My latest adventure in the happiest place on Earth is a long weekend from Friday, September 11, 2015 through Monday, September 14, 2015. This will be my first trip since my Mom passed away unexpectedly almost three weeks ago. I’m honestly not sure how this trip will go as this is my first trip without her as Mom came with me on most of my Disney vacations. I decided to take this trip solo which is something I don’t do often. It will be a good opportunity to relax and deal with the emotions that have resulted from everything that I’ve been going through. I do still plan on coming in October and December and I do have family coming on those trips.

This trip has not had a great start as my 6:00 AM flight has been delayed until 10:20 AM. Normally I take direct flights out of Philadelphia but I decided to try a different airline out of the local airport with me having one stop. Well in hindsight that was a big mistake as I am now projected to arrive in Orlando at 3:30 PM as opposed to 10:30 AM. So I will be losing a half day of vacation by spending it sitting in an airport. 

My flight from Pennsylvania took off around 10:30 AM and I got into Atlanta just before 1 PM which was in plenty of time for my 1:55 PM flight to Orlando. This flight departed around 2:20 PM and we got into Orlando by 3:30 PM. I was immediately let on to a Disney Magical Express bus and Old Key West, where I am staying, was the first stop. 

I was in my room by 4:30 PM and I will admit I cried a bit when I looked at the second bed. The nice thing about Old Key West studios is they have two beds instead of a bed and a pull out sofa. When I looked at the second bed where Mom was supposed to stay, I broke down a bit.

As if this day couldn’t be any more interesting, when I stepped out of my room to check something my Magic Band wouldn’t let me back in. I walked to the closest bus stop and called the front desk. They sent someone and the master magic band didn’t work either. She had to use the actual key to open the door. She said the lock mechanism is broken and maintenance will come to fix it but I could go to the parks and it should be done when I get back.

As I was walking to the Turtle Pond bus stop I saw a bus to Magic Kingdom depart so I was expecting to have a wait but after a few minutes a bus came. Immediately upon getting to Magi Kingdom I used my Fastpass to go on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train which was amazing. I was able to video the animatronic parts of the ride.

I then walked around and played some of the Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom game. However when I went to get new cards they had closed the center because of Magic Kingdom closing at 7 PM for Night of Joy. So I decided to go to Hollywood Studios for the last hour it was open. I’m on the bus there now. 

Before leaving Magic Kingdom I stopped in the Emporium, the large gift shop on Main Street USA. I was looking for Halloween stuff as they always seem to sell out of the adult Halloween shirts by October. I found the shirt but all they had were size small and 1 XXL. I took the XXL figuring too big was better than none at all. I asked a cast member of they had any size large or XL. It figures now that I am in smaller sizes they are going to have the larger stuff. I was in luck as the cast member found an XL which I purchased.

When I got to Hollywood Studoos I did more damage to my wallet as I went into Mickey’s of Hollywood where I found some Star Wars: The Force Awakens shirts and pins. I also bought the new Figment Magic Band.

I then walked around Echo Lake and took pictures as I don’t know how much longer it will be there. Next I rode Star Tours that despite a projected 20 minute wait, I walked right on to. It was then that I spent more money in Tattoine Traders. I found more Star Wars pins that are new since I was here last. The sequence for Star Tours was Darth Vader, Tattoine pod race, Princess Leia transmission, Geonosis space battle with Jango Fett, Death Star and finally the rebel ship with Admiral Ackbar.

The Streets of America was my next stop where I took pictures including Mr Gold’s Pawn Shop from Once Upon A Time. It was then that I saw that Watto’s Grotto from Star Wars Weekends is still open. There I found more The Force Awakens pins which I bought with a gift card I have.

I then returned to Old Key West. I checked in with the front desk and they saw that more door still hadn’t been fixed. Evidently when the maintenance person came there wasn’t a manager available to get a key to open my door. The manager on duty paged maintenance who came immediately and fixes my door while I went to the quick service location and got my refillable mug and ordered dinner.

Later I went back and filled my mug a few time but then showered and turned in for the night. It was somewhat sad coming back to the room alone and I admit that I cried a bit. But then I ate my dinner which was the first I had eaten all day as well as some of the snacks from the airline and I felt a bit better.

Total steps: 19,716 on Fitbit