Jaime's Flower Power Trip! NEW 7/05 CH. 62: The "Really" End **COMPLETED**

[nebo]

Okey doke. You know, as I was looking for the beginning of the actual trip report, no, not the pre-trip, cuz I got tired of printing out the pre trip and taking the pages to bed and then looking at pictures of SHOES!
Anyway, as I was looking for the beginning, I came across a post from NewMichiganAmy, that said , "take it easy on the vicodins." So funny. WHere have I heard that phrase before?
Gimme a few days, Jaime, to catch up. You've got a lot of "payback" comming to you.

 

[makinorlando]

Now today had been a very hazy day – this cast member tells us his manager just told him it was wild fires in GEORGIA that was the cause of the haze!!! Holy cow!!!

The wildfire was BIG, and about 200 miles from Orlando. We suffered terribly for about two weeks due to smoke from the Valdosta. GA fire as well as the 200+ Florida fires. It was so bad the schools kept children in from recess and PE. Every morning I would wake up and feel like I was back in the 80s, after a night out in a smoke filled drinking establishment, or that I had been sitting around a camp fire all night. It was just YUCKY!

 

[oybolshoi]

I am extremely prolific, you are correct (that word was just thrown in there for Brenda).

Wow, thanks... a word toss just for me?

I wanted to come up with a really good response but I seem to be suffering from mind-mush this evening. I'll try to do better next time, alrighty?

And Rhonda (taker of 37 trips to Walt Disney World) replies,

"Yes, it’s too bad there’s not a Japan in the World Showcase."

That's classic! I am so going to remember that when I get to Epcot this weekend!

 

[RHONDALEE]

Bonitatime & Panotchr -

Puggymom - You only spent a few minutes with Jaime - try being with her for a whole YEAR- week, I mean week.......

Rhonda

 

[ArielSRL]

Rhonda...

You sounded like a Kindergarten teacher who only has 13 days left! I say wacky things all the time.

I'm loving you for that!

13 days? You poor thing...we only have 2 days left here in GA!

 

[tiggerbell]

CHAPTER 17: There’s No Love in THIS Elevator! – STILL SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2007


Over to the International Gateway we go – there’s a boat to MGM waiting at the dock. I speed up to catch it and Rhonda says, "I’ll walk and meet you there."

Fine. Ruth starts arguing with Rhonda that she shouldn’t walk. Apparently, Ruth wants to ride and thinks either we all ride or we all walk. Rhonda argues back that she’s walking. Sandy agrees she wants to walk.

Well, if you’re ever going from EPCOT to MGM, and you don’t have foot problems – WALK IT! They beat us there by a good 10 minutes, I think. The boat has to made stops at the Boardwalk, Beach/Yacht Club, and the Swan/Dolphin before it heads to MGM. It was about a ½ hour ride.

The plan at MGM is to head for Tower of Terror first. I have managed to psyche myself out, though, and really don’t want to ride it. Turns out, so did Sandy! But we talked and came to the decision that we’d both ridden it before and survived… so let’s go!

Except I manage to waylay us a while longer by insisting on going into the Villain shop. Rhonda and I get through the whole store and then go back to find Sandy and Ruth. They’re buying jellybeans.

So, on to Tower of Terror. Ruth asks about 3 times in line, "Is this the chicken exit?" I finally say, "Ruth, why would we trick you onto the ride?"
The bellman is counting people and placing them in their row assignments. Somehow, he miscounts and places 1 too many people in the back row where we are supposed to sit. I’m actually behind Sandy and Rhonda (for a change) and turn around and tell him (loudly) that he miscounted.

Without letting him speak at all, I say, "Sir, you have 1 too many people in the back row. Oh, you need someone to get off? OK. Guess that’s me!" and head towards the front of the elevator.

Before I get out (oh, blessed OUT!!!), at least 2 people in other rows pipe up with:

"Oh, there’s an extra seat here!"

I turn back into the elevator, and in my best Mama’s-taking-no-crap-in-the-grocery-store-clenched-teeth-voice say,

"Thanks a lot."

I end up sitting on the aisle in the front row, while Sandy and Rhonda are in the back row. I really wish we had bought the photo – because I am HOLDING UP THE CAR!!! Turns out, the aisle seat doesn’t have a handle to hold onto on the aisle – I groped around, but was too afraid to find gum instead, so I just grabbed the front of the car.

Rhonda was confused later when I told her there was no handle. When we got home and told this story to Meg – she heard I was on the aisle and gasped, "There’s no handles on the aisle!" HOW DID SHE KNOW AND RHONDA DIDN'T???

It also seemed to me that holding onto the CAR would be a lot more of an anchor than a handle…

WRONG!!!

I am not a little person. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Not to anyone (unless you’re a sumo wrestler, but I’m getting off track here).
I came out of that seat – even my feet came off the floor – at least 3 times!

The rest of the day, I would randomly, sarcastically mutter, "Oh, there’s an extra seat here!"

Now, for the good news – maybe it was because I was front and center, but I was able to see all the special effects inside the tower this time. I’m really night blind - I’ve never been able to see the 5 ghosts or what’s going on around you as you move forward into the drop shaft… It took all my willpower to not turn around and yell to Rhonda, "I can see them!!!"


COMING UP: CHAPTER 18: A Queen, a Communist, & a Floater, Oh My! [post=18801078]CLICK HERE[/POST]

 

[duncanssweetie]

Thanks for the laugh this morning. I got caught up while having my morning coffee. You and your sisters have inspired me to take a trip to WDW with MY sisters. The last trip we took together was to Cancun in 2000 and we consumed quite a few drinks with pretty umbrellas, so yes, that was a good trip. I'm betting that a day in the world showcase would be just as fun.

Have a great day !!!

Oh yah, did Rhonda ever get to use her line IN Japan?

 

[jcc0621]

I read the whole thing this am. GREAT TR. Sonds like you and your friends have alot of fun together. Can't wait for the next chapter

 

[tiggerbell]

I love the plum wine! I got it at F&W Fest this past year. Yummy ADULT treat!

I will try the slush in September…

We have all had moments like this where we put our foot in our mouth.

Are we back to defending Rhonda???

I didn't notice the roses showing signs of drought. Are you sure it wasn't the effect of that plum wine? I've heard that it can distort your vision cool1:

LOL! Pictures coming up… eventually…

~LMAO speechless~

I love your writing, you are honest and hilarious, and having your sidekicks here for rebuttals is totally cool! Like Nebo and Smidgy or MDF and LTPh cool...keep em comin lady, I got three more days of readin before I am off on a journey of my own

(I'll be checkin in on my blackberry-I'll even be posting live from Cali whenever I can)

LY girl MI!

~Tigger(bell)wannabe~

TWB - You have a great trip and keep your hands off MY pirate!!!

LY/MI 2

37 trips and she said WHAT??????????????

OMG Rhonda, I was with you on the ice cream but, well, I just don't know...

I am walking away from this one, far away.

LOL!!!

You are a brave woman drinking wine in that heat. I could barely get any down last Oct when we were at F&W Fest. One little glass and I instantly heat up!

Tracy - I was mega-hot!!! They all looked so comfortable and I was sweating bullets!

Rhonda

You sounded like a Kindergarten teacher who only has 13 days left! I say wacky things all the time.

I'm loving you for that!

Getting a little stir-crazy there, Kelly?

Okey doke. You know, as I was looking for the beginning of the actual trip report, no, not the pre-trip, cuz I got tired of printing out the pre trip and taking the pages to bed and then looking at pictures of SHOES!

Gimme a few days, Jaime, to catch up. You've got a lot of "payback" comming to you.

Steve -

Welcome back! And, FYI, I’m not done with the SHOE pictures just yet!

The wildfire was BIG, and about 200 miles from Orlando. We suffered terribly for about two weeks due to smoke from the Valdosta. GA fire as well as the 200+ Florida fires. It was so bad the schools kept children in from recess and PE. Every morning I would wake up and feel like I was back in the 80s, after a night out in a smoke filled drinking establishment, or that I had been sitting around a camp fire all night. It was just YUCKY!

Martha -

Holy cow! Well, I can imagine – I mean, if it affected Orlando, it had to be huge!

Wow, thanks... a word toss just for me?

I wanted to come up with a really good response but I seem to be suffering from mind-mush this evening. I'll try to do better next time, alrighty?

That's classic! I am so going to remember that when I get to Epcot this weekend!

Brenda- (that one was a good-bye wave!)

Have a great trip!

Puggymom - You only spent a few minutes with Jaime - try being with her for a whole YEAR- week, I mean week.......

Rhonda

Oh, shut up!

Thanks for the laugh this morning. I got caught up while having my morning coffee. You and your sisters have inspired me to take a trip to WDW with MY sisters. The last trip we took together was to Cancun in 2000 and we consumed quite a few drinks with pretty umbrellas, so yes, that was a good trip. I'm betting that a day in the world showcase would be just as fun.

Have a great day !!!

Oh yah, did Rhonda ever get to use her line IN Japan?

Brandi -

So, have you told your sisters yet they are going to Disney???

And, no, Rhonda never said her line in Japan, as far as I know.

 

[candee0512]

The wildfire is in the Okefenokee Swamp near Waycross, GA (around the GA/FLA line) although it may have spread further - I'm not really keeping close track of it. It's still burning as of today, May 22, and there is haze from the fire all the way up past where I live, near Atlanta. Sucks, huh?

I dearly love your trip reports!

Candee

 

[dddisrunner]

I remember waking up that morning and stepping out of our room at POP and thinking it looked like it was gonna rain then DH says "no it's wildfires I saw it on the news" No real world escape for him! Your pic. @ Epcot totally captured that! Too funny about TOT, Eric flipped out on it too! He screamed " you're only suppossed to bounce 2 times! meanwhile we "bounced more like 6 times" Great Updates Jaime! can't wait for more!

 

[Panotchr]

We had smoke and haze here last week from the fires in GA and FL. I live in NC. That is a LONG way!

I am stir crazy, Jaime! We do get to close on our house this Friday, though. Maybe that will help

 

[KathyRN137]

It took me a minute or two, but I finally got it...

Love in an Elevator by Aerosmith.

Why didn't you just tell everyone you were going to Walk this Way out the chicken exit!!

Kathy

 

[tiggerbell]

CHAPTER 18: A Queen, a Communist, & a Floater, Oh My! – STILL SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2007

We head back towards the middle of the park – I think we were headed to the Great Movie Ride? – but, I got sidetracked by the characters.

Look at Mary Poppins, all smug in her Mary Poppins-ness… sorry, but did you read in my last report what she did to me? Basically, at CRT breakfast, she told Meg and Ashley, who were poking me with the wands provided by the restaurant, that "sometimes adults need to be poked."

And, even now – 8 months later – that wand comes out once in a while and Meg pokes me. She even has the plastic panther I bought her at Brookfield Zoo over the winter hold the wand and have a turn poking me!

I used to like Mary Poppins. Used to.

So, I’m naming who I see as we walk, when – HOLY ROSARY, BATMAN!!! (Holy Rosary was a church we roofed a few years ago, and the phrase stuck!) - a real CELEBRITY CHARACTER!!!

This is so rare – this is so awesome! I turn to the group and announce, "I know I’m an adult, but I’m getting in this character line!"

Sandy and Ruth looked at me like I was nuts. Rhonda understood, but joined in the "you’re-a-nut look" for fun, I think.

It’s the Evil Queen.

I have never, ever seen her out before! There’s only a few people in line in front of me and I’m enjoying watching her interact with them – so imperial, so above it all, so EVIL!

The man in front of me has 2 little girls. The girls go up and get autographs while the man stays back at the head of the line. After she signs both books, the Evil Queen uses hand gestures to get the little girls into position for a picture. There’s no PhotoPass photographer and the man with the little girls shakes his head.

The Evil Queen says to him, "You don’t have a camera?" and the man shakes his head again. The Evil Queen shrugs and says, "Your loss." And dismisses the girls.

Now it’s my turn.

Jaime: "Your Majesty, it is such an honor."

Evil Queen: "I know."

I really wish I could have put it together faster in my head exactly which Evil Queen she was (there’s so many and I was so excited at seeing a rare character!), because Snow White was standing 15 feet away signing autographs. That would have been a lot of fun to point out.

We walked away from her and I went to check the picture on my camera. It flashed onto the screen and that’s when the battery died – not bad for a digital – I got almost 2 full days of Disney on 1 set of batteries. And of course I’m not carrying another set, so I have no more pictures of today!
But I think there’s a couple in Rhonda’s pictures…

Up next? We decide on the Great Movie Ride. My only complaint about this ride would have to be the unguessable wait. You can’t see the line until you are well into the building! You think you’re moving along great, and then BAMM! You hit a pole – I mean, you hit the sea of humanity in front of the big screen showing movie clips.

This was the first time in a very long time I did not have to stand through the whole clip roll. There was only 1 row you had to walk through, then you got on the ride! It really was the GREAT Movie Ride this time!

Up next? I suggest the Muppet Show 3-Dddddddddddddddddddddd……… we head past the ABC Commissary and point out Sci-Fi to Ruth and Sandy – "That’s where we’re having dinner."

We are stopped at the entrance to the Muppets – there’s 1 other family standing there and no cast member. How odd. So I tell Rhonda (who’s closer to it) to show Ruth and Sandy the key under the mat. The father of the family in front of us finally asks, "Is there something there?" and we show him the sign in the window and the key under the mat. He says, "Who knew?"

Well, guess who’s not a Dis’ser?

We enter and the pre-show movie is just starting. I love this movie so much, I don’t even care that I have to stand! (Ha, up Chuck! Good one! – Rat! Shmat! What do they know? They’re tourists!)

Fun, as always, and I find a dime on the floor! Doesn’t mean much to you, but I’m now 10 cents closer to the September trip! I never, ever spend change. It all goes in the Mickey jar for Disney trips. Over the course of the week, I find close to 50 cents and an Argentine Peso next to my bed at the hotel (I researched that when we got home and it’s Argentina’s dollar, but worth about 32 cents here right now – where do you exchange a single coin???).

OK, it’s not quite the Disney Dollar spitting treadmill from my dream, but I’m not passing up any change people want to give me! Rhonda likes to torture me in stores by paying in exact change all the time. I have figured out what 4 lunch items I need to buy at our local Target to get the total to $11.01. I have to ask for the 99 cents – they don’t want to give it to me! But if I have a dollar bill, I’ll spend it. 100 cents, I won’t.

What do you guys want to do now? (crickets chirping) Let’s check out the cool movie store behind the lame backlot tour. OK, now what? We walk up Mickey Avenue and I make Rhonda take a picture of the huge Pirates poster – I would like to blow that up to wall size and paper one of my living room walls with it!

Little Mermaid? We have to run to get straight into the show before the doors close – we’re in the 4th-ish row on the end. We never get wet – we’re under the rock overhang! I actually don’t think I’ve ever sat this close, either.

Quick pit stop for me after the show, I come out of the bathroom and we wait for Ruth to get off the phone with her boyfriend. It’s now time to mosey to dinner.

We had 3 options for dinner this night:

1. I really wanted to get Ruth to Whispering Canyon Café. She’s not a… well, she’s sure not like me. The last word to be used to describe me (right after very-good-at-marriage) is shy. That’s one of the first words to describe Ruth. But I couldn’t get an ADR at a decent time for WCC, so we would have had to get there at 5:00 when they opened and tried for a walk-in. Worked in September.

2. Back up plan to that was an ADR at Kona Café for 5:30. Same plan as September, got an ADR at Kona with no problem, in case WCC wasn’t taking walk-ins.

3. Sci-Fi at 7:30. Ruth and Sandy had never eaten here and it’s one of mine and Rhonda’s favorite spots.

We played it by ear and Sci-Fi it was! So we check in and are shown pictures of the 3 seating types – car (all facing the screen), car (facing each other) and picnic table. He tells us the car facing each other will probably come up first, but would we rather wait for a car facing the screen? I say yes, but Rhonda says no. I joke about having had to look at the all day. Then I let them decide, because I decided the rooms when we checked into the hotel. Rhonda asks if I could have a separate car from them. Nice.

They decide whatever comes up first is fine. We only wait a few minutes and then are led to a car (facing each other) in the back of the room, right in front of the big window to the kitchen (I mean, concession stand!)

Our waiter’s name was Michael – and I’ve never had a better carhop at Sci-Fi! I wish we had pictures of this meal. We are not using the dining plan for this meal. I went with the spinach and artichoke dip, a Marsha’s Martian (chocolate and vanilla shake with Kaluha and Bailey’s), and split an order of onion rings with Ruth. Ruth ordered the BLT Soup – no lettuce. Michael says Ruth is picky.

Sandy ordered the BLT Soup – no lettuce or bacon. So, basically, TOMATO SOUP! Michael looks at Sandy and says, "You want the BLT soup – but no bacon or lettuce. What are you? A communist???"

Rhonda orders the chicken Cesar salad. Michael wants to know if she wants her chicken "with or without feathers? With is faster." Rhonda also gets an Oreo Shake with Godiva liqueur. Lush.

I know Ruth and Sandy got other food, too, but I can’t remember what. At the end of the meal, Sandy says it’s on her. We all say she doesn’t have to do that. She insists. I capitulate. Rhonda and Ruth argue. I finally silence them with, "Sandy’s a nice person. She wants to do something nice. You be nice and let her. Watch – thank you, Sandy, for dinner. It was wonderful, and I really appreciate it."

They reluctantly let Sandy buy dinner. (Thanks again, Sandy!)

We head out of the park and straight onto an AKL bus before Fantasmic lets out. Back at the hotel, Rhonda and I make plans to change into out swimsuits and check out the pool and hot tub. First we have to change the camera batteries so we can take pictures of the dinos! Every night, Sandy and I came back to them sitting on our pillows.

Rhonda and I have 2 different swimming styles – I swim, she doesn’t. I float, she sinks. I go underwater, she never goes underwater. So, we wander into the zero-entry of the pool, water’s not too bad, we get used to it quickly… The sooner I’m IN the water the better because of my foot – cannot walk around on cement barefoot for long!

We paddle around and people watch and talk for about 45 minutes and now we’re getting cold. We have to figure out where the hot tub is without freezing to death (yes, a serious threat in Florida in May!)

So, I do what any normal person would think to do in this situation – I flag down a passing security guard. He points us towards the hot tub and then talks to us while we float around for at least 5 minutes. Really nice guy! He was from New Jersey… I wanna say "Mike".

There are 2 hot tubs at AKL. He pointed us to the one behind the slide (the other, we found out later, is behind the pool bar). We need to get our towels from a chair near the zero-entry area – kind of the opposite of where he points us. As we are walking to the hot tub, we pass him making his rounds and he laughs and tells us we took the long way around. We just say we needed our towels, and he tells us to follow the sounds of the kids in the hot tub.

That sounds bad. But it’s not – it’s 3 teenagers talking and 2 little boys with their parents. We get in and sit down and, because I float, my legs pop up immediately. I push them back down and notice the woman across from me looking. I remark, "I float." And she laughs.

Her husband turns, and I can see him say, "What?" and she nods in my direction and I see her explain what just happened. He glances at me and is obviously not impressed by my ability to always rise to the top!

I feel the need to point out that it is not because I am so fluffy that I float – even thin, I float. I don’t know why I am the only sister with this ability, but I am. Some might say I am filled with hot air – but then I wouldn’t talk to them anymore…

Anyway, about 10 minutes in the hot tub and we’re ready for the end of this day. We’ve got a really early morning planned! Except, Rhonda and Ruth show up at our door asking for directions – Ruth wants to wash a load of clothes… [crickets are back!]

We’ve been in Disney 34 hours. She broke her own record. I give them instructions and go to bed.


HIGHS: Michael at the Sci-Fi, Evil Queen, Soarin’ stampede, surviving ToT, Rhonda’s Japan comment

LOWS: Feet starting to bother me


COMING UP: CHAPTER 19: TINY WAFFLES AND A TATTOO [post=18814673]CLICK HERE[/POST]

 

[tiggerbell]

I read the whole thing this am. GREAT TR. Sonds like you and your friends have alot of fun together. Can't wait for the next chapter

jcc0621 -

Thanks for joining in! It was a great trip (I've been lucky enough to never have had a bad one!) I'm glad you're enjoying it!

 

[KathyRN137]

Jaime,

The one and only time that I've ever seen the Evil Queen out and about was in 2003 at the MK... she seems to be one of the rare ones! I love that she stays so in character!

What a great day!

Kathy

 

[PittypatBR]

Uh-oh, I was wondering about the feet! But I love the ToT - what is it I'm missing that you got to see?

 

[tiggerbell]

Uh-oh, I was wondering about the feet! But I love the ToT - what is it I'm missing that you got to see?

When they open the doors the first time, there are the ghosts of the 5 people that disappeared from the hotel in 1937. And on the way into the drop shaft, there's an eyeball and a window shattering - stuff from the movie in the library.

And I'd never been able to make any of it out before!

 

[ArielSRL]

So, I’m naming who I see as we walk, when – HOLY ROSARY, BATMAN!!! (Holy Rosary was a church we roofed a few years ago, and the phrase stuck!) - a real CELEBRITY CHARACTER!!!

This is so rare – this is so awesome! I turn to the group and announce, "I know I’m an adult, but I’m getting in this character line!"

Sandy and Ruth looked at me like I was nuts. Rhonda understood, but joined in the "you’re-a-nut look" for fun, I think.

It’s the Evil Queen.

I have never, ever seen her out before! There’s only a few people in line in front of me and I’m enjoying watching her interact with them – so imperial, so above it all, so EVIL!

Alot of the villians come out for the Halloween Party. I was there in the beginning of October this past year and around the time the party was ending and we were making our way to the front of the castle, WE SAW THEM! I love the villians. Malificent is my absolute FAVE! There was her, the Evil Queen, Cruella, and, gosh, quite a few others I cannot remember. The longest line was for Malificent, so I got in it. Unfortunately, it was so late - the party had ended - that I never made it to her. Her handler took her away with LOTS of people still left in line. But, again, it was late, so I understood. But I was really sad!

They may have been there earlier in the evening, b/c there was the evil villians show in front of the castle, but I wasn't there then so I couldn't say for sure.

 

[puggymom]

Oh, shut up!

What she said...