Disney Nomads ... 3 Resorts in 8 Nights! ALL NEW 9/2!

[monymony3471]

Nebo, always giving Smidgy the spotlight, so nice of you.

Ok, here it goes:

Please read my trip report!

 

[laura74]

Nebo, always giving Smidgy the spotlight, so nice of you.

Ok, here it goes:

Please read my trip report!

Everybody head over to Monica's report. Very funny start!

 

[mmeb144]

I did head over to Mony's report. And it is funny, in a good way!

 

[monymony3471]

Everybody head over to Monica's report. Very funny start!

I did head over to Mony's report. And it is funny, in a good way!

Oh thank goodness it is in a good way because I couldn't handle any other kind of way.

Thanks! My hubby is actually joining in on the fun!

 

[laura74]

{Brrrrriiiiinnnngggg!!}

“Morning!” Stitch screams. Ugh. I mean, yay! Ok. Up and at ’em! Or as Dad used to say, “Romp and stomp! It’s morning in the swamp!”

I get ready, get Monkston ready and we sit in the vanity area and quietly share a cinnamon roll. We’re a bit early for meeting Bets so we decide to go explore the boardwalk. Now that I think of it, this whole buying the cinnamon rolls the night before idea wasn’t very clever after all. We could have gotten a fresh one and eaten it on the boardwalk instead of next to the sink. Live and learn.

The boardwalk is really lovely in the morning and if I were a better trip reporter I’d have pictures to show you. But alas, I do not.

I’m reminded of my early morning walks at Rehoboth Beach. That boardwalk is also insane with activity in the evenings but in the mornings it was so peaceful. The only thing missing here is the actual ocean. There’s even seagulls! How does Disney control the seagulls? I’ve never seen them at Wilderness Lodge and I know seagulls are not discerning travelers. I regularly see them in the supermarket parking lot near our house and we’re 45 minutes from the beach. How does Disney make sure the seagulls only visit the beachy resorts?

Monkston is flush with gift cards and wants to deplete them, so we visit the general store. I hope she doesn’t want to buy something large.

I see her looking at the earrings. She points to an array of dangling earrings. “Don’t worry, Mommy. I don’t want these big earrings. They’re not appropriate for me.” You gotta love having a self-policing kid.

She settles on some pink, sparkly Mickey head earrings.

“Do you want to put them on now?” I ask.

“No! It hasn’t been a year yet. The piercing lady said to wear gold for a year.”

“The piercing lady said to wear gold for six months.”

“What if my ears blow up though? I don’t want my ears to blow up at Disney!”

“I’m pretty sure Disney sells safe earrings but you don’t have to wear them yet.”

(It’s now been a year since she’s had her ears pierced and she still hasn’t worn them. The changing of the earrings is quite a production around here. Lots of ouches, warnings to be careful and to get the backing on “good enough.” It’s just as well that she doesn’t want to change them too often.)

We still have more time to kill so I get a cup of caffeinated mud and we sit near the water waiting for my friend.

I met Bets years ago when she was an art director at a major financial institution and I was hired as her assistant. She was a great teacher and a year later I became an art director and she eventually rose to vice president and director of the department.

Wait a second Laura74. I thought you said she was a Disney cast member.

I’m getting there. A few years after I had left the company for a job at another major financial institution, there was a shakeup and she and most of her department lost their jobs. Rather than look for a similar corporate position, Bets decided to completely change her life. She gave up fame and fortune, well, fortune, er, comfortable salary. She sold her townhouse, moved to Miami and went back to school to become a teacher. She now teaches in Orlando and works at Disney during vacations.

I’m sure she must miss her old salary but she really loves what she does now. I can’t think of anyone better suited to either vocation. Bets is one of the friendliest, happiest people I know. She acts like a cast member all the time.

And here she is! Yay! Hugs are exchanged and I introduce her to Monkston. On our walk over to the international gateway we catch up on family news, friends, all the usual stuff. But what Monkston and I really want to know is what it’s like to work at Disney World.

We get to the gate and Monkston and I play the annual pass shuffle. At this point I can’t remember if I’m supposed to be Mickey or Donald. If I am she as you are she as you are me. Koo Koo Kachoo.

We try different combinations of cards and fingers and can’t get it to work. I explain the mixup we had on our first night to the rather stern looking woman manning the card reader.

“I can’t let you use each other’s passes. That’s not allowed.” She does not look happy.

“But, but, the cast member told us to do that. What are we going to do?”

She purses her lips and slowly shakes her head. “Give me your cards.”

Oh no! She’s taking our passes away? Our gajillion dollar annual passes! What will Mr. Squid say?

Luckily, she is not confiscating our passes but is instead fixing them. Phew. No Disney jail for us! (Hey Nebo, have you ever been in Disney jail? Just wondering.)

We decide to go straight to Soarin’ for fastpasses. It’s going to be mobbed here later and we want to make sure we get a chance to ride.

We pass the kiosk where Bets works and I ask her for some Disney dirt. Sadly, she is not a person who dishes dirt. She loves working there. The best part is meeting new people. The worst part can also be the people, especially when it’s crowded. She says when it’s slow she loves to people watch. I ask her what it’s like to work at an hourly job after running a large corporate department. This woman would lead meetings, give presentations, occasionally fire someone. I just can’t imagine going from that to punching a clock and taking orders from someone who likely doesn’t have the life experience she does.

She said the whole time clock, or rather computer check in set-up was strange to get used to. She said sometimes the computer is really slow or freezes and then you’re clocked in late and get demerits. She said she has gotten in trouble for that before. And she doesn’t really enjoy the inspections of the workplace every shift. I ask if anyone knows that she was once a big muckity-muck and she says no. I don’t think I could resist telling my punk manager that I was once a big shot.

We climb up the mountain that is the Land and get our fastpasses. It’s already insane in here. Monkston wants to go ride Nemo so down the mountain we go.

The Seas building is much quieter, so after Nemo we decide to visit the fish. Monkston doesn’t want to watch Turtle Talk for some reason. I think it’s such a cute show but she never wants to go in.

We go upstairs to see the Manatees and we’re in luck because there’s a trainer feeding them. I had never seen this before but she just keeps tossing heads of Romaine lettuce into the tank. She explains that they each eat up to 100 pounds of it a day. Wow! That’s a lot of lettuce! I wonder why they need to eat so much. They’re certainly not terribly active.

“Now what, Monkston?”

“Figment!”

I’m pretty sure all this criss-crossing is not the most efficient touring plan and I know you must be wondering why we’re not riding Test Track and Mission Space (vetoed by the wimp!). At least it’s working off that 1,000 calorie half of the cinnamon roll.

“Figment it is then!”

What I’m really excited about is its proximity to that huge hunk of 80s cheese, “Captain EO.” I missed it last year when Mr. Squid and I used our fast passes for Test Track and everyone else went to watch the movie. My brother said only one person liked it. Yup, Monkston. I'm very curious to see what the talents of George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola have wrought.

Figment gets a lot of guff from people on the DIS but I think it’s a cute ride. I’m a big Eric Idle fan so it’s nice to see him.

And now it’s time for “Captain EO!”

We enter the holding area where they’re showing the “making of” film and if this is any indication of what the movie will be like, we’re in for a cheesy treat. Oh my gosh! The synthesizer music! The spandex! The hair! Look at all those poufy mullets! All that curly hair! My people!

We’re instructed to enter the theater and since it’s not crowded the cast member tells us we can stop in the middle. I’ve never heard them say that before.

Ready for some 3-D excitement? We start off with a slowly turning rock and it’s getting closer and closer. Ooooh. Way to go with the 3-D effects. It gets blown up and then we see a flying baby carriage tearing across the screen. What is that thing? Is that supposed to be a space ship?

The movie takes us inside the flying baby carriage and we see some muppets are steering the thing. And then Captain EO slowly rises from below but we can only see the back. I guess we’re all supposed to be giddy with anticipation of seeing Michael Jackson. He turns around and we see his flawlessly made up face and we are supposed to believe that he’s the captain of a renegade spaceship.

I love when he starts giving orders with his little girl voice. What is this movie about? Something must have gone terribly wrong between the conception and finished product because this can’t have been the vision of Francis and George.

So, I’m trying to make some sense of this. They make a big fuss about not having a map but they have to get a gift to the supreme leader. They get shot at, they don’t know where they’re going and then they land in a junk yard. But then they say they’ve arrived at their destination and they need to find the supreme leader. They once again mention that they don’t have a map. How do they know they’re in the right place?

Off they go looking for the leader and they’re captured by some grungy looking aliens. They’re taken to a spidery looking woman hanging from the ceiling who we’re told is the leader. She wants to punish them for landing in her junk yard. This makes no sense.

Captain EO is not scared. At least he doesn’t look scared. I think he only has two facial expressions though so who knows. I I think Kristen Stewart must have gone to the Michael Jackson School of Acting because she has a very similar style.

He says he has a gift for her so she backs down on the punishment talk for a minute and all the muppets turn into synthesizers. One of them messes up for a minute and this makes her angry. I guess she has no patience for the set-up. Luckily, he gets his piano working and we’re treated to a musical number where Michael turns everyone into refugees from “Stayin’ Alive.” Everyone becomes beautiful, the junk yard is turned into a palace, the leader is turned into Anjelica Huston and everyone is happy.

Michael and his muppets get into the baby carriage and fly away. Didn’t that thing crash? The map isn’t mentioned again. How do they know where they’re going? So many questions. Bravo! Cheese factor: 10. Mr. Squid is missing out!

Our fast passes are ready so once again we climb up the mountain at the Land and ride Soarin’. Unfortunately we get feet in our view this ride. I love this ride but I think it’s time for a refurb. It’s looking pretty beat up.

We walk over to Living with the Land because who doesn’t like looking at weird vegetables? I see a long line. We start to get in when I realize it’s the fastpass return line. How is it that the fastpass line is longer than the standby line and why are these people waiting in it? We go to standby where there is a 10 minute wait.

I can do without the first part of the ride but I do like the greenhouse. We’re told that they serve much of this food at Epcot restaurants but we’re eating at Le Cellier this evening and I don’t see any cows.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Laura, I just wanted you to know how much I'm enjoying your TR! My husband was injured at work, so he's been home. Every night we have been reading a couple chapters from your TR and it's so fabulous! Love the way you write and cannot wait to read more!

 

[laura74]

Laura, I just wanted you to know how much I'm enjoying your TR! My husband was injured at work, so he's been home. Every night we have been reading a couple chapters from your TR and it's so fabulous! Love the way you write and cannot wait to read more!

Oh my gosh! That's so nice to hear! Thanks and welcome aboard!

 

[nilla]

Holy crap, I'm caught up! Just read 30 pages in the last hour. Well, read your updates and scrolled through the comments...I'm a really slow reader.

One thing to realize when watching Captain EO is that was during the first go-around of "it's cool to like Michael Jackson". This was before we started to fear he was going to abuse our children, and long before we started to feel we could like him again because there was no way he could possibly abuse our children from the grave. This was not campy in the 80s This was like if Jay-Z (or whoever the big, "cool" star is these days) made a movie. And I'd imagine the effects looked pretty cool at the time, and the jheri-curled mullets could be seen on 75% of the audience as well.

But I don't know what's more amazing - the fact that we didn't find the 80s completely ridiculous at the time, or the fact that the 80s are much, much cooler than anything we've had since.

Anyway, off my rant (the purpose of which I can't remember), and on to another TR! Now that I'm caught up, it should be easy to keep reading along. I'm really enjoying the ride!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Great update! I haven't eaten breakfast today, and now I am hungry for a huge cinnamon roll, which I never eat anymore. (need a drooling smiley)

Bets sounds like she has found her happy place! I wasn't as big a shot as her, but I was miserable as an office manager, took time off for a few years with a home business, and now I went back to another office as a
"worker bee." I love it! No stress, not married to the job - just do my job and go home to my family. Love It!

I think working as a CM part time would be so fun! DH and I have said we would love to retire to FL and work at PC checking cruise passengers! How fun could that be?

 

[Backstage_Gal]

That was a great update, Laura. LOVED your description of Captain EO, LOL.
But I must confess about an ART Director for a Financial institution. What did she do, pitch artwork for the lobbies? Suggest creative ideas about wrangling more money from the customers?

 

[laura74]

Holy crap, I'm caught up! Just read 30 pages in the last hour. Well, read your updates and scrolled through the comments...I'm a really slow reader.

One thing to realize when watching Captain EO is that was during the first go-around of "it's cool to like Michael Jackson". This was before we started to fear he was going to abuse our children, and long before we started to feel we could like him again because there was no way he could possibly abuse our children from the grave. This was not campy in the 80s This was like if Jay-Z (or whoever the big, "cool" star is these days) made a movie. And I'd imagine the effects looked pretty cool at the time, and the jheri-curled mullets could be seen on 75% of the audience as well.

But I don't know what's more amazing - the fact that we didn't find the 80s completely ridiculous at the time, or the fact that the 80s are much, much cooler than anything we've had since.

Anyway, off my rant (the purpose of which I can't remember), and on to another TR! Now that I'm caught up, it should be easy to keep reading along. I'm really enjoying the ride!

Yes, I remember cool Michael Jackson and I was a fan. What he did to himself is so sad.

I'm sure it wasn't meant to be campy then, but it blows my mind that such talents put their head together and came up with that. I loved how ridiculous it was!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[laura74]

Great update! I haven't eaten breakfast today, and now I am hungry for a huge cinnamon roll, which I never eat anymore. (need a drooling smiley)

Bets sounds like she has found her happy place! I wasn't as big a shot as her, but I was miserable as an office manager, took time off for a few years with a home business, and now I went back to another office as a
"worker bee." I love it! No stress, not married to the job - just do my job and go home to my family. Love It!

I think working as a CM part time would be so fun! DH and I have said we would love to retire to FL and work at PC checking cruise passengers! How fun could that be?

Climbing up the corporate ladder isn't all it's cracked up to be I guess.

It would definitely be fun to work part time at Disney.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[laura74]

That was a great update, Laura. LOVED your description of Captain EO, LOL.
But I must confess about an ART Director for a Financial institution. What did she do, pitch artwork for the lobbies? Suggest creative ideas about wrangling more money from the customers?

Thanks Marita!

An art director handles the design of things like brochures, newsletters and ads. All that stuff you get in the mail that you throw away had someone art directing it. You get awfully tired of looking for affluent retiree photos when you put together financial brochures.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[nebo]

Hi Laura,,,just some thoughts

{Brrrrriiiiinnnngggg!!}


I get ready, get Monkston ready and we sit in the vanity area and quietly share a cinnamon roll. We’re a bit early for meeting Bets so we decide to go explore the boardwalk.

I still can't place Bets.

The boardwalk is really lovely in the morning and if I were a better trip reporter I’d have pictures to show you. But alas, I do not.

Yeah? You're not alone. See me coming to your rescue with the pictures?

I’m reminded of my early morning walks at Rehoboth Beach.

Rehoboth Beach? Where the heck is that? Sounds like something along the Gaza Strip.


That boardwalk is also insane with activity in the evenings but in the mornings it was so peaceful. The only thing missing here is the actual ocean.

Disney is working on that.


There’s even seagulls! How does Disney control the seagulls? I’ve never seen them at Wilderness Lodge and I know seagulls are not discerning travelers. I regularly see them in the supermarket parking lot near our house and we’re 45 minutes from the beach. How does Disney make sure the seagulls only visit the beachy resorts?


They have done so much with animatronics these days...

Monkston is flush with gift cards and wants to deplete them, so we visit the general store. I hope she doesn’t want to buy something large.

or "Two Turtle Seagulls",,,,

I see her looking at the earrings. She points to an array of dangling earrings. “Don’t worry, Mommy. I don’t want these big earrings. They’re not appropriate for me.” You gotta love having a self-policing kid.

That's ggreat, My kids knew about the police growing up too.



“No! It hasn’t been a year yet. The piercing lady said to wear gold for a year.”

“The piercing lady said to wear gold for six months.”

What, does the piercing lady work for the International Monetary Exchange?

“What if my ears blow up though? I don’t want my ears to blow up at Disney!”

Works for Dumbo

“





I’m sure she must miss her old salary but she really loves what she does now. I can’t think of anyone better suited to either vocation. Bets is one of the friendliest, happiest people I know. She acts like a cast member all the time.

She sounds really nice.





We try different combinations of cards and fingers and can’t get it to work. I explain the mixup we had on our first night to the rather stern looking woman manning the card reader.


Usually, it only takes me two days down there before my fingerprints change and I can't get through the turnstyles.



She purses her lips and slowly shakes her head. “Give me your cards.”

Oh no! She’s taking our passes away? Our gajillion dollar annual passes! What will Mr. Squid say?

Harry Potter anyone?

Luckily, she is not confiscating our passes but is instead fixing them. Phew. No Disney jail for us! (Hey Nebo, have you ever been in Disney jail? Just wondering.)

No, I'm saving that for my tenth annual trip report anniversary thread. Stay tuned for "Indicting Nebo".

We climb up the mountain that is the Land and get our fastpasses. It’s already insane in here. Monkston wants to go ride Nemo so down the mountain we go.

I really resent having to climb that mountain just ot get fastpasses.





“Figment!”

Figment sucks.




Figment gets a lot of guff from people on the DIS but I think it’s a cute ride. I’m a big Eric Idle fan so it’s nice to see him.

Eric Idle sucks.

And now it’s time for “Captain EO!”

Captain EO, REALLY,,,, well, you know...


sorry, hard hitting comentary to return later....

 

[nebo]

{Brrrrriiiiinnnngggg!!}

That's now "2 ringy dingy's."

“
And now it’s time for “Captain EO!”

We enter the holding area where they’re showing the “making of” film and if this is any indication of what the movie will be like, we’re in for a cheesy treat. Oh my gosh! The synthesizer music! The spandex! The hair! Look at all those poufy mullets! All that curly hair! My people!

THE EXCLAMATION MARKS!

We’re instructed to enter the theater and since it’s not crowded the cast member tells us we can stop in the middle. I’ve never heard them say that before.

That could well be a Disney paradox, ranks right up there with "Keep your hands and arms outside the moving vehicle at all times, Feel free to feed the ducks, and , FASTPASSES DON'T EXPIRE!

sorry

.

Captain EO is not scared. At least he doesn’t look scared. I think he only has two facial expressions though so who knows. I I think Kristen Stewart must have gone to the Michael Jackson School of Acting because she has a very similar style.

Katniss and Peeta have now joined that group also.

He says he has a gift for her so she backs down on the punishment talk for a minute and all the muppets turn into synthesizers.


Those commie synthesizers....



One of them messes up for a minute and this makes her angry. I guess she has no patience for the set-up. Luckily, he gets his piano working and we’re treated to a musical number where Michael turns everyone into refugees from “Stayin’ Alive.” Everyone becomes beautiful, the junk yard is turned into a palace, the leader is turned into Anjelica Huston and everyone is happy.

and she looked better before she turned into Angelica Huston.

Michael and his muppets get into the baby carriage and fly away. Didn’t that thing crash? The map isn’t mentioned again. How do they know where they’re going? So many questions. Bravo! Cheese factor: 10. Mr. Squid is missing out!

I thought Nilla broke this part down perfectly; I wish I had se3en it recently with your point of bview, it would have been a lot more fun in the right frame of mind, instead I just trashed it.
But Nilla was right,,, it wasn't supposed to be this campy when it was first made,,, and you are right,,, what in the heck did George and "Nick's uncle have in mind?
(ok, go for that reference!)

Our fast passes are ready so once again we climb up the mountain at the Land and ride Soarin’. Unfortunately we get feet in our view this ride. I love this ride but I think it’s time for a refurb. It’s looking pretty beat up.

It most certainly is, Ollie. It opend on May 5, 2005,,, and they said all they have to do is reprogram it to a different set of scenery to keep it constantly new and fresh. Ok,, I think 7 years ought to do it, you know? The aircraft carrier has been de-commisioned, the orange groves have all been sold to the Chinese and they are still searching for that golf ball that' hitts the kid in the top row towards the right.



I can do without the first part of the ride but I do like the greenhouse. We’re told that they serve much of this food at Epcot restaurants but we’re eating at Le Cellier this evening and I don’t see any cows.

That's a great line about the cows, and I'm still trying to figgure out where they sell alligators that they are raising in the greenhouse section, but I wouldn't put it past the ABC Commissary.

Very nice chapter, Laura,,, what a great job critqueing,,, dissecting,,, critiking,,, telling us what is going on in Captain EIEIO, it never occurred to me to try and actually make sense of it.

 

[pkondz]

{Brrrrriiiiinnnngggg!!}

First she goes around to other people's TRs and demands they come over here.
Then she goes and has the gall to right a better TR.
And now she wants us to bring something, too????

<sigh> All right. I'll bring a potato salad.

“Morning!” Stitch screams. Ugh. I mean, yay! Ok. Up and at ’em! Or as Dad used to say, “Romp and stomp! It’s morning in the swamp!”

You lived in a swamp?

Did you hunt gators?

I get ready, get Monkston ready and we sit in the vanity area

area? Is it all mirrors? Are there people paid to fawn over you?

That's so cool.

We’re a bit early for meeting Bets

Meeting Bets? I'll wager someone was late.

We could have gotten a fresh one and eaten it on the boardwalk instead of next to the sink.

"We went to Disney!!"
"Wow! Where'd you eat? Le Cellier? Victoria & Albert's?"
"No! By the sink!!"

The boardwalk is really lovely in the morning and if I were a better trip reporter I’d have pictures to show you. But alas, I do not.

You want me to bring potato salad... and no pictures?

I gotta tell ya, I'm reconsidering the potato salad.

I’m reminded of my early morning walks at Rehoboth Beach.

Behemoth Beach? Beelzebub Beach?

That boardwalk is also insane with activity in the evenings but in the mornings it was so peaceful.

I love that. Wherever it might be. Makes getting up almost worth it.

almost.

The only thing missing here is the actual ocean. There’s even seagulls! How does Disney control the seagulls?

It's called animatronics.

Actually, interesting story about controlling birds. I don't remember which show it was... but at it's conclusion, Disney would release some doves. The hawks living in the area soon learned that they could get a free meal every day at the same time.
The dove release was discontinued soon after.

Monkston is flush with gift cards and wants to deplete them, so we visit the general store.

So you ate breakfast by the sink and now Monkston needs to flush.

Or something like that.

OK, still with ya.

I hope she doesn’t want to buy something large.

Or breakable, or both. But who would do that??

I see her looking at the earrings. She points to an array of dangling earrings. “Don’t worry, Mommy. I don’t want these big earrings. They’re not appropriate for me.” You gotta love having a self-policing kid.

When DD15 was little, we knew when she did something wrong. She'd put herself in the corner and start to cry.

Self policing and self punishing are always good. Takes the onus off the parents.

“What if my ears blow up though? I don’t want my ears to blow up at Disney!”

Actually, Disney would be the only place where your ears can blow up and not attract attention.

We still have more time to kill so I get a cup of caffeinated mud and we sit near the water waiting for my friend.

Any Bets on how long she'll be?
Anyone?
I'm giving 3 for 2!

Wait a second Laura74. I thought you said she was a Disney cast member.

Holy crap! Who the heck was that?!?!

Bets decided to completely change her life. She gave up fame and fortune, well, fortune, er, comfortable salary. She sold her townhouse, moved to Miami and went back to school to become a teacher. She now teaches in Orlando and works at Disney during vacations.

That's very impressive. I'm truly amazed at people who are able to do that. I applaud her for her courage.

I’m sure she must miss her old salary but she really loves what she does now. I can’t think of anyone better suited to either vocation. Bets is one of the friendliest, happiest people I know. She acts like a cast member all the time.

She sounds great.

But what Monkston and I really want to know is what it’s like to work at Disney World.

Me too!

We get to the gate and Monkston and I play the annual pass shuffle. At this point I can’t remember if I’m supposed to be Mickey or Donald.

Uh... don't you mean Minnie or Daisy?

DON'T ANSWER THAT!

If I am she as you are she as you are me. Koo Koo Kachoo.

Thanks Mrs. Robinson.

“I can’t let you use each other’s passes. That’s not allowed.” She does not look happy.

Great! Than we'll just use the right cards and if they don't work we'll just take a full refund.

I despise pompous officials.

Luckily, she is not confiscating our passes but is instead fixing them. Phew. No Disney jail for us! (Hey Nebo, have you ever been in Disney jail? Just wondering.)

Well really, if anyone would...

We decide to go straight to Soarin’ for fastpasses. It’s going to be mobbed here later and we want to make sure we get a chance to ride.

Precisely how does one ride a mob?

Inquiring minds want to know.

She said sometimes the computer is really slow or freezes and then you’re clocked in late and get demerits.

Unfair!

She said she has gotten in trouble for that before. And she doesn’t really enjoy the inspections of the workplace every shift.

Ew. Yuck.

I ask if anyone knows that she was once a big muckity-muck and she says no. I don’t think I could resist telling my punk manager that I was once a big shot.

That would be a mistake, I think. The punk manager's new job would be to make yours a living hell.

The Seas building is much quieter,

How odd... the much maligned ride is quiet. I'll never forget our first visit... Miles of queue set up with no one in them. I don't mean two or three people... I mean no one.

so after Nemo we decide to visit the fish. Monkston doesn’t want to watch Turtle Talk for some reason. I think it’s such a cute show but she never wants to go in.

That's too bad. It's such a great show.

We go upstairs to see the Manatees and we’re in luck because there’s a trainer feeding them. I had never seen this before but she just keeps tossing heads of Romaine lettuce into the tank. She explains that they each eat up to 100 pounds of it a day. Wow! That’s a lot of lettuce! I wonder why they need to eat so much. They’re certainly not terribly active.

It's to keep their svelt figures. Weren't manatees mistaken for mermaids by early explorers?

I’m pretty sure all this criss-crossing is not the most efficient touring plan and I know you must be wondering why we’re not riding Test Track and Mission Space (vetoed by the wimp!). At least it’s working off that 1,000 calorie half of the cinnamon roll.

a. Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow, ya know?
b. Don't give up on Mission Space. Sure orange can make you sick, but green is fun.
c. Calories don't count when you're on vacation. It's a rule.

What I’m really excited about is its proximity to that huge hunk of 80s cheese, “Captain EO.” I missed it last year when Mr. Squid and I used our fast passes for Test Track and everyone else went to watch the movie. My brother said only one person liked it. Yup, Monkston. I'm very curious to see what the talents of George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola have wrought.

I remember seeing it when it was new. I was amazed at the technology. Now, when every movie in the world is now 3D?

Figment gets a lot of guff from people on the DIS but I think it’s a cute ride. I’m a big Eric Idle fan so it’s nice to see him.

I'm ok with it too. When the DDs were 4 & 8, it was their favorite ride. When we returned and they were 8 & 12... well. Let's just say it wasn't quite the way they remembered it.

We enter the holding area where they’re showing the “making of” film and if this is any indication of what the movie will be like, we’re in for a cheesy treat. Oh my gosh! The synthesizer music! The spandex! The hair! Look at all those poufy mullets! All that curly hair! My people!

But then I imagined you wearing spandex and a sporting a mullet.

'nuff said.

We’re instructed to enter the theater and since it’s not crowded the cast member tells us we can stop in the middle. I’ve never heard them say that before.

Isn't that a bad sign?

"Nobody likes this show, so park it wherever you want."

And then Captain EO slowly rises from below but we can only see the back. I guess we’re all supposed to be giddy with anticipation of seeing Michael Jackson.

No, it's so you can see the burn mark on his head. Pepsi, anyone?

He turns around and we see his flawlessly made up face and we are supposed to believe that he’s the captain of a renegade spaceship.

Flawlessly made up spaceship.

I love when he starts giving orders with his little girl voice. What is this movie about? Something must have gone terribly wrong between the conception and finished product because this can’t have been the vision of Francis and George.

I'm pretty sure at the time, MJ had the clout and the cash to call the shots.

They once again mention that they don’t have a map. How do they know they’re in the right place?

GPS

She wants to punish them for landing in her junk yard. This makes no sense.

Really? If you were a spider woman in charge of a junk yard, wouldn't you be miffed if someone landed in it without your official okey dokey?

Captain EO is not scared. At least he doesn’t look scared. I think he only has two facial expressions though so who knows. I I think Kristen Stewart must have gone to the Michael Jackson School of Acting because she has a very similar style.

When your face is made of plastic, it's hard to emote.

Kristen Stewart must have some other excuse.

My guess is 'lack of talent'.

Everyone becomes beautiful, the junk yard is turned into a palace, the leader is turned into Anjelica Huston and everyone is happy.

Most people prefer Anjelica Huston to evil spider women.

Most.

Michael and his muppets get into the baby carriage and fly away. Didn’t that thing crash?

Never underestimate the power of spider women to spin silk and effect repairs on intergalactic baby carriages.

They also make a mean bouillabaisse.

The map isn’t mentioned again. How do they know where they’re going?

GPS... Didn't we cover this already?

Our fast passes are ready so once again we climb up the mountain at the Land and ride Soarin’. Unfortunately we get feet in our view this ride. I love this ride but I think it’s time for a refurb. It’s looking pretty beat up.

Interesting that you should say that. I still consider this to be a 'new' ride (having opened only in '05).

We walk over to Living with the Land because who doesn’t like looking at weird vegetables?

Me. Never done it. Might never do it.

I see a long line. We start to get in when I realize it’s the fastpass return line. How is it that the fastpass line is longer than the standby line and why are these people waiting in it? We go to standby where there is a 10 minute wait.

New rules... new lines...

I can do without the first part of the ride but I do like the greenhouse. We’re told that they serve much of this food at Epcot restaurants but we’re eating at Le Cellier this evening and I don’t see any cows.

Too many crying children. They were mooooved to another area.

Great chapter as usual Laura!

 

[pkondz]

He says he has a gift for her so she backs down on the punishment talk for a minute and all the muppets turn into synthesizers.

Those commie synthesizers....



what in the heck did George and "Nick's uncle have in mind?
(ok, go for that reference!)

First appeared in Fast Times at Ridgemont High with the same last name as his uncle in the credits.

 

[shan23877]

{Brrrrriiiiinnnngggg!!}



The boardwalk is really lovely in the morning and if I were a better trip reporter I’d have pictures to show you. But alas, I do not.


I may have some from our honeymoon trip, but they're on the external hard drive which is all the way in the den and I'm too lazy to go get.


I see her looking at the earrings. She points to an array of dangling earrings. “Don’t worry, Mommy. I don’t want these big earrings. They’re not appropriate for me.” You gotta love having a self-policing kid.

So cute.

She settles on some pink, sparkly Mickey head earrings.

“Do you want to put them on now?” I ask.

“No! It hasn’t been a year yet. The piercing lady said to wear gold for a year.”

“The piercing lady said to wear gold for six months.”

“What if my ears blow up though? I don’t want my ears to blow up at Disney!”

“I’m pretty sure Disney sells safe earrings but you don’t have to wear them yet.”

(It’s now been a year since she’s had her ears pierced and she still hasn’t worn them. The changing of the earrings is quite a production around here. Lots of ouches, warnings to be careful and to get the backing on “good enough.” It’s just as well that she doesn’t want to change them too often.)

I'm familiar with this song and dance. In my house it's punctuated with choruses of "It's not going to hurt is it? It hurt once when Daddy tried to take them out! You're not going to put in the blue ones are you? I want the sparkly ones? Is it going to hurt?"


I’m getting there. A few years after I had left the company for a job at another major financial institution, there was a shakeup and she and most of her department lost their jobs. Rather than look for a similar corporate position, Bets decided to completely change her life. She gave up fame and fortune, well, fortune, er, comfortable salary. She sold her townhouse, moved to Miami and went back to school to become a teacher. She now teaches in Orlando and works at Disney during vacations.

Good for her! That takes a lot of guts! I believe that Oprah would refer to that as "Following you bliss" Perhaps she had an "Aha! moment?"




“I can’t let you use each other’s passes. That’s not allowed.” She does not look happy.

“But, but, the cast member told us to do that. What are we going to do?”

She purses her lips and slowly shakes her head. “Give me your cards.”

Oh no! She’s taking our passes away? Our gajillion dollar annual passes! What will Mr. Squid say?

I'm picturing Mr Squid touring WDW alone while you and Monkston sit sadly by the creepy clown pool.

Luckily, she is not confiscating our passes but is instead fixing them. Phew. No Disney jail for us! (Hey Nebo, have you ever been in Disney jail? Just wondering.)

It's about time! And that would be some TR!!

We pass the kiosk where Bets works and I ask her for some Disney dirt. Sadly, she is not a person who dishes dirt. She loves working there. The best part is meeting new people. The worst part can also be the people, especially when it’s crowded. She says when it’s slow she loves to people watch. I ask her what it’s like to work at an hourly job after running a large corporate department. This woman would lead meetings, give presentations, occasionally fire someone. I just can’t imagine going from that to punching a clock and taking orders from someone who likely doesn’t have the life experience she does.

She said the whole time clock, or rather computer check in set-up was strange to get used to. She said sometimes the computer is really slow or freezes and then you’re clocked in late and get demerits. She said she has gotten in trouble for that before. And she doesn’t really enjoy the inspections of the workplace every shift. I ask if anyone knows that she was once a big muckity-muck and she says no. I don’t think I could resist telling my punk manager that I was once a big shot.

She sounds saintly. Oprah would totally mouth off to her punk manager.

We climb up the mountain that is the Land and get our fastpasses. It’s already insane in here. Monkston wants to go ride Nemo so down the mountain we go.

The Seas building is much quieter, so after Nemo we decide to visit the fish. Monkston doesn’t want to watch Turtle Talk for some reason. I think it’s such a cute show but she never wants to go in.

I have the opposite problem




And now it’s time for “Captain EO!”

Huge MJ fan. Loved him. Loved him. Loved him. (Pre weirdo-ness of course) Can't make myself see EO.


Captain EO is not scared. At least he doesn’t look scared. I think he only has two facial expressions though so who knows. I I think Kristen Stewart must have gone to the Michael Jackson School of Acting because she has a very similar style.

He says he has a gift for her so she backs down on the punishment talk for a minute and all the muppets turn into synthesizers. One of them messes up for a minute and this makes her angry. I guess she has no patience for the set-up. Luckily, he gets his piano working and we’re treated to a musical number where Michael turns everyone into refugees from “Stayin’ Alive.” Everyone becomes beautiful, the junk yard is turned into a palace, the leader is turned into Anjelica Huston and everyone is happy.

Michael and his muppets get into the baby carriage and fly away. Didn’t that thing crash? The map isn’t mentioned again. How do they know where they’re going? So many questions. Bravo! Cheese factor: 10. Mr. Squid is missing out!

Sounds great!

I listened to MJ a lot when I was pregnant. Baby started kicking every time Rockin' Robin came on. Which was often.


I can do without the first part of the ride but I do like the greenhouse. We’re told that they serve much of this food at Epcot restaurants but we’re eating at Le Cellier this evening and I don’t see any cows.

Great update Laura! You're friend sounds awesome! You'll have to share where she works so we can stop by an say hello to her!

 

[shan23877]

QUOTE NEBO: I thought Nilla broke this part down perfectly; I wish I had se3en it recently with your point of bview, it would have been a lot more fun in the right frame of mind, instead I just trashed it.
But Nilla was right,,, it wasn't supposed to be this campy when it was first made,,, and you are right,,, what in the heck did George and "Nick's uncle have in mind?
(ok, go for that reference!)


Speaking of bad actors...

 

[laura74]

Hi Laura,,,just some thoughts

I still can't place Bets.

That joke isn't any better the second time.

Yeah? You're not alone. See me coming to your rescue with the pictures?

Lucky for you that you have Ponzi helping out in that respect on your TR.

Rehoboth Beach? Where the heck is that? Sounds like something along the Gaza Strip.

It's in Delaware. Mr. Squid and I discovered it when we were dating. We closed our eyes and pointed to the map and that's where we ended up for a weekend. It's a really cool town. Very diverse with families and seniors and it's also very popular with gay people so there are awesome stores and restaurants.

Disney is working on that.

If anyone could figure it out they could.

No, I'm saving that for my tenth annual trip report anniversary thread. Stay tuned for "Indicting Nebo".

LOL. One day they'll catch on to the Sunny D bottles.

I really resent having to climb that mountain just ot get fastpasses.

And then deal with the escalators and the crowds.

Eric Idle sucks.

Not a Monty Python fan I gather.

THE EXCLAMATION MARKS!

Well I was exclaiming...in my head at least.

That could well be a Disney paradox, ranks right up there with "Keep your hands and arms outside the moving vehicle at all times, Feel free to feed the ducks, and , FASTPASSES DON'T EXPIRE!

Wait. We're not supposed to feed the ducks Cheetos?

Katniss and Peeta have now joined that group also.

I still have to watch that.

thought Nilla broke this part down perfectly; I wish I had se3en it recently with your point of bview, it would have been a lot more fun in the right frame of mind, instead I just trashed it.
But Nilla was right,,, it wasn't supposed to be this campy when it was first made,,, and you are right,,, what in the heck did George and "Nick's uncle have in mind?

I still maintain that the story line is ridiculous. Other movies that were considered technolgical breakthroughs have held up over time. Look at Wizard of Oz.

(ok, go for that reference!)

Nicholas Cage, star of another awesome 80s cheesefest, Valley Girl.

That's a great line about the cows, and I'm still trying to figgure out where they sell alligators that they are raising in the greenhouse section, but I wouldn't put it past the ABC Commissary.

I tried alligator once. Takes like chicken, but kind of rubbery.

Very nice chapter, Laura,,, what a great job critqueing,,, dissecting,,, critiking,,, telling us what is going on in Captain EIEIO,

Thanks!

it never occurred to me to try and actually make sense of it.

Maybe because no sense can be made of it.