I Paid Someone $5 for a Catchy Trip Report Title, and This is All I Got-Updated 12/29

[glennbo123]

This conversation remind me of this movie

There are some shorts of it in youtube.com, but I didn't want to link to them because of some posts in the comments section.

I can honestly say that I've never heard of that movie!

 

[norybell]

Nory! I'm glad you've joined us!

You haven't posted on my TR before, have you? Otherwise, this could be embarrassing.

Thanks! I read the whole thing, too!

And I may have posted once before. Like yesterday or something. Unless it was just in my imagination. Which is always a possibility. Let's just pretend it never happened, ok?

 

[jordanyosh]

i heard there was talk of poop over here.

 

[winkers]

i heard there was talk of poop over here.

does it stink that bad?

 

[glennbo123]

Thanks! I read the whole thing, too!

And I may have posted once before. Like yesterday or something. Unless it was just in my imagination. Which is always a possibility. Let's just pretend it never happened, ok?

Yeah!

 

[glennbo123]

i heard there was talk of poop over here.

It seems to be everywhere (talk, that is)!

does it stink that bad?

No, but detecting it is one of Jordy's superpowers.

 

[Tribilín]

First, the annual passes being made of paper... now shrimp not being deveined (spelling?)... it is surprising how a simple conversation topic evolves (or degenerates) to unbelievable consequences

 

[glennbo123]

First, the annual passes being made of paper... now shrimp not being deveined (spelling?)... it is surprising how a simple conversation topic evolves (or degenerates) to unbelievable consequences

Sooner or later, everything gets covered.

 

[winkers]

First, the annual passes being made of paper... now shrimp not being deveined (spelling?)... it is surprising how a simple conversation topic evolves (or degenerates) to unbelievable consequences

Sooner or later, everything gets covered.

sorry.

I will try to remain somewhat mature in my next comments.

oh, who am I kidding. I don't think I'm capable of that.

 

[glennbo123]

sorry.

I will try to remain somewhat mature in my next comments.

oh, who am I kidding. I don't think I'm capable of that.

This thread would not be nearly as much fun without you around to liven it up!

 

[Tribilín]

sorry.

I will try to remain somewhat mature in my next comments.

oh, who am I kidding. I don't think I'm capable of that.

Don't think that would be a good idea, you will be the only one in the whole thread

Besides glennbo123 PROMISED keyboard protectors... not keyboard restrainers

 

[glennbo123]

Don't think that would be a good idea, you will be the only one in the whole thread

What about moi?

Besides glennbo123 PROMISED keyboard protectors... not keyboard restrainers

I think you promised for me.

 

[Tribilín]

What about moi? .

Says the guy who let the ice cream melt because he was busy dancing ... talk about reporter responsibilities

I think you promised for me.

Details details...

 

[glennbo123]

Congratulations on your Mousketeer status Tribilin!

 

[glennbo123]

We left the Polynesian and took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Tonight, July 3rd, would be an early showing of their special July 4th fireworks. We thought it’d be better to catch them tonight, than to try to see them on the fourth. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones who had that idea. When we reached Main Street we were greeted by this crowd.

It was pretty much wall-to-wall people. Of course, I heard it from James. “I told you we should have watched them from the beach! But you wouldn’t listen to me. I knew we should have stayed there!” What can I say, he was right.

I had wanted to get some good fireworks pictures, and I had even brought a tripod and a remote shutter release. But we couldn’t stay on Main Street, the tripod would have had to have been seven feet tall to get a clear view over all of those people. So, we worked our way down Main Street, and then turned toward Tomorrowland. Then we crossed the bridge from Tomorrowland toward the hub. Everywhere the roped-off viewing areas were filled with people. Cast members kept saying, “Keep moving, you can’t stay here. There’re plenty of viewing areas. Keep moving” The eye contact I got from people behind the ropes said, nonverbally, “Keep moving. Don’t you dare try to squeeze in here.” Plus, with five of us, it was going to be tough to find a spot of pavement with enough space for five.

Eventually we found a spot where we could apologetically squeeze in. We were to the right of the castle, and closer to it than I wanted to be, but that’s what you get when you arrive too late. I was able to claim a little section at the rope for my tripod and camera. I didn’t extend the legs, so the camera was real low, and pointed up toward the castle. The tripod was just for stability. I took a bunch of test shots in order to get the settings just right.

The fireworks started at 9:00, and they were fantastic. I think the rest of my family enjoyed them more than I did though, because I was busy taking pictures and checking how they were turning out. Here are a few of the pictures I took.

The fireworks ended, people started to leave, and the cast members removed the ropes. I was still putting my equipment away when a cast member came along and told me I needed to move along. Huh? This wasn’t on Main Street or the hub. This was to the right of the castle, up towards the teacup ride. No one was walking through here -- I wasn’t blocking anyone’s way. I kept working at my equipment, but I was afraid if another cast member came by and said that, I was going to lose it.

I realize this installment hasn’t been very light-hearted, but the minute we hit that crowd at Main Street, the stress level just went through the roof. I’ll try to lighten it up here by taking a little tangent. -- We have a family inside-joke that stems from something that happened a couple of months before we took this trip. Judy and I were working at a concession stand at a local minor league baseball game in order to earn money for the high school music boosters. I was working the cash register and a high school-aged boy came up and placed an order. While I was filling it, a high school girl who was working with us abandoned her register and came over to mine, apparently smitten with the boy. She hadn’t helped me with any of my other customers! She was half-leaning over the counter, with her elbows on the counter, and batted her eyes. I had always thought that that was just an expression, but I could feel the breeze! Then, not knowing how to make small talk with this boy, she noticed the Polo logo on his shirt and said, “Do you plaaaaay polo?”, with the word “play” all drawn out. (Imagine Bette Davis saying it.) It was all I could do not to burst out in laughter. Who knows anybody who plays polo?! The boy said, “Um, no. I’ve just got the shirt.”, and then he left. (But apparently he was impressed because he came back later and asked about the girl who had been working there! She had already left, so it was not meant to be for this Romeo and Juliet.) So anyway, I tell you that story because next to Lauren in the fireworks crowd was a cute boy (apparently) who she was trying to make conversation with. After everyone had left I asked her if she had asked him if he “plaaaaays polo”? She just said, “No Daaaad”.

The next thing we wanted to do was to see the Spectromagic parade, which we had never seen before. We’d learned our lesson from the fireworks, so we decided to go stake out our spot right now, even though the parade was scheduled for 10:30, more than an hour away. We found a good spot near the Hall of Presidents and staked our claim. The ropes were being set up as we got there, and I set up my camera and tripod right at the rope.

I don’t have too much to report about during our long wait. Just that a lot of people were confused as to how to get past the ropes to the concessions behind us, and the area next to us ended up being the thoroughfare for people going under the rope. You’d think Disney would come up with a way to allow people to get to the concessions and stores before a parade starts. It involves $$, after all!

Finally, the parade started. Here are some of my pictures.

A funny thing happened when the “Alice in Wonderland” characters went past. The Queen of Hearts came by, saw that I had a camera on a tripod (which was pointing down the street, not directly forward) and posed. I couldn’t take a picture because I’d mess up how I had it set up and everything if I moved it. I shrugged, and gestured at the tripod. She gave me a dismissive wave and walked on. She knew full well that I couldn’t take her picture!

The parade was enjoyable, and when it was over we left the park, saying goodbye to the Magic Kingdom, since we would be visiting other parks tomorrow, our last park day.

I took this last quick shot of Main Street as we left. It was still jumpin’ at about 11:15 pm.

In the next installment: July 4th at the Studios

Link to next installment

 

[norybell]

Wow, awesome Spectro pics!

 

[eandesmom]

Of course, I heard it from James. “I told you we should have watched them from the beach! But you wouldn’t listen to me. I knew we should have stayed there!” What can I say, he was right.

I think you got some great shots! I love this one especially, the fireworks looks like feathers....

James!

Of course you wouldn't have these shots from the beach!

I don't know that we'll ever see Spectro again. Getting my gang to wait an hour....

 

[dd50]

Great pics of the fireworks and parade. I went one time on 4th of July week and it was so crowded that you just got pushed along with the crowd the whole week and that was in the 1980's when it wasn't as packed as it is now.

 

[glennbo123]

Wow, awesome Spectro pics!

I think you got some great shots! I love this one especially, the fireworks looks like feathers....

Great pics of the fireworks and parade.

Thanks Nory, Cynthia, and dd50!

James!

Of course you wouldn't have these shots from the beach!

You're exactly right. I don't have a zoom lens (yet!), so fireworks pictures from the beach would have been kinda lame, probably. But it would have been a lot less stressful.

I don't know that we'll ever see Spectro again. Getting my gang to wait an hour....

Yeah, it was nice, but I probably don't need to see it again next trip.

I went one time on 4th of July week and it was so crowded that you just got pushed along with the crowd the whole week and that was in the 1980's when it wasn't as packed as it is now.

I think we did really well avoiding the biggest crowds the rest of the week, but this particular night we happened to be where everybody else was too. Crowds are not fun.

I was corresponding with a guy from work last week, business-related, while he was at Disney World. He wrote me, "The place is empty....you should be here." I replied, "Nah, I'd rather be there over July 4th when I can enjoy it with a million of my closest friends!"

 

[winkers]

Just thinking of the crowds that time of year makes me panic!

I love the story about the polo shirt!
It's always fun to watch teens flirting....and wonder if you looked just as stupid.