ABCs of Trip Reporting, Pt. 2-Life Can Be Crappy and Then You Move On (3/7)

[Poolrat]

Peeking in here to see what is up.

You have had a busy summer. I have had more changes than I care to go into so far but hopefully things will get back into a regular routine soon.

 

[tinacaplan]

I know what you mean about getting back into the routine of getting up early. So, so painful! Hope Andrew passes his driver's test. And all of the historical things you've been doing sound like so much fun!

 

[Flossbolna]

Liesa, I have been away over the weekend and just saw your wonderful update. It really sounds like you are starting to enjoy spending time at DHS - I remember that you did not like it that much... And I agree with you on ToT, this is a fantastic attraction!!

I hope the school start goes well for everyone!!

 

[mom3sonstt]

Toy Story 6 times?? I was there 12 days and only rode it

• once

Good luck to Andrew on his driver's test! When I went for my license the first time my mother bet a friend of hers that I would not pass the first time. I did and I made darned sure she paid off her bet! There was an instructor at the driver's license place who was notorious for not passing kids, so maybe part of her rationale was his reputation (he was in the Reserves with my dad), but I saw it strictly as lack of confidence in me.

I haven't heard of dilly beans in forever! Probably since I was a kid and my grandma still lived on the farm. Once granddad died and she moved in to town she didn't do any canning or anything like that anymore.

Looking forward to reading more of your updates - both reports here and on your blog. I read Becca's entry the other day. She definitely received your talent for writing!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

I DO remember you talking about problems at Andrews dorm room last year - yikes! Not fun for him to have hanky panky going on around him all the time!

So.... what are dilly beans? I'm guessing green beans done up like dill pickles? If so, that sounds yummy! I remember being served a bloody mary some years back that had a pickled green bean in it instead of celery - unusual, but good!

If I come out to Oregon, will you teach my how to can?

 

[vamassey1]

After getting horribly behind I am caught up on trip updates but I had to sacrifice the chatter in between. I'm really sorry to miss it since this report has some of the most entertaining chatter.

I can not even imagine ridding TSM 6 times in one day. Was your arm sore the next day? I rode it 4 times in 2009 and mine was.

I'm really enjoying your DL updates. For one thing the story telling with you Mom and Aunt is just priceless and for another the pictures are fabulous since I have never been there.

I'm going to try my best to keep up from here on out.

 

[All7OfUs]

One of the rides my mom and aunt had really hoped to see was:

It’s so, so much prettier at DLR than in Orlando, so I was really looking forward to experiencing it myself! But first we had a LONG wait at the handicapped entrance (read: exit) before we could get down to the loading area. Seriously, they had one boat running for wheelchairs, so we were treated to the “show” a couple of times- that means we were there in the sun at least 16 minutes. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, please, immediately proceed to your nearest YouTube and check out the cool little show that pops out of the front of attraction every 15 minutes. It’s lovely; it’s whimsical; it’s fun for young and old alike. I’d load it up for you, but my bandwidth sucks here at home, so I can’t/won’t bother to try.

Finally, our turn came and we loaded; Aunt Cherrie perched on the elevated stern like Jack Aubrey on the Surprise, and we underlings parked it on damp seats where a million shoes have trod, ensuring we’d emerge with brown and itchy butts. You know what I’m talking about….

I’ve always been fascinated with the “pre-show” on this ride. Hearing “that song” in half a dozen languages is pretty cool, and I remember as a young child trying to guess what iteration was playing as we happily sailed along. All too soon we entered the enchanted land of happy dollies, all with basically the same faces and smiles. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I am really captivated by the shimmer and sparkle of it all. I guess I was probably one of those kids who emptied the glitter bottles in kindergarten being very careful to make sure ALL of it was on my projects and not on the floor.

As a package sort of deal, this attraction just hits the mark for entertainment. Even the most hardened manly man’s gotta admit that you just can’t help but hum along and at least enjoy watching the kids around you have a great time. There’s so much to see and take in, you just can’t tackle it all; all around you there’s a cacophony of spinning figures, twinkling lights, glimmering tinsel, all wrapped up in a pretty amazing orchestral soundtrack written by an Academy Award winning team of brothers. What’s not to like?

Mom and Cherrie were thoroughly enjoying themselves, and seemed just as enraptured as I was. It was fun to cruise along and point out our favorites while singing along in our private floating carriage. We didn’t’ have to worry about humming off key or getting in someone’s view as we took our WAY too many photos. We were wrapped up in the moment- inside our happy haven there was no pain, no sickness, no sadness.

But, all journeys must come to an end, as happy as they may be. It was time to say goodbye to our old animated friends…

Or so we thought…..

 

[All7OfUs]

Rounding the corner to the fleet’s lineup, we soon discovered that there was a massive back up, and things were generally in a state of static chaos. Instead of the usual streamlined flow, we saw guests baking under the summer sun with no escape- at least not on the side we NEEDED to be on.

Instead we saw this:

Look carefully, and you’ll see that in each of their hands was a long stick, and they were busy pushing the boats along the track. When our turn came to be pushed, we were informed that our side’s track was not working and at this point there was no way to offload us since we HAD to go on that side where the wheelchair ramp was. The boats they COULD push through had to go around again, as did we. Ok, once is great; two would be twice as good, right??

it's a world of laughter, a world of tears
it’s a world of hopes, it’s a world of fear
there’s so much that we share
that its time we're aware
it’s a small world after all

CHORUS:
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun
And a smile means friendship to everyone.
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It's a small, small world

(chorus)

Over, and over, and over, and over it sang out, by this time mocking us, just as the once happy grins on the faces of the dolls began to taunt us, asking, “Just how much of this can you endure?” Seriously, as much as I love this ride, by the 3rd minute in, I was praying that our track would be fixed and we could exit fully sane, lucid and whole. It was truly a test of fortitude, as they had very purposefully put the ride on SSSSSSSSSSSSSSLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW, as to make sure we had plenty of time to enjoy it- errr, for them to fix the problem. By the way, it was actually pretty cool, as we were the ONLY ones in our section at any time. We had the Small World all to ourselves and that part of it was great- we could scream like lunatics at our misfortune and no one would hear us.

I remember texting a couple of my DISFriends telling them the worse DISNightmare had come true, or at least one that we had many times joked about before on previous threads. I couldn’t help but think how utterly ironic this situation was. But those who know me best could guess that I took the lemons and made some pretty fantastic lemonade. The first time around I completely messed up my every opportunity to get photos of the characters they’ve added to the ride. This time around, I got nearly all of them. Check it out!

So did we manage to come off undamaged??

You be the judge. One thing we did manage to work up was a rather large hankering to visit our next stop- in fact, it was the one that inspired the title for this Trip Report! Just in case you were wondering, it was this one:

Which I think has the cutest signage of all the potties around!

More next time, and May All Your Dreams Come True!

 

[PirateKate]

That's horrible! I can't believe you all were really stuck on It's a Small World. I do like the pictures of the characters you were able to get the second time through.

TSM 6 times is awesome. That's one ride I wouldn't mind being stuck on for awhile.

 

[chloe770]

I agree that IASM is much prettier at DLR, but to be stuck on it I do love that ride tho, so much so that I'm not really sure how I feel about the new additions. I guess it would be fun to look for them but they don't really fit the theme IMHO.

 

[mom3sonstt]

Small World is so much prettier there! I love the characters they added.....although I imagine there were plenty of complaints by those not wanting the original to be messed with. I had forgotten all about you being stuck on it

 

[All7OfUs]

That's horrible! I can't believe you all were really stuck on It's a Small World. I do like the pictures of the characters you were able to get the second time through.

TSM 6 times is awesome. That's one ride I wouldn't mind being stuck on for awhile.

Yup. I really, really was. The one ride that can be fun once. Twice should be reserved for terrorists and convicts.

Exactly, why couldn't they have shoved us around TSMM a few more times?? I might have actually eeked out a few more thousand points to take Glenn and Jen to the cleaners.

I agree that IASM is much prettier at DLR, but to be stuck on it I do love that ride tho, so much so that I'm not really sure how I feel about the new additions. I guess it would be fun to look for them but they don't really fit the theme IMHO.

The outside is so magical. I remember as a kid being completely enamored Iwith it's sparkly beauty!!

I dunno, I think on most of them, they did a pretty good job with theming them in. Ariel is definitely in the "underwater" scene, and I always thought the "American cowboy and Indian" room was way too puny. I'm glad they added a couple more. I don't like the commercialism aspect though. However, for the kids, who are familiar with the movies, I'm sure they really like them in there.

Small World is so much prettier there! I love the characters they added.....although I imagine there were plenty of complaints by those not wanting the original to be messed with. I had forgotten all about you being stuck on it

Hey Tanya! It is WAY prettier!! The one in Orlando really pales in comparison! there are definitely purists out there, and I admit, at first I was pretty upset they messed with the original too. But after having seen it now for myself, I really lthink they did a pretty good job with blending them in. Yeah, there was quite the scuttlebutt here on the thread when I texted Marv and Mary while I was ON IT!!!!

 

[KatMark]

You are a better person than me. I have to tell you that I was NOT disappointed that IASW was closed when we were there last year at all. But to have to sit through it twice, you would have had to take me to a loony bin. I'm glad you enjoyed it the FIRST time through; and I do have to say I love the new "characters" added.

 

[Poolrat]

Of all the rides to have go throught twice, IASW would probably be on the bottom of the list.

Looks like you took full advantage and made great lemonade!!!

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I must agree, the facade at the DL It's A Small World is much prettier than the one at WDW. Also, there's the fact that this one is outside and that one is inside, but still, this one is a ton cooler and they have a little pre-show to go along with it. Still searching on YouTube for that.

Oh my gosh! You went on IASW, twice?! I'm so sorry, I can't believe you actually survived though. I think I would've been driven insane myself. I mean, you're right the song is catchy and the ride is just so amazing the first time around, but after that, done. At least you got pictures of the Disney and Pixar characters added to the ride. I really wish they would add that to the WDW one, a real cool addition there

Can't wait to read more!

 

[Flossbolna]

How funny that the same experience the second time around becomes torture! But I think I would feel exactly the same way. I still remember that Katharina and I were so shocked with IASW on our first trip in 92 - really not the attraction which speaks to two teenagers. And then made a joke out of going on it on every Disney trip. Now I kind of like it...

And I still think that DL truly has the most beautiful version of it - at least from the outside!!

 

[marvali]

Did you come off IASW undamaged? Well since you went into it "damaged" I'm guessing riding it twice didn't "improve" your situation any........ I do think it is cool the way they blended in the new characters. Nice job on the pictures. Now I don't have to ride it to see them!

Yeah, there was quite the scuttlebutt here on the thread when I texted Marv and Mary while I was ON IT!!!!

Hey, who you callin' a scuttlebutt!?!?

 

[All7OfUs]

Well, yeah. I'd make fun of me in that situation too.



I was just giving you grief with the "dirty trick" comment. Anytime you get the chance to ride TSMM 6 times, you gotta go for it!

You're just too fun to tease, Mark.

Apparently, I'm a pretty easy target myself. Just ask Marv....

Six times?! I am pretty certain my arm would have fallen off by that time! But that is some AWESOME touring! Nice work!!!

Ooops!!! I TOTALLY forgot to mention, that on one of the rides, we ended up with the handicapped ride car... the one with the "push button" activator. So I tried my hand at that one thinking SURELY I can get a winning score with that thing. It got worse. I was so sad that my "surefire" way of besting Glenn and Jen was a fail. Ah well..... can't win 'em all.

So my arm was spared for one round of the 6. Instead I nearly got carpel tunnel.

And as always, love your Disneyland updates!! What a fun time on the train reminiscing. I look forward to that when Henry grows up!

That will happen so much sooner than you think! They grow up so fast!

I was a bit behind and just read about the ordeal with your family going on - I hope that has cleared up and things are beings sorted more calmly. And I too can't believe summer is coming to a close! My baby is about to go off to school, and all the little details of school shopping will need to be done between now and then! I also don't look forward to the busy mornings school requires.

It's going to be one that's relatively ongoing until all of the stuff that's not mine is gone.

I did the kids "school shopping" last week. We've gotten everyone outfitted with "new" clothes from the Goodwill, and ALL their paper and stuff from the dollar store- grand total? (5 kids) $200. We did well. I think we'll do less well in getting used to being up by 6:30. I am SO not a morning person!!

What a shame about Andrew's roommate...I must have missed that whole thing. I hope things go better with this years roomie! And good for him for laying down the law!

Well, this year's lives, eats and breathes sports. Andrew absolutely does NOT. Andrew is an engineering major, "Fletcher" is a broadcasting major. I told them they should make a deal: Andrew doesn't talk physics, if Fletcher won't talk sports. His mom's retort: "Well, I think Fletcher is going to have to just learn to listen to physics talk." Hmmm.... I hope they can get along too, Brook!

Good luck to Andrew tomorrow!

This is a whirlwind time of year here too - first day of school at a new school, all of the activities starting back up and Jordan's birthday on 9/10.

HE passed!!! We had to drive 2 hours each way, but he passed with a perfect 100%!!! I think it was worth it!! We celebrated by meeting a family we are just getting to know and learning to waltz Swedish style, which is very similar the gorgeous Viennese style you see in movies. We also practiced some polka which is super, uber fun!!!

 

[nodnol]

I'm sure I wouldn't come out of this experience unharmed. Besides the brainwashing music I find all these littel faces which somehow look all the same very creepy. I guess I would have nightmares. But Magdalene is right, we ride it at least once every trip and I am always afraid of getting stuck.

 

[All7OfUs]

Peeking in here to see what is up.

You have had a busy summer. I have had more changes than I care to go into so far but hopefully things will get back into a regular routine soon.

I hope so too, Pat! It's hard to face change and get used to a new normal, I know. I do think things will even out for us as soon as school starts. At the very least it will FORCE us to slow down and not make so many spontaneous plans. Which has its good and bad points. I think for DISsing it will be very good.

I know what you mean about getting back into the routine of getting up early. So, so painful! Hope Andrew passes his driver's test. And all of the historical things you've been doing sound like so much fun!

He did!! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!! One of my goals this summer was to get my kids licensed. Rebekah takes her test on the 31st, and Mikki is now waffling on whether she wants her license or not. She is not so excited about paying her part of the insurance, which is really too bad. Out of all my drivers, and oddly the youngest, she is my best driver. Funny how that works!

Liesa, I have been away over the weekend and just saw your wonderful update. It really sounds like you are starting to enjoy spending time at DHS - I remember that you did not like it that much... And I agree with you on ToT, this is a fantastic attraction!!

I hope the school start goes well for everyone!!

I did start to enjoy it more. I think a big part of my problem with it, was I just couldn't ever seem to get my bearings in there and was constantly lost. I never know which way to go to see this or that- but now that I've spent more time there, I can find things a bit more easily. Plus, I spent more time watching the Streetmosphere, which really added to what I think the park was really meant to be.

Best one ever!!

Me too. I got the PM from Katharina about hosting an exchange, and will write to her soon