My Bougie Pampered Queen Solo Holiday Trip Completed 1/8

[Newsies]

SUCH a perfect first day so far! POR, Gideons, Frozcato, Cookes of Dublin... I mean really, what else does a trip need? So excited to read more!

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

What a fun day. Can’t wait to hear more

 

[KaSe]

Great start to your trip report. I am going on my first solo trip in January, but am doing a very parks heavy trip. A relaxing trip sounds lovely, maybe next time for me. Can’t wait to read more!

Thanks! Most of our trips have been park heavy. This is really not only my first solo trip but the first "slow down & relax" trip to Disney ever! I didn't even know you could say Disney and Relax in the same sentence. I do have some park time because how can you NOT, right? But definitely a different kind of trip for me.

Awe, now you're making me wish I was staying for more than 1 day!!!! Oh well, next time.

As long as there's a next time, there's always something fun to plan!

Joining to hear all about your first (not last) fabulous solo trip!! I adore solo trips so can’t wait to hear all about yours!

Yay! I've lurked on many of your trip reports or ones you're mentioned in previously & I'm so glad you're here! Spoiler alert: I'm already trying to figure out when I can do it again.

SUCH a perfect first day so far! POR, Gideons, Frozcato, Cookes of Dublin... I mean really, what else does a trip need? So excited to read more!

It was definitely a great day & it just set the tone for the whole week!

What a fun day. Can’t wait to hear more

Thank you!

 

[KaSe]

Tuesday, Nov. 28
Part 1: Resort Hopping

I didn't have any reason to set an alarm the night before, so I woke up naturally about 8:15 -- which was such a nice change of pace already -- and made a cup of coffee & ate some of my banana chocolate chip cookie for breakfast (it was banana & walnut -- it's practically oatmeal & that's healthy )



The rooms have these "Hey Disney" Alexa-style devices. I enjoyed asking for the weather, a joke and trivia questions every day.

My original plans for the day had been to wander around more of the resort (that resort is HUGE & I never did see it all!), enjoy more pool time & then head to the Poly for a late lunch before Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party that night. Unfortunately I knew I had to pivot those plans because of the weather. Most of the week looked absolutely beautiful (that gorgeous low-mid 70 range) But today was a different story. Today's high was 58 and the low was 42. Definitely still warmer than the 13 degrees I heard it was at home (So long, Suckers! ) but definitely not sitting by the pool weather. So I put on my Disney Christmas sweatshirt (bought on Amazon) to wander around the resort as originally planned and then head to the Poly early to do the monorail loop before the party instead. The monorail loop was on my agenda for later in the week, but it was an easy switch.


Feeling cute. Might hit up a Christmas party later.

So, I wandered around the resort, found the other pool on Ol' Man Island, stopped in Fulton's General Store to pick up a couple small souvenirs, then packed my backpack for anything I would need for the party on a cold November night & set out to find my bus stop -- which sounds like I was an an expedition, but yeah, I kinda was because did I mention this resort is huge? hahaha!


This resort is really beautiful & picturesque!


Their job is gonna be soooooooo cold & boring today!!


Cute Christmas merch


Found this keyring at Fulton's & had to have it. It's a K for Kimberly AND it's a Queen! Can you think of a better memento of my Bougie Queen adventure?!


Hey! I found my bus stop.

 

[KaSe]

The MK bus came in just a couple minutes. I grabbed a seat & chatted with a super sweet family with 2 little kids who were practically bouncing they were so excited -- the mom looked VERY interested in the fact I had taken a solo trip. "Like you left your kids at home and you can just do whatever you want?!" Hang in there moms of young children, we've all been there. I wished them well once we reached MK & they went on their way into the park & I went on my way toward the monorail, which also arrived just as I reached the platform. Perfect! I stayed on until we reached the Poly & then headed in to see their decorations & have some lunch.


I'd heard so much about the pulled pork nachos at Captain Cook's & I'd never had them before so they were on my list of foods to try this trip. They were really good!
Pulled Pork nachos topped with cheese, spicy mayonnaise, pico de gallo, and pineapple salsa

After lunch, I continued on my way. Next stop, the Grand Floridian! To me, this is THE quintessential Disney resort at Christmas. I love everything about this resort during the holidays. That gingerbread house alone -- -- It's such an incredible work of art.

 

[KaSe]

One more stop before the party -- The Contemporary, of course! I realize I did the resorts in a bit of a wonky order, but I wanted lunch at the Poly and figured I could leave the Contemporary for another day if I needed to, but I still had time so I headed there next. I know they don't have anywhere near the WOW factor of the Grand Floridian, but I was really interested to see the Mary Blair-inspired gingerbread. I have really enjoyed learning all about her and her artistic contributions to Disney through the various behind-the-attraction shows on Disney+

Going past MK. People are starting to line up for the party.








Little hidden Mickey's on the gingerbread


Me and NOT a tree!


The actual tree in the lobby is -- underwhelming to say the least.


But the individual decorations are still pretty & sparkly.

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Wow, what a perfectly perfect first day!

 

[KaSe]

Tuesday, Nov. 28
Part 2: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party


Thank you to the woman who took pity on me trying to get a selfie. (I reciprocated with a photo for her too!) I like how the peppermints of the ears almost fill the 00 in 100. We'll say that was on purpose & not a happy accident.

I've been to MNSSHP several times, but this was my very first Christmas party at WDW & I was very excited! By the time I got off the monorail, it was 3:45 (oops!). I meant to be there before that, but honestly, I found that I really didn't need to be there earlier. Was it packed with people waiting for that magical 4 p.m. time? Oh, heck yeah. The line was stopped by a wall of people at the base of the monorail ramp. And when they did start letting people in, the line snaked from the monorail ramp, past the entrance, over to the bus area and then back around to the turnstiles. But, it moved SO quickly, I had tapped in, received my party bracelet & was on Main Street by 4:07. Amazing! I'm glad I decided to take my time & enjoy what I was doing at the resorts instead of standing in line for an hour or more.

Main Street NEVER disappoints!! I was grinning from ear to ear & totally emotional to be back in my favorite place.





Before the party started, I was going to go around & ride the things I could so I could focus on party-exclusive things once it started. I started with Jingle Cruise since its overlay is for the whole season rather than just during the party. The wait was 20 minutes & was the longest wait of the night. I love Jungle Cruise anyway, but it was really fun with the holiday Dad jokes instead!


"Striped reindeer"

Between 4:30 & 7:00, I rode:
• Jingle Cruise
• Pirates
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Haunted Mansion
• Peter Pan
• Small World

Plus I had dinner (the hand dipped corn dog from Sleepy Hollow, which has become a "must do" for us) & got pulled into a random dance party. So, I'd say it was a very successful few hours! I also pulled pajama pants on over my jeans & added a long-sleeve T-shirt under my sweatshirt to keep warm.

 

[KaSe]

I got off Peter Pan just after 7 p.m., so I stopped by Pinocchio Village Haus for my first cookie stop (red velvet & hot cocoa) & made my way back toward the front of the park to head toward Tomorrowland for the other attractions with holiday overlays.
First up was Laugh Floor where I helped Mike fill his canisters with Jingle-Watts -- again, I love the Laugh Floor any day, but it was even better with Christmas jokes! Next, I made my way over to People Mover. It does not have a holiday overlay of its own, but it's always a great way to see the overlays on the Speedway & Space Mountain, plus enjoy a few snippets of the dance parties & just see the whole atmosphere & party vibe. I stopped by Lunching pad for my next cookie stop (sugar cookie & apple cider) and made my way over to Space Mountain. I've heard some people hate the overlay because with the red & green lights, you can see more than you normally can, but I absolutely loved it & rode it twice in a row!









I still had some time before I needed to find my spot for the fireworks, so I took another walk around the park for the rest of the cookies (most of which came home with me -- I even shared a few with my daughters) & caught some of Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration.

 

[KaSe]

I found a place to watch the fireworks on Main Street without too long to wait. I know some displays have been better than others through the years, but I never care. I LOVE Disney fireworks. Love them!!! And these were as good as always!




After the fireworks, I went through a few shops, making my way down Main Street toward the Town Square Theater, which is where I wanted to watch the parade.









I was right there at the Town Square Theater, so after the parade, it was really easy to step inside and thank our host for an absolutely magical night!

 

[KaSe]

Wow, what a perfectly perfect first day!

Thank you! It just set the tone for an amazing week!

 

[erinch]

Following!

 

[Newsies]

Sounds like an amazing party!

 

[KaSe]

Following!

Welcome!

Sounds like an amazing party!

It was fantastic! I would do it again tomorrow if I could!

 

[KaSe]

Wednesday, Nov, 29
RESORT HOPPING

With a late night & a laid back day, once again, I did not set an alarm & just woke up when I was ready to wake up – which turned out to be a little after 9 a.m. I got up, had a little more of my banana chocolate chip cookie & got ready for a day of resort hopping for more Christmas decorations. It was a little cool this morning, but it was supposed to warm up to a sunny, low 70s, which would be gorgeous!

I headed to the bus stop about 10 a.m. My first resort today was Animal Kingdom Lodge, so I just took whichever bus arrived first. It happened to be AK, so off we went! I chatted with another nice family who were doing the same thing I was that day. We got off the bus & went over to the AKL bus, which was already sitting there (my bus transportation has been perfect so far this trip!).

This is always such a WOW lobby.


I really liked their gingerbread giraffe & zebra.

Of all the displays, I think these are the most unique. It's hard to believe those are made out of gingerbread!

You obviously can’t be at AKL with wandering out to the savanna to watch the animals! So, I said hello to the zebras, wildebeests & giraffes.



My plan was to eat lunch at Mara, but they didn’t switch from breakfast to lunch until 11:30, so I grabbed one of the chairs by the flamingos & got comfortable. I watched the flamingos, read a book on my phone & just enjoyed the sunshine. It was so relaxing!



For lunch, I got the chicken & shrimp bowl: Chermoula-spiced Shrimp and Oak-grilled Chicken with Pilau Rice, Kale Slaw, Cucumber-Tomato Salad, and Chermoula Sour Cream. It was SO good! And for months, I had planned to finish lunch with some zebra domes because … YUM!! But, then they had these Santa hat tarts for the holidays, and how could I possibly resist those little beauties?? So, I did what any rational person would do on vacation – I got both, of course. I ate the zebra domes with lunch as planned & brought the tart with me for a snack later on. Brilliant!


(Zebra domes: Chocolate Mousse baked with Amarula Cream Liquor-coated White Chocolate drizzled with Chocolate Stripes and Chocolate Shavings)

(Santa hat tart: Vanilla tart with pistachio cake, chai mousse, and caramel ganache)

After lunch, I made my way back to the busses to wait for the Hollywood Studios bus for my next group of resorts. Once I arrived at Hollywood Studios, I immediately went over to the Skyliner to head to the International Gateway. Next up were 3 resorts I’d never been to: Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club & Beach Club.


I got a Skyliner all to myself! Don't worry -- I refrained from any shenanigans.

 

[KaSe]

RESORT HOPPING #2


Pretty pic of the Friendship boats, the Skyliner & the back of France

Once I arrived at the International Gateway, I followed some people over to the walkway so I knew where to go. It’s a very easy & pretty walk! Can’t believe we’ve never been to this area before!

I hadn’t seen the 100 banners yet. Very cute!



I walked around the Boardwalk a little & then found the Boardwalk Inn. What a beautiful resort!



Their gingerbread display is a mini-version of the Boardwalk. It’s so cute and all the details are incredible!




I decided now was a good time to sit on the veranda & enjoy my Santa hat treat. The sun was shining, there was a beautiful breeze blowing, people were walking past chatting & laughing … I was just 100% content.

 

[KaSe]

RESORT HOPPING #3

Once I was done with my treat & my people watching, I decided to take the ferry across to Yacht Club.



Their gingerbread piece is a replica of their lighthouse & they have a cute little train, too.



I didn’t stay here for very long & continued on my way to Beach Club. I filled my mug with Sprite as I walked past Hurricane Hanna’s & then I saw that glorious beach. Oh, there was no stopping me – I had to have my feet in the sand for a while. There were a ton of chairs available, so I didn’t feel too bad enjoying one for a bit.






It was just SO nice & I ended up sitting there about an hour, reading my book, drinking my beverage and just enjoying that picture-perfect day.

 

[KaSe]

RESORT HOPPING #4

I finally decided to go on inside. I fully admit, after a little R&R on the beach, I was already pretty enamored, but then after seeing the resort, I have fallen absolutely 100% in love with Beach Club. My mom was from Rhode Island & we spent a lot of time on the East Coast when I was a kid. Maybe it kicked up some of those summer memories, I don’t know, but I loved that resort. That became my new dream place to stay one day.



Their tree is smaller than some resort lobbies, but the whole lobby is so pretty, I didn't mind -- Although those chairs on the right wall remind me of my daughter's cello case.



Loved their gingerbread carrousel! It’s themed with different countries In Epcot!


Once I decided to tear myself away from Beach Club, I made my way back to Port Orleans. Heading from the Skyliner back to the busses, “Holly Jolly Christmas” was playing over the speakers, so I did what any rational, festive person who works at a theatre would do – I sang along! I wasn’t too loud or obnoxious or anything. I didn’t want to disturb other people; I was just enjoying the moment. But then the people near me started singing too! And then we all laughed. It was one of those fun, random moments that was just filled with joy.

I got back to the resort about 5:00. I didn’t expect the four resorts to take the entire day, but I was having such a good time just meandering & taking in the details & relaxing that it pretty much took the whole day. But that was absolutely okay because I enjoyed every minute of it. I took care of some of my stuff in my room & then got ready for dinner at Boatwright. The lights around the resort all looked so pretty!



I really enjoyed my meal here! I started off with the corn bread & French onion soup. The soup was absolutely perfect! For my entrée, I had the seafood boil. It was SO good! I don’t like foods that are really spicy, but this was flavorful and spicy without being hot, if that makes sense. It was delicious & I was absolutely stuffed by the time I finished!



After dinner, I wanted to see Yee-haw Bob. I imagine it’s always busy for him but there were a couple of large parties there celebrating so it was REALLY busy in there. I stayed for awhile & really enjoyed the show!



Then I called it a night. Did you know you can watch Happily Ever After fireworks on demand on the room TVs? I decided that was a perfect way to end the day.

 

[Newsies]

Wait, I totally did NOT know you could watch HEA from the TVs in the room... thank you for the heads up!!!

Another gorgeous day with all of the resorts! The vibes looked soooo good today... a good book, good food, some sunshine and some gingerbread displays!

 

[snowwite]

Wednesday, Nov, 29
RESORT HOPPING

With a late night & a laid back day, once again, I did not set an alarm & just woke up when I was ready to wake up – which turned out to be a little after 9 a.m. I got up, had a little more of my banana chocolate chip cookie & got ready for a day of resort hopping for more Christmas decorations. It was a little cool this morning, but it was supposed to warm up to a sunny, low 70s, which would be gorgeous!

I headed to the bus stop about 10 a.m. My first resort today was Animal Kingdom Lodge, so I just took whichever bus arrived first. It happened to be AK, so off we went! I chatted with another nice family who were doing the same thing I was that day. We got off the bus & went over to the AKL bus, which was already sitting there (my bus transportation has been perfect so far this trip!).

This is always such a WOW lobby.
View attachment 820881View attachment 820882

I really liked their gingerbread giraffe & zebra.
View attachment 820884
Of all the displays, I think these are the most unique. It's hard to believe those are made out of gingerbread!

You obviously can’t be at AKL with wandering out to the savanna to watch the animals! So, I said hello to the zebras, wildebeests & giraffes.

View attachment 820888View attachment 820889View attachment 820891

My plan was to eat lunch at Mara, but they didn’t switch from breakfast to lunch until 11:30, so I grabbed one of the chairs by the flamingos & got comfortable. I watched the flamingos, read a book on my phone & just enjoyed the sunshine. It was so relaxing!

View attachment 820892

For lunch, I got the chicken & shrimp bowl: Chermoula-spiced Shrimp and Oak-grilled Chicken with Pilau Rice, Kale Slaw, Cucumber-Tomato Salad, and Chermoula Sour Cream. It was SO good! And for months, I had planned to finish lunch with some zebra domes because … YUM!! But, then they had these Santa hat tarts for the holidays, and how could I possibly resist those little beauties?? So, I did what any rational person would do on vacation – I got both, of course. I ate the zebra domes with lunch as planned & brought the tart with me for a snack later on. Brilliant!

View attachment 820893
(Zebra domes: Chocolate Mousse baked with Amarula Cream Liquor-coated White Chocolate drizzled with Chocolate Stripes and Chocolate Shavings)

(Santa hat tart: Vanilla tart with pistachio cake, chai mousse, and caramel ganache)

After lunch, I made my way back to the busses to wait for the Hollywood Studios bus for my next group of resorts. Once I arrived at Hollywood Studios, I immediately went over to the Skyliner to head to the International Gateway. Next up were 3 resorts I’d never been to: Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club & Beach Club.
View attachment 820894

I got a Skyliner all to myself! Don't worry -- I refrained from any shenanigans.
View attachment 820895

I’m too scared of heights to try the skyliner!