Im Every Woman
WeFullTimes husband was waiting for us at the Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. Since WeFullTime and her husband had plans for the evening, they departed shortly after we had arrived. Before they left, I thanked WeFullTime for spending the day at my Planning Session, especially since it had lasted longer than anyone had anticipated. It was very gracious of her to take time out of her busy life to attend it. I told both WeFullTime and her husband that I looked forward to seeing them in October for the vow renewal. After exchanging heartfelt hugs, they were gone. I was sad to see them go.
Bonzie1, Nutz4dzny, and I had plans for dinner in the Magic Kingdom. We freshened up and then headed for the resorts bus stop. It was decided that we would dine in
Tonys Town Square Restaurant. In all my years of vacationing in Walt Disney World, I couldnt remember if I had ever dined there.
The Disney bus dropped us off at the Magic Kingdom around 5:45 PM. Because Bonzie1 was flying home the next day, this would be our last evening together. We wanted to make the most of it.
It was 94 degrees outside. Way too hot for this West Coast girl. Luckily, we had dinner reservations for 6 PM so we went inside the restaurant to escape from the heat. It was nice and cool inside.
Ahhhhhh
It wasnt long before we were seated. The three of us were hungry but werent quite sure what we wanted to eat. We asked our server for a few suggestions. Everything that she described sounded delicious. It was tough making a choice, but we eventually settled upon a few dishes and placed our order.
The restaurant was busy with the summer dinner crowd. The patrons were all having a good time, but none more so than Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and I.
Over dinner we discussed our weddings, our ensuing marriages, and our family lives. The three of us even reminisced about when we had met for the first time. It was because of the Dis website that we had done so. None of us ever imagined that Cyberspace would play such an important role in forging three wonderful friendships amongst strangers from different parts of the country. It was truly
kismet that had brought us together.
While we were dining, Bonzie1 noticed a souvenir mug sitting on another table. She asked our server to bring one to us. She said she wanted to see if it was a different mug than the one she had purchased during a prior visit. Our server was happy to oblige
(click here). However, once Bonzie1 saw the mug up close, she sadly determined that she already owned that particular one.
Bonzie1 then mentioned that before we left the restaurant, the three of us should pose for a photo next to the Lady and the Tramp fountain. We did as she suggested and here are our mug shots:
Bonzie1,
Nutz4dzny, and
me.
Once our meals were finished, it was time to brave the heat that was waiting for us outside. As we exited the restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised to find that things had cooled down a little bit. It was actually turning into a gorgeous evening.
As the three of us strolled down Main Street, Bonzie1 casually mentioned that she had once read something about
voice lessons. She said these lessons were somewhat along the lines of a Hidden Mickey. That is, you could either stumble into them accidentally or look for them on purpose.
"Your mission (click here)," Bonzie1 innocently began,
"if you choose to accept it, will be to find out where the elusive voice lessons are taught."
Well, you didnt have to ask Nutz4dzny or I twice. Like Bonzie1, we lived for the thrill of the hunt. We quickly took off our Mickey Mouse ears and put on our Secret Agent hats. It was time for us to get to work.
Our mission first took us down Main Street U.S.A. (
click here) and then down one of the side streets. We found some Cast Members standing around and we asked them where the voice lessons were held. They feigned ignorance and claimed they didnt know what we were talking about.
The three of us slyly sized them up. Were they telling us the truth? Or were they trying to throw us off the trail? Its always hard to read the face of a smiling Cast Member they are very good at the art of deception. So, leaving nothing to chance, we decided to check out the neighborhood.
We slowly walked down the street, carefully scanning the second-story windows as we did so. The Magic Kingdom was crowded that evening and the noise from Main Street overflowed to where we were. We systematically tuned out the roar of the crowd.
At the end of the street, we heard something coming from above us. We looked up
(click here) and tried to figure out what it was that we were hearing. We quickly determined that it was only the sound of piano lessons. Drats! That wasnt what we wanted to hear.
We stood at the end of the street for a few minutes, trying to decide what our next move should be. For a moment we wondered if we had been led on a wild goose chase or if we had encountered the proverbial dead-end. But as we continued to stand there, Bonzie1 thought she heard something besides a piano lesson. Nutz4dzny and I cocked our ears towards the sound. It wasnt long before we heard it, too:
voice lessons.
Mission accomplished (the three of us hadnt finished at the top of our Spy School class for nothin). We took a group photo to commemorate our success:
click here.
With our mission complete, it was time for us to have a little fun. We removed our Secret Agent hats and replaced them with Mickey Mouse ears. We then headed down Main Street (
click here) and assimilated into the crowd.
Our first stop was Tomorrowland. It was there that we spotted the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (
click here). We had a ticket to ride.
I mentioned to Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny that when my daughter and I rode the Tomorrowland Transit Authority during our May vacation, we pretended that it was a thrill ride. I went on to explain that we raised our hands high into the air any time our car moved around a corner at a high rate of speed.
Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny quickly raised their hands into the air. The three of us giggled as our car gained speed. Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on that ride
(click here).
A ride on the Walt Disney World Railroad (
click here) was next on our list of
Things To Do. I thought it would be a relaxing ride, but leave it to Bonzie1 to turn it into yet another
thrill ride.
Bonzie1 told us,
"Mission Number Two (click here)," if we chose to accept it,
"would be to help find a Hidden Mickey that supposedly could be seen from the train as it rode through Splash Mountain." Nutz4dzny and I cried out in unison,
"Bring it on, girlfriend!"
As we rode the train, Bonzie1 taught us a little dance routine (
click here) that she does whenever she hears a certain song on the Walt Disney World Railroad. If you look at that photo, youll see that Nutz4dzny was a quick study. Im going to let you folks in on a little secret:
Dance Class 101 is a very popular elective in Spy School (rhythm is essential on spy missions).
When our train approached
Splash Mountain, Bonzie1 described where the Hidden Mickey was supposedly located. I couldnt quite comprehend what she was saying so I asked her to repeat herself. As she did, I suddenly glanced over at the opening to the ride. My eyes darted first to the paddleboat and then to a cloud that was floating nearby. I cried out,
"There it is!" But Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny looked a split-second too late our train had quickly moved beyond the location.
Drats!
They were disappointed that they had missed seeing the Hidden Mickey, but being the excellent spies that they were, they remembered an important rule from Spy School:
"If at first you dont succeed; try, try again." With that rule in mind, the three of us would stay on the train. We felt confident that with our next go-around, the Hidden Mickey would be found.
Eventually our train had traveled full circle. We kept our eyes peeled for Splash Mountain. It wasnt long before it came into view.
Suddenly, Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny cried out,
I see it! I see the Hidden Mickey! Hes in the clouds!
Everyone within earshot turned their head towards Splash Mountain, but because the train was moving too quickly, no one else had caught a glimpse of the Hidden Mickey. The sigh of disappointment in our train car was palpable. We explained to the other passengers where the Hidden Mickey could be found.
[Note: To see a photo of the Hidden Mickey, click here and look for item 43 on that page.]
With Bonzie1s, Nutz4dznys, and my sighting of the Hidden Mickey out of the way, another mission had successfully been accomplished by Mickeys Angels. We stayed on the train until it reached the front of the theme park. It was there where we disembarked.
We had just enough time to find a place to watch the SpectroMagic Parade. SpectroMagic is my favorite parade, and I dont think Ive ever watched it without getting a little misty-eyed. With two of my dearest friends along, I knew tonight would be no different.
Within seconds of hearing the parades soundtrack playing over the theme parks loudspeakers, I got goose bumps. When I caught a glimpse of the first float, a familiar feeling came over me. A feeling of how very lucky I was to be alive and standing in one of the most magical places on earth. I glanced over at Nutz4dzny and Bonzie1. I could see that they were feeling the same thing. The three of us were like peas in a pod.
The
SpectroMagic Parade is truly dazzling. Disney claims that the parade is comprised of half a million lights and I believe them. The floats are beautiful
(click here) and come in every color of the rainbow. But what I find even more spectacular than the floats is the music. I could listen to the parades soundtrack forever and never tire of it.
When the last float had passed us by, the crowd dispersed a tiny bit. The ladies and I decided to move closer to the castle so that we would have a good view of the
Wishes Nighttime Spectacular fireworks show.
Shortly after arriving in our new location, the soundtrack for Wishes began to play. With the glow from the shows first fireworks
(click here) upon their faces, I saw that Bonzie1 and Nutz4dzny were enjoying themselves as much as I was (
click here). It was truly a magical moment for the three of us as we stood in front of Cinderella Castle watching the fireworks light up the sky.
[Note: Click here to view the Wishes fireworks video that is located on the Dis website. For those of you who are old softies like I am, make sure to have your tissues ready before you click on that link. And if you want to see lots of beautiful photographs of the fireworks show, click here to see what is found on the Dis website.]
Once the fireworks show was over, we made our way with the rest of the crowd to the front of the theme park. As we walked underneath the train tracks, a team of Cast Members wearing Mickey Mouse gloves waved good-bye to us. They also held up signs that stated, See ya real soon. Mickey (
click here). The three of us waved good-bye to them. It was just too cute for words.
We continued onto the bus stop, chatting all the way. It wasnt long before the Port Orleans bus arrived and we boarded it.
Our bus ride passed quickly, and before I knew it, I was back in my resort room. It was at that time that I noticed the pink gift bag
(click here) that I had brought home with me from my Planning Session. It was sitting on top of the television where I had placed it earlier that evening. I walked over to it and looked inside. It contained a box, so I pulled it out and opened it up. Inside the box was an item that was wrapped in tissue paper. I couldnt imagine what it was.
As I unwrapped the gift, I discovered that it was a glass slipper
(click here). I began to laugh. My Fairy Tale Weddings Sales Manager had seen to it that my fairy tale was complete I had my very own glass slipper. What a precious gift. I would cherish it always.
As I inspected the glass slipper, I found that it wasnt just any glass slipper.
No, sir-ee. It was adorned with a heart full of pink crystals
(click here). It was also engraved. One side stated, Fairy Tale Wedding (
click here), and the other side stated, Janet & Rick (
click here). There was only one fairy tale couple in anyones magic kingdom who could ever lay claim to that particular glass slipper and that was my husband and I.
I brought the glass slipper over to Bonzie1s and Nutz4dznys room. As I showed it to them, they both
oohed and
aahed over it. They thought it was the perfect gift. They were right.
It was almost 11 PM by now. Bonzie1 decided to call it a night. Since I was still on West Coast time, the night was young for me (a three-hour time zone change sometimes comes in handy). I love late-night swims so I mentioned to Nutz4dzny that I was going to head out to the pool. She said shed join me because her back was bothering her and she thought the hot tub would do it some good.
It was 11 PM when the two of us arrived at Doubloon Lagoon. The water temperature was a balmy 88 degrees. That was almost too warm for me. Nutz4dzny took a quick dip in the pool and then transferred over to the hot tub where the water was 106 degrees. That was way too hot for me so I stayed behind in the swimming pool.
There were quite a few vacationers in the pool with me that evening. It was obvious to even the casual observer that a late-night swim was a wonderful way to unwind from a busy day in the theme parks. I couldnt agree with them more.
As I floated about in the water, I could feel my muscles relaxing. I didnt realize how overly tired I had become. It had truly been an extremely long day. The swimming pool was the perfect medicine for my weary body.
Ahhhhh
Soon it was midnight and time to head back to our rooms. Once there, we kept the connecting doors slightly ajar in case anyone decided that they needed anything in the middle of the night.
I picked up the telephone and called home. Even though it was after midnight on the East Coast, it was only after 9 PM on the West Coast.
When my children answered the phone, I gave them the condensed version of my day. They stated that it sounded like I'd had an incredible day. Then my daughter asked me if I had relayed to the Disney Chef just how much she had liked last years Haunted Mansion Movie Set Dinner Events lamb dish. I assured her that I did, and that the Chef was pleased to hear it. That made her happy.
I next spoke with my husband. I told him that things had gone well at the Planning session and that we were going to have a beautiful 20th wedding anniversary in October. He said there was no question in his mind that it would be anything but wonderful. We spoke for a few more minutes and then exchanged our
I love yous. When I hung up the phone, I could see that the clock was quickly approaching the 1 AM hour. Where had the day gone?
It took me a little while to fall asleep. My mind had spent such a major portion of the day stuck in full-speed mode, that it was hard for me to convince it to shut down for the night.
As I laid in bed, I marveled at everything that had been accomplished that day. Not only had I enjoyed my Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewals Planning Session, I had also enjoyed the company of three very lovely ladies Nutz4dzny, Bonzie1, and WeFullTime. I was honored that they had shared this special day with me. It wasnt just any woman who would drop everything in her busy life to join a friend in a faraway land. But these werent your ordinary women. They were your
extraordinary women. And with that final thought in mind, I fell asleep as Chaka Khans song played on the radio.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
IM EVERY WOMAN
Written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson
Click here for music video Note: You might have
to watch a brief commercial before the music video plays
Click here for audio clip
I'm every woman, it's all in me
Anything you want done, baby
I'll do it naturally
I'm every woman, it's all in me
I can read your thoughts right now
Every one from A to Z
I can cast a spell
With secrets you can't tell
Mix a special brew
Put fire inside of you
But anytime you feel
Danger or fear
Instantly I will appear, 'cause
I'm every woman, it's all in me
Anything you want done, baby
I'll do it naturally
I can sense your needs
Like rain on to the seeds
I can make a rhyme
Of confusion in your mind
And when it comes down
To some good old fashioned love
That's what I've got plenty of, 'cause
I'm every woman, it's all in me
Anything you want done, baby
I'll do it naturally
I'm every woman, it's all in me
I can read your thoughts right now
Every one from A to Z
I ain't braggin' 'cause I'm the one
You just ask me ooh and it shall be done
And don't bother to compare
'Cause I've got it
I've got it, I've got it, yeah
I'm every woman
[Repeat and fade]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
love @ first sight bunch!! "19" heavenly years and counting... 
we "found" each other the first moment our eyes met. 
On our wedding day, DH's best man and friend disclosed this little bit of info to me just before our ceremony: "Your DH spoke w/me on the phone the eve he met you. He told me he had met the girl he was going to marry, the one he had envisioned, and been patiently waiting for his entire life." 
We still discuss these events every time we all get together. We too...have considered renewing our vows on our 20th @ WDW!! Perhaps, after following all the fabulous details of your event, we'll follow suit. Enjoy!!! 
What a beautiful gift 
