The No-Way-I'm-Going-Solo-This-Time Solo Trip, a Sept PTR *Home & TR Link 9/15 x2*

[Pluto0809]

Love your Magic Kingdom day! I think you know that Country Bears is one of my favorites so you should do that one.

As for the HOP, I haven't seen that one since 2011. It's kind of a sleeper for me but both DH and my brother are huge history buffs and count that as their favorite attraction. I will be seeing it both in Oct and Feb.

As for the CBR buses, Mom and I found that the Jamaica stop was the best to catch a bus. It was usually the first stop so the buses were empty. You do have to ride the rest of the way around to all the other stops but that was worth it for a seat. We did try catching the bus one time from Centertowne and it was very crowded. After that, we just walked back to Jamaica every day.

ETA: Oh and good luck with the BOG reservation. I had to move our Oct trip by one week and lost my BOG ressie. I've been trying three or four times a day to get a new one and no luck so far. I'm hoping around the 45 day mark people will do some cancelling and I'll be able to snag one then.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Love your Magic Kingdom day! I think you know that Country Bears is one of my favorites so you should do that one.

As for the HOP, I haven't seen that one since 2011. It's kind of a sleeper for me but both DH and my brother are huge history buffs and count that as their favorite attraction. I will be seeing it both in Oct and Feb.

As for the CBR buses, Mom and I found that the Jamaica stop was the best to catch a bus. It was usually the first stop so the buses were empty. You do have to ride the rest of the way around to all the other stops but that was worth it for a seat. We did try catching the bus one time from Centertowne and it was very crowded. After that, we just walked back to Jamaica every day.

ETA: Oh and good luck with the BOG reservation. I had to move our Oct trip by one week and lost my BOG ressie. I've been trying three or four times a day to get a new one and no luck so far. I'm hoping around the 45 day mark people will do some cancelling and I'll be able to snag one then.

I plan on do Country Bears for sure. It looks cute, I just always forget about it. I think since I've never done it I don't think about it being there.

I would imagine the Centertowne stop would be crowded from everyone eating breakfast and filling their mugs.

Thanks, good luck to you too! I've been checking 2-3 times a day with no luck so far.

 

[katt789]

We all really enjoyed CBR when we stayed there last year. It’s super nice, has the feel of actually being on vacation without being necessarily “in disney” and it was surprisingly quiet!

Cool thoughts on the “new thigns” and mini golf!

That was the one thing I didn’t really like about CBR, or any of the moderates actually, I like having the food court and the busses all in one place. When you go into the food court area the bus is always a mess when it gets around to there, I like the style of the values where the busses are all split up, but that’s just me!

SO SAD that Jungle Cruise is closed in Sept, like, legit, such a classic! Hahah Crystal Palace is a nice place for dinner, I prefer breakfast, but that’s just me! Super yummy and who doesn’t love the hundred acre gang??

As for the BOG ressie, I suggest also walking up to the restaurant when you’re there, later into the evening and asking if they have had any cancellations, and definitely mention that you’re solo and they’ll see what they can do!

Super excited to hear the AK/Mnsshp plans!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

We all really enjoyed CBR when we stayed there last year. It’s super nice, has the feel of actually being on vacation without being necessarily “in disney” and it was surprisingly quiet!

Cool thoughts on the “new thigns” and mini golf!

That was the one thing I didn’t really like about CBR, or any of the moderates actually, I like having the food court and the busses all in one place. When you go into the food court area the bus is always a mess when it gets around to there, I like the style of the values where the busses are all split up, but that’s just me!

SO SAD that Jungle Cruise is closed in Sept, like, legit, such a classic! Hahah Crystal Palace is a nice place for dinner, I prefer breakfast, but that’s just me! Super yummy and who doesn’t love the hundred acre gang??

As for the BOG ressie, I suggest also walking up to the restaurant when you’re there, later into the evening and asking if they have had any cancellations, and definitely mention that you’re solo and they’ll see what they can do!

Super excited to hear the AK/Mnsshp plans!

That's one of the reasons I picked CBR, I love the idea of a tropical vacation within my Disney vacation! I agree with you completely about the buses though. I prefer the layout of the values of having one stop per destination and one bus stop area. But we'll see how I feel about CBR's layout once I go!

I am sad Jungle Cruise is closed during my trip. It's corny and cheesy, but I love it! I did try for a pre-park-opening breakfast ressie for CP but none were available nor have any opened up since then. I'll keep looking though. Same for BOG. I did plan on maybe trying a walk-up that day. We'll see what happens!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Request:

Can I please ask for prayers/positive thoughts/etc for my friend Steve today? He is meeting with a potential investor for his company later today. He absolutely needs this so he can expand his business to where he needs it to be and has spent the last 3 weeks preparing for it. He is a stressed out mess, hoping all goes well and deserves for things to start going right for him!!

Thanks!!! : goodvibes

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[afwdwfan]

Absolutely!! I hope it goes well for him. Keep us posted.

 

[KatMark]

LOVE your Day 2 plans.

for Mickey mail.

And I have all extremeties that I can cross crossed for Steve.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Absolutely!! I hope it goes well for him. Keep us posted.

Thanks!

LOVE your Day 2 plans.

for Mickey mail.

And I have all extremeties that I can cross crossed for Steve.

I was too when I say the envelope!

Thank you very much! I hope this happens for him so badly!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Request:

Can I please ask for prayers/positive thoughts/etc for my friend Steve today? He is meeting with a potential investor for his company later today. He absolutely needs this so he can expand his business to where he needs it to be and has spent the last 3 weeks preparing for it. He is a stressed out mess, hoping all goes well and deserves for things to start going right for him!!

Thanks!!! : goodvibes

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You got it! Keep us posted on how it goes/went.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

You got it! Keep us posted on how it goes/went.

Thanks. Updating in a minute.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

STEVE UPDATE:

The investor passed. Despite what he told Steve several times about wanting to invest he didn't really plan on giving Steve any money. He did offer to help him with advertising, for free, starting with a free website. While that is nice and he appreciates it, he is kinda mad that he was led to believe otherwise and thought he finally got the break he needs. Until he gets that money he cannot get the equipment he needs to expand his business. He is really frustrated, especially since the guy told him all the information looked great but he just couldn't invest.

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[KatMark]

I'm so sorry. Hopefully another investor will show up soon.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

I'm so sorry. Hopefully another investor will show up soon.

Thanks. I spent over 2 hours on the phone with him while he ranted and vented all of his frustrations. I wish I could help him more than I do, but unless I win that big Powerball jackpot tonight I don't know what else I can do! And he is out of ideas too. What made it worse was that the guy did tell Steve many times how great the investment idea was and how wonderful the terms he had were. He's been told that many times, but no one is actually willing to follow through with that investment.

The guy did say he knows some people who might want to invest and will give them Steve's info, but who knows what will happen with that.

 

[afwdwfan]

Wow. That's a pretty big punch to the gut to put all that information together and anticipate a meeting with a potential "investor" who had no intention of investing to begin with.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Wow. That's a pretty big punch to the gut to put all that information together and anticipate a meeting with a potential "investor" who had no intention of investing to begin with.

Exactly! He had really high hopes for this meeting, and to have it be nothing like what he thought just really frustrated him. If the guy had told him in advance that he only wanted to help him with advertising and promotion he absolutely still would have met with him and appreciated the help, but he wouldn't have been expecting more than that and been disappointed like he was.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

On a happier note...

ONE MONTH TIL MY TRIP!!

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[KatMark]

On a happier note...

ONE MONTH TIL MY TRIP!!

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[ronnmel]

That sucks. I'm sorry Steve didn't get positive news.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

That sucks. I'm sorry Steve didn't get positive news.

Thanks. Sucks is a good word to describe it for sure.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

DAY THREE, TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH

I will be getting up around 6am today, so I can take a shower, eat a granola bar, etc and be at the bus stop by 7-7:15am. I have EMH hours to take advantage of this morning. In which park you ask? This one!






Once they let us in I will head right here:






To get a Fastpass for Soarin and then get in the standby line. Once I finish riding I will eat the one breakfast I must eat in a park every trip, Sunshine Seasons. I just love their platter, the potatoes are delicious!

Once I finish eating I will do Living with the Land and use my Soarin Fastpass, the order depending on what time my fastpass is for.

Next up will be the Imagination pavillion to do this, especially since it may be gone for good in January.






Then I'll do something I haven't REALLY done before, Innoventions. Techinically I have walked through the buildings, but never done any of the exhibits, at all. I plan on doing them all this time!

I figure by the time I get done everything there it will probably be time for my lunch ADR, which is 11:35am at Coral Reef Restaurant. I really loved the food and atmosphere here in December so I'm glad I get to come back!

After a delicious meal with the fishes I will head inside to see more fish! I'll ride Nemo, then explore the tanks. I hope I have time to do the second new thing for Epcot while I'm in there, Turtle Talk with Crush! I may not though, as I have to be back here by 1:15pm:






No, not to ride it again, but to do my first tour this trip, Behind the Seeds. I have a reservation for the 1:30pm tour and I'm really looking forward to it. I loved the recap Lisa did last year on her tour and knew I had to do it when I got a chance.

After my tour I will head across Future World to do SSE, Ellen, Mission:Space and another kind of new attraction, the re-designed Test Track. I missed the soft opening by one day in December, and want to see how I feel about it myself.

Once Future World is finished I will enter the World Showcase. I have a goal this trip, to get a small snack from each country. So I will do that in Mexico along with Gran Fiesta Tour and maybe some shopping. Then Norway to get my snack there and ride Maelstrom. When I get to China I will get my snack, and then one of the last things for the first time in Epcot. The only country I have ever watched the video for is Norway, after doing Maelstrom. So Reflections of China will be the first one I come to and watch.

My snacks in Germany and Italy will come next, then America, where I will also watch The American Adventure. I'll keep going around to get my snacks in Japan, Morocco and France, watching Impressions De France before getting my snacks in the UK and Canada. My last video will be O'Canada. I have actually gotten in line for this the last 2 trips but have yet to watch it. I can't remember why I got out of line in February last year, but in December I started feeling sicker and got out to sit for a bit and by the time I felt a bit better I needed to get to my spot for Illuminations.

Sometime during my tour of World Showcase I will have to head back to Italy for dinner. My ADR is for 7pm at Via Napoli. I doubt I will make it through all of WS before I have to head back, though that would be great. After enjoying a delicious pizza for dinner I will have to decide where I want to watch Illuminations at 9pm. The only place I have ever watched it from is Showcase Plaza. The view there is phenomenal, so I will probably go back there to watch again.






After Illuminations I will slowly walk with the masses back to the bus stops and head back to CBR for the night. I'll probably be pretty tired so I'll just upload my pictures from the day and go to sleep.

NEW STUFF THIS DAY:
INNOVENTIONS EXHIBITS
TURTLE TALK WITH CRUSH
REDESIGNED TEST TRACK
VIDEOS IN CHINA, AMERICA, FRANCE AND CANADA

NEXT TIME: Lions, Tigers and....Gorillas? Oh My!



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