I returned from Disney almost a month ago but, honestly, I’ve spent most of the last few weeks recovering. I caught a nasty bug on the plane home and it’s been tough getting back into the groove.
Before I get into the timeline, I want to talk a bit about the Character Couture experiences. I did two Timeless Transformations - hair, makeup, and nails - to go with my Ariel and Rapunzel Disney Bounds, respectively. The first was at Senses Spa and Salon at the Grand Floridian, while the second was at the Ship Shape Salon at the Yacht Club after breakfast at Trattoria al Forno. I liked the Ship Shape a lot better, honestly. The salon seemed better equipped for painting and drying nails, and frankly, Senses is pretty remote from the main building of the Grand Floridian. It was raining that morning and I felt every inch of that walk. The covered walkway only went so far to keep me dry.
My stylists were GREAT, though. I had Justin at Senses and Djemah at the Ship Shape. Amusingly, even though he wasn’t my stylist the second time, the stylists do move between the salons and Justin happened to be at the Ship Shape for my second appointment. He actually ended up stepping in to lend Djemah his shadow palette when he was between appointments.
At this point the nail polish work is pretty basic solid colors, though they will mix coats up to achieve different color and glitter effects. For Ariel I got a sort of blue-green deal with silver glitter, and purple accent nails on my ring fingers. For Rapunzel I did purple with blue accent nails.
They do have hair accessories but will charge for at least some of them - Djemah said they were charging $5 for hair flowers, though I’d ended up bringing my own (as I’d heard sometimes they run out) so it wasn’t a problem. I wasn’t charged for the multi-colored hair extensions used for my Rapunzel look and didn’t really use any of their other accessories aside from your basic bobby pins and such. (I brought my own hair bow for Ariel.)
The makeup was, as I’d been told, pretty basic, mostly just eyes and lips, but they’ll do great effects with the eyes - I had an ombre effect both times and I think it worked out pretty well. They also put in fake eyelashes for no additional charge to get those fuller princess lashes. Justin added a little extra blush for Ariel but in both cases I did my foundation, concealer, and some basic blush before leaving my hotel.
But they say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s how it all worked out.
I think next time I do a Rapunzel look I won’t go so heavy on the flowers - the flower crown I brought would have been more than enough, and the extra clips honestly obscured the AMAZING braid work Djemah did. Overall I’m really satisfied with how it all worked out. Yes, the Timeless Transformation is pricey, but it’s fun if you enjoy getting gussied up at a salon and the effect is spectacular. I got a lot of compliments from cast members and from other guests, and had fun experiences with the characters I met on those days, including but not limited to the ones I was bounding. It really is BBB for adults, pixie dust included.
Okay! Let’s talk about the rest of the trip.
I was originally going to stay in one of the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside (I am a major princess junkie) but ultimately reconsidered and switched to the All-Star Music to save money. I was on the Disney Dining Plan as usual (insofar as I have a “usual” considering this was only the second WDW trip I’ve planned and taken as an adult). I took an early early EARLY flight on Thursday the 17th so I could drop my bags at my hotel and get a little Magic Kingdom time before heading to Disney Springs to hit up the VOID, the Coca Cola Store, and Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. This let me observe my tradition of hitting the Haunted Mansion for my first ride, while observing my first FULL day for Epcot, but I don’t think I’m going to do that again any time soon. I crashed hard after such a long day and ended up skipping my morning Epcot plans. Fortunately I didn’t have dining or FP+ reservations until around 1 pm so my plans weren’t ruined by a lie-in.
The VOID was an incredible experience. I did the Star Wars scenario with a party of strangers, a mother and two sons who didn’t speak much English. This didn’t end up being a major problem - the scenario is fairly straightforward, honestly. The most complicated puzzle is basically a game of Simon. But the combination of VR with physical objects was really effective. It FELT like I was on a mission for the Rebel Alliance, and there were some delightful surprises along the way. It also wasn’t very strenuous. I was worried about that, as I do use a cane (I can go off it for up to an hour or so but I need it for long-distance walking and can’t really run or jump effectively) but there was no jumping, no running, no climbing. The gear was heavy but nothing I couldn’t handle. I’d love to go on this adventure - or the Wreck-It Ralph experience - with friends, though I’m not sure I’ll be able to convince the friends I’m going with in May to try it out.
I really liked the Coca Cola Store Rooftop Bar. I did not end up drinking any of the cocktails, but I did get the international soda flight. There were a lot more options than at the temporarily closed Cool Station. I liked maybe half of them, particularly since my old nemesis Beverly was in the mix, but it was interesting to try them all nonetheless. Next time I go I think I may be more selective.
I also did the Polar Bear photo experience which was…fine. I didn’t realize I could download the photos with Memory Maker so I paid for overpriced souvenirs, whoops. I also felt rushed through the meet and greet, even though there was literally no line. Still, I am very fond of the Coca-Cola glass I bought at a surprisingly low price.
The food at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ was delicious, of course, but I honestly couldn’t finish much of it. Maybe I was just full of soda, but the portions were definitely hefty. If and when I go again, I might need to bring a friend and split a main course. This was my first experience at the restaurant, though, and it was a good one, even if I felt bad about not cleaning my plate and not taking leftovers.
As I said, I ended up sleeping in on the first full day of my trip, which meant I didn’t meet Belle in France or get a breakfast waffle at the Belgium booth as I’d intended. But I was still able to make it in time to hit up my Soarin’ reservation, and it was good I had FP+ lined up for it because the ride was running at low capacity and standby was running close to two hours. After that I had some very nice drinking chocolate at the Chocolate Experience upstairs before riding Journey Into Imagination (still not as good as it used to be, sorry Eric Idle) and meeting Ralph & Vanellope (lots of fun!).
Lunch was at the Rose & Crown. Again, delicious. It’s such an old standby at this point that I don’t know what else to say! But it was a wonderful, relaxing meal.
After lunch I finally made my way to the Brazil and Belgium booths. The pao de queijo was a must-try for me, though I didn’t like it as much as the pao de queijo I’ve had closer to home. I LOVED what I got from the Belgium booth: the beer-braised beef with Gouda mashed potatoes, and a Belgian waffle with whipped cream and chocolate ganache.
I was feeling a little bushed at that point so I decided to leave via International Gateway and relax with a drink at AbracadaBar. I’d stopped in on the previous trip, and I love the ambiance, but last time I tried the Magic Mirror and wasn’t super impressed. This time I had the Seashore Sweet and really enjoyed it. It was rather crowded this time around and I ended up in the corner, which slowed service down a bit, to the point where I was antsy to get back to the park for my Mission SPACE FP+ and finally had to get up and find my server.
After riding Mission SPACE and Test Track (single rider, no FP, wasn’t too bad), I went to the Character Spot to meet Joy & Sadness followed by Baymax. I really liked both experiences, though the Inside Out theming was more impressive than the Big Hero 6 backdrop.
Dinner was Chefs de France. Which was…fine. I think I’m going to drop it from my regular dining rotation. I did have a fun conversation with the couple at the next table, which was the highlight of my meal, but the food did not impress.
Saturday was Magic Kingdom and my Ariel bound! I’ve already covered that part of things above, and I had a wonderful time meeting Ariel. The cast member attending her audibly gasped at my look, totally delighted, and Ariel was very curious as to whether I’d used a dinglehopper to get my hair just so. It was adorable as always.
What more can I say about the rest of my day at the Kingdom? The only new attraction I tried - new to me, that is - was the Laugh Floor, which was corny but fun. I don’t feel any powerful urges to visit it again (though I did consider it during the Halloween Party). I had a truly delicious pumpkin spice milkshake at Auntie Gravity’s, though I’m surprised Disney is still doing novelty straws, honestly, and I wasn’t very impressed by the one that came with my shake - a broad straw with a foam decoration made to look like an orange cookie glued on. I would have rather had an actual cookie. The shake itself was great, though, as was the limited-time offering at Aloha Isle, a pineapple juice float with swirled pineapple and raspberry Dole Whip. I am a Dole Whip float addict but I didn’t end up ordering the regular float once on this trip - I was all about the swirl. I’d love for it to become a permanent part of the menu because the raspberry really adds something.
Dinner at Casey’s Corner was a bit of a nightmare. Mobile order pickup got backed up and I had to make multiple circuits around the dining room before I was able to get a seat. The price I pay for going to Magic Kingdom on a Saturday, I guess.
I did the After Fireworks Dessert Party to get a good spot for Happily Ever After, and I actually prefer it, I think, to doing the dessert part first. I had more time to enjoy the park before the fireworks and I got some delicious treats afterward to cap off the night.
Sunday was my Hollywood Studios day, with emphasis on Galaxy’s Edge. I got up very early to do EEMH and it worked out really well - I was able to ride Smuggler’s Run twice (once as a gunner, once as an engineer) and get that sweet photo op in front of the Falcon before the crowds really hit. Breakfast at Docking Bay 7 was fairly basic quick service, but I did enjoy it, particularly the purple potatoes. Shopping was also fun, though honestly I wish I’d just shipped the dejarik set home - I sent it back to my hotel (along with, ultimately, most of the other purchases I’d made, including my lightsaber) but getting it back to my room was an ordeal. It’s VERY heavy and bulky.
I loved SR. I’m disappointed I never got to be a pilot, but I expected I wouldn’t be able to do that as a single rider, and I still felt like I had a fun experience both times. Being a gunner was a little more fun than being an engineer.
I did both Droid Depot and Savi’s Workshop and well…I love my droid, she’s very cute, but I’ll admit $100 is a lot to spend for a remote control droid that doesn’t even have as many features as my Sphero R2-D2. Especially since I spent even more cash adding a personality chip, extra accessory panels, and jet accessories. They were also out of the droid carrying bags so I had to carry R2-QT (as I dubbed her) around in a reusable tote. The experience itself was…okay but I felt rushed. Probably because I WAS being rushed, which okay, fair, I had made a reservation which was after EEMH and the crowds were building. But I wasn’t allowed to put in the personality chip or accessories I’d bought and as such couldn’t try out everything my droid was ultimately capable of on the mat outside. I also wish there were more purple options for the R2 units aside from the head pieces. I might build a BB on my next trip but, well, we’ll see. I’m not sure it’s worth the cost and effort of snagging a res.
Savi’s Workshop felt MUCH more special. The cast members, especially the one leading the experience, really engaged with us, moving around to admire our work, complimenting me at one point on my choices, stopping to ask someone nearby if he could translate the ancient runes on his lightsaber, that sort of thing. Igniting our lightsabers did, as others have said, feel genuinely dramatic. It is REALLY pricey and I doubt I’ll do it again; I’m pretty happy with my saber, though the one gripe I might have is that the pieces don’t all align the way I would have liked. That’s just my mild obsessive tendency coming into play, though, and I can deal. (I went with Elemental Nature, for the record, mostly using the metal and “wood” pieces with a “leather” wrapped hilt piece and the rancor tooth pommel.) Another mild gripe: since I got home my lightsaber has recently started emitting noises on its own, despite being turned off. Not sure what’s happening there.
Oga’s Cantina was an excellent experience. I had an Outer Rim and a Fuzzy Tauntaun, both delicious, and while I wouldn’t say the Tauntaun made my mouth feel numb, I was delighted by the tingling sensation it produced. I actually ended up being seated, probably because the cast members spotted my cane. It was a full table, rather cozy, and I had a brief chat with a couple folks who came in after I did and asked about what I was drinking. I was close to Rex but had my back turned to him - still, it was GREAT to see him again, and I had time after finishing my drinks to get some pics and enjoy the ambiance.
After all of that, I left Galaxy’s Edge behind, stopped off briefly to get a pic with Buzz in Toy Story Land since the line wasn’t too bad, and ultimately went to put most of my things into a locker. Since the lightsaber wouldn’t possibly fit I went to Mickey’s of Hollywood and had them send that back at that point. I just didn’t want to deal with any of that anymore.
On my way back up for my Star Tours FP+ res I stopped in at the Incredibles area, where I sadly just missed Mrs. Incredible, but DID get to have my photo taken with Edna Mode. Star Tours itself was great, of course, though I was slightly vexed by the emphasis on Batuu. I suppose it makes sense to set Batuu as the “final” destination as a way of linking Star Tours to Galaxy’s Edge, but I got Crait followed by Batuu both times I rode on this trip and it was a bit irritating. I miss the actual randomization.
My last FP+ of the day was Midway Mania, not much to say about that, it was great as always.
Then there was an early dinner at the 50’s Prime-Time Cafe, which…is honestly not that fun as a solo diner. I have fond memories of going with my family as a child, the smaller two-person tables don’t have TVs and aren’t really positioned to see TVs, I found my dinner portion a bit unsatisfying, and the brownie sundae I had for dessert was mediocre. I don’t think I’ll be going back, really. It’s much more about ambiance than food, and much of the ambiance is lost if you’re on your own.
I did Fantasmic via FP+ - first time I’ve done that rather than a dining package - and was largely satisfied with that experience. I can’t think of any complaints, honestly, the seating situation was about the same as I recall from the dining package.
Monday was a second Hollywood Studios day, with a stop at the hotel to change into my Maleficent costume and then partying late into the night at MNSSHP. This time I avoided Galaxy’s Edge completely. I was going to try and hit EEMH again to ride Slinky Dog Dash but I ended up sleeping a little later and going when the park was open to the public.
The one really notable thing on my second Hollywood Studios was my visit with Darth Vader, who has of course replaced Kylo Ren in the launch bay. Vader is a lot of fun, and his encounter is framed as an interrogation. I told him I’d just come from Alderaan on a mission of peace and didn’t know anything about the Rebel Alliance and he informed me my rebel sympathies were well known before posing for a picture, then warned me that the next time we met it would not be so pleasant. It was great. Sure it’s all prerecorded lines but I loved it. (And it made up for not really having Rey or Kylo Ren photo ops available now that they’re roaming Galaxy’s Edge and too busy to stop for photos.)
I enjoyed Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party immensely. I didn’t really try to squeeze into the crowd for any of the parades or shows, nor did I try to wait in line for any of the really rare characters. I did get pics with Vampire Mickey, who stopped me for a cape dance on the way out (I was dressed as Maleficent and wearing a shawl so we basically just spent some time shaking our capes/shawl back and forth), and with the Winnie the Pooh characters in their costumes. I particularly got to hug Eeyore, who holds a special place in my heart as my late mother’s favorite character - one of the last gifts I gave her was a stuffed Eeyore doll, and one of the reasons I keep going back to Disney (aside from loving it myself of course) is that we shared a love for the animated films and the parks and these trips make me feel close to her.
Aside from that I hit up all the PhotoPass ops I could and was very happy with them, particularly the Hatbox Ghost. I also took the opportunity to ride the Mine Train, since I again couldn’t snag a Fastpass during my trip, and to experience Space Mountain in the dark and Pirates with live performers. The live performers were SO fun and engaged with the guests - including me, specifically - in very entertaining ways. When the performers on the bridge saw my boat approaching they began audibly fretting before telling me “I must say, you look Maleficent” and agreeing they were NOT going to try and hijack my ship.
I might have liked to see the new fireworks and the Bride figure in the parade but honestly, while I love the Halloween shows, I feel pretty okay about not putting my focus on that. I quite enjoyed everything I did do.
But all that revelry had a cost. I had another early morning at Animal Kingdom because, dammit, I was going to do the Tusker House dining package and see Rivers of Light that evening. On my previous trip I’d missed Rivers due to a combination of an ill-considered side trip to Disney Springs and a torrential downpour of rain, this time I was going to see it.
I did not see it.
The day started off okay, the breakfast buffet was solid as always and I had a pass for Flight of Passage soon after. I rode that and Na’vi River Journey without too much of a fuss, then had a great time meeting Dug and Russell, with a brief visit from Kevin (who was on her way to her own photo op but had great interactions with people and was a lot of fun - I wish I’d gotten her on video). Then I decided to go ride DINOSAUR.
DINOSAUR was closed.
Okay. I figured I’d go ride Kali River Rapids.
Also closed.
It was a sweltering day. I was not doing well with the crowds, the climate, or the size of the park. It was hours until my next pass, at Everest, and it would be hours more before my dusk ride on Kilimanjaro Safari and the time I was due to report to Rivers of Light. I was completely worn down and about to blow my top. So I decided I’d go back to my room, take a nap, and come back refreshed.
At this point the days of late nights and early mornings caught up to me and I basically crashed until it was too late for me to go see Rivers of Light. Instead, when I got back up in the evening, I decided to make my way to Universal, where I was due to stay on property for a couple days (while keeping my All-Star Music room - it was just easiest on me that way, despite the extra expense).
Check-in at the Aventura was fairly painless, though I wasn’t able to pick up my tickets and express passes and such as that counter was already shut down. Then I took the shuttle to CityWalk and had dinner at Toothsome, which was lovely but had such huge portions that, once again, I couldn’t finish them. I had the Toothsome Nicoise, the wild mushroom and brisket meatloaf, and the chocolate mousse, and I could not clean any of those dishes. I came closest with the salad. The mousse was so very rich that I couldn’t even get through half of it.
I ended up sleeping in a bit (and I should pause here and say that while I wasn’t impressed by the Aventura’s decor and, in retrospect, probably would have liked Cabana Bay better, the rooms were very comfortable) but my Express passes for both the park and HHN meant I was able to ride basically everything I wanted that day, save for Rip Ride Rockit, which was shut down. I also had My Universal Photos this time so I didn’t need to miss out on any photo ops. Most of the rides I’d been on before, save for Race Through New York, which I enjoyed more than I’d expected - I don’t really watch the Tonight Show but it was a fun experience.
HHN was also great, though the scarezones were a little middling. I thought Zombieland, Vikings Undead, and Vanity Ball all worked pretty well, but was disappointed in Anarchade and found Hellbilly pretty dull. The houses varied widely, and Ghostbusters felt more like a recap of the film than a haunted maze (true of all the tie-in houses, of course, but Stranger Things and Us at least had scares), but I really enjoyed Universal Monsters and Nightingales.
Day 2 at Universal was largely Harry Potter focused, though I finally got the chance to ride Rip Ride Rockit. I’m disappointed my ride video wasn’t included in My Universal Photos - no way was I paying as much as they wanted, but you could clearly see me greeting the vertical lift with some mild profanity and the terror only ramped up from there. It is an INTENSE coaster, on par with Hulk, though I liked RRR better overall.
Honestly, the biggest part of the day was Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. The ride itself was wonderful. But everything leading up to it, and the agony of getting my photo afterward, was terrible. I’m given to understand that the setup doesn’t really allow them to do single rider (they have a single rider line, but it was closed), and of course they’re not doing Express right now. The queue is designed to trick you into thinking it’s shorter than it is, as with most queues, but it goes on for SO long that you feel and resent every minute. And the photo claim station is a manned shack at the end, and it was MOBBED. I loved the ride and it’s a shame that everything surrounding it is such a headache.
Another note: they weren’t doing “security photos” at Escape From Gringotts when I went. I don’t know if they’ve dropped that permanently or just weren’t doing it that day, but it was disappointing to discover this when I finally had My Universal Photos and could have gotten the pic.
Other than that, it was mostly existing attractions and photo ops. I did Animal Actors and the Horror Make-Up Show for the first time and enjoyed them both. I also did Poseidon’s Fury, which I did not realize was a standing/walk-through experience. Should have done my homework. I was cheesy but fun, though I would have liked to sit, and the show didn’t really live up to the VERY impressive theming of the building and surrounding landscape.
I managed to get a pic with the entire Scooby Gang and had fun interactions with them, and I also got a pic with Shrek and Donkey - I had hoped to get Fiona in the pic as well but they went for a break before I got to the front of the line and Fiona did not return with the other two. I know WHY they do that but it was still a bit of a bummer. I also did the Spider-Man, E.T. and Minion photo ops. I tried to find She-Ra around her spot in Lost Continent but she didn’t show, it was getting late and I was getting tired. I ended up grabbing dinner at the Whopper Bar (good, and I liked having the options I can’t get at home, but nothing spectacular, it’s Burger King) and crashing hard back at the hotel.
After checking out the next day, it was back to Disney, and particularly Epcot. It turned into a day of significant drinking: I had both of the cider flights on offer (one at Appleseed Orchard, one at Odyssey) plus a Citrus Sunrise, frozen orange and pineapple juice with a shot of Grand Marnier. Other than that, I had a wonderful lunch at Le Cellier, including the best filet mignon I’ve ever had as well as, of course, the pretzel bread and the cheddar cheese soup. I spent a good deal of time hiding from a cloudburst in a very crowded arcade in the France pavilion before going to get a picture with Belle (who I was bounding as that day, though without makeup - I wasn’t even really up to applying my own). I went to ride Frozen Ever After, since I had a Fastpass and was still wet anyway, and spent some time in the small exhibit on Norse gods in the stave church.
Then I went to see Mulan and, annoyingly, there was no Photopass photographer. Apparently this is not uncommon: the cast member on duty told us that Mulan is one of the first characters they pull photographers from if they’re short. I ended up trading photographer duties with the ladies behind me in line; they took my picture with Mulan and then I took theirs. Mulan was fun (we both agreed I was NOT prepared to join the army) but I do wish they’d put her in her warrior look, of course.
A quick stop off at Flavors From Fire for a Chocolate Picante (which I’d had on my previous trip during the Food & Wine Festival; it was different from the dish I remembered), and then I hung out in The Seas for a while before it was time to head to the Coral Reef for the commemorative Little Mermaid dinner. That…was a disappointment, quite frankly.
I will say that the cover of the commemorative menu was lovely and I was happy to bring it home as a collectible. But, well. Some of this I can blame on being adventurous and lacking reading comprehension, and some of it I can blame on the food just not being very good. I decided to try something new and ordered the Seafood Boil. Despite living in New England all my life, I actually don’t eat a lot of seafood, and I outright dislike shrimp. So, first thing, I failed to notice the boil included shrimp. Second thing, I was WAY more confident in my ability to tackle crab (which I’ve only previously had in cake, rangoon, or loose meat form) and lobster (which I’ve never had) in the shell than I should have been. It was sort of disastrous and I did not get much meat. I enjoyed the corn, potatoes, and broth. I shouldn’t have ordered sea food.
I had the Key Lime tart for dessert, though, and THIS is not my fault: it wasn’t good. Key Lime pie is one of my favorite desserts and I order it at almost every opportunity. It is on the short list of foods I will ALWAYS purchase if given a chance, along with fried pickles and potatoes au gratin. The tart’s crust seemed slightly burnt, and the flavor profile was very crust-forward with little of that Key Lime goodness.
I loved the Coral Reef for ambiance. I had a wonderful experience with a ray settling down right outside my window and sitting with me during dinner. The aquarium was, of course, absolutely lovely. But I don’t think I’m going to go back. I’m just not sufficiently into seafood.
Saturday, my last day in the parks before I flew home on Sunday, started out wonderfully. Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno was good, less for the food (which was fine, but I couldn’t finish; my server encouraged me to add a side of scrambled eggs to my Breakfast Cauldron for a little more protein, and it just turned out to be too much) and more for the princess time. I had breakfast before my salon visit, so I was in my Rapunzel bound but my hair was loose, and Rapunzel immediately spotted and complimented me on my inspired outfit in combination with my Ariel-esque hair. The performers were friendly, funny, and generally delightful. This was my second time doing Trattoria al Forno on my last day and I think it may be a tradition.
After that was my visit to Ship Shape, then on to Magic Kingdom to visit Rapunzel and Tiana first thing. Again the experience was lovely and I got lots of compliments on my look, from both princesses there as well as Ariel (she’s been my absolute favorite princess since childhood so I usually stop by on my last day as part of my farewell ritual) and various cast members who immediately grokked what I was going for. It was a lot of fun to, say, stop in Memento Mori to buy some last souvenirs and have a cast member go “Oh, good to see you, Rapunzel.”
I had lunch at Pecos Bill’s, and tried the plant-based cheeseburger, mainly to satisfy the curiosity of a vegan friend of mine back home - it’s not the worst I’ve ever had, but I should have dressed it up some at the toppings bar. It’s possible I was feeling sick at that point, though, honestly. I ate the chips but otherwise picked at my meal.
Unfortunately, after ten-ish days in one park or another, I was at the end of my tether, so I rode the Haunted Mansion one last time, had a last Dole Whip, and decided to call it a day. I considered heading to Animal Kingdom to try and hit Everest, at least, but I ended up going back to my hotel and crashing, ultimately unable to even get up for dinner in the dining hall. I got up in time to pack, do the resort airline check-in, have some breakfast and use up my last snack credits buying pretzels and gummies. I still had a quick service meal or two left over on my plan but I wasn’t going to go crazy with snacks like I did last time - half of them I didn’t end up eating. I suppose I could have bought a bunch of candy to take to work but, honestly, I didn’t want to try and repack anything at that point.
So, all in all, I had a lot of fun, memorable experiences. But I also went HAM on souvenirs in a way I don’t, usually, particularly with Galaxy’s Edge, and it cost a lot of money and I had to put in a lot of effort to get it all home. I think I’m going to cool it on my next trip in May. I also think I’m not going to try and do ten days on my own again, even on my NEXT next trip in (hopefully) the fall, and I’m not going to try to do those EXTREMELY early mornings. I really wore myself out and I need to respect my own limits. I’m also not going to go so late in the Halloween season again, because by that point, Magic Kingdom was closing for MNSSHP at 6 every night except Wednesdays and Saturdays, and Saturdays at MK were a bear.
Lessons learned. But it was still a lovely trip with a lot of Disney magic despite the problems, and the Timeless Transformations were particular highlights for me.