Almost time for Groucho's traditional live trip report...

[WillowBelle]

I'm signing in also ....love live reports....especially when they're photography based!

 

[WDWFigment]

Well, expect to be disappointed by my face but I'd be happy to meet up regardless. Our tentative schedule for those days is Magic Kingdom on the 30th, evening of the 31st, and morning of the 2nd; Epcot on the 1st, and either Studios or MK the rest of the 31st. (It probably depends on whether or not we've seen Fantasmic yet!) I will probably be checking in nightly so feel free to send me a message as the time gets closer.


Thanks! I actually am not particularly interested in geotagging (no offense) so I haven't paid any attention to what's out there. As for the lens caps, they appear on eBay once in a while or maybe at a local used photo shop... I actually just bought another one on eBay and it would have been two of 'em if I had been paying attention and put in a higher bid. (I should bid higher in the first place... argh.) I lost one in Disneyland a couple years ago but the one I just bought will replace that one - a 49mm - and I also have a 52mm (in the pic) and a 55mm (no lens to put it on though!)

Thanks for not putting in a higher bid. I would have had two of them, but I decided against the 49mm one because I decided that it's better in the hands of someone who would use it than me just saving it until I have a lens on which I could use it! I guess we both win this way?

Did you notice the ones we just won differ from the one you already own? They must've made them for a while.

 

[RBennett]

Thanks for not putting in a higher bid. I would have had two of them, but I decided against the 49mm one because I decided that it's better in the hands of someone who would use it than me just saving it until I have a lens on which I could use it! I guess we both win this way?

Did you notice the ones we just won differ from the one you already own? They must've made them for a while.

That is too funny!! What are the odds??

 

[Groucho]

Thanks for not putting in a higher bid. I would have had two of them, but I decided against the 49mm one because I decided that it's better in the hands of someone who would use it than me just saving it until I have a lens on which I could use it! I guess we both win this way?

Did you notice the ones we just won differ from the one you already own? They must've made them for a while.

That's hilarious. I had figured no one would bid (I've been the only bidder on the other ones I've bought) so I put in low bids. If I had suspected extra bids, I would have verified that the seller would combine shipping costs then bid higher - maybe $5 instead of $2. Oh well - at least it was someone I know who got it. It just meant that I had to give up the one I usually keep on my Lester Dine to put on the K-x since I had told the wife that she could use it. Not really a big deal - really, I so rarely have the lens cap on a lens in use that it's not like I get to show it off all that much.

I didn't notice that the cap was different... I had assumed that that style were all the same so I didn't look too closely. Looking again, I see that it predates MGM Studios, interesting. It also appears to be sealed so maybe there's a date on it; my others have all been loose.

 

[Groucho]

Well, we're here! Just have a couple seconds after getting off the phone with internet support desk. (For the IT folks out there - I eventually had to hardcode to 10/half! Yeesh.)

So far, we've had colorful transportation (like a plane captain called "Mad Dog" who played harmonica and sung a parody of Bad to the Bone before takeoff), some good food, and lots of eight-month-old crying! Sigh... also, Jack's all-time favorite ride is Haunted Mansion but he was terrified almost to the point of tears at the thought of riding it last night! I am not one of the parents who'll drag a screaming kid onto a ride so we skipped it, but he's eager to ride it this morning in the sunlight.

More later!

 

[spinetnglr]

Glad to hear you made it there safe. This post is to sign me up to follow the live TR. Loved your threads in the past and don't want to miss out on this one.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

a plane captain called "Mad Dog" who played harmonica and sung a parody of Bad to the Bone before takeoff

SWA?

Jack's all-time favorite ride is Haunted Mansion but he was terrified almost to the point of tears at the thought of riding it last night! I am not one of the parents who'll drag a screaming kid onto a ride so we skipped it, but he's eager to ride it this morning in the sunlight

That should make a big difference, lol.

Enjoy the day today.

 

[Todd_H]

So far, we've had colorful transportation (like a plane captain called "Mad Dog" who played harmonica and sung a parody of Bad to the Bone before takeoff)

SWA?

I was also going to ask if that was Southwest.

Hope you guys have a great vacation! I assume there will be low crowd levels this week in the parks.

 

[zackiedawg]

I'll look for you too when I get up there later this week. I'll be there Jan 28 (Thu) to Feb 1 (Mon), staying across from you at the Boardwalk. I'll look for all the gear, and that red KX. I'll also be online and checking messages - Code and I are going to try to find a place to meet up at some point in one of the parks. Now I can follow this thread and see where you'll be too.

 

[ukcatfan]

I "might" be there on the 1st. My wife is flying out of Tampa on Saturday, so I am considering driving over to WDW for that night and Sunday.

 

[Groucho]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I was also going to ask if that was Southwest.

Hope you guys have a great vacation! I assume there will be low crowd levels this week in the parks.

Nope... Southwest doesn't fly out of Rochester (though they do fly out of Buffalo, but that means a little over an hour of driving and costs to park the car); Airtran is the king of nonstops to Orlando from Rochester. Jetblue has some good ones too, but their times are often not as good. So, this was Airtran - who are normally competent but not particularly exciting. This time, it was all about the "Mad Dog"!

I'll look for you too when I get up there later this week. I'll be there Jan 28 (Thu) to Feb 1 (Mon), staying across from you at the Boardwalk. I'll look for all the gear, and that red KX. I'll also be online and checking messages - Code and I are going to try to find a place to meet up at some point in one of the parks. Now I can follow this thread and see where you'll be too.

The red K-x might be hard to spot as it spends about half the time in her wife's (giant) Tikbuk2 bag. We're still trying to work out the best systems for dealing with our gear. It's kind of depressing - this is our fifth time with kid(s) and we are making first-timer mistakes. Both times we've gone out, we're forgotten the tether for Leila's pacifier. That means they end up on the ground. When we got back to the hotel today, I had three dirty pacifiers in my pocket! Good grief! Then we didn't bring any jackets or such... this was supposed to be the hottest day of the trip and it was windy with rainy spells! Oh well, it was still pretty good weather-wise so I won't complain about that.

I "might" be there on the 1st. My wife is flying out of Tampa on Saturday, so I am considering driving over to WDW for that night and Sunday.

Cool, let me know if you make it and want to meet up sometime. Who knows - maybe we'll get Zackiedawg, Code, you, and I together for a mini-Disboards summit.

Today... let's see... we got to AK Lodge half an hour late for our breakfast at Boma; fortunately it was no problem (as I figured) since it was relatively quiet there. Fantastic food, probably my favorite breakfast buffet on property. We kicked around AKL for a little then hopped on an Epcot bus, took the monorail to TTC, then to Grand Floridian to look around (it's been a few trips since I've been there) and check out the new marble they've been putting in. All this was to kill time until...

Well, what happened was that after much hemming and hawing, I decided to buy annual passes for this trip. (We'll just make next year's trip a little earlier in January to have it cover those... and maybe a father-and-son Star Wars Weekends trip, but that's definitely just a maybe.) A few days later, I see that annual passholders get a free ride-along at the Richard Petty Driving Experience until the end of March. Now, being an admitted racing snob (ie, don't really like Nascar), I wouldn't pay out of pocket for this - but a $109 experience, for each of us, for free? Sure! Unfortunately, Nascar teams are busy using the racetrack for testing this week so the public hours are limited. There was an hour window today, and I found out after waiting for a shuttle for 20 minutes that they moved the window forwards. They offered to send the shuttle over to let us watch but I declined. At this point, we are planning on doing it tomorrow morning.

So, with that off the list, we discussed going back to our hotel for some swimming, but my son, in his new "fearful" age, was not interested. (This kid used to be completely fearless, now he's afraid of all sorts of stuff, yet still fascinated with the stuff he's afraid of.) So, we headed into MK and started going through some rides, including daytime Haunted Mansion. I tried to get some good photos here and there but it's tough when you're either pushing a stroller or holding someone's hand! Especially when you're using a number of manual-focus lenses. It's a little frustrating because I'm seeing a lot of shots that I'd like to get but just can't stop to shoot; but I knew that would be the case so it's not bumming me out too badly.

The day ended the best way a Magic Kingdom day can - with some cinnamon rolls "to go" that will be our breakfast tomorrow morning. And, I just finished a very yummy and soft sugar cookie from the Bakery, too.

So tomorrow... Petty ride-alongs, then Hollywood Studios and a late lunch at 50s Prime Time...

 

[Groucho]

I'm pretty zonked but I did go through and put a few unprocessed photos online. Nothing too special yet but just something to give an idea... I hate working off a laptop LCD screen so I'm not going to bother putting any effort into processing until I'm home.

Our studio at Beach Club Villas has the biggest balcony ever... this is only part of it!

Columbia Harbour House clam chowder... very yummy.

As amateur photographers, we have completely overlooked one of the critical components that separates us from the professionals - a lightsaber!

Just a "test" round of Illuminations, got to Epcot just as the show was starting. Happy to report that my rebuild homemade remote shutter release is now finally fully rock-solid!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Nice photos! Your kids are so cute and your son has grown quite a bit since your last TR!

 

[KramBerries]

Sigh. I would so much prefer being at WDW than sitting at home doing taxes. I would especially like to be going at this time of year. Our kids have hit an age where we are pretty much stuck going during crowded times now.

Have a great time. Nothing in life lasts forever, so live as much as you can while you can.

 

[Groucho]

Thanks DSF!

Sigh. I would so much prefer being at WDW than sitting at home doing taxes. I would especially like to be going at this time of year. Our kids have hit an age where we are pretty much stuck going during crowded times now.

Have a great time. Nothing in life lasts forever, so live as much as you can while you can.

We are pretty spoiled in terms of crowds - this is probably as quiet as it ever gets there. Last night we were at Studios and it was an Extra Magic Hours night... Tower of Terror was a walk-on at 7pm (when EMH started) and I rode it twice in row and the cars weren't even full! (Man, I love that ride! The first ride was with two groups who'd never ridden it before - which is always a blast.) RnRC was about 20 minutes and while in the queue, I chatted with a nice woman who'd never ridden it before and when I described the takeoff into a loop, she was pretty terrified. I rode it with her and she just screamed the whole time... it was pretty great.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, what happened was that after much hemming and hawing, I decided to buy annual passes for this trip. (We'll just make next year's trip a little earlier in January to have it cover those... and maybe a father-and-son Star Wars Weekends trip, but that's definitely just a maybe.)

You should really consider the father/son star wars trip if you can swing it. You still have a few years, but if you have AP's, this would be a great time for it. My boys are almost 15 and 17, and for a time, Star Wars reigned suprememe at our house! I wish I had some photos with the Star Wars characters at DHS to remember it by. And it would have been awesome to watch those stormtroopers in the parade with them!

 

[Gdad]

Good stuff so far- hope you guys are having a great time. I may be around some this weekend also- Code sent me a PM over on another board.

 

[spinetnglr]

Hope you are having a great time Groucho. You and your family certainly deserve a trouble free trip after last years trip. <whispers> Don't tell Ann about that light saber thing .... next thing we know there will be a " I have been a Very Very Very bad girl" thread.

Have fun!!! ... can't wait to see more photos

 

[mom2rtk]

Good stuff so far- hope you guys are having a great time. I may be around some this weekend also- Code sent me a PM over on another board.

Let me just say.... it is SO COOL of you guys to all offer to show up and push Groucho's stroller and carry his gear!!!

 

[Groucho]

Good stuff so far- hope you guys are having a great time. I may be around some this weekend also- Code sent me a PM over on another board.

Hahaha - join the party. If Kevin makes it, that'd make 5 Disboarder photo regulars... quite the summit!

You should really consider the father/son star wars trip if you can swing it. You still have a few years, but if you have AP's, this would be a great time for it. My boys are almost 15 and 17, and for a time, Star Wars reigned suprememe at our house! I wish I had some photos with the Star Wars characters at DHS to remember it by. And it would have been awesome to watch those stormtroopers in the parade with them!

Yeah, Jack loves what he knows about Star Wars (he's seen Ep4 but I won't let him watch the others for a while - gotta make sure he's shocked at the big reveal in Empire!)... I just have to decide if 1) I can afford it 2) I have enough vacation time for a long weekend, and 3) I can go with just Jack and I and not kill him.

Hope you are having a great time Groucho. You and your family certainly deserve a trouble free trip after last years trip. <whispers> Don't tell Ann about that light saber thing .... next thing we know there will be a " I have been a Very Very Very bad girl" thread.

Have fun!!! ... can't wait to see more photos

We can have some good "red vs blue" lightsaber debates and post about who got the latest and greatest!

A few more real quick...

More later! Off to breakfast at Epcot!