Operation Big Thunder: the Dole Whip Conspiracy COMPLETE

[Wherem I Now]

I've been looking forward to this update and I am impressed and amazed that you were able to keep the secret.

It's funny how kids pick up on so many things and yet somehow still get to be surprised by the completed puzzle. Of course, even though two of mine are older, they are still easily distracted by all of the gadgets that we take on a road trip (my six year old would probably figure it out first ).

I would love to have surprised my kids with a trip like this but somewhere along the road (or likely before) we would have slipped the secret out. Good for you!

 

[twokids0204]

Priceless...

Very well done sir.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Blues Brothers

+1

You made it. What a relief!!! I am so glad that the mission was successful! That is one pretty cool surprise! That last picture captures the excitment perfectly!

As an adult, it gets harder and harder to re-create that feeling you used to get on Christmas morning. This did it in spades!

Refference to : Get Smart

+1

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

+1

Princess Leia's head..........reference to the Star Wars bi-trilogy (now 4, 5 and 6)

Incredibles defeat Syndrome...........reference to the movie The Incredibles.

Oh, all right, I'll give them to you.

+2

I know I saw that picture on facebook, but honestly, this update captures their excitement so perfectly. This was one update I didn't have to read before work, but I couldn't help it. I was getting butterflies in my stomach just reading it.

This is the part of the TR I was looking forward to writing the most. It's all downhill from here.

All I can say is, thank goodness for the myriad of distractions that kids have these days. You could have never pulled that fast one on me as a child. I loved maps and license plates and all the stuff. The abundance of Florida license plates alone would have given it away for me. Back in the day there was nothing to do but stare out the window.

We actually were playing the license plate game during the trip. I forget what the final count was, but we got everything east of the Mississippi and several western states, including Alaska and Hawaii.

And you're right, I don't know how we ever would have pulled it off without the distractions. We would have had the big reveal somewhere between Jacksonville and Daytona.

So glad the mission was a success. That was the best update EVER!

Mark, this was a well written piece of literature as you had me on the edge of my seat wondering if you were going to make it all the way to the gates.

Loved the suspense in the telling.

Thanks, Brian. I'm really glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to re-live that day again.

But I've never heard my TR's confused with actual "literature" before. Does that mean I have to use, like, grammar and stuff? And cut out the El Cheapo gas pictures?

We are planning a surprise road trip for September 2013, so this TR was right up my alley.

Wow, you're really planning ahead!

I am such a dweeb, so I can admit I was humming with anticipation as I read your last update. Can you hum with anticipation? Maybe it's vibrate? Who knows? Whatever. I was excited to see if you could pull off the surprise. Glad to hear you did

What kinds of people read and write trip reports about Disney vacations? I think it's safe to say we're all dweebs here.

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

 

[CopperWife]

Wow, you're really planning ahead!


DH's job requires him to bid for his vacations in October for the next year At least it's September now, so I can say we're going in a year. We will be there for DD's 7th birthday, Epcot's F&W Fest and our very first MNSSHP! Lots to look forward to!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Excellent reveal!

Why thank you sir!

Great job capturing their reaction! Amazing you were able to keep it a secret with all of the billboards on I-4!

Thanks Scott! It's probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it'll always be a great memory.

simply awesome!!!!!

Mission from God - Blues Brothers

Good catch, but it's been claimed.

Loved this update. Talk about sweating it out, yikes! And the picture of the kids reaction is priceless. AWESOME.

You know, we could easily have decided to go home after the beach and saved all of the money that the Disney portion cost us. But this was totally worth it.

That was a well written, excellent update.

Thanks Andy!

I really enjoyed seeing how the different clues slowly revealed themselves to the kids to a complete lack of response.

It certainly appears that the Oblivious gene is hereditary. It's not for nothing that I have my screen name, you know.

At least until poor Dave's DS battery died. It's a good thing Julie was quick enough with her responses to keep him from putting it all together.

She was really quick on her feet. Which makes me wonder if she's ever pulled anything over on me like that....

Nah.

B E S T update ever. I was on the edge of my seating, keeping my fingers crossed that the big reveal went off (even though I did see the updates on FB ). Great story writing this time, my friend. You did awesome.

I appreciate that, Kathy. I was hoping this chapter would capture the excitement.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Wow! that was a great surprise!

Jill in CO

I'm just relieved it worked out!

Something that you can no longer clam…
One less crutch in the defense arsenal there.

Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut.

A trait shared by nearly all women, but almost no men
(and that irks the ladie's soles to no end).

The ladies'?? It irks me when I get yelled at for not doing something I didn't know I was supposed to do.

Good start there!
You really movin’ now

We had our priorities.

That may be one of the laws of travel.
Do we need to start a list?

Absolutely! Obtaining cinnamon rolls should definitely be on the list.

+1 for noticing

The young’ns picked up a +1 for noticing that the traveling direction was south…
but now get -1 for not knowing that you had to travel west in order to get to Atlanta from SC.

You however get the +1 back just for keeping your trap shut.

Hang on a second. I didn't realize I was going to need a calculator.

Just mind your Ps n Qs when you get around St. Marys

I guess it didn't matter, since Fed was nowhere to be found.

Well now ya’ plum went and spoilt the drama for me…

Well, I DID put "spoiler warning"...

Well now you’ve actually “set foot” in Georgia.
Were y’all perchance going to stop some where more “cultural” then a purveyor of fast food on the way back home?

That was the plan--we had a night in the Savannah area on the way back. You'll have to stick around for a later chapter to see how that played out. (see what I did there?)

“EAT MOR CHIKIN”

We saw one billboard on the way down that showed the cow holding a wooden door closed, behind which you could glimpse some kind of slimy green thing with tentacles. It read, "EAT CHIKIN OR WE'LL LET THIS THING OUT."

DVD = Kiddy Crack

For our kids, pretty much.

I’m surprised he gave up.
The fates were smiling on ya’ there.
Or… was it pixies?

I think it was the aforementioned Kiddy Crack.

Note to self…
Ensure that all batteries for all KDDs (kiddy distraction devises) are fully charged when attempting to drive them some where that you don’t want them to know about.

This goes on that rules list, too.

Saved by normal sibling interaction.
It’s like judo, you're using their own “strengths” against them.

If do right, no can defense.

Only slightly…

There are a couple of Mario Kart songs that drive me up the wall for that reason.

Absolutely brilliant!
You married well sir.

I think we've all realized that by now.

Don’t’ get me started…

You sure? Rants are always fun.

The Pixies are most certainly looking out after y’all this day.

I hope it was Tinkerbell.

REALLY! That close and still no cognition…
WOW…

As Barry stated, perhaps we should worry more about our kids.

The proper South’rn for that would be: “Bless his heart….”

You could hear the wheels spinning...

Now they chose to pay you mind

Just as we scripted it!

“I don't think I can take that kind of pressure!”

I love pressure. I eat pressure for breakfast.

Ya’ Done Good.



Real good.

Thanks, Rob. It was a lot of fun.

 

[glennbo123]

I love pressure. I eat pressure for breakfast.

The Rock.

One of these days I'll get a minute to read this chapter that everyone's talking about.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

If do right, no can defense.

The Karate Kid

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

The ladies'?? It irks me when I get yelled at for not doing something I didn't know I was supposed to do.

I dwell in the same cave sir.
I did one of my smaller dissertations on that very subject somewhere back in my “627” TR.

I ‘spect that you can guess how the comments went for that one.

Hang on a second. I didn't realize I was going to need a calculator.

You’re the one that invited me to ride along on this junket.
You had to know just what possibilities for mayhem existed before hand.

That was the plan--we had a night in the Savannah area on the way back. You'll have to stick around for a later chapter to see how that played out. (see what I did there?)

Riiiiiight… Like I wasn’t gonn’a be stickin’ ‘round for the whole thin…
Oh wait… you weren’t actually taking to me.

We saw one billboard on the way down that showed the cow holding a wooden door closed, behind which you could glimpse some kind of slimy green thing with tentacles. It read, "EAT CHIKIN OR WE'LL LET THIS THING OUT."

I’ve not run across that one yet.

This goes on that rules list, too.

So it is said… So it shall be.

You gonn’a add this list-o-travelin’ rules to the fount your TR…
Or do you want me to add them to my current one (where no one will ever see ‘em )

There are a couple of Mario Kart songs that drive me up the wall for that reason.

The Zelda games are a might repetitive as well, but the music is of a higher caliber and easier to deal with.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

That was the plan--we had a night in the Savannah area on the way back. You'll have to stick around for a later chapter to see how that played out. (see what I did there?)

Did your hotel room have a Savannah view?

 

[Cinderella's Fella]

Did your hotel room have a Savannah view?

 

[middlepat]

Thanks, Brian. I'm really glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to re-live that day again.

But I've never heard my TR's confused with actual "literature" before. Does that mean I have to use, like, grammar and stuff? And cut out the El Cheapo gas pictures?

I was getting worried about that myself. Thanks for "reverting to the mean" for me.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Yes, but to be fair, "Waffle House" and "Star Wars: The Musical" were pretty easy guesses.

Am I that predictable? I'm going to have to mix bowling in there from time to time.

You could have ran this time.

I suppose that's technically true. I also could have called for a taxi.

Or a dozen deviled eggs and crock of baked beans. Especially if you're in the driver's seat and can press that little "window lock" button.

Now that's the breakfast of champions! But of course I would never torture my family that way.

At least they have their geography down!

"Down" being south.

I bet with your new van and Darth's directions, you can make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs.

I made a few modifications myself.

More importantly, you're on a mission from the Mouse.

Amen.

Umm...I think you're supposed to put the spoiler warning before the spoiler. Bruce Willis taught me that in the Sixth Sense when he was dead all along. (Spoiler Warning)

Did he die hard? (That was for you, Barry)

It's only fair. You guys ruined all of the musicals on the Disney cruises for me. Now I already know they have happy endings. (Spoiler Warning)

Did you call the right number? You need to call the red phone on his desk.

I wonder if he gave me the right number. The voice mail said something about scheduling my IRS audit.

At what point does your mood change from "whoo-hoo! We're really keeping this secret good!" to "holy crap, these kids don't notice anything, do they?"

That is definitely a concern. This is when Julie says, "They're YOUR kids."

Dude, it's Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension. Don't make me take away your honorary O.W.C.A. membership card.

Do I have to get a cool acronym then? The author regrets the error.

Note to self: If you ever kidnap Mark's kids, save money by not buying a gunny sack to throw over their heads. Just put a movie on.

At least I know how to distract them at home.

Please keep your seatbelt fastened throughout out journey. Keep heads, arms and legs inside the vehicle. And please do not bounce off the walls. It interferes with the guidance system.

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

NOS?

No, that was used up in my tiki torches on the deck, remember?

Saved by the "pesky little brother defense" Nice move.

That was a close one. We can always count on Sarah getting annoyed by her little brothers.

I was about to commend Julie for stepping in to save the day, but comparing Disney to South of the Border? Heresy!

I'm afraid she is guilty as charged. But the end justified the means.

Maybe there's a highway sign in Delaware that reads "Epcot. Downtown Disney" and he's just so used to seeing it and not taking it. I got nuthin.

Yes, please tell us! I can't stand the suspense!

You just want the shout-out, don't you?

My favorite part is where Sarah discovers that she's been duped, puts her had on her hip and contemplates jumping into the front seat to pummel you with a tire iron.

It is pretty funny. I didn't see that look at the time, only when I watched the video later.

By the way, I forgot to thank the fine crew at our studio, Cinematic Recording Arts Productions, for making that video available.

Excellent work on this entry, Mark. I was riveted - and I knew the outcome!

I'm glad you enjoyed it! "Riveted" beats "bored to tears" anytime.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

GREAT reveal!!! I love it.

Clueless kids lulled into oblivion by electronics. Sometimes those babysitters are actually helpful!

Don't go on a road trip without them!

Wonderful picture.

Thanks! Anytime you say that, you can assume Julie was the photographer.

Really great "south of the border" response Julie!!!

Wow! I loved the reveal! Very well written and played out. I don't think you'll get away with it again. I'm sure they will question you're every move now.

Thanks! I'm sure you're right. They'll just have to surprised us with a trip to Disney World next time.

great chapter really enjoyed it, thanks for sharing it with us.

i bet it felt great to finally be able to tell them all about it.

Indeed it did! Too many secrets. It was nice to not have to hide anything anymore.

Through all of the planning, I was mostly scared to death I was going to leave the park admission tickets at home, since they were hidden in a "safe" place.

some reveal! Amazing the kids didn't figure it out sooner! Can't wait for the next installment!

Well, the next chapter probably won't be as suspenseful. I'll try and make up for it with more bad jokes.

We were totally thinking the same thing! Alternating between (we pulled it off!) and (really?!)

I was riveted - AND I WAS THERE!!!!

That was a good day, wasn't it? What do you think? Best day of the year?

Lion King- Or FOLK It really is IT. IS. TIME. but hey

I only saw FOLTK once, and can't remember exactly. But I'll give you a point anyway.

+1

Loved, Loved, Loved the reveal. All the way to the arch and then you HAD to have them pay attention. How much fun is that?

It was awesome! I want to go back and do it again.

 

[afwdwfan]

Did he die hard? (That was for you, Barry)

Ummm.... Die Hard!!!

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

SNL

By the way, I forgot to thank the fine crew at our studio, Cinematic Recording Arts Productions, for making that video available.

Hmmm.... the part about the studio crew didn't include a link back to Julie's DIS page. That's odd.

Don't go on a road trip without them!

Paraphrasing American Express commercials.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

I made a few modifications myself.

It's really: "I've made a lot of special modifications myself."
but I'll take a shot at that one with...


Star Wars

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

Saturday Night Live

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I've been looking forward to this update and I am impressed and amazed that you were able to keep the secret.

I'm amazed we kept the secret too. I had a real fear of blowing it.

It's funny how kids pick up on so many things and yet somehow still get to be surprised by the completed puzzle. Of course, even though two of mine are older, they are still easily distracted by all of the gadgets that we take on a road trip (my six year old would probably figure it out first ).

It would have been interesting to see how this played out without the gadgets. I don't think we would have made it.

I would love to have surprised my kids with a trip like this but somewhere along the road (or likely before) we would have slipped the secret out. Good for you!

How will you know unless you try it?

Priceless...

Very well done sir.

Thanks Brian!

DH's job requires him to bid for his vacations in October for the next year At least it's September now, so I can say we're going in a year. We will be there for DD's 7th birthday, Epcot's F&W Fest and our very first MNSSHP! Lots to look forward to!

Wow, that really is a lot of advance planning. Not that we're unfamiliar with the concept. I've already made reservations for next summer's trip!

The anticipation is half the fun, anyway. Gives you something to daydream about. As I've said on these boards before, the only reason I go to work is so I can pay for the next vacation.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

SNL

Curse you nemesis!!!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

The Rock.

One of these days I'll get a minute to read this chapter that everyone's talking about.

+1

No rush. It's only the most important chapter of the whole TR.

The Karate Kid

+1

I dwell in the same cave sir.
I did one of my smaller dissertations on that very subject somewhere back in my “627” TR.

I ‘spect that you can guess how the comments went for that one.

I believe I do recall that discussion. And feeling your pain.

You’re the one that invited me to ride along on this junket.
You had to know just what possibilities for mayhem existed before hand.

Better watch out for mayhem...like me.

Riiiiiight… Like I wasn’t gonn’a be stickin’ ‘round for the whole thin…
Oh wait… you weren’t actually taking to me.

I just hope you're not too disappointed with our Georgia tours.

So it is said… So it shall be.

You gonn’a add this list-o-travelin’ rules to the fount your TR…
Or do you want me to add them to my current one (where no one will ever see ‘em )

Maybe we should do both. Then they'll be seen by several people.

The Zelda games are a might repetitive as well, but the music is of a higher caliber and easier to deal with.

I'm not familiar with those games, but I'll take your word for it.

Did your hotel room have a Savannah view?

There's the Barry we know and love.

Or at least Randall does.

I was getting worried about that myself. Thanks for "reverting to the mean" for me.

Anytime, Brian. Anytime. *burp*

 

[glennbo123]

Thanks Brian!

Life of Brian