the grace to look away.

By and by I arrived at All Star Music. Maria greeted me at the front desk and honestly she was a doll. She apologized (!) for the bit of a walk to my building. It was maybe a 4 minute walk. I walk 10 minutes to the subway every morning. This 4 minute walk was pleasant and by two pools. I got 2 beds (because my baby bro would be joining me later) and there was no problem. I got there way before check-in but my room was ready! My room was on the side of building that faced away from the quiet pool but was roughly 20 steps from said pool. And yes the towels were folded into animals. I dropped off my carry-on, washed my face, charged my phone (I mean, come on, I was by myself) packed my park bag and within 30 minutes was on the Disney bus to the Magic Kingdom.

Shall I continue?

 

[saintstickets]

But of course you should continue and if you have 'em, post pics!

 

[dara00]

I want to hear all about the wine and dine half!

 

[MeganFyne]

OK so I'll post pics as soon as I can figure out how.

OH I loved this trip so much! I cannot recommend going solo more. I was so scared that I'd be lonely or feel weird but never at any point was hat the case. I also know that at the end of the week my brother would be joining me to run the race but honestly (and I swear I love my baby bro) I would've been perfectly happy to have him just there for the race

I unpacked my bags in the first hotel room I've ever had to myself. I can't believe I'm 31 and it was the first time I've ever stayed in a hotel by myself. I don't love country music but the country section was pretty freaking awesome. It was quiet, VERY close to the "quiet" pool, and a perfect place for my morning run (I ran a loop through the all-stars) I also use the runkeeper app on my iphone so if you are a runner who needs to keep track of miles it's a great, free app. It's also just lovely to wave to CMs while running and see huge smiles. Again, I live in NYC so I don't generally get the huge smiles while I'm street running.

I love my Marc Maron and my Chris Hardwick podcasts (yes I ALSO love my Dis Unplugged and WDW Today, but since I was there already...) so I listened to my comedy podcasts on Disney Transportation. This was on my inaugural ride to the Magic Kingdom, hours after I landed in Florida. It was surreal and awesome. And I was laughing out loud so there were these 2 elderly couples STARING at me, so I informed them that I was just listening to a podcast. Then I had to explain what a podcast was. Easiest answer wound up being "it's like the radio, but it's recorded and played back. No ma'am, it's not music." I understand the cynicsm seems out of place on the way to Fantasyland but it was pretty damn cool at the time. I didn't have the earphones in at the park!

And when the bus music changes to the park music for the first time, if you don't have tears in your eyes, you are not a person reading posts on this board!

As I mentioned I had gone for the 1/2 marathon so I had special super cheap (aka roughly $20 cheaper for 6 days) tickets that I had to pick up at Guest Services. Evidently it was impossible to get my tickets put on my hotel keys. Seemed very suspect considering I did it on my previous trip but they insisted a concierge needed to do it. My main issue was that the ticket is cheap paper board that I didn't want getting ruined, and since it was so easy before I figured anywhere with a computer could do it. I also didn't feel the need to press the issue. I was in a good mood and could easily carry a tiny slip of paper next my plastic key card. It just seemed odd that they would have made me go all the way back to my hotel to put my park ticket on my card. (If I didn't have to pick it up at the park b/c it was a RunDisney ticket I'd have done it before I left the hotel. I also just generally assume that the CMs know what's up in general, also, I'm on vacation and don't want to stress anyone out)

OK so I spent too much time on that little annoying thing. I am also assuming this trip report will be long enough that it will seem like a little tiny aspect.

It was also a MNSSHP night. I had park-hoppers (and knew it was a hard ticket night) and went in. How could Cinderella Castle not be the first thing I see in Disney World?

 

[MeganFyne]

I don't know what just happened, but I just wrote the most heart-felt thing I've ever written regarding my feelings walking into the Magic Kingdom and then the computer went wonky and it went away! I'll try to find it but if my next post isn't as heart felt, please forgive me!