Like a Bad Meal (V Keeps Coming Back) - THE END! 1/12/09

[PrincessV]

DUCK ATTACKS???!! is this a new focker thing???

It's the CURSE!!

 

[PrincessV]

Hooo boy.

Where do I start with this one?

Once upon a time, there were five little girls who went to Disney World. And they were each assigned very parental duties, but I took them all away from all that and now they work for me. My name is Focker.

NO Charlie.


August 2007… the inaugural FockerFest. A meeting of five women who’d shared stories, nursed each other’s emotional wounds, and made one another laugh till they were ready to puke, all through a group of DISers known as the Fockers. Pineapple drinks were ordered, consumed and replaced. We ran the Tambu Lounge out of bloody pineapples.

It was a truly Magical time.


So the desire to repeat the adventure in August 2008 was a natural response. As was the desire to include a good many other people we’d met and grown to cherish in our little DIS world. And so FockerFest 2008 was born.

insert angels singing, trumpets heralding…


Only we’d had enough of the pineapples (or so we thought) and may or may not have been afraid of getting kicked out of the Tambu Lounge. Another location and theme was proposed… and seized upon with alacrity – a dinner at Biergarten! Replete with wiener salad and beer.

Over a bit less than a year, plans were made to bring together more than ten families, from every corner of the earth. Okay, the northern hemisphere. But mostly the North American continent. And England.

If you dare, you can visit the Pre-Trip Planning thread to examine all the dirty details of how this ginormous meet came to be. And there you can also find links to many other participants’ trip reports detailing the same adventure.

But stick with me here, too, because I’m about to give you the PrincessV version.

Of FockerFest 2008.



_______________________________________________________________


My recollection of the initial planning is spotty, at best, and I’ll discuss them more throughout the story, but a few elements stand out:

1.The Selection of a Resort

Anyone recall how many resort choices I went through?! I’m guessing about three. I know I’d decided to try someplace new with my DVC points, and I’m pretty sure Beach Club Villas was an option. And I actually booked Animal Kingdom Villas.

Then T and LL got to me. That would be my dear DIS friends Disneyland_Mama and Lauralee131. They were both staying at Saratoga Springs (SSR), my Home resort. In truth, they didn’t work on me much at all – there was no need. Remembering a single pool meet we’d had last year, during which our kids played and got along beautifully, was all the push I really needed. How much fun would it be to get them all together again in the same place for a few days? A whole lotta fun, that’s how much.

So I booked SSR. A studio, from Aug. 21-Aug. 24.

Then I needed points for another trip. And I reduced it to Aug. 21-Aug. 23.

Then I added Aug. 23 back on, but as a cash reservation.

Finally, a week or so before the trip, I added Aug. 20 at Pt. Orleans Riverside (POR).



2. The Making of ADRs

Fewer changes here. I didn’t make any ADRs.

Then I did.

Then I decided not to go to those meals, but didn’t cancel right away.

Then I decided to keep one of them.




Would it surprise you to hear that I’m anything but indecisive?!



3. The Participants

I invited Gramma to join us.

I uninvited Gramma to join us.

Gramma Invited herself to join us.

Gramma uninvited herself to join us.

Just me and Leo on this one.

AND, Flat Michelle. FM, as she’s come to be known, is a cardboard and photographic reproduction of a sweet, wonderful Focker who couldn’t join us this trip. Since we couldn’t vacation with the real-life Michelle, I brought FM along in her place.


4. The Reason for Being

If you’ve learned anything about me and my family whilst reading this drivel… er, report, it just may be that we’re not overly fond of summer in Florida. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the heat. Nor the humidity. It’s the duration.

May is sort of fun.

June isn’t so bad.

July is tolerable.

By the end of August, we’re feeling wilted and abused. We only occasionally make it to the pool, we hibernate behind closed drapes all day and we stop bothering with hair-styling or make-up applying.

So what on earth would prompt us to go to WDW at the end of Aug.?

Ask DisneyJo. It’s all her fault.

LY Jo!

And it’s not really all Jo’s fault – it just happens that this was the only time she’d be making the trip across the pond to WDW for a couple of years.

Actually, I think all of us Fockers should share the blame equally. We’d enabled, begged, suggested and pestered each other into making FockerFest 2008 the biggest, baddest DIS meet ever.

And I’m so very, very glad we did!


Next: Day One: Ask Not for Whom the Hurricane Cometh

 

[kykatt2]

And Then What ??

 

[ncsjodi]

Am I first????

 

[kykatt2]

Am I first????

That would be a NO... But had I known you were coming I would have waited.

But at least the first 2 were NON FF People
Makes me feel like I crashed their little Party

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

We ran the Tambu Lounge out of bloody pineapples.

Goal Numero Uno in sixteen days time.

Replete with wiener salad and beer.

Papa Pig: Son, someday you'll be a healthy meal for some theme park vacationer.
Baby Pig: Healthy? How am I going to be healthy, Papa?
Papa Pig: Son, you are destined to become Weiner SALAD.
Baby Pig: Ooooo. Salad.
(And for some reason these pigs speak with a German accent.)

Would it surprise you to hear that I’m anything but indecisive?!

Are you a Libra? I can't recall.

Ask Not for Whom the Hurricane Cometh

I have cross-ed mine fingers that it doth not cometh for me!
And that it treated you with at least some kindness, at least.

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

We ran the Tambu Lounge out of bloody pineapples.

That seems to happen with relative ease.

 

[TheDISneyFamily]

Round Michelle checking in. Thanks again for letting my flat version tag along, V. You're the best! I'm still really upset that I couldn't join the hijinks and buffoonery that was FockerFest 2008. BUT you can be sure that I WILL be present for FockerFest 2009. In October... when it's cooler... and not as sticky... and rainy... and there's a World (Showcase) full of food & drinks...

 

[jcc0621]

August 2007… the inaugural FockerFest. A meeting of five women who’d shared stories, nursed each other’s emotional wounds, and made one another laugh till they were ready to puke, all through a group of DISers known as the Fockers. Pineapple drinks were ordered, consumed and replaced. We ran the Tambu Lounge out of bloody pineapples.

It was a truly Magical time.

That I missed by one freaking day

So the desire to repeat the adventure in August 2008 was a natural response. As was the desire to include a good many other people we’d met and grown to cherish in our little DIS world. And so FockerFest 2008 was born.

I think I may have done the most prodding and nagging at everyone since I missed out last year

insert angels singing, trumpets heralding…

1.The Selection of a Resort

Anyone recall how many resort choices I went through?! I’m guessing about three. I know I’d decided to try someplace new with my DVC points, and I’m pretty sure Beach Club Villas was an option. And I actually booked Animal Kingdom Villas.

Then T and LL got to me. That would be my dear DIS friends Disneyland_Mama and Lauralee131. They were both staying at Saratoga Springs (SSR), my Home resort. In truth, they didn’t work on me much at all – there was no need. Remembering a single pool meet we’d had last year, during which our kids played and got along beautifully, was all the push I really needed. How much fun would it be to get them all together again in the same place for a few days? A whole lotta fun, that’s how much.

So I booked SSR. A studio, from Aug. 21-Aug. 24.

Then I needed points for another trip. And I reduced it to Aug. 21-Aug. 23.

Then I added Aug. 23 back on, but as a cash reservation.

Finally, a week or so before the trip, I added Aug. 20 at Pt. Orleans Riverside (POR).

Not as bad as usual

2. The Making of ADRs[/U]

Fewer changes here. I didn’t make any ADRs.

Then I did.

Then I decided not to go to those meals, but didn’t cancel right away.

Then I decided to keep one of them.

3. The Participants

I invited Gramma to join us.

I uninvited Gramma to join us.

Gramma Invited herself to join us.

Gramma uninvited herself to join us.

Just me and Leo on this one.

Somehow I don't think Gramma was disappointed to miss this one

So what on earth would prompt us to go to WDW at the end of Aug.?

Ask DisneyJo. It’s all her fault.

LY Jo!

And it’s not really all Jo’s fault – it just happens that this was the only time she’d be making the trip across the pond to WDW for a couple of years.

I will take some of the heat (no pun intended) for this too since with Jim's schedule it is really the only time we can go.

And I’m so very, very glad we did!

Next: Day One: Ask Not for Whom the Hurricane Cometh

We ain't afrain of no stinkin hurricane

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Only we’d had enough of the pineapples (or so we thought) and may or may not have been afraid of getting kicked out of the Tambu Lounge.

Pfft! I'm starting to think that's just a line they feed us .. "Sorry, we're out of pineapples, BUT take this glass and go away!"

Then T and LL got to me. That would be my dear DIS friends Disneyland_Mama and Lauralee131. They were both staying at Saratoga Springs (SSR), my Home resort. In truth, they didn’t work on me much at all – there was no need. Remembering a single pool meet we’d had last year, during which our kids played and got along beautifully, was all the push I really needed. How much fun would it be to get them all together again in the same place for a few days? A whole lotta fun, that’s how much.

And it was!

So what on earth would prompt us to go to WDW at the end of Aug.?

Ask DisneyJo. It’s all her fault.

Poor Jo!

Next: Day One: Ask Not for Whom the Hurricane Cometh

 

[Sooze]

I just popped a big, huge, ginmormous bowl of popcorn... and I'm gonna sit here and wait for your next update. This is gonna be GOOOOOOODDD!!!!

 

[puggymom]

Adventures by DIsney Trip to CE's house for the 4th of July 2010. WHere are Z and Mo, our ABD travel agents

So ABD to Jo's house is next year right, since she isn't coming back to WDW til 2010.

Z, where are you we got a lot of work to do!

insert angels singing, trumpets heralding…

not so sure they were angels

Okay, the northern hemisphere. But mostly the North American continent. And England.

Wait who was from England

Would it surprise you to hear that I’m anything but indecisive?!

HMMM, I hadn't notice

AND, Flat Michelle. FM, as she’s come to be known, is a cardboard and photographic reproduction of a sweet, wonderful Focker who couldn’t join us this trip. Since we couldn’t vacation with the real-life Michelle, I brought FM along in her place.

A special WOOHOO! for Michelle!

Ask DisneyJo. It’s all her fault.

And I’m so very, very glad we did!

 

[willwriteforears]

Ooh, the famed Focker trip! If I had a recliner smiley, I'd put that up here, too. And if I had an actual recliner, I'd sit in it. Waiting. Then I'd pop some real popcorn to go with my real, non-smiley recliner. Well, I'd sit in the non-smiley recliner with popcorn, waiting, if I didn't have to leave my apartment in ten minutes. Reality intrudes.

But the thought is there.

 

[PrincessAlways]

ok ok......and then......

 

[OhMari]

But stick with me here, too, because I’m about to give you the PrincessV version.

By the end of August, we’re feeling wilted and abused. We only occasionally make it to the pool, we hibernate behind closed drapes all day and we stop bothering with hair-styling or make-up applying.

Never, in my entire life, have I ever experienced an August day in Florida, as I did last week. I actually threw my clothes away, I didn't want them stinking up my suitcase when I went home on the plane,

 

[Goofyluver]

We ran the Tambu Lounge out of bloody pineapples.

They didn't know what hit 'em!

Replete with wiener salad and beer.

But stick with me here, too, because I’m about to give you the PrincessV version.

So I booked SSR. A studio, from Aug. 21-Aug. 24.

Then I needed points for another trip. And I reduced it to Aug. 21-Aug. 23.

Then I added Aug. 23 back on, but as a cash reservation.

Finally, a week or so before the trip, I added Aug. 20 at Pt. Orleans Riverside (POR).

Would it surprise you to hear that I’m anything but indecisive?!

No you're not.

Yes you are.

Nah.

Yup.

Nope.

Yea.

Maybe you are.

Maybe you're not.

Just me and Leo on this one.

AND, Flat Michelle. FM, as she’s come to be known, is a cardboard and photographic reproduction of a sweet, wonderful Focker who couldn’t join us this trip. Since we couldn’t vacation with the real-life Michelle, I brought FM along in her place.

Lucky. Minus the motha.

Next: Day One: Ask Not for Whom the Hurricane Cometh

 

[cmp1111]

So the desire to repeat the adventure in August 2008 was a natural response. As was the desire to include a good many other people we’d met and grown to cherish in our little DIS world. And so FockerFest 2008 was born.

for which this "other person" was particularly glad. Y'all are fantastic.

Replete with wiener salad and beer.

Where's that weiner salad pic?

And I actually booked Animal Kingdom Villas.

I remember that, 'cause I was all excited.

Ask DisneyJo. It’s all her fault.

Ah, Jo. We love you, we do.

But at least the first 2 were NON FF People
Makes me feel like I crashed their little Party

Hey, you were there.

Never, in my entire life, have I ever experienced an August day in Florida, as I did last week. I actually threw my clothes away, I didn't want them stinking up my suitcase when I went home on the plane,

Oh, Marisa, really?

 

[KatGarcia]

Yay it has begun! Man it's a lot of work keeping up with everyone's version of FF but it is so neat to hear everyones versions!

 

[lovealldisney]

By the end of August, we’re feeling wilted and abused. We only occasionally make it to the pool, we hibernate behind closed drapes all day and we stop bothering with hair-styling or make-up applying.

I am so laughing over this this sounds like us Wisconsinites but the opposite! By the end of Febuary/March we just want the COLD to end. I feel like a mole by the end of winter!

 

[PrincessV]

And Then What ??

Patience my friend, patience.

Am I first????

Umm, nope. Sorry!

Are you a Libra? I can't recall.

Nope, Aquarius. We're VERY opinionated!

I have cross-ed mine fingers that it doth not cometh for me!

As have I!

That seems to happen with relative ease.

Doesn't it though?!

BUT you can be sure that I WILL be present for FockerFest 2009. In October... when it's cooler... and not as sticky... and rainy... and there's a World (Showcase) full of food & drinks...

Hear hear!

Somehow I don't think Gramma was disappointed to miss this one

Not in the least!

I will take some of the heat (no pun intended) for this too since with Jim's schedule it is really the only time we can go.

Could you? Take some of the heat - away form here?!

Pfft! I'm starting to think that's just a line they feed us .. "Sorry, we're out of pineapples, BUT take this glass and go away!"

Seems probable, doesn't it?!

I just popped a big, huge, ginmormous bowl of popcorn... and I'm gonna sit here and wait for your next update. This is gonna be GOOOOOOODDD!!!!

Oh Susie, you're gonna get bloated sweetie!

Wait who was from England

Notice that I did NOT refer to her as "British."

Reality intrudes.

It's all good - it'll be here waiting!

ok ok......and then......

Never, in my entire life, have I ever experienced an August day in Florida, as I did last week. I actually threw my clothes away, I didn't want them stinking up my suitcase when I went home on the plane,

I totally understand this - it's my LIFE right now!

No you're not.

Yes you are.

Nah.

Yup.

Nope.

Yea.

Maybe you are.

Maybe you're not.

Where's that weiner salad pic?

What, this one?

Heh heh.

Yay it has begun! Man it's a lot of work keeping up with everyone's version of FF but it is so neat to hear everyones versions!

I know! And there's some serious pressure to keep up...

I am so laughing over this this sounds like us Wisconsinites but the opposite! By the end of Febuary/March we just want the COLD to end. I feel like a mole by the end of winter!

Absolutely true! It's just like when I lived in Buffalo, only opposite. ANd with a LOT more sunshine... which is the key ingredient necessary for V's happiness!