With Every Passing Hour, I'm So Glad I Left My Tower! My Solo Birthday Adventure *NEW 3/5

[PippiDancer]

After the Trolley Show, I had a very important Fastpass to get to. But, of course I had to take castle pics on my way because there is no such thing as too many.







I stopped for some Photopass pictures in the hub. The photographer was great. She took a bunch of photos and they turned out to be some of my favorites!

 

[PippiDancer]

And then my fastpass window was about to open, so I headed into New Fantasyland for my very first ride on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train!



I walked right on, thank you fastpass! I ended up riding with a little girl, her mom and brother were behind us.







I know a lot of people were disappointed with it, but I thought it was a great ride! Sure, I thought it could be longer, but I can say that about almost all rides. Would I wait over 90 minutes for it? No. But I wouldn’t wait that long for anything. I thought it was a lot of fun! I loved the part in the mine and the fact that they re-used Snow White’s cottage at the end of the ride.

After the ride, I decided to stick to New Fantasyland since I was right there.





There wasn’t a wait for Journey of the Little Mermaid, so I went on that. I love the outside part of the queue, it is gorgeous

 

[PippiDancer]

There wasn’t anyone behind me, so I took the opportunity to stop and take some picture of the inside of the queue.










Like I said, there was no one there. I practically had the ride to myself.

 

[PippiDancer]

It was a cute ride, as always.

I thought about going to meet Ariel at her Grotto, but the wait was posted at 45 minutes so I decided to wait and come back another time. I never did make it back though.

I had a very laid back attitude this morning, I just kind of wandered around and marveled at the magic of being there. I meandered my way over to Storybook Circus to check the wait for Dumbo



The wait time was over an hour, no thank you, so I headed back out.

I kept wandering and ended up in Tomorrowland. My feet were starting to hurt and it felt like the was a blister forming on the bottom of my foot. I stopped to check my feet and sure enough there was the beginning of blister the size of a quarter on the ball of my foot. Great! Just what I needed on my first day. I decided it would be a good idea to get off my feet for a little while, so I went on Carousel of Progress.



It was a nice way to rest in some air conditioning and I love that show anyway. It is just so classic Disney, and that song is super catchy.

The wait time for Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor was only 5 minutes, so I did that next. There was an older CM manning the line, he saw my birthday button and started singing Happy Birthday to me, then he grabbed my hand and twirled me around and said “Happy Birthday, Princess!” It was such a great moment and it totally made my day.

I pretty much walked through the line until it got to the pre-show.





The show was fun, but I also have a certain amount of anxiety during that show because I live in fear of being put on the big screen. It’s silly I know, but I don’t really like being put on the spot without notice.

 

[KathyM2]

Glad you liked 7DMT. Sorry about the blister...that is the absolute worst. It's really hard though to find shoes that don't do that when it's hot and you walk a lot.

 

[SarahDisney]

But, of course I had to take castle pics on my way because there is no such thing as too many.

That is absolutely a true statement.

I know a lot of people were disappointed with it, but I thought it was a great ride! Sure, I thought it could be longer, but I can say that about almost all rides. Would I wait over 90 minutes for it? No. But I wouldn’t wait that long for anything. I thought it was a lot of fun! I loved the part in the mine and the fact that they re-used Snow White’s cottage at the end of the ride.

I totally agree on all counts. Yes, I would like to to be longer, but I also feel the same way about many rides. The mine is my favorite part, and I love the use of the cottage at the end. I just hope all those people who don't like it stop going on it, which hopefully will make a shorter line for the rest of us to wait on!

There wasn’t anyone behind me, so I took the opportunity to stop and take some picture of the inside of the queue.

You got some great pictures! I always wish I had more time to stop and take pictures of the queue ... but I never have good enough luck to have nobody behind me!

The wait time for Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor was only 5 minutes, so I did that next. There was an older CM manning the line, he saw my birthday button and started singing Happy Birthday to me, then he grabbed my hand and twirled me around and said “Happy Birthday, Princess!” It was such a great moment and it totally made my day.

That is so awesome! I love fun CMs!

Sorry about the blister ... I hope your foot felt a little better after you spent some time off of it!

 

[hokieinpa]

I love all of the Little Mermaid pictures. It's my favorite ride at MK!

I agree 100% about 7DMT - short but really fun!

Over an hour for Dumbo? That's crazy! I don't think we ever saw a wait over 10 minutes in October.

I'm sorry about the blister. Good plan taking a little break with some easy attractions in Tomorrowland!

 

[wdwobsessed]

Loving your trip report! I'm really contemplating taking a trip solo.

Bummer about the blister.
I buy expensive socks and lather my feet with blister block every day in the world! Usually helps

 

[PippiDancer]

That is absolutely a true statement.

I totally agree on all counts. Yes, I would like to to be longer, but I also feel the same way about many rides. The mine is my favorite part, and I love the use of the cottage at the end. I just hope all those people who don't like it stop going on it, which hopefully will make a shorter line for the rest of us to wait on!

You got some great pictures! I always wish I had more time to stop and take pictures of the queue ... but I never have good enough luck to have nobody behind me!

That is so awesome! I love fun CMs!

Sorry about the blister ... I hope your foot felt a little better after you spent some time off of it!

I think the line for SDMT will go down once the ride isn't so new anymore. It was nice to be able to walk through the Little Mermaid queue and stop to admire all of the details. That CM was great, I wish I had gotten his name.

I love all of the Little Mermaid pictures. It's my favorite ride at MK!

I agree 100% about 7DMT - short but really fun!

Over an hour for Dumbo? That's crazy! I don't think we ever saw a wait over 10 minutes in October.

I'm sorry about the blister. Good plan taking a little break with some easy attractions in Tomorrowland!

The Little Mermaid ride is adorable, I love it. I was shocked when I saw that Dumbo wait, the park wasn't even that crowded, I have no idea why the line got that long.

Loving your trip report! I'm really contemplating taking a trip solo.

Bummer about the blister.
I buy expensive socks and lather my feet with blister block every day in the world! Usually helps

Welcome! I was really nervous about going on a solo trip, but I had an amazing time!

 

[PippiDancer]

It was after 12:30 by now and I was starting to get hungry, so I decided to go find some lunch. I’ve been wanting to try Columbia Harbor House, so that is where I headed. I cut through the hub, so of course I had to stop for some castle pics.











I love the mosaics inside the castle! I wish I could have stopped to look at them more, but it was really crowded inside the castle and the best I could do was take this picture while walking through.

I was surprised how crowded Columbia Harbor House was at that time of day, but maybe it just seemed that way because the entry way is a small space. I only had to wait a few minutes to order. I ordered the fried shrimp and a frozen lemonade. And thanks to tips I’ve read on DIS, I headed straight upstairs to find a table. I found a small table next to a window in a side room that was practically empty.




This was my view from the window. It was fun to people watch while I ate.


The shrimp was great, I love the super crispy coating, and the fries were delicious as well. The lemonade was super refreshing, it was exactly what I needed on such a hot day. Once I drank half of it, I realized that it would be easier to eat it with a spoon. Only I didn’t have a spoon and didn’t have anyone to send up to get one. So I left my tray and quickly went up to grab one before a CM took my tray thinking I left. That is the biggest downside to a solo trip, not having anyone to go grab things while you saved a spot.

Overall, it was a great meal and a nice break in the air conditioning. I would definitely return to Columbia Harbor House again.

I had a 12:35-1:35 FP+ for Splash Mountain, so I headed there after I finished eating.


I didn’t wait long and ended up in the back row of a log. It was a great ride (as always). I got splashed just enough to cool off without getting soaked.

 

[PippiDancer]

After my trip to the Laughing Place, I decided to take a spin on the Walt Disney World Railroad. There were quite a few people waiting, but everyone was leaning against the railing, so there was a bunch of space in the middle and I ended up at the front by “filling in all available space.”




It was a nice ride, I love the view you get of the Contemporary. I planned on making a round trip, but I decided to get off at the Main Street Station instead.



I stopped to pin trade with a CM outside of the Emporium and made my very first trade ever for an Orange Bird pin.


While I was trading, I heard Dream Along with Mickey starting. I had never seen it before and it was on my to do list, so I quickly walked to the front of the castle to watch.






“You’ll always be a princess to me, Minnie”

 

[PippiDancer]

Love this picture!













It was an adorable show and I’m really glad I got to see it. It was originally supposed to be closed for “refurb” while I was there, which I was really upset about. I was very excited when I found out they were going to reopen early.

 

[SarahDisney]

That view from Columbia Harbor House is great!

You got some great pictures from Dream Along with Mickey! I've never actually stopped to watch it (I've seen much of it in passing), but it really seems cute, and I'm glad you enjoyed!

 

[KathyM2]

That is the biggest downside to a solo trip, not having anyone to go grab things while you saved a spot.

That could be a bit of a pain. At least you managed to snag a nice table with a view upstairs though. That shrimp looked good. I definitely hope to try CHH next time.

made my very first trade ever for an Orange Bird pin.

So cute!!

 

[LindseyJo22]

Love your pin! And I personally really enjoy the railroad; it's a fun way to see the park as a whole and get from place to place.

I'm definitely going upstairs next time I go to CHH; it looks so much less crowded than the last time I was there

Can't wait to read more!

 

[cajunfan]

Nice update! We tried Columbia Harbor House for the first time on our May trip! I'm with you that it seems so crowded when you walk in, but we did find a seat quickly and in a quiet area. We all had salads and loved them!

Lynn

 

[N8sgirl12]

I love Columbia Harbour House because they have a great salmon/couscous/broccoli dinner that makes me feel like I'm eating something healthy at Disney. Also LOVE the Dream Along with Mickey show but my kids groan now when I say I want to watch it. For them, once was enough. For me, I could watch every show all day long and not get bored!

 

[PippiDancer]

That view from Columbia Harbor House is great!

You got some great pictures from Dream Along with Mickey! I've never actually stopped to watch it (I've seen much of it in passing), but it really seems cute, and I'm glad you enjoyed!

It was great to eat lunch with that view! Dream Along was very adorable, I'm glad I got the chance to watch it.

That could be a bit of a pain. At least you managed to snag a nice table with a view upstairs though. That shrimp looked good. I definitely hope to try CHH next time.

So cute!!

CHH was great, and that shrimp was amazing, I'd definitely go back again!

Love your pin! And I personally really enjoy the railroad; it's a fun way to see the park as a whole and get from place to place.

I'm definitely going upstairs next time I go to CHH; it looks so much less crowded than the last time I was there

Can't wait to read more!

I really like the railroad too, it is a great way to take a break and get some great views of the park. It is a must do for every trip. There was barely anyone upstairs at CHH, it's a great hidden spot and has wonderful views!

Nice update! We tried Columbia Harbor House for the first time on our May trip! I'm with you that it seems so crowded when you walk in, but we did find a seat quickly and in a quiet area. We all had salads and loved them!

Lynn

I think it just gets congested around the entrance, so it seems more crowded than it actually is. They have some great options, I'll definitely be going back for lunch in the parks!

I love Columbia Harbour House because they have a great salmon/couscous/broccoli dinner that makes me feel like I'm eating something healthy at Disney. Also LOVE the Dream Along with Mickey show but my kids groan now when I say I want to watch it. For them, once was enough. For me, I could watch every show all day long and not get bored!

CHH has some great options that you can't find anywhere else in the parks, one of my new favorite QS spots! Dream Along is so adorable, I can see how you would love it so much!

 

[PippiDancer]

After Dream Along with Mickey finished it was about time to stake out a spot for the parade. It was my first time seeing Festival of Fantasy and I was super excited!

On my last trip we had the perfect spot for the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade at the corner of the parade route next to the stocks platform. It was great to be on the corner because we had a direct view of the parade coming towards us and then from the side once it turned. I wanted to sit in the same place for FoF and luckily there were plenty of space!

But after about 10 minutes I remembered that FoF came from the opposite direction, so I switched to the other side of the corner, right in front of Liberty Square Market. Right after I moved, so high school marching bands starting coming down the street. There was a low wall behind me that a bunch of people were sitting on, one lady starting yelling at me because I was blocking her son’s view, who was sitting in a stroller in front of her. I got flustered (and confused) because I wasn’t even standing directly in front of them. I tried to explain that there would be a bunch of people standing against the ropes for the parade, but she kept saying that I didn’t have to stand right in front of them. Luckily the other people sitting nearby stuck up for me and told her they would have to move if they wanted a clear view. So the lady shove the stroller to the edge of the sidewalk while giving me a death glare. They sat right next to me, which was awkward, but at least she stopped glaring at me.

I don’t know why, but the wait seemed really long. The pavement was scorching hot, so I couldn’t sit down, which probably made it seem longer. It had been hot all day, but there was a breeze to make it bearable. But of course the breeze had to die down while I was standing in direct sunlight. I was really starting to feel the heat and I ran out of water in my water bottle. All of the people around me were sending people to get ice cream across the street and the dad of the family next to me came back with cups of ice water. At that point I really wished I had someone with me to save a spot so I could get some water or stand in the shade for a few minutes. The sun was so hot, I just wanted to get the parade over with so I could get out of the sun. I could feel myself burning, but it was too crowded to get into my backpack for my sunscreen and the parade was finally visible and I didn’t want to miss anything.

Finally the parade got to us!












I LOVE the Floral Maiden costumes!

 

[PippiDancer]

I swear Merida kept was avoiding me. She turned away every time I tried to take a picture.






How great is this picture!?






I love the Cha Cha girls too!



I loved it! The soundtrack is wonderful, the costumes are amazing, and there is so much detail in the floats! However, I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as I would have because I was so desperate to get out of the sun.

Once the parade went by, I fought the crowds and went to Liberty Square Market to see if I could get a cup of ice water because I refuse to pay $3 for a bottle of water. But they didn’t have fountain drinks, so the CM told me I could get some from Sleepy Hollow.

I knew I had to get out of the heat so I ducked into the Hall of Presidents. I had never seen it before, but to be honest there was only three reasons I was seeing it now. 1) to escape the mass crowds, 2) a place to sit down, and 3) air conditioning.



I didn’t know that there was a movie, let alone that the movie took up most of the show. I was expecting the animatronics to be a large part of the show, not just the last 5 minutes. Although it was exactly what I needed at the time, a break in air conditioning, I don’t feel compelled to see it again.

The exit was right next to Sleepy Hollow, so I got in line for some ice water. I was expecting a tiny cup, but they gave me a large cup which filled my water bottle and still had some left over. I guess I really needed that water because my water bottle was empty 10 minutes later.