I Paid Someone $5 for a Catchy Trip Report Title, and This is All I Got-Updated 12/29

I must say your reeled me in with the title of your trip report :lmao:

I am enjoying your report and love the pictures ! Cannot wait to read more :surfweb:
 
Great start :thumbsup2

We stayed at AKV in May and went over to check out Kidani while we were there. I can't wait to hear more about your trip. :)
 


I, too, like the name of your TR. Who got the $5 - your son or daughter or was it someone else? My family and I also stayed at Kidani in early June and flew out of Philly. See, we already have alot in common. Looking forward to seeing your pics (since I can't view pics at work!) and reading your TR!
 
Great start, thanks for the Treehouse pics, the last time I saw them we were staying at POFQ & they were being torn down so it's nice to see them whole again.

I can't wait to read more.popcorn::
 


Welcome new readers!

Great start :thumbsup2

We stayed at AKV in May and went over to check out Kidani while we were there. I can't wait to hear more about your trip. :)

We were just in Buffalo a month ago, a week or so before our Disney trip.

I, too, like the name of your TR. Who got the $5 - your son or daughter or was it someone else? My family and I also stayed at Kidani in early June and flew out of Philly. See, we already have alot in common. Looking forward to seeing your pics (since I can't view pics at work!) and reading your TR!

I've been to Middletown, DE too. It's only about 45 minutes away from us. No, the title is just a variation on the souvenir items that say things like "my grandparents went to blank and all I got was this lousy t-shirt". I was struggling with thinking of something and I thought "what if I paid somebody to write one" and that's what came to me. In the end I basically just wanted to pick one and get going with it already!

Great start, thanks for the Treehouse pics, the last time I saw them we were staying at POFQ & they were being torn down so it's nice to see them whole again.

I can't wait to read more.popcorn::

Okay, your wish is my command. New update coming up in mere moments.
 
We got to Downtown Disney and had a little business to attend to at Guest Services so went straight there; we needed to purchase Annual Passes and a “Tables in Wonderland” card. I told the CM what we needed and started handing her a bunch of cards – my DVC member card (for DVC discount), an AP referral card from someone I met on the DIS :disrocks:, a Disney Visa Rewards card, another Visa gift card my wife had from her direct-selling business, and my credit card for the remaining balance. There were so many cards on the counter it looked like a poker hand, but they all helped get that amount down. We’re planning next year’s trip in mid-June, in order to get two trips out of the APs before they expire. And we got the TIW card since we weren’t planning on eating out for every meal and therefore were not doing the dining plan. Anyway, it didn’t take long to take care of all of that business, although a line did form behind us (sorry folks). We got all of our passes (why are APs on cardstock instead of plastic?! :confused3) and since James is usually with me, I put mine and his in my wallet and Judy took hers and the girls’ (remember this little detail for a future installment).

Then we went to the World of Disney to some shopping. I reminded Judy that we could get a discount through our Disney Visa card if we spent more than $50, so we should try to get most of our souvenirs now, rather than piecemeal throughout the trip. Let this settle in a moment….I just told DW to make sure she spent at least $50, at a store in Disney. Yeah, that oughtta be tough. I’m probably forgetting something, but I think we each got a shirt, the kids also got autograph books, and Judy got a charm for her bracelet. We went to the register and I asked about the discount, and the guy said, “Well, actually you could do that, or if you spent a few more dollars and got over $200, I could give you a $40 Disney gift card that you could use at just about any restaurant or resort on property.” We did the math :teacher: and the $40 was a little better than the discount, but what to buy to put us over the top? The guy tried pushing a tote bag on us, no thanks. Instead, since I had been having trouble deciding between two shirts I liked, I volunteered to get the additional item and add the shirt I had previously decided against. In case you’re wondering, no, my 2 shirts were not over $50 by themselves!

Time to eat. By this time we were getting hungry again and I had a hankering for some fish and chips so wanted to head to Cooke’s of Dublin. The girls instead wanted Earl of Sandwich. We were closer to EOS, so went over and took a look inside and there was a huge line inside to place your order (which I think is typical). We decided that we’d split up, James and I would go over a get some fish and chips and come back and Judy and the girls would brave the EOS line.

James and I did pause long enough to take a look at the Loch Ness monster lookin’ lego creature in front of the Lego store.

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I realized that I had forgotten to tell Judy that EOS gives a AAA discount; something I had read in someone else’s DIS TR, so I called Judy to tell her and hoped that she had her AAA card with her. She did!

We got to Cooke’s and there was no line! I thought to myself that we’d get all the way back with our food before the girls got through that EOS line. I asked if Cooke’s gave a TIW discount, and I’m not sure if they technically do, but they gave me some kind of discount. Cool. :thumbsup2 We made our way back to EOS, and the girls were finishing up the last nibbles of their sandwiches. So, I guess they really move the people through.

Sorry, no food pictures here. :blush: The girls were already done, and I’m afraid it just didn’t occur to me until we were half done with ours. As far as how we liked it, the girls loved their sandwiches. We thought the fish and chips were good, but I’m not sure that I’d make a special trip halfway across Downtown Disney to get them again.

After a brief stop at the lego store at James’ request (and somehow managing to get out without having to buy more “stuff”) we went back to the boat dock to head back to POR. When our boat pulled up it was the one piloted by Captain Eric and trainee Allan again. James cheered “Yeah Allan. Nice job!” when he docked. Once under way, Captain Eric gave James a pirate bandana, black with white skulls on it. pirate:

I took a few pictures of Saratoga Springs Resort (SSR) but most are too blurry because it was starting to get dark. I kind of like this one though, because somehow the middle section is clear while the edges are blurry. I’m not sure how that happened. Wish I could say that I meant for that to happen!

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I had one more item planned for my family this night. I wanted them to see Yee Haw Bob Jackson in the River Roost Lounge. I’d never seen him before, but had read about him, here on the DIS and other places, and it sounded like a really fun show. I had intended to get there at 8:00 when his show started, but we had taken longer at Downtown Disney than I had anticipated, so we got there a little after 8:30, I think. The place was packed -- oh nuts, where would we sit? Then Judy spotted 5 open bar stools up near the stage, so we took those. (“We must be in the front row,” to quote an old beer commercial.)

What a fantastic and energetic show! The guy can’t hold still. The piano is on like rocking chair rockers and he gets it rocking forward and back. And he just plays his heart out.

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In between songs he’d take his hat off and say, “Does my hair still look all right?”

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After the first song or two after we sat down, he looked at my wife and said, “Oh some new people arrived. Where are you folks from?” She said, “Pennsylvania”. He said, “Oh Pennsylvania. Is there anybody else here from Pennsylvania?” And the whole place erupted with cheers. And he got me, because for a split second I thought “Wow, that’s unusual that this many people are from Pennsylvania!” Then I realized I’d been had. But we learned the drill, and later on in the night we did the same to families from Pittsburgh and Florida. :rotfl2:

In these photos you can see the energy in how he plays.

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And when he wants people to clap along, he bangs on top of the piano and slams the keyboard cover.

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I remember I ordered a beer , and ordered the kids Sprites. But somewhere along the line the bartender asked the kids what they wanted and they ordered Shirley Temple’s. Well those sound more expensive to me than Sprites, but the joke was on the bartender – TIW card to the rescue. It’s good for drinks too!

The kids enjoying the show.

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Yee Haw Bob Jackson asked all of the kids in the audience to come up for YMCA.

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He’d play “Charge” on the bugle after almost every song. I swear it got worse every time, but was a hoot.

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We loved the show. I’d recommend checking it out, even if you’re not staying at POR. It is a lot of fun. I believe he played from 8:00 until 10:00 without taking a break, because he never took a break while we were there. It’s hard to believe he could expend that kind of energy for that long. Then, when he took his break at 10:00 he asked for every kid in the audience to come up and he gave each one of them a personalized, signed-on-the-spot, autographed picture. A very nice gesture the kids won’t soon forget.

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He may have continued playing after his break, but we left in order to hit the sack. We had a big day planned for tomorrow – checking out of POR, going to the Magic Kingdom for most of the day, and then checking into Kidani.

In the next installment: An AP panic attack.

Link to next installment
 
Hope you enjoyed your trip to Buffalo! It is the City of Good Neighbors ya know ;) I grew up in Long island, but I really do love it here.

Love that last installment...that show looks like a blast.

Thanks for the THV pics too, we'll be staying there NYE and the begining of Jan, then we are moving the a BLT studio,when our friends leave.

Keep the updates coming :yay:
 
Great trip report so far. Seems to be off to a great start.

Thanks and :welcome:

Hope you enjoyed your trip to Buffalo! It is the City of Good Neighbors ya know ;) I grew up in Long island, but I really do love it here.

Love that last installment...that show looks like a blast.

Thanks for the THV pics too, we'll be staying there NYE and the begining of Jan, then we are moving the a BLT studio,when our friends leave.

Keep the updates coming :yay:

Yes, I like Buffalo. James and I made a quick trip up to see Niagara Falls. I had taken the kids a few years ago, but he was too young to remember it apparently. The girls opted not to go, preferring to visit their cousins and swim.

Yee Haw Bob Jackson is a DisneyWorld gem.
 
:thumbsup2 I love how your kids got up with Yee Haw Bob!!!! We have stayed at the POR twice and have yet to see his show. If we ever stay there again, I will make sure to catch it! Great report- keep it coming! popcorn::
 
we wanted to catch yee haw bob's show but either we forgot or were just too tired.
He looks like alot of fun!
 
:thumbsup2 I love how your kids got up with Yee Haw Bob!!!! We have stayed at the POR twice and have yet to see his show. If we ever stay there again, I will make sure to catch it! Great report- keep it coming! popcorn::

we wanted to catch yee haw bob's show but either we forgot or were just too tired.
He looks like alot of fun!

I think you'd really like it. It's only down the canal, er I mean Sassagoula River, from THV ya know Jenny.
 
DD and I are happily following your trip report. Love all the pics so far, keep em coming !!!:)

That's great! Thanks for letting me know you're reading along. I hope it helps you in your planning and preparation. Where will you be staying?
 
Thanks for the info on Yeehaw Bob Jackson. I had never heard anything about him and DH saw the pictures while I was reading this (which means he's impatiently awaiting use of the laptop and wants to see what I'm making him wait for LOL).
Love it, keep it coming!
 

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