The Battle For My Wallet III: The Smell of Free Dining (Addendum, pg 34)
- Thread starter ZZUB
- Start date
PrincessLindy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2005
I can't wait to read the rest.
BTW did I read in an early chapter that they did away with the Zippe dee do da (not spelled right I know) Tip for Today? It was a little annoying but I also loved it for background noise as I got ready for the day. It just won't be the same without it so I hope I read that wrong. Sorry if this post is hard to read. I am currently having a six year old apply some of her makeup that she got for Christmas on me. It is a little distracting and the glitter is makig me sneeze. Maybe I can pretend the glitter floating around me like a cloud is Pixie Dust.
BTW did I read in an early chapter that they did away with the Zippe dee do da (not spelled right I know) Tip for Today? It was a little annoying but I also loved it for background noise as I got ready for the day. It just won't be the same without it so I hope I read that wrong. Sorry if this post is hard to read. I am currently having a six year old apply some of her makeup that she got for Christmas on me. It is a little distracting and the glitter is makig me sneeze. Maybe I can pretend the glitter floating around me like a cloud is Pixie Dust.
MommyPoppins
<font color=green>Tangled with the TF in a moment
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
I'm loving your reports! Do you remember the name of the post or poster who posted the trip report about POR AB section? We are going back there Dec. 2006 and I'd love to read any trip reports about it. 
mickyzzzzz05
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2004
subscribing
TeresaNJ
Magic Begins With Me
- Joined
- Sep 13, 1999
Just found this trip report today after it being referenced in 1000thhappyhaunts' trip report. Needless to say, I have gotten none of the things done today I had planned to get done, between reading this report and 1000th's!!! I'm leaving for WDW on Sunday morning, and these reports have really gotten me in the mood. Great, great writing, I'm loving all of it!! Keep up the good work, I hate to see it end. Maybe you can make up some fictional trip reports when this one is over?? 
ZZUB
Roll Tide, Mean It
- Joined
- May 9, 2003
Chapter Eight:
A lot has happened since I published the last chapter of this ridiculously long opus. 1000HappyHaunts returned from her trip and began writing a most excellent trip report, we celebrated the birth of our Savior, Alabama won the Cotton Bowl, Auburn got embarrassed by Wisconsin, soon-to-be-Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was lectured to by that most esteemed ethicist, Ted Kennedy and Pat Robertson demonstrated, again, why he should no longer have a tv camera in front of him.
But back in our world, where a week in Disney World lasts six months on the Disboards, we are still at PORiverside and on this day we are headed to Epcot. Because we had been up so late the night before, we decided to sleep in. Well my wife and daughter slept in. I was awake at the usual time. After my morning coffee walk and pop tarts, I called my sister to see if she was up yet. I knew she would be. Shed been up for awhile and already had her coffee. Were so much alike, its like were brother and sister. Although we were both awake and had been for hours, our families were still sleeping. We agreed to gently wake our spouses and kids and meet in an hour.
And we headed to Epcot. Oh, Epcot, what did they do to you?
Is it me, or does Epcot remind you of a middle school? At any given middle school in any city in America, there are kids at all stages of puberty. And thats Epcot today. There are some rides which are way cool, some which are totally nerdy, some which are trying to figure out who they are and some have just plain disappeared.
Spaceship Earth is the kid who was really cool in elementary school, a very tough fifth grader, a safety patrol. Now, however, while other rides, like Test Track, have become all-stars, Spaceship Earth doesnt even have fuzz on its chin. Its sad. I remember when Epcot opened, and we stood in line for over 60 minutes to ride to the top of the Big Ball. And when the ride was over, it dumped you into that really cool area where you could make reservations at the World Showcase restaurants by using those touch screen computers. To me, there is nothing more depressing than the exit of Spaceship Earth. Theres nothing there. Its a monument to nothing. Its hard to believe Disney couldnt figure out something to put in that spot. A dumpshop even.
And now an ode to my beloved, long gone Communicore:
Communicore, Communicore, I loved you so,
Why you changed, Ill never know,
Building rollercoasters on touchscreen computers was the best
Communicore, Communicore,
East and West.
Now youre called Innoventions;
A poor mans Disneyquest.
Horizons is the kid everyone thought was really cool, but now hes moved away. Universe of Energy and Living Seas are kids who used to be cool but arent so much anymore. Universe of Energy is hoping someone will even notice its even still alive. Its worried that the stink of depression being cast off by Wonders of Life is going to pull its already dismal popularity further into the tank. Speaking of tank, theres the Living Seas which acts very much like a 6th grader just beginning puberty. No longer a fun little kid with a remote control car and a bucket full of Army men but not quite ready to start dating either. It cant wait to grow some facial hair. It will do anything for attention, even splash a little Nemo around its tanks. I wasn't even sad to learn that Living Seas was closed during our trip. Frankly, I was relieved.
The Land is in great shape and the only part of Future World which has maintained the proper balance between the Epcot that was and the Epcot that is. Its on the back end of adolescence. Its voice has changed. Its Peter Brady at the end of the episode. It has enough of its early charm and plenty of new things to keep it vibrant.
But thats enough of my dissertation on whats wrong with Epcot.
You needed that bit of background so you could understand why it was that we only planned to spend one day in Epcot and we didnt even enter the park until 11:00.
We strolled in at a leisurely pace past the Leave a Legacy of Death monument and immediately observed that it was hot outside Scary hot. We had a12:00 PS for the princess lunch at Norway so we sent one of my nephews to get fast passes for Soarin and the rest of us strolled towards Norway. We stopped at the Fountain of Nations to watch the fountain show. Not really, it was just really hot and we wanted some excuse to stop moving. Because it was a Disney park, there was some kind of merchandise cart. It offered shade and, if memory serves, a cool mist. It wasnt Heaven, but it beat standing in the unforgiving sun which at the moment felt like Heavens opposite. My sister bought one of those misters or two and once everyone was sufficiently misted, we left the relative cool shade of the cart and walked briskly to Norway.
I hate to add insult to injury, but the princess lunch at Norway was underwhelming. Akershus, like most of Future World, is going through puberty, except Akershus is farther along. Its voice has started to change and its growing hair in places it was afraid to look at the week before. They had just re-introduced the cold buffet and althought the actual menu had changed, the printed menu they gave us hadnt changed. The staff was friendly enough and the food wasnt bad. The princess interaction was actually very good. But Akershus lacked something. The parts were all there but in the end it was uninspiring, unfulfilling and devoid of any real energy. Like the Carter presidency. Maybe if we hadnt eaten at Cinderellas Royal Table wed have come away with a different view but I dont think so. The fact is, Akershus is a suitable substitute for CRT, but it is just that, a substitute. Its where you go if you cant get a PS to Cinderellas table. Its like eating with the nerdy kids because the cool kids wont let you sit at their table.
Thats probably enough of the middle school metaphors for a while.
After lunch we walked back towards the Land to ride Soarin. As we walked, two or three people gave me a thumbs up. More than three times as many people gave me an odd glance.
Perhaps I should explain why. I was wearing a Vote for Pedro shirt. Not a lot of people know who Pedro is or why they should vote for him. Sometime during last summer, we got turned on to Napoleon Dynamite. The first time we watched it, we wondered why people thought it was so funny. It was cute, but no so much laugh out loud funny. Its very random. Because Im this kind of nerdy, I watched the deleted scenes. One of them in particular made me laugh so hard I think my appendix actually functioned. Its the kickball scene. If you have seen it, then you know what Im talking about. If you havent seen it; rent the movie and look at the kickball scene in the deleted scene section. That scene put the movie in focus for me and so I watched the movie again. The second time through I got the movie and laughed so loudly, I was literally screaming. ND quickly became one of my favorite movies.
In Disney World we do things wed never do in our real lives. I dont know anyone who purposefully dons silly hats in my world. But in Disney World its standard issue. So too is wearing message shirts. It occurs to me that in years past everything I wore announced my allegiance to either Alabama or Jesus Christ. Sometimes both.
Im aware how much of a stereotype I am, no need for you to tell me.
As Ive grown older, Ive eschewed such broadcasting, but for some reason when I saw the Vote for Pedro shirt, I couldnt resist. It was so random; so high school.
Paging Dr. Freud. Obsessive neurotic with a Peter Pan complex, waiting on line two.
Anywho. We arrived at the Land and made our way to Soarin. It was hugely crowded. Scary crowded. End of the fireworks, the park is closing and everyone is heading for the busses on a New Years Eve crowded. Well not really, but Im feeling hyperbolic.
Yes, its a word. Look it up.
Soarin was great. Just like in California. Literally, its just like in California. Not that theres anything wrong with that. Because I had been on it before I knew the front row was desirable. We asked to be in the front row and they accommodated us with not much additional wait time. I strongly recommend you do this.
We had more fastpasses than people who were riding so some of us, namely me, were able to ride twice in a row. During the second time, my brother-in-law took my daughter and my niece who are 2 weeks apart in age and his youngest son who is 6 and they went in search of a surprise. When the rest of us got off of Soarin, we called them. My brother in law said they were in some gift shop and would catch up with us in a few minutes. A few minutes later they came walking up and both my daughter and my niece had new dolls. It seems my brother in law couldnt find anything to buy them in the Land so he took them to Mousegear and tried to buy them each a hat.
Except my daughter, my sweet as sugar, but the apple doesnt fall far enough from the tree daughter didnt want a hat. And when her uncle tried to buy her a hat she said,
A hats not a surprise, silly. You have to buy us a toy.
She shamed him into buying her a Tinkerbell Doll. Where does she get it from?
We got in line for Living with the Land and one of the CMs hands me a little white card and asked me to give it to the CM at the front of the line. What?! Now Im working for Disney? Its not enough I pay through the nose to be in their parks, now when Im there, Im punching a clock, too? So this was the catch to the so-called Free Dinning promotion. Its just like a time share sale spiel. I knew theyd get me eventually.
Next time: Is Le Cellier, Le Overrated?
A lot has happened since I published the last chapter of this ridiculously long opus. 1000HappyHaunts returned from her trip and began writing a most excellent trip report, we celebrated the birth of our Savior, Alabama won the Cotton Bowl, Auburn got embarrassed by Wisconsin, soon-to-be-Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was lectured to by that most esteemed ethicist, Ted Kennedy and Pat Robertson demonstrated, again, why he should no longer have a tv camera in front of him.
But back in our world, where a week in Disney World lasts six months on the Disboards, we are still at PORiverside and on this day we are headed to Epcot. Because we had been up so late the night before, we decided to sleep in. Well my wife and daughter slept in. I was awake at the usual time. After my morning coffee walk and pop tarts, I called my sister to see if she was up yet. I knew she would be. Shed been up for awhile and already had her coffee. Were so much alike, its like were brother and sister. Although we were both awake and had been for hours, our families were still sleeping. We agreed to gently wake our spouses and kids and meet in an hour.
And we headed to Epcot. Oh, Epcot, what did they do to you?
Is it me, or does Epcot remind you of a middle school? At any given middle school in any city in America, there are kids at all stages of puberty. And thats Epcot today. There are some rides which are way cool, some which are totally nerdy, some which are trying to figure out who they are and some have just plain disappeared.
Spaceship Earth is the kid who was really cool in elementary school, a very tough fifth grader, a safety patrol. Now, however, while other rides, like Test Track, have become all-stars, Spaceship Earth doesnt even have fuzz on its chin. Its sad. I remember when Epcot opened, and we stood in line for over 60 minutes to ride to the top of the Big Ball. And when the ride was over, it dumped you into that really cool area where you could make reservations at the World Showcase restaurants by using those touch screen computers. To me, there is nothing more depressing than the exit of Spaceship Earth. Theres nothing there. Its a monument to nothing. Its hard to believe Disney couldnt figure out something to put in that spot. A dumpshop even.
And now an ode to my beloved, long gone Communicore:
Communicore, Communicore, I loved you so,
Why you changed, Ill never know,
Building rollercoasters on touchscreen computers was the best
Communicore, Communicore,
East and West.
Now youre called Innoventions;
A poor mans Disneyquest.
Horizons is the kid everyone thought was really cool, but now hes moved away. Universe of Energy and Living Seas are kids who used to be cool but arent so much anymore. Universe of Energy is hoping someone will even notice its even still alive. Its worried that the stink of depression being cast off by Wonders of Life is going to pull its already dismal popularity further into the tank. Speaking of tank, theres the Living Seas which acts very much like a 6th grader just beginning puberty. No longer a fun little kid with a remote control car and a bucket full of Army men but not quite ready to start dating either. It cant wait to grow some facial hair. It will do anything for attention, even splash a little Nemo around its tanks. I wasn't even sad to learn that Living Seas was closed during our trip. Frankly, I was relieved.
The Land is in great shape and the only part of Future World which has maintained the proper balance between the Epcot that was and the Epcot that is. Its on the back end of adolescence. Its voice has changed. Its Peter Brady at the end of the episode. It has enough of its early charm and plenty of new things to keep it vibrant.
But thats enough of my dissertation on whats wrong with Epcot.
You needed that bit of background so you could understand why it was that we only planned to spend one day in Epcot and we didnt even enter the park until 11:00.
We strolled in at a leisurely pace past the Leave a Legacy of Death monument and immediately observed that it was hot outside Scary hot. We had a12:00 PS for the princess lunch at Norway so we sent one of my nephews to get fast passes for Soarin and the rest of us strolled towards Norway. We stopped at the Fountain of Nations to watch the fountain show. Not really, it was just really hot and we wanted some excuse to stop moving. Because it was a Disney park, there was some kind of merchandise cart. It offered shade and, if memory serves, a cool mist. It wasnt Heaven, but it beat standing in the unforgiving sun which at the moment felt like Heavens opposite. My sister bought one of those misters or two and once everyone was sufficiently misted, we left the relative cool shade of the cart and walked briskly to Norway.
I hate to add insult to injury, but the princess lunch at Norway was underwhelming. Akershus, like most of Future World, is going through puberty, except Akershus is farther along. Its voice has started to change and its growing hair in places it was afraid to look at the week before. They had just re-introduced the cold buffet and althought the actual menu had changed, the printed menu they gave us hadnt changed. The staff was friendly enough and the food wasnt bad. The princess interaction was actually very good. But Akershus lacked something. The parts were all there but in the end it was uninspiring, unfulfilling and devoid of any real energy. Like the Carter presidency. Maybe if we hadnt eaten at Cinderellas Royal Table wed have come away with a different view but I dont think so. The fact is, Akershus is a suitable substitute for CRT, but it is just that, a substitute. Its where you go if you cant get a PS to Cinderellas table. Its like eating with the nerdy kids because the cool kids wont let you sit at their table.
Thats probably enough of the middle school metaphors for a while.
After lunch we walked back towards the Land to ride Soarin. As we walked, two or three people gave me a thumbs up. More than three times as many people gave me an odd glance.
Perhaps I should explain why. I was wearing a Vote for Pedro shirt. Not a lot of people know who Pedro is or why they should vote for him. Sometime during last summer, we got turned on to Napoleon Dynamite. The first time we watched it, we wondered why people thought it was so funny. It was cute, but no so much laugh out loud funny. Its very random. Because Im this kind of nerdy, I watched the deleted scenes. One of them in particular made me laugh so hard I think my appendix actually functioned. Its the kickball scene. If you have seen it, then you know what Im talking about. If you havent seen it; rent the movie and look at the kickball scene in the deleted scene section. That scene put the movie in focus for me and so I watched the movie again. The second time through I got the movie and laughed so loudly, I was literally screaming. ND quickly became one of my favorite movies.
In Disney World we do things wed never do in our real lives. I dont know anyone who purposefully dons silly hats in my world. But in Disney World its standard issue. So too is wearing message shirts. It occurs to me that in years past everything I wore announced my allegiance to either Alabama or Jesus Christ. Sometimes both.
Im aware how much of a stereotype I am, no need for you to tell me.
As Ive grown older, Ive eschewed such broadcasting, but for some reason when I saw the Vote for Pedro shirt, I couldnt resist. It was so random; so high school.
Paging Dr. Freud. Obsessive neurotic with a Peter Pan complex, waiting on line two.
Anywho. We arrived at the Land and made our way to Soarin. It was hugely crowded. Scary crowded. End of the fireworks, the park is closing and everyone is heading for the busses on a New Years Eve crowded. Well not really, but Im feeling hyperbolic.
Yes, its a word. Look it up.
Soarin was great. Just like in California. Literally, its just like in California. Not that theres anything wrong with that. Because I had been on it before I knew the front row was desirable. We asked to be in the front row and they accommodated us with not much additional wait time. I strongly recommend you do this.
We had more fastpasses than people who were riding so some of us, namely me, were able to ride twice in a row. During the second time, my brother-in-law took my daughter and my niece who are 2 weeks apart in age and his youngest son who is 6 and they went in search of a surprise. When the rest of us got off of Soarin, we called them. My brother in law said they were in some gift shop and would catch up with us in a few minutes. A few minutes later they came walking up and both my daughter and my niece had new dolls. It seems my brother in law couldnt find anything to buy them in the Land so he took them to Mousegear and tried to buy them each a hat.
Except my daughter, my sweet as sugar, but the apple doesnt fall far enough from the tree daughter didnt want a hat. And when her uncle tried to buy her a hat she said,
A hats not a surprise, silly. You have to buy us a toy.
She shamed him into buying her a Tinkerbell Doll. Where does she get it from?
We got in line for Living with the Land and one of the CMs hands me a little white card and asked me to give it to the CM at the front of the line. What?! Now Im working for Disney? Its not enough I pay through the nose to be in their parks, now when Im there, Im punching a clock, too? So this was the catch to the so-called Free Dinning promotion. Its just like a time share sale spiel. I knew theyd get me eventually.
Next time: Is Le Cellier, Le Overrated?
DisneyGirl4188
<font color=purple>Mike's Princess<br><font color=
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2005
Too, funny!! My DH almost bought a "Vote for Pedro" shirt, alas, they didn't have his size. 
Anyway, great installment and I hope the next is not too far away.
Anyway, great installment and I hope the next is not too far away.
MommyPoppins
<font color=green>Tangled with the TF in a moment
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
LOL!
The first time DH and I watched this movie it was so stupid, but then DH started talking to me like ND talks and now we watch it all the time...not too many people get ND, I'm afraid. I think it is one of the best movies ever made. It's so stupid that it's amazing. 
1000thhappyhaunt
Maelstromer
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2005
ZZUB! There should be an "Oscar" for Trip Reports. It's yours. NO! Forget The Academy Awards. Golden Globes!!!!! Better. Irreverent. Funnier. Drunker. You're the Brokeback Mountain of the Disboards. No offense.
This last chapter made me laugh so hard I fell off my deskchair, hit my head on the bookshelf and bled out. Thanks. So much. TED KENNEDY! Peter Brady! Middle school metaphors! APPENDIX! Screaming! BRAVO!!!!!!!! BRAAAVVVVVVOOOOO!!!!!
This last chapter made me laugh so hard I fell off my deskchair, hit my head on the bookshelf and bled out. Thanks. So much. TED KENNEDY! Peter Brady! Middle school metaphors! APPENDIX! Screaming! BRAVO!!!!!!!! BRAAAVVVVVVOOOOO!!!!!
GADISNEYGIRL
<font color=red>Maelstromer!<br><font color=purple
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2003
Hi ZZUB,
I was THRILLED when you replied to one of my trip reports (you know, What I've Learned From Disney)... I told my husband, you won't believe it, HE read my trip report!! He was a little taken aback (LOL!), so I had to introduce him to your trip reports. Now he's as in awe as I was... WOW, ZZUB replied to one of OUR (our?? Did HE slave away writing it??) trip reports!
Anyway, just wanted to say that your reports, as always, bring me both laughter and tears.
Oh yes~and ROLL TIDE!! (I'm a lifelong fan, dad was an alumnus...poor me, I had to go to Troy State, instead...they offered me a full ride...Alabama only offered a partial ride...) Do I have a great boss, or what? Had to work on Jan 2nd, but she let me watch the game at work!!
We're off to WDW tomorrow. I'm sure I'll "learn" a whole lot more, so be on the lookout for a new trip report from us in early February!
I was THRILLED when you replied to one of my trip reports (you know, What I've Learned From Disney)... I told my husband, you won't believe it, HE read my trip report!! He was a little taken aback (LOL!), so I had to introduce him to your trip reports. Now he's as in awe as I was... WOW, ZZUB replied to one of OUR (our?? Did HE slave away writing it??) trip reports!
Anyway, just wanted to say that your reports, as always, bring me both laughter and tears.
Oh yes~and ROLL TIDE!! (I'm a lifelong fan, dad was an alumnus...poor me, I had to go to Troy State, instead...they offered me a full ride...Alabama only offered a partial ride...) Do I have a great boss, or what? Had to work on Jan 2nd, but she let me watch the game at work!!
We're off to WDW tomorrow. I'm sure I'll "learn" a whole lot more, so be on the lookout for a new trip report from us in early February!
**pixiedust**
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2005
YIPEEEEEE!!!!! I have been waiting patiently for Chapter 8...you made my day! 
miller2470
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2005
I am so glad I found your post. I have never laughed so much at a trip report! I have just looked at the clock and realized that in no time at all 2 hours has past. I have been so entertained, I totally lost all concept of time. Thanks for a great report.
I have just looked at the clock and realized that in no time at all 2 hours has past. I have been so entertained, I totally lost all concept of time. Thanks for a great report. 
Credit Man
<font color=teal>Love the shark reef<br><font colo
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2000
Thanks for the laughs.
jenrose66
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2005
I too wore the "Vote for Pedro" shirt on my last Disney vacation. I got a lot of stares and alot of the people I encountered kept asking who Pedro was.
It got a little cumbersome and I felt a little embarassed and now I use the shirt as a night shirt.
Thanks for chapter 8
It got a little cumbersome and I felt a little embarassed and now I use the shirt as a night shirt.
Thanks for chapter 8
Somefunmum
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2004
Yay! Another chapter!
I'm giving in and subscribing too.
I'm giving in and subscribing too.
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