First let me re-introduce myself My name is Donald! I am a 26 year old video/film production student living in Boston, and I have been a Disney Park Nut(tm) since I was six years old. My first trip was in 1993, staying at the good ol' Dixie Landings resort (of which I remember nothing but the excellent breakfast pizza I ate there) I visited again in the late 90s for a day. My last real trip was in March of 2010. I wrote a trip report (technically two) that you can read here and here.
In January, I made myself a promise. "This year, I will go to Disney World." In February, I booked a package. In May, I got plane tickets. Just a week and half ago, I paid off the trip in its entirety.
It's real. I'm going to Disney World!
Reason for the trip? Well, when I first signed up for this, it looked as though I'd be graduating from film school in December, and it would be a great way to wrap up the three years I've spent getting my degree (no time off, summer semesters and everything!) Of course, my school changed how they operate, moving from semesters to quarters, which resulted in some of my classes getting pushed back, so now I graduate in the spring of next year, however, my major senior thesis film is done, and most of my classes are in the bag, so screw it, I am celebrating anyway.
I leave Boston at 10:20am on Monday, December 2nd, and arrive in Orlando at around 1:30. I will leave Orlando at 8:30pm on Sunday, December 8th (the saddest flight)
I am staying at Art of Animation. Originally I had planned to stay at Pop Century, but seeing how small the increase in price was to stay at the shiny new hotel, and hearing about the Pop Warner thing that is shipping in right before I leave, I decided to go Under the Sea and hang out at Little Mermaid. If I had my way, I'd be at the Poly, but uh, yeah, I am but a poor college student.
Originally I was planning on keeping the trip loosey goosey, not planning much. Of course, due to my need to make plans, and the new magic of MagicBands, that ended up getting tossed. Not bad, really. I still have a few days where plans aren't set in stone.
So here is the idea for the plans
Day One - December 2nd 2013
I of course have a plane to catch in the morning. I will probably grab breakfast at the airport as I wait for my plane. I have a tiny netbook that I will be bringing so I can watch a movie or something on the plane and not focus on the fact that I am in a metal tube hurtling through the air at ungodly speeds.
When I arrive in Orlando, I am gonna head straight to the Magical Express, and then off to the Art of Animation. I am estimating this will take around an hour depending on how long I have to wait for a bus.
Once I have arrived and checked in at my hotel (or at least told them I have arrived if my room isn't ready) I will jet off to The Magic Kingdom. To me, it's the only place to start the vacation.
Other than that, I have nothing planned for the trip on this day. I haven't booked an ADRs or special events. I am just going to see where the wind takes me, which I imagine will be in the direction of The Haunted Mansion to get my ghost fix. I have a Mansion FP+ booked, along with Splash and Big Thunder Mountains.
I do intend to stay through the night's Extra Magic Hours, which I know is often considered a mistake since so many others have the same idea, but I've never gotten to stay in Magic Kingdom until super late. I may venture back to the hotel a little earlier than park close just to able to swing by Landscape of Flavors for a brief snack.
Day Two - December 3rd 2013
Despite the late night planned at Magic Kingdom, I plan to be up bright an early to grab breakfast then head over for park opening of Hollywood Studios. This is the park that holds the one major new ride since my last visit (Star Tours) and I am dying to check it out. I grabbed a FP+ for it, Toy Story Mania, and my fave, Tower of Terror.
After doing at least those, I will grab a small lunch at Studio Catering Co, which I discovered on last trip and cannot rave enough about for a small counter service joint. Just lovely sandwiches.
Then at around 2:30 or 3, it's off to the Magic Kingdom. Now I said this is a Solo trip, and that's mostly correct, but it isn't entirely true. Here's Why.
My aunt, her partner, and their son David will be at Disney World at the same time. They visit once a year, and my last trip in 2010 was also around the same time as theirs. We have planned a few things that we have to do together, and today presents the first.
At 4:30 they have invited me to join them on their reservation at Be Our Guest for dinner. I am thrilled. I wanted desperately to give it a try, but because of the 180 day reservation system (and how it allows folks to book for their entire trip) the only chance at a reservation was the last night of the trip at 9:20 on a night where the park closes at 10. Not ideal. I took it, and still have it, but I may release it soon since I think once will be enough to say I tried and did the experience.
Once dinner is over, I intend to stick around for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I want to bask in the goodness that is Disney Christmas since I haven't seen it before, and besides, the allure of small wait times for pretty much any attraction that isn't a parade or fireworks show has my tongue panting like a dogs. This might change as I haven't bought a ticket yet, but we'll see)
Day Three - December 4th 2013
Today I am going to once again tempt fate and go with the flow of Extra Magic Hours. Animal Kingdom has morning hours, so I am going to head over there for that to catch all the must rides (and try to ride Everest as much as I can. Love that ride to death) and wander around taking in the atmosphere and sightseeing. I have some FP+booked, buuuut MDE is giving me some trouble with my reservations for that day, so we'll see. It's the only hiccup that I've dealt with in the process.
I'll probably catch lunch at FlameTree, possibly with an Orlando area friend with an AP who wants to meet up if his schedule allows. We still haven't really chatted that out much, so we'll see.
The only other major plan of the day is to head to Kona Cafe at the Polynesian for a 5:20 ADR. I knew I wanted to book a meal at the Polynesian, but Ohana didn't feel right as I am running solo. Kona sounds wonderful though, so I feel like I made a good choice.
After dinner, I am not sure what I want to do, be it to head into the Magic Kingdom until it closes, or to try and catch up with my aunts in their Bay Lake DVC pad. Who knows. I've also thought about just soaking up the Poly atmosphere and watching wishes from the Beach (which is something I've never done)
This post is getting reaaaaaally long, so I'll continue this in a bit.
In January, I made myself a promise. "This year, I will go to Disney World." In February, I booked a package. In May, I got plane tickets. Just a week and half ago, I paid off the trip in its entirety.
It's real. I'm going to Disney World!
Reason for the trip? Well, when I first signed up for this, it looked as though I'd be graduating from film school in December, and it would be a great way to wrap up the three years I've spent getting my degree (no time off, summer semesters and everything!) Of course, my school changed how they operate, moving from semesters to quarters, which resulted in some of my classes getting pushed back, so now I graduate in the spring of next year, however, my major senior thesis film is done, and most of my classes are in the bag, so screw it, I am celebrating anyway.
I leave Boston at 10:20am on Monday, December 2nd, and arrive in Orlando at around 1:30. I will leave Orlando at 8:30pm on Sunday, December 8th (the saddest flight)
I am staying at Art of Animation. Originally I had planned to stay at Pop Century, but seeing how small the increase in price was to stay at the shiny new hotel, and hearing about the Pop Warner thing that is shipping in right before I leave, I decided to go Under the Sea and hang out at Little Mermaid. If I had my way, I'd be at the Poly, but uh, yeah, I am but a poor college student.
Originally I was planning on keeping the trip loosey goosey, not planning much. Of course, due to my need to make plans, and the new magic of MagicBands, that ended up getting tossed. Not bad, really. I still have a few days where plans aren't set in stone.
So here is the idea for the plans
Day One - December 2nd 2013
I of course have a plane to catch in the morning. I will probably grab breakfast at the airport as I wait for my plane. I have a tiny netbook that I will be bringing so I can watch a movie or something on the plane and not focus on the fact that I am in a metal tube hurtling through the air at ungodly speeds.
When I arrive in Orlando, I am gonna head straight to the Magical Express, and then off to the Art of Animation. I am estimating this will take around an hour depending on how long I have to wait for a bus.
Once I have arrived and checked in at my hotel (or at least told them I have arrived if my room isn't ready) I will jet off to The Magic Kingdom. To me, it's the only place to start the vacation.
Other than that, I have nothing planned for the trip on this day. I haven't booked an ADRs or special events. I am just going to see where the wind takes me, which I imagine will be in the direction of The Haunted Mansion to get my ghost fix. I have a Mansion FP+ booked, along with Splash and Big Thunder Mountains.
I do intend to stay through the night's Extra Magic Hours, which I know is often considered a mistake since so many others have the same idea, but I've never gotten to stay in Magic Kingdom until super late. I may venture back to the hotel a little earlier than park close just to able to swing by Landscape of Flavors for a brief snack.
Day Two - December 3rd 2013
Despite the late night planned at Magic Kingdom, I plan to be up bright an early to grab breakfast then head over for park opening of Hollywood Studios. This is the park that holds the one major new ride since my last visit (Star Tours) and I am dying to check it out. I grabbed a FP+ for it, Toy Story Mania, and my fave, Tower of Terror.
After doing at least those, I will grab a small lunch at Studio Catering Co, which I discovered on last trip and cannot rave enough about for a small counter service joint. Just lovely sandwiches.
Then at around 2:30 or 3, it's off to the Magic Kingdom. Now I said this is a Solo trip, and that's mostly correct, but it isn't entirely true. Here's Why.
My aunt, her partner, and their son David will be at Disney World at the same time. They visit once a year, and my last trip in 2010 was also around the same time as theirs. We have planned a few things that we have to do together, and today presents the first.
At 4:30 they have invited me to join them on their reservation at Be Our Guest for dinner. I am thrilled. I wanted desperately to give it a try, but because of the 180 day reservation system (and how it allows folks to book for their entire trip) the only chance at a reservation was the last night of the trip at 9:20 on a night where the park closes at 10. Not ideal. I took it, and still have it, but I may release it soon since I think once will be enough to say I tried and did the experience.
Once dinner is over, I intend to stick around for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I want to bask in the goodness that is Disney Christmas since I haven't seen it before, and besides, the allure of small wait times for pretty much any attraction that isn't a parade or fireworks show has my tongue panting like a dogs. This might change as I haven't bought a ticket yet, but we'll see)
Day Three - December 4th 2013
Today I am going to once again tempt fate and go with the flow of Extra Magic Hours. Animal Kingdom has morning hours, so I am going to head over there for that to catch all the must rides (and try to ride Everest as much as I can. Love that ride to death) and wander around taking in the atmosphere and sightseeing. I have some FP+booked, buuuut MDE is giving me some trouble with my reservations for that day, so we'll see. It's the only hiccup that I've dealt with in the process.
I'll probably catch lunch at FlameTree, possibly with an Orlando area friend with an AP who wants to meet up if his schedule allows. We still haven't really chatted that out much, so we'll see.
The only other major plan of the day is to head to Kona Cafe at the Polynesian for a 5:20 ADR. I knew I wanted to book a meal at the Polynesian, but Ohana didn't feel right as I am running solo. Kona sounds wonderful though, so I feel like I made a good choice.
After dinner, I am not sure what I want to do, be it to head into the Magic Kingdom until it closes, or to try and catch up with my aunts in their Bay Lake DVC pad. Who knows. I've also thought about just soaking up the Poly atmosphere and watching wishes from the Beach (which is something I've never done)
This post is getting reaaaaaally long, so I'll continue this in a bit.
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