Bunnies and mooses and groupies, Oh my!!! The Wilderness Lodge groupies thread. 4.0

[Inkmahm]

We are socked in here in Severn, Maryland! And it's still coming down! And it will be 66 today in Orlando.

I"m watching the WeatherChannel and they are showing thundersnow from during the night! If we have to have a snowstorm, I love the thundersnow. We only get it here maybe once every few years.

Stay inside and stay warm, everyone out east.

 

[eliza61]

Yeah Eliza, that sounds like a movie I want to rent!

Speaking of bucket lists, anyone got one they care to share?

I loved that movie.

I think most of mine have to do with travel. I think I'm probably shallow.

LOL, well we're hanging out in the same waters then. But then didn't you love the part when Jack Nicholas tells Morgan freeman his bucket list and he says to Jack... "I've taken baths deeper than that"

Let's see, mine also has to do with travel. My top 5 places to visit would be
1) Egypt. I want to see those pyramids
2) Yellowstone Park/Grand Canyon. One of the bad habits we NY'ers have is that we tend to think our city is the center of the Universe. When I took Rizzo to West Virginia was the first time I had seen Mtns. I'd probably lose my marbles if I ever see the Grand Canyon
3) Ireland/Scotland. They just look so green!!
4)Goree Island Senegal. Little bit of History here. Goree Island is a museum now, it was the final exit point on Africa for slaves before being shipped ot the Americas.

Everyone has full permission to chuckle on number 5.
5) I was a huge Johnny Cash fan growing up. LOL. Grandmother was from Knoxville Tn. So I going to pull an "Elvis" and visit his museum or gravesite.


Dreaming of Florida. 18 inches of snow and counting.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Not the Lodge, I know - but since it's her sister, I think that's okay, right? Can't wait to be on that viewing platform to watch WOC...

Not the Lodge but sure close!

DLI you reminded me of one of my non-travel bucket list entries.
I would love to pet a cat. I mean a big cat. Like a lion or a tiger. I would love the hear the purr, feel the love.

Actually that was one of my bucket list items at one time. Love love love tigers. A few years ago I was lucky enough to be able to hold a baby tiger!! It was wonderful and sooooo cute. There is supposed to be a park in Florida where you can interact with tigers. I'll have to try to remember the name of it.

Hi all

We are DVC owners at the wilderness lodge, but GASP, we've never stayed there We may be next February though The resort is beautiful and I am really looking forward to staying there someday

Welcome to the friendliest thread on the boards! Hope you can make that trip home soon!

Add that the furnace is most likely to break when you're not home! That's how our trip to WDW ended this week. We got home on Tuesday afternoon to a home that was only 50 degrees. The furnace needed a new motor that the repair guy couldn't get until Wednesday morning so we spent Tuesday night in the living room keeping warm by the fireplace. $600 later the furnace was working again. It shouldn't have broken in the first place as it is only 5 years old.

The rest of the week has been busy with job search activity. Looking for a job is exhausting work. I have a shot at interviewing for one next week that sounds perfect for me other than the salary. I think I will interview and worry about the salary if there is a job offer. If not, I have no decision to make.

WDW was great in January. I think I'm going to like being retired some day.

Oh not a fun welcome home for you. That happened to us last year on the coldest night of the year. Glad you could get it resolved. Good luck with the interview!

LOL, well we're hanging out in the same waters then. But then didn't you love the part when Jack Nicholas tells Morgan freeman his bucket list and he says to Jack... "I've taken baths deeper than that"

Let's see, mine also has to do with travel. My top 5 places to visit would be
1) Egypt. I want to see those pyramids
2) Yellowstone Park/Grand Canyon. One of the bad habits we NY'ers have is that we tend to think our city is the center of the Universe. When I took Rizzo to West Virginia was the first time I had seen Mtns. I'd probably lose my marbles if I ever see the Grand Canyon
3) Ireland/Scotland. They just look so green!!
4)Goree Island Senegal. Little bit of History here. Goree Island is a museum now, it was the final exit point on Africa for slaves before being shipped ot the Americas.

Everyone has full permission to chuckle on number 5.
5) I was a huge Johnny Cash fan growing up. LOL. Grandmother was from Knoxville Tn. So I going to pull an "Elvis" and visit his museum or gravesite.


Dreaming of Florida. 18 inches of snow and counting.

Yellowstone is beautiful! I've yet to see the Grand Canyon from the ground. We just saw some of it from the air. The little bit we saw was pretty impressive. No chuckle on number 5 from me! Your list is very interesting! Lots of great places to see.

 

[DiznyDi]

Hey Di

Where in NC are you?

We're in Surf City. Right next door to Holly Ridge. My nephews wife is in a theater production this weekend and next. He's a Marine and just went for some advanced training in California prior to leaving for Afghanistan. They have an 8 yr old and an 8 month old baby and needed a sitter. I came down with my mom yesterday. She's spending the next week here. I'm flying home to Ohio and 18 inches of snow tomorrow. A hearty Hello to all our NC Groupies!

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Tammy and I were on the computers a few days back when I discover that we can purchase a Sunpass(the tag you see on FL. vehicles for toll roads to keep them moving along while the rest of us have to divvy up dollars and cents). We started taking the toll rd 417 that connects I-4 to WDW from around Sanford to bypass Orlando. It costs about $6.50 but is worth it to me for the road less hassled.

Anyway, I get excited cause I find out we can buy one where you pay for it as needed. Tammy has a friend that lives in Congress Park in Orlando that got us one from a local grocery store and sent it to us by mail. In essence, we will feel like Floridians zipping through the toll booths, and we wont be slowed down by change counting, therefore, we will arrive at WL that much sooner

I was excited by this news and looked online seeing that I can purchase one at CVS or Publix. Since I don't have a friend in FL to purchase one in advance, does it make sense to get one once we hit the FL border? We haven't driven to WDW in a while and forget if there are any tolls before we get close to WDW?

And may I add: SHUDDER!

 

[wildernessDad]

Well, I have about two-thirds of half of the driveway cleared. Am trying to get one car out by Monday. After that, I'll have to clear out the ton of snow that the plow put against my driveway entrance.

 

[Muushka]

Not the Lodge but sure close!


Actually that was one of my bucket list items at one time. Love love love tigers. A few years ago I was lucky enough to be able to hold a baby tiger!! It was wonderful and sooooo cute. There is supposed to be a park in Florida where you can interact with tigers. I'll have to try to remember the name of it. snip......

Oh yes, if you remember, please post for me. We have a big cat rescue here in NC that I visit occasionally, but you can't pet 'em.

Well, I have about two-thirds of half of the driveway cleared. Am trying to get one car out by Monday. After that, I'll have to clear out the ton of snow that the plow put against my driveway entrance.

Hugs to you and all who have received an unbelievable amount of snow. I was in the Northeast (RI) for the blizzard of '78. Walked to work during the worst conditions of the blizzard (had to ditch the car, it was going nowhere), stayed at work for 4 days (a hospital) and walked home (6 miles, but at least no blizzard). So not fun. I feel your pain and I know what you are going through.

Eliza, thank you for your list! Mine includes

full transit through the Panama Canal
cruise to Alaska
return to California-Yosemite, San Francisco (providing Pelosi is no longer ruling, sorry, cannot help it)
a trans-Atlantic cruise
the Passion Play at Oberammergau, Germany
a trip to Scotland
pet a really big kitty
visit Ground Zero in NYC
and if you can believe this shallow person, I would love to change the world in some way. Maybe promote an idea that becomes a bill or have an affect on an issue, that sort of thing.

 

[MiaSRN62]

visit Ground Zero in NYC

Muushka, this was something I had wanted to do as well and we did Dec 2008. I know it's not VWL/WL related, but thought I'd share my pics from that day (which happened to be one of the coldest days ever ! We were beyond freezing).

It was different than I imagined. All the buildings are so close/compact in that part of NYC (in most parts actually). It was hard to imagine the absolute terror and chaos on those streets. On my video, I pan to an open area near a rather new looking sky rise----that open area was where the World Trade Center stood. A very emotional visit.

Maria

 

[Muushka]

Thank you for posting those Maria.

 

[Granny]

Anyway, back on topic. Here's the trivia for today:

What is the name of the street that WL/VWL is located on?

That would be Timberline Drive!

HL...absolutely correct!!!! Sorry it took so long to get back to you with confirmation on that one!

Here in Indy, the snow was originally reported as beginning before the commuting time this morning. It didn't actually start until closer til 11 am. And it is snowing 8 hours later. So far we've got about 7" in our yard. I left work finally at about 2 pm, and my normally 30 min drive took me 2 hours. I hate that kind of situation. Lots of icy, slush, and so much coming down with very low hanging clouds that the visibility was difficult. But I made it, and am now safely ensconsed for the weekend. They say it's supposed to go all night long. The kids are sure excited though for snow forts, igloo building and sledding tomorrow! Happy it's a Saturday and I can actually join them instead of just hearing about it later on at dinner!

Be safe and warm fellow groupies covered with snow!

We spent last two days visiting my daughter in Bloomington so I know what you mean about that snow. We had a somewhat treacherous drive into Bloomington yesterday afternoon...a few cars in the ditch on Hiway 46. We just got back home which was an easy, dry drive.

Still trying to figure out when we'll be hitting WDW this year. Jimmy...we just might overlap with some of your trip!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Dreaming of Florida. 18 inches of snow and counting.

I hear ya eliza ! Heard the official reading for the city of Philadelphia was 28.5 !

Maria

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

You were at BWV - how cool!
I'm with you on the scary clown And At night it only gets worse

Imagineer1 to Imagineer2: "Hey - lets add a clown to the pool"
Imag2: (sarcastically) "Yeah, great idea, everyone loves clowns."
Imag1: "We could have the kids slide down a rollercoaster made out of the clown's tongue and come out his mouth"
Imag2: (again, sarcastically) "...yeah... and the eyes could light up at night, make him look like he's watching ~always watching~"
Imag1: Awesome! They're going to love this!
Imag2: Or we'll get fired.​

Let us know how your BLT check in & stay goes! I love spontaneous stays

That's completely how it had to have happened twinklebug! Oh the misunderstandings that happen when sarcasm is missed.

Got back to NV around 12:30 this afternoon to the start of rain/snow. The trip was short but great! I'll fill in more on a later post.

Just one more comment on the clown thing -- have you seen the commercial for Walmart with the Dad who dresses as a clown for the children's birthday party - and the end result?!? Now if that wouldn't create a clown phobia, I don't know what would.

Yep - that's a good one!

........

........
Anyway, back on topic. Here's the trivia for today:

What is the name of the street that WL/VWL is located on?

Wow Granny - posting that picture and then trying to distract from the horror with trivia!

My clown thing is totally about the expression and that someone is hiding behind it. It's painted on and doesn't change. Just not natural. Oh, and the fact that Pennywise ate you or something didn't help with my clown phobia.

Another good clown commercial that had me doing this was the Christmas USP one. Did anyone see that? The mail deliverer walks up to the house and the family is outside needing to return the clown doll standing in the middle of the house. After the spiel about flat rate boxes he looks in the door and the clown is now right there! Pretty much out of Poltergeist.

Hi everyone! We are preparing for a major snowstorm up here in south central PA. We may be stuck inside for awhile. All groupies at WDW..please send photos!!

I'm back now but I'll see if I can get you a couple of pictures to look at rather than snow!

2) Yellowstone Park/Grand Canyon. One of the bad habits we NY'ers have is that we tend to think our city is the center of the Universe. When I took Rizzo to West Virginia was the first time I had seen Mtns. I'd probably lose my marbles if I ever see the Grand Canyon

Eliza - you need to think about adding Glacier Nat'l park for mountains (the Going to the Sun will have you shaking!) and Yosemite. I still remember the absolute stunned feeling I had when seeing the valley for the first time.

Hope everyone is doing ok in all the snow. Leaving Orlando this morning I noticed that all the flights to the DC area were canceled.

All right - time to see if I can get some pictures uploaded before I conk out for the night! Vacationing is very hard work and I'm tired!!

 

[jimmytammy]

We're in Surf City. Right next door to Holly Ridge. My nephews wife is in a theater production this weekend and next. He's a Marine and just went for some advanced training in California prior to leaving for Afghanistan. They have an 8 yr old and an 8 month old baby and needed a sitter. I came down with my mom yesterday. She's spending the next week here. I'm flying home to Ohio and 18 inches of snow tomorrow. A hearty Hello to all our NC Groupies!

Have a safe trip back home. Maybe a warm spell will come and all that snow will be gone

 

[wildernessDad]

We got around 30 inches of snow. I am dug out to the part where the walkway goes in front of my house. Have to get out the rest of the way to the street. A couple more shoveling sessions should hopefully do it.

 

[jimmytammy]

I was excited by this news and looked online seeing that I can purchase one at CVS or Publix. Since I don't have a friend in FL to purchase one in advance, does it make sense to get one once we hit the FL border? We haven't driven to WDW in a while and forget if there are any tolls before we get close to WDW?

And may I add: SHUDDER!

If you activate one before noon, I believe it goes into effect by 4pm same day. But you would reach toll rd 417 before 4 unless traffic is really heavy. I think from Jacksonville, WDW is like 3 1/4 hrs. If you stop for lunch, etc. your timing may work just right.

417 is a road we like to take just because it is a lot less hassle than dealing with Orlando traffic. It takes maybe 5 mins longer to go this way vs. nonstop I-4 through Orlando.

I googled Sunpass and it came up with info about the mini-pass which is what we got. I think Tammy paid her friend $4.95 for it, which I believe if activated within 30 days of purchase will give you that back towards tolls. You place it on your windshield near your rear view mirrror, I believe.

Soon, we will be zipping through those tolls like a resident Floridian!!

 

[stopher1]

We got around 30 inches of snow. I am dug out to the part where the walkway goes in front of my house. Have to get out the rest of the way to the street. A couple more shoveling sessions should hopefully do it.

I remember that kind of snow back in '99 when my middle child was born. We were living in the Ann Arbor, MI area at the time, and my wife was due to go into labor when the biggest blizzard in something like 30 years decided to move in. That was a fun trip to the hospital, let me tell you. When we returned home, there was between 45-50 inches all around. THAT was oh so exciting to dig out of...

 

[tea pot]

Morning Groupies
To those groupies Covered in Snow Please Stay Safe and Warm

Hi all

We are DVC owners at the wilderness lodge, but GASP, we've never stayed there We may be next February though The resort is beautiful and I am really looking forward to staying there someday

WELCOME You will love your New Home

2) Yellowstone Park/Grand Canyon. One of the bad habits we NY'ers have is that we tend to think our city is the center of the Universe. When I took Rizzo to West Virginia was the first time I had seen Mtns. I'd probably lose my marbles if I ever see the Grand Canyon

eliza I once had a surprise opportunity to take a helicopter ride down into the Grand Canyon (someone had chickened out and I got the free ticket) We actually landed on what looked like a postage stamp from the air and had lunch just above the Colorado River.. talk about loosing your marbles. My friend took a helicopter ride down into the canyon and landed at the bottom and then went on a river raft ride before they flew back. Hope you get a chance to see it some day

visit Ground Zero in NYC
.

Muushka This is a tough one. Some of you know DH works in NYC during the week and we have a small apt in lower Manhattan just about a 10 minute walk away I've been there a few times. From the apt I just walk up Wall St to Broadway and bang a right and I'm there in just about 5 minutes.
What I find so difficult is that It's so schizophrenic you can actually stand so that to the right of you is busy NYC all the people rushing as usually going to where they needed to be yesterday and to the left of you by the fence there are people visiting with the intensity of visiting the Wall in DC. Very tough.
As you can tell I don't visit NYC too often I'm just not a city girl it does take me a couple of days just to adjust to the place again.

Great Question Muush
My list would include
Visit and camp in all of the National Parks including Alaska and Hawaii
Snorkel in Australia
go on Safari in Africa
and have grandchildren some day and take them to Disney World at least once a year.

 

[jimmytammy]

Yeah Eliza, that sounds like a movie I want to rent!

Speaking of bucket lists, anyone got one they care to share?

I loved that movie.

I think most of mine have to do with travel. I think I'm probably shallow.

You know, I never really gave that much thought to things I want to do before I move on...but based on my interests, here goes

1. Would love to visit every battlefield site from the Civil War. Every since I was a kid, I have always been intrigued by this time period of our history. It amazes me that people would leave their homes, take up arms and go out in their own country and fight for whatever their cause may have been. I would have to think long and hard to seriously consider doing something like that. I have been to Ft. Sumter, Mannassas, Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania, The Wilderness, Appomattox, Saylers Creek, Bennett Place, Bentonville, Ft. Fisher(my great grandfather fought there), Ft. Macon, Antietam, Harpers Ferry and Gettysburg(my great, great grandfather was shot and captured there) and have been fortunate enough to sleep on Gettysburg battlefield on McPhersons Ridge. As you can see I have a passion equal to all things Disney. As Tammy tells me, there could be worse habits.

2. Go to Hawaii, amongst the other things to do, visit Pearl Harbor. History overwhelms me sometimes.

3.See the sites out West, like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc.

4. Go snowskiing out west.

5. Play guitar on stage with Eddie Van Halen(yeah right, like thats gonna happen)

 

[eliza61]

Eliza, thank you for your list! Mine includes


visit Ground Zero in NYC
and if you can believe this shallow person, I would love to change the world in some way. Maybe promote an idea that becomes a bill or have an affect on an issue, that sort of thing.

You can do it. You'd be surprised at how just a few people getting together can make a difference. We had a major highway called Admiral Wilson Blvd. It goes smack dab through 2 townships. It connects South Jersey to Philadelphia via the Ben franklin bridge. For years kids were dying from being hit by cars because there was no walkways or crossovers. People came together petiton local and state officials and got some walkways built. We've gone from losing 10 kids/year to almost zero. I think we get so fixated on trying to make humogeous changes we forget little ones help also.

We got around 30 inches of snow. I am dug out to the part where the walkway goes in front of my house. Have to get out the rest of the way to the street. A couple more shoveling sessions should hopefully do it.

Hey WD, guess what? We get to do it all again on Wednesday. Aren't we lucky another nor'easter is forcasted. Yippee another 12-15 inches for Philly.

Morning Groupies
To those groupies Covered in Snow Please Stay Safe and Warm



Muushka This is a tough one. Some of you know DH works in NYC during the week and we have a small apt in lower Manhattan just about a 10 minute walk away I've been there a few times. From the apt I just walk up Wall St to Broadway and bang a right and I'm there in just about 5 minutes.
What I find so difficult is that It's so schizophrenic you can actually stand so that to the right of you is busy NYC all the people rushing as usually going to where they needed to be yesterday and to the left of you by the fence there are people visiting with the intensity of visiting the Wall in DC. Very tough.


Great Question Muush
My list would include
Visit and camp in all of the National Parks including Alaska and Hawaii
Snorkel in Australia
go on Safari in Africa
and have grandchildren some day and take them to Disney World at least once a year.

That's a perfect description of it, teapot. One reason the memorial is taking so long is that we can't decide to even have a memorial. Many NYers feel the best way to send a message to terrorist is to continue our lives. Unfortunately, the site is prime real estate and lots of folks want to put up buildings.
Ironically, I haven't been back downtown since 9/11. Not because of memories but simply because I live waaaay uptown (153rd st) and the only thing uptowners hate more than Jerseyians are downtowners.

 

[twinklebug]

Hi all

We are DVC owners at the wilderness lodge, but GASP, we've never stayed there We may be next February though The resort is beautiful and I am really looking forward to staying there someday

From one Fort Wilderness lover to another (or so I'm assuming by all the stays you've had there ) - You are SO going to LOVE the Villas at Wilderness Lodge - you made the right choice calling that one home!

My favorite time of year there is summer - those boats are part of the experience and they get mighty chilly in the colder months. Plus the trees provide natural cooling