You're Here BY YOURSELF? A Solo TR COMPLETED!

[creativeamanda]

I heard that question more times than I care to mention last week. You left the kids in the room? You are here by yourself? Dining alone?

Proudly, I would just exclaim, YES! Now, for more information about my dining, see the link below for my dining report. But on to my trip report--

This is me, Amanda, a mother of three and a special education teacher/administrator. I love Disney, and if you read my PTR (link below), you'll see that dh LIKES Disney, but does not LOVE Disney. I've wanted to go to Disney by myself for a while now, and I am just blessed that I have a husband that did not mind being in the house with the kids alone for a week. Christmas week at that.

The picture was taken by my wonderful server at Boma.

And my trip specifics:
WHEN: Christmas Week, 2009
WHERE: Port Orleans-French Quarter
TICKETS: Magic Your Way with Park Hoppers
DINING: Deluxe Dining Plan

Coming up. . .Table of Contents

AND THEN. . .
7am Arrival. . .Where will I go first?!?

 

[creativeamanda]

Table of Contents. . .

You're Here By Yourself? A Solo TR

7am Arrival. . .Where will I go First?

Space Mountian, Here I Come!

Tower of Terror and Drinking Don't Mix

Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Day 1 Photopass

Shopping

Before the Party

It's PARTY TIME!

"I like your shirt. Where'd you get it from?" Answer--"My homegirl TK"

Coral Reef and Illuminations

Lions and Tigers and Monkeys (Oh, My!)

Is it too cold for a water ride?

My New Favorite Restaurant

Hopping over to Magic Kingdom EMH

Holiday Wishes

Sleeping In and Shopping--My 2 Favorite Indulgences

It's All Coming Back to Me

Flying Fish

The Osborne Lights

Rope Drop at Magic Kingdom

The Christmas Parade

Hopping the Parks

Crowded Buses Make Me Nervous

Epcot for the Weary Traveler

Resort Hopping

Where Did I Go?

Leaving my home behind

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

Subscribing! I've been by myself before and I got many of the same questions I'm going by myself Spring 2010 and staying in Port Orleans French Quarter!

 

[KatMark]

I've never gone by myself and have no plans to do so, but your report sounds like fun so I'm here for the duration.

 

[creativeamanda]

Subscribing! I've been by myself before and I got many of the same questions I'm going by myself Spring 2010 and staying in Port Orleans French Quarter!

So glad you are here! You know, I thought I'd be uncomfortable by the questions, but I wasn't.

I've never gone by myself and have no plans to do so, but your report sounds like fun so I'm here for the duration.

I really had an awesome time.

 

[ClareH37]

Can't wait to read more I have my first solo trip in May, it was a choice of not going (my boyfriend and friends would prefer to lounge on a beach sipping rum punch instead!) or going by myself ..... you can guess what I chose

 

[LegoMom3]

Well get on with it, woman!!....I wanna see how this goes!

I really, really can't wait to read more. I'm so glad you got to do this trip. I would LOVE to stay at FQ on my solo but it just pushes the cost up a tad too high for me. And on that note, how was the food court?......

.

 

[heaven2dc]

How exciting that you got to go by yourself! I was alone for the first 4 days last December until my DD, DGS and her ex-bf joined me for the last 4 days and I loved being by myself. I did get a little lonely (I've been on a 7-day cruise by myself and cried my 4th night cuz I missed my kids - silly isn't it? They were all grown up pretty much except my youngest).

Hope you had a grand time!

 

[creativeamanda]

Can't wait to read more I have my first solo trip in May, it was a choice of not going (my boyfriend and friends would prefer to lounge on a beach sipping rum punch instead!) or going by myself ..... you can guess what I chose

Great choice and

Well get on with it, woman!!....I wanna see how this goes!

I really, really can't wait to read more. I'm so glad you got to do this trip. I would LOVE to stay at FQ on my solo but it just pushes the cost up a tad too high for me. And on that note, how was the food court?......

.

I'll have to get to the food court. Needless to say, I ate outside on the first trip, lol.

How exciting that you got to go by yourself! I was alone for the first 4 days last December until my DD, DGS and her ex-bf joined me for the last 4 days and I loved being by myself. I did get a little lonely (I've been on a 7-day cruise by myself and cried my 4th night cuz I missed my kids - silly isn't it? They were all grown up pretty much except my youngest).

Hope you had a grand time!

I did not cry becasue I missed the kids, but several times I wished the kids could see certain things.

 

[creativeamanda]

The night before, I drove as far as Richmond Hill, GA, and slept at a pretty new Best Western. I was given a 3rd floor room, and although I was pretty darn tired, I couldn't sleep. I got in at 9pm and went to bed at 10pm. And then woke up.

At 11pm

12am

2am. . .

You get the picture. At 2:30, I finally got up, showered, got dressed, packed up the car, woke up the lady at the front desk, and left for Orlando. At around 7am, I sent a text to Mean Queen to the effect of "In Orlando". I didn't want to wake her up, but I knew she would have been thinking about me and whether or not I was going to call her, telling her I was having trouble.

Either way, I got on to Disney Property at about 7:45 am, and went to check in. I knew my room wouldn't be ready, so I just wanted to maybe go to Epcot that morning. I went to the online checkin line, because the regular line was not open, and was honestly checked in quicker than I was for online checkin in June at POR. I then heard the best words a castmember could tell me at theat time, "You are in room 1321."

Now, they don't tell you your room number unless it is already ready. I think that with all of the concerns I had in the past, not being able to see my reservation online and all, they were trying to help me out. I'm glad my room was ready.

I asked for a parking lot view room in buildings 1 or 7. I got a parking lot view in building 1 on the 3rd floor.

My room number :

I got my stuff inthe room and texted Mean Queen to tell her that the room was ready, I was there, and I was going to breakfast and then to Epcot.

I walked around the grounds for a bit. . .

This was the view from about 10 steps outside my door--I was close to the corner of the building.

And pictures of the grounds. . .

Then, I got breakfast at Sassagoula Floatworks. Here's the catcher here.

I'm scared of clowns.

Deathly.

Scared.

of

CLOWNS.

I mean, I can't look at them without a panic attack. And the court jesters at the food court at POFQ? Well, they look like clowns. I got my refillable mug and cheese danish, daring myself NOT to look up.

And then went and sat outside to eat.

And then I jumped in the car instead of riding the bus and started driving. The next thing I knew, I was getting on this:

Now, you might ask, "Why did Amanda drive to the Ticket and Transportation Center to take a monorail to Epcot?"

The answer is simple. . .I did not drive there to go to Epcot. In a last second decision, I predicted myself that there would be less crowds at MK due to the party that night. I was right. Next thenk I knew, I was here. . .

The Christmas tree at MK:

So, where did I go first? Only time will tell. . .

 

[LegoMom3]

Wow, the MK is GORGEOUS!! I watched a special on HGTV the other week about how they decorate the World for the holidays. A.Maz.Ing.

I'm proud of you with the food court!...nothing wrong with eating outside, enjoying the nice weather and all.....

.

 

[scdvcwannabe]

Wow! You beat us there. We didn't arrive until 2ish and then went to DTD. I wish that we had gotten an earlier start. The weather was so much bettter on Thursday. We went to MK in the rain on Friday and again with the crowds on Saturday. I can't wait to read your report!

 

[hucifer]

Hi Amanda. I enjoy reading solo reports, so I'm in. I also stayed at the POFQ when I did the solo thing in July. I LOVED it there...it was soooooooo quiet and pretty!

Looking forward to the rest of it.

 

[hucifer]

Subscribing! I've been by myself before and I got many of the same questions I'm going by myself Spring 2010 and staying in Port Orleans French Quarter!

Apparently POFQ is THE resort to stay in when going solo. Have you been there before? It's a beautiful resort.

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

yay!!! I'm glad you made it home I agree, it's nice having WDW to yourself but there is always a part of me that feels like man this is weird eating alone and riding alone but then I get over it lol. When I used to work at WDW and my parents would come to visit or friends, I would always get to the resort before them and typically use the food court prior to their arrival and I would always sit there and families would look at me funny like why is she alone, where are her people...soon enough they always came lol.

I love POFQ, it was the first resort I ever stayed at when I was young (7). We stayed there 3 or 4 times before we discovered WL and there is no turning back of course. I stayed there last year (weekend before the closing of PI in DTD) with WDW roomies and we were in building 3 1st floor. We booked a standard room but were 4 doors from the lobby/food and looking at the ent. of the pool so I would consider that one an upgrade lol.

Can't wait for more!

 

[creativeamanda]

Wow, the MK is GORGEOUS!! I watched a special on HGTV the other week about how they decorate the World for the holidays. A.Maz.Ing.

I'm proud of you with the food court!...nothing wrong with eating outside, enjoying the nice weather and all.....

.

I absolutely loved the way MK was decorated. So much so, that while when I arrived I was definitely not in the Christmas spirit, by the time I left I was back in the groove and mood for it.

Let me tell you, I have become suddenly quite tolerant of clowns. I still can't look at Pennywise, but the clowns at POFQ helped a bit.

Wow! You beat us there. We didn't arrive until 2ish and then went to DTD. I wish that we had gotten an earlier start. The weather was so much bettter on Thursday. We went to MK in the rain on Friday and again with the crowds on Saturday. I can't wait to read your report!

It was rainy on Friday--I slept in that day and went to DTD to shop then to MK for the party after the rain had stopped.

Hi Amanda. I enjoy reading solo reports, so I'm in. I also stayed at the POFQ when I did the solo thing in July. I LOVED it there...it was soooooooo quiet and pretty!

Looking forward to the rest of it.

It is very quiet there--I loved it!

Apparently POFQ is THE resort to stay in when going solo. Have you been there before? It's a beautiful resort.

No, I had not. I had only been to POR, and there is a similar, yet different feeling at POFQ.

yay!!! I'm glad you made it home I agree, it's nice having WDW to yourself but there is always a part of me that feels like man this is weird eating alone and riding alone but then I get over it lol. When I used to work at WDW and my parents would come to visit or friends, I would always get to the resort before them and typically use the food court prior to their arrival and I would always sit there and families would look at me funny like why is she alone, where are her people...soon enough they always came lol.

I love POFQ, it was the first resort I ever stayed at when I was young (7). We stayed there 3 or 4 times before we discovered WL and there is no turning back of course. I stayed there last year (weekend before the closing of PI in DTD) with WDW roomies and we were in building 3 1st floor. We booked a standard room but were 4 doors from the lobby/food and looking at the ent. of the pool so I would consider that one an upgrade lol.

Can't wait for more!

That was certainly an upgrade!

I do love it there.

 

[kamikazecat]

I am joining in as well. I am jealous of your solo trip. I hope for a few hours of me time on my next trip

 

[A-Jay]

I'm in as well.....Going on my first solo in a few short weeks. A bit nervous about it, but I have been reading about the wonderful time others have had on there solo trips. Can't wait to read more.

 

[eandesmom]

Hey Amanda!

Looking forward to your report, glad you made it safe and sound though your 2am wakeup certainly beat your estimate of 4:15! Very happy your room was ready, that makes all the difference in getting settled right away, at least for me!

 

[creativeamanda]

I am joining in as well. I am jealous of your solo trip. I hope for a few hours of me time on my next trip

My next trip is with everyone and I can honestly say this time coming up, I have no desire for a whole bunch of me time. I think I got that in quite nicely.

I'm in as well.....Going on my first solo in a few short weeks. A bit nervous about it, but I have been reading about the wonderful time others have had on there solo trips. Can't wait to read more.

You will love it. You have to realize people are going to wonder why you are by yourself, but the castmembers are awesome! I also met some great people waiting in lines and such and know I never would have met them had I been with the kids.

Hey Amanda!

Looking forward to your report, glad you made it safe and sound though your 2am wakeup certainly beat your estimate of 4:15! Very happy your room was ready, that makes all the difference in getting settled right away, at least for me!

I know--I just couldn't sleep! I wonder why.