Well, gang, after all these years, I'm finally going - but I'm doing it alone. Long story short, my family isn't that keen, and since I have spring break at a different week from my daughter (the college I work for versus the high school she's attending), we can't really do that vacation together anyway. So, suggestions? I'll be there March 18-23, 2018, which is during the garden fest at Epcot, which I'll be excited to see. I've got my room booked at Port Orleans Riverside, and a 5 day park hopper (I'm not visiting water parks this time). I'm looking to plan out meals some (deluxe dining - I've already been warned by friends you can EASILY eat your way through the parks), and experiences. As a long time Disneylander, and a one time visitor to Shanghai, there are things I can skip, as I've done them before (no long wait for the SDMT unless I feel the need!), and I'm sure there are things that I haven't seen that I may want to do more than once. I find I'm already stymied by the fact that EVERYTHING for this trip is on a different time table - meal bookings versus FP+ versus Magic Band versus check in. WTH? Could we not line any of this up? *LOL*
Going it alone, huh? Envy! I've never had the chance to go to WDW. Disneyland in Anaheim has always been my place. When I was a young man, and out of high school for a couple years, I planned to treat my girlfriend to a little Disneyland expedition. For several weeks, I dreamed of the magical time we were going to share. Then, she broke up with me about a week before our trip. I was in such a funk and almost cancelled my plans. Yet, I thought maybe a trip to the happiest place on earth would do me some good. So, I went alone. I felt miserable and awkward at first. After all, I was surrounded by other happy families and groups of friends. I almost cut my 2-day trip short by 1 1/2 days! But then, late in the afternoon, I became caught up in such a nostalgic feeling. I really began paying attention to all the details around the park. *In the past, growing up, these things eluded me. Our family was always busy going from one ride to the next, trying to jam as much fun and excitement into a short trip, it seemed we never ever took the time to just look at things.* Anyway, I really enjoyed the remainder of my trip. I have thought back to that time and wished that I could do it like that again--to enjoy just experiencing the wonderful details around the park. After all these years, after going there so many times with my own children, I have yet to have a trip like that. I wish that I could just wander onto Main Street in the morning and sit and listen to all the sounds, breath in the scents, and watch the people excitedly rushing by. I'd like to stand and look at the windows on Main Street, explore the lesser-traveled corners of the park, sit on a bench with a cup of coffee, get into a conversation with a fellow traveler or one of the CM's, enjoy a snack whenever I want one, ride on POTC twice in a row, go to Adventure Land at night (because I think that's when it is best), stand and watch the little kids getting excited about meeting one of the princesses, and when I'm tired I'll ride the train until I'm bored..... Yep, I think for me, a trip to the park alone would be all about truly experiencing those fine details that I've never really had the time to enjoy before--to rejoice in the moment of being alive and in such a beautiful and happy place.
Yes, alone. It's taken a LOT of persuading for me to do it. I've done so many trips to the DLR over the years, but I've never gone to any park on my own, let alone planned a trip like this. It's going to be quite the adventure. I, too, grew up with going as a family, running from thing to thing, only pausing long enough to eat and pee, or maybe rest some tired feet. Until the day I die, Main Street, just around sunset, in the summer, will be my happy place. The feel of the air, the lights coming on in the trees, and the feeling that it's been an amazing day already, and it isn't over. It's part of why I made sure we saw MSEP while it was there this year, because that's pretty much one of my peek memories as a kid. I've never done any sort of solo trip, even though I've threatened to, more than once. I'm getting used to the idea of this vacation just being for me, to get what I want out of going to a new place... So, going into it brand new, but with my usual ton of research, we'll see how it goes.
I have done both DL and WDW alone and it is so nice to be able to make all the decisions. I love looking around, and helping people out if I overhear a question or see a lost group. Have so much fun!!!
Well, 18 days and counting, I've got my MagicBand, and I've booked all the FastPasses I could, and I have a lunch booked each day. I'll wing it for the rest, but it certainly has my days planned out. The hardest one will be the day I do the Hollywood park - over an hour from my DISNEY hotel on the bus just to get there. Why on earth is transportation so bad from one side of the place to the other?
