Canadian Buffoon's Disney With a Teen Vacation - 08/13 - The Wrap

[lisaviolet]

Car sickness.

Oh I should read more carefully. Poor her.

There is nothing I love more than a road trip.

Union Station, not mine. That's where.

 

[pkondz]

Oh I should read more carefully. Poor her.

I may not have mentioned the reason, actually. But that's what it is.

There is nothing I love more than a road trip.

Union Station, not mine. That's where.

Hmmm.... "not mine"... Another Union Station in some other city?

 

[lisaviolet]

Hmmm.... "not mine"... Another Union Station in some other city?

Yeah a city where the clock just struck midnight and the mosquitoes just went to sleep.

Is that not what the station is called?

 

[orangecats2]

Tracking says the package has "entered a foreign country" I hope they mean the US and not somewhere in 'frickin Siberia!

I'd put a vacation countown in my siggie but I've never been able to figure out to copy and paste on my laptop.

 

[pkondz]

Yeah a city where the clock just struck midnight and the mosquitoes just went to sleep.

Is that not what the station is called?

Wait... What? Here? When?

Tracking says the package has "entered a foreign country" I hope they mean the US and not somewhere in 'frickin Siberia!

I'm going to take that as a good sign and assume the foreign country in question is the right one.

I'd put a vacation countown in my siggie but I've never been able to figure out to copy and paste on my laptop.

No problem.
Count the number of days until you go. Pop that into your siggie...
And update it everyday at midnight.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

You can't go wrong there....

Sure about that?

Well.... yeah... you can.... very, very, very wrong.

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

What's the first letter in the name of your country?

Well, actually…
That would be a “T”.

I aren't smart enough for those fractious thingies.

It’s much easier to be a fractious thingie…
then to try and understand fractious thingies.

Plus I was busy watching that little flag going up for a while.

Part of the plan…
You’ve actually been hypnotized by that little flag.

I’m just not telling you what posthypnotic suggestion I’ve since implanted into your subconscious
(or what the key word might be).

My theory is that we've actually had a nuclear war and the only thing that survived were the roaches and crickets.
They then evolved (or mutated... the jury's still out) and recreated us as they remembered us.

You maniacs… you blew it up!

Wait, only as “they” remember us?
That means that in my past actual life there was a possibility that things weren’t as crappy as they are now?

Well that stinks…

When you're right, you're right.

See, that don’t work as a quip, because I wasn’t joking.
I’m convinced of the fact.

You have no idea how prophetic those words are.

Pretty sure I do.
I’ve done been through the raising-a-teen phase like yourself and I wasn’t even dealing with girls.
I foresee much rolling of the eyes to come.

Not much to tell.
We drove down, stopped at the border. Stopped at Grand Forks so she could shop a bit.
Stopped and spent the night in Fargo.
Ate at a couple of fun restaurants, Space Alien Cafe and the Wurst Bier Hall.
The last is actually a pub, but it serves all kinds of sausage (I think we each had boar)
and a dish she loves called Spaetzle (German noodles with gravy).
It also had the best Rootbeer on tap that I think I've ever had.
After that we didn't have much to do, until she said she wanted to see the zoo.
She loves animals, so we did and had a lot of fun at their little zoo.
Then we drove back. Done!

Sounds like a nice little trip though.

And I like’s me some Spaetzle… yummmm (now you’ve got me wanting to head over to the Waldhorn for dinner). The root beer; that y’all can keep though (were it ginger beer or a good cider, that’d be a different story)

I kinda hope she'll go into law later in life... and I'm also a little afraid that she'll go into law later in life.
I don't know if humanity would survive the process.

Well we’re already cursed by the existence of lawyers (and I suspect that the roaches made them extra slimy when they recreated humanity as they remembered it; given the similarities). So all in all, I think we’d survive, and she might make quite the difference.

Oh, pish. You can practically walk to Disney from where you are!

Oh I can get to Fla alright.
It’s the notion of getting anywhere else north or west that’s the issue.
There’s a lot of this continent I’ve not seen, and while I’d like the adventure of a couple week drive to really explore the grand west, I’m not allowed that much time off at a crack. Without flying in first, I’d never get to take any of it in for having to cover the initial distances first.

Which one of the many, many times where I'm stupid are you referring to?

I was really talking about when you were trying to figure out the flights to WDW for this trip but didn’t quote the best part of the paragraph to make that clear. The conversation that was going on in the last TR about the travails of the that process were the nail biter I was on about here.

I'm sorry, is there a difference?

Most certainly…
Search your feelings… you know it to be true.

Yep. I truly believe my main goal as a parent is to embarrass my kid.
And teasing them relentlessly is a close second.

And there is no reason not to be very good at accomplishing our main goal, now is there.

Why do you say that?
Just curious.

Slowing down as a benefit… at Disney!
Sacrilegious!

But maybe not so.
A couple things I’ve learned about Disney and myself are firstly: I’m coming back – it’s inevitable.
That also means that if I miss something this time around, it’s not really that big a deal.
These two things have led me to discover that taking my time, and even (gasp) taking some down time in the midst of the trip, are not necessarily bad things. Not something I’d have done my first five or six times on property, but something I do practice now that I’ve experienced it a few times.

 

[ALEXandFAB]

Enjoyed reading your solo trip report. I've finally figured out how to sign on again (since forgetting my password from 2004! ) and am SO READY to follow along as you relive your most recent trip

 

[bc7ate9]

Canadian Buffoon's Disney With a Teen Vacation

(Alternate title: Oh Gawd... What Have I done?????)


It's kind of funny actually.
The number of trips that I/we've been on recently
considering our commitment to not going on any.
Since we decided to buckle down and not travel,
we've been to Hawaii, Europe, Ottawa, Niagara Falls and Disney.

So that whole "Not travel" thing may not be quite what we thought.


If you haven't already, and would like to read about those travels,
the links are in my siggie, down at the end of this post.



After not having been to Disney for five years,
I suddenly decided to do a solo trip last February.
At the time, someone suggested that I get an AP
(Annual Pass for those acronymically challenged.)

What a nice, but misguided thought.
I go to Disney anywhere from four to 10 years between trips!


So, of course here I am going again six months later.
Sans AP.


Five out of three people claim to be bad at math.
Guess I'm a quarter of them.


So how did this trip come to be, you ask?
Wow! I'm really glad you asked!
Because if you hadn't, right about now I'd be typing "The End".

Aren't you glad you asked? Aren't you?

Aren't you??


<cricket><cricket>


TOO BAD YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT IT ANYWAY!
Sorry about the yelling.
Hope you didn't have your eyes turned all the way up.

Which brings me to the title of this little ditty.


Canadian Buffoon, well, that's me. Hence the apology.
We do that. It's our thing.
Canadians that is.
I don't know about buffoons. Even though I are one.
The Teen in question is my youngest DD, Kay.
Fourteen, going on thirty.
A force to be reckoned with at times, but a wonderful kid.
(usually... did you miss the "teen" part???)
Pictures? Oh, there'll be some... later.
No sense in scaring off the new readers quite yet.
The old readers are already traumatised and immune now.
(Actually, I suspect there'll be more photos of your
favourite TR writer than usual.)
WHADYA MEAN I'M NOT YOUR FAVOURITE?!?!?!?

Just for that, you get a picture of us!!
(That'll learn ya.)
Hmmm... I need to make a good first impression here.
A photo that bespeaks of our quiet nature.
Something sedate, mature, intelligent... sublime and refined.

This'll do.

Sorry.
(Oh, and in case you haven't figured it out...
that's us in the front row.)
And if you still haven't figured it out...
I'm on the right, Kay's on the left of the photo
and you need to get your eyes checked... right now.
No, seriously. Go. Make an appointment.




All done?
Okay... (Not that you can read this, Batman.)



So this is how it started.
(Oh, settle down. And stop rolling your eyes. I'm getting to it!)


When I got back from Disney, last February,
I decided that the next trip needed to involve the DW, Ruby.
She works really hard and I really want to get her to relax... even if just for a bit.
I asked her what she'd like to do and:
"I'd like to take a drive and see Deadwood" was the answer.
We'd seen the HBO mini-miniseries of the same name and liked it.
We mentioned that we'd like to see the real deal.
This was years ago.
But we (and obviously, especially, she) haven't forgotten.
"When do you want to go?" Says I, says I. "I've got some leave in July and August."
And Ruby picks August.
Sounds good. I go about doing my thing.
Namely starting research.
Lots to do in the area. Mt. Rushmore being the most well-known.

Not too long after this, Disney announces Free Dining.
"Gee. That makes it almost affordable." I think.


Well, of course, that's the kiss of death right there, no?
No. I manage to put it out of my head.
Even with free dining, it's still not going to be free.


A little more history...
(Would you please stop rolling your eyes!)


Last year, I took Elle (my eldest DD) and her friend Dee on a road trip
to Niagara Falls for a dance competition.
On the way, we visited Chicago, the Christmas Story house in Cleveland,
Cedar Point, and of course, Niagara Falls.
I even managed to squeeze in a couple of DISmeets along the way.


Kay got a trip to Fargo, ND.


Two years earlier, I took Elle to Montreal for another dance competition.
Kay stayed home.

We had no plans to take the DDs with us to Deadwood et al,
but we didn't feel right about not asking Kay if she wanted to come along.

Kay does not do well in cars.
Road trips, for Kay, are just another form of torture.
She was very quick to say no to a road trip.


I discussed Kay with Ruby.
Elle has had a few trips related to dance while Kay has either tagged along,
or stayed home.
Not fair! We cried.

You know how it is...
As a parent, you want to give your child the world, but...

How about, I offered, a Daddy/Daughter trip after our Deadwood trip?
Ruby was for it, so I surreptitiously sounded out Kay.
"Hey, Kay! (that rhymes) Which would you prefer?
A trip to Chicago or a trip to Minneapolis?"
"Neither. I don't like long drives." She says.
"No, no, no. If you could fly." I reply.
"Oh. Minneapolis." She says.
The answer surprised me a bit, but... okay.
"Cedar Point (near Cleveland) or Valley Fair (near Minneapolis.)" I query.
"Valley Fair." She says.
Huh! I would've guessed Cedar Point. She loves thrill rides. Whatever.
Now for the clincher.
"Valley Fair or Disneyworld?" I wheedle.
"Valley Fair." She replies.


What?????


Well, we'd been to Valley Fair a few years back
and there was one ride that we didn't do.
As she saw it, she had unfinished business at Valley Fair and that was that.
I questioned her about it some more and eventually she admitted
that since there was no real hope of going to Disney,
she'd stick with Valley Fair.


Ah! But you see, there Is a Santa Claus, Vir.... uh... sorry. Got off track.
There is a way to do Disney, Kay!


In Canada, we have two major airlines.
Air Canada, the largest and snootiest of the two and
WestJet, the up and comer and enjoyable one.

I had just switched my credit card over to a WestJet credit card.
Why? Because they gave me a $300 credit
and an annual $99 companion fare.
Which means I could fly to Orlando for $300 less than normal
and Kay could come with me for only another $99!
(Plus one free bag per guest.)

So I told Kay the good news and assured her
that I would look into flights that night.


Whoo, boy.
There are times in my life when I simply astound myself at just how stupid I can be.
This was one of those times.
I had a very, verrrrrry narrow window in which to book our trip.
And wouldn't you know it, there were no cheap flights left for those dates.
We're talking over $2,000 for one ticket... and that includes the $300 discount!
We can't afford that! That's crazy!

I tried everything. Multiple times, multiple dates (within my narrow range),
multiple departure/destinations.
Multiple airlines, drive and fly...
Nothing worked.


I couldn't tell Kay.
She was so excited!
She was going to go to Disney!
How could I tell her that it wasn't going to happen???


I felt like a class-A jerk.


I prevaricated.
I told her that it didn't look good.
I told her that I would keep looking at flights.
I told her that I'd do my best, but don't get your hopes up.

I just couldn't come right out and say it wasn't going to happen.

It was soul crushing.
Every day. After work. Before work.
First thing in the morning. Last thing at night...

"Dad? Did you check the flights to Disney today?"
"Yes I did." (And I did. Several times a day, in fact.)
"And?..." With some, but not much, hope in her voice.
"Nothing yet. But I'll keep looking."

She'd come up with alternatives.
"What if we drove part way and then flew?"
(Already crunched those numbers. Either too long or too much.)
"Sorry kiddo. I tried that. But I'll keep looking."
"What if we flew with another airline?"
"Doesn't work. Sorry Kay."


I was not enjoying life.
I was stringing my kid along.
And, I guess, I was stringing myself along too.
Maybe? Just maybe? I'd think of... something?


And then something happened.
One day, Ruby came home and wanted to talk to me.
(Oh, shush. She does so talk to me all the time. It's a figure of speech. Sheesh.)

Ruby informed me that she was completely swamped at work
and there was no way she could do the Deadwood trip.
She wasn't just saying that. She really was swamped.
She had several huge projects... all due August 31st.

"Maybe we can do it later? I just can't go in August."

I was disappointed, but I knew enough not to argue with my wife.
(See ladies? Hit us over the head often enough and we can learn!
Oh, not much and not well... but still!!!)


I had to go in to work that night and while it was slow,
armed with the knowledge that my window of opportunity had just increased,
I opened up my browser and surfed over to WestJet’s' website.

There was a chance.
The flights weren't ideal, but it was do-able.
Did Disney have room in the Values?
I plugged in my dates, selected Free Dining and crossed my fingers.


ASMusic... sold out.
ASMovies... sold out.
ASSports... sold out.
Come on.... come on...
Pop... sold.... wait.
Pop has one category available. Preferred Pool View.
Still within budget?
A bit more than I wanted, but....
I quickly booked the flights and the resort!

Done!


Now I just had to break the good news to Kay!
I figured she'd be up when I got home.
If not, I'd see her the next day.
I wanted to do this in person, not over the phone.


I got home that night around eleven.
I was right, Kay was still up.
I pretended ignorance. I didn't have to try very hard.

"Dad? Did you look into flights to Disney?"
I think at this point she was pretty much on autopilot.
There wasn't much hope left in the question.
More just a stubborn refusal to give up, no matter what.

I sighed.
"Yeah. We need to talk about that.
Let's go into your room so we don't wake up your mother."


I really wish they handed out Academy Awards for acting at home.
I was a shoe-in for a little golden nude dude holding a sword.
(Why is that, anyway? Weird.)


Dejectedly, Kay wandered into her room. I followed behind.
We sat down. I started to talk.
"Okay, listen. I know I said that I'd keep looking for flights and I have been.
I've looked every day and I keep coming up with the same results."
(Her head started to dip down in defeat.)
"You know that I only have leave for a certain period of time.
There's just no way that we're going to be able to go to Disney during the time
after you're Mom and I get back from Deadwood. It's just not going to happen."
(Head down almost to her chest.)
"You're Mom and I were talking and she told me
that she couldn't go to Deadwood either, now."
(Head all the way down... accepting the inevitable now.)
"Which means that there's more dates that I can look at,
so I did and we're going to Disneyworld."
(Head snaps up. Did she hear that right?)
I hand her the package with the flight and hotel confirmations.


She bursts into tears of happiness.


Yep. That was satisfying.


"You're so mean! I thought you were going to tell me we couldn't go!"
If you can't torment your children, then why did you have them?


We talked about Disney for a bit and I advised her to do some homework
and figure out what she'd like to do.
One of the first things out of her mouth was she wanted to find Woody and yell:
"Andy's coming!" To see him fall down.
I told her they don't do that anymore.
She then asked me about another thing that Disney doesn't do anymore,
(What, exactly, escapes me. I think it was to find Push.)
She was 0 for 2.
I was getting nervous.
Next she was going to ask to ride 20,000 Leagues and wake up Tink.

Luckily, she had other requests that I could grant.
Ride RNRC and TOT.
Go to the Japan store (in Japan/Epcot)
Ride Sum of all Thrills.

I assured her I'd do everything in my power to make it happen.


It was getting late, so I told her we'd talk more the next (now that) day.
I went back to my room and it suddenly hit me.


What did I just do?


As I mentioned, I've traveled a fair bit with Elle.
She's a very easygoing travel companion.
She wants to see and do it all.
If I say "We have to be up by 4am so we can be first in line." she'll gladly do it.
Her vocabulary consists mainly of the word "yes".

Kay, on the other hand is a whole other kettle of fish.
If I say "We have to be up by 4am..."
Well, I won't finish the sentence before she'll start arguing
and pointing out all the reasons why she shouldn't wake up before noon.
Her vocabulary consists mainly of the word "no".


Don't get me wrong, I love both my little girls.
But I also know that traveling with one is completely different
from traveling with the other.
I'm more of a rope drop, plan the day kind of guy.
Kay is more laid back, let's do whatever.
I was going to have to learn to slow down a bit.
Or a lot.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
Someone once said, "Let it go." (no idea who)
Good idea.
Otherwise we were going to smother each other...

I did know, however, that to do some of the things she wanted to do
would require some planning.
We were already within our 60 day FP+/ADR window.
Which brings up another point.
When I booked the resort package,
Disney charged the full amount to my credit card.
Annoying, but whatever.
I'd have to pay it sooner or later.
Well in the time from when I booked it to the actual trip,
the CDN dollar fell a few more cents.
So by charging me up front, I actually saved a bit of money.
Disney. Always making sure to save their customers some money.


What? What's so funny?



Anyway...
As I said, I was within 60 days.
I had discussed some restaurant and ride choices with Kay.
I did my best, but was unable to get two ADRs.
(I did just fine with the FPs)
I wasn't able to get a BOG ADR nor a Wishes Dessert Party ADR.
Over the next month, I tried about once a day
to see if there were any cancellations.
At one point, Wishes Dessert Party opened up,
but it was on a night where we weren't planning on being in MK.
Could we switch plans around? Yes we could!
But by then, it was already too late.
Someone else had already snatched up the opening.
Never did see another one.

In retrospect, I'm kind of glad we didn't get it.
We had plenty to eat and I don't know if we would've enjoyed it much
on full stomachs!


Booking the FPs was a bit problematic too.
I had to go on the assumption that Kay might be coerced into getting up semi-early.
Maybe even around 9 or 10!
Regardless, I generally booked the fastpasses with the assumption that the first one
would either be done at the end of the one hour window, or not at all.
I think I did okay. Time would tell.

Now, with all the FPs booked and ADRs done (well... almost... gotta keep checking!)
the only thing left was to wait for the big day to arrive.
And as the day got closer and closer,
I had this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach...


I will admit.
I was worried.
I was worried that we'd be at each other's throats!
Me: "Get up! Come on! We have to Go! Go! Go!"
Kay: "I want to sleep some more, I want to sit down, I don't want to go!"
Me: "Let's go!"
Kay: "Let's stay!"


I took a deep breath.
I was just there a few months ago.
I did and saw a whole bunch of stuff... at my own speed... on my own terms.
And the big question:
Just who was this trip for, anyway????
Well, yeah. Me too, but mainly it was for Kay... right? Right?
Right.

So shortly before our trip I sat Kay down
and told her I needed to tell her something.
So Kay, being a normal teenage kid,
prepared for the inevitable grounding/electronics confiscation/extra chores.

"Listen. I want to make sure you have a good time in Disney, okay?
So If I'm walking too fast, just tell me to slow down and I will,
no questions asked.
I may explain why we need to be somewhere for something
and we can figure it out then.
If you want to sleep later, just tell me.
If you want to go back to the hotel and just chill in the middle of the day,
(I took a deep breath) that's okay too.
This trip is for you, so we go at your own pace, okay?"

She thought about it for a second and said.
"Can we just take a day and spend it at the hotel?"
A chill ran down my spine.
All I could think was:
"Do you have any idea how much this costs...
and all you want to do is stay in the room????"
But what came out of my mouth was, "Yes."


And I'm oh-so glad that I had that conversation with her.
I may or may not mention it again,
but there were a few times (not a lot... but they were there)
when Kay would say "Slow down" and I would.
I think we both benefited.
She didn't stew because I was killing her
and I didn't kill her... much.


So now that we have all that out of the way,
we're all set to go on our trip!


How did it go?
Did I kill my daughter?
Either by pushing her too far,
or by choking her to death because she pushed me too far?
Maybe both?


Care to find out?


Hopefully, if you're willing,
I'll be able to tell you (and show you!) in the coming days.
Brace yourselves....
It's the Canadian Buffoon Disney With a Teen Vacation!!!


ps. Did I mention the contest? One with a real prize and everything?
Details next chapter!

I'm from Minneapolis and I cannot comprehend your daughter wanting to come here. Ever. At all.

 

[ForeverDance]

Be honest... did it drive you completely insane?
Did it?
It did, didn't it.

Not at all. I spent hours and hours researching the best times to be at each park and painstakingly booking FPs completely for the fun of it.

In all honesty I know my husband well enough to know that this was likely going to happen with the new FP system so I was prepared for it. But it still stung a bit... or a lot.

 

[Steppesister]

Well, crap. 2 days mostly off the DIS and I land on PG. 3. Ah well. Let's just call it sliding in with style and fashionably late to the party. Trying to save my blown out wrist, so I can't do a ton of typing... but know I"m here and am subscribing so I can hara....erm, keep up-ish.

 

[BibbitybobityLu]

Okay I'm back and I've caught up!

Five out of three people claim to be bad at math.
Guess I'm a quarter of them.

Of course 120% correct!

Because if you hadn't, right about now I'd be typing "The End".

But you did type "The End"....

The old readers are already traumatised and immune now.

No, no...you can NEVER be immune to that!

Wow you and Kay really look alike! And you are both a lot shorter than I thought...and a lot younger......but it explains your lack of man card

(Oh, and in case you haven't figured it out...
that's us in the front row.)
And if you still haven't figured it out...
I'm on the right, Kay's on the left of the photo

Oh the front row...of course!

As a parent, you want to give your child the world, but...

There are times in my life when I simply astound myself at just how stupid I can be.

Really? It never astounds me how stupid I can be!

That is how I feel about life all the time!

And then something happened.
One day, Ruby came home and wanted to talk to me.

(Oh, shush. She does so talk to me all the time. It's a figure of speech. Sheesh.)

Yeah. Sure. We believe you.

I pretended ignorance

Hahahaha! Pretended!

I sighed.
"Yeah. We need to talk about that.
Let's go into your room so we don't wake up your mother."

So mean. So so mean

I really wish they handed out Academy Awards for acting at home.
I was a shoe-in for a little golden nude dude holding a sword.
(Why is that, anyway? Weird.)

Well I guess its better than a naked guy holding his sword

She bursts into tears of happiness.

Yep. That was satisfying.

Someone once said, "Let it go." (no idea who)

It was Will Ferrell.

You're welcome!

How did it go?
Did I kill my daughter?

I'm going to say yes you did, and you are writing this TR from prison with your new special friend Larry!

Hi Lou! You're first on here!
to the TR!

I read that first as you have to go work on your do... then re-read it to confirm you didn't say to go do a work out...
I got it eventually...

I was first!! That's means I won right??

Ha! Like I do anything to my do...or work out!

That is my motto in life

 

[lisaviolet]

Wait... What? Here? When?

Yes here. There!
Let me see, just home from Vancouver so about ten days ago.

The train was so damn long that I couldn't even get off it in your glorious city. Thank God I made no plans. Can you imagine? Laughing. Me hanging out the side - "Hey Ponzi I'm over here. Over in this grassy area!!!!". Not in the station by the way it was so long, and we were in the Park Car, that my car was around the bloody corner from the station. I'm not joking about the around the corner.

I thought of you because I was hanging over a highway/on ramp? and saw a motorcycle fly by. Because of course you are the only one riding.

We were already six hours late so we didn't get the usual three in Winnipeg, just 45.

Why couldn't I get out?

Well my mom couldn't so I wouldn't. She was in the accessibility suite/wheelchair bound, and they couldn't make the track for her, and with her dementia there was no way I was leaving her sitting there just to stuff my face at The Forks.

I did receive gifts from my travelling companion though - bananas and nuts. Funny they taste the same in Winnipeg.

This was my mom's trip, I was tagging along and free by the way - on the train. I wanted to make sure that she had everything Dad got and US travel is out of the question for her with insurance.

The Winnipegger that was my new porter was totally miffed with me. Why? She had checked to see if the accessibility suite was open 48 hours before her shift. It was!!!! She was in glee as she could take it over. It sits with the new prestige suites that run close to $8000 each way/per person. Our suite was pretty well given away.

Only a weirdo like me would book the day before, laughing. She wasn't impressed with my spontaneity. At all.

 

[cinderkelly]

Holy Monkey! Page 3 already!?!? Guess that's what I get for taking the weekend off of Disboarding to rip out 1000 sq ft of carpet and put new flooring down. Sheesh.....


I've been waiting for this TR to get rolling!

Haven't read a word of this TR yet, well except for the title, does that count? Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride

 

[pkondz]

Sure about that?

Absolutely!..... not.

Well, actually…
That would be a “T”.

Are you sure? Really sure? My comprehensive research (read: Google) tells me different.

Part of the plan…
You’ve actually been hypnotized by that little flag.

I’m just not telling you what posthypnotic suggestion I’ve since implanted into your subconscious
(or what the key word might be).

Oh, great. Now I've got to wonder about it for the rest of my life.

True story.
I took Kay and a friend to a local carnival earlier this summer.
They went and did their own thing while I wandered around.
I stumbled on a stage hypnotist towards the end of his act.
There were 3 young men on stage that were huddling together (because they were "freezing").
At the end, the hypnotist told them that they would remember everything,
they would feel relaxed... but for the next 5 minutes and 5 minutes only...
Any time someone mentioned the hypnotists name
(don't remember it, but let's say Joe Smith)
they would shout out "I slept with that guy!"

As it happened, when the show ended I walked out
and was going in the same direction of one of the young men.
People kept saying "Joe Smith!" and he would immediately call out
"I slept with that guy!"

You maniacs… you blew it up!

Oh, brother.
I Knew that line! I could almost hear it in my head....
But try as I might, I just couldn't place it.
Finally Googled it.... felt like an idiot when I saw what it was.
Duh!

Wait, only as “they” remember us?
That means that in my past actual life there was a possibility that things weren’t as crappy as they are now?

Well that stinks…

Sorry about that, Chief.

Pretty sure I do.
I’ve done been through the raising-a-teen phase like yourself and I wasn’t even dealing with girls.
I foresee much rolling of the eyes to come.

You'll find out in the days/weeks/months? to come.

Well we’re already cursed by the existence of lawyers (and I suspect that the roaches made them extra slimy when they recreated humanity as they remembered it; given the similarities).

They didn't make them extra slimy... if anything, they purtyed them up a bit.

There’s a lot of this continent I’ve not seen, and while I’d like the adventure of a couple week drive to really explore the grand west, I’m not allowed that much time off at a crack. Without flying in first, I’d never get to take any of it in for having to cover the initial distances first.

Is it the journey or the destination...
Sometimes you don't have time for the journey!

I was really talking about when you were trying to figure out the flights to WDW for this trip but didn’t quote the best part of the paragraph to make that clear. The conversation that was going on in the last TR about the travails of the that process were the nail biter I was on about here.

Ah. Gotcha.

Slowing down as a benefit… at Disney!
Sacrilegious!

But maybe not so.
A couple things I’ve learned about Disney and myself are firstly: I’m coming back – it’s inevitable.
That also means that if I miss something this time around, it’s not really that big a deal.
These two things have led me to discover that taking my time, and even (gasp) taking some down time in the midst of the trip, are not necessarily bad things. Not something I’d have done my first five or six times on property, but something I do practice now that I’ve experienced it a few times.

I get that.
I really do.
While I'm still in the Go! Go! Go! phase,
I do at least recognize that there will always be much that cannot be done in one trip.

 

[pkondz]

Enjoyed reading your solo trip report.

Thanks!

I've finally figured out how to sign on again (since forgetting my password from 2004! )

Whoa! It took you 10 years to remember????
Don't ever.... ever lose your car keys.

and am SO READY to follow along as you relive your most recent trip

And I'm glad you're here! to the TR!

I'm from Minneapolis and I cannot comprehend your daughter wanting to come here. Ever. At all.

We used to come down fairly often, just for a getaway.
But TBH, we would stick to the mall and IKEA.
Now that the kids are older, Camp Snoopy/Nickelodeon Universe doesn't appeal
and we have our own IKEA.

But she's bound and determined to ride that last ride at Valleyfair!

And to the TR!

Not at all. I spent hours and hours researching the best times to be at each park and painstakingly booking FPs completely for the fun of it.

I hear ya!

In all honesty I know my husband well enough to know that this was likely going to happen with the new FP system so I was prepared for it. But it still stung a bit... or a lot.

I felt the same with Kay.
"Oooh, I'd like to do that... but I doubt Kay will, so.... oh, well."

Perhaps another solo trip will be in my future?

Well, crap. 2 days mostly off the DIS and I land on PG. 3.

Ya snooze ya... wind up on page 3.

Ah well. Let's just call it sliding in with style and fashionably late to the party.

Sure. If that makes you feel better.
I, on the other hand am hurt.
Deeply hurt, that you took so long to get here.

Trying to save my blown out wrist, so I can't do a ton of typing... but know I"m here and am subscribing so I can hara....erm, keep up-ish.

"So you can hara...." you want to be in my harem, don't you.
Don't even bother trying to deny it.

Seriously, I know you have a bad wrist and I'm pleased
and surprised that you even typed what you did.
And Liesa... to the TR!

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[pkondz]

Of course 120% correct!

I knew I could count on you!

But you did type "The End"....

So did you.
So we're even.
I like your end, do you like mine?

No, no...you can NEVER be immune to that!

Oh, brother.
Still trying to deny it aren't you.
You know you love me. Just admit it to yourself and you'll feel a lot better.

Trust me.

Wow you and Kay really look alike! And you are both a lot shorter than I thought...and a lot younger......but it explains your lack of man card

We both started smoking at a very young age.
Stunted our growth.

Really? It never astounds me how stupid I can be!

Huh. I'm always amazed.
Pretty much every day I do something and think:
"Well, I can't do anything more stupid than that!"
And the very next day... I do! Amazing!

That is how I feel about life all the time!

Aw, really?
You're making me sad, girl.

Yeah. Sure. We believe you.

Gee. And here I thought I was so convincing.

Hahahaha! Pretended!

I did say it was easy.

Well I guess its better than a naked guy holding his sword

I'm sorry, what do you mean by that?
Could you explain please?

It was Will Ferrell.

Ah. Yes. That's where I heard it.

I'm going to say yes you did, and you are writing this TR from prison with your new special friend Larry!

He's a really great guy!
I mean, sure, when we first met in cells he kept calling me "Ben Dover",
but it's all good now.

I was first!! That's means I won right??

My undying love and affection?

Yes.

Ha! Like I do anything to my do...or work out!

That is my motto in life

It's always good to have a motto. I have several.
Hmmmm....
I'll give you this one.
"I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing."

 

[pkondz]

Yes here. There!
Let me see, just home from Vancouver so about ten days ago.

The train was so damn long that I couldn't even get off it in your glorious city. Thank God I made no plans. Can you imagine? Laughing. Me hanging out the side - "Hey Ponzi I'm over here. Over in this grassy area!!!!". Not in the station by the way it was so long, and we were in the Park Car, that my car was around the bloody corner from the station. I'm not joking about the around the corner.

I do understand. And depending on direction, I know which corner you were around.
Wait... that didn't sound good at all.
"So... this Lisaviolet... which corner does she hang around?"

I thought of you because I was hanging over a highway/on ramp? and saw a motorcycle fly by. Because of course you are the only one riding.

I'm the only important one riding.

Why couldn't I get out?

Well my mom couldn't so I wouldn't. She was in the accessibility suite/wheelchair bound, and they couldn't make the track for her, and with her dementia there was no way I was leaving her sitting there just to stuff my face at The Forks.

Ah. Well, yes. That does make sense.

I did receive gifts from my travelling companion though - bananas and nuts. Funny they taste the same in Winnipeg.

But colder, right?

This was my mom's trip, I was tagging along and free by the way - on the train. I wanted to make sure that she had everything Dad got and US travel is out of the question for her with insurance.

I do remember the trip with your Dad.
Very nice of you to do this again, now with your Mom.
Next time (if there is a next time) that you're in town... tell me!

The Winnipegger that was my new porter was totally miffed with me. Why? She had checked to see if the accessibility suite was open 48 hours before her shift. It was!!!! She was in glee as she could take it over. It sits with the new prestige suites that run close to $8000 each way/per person. Our suite was pretty well given away.

Only a weirdo like me would book the day before, laughing. She wasn't impressed with my spontaneity. At all.

Spontaneity is awesome. Wish I had more of it.

 

[pkondz]

Holy Monkey! Page 3 already!?!? Guess that's what I get for taking the weekend off of Disboarding to rip out 1000 sq ft of carpet and put new flooring down. Sheesh.....

You should always postpone all renovations until after DISing is complete.

And since it's never complete.... ask me how my deck building is going!

I've been waiting for this TR to get rolling!

And here it is! And to it!

Haven't read a word of this TR yet, well except for the title, does that count? Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride

Sure it counts. Lemme know when you've read the rest.
Everybody's waiting on you since I won't post until you're done.

As for the bumpy ride?
You'll see.

Phew, finally made it over here!

Hi Donna! Nice to see you made it! to the TR!

After spending more time than I'd like to admit cleaning a bathroom (need I mention that I am furious with DH?)

Uh, oh.... What'd he do?
Wait. Nevermind. Doesn't matter. We always do something.
It's part of our DNA.

you may just be redeeming man-kind tonight with this TR.

Whoa. Talk about pressure!

I think I'm having performance issues.

Funny, our daughters seem to follow the same pattern - older daughter easygoing, flexible, generally happy. We call DD17 the No Girl. Her first phrase was "Too Late" with arms crossed and foot stamping!

Too funny! I like the imagery of the toddler foot stomp...
Kay was more of a crossed arms, head down and imovable object kinda toddler.

 

[Steppesister]

Ok, see? I AM back, and just getting home from work at 12:15... and yet I'm here. Lucky for you I am starving so sat down to eat my "dinner" while I shot off a quick harassment.

Actually, I"m pretty keyed up. I had my first experience with telling a family that the end was near. He didn't pass on my watch, but it was a tough shift. Not in a particularly bad way, just different.

Anywhoooo, my wrist didn't do NEARLY as badly as I thought it might, so I'm here to type again.

Ya snooze ya... wind up on page 3.

You SERIOUSLY think I was SNOOZING?!?! Let me educate you... Teaching 1st Year Nursing students their very first lab skills, dishes, vacumming, tethering my goats, cooking dinner, 2 loads laundry, feeding the dog, and some banking. Happy?

Sure. If that makes you feel better.
I, on the other hand am hurt.
Deeply hurt, that you took so long to get here.

You are not. Well, ok, maybe a little you were. Can I redeem myself if I bring virtual donuts to offer?

"So you can hara...." you want to be in my harem, don't you.
Don't even bother trying to deny it.

Seriously, I know you have a bad wrist and I'm pleased
and surprised that you even typed what you did.
And Liesa... to the TR!

Yes, I want to be in your harem. But I thought only mermaids need apply. I sadly, have no tail.