The Goofy Identity (Just whose side are you on anyway?) - Compleated!

[angelabrezovsky]

Joking in and I can't wait to read more! I love reading tr's it gets me ready for my trip

 

[KatMark]

Rob, an awesome update, and I can't believe you kept that a secret from us (or I totally missed the signs in your other TR).

I'm so happy you were able to do this...I know how much you had been missing it.

And glad some pixie dust came along and you were able to stay on property.

Can't wait to hear more.

****And congratulations on your son's high school graduation. I wish him the best on the next path of his life.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Great pics!

I generally try to take entirely too many pictures.
That way I might just come up with one or two that aren’t just a blurry mess.

Introductions are also a good place to use pictures from prior trips

Great update!! My DH would have drove the eight hours, he would say no need to stop. Once on the road he just barely stops for rest rooms, never mind food. Love Five Guys food, and yes sloppy bit good.

to you too


I’ve driven the whole eight many times. The trip home is almost always a straight through affair. But on the way down I like to do it a bit different (especially since we left the house so late in the day). When you’re traveling it’s easy to wear yourself out so I like for the first day at least to be well rested and to still get there early enough to actually get into something.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Well, they offered me a job, and I said yes, and now here I am 15 years later...

Sounds familiar…
just replace the 15 with a 33.

I know that feeling well.

We are very lucky gents to be sure.

Well, yeah. That makes sense.

I’m sure I’d have come around to the same answer.
Unless of course I could’a found a way to do the airfare to Hawaii.

That's a great phrase. You know a lawyer came up with that one. I mean, it had to be a lawyer.

No other critter would have put those two words together.
Tam and I use that phrase a lot when describing… shall we say… rather hair-raising experiences.

I can never turn that down, either.

Like I said, I had to throw about three of those in the trash across nearly a two years period.
So that last one arrived at an opportune moment.

Excellent choice!

Our second stay at POR and very different from the first…
but I’ll get to that in a bit.

This is when you end up in the Dreaded Aisle at the Target.

“Alea iacta est”

Oh, and congratulations Max!

Thanks and I’ll pass that on to the boy.
The real congrats will be due if he can pull it off again in four more years.

I think Five Guys got ruined for me. Everyone hyped it so much that by the time I tried it, I don't think there was any way it could meet expectations.

Sorry to hear that. We’d never heard of the place when we strolled into one down on the SC coast several years back, so there was no hype to deal with. They’re one of the better “semi-fast-food” burgers that I’ve run across (but I’ve still got many, many burger joints to test out before I could consider declaring a possible winner).

Ugh. Did you at least wave at Fed?

Pounded out IASW on the car horn as I was crossing the St Mary.
No shots rang out in our direction so I have to assume that he wasn’t home at the time.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Joking in and I can't wait to read more! I love reading tr's it gets me ready for my trip

Very glad to have you along for the ride.
I hope that you find at least some of this nonsense a little bit entertaining.

What kind of plans do y’all have for your stay “On World” and where about’s do you plan to set up camp?

Rob, an awesome update, and I can't believe you kept that a secret from us (or I totally missed the signs in your other TR).

I'm so happy you were able to do this...I know how much you had been missing it.

And glad some pixie dust came along and you were able to stay on property.

Can't wait to hear more.

Thanks Kat!

Yah, I don’t think I mentioned it in the Non-Disney TR.
Given the upcoming tuition bills, I probably shouldn’t have done it, but we figured at least one more great Disney adventure was a moral imperative. We’ll see how long it will take from here before our addictions drive us to raid the retirement funds and go back down again.

Now I just need to get busy writing up the first part of the first day.
(and find time to keep up the Williamsburg TR as well)

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

That’s a promise I not entirely certain that I can keep. But we’ll see how it goes.

Thanks for agreeing to take on this hazardous mission an feel free to speak you mind at any time in the process (there re several other followers that will certainly be doing a great deal of that).

No worries I won't hold you too it. However if anyone see me posting using the mobile version of the site. You all will know what happened.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Howdy all!!!

First off... I’m just a might behind here.




That's not all that amazing. I’m not the fastest poster around these parts.

I try to get an update up about once a week (but I also need to try and put one up on my “other TR” every then and again as well). I was also out of town for a few days and that slowed things up as well. If y’all are willing to move along at that kind of a snails pace, then it’s all good, but don’t feel obligated. I appreciate everyone that is willing to even give my nonsense a chance.

So now that I’ve offered a bit of an apology… how about an actual update (and a promise to try and get the next instalment up a bit quicker).

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Chapter 2: Infiltration

Part 1: Establishing an effective cover​

​

​

What exactly does a spy look like? If you were to ask say… Ian Fleming, then all secret agents would generally be dressed in a perfectly fitted tux and conspicuously winning rounds of baccarat in Monte Carlo casinos while elegant and obviously otherwise attached women throw themselves at their feet.

Or is the standard of Hollywood blockbusters just a tad too simple in this instance?

Maybe real spies are more like those of novels and noir films. The unnoticed loner sporting a trench coat and fedora traveling by cover of darkness along deserted, glossy streets kept perpetually damp by ever present rain and fog?

I mean, who’d even suspect someone that looked as though they’d fellen directly out of a dime novel of doing anything more sinister than a bit of harmless perambulation?

Not buyin’ it?

OK, maybe a spy looks more like the mission impossible / cat-burgle-esk type that disappears into the shadows and always moves from point-A to point-B as if they were a refugee from Circ de Soleil …

With varying degrees of skill and grace mind you…
but you get the idea.

Now, that’s what I call blending in.
Not even the owner of the little bungalow our hero has miraculously penetrated here would suspect him of skullduggery in a get up like that (assuming they were blind of course).


No… these aren’t real world examples. In fact, I’m not even sure there is such a thing as a real world in which we can put any example. But I believe that in the world we think we know, there is a real trick to blending in. You must become as boring as possible. Prefect the art of being supremely dull… Appear to be just another schmo in the midst of the crowd… Someone that you’d look right past. Kind’a like that guy…

Whoops… wrong picture.
I mean that guy…

No, not that one… that other one…
No, no not that one either, It’s that other, other one…
the one over there that looks a bit more suspicious…
and then there’s that other one over the other way that looks like he’s
in cahoots with the other, other one over there by that other, other, other one…
see ‘em now?

Certainly GL-G20 material if ever I’ve encountered it.


But we’re getting ahead of the story line again. Before you can infiltrate your advisories restricted and confidential facilities, you need to establish a well-camouflaged base of operations. That part of the plan was executed quite flawlessly on the first morning of the trip.


After a complimentary hotel breakfast and a bit of searching for another Red-Box location (because we had marginal films that needed returning or the boys would wind up owning said marginal films) we hit the road headed south. Over the St Mary River, past the Wide World of Golf, onto “Intrastate” highway number four and then at around 11 am, we crossed the border and entered “The World”…

(Remember those drops of liquid coalescing on the windshield there,
you’ll be seeing similar sites rather often from here on out.)


Even in questionable weather, I love seeing that gateway.


A veer to the right… a turn to the left and moments later it was this inconspicuous little neighborhood that we silently infiltrated…

Check in went very smoothly. I was even able to hook up several gift cards and rewards cards directly to our Keys to the world so we had a sizable credit toward spending right up front. Which is nice…

We have stayed at Riverside on one other occasion and enjoyed the resort. They bunked us in one of the plantations houses way back in the winter of 2010. Having already seen that part of the resort we were hoping to tryout one of the other areas to change things up a might. On this point, we were obliged. We garnered a spot in building 36 of the Alligator Bayou section this time around.

With the hopes of saving a couple of bucks we reserved a Standard View room. Now all y’all know that these usually come with a glorious view of either a power substation of a parking lot, and we knew that going in, but what we actually ended up with was closer to a garden view…

Very nice to be sure.

It was rather close to the parking lot (which will actually be a good thing latter on) but so well-manicured you never really noticed that fact. A win in any book. But with most wins… there is often a loss of some type. The loss here was the location of building 36.

As Luke said of Tatooine:
“Well, if there's a bright center to the universe…
you're on the planet that it's farthest from.”

All the buildings in the 30s are just about as far from all the amenities of POR as one can get (although 24 and 25 are a bit of a hike as well).

And the way that the walking trails are laid out (lovely though they may be) ensures that there is also no direct path nor viable shortcut back down to the dining hall.

Win some, loose some.


Anyway, welcome to room 3629 (our secret lair for the duration)…

The pictures were actually taken at different times during the stay including just before we left (and that’s mostly because we just didn’t take very many upon arrival).

Another reason we were interested in acquiring one of the Bayou rooms though was the little hidden bonus that also makes these rooms useful to families with more than two kids. The Murphy-Bed that is now standard in all of these rooms.

We only had two young’ens in tow but they were not particularly keen to be sharing a bed (queen size or otherwise). This fold out cot offered a potential solution to the problem…

Well… I did say potential.

I love how Toncy and the gator there resemble each other so much, but as you can see,…
the extra bed is more suited to… ummmm… smaller young’ens.

Max is a bit smaller then his buddy there and gave this option a try the first night. Not the best of decisions. It was a bit tight even for him (especially when it came to rolling over in the middle of the night). Not a problem though. We switched back to our original Plan-A. We’d brought along a twin size air mattress and the boys switched back and forth between that and the second queen bed.

Problem solved.


Even still these are an interesting detail in the Bayou rooms. They’re designed to look like a couple of shipping creates straight of the steamboat that have been plopped down in the room. Even the inventory/shipping numbers apparently stenciled onto the creates are hidden details. First off, the bottom “create” also doubles ad a chest of drawers. But while your looking at it, note the “AB-2292” plastered to the lower right corner …

…that’s paying homage to the resort itself. “Alligator Bayou – February 2, 1992” the day this section of the resort opened (although the whole resort was known as “Dixie Landings” at the time).

Now here’s a mystery for y’all to solve. There’s another number on the side of the narrow “create” that houses the Murphy bed…

We suspect that the “101971” bit of it refers to when Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom opened to the public on Oct 1, 1971. The “LHMC” bit of it though is throwing us off though.

Any ideas?


Well, we’ve gotten ourselves settled in here, so it’s time to wrap up the room tour. I’ll get to more of the resort later on in the proceedings but for now it’s off to the North Depot. We’ve got a bus to catch, and a restricted facility that needs to be infiltrated.

Next up: Abandonment!
​

 

[afwdwfan]

So how did we start down this path of no return?

We followed some idiot.

Try as he might to think of something different, what he wanted… really, really wanted… was to go back here…

Well, he's certainly a smart young man.

Well not “exactly” there… that happens to be in front of the gingerbread house that is set up annually in the lobby of the Grand Floridian.

Well naturally. I mean if it has to be done on a budget, the GF is most certainly not the place to be. :rolleys1

With all this in mind, we looked at the wallet situation and decided that it was at least possible.

Possible is good enough reason to me.

Max has also seen it twice but not always with us in tow.
That first experience was all the way back in 2004 (also the last time I was there)…

2004???? You've been missing out.

While both of them love the Disney emersion… they also like the slightly more high action… in your face… pin you back in the seat type of rides that are prevalent at slightly different types of “amusement parks”. The kind of thing that the folks at “Universal” use to hang warning signs on stating that you were about to board a “Dynamically Aggressive” ride experience (I’ve been fond of that odd phrase ever since).

I can relate to this.

Hmmm.... I need to go look at some dates. If you were there to experience the new Transformers ride, then that might just be about the lowest blow my nemesis could take at me right now.

Now with much sorrow and sadness, I’ve had to toss out several of these little jewels since we returned from our grand Caribbean cruse. This time however, we had to stop and consider the implications.

Isn't it awesome when you actually get one of those and you're able to use it???

If you’ve never tried “5 Guys”… you need to. If there just aren’t any handy to you then hunt one down the next time you’re headed toward Fla (there’s actually one on International Dr. right near that “other” amusement park that shall remain nameless… for now).

Never have, but whenever I see them it is always when I'm traveling down in those parts. I just never really feel too compelled to leave an amusement park for fast food.

When we finally got past the problem the boys had actually finished watching their first movie.

So how long did it take to get through there?

Well, what ailed me at least.

Well, part of it...

First off... I’m just a might behind here.

Eh, so am I.

I try to get an update up about once a week (but I also need to try and put one up on my “other TR” every then and again as well).

You mean the TR that happened a year ago?

Prefect the art of being supremely dull… Appear to be just another schmo in the midst of the crowd… Someone that you’d look right past. Kind’a like that guy…

I get it now... Rob's a CIA operative.

Even in questionable weather, I love seeing that gateway.

As Luke said of Tatooine:
“Well, if there's a bright center to the universe…
you're on the planet that it's farthest from.”

That is the thing I hate the most about the moderates. But if you've got a pin and that is the best option for the money, being in the middle of nowhere is a small price to pay.

I love how Toncy and the gator there resemble each other so much

The “LHMC” bit of it though is throwing us off though.

Any ideas?

I sense a Bonus Feature is on the horizon.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

What exactly does a spy look like?

Sean Connery.

But I believe that in the world we think we know, there is a real trick to blending in. You must become as boring as possible. Prefect the art of being supremely dull… Appear to be just another schmo in the midst of the crowd… Someone that you’d look right past.

Also known as How Not To Be Seen.

Over the St Mary River, past the Wide World of Golf, onto “Intrastate” highway number four and then at around 11 am, we crossed the border and entered “The World”…

You didn't stop at the Wide World of Golf?!

Even in questionable weather, I love seeing that gateway.

I would even love seeing it if there were no weather whatsoever.

Check in went very smoothly. I was even able to hook up several gift cards and rewards cards directly to our Keys to the world so we had a sizable credit toward spending right up front. Which is nice…

Excellent!

With the hopes of saving a couple of bucks we reserved a Standard View room. Now all y’all know that these usually come with a glorious view of either a power substation of a parking lot, and we knew that going in, but what we actually ended up with was closer to a garden view…

So far, so good. I love the landscaping at POR.

As Luke said of Tatooine:
“Well, if there's a bright center to the universe…
you're on the planet that it's farthest from.”

I'm sure it's just me, but I have never really minding having a long walk through a Disney resort.

I love how Toncy and the gator there resemble each other so much

But yeah, I can see where that might not be so comfortable all night long.

…that’s paying homage to the resort itself. “Alligator Bayou – February 2, 1992” the day this section of the resort opened (although the whole resort was known as “Dixie Landings” at the time).

The “LHMC” bit of it though is throwing us off though.

Label Here Means Crap

 

[KatMark]

you've arrived.

I think whether the sun is shining, it's drizzling, pouring or God forbid snowing, seeing that sign just puts a smile on your face.

Your mentioning your not so short walk back to the main building cracks me up. People complain about the Coronado all of the time because it's such a "far walk to everything", yet I've read a lot of complaints lately that if you get stuck in one of a number of buildings at POR, you also have a far walk.

Poor boys...I could see not being able to sleep on that. Obviously they didn't improve the size of those things when they replaced them. And it doesn't look too comfortable to begin with. The air mattress was a brilliant idea.

Can't wait to read about your visit to your first park.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

We followed some idiot.

Who's the more foolish?
The fool, or the fool who follows him?

Well, he's certainly a smart young man.

Most of the time
He certainly knows how to glean the most out of his folks

Well naturally. I mean if it has to be done on a budget, the GF is most certainly not the place to be. :rolleys1:

If you ask me… I think it’s just a might overpriced.
Even for a Disney Resort

Possible is good enough reason to me.

I’ll regret it later on, but Posible was good enough for me at the time.

2004???? You've been missing out.

You are correct sir…
But even when we’ve gone to Orlando in the past, most of those trips were actually fairly short so there are many things down there that we don’t get to often enough.

Hmmm.... I need to go look at some dates. If you were there to experience the new Transformers ride, then that might just be about the lowest blow my nemesis could take at me right now.

Two words: “Soft”… “Opening”

Isn't it awesome when you actually get one of those and you're able to use it???

Having thrown out several…
I can confidently say: “You bet your ***”

Never have, but whenever I see them it is always when I'm traveling down in those parts. I just never really feel too compelled to leave an amusement park for fast food.

Never leave an amusement park for food (unless there’s a good reentry policy)
But if your in-between attractions and the opportunity presents itself, this chain provides a pretty decent bit of sustenance.

So how long did it take to get through there?

The wreck was no more than ten miles from our house. Once traffic came to a halt it took about an hour-forty-five to clear the site. Not a good start to the trip. It was 2am before we stopped for a break.

Well, part of it...

We don’t talk about those other conditions…

Other-Me: “what do you mean “we”?

Other-Other-me: “Shud-up! Both of ya’!”

You mean the TR that happened a year ago?

You have your ways of combating Disney withdrawal…

I have mine…

I get it now... Rob's a CIA operative.

Shhhhhhhhh…

That is the thing I hate the most about the moderates. But if you've got a pin and that is the best option for the money, being in the middle of nowhere is a small price to pay.

POFQ! There are no rooms way off in the weeds at that one.

I sense a Bonus Feature is on the horizon.

Not just yet (you’ll be glad to hear)
First off I have to figure out what it actually means

And I’ve not figured it yet.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Sean Connery.

Good choice (certainly my favorite Bond).
But I think even the average Joe could pick him out of a line-up.

Also known as How Not To Be Seen.

“Mr. E.W. Lambert of Homeleigh, The Burrows, Oswestly, has presented us with a poser.
We do not know which bush he is behind.

But we can soon find out…”

You didn't stop at the Wide World of Golf?!

I’m a tremendous slouch…

I would even love seeing it if there were no weather whatsoever.

Aaaaaa-men… Aaaaaa-men… Aaaaaa-men, Amen, Amen…

So far, so good. I love the landscaping at POR.

The adults in the house think that POR is the most visually stunning of the Moderates.

The young’en in the house thinks that the bus needs to get here quicker so he can get into the park and away from the adults in the house.

I'm sure it's just me, but I have never really minding having a long walk through a Disney resort.

Depends on just how tired your dogs are…
and whether or not you’re dealing with a time deficit.

But yeah, I can see where that might not be so comfortable all night long.

Didn’t even attempt it.
(no fool he.)

Label Here Means Crap

Hummmmmm…
You may be on to something there.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

you've arrived.

‘Bout time eh?

I think whether the sun is shining, it's drizzling, pouring or God forbid snowing, seeing that sign just puts a smile on your face.

Unquestionably.
Just wish I could acquire that smile a little bit more often.
I’ll just have to live vicariously through some other folks TRs

Your mentioning your not so short walk back to the main building cracks me up. People complain about the Coronado all of the time because it's such a "far walk to everything", yet I've read a lot of complaints lately that if you get stuck in one of a number of buildings at POR, you also have a far walk.

We’ve had good luck at CBR (which is also quite large) and over at POFQ there are no long hikes (where as CSR has no short hikes). As for POR, we’ve done it twice and had to deal with a “healthy” stretch of the legs both times. Luck of the draw… and it won’t stop me from going back though.

Poor boys...I could see not being able to sleep on that. Obviously they didn't improve the size of those things when they replaced them. And it doesn't look too comfortable to begin with. The air mattress was a brilliant idea.

Max gave it a try… it’s really not very useful accept for young’ens under about the age of 9 or 10 I’d say. The air mattress is something we learned to carry long ago though. They work rather well for teenagers

Can't wait to read about your visit to your first park.

Thanks
I’ll try to get that one up by Monday if possible.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Chapter 2: Infiltration

Part 2: Right Through the Front Door​

​

​

Ok, so we’ve made it across the boarder, set up our base of operations and established a reasonable cover story.

Now what?

Well I believe that the first order of business should be to start gathering intelligence and the best place do that would be Disney’s premier destination…

The Magic Kingdom.


So how do we go about quietly and surreptitiously invading that crown jewel?
Well just like everybody else, you calmly stroll right through the front door. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with a plan like that?

I mean besides being discovered right off the bat and asked by security to: “Please follow me this way, sir.”


Well let’s find out, shall we?




= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Keep to the Code

He, who falls behind, gets left behind…


No, that doesn’t have anything directly to do with spy networks, but it does apply to “Mission Impossible” type operations and Commando style Disney Trips. Keep up with the mission at hand or you may find that you will become just so much collateral damage. My son was about to re teach us that that imperative, but with far different results then when it occurred the first time.

At this point in the story, we were sitting in a couple of the back seats of a Disney Bus bound for the MK. The North Stop at POR was our closest pickup point and was only a medium sized walk form the room. We waited about fifteen minutes for said chariot and it was not all that crowded at this point in the day so the ride was not all that stress inducing.

Then somewhere along the way it started to rain.

Rain in Florida? That’s a near daily occurrence in the high summer and it usually lets up after about an hour. Tamara however was prepared as you can see and she tried very hard to get the rest of us to break out ponchos as well, but being guys…

we were having none of it

We should probably have listened though.

Why?

But it’s all good because we’re finally here!

I’m at Disney!!!

The last time I set foot in this park was nearly three years ago so a little bit of rain wasn’t going to dampen my spirits. Besides it was only a little bit of rain.

Right?

At this point we were on a commando mission. Not only had it been three years since we were inside, the Magic Kingdom, unforeseen events during that trip conspired to ensure that it had been even longer since any of us had ridden Space Mountain and we were headed to get passes for that ride come heck or high water (and invocation of that second caveat was becoming a distinct possibility).

The boys were leading the way (as they would be doing for most of this trip so you’ll be getting a good look at the back of their heads pretty regularly from here on out). They were also making no effort to ensure that feeble old mom and dad were necessarily right behind them. Not a big deal really, we all know our way around these parts as well as we know the way to the local grocery store. But as the rain grew harder and harder, and the “kids” got farther and farther ahead… the “grown-up’s” sense of preservation manifested itself in a way that had not occurred since before 1995…

There is a sizable amusement park in my hometown that we frequent. When our son was about four years old, he got lost in that park. There was a gigantic climbing structure in one corner of the “kiddie land” at the time and we let him go off on his own to have a bit of fun while we grabbed a bit of “sit-time”. The place was surrounded by a fence and had staff watching for fledglings attempting to fly he coop so we thought we were pretty safe.

Wrong!

After a bit we realized that we could no longer find him anywhere up there and were starting to get a might concerned. At that point, our names got called out over the entire park’s PA system (not good). We were being directed to report to Guest Services. On the up side, their gatekeepers did intercept the wayward waif, but even though we were only a few feet away, the boy didn’t articulate just where we might be. By the time we’d arrived at the main gate, he’d been fairly well spoiled by the staff and was in good spirits. Mom and dad, not so much. Needless to say, we didn’t let him out of our site in any park (much less even a grocery store) for years to come. ​

Why did I tell you that story?

To bookend it with the next thing that happened.

Right about the time that we got to the TTA/Astro-Orbiter pavilion, the Good Lord (beng the comedian that he is) ripped a monstrous hole in the sky and every drop of freshwater held in the atmosphere above Orlando commenced to plummet toward earth at the same exact moment. Noah would have been startled by these precipitation rates.

It was here that we got left behind. The boys kept to the code and continued trudging on toward SM and even picked up speed (a reasonable reaction on their part). We on the other hand were over it. But this is also where ‘The Code” became more like guidelines. We weren’t really left behind… we charted a new course. A quick turn to port was executed and we quietly fell into one of the coaches of the TTA…

Oddly we had that entire train to ourselves which made for an even more relaxing ride.

The young’ens had no clue they’d been dumped. Without so much as a word of warning, or even any indication that plans had changed, I outright abandoned my own child in the middle of a driving rainstorm and a crowd of strangers over five hundred miles from home. This was both unsettling and liberating. I’d never even considered such an action prior to this moment, but the fact is… the boy is now legally an adult and unless I’ve failed miserably as a parent, he should be able to figure this out. We weren’t exactly sure what we thought of this but set back and enjoyed the ride around Tomorrowland just the same. Toward the end of the tour Tamara’s phone received a terse message…

“Where are you!”

Which earned the terse response: “TTA”.

Their retort? “So are we.”

To which we returned: “Meet you at the bottom of the ramp.”



Ain’t technology wonderful?




= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Empty Nest

Well that worked. It’s a little like a mother bird throwing a chick out of the nest and expecting that the little one will be smart enough to open up its wings before being introduced to the ground below (and at a high rate of speed). I no longer have to follow them around if I don’t want to. Not even at Disney.

This was like discovering a new superpower.


The rain was finally drawing back to a steady drizzle by the time that the kids caught up with us. They had indeed acquired the much-coveted FPs but now wished to remain in the general area until their return time. Fine by us… we now had this new superpower.

We could simple abandon the kids to their fate and head off toward any destination!

Drunk with this new power, mom and dad exercised it on the spot. Unlike the birds that make their home in the nooks around the TTA pavilion, we were now free to and see the world.

And so we did. Where did we fly off to?

Fantasyland of course…
(where else would unencumbered adults head off to)


Along the way we caught site of a new mountain

That there is Disney’s latest top secret; a mine train in the making. Once completed there will be another indoor rollercoaster on Disney property. Unfortunately, we won’t be getting on it anytime soon. That one will have to remain a secret for the time being.
So now what?

Easy!

This…

The PhilharMagic is one of our favorite stops along the way. There is a sizable camp that will disagree but for us it’s just not a trip to the Kingdom if you don’t get to see this one. As you can see, the sky was even beginning to clear up a might by now. Inside however, despite the calming décor…

…storms were brewing.
This was because inside there were “People”

Y’all know what I’m talking about here right?

“People” are those folks that are better then you. The ones that don’t feel encumbered by the thought process or feel any responsibility to even contemplate the existence of other life forms. I have a problem with “People”. When a CM politely explains that there are no bad seats and that we all need to move down to completely fill the theater, it’s “People” that seem to say to themselves: “Oh, well that doesn’t mean me!” I actually found myself standing during our last appearance in this very attraction due to the actions of “People”. And it looked like similar specters were on the rise again. But then an interesting thing happened. The CM that had been put in charge of the PhilharMagic turned out to have been raised by a Drill Sargent…

And she wasn’t hearing excuses.


“Everyone please keep moving down.
There are no bad seats and we have a full show.
That means you! This group right here
Yes you, please get up and move down…
Thank you very much, now I need this group here to move also.
Yes, I’m talking to you. This group right here…
please stand up…
and now move on down away from the middle of the row.
Thanks for helping all the other guests that want to enjoy the show…”


As our heroic CM basically called “People” out personally… one at a time… “in front of God and everybody” (as we like to say here down in the South)… Then “People” actually started behaving like “Humans”. It was quite the amazing revelation. Who knew that they were even capable of such?

Too bad they had to be shamed into it.




= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Safe Harbor




Once we’d survived the battle between Donald and basically the entire rest of the universe…

…the rain had almost completely cleared up

The details in this newly refurbished parts of FL are amazing. It’s like being drawn directly into the Rapunzel film. My pictures do it absolutely no justice and I didn’t take anywhere near the number I should have. I will try to correct that latter on…

Anyway our next thought was to try to catch a ghost or two, but the standby line was just crazy when we got there. A whole lot of folks trying to get out of the rain I suspect. So it must be time for Plan-B.


Food…

The Columbia Harbor House is one of the few Quick Service spots in the MK that never really seems to be all that crowded. And yet, we’d never tried it. This may be partly because the menu can be a smidgen challenging when you have finicky eaters in tow.

Well we had no such problem at the time, so it was high time that we corrected this egregious oversight. Tamara ordered the Lighthouse Sandwich, which is a veggi offering featuring Humus, tomatoes and a broccoli slaw. We both shared bites of that one and it was quite tasty and surprisingly filling as well. I went more simply with the Number-6… basically Fish and Chips. That was also quite good. The fish was very light and the batter was not just an overpowering mass of dough. You could actually taste the delicate fish.

The other great thing about “The Columbia” is that you can climb up above the madness…

And partake of the second dinning room upstairs

This makes the Harbor House one of the roomiest and more importantly, quietist spots in any of the parks. We were even able to find a corner of the room that was virtually empty to have all to ourselves…

I also love how the building gives you the feel of lounging on the tween-deck of a sailing ship. Certainly a bit if themeing that I enjoyed. The only downside is that all of the numerous windows that normally flood the dinning room with sunlight and let you look out onto Liberty Square were all covered over. Actually, the whole building was hidden behind a scrim as the Imagineers were in the process of remodeling the exterior. I’m sure that they’ve since finished the work, but it did make the space a little dark on this rainy afternoon.



Next up: The sun returns…

or am I just turning over disinformation here?
​

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

“Mr. E.W. Lambert of Homeleigh, The Burrows, Oswestly, has presented us with a poser.
We do not know which bush he is behind.

But we can soon find out…”

The adults in the house think that POR is the most visually stunning of the Moderates.

I haven't toured all of them, but I think you have a strong case.

I mean besides being discovered right off the bat and asked by security to: “Please follow me this way, sir.”

If I had a dollar for every time that happened...

No, that doesn’t have anything directly to do with spy networks, but it does apply to “Mission Impossible” type operations and Commando style Disney Trips. Keep up with the mission at hand or you may find that you will become just so much collateral damage. My son was about to re teach us that that imperative, but with far different results then when it occurred the first time.

If any of your team is caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.

Rain in Florida? That’s a near daily occurrence in the high summer and it usually lets up after about an hour. Tamara however was prepared as you can see and she tried very hard to get the rest of us to break out ponchos as well, but being guys…

we were having none of it

We should probably have listened though.

Why?

Yes, dear.

I’m at Disney!!!

The place was surrounded by a fence and had staff watching for fledglings attempting to fly he coop so we thought we were pretty safe.

Wrong!

Yeah, that's just about the worst feeling ever.

Why did I tell you that story?

Because you needed to pad the chapter a bit?

It was here that we got left behind. The boys kept to the code and continued trudging on toward SM and even picked up speed (a reasonable reaction on their part). We on the other hand were over it. But this is also where ‘The Code” became more like guidelines. We weren’t really left behind… we charted a new course. A quick turn to port was executed and we quietly fell into one of the coaches of the TTA…

Not a bad alternative.

Oddly we had that entire train to ourselves which made for an even more relaxing ride.

Even better!

Without so much as a word of warning, or even any indication that plans had changed, I outright abandoned my own child in the middle of a driving rainstorm and a crowd of strangers over five hundred miles from home. This was both unsettling and liberating. I’d never even considered such an action prior to this moment, but the fact is… the boy is now legally an adult and unless I’ve failed miserably as a parent, he should be able to figure this out.

Freedom!

Their retort? “So are we.”

To which we returned: “Meet you at the bottom of the ramp.”



Ain’t technology wonderful?

Did they at least grab SM FastPasses for you?

Well that worked. It’s a little like a mother bird throwing a chick out of the nest and expecting that the little one will be smart enough to open up its wings before being introduced to the ground below (and at a high rate of speed). I no longer have to follow them around if I don’t want to. Not even at Disney.

This was like discovering a new superpower.

Not having to worry about kids? This sounds glorious.

They had indeed acquired the much-coveted FPs but now wished to remain in the general area until their return time.

Ah. So the mission was accomplished, and no one was disavowed...yet.

Along the way we caught site of a new mountain

Can't wait to see that one open up.

“People” are those folks that are better then you. The ones that don’t feel encumbered by the thought process or feel any responsibility to even contemplate the existence of other life forms. I have a problem with “People”. When a CM politely explains that there are no bad seats and that we all need to move down to completely fill the theater, it’s “People” that seem to say to themselves: “Oh, well that doesn’t mean me!”

These are the folks that need to be fed to the sharks at Typhoon Lagoon.

But then an interesting thing happened. The CM that had been put in charge of the PhilharMagic turned out to have been raised by a Drill Sargent…

And she wasn’t hearing excuses.

The details in this newly refurbished parts of FL are amazing. It’s like being drawn directly into the Rapunzel film.

Very cool.

The Columbia Harbor House is one of the few Quick Service spots in the MK that never really seems to be all that crowded. And yet, we’d never tried it. This may be partly because the menu can be a smidgen challenging when you have finicky eaters in tow.

Or if you're not a big fan of seafood...

I also love how the building gives you the feel of lounging on the tween-deck of a sailing ship. Certainly a bit if themeing that I enjoyed. The only downside is that all of the numerous windows that normally flood the dinning room with sunlight and let you look out onto Liberty Square were all covered over. Actually, the whole building was hidden behind a scrim as the Imagineers were in the process of remodeling the exterior. I’m sure that they’ve since finished the work, but it did make the space a little dark on this rainy afternoon.

That stinks. I know I would enjoy the view from up there.

 

[wiigirl]

Great pics!

 

[afwdwfan]

I mean besides being discovered right off the bat and asked by security to: “Please follow me this way, sir.”

Come on now. That isn't how it works at Disney World. If security wants you, they just make you disappear behind a non descript door in the scenery.

He, who falls behind, gets left behind…

K, CYA, BYE!

The last time I set foot in this park was nearly three years ago so a little bit of rain wasn’t going to dampen my spirits. Besides it was only a little bit of rain.

That's the attitude!

Not only had it been three years since we were inside, the Magic Kingdom, unforeseen events during that trip conspired to ensure that it had been even longer since any of us had ridden Space Mountain and we were headed to get passes for that ride come heck or high water (and invocation of that second caveat was becoming a distinct possibility).

Well, you're probably better off trying to ride Space during the monsoon than Thunder.

They were also making no effort to ensure that feeble old mom and dad were necessarily right behind them.

Um... I hate to be the one to break it to you, but I think they were trying to lose you.

We weren’t really left behind… we charted a new course. A quick turn to port was executed and we quietly fell into one of the coaches of the TTA…

And that was a wise decision.

Ain’t technology wonderful?

Fantastic as long as nobody loses their phone on a big rollercoaster.

The CM that had been put in charge of the PhilharMagic turned out to have been raised by a Drill Sargent…

Well played, CM, well played.

So it must be time for Plan-B.


Food…

Food was Plan B??? I thought food was always supposed to be Plan A????

I also love how the building gives you the feel of lounging on the tween-deck of a sailing ship.

You enjoy that? I would have never guessed.

 

[Goofy442]

Funny I have said the same thing about people, they do not like to move all the way down. What language will help you understand, Please fill in all available space.

 

[DisFanAmI]

More, more, more. Please...