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

[ArielSRL]

ArielSRL -

We will be doing a MNSSHP in September, so I will get to meet more of them then - that should be fun!

I was supposed to make a trip in October for MNSSHP this year also, as well as F&W Fest and my birthday (Oct 29th) but my family wants to do the beach thing. So I will probably go in early December for the holiday decorations, MVMCP, and Mousefest.

 

[tiggerbell]

I was supposed to make a trip in October for MNSSHP this year also, as well as F&W Fest and my birthday (Oct 29th) but my family wants to do the beach thing. So I will probably go in early December for the holiday decorations, MVMCP, and Mousefest.

Ariel -

That's actually my favorite time of year to go - beginning of December. But the free dining sucks me in every time!

Love the wedding chapel pics!

So did Ruth like the Beverly????

Those pics of you and Figment are awesome!

BTW, has Rhonda found Japan yet?

Mo -
The real question is does Ruth like anything? Sorry, not supposed to be mean - it's a kinder, gentler report... aw, heck, who knows? Her face never changed! And I missed the shot of Sandy making a face!

Finally...another floater!!! I thought I was the only one with this odd ability!!! I can even float in the bathtub! Glad to see that I'm not that strange after all

ang38 -

It is so weird, isn't it? In high school, we had to do a lifesaving course and part of the test was to tread water for 5 minutes... big deal! I'll give you an hour!

Jaime,

I was so thrilled to see the pictures of the Wedding Chapel; never seen it before and I love seeing new things at WDW!! It just looked so perfect! Hmmmm, perhaps a Vow Renewal Ceremony will be in my future!

(yeah...if I win the lottery...)

Kathy

Kathy -
Sandy will pretend-marry you - she'll even pay for it!

Yeah, yeah, I'm still catching up. But Jaime, I can't believe you weren't just blown away when you checked into AKL. I know I was when we stayed there. I wouldn't leave the doorway. I think it was a security guy who finally grabbed me by the arm and led me to the check in. I realize I have a hard time seeing in the dark, and you too, but I can't figure out how people actually work there every day. However, like you, I learned to like it.
The night vision goggles aren't that much. You just end up looking like Rhonda. By the way, my favorite ride in AK is also Dinosaur. And trust me on this, you won't believe how much more you can see in there, when it gets dark out. That's why an Ak day is always an EMH day, the best way is to see it when it gets dark out.
Doin great Jaime, doin Berwyn proud

Steve -
Knowing how dark the lobby could be, I had memorized the map. I would have been able to make it from the front door to the check-in desk with a blindfold on!

I love the photos, it must have been great visiting.

bonitatime -
It was really cool to see inside the chapel - not something I have ever done before.

Nope we didn't ride on the monorail the whole trip! Thank goodness you had your shades on! Thankfully you didn't "focker" them either! I LOVE the pictures of the chapel! Thanks so much for posting them!

dddisrunner -
Oh, that might have resulting in security being called! This lady's making gang signs at my children!!!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - this sounds sooooooooo good - any pics? I LOVE regular Mickey waffles and had no idea O'Hana had a version. What are they like....Must put this on the list for next time...which I'm still begging to be Sept/October LOL!

Awesome cliffhanger. I've always wanted to see inside in person and can't wait for your next installment.

Tracy -

The only picture of the O'Hana's waffles is the picture of Sandy and Stitch - there's a pair of tongs in front of her as the waiter is putting some on her plate. Not a great picture of it!
Yeah, and that cliffhanger just wrote itself!

I am loving your TR! We were there 4/18-4/28. We went to the O'hana dinner and sat just a table or two down from where you were -- perfect for the MK fireworks! We also sat in the same vicinity for the O'hana breakfast during our last trip. The dinner wasn't great, but the ambiance and location cannot be beat.

We, too, saw the Evil Queen at MGM (same CM/actress). Her line had closed, but I was able to snap a quick photo of her alone. I am amazed at her ability to stay in character. She did not even crack a smile -- even for an extended amount of time.... so, yes, I did say "actress". Alice in Wonderland was another one that was exceptionally good at staying in character.

Can't wait to read more of your trip! Lucky, lucky you to be able to go back so frequently!!

Maddie -

I agree that breakfast at O'Hana's is better than the dinner.

Thanks for reading!

We saw the evil queen too! The boys never would have taken a picture with her, but Bryan would have made a comment to me such as "take a picture with your twin" or something equally sarcastic Glad to hear a good revue of O'hana the boys love Stitch and would like to try this on our next trip!

dddisrunner (again) -
I almost put under the picture of the 2 of us "She's on the RIGHT." but I figure, why ask for snide remarks???

I think it's so cool the number of different characters Disney puts out! Like I said, we've never seen her before!

 

[princessjv]

TigB-
Wow...up close and personal pictures of the wedding areas. Makes me want to go and hitch myself again...to the same man Maybe we can renew our vows on an anniversary...just maybe.

p.s. loved the mock pose...loved it!

 

[KathyRN137]

Let’s take Ruth and Sandy into Ice Cool Station! Try the Beverly!

RUTH BEFORE SIPPING BEVERLY:

Wait a minute..... isn't that Sandy in the background making a "Beverly" face??

Kathy

 

[ang38]

I can do 2 hours on my back!! While that doesn't sound quite right you know what I mean. I think it's amazing to be able to float anywhere~~must be special people to do that
By the way...love your reports. It's just what I need to hold me over till Nov.
Keep them coming~~~

 

[tiggerbell]

I can do 2 hours on my back!! While that doesn't sound quite right you know what I mean.

 

[tiggerbell]

CHAPTER 22: I Get "Goosed" in France – Still DAY 3: Monday, April 30th, 2007


Let’s head out to the World Showcase, but we’ll start in Canada this time. First a bunch of topiaries to look at…

We stopped and saw the movie in France too – I promised to try to stay awake… and I did! (Again, it’s not a reflection on France or their movie – I’m usually asleep in here before the lights go down and the movie starts!)

I had read a trip report recently where the poster was telling about a girl who works this movie doing the announcement about no photography during the show. She then said, "But you can take pictures of me. Go ahead. I’ll wait." And then waited until someone took her picture.

We had a guy doing the announcement and he did the same gag, "You can take a picture of me if you want. What? No one? Why not?" then smiled and kept up the script.

I make sure we hit the Perfume Garden in France – with a Gray Goose Lemon Citron Slush in hand for me and a Grand Marnier Slush for Sandy (you go, girl!). Well, Sandy’s such a little bit of a thing, I ended up finishing almost half her drink… poor me! Rhonda and Ruth grabbed snacks at the bakery in France while we were there.

At this point, Ruth and I butted heads just a little bit. Most of the tables are filled outside of the bakery. There are some random chairs sitting in the shade and 1 lone table sitting in the sun. It’s, I don’t know, 700 degrees out? Ruth tells me to grab that table while they go in. Uh, no. I know how long the bakery line is – I’m not sitting outside in the sun for 5 minutes while she gets a pudding.

She then tells me to move the table. Can I say, "Bite me" on the Disboards? And I sit on a chair in the shade, next to a nice group of adults and proceed to tell them where I’d move the table, if I moved it at all! They were laughing with me, I’m sure.

By the time they got out, a table had opened up around the corner in the shade. I didn’t want to leave my new friends. And, had I been thinking clearly (stupid French drinks!), there’s a bunch of tables inside the store!
We head towards Morocco – I wanted to check out the spice garden that was supposed to be there. I couldn’t find it and I was getting hot and cranky, so I didn’t ask.

We spend a lot of time just wandering through stores – we were in the Japanese store forever, but Rhonda never told anyone konnichiwa.
She did have us stop and watch the Japanese drummers perform – it’s one of her favorite shows, you know. It’s too bad there isn’t a Japan in EPCOT…


COMING UP: CHAPTER 23: The Flower Power Trip Gets Its Name [post=18878667]CLICK HERE[/POST]

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Hello from san Francisco!

I am all caught up on your trippie, finally. I went over to the main tr forum looking for nebo's new report, has he posted anything yet? Could you possibly be a doll, if he doesn't PM the link to us could you PM the link to me so I can get to it?

It is very hard to go from page to page from my phone and I am really looking forward to their newest adventure.

Fabulous writing as usual my friend!

You and I really need to find a way to get together sometime

I saw jack on Thursday night! Handsome as ever! We are planning on seeing him again tonight (at the movie theater) and then of course again when we get to disneyland. I will tell him hello for you

Kathy, I totally had the same idea, including the need to hit the lottery to have our renewals done

Keep em coming, I will be back for more!

 

[nebo]

Yup, you got me. More pics of shoes. Unfortunately, this time I have to agree with you on your SHOE pics. My wife has often pointed out strange women with strange shoes , that they just wobble in, walking around the parks. By the way, great photos of Figment, who's the one in the purple, anyway? And you didn't say if you actually rode the ride. Just sayin.
Jaime, those are great pictures, guess I need a new camera, we lost almost half of ours somehow in developing.

One little Spark,,,,,,,,

 

[tiggerbell]

Yup, you got me. More pics of shoes. Unfortunately, this time I have to agree with you on your SHOE pics. My wife has often pointed out strange women with strange shoes , that they just wobble in, walking around the parks. By the way, great photos of Figment, who's the one in the purple, anyway? And you didn't say if you actually rode the ride. Just sayin.
Jaime, those are great pictures, guess I need a new camera, we lost almost half of ours somehow in developing.

One little Spark,,,,,,,,

Hello from san Francisco!

I am all caught up on your trippie, finally. I went over to the main tr forum looking for nebo's new report, has he posted anything yet? Could you possibly be a doll, if he doesn't PM the link to us could you PM the link to me so I can get to it?

It is very hard to go from page to page from my phone and I am really looking forward to their newest adventure.

Fabulous writing as usual my friend!

You and I really need to find a way to get together sometime

I saw jack on Thursday night! Handsome as ever! We are planning on seeing him again tonight (at the movie theater) and then of course again when we get to disneyland. I will tell him hello for you

Kathy, I totally had the same idea, including the need to hit the lottery to have our renewals done

Keep em coming, I will be back for more!

Yea - 2 of my favorite internet people!!!

nebo -

I believe there are only 3 more pictures of shoes in the entire report... and 1 of a stranger's butt.

I cannot take credit for all the pictures. 550 are mine... 175 are Rhonda's. The Figment shots were on Rhonda's camera. (I know - after 16 trips, I don't know how I found 550 things to take pictures of either!)

Yes, we rode Journey. We always do. That building is so tied into my growing up years, just like Spaceship Earth and the chocolate mousse in France and the World Showcase Players in England... plus you get to sit for 10 minutes!

Colleen -

PM sent as soon as I saw the new nebo report was up!

Reading trip reports on a Blackberry - that's dedication, sister!

Meg saw PotC3 Thursday at 8pm (I believe Rhonda went with her) and again with her friends Friday night. I cannot do opening weekend crowds at the theater (can you say, "Can't breathe... need air.... ), so I will wait until next Tuesday night (now this coming Tuesday, but the next). I am sure she won't let me go alone!

 

[MeMom]

Just wanted to say I've been enjoying the fun ride you been taking us on! I called my daughter and told her to be sure not to miss the Flower Power trip, because it's a good one. It just makes us all that much more excited for our own trip coming soon, but not soon enough. It could be 57 days, 13 hours, and 18 minutes away...if I was counting. Until then, we enjoy sharing in everyone else's trips, so thanks for the pictures and the laughs.

 

[tiggerbell]

MeMom -

57 days, 13 days and 18 hours... if you were counting...

It'll be here before you know it! The last few weeks always fly for me for some reason! Probably because I'm still working on figuring out how I'm going to pay for it!

Sounds like a great trrip you have planned - will we get a trip report?

 

[ArielSRL]

Ariel -

That's actually my favorite time of year to go - beginning of December. But the free dining sucks me in every time!

I have been both times of the year and I tend to lean more towards October, probably b /c my birthday is the 29th so I was ALMOST a Halloween baby.

Anyway, I did the free dining this past year, but since I plan to get an AP this year and take advantage of the discounts, I won't be doing free dining (cuz you have to pay rack rate). I think it is an awesome deal, but b/c I usually do short trips (I'm a teacher so I can only sneak off for a couple of days during the school year ) I would prefer to spend more time playing in the parks than sitting and eating. However, with the AP, I will purchase the DDE card which gives 20% off at most of the CS & TS restaurants (including alcohol!!).

I had actually planned to go in both Oct & Dec (for long weekend trips) and then a week or so long trip in May/June (when school lets out here in GA), but I am just starting a new job this school year and am not sure how much time I can sneak away for, especially if I have to take a couple of days for this beach trip. Don't get me wrong, I the beach, so that will be nice, but it just messes with my plans. We may do the beach trip in Sept, which means I MAY actually be able to keep all my WDW plans intact, but I am not sure. If I don't get there in Oct this year, I will definitely do Oct 08 (with my AP).

 

[ArielSRL]

I cannot do opening weekend crowds at the theater (can you say, "Can't breathe... need air.... ), so I will wait until next Tuesday night (now this coming Tuesday, but the next). I am sure she won't let me go alone!

I'm glad I am not the only one. I gotta have my space (which usually means at least one seat on each side of me or my group, but sometimes I like the whole row...hehe)! That maybe sounds mean, but it really is the claustrophobia thing. I always have to have a clear exit path anywhere, or I'm toast.

 

[tiggerbell]

I'm glad I am not the only one. I gotta have my space (which usually means at least one seat on each side of me or my group, but sometimes I like the whole row...hehe)! That maybe sounds mean, but it really is the claustrophobia thing. I always have to have a clear exit path anywhere, or I'm toast.

Sadly, it's not just space with me - although that is a factor, I am claustrophobic. But I also have a personal issue - I have really good hearing and the normal sounds of a theater crowd - coughing, wrappers crinkling, whispering - is so amplified to me, I find it really distracting. ADD? I don't know. I just really like to get wrapped up in a movie and I can't do that when I'm listening to the kid 2 rows behind me telling mommy he needs to go to the bathroom again! Or, for that matter, Meg sitting next to me commenting on every scene!

And she does. Comment. Constantly.

 

[RHONDALEE]

Good morning all

It must just be you Jaime, cuz Meg wasn't commenting to me during the POTC movie the other nite.

Rhonda

 

[ang38]

Oh my!! Besides floating~~someone else has that uncanny hearing??!! It drives me crazy! Even a simple meal with my hubby drives me nuts if I can hear him chewing and swallowing! But give me a crying kid or a talking adult and that's ALL I can hear. So glad to know I am not alone~~again:

 

[nebo]

Allrighty now. I know that I'm not perfect. Close, but not perfect. Well, maybe not that close. But not perfect. Ok, ok, I'm far fromm perfecttt. There you happy? Anyway, either YOU or I am suffering from aphasia. Or evenn worse, Alzheimers.
Probably me. But this is what my brain remembers;


Paraphrasing:
Quote: Jaime: "We went to Test Track and got fast passes. Rhonda went on Mission Space, the non spinning version. We got Mickey Bars. Then, because the fast passes weren't up yet, we went into World Showcase.

To shorten this,,,,,,,through World Showcase you went, then, on too MGM.

Whatever happened to the Test Track fastpasses? Did you ride it?
Or do they accept it on the ferry to MGM? Like I said, I'm going to be the bane or your existence this time.

Geesh, I hope I'm right, otherwise I'm dead meat

 

[tiggerbell]

Nebo - Nice catch.

The answer to your Test Track Fast Pass question will come on DAY 4.

 

[tiggerbell]

CHAPTER 23: The Flower Power Trip Gets Its Name – Still DAY 3: Monday, April 30th, 2007

What with this and that, it was almost time for the first Flower Power concert of the evening – wow, that day went quick! Tonight Peter & Gordon are performing. It’s not on our schedule (we are scheduled for Petula Clark on Friday), but it does take place while you sit on a bench, so I’m feeling generous.

I suggest it. Rhonda agrees.

And we watch what I affectionately refer to as "Peter & Gordon’s Grandfathers".

Let me start with this – they were very good. They were very funny. Also funny was, after they came out, the man sitting next to Rhonda leaned over to her and said, "Well, I’m glad we aged better than they did!"

Now I know exactly 1 P&G song "World without Love" – Rhonda knows a lot more. So did Sandy who was on my other side. They are both singing and chair-dancing their little hearts out. Ruth was on the aisle on the other side of Sandy. I don’t think she was enjoying herself – I know at one point she left, I can only assume to go to the bathroom… or call home.

I enjoyed the sitting, the music, and being one of the youngest people in the crowd (I don’t get to do that too often anymore!). You could tell a person’s age by whether or not they were chair-dancing and singing along. Anyone over the age of 55 was doing so.

How about a little Peter and Gordon info from Wikipedia:

***Peter & Gordon were a British Invasion-era performing duo, formed by Peter Asher and Gordon Waller, that rocketed to fame in 1964 with "A World Without Love". Peter Asher's sister (the actress Jane Asher) was dating Paul McCartney (of The Beatles), and so Peter & Gordon recorded several songs written by McCartney, with or without John Lennon. Those hits included "Nobody I Know", "I Don't Want To See You Again" and "Woman". The writing credit for "Woman" is given to "Bernard Webb," which was in fact an alias for Paul McCartney. McCartney used the pseudonym to see if he could have a hit song even without his famous name attached to it. The song reached number 14 in the US and number 28 on the British charts. Other hits for the group included "I Go To Pieces", which was written by Del Shannon and given to the duo after the two acts toured together, and remakes of "True Love Ways" by Buddy Holly and "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by the Teddy Bears, retitled "To Know You Is To Love You." Peter & Gordon had their last hits in 1967 with "Lady Godiva" "Knight in Rusty Armour" and "Sunday for Tea".***

So, I’m sitting next to Rhonda before the show and I’m trying to figure out where in musical history these guys belong. I know they were part of the British Invasion, but just how big were they?

So I’m trying to come up with a comparison that we can both relate to… well, the 80s are out… Rhonda knows nothing more about my era than I do about hers. (The comparison would have been "If the Beatles were like Duran Duran, then P&G would be like Howard Jones?")

I went with "If the Beatles were like N*SYNC, then P&G would be like a lesser-known boy-band, like 98 Degrees or Savage Garden?" She agreed, but I’m not 100% sure Rhonda knows who 98 Degrees or Savage Garden are… I could have probably used my Howard Jones comparison!

I pay attention to the whole show and am still trying to figure out their place in musical history – not as big as Paul Revere and the Raiders, right? Not as big as Herman’s Hermit’s, right? Bigger than Lulu? And the lyrics to a couple of their songs seem really, really tame – even for the era…

Sunday for tea
I'll see you Sunday for tea
And though it's not far away
Each hour's a day to me
Lettuce and ham
Or maybe crumpets and jam
Oh baby it'll be fun
Havin' a Sunday tea


AND THIS WAS THEIR RACY SONG…

Seventeen, a beauty queen
She made a ride that caused a scene
In the town
Her long blonde hair
Hangin' down around her knees
All the cats who dig striptease
Prayin' for a little breeze
Her long blonde hair
Falling down across her arms
Hiding all the lady's charms
Lady Godiva.

So, the show is over, and we end up between America and Italy on a bench by the water trying to decide what to do next. We don’t have enough time to wander too far before dinner at 7:30 (it’s got to be close to 6:30 at this point). Rhonda decides she wants to go back and take a picture of the Peter and Gordon poster. Sandy and Ruth go with her while I wait on a lovely bench.

Sandy and Ruth come back alone.

Rhonda is buying a Paul Revere & the Raiders CD at a cart in America… has she never heard of Amazon.com???

Rhonda comes back and starts ranting about "Bad Show" by one of the cast members. She thinks "the towel on his head looks terrible… I understand it was hot before, but the sun’s going down and it’s cooling off, and that’s not something the guests should have to look at… I can’t believe no one’s come by and told him to take that towel off his head…", so of course, I took a picture.

No sooner did I take that picture than SHE walked by… I would love to know what she was dressed for, because I cannot even begin to fathom it! So of course I took a picture!

Now I left them on the bench and took a trip back to the America bathroom… when I got back, I noticed a lot of Baby Boomers I saw at the show sitting around enjoying the day, and I thought it would be fun to ask my next question loudly.

So about 20 feet from Rhonda, I start talking… loudly… "So, let me get this straight… were these guys "sex symbols"?" Yes. "Seriously? Because based on the lyrics to a couple of their songs, they were pretty dorky." Nope.

You people were weird. I get the Beatles. I get the Rolling Stones. But these guys??? Eh, whatever floats your boat.

It’s finally time to check in for dinner. Our last time at Alfredo’s…


COMING UP: CHAPTER 24: Yadda, Yadda, Yadda… [post=18894177]CLICK HERE[/POST]