Mixed Marriage 2: The Conversion Continues..... now complete

[TwinkieMama]

The men want to explore the resort but no- the schedule clearly indicates that we need to freshen up and head to the Contemporary. DH is armed with a map and I had clarified with the check in CM that we would be allowed to drive over and park there- all we needed was a PS number. So we do just that.
As we are walking in, I am amazed at how cool the building in… I am not even a fan of modern design but there is a monorail going into the resort. As we enter I notice a Disney logo I haven’t see for years- the globe with the ears on it and suddenly I am 6 again playing my Disney sing-a-longs on my Fisher-Price record player that really played real records (ok all you youngsters, you can quit snickering behind your iPods- it was cool back then…. Most kids only had these toy record players that played these thick plastic records that had nursery rhymes on them in 1981).
I have planned enough time for a couple of stops we need to make before dinner. First of all I take them to the monorail. I want DS to be able to get his monorail license on this trip- my dad always asked to ride up front when I was a kid because he is a serious technophile (hence I had a record player, and later a tape recorder and even a PC -gasp-). The front was full on the next two, so I bowed to the pressure of time and we just got on and rode the resort loop. As we passed the Grand Floridian, DH asked “when are we going to stay there?”
“Just as soon as we win the lottery honey.”

We all enjoyed our first Disney ride. When we were back at the Contemporary, I was sure to take my small child firmly by the hand and stand clear of the door. (A guess a part of why I love WDW so much is I do keep flashing back to my childhood trips- my dad would always make fun of the monorail announcements- he would do it in Donald's voice complete with Donaldish ad-libs, or advise us to take our "small Mickeys" (ie stuffed animals) firmly by the hand- or translate it into German or pretend alien languages.)

After that I suggested we go and poke around the gift shop conveniently located near Chef Mickey’s. While the boys are looking at the big monorail play set I find what I am looking for… an autograph book. I pick out a red one with the 2000 logo on it. I love how it looks like a Mickey silhouette…so you could interpret it 2 Mickey’s or y2MicK… yes, I think weird stuff like that but normally I don’t tell anyone. Anyway, I have already spent way too much time searching for the perfect character autograph pen which I found back home and had packed and remembered and brought with me… normally I don’t start conversations with strangers but I must have been babbling on to the poor CM ringing me up anyway I mentioned something about this was DS’s first autograph book and she put a whole bunch of Mickey stickers into my bag…. Which I hid in my purse while blathering on about a surprise so she wouldn’t think I was stealing the book I already bought ($5.83).
I am just about as unsuspecting as people come… and DH is a really sharp tack… so it is hard for me to pull off surprises… plus I get so excited that I tend to want to share the secret Right Now… but anyway this was going to be a small surprise but I figured I could pull it off… because our PS was in just a few minutes.
So once I have hidden all the evidence, I find the guys and tell them we need to head over to Chef Mickey’s. Which is really just a few feet away but there we encounter our first Disney line complete with interesting characters… and not the sort you are trying to meet….

 

[TwinkieMama]

So we are a few minutes early for our PS but I figure we shouldn’t have too long to wait. Soon the waiting area is full with about 3 other families and the CM that should be at the podium was MIA. I didn’t notice how it got started but soon it became apparent that two families are jockeying for first place at the podium. The first family, we will call them the Tireds have obviously spent the day at he MK- the kids are beet faced and disheveled and sweaty. They have fanny packs and they know how to use them… Mr. Tired looks like he has had enough of crowds and lines and no one is going to get between him and providing food for his little band… certainly not Mrs. Richie Rich with her expensive strappy sandals and designer Capri pant set. Mrs. Rich is trying to get Mr. Rich to help her elbow her way to her rightful place at the front of the line. Dirty looks are exchanged. Uh oh, this is going to get ugly but I can’t tear my eyes away….
Sure enough, Mr. Tired quite publicly asks her to stop cutting in front of his children. You can see that instead of embarrassing her it only adds fuel to the fire. Mr. Rich does look embarrassed but he is stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place…. Mrs. Rich begins muttering under her breath while shooting daggers with her eyes. Things like “probably not even resort guests”…. “all classes of people”… Then she starts to complain to Mr. Rich and pick on Junior Rich. “Stand up straight son.” The other family begins to commiserate with the Tired family.
DH is getting kind of worried. Why is this place so crowded? Will they turn us away because we, while not dirty or disheveled, certainly are not Deluxe guests?
I whisper- don’t worry honey- this is a very popular meal especially at this time of night. We have Priority Seatings and we will get in- besides we are not in any rush.
Then the CM appears.
We have been sitting in the waiting area and I suggest that we should just wait and check in after the ensuing scene. Which never happened because the Disney CMs are so good at handling this sort of thing. (I very briefly worked as a house manager for a theater- same sort of job, handling little details and sorting out problems for guests… never again! Give me a nice chunk of DNA that does what I tell it and stays where I put it and does not complain that this other chunk of DNA has a better test tube. So thank you to everyone who is any sort of customer service position especially the Disney CMs- your job is hard but you are the people who make the magic- both in the World and in everyday life.)
Our tale ends with the fact that the Rich family did not have Priority Seatings and as Chef Mickey’s was booked solid for the next two hours, Mrs. Rich stormed off dragging those two poor men in her wake and we never saw her again ….
Up next: the characters we came to meet!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Wow, not one but TWO updates. Fantastic as always. Thanks!

 

[TwinkieMama]

First we are taken on the picture ride as my parents call it. We smile for the camera. DH is worried about the picture and I said “Don’t worry. We don’t have to buy it. I wasn’t planning on it.” Then we are escorted to our seats inside of Chef Mickey’s. The buffet looks divine and my stomach reminds me that I haven’t had a real meal all day. This is all part of the plan to Get Our Money’s Worth. DH and DS have never done a character dinner and my once experience was so long ago that it bears almost no resemblance to the organized mayhem that we have just willingly entered.

DH notices the children- from teens on down to the baby at the next table all have autograph books. He sends me a frantic message with his eyes. I can’t help but burst into a big smile and say to DS
“Look. Some children like to collect the autographs of the Disney characters that they meet. Would you?”
“Yes, mom, but how… do you have anything to write on?” He was then, and still is, in the habit of asking me for pens and paper whenever he had to wait at a restaurant.
“Why yes I do.” Oh how I beamed as I presented him with his autograph book and a big fat pen.
“Look at that! Wow that is a neat book, Son. Isn’t it great that Mommy has everything all figured out for us?” DH said.

We were still sitting, foodless, when Dale came up to our table. After that it was difficult to get DS to eat because of the excitement of Pluto and then Chip and then Goofy. DH told Goofy that he was his favorite. Goofy told DH that they were a lot alike. We did manage to fill our plates (buffets are much easier when there are 2 parents and 1 kid) and we loved the food. I had read mixed reviews but as Benjamin Franklin said “Hunger is the poor man’s pickle.” More plates of food and more characters. I was up getting food when Minnie came by but my DH and our server sent her back to see me. I just had to take a picture with my best girl. In between eating, and picture taking and hugging there was of course the singing, dancing and napkin twirling. I just love watching all the Daddies getting into the spirit of things and the baby at the table next to us was swinging her napkin with the best of them. We gave up on nutrition and introduced DS to the dessert bar. Why is decorating your own ice cream so much fun? I don’t think I will ever grow out of that pleasure.
Then Donald Duck came by wearing a chef hat and DH told him that he always thought that Donald got a bad rap and he wanted to know why this wasn’t Chef Donald’s? Donald thought that was great so he went off to get Mickey so DH could tell him his brilliant idea. But DH chickened out and just let DS talk to Mickey. Then Chip came by again.
(Do you notice how, even as a recent Disney convert, DH is a natural when comes to interacting with the characters?)
Soon, even we were stuffed full of good food and good memories. DH has had so much fun and we are all so cute in our official Chef Mickey picture that he buys it. So we empty the trip coffers by $70.51 and we waddle out to explore the resort. First DS and DH and poor over the signatures… I had used the magic word “collect”… DH wanted to know when and where we would be seeing more characters. All in good time… all in good time…

After enjoying a walk around the grounds, we went back up to try to pilot the monorail. The place was deserted- everyone must be finding their spots for the fireworks or still at dinner. We were able to snag the front of the next monorail. We had so much fun comparing this ride in the dark to our ride before dinner… (isn’t the Polynesian just breathtaking at night?) We were all completely sated with good times as we rode back to our room at the All Star Sports. It had been a long day- and we needed our rest because tomorrow was another day.... a day wherein we will actually go to a park!

 

[Thinktinknpixiedust]

Ahhhh... a good dose of Twinkie for the day!! and oh yah... thanks for the tag suggestion

P.S. did you know we were a mixed family as well? Our first family photo is from a picture ride outside of Fulton's Character Breakfast at DTD!! Oh so long ago...

 

[Clare D]

Hi TwinkieMama
I feel like a fraud and a fake as I don't come over to the 'TRIP' side very often but when I do I spot the most fantastic reports that it makes me feel like I should be on here more often.
I feel like I am in the queue at Chef Mickey's when I read your report as I cannot help coming back for more.
I checked out your signature and have seen the recent additions to your family. I feel like when I was little on Christmas day knowing what 'Santa' had bought me as I had already peaked a month before after finding my presents in the drawers under my parents bed.
Some day you must tell us how DS came to call you mommy, I would really love to hear that story but I know now isn't the time as you have to write your report.
Your memory is better than mine as I sometimes struggle to remember what happened last week let alone 6 years ago.
Thank you TwinkieMama being mum to 4 must keep you very busy so thank you for posting
Clare x

 

[SleepingBeautyDreamr]

Ok I am officially hooked on your stories. How much longer till you finish this one?

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

MNRMommy- if you find the link to the t-shirt design thread, I too am interested.

I can’t help but burst into a big smile and say to DS
“Look. Some children like to collect the autographs of the Disney characters that they meet. Would you?”

Twinkiemama- A mom after my own heart!!! I am a thinker/planner and nothing compares to the look of pure joy on your little one's face when once again mommmy saves the day!

I better get back to work, for some strange reason my supervisor thinks that "patient care" means actually going to check on the patient. LOL

 

[proudmomof4]

TwinkieMama,

I think I may be driving DH crazy, I get on the computer 3 times a day to check for your updates, but once summer break is over I'll need to go back to work, so I hope I can keep up with your reports then. I just love your writing style, it pulls me right in (just like a great novel) and I lose track of how much time I am spending at the computer.

 

[tubachick]

Thank god you survived the Tired and Rich Family battle!!!

glad that DH has come to our side!!!

Love the TR!

 

[fizz13]

That was a wonderful experience at Chef Mickeys, you must have been so happy seeing the ones you love having such a good time, can't wait to hear about all your charcter adventures,

 

[idofabric]

Just want to know if you can come down to WDW Sept 13-18... I sure can't write a trip report like this! And it is my 35th(plus 15..) Birthday.... and since I am also celebrating my ...50th like DL, I really need a great writer to come... It is a girls trip....

 

[MagicMe]

Signed on and found three new posts!!!! Wahoo!!!

Of course you know by now that your fans are never satisfied...we always want more

 

[scrap4u]

Still loving your report! It's wonderful and I really enjoy your storytelling style! Thanks for so many great additions this weekend!

 

[Dixielady908]

Enjoying your report....Looking forward to the rest...



Denise

 

[TwinkieMama]

hey idofabric- that is a great idea! of course it might not get written until your 60th.... now, how to convince my DH... hmm... ps The fabric in my girls room is from Mary Jo's in Gastonia, NC... I assume you have heard of it?

MNRMommy- I love the t-shirt design! I am scared to get pulled into that whole world but Wow! you make it look very tempting

Hi to all the moms with 4 kids!

for Clare D- thanks for your lovely post, it is very heartwarming
DisneyNutMary- you are too sweet

ok-hi to everyone- I meant to say more but suddenly my children seem think that I am the combination of a genie and jungle gym....

 

[DznyLvr2005]

This is very entertaining!

 

[PrincessMira]

just a quick note to say I jumped on the board to read a quick TR (keeping my daily dose of magic alive) and have thoroughly enjoyed your report.

 

[idofabric]

hey idofabric- that is a great idea! of course it might not get written until your 60th.... now, how to convince my DH... hmm... ps The fabric in my girls room is from Mary Jo's in Gastonia, NC... I assume you have heard of it?

I can DRIVE there in 4 hour and 11 min... , done it! We live near Chasleston SC. And I can get to WDW in 6 hour and 11min.. .done that, too!

And so we are not totally off topic.... next trip to WDW go to MouseSurplus... they have fabric from the resorts, new! and wallpaper... it is also on eBay! Love it!

I don't need a trip to MaryJo's, I have over 5000 yards of fabric, mostly quilting cottons, lots of silk, a few 100 yards of wool... and trim. Every time someone dies, I get the fabric. Really. I use it for the schools, stage and ?

Anyway, get writting, girl! I have the end all of sinus infections, and can't do a lot of other stuff, you are keeping me from being bored at 3am when I can't breath. So bless and thank you! And best of luck with the babes... I wouldn't trade you my sinus/ear/throat junk for the pink eye!

 

[NAB]

You have been busy writing yeah for me. We are going to the park next.....still doing a great job.