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

[luvmyboys]

Twinkie Daddy,

Good luck on the interview! Too bad you don't still have the purple suit (was it a Zoot?) to wear with the white loafers... I'm sure you could pull that look off, even though, in the words of the all-knowing Big Daddy Kane, "Pimpin' Ain't Easy!"

Wow. Just when I think I know myself, yet another obscure rap lyric pops into my head. Now why is it I can remember a song about pimps, but I can't remember DS 2's social security number? Ah, the mysteries of the human brain...

 

[sorul82?]

Twinkie Daddy,

Good luck on the interview! Too bad you don't still have the purple suit (was it a Zoot?) to wear with the white loafers... I'm sure you could pull that look off, even though, in the words of the all-knowing Big Daddy Kane, "Pimpin' Ain't Easy!"

Wow. Just when I think I know myself, yet another obscure rap lyric pops into my head. Now why is it I can remember a song about pimps, but I can't remember DS 2's social security number? Ah, the mysteries of the human brain...

What about Jay Z's Big Pimpin or Pimp by 50 cent? Should Twinkie start singing these?

 

[Disneygrl36]

reading this second wonderful trip report by Twinkiemama.
I had read the first one & it. I just hadn't had the time to read the next installment. So even though I have felt like pants (rubbish?? not sure I am using that correctly) today, I have finally gotten to read something so wonderful.

Can't wait to see what happens next.

Off to see what wonders UtahMama works on her threads cause she sure is funny here.

ETA: Twinkiemama I sure wish you would post a picture from your trip so we can see what the Twinkie's look like while enjoying WDW.

 

[TwinkieMama]

So we left the Twinkies of 2000 enjoying themselves in the blistering heat of DTD. We have shopped (window that is except for Sir Spendalot king of the pins) and now we want to drop. Preferably in front of a table covered with food. Being the budget conscious folks that we are (must save money for next trip) we decide to venture Off Site for table service at non-Disney prices. As soon as we get into the car and jack up the AC we realize that a lot of our discomfort was the unrelenting heat and that cooled Twinkies are not as starving as they thought.

TwinkieDaddy suggests that we cruise around the WDW property to a) get our bearings b) scope out future trips. I readily agree. (Now someone (hint hint: Lil Grumpy) suggested that I am manipulating poor TwinkieDaddy…. But really who is manipulating whom? Look how quickly he has realized that the magic words “future trip” will get me to agree to whatever he fancies)

So we are driving around the property. When we see it. Gleaming white in the Florida Sun. So tasteful. So inviting. So clearly labeled.

Disney’s Vacation Club

Was I drooling? I don’t think so. DH broke the silence.

Him: Hey what is that?
Me: The vacation club is Disney’s timeshare.
Him: Well let’s go check it out.
Me: (Stunned silence. Jaw drops. Internal war wages.)
Him: (notices signs of TwinkieMama’s gears turning) Come on. We won’t buy anything. I just want to see what it all about.
Me: I know what it is all about. It is a good deal for people who plan to go to Disney every year and stay in a Deluxe resort. That is not us.
Him: But we would like to go every year and we could get used to a Deluxe resort. Come on. Let’s go. Just to look. I promise.


This is a pivotal life changing moment. Promises aside, I know that this is the area where I am weak. If we walk through that door to be greeted by a friendly guide I am sure that there is a good chance we will emerge as DVCers. We are both savers but I am more of a saver/worrier than DH. Since we are not impulse buyers the sheer thought of making an impulse buy is enough to make me giddy. And we could swing it financially, it is just that like the good little budget boarders we are we need to have a new car fund (both cars old), and a baby fund (remember we are actively trying to add to the family) not to mention future custody fund and education fund and retirement funds. But it couldn’t hurt just to look? To gather information for maybe someday… right?

 

[princesslibby]

The "saver" in me can't read any further. Ooh. But I have to know. Did they?

 

[PaulDavid's mom]

Oh this is such a good trip report! I love hearing about how your husband was slowely being 'converted'!

 

[TwinkieMama]

So I look over and see his pleading puppy dog eyes. And I know. He is converted. It is enough to make me want to give my hard earned cash to the Mouse and promise all future earnings as well. I know I must be strong. I must be the responsible one. (Sometimes I hate being responsible)

Me: No honey. We can’t do it. Remember how we were just making fun of your old girlfriend, the one who bought a timeshare at a Bridal show without even dickering or getting any incentives? Before they bought a house?!? And now they say it is basically worthless… except it makes them take a vacation every year.
Him: Yeah but that was in Virginia Beach and they live in Norfolk. This is totally different. This is in Disney World. We would want to go to Disney World every year. Are you sure you don’t just want to peek in to check it out?
Me: (sigh) Yes. The buy in is like 8 grand. Plus yearly dues.
Him: $8000??? (low whistle) wow, that is a lot. If you are sure let’s go find somewhere to eat.


Notes from today: I have no idea if my 8K number is close. That is what I remember but I never really looked into it or crunched any numbers, just read the brochure in the room while the guys were sleeping in. On the one hand I know we made the right decision. On the other hand when you look at DVC today, I kind of wish we had bought in 2000. On the other hand (apparently I am an alien) having made this commitment might have prevented us from other pivotal changes we have made since then….. since I am a science fiction fan (yet more evidence for the TwinkieMama has always been a geek hypothesis) sometimes I daydream about the alternate universe where we vacation happily in elegant 2 bedroom villas and always know that we are coming back to the World very soon. Happy thoughts.

 

[pambo'shouse]

So today I am talking about Disney with someone (which is all I talk about these days) and I say "yeah, someone I know was telling me..." as if I know you. I am beginning to act like I have known you for 20 years, we vacationed together, etc. and then I remember. I am absolutely loving these trip reports. I have had more diet coke (no diet pepsi for me) through my nose the last month. Ya'll are hilarious.

 

[sorul82?]

Oh Twinkie Mama! How could you go and be all responsible on us?

 

[UtahMama]

First of all, have I mentioned how glad I am to have you safely back? It's just better to DIS and have you around. Seconly, how did you know to pipe in with DVC stuff when we're sorta halfway kinda starting to look into it? Spooky. We have to wait till we have, you know, an income, which would "help". Alot. But when we do we will probably give up a portion to the mouse. We'll go listen to the DVC voodoo brainwashing from a peppy salespro. With ice-water going through our veins. We'll practice our polite decline. "No thank you", we'll say.


TwinkieMama and daddy- notice anything, you know, different lately?

 

[idofabric]

Ok,TM... on the fifth and sixth hand, we ALL wish we had bought DVC way back in 2000 or in that alt. universe! I did buy into a timeshare about then, didn't know about DVC, and it has allowed us to go to WDW 5 times in the last 13 months , and I have a 50th Bday trip in Sept ... and MNSSPH in Oct .... and maybe Christmas this year ... It also has allowed us to send DD, 22 to S.America for a week this year, and a trip to Williamsburg for the Quilt show...
So for us it was impulse, but it is the ONLY way I can get DH to take a vacation.
Some of the trips are only 3-4 day weekend trips, some (May 05 and 06) are are 12 to 14 day multi unit trips.... we only plan last min trips so it "costs" us 1/2 points. This is another reason we don't get DVC... we are last min planners... and if we wait till 59 days befor we want to go some place it is the 1/2 point cost... Cheap-R-Us...

You did the right thing in 2000, for THIS universe... drat!

 

[lindajoan]

Hey! Where's the rest of it? I just discovered Trip Report vol. I yesterday, immmediately continued with vol. 2 and now....am I supposed to work??

My fiance' is crazy 'bout the Mouse and I am "coming around." He somehow made it seem like a good idea for us to get married in WDW so does that mean I've gone from "coming around" to "fully immersed?"

Look forward to reading more about your adventures!!

~LJ

 

[TwinkieMama]

Lindajoan-Sweetie, you are going to be a Disney Bride and you are already posting on the disboards so it is safe to say that you are pretty much converted... would you like us to send you your DISgeek starter kit (a few LGMHPCs, a link to the thread on welcome board about how to greet other DISsers in the parks, and spreadsheets for vacation planning purposes)?

idofabric- your timeshare sounds great! I didn't know any had discounts for last minute travellers... I love the idea

UtahMama! Thanks! I missed you guys! As for your new siggie, of course I noticed... love the kids. I think the new clips suit them... but you... I don't know... I just don't think of you as Miss Piggy. I get that you love the drama but you will always be Tinkerbell to me. She is sometimes sweet and always fiesty just like you. And she stamps her foot when mad which I bet you do too... maybe I am just resistant to change. But to you for being smart enough to marry a guy who can do cool technogeek stuff. So DVC for you.... big tempting thought.... I want to hear more....

sorul82?- as for responsiblity, I would gladly give it up if someone else would take over the role... any takers?

pambo'shouse-YCMU! (you crack me up) Of course we are old buddies- look how much our children resemble each other...... actually I can't wait for the day when someone tells me about a "friends" vacation and it is mine...wouldn't that just be too too funny?

PaulDavid'smom-thank you
PrincessLibby- I knew you I could get you to post if I threatened to spend more than my trip budget! this is just for you

 

[princesslibby]

TwinkieMama I'm borrowing your trippie for a minute.

Yes UM it does look like Kuzco is goosing(sp?) Miss Piggy and Stitch. You know MP won't put up with that behavior.

Ok. Thanks TM.

You know how I like LUS(little used smilies). I needed that today.

 

[TwinkieMama]

So with all the money that we had just saved by narrowing avoiding the Disney Vacation Cult we headed Out of The World. (My dad calls this Twinkie Logic- you take the money you didn’t spend and add it to the money you saved- every time you don’t buy something your money doubles). We were in search of good food.

We found Pizzeria Uno, a restaurant that was new to us. I don’t remember the details but I know we ordered two personal pizzas and a kid’s meal. We ate. It was good. I don’t remember if I had a salad or if I helped DS finish his pizza, but somehow I only ate 1 slice of my little pan pizza so we left with ¾ of personal pizza. We had that feeling where until you start eating you were not fully aware of exactly how hungry you were- so as you eat you get hungrier and hungrier until suddenly you are very full and satisfied. I don’t remember if I had a salad or if I helped DS finish his pizza, but somehow I only ate 1 slice of my little pan pizza so we left with ¾ of personal pizza in a To Go box. Hip Hip Hooray for the frugal leftover hoarders! The bill with tax and tip was $31.

I felt so wonderful after that meal that I thought maybe we were cutting it a little too close on the food budget- perhaps you remember that The Real Mortimer Mouse or TwinkieDaddy told you all that I can maintain my charming personality under lack of sleep or stress at work or while surrounded by idiots however let me go too long without eating and Watch Out! The phrases “going postal” or “wicked stepmother” both apply. However all you have to do is throw some food my way and I morph back from Monster to my normal sunny self. So after this dinner I was feeling in love with the world in general, my family in particular and was ready to make an early night of it so we could conquer the Magic Kingdom first thing.

However DH wanted to stop by a store. We went to Gooding’s for a need (Sun Gel for me- I overestimated my ability to tan while at the pool that day) and a want (pool toy so we could play Monkey in the Middle without that family on the lam from their “business associates”). Total bill was $9.74 for the record. DH picked out a bath toy in the shape of a crab- the soft kind that you can wring the water out of- you know that babies like to teeth on. I don’t know why he picked that over a ball or a Frisbee but he did. DS asked why we had a crab toy. DH replied that it was for playing catch and his name was Crabopolis. (You pronounce this Crab-op-o-lis… like a city made of crabs). This cracks me up, even now 6 years later. Back in 2000, Pokemon was still hot hot hot and DS had a habit that a certain grandmother was enabling. DH and I thought the whole thing was an elegant racket (we were just jealous that we had not thought of it ourselves)…. I mean, all you have to do is draw a picture and give it a weird name and shazaam! Instant product… complete with trading cards, toys, fans. So DH thought that Crabopolis was a Pokemonesque name.

So much for our early night. You know we had to go back to the All Stars Sports and hit the pool with our new friend Crabopolis. We played several rounds of Twinkie style trash talking monkey in the middle. We attracted several small and middle sized kids and a couple of teens. Soon I was able to bow out (sports girls I am not) and swim lazily while Crabopolis sailed through the air in a long running game.

We had so much fun that night. It is special to be swimming in the dark in the warm Florida night. I was thankful for this unexpected rest day so we could discover and enjoy the less well publicized attractions: time to relax together, explore together and play together.

 

[sorul82?]

Ah, so you found one of the free and/or cheap things to do at Disney! I can just picture cute Twinkit Mama floating around the pool!

 

[UtahMama]

EEEk! Pokemon! My DS17 was WAY into that. Like the Toys R Us tournaments and mall tournaments. He had kazillions of cards. Dont tell him I told you!

You either a really good memory or you kept your receipts! If I was trying to do a TR from 6 years ago it would be a bad thing. Heck, if it was 1 year ago I couldnt do it because I didnt take notes or anything. It would just be based on whatever memories I jotted down in the scrapbook. This year I'm dragging around a notebook to get everything right. YOU rock with your reco-lectin'. You would be one of those waitresses who can get the food orders for a table of 18 and not have to write anything down. I think I remember you saying you kept the receipts but I could be wrong!!!

How do you play Monkey in the Middle?

This sounds like a fabulous time!

 

[ely3857]

3 Insallements!

Stilll going great



Jodie

 

[solgent]

How do you play Monkey in the Middle?

Allow me to explain. The action can take place in a swimming pool or on land. Two people stand some distance apart and toss something back and forth, while a third person between them (the "monkey") attempts to jump up and intercept the throw. When the person in the middle makes a catch, that person changes places with the person who made the throw that was intercepted. Repeat until all are exhausted. I'm sure this improvised game is played the world over and is known by many names.

 

[TwinkieMama]

Good description solgent. It is even better with multiple monkeys because then they are trying to shove each other out of the way as well as catch the ball.... or Crabopolis. Tradionally, we play while taunting the monkey or monkeys in a very loving way. You know- making monkey noises and scratching our armpits and offering bananas IF they can catch the ball.

It is pretty funny- and I can say that even though in our family I am the worst at intercepting so I am usually stuck in the middle for a LONG time.