My Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Trip Planning Session… [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

Janet2k

08-30-2004, 12:42 AM

Okay, I had the Wedding Pavilion booked for my vow renewal ceremony, now what? This wedding / vow renewal stuff was all new to me since I had eloped the first time. I wasn't sure what to do next, so I took a deep breath and decided that I should start at the beginning. I couldn't go wrong if I started at the beginning.

When one has important news to share, who do they want to share it with first? Why, their parents, of course. Being the high-tech geek that I was, I sent my Dad the following e-mail message instead of picking up the telephone and calling him (I should note that the 3-hour time zone change between where I lived and where my Dad lived probably had more to do with my mode of communication than anything else):

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Dad,

You and Mom are invited to Rick & my 20th wedding anniversary vow renewal ceremony. Rick & I will be renewing our vows inside Disney's lovely Wedding Pavilion (it's a very pretty building that sits next to the Grand Floridian Resort). Our ceremony will be simple, followed by the proverbial cutting of the wedding cake (I hear the Disney wedding cakes are scrumptious). We'll be renewing our vows on Wednesday, October 27th, at 2 PM. I'll invite my siblings and their families to it, too.

I already have a few rooms booked at the BoardWalk Villas in hopes that a few of you will come (I used my Disney Vacation Club points for the reservations). If we need more rooms, I will book them. If no one wants to join us, that's okay, too. I just thought that for 20 years, Rick and I should do something really special in our favorite vacation place. It will be fun to tell Rick all over again how much I love him. I don't know if he caught it the first time around.

Love, Janet
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When I finally spoke to my parents, they told me they would love to join us for our vow renewal in Florida. That made me very happy.

I called my younger sister and extended an invitation to her family next. She was just as excited about attending the vow renewal as my parents were. That made me feel very good. You always wonder how people will react to the news that you're renewing your wedding vows. Will they think it silly? Or will they think it romantic? Luckily for me, my family thought it was terribly romantic.

With the Wedding Pavilion already booked, I next had to book the Magic Kingdom Bridal Portrait Session. There was no way I was going to have a Fairy Tale Weddings anything without a photo of my husband and I standing in front of Cinderella Castle. I mean, what would the point be of all that fairy tale stuff if you couldn't get a photo with a castle in it?

It took a few days to get the photo session booked, and once it was, I sent the following e-mail to my husband:

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Rick,

Well, we are officially booked for our Cinderella Castle photo session early (very early) in the morning on the day before our vow renewal ceremony. I think that will work out perfectly. It should be a lot of fun for you & I, I'm just not sure what to do about our daughter because only the bride & groom are allowed inside the theme park for the photo session. If none of our family attends our vow renewal ceremony, I'll have to see if Disney can hook us up with an in-room babysitter. I think the photo session starts at 6 AM (before sunrise).

Yahoo! We're officially a Fairy Tale couple. And they lived happily ever after...

Love, Janet
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I should note that booking the Magic Kingdom Bridal Portrait session wasn't as easy as it seemed. There is only one session a day and they book up fast. When I booked mine earlier this year, almost all of the dates in late October / early November were taken already (my actual vow renewal date had already snagged by someone else). Read what I sent to Nutz4dzny regarding this topic:

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Nutz4dzny,

I was finally able to book my Magic Kingdom Bridal Portrait session this afternoon. Rick & I had both been calling Disney photography for the past three days and they finally called us back today. There were five dates available during my 17-day stay in October, and I was able to snag one of them (the session on the morning of my vow renewal had already been taken). Only one of these sessions a day can exist, so as you can see, they are rather popular with the Fairy Tale Weddings couples. I’m just so thankful that Rick & I were able to book a session. We’ll get our photos taken in front of Cinderella Castle very early one morning before the park opens. It should be fun and the photos should be beautiful.

Securing the Wedding Pavilion and the Magic Kingdom Bridal Portrait session were the two top priorities on my list. I’m glad they’re out of the way. I now have to worry about photography and videography for the vow renewal ceremony and the cake-cutting ceremony. I think I get photography through Disney as part of my wedding package, but I’m not sure (I’ll find out when I receive my FTW info packet in a couple weeks). As to videography, I know there are a couple of nice companies in the Orlando area, so if I don’t go through Disney for videography, I’ll go with an outside vendor.

Thanks for letting me share.

Janet
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I was thrilled when the Magic Kingdom Bridal Portrait Session had finally been booked.

For those of you who don't know anything about Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings packages, I should probably take a little time to mention them. There are two main categories of packages: Intimate and Custom. The Intimate package is the most inexpensive and the Custom package is the most expensive.

In order to keep costs down, I initially had booked what is called an "Intimate" package. An Intimate wedding / vow renewal can only be held on Monday through Thursday, and only during certain times of the day. There are different categories of the Intimate package, but since I had wanted to renew my vows inside the Wedding Pavilion, that threw me into the highest-priced Intimate category. If I had wanted to renew my vows elsewhere on WDW property, it would have been more inexpensive.

I'll state below what is currently found on Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings (http://disneyweddings.go.com/site/gate/index.jsp) website in regards to the Premium Vow Renewal package (the one I had to book):

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Premium Vow Renewal

With all the splendor of a classic Victorian summer home, Disney's Wedding Pavilion offers endless enchanting possibilities for renewing your vows. With its palm-fringed solarium, and views of Cinderella Castle across the Seven Seas Lagoon, this magnificent non-denominational chapel can accommodate your Intimate Vow Renewal in rare style and grace.

Magical Amenities Include:

· Your vow renewal held at Disney's Wedding Pavilion (Subject to availability and scheduled Monday through Thursday only)
· One organist and solo musician for the vow renewal
· Reception, including wedding cake and champagne at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
· On-site Vow Renewal coordinator
· Officiant to perform Vow Renewal ceremony
· Two hours of professional wedding photography
· Wedding Website listing Vow Renewal information
· Disney Vow Renewal certificate
· Four consecutive hours of a limousine charter for transportation to and from ceremony and reception from your Walt Disney World Resort
· Luxurious accommodations at a selected Walt Disney World Resort
· Two Ultimate Park Hopper Tickets including admission to the Walt Disney World Theme Parks, Water Parks and Pleasure Island for the length of your package (During some periods of time, only one Water Park may be open and, on occasion, both may be closed due to weather)
· Unlimited use of the Walt Disney World transportation system (monorail, motor coach, and ferryboat) from check-in until the end of the day you check out
- - - - - - -

I originally had wanted to renew my vows on Halloween since that is the day that my husband and I first met. It is also my favorite day out of the whole year (I think that explains a lot about my personality, doesn't it). But Halloween fell on a Sunday this year. That meant I would have to book the more expensive "Custom" package. I didn't want to spend that kind of money if only a few people were going to attend my ceremony. Plus, I had booked multiple BoardWalk Villas rooms around the October 27th date. Moving those reservations to incorporate Halloween would be nearly impossible. The Halloween timeframe is extremely popular with the DVC crowd. And so I stuck with the Intimate package and the Wednesday afternoon vow renewal ceremony.

An Intimate package limited me to 8 guests (plus my husband and myself). For an additional fee, I could increase the headcount by 5 people (that fee was an additional $500). That would cap my vow renewal at 15 people maximum – including my husband and myself. If I went one person over that limit, I would have to switch to the Custom package.

The Custom packages can get quite pricey rather quickly. Currently for a wedding / vow renewal on Monday through Thursday, the Custom package starts at $7,500, plus tax and gratuity (presently a combined 26.5%). For a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday ceremony, the Custom package starts at $10,000, plus tax and gratuity. (I should note that weddings / vow renewals on certain dates start at $15,000 to $20,000, plus tax and gratuity.)

Since I had the Intimate package booked, I had 11 people who I could invite to my ceremony (the other 4 slots were taken up by my husband, our son, our daughter, and myself). That seriously limited who I could invite to my vow renewal. Luckily, my Florida vow renewal was what was considered a "destination" ceremony since none of my guests lived there. That limited who would want to attend because of the cost involved in a destination event (plane tickets, hotel rooms, food, and other incidentals).

Fate was kind to me because there were exactly 11 people who I knew without a doubt would want to attend no matter where my vow renewal was held. However, I should note that there were other people who were close to me who I knew would never attend a Walt Disney World vow renewal – for example, one of my sisters and my brother. A trip to Walt Disney World was, sadly, not their cup of tea. My husband and I had been inviting their families to join us on Walt Disney World vacations for years. We were used to them turning us down. We knew our vow renewal ceremony would be no different, but I must admit that it still hurt when they turned us down (I am human, after all).

I sent another message to my Dad:

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Dad,

Well, Rick & I are moving right along with our vow renewal plans. I finally broke the news to my buddies today (see e-mail below). They already know that I’m insane and this will just cement that fact in their minds. But they have a lot of fun teasing me, so I expect the teasing to begin in earnest very quickly.

I won’t be able to invite my friends to my vow renewal ceremony because my headcount is capped at 15 people total (including Rick & I). That way the cost remains fairly low for me. If you & Mom, Aunt Lillie, my siblings & their families attend, that will take up all the available spots. If none of you attend, no big deal, as the cost is the same regardless if 15 people attend or only 2 people attend (me & Rick).

I had Rick call my older sister yesterday to invite her family to the ceremony. He spoke with her husband, who promised to relay the news. I honestly don’t expect them to come – they’ve never joined us on any of our WDW vacations so I don’t expect this one to be any different. And that’s okay. If they don’t come, I will invite my friends to take their place. But it would be nice if my sister's family joined us. I think my niece & nephew would have a ball, and heck, my sister & brother-in-law might enjoy themselves, too, who knows.

I will try to call this weekend if I don’t have to work.

Hugs & kisses, Janet
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It was time to alert my little circle of friends to my vow renewal. Over the years those friends have never let an opportunity pass by when they didn't tease me about my love of Walt Disney World. I braced myself for the worst:

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Hey, gang.

Just thought I’d let you know that Rick & I are officially a Fairy Tale couple. Yep, we’ll be renewing our wedding vows in October on our 20th wedding anniversary (we booked the date this week). We’ll be saying “I love you” all over again inside Disney’s beautiful Wedding Pavilion. That makes us an official Fairy Tale couple. (I hope that guarantees us an “And they lived happily ever after…”) By the way, this afternoon we officially booked our portrait session in front of Cinderella Castle, so I’ll have lots of sappy photos to share with you guys towards the end of this year. All I have left to do is find some sort of pretty dress to wear (easier said than done).

Janet
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The responses quickly started to come in from my buddies. Believe it or not, they actually toned them down a tiny bit (I was surprised; maybe Disney brings out the best in people):

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Hey, Janet. For a minute I thought you said "Fairy Tail" couple... sigh - gotta get these glasses checked. Congrats!
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And then this one:

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Hello, Janet. My wife and I have renewed our vows many times, but never in a Mickey Mouse pavilion.
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I couldn't let that one pass by without sending a link to photos of Disney's gorgeous Wedding Pavilion, and so I sent the following:

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I’m sorry to hear that. By the way, here are a few photos of the Wedding Pavilion where Rick and I will be renewing our vows: click here. (http://disney.go.com/vacations/disneyweddings/gallery/pavilion/popup1.html)

Janet
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I think that got their attention:

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Looks really nice, Janet. Isn't that the Grand Floridian in the background? Are you inviting any guests?
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And before I could respond, another one of my buddies sent this one:

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She better invite Mickey - and let's not forget Goofy... ;-)
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My friend had asked the question that I had hoped he wouldn't ask… Are you inviting anyone to the ceremony? Boy, how did I answer that one? Rick & I were trying to keep the costs down. Plus, we didn't think any of them would want to fly all the way to the East Coast to attend a simple vow renewal ceremony.

Before I answered my friends, I discussed the topic in-depth with my husband. I told him that I would extend an invitation to my little clique, but if any of them accepted, we would have to change our Intimate vow renewal to a ~gulp~ Custom one. My husband thought it over and gave me his okay.

I sent the following message:

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Thanks, friend. The chapel is lovely and doesn’t look anything like that “famous” guy with the big black ears (I bet you were surprised). That is indeed the Grand Floridian Resort in the background (it’s Rick’s favorite resort). Most of you folks know that the Grand Floridian Resort (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding?id=GrandFloridianResortLandingPage) was based upon the Hotel Del Coronado (http://www.hoteldelcoronado.com/) in California (the Hotel Del Coronado was used in that great movie, “Some Like It Hot”). The wedding pavilion sits next to the resort. I haven’t been inside it yet but have seen many photos of it. Disney designed it so that it would be non-denominational and all faiths would feel welcome. Rick & I watched the pavilion being built during one of our vacations, and we always said that someday we would like to have a vow renewal ceremony there. Well, someday is coming this year. It’s finally our turn.

If any of you folks want to join us on October 27th, come on down! You already know that Rick & I love company whenever we’re on vacation. If any of you are tempted to see me in a nice dress after all of these years (yikes – I’m going to have to shave my legs, aren’t I?), just let me know. So far I’ve only asked my parents and siblings to join us. It would be nice if family and friends were there for us, but Rick & I know that traveling to a destination wedding is not easy, nor is it cheap. Our feelings won’t be hurt if no one can make it. We’ve lived on the West Coast without any family near us for almost 20 years now. We’re used to being on our own. Our vow renewal ceremony will be lovely even if it’s just the two of us, have no fear.

Janet
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I was fortunate that at that time my friends only sent their blessings and didn't want to attend our simple vow renewal ceremony. That allowed Rick and I to keep the Intimate package that we had originally booked. I did get a really cute e-mail from one of my buddies, though. She is exactly the same age as myself and she knows it, but she was kind nonetheless in her response to me:

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20 years? Really? You two must of wed in kindergarten. My first thought
when I read this was that I never thought of you two as a "fairy tale"
couple, you're too weird *ha*

The chapel does look gorgeous though. Maybe someday my husband and I will get
married "properly" too. Nah, I doubt it....
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To her I sent the following amusing response:

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Rick & I are most definitely living a Fairy Tale (as in Fractured Fairy Tales) life. Seriously, I think anyone who has survived even 5 years of marriage deserves the Nobel Peace Prize (and a couple of Purple Hearts). I still am amazed when I think of how long we have been together. We've known each other for just about 22 years, and have been married for almost 20 of them. If that doesn't make me feel old, I don't know what will. But it will be fun celebrating our marriage this Fall, and the Wedding Pavilion really is pretty. I think I'll finally feel "married" once we exchange our vows there. Our first marriage ceremony was such a farce, and I feel bad about that. This time I'll get to do it right. It only took me 20 years to get to this point, so there is hope yet for you and your husband. Never say never.

Janet
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Ah, Fractured Fairy Tales (http://www.toonopedia.com/fracture.htm). I'll end with this post with a cute one that I just found on the Internet tonight:

- - - - - - -
...And Then the Prince Knelt Down and Tried to Put the Glass Slipper on Cinderella's Foot
by Judith Viorst

I really didn't notice that he had a funny nose.
And he certainly looked better all dressed up in fancy clothes.
He's not nearly as attractive as he seemed the other night.
So I think I'll just pretend that this glass slipper feels too tight.
- - - - - - -

Alysa

08-30-2004, 09:43 AM

Aren't non-Disney friends crazy!? I wish you luck in keeping your ceremony an intimate one but I am already nervous about it, knowing your generous nature from previous emails! Can't wait to hear more!

zurgswife

08-30-2004, 07:55 PM

Janet ....You are living my life before I get too it...:smooth: :smooth: :smooth: I can't wait for my 20th to have my vow renewal.....And just like you I couldn't imagined doing it without a picture in front of Cinderella's castle....

Unfortunate....I don't think I could get away with having an intimate renewal....

we have 4 kids...I have 1 sister & BIL w/4kids and 2 parents plus one step dad....

and DH has 1 set of parents, 5 siblings, 3 b inlaws, 14 nephews/neices, 3 nephew/neice spouses and 3 great neices/nephews....

Just to start we'd have to invite 39 people plus our family of 6 is 45 people.....and you say OH....lots wounldn't attend...unfortunately or fortunately....2 other siblings own DVC and his parents 50th anniversary was celebrated in WDW.....So, my guess is lots of the 45 would try to come...

Oh dear I digress......:teeth: :teeth: I'll live though you....have a wonderful time...princess:

#1hockeymom

08-30-2004, 08:42 PM

I am at the edge of my seat reading all of this! THANK YOU so much for sharing with all of us here!

Debbie

Angelrose

08-30-2004, 08:48 PM

I wish you much happiness on your special day renewing your vows. I can't wait to hear more.

Janet2k

08-31-2004, 01:52 AM

The teasing continued from my buddies. They were curious as to why I wanted photos in front of Cinderella Castle, why I wanted to renew my wedding vows, and a myriad of other probing questions that only good friends can ask (and get away with). I covered most of those topics in the following message to one of my girlfriends:

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Thanks. I'm worried about finding a suitable dress. I want something pretty, like what you wore to your wedding. I am thinking either calf-length or full-length. I wore a short dress when we got married the first time, so it would be nice to wear something different. I already told Rick that he is wearing a tux, no if's, and's, or but's about it (he wore a suit the first time).

The photos in front of Cinderella's Castle are something that I want to hand down through the generations. I am so not the "fairy tale" type, and that's why I think the photos will be fun. I have seen photos of brides & grooms that were taken in front of the castle before the theme park was open and not a soul was around. They all turned out so beautifully. The photo session starts before the sun rises, and continues on through the actual sunrise, so there will be photos in both darkness & light. I think my daughter will enjoy those photos someday when she has her own kids and says, "See where Grandma Janet and Grandpa Rick got married? Yep, in a castle!" Too cute for words.

As silly as it sounds, I am really looking forward to renewing my vows in October. I already know I will be crying like a baby when I stand before Rick because I will be remembering how horrible it was when I married him the first time around (what a joke that ceremony was, it was nothing like I wanted). This time the ceremony will be lovely and the wedding chapel will be beautiful. This ceremony will feel real to me, and that should be a very nice feeling to have. I better make sure I'm wearing waterproof mascara.

Janet
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It was weird when the subject of a "dress" came up. Yikes! I hadn't given much thought to what I was going to wear to my vow renewal. I so dreaded the thought of finding something suitable to wear that I actually surfed the Internet one night looking for ideas. I looked at evening dresses, prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and wedding dresses. I surfed the 'net until well after 4 AM. I probably found every dress ever made since Eve wore a fig leaf (http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Topics/AdamNeve/a_n_e07w.jpg) in the Garden of Eden.

I eventually found one or two styles that I liked and sent screen captures of them to my Dad so that he could show them to my Mom:

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Dad,

Here are a few photos of the sort of dress I was hoping to get for Rick & my vow renewal ceremony:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2375/2201238460_cdd0e30aa2_m.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2225/2201238434_5e73f87543_m.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2107/2201238404_c075644708_m.jpg

Please show the three photos to Mom (two of the photos are of the exact same dress, just in different colors). I think Mom's afraid that I want an elaborate dress & veil like you-know-who wore to her wedding. I actually want something simple (these dresses appear to be "separates" - that is, the top & bottom are unattached, which I think is nice). I'm not sure if I want a floor-length skirt or a mid-length one. And I'm not sure of the color yet (I love the navy dress but fear it will clash with a black tux). I'll figure that out soon, I'm in no hurry yet.

Janet
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I quickly sent my Dad this follow-up message because two of the photos showed ladies wearing gloves and I didn't want my Mom to freak out over that:

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By the way, I have no plans for gloves or a veil. Let Mom know. But I do want a pretty bouquet of colorful flowers - they're included in the vow renewal package that I booked, and from what I hear, Disney does lovely work with flowers so I am sure the bouquet will be beautiful and smell wonderful.
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I find this next e-mail (sent a few months ago) very amusing today. I won't say anything further until after you've read it:

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Dad,

Not too much is new here. My son is on Spring Break this week, and my daughter has Spring Break next week. Rick is on a permanent Spring Break!

I spent the better part of Saturday night surfing the Internet for wedding dresses. I saved images of all sorts of dress types so that when I finally get around to purchasing my vow renewal dress this summer, I will know exactly what I want. The images of the dresses that I sent to you yesterday were actually of bridesmaid dresses. I primarily searched for bridesmaid and prom dresses – I think a wedding dress might be too much for me (I prefer something simpler).

As to what my daughter will wear to the vow renewal, I did show her a couple of flower girl and junior bridesmaid dresses that I had found on the Internet. She picked out a couple of styles that surprised me – they were the sorts of dresses that young girls would wear, not girls who are "X" going on 21 (like my daughter likes to think of herself). I actually picked out a couple more sophisticated styles for her, but she chose the younger looking ones, which was perfectly fine with me but still very surprising. Of course, when we finally hit a store to look for dresses this summer, I’m sure she’ll be picking out the sorts of dresses that Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera would wear (you know the kind!).

Janet
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Ah, yes. My daughter. Hhhmmmm… She is quite the little package. She has her green belt in Tae Kwon Do and is a very physical and aggressive child. She also has been taking dance lessons since the age of 2 (ballet, tap, jazz) and is quite poised in front of crowds. Besides her boyish traits, she is about as girly as they come. I love the combination of the two and the person she is becoming. However, she is no angel. No, sir-ee. She is quite the handful and the polar opposite from her brother (who is truly a saint in my eyes).

And that leads me to our recent trip to a dress shop where I tried on wedding gowns and my daughter tried on strapless dress after strapless dress. And she loved 'em all. It was very hard for me to convince her that you need to be at least 16 or 17 years of age (click here (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/soundofmusic/quickclip_04.shtml)) before you can wear such a dress. That didn't faze her one bit. I eventually had to pull out the BIG GUNS and state: "Grandma would KILL ME if she EVER saw YOU in a strapless dress. Now take it off and don't ask me again if I can buy it for you!" With that, she still tried on a couple more of 'em, but she didn't dare ask if I would buy her one. She knows Grandma all too well.

The old adage is true. Be careful with the words you choose – they may come back to haunt you:

"Dad… She picked out a couple of styles that surprised me – they were the sorts of dresses that young girls would wear… Of course, when we finally hit a store to look for dresses… I'm sure she'll be picking out the sorts of dresses that Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera would wear…"

Oh, yes, be careful with the words you choose…

Alysa

09-01-2004, 02:23 PM

My little baby that I brought home from the hospital "yesterday" just had her year-and-a-half birthday (DH buys cakes every month!) and she will be starting preschool this fall. My DH said he blinked and now shes almost two - he said "remind me not to blink anymore". I know tomorrow she will be trying on her first strapless dress for her first dance and then before I know it I will be driving her to her residence. Since she has been born I have really learned to cherish every moment in life as a gift that will never come again. Sniff!
:sad:

Anyway, I read this and thought of you!

http://lifestyle.sympatico.msn.ca/Bride/Articles/Why+Couples+Renew+Their+Vows.htm

KayleeUK

09-03-2004, 07:23 AM

More...More :teeth:

zalansky

09-03-2004, 10:53 AM

I was so happy to see this trip report had started, especially because I am home today instead of on our way to WDW like we had planned, because of the hurricane. This report has brightened my day bigtime.
Thanks Janet!

2dogmom

09-03-2004, 11:37 AM

:Pinkbounc A new report to read. Maybe if I start saving now, by the time my 20yr comes around we can do a vow renewal at WDW. Since it will be 10yrs for us in Oct, I have some time. But unlike you, DH and I dated for 7 years (Sr year of HS, through college, and then some)

Can't wait to hear more.

zurgswife

09-03-2004, 07:04 PM

Thanks Janet...wonderful descriptons....can't wait to see what type of dress you actually chose..please please show some sort of version....

Janet2k

09-04-2004, 11:26 PM

Thanks to the Dis website, Bonzie1 has become a good friend of mine over the past few years. Even though we live on opposite coasts, somehow our families have wound up vacationing in Walt Disney World at approximately the same time.

Early this year when I first began planning my Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal, Bonzie1 and I were already planning how we were going to intertwine our May vacations (our families were both attending the Disney Vacation Club Members Homecoming events). Even though I couldn't invite her to my vow renewal due to the headcount limitations of the Intimate package, I knew Bonzie1 would be happy for me and would want to hear all about my plans. I sent her the following e-mail message:

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Hi, Bonzie1!

I promise to keep you posted about my FTW vow renewal. Right now I don't know much since I'm still waiting for my information packet to arrive (it could be another two weeks before it does). Since I want to renew my vows in the Wedding Pavilion during the week (Monday - Thursday), my "Intimate" Add-On cost will be a few thousand dollars (it's cheaper if you don't use the pavilion). I should note that I am doing the Add-On since I am a DVC member and don't need a resort room (my DVC resort rooms have been booked since last year). I get 8 guests at the ceremony, plus Rick & myself. For an additional fee, I can add up to 5 more guests. If I go beyond that, I will be thrown into the "Custom" category and I believe a weekday ceremony starts at $7,500, plus tax & gratuity (a weekend ceremony - Friday, Saturday, Sunday - starts at $10,000, plus tax & gratuity). I am trying very hard to keep my headcount down low, as you can imagine. I think I get the pavilion, an organist, an officiant, a Disney photographer, and a simple cake-cutting ceremony for my money. Oh, and flowers for myself & Rick. I think that's it, but won't know for sure until my information packet arrives. Like I said, I promise to keep you posted so that you will know exactly what to do when your 10th rolls around.

I'm including a few dress photos that I sent to my Dad yesterday. I won't be wearing gloves or a veil, but after the ceremony you know darn well that I will be putting on a pair of Mouse Ears for my photos! Oh, that reminds me - I have the Magic Kingdom Bridal Portrait Package booked, too. That is an additional fee ($725). For it, Rick & I will be getting our photos taken in front of Cinderella Castle very early (very early!) in the morning one day during our vacation. It wouldn't be a Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal without a set of Cinderella photos, would it?!

Janet
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Just like I knew she would be, Bonzie1 was very happy for me and wanted to hear all about my planning since she had toyed with the idea of having her own Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal someday. It was fun sharing my plans with her as they unfolded.

As I'm writing this post today, I thought I would include the following e-mail message because it touches upon one of the reasons why I post in such detail here on the Dis website. You see, years ago I ran across very detailed posts from a woman who was planning a Fairy Tale Weddings ceremony inside the Wedding Pavilion and a reception inside the Magic Kingdom Theme Park. She was a beautiful writer and I didn't discover her posts until a year or so after her wedding had taken place. As I read each one of her posts, I was amazed at the detail that she was putting into her wedding. It was incredible. And I was very thankful that she had decided to share the planning process with others, such as myself, who never in a million years would ever get to experience what she was experiencing.

Since I didn't discover that woman's posts until a year or so after her marriage, I never got the chance to thank her for the time and energy that she had put into them – she had long since disappeared into the ethers of the Ethernet. To this day, I think about her every now and then and wonder if she's living her happily-ever-after. The story she shared with others deserved nothing but the best fairy tale ending.

And that leads me to the message that I sent to Bonzie1 where I had briefly mentioned this woman. For all of you out there who are thankful that I have been able to share with you some of my own unique experiences, the real thanks go to that Mystery Woman who danced her first dance as a married woman in front of Cinderella Castle with her very own Prince Charming many years ago. She was the one who first planted the seed in my mind that has caused me to continue the tradition of detailed posts. Mystery Woman, wherever you are, thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1.

Yes, there is currently an Intimate add-on package. It is geared towards those folks who are DVC members and who are using their memberships for their rooms. I had to give the FTW folks my DVC reservation number before they would book my vow renewal (that was not a problem since I had a few reservations at the BWV). However, I think Rick & I will have a cash reservation at the GF, too, for a night or two.

I thought I should mention that you can have your reception in the Magic Kingdom, and according to Disney's official website, it starts at $42,000 (plus tax & gratuity). You don't need to have both the wedding and the reception there. I remember reading years ago about a bride who planned her reception at the castle. It sounded incredible. She never finished her trip report, though, so I didn't get to read about the actual reception, I only got to read about the planning part of it, *sigh.*

I purchased the e-book that you mentioned two years ago. Andrea actually used a couple of my suite photos in her original book. I don't know where my copy of the e-book is now, though, so I might have to purchase it again. (I had a hard-disk crash two years ago and I can't remember if I ever backed up the e-book to CD.)

My daughter asked me if I was going to hire the coach. I told her no, it costs $2,500, and I didn't want to spend the money on it. But it would have been fun to see her and my niece riding in it.

I will probably hire Minnie & Mickey for my cake-cutting reception ($1,020). I'll make that decision this summer.

I am still debating about hiring a videographer. That will add at least another $1,000 or so to my budget. Again, I'll make that decision within the next few months (I might just hire Disney and be done with it).

Since I'm having an Intimate, I don't get a reception. I will probably plan either a private lunch or dinner. My ceremony is at 2 PM, so it could either follow the ceremony or be later on in the evening. Whatever I plan hinges upon who from my family joins me on vacation. If no one does, then I'll plan a private dinner somewhere on the grounds of the GF for my family of four. If a few family members attend, I'll plan accordingly. I'm not going to worry about that for awhile.

Right now I have invited my parents to my vow renewal (they said yes), my Aunt, my younger sister and her two kids, and my older sister's family. If everyone attends, that puts me right up near my 15-person limit. I rather doubt my older sister and her family will join us. They are anti-theme park (they have no concept just how anti-theme park WDW can actually be).

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I mentioned in my e-mail to Bonzie1, with the Intimate package I only got a cake-cutting ceremony. If I wanted something more, I was on my own and had to plan it myself.

So, there I was, wanting something more. A cake-cutting ceremony just wouldn't be sufficient enough to properly celebrate 20 years of marriage. All those years deserved something a little more, shall I say, substantial? And so I began to think about the one thing that was capable of reducing me to a pile of quivering flesh:

re·cep·tion
(Merriam-Webster OnLine Dictionary) (http://www.merriamwebster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=reception)
Pronunciation: ri-'sep-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English recepcion, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French reception, from Latin reception-, receptio, from recipere
1 : the act or action or an instance of receiving : as a : RECEIPT <the reception and distribution of funds> b : ADMISSION <reception into the church> c : RESPONSE, REACTION <the play met with a mixed reception> d : the receiving of a radio or television broadcast e : the catching of a forward pass by a receiver
2 : a social gathering often for the purpose of extending a formal welcome

The second definition stated: "A social gathering often for the purpose of extending a formal welcome." Sounds simple enough, eh? Maybe for a Head of State it is but not for me, your average girl. Planning a reception was a daunting task and I was completely on my own regarding it.

I had a difficult time determining what sort of dinner reception I wanted. It's not everyday that I had the opportunity to honor 20 years of marriage. I wracked my brain for days in an attempt to find a meal that would not only honor my long marriage but would also be enjoyable for 15 people. Easier, much easier, said than done.

I started with the obvious dinner events. There have been plenty of group vacations where my family and guests have celebrated birthdays and anniversaries at the Polynesian's Luau (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=DisneysSpiritofAlohaDinnerShowDini ngPage) and Fort Wilderness' Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=HoopDeeDooMusicalRevueDiningPage). Both of those dinner shows are lots of fun and my family absolutely loves them. However, after careful consideration, I decided that they weren't right for my vow renewal celebration.

I next considered booking a private room at any number of fine Walt Disney World establishments:
Victoria & Albert's (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=VictoriaandAlbertsDiningPage)
Citricos (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=CitricosDiningPage)
Jiko (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=JikoDiningPage)
California Grill (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=CaliforniaGrillDiningPage)
The Hollywood Brown Derby (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=HollywoodBrownDerbyDiningPage)
Bistro de Paris (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=BistrodeParisDiningPage)
Coral Reef Restaurant (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=CoralReefDiningPage)

Believe me, I considered far more restaurants than what I stated above because Walt Disney World has such an extensive restaurant list. Any number of them would have been perfect for a dinner reception. However, as I reviewed the list, something was missing that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

After a few more days, I eventually figured out what was missing: uniqueness. I wanted a unique event for my guests. Something that would make the celebration memorable for them. As soon as I determined that, I found exactly what I was looking for. It was an event that was held at one of the most magical places anywhere -- the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

I contacted the Animal Kingdom Lodge and asked if I could buy out the Wanyama Safari: click here (http://www.wdwnews.com/PrintableImage.aspx?ImageURL=assets/images/printable/0210AU_733GD45197300.jpg&AssetID=104542). I informed them that there would be 15 people in my party (even though I knew the safari was capped at 8 people). As expected, they stated that they were limited to 8 people due to the size of the safari vehicle that was used. I explained that a few of the people in my party had already experienced that vehicle during my family's last vacation (we had attended a special VIP Safari -- click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600435209333/) -- inside the Animal Kingdom Theme Park). However, if we could augment that safari vehicle with a regular van, it should suit my needs perfectly. They told me they would have to look into whether or not it could be done. They promised to get back to me with an answer within the next few weeks.

A week or two later, I was given the answer that I was hoping for – "yes." I was told the safari vehicle would be joined by a regular Animal Kingdom van, and my entire party would be accommodated. My husband and I were thrilled with the wonderful news. Being on the Wanyama Safari would give our guests a chance to tour the Animal Kingdom Lodge's savannas. Talk about unique. Then everyone's night would end with a family-style dinner inside Jiko. Talk about scrumptious. The Wanyama Safari would be the perfect way to celebrate our wild & crazy marriage.

With my vow renewal reception decision made, I breathed a *sigh* of relief. I slept very soundly that night.

Belle5

09-05-2004, 12:57 AM

Oh, Janet...I am hanging on every word. DH and I also met 22 years ago and our 20th is coming up around Valentine's Day. ::MickeyMo ::MinnieMo

There's no way we'll ever be able to pull something like this off...but I can live through you!

More! More! More!

Janet2k

09-05-2004, 01:37 AM

Right before I received the official okay from Disney regarding the Wanyama Safari, I decided to keep the momentum of my vow renewal planning going. I thought it was about time that I created an invitation to send to my family members.

Since you folks know that I am a high-tech geek, an ordinary run-of-the-mill invitation wouldn't do for me. No, sir-ee. I needed a personal one that came from my heart and not from someone else's brain. Anytime I need something like that, I go to my favorite website and create my own greeting card. I've been doing it for years.

In the old days, I used to purchase a standard greeting card in a store, place a photograph inside of it, and US Mail it to my recipient. But with the advent of the Digital Age, I could literally kill three birds with one stone from the privacy of my own home. I could (1) upload a personal photograph to use as my card's cover, (2) create a simple greeting and add a more in-depth personal message, and (3) US Mail the card without ever leaving home. My favorite on-line company for creating personal greeting cards is Shutterfly.com (http://www.shutterfly.com), and so I decided to create my vow renewal invitation with their help.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the greeting card creation process, I will give you a little glimpse of it. Creating a personal greeting card is really quite easy to do, not to mention personally satisfying and just plain fun (well, at least for this creative geek it is).

I pulled out my wedding album and asked my son to scan in an old photograph for me. Being the high-tech geek that he is, he obliged (the acorn, as they say, does not fall far from this tree):

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1435/669054794_c225c0d447.jpg

Once my wedding photo had been scanned into my computer, it took only moments for me to upload it to my account on Shutterfly. Once there, I added a simple border to the photo and made it the cover of my greeting card.

I next began composing a sentiment for my card's greeting. I oftentimes find that this is the hardest part of the card creation process for me. Luckily, it wasn't long before I had come up with the following sentiment:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2050/2089294391_c62aa9748b.jpg

With the greeting out of the way, it was time to add a personal note to the card. The following is just one such example (note: I tailored each note to each of the cards' recipients):

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2026/2089294355_fc64ff2f51.jpg

Once the greeting card had been completed, I selected its recipients (family members) and placed my order. My job was done. All that was left for me to do was to sit back and wait for the acceptances/rejections to roll in. My fingers were crossed that everyone from my family would accept.

Before I end my post, I thought it would probably be a good idea if I shared with you a few screen captures that I took during the greeting card creation process:

Cover and Interior:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2309/2090081742_482d8369c9_m.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2085/2090081830_aa953866bd_m.jpg

Greeting and Personal Note:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2378/2090081936_0ae6914ae9_m.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2069/2090081896_3fb7ff13d5_m.jpg

It really is quite amazing when you consider that I did everything while sitting at the computer in my bedroom. I didn't have to travel to a greeting card store in order to select and purchase a card. I didn't have to travel to a photo store in order to get a copy of a photograph. I didn't have to travel to the US Post Office in order to purchase a stamp and mail my card. I didn't have to travel any further than where my fingers could take me on my computer's keyboard. Ain't technology grand? What a great time to be alive.

dvcfamily41801

09-07-2004, 10:32 PM

This is SO exciting:D :D

Longsx3

09-08-2004, 09:30 AM

Congratulations on your upcoming vow renewal and thanks for sharing!

Kely

johnsonet

09-08-2004, 12:10 PM

OMG!! This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen!Janet - you are such an inspiration. And what a wonderful relationship you and your husband obviously have :lovestruc - that is an inspiration as well. I am so happy for you:teeth: :goodvibes

jjpenguin

09-09-2004, 09:37 AM

Janet,

love your trip reports!! I can live my Disney dreams through you!

I wish I would have known earlier, then I would have planned to arrive at WDW on the 27th, just to sneak a peek... ;)

jjpenguin

janets

09-09-2004, 12:59 PM

The invitation is wonderful and so is the wedding picture. I'm sometimes amazed when I find old pictures of me in my twenties and realize that so much time has passed and how different I look. I can't wait for the next installment.

Janet2k

09-11-2004, 11:08 PM

Since my husband and I were going to be paying for dinner for everyone on the day of our vow renewal, I thought we should probably take a closer look at the Fairy Tale Weddings “Custom” package. With the addition of the dinner and a few other things that we were considering, we could probably meet the Custom’s weekday requirement of $7,500 (plus tax & gratuity). We just weren’t sure if we wanted to spend that kind of money. If we switched to the Custom package, it would not be a decision that we would make lightly, and in order to make it properly, we needed to be as informed as possible regarding Disney's two vow renewal packages.

I placed an inquiry with the Fairy Tale Weddings folks and spoke with a very nice gentleman who was a Custom Wedding Coordinator. He forwarded to me some detailed information regarding the Custom package. He also set up an appointment for my husband and me to meet with a Custom Sales Manager during our upcoming vacation. The intent of that meeting would be to gather enough information in order to determine which vow renewal package was right for us – Intimate or Custom. I penciled that meeting into my family's vacation itinerary.

As I reviewed all the information that I had recently received from the Fairy Tale Weddings folks, there was one requirement that was crucial for vow renewal couples. From the Fairy Tale Weddings (http://disneyweddings.go.com/site/gate/index.jsp) website:

- - - - - - -
Are any documents required for a vow renewal?
Yes. We must have a copy of your original wedding certificate in order to perform a vow renewal. Sorry, but there are no exceptions.
- - - - - - -

No exceptions. ~Gulp!~ I had to find that document pronto.

I thought my original wedding certificate resided inside my bank’s safe deposit box as that is where I store all critical documents. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon it inside an old photo album that had been hiding inside a closet. Yikes! I quickly FAXed that certificate to the Fairy Tale Weddings folks before I misplaced it again. Vow renewal requirement met: check. ~Phew!~

Just like I had done for my Summerhouse dinner party, I decided to check out the sunrise/sunset information for the day of my vow renewal. This is what I found on the Internet:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
U.S. Naval Observatory
Astronomical Applications Department
Sun and Moon Data for One Day

The following information is provided for Orlando, Orange County, Florida (longitude W81.4, latitude N28.5):

Wednesday
27 October 2004……..Eastern Daylight Time

SUN
Begin civil twilight......7:10 a.m.
Sunrise......................7:34 a.m.
Sun transit.................1:09 p.m.
Sunset.......................6:44 p.m.
End civil twilight.........7:08 p.m.

MOON
Moonrise....................6:03 p.m. on preceding day
Moon transit.............12:28 a.m.
Moonset.....................7:01 a.m.
Moonrise....................6:34 p.m.
Moonset.....................7:59 a.m. on following day

Full Moon on 27 October 2004 at 11:08 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A full moon was scheduled for my vow renewal. How lucky could a girl get?

Soon the acceptances/rejections from the vow renewal invitations began to arrive. Just like I knew she would do, my older sister turned down our invitation. I was sad that she did that, but part of me was happy because it would allow me to officially invite Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 (and their spouses) to my vow renewal. And when I did, both ladies were thrilled to accept my invitation. I can’t tell you folks how that made my heart sing. It’s always such a special feeling when good friends want to share in your joy. I was very fortunate to have them both in my life.

As to the rest of the invitations that I had sent out, everyone accepted them and I was thrilled. There was one invitation, however, that I had been trying to hand out in person. That invitation was for one of my dearest friends. We had been attempting to hook up for dinner for weeks, but with our busy work schedules, it had become impossible. I eventually couldn’t stand the suspense any longer and invited her to my vow renewal via an e-mail message. She immediately accepted my invitation and we began making plans for the vow renewal vacation. The following is just one of the many e-mails that we quickly exchanged:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The vow renewal is scheduled for 10/27 (Wednesday) but the potential exists to move it to the 31st (Sunday). So, if you could pick any days for vacation, definitely pick at least the 26th (you could fly in on this day), 27th (potential date of vow renewal ceremony & dinner), 28th, 29th, and maybe November 1st (just in case I move the vow renewal to the 31st, you could fly home on this date).

I will be in WDW on vacation at the end of May and beginning of June. While I am there, I will be meeting with a Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager to discuss my vow renewal options. I am looking forward to that meeting.

For my vow renewal dinner, I am thinking of doing the Wanyama Safari and Dinner (Wanyama means "sunset" in Swahili). That special event is at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is a private tour of the savannas at the Lodge, followed by dinner. I'm including a brief write-up regarding it below:

.......

http://www.wdwnews.com/assets/images/printable/0210AU_733GD45197300.jpg
Official Disney Photo: Wanyama Safari

4:00 PM; Guests meet in the lobby area of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, then board a safari vehicle for their adventure into the sunset. The special safari vehicle proceeds to the Uzima Savannah. As it enters through the animal confinement area gates, the roof raises up so guests can stand and view the animals. The vehicle proceeds through the three savannahs while the Animal Programs’ guide discusses the animals. When the vehicle reaches the end of the Sunset Savannah, everyone disembarks and toasts the sunset. There is also a special photo opportunity here. Everyone then re-boards the safari vehicle and returns to the front of the resort. The adventure is only half over at this point.

5:30 PM; When everyone reaches the front of the resort, they will be greeted and escorted to the Jiko Restaurant for dinner. Here they will experience samplings of Jiko breads and dips, appetizers, entrees and desserts.
.......

That is just one option that I think would be very unique and memorable for a 20th wedding anniversary celebration. I should mention that during my upcoming May vacation, I am hosting a special outdoor dinner party for nine people at the Grand Floridian Resort. If that dinner party works out well, I might duplicate it this Fall. And, of course, there are many more traditional anniversary dinner celebrations to consider. I haven't even begun to discover what Disney has to offer. I promise to keep you posted and bore you to tears with all of my planning once I get into it. Now, if only I could get the guts up to go dress shopping. I am really dreading finding a suitable dress to wear for my vow renewal ceremony. ~Arg!~

I can't tell you how excited I am that you'll be attending my 20th anniversary vow renewal ceremony at the most magical place on Earth!!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My dear friend and I got together for lunch that weekend in order to discuss my vow renewal plans in greater detail. We had a lot of fun catching up on each other's lives.

Meeting my friend would be one of the last things that I did before my family’s May vacation (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=586647) began. I was very much looking forward to that vacation’s Summerhouse dinner party, and also my meeting at Franck’s Bridal Studio.

Janet2k

09-12-2004, 03:55 AM

My family’s Walt Disney World vacation began. The Summerhouse dinner party was wonderful and everyone had a great time. Here are a few photographs from the party.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2135/2097119920_f75f0c3934_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1190/570181451_569f21295f_m.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2116429091_23f469c34f_m.jpg

(Click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600435212699/) for my Summerhouse photo album. And click here (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=586647) for my Summerhouse Trip Report.)

Before my husband and I knew it, the day had arrived for our meeting with a Fairy Tale Weddings Custom Sales Manager. Our daughter was attending the Grand Floridian’s Wonderland Tea Party that afternoon, so that left us free to attend the meeting alone. Since we had never visited Franck’s Bridal Studio before, I asked a Grand Floridian Bell Services Cast Member where the path was that would lead us there. It was very hot that afternoon so the Cast Member asked us if we wanted a ride to Franck’s in one of the Grand Floridian’s trolleys. We took him up on his kind offer and within minutes we were in front of Franck’s.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/667937205_75d503ad7b_m.jpg

Before we went inside, my husband and I looked at each other and took a deep breath. Our upcoming vow renewal suddenly felt both very real and very close. It was an odd feeling for the two of us to have, especially when you consider that we had been married for almost 20 years.

When we walked into Franck’s, the first thing I noticed was how pretty it was. It was as lovely in person as it had appeared in the photographs that I had seen of it over the years. We checked in at the desk and gave our names to the receptionist. We were a little early so we were told to take a seat. The receptionist mentioned to my husband that he should take a look through the photo books that were on display. As my husband sat down, I decided that I wanted to look around instead.

Franck’s had many items on display: chairs, chair coverings, table linens, table settings, floral arrangements, and so on. Those were the larger items. There were also many smaller items on display. Inside some cabinets were all sorts of little goodies: place cards, guest books, invitations, wedding favors, and so on. It was fun looking at everything.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1151/570182747_72babd34b5_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1138/570183061_d46239d47e_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1005/570182835_06396ace12_m.jpg

I thought now would be a good time to post a link to Disney’s 360-degree view of Franck’s Bridal Studio: click here (http://adisneyweddings.disney.go.com/media/dwwh/media/video/francks.mov). (Note: You need Apple’s QuickTime software application in order to take the virtual tour by moving your mouse around inside the image. This software may be downloaded for free from the Apple website (http://www.apple.com/quicktime).)

As I was looking around Franck’s, I glanced over to see what my husband was doing. I had to laugh when I spied him. You see, he literally took the receptionist’s comments to heart and was looking through the wedding books that were on the table before him. You just have to love a man who follows directions, and better yet, a man who was shamelessly wearing two beaded necklaces and one plastic ring that his daughter had received on the Pirate Cruise the day before. A man that comfortable in his skin truly amazes me.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1325/570182697_9d8f73a52d.jpg

Within a few minutes, our Sales Manager introduced herself to us. She led us into a small conference room and we began our meeting.

I gave her a brief history of my husband and my marriage. I also told her a little bit about our family’s Walt Disney World vacations and mentioned last year’s wedding anniversary celebration on “The Haunted Mansion” movie set (click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600435642454/) for photos). I think it was at that point that I explained the sort of vow renewal that we wanted. I stated that we were in the Intimate category but were wondering if it was worth our while to upgrade to the Custom category. I mentioned that I already had the Wanyama Safari booked for our vow renewal’s dinner. I then began asking her questions about what sort of dinner options we had with the Custom category.

On her computer screen she pulled up information about the various venues that were available within Walt Disney World. As she mentioned those venues, I must admit that they sounded lovely. However, nothing tugged at my heartstrings. Deep within me I knew I was looking for something unique; something even more unique than the Wanyama Safari.

I soon began asking questions about the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park and what venues were available for a dinner party. I asked about two venues in particular: the Great Movie Ride and the Tower Of Terror. I explained that I was a little familiar with the Great Movie Ride and what could be done for a private dinner party there. The Sales Manager began discussing that venue with us in greater detail.

Since there would only be 15 people in our party, I asked if it would be possible to change things around a bit and have dinner in the “Land of Oz” set instead of in the “Western” set. She said that she would look into it but didn’t foresee any issues. I was pleased to hear that. She then said that she would print a proposal for us regarding that particular venue. Within a few minutes, I had it in my hands. She mentioned that she would create a more specific proposal as soon as she had verified with the Disney Studios folks whether or not the dinner could be held in the “Land of Oz” set. She stated that she had hoped to have the new proposal delivered to our resort room before our vacation had ended. Such service. I was impressed.

I then began asking about the Tower Of Terror venue. She presently didn’t have any detailed information to give to us, but said that she would gather it up and draft a proposal with it. If she could do that before our vacation had ended, she would have it delivered to our resort. Again, I was impressed.

We discussed a few other items but basically my husband and I had gotten exactly what we had wanted out of the meeting: (1) more specific information regarding the Custom vow renewal package, and (2) a dinner venue that was definitely more unique than anything we could have possibly imagined. We were pleased that we had taken the time out of our busy vacation schedule in order to attend the meeting.

The Sales Manager asked us if we wanted to see the Wedding Pavilion. Since we had never had the opportunity to view it before, I said yes. But my husband mentioned that it was time to pick up our daughter from the Wonderland Tea Party. He told me to go ahead and take the tour without him. He said I could join up with him in the lobby of the Grand Floridian after I was done. I was happy that he didn’t mind my staying behind.

The Sales Manger first took me inside the pavilion. It was beautiful. I was so pleased that we had decided to renew our vows there. Our vow renewal ceremony would definitely feel real, unlike the first time that we had said our vows. ~Shudder.~

I was a little sad that my husband wasn’t with me to see the Wedding Pavilion. I can’t credit Disney ~magic~ for what happened next, but I can definitely credit the Grand Floridian for it. When I turned around, my husband was standing there. He said the Wedding Pavilion was beautiful but he needed the receipt and the pager for the Wonderland Tea Party (he couldn’t pick up our daughter without them). I quickly gave them to him and away he went.

After my tour of the pavilion, the Sales Manager took me outside and we toured the grounds and the boat dock. She was very easy to talk to and was full of all sorts of wonderful information. I was glad that she had taken the extra time to spend with me. She had definitely gone above and beyond the call of duty, and I was most grateful.

When we made it back to the entrance of Franck’s, I asked her how I should get back to the Grand Floridian Resort. She asked me if I had a car with me. I told her that I wanted to walk back to the resort. Since it was hot outside and there were a few Cast Members piling into one of the Grand Floridian’s trolleys, she asked them if they had room for me (I thought that was very sweet of her). They said they did, so I hopped onboard and away we went. They thought I was another Cast Member, but I quickly explained to them that I was just your average guest.

It was a fun ride back to the Grand Floridian and I was grateful that I didn’t have to walk in the intense heat. When the Cast Members dropped me off in front of the resort, I thanked them for the ride. I walked inside the lobby and found my husband and daughter waiting there for me. My daughter handed me a bouquet of flowers that she had made at the tea party. She then began describing the party to me. It was obvious that she'd had fun that afternoon without her parents. The Grand Floridian’s children’s activities really are marvelous fun for the little ones.

As the three of us headed back to our resort, which on that day was the Villas at Wilderness Lodge, my husband and I began discussing whether or not we wanted to spend the kind of money that was going to be required to not only move into the Custom vow renewal category but to also host a dinner party inside the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. With everything that life had thrown at us within the past year (college, surgery, job issues), would it be wise to spend the money? We had a very tough decision facing us, and one that wouldn’t be decided overnight.

I am going to quote the last paragraph of Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” because it so poignantly describes exactly how we felt:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

KayleeUK

09-12-2004, 04:48 AM

Oh...the suspense :)

Loving your reports Janet :)

MNSusan

09-12-2004, 05:56 PM

Janet2k - I happened upon one of your trip reports a few days ago (the Summerhouse dinner) and have been reading your other reports and looking at your photos with admiration. What wonderful family and friends you have, and I love your celebration philosophy!

My husband and I are going in November to celebrate our birthdays -- they're two days apart and his is one of those *decade* birthdays -- and I've wanted to do something special for him. Perhaps I'll call Special Events and see if they can recommend something unique, ala Janet2k!

We're also just starting to think about a Magical Gathering for next year. There are a bunch of friends (and me) that will all have a *decade* birthday during 2005 and what better place to feel young than at the happiest place on Earth! I had no idea you could hold private dining events in such unique places, and I'll have to start imagining what fun it would be to celebrate another decade somewhere special.

Thank you for taking the time to provide such marvelous details. Your events are inspiring!

Susan

ps: What's happened to all the counters? They don't seem to be counting anymore.

elise72

09-13-2004, 04:51 AM

I am sure your vow renewal will be your most magical Disney day yet.

I have got 4 and a half years to wait until mine!

We are going to celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2009!

I am sure your celebration will inspire me and make the time until my trip in January go quicker.

Ron from Michigan

09-14-2004, 01:01 PM

Janet, I just arrived home from 10 days in London and one of the first things I had to do was see what you had posted about your vow renewals. I just love reading every word of your posts, you are a very gifted writer. Please keep the story going, don't make us wait too long.

suezpqt

09-14-2004, 02:35 PM

I am so happy for you!!! May pixie dust fill your many happy years ahead. I can't wait to read/live the rest!! Keep the story coming !!!:wave:

Janet2k

09-17-2004, 02:19 AM

As our family vacation continued on, an official proposal for our vow renewal was delivered to our resort. My husband and I sat in our resort room and discussed it. I told him that if we decided to switch to the Custom vow renewal category, I would be returning to Walt Disney World for an on-site planning session with the Fairy Tale Weddings folks. The Custom couples had that option while the Intimates didn’t. I explained to my husband that at the planning session, I would have the opportunity to meet with Disney’s Floral, Photography/Videography, Entertainment, and Catering Departments. At those meetings I would learn what our options were for both the vow renewal ceremony and the dinner reception. I thought it was important that at least one of us attended the planning session. My husband agreed and said that he would stay behind on the West Coast with our kids while I traveled to the East Coast for the planning session. I said I thought it would be fun to attend the session with our son – I would turn it into a Mother & Son Vacation. My husband liked that idea, and so that became the plan if we switched to the Custom category.

The Fairy Tale Weddings proposal that we reviewed was 37 pages in length. It was a beautiful document that was printed in color and contained lots of pertinent information. I'll share a couple of the pages below so that you can see what it looked like.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1322/729450061_e97b66359f_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1104/729450259_d974e913a1_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1313/730320312_28f7389a71_m.jpg

Please note that this was our first proposal. Over the course of a month or two, it was modified to better suit the needs of our vow renewal (for example, the floral, photography, videography, and transportation options were modified). As I continue on with my trip report, I will point out a few of the changes that were made.

I won’t share what was contained in the entire proposal, only the parts that I think you folks are interested in learning about. I need to note that I will share a little pricing information, but only for those items that are standard Disney fare. I must continue my tradition of not sharing specific pricing information since a few of my guests are members of the Dis community and I don’t want them concerning themselves with anything except for having a good time at my vow renewal. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

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Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings

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Once upon a time... in an enchanted land, there was a place where wedding dreams and honeymoon wishes came true every day. Today, such a place actually exists…at the Walt Disney World Resort. Since 1991, couples have sealed their promise to each other here in uniquely magical ceremonies. And happy honeymooning couples from around the world have made us one of the most popular vacation destinations on the planet.

Let us show you why. Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding and Honeymoon experts can lead you to the vow renewal of your heart’s desire. Because here, romance has wings and imagination is unbounded.

Here, all it takes is a dream…to make a dream come true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Ceremony

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With all the splendor of a classic Victorian summer home, Disney’s Wedding Pavilion offers endless, enchanting possibilities for the wedding ceremony you desire. With its palm fringed solarium views of Cinderella Castle across the Seven Seas Lagoon, this magnificent non-denominational chapel can accommodate up to 300 guests for a vow renewal ceremony in rare style and grace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Reception & Dinner

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The famous Chinese Theater is the gateway to this memorable evening showcasing the charm, romance, suspense, and intrigue of the movies. Our “Director” puts you center stage as tonight’s adventure casts you in the middle of one of your favorite scenes from classic motion pictures.

You are welcomed by a “Famous Movie Producer” who informs you that he will be your personal guide through this most unique sound stage. You are then escorted inside the theater to begin your adventure in the movies.

It’s lights, camera, action, as your “reel” life adventure whisks you to the dark alleyways of the underworld where Mugsy and the boys become your “new friends.” Offered up will be strictly legal beverages from our hosted premium bar.

Hold on to your horses, as the next stop is a sleepy Western town where you will enjoy dinner, music and local town folk. Your guests will enjoy a fabulous plated dinner and premium beverage service with the western town folk as hosts.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1352/730327784_278b82c568.jpg

Immediately following dinner, the Producer rejoins the group and leads you on a short walking tour through scenes from “Alien,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Tarzan,” “Casablanca,” “Fantasia,” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

The “Finale” comes to life in the Projection Room as you and your guests enjoy desserts and dance the night away to your favorite songs played by the Great Movie Ride DJ.

Your evening comes to an end as Event Guides escort you and your guests to the main entrance. You will leave the Disney-MGM Studios with glamorous memories of an evening filled with Show Biz… “In the Hollywood that never was and always will be.”

Note: This proposal is based on an event start time of 8:30 PM or later and park hours of 9 AM – 7 PM. Park hours have not been confirmed and are subject to change without notice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disney-MGM Studios: Entertainment

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Our zany citizens of the street add to the atmosphere of your party. These crazy partiers will blend right in and mingle with your guests. Our Great Hollywood Director (a legend in his own mind) welcomes you and your guests. He has so many stories to share about his life in pictures and all the Stars he has discovered.

Enjoy your favorite country tunes as performed by the Great Movie Ride’s Western Trio band.

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Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Estimated Pricing

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Wedding Pavilion Ceremony
Estimated Pricing
Based on 15 Guests

Pavilion Fee @ $2,200 (plus 6.5% tax)

Floral:
Bridal Bouquet (1) @ $200 (plus 6.5% tax)
Bridesmaid Bouquet (1) @ $125 each (plus 6.5% tax)
Boutonnières (2) @ $10.50 each (plus 6.5% tax)
Ring Bearer Boutonnière (1) @ $10.50 (plus 6.5% tax)
Flower Girl Arrangement (1) @ $45 (plus 6.5% tax)
Unity Candle Arrangement (1) @ $250 (plus 6.5% tax)

Six-Hour Photography Package @ $X

Six-Hour Videography Package @ $X

Entertainment:
Organist (included in pavilion fee)

Transportation:
Limousines (2) for Six hours @ $X per hour

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disney-MGM Studios
Reception/Dinner
Estimated Pricing
Based on 15 Guests

Reception and Dinner:
Menu @ $X per person (plus 20% gratuity and 6.5% tax)

Wedding Cake @ $X per person (plus 20% gratuity and 6.5% tax)
(Based on 50 person minimum)

Beverages:
Premium Brands Premium Bar @ $X per person (plus 20% gratuity and 6.5% tax)
(Note: A bartender fee of $100 applies to all bars. This fee will be waived should the beverage revenue exceed $500 per bar.)

Floral:
Themed Centerpieces
(Price to be determined based on your selections)

Linens:
Floor Length Linen with Overlay (2) @ $X each (plus 6.5% tax)

Event Guides:
(2) Guides @ $X each

Attractions & Entertainment:
Great Movie Ride Venue Fee @ $X (plus 6.5% tax)

Great Movie Ride Package: $X
(2) Gangsters, (1) Pianist, (2) Western Streetmosphere Characters, Western Trio Band, the Good Witch, Attraction, Audio, Lighting, and Technical Support

Dance Party Entertainment:
Disc Jockey @ $X
Lighting Package @ $X
Greens Décor Package @ $X
15’ x 15’ Dance Floor @ $X
Film Loop without Audio @ $X

ESTIMATED RECEPTION/DINNER TOTAL: $X

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/731200872_6519e6d509.jpg

Wedding Pavilion Ceremony
Disney-MGM Studios Reception/Dinner
Estimated Total Pricing
Based on 15 Guests

ESTIMATED WEDDING TOTAL: $X

• This document is not an agreement or an offer to enter into an agreement and is for discussion purposes only. Accordingly, neither of us will be committed unless a mutually acceptable written agreement for this event is signed by both you and us, and until then either of us may withdraw from negotiations at any time and for any reason without liability.
• Space for this event is currently being held on a tentative basis. However, we cannot guarantee space will be available at the location(s), on the date(s) or at the time(s) you desire.
• ++ indicates service charge (which is taxable) and sales tax (currently 20% and 6.5% respectively)
• Prices, if any, shown on this document are subject to change without notice. Pricing maybe be confirmed six months in advance if an agreement is signed by both you and us for this event.
• No attractions or entertainment will be booked or confirmed for this event absent an agreement signed by both you and us.
• Entertainment is subject to change without notice.
• Transportation is not included in pricing.
• Photographs included in this document are the property of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts or its affiliates and cannot be duplicated without our prior written consent.
• It is understood that you will not furnish us with any confidential ideas or other proprietary information.
• This proposal is based on an event start time of 8:30 PM or later and parks hours of 9 AM – 7 PM. Park hours have not been confirmed and are subject to chage without notice.
• Above price does not include centerpieces.

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Alysa

09-17-2004, 08:08 AM

I love it! How amazing! I knew you would do something wonderful! I can't wait to read more!

zurgswife

09-17-2004, 11:11 AM

Janet...thought I had posted this morning but alas...guess not..

The Great Movie ride dinner sounds absolutely over the top....how exciting...if you can wing it financially...I say go for it...It sounds like something nobody will ever forget.....(probably even your sister that isn't going....) What an amazing memory for you and your kids...

tammy

09-17-2004, 12:34 PM

All I can say is, "You Go Girl" ::yes:: ::yes::

KayleeUK

09-17-2004, 02:29 PM

That sounds so special :)

Deb8821

09-19-2004, 10:24 PM

Janet
I have loved reading your posts. The information has been fabulous and I hope you have the most magically time ever.

gigi1313

09-20-2004, 04:25 PM

oh, man... that's it?! LOL! i am hangin' on the edge of my seat! cannot wait for more more more! (call me a greedy pirate!) pirate:

Janet2k

09-21-2004, 11:51 AM

By the time our vacation had ended, we still hadn’t made up our minds regarding which vow renewal package we should use. If we booked the Great Movie Ride for our dinner celebration, it would move us into the Custom category where we even had the option of holding our vow renewal on a weekend. Since my husband and I had first met on Halloween, and since Halloween fell on a weekend this year, we could renew our vows on our special day. Boy, just what we needed…another decision to make. Yikes!

Upon my return to work, I had an e-mail waiting for me from my Sales Manager. When my husband and I had met with her during our vacation, I had asked if the dinner could be held in the Land of Oz instead of in the Western area. Her e-mail stated that the Disney-MGM Studios folks had okay’ed that change for me. I was pleased to hear that. I felt that with such a small guest list (only 15 people), using only two areas of the attraction would probably better suit our needs – drinks in the Gangster area, followed by dinner in the Land of Oz.

My Sales Manager’s e-mail also mentioned that she was still waiting to hear if the country band could be swapped for a string trio or quartet. Since we wouldn’t be dining in the Western area, we wouldn’t have the need for the country band. I felt fairly confident that we could swap that band for something better suited for the Land of Oz. We’d soon find out.

I should mention now that I had initially said "no" to the DJ and dancing. The cost of the dance party was significant and I was afraid that no one would want to hang around and dance until the wee hours of the morning (I already knew that my parents and Aunt would return to their resort immediately following dinner). In order to keep the costs down, I asked that the dance party be removed from my event.

In my Sales Manager’s e-mail, she mentioned that she was still waiting for the proposal regarding the Tower Of Terror venue. She did state that she had been told that the dinner took place outdoors, outside of the gift shop. I couldn’t visualize the area so I sent her an e-mail asking her if there were any photos to share of the venue. If I had photos to view, it would help me with my decision regarding whether or not to hold my dinner reception there.

About a week later, I received a proposal from the Fairy Tale Weddings folks that included my vow renewal inside the Wedding Pavilion and my dinner reception at the Tower Of Terror attraction. I’ll share a few details of that proposal with you folks. I must admit that it sounded like fun.

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Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings

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Disney-MGM Studios
Tower of Terror Reception/Dinner

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Your customized evening of elegant “terror” begins as you arrive backstage at the Disney-MGM Studios. Event Guides escort you around the corner and through a time warp right out of “The Twilight Zone™” where the famous Hollywood Tower Hotel, a.k.a. “The Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror™,” is still open despite an unfortunate lighting strike.

This ominous hotel, abandoned since 1939, stands directly behind the courtyard and is ready for you to “check-in.” You are greeted by Bell Captains and begin your VIP Tour of this elegant resort.

Your hotel concierge, L.E. Vator, escorts you to the Tower Courtyard and invites you to take a seat for this elegant, upscale, candlelight dinner before you “check-in.” Other hotel employees such as the Chambermaid will amuse you throughout the evening. You will also enjoy the eeeeerie sounds from our strolling trio as you dine.

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In the Courtyard, you are seated at tables elegantly themed with black floor length linens covered with a black/gold lace overlay. Black chair covers with a gold rope tied around the back enhance the setting. A black hanging lantern covered in moss, dust and cobwebs with special Black Magic roses, twigs and dark greenery are placed center stage on each table for the perfect centerpiece. Feast on the delectable delights that our world-renowned chefs have created just for you. Refreshing beverages from the bar are served with dinner.

Your evening comes to a close, and guests will depart with glamorous memories of the Disney-MGM Studios… “in the Hollywood that never was…and always will be.”

Note: This proposal is based on an event start time of 8:30 PM or later and park hours of 9 AM – 7 PM. Park hours have not been confirmed and are subject to change without notice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Estimated Pricing

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/730335898_22893737a5_m.jpg

Disney-MGM Studios
Reception/Dinner
Estimated Pricing
Based on 15 Guests

Reception and Dinner:
Menu @ $X per person (plus 20% gratuity and 6.5% tax)

Wedding Cake @ $X per person (plus 20% gratuity and 6.5% tax)
(Based on 50 person minimum)

“Champagne” Toast @ $X each (plus 20% gratuity and 6.5% tax)
(Based on sparkling wine, ONE glass per person)

Beverages:
Call Brands Hosted Bar (estimate only, actual to be billed on consumption)
(estimate based on SIX drinks per person @ $X each plus 20% gratuity and 6.5% tax)
(Note: A bartender fee of $100 applies to all bars. This fee will be waived should the beverage revenue exceed $500 per bar.)

Floral:
Candelabra Centerpieces (2) @ $X each (plus 6.5% tax)
Floor Length Linen with Overlay (2) @ $X each (plus 6.5% tax)
Chair Covers w/Bow/Rope (15) @ $X each (plus 6.5% tax)

Event Guides:
(2) Guides @ $X each

Entertainment
String Quartet @ $X
Atmosphere Talent (4) @ $X

Attraction Fee (15) @ $X per person (plus 6.5% tax)
(Based on ride thru per person)

ESTIMATED RECEPTION/DINNER TOTAL: $X

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wedding Pavilion Ceremony
Disney-MGM Studios Reception/Dinner
Estimated Total Pricing
Based on 15 Guests

ESTIMATED WEDDING TOTAL: $X

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• This document is not an agreement or an offer to enter into an agreement and is for discussion purposes only. Accordingly, neither of us will be committed unless a mutually acceptable written agreement for this event is signed by both you and us, and until then either of us may withdraw from negotiations at any time and for any reason without liability.
• Space for this event is currently being held on a tentative basis. However, we cannot guarantee space will be available at the location(s), on the date(s) or at the time(s) you desire.
• ++ indicates service charge (which is taxable) and sales tax (currently 20% and 6.5% respectively)
• Prices, if any, shown on this document are subject to change without notice. Pricing maybe be confirmed six months in advance if an agreement is signed by both you and us for this event.
• No attractions or entertainment will be booked or confirmed for this event absent an agreement signed by both you and us.
• Entertainment is subject to change without notice.
• Transportation is not included in pricing.
• Photographs included in this document are the property of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts or its affiliates and cannot be duplicated without our prior written consent.
• It is understood that you will not furnish us with any confidential ideas or other proprietary information.
• This proposal is based on an event start time of 8:30 PM or later and parks hours of 9 AM – 7 PM. Park hours have not been confirmed and are subject to change without notice.
• Above price does not include centerpieces.

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zurgswife

09-21-2004, 12:59 PM

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions....WOW!!! Two fabulous options...how did you chose....I know where I"m pulled toward....I can't wait to hear what was your choice....

The both sound like soo much fun....

KayleeUK

09-21-2004, 02:51 PM

Wow :) More please

WANNABE@WDW

09-21-2004, 06:44 PM

Janet2k
I sent you a PM

kim

Scotfan

09-22-2004, 07:11 AM

Oh the suspense. I check in every morning to see if there is another installment.
I hope you have a wonderful day whatever you choose.

madelyn

09-22-2004, 04:38 PM

What a wonderful thread! I stayed up way too late last night reading it all. I think a Halloween night vow renewal followed by a reception at the Tower of Terror would be something else! Reading this has inspired me to hope and dream for a 20th anniversary vow renewal. That would be the year 2016! We could start saving money now! I'm a 1996 Wedding Pavilion bride but we had a rather ordinary reception at the GF St. Augustine room.

Janet2k

09-23-2004, 02:01 AM

When the Tower Of Terror dinner proposal was sent to me, my Sales Manager mentioned that if the guests for my vow renewal were different from the guests who had attended last Fall's “The Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner event, a Tower of Terror dinner menu could be created that incorporated a few of the fun elements from last year's celebration (for example, the sorbet in the ice skull or the truffles in the chocolate coffin). I thought that was an excellent suggestion and made a mental note of it.

Sadly, there weren’t any photos to share with me of the Tower of Terror venue as it was set up for a dinner party. Photos would have definitely helped me with the tough decision that was facing me. I hate making a decision when I can’t be as informed as possible, especially for something as important as my 20th wedding anniversary. I only plan on celebrating my 20th once (regardless of how many husbands I might have in the future). I truly wanted to do it right. And without photos to view, I was literally flying blind (not a good thing for an old broad whose eyesight was failing in her advanced age).

When I shared the dinner proposal with my daughter, a light bulb went off in my head. If I went with the Tower of Terror dinner, I was going to inquire as to whether or not I could request a specific Cast Member to work my event. I didn’t know if it could be done, but I was going to try like heck if I had to.

You see, when my daughter and I took our Mother & Daughter Vacation two years ago, we went to Walt Disney World. It was a “Girls Only – No Boys Allowed” vacation, and we had left her brother and father back at home on the West Coast. The two of us had a ball on that vacation. While we were visiting the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park one afternoon, we rode our favorite ride – the Tower of Terror. As we stood in the bowels of the Hollywood Tower Hotel waiting for the elevator doors to open up and let us in, a Cast Member began making creepy eyes at the two of us. He tried very hard to unnerve my daughter with his goggle-eyes. I must admit that he was good. Very good. However, my daughter was too stubborn to let on that he was getting to her. It was fun watching the two of them trying to creep each other out. Before we boarded our elevator, I noticed that the Cast Member’s badge stated, “TJ.” The name stuck with me because I had thought it unusual that initials were used instead of a proper name. I hadn’t seen that before.

Fast-forward a few months from that point in time. As my daughter and I were watching a Walt Disney World show on the Travel Channel, a segment on the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park caught our attention. Soon, the two of us were crying out in unison, “TJ!” Yes, the Cast Member with the goggle-eyes was a part of the television show. My daughter and I laughed. And then we both stated that we wished we were back in Walt Disney World with TJ at the Tower of Terror. When my husband came home shortly after the television show had ended, my daughter couldn’t wait to tell him all about TJ. It was cute watching her relive her Tower of Terror experience. She can be quite animated when she wants to be, and she had TJ’s goggle-eyes down pat as she told her vacation tale.

On the vacation after that one, my leg was broken and I was in a wheelchair. I believe we only visited the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park once and that was strictly for our after-hours dinner party on the set of “The Haunted Mansion” movie. Sadly, there was to be no Tower of Terror ride for us that year.

For this year’s Summer vacation, however, my daughter and I were truly craving the Tower of Terror. We couldn’t wait to ride it. So, as we stood in the bowels of the Hollywood Tower Hotel, my daughter and I looked around to see if TJ was working. We were sad to discover that he wasn’t. When we finally were allowed to board our elevator, we found ourselves in its backmost row. As our elevator began to rise, my daughter stated that she wished TJ were there. I said that I wished the same thing, too.

Sometimes I swear Disney hears the wishes of their littlest guests. I don’t know how they do it, but they do it. Upon the end of the ride when our elevator’s doors opened, we saw TJ standing there. My daughter and I both let out a little scream. My husband thought something was wrong and then we quickly explained to him that we were thrilled to see TJ. We couldn’t believe our luck. Strike that – it wasn’t luck, it was pure Disney ~magic.~

Since we were in the last row of the elevator, that meant we would be the last to disembark. I turned my camera on and told my daughter that I was going to ask TJ if he would pose with her for a photo. She was thrilled at the prospect. As we exited the elevator, I said to TJ that we had seen him on the Travel Channel show last year. He thanked us for recognizing him. I then asked him if he would pose for a photograph with my daughter. He said that he would be happy to oblige. I didn’t know it when I snapped the photo, but TJ had given the camera his best goggle-eyes:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1436/667940293_50ac3f735e.jpg

My daughter wanted to ride the Tower of Terror again, so we got back in line for a second time. When our ride was over, TJ was waiting for us. I asked him if he would pose for one more photo but this time I wanted to be in it with my daughter. He looked at my husband and asked him if he would like to be in it, too. My husband said that he would, so another Cast Member stepped forward and took our camera. The three of us happily posed with TJ. Again, TJ had given the camera his best goggle-eyes:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1354/667940367_f5a2d2da4e.jpg

As you can see in that photo, my daughter made an attempt at her own TJ-like pose. It was too funny. I thanked TJ and told him that meeting him was on a par with meeting Mickey Mouse, it was truly a thrill for my daughter and me. I do believe that TJ actually blushed.

So, when I reviewed the Tower of Terror dinner proposal with my daughter that day in June, I knew exactly who I was going to request if I decided to hold my anniversary dinner party there. The one and only TJ. No one else would do.

Janet2k

09-23-2004, 03:12 AM

Originally posted by Scotfan
Oh the suspense. I check in every morning to see if there is another installment.

Scotfan, I do the same thing. I'm hoping that one of these days when I check this thread, it will magically be completed. Hope springs eternal! ;) (Thanks for the chuckle, and the kind words.)

Everyone, I am sorry that I am moving along so s-l-o-w-l-y with this trip report. There's really no plan on my part to keep anyone in suspense. It's just that my work life is too busy and takes up way too much of my time. Then, when I finally get some time to post here on the Dis in the wee hours of the morning, my husband complains that I haven't spent any time with him and the kids. Yikes! I am such a bad wife/mother sometimes, I really am.

I don't mean to give anyone excuses. My life is no more hectic than anyone else's. I'll try to post as much as I can as my vow renewal approaches. I will also try to share as much as I can. I do have a few surprises planned for my guests, though, so I will have to keep mum about a few things (not many). I should also mention that there are things that not even my husband knows about. It has been murder on me keeping those secrets from him since we usually tell each other everything. But I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees one surprise in particular that my Event Manager has planned for us. It will be a priceless moment and I do believe that my husband might actually wet his pants in laughter. Won’t that be a Kodak moment?!

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my Event Manager (he was the same man who planned my Summerhouse Dinner Party)? And I adore my Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager, too. She is a doll. Heck, the whole Disney Team has been frankly just wonderful to work with. I'm one lucky girl.

zurgswife

09-23-2004, 10:15 PM

Oh!! Janet How much fun with your favorite CM at ToT....we also have a number of favorite CM's....can't wait to hear more....:):)

Belle5

09-23-2004, 10:38 PM

Oh, yes...I remember T.J.!!! He is the best! I hope he will be a part of your special night!

Janet2k

09-24-2004, 05:05 AM

Photograph - I don't want your
Photograph - I don't need your
Photograph - All I've got is a photograph
But it's not enough…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Before our family vacation had ended, I made sure to take a few photographs of both the Great Movie Ride and the Tower of Terror attractions. I knew those photos would come in handy when I was trying to decide which venue to select for our vow renewal’s dinner celebration.

Here are a few of the Great Movie Ride photos that I took:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1206/668798032_ddc751fd1d_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1225/668124159_5327011f23_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1104/668979010_b6577638ee_m.jpg

Here are a few of the Tower Of Terror photos that I took:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1245/667942851_89e9d22fce_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1120/667943047_ec2e389897_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/667944037_1f4ea61164_m.jpg

(For more photos, click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600563672587/) for my Great Movie Ride photo album and click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600563673171/) for my Tower of Terror photo album.)

There are also two webpages on the official Walt Disney World website that describe both attractions:
Great Movie Ride (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=TheGreatMovieRideAttractionPag e) Webpage
Tower of Terror (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=TheTwilightZoneTowerofTerrorAt tractionPage) Webpage

With my photos loaded on my home computer’s hard-drive, I perused them at my leisure many a time over the ensuing days. Since Disney did not have any photos to share with me of the venues as they were set up for a party, my personal photos were all I had to work with.

I need to note that as you’re viewing my Tower of Terror photos, please realize that the attraction’s dinner location is the cement area just outside of the gift shop. That is what I was told by the Fairy Tale Weddings folks. Sadly, I did not know that at the time that I was taking my photographs. I was also told that it was not possible to hold an event inside the attraction’s lobby because Disney's Imagineering would not allow it. I was sad to learn that because that location is exquisite and would be a phenomenal setting for a dinner party, ~sigh.~

My Sales Manager told me that the Tower of Terror already had a tentative hold placed on it for the exact same evening that I had wanted it. She asked if it would be possible for me to move my vow renewal to the next night. I knew that moving the date would add a layer of complexity to my resort reservations. I would definitely have to take into consideration how difficult it would be for me to move around the dates of five resort rooms at the BoardWalk Villas during the week of Halloween. That week is incredibly popular with the DVC crowd. Changing even one BoardWalk Villas reservation at such a late date would be darn near impossible.

And so I spent a few days debating between the Wanyama Safari, the Great Movie Ride, and the Tower of Terror. So many venues, such little time. The clock was ticking and I needed to make a decision quickly. It was a shame that I didn’t have any official photographs of the three venues to study during my decision-making process. I really needed to be able to visualize what my party would look like in each of the venues. For some odd reason, the following song by Def Leppard kept running through my mind. I wonder why?

- - - - - - -
Photograph
from Def Leppard’s Pyromania album
Song by Clark/Willis/Savage/Elliott/Lange
Click here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ5bS3_BCDs) for music video

I'm outta luck, outta love
Gotta photograph, picture of
Passion killer, you're too much
You're the only one I wanna touch
I see your face every time I dream
On every page, every magazine
So wild so free so far from me
You're all I want, my fantasy

Oh, look what you've done to this rock 'n' roll clown
Oh oh, look what you've done

Photograph - I don't want your
Photograph - I don't need your
Photograph - All I've got is a photograph
But it's not enough

I'd be your lover, if you were there
Put your hurt on me, if you dare
Such a woman, you got style
You make every man feel like a child, oh
You got some kinda hold on me
You're all wrapped up in mystery
So wild so free so far from me
You're all I want, my fantasy

Oh, look what you've done to this rock 'n' roll clown
Oh oh, look what you've done
I gotta have you

Photograph - I don't want your
Photograph - I don't need your
Photograph - All I've got is a photograph
You've gone straight to my head

Oh, look what you've done to this rock 'n' roll clown
Oh oh, look what you've done
I gotta have you

Photograph - I don't want your
Photograph - I don't need your
Photograph - All I've got is a photograph
I wanna touch you

Photograph
Photograph - Your photograph
Photograph -
Photograph – I need only your
Photograph – I’m outa love
Photograph – I’m outa luck
Photograph – You’re the only one
Photograph – I wanna touch
- - - - - - -

nrsldy

09-24-2004, 08:55 AM

I have been reading your reports. What a great event you are planning! I am setting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next report. I have been inspired to plan a party for my DH 60th.
Thanks,:wave2:

PneumaticTransit

09-24-2004, 10:45 AM

At www.disneymeetings.com there are pictures of some of the venues set up for a dinner party (Universe of Energy, Great Movie Ride Wizard of Oz Scene). Go to the Theme Parks, Events, & Tickets tab at the top. And then you will see a link that says: Click here to view the Event Possibilities brochure. They used to have a picture of a Tower of Terror event, but the tables were set up along the winding pathway that leads up to the hotel. Sadly, I don't see it on that web site anymore. Perhaps you could contact someone via that link - maybe they have more online pictures that your personal event planner is not aware of.

Janet2k

09-25-2004, 04:15 AM

Shortly after the Tower of Terror proposal had arrived, I sent the following e-mail message to Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1! I received some info from the FTW folks today. It came through a bit ago and I need to read it tonight and review it. It is about one of the potential dinner locations. Besides the Wanyama Safari, I have been pricing two other locations. They are expensive so I need to sit down and figure out how much money I am willing to spend. Believe me, all three locations (the two new locations and the Wanyama Safari) are incredible. I can’t go wrong with any of them. However, I have to decide what it is that I want exactly and then move forward from there. I will fill you in when I can. For now, I’m keeping things strictly between Rick and myself. I only plan on being married for 20 years once – I want to do this right!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 responded that she was excited about my latest plans; however, she wasn’t going to pry, even though she was anxious to hear the details. I thought that was sweet of her, but what really caught my attention was her PS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S. I want to offer this to you... Should you need our "spots" for your celebration in order to keep the size down for an intimate wedding instead of a custom one... please just let me know. Don't feel obligated to have us there. You may have family members you forgot to invite... Of course we would love to be a part of your celebration, we're clearing our calendars, reserving rooms, and yes, even planning attire as I write, but I'm sincere in my thoughts when I say if you find you need our places in order to keep the size down, don't hesitate to use them for others. We would understand completely. We want this to be your time and your plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What a wonderful friend she was. I was deeply touched by her sincerity. However, I had to let her know immediately that there would be no spots taken away from anyone:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonzie1, there is no way that I would ever un-invite you! You silly girl! I have my heart set on you and your husband being there. It wouldn't be the same if you weren't there. Nutz4dzny has said the same thing as you -- if I need to un-invite her, just say the word. There is no way that I am un-inviting her, either. The two of you are my closest Dis friends. It just wouldn't be a Fairy Tale Weddings anything without both of you there!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, both Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny had stated the exact same thing – if I needed more spots at my vow renewal for family members, just say the word. Those two ladies are truly class acts. I am very fortunate that they call me friend.

I soon sent a few more questions to my FTW Sales Manager. I was still torn between venues and dates. I needed to know exactly what my options were before I made my final decision:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had a chance to review the Tower of Terror proposal. It looks great. If you could send me a photo or two of the dinner location, that would help with my decision. I still am having a hard time visualizing where the dinner would take place.

Presently, I find myself debating between the Tower of Terror and the Great Movie Ride for my dinner reception. Going with either of those venues would immediately move me into the "custom" category. As you know, my vow renewal ceremony is set for Wednesday, October 27th, 2004, at 2:00 PM in the Wedding Pavilion. Is there a later time that I could use for my ceremony? Also, if I moved my ceremony to Sunday, October 31st (Halloween), what times are available at the Wedding Pavilion?

If I went with either the Great Movie Ride or the Tower of Terror dinner, what time would the dinner start? Please give me this information for both October 27th (Wednesday) and October 31st (Sunday). October 27th is my anniversary, however, October 31st is the date that my husband and I actually met (and is my favorite day out of the whole year). If I had my vow renewal and dinner on that Sunday, it might make things easier on my guests.

I should let you know that if I move my vow renewal into the "custom" category, I will schedule a trip to Walt Disney World so that I may tour the venue and discuss the dinner in more detail. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,
Janet
Intimate Add-On: Wedding Pavilion, October 27th, 2004
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before my Sales Manager could respond, I reached a decision. Well, maybe I didn’t really reach a decision. Maybe it was more like I caved into the ultimatum that my husband had presented me with. If memory serves me correctly, it went something like the following:

"If you want me to stick around for the next 20 years, you better pick the 'X' venue."

Boy, what was a girl to do? When I said “I do” the first time, there was no mention of the word “obey” in either of our vows -- and he knew that. How dare he lay down the law after 20 years of marriage. Who the heck did he think he was, Omar Sharif in the musical "Funny Girl?"

- - - - - - -
You Are Woman, I Am Man (from “Funny Girl”)
Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Bob Merrill
Click here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU6DqMyFDOU) for music video

You are woman, I am man
You are smaller, so I can be taller than
You are softer to the touch
It’s a feeling I like feeling very much

You are someone I've admired
Still our friendship leaves something to be desired
Does it take more explanation than this?
You are woman, I am man
Let’s kiss

Isn’t this the height of nonchalance
Furnishing a bed in restaurants?
Well, a bit of dinner never hurt - but guess who is gonna be dessert?
Do good girls do just what momma says… when momma's not around?
It’s a feeling...oy vey… what a feeling!

A bit of pâté?

Ahh... I drink it all day

Should I do the things he’ll tell me to?
In this pickle, what would Sadie do?
In my soul I feel an inner lack
Just suppose he wants his dinner back?

Just some dried out toast in a sliver
On the top a… a little chopped liver… oh

Ohhh...
Hmm… hmm…

How many girls become a sinner
While waiting for a roast beef dinner?
Though, most girls slip in ordinary ways
I got style I do it bordelaise
Well at least you think I’m special
You ordered à la carte
It’s a feeling… I like feeling very…

I feel the feeling… down to my toes
Now I feel that there’s a fire here
Oh, try that once … a little higher, dear
What a beast to ruin such a pearl…
Would a convent take a Jewish girl?

Does it take more explanation than this?

Ohh... the thrills and chills goin’ through me
If I stop him now… can he sue me?

You are woman.

You are man.

Let’s...
- - - - - - -

KayleeUK

09-25-2004, 04:43 AM

If you want me to stick around for the next 20 years, you better pick the “X” venue. LOL :teeth:

Scotfan

09-25-2004, 12:18 PM

oh this gets better and better.

Aristocath

09-25-2004, 03:57 PM

Janet, you tease! I sit at my computer in anticipation of your next post!:teeth:

Janet2k

09-25-2004, 05:09 PM

With my vow renewal’s dinner venue chosen, it was time to have a little fun with my girlfriends. It was time, so to speak, to play ball (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp). To Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and my dear girlfriend from home, I sent the following e-mail message:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I believe I'm a "custom" Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal bride now. I gave them the okay about an hour ago to book a specific venue inside the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park for my dinner celebration. Can you guess where it will be?

Janet (who loves knowing something that you don't know, hee hee hee!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the game of baseball, you get three strikes before you’re out. Bonzie1 was the first batter to step up to the plate.

I threw the first pitch. Would Bonzie1 hit a foul ball or a home run?

Her bat was up…and she began her swing…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, I've put on my thinking cap... Disney Studios... Let's see... No, no, that's not it... Wait, I think I've got it... A candlelight dinner while riding on the Star Tours Ride!!! What's that? That's not it you say??? Darn, I thought I had it! (just kidding!)

What wonderful thoughts I'll have drifting off to sleep... Where will Janet's special venues be???

You're on your way now! Yipee for you and Rick (and for your friends!)

Congratulations!
Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 missed the ball completely. I have a helluva fastball so the odds were in my favor that she would misjudge the speed of it.

It was time for my next pitch. Would her bat make contact with the ball this time?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, I'm still guessing... Hey, does Rick know, or is this a secret from him too?

Are we dining in the elevator of the Tower of Terror?? Then we'll drop 13 stories to make more room for dessert?? No? Okay, I'll keep guessing (yes, it's fun to be the holder of the surprise). Maybe I'll get a thought in my dreams!

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was another miss, but only by a fraction of a second. But fractions count in baseball. Bonzie1 had better increase the speed of her swing if she expected to hit anything that I was gonna throw her way.

I should note that I did find Bonzie1’s swing amusing, especially the part about her plans for making more room for dessert. I hadn’t thought of that before. That woman may not know how to swing a bat, but I bet she’s a great heckler from the bench.

I loosened up my arm for the third pitch. I wanted to make sure that it would be a good pitch so I took my time with a few arm circles:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonzie1, the Tower of Terror dinner was one of my three choices (and I almost selected it). Let's see, you already know that one choice was the AKL's Wanyama Safari dinner. You have guessed that another choice was the Tower of Terror dinner. Let me know when you've figured out the last choice (and the one that I booked today).

I need to figure out if I want to keep my ceremony at 2 PM or move it to a later time. The dinner would start around 8:30 PM (once Disney-MGM Studios has closed). What do you think?

I also need to figure out when I can head to WDW for a few days in order to get my site inspection out of the way (and most importantly, my food tasting - yum!). I'm going to need an AP rate for my room (gotta save my money for October's vacation). What resort do you suggest? It might just be me who heads to Orlando, or I might take my son or daughter along with me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 banged her bat on the plate. She was ready for my third pitch. She meant business this time and I knew it by the scowl upon her face:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, no kidding... I was joking about the Tower of Terror (smile). I'll keep thinking!!!

As far as your time... What kind of natural lighting do you want for your wedding? Do you want to be able to see out of the beautiful windows in the chapel? If so, I would keep it when the sun is out. Check out the website for the sunset times and see when the sun will be setting that evening. Maybe you can have the best of both worlds. Do you want some breathing room after your ceremony, pictures, etc, or do you want to be whisked away right into your dinner? Isn't it fun to have so many choices??? Let's face it, you and your guests will be at WDW, it's not like there will be any trouble filling up time (smile)

The AP is a great thing, especially when it comes time to get room discounts. Do you want to be close to the FTW pavilion for your room, or close to where your site inspection will be? I'd probably opt to be close to the FTW site so I could ask, and ask, and ask my questions. We enjoyed the ambience of the Poly, and watching the fireworks from our room (I think we were in the Tonga building). Then we could walk to the GF. Oh, I keep forgetting about your leg. Maybe you don't want to walk too much! Of course, we love ALK too, but that's not close to either site. Tough choices!!!

I'm still thinking!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I ignored her heckling. If she wanted my third pitch, she was gonna get it. Would it be three strikes and you’re out for Bonzie1? Or would she hit that ball right out of the park?

I wound up…then threw the pitch. Bonzie1 swung…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, I'm having fun guessing :-)

You mentioned the set for “Haunted Mansion” movie is still there, but closed to the public. You also mentioned you wanted to have pictures taken on the staircase... Is that the site for your venue??? The suspense is... The silence is... deafening... All across the miles!

Bonzie1

P.S. I know I've used up my 3 guesses, but I have one more thought... Just popped into my head... Something with The Great Movie Ride??? I'm getting all thought out!

P.P.S. Don't feel you have to tell me... Keep the suspense of your surprise!!! Like you said earlier... You're only married 20 years once!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My pitch was a perfect slider. There was no way she was gonna hit it. This game was gonna end a no-hitter. But, wait… ”WHACK!” crackled through the air as Bonzie1’s bat made ferocious contact with the ball.

She dropped her bat and raced towards first base. She tagged it, and then it was onto second base. Before I knew it, she was rounding third. As she raced towards home plate, the ballpark went wild with cheers.

I watched the ball sail out of the park and was forced to send Bonzie1 the following message of congratulations:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! The Great Movie Ride it is!

Since the ride is indoors, I won't have to fret about weather (like I did about the Summerhouse dinner party). It should be a fun party, don't you think? I almost selected the Tower of Terror dinner but I was told that dinner is held outside of the gift shop. I think that means I would have to worry about weather, not a good thing.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And as Bonzie1 crossed home plate, she gave me some final trash talk:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, WOW! Or, to borrow one of your Janet words... YAHOO!!! That sounds absolutely WONDERFUL! And, as you said, you won't have to worry about weather... That's perfect. It should be absolutely unbelievable. The hairs on my arms are jumping up and down!

Sounds like you're off and running...

Thanks for sharing!
Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next two batters were Nutz4dzny and my dear friend from home. They also hit home runs. Drats! I had become a baseball pitching has-been. It was time to take up a new sport. Tennis, anyone?

CJK

09-25-2004, 05:39 PM

Janet - your story-telling ability is delightful! Who knew baseball could be so darn exciting!!!! I think you made a wonderful choice! I can't think of any better way to celebrate your 20th!

Side note - We cancelled our September trip due to all the hurricanes :(, but rescheduled for the end of October. What a wonderful coincidence to be there the same time as you! I'll be sure to look for the blushing bride & groom! :)

Thanks so much for sharing your magic with us!!! :) :)

2002Disneybride

09-26-2004, 12:08 AM

Janet,
I am loving your trip reports and I am looking forward to reading more! My husband and I were married in the pavilion on October 21, 2002. We went back last year for our 1st anniversary and this year we are returning with our 2 month old son! So maybe I will see you in the parks!
I love that you picked the GMR for your reception...It sounds like you plan very unique things during your trips!I would love to read more about them!!!
((And thanks to you I know now that Tower of terror can be used! I will keep that in mind during my vow renewal ((Someday!))
Anyway, thanks for posting all the details. Best of luck!
::MinnieMo

Janet2k

09-26-2004, 12:56 PM

They say when you’re married long enough, you begin to look alike:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2079/2096298545_1e4dfa741d.jpg

Thank goodness that isn’t true of the two of us. I’m still taller than him (heels or no heels) and he has a bigger mustache.

As happens to all married couples, there have been times when our two personalities have become so intertwined that even I have a hard time telling us apart. On the fateful day that my husband laid down the ultimatum regarding the vow renewal dinner party, our two hearts were beating as one. I let him think he had made the final decision, when in actuality, I had pretty much come to the conclusion that the Great Movie Ride would be the perfect venue in which to celebrate our marriage.

Rick and my relationship has pretty much followed the same course as the Great Movie Ride. Like the ride, we began with Musicals. On the day that we met, we were dancing when Rick stated, "You know you’re going to marry me someday."

Then our relationship continued onto the Gangster years when we enjoyed libations (strictly legal, I assure you) at many a college party (as close to a "speakeasy" as we ever got). We didn’t rob any banks like is done on the Great Movie Ride; however, if you folks have been following my trip report, you know that the thought has recently crossed my mind.

Our relationship moved onto the Frontier years when we moved to the Wild, Wild West (as in Coast) after I graduated from college. That is where we took our relationship to the next level and I made an honest man out of Rick.

Everyone knows that the Great Movie Ride has a Science Fiction area. Our relationship does, too. Both my husband and I work in the high-tech industry. We may not have had any aliens dripping goo from the ceiling as happens on the ride; however, when our daughter was a toddler, we had six months of projectile vomiting at all hours of the night (the doctors never did figure out what was wrong with her).

I think everyone’s favorite portion of the Great Movie Ride is the Land of Oz. That just so happens to be my favorite portion of our relationship. We were blessed with two munchkins of our own, lollipops and all. I should mention, though, that unlike the ride, there haven’t been any wicked witches in our relationship (my husband might beg to differ with me on that topic, though).

Yes, the Great Movie Ride would be a fitting way to relive the story of our relationship. I’m glad my husband chose that venue.

bonzie1

09-27-2004, 10:04 PM

Janet,

Thank you so much for the smiles, the warm fuzzies, and the wonderment you provide to all of us as we read and participate in the many journeys of your FTW adventure!

Your writing is a gift (hard work too), but never the less, a gift. Thanks for sharing your magic. :wizard:

zurgswife

09-28-2004, 07:30 PM

Oh!! Janet...the GMR was my favorite all along....I love the story telling about letting your girlfriends try to figure out the venue....That sounds absolutely amazing....

Just a few short weeks....YAHOOO!!!

johnsonet

09-28-2004, 10:48 PM

Janet - as always, you are an incredible inspiration and positive Life Force! I cannot wait to read more and I hope Your Day is as amazing as you are - NOW GIVE US SOME MORE:crazy: :teeth: :crazy: :teeth:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
" Do not arouse the wrath of the great and powerful Oz. I said come back tomorrow ":crazy:

Janet2k

09-29-2004, 03:41 AM

As soon as my husband and I had decided upon the dinner venue, I left a phone message for our Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager with the news. Her response follows:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Janet! I received your voicemail. Thank you for the update.

Regarding space on October 27th, you are all set for the Great Movie Ride. I had tentatively held it just in case. I still have your ceremony at 2pm in the Wedding Pavilion. However, since we can’t really get into the Movie Ride until about 8:30pm, how do you feel about having your ceremony at 8:00pm in the Wedding Pavilion? Candlelight ceremony? The ceremony would most likely last about 20-25 minutes. You could have some photos taken at the Pavilion after the ceremony and then everyone could head over to the Great Movie Ride.

Please let me know your thoughts and I will make it official. We’ll also set up a walkthrough with Disney Studios. And a planning session with your Event Planner to work on all the fun stuff.

Talk with you soon,
Your FTW Sales Manager
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My husband and I were finally a Fairy Tale Weddings Custom Couple. It took a few moments for that to sink in.

Making the decision to move into the Custom category was not something that the two of us had entered into lightly. As I had mentioned before, financially, the timing wasn’t right for us this year. Our son was still in college; my husband had been recently laid-off and was contemplating going back to school; and the company I worked for was still on the verge of financial collapse and my job was in jeopardy. In spite of all the things that were telling my head, "No, don’t have the vow renewal," there were a million and one things that were telling my heart, "Yes, have it."

Since I always try to live my life without regrets, I had to really take a cold, hard look at the kind of money that we were going to spend on a Custom vow renewal. Would I regret spending that money six months from now? One year from now? Ten years from now? I had to be brutally honest with myself. If I could answer “no” to each of those questions, and sincerely mean it, then my decision would be an easier one to make.

I also looked back at all the money that I had spent on extraneous items over the past ten years. Did I regret spending that money? Did I wish I had that money back again? My answers were all “no.” I couldn’t think of one thing that I had regretted doing.

I then looked into the future. Into a future without the vow renewal. I knew in my heart that I would regret it if we didn’t renew our vows this year. And so I told my husband that in spite of everything that life had thrown at us, the only thing I truly wanted was to be able to renew my wedding vows.

The first time I had said, “I do,” I had nothing but 20 years of regrets. This time when I said, “I do,” I wanted nothing but the most wonderful memories to carry with me for the rest of my life. With the blessing of my husband, I had left that telephone message for our Sales Manager with the news of our decision to move into the Custom vow renewal category.

Janet2k

09-29-2004, 03:54 AM

With the “Great Movie Ride” attraction officially booked for our dinner venue, my mind was full of questions. Initially I thought I wanted drinks and hors d'oeuvres served in the Gangster area of the attraction, followed by a sit-down dinner in the Land of Oz area. However, that was before I had reviewed a proposal that had laid out things a little differently -- drinks in the Gangster area, dinner in the Western area, and dessert in the Finale area.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1253/730327768_3653f210b8.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1352/730327784_278b82c568.jpg

I liked what I saw in that proposal and thus sent the following question to my FTW Sales Manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I just want to double-check on my options for the reception at the Great Movie Ride. It sounds like I will get the details from the “Event Planner” (not sure who that is or when that will happen). However, I am hopeful that you can answer a simple question of mine.

Is it somewhat flexible as to what I want to do for my dinner reception inside the Great Movie Ride? What I mean is that initially I had asked about having my dinner in the Land of Oz. Since then you’ve given me a proposal that mentions drinks in the Gangster area, dinner in the Western area, and dessert in the Finale area. That sounds like fun. However, I am hopeful that I could do dessert in the Oz area instead (I don’t think I’ll have dancing at my dinner reception). I’m not sure if having dessert in the Land of Oz is an option, and I’m hoping you can help me out here.

I will definitely discus the timing of the vow renewal ceremony with my husband and let you know. If I have the later ceremony, would pictures be taken before or afterwards (I don’t think there’s much time afterwards due to the timing of the reception)? I would love to hear your opinion on this. The more opinions I get, the better.

Janet
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My Sales Manager sent me a response that was full of information:

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Janet, actually, you read my mind. Since you’ve pretty much decided on the Great Movie Ride, I wanted to see what you thought about the overall proposal.

After you had received the initial GMR proposal and we discussed some options; I had requested that Disney Studios approve for us to have cocktails in the Gangster area and then move into Oz for dinner, substituting the “cowboy trio” for a “string trio” at dinner in Oz. Entertainment and Catering at Disney Studios have agreed that would be fine, if that is what you would like to do. Also, you can skip dancing in the Finale area. If you’d like, we can continue in Oz for dessert. Or go out to the Courtyard for dessert/cake cutting and coffee.

I can have a more specific proposal put together for your records. You’ll be able to customize the menu and pick your table linen, centerpiece(s), personal floral, etc., with your Event Planner. They will also be providing you with a more detailed budget based on your meeting.

Regarding photos before/after the ceremony, I’d probably recommend a little of both. If you’d like to have your photographer meet you at a specific Resort (you’ll be at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, correct?), he/she can take some photos there prior to the ceremony. We usually recommend starting about 1 hour to 1 ½ hours prior, depending upon the location and types of photos. And then after the ceremony, you can take a few group shots in the Pavilion. I highly recommend a little list of particular shots you would like to get. For example: Bride/Groom/Daughter/Son, Bride alone, Groom alone, Bride and Groom at altar, etc. It helps with timing and the photographer can make sure he meets all of your requests and no one is left out.

How’s that? Does that help? Let me know what you think.

FTW Sales Manager
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you just saw, my Sales Manager was a wealth of knowledge. The "photo shot list" was something that I had read many a bride & groom had regretted not putting together. Before last year’s dinner party on the set of "The Haunted Mansion" movie, I never thought I needed a photo shot list either. The only regret I have from that incredible dinner party was that not one photo had been taken of my husband and I together. There we were, celebrating 19 years of marriage in a magical venue, and we did not have one photo of the two of us alone to remember the evening by. I would definitely not let that happen at this year’s anniversary party. I would be giving a "photo shot list" to the photographer, even if it only had one shot listed on it: Photo of Bride and Groom together.

In my response to my Sales Manager, I mentioned the BoardWalk Villas rooms that I had booked for my family. I also mentioned my desire to stay at the Grand Floridian Resort, if only for a few nights. That desire would haunt me for weeks. You see, the Grand Floridian held a lot of significance for my husband and myself. However, I did not have the heart to switch resorts on the rest of my family. And so I had to put that topic out of my mind since I already had quite a few rooms booked at the BoardWalk (much easier said than done):

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your new e-mail helped a lot. Thank you so much.

You mentioned drafting up a more specific proposal regarding the GMR; I would love to see that.

I’m not sure what resort we’ll be at yet. I already have five rooms booked for varying lengths of stays at the BoardWalk Villas via my DVC membership (room for parents, room for Aunt, room for sister, room for best friend, room for me). However, I would love to stay at the Grand Floridian for one or two nights since that is where my husband and I first began our love of vacationing at Walt Disney World. I just don’t know how that would affect everyone else’s vacation experience if we were located in a resort so far away (normally we wouldn’t mind, but for the vow renewal vacation, I think we might). I’ve been debating that topic for weeks. I have plenty of time to make up my mind and probably won’t do so for a little while yet. Still, photos at the Grand Floridian before the ceremony would be nice (I know we don’t have to stay there in order to have photos taken there).

When will I be assigned a vow renewal coordinator? Will this person also be my event planner, or is that someone different? All of this is obviously new to me.

Janet
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Oh, there were so very many things that were new to me. I had a lot to learn. As always, my Sales Manager was prompt with her reply:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, I will get with my product manager to refine the GMR proposal to meet our needs better.

You can definitely have photos taken at the Grand Floridian. The Grand staircase is a fabulous location for that.

I will begin working on your custom contract first thing in the morning. We have a room night minimum that we contract.

Once the contract is signed and sent back to me, your Event Planner will be assigned to your event. If you have a date in mind that you’d like to come down to plan, please let me know in advance. We’ll request your Planner be “pre-assigned” so they are available for your planning session and your event. I’m happy to help with whatever questions you may have.

Talk with you soon!
FTW Sales Manager
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There it was. The first mention of ~gulp~ my Custom Contract. No regrets… No regrets... No regrets…

I sent her the following reply:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks again for the help. I look forward to receiving the custom contract and moving on from there.

Within the next few days I will try to figure out what time I’d like for my vow renewal ceremony (either the later time or the earlier time). I will also try to determine when I could be in Walt Disney World for a planning session. I will keep you posted.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, I was actually looking forward to receiving my custom contract. Things were definitely starting to move forward at a good pace. More importantly, I had no regrets.

RWE2L8

09-29-2004, 09:59 AM

"The first time I had said, “I do,” I had nothing but 20 years of regrets. This time when I said, “I do,” I wanted nothing but the most wonderful memories to carry with me for the rest of my life."

I am sure you will have wonderful beautiful memories to carry with you for the rest of your life. I have LOVED reading ALL your posts! Great Job!! Looking forward to the next post....

:D

melanieewr

09-29-2004, 06:42 PM

I think all of us here guessed you would choose the GMR. I bet that if you could have had your reception inside TOT it would have made the choice much tougher. GMR sounds perfect and I like the outdoor courtyard ending (if you choose that)...it sounds very romantic to be all alone with just your family and friends at MGM in the evening. I bet there would be twinkling lights all around...and not just in your eyes! It all sounds very magical and oh so memorable.

Thank you so much for sharing all the details. I look forward to every installment.

zurgswife

09-29-2004, 10:27 PM

Loving the details Janet....all of them add even more intrigue....

Ron from Michigan

10-01-2004, 06:42 AM

Thanks Janet for the wonderful reports. I just love reading and learning new things about our favorite place to vacation , WDW.

KayleeUK

10-03-2004, 03:53 PM

Brilliant :)

Janet2k

10-03-2004, 09:08 PM

The next thing that I had to decide upon was the ceremony’s start time. When my husband and I were an “Intimate” couple, we had booked an afternoon ceremony (2 PM). Now that we were a “Custom” couple, we had the option of booking an evening ceremony. However, since we were changing things around so late in the game, I soon discovered that all the late afternoon and early evening time slots were already spoken for. Drats!

I was told that since our dinner party would be starting late (Disney-MGM Studios had stated that it couldn’t start prior to 8:30 PM), we did have the option of having our vow renewal ceremony inside the Wedding Pavilion at 8 PM. I was happy to be given that option.

Since I wasn't sure which time slot to choose, 2 PM or 8 PM, I asked Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 for their opinions:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am very excited about my FTW vow renewal now. I need your input again, though. If I go with the 2 PM ceremony, there will be quite a bit of time between then and the dinner (assuming dinner is at 8:30 PM). I'm not sure if I like that.

If I go with the 8 PM ceremony, I fear I will feel rushed through the photos in the pavilion. The majority of my photos will be taken before the ceremony, probably inside the GF. Inside the pavilion I will only need photos of Rick & I, and then photos of all my guests. I'm hoping 30 minutes is okay, what do you think?

The dinner can start at anytime; however, I don't want it to start too late. Right now I think they have it scheduled for 8:30 PM, which could easily be moved to 9:00 PM. Do you think 30 minutes for photos inside the pavilion after the 15-minute vow renewal ceremony would be enough time? My FTW Sales Manager thinks it should be fine.

Please give me Pro's and Con's for both time slots. I would really appreciate it.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nutz4dzny gave me her Pro’s and Con’s over the telephone. She also told me that she was fine with either time.

Bonzie1 gave me her opinion next:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Janet! I will think about the pros + cons of the different ceremony times.

A candlelight ceremony will definitely be beautiful! Off the top of my head, I would be concerned with being rushed. An 8:00 ceremony would mean definitely starting on time (which means guests must arrive on time). It would also mean the 15 minute ceremony would be kept to 15 minutes. Is that long enough for you?

I would write down pictures you definitely want: you + Rick, you + Rick + the children, the whole family, the guys, the women, etc.

You’ll also need to account for transportation time...perhaps the dinner should start at 9:00?

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I contacted my sister next. She stated that my parents would want an earlier ceremony since they were not Night Owls. She definitely pushed me towards keeping the 2 PM time slot. But after I had talked with my sister, I picked up the telephone and called my parents.

My Mom told me to go with the 8 PM ceremony time. I pointed out that she and my Dad were not Night Owls and would probably want to go to bed early. My Mom laughed and said that the only reason they go to bed early is because there is usually nothing to do. With my ceremony starting late, and with the dinner immediately following it, they would definitely have a reason to stay up late and she was looking forward to it. Her point was well-taken and so I told her we would go with the 8 PM ceremony.

After I had hung up the phone with my Mom, I called my sister again. I relayed to her our mother’s wish for an 8 PM ceremony. She was surprised, but also stated that she had never considered the “we go to bed early because there is usually nothing to do” angle. The two of us laughed over that. Our mother sure can be very profound when the occasion calls for it.

I sent the following message to Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonzie1, just moments ago I phoned my sister and also my parents regarding the FTW vow renewal ceremony time. My sister said to go with the 2 PM time because she is concerned that my parents are such early birds, they would prefer that time. Then I called my Mom. She said to go with the 8 PM time. I tried to talk her into the 2 PM time but she would hear none of it. I found that too funny! She said the 8 PM time sounded perfect, with dinner following afterwards. So, it sounds like 8 o'clock it will be.

I'm going to leave a phone message for my FTW Sales Manager requesting the 8 PM time slot. I'll let you know as soon as I've heard back from her. Keep your fingers crossed that it's still available.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was time to ask my Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager for an official ceremony time change:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello. If the 8:00 PM time slot is still available at the Wedding Pavilion for October 27, I would love to have it. I spoke with both my parents and my sister just a short while ago. They think that time would work out very well. So, please let me know if my 2:00 PM vow renewal ceremony can be moved to 8:00 PM.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After I had sent my message, I received one from Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, I should have read your 2nd note first (smile). If your parents think 8:00 would be fine... Then I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!

The candlelight will be beautiful. I guess I’m still thinking you’ll have to pull the dinner back a bit... ‘Til 9:00. I wouldn’t want to see FTW rush you out of your own service (smile... But I know you better than that. And with me there too, they won’t be pushing you anywhere you don’t want to go!)

It’s probably best to have the service and then proceed to the dinner. That would be like a magical progression. Everyone would be together for the transportation. There wouldn’t be 2 “call” times. Once the event started, it would continue without interruption. You would have everyone together in the same place.

Let me know how you make out! I’ll be rooting for you!

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1’s e-mail was too funny (“…they won’t be pushing you anywhere you don’t want to go…”). Nutz4dzny had told me the same thing. I tell ya, those two ladies are the best. And I wholeheartedly agreed with the statement that it would be good to have the evening start and then continue on without interruption.

When I heard from my Sales Manager the next morning, she mentioned that she had put a request in for the 8 PM time slot. She hoped to have the official okay from the Control Clerk by the next morning.

I was on pins and needles while waiting for that official word. And then it arrived:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Janet.

Yep! You are all set. I have the contract being processed right now. Should be out to you by late today or first thing in the morning!

Your FTW Sales Manager
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must say that I was very relieved when I read that message. Timing, as they say, is everything.

KayleeUK

10-04-2004, 07:53 AM

An evening ceremony sounds beautiful :)

Janet2k

10-05-2004, 12:41 AM

Hi, gang. I’ve been a little blue lately. My company is reorganizing again. Several of my wonderful coworkers were laid-off within the past few days. I have been through this so many times over the past four years, you would think that it would be easier for me to take by now. But it’s not. It becomes more and more difficult with each passing layoff/reorg. And I can’t believe that I am going to admit this, but I am not looking forward to my vow renewal now. I didn’t think there was anything that could take that joy away from me. I am hoping that within the next few weeks, somehow I’ll regain a little bit of that joy back. I certainly don’t want to travel to the most magical place on Earth with a dark cloud hanging over my head. My family and friends deserve better than that.

Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 have been trying their hardest to cheer me up. Nutz4dzny has gone through two surgeries within the past several weeks. If anyone should be cheering anyone up, it should be me cheering her up. But she’s been a pillar of strength for me, God Bless her. She always knows the right thing to say. The same goes for Bonzie1. Before I left work this evening, Bonzie1 sent me an e-mail alluding to the Top Secret Dessert that the Grand Floridian is preparing for the dessert party that my husband and I are hosting at the resort’s marina on the night before our vow renewal. I have kept all details of that dessert party a secret from everyone, including my own husband. All anyone knows is that there will be yummy desserts and ice-cold drinks that evening. That’s it. And it is driving Bonzie1 crazy. Her e-mail stated that she doubted her Special Agent status could pry that detail from Jane Bond’s lips. Right she is. Her words really made me laugh, and I didn’t think that was possible this evening. But somehow Bonzie1 pulled it off, God Bless her.

I’m trying to remind myself of all the things that I have to be thankful for this year. At the top of my list is my family and friends. I am very fortunate to have those people in my life, I don’t need anything else.

I head to WDW soon. Between everything that is happening at work, and everything that I have left to do before vacation, I don’t know how much free time I’m going to have. I’ll try to post as much as I can before I leave.

Alysa

10-05-2004, 01:49 AM

I am so sorry to hear that you are having troubles before your special day: Sending you best wishes, and if laughter really is the best medicine (after counting your blessings) and if you have the time, hugs and smiles from someone who you have made smile many times.

http://ecardview.hallmark.com/hmk/Website/greeting.jsp?bae=3&mailID=BAE_ECARD_Order&id=EG4064-717553-12273430&userID=0

http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_video/fish.avi

http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_video/spanish.avi

tammy

10-05-2004, 09:33 AM

Cheer up sweetheart, everything will be ok.

Growin'upDisney

10-05-2004, 08:14 PM

I know that this situation is very hard - but you have been so enthusiastic about this vow renewal for so long. Try to remember that for your 20th you wanted to completely re-new/re-do what you did on your wedding day.

By your own description your wedding day was not what you wanted it to be. Think about your husband and how much you wanted to do this for him. Try to get the spirit for which you started this whole thing back!!

zurgswife

10-05-2004, 09:44 PM

Sent you a PM....:sunny: :sunny:

Scotfan

10-06-2004, 04:50 AM

So sorry to hear about your troubles at work, I know its difficult but everything will sort itself out, and you have your wonderful party to look forward to. Pixie Dust winging its way over the pond.

nutz4dzny

10-07-2004, 10:43 AM

Janet2k and her family are now part of my family and I can truly say although we live on opposite coasts, she is my "BEST" Friend and a true soul mate that I've been given the honor to have known. She is brilliant, funny, a great listener, ( a very rare quality nowadays!) a most generous human being God placed on this good Earth.

I am recovering from 2 major back surgeries and I call her to cheer her up since she received some depressing news about work and she turns it around and ends up cheering me up! I do hope I made her laugh a little too!

Be seeing you soon you Lovely Bride-to-be-again!

I just started walking!

Your true friend,

Renee, aka nutz4dzny

lovingthemouse

10-07-2004, 04:17 PM

I can't remember reading such an engrossing post from beginning to this point - thank you so much. I truly hope that all goes more positively at workand that you'll again look forward to this wonderful wedding renewal. You have us all in great anticipation here... Caroline:wave:

Jasminesmommy

10-08-2004, 01:24 AM

Janet2k You have kept me up 6 hours reading your posts. I am too planning a wedding in 2007 and loving all the info I am recieving from reading your post. I hope everything works out in the job area of your life. We too had simular job problems a while back and just starting to get in the swing of things. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Janet2k

10-09-2004, 02:15 AM

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words both here and in private. They really meant a lot to me. I actually didn’t want to post what I had posted the other day, but I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and it would have been impossible for me to have hidden my feelings.

Getting through this week at work was tough. We didn’t have any more layoffs; however, we employees know they are coming. I have the sinking feeling that there might be one right before my vacation begins.

I still remember a few years ago when the department that I was in was decimated during one particularly difficult layoff. Our department was incredible; full of wonderfully, hardworking employees. We all got along beautifully, too, which is sometimes rare in our industry. When the layoff finally came, only three of us survived. The other two survivors were out of the country on business. That left me alone in our once bustling department. It felt like a tomb. The silence was deafening. This happened a few days before my vacation was to begin. I had really been looking forward to that vacation, too, because it was going to be my first Mother And Daughter Vacation. My daughter and I were so excited about it. And then the layoff hit. I felt so horrible for what had happened to my coworkers, and to top it off, I developed a horrible case of Survivors’ Guilt. I will quote below what I posted in my brief trip report back then:

- - - - - - - - - -
First, some background. My vacation wasn’t scheduled to begin until Thursday, but my company had another layoff during the prior week. It was a nasty layoff and my entire department was decimated (I was fortunate to retain a position within the company). This year alone, my company has lost 50% of its workforce. Each layoff has left me more and more depressed. This last one just about killed me. Since it was Tuesday and my new boss wasn’t due back from Europe until after I was scheduled to leave for Orlando, I decided that the heat in the kitchen was just too much to bear and I had to escape. Or else. So I picked up the phone, called the airline, changed my flights around so that I would depart a day early, and then contacted Dreams Unlimited Travel in order to get another night added onto my Port Orleans – French Quarter reservation. Once everything was set, I called my husband at work to inform him that my daughter & I would be leaving for Florida one day early. My motto was “Orlando or Bust.”
- - - - - - - - - -

Boy, I remember that day as if it were yesterday. It’s amazing how long the sad experiences stay with you.

But I am trying my hardest to put those memories behind me, and also to keep the current situation from completely smothering my joy. It’s people like you folks here on the Dis website who will help me get through this. Again, thank you for your kind words. They mean more to me than you'll ever know.

Janet2k

10-09-2004, 04:13 AM

I am going to digress for a moment with my following post. I am doing this as my way of thanking you folks for bearing with me this week.

This post is a little out of order, and I guarantee you will see it again (no doubt in its entirety) when I post my Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Trip Report in the future. I just thought that since I’m heading to WDW in a few days, I would share one small detail with you. Believe it or not, you folks are the first to learn of it. My guests don’t even know about it yet.

Several weeks ago I sent an e-mail to my Event Manager stating that I thought I had a few pennies left over for a Dessert Party. I told him that I wanted to hold it at the Grand Floridian’s marina; and I wanted desserts, a bartender, and a bar. That was all that I asked for.

I forgot that I was dealing with one of the most creative companies on the planet. I hope my Event Manager didn’t take my simple request as an insult. I honestly have to laugh at my stupidity over actually asking Disney for anything simple. Shame on me. The proposal that my Event Manager sent back to me took my breath away.

Okay, I’m not saying anything further (even though I am itching to share with you folks the details of that event proposal). Suffice it to say, the following item (see post below) is my attempt at matching the creativity of my Event Manager. This item won’t be the only thing that looks like the bride and groom at the party that night.

Ssssshhhh… My lips are sealed…

Janet2k

10-09-2004, 04:53 AM

I tell ya. There have been many, many (many) words used to describe me over the years; however, I don’t believe the following words have ever been used. Until now, that is:

Living Doll

I just went to one of my all-time favorite websites (besides the Dis) to see if that expression was stated somewhere (sometimes I am amazed at what I find there). Sadly, it did not have it listed. But I am tenacious (http://www.merriamwebster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=tenacious) by nature (I actually won the Tenacious Award in high school), and so am not easily deterred. I found the following definition:

doll
(Merriam-Webster OnLine Dictionary) (http://www.merriamwebster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=doll)
Pronunciation: 'däl, 'dol
Function: noun
Etymology: probably from Doll, nickname for Dorothy
1 : a small-scale figure of a human being used especially as a child's plaything
2 a (1) : a pretty but often empty-headed young woman (2) : WOMAN b : DARLING, SWEETHEART c : an attractive person

I particularly found humor with definition "2a(1)": a pretty but often empty-headed young woman. When you see what I’m about to share, I think you’ll get a chuckle out of that particular definition (even though definition "1" is the appropriate one to use):

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2268/2194651554_6a23f99a3a.jpg

See what I mean – empty-headed? You can quit laughing now. Really. I mean it. Okay, go ahead. Get it out of your system. I’m just going to pretend that you are laughing with me and not at me.

Now that I’ve shown you the Living Dolls’ photo, I thought I would show you a photo of us in the flesh for comparison’s sake:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2395/2096258017_f893041837.jpg

A few weeks ago, I stumbled onto a man who made dolls. It was by chance that I stumbled onto him. I was bumming around with my son one day and I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. I told my son to stop what he was doing and to come with me because if what I thought I saw was what I thought it was, I was going to faint. My son, being the great guy that he is, immediately stopped dead in his tracks and went with me to check out the doll man and his wares.

We saw dolls. Lots of dolls. Dolls of all sexes, races, and nationalities. They looked like bobble head dolls but in actuality weren’t. And displayed with each doll was a photograph of a person. A real person. The resemblance between the dolls and the photographs was uncanny. I asked the doll man how he did it – how he made dolls that were so lifelike. He told me that he did it the new-fashioned way. The high-tech way.

Okay, who here on the Dis does not know that I am one of the biggest high-tech geeks around? Come on now, don’t be afraid, raise your hand. What? No hands? Smart people.

Yep. The doll man had me hook, line, and sinker with his words. He told me he would take a 3-D scan of my head, send the data to China, and they would create a doll in my image. A few short weeks later, my doll would arrive back in the United States and would become mine. My jaw just about hit the floor.

On display were various bodies that could be used for the dolls. One set of bodies caught my attention, in particular, a set of Bride and Groom bodies. I told the doll man that I was going to be renewing my vows at the end of October, and I thought the bride and groom bodies would be perfect for that. I asked him if he could scan in my head today, and then tomorrow I would send my husband to have his head scanned in. The doll man told me that was fine with him.

It was then that I decided that I wanted dolls made of my whole family. It took a little prodding on both my part and the part of the doll man before we convinced my son to sit for a 3-D scan. Eventually, my son conceded (smart kid), and so both of our heads were scanned in.

I next filled out the paperwork and paid for the dolls. I said to my son that if our dolls turned out half as good as the dolls that were on display, I would be happy. Very happy. My son agreed.

As my son and I walked away from the doll man, I turned on my cell phone. Wouldn’t you know it, my battery was dead. I quickly found a pay phone and called my husband. I told him to get his butt and our daughter’s butt out to where my son and I were. He asked me why, and I explained about the dolls. He thought I was crazy but agreed to join us. I was as pleased as could be. Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?

A few hours later, my husband and daughter arrived. We went to see the doll man. Both my husband and daughter were amazed at the dolls that were on display. The doll man quickly scanned in their heads; there was more paperwork to fill out; another payment to be made; and then we were on our way. Everyone in my family agreed that as frivolous as the dolls were, they were definitely unique and would be something fun to hand down through the generations. We also imagined the day when actual 3-D moving images of our family would be displayed in our home. Yes, we are a family of high-tech geeks. The future was mind-boggling -- Musion Virtual Hologram Techology (click here (http://www.musion.co.uk/index.html)), Telepresence Technology (click here (http://www.humanproductivitylab.com/archive_blogs/2007/11/15/cisco_experimenting_with_an_on_1.php)), Holographic Music Videos (click here (http://www.musion.co.uk/Madonna_&_Gorillaz_Live_at_The_Grammy_Awards_2006.html)), and Holographic Fashion Shows (click here (http://www.musion.co.uk/Target_Model-less_Fashion_Show.html)).

Several weeks went by. My phone rang late one evening. The doll man told me that my dolls had arrived from China. He asked me if I could pick them up the next day. I asked him if I could pick them up over the weekend. He said that tomorrow was his last day because he was moving to another state. I told him that I would send my husband to pick up the dolls per his request.

The next day came and I reminded my husband to pick up the dolls. Late in the afternoon at work, my phone rang. It was my daughter. She said that she had the dolls in front of her and they looked great. She was very excited and begged me to come home early to see them. I told her that I couldn’t leave for a few more hours but would be home as soon as I could.

When I eventually got home that evening, I saw all four dolls lined up in a row on my dining room table:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/2193628499_7e0981d9ef.jpg

My son told me that my doll looked the best. I asked him if he really thought so as I bent down to view my doll. I suddenly began to laugh. The resemblance between me and the doll was incredible. Far better than I had thought it would be. And then I viewed my son’s doll. I thought his doll looked even better than mine. He disagreed with me so I told him to go into the bathroom and hold his doll up next to his face. The two of us laughed as he viewed his image and the doll’s image in the mirror. It was truly uncanny.

I went back to the table and took a closer look at my husband’s doll. His looked good, but since I had recently made him shave, the doll had a mustache and beard, and my husband did not. That didn’t really matter as the doll was still the spitting image of him.

Then I looked at my daughter’s doll. I thought hers would easily be the best because she is so photogenic. But I didn’t think the doll captured the essence of her. Sure, it looked like her, but not as good as I thought it would. I eventually decided that since she has the smooth skin of a young girl (baby fat and all), the 3-D scan of her face did not pick up the subtle nuances of her flesh. The doll man had warned me that some dolls didn’t resemble the person as much as other dolls did. What he had failed to tell me is that old, wrinkly skin like mine would 3-D scan better than the smooth flesh of a young child. I found that very ironic. But I still liked my daughter’s doll. It did look like her, and it would be fun to compare the two of them as she aged.

I think I should mention the old, wrinkly part again. The doll man told me that he would electronically remove both my husband's and my wrinkles because the dolls looked better with smoother flesh. I asked him if he could remove the wrinkles in real life, too. He told me that there were some things that were beyond his control. I got a good chuckle out of that.

I actually like my wrinkles and was a little sad that he was going to remove them. But I had to trust him when it came to the dolls. If he said the dolls looked better with smoother flesh, who was I to argue with him? I told him to remove them. And as I viewed my doll that night, I noticed that my doll looked just like me, only better. The doll man was right about using the electronic wrinkle remover.

And now I find myself at the end of this post. The Bride and Groom dolls are traveling to Walt Disney World with me. I’m going to place them on a table at the Dessert Party. I hope my guests get as big a kick out of the dolls as I do. I also hope they don’t have the nerve to ask me to my face where my wrinkles have gone.

Belle5

10-09-2004, 07:19 AM

How totally, totally cool!!!! At first I thought you might use them as a cake topper!!!:bounce:

MNSusan

10-09-2004, 12:44 PM

LOVE the dolls!! My husband worked for a company that does 3D modeling but I've never seen anything that cool. Most models he brings home are of geometric figures or working wrenches, etc. But his company can now make a 3D model from a CT scan, and we have a couple of life size plastic ears sitting around. The grandkids love them! Ahhhh, the life of a high tech household!

I'm curious, how did they scan your heads?

Susan

ValerieK

10-09-2004, 04:17 PM

Janet2k

I just wanted to say that I have enjoyed reading about your planning for your Vow Renewal. We were at WDW last week and as we passed the Wedding Pavillion on the Monorail, I thought about you and what a special day it would be for you. I even was looking at the area outside the TOT where the dinner would be held if that was the route you had chosen. LOL

I hope everything works out at work. Try not to let it get you too down. This time should be very exciting for you and your family.

I love the dolls, those are just too cute.

I can't wait to read more about your planning sessions and about your trip.

nutz4dzny

10-10-2004, 04:04 AM

Janet,

The dolls are incredible! I love them! You both look great. I also thought what neat cake toppers! Thanks for sharing,

Renee

Minybear

10-10-2004, 04:36 PM

Janet2k

Looks like your Wedding renewel is suddenly coming up and you and all your great friends are helping you with all the details for your and Ricks marriage renewal. You are going to have an amazing evening:) (better then the Cinderella story) and it will take all the sadness away from you due to you will be concentrating on the great evening you and your friends have done for you and Rick.

Congratulations:wave:

Minybear

tammy

10-11-2004, 10:01 AM

Love the dolls. You go girl....................

TwingleMum

10-11-2004, 11:41 AM

Thanks Janet for sharing your wonderful vow renewal report. I'm sorry your going through a difficult time at work right now. The only thing I can tell you is that in my experience its the things you don't do in life that you regret. Not the things you do. If you do something and it doesn't turn out how you expected you always can learn from it ~ Next time I won't do X I'll do Y. But its the would have, should have, could haves that really get you. Someday (far far away) when your in the Disney Retirement Home for fabulous trip planners, you'll remember this special vow renewal and smile. Its not everyday (although it should be) we get to stand up in public and say "I love this man and I love our life and Family we've built. And I would marry him all over again ." Can we ever tell the people we love , that we love them too often??? God Bless and carry on.:cheer2: Your admirers on the Dis are cheering for you and sending tons of pixie dust your way.:wizard:

johnsonet

10-11-2004, 02:37 PM

Originally posted by TwingleMum
Thanks Janet for sharing your wonderful vow renewal report. I'm sorry your going through a difficult time at work right now. The only thing I can tell you is that in my experience its the things you don't do in life that you regret. Not the things you do. If you do something and it doesn't turn out how you expected you always can learn from it ~ Next time I won't do X I'll do Y. But its the would have, should have, could haves that really get you. Someday (far far away) when your in the Disney Retirement Home for fabulous trip planners, you'll remember this special vow renewal and smile. Its not everyday (although it should be) we get to stand up in public and say "I love this man and I love our life and Family we've built. And I would marry him all over again ." Can we ever tell the people we love , that we love them too often??? God Bless and carry on.:cheer2: Your admirers on the Dis are cheering for you and sending tons of pixie dust your way.:wizard:
::yes:: Thank you TwingleMum::yes::

DisneyMom23Boys

10-11-2004, 05:30 PM

Hi!

I came across this thread for the first time today! After spending the past several hours reading your posts (and not getting any packing done for our WDW vacation in 10 days) you have given all of us something very special in your eloquent words!! Thank you for sharing!! I've never imagined anything so spectacular as what you have planned for your special vow renewal ceremony (and other surprises we won't know about until after your trip!!) We'll be in WDW from 10/22 - 10/30 and I hope to ride the monorail by the wedding pavilion around 8pm on the 27th to catch a glimpse of your candlelight!!

Don't forget to get pictures with the full moon in the background!! :)

Looking forward to reading more & praying that things will go much smoother at work.

When do you leave?

Thanks again!
:)
Deb in PA

P.S. I told 11yo ds about your reception at the GMR & told him we were invited!! I had him going for a little while!!! :)

We'll be the "Disney Pirate" Family from Peter Pan & Pirates of the Caribbean at MNSSHP on the 26th - Capt. Jack Sparrow & Elizabeth Swann & sons (11, 9 & 5) are going to be Capt. Hook, Mr. Smee & Peter Pan.

Janet2k

10-12-2004, 02:16 AM

With the timing of my vow renewal ceremony out of the way, and with the venue selected for my dinner celebration, it was time to begin working on all the other details that a vow renewal entails.

The first thing on my agenda was to find out how many people could accompany me to my on-site planning session with the Fairy Tale Weddings folks. I sent the following e-mail to my Sales Manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FTW Sales Manager,

Hello. Here is a simple question for you: When I do my site visit, how many people may accompany me? It will probably be just me and my son, but I might have the option of bringing one of my friends along. That would mean three people. Is that too much?

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Sales Manager responded that a maximum of four people could attend. That was good information for me to have.

In order to keep costs down, I decided that my husband and daughter would remain behind on the West Coast while my son traveled to Florida with me. I was going to ask my dear friend from home to join us, but I soon found out how swamped she was at work so I decided to keep quiet. That was okay because my son and I would have fun together in WDW. We would turn our short trip into a Mother And Son Vacation. But I also had a thought floating around in the back of my mind about how much fun it would be if a Dis girlfriend or two could join us.

Since Nutz4dzny was in a lot of pain as she was awaiting her doctor’s okay for surgery, I didn’t dare ask her if she wanted to join me. I knew how sad she had felt when she couldn’t vacation with me in May. I didn’t want to cause her any more sadness so I decided to keep quiet about my planning session.

Bonzie1’s name also came to mind. I knew she had toyed with the idea of renewing her vows in WDW one day. I hoped she might want to see what happened at an actual FTW on-site planning session:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonzie1,

I don’t know what your schedule is like, but if you’re looking for an excuse to fly to WDW for a day or two sometime within the next few weeks, you could join me when I meet with the Fairy Tale Weddings folks to discuss my vow renewal and dinner reception events. Right now I am only planning on having my son join me in Florida (I will make our quick vacation a “Mother & Son” one like I did with my daughter two years ago).

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 replied with the following e-mail:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet... How tempting!!! How flattering... How fun...

With taking these past 3 days off, and just returning from our vacation, I doubt I would have the time to spare from work, unless I tried to work it around a weekend.

I just went to check the 4th of July weekend. There’s a flight out on Thursday the 1st arriving around 6:30 P.M., and one returning back Sat the 3rd, at 8:00 PM. That would give me 2 full days with one off. Flights aren’t coming back from that weekend until Wed., the 7th... Don’t have that much time. All the other weekend flights return Saturdays at 7:00 am which would only give us 1 full day Friday.

As usual, I am putting the cart before the horse. I must speak with my husband first, also, you need to decide what is best for you. Do your planning on your dates, don’t plan around me, ‘cause it may not work out...

Will discuss with my husband when he gets home. That invitation sure sounds like FUN! Thanks!

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had hoped that Bonzie1 could somehow join me in WDW. I sent her the following response:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1!

Like you, I was thinking about that same timeframe. My guess is that a site inspection happens on a weekday since weekends are the busiest time for weddings, but I don’t know that for certain. When I set up the site inspection, I want to set it up for a Friday or a Monday. I would fly in either the day before, or two days before, and then hopefully stay for an additional day or two. I don’t want to spend much money on my site inspection trip, so I am hopeful that I could get an AP rate at one of the Value or Moderate resorts. I also am concerned with airfares. It is usually expensive to fly from the West Coast to Florida.

I also don’t know which FTW coordinator will be assigned to me. They were supposed to begin working on my contract today, and I think once I sign it, they will assign me someone (it will be a different person than who I have been dealing with so far). Of course, I want to get my site inspection done as soon as possible so I can see what I’ve let myself into. I know that I don’t need to have a site inspection; however, since I am spending so much money on the party, I really want to have one. I also am hopeful that I’ll get to have some sort of food tasting. I have read that they are a lot of fun - you get to sample the dishes and the desserts. If the food is anywhere as good as it was for the HM Movie Set Dinner and the Summerhouse Dinner, I know I will be impressed. Yum! I’m drooling now.

I didn’t mean to put any undo pressure on you. But I know that you were toying with the idea of your own FTW vow renewal someday and I didn’t want you to miss out on the opportunity of experiencing it first-hand. Let me know what your husband says. I am very flexible with dates (I’m not sure if my boss would agree!). The only thing that would hinder me would be the airfare costs. But where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can probably imagine how elated I felt when I received the following message from Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Janet...

My husband gave me the thumbs up, so I want to try to see when you’re planning to go...

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yahoo! My planning session would be so much better with Bonzie1 along. She had a great head on her shoulders and would help assure that I got all my questions answered.

It was around this time that Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and I found out that the Food Network was airing a show on Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings:

- - - - - - -
Food Network Specials (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_sp/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9994_32807,00.html)
Episode WDSP01

Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings
You're invited to join host Sandra Pinckney for a special hour of Disney Fairytale Weddings. From choosing the reception menu to constructing the cake, tag along as a celebration filled with Disney delicacies comes together.
- - - - - - -

We all watched the show when it aired and were impressed. I think Bonzie1 put it best:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Janet!

In the Food Network show last night, I saw what you were describing to me with the tasting event... The entrees, the desserts, quite a show! You will have to keep your cell phone charged so you can relay everything to Rick... Unless you can talk him into coming with you. There were so many choices.

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I definitely agreed. There were indeed so many choices. How was I ever going to decide what to choose for my vow renewal? Yikes! I sent the following to Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1.

Yes, I watched that show last night. It was fun seeing the one couple’s planning session. I can’t wait to have my own.

As to the $70,000 wedding, the wedding cost was smaller than that. That $70K included the Mad Hatter Tea Party which runs in the $7K to $14K range. So, knock that price off the $70K. Also, I think they had a rehearsal or welcome dinner (I can’t remember). If they did, that usually runs a few thousand dollars. So, by the time you knock off all the extras, the cost of the wedding was comparable to what most people spend in any of the big cities. I think a lot of people who aren’t familiar with how FTW operates don’t realize that you can have a FTW for way less money than $70K.

It sure was fun watching the TV show. I hope my planning session is as much fun as hers was! I should have my FTW contract on Wednesday. Yippeeeeeee!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Both Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 were FTW savvy and knew that a wedding could be had for less money than was mentioned on the Food Network show. I felt sorry for the folks who weren’t as knowledgeable. I’m sure some of their dreams were prematurely dashed by the price tag that was mentioned.

During one of my phone conversations with Nutz4dzny regarding the show, I decided that I had to ask her to attend my FTW planning session. She had been feeling a little blue and I thought that maybe, just maybe, if she could join me for my planning session, it would help lift her spirits. And so I threw caution to the wind and asked her if she would like to join me, my son, and Bonzie1 in WDW for it. She was thrilled with the invitation and told me that she would somehow find a way to join us. I was elated and informed Bonzie1 of the new addition to our group:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1.

If you have a timeline to forward along, please do so. I know I’ve already broken all sorts of rules by not having my dress ordered yet (shudder!), my attendants’ (my daughter & my niece) dresses ordered yet (double-shudder!), my menu selected (yikes!), my Justice of the Peace booked (yowsa!), and a myriad of other things that I have not done yet (like not booking photo, video, floral, transportation, etc.). I am trying not to worry too much because I know Disney can work magic.

I can’t wait to get my contract, then I can ask the FTW folks when I can show up for my planning session. I am hopeful that you will be able to join me. (I have my fingers, toes, & eyes crossed!)

This weekend Nutz4dzny called me. Like you, she has been toying with the idea of having a FTW vow renewal (she’s thinking of doing it for her 25th). Since you already know Nutz4dzny (you met her at the DoomBuggies event last year), I took the liberty of asking her if she would like to join us for the planning session. I hope you don’t mind. Nutz4dzny has been a little blue about her health problems (her surgery is tentatively scheduled for the end of July). And I know how disappointed she was that she couldn’t join me during my May vacation. I thought if I could give her something to look forward to, it would raise her spirits and help her get through the weeks leading up to her surgery. Anyhow, she was thrilled at the invitation. I think it would be a hoot to have you, Nutz4dzny, me, and my poor son (odd man out) at the planning session. Just think of the myriad of questions we could ask the FTW folks (okay, maybe my son won’t ask any - he’d probably be too embarrassed to be seen with three such astute Disney enthusiasts)!

I will keep you posted,
Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I admit it. I was dangling the proverbial carrot before Nutz4dzny’s eyes. As one of her best friends, I felt obligated to do it. When I was recovering from my surgery last Fall, she had done the same thing to me. When I had contemplated canceling my vacation due to my heath concerns, Nutz4dzny had kept me motivated with our jointly planned WDW vacations. She had worked miracles for my morale, and it was my turn to repay her kindness. I was awfully glad that I had something fun to dangle before her – my planning session. And Praise the Lord that the Food Network had recently aired a show that gave a small glimpse into what happened during a planning session (well, at least the menu tasting portion of it, yum!). Yep, I had my carrot dangling, and to quote that famous rabbit, “Eh, what’s up, Doc?!”

Bonzie1 sent me the following response:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Janet.

Oh don't worry about asking Nutz4dzny to your planning session! Of course! The more, the merrier, the more, the more ideas (smile). Three Mousketeers in action... FTW won't know what hit them! I had sent Nutz4dzny a pm asking for her address so I could send her a picture from last year's Doom Buggy event. When she replied, she indicated how much her health issues have her down. This will be great for her to get out.

I am hoping I will be able to join you. If there's any way you can give me a few weeks notice, then I could check the flights. I hope they can do the walkthrough around a weekend. Whatever happens, just let me know, and I'll try as hard as I can to be there.

About Disney working magic... yes they can and will. I just mentioned the list of things to do because it popped into my mind (smile). FTW will keep you on track with your details.

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now that our little group contained four members, it was time to find a date when everyone could travel to Florida for the planning session. A chain of phone calls and e-mails began in earnest in regards to the date:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Nutz4dzny.

As to the planning session, what dates are you not available in July? I know you mentioned the 27th is bad. Any other dates? I will probably try to schedule my planning session for the middle of July. I think that works out okay for Bonzie1. Let me know how it works out for you. Of course, I have no idea if that will work out okay for the FTW folks! But I’m going to ask them as soon as they assign me an Event Manager (that will be the person who will help me plan my vow renewal and dinner party).

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nutz4dzny gave me another date that was bad for her, so I made sure to keep that date off our list.

I sent a few questions to my Sales Manager regarding how things would work from here on out. All of this planning stuff was so new to me, I wanted to make sure that I knew what to expect. When she responded, she addressed all of my concerns:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello again! Let's see if I can help you out with some of your questions.

Once you return the signed contract to me, you will be assigned an Event Planner. This person will be assisting with all of your planning and budget.

Please try to give us about 2 weeks notice of your visit so we may schedule the florist and culinary if you are having any menu tastings. Our planning sessions are on a Monday-Friday basis, due to weekends being taken with weddings. I will have a planning kit sent out to you to help you get started.

Rehearsal - Ceremony rehearsal will be scheduled by your Event Planner. They will do their best to book the Wedding Pavilion. If there is a request for a wedding on the day and time you have held, your planner will ask if you'd like to change the time. Or, have a mock area set up in the Convention Center. That way everyone can practice coming in and going out.

Officiant - In the folder I gave you during our site visit, there is a list of Officiants we recommend. With the Intimate weddings, they are included. However, with the customs, they are not. We ask that you contact and book them directly. All are excellent to work with. I think their fee is around $175-$200.

Floral/Candlelight/Photo/Video/Transportation - All of these options will be discussed during your planning session.

Tour of GMR - I will be taking you on that tour, prior to your planning session.

Pre-reception/Dinner/Dessert/Entertainment/Floral/Centerpieces/Photo/Video/Transportation will all be taken care of at your planning session.

Overall, the site will take about an hour or so. The menu tasting about an hour. And, the planning session may take about 3-4 hours.

I've attached some information on rehearsal dinner/welcome party ideas. Let me know if any interest you. If it is a private space, I can add to your file.

Hope this helps!!

Have a great day,
Your FTW Sales Manager
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Sales Manager sure was a wealth of information. I felt so much better about things now that a few more holes had been filled in.

The Rehearsal Dinner / Welcome Party Ideas document that was attached to her e-mail message was 20 pages long. I'll share the first two pages below, but the rest of the pages are found in my planning photo album: click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600563661419/).

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/2231501351_b49373bc6b.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2269/2237036709_6e4b85057e.jpg

I quickly sent off the following response to my Sales Manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FTW Sales Manager,

Wow! What wonderful information. Thank you so much.

Since I plan on dragging two of my friends along to my planning session, I will be sure to give advance notice to you folks. My friends live in different parts of the country than I do, and both are toying with the idea of having their own vow renewals in Walt Disney World. I just couldn't resist inviting them along to my planning session (a little free marketing for you folks). I am hopeful that my friends and I will be able to find reasonable airfares, and once we do, I'll give advance notice to you folks. If I could schedule my planning session for either a Monday or a Friday, that would work best for me.

I will have my husband look through the officiant list. Over the years, I have heard nice things about all of them.

I am happy to hear that you'll be giving us the tour of the Great Movie Ride. I am especially looking forward to that. Do you know if Disney has ever videotaped that venue for a wedding or convention party? I sent a request today to the video folks asking them if they had any footage of that venue to share with me because I need to make my video decision soon. They haven't responded yet so I thought I would ask you if you thought something existed in their video collection. I would really like to see Disney's work when it comes to videotaping that particular area. If you know of a particular event that occurred there, maybe it would help prod the video folks along in sending me something sooner rather than later (I would like to see a video sample before I arrived for my planning session). Please let me know.

I will review the rest of the information that you sent me. I look forward to receiving my contract tomorrow. Again, thank you for everything.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I next received the Letter of Agreement from the FTW folks:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Janet and Rick:

I am pleased to enclose the original copy of your Letter of Agreement detailing all initial arrangements that have been made to host your Wedding at the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort. Carefully review this Agreement, initial every page, and be sure to have all responsible parties sign on the final page. Please do not make changes on the document before speaking with me, I am happy to discuss any questions with you. Be aware that returning the Agreement with changes could result in a significant delay of the processing of your event.

I have also included samples of your personalized Save-the-Date letter, sample envelope with return address label, Reservation Form and Ticket Mail Order Form. Please note that these items will be printed on Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings letterhead. A sample of our new Save the Date letterhead has been included for your records. Review these carefully to ensure complete accuracy and initial each and every one of these forms to indicate your approval. Please make any necessary changes or corrections right on the forms. We will require a complete guest address list to begin this process. Sending me your guest list in a table format, via e-mail, will ensure that your save-the-date mailing will proceed promptly and with accuracy. This special mailing will be compiled and mailed to your guests shortly following the execution of the Letter of Agreement by both parties.

Be sure to enclose the signed Letter of Agreement, full deposit, Save-the-Date, sample envelope, Ticket Mail Order, and complete guest address list and return to me.

Do not hesitate to call me with any questions regarding this information. We look forward to hosting your very special event!

Warm regards,
FTW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Letter of Agreement document that was attached to her e-mail message was 13 pages long. I'll share the first two pages below, but the rest of the pages are found in my planning photo album: click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600563661419/).

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2141/2201512922_65015189bf.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2148/2201512944_e377790c4b.jpg

That agreement was some pretty serious stuff. I decided that I would print it and read it that evening when I could devote my attention to it.

I sent the following response to my Sales Manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FTW Sales Manager,

I will review the information this evening and my husband and I will sign it. May we FAX it back? And is there some way we can put the deposit on a credit card instead of sending a check? Or can we wire the money? I only ask because I am anxious to get this portion of things out of the way so that an Event Manager may be assigned to me and I can set up my on-site planning session. I would like to set up my planning session for the middle of July, and that’s not very far away, thus my wanting to speed things up as much as I can.

Sincerely,
Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Sales Manager responded that Disney needed the signed contract mailed back to them. She also stated that either a check or money order was required for the deposit, but any future payments could be made by credit card. She had her assistant send me the wire transfer instructions. Since I didn’t want to wait for a $1,000 check to clear, the wire transfer was the route that I took in order to keep the ball rolling. I made arrangements for the wire transfer as quickly as I could.

It was at this point that I sent a list of dates to my Sales Manager and asked if any of them would work out okay for my planning session. With the ball continuing to roll, I gave an update to both Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1.

Yes, the vow renewal is officially scheduled for the evening of October 27th. I’m trying to decide if I want to plan some sort of get-together (welcome party or dessert party) for the afternoon or evening of the 26th. I put an inquiry into the FTW folks the other day as to what sort of events they suggest. I won’t make my decision until after my planning session. I need to first determine exactly how much my ceremony & dinner are going to cost.

The FTW folks sent me the wire-transfer info, so I think I will be wiring my deposit to them tomorrow. I’ll also FAX them the contract and then put it in the US Mail (they need the original). Once I have done that, I will wait for an Event Manager to be assigned to me.

I sent a list of potential planning session dates for mid-July (Monday’s & Friday’s) to my Sales Manager. She should see them when she comes into the office tomorrow. She is the one who will be giving us the GMR venue tour (I think she said that tour could last an hour). Once the tour is done, we’ll be passed over to the Event Manager for the rest of the day (menu discussion, food tasting, floral meeting, entertainment meeting, photography meeting, etc.). That portion of the day will last quite a few hours (anywhere from four to six hours). It should be a very busy day filled with all sorts of wonderful things.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Out of the blue, a package arrived in the mail from my Mom. Inside it was a floor-length dress and matching bolero jacket. My Mom had picked out my vow renewal dress, God love her!

I tried the dress on and it fit. I was thrilled. I had been dreading shopping for something to wear to my vow renewal and my Mom knew it. When I put her dress on, it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders. I can’t tell you folks how relieved I felt. Phew!

I sent the following message to my Dad:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dad,

Let Mom know that the dress is lovely and it looks very nice on. I now have one less thing to worry about (I was dreading shopping for a dress – I’m not big on shopping for anything except for electronic gadgets!).

My daughter is at Tae Kwon Do class today. Rick took her. My son is at home registering via the computer for a college class that begins next week. I hope he gets the class that he wants.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, I was a happy woman now that my Mom had put me out of my misery. Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Mom?

All of this happened right around the four-month mark. Time was beginning to move very quickly. If I thought the first 19 years and 8 months had gone by in the blink of an eye, I had no idea how quickly the last 4 months would pass by. Even Bonzie1 noticed how quickly time was marching on:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HI Janet!

It must feel good (and overwhelming) to finally be on your way! Four months to go. I am excited for you. I was able to touch base with Nutz4dzny. She is looking forward to the trip and planning. She already has her ticket.

One thing at a time... the pot is on, you've added the ingredients, let's see what turns out!

Thanks for the update. Stay calm. Think good thoughts.

Sending Pixie Dust,
Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, as Bonzie1 had stated, Nutz4dzny had already purchased her airline ticket in hopes that the date of the planning session was at hand. What a woman! She had the faith of a saint. She had far more faith than I had, and her faith was soon rewarded:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ladies,

WE HAVE A PLANNING SESSION DATE – JULY 23RD! IT’S A FRIDAY!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boy, I was excited. We had a DATE! Yahoo! But then a little hiccup popped up:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet,

Hi! I am just now able to sign on at work and saw your note. I’m glad you got a date. Right now I’ll have to talk things over with my husband. The 24th is when we start for the shore, and I’m really obligated to be a part of the preparation and activity, but I really, really want to be a part of your planning... we will talk tonight, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. As long as you can go with Nutz4dzny, that will be great to be able to have someone along to plan with! Go ahead with your plans. I’ll keep in touch.

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, no! There was no way I was going to have a planning session without both of my Dis buddies with me. The three of us had worked so hard to find a date when all of us could be in attendance. I can’t even count the number of phone calls and e-mails that everyone had exchanged as we honed in on a date. If there was an issue with July 23rd, I would find another date when there would not be an issue. Like I’ve mentioned before, I am a very tenacious woman. I do not give up easily.

I quickly received an e-mail from Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet... I just got off the phone with Nutz4dzny. She is so excited... Don’t change anything if this works out for you... Okay? If I can’t go... I KNOW you’ll be taking pictures... I am still scheming!

Quick question: How long is the planning session on Friday? This sounds crazy, but I’m looking into flying down on Thursday and back Friday night to be able to drive the loaded car down to the shore Sat morning! Do you think I would be cutting it close to try that?

Let me know... All is not lost!
Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems that I wasn’t the only tenacious one in the group. Bonzie1 was trying to find a way to make the July 23rd date work for her, bless her little heart. I sent her the answer to her question:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonzie1,

I have the planning session scheduled for the morning. They haven’t sent me the timeline yet but I am hoping that it will start first thing in the morning (8 AM or 9 AM) and run through the early afternoon. My guess is that we will be finished by 2 PM or 3 PM. You could always leave earlier, as I am hoping the good stuff will be done in the morning like the menu tasting & cake tasting (yum!). You can’t miss the FOOD! I hear it’s a lot of fun (and it looked that way on the TV special). I can ask about moving the date, though. I really want both you & Nutz4dzny there. Should I ask for the planning session to be moved to Thursday? That date was available, I believe. Of course, I can ask for it to be on that Monday or Tuesday, too. I’m sure something could be worked out.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I decided to leave a phone message for my Sales Manager asking her if I could move the planning session up by one day. I followed up with an e-mail:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FTW Sales Manager,

Hi. I just left you a phone message but thought I would follow up with e-mail, too. I hate doing this but is it possible to move my planning session to Thursday, July 22nd? There is a conflict with one of the ladies who will be joining me, and Thursday would work out better for all of us. If my planning session can be moved, please let me know as soon as possible.

Again, I apologize for asking for my planning session to be moved.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After I sent that message, all I could do was keep my fingers crossed. It was a weekend and I wouldn’t be hearing anything until the new week started.

That weekend I attended the wedding reception of one of my best friends from work. He and his bride had gotten married earlier in the year at a small civil ceremony. My friend knew that Rick and I were renewing our vows in October. He said that he and his wife would love to attend; however, they were planning a trip to Russia and could only afford one more trip this year after their whirlwind honeymoon. I teased him that if they went to Russia, they would be choosing the wrong trip. My vow renewal would be way more fun than anything they could do in Russia. He agreed and teasingly responded that he would talk it over with his wife. I laughed. I knew they would have a lovely time in Russia, and I completely understood their desire to travel there. Russia it was. Or was it?

I sent the following message to Bonzie1 about my fun weekend. Even though my coworker probably would be vacationing in Russia, there was another friend who I had also invited to my vow renewal:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1!

I just returned from a wedding reception at my friend's house. It was a gorgeous day and he had it catered in his backyard. My whole family had a wonderful afternoon & evening (plus, my daughter went swimming in his pool with one of the other little girls -- she had a ball).

Earlier today I invited another person to my vow renewal & dinner. I was so happy when he said he would love to attend. That just really made my day! I told him that two of my favorite Dis'ers would also be in attendance. He knows Nutz4dzny quite well, and hopefully will get a chance to get to know you, too. He is such a doll. I haven't met his wife yet but I know that Nutz4dzny has. I hear she's a lovely lady. Boy, it should really be a fun dinner party. I am getting more excited by the minute!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, earlier that day I had decided to invite another friend to my vow renewal. Since my husband and I had moved into the Custom FTW category, that allowed us to invite more people to our celebration. I thought it would be fun if my friend could attend. Plus, I had heard such lovely things about his wife from Nutz4dzny, that I was hoping I would finally get the opportunity to meet her. I was thrilled when he said they would both love to attend. Yahoo!

As my weekend came to an end, I suddenly found myself holding my breath in anticipation of whether or not I could move my planning session up by one day. Before I knew it, the e-mail that I had been waiting for arrived:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet,

Hi! Sure. Go ahead and plan on the 22nd. We have an appointment set with MGM at 8:00am. Hope that is o.k. I can meet you and girls at Franck's Studio/Pavilion around 7:45am. Then I will drive us to the Studios for a walk through. I have requested MGM entertainment and catering be there as well. I would also like for your Wedding Planner to be there, if possible. Have made the request.

See you in a few weeks!!
FTW Sales Manager
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think my scream of elation was heard all the way to the East Coast:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FTW Sales Manager,

THANK YOU! I am so EXCITED (I know, I need to calm down)!!! I will relay the info to my girlfriends. We are going to have a very fun planning session, I just know it (and hopefully some day they'll become Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal ladies, too).

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And in case Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 didn’t hear my elated scream, I decided to follow up with an e-mail message:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ladies,

YAHOO!!!! We have a planning session date of Thursday, July 22nd!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 was the first to respond:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet!!!

YEA!!! More answered prayers... I will book my flight!

Yea!!!
Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But then she responded again:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet...

In waiting, I lost my air fare... then I called up and got a recorded message stating to go online and book... ONE seat was left and I got 5% off!!! Wow! Another miracle!

I am booked and ready to come! Good luck with your fare!

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 had initially lost her special airfare rate, but then wound up getting an even better deal in the end. Life sure can surprise you sometimes.

I next heard from Nutz4dzny:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet,

I am glad you were able to change it. Will Bonzie1 join us now? I hope so. Did you get your flight yet? I am so excited. I will try to call you tonight. I was up at 1:30 AM and could not get back to sleep last night. My Mom taped the FTW segment and I am going to watch it again tonight! My husband keeps saying to me...I see that look in your eye, don't get any ideas until our 25th. I said sure, that way I will have it all figured out by then thanks to my best friend Janet! We both started laughing.

Nutz4dzny
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With my Fairy Tale Weddings planning session’s date booked, and with everyone’s airline tickets purchased, all we had left to do was wait for July 22nd to arrive. There would be four people in attendance at my planning session on that day. What I didn’t know at the time was that my son would not be one of them. Stay tuned.

Janet2k

10-12-2004, 02:21 AM

Folks, this will be my last post for awhile. I head to Walt Disney World in just a few short days. I promise to share photos and stories upon my return.

Thanks again, everyone, for the kind words and pixie dust. They meant a lot to me. :earsgirl:

Alysa

10-12-2004, 04:11 AM

It's like sending off Cinderella in her carriage with her prince! Good bye - good luck! Have a wonderful trip! Rice and pixie dust and best wishes and hugs! Can't wait to hear all about it! Thank you for sharing your special day with us!

CJK

10-12-2004, 05:37 AM

It's almost your big day! Have a wonderful trip soaking up all the Disney magic and romance! We'll see you there! I can't wait to see your pictures upon your return!

ironz

10-12-2004, 11:18 AM

Janet...
Have a very lovely time, as I'm sure you will. I'll be there with two of my girlfriends during that time...will keep an eye out for the happy couple/family surrounded by clouds of pixie dust!!

betsy

Scotfan

10-12-2004, 01:21 PM

Have a wonderful time.

johnsonet

10-12-2004, 01:31 PM

I am just thrilled for you and your DEAR husband and your family and friends. Gosh - I wish you the VERY best! I will be thinking of you on the 27th AND the 31st:teeth:
Have a wonderful trip :wave:

Aristocath

10-12-2004, 06:10 PM

Best wishes to you and your family, Janet. I know it will be lovely and I can hardly wait to read about it and see the pictures.

Ellester

10-12-2004, 09:46 PM

Have a fantastic time! (as if anything else was even a possibility!) I can't wait to hear how it all goes!

We just celebrated our 14th anniversary and I'm wondering if I should start saving now for a renewal in 6 years. Hmmmm......

2002Disneybride

10-12-2004, 10:25 PM

Good luck with everything!
I enjoyed reading your plans...and I love the dolls also!
I'll be thinking of you on your special day!

Janet2k

10-13-2004, 03:15 AM

If anyone is in the vicinity of the GF’s marina on the evening of October 26th, please feel free to pop your head in to say hello. There will be a few Dis’ers with me and we enjoy meeting other Dis’ers.

samnbilly

10-13-2004, 09:18 AM

Janet-Best of luck on your wedding vow renewal ceremony. We will be at the GF on Oct. 23-28th then off to the BC. We will be going to MNSSHP that night. Maybe I will see you there. Of course, I've seen pictures of you! Again -Best of Luck, it sounds beautiful!

jellymanoffspring

10-13-2004, 09:32 AM

Just read this thread today (10/13)
Wishing you a fantastic time!! Enjoy every moment!

Can't wait for pics and details!!:wave2:

Carol in NJ

MinnieMe67

10-13-2004, 03:23 PM

Janet, Rick, family and friends,

Best wished to all of you for a wonderful, magical trip! I will be thinking of you on your special day, and waiting patiently for your return! Congratulations!

:bride: :groom:

Debbie

Lindsyb

10-17-2004, 06:35 PM

Best Wishes to you and your family Janet. I have really enjoyed reading about your planning. I'm sure your vow renewal will be fabulous!

Ron from Michigan

10-19-2004, 07:21 PM

Best of luck, Janet. We here at the Dis boards wish you and your family a wonderful and magical time at WDW.

Steffy

10-19-2004, 11:33 PM

Hi Janet,

I am wishing the very best for you and Rick's love affair. This is the nicest thread I've read.:wave2: :wave2:

And the dolls. Oh my goodness. I love them. :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc

I am waiting patiently for your wonderful detailed trip report.princess:

Have a wonderful, magical time.

KayleeUK

10-22-2004, 08:44 AM

Have a fab time :)

KayleeUK

10-22-2004, 08:44 AM

Have a fab time :)

MNTerri

10-24-2004, 09:07 AM

I know everything was lovely and can't wait to hear an update! I'm getting all weepy - it's so romantic!

zurgswife

10-24-2004, 05:20 PM

Janet

Have a magicial Vow Renewal.....my thoughts are with you and your family. Can't wait to here about it...

Muffy

10-26-2004, 12:51 PM

Janet,
Thinking of you and hope your vow renewal was magical! Can't wait to read about it!

Growin'upDisney

10-26-2004, 12:55 PM

Hoping the next few days are perfect for you. You and Rick truly deserve a wonderful vow renewal. Can't wait to hear all about it.

daisylove

10-26-2004, 06:02 PM

Janet
Have a perfect time. I know it will be magical!

MNSusan

10-27-2004, 09:30 AM

Gosh, today's the day, isn't it?!? Sending you lots o'pixie dust for a magical day! I'm sure it will be absolutely perfect and can't wait to hear all about it.

ValerieK

10-27-2004, 09:44 AM

I hope Janet is having a grewat morning and is getting very excited! :hyper:

Have a great time this evening and I can't wait to read about it!

Belle5

10-27-2004, 09:55 AM

Thinking about you today, Janet , and hoping it's the most memorable day ever!:earsgirl:

Steffy

10-27-2004, 10:32 AM

Well the weather in Orlando looks perfect. :sunny: :sunny:

I hope that your special day is everything you dreamed it would be. Happy Renewal Day!!! :love: :love2: :flower3: :cloud9:

boston1029

10-27-2004, 11:30 AM

What a wonderful day!! I can't wait to read all about it. Enjoy every moment!

elise72

10-27-2004, 04:01 PM

Hope your vow renewal was everything you dreamt of & more......

I can't wait to read about it!

Dizz42

10-27-2004, 05:50 PM

Absolutely amazing! In a couple hours, it will start! Ohhhh, if only I could be a mouse...no, really...I wish I was a mouse...a real Mouse...as in Mickey...he-he-he. :p Seriously, God bless you and your family, Janet2K. May you always find the "magic"! :hug:

melanieewr

10-27-2004, 06:18 PM

:wave2: Today is your Day! I just know it will be like living a dream...we're all thinking about you and wishing you the best!

johnsonet

10-27-2004, 08:57 PM

I've been thinking of you and your loved ones today Janet::yes::
Hope it's been a Magical day and night:wave:

Alysa

10-28-2004, 12:08 AM

Best wishes for your very great joy and happiness!

gigi1313

10-28-2004, 04:38 PM

thought about you all day wednesday... hope it was all you dreamed and then some!

cannot wait to hear how it went!! (of course, there's still the planning session details to be shared! LOL! i've been on the edge of my seat!)

congrats to you and yours :)

Rachael Q

10-28-2004, 11:57 PM

Best wishes to you all.

I look forward to the rest of your report.

zurgswife

10-29-2004, 10:16 AM

Just thinking about you this AM....hope everything has been magical for you this week.....lots of pixie dust....

eternaldisneyfan

10-29-2004, 07:42 PM

I have really enjoyed reading your reports! I know that you are experiencing your magical vow renewal this week. I hope it is as special and memorable as you have planned! Can't wait to hear the happily ever after ending!

Christamae

SlightlyGoofy

10-30-2004, 04:28 PM

You are all going to be soooo jealous of me. Lucky lady that I am, I got to watch Spectro (twice) and Magic with Janet on October 15th. Never has those three hours of holding seats at the train station ever gone so fast or so entertainingly.

I got to hear this entire thread in Janet's own enthusiastic voice. She is just as I had imagined and even more. Smart, funny and yes, generous. She invited my dh and myself to her dessert party. I am sort of happy that we already had plans with some friends or I might have been tempted by her company and the desserts.

I had never dreamed that you could do the things that she planned. Every time I rode the Movie Ride I envisioned what she must have done that particular evening. Bet she and her dear hubby danced the night away under the hat with fireworks exploding over head and in their hearts. Truly a magic night, never to be forgotten..

She is the person most responsible for our EWP group and even though we are not blessed with her visits often they are still a highlight of our lives.

SG/Linda

Lesley

10-31-2004, 01:42 AM

Ok, I'm hooked and can't wait to hear how it turned out and see some pics!

Congratulations Janet and Rick!

Janet2k

11-03-2004, 11:44 AM

Hi, everyone. I came home late on Monday evening. While I was on vacation in Walt Disney World, my company had another layoff. I was fortunate in that my job was spared; however, I was placed into a new group within the company. I'm very nervous about it and hope it works out.

My dessert party at the Grand Floridian Resort was wonderful. The folks at the Grand really know how to throw a party. I didn't sit down once and only had the time to take two spoonfuls of their decadent Snow White's Apple dessert. I must state for the record that the dessert was truly to die for. And just wait until you hear how our servers were attired. It was such a fun little party that ended with a viewing of the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party fireworks.

My Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal ceremony and dinner party were magical. It will be fun to share details of those events with you folks. Until I have time to begin posting, let me mention the following…

The evening began for my wedding party with a Grand Floridian trolley (golf cart) ride from the resort’s porte cochere to the Wedding Pavilion. As our trolley rounded a corner, my sister stated out loud, "Cue the moon." I looked up and saw a gorgeous full moon floating in the evening sky. Then I noticed a trail of moonbeams that were being reflected upon Seven Seas Lagoon. My breath was taken away. I don't know how Disney did it, but that moon was special ordered for my 20th wedding anniversary, ~sigh.~ Fast forward quite a few hours... My dinner party ended with a custom fireworks display that was created just for my husband and me. We actually picked the song that was used, and Disney's pyrotechnics folks picked the fireworks that were synchronized to it. It was an incredible way to end the evening.

October 26th and October 27th were days that I will never, ever forget. The Disney magic is alive and well and living inside of my heart.

StaceyA

11-03-2004, 12:01 PM

WOW
I have been waiting for you to come home so I could hear more...
That sounds awesome!
I can't wait for all the details and the PICS
Congrats!!

SlightlyGoofy

11-03-2004, 01:00 PM

Hi there Janet, I am not one bit surprised that a special moon and stars shone on such a special couple. Glad to hear that you back home safely and looking forward to hearing all the details when you have time to catch your breath.

Everytime we rode the GMR I thought of you and imagined what it must have been like. Sure hope they gave you an extra Snow White's apple dessert for you to savor later when you could truly enjoy it. Do they give doggie bags? (if so, I bet they are something special in and of themselves)

While the work news is not completely good I am relieved that is not much worse though. I had really been worried about that.

My evening spent with you will remain as one of my very favorite Disney moments for all time. We are going back in November 2005 so maybe we can do a repeat? Failing that there is always the two trips planned for 2006. LOL

Your friend and fellow Suite mate, Linda/SG

janets

11-03-2004, 01:50 PM

and I'm thrilled that your special day was so perfect. If anyone deserves it, it is you.

As for the work situation, I agree with SG that it could have been much worse. I too have been concerned about what you would find when you arrived home.

Can't wait for the details of this extra special event.

gigi1313

11-03-2004, 02:15 PM

SHE'S HOME!!! Welcome Home Janet!!! i've been anxiously awaiting your return to get all the details, as only you can share them! :)

i am so glad to hear the night sky was the perfect setting for your magical night... and look forward to reading more when you get to it!

tammy

11-03-2004, 02:32 PM

Welcome home. I am so glad to hear that everything went well and most important, your job was waiting for you.

Can't wait to hear your wonderful story. ::yes::

Ron from Michigan

11-03-2004, 04:09 PM

Glad to hear that you had such a magical time. Can't wait to read all about it.

johnsonet

11-03-2004, 04:34 PM

:Pinkbounc :bounce: :Pinkbounc :bounce: :Pinkbounc :bounce:

:wave2: :wave2: :wave2: :wave2: :wave2: :wave2: :wave2:

CONGRATULATIONS JANET!

daisylove

11-03-2004, 05:12 PM

Wow, I was so happy to see in my e-mail notification that janet2k had responded to the thread. Just the short preview gave me goosebumps. So magical. Congrats on your anniversay!!

Growin'upDisney

11-03-2004, 06:10 PM

Oh - Janet - I am so happy to hear that it was a magical event for you and Rick. We have all been waiting on pins and needles for you to return so that we know that you enjoyed your special 20th anniversary.

Can't wait to hear all about it!!

Minybear

11-03-2004, 06:34 PM

Welcome back Janet2K

I am glad you and Rick had a "magical" trip. Congratulations on your marriage renewal. :wave2:

Yesterday I remembered you, your family and your freinds a year ago yesterday and remembered the Haunted Mansion dinner and the Luau you invited us to. We will never forget :tongue: :wave:. Thanks for inviting us and it was great meeting you. I hope you, your family and your friends have great "magical" trips together to WDW in the future.:smooth:.

kar313

11-03-2004, 07:39 PM

Janet, I am not surprised at all to hear the moon made an appearance at your Vow Renewal. I am sure that just like the rest of us, it just wanted to get a glimpse of the perfect night you planned.

I knew you would know just how to end it. The fireworks must have been awesome!! Can't wait for all the rest of the details.

Lindsyb

11-03-2004, 08:16 PM

Welcome Home Janet and Congratulations!!! Can't wait to hear all of the details. Glad you had a magical trip.

nrsldy

11-03-2004, 09:41 PM

Welcome Home!
Looking forward to your trip report.
Congrats:cheer2:

zurgswife

11-03-2004, 10:14 PM

So Excited to hear that you got the MOON and fireworks to boot....how very magicial....can't wait to hear the details.....

Good luck with your job....

Janet2k

11-04-2004, 02:29 AM

Hi, everyone. Thanks for the wonderful welcome home. I am swamped at work and won't have any time to begin posting until sometime this weekend. In the meantime, I did receive a few photos from WeFullTime. I took the liberty of posting two of her beautiful photos in a new on-line photo album.

In the vow renewal ceremony photo, you'll see my niece, daughter, myself, husband, son, and nephew:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2168/2237503133_c21fab4184.jpg

In the vow renewal dance party photo, you'll see my niece and daughter (who have obviously changed into their sneakers in order to kick up their heels):

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2033/2238292964_315d93880f.jpg

DisneyMom23Boys

11-04-2004, 07:07 AM

Hi!

Welcome home! My family was at MNSSHP on the 26th & I really wanted to visit you at your rehearsal, but alas, we were running late (had to apply dh's makeup & facial hair for his Jack Sparrow costume! :D ). Sounds like you had an absolutely wonderful time! Thank you for sharing this special moment with us!!

By the way, your dress looks beautiful! Your mother picked a fab dress for you!! (It was your mother who did this, right?) :)

Have a fantastic day!
:)
Deb

zurgswife

11-04-2004, 07:19 AM

Great Pics Janet....looks like your family had great fun!!!

luvmygirls

11-04-2004, 07:29 AM

Janet thank you so much for making Disney seem so much larger than life, than it already has.. As a soon to be first timer visiting the "World" your experiences have made me even more excited!

Congratulations on your vow renewal!

Shelly

IASW Rider

11-04-2004, 10:03 AM

Congratulations and welcome home, Janet!

I got all choked up reading your initial description of your magical Vow Renewal Ceremony and the subsequent celebrations! It sounds absolutely perfect! And the pictures that you posted are great - you look beautiful in your dress and the setting seems so romantic! And I love the photo of everyone dancing under the Sorcerers Hat! Can't wait to hear all of the details of your very special celebration and to see more pictures, too!

(Please don't worry about your situation at work. I'm sure that everything will work out well and that you will adjust beautifully to your new group. Just concentrate on the magic of your very special vacation and all of the wonderful memories that you will carry with you, forever!)

Wishing you both and your family lots of happiness and all the best! :)

Steffy

11-04-2004, 10:28 AM

Cue the moon! Wow. I am so happy for you!

I could just feel your excitment. You look lovely in your dress.

Thank you so much for sharing with us.

And congratulations again!!!

SlightlyGoofy

11-04-2004, 10:38 AM

Hi Janet

The dress looked lovely and elegant on the hanger but looks much better on you. You have my kind of taste, simple, elegant and expensive. LOL Add a touch of magic and there you are!

Looking forward to more pictures. I am still trying to get my pictures from my September trivia meet online. I am old and slow.

SG/Linda

melanieewr

11-04-2004, 02:28 PM

Janet;

Our paths crossed on the the 31st at MNSSHP! We walked past your group and watched the fireworks just a few steps from you guys. I recognized you immediately. I would have said hello, but we just made it in time for the show and I certainly didn't want to interrupt your family's fireworks viewing. I can't wait to read your reports. I think I will actually write a trip report myself this time...which will be a first for me!

Janet2k

11-05-2004, 01:22 AM

Everyone, I have no idea how to begin my trip report. I am really stumped. And in my blatant attempt at stalling, I present to you another photo. This one was taken by Bonzie1. In it you’ll see my Dad, my son, and my nephew. They were sitting at a cocktail table in the “Gangster” portion of the Great Movie Ride when Bonzie1 snapped this photo. It was here that our dinner party began with drinks and hors d'oeuvres. As you view the photo, please note that the hats were optional. But to paraphrase that old expression, a hat definitely makes the man.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2356/2238790584_28fceb988c.jpg

Steffy

11-05-2004, 04:06 AM

Loved the hats!!!

Cue the moon sounds like a great begining to me! Woozer, I can't wait!!!

:wave2: :hyper: :wave2: :hyper: :chat:

Scotfan

11-05-2004, 06:54 AM

So glad you had a wonderful time, I have been checking regularly for updates.
The photos are super, love the hats.

off to neverland

11-05-2004, 09:43 AM

Janet,

I think you should just jump in and start from day one. You've introduced us to the whole situation with the trip planning report, so.........

I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!!!!!!!

P.S. I'm not trying to hurry you.... well, okay, maybe I am just a teenie weenie bit! I just love reading your reports so very much. Congratulations on your wedding renewal, Janet. I wish you the best for the next 20 years~

SlightlyGoofy

11-05-2004, 09:50 AM

Wonder if those hats are what prompted Cagney to utter those famous words -"You rat, you dirty rat!!" If he had worn his glasses he would have noticed that it was a cute mouse instead though.

SG/Linda

IASW Rider

11-05-2004, 12:13 PM

Good one, Linda! :)

Great photo of the gentlemen, Janet! Loved the hats and loved the setting, too - it's so neat to see a cocktail table right in the middle of GMR! Can't wait for your next update / installment! Keep holding on to that magic! :)

SlightlyGoofy

11-05-2004, 02:55 PM

Hey, Rider!! Every time I rode through the Great Movie Ride my imagination saw all the trimmings and guests. Until I met Janet I did not even know such was possible. If I ever win the lottery, after I take care of my kids and grands I am going to do something similar and will invite each and everyone on the DIS there!! (anyone who wants to help out can send me a lottery ticket, preferably a winning one.

SG/Linda

Janet2k

11-06-2004, 02:39 AM

I have started a new trip report. It is entitled My Magical Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Vacation (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=676648) (just click on that link). I will probably go back and forth between this trip report and that one over the next several weeks as I fill in the missing pieces.

Again, thank you to everyone for the kind words that you have shared with me in this thread and in private messages. As always, your kindness has truly meant a lot to me.

NJtoATL

11-06-2004, 10:57 AM

Janet,
You have inspired me!!! I've always wanted to renew my vows at Disney. My husband and I honeymooned at Disney over 8 years ago. I don't think I can wait until my 20th anniversary. It will have to be sooner ; like on our 10th or 15th anniversary.

Thanks so much for the tread!!!

Congrats!!! God Bless!!!

Kelley:sunny:

Alicnwondrln

11-08-2004, 02:26 PM

bump:D

Janet2k

11-20-2004, 06:58 AM

My Fairy Tale Weddings planning session was officially set for Thursday, July 22nd. That date was good for everyone involved, so the next set of e-mail exchanges included everyone’s airline itineraries.

Looking through the itineraries, I saw that Nutz4dzny and I would arrive within a few hours of each other on Wednesday morning, while Bonzie1 would arrive later on that day. I also saw that Bonzie1 would be heading home on Friday evening (she had her family trip to prepare for), while Nutz4dzny and I wouldn’t be heading home until Sunday morning. Everyone’s plans looked great. With our plane reservations out of the way, the next few weeks would fly by.

Since I had never planned a vow renewal before (heck, I had never even planned a wedding before), I thought I would turn to the experts for some help. I decided to order a few books regarding wedding planning (I couldn't find anything regarding vow renewal planning):

Build Your Own Haunted Mansion
Walt Disney World for Mature Travelers
The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book 4
Creative Weddings
How To Buy Your Perfect Wedding Dress
Martha Stewart's Keepsake Wedding Planner
Perfect Honeymoons & Original Weddings
Planning a Wedding to Remember
Storybook Weddings
The Wedding Guide for the Grownup Bride

Okay, I admit it. The first three books on my list weren’t about wedding planning; however, they were about Disney and thus I took a little artistic liberty with ordering them.

As you can see from the other books on my list, they covered everything from how to buy the perfect dress to how to plan an original wedding. I should note that to this day, I haven’t read a majority of those books (but my daughter did build the Haunted Mansion and it is sitting in my living room). In hindsight, I should not have purchased any books because finding the time to read them was darn right impossible for me. I hate it when my real life gets in the way of my fantasy life.

So, with a bunch of books sitting around gathering dust, I continued on with my vow renewal planning. There was no question that I wanted both photos and video taken of it. I contacted Disney Event Productions (DEP) since I was contemplating hiring them for both jobs.

I pretty much knew what to expect from DEP as far as photographs were concerned since I had viewed literally thousands of their photographs over the years (many folks had shared links to their photographs on the Internet). Plus, I had already used DEP twice for my own private events -- last year’s "The Haunted Mansion" Movie Set Dinner event (click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600435642454/)) and this year’s Summerhouse Dinner Party event (click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/sets/72157600435212699/)). It should be pretty obvious to you folks that I felt fairly comfortable with DEP’s photography work.

There were quite a few videography vendors in the Orlando area whose work I was familiar with. Many of those vendors had samples of their work available for viewing on their websites. Plus, over the years, many of their customers had shared links to their private videos. When it came to Disney’s video work, however, I was clueless.

I didn’t understand why Disney didn’t have video samples of their work on-line. And because they didn’t, I had to personally contact them and request that a few samples be shipped to me. I would have preferred to have viewed their samples on-line because having video samples at my fingertips was the preferable method of business for me. I always want easy access to information 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. But since Disney currently didn't operate that way, I had to contact them during the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday. Florida time, that is.

After establishing contact with DEP, a few photographs and a short videotape sample arrived at my doorstep. I was pleased with what I saw. It was then time to contact them once more in order to request a tape that contained a complete wedding/vow renewal ceremony and reception. I needed to see a sample of their completed product before I made my final decision. A few days later, another videotape arrived. I liked what I saw and decided to find out more about their videography packages during my upcoming planning session.

I then received an e-mail from my Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager. She stated that she had received my mailed contract, signed it, and placed it on her director’s desk for his signature. Things were definitely moving along.

I took a look at the calendar:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nutz4dzny,

I was just looking at my calendar and it dawned on me that three weeks from today, we’ll be at the FTW planning session. Yahoo!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, things were definitely beginning to move along very quickly.

Janet2k

11-20-2004, 07:16 AM

Some things were definitely beginning to move along very quickly in regards to my upcoming FTW vow renewal planning session. However, real life once again got in the way of my dreams and brought me screeching back to reality, and rightfully so.

I sent the following e-mail message to Bonzie1 one Friday:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie. I am very tired today and very thankful that it is a weekend. I have a lot of trip reports to finish writing (and I still need to get my Summerhouse on-line photo album in order, yikes!).

I will be at the tree-planting ceremony for my friend’s son who was killed in Iraq. I am looking forward to the ceremony and the barbeque afterwards.

In less than 3 weeks we’ll be in WDW. I am really looking forward to the trip, especially since you and Nutz4dzny will be there! I want to use the Mears bus for my airport transportation. I have never done so; I have always either used Mears’ limo service or another service’s town car/van service. I want to use the bus in order to keep my trip’s costs down, but since I’m landing at 5 AM, I’m not so sure about that. I need to see if the Mears bus operates 24 hours a day. If it doesn’t, I’ll arrange for a town car from either Mears or FL Tours.

As to our upcoming WDW trip, should we make reservations for dinner somewhere? Should we plan on a visit to the Adventurer’s Club at Pleasure Island? What would you like to do that would be fun? Since I’m hoping we’ll be staying at Port Orleans, maybe we could squeeze in Bob Jackson’s show. Bob is really quite a lot of fun (my son galloped through the lounge with a bunch of other men during our trip last month – if Bob can get my son making a fool out of himself, he can get anyone making a fool out of themselves). Again, let me know what you would like to do.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here I sit, four months after I had sent that e-mail to Bonzie1, and yet I can remember typing it as if it were yesterday. In case you’re wondering what I’m talking about, please re-read the second paragraph:

I will be at the tree-planting ceremony for my friend’s son who was killed in Iraq. I am looking forward to the ceremony and the barbeque afterwards.

At first glance, that paragraph is so small in comparison to the other paragraphs that it might possibly be overlooked. But even though that paragraph is the smallest in words, it is the largest in emotion.

You’re probably sitting there thinking to yourself, "It doesn’t appear as if she put any real emotion into that paragraph. After all, how much emotion could anyone put into a paragraph with so few words?" If that is true, then the following sentence wouldn't be the most powerful sentence that was ever created: I love you.

I think what I find so powerful about my second paragraph isn’t what I said, but rather what I didn’t say. It’s plain to see that I was at a loss for words. But even though I was at a loss for words, I can assure you, I wasn’t at a loss for emotion. I will never forget the emotions that I felt when I typed that paragraph. Not ever.

For those of you who read my May/June trip report -- my Summerhouse trip report: click here (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=586647&perpage=15&pagenumber=1) -- you’ll remember that a friend of mine’s son had been killed while serving our country in an effort to bring freedom to Iraq. During my friend’s darkest hours after the death of his son, many of us had banded together in moral and spiritual support. Soon after his son’s death, we had given our friend a simple gift to honor his son’s life: a star. The gift of a star was truly ethereal. As ethereal as the Heavens that the star resided in. It was now time for another gift. A more tangible gift. A gift that would be from the salt of the Earth.

A few weeks before I headed to Florida, the day had finally arrived for a ceremony in a park in my friend’s hometown. A tree was going to be planted in his son’s honor. This would be the most moving gift of all because it was a living gift. Our friend could visit the park and rest beneath his son’s tree as it grew from a small sapling into a tree of towering strength. And not only could our friend visit this tree, the rest of us could too. That meant a lot to all involved. We would have a living reminder of the sacrifice that our dear friend’s son had made in the name of our country and in the name of freedom.

I am going to reprint below an updated paragraph from my May/June trip report. I hope this paragraph properly conveys the emotion that I had downplayed in my e-mail message to Bonzie1:

Judging by the many wonderful things that were said about my friend’s son during his tree-planting ceremony, he was loved by everyone. I will never forget the noble sacrifice that he made for our country. And I will never forget the noble sacrifices that all the other service personnel, both military and civilian, both American and non-American, have made in the name of freedom -- U.S. And Coalition Casualities: click here. (http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/index.html)

And now it’s time to end this post. It is only fitting that I end it with a poem by someone who was killed in action in another war, in another country, in another century. This person also has a living memorial in his memory, the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest: click here (http://www.westernncattractions.com/JKMF.htm),

Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet' flowing breast.

A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray.

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair.

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

SlightlyGoofy

11-20-2004, 09:05 AM

Dear Janet

I understand that few words often express the most emotion especially for those of us who are prone to having words flow like water.

I am so sorry for the loss of that young man. I am sure that your friend is blessed to have friends like yourself to help her through these terrible times and to share many happy memories of her beloved child.

I know the poem "Trees" well. My mom used to quote it often. Is was the name of the school she went to when she was young. Many, many years later, when I took Tom to one of his grade school reunions I found that his school was named Joyce Kilmer as well. Life is held together with so many common threads.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and emotions with us.

Here is a hug for you from me {{{{{{Janet2K}}}}}}

SG/Linda

Steffy

11-20-2004, 02:46 PM

Thank you Janet, for your very emotional post. I'm so sorry for your loss.

And I love that poem.

:hug: Janet :hug:

Janet2k

11-21-2004, 06:10 AM

With the clock ticking down the days, I had lots of details to hammer out before I headed to Florida for my planning session. One very important detail concerned the planning of a fun night that could be shared with Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 while we were all together in Walt Disney World. After I had queried the ladies to see what they wanted to do, Bonzie1 sent me the following reply:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Janet. As far as something special... dinner would be just fine... Cinderella's Castle... Jiko... You've told me so much about Bob Jackson and we'll be right there... that would be fine too. I just read there is an AP special for Cirque du Soleil tickets. Is that something you'd like to do? Then we could take the boat back to PO-RS. Nutz4dzny mentioned the Adventurer's Club, maybe you and she could squeeze this in on Friday night since my flight leaves that evening.

The one thing I want to be sure of is that you are able to get what you want out of your trip to plan your FTW Vow Renewal. I am there to have fun while participating in that process... really. I don't need anything else special... honest!

i.e. There is an e-night at the MK on Wed night. Do you want to go there then and scout out ideas for any pre-wedding ideas? You had mentioned maybe a dessert party the night before your renewal.

Again... I am only throwing out ideas... you will have enough with your vow renewal without even thinking about a pre-event party, but if you want to pursue that, I want to help wherever I can.

How can I best come ready to provide input for your event... along with ideas (I already know I'll be having FUN!). I want you to be able to leave this planning time with a satisfied feeling, not in a panic. Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to think about before we all get together.

I will write more ideas this weekend. Oh... do you know which rooms of the GMR we'll be using for your progressive party, or will that be decided once we get there? Yes... my brain wheels are already turning!

Excited as I can be!!!
Bonzie1

P.S. I can't believe your daughter is growing up! How wonderful she's been able to do so many activities at WDW!

One more thing... check on Mears. Once we arrived early and had to wait almost 1 hour before getting Mears service. They ended up getting us a taxi which we shared with another. At 5 AM, I would probably want to feel secure about the transportation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 was chockfull of ideas. She is an absolutely amazing woman. When Nutz4dzny telephoned me regarding the same topic, she was just as chockfull of ideas as Bonzie1 was. I was very fortunate to have them both attending my planning session. No stone would go unturned.

The three of us eventually settled upon the idea of attending Bob Jackson’s (http://www.yehaabob.com/default.asp) show at Port Orleans – Riverside during our first night together. We could enjoy a sit-down dinner beforehand at Boatwright’s Dining Hall (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=BoatwrightsDiningHallDiningPage), and then walk over to the River Roost Lounge in order to catch Bob Jackson’s show. It was sure to be a fun evening.

I sent the following message to Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1. Thanks so much for the e-mail.

I just booked myself a room at the PO-RS with the AP rate. I booked a standard view room. I think it was $93+ a night w/tax (it was $84 w/o tax). I know Nutz4dzny is going to book the room for you & her. I just wanted to get my room out of the way now. That way my upcoming trip would feel more real.

I worked on my trip report until well after 4 AM this morning. I planned on sleeping in, but Rick brought me breakfast in bed around 8:30 AM, so up I got. I showered and then booted up my computer and worked on my trip report some more. I also began working on my on-line photo album for the Pop Century room that we stayed in. After about an hour or so, Yahoo crapped out on me. It is finally working now, but it took well over 90 minutes for it to let me back in (I have found that it usually locks me out for 60 minutes). That really angered me. It is very frustrating to be doing something, only to have Yahoo turn right around and keep me from completing it. ARG! I HATE YAHOO. I really must begin using another photo service that doesn't lock me out on a whim.

What do I want out of my planning session? Everything! (Just kidding.) I want the venue tour. I want to be able to visualize the dinner party. I want the food tasting (boy, do I ever!). I want the cake tasting (I have read so many wonderful things about the Disney wedding cakes over the years that I can't wait to taste one of their cakes). I want to see what a candlelight ceremony will cost. I want to see what floral will cost. I want to see what different linen packages exist and their associated costs. I want to find out what my transportation options are (buses, vans, limos, and so on). I want to see what my entertainment options are. And so on.

Did I tell you that I ordered a bunch of wedding/party planning books from Book Closeouts the other day? I’m hoping they’ll arrive before I head to Florida. I got some books with obscure titles – like, how to plan a wedding for an older bride, how to plan a destination wedding, and so on. I also ordered one of the old standards – a Martha Steward wedding planning book. It will be fun to see what info the books contain. This planning stuff is completely new to me. I’m hoping to get a fun idea or two from the books.

I ordered that 5-CD set of Disney classics via the Mousesaver’s link last week. The CD’s arrived yesterday and I just loaded one of them on my home computer. I like the “Bella Notte” song, amongst others, and it’s on there. It will be nice to play Disney music as I’m planning my Disney FTW vow renewal on my computer.

Gosh, I’ve rambled on, haven’t I?! Have a great weekend!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m going to digress here for a moment…

As I sit here today, four months later, composing this post, I have to laugh out loud at one particular part of my message:

I worked on my trip report until well after 4 AM this morning. I planned on sleeping in, but Rick brought me breakfast in bed around 8:30 AM, so up I got. I showered and then booted up my computer and worked on my trip report some more.

Some things never change. I still find myself stealing time away from the Sandman (and my husband) in order to work on my trip reports.

Back to the subject at hand...

Now it was time to begin working on the most important vow renewal detail of all. Before I tell you what it is, I must warn you that this detail is a four-letter word. And to me, it’s the most dreaded four-letter word of all: FOOD.

Why do four-letter words always get me into so much trouble? Why do they always cause me such headaches? And why do I hate this particular word so much?

I guess I should clarify things a little bit. I don’t hate food. On the contrary, I love food. Adore it, actually. It’s just that I hate deciding what food to serve to my guests at a dinner party. I’m always afraid that I’m going to pick the wrong food and everyone’s going to go home hungry.

Everyone here on the Dis knows that I am strictly a hot dog and French fries kinda girl. The simpler the food, the more at ease I feel. How in the world was I ever going to select a menu for the most important night of my life? Yikes. I was suddenly beginning to break out in a cold sweat.

I sent the following note to Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ladies, I need your help with the following dual-plated entrees. These were sent to me by the FTW folks as possible dishes for my dinner reception. Of course, I can always pick something completely different since it is my party and I can have what I want. It’s just that I am a hot dogs & French fries kind of girl and have no idea what I want! HELP!

Janet

(PS Even though I am allergic to seafood, don’t worry about that – I will make sure that my plate has a non-seafood item. Rick loves seafood so I definitely want to consider a surf & turf kind of selection.)

- - - - - - - - - -
Duo Entrees
(All Entrees will include a Chef’s Selection of Seasonal Vegetables)

Oak Grilled Filet of Beef
Merlot Wine Sauce with Truffles
And
Cold Water Lobster Tail with Drawn Butter
Served with White Truffle Mashed Potatoes

Marinated Pan Seared Salmon with Strawberry & Ginger Puree
And
Oak Grilled Filet of Beef with a Dijon & Zinfandel Sauce
Served with Cabernet & Mushroom Risotto

Oak Grilled Filet of Beef
Topped with Maytag Bleu Cheese & Toasted Pine Nuts
And
African Marinated Chicken Breast
Topped with Asiago Cheese
Served with Anna Potatoes

Baked Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp with Mango & Champagne Butter
And
Marinated Oak Grilled Chicken Breast with Peach Ginger Sauce
Basmati Rice tossed with Honey & Almonds
- - - - - - - - - -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I heard from Bonzie1 first:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, I just took a look at the selections you were given... WOW! Yes, my mind and my stomach are both swimming! Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, sounds scrumptious. YUM!

I asked for my husband's input too. We liked the following (we picked one from each! Ha!) Seriously, I know they have their selections grouped together. We pulled two from different places:

1st) Our own combo from the selections given - Surf + Turf:
Baked Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp with Mango & Champagne Butter
And Oak Grilled Filet of Beef with a Dijon & Zinfandel Sauce
Served with Cabernet & Mushroom Risotto
(I chose the shrimp with crab because it featured 2 types of seafood. My husband liked the risotto.)

2nd) Our choice from the selections given - Beef + Chicken:
Oak Grilled Filet of Beef Topped with Maytag Bleu Cheese & Toasted Pine Nuts
And African Marinated Chicken Breast Topped with Asiago Cheese
Served with Anna Potatoes

Janet, now that you've looked over the list, and pondered everything about it... I would put it aside, and think back on all your WDW vacations and favorite dinners you've had. Is there something that just stands a head above the rest? How about Rick? Does he have a favorite seafood... Lobster, shrimp, crab? If you want to go with a beef and chicken selection as you suggested on Sunday, maybe you could have shrimp as an appetizer, and thus Rick could get his seafood. Or... Maybe you both want to be adventurous and try something new! Another thought, do you want to include any comfort foods, favorites that both of you like, or something which brings back memories of when you met... You can't lose with any of the choices, especially with the best chefs at WDW.

Janet, ALL of the selections sound marvelous. Here is my Food Science background coming forth... This is not to sway you from one choice to the next, just to offer observations.

Chef Choices off Original List:

Oak Grilled Filet of Beef Merlot Wine Sauce with Truffles
And Cold Water Lobster Tail with Drawn Butter
Served with White Truffle Mashed Potatoes
My thoughts: You can't lose with this choice. Beef + Lobster, what's not to like? What exactly is a truffle? I've never had one.

Marinated Pan Seared Salmon with Strawberry & Ginger Puree
And Oak Grilled Filet of Beef with a Dijon & Zinfandel Sauce
Served with Cabernet & Mushroom Risotto
My thoughts: Another great choice. Adventurous. Nice balance with a variety of tastes.

Oak Grilled Filet of Beef Topped with Maytag Bleu Cheese & Toasted Pine Nuts
And African Marinated Chicken Breast Topped with Asiago Cheese
Served with Anna Potatoes
My thoughts: Another eating adventure! No complaints here, just a possible nut allergy with the pine nuts. This is the "heaviest" or "richest" of the selections with both selections served with cheese, and then the potatoes.

Baked Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp with Mango & Champagne Butter
And Marinated Oak Grilled Chicken Breast with Peach Ginger Sauce
Served with Basmati Rice tossed with Honey & Almonds
My thoughts: Another delight to the taste buds! This combination sounds very tasty, but also very sweet together...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I heard from Nutz4dzny next:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, do you know if the chef from the HM dinner is available? He was an awesome chef. But I am sure that everything they make on a fancy scale is yummy! After rereading your choices I still favor the meat and chicken dish, and if you still need the fish to satisfy, use shrimp as an appetizer. Many times when using shrimp as a meal, it doesn't seem like you get a lot. Now I don't need a lot but some men love to eat. Put a few nicely arranged shrimp on a plate and most men would look around and wonder what happened to the rest of the food!

“Oak Grilled Filet of Beef Merlot Wine Sauce with Truffles and the Marinated Oak Grilled Chicken Breast with Peach Ginger Sauce and Basmati Rice tossed with Honey & Almonds” would be a lovely choice. They would be the most mellow and sweet.

On the other hand, “Oak Grilled Filet of Beef with a Dijon & Zinfandel Sauce Served with Cabernet & Mushroom Risotto and the African Marinated Chicken Breast Topped with Asiago Cheese Served with Anna Potatoes” would be a step up to a little more spicy.

"Baked Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp with Mango & Champagne Butter and Oak Grilled Filet of Beef Topped with Maytag Bleu Cheese & Toasted Pine Nuts” sounds very rich tasting (which means for some it would likely give a stomach ache later if you ate too much in the form of revenge)!

“Marinated Pan Seared Salmon with Strawberry & Ginger Puree” sounds very lovely indeed and if I were to go with more of a seafood theme I might choose this one, but since you really don't want to do all seafood because you...the lovely Bride-to-be again…can't eat seafood, I would consider this paired with a nice filet of beef!

The one thing that I really love and I feel it adds substance to the dish is a risotto. They could make any kind and put it under the Filet of Beef. Risotto takes a lot of time and effort to make and when done well, every bite is just bursting with flavor.

I hope some of these suggestions help, meager as they are. But I do have another piece of news for you. I was reading the DIS Boards and it said the Mears shuttle is very crowded this time of year. I decided to do a car service. I called the service I used to use and he said he is using Roll Back pricing to 1999. A roundtrip Towncar is $59.99. So I jumped on it.

WeFullTime and her husband are driving their MotorHome to WDW the night before. Well, not exactly WDW, you know right by the AKL where we visited them? She told me to call her after I got checked in and they will come over to French Quarter to visit us and then we can do whatever you want. She will have their Jeep so we can drive with them if we choose to go somewhere. It is very hot and humid in Florida so don't worry about sweating, she said everyone sweats!

I will call you later! Have a nice day!

Nutz4dzny
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow! I was impressed by both Bonzie1's and Nutz4dzny's attention to detail. The two of them had completely put me to shame. If someone would have asked me for my comments on the dishes, well, I shudder to think what I would have said: “Are you sure Kentucky Fried Chicken can’t cater the affair?” Yes, Praise the Lord that it was I who was in need of help and not the other way around.

I poured over both Bonzie1’s and Nutz4dzny’s comments. They each raised excellent points regarding the various entrees. My head was spinning and I couldn’t decide what to do.

It’s time for a tidbit of information about me. Whenever a young person is entering college and asks for my advice, there are a few pieces of wisdom that I pass along. One piece that I never hesitate to pass along is the following: Never be afraid to ask for help. If you find you need help with something, speak up immediately and seek the guidance of someone more knowledgeable.

And so I followed my own bit of advice. It was time to pull out the big guns. Yep, it was time to call in the cavalry. I sent a message to the wonderful chef who had prepared the dinner menu for my “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner event last year:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Chef,

Last November my husband and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary on the ballroom set of the "Haunted Mansion" movie that is located on Soundstage 4 inside the Disney Studios Theme Park. You put together our dinner menu, and everything that evening was scrumptious.

This coming October, my husband and I will be celebrating 20 years of marriage with a vow renewal inside the Wedding Pavilion. Since we are not your classical married couple, we have decided to do something a little unique for our dinner reception. We have chosen the “Great Movie Ride” attraction inside the Disney Studios Theme Park. I had wanted to choose the “Tower of Terror” for our dinner venue since I thought that was more appropriate for an old married couple, but my husband told me that if I wanted him to stick around for the next 20 years, well, I better let him choose the venue. How could I argue with the only man on the planet who would put up with me? I couldn’t, so the Great Movie Ride it is.

You might remember that I am a hot dog and French fries kind of girl. For my upcoming vow renewal dinner reception, the only thing I have decided on right now is that I want a two-item main entrée (that way if one item doesn’t appeal to someone, hopefully, the other item will). I really have no idea what sort of dinner menu to put together and thus am asking for your professional opinion. You have put together far more dinner menus than I can even imagine. My guess is that you have a very good feel for what sort of menus appeal to the masses. If you could please offer me a few suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. My guest list will be small, maybe 17 or 19 guests, and their ages range from X to Y.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Chef responded and asked me how my injured leg was doing (I found it awfully sweet that he even remembered my injury). He said that he assumed I was looking for a plated meal for my dinner reception and that he would put together some suggestions for a menu. I was thrilled to hear that. Yahoo! The cavalry had arrived!

When I next heard from the Chef, he mentioned that he had looked over the menus that the FTW folks had sent me. He stated that those menus were the standard ones but there were plenty of ways we could go forward from there. I was pleased to hear that. What he did next, however, took me completely by surprise. Please let me explain.

You already know that when young people ask for my advice, I tell them to ask for help whenever they need it. There is another even more important piece of advice that I pass along: Never be afraid to ask questions. And ask plenty of them until you get the answers that you are seeking.

And that is exactly what the Chef did. He asked me questions about what I wanted instead of offering me suggestions regarding what he thought I wanted. I was blown away by his simple approach. I had wrongly been expecting him to bombard me with lots of menu selections instead of asking me the most basic question: Janet, what do you want?

Since this was a vow renewal, the Chef asked me if I had any special memories of my original wedding meal that I might want to reference. He mentioned that since I wanted a dual entrée, perhaps one of the two items might be from my original wedding meal. He even said I could incorporate that into the appetizers and then go into the main meal with different items that were significant to me, perhaps even from where I had honeymooned or vacationed over the years. I was touched by his thought-provoking questions.

I sent the Chef the following response:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Chef.

Now you've done it. You've gone and asked a simple question not knowing that my answer would be somewhat complex!

Please let me give you a little background information regarding my original wedding. My husband and I eloped due to the fact that we couldn't get married back in the Midwest (where we both grew up) since the marriage license waiting period for out-of-state residents was something like 5 or 7 business days (we were living on the West Coast by that time and were planning on being in the Midwest only for the Christmas holidays; the holiday timeframe did not give us enough "business" days in the state to legally pull off a wedding during our vacation). Because of that sad fact, we eloped instead.

Once we had picked up our marriage license (no waiting period required), we drove around until we found a Justice of the Peace to marry us. That marriage ceremony was a joke, nothing like I had imagined it would be, but I can tell you one thing - I have never forgotten it (I don't know if that's good or bad). Since we were in a gambling town, we went to a casino for dinner. What did we eat that evening? Whatever was offered on the casino's buffet. I think the food was good, but I honestly don't remember what we ate.

Like I said, the whole wedding ceremony/dinner was nothing like I ever imagined it would be. But my husband and I have survived 20 years of marriage since that time, so as hokey as our first ceremony was, it certainly did not hamper the marriage that ensued.

Now it is time for our 20th anniversary and I want to do things a little differently. Disney's Wedding Pavilion is beautiful, and I am so happy that we're going to be renewing our marriage vows inside it. The Great Movie Ride venue should be very fun for our dinner celebration - way more fun than a casino buffet. And after having experienced last Fall's anniversary dinner on the "Haunted Mansion" movie ballroom set, I know that whatever food is served during our Great Movie Ride dinner will be equally as scrumptious. I have no doubts in my mind about that.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that I'm basically an open slate. It will not be hard to top my first wedding dinner, have no fear. I know that's not much help, is it? How 'bout this - my family loves to eat. We love food, especially beef and poultry. A few of us have eclectic palates, while the rest prefer more standard fare. I don't think any of us are what you would call picky eaters (least of all me - the hot dog & fries girl). Whatever menu ideas you can come up with will be wonderful; please do not hesitate to pass them my way.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Janet

(PS I just re-read your e-mail. My husband and I never had a honeymoon. Like I said, I'm an open slate!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following week, the Chef sent me an e-mail that contained a very unique dinner menu:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, well I guess we don't have much competition in the "wedding menu" area; though a casino dinner is hard to beat for the price.

I have attached a first "run-through" on the menu. Let me know your thoughts. I seem to remember that you have a seafood allergy, correct? I avoided it on the dinner, though there is some on the reception.

The Great Movie Ride is a very fun event, you will have a great time.

Feel free to "critique" the menu as you like. I built around the Gangster and Western themes. I offered venison for the entree (with duck), but I could easily revise to chicken/beef.

Regards,
Chef

- - - - - - - - - -
Janet & Rick’s Vow Renewal

Reception and Dinner
$XXX pp++

Gangster Reception

Assorted Passed Canapés and Hors d’ Oeuvres
Miniature Calzones
House Cured Salmon with Caviar
Arancini with Spicy Italian Sausage
Assorted Vegetarian Sushi
Assorted Passed Crostini
(Gorgonzola and Hazelnut, White Bean, and Eggplant)

Western Dinner

Ale and Molasses Marinated Quail with Chervil and bacon Wrapped Shallots
(Kid’s option of Homemade Macaroni and Cheese in a Crispy Beggars Purse)

Assorted Field Greens with a tart Apple Vinaigrette
Warm Golden California Goat Cheese Croute

Intermezzo

Venison with Parsnip, Sweet Potato, and Yukon Gold Potato Tarte
Sundried Cherry and Zinfandel Reduction
Moros Orange and Honey Glazed Duck with Braised Greens
- - - - - - - - - -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whoa, little doggie! Not only did the Chef remember my leg injury, he remembered that I had a seafood food allergy. My goodness, his attention to detail was amazing. But even more amazing than that was the dinner menu that he had presented to me. Talk about unique. Never in a million years would I ever have thought to have venison offered for dinner. And yet considering that my guests would be dining in the Wild, Wild West, it was an absolutely perfect suggestion. I could actually imagine the cowboys and cowgirls from the Circle J2K Ranch coming back from a long day on the range, totting a freshly killed deer carcass atop one of their trusty steeds. Yes, venison definitely sounded like something that my kinfolk would chow down on for a hoedown as special as a 20th anniversary party. Yahoo! Ride ‘em, Cowgirls and Cowboys!

I sent the following e-mail message to the Chef:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chef,

The menu looks wonderful; I love how you've themed it to the Gangster and Western areas. If I would have themed the menu, I suppose I would have chosen alcohol in a brown, paper bag (Gangster - prohibition) and a can of pork & beans (Western - range food). I think now you can understand why I asked for your expert help with my dinner menu.

I sent your dinner menu to two of the ladies who are joining me next week for my FTW planning session, as I would like to hear their comments. I promise to let you know what they think. By the way, that was very good of you to remember my seafood allergy. You're one sharp cookie (do you use expressions like that in your business?!).

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nutz4dzny gave me a phone call. She had shown the menu to her husband and son and had asked for their opinions. She said that she was concerned that the menu might be a little too exotic for my guests. She felt the quail would be perfect for the first course and the duck would be wonderful for the main entrée. However, she was worried about the venison. She feared it might have too strong of a taste for most of my guests.

All of her points were excellent ones and I was happy that she had shared them with me. Her main point was that I really needed to put myself into my guests’ shoes when I was determining the final menu. How true, how true.

I then heard from Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Janet. The chef really put some thought into this one with the Ganster Theme (do I hear Godfather music playing???) and then with the Western Theme.

I must say everything is put together beautifully and sounds first rate! As far as venison + duck for the main entree, I have never taken to either one, but I'm sure they'll be prepared just like your lamb was for the Haunted Mansion Anniversary dinner and will taste wonderful... I'm game to try something new! My husband has had venison and said when he had it, it was good. The duck, he wasn't too sure about. Go with your gut feeling... I'm sure everything will be scrumptious! After all, when we all got married, we had no idea of the "menu" right? And we're all happy!

I am impressed with the Chef’s consideration to detail. That's why he's the best!

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1’s mention that her husband enjoyed venison had put me at ease. I knew that my sister also enjoyed venison (her first husband was a hunter). I was also pretty sure that my Aunt enjoyed venison. I knew my Mom was game to try anything; however, it was my Dad’s palate that I worried about the most. He was strictly a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Would he even nibble on the venison? I wondered.

I called my Mom and asked for her opinion regarding the menu. She told me that she always enjoys trying new foods and to not touch the menu that had been specially created for me by the Chef. She stated that my Dad “was a big boy and if he didn’t want to try the venison, it would be his loss; don’t worry about him.” I got a kick out of that and so I listened to my Mom. A 20th wedding anniversary was definitely an occasion to select a menu that was out of the ordinary. A menu that was exotic and unique and truly befitting the venue in which it would be served.

It was time to send my response to the Chef:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chef, hello. This morning I heard from two of the ladies who are attending next week's FTW planning session with me. One loved your dinner menu and the other was concerned that it might be too eclectic. As for me, I think the menu sounds wonderful and I am going to completely trust you with it. As proof of my trust, I submit the following excerpt from an e-mail that I just sent to my friend:

- - - -
When I first received the Haunted Mansion Movie Set dinner menu last Fall, I was worried that it was too "out there." But that menu turned out beautifully. I'm going to trust the Chef with this one, too. I loved how he put a lot of thought into what foods would go with what eras in time - quail and venison were probably popular dishes during the Frontier Days and thus his selection of them for the menu. If the venison tastes half as good as the lamb tasted at the Haunted Mansion dinner, I will be happy.
- - - -

So, Chef, I can't wait to discover what your recommended dinner menu will taste like during my FTW menu tasting next week. If it's half as scrumptious as the Haunted Mansion Movie Set dinner was last Fall, I will definitely be one happy camper. Bring it on!!

Sincerely,
Janet

(PS Will you be able to stop by my FTW menu tasting next Thursday? There will now be three ladies in attendance from the Haunted Mansion Movie Set Dinner event, and all three of us are anxious to say hello. I think we're going to have to call ourselves the "Official Chef X Fan Club." Are you up to the challenge of meeting your fans? I hope so!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It felt good to finally have that other dreaded four-letter word out of the way: MENU.

zurgswife

11-21-2004, 07:33 AM

OH...Janet the menu sound scrupmtous........those chef's have a flair....WOW!!!

Can't to hear more....

SlightlyGoofy

11-21-2004, 10:58 AM

Janet, I am always in awe of the DISers who plan such detailed agendas for their trips but yours goes way and beyond anything I could imagine. I loved the bottle in a bag and can of pork and beans thing though. LOL Would be more my style as well. I ain't too darned fancy.

I am awaiting the details of your dining INSIDE the GMR. I think I rode it twelve or more times while we were there and imagined it every single time. I am the sort who looks in the nooks and crannies and sees something new every time.

SG/Linda

KayleeUK

11-21-2004, 12:18 PM

Wow what a wonderful menu :)

eeyore45

11-21-2004, 05:37 PM

I am in complete and total awe. I just stumbled onto your original post, and on a day when my kids went to the movies, so I have plenty of time, and kleenex.

I am so humbled that you have chosen to share such details with me, that allow me to dare to dream "what if" it could be me!! You mentioned how you stumbled across a trip report that put a burr in your mind that set off your whole vow renewal... well, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!! Next year we celebrate our 25th, this is one way I may be allowed to "dream". I've followed all of your links, and I've seen so much beauty, but that pales in comparision to the compassion that comes thru in your posts!!

I read that "simple" 2 line about the tree ceremony,, and my heart jumped, and I grabbed a kleenex, knowing that there was so much more, than I read further and you included the poem, you are an amazing spirit, and again, I cant thank you for sharing this part of you, with me, a stranger!

I wonder about if I had a gf that would share with me, like your two Dis friends have come to you... again, thank you for including the details!!

I will now go look for the other link you included, but I was so glad as I was looking at the dates, that you chose to complete this thread - I was afraid you wouldnt... I want to hear more!! I hope that doesnt make me greedy!! I cant imagine how much time and effort you are putting in these posts. When I came back from WDW, I started to include a detail trip report, but I noticed it wasnt getting hits, or mentions, so I just stopped. (not hurt or disappointed, I just felt it didnt matter to anyone as much as it mattered to me, no biggie...) I just wanted you to know you posts matter to me

Thank you...

Steffy

11-21-2004, 10:16 PM

What an exquiste menu Janet! I'm right there with you. You are such a wonderful writer. Thank you so much for taking the huge amount of time I know it must take to share.

I do hope that you receive some pleasure in reliving all of these wonderful moments you share with us.:) :) Thank you.

Looking forward to the next installament....
::yes:: princess:

gigi1313

11-27-2004, 08:07 PM

what more to say than just WOW?! thank you for continuing your wonderful fairytale story... i cannot wait for more... you certainly empower me to dream the impossible dream... thanks for sharing janet, you are truly a gift from God, as are your words!

Janet2k

11-28-2004, 05:06 AM

Tick, tick, tock… Time continued to march on…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonzie1,

Oh, my GOODNESS! In two weeks, Nutz4dzny and I will have already landed, and you will be getting ready to head to the airport. Yahoo! I can’t believe it! We’re going to have so much FUN!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yikes! How did the time slip by like that? There should be some sort of Law Of The Universe that states that time cannot march forward until we allow it to. I was nowhere near ready for my FTW Planning Session. The only thing that kept me from going bonkers was the support of my two Dis girlfriends, Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny. They were doing a phenomenal job in keeping me focused.

I need to mention a little bit about my partners in crime. Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny were absolutely amazing. Let’s start with Bonzie1. I wish she would consider becoming an event planner because I would hire her in a minute to handle any event. Her attention to detail is beyond compare. During the planning stages of my vow renewal, she was constantly sharing ideas with me for fun and unique touches to add to my events. Please click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/ab0c&.dnm=fbf7.jpg&.src=ph) to see her Backstage Pass creation. She sent that pass to me along with a script for “The Great Life Ride of Janet & Rick.” Due to things that were beyond my control and that I am choosing to keep private, I could not take Bonzie1 up on any of her kind offers for help. Believe me, it was very, very difficult for me to do that, but I had to focus on what was at hand (both Bonzie1 & Nutz4dzny know what I’m talking about). Bonzie1, if you’re reading this, please know in your heart that everything you suggested completely took my breath away. I can’t tell you how awed I was by your creativity, ~sigh.~

I was fortunate in that Bonzie1 wasn’t the only creative one in my little group. Nutz4dzny was too. She knows what a complete high-tech geek I am since she has viewed lots of my little video vignettes over the past few years. Nutz4dzny tried awfully hard to convince me to create a video montage of Rick and my life together. She wanted the video played on the monitors inside the motor coach during the ride from the Wedding Pavilion to the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. It was very tempting for me to do that, but, alas, circumstances beyond my control prevented that. Nutz4dzny, if you’re reading this, please know in your heart how tempted I was by your high-tech suggestion. You definitely know what makes me tick, ~sigh.~

Before I move on from this topic, I would like to make a request of Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny. When it comes time for my next celebration, I will be begging you two lovely ladies to help me add all those little creative touches that I didn’t add this last time around. Deal? Deal.

Shortly before the date of my planning session arrived, tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party went on sale. My family normally attends two of the parties every vacation. This time around, however, I thought we would only have time to attend one party. I purchased tickets for Halloween night for my family and my sister’s family (my other guests would have departed by then).

In the week before my planning session, I received the following e-mail message from my Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good Morning!

We are all set for the planning session on July 22nd. We're going to have a regular entourage with us at MGM that morning.

I have also received an e-mail from the Chef regarding the menu tasting. We are just trying to coordinate all of our schedules. I'm thinking the menu tasting part will be in the afternoon. So, that should work out with him.

By the way, your Event Planner is none other than our friend, Xxxx. He’s on vacation this week so I have been speaking with his assistant to get the scoop on the planning day itinerary. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear back from him.

Have a great day!
Your FTW Sales Manager
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Were my eyes deceiving me? Was my Event Manager none other than the same Cast Member who had put together my Summerhouse dinner party? As I reread the message, I couldn’t believe my luck. I had fun working with this gentleman on my Summerhouse event. I knew I would have fun working with him on my vow renewal event. I sent the following response to my Sales Manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sales Manager, I am very excited about next week's planning session. I know that it's going to be a lot of fun. And now that you've told me that Xxxx is the Event Manager for my FTW vow renewal, WOW! I can't believe my luck! He and his team planned a wonderful dinner party at the Summerhouse for my family and friends - none of us will ever forget that magical night. Under his guidance, I'm positive my vow renewal ceremony and dinner party will be equally as magical.

I'm glad to hear that there will be others with us on the Disney Studios tour that day. The more, the merrier!

There might be four of us at my planning session (myself plus three of my girlfriends). I hope that's okay.

I should note in this e-mail message (since I've copied Xxxx on it), that one of the ladies in attendance at my planning session will be Bonzie1. With Xxxx's help, Bonzie1 had mugs engraved for all nine of the guests in attendance at my Summerhouse dinner party. I had no idea that she was going to do that. She went behind my back and found out who my event planner was, and with his help, pulled her little surprise off. I tell you, Bonzie1 and Xxxx are sneaky little devils. Please make sure that I don't turn my back on either one of them at next week's planning session. Goodness only knows what the two of them will plan without my knowledge!

I look forward to hearing from you. I fly to Orlando on a red-eye on July 20th. I arrive at Port Orleans - French Quarter on Wednesday morning. My friend Nutz4dzny arrives that morning, too, and my friend Bonzie1 arrives that evening. We're all staying at the French Quarter. It should be one helluva girls' weekend, with the highlight being the Fairy Tale Weddings' planning session.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When my son suddenly decided to sign up for a Summer course, that meant he wouldn’t be able to travel to Florida with me for the FTW planning session. That left me a little sad since I had been looking forward to a “Mother & Son” vacation. My daughter volunteered to go in his place (bless her little heart), but I told her that I wanted to travel alone in order to keep costs down. Plus, she had daily Tae Kwon Do lessons and I didn’t want her to miss them since I knew how much she loved them. My decision was made; I was heading to Florida on my own.

When I had vacationed in WDW last year, I had met WeFullTime and her husband. The two of them were genuinely lovely people. My family (including my parents and my dear friend from home) had enjoyed spending time with them on several occasions (tour of their motor home, HM dinner party, Crystal River trip). I thought it would be fun if WeFullTime could join Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and me for the FTW planning session. Nutz4dzny contacted her on my behalf, and I was thrilled when I was told that she would love to join us. Yahoo! It was going to be a very fun planning session with four very intelligent (and very Disney-knowledgeable) ladies in attendance.

I spent some time filling out a planning session information packet that I had received several weeks prior. The packet contained questions regarding my vow renewal ceremony and dinner reception. The FTW folks needed my answers prior to my planning session, so I FAXed it to my Event Manager’s attention. I answered as many questions as I could, and for those that I couldn’t, I figured they would be answered during my planning session.

Shortly after I had FAXed my planning packet, I received the following e-mail from my Event Manager’s assistant:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet, I received your planning session information. I noticed that you do not know what type of cake and flavor you are going to have for your wedding. For the planning session, do you want us to choose some cake and filling flavors for you to taste? Please let me know since our bakery usually requires 2 weeks notice before a planning session.

Have a Magical Day!
Your Event Manager’s Assistant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boy, if he had asked me if I wanted ketchup or mustard for my hot dog, I could have answered him in a heartbeat (neither – I like ‘em plain). But since he had asked me what cake and filling flavors I wanted, well, with me, the sky’s the limit. I haven’t met a cake or a filling that I don’t like. Asking for my favorite cake/filling flavors was like asking me which of my two children was my favorite. I have no favorites. I love my children (and my cake/filling flavors) equally:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Event Manager’s Assistant,

I have no idea what I want for the cake. The only request I have is that the cake/filling not contain nuts or coconut, as I am allergic to both of those items. If the Bakery could provide some samples of various flavors of cakes and fillings, that would be wonderful.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With the cake topic out of the way, it was time to notify Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny that an Event Manager had been assigned to me:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi! Xxxx will be my Event Manager. He is full of ideas and possesses that true Disney spirit. It will be fun hearing his suggestions regarding how to make my event more memorable.

It was a busy weekend with my daughter’s promotion for Tae Kwon Do and with trying to write about the Family Magic Tour in my trip report.

I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the next week. I feel like a kid who can’t wait to open her Christmas presents. In one week and one day, I’ll be on my way to the most magical place on Earth. Such fun we’re going to have!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonzie1 had met my Event Manager during my Summerhouse dinner party. She was happy that he had been assigned to my vow renewal. Nutz4dzny hadn’t joined us on that vacation due to her back problems so she had never met him (but she had heard all about him).

Tick, tick, tock… Time continued to march on…

It was now one week away from my check-in time at Port Orleans – French Quarter. I exchanged e-mail messages with my wonderful Dreams Unlimited Travel (http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/) agent (I had worked with her earlier in the year on my May/June vacation):

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks, DU Agent. This is my on-site planning session trip for the Fairy Tale Weddings folks. My vow renewal is basically only 3 months away and I have lots of things to do. I can't believe how lazy I've been. Just today we booked the person who will be performing our vow renewal ceremony (it took my husband & I a week to be able to get her on the phone since she is vacationing on the East Coast). We chose a woman this time since a man performed our first ceremony. She seems very nice and I look forward to receiving a sample ceremony that she is going to e-mail to us this weekend.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, it was true. Rick and I had finally booked our officiant:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday night (yes, I’m still at work)

Ladies, I forgot to tell you that this morning my phone rang as I was heading out the door to work. It was the woman who Rick has been trying to track down since last week (she has been vacationing on the East Coast). Today she told me that she would love to perform my vow renewal ceremony. I was very pleased to hear that. Her name is Jo Ann and she asked me to give her a call when I am in town next week, so please remind me to do so.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Rick and I got married the first time, a man had performed our ceremony. He was very theatrical with his little Southern drawl (which I swore was fake). To this day I can still hear him stating, ”Re-car-do, please bring your love-ly bride for-ward.” Ugh!

I gave a lot of thought to who I wanted to perform our ceremony this time. I had seen numerous videos of quite a few of the gentlemen who performed ceremonies in Walt Disney World. All of them seemed wonderful and we couldn’t go wrong with any of them. But this time I wanted something different. I wanted a woman. I hoped that Jo Ann Elf Pessagno would be available for our date.

I should mention that Rick and I are Catholic. I did consider seeing if a priest would perform our vow renewal ceremony, but the Orlando Catholic Diocese has taken the following position regarding ceremonies in Walt Disney World (from the official WDW website):

- - - - - - - - - -
Can I have a Catholic ceremony and be married by a priest?

Although Disney's Wedding Pavilion is non-denominational, the official Orlando Catholic Diocese position is that no wedding ceremonies will be recognized outside the Catholic Church. We encourage you to speak with your personal clergy about your situation.
- - - - - - - - - -

I remember when I had first heard about that years ago. I had read many tear-stained letters from brides and grooms who couldn’t convince a Catholic priest to perform their wedding ceremony in Walt Disney World due to the Orlando Diocese’s stance. My heart truly bled for those couples. It was such a shame that the Church had taken such a stance. I know that Rick and my original marriage ceremony would not be recognized by the Church, either, since it was performed in a little wedding chapel out in the middle of nowhere. At first it bothered me that our Church wouldn’t recognize our marriage, but then I realized that the God that I believed in had no religion. And the God that I believed in did not frown upon anyone who chose to get married in a location that was off the beaten path. Oh, sure, Rick and I could have gotten our marriage blessed by our Church afterwards. But for some reason it wound up not being very important to us. We knew we were married. Our family and friends knew we were married. And God knew we were married. We didn’t want for anything more.

It took a little while before Rick and I actually spoke with our first choice for officiant, Jo Ann. We had played phone tag with her for about a week because she was traveling along the East Coast. Just when we had given up hope and were going to look for another officiant, our telephone rang. It was Jo Ann. We had finally established contact.

I spoke with Jo Ann for several minutes that morning. She was sweet and kind and I liked her instantly. ”Ah!” you are probably wondering. ”Did she have a fake Southern drawl?” I can assure you that she had no fake accent whatsoever, Southern or otherwise.

While Jo Ann and I were talking, I mentioned that Rick and I had just about given up on her. It was fate that she had called exactly when she did. I asked her if she was available on the evening of October 27th and she assured me that she was. I then asked if she would be available to perform a rehearsal on the day before. She said that she would make time for it. I was pleased. Jo Ann was very easy to work with. I told her that I would be in Orlando the next week for my planning session. She asked me if we could get together for a chat. That took me by surprise. I told her that I wasn’t sure if I could fit in a meeting because of prior commitments, but that I would try to call her while I was there to see if we could work something out. She said she looked forward to hearing from me.

After I hung up the phone, I breathed a big sigh of relief. It was nice having our officiant booked. It made my upcoming vow renewal seem more real than ever.

Bonzie1 sent me an e-mail giving me the predicted weather for our quickly approaching trip:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Janet. My husband has been watching the weather in Orlando. Here's the weather forecast for Orlando:

Wednesday - 89 - 75 - 40% rain
Thursday - 94 - 75 - 40% rain
Friday - 94 - 75 - no rain

I'll pack my poncho and an umbrella... I'll be smiling too! Just so there are no thunderstorms.

I'll pack my swim suit. Do you like to do the hot tub, or are you a pool kinda gal? We enjoyed the hottub at POFQ. Maybe we could do the late carriage ride at PORS and then catch some of Bob Jackson's show. I probably wouldn't make it past 11:00 (I need my beauty sleep... ha). Or, should we brainstorm the night before. Feel free to call the shots.

I'll also bring a camera just in case we can take some pictures of the food or whatever, or of the 3 DIS beauties!

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, the weather. Yikes. I was really worried about the heat and humidity. Living on the West Coast, I don’t have to worry about either of those two items very much. How on earth was I going to make it through a couple of days with high humidity and 90-degree plus weather? I made a mental note to make darn sure that I packed my Ban deodorant.

It was just about this time that my guest list began to grow. Two of my coworkers asked me if they and their significant others could attend my ceremony. I was surprised by this. Destination weddings/vow renewals are usually not something that anyone volunteers to attend due to the cost and logistics involved. I told them that if they wanted to join my family in Florida, we would be honored. They assured me that they wouldn’t miss it for the world. I found that awfully sweet. I went ahead and ordered a WDW vacation planning video (https://secure.disney.go.com/wdw/myVacation/vpk?id=VPKPage) for one of my coworkers since his wife had never been to WDW before.

My guest list had now grown to 21 people. I hoped that during next week’s planning session, my guest list would increase by two more when I extended an invitation to WeFullTime and her husband. I should also note that I was holding three more slots open for another family who I was hoping could attend my vow renewal (I had sent an invitation to them but hadn’t had the opportunity to speak with them about it).

With just a few days left to go, I sent the following message to Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Bonzie1!

I've got my suitcase out and a couple pairs of shorts are getting ready to go into it. I still haven't found my AP, though, so it looks like I'm going to have to get a duplicate of it once I'm in FL, drats!

I just checked the weather and it is identical between here & WDW -- both in the 80's. Boy, how I wish the 80's would hold true for our visit but the weather channel is predicting the 90's by the time we're there, darn!

I still can't believe we'll be there in just a few days. I have so much to do!

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, I had misplaced my Annual Pass. Actually, upon my return home from my June vacation, I had placed my pass in a very safe place, it was just that I couldn’t remember where that place was. Ugh!

The day before my departure, Bonzie1 had sent me a picture of a Hidden Mickey in the Great Movie Ride. She thought it would be fun if we could find it during our walkthrough. I agreed.

Also on the day before my departure, my husband had forwarded to me an e-mail message from our officiant. In it was a sample vow renewal ceremony. Our officiant stated that we were to feel free to change it in any way that we saw fit. I read through the ceremony. It was short but sweet, and I didn't have any changes to make to it.

Late in the afternoon, I received my first correspondence from my Event Manager. He told me that he was very excited that we would be working together again. He mentioned that he was going to sit down with his assistant in order to work out the details of my planning session. He also shared the following with me:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For your planning visit we will be meeting at Franck's (the building in front of the Wedding Pavilion). In Franck's we have reserved the Merriweather room to start the planning. I will be meeting with you (and friends) to explain the overview, transportation, room accommodations, reservations of sleeping rooms, magic moments, and your park event. The florist will be meeting with you to discuss your floral options, decor, and wedding party needs. Entertainment will be meeting with you to discuss your video, photography, special transportation, special effects, and other reception enhancement needs…We also arranged for a cake tasting at Franck's since we will be heading off to MGM Studios for an event walk through and menu tasting there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was excited to read about my planning session. I sent the following response later on that evening:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Event Manager,

Thanks for the e-mail. I will not be bringing a laptop with me to Florida, therefore, if you need to e-mail me anything, please try to do it by 6 PM Florida-time on Tuesday - I will leave work for the week at that time (my flight leaves that evening). If you need to send me anything after that time, please feel free to FAX it to my attention at the Port Orleans - French Quarter Resort. I check in on Wednesday morning.

Well, my friend, I will be seeing you & my Sales Manager in just a few short days. The three ladies who are joining me for my planning session are very excited to be attending it with me - probably almost as excited as I am. Bonzie1 was thrilled when I told her that you were my Event Planner. She thought you did an incredible job with the Summerhouse dinner party. She is looking forward to seeing you on Thursday, as are the other two ladies (they have heard so much about you and your team).

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, I received the following e-mail message from Bonzie1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet... Today's YOUR day!!! You're leaving tonight! Hope your meeting goes well today, and that is doesn't last too long!

Charging batteries... Yikes! Thanks for reminding me! Phone and camera! Today will be a long one. It's REALLY happening!!!

I will see you soon!

Bonzie1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, it was really happening. D-Day (Departure Day) had finally arrived, I just had to get through it first. At work, an out-of-town vendor was coming in to help my company with a project for one of our overseas customers. It was going to be a busy day.

My day passed quickly. Before I knew it, it was time to head home. Once I got home, I booted up my computer and checked my e-mail. I found one from my Event Manager. His message contained the agenda for my planning session:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet & Rick’s Vow Renewal
Walt Disney World

Thursday, July 22, 2004

7:45 am: Transportation to Disney’s MGM Studios
*** Event Manager to pick up Janet’s Party at Port Orleans Resort. Please meet at the main lobby porte cochere

8:00 am: Disney’s MGM Studios - Great Movie Ride Site Inspection
Meet at Disney’s MGM-Studios Guest Services

Janet & Friends
Sales Manager, Disney’s Fairytale Weddings
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Event Manager, Disney’s MGM-Studios

Walk Park Arrival
Transportation Points
Venue Overview
Event Flow
Set Up
Décor
Food and Beverage

9:00 am: Event Planning
Executive Boardroom at Hollywood Hideaway at Disney’s MGM Studios

Janet & Friends
Janet’s Event Manger, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Entire Event Overview
Role Definition
Process and Timeline
Payment and Decision Making
General Transportation
Ceremony

10:00 am: Menu Tasting at Hollywood Hideaway

Janet & Friends
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Chef de Cuisine, Disney’s MGM-Studios

Menu Options

11:30 am – 11:45 am: Transportation to the Wedding Pavilion
*** Event Manager to take Janet’s Party to the Wedding Pavilion at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

11:45 am – 12:15 pm: Franck’s Bridal Studio - Merriweather Room

Janet & Friends
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Cake Tasting

12:30pm: Meeting with Ceremony Entertainment Manager

Janet & Friends
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Entertainment Sales Manager, Disney Event Group

Entertainment Option at the Wedding Pavilion
Videography
Photography
Special Transportation
Special Effects

1:30pm: Meeting with Floral Event Manager

Janet & Friends
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Floral Event Manager, Disney Event Group

Floral Options

2:30 pm: Transportation to Resort
*** Event Manager to take Janet’s Party to the Port Orleans Resort
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I quickly forwarded the agenda to the ladies before I sent the following response to my Event Manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Event Manager,

Thank you. It looks wonderful! I'm in the process of printing the itinerary now so that I can place it in my carry-on bag.

I see that you will be picking us up at Port Orleans - French Quarter on Thursday morning. I didn't expect that (I was going to arrange for a taxicab to take everyone to Franck's). Thank you very much.

Well, I'll be seeing you soon. I'm heading to the airport in about 15 minutes. I fly to X first, then onto Orlando. It will be a very long night for me.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Within minutes of sending that message, my luggage was loaded in the car and away I went. It was Orlando or bust.

zurgswife

11-28-2004, 08:48 AM

Janet all the details of your planning trip are wonderful....like I've mentioned before...thank you so much for letting me live my vow renewal fantasy through you.....your attention for written detail is wonderful...Can't wait to read more.. :flower1:

SlightlyGoofy

11-28-2004, 11:35 AM

Dear Janet

I am getting worn out just contemplating the planning of everything. I have always been a detail type person but never to this degree. What a gift you gave your dh. Time is far more important and valuable than anything else to my way of thinking. I think you had fun doing so too . LOL

Just got back from Ohio and a family Thanksgiving. Was much different from holidays in the past, Am a bit sad as I was hoping to be able to sell the video tape to Jerry Springer to finance an extra DW trip but 'unfortunately' it was a love filled time. For the first time in about 40 years we four older sisters woke up under the same roof. I could not ask for anything more.

I take it that you are feeling better now? Sounds like it and hopie it is so.

Back to work for me, LOL

SG/Linda

KayleeUK

11-28-2004, 03:15 PM

Wow sounds wonderful.

BevS97

11-30-2004, 03:36 PM

I just wanted to let you know that I am enjoying your reports very much - can't wait to read more when you have time to post

torismom

12-01-2004, 09:04 AM

Thank you for sharing such an initimate event with your dis family. I love reading your reports and am captivated by your vow renewal. I cant wait to read the rest.

JessetheCowgirl

12-01-2004, 03:31 PM

Janet--I think this just might top all of your previous Disney events! Anxiously awaiting more . . .

gigi1313

12-12-2004, 01:48 PM

anxiously awaiting more, more, more! LOL! thank you so much janet for indulging all of us who live vicariously thru you!

Janet2k

12-14-2004, 02:57 PM

(Note: I am going to post the following in each of my two trip reports since I know that not everyone reads both threads.)

Over the next few weeks, I don’t know how much time I’m going to have to devote to either of my trip reports. My work life is all consuming, leaving virtually no personal life. A key project is due very soon as I head into the second half of this month. The pressure is intense and I am doing the best that I can, I just don’t know if it is good enough. I would like to say “thank you” to everyone here on the Dis who has sent me their good wishes both publicly and privately. Your moral support has really meant a lot to me.

I had hoped to add another post to my trip report last weekend, but instead I spent time finishing my holiday greeting card. For the past few years, I have been using Shutterfly.com for all of my greeting card needs (Birthday, Anniversary, Get Well, Thinking of You, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and so on). This year’s holiday card is being printed by them once again. I actually have two versions of my card being printed: one card for those who attended my vow renewal, and another card for those who didn’t. Both sets of cards are scheduled to arrive at the end of this week. That gives me the weekend to send them off – I can already feel my hand cramping up at the thought of personalizing and addressing those cards. Yikes!

I would like to share this year’s holiday card with you folks: click here for the cover (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/ab0c&.dnm=2ee1.jpg&.src=ph), and click here for the interior (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/ab0c&.dnm=bdcb.jpg&.src=ph). I sincerely wish everyone here on the Dis the best of everything in the coming new year. Happy holidays!

The rest of last weekend was spent trying to pull together some appropriate music for a video slideshow that I am in the process of creating for my parents and my aunt. I am gathering together the images that the Disney photographers took over the course of my two-day vow renewal celebration. I will set their photos to music. Once I have the slideshow the way that I want it, I will burn it to DVD. My assumption is that when my parents and aunt view the video slideshow, it won’t be quite as boring because background music will be playing as each of the photos is being displayed. Well, at least that’s my plan.

I must admit that I am stumped for one portion of the slideshow – my Grand Floridian dessert party. My Event Manager has got to be one of the most creative people on the planet. He put together a darling party for me whose theme I had kept a secret from my husband and my guests. My Event Manager knew that Rick and I had met on Halloween. He knew that Halloween was my favorite day out of the whole year. And he knew that we would be viewing the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party fireworks show from our dessert party’s location. Well, he put one and one together and chose to theme my party in true Halloween-style. He added a few unique touches to my event, too, one of which was in the form of a pumpkin that was carved in Rick and my image: click here ( http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/ab0c&.dnm=5f28.jpg&.src=ph). It was a hoot! The entire dessert party turned out beautifully and completely took my breath away. My family and guests had the most relaxing time. I can’t think of a more perfect place than the Grand Floridian for an intimate party. I hope the future holds many more intimate parties for me at that resort, ~sigh.~

But now I am stumped for background music for the dessert party photographs. One of my all-time favorite songs is the theme song from John Carpenter’s movie, “Halloween.” The song is hauntingly melodic and gives me the chills (in a good way). However, I don’t know if my parents and aunt will think about that song in the same manner that I do, and thus I’m stumped for music. I will probably play it safe and select some sort of “moon” song instead. My Event Manager did pull off a special request for me at my dessert party. Several weeks prior to the party, I had asked if it would be possible to play Starbuck’s “Moonlight Feels Right.” My Event Manager never got back to me on that subject and thus I arrived in Florida without the song in my possession. Imagine my surprise when it was announced at the party that a special song was being played for me: “Moonlight Feels Right.” I was deeply touched. As they say, ~magic~ happens when you least expect it. Hmmm... Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I should use that song for the dessert party portion of my video slideshow.

Moving on to another topic, I did recently find a website where I might be able to share some video with you folks. I haven’t had a chance to pursue it yet. If their file sharing rules aren’t too stringent, I will see what I can put together to share of my events. One of the things that I definitely want to share is footage of my custom fireworks display (note: I haven’t seen the footage yet and don’t know when I will be receiving it). From what I was told, a custom display like mine had never been done before inside the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. It will be nice to share video of it in case any of you want to add such a unique touch to your own event. I am very happy that I added that touch to my vow renewal. I almost didn’t, but I’ll get around to that story when I continue on with my "My Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Trip Planning Session" report. (Talk about a teaser.)

Well, gang, I will try my best to post something, anything, as soon as I can. Thank you for being patient. And Season’s Greetings!

DoeWDW

12-15-2004, 01:01 PM

Janet, can you believe I just found this thread today?? I am spellbound!

I know you're a busy gal, but please come back when you get the time. You have a wonderful style of writing and I feel like I'm right there with you! I can't wait to continue the journey!

zurgswife

12-15-2004, 05:37 PM

Janet....thanks so much for continuing to write....I love reading about your trip/vow renewal..

Deb8821

12-18-2004, 11:37 PM

Janet - thanks for continuing to take the time to share. Its been wonderful reading your posts. I am so glad everything thing turned out so very magical for you and your family.

bonzie1

12-21-2004, 10:11 AM

Janet!

Once again your writing ability captures the excitement and anticipation of a truly magical event! Thank-you for taking your precious time to do this. Hang in there at work. There just has to be a rainbow at the end of your rough project. Merry Christmas wishes to you and your wonderful family!
:wizard:

amwhitaker

12-22-2004, 02:03 PM

Bump!

Janet2k

12-23-2004, 03:49 AM

Hello, Dis’ers. I plan on posting in this trip report sometime within the next day or two. Believe it or not, I have Friday off. Yahoo! (Thank goodness for Holiday days.) I was supposed to have all of next week off, too, since my company is shut down then. However, they have asked the team that I’m on to work as many of the shutdown days as possible. I really didn’t want to work any of them because I am so burned out after having worked very long hours since returning from my vow renewal vacation last month. The creative side of me is craving an outlet that has nothing to do with work or my real life, and working on my trip report would have suited that need perfectly. But now I appear to be succumbing to the pressure to head into the office for at least a few days next week (yes, the word sucker is written on my forehead). That will seriously impact my trip report writing. I promise to post as much as I can, though.

I debated today about what trip report to post in next. I was going to post in the other report (the one about the actual vow renewal) until I realized that my next installment would have mentioned the fact that I ran into a few of the folks on the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park team who were involved in my vow renewal’s dinner party. When I bumped into them one evening, they dropped what they were doing and spent some time with me going over the details of my dinner party. Boy, was I ever grateful for their kindness and professionalism. I should mention that up until that point, the one thing that had been driving me absolutely bonkers was my custom fireworks display. As a few of you here know, I don’t like surprises. Details are my business, and details are what make me tick. Disney was playing the custom fireworks display card very close to the vest and wasn’t giving me any real details regarding it. I found out why as I stood with my team in the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park that evening.

But you’re going to have to wait to hear about that. I know, another ~teaser.~ Sorry to leave you hanging. I think it’s more important that I first share with you a little background information that led up to my decision to add a custom fireworks display to my vow renewal event. I won’t share everything with you, but I will share as much as I can.

zurgswife

12-23-2004, 04:17 AM

Thanks Janet....can't wait to read more.....

Glad your able to celebrate my birthday :bday: with a day off of work... :cheer2: :cheer2:

Take care...

ZW

Janet2k

12-25-2004, 05:03 AM

My family dropped me off at the airport. After I checked in my luggage curbside, I kissed my family goodbye. My son was in a hurry to get to his tennis class, and my husband was in a hurry to get him there. My daughter was the only one who was in no hurry to see me go, bless her little heart.

I made my way inside the terminal. The line for the Security Checkpoint was fairly short. As I approached the X-ray machine, I noticed a very tall gentleman standing about four people in front of me. There is only one man I know who is that tall and lanky, and he just so happened to have been the vendor who had worked with me that day. I called out his name and he turned around. It was nice being greeted by a friendly smile.

The two of us went through Security together, and then we discovered that our flights were leaving from the same gate but at different times. He mentioned that since he is so tall, and since the airline had put him on a commuter plane this time instead of on the usual jet, they had to give him two seats – one for each leg. I laughed at the thought of that. I mentioned that my own son was very tall and that I had put him in First Class on our last vacation strictly for legroom reasons (the rest of my family flew Coach). My vendor said he wished his commuter flight had a First Class section.

I stopped at the gift shop to purchase reading material and munchies. Because I had an entire night of flying ahead of me, I made sure to pick up enough reinforcements to tide me over for quite awhile: several magazines, a bottle of water, and a large bag of trail mix.

With my purchases placed into my carry-on bag, I wandered over to my gate and found a place to sit down. The gate area was very busy since a flight was boarding. All the passengers around me appeared to be business travelers. I didn’t see anyone who looked like me – someone heading on vacation. I felt a little sorry for them. The work ahead of me (if you can call a FTW Planning Session work) was definitely going to be more fun than the work ahead of them.

My vendor’s flight left first, followed closely by mine. I couldn’t believe that the time had finally arrived and I was officially on my way. Yippee!

My first flight was short but sweet. My connecting flight was going to be the l-o-n-g one. Before I could make that flight, though, I had to sit in the airport for another hour or two. Since I love airports, I don’t mind spending time in them. I get a big kick out of watching people. Their comings and goings fascinate me, especially when they’re greeting their loved ones. I always find a few tears welling up in my eyes whenever I see grandparents and grandchildren embracing each other for the first time in months (or even years). I am a sucker for a happy ending.

As I sat in the airport, I saw a lot of tearful hello’s, and even a few tearful goodbye’s. I was glad that I had tissues in my purse to dab away my tears. I think I found things especially poignant because I was imagining what my vow renewal vacation would be like with my parents, aunt, sister, niece, nephew, and dear friends in attendance. I knew it was going to truly be a Hallmark (http://www.hallmark.com) moment.

The time had come to board my flight to Orlando. As I settled into my seat, I asked the Flight Attendant what the in-flight movie was going to be. I purchased a set of headphones just in case I decided to watch it. With a magazine in hand and a set of headphones on my head, I began to read.

It was going to be a long night and I really should have fallen asleep, but I was too antsy for my own good. When the movie began, I watched it. Afterwards, I read a magazine and then one of my wedding books. I eventually closed my eyes and got about 40 minutes of sleep before the pilot announced that it was time to prepare for landing.

Within 20 minutes, my plane was at its gate. I was in no particular hurry to disembark since it was still the wee hours of the morning. I was one of the last people off the plane. I said goodbye to the Flight Attendants and Pilot on my way out the door.

It felt good to be inside the Orlando airport. I knew that in just a few hours, Nutz4dzny would be landing. Shortly after she landed, WeFullTime and her husband would be joining us for a day in the theme parks. And our day would wind down with Bonzie1’s arrival. It would be fun being with everyone again.

I took the monorail, or as my daughter likes to call it, the mon-a-rella, to the baggage terminal. Since I had taken my time getting there, my luggage was already circling on the carousel. I picked it up and went off in search of the Mears Transportation desk.

Since I had only used Mears’ limousine service and never their shuttle service, I had no idea where their transportation desk was located. I remembered the video on their website (click here) (http://www.mearstransportation.com/ShuttleWayfinding.htm) had stated that they had desks located on both level 1 and level 2. I wandered around until I found both of those desks. Sadly, at such an early hour, neither desk was staffed. I had my cell phone with me so I dialed their phone number. I explained to the Mears Customer Service Agent that I was at the airport and waiting for transportation to my Disney resort. She told me a shuttle would be dispatched to me within 20 minutes and that I was to wait outside for it. I did as I was told and headed for the door.

As I walked outside, an eerie fog awaited me in the darkness of the morning. It was actually quite lovely and very soothing. A taxicab driver asked me if I needed a ride. I thanked him and told him that I had already arranged for my ground transportation.

Within a few minutes, I was joined by a large group of people. They were traveling together and obviously very excited about their vacation. I wondered if they were going to Disney World, too.

As promised, within 20 minutes a Mears shuttle arrived. I approached the driver and told him that I was heading to Port Orleans – French Quarter. He asked the group of travelers if they were heading to Disney also. They told him that they were not. He radioed for a shuttle for them. He then told me to hop aboard his van as I was the only traveler heading to Walt Disney World. I asked him if I could ride in front and he told me I could. He put my luggage into the back of the van and I climbed into the front. Within minutes we were on our way.

My driver was very nice and very talkative. He told me that he had recently taken his niece to SkyVenture (http://www.adventuresinflorida.net/SkyVenture.htm) for her birthday. He asked me if I had ever done any skydiving before. I laughed and told him that I had not. He went on to explain SkyVenture’s wind tunnel and how it simulates the sensation of skydiving. It sounded fascinating, and he and his niece had obviously had a lot of fun there.

My Mears driver went on to describe other fun events that he had done with his sister’s family. I thought it was wonderful that an uncle was so involved. What a great family guy he was.

The drive to Walt Disney World passed much too quickly. Before I knew it, my shuttle was pulling up underneath the porte cochere of the Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort. I disembarked, and my driver handed me my luggage. I told him goodbye and that I hoped to ride with him again in the future.

As I stood under the porte cochere, it hit me. The moment that I had been waiting for had arrived. The planning of my Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal was about to kick into high gear.

SlightlyGoofy

12-25-2004, 02:11 PM

Janet, I have always believed that it is people, not things, that makes life worth living and as I read your reports I can see that you agree also. It is not the rides, parades and attractions that bring us back to DW over and over but the friendship and companionship of those like you, who believe in the magic. The details of Spectromagic and Wishes were inhanced by the company we shared that night. I love to people watch too and try to guess what kind of people they might be and what their life story is. If I get a chance to exchange a few words I usually hear their life story, is my special gift. LOL

Merry Christmas to you and yours and may you all be riding the "mon o rella" together soon. (smiles and hugs)

SG/Linda

eeyore45

12-25-2004, 11:47 PM

*sigh, I just so enjoy these threads - thank you for continuing them!!

:grouphug:

KayleeUK

12-26-2004, 08:53 AM

Yeah more reports :)

Janet2k

12-28-2004, 03:28 AM

[NOTE: To make this post a little more interesting, and hopefully a little more fun, I used links to video and audio clips that were found on the Internet, in particular, on the Metro Goldwyn Mayer series of websites. I hope the links work okay for everyone. The bulk of the websites use either Apple Computer’s free QuickTime Player software (click here (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/)) or Microsoft’s Windows Media Player software (click here (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?displaylang=en&categoryid=4)).

As you read my post, please make sure to take your time when clicking on one link to the next – some of the links take longer to load than others (for example, the audio & video links are slower to load than the photo links). Enjoy.]

James Bond (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=yolt&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) once said, “You only live twice.” Jane Bond took that one step further and added, “If you’re lucky, in one of those lives, you’ll be married for at least 20 years.” Or so I tried to convince myself as I stood underneath the porte cochere of the Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort. This trip was about that second life. The one that was strictly for my dreams.

-------------------------------------------------------------
“You Only Live Twice” (http://www.bondmovies.net/youonly.html) (from the James Bond movie (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/index.php?cat=missions&id=yolt))
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Music Composed Conducted, and Arranged by John Barry
Song sung by Nancy Sinatra

You only live twice, or so it seems,
One life for yourself, and one for your dreams

You drift through the years and life seems tame,
Till one dream appears and love is its name

And love is a stranger who'll beckon you on,
Don't think of the danger or the stranger is gone

This dream is for you, so pay the price,
Make one dream come true, you only live twice

And love is a stranger who'll beckon you on
Don't think of the danger or the stranger is gone

This dream is for you, so pay the price
Make one dream come true, you only live twice
-------------------------------------------------------------

As I stood in front of the Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding?id=PortOrleansFrenchQuarterResortLan dingPage), one verse in particular kept drifting through my mind:

“This dream is for you, so pay the price. Make one dream come true, you only live twice.”

I had already decided that no matter what the price was for that dream, I was going to pay it (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=avtak&video=5&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244). I only planned on being married for 20 years once. I was going to honor that marriage with a night to remember (http://mfile.akamai.com/28/asf/mgm.download.akamai.com/28/Theatrical/BOND20_ts2_hi.asx) for my husband.

A glance at my Double-Oh issued watch (http://www.omega.ch/omega/wo_007_world) told me that it was approximately 7:30 AM. I took a deep breath and entered the main building in search of the Front Desk. I quickly took off my Secret Agent hat and replaced it with my Ordinary Citizen hat. My mission to make dreams come true would have to remain off the radar screen for now. The only ones who knew about that mission had already been sworn to secrecy and had received Top Secret clearance from M16 (http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/mi6-officials.php): Bonzie1, Nutz4dzny, and WeFullTime.

My current plan was that if my room wasn’t ready upon check-in (it wasn’t guaranteed to be ready until 3 PM), I was going to get something to eat, then hang out at the swimming pool (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=gf&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) until Nutz4dzny arrived. But Lady Luck was on my side that morning. The Front Desk Cast Member told me that even though my room wasn’t ready, she would find me another one that was. I was pleased to hear that and secretly wondered if Miss Moneypenny (http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/mi6-officials/lois-maxwell.php) had called ahead to assure that I had a room available as early as possible.

The Front Desk Cast Member noticed that my reservation was linked to another reservation and that connecting rooms had been requested. I told her not to worry about the connecting room stuff. I didn’t care where my room was located, honestly, since the French Quarter was such a quaint resort. But she would hear none of that. She said she would find two connecting rooms that were available right now.

It was at that point that another Cast Member spoke up and informed me that my Cast Member was the Queen of the resort. As he said that, my Cast Member laughed. It was obvious that the two of them were good friends. I found their rapport very sweet and I couldn’t help but smile.

My Cast Member did as promised and found two connecting rooms that were available. She handed me a room key to one of them. She then pulled out a map of Port Orleans (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=b5e9.jpg&.src=ph) and showed me exactly where the rooms were located. (To view a more detailed map of the resort that is found here on the Dis website, please click here. (http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/port-french.htm)) My Cast Member went on to explain that the rooms were located on the 2nd floor of the building next door, Building 3. I thanked her for finding an available room for me and headed on my way. My Jane Bond cover had remained intact.

I should mention that I fell in love with Disney's Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=8caa.jpg&.src=ph) when my daughter and I stayed there for a few nights during our first Mother and Daughter WDW Vacation two years ago. It is a gorgeous resort and I put its grounds on a par with the Grand Floridian’s (my humble opinion is that those two resorts have the prettiest grounds in all of Walt Disney World). I have never visited New Orleans’ French Quarter (the city), but from what I have seen of it in the movies, on television, in magazines, and on the Internet (http://www.inetours.com/New_Orleans/French_Quarter.html), Disney did a wonderful job in capturing the architecture of that city.

I would be remiss as Jane Bond if I didn’t share with you folks my first pseudo glimpse of New Orleans’ French Quarter (the city). For those of you with Top Secret clearance, the following link should work: click here (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=lald&video=1&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244). If you click on it, you will see a video clip from the James Bond movie, “Live and Let Die.” (http://www.mgm.com/audiotrax.do?wma=XXXSETBOND-SC_1007.wma&artist=Paul%20McCartney%20&%20Wings&desc=XXXSETBOND-SC_1) That particular scene was shot in the French Quarter area of New Orleans. If you pay attention to the buildings in the background, you will see one that looks very similar to this one: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=25d6.jpg&.src=ph). I must say it again, Disney did a wonderful job in capturing the essence of the French Quarter.

Since my resort room was located in the building next door to the Registration Building, it didn’t take long for me to reach it: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=bccf.jpg&.src=ph). I took the elevator up to the second floor. Room 3207 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=9443.jpg&.src=ph) was just a short walk away. I slid my key into the lock and opened the door. Sure, I could have picked the lock (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=tnd&video=2&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244), but I really needed to keep my Secret Agent status just that – a secret – and thus I used my room key.

The Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort had recently been remodeled. To view photos of what the resort rooms looked like before, click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/album?.dir=/3750&.src=ph). To view photos of what my resort room looked like now, click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/album?.dir=/a5b9&.src=ph).

My room contained the standard fare:
Two Double Beds (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=f12c.jpg&.src=ph)
Table and Two Chairs (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=d188.jpg&.src=ph)
Dresser (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=7703.jpg&.src=ph)
Coffee Maker (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=58ea.jpg&.src=ph)
Bench (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=b933.jpg&.src=ph)

My room also contained a bathroom area. This area, however, was broken down into two sections: a vanity area (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=6c78.jpg&.src=ph) and a toilet & tub area (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=2921.jpg&.src=ph). The vanity area even had a curtain that could be drawn in order to separate it from the rest of the resort room: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=f272.jpg&.src=ph). Nice.

As I looked about the newly redecorated room, I liked what I saw. The color scheme worked well. When I inspected the bedspread, I saw a myriad of hidden Mickey’s jumping out at me: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=b44c.jpg&.src=ph). It was a shame that my daughter wasn’t with me to find them all.

It was approximately 7:45 AM and I decided to leave a phone message on Nutz4dzny’s cell phone (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/image.php?cat=gadgets&id=tnd&imgkey=9) alerting her to the fact that I had arrived in Walt Disney World undetected by the evil forces (http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/bond-villains.php) who lurk in our world. She was in transit at the time, but I knew she would check her messages once she had reached land. (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=fyeo&video=1&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244)

I listened to the weather channel as I unpacked. Around 9:00 AM, Bonzie1 called. She sounded good and told me that she was excited about joining up with us that evening. I said I couldn’t wait until we were all together, too.

Bonzie1 mentioned that she had received the Planning Session itinerary that I had e-mailed to her the day before. She had printed it off and was going to take it with her to Florida. We discussed the fact that the Chef de Cuisine, Catering, for the Disney-MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom Theme Parks was actually going to be at my Menu Tasting. Bonzie1 knew what an honor that was for me. He had prepared the menu for last year’s “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/album?.dir=6a8c&.src=ph). He had actually been backstage as that dinner was being prepared but had to leave shortly afterwards to attend to other functions. Because of that fact, I never got the opportunity to personally thank him for the incredible meal that my family and guests had enjoyed. I was thrilled that I was going to get the chance to do so during my Menu Tasting, especially since he had also prepared, at my personal request, the menu for my vow renewal dinner party. Yes, it would be an honor to properly say thank you to such a wonderful Cast Member. I think that was what I was looking forward to the most during my upcoming Planning Session, and Bonzie1 knew that.

Once I hung up the phone, I took a quick shower and then it was time for a cat nap. Nutz4dzny would be arriving soon, and I only had enough time for a few Zzzz’s.

My nap didn’t last long before my telephone began ringing. I glanced at the clock and it stated 11:45 AM. On the telephone was Nutz4dzny. She said to open the connecting room door because she was already in her resort room. I was very excited that she had arrived (yahoo!) so I did as I was told, and because of it, I almost blew my Jane Bond cover.

Unbeknownst to me, in Nutz4dzny’s room were WeFullTime and her husband. Yikes! I wasn’t dressed for a man! I had been sleeping in my undergarments and had only thrown on a beach cover-up before I opened the door and barged into Nutz4dzny’s room. I certainly hoped that I hadn’t given WeFullTime’s husband a terrible fright. Sure, I was licensed to kill (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=drno&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244), but not to kill an innocent man with my body. I was licensed to kill an evil operative with my weapon (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/media/missions/tmwtgg/scene_08.jpg ). With such a bad slip in judgment, I had accidentally given WeFullTime’s husband darn near a view to a kill (http://www.mgm.com/audiotrax.do?wma=XXXSETBOND-SC_1004.wma&artist=Duran%20Duran&desc=XXXSETBOND-SC_1004.wma).

I quickly recovered my composure (and cover) and gave my three friends a hug hello. I then told them that I had to disappear for a few moments in order to dress myself properly.

Once dressed, and with my Secret Agent gear stored safely in my in-room wall safe (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=c2ab.jpg&.src=ph), I nonchalantly went back to Nutz4dzny’s room. She handed me a bag that contained gifts for my daughter. In the bag was a white, embroidered t-shirt (my daughter, Jane Bond Jr., wears that shirt to her Tae Kwon Do class underneath her uniform). Nutz4dzny also had a plush, clown fish toy in the bag. When the fish is shaken (not stirred), he makes underwater noises. It was adorable and I knew my daughter would love it. It was very sweet of Nutz4dzny to bring gifts for my daughter.

The four of us discussed what we were going to do with our day. It was decided that we should head to Epcot (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=EPLandingPage) for lunch. None of us had ever eaten lunch in Norway before so the Restaurant Akershus was selected for our meal. As we walked out of Nutz4dzny’s room, I could feel the Florida heat and humidity hit me like a wet blanket. The temperature was already approaching the low-90’s. I was so not used to that sort of weather.

Since I had left my Annual Pass behind on the West Coast, I had to stop by Epcot’s Guest Services in order to procure a new one. With a new pass in hand, the four of us entered the theme park and headed directly to the Norway Pavilion (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=NorwayPavilionAttractionPage), in particular, the Restaurant Akershus (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=AkershusDiningPage).

We approached the restaurant’s podium and only had to wait a few minutes before we were seated. I remembered dining in the restaurant two years prior with my daughter during our very first Mother and Daughter WDW Vacation. We had attended the Princess Storybook character breakfast (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=AkershusCharacterDiningPage ). The two of us had a lovely time.

Once everyone was seated, we looked over the menu and ordered a few items to share. Then we walked over to the buffet area. We found a nice variety of items waiting there: salads, cheeses, crackers, breads, meats, seafood, vegetables, and desserts. With a little bit of almost everything on our plates, we went back to our table to eat.

As we enjoyed our lunch, we caught up on each other’s lives. WeFullTime’s husband asked how my husband’s fishing was going. I laughed and told him that it was going the same – my husband fishes (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=ltk&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) for hours & hours and doesn’t catch a thing. Same ol’, same ‘ol. He got a good laugh out of that.

When our delicious lunch had finally come to an end, WeFullTime and her husband graciously picked up the tab. How kind of them to do that. What wonderful friends they are.

We headed to Test Track (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=TestTrackAttractionPage) next. As we stood in line, WeFullTime and her husband posed for a photo: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=610c&.dnm=4649.jpg&.src=ph).

It wasn’t long before we were boarding our ride vehicles. I love Test Track and always wish that it lasted just a little longer. Okay, I’m lying – I wish it lasted a whole lot longer. The ride gives me the same sort of thrill that I feel whenever I am on a mission and am being chased by the Bad Guys. For today’s ride, however, WeFullTime’s husband was at the wheel. When it came to the part where the semi truck was heading right towards our ride vehicle, WeFullTime’s husband had a surprise maneuver in store (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=tld&video=1&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) for us. What an incredible driver he was.

Next on our list was Spaceship Earth (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=SpaceshipEarthAttractionPage), or as Jane Bond likes to call it, “The World Is Not Enough” (http://www.mgm.com/audiotrax.do?wma=XXXSETBOND-SC_1020.wma&artist=Garbage&desc=XXXSETBOND-SC_1020.wma). Nutz4dzny and I tried to find a Hidden Mickey that we had heard was hidden in the scene with the sleeping monk. Alas, we struck out. Drats! I better not let “M” (http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/mi6-officials/judi-dench.php) know about that otherwise my next mission will be in Siberia (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/media/missions/dad/scene_11.jpg). Brrrrr!

After riding Spaceship Earth, we headed to Canada. It was around 3 PM by this time. We discovered that Off Kilter (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/entertainment/entertainmentDetail?id=OffKilterEntertainmentPage) was performing at 3:30 PM, and since everyone enjoys their music, we did a little shopping in the Canadian stores in order to pass the time.

The temperature was approaching the mid-90’s as we left the gift shop. We stood in the shade of a tree and listened to Off Kilter’s show. Nutz4dzny called home and asked her family, “Guess where I am?!” She then held her cell phone into the air so her family could hear the music. That woman is definitely a Bond Girl (http://www.mgm.com/audiotrax.do?wma=XXXSETBOND-SC_1022.wma&artist=Parodi/Fair&desc=XXXSETBOND-SC_1022.wma) (a.k.a., a tease).

After standing in the Florida heat and humidity, I began to feel like the Ice Palace in the James Bond movie, “Die Another Day” (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/index.php?cat=missions&id=dad) – I was melting. I eventually had to ask my three friends if we could head somewhere a little cooler. They consented.

Our next stop was a gift shop in Jane Bond’s motherland, the United Kingdom (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=UnitedKingdomPavilionAttractio nPage). Once indoors with the air-conditioned air, I began to feel better. It was then that we literally bumped into Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. They graciously posed for a photo with the four of us: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=610c&.dnm=bc21.jpg&.src=ph).

After we walked out of the United Kingdom, we headed over to the Beach Club. Nutz4dzny wanted to track down a friend. We met two Cast Members there who gave us something cool to drink as they tried to page her friend. After about 20 minutes and no response to the page, we thanked them for their help and headed back to Port Orleans – French Quarter.

Once at the French Quarter, WeFullTime and her husband bade us farewell. WeFullTime stated that she would meet us under the porte cochere tomorrow morning for our 7:45 AM pickup time. I was grateful that the two of them had spent their day with us. They are such a lovely couple (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/media/missions/moon/scene_01.jpg) and truly wonderful people.

Nutz4dzny and I went up to our room and put on our swimsuits. It was about 5:10 PM when we hit Doubloon Lagoon. It felt good to be in the water – much cooler than being on dry land.

I brought my underwater digital camera (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=3789&.dnm=27a5.jpg&.src=ph) to the pool. As Nutz4dzny floated about in her inner tube, I snapped a photo (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=cb1c.jpg&.src=ph). This camera was a newer version of an older underwater camera (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=tb&video=1&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) that I used to tote around on past missions. That one had been a 35mm one and not a digital one. I liked the digital camera much better. Instant gratification.

We swam for an hour and I took another photo (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=a5b9&.dnm=ea66.jpg&.src=ph) or two (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=a5b9&.dnm=3af5.jpg&.src=ph). The time finally came for us to head back to our rooms in order to wait for Bonzie1’s arrival.

When Bonzie1 arrived, she mentioned that her flight (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=moon&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) had been uneventful. I was glad to hear that. There’s nothing worse than starting a vacation off on the wrong foot.

I saw that Bonzie1 had not come empty-handed; she came bearing gifts. That woman is extremely creative, even more creative than “Q.” (http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/mi6-officials/john-cleese.php) She had put together hanging bags that contained all sorts of goodies:
Hanging Bag (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=5008.jpg&.src=ph)
Planning Session Backstage Pass (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=c2f4.jpg&.src=ph)
Vow Renewal Celebration Backstage Pass (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=3ff0.jpg&.src=ph)
Photo Magnet (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=b078.jpg&.src=ph)
Notebook and Pen (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=1722.jpg&.src=ph)
Gift Notes (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=d813.jpg&.src=ph)
Photo Postcard (Front) (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=7fdd.jpg&.src=ph)
Photo Postcard (Back) (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=60d9.jpg&.src=ph)
Tinker Bell Sleep Shirt (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/9c4e&.dnm=b49a.jpg&.src=ph)

Her gifts were wonderful and she never ceases to amaze me with her creativity, ~sigh.~ After looking at all the gifts, I went to my room to hang the bag upon the coat rack: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/a5b9&.dnm=13be.jpg&.src=ph).

As soon as Bonzie1 had unpacked, the three of us took the bus to the Riverside Resort (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding?id=PortOrleansRiversideResortLanding Page). We had a Priority Seating reservation for Boatwright’s Dining Hall (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=BoatwrightsDiningHallDiningPage).

At 7:45 PM, we were seated for dinner. I ordered prime rib, Nutz4dzny ordered peppercorn steak, and Bonzie1 ordered salmon. Within only a few short minutes, our meals were placed before us. They were delicious and it didn’t take long to finish them.

After dinner, we wandered over to the River Roost Lounge. We arrived about 2 minutes before Bob Jackson’s show began. Our timing was perfect. Neither Nutz4dzny nor Bonzie1 had seen Bob’s show before. They were in for a treat.

For those of you who don’t know, Bob Jackson (http://www.yehaabob.com/) is an entertainer who performs on certain nights of the week at the River Roost Lounge. With a show that features everything from sing-a-long songs to fast & furious boogie-woogie piano solos, Bob easily draws in the entire audience. My family has seen Bob perform quite a few times now, and my daughter has proclaimed herself to be the Unofficial President of the Bob Jackson West Coast Fan Club (KingGoofy here on the Dis is the Unofficial President of the Bob Jackson Midwest Fan Club). If you want to see what a Bob Jackson show is like, please click here (http://www.yehaabob.com/about.html). Look on that webpage for three video clips: Bumble Boogie (http://www.yehaabob.com/user/bumble.wmv), Bugle Call (http://www.yehaabob.com/user/bugle%20movie.WMV), and Here’s Bob (http://www.yehaabob.com/user/heres%20bob_0002.wmv). If you play them, they will give you an excellent idea as to what Bob’s show is like. I have found it impossible not to have a good time at his show. And judging by what I have seen, everyone else finds it impossible, too.

So there we were, three wild & crazy ladies without our husbands. It was definitely gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight. Yahoo! And in honor of being (temporarily) single, I decided to order one of the house specialty drinks – a mudslide. Boy, was it decadent.

Bob’s show began: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=2aaf.jpg&.src=ph). He was in fine form. It wasn’t long before he had the kids up on stage: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=a7b4.jpg&.src=ph). I sometimes wonder who has more fun at a Bob Jackson show, the children or the adults. My guess is that it’s a toss-up.

Soon, Bob had the adults singing and dancing. Bonzie1 pantomimed a “tree” for one of the songs: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=6a37.jpg&.src=ph). Nutz4dzny couldn’t let that Kodak moment go by without capturing it on videotape: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=1c69.jpg&.src=ph). I don’t know if that video clip is going to show up on American’s Funniest Home Videos or as part of a blackmail scheme. (If I put my Jane Bond hat on, I would have to say it will be the latter.)

Not to be outdone by the adults, the kids were soon back on stage: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=fb59.jpg&.src=ph). They love performing for an audience.

Next, Bob called all the ladies up to the stage. It was time for them to perform a cancan dance to “New York, New York.” The ladies had no trouble obliging Bob: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=adff.jpg&.src=ph). And after the song and dance was done, Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny had themselves a good laugh: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=afc1.jpg&.src=ph).

It had been another great Bob Jackson (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/610c&.dnm=c921.jpg&.src=ph) show. And now there were two more fans in Bob’s fan club. As the mother of the Unofficial President of the Bob Jackson West Coast Fan Club, my recruitment mission had been successful.

Bonzie1, Nutz4dnzy, and I could hear the Sandman beckoning, so when Bob’s show took a break, we decided to call it a night. We stopped in the Riverside’s gift shop first and Bonzie1 bought herself a new pair of sunglasses. (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=avtak&video=4&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244)

Once our shopping was done, we took the boat back to the French Quarter. It was a beautifully warm evening and the bugs were out in full force. We made it to our rooms around 10:40 PM and said goodnight.

I called home and my son informed me that I had received an e-mail from my officiant. JoAnn would be unable to get together with me over the weekend since her house had just been sold. I was happy for her.

I talked with my daughter for a few minutes. She asked about my day. I filled her in on it and then mentioned that Nutz4dzny had given me a present for her. She asked what it was, and I told her she would have to wait until I got home to find out. She told me to tell both Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 that she loved them. I promised her that I would.

After I had hung up the phone, I watched television until 1 AM. Before I called it a night, I synchronized my watch with the US Atomic Clock (http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java ) . I then set the alarm clock for 6:15 AM. Leaving nothing to chance, I went one step further and set up a Mickey Mouse wake-up call, too. My Event Manager was scheduled to pick us up promptly at 7:45 AM for my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session. Come hell or high water, I would not miss that pick up time.

When I finally laid my head upon my pillow, I might have been living two lives, one as Jane Bond and the other as Janet; however, I only had one dream (http://www.mgm.com/audiotrax.do?wma=XXXSETBOND-SC_1013.wma&artist=Nancy%20Sinatra&desc=XXXSETBOND-SC_1013.wma) and it was almost time for me to make it come true.

zurgswife

12-28-2004, 08:21 AM

OOOOO!!!...I love the James Bond Theme....great job janet

eeyore45

12-28-2004, 10:23 AM

Fantastic, thank you for putting so much detail, and love into the trip report... this dreamer so appreciates it! All the links worked for me, and added to my enjoyment, and I cant imagine the extra time you put in it, all for someone you may never know!! Thank you!

princess:

nutz4dzny

12-31-2004, 05:54 PM

Janet,

You go Bond Girl! But remember, some of this stuff was part of our secret mission so be careful what you reveal! My husband looked at this Post with me and he could not believe how talented you are! I knew it all the time! He says you should be published. I agree. I know how much time it took to do this and I am so thankful that you did. You make the trip come alive again for me! Until our next secret mission.....

Nutz4dzny

#1hockeymom

01-01-2005, 12:18 PM

What a wonderful way to start the Near Year! I agree, these should be published! :)

Debbie

eeyorelor

01-01-2005, 07:36 PM

Janet I am in a trance..I just finished your trip log...OMG.... wow...I cant even find words....I have been looking at threads and threads but when i saw the renewal it caught my eye....See 15 yrs ago i married my high school sweet heart, we basically eloped also, family problems and i wasnt gonna deal with all of it so we did it with one good freind and that was it ....So yrs later and 5 children later we decided to renewal our wedding at 10 yrs..It was wonderful and i cant beleive how happy i am to have pictures to share with our children down the road.....But wow doing at wdw must have been the most memerable. place in the world ......
We will be going on our one and only one that i see happening in 2 weeks and boy i will think of you ...Thank you sooooo much for your talented story telling.. I enjoyed it so much...We will be celebrating our 15 yr anniversary and i feel like doing our own renewal just our selves to make it that extra special trip.....thank you again ....

Janet2k

01-02-2005, 07:03 AM

I am going to break up the actual Planning Session post into multiple parts. I have spent the past three days working on it and it is becoming unwieldy in length. At present count, my description of that day is already up to 20 pages in Microsoft Word and I am nowhere near done with it. It truly amazes me when I look at how much stuff I can cram into one post, sheesh. But since I know you folks love details, I certainly don’t want to let anyone down.

Again, to make things a little more fun, I will use links to video and audio clips that were found on the Internet (the Metro Goldwyn Mayer website, the Walt Disney World website, plus a few others). The bulk of the websites require the use of either Apple Computer’s free QuickTime Player software (click here (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/)), Microsoft’s Windows Media Player software (click here (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?displaylang=en&categoryid=4)), or RealNetworks’ RealPlayer software (click here (http://www.real.com/realsuperpass.html?type=dlrhap_bb&src=122604realhome_1_3_2_1_1_1)).

As you read my next series of posts, please make sure to take your time when clicking on one link to the next since some of the links take longer to load than others.

Before I move on, it will take me a week or two (heck, who am I kidding – it will take me longer than that) before I can complete this particular post. I sincerely apologize for that. The next month at work is going to be murder on my department (my boss has already warned us). Because I have a family to support, I have to take my job more seriously than ever. My weekdays and nights will be spent in the office. My weekends (I hope) will still be my own; however, my family is already miffed at me for spending too much time working on my trip reports. If I want my marriage to survive to its 21st year, I’m going to have to pay more attention to my dear husband. Believe me, I am counting the months until he completes his schooling and I can live off of him for awhile. (Turnabout is fair play.) But that won’t happen until the end of 2005, so I have to remain the good little worker bee and keep a stiff upper lip (and pray that my job doesn’t get axed with the next round of layoffs).

Now that I have that nasty four-letter word (a.k.a., work) out of the way, let’s move on with the show…

Janet2k

01-02-2005, 07:08 AM

I thought you folks might like to see how I began composing my Day 2 post. What follows is my very first draft. It should be interesting to see how this simple draft grows into the monster that it will surely become over the next several weeks. Enjoy.

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Day 2: Port Orleans – French Quarter

July 22, 2004 (Thursday)

Up at 6:15 AM.

Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and I went down to porte cochere at 7:35 AM. WeFullTime arrived within 5 minutes, followed by my Event Manager.

We were taken backstage at Disney-MGM Studios. My Event Manager explained the new security precautions that had been put into place at the backstage entrances of every theme park. It was very unnerving to me that one of the most magical places I knew had been forced to deal with the ugly forces that are lurking in our world since the fateful day of September 11, 2001.

We met “X” from Convention Services. She told me she had handled last year’s “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event. It was wonderful getting the opportunity to meet her again.

Also with us was “X” (my FTW Sales Manager), “X” (Catering), “X” (Entertainment Manager), and a couple of other Fairy Tale Weddings folks.

Went on a personal tour of the Great Movie Ride. The ride vehicles were scattered about. My Event Manager did not join us for that – he had been called to attend a meeting back at the Grand Floridian.

At 9 AM, we had to vacate the GMR because the ride was starting up for the theme park’s opening.

We went backstage to discuss with “X”, “X,” “X,” and “X” the timeline of my vow renewal events. My Event Manager rejoined us here. We also discussed possible additions, etc., to the event, including transportation.

Around 10 AM, we were taken to the Hollywood Hideaway for the menu tasting with “X” (Chef de Cuisine) and “X” (Catering Sous-Chef). “X” was there, too, and was dressed in Western attire since he was our server for the tasting.

We had almost everything on the dinner menu. Everything was delicious and I loved it all.

I teased about hot dogs and was told that the Chef de Cuisine had recently catered a party with hot dogs. Being the incredible chef that he is, it wasn’t your average hot dog party. Oh, no. There were 50 toppings for those hot dogs. I got a big kick out of that.

At around 11:15 AM, my Event Manager took us to Franck’s Bridal Studio where we spent the rest of the day until 4:20 PM.

We were in the Merryweather (sp?) Conference Room.

“X” (Entertainment Sales Manager) stopped by. He discussed photography, videography, and mentioned that the “X” entertainer was extra ?? I think I shocked him when it came to photography & videography – Kick ***.

We had the cake tasting at some point. Yellow cake with a white chocolate filling was selected by the ladies. We also got to see the mini-cake samples. That is what I chose. The one with the Mickey Mouse ears since I thought it would be appropriate for the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. Earful Tower was the old icon for that park until the Sorcerer’s Hat was built a year or two ago (find out exactly when).

Floral was held up with a Japanese couple who did not speak English and who did not have an interpreter with them.

“X” (Floral Event Manager) came and we discussed flowers in great length, followed by linens and other decorative touches for both the Wedding Pavilion (flowers, candles) and the Great Movie Ride and Sorcerer’s Hat (dance party). Light-up tables & chairs.

“X” (my FTW Sales Manager) at one point popped her head into the conference room and gave me a gift bag. It contained an engraved glass slipper. How sweet and very unexpected.

Photos inside Franck’s, outside Franck’s.

At 4:20 PM, we left Franck’s and my Event Manager drove us back to Port Orleans – French Quarter.

WeFullTime said goodbye.

Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and I went to the Magic Kingdom Theme Park and stayed until the park closed at 10 PM with Wishes (SpectroMagic at 9 PM). We had dinner inside Tony’s (??).

We took the bus back to Port Orleans – French Quarter. Nutz4dzny and I went swimming in the pool. She had her water thermometer with her. The pool was 88-degrees and the hot tub was 106-degrees.

We were in the pool from 11:10 PM until 11:55 PM.

I went to bed around 1 AM.
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I know. That was pretty B-O-R-I-N-G wasn’t it? Just wait until you see how that little sapling turns into a mighty tree. (And if you only knew how many times I had to prune that dang tree before it became something that I wanted others to see here at the Dis' Flower and Garden Show. Yikes!)

Janet2k

01-02-2005, 07:47 AM

The World Is Not Enough… Or Is It…

There I was, in Walt Disney World, on the morning of the Planning Session for my Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal. I had waited 20 years to plan my vow renewal. As I prepared for the day that awaited me, I wondered if I had chosen the proper place to say "I do, again" in. Would the World be enough for me, Jane Bond?

---------------------------------------------------------
"The World Is Not Enough" (click here for music video) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYbLR67_F9E)
(from the James Bond movie (http://www.jamesbond.com))
Music by David Arnold
Lyrics by Don Black
Performed by Garbage (http://www.garbage.com/)

I know how to hurt
I know how to kill
I know what to show
And what to conceal

I know when to talk
And I know when to touch
No one ever died from wanting too much

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart, my love

People like us
Know how to survive
There's no point in living
If you can't feel alive

We know when to kiss
And we know when to kill
If we can't have it all
Then nobody will

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart, my love

I feel safe
I feel scared
I feel ready
And yet unprepared

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart, my love

The world is not enough
The world is not enough
No, nowhere near enough
The world is not enough
---------------------------------------------------------

As I gathered together a few last minute items, my thoughts turned to the following verse:

”The world is not enough, but it is such a perfect place to start, my love. And if you're strong enough, together we can take the world apart, my love.”

I came to the realization that the World would indeed be the perfect place for me to plan my 20th wedding anniversary celebration. It was time to start making a few of my dreams come true.

I went next door to get Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 (click here) (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349216123/9). As soon as they had placed their room keys into their purses, we were on our way.

It was a warm morning and the weather people had predicted that the temperature would hit 94 degrees today. Oh, another scorcher for the girl who was so not used to this sort of weather. Arg!

We made it to the porte cochere a few minutes ahead of schedule. I snapped a photo of Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 (click here) (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349216233/10). Just then, WeFullTime arrived. Everything was moving along like clockwork.

As we waited for my Event Manager to arrive, my mind began to drift. It went back to the song, ”The World Is Not Enough:” (http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B00002MYXD001001/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_001/002-4364040-0481619)

"I feel safe. I feel scared. I feel ready. And yet unprepared."

There I was, an adult woman, planning to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary with a dinner party inside a theme park. What sort of person celebrates a long marriage inside a theme park? Wasn’t there a more elegant and suitable place for an anniversary celebration?

Secondly, what must my family and friends think of me for planning such an unconventional anniversary party? Did they think I was attempting to revert back to the days of my youth? Would they be embarrassed to attend an anniversary party inside a theme park? Heck, would they keep the news of their attendance a secret from their own friends out of fear of being teased?

Yes, I wondered all those things and more as I sat there. But I quickly pushed all those thoughts aside. The people who loved me knew that I was multidimensional. There was a side of me that was very professional, very conservative. And then there was a side of me that was very fun-loving, very creative. I enjoyed thinking outside of the box, and frankly had grown to the age that if anyone pooh-poohed anything that I did, well, it would be their loss for being so closed-minded.

My mind turned back to the song again, this time to another verse:

"People like us, know how to survive. There's no point in living, if you can't feel alive."

Yes, there was no point in living if you couldn’t feel alive. And I knew that with a 20th wedding anniversary celebration inside the most magical place on earth, my guests would truly feel alive.

I had one final thought as I sat there. That thought was of a favorite line from one of my favorite non-Bond movies, “Auntie Mame:” (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0051383/plotsummary)

“Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.”

When Auntie Mame stated that line, she meant that you should live life to its fullest. You could sit there and be an observer of life, or you could get up and enjoy the ride. Like Auntie Mame (http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B00000J28R001008/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_008/002-4364040-0481619), I chose to enjoy the ride.

And with that final thought in mind, my Event Manager pulled up underneath the porte cochere. The ladies introduced themselves to him, and then everyone piled into his vehicle. The ride officially began. Look out, World, here we come.

Janet2k

01-02-2005, 08:40 AM

Oh, gang, I'm so sorry that I'm going to have to stop right here. It is 5:40 AM and I have just got to get to sleep. I have re-edited my next post at least a hundred times, but I am too tired to decide whether or not it is good enough to post just yet. If I can find the time later on today (after I've gotten some sleep), I will try to post it. This next post describes the actual walkthrough of the Great Movie Ride. It was a very interesting part of the day, and an incredible way to start off my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session.

zurgswife

01-02-2005, 09:05 AM

Sweet Dreams Janet....and may you get to sleep in this morning....

KayleeUK

01-02-2005, 09:20 AM

Wakey Wakey :)

daisylove

01-02-2005, 12:34 PM

Janet you are amazing! I get a lttle charge everytime I am notified that you have posted another chapter but I think we all understand and agree that family and work must take priority. Good luck!

Janet2k

01-03-2005, 02:07 AM

Disney’s MGM Studios - Great Movie Ride Site Inspection...

The first item on my Planning Session Agenda had successfully been checked off:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Planning Session Agenda:
7:45 am: Transportation to Disney’s MGM Studios
*** Event Manager to pick up Janet’s Party at Port Orleans Resort. Please meet at the main lobby porte cochere
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One item down and eight to go.

Out of my three friends, only Bonzie1 had met my Event Manager before (that was during my Summerhouse Dinner Party (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326646108?pm_pageoption=ALL) that was held earlier in the year). Neither Nutz4dzny nor WeFullTime had met him, but that didn’t matter. My Event Manager was very good at conversing and making people feel at ease. The conversation flowed freely during our ride to Disney-MGM Studios that morning.

As we neared the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=MGMLandingPage), my Event Manager pulled his car into line with the rest of the Cast Members who were arriving for work: click here (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=fyeo&video=3&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244). The backstage entrance was busy that morning.

As we approached the Security Guard shack, I could see that something looked different from the last time I had entered the theme park that way. My Event Manager must have read my mind because he briefly mentioned the new security precautions that had been installed within the past several months.

Since not everyone here has received their Top Secret Clearance from the M16 Officials (http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/mi6-officials.php) just yet, I can only share what is mentioned on the Center for State Homeland Security (http://www.cshs-us.org/) website:

- - - - - - - - - -
Disney World Increases Security:

Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., has installed state-of-the-art, anti-terrorist barricades similar to those protecting the White House, U.S. embassies and nuclear-waste depots as part of its continually evolving security plan. The hydraulically powered steel barricades are designed to stop a 20,000-pound truck bomb traveling 70 miles per hour.
[Sean Mussenden, "Disney World installs anti-terrorist barricades," Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2004]
- - - - - - - - - -

As Jane Bond, I have seen more than my fair share of access control barriers. For those of you who aren’t quite sure what an access control barrier is, here are two websites that show a few different types of this equipment:
Delta Scientific Corporation (http://www.deltascientific.com/)
SecureUSA (http://www.secureusa.net/)

As Janet, I must admit that it was unnerving to see the barriers installed inside Walt Disney World. When I had gone backstage for my “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event last year, those barriers did not exist. But a lot has happened in the world within the past year, and not all of it has been good. I hope that someday soon we can get back to waging peace, fighting disease, and building hope (http://www.cartercenter.org/).

Once we had been cleared through Security, my Event Manager drove us to the rendezvous point. He parked his vehicle and we disembarked. We walked over (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=frwl&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) to meet the others.

There were quite a few Cast Members waiting for us there. Introductions were made. Amongst us were Cast Members from Convention Services, Catering, Entertainment, and Fairy Tale Weddings (including my Sales Manager). I would like to mention that one of the Cast Members with us that morning had handled last year’s “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event. It was wonderful getting the opportunity to meet her again. She would be instrumental in this year’s dinner party as well.

It was here that Bonzie1 began handing out the official backstage pass for my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session: click here (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349215056/1). She had created a pass on a lanyard for each Cast Member who we encountered that day. Most of the passes were personalized with specific names of Cast Members (those names that had been stated on the itinerary that my Event Manager had sent to me earlier that week). But Bonzie1 also had a stash of generic passes for those Cast Members whose names we did not know in advance. I tell ya, that Bonzie1 is phenomenal, simply phenomenal. ~Sigh~

My Event Manager informed me that he would have to leave us for a bit but would join back up with us as soon as he could. He had an appointment to keep at the Grand Floridian. It must have been important if he had to leave us. He handed my little group off to the other Cast Members and away he went (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=cars&id=sunbeama5&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244).

We had reached item two on my Planning Session Agenda:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Planning Session Agenda:
8:00 am: Disney’s MGM Studios - Great Movie Ride Site Inspection
Meet at Disney’s MGM-Studios Guest Services

Janet & Friends
Sales Manager, Disney’s Fairytale Weddings
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Event Manager, Disney’s MGM-Studios

Walk Park Arrival
Transportation Points
Venue Overview
Event Flow
Set Up
Décor
Food and Beverage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My group was led to the entrance of the Great Movie Ride attraction. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this attraction, I am going to state below what is currently mentioned on the official Walt Disney World (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/index) website:

- - - - - - -
Go behind the silver screen to witness great movie moments captured in time with thrilling film clips and lifelike Audio-Animatronics® figures. Board a vehicle to ride through unforgettable scenes featuring legends of motion picture history.
- - - - - - -

I have always enjoyed my ride through the Great Movie Ride attraction. I wondered what it would be like to travel through that ride not in a ride vehicle but on foot. I would soon find out.

As we stood inside the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/myVacation/online/index?id=VPKOParksMGMPage) early that morning, I must admit that it felt a little odd to be there since the park wasn’t scheduled to open for another hour. I had my camera with me but forgot to pull it out in order to take a picture of the Great Movie Ride’s entrance without any guests in the foreground. Drats. However, I do have a photo to share with you from my May vacation: Great Movie Ride's entrance (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349216385/11).

Now that I’ve shown you that photo, I might as well show you the original version of that photo. You see, the original photo was taken during regular theme park hours, when theme park guests were entering the ride. I didn’t have the luxury of asking them, "Could you please stay out of my shot for a few seconds until my shutter button has been clicked?" No, I couldn’t do that, and thus had to take the photo just as things were in that specific moment in time. If you click the following link, you will see the “after” photo on the left and the “before” photo on the right: click here (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349216505/12). I guess Disney isn’t the only one who is capable of creating a little ~magic.~

As we stood before the Great Movie Ride (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=TheGreatMovieRideAttractionPag e), the Entertainment Manager began describing what would happen during my event. He mentioned that a Producer would meet and greet all my guests in front of the attraction. This Streetmosphere Character would humorously talk about a few Hollywood movies and how he would change them if he could. After a bit of witty repartee, he would lead everyone inside the attraction. In effect, the Producer would become our de facto tour guide for the rest of the evening.

The Entertainment Manager went on to explain that the Producer would lead my guests through the entrance of the attraction and into the pre-show area where the movies are shown on the big screen. The Producer would then lead the guests into the ride boarding area, except he would lead everyone down the stairs since they were going to experience the ride on foot and not in the ride vehicles.

As my guests walked, they would first enter the Musical Area of the attraction (Footlight Parade (http://classicmoviefavorites.com/berkeley/footlight.html), Singing in the Rain (http://www.debbiereynoldsonline.com/sitrdidyouknow.htm), Mary Poppins (http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/marypoppins/home.html)). The Producer would then lead everyone into the Gangster Area (The Public Enemy (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0022286/)). He would disappear here and be replaced by a Gangster and his Gun Moll. These two new Streetmosphere Characters would entertain my guests for about 30 minutes while everyone enjoyed drinks and hors d'oeuvres. A Pianist would play background music on an upright piano throughout our time in this area. Once it was time for dinner, the Producer would reappear and lead everyone next door to the Western Area.

In the Western Area (The Searchers (http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/s/searchers.html)), the Producer would leave us again. He would be replaced by a Cowboy, a Cowgirl, and a Western Trio. They would entertain us throughout our meal for the next hour and a half.

Once dinner was done, the Producer would reappear and lead everyone through the rest of the ride. He would walk us through the Sci-Fi Area (Alien (http://www.markta.co.uk/alien/)), the Action Area (Raiders of the Lost Ark (http://www.indianajones.com/raiders/), hieroglyphics), the Horror Area (mummies, skeletons), the Adventure Area (Tarzan (http://www.tarzanmovieguide.com/)), the Classics Area (Casablanca (http://www.reelclassics.com/Movies/Casablanca/casablanca.htm)), and then onto the Animation Area (Fantasia (http://disneyvideos.disney.go.com/moviefinder/products/1826803.html)). As we walked, the Audio-Animatronics® (http://www.disneypov.com/issue06-7/aa.html) figures would be operating in both motion and sound. In effect, the Great Movie Ride would be playing itself out as we walked through it.

The Producer would eventually lead everyone into the Fantasy Area (Wizard of Oz (http://thewizardofoz.warnerbros.com/)) for the dessert party. Once there, Glinda the Good Witch would appear and the Producer would disappear. Glinda would entertain my guests for the next half hour or so.

It was at that time that the Disney Studios Event Manager spoke up and stated that we should enter the Great Movie Ride attraction because we only had a limited amount of time inside it before the ride began functioning for the daily theme park guests. I should note that she had an earpiece in her ear and was in communication (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=gadgets&id=daf&video=2&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) with someone, I’m just not sure who that someone was. (Ah, spies amongst us.)

We entered the Great Movie Ride attraction and walked through the ride queue. It was nice and cold inside, and it felt wonderful. The soundtrack was playing and the song that I heard was entitled “Moonglow.” (http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B000002YCL001009/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_009/002-4364040-0481619) I didn’t know if it was the air or the music that gave me goose bumps. I suddenly felt awfully lucky to be alive and very, very humble.

When we walked into the pre-show area, “Mary Poppins” was being shown on the movie screen. We were told that depending upon the size of my guest list, the Producer might hold us up here for a bit in order for everyone to catch up with each other. If he did that, he would humorously describe the movies that were being shown and how he would change some of their endings if he had the chance.

At the appropriate time, the Producer would move my guests into the ride boarding area. He would continue to entertain as everyone walked through the boarding area and down the steps onto the track of the ride. There would be no ride vehicles inside the attraction on the night of my party.

As we stood in the boarding area that morning, Nutz4dzny pointed out a Hidden Minnie that she had spotted a few years ago. According to Nutz4dzny, there are only a few Hidden Minnie’s in all of Walt Disney World. Someone else pointed out a Hidden Mickey. I’m not well versed on Hidden Mickey’s or Hidden Minnie’s, so it was fun having those special Disney touches pointed out to me.

We walked down the stairs and onto the ride's track (which isn't really a track at all). We then began walking into the Musical Area of the attraction, and as we did, the Disney Studios Event Manager and the Entertainment Manager began describing what the Producer would be saying to my guests as he led them through this area on their way to the Gangster Area. Again, we were told that the Audio-Animatronics® figures would be operating in both motion and sound on the night of the party. I loved imagining what this experience would feel like for my guests.

We stopped in front of “Mary Poppins” and my Sales Manager asked a few questions of the Disney-MGM Studios folks. It was then mentioned that the doors leading into the Gangster Area would be closed on the night of the party in order to keep what lay behind them a surprise. As my guests approached the doors, they would open and my guests would be led into the first portion of the progressive dinner party – drinks and hors d'oeuvres inside the Gangster Area.

WeFullTime, Bonzie1, Nutz4dzny and I were next led into the Gangster Area of the attraction. The Entertainment Manager pointed out two fake puddles of water on the ground. They looked very real. There is probably no way anyone would ever see those puddles from the ride vehicle so I was amazed that they were there. Just another one of those famous Disney touches. I was also amazed at all the garbage that was lying around. I had never noticed it before. Again, more fun Disney touches.

As we stood there, Bonzie1 pointed out one Hidden Mickey to me, while Nutz4dzny pointed out another. Two Hidden Mickey’s in one area, and both were completely different.

Catering described how drinks would be served for my cocktail party : mixed drinks would be served in Mason jars; wine would be served in black coffee mugs; and beer would be served in cans that were placed inside brown paper bags. All libations would be perfectly disguised a la the Prohibition Era (http://prohibition.osu.edu/). What wicked fun. The wait staff would be attired in pinstriped suits, continuing the gangster feel of the venue.

Depending upon the chosen menu, a buffet table could be set up for the hors d'oeuvres or they could be passed. Cocktail tables would be set up so that everyone had a place to sit down while they munched and enjoyed their libations. The cocktail party would probably last about thirty minutes. That would give everyone enough time to quench their thirst and experience the entertainment of the Gangster, his Gun Moll, and the pianist.

It was here that WeFullTime made the perfect comment, “It’s getting so exciting!” I could not have said it better myself. The excitement was definitely growing and I could feel it in the air as I looked around the venue.

We continued on with our walk-through. The next stop was the Western Area (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349216624/13). As we entered it, again WeFullTime took the words right out of my mouth, “I love it in here. This is so cool.” So true, so true. We had Clint Eastwood on one side and John Wayne on the other. Could it get any better than that?

The Disney Studios Event Manager stated that a few round tables would be set up in this area for the dinner party. She said the wait staff would be dressed in Western attire. A Western Trio would play music while a couple of Streetmosphere characters would interact with my guests throughout the dinner (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349216804/14).

Catering stated the dinner tables would be decorated with a Western theme. Black, floor-length linens would cover those tables, and they would be topped with red and white gingham-checked overlays. The centerpieces would be little bales of hay with a straw hat and a rope lasso. My Sales Manager asked if things could be altered. Catering stated that amongst other things, the standard linen package could be upgraded and floral centerpieces could be added, all for an additional cost, of course.

Catering also stated that for a plated dinner, to set aside a minimum of an hour and a half for the meal. Catering would work closely with Entertainment to make sure that there weren’t any lulls in the flow of both the food and the entertainment as the evening progressed. My guests would always have something to keep them occupied. I was told that the Disney Cast Members closely monitored the mood of a party. They slow it down when it needs to be slowed down, and they speed it up when it needs to be speeded up. They have become very good at both gauging and setting the pace of a party.

Once we were done discussing the dinner party, we began walking through the rest of the Great Movie Ride attraction on our way to the dessert party location.

The Sci-Fi Area (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349216939/15) was the first area that we entered. This is where the scene from “Alien” is played out. Then it was onto the Action Area (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349217059/16). This is where “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is played out. As Nutz4dzny viewed all the snakes withering around her, she stated how realistic they looked. The Entertainment Manager responded by saying that a few of the snakes were real, but because they frequently move about, they can’t be caught. I got a big kick out of that (and secretly hoped that he was kidding).

Amongst all the hieroglyphics in the room, we found a Hidden Mickey & Donald (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349217177/17) and a Hidden C-3PO & R2-D2. It was fun finding them.

We walked through the room that has the jewel in it. None of us bothered to steal it. We had seen often enough what happened to anyone who tried to heist that jewel. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but all of us found our lives just a little more valuable than any ancient bauble, thank you very much.

Our walk-through led us next into the Horror Area. There were plenty of mummies and skeletons in there. Then it was onto the Adventure Area. It was fun watching Tarzan swinging through the trees over and over again.

Following the Adventure Area was the Classics Area. Ah, Casablanca: “Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Now, now... Here's looking at you, kid (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/celebrities/humphreybogart/mediaclip_02.shtml)." Such a wonderful movie, ~sigh.~

After we walked through the Classics Area, we entered the Animation Area. As we passed through, we saw the Sorcerer’s Apprentice (a.k.a., Mickey Mouse) in the movie, “Fantasia.”

As we rounded the corner, we found ourselves entering the Fantasy Area (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349217297/18). It was here in the Land of Oz that my guests would enjoy dessert. Glinda the Good Witch would join everyone here and entertain them.

Catering mentioned that depending upon the size of my guest list, different table arrangements could be used. For a smaller group, cocktail tables would be set up. For a larger group, tall boys would be set up. My Sales Manager asked if the chairs could be upgraded to chiavari chairs, and she was told that they could, for an additional cost.

I was told that dessert would last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Towards the end of it, the Audio-Animatronics® munchkins would pop up and sing, followed by a burst of smoke and the Wicked Witch of the West’s appearance. Glinda would interact with the munchkins and the Wicked Witch. Once the Wicked Witch disappeared, the Producer would reappear and lead everyone into the “Black Box” Area (that is the finale area where movies are shown at the end of the ride). I was amazed by Disney’s attention to detail (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349217400/19).

Before we left the Land of Oz, we briefly discussed the optional dance party. I was told that the dance party could be held inside the Black Box Area. I mentioned that I had wanted it held outdoors underneath the Sorcerer’s Hat Icon. I was told that it couldn’t be held underneath the hat because that was a merchandise location. I asked if it could be held in front of the hat and was told that it could. I was happy to hear that.

Our walk-through continued and we passed Dorothy and the Emerald City. As soon as we had entered the Black Box, we were told by a few Great Movie Ride Cast Members that they were preparing to cycle the ride in preparation for the theme park’s opening. I couldn’t believe that our time inside the ride had come to an end. Time had passed much too quickly. Within another minute or two, our entire party had moved outdoors.

As we stood outside in the sunshine, the Entertainment Manager described how the optional Handprint Ceremony would work. He said stanchions would be set up in front of the Great Movie Ride’s entrance, and that my guests would stand behind them. For the actual ceremony, there would be a wet concrete slab that my husband and I would press our hands into. We would get the cement slab to keep as a memento after it had dried (shipping charges were additional).

We then discussed the dance party and where it would be set up. We walked over to the front of the Sorcerer’s Hat Icon and found a little shade to stand in since it was becoming very warm (a.k.a., hot). We noticed a large gathering of people and a film crew standing across the courtyard from us. WeFullTime saw some signs that mentioned something about ESPN, so that was our guess as to what was going on.

As we talked about the dance party, I asked if a dance floor had to be set up. I was pleased to hear that one wasn’t required since the area in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat was paved. Lighting was briefly mentioned to me.

With the discussion of the dance party complete, the Great Movie Ride Site Inspection had come to an end. The second item on my Planning Session Agenda had successfully been checked off. A few of the Fairy Tale Weddings Cast Members said good-bye at this point and headed back to their office. My Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager stayed with us.

What was up next on my Planning Session Agenda? Event Planning. Stay tuned...

ValerieK

01-03-2005, 09:43 AM

Oh Janet, how exciting! It sounds like it was wonderful.

IASW Rider

01-03-2005, 10:01 AM

Very exciting, Janet! And thanks for sharing all those fantastic photos and literally taking us on your journey with you! Can't wait to read and see more! :)

dbond

01-03-2005, 11:58 AM

I just stumbled onto this thread! I am enthralled. I have been sooooo tempted to do something like this for DH & myself, you are a gifted planner. WDW should hire you to do this for a living. I would love to know the $$$ details. When you get the chance, can you email or PM me privately? I can't wait to hear the rest of the story!

gigi1313

01-03-2005, 02:56 PM

wow... that's all i can say... wow!

janet thank you so much for sharing yourself and your family and friends with us... may God continue to bless you in the new year!

Aristocath

01-04-2005, 04:48 PM

Janet, I am in awe! I'm just about speechless!

Pumbaa_

01-09-2005, 06:58 PM

I found this thread on Friday. I have been reading it all weekend! Janet you have a beautiful tale to tell and I look forward to hearing the rest of it.
Thank you for sharing!

DanaHesson

01-10-2005, 12:08 AM

Are the reports on that archived on here? What was the occasion? The pics are fantastic!

Janet2k

01-10-2005, 01:09 AM

Are the reports on that archived on here? What was the occasion? The pics are fantastic!

The Summerhouse Dinner Party was described in my May 2004 trip report -- click here (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=586647&page=1&pp=15). The occasion was simply to celebrate life with friends both old and new while my family was vacationing in Walt Disney World. My Grand Floridian Convention Services Event Manager and his Team did a beautiful job with everything, and the Disney photographer really captured that in his photos.

Janet2k

01-10-2005, 02:01 AM

Disney’s MGM Studios - Event Planning...

As my Great Movie Ride site inspection came to an end, the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park opened and began its day. My group was led backstage (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=moon&video=4&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244). It was time for the third item on my Planning Session Agenda:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Planning Session Agenda:
9:00 am: Event Planning
Conference Room at Disney’s MGM Studios

Janet & Friends
Janet’s Event Manger, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Entire Event Overview
Role Definition
Process and Timeline
Payment and Decision Making
General Transportation
Ceremony
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the ladies and I were being led backstage to one of the Disney-MGM Studios office buildings, Nutz4dzny asked how many times the Great Movie Ride had been used for a wedding party venue. The response was not very many times. I was surprised to hear that, but chalked it up to the simple fact that not many people knew that venue existed for a dinner party.

We spent the next portion of our morning inside a conference room. My Event Manager joined back up with us there. I was happy to see him again. Also joining us were the Disney Studios Event Manager, the Entertainment Manager, the Catering Manager, and my Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager. It was a fun group.

As soon as the ladies and I were seated, we were asked if we wanted something cool to drink. WeFullTime, Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and I all asked for a glass of water. We were given individual bottles. ~Ah!~ The cold water sure tasted good since it had gotten quite toasty outside (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/whitechristmas/quickclip_03.shtml).

With our thirst quenched, the topic at hand came under discussion: Event Planning. I let the experts take control. Since I am a no-nonsense type of person, I wanted the Team to show me (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/myfairlady/mediaclip_12.shtml) how we were going to pull this event off. Just as I knew they would be, the professionals were easily up to the challenge. They quickly began laying out the timeline for my Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal and dinner party.

Many things were discussed in the conference room that morning. I should note that a few of the items had multiple options to them. For example, there were a few ways that my guests could arrive at the Wedding Pavilion: cars, taxis, limos, motor coach. For security reasons, the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park’s backstage transportation options weren’t quite as flexible: limos, motor coach. During our time together, we worked our way through various options.

Here are some of the things that were discussed during the Event Planning meeting:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Wedding Pavilion (Vow Renewal Ceremony):
Guest arrival time
Ceremony start time
Ceremony end time
After-ceremony photo time
Guest departure time

Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park (Vow Renewal Dinner Celebration):
Guest arrival time
Guest arrival location
Optional handprint ceremony
Optional handprint ceremony location
Optional handprint ceremony start time
Optional handprint ceremony end time
Optional champagne toast
Optional champagne toast location
Optional entertainment (Streetmosphere CMs)
Guest departure for Cocktail Party

Gangster Area (Cocktail Party):
Cocktail Party start time
Hors d'oeuvres (buffet-style or hand-passed)
Drinks (bartender)
Optional entertainment (Streetmosphere CMs)
Cocktail Party end time
Guest departure for Dinner Party

Western Area (Dinner Party):
Dinner Party start time
Dinner (buffet-style or plated)
Drinks (bartender)
Optional entertainment (Streetmosphere CMs)
Dinner Party end time
Guest departure for Dessert Party

Land of Oz Area (Dessert Party):
Dessert Party start time
Dessert (buffet-style or plated)
Drinks (bartender)
Optional entertainment (Streetmosphere CMs)
Dessert Party end time
Guest departure for Dance Party

Sorcerer’s Hat Area (Dance Party):
Dance Party start time
Drinks (bartender)
Optional entertainment (Mickey Mouse)
Dance Party end time

Optional Custom Fireworks Display:
“Kiss Goodnight” location

Transportation:
Guest departure for resort and/or Wedding Pavilion
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Most of my events’ options were at least briefly discussed during the Event Planning meeting. As the day progressed, those options would be discussed in greater detail during other meetings that were held inside Franck’s Bridal Studio.

I need to note that the Event Planning meeting was held strictly to show me what options existed for both my vow renewal ceremony and my Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park dinner party. I did not need to decide at that exact instant in time anything at all. I already had the Wedding Pavilion and the Great Movie Ride venues booked. There was plenty of time to decide what I wanted to add or subtract either to or from those venues in the way of details. That is an important point that I want to get across.

I should also note that a few of the details that were briefly mentioned to me during that day actually took weeks to hammer out. For example, my “Kiss Goodnight” custom fireworks display. That option literally did not get added to my list of events until just about the last minute (30 days prior). I only had a day or two to make my final decision before the fireworks’ contract needed to be signed. Talk about pressure under fire. But I’ll bore you with that story in another post.

By the end of my Event Planning meeting, a timeline took shape. The timeline that is shown below was not written in stone and could be modified over the next several weeks (Disney gives explicit deadlines as to when things can no longer be modified without paying significant change fees):

======================
7:30 – 8 PM:
Wedding Pavilion, guests’ arrival time

8:00 PM:
Wedding Pavilion, ceremony’s start time
15 to 20 minutes for ceremony

8:20 PM:
Wedding Pavilion, photos

8:45 PM – 9:00 PM:
Transportation, from Wedding Pavilion to Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park

9:00 PM:
Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park, guests’ arrival time
Handprint ceremony
Champagne toast
15 minutes for ceremony
Director Streetmosphere Character

9:30 PM:
Gangster Area
Cocktail Party
Pianist and 2 Gangster Streetmosphere Characters

10:00 PM:
Western Area
Dinner Party
Country Band and 2 Cow Folk Streetmosphere Characters

11:30 PM:
Land of Oz Area
Dessert Party
Glinda the Good Witch Streetmosphere Character

12:00 AM:
Black Box Area
Dance Party

2:00 AM:
Transportation, Main Entrance of park
Drop guests off at resorts
======================

I thought I would share a photo of the Dis ladies that was taken during the Event Planning meeting: click here (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/janettwokay/album/576460762326628817/photo/294928803349217527/20). I have to mention that my dear friends were real troupers that day. They asked questions at all the appropriate times and did nothing but enhance the entire Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session experience for me. I will forever be grateful to them.

As the Event Planning portion of the day came to an end, the third item on my Planning Session Agenda had successfully been checked off. Things were moving along exactly to schedule.

What was up next on my Planning Session Agenda? Menu Tasting. It’s such a shame that I can’t share the smells and flavors of the food from my menu tasting with you folks. However, all is not lost. Thanks to WeFullTime’s and Nutz4dzny’s picture-taking abilities, I will be able to share a few photos of the scrumptious courses. So stick around. I’ll ring the dinner bell when it’s chow time.

crz4mm2

01-10-2005, 08:55 AM

Janet,
Keep it coming. I am loving it.
I would love to do a vow renewal at Disney.....

Cathy

IASW Rider

01-10-2005, 12:04 PM

It's so neat to hear how everything slowly came together, Janet! Looking forward to more and will be eagerly awaiting your menu tasting report! :)

WithDisneySpirit

01-10-2005, 09:55 PM

At first, I bookmarked this report! Now that I am all caught up, I really needed to subscribe as I am one curious girl and need to know all about your glorious vow renewal. Thanks for the wonderful reports :cloud9:

Lisa :flower:

Janet2k

01-18-2005, 02:11 AM

Disney’s MGM Studios - Menu Tasting...

Even though I am strictly a hot dog and French fries kinda girl, it’s probably pretty safe to say that I had really been looking forward to the fourth item on my Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Planning Session Agenda:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Planning Session Agenda:
10:00 am: Menu Tasting
Disney’s MGM Studios – Hollywood Hideaway

Janet & Friends
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Chef de Cuisine, Disney’s MGM-Studios

Menu Options
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, I couldn’t wait to see what the Chef de Cuisine of Catering for the Disney-MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom Theme Parks had whipped up for me (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/waywewere/mediaclip_04.shtml ). I knew it would be scrumptious. That man is truly gifted, and so is his Team.

I have never made any secret of my complete naiveté regarding anything having to do with food preparation. When I first spoke with the Chef during the planning stages of my “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event, I had no idea what a Chef de Cuisine actually was. I went to the Internet in search of a job description and found the following:

- - - - - - - - - - - -
Chef de Cuisine: (http://www.cuisinenet.com/digest/custom/restaurant/chef_ladder.shtml)
This is the apex, the chef whose initials are etched into the silver flatware, and embroidered onto the washroom towels. This chef has the vision, conceives the dishes, imbues the whole restaurant with his/her personality. This would be the person who appears on television. Sometimes, if need be, chefs de cuisine even cook.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

That was a pretty impressive job description. I feared that I might have insulted him with my very simple tastes of which I mentioned in last year’s trip report:

- - - - - - - - - - - -
As far as the dinner party’s menu went, I was told that the Disney Studios folks were preparing something unique for it. They would present the menu to me once it was ready. I should mention that when the subject of the menu initially came up, I had stated, “As far as the dinner event itself goes, we don’t expect much because it’s the venue that will be the thrilling part of it all. Heck, we could eat hot dogs for all we cared (but it would be nice if we at least ate them by candlelight – I think hot dogs are more romantic by firelight).” Yes, I was serious when I stated that. The heck with the food, just give me that venue. Luckily for my guests, the Disney Studios folks continued on with their planning of a unique dinner menu.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

Yikes! I can only imagine what the Chef must have thought of me. But like I said, he and his Team continued on with their planning of a unique dinner menu:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gracey Mansion
November 1874
Tonight’s Menu (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=2595.jpg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sundried Tomato Napoleon (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=d542.jpg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spiced Fois Gras with Seasonal Apples, Verjus and a Caramelized Shallot Tarte (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=9efc.jpg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Crystal Ball” of Miniature Greens, Goat Cheese and Black Pepper Terrine (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=af0c.jpg&.src=ph)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blood Orange Sorbet in an Ice Skull (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=a033.jpg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Creole Spiced Rack of Lamb with Marchand du Vin Sauce (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=4dcc.jpg)
Bourbon Marinated Quail with Blackberry Glaze
Yukon Gold Potato Tarte and Haricot Vertes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bananas Foster Crème Brûlée (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=d9ca.jpg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friandise in a Chocolate Coffin (http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=17a3.jpg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Note: To view photos of those courses, just click on the links provided above. **

What was served to my guests on the night of that party was perfection, and I made no bones about it in my trip report:

- - - - - - - - - - - -
Once everyone had the final two courses before them, the Sous-Chef appeared (click here) (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=9e77.jpg). I secretly hoped he had heard our applause during a few of the dinner courses. As he stood at the table, we thanked him for the scrumptious courses and the wonderful attention to detail that had been lavished on each dish. For anyone who thought the venue would be the only star of the evening, I can honestly say that the meal stole the show. It truly put our event over the top. I was very happy that we had the chance to personally thank the chef for such a memorable meal. It was a treat having him stop by to say hello.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

Yes, indeed, the meal had stolen the show. Who would have ever thought that it could? Certainly not this hot dog & French fries kinda girl.

Here’s another definition that I had to look up on the Internet last year:

- - - - - - - - - - - -
Sous-Chef: (http://www.cuisinenet.com/digest/custom/restaurant/chef_ladder.shtml)
Next under the Chef de Cuisine or Executive Chef, depending on the restaurant, this chef is always in the kitchen. He/she comes up with the daily specials, takes inventory, watches over the staff, expedites (see Expediter, below), and basically does all the hands-on work. There are sous-chefs of two ilks: those who will soon move on to open their own restaurants, becoming Chefs de Cuisine, and those who will remain as they are, preferring the rhythmic rigors of the kitchen to the bright lights of chef stardom.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

As I’ve mentioned, I had the privilege of meeting the Sous-Chef (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=9e77.jpg) at the “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event. I was very grateful for that opportunity. I found out later on that it was he who had come up with the “RIP” tombstone (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=9358.jpg&.src=ph) flourish that had been added at the last minute to the main entrée. The creative touches for that entrée were many: a sweet potato “RIP” tombstone, a green bean arrangement that looked like sprouting grass, and a twice-baked potato that looked like a grave. Take a look at that photo again: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=/6a8c&.dnm=9358.jpg&.src=ph). There was definitely some happy haunting going on with our meal. The creative genius of the Disney Cast Members never ceases to amaze me.

So let’s move back to the present. Even though I had not met the Chef de Cuisine, the two of us did exchange messages after last year’s dinner party. However, I did not feel that was enough to properly convey how grateful I was for everything that he and his Team had done for me. So as the date of my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session approached, I asked if it would be possible for him to pop his head into my Menu Tasting so that I could properly thank him for both last year’s anniversary dinner and also my upcoming vow renewal’s dinner (since he had prepared its menu at my request). I gave him the timeframe that my Menu Tasting might fall into (I didn’t have the schedule for my Planning Session yet). In return, he sent me his schedule for the day. He mentioned that he would try his best to stop by to say hello. I was thankful for that and crossed my fingers in hopes that he could.

On the day that I left for Florida, my Event Manager sent me the itinerary for my Planning Session. It stated that the Chef de Cuisine would be at my Menu Tasting. Were my eyes deceiving me? Until that point, I had strictly been looking forward to tasting the dishes that he had created for me. The thought of the actual man being present during my Menu Tasting completely took me by surprise. I can’t tell you how honored I felt. Not only would I get my wish to say thank you to the Chef in person, but I would also get the opportunity to introduce him to the rest of his Fan Club (Nutz4dzny and WeFullTime had been at last year’s dinner party). I thanked my lucky stars as I traveled to Florida that evening.

On the morning of my Planning Session, I found myself standing outside the Disney-MGM Studios cast member building after the Event Planning segment had ended. Since there were too many people in my Menu Tasting party to fit inside one vehicle, my Event Manager went to get his vehicle while the Disney Studios Event Manager went to get one of the large golf carts. My party split up into two groups. One group went with my Event Manager, while Bonzie1 and I decided to hitch a ride on the golf cart with the Disney Studios Event Manager and Catering Manager. I knew I would never get the opportunity to ride backstage in a golf cart again and I did not want to pass it up.

It was fun zipping along in an open-air vehicle. Whee! But I think what made it so much fun was not the speed at which we were zipping along, but rather the company. The Cast Members were personable and made me feel completely at ease.

As we traveled, I mentioned how honored I was that the Chef de Cuisine would be at my Menu Tasting. I stated that the dinner he had put together for my 19th wedding anniversary had been scrumptious, and the main entrée’s lamb was probably the best dish that I had ever tasted.

It was at that point that the Cast Members began describing the Chef to me. I could tell from what they were saying that he was just as nice in person as I knew he would be. They told Bonzie1 and me several cute stories about how knowledgeable he was regarding all things, especially food. They even mentioned that he should be a contestant on the TV show “Jeopardy” (http://www.sonypictures.com/tv/shows/jeopardy/ ) since he was so well-read.

I found their conversation quite touching. I love it when coworkers have a high regard for other co-workers. As I sat in that golf cart traveling along the theme park’s back streets, I felt very blessed that this wonderful team of Disney Cast Members was going to handle the most important day of my life – my vow renewal. It would simply be magical, ~sigh.~

Before I knew it, we had arrived at our destination. Both vehicles parked and my group was led to the Hollywood Hideaway. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Hollywood Hideaway, I will mention below what I found on the Internet regarding it:

- - - - - - - - - - - -
The Hollywood Hideaway is a private lounge that is located inside the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park (http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw/images2003/languagespecific/eng/nontheme/maps/pdfs/ritrmapmgmimg.pdf). It is used for private parties and special events. It is located near Sounds Dangerous (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=SoundsDangerousStarringDrewCar eyAttractionPage) and the Radio Disney (http://radio.disney.go.com/index.html) studio. The entrance to the Hollywood Hideaway is concealed if there is no event happening inside.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

It was 10 AM when we entered the Hollywood Hideaway. Waiting for us there was the Chef de Cuisine. I was pleased to finally get the opportunity to thank him for last year’s dinner. I mentioned that I had only wanted to meet him today; I did not expect him to actually become a part of my Menu Tasting. He was very gracious in his response to me, a true gentleman.

I went on to tell (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=174d.jpg&.src=ph) the Chef that when my daughter had found out that he would be at my Menu Tasting, she had said, “Tell him how much I liked the lamb, Mama.” He laughed and stated that we could always have that dish again. I told him that I was tempted. With that, he told me lamb was probably his favorite protein to work with. After tasting last year’s Creole Spiced Rack of Lamb (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=6a8c&.dnm=4dcc.jpg&.src=ph) with Marchand du Vin Sauce, I could see why.

I should mention that there were other Cast Members joining us for the Menu Tasting who had also been in attendance at last year’s “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event. The Sous-Chef (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=6a8c&.dnm=9e77.jpg&.src=ph) was there and also one of the Cast Members (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=6a8c&.dnm=455a.jpg&.src=ph) who had served on the Wait Staff. The continuity between last year’s event and this year’s event did not escape me. It was just another one of those personal touches that Disney is famous for.

As the introductions were made, Bonzie1 handed out a few more Fairy Tale Wedding Planning Session Backstage Passes (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=c2f4.jpg&.src=ph). The conversation that ensued was lively and the laughter (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=cd71.jpg&.src=ph) began to flow. My Event Manager is always fun to be around, and I could tell that he was not going to disappoint me during the Menu Tasting.

Everyone eventually made their way to the dinner table: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=32cc.jpg&.src=ph). It was perfectly themed for the Western Area of the Great Movie Ride – that was where the sit-down dinner would be held. The table was covered in a black, floor-length tablecloth. Atop it was an overlay of red and white gingham-checked cloth. The cloth napkins were red and were folded and placed on top of pewter-colored charger plates. Everything worked well together.

Decorating the table were various Western-themed items. A few small hurricane lamps were lit and were scattered about. In the center of the table was a bale of hay, a few ears of Indian corn, a rope lasso, and a straw cowboy hat. It was a festive table and made me feel like I was having dinner out on the range.

The ladies and I found a seat and sat down. Our server, who was attired (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=d6d3.jpg&.src=ph) in the same Western wear that the Wait Staff would wear during my dinner party, took our drink orders. Bonzie1 and I posed (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=29a5.jpg&.src=ph) for a quick photo, as did Nutz4dzny (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=7cbf.jpg&.src=ph). While we waited for our drinks to arrive, I took the opportunity to pose for a quick photo with the Sous-Chef and Chef de Cuisine (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=3a23.jpg&.src=ph).

Our first course arrived: Ale and Molasses Marinated Quail with Chervil and bacon Wrapped Shallots (click here) (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=dd6b.jpg&.src=ph). It was beautifully presented. The Sous-Chef described the course to us as follows: “The quail medallions were marinated in brown ale, molasses, brown sugar, hazelnut oil, and rosemary. Those medallions were placed on a skewer with shiitake mushrooms, red pepper, chervil, and bacon-wrapped shallots.” It sounded delicious.

The ladies and I (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=600c.jpg&.src=ph) pulled the meat and vegetables from the skewers and dug in. WeFullTime paused (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=f160.jpg&.src=ph) long enough to pose for a photo. The same was true of Bonzie1 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=c6f2.jpg&.src=ph). Unbeknownst to me, the little shutterbug amongst us (a.k.a., Nutz4dzny) snapped a photo of me (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=2655.jpg&.src=ph).

As we waited for the next course to arrive, I mentioned hot dogs. The Cast Member who was serving us told me that the Chef had recently catered a hot dog party. I told him that I found that hard to believe. He responded, "Well, it wasn’t your average hot dog party. The Chef prepared 50 toppings for those hot dogs." I got a big kick out of that. I can imagine that anything the Chef does is always on the grandest scale.

It was time for our second course: Assorted Field Greens with a tart Apple Vinaigrette, Warm Golden California Goat Cheese Croute (click here) (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=a870.jpg&.src=ph). I have to mention that when this course was placed before me, I asked what it was. The Chef de Cuisine stated simply, “The salad.”

Let me state right here and now that the Chef was not completely telling the truth. That dish was no more a salad than the Mona Lisa (http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/joconde/joconde.jpg) was a canvas. Both the salad and the Mona Lisa were works of art. As you can see from the look upon my face, I found the Chef’s comment incredulous: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=d436.jpg&.src=ph). That man was being way too humble. I told him that my salads always came in a bag (http://www.dolesalads.com/products-blends.html), and I had to rip open the plastic in order to add the salad dressing to them. Everyone got a big laugh out of that, but I didn’t understand why they were laughing. I was being serious.

The Sous-Chef began to describe this course: "The salad is made up of assorted baby greens, red oak, frisée, lolla rosa, and an endive. They have been placed inside a green apple. The green apple has been poached in apple cider, vinegar, white wine, and cinnamon sticks. Surrounding the salad are cucumbers and tomatoes. The dressing topping the salad was made with champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, apple cider, garlic, salt, and pepper. Also sharing the salad plate is a semolina baguette that has been warmed and topped with California goat cheese."

Since you folks know me so well by now, I’m not even going to deny that I had to consult the Epicurious on-line (http://www.epicurious.com/) dictionary as I typed the above description. I honestly had no idea what a few of those items were. I don’t think they come standard in the bags of salad that I purchase at my local grocery store.

I should also note that the Sous-Chef began teasing me. He stated the following: "I came into work this morning and there was an e-mail stating that we were doing this Tasting today. I had to throw a little something together." My Event Manager continued the teasing, “Whatever we had lying around.”

Yeah, everybody’s a comedian when you’re the Rodney Dangerfield (http://www.rodney.com/rodney/home/home.asp) of the kitchen. I get no respect.

Nutz4dzny snapped a photo of WeFullTime as she tasted the salad course: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=4f82.jpg&.src=ph). The Sous-Chef, the Chef de Cuisine, my Event Manager, and a few other Cast Members watched over us (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=girls&id=domino&video=0&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244) as we ate.

Before the main entrée was brought out, the Chef gave us each a pin to commemorate the day: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=3cd0.jpg&.src=ph). That was very unexpected but most welcome. I wore the pin for the rest of the day.

It was finally time for the main entrée: Venison with Parsnip, Sweet Potato, and Yukon Gold Potato Tarte; Sundried Cherry and Zinfandel Reduction; Moros Orange and Honey Glazed Duck with Braised Greens (click here) (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=747e.jpg&.src=ph). It looked and smelled delicious.

No sooner had the plate been placed before WeFullTime than she noted, “Tumbleweeds.” The Sous-Chef replied, “Exactly! You caught on!” I mentioned that he had also created the tombstones for last year’s dinner party, to which he responded, “I am the Sweet Potato Artist.” How true. How true!

The Sous-Chef began describing the course to us: "The potato tarte was made with Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, cheese, onions, heavy cream, and egg. It was baked. The venison was wrapped in prosciutto and topped with a zinfandel wine that was reduced with sun-dried cherries. The duck breast was marinated overnight in a marinade of honey, blood orange juice, and chipotle. The duck was taken out of the marinade this morning, and the marinade was reduced down to a glaze. The duck breast was seared in order to get the skin crisp. The duck was then glazed and cooked in the oven. Also sharing the plate is braised, tri-colored Swiss chard. The dish is topped with fried sweet potatoes." It looked incredible and I couldn’t wait to taste it.

I thought I would share another photo of the potato tarte. Since this was a dish that any ol’ cowboy or cowgirl might whip up out on the range, I thought you’d like to see that the potato tarte resembled a stack of flapjacks (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=a582.jpg&.src=ph). For all you City Folks, that’s Cow Folk talk for “pancakes.” It’s purdy, ain’t it? And it looks mighty home-on-the-range’ish with the tumbleweed atop of it. I just luv that Disney culinary magic. Ye-haw!

It got pretty quiet at the table during this course. I know that I personally was concentrating on the bursts of flavor that were going off inside my mouth as each forkful went into it. Just when I thought I had found a favorite item on my plate, the next bite would knock that last item off its pedestal and I’d have a new favorite. But then I would take a bite of something else and that item would become my favorite.

It went on and on like that as I made my way through each of the four items on my plate. By the time I had finished the main entrée, I honestly could not decide which item was my favorite. Everything had been delicious, and as proof of such, I submit the following: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=d7db.jpg&.src=ph). As the expression goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. And since it’s not polite to talk with your mouth full, well, that photo will just have to speak for me.

As my Menu Tasting wound down, the Chef told my Event Manager that he would work out some suggested wine pairings for the dinner and forward them along to him. The Disney Studios Event Manager mentioned to me that they had menu cards that would be provided for my dinner; I was pleased to hear that.

Just like the portion of the day that had preceded it, the time allotted to my Menu Tasting had slipped by unnoticed by me. Time really does fly when you’re having fun, and I certainly was having a lot of fun that morning.

I said my heartfelt thank you’s to the Chef de Cuisine, the Sous-Chef, and the Sever. The ladies and I then walked outside. It was on the patio of the Hollywood Hideaway where we parted ways with the rest of the Disney-MGM Studios Cast Members. My Menu Tasting had truly been a swell party (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/highsociety/quickclip_21.shtml).

After everyone had exchanged good-byes, the ladies and I walked backstage to my Event Manager’s vehicle. It was time for us to head to Franck’s Bridal Studio for the next portion of my Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Planning Session. Believe it or not, our day was only half over.

Aristocath

01-18-2005, 02:46 PM

WOW! Janet, it all looked fabulous. The salad with the poached green apple looked incredible. I love poached pears but have never had a poached apple. The presentation is just stunning!

#1hockeymom

01-18-2005, 05:13 PM

hungry, hungry, hungry! I just love your posts!

leahannpen

01-19-2005, 05:02 PM

I'm exhausted reading this report. Wow! You rock!

Dizz42

01-19-2005, 06:38 PM

Janet2k, you are so wonderful to share all this with us! I, too, am in awe of your imaginative and detailed story-telling ability! Many favorites but so far, I have to say, I literally laughed-out-loud at the film clip of Bonzie1's arrival. What a hoot! You are a joy to know even if it's only through these boards. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :love:

SlightlyGoofy

01-19-2005, 07:00 PM

Janet, I have always felt that those people who decorate their hearts out during the holidays and such are so generous to do so and I have to say that sharing all of your experiences with us is even more generous. You are giving the greatest gift of all, your time and talents.

Don't cha think that working at Disney must be a dream come true for many as they are allowed to let their imaginations roam free especially when they are given the freedom to do so by someone like yourself?

BTW, my seven year old grandson has shown a talent for being able to look at something and copy it, perfectly. His interest is in cartooning so he has promised to become an Imagineer so that Grandma can have free passes to come any old time. Is seven too young to sign a contract? LOL

Slightly Goofy (Linda to you)

rascalmom

01-28-2005, 11:49 PM

I was late finding your report Janet. Giving it a little shameless bump in hopes that you'll be making additions soon.....

Your fans are waiting!

Janet2k

01-29-2005, 03:40 AM

Transportation to Franck’s Bridal Studio...

Did you notice the subtitle to this post? The one that claims, “Transportation to Franck’s Bridal Studio?” If you think this post is only about my being taken from Point A to Point B, you will be, well, missing the point.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Planning Session Agenda:
11:30 am – 11:45 am: Transportation to the Wedding Pavilion
*** Event Manager to take Janet’s Party to the Wedding Pavilion at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With Disney, I have found that the ordinary easily becomes the extraordinary. And that is exactly what happened to me as I was being transported from the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park to Franck’s Bridal Studio for the second half of my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session.

To the average person, my Event Manager’s mode of transportation was a pretty snazzy SUV-type of vehicle. But to me, it was as magical as Cinderella’s glass carriage. As I sat in his vehicle during our ride from the theme park to the bridal studio, I could feel my transformation beginning. I was losing my Jane Bond persona and developing a Cinderella complex. Who would have ever thought that was possible? Surely not anyone who knew me. But did anyone truly know me? The real me? The girl who still believed in fairy tales and happily ever after’s?

-------------------------------------------------------------
“Impossible” (click here for song clip (http://www.rnh.com/realaudio/cindimpossible.rm))
From Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's Musical "Cinderella"

Impossible, for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage
Impossible, for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage
And four white mice will never be four white horses
Such falderal and fiddledeedee of course is, impossible

But the world is full of zanies and fools
Who don't believe in sensible rules
And won't believe what sensible people say
And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes
Keep building up impossible hopes
Impossible things are happening every day

Impossible, Impossible, Impossible
Impossible, Impossible, Impossible
Impossible

It's possible, for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage
It’s possible, for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage
And four white mice are easily turned to horses
Such falderal and fiddledeedee of course is, quite possible

It's possible, for the world is full of zanies and fools
Who don't believe in sensible rules
And won't believe what sensible people say
And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes
Keep building up impossible hopes
Impossible things are happening every day

It's possible, It's possible, It's possible
It's possible, It's possible, It's possible
It's possible
-------------------------------------------------------------

Could the Event Manager take this country bumpkin (me) and turn her into someone who could marry her husband all over again? And could he take this country bumpkin’s husband (Rick) and turn him into a prince, if only for one night?

And what about that glass carriage? Could the Event Manager help the country bumpkin select the perfect mode of transportation? Transportation truly befitting the most magical night of the country bumpkin’s life at the most magical place on earth?

As our vehicle approached the Wedding Pavilion complex, I had to catch my breath. My head was swimming with the possibilities that awaited me. I had spent the past three hours being dazzled by what could be done inside the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park for my dinner party. The details that had been discussed were basically all the large ones. It was now time to discuss all the fine ones. Details such as flowers, tables, table linens, chairs, chairs covers, photography, videography, transportation, wedding cake styles, wedding cake flavors, wedding cake fillings, and so on.

I knew that mind-boggling possibilities were going to be given to me in the meetings that lay ahead of me. Was I crazy to think that an established married couple (a fancy term for old married couple) such as Rick and myself could have the sort of vow renewal ceremony and dinner celebration that would make our hearts sing and our souls soar? Was it even possible after 20 years of marriage?

And that’s when the following chorus (http://www.rnh.com/realaudio/cindimpossible.rm) drifted through my mind:

“But the world is full of zanies and fools
Who don't believe in sensible rules
And won't believe what sensible people say
And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes
Keep building up impossible hopes
Impossible things are happening every day”

It was time to find out if my Event Manager could truly turn the impossible into the possible. It was also time to find out if he was capable of giving the proverbial Fairy Godmother a run for her money.

zurgswife

01-29-2005, 08:10 AM

I truly love waking up in the morning and finding a new post....makes me smile and dream....can't wait to find out what the Fairy Godmother has in store..

ForTheLoveofDisney

01-29-2005, 10:01 AM

No Don't stop!!! Tell us more!!

This is FABULOUS writing!! :cheer2: I look forward to what happens next!

eeyore45

01-29-2005, 11:50 AM

I truly appreciate you putting your heart into these reports, that allow me to dream right along with you!!

I love that song from that Cinderella performance... I do belive I'll be singing it all day!! :)

princess:

rascalmom

01-29-2005, 03:08 PM

Janet, you've used one of my very favorite songs! Thanks for giving us another piece to this amazing report.

Janet2k

01-29-2005, 05:24 PM

Oh, I hate to be off-topic but I just returned from taking my daughter to Tae Kwon Do class (she recently became a second-degree Blue Belt, the little bruiser). As we walked up to our townhouse door, I saw a beautiful floral arrangement sitting there all by itself. I noticed immediately that it was an arrangement of daisies. I thought to myself, “Wow, my favorite flowers!”

We brought the floral arrangement inside and I had my daughter read the card to me. She got very excited when she saw that the card had been signed by my Event Manager. I had to laugh out loud because if my recent vacation request hadn’t been squashed by my new boss, I would have been spending the week in Florida, with a few days all by myself at the Grand Floridian Resort.

I had mentioned that two weeks ago in an e-mail message to my Event Manager. I told him that if my vacation request had been approved, I was going to ask him to join me for hot dogs at Casey’s in the Magic Kingdom (he’s as big a fan of Casey’s hot dogs as I am). Alas, my vacation request was turned down, and there are no Casey’s hot dogs for me. But it was awfully sweet of my Event Manager to send me my favorite flowers in order to cheer me up. Sure, they’re not Casey’s hot dogs, but at least they won’t be adding inches to my waistline (and will last a lot longer than any hot dog would in my presence). What a wonderful surprise from a wonderful man.

- - - -

Edited on 2/2/05: I came home from work this evening to find a stuffed Mickey Mouse ::MickeyMo plush toy and an adorable card waiting for me. It appears that the florist forgot to deliver the second part of my Event Manager's gift the other day. As I always say, better late than never! And now I have my very own Mickey Mouse doll to sleep with this evening. Psssst...Please don't tell my husband that I plan on sleeping with another man -- he's jealous enough of the Big Cheese as it is. ;)

eeyore45

01-29-2005, 07:59 PM

Well, darn those turned down requests!!

Congratulations to DD!! WooHOO!! :) :) :)

:cheer2:

Janet2k

01-30-2005, 09:36 PM

Franck’s Bridal Studio…

Before I knew it, my Event Manager’s vehicle was entering Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings complex. (http://www.jamesbond.com/mmpr/video.php?cat=locations&id=octo&video=2&size=small&format=qt&content=videos&window_height=244 ) For those of you who are unfamiliar with this area, it sits next to the (http://www.disneyweddings.go.com/site/wed/cus/cer/location/featured/index.jsp?styleName=style01) stately Grand Floridian Resort.

The Fairy Tale Weddings complex is comprised of two parts. The main part, of course, is the Wedding Pavilion. The pavilion actually sits on a little island that is connected to the rest of the complex via a walking bridge. The second part of the complex is Franck’s Bridal Studio. The bridal studio sits along the shoreline of Seven Seas Lagoon. To get a better idea of the layout of the Fairy Tale Weddings complex, please click here (http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/grandflomap.htm) to view a map of the Grand Floridian Resort. Franck’s Bridal Studio and the Wedding Pavilion are located towards the bottom of that map.

My Event Manager pulled up in front of Franck’s (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=be16.jpg&.src=ph). He temporarily parked his vehicle underneath the porte cochere so that he could quickly escort us into the building.

Franck’s is really lovely inside. To see a 360-degree virtual reality view of the bridal studio, please click here (http://adisneyweddings.disney.go.com/media/dwwh/media/video/francks.mov ). Disney claims that Franck’s is a re-creation of the wedding studio from the Touchstone movie "Father of the Bride." And in case you’re wondering what else may have been re-created from the movie, I can assure you that the Sales Managers and Wedding Planners sound nothing like Franck Eggelhoffer (http://us.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0113041/fbt3.jpg ) (a.k.a., Martin Short). Their grasp of the English language is actually quite good.

Since I was with my Event Manager, there was no need for me to check in at the reception desk (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=b5e7.jpg&.src=ph). However, since my Event Manager is a true professional, he introduced me to the Cast Member who was working there. She was very nice.

When my Event Manager left us to go park his vehicle, it gave the ladies and me a little time to peruse the items inside the bridal studio. Franck’s is filled with all sorts of wondrous things: (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=897e.jpg&.src=ph) wedding cakes, wedding dresses, table settings, table linens, china, bouquets, centerpieces, and a myriad of other items. You should have heard a few of the gasps that escaped from our throats as we found item after item that took our breath away. If anyone would have heard those gasps, they probably would have had a hard time believing that all four of us were well-established married ladies (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/funnygirl/quickclip_07.shtml) (a.k.a, old married ladies). I found our enthusiasm just too cute for words. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined any of us being as giddy as schoolgirls, and yet that is exactly what we were.

Located in the center area of the studio was a small table that was beautifully decorated. When I was a little girl, pink was my favorite color. Any wedding that I might have envisioned would have had a table decorated such as that one: click here. (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=c22e.jpg&.src=ph) But as I grew older, my favorite color morphed into three very different colors: red, white, and navy blue. Because of my change in taste, there would be no pink table settings at my vow renewal’s dinner party, even though the one at Franck’s was stunning.

Upon the pink table sat a few elegant enhancements: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=2463.jpg&.src=ph). There were pink silk roses, clear glass crystals, and silver glass balls arranged together inside an etched glass vase. What a lovely centerpiece it made. There were also clear glass votives scattered about the table in order to add a little romantic ambience. A place card was held in place atop a stained-glass castle, truly befitting anyone’s fairy tale wedding reception.

The pink table also held more businesslike items: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=d7ac.jpg&.src=ph). What I mean by businesslike is really the simple fact that people are at your reception for one main reason – to eat. And to eat they need the appropriate tools – plates, silverware, and glassware. You can’t get any more businesslike than that. Or can you? If your name is Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, you can easily turn those ordinary implements into extraordinary ones (and you thought they only turned pumpkins into glass carriages).

As I took a look at the table setting, I noticed a glass charger that was edged in silver balls. It was striking. There was nothing plain about the plate, either. Upon closer inspection, I found the plate was white china with a raised border and a lightly scalloped edge. It looked elegant atop the charger. To top it all off sat a pink napkin that was tied with pink crystals. Everything blended together beautifully. I would have been proud to have had a place setting such as that at my vow renewal, except for the simple fact that I really thought it would clash with the Western motif of the Great Movie Ride where my dinner party would be held. I didn’t think Cow Folks used anything that citified (http://www.merriamwebster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=citified) out on the range, ~sigh.~

Also on display inside Franck’s were a few styles of chairs and chair covers. At the pink table sat two standard chairs that were covered in different white chair covers. Each of those chairs (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=c22e.jpg&.src=ph) was adorned with different sashes, too. At another table sat a few more chairs: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=2229.jpg&.src=ph). Those chairs were called chiavari chairs (http://www.rentalproducts.com/products/chiavari_chairs.html ), and we saw examples of them in gold and silver. A chiavari chair would definitely add an elegant touch to any affair.

Bonzie1 had fun checking out the many items that were found inside the display cases: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=35e5.jpg&.src=ph). There were examples of announcements, invitations, place cards, place card holders, confetti, ceremony programs, unity candles, and so on.

There were two wedding gowns on display. Nutz4dzny had fun posing next to one of them: click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=d6f5.jpg&.src=ph). I think all four of us ladies found that dress positively captivating. I have no idea who the designer was, but I’m sure they must have had fun designing the “bouquet of roses” skirt. I wished I could have been the type of person who would have worn such a creation, but my tastes were much too simple and I would have felt out of place in it.

There were many examples of wedding cakes on display. They ranged from the whimsical to the sublime:
Wedding Cake # 1 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=cd4c.jpg&.src=ph)
Wedding Cake # 2 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=f9f5.jpg&.src=ph)
Wedding Cake # 3 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=60fb.jpg&.src=ph)
Wedding Cake # 4 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=35e5.jpg&.src=ph) (a domed cake may be seen on the left-hand side of the photo)

On the table with the castle cake (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=60fb.jpg&.src=ph) sat examples of a few of the mini-cakes. Like their larger counterparts, they also ranged from the whimsical to the sublime:
Mini-Wedding Cake # 1 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=76e8.jpg&.src=ph)
Mini-Wedding Cake # 2 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=7ce0.jpg&.src=ph)
Mini-Wedding Cake # 3 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=d509.jpg&.src=ph)
Mini-Wedding Cake # 4 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=b852.jpg&.src=ph)

The mini-cakes came in both one- and two-tiered versions. Some were fanciful and some were elegant. All were elaborately detailed. The mini-cakes were complete wedding cakes in every sense of the word except for size – they were designed to serve just one person. To give you a feeling as to their size, please click here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janettwokay/detail?.dir=9c4e&.dnm=c53f.jpg&.src=ph).

With cakes so beautifully proportioned, I felt positive that none of my guests would say, “Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.” (http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/oceanseleven/quickclip_03.shtml) The mini-cakes were perfection. As I viewed them, I decided right then and there to have them served at my vow renewal’s dinner party.

Now that I’ve shown you various examples of cakes, both large and small, I have only one thing left to say before I end this post: Got milk? (http://www.whymilk.com/)

And since it might be a few days before I post again, I’ll give you something to keep you occupied:
Got Milk? Commercials ( http://www.gotmilk.com/fun/ads.html ) (check them out)
Got Milk? Kids (http://www.got-milk.com/) (play the trivia game)
Got Milk? Ad # 1 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/spy_kids_l.jpg) (spy kids love milk)
Got Milk? Ad # 2 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/austin_powers_l.jpg) (older spies love milk)
Got Milk? Ad # 3 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/jackie_chan_l.jpg) (martial arts stars like milk)
Got Milk? Ad # 4 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/scrubs_l.jpg) (my broken bones like milk)
Got Milk? Ad # 5 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/kim_cattrall_l.jpg) (sexy ladies like milk)
Got Milk? Ad # 6 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/kiss_l.jpg) (folks in makeup like milk)
Got Milk? Ad # 7 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/elvis_impersonators_l.jpg) (the King likes milk)
Got Milk? Ad # 8 (http://www.whymilk.com/ad_downloads/cirque_du_soleil_l.jpg) (Cirque stars like milk)

And finally,
Got Milk? At Walt Disney World (http://www.whymilk.com/wh_disney.htm) (Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex likes milk)