DDF & SP Conquer the World...And Want to Live There..Updated 10/16

[scooby9932]

I'm signing on here late, just found your TR! Prayers and PD for you and your SP for sure. I've just got to tell you that I was when I read about SP smelling the grouper, that was TOO funny!!!!

Thanks for joining in! Yep, the grouper sniffing was very funny! Only SP would just lean over & smell someone's food! Thanks for the ! And I see you're a local Loozie-anian! Hope you're staying cool with our melty hot weather!

 

[MAJ RN]

Yeah!! an Update! Glad to see you working on your trip report again. Sorry to hear of all the hard times both you and SP are going through. Sending prayers, hugs and pixie dust your way Can't wait to read more.


Melissa

 

[scooby9932]

Yeah!! an Update! Glad to see you working on your trip report again. Sorry to hear of all the hard times both you and SP are going through. Sending prayers, hugs and pixie dust your way Can't wait to read more.


Melissa

Thanks for prayers, hugs & pixie dust! More updates should be coming within the next few days.

Dawn

 

[heaven2dc]

Hope you are feeling better today - I can't even imagine what you are going through plus your daughter must be so heartbroken You have all our prayers and best wishes that everything will be better soon

I have thoroughly enjoyed your report so far and you are so lucky to have a daughter so sweet and thoughtful yet feisty enough to battle those not-so-nice Dis'rs on the bus (wonder if they are reading your report and feeling guilty - NOT!! ) no flames please!

 

[gbpackfan9]

My prayers are with you and SP during your treatments and her difficult time. You have friends here when you need us... Great report. You two are great travel buddies.... Really enjoying the report....

 

[MomsOf2boys]

I just wanted to say we are still keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.. and SP too... heartbreak is so hard no matter your age...

as for that dang lady on the bus... she should have her Dis license pulled. That is terrible. There was no reason that you had to be put through that. :::shaking head:::::

 

[DisneyDreamnDeb]

I just wanted to say we are still keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.. and SP too... heartbreak is so hard no matter your age...

as for that dang lady on the bus... she should have her Dis license pulled. That is terrible. There was no reason that you had to be put through that. :::shaking head:::::

I second Momof2boys, it's a shame anyone would behave in that manner, I'm very impressed that you were able to say a blessing for them at that time, it says alot about you, and they certainly needed one!
for SP and for you as well.
I'm looking forward to the next installment!

 

[scooby9932]

Hope you are feeling better today - I can't even imagine what you are going through plus your daughter must be so heartbroken You have all our prayers and best wishes that everything will be better soon

I have thoroughly enjoyed your report so far and you are so lucky to have a daughter so sweet and thoughtful yet feisty enough to battle those not-so-nice Dis'rs on the bus (wonder if they are reading your report and feeling guilty - NOT!! ) no flames please!I hope they are! That would sure let them see how their actions affect others!

Thank you for the PD, prayers & good wishes! We are both getting along okay, but these are tough times. Just makes you appreciate the good times that much more.

Yep - I'm super lucky to have my wonderful DD who still wants to spend time with dear old mom. Our yearly trips together are major bonding times & we wouldn't miss it for anything. And you're right - she is feisty - when it counts.

My prayers are with you and SP during your treatments and her difficult time. You have friends here when you need us... Great report. You two are great travel buddies.... Really enjoying the report....

Thanks for the prayers. I agree - I think I have the best travel buddy in the world! It's always been just the 2 of us, so we're really more like sisters & best friends than mother/daughter.

I just wanted to say we are still keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.. and SP too... heartbreak is so hard no matter your age...

as for that dang lady on the bus... she should have her Dis license pulled. That is terrible. There was no reason that you had to be put through that. :::shaking head:::::

Thanks so much! Yeah - DIS license revocation - I like it!

I second Momof2boys, it's a shame anyone would behave in that manner, I'm very impressed that you were able to say a blessing for them at that time, it says alot about you, and they certainly needed one!
for SP and for you as well.
I'm looking forward to the next installment!

Thanks! It's hard, but I always follow my Grams' advice & say something nice about those that are behaving badly. She said it will make you feel better and you can always count on your actions coming back 10 fold...so I guess that would be 10 fold blessings for me and 10 fold rude behavior for them. Just kidding. I do bless everyone - especially those who seem like they really need it.

Well, I've been away from the boards more than I'd like, but have been working on my trip report off line. I hope to have a new installment before my next chemo round this Friday. After that, I'll probably be absent from DIS class again for a few days.

SP has been battling a cold that turned into an ear infection/sinus infection thingy and is now laryngitis. She's feeling better, but sounds a bit like Suzanne Plechett (sp?). I told her that & she was like "Huh?" Egads. Seems my age is showing!

She's finally able to be around me since she's no longer infectious. Chemo makes your immune system shut down, so I can't be around anyone who's sick or might be sick (so no being around large groups of people enclosed like shopping, movies, etc.).

I was quarantined - me in my room only with Mom bringing me food & drinks periodically & Dad taking Rufus out for walkies and ball chasing outings. Even with my jewelry making, DVD collection, and 40 library books to keep me busy, it was a long 7 days! The house has been de-germinated again so I'm able to roam about - thank goodness! My own 4 walls were starting to resemble the Haunted Mansion - shrinking in on me!

Luckily, SP's new job has been keeping her mind off things & her schedule worked out where she has a few days off to recuperate as well. We spent some quality time last night playing my new Family Feud DVD game (SP -1, Me- 2), a few rounds of Blackjack (SP won all!), and some Mad Libs. We both fell into bed still laughing at the last one. We'd decided to get our word lists from this historical romance novel she's reading - and boy-oh-boy, was that Mad Lib a rib tickler - slightly naughty, but oh so funny!

Well, back to work for me. I hope to get the next installment up later tonight if I can get to the computer - SP's been hogging it lately.

 

[TigerKat]

So good to "hear" from you. I can't tell you how much admiration I have for you, God Bless You and keep you well.

 

[scooby9932]

Day 6 – Part I - Tuesday, May 6 – Monsters, Hot Moroccans, & Gun Blasts

Tuesday morning we took our time getting up & getting out. Today was a day for meandering and taking our time. As I may have said before, I’m not a big fan of MGM Studios – I mean, Disney’s Hollywood Studios – geesh!

Here are a few of the reasons I could skip DHS most trips:

• Neither of us rides the RNC, TOT, or ST.
• We don’t like the Muppet Vision 3D anymore – it was cute back when but seems stale and the theater is tattered now. They definitely need to upgrade here.
• It seems like most of the attractions are closed most of the time.
• The street layout is a nightmare. There is no easy way around this place & lots of ways to get turned around.
• Protein spills. Lots of ‘em – every time we go. Yeck!
• Availability of good, quick food seems limited here.

Here are the reasons why we bother going at all:

DDF LOVES:

• All things Beauty & The Beast! I had to see the show!
• Fantasmic – we watched for the 1st time last year, but there were no showings on the day we’d planned to go, so another disappointment.

SP LOVES:

• The Great Movie Ride (or as I call it The OK Movie Ride – I like the Wizard of Oz room and the movie montage at the end, but the cheesy gangster shootout is tired and lame IMO).
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid – I could go years without seeing it.
• Shopping – SP is a huge classic films freak and has a shopping habit to boot, so she likes looking in all the shops. Me? Love to shop – just not the ones they have here.

General Reasons to Go:
I was hoping Toy Story Mania

• would have a soft opening – but no such luck.
• Studio Back Lot tour - since we’d

never done it.


So, looking over our less than stellar list of things we wanted to accomplish at DSH, we decided to just let the day lead us where it may.

After dropping another letter in the mail center, we headed over to the buses & lucked out as there was a bus arriving just after we did. The ride was uneventful and not too many people on board. So far, my planning had been spot on & we’d missed the big crowd days at all the parks. For the first time, we were both noticing the heat. The day started out hot and got Hot, Hot, HOTTER! It takes a lot to get to us as we’re used to the hot weather in Louisiana. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the breeze was blowing, the air was pretty dry, but boy-oh-boy, was it ever hot outside!

We got to the park around 9:30 a.m.

We took a few minutes to acquaint ourselves with the guide maps & made note of where our various attractions were located. I wanted to be sure to catch B&TB first thing so we wouldn’t miss it this time. We made our way over to the ampitheater – moving around all the streetmosphere acts taking up valuable scooter space! I had to weave and dodge around all their props & the people standing around watching them. Argh!

It would seem I wasn’t in the best of moods this day, wouldn’t it? Even the hokey street acts were a bore. And I usually enjoy live theater. Who knows? Maybe I was feeling tired. Or maybe I had PMS. Plus I was HUNGRY. I’d forgotten to eat breakfast & hadn’t packed any snacks this morning. SP and I griped and snipped at each other until we got to the B&TB theater.

Once we were seated, it got better. We had front row seats! Yeah, us! We were officially out of our funk.

The show started right on time at 10:30 a.m. The show was great! Belle was great! The Beast was great! The dancing! The singing! The costumes! I was in heaven. I took so many pictures! Here are a few:

After the show, we headed toward TOT. SP wanted to go inside to see the theme, but then take the chicken exit instead of riding. I had read that the themeing was really great, but had never taken the chicken exit route before. So we get there & SP goes to ask the CM how to go in & then take the chicken exit. The CM just looked at her like she was crazy. SP repeated her question, but the CM just shrugged and turned to answer someone else’s question. SP turned to give me a “What the?” look and then went to try to ask the CM by the Fast Pass machine, but it was so crowded, she finally just gave up.

We decided we didn’t want to see the stupid ole TOT anyway. Hmph!

Next, we both decided that an early lunch was in order as we could hear both our stomachs growling!

Me: So, whadda you want?
SP: Chili Cheese Fries!
Me: Really? Chili Cheese Fries?
SP: Yes, Yes, Yes!! I’ve been having a craving for 2 days for chili

​

cheese fries!
Me: Okey dokey. But I don’t remember any of the DHS menus showing

​

chili cheese fries.
SP: Aw, man! Never mind then, we’ll just walk around & pick someplace

​

that looks good.
Me: Okey dokey. You know, the Electric Umbrella in Epcot has chili

cheese fries. Why didn’t you mention this craving before?
SP, looking down & shuffling her feet mutters: ‘Cause I was too full of pastries, okay? You were right - I had no self control! Don’t you dare do the​

“told ya so” dance!
Me: “Hah!” I only did a slight wiggle in my scooter seat, but refrained

​

from the whole dance. Still, it was pretty funny.

We wandered around a bit with SP running ahead to check menus on the off chance anyone had chili cheese fries. There was one place that looked promising as all it sold was fries, but alas, there were none to be had.

We eventually found ourselves outside the Sci Fi Diner. I told SP that I’d heard it was a real hoot to eat in the cars & she was intrigued. We hadn’t made and ADRs this trip, so we decided to take a chance. I stayed outside while SP ran in to ask the CMs at the podium.

She came skipping back out a minute later with a buzzy thing. “They can seat us in 15 minutes!” The waiting area was crowded with large parties waiting to be seated, but eventually there was a seat available in out of the sun for SP. It was maybe 10 minutes later when our buzzer went off. We were seated in the back seat of a car in the last row. You should have seen SP’s face when we got in to the room. Her mouth fell a open a little and she did a little jig while exclaiming, “Wow. This is sooo cool!”

Our waiter was a good looking kid – the tall, dark and handsome type. His name started with a Q and was very different – we couldn’t either one pronounce it, much less remember how to spell it this much later. But he was really sweet and very helpful with all of SP’s questions about substitutions (think Meg Ryan in “When Harry Met Sally”). He even convinced her to order the Pirate’s Punch since the cup was a really cool keepsake.

We both ordered the Smoked Turkey Sandwich and got fries instead of the cucumber-melon salad. I ordered a cherry coke and SP got the Pirate’s punch (Pirate's Punch - Minute Maid light raspberry lemonade served in a souvenir Pirate Cup with a glowing Tinker Bell or Captain Hook clip-on light).

After he took our orders and moved on, SP whispered to me: “Wow! Where do you think he’s from? He’s got a cool accent & did you notice how cute he was? And so nice!” I told her we’d ask when he came back.

Within a minute, he was back with our drink orders. SP was really excited with the cup & glowing Tinker Bell clip! I guess my Sparkly Princess will never outgrow her love of all things pink, pretty, and sparkly!

I was squinting at Q’s name tag to try to see where he was from. He stopped flirting with SP long enough to notice what I was doing, and seeing his bewildered face, I said, “Oh! You’re from Morocco?” His face lit up, and he said, “Yes! You know it?” I said, “Yes, I’ll bet it’s lovely there.” He said, ‘Have you been yet?”

SP: “Oh, no. We’ve never been out of North America!”

He said, “No, no. I was meaning the Morocco in Epcot? I work over there sometimes, too.”

Both of us: “Oh! Yeah, we’ve been there. Got some great pictures in Morocoo!”

He talked a bit about his home and travels and how much he was enjoying working at Disney. He had many other diners, so he couldn’t stay long. He promised to come back & take our picture in our car for us with SP’s camera.

He really was just the cutest thing. If I could have, I’d have put him in pocket & brought him with me for SP.

It took just a few minutes more for our food to arrive. The sandwiches were sooo good. The fries were just the right thickness and crispiness. The cherry coke was the real thing – with 2 cherries floating in it. SP shared a sip of her Pirate’s Punch with me – raspberry lemonade so cold it was almost a slushy! Yum!

We watched the funny clips on the big screen and ate our lunch. Q came by a little while later to refill my cherry coke. He asked SP if she wanted more, but she said no thanks. He came back with my cherry coke & then took a couple of pictures for us. Afterwards, the other diners started calling him over to take pictures of them.

We had just finished up with our lunches (we ate all of the huge portions!) when Q came back asking if we wanted dessert. We both said no thanks, and he gave us our bill. While I was counting out the cash for the ticket (with a 30% tip for Q – he was that great!), SP slurped up the last of her Punch.

Just then, Q comes over with a cup & without asking, just takes SP’s cup & fills it right back up for her. He said, “You will want this. It’s very hot outside. I wouldn’t want you to get thirsty.” Awww! Then he asked her, “Did you notice the straw? It changes colors when you drink.” SP said, no she hadn’t & then drank some & was tickled pink to see the color change from pink to purple. He was so pleased to see her reaction.

Sadly, we had to leave. SP & I both thanked Q for a great lunch and made our way back out into the bright, hot sunshine.

SP in her most Southern belle accent: “Wasn’t that just the sweetest thing? Him not wanting me to get too thirsty? I love the Sci Fi Diner!”

I just chuckled. “I’m sure you did, hot stuff!”

SP in mock outrage – “Mom! I wasn’t flirting! I’m engaged!”

Me: “No one said you were, babe. Didn’t stop him, though, did it?”

SP: “I think he was just a really nice guy.” Pause “A really nice, hot guy with a sexy accent!”

With our stomachs full and SP’s spirit bolstered, we headed to the OK Movie Ride. There was no one in line when we got in there. The CM pointed us to the Handicapped entrance and then I parked the scooter & we got right on. The CM disappeared back through the door.

It was kind of weird as there weren’t any CMs around. There were a few people waiting in the queue lines to board the vehicle. A minute later, some more people came in, but no one was real sure what to do as there still were no CMs guiding them. The only one around was the driver, who was busy tinkering at the front of the car.

After a minute or two of waiting, people just started loading on themselves willy nilly. Finally, a couple of CMs come over & try to stop the confusion. A family who had not jumped the gun & boarded were left behind. I felt sorry for them. The mother kept telling her 2 kids “No, we have to wait until they tell us to board. I don’t care what those other people do. We follow the rules.” That’s just the kind of thing I would have done when SP was little. Unfortunately, her ethics kept them from getting on the ride which I think is a shame.

The ride was exactly the same as always. John Wayne looked like John Wayne. The shooting scene was forced and the CMs forgot their lines a couple of times. The montage at the end was good as always, but I still think I wouldn’t bother with this ride if I had to wait in line for it. It was a nice break from the hot sun, though.


Once out of there we headed to the Backlot Tours. There was a long line, but we must have timed it just right as just as we got there, they started to let the people in to the 1st part. I’m not going to give away too many details, in case you haven’t been on it, but it is pretty cool. I will give you just one tip. If you don’t want to chance getting wet, be sure to get in the farthest left hand queue and sit on the right hand side of the tram when you board.
In case you have ideas about volunteering, here's a bit of what you can expect! That poor lady inside the booth!

A cute topiary along the way:

After the tour, we made our way through the villains costume area & into the little shop. Where I finally spotted a Lime Green Mickey Head keychain! I’d seen these little keychains (kind of like miniature antenna toppers in solid colors) in all the stores, but had not been able to find a lime green one. Well, they had one! So I bought it.

That done, we headed out & were near the Lights-Motors-Action or whatever show. There was a show in 30 minutes, but SP didn’t want to stick around for it, so we moved on.

We wandered around a bit looking through a couple of shops, taking a few pictures on the “streets of New York”. We’d decided that we were done with DHS for the day except for looking in a few stores on the way out. After a bit of walking SP says “Can we PLEASE stop for ice cream? I’m so hot!” It was beastly hot outside and we’d both finished off her Pirates Punch a bit back. We found an ice cream kiosk near the Jedi Training school and I bought an Itsakadoozie for me and a Mickey ice cream sandwich for SP.

We found a shady little nook and found a bench for SP. We finished off our ice creams before they could melt too much and then just rested in the shade a bit. SP was tiring out already. Heat will do that to you. We finally made our way along Hollywood Boulevard & SP checked out a few of the shops. She was still trying to find the shirt for David in the right color/size.

We didn’t see the shirt, but did find the Minnie purse she’d commented on a few times. Seems it was really popular & she kept seeing women pass by with it all day. I hadn’t noticed, but then I’m not the one with a collection of over 60 purses. Ahem.

Anyway, I saw a Minnie bag and called SP over to see if it was the one she’d been remarking over. Yep – a great big, pouchy, sling bag made out of a cotton cloth (Red with black Minnie Mouse ears all over it) with a white rope handle. Very simple construction. Very big price! SP looked at it and really wanted it, but with the $48.00 price tag, just couldn’t justify buying it. She asked if I could sew one like it and I said let me look. After seeing how simple the design was, I took out my notebook & drew a sketch & said, “Sure – for that price, I can make you several! You could have one in any color!” SP was pleased with that answer and said, “Yeah, I probably would use something without Disney characters on it a lot more, huh?” I agreed.

Pretty soon we’d made our way to the park exit. I asked SP if she still wanted to play Fantasia Gardens & she said she did. We made our way over to the boat dock to catch the next one over to the Swan/Dolphin hotels where we’d need to get off to get to the golf course. We queued up in line for the boat & enjoyed watching the big fat fish swim around in the lake. In 15 minutes or so, the boat arrived & we were off…



Next Up - Day 6 – Part II - Boat Ride, Dancing Hippos, and “Is the Pope Catholic?”

 

[scooby9932]

Whew! It's been very busy around my house lately. Besides chemo sessions & the related issues, it's been one thing right after another on the home front. Seems like everything wants to break down at the same time sometime!

First it was the air conditioner (and at 100+ temps, that had to be #1 priority! ), then the lawnmower, the dishwasher, the dryer, and the final straw - the computer! No internet for days!!! It was horrible!

I'm happy to say that we have everything back in working order now, so I should be able to get some more posting done.

It's been so long that I'm afraid I've lost my audience. But, I always finish what I start, so I'm gonna keep on keeping on.

There's been one funny development, though. DD,as I've said, liked Disney, but didn't understand my obsession & in fact, made endless fun of me for loving all things Disney & spending so many hours here on this board. She loves our trips, but just never got into the whole planning & thinking about it bit like me. Well...guess who's now been bitten by the bug??

That's right! She keeps talking about our trip, making plans for the next trip, and trying to wheedle a mid-cycle trip to boot! She keeps singing Disney songs & saying "I wish we were in DisneyWorld right now." Hee!

Just yesterday I was buying some CDs on the internet & asked if there was anything she wanted & her answer was "something Disney! - if I can't be there, I want to feel like I'm there!" Uh, oh...she's got it bad!
I, of course, obliged & ordered the box set (5 cd's) of Classic Disney songs!

I teased her last night: "Now that you've been bitten by the bug, it won't go away, you know. It's chronic. Symptoms worsen over time. Pretty soon, you'll be as bad as me! Checking out the Disboards, watching the movies, planning a year in advance for the next trip..."

She replied, "Yeah, well, I know it's bad. I was driving home from the gym & glanced down at my Coke bottle top. I see the word "EPCOT" & start to get all excited thinking maybe it's a contest to win a trip. When I look again, I see it says something about ESPN. I was so disappointed!"

Oh, yeah, she's got it bad! I'm just glad to have someone to obsess with!

To all of you getting ready for your Free DDP trips - congratulations! You must be on .

I'm so envious! May 2009 is just so far away, dang it!

Well, I'm off to get some work done now. I hope to post more soon.

 

[TigerKat]

So glad you're back posting!!!! I guarantee at least this reader is still on board. I had to chuckle over your DD's "conversion" into one of us, she sounds like she does have it pretty bad.

 

[MomsOf2boys]

I'm still here!!! I hope to follow in your footsteps and do a trip report when we return. Will you be my one and only reader? lolol

 

[tink1957]

Just found your TR today & have spent the last several hours reading. I hope DS & I have as much fun as you two on our trip next month, except for the mad seat hogs. Glad you converted your DD to Disneymania, I'm still working on my kids, they are not quite there yet, but close. Thanks for sharing & I can't wait to read about your further adventures.

Yes , we are on about our free dining trip.

 

[DisneyDreamnDeb]

Boy, you must have missed the memo on "bad things happen in three's" five is just too much, and the AC I'm glad you have it all working again.

That's so funny SP has the bug big time!!! It will be intresting to see if she gets that mid cycle trip Just the other day my DGS spotted his first hidden Mickey on a poster, he looked at it and his eyes widened, he looked up at me pointed "Gamma" I asked "Is that Mickey Mouse?" he shakes his head up and down in pure awe, I was so proud!!! That's my boy!!! I can't wait until he meets the Mouse!

Yes, we are on but I'm also getting very , which is weird because a month ago I felt very confident , I'm sure all will be fine, after all I've done my homework on the DIS!
Anyway can't wait for your next post and I hope you have a nice day!

 

[jjk]

Just spent the morning reading your great TR, cant wait for more

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

I just spent the last hour and a half reading your TR! I'm subscribing! Can't wait for the next installment.

 

[scooby9932]

So glad you're back posting!!!! I guarantee at least this reader is still on board. I had to chuckle over your DD's "conversion" into one of us, she sounds like she does have it pretty bad.

WooHoo! Thanks for posting - it helps knowing I'm not alone on here. Yep, DD is truly converted now. Just yesterday she was going through her clothes to try to sort them out (no easy task, mind you - she is a Sparkly Princess after all & has all the trappings ! ) Well, before putting anything into the donation pile she used the "should I save this to wear in Disney?" test first.

I'm still here!!! I hope to follow in your footsteps and do a trip report when we return. Will you be my one and only reader? lolol

Momsof2boys! Thanks for sticking with me on this! I think you should definitely write that TR. I plan on subscribing ASAP! I'm sure others will as well. My paranoia about readers has turned out to be nonsense after all!

Just found your TR today & have spent the last several hours reading. I hope DS & I have as much fun as you two on our trip next month, except for the mad seat hogs. Glad you converted your DD to Disneymania, I'm still working on my kids, they are not quite there yet, but close. Thanks for sharing & I can't wait to read about your further adventures.

Yes , we are on about our free dining trip.

A new reader! and thanks for joining the party! I'm sure you & your DS will have a great time together! It's DisneyWorld - the HAPPIEST place on earth & sharing that with your loved ones is SO special. I'm blessed that my DD still likes to go with me now that she's at the stage where she knows everything. Your kids will soon catch the bug, don't worry. It's highly contagious!

You must be sure to let us all know how the free dining worked out for you! I've never tried the dining plan, but I think I would if I could ever travel during the free dining time!

Boy, you must have missed the memo on "bad things happen in three's" five is just too much, and the AC I'm glad you have it all working again.

That's so funny SP has the bug big time!!! It will be intresting to see if she gets that mid cycle trip Just the other day my DGS spotted his first hidden Mickey on a poster, he looked at it and his eyes widened, he looked up at me pointed "Gamma" I asked "Is that Mickey Mouse?" he shakes his head up and down in pure awe, I was so proud!!! That's my boy!!! I can't wait until he meets the Mouse!

Yes, we are on but I'm also getting very , which is weird because a month ago I felt very confident , I'm sure all will be fine, after all I've done my homework on the DIS!
Anyway can't wait for your next post and I hope you have a nice day!

Oh, boy - you're not kidding! My family & I swear by the "happens in 3's" rule & have nervously been wondering when the 6th (or end of the 2nd set of 3's) thing will happen.

Too cute about your DGS & his hidden mickey! You guys are going to have the best time on your trip. With all your homework prep on the DIS, how could you not? Just check & recheck your lists & then sit back & relax & enjoy the experience!

Just spent the morning reading your great TR, cant wait for more

Another new reader! I'll be posting another segment tonight.

I just spent the last hour and a half reading your TR! I'm subscribing! Can't wait for the next installment.

Wow! Yet another new reader...I'm feeling the love! I've got the next installment all ready, just have to post & hope Photobucket is up & running tonight!


Thanks to everyone for sticking around! I do have the next installment ready to post. I tried last night but Photobucket was misbehaving. Dial up is bad enough, but when you can't load the pictures it's a nightmare! To keep from getting stressed, I gave up & decided to try again tonight!

 

[scooby9932]

Ever wonder if you're just a wee bit too crazed about Disney? Well, I usually just "P-Shaw!" when others tease me about my obsession. However, even I had to wonder this weekend...

You see, I have decided to go totally vegetarian (not vegan, though - I love my dairy too much for that). I'm trying a lot of alternative therapies to try to kick this cancer and I read that vegetarian diets have been shown to help.

I figured it's a no brainer. After all, I'd given up red meat 7 years ago by medical edict. How bad could it be to give up my chicken & fish, as well?

Before fully committing to it, I spent weeks doing all the research. I worked up grocery lists & menus for the upcoming weeks. I was PREPARED.

But wouldn't you know that just as I was heading out to the farmer's market Saturday I had the craziest thought. "I wonder how hard it is to go vegetarian in Disney World? I don't know if I should do this!"

So, before going I headed over to AllEars.net to check out the various menus & articles. I printed out all the materials & read readers' reviews.

Whew! It won't be too hard at all! I felt so much better about my decision! Disney - you know I love ya when I check with you first before starting a new diet!

I went to the markets yesterday & began my meatless diet today. Anyone else base life decisions around your Disney vacations? Please share!

 

[scooby9932]

Day 6 – Part I - Tuesday, May 6 – Boat Ride, Dancing Hippos, and “Is the Pope Catholic?”

So, we left off with us riding the boat from DHS to the Swan/Dolphin hotels. The boat ride was short and sweet & I had no problems getting my scooter on or off – just zipped right on. I much prefer riding this boat to the buses when traveling between EPCOT and DHS.

I’d forgotten my notes on Fantasia golf, so, of course, I couldn’t remember whether the course was across from the Swan or the Dolphin. I asked the nice CM as we unloaded, but he said he wasn’t quite sure. He would guess it was the Swan. So, we headed over towards the Swan.

We asked once we got in there, but none of the CMs seemed to understand what we wanted. Finally, one of the guests pointed us towards a door leading toward the pool area & we headed that way. Well – just for you info – the course is across from the Dolphin! We had to work our way through & around the pool area & then towards the Dolphin & then finally across the street to the golf course. There were signs along the way, which helped.

When we came to the road we had to cross, I was a little concerned my scooter might give out on me midway across! The buses & cars were zooming by & we had 4 lanes to cross. We had fun challenging each other to go as fast as we could & were laughing by the time we got all the way across. But, boy, oh, boy was it ever HOT outside! Poor SP was drooping by the time we made it! Even scooting, I was beyond hot.

I did manage to remember to bring my certificate for the free round of golf with me, thank goodness. I paid for the 2nd round, we picked our colored golf balls & clubs & headed into the course. We decided to go on the whimsical course. We took turns reading the musical poems at the start of each hole. We kept score & we were neck and neck until the final 3 holes, where I got all hole-in-ones.

The statuary is really cute & the course just challenging enough to be fun for all ages. The one where the little Pan character toots his horn was unpredictable! You never knew when the music would start up. There was one with water squirting out at you & SP & I both intentionally got wet. The dancing hippos & mushrooms were really cute.

Looking like the cute, SP she is!:

Flushed with heat, but still having fun:

Is it just me or does it look like the hippo is peeing on the alligator?

An example of the cute signage:

The only downside was that we were really boiling out there. There were a few shady spots, but it’s mostly in the sun. I wore my hat, but still managed to get the 1st and only sunburn of the trip on my neck, nose, cheeks, and thighs. SP’s shoulders got a little pink, but she doesn’t burn like me. Luckily, I didn’t have a bad reaction to the sun. When that happens, the whole trip is ruined. Yuck.

After the game was over, we turned in our clubs & each received a special commemorative golf ball! SP & I both needed to use the restroom & it was a companion room which was handy. We both used the cool water in the sinks on our wrists & it helped a bit with the heat. Feeling somewhat refreshed, we headed back across the 4 lane highway & past the Dolphin. Believe me – it’s much easier getting there from this direction!

SP commented that she thought the few runners we passed were out of their minds to be running in this heat. I reminded her that some people actually enjoy working up a sweat. She just sniffed. We decided to walk through the boardwalk area to Epcot instead of taking the boat. Neither of us had ever been to the boardwalk & we wanted to see what the fuss is all about. There wasn’t much going on at this time of the day, but I could tell that it’s probably a lot of fun in the evenings – especially for the adults.

The scenery along the walk is beautiful & I could definitely see the attraction in staying at the Beach Club or Yacht Club. It’s really gorgeous here. Maybe one day I’ll splurge a little and stay there. Right now, though, I prefer to put the money towards other things since we really only bathe & sleep in the rooms.

SP took some time to get a few good back-lit pictures of the gazebos and shore birds along the way.

When we finally made it to the International Gateway, SP & I made one more pit stop before going through security. SP & I both refilled our water bottles with cold water from the fountains & then took turns calling home while sitting in the shade.

We made our way through the security check & then on to…you guessed it – SP had to go to Japan! She finally decided on what Hello Kitty stuff to buy, plus she wanted to get me a Mother’s Day gift. I scooted around the garden area while I waited for her to finish up. About 20 minutes later, she joined me, all coy & secretive. She sent the package back to the room, so I wouldn’t peek. Hmph!

SP had a mad, sudden desire for a frozen slushie coke. We looked around & found several slushie type kiosks, etc., but she was adamant that it had to be Coke flavored & not fruit flavored. I commented that I thought I remembered reading that Liberty Inn had frozen drinks & since it was America, I figured it was a good chance one of the flavors would be Coke. SP ran-walked the whole way. YEAH! They had frozen cokes! We each ordered one & started slurping away (not really – we do have some manners). We each really enjoyed the treat as we made our leisurely way back around the world showcase.

We strolled along leisurely & people watched. We skipped going to any of the countries this time around & decided we’d do some more stuff in Future World & maybe try to get in another ride on Spaceship Earth. We managed to make it to Spaceship Earth & made one more trip on SP’s favorite ride. Afterward, SP played with some of the games downstairs. I’d forgotten that while the World Showcase stays open late, FW closes at 7 p.m., until the CMs started herding everyone out of the building.

By this time, I was feeling pretty hungry & SP was, too. As we wandered aimlessly out the doors of SE, we noticed the sidewalk lighting up & headed over that way. SP was enthralled at the pretty lights! With my stomach growling, I asked SP if she was still craving chili cheese fries. She was walking along with her head down watching the lights, and I thought I heard her say, “Is the Pope Catholic?”

I started to laugh as I’d never heard her use that expression before!

She finally looked up & said, “What’s so funny?”

Me: “Is the Pope Catholic? Hee Hee!”

SP: “Huh?”

Me: “Didn’t you just say that?”

SP: “No. I said, ‘I hope I can catch that.’ I was trying to get a picture of the lights. Why?”

Me: “Oh! When I asked if you still wanted chili cheese fries, I thought you said that. The Electric Umbrella is right there & they have them.”

SP: “Oh, yeah! I’d love some. I didn’t hear you ask that! I was talking to myself.”

Me: “ Ah, geez!”

We headed into the Electric Umbrella, but, it too closed at 7 p.m. We were out of luck on getting the chili cheese fries. I suggested we could try to get some dinner & watch Illuminations, but SP really dislikes that show & she vetoed that suggestion. We decided to head back to the resort & get dinner at the food court.

After a short bus ride back, we headed to the food court where SP got an individual pizza and side salad, while I got the chicken strip basket. We took our food with us back to the room where we ate our meals, took turns getting cool showers, and then lounged around until it was time to go to sleep. We wanted to be well rested so we could get to the Happiest Place in the World early the next morning.

Up next – Magic Kingdom Day!!! Woot Woot!