The Battle For My Wallet VI: The Trip Report That Isn’t a Trip Report (P.24, 11/24)

[ZZUB]

I’ve lost.

At this point, I don’t even have a wallet anymore. Disney took that from me too. Not so much took. It’s obvious even to me that I willfully handed it over. I'd take my t-shirt and wave it in surrender like the French, but Disney took the shirt off my back as well.

Yeah, they're like that. Give them an inch, and they'll charge you for the mile.

Many years ago, I first observed that there was a perpetual battle between Disney and me to keep the money in my pocket. Any careful observer of my previous musings on the topic will have noted that I rarely, if ever, win these battles. That we continue to return year after year, after year, is testimony to Disney’s success in sucking the hard-earned greenbacks out of my formerly tightly held wallet. It’s as if Disney was AIG and I was the federal government.

They’ve got me. And they know it.

Oh sure, we go during the so-called value season and we have been known to take advantage of something curiously described as Free Dining but no doubt I’m spending more and more, and more, each year on our vacations to Disney World. At this point, it’s akin to buying something originally marked up 90%, now on clearance for 50% off, and thinking you got a bargain. When it was something you didn’t really need to begin with.

Or did you?

Yes, like many not-quite middle aged Americans, I have fallen into the trap of describing vacation as a near-necessity. True necessities are food, clothing, housing and healthcare. (Note bene: these are necessities not rights. Don’t be fooled by the advertising.). Taking some time away from the daily grind of work and school and yard and chores and the other myriad activities that make up a week in the ZZUB household, is important. Even though I make time to spend with my wife and my girls at home, it is undeniably true that I am different on vacation. We all are. And we enjoy that time together. So as long as God allows us to have the resources to do so, we will take vacations.

Evidently to Disney World.

“I thought this joker promised us he was going to stop pounding out this drivel?” I can hear you wondering. It is true that when I concluded the last Battle for My Wallet, I wondered aloud whether I would continue writing these things. Right now you’re wondering whether you’re still reading these things.

For weeks now, I've been saying to the Family ZZUB and the handful of other people who know me as ZZUB, "I am not writing another trip report." Most everytime, my bold pronoucement has been met with a sarcastic eye roll. Which I found both rude and unhelpful. Like Keith Olberman. Except, unlike Mr. Olberman, my critics were not deluded loons, hopped up on a Kool Aid-induced sugar rush.

Indeed, I am not writing another Trip Report.

It is writing me.

Not it's not either. I don't even know what that means.

I also don't fully comprehend how Splenda is called "real" sugar when clearly it isn't. But hey, my education is in law not science.

Althought that never stopped Al Gore.

Nevertheless, this will be unlike the previous Battles in form if not content. This Trip Report will not be a nearly-year long endeavor which frequently finds me pouring over the minutiae of the vomit splatters and bed stains, the degradation of service, the heat, the smells, the ecstasy of a piece of cake that makes a tingle go up my leg at the mere mention of it.

It will be all of those things. But I will confine it to a handful of chapters instead.

Rather than taking a generally chronological approach to unfolding our story, there will be fewer chapters in this Trip Report, which isn't a Trip Report. Each chapter will be built around a theme: Getting There; Where We Stayed, What We Ate, What We Rode, Smells, Cast Members With Poop Cramps, Humidity and Hurricanes, Grammatical Sins Against Humanity, and finally, The Missing Bag, a Metaphor.

This is the prologue, by the way.

I have loved Disney World ever since I was 3 or 4. The precise age depends upon whether my Mom or Dad is telling the story of when they first took us to Disney World. It was either 1971 or 1972. Suffice it to say, I’ve been in love with Disney World for a long time. Longer than Barack Obama was voting “present” in the Illinois Legislature and longer than John McCain has been in the Senate. Even longer than ER has been on the air and longer than Fat Phil Fulmer has been sidling up to the Golden Corral feed bar. Well, not that long. ZZUB's just being hyperbolic. Chances are you have been in love with Disney for just as long. Why else would you be here?

I’ve written extensively about my love affair with the World and what kind of nostalgia trip I experience each time we’re back there. So I won’t belabor the point too terribly here. Ever since I first set foot in Walt’s World, I was enamored, especially enamored, of one place. The Contemporary Resort. Its cavernous atrium, its proximity to the Magic Kingdom, its all you can eat fried chicken and spaghetti. The Castle is Disney World to some people. To others it’s Spaceship Earth. For me it’s the slanted and modern looking cement and glass of the Contemporary Resort with the wicked cool Monorail slicing through.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008397.jpg

I make it a point to go there on every visit to Disney World. With very few exceptions, if I’ve been in the World, I’ve been in the Contemporary. And I confess I get a little bit jazzed walking in the door every time. No matter if I’m coming off the Monorail from the Magic Kingdom, coming off the boat from the Wilderness Lodge, pulling up to the front to valet my car because we’re having dinner at Chef Mickey’s. I like to be there.

I have an inkling why that is, and if you’ve read along with me, you know why too.

How big a fan am I of the Contemporary? Well you know that we go there on every trip and you know that we eat at Chef Mickey’s every time and you know that the BVG has a tractor beam on my wallet in a way no other Disney gift shop does. Until a Teutonic-like regime limited access, we used to watch the fireworks from the fifteenth floor. No one went up there then. We went because ZZUB has a thing with getting up on the roof of buildings. Or I did. I’ve outgrown that. Mostly. I’ve been on the roof of the Fountainbleu Hilton on Miami Beach, the Marriot Marquis in Atlanta, ten Hoor Hall at Alabama and the Contemporary Resort. Just to name a few I’ve accessed. We were going to the fifteenth floor before anyone else knew you could. Before the internet was even a glint in Al Gore’s eye. Or man-made global warming for that matter.

But it wasn’t just the Contemporary’s gift shop and roof which enamored me. Back in 1996, my wife and I got roped into meeting my family at Sea World. We arrived in Orlando several hours ahead of them and we had time to kill. Where did we go? The Contemporary of course. We hung out in what was then called the Food and Fun Center and played air hockey for hours.

I could go on and on about the Contemporary Resort.

As if I haven’t already. You’ll recall I wrote an entire chapter about a slice of cake I met once and fell in love with, so maybe a few paragraphs about the Contemporary isn’t, you know, that unusual. For me.

My entire life, I’ve wanted to stay at the Contemporary. To sit on my balcony and look out at the Magic Kingdom. To just get to look at it. For hours. Days if I want to. Growing up, we always stayed off property. At a Days Inn/Days Lodge (honk if you remember those). The lone time we stayed on property was in the Polynesian. But we never stayed in the Contemporary.

Although my parents weren’t rich, we were ok. Middle class. We had a nice house, nice cars. Took nice vacations. I use “nice” because it means everything and it means nothing. It’s like Barack Obama. You can see in it what you want to see. It wasn’t until my parents divorced that I knew what poor looked like. Not poor as compared with the third world, but poor. Free cheese from the government poor. Only one pair of shoes poor. A well worn pair of canvas sneakers which ripped across the top and which I hid from my mom for weeks before she eventually saw it, poor.

I hated being that poor. Having had a nice house with our own pool and a big bedroom and plenty of everything then suddenly having nothing, stirred something inside of me. It inspired me to work hard to make sure I always had what I wanted.

It’s the reason I started working at 14. It's the reason I have more shoes now than the average guy. It’s because I’m still trying to replace the shoes I lost when I was a young teenager. Because I promised myself then that I’d never be that poor again. It’s the reason we eat out more than we should, or I stop at the store on the way home to pick up something else for dinner. Because in my head, buying what I want at the grocery store is freedom. It’s the reason I work hard at what I do. And compulsively save for a rainy day.

Anyway, one thing I've realized about myself is that a lot of the decisions I make now are because of choices that affected me as a little boy.

Wanting to stay at the Contemporary is not much different.

When I was a kid, sucking back all you can eat fried chicken and watching Monorail blue go by, I didn't so much long to stay there. I was happy just being in Disney World. And when you’re 5 or 10, you don’t know the difference between the Days Inn/Days Lodge and the Contemporary. A hotel is a hotel. Although, when we stayed at the Polynesian, I remember thinking the pool was a lot of fun and I liked the speed boats we rented. And even though we stayed the next few trips at the Days Inn/Days Lodge, I just expected the Contemporary was on Mom and Dad's horizon. But they had something else on the horizon and soon enough, we stopped going to Disney World altogether.

In the hot afternoons that followed their divorce, I'd sit alone and stare at the pictures from our many trips, studying the pages of Dad's Black D souvenir book. I recognized then that staying at the Contemporary was something else we'd lost. And I began dreaming of the day I would stay there.

Which would be pitiful if you didn’t have the story of the ripped pair of shoes and free government issued cheese. In context, dreaming of a day when I would take my family to stay at the Contemporary isn’t so ludicrous.

I mean, as far as dreams go, this one is fairly shallow. Martin Luther King dreamt of a world where children of all races played together, Jim Lovell dreamed of walking on the moon, Daniel Ruettiger dreamed of playing football for Notre Dame. ZZUB dreamed of staying in the Contemporary.

Which is precisely why NO ONE is writing movies about my life.

And it’s also why, part of the reason why, I write under this clever pseudonym. Yes, I dreamed of staying in the Contemporary. I don’t mean in the sense that my life built towards this moment, rather more in the sense of this was something I wanted to do for a very long time. Since I was a kid and we cruised through the Grand Canyon Concourse on a Monorail destined for the Magic Kingdom and since I was a young teenager and realized it was something we couldn't afford to do anymore.

Staying at the Contemporary meant I wasn’t a suddenly poor kid eating government issued cheese and hiding my torn pair of sneakers from my Mom.

When I was in law school and my wife and I were grateful to have two days and one night at All Star Sports, we’d have dinner at Chef Mickey’s and I’d spur myself on to work harder in school because I planned to stay there one day with her. After I started practicing, and we took a four day/three night trip, staying at the newly renamed Port Orleans Riverside, I reasoned we were getting closer to that day. Because we could now stay for three nights. In a moderate.

Ironically, “that day” came several years ago. We could afford to do this for a while now. But not in the way I wanted to do it. You see, when you pine away for something, a furtive kiss behind the gym isn’t what you really want. I didn’t want to blow it all on one night or two. Or four. When we stayed at the Contemporary, I wanted to STAY at the Contemporary. For a week. With a view of the Magic Kingdom from my room. It is this same kind of discipline that keeps me on the eliptical 4 nights a week and away from the Swiss Cake Rolls I love so much.

Because otherwise, I'd sell what's left of my hair for a really good Swiss Cake Roll. And she knows it, too, that Li'l Debbie. That temptress!

When I first came close to booking the Contemporary a few years back, you couldn’t reserve a Magic Kingdom view. You could only request it. This caused me no end of agita, For I knew that if we checked in and ended up with a Bay Lake View, my disappointment would swallow me whole. Like Newt Gingrich on a big ol’ pizza pie. But then Disney finally figured out they could charge for the view.

Duh!

You bet your ever-loving refillable mug I’d pay extra for that view.

The ZZUBs aren’t rich. We do ok. We live in a nice house and drive nice cars. Do what you will with the word “nice.” We eat pretty much whatever we want. We have more than one pair of shoes. We take nice vacations every year. And we have come so far from where we were back in the day before, during and after law school. I’ve come so far from the little boy who thought the Contemporary was a really cool looking building. I’m a good distance away from the young teenager, staring wistfully at a photo album and souvenir book, longing to be back in Disney World. And yet, I carry that with me.

That we do ok is pretty much a miracle to me. I don’t for a minute take for granted what God has blessed me with. I wasn’t the sharpest guy in college or law school. Oh I’ve got game, don’t get me wrong. I’m quick on my feet and I don’t shy away from hard work. And in my line of work, that’s valued just as much. So I’m never going to write legal treatises, but give me a few minutes and I’ll craft an argument to persuade Elvis he’s not really dead. I use what I’ve got. And because I’m acutely aware of my weaknesses, I’m especially grateful for the blessings and rewards God has allowed me to reap.

Just getting to return to Disney World in 1994 was a blessing. Getting to stay on property at the All Stars was awesome. Spending three nights at Port Orleans Riverside was huge. And when we stepped it up to week long trips, that was monumental. In other words, making the decision to finally stay at the Contemporary wasn’t hasty. Nor was the experience taken for granted.

We booked the bounce back special before we checked out of the Wilderness Lodge last year. And initially I booked a week at the Lodge. But a few weeks after we got home I thought more of the decision and decided it was time.

And so I called Disney and changed the reservation to a week at the Contemporary.

The Contemporary Resort. Magic Kingdom View. Me. My wife and girls. For nine days and eight nights.

It really shouldn’t be as significant as it is. But well, it is.

Once it was booked and we got through the initial excitement of “Wow! We’re actually going to stay at the Contemporary this year!” I began to fear the experience I’ve dreamed of for so many years would disappoint me. What if we got there and there was no there there?

I have some experience with this line of thinking.

But the amazing thing is this: as we continued our planning and dreaming, I realized that the “there” wasn’t going to be found on the balcony of the Contemporary over looking the Magic Kingdom. Sure, I looked forward to it and tried to imagine what it would be like to open the door to our room and to walk out on our balcony and take it all in. But that isn’t the climax of this story. No, getting there is the “there” I’ve been dreaming of since I wore husky jeans and thought Fonzie was cool.

Just being able to book the trip and plan for it was the thing I pined for. And now I got to do that.

Maybe it isn’t curing a disease, or walking on the moon, or playing football for Notre Dame, but to a kid whose family is ripped apart like the shoes he hides from his Mom, making your way in this world and doing alright by your family is just as significant.

Anyway, this is just the beginning.

__

Click Here For Chapter Two: (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=27995073#post27995073)

[BigDogMom7]

Zzub, I'm delighted to see that you are writing again! :yay: Some of us lurkers out here feel like we got to know your family in your last trip reports, and I for one would really like un update on the girls. I've missed your humor and look forward to more. :)

[MEK]

Wow! popcorn::

[praisehisname]

Woo Hoo!!! I was so hoping you would do another one!!!

Denise

[desamnik]

I am so looking forward to reading this new TR. Thank you for changing your mind. I read only a few TR's and yours have always been at the top of my list.

Write on Mr. Zubb, write on....

[flafan]

What a nice morning this has been. Hugs from my kids :hug: and a ZZUB report. And it's not even 8am yet Looking forward to hearing the rest. :)

[LegoMom3]

You probably wouldn't believe me if I said I was browsing TR's last night to see if perhaps you'd decided to grace us with another "Battle..." installment...

But I was!

So imagine my excitement to log on this morning and find "Battle VI" beckoning me from the front page.



Zzub's back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :banana:


.

[HeyIt'sMe]

Basketball - Michael Jordan - check!
Football - Brett Favre - check!
Cycling - Lance Armstrong - check!
Trip Report Writing - ZZUB - check! check!

I'm looking forward to reading about this year's ZZUB family adventures. :)

[Mrs. The King]

Subbing for when I get home from work.

[TyRy]

ZZUB - Thank you for a great beginning to a trip report that is not a trip report. It's great to hear that you have finally achieved that goal of staying in the Contemporary with that view of the Castle for whole vacation! Looking forward to more.

Ty

[cindermomma]

So glad to hear from you again ZZUB! I really relate to how you feel. Growing up, the only vacations I got were to go see family. I dreamed and wished to go to Disney. In my mind, that was the ultimate family vacation. I finally got to go with my husband and my son 4 years ago. Just planning that trip was exciting. Talking to my first castmember on the phone during the Superbowl that February booking the trip is unforgettable. I cried the first time I walked on Mainstreet USA, it wasn't just the castle though, it was the whole picture. The music, smells, heat, humidity, balloons and families everywhere. We have been there 3 times now, and we long to get back. I praise God that he has given our family these opportunities. We are so blessed. I just wanted you to know that I love your reports, and this first installment really hit home to me. God bless you and your family.

[Bashful in TN]

I'm usually more of a lurker, but I have read each of your trip reports and have enjoyed getting to know you and your family. I can't wait to read about your most recent trip.

[Villainess]

I'm in!!!! I love the Contemporary!

[froggy33]

I logged on this morning and I found your new report!! I have been looking on here the last few days for either a trip report from MissCammie or from ZZUB and now I have one! I knew you would be going back and I love hearing about your adventures. Even without pictures you do such an amazing job of telling a story. I thank you for your hard work. We just had a little girl in July, so we are busy busy. I cannot wait to take her to Disney World to experience the joy you write about. It will be a while, so for now I will live through you!

Thanks so much.

[mkluvsmickey]

Yay ZZUB! I am so happy you are writing another report (or non-report). The Contemporary is my favorite resort also - can't wait to read about your experience there. :goodvibes

[eyor44]

First one of your reports I have read. Can't wait for more.

[MissMagnolia]

How awesome is this Monday...I log on to see a new ZZUB trip report! Once again, amazing. You really are an inspiration to those who long to write trip reports but just haven't gotten up the nerve yet.

:)

[TowerDude]

ZZ, Esq.

Thank you for taking the time, making the effort, writing so well, and sharing, again. Everyone (almost) on the DisBoards gets the feeling, the magic, the fun. But very few get it, and can write it, and share it the way you do. We are lucky to have your writing. Thanks for doing it again.

[Tigger2252]

Oh my goodness! Seeing your new trip report that's not a trip report was as good as getting my Magical Express luggage tags in the mail last week!!:banana: Thank you for sharing with us once again.

[ILMICKEY]

What a great way to start my every other Monday morning!

Thanks for changing your mind Zzub. I love hearing your stories about you and your family.

Canadian restrooms~not so much!!

[LaLa]

Well, well, well.

Look who decided to jump on in again.

Color me numb.

Not really though. Because I had a feeling.

And I, for one, am SO GLAD I decided to not check out the TR board this morning and didn't stumble upon this trip report that you're not writing. I could be happier to have not spent the morning taking a walk through your wires and not laughing at any of your dumb jokes.

For a change.

Speaking of which, the following all made me not spit water on my keyboard:

It’s as if Disney was AIG and I was the federal government.

Suffice it to say, I’ve been in love with Disney World for a long time. Longer than Barack Obama was voting “present” in the Illinois Legislature and longer than John McCain has in the Senate.

Which I found both rude and unhelpful. Like Keith Olberman.

I use “nice” because it means everything and it means nothing. It’s like Barack Obama. You can see in it what you want to see.

DED. To all of the above. And that feeling I mentioned earlier? It was because I figured there was no way you'd miss the chance to have an ongoing trip report situated smack dab in the middle of Election '08. Forget the pull of Disney and its tractor beam on your wallet. Nevermind the long awaited fulfillment of a touching childhood desire to stay at the Contemporary. Forget that it's college football season and there are sure to be Bama games that will require the occasional comment. And lament. I think you're really here (or are you even here at all?! Are any of us?!) solely for the opportunity to throw out some funny as all get out political quips.

Whatever those are.

I like to be there.

I have an inkling why that is, and if you’ve read along with me, you know why too.

The bathroom at the bottom of the stairs. Duh! How 'bout you try throwing out something a little harder next time?

Right now you’re wondering whether you’re still reading these things.

No, actually right now I'm wondering WHY I'm still reading these things.

At this point, it’s akin to buying something originally marked up 90%, now on clearance for 50% off, and thinking you got a bargain. When it was something you didn’t really need to begin with.

Or did you?

You sound like my husband. And for the record, YES. I really did need everything I bought this weekend.

It's the reason I have more shoes now than the average guy.

If any of those are Lightning McQueen Crocs, so help me...

So I’m never going to write legal treatises, but give me a few minutes and I’ll craft an argument to persuade Elvis he’s not really dead.

Haven't you heard?! Elvis isn't dead. He's been hanging out with the neighbors all this time. Eating their jelly donuts, making them fall in love with him (they can't help it) and answering to the name Pete. Or George. Depending on which set of neighbors you ask.

Ever since I first set foot in Walt’s World, I was enamored, especially enamored, of one place.

The deli? The Lil Debbie aisle? The Gold Bond Medicated Powder/bunion pad/wart remover section?

Oh, my bad. I thought that was "Wally World".

At any rate, I'm really happy to know that through God's blessings, you were finally able to fulfill that childhood desire of yours and experience staying at the Contemporary. Not to mention the chance to experience planning and dreaming of staying at the Contemporary. Because the planning and anticipation is almost as much fun as the actual stay, in my opinion.

I said almost.

You know ZZUB, of all the trip reports you've written and of all the first chapters you've cranked out, I think this one ranks right up there with the best. You're off to a great start, my friend, and I can't wait to hear all the non-typical, non chronological details of what I'm hoping turned out to be one of your best trips to date.

I'm not looking foward to coming along for the ride.

:moped:

[CampbellScot]

When I heard you were back, I said a quick prayer of thanks and rushed on over! I was NOT disappointed.:cool1:

Oh my how I can identify with your "poor kid" syndrome. That's what my husband and I call it. We were both poor kids too...my "poor kid" status was bestowed upon me after a divorce as well. I hear you on hiding the torn shoes. I ran bloody blisters into my toes in my too small sneakers. My gym teacher finally called my mom and told her my shoes were too small. We both cried.

My husband and I also eat out more than we should...and my husband is FOREVER stopping on the way home to pick up some more odds and ends at the grocery store for dinner. It justifies his outrageous workaholic tendencies. He works himself to the bone so we can have those little luxuries in life. And it STILL gives us a thrill to "get whatever we want" when we do our weekly grocery shop.

I'm thrilled you realized your dream of the contemporary and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds.

welcome back! It's wonderful to see you!:goodvibes

[travelgirl06]

I am VERY excited about this "trip report that isn't a trip report"! All your previous TRs have been highly entertaining, and I look forward to reading more of this one.:thumbsup2

[Backstage_Gal]

There I was, innocently checking replys on MissCammie's TR, and saw ZZub posted a nnew report! :cool1:

Wow, both Miss Cammie and ZZUB,life is good!


I mean, as far as dreams go, this one is fairly shallow. Martin Luther King dreamt of a world where children of all races played together, Jim Lovell dreamed of walking on the moon, Daniel Ruettiger dreamed of playing football for Notre Dame. ZZUB dreamed of staying in the Contemporary.

Which is precisely why NO ONE is writing movies about my life.



You DID hear that the Contemporary now sels timeshares in the new tower, didn;t you? RUN, don't walk, they will sell like Hotcakes!

Here's a link to a promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DV6r1Nk54

Anyway, I'm excited about the new report!!!!!!!!

[Sneezie]

I should have known you were going to be starting a new trip report today!

You know how some people get a twitch in their old football injury when the weather's about to get bad, well this past Saturday at seven o'clock at night no less, I got up from a very comfortable position in bed and MADE A CAKE... FROM SCRATCH!!!!!

It was a Glazed Orange Cake. I'd been looking at the recipe for a few days and just got up and made it. First, I had to go up to the Winn Dixie (in the rain) to buy the ingredients and I made the cake... from scratch. That should have told me something, but to be quite honest, I don't give you a second thought between your trip reports. ;)

Glad to have you back and I can't wait to read more.

[tarheel]

I can't believe you have a new report here today of all days. Let me explain. I was at Target today and I almost got run over by what I thought could be your car. Why your car? Because it was red, had a huge BAMA sticker on it and a smaller Roll Tide decal. I realized it wasn't your car though, because it actually had an Alabama license plate. But what gets me here is that I thought of ZZUB today, like I should know you and know what your car might look like and here is a new trip report, that's not really a trip report. I can't wait to hear all about it.

[pooh'smate]

Glad to see that you changed your mind. I only found your trip reports after you were already done with Battle V so I am excited to get in on this one from the beginning.

[DisneyCowgirl]

I can't believe it! I don't think I have even looked on the Trip Report board since I finished reading your last report and now I open it up and here you are! I'm thrilled!

[jessi1375]

Thank goodness I was stalking the TR boards looking for this report, or else, I may have missed it. So glad you decided to post another report, I am looking forward to reading it!!!!

[ZZUB]

So I won't feel compelled to respond to people who post to something I'm not even doing.

It occurs to me that this might be more of a Trip Report than any of that other garbage I've pounded out. This might actually have useful information you can rely upon as you plan your upcoming trip to Walt Disney World. So maybe I should call this My First Trip Report.

I can't respond personally to everyone who posts although I certainly do read and appreciate every poster. I do want to respond to some posts:

You probably wouldn't believe me if I said I was browsing TR's last night to see if perhaps you'd decided to grace us with another "Battle..." installment...

But I was!

So imagine my excitement to log on this morning and find "Battle VI" beckoning me from the front page.

Zzub's back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks Lego for the HUGE welcome. You must have been surveying the board before I posted. As you might expect, I tend to post late Sunday night.

Basketball - Michael Jordan - check!
Football - Brett Favre - check!
Cycling - Lance Armstrong - check!
Trip Report Writing - ZZUB - check! check!As you know, I'm against ALL it's mes. Except you, of course. Thanks for putting me in such good company. However, I didn't technically retire. Nor did I write that I was not writing another one. I said I didn't know whether I would continue writing these things. It was only this summer with my family that I began saying I wasn't goiing to write any more Trip Reports. And as you can plainly see, I'm not.

Snubbing for when I get home from work.How odd. You posted to let me know you were snubbing me until you get home from work?! Maybe that coachroach infected you with something when it bit you. I'd have that checked out.

We just had a little girl in July, so we are busy busy. I cannot wait to take her to Disney World to experience the joy you write about. It will be a while, so for now I will live through you!Congratulations on your daughter! You're in for a very exciting ride.

First one of your reports I have read. Can't wait for more.Ok, but technically, this is the First Trip Report I've written. I don't know what that other garbage was.

TowerDude: You have a cool name. Unless the Tower refers to the Tower of Terror at which point I think it's less cool, but still cool nevertheless.

What a great way to start my every other Monday morning!

Thanks for changing your mind Zzub. I love hearing your stories about you and your family.

Canadian restrooms~not so much!!Here's an irony: it wasn't actually the bathroom in Canada after all! It was the outpost which is between Canada and Future World. I discovered this while we were waiting for Illuminations one night and I had some excess liquid to release. As I walked up to the restroom and recognized it, I thought, "Hmmm. For 2 years now, people have been avoiding Canada b/c of the toxic exposure and it turns out it wasn't even in Canada at all." Good news, eh?

Haven't you heard?! Elvis isn't dead. He's been hanging out with the neighbors all this time. Eating their jelly donuts, making them fall in love with him (they can't help it) and answering to the name Pete. Or George. Depending on which set of neighbors you ask.I forgot you have a cat named Elvis. Which surprises me less than the fact that you haven't already boiled him and served him up in a stew.

Stafford's brother is named Pete, FYI.

Glad you enjoyed this, My First Ever Trip Report. I vaguely recall your screename from when I used to just write about any old thing and stuffed it all under the rubric: Disney Vacation. Here's hoping you're less offensive on the Trip Report board than you used to be. I don't know how much of your brand of whatever I can put up with anymore.

SNEEZIE!Why would you bake a cake?! From scratch no less?! Don't you know that box cake beats scratch any day of the week?!

Unlike you, I do think about my good friend Sneeize in between Trip Reports. When we were in Florida, my Mom picked us up an Italian cream cake. You'd think you died and went to cake heaven! It was so good, I lost feeling in my big toe for 10 minutes. And my wife and I wondered what Greta would do if she got this kind of cake for her birthday.

I can't believe you have a new report here today of all days. Let me explain. I was at Target today and I almost got run over by what I thought could be your car. Why your car? Because it was red, had a huge BAMA sticker on it and a smaller Roll Tide decal. I realized it wasn't your car though, because it actually had an Alabama license plate. But what gets me here is that I thought of ZZUB today, like I should know you and know what your car might look like and here is a new trip report, that's not really a trip report. I can't wait to hear all about it.For what it's worth, I don't live in North Carolina and I don't drive a red car and I don't have a huge Bama sticker on my ride. I have a repectable sized Alabama decal in the window. And an Alabama license plate frame. But glad my cousin Ernie promted you to come check out my First Ever Trip Report.

:moped:

[Sneezie]

SNEEZIE!Why would you bake a cake?! From scratch no less?! Don't you know that box cake beats scratch any day of the week?!

Unlike you, I do think about my good friend Sneeize in between Trip Reports. When we were in Florida, my Mom picked us up an Italian cream cake. You'd think you died and went to cake heaven! It was so good, I lost feeling in my big toe for 10 minutes. And my wife and I wondered what Greta would do if she got this kind of cake for her birthday.


I do think about the Zzubster more than I care to admit. Wait, that sounds a bit freaky.... Let's just say I have mentioned the word Zzub a time or two when NOT on the internet or in Canada or in a bathroom. Scratch that - once in bathroom... but not for that reason - for the other reason - yeah, that one.

Anyway, on to more important things... Exactly where in Florida was your mother when she picked up that cake? I could do without feeling in my big toe for some good Italian Cream Cake.

[LaLa]

I suppose next you'll tell us that it wasn't Teppanyaki after all, it was the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station. And that you weren't actually in the World Showcase as much as you were in the food court at the Mall of America. You know they make medication for your condition.

I forgot you have a cat named Elvis. Which surprises me less than the fact that you haven't already boiled him and served him up in a stew.

You know I'm not Chinese.


I should have known you were going to be starting a new trip report today!

You know how some people get a twitch in their old football injury when the weather's about to get bad, well this past Saturday at seven o'clock at night no less, I got up from a very comfortable position in bed and MADE A CAKE... FROM SCRATCH!!!!!

It was a Glazed Orange Cake. I'd been looking at the recipe for a few days and just got up and made it. First, I had to go up to the Winn Dixie (in the rain) to buy the ingredients and I made the cake... from scratch. That should have told me something, but to be quite honest, I don't give you a second thought between your trip reports.

And that's the ballgame.

:moped:

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Hey ZZUB -
You people have absolutely got to buy into the DVC at the Contemporary! :banana: Not for you, for us.....50 more years of guaranteed entertainment.

[Sneezie]

Is Sneezie pregnant?! Because that could explain it too.

Gawd forbid a million times!

[Mrs. The King]

I am done snubbing you. I am sure you are relieved.


It’s as if Disney was AIG and I was the federal government.


DED AbsoDEDlutely


like many not-quite middle aged Americans

I think we can stop with the "not quite" cutesy bologna.



Even though I make time to spend with my wife and my girls at home, it is undeniably true that I am different on vacation. We all are. And we enjoy that time together.

So true.



Not it's not either.

So this is what the Battle of the Wallet comes to? You just slap your hands on the keyboard and post whatever turns up on the screen? I am going to need to speak with your manager.

vomit splatters and bed stains, the degradation of service, the heat, the smells,

I did not know you stayed in my hotel room after me! What a small world. I am going to need my rubber monkey back.

Cast Members With Poop Cramps
The Missing Bag
I hope these two chapters are not related and that bag isn't something hooked up to a bowel.



It is this same kind of discipline that keeps me on the eliptical 4 nights a week and away from the Swiss Cake Rolls I love so much.

How many times a day do you work this beauty into conversation a day? :sad2:



You bet your ever-loving refillable mug I’d pay extra for that view.


Stealing this saying for my everyday life.

[longaberger_lara]

Fellow Alabamian here! I've lurked a while now and just love your non-trip reports. We seem to have mostly the same values about God and family, but I've just got to say WAR EAGLE (though not so great this past weekend:headache: ). I'm so glad to see that you're going to share a bit more of you and your family with us!

[Mcbruns]

Awesome !
A ZZUB trip report that isn't a trip report with LaLa's responses.

[mickey mouse lover]

ZZUB, I just don't know what to say except thank you, thank you , thank you. It's so good to see that you're actually writing another trip report, that isn't a trip report, or is it ? :confused: I have been so sad thinking we weren't going to get anymore of your brilliant writing. O.K., so maybe brilliant might be a little bit much, but you get my drift. I don't want to lay it on too thick. You might give up trying.
Seriously though, ZZub, it is great to see you back writing. Looking forward to the rest of the non trip report. My husband will be delighted, too. He always enjoyed my reading the reports to him, that is when I could quit laughing to actually read.

[OhMari]

Great intro, but why was I picturing you, walking around, dictating to your poor secretary~~and her typing it up. (just kidding).

[princessjv]

If this really isn't a TR, should I sign up to follow along?:confused3



You put a smile on my face with your honest reference of days gone by and dreams to get to places ahead. A nice smile. :)


Welcome back. Should I be prepared to wait 1 or 2 weeks between posts?;)

[MommyPoppins]

I cannot wait until the chapter, "Castmembers with Poop Cramps." ;)

[LouDisney]

I was so excited to see this thread this morning!
I can't wait to read about your trip, ZZUB.

[dizprincess717]

Do my eyes deceive me?! ZZUB????!

All is good in my world now. :)

*runs back to actually read the report*

[ZZUB]

But she only posts on the Trip Report board, and everyone knows, I'm not writing a Trip Report this year.

Sneezie: I don't think you have to go to the same bakery my Mom did. Wherever you live, find an Italian bakery and go order yourself a cream cake. Make sure the two filling layers are chocolate and canolli. But before you sample even one bite, you will want to make certain, absolutely certain, you have settled up with the Lord. No unconfessed sin or any questions about your eternal destination. Because once you take a bite of Italian cream cake you will die.

Hey ZZUB -
You people have absolutely got to buy into the DVC at the Contemporary! :banana: Not for you, for us.....50 more years of guaranteed entertainment.First of all, "you people"? What are you, a Republican? Who else uses such racially charged language?! Obviously you watch Fox News and listen to Rush Limbaugh. You're probably listening to him right now! Secondly, buying into DVC is like buying a carton of cigarettes. Isn't it akin to admitting you have an addiction? I'm not ready for that step.

And in the event it isn't painfully obvious to everyone reading this: I was kidding about the racially charged language. I was making fun of people who are hypersensitive. NOAuburnFans.

I am done snubbing you. I am sure you are relieved.I'm not sure "relieved" is the right word.

So this is what the Battle of the Wallet comes to? You just slap your hands on the keyboard and post whatever turns up on the screen? I am going to need to speak with your manager.Evidently, you are a recent reader. To begin with, it's the Battle For My Wallet, and secondly, I've been writing up whatever I vomit from my head for years now. But if you wish to lodge a formal complaint, you can reach my manager at: SchpupinJ@AllSquirrelsMustDie.com.

Fellow Alabamian here! I've lurked a while now and just love your non-trip reports. We seem to have mostly the same values about God and family, but I've just got to say WAR EAGLE (though not so great this past weekend:headache: ). I'm so glad to see that you're going to share a bit more of you and your family with us!It seems so early in a Trip Report (which I am not writing) to put people on ignore. So consider this a warning. ZZUB won't abide any war eagling around these parts. But based on the way y'all played Sat night, coughing up a lead and giving the game to LSU and all, it seems y'all won't abide any such war eagling on the plains either.

Awesome !
A ZZUB trip report that isn't a trip report with LaLa's responses. See above, re: ignore warnings.

Great intro, but why was I picturing you, walking around, dictating to your poor secretary~~and her typing it up. (just kidding).It amuses me to think about my assistant attempting to transcribe this nonsense. I imagine it would form the basis for a complaint of a hostile work environment.

Should I be prepared to wait 1 or 2 weeks between posts?;)Excellent question. I tend to post updates every other Monday. So look for another chapter two weeks from yesterday.

I cannot wait until the chapter, "Castmembers with Poop Cramps." ;)Hey, MommyP! Glad to see you again. Judging from the pictures in your post, you now have 17 more children than the last time I saw you! Congratulations.

:moped:

[Shelby5514]

Hey Zzub!

I'll have to rally the troops on over here, but it may be awhile before they all show up.

Some of us are heading to Walt's World TODAY!!!:yay:

[TarzansKat]

Can it be that I am not reading a new ZZUB trip report?

Well, slap me thrice and hand me to mama.

And for those of you that don't speak pirate, that's somewhere along the lines of hot diggity dog!

ZZUB, it's good to see you back...um, not back...

not writing another trip report...

savvy? ;)

[ILMICKEY]

So, not Canada huh?? I've heard they haven't had to clean it in a couple of years because nobody will use it.

Hmmmmm, whaddya know?

Say, can we call you the Brett Farve of Trip Reports? Or do we have to wait until the 5th or 6th time you tell us you may not be writing anymore??

Just wondering.

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Well I just returned from my 8th or maybe 9th trip to the world, my Dad and I disagree on how many off-site trips we made when I was younger. Well, I never have spent much time on the trip reports board I have always gotten the thrill from the planning and I wallow in depression when I return home. I alway intend on writing a TR but never really happens, I think I started on two trips ago but didn't get past day one. I say all that to say I am excited to read your report, your feelings toward the CR are how I feel about staying on the monorail line, I favor the Poly but just the thought of being only a monrail ride away from the MK, no bus, no parking, no trasfers just "por favor manténganse alejado de las puertas" all the way. I hope your trip lived up to your expectations or at least the planning did.

[LadySincere]

I’ve lost.
Because otherwise, I'd sell what's left of my hair for a really good Swiss Cake Roll. And she knows it, too, that Li'l Debbie. That temptress!

__

D*mn that Temptress...with a bit of War Eagle thrown in :)
Definitely will be following this NON trip report.

[Sneezie]

Sneezie: I don't think you have to go to the same bakery my Mom did. Wherever you live, find an Italian bakery and go order yourself a cream cake. Make sure the two filling layers are chocolate and canolli.

Chocolate and Canolli :thumbsup2

I'll be looking for one as soon as the Cake I Made From Scraps- my friend's nephew's version - is gone.


But before you sample even one bite, you will want to make certain, absolutely certain, you have settled up with the Lord. No unconfessed sin or any questions about your eternal destination. Because once you take a bite of Italian cream cake you will die.

I'll eat it right after my morning prayers. Where I end up for eternity is a crap shoot after that!

Now back to your trip report. Oh, wait, this isn't a trip report. My bad!

[AZMickeyfans]

Subbing from Mrs The Kings report!

Great start. I havent even gone and I feel like we've lost both our wallets. :lmao:

[Goofyluver]

I too...found you on Mrs. The King's TR.

I ventured out from her safe enclosure to see if you were equally as witty when making up your own stuff as when you respond to hers.

I'll let you know once you wrap this baby up...apparently...in a year or more.

Loved the intro.

Except you spoke about having a law degree and some other nonsense about science...and scientifically speaking...I don't know anything about the law.

But you were quite eloquent when speaking about Disney...and the Contemporary...and your family...and Barack Obama and Al Gore...:confused3

So in the end... I decided that sticking my toe out of Mrs. The King's poo-infested tinkerbell stinched-up TR might just be worth it.

I guess I'll just have to wait now. Till 2 weeks from yesterday. But...that's okay...because I'm patient...scientifically speaking.

[Heluvsme]

Mondays just got good again!

Even though I didn't realize it until today, Tuesday.


:goodvibes

[Delay Fish]

Another Mrs The King Subber....Maybe she should start getting a commission!

[MommyPoppins]

Hey, MommyP! Glad to see you again. Judging from the pictures in your post, you now have 17 more children than the last time I saw you! Congratulations.

:moped:

First of all, smarty pants, you can only see four children in that picture which is exactly how many I had for your last TR. I am however wearing the fifth, yet another Poppins boy.

Good news though. I'm not pregnant yet. :laughing:

[Mrs. The King]

Subbing from Mrs The Kings report!

Great start. I havent even gone and I feel like we've lost both our wallets. :lmao:

I too...found you on Mrs. The King's TR.

I ventured out from her safe enclosure to see if you were equally as witty when making up your own stuff as when you respond to hers.

I'll let you know once you wrap this baby up...apparently...in a year or more.

Loved the intro.

Except you spoke about having a law degree and some other nonsense about science...and scientifically speaking...I don't know anything about the law.

But you were quite eloquent when speaking about Disney...and the Contemporary...and your family...and Barack Obama and Al Gore...:confused3

So in the end... I decided that sticking my toe out of Mrs. The King's poo-infested tinkerbell stinched-up TR might just be worth it.

I guess I'll just have to wait now. Till 2 weeks from yesterday. But...that's okay...because I'm patient...scientifically speaking.

Another Mrs The King Subber....Maybe she should start getting a commission!


Oh my!! Look at all my beloved refugees seeping over here. I think I smell a little healthy competition.




Wait, never mind. The Jiggler was just handling the tacos I ate tonight. Oops! Now it's clapping. I hate when it does that. It always throws my back out.

[NotSoEvilStepmother]

Love the intro. Subbing:3dglasses

[Quennifer2008]

Hey Zzub!

I'll have to rally the troops on over here, but it may be awhile before they all show up.

Some of us are heading to Walt's World TODAY!!!:yay:

Some arrived today...
Some Thursday.....

Grand old time to be had

Nice to see a new report Zzub


Lady says hello.... she still has that carpet issue though...

[KatGarcia]

OK since your report isn't a million pages yet I can actually catch up and stay caught up! YAY!

[LISAMWDW]

:cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1:

ZZUB IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Off to a fabulous start! I know how you felt as a kid except I never fell back, we were already there. I had all those things my entire childhood, free cheese, hand me down clothes and one pair of shoes, dreaming of going to WDW someday but knowing I never would....as a child. I worked multiple jobs to get thru College and guess what? I've now taken my child 10x! God is good! :worship:

Can't wait to read this great trip report! Oh, wait, the non trip report! ;)
Woohoo! Zzub is back!

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Secondly, buying into DVC is like buying a carton of cigarettes. Isn't it akin to admitting you have an addiction? I'm not ready for that step.

Oh, please! This isn't a mere nicotine, crack or heroin addiction we're talking about...this is DISNEY. When are you going to admit that you are no better than the rest of us, come down off your morally superior high horse, and give in already? Think of it....the Contemporary.....ahhhhhhh. :hippie: :cloud9:

[ZZUB]

Hey Zzub!

I'll have to rally the troops on over here, but it may be awhile before they all show up.

Some of us are heading to Walt's World TODAY!!!:yay:Hey, hey Shelby! I wondered where my Maelstroming friends might be. I figured it was about time for the annual meet. Hope y'all have a good time.

Can it be that I am not reading a new ZZUB trip report?

Well, slap me thrice and hand me to mama.

And for those of you that don't speak pirate, that's somewhere along the lines of hot diggity dog!

ZZUB, it's good to see you back...um, not back...

not writing another trip report...

savvy? ;)Indeed. It's good to be seen again. Or not seen. Or something like that.

Some arrived today...
Some Thursday.....

Grand old time to be had

Nice to see a new report Zzub


Lady says hello.... she still has that carpet issue though...It's strange. You're a relatively new poster and . . . yet . . . it's as if I know you. Go figure.

:cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1:

ZZUB IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Off to a fabulous start! I know how you felt as a kid except I never fell back, we were already there. I had all those things my entire childhood, free cheese, hand me down clothes and one pair of shoes, dreaming of going to WDW someday but knowing I never would....as a child. I worked multiple jobs to get thru College and guess what? I've now taken my child 10x! God is good! :worship:

Can't wait to read this great trip report! Oh, wait, the non trip report! ;)
Woohoo! Zzub is back!The great thing about having nothing is you have nothing to lose and everything to work hard for. Going without so many things inspired us to work harder. It's one thing I worry about for my girls. Because they are growing up in a Contemporary world, I worry they won't fully appreciate what hard work, sacrifice and poverty feels like. My wife and I talk about this from time to time and are working on ways to make certain our girls never take for granted the opportunities and blessings they receive. It's one of the reasons I was so impressed last year when ZZUBY was careful to note how long we were at Disney World. It told me she understood that as compared with a lot of people, that was a long time.

MTK:a competition? I imagine any side by side comparison of your witty TR with the useless drivel I pour forth will reveal which is the more enjoyable read.

:moped:

[Tiggerrn2]

Welcome Not Back. ZZUB. Glad to see you and to be in on the start. I love keeping up with you.

[suwoogie]

Man, I've been jonesing for this. Welcome back!

[nicolemarie]

Last edited by ZZUB : Today at 12:29 PM. Reason: How glad am I that NicoleMarie hasn't deigned to visit this thread? Who needs a weather report anyway?!

Trust me. You need a report of MY weather.

One word: PERFECT.

Well, well, well. If it ain't ZZUB. Throwing me down in the edit line like I'm some kind of loser who sits around reading trip reports in my spare time.

Did you know that the values, mods and deluxes all have different kinds of toiletry products? If you didn't, you should read more trip reports.

Moving on.

Unfortunately, due to some sort of crappy virus my computer has, I can't flip back and forth between screens to quote all of my favorite parts of your TR. And that bugs me to no end. But seeing as I'm five pages into the responses to the first installment, I think you've gotten some good feedback already.

I'm glad you're back, ZZUB. Long time, no see. Your trip reports are among the best Disney reading I do all year, and I'm looking very forward to hearing all about your recent trip. Especially in the new format.

And with Sneezie popping in for the cake update. (I think I love you, Sneezie.)

I'm already thinking a Pumpkin Spice Latte will be my beverage of choice for the next installment. Bring it, friend...

:)

[AshClan]

Okay, I have hit an all time low. I am posting on ZZUB's non-trip report from an outdoor table at CAPT. COOKS!!! Yes, I am in the World. Though my luggage is not. :sad2: I hear tell, though, that it's on the next plane from Boston. So I should be seeing it in a week or so.

Z! I was so happy to hear you've started to write another load of drivel about your latest trip to our favorite place. I just got in and am waiting for the crew to join me once they're done getting drenched on Kali River Rapids. What better way to kill some time than to pull out my trusty work-provided laptop (with Sprint aircard) and check in to say hey to my buddy Z. Which is all I'm doing, actually. I haven't technically read any of this yet. But I'm lookin' forward to it! Just not until I've experienced some Maelstromer meet magic. So.....I'll see ya on Sunday buddy!!! Or maybe Monday. I expect I'll be pretty dang tired when I get home. And will probably have to do laundry as I fear I'll be wearing this same frickin' (NOF) outfit for 5 days.

Aloha!!!

[ZZUB]

Did you know that the values, mods and deluxes all have different kinds of toiletry products? If you didn't, you should read more trip reports. Why would you know that?! You've elevated Disney nerd-dom to a whole 'nuther level. But since we're on the subject, what is the difference?

I'm glad you're back, ZZUB. Long time, no see.Really? Feels like I just saw you. But then again, I'm not writing a Trip Report so maybe it just seems like I just saw you.

Your trip reports are among the best Disney reading I do all year, and I'm looking very forward to hearing all about your recent trip. Especially in the new format.HOw much "Disney reading" do you do?

Glad to hear the weather is good where you are. It's actually nice here today as well.


Okay, I have hit an all time low. I am posting on ZZUB's non-trip report from an outdoor table at CAPT. COOKS!!! Yes, I am in the World. Though my luggage is not. :sad2: I hear tell, though, that it's on the next plane from Boston. So I should be seeing it in a week or so.

Z! I was so happy to hear you've started to write another load of drivel about your latest trip to our favorite place. I just got in and am waiting for the crew to join me once they're done getting drenched on Kali River Rapids. What better way to kill some time than to pull out my trusty work-provided laptop (with Sprint aircard) and check in to say hey to my buddy Z. Which is all I'm doing, actually. I haven't technically read any of this yet. But I'm lookin' forward to it! Just not until I've experienced some Maelstromer meet magic. So.....I'll see ya on Sunday buddy!!! Or maybe Monday. I expect I'll be pretty dang tired when I get home. And will probably have to do laundry as I fear I'll be wearing this same frickin' (NOF) outfit for 5 days. Aloha!!!And that's why she's my favorite screenname! Look at Ash! Sitting at the Poly reading the Disboards. What kind of sorry nerd are you?! KIDDING!!!! Sorry to hear your clothes are missing. Fortunately for you, there are several places to buy more clothes within a Monorail stop from where you are. I don't know which of the Maelstrom gang is down there (I assume NM isn't since your edit said people were missing her). But tell everyone I said hi. And vote for McCain. :)

:moped:

[scrap4u]

Great to see you back ZZUB! Can't wait to read more about this non-trip. We were in the world during TS Hannah and with Hurricane Ike passing by. The best weather we've ever had in Sept. in DW!

Thanks for coming back and not-sharing your story with us!

[Angrypenguin]

Fantastic. I checked the trip report board on a whim, actually thinking that if you were to do a trip report again, you would go during free dining. You didn't disappoint.:thumbsup2

Also, feel free to throw in nostalgic "West Wing" references during your reporting. For some reason, I feel less alone knowing that there are others who can quote, politics aside, the best show ever to be broadcast.

Although Friday Night Lights comes close.

[Just2DisneyKids]

I've read all of your TR's and I'll be subbing right away this time!

And thanks for (not) writing a TR, it wouldn't be fall with out you! :goodvibes

[Liz]

There may be a lot of places Zzub belongs (Canadian bathroom anyone?) but page 3 is not one of them!

Glad to see you are back, Zzub, although part of me is saying "no, no, he's not staying at the Contemporary!!!" I tried really hard to reserve the Contemporary for our next trip, checking daily to see if it was available with the code we had. It never was up until I got within our 45 day cancellation window so I quit checking. I'm really happy for you but feeling a little "Contemporary envy!" And I would have been happy with a crappy parking lot view! :goodvibes

:worship: So happy you are back!

[preschoolmom]

:yay: :yay: :yay: :yay:

You're back!

I've been away from the Dis. All of my favorite trip reports had ended (some right in the middle :confused3 ;) ) and my next trip won't be for two more years... and then, about a week ago, I started lurking again... On the trip report board... Thinking, "That ZZUB... Certainly he is going to write another trip report. Even though he said he wouldn't. He'll be back... I hope..."

And here you are!

And this very first entry had me in tears.

I'm looking forward to reading this very much.

Thanks :goodvibes

[LaLa]

ROLL TIDE!

[ZZUB]

ROLL TIDE!


41-30

That's for my friends who live in Georgia. I was afraid they might not know the score. I heard there was a black-out or something.

Yeah, I'm thinking y'all are gonna give that ol' black jersey thing a rest. And focus your energy on fundamentals. Like scoring touchdowns. And stopping the other team from planting their flag in your endzone.

:moped:

[nicolemarie]

ROLL TIDE!


41-30

That's for my friends who live in Georgia. I was afraid they might not know the score. I heard there was a black-out or something.

Yeah, I'm thinking y'all are gonna give that ol' black jersey thing a rest. And focus your energy on fundamentals. Like scoring touchdowns. And stopping the other team from planting their flag in your endzone.

:moped:

First of all, now you don't have any friends who live in Georgia.

Second of all, thanks for the coaching advice. We weren't really sure what went wrong. But now that you've clarified it, we might get over this ONE loss.

"That ol' black jersey thing" drives y'all crazy cause it's cool as all get out and y'all know it. I'm willing to bet every newspaper in Alabama has some kind of smart aleck "blackout" related comment this morning. But props to your team. You deserve to gloat a little bit, even if it does further my belief that there are no Alabama fans that aren't obnoxious. Y'all played a good game, and you beat the crap out of us. You should gloat.

After all, this is the first reason you've had in several years.

:flower3:

[PoohBearFreak32]

Wow, another Zzub trip report that's masquerading as a non-trip report. Sign me up for the poor kid syndrome class. Child of divorce, etc. I didn't make it to Disney World until I was 25 and used my own hard earned money to do it. And then was disappointed because the Castle was shrouded in that hideous pink monstrosity. Go figure. I go every year now and my husband only takes that one week off of work to ensure we can pay for it. Yup, cutting back and dreaming makes the World more sweet.

[DisneyNutMary]

Zzub, I am so glad you are not writing a trip report...or are writing your first trip report...or whatever tripe reporting you are doing. You have pulled me out of hiding.
I have been avoiding the Dis like the plague, too much mudslinging going on in the other forums, it drove me away from my precious Tripe Reports Boards.

I peeked in here today to see if Mel HappyHaint had something new to report on, an instead, I was pleasantly surprised by a battle for the wallet raging between you and the mouse yet again. And in my favorite resort, no less. I just can't wait to lay my head down in the BLT, or is it on a BLT? Whatever.

Last I remember, that 2nd little girl was a bump in your Mrs belly, and she was napping in her bed at WL while you played the good DH and did laundry.

Keep it rolling pal, I'm happy to see you made another donation to the mouse and want to tell us all about it.

[tdryl98]

I'm so glad that this is the first non-trip report that I started to read. You had me hooked by the end of the 1st paragraph. I can't wait to read more.

[AshClan]

I'm back. And exhausted. And aching from head to toe. As someone who is more than "not quite middle aged", I can tell you that Disney touring does a number on an almost-47 yr old body. And I was only there for 4 days!!

I have now read your lone chapter, as I am experiencing the luxury of a bonus day off. (See, I've done enough of these to know that I can't face getting up for work the day after returning from a Maelstrom Meet.) Nice job, buddy! I will add myself to the poor childhood club. No divorces, but tight budgets nonetheless. My three childhood visits to the World (only MK, in those days) were just day trips via my aunt and uncle's house in Jacksonville. Yep. We drove about 2 1/2 hours each way to spend about 8 hours in the MK. I'm sure you can imagine how fun that was. :rolleyes: To me, though, it was awesome. My sweet husband had it even worse than me, and had never been there during his childhood (or even on a plane, for that matter). We finally stayed in the World (at the Disney Inn) on our second wedding anniversary in 1987 and we've never looked back!! I often count my blessings today and marvel at how dramatically improved our lives have been. I say it all the time: If, as a teen, I could have seen just a glimpse of the life I have now, I would have been BLOWN AWAY!! And I'm not just talking creature comforts. That's just gravy. We work every day to make sure our boys understand that and gain some appreciation for how very lucky they are. I know you do the same, as is evidenced by ZZUBy's many precious and touching musings.

My brain is too tired to be witty this morning, but I did want to let you know that all 17 of the Maelstrom-meeters (including a couple of spouses and a 6 yr old magic magnet) were at the Cali Grille during the Bama/GA game, and many texts were flying, so word reached us pretty much "live". Almost caused the end of a friendship, in fact, when Frick let out a little cheer for the score and GAKitty slapped her - HARD - with her eyes. Wow. You southerners are serious about your college football, aren't ya?

Have a great week and I'll see ya next Monday!! I am ashamed to admit it, but it does make my world a little brighter when I know I have some good new ZZUBage to read every once in a while ;)

[OnceAgain]

As an Oregon State Alumnus, I feel qualified to say you're welcome.

[Quennifer2008]

I'm back. And exhausted. And aching from head to toe. As someone who is more than "not quite middle aged", I can tell you that Disney touring does a number on an almost-47 yr old body. And I was only there for 4 days!!

I have now read your lone chapter, as I am experiencing the luxury of a bonus day off. (See, I've done enough of these to know that I can't face getting up for work the day after returning from a Maelstrom Meet.) Nice job, buddy! I will add myself to the poor childhood club. No divorces, but tight budgets nonetheless. My three childhood visits to the World (only MK, in those days) were just day trips via my aunt and uncle's house in Jacksonville. Yep. We drove about 2 1/2 hours each way to spend about 8 hours in the MK. I'm sure you can imagine how fun that was. :rolleyes: To me, though, it was awesome. My sweet husband had it even worse than me, and had never been there during his childhood (or even on a plane, for that matter). We finally stayed in the World (at the Disney Inn) on our second wedding anniversary in 1987 and we've never looked back!! I often count my blessings today and marvel at how dramatically improved our lives have been. I say it all the time: If, as a teen, I could have seen just a glimpse of the life I have now, I would have been BLOWN AWAY!! And I'm not just talking creature comforts. That's just gravy. We work every day to make sure our boys understand that and gain some appreciation for how very lucky they are. I know you do the same, as is evidenced by ZZUBy's many precious and touching musings.

My brain is too tired to be witty this morning, but I did want to let you know that all 17 of the Maelstrom-meeters (including a couple of spouses and a 6 yr old magic magnet) were at the Cali Grille during the Bama/GA game, and many texts were flying, so word reached us pretty much "live". Almost caused the end of a friendship, in fact, when Frick let out a little cheer for the score and GAKitty slapped her - HARD - with her eyes. Wow. You southerners are serious about your college football, aren't ya?

Have a great week and I'll see ya next Monday!! I am ashamed to admit it, but it does make my world a little brighter when I know I have some good new ZZUBage to read every once in a while ;)

Freaky Borg Ash
I was just coming here to say the exact same thing.
That we all kept up with the score
The one lone Roll Tide Fan rubbed it in the faces of all the Dawg fans
Ahem.
And TFI Ash, I am just as sore and tired today as I was yesterday.

When can we read more Zzub?????

[Stretchy Shorts]

I thought you were done with Reports? Glad to see you're back! http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc316/Raazorred/Videos/Emotes/clap2.gif

Now I have to go and catch up.

[Stretchy Shorts]

LIke you, the Contemporary is "the dream". Like you, we finally bit the bullet, sold a car or two, and booked it for a week in March 09... MK View, Club Level. It's going to hurt, but hopefully, will be worth it.

It will be nice to read your reviews and see if the legend holds true.

Welcome back and bring on the fun.

popcorn::

[samc]

Glad you're back with another trip report......or not! Almost as glad as I am that Bama is 5-0 and number 2!!!

Sorry Frick!...I still think you've got the coolestasallgetout coach :)

[Mrs. The King]

MTK:a competition? I imagine any side by side comparison of your witty TR with the useless drivel I pour forth will reveal which is the more enjoyable read.


First. Let me sit in the compliment for a few seconds and pretend it was true.








That was nice.

We should defiantly avoid a side by side comparison. Your writing is akin to eating caviar on a yacht. My writing is like eating an old M&M out of someone else's couch crack, while an old, ornery cat attacks you.

By the way, one of your readers got lost and wound up in my Trip Report. I am keeping her.

[Backstage_Gal]

First. Let me sit in the compliment for a few seconds and pretend it was true.








That was nice.

We should defiantly avoid a side by side comparison. Your writing is akin to eating caviar on a yacht. My writing is like eating an old M&M out of someone else's couch crack, while an old, ornery cat attacks you.

By the way, one of your readers got lost and wound up in my Trip Report. I am keeping him.

Variety is the spice of life!
I love both of your reports. So keep on writing!

Hi to all the old Maestroemers.Well ,not old, per.se.

[AUDramaQueen]

I know my kind isn't allowed to post on a ZZUB trip report lest it be called a "hate crime"....buuuut seeing as y'all are doing so well and us, not so well, I figured it would be OK to come out of lurkdom and say how happy I am to be reading your non trip report. (and, yes, I like run-on sentences)

Can't wait for more of whatever it is you're doing or not doing....

[ZZUB]

Great to see you back ZZUB! Can't wait to read more about this non-trip. We were in the world during TS Hannah and with Hurricane Ike passing by. The best weather we've ever had in Sept. in DW!Sounds like we were there at the same time. Sorry if I ran into you with my stroller.

Also, feel free to throw in nostalgic "West Wing" references during your reporting. For some reason, I feel less alone knowing that there are others who can quote, politics aside, the best show ever to be broadcast.Welcome back HappyChicken. There is a West Wing allusion in this chapter, buried there for the 3 people who watched that show and read this garbage. I think I bury at least one WW quote or allusion in each chapter.

Glad to see you are back, Zzub, although part of me is saying "no, no, he's not staying at the Contemporary!!!" I tried really hard to reserve the Contemporary for our next trip, checking daily to see if it was available with the code we had.I'm glad to see that other people like the Contemporary, too. It seems like a lot of people on these boards are anti-Contemporary. But recently, I've seen a lot of posts with people saying the same thing you did that they couldn't get a room there. I hope that trend changes when the open the new tower.

and then, about a week ago, I started lurking again... On the trip report board... Thinking, "That ZZUB... Certainly he is going to write another trip report. Even though he said he wouldn't. He'll be back... I hope..."I can't help but wonder how it is you managed to be a preschoolmom? Are you biologically advanced? Or did you just flunk pre-K a LOT?! I'm glad you're enjoying this Trip Report which is not a trip report. But technically, I did not say I wasn't writing another one. Only that I might not. And as you can plainly see, I am not writing a Trip Report at all.

Zzub, I am so glad you are not writing a trip report...or are writing your first trip report...or whatever tripe reporting you are doing. You have pulled me out of hiding.

I have been avoiding the Dis like the plague, too much mudslinging going on in the other forums, it drove me away from my precious Tripe Reports Boards.

I peeked in here today to see if Mel HappyHaint had something new to report on, an instead, I was pleasantly surprised by a battle for the wallet raging between you and the mouse yet again. And in my favorite resort, no less. I just can't wait to lay my head down in the BLT, or is it on a BLT? Whatever.

Last I remember, that 2nd little girl was a bump in your Mrs belly, and she was napping in her bed at WL while you played the good DH and did laundry.

Keep it rolling pal, I'm happy to see you made another donation to the mouse and want to tell us all about it.I think it's actually called the MLT. When the mutton is nice and lean. I miss Mel HappyHat too. I hope against hope she comes back and regales us more with her brand of crap. It's getting hard to be the lone repository for random purgings of the lunatic mind.

I'm so glad that this is the first non-trip report that I started to read. You had me hooked by the end of the 1st paragraph. I can't wait to read more.It's a shame your first Trip Report is this. B/c as anyone can see, this is NOT a Trip Report. It's more like a Rip Teport.

I'm back. And exhausted. And aching from head to toe. As someone who is more than "not quite middle aged", I can tell you that Disney touring does a number on an almost-47 yr old body. And I was only there for 4 days!!Maybe, just maybe you're getting too old. I've heard that happens when you hit your late-mid 40s.

I often count my blessings today and marvel at how dramatically improved our lives have been. I say it all the time: If, as a teen, I could have seen just a glimpse of the life I have now, I would have been BLOWN AWAY!! And I'm not just talking creature comforts. That's just gravy. We work every day to make sure our boys understand that and gain some appreciation for how very lucky they are.I mess with you a lot on account of you being a nutcase lefty with stupid political views, but (I hope) I say this just as often, Ashclan: you are rock solid good people. It's too easy to take for granted the immense blessings we receive. Anytime we look back and draw a line from then to now, I think we can see the guiding hand of Providence.

Wow. You southerners are serious about your college football, aren't ya?We don't have much else to be serious about.

As an Oregon State Alumnus, I feel qualified to say you're welcome.Indeed. You realize of course that Mike Riley played for the Bear, right?

I thought you were done with Reports? Glad to see you're back!I thought you were done with The Disboards? Glad to see you back, too.

LIke you, the Contemporary is "the dream". Like you, we finally bit the bullet, sold a car or two, and booked it for a week in March 09... MK View, Club Level. It's going to hurt, but hopefully, will be worth it.Well, going in March and staying club level no less, yeah, I reckon you did have to sell a car.

First. Let me sit in the compliment for a few seconds and pretend it was true.I reckon there are worse things to sit in. Think about THAT for a minute or two.

My writing is like eating an old M&M out of someone else's couch crack, while an old, ornery cat attacks you.But for the couch crack and ornery cat, eating M&Ms sure beats the tar out of eating fish eggs. I don't each fish. Why would I want to eat their eggs? Grossest ever!

I know my kind isn't allowed to post on a ZZUB trip report lest it be called a "hate crime"Your "kind" is more than welcome here. How else will you see the light about your poor choice of school affinity? But to be clear, it is only a hate crime if I see the words "war eagle," and other such Auburn-esque trivialities.

Hi Haley.

:moped:

[angelmav]

YES! Zzub's back! Great start, in fact, that first chapter ranks up their with the best of your installments! Looking forward to this 'first actual trip report' more than you could know!

[jamal]

Hi ZZUB! Our friend and roommate Ash alerted us (me and KPK89) that you were back. Thanks for not writing a trip report. I loved the story of the CR and your childhood dreams. I can't wait to read your thoughts about one of my top-3 fave WDW resorts. We'll be there later this fall!

I am indecisive. Just ask my dinning companions.

[OnceAgain]

Indeed. You realize of course that Mike Riley played for the Bear, right?


Of course! I love Mike Riley, he's a great coach, Bear Bryant's influence is obvious. We in Oregon owe some thanks to Alabama as well.

[GeorgiaAristocat]

ROLL TIDE!


41-30

That's for my friends who live in Georgia. I was afraid they might not know the score. I heard there was a black-out or something.

Yeah, I'm thinking y'all are gonna give that ol' black jersey thing a rest. And focus your energy on fundamentals. Like scoring touchdowns. And stopping the other team from planting their flag in your endzone.

:moped:

See. I was going to come and tell you about "listening" to the game at the Cali Grill, but Ash took care of that.

My brain is too tired to be witty this morning, but I did want to let you know that all 17 of the Maelstrom-meeters (including a couple of spouses and a 6 yr old magic magnet) were at the Cali Grille during the Bama/GA game, and many texts were flying, so word reached us pretty much "live". Almost caused the end of a friendship, in fact, when Frick let out a little cheer for the score and GAKitty slapped her - HARD - with her eyes. Wow. You southerners are serious about your college football, aren't ya?

Well. Almost took care of it. Frickles has some sense, so she is and remains a Dawg forever. She was, however, quite glad that she was not at home enduring the, shall I say it? snide comments of her husband. But, hey, he had jumped out of a perfectly good airplane that day, so is it any wonder that he cheers for Bama? It was Rhonda who was taunting. TAUNTING, I say. Although she looked very pretty doing so all fancy-schmancy at the Cali Grill. TFI, Rhonda's husband was just as bad. It might become my mission to get Wesley all dawg'ed out. You should see him with his Obama bumper sticker and campaign pin.

Frick and I were just shaking our heads and slapping with our eyes. And drowning our sorrows in Lemon Drops and Bellinis. But not at the same time.

Z - I'm looking forward to this non-report of a trip. Especially the Contemporary part. Ironically, it is entirely possible that I was supposed to be there at the same time as you at the Contemporary (but not a MK view) until my husband insisted on an October vacation instead of a September one. Aren't we both glad that he insisted on the change? We are off for eight nights and nine days starting on Saturday. Unfortunately, the rates were such (ummm, higher) in October that the cheap in me took hold and we are staying at French Quarter.

Are we still looking at every other Monday installments? I don't see where you made any such promise, and given the format change, I am wondering if there will be a posting change as well. Discuss.

[Kimberly815]

:cool1: There is nothing better than a ZZUB trip report.

Even if it's wearing a "I'm not a trip report" t-shirt. ;)

[Tinkerbellarella]

Someday, someday, I will make it over during the first page of a ZZUB trip report.

Not that this is a trip report.

Or so I've heard. Read. Whatever. Dude.

And not that I've even read the first eighty gabillion pages I've missed to know what I'm talking about right here.

And mad props to LegoMom for giving me the "Um, HELLO! ZZUB is writing a new (nonTR)TR!

I really don't know what my priority should be here - catching up with the ZeeZubs or starting my own TR. Decisions, decisions. If only it were as easy as picking Palin as a running mate. ::sigh::

(Does it reek of sarcasm in here right now or is it me?)

Anywho, glad to know I may (or may not) be regaled with more tales (and bodily functions, if my guesses are near the mark) from you ZZUB. I just got back from the World to a rather less than magical world and your stories are always good medicine.

Roll Tide and all that. :moped:

~Tinkerbellarella

P.S. I KNEW you weren't down there when I was but I sat on Soarin' (we scored the exact center of Row 1 without even asking) and as we "took off" I couldn't help but think of you and your little gal and how much you love the ride and smile. :goodvibes

[Tinkerbellarella]

Ok. So, now I'm all caught up.
Before starting my own tripe.
Ssh. Don't tell.

This:

The Contemporary Resort. Magic Kingdom View. Me. My wife and girls. For nine days and eight nights.

Is also one of my own "someday" dreams.
Well.
Less, the ZZUB and wife and girls.
Not that I don't think I'd have fun with the ZZUB clan.
But.
Well, you get it.
Creepy, stalker type I am not.

ANYWAY, it has me looking forward even more to your next chapters.
Though maybe not so much the "Smells" chapter.
Just sayin'.

[Ellester]

ROLL TIDE!


41-30

That's for my friends who live in Georgia. I was afraid they might not know the score. I heard there was a black-out or something.

Yeah, I'm thinking y'all are gonna give that ol' black jersey thing a rest. And focus your energy on fundamentals. Like scoring touchdowns. And stopping the other team from planting their flag in your endzone.

:moped:

Now come on, not EVERYONE who lives in Georgia is a UGA fan. That's like saying everyone in Alabama is an Auburn fan, it's just not right. I will try not to take your prejudice to heart..... I, for one, enjoyed the weekend's results, seeing as Georgia TECH had a bye so I didn't have to fear a loss.

Looking forward to next Monday.

[Charleston Princess]

So, I have heard the whisperings, and I have come over to read a ZZUB writing-thingamajig (since it's not a TR) -- and I am hooked. :goodvibes

[guitarob]

Thanks for another great report, can't wait to read more popcorn::

[beckanoah]

I knew you'd be back. i just found this though. :(

Off to read!

[carrieannie]

Hey ZZUB, Great first chapter. I was a lurker on your last TR. Your writing is thought provoking , touching, with a little funny thrown in. :goodvibes

I am also a follow over from Mrs The Kings TR. Hi Deb!! :wave:

Great to see Stretchy Shorts has arrived here! I was going to send him an e-mail alerting him to ZZUBS new Non-Trip Trip Report. now I can save it.

Ready and willing to read more. Interested to hear how the baby did this year. Shes about one and a half now? :cutie: Maybe Mrs ZZUB was able to finally leave the Baby Care Centers this year? Wondering if your older Daughter enjoyed Test Track as much as last year. popcorn::

[blue_river]

Yahooty

:banana: :yay: :banana:

[carrieannie]

Yahooty

:banana: :yay: :banana:

Hi Heidi!!! :goodvibes

[Yzma and Kronk]

Another tired Maelstromer checking in

“I thought this joker promised us he was going to stop pounding out this drivel?”

Exactly!

But I'm glad. Nana Happy :banana:

Love me some stories of the CR! Bouncebacking there next year too!

Sorry (or am I??) that I missed all the football talk on Saturday. I was too busy enjoying the Cali Ray/Ray's - The new Lemon Drop - but I now know what all the slapping was all about!

Roll Tide, is it?

Looking forward to Monday (for once)

[Philadisney]

I loved your last TR and am so glad to see a new thread from you. Can't wait to catch up! :surfweb:

[lisalonglash]

Hey, thanks for not writing a trip report - I couldn't handle reading yet another one ;)

If I HAD read your musings/observations/NOT report, I would have said that your writing never fails to entertain/inspire and that this latest Disney foray doesn't disappoint. My mom was divorced twice during my childhood - I empathize with your earlier years. I am looking forward to meeting my younger self in the MK - and, dare I hope, meeting my dh's younger self there too (one can hope, right?!). I am not looking forward to the next installment - it's not like I'll be checking this thread daily or anything :rotfl2:

[Liz]

Hey Zzub,

I had to share an experience my son had at work. He met another DISer! Small world huh? Anyway, this person said they liked the Trip Report board and my son asked him if he'd read Zzub. :goodvibes He hadn't so maybe he'll show up here! :)

[javamom]

HI ZZUB! Can't let a good battle die! Likewise, if none were to tell the tale, the world would certainly be a lesser place. Well, at least, mine would. Glad to see you back.

Though I am sooooo not a sports fan, here's one just for you!

ROLL TIDE!

[GBShorts]

Got to sub into this-I'll get reading in a moment here! Can't wait to read another report...that apparently isn't a trip report? ...

Hmm. ;) popcorn::

[ZZUB]

Chapter Two: Getting There

The weeks before vacation are always a busy time. Tons of work to finish up. Clients’ demands to attend to. Final preparations for the trip. Going to Target with the family to buy “trip stuff.” Packing. Giving the Schpup a bath. And earning a degree in meteorology.

That’s right. On top of everything else I was trying to get done, this year I became an amateur hurricanologist (not to be confused with a licensed joyologist). As Tropical Storm Fay was drenching Florida in its insane and unprecedented crisscross of the state, friends and family alike were emailing me and writing, “how glad are you that this is happening this week and not two weeks from now when you’ll be there?” Mr. Schadenfreude, the senior partner in my firm, could barely contain his disgust that TS Fay hadn’t delayed her course until right smack in the middle of our trip.

But while others around me were breathing a vicarious sigh of relief for us, I knew better. I knew something was coming to prevent us from leaving on time. I just knew it.

I didn’t want to know it. But because we were planning to stay at the Contemporary, the place I’d wanted to stay since before Nancy Pelosi’s first face lift, I was sore afraid that something would come up to dash it all.

I don’t know, maybe everyone has a fear in the back of their mind that their vacation will get upended.

Not me.

It’s not in the back of my mind.

It’s in the back of my throat. It’s in front of my eyes. It’s in my nose. My chest.

I’m a card-carrying worrier who accidentally lost his card. I regularly pray that God strengthens me in my inner man so that I don’t allow fear and anxiety to overcome me. (One of the first verses of Scripture I ever memorized was Philippians 4:6). In the weeks leading up to the trip, whenever I would start cogitating on the many things which could happen to prevent our timely departure, I’d stop and surrender those fears to God, being reminded that He, and not Alaska Airlines, is in control.

Right on cue, Hurricane Gustav appeared and began to threaten Florida. And shortly thereafter, Mr. Schadenfreude darkened my office door, his smile so big, you’d think he just came from debating a squinty fellow who mistakenly, but nevertheless arrogantly, asserts that Article I of the Constitution enumerates the powers of the execitive branch. He could barely contain his excitement that ANOTHER storm was brewing. Mr. Schadenfreude that is. Not the media-protected hair transplant who scolded the young governor despite being ignorant of the very Constitution he was lecturing her from. Ahem.

And so I became intimately familiar with the hurricane projection models. I knew what time the NHC issued its updated advisories. I knew which models were more reliable. If knowledge is power, I was a Saturn V rocket at lift off. Or a bean burrito at splash down.

Too much?

Gustav wasn’t alone, either. His meddlesome sister Hanna was lurking in the Atlantic. Lurking the way women of loose morals do. (Hi Mel!) And while Gustav’s track eventually moved clear of the blessed Florida peninsula, Hanna turned and churned. Not unlike the aforementioned bean burrito.

It wasn’t just the hurricanes, you understand. I had a few other things to worry about.

From what I’d read in the months and weeks leading up to our trip, The Contemporary Resort was riddled with problems. It is suffering through a bout of bad housekeeping worse than any resort at Walt Disney World which, as a whole, is suffering through something of a housekeeping crisis. Virtually every report I read both here and at Allearsnet described dusty rooms, dirty floors, abandoned room service trays. Random, unclaimed hair of the curly, kinky variety. Then there was this hysteria over the sinks. The lousy, useless, non-draining flat sinks. And almost all agreed there was a horrendous lack of storage. YOU HAVE TO LIVE OUT OF YOUR SUITCASE! This was of some concern to a guy who thinks unpacking at Disney World is every bit as exciting as the words “Vanderbilt 14, Auburn 13.” People alleged that the front desk staff was rude, unhelpful. The elevators are ALWAYS crowded. THERE’S NO DISNEY FEEL THERE! Which is to say NOTHING of the construction.

THE CONSTRUCTION!!!!!

Would the new quick service place open in time? How bad would the Tempo Grab and Go be? And then, just before we left for Florida, there were new reports about THE NOISE! The ear-drum shattering noise from the construction in the atrium. Someone even posted a clip on YouTube.

But all of that was simply the amuse bouche for the main course of anxiety I would feast on: what if it wasn’t what I thought it would be? What if we got there and it was completely disappointing? After years of dreaming about doing something, and a year spent planning for it, what if a room in the Tower with a view of the Magic Kingdom was no more exciting than waking up five minutes before your alarm goes off?

I began regretting not booking us into the Wilderness Lodge. We loved the Lodge. Why on earth wouldn’t we be returning there? At least the Lodge has a food court. Kind of. Its pool has theming. No people in business suits there. And so what if the bedspread has a stain not of your own making? It’s substantially cheaper than the Contemporary. Let ‘em pee on our bed if they want to.

Every so often, I’d entertain these thoughts out loud. I’d ask Mrs. Z if maybe she’d be happier at the Lodge. Staying in the Tower is my dream. Not hers. Each time I’d bring it up, she’d remind me of all the reasons we’re staying at the Contemporary. And that if we hated it, then we’d know the Lodge is our place and we’d return there next time.

No matter what concern I raised, she reminded me that I wasn’t the kind of person to let it ride. I’d make them make it right.

I dialed up some pictures of the rooms and the bathrooms on the internet one night and we studied them together. I said more to myself than to her, “I think there’ll be enough storage space.” The lack of a decent quick service food court place made me anxious, though. We love us some food court. There was no easy fix to that problem. Eventually, I concluded we could always hop the Monorail to the Polynesian or the GF for a food court if we needed to. We studied the menus on Allearsnet and concluded they offered some good fast food options if the Temp Grab and Go didn’t work.

But then I read that thing about the jackhammering in the atrium. Jackhammering. In the atrium. Good night nurse! That made me nervous. So again I considered switching resorts. Because if the place got super noisy, then what? I didn’t want to move in the middle of our stay.

You see what was happening, don’t you? I was trying to plan “the perfect trip.” But the perfect trip doesn’t exist. It’s a fiction. Like Georgia’s defense. Like Free Dining or like Joe Biden’s understanding of the Constitution. Even though I had learned not too long ago that I cannot plan the perfect trip, and that expecting perfection is foolishness, well, I forgot. I don’t mean I fully forgot. I just didn’t realize that I was gunning so hard for perfection. In my head, it seemed I was just trying to make certain we had well-advised plans. Covered all contingencies. But that’s just seeking perfection by another name. Faith for me isn’t like riding a bicycle, or hadn’t I told you that before? And as I sat staring off over the handle bars, I realized I had forgotten how to ride that thing.

This came home to me over the course of a week or so. One day I was working in my study and ZZUBY was sitting in my plaid arm chair pouring over one of her Junie B. Jones books. The screensaver on my computer was running through a slide show, and there were two pictures of the Lodge in a row. I looked wistfully at them and then looked at ZZUBY and said, “You know, I sure wish we were staying there this year. I hope we like the Contemporary as much. I’m afraid we’re going to miss the Lodge, though.”

She said, “Oh Daddy! You’re just looking for a reason not to stay at the Contemporary now, aren’t you?”

She’s six by the way.

A few days later, I was reading about the construction zone cleverly disguised as the atrium and reports of people who had to move because of the noise bleed into their rooms. My concern for our trip piqued, so I decided I’d check availability for the Lodge on line.

Do with this what you will. On the day I checked, for the dates we were going to be in Disney World, there was not a single room available in the Wilderness Lodge. Not a one. Undeterred, I changed our arrival date. Then our departure date. Clicked concierge level even.

Nothing.

It might as well have been Barack Obama’s resume. There was nothing there.

The number of available rooms equaled Georgia’s score at the half: 0.

You might say there was a black out.

But you shouldn’t.

When I realized we couldn’t switch our reservation to the Lodge, I also realized God was trying to remind me that anxiety is foolishness. He was in control and there was no sense trying to make sure everything was perfect.

Because it aint gonna be perfect no matter what you do.

I was reminded of another trip not too long ago when our plans were completely upended. When the worst thing I could imagine interrupted an otherwise sanguine Disney Eve. And even though the fear and panic of that night still feels fresh and raw when I revisit it in my mind, when I continue the thought to its eventual conclusion and I am reminded that everything ended well, then I am again bathed in the peace and security of knowing Someone other than me is in control.

So when in the days just before we left, I read reports of the painting going on inside the Contemporary atrium and I saw the pictures of scaffolds that covered the Monorail platform, I didn’t fret none.

Mostly because I don’t even know how.

I’m from Florida. I’m not really southern.

And also because I remembered a last minute stop for a bathroom break mere feet from the gates of Walt’s Disney World. Scaffolds and paint are the new “Well, it’s pretty late in the day . . .”

There were a few other middling concerns. For the first time in forever, Mrs. Z was completely packed and finished with her stuff well before bedtime on Disney Eve. Which could only mean that our trip was going to get cancelled, right? Again, you know, the thing with the bike.

Our Disney Eve was about as quiet and subdued as any night before a vacation. We got to bed at a decent hour. And slept.

Which is ironic.

It has been at least 35 years since I first laid eyes on the Contemporary Resort, first looked up at those balconies and wondered what the World looked like from up there. It has been at least 25 years since I promised myself I’d stay there one day. It has been almost a full year since I called the Disney Travel Company and revised our reservation and booked a week with a Magic Kingdom view. It had been three months since ZZUBY and I began marking off the days on our calendar each night.

And yet I had no trouble falling asleep. For all of my fears that we wouldn’t get to go after all, or that the experience would disappoint me deeply, if I had any anxieties at all that night, they weren’t pestering me. I finished praying with my wife, gave her a kiss and fell deep asleep. Soon after, we were up and readying ourselves for the airport. Showered. Shaved. Putting last things in our suitcases. I loaded the bags in the car and began marking things off my exit checklist. We got the kids up and ready and we climbed in the car for the drive to the airport.

Everybody say “good bye house.” We prayed as we headed down the hill towards the interstate. And as we drove, listening to Disney tunes on the radio, Mrs. Z and I talked about everything and nothing. Just like it was any old day at all.

Our flights were fairly uneventful. Save for the hour we sat on the ground because the ground crew and the pilot couldn’t agree on whether our flight had been properly fueled, it was mostly uneventful.

We landed in Orlando about an hour behind schedule. We walked off the plane and headed towards the Magical Express check-in. It was fairly quiet, just a few families in front of us. But there was only a minimal wait. All checked in, we were directed towards the queue for our bus. We walked to the front and were immediately taken to our waiting ride.

I fall for this EVERY time.

No sooner had we settled into our bus when it dawned on me that we weren’t going anywhere for a while. A LONG while.

ZZUB had to pee. I had held it because I thought we would be on our way and didn’t want to have to wait for the next bus.

I got off the bus and asked the driver and the Magical Express employee standing next to him, Franky Frownypants, how long before our bus would be leaving.

“About 25 minutes.”

“25 minutes?!” I asked incredulously.

“Yes, 25 minutes,” Franky Frownypants repeated, annoyed that I questioned him.

Obviously, he’s never been to Disney World before. Although judging from the looks of his shirt, he knew where the nearest Golden Corral was. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I turned and headed towards a bathroom. When I got back out to the bus, Frownypants was nowhere to be seen. I imagined he had gone to another waiting area to tell little children that Mickey Mouse had been run over by a truck and that Santa Claus was pedaling a tape of him and Britney Spears doing naughty things.

Our driver was standing in front of the bus, talking with Sadie Smokesacamel, the lone other passenger. I asked him which resorts he’d be taking us to and in what order. He said it would depend on who else they put on board but it could be up to four stops. I asked him what it would take to stop at the Contemporary first. Since my kids had been up since 3:00 am west coast time. In other words, I dangled the promise of a hearty tip.

Being a capitalist himself, our driver then disappeared inside the airport. Before Sadie Smokesacamel could finish her Camel, he was back outside telling us to get on board, we were leaving. That’s right, a little promise of a tip and Driver Dan was all about getting us on the road.

In a completely empty bus.

My carbon footprint was starting to look like Oprah's butt-print. You know, massive.

It’s funny to me how a year goes by and nothing changes. Getting off the plane, feeling the air, walking through the airport, standing in line, getting annoyed by the slowness of Magical Express, riding on the bus, seeing the palm trees, headed to Disney World. It felt like we had just been there a week ago. It’s funny to me how there was nothing particularly unusual about the ride. Or the conversation my wife and I were having. It all felt very familiar and ordinary.

Except every so often, I'd think about where we were going.

Sure, I was a little anxious still. But I was mostly excited. And a little tired.

Turns out, the ride from the airport to the Contemporary Resort went by rather quickly. Which is ironic when you consider it took me 35 years to get there.


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008292.jpg

____

Click Here For Chapter Three: (http://http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=28125652#post28125652)

[Goofyluver]

But because we were planning to stay at the Contemporary, the place I’d wanted to stay since before Nancy Pelosi’s first face lift, I was sore afraid that something would come up to dash it all.

:lmao:

Okay...I'll give you that one. You made a funny.

Just please don't insult Ol' Joe. He's a favorite of mine.

He could barely contain his excitement that ANOTHER storm was brewing. Mr. Schadenfreude that is. Not the media-protected hair transplant who scolded the young governor despite being ignorant of the very Constitution he was lecturing her from. Ahem.

Doh. :headache:

Or a bean burrito at splash down.

Too much?

Nah. I'm from New Mexico. We say our bean burritos are "nuk-u-lar"...not to be confused with nuclear.

Like Free Dining or like Joe Biden’s understanding of the Constitution

Double doh. :headache: :headache:

:lmao:

I’m from Florida. I’m not really southern.

Well...that is yet to be judged.

I've seen narry a 'ya'll' or 'yee-haw'...

We shall see how this pans out.

Our Disney Eve was about as quiet and subdued as any night before a vacation. We got to bed at a decent hour. And slept.


Which is ironic.

Honey...that's not ironic. That's sick.

Really...how are you supposed to enjoy your first day on a good-nights rest.

:sad2:

Obviously, he’s never been to Disney World before. Although judging from the looks of his shirt, he knew where the nearest Golden Corral was. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

'Round these parts...we call Golden Corral a sure thing...

As in: It's a 'sure thing' you're going to go home with a parasite from some day-old ranch dressing. It's really a gift...from Golden Corral to you.

:flower3:

My carbon footprint was starting to look like Oprah's butt-print. You know, massive.

Ahhhhh...be fair to Oprah.

Her butt-print has been much more massive at other point's in her life.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008292.jpg

Oh Mr. Zub...

I shall wait and see what this resort holds for you on the inside.

It sure is purty on the outside.

But, I"m nervous.

After your schpiel about how something may go wrong.

Am I sensing a looming forboding event?? :eek:

I shall hold out hope...(NOObama)...and hope that your stay and trip will be much like this exerpt in this little not-a-TR you have going here...full o' fun and a spankin' good time (NOMrs.TheKing)

[LouDisney]

Great entry ZZUB.
We must have been there around the same time.

[LaLa]

I asked him what it would take to stop at the Contemporary first. In other words, I dangled the promise of a hearty tip.

In other words, you bribed the freakin' bus driver. What'd you give him? A five spot? You did, didn't you? If so, you should be ashamed of yourself. From what I understand, that's hardly enough to get a funnel cake anymore. Five is the new half dollar. Shame that.

And so I became intimately familiar with the hurricane projection models. I knew what time the NHC issued its updated advisories. I knew which models were more reliable.

Somehow this all seems strangely familiar to me. Maybe it's because I was right there with you. Checking storm tracks every three hours and trying to determine which model would be the one that had it right. Albeit for completely different reasons and completely different locations. But still. Let's just hope you fared better with the Fudge Rounds than we did. Why is it that whenever a storm comes, they're always the first Lil' Debbie snack cake to fly off the shelves? How 'bout you cogitate on that for awhile and get back to me?

It’s in the back of my throat. It’s in front of my eyes. It’s in my nose. My chest.

Here we go again with the "my eyes were bigger than my stomach" BBQ story. Frankly ZZUB, I don't understand your sick preoccupation with vomit. And I suppose I never will.

But the perfect trip doesn’t exist. It’s a fiction. Like Georgia’s defense. Like Free Dining or like Joe Biden’s understanding of the Constitution.

DED!

Too much?

At this point, do you really think it matters?

Our Disney Eve was about as quiet and subdued as any night before a vacation. We got to bed at a decent hour. And slept.

Which is ironic.

That's not ironic. Rain on your wedding day and a free ride when you've already paid, now that's ironic. Actually sleeping on Disney Eve is just plain ole weird.

Although judging from the looks of his shirt, he knew where the nearest Golden Corral was. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

There's PLENTY wrong with that. Everybody knows Ponderosa trumps Golden Corral any day of the week.

When I realized we couldn’t switch our reservation to the Lodge, I also realized God was trying to remind me that anxiety is foolishness. He was in control and there was no sense trying to make sure everything was perfect.

Because it aint gonna be perfect no matter what you do.

Amen brother. Regardless of the fact that we know full well that we can't bring about perfection by our own hands, sometimes we still try. And fret (you don't have to be Southern to fret ZZUB, you just have to be Southern to call it that) over how things may or may not turn out. So it's awesome when He reminds us to just be still. Sounds like you got ahold of the message (you do, however, have to be Southern to get ahold of something) and I hope we'll be hearing (reading, whatever) before too much longer that your pre trip worries and anxieties were all for naught.

So what can I do to get you to speed these installments up some?

I've got a five spot that's just lookin' for a new home.

:moped:

[LegoMom3]

Chapter Two: Getting There


.......That’s right. On top of everything else I was trying to get done, this year I became an amateur hurricanologist (not to be confused with a licensed joyologist). As Tropical Storm Fay was drenching Florida in its insane and unprecedented crisscross of the state, friends and family alike were emailing me and writing, “how glad are you that this is happening this week and not two weeks from now when you’ll be there?” Mr. Schadenfreude, the senior partner in my firm, could barely contain his disgust that TS Fay hadn’t delayed her course until right smack in the middle of our trip.

I have never watched The Weather Channel as much as I did this past late Aug./early September....:headache: Talk about touch-n-go! I'm becoming increasingly convinced that we may have indeed been there at the same time.

You don't have a "Pedro for President" shirt by chance, do you?.....:rolleyes1



....Which is to say NOTHING of the construction.

THE CONSTRUCTION!!!!!

Would the new quick service place open in time? How bad would the Tempo Grab and Go be? And then, just before we left for Florida, there were new reports about THE NOISE! The ear-drum shattering noise from the construction in the atrium. Someone even posted a clip on YouTube.

I did indeed cancel a Chef Mickey's dinner ADR due to the hoopla over the noise. But I mean really, the place is noisy enough all on its own.... And at the end of a long hot day in the parks, I wasn't feelin' the Mickey love about eating there with the potential for a melt-down disaster.


Because it aint gonna be perfect no matter what you do.

This should be the tag line on all Disney planning tools!!! We know that the Perfect Trip does not exist, and yet we try so, so hard to pull it into being...

I feel like I should insert something witty here but alas it's quite early in the a.m., I just got up, and the coffee hasn't taken full effect...

:surfweb:

.

[TarzansKat]

Chapter Two: Getting There
If knowledge is power, I was a Saturn V rocket at lift off. Or a bean burrito at splash down.

Too much?

From you? Remember, we've read worse. ;)


But all of that was simply the amuse bouche for the main course of anxiety I would feast on: what if it wasn’t what I thought it would be? What if we got there and it was completely disappointing? After years of dreaming about doing something, and a year spent planning for it, what if a room in the Tower with a view of the Magic Kingdom was no more exciting than waking up five minutes before your alarm goes off?

I felt the same way about our trip this year.


You see what was happening, don’t you? I was trying to plan “the perfect trip.” But the perfect trip doesn’t exist. It’s a fiction. Like Georgia’s defense. Like Free Dining or like Joe Biden’s understanding of the Constitution. Even though I had learned not too long ago that I cannot plan the perfect trip, and that expecting perfection is foolishness, well, I forgot. I don’t mean I fully forgot. I just didn’t realize that I was gunning so hard for perfection. In my head, it seemed I was just trying to make certain we had well-advised plans. Covered all contingencies. But that’s just seeking perfection by another name. Faith for me isn’t like riding a bicycle, or hadn’t I told you that before? And as I sat staring off over the handle bars, I realized I had forgotten how to ride that thing.

I can't tell you how much I'm identifying with you right now. I fell into the same trap, the same high (unreasonable) expectations, completely losing sight of what was really important in the grand scheme. I just had no idea that I had a comrade in arms in my insanity.


She said, “Oh Daddy! You’re just looking for a reason not to stay at the Contemporary now, aren’t you?”

She’s six by the way.

Does she know you, or what? :lmao:



Because it aint gonna be perfect no matter what you do.

::yes::


I was reminded of another trip not too long ago when our plans were completely upended. When the worst thing I could imagine interrupted an otherwise sanguine Disney Eve. And even though the fear and panic of that night still feels fresh and raw when I revisit it in my mind, when I continue the thought to its eventual conclusion and I am reminded that everything ended well, then I am again bathed in the peace and security of knowing Someone other than me is in control.

:hug:


I got off the bus and asked the driver and the Magical Express employee standing next to him, Franky Frownypants, how long before our bus would be leaving.

“About 25 minutes.”

“25 minutes?!” I asked incredulously.

“Yes, 25 minutes,” Franky Frownypants repeated, annoyed that I questioned him.

Do you have a built-in cranky cast member magnet? I swear, you haven't even set foot in the World yet, and already we've got one just flocking to you!


I imagined he had gone to another waiting area to tell little children that Mickey Mouse had been run over by a truck and that Santa Claus was pedaling a tape of him and Britney Spears doing naughty things.

:rotfl2:


In other words, I dangled the promise of a hearty tip.

Being a capitalist himself, our driver then disappeared inside the airport. Before Sadie Smokesacamel could finish her Camel, he was back outside telling us to get on board, we were leaving. That’s right, a little promise of a tip and Driver Dan was all about getting us on the road.

In a completely empty bus.

He shoots, he scores!!!


It’s funny to me how a year goes by and nothing changes. Getting off the plane, feeling the air, walking through the airport, standing in line, getting annoyed by the slowness of Magical Express, riding on the bus, seeing the palm trees, headed to Disney World. It felt like we had just been there a week ago. It’s funny to me how there was nothing particularly unusual about the ride. Or the conversation my wife and I were having. It all felt very familiar and ordinary.

It's so true. Certainly there must be a term for that. It's like the opposite of Disneyschadenfreude. AntiDisneyschadenfreude?


Turns out, the ride from the airport to the Contemporary Resort went by rather quickly. Which is ironic when you consider it took me 35 years to get there.


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008292.jpg

__

Aww, ZZUB. I hope that it was well worth it, and can't wait to read more.:goodvibes

[Mrs. The King]

It’s in the back of my throat. It’s in front of my eyes. It’s in my nose. My chest. Now you know what the poor Dude who walked into the Canada bathroom after you felt like.:sad2:





Random, unclaimed hair of the curly, kinky variety. Those are Goofy's. It's like Tinkerbell's pixie dust, 'cept different, but just as magical!

After years of dreaming about doing something, and a year spent planning for it, what if a room in the Tower with a view of the Magic Kingdom was no more exciting than waking up five minutes before your alarm goes off?

:rotfl:

No people in business suits there. And so what if the bedspread has a stain not of your own making? It’s substantially cheaper than the Contemporary. Let ‘em pee on our bed if they want to. I think I am the manager of this place.



Good night nurse! Every time you say this I picture a foreign nurse with a unibrow stabbing you in the neck with some sort of injectable drug. (NOMel)


She said, “Oh Daddy! You’re just looking for a reason not to stay at the Contemporary now, aren’t you?” Kids never miss a trick. :lmao:


It has been at least 35 years since I first laid eyes on the Contemporary Resort Some of us didn't even have eyes 35 years ago.



Everybody say “good bye house.” Awww



I turned and headed towards a bathroom. Set this sentence on repeat, and you have an instant Zzub trip report.

I imagined he had gone to another waiting area to tell little children that Mickey Mouse had been run over by a truck and that Santa Claus was pedaling a tape of him and Britney Spears doing naughty things. That is just wrong.

I asked him what it would take to stop at the Contemporary first. What, are you a member of some sort of Mickey Mafia?!! You made him an offer he couldn't refuse.



My carbon footprint was starting to look like Oprah's butt-print. You know, massive. The Jiggler is not speaking to you anymore.





http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008292.jpg

Well, at least you can take a picture while twisting the bus driver's arm. :mad:


I think all the Hurricanes were God's way of giving Disney a courtesy flush before the Zzubs arrived.

[CRSNDSNY]

Just found a new TR! Glad to see you're writing something for your latest adventure. My husband and I look forward to the read! THANKS in advance!

[DisneyNutMary]

:eek: Ack, do I have to wait two weeks to know if the Contemporary lived up to your expectations?

I'll never make it:faint: Great installment Zzub, I'm on the edge of my seat here.

[DJR]

Arrgh! I can't believe you've been pontificating for two weeks and I've just now arrived.

I would have been here sooner, but I've been busy helping Alaska try to secede from the Union.

Somehow I knew you'd be back, the faithful Kool-Aid drinkers are insatiable.

[LISAMWDW]

Now you know what the poor Dude who walked into the Canada bathroom after you felt like.:sad2:

Now that is funny!!!!:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:



You seriously bribed the bus driver!?!?!? :rotfl:

Great update!

[lisalonglash]

:smooth: and :sad1: and :rotfl:, as usual! Not that I'm reading this non-report... :rolleyes1

[ZZUB]

Z - I'm looking forward to this non-report of a trip. Especially the Contemporary part. Ironically, it is entirely possible that I was supposed to be there at the same time as you at the ContemporaryI'm sad y'all changed plans. It would have been fun to come around the corner to get on the elevator and see y'all. And since I know what you look like but you don't know what I look like, I could just walk up and surprise you and say, "Hey, GA! It's me, ZZUB!" But since I wouldn't have been expecting to see you, I would most likely have the experience of seeing you, thinking I know who you are, not being able to place the face with your name and then just saying nothing. Oh well.

I really don't know what my priority should be here - catching up with the ZeeZubs or starting my own TR. Decisions, decisions.No reason you can't do both.

I KNEW you weren't down there when I was but I sat on Soarin' (we scored the exact center of Row 1 without even asking) and as we "took off" I couldn't help but think of you and your little gal and how much you love the ride and smile. :goodvibesThat's sweet.

Now come on, not EVERYONE who lives in Georgia is a UGA fan. That's like saying everyone in Alabama is an Auburn fan, it's just not right.After losing to Vandy, I'm not sure Tommy Tuberville is an Auburn fan right now. FYI: it's NOTHING like saying everyone in Alabama is an Auburn fan. Alabama, like Georigia, is the state's university. GT, like Auburn is the ugly stepsister. So now you're on ignore. And since you're first, YOU have to make the cookies.

So, I have heard the whisperings, and I have come over to read a ZZUB writing-thingamajig (since it's not a TR) -- and I am hooked. :goodvibesWelcome aboard. But can you clarify? You heard the whisperings or felt the grumblings?

Though I am sooooo not a sports fan, here's one just for you!

ROLL TIDE! See, that's why we all love us some Java!

'Round these parts...we call Golden Corral a sure thing... As in: It's a 'sure thing' you're going to go home with a parasite from some day-old ranch dressing. It's really a gift...from Golden Corral to you.That's what you get for eating salad at a buffet! Complete waste of stomach space!

I shall hold out hope...(NOObama)...That made me laugh.

In other words, you bribed the freakin' bus driver. What'd you give him? A five spot?Close. I gave him five car wash tokens good at any Orlando area Exxon station.

That's not ironic. Rain on your wedding day and a free ride when you've already paid, now that's ironic. Actually sleeping on Disney Eve is just plain ole weird.You can be such a jagged little pill sometimes.

There's PLENTY wrong with that. Everybody knows Ponderosa trumps Golden Corral any day of the week.Now you're just being ridiculous. Ponderosa is the Wendy's of all you can eat troughs.


Do you have a built-in cranky cast member magnet? I swear, you haven't even set foot in the World yet, and already we've got one just flocking to you!I don't think I have a magnet. I'm just not willing to let them steam roll over me with their bad attitude. And I am freely willing to write about it as well.

Now you know what the poor Dude who walked into the Canada bathroom after you felt like.OK, except, as previously explained it really wasn't the Canada bathroom. It was the outpost. Which is funny for its own reasons, isn't it?

Some of us didn't even have eyes 35 years ago.What? Did you experience a healing? How did you see for the first 15 years of your life?

I think all the Hurricanes were God's way of giving Disney a courtesy flush before the Zzubs arrived.That is one of the funniest things anyone has ever posted on any Trip Report or Non-Trip Report I have written. Who'd you steal that from?

Somehow I knew you'd be back, the faithful Kool-Aid drinkers are insatiable.Judging from the last Obama rally I saw on TV, I'd say you're correct.

:moped:

[AshClan]

I think it's time you suspend your campaign against Biden and Obama to focus on more important things. Like actually getting us TO DISNEY WORLD already.

I am not going to play the multi-quote game today. Too many have beat me to it. Just want to say that you are not alone in the pre-trip kvetching. And I can certainly understand how this long-sought-after booking with the MK view would exacerbate the anticipation. I'm sure it all turned out just fine, and am looking forward to the rest.

In the meantime, I will live vicariously through GAKitty, who is BACK in the World again this week. Really, how lucky can she be? I mean, she can practically see the World from her house as it is. Shouldn't that mean she has no need to actually go there? Or even to know anything about it, for that matter....

[Charleston Princess]

Welcome aboard. But can you clarify? You heard the whisperings or felt the grumblings?

No, they were whisperings -- some downright gleeful and accompanied by bouncing smilies, but definitely not grumblings. It was almost like a wildfire fanning out amongst the trip reports (Zzub has a new report). So, I had to come read.

[flafan]

Your second install was as usual entertaining popcorn:: but I have to ask your little shout out to Mel reminded me I have not seen anything from her in awhile. I miss her reports. Is she still around these parts, just curious. :confused3

[Stretchy Shorts]

Funny, I had you pegged as an Obama-loving idealist... being a lawyer and all.

But not a single Palin joke... and we both know the material is there.

this was great...

I turned and headed towards a bathroom. When I got back out to the bus, Frownypants was nowhere to be seen. I imagined he had gone to another waiting area to tell little children that Mickey Mouse had been run over by a truck and that Santa Claus was pedaling a tape of him and Britney Spears doing naughty things.

:rotfl2: :rotfl2:

this segment is some of your finest work. Kudos!

Oh, and one more thing: Rent a friggin car! You aint broke!! http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc316/Raazorred/Videos/Emotes/tantrum1.gif


Waiting for the next. Are we on the "every other Monday" schedule this time around? http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc316/Raazorred/Videos/Emotes/popcorn1.gif

Was your boss' nickname a reference to Boston Legal?

[ZZUB]

I think it's time you suspend your campaign against Biden and Obama to focus on more important things. Like actually getting us TO DISNEY WORLD already.One of your funnier posts. But seen as how the whole "suspending the campaign" gambit didn't work out so well for Sen. McCain, I think I'll pass on it.

Your second install was as usual entertaining popcorn:: but I have to ask your little shout out to Mel reminded me I have not seen anything from her in awhile. I miss her reports. Is she still around these parts, just curious. :confused3I don't know where Mel is anymore. I sure do miss her so-called wit.

Funny, I had you pegged as an Obama-loving idealist... being a lawyer and all. Not all lawyers are left-leaning morons. NOAshclan. Some of us are capable of exercising independent thought.

But not a single Palin joke... and we both know the material is there.Didn't realize you were a sexist. :rolleyes1

Oh, and one more thing: Rent a friggin car! You aint broke!! Indeed, I'm not. And we do rent a car for the 2d part of our trip when we visit my family. I just don't see the value in renting a car, futzing with a car seat, cramming all of our luggage in and then parking it for 9 days. While I make fun of how slow ME is, at least I don't have to handle all of our bags. And if I can bribe a driver to get me there quicker, it still beats the alternatives.

Are we on the "every other Monday" schedule this time around?Probably. It depends on whether you favor change you can believe in, or whether you believe in putting your country first.

Was your boss' nickname a reference to Boston Legal?Never seen the show.

Just curious, will you be posting a TR here or someplace else? And if you're going to to post it elsewhere how will the rest of us find it?

:moped:

[ncsjodi]

Just curious, will you be posting a TR here or someplace else? And if you're going to to post it elsewhere how will the rest of us find it?

:moped:

Have you seen any of those clouds floating around in siggies?
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=27996556&postcount=1055

[Mrs. The King]

OK, except, as previously explained it really wasn't the Canada bathroom. It was the outpost. Which is funny for its own reasons, isn't it?

You say "Outpost" I read "Canada". It's just funnier that way.

What? Did you experience a healing? How did you see for the first 15 years of your life?

IF I experienced a healing, the last thing that needs fixing is my eyes.

That is one of the funniest things anyone has ever posted on any Trip Report or Non-Trip Report I have written. Who'd you steal that from?



I thought that one up all by myself.:cool1: I pulled it right out of the jiggler!! It goes to prove that my native language is not blonde.

[kathymc]

Thanks ZUBB I needed this today - first day back from our vaca, where we just happend to spend 8 nights at the Contemporary in a MK view and I am feeling a little down.

I had never really been a big fan of the resort but on my first trip back in my senior year of high school we stayed at what is now the shades of green and we hung out in the arcade at the CR all night (now that was an arcade!) and always thought it would be cool to stay there.

Fast forward many years of all star stays, me and hubby took the plunge to DVC so have been using the spacious rooms for extended family stays (mostly take my mom and dad).

Well, a work conference put us at the Contemporary last week and gave us the conference rates (cheap!) for the entire week. I was figuring we'd get a garden/parking lot view but DH asked if we could get a MK view as it was our 11th anniversary and they changed our room to the 10th floor MK view!

I spent almost 3 hours our first night there just being amazed by everything that was going on outside our very own lanai.

I hope you had as much fun and magic as we did.

[GreatBiscuit]

Zzub!! It's great to see another installment. I love your posts because they are not only entertaining, they are also an encouragment...and God knew I needed one today. Thanks for doing your thing.

BTW - How much would it take for you to get us to the Contemporary a little quicker?

[jamal]

You're killing me, ZZUB.

We're heading to the CR over Thanksgiving. I just sat here and calculated your next installment dates to see if I'd have any noise and sink updates before we go. As long as Susie Helpershoes makes speedy work of check in, I figure I'm good.

I tried to look and listen when I was there for Cali Grill dinner with the Vikings a couple of weeks ago. It was just so hard to discern much in that theater of laughter.

Loved the DME bribe. Noted.

[nicolemarie]

Well, TRYING to get on the monorail. It was one night as the MK was closing - after Wishes - and everyone and their mother was trying to get on the resort monorail. Some rude folks pushed their way (past us) onto the monorail, causing us and a family beside us to have to wait for the next one, and the dad beside me was pretty hacked off about it. It was you wasn't, it?

I'm sure it was, because this dad tried to pay the monorail driver to let him and his family on.

Of course, the dad only had a five dollar bill, and the monorail driver wanted six. All I had was a five as well, or I would have hooked him up.

No luck for the tired Disney dad.

Anywho...it seems we may have been at the World at the same time - only two monorail stops away at the Poly. Small world, eh? (Hi YAK!)

Looking forward to hearing all about your check-in at the Contemporary. I can picture it in my head...I'll bet you were grinning a mile wide when you opened that room door for the first time. I, too, join the masses in begging for a quicker post than two weeks from yesterday. But something tells me it will be worth the wait.

Loved this installment, and wish I had more time to post a response. Because if I had more time, I'd definitely quote that part where you dogged out my Dawgs. Don't get too big for your britches, Bama Boy. Y'all have A LOT more playing left to do this season.

Keep it rollin'...the trip report, that is. Who gives a rip about rolling the tide.

:flower3:

[ZZUB]

Thanks ZUBB I needed this today - first day back from our vaca, where we just happend to spend 8 nights at the Contemporary in a MK view and I am feeling a little down . . .Well, a work conference put us at the Contemporary last week and gave us the conference rates (cheap!) for the entire week . . . I hope you had as much fun and magic as we did.Well since I didn't pay the conference rate, you can bet Mrs. The King's butt, I DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH MAGIC AS YOU DID! You have now RUINED my trip. How can I even enjoy the memories knowing that someone else had the same room for half what I paid?!!!!!

That's awesome that you got bumped up there for that length of stay. No beating that view, is there?

Zzub!! It's great to see another installment. I love your posts because they are not only entertaining, they are also an encouragment...and God knew I needed one today. Thanks for doing your thing.Man was I in the mood for a great biscuit today. Mrs. Z made stew Sunday night. The stew was amazing. But the biscuits were only middling. I'm grateful God used my writing to pick you up.

We're heading to the CR over Thanksgiving. I just sat here and calculated your next installment dates to see if I'd have any noise and sink updates before we go. As long as Susie Helpershoes makes speedy work of check in, I figure I'm good.Unless Thanksgiving is coming early this year, you should be able to have your questions answered shortly.

Well, TRYING to get on the monorail. It was one night as the MK was closing - after Wishes - and everyone and their mother was trying to get on the resort monorail. Some rude folks pushed their way (past us) onto the monorail, causing us and a family beside us to have to wait for the next one, and the dad beside me was pretty hacked off about it. It was you wasn't, it?

I'm sure it was, because this dad tried to pay the monorail driver to let him and his family on.

Of course, the dad only had a five dollar bill, and the monorail driver wanted six. All I had was a five as well, or I would have hooked him up.

No luck for the tired Disney dad.

Anywho...it seems we may have been at the World at the same time - only two monorail stops away at the Poly. Small world, eh? (Hi YAK!)

Looking forward to hearing all about your check-in at the Contemporary. I can picture it in my head...I'll bet you were grinning a mile wide when you opened that room door for the first time. I, too, join the masses in begging for a quicker post than two weeks from yesterday. But something tells me it will be worth the wait.

Loved this installment, and wish I had more time to post a response. Because if I had more time, I'd definitely quote that part where you dogged out my Dawgs. Don't get too big for your britches, Bama Boy. Y'all have A LOT more playing left to do this season.

Keep it rollin'...the trip report, that is. Who gives a rip about rolling the tide.

:flower3:I've never actually tried to bribe the Monorail drivers, although I did have to use some snark once. But it was well-warranted. If you were in Disney World when we were, then I think that makes three other familiar Disers who were there. Both LegoMom and TarsanKat, I believe, were in Disney World when the ZZUBs were. I'll have to look in my pictures to see if I spot you in the background of any of them. I don't know what LegoMom or TK look like so I have no clue if we saw them. I think I'd recognize you though. I hope LegoMom and TK post some general pictures so I can see whether we are in the background of any of their shots.

As for the posting schedule, I'd love to post more frequently. But when I decided not to write a TR this time, it was with the understanding that when I wasn't writing it, I wouldn't allow it to take time away from my girls. What's the point in writing about spending time with your family when it costs time with your family to do so?

:moped:

[GreatBiscuit]

As for the posting schedule, I'd love to post more frequently. But when I decided not to write a TR this time, it was with the understanding that when I wasn't writing it, I wouldn't allow it to take time away from my girls. What's the point in writing about spending time with your family when it costs time with your family to do so?
:moped:


Spoke like a gent'leman sir...enjoy the time with your family. We'll make it through...somehow. After all, there's the debate to look forward to. A Zzub trip report in an election year...this is going to be great!

[TarzansKat]

Both LegoMom and TarsanKat, I believe, were in Disney World when the ZZUBs were. I'll have to look in my pictures to see if I spot you in the background of any of them. I don't know what LegoMom or TK look like so I have no clue if we saw them. I think I'd recognize you though. I hope LegoMom and TK post some general pictures so I can see whether we are in the background of any of their shots.


I have to tell you I do plan on posting some general shots in my trip report. There should be a few in the next chapter. But don't hold me to that. Anyway, the point of my ramble is I would be so shocked if you were in the background of one of my pictures!

I know how you value your privacy...hence the only pictures of you I recall being a MASSIVE forearm and, separately, a hairy leg...just call us the body part brigade, eh?:rotfl2:

[javamom]

Yeah I remember thinking to myself. Zzub could be any guy wearing a crested shirt, with big forearms, a hairy leg and tennis shoes. Oh, that's only half the male population of Disney. The other half are in wife-beater tanks and yesterday's deodorant, NOtankwearers.

In short, your alter-ego is safer than a ham sandwich at a Seder.

[Quennifer2008]

You're killing me, ZZUB.

We're heading to the CR over Thanksgiving. I just sat here and calculated your next installment dates to see if I'd have any noise and sink updates before we go. As long as Susie Helpershoes makes speedy work of check in, I figure I'm good.

I tried to look and listen when I was there for Cali Grill dinner with the Vikings a couple of weeks ago. It was just so hard to discern much in that theater of laughter.

Loved the DME bribe. Noted.



Well Jamal, I can tell you this about the noise. While SOME (us) people were waiting on the second floor for SOME (others ;) ;) ) (It wasn't really their fault) people to arrive for Cali Grille. They did NOT notice any noise at all.

However, I had a hard enough time hearing the people next to me, so if the noise from construction was going on I didn't hear it inside the restaurant.

I hated the sinks TFI

However, we had enough storage room

[Frickles]

I'm late! I've been a little busy, but for some reason I had 45 minutes to sit down tonight and I thought I would pm LaLa to tell her I had another dream about her with funky red frizzy curly hair and whacked out teeth....but I thought I would just take a peek here on the TR boards to see if you had started another, and I was right.

I am SO excited to hear about your stay at the Contemporary. I too was a regular at the Days Inn back in the day. My dad would cram six of us in one room. Funny stuff. Anyhow, when I was in elementary school I had this awesome Disney metal lunch box (I still have it, but I don't use it now. ahem) and it had the Contemporary and the monorail as a part of the Disney scene. I would sit at lunch and dream about staying there...I would trace my finger around the monorail track and dream about one of those rooms being mine for a night. My best friend's dad was a banker and they got to attend a lot of conventions there, and I heard the glorious tales of waffles shaped like Mickey, characters AT the hotel, the arcade, the boats....heck she even said the babysitting service was a blast...dang I was jealous! Could we have afforded it? Yes. Did my dad love Disney enough to fork out that kind of dough. No. Why do so when you can sleep 6 people in a room for $35! Mmmmyellow!

I had booked our very first on property stay at the Contemp back in '05. I bailed at the last minute and switched to the Poly. I did NOT want my dreams to be shattered....the reviews I had read crushed me. I knew the Contemp wasn't for us at that time because we were not going to be in the tower with a MK view. sigh.

SO, I've been holding out. We are headed to the World in May for my birthday and lil Frick's birthday. I'm leaning towards rocking in my 38th year at the Contemp. AND, since they are giving me my park ticket for free on my big day, I guess I can afford the tower, MK view now. So, I'm looking forward to hearing your take on the whole sha-bang.

As much as I don't like Alabama, I have felt really sorry for you all for a long time. Bless your hearts. I guess I can say 'good job' and enjoy this short lived good feeling y'all have got going on.

I am really glad you are back and not really writing a trip report!!!!

LaLa! don't be looking for that pm now. I've ran out of time. But your hair was funky, and I woke up laughing. Remember Mrs. Roper on 3's company? That is what your hair looked like, but worse. I dreamed that you and NM came to Disney with us. AND, I couldn't wait to give you a hot oil treatment. And some braces. Love ya!

[aharbin88]

I am a newbie to DISboards, and I've only read this non-TR and and all of vettechick's TRs. I tell ya, you two make me want to do nothing but lay in bed, read TRs, and eat Fudge Rounds. Except when I read vague Bama and Georgia references, and then I throw up in my mouth a little.

Good read! Keep 'em coming!

GO VOLS!!!

[Yzma and Kronk]

Another great chapter!

Q2008 said, Well Jamal, I can tell you this about the noise. While SOME (us) people were waiting on the second floor for SOME (others ) (It wasn't really their fault) people to arrive for Cali Grille.

I guess I was SOME others. ;)

And didn't hear a speck of noise.

But Marky Mark and I were busy having the bar-keep at Cali create a new rum drink to notice any construction noise. TFI - The Ray/Ray is the new Lemon Drop!

Also, I booked bounceback at the CR for next year. BUT they wanted $3,000more for a Tower Room. :laughing: That's a lot of ME bribes! And even though a TR might be a $3,000 view, my DH said, "Darling I love you, but give me the Garden Rooms"! And when discussing with LittleYAK she said, "no worries Mom, it the Contemporary!" Amen!

I'm interested in reading your observations about the $$$ view.

Bring it on!

[ZZUB]

In short, your alter-ego is safer than a ham sandwich at a Seder.That's just flat out funny. Especially from such a midwestern goyim like yourself. Nicely done, Suzie Creamcheese.

I hated the sinks TFISo much hostility. Towards a sink. Oy vey.

I'm late! I've been a little busy, but for some reason I had 45 minutes to sit down tonightBased on your oft-noted troubles with math, we'll assume you actually only had five minutes, not forty five. Moreover, we imagine the reason you've been busy is b/c you understood the "black out in Sanford Stadium" to be literal and thus filled your car with canned goods, water and ice cubes then drove from your home in Alabama back to Athens to help your poor, beleaguered Dawgs.

I tell ya, you two make me want to do nothing but lay in bed, read TRs, and eat Fudge Rounds. Except when I read vague Bama and Georgia references, and then I throw up in my mouth a little.

Good read! Keep 'em coming!

GO VOLS!!!I miss me some good Vettechick reading. I hope she returns back to Disney World soon and writes about it for the rest of us. As for your propensity to puke in your mouth and then swallow it back down, one imagines you learned to do this at Tennessee? I can understand why, given your current place in the SEC you're given to frequent bouts of nausea. FYI: it's considered a hate crime to spew such racially charged invective as "go vols," on this, or any other Trip Report.

Also, I booked bounceback at the CR for next year. BUT they wanted $3,000more for a Tower Room. :laughing: That's a lot of ME bribes! And even though a TR might be a $3,000 view, my DH said, "Darling I love you, but give me the Garden Rooms"! And when discussing with LittleYAK she said, "no worries Mom, it the Contemporary!" Amen!

I'm interested in reading your observations about the $$$ view.

Bring it on!I don't know what they wanted $3,000 more than. Was that in comparison with a room in the AllStars or Pop? Surely that isn't over the cost of a garden room. Nevertheless, I don't think you'll be too disapointed in the wing. From what I understand, the wing rooms are the same decor and size. I walked over there one day to do a wash and I didn't find the walk to be taxing or long. It should be pointed out that the new, uber expensive DVC tower will itself require a schlep to the main tower. And I doubt anyone staying there will feel "left out."

About the only reason to stay in the Tower, from my estimation, is b/c you're wanting to have the MK view and plan to actually enjoy it. If you're never in your room or never plan to be in your room to watch Wishes, then I'd save the ducks and stay in the Wing. I don't think you'll feel disappointed unless you think the view is the thing.

:moped:

[Yzma and Kronk]

Hey Zzub!

I should have clarified. They told me that there were no tower rooms available on bounceback. Except if I wanted "Club". I said, "Aren't Club rooms on the 12th floor, and don't half of them have a MK view" Susiehelpershoes replied, "No, it would be a parking lot view" :confused3 Yes, the parking lot is below, but we must think about the beyond. She would have none of it (perhaps she was talking to me from some remote third world country) she was the professional! And it definately wasn't a MK or Bay Lake view!

But it was $3,000 more for about $8. in snacks per day!

Oh yes, and a private elevator ride.

Although that in itself might be worth the 3K.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Going to Target with the family to buy “trip stuff.”

Trying to return things to Target that you haven't even bought yet.

Too much?

No.

Random, unclaimed hair of the curly, kinky variety.

But THAT was.

amuse bouche

NOLaBouche

Let ‘em pee on our bed if they want to.

Um, is there a phone or fax number where I can put in my request for a non-peed-on-bed?
Eventually, I concluded we could always hop the Monorail to the Polynesian ... food court if we needed to.

Four words:
Self. Serve. Dole Whips.

Which is ironic.

Doncha think?

My carbon footprint was starting to look like Oprah's butt-print. You know, massive.

Ouch. For Oprah.

Both LegoMom and TarsanKat, I believe, were in Disney World when the ZZUBs were. I'll have to look in my pictures to see if I spot you in the background of any of them. I don't know what LegoMom or TK look like so I have no clue if we saw them. I think I'd recognize you though. I hope LegoMom and TK post some general pictures so I can see whether we are in the background of any of their shots.

Hmm.
Interesting.
Which means since my trip overlapped with TK's by a day, you were likely there a week or two before me.
Which totally explains the smell.

;)

Anywho, I spent the better part of an early morning of my vaca exploring your beloved Contemporary and seeing that last (and only) pic made me smile. I have to disagree with the people who say that the CR is decidedly un-Disney. It's mere proximity to the MK and the fact that it's one of the original resorts screams classic Disney to me.

That or it's the giant flatware in the Lobby.

[teruterubouzu]

I'm late to this party, but I am enjoying the non trip report so far. I have similar feelings about the Contemporary as you do. I'll know I've made it when I can stay there in a room with a view of Cinderella Castle. I fell in love with the place when I was a 5-year-old watching the Mickey Mouse club, and I know that one day I'll spend a vacation at the magical hotel with the monorail running through it.

[gattra]

I just wanted to tell you that I have finally caught up to present day...reading all of your past TR's, slowly, over the course of the last several months! You are a very inspirational, caring, and obtusely funny human being! I know you will see the irony in my stating that I tend to see my future through you. Although you and I will probably never meet, and if we did, we wouldn't ever know you are zzub and I am gattra, because we are too embarassed of all of the time we spend on the DIS!! I am a young lawyer, recently engaged, devoutly christian, republican (I am actually a newly appointed chief staff attorney for a high ranking republican official in Michigan) and I like to think that we see the world in a very similar light, or at least the way you did when you were twelve or so years younger.

Thank you for writing these TR's...they may mean more to people than you know! They certainly have provided me with inspiration.

[crabbygal902]

stepping into the bright lights from the shadows of lurkdom...

oh, Zzub! You're back!

And you didn't even know that I had missed you.

I have to stop reading your stuff every once in a while. Not because of the bean burrito metaphor, Toontown yak, and/or outpost incident...but because you are a massively talented writer. You make me long to be back in my favorite place on vacation with my family. Thanks for that.

And I check for stains on Disney hotel blankets. You have probably saved my family from the heebie jeebies. And thanks for that, too.

[__disneygirl]

Hi ZZUB! I just got back from Disney World yesterday and I had to tell you that reading your trip reports got me happily through the dreaded flight back home. Thank you so much for sharing all your memories with us. I love how you incorporate your faith into the reports as much as you do. There were a couple times on my trip where something would go wrong and I'd get frustrated and I had to remind myself that I'm not the one in control here. Good thing too, cause if it was my job to run things I have a feeling there'd be a lot of chaos and complete absurdity. Though I suppose if I was powerful enough to create a universe I might be able to do a decent job. MY POINT! Is that your trip reports remind me of this and I am thankful for them! I am so happy that you got your dream of staying at the Contemporary. It must have been so magical for the ZZUBs to be able to walk to the Magic Kingdom. Hopefully you will include a picture of the view from your room, I would love to see it. I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

[ZZUB]

Chapter Three: Can Amazing Be a Souvenir?

We got off the bus and walked into the Contemporary Resort. To check in. I took my time walking in, took my time walking up to the counter. Because I didn’t want to miss any part of it. I am only ever going to have one first time checking into the Contemporary Resort. If the anticipation of staying there and actually checking in were at least as significant as seeing the view of the Magic Kingdom from my own room, then I didn’t want it to be over too fast.

When my wife and I got married 13 years ago next Tuesday, my best friend and best man did me an amazing favor. Just before we walked out, he said, “ZZUB, it’s gonna go fast. Remember to breathe. Take it in.” Throughout the ceremony, he’d lean in to remind me to stop, look around, pay attention. It’s funny to me that I, the original omniscient narrator, me of perpetual inner monologue, needed to be counseled to pay attention. But I did. I was entirely too focused on getting through the wedding and onto the next thing.

And because my buddy made me stop and look around, I remember exactly what I was thinking when we walked out from the little room behind the stage and out in front to wait for my bride. I remember the first groomsman coming down the aisle and I remember what he said to me as he passed. I remember my roommate from college walking down and making a joke as he went by as well. I remember looking at my grandfather sitting in the front row next to my mom. I remember the expression on his face, a combination of pride and pain. He would pass away just three weeks later.

I remember seeing my soon-to-be wife at the end of the aisle. She looked amazing. And even though I’m sure there wasn’t a spot light on her, she was glowing and brilliant in the candle lit church we were married in. Our flower girl was obsessive of compulsive and was placing the flowers individually on the runner. Which made my bride’s progress down the aisle slower than it would have been. But that just gave me more time to stare at her and memorize how incredible she looked.

Seeing her first appear from behind the door and then come down the aisle towards me is one of the singular moments in my life. When my expectations were so completely surpassed. I’ve always thought Mrs. ZZUB was hot. So it’s not like I was surprised that she looked good in her wedding dress. I was surprised by how unbelievably, incredibly, stop-having-all-weddings-because-no-other-woman-can-even-compete-with-how-beautiful-my-bride-is beautiful Mrs. ZZUB was on the day she became my wife.

There’s lots of other things I remember about that night. The conversation we had during the first song. Telling her how beautiful she was. Laughing about things that were only interesting to us. My best man leaning in to tell me to take a breath, to look around. I recall lighting the unity candle and not being able to get the candle back in the holder and just laying it down on the table. Leading our wedding party in a prayer for us. Wondering if I’d actually used the uber cheesy phrase, “be the difference.” Getting up off of the kneeler and my wife being confused where we were to stand after that. Listening to the second soloist while we walked to our families to hug and thank them. Hugging and thanking our wedding party. The moment when we were pronounced man and wife. Our kiss. Our quick walk down the aisle. I remember walking fast because the first time I went to a wedding as a little kid, I thought it was cool how quickly the bride and groom exited. And as me and my new wife walked out of the church, quickly down the aisle, I remembered being a little kid watching my aunt and uncle do the same thing.

Which is a heck of a roundabout way of saying, I took my time and savored this experience. I disciplined myself to not rush through it.

Unlike ZZUBY who spotted the little kid area with the big TV and ran away from us as quickly as Britney Spears can oops, do it again. Mrs. Z took Baby Z and let her run around and I walked up to the completely empty check in counter.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008101.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008100.jpg

I asked whether they were able to give us a king room. The CM apologized and said they couldn’t. But he did tell me they were able to accommodate one of our other requests, we were on what I call the Magic Kingdom side of the building. As contrasted with the Chef Mickey side. I had read that the view from different floors weren’t appreciably different. I don’t know whether that is true. And I don’t really imagine the view from the MK end is significantly different than the CM end. I just wanted to be away from the noise. We were on the 8th floor, just 3 rooms down from the end. As I would later point out to ZZUBY, looking at the Contemporary from the front, we were three up and three over.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008290.jpg

Rooms on this side of the building start on the sixth floor which means the eighth floor is three up.

The reason they couldn’t give us a king room? There are none on the Magic Kingdom side of the building. (Not to be confused with the Magic Kingdom end of the building. You follow?) According to the CM who checked us in, there are only 10 king rooms in the entire resort and none with a view of the MK. Except, perhaps on the concierge floors.

Which was pronounced “con-see-air” by a lady on the Monorail who wanted us all to know she was staying in a more expensive room than we were. To which I thought, “if you can’t pronounce it, you probably can’t afford to stay there. Hopefully, you’ll learn how to pronounce the word before you pay off your credit card.”

But back to check in. I had the most efficient check in CM ever. No long boring recitation about how the Dining Plan works, no explanations for how to maximize our trip. No hard sell for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. And soon enough, I had our keys in hand and we were headed up to our room.

The elevator doors opened and out we stepped. I could hear the din from Chef Mickey’s. I know I could. But I marched in time to the quickening beat of my own heart. Whatever calm I had disciplined into myself on the bus, and in the lobby was fading away. Now I was especially eager to open the door to our room. To see what I’d been waiting 35 years for. As we walked along the balcony, I looked down at BVG, at Fantasia.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008271.jpg

And then we were at our door. Mrs. Z made me stop because she wanted to take a picture of me opening the door. I pulled ZZUBY next to me and used her Key to the World to open the door. But first we smiled at Mrs. Z so she could record the moment.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/4f35017b.jpg

And then I opened the door.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008009.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008010.jpg

The room looked familiar. Having studied every picture of it I could find online. I had more than a good idea of what it would look like. And there wasn’t a thing about it which disappointed me. It occurred to me that the room was even oriented the way I thought it would be when I anticipated it in my mind. We pushed the stroller into the room and out of the way and in turn checked out the space. Marveling at how much room there was, how cool it all looked.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008014.jpg

Dude, we’re so country come to town. “Look at that, Ma! Them headboards are soft and fluffy!”

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008012.jpg

Normally in a hotel room, the big thing I want to check out is the TV. But not this time. This time, the thing I wanted to see more than anything was the view. But you don’t open the biggest present first Christmas morning. You don’t take too big a bite of the jelly donut either. You take your time. But I'd taken enough time looking at other things. I moved towards the sliding glass doors.

I thought I knew what the view would look like.

I’ve seen every picture on every web site.

But it turns out I wasn’t prepared at all for what I would see. I was genuinely surprised.

The Magic Kingdom was so close.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008129.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008127.jpg

There are exactly five moments in my life when the thing I anticipated was actually better than I thought it would be: the first time I set foot on campus at Alabama, the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean, the first time I saw my bride, the first time I held my child and the first time I walked out onto my balcony and looked out at the Magic Kingdom.

It’s impossible to capture just what it looks like. So many pictures are zoomed in which give the false impression that you are closer than you are. So I expected to be farther away. Indeed, with my own camera, without any zoom, the picture makes the Magic Kingdom appear smaller than it really is from your balcony. It’s true that there’s a parking lot in the foreground. But when you’re standing on your balcony looking towards the Magic Kingdom, you don’t look down. These pictures of the view are about as close as I could get to what it actually looked like.

ZZUBY and Baby Z joined me on the balcony. ZZUBY stood next to me and I hoisted Baby ZZUB in my arms so she could see too. I pointed out Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain. The Monorail. The Astro-Orbiter. Mrs. ZZUB had come up behind us and snapped another sweet picture. Me and my girls.

After awhile, we headed out for dinner and a quick survey of BVG and Fantasia. Then we headed back up to our room to get settled in. We had no problem unpacking our stuff. Found plenty of room in the closets and the few drawers there. Then we stacked up our empty suitcases in the huge empty space in the toilet part of the bathroom. The toilet is separate from the sinks and shower/tub. I think there used to be a sink in there and during the last re-do, they took it out. NOPhilTitola. It was a good place to store our bags.

The sinks themselves weren’t much of an issue and we didn’t find any problem storing our stuff in the bathroom. There’s a space between the sinks. There's also a shelf underneath. And if the sinks took longer to drain, it wasn’t appreciably longer.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008015.jpg

The beds were softer than Sean Hannity’s interview questions of Sarah Palin. But not squishy. Firm but soft. Like a good biscuit. And there were a gazillion pillows mostly pretty comfortable themselves. The room was as clean as any Disney room we’ve been in the last few years. :rolleyes1 We did experience a few housekeeping issues which I'll discuss in greater detail later.

One cool thing about the Contemporary was the computer in the room with internet access and an online concierge.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008013.jpg

I really liked the internet access so I could keep up my hurricaneology. And check scores of games I was interested in. I’m in a college football pick ‘em and needed to make my picks. It was very handy having access.

In other words, pretty much none of the things I worried about were problems. Sure it would have been nicer to not walk out of our room and see a scaffold over a portion of the Monorail track.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008091.jpg

And it would be nice not to have the construction zone where a restaurant should be.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008093.jpg

But it would also be nice to beat Kentucky by more than 3 points. And it would be nice if our government didn’t convince us there was a financial crisis which “needed” to be remedied by a $700 billion dollar bailout which hasn’t seemed to calm the markets. It would also be nice if people didn’t drive around with bumper stickers that read, “Mean People Suck.” For some reason, I always assume they’re talking about me. Since I’ve yet to happen upon perfection, I’m willing to not hold Disney and the Contemporary Resort to a standard no other place satisfies.

I’ll tell you plain: we loved the Contemporary. If it was a cake, it would be Butter Grilled.

Some people say paying for the view is a big fat waste of money. I’m usually one of those people. My rule is, if you pay for the view, you’d better dadgum well enjoy it. I think we did. We were there eight nights and six of those eight nights we watched Wishes from our room. We loved being able to sit on our balcony, eat Twizzlers, drink Yoo Hoo and watch the shells explode over the MK. They pipe the music through one of the channels on the TV and that was pretty cool. When the show was over, we just went back into our room. There were no crowds. No pushing. No shoving. No snarky CM asking you to return your stroller. No schlepping to a bus, a boat or a Monorail. No smelly people. No sweaty arms. No stench of pee.

We were crazy go nuts for the Monorail too. I thought we might walk to the MK in the mornings but taking a better look at the walk we decided it wouldn’t be much faster than a ride on the Monorail and the few minutes we saved wouldn’t be worth the additional energy we wasted. From our door to the MK turnstiles was 15 minutes. One day it was only 12. Not a bad commute at all in my book.

Not surprisingly, my favorite part of the Contemporary was the view from our room. I spent a lot of time on the balcony.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008023.jpg

From the first time I stepped out there until the afternoon we checked out, I never got tired of the view. I liked to sit out there at night and watch the fireworks. I liked to hang out there in the afternoon and see the boat traffic. The Monorail coming and going from our building. I never got tired of it.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008128.jpg

I liked to get out there early in the morning, to spend some time with God and to watch the Magic Kingdom begin its day. I could see the Monorails coming on line. And before the busses started running, I could even hear the music coming from Tomorrowland. You can’t really see people walking around the MK from your balcony at the Contemporary but from where I was stood, I could see a 14 year old boy looking back up at me. Well not at me as much as the building I was in. I owed it to him to not take for granted that I had that view for nine days. I owed it to him to listen to the sounds of the boat horns and rumble of the busses and the purr of the Monorail as it glides along the track.

For months and weeks I was afraid that I’d get there and be so sadly disappointed by the distant view of the castle. The Magic Kingdom just a speck in the distance, a large parking lot obscuring the view. Why did I think that? Why did I think God didn’t want to bless me with this? Have I become so cynical that I expect God to Himself be ironic? Allow me to realize a desire of my heart only to be disappointed by the experience. Is that really the God I serve?

No. It isn’t. God loves His children. He loves us enough that He wishes for none of us to perish. He loves us enough that He sent His Son as a sacrifice for us. Knowing that, then, why did I think He didn’t want to bless me?

Somedays I think if I rode my bike more often I wouldn’t forget so quickly how to ride it, you know? It’s good to be mindful that God loves us. Wants the best for us. Even here. He likes to bless us. The same way we like to bless our own children. If we enjoy taking our kids to Disney World because it brings them joy, how much more does our Heavenly Father want to give us good gifts?

And so it was that each morning I’d eagerly climb through the dark curtains in our room and out onto our balcony. To sit a spell. To pray. To read God’s Word. To watch the Magic Kingdom wake up. And to breathe.

__

Click Here For Chapter Four: (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=28209409#post28209409)

[2ScottishPrincesses]

Thank you for that lovely start to the day Zzub:cloud9:

[CRSNDSNY]

Thank you for that lovely start to the day Zzub:cloud9:
You've echoed my sentiments.

Thanks for a great Monday start!

[LouDisney]

ZZUB, this is the best entry.
Have a great Monday and week.

[tarheel]

What a wonderful entry. I loved your pictures also. We were able to enjoy one night this past June for my daughter's 13th birthday with the same beautiful view. It was wonderful. Happy Anniversary!

[LegoMom3]

BEST. Installment....



Ever.


:goodvibes


.

[teruterubouzu]

This was a lovely entry. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

[jamal]

How am I supposed to get anything done today?

You've sent me back to the pictures from our wonderful stay in May 2005.

We get to stay there again in five weeks!

Even from California Grill, the view can't beat the reach-out-and-touch-Space Mountain feel of those resort balconies.

I admit that when I returned form September's Viking Convention I checked into changing our Thanksgiving reservations to the GF or the Poly. I had stayed at the Grand for one night that week and surprised myself by loving it. The Polynesian was practically perfect.

I am so glad I was denied. Well, my husband really loves the Contemporary, too, and didn't want to change.

In my mind, the Contemporary is Disney's true flagship resort. I mean, it's the original! The monorail runs right through it! You can walk to Magic Kingdom! You get to wave a napkin in the lobby!

I am so SO happy it met your unreasonably high expectations, Zzub. It look like your vacation began in a practically perfect manner.

[DisneyNutMary]

Great installment Zzub, you brought me back to my first stay the the Contemporary, which also lived up to my hopes and dreams. I was on the 7th floor, about 6 or 7 rooms from the MK end, and we found the view and the room to be perfect.

I loved that you could hear the WDW Railroad whistle breaking the calm silence of the morning. Even though we only had 3 nights there, I spent each morning on the balcony thanking God for how lucky I was to be there, and we spent the evenings enjoying Wishes from our balcony, we loved watching TinkerBell fly from the perspective our room gave us.

Thanks again for sharing this non-TR with us, I am enjoying it very much.


PS... funny thing, I was thinking of you this week. I recently bought The Complete Walt Disney World 2008 by Mike and Julie Neal, and as I was reading it, I got to the dining reviews, and LTT was praised as having the best desset evah, Butter Grilled Pound Cake.... it made me think of you and chuckle. Then I got annoyed at the food ploice for taking away my chance to taste this piece of dessert perfection, and taking away my personal choice to clog my own arteries on vacation.... I wonder if a letter writing campaign would help:confused:

[NotSoEvilStepmother]

What a lovely way to start the day off ZZUB. Thank you. The view from your room is magnificent, parking lot or no parking lot, zoom or no zoom. I'll admit, it's now recently become a slight dream of mine to stay at the Contemporary. Maybe in 35 years, right? I love how you add your words of wisdom and incorperate your faith into your entries. It makes me step back and realize how truly blessed I am for having the experiences I've had. Thank you.

[Kimberly815]

I am so glad that you were completely happy with your view!!:goodvibes

[Goofyluver]

Very. Good. Job.

:thumbsup2

[chirurgeon]

ZZUB, I have read several of your trip reports before. They are always great. We may not see things the same way politically, but there is one thing we agree on. We love Disney. And now you have made me want to stay at the Contemporary. I have never really been an MK resort person. I adore Epcot, so that has been my resort area. I think I will have to stay at the Contemporary some time.

Thanks for making my resort budget creep up. ;)

Kim

[AshClan]

This was a great, touching, exciting chapter, Z. Nice job. Just a few comments......

It’s funny to me that I, the original omniscient narrator, me of perpetual inner monologue, needed to be counseled to pay attention.

It's all that narrating and inner monologue that KEEPS you from paying attention. Duh.

Which was pronounced “con-see-air” by a lady on the Monorail who wanted us all to know she was staying in a more expensive room than we were. To which I thought, “if you can’t pronounce it, you probably can’t afford to stay there. Hopefully, you’ll learn how to pronounce the word before you pay off your credit card.”

DED

Then we stacked up our empty suitcases in the huge empty space in the toilet part of the bathroom.

Seriously? Dude! I certainly hope you always turn on the light when you get up in the middle of the night. Just sayin'.

The beds were softer than Sean Hannity’s interview questions of Sarah Palin. But not squishy.

Like.....John McCain's cheeks? I don't know. There's gotta be a good line in here but I just can't come up with one. LaLa, Frick, Tinkerbellarella, somebody help me out....

One cool thing about the Contemporary was the computer in the room with internet access and an online concierge.

Now that's a huge selling point right there. How awesome to not have to lug my laptop with me.....

It would also be nice if people didn’t drive around with bumper stickers that read, “Mean People Suck.” For some reason, I always assume they’re talking about me.

That's probably because they are.

When the show was over, we just went back into our room. There were no crowds. No pushing. No shoving. No snarky CM asking you to return your stroller. No schlepping to a bus, a boat or a Monorail. No smelly people. No sweaty arms. No stench of pee.

Wish we could say the same about your suitcases.

[ZZUB]

I am so glad I was denied. Well, my husband really loves the Contemporary, too, and didn't want to change.

In my mind, the Contemporary is Disney's true flagship resort. I mean, it's the original! The monorail runs right through it! You can walk to Magic Kingdom! You get to wave a napkin in the lobby!

I am so SO happy it met your unreasonably high expectations, Zzub. It look like your vacation began in a practically perfect manner.I'm glad for you that you're going back to the Contemporary. If your last stay there was in 2005, I'm thinkin you had the old rooms. I think you'll enjoy the new ones. I agree with you about the Contemporary being THE classic Disney hotel (as well as the Polynesian).

I loved that you could hear the WDW Railroad whistle breaking the calm silence of the morning. Even though we only had 3 nights there, I spent each morning on the balcony thanking God for how lucky I was to be there, and we spent the evenings enjoying Wishes from our balcony, we loved watching TinkerBell fly from the perspective our room gave us.

Thanks again for sharing this non-TR with us, I am enjoying it very much.I loved hearing the train. One morning, I watched it roll out and stop in a holding position until it was cued into the station for the opening show.

What a lovely way to start the day off ZZUB. Thank you. The view from your room is magnificent, parking lot or no parking lot, zoom or no zoom. I'll admit, it's now recently become a slight dream of mine to stay at the Contemporary. Maybe in 35 years, right? I love how you add your words of wisdom and incorperate your faith into your entries. It makes me step back and realize how truly blessed I am for having the experiences I've had. Thank you.The view was excellent. But so was the room. It was plenty large and plenty nice. Plus, there's something cool about going up from the 4th floor in the Contemporary. Just about everyone else is heading down.

ZZUB, I have read several of your trip reports before. They are always great. We may not see things the same way politically, but there is one thing we agree on. We love Disney. And now you have made me want to stay at the Contemporary. I have never really been an MK resort person. I adore Epcot, so that has been my resort area. I think I will have to stay at the Contemporary some time.I'm glad that even though you and I don't agree about politics, you continue to read along. While I very obviously support one party over the other, I try to make sure to land just as many jokes at my party's expense. Fact is, neither one of these tickets is particularly superlative.

As for Epcot area v. MK area, we've recently become enamored of Epcot. But as I consider resort options each year, I come back to the conclusion that for ease of transportation, the MK area is preferable to both the MK and Epcot. I just read a great article on this topic on Tikiman's website which confirmed my suspicion. In other words, even if Epcot is your first choice, don't rule out the Contemporary or Polynesian. I think you'll find you can get to Epcot pretty quickly from there.

This was a great, touching, exciting chapter, Z. Exciting? Really?!

Seriously? Dude! I certainly hope you always turn on the light when you get up in the middle of the night. Just sayin'.It might help if you understood the layout of the bathroom. The toilet is on one side and the empty space is opposite. In other words, our empty suitcases were no where near the toilet. Aim or no aim, it would be virtually impossible for your bags to get hit with schrapnel when they're behind you.

Now that's a huge selling point right there. How awesome to not have to lug my laptop with me.....The internet access was handy. The online concierge would be a cool feature. If it worked. More on that later. It did allow us to check our dining credits and such.

:moped:

[TarzansKat]

Chapter Three: Can Amazing Be a Souvenir?


Apparently, it can. :goodvibes


Which is a heck of a roundabout way of saying, I took my time and savored this experience. I disciplined myself to not rush through it.

This is wisdom that must be passed on through the ages. And you know where mine came from? The owner of the nail salon where I got a manicure before my wedding. She told me, every now and then, during the ceremony, reception, etc, to just stop and take it all in. And because of that, I have these very, very clear memories of my wedding as well. Which is funny, because I can be particularly horrible about remembering things. But that I remember.

And really, isn't that a philosophy we should apply in life, and not just on vacation? Stop, breathe, look around and soak it in. Because life goes by too fast. I know you know this. Your analogy just really hit home for me.:thumbsup2


But back to check in. I had the most efficient check in CM ever. No long boring recitation about how the Dining Plan works, no explanations for how to maximize our trip. No hard sell for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. And soon enough, I had our keys in hand and we were headed up to our room.


Without any hard-selling, how can this possibly be a battle for your wallet??? ;)



http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/4f35017b.jpg

It's the famous ZZUB FOREARM!!!! :lmao:


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008129.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008127.jpg

:cloud9:


And so it was that each morning I’d eagerly climb through the dark curtains in our room and out onto our balcony. To sit a spell. To pray. To read God’s Word. To watch the Magic Kingdom wake up. And to breathe.

__

I hope it won't unnerve when I tell you that lately, I've been trying to channel my inner ZZUB. Oh yes, you read that right. Doesn't everyone have one? ;)

In all seriousness, lately, I've been doing my fair share of why, God? Or what next, God? And then more, why, God? And I think of you. I think of how even though you have doubts, you have faith. And your strength reminds me that I am strong in my faith as well. That this too shall pass.

And more often in Disney than real life, although I'm working on it, I try to remember to stop, breathe, look around and soak it in.

Thank you for writing an installment that reminds me of that. :goodvibes

[kathymc]

Well since I didn't pay the conference rate, you can bet Mrs. The King's butt, I DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH MAGIC AS YOU DID! You have now RUINED my trip. How can I even enjoy the memories knowing that someone else had the same room for half what I paid?!!!!!

That's awesome that you got bumped up there for that length of stay. No beating that view, is there?


Dont worry ZZUB, now I see that you had a much better room than I did. I was way way way down at the very very very other end, so your room was so much more better than mine was.

I would have paid triple for yours.

PS - We were a little country come to town also but it was the little night lights in the bathroom that did it for us

[aggie98]

Wow - I just wandered over here from your bread crumbs in the CR thread. Your writing style is great! Thanks for sharing your experience.

Now I'm hooked and will probably spend the rest of the day reading the first 10 pages of your trip report. :lmao:

[Mrs. The King]

“ZZUB, it’s gonna go fast. Remember to breathe. Take it in.”


Can I get the name of your best man? I would like to keep him on my shoulder to remind me of this on a daily basis.




“be the difference.”

Dude. Wow. That is so deep. Are mullets required when you say that out loud?

I asked whether they were able to give us a king room.

I am shocked and honored that you would want one of the rooms I had occupied. It is a surprising quirk from you considering your penchant for cleanliness.

But, in order to get a King room there is a secret hand shake, a vaccination, and an interpretive dance to a Bon Jovi song that must be completed in a leotard. Unfortunately for my fans, the waiting list for one of my rooms is longer than Club 33's. Better luck next time Zzub.





Rooms on this side of the building start on the sixth floor which means the eighth floor is three up.


Is this some kind of crazy lawyer bingo you play?


The reason they couldn’t give us a king room?

You understand now :hug:


The Magic Kingdom was so close.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008129.jpg


Flat out awesome!!

There are exactly five moments in my life when the thing I anticipated was actually better than I thought it would be:


I guess you don't check before you flush. I am constantly amazing myself.


Mrs. ZZUB had come up behind us and snapped another sweet picture. Me and my girls.

Go Mrs. Zzub. Woman rock.



Firm but soft. Like a good biscuit.

Good biscuits are flakey, too. I guess all the left over skin shed from previous guests counts as flakes. :rolleyes1


No smelly people. No sweaty arms. No stench of pee.

I guess our families will never vacation together then.


Not surprisingly, my favorite part of the Contemporary was the view from our room. I spent a lot of time on the balcony.


And that is how the balcony at the Contemporary is done folks :cheer2:


I could see a 14 year old boy looking back up at me. Well not at me as much as the building I was in. I owed it to him to not take for granted that I had that view for nine days. I owed it to him to listen to the sounds of the boat horns and rumble of the busses and the purr of the Monorail as it glides along the track.

Touching and sweet. Dreams do come true.

And so it was that each morning I’d eagerly climb through the dark curtains in our room and out onto our balcony.


Anyone else picture Golam in a polo shirt holding a coffee cup after reading this? I think it is the word "climb" that triggered it.

[samc]

I remember seeing my soon-to-be wife at the end of the aisle. She looked amazing. And even though I’m sure there wasn’t a spot light on her, she was glowing and brilliant in the candle lit church we were married in. Our flower girl was obsessive of compulsive and was placing the flowers individually on the runner. Which made my bride’s progress down the aisle slower than it would have been. But that just gave me more time to stare at her and memorize how incredible she looked.
aawwwwwwwwww!! so sweet and such a beautiful moment to memorize!

This time, the thing I wanted to see more than anything was the view. But you don’t open the biggest present first Christmas morning. You don’t take too big a bite of the jelly donut either. You take your time.
:goodvibes

There are exactly five moments in my life when the thing I anticipated was actually better than I thought it would be: the first time I set foot on campus at Alabama, the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean, the first time I saw my bride, the first time I held my child and the first time I walked out onto my balcony and looked out at the Magic Kingdom.
:thumbsup2

But it would also be nice to beat Kentucky by more than 3 points. And it would be nice if our government didn’t convince us there was a financial crisis which “needed” to be remedied by a $700 billion dollar bailout which hasn’t seemed to calm the markets.
Thank-you!!!

Why did I think God didn’t want to bless me with this? Have I become so cynical that I expect God to Himself be ironic? Allow me to realize a desire of my heart only to be disappointed by the experience. Is that really the God I serve?
No. It isn’t. God loves His children. He loves us enough that He wishes for none of us to perish. He loves us enough that He sent His Son as a sacrifice for us. Knowing that, then, why did I think He didn’t want to bless me?
And so it was that each morning I’d eagerly climb through the dark curtains in our room and out onto our balcony. To sit a spell. To pray. To read God’s Word. To watch the Magic Kingdom wake up. And to breathe.
so glad I got caught up today becuase I really need to hear/read that.....thank you for reminding me how much God loves us!!! :)

And.....just for fun I thought I'd share our unexpected additions - DS named the one on the right SABAN!!!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b217/samc_/MaxPuppies027.jpg

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I enjoyed reading your whole trip report, so thank you for posting it. :thumbsup2

[bridgie04]

eagerly awaiting more. :goodvibes

[jaycns]

I usually just silently read trip reports (and have read all of your previously posted ones) but I have to comment now...your description of the CR put the biggest smile on my face. It's my "top" WDW resort and I adore almost everything about it. I very much enjoyed that installment of your not-a-trip-report-trip-report. Thanks for bringing a big smile to my day!:goodvibes

[skifast22]

Thanks for the great report! I've only read your entry on p10 about first entering the CR and your room, but now I want to read the rest when I have more time. That entry was excellent though. I remember having many of the same emotions during my first stay last year. I'm hoping (and I'm sure it will) be just as special for my next stay next year!

[GreatBiscuit]

The beds were softer than Sean Hannity’s interview questions of Sarah Palin. But not squishy. Firm but soft. Like a good biscuit.
__

Even had I not possessed a "someday fantasy" of lodging at the Contemporary since first glancing said establishment as a 12 year old lad; this line alone would have convinced me that such a goal necessitated a spot on my life's dream list. Loved the installment, the testimony, and the reminders to cherish the gifts as they are given.

[Angelrose]

Zzub, you have such a beautiful way of looking at things. This was a wonderful installment and I can't wait for more.

[aharbin88]

Does the monorail really purr?



go vols....

[chicagoshannon]

WOW! That view is fantastic! Can't wait to read more.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Chapter Three: Can Amazing Be a Souvenir?

Yes. But you cannot ship it back to your resort.

Which is a heck of a roundabout way of saying, I took my time and savored this experience. I disciplined myself to not rush through it.

I'm sorry, do you tell a story in any way other than roundabout?
I hadn't noticed.
(And I most certainly hope not. :goodvibes )

Which was pronounced “con-see-air” by a lady on the Monorail who wanted us all to know she was staying in a more expensive room than we were.

Or who wanted you all to think she was the worst French-speaking French person ever.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/4f35017b.jpg

Gosh.
First a leg.
And a goatee.
Now a forearm.
I feel like I really know you now. That forearm says so much.
I'm printing all of these so that some day I'll have a complete picture of ZZUB.

The room looked familiar.

Funny. That's EXACTLY how I felt when we walked into our room at the Poly, even though I'd only ever stayed there in my dreams.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008014.jpg

I love the lone pink Croc. I would've thought your feet were bigger than that, though.

Mrs. ZZUB had come up behind us and snapped another sweet picture. Me and my girls.

Wait.
We're not getting a piece of this one? I was really holding out for a top right shoulder blade to add to my ZZUB puzzle pieces.

I’ll tell you plain: we loved the Contemporary. If it was a cake, it would be Butter Grilled.

::sigh::

No stench of pee.

Good LORD Z, from exactly WHERE do you watch Wishes? The third stall from the right of the restrooms near the Crystal Palace?

And before the busses started running, I could even hear the music coming from Tomorrowland.

And for this alone I would be sold. :goodvibes
The MK "waking up".

Lovely installment Z.

[BLLB]

Amazing as always. Thank you for sharing your story.

[guitarob]

Does the monorail really purr?

Purring monorail?

http://www.lolcats.com/images/u/07/22/lolcatsdotcombtl138k9j39veehb.jpg

[ZZUB]

Without any hard-selling, how can this possibly be a battle for your wallet??? ;)There wasn't much of a wallet left to fight over. After I ponied up for a MK view in the Contemporary, am I really going to scrap over a $25 American Girl style doll outfit for ZZUBY?

But I'll have you know, we still only bought one refillable mug. So there, Disney!


Dont worry ZZUB, now I see that you had a much better room than I did. I was way way way down at the very very very other end, so your room was so much more better than mine was.

I would have paid triple for yours.

PS - We were a little country come to town also but it was the little night lights in the bathroom that did it for usWould you be willing to post pictures of your view? I've read that it's pretty much the same from every floor and the same from either end of the building. I'm curious whether that is true.

And if by nightlights in the bathroom you mean the back light on the mirrors, yeah, we were all "gollllllly! Look at that!" We really belong in a Travelodge. NOLaLa.

Wow - I just wandered over here from your bread crumbs in the CR thread. Your writing style is great! Thanks for sharing your experience.

Now I'm hooked and will probably spend the rest of the day reading the first 10 pages of your trip report. :lmao:Thanks for coming on by. I hope you enjoyed the read and stick around for more.

Can I get the name of your best man? I would like to keep him on my shoulder to remind me of this on a daily basis.I'm pretty sure he'd injure your shoulder after awhile.

I guess our families will never vacation together then.Why did I even get up this morning then? After my dream of staying in the Contemporary, my next dream was to vacation with the Kings. And I think you know why, too.


Your parent's cast member discount! Duh!!!



I usually just silently read trip reports (and have read all of your previously posted ones) but I have to comment now...your description of the CR put the biggest smile on my face. It's my "top" WDW resort and I adore almost everything about it. I very much enjoyed that installment of your not-a-trip-report-trip-report. Thanks for bringing a big smile to my day!:goodvibesThank you for coming out of lurkdom to let me know you enjoyed what I wrote.

Thanks for the great report! I've only read your entry on p10 about first entering the CR and your room, but now I want to read the rest when I have more time. That entry was excellent though. I remember having many of the same emotions during my first stay last year. I'm hoping (and I'm sure it will) be just as special for my next stay next year!I sure appreciate you stopping over here. I read a lot of your posts on the Contemporary thread on the resorts board and I appreciated the info you posted.

Yes. But you cannot ship it back to your resort.Wrong again! You CAN ship it back to your resort. Only it won't show up until after 2:00 the next day.

Gosh.
First a leg.
And a goatee.
Now a forearm.
I feel like I really know you now. That forearm says so much.
I'm printing all of these so that some day I'll have a complete picture of ZZUB.You left out my massive, impressively huge for a guy my age who works 8 billion hours a week, biceps.


I love the lone pink Croc.Welcome to the life of ZZUBY's dad. She's in the door and the shoes come off. Wherever they happen to land. We're working on that in our house.


We're not getting a piece of this one? I was really holding out for a top right shoulder blade to add to my ZZUB puzzle pieces.You almost did but Mrs. Z called no joy. There was no way to crop the girls out of the picture and even though it only shows the back of them, our rule is no pictures of us or the kids, especially the kids.

::sigh::Preach it, sister.

:moped:

[LegoMom3]

Purring monorail?

http://www.lolcats.com/images/u/07/22/lolcatsdotcombtl138k9j39veehb.jpg


Ok, since guitarob posted this, I'll just chime in and say that my DH had this on a shirt and wore it once or twice while we were there. So, if you happened to see a guy in a white shirt with this picture on it, that was us. Since we continue to wonder if we were there at the same time. Because all I get of you is hairy arms and hairy legs and shoes....

Just sayin'....:rolleyes1



.

[Yzma and Kronk]

Zzub!

Excellent chapter!

I think I may try to find a way to "upgrade" to MK view instead of GView next September.

Reading your description and knowing that my kids are Disney lovin' as much as anyone here I think paying for the view will be well worth it. For them.
And me.

Thanks!

[Tinkerbellarella]

You left out my massive, impressively huge for a guy my age who works 8 billion hours a week, biceps.

Sorry. I was blinded by the similarly massive and impressively huge forearm.
Seriously, I hope you have massive and impressively huge shoulders to heft those guns around.

Otherwise you probably end up looking like Turk from Tarzan, knuckles all dragging on the ground.

Welcome to the life of ZZUBY's dad. She's in the door and the shoes come off. Wherever they happen to land. We're working on that in our house.

Good luck with that. I just turned 29. I STILL do this. Every night. :goodvibes

[MEK]

Purring monorail?

http://www.lolcats.com/images/u/07/22/lolcatsdotcombtl138k9j39veehb.jpg

OMG - This is so cute! How can I get one of my own????

[MEK]

ZZub -

This was truely a wonderful chapter of your trip report. I felt your antcipation. It was as though I was right there with you every step of the way. I am not much of a "view" person either, but I can definately see why you couldn't pass up the MK view. It has been a recent dream of mine to stay at the Contemporary with an MK view. I hope, someday, I will get my chance!

[Frickles]

I read this bad boy Monday during lunch. Thank you for not going into any poop stories.

Here is what I remember from Monday -

I HOPE that your Mrs. Zzub read what you wrote about her on your wedding day. That was SO sweet. If Mrs. Zzub reads here then this is for her...

**Hi Mrs. Zzub! What Mr. Zzub wrote about your wedding day was the sweetest ever. What a nice sentiment. If my husband said that about me to thousands of people, I would be running to the kitchen to cook him a butter grilled pound cake. Or better yet, since he is feeling the love, it would be a great time to ask for a new pair of shoes (if you are a shoe girl)**

I am also getting on the phone today to book my stay at the Contemporary. Thank you for the pictures and the good info on the room. I have a pretty good feeling that I can trust your opinion. If it can meet your high expectations, then I know it can meet mine. I'm beyond giddy to stay there.

I remember there being scratches on your arm. Did you run into Mel?

You can thank me later for trying to hook you up with a piece of BGPC. If she goes for the shoes instead, just do this....grab a slice of wrapped up pound cake when you head to the gas station to get your hot dog, nachos and cheese for lunch. Slap some butter on one side of it and pop it in the toaster for a bit.

[lisalonglash]

Wonderful. As always :goodvibes

[AshClan]

Aim or no aim, it would be virtually impossible for your bags to get hit with schrapnel when they're behind you.

Trust me, as the mother of boys, nothing is impossible.:rolleyes:

[Quennifer2008]

I love the Contemporary, it is my favorite resort ever.
It will always hold a special place in my heart
I am so glad that you got the view that you wanted
Those beds there are the most comfortable things ever.
Yes, I still hate the sinks though
Too dang shallow
Maybe we will try to score a room at Bay Lake Tower eventually

The only way I think I will get to stay there again in a regular room is if I can get myself a couple roomies for our yearly fest

[1000thhappyhaunt]

Well, ZZUB, I guess I'm in on this stupid trip report of yours which isn't really a trip report. To be honest with you... none of the others were trip reports either. But...no matter... I printed them all out anyway. They come in handy when I run out of kleenex and toilet paper. Plus our dirty old van is always leaking various disgusting fluids not unlike, I imagine, Larry King. Does.

Anywho... what I mean to say is this: I'm actually pleased. Really truly over the moon that you're writing some more...errrrr...stuff.

I also have another ONE thing to mention...

I think that you spent WAY to much TIME on the freakin' balcony, JULIET!!!!!!!

Come on. I know you like sitting around on your duff but six out of eight nights is pretty snore-zing-a-ling. Even for you. We're pretty lucky we're not getting a whole full blown trip report of all of that.

My smallish heart might stop. Wit all the excitement.

Ok.

Secondly...



http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/4f35017b.jpg

And then I opened the door.

WHAT IS THAT??????!!!!!!!!!

Is that your ARM?????

Good night nurse! I thought at first glance you got a really well-lit picture of the Yeti during Expedition Everest.

It's pretty big and hairy is what I'm saying.

Remind me that it's ok to post pictures of my legs before I shave them in my trip report.

You set the bar as usual. Fluffy.


Thirdly, I'm pretty disappointed to only count 5 fingers.

Also... surprised.

Thirdly. Yes, again. Secondly thirdly...

You can ignore all of what I've written like you usually do anyways and you can even sing something by Pink (who is probably not your favourite singer but likely your favourite colour. Juliet.) whilest you ignorest Me(l).

Here goes:

"So so what,
I'm still a Trip Star!
I've got my ZZUB moves
And I don't need you
And guess what?
I'm having more fun
And now that we're done
I'm gonna show you tonight..."

Oh.

OH.

OHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Hold on there big...errrrrr and hairy... guy!!!! Just wait, ZZUBie...

We're NOT done.

Not by a long shot.

So...so...so...

Uh Uh Uh, check my flow, uh

Na na na na na na na na

I wanna start a fight

Na na na na na na na na

Heh heh.

Parting is such sweet sorrow, baybee. Ain't it?


Cheers,

Mel.

:3dglasses

[Tinkerbellarella]

I think that you spent WAY to much TIME on the freakin' balcony, JULIET!!!!!!!

DEDDEST shade of DED, am I.

[ZZUB]

Zzub!

Excellent chapter!

I think I may try to find a way to "upgrade" to MK view instead of GView next September.

Reading your description and knowing that my kids are Disney lovin' as much as anyone here I think paying for the view will be well worth it. For them.
And me.

Thanks!I wouldn't pay to upgrade to concierge just for the view. There might be other reasons to pay for concierge, but that isn't one of them. It seems to me the CR blocks out rooms and then releases them. If you really want to stay MK view, then keep trying.

I am also getting on the phone today to book my stay at the Contemporary. Thank you for the pictures and the good info on the room. I have a pretty good feeling that I can trust your opinion. If it can meet your high expectations, then I know it can meet mine. I'm beyond giddy to stay there.It sure did meet my expectations and you're correct, they were high. But I want to be clear, it wasn't perfect. There were some minor annoyances. NORobertReisch.

Slap some butter on one side of it and pop it in the toaster for a bit.Sadly, that doesn't work.

As for spelling schrapnel, no need to google. Some words are so much a part of your lexicon that you eventually learn to spell them. Like, for instance, fart.

Speaking of which: Well, ZZUB, I guess I'm in on this stupid trip report of yours which isn't really a trip report.Mel, perhaps you should cut back on how much you drink in the morning. Or at least make a vow not to post on the internet until you've sobered up. Most of what you write is generally gibberish, but this post of yours was even more nonsensical than Barack Obama's tax plan.

Plus our dirty old van is always leaking various disgusting fluids not unlike, I imagine, Larry King. Does.But this was funny. Because it's real.

:moped:

[jamal]

WHAT IS THAT??????!!!!!!!!!

Is that your ARM?????

Good night nurse! I thought at first glance you got a really well-lit picture of the Yeti during Expedition Everest.

It's pretty big and hairy is what I'm saying.

Remind me that it's ok to post pictures of my legs before I shave them in my trip report.

You set the bar as usual. Fluffy.

My thoughts exactly. I wondered about all that hair, especially on a bald(ing) man.

[Quennifer2008]

Look at Mel bringing the funny to this trip report (not that you aren't funny Zzub)
Just cracked me the heck up that she called you Juliet and she also turned out some killer rhymes to Pink's new Rock Star song

[ukwildcat]

Well, I'm back again. I've come to realize I'm like that friend who promises to stay in touch, and then doesn't. Well, at least I know who I am.

With that being said, I can't believe you made us believe you wouldn't be writing another one of these (trip report or not - call it what you will) when you had booked a bounce back last year. Or maybe I just should've realized it. Either way, welcome back Zzub.

The Golden Corral comment in chapter 2 was possibly the funniest comment I have read on these boards.

Also, when you're a UK grad and a UK football fan, all you have are moral victories.

Looking forward to the rest of the report (or non-report). And if anyone is interested, we're expecting again. And pretty excited too.

[1000thhappyhaunt]

While, at first glance, this may appear to be a BUMP.

To your trippie.

It's not.

It's the first in a series of calculated steps to transfer this report(ish) to an entirely DIFFERENT board.

Dis en Espanol.

Usted es asi que de la bienvenida a mi amigo mas estimado.

O no.

Agrandecame mas adelante.


Heh del heh.


M.

:teeth:

[nextidiot]

I'm drawn in like a fly to a tur-
tle.

:rotfl:



I just caught up on Five. I am excited to be on board for Six.

[DJR]

While, at first glance, this may appear to be a BUMP.

To your trippie.

It's not.

It's the first in a series of calculated steps to transfer this report(ish) to an entirely DIFFERENT board.

Dis en Espanol.

Usted es asi que de la bienvenida a mi amigo mas estimado.

O no.

Agrandecame mas adelante.


Heh del heh.


M.

:teeth:

It would appear the mystery of Mel's whereabouts has been solved. She obviously spent the summer in Mexico, lost her passport and couldn't get back north. I guess they are right...our border are too porous.

Here are some bananas for you Mel

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

[LaLa]

Can Amazing Be a Souvenir?

Yes, but only if you work for AIG.

Unlike ZZUBY who spotted the little kid area with the big TV and ran away from us as quickly as Britney Spears can oops, do it again.

Those Britney jokes never get old, do they?

The reason they couldn’t give us a king room?

You decided to go with the big boy shorts instead of the rhinestone studded skin tight white bodysuit that day? You walked instead of gyrated? You pulled up in "The Loaner" instead of the Cadillac? When you curled your lip and sang "I'm justa hunka hunka burnin' love", you couldn't quite sell it? And yes, I could go all day.


And then we were at our door. Mrs. Z made me stop because she wanted to take a picture of me opening the door. I pulled ZZUBY next to me and used her Key to the World to open the door. But first we smiled at Mrs. Z so she could record the moment.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/4f35017b.jpg

First of all, the forearm shot cracks me up. If I ever run into ZZUB at Disneyworld (GFAMT! I think if there were even any question if we'd be there at the same time, I'd have to cancel our trip and go somewhere else instead...like Disneyland), I now know FOR A FACT I'll be able to pick you out of a crowd. Based solely on the arm hair pattern. Secondly, what a sweet descpription of a such an exciting moment. Checking in and checking out the room is always such an awesome moment, even when you've only been looking forward to staying in the resort for three months. Let alone 35 years. You put us right there with you and it's almost as if I can see that mile wide smile that must've been plastered on yours and ZZUBy's faces as you stood there. In the hallway. With your card sitting motionless in the door. Waiting for Mrs. Z to hurry up and make with the camera already so you can get the heck in there and jump on them fancy beds. Mad props to Mrs. Z for capturing the moment. Even though she's seriously lacking in the photography skillz department. Awesome view of the MK, by the way. I've got a feeling it was worth waiting for.

There are exactly five moments in my life when the thing I anticipated was actually better than I thought it would be: the first time I set foot on campus at Alabama, the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean, the first time I saw my bride, the first time I held my child and the first time I walked out onto my balcony and looked out at the Magic Kingdom.

You forgot the first time you set foot on the campus at Starkville. The first time permed your hair. Your leghair. The first time you broke down and gave Hooked on Phonics a shot. Last year. And the fifth time you attended a Hanson concert. Where's the love?!

I really liked the internet access so I could keep up my hurricaneology. And check scores of games I was interested in. I’m in a college football pick ‘em and needed to make my picks. It was very handy having access.

Other than the fact that you're doing college football pick 'ems and not Fantasy Football, this is exactly the reason we have to have wireless internet access any time we're away from home during football season. DH would be saddest ever if he wasn't able to set his lineup and/or make some last minute trades before kickoff. That's serious bidness right there.

For months and weeks I was afraid that I’d get there and be so sadly disappointed by the distant view of the castle. The Magic Kingdom just a speck in the distance, a large parking lot obscuring the view. Why did I think that? Why did I think God didn’t want to bless me with this? Have I become so cynical that I expect God to Himself be ironic? Allow me to realize a desire of my heart only to be disappointed by the experience. Is that really the God I serve?

No. It isn’t. God loves His children. He loves us enough that He wishes for none of us to perish. He loves us enough that He sent His Son as a sacrifice for us. Knowing that, then, why did I think He didn’t want to bless me?

Somedays I think if I rode my bike more often I wouldn’t forget so quickly how to ride it, you know? It’s good to be mindful that God loves us. Wants the best for us. Even here. He likes to bless us. The same way we like to bless our own children. If we enjoy taking our kids to Disney World because it brings them joy, how much more does our Heavenly Father want to give us good gifts?

And so it was that each morning I’d eagerly climb through the dark curtains in our room and out onto our balcony. To sit a spell. To pray. To read God’s Word. To watch the Magic Kingdom wake up. And to breathe.



Even though I don't like you (never have) and have this thing about rubbing elbows with grown men who are brought to their knees by the mere sight of a balled up sock (in other words, I avoid people like you like Obama avoids straight talk), when you write stuff like this, I have to admit you've got a gift.

Enjoyed this one, ZZUB. But what's with Frick and her frickin (NOF) freaky dreams about my hair?! I'll have you know my hair looks NOTHING like Mrs. Roper.

Hulk Hogan maybe. (Hi Mel!) But not Mrs. Roper.

:moped:

[ZZUB]

Chapter Four: Friday is the New Monday

It is safe to say that Joe is the most famous plumber in America.

It is also safe to say that the ZZUBs loved them some Contemporary Resort. We were worried we'd miss the Lodge, because we felt so at home there. Or hadn't I told you this before?

This is how you get two chapters in the same week. It's the same chapter. Only with pictures. And a gerund thrown in for good measure.

We did miss the Lodge. Like Ashclan's boys miss the bowl apparently. But we didn't miss the Lodge. We missed it like we missed Seinfeld when it went on summer hiatus. Not like we missed Seinfeld when the series ended. And before we got it on DVD.

In other words, we pretty quickly felt at home in the Contemporary Resort.

Which sure sucks for me.

Do you have any freaking idea how much more expensive that place is compared with the Moderate-Deluxe Wilderness Lodge?!

So sucks for me.

Anyway, I love looking at pictures from Disney World and I reckon some of y'all might as well. So this here is mainly a photo chapter. I thought I'd throw up some more pictures of the Contemporary Resort for your perusal.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008019.jpg

Looking into our room from the hall. You'll notice ZZUBY's croc was cast aside like Barack Obama's pledge to cut taxes for 95% of Americans will be about 5 minutes after he takes office. (C.F. Clinton, Bill, circa 1993). Left alone, in the middle of the floor. Lonely like a cloud. Like Guy Ritchie now that Madonna is gone. Except ZZUBY's croc doesn't require the daily use of Valtrex.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008020.jpg

Snack area and closets with ZZUBY's backpack. I actually liked the snack area in the Lodge better. It was a better set up with bigger snack drawers. We ended up piling a bunch of our snacks on top of the deal. The fridge is under the counter in a cabinet. Unfortunately, the room designers didn't seem to grasp the way refrigerators work. The fridge being trapped in a cabinet can't get enough air and it ends up getting really hot. ZZUB Tip: when you leave the room and when you go to bed, open the cabinet doors in front of the refrigerator. That way the fridge gets air and stays cold.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/03afabcd.jpg

Here's another shot of the sinks. You can see the towel ladder in the reflection. If you look closely, you can see me, too.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/195eb592.jpg

Here's a picture of the castle after it ate dinner at Teppanyaki. For those of you who have wondered, that's what a number four looks like.


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/7b9d0828.jpg

It never dawned on me before that you can see The Lodge from the Contemporary. But you can. You can also see EPCOT. We watched Illuminations from the landing outside the 8th floor one night. It was a sweet spot with a great view of Illuminations and the EWP. ZZUB Tip: prop the door open with something. Or else you're walking all the way down to the first floor to get back in.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/d6ff4412.jpg

I shot this one morning after I had my quiet time. Man I loved watching the World wake up.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008102.jpg

The new coffee bar. 9 days we were there. Didn't go to this deal once. Other than the guy in the orange shirt, we didn't see anyone else go to it either. It was like a Dennis Kucinich rally. Only no one was threatening to impeach anyone.

I actually shot a ton of pictures of the Resort. Most of them were fairly typical pictures. But then I tried to find shots I hadn't seen anywhere. Pictures I thought would be interesting to look at later on. Maybe this is what they were thinking when they wrote Dude, Where's My Car? Still, I like some of these angles.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008109.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008123.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008124.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008287.jpg


I had a lot of fun finding new angles to take pictures of the Monorail. Being underneath it or above it was a big deal to me.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/bd8ef6f4.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008383.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008385.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/a8298eab.jpg


Here's a shot of the new landscaping.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008122.jpg

And finally, the shot from the end of the marina:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008398.jpg

There were tons of more pictures I wanted to take. I shot some video a couple of times from the balcony as well. Just filmed the MK, filmed the traffic on the Seven Seas Lagoon. I wanted to film some from the Concourse, just film the Monorail coming and going. But I never had the time to do it. I started to make time on our last day. Just for that. But then I thought, "You know what, ZZUB, this isn't the only time you'll stay here. Save something for the next time." There's a little window into my head for you. I purposefully didn't do everything I wanted to do because by leaving stuff undone, I knew we'd be back.

___

Click Here For Chapter Five: (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=28377960#post28377960)

[praisehisname]

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/195eb592.jpg

Here's a picture of the castle after it ate dinner at Teppanyaki. For those of you who have wondered, that's what a number four looks like.

:rotfl2:

You got some great pictures! Thanks for sharing!

Denise

[TarzansKat]

Alright, I'm sure others will wax sentimental and talk all about the beauty of the resort, and the photos, and all that jazz.

I just want to say...

HOT HOLY CARP, ZZUB!!!! That's what a number four looks like??? That's some powerful s----stuff!

;)

[AshClan]

It is safe to say that Joe is the most famous plumber in America.

Unfortunately for him. Evidently.

IMHO, you can't complain about a perceived future tax increase until you pay the ones you already owe....

Nor can you start a plumbing business without a plumbing license.

Thanks for the pictures, Z. It strikes me how many of those balcony shots are very reminiscent of cruise ship photos.......

I was admiring how you managed to get that mirror shot without actually getting yourself in the pic. Did I miss something? (Not that I looked that hard.)

DED on the Number 4.

Praisehisname, the Z man is mixin' it up, so no one's thinking to come by here. Guess you just lucked out :rolleyes:

[nicolemarie]

That I would be sitting down here on a Friday morning, drinking coffee out of my new Disney Photopass coffee mug, (with a picture of the NMs gettin' their scream on in a Test Track car - good times), and wishing I had a new ZZUB installment to check out?

Since I clearly missed the one on Monday.

Oops.

Thought it was this COMING Monday.

Loved this pictoral installment, as well as the description of y'all checking into the CR. What an awesome feeling that had to have been!

Unfortunately, the room designers didn't seem to grasp the way refrigerators work. The fridge being trapped in a cabinet can't get enough air and it ends up getting really hot. ZZUB Tip: when you leave the room and when you go to bed, open the cabinet doors in front of the refrigerator. That way the fridge gets air and stays cold.

DANGIT!!! If only I had known this before all the fruit from our Mickey Mouse fruit arrangement had spoiled!!!

Freaky borg. This is the same stupid setup they have at the Poly, as well. And after we called maintenance - twice - about our faulty fridge, the second man told us that the thing would never cool well because of the placement in the cabinet. We had fridged room temperature water the rest of the week.

It sucked.

I shot this one morning after I had my quiet time. Man I loved watching the World wake up.

More freaky borgness. That was my favorite thing about the CR when we stayed there. I'm a Disney transportation geek, (as well as a weather geek, a music geek, and a "general" Disney geek) and I LOVE watching the busses, the monorail and the boats come and go. The balcony of the CR provides entertainment 24/7.


I had a lot of fun finding new angles to take pictures of the Monorail. Being underneath it or above it was a big deal to me.

Now you're freaky borg with the little NMs. They LOVED running under the monorail track and standing there when a monorail was coming overhead. Freaked me and their dad out a little bit - we're not so much into that. But they thought it was coolest ever.

Lots of cool shots, there, ZZUB. And one thing is clear as a bell in all of them - y'all LOVED you some CR. I'm really glad for you. Glad it was all you wanted it to be and all you expected. Because when you have expectations THAT high, there's a good chance they can't be met. But when God blesses, sometimes He really pours it on. I'm thankful that was the case for y'all.

Great installments - both of them. I don't know when you're next installment will be either, but I'm voting for next Friday morning. This worked pretty good for me.

Take care, friend.

NM :flower3:

[Yzma and Kronk]

Hi NM!

Great pictorial Z!

Even though I haven't stayed at the CR since the new sinks, I kinda like them. I wonder why Quennifer needs them to be deep?? And not rectangle.

Borg on the fridge issue. We placed a call to maintenance at the Poly recently because the Happy Cokes were not being kept happy. I wonder if the CM's tally the hot fridge calls/complaints for giggles?

I miss the picture of the snack drawer.

Oh well.

Keep it coming!

[jillyb]

I started reading Battle VI and had to go back and read Battles IV and V (missed Battles I-III :sad1: ) I've really enjoyed reading about you and your family. Thanks for sharing part of your world and I can't wait to read about the latest adventures of the ZZUBs.

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Lovely pics Z.

I will have to keep that coffee place in mind. Since there are so few decent coffee stops in the world. But I doubt it would be necessary if we stayed there since the Husband does not travel (especially for the length of a Disney vacation) without his own coffee pot. Flavia. To be exact. Not that anyone cares.

[Mrs. The King]

Chapter Four: Friday is the New Monday

That is the most evil thing ever typed.

It is safe to say that Joe is the most famous plumber in America.

I beg to differ. My Personal Plumer is world renown for his ingenuity, strong stomach, and fantastic crouch to run reflex. And he has an actual license to plumb.


ZZUB Tip: when you leave the room and when you go to bed, open the cabinet doors in front of the refrigerator. That way the fridge gets air and stays cold.


That sounds like a Zzub set up to force Mrs. The King to slam her shin into a pretend fridge door on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. :sad2:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/195eb592.jpg

Here's a picture of the castle after it ate dinner at Teppanyaki. For those of you who have wondered, that's what a number four looks like.

:rotfl: :lmao: :rotfl: :cool1: Unlicensed DED to your Sir.


It never dawned on me before that you can see The Lodge from the Contemporary. But you can. You can also see EPCOT.

Am I in an episode of Romper Room here :confused3

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/d6ff4412.jpg

I shot this one morning after I had my quiet time. Man I loved watching the World wake up.


Love the soft orange light. I bet it smelled like heaven out there.

I actually shot a ton of pictures of the Resort. Most of them were fairly typical pictures. But then I tried to find shots I hadn't seen anywhere.


Wow. You captured "I am having an epileptic seizure outside the Contemporary" very nicely. (NOepileptics, including my dog)

And finally, the shot from the end of the marina:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008398.jpg

That is gorgeous. I have not seen that shot before.

I purposefully didn't do everything I wanted to do because by leaving stuff undone, I knew we'd be back.

Now, that is what I will tell Mr. The King when he gets home today and the house is still a wreck.

[ZZUB]

HOT HOLY CARP, ZZUB!!!! That's what a number four looks like??? That's some powerful s----stuff!;)Why do you think they had to close the Outpost bathroom and "rehab" it for 14 months?

IMHO, you can't complain about a perceived future tax increase until you pay the ones you already owe....Ashclan, I think you and some of your friends have missed the point. It's not about Joe the plumber. It was his question which was interesting. More significantly, it was Obama's answer which was revealing. For a campaign which tells us nightly that they don't want to get distracted with character smears but focus instead on the issues, it was informative that instead of confronting the issue raised by Mr. The Plumber's question, they instead decided to smear him.

It's just the most recent example of Mr. Obama's listen to what I say and ignore what I do (or have done) attitude.

Freaky borg. This is the same stupid setup they have at the Poly, as well. And after we called maintenance - twice - about our faulty fridge, the second man told us that the thing would never cool well because of the placement in the cabinet. We had fridged room temperature water the rest of the week.Did the maintenance guy not tell you to open the door? Maybe he wasn't a "licensed" maintenance guy. You should have googled him. Find out whether he "really" was a maintenance guy. Because making fun of him would have solved your problem.

And one thing is clear as a bell in all of them - y'all LOVED you some CR. I'm really glad for you. Glad it was all you wanted it to be and all you expected. Because when you have expectations THAT high, there's a good chance they can't be met. But when God blesses, sometimes He really pours it on. I'm thankful that was the case for y'all.You're right on, NM. We did love us some Contemporary. It was scary how high my expectations were. But God really blessed us.

I started reading Battle VI and had to go back and read Battles IV and V (missed Battles I-III :sad1: ) I've really enjoyed reading about you and your family. Thanks for sharing part of your world and I can't wait to read about the latest adventures of the ZZUBs.Welcome aboard. I used to have links to all the previous Battles in my signature. But when I put the Monorail picture in, it wouldn't let me keep all the links. If you run a search of my username, you should be able to find the first three Battles. If you can't locate them, let me know by posting back on here and I will locate them for you.

UKWILDCAT:Congratulations on the forthcoming li'l one!


And where is Sneezie?!

:moped:

[1000thhappyhaunt]

Still, I like some of these angles.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008109.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008123.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008124.jpg



http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/bd8ef6f4.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008383.jpg


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/Disney2008385.jpg

I purposefully didn't do everything I wanted to do because by leaving stuff undone, I knew we'd be back.


Well, ZZUB... I'm thrilled that you liked some of those angles.

However.

And, here's a little window into MY MIND... I DID NOT LIKE THE ANGLES!!!

At all.

Firstly, the inital picture there made me sit very still, take a deep breath and roll my deskchair backwards. And over my toe. And I thought I felt: Woozi.

(I felt I was too close to the monitor. Also to the building in the photo.)

The second picture made me inadvertantly reach to my right... quickly... and grab hold of the shelf beside me. I began to feel: Giddi.

(I felt that I was about to fall off of my chair. Also off the balcony in the photo.)

Then the third picture made me close my eyes and then open them and then close them again. I tried to focus on the horizon outside my window while I tried to figure out if I was looking up at the sky or down into water. I experienced increased salivation. I was feeling: Anxieti.

( I felt that because I couldn't figure out just exactly WHAT I was looking at...maybe I was actually on an angle myself. Instead of the picture. Was the picture on an angle?! Or was I?!)

Moving on to the fourth picture I got completely off my chair and lay down on the floor spread eagle. I called weakly for flat Coke and some Saltines. The cat came over. Sniffed my hand and walked away. I crawled to the cupboard and tried to carb up in a effort to settle my stomach. I ate three dry pasta bowties straight from the bag. I was feeling: Cranki.

(I felt that, in that picture, I was looking up. Or down.)

Fifth picture. *Whew*. I rolled my chair in as tight as I could against the desk. And wrapped my arms around the montitor. I whispered, "Don't let go.". Softly. Since it was a whisper. After all. And I thought about letting go only to go in search of some ginger to calm my stomach. And then I thought about "ginger" again. Harder. And felt sicker. Also I was feeling: Angri.

(I felt that I was looking down at a monorail or straight ahead at some sort of helmet. Not unlike I wished I was wearing for protection. At that moment.)

Finally...with the last picture...I slipped forwards and bumped my nose on the screen as I braced myself with both hands against the wall behind the monitor. I threw up a little in my mouth. And started to sweat. And pant. Like I had just run a marathon. Or else down the street about 50 metres. Perhaps... I was having a stroke. Or not. I felt: Silli.

( I was sure I was gonna fall down and hurt those cute little bushes in the planters.)


Ok.


What I'm trying to say with all of that is this: I really liked the remainder of the pictures. They were pretty nice. Thanks.

Cheers, Mel.

:3dglasses

[Goofyluver]

It is safe to say that Joe is the most famous plumber in America.

Pffffft. Super Mario Bros. anyone??

This is how you get two chapters in the same week. It's the same chapter. Only with pictures. And a gerund thrown in for good measure.

Double dipping is germy and unsanitary. :sad2:

Looking into our room from the hall. You'll notice ZZUBY's croc was cast aside like Barack Obama's pledge to cut taxes for 95% of Americans will be about 5 minutes after he takes office. (C.F. Clinton, Bill, circa 1993).

"Read my lips"...anyone??? Anyone???

Left alone, in the middle of the floor. Lonely like a cloud. Like Guy Ritchie now that Madonna is gone.

Only Guy's gonna come out with some somethin' somethin' in the end...that I'm sure of.

Now..as for your croc...:confused3

Here's a picture of the castle after it ate dinner at Teppanyaki. For those of you who have wondered, that's what a number four looks like.

Honey...come to New Mexico...where it's only good if it burns going in and coming out. ;)


There's a little window into my head for you. I purposefully didn't do everything I wanted to do because by leaving stuff undone, I knew we'd be back.

:hippie: Word.

[EPRV We love Disney]

There's a little window into my head for you. I purposefully didn't do everything I wanted to do because by leaving stuff undone, I knew we'd be back.

___


ZZUB and family, I feel like I know you. I've followed along through all of your "Battles". Laughed and even sniffled a bit. Loved all of them. Enjoyed the repartee with you and your Disboard counterparts (you know who they are!).

Now, the above quote is perfect. Just perfect. I'm trying to keep this image in my head now all the time. It's just as good in "real life" as it is at Disney.

Lovely.

[Frickles]

Do you have any freaking idea how much more expensive that place is compared with the Moderate-Deluxe Wilderness Lodge?!

I finally pulled the trigger so after booking my trip this week, I sure do! :scared1: Quick question. I booked the standard room Atrium Club Level. Is this what you booked? Tell me how you secured the MK view instead of the lake view if this is what you were booked in. I need some mad skillz in this department. (Hi Sher!) Knowing my luck, I will be at the non MK side on the lake side, which will not totally suck because of the great view of the other stuff Disney has to offer, but it will not be the same as the MK view.


Snack area and closets with ZZUBY's backpack. I actually liked the snack area in the Lodge better. It was a better set up with bigger snack drawers. We ended up piling a bunch of our snacks on top of the deal.
I knew five times over that you were going to bring up the snack drawer at some point in time. I'm worried about myself.

The fridge is under the counter in a cabinet. Unfortunately, the room designers didn't seem to grasp the way refrigerators work. The fridge being trapped in a cabinet can't get enough air and it ends up getting really hot. ZZUB Tip: when you leave the room and when you go to bed, open the cabinet doors in front of the refrigerator. That way the fridge gets air and stays cold.

So borg with the sucky Poly fridge NM and Yak.... If only he had shared this lil tidbit (Hi Chappie!) a tiny bit earlier.


Here's another shot of the sinks. You can see the towel ladder in the reflection. If you look closely, you can see me, too.

You had to have turned sideways and sucked in.

Thanks for sharing your angley pictures!

[jillyb]

Ashclan, I think you and some of your friends have missed the point. It's not about Joe the plumber. It was his question which was interesting. More significantly, it was Obama's answer which was revealing. For a campaign which tells us nightly that they don't want to get distracted with character smears but focus instead on the issues, it was informative that instead of confronting the issue raised by Mr. The Plumber's question, they instead decided to smear him.

It's just the most recent example of Mr. Obama's listen to what I say and ignore what I do (or have done) attitude.

OK...with regards to this statement I just have to say:

CAN I GET A WITNESS AND AMEN BROTHER!!!!

[AshClan]

Oh, for heaven's sake. RELAX all you crazy Republicans. I was making a lil' joke. Thought that's what we did here.....

Oh, no, sorry Ms. Moderators. What we REALLY do here is talk about our trips to Disney World. Because, yes, this is the TRIP REPORT board. I'll lay off the other stuff if you will ;)

[ZZUB]

Quick question. I booked the standard room Atrium Club Level. Is this what you booked?We didn't book Atrium Club. We booked Tower MK View. We didn't want/need concierge level. If your trip is in 2009, you can book MK view for Atrium Club level. Of course, it's extra.

But you don't have to stay Atrium Club to have an MK view.

Last edited by AshClan : Today at 12:25 PM. Reason: You want a debate on which party spends more time smearing people? I'll be there with bells on. But not here!There's no debate. It's the Standing in the Back Dressed Stupidly and Looking Stupid Party! THEY are the masters of the smear! They make Republicans and Democrats look like pishas.

But why would you be wearing bells? Is it that whenever a bell rings another "working family" receives a tax cut/tax credit/rebate check/my money given to them?

:moped:

[angelmav]

Another fun look into your trip Zzub, you even got Mel to come out of hiding, I wonder if the orderlies know that she has been sneaking onto the computer???

Your only in that bathroom photo like the ghost that supposedly can be seen in 3 men and a baby! The rumour is rampant, but darned if I can make it out!

I look forward to co-opting an increased percentage of your TR's, as mr O' would say, ya gotta spread the wealth!

:rotfl2:

[nextidiot]

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/03afabcd.jpg

Here's another shot of the sinks. You can see the towel ladder in the reflection. If you look closely, you can see me, too.

Dude.... you're invisible. That's paranormal. Great pic! :thumbsup2

[crabbygal902]

Are you a vampire?? I'm figuring that you are or you have mad skillz in the photoshop department. Seriously man, how did you manage that sink/mirror pic?

Thanks for all of the up-close-and-personal room shots. You'll be happy to know that you helped convince this Wilderness Lodge family to give the Contemporary a shot on our 2009 trip. I just received the e-mail quote today and when my wallet stops screaming, I'll pull out the dusty credit card and plunk down the deposit. Magic Kingdom view, indeed. Your enthusiasm is contagious.

...although CrabbyHusband will be a little disappointed in the lack of snack storage. Where is he going to keep the massive amount of Twizzlers and Pringles that must accompany us on all vacations? I appreciate the heads up.

Maybe I'm showin' my stupid here, but I thought that your signature pic was from the top of a Buzz Lightyear display in Hollywood Studios---didn't realize that it was a monorail shot. Nice. Very artsy. :artist:

Another fabulous installment.

[ukwildcat]

Glad you enjoyed the Contemporary. As for me, it's not my cup of tea. I've stayed there twice, and while the location is great, I found staying in the atrium to be ridiculously loud, no matter which side or end we stayed.

On another note, where's Melinda been? I haven't seen her around for a while. Maybe you should send out another APB.

And thanks for the congrats. Do we get the better end of the deal with this baby stuff or what? I feel terrible for my wife, but she's a trooper, much stronger than I'll ever be.

Now get on with the next chapter so I can waste another chunk of my day.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Looking into our room from the hall. You'll notice ZZUBY's croc was cast aside like Barack Obama's pledge to cut taxes for 95% of Americans will be about 5 minutes after he takes office. (C.F. Clinton, Bill, circa 1993). Left alone, in the middle of the floor. Lonely like a cloud. Like Guy Ritchie now that Madonna is gone.

Like Britney's self-respect.

Here's a picture of the castle after it ate dinner at Teppanyaki. For those of you who have wondered, that's what a number four looks like.

DUDE.
DED.
DUDE.

There's a little window into my head for you.

AHHHHHH!!!! SHUT THE BLINDS! SHUT THE BLINDS!

Kidding.

;)

Thanks for the great pics of the Contemporary, Z. And all the non-pics of you.

[JulieEck]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MR. & MRS. ZZUB!!!!! :lovestruc :love: :love2:

[Kimberly815]

Thanks for the pics ZZUB. I think I might like me some Contemporary.

[OhMari]

Oh, for heaven's sake. RELAX all you crazy Republicans. I was making a lil' joke. Thought that's what we did here.....

Oh, no, sorry Ms. Moderators. What we REALLY do here is talk about our trips to Disney World. Because, yes, this is the TRIP REPORT board. I'll lay off the other stuff if you will ;)

Thanks Ash, I need all the hlep I can get.

[LaLa]

...but I was hanging out with Sneezie in the cake line at Wal Mart.

Okay so I wasn't. But now that I am here, let me first say that I loved the photo chapter, ZZUB. The MK view, again, looked incredible. I'm surprised you managed to take such clear pictures, considering that drinking problem of yours. You'd expect to see a bunch of weird shots with strange angles from someone who likes his Mad Dog 20/20 and Boone's Farm as much as you. Glad there were none of those anywhere.

And a gerund thrown in for good measure.

What? No love for the dangling particle? What's up with that? I didn't know you'd already made it to the Ignoring phase of the trip report. Did I not get the memo?

Gerund. It's the new dangling particle.

Keep bringing the "so called" funny, ZZUB. I'm enjoying it.

Or am I?

:moped:

[MEK]

Chapter Four: Friday is the New Monday

Looking into our room from the hall. You'll notice ZZUBY's croc was cast aside like Barack Obama's pledge to cut taxes for 95% of Americans will be about 5 minutes after he takes office. (C.F. Clinton, Bill, circa 1993). Left alone, in the middle of the floor. Lonely like a cloud. Like Guy Ritchie now that Madonna is gone. Except ZZUBY's croc doesn't require the daily use of Valtrex.

___

Nice - even without seeing your pics (yeah - I'm at work and can't see any pics) - I Love your candor! :thumbsup2

[TyRy]

Thanks for all the updates ZZUB...I'm with you on the hurricane watch...had the NOA site memorized and was on it every day checking to see what might be happening for our trip.

So glad the Contemporary worked for you guys...and I agree - someone was telling you something with the WL all sold out.

Ty

[Familycircus]

Patiently waiting for your next update.


:bored:

[ZZUB]

Glad you enjoyed the Contemporary. As for me, it's not my cup of tea. I've stayed there twice, and while the location is great, I found staying in the atrium to be ridiculously loud, no matter which side or end we stayed.I don't get that. You're not the only person to say that either. But we heard no atrium noise at all. With one exception and that was at night and they were raising up the scaffolding to paint. Other than that, we never heard a thing. Go figure.

...but I was hanging out with Sneezie in the cake line at Wal Mart.Why would you be buying cake at Wal*Mart? That's as stupid as thinking Tennessee could beat Bama.

What? No love for the dangling particle?I have no clue what a dangling particle is. Perhaps you mean dangling participle? Or were you absent the day they taught grammar in school?

Patiently waiting for your next update.Monday, like Fat Phil's pink slip, is coming.


ROLL TIDE!
:moped:

[jamal]

Last edited by ZZUB : Today at 01:25 AM. Reason: Oh rocky top, you'll never beat Alabama again. Poor old rocky top. It's sucks to be for Tennessee.

:mad:

It WAS pretty pathetic, wasn't it?

[ZZUB]

Chapter Five: What We Rode

We went to Disney World for 9 days. 7 of which we spent in the parks. We rode some rides.

Which in retrospect seems like an afterthought. At least for me. So much of my mental energy, maybe all of it, was focused on where we were staying. I don’t worry about the rides. Before we get there, we know which ones will be open. We know which ones will be closed. We know which rides we’ll get a Fastpass for. And which rides we’ll walk past like a plate of raw cauliflower and lima beans, sitting next to autographed copies of Earth in the Balance and Dreams of My Father.

One thing about going to Disney World every year: you get into a routine. Which is comfortable for me. I like knowing the plan; not having to think too much about it because I’ve already road-tested it a time or two. Or seven.

How long do you think they sat in that writer’s meeting coming up with the name "Seven Costanza?" What got kicked around first? What was funny, but not funny enough? I like to think about the road not taken.

Sometimes, we leave Disney World with regret. Anguish. We’ve missed something. We had a plan but the plan failed. Or we chose not to have a plan and that no-plan plan smacked us in the face like we just offered it a salad from McDonalds. You know the feeling; you realize too late that you can’t use your Fastpass for Space Mountain because you have an ADR at Whispering Canyon Café and you’re not planning to come back into the MK after dinner. Or you want to see Illuminations but you also have a raging poop cramp that makes you want to go all Bobby Knight on someone.

Disney World is about prioritizing.

Funny thing about our priorities. How they change. Before we had kids, when my wife and I would go to Disney World, we’d storm the E Tickets. Race from Space to Splash or Tower of Tower to Rock n'Rollercoaster. Now, once inside the gates, we head to whatever ride ZZUBY is wanting to hit. Small World. Peter Pan. Pooh. Mickey’s Philharmagic. It’s all about her. And her little sister.

7 park days were divided: 3 in the MK; 2 in EPCOT, 1 in Animal Kingdom and 1 in Disney’s Poorest Excuse for a Theme Park Name (The Studios for short).

Curious: we used to LOVE MGM when it was just me and the Mrs. Loved it. Like Dan Rather loves him some forged documents (dude, so living in 2004. For the obvious reasons). But times have changed. And 50’s Prime Time has gone into the crapper.

Both literally and figuratively.

I love saying “into the crapper.” Seriously, I now look for opportunities to work that into conversation. I like other crap derivatives: Crapola. Crapstorm. Crap hole. Crapateria. In Spanish: el crapo. And the French: le crap’e.

As you know, I’m not really writing a Trip Report. This isn’t a chronological summary of our trip. But rather a digest of our vacation. And this chapter is about what we rode.

Rides. We rode rides.

I will also include in this chapter a discussion about attractions which aren’t rides, but more like shows, as well. Not including rude cast members and park guests. They get a chaper all their own.

In the Studios, we suffered through what used to be called Playhouse Disney and is now called Playhouse Disney. Back when ZZUBY was Baby ZZUB’s age, before anyone had even heard of Barack Obama or his arch nemesis Sarah Palin, Playhouse Disney was a load of fun. And ZZUBY really dug it. They’ve changed the entire show now. Even the Playhouse Disney music has changed. But it’s the same basic elements. Silly, androgynously named host/hostess. Puppets. Bubbles. Confetti. Sit on the floor until your legs fall asleep. Yada, yada, snore.

Baby ZZUB found it as lame as Tommy Tubberville’s reasons for firing his offensive coordinator.

We also went to visit the Little Mermaid. Do you remember when this show was good? It was 1996. It was fresh and innovative. And the whole laser thing was cutting edge. The rain in the theater a neat effect. Now it’s like those doilies on your grandmother’s plastic covered sofa. Old and annoying.

The highlight of the Studios? The $6 slice of cake I had. But that’s a story for another day.

Actually, we had a great time on Toy Story Mania. Loved that bad boy.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/f7d30e0b.jpg

That whole section of the park looks really cool now.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/95e68c96.jpg

And the attention to small details was impressive. Look at how cool the FP machines are:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/3ed937be.jpg


Just one question: what does this have to do with the Hollywood that never was?

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/9b682e02.jpg


Does no one in the Disney Company care about theme consistency anymore?

No matter. TSM was worth the day’s admission into the Studios. Baby Z had fallen asleep by the time our Fastpass window opened, so the Mrs. stayed with her and me and ZZUBY took it for a spin. The downside to using Fastpass on TSM, you miss the Potatohead deal. But the FP queue moved quickly. The ride itself is really well done. And a ton of fun. A ton. A big fat, solid metal ton of fun.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/e541655a.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/cafedc0a.jpg

It’s nothing like Buzz Lightyear at all. Except that it’s an interactive ride. Speaking of Buzz, I still love that ride more than just about anything in the Magic Kingdom. In fact, here is my list of favorite things in the Magic Kingdom:

5. Walking down Mainstreet.
4. Asking people where I can find the castle.
3. Space Mountain
2. Butter Grilled Pound Cake (RIP)
1. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

After years of not cracking the 300,00 point barrier. After resigning myself to my status as a perennial Planetary Pilot, I scored 477,400 points.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/cad8b180.jpg

That’s right losers: I am now a freakin Space Ace!

I think there’s a jacket or something. I made Mrs. ZZUB and the girls call me Space Ace ZZUB all day. I threatened to unleash the power if they failed to use my new title. It was not unlike the day I turned 40 and I declared Birthday Immunity all day long. Which generally meant I could do or say whatever I wanted and nobody could stop me. Because I had the Birthday Immunity. That was some sweet crap right there.

I forgot about sweet crap. That’s another craptastic term. Did I tell y’all about craptastic? I forget.

ZZUBY still aint down with Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, but she rode it with me on account of the massive splashing I took on Splash Mountain.

This was the year that ZZUBY conquered the three MK mountains. First up, she and I rode Big Thunder Mountain. Big Thunder used to mean something else in the ZZUB house. We call her Aunt Barbara. ZZUBY loved BTMRR. I hated it as much as I did the last time I rode it about 12 years ago. For my money, that’s an awful lot of herking and jerking on a guy with the stomach of a middle aged, menopausal woman. NONicoleMarie. I love me some speed and hills o’fury. Upside down? No problem. Pictures of puke? Bring ‘em on. But I can’t take going backwards or jerking around side to side.

Which is why I could never be an astronaut. That and my fear of fire and small spaces. But I like to think I'd overcome those for a chance to go to the moon.

ZZUBY also took on Splash Mountain. She rode first with her mamma. She LOVED Splash Mountain. During our 3 days in the MK, she rode it with me 4 times. And for the love of a face full of scum filled water, every dadgum time, we ended up in the front row. Where you get the wettest.

While standing in line, ZZUBY asked me if we could sit in the front. I said, “no way, Jose” because I’m very clever. And multi-cultural. She said, “pleeeeeeeeease” in that way that she does that causes me to go all puddle because ZZUBY is the cutest little girl in the world. I said, “here’s the deal. I won’t ask for the front but I won’t refuse it either. But you’ve got to ride Buzz Lightyear with me.” She agreed.

And 4 times we got put in the front row. It was like she greased the maitre’ d. Slipped him a Pluto Jibbitz from her Croc or something.

She loved getting wet and loved Splash Mountain. I didn’t care for the bath of slimy water, but hearing her scream and seeing her finally get to ride Splash made up for it. ZZUBY’s all about Splash now. We knew she’d like it if she got past her fear of big hills. And we were right.

That’s one for the parents.

Space Mountain was a bit of a different challenge however. It was dark and ZZUBY wasn't sure she'd ride it. Still, I pulled some FPs for it early in the day. One of the real advantages to staying at the Ticket and Transportation Center Resort, is that Mrs. ZZUB and the baby could head back to the room leaving me and ZZUBY to hit some rides.

What’s that? You didn’t know there was a TTC Resort?

Neither did Disney.

You see . . . how to put this delicately . . . Mrs. ZZUB is somewhat, slightly, directionally challenged.

She gets lost walking to the kitchen.

She gets lost in the shower.

And those are places she’s familiar with. In Disney World, as she says, she’s “just along for the ride.” Which is funny. Because it’s real.

Unlike me and you, Mrs. Z hasn’t committed to memory the stops on the Monorail Resort Line. In other words, although she’s ridden the Monorail 800 times and although she’s heard me say that the Contemporary is the first stop leaving the MK, she didn’t actually remember that. So on our first day in the Magic Kingdom, we got on the Monorail to head back to our room. Y’all know the schpiel on the Monorail. How when you pull up to a stop, they announce what the next stop will be.

“This is the Polynesian Resort. The next stop will be Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and spa.”

And as the Monorail entered the Contemporary, and I stood up to grab my small children by the hand, the announcement advised us that the next stop was the Ticket and Transportation Center.

At which point Mrs. ZZUB promptly sat back down and looked at me with some confusion, “isn’t this the Ticket and Transportation Center?”

To which I replied, “Yeah, honey. I’m paying four bills a night to stay at the Ticket and Transportation Center.”

She craned her neck to look around me, out the open Monorail door to see where she was. Then she stood up and slapped the crap out of me with her eyes.

Frankly, I deserved that one.

And I didn’t actually pay four bills a night. I rounded up for effect.

Anyway, one afternoon, Mrs. Z wanted to take the baby back to the room. I made her repeat after me, “Contemporary Resort” and “eighth floor” and our room number. And she made me repeat, “one more time with that crap and you won’t eat hot food again this decade.”

Nevertheless, I confirmed that her cell phone was actually on so she could call me when she rode around the Seven Seas Lagoon for the 3d time and wanted to know when she should get off. Then ZZUBY and I headed for Space Mountain. ZZUBY was feeling tough on account of her loving BTMRR and Splash. We zipped through the Space Mountain queue and got to the switchbacks.

And then she saw it.

The rockets.

Where she would NOT be sitting next to me.

And she LOST it.

I tried to console her. Assured her that I would sit right behind her with my hand on her shoulder. I’d hold her the entire time.

“But Daaaaady! I’m not used to riding things by myself.” Yes, it was true. In the 3 hours since she had begun riding Magic Kingdom Mountains, she had not ridden any of them alone. I kneeled down next to her and explained that she wouldn’t be riding this one alone either. I’d be right behind her. “Every bit as close as if I was sitting next to you,” I again rounded up for effect.

The obviously child-less couple in front of us looked down on me with disapproval. I looked back at them and said with my eyes, “I’m not forcing her to ride, I’m just not letting her give into neurotic fear. Let’s see how you handle this situation when you have kids.” Evidently, they read my stare down because they turned away.

ZZUBY loved her some Space Mountain. ZZUB, however, did not. You know where the seat restraint hits you? The stomach. Do you know what you have to lean against in order to keep your hands on your daughter’s shoulders? The seat restraint. Do you have any idea what that feels like as you’re being herked and jerked all over the freakin galaxy?

It doesn’t feel good.

Remember the story of the ribs? This was worse. And there was NO potato salad.

But our MK days weren’t all about ZZUBY. Baby Z had a time, too. Like her big sister, she loved The Puppies of Progress. And she loved Small World. Frankly, so did I. The song still sucks but watching ZZUBY point out the duckbilled platypuses to her little sister and imitating their motion made me smile. For a couple of reasons.

One of them: Baby ZZUB loves her some ducks. All birds are ducks. Pronounced “guck!” If it’s said at all, it’s shouted. Kind of like Schpupin! So when Baby ZZUB saw the duckbilled platypuses’ duck bills, she shouted, “guck!"

I would enjoy watching the Democratic National Convention if it made Baby ZZUB shout “guck!” It’s that funny. And that fun.

Both girls enjoyed the Country Bears but mainly what they enjoyed was having the lobby of the show to themselves for about 10 minutes. They ran and chased each other and ZZUBY did some flips on the brass bars. Because ZZUBY takes gymnastics. And if all birds are gucks to Baby Z, then all bars are gym equipment to ZZUBY.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/dd5ecf6a.jpg

In Animal Kingdom, we found the Safari to be nothing special. But it did provide us with one of the funnier episodes of our trip.

Picture it: it’s early in the day. We’ve made rope drop. It’s hot. We’re in line for the Safari. We’re on vacation. And Baby Z is in her stroller. We’re in line behind another family also with two kids. Their little boy was in a stroller, too. And just as Mrs. ZZUB was putting some snacks on the tray of Baby Z’s stroller for her to munch on, we hear the lady in front of us say this to her husband,

“Richard, give him the Kashi.”

This as Mrs. ZZUB is dumping out a fun-sized box of Apple Jacks.

We were DED. We looked at each other and laughed. What?! It’s fruit flavored.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/325ee9c5.jpg

While in Animal Kingdom, we also took in Festival of the Lion King, where, you might recall, ZZUBY was “perfect” last year. As we wheeled into the FOTLK, it occurred to me to warn ZZUBY that she probably wouldn’t get picked this year. But then I didn’t. Turns out I didn’t need to.

As we walked into the theater (not pronounced the-yay-ter, I don’t care who you are), they directed us to the front row. And shortly after we were seated, a performer came along and scooped ZZUBY up to lead our group in our designated animal noise. ZZUBY did real well and I was glad she was picked for that because I was sure she wouldn’t get picked for the end deal like last year.

The FOTLK is a fun show. It’s loud and colorful and big. Like Nell Carter. Before she died. Sitting where we did, the characters came over and played with us. The tumble monkeys would run by and flipped the bill of our ball caps. The crazy dudes on stilts actually squatted down to play with Baby ZZUB. And the lady who sings Circle of Life looked right at me and smiled.

Which made me blush as big as Nell Carter’s breakfast. Before she died. She’s dead you know.

I like seeing how things work and watching performers deal with the special effects and rigging. And I like to point that kind of stuff out to my wife and daughters. So when they wheel out the trapeze deal for the tumble monkeys, I pointed out how the monkeys tested everything to make sure it was secure before they jumped on it. And before the flying bird lady started to fly, I noticed the blue bird dude connect her to her line and tap her waist to let her know she was secured. What I can’t figure out is how she doesn’t slam into the lights when she flies up into the rafters. That’s some kind of magic right there.

So we get to the end of the show and I see them start collecting kids for the Wiener Wrap number. And sure enough, a performer came and asked ZZUBY to come with her. I reached for my camcorder and I thought to myself, “hey she’s got a good shot of being perfect again. She’s in the right group for it.” And then they marched the kids around the stage and it’s all very loud and fun and ZZUBY’s having a time. And then she comes around the back, out from behind the stage and I can see her again.

And sure enough, the other kids get sent back to their seat. But not ZZUBY.

Because, as Timon says, she’s “perfect.” Again.

So now it’s the Festival of the Lion King, starring ZZUBY. Who, you might recall, is actually the voice of Wishes.

The list of things I’ve been wanting to try in Animal Kingdom got shorter this year because we actually made it inside It’s Tough to Be a Bug. I thought it was hilarious. Very well done. But ZZUBY was FREAKED OUT! Cried. Screamed. It was like the Tennessee locker room after they got shellacked by Bama. Only with less crying. And no Fat Phil Fulmer stealing everyone’s Swiss Cake Rolls. When it was over and we were walking out, ZZUBY said, “I am NOT ever going to see that again.” I didn’t care for her tone and told her, “Even though Timon says ‘you’re perfect,’ it doesn’t mean you are. Mind your tone, Missy.” Which confused Baby ZZUB who thinks her name is Did-dy. Even though it's not. Did-dy is how Baby Z says "sissy," which exactly no one but Baby Z calls her. And even she pronounces it Did-dy.

Is it any wonder our dog has a speech impediment?

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/0c03780c.jpg

In EPCOT, besides Test Track and Soarin, we rode the new Spaceship Earth. But I think the most fun we had there was in Innoventions. I’m telling you, you can have a craptastic time there. If you allow yourself.

We lost in Where’s the Fire. Which I had to take in stride. I’m about as competitive as they come. But the thing with Where’s the Fire is you don’t get to choose your team. So ZZUBY and I got teamed up with a family who spoke no English and a guy in a wheelchair who had an aide helping him. That our score was as close to the other team’s is a testimony to either how bad the other team was, or how amazing ZZUBY and I were.

We also did the Velcro deal, I think it was called What’s Your Problem? Funniest freakin' show ever. Although I think I was the only one laughing. I'm pretty sure we were the only people who spoke English in there. Mrs. Z and ZZUBY got pulled up on stage into the show. While Baby Z and I sat watching and Baby Z kept yelling “Did-dy!”

The other Innoventions deal we did was the Waste Management garbage thing. That was a lot of fun. And educational. Plus, we learned more how we can be green. And you thought that was just a color. Silly troglodyte, it isn’t a color; it’s a lifestyle. I liked the Waste deal because we got to push a garbage truck around. And when you backed up it beeped.

Just like Nell Carter. Before she died.

___________

Click Here For Chapter Six: (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=28635367#post28635367)

[MommyPoppins]

Can't actually read until tomorrow, but I just had to say something...

You realize that it's not actually 10/27 yet?

:laughing:

[kafitty]

woo!! i've been wading through the past Battle's for the last couple of days, i'm glad i got in on this one early!

and, i'm wicked stoked i guessed what your avatar picture was before seeing the explanation for it. i'm kinda awesome that way...

[Goofyluver]

And which rides we’ll walk past like a plate of raw cauliflower and lima beans, sitting next to autographed copies of Earth in the Balance and Dreams of My Father.

Dang...you got autographed copies??? Give me your ebay user name...I'll bid high.

Disney World is about prioritizing.

Word.

I love saying “into the crapper.” Seriously, I now look for opportunities to work that into conversation. I like other crap derivatives: Crapola. Crapstorm. Crap hole. Crapateria. In Spanish: el crapo. And the French: le crap’e.

El crapo??? Did you take into account female and male perspective?

La crapa...y el crapo...

We also went to visit the Little Mermaid. Do you remember when this show was good? It was 1996. It was fresh and innovative. And the whole laser thing was cutting edge. The rain in the theater a neat effect. Now it’s like those doilies on your grandmother’s plastic covered sofa. Old and annoying.

They served a purpose...those doilies and that plastic. When she kicks the bucket...her couch (circa 1954) will be fresh and ready to put straight into the Smithsonian.

It’s nothing like Buzz Lightyear at all. Except that it’s an interactive ride. Speaking of Buzz, I still love that ride more than just about anything in the Magic Kingdom. In fact, here is my list of favorite things in the Magic Kingdom:

5. Walking down Mainstreet.
4. Asking people where I can find the castle.
3. Space Mountain
2. Butter Grilled Pound Cake (RIP)
1. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

6. Getting a big kick outta watching "THEM" stand bewildered looking at their map...feverishly trying to determind where that dern Dumbo ride is.

After years of not cracking the 300,00 point barrier. After resigning myself to my status as a perennial Planetary Pilot, I scored 477,400 points.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/cad8b180.jpg

WTCrap???

You should write a book.

ZZUB's Guide to Shmokin' Your Kids on a Disney Ride.

That’s right losers: I am now a freakin Space Ace!

You could abbreviate and you'd just be Sp-aced. :confused3

But I can’t take going backwards or jerking around side to side.

NOPoliticalJokesHere.

She gets lost in the shower.

Well, you do have to close your eyes sometimes. I can understand that.

Frankly, I deserved that one.

Well...yea...

And I didn’t actually pay four bills a night. I rounded up for effect.

So glad you're name ain't Paulson.

Do you have any idea what that feels like as you’re being herked and jerked all over the freakin galaxy?

8 years of a GWB Presidency? :confused3

We were DED. We looked at each other and laughed. What?! It’s fruit flavored.

I firmly believe that fruit snacks should count as an actual serving of fruit.

I liked the Waste deal because we got to push a garbage truck around. And when you backed up it beeped.

Just like Nell Carter. Before she died.

I was expecting an Oprah joke here. ;)

[LegoMom3]

Sometimes, we leave Disney World with regret. Anguish. We’ve missed something. We had a plan but the plan failed. Or we chose not to have a plan and that no-plan plan smacked us in the face like we just offered it a salad from McDonalds.

I leave Disney World with regret all the time. Anguish even. 'Cause I guarantee you I missed a LOT. I did have a plan. And the plan failed. Mostly. Or somewhat.

You know the feeling; you realize too late that you can’t use your Fastpass for Space Mountain because you have an ADR at Whispering Canyon Café and you’re not planning to come back into the MK after dinner. Or you want to see Illuminations but you also have a raging poop cramp that makes you want to go all Bobby Knight on someone.

The first part of this, yes. The second, not so much. But I can only imagine that it's not a pleasant situation to be in.



I love saying “into the crapper.” Seriously, I now look for opportunities to work that into conversation. I like other crap derivatives: Crapola. Crapstorm. Crap hole. Crapateria. In Spanish: el crapo. And the French: le crap’e.

Holy Toilets, Crapman!!



Actually, we had a great time on Toy Story Mania. Loved that bad boy.

My new favorite ride. Ever.


I forgot about sweet crap. That’s another craptastic term. Did I tell y’all about craptastic? I forget.

Now THAT'S funny!!!!



Unlike me and you, Mrs. Z hasn’t committed to memory the stops on the Monorail Resort Line. In other words, although she’s ridden the Monorail 800 times and although she’s heard me say that the Contemporary is the first stop leaving the MK, she didn’t actually remember that. So on our first day in the Magic Kingdom, we got on the Monorail to head back to our room. Y’all know the schpiel on the Monorail. How when you pull up to a stop, they announce what the next stop will be.

“This is the Polynesian Resort. The next stop will be Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and spa.”

And as the Monorail entered the Contemporary, and I stood up to grab my small children by the hand, the announcement advised us that the next stop was the Ticket and Transportation Center.

At which point Mrs. ZZUB promptly sat back down and looked at me with some confusion, “isn’t this the Ticket and Transportation Center?”

To which I replied, “Yeah, honey. I’m paying four bills a night to stay at the Ticket and Transportation Center.”

She craned her neck to look around me, out the open Monorail door to see where she was. Then she stood up and slapped the crap out of me with her eyes.

:rotfl2: :lmao: :rotfl2:



Frankly, I deserved that one.

Yeah ya did!


So now it’s the Festival of the Lion King, starring ZZUBY. Who, you might recall, is actually the voice of Wishes.

Well if Disney is gonna strip you of your wallet, you may as well infiltrate their shows with your kid's shining talent! Next she'll be all lit up and gliding down the wire from the castle....


.

[crabbygal902]

Chapter 5 was craptastic! And crab-tastic, too.

And I'm glad I'm not the only person on earth who would have to ask directions to get out of a paper bag. We directionally-challenged types usually pair up with people who could be dropped in Borneo and get back home without looking at a map. I call my wandering "exploring new territory." Crabbyhusband calls it "lost without a clue."

If you dared to ask me where the castle was, I'd have to consult a compass even if we were standing in CRT making small talk with Cindy herself while waiting to be seated.

Seems like a perfectly normal question to me. But I am the woman who meanders through parking lots hitting the panic button on my remote, hoping to "hear" her car.

I am waiting eagerly for the next chapter, but don't make me go looking for it.

[Backstage_Gal]

Nell Carter died? Oh NOOOOO :scared:

[Familycircus]

Yea, I got my ZZUB fix before Monday.

.

[LaLa]

Or were those the things you DIDN'T ride? I'm confused. It's almost as if you took a trip that you didn't write about but then chose to write about it after the fact. In conjunction with your subsequent trip. To Universal Studios.

Only not really.

One thing I do know: in order to hit all those parks and all those rides on your very first day, it doesn't take a MSU grad to know somebody's been hittin' the Geritol pretty hard. Good for you. No reason to slow down just because you're in your golden years.

...like we just offered it a salad from McDonalds.

Obviously you've never tried the Southwest salad with grilled chicken. Shame.


Funny thing about our priorities. How they change. Before we had kids, when my wife and I would go to Disney World, we’d storm the E Tickets. Race from Space to Splash or Tower of Tower to Rock n'Rollercoaster. Now, once inside the gates, we head to whatever ride ZZUBY is wanting to hit. Small World. Peter Pan. Pooh. Mickey’s Philharmagic. It’s all about her. And her little sister.

Funny how parenthood changes your priorities isn't it? DH and I marvel about this strange phenomenon on just about every trip we take there. That and the prices. The ghastly stench of B.O. The radioactive fog of perpetual funk near the Outpost at Epcot. Men who voluntarily wear Speedos. But mostly it's the prices. And the Speedos. Along with the fog of funk.

How long do you think they sat in that writer’s meeting coming up with the name "Seven Costanza?" What got kicked around first?

I'm gonna go with Six.


ZZUBY loved her some Space Mountain. ZZUB, however, did not. You know where the seat restraint hits you? The stomach. Do you know what you have to lean against in order to keep your hands on your daughter’s shoulders? The seat restraint. Do you have any idea what that feels like as you’re being herked and jerked all over the freakin galaxy?

Unfortunately, yes. But if a Star Cadet can handle it, I'm sure it's nothing to a big, bad Space Ace. Unless you aren't really a Space Ace and you just slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

You see . . . how to put this delicately . . . Mrs. ZZUB is somewhat, slightly, directionally challenged.

Ain't no shame in that game, Mrs. Z. I'll be the first one to admit I'm the same way. The thing is that DH is normally pretty gifted in that department. Most of the time anyway. So I just sit back and enjoy the ride. Rest assured that he'll get me where I need to be. Which is kind of nice. Now, when it comes to Disney, I know my way around. But only because my Disney geek knows no bounds. But put me outside Disneyworld and tell me I've got to get from I-4 to 75 and I'll be riding around in circles all day. Crying. And using my phone a friend option. After my cell phone finishes recharging, that is.

Plus, we learned more how we can be green.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/nothingtoseehere-moveon/cafedc0a.jpg

Lookin' good, Mr. GreenJeans. You're a lot taller than I thought you'd be.

I have no clue what a dangling particle is. Perhaps you mean dangling participle? Or were you absent the day they taught grammar in school?

Very cute. And I assume you were absent the day God was handing out long term memory.

I forget.

You don't say.

Enjoyed this one, ZZUB. It was entertaining and funny in an odd sort of way.

Like Mr. Ed.

Before he died.

:moped:

[TarzansKat]

Disney World is about prioritizing.

The highlight of the Studios? The $6 slice of cake I had.

And that just says it all right there. :lmao:

[Yzma and Kronk]

Very nice Zzub!

Lovin' it all.

[ukwildcat]

Toy Story Mania is great, isn't it. It's my new favorite ride at WDW.

And as for craptastic, my definition is slightly different than yours. I'll use it in a sentence for you:

Kentucky's performance against Florida was craptastic. Utterly craptastic.

Thanks for the update. Nice way to start Monday.

[Sneezie]

Why would you be buying cake at Wal*Mart? That's as stupid as thinking Tennessee could beat Bama.


Exactly! Everyone knows Winn Dixie makes the best cakes!!!

[ZZUB]

But I can’t take going backwards or jerking around side to side. * * * NOPoliticalJokesHere.Well played. I appreciate a witty retort.

Well if Disney is gonna strip you of your wallet, you may as well infiltrate their shows with your kid's shining talent!I'm just hoping the American Idol experience closes well before ZZUBY hits the age when she can audition to be in it. 'Cause I don't know what kind of crapstorm our vacation will turn into if she doesn't win that thing. Worse, I can't imagine what kind of crapstorm our lives would turn into if she did.

Seems like a perfectly normal question to me. But I am the woman who meanders through parking lots hitting the panic button on my remote, hoping to "hear" her car.Nothing wrong with that. I've done that with rental cars more than I care to admit.

Obviously you've never tried the Southwest salad with grilled chicken.So you're the idiot ordering salads at McDonald's. Would you stop that, please! It's a freaking greasy burger joint. If I wanted healthy eating, I'd go to a Denny's.

Unfortunately, yes. But if a Star Cadet can handle it, I'm sure it's nothing to a big, bad Space Ace. Unless you aren't really a Space Ace and you just slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night.That was unusually funny for you. Did you have a bottle of Yoo Hoo last night?

Toy Story Mania is great, isn't it. It's my new favorite ride at WDW.Really? I liked it but I can't say it's my new favorite. I would put it in the top three though.

And as for craptastic, my definition is slightly different than yours.My definition shifts depending on the context. Like the words: Shalom, aloha and dippers.

Exactly! Everyone knows Winn Dixie makes the best cakes!!!Preach it, sister. Except you're wrong, too. If you have to buy a cake someplace other than the *************** bakery in my town, then I go with Costco. Their cakes will make you glad you're not a dog.

:moped:

[Sneezie]

Preach it, sister. Except you're wrong, too. If you have to buy a cake someplace other than the *************** bakery in my town, then I go with Costco. Their cakes will make you glad you're not a dog.

:moped:

Considering that every morning my dog lifts up one eye and looks at me from his very comfy pillow while I'm getting ready to go to work then when I come home from a hard day's work I have to feed AND entertain HIM, that Costco cake must be some kind of good. Alas, there's no Costco in my neck of the woods so I'm stuck with the Winn Dixie! Their cake of the month is the Snickers cake. I gotta get me some of that!

[samc]

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Chapter Five: What We Rode

It was like the Tennessee locker room after they got shellacked by Bama. Only with less crying. And no Fat Phil Fulmer stealing everyone’s Swiss Cake Rolls.
___

keep em comin......fat fulmer jokes are always good!!!!!....he's the new nell carter!

[GreatBiscuit]

“Richard, give him the Kashi.” That's the sort of thing that makes you want to say "Give me a break!" But you can't...because Nell Carter is still dead.

[AshClan]

Chapter Five: What We Rode

We went to Disney World for 9 days. 7 of which we spent in the parks. We rode some rides.

THE END. Wow. Another great ZZUB trip report. Thanks for that!!

Which in retrospect seems like an afterthought. At least for me. So much of my mental energy, maybe all of it, was focused on where we were staying. I don’t worry about the rides.

For me, it's all about where we are eating. But I get what you're saying.

Rides. We rode rides.

Yeah. I think you said that already.

Does no one in the Disney Company care about theme consistency anymore?

I don't know. Let's ask the imagineer who designed Rock N Roller Coaster.

And 4 times we got put in the front row. It was like she greased the maitre’ d. Slipped him a Pluto Jibbitz from her Croc or something.

DED

One of them: Baby ZZUB loves her some ducks. All birds are ducks. Pronounced “guck!” If it’s said at all, it’s shouted. Kind of like Schpupin! So when Baby ZZUB saw the duckbilled platypuses’ duck bills, she shouted, “guck!"

Very cute. But be careful. My friend's son had a similar affinity for trucks. And his adorable mispronounciation, well, wasn't quite so endearing. Especially to the old lady in front of them at the bank.

“Richard, give him the Kashi.”

I'm sorry, but that's just wrong. Cheerios, sure. But Kashi?!?! Ask me, that kid's growing up with issues.

The list of things I’ve been wanting to try in Animal Kingdom got shorter this year because we actually made it inside It’s Tough to Be a Bug. I thought it was hilarious. Very well done. But ZZUBY was FREAKED OUT! Cried. Screamed.

:sad2: Coulda told ya that. I've never been in there when virtually every kid in the place wasn't screaming and crying.

Great chapter, Z. Loved the cuteness of Baby Z's vocab. And ZZUBy's conquering of the mountains. Go easy on the Mrs., though. We moms have too much on our minds to worry about directions. That's what husbands are for, silly.

[Frickles]

After years of not cracking the 300,00 point barrier. After resigning myself to my status as a perennial Planetary Pilot, I scored 477,400 points.


AKA, the ride was paused for 2 minutes.




That and my fear of fire and small spaces.

Well then your atomic poop in Canada must have really scared you.

Nevertheless, I confirmed that her cell phone was actually on so she could call me when she rode around the Seven Seas Lagoon for the 3d time and wanted to know when she should get off.

Awwww bless her. And this made me laugh so hard that I can now do math.

[GBShorts]

Inquiring (and nosey) minds want to know...

What the heck does DED stand for? Those of us are shivering and cold on the outside and want in on the joke :(!

popcorn:: popcorn::

[OhMari]

Inquiring (and nosey) minds want to know...

What the heck does DED stand for? Those of us are shivering and cold on the outside and want in on the joke :(!

popcorn:: popcorn::

I was taught the
"in-language" 2 reports ago~~and I'm the moderator, I'm not suppose to tolerate this kind of behavior. Anyway, "DED" is like when two people say the same word at the same time. And you say Psych. Except DED is like having the same thought at the same time. You will probably see the word "borg" too-that is just a reference to Star Trek.

I can't think of any other strange words, but I"m sure others can chime in.