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

[KatMark]

Mark, I am sitting here with tears rolling down my cheeks. That is the BEST end of a trip report I have ever read.

"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."

Perfectly said!!!

By the way, if a road trip really goes off through Chicago next year, you best let me know since I work in Chicago and live in the suburbs.

 

[jenbear123]

I really like how you wrapped things up. It's true how fast time goes and how short our time really is on this rock. I hope your next destination, where ever it may be, is as fun and fabulous as you want it to be.

 

[Rental01]

Okay, I'm back! What'd I miss?

Hmm... lessee - 30 pages, 9 updates, and... HEY! You finished it!

As always, I enjoy living your vacations with you vicariously. I will probably (maybe) try to get one of my own up sometime (don't hold your breath).

Seriously though, I really enjoyed this one. Great job.

 

[afwdwfan]

That was a very well written end to your report. So good that I'm not even going to go back and pick it apart and take any cheap shots at you.

I think you said it well and described what family and Disney means to a most of us here. It made me think back to my childhood growing up going to Disney with my parents and sisters, and it makes me look forward to giving my son the opportunity to have those same experiences.

 

[melk]

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?"

Well said, I couldn't agree more. Thanks for the great trip report, it was fun coming along for the ride!!

 

[glennbo123]

Gee Mark, when I reach the end of my report can I just post a link to your ending?

"Well said" is an understatement....just awesome!

And a GREAT report overall! +100

 

[Wildernessbride2005]

Great reports. Sounds like you have made some wonderful memories. Thats what vacation is all about.

 

[MissLiz]

Le Sob!!!!!

Seriously, you took my every thought about Disney World and rolled it up into a few paragraphs!

We are a traveling family. We don't care if it's a weekend trip to the beach, or a football game in Tennessee, or Disney World, or Europe. We may not have the biggest house or the nicest cars, but we are able to give our kids time together away from the work, school, stress parts of real life.

I've had a great time reliving your vacation with you. Can't wait to hear about the next trip you take!!!!

 

[trennr]

Great ending to a great Trip Report.

Very sorry to see it come to an end.

I have really enjoyed playing your contest(s) and reading your adventures.

Hope we meet someday...we can chat and have a Beverly. You can quote movies I've never seen...and I can blind you with my shirt.

 

[lgkeeper]

I spent last night reading through each page, as we're heading down on the 26th and staying at POR. I really enjoyed your report and laughed throughout. You're wacked sense of humor was right in line with mine.

I'm glad you all had fun. I know you've helped me get even more excited for my trip.

Oh, and I now hate Cliff Lee.

Sincerely,

a die hard Mets fan

 

[that's nice]

Mark... great report! I think you might have a second calling as a writer. I usually put a disclaimer at the beginning of my TRs warning people that I am a terrible writer!

Your final post sums up how I feel every time we leave Disney, you are able to explain it much better than I.

I hope you get back to WDW soon!

Tim

 

[mom3sonstt]

Beautiful ending.....I'm thinking when it comes to what's important you aren't so oblivious!

 

[middlepat]

Mark (and Julie), all I can say is thank you. It has been over a year since we were last at WDW and this report has allowed me to feel like I just spent a week there with my own family. (well, almost)

You have done such a great job re-telling the story I have wholly enjoyed it. So again I say thank you for sharing your experiences with us and allowing us to join the ride.

I now bestow the following tag to you Mark... be sure to let Julie know this:

Best Oblivious Family WDW Trip Reporter - 2010***

*** reported within a 95% confidence interval with a 2.5% chance of false positive***

 

[FreezinRafiki]

There is no way I can come up with a reply that can hold a candle to not only your last entry, but to this trip report as a whole. The quote contest was fun, but really, the rest of the TR was wonderfully written and the pictures were just outstanding. Thank you for taking the time to share your vacation with us - even though, at times, it may have seemed that we poked fun at you. A little bit. Kind of.

 

[Mrs. Knowitall]

Thank you for taking the time to share your vacation with us - even though, at times, it may have seemed that we poked fun at you. A little bit. Kind of.

Mark wouldn't have had it any other way!

Mark (and Julie), all I can say is thank you. It has been over a year since we were last at WDW and this report has allowed me to feel like I just spent a week there with my own family. (well, almost)

You have done such a great job re-telling the story I have wholly enjoyed it. So again I say thank you for sharing your experiences with us and allowing us to join the ride.

I now bestow the following tag to you Mark... be sure to let Julie know this:

Best Oblivious Family WDW Trip Reporter - 2010***

*** reported within a 95% confidence interval with a 2.5% chance of false positive***

Thanks! Mark did all the work! I just took the pictures!

Beautiful ending.....I'm thinking when it comes to what's important you aren't so oblivious!

He plays up the obliviousness but really, he's the best hubby and father!

Mark... great report! I think you might have a second calling as a writer.

He's thought about it! We'll see where the Lord leads us in the future!

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).

This is true! The wrapping part anyway!

But I thought I'd close with a rambling, incoherent discourse about what Disney World means to us as a family.

He speaks for me as well!

You can spend your money on stuff, or you can spend it on experiences.

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.)

Love our Bug!! Oh, and Scotty too...

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 Scotty's a baby and crying on rides, the next minute he's four and -- oh wait...scratch that example. Actually, now that I think about it, he might have fared better on the rides when he was a infant....

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

We were so bright and shiny!!

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.

Remember that parenting is not a sprint, it's a marathon! Thank you all for joining us for a portion of our trip! It's provided a much needed distraction from and cooking!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Mark, I am sitting here with tears rolling down my cheeks. That is the BEST end of a trip report I have ever read.

Perfectly said!!!

By the way, if a road trip really goes off through Chicago next year, you best let me know since I work in Chicago and live in the suburbs.

Thanks, Kathy. I appreciate that. I didn't cry looking at the old pictures of my kids, but it did feel like there was some dust in the air. I'm sure it was the crappy HVAC system in the office.

I will let you know about Chicago! It'll basically depend on what we can afford to do. But I love that city, and I think the kids would have a lot of fun there.

I really like how you wrapped things up. It's true how fast time goes and how short our time really is on this rock. I hope your next destination, where ever it may be, is as fun and fabulous as you want it to be.

We'll make it fun and fabulous, or demand our money back. It's the American way!

Thanks for coming along on the ride!

Okay, I'm back! What'd I miss?

Hmm... lessee - 30 pages, 9 updates, and... HEY! You finished it!

As always, I enjoy living your vacations with you vicariously. I will probably (maybe) try to get one of my own up sometime (don't hold your breath).

Seriously though, I really enjoyed this one. Great job.

Hey, Ian's, back! Sorry, the bar's closed.

What could you possibly have been doing that caused you to miss 30 pages worth of stellar writing and witty banter?

All kidding aside, thanks for sticking with me. And I'm glad your wife is doing better. You're a good man.

Wow, a 10-smiley salute!

That was a very well written end to your report. So good that I'm not even going to go back and pick it apart and take any cheap shots at you.

But...what else will you write?

I think you said it well and described what family and Disney means to a most of us here. It made me think back to my childhood growing up going to Disney with my parents and sisters, and it makes me look forward to giving my son the opportunity to have those same experiences.

Your son will love you for it. Or he'll be traumatized by Thunder Mountain. One of those.

Well said, I couldn't agree more. Thanks for the great trip report, it was fun coming along for the ride!!

Thanks for sticking with me to the bitter end! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Gee Mark, when I reach the end of my report can I just post a link to your ending?

"Well said" is an understatement....just awesome!

And a GREAT report overall! +100

Well, I guess you could. People might wonder who the ugly guy in the hat is, and how your kids suddenly got younger. Or why you now have 2 sons instead of 2 daughters.

Thanks for the kind words... seeing families with moms and dads who are actively involved with their kids is...well, kind of important to me.

100 points!! I'll try not to spend them all in one place.

Great reports. Sounds like you have made some wonderful memories. Thats what vacation is all about.

It feels weird to say when I'm closing up the shop. But thank you! And thanks for reading!

Le Sob!!!!!

Seriously, you took my every thought about Disney World and rolled it up into a few paragraphs!

We are a traveling family. We don't care if it's a weekend trip to the beach, or a football game in Tennessee, or Disney World, or Europe. We may not have the biggest house or the nicest cars, but we are able to give our kids time together away from the work, school, stress parts of real life.

I've had a great time reliving your vacation with you. Can't wait to hear about the next trip you take!!!!

Sounds like your family and mine would get along really, really well. Besides, having the nicest house or car is overrated. One of the best icebreaker conversation topics we ever had in our little Bible study group involved telling everyone our best beater car story. Everyone's got one. Nobody has "really great car" stories, right?

Thanks for reading along, and I'm glad you enjoyed it! Unfortunately, I don't think there's a thread on this board for non-Disney trips. So the next one might be over on the DIS Dads web page. I dunno.

The important thing is, there will be a next trip!

Great ending to a great Trip Report.

Very sorry to see it come to an end.

I have really enjoyed playing your contest(s) and reading your adventures.

Thanks, Nate. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun with this. Thanks for putting up with my random rulings on movie quotes!

Hope we meet someday...

I'd love to meet you too! I would have tried harder when I drove through Tennessee earlier this year, if it hadn't been on Easter Sunday. I'm sure I'll get down that way again someday.

we can chat and have a Beverly. You can quote movies I've never seen...and I can blind you with my shirt.

Um...then again...
How about if I bring the refreshments?

I spent last night reading through each page, as we're heading down on the 26th and staying at POR. I really enjoyed your report and laughed throughout. You're wacked sense of humor was right in line with mine.

I'm glad you all had fun. I know you've helped me get even more excited for my trip.

Oh, and I now hate Cliff Lee.

Sincerely,

a die hard Mets fan

Mets fan, huh? Well, I won't make any snide remarks. You've suffered enough lately.

Besides that personality flaw, though, it sounds like you are an impeccable judge of character! Thanks for taking the time to read it, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

And Cliff Lee rocks.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Mark... great report! I think you might have a second calling as a writer. I usually put a disclaimer at the beginning of my TRs warning people that I am a terrible writer!

Tim, I would love to make a living as a writer. I have no idea how, though. Know anyone who needs a columnist?

I've actually been tinkering with trying to write a novel off and on. The problem is, I'm very lazy. It will be finished in 2084.

Your final post sums up how I feel every time we leave Disney, you are able to explain it much better than I.

I think I went on too long. I could have just written, "Leaving Disney sucks."

I hope you get back to WDW soon!

Me too!

Beautiful ending.....I'm thinking when it comes to what's important you aren't so oblivious!

Tell Mrs. Knowitall...for years, I've been trying to convince her that I'm really just playing dumb.

Mark (and Julie), all I can say is thank you. It has been over a year since we were last at WDW and this report has allowed me to feel like I just spent a week there with my own family. (well, almost)

You have done such a great job re-telling the story I have wholly enjoyed it. So again I say thank you for sharing your experiences with us and allowing us to join the ride.

Thanks, Brian. You guys make it a lot of fun, and I really appreciate what you wrote there. It's gratifying to hear you enjoyed it.

If you'd like to contribute to our future vacations so I can tell you what a week in Hawaii feels like, please let me know!

I now bestow the following tag to you Mark... be sure to let Julie know this:

Best Oblivious Family WDW Trip Reporter - 2010***

*** reported within a 95% confidence interval with a 2.5% chance of false positive***

I better add this to my signature.

There is no way I can come up with a reply that can hold a candle to not only your last entry, but to this trip report as a whole. The quote contest was fun, but really, the rest of the TR was wonderfully written and the pictures were just outstanding. Thank you for taking the time to share your vacation with us - even though, at times, it may have seemed that we poked fun at you. A little bit. Kind of.

There was a TR in there?

If you poked fun at me, I probably deserved it. Julie thinks so, anyway.

Thanks, Barry. Thank you for taking the time to read it, comment on it, point out my various foibles, suggest movie quotes, post pictures of Fonzie statues... You and the rest of the DIS Dads are very cool guys, and I've enjoyed getting to know you. And thanks again for the fantastic Photoshop work!

Thanks! Mark did all the work! I just took the pictures!

"Mark did all the work"... I'm writing this one down.

He plays up the obliviousness but really, he's the best hubby and father!

Gee, I must have done something right.

He's thought about it! We'll see where the Lord leads us in the future!

I've "thought" about a lot of things, though.

One minute Scotty's a baby and crying on rides, the next minute he's four and -- oh wait...scratch that example. Actually, now that I think about it, he might have fared better on the rides when he was a infant....

Ain't it the truth.

We were so bright and shiny!!

Bright and shiny? Do you have a different husband somewhere?

 

[Shannon84]

I am so sad to see it end, but you have provided us with lots of laughs (when I should be working!) and a fun report to read!! You need to go hurry up and vacation again so we can read the next report...or you can just finish mine for me

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I am so sad to see it end, but you have provided us with lots of laughs (when I should be working!) and a fun report to read!! You need to go hurry up and vacation again so we can read the next report...or you can just finish mine for me

Thanks, Shannon. Are you really sure you want me to finish your report? It wouldn't resemble anything you did on vacation, but on the plus side, it would have a lot more pie fights and exploding helicopters.

Anyway, I'm gratified that you enjoyed reading it and laughed at my corny jokes. It's not nearly as much fun when I'm the only one laughing.