A Vacation From My Problems (A Sept. 2010 Trip Report) - COMPLETED 12/14

[afwdwfan]

Loved all of the recent updates there Captain O.

Just had to add... Seven years of college down the drain! Might as well join the Beverly Peace Corps.

My personal favorite from that movie....

They took the bar!!!

The whole. Beverly. Bar!!!

 

[All7OfUs]

Time to start rolling the credits.

Places I Most Want To See Outside the U.S.

1. Australia/New Zealand
2. Just about anything in Western Europe, but especially the Alps/Switzerland/Bavaria region
3. Scandinavia
4. Bora Bora
5. Great Wall of China
6. Hong Kong, Tokyo, or Paris Disneyland
7. Macchu Picchu
8. St. Petersburg, Russia

You mean Kazakhstan isn't on your list??!! I'm shocked! Shocked, i tell you!

 

[glennbo123]

Stupid work. As I tell my boss, no one ever sat on their deathbed and said, "Gee, if only I'd spent a few more days at the office." Then he tells me to shut up and get back to work.

I meant to comment on this and just realized that I never did. What I find fascinating is that you apparently expect to be sitting on your deathbed. Do you expect to go suddenly or something?

 

[Flossbolna]

You mean Kazakhstan isn't on your list??!! I'm shocked! Shocked, i tell you!

I just read in the newspaper today that Kazakhstan was one of the countries that refused to attend the ceremony where Liu Xiaobo (the Chinese dissident) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in his absence because the Chinese government did not let him travel to Norway. Supposedly the Chinese also told other countries to stay away from the ceremony - and the usual suspects did just that... I guess you are nor very surprised that Kazakhstan was amongst them...

 

[Wherem I Now]

That was the best TR wrap up that I have ever read on here. Of course, I don't really read that many of them.

Congratulations on finishing the TR and thanks for keeping us all so entertained along the way. While I didn't come anywhere close to the top I did accomplish getting on the board.

But now that it's done, would you do the movie quote thing again? Looked like a lot of work.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

oh... well... uh... hmm...


Actually there's quite a bit. The problem is, most of the things here seem to fit specific interests. Since you're going to Canton, I'm sure that will probably keep other sports centered destinations off the list, so that could make it tougher. You could have a football theme to the trip though if you see the college football hall of fame in South Bend.

I'm sure that trip will consist of a drive across northern IN to South Bend then Chicago and then down I-65 to Louisville (or vice versa)... If you pass through Indianapolis, I'm sure your kids would love the Children's Museum. It is a pretty impressive place and has a lot of hands on things to do. I could suggest some other things too if you're interested when you get to that point in planning.

There are also plenty of places to camp... you know, just in case you have to bring the tent along when you head this way.

That was the general driving plan, at least for now. I was debating spending a night in the Indianapolis area. I found a hotel there with a water park inside. The downside is that it would be a pricy night. The upside is that the hotel has a water park inside. And the Childrens' Museum looks intriguing. I also thought the park with the zoo/River walk looked nice.

Loved all of the recent updates there Captain O.

Just had to add... Seven years of college down the drain! Might as well join the Beverly Peace Corps.

Thanks middlepat! And good work on the Animal House quote.

It was a great game Mark. I enjoyed playing with everyone. Some days it was a real sprint to get the quotes claimed before they were gobbled up.

Glad you had fun! I was just looking for a way to keep the TR from becoming too boring. Never dreamed it would get so competitive! Actually, I think the hardest part was trying to confirm quotes from the movies I haven't seen.

Loved your lists Mark!

My favorite movie is.......Amadeus.

Interesting choice. And an excellent movie! I'm still amazed that F. Murray Abraham kind of disappeared after that one.

You mean Kazakhstan isn't on your list??!! I'm shocked! Shocked, i tell you!

Casablanca!

Oh, sorry. I've read up on your TR, and seen the pictures and read your descriptions of Kazakhstan, so it's like I've already been there. Yeah, that's it.

I meant to comment on this and just realized that I never did. What I find fascinating is that you apparently expect to be sitting on your deathbed. Do you expect to go suddenly or something?

Well, you don't expect me to just lie down and take it, do you? Having a parachute not open, that's a way to die. Getting caught in the gears of a combine...

That was the best TR wrap up that I have ever read on here. Of course, I don't really read that many of them.

So of all the TR wrap-ups you've ever read, that certainly was the most recent.

Congratulations on finishing the TR and thanks for keeping us all so entertained along the way. While I didn't come anywhere close to the top I did accomplish getting on the board.

Thanks! But it's not quite done yet. I'm only mostly dead. And mostly dead is slightly alive. Now with all dead, well...there's only one thing you can do.

As I've said before, I hope you were as entertained with the actual TR as you were with the movie quotes. And if not, well...we had lots of movie quotes! That's probably where the best writing was, anyway.

But now that it's done, would you do the movie quote thing again? Looked like a lot of work.

Sure! It really wasn't too bad, because I've wasted far too many brain cells on movies. If you had asked me to quote great literature, I would have had a much harder time.

 

[glennbo123]

Interesting choice. And an excellent movie! I'm still amazed that F. Murray Abraham kind of disappeared after that one.

He had a memorable scene in Scarface, but I'm not sure if that was before or after Amadeus.

Well, you don't expect me to just lie down and take it, do you? Having a parachute not open, that's a way to die. Getting caught in the gears of a combine...

Naked Gun

Thanks! But it's not quite done yet. I'm only mostly dead. And mostly dead is slightly alive. Now with all dead, well...there's only one thing you can do.

A Holy Grail reference.

If you had asked me to quote great literature, I would have had a much harder time.

Great literature? Sounds oxymoronic.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

He had a memorable scene in Scarface, but I'm not sure if that was before or after Amadeus.

I think that was before, but I'm not 100% sure. Every once in a while, I see him pop up and think, "Hey! That's F. Murray Abraham! He was great in Amadeus!" Then he disappears again.

Naked Gun

That was an easy one.

A Holy Grail reference.

Nope! I thought this was an easy one, too.

Great literature? Sounds oxymoronic.

What did you call me?

 

[afwdwfan]

That was the general driving plan, at least for now. I was debating spending a night in the Indianapolis area. I found a hotel there with a water park inside. The downside is that it would be a pricy night. The upside is that the hotel has a water park inside. And the Childrens' Museum looks intriguing. I also thought the park with the zoo/River walk looked nice.

Zoo/River area is nice. Also close to the Indiana State Museum (with an IMAX theater) and the NCAA HQ and Hall of Fame.

I really think you should look into the Children's Museum though if you're going to be in Indy anyway. I really think the kids would enjoy it (and by kids, I include the big one that liked the Kim Possible Missions).

 

[glennbo123]

Nope! I thought this was an easy one, too.

Oh, Princess Bride. I was thinking of the "bring out yer dead" scene from Holy Grail.

Princess Bride will be on the tube tonight, by the way, on AMC.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Zoo/River area is nice. Also close to the Indiana State Museum (with an IMAX theater) and the NCAA HQ and Hall of Fame.

I really think you should look into the Children's Museum though if you're going to be in Indy anyway. I really think the kids would enjoy it (and by kids, I include the big one that liked the Kim Possible Missions).

I'll be heading to the "library" to do some "research".

Oh, Princess Bride. I was thinking of the "bring out yer dead" scene from Holy Grail.

Princess Bride will be on the tube tonight, by the way, on AMC.

That's better. And thanks for the heads-up!

 

[KatMark]

I have NO idea how it happened, but I lost my subscription to your TR and now I'm so far behind that I will never remember everything I wanted to comment on.

I'll start with the fact that I love the picture of you and your daughter. This is what memories are made of.

I love that we conquered Space Mountain, Barnstormer and the water slide!

I am loving your recap and will go back and read it again.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

FINAL CONTEST STANDINGS

Glennbo123 55
FreezinRafiki 50.5
Trennr 33
Afwdwfan 30.5
That's Nice 16
Marvali 13
MissLiz 12
Mom3sonstt 10
Middlepat 6
Goofy+3 5
Melk 5
Wherem I Now 3
Flossbolna 3
Sonnyeclipse 3
jedijill 3
Mrs. Knowitall 2
Belle_princess 2
Pennylane1084 2
All7OfUs 2
LegoMan3 1
Emma's Dad 1
3timesmom 1
Dvczerfs 1
sara98629 1*


Congratulations glennbo123! You are now officially...


Wait for it...


SUPREME MOVIE QUOTE SPOTTER OF THE UNIVERSE*



Thanks to everyone for playing along!

Well, I gave it my best shot, but just couldn't hold on there at the end. Congrats, glennbo123!
However, Mark posted the final update on 12-07-2010 at 12:42 PM EST. A quick look through my pictures showed I took this one at 12:58 PM EST:

So while you were in your dark, smoky subterranean film library furiously checking and cross checking quotes, I was at Disney's Hollywood Studios, hanging out with my kids, Lightening McQueen and Mater, getting ready to walk down to the Lights Motors Action Extreme Stunt Show! Sponsored by Brawny® Paper Towels
I'll take that as a consolation prize any day.

(And yes, this also serves as a shameless plug for my upcoming Trip Report!)

 

[afwdwfan]

(And yes, this also serves as a shameless plug for my upcoming Trip Report!)

I'm looking forward to it. What's taking so long???

 

[glennbo123]

Well, I gave it my best shot, but just couldn't hold on there at the end. Congrats, glennbo123!

Thank you Freezin'. You were quite the competitor when you were here...I definitely needed that handicap of one extra chapter.

However, Mark posted the final update on 12-07-2010 at 12:42 PM EST. A quick look through my pictures showed I took this one at 12:58 PM EST:

So while you were in your dark, smoky subterranean film library furiously checking and cross checking quotes, I was at Disney's Hollywood Studios, hanging out with my kids, Lightening McQueen and Mater, getting ready to walk down to the Lights Motors Action Extreme Stunt Show! Sponsored by Brawny® Paper Towels
I'll take that as a consolation prize any day.

(And yes, this also serves as a shameless plug for my upcoming Trip Report!)

I think you're right....sounds like I got the consolation prize.

I think I should take a cue from tennr and put my new title in my signature though.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I have NO idea how it happened, but I lost my subscription to your TR and now I'm so far behind that I will never remember everything I wanted to comment on.

I'll start with the fact that I love the picture of you and your daughter. This is what memories are made of.

I love that we conquered Space Mountain, Barnstormer and the water slide!

I am loving your recap and will go back and read it again.

Well, thanks for coming back and catching up! I admire your dedication. And thanks for the compliments!

However, Mark posted the final update on 12-07-2010 at 12:42 PM EST. A quick look through my pictures showed I took this one at 12:58 PM EST:

So while you were in your dark, smoky subterranean film library furiously checking and cross checking quotes, I was at Disney's Hollywood Studios, hanging out with my kids, Lightening McQueen and Mater, getting ready to walk down to the Lights Motors Action Extreme Stunt Show! Sponsored by Brawny® Paper Towels
I'll take that as a consolation prize any day.

It's always the sign of a good contest when the runner-up has more to brag about and rub in than the victor.

And yes, I'm jealous.

(And yes, this also serves as a shameless plug for my upcoming Trip Report!)

I'm looking forward to it. What's taking so long???

I'm ready to have someone else be the butt of the jokes for a change!

I think I should take a cue from tennr and put my new title in my signature though.

Well done! Doesn't it feel more official now?

 

[trennr]

Well...The Frozen Monkey got to goto WDW...the Meerkat got an awesome title...me...I got a lifetime supply of refreshing Beverly!!!

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Well...The Frozen Monkey got to goto WDW...the Meerkat got an awesome title...me...I got a lifetime supply of refreshing Beverly!!!

I noticed this store in Hollywood Studios last week. Seemed odd to combine the words "Beverly" and "sweet"...

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I've dragged this on long enough. It's time to fold the tents and move on to the next even more exciting adventure, such as wrapping Christmas presents (always dangerous when I'm involved). But I thought I'd close with a rambling, incoherent discourse about what Disney World means to us as a family.

I've already said a lot (some would argue way too much) about how much we love to travel, how much we love Disney World, and the reasons we love it. So instead of re-hashing those items, I'll stick with the bottom line. You can spend your money on stuff, or you can spend it on experiences. My parents once told me they could have gotten a larger house, or joined a country club, or installed cable TV before I was close to college-age. But instead, they saved up for a vacation each year, thinking that was how they wanted to spend their money, and create the memories that have lasted us a lifetime. That stuck with me (and Mom and Dad never thought I was listening). We made it to 49 out of 50 states. Would my time have been better spent swimming in a pool and playing golf, or appreciating creation in the form of Old Faithful, Kilauea or the Grand Canyon? It's a subjective argument, of course. And I'm not saying that those who would choose otherwise are wrong, necessarily.

But for my family, the experiences gained by traveling cannot be replaced. Our favorite things we've ever done usually involve exploring a new place. And that's where Disney World comes in. Disney gives you experiences, sights, and memories that you cannot get anywhere else. And I'm not just talking about the Dole Whip. But that's a part of it.

You know this, of course, because you're sitting at your computer reading about the experiences of others who saw and treasured the same things you did. How many times do you get the chance to see a castle? Hang-glide over California? Climb a mountain and get chased by a Yeti? Watch other people get terrorized by a haunted elevator?

On other trips, we get to see both natural and man-made wonders. Disney taps into your imagination and lets you live there, amongst those wonders for a week. I wouldn't have gotten that at the country club. When I ask my kids, "What's your favorite place in the whole world?" the answer, shockingly, is: "Disney World." But I love the next words out of Sarah's mouth: "So far." She's getting it. She's ready for more adventure.

(Scotty says his favorite place is Dunkin' Donuts, so we'll keep working with him.)

Time is short, and our time with our kids is even shorter. One minute, your daughter is a precious 4-year-old trying on her first pair of Mickey ears...

The next, she's 8 1/2 and conquering thrill rides.

One minute, your son is sporting baby fat and falls in love with a beanie.

The next, he's dreaming of being an astronaut.

One minute, you're a dashing, handsome young man (work with me here) with a beautiful bride...

The next, you worry about the size of your gut and keep your bald head covered at all times, wondering why that beautiful bride is sticking with you.

I read about a study once that said the memories kids treasure most are the ones of the family doing things together, and that family vacations were highest on that list. Again, this won't be true for everyone. But on a fundamental level, it makes sense. "Remember your first ride on Expedition Everest?" will get a much bigger reaction than "Remember when we got that new TV?"

Anyway, my point in all of this is to encourage you. All of the planning you do to get discounts and find the right place to stay and make ADR's and get Fast Passes and plane tickets...it's worth it. All of the work you're putting into being the best father or mother you can be, and all of the stress from the 24/7 job of parenting when it seems like nobody appreciates what you're doing...it's worth it. Your kids will grow up asking the questions, "Am I special? Am I loved? Do I have what it takes?" You are the one answering those questions for them. And the more you're there beside them, encouraging them, living life, setting an example and sharing experiences with them, the better the answer will be.

I have no idea when we'll be back at Disney World. It's an expensive trip for us, and we want to have some variety in our travels as well.

But I know this: we can't wait to go back. It's too special not to warrant a return trip.

Thank you to all of you for reading along. I enjoyed re-living the vacation, reading all of your feedback, absorbing your (good-natured) abuse, and trying to come up with enough movie quotes to both challenge you and attempt to keep the report interesting. I appreciate everyone who played along, and I can also definitely say I will never forget the creativity that went into the Beverly slogan contest.

I've "met" a great deal of very special people on these boards. You folks are bright, funny, creative, and incredibly generous. I'm honored that you chose to spend some time with me, and were even willing to overlook my stupid sense of humor. I'm looking forward to interacting with you more in the other threads!

Captain_Oblivious... signing off.

P.S. I realized I never got that picture of me getting drenched on Kali River Rapids developed and published here. Sorry about that. Suffice it to say, it looked something like this:

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Well...The Frozen Monkey got to goto WDW...the Meerkat got an awesome title...me...I got a lifetime supply of refreshing Beverly!!!

And here you thought you never won anything!

I noticed this store in Hollywood Studios last week. Seemed odd to combine the words "Beverly" and "sweet"...

Maybe they meant to combine "Beverly" and "Spells", as in nausea.