Diva & 27th Anniv Trip w/1500+ Pics, Photopass starts #765!!

[DizNee Luver]

Loving it so far, Laurie! It's fun to see the things you did on Thursday when I wasn't there.

Question for you: I am having the darndest time remembering who else was on Thunder with you when I got there on Friday. So who we were at Pioneer Mercantile with and watched the Enchanted Tiki Romm with. It's driving me bonkers. I should have beent aking more group photos. I learned my lesson for next year.

Thanx Jessica!!

It was Michelle & I, Tracey & Carrie!!

 

[Belle Ella]

Hehe, thank you! I was driving myself batty!

I'm sad I missed the Rancho lunch. I love Rancho, lol.

Is it just me or does anyone else hate that bit "Let the Memories Begin" thing in the middle of the esplanade?

 

[kaoden39]

Oh those beans do look watered down.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I headed back over to the Carousel Inn to meet Michelle who would be there around 3pm......I needed to get checked in so I could go help with the set up for the Meet-n-Greet.

Michelle got there & we went to check in, but for some reason (we discovered why later in the weekend), Michelle's card wouldn't run......so I ended up putting the room on my card. This ended up being an added stressor for me, as in the past, I have had motels put large holds on my card that didn't get released until after I returned home. I couldn't afford for this to happen this time since I was staying 4 more days after the Girls Trip ended. I got a hold of my bank the next morning & then spoke with Damien (who was our contact for the Meet-n-Greet & is also the assistant general mgr) about my concerns. We decided to just run my card now (not just authorize it, as they did the day before) & hopefully by the time I check out on Monday....I'll know whether or not it ran under the original authorization & not 2 separate transactions. I know, I know......probably way more than you cared about....but needed to emphasize my "hermit" like behavior this weekend. Everything worked out fine.......the transaction never did clear until the day we were coming home....but thankfully it worked exactly the way it was supposed to! Kuddo's to the Carousel for actually charging to the authorization they run......not all places do that....I know from experience!!

Ok, enough of the boring stuff......let's move on to something a little more exciting..........how about a Meet-n-Greet Luau Party!!!!

Michelle & I got up to our room & I loaded the luggage cart with all the stuff I needed to take up for the party : Snack Bags, Name Tags, a few containers to use for the snacks, picture frame, & a few other odds & ends and made our way up to the 5th floor & the room they use for breakfasts. It was a very nice sized room with big windows all around the rounded out front. Great view of the park.....would have been cool to see the fireworks that night, but alas, they were not running.

So here's some of the decorations that the committee put up. (Capri, Wendy, Tammy, Katie) I thought it looked quite festive!!!

Here's the buffet.......Quizno sandwiches, chips, vegies, fruit, etc.:

Here's the famous Jello shots!!

And now we're ready to greet our guests with a lei & their name tags!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Hehe, thank you! I was driving myself batty!

I'm sad I missed the Rancho lunch. I love Rancho, lol.

Is it just me or does anyone else hate that bit "Let the Memories Begin" thing in the middle of the esplanade?

I'm sorry......lol (that you love Rancho)

That sign does look like it was just shoved out there to draw your eyes away from the mess at the entrance to DCA. I do love the retro look to it.....but it does seem a bit out of place.

I did see the end of a wedding there on Thursday before we left......lol I guess it's cheaper to do it there, then inside the parks!!

Oh those beans do look watered down.

They're icky.......

 

[Belle Ella]

Haha, I don't love everything at Rancho. It's mostly just the atmosphere of the place. It comes in second for me, only behind Blue Bayou which is in a whole different category, period.

Aw, next year I absolutely 100% MUST be there for the meet & greet!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Haha, I don't love everything at Rancho. It's mostly just the atmosphere of the place. It comes in second for me, only behind Blue Bayou which is in a whole different category, period.

Aw, next year I absolutely 100% MUST be there for the meet & greet!

I agree....a WHOLE different category......lol

The M & G was fun!!

 

[Belle Ella]

I think I'm biased because I had a bird for a companion one day when I sat next to the bird bath. I love grabbing that table and bird watching. The mexican food at the place next to my house is loads better, but I liked the chicken tortilla soup.

 

[kaoden39]

Very cute decorations.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I think I'm biased because I had a bird for a companion one day when I sat next to the bird bath. I love grabbing that table and bird watching. The mexican food at the place next to my house is loads better, but I liked the chicken tortilla soup.

I'm very spoiled.....Mike is an excellent cook & makes the best mexican food!!

Very cute decorations.

The girls did a great job!!

 

[kaoden39]

I'm very spoiled.....Mike is an excellent cook & makes the best mexican food!!




The girls did a great job!!

I love the little flip flops. I would have been stressing over the card thing too.

 

[DizNee Luver]

So let the party begin!!

Time for some yummy food!!

The picture frame exchange packages......so pretty!!

The finalized snack table.....see anything there you like?? Lots of choices from gum to jerky, candy to granola bars, fruit to rice krispy bars.......delicious!

 

[DizNee Luver]

I love the little flip flops. I would have been stressing over the card thing too.

They were keychains....very cute!

I always stress about finances..........but it all worked out....thankfully!

 

[kaoden39]

Wow my blood sugar went up just looking at all that.

 

[kaoden39]

They were keychains....very cute!

I always stress about finances..........but it all worked out....thankfully!

I stressed over the room charges too. We were sharing room costs too and I was afraid I was going to run out of money. I ended up bringing money home. I stressed over nothing but wow.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Wow my blood sugar went up just looking at all that.

 

[DizNee Luver]

A little more mingling before we did an icebreaker game. Capri gave everyone a line or two from a well known song & you had to find the other people that had the same song. First group to sing their song.......wins! I had "The Love Boat" but never did find anyone else with my song.......that was ok, since I was busy taking photos.

The winning team was Cheryl, Lisa, Jodi & Melody.......I believe their song was It's a Small World!!

The next activity was hitting the snack table......woo hoo!!

 

[TheColtonsMom]

WOW that's alot of snacks! did you guys actually eat all that? Extra points to whomever brought the bananas and oranges so you all ate something healthy! I did see my mom's favorite in there, marshmallow peeps who invited baby chickens to a luau?

 

[DizNee Luver]

Getting ready to hit the snack table!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

WOW that's alot of snacks! did you guys actually eat all that? Extra points to whomever brought the bananas and oranges so you all ate something healthy! I did see my mom's favorite in there, marshmallow peeps who invited baby chickens to a luau?

Remember the bags I made.....posted pics earlier of them in the report......people picked their stuff to put in the bags & take home with them......I heard of a number of them state they were going to take them home to their kids. Michelle brought the fresh fruit.....which I thought would make a nice addition......a healthy snack back at the motel rooms.

You know, only one baby chicken peep got grabbed........all the others remained at the end of the party.