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

[bankr63]

I gotta go with Mr. Squid on this one. I definitely wouldn't dive into a pool with an ipad... ever try to read under water? I bet it's not easy.

Well first there's Nebo with the "devices for the acoustically challenged", then Laura with the ipad. Now if we can just get a yellow jacket to jump in with a microphone, we'd have Hear No Evil (yellow jackets), See No Evil (kids killing each other), Shout No Evil (poolside games)...

 

[cjlvsccm]

“Monko, what do you want to do?” I say.

Do you get "I know what we're going to do today!" a lot?


Josh: This wandering around the Magic Kingdom aimlessly is really getting on my nerves. Where’s your touring plan? What are you doing? This is a Disney World vacation. You can’t just walk around relaxing.

Laura74: You know, you’re all full of bravado but I don’t notice you actually going on any of the rides. You just walk around taking pictures of wait boards and fastpass return times.

Oh, so THAT'S why his plans get so much done so quickly!


Who knew? That crazy Disney… always coming up with new things for people to obsess about. I STILL don’t understand Vinylmation.

I'm with ya there!

Cindy

 

[bankr63]

I agree about 50 Shades, very poorly written but somehow addictive . I breezed through the first two but am having a painfully slow time getting through the third (see how I did that)

Apparently, I am possibly the only person in North America who hadn't heard of 50 Shades. So I googled it. Bodice Ripper goes off the deep end? The scary thing is that Amazon shows under "People who bought this also bought", the entire Mocking Jay series. I sure hope kids aren't reading 50 Shades too!

I was wondering where we were going after the whole vampire thing. Can I have Harry Potter back please?

 

[laura74]

We were in Minnesota a few years back, and Kristin asked me, "why is everyone saying 'hello' to us?" I told her, "we're no longer in the Northeast."

I spent 9 years of my childhood in Wisconsin. I'm not sure which I prefer. New Jerseyans tell it like it is so you know where you stand. Wisconsonites are very friendly on the outside but you're not sure what they're really thinking...and they call drinking fountains bubblers.

Another guest told us the way to tell the rares from the uncommons from the commons in the Sorcerer's cards, but I forget what it is.I'm sure it's online somewhere. He told us as a service to keep us from getting bilked from people looking for a trade.

Wow! I can't believe this is a thing!

I can all but guarantee that Helga would've gladly traded for one of your rares without letting you know. Some people are just ugly like that. I bet she's from the Northeast.

She sounded like she was from Minnesota.

Thanks for the TR plug, btw. I suppose people could've just looked at the signature of my whiny post to get the link, but it's much more fun calling someone out on her own TR

Hey, I do the same thing on Ponzi's and Nebo's reports. Maybe I'll start doing that on yours.

Hey Laura -

Great update!!!

Thanks!

I find myself doing this all the time. I will sit and look at someone and basically have rewritten their entire life in a few minutes. It's really fun to do in WDW in a line

So much fun in Disney because there are so many different types of people! There's no end of stories to make up about them!

You and Monkston are so cute together.

Thanks! She's a sweetie.

Sorry - my quoting skills are a little rusty

You just have to make sure you have one of these

[ QUOTE=Kgroo;45081938 ]

at the beginning of the quote and remember to end the quote with

[/ QUOTE ]

before you comment. Just copy and paste.

Well first there's Nebo with the "devices for the acoustically challenged", then Laura with the ipad.

Just want to make it clear that I was not going to jump in the water with my iPad.

Now if we can just get a yellow jacket to jump in with a microphone, we'd have Hear No Evil (yellow jackets), See No Evil (kids killing each other), Shout No Evil (poolside games)...

Yellow jacket story coming...but not until much later.

Do you get "I know what we're going to do today!" a lot?

Surprisingly no. I'll have to use that on her.

Oh, so THAT'S why his plans get so much done so quickly!

Once in a while he rides them but usually he just walks around.

I'm with ya there!

Glad I'm not the only one that doesn't get it.

Apparently, I am possibly the only person in North America who hadn't heard of 50 Shades.

Yes, now that Nebo knows what it is.

So I googled it. Bodice Ripper goes off the deep end? The scary thing is that Amazon shows under "People who bought this also bought", the entire Mocking Jay series. I sure hope kids aren't reading 50 Shades too!

I think everyone is reading it because everyone else is reading it.

I was wondering where we were going after the whole vampire thing. Can I have Harry Potter back please?

I still have to read those.

 

[MisterSquid]

I told you all that Laura speaks so low, it’s barely audible, but now it’s clear she’s having conversations in her head with “Josh.”

I didn’t want to name our daughter Emma, because I didn’t want to dress her in bonnetts and travel by oxcart. I’m a huge Beach Boys fan and Rhonda ... well that’s just 67’ ragtop Camaro, cruisin’, tire-burnin’ coolness to me.

I didn’t want ... Well, Hit it Boys ...

“... But Emma you caught my fancy ...
And I can provide multiple reasons to dissuade your apprehension ....
I implore ya ... Assist me Emma ... Assist in displacing my affections for her ...
bow, bow, bow bow, bow, bow, bow....

 

[MisterSquid]

I told you all that Laura speaks so low, it’s barely audible, but now it’s clear she’s having conversations in her head with “Josh.”

And I told you all that he clearly has a hearing impairment. You can all hear me fine, right?

I didn’t want to name our daughter Emma, because I didn’t want to dress her in bonnetts and travel by oxcart. I’m a huge Beach Boys fan and Rhonda ... well that’s just 67’ ragtop Camaro, cruisin’, tire-burnin’ coolness to me.

I've seen your car. More ox cart than ragtop Camaro, I think.

I didn’t want ... Well, Hit it Boys ...

“... But Emma you caught my fancy ...
And I can provide multiple reasons to dissuade your apprehension ....
I implore ya ... Assist me Emma ... Assist in displacing my affections for her ...
bow, bow, bow bow, bow, bow, bow....

Very clever! And now I have that song stuck in my head, thank you very much.

 

[laura74]

Oops. Now I'm acting like Nebo and posting on the wrong account. That last Mr. Squid post was from me.

 

[nebo]

Oh, that book...

Of course, I have all kinds of opinions about that book (which I haven't read). Most of them are unfit to say on these forums, but I will say that a certain publication named after the top floor of a hotel has been putting out books like this for decades. There are stores dedicated to these selling these types of books. I don't see what the hubbub is about this one. Guys have been reading crap like this forever and have been called awful things for it, so what's the deal?

Ah yes,,, the good old "forum" section, those stories were hysterical. So, this new Fifty Shades thing is a trilogy too?
ahem,,,

You mean,,,

a threesome?
See, this is how I get in trouble all the time, I start out with the best intentions.....

Ed Note: I forgot that Mr. Squid and Monkston went to the Magic Kingdom after our trip to the Top of the World Lounge. I guess if it didn’t happen to me, it didn’t happen, right? Mr. Squid is no help because he can’t remember anything they did but I think I can guess that they stuck with the little rides in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. These two are afraid of anything with a hill so that leaves out most of the headliners.

Ok, so,,, why didn't you go with them?

Monkston and I decide to visit the Magic Kingdom but Mr. Squid is tired (see Ed Note above) and wants to head back to the room for a bit. We leave him on the monorail and head over to the gate.

Ok, I'm sure it's just me and I planned on just letting it be,,, but,,,, well, I can't.
I"m really confused.
You were at the TOWL,, and Monk and Squid went to MK without you?
But now you and Monk are going? The Squidster says he's tired, is it now the next day? But you said you left hhim at the monorail,,,,GASP,,, you don't realy have a room,,, you're sleeping in the subway/monorail?
Or you can just ignore this rambling,, I just got prescription refill and,,,,

I love that Monkston is ten but still wants to hold hands. We give each other’s hand a little squeeze, hand hugs we call them.

I like that,, very cute,,, has "Awww" written all over it.

“Monko, what do you want to do?” I say.

“I think I just want to go shopping and look around at stuff, Mommy. Maybe we can play that new game too.”

Did you ask Ponzi if he wants to go with, he loves shopping.

Remember the confusion with our passes when our fingerprints somehow got switched and the cast member told me I’m Monkston and she’s me? Well there is more confusion because our fingers still don’t match and we have to try several combinations before we can get in.

Mr. Squid told me they had trouble getting in the night before because she had her pass and not mine and it took a bit of explaining and cajoling before they were let in.

I ALWAYS have problem getting in,,, I was born with constantly changing fingerprints I guess, they last for 2 days, and then morph into something totally different.



I’m going to have to give up another super secret, real identity for the good of this report. Monkston shares a name with the platypus.

For what it's worth, I think it's a cool name.





Silly, I know, but isn’t that how a lot of nicknames start, with ridiculous premises that only the people involved find amusing?

Wait, you are asking people named Ponzi, Smidgy, Nilla, Nebo and Backstage Gal about silly nicknames?

I gravitated to romantic names like Emma and Mr. Squid preferred outdated 50s carhop names like Rhonda. I kid you not! RHONDA! I read baby naming books, visited baby name web sites looking for a name that we could agree on. Every name I suggested was met with an are-you-kidding-me look.

Rhonda would have been met with a "We're getting a divorce "
Look.





My mother pointed out to me that my natural father’s last name was Benedict when he was born. His name changed to Perry when his mother remarried but I pointed out that Benedict would be a REALLY silly name for a girl.

Hey, if you can have a Boy named Sue, you can have a girl named Ben. Better yet, you could name her after one of my favorite writers, Oben.

Monkston has had some complaints about her name. She used to say she’d rather be Stephanie or Emma.

Stephanie would have been a good name also.



This a day for meandering anyway. No fighting crowds to run to the fast pass machines, no running back and forth across the park to fit everything in. We’re just going to soak up some Disney atmosphere. We’re going to stop and smell the cinnamon buns and popcorn.

[COLOR="blue"Is there anything in the world more deceitful than the smell of popcorn?
Ummm , Yeah,,, smells great, gotta have some,,, and then two inches down in the bag,,,, "Anybody want any of this?" I have to get it when we go to the movies,,, but I can't remeberr the last time I actually finished one. No matter how much salt and butter I slop into it. [/COLOR]





Here she is with her new shirt.

[IMG]http://i1153.photobucket.com/albums/p511/laurazav/DSCN1386.jpg[/IMG]

[COLOR="blue"]She looks cute.





I suggest we play the new sorcerer’s game so we head out in search of it. I cannot for the life of me remember where it starts. I know it’s somewhere on Main Street. I’ll have to ask someone for directions.

"What y'all gots to do, is go down to the third stoplight, then ya's hang a right, go on down to the big silo and there will be a farmer out front with a cow.
"Then you ask the cow what you asked me."

I'm sorry,, what was the question?







I made Sheena very nervous handing her the spreadsheets. In hindsight, I guess I did act like a crazy person, planning out every minute of our day, rearranging schedules after every change in park hours. Sheena doesn’t roll that way. She likes to stroll, take in the details.

Today we are touring the Sheena way.

yes, I'm guilty of the same thing, over doing it. But I still can't see why you can't figure out a head of time how long you'll really need to be in labor, if you hit 8 centimeters on Splash Mountain we'll head over to Hall of Presidents where you can give birth in darkness.



Nothing happens.

Ok, what exactly IS supposed to happen?



As we’re playing the game, a woman in her 60s (let’s call her Helga)

Why do I keep saying in my mind, Goodnight Helga?





On the other side of me is an older gentleman, maybe about Helga’s age, and a young girl of about seven talking to a cast member with a clipboard. I try to eavesdrop and get some snippets of his answers. I can’t make out much, but what I do hear is that this is his daughter and he has an even younger one at the hotel.

Youj're not going to try to set him up with Helga, are you?

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I waited a while myself, but this is a bit extreme. I wonder if he has grown children somewhere, possibly with kids of their own. Are these two happy accidents? Did he wait until 50 to get married for the first time? Maybe he was a Trekkie that spent his youth in his mother’s basement before hitting the dating scene. Maybe this is his second marriage and their mother is his former secretary.

Maybe I’m just reading too much into this.

You used to write for All My Children, didn't you?





We stop at the next Sorcerer window, Helga not far behind us. Monkston is having a great time and I love watching her face look so earnest as she carefully holds her card up to the magic window to get her next clue. Her face lights up when the cartoon pops up, and she sees that she’s found the correct window.

So, is this something, this game, something that my grandkids will enjoy? Ok, ok, I mean Smidgy. ? Or is this mainly for more mature children?

After we’ve vanquished whoever it is we’re supposed to vanquish, we stop to watch the parade go by.

“What do you want to do next Monko?”

[/COLOR]

Thank you Laura, now you sound like you're having fun doing the report.

Apparently, I am possibly the only person in North America who hadn't heard of 50 Shades. So I googled it. Bodice Ripper goes off the deep end? The scary thing is that Amazon shows under "People who bought this also bought", the entire Mocking Jay series. I sure hope kids aren't reading 50 Shades too!

Moe, you aren't the only one,, I found out the same way you did,,, here.

I was wondering where we were going after the whole vampire thing. Can I have Harry Potter back please?

You know,, I was sad when the Return of the King movie was released, ending the trilogy. Then I was sad when the last Die Hard movie came out, cuz I'm pretty sure that is it for that too,,,, along with the last INDY JONES movie. Then I read the last Harry book and saw the movie, and that's over with too, and no,,, I want no part of any of the Twilight crap.
What to do, what to do?

 

[laura74]

a threesome?
See, this is how I get in trouble all the time, I start out with the best intentions.....

Mr Innocent.

Ok, so,,, why didn't you go with them?

I was tired. I know this report is taking forever but that was only the second day and we were up until 3am the night before. Plus, Mr. Squid and Monkston have their little Disney rituals every year. It's nice that they get some time alone together.

Ok, I'm sure it's just me and I planned on just letting it be,,, but,,,, well, I can't.
I"m really confused.
You were at the TOWL,, and Monk and Squid went to MK without you?

We were all at TOWL until after Wishes. They decided to fight the crowd to get a couple turns on Speedway and I decided to go back to the room.

But now you and Monk are going? The Squidster says he's tired, is it now the next day?

Who knew my little ed note would cause this much confusion. This is the next day. I forgot that they had gone to Magic Kingdom after Top of the World Lounge.

But you said you left hhim at the monorail,,,,GASP,,, you don't realy have a room,,, you're sleeping in the subway/monorail?

Calm down Nebo! We left the monorail to get off at the MK stop and he continued on to the Contemporary. I'll post a video of our room if it makes you feel better.

Or you can just ignore this rambling,, I just got prescription refill and,,,,

Phew. Glad that's been filled.

Did you ask Ponzi if he wants to go with, he loves shopping.

I don't think they have girls' clothing stores selling cheap designer knockoffs in the Magic Kingdom.

Wait, you are asking people named Ponzi, Smidgy, Nilla, Nebo and Backstage Gal about silly nicknames?

Good point.

Stephanie would have been a good name also.

What are you trying to start Nebo?

yes, I'm guilty of the same thing, over doing it. But I still can't see why you can't figure out a head of time how long you'll really need to be in labor, if you hit 8 centimeters on Splash Mountain we'll head over to Hall of Presidents where you can give birth in darkness.

I'm sure you'll tell me that the nickel hasn't dropped but I'm having trouble figuring out the labor/delivery connection.

Ok, what exactly IS supposed to happen?

If you get to the right "magic window" a cartoon comes on and tells you how awesome you are and gives you another clue to the next destination. It's similar to Kim Possible.

Youj're not going to try to set him up with Helga, are you?

Seems like he's doing ok on his own.

You used to write for All My Children, didn't you?

Yes, it's probably why it was canceled.

So, is this something, this game, something that my grandkids will enjoy? Ok, ok, I mean Smidgy. ? Or is this mainly for more mature children?

I think little kids would like it too. It's something you can do as a group.

Thank you Laura, now you sound like you're having fun doing the report.

Do you mean that it seems like I'm finally have fun on vacation or that I'm getting better at writing my report?

 

[pkondz]

Ed Note: I forgot that Mr. Squid and Monkston went to the Magic Kingdom after our trip to the Top of the World Lounge. I guess if it didn’t happen to me, it didn’t happen, right?

That's the way I operate.

Monkston and I decide to visit the Magic Kingdom but Mr. Squid is tired (see Ed Note above) and wants to head back to the room for a bit.

I wonder if I could ever get to the point where I'm too tired to go to MK.

Me,"Okay, guys. I've been on my feet for 24 hours and I can't go another step. I'm going back to the hotel and crash."
Them,"Oh, all right. We're just going to go to MK."
Me,"I'm going too."

We leave him on the monorail

Where he's never heard from again.

I love that Monkston is ten but still wants to hold hands. We give each other’s hand a little squeeze, hand hugs we call them.

We do the same thing. Elle's too old to hold her ol' man's hand. But Kay still does occasionally.

(Record screech.)

Josh from easywdw.com: This is going to be the boringest Disney trip report ever!

Well that just goes to show you. What does he know.

Laura74: Boringest is not a word Josh

Boringalicious?

and she wants to go shopping. Am I going to force my child to go on Splash Mountain just to put some zing in my report?

Well, yeah. Actually. Or you could force her to swim with sharks or something...

Well there is more confusion because our fingers still don’t match and we have to try several combinations before we can get in.

Interesting that your fingers don't match. How many do you have on your left hand vs your right hand?

I’m going to have to give up another super secret, real identity for the good of this report. Monkston shares a name with the platypus.

So your last name is Platypus?

Check.

You may be thinking, hmmm, that’s not a very feminine name.

No, I always think feminine when I think platypus.

And why would they name her after a platypus?

Really, shouldn't the question be, "Why wouldn't you"?

Well smarty pants, a. there’s a story behind the name, and b. she came before the platypus.

Is this one of those chicken or the egg things?

For the longest time we called our little peanut Chop Chop because I happened to be cutting vegetables and was adamantly saying, “WE” [chop] HAVE [chop] TO [chop] COME [chop] UP [chop] WITH [chop] A [chop] NAME [chop] FOR [chop] THE [chop] BABY [chop]!

I like that!

I gravitated to romantic names like Emma and Mr. Squid

I don't think she'd want to be called Mr. Squid.

I could be wrong.

outdated 50s carhop names like Rhonda. I kid you not! RHONDA!

But can you think of a better name for a Paramedic or tax lawyer?

I read baby naming books, visited baby name web sites looking for a name that we could agree on. Every name I suggested was met with an are-you-kidding-me look.

My all-time favorite SNL skit with Nicholas Cage trying to decide on a baby name. The whole time Ruby was pregnant, we'd tell people his character's name was what we were going to call ours.

Now, my sister, who had two boys at the time, had the name Perry on reserve if she ever had a girl. Perry is the surname of our natural father who died when I was three, and she was just a baby. She thought it would be a cool way to honor him and it is.

She generously gave up her claim to the name and we happily took it. Luckily her third child was a boy so I didn’t have to feel any guilt.

I'm curious... why wouldn't she use the name if it was a boy?

My mother pointed out to me that my natural father’s last name was Benedict when he was born. His name changed to Perry when his mother remarried but I pointed out that Benedict would be a REALLY silly name for a girl.

No. She wouldn't get teased with a moniker like that.

Monkston has had some complaints about her name. She used to say she’d rather be Stephanie or Emma.

So how many times did you say "Told you so" to Mr. Squid?

And when the platypus came along and the kids started calling her “Perry the Platypus” she was really angry with our baby naming skills.

Did you get the dreaded, "Fail!"

But in the last year, she’s embraced the name and even likes that that platypus shares it! She bought a Perry the Platypus shirt for school and I was thrilled that she could now see the humor in it.

Smart kid you got there.

We’re going to stop and smell the cinnamon buns and popcorn.

Mmmm.... nothing like smelling that on Main St.

Cutie pa-tootie.

Too bad about the woman behind her who stepped in Pluto's doo doo.

I point out that she doesn’t have much room on her walls with all the Tiger Beat posters and kitten photos.

These things cycle. DD11 has a room full of Twilight... which is in the process of coming down for Hunger Games posters.

I see her lovingly caress a Dooney & Bourke bag and dash her dreams of luxury handbag carrying by showing her the price tag. She picks up the wallet.

I don’t think so Monkston.

That's what parents do. They tell their kids, "No" when it comes to expensive items.
And that's what kids do. Keep trying for an angle to get the parents to pay for the expensive items.

I do that a lot. Ask for directions. Neither Mr. Squid nor I have any sense of direction and we have found ourselves in many a pickle while traveling. We have most of our arguments in the car, fighting over who got us lost.

ah. But does Mr. Squid ask for directions?

Josh: This wandering around the Magic Kingdom aimlessly is really getting on my nerves. Where’s your touring plan? What are you doing? This is a Disney World vacation. You can’t just walk around relaxing.

So true. For some reason that reminds me of the Dr. Strangelove line, "Gentlemen! This is the war room! You can't fight in here!"

I made Sheena very nervous handing her the spreadsheets. In hindsight, I guess I did act like a crazy person, planning out every minute of our day, rearranging schedules after every change in park hours. Sheena doesn’t roll that way. She likes to stroll, take in the details.

Some people like to be organized, others....

When I was still single, my best friend and I decided to marathon drive down to Florida. I had all kinds of things planned out and organized.

When we got back, we didn't speak to each other for a month. Not because we fought but because we were so different in our methodologies... and we were sick of each other.

Now this is what I love about Disney. He says he thinks he can help us and then takes the time to lead us to the correct spot. And he does it with a smile! Like he lives for playing Sorcerer’s Apprentice with clueless blondes.

Always nice to get a good CM. After reading so many negative posts about them, you start getting the feeling that they're all bad.

Plus, you never know when that 'clueless blond' will turn out to be Cinderella.

I live in New Jersey. I’m not used to this kind of service. If this were in my town, he’d just point in the general direction or shrug his shoulders.

My personal fave is having to wait for the clerk to get off their personal cell phone.

This strikes me as a rather unusual hobby for a woman her age. I bet she has a closet full of beanie babies too.

Disney can do weird things to people. I'm sure there's others like her here on the DIS.

I STILL don’t understand Vinylmation.

Me too.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Okay, Jerry.

I waited a while myself, but this is a bit extreme. I wonder if he has grown children somewhere, possibly with kids of their own. Are these two happy accidents? Did he wait until 50 to get married for the first time? Maybe he was a Trekkie that spent his youth in his mother’s basement before hitting the dating scene. Maybe this is his second marriage and their mother is his former secretary.

Maybe I’m just reading too much into this.

Maybe not enough. He's actually only 26 but has an incurable disease which makes him age at an accelerated rate... which he caught while in prison for being a drug mule in Calcutta.

there is a woman playing the game, and her pre-school age son is sleeping on the floor. Not in a stroller, just flat out on the floor.

I get a kick out of how Disney can zonk out the little ones. But sleeping on the floor is a little odd, to say the least.

"Sorry, hun bun. Momma knows you're plum tuckered out. But Momma's gotta keep playing this here game, 'tills I get all the klewz."

I’m too chicken to tell her I don’t think this is a wise idea so I just silently worry and keep an eye out for any strollers heading his way.

I hate having to 'parent' for parents who don't or won't.

They all dutifully hand over their cards and I wonder if they think she works here. That she’s performing some sort of Sorcerer card quality assurance.

I think I read somewhere that if you hold a clipboard in your hand, you can get people to do just about anything.

“What do you want to do next Monko?”

I don't know about Monkster, but I wanna read another chapter! Thanks for this one!

 

[laura74]

That's the way I operate.

I guess we are alike!

I wonder if I could ever get to the point where I'm too tired to go to MK.

Me,"Okay, guys. I've been on my feet for 24 hours and I can't go another step. I'm going back to the hotel and crash."
Them,"Oh, all right. We're just going to go to MK."
Me,"I'm going too."

I guess I was feeling a bit arrogant with a brand new annual pass in my pocket. Magic Kingdom? Yawn. Maybe later.

We do the same thing. Elle's too old to hold her ol' man's hand. But Kay still does occasionally.

Aw.

Well, yeah. Actually. Or you could force her to swim with sharks or something...

What kind of parent would do that!?

Interesting that your fingers don't match. How many do you have on your left hand vs your right hand?

Six on the left, 4 on the right.

I don't think she'd want to be called Mr. Squid.

I could be wrong.

Caught me without a comma again, huh?

But can you think of a better name for a Paramedic or tax lawyer?

I'm not hiring any tax lawyers named Rhonda.

I'm curious... why wouldn't she use the name if it was a boy?

Too androgynous for a boy.

So how many times did you say "Told you so" to Mr. Squid?

Ponzi, I'm not the type!

Did you get the dreaded, "Fail!"

Not yet. I figure we'll get that in a couple years.

Too bad about the woman behind her who stepped in Pluto's doo doo.

She's doing the watusi, Ponzi.

These things cycle. DD11 has a room full of Twilight... which is in the process of coming down for Hunger Games posters.

I miss having control over the decor.

ah. But does Mr. Squid ask for directions?

Actually, you just reminded me that several times during our trip, I would be leading them somewhere in the park and he just assumed I had no idea where I was going and would ask someone for directions. I'd say I told you so if I were that type.

Always nice to get a good CM. After reading so many negative posts about them, you start getting the feeling that they're all bad.

There are lots of good ones. I guess I tend to concentrate on the bad sometimes because I think it's more amusing.

I think I read somewhere that if you hold a clipboard in your hand, you can get people to do just about anything.

What power! I'll have to borrow one of Monkston's!

I don't know about Monkster, but I wanna read another chapter! Thanks for this one!

Thanks Ponzi!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi Laura! Just to let you know I'm back online and actually updated!

 

[laura74]

Hi Tammie

I'll comment tomorrow. I'm on an iPad at the moment and it too hard to cut and paste. Looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[laura74]

Hmmmm....

I guess if none of my readers are going to comment and bump me to page one I'll have to do it myself.

Sigh.

 

[mmeb144]

Hmmmm....

I guess if none of my readers are going to comment and bump me to page one I'll have to do it myself.

Sigh.

Ooooorrrrrrr, you could post an update.

 

[pkondz]

What kind of parent would do that!?

Only the cruel and heartless ones.

 

[njtinkmom]

Great update now waiting not so patiently, I am from NJ you know, for the next one!

 

[bankr63]

Great update now waiting not so patiently, I am from NJ you know, for the next one!

Well exactly! You're closer than the rest of us; you go over and give her a nudge. Or do you mean..., oh!... hurry up Laura or you might be swimmin' wit da fishies...

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I just found your TR from Nebo's, and I love it! Thanks for posting this witty and entertaining tale of wonder!

Maria

 

[shan23877]

I love that Monkston is ten but still wants to hold hands. We give each other’s hand a little squeeze, hand hugs we call them.




(Record screech.)

Josh from easywdw.com: This is going to be the boringest Disney trip report ever!

Laura74: Boringest is not a word Josh and she wants to go shopping. Am I going to force my child to go on Splash Mountain just to put some zing in my report?

Josh: Have it your way but fast passes are only 3 hours out on Buzz.

Laura74: Do you have a real job?

Josh is a pain in the butt! He seriously needs to get a life. Go write your own TR Josh!

Monkston whispers to me that she wants to change into her new shirt and could we go to the restroom after this. I ask the cashier if he can cut the tags off her shirt so she can wear it and he tells us she can change in the little fitting room right next to us.

I love that the CMs always offer to take the tags off newly purchased merch. Makes all the difference when traveling with a stuffed animal hoarding 5 year old.


Here she is with her new shirt.

Cute!


I see her lovingly caress a Dooney & Bourke bag and dash her dreams of luxury handbag carrying by showing her the price tag. She picks up the wallet.

I don’t think so Monkston.

Could be worse. My 5 year old is obsessed with Micheal Kors. She saw a MK Iphone holder yesterday and suggested that we purchase not only the holder but the Iphone as well as a "special treat" for her.


I do that a lot. Ask for directions. Neither Mr. Squid nor I have any sense of direction and we have found ourselves in many a pickle while traveling. We have most of our arguments in the car, fighting over who got us lost.

Sounds familiar.

(Record screech)

Josh: Have you learned nothing from my web site? That’s www.easywdw.com for anyone interested.

Laura74: Stop advertising your site in my report!

Josh: This wandering around the Magic Kingdom aimlessly is really getting on my nerves. Where’s your touring plan? What are you doing? This is a Disney World vacation. You can’t just walk around relaxing.

Laura74: You know, you’re all full of bravado but I don’t notice you actually going on any of the rides. You just walk around taking pictures of wait boards and fastpass return times.

Seriously Josh just back off.


Now this is what I love about Disney. He says he thinks he can help us and then takes the time to lead us to the correct spot. And he does it with a smile! Like he lives for playing Sorcerer’s Apprentice with clueless blondes. I live in New Jersey. I’m not used to this kind of service. If this were in my town, he’d just point in the general direction or shrug his shoulders.

In the Midwest this is typical. We're helpful and friendly here too. Don't you smile at strangers passing by?

As we’re playing the game, a woman in her 60s (let’s call her Helga) gets behind us and asks to see our cards. She’s a pleasant looking woman, dressed more formally than most park goers, and wearing her hair in an old fashioned up do. She looks like a Citizen of Main Street, except for her outfit, which while dressy, is modern.

“Um, ok,” I say.

“I’m still missing a couple,” Helga says.

She then pulls out a large book with plastic sleeves filled with sorcerer cards.

This strikes me as a rather unusual hobby for a woman her age. I bet she has a closet full of beanie babies too.

“You don’t have any rare ones,” she says.

“Rare ones?”

Helga needs to go hang out with Josh. I'm annoyed with both of them. DH and I went to some baseball spring training games about 6 years ago. I brought along a few baseballs hoping to have my favorite players sign them (my basement is decorated with TONS of Cubs memorabilia). There were 3 or 4 old men loitering everyday with binders full of baseball cards and photos to be signed. They would elbow kids out of the way to get the autograph of a player who'd get sent back to Trip A never to be heard from again. Seriously Helga, Josh and old men with baseball card binders need to get a life. I think that I might send them to the island. (The island is where I send people that I really dislike-such as Alex Trebek and Bobby Knight. Tyra Banks is on the short list to go next, but she amuses me as much as she makes me crazy.)



Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I waited a while myself, but this is a bit extreme. I wonder if he has grown children somewhere, possibly with kids of their own. Are these two happy accidents? Did he wait until 50 to get married for the first time? Maybe he was a Trekkie that spent his youth in his mother’s basement before hitting the dating scene. Maybe this is his second marriage and their mother is his former secretary.

I often imagine scenarios for strangers.


I turn around and there’s Helga again. We must be on the same circuit. I watch as she strolls over to some other people in line, takes out her book and asks to see their cards. They all dutifully hand over their cards and I wonder if they think she works here. That she’s performing some sort of Sorcerer card quality assurance.



We stop at the next Sorcerer window, Helga not far behind us. Monkston is having a great time and I love watching her face look so earnest as she carefully holds her card up to the magic window to get her next clue. Her face lights up when the cartoon pops up, and she sees that she’s found the correct window.



After we’ve vanquished whoever it is we’re supposed to vanquish, we stop to watch the parade go by.

“What do you want to do next Monko?”

Great update!

Just a thought about keeping your TR on page one-- I think that it would help if you UPDATE!! I can only procrastinate unpacking my house for as long as I have important things to do on the computer. I'd appreciate some help here.