Bouncy, Trouncy, Flouncy, Pouncy-MAY PTR-*5/9 - FRUSTRATIONS & 6 days left*

[My_Pal_Pluto]

Do you think it's possible to fall ill from simply TALKING about my planned sugar gluttony?? I got slammed by a nifty little tummy bug and ... whew ... I'm glad the "snack attack" post is behind me or it would take on a COMPLETELY different feel ... (e.g. "Can I use a snack credit on Pepto ... what about Imodium?" ... good questions ... but not fun!!)

We do a LOT of walking when we're at the World ... last time there my sister-in-law wore her pedometer each day - affixing it in the morning and logging it at night. Our average? 9 MILES a day!! Our record day was a little over 12 miles ... wow ... it's amazing how those hoofed moments add up (I think a lion's share were logged from the POP bus stop to the main gate at Epcot ... sheesh!!)

"Dadddddyyyyy ... are we there yet???"
"The Turnstiles are just over that next hill ... trust me"

Alas my DIS friends I send apologies this morning ... my goal was to unleash a fury of proper prose laced with quippy quotes and magical memories ... but the morning mayhem (I'm caught in an alliterate funk) has taken it's toll and, having my children here this morning ... it's time to make them some oatmeal so they don't crash at school.

To all today, I say:

 

[My_Pal_Pluto]

We'd arrived at Disney after a long ... arduous ... hot journey in a stinky vinyl-seat clad station wagon ... thankfully the A/C in the Mobile Home was ready and waiting so we settled into our 5 day "first time ever" at Disney World.

Ever since I was a little kid, I was somewhat (how do you say), "thick" ... I even had the wonderful privilege of heading to a whole section of clothing at the local department store (Boscov's) that had a neon sign hanging over it announcing ... indeed ... the "HUSKY" clothing section (this comes into play with great expense in our second trip ... more on that later). This, however, was the time when Disney "food" didn't really exist. The World was not yet about amazing restaurants, dining plans, and snack credits. So imagine the shock and awe lustfully embraced when a pudgy kid discovered a homemade pizza smorgasbord at the General Store (I know now it's called "Trail's End Buffet" ... back then - around 1979 - I can't remember what it was called but I remember it being AMAZING)!! One incredibly fond memory of that first trip was sitting with my family (Dad, Mom, & Brother) stuffing our faces with homemade pizza ... then getting quarters from dad to blow on Galaga and Zaxxon (ok, just for the record maybe in '79 it wasn't yet Pac-Man, Galaga,etc ... but I am NOT willing to say I was a kid in "pre-video game" days when only pinball machines existed ... so don't do any "history checks" on me ... I'm professing I might be embellishing the timeline a bit here).

Fort Wilderness was proving to be a place worthy of the awful trip to get there.

The next day I encountered a place that defied my dreams (nope, not Magic Kingdom ... that came in the evening of day 2) ... it was a playground of water unlike anything I'd ever encountered. For those of you who didn't get to go before it closed, trust me, "the Ole Swimmin Hole" that was River Country was AMAZING!!

Where else could a portly young lad squeeze into an old rubber tire and ride down an awesome rapids; splashing into a lake and feeling like nothing was against the rules. For thrills (and this lasted for years and made me sad to the point of tears when River Country closed) sliding down a water slide that ended (soooo crazy) halfway ... in mid-air ... and dropped you the remaining 10 feet into a pool of cool crystal water. There were no greater laughs to be had ... thrills like I'd never experienced before ... and I figured, "heck - I bet we get more pizza again tonight" (all that water and walking up to the top of the slide was making me HUNG-ry!!).

What I didn't know was, lying ahead in the week I'd discover the best burgers ever in my life ... songs to eat ribs to ... and an island that was designed to house animals and torture humans!!

 

[All7OfUs]

Sadly, River Country had its demise before this Bunch had a chance to purvey its various wonders. Makes me incredibly sad.

Yeah, looking back with nostalgia to the wonder days of Disney brings me to tears too. I fondly remember believing with my whole 9 year old heart that indeed you DID shrink down to 1/30 scale when you loaded onto an Omnimover for Adventures in Inner Space. Man, I miss that ride!!

Great update, Pluto!! As usual!

BTW, hope you're feeling much better! Hopefully you didn't gorge too badly on corned beef and beer yesterday, making it worse!!

 

[oregonmommyof2]

First off, thanks for doing the snack credit homework for me... Now I will just cheat off of you...

Second, I wish River Country was still around... Never maid it out there before it closed...

And my husband was a pudgy kid... He knows all too well that the need for pizza after a day in a water park must have been something fierce...

 

[Flossbolna]

I would have loved to experience River Country! It sounds like such a relaxed place and I love the theme of it!

 

[My_Pal_Pluto]

Great update, Pluto!! As usual!

BTW, hope you're feeling much better! Hopefully you didn't gorge too badly on corned beef and beer yesterday, making it worse!!

Thanks Liesa ... yes - I'm feeling much better but I did risk exacerbating the whole issue with some shenanigan's in celebration of the saint.

Second, I wish River Country was still around... Never maid it out there before it closed...

And my husband was a pudgy kid... He knows all too well that the need for pizza after a day in a water park must have been something fierce...

Ahhh ... good to know there were other kids out there who could appreciate a loose-fitting "husky" pair of pants and the occasional "garanimal" sweatsuit.

I would have loved to experience River Country! It sounds like such a relaxed place and I love the theme of it!

I like Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon - both excellent water parks ... but you nailed it with the word "relaxed" ... I remember River Country having such a "kick back by the Water Hole" feel to it ... it is truly missed!!

 

[All7OfUs]

Thanks Liesa ... yes - I'm feeling much better but I did risk exacerbating the whole issue with some shenanigan's in celebration of the saint.



Ahhh ... good to know there were other kids out there who could appreciate a loose-fitting "husky" pair of pants and the occasional "garanimal" sweatsuit.

I thought as much...


AND LOOK, Cynthia---- The Garanimals have come out to play again!!!

HA! We just expounded on the mathchy-matchy benefits and/or minor melt-downs of not having any zebras to match the giraffes in the morning on my PTR. Ah, the 70's, had to love 'em.

 

[disneybound08]

Wow, great report so far!!! Thanks for all the research on qs and snacks. I thought I read somewhere that kaki gori was no longer a snack option, I'm not sure though, maybe someone else knows for sure???

 

[Pollito916]

Hello, another straggler coming over on Liesa's recommendation - are you paying her a commission?

I have to say I LOVE your idea on preparing a snack list ahead of time. The jalapeno cheese stuffed pretzels is possibly one of the best foods on the planet. And I did not know about the s'mores on sticks or s'mores fudge at HS, so thanks!

YES - you do have to go to DTD and go to Goofy's!! Go now! You can top marshmallows, pretzels, and rice crispy treats in almost anything sugary you can imagine. It's kind of like heaven, but more crowded.

And the description of the Minnie strawberry bar is making this pregnant lady get off of her giant behind, go all the way downstairs and get a Dreyer's fruit bar. Probably not as good, but it will have to do.

You're off to a great start and I can't wait to read more!

 

[eandesmom]

Hmmn....Pac man in 76?

I think not. Pong came out right around then so Pac Man would be a few years away still. I vividly recall my 5th grade birthday, playing pong for hours and being the coolest thing ever because we had it.

Not to date myself or anything.

Ah River Country. Would have loved to have seen it. We stayed at the Fort last year in a cabin, had a blast, got to see the deserted RC but it's just not the same. Very sad.

LOVE the kids in the woods pic.

I thought as much...


AND LOOK, Cynthia---- The Garanimals have come out to play again!!!

HA! We just expounded on the mathchy-matchy benefits and/or minor melt-downs of not having any zebras to match the giraffes in the morning on my PTR. Ah, the 70's, had to love 'em.

YAY Garanimals!

And Bobby Brady but I digress.

 

[My_Pal_Pluto]

I have very limited time this evening ... the kiddos are spending the night with daddy ... but Ethan is having a rough night so far with bad dreams so I have him here in bed with me!!

So quickly but sincerely my one singular memory of Garanimals is that they actually "broke" from the animal theme sometimes. My vivid "husky" rumination of an outfit was of a one piece ... zip ALL the way up the front ... jumpsuit in a tan/khaki color with red piping ... not "zebra" or "tiger" ... but rather (I kid you NOT), "French Toast" ... seriously, how UN-PC was that for a pudgy kid to have his clothes named after food.

YES, you're thinking, "wow Rob, you had to be on the cutting edge of cool" and you would be absolutely RIGHT!!

Out for now ... I look forward to another post in the morning

 

[My_Pal_Pluto]

Wow, great report so far!!! Thanks for all the research on qs and snacks. I thought I read somewhere that kaki gori was no longer a snack option

Thanks for the compliment - I have more snack attack thoughts to come ... I sure hope the rumor on Kaki Gori isn't true ... otherwise Ethan's assertive perfection of the item would be for naught!!

Hello, another straggler coming over on Liesa's recommendation - are you paying her a commission?

I have to say I LOVE your idea on preparing a snack list ahead of time. The jalapeno cheese stuffed pretzels is possibly one of the best foods on the planet. And I did not know about the s'mores on sticks or s'mores fudge at HS, so thanks!

You're off to a great start and I can't wait to read more!

I'm hoping Disney comes up with a "snack only" dining plan (seriously, like 6 snacks/day ... pure bliss). As for "stragglers from Liesa" ... so far I think you're pretty close to the best people in the world ... you say stragglers ... I say royalty ... you're ALL welcome at the banquet table (though the food I'm serving is ... you guessed it ... nothin' but SNACKS)!!

 

[All7OfUs]

I have very limited time this evening ... the kiddos are spending the night with daddy ... but Ethan is having a rough night so far with bad dreams so I have him here in bed with me!!

So quickly but sincerely my one singular memory of Garanimals is that they actually "broke" from the animal theme sometimes. My vivid "husky" rumination of an outfit was of a one piece ... zip ALL the way up the front ... jumpsuit in a tan/khaki color with red piping ... not "zebra" or "tiger" ... but rather (I kid you NOT), "French Toast" ... seriously, how UN-PC was that for a pudgy kid to have his clothes named after food.

YES, you're thinking, "wow Rob, you had to be on the cutting edge of cool" and you would be absolutely RIGHT!!

Out for now ... I look forward to another post in the morning

Poor little guy!!! Hope he can feel safe and sound and not have any more bad dreams!

WOW! French Toast???!!! If it weren't so cool, it'd be frightening!

Hope you get a little sleep! I can never sleep with my kids, even with Daddy gone, they kick and turn and all that rot.

 

[My_Pal_Pluto]

Hmmn....Pac man in 76?

LOVE the kids in the woods pic.

YAY Garanimals!

I KNEW I'd get called on my poorly embellished timeline ... ....

seriously though THANK YOU for the compliment on that pic ... it was such an amazing day and I loved capturing the sun as it set on the hike. Being a newly divorced dad as of June of last year, those moments with my three kiddos are so wonderful ... I've tried to capture them in pictures ... if they reflect even a little bit of the wonder of the moment; I am thankful to share them.

 

[eandesmom]

I have very limited time this evening ... the kiddos are spending the night with daddy ... but Ethan is having a rough night so far with bad dreams so I have him here in bed with me!!

So quickly but sincerely my one singular memory of Garanimals is that they actually "broke" from the animal theme sometimes. My vivid "husky" rumination of an outfit was of a one piece ... zip ALL the way up the front ... jumpsuit in a tan/khaki color with red piping ... not "zebra" or "tiger" ... but rather (I kid you NOT), "French Toast" ... seriously, how UN-PC was that for a pudgy kid to have his clothes named after food.

YES, you're thinking, "wow Rob, you had to be on the cutting edge of cool" and you would be absolutely RIGHT!!

Out for now ... I look forward to another post in the morning

Aw, poor Ethan!

All I can say is that sounds hideously uncomfortable and yet...so very 70's (as I begin to recall denim one piece jumper thingies I'd selectively blocked from my mind...).

Truth be told I'm not sure I actually OWNED any garanimals. Just coveted them.

 

[My_Pal_Pluto]

Just wanted to send along a farewell to my Dis' friends. I'm headed to a conference near NYC & though I hope to find time to coax some creativity ... I figured "just in case", I wanted to let y'all know I had not DIS'appeared on you ... so if not before Sunday ... I'll look forward to updating my PTR then.

Have an amazing weekend!!

 

[All7OfUs]

Just wanted to send along a farewell to my Dis' friends. I'm headed to a conference near NYC & though I hope to find time to coax some creativity ... I figured "just in case", I wanted to let y'all know I had not DIS'appeared on you ... so if not before Sunday ... I'll look forward to updating my PTR then.

Have an amazing weekend!!

You too, Rob!!! Have a great conference- and we'll hold down the fort for you.

 

[My_Pal_Pluto]

So River Country had stolen my heart and I was a kid transformed by the playground of Disney World ...

My next adventure was something I'd heard my parents talk about and decided in advance that it was gonna be AWESOME. We boarded a boat en route to "Discovery Island" (see, it even sounded cool).

The launch dropped us off ... and the torture began. I truly believe they had cameras stationed on the island and have used that footage to develop the wildly successful "Survivor" reality series. The first thing I noticed was it seemed "steamy" (best way to put it) on the island. This seething jungle nature was embellished and accompanied by a strange old stale fecal odor (ok, I apologize for that but even as I sit here typing it some 30 years later I wrinkle my nose at the olfactory trauma) ... I was beginning to lose the lustre I'd developed in anticipation of this place (it would NOT return).

We began the trek ... complaints being voiced ... and quickly realized the boat had departed and there was no turning back. The group was accompanied by a guide who - in true Disney fashion - was a zealous expert on all things "Island" related. But it was just plain anti-climactic and his enthusiasm became grating (how many facts can you tell me about a small flock of pink flamingo's traipsing about in stagnant water seeming fully uninterested in being a part of this presentation?).

All-in-all this place was really out-of-character for WDW. The deeper one got into the island the more one realized there was simply not a lot to see here. I remember some birds and some lizards and a presentation that I think involved a snake. But as testimony to how bad it was (and trust me here - I have a VIVID memory and tie emotions to the things that indelibly mark etch themselves in my mind) ... I do not remember the animals ... I remember the pool of odd sweat that ran down my chubby back ... the blisters that were forming in between the toes on my flip-flopped feet ... the pungent smell that began as "the island" and by mid-point mingled with an odor known as "hot me" (and I am not making a statement of arrogance) ... and the insane need to get out of that place!!

When we came to the end of the journey - I remember the collective *sigh* from the group and realized we weren't the only ones feeling the lack of Disney Magic in the place.

Now I don't know ... perhaps some of you reading this post had a completely different experience at Discovery Island ... but I have not seen it included in lists of "nostalgia" and I haven't seen it talked about with misty eyes on the boards. I would welcome the replies though cause I'm always willing to have an open-mind

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since I'm sitting in a Starbucks near New York City typing this I feel like continuing (the coffee is delicious, the place is bustling, and the juices are flowing).

My dad bought a really cool denim sailor's sort of hat at Magic Kingdom ... he loved it and it loved him ... we launched on the boat over to a place called "The Polynesian" for a breakfast at "the Coral Isle Cafe". There was a strange Floridian breeze gusting that day and sadly - as we departed the boat at the Poly dad's hat decided it needed to flee his bald head ... it leapt into the drink and is (even now) a memorial marker in Bay Lake (or is it Seven Seas Lagoon?).

Anyway ... I digress ... Dad's sadness and disappointment over losing his hat (honestly, I haven't seen him that bummed many times in my whole life) was quickly overturned as a large, square, sugar & cinnamon drenched, fried, delectable breakfast treat was placed before him. To this day my father measures the deliciousness of all breakfasts against that very first taste of "Tonga Toast" (He "mmmmmm'd" his way through the entire meal) ... so now without fail we can have a great breakfast and he'll sit back and say, "Yeah it's good ... but it isn't 'Tonga Toast'" ... and then we'll depart whatever conversation preceded it & spend the next hour reminiscing about Disney World (does anyone else do this?).

We ended up having another breakfast there on the last morning of our trip (these were pre-ADR days) and dad FELL IN LOVE with the Polynesian ... he proclaimed, "Next time we come to Disney (which, for me meant there was going to be a next time ... YESSS!!) we're staying here" (and we DID!!).

 

[eandesmom]

I KNEW I'd get called on my poorly embellished timeline ... ....

seriously though THANK YOU for the compliment on that pic ... it was such an amazing day and I loved capturing the sun as it set on the hike. Being a newly divorced dad as of June of last year, those moments with my three kiddos are so wonderful ... I've tried to capture them in pictures ... if they reflect even a little bit of the wonder of the moment; I am thankful to share them.

yes well I date myself calling you out so don't feel too bad about it!

I can relate to those kinds of moments. I was a single mom for about 3 years and one of my very favorite pictures in the world is with my 2 boys and I on a beach hike. It just captured a magical moment in what was not always an easy journey.

It is a stunning picture and if it isn't framed and hanging in your house...it should be!

I love your Dad's Tonga Toast story and felt your pain on Discovery Island. That tale certainly didn't make me sad that it's closed!

 

[All7OfUs]

I always wondered exactly WHAT D.I. was. Thanks for the low-down! Sounds umimpressive to say the least. Nevertheless, I LOVE your descriptions and way of bringing feeling into the narratives!!

AHHHH! the POLY!! YES!! I had the exact same feelings wash over me the first time I walked around the grounds- letting all the nuiance and atmospere sink in and totally absorb me body and soul. I knew I HAD to return to stay someday. My dream will come true in Sept.

Glad the hat trauma was a least a little assuaged by Tonga Toast rapture. What sweet moments with your dad!