The Day the Mickey Died - In memoriam: Pal Mickey

[Peter Panic Attack]

New Big-boy TR Chapter Links - generously donated my MineMail


Introduction

Chpt 1 – The trip is born

Chpt 2: I can’t believe we’re paying for dining

Chpt 3 - I can’t believe he’s on Chpt 3 and not at WDW yet.

Chpt 4 – I honestly believe he’s never going to get to WDW

Chapter 5 - Well... they're finally boarding the plane...so at least that's something

Chapter 6: MVMCP, we finally made it.

Chapter 7: Get on with it….what is this War and Peace.

Chpt 8: Please…I’m begging you… just get on the bus already

Chapter 9 - please, somebody make it stop

Chapter 10: “Chapter” You keep saying that word….but I don’t think it means what you think it means.

Chapter 11: Did we really need a whole chapter about lunch?

Chapter 12 – Oh…just shut up with the chapters already…they’re nonsense

Chapter 13 – We’re still at AK right? Just checking

Chpt 14 - How to bungle the jungle parade

Chpt 15 – I’d like to leave a wake-up call for the end of this TR

Chpt 16 - Day 2....which means day 1 only took fifteen chapters...great

Chapter 17 - Whatever

Chpt 18 - I promise we'll enter the park...probably

Chpt 19 – We’re really cooking now

Chpt 20 – Who’s up for some lunch?

Chpt 21 - Yup...we're still at MK

Chpt 22 - Yup...we're still....still at MK

Chpt 23 - Who's up for 30-40 chapters about a single day at Epcot?

Chpt 24 - Baby steps to the park.

Chpt 25 - More droning on about EPCOT

Chpt 26 - Did I just miss something...or was that another chapter about lunch?

Chpt 27 - Dinner at Germany

Chpt 28 - Tomorrow we're sleeping in

Chpt 29 - Lunch with royalty

Chpt 30 - I don't know....I'll have to check my notes

Chpt 31 - Dinner at Tonys

Chpt 32 – A day at the park formerly known as Disney MGM

Chpt 33 - More MGM stuff...probably

Chpt 34 - Well, it's lunch time....so you know what that means

Chpt 35 - What have we done!

Chpt 36 - Lost

Chpt 37 - What Pal Mickey would have wanted

Chpt 38 - Ariel's Grotto......of disappointment

Chpt 39 - Dinner at Le Cellier

Chpt 40 - Our final chance for Wishes

Chpt 41 - Black Forest Cake for lunch

Chpt 42 - Park Hopping to MK....after spending a bunch of time in the Norway pavilion

Chpt 43 - our last night at WDW

Chpt 44 - Wishes at
the Poly

Chpt 45 - Heading for home (Part One)

Chpt 46 - Heading for home (Part Two)

Epilogue



Introduction:

I cant remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride,
But something touched me deep inside
The day ….the mickey ……died.

Forgive me dissers, for I have shunned. It has been nearly two years since my last trip report.

There was a time…not so very long ago… when I was sure I would never be doing this again. Too much pain. Too many memories. How does one enjoy a site where… around every corner… there are painful reminders of our dearly departed Pal Mickey.

But something changed when we booked our December trip. Somewhere deep within me… a tiny flame was re-kindled. A part of me that I feared had died on that fateful day in December 2007 when we lost mickey stirred….. gasping for life.

But why now? Why….after all this time….would I chose to tell my story? Maybe I feel it needs to be told. Maybe something tells me that Pal Mickey deserves to be remembered. Maybe these walls I’ve built against the pain are selfish and weak and maybe….just maybe….I’ll never be able to love another plush, inter-active, talking mouse doll again until it’s told.

Hope springs eternal. Let’s begin.

Introducing the Panic Attacks (Pal Mickey is taking the photo)

Background:

Allow myself to introduce….myself. I’m Peter Panic Attack……and yes that’s my given name….born to Eugene and Gertie Panic Attack (and before you ask, no...I am not related to the Providence RI Panic Attacks...I wish!) In a former trip-report life I was Dabby. I was Dabby when I used to log-on under my DW’s username “Tinkershell”. Eventually, I grew tired of posting my manly comments under “Tinkershell” and made the decision to register under my given name….a decision I seldom regret.

Tinkershell is my extremely patient DW who drives our families WDW obsession. She is funny and a great mom who likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. My first trip to WDW was on our honeymoon. You’ll notice I said my first trip to WDW was on our honeymoon. It hurts me to say this, but Tinkershell had a pre-marital WDW experience while in college. I’ve never asked for the details……too painful.

Tinkershell and I have been blessed with two of the best kids money can buy. Baba aka Buddy aka Buddy-boy is our 15 y.o. DS who no longer lets me call him Baba in front of his peers…..apparently they pressure him in some fashion. He is now half-a-foot taller than I am and for this I can never forgive him.

Woobie aka Snow Woob aka Pookie is our 12 y.o. DD who owns the world’s second largest collection of Littlest Pet Shop animals and will tell you the unique name for each one of them if you have the time or inclination to sit through the 20-30 minute presentation. Only recently, she has started to replace her little girl posters with posters featuring pasty-faced characters from Twilight…. and this troubles me deeply.

Pal Mickey (deceased) was purchased during our 2005 trip. Insightful comments....clever banter....little-known facts....it was like vacationing with a small furry Cliff Clavin. He crossed the veil during our 2007 vacation under extremely suspicious circumstances. The local authorities were, curiously, disinterested. Worst part is...we didn't even get to say goodbye.

Next up: Chpt 1 – The trip is born

 

[toy]

You have my full and undivided attention!

 

[Peter Panic Attack]

Toy, Your ticker says you are leaving in one day! Me thinks you should be heading to the airport.

The airlines say to be at the airport a couple of hours before your flight. I find a nice 24 hour cushion much less stressful....and those little benches are suprisingly comfortable.

 

[overthemoon4mickey]

Oooh Oooh! I'm in! This looks like a good one!

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Wait- I know CPR!!!

 

[toy]

If I could convince my husband I would totally be outta here. I have considered hog tying him...

We are driving. The bags are packed and waiting for loading. I hope the kids won't mind if I put them in the car tonight even though we won't leave until 5 pm tomorrow.

 

[allison k]

Yep. You hooked me!

 

[chepic]

I'm in.

cheryl

 

[DrZoidberg]

I'm in.

 

[mom_of_3_70737]

Can't wait to read more!!

 

[Peter Panic Attack]

Chpt 1 – The trip is born

We are Disney folk. Not sure why. Not sure how. But there you have it. As a kid, Tinkershell went to Disneyland one time.....and she has the grainy photos to prove it. Yup, thats her in the bell bottoms wearing a Gilligan hat and sporting those glasses that turned into sunglasses as soon as you went outside. If you look closely, you'll see her younger brother next to her. He's the adorable toe-headed boy looking dejectedly at the ground because his mean big sister wouldn't let him hold both of his stuffed animals in the picture. Trust me, it breaks your heart. Apparently, child-hood Tinkershell only had one Minnie Mouse doll and to allow her cute-as-a-button sibling to hold two things would be profoundly wrong. Did I mention that Tinkershell's Minnie was gi-normous........way bigger that both of her brother's souvenirs put together. So I ask you......where is the justice?

Me? I wasn't one of those pampered rich kids whose upper-crust parents lavished them with fancy store-bought trips. No-sir, we was cash deficient. Back in North Dakota, we'd vacation on the farm. Give me a couple of water wings and a livestock tank and I'd be good to go. Sure, there was a bit of a green crust to the water but once you churned it up a bit you could hardly tell. Good times......cept for the skeeters.....don't get me started on the skeeters......oh, and the horseflies.

Anyway, Tinkershell got the Disney thing rolling again with her pre-marital college spring-break romp straight out of girls gone wild......for which I have totally forgiven her. A couple of years down the road, we spent a glorious week at WDW for our honeymoon. Did she seem to know a few too many male cast members for my liking? Possibly.....but again....water under the bridge. Since then it's been trips with friends; taking our tiny kids to Disneyland; and, most recently, family vacations to WDW. So now our kids are hooked too and.....as you can see.....I'm doomed.

At this point, let's harken back to December 2006 where Tinkershell had begun to drop subtle hints about another trip to WDW. Apparently, she felt our pocket book had sufficiently healed from our 2005 trip because she started to pile it on pretty good. Things like......."we're getting a little low on orange juice......you know who makes good orange juice.....Florida" or "you need to mow the grass......you know where there's a lot of grass.......Florida". You know....clever little things like that.

After a couple of weeks of this, I started to get this funny feeling that Tinkershell was trying to tell me something. Sometimes, she gets on me about me not listening to her, or something, I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention. Maybe it was when she started to wear her mouse ears around the house. I can't be sure. In any event, I decided we needed to book another trip. But not just any trip, this time we were going for Christmas.

Next up: Chpt 2: I can't believe I'm paying for dining

 

[Girldreamer02]

subscribing

 

[Peter Panic Attack]

Oooh Oooh! I'm in! This looks like a good one!

Welcome to my ramblings

Wait- I know CPR!!!

I felt the same way....but you've got to let it go

Yep. You hooked me!

Ouch...I'm sorry

I'm in.
cheryl

Pressure building

I'm in.

Having trouble breathing

Can't wait to read more!!

I'm just going to sit down for a minute...

subscribing

does anyone know the number for 911

 

[shebaxric]

Ok, get some smelling salts and revive yourself!!

I am ready for more. You had me at Pal Mickey.

 

[Peter Panic Attack]

Chpt 2: I can’t believe we’re paying for dining

So, at this point, its just me and Pal Mickey that know the trip has been given the green light. He’s my go-to guy when it comes to financial decisions....well, first I asked the magic 8 ball but it told me to “ask again later” and I hate that. What....it’s too busy to answer now....it’s a plastic ball full of water. Pal Mickey, on the other hand, gave me an enthusiastic “Oh Boy!” when I brought up the trip and......I think we can all agree.....that was clearly a sign from heaven.

Now, I’ve got to tell the rest of the clan.....whom I decided to include (Pal Mickey and I toyed briefly with the idea of a guys-only trip but....) Normally, I stink at Christmas presents but this year I decided to buck the trend and wrap up little WDW trip items and stick them under the tree. Tinkershell got the latest Birnbaum’s; for the offspring, lanyards and an assortment of grab-bag trading pins and for Pal Mickey....a shiny new Santa suit. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he opened it. I was worried that it might be a bit baggy but it when he tried it on.....it was as if it had been tailor made.

On our previous WDW trip, we had stayed at CBR. This time we wanted to try something a little cozier. Don’t get me wrong, CBR is beautiful. It’s a big, beautiful, big, sprawling, big beautiful resort. We just thought this time we might try a resort where I wouldn’t get a stitch in my side when I went to fill our refillable mugs. Pal Mickey suggested that we try POFQ and we deferred to his better judgement (I like to tease him about how he’s so “plugged in” at WDW...he hates that joke....because he runs on batteries.....)

We pretty much knew we were going to have to do the dining plan because we had it on our last trip and loved it. Problem is....last time it was free ( I love free.....just the smell of it...makes me want to pick it up and squeeze it.) But, when we took that free dining package we didn’t bother to read the fine print which said....in tiny little letters only discernable with a magnifying glass “recipient of free dining plan acknowledges that, in accepting this free dining package, they will eat at many fun and memorable WDW establishments that will then become an integral part of any and all future WDW vacations and, if the recipient does not agree to purchase future dining plans, they hereby acknowledge that they will be ruining these future family’s vacation and will become, forthwith, a bad parent.” So Pal Mickey and I ran a few numbers and decided the non-free dining plan was a small price to pay to avoid being branded a bad father.

Alrighty then...we’ve got WDW ticket for Dec 7-15 (oh my gosh, get on with it)...we’re paying for free dining (ok, just wake me when he’s finished)....we’ve got a room at POFQ (boooooring, booooring)....and our flight it booked (at least you didn’t drone on about booking your flight).

Next Up: Chpt 3 - I can’t believe he’s on Chpt 3 and not at WDW yet.

 

[allison k]

Waiting, oh so impatiently for Chapter 3!

 

[Girldreamer02]

loving it and can't wait to hear more!

 

[cjsteiger]

I'm subbing in sounds like fun!!

Cheryl

 

[Sue88]

More please!

So far, Pal Mickey sounds like a wise and trusted companion! I hope nothing unfortunate befalls him.

 

[Peter Panic Attack]

Waiting, oh so impatiently for Chapter 3!

Patience is a virtue,waiting doesn’t hurt you….grandma says

loving it and can't wait to hear more!

Thank you and....see above

I'm subbing in sounds like fun!!
Cheryl

No warranty express or implied shall apply to this trip report including any warranty of fitness for any purpose .....especially fun

More please!

So far, Pal Mickey sounds like a wise and trusted companion! I hope nothing unfortunate befalls him.

Wise - yes; Trusted - certainly; Happily ever after - we'll see

Chapter 3 is still percolating.....Tinkershell is recovering from surgery and is on a no housework and no driving moratorium.....which means....in the immortal words of Helen Reddy:

I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am overwhelllllllllmmmmed