My Bougie Pampered Queen Solo Holiday Trip Completed 1/8

[snowwite]

RESORT HOPPING #2

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

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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.

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I’ve sat in those exact seats with my daughter!

RESORT HOPPING #2

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

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

View attachment 820902
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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.

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Sat there with my DD! We saw a wedding on the lawn leaving in Cinderell’s carriage!

 

[MamaMouse0920]

Following!! Sounds like an amazing trip so far!

 

[snowwite]

Your trip sounds fantastic!

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

What a lovely relaxing day! You made me so nostalgic for the Beach Club. Hands down my favorite resort to stay at

 

[KaSe]

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!

I actually didn't know it either (we almost never have the TV on when we're there), but I happened to be looking for something to unwind with at the end of the day & came across it. I was very excited!

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

I admit I don't love heights, typically, but these don't bother me for some reason. And I really love knowing that unlike the busses, I will always have a chance to sit down when riding the skyliner

I’ve sat in those exact seats with my daughter!

Sat there with my DD! We saw a wedding on the lawn leaving in Cinderell’s carriage!

No way!! Love that!! It was such a nice "Ahhhhh ..." kind of time.

Following!! Sounds like an amazing trip so far!

Your trip sounds fantastic!

Thanks! It was such a perfect trip!

What a lovely relaxing day! You made me so nostalgic for the Beach Club. Hands down my favorite resort to stay at

Thanks! It was so gorgeous! My travel agent is a DVC member & Beach Club is his home resort. I texted him and asked if I can tag along the next time he & his wife come down.

 

[MamaJessie]

I love your trip report, remembering a lot of happy memories for the trip I made with my best friend that recently passed away, she loved visiting lobbies ( and comparing all the different lobby smells lol) but she especially loved them all decked out for Christmas <3

Your TR has also been an inspiration! This Christmas I had a moment thinking about how my years of late night Elf shenanigans and cookie decorating playdates are starting to wind down and it made me a bit sad thinking about what the future holds and as I read your trip report I realized - this! This is a wonderful way to enjoy the magic of Christmas and enjoy the holidays in a new way.

Looking forward to reading more!

 

[alohamom]

Oh my goodness, I am really enjoying your report.
You are my hero. You had me at snuggling down to watch Food Network!

 

[KaSe]

I love your trip report, remembering a lot of happy memories for the trip I made with my best friend that recently passed away, she loved visiting lobbies ( and comparing all the different lobby smells lol) but she especially loved them all decked out for Christmas <3

Your TR has also been an inspiration! This Christmas I had a moment thinking about how my years of late night Elf shenanigans and cookie decorating playdates are starting to wind down and it made me a bit sad thinking about what the future holds and as I read your trip report I realized - this! This is a wonderful way to enjoy the magic of Christmas and enjoy the holidays in a new way.

Looking forward to reading more!

Aww, Thank you! I'm so sorry about losing your friend. I'm glad I'm bringing back some happy memories for you.
And you're absolutely right about new ways to enjoy the holidays! It's hard saying goodbye to those traditions you have when your kids are little, but each stage brings new traditions and new things to look forward to. I'm so glad I could bring you some joy.

Oh my goodness, I am really enjoying your report.
You are my hero. You had me at snuggling down to watch Food Network!

I'm so glad! I am a Food Network JUNKIE. Like I kinda need an intervention.

 

[KaSe]

Thursday, Nov. 30
EPCOT #1

(Oof! This one’s gonna be a long one, folks! I recommend a frozen hot chocolate martini while you read

Today was the only day I set an alarm. I had to be up early because today was my only actual park day --EPCOT!! I LOVE Epcot & I really LOVE the Epcot festivals. You can't come to Orlando to jumpstart some holiday spirit without attending Festival of the Holidays! The decorations, the food, the storytellers, the Candlelight Processional ... It was incredible! I’ve been to the other festivals many times, but I hadn’t been to Festival of the Holidays in 18 years! In 2005, we took a big family trip -- my parents, my family of 4 & my brother’s family of 4 -- and our kids ranged in age from 4 yrs to 8 yrs old at the time, so I was definitely ready to experience it all over again.

My phone alarm – Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow – went off at 7 a.m. so I could get ready for the day ahead. I didn’t buy Genie+ but I did buy an individual lightning lane for Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind. It was $15, and since it was just me, I just decided the price for an ILL was worth being able to control the time I wanted to do it rather than deal with the virtual queue & when my boarding number would be called, etc.

My transportation fairy dust continued & I tapped into the park about 8:15. Perfect for taking some photos before getting started.




My actual squealing goofy face anytime I enter Epcot because I can't contain my excitement



First up was Soarin’. I am so excited that they’ve brought back the original Soarin’ over California. I like Soarin’ Around the World, but I love Soarin’ over California. Nothing beats the smell of the pine trees & the orange groves of the original!



It was early magic hours, so the ride was a walk on. I enjoyed it so much that I did it again. And then, because the wait was still at only 10 minutes, plus knowing the California version was only going to be available until the end of the year, I rode it a third time. I regret nothing.

Since I was already in The Land pavilion, Living with the Land came next. I had read about the holiday overlay & I wanted to experience it both during the day and after dark. I really enjoy this ride typically, but the holiday overlay made it even more fun!




Uh, Mickey Moose?

After Living with the Land, I walked through Moana Journey of Water. This was the first time I’ve seen it, and I thought it was really cute & clever. I’m not sure how much time we’ll spend there in the future, but it reminds me of when my kids were little & how much fun they used to have playing with the dancing water fountains, etc. I can see it being a big hit with families who have little kiddos.



Next, I had to go thank the Phoenicians & find out my future.


That moment when you realize you will never be as cool as an animatronic from the 60s ..



And I took a quick selfie on the bubble gum wall to send to the girls. I’m sure they were very proud. LOL!

 

[KaSe]

EPCOT #2

About that time, my ILL for GotG opened, so I made my way over there.


My 16 chins & I were ready to save the Earth

This ride skates on the line of how much thrill I like in my thrill rides. I really do enjoy it, but there are a few moments on the ride when I question all of my life choices. Overall, it is a ton of fun & by the end, I always leave with a smile on my face. I got Disco Inferno and arm danced my way through the ride.

World Showcase would be opening soon, so I started making my way to the gateway. I stopped at Joffrey’s for one of their holiday offerings: The Horchata Cold Brew. It was an absolutely gorgeous 74 degrees today & this really hit the spot.


Horchata Cold Brew: A holly jolly blend of Joffrey’s Shakin’ Jamaican Cold Brew and horchata topped with whipped cream and cinnamon

The last time I was here was in January for the Festival of the Arts, so all the WDW 50th stuff was still out. I was excited to see the Disney 100th too!




The Epcot tree is so beautiful!

Of course there's a Me & a Tree pic!

Had to have a photo of the Mickey banner to go with my Minnie banner!


And an official festival banner, too!

 

[KaSe]

EPCOT #3

I hit the World Showcase and went … Right toward Canada. Yeah, I know the Canada or Mexico thing is a major line in the sand for some people, pitting brother vs brother & sending countries to war LOL! But, hear me out. I’m not denying you can get a good margarita in Mexico – and you should get a good margarita in Mexico -- but there are a lot of places all over the country where I can get a good margarita. What I can’t get anywhere else is that maple popcorn, so my day starts, ends & finds its way somewhere in the middle in Canada. I will die on that maple-flavored hill.

This was also my first food booth stop & my first Cookie Walk stop.


Yukon Kitchen. Seared Salmon with butternut squash purée, maple-bourbon glaze.
Cookie: Snickerdoodle Cookie made with Snickers bar pieces

This was fantastic! I love salmon & I’ve already established that I’m obsessed with maple syrup, so obviously this was a very good choice. And that cookie! It was practically the size of my head & (dare I say it?) that was a pretty good buy for $3. Totally scrumptious!

I wandered through Canada, the U.K & made my way over to France.


Hey! I match the decorations in France!


Pere Noel. I love the storytellers in each country!

France was the next stop on my holiday food booth plan.


Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen: Roasted ham with mushrooms, onions, bacon, mustard sauce, and roasted sweet potatoes
Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini

First of all, that frozen hot chocolate martini changed my life. I saw angels. It was amazing! Deux, s'il vous plait! I definitely have to learn how to make this one at home!! The ham dish was really good too; it was a little salty, but that just made the martini even better. Unfortunately, I was pretty full before I finished it.

This is when I realized I had made a huge error in trip planning. Like I said before, we love Epcot & we love the festivals, so when we come to WDW, we have at least two days in Epcot, plus we often hop there a couple of evenings. And there are two or three of us. Multiple days and multiple people make snacking your way around the festival booths & countries SO MUCH EASIER! We typically get something from just about every booth or country and we share it. That means you can eat a lot more than just 1 person on 1 day. I was never gonna be able to try all the things I wanted to try. Sigh. What was I thinking?

Despite my major error in planning, there were still lots to see & enjoy in all the countries (just have to make plans for another trip! ). I did pick up more cookies on the cookie stroll & I put them in a Ziploc bag to take back with me.

It was a beautiful day, but standing in the sun was pretty warm, so I really wanted to try the Ichigo Milk Boba in Japan. It was light & refreshing! Exactly what I needed! I texted this to my daughters & one daughter said this was the only souvenir she wanted me to bring her. LOL!


Ichigo Milk Boba: Cranberry and yuzu cream drink featuring Japanese Calpico soft drink and popping strawberry boba pearls

Next up, the American Pavilion.


The Voices of Liberty are an absolute MUST for us every trip. They just never disappoint.

 

[KaSe]

EPCOT #4

After wandering through a few more countries & listening to Voices of Liberty, I decided enough time had passed to stop in Italy to try the salmon pasta.


Tuscany Holiday Kitchen: Farfalle pasta with smoked salmon and cream sauce.

It was good. Maybe not quite as good as the maple glazed salmon in Canada, but then again, we've already established my obsession with maple syrup.


La Belfana & the Epiphany Celebration in Italy

I continued making my way around the World Showcase, just meandering & looking at the holiday decorations & listening to the storytellers.

Germany:


I picked up a drink from the Shanghai Kitchen as I passed China & sat down for a bit in Norway. Mmmm! I need to make this one at home, too!

Kung Fu Master with vodka, triple sec, mango, orange juice, and soda water

Norway:


Once I made my way through all the countries, It was about 4:30 & I decided to head back toward World Celebration so I could do Living With the Land once it got dark.


Another pic of the beautiful tree & Spaceship Earth

I went ahead & went on Journey Into Imagination while I was waiting because why not?

 

[KaSe]

EPCOT #5

Right next to Journey Into Imagination is the Disney Visa photo spot, so I went there next. This ended up being really fun! We got some normal photos, but then Pluto and Minnie hijacked the camera.







Scolding Pluto for hijacking my phone

After that, it was about time to get in line for Living with the Land. This is just about the only time there’s much of a line for this ride, but understandable that everyone wants to see the holiday overlay. It was so festive!

 

[VicarJT]

I am envious of your time in Epcot during the Festival. I had been planning on spending some significant time there during our trip last month, but my spouse wasn’t up for it. Solo trip someday!

 

[KaSe]

EPCOT #6

Time to head back to World Showcase & make my way to the American Gardens Theater for Candlelight Processional. This is one of the things I was looking forward to the most. We did not get to do this when we were there in 2005 – the kids were just too little to be interested then – so it was definitely on my list for this trip.



Simu Liu (from Shang-Chi and Kim’s Convenience) was supposed to be the narrator that night, but he had to cancel. I later heard he had emergency surgery for a torn Achilles heel. Bart Millard from the Christian band Mercy Me stepped in for him & he was great. I know it’s cool to be able to say I saw so & so, but honestly, the narrator was such a small part of the program that it really didn’t affect my enjoyment at all. I mean, I could have gotten up there & read the script and it wouldn’t have made any difference on how incredible that wall of sound was coming from the orchestra & choirs.



The whole experience was absolutely breathtaking & it made me so emotional. I loved every minute of it!

After the Candlelight Processional, I had late reservations for Chefs de France. I haven’t been here for years because it’s very pricey with 3 adults (and the kids have been “adults” for meals for a very long time!), but since it was just me, I wanted to treat myself (also forgetting that I only had one day in Epcot and too many food booths to try )

I got the prix fixe Menu Français. I started with the escargot, had the Boeuf Bourguignon with linguine for my main, and ended the meal with crème brulee for dessert. Everything was as delicious as I remembered. But crème brulee is one of my favorite desserts, so I definitely couldn’t finish all of my linguine to save room for that.



Immediately after dinner, it was time for some fireworks to end the day.



And of course more photos on the way out of the park


I wonder how many of this exact photo I have through the years. LOL! But it must be taken every time & the walls aren't around it anymore either!



What an amazing day celebrating Festival of the Holidays!

 

[snowwite]

EPCOT #2

About that time, my ILL for GotG opened, so I made my way over there.

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My 16 chins & I were ready to save the Earth

This ride skates on the line of how much thrill I like in my thrill rides. I really do enjoy it, but there are a few moments on the ride when I question all of my life choices. Overall, it is a ton of fun & by the end, I always leave with a smile on my face. I got Disco Inferno and arm danced my way through the ride.

World Showcase would be opening soon, so I started making my way to the gateway. I stopped at Joffrey’s for one of their holiday offerings: The Horchata Cold Brew. It was an absolutely gorgeous 74 degrees today & this really hit the spot.

View attachment 822377
Horchata Cold Brew: A holly jolly blend of Joffrey’s Shakin’ Jamaican Cold Brew and horchata topped with whipped cream and cinnamon

The last time I was here was in January for the Festival of the Arts, so all the WDW 50th stuff was still out. I was excited to see the Disney 100th too!

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The Epcot tree is so beautiful!
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Of course there's a Me & a Tree pic!

Had to have a photo of the Mickey banner to go with my Minnie banner!
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And an official festival banner, too!
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Thank you for sharing! It looks like so much fun. I have not yet tried GOTG yet because I am worried I won’t fit. I’m in a 3x unless it’s Disney parks and it’s a 2x. I heard it can be a tight squeeze.

 

[snowwite]

EPCOT #5

Right next to Journey Into Imagination is the Disney Visa photo spot, so I went there next. This ended up being really fun! We got some normal photos, but then Pluto and Minnie hijacked the camera.

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Scolding Pluto for hijacking my phone

After that, it was about time to get in line for Living with the Land. This is just about the only time there’s much of a line for this ride, but understandable that everyone wants to see the holiday overlay. It was so festive!

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That looks so nice lit up! I think you may have been. Bit lit up as well. lol The food and drinks look amazing.

 

[snowwite]

EPCOT #6

Time to head back to World Showcase & make my way to the American Gardens Theater for Candlelight Processional. This is one of the things I was looking forward to the most. We did not get to do this when we were there in 2005 – the kids were just too little to be interested then – so it was definitely on my list for this trip.

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Simu Liu (from Shang-Chi and Kim’s Convenience) was supposed to be the narrator that night, but he had to cancel. I later heard he had emergency surgery for a torn Achilles heel. Bart Millard from the Christian band Mercy Me stepped in for him & he was great. I know it’s cool to be able to say I saw so & so, but honestly, the narrator was such a small part of the program that it really didn’t affect my enjoyment at all. I mean, I could have gotten up there & read the script and it wouldn’t have made any difference on how incredible that wall of sound was coming from the orchestra & choirs.

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The whole experience was absolutely breathtaking & it made me so emotional. I loved every minute of it!

After the Candlelight Processional, I had late reservations for Chefs de France. I haven’t been here for years because it’s very pricey with 3 adults (and the kids have been “adults” for meals for a very long time!), but since it was just me, I wanted to treat myself (also forgetting that I only had one day in Epcot and too many food booths to try )

I got the prix fixe Menu Français. I started with the escargot, had the Boeuf Bourguignon with linguine for my main, and ended the meal with crème brulee for dessert. Everything was as delicious as I remembered. But crème brulee is one of my favorite desserts, so I definitely couldn’t finish all of my linguine to save room for that.

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Immediately after dinner, it was time for some fireworks to end the day.

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And of course more photos on the way out of the park

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I wonder how many of this exact photo I have through the years. LOL! But it must be taken every time & the walls aren't around it anymore either!

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What an amazing day celebrating Festival of the Holidays!

My DD was in Encore so we went to see her but the celebs were great too. We saw Gary Sinise And another time NPH

 

[footballmouse]

I'm headed to MK in a couple of weeks by myself (first time solo). Reading your trip report is giving me confidence vibes!

 

[KaSe]

I am envious of your time in Epcot during the Festival. I had been planning on spending some significant time there during our trip last month, but my spouse wasn’t up for it. Solo trip someday!

I leave my husband at home because he doesn't like to travel (Buh-bye! ), but the girls have always loved Epcot as much as I do. It would make me so sad to miss it! Definitely take the solo trip!

Thank you for sharing! It looks like so much fun. I have not yet tried GOTG yet because I am worried I won’t fit. I’m in a 3x unless it’s Disney parks and it’s a 2x. I heard it can be a tight squeeze.

I'm not sure about this one. Disney does a pretty good job of being inclusive, but I know some are more "comfortable" than others. I absolutely I need a crane and a team of rescue dogs to pull me out of those darn low Space Mountain cars

That looks so nice lit up! I think you may have been. Bit lit up as well. lol The food and drinks look amazing.

HaHaHaHa! What happens on vacation ... I did enjoy some very yummy foods & drinks!

I'm headed to MK in a couple of weeks by myself (first time solo). Reading your trip report is giving me confidence vibes!

That makes me so happy! I was a little worried when planning the trip -- what if I got lonely or felt weird eating by myself, etc.? But then I got there & I was in my happy place & I just had the best time! Don't feel self conscious or concerned about being solo -- just have FUN!!!