"We're All Mad Here," A Mad BLTea-Party for Thirteen!

[Scott MC]

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? "
~Alice

http://www.sandersartstudio.com/catalog/aliceinwonderlandmadhattersteapartyheor.jpg

Welcome...welcome...welcome!

Some of you may know me from my wildly unfinished TR on my Grand vacation last August. Here and now, I will promise two things....First, I will work diligently to finish my TR, and second, I, along with several others are going to try our darnedest to make this the most entertaining PTR you've ever read.

Come August 15, 2010, 9 friends will take over WDW for 7 glorious days. We've established this PTR to share our planning, share our favorite Disney memories, and to plan our inevitable takeover of The World. I shall now introduce you to the tea party attendees.

Me (Scott)....the starter of this thread, the lover of all things WDW, especially Disney resorts, and clearly, a lover of Alice in Wonderland. Tracy, who you'll meet in a bit told him to accept his crown for this trip. He can't wait to do just that and flaunt his royalty at every opportunity.

Tom...Scott's partner in crime, a self-proclaimed foodie who won't rest until he's dined in every WDW dining establishment. He has a thing for Disney Villains and Disney Princesses. If Maleficent and Ariel were both about to be run over by the Pete's Dragon float in the Main St. Electrical Parade, we truly don't know who he'd save.

Mike #1...He who shall document our every move. He's an outstanding camera man, and is already having trouble sleeping in anticipation of this trip.

Mike #2...His email address has "Mickey" in it. 'Nuff said.

Vanessa...Mike #2's constant companion, and the other one ordered to accept her crown on this trip (explanation of that to come). I think she already has it. She's proving extremely useful in the pre-planning of this trip, and Scott is mad about her practically perfect planning.

Lisa...aka "KittyPrincess" here on the Dis. She loves Kitties and Princesses and hopes to meet as many of each as possible on this trip. Her obsession with both once nearly killed Scott on the Rockin' Rollercoaster.

Jimmy...Lisa's beloved and I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know much about his Disney background, but he seems psyched about this trip and had better get ready to pose for pictures with lots of princesses and cats.

Tracy...aka CorysMom here on the Dis. She's been to The World more times than I can count, and for her, it never gets old. She's always in search of characters to pose with, and some of her greatest conquests include Scrooge McDuck and Pirate Mickey. Scott is jealous of her picture with Brer Rabbit. The one character who has eluded her all these times is Jiminy Cricket. Look Cricket....we're going to find you, and Tracy will pose with you...so make yourself available and get it over with.

Spencer...He's Tracy's husband, and I'd hate to decide between the two of them who's more obsessed with Disney. Along with Scott, Tom, both Mikes and Jimmy, he is one of the "Gentlemans" who enjoy sitting in swanky establishments sipping fine spirits and celebrating Gentlemanhood. Mizner's Lounge...here we come.

I don't want to deny the rest of the crowd of telling their stories and plans, so I'll stop here for now. I guess the next thing we should let you know about is how this trip came to be and what we've planned so far.

We plan to share our planned shenanigans and provide more in-depth profiles of our players. Also, I'm sure that Vanessa and I will share our overly-anal planning as the trip gets closer and closer. Oh, and there will probably be pet profiles as all of us either have pets or are involved with someone who does.

I'm going to go silent now and leave you with the promise that this will be updated soon...

Fare thee well.....

[UncleOrville]

Delighted to join you on this mad journey, Scott MC! :yay: "And the moral of that is - 'Birds of a feather flock together.'" "'Only mustard isn't a bird.'" :upsidedow

[NessieBird]

Ok, deep breath...this is my maiden voyage into posting. Scott, an inspired start to the report. Well done, sir. I will be back to post something substantive, but was eager to get my first comment out there. Until then...ciaociao. :eeyore:

[Professor Bicycle]

Very nice op, it inspired me to join the forum. That and the fact that I'm one of the people on this trip. I can't wait to take over Mizner's lounge!

I will certainly be sharing some of my favorite memories leading up to the trip. Scott is already painfully aware of some of the best ones...

[cinderella crazy]

I'm in! popcorn:: Great start to your TR!

Very nice op, it inspired me to join the forum. That and the fact that I'm one of the people on this trip. I can't wait to take over Mizner's lounge!

I will certainly be sharing some of my favorite memories leading up to the trip. Scott is already painfully aware of some of the best ones...

Ok, deep breath...this is my maiden voyage into posting. Scott, an inspired start to the report. Well done, sir. I will be back to post something substantive, but was eager to get my first comment out there. Until then...ciaociao. :eeyore:

:welcome: to posting on the DIS boards!

[Corysmom]

How the freak do I post a picture on this board?

[NessieBird]

No clue. But, your profile pic? Brilliant...you get a pirate.pirate:

[cinderella crazy]

How the freak do I post a picture on this board?

Here's a video tutorial: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/video-tutorials/

[Corysmom]

Thanks for the video, worked great. Here is a pic of me (aka Princess Ctr) and Prof. Bicycle:
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/IMG_1055.jpg

[NessieBird]

I don't have anything really to post...I just want to see if my countdown will work properly. My technical skills are...spotty, shall we say?
Actually, I do have a question: Scott, where do we stand on your previous TR?

[Scott MC]

Actually, I do have a question: Scott, where do we stand on your previous TR?

Doh! I'm a bad Dis member. I really should get on that soon.....
This year I'll be tweeting the entire trip, so putting together a TR for the upcoming trip should be pretty easy.

[Professor Bicycle]

I really should stop wearing that starsky and hutch shirt out in public...

[Corysmom]

I really should stop wearing that starsky and hutch shirt out in public...

Why do you say that??


http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/IMG_1254.jpg

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/Pooh.jpg

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/IMG_1249.jpg

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/IMG_0489.jpg



http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/Abbey.jpg

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/BalooKingLouie.jpg

[NessieBird]

Why do you say that??

/PrincessCtr/BalooKingLouie.jpg[/IMG]

Bwahahaha! Hilarious. :laughing:

[NessieBird]

Looooong day...Give a Day, Get a Motherload of FastPasses....we'll be back to tell the tale of Rosie, T-Rex, One Slice, seriously, how many meals? There's also much more. But for now I'm exhausted, yet can't sleep. Yet, also can't recap the day properly. Fail for me.
But trust me, it's been quite a day. :cool2:

[dvc at last !]

I am in for your TR and pre TR !
Just to let you know I am guilty of always wanting to post a TR ---
and not doing it. Maybe you will inspire me. Our next trip is October 1st
and we are staying at the BC for the first time !

:cool1:

[NessieBird]

Son of a gun. I need 10 posts to post pics...

[NessieBird]

Ok, 10!!!!:cheer2:
Hmm...I guess I need to wait 40 seconds between posts. Curious, but fair enough.

[NessieBird]

Yesterday Tracy (Princess Ctr/CorysMom), Spence (Professor Bicycle), Mike (Mike#2/Mikey), and I completed our Give a Day, Get a Day.

Tracy first floated the GaD,GaD idea to us (and how has no one talked about our fab Disney round table from last month?) and in her research realized that you don't need to redeem the volunteer day for a free day's pass to the parks, but can also choose to donate the park ticket to charity, receive a special ear hat figurine with special trading pins, or get a FP exchange card. say the lot of us are each charitable in our own way, so our consciences should be clear because we chose the FP exchange card or, as we currently refer to them: "Magical FPs." Without getting into too much detail, the basics are that you receive the card and can redeem it for 4-6 FPs to be used at the more popular attractions throughout the World. Bear in mind you can still get regular FPs with your KTTW. So...in other words: AWESOME. And magical indeed.

Not magical was getting up at 6:15. Unless I'm at Disney, where I can inexplicably be up and out the door whenever and in record time, mornings and I do not mix. As Tracy put it, when she was waking up she thought, "These magical FPs better be magical." Softening the blow of the early morning is the fact that we'd volunteered at the Animal Rescue League of NH. Most of us are animal lovers (animal freaks might be more appropriate), so we were motivated by that.

Mike got to my house on schedule (yay, Mikey!) and we met up with Tracy and Spence. We arrived at just about 9 after a non-eventful drive up (except for a quick stop for breakfast in the most random and greatest convenience store in creation). After getting caught up in the lobby oohing and aahing over the kittens, we had an orientation where we were asked to stay on task and not ooh and aah over the animals. Oops.

The lovely JC (Jaycee?) was our group leader and the group was rounded out by two members of a college a cappella group (Uni and Cort) and two women who we saw for about 5 minutes, but were later seen doing some serious heavy lifting. Good job, nameless women. We were tasked with cleaning a large room for an upcoming birthday party. Mike narrowly avoided a disaster by choosing not to climb on some rickety scaffolding while cleaning the walls, Spence got to work scrubbing the other side of the room, I swept, and Tracy found a new obsession: an age-old putty knife/scraper. This will become important later...

A few words about our a cappella add-ons. They were part of a bigger group that was split in half. They were delightful people, very nice. However, we have active imaginations and we made up a whole story about Cort. He was perfectly nice and kind, but we are convinced that he is sitting on the Van der Dooslendorf fortune. Who else would be named Cort but someone who's lived a fantastic life on a spacious ranch in Missouri with a nanny who taught him not to take anything for granted. We know at least this much must be true because Cort gamely got down to it, found a scrubbie, and took to polishing the baseboards of the huge room. More impressively, he attacked some atomic poop that COULD NOT be cleaned up by anyone else. So, Cort, you Ricky Stratton on this millennium, way to be. We salute you :banana:.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Cort.jpg

We split up and cleaned two kitty isolations rooms (hope you're all feeling better soon). Mike narrowly avoided another disaster as one of the cats made her ill feelings toward him crystal clear.

We broke for lunch and the shelter had generously ordered us pizza! We'd brought snacks (Tracy, I'm craving some of your trail mix right now) and thought we'd be fending for ourselves, so it was a nice surprise. We each took two pieces and hung out in the sun. Mike and Spence were still hungry and, after waiting to be sure everyone else had gotten theirs, Spence got another couple of pieces. When Mike went in to politely ask if there was any left, a young man who must've been a regular volunteer said yes and Mike was ready to dig in to the whole pizza he just opened. The kid then shot back, "Just one!" I wish I had Mike's reaction, but here's an approximation of what his face must've looked like:
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Mike.jpg

He quietly took the one piece and came out to tell us. It takes A LOT to ruffle Mike's feathers, but withholding food is a good way to do it. Mike's not a small guy. Let's just say if Uncle Jesse and Stromboli had a son, it'd be Mike. After Mike "filled" his tum with his slice, we went back to work. The boys went outside to open and separate wood shavings for cages (?) and Tracy and I tackled the shelter's supply room.

We totally get the whole reason we were there to help. They have staff and a ton of volunteers, but the animals are the top priority, as they should be. So we knew that when we got there to help, it'd be cleaning and upkeep because those are the things that get lost in the shuffle when running a busy shelter. This little supply room was screaming for some organization and begging for a scrub. Tracy came up with a game plan and we got to work. There were three shelves holding supplies and we starting re-ordering the items in a logical manner and scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing. Beware, the hardest thing to clean is gunked-up, dried-on cleaning solution. Totally antithetical to what you'd think, but I digress.

As we were working, staff kept coming by to say how great it was looking and to thank us (even though we for sure were not even needing to hear it). And finally this older woman comes in, all "Girls, girls!" Now we actually were expecting it'd be a sweet old lady all excited for an organized supply room. Not so much. "Girls, no. No, no, no. We can't have trash bags on the top shelf. There are people my height and shorter and we can't reach anything up there." So, she went all T-rex on us, gluing her elbows to her sides, and making a big production of grabbing a trash bag. We stood there silently, just taking it, not noting that bottles of bleach had been on the third shelf and that was A. exceptionally dangerous, and B. much harder to grab than an trash bag hanging out of an open box. I just sincerely hope she never really needs toilet paper because that's all on the third shelf too. ;) When she left, Tracy rightly noted that it's a good thing we both work with exceptionally difficult clients and are used to verbal abuse, because this woman just was NOT having us. We also realized that she and Tracy were the same height and Tracy could reach so...seriously, cut the T-rex and just stretch.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/TRex.jpg
Maybe not such a big head. But a big mouth anyway.

We deduced that maybe the regular volunteers (as evidenced by this woman and the boy who starved Mikey) were maybe not so jazzed about the outsiders coming in and taking over. Oh well, we changed up our strategy and ended up doing an amazing job on that room. Seriously, we even scrubbed the trash barrel and air duct. Tracy, we deserve 2 :thumbsup2

They then told us we could leave, which we obviously couldn't do without visiting the animals. Some of our faves were Rosie, the most beautiful pitbull, with a pretty pink collar. I think she and I are probably best friends now. She's a good girl and knows "sit" so well. Look at that face!
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Rosie.jpg
Then there were Greddy and Spike (look at his sort of crossed eyes!). Also super cute and smart:
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Greddy.jpg
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Spike.jpg
In the lobby we met Kiki, who's the cat of the week and has been here since...May! Seriously, what??:confused:
She's super sweet and needs a nice home. In the Bedford, NH area? Consider taking her home. Look, it looks like she has little eyebrows! Cute!
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Kiki.jpg
Then! Then, there was Smoochy the cat. Who has her own office. Seriously. This picture doesn't do her justice either. Imagine this cat, then resize her to 175% of the original. She's huge! And wants pats. Badly.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Smoochy.jpg
We were all super tired then, but hungry and set off for 5 Guys. Have you guys been there before? I hadn't and almost wish I hadn't gone. Because now I'm going to want it ALL. THE. TIME. So good.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/5guys.jpg

But, if you're at a 5 Guys, watch out for who's sitting next to you. If you put your purse on your boyfriend's chair and he doesn't realize and it falls over...make sure the people next to you aren't going to get inordinately upset. I'm just saying...apologies mean nothing, NOTHING, to some people if it involves a chair falling over in their general vicinity.:confused3

At some point during the day, Mike seemed to think that breakfast, lunch of pizza, and dinner at 5 Guys wouldn't be enough to satiate us, so he'd suggested a nightcap at the Willowtree back home. Scott and Tom had asked what our plans were and we all decided to meet up. On the way there I wasn't sure if it was a good idea because I was exhausted, but once we got there and drinks starting flowing and the boys started ordering more food, I forgot I was tired (for a while anyway). Ah, a good day with friends :grouphug:. I'm sure I forgot a bunch, but the others can hop in. I need to go be productive. Til later, ciaociao.

OMG--I can't believe I forgot to discuss Tracy's scraper! When we got back to Tracy and Spence's to get our car, Tracy started yelling in horror, "Oh, no!" It turns out that she STILL had the scraper in her back pocket. It seems innocent enough until you realize that all day Tracy had been shouting "Where's my scraper?" and "I love this thing. I WANT this scraper." So, ARL of NH totally thinks it's been thieved. She claims that she's going to send it back with a Home Depot gift certificate for them, but I'll believe it when I see it...

[Professor Bicycle]

tl;dr...actually, on the other hand, NOT LONG ENOUGH!!!

Great recap of the day. I have no memory so it's good to remember all of the stuff we did.

One important detail we can fill in is that during the afternoon, Mike and I teamed up to take Xmas lights off of a tree. That's right, the two of us did that one job. We were on "union rules" at that point. I hope the shelter doesn't hear about this slacking, or our vouchers may be revoked...

[NessieBird]

[QUOTE=Professor Bicycle;35806820]tl;dr...actually, on the other hand, NOT LONG ENOUGH!!!QUOTE]

tl;dr? Is this fancy-schmancy forum speak? No comprendo.:confused3

[Professor Bicycle]

I thought you were up on all the internet lingo???

"too long; didn't read"

But of course I DID read...

[cultureart]

I'm just popping in. How do I start my post...... a .... I 'm a student and major in american literature.....

[cultureart]

good everybody I will come back soon.

[Scott MC]

I'd just like to say that my TR from last August has FINALLY been updated.
Rejoice!:ccat:

[kittyprincess]

Excellent post about your Give/Get! :wizard: I can't believe how strict the other volunteers were and how CAYOOT the animals at the shelter are!!! i love the kitty with the eyebrows!! :love:

can't wait for our big trip!:banana:

[Scott MC]

This thread feels dead!


What's everyone's Disney history?
I'll go first....

1983-1st Visit....stayed off-property....still remember the pool at the hotel....remember the Astro Orbiter and the Crystal Palace, but that's about it.


1985-...Stayed at a Raddison that I'm pretty sure is still there.....it rained EVERY day and we lived in our ponchos......I remember Figment, Snow White's Scary Adventures, The Haunted Mansion, the hotel pool (again).....Mom and Dad both getting pretty wicked food poisoning at Cosmic Ray's......Dad puking in the bushes near 20,000 Leauges while I rode Mr. Toad's Ride and Peter Pan's Flight over and over again......and I remember Dad and I almost getting run over by the Cinderella float in the MSEP. ...he told me we'd be ok....the CMs were not amused.


1996-...Stayed Dixie Landings in the Magnolia secion (natch)....nice food court, my first time riding the Disney coasters, our first time at MGM, our first experience with Spectromagic...great return after too many years away.


1998- ...Stayed at Wilderness Lodge and my love afair with MK resorts began. ....Artist Point bfast with Pocahontas and 1900 Park Faire with Alice....my love for the GF started there......I remember mom trying to convince my sister that Mickey actually HAD signed her autograph book.....Whispering Canyon Cafe was a hoot!


2002-...Dolphin...gorgeous....50's cafe there....more Spectro.....first time not in the summer (April- weather was divine).


2007-...off property with 5 friends, 4 of whom are going on this trip...Cory's Mom, KittyPrincess, Miker, Professor Bicycle, and Noelle....great house.....'WHODAT?".......Noelle feels up Baloo......Cory's Mom sucks up all the AC and earns her famous nickname......armadillo technologies....my first "Hoop" experience....that little girl at the GF who got into everyone's picture and had to be "told" by Mary Poppins.


2008-...off property with Tom, Cory's Mom, Prof. Bicycle, Kitty Princess, Noelle, Steve, Seth, & Erin......Hurricaine Faye.....more Hoop-ness....the last ride on Space Mountain......GENTLEMANS!......the first trip around the world, followed by Professor Bicycle's quick trip home......Kitty Princess having a drink made just for her at California Grill.....the endless itemized bill at California Grill....more breakfasts at the Grand...."Y'all have a GRAND day now!"

2009-...Grand Floridian RPC, Coronado Springs (somewhere about a mile away from check-in)....you can read all about it in my other trip report, which I promise I'll get to updating one of these days.


Anyone else?

[Scott MC]

Y'all are NO fun.

We're barely 2 months out! Let's get this TR rolling.
Should we post our ADR's?

Many of us are arriving before the 15th...should we discuss our pre GG plans?

T and I are arriving on the 13th and are spending 2 nights at AKL before arriving at BLT. We have one night with a Savanna view and one night in CL. We'd LOVE to be bumped up to CL for that first night and VBsHustla thinks that AKL will do that for us.

Thoughts?

[UncleOrville]

I do indeed think AKL will put you in CL for the night you weren't able to book - provided they have any rooms available. :thumbsup2

[NessieBird]

Ok...I back! I back! :yay:
I can do a quick background (trust me, it's def quick compared to prob everyone else's) of our Disney experience. And I'll throw in our ADR info, which will overlap on some others as well. I hope that works ok; I don't want to leave you stranded, Scott. :thumbsup2

I'm a bit of a Disney late-bloomer. :flower1: My parents had started discussing a Disney trip when I was approximately ten. I remember looking through the old-school Birnbaum book; so great. In the mid-80s, there were only so many choices of on-site hotels and my parents had decided on the Contemporary. So, choosing a hotel, checking out tickets, that was all easy enough. But when it came to transportation from Boston, that's when everything went down the tubes.:eek:
You see, when my dad was in his early 20s, he and some friends wanted to go to the Cape. So, they took a tiny plane from Boston. The flight takes just a few minutes, but being on the tiny plane in bad weather...:eek:
He was terrified and took a crowded, standing-room only bus back, all the while stuck in normal Cape traffic. He didn't step foot on a plane for 40 years until he went to Alaska a couple of years ago. He's also since flown to San Fran, but it is a struggle for him.
Anyway, my parents also didn't want to drive or take a train, so there was no way to get there. We instead went forward with the usual vacations to NH and Maine and renting an island in Mass. Our big trip was a drive down to Pennsylvania Dutch country where we went to Hersheypark. Not the same as Disney, but we three still had a great time, so no complaints. :dance3:
PS--My parents have still never been to Disney.:scared1:

As I said, my Disney experiences didn't start til I was 14 (1995). My sister took me during April vacation (she's 11 years older, as a reference). We stayed at what was then Dixie Landings. Oh, how I wish I had those pics at my house right now to scan. You'll see that we went in '95? Our outfits were HORRIBLE! :rotfl: I'm laughing just thinking of them. My sister had no idea what to expect and was very big into always dressing to the nines. The first day, hahahaha, she had on a "shorts suit," meaning dressy long shorts, with a blouse, and I think a matching vest, with both the shorts and vest in that mid-90s suit material. All light peach in color, naturally. With a ton of perfect make-up. And her hair in a very particular bun with a fancy barrette. :laughing: So great.
I was no better off in hideously unflattering denim shorts (seriously, why was it necessary to have the waist of pants right up to the ribcage?!) and a shirt that was equally unflattering in its boxy, cropped shape. For shame. :rotfl2:
BUT: we did have a great time and I loved every minute of it. (Except for the one time she got into a mood and yelled at me while in line for the Backstage Studio Tour. I don't remember the circumstances, but to this day I get an uncomfortable feeling when walking into the line.)
One funny (at least I think so) story: we got our profiles drawn by an artist in Liberty Square, I believe. He took an instant liking to my sister (seriously, that shorts suit was smoking hot) and drew her perfectly. He was so busy talking to her that my profile was less than exact. He drew me with a huge forehead and in reality, I have quite a small forehead. So being right in the thick of my awkward years, this hit me pretty hard. I'd almost forgotten about it until we were getting in line to board the bus to Dixie Landings and I tried to crouch under the chain roping off the boarding queue (don't worry, wasn't cutting, no one else in line) and it caught my forehead and I fell over backwards. :sad2: My sister was ROLLING. Looking back, I feign sadness over it, but it was pretty hilarious.:lmao:

I went back to Disney with friends as our "spring break" for senior year of high school in 1998. I never was a wild kid, quite the opposite, in face, and had no urge to go on some crazy vacation to Mexico or something. A couple of other girls and I split from the crowd who went down and had a ton of fun on our own. (I was a very self-righteous little thing and did not approve of some of the behavior in which the others were engaging.:snooty:) We stayed at All-Star Sports.

:hourglass (representing looong hiatus...)

Mikey and I went in April 2005. Mikey had never been so I pulled together all of the info and presented him with the differences between staying on-property (what I was pushing) vs. off-property. He can be either very frugal or not so much (see: him buying a Vespa last month :moped:) and, in this case, felt that we could save money by staying off-property. I hadn't been in so long and I started to think he was right. Yeah, we were wrong, so...:laughing: Seralago Hotel and Suites was our hotel choice and, well, we were not impressed. I just have vague memories of it; I think I've blocked it out, in fact. I don't know, maybe it was ok, but I just remember feeling uncomfortable every time we were at the hotel. There was a large gap under the door itself and the whole thing just felt a bit raggedy. :confused3 But what really killed us was the "convenient" complimentary transportation to the parks. Now they have 3 (AM-only) departure times and 4 (PM-only) return times, but I think it was even more abbreviated when we were there. Needless to say, we relied on cabs to get us back and forth, and mother of God, they are swindlers. Overall, I believe we spent far more than had we stayed on-property. Oh well, live and learn. What was important was that Mikey and I went together to Disney for the first time and it was fab! :lovestruc I used the Unofficial Guide books to create our touring plans and born of this was my crazy Danny Tanner-like planning routine. :rolleyes1 But, I wanted to be sure Mikey could see as much as possible. And he did! Plus, we at a Ponderosa and a new love between those two was formed. :love:

For our anniversary in 2006, I booked us a September trip, staying at Pop Century with free dining. So it was his first on-site and the first free-dining experience for both, obviously. We LOVE to eat popcorn::, so this worked out quite well for us. We'd pay OOP for breakfast at Everything Pop (which was good because we'd order all sorts of wonky things, like two breakfasts each, or a kids breakfast, etc, and it would've been too confusing to try to apply credits to this) and then use the credits for lunch and dinner. I don't know where my list of where we ate is, but suffice to say we got a good sampling across all the parks and a few resorts. It was also our first time to Animal Kingdom and Mike discovered another love: Kali River Rapids! As I've said before, Mikey is a big guy and by virtue of that fact, he gets super hot. And September in Orlando is pretty hot. So, he went round and round on this, so happy to be cooling off. It helps when the parks are completely dead so you don't even need to get off of your raft. Also solidifying a place in his heart? Lights, Motors, Action. The man cannot get enough of this. :cool2: I suppose it is fairly manly. I welcome the time to sit and re-evaluate our touring progress thus far. :)
I discovered a love of my own at AK: Affection Section! :dogdance: Mikey could not drag me away from those goats. (Does that sound sort of bad?) I don't care; I love animals! God, that's such a great place.

We took off a year in 2007 because we went on a 3 week sojourn to visit Mike's family in Italy. That sort of kills your budget and vacation time in one fell swoop. But I'd say that a trip like that to Italy is a far trade-off ;)
To be continued...

[NessieBird]

September 2008 was our next trip, again at Pop, again with free dining. On this trip we both fell in love with Chefs de France. It still goes down as one of our best meals EVER. I'm sad to see that they took my tuna dish off of the menu. I can only hope it'll be back by this August. If not, maybe they can still make it? Who knows. But the dessert I fell for is still there: Croustillant feuillantine, douceur au chocolat, glace noix de coco, tartare de banane - Crispy cake with chocolate milk mousse, coconut ice cream and bananas marinated in rum and lemon juice. The profiteroles and apple crepes get a lot of love on the Dis, but I cannot recommend this enough. Note that the crispy cake isn't really cake at all. (And thank goodness because, no kidding, I LOATHE cake. Blech.) It's just sooo good. I want some. Now, please. :cloud9: My mind is really slipping...what else did we do? Oh, I thought I got bed bugs on my legs at Pop, but they ransacked the room and found no sign. In retrospect, I think it was just a prickly heat rash or something. Whatev. I lived. We nailed down our fav napping spots in the World: Ellen's Universe of Energy (it's a shame because I quite like this, but it's just so cool and relaxing an.....zzzzz), Hall of Presidents, and (for Mikey ONLY) Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I do not sleep in that because I think it's so lovely and sweet and the one year I took tap as a child, the teachers danced to "Yellow Submarine" whilst swooping around props in blacklight, so it's a fond memory. :goodvibes (Even though I evidently hated tap and cried every time my mother dropped me off.) :laughing:

We again took off 2009 for another month's vacation to Italy. Who's complaining? :woohoo:

So, when trying to plan 2010, Mike suggested we drive. This was a very sweet suggestion because I (like my dad) am PETRIFIED to fly. :scared1: Obviously, I do fly (see: two recent trips to Italy), but the last flights to and from Italy were particularly tough on me and I was freaking, even though our other flights to Disney, Miami, Jamaica, our first trip to Italy, were all fine. But we realized we might actually save some cash (we'll see if that works out in the end :rolleyes:), so we are driving! Not sure which emoticon I like better, so both it is! :drive: :car:
We'll stop on the way down to stay with his sister in NJ, then again in South Carolina, probably, before finally arriving on 13-Aug for two nights at the Omni Orlando at ChampionsGate. I hope this is not another Seralago, but I'm willing to bet it's not. I'm so excited!
So, that's everything in a super-sized nutshell. I'll add our ADRs separately bc this is such a long post (which, without pics, who's really going to read it anyway?).
Ciaociao.
:cheer2:

[NessieBird]

As such, I'll make this short and sweet.
But first! I have two goals this trip:
1. Dispense with my D. Tanner planning and just relax.:banana:
2. Get a photo of Mike with Eeyore because, well, Mike=Eeyore. :eeyore:

Ok, quickly to the ADRs. As discussed, Mike and I love to eat (to the point where sometimes we'll be out to dinner and just look at each and other and discuss how no other couple we know can come close to eating as much as we do). Slurp. :mickeybar

Sat, 14-Aug: Lunch at Grand Floridian Cafe
Sun, 15-Aug: Dinner at Tutto Italia
Mon, 16-Aug: Dinner at the Hoop
Tue, 17-Aug: Brunch at Chef Mickey's and Dinner at 'Ohana
Wed, 18-Aug: Princess Breakfast at Akershus
Thu, 19-Aug: Dinner at Chefs de France
Fri, 20-Aug: Dinner at Le Cellier

I'm also hoping to hit:
Wolfgang Puck Express for breakfast, possibly lunch or dinner too
Earl of Sandwich, obvi
Starring Rolls
La Cava del Tequila (the guac looks unbelievable) or Taqueria del Lago
Tangierine Cafe
Yakitori House
Main Street Bakery, I must try a German chocolate chip cookie. Have you guys seen/had this? Unreal. (http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/05/07/disney-german-chocolate-cookie/)

Ok, I'm done! :hippie:

Ciaociao.

[Scott MC]

I do indeed think AKL will put you in CL for the night you weren't able to book - provided they have any rooms available. :thumbsup2

From your lips to the room planner's ears! :rotfl:

Oh, how I wish I had those pics at my house right now to scan. You'll see that we went in '95? Our outfits were HORRIBLE! :rotfl: I'm laughing just thinking of them. My sister had no idea what to expect and was very big into always dressing to the nines. The first day, hahahaha, she had on a "shorts suit," meaning dressy long shorts, with a blouse, and I think a matching vest, with both the shorts and vest in that mid-90s suit material. All light peach in color, naturally. With a ton of perfect make-up. And her hair in a very particular bun with a fancy barrette. :laughing: So great.
I was no better off in hideously unflattering denim shorts (seriously, why was it necessary to have the waist of pants right up to the ribcage?!) and a shirt that was equally unflattering in its boxy, cropped shape. For shame. :rotfl2:




I think we'd all pay a ton of money to see these pics.




We'll stop on the way down to stay with his sister in NJ, then again in South Carolina, probably, before finally arriving on 13-Aug for two nights at the Omni Orlando at ChampionsGate. I hope this is not another Seralago, but I'm willing to bet it's not. I'm so excited!
So, that's everything in a super-sized nutshell. I'll add our ADRs separately bc this is such a long post (which, without pics, who's really going to read it anyway?).
Ciaociao.
:cheer2:


3 cheers for bonus nights!:cheer2:


Sat, 14-Aug: Lunch at Grand Floridian Cafe
Sun, 15-Aug: Dinner at Tutto Italia
Mon, 16-Aug: Dinner at the Hoop
Tue, 17-Aug: Brunch at Chef Mickey's and Dinner at 'Ohana
Wed, 18-Aug: Princess Breakfast at Akershus
Thu, 19-Aug: Dinner at Chefs de France
Fri, 20-Aug: Dinner at Le Cellier

I'm also hoping to hit:
Wolfgang Puck Express fot breakfast, possibly lunch or dinner too
Earl of Sandwich, obvi
Starring Rolls
La Cava del Tequila (the guac looks unbelievable) or Taqueria del Lago
Tangierine Cafe
Yakitori House
Main Street Bakery, I must try a German chocolate chip cookie. Have you guys seen/had this? Unreal. (http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/05/07/disney-german-chocolate-cookie/)

Ok, I'm done! :hippie:

Ciaociao.


GF Cafe....you're going to love it.
The Hoop....prepare yourself
'Ohana means family
Akershus? YAY! PRINCESSES!
Chefs De France....just be sure you're crystal clear with your beverage orders, or like Tom, your "Kettle One martini, extra dry with olives," may turn into a glass of vermouth.
Le Cellier....those pretzel breadsticks with that canadian cheese and bacon soup? Oh my Lord!:upsidedow
Earl of Sandwich and Wolfies take-out are faves of mine. Can we come with you to those?

[kittyprincess]

On this trip we both fell in love with Chefs de France. It still goes down as one of our best meals EVER.

Yippee! I'm glad we're dining with you there! I didn't realize it was one of your best ever! We are in for a treat :cake:

Wed, 18-Aug: Princess Breakfast at Akershus

PRINCESSES!!!! princess:

We are pre-Disneying by flying down on the 13th and spending Sat swimming with some dolphins! :dance3:

[NessieBird]

I think we'd all pay a ton of money to see these pics.

I'll try to dig them up. Hilarious. :lmao:


Chefs De France....just be sure you're crystal clear with your beverage orders, or like Tom, your "Kettle One martini, extra dry with olives," may turn into a glass of vermouth.
Le Cellier....those pretzel breadsticks with that canadian cheese and bacon soup? Oh my Lord!:upsidedow
Earl of Sandwich and Wolfies take-out are faves of mine. Can we come with you to those?
CdF is fab and I will not accept fresh comments on their confusion with drinks..."olive" and "oleeeve" are hard to differentiate! Right? :confused3
I regret that I cannot have the soup at LeCellier, bc I'm all about cheese, but not all about pork.
And lastly, of course you may join! I'm aiming for a WPE brekkie on Sat AM. Have you seen the pics of their breakfast food? If there were a drooling emoticon, I'd add one now.


Yippee! I'm glad we're dining with you there! I didn't realize it was one of your best ever! We are in for a treat :cake:



PRINCESSES!!!! princess:

We are pre-Disneying by flying down on the 13th and spending Sat swimming with some dolphins! :dance3:

I hope you guys like CdF as much as we do...for that matter I hope it lives up to our lofty opinion of it!
PS--Tell the dolphins I say, "hey." I'm not jealous or anything. Just playing it cool. :rolleyes1

[NessieBird]

It's hilarious. Look at the pics in post #262. SO GREAT. But the whole TR is pretty rad; a must read.:thumbsup2

[NessieBird]

Lame! :scared: I didn't post the link! http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2460343&page=18

[Scott MC]

A few things...

1. Thanks Vanessa and occasionally Lisa for keeping this thread going........(what I really mean is to say ..."Um...Tracy, Spence, Tom, Jimmy, Mike, Mike, Jen, and Jason........FAIL). :headache:

2. I'M A DIS VETERAN! I'M A DIS VETERAN! I'M A DIS VETERAN!

3. Part of my goals since I have SO much time off this summer (elementary school teacher)...is to update my TR, keep this PTR going, and subscribe to and comment frequently on TRs that I like and read, so I thought I'd list here some of the threads that I follow...

(in no particular order)

Shirts Squirts and Flirts (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2493892) --This guy and his family have so much fun at the World!

Party Every Day (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2294983) -- Oh those crazy dames of VBsHustla/UncleOrville...what more can I say? I'm still hoping that Liz can find it in her heart to meet up with us in August.


Personally, I think I would make a great stripper (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2434876&highlight=stripper) -- Dizneydawn's threads crack...me...up!

I Kicked it I played it and now...Wheeling and Dealing at the Wilderness Lodge (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=36653723)--again...this woman cracks me up!

[Scott MC]

Oh my gosh!
So many responses!
I can't keep up!


*tapping foot*


So, Tom and I booked our plane tickets this week.

We're flying out of Manchester early Friday morning, and are planning to spend the day at Downtown Disney. We have a late reservation at Kona Cafe which should put us right on the Polynesian beach for what might be the last performance of the Nightastic fireworks. Yay!

[monymony3471]

You guys are so flipping funny. I HaVE to be around for this.

We arrive the day after your departure, too bad for us.

[NessieBird]

You guys are so flipping funny. I HaVE to be around for this.

We arrive the day after your departure, too bad for us.

Ok, Internet Explorer is totally messing with me in this time of great excitement.
I need to learn to write this out in Word first or something. The approximation of what I’ve typed (twice), to be read with the same thrill as when I first started replying:
OMG, monymony! You posted! Even though you’re not Scott. Or Kitty Princess. Or anyone else going on our trip! Thank you!! Alas, I wish there was a fainting emoticon. This will have to suffice:
:jumping1:
What’s extra flattering is that you’re a serious DISer and took the time to read our bitty, little PTR. :flower3:
In turn I will read your reports, starting now! So sad that we’re missing you by a day. Maybe next time the timing will work out.
Again, monymony, thanks for the post! This is just the motivation needed to keep this baby thread going down the home stretch. For your awesomeness, you get a double pirate. pirate: pirate:
Hooray!
Ciaociao.

[Scott MC]

And a double pirate from Nessie Bird is no joke.

[Scott MC]

Ok, Nessie Bird and I are taking over this thread since no one else seems interested......BOOOOOOOOOOOO to you all!:darth: Darth is not pleased.

Anyway, so today, I get to do the

ONE MONTH DANCE!

That's right, in one month, Tom and I will be finishing up a lovely dinner at Kona Cafe and heading out to the Polynesian beach to watch one of the final performances of Nightastic before retiring to AKL.

I was thrilled yesterday to receive our packet with luggage tags and Magical Express vouchers. It gives me such a thrill to see MK written on them. That's right b***ches, I'm staying at a MK resort for the 2nd year in a row! The problem is, that I'm not staying at a MK resort first. I will need to call Disney and get vouchers to whisk us to AKL first. Last year was my first experience with the ME and I adored it. It's so convenient and I got a kick out of seeing all the characters check into the GF, since that's where we were heading anyway.

Did I mention that our flight is booked? Thanks to a chivalrous act by Tom's friend Joe, we were able to afford to fly out of Manchester, NH rather than from Boston. Yes, we're closer to Boston, but Manch-vegas is so fab to fly out of. The airport is smaller, immaculate, speedy in terms of check-in and security, and the time printed on your ticket is when you actually begin your ascent to the air, not when you begin to taxi and wait for a runway. I'm not a good flyer (notice the Xanex in my carry-on), and Manch makes me feel so much more comfortable.

We've got to decide what to do the night before we fly out(Aug 12). For the past two years, we've met up with the fore mentioned Joe for dinner at a place called The Emerald Rose, (http://www.theemeraldrose.com/) where a surly waitress named Debbie always puts me in the mood for the mouse. There is also talk of going to the Regale Players to see "Hairspray" that night, and few things make me happier than "Hairspray," so it should be a good night. Sadly, I need multiple distractions the night before I fly because I don't like to fly, and I have to say good-bye to Henry and Grace (remember them?).

I think by then NessieBird, you'll be in mid drive. Perhaps you'd like to share your driving itenerary? Aren't you stopping in NJ? I know 3 fabulous ladies who live there..... :ccat:

[Backstage_Gal]

Well, Mony sent me over here, so you have another reader. Rejoice!

Sounds like like a great report.

[Scott MC]

Well, Mony sent me over here, so you have another reader. Rejoice!

Sounds like like a great report.

:welcome:

We're only one month out, so NessieBird and I have been trying to really get things going here....stay tuned. Hopefully, this thread will get busy over the next 30 days.

[UncleOrville]

:cheer2: for being so close to your trip! So the Summer Nightastic extravaganza ends the first night/ couple of nights that some of you will be there? That should be fun to potentially be able to see those fireworks and the Main Street Electrical Parade and then a few nights later to catch Wishes and Spectro.

What other plans have you made recently? Is there a list of must-consume cocktails? ;) Or is the Glowtini (aka the Scott MC special) the only option at all places? One of my friends is obsessed with the Cava de Tequila in Mexico and insists that we spend some time there during our next trip.

[Corysmom]

So I promised that I would post something to the report today.....however if you look at the time, you will see that it is 10:55 PM, and I am just signing off of work. :scared1: I know based on this information you would think that I actually care about my job, and nothing could be further from the truth. But sometimes I do actually have to put in some extra hours.

Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to make a "real" post, and add some pictures of what Spence and I have been up to recently. Off to bed with my Cory!

[kittyprincess]

Thanks Scott and NessieBird for keeping the posts alive! :thanks:
I have a feeling it'll get more active the closer we get. I also need a full recap of Mike's 3rd Disney Video because I haven't seen it yet. I need to lure him and Jen over to my house with promises of grilling so that I can see it.

We are SUPER excited for Disney. We're flying down the evening of the 14th and spending the night at the airport. Saturday we're going to Discovery Cove to swim with the dolphins - which has always been a dream of mine but now I'm a little scared - they're big animals! :scared1:

Then that night we're going to eat at a Brazilian steakhouse. We love the meats and they are cooked so well at these places. And its all you can eat. The waiters come over with swords of every type of animal and slice it off at your table. We roll out. nom nom nom

Then one more night at the airport, and Sunday meeting up with the group!

To recap past Disney trips, I don't think mine will be as extensive or funny as Scott and NessieBirds, so I'll sum up: twice when I was under 10 with my family (we were scared of Mickey I hear) where we stayed at the Contemporary and then every year since '06 except last year!

We're also going to Disney for NYE (Epcot) with Jimmy and my families and are super excited for that!

One of my friends is obsessed with the Cava de Tequila in Mexico and insists that we spend some time there during our next trip.

I had no idea there was such a place! I love tequila so I will hunt this down during Round the World! Where is it in Mexico?

[UncleOrville]

I had no idea there was such a place! I love tequila so I will hunt this down during Round the World! Where is it in Mexico?

It's pretty new and it's inside of the Mexican pavilion - when you go down into the main part, it's in the back right (I think there used to be a store there that sold mostly silver jewelry). We peeked in last time and it looked really cool! :thumbsup2

[NessieBird]

Then one more night at the airport, and Sunday meeting up with the group!



:rotfl: The way that's written, I'm imagining you, Jimmy, Chip, and Snickers (they are coming, right?) sprawled out at MCO using your luggage as pillows.

[NessieBird]

Well, Mony sent me over here, so you have another reader. Rejoice!

Sounds like like a great report.

Thanks for reading! So great that you're a hard-core DISer like monymony and you're posting to our thread. Woohoo! :yay:
I hope we continue to entertain you and you stick around. :thumbsup2

[NessieBird]

Ok, reading a review of The Hoop and it notes that "it is the longest-running musical in the history of American theater." Amazing!! I thought this would be appreciated by some theater fans who are part of this thread...:)
Here's the story: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/07/15/hoop-dee-doo-revue-review/#more-15067
PS--I'm hungry!

[Corysmom]

Ok, I am done with work at a more reasonable hour today. I am SO EXCITED that there are "real" people reading out PTR, and not just the people who are going on the trip. Welcome! :love:

So, I think it would be far too boring to detail every Disney trip I have taken since the 4th grade.....and quite frankly I am too old, and really cannot remember many specifics. So why don't I post about the Disney adventures Prof. Bicycle and I have had this year. This is fresh enough in my memory.

In March our very good friends Sean and Kelly finally got married after many (many) years of dating. That's another story for another time. :rolleyes1 They had a destination wedding out in San Fransisco, so of course we stopped in LA first to go to Disneyland! To summarize:

Grand California; Bears;Captain Eo is making me uncomfortable; Where's Steven's luggage?' EARTHQUAKE; Where's my Monte Cristo?; Cabana time; World of Color; Guest recovery cookies; The detonation of Breakfast; Clarice!; Freezing my a$$ of waiting for fireworks; Matterhorn in style;

Understand all that? Good.

We spent like 20 hours in the parks over the course of 2 days. Here we are late at night at the tiny tiny west coast castle

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Castle.jpg

We ate a bunch of cool places, like Steakhouse 55, some Hoop de Doo ripoff, Rancho del Zocalo (AWESOME)pirate: Pizza Oom Mow Mow, Cafe Orleans, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Cafe, and Le Brea "Discount" bakery. (We added the "discount" as a joke, since a bagel and coffee ran you about 15 bucks):eek:

And if all that wasn't enough over a 2 day period, Spence had to get a hot dog from some random place in Downtown Disney at about 12:30 our last night:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Eating.jpg

Attractive.:lovestruc

[NessieBird]

You promised a post and you delivered! Good work!! pirate:
But I have a couple of questions:



Here we are late at night at the tiny tiny west coast castle

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Castle.jpg



1. Where is LeSportsac?
2. Are Cocoa Puffs the new Starky and Hutch?

[monymony3471]

I "almost" forgot to subscribe to this awesome PTR. It is all taken care of now.

I asked about Scott MC's 1 month dance on the count down thread he posted on and he has yet to answer my question. That's ok, I have about a month to wait :rolleyes1

As for the tequila in Epcot, after going through FW, head to your left. If you are playing around the world and begin going to your right, you might not make it to the tequila, or the tequila will keel ya.

[Corysmom]

Nessi. To answer your questions,
1. We got a new, smaller Le Sport Sac, you can see it in my right hand.
2. Don't worry, more pics to come

Just an FYI......I can't post tonite, Spence and I already downed a bottle of wine while lookin at Sean and Kelly's honeymoon pictures online. They went on a Disney cruise. I have five words for all of my fellow travelers:

DISNEY BALTIC CRUISE SUMMER 2011

:yay::yay::yay:

[Scott MC]

Did we all hit the lottery?

[kittyprincess]

Ok, reading a review of The Hoop and it notes that "it is the longest-running musical in the history of American theater." Amazing!! I thought this would be appreciated by some theater fans who are part of this thread...:)
PS--I'm hungry!

I thought CATS was the longest running musical in the history of American theater? Amazing! Great article NessieBird. I didn't know "Hoop De Doo" was a real song sung by Perry Como. Though, they leave out the reason we all go---the food!

Side note - WHY isn't there an emoticon for generic food or noms? Its such an important part of dis! i found specific ones for drinking (of course) :drinking:, cake, :cake: and mickeybar :mickeybar though.

And while I'm in the emoticon mood here's a few random ones! Hello Fairwind! :boat: Rockband! :rockband: and for Scott and Coreysmom a clown :clown:

[Scott MC]

I thought CATS was the longest running musical in the history of American theater? Amazing! Great article NessieBird. I didn't know "Hoop De Doo" was a real song sung by Perry Como. Though, they leave out the reason we all go---the food!

Side note - WHY isn't there an emoticon for generic food or noms? Its such an important part of dis! i found specific ones for drinking (of course) :drinking:, cake, :cake: and mickeybar :mickeybar though.

And while I'm in the emoticon mood here's a few random ones! Hello Fairwind! :boat: Rockband! :rockband: and for Scott and Coreysmom a clown :clown:

Re CATS: It's a good guess, and I'm proud of you for knowing that it's right up there!

Re Perry Como: I actually have the song on my IPod.

Re the clown: Don't stand too close to the edge of the balcony at BLT...just sayin'.

[NessieBird]

I asked about Scott MC's 1 month dance on the count down thread he posted on and he has yet to answer my question. That's ok, I have about a month to wait :rolleyes1


Scott, answer the good woman! We can't afford to lose the one subscriber who isn't one of us. That would be dreadful. :eek:

[Scott MC]

Aaaah! So sorry! Going to do that right now!!!

[Scott MC]

I know what will stimulate this thread......

WHO IS NOT COMING TO THE TEA PARTY

It's PET time!.....Yaaaay!


:jumping1:party::cheer2::yay::woohoo::banana::love struc

I think that everyone on this trip either has or has a significant other who has a pet. Mine will go first...(as they should:rolleyes1)

Meet Grace (L) and Henry (R)

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/DSCF0090.jpg

They are my precious kitties (as Tom calls them) and usually they rule the roost. They don't pose for too many pictures together, but here are a few.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/DSCF0064.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/dkfjieei.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/cute.jpg

I'll discuss Grace first, since she wouldn't have it any other way. She is 9 pounds of woman and she's all woman. I call her Mighty Mouse sometimes. She's much smaller than her brother, yet always seems to be completely in charge. This was her reaction to me going to the GF last year....

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/NaughtyGracie-1.jpg

This year, she didn't take it much better....

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/GRACIE.jpg

She really is my heart and sleeps right up against my heart every night. All kidding aside, she's a living doll.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/DSCF0065.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/DSCF0023.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/aldkfjdf.jpg

Henry is 17 pounds of love and a bit needy. He had some unnecessary surgery last year and has been a bit of a clingy, nervous wreck ever since, much to the chagrin of his sister...and my wallet paying for the pills!

He really is as loveable as they come and is the more outwardly friendly of my two cats. His size makes you just want to squeeze him for hours, and he'd be happy to oblige.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/HENRY.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/DSCF0035.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/DSCF0021.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/dkdkfk.jpg

My lovely sister Erin will be cat-sitting while I'm gone, but the babies insist that it won't be the same. At one point, Henry got a little rowdy and escalated his volume.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Precious%20Kitties/HenryYawn.jpg

I'm going to miss them so much!

[monymony3471]

I know you love your kitties and they are very cute and cuddly, except for that last shot. It is just scary!

[Corysmom]

Scott, great idea! Our babies should be included in the PTR, leaving them at home is probably the only bad thing about our trip. My baby is Cory:
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Hairdo.jpg
Cory was adopted by my grandparents in the summer of 1999. Shortly thereafter, Grampa got sick and had to go to the nursing home, and I moved in with Nana. So Cory and I have been living together since 2001. When Nana became sick, Prof. Bicycle and I had already fallen madly in love, so we said we would become Cory's new parents. Cory is an amazing dog - for years he lived with Nana and I while she struggled with Parkinson's disease. He was her CONSTANT companion, and she loved him so much. Even now that she is very ill, and does not always recognize her family, she responds to Cory, and will call him by name. Animals are amazing. Also, Cory is super cute, and too smart for his own good. And fabulous:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Fab.jpg

He never takes a bad picture:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Coruuuuu.jpg

Cory has been having a hard time recently. He is almost 12, and his back has been bothering him. Then last week one of his best friends, Stan the Pug, passed away. We will all miss Stan. Luckily, Cory's best friend Olivia is only 3, and will be with us for years to come! Olivia is my sister, the Shih Tzu.

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/babycory.jpg

Cory and Ollie spend a lot of time together, and he is trying to show her how to behave like a lady. This past Halloween, they dressed up as a devil:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/IMG_0827.jpg

And a witch:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/IMG_0820.jpg


Even though I miss Cory when we travel, I know he will be happy in the capable hands of my mom. He's happier over at her house anyway.....she has central air.

[NessieBird]

Scott...FAB idea! I love it. Seeing all the pics of H & G together really drives home how he has such a sweet, tender gaze. It also makes it clear that she is staring into the depths of my soul and is judging all she sees. For a little bit, she certainly is intimidating.

PrincessCtr: I need a copy of this pic. SO great. And I think I'm slowly getting used to the fact that you adopted your uncle as your son.

My baby is Cory:
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Hairdo.jpg


As for my kittie-bittens........................................... ....................................
I can't show them to you. (Where is the indignant, pursed-lip emoticon??) What's the point of a phone having a USB cable if I cannot hack into my phone from my computer? Until I get Mikey's assistance, I will give a brief rundown:
Minette
:snooty:
Minnie is my roommate. She's 12, French, and headstrong. And completely, jaw-droppingly, stop-in-your-tracks gorgeous. Well, that's what she tells me and, though I might be biased, I believe her. She loves belly rubs and her food and demands a refill if a tiny bit of bowl can be seen. She also babysits my other kitties.
Growler and Wheezie
:p :cutie:
Of these two was born my description of "failed foster." They were super sickly when I took them in at the beginning of last year. They also wanted little to do with people. But through lots of snugs and cream cheese, they are now my buddies. They are tiny because they were so malnourished as babies. Now Growlie is super-sweet, if a bit wobbly, and enjoys head-butts. I enjoy giving him big hugs. Wheezie likes attention on her own terms. And when it's her terms, she likes purring and very forceful head-butts. She's also classically lovely.
Marcel
:yay:
Mr. Marcel also helped me become a failed foster. He started off purr-hissing and now all he does is follow me around and purr. He's a year younger than the babies, but twice their size. He's also an attention hog. I can't call another cat because he comes running. So I need to gesture wildly and silently to get the others' attention. He was named after Marcel Marceau because as a baby I'd hold him on his back and he'd knead into the air, like a mime.
Twinnie
:rolleyes1
Twinnie lives in my basement and wasn't so sure about me in the beginning. I took her in from outside and she quickly became plump and healthy-looking. She now talks to me all the time and also tries to kill me by weaving in and out of my legs so I can't even walk to the washing machine.

[NessieBird]

Apologies for the awkward ending of that post. I'm such a weirdo. :rolleyes:
I do promise to post their pics bc the world deserves to see them. Well, at least Minnie says that the world should see her. But don't ask for a photo or autograph. She'll go Sean Penn on you.
Til later.

Ciaociao.

[kittyprincess]

Re the clown: Don't stand too close to the edge of the balcony at BLT...just sayin'.

LOL! As long as you do it AFTER our Ashkersh Princess Breakfast. You wouldn't want to be one princess fan short to support that event. princess:

Another thing to discuss on this thread is packing list. I was shopping and realized I need to stock up on tank tops, sunscreen, and sneakers. Not to mention something tropical to wear to O'Hana (which means family). I know Coreysmom is working on a "don't cry to me if you forget these items" list. -Coreysmom want to share?
-Anyone else out there have good packing tips?
:laundy:

[kittyprincess]

He was named after Marcel Marceau because as a baby I'd hold him on his back and he'd knead into the air, like a mime.


LOL! How does Coreysmom feel about this? I think thats pretty close to a clown. I loved learning more of your kitties NessieBird. i have to meet them sometime!

Excellent idea Scott!
My pair of babies are Snickers and Chip (not to be confused with the boats named after them). :boat: Although skeptics claim that they are planning my demise, I heartily defend their honor and know they are purehearted kittehs.

I can supply a photo ONCE i figure out how to post a photo on disboards...sorry.

Snickers is the frisky one and enjoys racing up and down the stairs and usually gets his brother to chase him. He enjoys cardboard boxes, scratching the rug (naughty), looking out the window, and snuggling under my chin on chilly mornings. :hug:

Chip is my ritual cat. He has a ritual for getting treat (scratch the scratching post, look at me for praise, walk to the kitchen for a treat). He also has a ritual for cuddles. After I get in bed, he jumps up and licks my fingers and rubs his head against them. I think he's making me give him a bath. Then he'll read with me and purr as I pet his head. He also prefers drinking from the tub faucet, at 3 a.m. and alerts us of this with loud yowls. Jimmy is not too thrilled with that. :rolleyes:

As I mentioned, they are my babies and will be missed very much on the trip! But they enjoy each other's company so I don't feel too bad leaving them. They are sometimes spotted curled up spooning while they take a nap. Adorable :love:

[monymony3471]

Another thing to discuss on this thread is packing list. I was shopping and realized I need to stock up on tank tops, sunscreen, and sneakers. Not to mention something tropical to wear to O'Hana (which means family). I know Coreysmom is working on a "don't cry to me if you forget these items" list. -Coreysmom want to share?
-Anyone else out there have good packing tips?
:laundy:

This is just off of the top of my head.......

I have kids: (but can also apply to big kids), the stuff I am using to decorate my resorts windows with, (a strand of lights and the foam Mickey mouse heads I cut out and glitter glued our names on, Mickey and Minnie stuffed dolls to display in our windows, and dry erase magnetic board and dry erase markers for passersby to write notes on, my pre-made mouse keeping envelopes, my pre-made cards that I hand out to cast members who I feel went out of their way making our vacation extra magical, I might make some personalized window clings again.

Pull-ups, 3pks of rain ponchos from the dollar store (expect sudden showers throughout your days), double the sun screen, band aids, clear see-through back pack, kool-aid sticks for bottled water, I usually place an order with gardengrocer.com when we fly-to deliver diapers, wipes, cases of water, snacks, and juice to the room but we are driving this time, stroller, sunglasses, hats, pass porter book, pass porter ticket and room key holders, camera, battery charger, extra memory sticks, cell phone and charger, uploaded a free application on my phone called Ride Hopper Lite for wait times and park and parade times (looks really cool) shampoo, conditioner, shavers, extra socks, laundry soap, quarters, ID, insurance/medical cards, money, important papers, pony tail holders, ibuprophren, prescription meds, the itinerary, deodorant, comb/brush, clothes you plan on wearing, extra shoes, bathing suits, go on-line and put a hold on your mail delivery service, autograph books and LARGE Sharpies, lanyards and trading pins, princess costumes for 1900 dinner, daughter’s birthday presents (she is turning 6 while we are there), Benadryl, children’s Tylenol and Motrin, vitamins, insect repellant, bathroom spray (Lysol), the over the door pocket hanger to hold all the necessities, laundry bag for dirty clothes.........I may think of more.

[JNPants]

It's been months in the making, but I have finally broken down and joined the Disboards. Facebook may soon follow. We'll see.

For the three or so people reading along with this PTR, I'm Tom AKA Johnny No Pants. Don't worry, I do routinely wear pants. In fact I'm quite modest, I just packed poorly for a trip to Foxwoods casino and had to awkwardly compromise modesty for comfort in our coed hotel room. Thank you, Coreysmom for the nickname!

Let's see, my Disney history. Well, my first trip was in 1997 with my high school band. NERD ALERT! Yes, my music director scored us a gig playing a short set at the MK one afternoon during Magic Music Days. Imagine 15 year old Tom, with his still-unchanged voice and terrible Beatles haircut, lugging his giant baritone sax, that at that point was almost as tall as him, all the way to Disney for a glorious performance in front of the castle that would ignite his fiery passion for all things Disney for years to come. Sadly, we were rained out and relocated to what I believe was the Boardwalk. Or Downtown Disney. Who knows, it was 13 years ago. Despite the downgrade still an amazing time.

And of course, being a school group, we were hooked up with plush accomodations at the All Star Music Resort. Having never been away on a vacation, let me tell you, this place might as well have been the Grand Floridian to me. In retrospect, the rooms were small, and we were four teenage boys sharing one room (two of which were my brothers...yes, a FAMILY of band nerds!) so things may have gotten a little untidy, but it was still amazing. We spent a lot of time in the piano pool which pumped that horrible Sophie B Hawkins song on endless loop. You know the one, "As I lay me down to sleep blah blah blah". ARGH! That song still drives me a little batty.

The rest of my Disney history is shared with most others going on this trip, so I won't repeat what's already been discussed, but to summarize:

2008: Two words-Bob Lavender. LOVED that house, but, much to Scott MC's delight, I am 99% an on-property convert. Other highlights include being the clear winner of Around the World by being the most lucid and still having room for a martini at the California Grill that night. Also, Coreysmom and I sprinting (and I don't run...ever...clearly) across the park in Hurricane Fay to get on Space Mountain one last time before park closing, while Prof Bicycle and Scott Mc sauntered behind. They bask in smug victory, however, as despite their lethargy in getting there, they did indeed get to be the last two riders of the evening, but Coreysmom and I know the ride meant more to us.

2009: The year of the magical upgrade. Royal Palm Club at the GF, baby! I didn't know this existed. Walking into check-in we were whisked away by Frank past the desk. I was confused, but Scott started to get all excited and trembling while saying "It's happening! It's happening!" There may have been jumping and girlish squealing once we were shown our room.

Since Scott's doing a TR for the 2009 trip, I'll leave it at that. He's a better writer than I am anyways. Get crackin, Scott Mc!

And in the time it took me to write this, my laundry is done and needs to be folded, so no more tonight. Here's the laundry emoticon for your enjoyment. :laundy::

[Scott MC]

SWOON!



Isn't he Grand?

I knew he'd come around. Tom, I'm sure Vanessa will give you a pirate, I'm going to say that you get a Chewbacca. :chewy:

[NessieBird]

Holla JNP! :cool1:
Welcome to the Dis. Great timing as we're now in the home stretch and need all the posts we can get. And Scott is right; you totally get a pirate and a sound effect. Aaargh! pirate:

[Professor Bicycle]

Isn't he Grand?

I knew he'd come around. Tom, I'm sure Vanessa will give you a pirate, I'm going to say that you get a Chewbacca. :chewy:

haha, Chewbacca emoticon...that is classic. Dancing banana is no slouch either :banana:

I know that I owe the story of epic :drinking: before this PTR wraps up...I will get to it soon, I promise...

[kittyprincess]

Johnny NP I thought that was a nickname for your famous work mishap!

:rotfl2:

[JNPants]

Johnny NP I thought that was a nickname for your famous work mishap!

:rotfl2:

Ah yes, the famous work mishap! How many other people can say they were forced to remove their pants at work? Well, probably more than we think, but mine was for reasons of safety. As clarification for our readers, I work at a chemical company and spilled some nasty stuff on myself one day. Thus the need for disrobing. I really don't go around dropping trou on a whim.

[Corysmom]

Thank you Mony, that is a great packing list. Except for maybe the pull ups.....I think that has something to do with potty training, and we're all set I hope.

And yes, KP, I have been compiling a "don't come crying to me" list. Because the list that Monymony has is a great packing list. BUT, for most of that stuff, if you forget it at home you will be able to buy it from Disney for a small king's randsom.

However, there are a few things that you simply cannot replace on the fly, so I expect all travelers to bring the following:

TWO pairs of comfortable/broken in shoes
Camer/blackberry/cellphone
Camera/blackberry/cellphone/ipod chargers
Meds (let's face it....we're all on something)
Extra paid of perscription glasses
GAD voucher
credit card/liscense
Waterproof backpack/bag to carry around in the park (Spence and I will NOT be houseing everyones cameras and cellphone in Le Sport Sac)

More to come as I think of it. :flower3::upsidedow

[monymony3471]

Thank you Mony, that is a great packing list. Except for maybe the pull ups.....I think that has something to do with potty training, and we're all set I hope.



Depends on the seriousness of the around the world game........

[Corysmom]

Depends on the seriousness of the around the world game........

Yikes! You make a good point, after last time I should be prepared to take care of my husband under a variety of circumstances. Let's just say last around with world ended with him, in nothing but a pair of cargo shorts, standing in the driveway of Bob Lavender's house.

(And the "depends" was not lost on me!):rotfl:

[Corysmom]

So I have a few exciting updates for the trip. We have added two new players!

Bok is my brother in law, Brof. Bicycle's brother. He just graduated from college with a dual major in economics and business. Or something along those lines. He can currently be found playing video games on his parent's couch. If anyone knows of a job opening...........Mom and Dad are sending him on this trip as a graduation present. And I secretly think they want the house to themselves for a week.

We have also added Mrs. Wirzburger. (We may come up with a better nickname later.) She has been dating our wonderful Burger for several months now, and as far as we can tell, that pot finally found it's lid.:banana:

So anyway, they are all signed up. The only problem is that we have most of our ADRs for 9 people, and we're going to be upwards of 11 a lot of the time. We'll just need some cast members to work their magic.

And as for me and Prof. Bicycle and our Disney adventures 2010. When we left off we had just finished 2 hard core days in Disneyland. While the rest of our party opted to fly to San Fransisco for the wedding, we did the 7 hour drive, simply because we love road trips! I got to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time, it was very romantic.

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Beach-1.jpg

We also ate lunch at In & Out Burger....which was also super romantic. And just AWESOME. In & Out Burger gets a pirate and a star wars thing. pirate::chewy:

We had the BEST TIME in San Fran, the bride and groom spent a lot of time planning our trip, and it really paid off. On the first day we went to the Disney family museum. It was amazing - we spent hours there. One of the docents actually told our group we should hurry up, or we would never see it all. :lmao: We saw Walt's Oscar for Snow White (the one with the big Oscar and 7 little ones) the FIRST drawing of Mickey, and just 100s of other amazing things. You are not allowed to photograph inside, but we can prove we were there:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/WDM.jpg

The next day was the wedding. We took a trolley tour around the city, and had our picture snapped in all different places:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/SanFran.jpg

Then, the day after that, came Blazing Saddles. We biked TEN MILES AROUND A CITY MADE OF HILLS. It was horrible, and by the end of the day.....I will tell you....my saddle was blazing. Of course Starsky and Hutch came along for the ride. Here we are at the beginning of the day before my attitude changed:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Blazing.jpg


On the last day we went on the Wine Train. It's pretty much the way it sounds, drinking on a triain. It was fabulous. We also kidnapped a guy named Cesar, but since that really has nothing to do with Disney I won't tell the story. Same thing with regards to the criminal activities involving a sourdough turtle named Tortuga, washing dishes as Hunan House, and why the tour guide at Alkatraz is like a stand up comedian. Everyone have a good night!

[NessieBird]

I'm so glad this thing is alive again! :cool1: I'm posting to boost it further up the PTR queue with the hopes that some night owls will find it and invariably fall in love with it. :love:
I'm also trying to clear my mind enough to FINALLY choose a shirt design for the group shirts we're ordering. The number of choices is staggering, plus Mikey, obvi, fell asleep early on this crucial night. Thusly I am making an executive decision on his design. And he best like it. (Where is the firm head nod emoticon?? I think I'm going to design my own and make a fortune off of it. And with that fortune, Princess Ctr, I will buy a posh Disney vacation home because some people are too cheap to fork over a few hundred k...) But I digress!!
Ok, back to t-shirt designs. I need to get this done and get to bed. I'm beat!

Ciaociao!

[Corysmom]

So our most recent Disney adventure of the year was a long weekend back in June. We stayed in some random vacation place off site (Vista Cay?) which was perfectly fine, and dirt cheap. However, it was closer to Universal than Disney, which is not really our thing. My mom booked the trip, what can you do? :confused3

Our first day we went to Universal to see the new Harry Potter land. It gets a "meah" from us. I mean, the castle was cute, and the ride was fun, but it did give Prof. Bicycle motion sickness. Our one observation was that everything was way too small. I mean, we were there during a preview (which I knew was going on thanks to my friends on the DIS) so Universal was only letting in a certain number of people in the morning.....and it was super croweded. I felt so claustophobic in the stores that I left without buying anything. And the rest of the day at Universal was OK. Every ride we stood in line for broke at least once. Universal gets a C+ in my book. We went to Boma that night for dinner. We LOVE AKL. Like LOVE AKL. We went early and looked at all the animals, and spent a while speaking with a cast member from So. Africa who was there for the college program. THen we had a drink at the bar, and stuffed our faces at Boma. We had never been there before, and it was great. A.

Then, the next day, was the GREATEST. We went to the Studios for a Star Wars Weekend day. We were up and literally the first people at the rope for rope drop. I was the first in line that day to meet mickey!! (Yes, I know it's sad. My mom judges.) Anyway, who wouldn't want to add this picture to their collection???

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Starwars.jpg



We saw the parade, and went to a Q&A session with Billie Dee Williams, and Ray Parks. Now, I don't know anything about Star Wars, but I guess they were both in a Star Wars movie. I was sort of hoping for Harrison Ford, but he was busy I guess. Bille Dee was a close second.

There was just a lot to see and do that day, we had a wonderful time. Check out this pic of us with Darth Vader. I think Prof. Bicycle was really scared of him.....notice the six inches of space between him and Darth:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Darth.jpg

We also met one of the new characters from Toy Story. The new characters have also already been integrated into TSM.

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Bear.jpg

We had late lunch/early dinner at Holly Brown Derby, quite tasty. Overall it was a wonderful day, A+!!!!

The next day we went to AK in the morning, and hung out with Sean and Kelly at night. We went to the first night of Summer Nighttastic to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade and Fireworks. Both were great, but the MK was filled to the brim....it was hard to move. And about 150 degrees. Just standing there at 11:00 PM I was so hot the sweat was going down my pack into my undies. Gross.

:)

[kittyprincess]

A big shout out to Scott for organizing our matching t-shirts for the trip! :cheer2: The photos are going to come out great! :3dglasses

I am so excited about this year's trip. Every year it gets better and bigger. Now we're up to 11 people! That's awesome. How cool is it that we can go to disney year after year, and its always a new, exciting experience?

Less than three weeks to go! pirate:

[kittyprincess]

Our first day we went to Universal to see the new Harry Potter land. It gets a "meah" from us. I mean, the castle was cute, and the ride was fun, but it did give Prof. Bicycle motion sickness. Our one observation was that everything was way too small. I mean, we were there during a preview (which I knew was going on thanks to my friends on the DIS) so Universal was only letting in a certain number of people in the morning.....and it was super croweded. I felt so claustophobic in the stores that I left without buying anything. And the rest of the day at Universal was OK. Every ride we stood in line for broke at least once. Universal gets a C+ in my book.

There was just a lot to see and do that day, we had a wonderful time. Check out this pic of us with Darth Vader. I think Prof. Bicycle was really scared of him.....notice the six inches of space between him and Darth:

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/PrincessCtr/2010/Darth.jpg



We are going to Universal in Jan. hopefully the harry potter ride and attraction will be less crowded then, but doubtful. Hey PC do you know what the crowd level is the week AFTER new years? I'm assuming not too bad since the kiddies are back in school.

Also, love the photo with you guys and Darth Vader. I would be a foot away from him too - I don't blame you! And love the thumbs up you're giving the photographer. Sarcasm perhaps? ;)

[NessieBird]

The next day we went to AK in the morning, and hung out with Sean and Kelly at night. We went to the first night of Summer Nighttastic to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade and Fireworks. Both were great, but the MK was filled to the brim....it was hard to move. And about 150 degrees. Just standing there at 11:00 PM I was so hot the sweat was going down my pack into my undies. Gross.

:)
While this is certainly gross, it didn't temper how hard I laughed when I read it. Go color commentary! :thumbsup2

A big shout out to Scott for organizing our matching t-shirts for the trip! :cheer2: The photos are going to come out great! :3dglasses


Agreed. Scott is a true team player for handling the shirts. I'm sure the design will be perfection.
As part of my preparation, tonight I'm taking a walk down memory lane to the Wonderful World of Disney to watch Mr. Boogedy. Bride of Boogedy will be watched at a later date. Can't. Wait. :cool1:

[kittyprincess]

Props to NessBird too for the original tshirt design, though sadly we couldn't use it, maybe we can use it elsewhere? On the agenda perhaps?:thumbsup2:thumbsup2

[Scott MC]

A big shout out to Scott for organizing our matching t-shirts for the trip! :cheer2: The photos are going to come out great! :3dglasses

I am so excited about this year's trip. Every year it gets better and bigger. Now we're up to 11 people! That's awesome. How cool is it that we can go to disney year after year, and its always a new, exciting experience?

Less than three weeks to go! pirate:

Thanks!, but wow...super awkward for you. We're actually up to 12!

Rejoice, Mary Willowtree will be joining us as well! She'll be sleeping between you and Jimmy.

[Scott MC]

Our t-shirts have been shipped!

Hopefully I'll be able to pass them out on Sunday when we hail the eminent arrival Fuquon Malik Ferreira!

[NessieBird]

Props to NessBird too for the original tshirt design, though sadly we couldn't use it, maybe we can use it elsewhere? On the agenda perhaps?:thumbsup2:thumbsup2
Gracias, but no props required. I'm just happy the shirts became a reality!:goodvibes
Our t-shirts have been shipped!

Hopefully I'll be able to pass them out on Sunday when we hail the eminent arrival Fuquon Malik Ferreira!

Woot! That was fast. I was making my packing list earlier and nearly forgot to include it! I quickly amended this grave error. Good work on choosing such a speedy site! :thumbsup2

[kittyprincess]

Thanks!, but wow...super awkward for you. We're actually up to 12!

Rejoice, Mary Willowtree will be joining us as well! She'll be sleeping between you and Jimmy.

Yay 12 is way better than 11! I got confused with PC's count for our ADR's...
Looking forward to Mary Willowtree joining us and getting to know her better! MUCH better if she's sharing our bed....:scared1:

[NessieBird]

Looking forward to Mary Willowtree joining us and getting to know her better! MUCH better if she's sharing our bed....:scared1:

:lmao: I'm imagining she of the legs for miles just plopped in between you and Jimmy. Hilarious. And cozy??? ;)

[NessieBird]

"His face was all yucky and...like a grilled cheese sandwich or something!"
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/boogedy.jpg
Boogedy....Boogedy...BOO!

[Scott MC]

"His face was all yucky and...like a grilled cheese sandwich or something!"
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/boogedy.jpg
Boogedy....Boogedy...BOO!

Um...you've just bought Henry about 2 years on the couch. Thanks.


I'm excited for Noelle/Fuquon's shower tomorrow...some of you will be receiving your magical luggage tags (which are impossible to stick to your luggage), and your Magical Express Stickers. Rejoice! We're coming up on the single digit mark, and Miker's favorite, the 100 hour countdown!

[NessieBird]

Um...you've just bought Henry about 2 years on the couch. Thanks.

Sorry, Mr. Henry! Big hug instead. :hug:

...some of you will be receiving your magical luggage tags (which are impossible to stick to your luggage
Mikey and I have worked these before; perhaps we can help troubleshoot.

Also, we should update the title of this thread...we are no longer 9, but 12!:dance3::dance3::dance3::dance3:

[Scott MC]

...or 13!

:dance3::dance3::dance3::dance3::)

[kittyprincess]

thanks to Scott for hand-delivering our custom designed tshirts for the trip today!!!

My t shirt fits! :simba: Actually perfect fit so after 1 washing :laundy: will become pj's or a running tee but that's ok!!! just got a text from miker that his fit too. i jogged over to his house to hand deliver them. :tigger: disney is making me healthier already!

scott - did vbtesla get back to you on lai's for ohana which means family?

also, i ran across this cool craft project for anyone who's into disney themed jewelry out of those pennies you can smoosh into disney designs...hard to explain but here is the link http://www.epbot.com/2010/07/simply-smashing-penny-jewelry.html#more

[Scott MC]

Lisa,
Glad to hear the shirt fits! I trust Jimmy's does too?

I did hear back from VBsHustla and I'll quote them:

"We got them the first time we went but not in March or last Sept. I will love it if you bring your own leis!"

---------

I did have quite the day today! The tee shirts we designed came last night, and I was horrified to find that they seemed to run very small. My shirt is unwearable and out of 12, I have 3 so far that need to be reordered. I'm hoping to do that tomorrow. I've only not heard from Jimmy, Jen, Vanessa and Mikey.
In order to get this ball rolling, and since being a teacher I have this week and next off, I decided to take a road trip and hand deliver the shirts. It was a swell deal as I got to see Cory (of Corysmom fame), and have lunch with Lisa at Cotton, one of my favorite restaurants in Manchester, NH.

We're about to do the single digit dance!

[monymony3471]

So anyway, they are all signed up. The only problem is that we have most of our ADRs for 9 people, and we're going to be upwards of 11 a lot of the time. We'll just need some cast members to work their magic.



1900 Park Fare just released a boat load of available tables and times for dining from about mid August down. Go check!

[kittyprincess]

Yes Jimmy's tshirt fits and he loves it!
Good tip about the dining openings! I think we're all pretty maxed out on sit down credits though.

[kittyprincess]

I did hear back from VBsHustla and I'll quote them:

"We got them the first time we went but not in March or last Sept. I will love it if you bring your own leis!"


I will find some lovely leis for us!!! :daisy:

[NessieBird]

So, have we explained how we've grown from 9 to 13? Possibly, but not sure. If this is a dupe, just disregard (as everyone except for us and 3 other readers has done :confused3).
So, the original 9 were:
From the DIS:
ScottMC
JNPants
Corysmom
Professor Bicycle
kittyprincess
NessieBird
Not from the DIS:
Chip and Snickers' Dad
Burger
Uncle Jesse

Then Burger found his lady-love. We shall call her Jen as I don't know her well enough to saddle her with some unfortunate nickname.
And Corysmom and Prof. Bicycle invited Bok, who is Prof. Bicycle's brother. So, we're at 11 if your math is a bit fuzzy.
Mary Willowtree (whom I call "Legs" because girlfriend has them for miles) is also joining us. As Scott mentioned in his first TR (which you can find in his sig!), she enjoys wide-open spaces and prefers to book her own room, but will come along for our (non-early morning!) activities.
And last Saturday, I received a call from Uncle Jesse informing me that 3 of his relatives from Italy were coming to visit...on Friday (yes, tomorrow)! I was incredulous. Luckily, I snapped a pic of my reaction:
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/ABI.jpg

What? If he's Uncle Jesse, shouldn't I be Aunt Becky? (Albeit Aunt Becky in a woefully unsuccessful attempt to crop a photo.)

Anyhow, after my initial shock wore off, we realized that leaving his 26 yr old cousin home alone with just two sets of parents probably wasn't going to be fun for him. Luckily, we have a great group of friends who realized that Disney World is a HUGE deal for Europeans and that we'd get to see the World along with a first-timer, which is always fun. So, cousin Andrea will join Mike and me on the ride down to Florida (during which he'll see Mike's sis who hasn't been to Italy in prob 15 years!) and then stay with us until an early morning flight on Wednesday.

So...that's the story. I'll leave you for now with a great, recent shot of Mike and me:
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/ABUJ.jpg
Have mercy.

Ciaociao!

[NessieBird]

As for my kittie-bittens........................................... ....................................
I can't show them to you. (Where is the indignant, pursed-lip emoticon??) What's the point of a phone having a USB cable if I cannot hack into my phone from my computer? Until I get Mikey's assistance, I will give a brief rundown:
Minette
:snooty:
Minnie is my roommate. She's 12, French, and headstrong. And completely, jaw-droppingly, stop-in-your-tracks gorgeous. Well, that's what she tells me and, though I might be biased, I believe her. She loves belly rubs and her food and demands a refill if a tiny bit of bowl can be seen. She also babysits my other kitties.
Growler and Wheezie
:p :cutie:
Of these two was born my description of "failed foster." They were super sickly when I took them in at the beginning of last year. They also wanted little to do with people. But through lots of snugs and cream cheese, they are now my buddies. They are tiny because they were so malnourished as babies. Now Growlie is super-sweet, if a bit wobbly, and enjoys head-butts. I enjoy giving him big hugs. Wheezie likes attention on her own terms. And when it's her terms, she likes purring and very forceful head-butts. She's also classically lovely.
Marcel
:yay:
Mr. Marcel also helped me become a failed foster. He started off purr-hissing and now all he does is follow me around and purr. He's a year younger than the babies, but twice their size. He's also an attention hog. I can't call another cat because he comes running. So I need to gesture wildly and silently to get the others' attention. He was named after Marcel Marceau because as a baby I'd hold him on his back and he'd knead into the air, like a mime.
Twinnie
:rolleyes1
Twinnie lives in my basement and wasn't so sure about me in the beginning. I took her in from outside and she quickly became plump and healthy-looking. She now talks to me all the time and also tries to kill me by weaving in and out of my legs so I can't even walk to the washing machine.[/QUOTE]

[NessieBird]

Ok, tried adding the pics in, but it was all wonky. So here we go...may I present...my kitties!

First, Minette (though I wish I had a pic that better showed her beautiful green eyes!):
Isn't she glorious?
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Gloriousminnie1.jpg

She enjoys belly-rubs and asks for them by doing "foppies." (Yes, that's the technical term.)
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Minniefoppies.jpg

She also likes caves very much.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Minnieinacave.jpg

Growler and Wheezie:
Growler enjoys the Celtics and sticking out his tongue.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Growlietongue.jpg

He also does a mean Gilbert Gottfried squint.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Growliestare.jpg

He's excellent at helping me work from home.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Growlieworking.jpg

As stated, Wheezie is classically lovely.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Wheezie.jpg

Her "likes" include homemade catnip toys.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Wheezieplaying.jpg

To be continued....

[NessieBird]

Mr. Marcel:
He likes to be held like a baby for his naps.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Marcelsleeping.jpg

Sometimes he sunbathes during naps.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Marcelsleeping2.jpg

And I realized he photographs way more serious than he really is.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Marcel.jpg

Group shots!
Baby cat snuggle-nap!
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Babies.jpg

Marrcel and Growlie help me to read.
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Boysreading.jpg

In lieu of Twinnie, who doesn't like to be photographed, is Riley, my brother:
He looks so desolate next to a fluff of cat fur and a baby sock...
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Riley.jpg

Finally, I think everyone who's a part of this trip will agree that this little guy deserves a spot on here...he needs nintroduction, but I'll give him one:
ALBIE!! (not this blurry in real life)
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy26/Nessa1248/Albie.jpg

[kittyprincess]

Aww I love the nickname "Snickers and Chip's Dad" It fits him so well! :love:

I am already dreaming of the photo book I'm going to make on Snapfish from this trip!!!!

Excellent explanation NessieBird - it needed to be done for our adoring fans. :yay:

[Scott MC]

Oh those glorious kitties!
I've been privilaged enough to view that glory that is Minnette in the past, but it's my first glimpse of her royal subjects! They are all glorious.

I'm currently here in Georgia enjoying the slow pace of life, craving a Mint Julip, but being very happily entertained by Jack, a 4 year old chiuaua, who bears an eerie resemblance to Grace...don't tell her.

I'm looking forward to seeing y'all tomorrow afternoon to make Mousekeeping envelopes. I have so many stickers to bring!

Oh, and BTW, NessieBird.....you've always been Aunt Becky in my heart.
HAVE MERCY! :worship:

[kittyprincess]

So what's everybody doing to prepare these final few days before the trip? (besides packing!)
We're watching the Lion King tonight - first time in years!
And, pedicure on Weds for meoo00iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiii

WOW that was seriously snickers standing on my keyboard. I was typing "me" and he added the ooo's to make it "meooo" (meow). sooo cute and smart! he was saying hi.

also i need to clean the house. it is a wreck after a very busy weekend!

[kittyprincess]

interesting snippet from a tripadvisor.com reviewer on blt!

"We are DVC members, so we spent a couple evenings at the Top of the World lounge on the 16th floor. It is fantastic and a great place to watch the fireworks from Magic Kingdom. While its supposedly for DVC members staying at the resort only, I think it largely depends on who is working the lounge check in desk. The first visit we were asked for our DVC card, our 2nd visit we just asked to be let up and he did so without asking for anything.":yay:

i say we go up there and ask to be let in during off-peak hours (i read it can get quite busy) and act innocent/clueless if they ask for our dvc cards. (i'm very good at this)

also - are we requesting a high floor? tripadvisor reviews recommend it.

[JNPants]

I believe Scott mentioned tonight calling and making the request for a high floor even numbered room.

As far as last minute preparations, today I got an awesome Mexico t-shirt to wear on Around the World day and a few other new clothing items. I'm also planning to clean my apartment at some point so I can come home to a pristine, stress-free environment.

Another question for y'all. Is anyone else having as much trouble staying focused at work as I am? Somehow, carbon black just isn't that exciting with Disney on the horizon.

[kittyprincess]

Yes, work is not as exciting as googling our hotel and prepping my packing list!!

[Scott MC]

So, on Sunday night, after some lovely bowling, a good number of us got together to create envelopes that would make things more interesting for our Mousekeepers.....What do y'all think?

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0094.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0115.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0095.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0096.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0097.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0098.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0099.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0100.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0101.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0103.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0104.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0105.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0106.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0107.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0107.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0109.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0113.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k33/willtru78/Disney%202010/Mousekeeping%20Envelopes/CIMG0114.jpg

[NessieBird]

As I sit here eating the breakfast my lovely mother surprised me with...I realize that this vacation is allegedly almost here. :confused3 I'm dubious. I mean, I supposed to leave today to start our vacation, but am I really? After all, IT'S NEVER GOING TO GET HERE!!! So, we'll see if it actually does start today, or, like Tracy said, I'll wake up and it's June 14. :confused:

[NessieBird]

Lisa, I LOVE that Snickers made a cameo on our thread. Classic. :rotfl:
And Scott? Thanks for showing off our artwork! There are so many great ones, I'm not sure of my fav, but I'm leaning heavily to your sister's Full House masterpiece.:thumbsup2

[UncleOrville]

LOVE those envelopes! :love: The waves splashing up on the Zac Efron one and the accompanying text are classic! :lmao:

[kittyprincess]

Excellent envelopes! I have to say the one with the glitter princess is my fav, followed by a close second by the Cat one. But they're all excellent!!!

NessieBird, have a great ride down! I'm jealous you get to start your vaca earlier than the rest of us!! I'm glad you appreciated Snickers' cameo. He's not excited for us to leave him for a week but at least he appreciates why we'd want to go see a giant mouse.

[Corysmom]

Yes, the envelopes are look really good. I'm pretty sure the Mousekeepers are going to think we are two rooms full of crazy people. But they were fun to make.

[kittyprincess]

Must I be the only one to acknowledge the elephant in the room?

Ahem..

ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!
ONE DAY TO VACATION!


:banana::love::hippie::cloud9::cool1::dance3:
pirate:

[Scott MC]

Oh, we're already considering ourselves on vacation....
We just had dinner with Joe (Tom's friend from work) at the fabulous Centro. Now it's time to drift off since that alarm clock will go off very early. I'm even going to remove my banners and leave a link to follow my Tweets. I hope I can keep up with them to the degree that my good friends in VBsHustla have on their vacations

So does the PTR end here now that 7 of us are going to be in Florida by this time tomorrow?

Hmmm......

I guess it's time to start thinking of names for the actual TR!

I"M SO EXCITED! pixiedust:

[UncleOrville]

Have so much fun, guys! :yay: We'll be following your tweets, and Liz will be seeing you there! :goodvibes

[Scott MC]

*SNIFF*

Why aren't we back here again?