Our Celebration of a Sad Occasion...Oct 2016 PTR

[oopsiDAISY]

We have not had a chance to do our countdown activity this week. Unfortunately, the kids are leaving Saturday to go to the beach with my parents for Spring Break next week, so the activity will have to wait for a couple weeks. BUT....that does not make this post any less interesting. Why?

Well, I have BIG NEWS!

I am talking REALLY BIG NEWS!!!

REALLY, REALLY BIG NEWS!!!

Since you know I couldn't possibly just come out with the news...here is a little back story. You all know I work at a University. One of our History faculty members is a really good friend. She spoke with me at the start of this academic year about a cool idea she had for a summer class. She wanted to offer a class on how Disney has altered society's perception of historical events. Great idea, right? She and I got to geeking out, since she is almost as big a Disney fan as I am, about all the different topics she could cover, etc. Well, the school year went on, and she got busy, very busy. She has become a board member for a new school in Haiti, and had taken three trips down there. Her life has been insanely busy. I began to assume that she was going to postpone her summer class idea for another time. Well., yesterday she came to visit me in my office. Not only is she offering the class this summer, BUT also...

She has invited me to join them for an end of course trip to Disney...For FREE!!!























I am going to Disney TWICE this year!!!!!!! And this trip will be all expense paid by the University!!!

I will, of course, definitely be EARNING this trip. I have volunteered to do ALL of the planning (for a group of 9-10 adults). I will also help drive, and serve as a "chaparone" of sorts. But, do you want to know another SWEET part of the deal? It is a WORKING trip, so no vacation time has to be used. Yep! I spoke with my boss this morning, and got the okay. Folks, I am getting PAID to go to Disney!!! I am on CLOUD NINE!

She and I are to meet next week to figure out the duration of the trip. The planning is going to be a NIGHTMARE! I know that going into it. We have to wait until May to make sure enough students enroll in the course for it to actually "make". If less than five students enroll, it will be canceled. She has three students who have already committed, we just need two more. The trip will take place at the end of August. So, what this boils down to is that I will have just two months to plan this monster. Yeah, it is going to be a nightmare. I will need all the help I can get from you guys, for sure! But, all that being said...


I AM GOING TO DISNEY TWICE IN THE SAME YEAR!!!!!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Oh my word!!!!! What fantastic news!

 

[Pluto0809]

I am going to Disney TWICE this year!!!!!!! And this trip will be all expense paid by the University!!!

It is a WORKING trip, so no vacation time has to be used.

I am getting PAID to go to Disney!!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

I KNOW!!! Never in a million years would I have dreamed! The best part is that if the class goes well, there is a very real possibllilty that we will do this EVERY SUMMER!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Oh my word!!!!! What fantastic news!

This is like winning the LOTTERY! If the class and the trip go well this year, we could end up doing this every summer. How fantastic would THAT be???

 

[DMGeurts]

OMG!! Couldn't wait until lunch to read! That is awesome!

D~

 

[oopsiDAISY]

OMG!! Couldn't wait until lunch to read! That is awesome!

D~

I still cannot believe it....seriously.

 

[kpearl]

I am going to Disney TWICE this year!!!!!!! And this trip will be all expense paid by the University!!!

That has to be the coolest college course I've ever heard of. If my school offered that I would be signed up in a heartbeat! If this class entails a trip to the park (i'm guessing it is included in the cost of the course? or is it additional?) and school credits I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to take it!

You'll need to keep us posted - I'd love to see how this all pans out

 

[tortilla24]

I can't believe you're getting PAID to go to Disney! Alright!

 

[disny_luvr]

That is awesome, Connie!!! I'm so excited for you.

 

[Chicago Mo]

She has invited me to join them for an end of course trip to Disney...For FREE!!!

I am going to Disney TWICE this year!!!!!!! And this trip will be all expense paid by the University!!!

I am getting PAID to go to Disney!!! I am on CLOUD NINE!

OMGOOOOOOOODNESS!!! I cannot believe it!!! I am just SOOOOOOOOO Happy for you!!! and get paid for it?!?! Can you get me a job there?? Please?
Or or.. Can i take the on line course and go with?!?!

there is a very real possibllilty that we will do this EVERY SUMMER!

EVERY SUMMER?!?!? Does that mean you are going to go to Disney EVERY SUMMER?!?

Yep i need a job by you...

 

[cajunfan]

Oh WOW!!!!! That is awesome. I only know one student there and she I sin nursing, so not sure this would be a good course for her...but I will make sure I mention it to her mom when O see her in a few weeks....maybe she can be student 4...this is such GREAT NEWS!!!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

That has to be the coolest college course I've ever heard of. If my school offered that I would be signed up in a heartbeat! If this class entails a trip to the park (i'm guessing it is included in the cost of the course? or is it additional?) and school credits I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to take it!

You'll need to keep us posted - I'd love to see how this all pans out

The cost of the trip is included in the cost of the tuition for the course, so yes..for the students, it is definitely a win/win!

I can't believe you're getting PAID to go to Disney! Alright!

I am STILL in shock! The instructor and I met on Friday to go over a few things, and this is going to be EPIC!

That is awesome, Connie!!! I'm so excited for you.

OMGOOOOOOOODNESS!!! I cannot believe it!!! I am just SOOOOOOOOO Happy for you!!! and get paid for it?!?! Can you get me a job there?? Please?
Or or.. Can i take the on line course and go with?!?!



EVERY SUMMER?!?!? Does that mean you are going to go to Disney EVERY SUMMER?!?

Yep i need a job by you...

Thanks, Mo. I am over the moon excited. I have always felt so blessed to work here...this is just more than I could have ever imagined!!! The class is formally called: History and Culture through the Eyes of Disney. I wish I could take the course. But I already have all my History credits, and also since summer classes meet for a shorter "semester", they meet for three hours a day. I cannot do that. They are generous allowing us to take classes, but they DO still want us to work. LOL!

Oh WOW!!!!! That is awesome. I only know one student there and she I sin nursing, so not sure this would be a good course for her...but I will make sure I mention it to her mom when O see her in a few weeks....maybe she can be student 4...this is such GREAT NEWS!!!

Oh, that would be great! The course is HIS 495D: History and Culture Through the Eyes of Disney. Please let me know if she DOES enroll in it. I would love to make the connection between the two of you!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

I am still floating on Cloud 9, folks! I still cannot believe it! The instructor, Natalie, and I met on Friday for a brief time. I have to tell you...she is making the planning process SUPER EASY for me! We are doing just the Quick Service Dining Plan, so no ADR's to fuss with. And, SHE wants to pick the initial three FP's for everyone, so that she can pick rides and attractions to build her syllabus around. Is that not incredible? I could not tell her enough how much easier it would make my job!

I am making a list for her of rides and attractions in each park that would fit nicely into her class. The course is called History and Culture Through the Eyes of Disney. So, I have a quesiton for you all...what rides or attractions do you suggest that would have a great historical or cultural connection? MK and Epcot have been EASY, but HS and Animal Kingdom are posing more of a challenge. She has only been to MK, and already knew which ones she wanted from there: Splash Mountain (Song of the South), Pirates of the Caribbean, and Big Thunder. I have also included the followig on her list:

Hall of Presidents
Liberty Square Riverboat
Tom Sawyer Island
Carousel of Progress

Epcot is RICH for the Culture side of the coin. I am going to make a separate list of just the films, art galleries, etc that are in WS. In addition, I have included American Adventure, and Spaceship Earth on the list. Any others???

Hollywood Studios has left me blank. Everything is CLOSED right now or Star Wars related! I have the Great Movie Ride. Any other suggestions?

Animal Kingdom is so much more Science related than History. I have Expeditioin Everest, mainly because of the History that is behind so many people trying to climb it and the culture of Nepal itself. The queue for EE is amazing for culture, etc. I have also listed Dinosaur, but that one is iffy. And for both of these, some students may not want to go on them at all as they are more "thrill" rides. Anyone have other suggestions?

In other trip related news, we hit the 100's for our October trip!



And now I have another, even better countdown going!!!

 

[Pluto0809]

Still so excited for you!!

Hmmm, Interesting question about the culture and history stuff.

You are right about HS, so much is closed right now and even more is going away on April 2nd. I'm not sure if TOT would qualify since it's supposed to take place in the 20s I think. Maybe One Man's Dream if it's still open by then?

AK is hard too. Maybe Kali River Rapids? I think it has a good back story but I'm not sure since I've never ridden it.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Still so excited for you!!

Hmmm, Interesting question about the culture and history stuff.

You are right about HS, so much is closed right now and even more is going away on April 2nd. I'm not sure if TOT would qualify since it's supposed to take place in the 20s I think. Maybe One Man's Dream if it's still open by then?

AK is hard too. Maybe Kali River Rapids? I think it has a good back story but I'm not sure since I've never ridden it.

I though to KRR, but like you, I have never been on it.

On another note: I put this your Devil Horns TR, but will put it here, too...

Can you help answer a few questions about getting an AP? How does is work to have a family room and ticket package when one family member has an AP and does not need the tickets? I am considering getting an AP while I am there in July. Won't this save us on our October trip? What is the cost breakdown? Will the price of my four day tickets in July be discounted from the cost of the AP?

 

[Pluto0809]

Can you help answer a few questions about getting an AP? How does is work to have a family room and ticket package when one family member has an AP and does not need the tickets? I am considering getting an AP while I am there in July. Won't this save us on our October trip? What is the cost breakdown? Will the price of my four day tickets in July be discounted from the cost of the AP?

It's been a few years since I had an AP (had mine in 2014) but I think it was a little over $600 to purchase mine. I just looked up the price and it's now $749 total. When I went the first time in 2014, I had a regular ticket for the week and I went to Guest Services and upgraded to an AP. I paid the difference between my current ticket and the cost of the AP. When I went with Jim and then later with my Mom, we were unable to get a package. Everyone in the room had to have the package so if you wanted to use your AP, you weren't able to get a package. We had to buy tickets for them separately and pay for meals out of pocket. I did find out recently that you can add a meal package to an AP but it's not easy to do. I swear we couldn't do that when I had the AP so it might have changed since 2014. I don't feel like I'm being much help here, LOL. I just don't know enough about the current AP program since I no longer have one.

 

[IowaTater]

Folks, I am getting PAID to go to Disney!!! I am on CLOUD NINE!

Sweet gig! So....do you need any more chaperons???

I had the same thought as Pluto. If One Man's Dream is still open, that would be a good one. The only one I could think of for AK is The Boneyard maybe??? I'm thinking of the fossils.

 

[Chicago Mo]

Hummm..

HS is all about what it was like in tinsel town. so maybe the park itself with the street signs and buildings of used to be? what they all mean! it's beloved old time american culture!

One man's dream exhibit! Don't forget Great Movie ride! it has it's own history of the great movies! How when and wheres!!

AK is mostly about environment and how to preserve it.


Epcot is the easy one. there is so much there.

MK- YES! tomorrowland! CoP is a definite! People Mover! renaissance era!
Each movie has a bit of history around it. A wee bit smudged but it's history! LOL!


OHHHHHHHH Lookie your countdowns!!! SOOO EXCITING!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

View attachment 157537

Sweet gig! So....do you need any more chaperons???

I had the same thought as Pluto. If One Man's Dream is still open, that would be a good one. The only one I could think of for AK is The Boneyard maybe??? I'm thinking of the fossils.

We are actually in the process of picking two more awesome chaparones to go with us. One is my work BFF and her 10yo daughter...who have never been to Disney before. That should be so fun!

I did end up adding One Man's Dream to the list. It is not scheduled to close until after we are there. I have never even seen it myself, so I am looking forward to seeing it before it goes away.

Hummm..

HS is all about what it was like in tinsel town. so maybe the park itself with the street signs and buildings of used to be? what they all mean! it's beloved old time american culture!

One man's dream exhibit! Don't forget Great Movie ride! it has it's own history of the great movies! How when and wheres!!

AK is mostly about environment and how to preserve it.


Epcot is the easy one. there is so much there.

MK- YES! tomorrowland! CoP is a definite! People Mover! renaissance era!
Each movie has a bit of history around it. A wee bit smudged but it's history! LOL!


OHHHHHHHH Lookie your countdowns!!! SOOO EXCITING!

The instructor actually said she will use SW and Indy in her syllabus. I had never even thought out those. She is a smart cookie, can't wait to see what she does with them. One Man's Dream definitely went on the list I gave her. Not sure what she will do with AK.

I am still SO PSYCHED about this. It is going to be crazy fun!