Have Pen, Will Travel: A Solo Trip Report--Includes Dining and CSR Reviews and Photos! - Page 16 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
I am now officially all caught up on your TR, and enjoying it greatly. I love your merlot and chicken strips dinner...It cracked me up! I'm sorry you "wussed out" for Rockin...It's one of our favorites.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
I was never a thrill seeker growing up, but the older I get the more adventurous I become. I realized several years ago that my girls would be wanting to ride "these" rides, so I pretty much forced myself to just jump in. And I have to say that I have enjoyed every single one.
Loving your trip!
Jill
P.S. And every single person on this board has traveled with people who just don't "get" Disney. It's extremely difficult to juggle your wants with the need to make everyone happy. I've been presented with this situation many times and I have found that if I take the lead and show them the Disney that I love, then everyone usually ends up satisfied. That being said . . . you were a sweetheart to make sure that your friend was happy.
I'm loving your TR! As I sit here in my classroom while the kids are quietly working on a project for the first time.. I think ever, and we are one hour away from Spring Break, I am dreaming of Disney and how I wish I could write the book I've always wanted to write.
yay! that means that right now, you are officially on spring break! we don't even have spring break--we have off on good friday and that's it. so enjoy your break a bit for me, too, please!
and you CAN write the book you've always wanted to write. i'm not special in any way (in fact, i'm kind of average and annoying at times--just ask my husband!) go for it. life it too short to not do things you dream of...er, 'the things of which you dream', which would be the proper grammar (but sounds silly!)
[QUOTE=niccole;3603663][QUOTE=shanmac;3603594]
Quote:
Originally Posted by niccole
bugs and snakes, not sure how those are going to work. but every month is something.
done the show it's more of a holding them...mostly snakes.
this isn't going to help--i had a ball python in college. i had to miss my bio lab one day because i was holding him (his name was monty..ha ha, i know) and he wouldn't get off--every time i tried to pry him free from my arm, he held on tighter (he was cold--i had the temp wrong in the tank). i think we hung out on the couch for a good three hours that day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jessie092408
I am now officially all caught up on your TR, and enjoying it greatly. I love your merlot and chicken strips dinner...It cracked me up! I'm sorry you "wussed out" for Rockin...It's one of our favorites.
glad you like it! and i promise, i will try RRC next time. cross my heart.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deerislemom
Rope drop sounds like the way to go at DHS! I loved RRC, but have been too chicken to try ToT... I don't like that freefall feeling. Maybe next time.
i hate hate hate the freefall feeling--it is the only thing i don't like about rides. but it really wasn't as bad as i was imagining--if that makes you feel any better!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jillybean
It's extremely difficult to juggle your wants with the need to make everyone happy. I've been presented with this situation many times and I have found that if I take the lead and show them the Disney that I love, then everyone usually ends up satisfied. That being said . . . you were a sweetheart to make sure that your friend was happy.
Congrats on conquering ToT! I'm proud of you! You will get on RnRC, but I honestly have to say if you are worried about protein spills you probably should have ridden on an empty stomach! You'll get there soon enough! I know I've talked enough people into riding it!
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
I think the reason your day with your friend sucked is because you were there to have fun, she was there to get drunk. I think WDW with a friend can be lots of fun, you just need to choose your WDW friends wisely!
I'm loving your trip report, although I'm falling behind in reading! I've done both - spent 10 days in Disney many kid-free years ago with another couple for our anniversaries - lots of drinking but we managed very early mornings, and then napped by the pool before going out again at night. This was in the days of Pleasure Island
9 months later, DS (named very appropriately Mickey!) came along So now we do Disney with a now 12 year old and an 8 year old and it's a very different, although still very fun vacation
I'm loving your trip report, although I'm falling behind in reading! I've done both - spent 10 days in Disney many kid-free years ago with another couple for our anniversaries - lots of drinking but we managed very early mornings, and then napped by the pool before going out again at night. This was in the days of Pleasure Island
9 months later, DS (named very appropriately Mickey!) came along So now we do Disney with a now 12 year old and an 8 year old and it's a very different, although still very fun vacation
sounds like you got yourself one of those 'souvenirs' i keep hearing about! we were hoping for that on our november trip (thinking hey, it is a magical kingdom, right?)
Day 4 Part 2--The breakfast I’d been waiting for, the two worst attractions of the trip, a souvenir carrying tip, and another spin on TSMM.
Upon officially giving up on RRC, I had one destination in mind--the magical place everyone told me about: Starring Rolls. I’d heard tell of amazing cupcakes, and I was off in search of one. Fortunately, someone asked for cupcake info in my ‘what do you want to hear about’ thread I’d started before I left (thank you, whomever you are!) so I had a REASON to have a cupcake for breakfast.
As though anyone ever needs a reason for that!
The line for Starring Rolls was longer than the line for ToT--seriously. As usual, I chatted with several people whilst in line--only to find with shock that these seemingly nice, normal people were clearly insane. As we approached the front of the line, they did the unthinkable--they selected bananas, and yogurt, and bagels, and placed these things on their trays. I was confused. Did they not SEE the case full of cupcakes and parfaits? How could they miss it? It was fairly well lit.
I ended up with this breakfast....
...a ‘Devil’s Food Cream Cheese Cupcake’. Here's a closer shot...
I meant to take a photo of the inside of it, but once I’d cut it in half, my hands were all covered in icing! It was so good. The white icing you see was cream-cheesy, but the yellower portion in the middle was the cream-cheesiest. Best. Breakfast. Ever.
The only negative I can site for Starring Roles is this--it is not the best place to dine solo. I realize that many solo travelers prefer counter service restaurants. I don’t, and SR was a great example of why. It was quite busy that morning, but I managed to score a seat at a table--quite necessary to eat a cupcake of that size (I used a knife and fork!) However, as I ate, people continually came up to me and took the chairs from the table I was sitting at, until there were none left. Of course, I didn’t mind that they took the chairs (and most were very nice about it, minus one group of teenage boys), but I was literally interrupted a good 5 times before allowed to scarf down my embarrassing breakfast in peace.
To be fair, most of that was my fault. After all, I didn’t have to have such an embarrassing breakfast! And if I had purchased a banana or yogurt, I could have eaten on a bench, or even walking around. A cupcake the size of a softball is not a walking around food!
After finding a restroom to wash my cupcakey hands, I bounded off in a random direction, only to find this...
...and immediately begin snapping pics for my husband and texting them to him. Actually, that texting may explain why there are so many pics of me on this day!
That was one of my favorite pics of the trip, and the next one was my husband’s #1 pic...
He actually had hoped that I’d purchased the hat ‘because I looked so cute in it’. Really dear? You’re that much of a nerd? I contemplated buying him a great number of things in the gift shop, but I couldn’t settle on one item, so I planned to return later (I didn’t).
Up next was the biggest time-waste of the trip--Muppets 3D. I was actually quite excited about this show, though I don’t know why. In theory, I like Muppets. But in reality, it just isn’t my kind of humor. For some inexplicable reason, we own a season of the original Muppet Show on DVD--I don’t find it amusing, either. So I didn’t love Muppets 3D. Fortunately, it was rather short.
I grabbed a quick pic of the gift shop from the outside
Is it just me, or are the gift shops in DHS really awesome? Though I guess the gift shops are really awesome in AK, too. Oh and the Epcot WS shops...love those, too. Clearly I just love to shop! But I digress...ahem...I then wandered around the Streets of America for a bit...
I thought about exploring the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie set, but decided against it--I don’t know why, because I was kind of looking forward to seeing this, even though it is ‘just’ a playground (and I am 31 years old!) Upon returning home, I learned from my Passporter that I wouldn’t have been allowed in anyway, as adults have to be accompanied by a child...so I guess it is good I didn’t try, as I would have been rather embarrassed being kicked out!
By this time, I’d arrived at the Studio Backlot Tour--the attraction I’d been waiting for! I didn’t love the queue--I think it was at this point that I’d officially burned out on theme parks, or standing in line (alone) or just on the mad pace I was keeping up (it was before 11am at this point--10:42 to be exact) but I was annoyed. Thus, I didn’t go into the tour with the enthusiasm I should have had...meaning, of course, I didn’t like it as much as I could have. Catastrophe Canyon was pretty cool...
...and I took lots of photos of the spaceship from Flight of the Navigator (just a small prop, but it was one of my favorite movies as a kid--for some reason I didn’t upload any to Photobucket, so I don’t have one to post...ooops!) All told, it just wasn’t as cool as I’d imagined--though I will definitely take my mom when we return in May. As DHS is our first park, I’m sure I’ll be (MUCH) more enthusiastic!
The one good part of the ride was that in the gift shop at the end, I found a very nice Indiana Jones baseball hat for my husband...and it was only...drumroll please...$7.95?!? I sincerely thought the price was a typo, or it was a child’s hat--but no, the other hats were listed for the same amount, and it fit my (rather large) head, so it had to be for an adult. I purchased it, but failed to have them ship it to CSR for me. Do people actually use that service? I wasn’t sure, so I didn’t ask, but instead unhooked the strap of my small purse, looped the plastic bag through it, and re-hooked it so that it was attached to me and I could remain hands-free (a good tip, if I do say so myself!)
As I just now realized that I can use the times I posted my live blog posts as a document of time passed, I can tell you that I got in line for SBT at 10:42, and was off the ride at 11:31. This caused me to miss the 11:30 Indiana Jones show, but did give me just enough time to use my FP for TSMM before my 12:00 reservation at the Brown Derby.
The FP line for TSMM took significantly longer than the standby line when I rode first thing that morning--but it gave me the opportunity to take this pic...
Upon boarding the ride, the CM asked a teenage girl boarding alone and myself if we ‘minded’ riding together--to which I replied ‘Sure!’ enthusiastically. This enthusiastic ‘sure’ cheered the girl up, and as we waited for the ride to begin, she explained to me that she’d been waiting in the line alone for over an hour because the FPs were all out by the time they arrived at non-EMH park opening, and her friends didn’t want to wait. She’d never been on the ride before, so I explained how it will be much better having someone to compete against. I shared how I’d ridden alone earlier that morning, and we were off!
I swear I tried to let her beat me, and she did for most of the ride--we were neck and neck for a while, actually. But, alas, I ended up winning...
...though she still did say she really liked the ride. It is definitely better as a two person ride, even when that other person is a complete stranger. I can’t wait to kick my mom’s butt in a few weeks!
I exited TSMM at exactly the right time to head on over to The Brown Derby, for one of the best meals of the entire trip!
Up next--Brown Derby review (of course!), a new gadget I really need, and ‘on the road again’.
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I grabbed a quick pic of the gift shop from the outside
Where is this gift shop? I swear, I don't remember seeing that when we "rode" Muppets 3D.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elbodans
I thought about exploring the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie set, but decided against it--I don’t know why, because I was kind of looking forward to seeing this, even though it is ‘just’ a playground (and I am 31 years old!) Upon returning home, I learned from my Passporter that I wouldn’t have been allowed in anyway, as adults have to be accompanied by a child.
Oh my word! Rob, myself and our friend Stephen played on the Honey playground WITHOUT being accompanied by children. We slid down the slides, played the fun little drums and took lots of photos ... the CMs never said a word to us!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by elbodans
I purchased it, but failed to have them ship it to CSR for me. Do people actually use that service?
We absolutely use it!! I hate carrying stuff around with me, so if I'm not going to wear it RIGHT THEN, I have it sent back to my hotel. The shops will deliver your packages either to the front gate of the park or to your hotel's gift shop.
Your hands-free tip is awesome, but I KNOW I'd forget it was there and lose it.
Where is this gift shop? I swear, I don't remember seeing that when we "rode" Muppets 3D.
Oh my word! Rob, myself and our friend Stephen played on the Honey playground WITHOUT being accompanied by children. We slid down the slides, played the fun little drums and took lots of photos ... the CMs never said a word to us!!!!
We absolutely use it!! I hate carrying stuff around with me, so if I'm not going to wear it RIGHT THEN, I have it sent back to my hotel. The shops will deliver your packages either to the front gate of the park or to your hotel's gift shop.
Your hands-free tip is awesome, but I KNOW I'd forget it was there and lose it.
so i could have done the playground? good to know for my next trip! i'm sure those pics--of my mother and i--will be fantastic!
second--you can have your purchases sent to the front gate? that's awesome. because i was even thinking 'aww man, if i have it sent to CSR, then i have to walk to el centro and that's really far...' VERY good to know for future trips! thanks!
as for the cupcake comments--it was so amazingly good. i have sensitive teeth issues, so usually i can't enjoy sweets, but because the icing was cream cheese icing, it wasn't overly sweet. in fact, i think it was perfect for breakfast. after all, people put cream cheese on bagels, right? what's the difference? a little cake, a few crushed candy bars...
so i could have done the playground? good to know for my next trip! i'm sure those pics--of my mother and i--will be fantastic!
I'm not sure if we got lucky or if you really could get in with no problem. Please do report back if you try it! We got so many fun photos, we would definitely go back for more photos!
Quote:
Originally Posted by elbodans
second--you can have your purchases sent to the front gate? that's awesome. because i was even thinking 'aww man, if i have it sent to CSR, then i have to walk to el centro and that's really far...' VERY good to know for future trips! thanks!
Absolutely!! I believe you have to give them 3 hours between purchase and pickup (I think that's what I remember the clerk saying).
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Deer Isle Mom
Linear Mode
