Most Expensive / Moist Exhausting Continued - Final thoughts and wrap-up

[dd50]

Poor James. My daughter was always like that. We would be driving all day and then we get in the middle of no where and she has to go NOW! Next exit 46 miles.

 

[thegreggersmom]

He said the “Forbidden Journey” ride was surreal, like you were in the movie, playing quidditch. I asked him if he tried the butter beer and he said that he had and that it tasted like a mixture of cream soda and buttscotch.

Darn, I am way too late to play the Judy game but maybe I can be the first to make a crack about buttscotch...

 

[CreightonsMomma]

Awww...Poor James. Thankfully he made it. You can't be home yet. What am I going to do with my time now? How am I going to procrastinate when my new classes start next week? What am I going to do while i'm sitting at work for 12 hours? I guess i'll start drinking. My choice will be neither Root Beer or Buttscotch .

I have LOVED your TR. I look forward to your next trip, even if it isn't until 2012. I hope you start a PTR when the time gets closer.

I look forward to your last few installments.

Good work, Glenn!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Boo to your trip being over!!! Those last few hours seem like the most precious Disney time you have to cling to, don't they? "Surely there must be an ounce more magic I can squeeze into this moment!"

Oh man poor James!! I'm glad that the delay wasn't much longer!

 

[MEK]

Sooner or later all that root beer will catch up to you! Poor James. My DS has experienced similar situations. He always waits until the last minute and then says " I've gotta go now". When I fly with him I have gotten really good and recognizing the preliminary descent and I tell him "Go".

I really enjoyed your TR Glenn, but I still don't know what your next trip is. Did you reveal your vacation plans for this summer yet?

 

[JPFamilyMom]

Poor James, funny story, but poor James, I have been there many times- glad it really ended up only being the 5 min wait.

My Mom and sister did the Harry potter thing on our trip, I think you're family would really enjoy it.

 

[glennbo123]

The root beer story. I have a similar story with DS, coming up during the Sept trip.

Oh good! Looking forward to it.

I was watching until Poly castle talk distracted me.

Squirrel!

Sometimes it was really great living in a place where it was perfectly acceptable to "just pull over".

For some reason, our pilot refused to do that.

You mean, "Finally!! Liesa gets one round that actually has a Judy in it!!"

I still like your "Pat this is MINE" quote.

After I posted I noticed and was hoping I did not mess you up!

I was about to post one more, but just happened to refresh the page and saw yours just in time.

That will be one of the stories that when James is getting married, you & Judy will tell non-stop.

Hilarious.

You're right! That'll be fun.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Day 9 - Part 2

In the last chapter, you were treated to tantalizing tales of last-day laundry, beverage beakers left in bags with bell services, and peaceful poolside pastimes. Whoa, whoa, whoa…what’s with all the alliteration?

Riveting stuff, that last chapter was!

We hung out at pool until 1 o’clock, which was as long as we dared with a Magical Express pickup at 2. We’d brought changes of clothes with us, and went over to the bathrooms near the fitness center to shower and dress. Afterward, we went to lobby to wait for Magical Express.

Sheesh, your family are quite the wild bunch, staying right up till the last possible moment! Ok, I'd have done the same. I hate that last day when you know your departure is pending but you're just not ready to leave!

James ran off to fill his mug yet again. Whenever he’d do that, the rest of us would exclaim “More Root Beer!”, as if that was his battle cry. We’d been saying it all week, every time he went off to the drink station. More on this later in the chapter.

Isn't that part of the war cry from Braveheart..."they may take our lives, but they'll never take our root beer!!!"

A cast member from Africa was out at the porte cochere. His name was Mario, from Victoria Falls. He loved working at Animal Kingdom Lodge, although his time was nearing an end. He was really enthusiastic, and his energy kind of reminded me of the “Crocodile Hunter”. We talked with him for a little bit and at one point we had to let him in on a family joke of ours: the “this is my favorite song” joke. I started it years ago whenever we’d go to an ethnic restaurant. There would always be some ethnic music playing and I’d say, “Ooo, this is my favorite song!” The kids would ask, “It is?” Like as in, “are you kidding me?” And the answer was “yes” of course; I was kidding. Now they usually beat me to it, and on this occasion there was some African music playing out there and one of the kids said it was their favorite song, so we had to fill Mario in.

I absolutely love speaking with CM's from around the world like that. They are usually very eager to share something interesting about their homeland.

You and your gang are a real hoot Glenn! "Oo, I love this authentic Thai song, it's on my ipod actually!" Did Mario find it humorous?

While we were waiting around, I took a picture of Judy and the kids.

What a great picture! Everyone looks good, nobody looks moist and there's no squinting either!

Mario offered to take one so that I could get in the picture. He had a little trouble focusing, but at least you can see the new shirt I got for Father’s Day!

Aw, this one is cuter. Nice shirt, though for some reason, I was thinking it would be checkered?

A guy sat next to me who had taken his family to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on opening day, June 18th, and we talked about that for the whole drive to the airport. They knew it’d be packed, so they left the resort at 4am to get there and get in line. He saw himself on the local television news the next day, in line to get in, during a report on the opening-day crowds. He said the “Forbidden Journey” ride was surreal, like you were in the movie, playing quidditch. I asked him if he tried the butter beer and he said that he had and that it tasted like a mixture of cream soda and butterscotch. It all sounded really cool, and I decided that I really need to work-in a day at Harry Potter World during a future trip.

Oh, I am so going to work in an HP day when go to Disney again. My girls and I are big fans! I've heard great things about the butterbeer as well.

The girls’ pearl rings had now had enough time for the glue to set, so they wearing them on the trip home. The girls and their pearls.

Their rings are so adorable! I'm really contemplating letting my girls do it next trip, though my youngest is only eight. And she's prone to losing things...ok, maybe I'll wait.

I said, “Show me your pouty ‘I don’t want to leave’ face”.

Nobody ever wants to leave Disney, do they?

Now we reach my last story from the trip, and the reason I told you about James’ “More Root Beer!” battle cry. Apparently after a weeks’ worth of “all you can drink” root beer, his body was ready to start “giving back”, if you know what I mean. He went to the bathroom at Kidani when we changed out of our swimsuits, and then again just before we left, when he rinsed out his mug. Then he had to go again, immediately upon arriving at the airport…it was urgent enough that we had to find a bathroom before we even went through security. Then, as is prudent before getting on a flight, we had him go again before boarding the airplane. Our first leg of the trip was a short hop over to Panama City Beach, and he went there during the layover. Then we started the longer leg of the trip, to BWI airport. James played his Nintendo DS for the whole flight, I finished up my trip report notes for the last day or so, and there was a college-aged girl in the aisle seat next to me, working on some writing of her own. No less than a minute after the pilot asked the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for landing, James turned to me and said he had to go. I told him he had to hold it. A little while later he told me he had to go…bad! I explained that since we were in the process of landing, no one was allowed out of their seats -- he’d have to hold it. “Just look out the window at the ground getting closer.”

Poor James!! That is such a horrible, horrible feeling. Poor thing. My DH and I have joke between us...when we were dating, he took me out to a fancy dinner in DC. On the way back to college, we got lost...in southeast DC, which is pretty much the area that is always in the news for shooting, stabbings and such. Since this was before GPS's, we were trying to navigate the confusing streets. That's when I noticed DH was hunched over. He had to go the bathroom now, NOW. I was like, what are you, five?? I couldn't stop laughing which made him laugh and well, laughing doesn't help when you have to pee that bad. Luckily we made it to a convience store but man, I've never seen him move so fast to hop out of a car and into a bathroom! Poor James though, all that root beer finally caught up to him!

We finally touched-down and the drive to our gate seemed to take forever with this poor guy squirming in his seat next to me. Then, we stopped. And we sat there. The pilot came on with an announcement: “Um, there seems to be a plane at our gate, so we’ll have to wait here. It should probably only be for 5 minutes or so. Please remain seated.” We had an empty water bottle with us (remember the air pressure science experiments from our flight at the start of the trip?) and he begged me, in a whisper, to let him go in the water bottle. I whispered back through gritted teeth, “No way! Absolutely not!” His bladder was under such pressure that he probably wouldn’t be able to even hang onto the water bottle, and I was sure that the poor girl beside me would be scarred for life.

Geez, where's a Moroccan fountain when you need one??

So there you have it, the last story from the trip. The rest of the ride home was relatively uneventful, which was a good thing.

Fabulous update as usual, though it's sad to see it winding down.

I plan to do a couple more updates before sticking a fork in this trip report, so please stick around!

Yay! I'll stick around, promise.

Oh, and of course I'm late but, three Judys. Sigh.

 

[glennbo123]

yes. you do. More on that later.

I can't wait for your review....I'm glad you're beginning the Dark Side phase of the report.

Oh James....I can JUST picture that happening either of the E's. Or both. thank heavens it really only was 5 minutes!

I'm sure it's a pretty common thing with boys that age. You should have seen his face when we were told there was a plane in our gate. I think he said something like, "are you KIDDING me?"

Darn! Missed it again.... 3 Judys btw!

I can't believe after all this time your TR is over. Such a sad occasion! I'm looking forward to the rest of stuff you have planned. I'm not going anywhere!

Poor James. I know how it is to have a small bladder. I'm the one who ALWAYS bugs people to get up so I can pee during the flight

I wish he had bugged us on that one....I guess I was too busy working on trip notes to think about it. Plus, I figured he'd gone enough by that point!

I'm rather sad to think that all of this fun is almost over...nice shot of Judy and the kids at the end, though!

Thanks Tina!

Great Update and Yes 3 Judy's !!!! Poor James/ when ya gotta go ya gotta go!!!

Well said Rosie!

Nice update, Glen. Poor James, and poor you. I know this is just as hard on the parents. You feel bad for them, but want to strangle them all the same for "not" going sooner. So sorry that the trip is over, but look forward to wahtever updates you have left.

You're right...I did feel bad for him, but what could I do?

Poor James. My daughter was always like that. We would be driving all day and then we get in the middle of no where and she has to go NOW! Next exit 46 miles.

We have another good story of James having to go when he was a toddler. We were stuck in traffic going around Harrisburg, PA. There was no way to pull over to the shoulder, so I put the van in Park (only way the sliding doors would open), opened the door and Judy kind of leaned him out the door. In the review mirror watched the expressions of the people behind us go from to

 

[Avery&Todd]

UGH - finally found a moment to pop back over here and I catch the last post of the official trip..

*sigh*...

Dont you think you can squeeze in another trip soon? Im going to need to read another fabulous TR soon!!

 

[englishrose47]

You want Bathroom Horror storiesTravel with a Group of Dev. Disabled !!!!They are Masters at having to go and I mean HAVING to go when there is no bathroom around !!

 

[glennbo123]

Darn, I am way too late to play the Judy game but maybe I can be the first to make a crack about buttscotch...

Oh. My. Gosh!

Thank you! I've gone back to edit that little typo. Word tried to tell me there was something wrong with that, but I just ignored it.

Awww...Poor James. Thankfully he made it. You can't be home yet. What am I going to do with my time now? How am I going to procrastinate when my new classes start next week? What am I going to do while i'm sitting at work for 12 hours? I guess i'll start drinking. My choice will be neither Root Beer or Buttscotch .

Hmmm, how to procrastinate....have you read both of my TRs and the PTR? There are other really good ones out there, a lot of the people posting on here have one (or more) going on. Some of the really good completed ones are from Great Biscuit (and he always mentions ZZub's, which I haven't made time to read yet, but should), Jordanyosh, and Hucifer. And many others! (I always get into trouble when I list things and undoubtedly leave someone out.)

I don't even know what to say about your choice of drink. I can't believe I never noticed that typo.

I have LOVED your TR. I look forward to your next trip, even if it isn't until 2012. I hope you start a PTR when the time gets closer.

I look forward to your last few installments.

Good work, Glenn!

Thank you Jen!

Boo to your trip being over!!! Those last few hours seem like the most precious Disney time you have to cling to, don't they? "Surely there must be an ounce more magic I can squeeze into this moment!"

Exactly. "I don't want it to end!"

Oh man poor James!! I'm glad that the delay wasn't much longer!

It was the close-call of close-calls.

Sooner or later all that root beer will catch up to you! Poor James.

I'm tellin' you, with that many trips to the bathroom it had to be the whole week's worth.

My DS has experienced similar situations. He always waits until the last minute and then says " I've gotta go now". When I fly with him I have gotten really good and recognizing the preliminary descent and I tell him "Go".

You're a good mom! I guess I figured he couldn't possibly still have to go. Wrong.

I really enjoyed your TR Glenn, but I still don't know what your next trip is. Did you reveal your vacation plans for this summer yet?

Thank you! No, I haven't revealed it yet....partly because we're not sure. It's either a "staycation" or possibly a few days in NC to visit friends when we lived there back in the late '90's.

Poor James, funny story, but poor James, I have been there many times- glad it really ended up only being the 5 min wait.

I'm not sure that he could have made it if it had been any longer.

My Mom and sister did the Harry potter thing on our trip, I think you're family would really enjoy it.

I think so too....they all like the books and movies, and the park seems really great.

 

[onescgirl]

I'm in class now reading this as my students are taking a test. I started giggling outloud when I got to the part of James on the plane begging for the water bottle. They probably think I'm nuts!

The 'pouty face' picture is my favorite. I don't want your TR to end, I'm wearing a 'pouty face' too!

 

[glennbo123]

Riveting stuff, that last chapter was!

I've finally figured out my audience.

Sheesh, your family are quite the wild bunch, staying right up till the last possible moment! Ok, I'd have done the same. I hate that last day when you know your departure is pending but you're just not ready to leave!

We could've stayed later....and gotten on the bus in wet bathing suits and towels. Flip flops would make it easier to get through security at the airport.

Isn't that part of the war cry from Braveheart..."they may take our lives, but they'll never take our root beer!!!"

If it's not, it should be! I could hear it in a lot of movies:

"Frankly my dear, I'd like more root beer."
"All right Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my root beer."
"I love the smell of root beer in the morning."
"You had me at 'root beer'."

I absolutely love speaking with CM's from around the world like that. They are usually very eager to share something interesting about their homeland.

Absolutely. There's a lot of magic to be found there.

You and your gang are a real hoot Glenn! "Oo, I love this authentic Thai song, it's on my ipod actually!" Did Mario find it humorous?

Feel free to try it with your gang.

I think Mario just kind of rolled his eyes.

What a great picture! Everyone looks good, nobody looks moist and there's no squinting either!

Thanks.

Aw, this one is cuter. Nice shirt, though for some reason, I was thinking it would be checkered?

Gee, I don't know why you would think that.

Oh, I am so going to work in an HP day when go to Disney again. My girls and I are big fans! I've heard great things about the butterbeer as well.

Every review I've seen of the butterbeer said that it was pretty good. Everyone was skeptical when it first opened.

Their rings are so adorable! I'm really contemplating letting my girls do it next trip, though my youngest is only eight. And she's prone to losing things...ok, maybe I'll wait.

Marlene had a scare that she'd lost hers shortly after returning home, but it turned up. So, yeah, that's a definite possibility.

Nobody ever wants to leave Disney, do they?

Nobody I know!

Poor James!! That is such a horrible, horrible feeling. Poor thing. My DH and I have joke between us...when we were dating, he took me out to a fancy dinner in DC. On the way back to college, we got lost...in southeast DC, which is pretty much the area that is always in the news for shooting, stabbings and such. Since this was before GPS's, we were trying to navigate the confusing streets. That's when I noticed DH was hunched over. He had to go the bathroom now, NOW. I was like, what are you, five?? I couldn't stop laughing which made him laugh and well, laughing doesn't help when you have to pee that bad. Luckily we made it to a convience store but man, I've never seen him move so fast to hop out of a car and into a bathroom! Poor James though, all that root beer finally caught up to him!

Great story! I can see why you stuck with that guy -- no fear, even in the worst neighborhoods. And he trusted you enough to let you keep an eye on the car while he was gone.

Geez, where's a Moroccan fountain when you need one??

I'm tellin' ya. Every plane should have one.

Fabulous update as usual, though it's sad to see it winding down.

Yay! I'll stick around, promise.

Oh, and of course I'm late but, three Judys. Sigh.

Yay, thanks for sticking around!

UGH - finally found a moment to pop back over here and I catch the last post of the official trip..

*sigh*...

Aw, thanks!

Dont you think you can squeeze in another trip soon? Im going to need to read another fabulous TR soon!!

Aw shucks, thanks again. I listed a few for Creightonsmomma in an earlier reply. And make sure you're subscribed to all of the TRs/PTRs of my readers!

You want Bathroom Horror storiesTravel with a Group of Dev. Disabled !!!!They are Masters at having to go and I mean HAVING to go when there is no bathroom around !!

Well first of all, no, I don't want bathroom horror stories!!! But I bet you're right. You can have all the horror stories Rosie, I don't mind!

 

[glennbo123]

I'm in class now reading this as my students are taking a test. I started giggling outloud when I got to the part of James on the plane begging for the water bottle. They probably think I'm nuts!

Whatever you do, don't tell them why you're giggling, or they will think you're nuts.

The 'pouty face' picture is my favorite. I don't want your TR to end, I'm wearing a 'pouty face' too!

How sweet Amy...thanks!

 

[englishrose47]

I've



Well first of all, no, I don't want bathroom horror stories!!! But I bet you're right. You can have all the horror stories Rosie, I don't mind!

Glenn I am sooo willing to shareI am alittle nervous as we are again travelling with a blind guy to Lake George !!!!

 

[DisneyLaura]

My DS12 ALWAYS had to go to the bathroom when there was no bathroom in site. I started to keep a portable potty in my car for DD5 when she was potting training, after three kids I got smart.

I too have a pouty face too!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

The animal observation area, where animals can observe humans safely enclosed behind wooden fencing.

I wonder what they think of us.

James ran off to fill his mug yet again. Whenever he’d do that, the rest of us would exclaim “More Root Beer!”, as if that was his battle cry. We’d been saying it all week, every time he went off to the drink station. More on this later in the chapter.

There's that Foreshadowing Detector going off again...

He had a little trouble focusing, but at least you can see the new shirt I got for Father’s Day!

He said the “Forbidden Journey” ride was surreal, like you were in the movie, playing quidditch. I asked him if he tried the butter beer and he said that he had and that it tasted like a mixture of cream soda and butterscotch. It all sounded really cool, and I decided that I really need to work-in a day at Harry Potter World during a future trip.

Wow! Now you're foreshadowing future vacations. Man, you're good...

With the prospect of free tickets dangling before me I tried to volunteer, but they only needed one…they wouldn’t take all five of us, so unfortunately we’d have to get on this plane after all.

That stinks. Sounds like you handle these opportunities like I do: if there's a free ticket involved, I can't wait to give my seat away!

I said, “Show me your pouty ‘I don’t want to leave’ face”.

But where's yours?

Now we reach my last story from the trip, and the reason I told you about James’ “More Root Beer!” battle cry....

Let’s just say that it was quite a relief to be back on the ground.

Oh, my goodness. Too funny. I'm picturing poor James being offered a root beer at home and running from the room screaming.

I plan to do a couple more updates before sticking a fork in this trip report, so please stick around!

Up next: Parade o’ pics

Sorry to see the trip report coming to a close, Glenn. It's been a lot of fun getting to know you and your family.

 

[rdkeim]

I'm sad your trip is coming to an end! I've enjoyed following along on your family adventures. Hope there will be many more trips in your future for our reading pleasure!

 

[All7OfUs]

For some reason, our pilot refused to do that.

Could've given him a parachute- you know, one last thrill ride to cap off the trip.