OT ~ The Grand Old Lady ain't what she used to be.........

[Scratch42]

We did the Ex yesterday!

Yeah, I know, It's a Saturday, Opening Weekend, Packed! NOT!

It wasn't as crowded as I expected it to be!

There was nothing really great!

The Mardi Gras Parade was so lame!

Ok, so it's a tradition that we go and last year we missed it and next year we will miss it again! Luckily found some great deals!

The kids had fun since it was the first time we let them go off on their own! But it's funny, they were a half hour early to meet up with us for going home!

Oh well, we got it over with for another couple of years!

j

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Was wondering how it was. Haven't been in a couple of years and it sounds like it we miss it again this year we aren't missing much.

Fiona

 

[TimNDansMom]

I haven't been to the Ex in years! One of these days I'd like to go for "old times sake" but doesn't sound like I've been missing much!

 

[Fabooliss]

Hey cdnmickeylover, you don't happen to be a teacher and grew up in Cobourg do you??

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I give the Ex "one more chance" every couple of years. We already have our tickets -- bought at a good discount online -- and a free ticket for DD (downloaded from the Toronto Star website.) For the $16 investment, plus ride tickets for whatever DD wants to ride, the gas to get to Toronto and some TTC tokens, it's still affordable.

I don't expect much from the Ex this year. I'll have my traditional fish & chip lunch from H. Salt in the Food Building and watch them make Tiny Tom donuts.

I'll wander through the commercial exhibits and wonder why they don't just get a permanent sign for the Iranian pavilion explaining that the carpets are being held up in Customs because they were shipped through the United States or something like that.

And I'll consider the "roll the ice cream bar in peanuts" booth and have a good chuckle about the sign explaining that the sharp and pointy stick is pointy and sharp and that the peanuts might have come in contact with peanuts.

In the end, I'll get back on the 511 streetcar and head for the Bathurst Station without nearly as much free stuff as they used to give away and think about saving my money next year.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Fabooliss - Nope not a teacher and didn't grow up in Cobourg. Grew up in Ottawa, Toronto, Dartmouth and Thornhill (with pitstops in Switzerland and North York). Thought about teacher's college though.

Fiona

 

[Little Miss Liberty]

I honestly think that going to Disney has made me jaded. I don't even go to Canadas Wonderland because it's just not as exciting as Disney. I'm not sure if this a good thing or a bad thing. But how are they going to compete with Disney?

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

That's too bad, but at least you went!

I remember the heydays of the 70's when we HAD to go, and we lived 3 hours from Toronto.

So sad!

 

[snickerboo]

The Ex was a longstanding tradition for me-my mom took me every year when I was a kid, dh and I went every year for about 5 years...but it became less of an exhibition and more of a giant flea market. The food building became, basically, a food court. I am sad to say that we decided a few years ago not to return to the CNE.

 

[poohbear7]

We find the CNE has gone too comercial for us. Sadly we don't go any more. We used to go all the time in the 70's and 80's.

 

[MamaLema]

I give the Ex "one more chance" every couple of years. We already have our tickets -- bought at a good discount online -- and a free ticket for DD (downloaded from the Toronto Star website.) For the $16 investment, plus ride tickets for whatever DD wants to ride, the gas to get to Toronto and some TTC tokens, it's still affordable.

I don't expect much from the Ex this year. I'll have my traditional fish & chip lunch from H. Salt in the Food Building and watch them make Tiny Tom donuts.

I'll wander through the commercial exhibits and wonder why they don't just get a permanent sign for the Iranian pavilion explaining that the carpets are being held up in Customs because they were shipped through the United States or something like that.

And I'll consider the "roll the ice cream bar in peanuts" booth and have a good chuckle about the sign explaining that the sharp and pointy stick is pointy and sharp and that the peanuts might have come in contact with peanuts.

In the end, I'll get back on the 511 streetcar and head for the Bathurst Station without nearly as much free stuff as they used to give away and think about saving my money next year.

 

[tone.def]

Why not save yourselves the misery and check out the Pirate Festival at Fort York? You park and pay in the same lots and pay less admission for a good laugh.

 

[Scratch42]

Why not save yourselves the misery and check out the Pirate Festival at Fort York? You park and pay in the same lots and pay less admission for a good laugh.

How is the Pirate Festival?

I may check it out this Sunday!

j

 

[tone.def]

As a vendor at the Pirate Festival, I'm biased - there is a lot for kids to do, a scavenger hunt, see stage shows (make sure to catch the Men in Tights and the Merry Wenches of Windsor!!!), there's games for kids, but most of all - make sure to unload all your cash on hand crafted merchandise at the various vendors booths!