MG - Con '02
Camille (DD - 9 yo.)
Serena (DW - censored)
Me
Will be difficult to capture all the exceptional events of this trip, as it all seems to have flashed by much too quickly. But that's how the good times happen!
2/8/02 Friday
Arrived PBH about 12:30 PM and room wasn't ready. Got keycards for the parks and just self-parked the car. Worry about the bags later.
Took the water taxi over and headed into IOA. Couldn't remember all the Fri. Meet times/places, just hoped we'd run into some familiar faces. Rode twice on Hulk and once on Spiderman, and then headed into Toon Lagoon for some snacks at Comic Strip Cafe. (Really feel this place is pretty under-rated, considering the tasty variety of foods & fairly economical too. Good lunch size portions.)
Next, stroll thru Jurassic Park and on into Lost Continent to ride Dragons a few times. DW plays the rat-a-pult game before we leave LC. As usual, she wins at least a small toy.
Wanting to get settled in our room and catch a rest before Mardi parade that nite, we hit the water taxi back to PBH. Thankfully, room is ready now. Proud DD (& parents!) brought her A - B report card and she received a Loews drinking cup & Campo Portofino beach pail w/toys. She was very pleased they honored her. Made sure this went on an outstanding comment card on Sun. check-out.
We had Bayview # 2343, which we were quite pleased with. Is on same level as lobby and kind of sits over The Thirsty Fish's front patio tables. Simply a beautiful sight at nite when the bay is all lit up.
While DW & DD rested, I set out for the bags (4 easy carry type bags too). But laziness struck and I just let the bellman roll 'em over. Figured those guys gotta eat too!
Well, as if right on cue, our Loew's First milk & cookies arrived next. There wasn't any preventing the nap after that.
Arose around 4:30-5:00 and prepped for MG - Con Mardi Gras in USF. After showers & coffee & watching a little Nickelodeon, swung by Sal's Deli for a quick bite. No one could finish whole sandwich (and boy are they good!), so dropped the doggie plates off in the room. Mine would become the ultimate post-Mardi snack, though I intended to save it for breakfast!
Water taxi back to Citywalk and into USF. Again, couldn't remember Meets for Fri, but absolutely knew we'd find them. Started by Twister, where we'd all stood for parade last year... no luck. Strolled down 7th Ave. to where it hits South St. by the water (good thing I have the UO maps tacked on wall above puter) and ....Voila! , had 'em a neat spot at the Arcade's back doors.
It was so wonderful to see Molokai Gram again! Donna's the type person you wish you could see daily (Lucky we all have the Dis at least!). I swear, she must've had 2 suitcases of Hawaiian goodies she brought for everyone at the Meets! Why, she had enough seashell leis to hand out, Universal could've given her a private float in Mardi Gras Parade.
With Donna is the one & only... Nhrenee! So glad to meet her, and even better, meeting with them on their first meet. This is one pair that can certainly beat a royal flush any day. I'm afraid our next visit may even be a little anti-climactic without Donna & Renee to join us. It's really funny how it feels like you're at a family reunion, where you're seeing cousins you only get to see every few years. Even on a first meet, you feel like you've known them forever. (Of course, like Kelly pointed out, it takes a little bit of getting used to.... sorting out eveyone with different screen-names than their real names that is! I'm guilty of an alias meself.)
Speaking of the legendary & revered writer, Kelly Monaghan was on hand for the festivities too. Like my hero J. Buffett would say, "Oh, the stories he could tell...". Very interesting guy! And he gets to do this kind of partying all in the name of research!! Where do I sign up?
And let me not forget the permanent fixtures at Universal.... Barry & Robert Walker! I'd heard a rumor that opening nite Mardi parade would've been postponed if these two could'nt make it. So, with the Dis crew assembled, it was time for beads!
It was such a nice touch that this parade featured the American Heroes theme. Fire, police, and military cadre from all over Florida got to lead the parade, and you shoulda heard the cheers! Great tribute UO!
Now, as the So. Fla. police marched by, wouldn't you know the MG - Con(victs) would be singing the "Bad boys, bad boys...whatcha gonna do" song?! I noticed Barry kinda hid his face when Ft. Myers police passed. Hmm.
Donna & Renee pointed out Suzysezso and her kids (CJ & John Henry) on the Joker(?) float when they came by. The only time the parade stopped briefly was with Suzy's float directly in front of us! Beads & coins were raining down on us non-stop. Suzy was so busy tossing things, it's a wonder none of us wound up with her own jewelry! With all the goodies she threw us, you'd have thunk a grateful Dis'er would've at least "flashed" her. Maybe it was her lucky day that none of us did!
After all is said and done, opening nite of Mardi Gras there was very special. The floats are so uniquely decorated and the costumes so wild, and the fact that the park employees do seem to revel in the event, it just adds so much to a gathering like we had. It would be tough to say who scored the most Mardi booty though. Everything worked out so well, my DD Camille caught just as many beads as the rest of us! She purposely stayed away from Barry tho! (Although, she coulda held her own in a tug-of-war with him over beads)
As we head for the exits we bid good-nite to Kelly. Think he had to go do some night-cap research. We walk with Donna, Renee, Barry, & Robert to HRC. They're grabbing a bite and we were gonna have a drink, but the "tired feet alarm" went off. Everyone said good-nite and off to the boat we went.
Quite a little crowd waiting for PBH boat. Were even warned we were close to the capacity part of the line, but another boat would be dispatched quickly. With crossed fingers we made it on the first one.
Back at the room we watched a little opening ceremony for Olympics and worked on those Sal's Deli sandwiches.
Life is good! Can't wait for MG -Con Day Two!!
Jim
Camille (DD - 9 yo.)
Serena (DW - censored)
Me
Will be difficult to capture all the exceptional events of this trip, as it all seems to have flashed by much too quickly. But that's how the good times happen!
2/8/02 Friday
Arrived PBH about 12:30 PM and room wasn't ready. Got keycards for the parks and just self-parked the car. Worry about the bags later.
Took the water taxi over and headed into IOA. Couldn't remember all the Fri. Meet times/places, just hoped we'd run into some familiar faces. Rode twice on Hulk and once on Spiderman, and then headed into Toon Lagoon for some snacks at Comic Strip Cafe. (Really feel this place is pretty under-rated, considering the tasty variety of foods & fairly economical too. Good lunch size portions.)
Next, stroll thru Jurassic Park and on into Lost Continent to ride Dragons a few times. DW plays the rat-a-pult game before we leave LC. As usual, she wins at least a small toy.
Wanting to get settled in our room and catch a rest before Mardi parade that nite, we hit the water taxi back to PBH. Thankfully, room is ready now. Proud DD (& parents!) brought her A - B report card and she received a Loews drinking cup & Campo Portofino beach pail w/toys. She was very pleased they honored her. Made sure this went on an outstanding comment card on Sun. check-out.
We had Bayview # 2343, which we were quite pleased with. Is on same level as lobby and kind of sits over The Thirsty Fish's front patio tables. Simply a beautiful sight at nite when the bay is all lit up.
While DW & DD rested, I set out for the bags (4 easy carry type bags too). But laziness struck and I just let the bellman roll 'em over. Figured those guys gotta eat too!
Well, as if right on cue, our Loew's First milk & cookies arrived next. There wasn't any preventing the nap after that.
Arose around 4:30-5:00 and prepped for MG - Con Mardi Gras in USF. After showers & coffee & watching a little Nickelodeon, swung by Sal's Deli for a quick bite. No one could finish whole sandwich (and boy are they good!), so dropped the doggie plates off in the room. Mine would become the ultimate post-Mardi snack, though I intended to save it for breakfast!
Water taxi back to Citywalk and into USF. Again, couldn't remember Meets for Fri, but absolutely knew we'd find them. Started by Twister, where we'd all stood for parade last year... no luck. Strolled down 7th Ave. to where it hits South St. by the water (good thing I have the UO maps tacked on wall above puter) and ....Voila! , had 'em a neat spot at the Arcade's back doors.
It was so wonderful to see Molokai Gram again! Donna's the type person you wish you could see daily (Lucky we all have the Dis at least!). I swear, she must've had 2 suitcases of Hawaiian goodies she brought for everyone at the Meets! Why, she had enough seashell leis to hand out, Universal could've given her a private float in Mardi Gras Parade.
With Donna is the one & only... Nhrenee! So glad to meet her, and even better, meeting with them on their first meet. This is one pair that can certainly beat a royal flush any day. I'm afraid our next visit may even be a little anti-climactic without Donna & Renee to join us. It's really funny how it feels like you're at a family reunion, where you're seeing cousins you only get to see every few years. Even on a first meet, you feel like you've known them forever. (Of course, like Kelly pointed out, it takes a little bit of getting used to.... sorting out eveyone with different screen-names than their real names that is! I'm guilty of an alias meself.)
Speaking of the legendary & revered writer, Kelly Monaghan was on hand for the festivities too. Like my hero J. Buffett would say, "Oh, the stories he could tell...". Very interesting guy! And he gets to do this kind of partying all in the name of research!! Where do I sign up?
And let me not forget the permanent fixtures at Universal.... Barry & Robert Walker! I'd heard a rumor that opening nite Mardi parade would've been postponed if these two could'nt make it. So, with the Dis crew assembled, it was time for beads!
It was such a nice touch that this parade featured the American Heroes theme. Fire, police, and military cadre from all over Florida got to lead the parade, and you shoulda heard the cheers! Great tribute UO!
Now, as the So. Fla. police marched by, wouldn't you know the MG - Con(victs) would be singing the "Bad boys, bad boys...whatcha gonna do" song?! I noticed Barry kinda hid his face when Ft. Myers police passed. Hmm.
Donna & Renee pointed out Suzysezso and her kids (CJ & John Henry) on the Joker(?) float when they came by. The only time the parade stopped briefly was with Suzy's float directly in front of us! Beads & coins were raining down on us non-stop. Suzy was so busy tossing things, it's a wonder none of us wound up with her own jewelry! With all the goodies she threw us, you'd have thunk a grateful Dis'er would've at least "flashed" her. Maybe it was her lucky day that none of us did!
After all is said and done, opening nite of Mardi Gras there was very special. The floats are so uniquely decorated and the costumes so wild, and the fact that the park employees do seem to revel in the event, it just adds so much to a gathering like we had. It would be tough to say who scored the most Mardi booty though. Everything worked out so well, my DD Camille caught just as many beads as the rest of us! She purposely stayed away from Barry tho! (Although, she coulda held her own in a tug-of-war with him over beads)
As we head for the exits we bid good-nite to Kelly. Think he had to go do some night-cap research. We walk with Donna, Renee, Barry, & Robert to HRC. They're grabbing a bite and we were gonna have a drink, but the "tired feet alarm" went off. Everyone said good-nite and off to the boat we went.
Quite a little crowd waiting for PBH boat. Were even warned we were close to the capacity part of the line, but another boat would be dispatched quickly. With crossed fingers we made it on the first one.
Back at the room we watched a little opening ceremony for Olympics and worked on those Sal's Deli sandwiches.
Life is good! Can't wait for MG -Con Day Two!!
Jim
