stopher1
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2008
- Messages
- 14,402
Part II: I'll Take a Lamplighter, a Coke and a Hot Fudge Sundae Please
So checking in to my room early was a good thing, except for the poor park view, but hey the room was literally moments from both parks, so I wasnt complaining. It was only about 2 pm, and I wasnt supposed to be over to my friends house for the Carnation Plaza Gardens reunion til 4 so I had a little time to kill. I wandered the grounds and lobby, and got a couple of pics.
Looking straight out - then DOWN from my balcony
Outside near the pool, on the "wedding lawn", looking back at the DVC villas
The outdoor fireplace, near the same spot as above
The lobby Christmas Tree
Outside near the Porte Cachere - the "approach", and then nearby
Then started to head out to DTD. I knew that I didnt want to actually enter a park, because then I would be tempted to ride something and might be late but hey, I was right there and DCA is right there and Soarin is right there too and DCA has a SINGLE RIDER LINE. Easy choice! Within 5 minutes I was inside the park and approaching the FP Return / Single Rider CM. I asked for my SR Card, and was waiting my turn within just a couple of minutes more. Soon enough (about 3 minutes later), the CM was calling to me, and assigning me to my row for immediate boarding. SCORE! Entering the queue to fastening my seat belt in about 6 minutes when the Standby queue was hovering at about 60 minutes. Theres just something wonderful about going SOLO.
Upon exiting the ride, I decided it would be best not to tempt myself further, and made my way back in to the Grand through the hotel entrance, and then out in to DTD. I wandered a little bit, and quite uncharacteristically did not take any pictures. I worked my way down towards the AMC Theatre and hung a left to walk down the path towards the hotel self-parking lot, and then left on my way to find a dessert to take to the party. Marie Callenders was calling to me another favorite from all the years of living in So. Cal. A couple of her yummy pies would be a nice addition to the evenings fare.
I quickly entered the address in to the GPS on my phone, and was off. I knew the general direction of where I was headed, but my friends had moved since the last time I was at there house 9 years ago! Thankfully it wasnt far from where they had lived previously.
Now to backtrack a bit this party was originally going to just be dinner between another former CM friend, Nancy, who lives in Minnesota, but goes home each year for Thanksgiving to visit her parents. We had chatted on FB for a few weeks about possibly getting together since we were both going to be in the area at the same time. And then it started to grow from there, as we each talked about who we might like to see while there and such. Last Fall while there I had opened up the possibility of a get together to several others (sadly missing Nancys dates by only a matter of days). About 7 of us were going to get together then but sadly I got violently ill the night before we were supposed to meet. I felt it best to tell them all and let them make their own decision about whether or not they wanted to be around someone who had revisited dinner multiple times during the middle of the night. Most of the ones who were going to be there decided against it, but thankfully my friend Patty was very stubborn and threw caution to the wind, not really giving a care, figuring Id flown all that way and why not? So she came over to the hotel and we had a nice visit. Plus I got to meet here adorable daughter.
So here we are back again this year, and now Nancy and I were set to see about 12-15 people, give or take some. A FB Event page was set up, and over the course of the time, our friends Dan & Connie opened up their home to be the gathering place, instead of in a restaurant as Nancy & I had been planning. Soon we started to see people announcing their intention to come, or their regrets for having to miss it. Several remained Maybes all through the process, so it really was a guessing game as to who actually would or would not show up. In the end we had a blast. It was great to reconnect in person with them all. Several of these folks I hadnt seen in 20 years. Others Ive been in contact with for the duration. Several of us attended each others weddings, and have watched our kids grow through regular communication, Christmas cards, and definitely Facebook. Not to bore you completely, but here are just a few fun shots from the evening.
Here Dan, a former fry cook there at CPG fires up the grill once more flipping burgers for his guests once again.
Here, several of the gang reminisce and look at old photos and scrapbooks from our days together as we as the Traditions handbook from the Disney University training always said we work while others play.
Back in those days I worked the "front lines" - the cash registers selling "Lamplighter" (cheeseburger), "Great American" (double cheeseburgers) and other similarly named combo meals (CPG WAS technically part of Main Street, U.S.A., even though we were under the umbrella of "Fantasyland Foods"); I also scooped ice cream, or made "set-ups" (getting the buns sauced, and ready with lettuce & tomato); made the fries (VERY greasy - but MUCH WORSE when you closed and had to clean those greasy overhead screens); and yes, I was a fry cook too - flipping burgers. It was a fun but crazy time in my life.
Here it is and I am ... back in the day
And now... a sad shell of it's former "glory".
CPG was closed officially in 2000, and the restaurant part was torn down thereafter. Where it stood is now just an overflow patio from the neighborhing Rancho del Zocalo restaurant in Frontierland. The red & beige striped umbrellas in the back of this shot are where the restaurant once stood. The band / dance floor is still there... oh to be back in the day hearing that wonderful Big Band music once again and watching all of the old couples come out to dance. In it's heyday, CPG was host to many, many wonderful Swing and Big Band bands - both real big names, and a lot of pretenders too. Now it's pretty much just home to the Magic Music Days program with the high school kids. Not quite the same in my mind!
Here I am with some of my friends
Being a native Californian, I do have a lot of different family and friends living there still. Each visit I make, I try to see someone or several someones. This trip had two such events that night alone. Sadly, my camera battery had died before I got to my next gathering, and I wasnt able to document my get together with some old friends from Jr. High School. We had agreed to meet at 9, so I had to cut my time with the CPG folks short. I was very bummed to leave but honestly cant wait to get out there again and spend some more time with them in 2011.
I left the party with a happy heart, and headed back to the Grand. My other friends had agreed to meet me there, and so we enjoyed some time together in the Hearthstone Lounge. It really is a very nice bar area. We laughed, we reminisced, we had fun again like it was 1984. Then it was time for them to go, but I quickly let them come up to see what the room was like. (Being a good DVC member, Im always on the lookout for possibilities to share my love for Disney, and the awesome accommodations with others who dont necessarily get the DVC program. One already said he might be contacting DVC soon himself now wouldnt that be nice? )
My friends left, and I decided it was time to hit the sheets. It was approaching midnight, and I was going to be in the parks the next day. So with that same mentality I will bid adieu for now, but will be back with more soon
So checking in to my room early was a good thing, except for the poor park view, but hey the room was literally moments from both parks, so I wasnt complaining. It was only about 2 pm, and I wasnt supposed to be over to my friends house for the Carnation Plaza Gardens reunion til 4 so I had a little time to kill. I wandered the grounds and lobby, and got a couple of pics.
Looking straight out - then DOWN from my balcony
Outside near the pool, on the "wedding lawn", looking back at the DVC villas
The outdoor fireplace, near the same spot as above
The lobby Christmas Tree
Outside near the Porte Cachere - the "approach", and then nearby
Then started to head out to DTD. I knew that I didnt want to actually enter a park, because then I would be tempted to ride something and might be late but hey, I was right there and DCA is right there and Soarin is right there too and DCA has a SINGLE RIDER LINE. Easy choice! Within 5 minutes I was inside the park and approaching the FP Return / Single Rider CM. I asked for my SR Card, and was waiting my turn within just a couple of minutes more. Soon enough (about 3 minutes later), the CM was calling to me, and assigning me to my row for immediate boarding. SCORE! Entering the queue to fastening my seat belt in about 6 minutes when the Standby queue was hovering at about 60 minutes. Theres just something wonderful about going SOLO.
Upon exiting the ride, I decided it would be best not to tempt myself further, and made my way back in to the Grand through the hotel entrance, and then out in to DTD. I wandered a little bit, and quite uncharacteristically did not take any pictures. I worked my way down towards the AMC Theatre and hung a left to walk down the path towards the hotel self-parking lot, and then left on my way to find a dessert to take to the party. Marie Callenders was calling to me another favorite from all the years of living in So. Cal. A couple of her yummy pies would be a nice addition to the evenings fare.
I quickly entered the address in to the GPS on my phone, and was off. I knew the general direction of where I was headed, but my friends had moved since the last time I was at there house 9 years ago! Thankfully it wasnt far from where they had lived previously.
Now to backtrack a bit this party was originally going to just be dinner between another former CM friend, Nancy, who lives in Minnesota, but goes home each year for Thanksgiving to visit her parents. We had chatted on FB for a few weeks about possibly getting together since we were both going to be in the area at the same time. And then it started to grow from there, as we each talked about who we might like to see while there and such. Last Fall while there I had opened up the possibility of a get together to several others (sadly missing Nancys dates by only a matter of days). About 7 of us were going to get together then but sadly I got violently ill the night before we were supposed to meet. I felt it best to tell them all and let them make their own decision about whether or not they wanted to be around someone who had revisited dinner multiple times during the middle of the night. Most of the ones who were going to be there decided against it, but thankfully my friend Patty was very stubborn and threw caution to the wind, not really giving a care, figuring Id flown all that way and why not? So she came over to the hotel and we had a nice visit. Plus I got to meet here adorable daughter.
So here we are back again this year, and now Nancy and I were set to see about 12-15 people, give or take some. A FB Event page was set up, and over the course of the time, our friends Dan & Connie opened up their home to be the gathering place, instead of in a restaurant as Nancy & I had been planning. Soon we started to see people announcing their intention to come, or their regrets for having to miss it. Several remained Maybes all through the process, so it really was a guessing game as to who actually would or would not show up. In the end we had a blast. It was great to reconnect in person with them all. Several of these folks I hadnt seen in 20 years. Others Ive been in contact with for the duration. Several of us attended each others weddings, and have watched our kids grow through regular communication, Christmas cards, and definitely Facebook. Not to bore you completely, but here are just a few fun shots from the evening.
Here Dan, a former fry cook there at CPG fires up the grill once more flipping burgers for his guests once again.
Here, several of the gang reminisce and look at old photos and scrapbooks from our days together as we as the Traditions handbook from the Disney University training always said we work while others play.
Back in those days I worked the "front lines" - the cash registers selling "Lamplighter" (cheeseburger), "Great American" (double cheeseburgers) and other similarly named combo meals (CPG WAS technically part of Main Street, U.S.A., even though we were under the umbrella of "Fantasyland Foods"); I also scooped ice cream, or made "set-ups" (getting the buns sauced, and ready with lettuce & tomato); made the fries (VERY greasy - but MUCH WORSE when you closed and had to clean those greasy overhead screens); and yes, I was a fry cook too - flipping burgers. It was a fun but crazy time in my life.
Here it is and I am ... back in the day
And now... a sad shell of it's former "glory".
CPG was closed officially in 2000, and the restaurant part was torn down thereafter. Where it stood is now just an overflow patio from the neighborhing Rancho del Zocalo restaurant in Frontierland. The red & beige striped umbrellas in the back of this shot are where the restaurant once stood. The band / dance floor is still there... oh to be back in the day hearing that wonderful Big Band music once again and watching all of the old couples come out to dance. In it's heyday, CPG was host to many, many wonderful Swing and Big Band bands - both real big names, and a lot of pretenders too. Now it's pretty much just home to the Magic Music Days program with the high school kids. Not quite the same in my mind!
Here I am with some of my friends
Being a native Californian, I do have a lot of different family and friends living there still. Each visit I make, I try to see someone or several someones. This trip had two such events that night alone. Sadly, my camera battery had died before I got to my next gathering, and I wasnt able to document my get together with some old friends from Jr. High School. We had agreed to meet at 9, so I had to cut my time with the CPG folks short. I was very bummed to leave but honestly cant wait to get out there again and spend some more time with them in 2011.
I left the party with a happy heart, and headed back to the Grand. My other friends had agreed to meet me there, and so we enjoyed some time together in the Hearthstone Lounge. It really is a very nice bar area. We laughed, we reminisced, we had fun again like it was 1984. Then it was time for them to go, but I quickly let them come up to see what the room was like. (Being a good DVC member, Im always on the lookout for possibilities to share my love for Disney, and the awesome accommodations with others who dont necessarily get the DVC program. One already said he might be contacting DVC soon himself now wouldnt that be nice? )
My friends left, and I decided it was time to hit the sheets. It was approaching midnight, and I was going to be in the parks the next day. So with that same mentality I will bid adieu for now, but will be back with more soon
Saturday nights = Swing band night = date night for us. But don't count on seeing us old fogies out there
My DH does a mean toe tap and I'm usually dancing with my grand daughter or swaying if she's with us.
(burgers look good too!
