jezzieduck
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2001
- Messages
- 3
The Players:
Goose - Dearest Fiancee of Jezzieduck and 30 y/o System Engineer (read: professional geek). Last visit to
WDW: age 12 or thereabouts for the opening of EPCOT. Has special childhood affection for Pooh and is
ready to let his inner 10 year old play.
Jezzieduck- Official 'Julie-the-Cruise-Director' for this and all future WDW visits. 31 y/o actress looking for a
day job. Loves all things of the pin-tailed donkey. Fully in contact with inner 10 year old since she never
really grew up in the first place. Has visited WDW four times, the last was March 1999.
The Settings:
Somewhere in Metro Atlanta
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Any shaded smoking area
The Motivation:
An actor must have his or her motivation, darlings. This short trip, August 17 - 20, was a spontaneous
result of Goose and Jezzieduck having too much time one rainy Saturday afternoon. We played on the
internet and ended up at the WDW website instead of cleaning house, unpacking boxes, washing Cocker
Spaniels, re-reading "Henry V"' and other noble industrious or high minded persuits. The internet package
was just too 'shweet', as Goose would say, to pass up. We just recently became engaged and discovered
this was a perfect justification to book the package. This line of thought would also help us justify
spending countless hours pouring over our "Passporter Guide to WDW", the DIS boards, and the lenghty
trip reports of our new heroes in WDW adventure, Nate and Spencer of "The Nastee".
_________________
Scene 2... Animal Kingdom Lodge.
After oohing and aaahing and much mushy stuff about our room, Goose and Jezzieduck decide to hit the Magic Kingdom. On the slate for this afternoon: Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain and lunch with a certain pin-tailed donkey.
We changed from our travel clothes into as Florida in August wear (read: as few clothes as possible without scaring small children/getting arrested.), donned extra comfy thick socks, I in my super-dorky Eeyore baseball hat, and most comfy Nikes and packed the moleskin. Within minutes we were off to the Mara for our refillable mugs and the AKL bus stop. On our way I made a mistake. I gave The Goose material for a new running joke. This is bad. Goose loves new material. Here's what happened:
We pass a large round copper disc with handles. Basically this was a 4 foot diameter copper canteen. I was in discovery mode since we had just passed though the lobby of AKL marveling at the vast array of African artifacts and art. Plus, I had woken up at 3.30 after sleeping only the better part of 4 hours, schlepped my stuff through Hartsfield and managed to find my happy place when I really wanted to toss a saucy reply Goose's way when we debated the merits of checking our luggage. So let's just say I wasnt firing on all pistons. I come upon the disc.
Jezzieduck: Hmmmm...Hey Goose...I wonder if this is a big water vessel?
Goose: (barely disguising an 'omigawd are you really THAT blonde' look) Um...I wonder. Hey honey, there's that Magic Kingdom bus!
For the next four days EVERY time we pass that big copper canteen thingy Goose says "Hmmm...I wonder if that is a water vessel?" I didn't even cotton on to the fact that he was MOCKING me until Sunday! Sunday! Hurumph! He even took a picture of me with it. *sigh*
We proceeded to the bus stop. It was a fair walk from the lobby and sure to be feeling more like a death march by the end of the day. I say this because I, in my Julie-the-cruise-director mentality, had scheduled us for E-night. For those of you (like our friends and fam) who are not versed in DisneyWorldese this means we had special tickets to stay in the Magic Kingdom after the park closes at 10 and can stay and ride the more popular rides until 1am. Remember....it is August. We both are fairly sedentary and not exactly teeny. Did I mention we have been awake since 3.30 am?
Somehow we solidered on to MK. First up: my favorite ride and the first rollercoaster I ever rode. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The crowds were soooo light! We arrived at MK at around 10.30. As we snapped pictures of each other in front of Cinderella's castle I marveled again and again at how...well empty MK was! Maybe most sane people were not in full sunlight standing on pavement but in a dim, cool hotel room? I don't think I have ever felt heat radiating off of pavement like this. Let me qualify this by saying I spent last August 11th in 109 degree heat in Austin, Texas watching Russell Crowe and his band Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts at an outside venue and it was just temperate compared to this. However, I also don't think I've ever had such a clear view of the castle. Amazing... somehow these moments spent with Goose on Main Street brought up long ago memories of the MK when I visited as a 4 year old. Maybe it was the light or the smells....maybe it was the beginnings of heat exhaustion. But I started to explain to Goose how, in a totallty chaotic and sometimes really frightening childhood, my memories of the MK are the ones that seem the happiest and most purely innocent. I got all misty. Too early for that! Goose squeezes my hand and we make our way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The wait was 25 minutes and Fastpasses were being distributed for 1 hr away. We decided to grab a FP and go ahead and ride immediately as well. In reality I think we waited MAYBE 15 minutes. I have never EVER had such a short wait for this ride in the middle of the day! The line moved like it does on E-ticket night. Finally, we are herded into our little 'slot' and waiting for the next 'train'. The butterflies start. Will I like this again? Will I be ok? Will I just want off? Will Goose spend his entire weekend riding rides alone? I tried to pass the time telling Goose about the last time I rode BTMRR with one my best friends, Coke. We hit BTMRR by ourselves on E-night and laughed so much we hurt. I think Coke laughed as much at me screaming as she did the ride itself. Coke's laugh is something to be heard....sort of a musical cackle. I really begin missing her and misting up again....
Oh bother...here's the train.
Goose is just amused at how his Jezzieduck has morphed into La Poulet doing her Lamaze breathing and forging her handprints into the guard bar. Suddenly I hear ".....and hold on 'cause this is the wildest ride in the wilderness!" La Poulet gnaws her lip and Goose giggles bemusedly as we click up the hill. La Poulet tries to be brave and tells The Goose "This ride is sooo awesome..." Goose nods sympathetically and says "Uh huh...ok" We clear the cave, the swirly water and crest the hill....
And I forgot I was scared. Just like before.
A high piched, very southern "Aaaaaawwwwwwwww yeeeeeeeahhhhh!" curls up from my toes and we are off! I laugh, no cackle, from that moment on. Later Goose compares the sound to 'a 12 year old girl who has just seen N'Sync naked.'. Humphf! I doubt that.
Goose-the-thrill-ride-demon's verdict on BTMRR, the ride I had hyped ad nauseum as "Awesome!!!" : "Um...that was pretty lame....um I mean tame." *sigh* Well, I didnt spend my childhood at Six Flags like you did, coaster boy!
After BTMRR we decide to hit Pirates of the Caribbean until our FP window opens. I make sure to remind Goose to check out all of the excellent theming as we enter POC and assure him he will have a nice cool surprize as we enter. But unfortunately we dont. It seems that someone has turned down the AC in all of the inside attractions and restaurants.We do note that Capitalist Disney has kept AC levels nice and frigid in the retail areas but it is positively sticky inside POC. We also encounter our first Grumpy. We see an older man absolutely tearing apart a CM because his party of 6 had to wait to go after our boat which was full of parties of 2. Incidentally, he was putting on this little show in front of his grandchildren. Delightful and inspiring. *sigh* I mutter under my breath "Dude....it's ok... there's another boat just waiting on you when you stop berating the ride operator." A guy in front of us laughs and mutters " Really! Geez grandpa, remember this is the happiest place on Earth!"
Goose enjoys Pirates but is disappointed that the drop is so "...lame...I mean tame" . The drop is just fine for me, thanks, as I HATE dropsy things. After a quick cruise of the obligatory Pirates gift shop (and a little play acting with a rubber machete), we do BTMRR one more time. Goose sits mildly by, doing his taxes and revising his Christmas list while I cackle and whoop through another ride. The Goose verdict: "It's sorta cool when you start going round and round in the middle." *sigh* Ok... so I am a thrill ride candybootie.
Goose had chosen Space Mountain as his first ride of choice so we boarded the Walt Disney Railroad for a short trip over to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Unfortunately there was NO breeze to be had on our ride and we had to amuse ourselves comparing rates of perspiration with a teenager who looked like he had just taken a swim on Splash Mountain, which incidentally he had not. We utter our phrase of the trip again : It's hot. Dang hot. Africa hot."
We hit the melting pavement again and take the quiet walkway to Tomorrowland and Space Mountain, redeem FP and search out the smoking area. (Note to Goose's parents: I know...I'm sorry. We are working this. I promise.) At this point I am melting down. Literally and figuratively. I cant remember why but something was on the verge of snapping in me...and I distinctly remember being saucy with Goose about something. We had a 1 hour window for our SpcMtn FPs so we decided to hit the WEDway Peoplemover. Or Tommorowland Transit or whatever it's called now. We did get a nice whisper of a breeze here and Goose got to preview his SpcMtn adventure. Still quite warm in a not so delightful way, I noticed the Lunching Pad and remembered the yummy frozen Cokes they have. Plus, Goose needs to see the horror that is hundreds of tourists gnawing on "Alien Legs". I was disappointed to see no frozen Surge (that stuff was sooooo yummy) but we order up 2 frozen swirled Coke/Cherry Minutemaids and hit the smoking area again for 20 minutes of "The Tomorrowland Transit Authority serves all points of Tomorrowland including Somethingortheother Acres, the latest in hoversomething communities." and "Paging Mr. Morrow, Mr. Tom Morrow. Your party has arrived from Saturn. Please give them a ring." To make a long story short (Too late), I asked The Goose if we could make someone else's day and give up our FPs with a view on riding SpcMtn ad infinitum later that evening on E-ride night. I felt absolutely gooey and a bit fluttery as well. Goose, being the gentleman he was raised to be, agreed and we gave our FPs to another pair of sweaty vacation commandos. We made fast tracks for the Crystal Palace and our date with the Donkey.
Sadly, I don't have much to report on our Crystal Palace lunch foodwise. We were not at all impressed with the offerings and this disappointed me since I had enjoyed a simply scrumptious meal with Pooh et al in March of 1999. The best offerings were the asparagus and the lemon bars. Of course it's the Hundred Acre Wood boys that are the attraction here but I dont think we will do this again until we have little Gooses and Jezzieducks or will look for other Eeyore dining possibilities. We agreed we couldnt possibly eat $15 worth of asparagus and lemon bars so we felt a bit let down by the food. We were visited by Pooh and Piglet once and (joy of joys!!!) Eeyore and Tigger twice. I got smooches from Tigger and The Donkey and Tigger and I had a good laugh at The Goose's amateur photographer mishaps. Secretly, the inner 10 year old Jezzieduck is slightly disappointed that Eeyore doesnt make a fuss (well, as much fuss as a clinically depressed donkey with a wayward tail can) over my Superdorky Eeyore baseball hat but...eh. Oh well. I got my traditional picture with Eeyore which I have done without fail on each trip to the MK since I was four.
Our plan was to head back to AKL after lunch, hit the pool and nap for a while before our 8pm reservation at the Polynesian Resort's O'hana. Join us next time by the AKL Uzima Springs pool as Jezzieduck contemplates the pool slide and Goose contemplates a nap.
Goose - Dearest Fiancee of Jezzieduck and 30 y/o System Engineer (read: professional geek). Last visit to
WDW: age 12 or thereabouts for the opening of EPCOT. Has special childhood affection for Pooh and is
ready to let his inner 10 year old play.
Jezzieduck- Official 'Julie-the-Cruise-Director' for this and all future WDW visits. 31 y/o actress looking for a
day job. Loves all things of the pin-tailed donkey. Fully in contact with inner 10 year old since she never
really grew up in the first place. Has visited WDW four times, the last was March 1999.
The Settings:
Somewhere in Metro Atlanta
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Any shaded smoking area
The Motivation:
An actor must have his or her motivation, darlings. This short trip, August 17 - 20, was a spontaneous
result of Goose and Jezzieduck having too much time one rainy Saturday afternoon. We played on the
internet and ended up at the WDW website instead of cleaning house, unpacking boxes, washing Cocker
Spaniels, re-reading "Henry V"' and other noble industrious or high minded persuits. The internet package
was just too 'shweet', as Goose would say, to pass up. We just recently became engaged and discovered
this was a perfect justification to book the package. This line of thought would also help us justify
spending countless hours pouring over our "Passporter Guide to WDW", the DIS boards, and the lenghty
trip reports of our new heroes in WDW adventure, Nate and Spencer of "The Nastee".
_________________
Scene 2... Animal Kingdom Lodge.
After oohing and aaahing and much mushy stuff about our room, Goose and Jezzieduck decide to hit the Magic Kingdom. On the slate for this afternoon: Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain and lunch with a certain pin-tailed donkey.
We changed from our travel clothes into as Florida in August wear (read: as few clothes as possible without scaring small children/getting arrested.), donned extra comfy thick socks, I in my super-dorky Eeyore baseball hat, and most comfy Nikes and packed the moleskin. Within minutes we were off to the Mara for our refillable mugs and the AKL bus stop. On our way I made a mistake. I gave The Goose material for a new running joke. This is bad. Goose loves new material. Here's what happened:
We pass a large round copper disc with handles. Basically this was a 4 foot diameter copper canteen. I was in discovery mode since we had just passed though the lobby of AKL marveling at the vast array of African artifacts and art. Plus, I had woken up at 3.30 after sleeping only the better part of 4 hours, schlepped my stuff through Hartsfield and managed to find my happy place when I really wanted to toss a saucy reply Goose's way when we debated the merits of checking our luggage. So let's just say I wasnt firing on all pistons. I come upon the disc.
Jezzieduck: Hmmmm...Hey Goose...I wonder if this is a big water vessel?
Goose: (barely disguising an 'omigawd are you really THAT blonde' look) Um...I wonder. Hey honey, there's that Magic Kingdom bus!
For the next four days EVERY time we pass that big copper canteen thingy Goose says "Hmmm...I wonder if that is a water vessel?" I didn't even cotton on to the fact that he was MOCKING me until Sunday! Sunday! Hurumph! He even took a picture of me with it. *sigh*
We proceeded to the bus stop. It was a fair walk from the lobby and sure to be feeling more like a death march by the end of the day. I say this because I, in my Julie-the-cruise-director mentality, had scheduled us for E-night. For those of you (like our friends and fam) who are not versed in DisneyWorldese this means we had special tickets to stay in the Magic Kingdom after the park closes at 10 and can stay and ride the more popular rides until 1am. Remember....it is August. We both are fairly sedentary and not exactly teeny. Did I mention we have been awake since 3.30 am?
Somehow we solidered on to MK. First up: my favorite ride and the first rollercoaster I ever rode. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The crowds were soooo light! We arrived at MK at around 10.30. As we snapped pictures of each other in front of Cinderella's castle I marveled again and again at how...well empty MK was! Maybe most sane people were not in full sunlight standing on pavement but in a dim, cool hotel room? I don't think I have ever felt heat radiating off of pavement like this. Let me qualify this by saying I spent last August 11th in 109 degree heat in Austin, Texas watching Russell Crowe and his band Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts at an outside venue and it was just temperate compared to this. However, I also don't think I've ever had such a clear view of the castle. Amazing... somehow these moments spent with Goose on Main Street brought up long ago memories of the MK when I visited as a 4 year old. Maybe it was the light or the smells....maybe it was the beginnings of heat exhaustion. But I started to explain to Goose how, in a totallty chaotic and sometimes really frightening childhood, my memories of the MK are the ones that seem the happiest and most purely innocent. I got all misty. Too early for that! Goose squeezes my hand and we make our way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The wait was 25 minutes and Fastpasses were being distributed for 1 hr away. We decided to grab a FP and go ahead and ride immediately as well. In reality I think we waited MAYBE 15 minutes. I have never EVER had such a short wait for this ride in the middle of the day! The line moved like it does on E-ticket night. Finally, we are herded into our little 'slot' and waiting for the next 'train'. The butterflies start. Will I like this again? Will I be ok? Will I just want off? Will Goose spend his entire weekend riding rides alone? I tried to pass the time telling Goose about the last time I rode BTMRR with one my best friends, Coke. We hit BTMRR by ourselves on E-night and laughed so much we hurt. I think Coke laughed as much at me screaming as she did the ride itself. Coke's laugh is something to be heard....sort of a musical cackle. I really begin missing her and misting up again....
Oh bother...here's the train.
Goose is just amused at how his Jezzieduck has morphed into La Poulet doing her Lamaze breathing and forging her handprints into the guard bar. Suddenly I hear ".....and hold on 'cause this is the wildest ride in the wilderness!" La Poulet gnaws her lip and Goose giggles bemusedly as we click up the hill. La Poulet tries to be brave and tells The Goose "This ride is sooo awesome..." Goose nods sympathetically and says "Uh huh...ok" We clear the cave, the swirly water and crest the hill....
And I forgot I was scared. Just like before.
A high piched, very southern "Aaaaaawwwwwwwww yeeeeeeeahhhhh!" curls up from my toes and we are off! I laugh, no cackle, from that moment on. Later Goose compares the sound to 'a 12 year old girl who has just seen N'Sync naked.'. Humphf! I doubt that.
Goose-the-thrill-ride-demon's verdict on BTMRR, the ride I had hyped ad nauseum as "Awesome!!!" : "Um...that was pretty lame....um I mean tame." *sigh* Well, I didnt spend my childhood at Six Flags like you did, coaster boy!
After BTMRR we decide to hit Pirates of the Caribbean until our FP window opens. I make sure to remind Goose to check out all of the excellent theming as we enter POC and assure him he will have a nice cool surprize as we enter. But unfortunately we dont. It seems that someone has turned down the AC in all of the inside attractions and restaurants.We do note that Capitalist Disney has kept AC levels nice and frigid in the retail areas but it is positively sticky inside POC. We also encounter our first Grumpy. We see an older man absolutely tearing apart a CM because his party of 6 had to wait to go after our boat which was full of parties of 2. Incidentally, he was putting on this little show in front of his grandchildren. Delightful and inspiring. *sigh* I mutter under my breath "Dude....it's ok... there's another boat just waiting on you when you stop berating the ride operator." A guy in front of us laughs and mutters " Really! Geez grandpa, remember this is the happiest place on Earth!"
Goose enjoys Pirates but is disappointed that the drop is so "...lame...I mean tame" . The drop is just fine for me, thanks, as I HATE dropsy things. After a quick cruise of the obligatory Pirates gift shop (and a little play acting with a rubber machete), we do BTMRR one more time. Goose sits mildly by, doing his taxes and revising his Christmas list while I cackle and whoop through another ride. The Goose verdict: "It's sorta cool when you start going round and round in the middle." *sigh* Ok... so I am a thrill ride candybootie.
Goose had chosen Space Mountain as his first ride of choice so we boarded the Walt Disney Railroad for a short trip over to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Unfortunately there was NO breeze to be had on our ride and we had to amuse ourselves comparing rates of perspiration with a teenager who looked like he had just taken a swim on Splash Mountain, which incidentally he had not. We utter our phrase of the trip again : It's hot. Dang hot. Africa hot."
We hit the melting pavement again and take the quiet walkway to Tomorrowland and Space Mountain, redeem FP and search out the smoking area. (Note to Goose's parents: I know...I'm sorry. We are working this. I promise.) At this point I am melting down. Literally and figuratively. I cant remember why but something was on the verge of snapping in me...and I distinctly remember being saucy with Goose about something. We had a 1 hour window for our SpcMtn FPs so we decided to hit the WEDway Peoplemover. Or Tommorowland Transit or whatever it's called now. We did get a nice whisper of a breeze here and Goose got to preview his SpcMtn adventure. Still quite warm in a not so delightful way, I noticed the Lunching Pad and remembered the yummy frozen Cokes they have. Plus, Goose needs to see the horror that is hundreds of tourists gnawing on "Alien Legs". I was disappointed to see no frozen Surge (that stuff was sooooo yummy) but we order up 2 frozen swirled Coke/Cherry Minutemaids and hit the smoking area again for 20 minutes of "The Tomorrowland Transit Authority serves all points of Tomorrowland including Somethingortheother Acres, the latest in hoversomething communities." and "Paging Mr. Morrow, Mr. Tom Morrow. Your party has arrived from Saturn. Please give them a ring." To make a long story short (Too late), I asked The Goose if we could make someone else's day and give up our FPs with a view on riding SpcMtn ad infinitum later that evening on E-ride night. I felt absolutely gooey and a bit fluttery as well. Goose, being the gentleman he was raised to be, agreed and we gave our FPs to another pair of sweaty vacation commandos. We made fast tracks for the Crystal Palace and our date with the Donkey.
Sadly, I don't have much to report on our Crystal Palace lunch foodwise. We were not at all impressed with the offerings and this disappointed me since I had enjoyed a simply scrumptious meal with Pooh et al in March of 1999. The best offerings were the asparagus and the lemon bars. Of course it's the Hundred Acre Wood boys that are the attraction here but I dont think we will do this again until we have little Gooses and Jezzieducks or will look for other Eeyore dining possibilities. We agreed we couldnt possibly eat $15 worth of asparagus and lemon bars so we felt a bit let down by the food. We were visited by Pooh and Piglet once and (joy of joys!!!) Eeyore and Tigger twice. I got smooches from Tigger and The Donkey and Tigger and I had a good laugh at The Goose's amateur photographer mishaps. Secretly, the inner 10 year old Jezzieduck is slightly disappointed that Eeyore doesnt make a fuss (well, as much fuss as a clinically depressed donkey with a wayward tail can) over my Superdorky Eeyore baseball hat but...eh. Oh well. I got my traditional picture with Eeyore which I have done without fail on each trip to the MK since I was four.
Our plan was to head back to AKL after lunch, hit the pool and nap for a while before our 8pm reservation at the Polynesian Resort's O'hana. Join us next time by the AKL Uzima Springs pool as Jezzieduck contemplates the pool slide and Goose contemplates a nap.
)
