9/23/07: Life Stinks! The 2nd Season! -The Final Episode. :(

[ILUVEVERYTHINGDISNEY]

Well, Ingrid doesn't exist anymore so that's one bullet that we've missed. But now, there's a system developing off the coast of Florida that they think could be a problem. It's supposed to move into the Gulf of Mexico sometime soon, so it may be well west of us. I'm still watching the tropics very closely, though.

Now I have to figure out how I'm going to handle the drive on Saturday. Clemson plays NC State at noon, and I have to figure out how to keep up with the game since I'll be on I-95 and I-4 while the game is going on. Is there a sports bar at Downtown Disney? I'm trying to think of someplace the game might be on so I can watch it once we get there.

Had our official Bon Voyage party on Sunday night. The menu featured grape and goat cheese pizza, Italian chicken, Sweet Potatoes with sour cream and onions, and Parmesan Asparagus. I love every one of those recipes. The highlight of the evening was when we announced to the in-laws that we were buying them a cabana massage. At first they thought we were just joking. They've paid for so many condos in Hilton Head in the past that we felt like we owed them one. It's not the same thing as when we bought my parents a complete cruise, but then again it's not their 50th wedding anniversary either.

We leave in 3 days, cruise in 5. I'm worthless at work right now. My boss might say that's no different than normal, though.[/QUOTE

I know what you mean! When we went on our cruise, I couldnt get anything done at work before and after the cruise. I was excited before the cruise and depressed after the cruise (It was over). So I was useless for a week after the cruise.

Have fun on your cruise and I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.

 

[smh071]

In my opinion the best place at WDW to watch Sports is the ESPN Zone on the Boardwalk. TVs everywhere and the Best Chili Dogs in Orlando. Plus lots of cold beer.
Off of WDW I would go to Gators, Hooters, Chili's, Orlando Ale House, or the Winghouse. Most of those are within a couple of miles of Downtown Disney.
I hope you enjoy the recomendations.
4 Dys until we are on the road!!!!!

 

[zweihund]

Wow, 5 days! Tell the Wonder we said hello, and we will see her very soon

 

[Mozart]

Ah, my dear readers. I do appreciate the fact that some of you have been faithful and followed me through this time of planning. I shall now take my leave of you for a few days. I have a trip to make, and do not at this time plan on purchasing internet access on the ship, or at House of the Mouse. Don’t be surprised if that changes, though. I may not be able to resist.

As soon as I finish posting this, I shall have to get back to work so I can leave early. Today is a 2.5 hour drive from my home in the beautiful Upstate of South Carolina (an area which during the fall is better known as Clemson country) down south to my parent’s house to give us a head start. Tomorrow is an 8 hour drive to Disney World. It’ll take us a little longer than normal since we’ll be stopping on the way a few times because we can, but I am going to shorten it as much as possible. We normally make the drive to Orlando with dogs in tow, which means fast food so we don’t have to lock them in the car. Tomorrow, we don’t have to worry about that. I’m just worried that I won’t be able to sneak by the outlet malls this time.

I will be writing up my on-board reports each night from my beautiful secret verandah (unless I go all Zweihund on you and can’t distinguish the keys on the keyboard), so the reports will at least be written in real-time. First one should be posted probably next Saturday since we won’t get home before then, and I’ll even include a follow up report on our day at EPCOT after we get off the boat. Again, that may be sooner if I do give in and purchase internet access.

If you happen to read this between noon on Sunday and around 9 AM Thursday, I have a thought for you:

I’m on the boat. You’re not.

 

[4 mickey]

hi
Have a niceeeeee trip and can't wait for the TR
Enjoy your trip.

 

[zweihund]

Mozart, I drove past the Cape on Sunday at about noon - were you boarding? Hope your vacation is everything you were looking forward too. Can't wait for the TR!

 

[ashman]

It’s time to get excited, finally, if I wasn’t already. The bags are out, clothes are coming back from the dry cleaners, and college football has started. That’s my queue for the fact that the cruise is coming soon. I think even the in-laws are starting to get excited.


AHHH ! College Football. Its here at last. The only thing I have to look forward to other than this trip report. It stinks right now cause I Do not have anything planned (vac.). No cruise, no parks. I am just plain sad!!!! I am living through all of you all trip reports. Its giving me hope that someday me and the mouse will meet again.

Loving the pre-trip report. Keep them coming. You and ashman are in a class by yourselves. Can't wait til your trip report. Make sure we get pics along with the report. Can't beat Ashman in the tub, though!

I agree with you about college football. Its been a while since I have read here and wanted to see the rest of the report. Just don't let my wife hear about other people talking about me in a tub!

 

[ashman]

Well his cruise should have gotten off to a good start. Clemson CRUSHED NC State

 

[Mozart]

Well his cruise should have gotten off to a good start. Clemson CRUSHED NC State

Watched the second half of the game in the Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Trip report is in process of being written. A few teasers until it's fully ready:

1) A surprise at the port
2) A golf cart with flowers
3) The best server ever
4) A cast preview that we got to join in on

It's been an incredible week. I wrote alot of my trip report once, but I'm rewriting it because there were just so many great suprises.

 

[zweihund]

Watched the second half of the game in the Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Trip report is in process of being written. A few teasers until it's fully ready:

1) A surprise at the port
2) A golf cart with flowers
3) The best server ever
4) A cast preview that we got to join in on

It's been an incredible week. I wrote alot of my trip report once, but I'm rewriting it because there were just so many great suprises.

Can't wait to read it!

 

[Tink rules]

Hurry up Mozart!!!

You're almost as slow as Joel is!!! (and HE'S got a reason!!!)

 

[Mozart]

Well, the first part of the drive down came and went on Friday. That morning it just got to the point where I couldn’t take it. After I made my last post, I was absolutely worthless at work. By 11:30 I had already made all of my vacation arrangements and my boss was gone for the day. Do you know what that means? SEE YA! I had originally planned on leaving about 12:30, but since I’ve made it to a position in my life where I can run out early from time to time, I decided Big Blue had enough of my services for the week, and I was on my way.

By the time I got home, my wife had made the same decision and was waiting for me. By 3:30, we were officially on vacation. We didn’t think too much about the timing. What it did however, was put us right in the heart of Columbia, SC during their rush hour. On a Friday.

For those of you who have never been to Columbia, there is an intersection there of note. It is where I-26 and I-20 come together. Have you ever heard the old saying that if you put 1,000 monkeys at 1,000 typewriters for 1,000 years one of them will write a Shakespearean play? Well, one of those other thousands of works they produced was this intersection. Locals know it as Malfunction Junction. On I-26, 4 lines merge into 2, while people coming off of I-20 are trying to get on from the right hand side. At the same time, everyone leaving I-26 to get onto I-20 are trying to get to the right to take their exit. It took us 45 minutes to go that mile. The guy on the radio in the helicopter described it as “the normal backup at Malfunction Junction.”

A 150 mile drive took us nearly 4 hours to make. Outside of that intersection, we did 80 the whole way. You do the math.

Now, it’s 9 PM. We’ve had dinner with my parents. I have to go to bed early tonight, because we’re getting up at 5 tomorrow to get ready for the drive. My parents don’t believe I’ll make it. They just remember the teenager who used to sleep until 12 each Saturday. I’ll show them…I hope.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

 

[Mozart]

It never fails to amaze me. There is a great difference between men and women when it comes to road trips. (This isn’t just me talking, I’ve heard it from many others through the years.) Men have a mission when driving long distances. The goal: keep to the schedule. If I say “Let’s leave at 6 AM, and we can be in Orlando in time to eat lunch,” that means NO STOPS! Go to the bathroom before you leave and don’t drink any water until we’ve passed Daytona. You get a 10 minute break in Jacksonville while I refill the car with gas. THAT’S IT! I certainly don’t want to hear “Oooohhh…can we stop at that outlet mall for a few minutes?”

As you can imagine based on my first paragraph, it was a long day on I-95. My original plan was to leave at 6, and we’d be at Downtown Disney around 1:30, if I drove slower than normal. We left about 6:15 and I drove really fast. We got to WDW at 3. The thing that got me was the stopping every 100 miles for the bathroom, to stretch the legs, to get something vitally important out of the back, and to go shopping. Also, I get really cranky when I get hungry. I was pretty hungry by 3. We finally made our way to the Rainforest Café. Now, I’ve heard on many an occasion that their food wasn’t very good. There were two reasons I wanted to eat there. 1) I had never been before and wanted to experience their atmosphere one time. 2) I was hoping to sit at the bar and watch the Clemson game, since I figured nowhere else at Downtown Disney would be carrying it. I ordered the Cobb Salad. It was the size of a small semi-truck. It was also very good, although it wasn’t really a true Cobb salad. Sort of a modified version of one. No avocados for example, but since I hate those anyway, I didn’t mind.

We, of course spent a little time at Downtown Disney afterwards. And after there were a few complementary gifts purchased, it was time for a trip up to Orlando for some Pei Wei. This is where I could be about to start a hot-button topic war here on the boards. Saving seats. My wife and brother went to sit-down while the other two of us ordered. This restaurant was packed. I didn’t think much of it, but noticed after they sat down that the managers were pointing at them and talking. After a minute or two, the manager walks over and asks them to not save a seat until they had ordered. This really bugged me. Why? Because half the restaurant was tables who had people saving seats. My wife and brother were noticed because they sat right next to where the managers were working. When it was pointed out that everyone was doing it, the manager stated that he didn’t see anyone else. EVERYONE IN LINE HAD A MEMBER OF THEIR PARTY SAVING SEATS! I don’t have a problem with the idea of making people order before they get a seat, but I do have a problem when they only apply it to the table they happen to notice. Other than that, though, Pei Wei was its usual high quality self.

The next morning would be a little different experience.

 

[ILUVEVERYTHINGDISNEY]

I'm glad Clemson won. Good Game!!! Although my team lost, Penn State!! Heck we are out of the top 25. Not ranked!!!

Well, anyway. Can't wait to read more!!!!!

 

[Tink rules]

Yes Moz...

There is a difference between us and you...

We not only know when it's time to pee...

But we ask for directions!!!

 

[zweihund]

Sorry about your Pei Wei manager experience, but I'm glad teh rest of the meal was up to expectations. I can taste the ginger broccoli right now.....
Just imagine, you were right across the street from my favorite booze store the whole time! Perhaps you saw someone staggering out with an armful of O'Mara's Irish Cream?

 

[CruisinEars]

I'm hooked! Can't wait to read more.

 

[Mozart]

Yes Moz...

There is a difference between us and you...

We not only know when it's time to pee...

But we ask for directions!!!

Don't need to ask. That's what a GPS is for.

Just imagine, you were right across the street from my favorite booze store the whole time! Perhaps you saw someone staggering out with an armful of O'Mara's Irish Cream?

If you're talking about the place I am, we went there and walked out with a case of wine for my brother's house. Put a fair dent into it that night as well.

 

[Mozart]

I’ve never stayed at a value resort before. I’ve certainly never eaten at a value resort’s food court before. My wife would describe the food court at the Pop Century as a mariachi band on crack. That was truly one of the most chaos filled experiences of my life. Ducking, dodging, swerving to avoid people. And I’m talking about adults, don’t even get me started on the kids. I don’t know how many times I had to perform miraculous saves of my tray to keep my food from flying all over floor. Finding a table was another story altogether. Again, we’re back to the issue of people saving seats without having their food. I noticed more than one person doing it here. Finally, around 9:30 on a Sunday morning, it was time to leave Orlando and head for Port Canaveral.

Now, anyone who lives in Florida right now can tell you exactly what that means….LOVEBUGS! It was like listening to a machine gun going off on my windshield. POP, POP, POP, POP, POP! We were very fortunate in that it actually ended up pouring rain on us about halfway between Orlando and Port Canaveral. That washed all the lovebugs off the front of our car. I actually felt sorry for them. Here they are, having a really good time if you know what I mean, when suddenly a car comes along at 80 mph and blows right through them. Literally. What a way to go!

So, we’re at the terminal and it’s time to head inside. I guess this is where being a Dis’er begins coming in to play. I start recognizing people. The first one comes as soon as I go up the escalator and reach the main terminal. If you’re familiar with the poster 2angelsinheaven, I see the guy from her pictures standing at the top. I look at him for a second as if to say “really?” and then walk over to him. Before I even got a word out, he said “Are you a DIS’er?” I couldn’t resist laughing at that one.

First issue of the cruise comes up now, though. You would think the people checking in the Castaway Club would give better service, right? Well, one little problem. My in-laws, who were not CC members got some information that we didn’t. Turns out that a rumor on the main board that I thought was just that, a rumor, turned out to be true. This cruise is double-dipping CC! On the one hand, I was really happy because who couldn’t use another day there? On the other hand, I really had the day at sea all planned out, so this was going to throw me for a loop. The thing that bothered me is that had my in-laws not gotten the letter, we may not have known we were double-dipping CC until we got there Wednesday morning.

I feel the frantic side of me coming up. I need to tell someone just how great this is. I need to talk about this in greater detail. I need something. And then I see her. It was instant recognition. That woman looks just like Joel’s wife in the pictures he posted! And those look just like his kids! And that looks just like him! So, I amble over and say hello. Now, for a split second, I have to admit I thought about how I could reference the wedding without really saying it and watching him squirm. But, I just couldn’t do it. I played nice for the guy and let him go so he could take his kids pictures with Mickey Mouse. What I was really trying to do was merge my group in with his and basically cut into the front of that long line. He didn’t seem to get it, though.

Overall, I was just thinking that despite some little problems, I really like this cruise line and the people who work for it. Just wait, though. There’s one cast member that later just blows me away. But this is where Joel’s wedding would threaten to interfere with the happiness of OUR cruise.