From freezing to sweating, on a daily basis! A December Walt Disney World report

[PrincePluto]

Hi, this is Jeff, I am a forty - something single guy from North Jersey. I went on a solo trip to Walt Disney World from December 14th to the 20th, staying off-site.

While I have decided to write my first trip report about this trip, I can't promise it will be as entertaining as some on this site... However, bear with me and I am sure that it will come into its own.

The reason for the title is that each morning, when the parks opened, it was in the 40s to 50 and by midday, it was at least 70 and sunny, so I'd arrive at the park wearing a hoodie with a T-shirt under it and after an hour or so, tie the hoodie around my waist. Not the most inspired title, but it's mine.

Below is a list of links to the various chapters:

Departure/Arrival Day

Day 2: Animal Kingdom
Come on a safari with me!
Safari (Continued)
Still More Safari
Even *more* Safari (some shopping, too)
Mombasa Marketplace (continued)
Camp Minnie-Mickey, and more characters than you can shake a stick at.
Remainder of Animal Kingdom day

Day 3: EPCOT Day 1
Park Day 2 - EPCOT
A secret mission, and a surprise character meet!
"We are from France!"
An Exotic Adventure in Morocco!
An American Adventure!
Shopping then dining in Germany
A character meet, and the Candlelight Processional
Wrapping up my first Epcot day

Day 4: Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios rope drop, Toy Story Midway Mania, and character meets
Hollywood Studios, Part 2 - Animation Courtyard and Sunset Boulevard
My adventures on Hollywood Boulevard and beyond
Backlot Tour
AFI Museum and Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights
Hooray for Hollywood! and a concert.

Day 5: Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom arrival.
Opening Ceremony and Dashing to New Fantasyland!
A few character meets in Fantasyland
Big Top Souvenirs and Big Top Treats
Photos Around Fantasyland
Haunted Mansion
A Cruise on the Liberty Belle
Tom Sawyer's Island
A Railroad Trip from Frontierland to Main Street
Sorcerers, and a Monorail Resorts sojourn
The End of My Magic Kingdom Day

Day 6: EPCOT
Last Park Day: Epcot Part 1
Living With the Land, Continued
Roasting in order to experience Frozen
Shopping at the Puffin's Roost
China, Ancient Warriors, lunch and a character meeting
Finishing Up My Last Park Day

First Day Photopass Pictures
Second Day Photopass Pictures
Third Day Photopass Pictures
Fourth Day Photopass Pictures
Fifth (and last) Day Photopass Pictures

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Following along!

Just curious, is the reason you stay off-site because it is more cost-efficient?

I'm really looking forward to this TR because it is so recent!

 

[Disneylover99]

Hi Jeff

Your title caught my eye because I totally relate. We were at DW Dec. 13-16.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Hi Jeff

Your title caught my eye because I totally relate. We were at DW Dec. 13-16.

@Disneylover99

How was it? Did you do a TR?

 

[PrincePluto]

Following along!

Just curious, is the reason you stay off-site because it is more cost-efficient?

I'm really looking forward to this TR because it is so recent!

Basically, it is a combination of cost and freedom of mobility. I kind of feel that if I'm on property, I'm a "prisoner of the Mouse." But more realistically, my parents have points through our resort in Kissimmee (more to follow in the report), that saves on the price of a week's stay. That, and the fact that the units are pretty nice, (kitchenette and fully furnished, as most timeshares are) and it's only 2-3 miles from the parks (1 traffic light from the intersection of 192 and 4).

 

[PrincePluto]

I left snowy New Jersey for sunny Florida on Saturday, December 14th, at 12:30 PM. I had to work an overnight shift the night before (Information Technology support for a Fortune 100 printing/electronic publishing company) so I only got a couple of hours sleep before my Dad drove me to Newark Liberty airport.

There was a warning of a nasty winter storm and advisories to stay off the road, so I was worried I would not make it to the airport at all, or that the flights might be delayed or grounded, but the snow was not as bad as I had feared. By the time my Dad got me to the JetBlue terminal at 10 AM (for a 12:30 flight), only about an inch or so of snow had fallen, and the flight was not delayed. Yay!

The plane left the gate at 12:30, but the takeoff was delayed by de-icing. I wish I had my camera out, but I did not. For those of you lucky enough to never have had to go through this procedure, a couple of nasty looking chemical liquids are sprayed on the plane, the first one a rusty-orange color, and the second a yellow-green. During this half-hour process, the cabin ventilation system is turned off, so it gets a little stuffy. Then, when they're done, and the ventilation system is turned back on, you get a nasty, tangy kind of smell.

So finally, the plane took off, and two hours and change we were arriving at MCO.

It was nice to walk into the terminal and see this sight:

followed by:

After taking my first "ride" of the trip, I picked up my checked bag and made my way to Alamo car rental. I rented a compact, a silver Hyundai Accent. After some teething pains, I grew to like driving it. I then proceeded to drive to my timeshare, Vacation Village at Parkway. This is just off of Route 192 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, no I don't know who he is...) and one light East of Route 4, so just about the closest off-property location there is.

Before arriving at the resort, I stopped at Publix in Celebration to pick up breakfast essentials (Corn Pops, milk and OJ).

After I checked in, I hit the local Wendy's for dinner, and got all unpacked, watched Stacey, and then hit the sack.

Next: Come on a safari with me!

 

[Disneylover99]

@Disneylover99

How was it? Did you do a TR?

I guess I'm not a trip report kind of girl, but it was awesome! Crowds were light! Saturday the 14th was hot! Monday was not!

 

[PrincePluto]

On the morning of Sunday, December 15th, I had decided to go to Disney's Animal Kingdom. I got up, got ready and was out of the door by 7:45 AM.

I had missed the standard entrance to Walt Disney World from 192, only seeing the sign pointing to Animal Kingdom after I was already past the offramp. I went a half-mile further and pulled into the parking lot of a motel, and brought out my trusty cell phone navigation, and plugged in "Disney's Animal Kingdom". I followed it to the next side street, and it appeared to want to take me in the employee entrance, but I kept going and came to the guest entrance.

I paid my $15 parking (one way Disney gets extra money from people staying off-site), and walked towards the entrance, passing this sign:

then seeing this tree:

Until I finally wound up at the entrance

with many other people.

I had wasted precious minutes getting lost, so I did not reach my goal of being the first to a "turnstile" (OK, they're not really turnstiles anymore, just Mickey head globes and fingerprint placement circles - ) That was really OK, though, as I didn't have any rides I felt in a rush to attend. I am not one of those people who likes to ride Expedition Everest - heresy, I know...

Instead, my first ride was the Kilimanjaro Safari.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Oh, how I love the AK!

$15 for parking!?!?

 

[Disneylover99]

I love AK early in the morning.
We were there on Sat. The 14th. The Safari was pretty much a walk on all day.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Coming along for the ride.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I love AK early in the morning.
We were there on Sat. The 14th. The Safari was pretty much a walk on all day.

The most beautiful of all the Parks...I can't wait for when it becomes a night-time park w/Avatarland. We were lucky to be there for an EMH after dark and it was indescribably beautiful.

 

[Disneylover99]

The most beautiful of all the Parks...I can't wait for when it becomes a night-time park w/Avatarland. We were lucky to be there for an EMH after dark and it was indescribably beautiful.

I have never experienced AK at night. It would definitely be very cool.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I have never experienced AK at night. It would definitely be very cool.

Oh, the Tree Of Life alone is one of the most stunning things you will have ever seen. The way they light it, highlighting the trunk and through the "leaves" is just splendid.

 

[PrincePluto]

Welcome to all new readers! I'd multi-post and respond to each of you individually, but I haven't reached that level of sophistication with the thread-posting tools yet.

 

[PrincePluto]

Continuing our trip through the savannah, we came upon some rather tall jaywalkers:

The guide said this was a young bull elephant who left the troop which we saw further along our expedition:

"Baobab tree", or a reasonable facsimile:

Flamingos:

Rocks with tribal symbols painted on them:

Cheetahs in the distance:

Lions:

Next: Still more Safari

 

[PrincePluto]

After the lions, I saw these White Rhinos off in the distance:

One more shot of the lion:

Then more of the white rhinos, and some zebras:

Sadly, too soon the safari was over, and we had to say farewell to our guide, and saw this familiar sight:

I saw that the line for the safari was short (non-existent), so I decided to ride it again, on the left side instead of the right. I won't show *all* the pictures I took on the second trip, just the highlights:

Looking at the giraffe in front, I wasn't aware they were able to bend their necks that low:

A young giraffe:

Various other Safari snapshots:

The main "troop" of elephants, consisting of one bull, several females and the calves:

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Cool, cool, cool.

I feel like I'm there again with all of these pictures. Animal Kingdom is the most underrated Park.

 

[PrincePluto]

Cool, cool, cool.

I feel like I'm there again with all of these pictures. Animal Kingdom is the most underrated Park.

You ain't seen nothing yet! I took a few hundred pictures at AK, including 4 different character meets.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

You ain't seen nothing yet! I took a few hundred pictures at AK, including 4 different character meets.

Looking forward to it!

I see that you were there this past July...we were there(stayed at the wonderful Polynesian) July 13-21.