kcb1dizbksfan
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2008
- Messages
- 282
It’s a rainy Saturday here in New York, so I figured I would spend some time and go through some of my Disney photos from early Spring of this year and post some of them.
I have been to the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review (HDR) review three times in my life. The first time over 15 years ago, the second time a few years ago and my most recently trip was on 4/29/14 at the 6:15 pm show. The first time I attended I treated my Mother to a trip to the World in celebration of her 70th birthday, and we took in a performance of the HDD. It was a great time, we were in the balcony area and were greeted by a server who asked where we were from and she immediately replied she was from New Jersey and so an immediate connection was made. It was a very nice evening and like any activity that you have never experienced, you go into the event with little in the way of expectations. The second trip, was not very memorable for me for a lot of reasons. The food was horrible and I like to eat. The first time in my life I actually could not even eat the food that was served, with the chicken that was so over-cooked it made me physically gag. Complicating matters further, I was placed very far away from the stage because I was originally booked for the balcony so I could use my telephoto.
I don’t typically like to be on the main floor because in the HDR you may be a subject for attention as part of the show and I just like to operate in a stealth mode . . . particularly if your traveling alone. My most recent visit this Spring was very special and enjoyable. When I initially made my reservation, I asked the cast member who I spoke with on the phone if they could place me up close so I could take photographs without having any obstructions. They had a table right up front of the stage reserved for me . . . I was really close . . . if I was any closer I would have been on stage with the cast members. I mentioned to the gentleman who was the server that I had an unpleasant experience during my last visit with the overcooked chicken. The server communicated my prior food experience to the Chef and this time I was served really great chicken. The ribs I wasn’t so keen about . . . no flavor and it reminded me of college with the serving of institutional food. But honestly, the fact that I was placed in such a great location, the chicken was good and this was the first nite of my vacation . . . what could be better.
When I was seated at the table and waiting for the show to start, I immediately recognized the woman who was the server at my table over 15 years ago . . . but I wasn’t 100% sure. I asked my server from my recent trip if he knew if the server I identified was originally from New Jersey and he confirmed my thoughts. I asked him to let her know that I wanted to thank her for creating a great memory for both my Mother and I. I walked over to her and introduced myself, gave her a hug and thanked her for creating such a special nite for both of us . . . certainly the server was not going to remember me with the hundreds and perhaps thousands of guests that she has seen over 15 years, but for me I only had to recall the image of one person and I was very glad to reconnect with her and be able to thank her.
I don’t like to be photographed for a whole bunch of reasons . . . some people are just more photogenic than others and I like to stay behind the lens to try to capture the best in everyone else. The gentleman who was the server at my table at the end of the HDR performance handed to all the audience members the official HDR washboards, where you strum along with the music at the end of the show. The server then asked me if I wanted a photograph of myself . . . of all people to ask . . . you never have to worry about me getting “selfies”, but I quickly acquiesced and a few photos were taken of me with my new musical instrument the washboard, jamming to the music. I thanked the server for making this a memorable nite and started to make my way out to the docks to take the ferry ride back to the MK to connect to my bus back to the POR resort where I was staying. Before departing, I made a point to say good-bye to the server who I met 15 long years ago and then made my way out of Pioneer Hall to the dock.
On the ferry ride back to the MK, I started to think about the photo that had just been taken of me during HDR. Over 15 years ago when I was at Pioneer Hall, the only camera I had with me was a small point and shoot. Normally I take many photos at an event, but I was with someone that evening, my Mother and so the only photo I took of her was when she had the washboard in her hand . . . and this was the only photograph I took of her that nite. There could have been hundreds of times throughout the nite that a server could have taken an image of me and certainly I am not one to ask for photos of me to recreate a similar situation for the evening of 15 years ago. But serendipitously, the one and only photo I took of my Mother was now being taken of me . . . what are the odds of that happening? This was a good nite for me on many levels and sometimes the best things happen when they are not planned.
I am sharing with you a few of the photos I took that special evening. It took me a long time to finally view these images and I literally saw them just last nite.
Also a couple minute video vignette of HDR: http://youtu.be/Dhy1nFDjfRI
I have been to the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review (HDR) review three times in my life. The first time over 15 years ago, the second time a few years ago and my most recently trip was on 4/29/14 at the 6:15 pm show. The first time I attended I treated my Mother to a trip to the World in celebration of her 70th birthday, and we took in a performance of the HDD. It was a great time, we were in the balcony area and were greeted by a server who asked where we were from and she immediately replied she was from New Jersey and so an immediate connection was made. It was a very nice evening and like any activity that you have never experienced, you go into the event with little in the way of expectations. The second trip, was not very memorable for me for a lot of reasons. The food was horrible and I like to eat. The first time in my life I actually could not even eat the food that was served, with the chicken that was so over-cooked it made me physically gag. Complicating matters further, I was placed very far away from the stage because I was originally booked for the balcony so I could use my telephoto.
I don’t typically like to be on the main floor because in the HDR you may be a subject for attention as part of the show and I just like to operate in a stealth mode . . . particularly if your traveling alone. My most recent visit this Spring was very special and enjoyable. When I initially made my reservation, I asked the cast member who I spoke with on the phone if they could place me up close so I could take photographs without having any obstructions. They had a table right up front of the stage reserved for me . . . I was really close . . . if I was any closer I would have been on stage with the cast members. I mentioned to the gentleman who was the server that I had an unpleasant experience during my last visit with the overcooked chicken. The server communicated my prior food experience to the Chef and this time I was served really great chicken. The ribs I wasn’t so keen about . . . no flavor and it reminded me of college with the serving of institutional food. But honestly, the fact that I was placed in such a great location, the chicken was good and this was the first nite of my vacation . . . what could be better.
When I was seated at the table and waiting for the show to start, I immediately recognized the woman who was the server at my table over 15 years ago . . . but I wasn’t 100% sure. I asked my server from my recent trip if he knew if the server I identified was originally from New Jersey and he confirmed my thoughts. I asked him to let her know that I wanted to thank her for creating a great memory for both my Mother and I. I walked over to her and introduced myself, gave her a hug and thanked her for creating such a special nite for both of us . . . certainly the server was not going to remember me with the hundreds and perhaps thousands of guests that she has seen over 15 years, but for me I only had to recall the image of one person and I was very glad to reconnect with her and be able to thank her.
I don’t like to be photographed for a whole bunch of reasons . . . some people are just more photogenic than others and I like to stay behind the lens to try to capture the best in everyone else. The gentleman who was the server at my table at the end of the HDR performance handed to all the audience members the official HDR washboards, where you strum along with the music at the end of the show. The server then asked me if I wanted a photograph of myself . . . of all people to ask . . . you never have to worry about me getting “selfies”, but I quickly acquiesced and a few photos were taken of me with my new musical instrument the washboard, jamming to the music. I thanked the server for making this a memorable nite and started to make my way out to the docks to take the ferry ride back to the MK to connect to my bus back to the POR resort where I was staying. Before departing, I made a point to say good-bye to the server who I met 15 long years ago and then made my way out of Pioneer Hall to the dock.
On the ferry ride back to the MK, I started to think about the photo that had just been taken of me during HDR. Over 15 years ago when I was at Pioneer Hall, the only camera I had with me was a small point and shoot. Normally I take many photos at an event, but I was with someone that evening, my Mother and so the only photo I took of her was when she had the washboard in her hand . . . and this was the only photograph I took of her that nite. There could have been hundreds of times throughout the nite that a server could have taken an image of me and certainly I am not one to ask for photos of me to recreate a similar situation for the evening of 15 years ago. But serendipitously, the one and only photo I took of my Mother was now being taken of me . . . what are the odds of that happening? This was a good nite for me on many levels and sometimes the best things happen when they are not planned.
I am sharing with you a few of the photos I took that special evening. It took me a long time to finally view these images and I literally saw them just last nite.
Also a couple minute video vignette of HDR: http://youtu.be/Dhy1nFDjfRI
