My Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Trip Planning Session

[eeyore45]

*sigh, I just so enjoy these threads - thank you for continuing them!!

 

[KayleeUK]

Yeah more reports

 

[Janet2k]

[NOTE: To make this post a little more interesting, and hopefully a little more fun, I used links to video and audio clips that were found on the Internet, in particular, on the Metro Goldwyn Mayer series of websites. I hope the links work okay for everyone. The bulk of the websites use either Apple Computer’s free QuickTime Player software (click here) or Microsoft’s Windows Media Player software (click here).

As you read my post, please make sure to take your time when clicking on one link to the next – some of the links take longer to load than others (for example, the audio & video links are slower to load than the photo links). Enjoy.]


James Bond once said, “You only live twice.” Jane Bond took that one step further and added, “If you’re lucky, in one of those lives, you’ll be married for at least 20 years.” Or so I tried to convince myself as I stood underneath the porte cochere of the Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort. This trip was about that second life. The one that was strictly for my dreams.

-------------------------------------------------------------
“You Only Live Twice” (from the James Bond movie)
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Music Composed Conducted, and Arranged by John Barry
Song sung by Nancy Sinatra

You only live twice, or so it seems,
One life for yourself, and one for your dreams

You drift through the years and life seems tame,
Till one dream appears and love is its name

And love is a stranger who'll beckon you on,
Don't think of the danger or the stranger is gone

This dream is for you, so pay the price,
Make one dream come true, you only live twice

And love is a stranger who'll beckon you on
Don't think of the danger or the stranger is gone

This dream is for you, so pay the price
Make one dream come true, you only live twice
-------------------------------------------------------------
​

As I stood in front of the Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort, one verse in particular kept drifting through my mind:

“This dream is for you, so pay the price. Make one dream come true, you only live twice.”

I had already decided that no matter what the price was for that dream, I was going to pay it. I only planned on being married for 20 years once. I was going to honor that marriage with a night to remember for my husband.

A glance at my Double-Oh issued watch told me that it was approximately 7:30 AM. I took a deep breath and entered the main building in search of the Front Desk. I quickly took off my Secret Agent hat and replaced it with my Ordinary Citizen hat. My mission to make dreams come true would have to remain off the radar screen for now. The only ones who knew about that mission had already been sworn to secrecy and had received Top Secret clearance from M16: Bonzie1, Nutz4dzny, and WeFullTime.

My current plan was that if my room wasn’t ready upon check-in (it wasn’t guaranteed to be ready until 3 PM), I was going to get something to eat, then hang out at the swimming pool until Nutz4dzny arrived. But Lady Luck was on my side that morning. The Front Desk Cast Member told me that even though my room wasn’t ready, she would find me another one that was. I was pleased to hear that and secretly wondered if Miss Moneypenny had called ahead to assure that I had a room available as early as possible.

The Front Desk Cast Member noticed that my reservation was linked to another reservation and that connecting rooms had been requested. I told her not to worry about the connecting room stuff. I didn’t care where my room was located, honestly, since the French Quarter was such a quaint resort. But she would hear none of that. She said she would find two connecting rooms that were available right now.

It was at that point that another Cast Member spoke up and informed me that my Cast Member was the Queen of the resort. As he said that, my Cast Member laughed. It was obvious that the two of them were good friends. I found their rapport very sweet and I couldn’t help but smile.

My Cast Member did as promised and found two connecting rooms that were available. She handed me a room key to one of them. She then pulled out a map of Port Orleans and showed me exactly where the rooms were located. (To view a more detailed map of the resort that is found here on the Dis website, please click here.) My Cast Member went on to explain that the rooms were located on the 2nd floor of the building next door, Building 3. I thanked her for finding an available room for me and headed on my way. My Jane Bond cover had remained intact.

I should mention that I fell in love with Disney's Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort when my daughter and I stayed there for a few nights during our first Mother and Daughter WDW Vacation two years ago. It is a gorgeous resort and I put its grounds on a par with the Grand Floridian’s (my humble opinion is that those two resorts have the prettiest grounds in all of Walt Disney World). I have never visited New Orleans’ French Quarter (the city), but from what I have seen of it in the movies, on television, in magazines, and on the Internet, Disney did a wonderful job in capturing the architecture of that city.

I would be remiss as Jane Bond if I didn’t share with you folks my first pseudo glimpse of New Orleans’ French Quarter (the city). For those of you with Top Secret clearance, the following link should work: click here. If you click on it, you will see a video clip from the James Bond movie, “Live and Let Die.” That particular scene was shot in the French Quarter area of New Orleans. If you pay attention to the buildings in the background, you will see one that looks very similar to this one: click here. I must say it again, Disney did a wonderful job in capturing the essence of the French Quarter.

Since my resort room was located in the building next door to the Registration Building, it didn’t take long for me to reach it: click here. I took the elevator up to the second floor. Room 3207 was just a short walk away. I slid my key into the lock and opened the door. Sure, I could have picked the lock, but I really needed to keep my Secret Agent status just that – a secret – and thus I used my room key.

The Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort had recently been remodeled. To view photos of what the resort rooms looked like before, click here. To view photos of what my resort room looked like now, click here.

My room contained the standard fare:
Two Double Beds
Table and Two Chairs
Dresser
Coffee Maker
Bench

My room also contained a bathroom area. This area, however, was broken down into two sections: a vanity area and a toilet & tub area. The vanity area even had a curtain that could be drawn in order to separate it from the rest of the resort room: click here. Nice.

As I looked about the newly redecorated room, I liked what I saw. The color scheme worked well. When I inspected the bedspread, I saw a myriad of hidden Mickey’s jumping out at me: click here. It was a shame that my daughter wasn’t with me to find them all.

It was approximately 7:45 AM and I decided to leave a phone message on Nutz4dzny’s cell phone alerting her to the fact that I had arrived in Walt Disney World undetected by the evil forces who lurk in our world. She was in transit at the time, but I knew she would check her messages once she had reached land.

I listened to the weather channel as I unpacked. Around 9:00 AM, Bonzie1 called. She sounded good and told me that she was excited about joining up with us that evening. I said I couldn’t wait until we were all together, too.

Bonzie1 mentioned that she had received the Planning Session itinerary that I had e-mailed to her the day before. She had printed it off and was going to take it with her to Florida. We discussed the fact that the Chef de Cuisine, Catering, for the Disney-MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom Theme Parks was actually going to be at my Menu Tasting. Bonzie1 knew what an honor that was for me. He had prepared the menu for last year’s “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event. He had actually been backstage as that dinner was being prepared but had to leave shortly afterwards to attend to other functions. Because of that fact, I never got the opportunity to personally thank him for the incredible meal that my family and guests had enjoyed. I was thrilled that I was going to get the chance to do so during my Menu Tasting, especially since he had also prepared, at my personal request, the menu for my vow renewal dinner party. Yes, it would be an honor to properly say thank you to such a wonderful Cast Member. I think that was what I was looking forward to the most during my upcoming Planning Session, and Bonzie1 knew that.

Once I hung up the phone, I took a quick shower and then it was time for a cat nap. Nutz4dzny would be arriving soon, and I only had enough time for a few Zzzz’s.

My nap didn’t last long before my telephone began ringing. I glanced at the clock and it stated 11:45 AM. On the telephone was Nutz4dzny. She said to open the connecting room door because she was already in her resort room. I was very excited that she had arrived (yahoo!) so I did as I was told, and because of it, I almost blew my Jane Bond cover.

Unbeknownst to me, in Nutz4dzny’s room were WeFullTime and her husband. Yikes! I wasn’t dressed for a man! I had been sleeping in my undergarments and had only thrown on a beach cover-up before I opened the door and barged into Nutz4dzny’s room. I certainly hoped that I hadn’t given WeFullTime’s husband a terrible fright. Sure, I was licensed to kill, but not to kill an innocent man with my body. I was licensed to kill an evil operative with my weapon. With such a bad slip in judgment, I had accidentally given WeFullTime’s husband darn near a view to a kill.

I quickly recovered my composure (and cover) and gave my three friends a hug hello. I then told them that I had to disappear for a few moments in order to dress myself properly.

Once dressed, and with my Secret Agent gear stored safely in my in-room wall safe, I nonchalantly went back to Nutz4dzny’s room. She handed me a bag that contained gifts for my daughter. In the bag was a white, embroidered t-shirt (my daughter, Jane Bond Jr., wears that shirt to her Tae Kwon Do class underneath her uniform). Nutz4dzny also had a plush, clown fish toy in the bag. When the fish is shaken (not stirred), he makes underwater noises. It was adorable and I knew my daughter would love it. It was very sweet of Nutz4dzny to bring gifts for my daughter.

The four of us discussed what we were going to do with our day. It was decided that we should head to Epcot for lunch. None of us had ever eaten lunch in Norway before so the Restaurant Akershus was selected for our meal. As we walked out of Nutz4dzny’s room, I could feel the Florida heat and humidity hit me like a wet blanket. The temperature was already approaching the low-90’s. I was so not used to that sort of weather.

Since I had left my Annual Pass behind on the West Coast, I had to stop by Epcot’s Guest Services in order to procure a new one. With a new pass in hand, the four of us entered the theme park and headed directly to the Norway Pavilion, in particular, the Restaurant Akershus.

We approached the restaurant’s podium and only had to wait a few minutes before we were seated. I remembered dining in the restaurant two years prior with my daughter during our very first Mother and Daughter WDW Vacation. We had attended the Princess Storybook character breakfast. The two of us had a lovely time.

Once everyone was seated, we looked over the menu and ordered a few items to share. Then we walked over to the buffet area. We found a nice variety of items waiting there: salads, cheeses, crackers, breads, meats, seafood, vegetables, and desserts. With a little bit of almost everything on our plates, we went back to our table to eat.

As we enjoyed our lunch, we caught up on each other’s lives. WeFullTime’s husband asked how my husband’s fishing was going. I laughed and told him that it was going the same – my husband fishes for hours & hours and doesn’t catch a thing. Same ol’, same ‘ol. He got a good laugh out of that.

When our delicious lunch had finally come to an end, WeFullTime and her husband graciously picked up the tab. How kind of them to do that. What wonderful friends they are.

We headed to Test Track next. As we stood in line, WeFullTime and her husband posed for a photo: click here.

It wasn’t long before we were boarding our ride vehicles. I love Test Track and always wish that it lasted just a little longer. Okay, I’m lying – I wish it lasted a whole lot longer. The ride gives me the same sort of thrill that I feel whenever I am on a mission and am being chased by the Bad Guys. For today’s ride, however, WeFullTime’s husband was at the wheel. When it came to the part where the semi truck was heading right towards our ride vehicle, WeFullTime’s husband had a surprise maneuver in store for us. What an incredible driver he was.

Next on our list was Spaceship Earth, or as Jane Bond likes to call it, “The World Is Not Enough”. Nutz4dzny and I tried to find a Hidden Mickey that we had heard was hidden in the scene with the sleeping monk. Alas, we struck out. Drats! I better not let “M” know about that otherwise my next mission will be in Siberia. Brrrrr!

After riding Spaceship Earth, we headed to Canada. It was around 3 PM by this time. We discovered that Off Kilter was performing at 3:30 PM, and since everyone enjoys their music, we did a little shopping in the Canadian stores in order to pass the time.

The temperature was approaching the mid-90’s as we left the gift shop. We stood in the shade of a tree and listened to Off Kilter’s show. Nutz4dzny called home and asked her family, “Guess where I am?!” She then held her cell phone into the air so her family could hear the music. That woman is definitely a Bond Girl (a.k.a., a tease).

After standing in the Florida heat and humidity, I began to feel like the Ice Palace in the James Bond movie, “Die Another Day” – I was melting. I eventually had to ask my three friends if we could head somewhere a little cooler. They consented.

Our next stop was a gift shop in Jane Bond’s motherland, the United Kingdom. Once indoors with the air-conditioned air, I began to feel better. It was then that we literally bumped into Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. They graciously posed for a photo with the four of us: click here.

After we walked out of the United Kingdom, we headed over to the Beach Club. Nutz4dzny wanted to track down a friend. We met two Cast Members there who gave us something cool to drink as they tried to page her friend. After about 20 minutes and no response to the page, we thanked them for their help and headed back to Port Orleans – French Quarter.

Once at the French Quarter, WeFullTime and her husband bade us farewell. WeFullTime stated that she would meet us under the porte cochere tomorrow morning for our 7:45 AM pickup time. I was grateful that the two of them had spent their day with us. They are such a lovely couple and truly wonderful people.

Nutz4dzny and I went up to our room and put on our swimsuits. It was about 5:10 PM when we hit Doubloon Lagoon. It felt good to be in the water – much cooler than being on dry land.

I brought my underwater digital camera to the pool. As Nutz4dzny floated about in her inner tube, I snapped a photo. This camera was a newer version of an older underwater camera that I used to tote around on past missions. That one had been a 35mm one and not a digital one. I liked the digital camera much better. Instant gratification.

We swam for an hour and I took another photo or two. The time finally came for us to head back to our rooms in order to wait for Bonzie1’s arrival.

When Bonzie1 arrived, she mentioned that her flight had been uneventful. I was glad to hear that. There’s nothing worse than starting a vacation off on the wrong foot.

I saw that Bonzie1 had not come empty-handed; she came bearing gifts. That woman is extremely creative, even more creative than “Q.” She had put together hanging bags that contained all sorts of goodies:
Hanging Bag
Planning Session Backstage Pass
Vow Renewal Celebration Backstage Pass
Photo Magnet
Notebook and Pen
Gift Notes
Photo Postcard (Front)
Photo Postcard (Back)
Tinker Bell Sleep Shirt

Her gifts were wonderful and she never ceases to amaze me with her creativity, ~sigh.~ After looking at all the gifts, I went to my room to hang the bag upon the coat rack: click here.

As soon as Bonzie1 had unpacked, the three of us took the bus to the Riverside Resort. We had a Priority Seating reservation for Boatwright’s Dining Hall.

At 7:45 PM, we were seated for dinner. I ordered prime rib, Nutz4dzny ordered peppercorn steak, and Bonzie1 ordered salmon. Within only a few short minutes, our meals were placed before us. They were delicious and it didn’t take long to finish them.

After dinner, we wandered over to the River Roost Lounge. We arrived about 2 minutes before Bob Jackson’s show began. Our timing was perfect. Neither Nutz4dzny nor Bonzie1 had seen Bob’s show before. They were in for a treat.

For those of you who don’t know, Bob Jackson is an entertainer who performs on certain nights of the week at the River Roost Lounge. With a show that features everything from sing-a-long songs to fast & furious boogie-woogie piano solos, Bob easily draws in the entire audience. My family has seen Bob perform quite a few times now, and my daughter has proclaimed herself to be the Unofficial President of the Bob Jackson West Coast Fan Club (KingGoofy here on the Dis is the Unofficial President of the Bob Jackson Midwest Fan Club). If you want to see what a Bob Jackson show is like, please click here. Look on that webpage for three video clips: Bumble Boogie, Bugle Call, and Here’s Bob. If you play them, they will give you an excellent idea as to what Bob’s show is like. I have found it impossible not to have a good time at his show. And judging by what I have seen, everyone else finds it impossible, too.

So there we were, three wild & crazy ladies without our husbands. It was definitely gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight. Yahoo! And in honor of being (temporarily) single, I decided to order one of the house specialty drinks – a mudslide. Boy, was it decadent.

Bob’s show began: click here. He was in fine form. It wasn’t long before he had the kids up on stage: click here. I sometimes wonder who has more fun at a Bob Jackson show, the children or the adults. My guess is that it’s a toss-up.

Soon, Bob had the adults singing and dancing. Bonzie1 pantomimed a “tree” for one of the songs: click here. Nutz4dzny couldn’t let that Kodak moment go by without capturing it on videotape: click here. I don’t know if that video clip is going to show up on American’s Funniest Home Videos or as part of a blackmail scheme. (If I put my Jane Bond hat on, I would have to say it will be the latter.)

Not to be outdone by the adults, the kids were soon back on stage: click here. They love performing for an audience.

Next, Bob called all the ladies up to the stage. It was time for them to perform a cancan dance to “New York, New York.” The ladies had no trouble obliging Bob: click here. And after the song and dance was done, Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny had themselves a good laugh: click here.

It had been another great Bob Jackson show. And now there were two more fans in Bob’s fan club. As the mother of the Unofficial President of the Bob Jackson West Coast Fan Club, my recruitment mission had been successful.

Bonzie1, Nutz4dnzy, and I could hear the Sandman beckoning, so when Bob’s show took a break, we decided to call it a night. We stopped in the Riverside’s gift shop first and Bonzie1 bought herself a new pair of sunglasses.

Once our shopping was done, we took the boat back to the French Quarter. It was a beautifully warm evening and the bugs were out in full force. We made it to our rooms around 10:40 PM and said goodnight.

I called home and my son informed me that I had received an e-mail from my officiant. JoAnn would be unable to get together with me over the weekend since her house had just been sold. I was happy for her.

I talked with my daughter for a few minutes. She asked about my day. I filled her in on it and then mentioned that Nutz4dzny had given me a present for her. She asked what it was, and I told her she would have to wait until I got home to find out. She told me to tell both Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 that she loved them. I promised her that I would.

After I had hung up the phone, I watched television until 1 AM. Before I called it a night, I synchronized my watch with the US Atomic Clock . I then set the alarm clock for 6:15 AM. Leaving nothing to chance, I went one step further and set up a Mickey Mouse wake-up call, too. My Event Manager was scheduled to pick us up promptly at 7:45 AM for my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session. Come hell or high water, I would not miss that pick up time.

When I finally laid my head upon my pillow, I might have been living two lives, one as Jane Bond and the other as Janet; however, I only had one dream and it was almost time for me to make it come true.

 

[zurgswife]

OOOOO!!!...I love the James Bond Theme....great job janet

 

[eeyore45]

Fantastic, thank you for putting so much detail, and love into the trip report... this dreamer so appreciates it! All the links worked for me, and added to my enjoyment, and I cant imagine the extra time you put in it, all for someone you may never know!! Thank you!

 

[nutz4dzny]

Janet,

You go Bond Girl! But remember, some of this stuff was part of our secret mission so be careful what you reveal! My husband looked at this Post with me and he could not believe how talented you are! I knew it all the time! He says you should be published. I agree. I know how much time it took to do this and I am so thankful that you did. You make the trip come alive again for me! Until our next secret mission.....


Nutz4dzny

 

[#1hockeymom]

What a wonderful way to start the Near Year! I agree, these should be published!

Debbie

 

[eeyorelor]

Janet I am in a trance..I just finished your trip log...OMG.... wow...I cant even find words....I have been looking at threads and threads but when i saw the renewal it caught my eye....See 15 yrs ago i married my high school sweet heart, we basically eloped also, family problems and i wasnt gonna deal with all of it so we did it with one good freind and that was it ....So yrs later and 5 children later we decided to renewal our wedding at 10 yrs..It was wonderful and i cant beleive how happy i am to have pictures to share with our children down the road.....But wow doing at wdw must have been the most memerable. place in the world ......
We will be going on our one and only one that i see happening in 2 weeks and boy i will think of you ...Thank you sooooo much for your talented story telling.. I enjoyed it so much...We will be celebrating our 15 yr anniversary and i feel like doing our own renewal just our selves to make it that extra special trip.....thank you again ....

 

[Janet2k]

I am going to break up the actual Planning Session post into multiple parts. I have spent the past three days working on it and it is becoming unwieldy in length. At present count, my description of that day is already up to 20 pages in Microsoft Word and I am nowhere near done with it. It truly amazes me when I look at how much stuff I can cram into one post, sheesh. But since I know you folks love details, I certainly don’t want to let anyone down.

Again, to make things a little more fun, I will use links to video and audio clips that were found on the Internet (the Metro Goldwyn Mayer website, the Walt Disney World website, plus a few others). The bulk of the websites require the use of either Apple Computer’s free QuickTime Player software (click here), Microsoft’s Windows Media Player software (click here), or RealNetworks’ RealPlayer software (click here).

As you read my next series of posts, please make sure to take your time when clicking on one link to the next since some of the links take longer to load than others.

Before I move on, it will take me a week or two (heck, who am I kidding – it will take me longer than that) before I can complete this particular post. I sincerely apologize for that. The next month at work is going to be murder on my department (my boss has already warned us). Because I have a family to support, I have to take my job more seriously than ever. My weekdays and nights will be spent in the office. My weekends (I hope) will still be my own; however, my family is already miffed at me for spending too much time working on my trip reports. If I want my marriage to survive to its 21st year, I’m going to have to pay more attention to my dear husband. Believe me, I am counting the months until he completes his schooling and I can live off of him for awhile. (Turnabout is fair play.) But that won’t happen until the end of 2005, so I have to remain the good little worker bee and keep a stiff upper lip (and pray that my job doesn’t get axed with the next round of layoffs).

Now that I have that nasty four-letter word (a.k.a., work) out of the way, let’s move on with the show…

 

[Janet2k]

I thought you folks might like to see how I began composing my Day 2 post. What follows is my very first draft. It should be interesting to see how this simple draft grows into the monster that it will surely become over the next several weeks. Enjoy.

- - - - - - - - - -

Day 2: Port Orleans – French Quarter

July 22, 2004 (Thursday)

Up at 6:15 AM.

Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and I went down to porte cochere at 7:35 AM. WeFullTime arrived within 5 minutes, followed by my Event Manager.

We were taken backstage at Disney-MGM Studios. My Event Manager explained the new security precautions that had been put into place at the backstage entrances of every theme park. It was very unnerving to me that one of the most magical places I knew had been forced to deal with the ugly forces that are lurking in our world since the fateful day of September 11, 2001.

We met “X” from Convention Services. She told me she had handled last year’s “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event. It was wonderful getting the opportunity to meet her again.

Also with us was “X” (my FTW Sales Manager), “X” (Catering), “X” (Entertainment Manager), and a couple of other Fairy Tale Weddings folks.

Went on a personal tour of the Great Movie Ride. The ride vehicles were scattered about. My Event Manager did not join us for that – he had been called to attend a meeting back at the Grand Floridian.

At 9 AM, we had to vacate the GMR because the ride was starting up for the theme park’s opening.

We went backstage to discuss with “X”, “X,” “X,” and “X” the timeline of my vow renewal events. My Event Manager rejoined us here. We also discussed possible additions, etc., to the event, including transportation.

Around 10 AM, we were taken to the Hollywood Hideaway for the menu tasting with “X” (Chef de Cuisine) and “X” (Catering Sous-Chef). “X” was there, too, and was dressed in Western attire since he was our server for the tasting.

We had almost everything on the dinner menu. Everything was delicious and I loved it all.

I teased about hot dogs and was told that the Chef de Cuisine had recently catered a party with hot dogs. Being the incredible chef that he is, it wasn’t your average hot dog party. Oh, no. There were 50 toppings for those hot dogs. I got a big kick out of that.

At around 11:15 AM, my Event Manager took us to Franck’s Bridal Studio where we spent the rest of the day until 4:20 PM.

We were in the Merryweather (sp?) Conference Room.

“X” (Entertainment Sales Manager) stopped by. He discussed photography, videography, and mentioned that the “X” entertainer was extra ?? I think I shocked him when it came to photography & videography – Kick ***.

We had the cake tasting at some point. Yellow cake with a white chocolate filling was selected by the ladies. We also got to see the mini-cake samples. That is what I chose. The one with the Mickey Mouse ears since I thought it would be appropriate for the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. Earful Tower was the old icon for that park until the Sorcerer’s Hat was built a year or two ago (find out exactly when).

Floral was held up with a Japanese couple who did not speak English and who did not have an interpreter with them.

“X” (Floral Event Manager) came and we discussed flowers in great length, followed by linens and other decorative touches for both the Wedding Pavilion (flowers, candles) and the Great Movie Ride and Sorcerer’s Hat (dance party). Light-up tables & chairs.

“X” (my FTW Sales Manager) at one point popped her head into the conference room and gave me a gift bag. It contained an engraved glass slipper. How sweet and very unexpected.

Photos inside Franck’s, outside Franck’s.

At 4:20 PM, we left Franck’s and my Event Manager drove us back to Port Orleans – French Quarter.

WeFullTime said goodbye.

Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and I went to the Magic Kingdom Theme Park and stayed until the park closed at 10 PM with Wishes (SpectroMagic at 9 PM). We had dinner inside Tony’s (??).

We took the bus back to Port Orleans – French Quarter. Nutz4dzny and I went swimming in the pool. She had her water thermometer with her. The pool was 88-degrees and the hot tub was 106-degrees.

We were in the pool from 11:10 PM until 11:55 PM.

I went to bed around 1 AM.
- - - - - - - - - -

I know. That was pretty B-O-R-I-N-G wasn’t it? Just wait until you see how that little sapling turns into a mighty tree. (And if you only knew how many times I had to prune that dang tree before it became something that I wanted others to see here at the Dis' Flower and Garden Show. Yikes!)

 

[Janet2k]

The World Is Not Enough… Or Is It…

There I was, in Walt Disney World, on the morning of the Planning Session for my Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal. I had waited 20 years to plan my vow renewal. As I prepared for the day that awaited me, I wondered if I had chosen the proper place to say "I do, again" in. Would the World be enough for me, Jane Bond?

---------------------------------------------------------
"The World Is Not Enough" (click here for music video)
(from the James Bond movie)
Music by David Arnold
Lyrics by Don Black
Performed by Garbage

I know how to hurt
I know how to kill
I know what to show
And what to conceal

I know when to talk
And I know when to touch
No one ever died from wanting too much

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart, my love

People like us
Know how to survive
There's no point in living
If you can't feel alive

We know when to kiss
And we know when to kill
If we can't have it all
Then nobody will

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart, my love

I feel safe
I feel scared
I feel ready
And yet unprepared

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart, my love

The world is not enough
The world is not enough
No, nowhere near enough
The world is not enough
---------------------------------------------------------
​

As I gathered together a few last minute items, my thoughts turned to the following verse:

”The world is not enough, but it is such a perfect place to start, my love. And if you're strong enough, together we can take the world apart, my love.”

I came to the realization that the World would indeed be the perfect place for me to plan my 20th wedding anniversary celebration. It was time to start making a few of my dreams come true.

I went next door to get Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 (click here). As soon as they had placed their room keys into their purses, we were on our way.

It was a warm morning and the weather people had predicted that the temperature would hit 94 degrees today. Oh, another scorcher for the girl who was so not used to this sort of weather. Arg!

We made it to the porte cochere a few minutes ahead of schedule. I snapped a photo of Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1 (click here). Just then, WeFullTime arrived. Everything was moving along like clockwork.

As we waited for my Event Manager to arrive, my mind began to drift. It went back to the song, ”The World Is Not Enough:”

"I feel safe. I feel scared. I feel ready. And yet unprepared."

There I was, an adult woman, planning to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary with a dinner party inside a theme park. What sort of person celebrates a long marriage inside a theme park? Wasn’t there a more elegant and suitable place for an anniversary celebration?

Secondly, what must my family and friends think of me for planning such an unconventional anniversary party? Did they think I was attempting to revert back to the days of my youth? Would they be embarrassed to attend an anniversary party inside a theme park? Heck, would they keep the news of their attendance a secret from their own friends out of fear of being teased?

Yes, I wondered all those things and more as I sat there. But I quickly pushed all those thoughts aside. The people who loved me knew that I was multidimensional. There was a side of me that was very professional, very conservative. And then there was a side of me that was very fun-loving, very creative. I enjoyed thinking outside of the box, and frankly had grown to the age that if anyone pooh-poohed anything that I did, well, it would be their loss for being so closed-minded.

My mind turned back to the song again, this time to another verse:

"People like us, know how to survive. There's no point in living, if you can't feel alive."

Yes, there was no point in living if you couldn’t feel alive. And I knew that with a 20th wedding anniversary celebration inside the most magical place on earth, my guests would truly feel alive.

I had one final thought as I sat there. That thought was of a favorite line from one of my favorite non-Bond movies, “Auntie Mame:”

“Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.”

When Auntie Mame stated that line, she meant that you should live life to its fullest. You could sit there and be an observer of life, or you could get up and enjoy the ride. Like Auntie Mame, I chose to enjoy the ride.

And with that final thought in mind, my Event Manager pulled up underneath the porte cochere. The ladies introduced themselves to him, and then everyone piled into his vehicle. The ride officially began. Look out, World, here we come.

 

[Janet2k]

Oh, gang, I'm so sorry that I'm going to have to stop right here. It is 5:40 AM and I have just got to get to sleep. I have re-edited my next post at least a hundred times, but I am too tired to decide whether or not it is good enough to post just yet. If I can find the time later on today (after I've gotten some sleep), I will try to post it. This next post describes the actual walkthrough of the Great Movie Ride. It was a very interesting part of the day, and an incredible way to start off my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session.

 

[zurgswife]

Sweet Dreams Janet....and may you get to sleep in this morning....

 

[KayleeUK]

Wakey Wakey

 

[daisylove]

Janet you are amazing! I get a lttle charge everytime I am notified that you have posted another chapter but I think we all understand and agree that family and work must take priority. Good luck!

 

[Janet2k]

Disney’s MGM Studios - Great Movie Ride Site Inspection...

The first item on my Planning Session Agenda had successfully been checked off:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Planning Session Agenda:
7:45 am: Transportation to Disney’s MGM Studios
*** Event Manager to pick up Janet’s Party at Port Orleans Resort. Please meet at the main lobby porte cochere
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One item down and eight to go.

Out of my three friends, only Bonzie1 had met my Event Manager before (that was during my Summerhouse Dinner Party that was held earlier in the year). Neither Nutz4dzny nor WeFullTime had met him, but that didn’t matter. My Event Manager was very good at conversing and making people feel at ease. The conversation flowed freely during our ride to Disney-MGM Studios that morning.

As we neared the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park, my Event Manager pulled his car into line with the rest of the Cast Members who were arriving for work: click here. The backstage entrance was busy that morning.

As we approached the Security Guard shack, I could see that something looked different from the last time I had entered the theme park that way. My Event Manager must have read my mind because he briefly mentioned the new security precautions that had been installed within the past several months.

Since not everyone here has received their Top Secret Clearance from the M16 Officials just yet, I can only share what is mentioned on the Center for State Homeland Security website:

- - - - - - - - - -
Disney World Increases Security:

Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., has installed state-of-the-art, anti-terrorist barricades similar to those protecting the White House, U.S. embassies and nuclear-waste depots as part of its continually evolving security plan. The hydraulically powered steel barricades are designed to stop a 20,000-pound truck bomb traveling 70 miles per hour.
[Sean Mussenden, "Disney World installs anti-terrorist barricades," Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2004]
- - - - - - - - - -

As Jane Bond, I have seen more than my fair share of access control barriers. For those of you who aren’t quite sure what an access control barrier is, here are two websites that show a few different types of this equipment:
Delta Scientific Corporation
SecureUSA

As Janet, I must admit that it was unnerving to see the barriers installed inside Walt Disney World. When I had gone backstage for my “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event last year, those barriers did not exist. But a lot has happened in the world within the past year, and not all of it has been good. I hope that someday soon we can get back to waging peace, fighting disease, and building hope.

Once we had been cleared through Security, my Event Manager drove us to the rendezvous point. He parked his vehicle and we disembarked. We walked over to meet the others.

There were quite a few Cast Members waiting for us there. Introductions were made. Amongst us were Cast Members from Convention Services, Catering, Entertainment, and Fairy Tale Weddings (including my Sales Manager). I would like to mention that one of the Cast Members with us that morning had handled last year’s “Haunted Mansion” Movie Set Dinner Event. It was wonderful getting the opportunity to meet her again. She would be instrumental in this year’s dinner party as well.

It was here that Bonzie1 began handing out the official backstage pass for my Fairy Tale Weddings Planning Session: click here. She had created a pass on a lanyard for each Cast Member who we encountered that day. Most of the passes were personalized with specific names of Cast Members (those names that had been stated on the itinerary that my Event Manager had sent to me earlier that week). But Bonzie1 also had a stash of generic passes for those Cast Members whose names we did not know in advance. I tell ya, that Bonzie1 is phenomenal, simply phenomenal. ~Sigh~

My Event Manager informed me that he would have to leave us for a bit but would join back up with us as soon as he could. He had an appointment to keep at the Grand Floridian. It must have been important if he had to leave us. He handed my little group off to the other Cast Members and away he went.

We had reached item two on my Planning Session Agenda:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Planning Session Agenda:
8:00 am: Disney’s MGM Studios - Great Movie Ride Site Inspection
Meet at Disney’s MGM-Studios Guest Services

Janet & Friends
Sales Manager, Disney’s Fairytale Weddings
Janet’s Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Event Manager, Disney’s MGM-Studios

Walk Park Arrival
Transportation Points
Venue Overview
Event Flow
Set Up
Décor
Food and Beverage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My group was led to the entrance of the Great Movie Ride attraction. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this attraction, I am going to state below what is currently mentioned on the official Walt Disney World website:

- - - - - - -
Go behind the silver screen to witness great movie moments captured in time with thrilling film clips and lifelike Audio-Animatronics® figures. Board a vehicle to ride through unforgettable scenes featuring legends of motion picture history.
- - - - - - -

I have always enjoyed my ride through the Great Movie Ride attraction. I wondered what it would be like to travel through that ride not in a ride vehicle but on foot. I would soon find out.

As we stood inside the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park early that morning, I must admit that it felt a little odd to be there since the park wasn’t scheduled to open for another hour. I had my camera with me but forgot to pull it out in order to take a picture of the Great Movie Ride’s entrance without any guests in the foreground. Drats. However, I do have a photo to share with you from my May vacation: Great Movie Ride's entrance.

Now that I’ve shown you that photo, I might as well show you the original version of that photo. You see, the original photo was taken during regular theme park hours, when theme park guests were entering the ride. I didn’t have the luxury of asking them, "Could you please stay out of my shot for a few seconds until my shutter button has been clicked?" No, I couldn’t do that, and thus had to take the photo just as things were in that specific moment in time. If you click the following link, you will see the “after” photo on the left and the “before” photo on the right: click here. I guess Disney isn’t the only one who is capable of creating a little ~magic.~

As we stood before the Great Movie Ride, the Entertainment Manager began describing what would happen during my event. He mentioned that a Producer would meet and greet all my guests in front of the attraction. This Streetmosphere Character would humorously talk about a few Hollywood movies and how he would change them if he could. After a bit of witty repartee, he would lead everyone inside the attraction. In effect, the Producer would become our de facto tour guide for the rest of the evening.

The Entertainment Manager went on to explain that the Producer would lead my guests through the entrance of the attraction and into the pre-show area where the movies are shown on the big screen. The Producer would then lead the guests into the ride boarding area, except he would lead everyone down the stairs since they were going to experience the ride on foot and not in the ride vehicles.

As my guests walked, they would first enter the Musical Area of the attraction (Footlight Parade, Singing in the Rain, Mary Poppins). The Producer would then lead everyone into the Gangster Area (The Public Enemy). He would disappear here and be replaced by a Gangster and his Gun Moll. These two new Streetmosphere Characters would entertain my guests for about 30 minutes while everyone enjoyed drinks and hors d'oeuvres. A Pianist would play background music on an upright piano throughout our time in this area. Once it was time for dinner, the Producer would reappear and lead everyone next door to the Western Area.

In the Western Area (The Searchers), the Producer would leave us again. He would be replaced by a Cowboy, a Cowgirl, and a Western Trio. They would entertain us throughout our meal for the next hour and a half.

Once dinner was done, the Producer would reappear and lead everyone through the rest of the ride. He would walk us through the Sci-Fi Area (Alien), the Action Area (Raiders of the Lost Ark, hieroglyphics), the Horror Area (mummies, skeletons), the Adventure Area (Tarzan), the Classics Area (Casablanca), and then onto the Animation Area (Fantasia). As we walked, the Audio-Animatronics® figures would be operating in both motion and sound. In effect, the Great Movie Ride would be playing itself out as we walked through it.

The Producer would eventually lead everyone into the Fantasy Area (Wizard of Oz) for the dessert party. Once there, Glinda the Good Witch would appear and the Producer would disappear. Glinda would entertain my guests for the next half hour or so.

It was at that time that the Disney Studios Event Manager spoke up and stated that we should enter the Great Movie Ride attraction because we only had a limited amount of time inside it before the ride began functioning for the daily theme park guests. I should note that she had an earpiece in her ear and was in communication with someone, I’m just not sure who that someone was. (Ah, spies amongst us.)

We entered the Great Movie Ride attraction and walked through the ride queue. It was nice and cold inside, and it felt wonderful. The soundtrack was playing and the song that I heard was entitled “Moonglow.” I didn’t know if it was the air or the music that gave me goose bumps. I suddenly felt awfully lucky to be alive and very, very humble.

When we walked into the pre-show area, “Mary Poppins” was being shown on the movie screen. We were told that depending upon the size of my guest list, the Producer might hold us up here for a bit in order for everyone to catch up with each other. If he did that, he would humorously describe the movies that were being shown and how he would change some of their endings if he had the chance.

At the appropriate time, the Producer would move my guests into the ride boarding area. He would continue to entertain as everyone walked through the boarding area and down the steps onto the track of the ride. There would be no ride vehicles inside the attraction on the night of my party.

As we stood in the boarding area that morning, Nutz4dzny pointed out a Hidden Minnie that she had spotted a few years ago. According to Nutz4dzny, there are only a few Hidden Minnie’s in all of Walt Disney World. Someone else pointed out a Hidden Mickey. I’m not well versed on Hidden Mickey’s or Hidden Minnie’s, so it was fun having those special Disney touches pointed out to me.

We walked down the stairs and onto the ride's track (which isn't really a track at all). We then began walking into the Musical Area of the attraction, and as we did, the Disney Studios Event Manager and the Entertainment Manager began describing what the Producer would be saying to my guests as he led them through this area on their way to the Gangster Area. Again, we were told that the Audio-Animatronics® figures would be operating in both motion and sound on the night of the party. I loved imagining what this experience would feel like for my guests.

We stopped in front of “Mary Poppins” and my Sales Manager asked a few questions of the Disney-MGM Studios folks. It was then mentioned that the doors leading into the Gangster Area would be closed on the night of the party in order to keep what lay behind them a surprise. As my guests approached the doors, they would open and my guests would be led into the first portion of the progressive dinner party – drinks and hors d'oeuvres inside the Gangster Area.

WeFullTime, Bonzie1, Nutz4dzny and I were next led into the Gangster Area of the attraction. The Entertainment Manager pointed out two fake puddles of water on the ground. They looked very real. There is probably no way anyone would ever see those puddles from the ride vehicle so I was amazed that they were there. Just another one of those famous Disney touches. I was also amazed at all the garbage that was lying around. I had never noticed it before. Again, more fun Disney touches.

As we stood there, Bonzie1 pointed out one Hidden Mickey to me, while Nutz4dzny pointed out another. Two Hidden Mickey’s in one area, and both were completely different.

Catering described how drinks would be served for my cocktail party : mixed drinks would be served in Mason jars; wine would be served in black coffee mugs; and beer would be served in cans that were placed inside brown paper bags. All libations would be perfectly disguised a la the Prohibition Era. What wicked fun. The wait staff would be attired in pinstriped suits, continuing the gangster feel of the venue.

Depending upon the chosen menu, a buffet table could be set up for the hors d'oeuvres or they could be passed. Cocktail tables would be set up so that everyone had a place to sit down while they munched and enjoyed their libations. The cocktail party would probably last about thirty minutes. That would give everyone enough time to quench their thirst and experience the entertainment of the Gangster, his Gun Moll, and the pianist.

It was here that WeFullTime made the perfect comment, “It’s getting so exciting!” I could not have said it better myself. The excitement was definitely growing and I could feel it in the air as I looked around the venue.

We continued on with our walk-through. The next stop was the Western Area. As we entered it, again WeFullTime took the words right out of my mouth, “I love it in here. This is so cool.” So true, so true. We had Clint Eastwood on one side and John Wayne on the other. Could it get any better than that?

The Disney Studios Event Manager stated that a few round tables would be set up in this area for the dinner party. She said the wait staff would be dressed in Western attire. A Western Trio would play music while a couple of Streetmosphere characters would interact with my guests throughout the dinner.

Catering stated the dinner tables would be decorated with a Western theme. Black, floor-length linens would cover those tables, and they would be topped with red and white gingham-checked overlays. The centerpieces would be little bales of hay with a straw hat and a rope lasso. My Sales Manager asked if things could be altered. Catering stated that amongst other things, the standard linen package could be upgraded and floral centerpieces could be added, all for an additional cost, of course.

Catering also stated that for a plated dinner, to set aside a minimum of an hour and a half for the meal. Catering would work closely with Entertainment to make sure that there weren’t any lulls in the flow of both the food and the entertainment as the evening progressed. My guests would always have something to keep them occupied. I was told that the Disney Cast Members closely monitored the mood of a party. They slow it down when it needs to be slowed down, and they speed it up when it needs to be speeded up. They have become very good at both gauging and setting the pace of a party.

Once we were done discussing the dinner party, we began walking through the rest of the Great Movie Ride attraction on our way to the dessert party location.

The Sci-Fi Area was the first area that we entered. This is where the scene from “Alien” is played out. Then it was onto the Action Area. This is where “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is played out. As Nutz4dzny viewed all the snakes withering around her, she stated how realistic they looked. The Entertainment Manager responded by saying that a few of the snakes were real, but because they frequently move about, they can’t be caught. I got a big kick out of that (and secretly hoped that he was kidding).

Amongst all the hieroglyphics in the room, we found a Hidden Mickey & Donald and a Hidden C-3PO & R2-D2. It was fun finding them.

We walked through the room that has the jewel in it. None of us bothered to steal it. We had seen often enough what happened to anyone who tried to heist that jewel. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but all of us found our lives just a little more valuable than any ancient bauble, thank you very much.

Our walk-through led us next into the Horror Area. There were plenty of mummies and skeletons in there. Then it was onto the Adventure Area. It was fun watching Tarzan swinging through the trees over and over again.

Following the Adventure Area was the Classics Area. Ah, Casablanca: “Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Now, now... Here's looking at you, kid." Such a wonderful movie, ~sigh.~

After we walked through the Classics Area, we entered the Animation Area. As we passed through, we saw the Sorcerer’s Apprentice (a.k.a., Mickey Mouse) in the movie, “Fantasia.”

As we rounded the corner, we found ourselves entering the Fantasy Area. It was here in the Land of Oz that my guests would enjoy dessert. Glinda the Good Witch would join everyone here and entertain them.

Catering mentioned that depending upon the size of my guest list, different table arrangements could be used. For a smaller group, cocktail tables would be set up. For a larger group, tall boys would be set up. My Sales Manager asked if the chairs could be upgraded to chiavari chairs, and she was told that they could, for an additional cost.

I was told that dessert would last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Towards the end of it, the Audio-Animatronics® munchkins would pop up and sing, followed by a burst of smoke and the Wicked Witch of the West’s appearance. Glinda would interact with the munchkins and the Wicked Witch. Once the Wicked Witch disappeared, the Producer would reappear and lead everyone into the “Black Box” Area (that is the finale area where movies are shown at the end of the ride). I was amazed by Disney’s attention to detail.

Before we left the Land of Oz, we briefly discussed the optional dance party. I was told that the dance party could be held inside the Black Box Area. I mentioned that I had wanted it held outdoors underneath the Sorcerer’s Hat Icon. I was told that it couldn’t be held underneath the hat because that was a merchandise location. I asked if it could be held in front of the hat and was told that it could. I was happy to hear that.

Our walk-through continued and we passed Dorothy and the Emerald City. As soon as we had entered the Black Box, we were told by a few Great Movie Ride Cast Members that they were preparing to cycle the ride in preparation for the theme park’s opening. I couldn’t believe that our time inside the ride had come to an end. Time had passed much too quickly. Within another minute or two, our entire party had moved outdoors.

As we stood outside in the sunshine, the Entertainment Manager described how the optional Handprint Ceremony would work. He said stanchions would be set up in front of the Great Movie Ride’s entrance, and that my guests would stand behind them. For the actual ceremony, there would be a wet concrete slab that my husband and I would press our hands into. We would get the cement slab to keep as a memento after it had dried (shipping charges were additional).

We then discussed the dance party and where it would be set up. We walked over to the front of the Sorcerer’s Hat Icon and found a little shade to stand in since it was becoming very warm (a.k.a., hot). We noticed a large gathering of people and a film crew standing across the courtyard from us. WeFullTime saw some signs that mentioned something about ESPN, so that was our guess as to what was going on.

As we talked about the dance party, I asked if a dance floor had to be set up. I was pleased to hear that one wasn’t required since the area in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat was paved. Lighting was briefly mentioned to me.

With the discussion of the dance party complete, the Great Movie Ride Site Inspection had come to an end. The second item on my Planning Session Agenda had successfully been checked off. A few of the Fairy Tale Weddings Cast Members said good-bye at this point and headed back to their office. My Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager stayed with us.

What was up next on my Planning Session Agenda? Event Planning. Stay tuned...

 

[ValerieK]

Oh Janet, how exciting! It sounds like it was wonderful.

 

[IASW Rider]

Very exciting, Janet! And thanks for sharing all those fantastic photos and literally taking us on your journey with you! Can't wait to read and see more!

 

[dbond]

I just stumbled onto this thread! I am enthralled. I have been sooooo tempted to do something like this for DH & myself, you are a gifted planner. WDW should hire you to do this for a living. I would love to know the $$$ details. When you get the chance, can you email or PM me privately? I can't wait to hear the rest of the story!

 

[gigi1313]

wow... that's all i can say... wow!

janet thank you so much for sharing yourself and your family and friends with us... may God continue to bless you in the new year!