iankh
It's never done till it's overdone
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2005
First of all, I am still down in Orlando. The pleasure part of my trip is over and the business/conference part has begun. I moved out of the mouse bubble and into the conference hotel somewhere on International Drive.
This was my first solo trip down to WDW. I was scheduled to attend a conference, so I decided to take Friday off from work and make it into a mini-vacation.
I booked a room at the Pop Century. My first time in a value resort. A virgin experience for me. I didn't know what to expect. Would I like it? If I did like it, would I become confused about my identity? And even darker, would it hurt?
POP was a change from the usual. Magical Express worked perfectly, but here I was with my brief case and my 17,000 pound laptop. They first assigned me to a room in the 1950's. Which I thought was very astute of them considering that I am a Mamie baby, born when the good Mamie Eisenhower ruled the roost and the gin bottle in the White House.
So, I schlepp myself and the 17,000 pound laptop over to the '50's. My key doesn't work. I schlepp back to Classic Hall and find out that they miswrote the room number. So, I hoof it back over to the '50's. This time the key works, only a man and a woman are in my room, not dressed, and not in the most flattering position.
I schlepp myself, my backpack, my briefcase and the 17,000 pound laptop back to the front desk.
Much apologizing, and they "upgrade" me to a room in the 1960's (visions of my bar mitzvah) overlooking the Hippy Dippy pool. I thought that perhaps if there was something wrong with the room, they could move me to the 1970's where I could relive coming out all over again.
This time the key worked and there was no company in my room. I dumped my backpack. Dumped the briefcase and the 17,000 pound laptop from the depths of hell.
An interesting side note to all this is that on Saturday morning, when I was shaving, I notice a huge mark on sort of on my shoulder near my neck. It looked like, well a big hickey. I had to think about it for a few minutes. The only thing the less than dressed couple and I did was exchange glances. I then realized that it was the result of schlepping around the demon laptop. I looked at the hickey-esque mark again, just to be sure that 666 was not hidden in it.
I changed out of my jeans and into shorts and headed off on what was to become my walk around the world. A veritable Cooks tour of WDW in what has to be my shortest trip ever.
On Friday, I managed to hit Animal Kingdom. I was hell bent on going on Expedition Everest. I also learned a benefit of being solo. After getting lost and not being able to find it (I know, how does one lose a mountain), I was able to pretty much walk right onto the attraction. They have a line for single riders and I was on the ride in about 5 minutes.
I now felt sated with AK, so I headed over to MK. I didn't have any real agenda for MK, I just wanted to enjoy the park and take it all in. I did go on It's a Small World, more out of morbid curiosity because of the refurbishment.
My first time on It's a Small World was in 1964, at the New York World's Fair. My mother and I waited over an hour to go on the ride, which was the Pepsi Cola pavillion. I remember my mother pointing out that the ride served as proof that Walt Disney was anti-semitic because as had pointed out, "There were no Jews in It's a Small World."
I'm sure Hisselfness has gotten pretty sick of me saying this each time we rode the ride. Well I was stunned. There is now, in the part of the ride for the middle east, a chuppah (wedding canopy) with a little bride and groom dancing around.
I got off the ride and phoned Hisselfness. I mean this was news. He said, "Well if only Ruthie was alive." It did sort of make me sad.
The nice thing about the solo trip was being able to do what I wanted when I wanted.
This was my first time coming down to the land of the mouse without Hisselfness. We have been coming down here together for 19 years, so it was a bit odd to not have the pitter patter of his little feet around and the flapping of his gums. I mean, normally I can set my watch by his kvetching.
While, I did have a lot of freedom, I was also rather lonely, and realized how much I missed him. WDW has become very much "our place" and our escape together. Plus, there was no one to conspire with and complain about other people.
I managed to do everything I wanted to do in MK.
On Saturday, I went to Epcot. I was able to get on Soarin' twice, and had a really relaxing day enjoying the park.
But, in the World Showcase I came in for a shock. I was looking at Micky shaped pins with the national flags, looking for a British Union Jack for Hisselfness, when there I saw it. Along with the other flags was a rainbow flag Mickey! I think I unconsciously let out a squeal.
I mean, since when did this happen? How exciting! First Jews in It's a Small World and now rainbow flag Mickeys! I felt like I was bearing witness to a veritable cultural revolution!
By this point I was up for anything. What next? Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck wedding cake toppers? Which by the way, leads me to the thought, who would Mickey hook up with? Goofy? Hmmm ... what is that joke about Goofy anyway?
From Epcot I walked over to MGM. I road Rockin Roller Coaster for the first time, and loved it. Which is saying a lot considering I hate roller coasters (Hisselfness won't go anywhere near them). I also went on Tower of Terror. By this point in time I was nearly dizzy with manly adreneline and hormones, so I did what any red blooded guy would do, I went to see Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and the Beast pushed me over the edge. I had to find a release. I had to go shopping. I headed for Downtown Disney.
They have done some nice things with the World of Disney store. I peaked inside the Bibbidy Bobbity Boutique. Very cute. But, I have to ask the question, what about little boys? What are they? Chopped liver?
All I can say about the Disney Shopping System is thank the lord for being able to send packages back to the resort. It's all the fun of shopping with none of the hassle of schlepping the stuff all over creation afterwards.
Satisfied with my purchases, I hopped a bus for the Contemporary and from there made my way via monorail back to the MK, which was open until I believe 11 PM.
I finally arrived back at the Pop Century.
Now I have to say that I normally do not sleep well in hotels, but I discovered a trick this time that made me pass out. I was flipping through the channels, you know channel after channel of Disney stuff. Usually it is some young man or woman on anphetamines burbling on and on about the top 10,000 things to do on your Disney vacation. I hit the channel with the sales spiel for the Disney Vacation Club in Spanish. Next thing I knew it was 7:00 AM. TV still on. Still selling, in Spanish, DVC. Try it on your next holiday. I'm telling you, you'll sleep like a baby.
So, how was the Pop Century? All in all not too bad I'd say. Hisselfness and I are DVC members and our home resorts are VWL and BWV, but for the price POP was pretty good, though to me I can't see much of a difference between it and the moderates. Before we were DVC members we stayed once at POR and thought it wasn't bad and once at CBR which we hated. Having stayed at POP I just don't see that much difference between it and a moderate.
On Sunday, I checked out early, and check my baggage at luggage assistance. I had enough time to do MGM again and ride Rockin Roller Coaster, walked to the Boardwalk for lunch, then over to Epcot. I finally took a bus back to POP to catch the Magical Express to the airport and get a shuttle to the conference hotel.
So that's it, my whirlwind solo trip to WDW. Frankly, I can't believe I managed to pack so much into such a short time.
This was my first solo trip down to WDW. I was scheduled to attend a conference, so I decided to take Friday off from work and make it into a mini-vacation.
I booked a room at the Pop Century. My first time in a value resort. A virgin experience for me. I didn't know what to expect. Would I like it? If I did like it, would I become confused about my identity? And even darker, would it hurt?
POP was a change from the usual. Magical Express worked perfectly, but here I was with my brief case and my 17,000 pound laptop. They first assigned me to a room in the 1950's. Which I thought was very astute of them considering that I am a Mamie baby, born when the good Mamie Eisenhower ruled the roost and the gin bottle in the White House.
So, I schlepp myself and the 17,000 pound laptop over to the '50's. My key doesn't work. I schlepp back to Classic Hall and find out that they miswrote the room number. So, I hoof it back over to the '50's. This time the key works, only a man and a woman are in my room, not dressed, and not in the most flattering position.
I schlepp myself, my backpack, my briefcase and the 17,000 pound laptop back to the front desk.
Much apologizing, and they "upgrade" me to a room in the 1960's (visions of my bar mitzvah) overlooking the Hippy Dippy pool. I thought that perhaps if there was something wrong with the room, they could move me to the 1970's where I could relive coming out all over again.
This time the key worked and there was no company in my room. I dumped my backpack. Dumped the briefcase and the 17,000 pound laptop from the depths of hell.
An interesting side note to all this is that on Saturday morning, when I was shaving, I notice a huge mark on sort of on my shoulder near my neck. It looked like, well a big hickey. I had to think about it for a few minutes. The only thing the less than dressed couple and I did was exchange glances. I then realized that it was the result of schlepping around the demon laptop. I looked at the hickey-esque mark again, just to be sure that 666 was not hidden in it.
I changed out of my jeans and into shorts and headed off on what was to become my walk around the world. A veritable Cooks tour of WDW in what has to be my shortest trip ever.
On Friday, I managed to hit Animal Kingdom. I was hell bent on going on Expedition Everest. I also learned a benefit of being solo. After getting lost and not being able to find it (I know, how does one lose a mountain), I was able to pretty much walk right onto the attraction. They have a line for single riders and I was on the ride in about 5 minutes.
I now felt sated with AK, so I headed over to MK. I didn't have any real agenda for MK, I just wanted to enjoy the park and take it all in. I did go on It's a Small World, more out of morbid curiosity because of the refurbishment.
My first time on It's a Small World was in 1964, at the New York World's Fair. My mother and I waited over an hour to go on the ride, which was the Pepsi Cola pavillion. I remember my mother pointing out that the ride served as proof that Walt Disney was anti-semitic because as had pointed out, "There were no Jews in It's a Small World."
I'm sure Hisselfness has gotten pretty sick of me saying this each time we rode the ride. Well I was stunned. There is now, in the part of the ride for the middle east, a chuppah (wedding canopy) with a little bride and groom dancing around.
I got off the ride and phoned Hisselfness. I mean this was news. He said, "Well if only Ruthie was alive." It did sort of make me sad.
The nice thing about the solo trip was being able to do what I wanted when I wanted.
This was my first time coming down to the land of the mouse without Hisselfness. We have been coming down here together for 19 years, so it was a bit odd to not have the pitter patter of his little feet around and the flapping of his gums. I mean, normally I can set my watch by his kvetching.
While, I did have a lot of freedom, I was also rather lonely, and realized how much I missed him. WDW has become very much "our place" and our escape together. Plus, there was no one to conspire with and complain about other people.
I managed to do everything I wanted to do in MK.
On Saturday, I went to Epcot. I was able to get on Soarin' twice, and had a really relaxing day enjoying the park.
But, in the World Showcase I came in for a shock. I was looking at Micky shaped pins with the national flags, looking for a British Union Jack for Hisselfness, when there I saw it. Along with the other flags was a rainbow flag Mickey! I think I unconsciously let out a squeal.
I mean, since when did this happen? How exciting! First Jews in It's a Small World and now rainbow flag Mickeys! I felt like I was bearing witness to a veritable cultural revolution!
By this point I was up for anything. What next? Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck wedding cake toppers? Which by the way, leads me to the thought, who would Mickey hook up with? Goofy? Hmmm ... what is that joke about Goofy anyway?
From Epcot I walked over to MGM. I road Rockin Roller Coaster for the first time, and loved it. Which is saying a lot considering I hate roller coasters (Hisselfness won't go anywhere near them). I also went on Tower of Terror. By this point in time I was nearly dizzy with manly adreneline and hormones, so I did what any red blooded guy would do, I went to see Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and the Beast pushed me over the edge. I had to find a release. I had to go shopping. I headed for Downtown Disney.
They have done some nice things with the World of Disney store. I peaked inside the Bibbidy Bobbity Boutique. Very cute. But, I have to ask the question, what about little boys? What are they? Chopped liver?
All I can say about the Disney Shopping System is thank the lord for being able to send packages back to the resort. It's all the fun of shopping with none of the hassle of schlepping the stuff all over creation afterwards.
Satisfied with my purchases, I hopped a bus for the Contemporary and from there made my way via monorail back to the MK, which was open until I believe 11 PM.
I finally arrived back at the Pop Century.
Now I have to say that I normally do not sleep well in hotels, but I discovered a trick this time that made me pass out. I was flipping through the channels, you know channel after channel of Disney stuff. Usually it is some young man or woman on anphetamines burbling on and on about the top 10,000 things to do on your Disney vacation. I hit the channel with the sales spiel for the Disney Vacation Club in Spanish. Next thing I knew it was 7:00 AM. TV still on. Still selling, in Spanish, DVC. Try it on your next holiday. I'm telling you, you'll sleep like a baby.
So, how was the Pop Century? All in all not too bad I'd say. Hisselfness and I are DVC members and our home resorts are VWL and BWV, but for the price POP was pretty good, though to me I can't see much of a difference between it and the moderates. Before we were DVC members we stayed once at POR and thought it wasn't bad and once at CBR which we hated. Having stayed at POP I just don't see that much difference between it and a moderate.
On Sunday, I checked out early, and check my baggage at luggage assistance. I had enough time to do MGM again and ride Rockin Roller Coaster, walked to the Boardwalk for lunch, then over to Epcot. I finally took a bus back to POP to catch the Magical Express to the airport and get a shuttle to the conference hotel.
So that's it, my whirlwind solo trip to WDW. Frankly, I can't believe I managed to pack so much into such a short time.
I've only done one solo trip (one day before a meeting) and really enjoyed it as it was my first time to AK, but I don't think I'd want to do more than a day or two solo.
