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Old 19 Mar 16, 08:59 PM  
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Solo September 2016 Pre-Trip Report! *UPDATED 07/06*

Well, there's nothing quite like sitting down to begin a lengthy piece of writing... and falling at the first hurdle by failing to come up with any kind of title. Good start.

But anyway, let's just move on.

So I'm Kitty, I've been around on the boards for a long time but - like a lot of people do - I've taken a bit of a break for the past couple of years when I haven't had a Disney trip on the horizon! But that's all changed now as I count down to my trip - which, as my catchy title so subtley gave away, is a solo trip, in September - the 6th to the 20th.

Introduction to the cast


I don't know what it says about me that I'm only in about 3 photos from last trip, and this was the best of them

So, the cast is quite easy – it’s me, Kitty. Party of one. Solo.
I’m 25, and I live in Glasgow. Although I’m travelling alone this time, staying at home is my wonderful fiancé Kenny – who’s ‘Disneyed out’ after 2 trips in 3 years – and my even more wonderful cat, Meeko – who, sadly, isn’t as amiable to being smuggled in my hand luggage as I’d like her to be.

It seems like a fairly redundant statement at the start of a WDW pre-trip report; but I am a WDW fanatic. Yes I like Disney films and Disney music, but really, I am all about WDW. I’ve been fascinated by the place since out first trip in 1999 when I was 8 years old. I don’t know what the term for it would be – a WDW nerd? – but I’m definitely more interested in more ‘behind the scenes’ things, or even just more subtle things. For example, on our last trip there was a fire at AKL which involved a full evacuation and everyone being held at the swimming pool for about two hours – I absolutely loved seeing the logistics of it all and how it was all handled! (Which, in case anyone was wondering – was very, very weirdly haha! ) So yeah, my trip will definitely be less Anna and Elsa meet and greets and more photographs of tiny lizards and buses. Just to put that out there. This will be trip number eight for me.

The other thing worth noting at the start, is that I suffer from an anxiety disorder and have done since early childhood – as in, I can’t remember life before it kind of early childhood. I don’t normally mention this as a method of introduction but I feel it’s necessary here. Without going on and on about it, I’ll just say that it’s severe to the point that it affects me in everyday life and, while WDW is certainly super fun and relaxing in some respects, there will also be some major challenges for me along the way including the flight (seriously, not so long ago I was unable to get on buses or trains. Period. Let alone a trans-atlantic flight), the early starts and course the general sense of overwhelment that I think everyone experiences to some extent, but that just has the probability of being that bit more severe for me.

INDEX

PART ONE -How the holiday came about

PART TWO - Disney Package (Accomodation, Dining Plan, Tickets)

PART THREE - Flights

PART FOUR - ADRs and to DDP or not to DDP...?

PART FIVE - 'Final' ADR decisions

PART SIX - QS restaurant plans (part one of two)

PART SEVEN - The still-to-do list

PART EIGHT - The Itenirary, Part One

PART NINE - The Itenirary, Part Two

PART TEN - Snack Credit Planning

PART ELEVEN -A Little 'Mousekeeping' and my Day One Plans

PART TWELVE - General Update

Edited at 08:14 PM.
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:04 PM  
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Following along! What are your dates?

Need to read properly lol you fly back the day we fly out!

Edited at 09:12 PM.
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:10 PM  
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How the trip came about

so originally I had this trip booked for Sep 2015 and then I had to push it back until April 2016 - we moved into a new flat, relocated to a new city; you know, pesky real life things getting in the way. I knew pretty early on in the process that I would need to move the trip and I was totally OK with it really - I was so excited to be moving in with Kenny
Then, I began to really enjoy the run up to the April trip: I had everything booked; hotel, flights, insurance and I had basically all the money good to go – I even started writing a pre trip report too (though not here on The Dibb). Then, just a couple of months before the trip I had to postpone it again for health/work/financial reasons. Not going to lie – I was more than a little upset, not least because I was postponing it ‘indefinitely’ and I had just come so, so close to making the trip a reality – I felt like I had let myself down so much.
Anyway, to cut a long story short(ish), I was soon back in employment and able to actually set a date for the new trip which is the 6th – 20th September, which means I only actually had to push the trip back five months!


random intermission picture..

Now, I don't want to get all sappy here, but the honest truth behind this trip is that when I was little, and my world was so small and limited by my anxiety and I couldn't go anywhere or do anything (I mean, really..) - I always said to myself that one day, I'd go 'home' just for me. That one day I'd conquer everything and I'd be able to do something that nobody thought I could do - all by myself. And it's funny because I certainly haven't overcome everything, and I know that there will be good days and bad days in the run up to this trip but I also know, as I sit in that airport, about to do the hardest thing, in amongst all the nerves and sickness, I know I'll be able to hold my head high and feel proud of myself. I'll get on that plane for all the times I pushed myself when I was a kid, for all the times I tried so hard and still failed so bad, for everything I missed out on - this trip is all for me, my way of saying thanks to myself for all the hard work over the years. This is both the ultimate challenge, and the ultimate reward! So I know I will be able to do it, I trust myself, I know I would never let me down like that... but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy!
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:11 PM  
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Originally Posted by Danielle24 View Post
Following along! What are your dates?
LOL yes that would have been good to include those wouldn't it I'm 6th-20th of September!
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:14 PM  
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Originally Posted by Danielle24 View Post
Following along! What are your dates?

Need to read properly lol you fly back the day we fly out!
Lol no I didn't have them in originally! I added them in after you asked as I realised that was probably good information to include!
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:16 PM  
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Originally Posted by klang_kat View Post
LOL yes that would have been good to include those wouldn't it I'm 6th-20th of September!
We are the 20th sept till 10th October. Hats off to
You going solo! Bet you will have an amazing time. x
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:18 PM  
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Welcome back, didn't you work for your boyfriend mum?

I'm sure you will have a blast xx
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:21 PM  
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Really looking forward to following your trip. Its so great that you're doing this for you. Trying to overcome your fears etc. Im sure you will have an absolutely fantastic time. I was diagnosed with a mild anxiety disorder just under a year ago. Thankfully it's not been severe but busy public places bothered me for a while. I couldn't go to my exercise classes (still haven't been back) and could have quite easily stayed in bed all day instead of go to work. I was also suffering with mild depression. Luckily i got help very early on and am doing much better now...though still have the odd bad day. My life seems to be turning back around for the better now which is a relief. I too, have booked to go to wdw solo (but not until next year) certain things about the trip are making me feel quite anxious at the moment but I'm sure I'll be fine next year.
Look forward to your next update and more plans. Very exciting. :-)

Edited at 09:23 PM.
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Old 19 Mar 16, 09:29 PM  
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Well done you! Amazing doing a solo trip!
Looking forward to the actual trip report!
We travel on 15th September until 6th October, staying in CSR, really looking forward to it!
Have an amazing time, let us know how you're getting on! X
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Old 19 Mar 16, 10:38 PM  
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Acommodation/Dining Plan/Tickets

So when it came time to book accomodation I knew right away I was going to be staying onsite. I can't drive and didn't really fancy having to deal with unreliable shuttles etc. Plus all the other reasons like the convenience (for me) of the Dining Plan, charging to my room and the Magical Express - basically for my first solo trip I knew I just wanted to stay completely within the Disney bubble and simplify things for myself.



Having stayed at OKW and AKL over the past few trips, it's fair to say I've fallen completely in love with both of them and would pretty much chew my arm off to stay there again. BUT, the reality is that I plan very, very little resort time and so I just couldn't justify the cost to myself - plus, I knew I'd spend the trip feeling torn and like I 'should' be at the resort. I weighed up renting DVC points, staying at a moderate, split stays, but in the end I decided to go for Pop Century for the full 14 nights. It's everything I need really so why pay more? Plus, when I was a kid and we'd watch the Disney planning videos (and by 'video' I mean VHS, not Youtube video #oldschool ...)
It was always Pop I wanted to stay at!

Disney were running the free breakfast offer at Pop which was great as I knew I'd be upgrading to some kind of DDP and so it cost a lot less than just paying for it outright. I've done the DDP the past three trips and while I really enjoyed it and was super tempted again this time - I basically just felt I wanted a little more freedom on my solo trip. I don't think I'd enjoy slow-paced signature dining alone so much and I didn't want to commit to 14 ADRs, so, QSDP it is then! I will of course still be booking a few ADRs... let's not be crazy here...



As for my ticket I just have the 14 day Ultimate ticket - no Universal or other parks for me!

Also, initially I had booked this package booked through Disney UK, for April 2016. By the time I came to postpone this trip to September that package deal had ended months ago, so I assumed I would have to cancel and rebook at the current rates. BUT, the CM on the phone was lovely and helpful and I think some Disney magic may have been involved, because she allowed me to move my booking back to September and honour the prices/deal I had booked with! I was so happy, I really wasn’t expecting that to be an option, especially as I was shortening the trip from 16 to 14 nights and so the cost of the package actually decreased!
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