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

[smidgy]

sorry I haven't posted earlier. the computer(or the web site) doesn't like third shift people. I can't wait to hear more about KTTK tour, and glad to hear they have head phones.
and... nebo.. share his vics? are you nuts?..
BTW, your Jack reminds me of "Mr. Bill" "oh, no, he's going to be mean to me!" on the early "sat. night live" show. (you might be too young to remember that)
sorry we'll miss you.. AGAIN!.. this sept. trip.

 

[tiggerbell]

sorry I haven't posted earlier. the computer(or the web site) doesn't like third shift people. I can't wait to hear more about KTTK tour, and glad to hear they have head phones.
and... nebo.. share his vics? are you nuts?..
BTW, your Jack reminds me of "Mr. Bill" "oh, no, he's going to be mean to me!" on the early "sat. night live" show. (you might be too young to remember that)
sorry we'll miss you.. AGAIN!.. this sept. trip.

Diane -
Glad you're still hanging around here! Yeah, I don't share myt Vics either!

Sadly, I do remember Mr. Bill...

And I know it's not personal that you and nebo won't vacation at the same time as Rhonda and me... Just like I can't take what happened at work yesterday personal:

There are 3 of us girls in the office - Cathy, Lucy, and I. Lucy is the receptionist and answers most of the calls. Cathy is the assistant office manager and does billing. I am the bookkeeper because I've always wanted a job with 3 sets of double letters.

Lucy was at lunch when the phonbe rang and it was our boss, Rich, calling.

JAIME: Raincoat Roofing.
RICH: Is there anyone there besides you?
JAIME: Uh, yeah, Cathy's here.
RICH: Let me talk to her.
JAIME: Well, that hurts a little bit...
RICH:

When Rich came back into the office a while later, Cathy told him, "Look out! She's mad at you." He looked at me.

JAIME: Did you know that was me on the phone before or did you think you were talking to Lucy?
RICH: I knew it was you.
JAIME: Well, that really hurts!
RICH: I had a question and only Cathy or Lucy would know the answer!
JAIME: How do you know that? You never even gave me a chance!

10 minutes late, he called out:

RICH: Jaime?
JAIME: Sure, NOW you want me... too bad - ask your precious Lucy or Cathy!
RICH:

 

[tiggerbell]

CHAPTER 48: Keys to the Kingdom, Part II– Still DAY 7: FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007

Rae tells us a few stories about Walt and Roy and about an artist named Blaine Gibson. Among a lot of other works, Blaine is the sculptor of the Partners (Walt and Mickey) and Sharing the Magic (Roy and Minnie). Did you know the Walt and Mickey statues are life sized? That’s the real size of Walt and the real size of Mickey.

How did they know how tall Mickey was? Well, let me tell you! Remember in Fantasia, when Mickey shakes hands with the conductor, Leopold Stowkowski? (Yes, I had to look his name up) Well, they know how tall he was, so they were able to figure out how tall Mickey was! Cool, huh?

Rae also told us a little about the headsets, too – like how they worked and that she’d turn them off during our scheduled "biological breaks". Also how they pick up all kinds of stuff around her. She’s wearing the mike, we’re wearing the headphones. As we start to head towards the Partners statue, Rae passes a screaming child. A couple of us comment to our neighbors and through the earpieces we hear:

"I told you so."

Hearing the background noises while we walked along was really cool though. All the conversations and background noises and atmosphere music was playing in your ear as you walked down the street. Wish it was always like that. Well, maybe not during the screaming kid part.

A few more facts at the end of Main Street and we head off to Adventureland – following the floating Mickey head! Once there, we get to sit at tables behind the Dole Whip stand (Aloha Isle) for a history of Walt. Basically the same stories we’ve all heard – about Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and the beginning of Mickey and the inspiration for Disneyland.

Time for a biological break! Head sets off! A few minutes later, we are all straggling together – headsets back on – and Rae is chatting and doing head counts. 14, 15, 16… chat, chat, chat… 14, 15, 16… chat, chat, chat… Rhonda, Sandy, and I all realize who’s missing…

And the next time Rae counts 14, 15, 16… we tell her we know who’s missing, we’ll let her know when they show up. Then I lean in to her and say, "We’ve been waiting on her all week."

RIGHT INTO RAE’S MICROPHONE.

I hear myself talking in my ear!!! I could only hope Ruth had not turned her earpiece back on yet. I watch her face carefully as she arrives… I think I’m in the clear!

From here, we head to the Jungle Cruise where we get our own boat and Rae leads the expedition down the many rivers. Instead of the usual spiel, we get a history lesson on the ride. Quite interesting. Like how they have to make sure the river stays dyed dark, so you can’t see the track the boats run on! Or the fact that the hippo only consists of what you can see and is not a full hippo (unlike the ones in the AKL pool!) Or how about the face of the bottom guy on the pole (with the rhino poking his butt) is the same face of the guy whose knees knock in the Haunted Mansion graveyard scene.

We now head from Adventureland into Frontierland. We pass the McDonalds’s fry cart on the way. I’ve passed this cart probably 100 times in the last 9 years (it was put there in 1998, not 1855 like the sign says) and never thought about the fact that there’s a story behind it.

This is Disney – of course there’s a story about the fry cart!!!

It has supposedly been in that location since 1855. I can’t remember the owner’s name, but he’s known for his honesty. He was actually set up the fry cart in 1853, but a little uphill from its current location. Then there was a mudslide and the cart shifted about 15’ downhill. So his sign really reads a crossed out 1853 and a painted in 1855. And there are track marks and a broken wheel to prove it.

And now it’s time to go backstage…


COMING UP - CHAPTER 49: Keys to the Kingdom, Part III [post=19349935]CLICK HERE[/post]

 

[KathyRN137]

Jaimie,

Each guide must give out slightly different highlights on the tour.

For example: Our guide never told the Partners statue story (about how tall Mickey is) but, he went into great detail about the history and possible future of the Swiss Family Treehouse!

I guess you could take the tour more than once and pick up more tidbits of information every time!

Your report makes me want to do the tour again!!

Kathy

 

[tiggerbell]

Jaimie,

Each guide must give out slightly different highlights on the tour.

For example: Our guide never told the Partners statue story (about how tall Mickey is) but, he went into great detail about the history and possible future of the Swiss Family Treehouse!

I guess you could take the tour more than once and pick up more tidbits of information every time!

Your report makes me want to do the tour again!!

Kathy

Yes - I read a review of the tour on Passporter right before I started writing and I thought, well, cool! I can take this and tailor it to our tour! But they got a totally different version, too! They went in The Hall of Presidents! So I had to write it all by my one-sie!

 

[mvazul]

This tour sounds awesome! How can I find info about it? I think it would be great to do on our trip in August.

 

[tiggerbell]

This tour sounds awesome! How can I find info about it? I think it would be great to do on our trip in August.

http://www.allearsnet.com/btp/tours.htm

 

[mvazul]

Thank you very much!!

 

[ArielSRL]

Jaime - If you like to find out info on Walt and you enjoy or can tolerate reading , check out Walt Disney : the triumph of the American imagination by Neal Gabler. Be warned though - it is a very long book, daunting size. I've just started it, but I am sure it will be a great read, if I can make it through.

 

[tiggerbell]

Jaime - If you like to find out info on Walt and you enjoy or can tolerate reading , check out Walt Disney : the triumph of the American imagination by Neal Gabler. Be warned though - it is a very long book, daunting size. I've just started it, but I am sure it will be a great read, if I can make it through.

That's actually in my amazon.com shopping cart - waiting for me to order!

 

[ArielSRL]

That's actually in my amazon.com shopping cart - waiting for me to order!

Too funny. Let me know what you think when you get the chance to order it and start it.

 

[Philadisney]

Diane - I am the bookkeeper because I've always wanted a job with 3 sets of double letters.

Oh my gosh, Jaime, you kill me. And I became an Associate Producer because I always wanted a job that could be shortened to "A** Prod".

 

[stephwa]

Jaime, this TR is amazing! I've spent the whole morning reading up to now and you've got me hooked! I'm so excited about WDW, i don't want to wait 28 days *stamps feet*

 

[tiggerbell]

Oh my gosh, Jaime, you kill me. And I became an Associate Producer because I always wanted a job that could be shortened to "A** Prod".

That's one of the funniest lines I've read in a long time!!!

I also went back and read all your reports... I enjoyed them a lot. Oh, and "what a jerk!"

 

[badktty]

CHAPTER 48: Keys to the Kingdom, Part II– Still DAY 7: FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007

OMG! I am SO gonna have to do this tour when I get to Disney in August!! I bet most CMs don't even know some of this stuff...

 

[tiggerbell]

Jaime, this TR is amazing! I've spent the whole morning reading up to now and you've got me hooked! I'm so excited about WDW, i don't want to wait 28 days *stamps feet*

stephwa -

At first, I thought you were my other daughter!!! Stephani now lives in Seattle - and I thought it was very odd that she'd join the Dis!

I'm glad you're enjoying the report! And those 28 days will go by so fast!!! Are you packed yet? I would be!

 

[Philadisney]

That's one of the funniest lines I've read in a long time!!!

I also went back and read all your reports... I enjoyed them a lot. Oh, and "what a jerk!"

Aw, thanks! (And I know, right? )

 

[kindakrazy2]

Loving your trip report Jaime! Keep it coming!

 

[tiggerbell]

Sarah -

Thanks for joining in! Let me put on a pot of coffee and I'll get the next chapter up!

 

[tiggerbell]

CHAPTER 49: Keys to the Kingdom, Part III– Still DAY 7: FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007

Between Adventureland and Splash Mountain is a fence – well, a gate actually, that leads backstage. We go through the gate and are shown the yellow line on the ground where you are no longer visible to the people onstage. The characters and performers for Woody’s Round Up are getting ready to come out – we see Jessie and Woody and Bullseye.

Backstage in this area is where the parade floats are stored. Also there’s some kind of garbage facility (and despite having read that nothing can be smelled there – it smelled like garbage!) We learn about the different types of parade floats and the training involved to drive them. A couple more stories and it’s almost time to head back onstage.

Before we leave the backstage area, the Woody’s Round Up show performers are back… wow. How many people can say they saw Bullseye walking next to another person holding his head? And those poor kids were DRENCHED in sweat!

We head through Frontierland into Liberty Square. Have you ever noticed a ribbon of light colored pavement running through the area – looks like a river? It represents the street during that time period – to be more precise, it represents the sewage gully that ran through town!

The Liberty Bell was next – it was cast from the same mold as the actual Liberty Bell – and the mold cracked after that and could never be used again.

Time for lunch! We head upstairs at the Columbia Harbour House – where we have a roped off section and our meals our out and ready – with place cards that contain our Keys to the Kingdom tour pins.

I had the tuna sandwich and chips – oh, it was sooooo good! Rhonda had the Garden Galley Salad - mixed greens with chicken, pecans, pineapple and feta cheese. She loved it. Ruth had the chicken strips… and I can’t remember what Sandy ate…

After lunch, we headed over to the back entrance of the Haunted Mansion. As we got near, a couple of teenage girls came up and asked Rae where the "ring" was. There is supposed to be a wedding ring embedded in the cement at the exit of the Haunted Mansion. I have never seen it and had read numerous reports that the ring had been removed.

So no one was more surprised than me when Rae said, "Follow me, girls!" and led us all right to the ring! It’s a piece of an old gate that’s still embedded in the concrete, but it really does look like an engagement ring!

Question is, will I ever be able to find it again???


COMING UP - CHAPTER 50: Keys to the Kingdom, Part IV [POST=19365197]CLICK HERE[/POST]