145 Middle Schoolers: Wicked Awesome or Epic Fail???DeParting-Such Sweet Sorrow p. 76

[ddluvsdisney]

This trip did not bring out the best in me!!! Mistakes were made and I am not proud of the things that happened.



I probably should just come clean and say that my family's FP prowess is probably all due to my husband's expertise.

It was amusing that the boy knew there was something in the store he wanted, but didn't remember what it was.




Nate is not even aware of this incident. He was not one of the boys in the group who went to MK. Like other times during this trip, I was a chaperone, but not necessarily for my own son. Nate was with his friends in the DTD/swimming group.

I actually kinda figured that after I wrote it! Who wants to be with their mom anyway-typical teenager! Mine would have done the same lol.
You can tell it was kind of a stressful trip.

 

[natebenma]

[/B]


I actually kinda figured that after I wrote it! Who wants to be with their mom anyway-typical teenager! Mine would have done the same lol.
You can tell it was kind of a stressful trip.

That's right. I was not with Nate a lot of the time and that's the way he wanted it.

Definitely a stressful trip. Let's just say that's why I wasn't thinking straight. Yeah, that's it!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Hi Dee! I'm finally finding some time to sit down & read your TR. I had intended to do so many moons ago, but since I was already so far behind, I kept telling myself I'd find time later... well now is the time. We'll see how far I get tonight but I hope to get through it all this week.

I've read the into & how the trip came to be and am cracking up at the whole Life Skills situation that almost lost the trip for you! That has to be a tough class for a middle school boy! I'm sure I'll be there soon enough...

I also wanted to mention that I too love TING! DH & I were married in Jamaica & have been there a few times so I'm quite familiar with it.

PS - Thanks for the links!!

 

[eandesmom]

Too funny! I'm surprised an adult hadn't checked the fp return times on an app! What a pita on the tickets. It happens to the best of us.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Wow! I love your report so much I couldn't stop reading! I'm all caught up & can't wait for your next update.

What a crazy trip & I'm enjoying reading a TR from an entirely different perspective than I've seen before. I'm sure it's a trip you won't soon forget.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Oh, you have described my perfect plan. Clearly we will bond as we knit on the boat.

We can throw in a few books and cameras for the non-knitters on the boat.

See now this is just getting better and better I think we need a flask or two of coffee (and tea for me) just to keep us ticking over

Sounds good!




Sounds better! Love the idea of the books and camera. I was not quite sure what I was going to do...

You will have to be the photographer in residence of course Oh and purveyer of tasty Epcot snacks (because I seem to remember you talking about pecan toffee and other delicious delights)

That's right. I was not with Nate a lot of the time and that's the way he wanted it.
Typical teenage boy!
When they ask for you to merely slow the car down as they approach school so they can jump from said vehicle in case, you know, you might be tempted to
a) plant a goodbye kiss on their cheek,
b) utter a term of endearment (see you later, take care or ( heaven forbid)love you, they all count)
c)actually be seen with them

You know you are the proud mother of a teenager
Definitely a stressful trip. Let's just say that's why I wasn't thinking straight. Yeah, that's it!

 

[natebenma]

Hi Dee! I'm finally finding some time to sit down & read your TR. I had intended to do so many moons ago, but since I was already so far behind, I kept telling myself I'd find time later... well now is the time. We'll see how far I get tonight but I hope to get through it all this week.

I've read the into & how the trip came to be and am cracking up at the whole Life Skills situation that almost lost the trip for you! That has to be a tough class for a middle school boy! I'm sure I'll be there soon enough...

I also wanted to mention that I too love TING! DH & I were married in Jamaica & have been there a few times so I'm quite familiar with it.

PS - Thanks for the links!!

Amy!!!

So glad to have you along for the trip.

I can smile about the Life Skills thing now, but boy what a stressfull year! Monitoring his effort grades (conduct is not problem with him) in all of his classes, sweating it out each time report cards were released!


You did it. You mentioned TING and opened the floodgates! We first had Ting on trip to Jamaica and now whenever we go someplace tropical, we are on a quest to find it. When I was pregnant with Nate, we went on a babymoon (I don't think they called it that then) to St. John and we brought home a 6 pack of Ting (back when you could carry-on liquids). I had one bottle per month, and the final one I brought to the hospital for my focus item, and consumed it about a half-hour after Nate was born.

Once found 20 bottles of Ting for sale at our local Stop and Shop. I purchased 18 of them (wanted to leave a couple so others could buy and hopefully get hooked and demand more). Building 19 has had them once or twice.

And here is a picture of us passing on the family obsession to the kids in the Bahamas:

We have at least one other Ting-lover aboard for this report:

Phew! Found my way over from the YC&BC FAQ; my glorified scientific calculator finally loaded the last page -- all caught up and subbing!

Can't wait... Also, 145 middle school kids ensures your sainthood.

Oh, and Ting! YES!

Wow! I love your report so much I couldn't stop reading! I'm all caught up & can't wait for your next update.

What a crazy trip & I'm enjoying reading a TR from an entirely different perspective than I've seen before. I'm sure it's a trip you won't soon forget.

Thank you so much!

I'm so glad to hear you are enoying the report.

This was a certainly a different trip from what I am used to. You are right, I won't soon forget this trip (even if there are parts I want to erase from my memory bank)

 

[natebenma]

Too funny! I'm surprised an adult hadn't checked the fp return times on an app! What a pita on the tickets. It happens to the best of us.

A couple of the chaperones in our group had the Disney apps. I don't have one. Not sure if there is one for my cell or not- I have a Windows phone.

Finding the 6 valid tickets in my stack of 20 proved to be a lot more difficult than it should have been. Then I had trouble keep track of the actual FP seperate from the "Invalid" ones while I was pulling them.

See now this is just getting better and better I think we need a flask or two of coffee (and tea for me) just to keep us ticking over

I'm in for some coffee!

You will have to be the photographer in residence of course Oh and purveyer of tasty Epcot snacks (because I seem to remember you talking about pecan toffee and other delicious delights)

I'll go for snack runs.

Typical teenage boy!
When they ask for you to merely slow the car down as they approach school so they can jump from said vehicle in case, you know, you might be tempted to
a) plant a goodbye kiss on their cheek,
b) utter a term of endearment (see you later, take care or ( heaven forbid)love you, they all count)
c)actually be seen with them

You know you are the proud mother of a teenager

I'm still holding out hope that things will be different with Ben. The other teens in our group didn't seem to mind being with their parents during the trip. Sometimes they even sat WITH them.

 

[thumperjr9]

I got a little behind on my reading.... just getting caught up. My natural instints would be to run to BTM to get a FP too. I love that ride....it was the 1st of the Disney Mts. that my youngest DS rode. At age 4 my older DS talked him into riding (he'll do anything for his older brother), so it holds special memories.

Don't be too hard on yourself regarding your so called "mistakes". To me it sounds like you did an awesome job as a chaperone.!!

 

[natebenma]

I got a little behind on my reading.... just getting caught up. My natural instints would be to run to BTM to get a FP too. I love that ride....it was the 1st of the Disney Mts. that my youngest DS rode. At age 4 my older DS talked him into riding (he'll do anything for his older brother), so it holds special memories.

Don't be too hard on yourself regarding your so called "mistakes". To me it sounds like you did an awesome job as a chaperone.!!

I think BTM is my favorite ride at Disney. My whole family loves it too.

Thanks so much for your kind words. But I certainly had my shameful moments. I have a doozie coming up in just a few updates- spoiler alert- The title of the chapter is Bad, Bad Chaperone!

Don't think I will get to it before your trip, though.

Have a spectacular time!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I'm in for some coffee!




I'll go for snack runs.

OK how many people will be in our boat? I think you might need some help with the snack run so I'll come too (and if we happen to see a certain drinks cart in France and succumb to 1 or 2 slushy drinks-enough said)!


I'm still holding out hope that things will be different with Ben. The other teens in our group didn't seem to mind being with their parents during the trip. Sometimes they even sat WITH them.

 

[pixarmom]

I'm catching up!!! So sidetracked by the end of the summer activities, birthday celebrations, final cruise preparations (wow - those fish extender gifts take a lot of time - will send photos of the ones I made when we return!) Stopped by to see your great work on Teena's trip report, but needed to take some time to catch up here and I'm so glad I did!

First, I told the boys about your lunch at Starring Rolls and they love it. We're definitely visiting that corner in October for a photo op! Also helpful for them to hear about what a class trip to WDW is really like. I was lucky that when I went on a school trip to WDW in high school, I was with friends and a chaperone who agreed to come with me to Epcot and let me develop and implement the plan. (And I was far less attached to TS restaurants at the time!) So I'm thinking of chaperoning a possible school trip to Quebec in the spring - our oldest is very enthusiastic about the idea. But I reminded him about your report, and how even the planners don't get to call the shots on a school trip!

I
We had an awesome week. I'm so glad that Ben still enjoys doing all of these things. We don't get that enthusiasm from the teen anymore!

I adore the beach. I have salt water in my veins. I love the sights, sounds, smells of the seacoast. Ben loves the ocean too.

Bad, bad mom. I didn't bring any of our boogie boards. Quite a few people had them though, they just didn't make it into the pictures.

Love the details of your week and Nate's camp. This sounds like some great time with Ben! And you all need to get out to California someday - grab those boogie boards and plan a stay in Newport!

I’m not a big fan of DTD. I don’t enjoy shopping and really don’t love to spend time in stores. I tolerate the Lego store because it has awesome creations and Ben absolutely loves it. But Ben was not there. Those of you who are here from the BC/YC FAQ thread know that I detest the return DTD bus so much that I have devised an elaborate scheme to avoid it at all costs. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be to keep track of the 14 boys in that situation. I was seriously nervous.

Ugh! Add DTD to the list of CS, Stitch and other things that make me nervous about your report! You may recall that, as much as I love WDW and had my own good share of fun at Pleasure Island back in the day, DTD is not my favorite destination. I've been to DTD at all different times of day and am still not a fan. Redeeming qualities: Portobello restaurant is very good and the vinylmation store has an impressive selection!

As for FP collection, sometimes it works and sometimes not! We've been using the touringplans.com Lines app since it appeared, so it's been a while since I paid attention to tip boards - except at Epcot and mostly out of curiosity, since they're right in front of you in FW. With the new return time enforcement, I'm limiting reliance on FPs and lines apps (still getting a few FPs per day, but very few.) In fact, our entire strategy has now boiled down to very early morning at MK, DHS or AK, then lunch ADR, then break and dinner at or around Epcot.

 

[jenseib]

ROOKIE!!!!!!
ok, I have done stuff like that myself too!

 

[MHTeacher]

That's right. I was not with Nate a lot of the time and that's the way he wanted it.

Couldn't help but laugh when I read this, because I have a child just like this. Any time there was a class trip, she could have cared less if went or not---fiercely independent!

 

[natebenma]

I'm catching up!!! So sidetracked by the end of the summer activities, birthday celebrations, final cruise preparations (wow - those fish extender gifts take a lot of time - will send photos of the ones I made when we return!) Stopped by to see your great work on Teena's trip report, but needed to take some time to catch up here and I'm so glad I did!

Love the details of your week and Nate's camp. This sounds like some great time with Ben! And you all need to get out to California someday - grab those boogie boards and plan a stay in Newport!

Wow, you have been busy! Hopefully the cruise will be a nice, relaxing break for you! Ha!

I hope I get a chance to "chat" with you before you go, but if not:

BON VOYAGE!!!

We had another trip to the beach with friends last week:

First, I told the boys about your lunch at Starring Rolls and they love it. We're definitely visiting that corner in October for a photo op! Also helpful for them to hear about what a class trip to WDW is really like. I was lucky that when I went on a school trip to WDW in high school, I was with friends and a chaperone who agreed to come with me to Epcot and let me develop and implement the plan. (And I was far less attached to TS restaurants at the time!) So I'm thinking of chaperoning a possible school trip to Quebec in the spring - our oldest is very enthusiastic about the idea. But I reminded him about your report, and how even the planners don't get to call the shots on a school trip!

Ugh! Add DTD to the list of CS, Stitch and other things that make me nervous about your report! You may recall that, as much as I love WDW and had my own good share of fun at Pleasure Island back in the day, DTD is not my favorite destination. I've been to DTD at all different times of day and am still not a fan. Redeeming qualities: Portobello restaurant is very good and the vinylmation store has an impressive selection!

As for FP collection, sometimes it works and sometimes not! We've been using the touringplans.com Lines app since it appeared, so it's been a while since I paid attention to tip boards - except at Epcot and mostly out of curiosity, since they're right in front of you in FW. With the new return time enforcement, I'm limiting reliance on FPs and lines apps (still getting a few FPs per day, but very few.) In fact, our entire strategy has now boiled down to very early morning at MK, DHS or AK, then lunch ADR, then break and dinner at or around Epcot.

I'd love to see the picture of the boys in the corner!

Travelling with such a large group resulted in a trip that was much different than any I had done before. As the trip progressed, I found that my past experience at the World was not as helpful as I thought it would be to my fellow travelers.

My first visit to Disneyworld and EPCOT was as a high school senior. It was organized by a local travel agency and was a class trip, but not a "school-sponsored" trip, and I don't remember what the chaperone situation was. I do know that we were able to tour the parks and go on excursions on our own.

The Quebec trip sounds like fun- we did a high school band trip there.

Big difference between Pleasure Island and DTD!!! We loved the Comedy Warehouse. The Portobello Yacht Club was our first Disney restaurant. A waitress spilled a drink on Mark at the Adventurers Club. The New Year's Eve Countdown- Every Night! Johnny Cash was doing an outdoor show during one of our visits.

I'm am so glad we ended up at MK that night!!!

 

[natebenma]

ROOKIE!!!!!!
ok, I have done stuff like that myself too!

I was really, really thrown off my game on this trip!

Couldn't help but laugh when I read this, because I have a child just like this. Any time there was a class trip, she could have cared less if went or not---fiercely independent!

When it comes right down to it, I'm not sure that Nate cared if I was there or not. For the most part, I gave him space, and chaperoned the group as a whole. By the last day of the trip, some of the parents who were chaperoning were more focused on doing what their own kids wanted, which was not necessarily in the best interest of the group.

 

[jmskinner]

Got behind yet again, but all caught up for now. I say now because I'll be behind again since we leave this Friday.

Love the GAM photos, especially the one with the boys. That would be a good one for the yearbook, but I guess too late for that.

Sounds like your boys had a fabulous Summer vacation, just the one week looks like a Summers worth. Had to tell you, I made taffy with my Grandmother one time. I need to try it again.

When you said ya'll were headed to DTD, my thought was . I only like DTD during the day, at night it is way to busy. Can't imagine with a large group of boys. Speaking from school trip experience, one thing to walk from ride to ride and stand in line, but when they are somewhere they can go their own direction.

And the BTMRR FP story had me . Not separating the tickets is something I would do and same as you, I would be focused on BTMRR and not the other rides. I know I have gotten FP's to one ride, later to realize the stand-by wasn't that long.

 

[Queila]

Give me Magic Kingdom over DTD any day! We usually don't spend a lot of time in DTD Disney either. Usually one trip at the end of the week to get some souvenirs and that is it.

We are hoping Beatriz will get to ride Thunder Mountain for the first time this year. She is finally tall enough!

So Tomorrowland, eh? I am assuming the stand by time at Space mountain will be more that the kids and the chaperones are willing to wait for. Did you guys get to do the Monsters Inc. comedy show? That is always entertaining!

Have a good week!
Q

 

[natebenma]

Got behind yet again, but all caught up for now. I say now because I'll be behind again since we leave this Friday.

Love the GAM photos, especially the one with the boys. That would be a good one for the yearbook, but I guess too late for that.

Sounds like your boys had a fabulous Summer vacation, just the one week looks like a Summers worth. Had to tell you, I made taffy with my Grandmother one time. I need to try it again.

When you said ya'll were headed to DTD, my thought was . I only like DTD during the day, at night it is way to busy. Can't imagine with a large group of boys. Speaking from school trip experience, one thing to walk from ride to ride and stand in line, but when they are somewhere they can go their own direction.

And the BTMRR FP story had me . Not separating the tickets is something I would do and same as you, I would be focused on BTMRR and not the other rides. I know I have gotten FP's to one ride, later to realize the stand-by wasn't that long.

Hey, have a FANTASTIC trip!!! Say hi to for me! Can't wait to see the pictures from the SW Celebrations and Lego, if you make it there.

The GAM picture would have been great for the yearbook, but I think you're right. Trip was in early June and I'm sure the book was produced before then.

We did have a really great week of summer fun. We are very fortunate where we live- there is a lot to do very close by. Love that I can be at the beach in 15 minutes!

I never made taffy with my grandmother (Memere), but I have her recipe. Not that I have done it on my own, either.

Thank goodness I did not end up at DTD! It was seriously close. We were in the bus line and it was at the last miute that we were able to round up some boys to bring to MK. Phew!

It made sense at the time, but the more I think about it... DUH!!! Should have gotten a FP to Space. Or Splash. Or even Jungle.

 

[natebenma]

Give me Magic Kingdom over DTD any day! We usually don't spend a lot of time in DTD Disney either. Usually one trip at the end of the week to get some souvenirs and that is it.

We are hoping Beatriz will get to ride Thunder Mountain for the first time this year. She is finally tall enough!

So Tomorrowland, eh? I am assuming the stand by time at Space mountain will be more that the kids and the chaperones are willing to wait for. Did you guys get to do the Monsters Inc. comedy show? That is always entertaining!

Have a good week!
Q

I would totally skip DTD except Ben is obsessed with the Lego Store and loves eating at T-Rex.

I can just picture the smile on Betriz' face if she rides BTM.

Interesting guess on Monsters, Inc. Maybe we did Stitch again! NOT!!!

I'll be posting the answer in an update tomorrow.

BTW- did you see my pictures from Hampton Beach? p. 43, post #640