Chicago Dis Unplugged Meet 6/22/08 Trip Report

[tiggerbell]

PRE-MEET REPORT:

WHO: Chicagoland People from the DisUnplugged Board
WHAT: A DisMeet!!!
WHY: Because we like you (duh!)
WHERE: Schaumburg, IL – (DVC location, Disney Store, Gino’s East)
WHEN: Sunday, June 22, 2008 – 1:00pm

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the DisUnplugged Podcast trip report for June 22, 2008, from Berwyn, IL. I am your host, Pete… ummm, Jaime (tiggerbell),

joined as always by my good friend, Jack Sparrow.

JACK: That’s Captain Jack Sparrow.


Sorry, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Today’s show is a report about the Chicago DisMeet that we are attending today (What? You don’t carry a McDonald’s toy when you’re meeting new people? Don’t you know nothin’?)

Also with me will be my sister and fellow Disney-traveler, Rhonda (rhondalee16 on the boards)

and my 17 year old daughter, Meghan (StitchsEvilSister).

Quite frankly, Meg is only going because she was told that the cast members will pin trade with you. Oh, and she thinks I will buy her things.

She’s wrong.

But I’ll buy me things!

So, pre-trip checklist:

Camera with charged batteries? CHECK!
Lime Green Baggallini? CHECK!
Captain Jack Sparrow? CHECK!
Money? CHECK!
Directions? CHECK!
Crocs? CHECK!
Poncho? Oops, wrong kind of trip… well, maybe not, weather’s been bad lately! CHECK!
Pins? CHECK!

Everyone neat and pretty? Then on with the show!

Oh, we're not leaving for an hour and a half... but I'll be back tonight with the report and pictures! Maybe I'll even find some of these!!! BAD SHOES!!!

 

[BriarRosie]

You are such a nut!

I believe I will enjoy meeting you later.

 

[A.Mickey]

That was alot of fun. Looking forward to another . I think I want to be a DVC member for sure now, it just feels like family . Thanks for putting it together Nooshkin

 

[GBShorts]

I wish I could have gone, I can't wait to read how things went!

Too much going on today to go

 

[jen3003]

Jaime,
I had to come home and read the thread, that was just awesome! We definitely had a great time!!! It was great to meet you Meghan and Rhonda! And to all the other DISers I met it was great meeting you too.
Can't wait for the next one!
And a special thank you to Janet for getting it all together, until next time.

Jennifer

 

[KatMark]

I'm sorry I could not make it. My dad is in the hospital (has been off and on between hospital and nursing home and now back in the hospital) and having a heart procedure tomorrow morning so I spent part of the day with him. I hope to catch all my fellow Chicago Diser's next time.

 

[winotracy]

We had a great time!! The drive home was uneventful until we were 5 minutes from home and we had an incredible downpour!

Lots of pictures, but they'll have to wait until tomorrow. Too much driving today. Janet, thanks for organizing this! We really enjoyed meeting so many of you.

So when again did they say DVC was opening at the Contemporary

 

[tiggerbell]

ACTUAL MEET – DAY 1 Day 1 - I crack me up!!!

We arrive at Woodfield Mall early and spent some time browsing and shopping – Rhonda needed jeans. Meg needed sunglasses. Jaime needed to do stupid stuff --- in public --- loudly… “Hey, Meg! Look at these!!! MEG!!!”.

These are just louvered-ish plastic frames… Kanye West wears them, at least that’s what the guy at the kiosk told me.

We found some new Crocs at a kiosk, too – we tried on a few pairs of sandals and deck shoes, but nothing is as comfortable in the heel as the Athens flip flops, so I’ll stick with those as long as it’s nice out.

We approach the DVC Store and spot several lime green shirts out front. We walk up and introduce ourselves. After a few minutes of chatting, we are led into the store and into a back room – passing a toy room on the way.

Once we had our whole group seated (and we got Walt Disney Resort pens – the black ones you steal, I mean, get to use in your hotel rooms on property), we played the “What is your favorite resort” game. Lori (BriarRosie) said, “How can we pick? That’s like asking which your favorite child is! How can we choose a favorite child?” I said, “I can choose a favorite child!”

Winotracy introduced herself as Tracy from Dreams Unlimited Travel (practically a celebrity, you know!) and told us she had something for us from the Podcast crew!!! She passed out Dis Unplugged pins and lanyards!!!

My Landy, but I was excited!!! That was so cool – THANKS PETE, JOHN, KEVIN, COREY, & JULIE!!!!! Then Tracy said that anyone who was at the lunch afterwards would get something else!

Derek and Diane started the presentation and it was fun, informative, and interesting. Rhonda and I are moving to the Orlando area next year, so it’s not something we were thinking about doing, but Meg sat next to me the entire time, poking me in the leg and whispering, “Mom!!! WHY haven’t you done this?!?!?! We should sooo do this!!!!”

Blurry Meg pouts because Evil Mommie won't buy her a time share!

I just looked at her (I’m a single mom) and said, “So, you want DVC or you want me to continue to FEED YOU?”

Probably the best laugh of the day was when a girl, I’m guessing about 10? (lugnut33 – was that your family?), in the front row asked Derek if the Contemporary Resort was getting a DVC! We all just cracked up and Derek responded with, “That’s the presentation, thanks for coming!” It was really, really cute!

Near the end of the talking part, they told us there were 5 seats with stickers underneath them, and that those people win a prize. No such luck for me, but Rhonda got one.

It was a set of DVC pins. Very cute!

Then we were broken up into groups and led through the Animal Kingdom Villa rooms. They had a 1 bedroom and a studio. AKL is one of my favorite resorts, so I love the look of these rooms!

Simba and Nala carved into the headboard:

Hidden Mickey carpet:

I call this one View from Inside a Master Bath Shower Stall.

Why didn't anyone tell me my ears were crooked?!?!?!

Look how happy...

 

[tiggerbell]

Jack refused to be left out:

The pattern on the curtains was cool:

We explored every inch of the place!

Then Jack decided to jump on the bed... we weren't getting a shot with him in the air! It took about 15 shots and 3 people with cameras! I finally got THIS:

Then he fell off and was hurt...

So he took a quick bath...

The diningroom table legs were HOOVES!!!

We hung out in the studio and talked to Derek and each other, and then we went to the front of the DVC Store and received bags with very cool DVC Coffee Table books and Mickey Rice Krispie Treats!!!

And they had a tray of pins out – and yes, Meggie got to pin trade with a bunch of the cast members!

I even traded for a pin!

She and I also got stickers and Meg got a Disney coloring book – so grown up one day and a 5 year old the next!

Tracy was wonderful and talked to Rhonda and me about pricing for the Podcast Cruise – I’m working on how to sneak that into our House-Hunting Trip next spring – wish me luck!

We split up after a couple of group shots – those are on other people’s cameras – and headed over to Gino’s East.

We took up about 5 or 6 tables set for 6 and everyone ordered pizza or whatever off the menu.

Meg got the kids’ spaghetti. When it came, she tells me (like I work there!) that she needs cheese. We told her there was some on another table, stand on her chair and yell for it! Chicken! Too bad, that would have been hilarious!

Jen (jen3003) had some kind of a chicken salad that was just ginormous!

Wow! Looked good!

Rhonda and I split a sausage, mushroom, and spinach pizza… those toppings (at least the last 2) insured Meg would keep her hands off!

We spent the whole meal in conversation with Jen and her daughter, Alyssa. Alyssa and I both got to play “Give Me Back My Skin!” with the sticky sides of our DVC name tags!

After the meal, we wrote our names on pieces of paper for a raffle – there were some ears, a couple of gift bags, and some Dreams Unlimited bags – which I was lucky enough to win! I just love it!

Todd (geef) placed a call to Pete and we left a voicemail saying hi…

Then Tracy passed out Dreams Unlimited luggage tags and the event broke up. (Not because of the luggage tags…)

I, for one, had a blast! It was great talking to those of you I got the chance to and I wish I could have spent more time with many of you that I didn’t get to talk to enough. I got to ask Todd in person – “What is a geef?”

I was very glad that Rich, wdwowner, made it – seeing as the whole thing was his idea, and thanks to Janet (nooshkin), for getting us organized!

 

[aaronmckie]

That was a lot of fun!
Thanks for the pictures, we forgot to bring our camera before we left
Hopefully we'll do a meet like this again soon sometime, and we'll be able to chat more with the people we weren't sitting next to (or touring with).

 

[ANTSS2001]

awesome report... wish I saw this post before... would have loved to tag along...

 

[Tonya2426]

thanks for sharing - sounds and looks like everyone had a wonderful time

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

awesome report... wish I saw this post before... would have loved to tag along...

Hey Timmy -- Where you been? Hello from Calypso!!!

Great job reporting in Tiggerbell.

 

[ANTSS2001]

Hey Timmy -- Where you been? Hello from Calypso!!!

Great job reporting in Tiggerbell.

hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been everywhere.. how are you ??? when is your next trip ??????? when do I get to see you again ?????????///

 

[wdwowner]

Hello all! I had a great time yesterday meeting everyone. I wish I could have stayed longer but I had an awesome time watching the Cubs sweep that fake baseball team on the south side of Chicago.

Thanks again to Janet for doing a great job of putting together the meet, it was very fun.

And to the current DVC members at the meet, you hardly showed any feelings about DVC, glad you really held back on your excitment!

And for those of you who are still asking 'What is a geef', check this out.

http://www.2719hyperion.com/2008/06/freeze-frame-sport-goofy-pile-up.html

Tracy, thanks for all of the swag, it was great meeting you. Can't wait for the next meet!

 

[lugnut33]

It was nice meeting you all, we had a great time.

Next time, can I MC the event?

 

[Disneynut71]

We had a great time too!!!

Will post a few pics this evening.

Thank you again for planning a great event

 

[wdwowner]

Here is the video of the land in Hawaii that the new DVC resort will be built on.

http://meanderingmouse.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=347681#

 

[TyRy]

Thanks for sharing all the details Jaime for all of us who could not make it. I'm glad you guys had Derek - he's our guide and the one who FINALLY got DH to buy into DVC.

 

[Geef]

Hello Everyone. I had a great time (as did my non-Dis understanding wife,cindy "she's starting to get it").

First of all...
Thank you to "Janet" (Nooshkin) for pulling together and making the meet an over the top success. For those of you who didn't realize, Janet contacted the Disney Vacation Club store about 2 weeks ahead of time to let them know we were coming. She kept them upto date as to the growing number of Dis'ers on the way.

Next Thank you to the "Disney's Doorway to Dreams Team". I don't think we could have asked for a more magical first meet. As mentioned in other spots on this thread our Disney hosts were charming, funny, knowledgeable, and abundant. I didn't take a head count, but there were probably 10 or more DVC cast members on hand.
For those of you who were not there; we received DVC Mickey Ears for each of us, there was Coke products (of course), and Water, cookies, coffee cake, Mickey rice crispy bars on a stick, stickers, pens (yes podsquad p-e-n-s that you write with), and Pins. One of the Cast members brought part of her collection to trade, and next to her sat a plate full of pins that we could choose from.

We were also greeted at the DVC store by Tracy from Dreams Unlimited (WinoTracy). She, through the courtesy of the Podcast team, gave us each a lanyard and a pin (p-i-n). More on Tracy later ("PS- Pete," let Tracy do a Blog on this... We plan to do more get togethers, and she can blog it all... if not other things)

I also want to say thanks to "Rich" (WDWowner). It was Rich who started the thread that I think many of us were thinking about. Rich almost wasn't able to make it to the meet.
He was with us for about an hour and a half before heading to the Cubs game (Yea Cubs!).

We then went to lunch. My wife and I sat with Tracy and her husband Bill, and Shannon and her husband Jason. Our Dis group had a private room set aside for us, again thank you "Janet". We all ate, talked, laughed and enjoyed the raffle.

What raffle?!?
Once again "Janet" had put together a few gifts; a book, Mickey suckers, a "Year of a Million Dreams" ears (don't know where they came from but thanks, I won those). I know there was more but I forget it all.
And, "Tracy" & Dreams Unlimited raffled off back packs, and gave away luggage tags to everyone.

We talked about getting together a couple of times a year or even once a quarter. I look forward to the next meeting and meeting new Dis'ers.

Hey Rich, thanks for finding me a picture for my avatar…