Hey, can I still be the great and powerful oz without the kids with me? anyway, here goes!
Pretrip
So I decided after my trip with the kids in July that I needed a Disney fix again before the year was out. I tried coaxing Glendamax into going
and she just about had one foot
okay maybe one toe on the plane 
but unfortunately it wasnt to be. I was also just missing other Disney friends by a matter of days so it was to be a solo trip after all. There is something about having an AP burning a hole in your pocket. I just had to go and I started to get excited about embarking on my 2nd solo trip to the world. I was excited to finally attend MNSSHP and the food & wine festival. I was also determined to try a restaurant solo
we will see. On with the show!
Day 1 10/27/08
I had attended a 30-hour marathon scrapbooking event the day before so a super early flight was out of the question. I had my mom pick me up at 8 am for my 10:30 flight. I am always nervous about getting hung up at security. Turns out I shouldnt have stressed. I arrived at the airport at 8:30 and headed to security. Why is it that I always get nervous when going through security like I did something wrong. My hands get sweaty and my voice cracks. I made it through with no issues and was at my gate by 8:45 am. Okay now what! I called my mom to let her know I was at the gate and stopped by Burger King to grab breakfast. Not my first choice but there wasnt a line so I decided to stop there. $5 for a breakfast sandwich, hash browns, and the nastiest coffee you ever tasted. Where oh where is the Starbucks? I swear tasted like the water they used to clean the pots. I chucked it and stopped to pick up a vitamin water instead.
I had plans of not doing this trip so commando and already was failing as it was only 9:00 am and I was at the gate ready to go. So like a good little girl, I started this trip report and decided to text some disfriends and make them jealous that I was going
. I flew southwest which I hadnt done in awhile and got to check out the new boarding system. I was lucky to get the exit row. I always seem to get the really fun flight attendants on my southwest flights. One of them would burst out into song here and there (usually set to the zip-a-dee-doo-da theme). After singing she announced southwest, cheap fares and even cheaper entertainment! She went on with the emergency procedures and told us about the oxygen masks and that it was $1.25 for the first minute and 30 cents each additional minute. She was a real hoot.
I finally fell asleep and awoke to the same flight attendant singing again. When we landed she gave the usual speech about staying seated until we arrived at the gate and that they could see us if we moved. When the fasten seatbelt sign went off, she exclaimed NOW GET OUT! It was a great flight and I was ready for my Disney adventure.
In all my excitement, I went to terminal A baggage claim and after wandering around the whole 1st floor I finally decided to go back up and ask for directions. I missed that whole terminal B sign thing
and finally made my way to ME. I checked in and informed them I would be using resort airline check-in as I was flying back on Airtran. I was on the bus quickly. I love traveling by ME. Not sure why others mind it but I love riding with all the other excited people and I could watch the corny video over and over again. The only drawback, I got the same driver the kids and I had and he had the same corny jokes at the same exact moments. He just couldnt deliver them very well.
I arrived at POP around 2-2:30pm and was checked in by a very friendly CM. They were doing the hustle in the lobby and everyone was really getting into it.
The person checking me in was dancing the whole time. Though I love my deluxe resorts, it was great to be back at POP. My room was ready and I headed out to find it. I was in the 80s building behind a rubix cube on the top floor with a view of Mr & Mrs Potato Head.
Seemed far until I discovered the shortcut to the bus stop around the back parking lot- YEAH! The kids and I stayed in a preferred room before so we didnt explore this area that much when we were here. I will make certain to stop and take lots of photos later.
I was ready to head to Epcot and experience the food & wine festival. I hit spaceship earth first. The kids and I never made it here in July so I was determined to go there first. The new ending was so cute and I cant wait to ride again and choose a different outcome.
Since I wanted to not do things commando, I decided to leave the rides until later. I headed to club cool for a drink and then into world showcase.
I stopped to watch some of the goings on around me.
I was getting hungry and just wasnt thinking. Hello you are there for food & wine festival and you cant decide what to eat? I totally forgot and grabbed the 1st thing in sight. The sun was out and I had pants on and was ready to sit and eat. I grabbed fish & chips from UK Fish & Co. and a water ($11). It was really good but such a small portion. Lots of salt and vinegar on the fries YUM! I knew where I was headed next. A grey goose slush in France ($9). Oh so good! Unlike last trip, I took my time and walked slowly around world showcase. I remembered to stop in China for my moms cup this time and checked that off of my list of things to do. If any of you read my trip with the kids in July, you know that I forgot this little item and that I blamed it on the kids when grilled by my mom about her souvenir. I know bad, but I got it this time and of course a few things for me.
Unfortunately, the slush filled me up and it wasnt to be to partake in the food & wine festival booths just yet. I headed back to future world and checked out a few stores. I was in search of a shirt to wear to the MNSSHP the next night. No such luck so I headed to test track. Single rider line rocks. I was on in 5 minutes and got a couple of rides in. I decided to try my luck at soarin and was on in 10-15 minutes YEAH!
After walking around a bit, I was supposed to head over to MKG for EMH but I was close enough to world showcase to smell the food & wine festival and my feet just started walking that way and I suddenly found room in my stomach. I stopped at 5 booths. Yes, I said 5! They were only 2 bites of food really but I pretty much rolled out of Epcot later that night. I stopped in:
Mexico City - $3.75 for quesadilla con chorizo delicious!
Austria, Vienna - $3.50 for beef goulash with bacon dumpling this was just okay and in need of salt!
China chicken sha cha kind of a chicken skewer I didnt like this at all as I wasnt entirely sure the chicken was cooked thru.
(sorry photo won't load)
India samosa with tamarind sauce the samosa was really good but the sauce unfortunately would have been better if warm.
Japan California rolls very good!
Sorry but I was too busy eating to remember to take photos! I was going to hang around as Kool and the Gang was the act tonight but I just needed to walk the food off. I ended up back at the entrance so decided to head out to MKG via monorail. The stand by lines were around 10 minutes. So riding was easy. Some lines posted 20 minute waits but the waits still were only 10 minutes.
I got in 2 rides on BTMRR love this ride at night; a ride on splash mountain; philharmagic (my favorite attraction); pirates of the Caribbean and space mountain. I unfortunately had an incident with my bra. All I will say is thank goodness I was in the back seat of the car and the ride was in the dark or the other riders would have gotten more than they bargained for. I quickly restored everything where it was supposed to be before getting off. Im sure the people in front of me were wondering what I was back there making so much noise about. But just as I would get things under control, another dip would come and Id have to start all over again! Okay enough said on the subject.
I was praying and hoping that the dole whip place was open and YEAH it was! It was so good and I ate it on my way out of the park. I was beat and made a quick stop at the food court for milk for breakfast and dare I say, yes another dessert ($5). I hadnt gotten a chance to try the tie-dye cheesecake so I went for it on top of the dole whip. It wasn't very good and I decided to chuck it after a couple of bites.
Great 1st day and unlike my 1st solo trip, I wasnt missing the family at all. I was having way too much fun alone!
Up Next: My 1st solo Disney restaurant meal, my 1st MNSSHP, and getting spotted by disers!
Pretrip
So I decided after my trip with the kids in July that I needed a Disney fix again before the year was out. I tried coaxing Glendamax into going
and she just about had one foot
okay maybe one toe on the plane but unfortunately it wasnt to be. I was also just missing other Disney friends by a matter of days so it was to be a solo trip after all. There is something about having an AP burning a hole in your pocket. I just had to go and I started to get excited about embarking on my 2nd solo trip to the world. I was excited to finally attend MNSSHP and the food & wine festival. I was also determined to try a restaurant solo
we will see. On with the show!Day 1 10/27/08
I had attended a 30-hour marathon scrapbooking event the day before so a super early flight was out of the question. I had my mom pick me up at 8 am for my 10:30 flight. I am always nervous about getting hung up at security. Turns out I shouldnt have stressed. I arrived at the airport at 8:30 and headed to security. Why is it that I always get nervous when going through security like I did something wrong. My hands get sweaty and my voice cracks. I made it through with no issues and was at my gate by 8:45 am. Okay now what! I called my mom to let her know I was at the gate and stopped by Burger King to grab breakfast. Not my first choice but there wasnt a line so I decided to stop there. $5 for a breakfast sandwich, hash browns, and the nastiest coffee you ever tasted. Where oh where is the Starbucks? I swear tasted like the water they used to clean the pots. I chucked it and stopped to pick up a vitamin water instead.
I had plans of not doing this trip so commando and already was failing as it was only 9:00 am and I was at the gate ready to go. So like a good little girl, I started this trip report and decided to text some disfriends and make them jealous that I was going
. I flew southwest which I hadnt done in awhile and got to check out the new boarding system. I was lucky to get the exit row. I always seem to get the really fun flight attendants on my southwest flights. One of them would burst out into song here and there (usually set to the zip-a-dee-doo-da theme). After singing she announced southwest, cheap fares and even cheaper entertainment! She went on with the emergency procedures and told us about the oxygen masks and that it was $1.25 for the first minute and 30 cents each additional minute. She was a real hoot.I finally fell asleep and awoke to the same flight attendant singing again. When we landed she gave the usual speech about staying seated until we arrived at the gate and that they could see us if we moved. When the fasten seatbelt sign went off, she exclaimed NOW GET OUT! It was a great flight and I was ready for my Disney adventure.
In all my excitement, I went to terminal A baggage claim and after wandering around the whole 1st floor I finally decided to go back up and ask for directions. I missed that whole terminal B sign thing
and finally made my way to ME. I checked in and informed them I would be using resort airline check-in as I was flying back on Airtran. I was on the bus quickly. I love traveling by ME. Not sure why others mind it but I love riding with all the other excited people and I could watch the corny video over and over again. The only drawback, I got the same driver the kids and I had and he had the same corny jokes at the same exact moments. He just couldnt deliver them very well.I arrived at POP around 2-2:30pm and was checked in by a very friendly CM. They were doing the hustle in the lobby and everyone was really getting into it.
The person checking me in was dancing the whole time. Though I love my deluxe resorts, it was great to be back at POP. My room was ready and I headed out to find it. I was in the 80s building behind a rubix cube on the top floor with a view of Mr & Mrs Potato Head.
Seemed far until I discovered the shortcut to the bus stop around the back parking lot- YEAH! The kids and I stayed in a preferred room before so we didnt explore this area that much when we were here. I will make certain to stop and take lots of photos later.
I was ready to head to Epcot and experience the food & wine festival. I hit spaceship earth first. The kids and I never made it here in July so I was determined to go there first. The new ending was so cute and I cant wait to ride again and choose a different outcome.
Since I wanted to not do things commando, I decided to leave the rides until later. I headed to club cool for a drink and then into world showcase.
I stopped to watch some of the goings on around me.
I was getting hungry and just wasnt thinking. Hello you are there for food & wine festival and you cant decide what to eat? I totally forgot and grabbed the 1st thing in sight. The sun was out and I had pants on and was ready to sit and eat. I grabbed fish & chips from UK Fish & Co. and a water ($11). It was really good but such a small portion. Lots of salt and vinegar on the fries YUM! I knew where I was headed next. A grey goose slush in France ($9). Oh so good! Unlike last trip, I took my time and walked slowly around world showcase. I remembered to stop in China for my moms cup this time and checked that off of my list of things to do. If any of you read my trip with the kids in July, you know that I forgot this little item and that I blamed it on the kids when grilled by my mom about her souvenir. I know bad, but I got it this time and of course a few things for me.
Unfortunately, the slush filled me up and it wasnt to be to partake in the food & wine festival booths just yet. I headed back to future world and checked out a few stores. I was in search of a shirt to wear to the MNSSHP the next night. No such luck so I headed to test track. Single rider line rocks. I was on in 5 minutes and got a couple of rides in. I decided to try my luck at soarin and was on in 10-15 minutes YEAH!
After walking around a bit, I was supposed to head over to MKG for EMH but I was close enough to world showcase to smell the food & wine festival and my feet just started walking that way and I suddenly found room in my stomach. I stopped at 5 booths. Yes, I said 5! They were only 2 bites of food really but I pretty much rolled out of Epcot later that night. I stopped in:
Mexico City - $3.75 for quesadilla con chorizo delicious!
Austria, Vienna - $3.50 for beef goulash with bacon dumpling this was just okay and in need of salt!
China chicken sha cha kind of a chicken skewer I didnt like this at all as I wasnt entirely sure the chicken was cooked thru.
(sorry photo won't load)
India samosa with tamarind sauce the samosa was really good but the sauce unfortunately would have been better if warm.
Japan California rolls very good!
Sorry but I was too busy eating to remember to take photos! I was going to hang around as Kool and the Gang was the act tonight but I just needed to walk the food off. I ended up back at the entrance so decided to head out to MKG via monorail. The stand by lines were around 10 minutes. So riding was easy. Some lines posted 20 minute waits but the waits still were only 10 minutes.
I got in 2 rides on BTMRR love this ride at night; a ride on splash mountain; philharmagic (my favorite attraction); pirates of the Caribbean and space mountain. I unfortunately had an incident with my bra. All I will say is thank goodness I was in the back seat of the car and the ride was in the dark or the other riders would have gotten more than they bargained for. I quickly restored everything where it was supposed to be before getting off. Im sure the people in front of me were wondering what I was back there making so much noise about. But just as I would get things under control, another dip would come and Id have to start all over again! Okay enough said on the subject.
I was praying and hoping that the dole whip place was open and YEAH it was! It was so good and I ate it on my way out of the park. I was beat and made a quick stop at the food court for milk for breakfast and dare I say, yes another dessert ($5). I hadnt gotten a chance to try the tie-dye cheesecake so I went for it on top of the dole whip. It wasn't very good and I decided to chuck it after a couple of bites.
Great 1st day and unlike my 1st solo trip, I wasnt missing the family at all. I was having way too much fun alone!
Up Next: My 1st solo Disney restaurant meal, my 1st MNSSHP, and getting spotted by disers!
Too funny! And I was cracking up as a 6th grader!!! And again reading your TR! 
I'm along for the ride. We are staying at POP for the first time this December trip! Just 17 more DAYS!! I'm a bit over excited as you can tell.
