4 Parks, 2 Days, 1 Backpack: The Trip Report Complete! - Page 20 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Thanks for all the well wishes everyone! I'll wrap this up very soon. I came down with a little bug or really bad allergies on Friday night, so I missed work on Saturday and spent yesterday hiding in my room recouping. So I had a very quiet birthday. Doesn't sound much like me, but I'm not actually a fan of getting older. I'm feeling better today so I'm off to work!
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Hope you're feeling better, Heather! No need for you to worry about getting older. Anyone who can manage a fantastic spur-of-the-moment trip and a zen moment on EE is YOUNG! You've more energy than any 10 people I know.
What a great trip! My favorite parts were the cupcake for breakfast, the hidden mickeys, and the fab dinner at CG. Thanks for letting us live vicariously through you!
Okay everyone, lets get this one put to bed. I did most of my wrap up at the beginning of this Trip Report. So I told you all I'd finish up with the pros and cons of a solo trip.
There are lots of things to take into consideration when looking at a solo trip--so I'm going to group them into the format I usually use for wrap ups:
Transportation:
Pros:
Traveling alone is cheaper and you can be more flexible with your travel times when only one person's scheduling is involved.
You can plan a spur of the moment vacation
Don't have to worry about anyone else's luggage
It's easier to find a perfect spot on the plane
No distractions, questions, or crying
Don't have to drag anyone to be on time for flights or buses
Cons:
No one to talk to, unless you strike up conversation with a stranger
Sitting with strangers
Hotels:
Pros:
You can stay where you like
Getting all the drawer space/counter space
Never having to wait for the bathroom/shower/sink
Solo travelers frequently end up with the King rooms
No issues with lights off/on or noise
Cons:
No one to hang out with at night after the parks close
Parks:
Pros:
Being able to do what you want when you want
Moving at your own pace
Visiting things your family members might not usually be interested in
Single Rider Lines
Taking breaks when YOU need them, instead of everyone else
Cons:
Sitting with strangers on rides
Getting strange looks from said strangers
Must occupy self in line
Meals:
Pros:
Visiting restaurants that might not appeal to others in your family
Freedom to take as little or as much time at meals as you would like
Eating when YOU are hungry
Less expensive than meals for a group
No one complaining at meal times
More time with Characters
More attention from servers
Cons:
Eating alone can either be a Pro or a Con depending--I personally like it
No one to take photos at Character meals
Other issues with taking a solo trip:
Lot of people I've talked to have mentioned feeling guilty leaving their kids/SO at home. I don't worry about that too much.
You might at first feel strange being a solo at WDW, but it passes quickly, like when you get to ride your favorite ride three times in a row because you want to.
Keeping yourself entertained while waiting might be an issue--I make sure I've got a book loaded into my Kindle App and I take lots of photos of the queues. I also try not to get in long lines--for anything. I read The Hunger Games series, yes I finished all three, on this trip. (Which I highly recommend if you haven't read it, they were great books!)
Photos! It isn't all that difficult to find people to take photos of you. At the character meet and greets the CMs will always take one with your camera. Elsewhere in the park you can ask other people in the same area to take one for you. I never do, even though it is WDW, I feel a little funny handing over my expensive camera to someone I don't know. I'm pretty sure that if a CM dropped my camera Disney would do something about it. Although on this trip I had several people hand me their tricked out DSLRs to take photos for them.
All in all I had a great two days. I really enjoyed being in the parks, even if it was just for a short time. I had a couple of really great meals and even enjoyed my stay at All Star Music, despite the fact that I was the only person NOT from Brazil in the entire place. (At least it felt like that.) I never had any issues with noise in my room and only one bad experience at the bus stops. Disney transportation was really on top of everything.
I can pretty much guarantee that this is my last trip until October. I'm going to Chicago for a weekend in September and we're almost to August already. My next trip involves replacing both my AP and my TiW card and I don't see having the funds to be able to do that before October. I'm also saving for my first trip to DL in December, WDW and US/IOA in April, possibly my first trip on DCL and then Tokyo.
I've got to go check on a neighbor's cats, but I promise I'll get all caught up on everyone else's TRs soon.
Sorry you weren't feeling well, Heather. And on your birthday. Great wrap up! As a fellow solo traveler, I know the freedom it brings. You've got some great trips in the works, and I'm psyched to be able to join you on some of them.
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
Sorry you were feling a bit under the weather for your birthday...but glad you enjoyed quietly at least and my rule is when you get to a certain age (yes that all depends on the individuals choice) you go down instead of up...now some people take this a bit extreme, such as my aunt who is celebrating her "25th" birthday...lol but whatever works
Loved the wrap-up...I know it seems like a long wait until the next trip but you do have a bunch of wonderful trips coming up and more planning for the future so I am sure that will keep you busy until it is time for your next trip to WDW.
Sorry, I was delayed (spoken in Gandalf's voice). Hope you are feeling better.
Heather, any time you and I happen to be in WDW at the same time, I would love to enjoy a wine/food pairing with you since we have the same taste in wine.
Thank you for sharing your trip with us and I appreciate the wrap up since I will be going on my first solo trip in October (when are you going in October??).
Great wrap-up! Love all of your various points. I like eating alone, too. I often go to restaurants alone here, leaving Meri with mom, just so I can enjoy a meal in peace.
I also read The Hunger Games, and look forward to seeing what they do with the movies. I agree, it's a great series. Very interesting. Didn't end quite how I wanted, but aside from that, I really loved the series (and how it ended didn't change how I feel about the series as a whole).
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Great wrap up! As a fellow solo traveler, I know the freedom it brings. You've got some great trips in the works, and I'm psyched to be able to join you on some of them.
Melanie
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