You’re writing a TR? Really? (Christmas at POR, 2010)

[BigTikiDaddy]

That’s exactly what I said to myself as we were standing there.
I said to myself: “Self!”
And Me-2 replied back “Who me? What?”
And Me-1 said: “Ya’ fowled that one up didn’t ya’”
Then Me-3 decided to jumped into the fray and shot back:
“O that’s your solution is it? Blame him then ‘eh?”
Me-1: “Well…”
Me-3: “I say we attack the rabble what’s cloggin’ up the queue and kill ‘em all!”
Me-2: “Shall we?”
Me-1: “Oh, I don't think so.”
Me-2: “Well, what do I think?”
Me-3: “I think kill ‘em.”
Me-1: “Well let's be nice to ‘em. It’s not reall their fau…”
Me-2: “Oh shut up.”
Me-3: “Perhaps-“
Me-2: “And you.”
Me-3: “Oh quick get the sword out I want to hack their heads off!”
Me-1: “Oh, go hack your own head off!”
Me-2: “Yes, do us a favor!”
Me-3: “What?”
Me-1: “Yapping on all the time.”
Me-2: “You're lucky. You're not next to him.”
Me-3: “What do you mean?”
Me-2: “You snore.”
Me-3: “Oh I don't -- anyway, you've got bad breath.”
Me-2: “Well it’s only because you don't brush my teeth.”
Me-1: “Oh stop complaining and let's go have tea.”
Me-3: “All right, all right, all right. We'll kill ‘em first, and then have tea and biscuits.”
Me-2: “Yes.”
Me-1: “Oh, but not biscuits.”
Me-3: “All right, all right, not biscuits, but let’s kill ‘em anyway.”
ALL three of me: “Right!”



Do your selves ever go of on each other like that?
It seems to happen to me all the time.

NI!

This news flash just in: my camera battery is still dead (as such these are from an earlier trip)

This is why I carry 4 spares now...my current camera sucks the power back bad, I blame the LCD screens

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Ummmm....about that potential meet up we're planning for next month...I think I have a dentist appointment or something that day and can't make it.

Yeah, I'd be making other plans if you were going to be meeting up with #3.

O come now… What’s the worst that could happen?

NI!

+2

Oh… And welcome to the TR. You better unsubscribe quickly or you might find yourself reading a whole lot of seriously mindless dribble.

This is why I carry 4 spares now...my current camera sucks the power back bad, I blame the LCD screens

Now that is exactly want I should have thought of.

Note to selves:
“look into acquiring additional camera batteries (and do it with out hacking any body’s head of this time).

Me-3: “That wasn’t my fault… besides they deserved it!”

 

[BigTikiDaddy]

+2

Oh… And welcome to the TR. You better unsubscribe quickly or you might find yourself reading a whole lot of seriously mindless dribble.




Now that is exactly want I should have thought of.

Note to selves:
“look into acquiring additional camera batteries (and do it with out hacking any body’s head of this time).

Me-3: “That wasn’t my fault… besides they deserved it!”

I've been reading along, just for some odd reason never commented. Very unlike me.

My camera is a Kodak Z712 IS, I've always used Kodak cameras, it's like a comfort thing for me, easy to use, and I've always taken pretty nice pics with them. I found the big drawback was it was the first I had with only LCD screens, and my batteries take a wallop. DW found for me a good deal on batteries/chargers, giving me a total of 3 chargers, 5 batteries total, each night get them all re-charged for the next day....once down to the last, but made it..

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Chapter 7 – Day-4

- Part 1: From Sorin’ to Savin’

Since we got back to Riverside from the Magic Kingdom considerably ahead of the originally panned for 3ish in the very AM, we also got to get into bed at a reasonable hour and in the process succeeded in getting in some serious sleeping time. This was fortunate because it allowed us to get up a bit early the next day and not feel awful doing so. Day number four had been reserved for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (also commonly translated as: “Every Person Comes Out Tired”).

Yep, we’re talkin’ EPCOT: the park with the split personality. The front is geared more toward the kid and the daredevil in us all, while the World Showcase is geared more toward the grown up type of kids that really wish we could travel to all those other countries (without having to either learn another language, find ourselves getting lost in the wrong part of the kasbah, or putting ourselves in danger of being seen by the locals as the “Ugly American”). The “plan” for the day was to hit a few of the main attractions in Future World, and then head south into the showcase a bit after noon-ish for lunch. After our ADR, we’d then take in the “one thing” that Tamara specifically wanted to accomplish during the December trip: Seeing and hearing some of the holiday storytellers in the different countries that make up the WS. That was the plan. Plans change. If you can’t deal with change, then peak time traveling is not in you best interest.

We arrived mere moments after rope drop this time and made a beeline for the Land Pavilion. I suspect that you’ll have no problem ascertaining form that clue, just what we were attempting to accomplish.

Yep… We wanted to go Sorrin’. In our house, there are two unanimous opinions about WDW. First: our favorite park is actually EPCOT, and second: the favorite ride in that park is Sorin’. I jumped into the pass line to grab three and then we all strode directly into the standby queue as it was only running at about 35 minutes at the time. It would not be that low for very long, and it would never approach that rarified interval again this day. I love everything about Sorin’. From the pre-show with Patrick Warburton, to the first rush as the gliders are lifted into the video-dome, to the moments when the experience takes you over top a ridge or cliff to be suddenly enveloped by a vast open expanse of visual delight. This attraction delivers.

Once safely returned to terra firma, we decided to go ahead and catch the boat for “Living With the Land” (well we can’t get more passes just yet, so why not). I actually like this relaxed low impact ride. There’s always something new to see, and a little bit more to learn. I do miss having an actual living, berating guide commanding each vessel and entertaining questions along the way, but it’s still a good experience and a decent photo-op (even given my less then stellar photography skills).

Not so hidden Mickey

A little bit o Christmas rosemary

Next stop… Innoventions West. If you have time and don’t at least walk through the two Inoventions areas, you’ll likely miss out on some entertaining and at times thought provoking family activates. This time around the thing that caught our attention was the Great Piggy Bank Adventure. This interactive and imaginative “game” attempts to teach the kids (and some of the adults I’m sure) a few of the basic concepts of saving, investing, risk management and general finance. I hear you say: Booooorrrrring… Oh contraire mon ami. Each family or group is given custody of their very own piggybank. You’ll take that bank with you through several stations and try your hand at different interactive video style games that illustrate one of the basic points of personal finance. You have to work as a team and the piggy acts as your scorekeeper. If you shake the bank along the way, you hear coins rattle. The more “coins” that you add to the bank, the louder and fiercer the rattling sound when you shake it. Really! Give it a shake and see for yourself.

A fairly good shot of Max and our Scorekeeper for the day

Wearing one of these bonus jackets that we acquired a couple of days back (more on those later)


Yah… That’s a little bit of a teaser.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Chapter 7 – Day-4

- Part 2: Single Riders and Protean Spills

After getting our financial house in order, we continued on around the west thoroughfare and encountered something new (to us anyway). It was called “The Sum of All Thrills”. It appeared to be a simulator type ride that allowed you to design your own rollercoaster scenario and then actually experience your creation on a two-person simulator.

I’ve seen similar things at Disney Quest and other themed attractions but this was new for Inoventions. There was a healthy wait at the time and we were in the process of executing a different plan, so we kept moving. But we made a decision that we would have to come back here at some point and give this a try (and that we would do). We popped out into to Millennium Central, watched the fountain for just a moment or two and then continued on toward the east.


“East… South… what’s up with the directions?” OK, time for another one of my tangents (feel free to skip on down to the next paragraph if’n you’d like… Actually, I’d advise you to do so). Now then… I “see maps”. What?!?!… You heard me (and I told you to skip on ahead, but did you listen? Noooooo)… In the same way some folks “see words” as they’re trying to remember something or others “see dead people”, I “see maps”. Once I’ve read over one for a bit, it just kind’a hangs in the sky in fount of me from that point on, ready to be referenced as needed. It’s helpful when it comes to traveling around the home stomping grounds, navigating when out of town or just traveling around a theme park. Once I get everything lined up along the points of a compass, then I can make short work out of the business of getting to where you need to go. MK is very easy to navigate. If you’re standing at the main gate looking at the castle, you’re staring due north and the entire facility is laid out exactly like the park maps show. EPCOT on the other hand is upside down. When standing at the main gate at looking directly at Spaceship Earth, you are looking due south. What this means to me is that the sun rises over Mission Space and sets on The Land (sort’a poetic don’t you think), or from a WS perspective, it rises over Mexico and sets on Canada (which is completely cockeyed geographically speaking). Don’t know just how handy that little piece of information will actually be to you, but it does give you a glimpse into how I go about explaining where we’re headed. It also serves as an example of the kind of lunacy that my DW has to put up with on a daily bases (which really makes me wonder just exactly why she has hung around for better then twenty years… Lucky me).



Now where was I? Oh yah… Heading east toward the rising sun.

Toward Mission Space. This attraction comes in a v-e-r-y close second to Sorin’ as a family favorite and only because, Tamara simply can’t ride it. She did it once (and deserved serious “cred” for having done so), but ain’t getting on it again.

Here’s and older pic from the first time Max & I got a chance to hit this attraction (he’s considerably bigger now to say the least)

I hated to actually make you look at my ugly old self there, but pictures with me in ‘em are fairly rare. We’ll be taking two cameras on our next trip, so that could change in my next TR… Not that that will be a good thing for those that foolishly choose to travel along.



Anyway… Back to Mission Space. This dynamic (the one where only the fell’as are ridin’ the thing that is) effects how we go about taking in the fight to Mars, and actually in a good way. Since only the guys are ridding (and we don’t mind being split up), and MS actually has a single rider line (where as Space Mountain doesn’t) we can generally get onto one of the premier attractions “On World”, with very little wait (even during stupid crowed days). So away we go. We pick up our orange cards (I’ve never ridden the green side) and gather in the single rider corral. After a minute or two a CM leads us down toward the front of the queue, and as fast as a Saturn-V can leave a lunch pad, were only six people back from the fount of the line. Of course, there are still things that will slow up the process. The CMs generally will not run the attraction with any of the cars partially full (which is why they need singles at times), but just how many cars need to be filled out during each run is a very random thing. As such you might have to wait a round or two (but still considerably less the rest of the rabble). Today, however, we encountered something else that can add to the wait. Protean Spills. This occurs on the orange side rather more often then on the green and generally around meal times (if you catch my drift). Well, we had one of these unfortunate events so half the orange side was off line for a few minutes while a containment crew was doing a little bit of cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing inside one of the simulators (there’s a job that I’d prefer not to have). It clogged things up for maybe ten minutes, but then everything got back on track and the count down resumed. As it turns out, they needed both Max and I to fill out the next run (Bonus!) So, into the briefing chamber, aboard the ship, a ten second count and Lift Off! Second stage TLI, once around Luna, into cryostasis, through the asteroid field, one hot landing, “don’t move a muscle” and we’re there. I love this ride.



We strolled through the obligatory gift shop and headed back toward the core. We found Tamara sitting in the sunshine talking to another couple and swapping stories about kids, travel and of course Disney. She was probably having about as much fun as the boys did (but just in a different way). We said our goodbyes to our fellow Dis-lovers, and journeyed west back toward Mecca (our Mecca that is: Sorin’).

 

[afwdwfan]

“Every Person Comes Out Tired”).

I like that!

That was the plan. Plans change.

That's called Tuesday in our house. (or any other day of the week for that matter)

I suspect that you’ll have no problem ascertaining form that clue, just what we were attempting to accomplish.

Yeah, I've heard great things about the Circle of Life, but I've still not seen it myself.

Yep… We wanted to go Sorrin’.

Oh, that's what you meant...

Once safely returned to terra firma, we decided to go ahead and catch the boat for “Living With the Land”

Love that ride. I really want to do the Behind the Seeds Tour sometime.

EPCOT on the other hand is upside down.

I'll be honest, it bothers me too. Not so much that the map is upside down based on the compass, because you're going to have that with a map at an amusement park, zoo, etc since the entrance will typically be at the bottom regardless of the physical orientation. What irritates me is the fact that they actually use East and West to specify the Innoventions buildings and they appear to be bass ackwards on the map.

a containment crew was doing a little bit of cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing inside one of the simulators (there’s a job that I’d prefer not to have).

Not only would I not want to have that job, I also wouldn't want to be one of the astronauts assigned to the next flight in that spacecraft.
I've never done the Orange side. I really want to, because I love thrill rides, and despite my stomach of steel that allows me to be turned into a high speed projectile that twists, turns and flips on a rollercoaster, I always end up feeling queasy anytime I do a ride that involves sitting in a simulator and looking at a screen. In 2008, I did Green side and I remember sitting there during the crash landing praying for the ride to end immediately. I'm going to take some Dramamine, try the green side, and if there are no ill effects, I have to try the orange side. I really want to see what that G-force feeling is all about.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Yeah, I've heard great things about the Circle of Life, but I've still not seen it myself.

I have. Not bad actually

Love that ride. I really want to do the Behind the Seeds Tour sometime.

Agreed. That would be fun. We are planning to start doing some of those types of activities once Tamara and I have the opportunity to do the parks as a couple.

I'll be honest, it bothers me too. Not so much that the map is upside down based on the compass, because you're going to have that with a map at an amusement park, zoo, etc since the entrance will typically be at the bottom regardless of the physical orientation. What irritates me is the fact that they actually use East and West to specify the Innoventions buildings and they appear to be bass ackwards on the map.

Yes they do and it is annoying.

You’re right that the condition exists with any map, but like I said, it helps me busted old mind relate to things a bit better once I know where Polaris is. This is partly because I want to relate what I’m looking at relatively with all the other maps in my head (it’s quite the jumbled mess I tell ya’.)

Not only would I not want to have that job, I also wouldn't want to be one of the astronauts assigned to the next flight in that spacecraft.

Me either (and either I didn’t, or they did a really good job of cleaning it up).

I've never done the Orange side. I really want to, because I love thrill rides, and despite my stomach of steel that allows me to be turned into a high speed projectile that twists, turns and flips on a rollercoaster, I always end up feeling queasy anytime I do a ride that involves sitting in a simulator and looking at a screen. In 2008, I did Green side and I remember sitting there during the crash landing praying for the ride to end immediately. I'm going to take some Dramamine, try the green side, and if there are no ill effects, I have to try the orange side. I really want to see what that G-force feeling is all about.

Interesting that you should say that… You’ve got the same problem with simulators that my DW has and that’s why she won’t ride it again. Her problem (and it may be what troubles you as well) is that her eyes do too good a job of compensating for motion.

What???? Bear with me for a minute.

When you move about in the world, walking, running or what have you, obviously you’re moving up and down and left and right and so on. But the involuntary reflexes controlling the muscles for your eyes do their best to keep the image your focused on as steady as possible. For me, they don’t do all that good a job. When I’m just walking down the hallway, everything I see is jumping and bouncing and moving. As such, my brain is use to the sensation and it doesn’t get confused by the jarring signals that it’s receiving (one reason I don’t have any problems with seasickness). But for those folks who’s eyes do a better job of compensating for motion, simulators are a problem because it’s not you that’s moving so much as it’s the machine that’s moving so the motion signals coming in form your ears don’t align with the visual signals coming in from your eyes and the brain gets really confused by the mismatched info. Just so you know, the only real difference between the two sides is the added g-forces that are provided by the centrifuge (and the liftoff is awesome in that respect). The simulator effect will be the same either way. Your Dramamine plan may just work for you.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Day number four had been reserved for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (also commonly translated as: “Every Person Comes Out Tired”).

Haven't heard that one before. I'm totally stealing it, though.

In our house, there are two unanimous opinions about WDW. First: our favorite park is actually EPCOT, and second: the favorite ride in that park is Sorin’.

I knew you were good people.

I love everything about Sorin’. From the pre-show with Patrick Warburton, to the first rush as the gliders are lifted into the video-dome, to the moments when the experience takes you over top a ridge or cliff to be suddenly enveloped by a vast open expanse of visual delight. This attraction delivers.

I do miss having an actual living, berating guide commanding each vessel and entertaining questions along the way, but it’s still a good experience and a decent photo-op (even given my less then stellar photography skills).

I remember having a really fun tour guide on that ride one year, and having such a good and animated conversation that she forgot to do part of the tour.

“East… South… what’s up with the directions?”

I think being map-oriented is a total guy thing. I can stare at maps for hours (not that I've ever done that ). But having to orient myself south for EPCOT doesn't seem to bother me as much. Maybe I'm just a backwards kinda guy.

Protean Spills. This occurs on the orange side rather more often then on the green and generally around meal times (if you catch my drift). Well, we had one of these unfortunate events so half the orange side was off line for a few minutes while a containment crew was doing a little bit of cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing inside one of the simulators (there’s a job that I’d prefer not to have).

*shudder* You'd also hate to be the guy who blows chunks all over the Happiest Place on Earth, that's for sure.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Haven't heard that one before. I'm totally stealing it, though.

Help yourself. Glad to be of service.

I knew you were good people.

Awwwwww shucks… Thanks.

I remember having a really fun tour guide on that ride one year, and having such a good and animated conversation that she forgot to do part of the tour.

I’d like to have been on that boat. Replacing the guides with a standard narration may have saved them a Mickey Dollar or two, but the ride sparkles less for it. With a person doing the talking, and different guests each circuit, the ride was unique every time you climbed on board. I miss that little detail.

I think being map-oriented is a total guy thing. I can stare at maps for hours (not that I've ever done that ). But having to orient myself south for EPCOT doesn't seem to bother me as much. Maybe I'm just a backwards kinda guy.

Defiantly a guy thing (emphasis on the “hunter” part over the “gatherer” part of the equation). I can read a map for hours as well, and have done so I must admit (I poor over them as if they were novels). And it ain’t you that’s “backwards”, it’s me. I’ll also agree with y’all that so long as you know where you are relative to the map, you’re good to go, but like I was telling Andy, it bugs me more because I’m always trying to relate what I’m looking at to everything else I've seen. It’s just me making my own life harder then necessary (as usual).

*shudder* You'd also hate to be the guy who blows chunks all over the Happiest Place on Earth, that's for sure.

That would come under the heading of bad. We obviously never saw just who was doing so poorly that day, but I felt bad for ‘em.

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

Joining in... I've been laughing out loud (at work) and people are starting to stare. Can't wait for more!

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Joining in... I've been laughing out loud (at work) and people are starting to stare. Can't wait for more!

Welcome aboard the good ship loony-tune (oh wait… that’s the wrong bunch of brilliant animators ain’t it now?) Anyway, it’s more a statement of my mind set that a description of the overall effect of the… Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t really know what I’m talking about half the time.

But I really am glad that you decided to join in. And thanks for laughing. You need to invite your co-workers over to The Dis. As you already know, it’s quite addictive.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Chapter 7 – Day-4

- Part 3: Backpack?... What backpack?

“Warning… Warning… Danger Will Robinson…”

This section and a good bit of this chapter will consist of far more verbiage then imagery. Sorry about that. I know most folks hate TRs without pictures, but for some reason, the camera just didn’t come out of my pocket as often as it should have. Unfortunately for you, this means that a good bit of the time you’re going to be stuck with my limited story telling abilities to help you “experience” our day at the Big-E. Apologies are all I can offer in my defense here. Well, you’ve been warned so I suppose that I’ll just go on ahead and jump back into the story.

Now where was I? Oh yah… Right about here:


Weather is fickle. I’m sure that comes as a major news flash to you, but it’s a lesson we all end up relearning time and again throughout our lives. Remember way back on Day-2 at HS, where Max and I figured we could tough out the cold until the sun started warming things up? Yah, that ended up with the both of us having to commandeer a new Disney Jacket to get through the day. Well as it turns out, this was the day we should have taken that chance (but didn’t). Here it was mid-morning in mid-December, and it was already more then warm enough to convince us that our jackets were now more of a problem then a benefit. Well we did have a solution to this condition. We happen to possess a nylon backpack that folds up into a small square about the size of a wallet and fits nicely into Tamara’s bag. Very handy. She pulled it out, opened it up, and tossed it over to me. The guys then shed our coats quicker then a jackrabbit on a date and stuffed them into the bag. Problem solved. Well… Problem shifted is more correct. Now I had a backpack that had to be toted around and kept up with for the rest of the day (and apparently this is not a job that I should be in charge of).


Meanwhile, back on planet Earth, we were heading back across the park toward this little building
(full disclosure, since I don’t have any real photo for this section of the day, I’m borrowing a few from public sources… with credit given where due of course:

(with thanks to MousePlanet)

Into the Land pavilion we go and directly to Sorin’ (do not pass go, do not collect $200 dollars, surrender your fast passes at the gate and prepare to be absolutely thrilled). Thrilled we were as we walked by the 105-minute standby wait sign. Our wait: about 15 minutes. This was partly because we got plucked out of the line merely for being a party of three and therefore allowing them to fill out one of the preflight queues. Flight check, lift off, dodge the golf ball again and we’re heading back out toward the lobby all smiles and giggles. Then it hits me. The backpack… I had succeeded in leaving it back in the flight theater. Dang… Dang… Dang!!! Now what? Simple question, simple answer… I broke it, I gott’a fix it.

I headed back down the exit hall and caught the attention of one of the CMs and quickly explained the situation. She told me that this happens all the time and that they collect up all the bags that get left and bring them over by the exit door. The automatic doors were in the process of closing in mid sentence, but she said I could look at the current pill-o-bags after the next ride. So I waited. A few minutes latter I can hear the sound of fireworks over Disneyland coming out of the theater’s sound system and an instant after that the doors open up again. I obviously had to wait for the folks heading back out into the park to come through the door, so there wasn’t much time to look at the collection of bags (and I had to re-explain the situation to a different CM). I was amazed by the number of backpacks that they already had pilled up in the corner, but I was dismayed by not seeing ours amongst the pyramid of other peoples lost possessions. The doors were closing again so I had to get back out into the hallway. Now what? Then I remembered, that I had actually stuffed our bag into the basket under the chair here I was sitting. Just maybe, no one had noticed it (or worse taken it out with them). When the doors opened back up again, I quickly caught the attention of the first CM I’d spoken to, and re-re-explained the situation with the additional details. She let me head over to where I’d been on the ride earlier, and low and behold, there it was. Of course I now had to apologize profusely to the poor woman that was just sitting down who now had to allow me to yank the thing out from under her seat. She was nice about it, and I got the heck out of there as quick as I could (with our gear in tow this time). I’m just about the most imperfect person I’ve ever met, but at least this time, I got the problem fixed.

 

[Advntur2Disney]

Just wanted to quick chime in.... Awesome pics!!!!
I'm slowly... but surely getting through all the pages
Thanks for sharing

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Chapter 7 – Day-4

- Part 4: “What the Beverly…”

Now that we’d cashed in out FPs our window was finally open for acquiring more. That meant Test Track. That also meant another jaunt back across Future World was required. Well, there was no need to make everyone tired, so the guys made the double time hike, grabbed the tickets, and headed back to the center. Unlike our experience and MK the day before, at least today there were passes to be had for the main attractions. Of course, now that we’d had to wait a couple of hours to get them, return times ended up being fairly late in the afternoon, although not really all “that” bad actually (that's what I thought at the time but there is always a trade off to be made).

Next… A quick stop in Club Cool.

This is a tradition for us. We first encountered this “temporary venue” on our first trip with Max to the world back in 2001. Back then it was Called “Ice Station Cool” and it looked like this

(with thanks to AllEarsNet)

It was designed more as a place to beat the heat and it had you walk through a small maze corridors lined with piles of crushed ice. The whole thing was chilled down with very cool blast AC and the point was to evoke the feeling of roaming the corridors of a research base in Antarctica. It defiantly broke the heat and then the sample soft drinks were just a bonus at the end of the trail. Now it’s a permanent fixture and serves more as an advertisement for Coke, but then again… I like Coke, so what the hay. Actually, what I like is the ginger ail (I’m a fiend for the stuff). The “Krest” drink that is normally sold in Mozambique and for me is the best sip in the place (and it’s free).

I’ll grab two or three shots of Krest each time we walk by the Club. Of course the other reason for stopping at Club Cool is for the entertainment factor. Entertainment? What entertainment? Why, watching the reaction of the novices just as they taste the “Italian stuff” of course. “Beverly” is a liquorish flavored aperitif and is very bitter. I know of very few folks that have tried it who don’t immediately decide not to ever do it again (unless there is either a dare or a bet involved). The stuff is so off putting, the those of us on these boards that are also members of the DDC (DisDads Club) have taken to using the name as a substitute cuss word in our more animated posts (now there’s some good advertising).

Here’s what their logo looks like.
(If you see this logo… Run!)

Here’s a typical reaction
(don’t know who this poor girl is, but the photo is from a public newsletter so I’m just linking back to that)

This concludes our test of the national Beverly Sighting Warning System. Had this been an actual Beverly Sighting, You’d have been warned not to actually drink the stuff. We now return you to our regularly scheduled program.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Just wanted to quick chime in.... Awesome pics!!!!
I'm slowly... but surely getting through all the pages
Thanks for sharing

Howdy and welcome aboard.

Thanks for the compliments on the pictures. I ain’t no professional photographer by any measure of the word, but I do like to take a snap or two along the way. I’m glad you’re enjoying my little effort and I’m also glad to have you join in. Feel free to chime in any time you want.



Honestly, I’m still amazed that anyone is reading along at all.
Thanks again to all of ya’.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Chapter 7 – Day-4

- Part 5: Across the Pond

If you’re actually reading this TR (or any TR for that matter) then chances are that you’ve been to WDW before. As such, you have a concept of how big the various parks are. EPCOT, as we all know is one of the largest physically and can take some time to traverse. This is what led us to start our journey out into the World Showcase at this time. We had ADRs at the Rose & Crown scheduled for the early afternoon, and figured we needed to start heading that’a way. The hike from the north end of the park down to the south is actually quite beautiful. The broad walkway starting at the dancing fountain in the core leads directly to the lake and is surrounded by smaller ponds and generous amounts of flora. The gardeners at Disney are amongst the best and the entire property is always dressed to the nines. Just see for your self…

First, a little bit of the EPCOT Christmas tree…

And then a few of the topiaries that were done up just for the holidays
starting with the Lady of the house

The dude with the serious temper issues

Mouse’s best friend…

And of course, the patron saint of the DDC…

From here we could see our ultimate destination just off across the pond

We made the right at the top of the lake and headed of toward England. Of course you can’t get to England without first going through Canada (obviously this is not the place to be attempting to teach your kids the aspects of cartography… Cultural studies yes, but map reading and the concepts of geopolitical borders, not so much).

Upon arriving in the UK, we checked into the Rose & Crown…

…received our complementary pager, and headed off into the shops around the square while we waited for our call back. It didn’t seem like very much time had passed before the call came in and shortly after that we found ourselves sitting on the back porch of the R&C looking across the lake and over the lunch menus. If you can possibly manage it, try to have dinner at The Rose during Iluminations. If you’re lucky enough to pick up one of these coveted ADRs, and then also lucky enough to be seated on the porch, you’ll have what is just about the best seat in the house for watching the festivities. Our server for the day was actually Irish and was just so sweet that you could’a sopped her up with a biscuit. Max continued his penchant for ordering seafood and had the fish ‘n chips (which was quite good as a matter of fact). The adults asked our lovely server what she’d recommend (well I asked as I still hadn’t been able to replace my reading glasses), and we decided to go with her suggestion. So just what was “that”? Well here’s how the menu described it:

“Filet of Beef - topped with English Stilton with Irish Potato Gratin, seasonal vegetables,and Shallot Gravy”

…and as it turned out, “that” was far and away the best meal I’ve ever had on Disney property (and I’ve had some fine eats there). With a good beer on the side and an excellent desert to wrap it up, you could say that I was mightily pleased with this little bit of Disney table service. We’d originally chosen the Rose and Crown as a bit of a lark (being as we could not get “resies” at Le Cellere and didn’t know what else we might enjoy). The thought here was that we’d give it a try and if it was worth a dang at all, we’d shoot for getting an Iluminations Dinner ADR here at some point in the future. Given the stellar performance by the cooks and staff on this day however, I’ll likely be back here far more often during my travels in The World.

 

[afwdwfan]

quicker then a jackrabbit on a date

(and apparently this is not a job that I should be in charge of).

I kind of worry about this myself. I'm used to just wearing cargo shorts and stuffing anything I might need into a pocket somewhere. Traveling with DS, we're going to need a bag of some sort to keep with us... I dread that more than anything else about traveling with a toddler.

I’m just about the most imperfect person I’ve ever met, but at least this time, I got the problem fixed.

Hey, you got it back, that's the important part!

Unlike our experience and MK the day before, at least today there were passes to be had for the main attractions.

That's quite a relief!

Next… A quick stop in Club Cool.

Confession time: another place I've never visited in WDW. I typically try not to drink many carbonated beverages, especially when I'm hot and sweaty. Therefore, Club Cool has never even appealed to me (even though the drinks are free). I really want to go there just for the challenge of trying to shotgun more than 3 cups of Beverly though as per the challenge that has been thrown down on the DIS Dad's Facebook page.
We have a tradition when we tailgate at Purdue football games of doing shots of Sambuca. I don't know who ever thought that stuff tasted good, but I figure if I can choke that stuff down, I can drink anything.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Must give credit where due for the “jack rabbit” line. I first heard that one in the screen play of “A Christmas Story” which (as an Indiana boy I’m sure you’re aware) is based on Gene Sheppard’s short stories and recollections. One of my favorite movies of all time.

I kind of worry about this myself. I'm used to just wearing cargo shorts and stuffing anything I might need into a pocket somewhere. Traveling with DS, we're going to need a bag of some sort to keep with us... I dread that more than anything else about traveling with a toddler.

All toddler travel is closer akin to deep sea exploration then tourism. Just going to dinner requires the same supply chain and logistics as a military operation. I’m sure that you’re already use to fetchin’ and totin’ all the gear required to solve most of your young’en needs, so I suspect that you’ll be just fine even at Disney.

I, on the other hand, haven’t had to do that type of planning in a l-o-n-g time and am no longer accustomed to keepin’ up with extra baggage and paraphernalia. The way I made sure that I wouldn’t forget the backpack again on this trip, was by turning it over to my son for the rest of the day. Kids don’t use lockers any more at school so all of ‘em are use to hauling bags and backpacks around everywhere they go anyway (problem solved).

Hey, you got it back, that's the important part!

Yes… yes I did (but I’m still the most imperfect person I know )

That's quite a relief!

As it turned out our day at MK was by far the worst for crowds.
The rest of it was fairly manageable.

Confession time: another place I've never visited in WDW. I typically try not to drink many carbonated beverages, especially when I'm hot and sweaty. Therefore, Club Cool has never even appealed to me (even though the drinks are free). I really want to go there just for the challenge of trying to shotgun more than 3 cups of Beverly though as per the challenge that has been thrown down on the DIS Dad's Facebook page.
We have a tradition when we tailgate at Purdue football games of doing shots of Sambuca. I don't know who ever thought that stuff tasted good, but I figure if I can choke that stuff down, I can drink anything.

Actually your approach is a much better choice from a health and fitness perspective. I’m never had particularly good snacking habits. I have gotten to where I rarely drink soda any more as well, but I do make exceptions during vacations, at restaurants that don’t have a concept of how to make proper tea and in those instances where good ginger ail is actually available (and I do mean it has to be “good” ginger ale).

We discovered “Cool” during a major heat wave a number of trips back and enjoyed the novelty of it, so we continue to return (but I rarely have much of the other drinks on the fountain any more)

As for shotgunning Beverly… you’re a better man then I if you can do it. I ain’t takin’ that wager.

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

Welcome aboard the good ship loony-tune (oh wait… that’s the wrong bunch of brilliant animators ain’t it now?) Anyway, it’s more a statement of my mind set that a description of the overall effect of the… Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t really know what I’m talking about half the time.

But I really am glad that you decided to join in. And thanks for laughing. You need to invite your co-workers over to The Dis. As you already know, it’s quite addictive.

Totally addicting. I spend more time reading the DIS than I do actually working. So NO, we don't want my co workers to join and see what I'm up to!

 

[afwdwfan]

Must give credit where due for the “jack rabbit” line. I first heard that one in the screen play of “A Christmas Story” which (as an Indiana boy I’m sure you’re aware) is based on Gene Sheppard’s short stories and recollections. One of my favorite movies of all time.

Yeah, I may have seen that movie once or twice.

I have gotten to where I rarely drink soda any more as well, but I do make exceptions during vacations, at restaurants that don’t have a concept of how to make proper tea and in those instances where good ginger ail is actually available (and I do mean it has to be “good” ginger ale).

Yeah, for whatever health benefits I get by avoiding soda, I'm sure I more than make up for it in a negative manner by the vast amouts of sweet tea I consume.

Totally addicting. I spend more time reading the DIS than I do actually working. So NO, we don't want my co workers to join and see what I'm up to!

I'm guilty of the same. In fact I'm sitting at work right now. My only complaint is that we have a stupid firewall here so I can't see many of the pictures that are posted on the boards.