Pre-Trip I'm an adult now! A pre-trip report on my first solo WDW trip

So I'm going to WDW from January 3-11. Let me explain what happened here. My family always goes on two trips a year, one in August and one in January. When I was in high school, they used to pull me out for a few days. But now I'm in college, and I have to be back on January 13 for classes, and skipping is a bad idea. So my dad, who is awesome, said that he would be willing to pay for a room if I could find a girlfriend to go with me. Yea! So my best friend since childhood is going with me. We're both 18 and living at home. I've been to WDW over 40 times (yeah, I know) and she hasn't been in 4 years. We'll be staying at Pop Century. We will be using Magic Bands. I debated on opting out (I'm an AP holder, so my pass is separate, but decided to go with the flow). Mine is pink, hers (we'll call her bff) is blue. Here is the tentative itinerary:

January 3:

Dinner 7:15 at Cape May Café
Arrive at 12:30 pm (9:15 am flight out of BWI)

Hollywood Studios or Epcot

Epcot Extra Magic Hours 9-11


January 4

Magic Kingdom and Epcot (basically spend day at MK and if it's too crowded, go to Epcot)

Dinner 7 PM Kona (Polynesian)

MK is open until 11

I'm worried about the crowds at MK on Saturday, but Splash Mountain is closing on Monday, and it's bff's favorite ride, so we're going to try it and leave if the crowds are bad.

January 5

Animal Kingdom

Boma's 5:15 pm

Head to MK

Magic Kingdom EMH 10-12

Probably will watch Wishes


January 6

Hollywood Studios

Fantasmic! 7 pm

8:45 Restaurant Marakeesh (Morocco)

Epcot EMH 9-11



January 7

Magic Kingdom

Be Our Guest 8:00 PM



January 8

Whichever park we'd like to hit again for the day

Teppan Edo 6:55 PM



January 9

Hollywood Studios

5:20 Prime Time Café

Possible Fantasmic! Night as well, 7 PM



January 10

Whichever park we want to hit again

Les Chefs de France, Epcot 8 PM

January 11

Another "blank" day, Magical Express picks us up at 5:45

We're planning on doing Disney Quest on one of our "blank" days, whichever one looks the worst or the day that we leave. We'll decide that when we get down there. Another "blank" day will probably be used for a second Animal Kingdom day.

 

[ginadee]

You two will have a blast.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Today when I went to my account, I found that on my second hotel reservation (in order to get the AP rate, we had to split the reservations) and I found that it listed my friend's name twice!!! I called and got the reservation fixed. Had to relink it, but anyway...

My friend's pass arrived in the mail today! So that means we can now make FP+ reservations. I've got Fastpass+ reservations for 6 out of the 9 days (the days where we know for sure what we're doing). It's nice to know we'll definitely be able to get on TSM and Splash Mountain. Those were the big two. And because we both have cards, we'll be able to use our passes for regular Fastpasses. I booked times for the first weekend, so we should be good since I'm expecting larger crowds

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I was customizing Magic Bands last night and wanted to know what color Magic Band my friend wanted. I figured blue, but I wanted to check, so I sent her this text:
"Question: Red, green, pink, blue, orange, grey, or yellow?"

Her response:
"This is such a weird text, but blue."

"Okay, that's what I thought."

She is probably still scratching her head...

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Got an email today saying my Magic Bands should be arriving today! Should come home after school to find them waiting for me!!!

Less than one month!!!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Magicbands have arrived!

We also got our Magical Express tags today too!
Our reservation is split, so we should be getting our next set in a few days

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Got the second set of Magic Bands yesterday!!!

 

[MOXOMUMD]

I was customizing Magic Bands last night and wanted to know what color Magic Band my friend wanted. I figured blue, but I wanted to check, so I sent her this text:
"Question: Red, green, pink, blue, orange, grey, or yellow?"

Her response:
"This is such a weird text, but blue."

"Okay, that's what I thought."

She is probably still scratching her head...

Chartreuse.

 

[omurice]

This looks like a cool plan! I'll be at the World around this time too (from night of 1/2).
Just before Thanksgiving, they extended MK hours from 1/2 to 1/4 to 1AM every night, so I'm a little concerned about the MK crowds too (open that late, they're expecting it to be packed).
http://media.disneywebcontent.com/S.../pdf/ParkHours/WDW_Operating_Calendar_Jan.pdf

I'll be at MK one of those nights, either Fri or Sat if not too crazy crowded. Also want to see Osborne lights before it ends, I think both that and Comedy Warehouse at Studios both end on 1/3.

With all holiday things ending from 1/2 to 1/5, and many refurbs starting on 1/6, from 1/3 to 1/5 I will be park-hopping all over. Lion King and Splash at the top of my list... especially with old Lion King building closing down. Also maybe is last chance to walk around Camp Minnie-Mickey land before they start on Avatar.

Have fun!!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

This looks like a cool plan! I'll be at the World around this time too (from night of 1/2).
Just before Thanksgiving, they extended MK hours from 1/2 to 1/4 to 1AM every night, so I'm a little concerned about the MK crowds too (open that late, they're expecting it to be packed).

Yup, I saw that, forgot to edit the original post. I'm concerned too, and normally I wouldn't do it, but my friend's favorite attraction is Splash Mountain, so we're doing it. If all else fails, we'll go to Epcot that evening. But we'll get to do Splash, BTM, and Space thanks to FP+

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Made our FP+ reservations. Here is the schedule:
Friday, Jan 3 DHS
Star Tours 2-3 PM
TSMM 3:34-4:45
TofT 5:20-6:20

Saturday, Jan 4 MK
Splash Mountain 1-2
BTMR 2-3
Space Mountain 4:30-5:30

Sunday, Jan 5 AK
DINOSAUR 11-12
EE 12:55-1:55
Safari 4-5

Monday, Jan 6 DHS
2-3 Rock 'n Roller Coaster
TofT 3:10-4:10
Great Movie Ride 4:40-5:40

Tuesday, Jan 7 MK
Space Mountain 1:55-2:55
BTMR 3-4
Peter Pan 5-6

Wednesday, Jan 8
No FP, we have not decided what park to do that day yet

Thurs. Jan 9
1-2 Star Tours
2-3 TofT
3:45-4:45 TSMM

No FP+ for rest of trip as we have not decided on plans for Friday or Saturday

 

[Sandurz]

That's a good looking lineup! Was getting afternoon times intentional? Seems to be the best way to do park hopping and use FP+...do rope drop at one park and make your reservations for the afternoon in another park.

My last trip was this past January from the 2nd to the 10th, so seeing those dates on an itenerary is making me quite jealous and giving me flashbacks at the same time.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

That's a good looking lineup! Was getting afternoon times intentional? Seems to be the best way to do park hopping and use FP+...do rope drop at one park and make your reservations for the afternoon in another park.

My last trip was this past January from the 2nd to the 10th, so seeing those dates on an itenerary is making me quite jealous and giving me flashbacks at the same time.

Yes the afternoon times were intentional...because neither of us are early risers. The earliest I can see us there is 11. We're not rope drop people. There are quite a few days when we will be out late. The first night we won't be done until 11 (Epcot EMH) the second night we could be leaving as late as 1 am, the third night 12 am, the forth night 11...we're college students. We stay out late and sleep late.

 

[brifraz]

Looks like a great trip planned. As a fellow Baltimoron, I am quite jealous of you flying in. DW and I are both teachers and just can't afford that splurge, so the 900 mile drive it is for us (we choose to do our splurging on room and food - a trade-off we are okay with, but it doesn't make me any less jealous).

We are heading back in early July and hoping to do very similar FP+ plans as what you have outlined - early morning standby rides followed by early afternoon FP+. I look forward to seeing how it works out for you.

 

[AllyInWonderland]

Say hi to Anna and Elsa for me!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Looks like a great trip planned. As a fellow Baltimoron, I am quite jealous of you flying in. DW and I are both teachers and just can't afford that splurge, so the 900 mile drive it is for us (we choose to do our splurging on room and food - a trade-off we are okay with, but it doesn't make me any less jealous).

We are heading back in early July and hoping to do very similar FP+ plans as what you have outlined - early morning standby rides followed by early afternoon FP+. I look forward to seeing how it works out for you.

Ugh, driving, something I have only done a handful of times. Yeah, two 18 year olds heading down on our own, both with older vehicles...we had to fly. It wasn't an option to drive. Actually, my airfare cost $12.50 thanks to frequent flyer miles and flight vouchers from lost bags on a previous trip; for her I assume she'll save based on food.

We aren't really planning on being there in the early morning. FP+ in the early afternoon is so we can sleep, go to breakfast possibly, and wander in as we please. So I don't know how much I can be helpful with the run at rope drop, use FP later theory. We're planning on doing late nights in the parks instead. Teenage body clocks=not up before 9.

 

[JenniferS]

Magicbands have arrived!View attachment 40392
View attachment 40393
We also got our Magical Express tags today too!
Our reservation is split, so we should be getting our next set in a few days

Mine is pink, hers (we'll call her bff) is blue.

Going out on a limb here, and guessing bff's name is Savannah

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Going out on a limb here, and guessing bff's name is Savannah

Yeah, I'm too lazy to keep typing it out.

That and I wanted to okay it with her to use her first name

 

[StarWarsGirl]

So there may be a change in plans. Some family friends of ours are coming over on Monday Jan 6. They live in Florida and wanted to see me. That being the case, we're probably going to change our FP+ times. Probably just going to use Rock'n Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror and skip the third. We'll do maybe Star Tours a few times and mainly shows as one member of our party can't do anything intense as she has vertigo otherwise. I don't know if she can do Star Tours, but We'll do that one for sure. Her son (24) and I bonded over Star Wars (he said he never met a girl who "got it" before) so there is no way we'd skip riding that one together. We may change dinner reservations around too. They aren't sure how late they can stay or if their other son and his wife will come too. I'm supposed to hear back by the end of this weekend. Also, the husband worked for a radio station affiliated with ABC, so he's a retired CM and therefore gets a 40% discount. We're going shopping.

 

[stevehousse]

If she has vertigo I definitely would not do star tours! I'm pretty good with rides, but the new star tours, as much as I like it, makes me queezy as hell! It's the Hoth scene that really does it in do me...I would opt for something more like GMR or TSMM...