All I Got Was A Lousy T-Shirt. . .(SleepyD's WetnWild Shower Fan Club -16 Feb 07)

[drebert]

SD- I went parasailing 3 years ago at the Contemporary. It was awesome and you're right, very serene. The only thing that would've made it better was if I could've parasailed at night and saw the lights of Disney World.

My smarty-pants crew decided to "dump" me in the water as well and then tried to blame it on my hubby!

 

[DiaLady]

The parasailing adventure was primo! My dh can't wait to try it at CC. He didn't make the list last time so that is his number one priority on our next trip.

What a lovely description.

Like Doc's hermit crab .. .they're quite fun for pets you know (and not as noisy as dogs . . .LOL)

Can't wait for the last installment so I share this great TR with DH.

Have a lovely evening!

 

[Octoberbride03]

I'm reading FATHERFORCE'S TR and see everybody reading that 1 is reading this 1 too. Don't want to miss anything

 

[FatherForce]

Hey! Someone was reading mine first!

You're the first one.

 

[sleepydog25]

LMAO at the buffet thing....I said that all in my head when I went through there in the pouring rain.
Doc has my idea of the perfect vacation also.
do we have to wait another two weeks for the end?

Of course, I'm not even gonna mention the balancing three plates at once issue. . . Yeah, I just can't hang with sitting in the sun for too long. . .gotta move! Two weeks? No. Ten days? Maybe.

Sleepydog ~ It's been 2 weeks now since I was last on here, and I am so glad to see that I didn't miss much!

No really, I am enjoying catching up on your tr.

I might add that my family did indeed read all 40 + printed pages of your tr, and also enjoyed it. ( we had a unexpected extra long flight hovering over Atlanta Intl for 1.5 hrs, so they really had no choice

Our trip was FAB! can't say I'm glad to be back...
oh well back to reality.

Your poor, poor family. Please offer my apologies. (But thanks for reading, anyway!)

okay, I can't stand it. I have to say something......I'm in your Serenity Bay photo!! I wasn't sure but then I spotted the young and inseparable couple with the innertube.....yeah its me on the green float. In fact, the two chairs , a respectable distance from your right, are ours. The really crazy thing is that I don't remember seeing you guys all. What's even more funny is that we were at your seating at table 51. Chintana and Joachir were ours server too. And guess what....I still never saw you. I have a blur on the last night at Tritons that all you guys were finally at a table together but that's it.

I was also thrilled to see myself in one of FatherForce's photos. He caught us entering the terminal at the beginning of the cruise. We were the first people in the CC Club line.
I just had to say something. I'll be looking for myself in more of your photos so keep them coming!

The gig is up. Truth is, FF and I had you under surveillance, and we're working on a third TR called, "Smile! You're on Candid Cay!" Hey, and didn't we spot you going into Rasul, too?

Dawg! You are funny!!! And Talented!

I want you to print out and laminate your "Buffet 101" and post at every Disney Buffet...that'd be great if you'd get right on that!

I love your wife's fantasy about a good book, a beach, and a NAP! I think I 'll snag that one! I'd even like the lil' crab-friends!

The parasailing sounds fabulous! Like "Soarin" only better!

Thanks SO much for that!

Thanks! I'm glad folks laugh with me as well as at me. You are laughing with me, right? Oh, I contacted Disney about my Buffet 101 tips, and they said they'd get right back to me. That was a month ago? Think they were kidding?

Great chapter Dog, I was on the edge of my seat during your parasailing adventure
I'm going to hate seeing this come to an end

Now, that's funny! And not only was I on the edge of my seat while sailing, part of that harness was IN mine, too. Savvy?

Dog - I am not a thrill seeker by any means. But the one thing I want to do is Parasail, before I die, which would be a good time.

great job, loved it

I think I might have to try parasailing next time!
Great installment. Glad to know you're back among the living

Thanks again, Gram! And you should try it, just to say you've done it. Truly, it's not nearly as scary as it might seem nor dangerous. Heck, they let 8-yr olds and up try it! Same goes for you, zwei! I'm glad to be back, btw. . .

"Yes, DZ, but mine is by accident, remember? " so saith Sleepydog

ouch! Nice installment. I especially liked the tips about the buffet line. uh, too bad no one will listen. it's kind of like driving...just because there is a corner, or a hill does NOT mean you have to slow down to 5 MPH. I'm just sayin....

I can be so mean. . . Yeah, same goes for that shopping thing where people stand on one side of the aisle while holding onto their cart on the other side allowing no one to pass. What's up with that?

I gather by the reply to what you want to do most, you've been married quite a while. Doc has trained you very well.

I'm self-trained. . .and Doc is the lucky beneficiary. That's my story and I'm sticking by it. . .

Dog - Thank you for posting!!! Again, I liked the report. It's good. When this is over, maybe you can just post things about random observations you make on a daily basis??

Don't tempt me. . .I just might! Hmmmmm. . . For what it's worth, I do have a new, albeit untidy, link in my siggie below. Called "Church among the Trees," it's about a bike ride I took a few weeks ago. It has pics, too.

Great installment............I love the Serenity Bay pics. I can almost feel a drink in my hand. I wanted to go parasailing but my hubby thought it was too expensive for just 5-7 minutes airborne. Thanks so much for bringing us along for the fun.

I'll admit I almost didn't sign up for the parasailing due to its cost to value ratio, but it has always been a desire of mine to try it. And, thank YOU and all my other loyal readers for helping me relive all the fun. In fact, one could say it's all of your faults for such a long-winded TR!

Yes those rules for the buffet should be posted. Great pictures. Can't wait to I am sitting on one of those chairs. You didn't leave you stuff on any did you so I can't sit there since you won't be back for awhile.

We left nothing behind except a few dozen smiles and a half ton of laughter.

SD- I went parasailing 3 years ago at the Contemporary. It was awesome and you're right, very serene. The only thing that would've made it better was if I could've parasailed at night and saw the lights of Disney World. My smarty-pants crew decided to "dump" me in the water as well and then tried to blame it on my hubby

a) Better than having a dummy pants crew, and b) is that the story berg has been telling you the last three years? And you believe him?

The parasailing adventure was primo! My dh can't wait to try it at CC. He didn't make the list last time so that is his number one priority on our next trip. What a lovely description.

Like Doc's hermit crab .. .they're quite fun for pets you know (and not as noisy as dogs . . .LOL)

Can't wait for the last installment so I share this great TR with DH.

He'll love it, and don't forget to tell him to act like he's done it before! Crabs for pets? Next your gonna tell me chia pets are real, too.

I'm reading FATHERFORCE'S TR and see everybody reading that 1 is reading this 1 too. Don't want to miss anything

Ring the bell, FF! We got us another cahn-vert!! Welcome, and I'm glad you tuned in. FF is funnier but I have nicer legs. . .

Hey! Someone was reading mine first!

You're the first one.

Obviously, I didn't pay her enough. . .

 

[Bethipooh4]

FF [/i]is funnier but I have nicer legs. . .[/color][/size][/font]

Don't forget the toes, ya gotta love your toes!!!!

 

[NAB]

Hey I keep up too well , there is nothing new here....

Plus this time I used your link and it always shows your feet, almost thought you posted them again.......


--

 

[tyedye]

Thanks for writing, enjoyed this report as usual.

SAC went away about a decade and a half ago, but its memory still burns brightly within us old crew bears.

Hmm, my swim club (SAC) went away almost 2 decades ago, any coincidence? I still have my old warm up jacket with the SAC patch on it. It's a little small for me though now.

Thanks for the report, looking forward to more and still waiting to hear how princess responded.

 

[Octoberbride03]

Ring the bell, FF! We got us another cahn-vert!! Welcome, and I'm glad you tuned in. FF is funnier but I have nicer legs. . .

And your toes are most definitely a testament to that. Now all i have to do is catch up with both of them. Anybody got tips on how to read both at the same time?

 

[Disneygrl36]

 

[FatherForce]

You know Sleepy, just because Rumsfeld is gone it does not mean you are relieved of your TR duties too.

 

[DisneyZell]

You know Sleepy, just because Rumsfeld is gone it does not mean you are relieved of your TR duties too.

Classic, FF, classic. not that I was here checking to see if Sleepydog has posted another episode...oh no, I'd not do that.

 

[DisneyZell]

So, DW just got back from Walmart...and she has a big thing of nail polish remover....and Sleepdog has Pink toes....what gives??? something I should know about???

 

[zweihund]

You know Sleepy, just because Rumsfeld is gone it does not mean you are relieved of your TR duties too.

 

[firstmickey]

You know Sleepy, just because Rumsfeld is gone it does not mean you are relieved of your TR duties too.

I think the banter between you two is almost better than BOTH your trip reports!


(I said..ALMOST)

 

[Disneygrl36]

By the way, where r u?????

 

[sleepydog25]

Day 4: Our Final Night at Sea


​

Our day-long excursion to Castaway Cay had been a true mini-vacation within a vacation. Nothing but relaxation, lazing in the sun, flying in the sky, dipping in the clear water, drinking rum-infused coolers, and making new friends with small amphibious creatures. We looked forward to our last night with a mix of joy and melancholy—as superb as the trip had been, this was to be our last night at sea. Of course, that meant the dreaded packing scramble, as well.



Now, if you read enough TRs (and let me assure you Doc read enough TRs prior to this cruise to fill an entire book), you know the fear of God is put into you by horror or near-horror stories regarding the final “pack out.” We were determined not to be in the category of Keystone Kops at the last minute. Mind you, Doc is not one to put anything off, either. It mattered not that the pick up of the luggage didn’t happen until that night—we. . .were. . .packing. . .now. As in 4 p.m.



Have you ever noticed how much simpler it is to do your initial pack than it is to do a repack? Why don’t things fit just like they did when you packed for the trip, huh? I know my shoes fit neatly with room to spare when I first packed for this cruise. And what is with the seemingly endless supply of clothes stuck away in drawers? I swear they multiplied like rabbits—just what were those socks doing while we were out of the room, anyway? Good thing Doc had the foresight to pack a collapsible suitcase in one of our original bags since the clothes seemed to have gained as much weight as we had during the cruise. Thankfully, I have perfected The Cram. You know what I’m talking about: you put everything in as best as you can, then when you discover a whole drawer of various sundries about which you had forgotten, you cram them in the suitcase until it cries “momma!” Who’s your daddy? I muttered to the stubborn bag.



Meanwhile, with the ongoing pack-a-thon in full swing, we discussed the tipping issue. There are plenty of easy guidelines to follow in various books, TRs, and via the instructions provided with the special envelopes you get that last day. Our main problem was deciding which thank you card to give to whom. No kidding. I was all for the close-your-eyes-and-pick-one method, but Doc was having none of that. We had to match the card to the traits of our servers, attendants, and others. I suggested a personality profile be worked up for each person, but that merely elicited a scornful eye from my wife. I admit freely that I tend to being a smartssa on occasion. . .okay, often then. Our main focus wound up being the dining service manager—we had no idea who it was. We thought it was a man and that he walked around the dining room pointing at things and smiling at people, so we had our guy narrowed down to a half dozen or so. No card for him, we determined, just the suggested tip. . .if we could figure out who he was.



With the packing almost completely done (we were going to shop for an item or two between the show and dinner) and the tips decided upon and doled out, it was time to get ready for that night’s show: Disney Dreams. Still smarting over my earlier adventure the first day at sea, I opted to shower. We quickly dressed, got looking all spiffy and such, and headed out for the show.



The first thing we noticed is that most folks at the show were dressed very nicely. We saw formal wear, suits, cocktail dresses, and nice pant outfits. It was by far the dressiest night of the entire cruise. And we thought that was really cool. I know there are many experienced travelers who prefer not to dress up much at all which works for them. However, we enjoyed doing a little more, dressing up each night—despite the inconvenience of having to drag more clothes with us on the trip. It made the entire cruise a little more special for us.



The production that night was again, in a word, superb. I am still amazed at how delightful and professional of a production can be put on inside a ship. I mean, people were flying! The talent level of the CMs is very high, none more evident than the woman who sang the lead for The Lion King number. She was the lead singer in the chorus during Hercules: The Muse-ical, as well, and does she ever have the pipes! I get chills just remembering her vocals. The sets were fabulous, the production values topnotch, and the energy was tremendous, especially given how many times these CMs must have put on this particular show. And, let me tell you, there were many teary-eyed moms (and maybe even a blubbering dad or two) as the finale’s last notes echoed through the theater. I don’t have enough superlatives to do justice to the quality of the shows. They were each excellent in their own compelling ways.



We left the theater and hit the gift shops quickly, noting that the captain was signing autographs as we browsed. We also ran into Christiaan—the cruise director—and told him how marvelous our first experience cruising had been. One of the things that we enjoyed the most about this trip was the accessibility of the crew, from our servers, to the guest services desk, to our room steward, and even to the officers such as Christiaan and the captain. And, of course, there were the characters as our pictures have served to illustrate.



Speaking of such, after a quick trip back to the room to wrap up our packing, we headed to Triton’s for our last dinner. As we approached the foyer, several characters were milling about. Now, Doc had done her homework and had read that Captain Mickey would be making an appearance at 8 p.m., mere minutes before our seating. It was 7:50 and Stitch was holding court where we thought Mickey might show up. After confirming with a CM that Mickey was on the way, we got in line—it was a Mickey line forming behind the Stitch line—and after word got out that Capt M was going to appear, the Stitch line quickly dwindled to nothing. No offense, Stitch, but Mickey is a far better catch. Sure enough, within minutes Captain Mickey appeared to the great delight of the now packed foyer. And. We were third in line.

Captain Mickey made an appearance 15 minutes before our late dinner at Triton's. We knew this because we read the Navigator. Nah, nah, nahnah, nah. .


Following the photo, we stepped into Triton’s and were seated immediately. We had been there for lunch the day before, but the beauty of the mosaic still impressed us. It is stunning in its detail.

This mural is located against the back wall of Triton's. It is beautifully detailed and provides a superb backdrop for a very lovely dinner.


We were soon joined by Randy and Ann, our original table mates from the first night at Artist’s Palate. Chintana let us know that our number should increase by two more since the mystery couple who hadn’t showed that first night told her they would be there tonight. It turns out the couple was on their honeymoon, according to Chintana, and hadn’t been paying much attention to the dining rotation. Further, since we, Randy, and Ann had done Palo’s the night before, none of us had met this couple. As we discussed the last day’s events with each other, the honeymooners arrived. And if any of you are sharp enough to recall, I had seen a very involved-with-each-other couple canoodling the day before on CC. Yes. . .that very same couple, Amanda and Dean from southern England. They were delightful and helped make the conversation sparkle. Coincidentally enough, our views on topics ranging from child-rearing, to education, to religion, and even politics were acutely similar, so the dinner passed quickly. It didn’t hurt that both were attractive, too! Dean has the rakish charm and quick wit that makes it easy to see how he could be a real charmer. Amanda was a doe-eyed beauty who prompted Randy to blurt, “I remember you! Actually, I couldn’t miss the white swimsuit you were in.” I don’t know whether or not he blushed at that moment, but I certainly had to agree with him. Not that I was gonna say so!



In addition to fabulous company and conversation, our meals at Triton’s were quite good as well. Doc opted for the halibut served on a bed of spinach which was tasty and moist, though she felt the crust was a little thick. I, on the other hand, was undecided between two entrees. Normally, it’s Doc who has trouble deciding on what to order for a meal. I’ve threatened to have small cards printed for her with the following:

Hi! I can’t decide between __________ and __________.

Which do you think is better?

She could simply fill them out and hand them to the server to save time. But, this time, I was the one wondering which meal to order, or in a word worthy of George Bush, I was an “undecider.”



When I told Chintana my quandary, she had but one reply: “Eat dem both!” I hesitated. . .for about two seconds. . .and said, “Great idea!” Now, was this a cruise or what? I wound up with the braised lamb shank (I’m drooling as I type) with sautéed veggies and roasted potatoes and the duckling filets with a heavenly orange reduction, cheesy potato & apple dumplings, and creamy polenta. Both were scrumptious, but I have to give the nod to the lamb shank as the duck was slightly overcooked. Like most fine meats not involving a stew, you need duck to be served no more than medium (medium rare is better)—this was more like medium well, so a little dry. The King Estate Pinot Noir was an excellent choice to go with our meals, especially my two choices. Normally, something like a sauvignon blanc or even a riesling would pair well with the halibut, but since Doc doesn’t much hanker for whites any more than I do, she felt the pinot would be just fine. And, that is the first rule of drinking wine—drink what you like.



The desserts were the crème brulee and the Grand Marnier soufflé, both of which were quite good. We preferred the soufflé since, generally speaking, it’s hard to mess up a crème brulee. The soufflé was delicious, though not in the same league as the chocolate soufflé in Palo. I’m still having beautiful dreams about that chocolate soufflé. . .sigh. . . Since I had more to eat than Doc, she slipped out to see what the “Til We Meet Again” character meet was all about. And guess what? It was about meeting characters!

Here, Minnie realizes Mickey has been flirting with Cinderella. She's smiling, but she's pissed. Fur was about to fly.

Hey, your butt looks big! "No, it doesn't!" Yes, it does! "Nuh-uh!" Yeah-huh! "Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!"

See? I shave under my arms, too!

Doc soon returned. The dinner hours had passed, far too quickly it seemed, and we shoved off to put our luggage out for pick up.


When we arrived at our room, we found our last towel critter waiting for us.

Dumbo Lite, Zip, and Doo

Even better than that was the Grand Prize of our trip, the pillow case for Princess. Folks, I gotta tell you, seeing that pillow case was an emotional moment for me. It was chock full of signatures. Sure, we had bribed them a bit with the chocolates, but it hit me at that moment why Disney is so very special in the eyes of so many. Obviously, numerous CMs had taken time—however brief—out of their busy, busy days (and nights) to enrich and nourish the dreams of a little blonde, curly-haired, blue-eyed princess with a smile as bright as the sun that melts her daddy’s heart every single day. They didn’t know her. They hadn’t even met her. Yet, they took the little extra effort, added a smattering of pixie dust, and made a memory that Princess will cherish the rest of her life. With this simple gesture of kindness, they made a wonderful trip. . . fantasmical. As much fun as Doc and I had, we dearly missed Princess, and the pillow case underscored how special she was to us. We couldn’t wait to see her smile.

Sadly, Cindy's education was stunted by her wicked sisters and stepmother.


After leaving the luggage in the corridor, we headed back down to Shutters. Was it hot, you ask? Let’s just say that I began to look around for that little stove with the hot rocks that you pour water onto for more steam. I expected to see people walking around with towels wrapped around their bodies, and little massage therapists hanging out on each corner: “Pssst! Wanna massage? 10 minutes, $20.” And this is as good a time as any to mention about cologne and perfume wearers. Listen carefully. Your noses have become accustomed to the scents you wear. . .mine has not. In fact, I was temporarily blinded by those reeking of Chanel, Estee Lauder, Yves St. Laurent, Givenchy, Hugo Boss, Gucci, and even Old Spice. Were you bathing in the stuff? (Side note: If you were, how did you manage to get out of the tub? Just curious. ) Were you afraid of falling overboard and wanted a convenient shark repellent? I thought for a moment it we had stumbled into a cologne and perfume convention, and the thought of being chased by folks armed with spray bottles full of Eau de Enyafais scared the beejeebers out of me.



Aside from the assault to the senses that Shutters provided, the experience was only slightly less worse than a case of slide show hell in the home of friends you barely know. Yes, most of the pics are cute and adorable, but. . .they ain’t of you. Only a few of them are, and let’s be honest, that’s the only ones you want. Once you find a shot of yourself, you best pick it up right then and there, too. If you blink, it’s been moved. . .to the other side of the room where you have to jostle with the toweled men and White Linen women all over again, not to mention the clueless sort who has yet to realize that Pirate Night was last night and who can’t figure out why no one else is wearing the bandanas. To add final insult to near injury, the longest wait of the entire cruise came when we attempted to order our package. The harried CMs behind the desks were working as fast as possible but that just wasn’t good enough to keep up with the approximately two dozen questions each person they were helping had to ask. Clearly, the instructions regarding the photo packages had been written by a crackerjack copyright legal team. I’ve seen simpler terms on a home loan application. Just sayin’.



Still, we had to admit the pictures were of very good quality, and though we originally didn’t have any intention of buying shots of us having a good time, like so many others--none I would mention by name (though his initials are FF)—we caved in anyway. Here are a couple of the results.

Me with my sunglasses, and Doc with her dental X-ray radiation shield. . .

Warning! The next shot may cause temporary insanity (a few of you won't notice the difference ).

Goofy and Doc


After rubbing elbows with seemingly every person on board the Wonder, we left Shutters and headed to our favorite little getaway, the Cadillac Lounge. Bobby was playing his heart out and singing in his unique, raspy, soul-infused voice when we arrived. To our mild surprise, Randy and Ann were already there, so we joined them. As fates would have it, who should walk in moments later but Dean and Amanda—the whole table was here! We took right back up with the conversations we had at the dinner table, drank, laughed, and enjoyed the spirit of the moment with newfound friends. I had my usual ’53 Coco Cadillac and Doc had some skanky swill that was called a Hot Mint Julep. I’d just as soon have heated cold medicine: “Hey, Andre, could you throw some Dayquil in a blender with a shot of cod liver oil? Then zap it in the microwave and pour into a Vicks Vaporub lined glass? Thanks!” Nasty would be a kind term for that HMJ. Yuck. Pa-tooie. Blechh.



Despite Doc’s objectionable taste in liquor (I better not hear “and men” from any of you!), we closed the lounge down at 12:30. She and I took a leisurely stroll down the nearly deserted hallways, and we stopped outside on Deck 9 to take one long last look at nighttime aboard the Wonder. It had been an exceptional trip, and we both had that unspoken look of knowing how fortunate we were to have experienced it. When we got back to the room, neither of us wanted the night—well, early morning by this time—to end, so we stepped out onto our verandah to watch the pale, lazy moon become entangled among flowing clouds and winking stars. And there we stayed. . .for awhile. . .did you know that verandahs can be terribly romantic?

DO NOT DISTURB

Still to come--Day 5: The (Almost)Final Farewell

 

[pppiglet]

did you know that verandahs can be terribly romantic?

DO NOT DISTURB

Awwwwwww!!

 

[APinCA]

Obviously, numerous CMs had taken time—however brief—out of their busy, busy days (and nights) to enrich and nourish the dreams of a little blonde, curly-haired, blue-eyed princess with a smile as bright as the sun that melts her daddy’s heart every single day. They didn’t know her. They hadn’t even met her.

Although I'm sure they were looking for her...

 

[sleepydog25]

Originally Posted by sleepydog25
Obviously, numerous CMs had taken time—however brief—out of their busy, busy days (and nights) to enrich and nourish the dreams of a little blonde, curly-haired, blue-eyed princess with a smile as bright as the sun that melts her daddy’s heart every single day. They didn’t know her. They hadn’t even met her.

Although I'm sure they were looking for her...

Ouch!! Funny, though. . . I'm never going to live this down, am I?