Solo trip for conference. Am I crazy?

[traveljunkie2]

I’ll be attending a conference at the Dolphin in late April. Flying from the west coast. Arriving Sat, leaving Thursday. Rooms for consecutive night stays are sold out, so I’m resort hopping. I’ve never stayed onsite, but I’ve been to WDW 3 times, last in 2014. I’m super excited to go back, and stay onsite. I will not have a car.

I want to maximize park time. I’m hoping more rooms will open up at either BW or Dolphin, so I’ll keep watching. Here’s the plan so far.

Sat: Red eye flight arriving around 6:30 am. Magic Express to BW, drop off bags, head to Epcot for as long as I last!

Sun: HS for am EMH. Bags get moved to Dolphin.

Mon: conference all day. Explore Boardwalk area at night. Bags get moved to PORR for remainder of stay.

Tues: conference until about 1:30. Hang out at POR / Disney Springs. Private conference event at AK 7:30-10:30.

Wed: conference until about 11 am. MK with EMH until 11 pm.

Thurs: check out, drop off bag for ME, store a small bag at bell services with a change of clothes. Epcot EMH am, lunch at Epcot. Back to hotel by 2pm. Last dip in the pool, then shower at main pool. Take ME around 3:30 for a 6:30 flight.

Am I crazy? Have I overlooked something? I have the option of staying at PORR Sat - Thurs, but I’d really like to stay on crescent Lake. Will it be a hassle changing resorts? Any other tips for optimizing my time?

 

[Brett Wyman]

My solo trips always coincide with an Orlando area conference.

 

[SamFaniam]

One of the things that can make resort hopping easy, is that Disney will move your bags for you. That does include the Dolphin.

Sun: HS for am EMH. Bags get moved to Dolphin

You may want to look again at the schedule for your dates. The studios have been shifting their EMH to evening since ROTR opened, and it looks like this pattern will be continuing.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I’ll be attending a conference at the Dolphin in late April. Flying from the west coast. Arriving Sat, leaving Thursday. Rooms for consecutive night stays are sold out, so I’m resort hopping. I’ve never stayed onsite, but I’ve been to WDW 3 times, last in 2014. I’m super excited to go back, and stay onsite. I will not have a car.

I want to maximize park time. I’m hoping more rooms will open up at either BW or Dolphin, so I’ll keep watching. Here’s the plan so far.

Sat: Red eye flight arriving around 6:30 am. Magic Express to BW, drop off bags, head to Epcot for as long as I last!

Sun: HS for am EMH. Bags get moved to Dolphin.

Mon: conference all day. Explore Boardwalk area at night. Bags get moved to PORR for remainder of stay.

Tues: conference until about 1:30. Hang out at POR / Disney Springs. Private conference event at AK 7:30-10:30.

Wed: conference until about 11 am. MK with EMH until 11 pm.

Thurs: check out, drop off bag for ME, store a small bag at bell services with a change of clothes. Epcot EMH am, lunch at Epcot. Back to hotel by 2pm. Last dip in the pool, then shower at main pool. Take ME around 3:30 for a 6:30 flight.

Am I crazy? Have I overlooked something? I have the option of staying at PORR Sat - Thurs, but I’d really like to stay on crescent Lake. Will it be a hassle changing resorts? Any other tips for optimizing my time?

It's not ideal, IMHO, but as a solo traveler with, I'm assuming, not a ton of luggage, definitely doable. You do have yourself well situated for your EP and DHS days. You may want to consider bringing your own bags over to the Dolphin either prior to going to DHS in the am or, leave them with BW bell services until you are done with DHS otherwise, you may not see your luggage until much later in the afternoon (if that matters to you). I'm a little a-type about my luggage (after an airline lost it a few years ago) and like to personally move it from place to place to make sure it gets there. Have you checked if there is availability at the Swan, BC, BCV, YC or BWV?

 

[traveljunkie2]

Have you checked if there is availability at the Swan, BC, BCV, YC or BWV?

Unfortunately they are all booked at the conference rate. I’ll keep checking in case there are cancellations.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Unfortunately they are all booked at the conference rate. I’ll keep checking in case there are cancellations.

Have you checked if anything is available under the Sun and Fun Room offer? You may be able to find something that isn't terribly higher than the convention rate. I would also check if anything is available at Swan/Dolphin through Marriott.

 

[traveljunkie2]

Woohoo! I just checked again and was able to get Swan for Sun-Tues nights then YC for Wed night! So now it’s BW (1 nt), Swan (3 nights), YC (1 nt)!!! Prayer and persistence pays off!

 

[Wild4Walt]

I think it looks pretty good. I'd keep checking to see if you can add a night here or there so you're in 1 location but even if you have to make changes it's looking good.

 

[Miffy]

I'm pretty sure DHS moved all its EMHs to evening through August. But going to DHS for opening is a good strategy--in fact currently the only strategy--if you want to score a RotR boarding group. Loads of info on that on the RotR thread.

 

[traveljunkie2]

Yes, I just checked and the emh on Sunday is pm.

DH decided to join me and have the grandparents watch our kids! Super excited for our first trip without kids in 16 years. The kids are a little annoyed by just how excited we are!

Thanks for all the tips - especially about luggage transfer. Now that all the resorts are close, we can transfer the luggage ourselves.