Our Magically Dysfunctional Gathering

[Avivasmom]

WOW is all I can say....you have the patience of a SAINT. I would have dumped my SIL if she ever behaved like that with my family. How did you do it? And hold your tongue...I give you so much credit.

Congrats on the DVC!!

 

[Lauralee131]

I finally got to the last page and let me tell you I love your trip report and I think you have the patience of a saint. And I must be absolutely crazy because I have a MAGICAL GATHERING OF 25 FAMILY MEMEBERS SO FAR GOING ALL TOGETHER!!! I think I'll be hitting up there drinks all day to sane for that one, because we are all from New Jersey too!

OH MY GOD!!!

Are YOU So-And-So? So-And-So must be lurking on these boards SOMEWHERE...being a Disney expert and all...

Bless your heart...25 New Jersey family members....The one member you should be bringing is Jack...You know Jack, right? Jack Daniels???

Want some of my Mother's Little Helpers?????

 

[Eeyore's Tiara]

ET - maybe, just maybe....my vacation would have been better if I had a tiara???

Like you say in your signature? Maybe my problems all could have been solved if I wore a tiara AND took extra meds...

What a sight I'd have been...

A princess high on pixie dust...

You know, it doesn't sound all that bad to me!!!

I don't know if the power of a tiara could have helped you in this situation...It's powerful, but you were fighting some mighty powerful evil forces here! Maybe you should have held the tiara out like a cross (like they do with vampires) and threaten to put it on and embaress them all if they don't behave!

 

[marivaid]

I've read all 11 pages of your TR tonight and all I could think of while reading was..

OMG.. and I thought my family was bad!!

Cant wait to read the rest.I'm kind of hoping it involves some kind of body bag.

 

[aries1980]

OH MY GOD!!!

Are YOU So-And-So? So-And-So must be lurking on these boards SOMEWHERE...being a Disney expert and all...

Bless your heart...25 New Jersey family members....The one member you should be bringing is Jack...You know Jack, right? Jack Daniels???

Want some of my Mother's Little Helpers?????

im going to need a lot of mothers little helpers because not only are we doing a week in disney but we a doing a week on the disney cruise too!!

i dont know what i am thinking!!

 

[Lauralee131]

im going to need a lot of mothers little helpers because not only are we doing a week in disney but we a doing a week on the disney cruise too!!

i dont know what i am thinking!!

Wow - I don't know whether to nominate you for sainthood or call the men in the little white coats!! Mention my name by the way and you'll get VIP treatment!!

I hope the cruise ship is as big as it looks..there's probably a lot of places to hide!!

Actually, DH and I were talking about possibly going on the Disney Cruise next year...I got the video and fell in love with it!! I'm almost jealous of you...

almost... Guess I'll find out afterwards, eh?

 

[Lauralee131]

Ok gang - I've been reading DH all of your wonderful replies...and he's loving them!


BUT he wanted me to make sure that I reminded everyone that...and excuse me while I choke on this...

This magical, family trip was all MY IDEA!!

There...I've said it...you know, they say that the first step to solving a problem is admitting that you have one...
Funny, that didn't make me feel any better....

 

[mmmcq]

Yeah, and you can remind him it was his DS. You were just trying to be nice and share the magic. And oh by the way......who had to deal with most of the grief? Hello? Nice try DH, as I say to my teens when they try to get away with something.

Seems like you both need to adopt new families. Do they have those on the DIS?? Stay off the rent/trade board whatever you do.

Did you check your email for the boo treat bag instructions yet?

 

[Lauralee131]

Yeah, and you can remind him it was his DS. You were just trying to be nice and share the magic. And oh by the way......who had to deal with most of the grief? Hello? Nice try DH, as I say to my teens when they try to get away with something.

Seems like you both need to adopt new families. Do they have those on the DIS?? Stay off the rent/trade board whatever you do.

Did you check your email for the boo treat bag instructions yet?

Hey there...DH is laughing at your reply!!! LOVE the "stay off the rent/trade board!" That was AWESOME!!! LMAO at that one!

No I haven't checked email yet...I'm going to shortly...I'll email you later, but in the meantime....

I came home from work and Michael ran into the driveway to show me an award he brought home for being student of the week in class and he was so proud...the little guy was just beaming!! So I told him that he deserved the pirate cruise...I came in the house, immediately called and was told all pirate cruises are booked for the whole week...GULP...BUT they had one opening on the Sassagoula Cruise - I think he called it Jester's Court...so I booked it...any experience with that one??

I'll email you later...time to put my little Space Ranger to bed!

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

Oh Lauralee131. I can so empathize with you. Although my "family trip" experiences weren't quite as bad, we had 2 trips that were real spoilers. I really think the next time your SIL & BIL decide to take a trip to WDW they should take my DIL & Grandson. They have both managed to make our trips miserable, so they would fit right in with your family. Although it isn't Disney we are taking a family (plus extras) trip to Mexico for my Daughter's wedding in May. Now I am really worrying. 35-40 people to keep happy in one place. OH MY!

 

[mmmcq]

Actually, just in case you don't know. The comment about the rent/trade board was "tongue in cheek" and referred to the awful rental scam(s) that has been uncovered this past week on DIS. Most of the trouble seem to point towards one "owner/rentor" with multiple aliases. You don't need any more problematic relatives and this one individual actually makes your DSIL seem almost reasonable. Really - it's that bad.

On the "off topic" topic. Zilcho experience with that cruise. Do a post on the attractions thread and someone will let you know. But do check back often. That's the kind of thing that gets cancelled all the time because people change their touring plans, etc.

 

[Lauralee131]

I really think the next time your SIL & BIL decide to take a trip to WDW they should take my DIL & Grandson. They have both managed to make our trips miserable, so they would fit right in with your family.

Ummmm....gee....thanks! And I didn't get you anything!!

Maybe you'll get lucky for the wedding! I hope it's a wonderful time for you!

 

[Lauralee131]

Actually, just in case you don't know. The comment about the rent/trade board was "tongue in cheek" and referred to the awful rental scam(s) that has been uncovered this past week on DIS. Most of the trouble seem to point towards one "owner/rentor" with multiple aliases. You don't need any more problematic relatives and this one individual actually makes your DSIL seem almost reasonable. Really - it's that bad.

Wow - I hadn't heard about that...that's sad What a shame that people would do that...

 

[sherreis]

I have loved your TR so far. I sure hope when I read about your last morning that you write that Tigger bounced all over Cruella. She sure deserved it.

Does your DS ever talk about all the bad words that come out of Aunt Cruella's mouth?

BTW, congrats on your purchase of DVC.

 

[Lauralee131]

Thanks Sherri...I'm glad you're enjoying! Thanks for continuing to hang in there with me!

No, actually, whenever DS talks about our trip, Cruella and Horace are NEVER mentioned...it's like they were never there...

Strange, eh?

 

[kpk89]

Hey Lauralee,
All is clear now. I was confused that your locale is NC but your flight was from NH. Now I get it! (we need a lightbulb smilie -- maybe there is one but I'm too lazy to go look)

Good for you on the DVC -- and also for not telling! You will more than make up for this carpy trip in the years to come. Saratoga is a beautiful resort already, and I'm sure as it gets completed it'll be even better!

 

[Lauralee131]

Hey Lauralee,
All is clear now. I was confused that your locale is NC but your flight was from NH. Now I get it! (we need a lightbulb smilie -- maybe there is one but I'm too lazy to go look)

Good for you on the DVC -- and also for not telling! You will more than make up for this carpy trip in the years to come. Saratoga is a beautiful resort already, and I'm sure as it gets completed it'll be even better!

Wow - It's the Meanest Mama!! Thank you for gracing my TR!! I've loved reading your TR!

It sure was hard keeping that DVC secret! I even hesitated telling my hubby...I think he's capable of cracking under pressure....Cruella would squash him like a bug!!

Can I interest you in a Meanest Sister-In-Law??? Free, gratis, no charge, compliementary, on the house???? Huh? Huh????

 

[kpk89]

Wow - It's the Meanest Mama!! Thank you for gracing my TR!! I've loved reading your TR!

Thanks! You're sweet.

Can I interest you in a Meanest Sister-In-Law??? Free, gratis, no charge, compliementary, on the house???? Huh? Huh????

Uh, no. I've already got the Brother-in-Law version and am not at all interested in a matched set. Thanks, though. You're sweet.



PS -- MGM has alcohol in the lounge at Prime Time Cafe. Not that I've been there.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

My "Three things to save any family trip from certain disaster"

Lots of Alcohol (beer, wine, or even mother's little helpers-whatever floats your fancy)

AN OUT~I've been on many trips with close family and have learned to tell when it's time to disappear. I've learned from Delswife how to take "three steps to the left."

and Lots of Alcohol!

~so-and-so, won'tchaplease stand up~
she couldn't possibly be a DISer,
could she?~

Excellent writing again Lauralee!

and yes, there a lotsa places on DCL to get lost when ya really want to

 

[Lauralee131]

Today is the one day I don’t jump out of bed…I’m awake early as usual, but I just lay in bed…I don’t want to go home. BUT I don’t want to stay here with these jackals anymore either…Then I remembered something…I just bought into DVC!! I can come back…I can get a Vacation Mulligan!! I decide to distract myself from my “last day blues” by picking a date for my next trip while having a cup of coffee outside…I went outside and it was rainy…not pouring, but a little more than just a fine mist, if you know what I mean…Bummer...that mad me even sadder...



Our plane doesn’t leave until 6pm…Magical Express will pick us up at 3:30, so we’ve got some time today, which is nice. Well, we’ve got PS’s at Crystal Palace for lunch…I thought it’d be a nice end to our trip. I packed the night before and just left out what we needed for the day…I want to go to Epcot to pick up my Photopass CD and all week I’ve been wanting to buy a “Leave a Legacy” tile, which we never got to do, so we’ll do that today. I wish you could fit more than 2 people in a picture…DS is small – can’t they squeeze him in? I decided I’d just buy the tile…put our names and the date on it. Hmmm…where should I put for our location…NH? Or NC - we'll be there by the time the tile is done. Or Dysfunction Junction?



I get the boys up and moving so we can head to Epcot…I would really like to try to get on Soarin’ today…why is Karma keeping me from getting on this ride??!?!?! The ONE ride I insisted I was going on if nothing else this trip…I don’t get it…



The boys dress quickly and I throw a couple of pop-tarts their way for breakfast and call guest services to come get our luggage (big, heavy sigh). I go outside while they’re eating for a quick cigarette and run into Cruella…I hear her before I see her of course, because she’s mad that it’s raining and her plane doesn’t leave until 7:30pm…”Oh, good morning sunshine…” The f-bombs are being launched and it’s not even 9am. Nice. Welcome to the happiest place on Earth. Now please leave…you’re spoiling it for the rest of us! So you all know by now how she is…and some of you can probably hear her inside your own head as you’re reading this…”What the XXXX am I supposed to do all day in the rain?!?” I tell her I have plans, but offer her suggestions on how she can spend her day…take a tour of the lodge…hop a bus and go tour another resort…Better yet…rent a car, be wild and go to Target this time! We discuss the sheet with ME checkout instructions that were left under our doors. She’s lucky – she’s on one of the airlines that you can actually get checked in from here. Southwest isn’t on that list. But they have Flight Attendant McDreamy so I guess it all balances out in the end…



She went into her room to get ready to leave. She decided that she’d spend the morning at MK since we were all going to end up at the CP anyway, and my guys announced they were ready…it’s raining a bit harder now than it was before so unpack our ponchos from our luggage…guess we’re going to need these today guys. That’s ok…maybe the park will be empty and we can ride Soarin’ over and over again! DH and I discussed just staying at Epcot and not going to the MK so maybe we should cancel the PS for CP. I go out the patio and into Cruella’s room…since they’re going to MK, maybe they’ll want to do a last character meal…although maybe not – there won’t be any puppies to kill and skin for coats or anything…I should offer it at least…she’d seemed pretty excited to go originally. Or maybe it was one of her other personalities? Can’t remember who I was talking to!



Well, I walk into her room and it was like walking into a fraternity house basement…GROSS…it looked like a bomb went off in there…what a filthy mess…and I can’t even tell you how bad it smelled…picture the stink of an overflowing ashtray left for days in a hot muggy room…I was almost afraid to walk in there! Immediately I thought of that poor Mousekeeping lady. She was going to cry when she walked in this room later today…Hell, even I wanted to cry!



Cruella was not her usual “sparkly” self this morning. Nope…she was worse…if you can imagine that. She wanted to go home and wanted to go home now…I said well you can call the airline and see if they can get you on an earlier flight…(and of course I’m thinking – I’ll even help you pack all this crap up!) And…world traveler that she is said…and there’s no way I could even make this up – she said “Oh yeah right, there’s no XXXXXXG way in XXXX that I’m going to buy another plane ticket to leave early! I paid two hundred and fifty XXXXXXG dollars for this one and I’ll be damned if I’m buying another!!” With that, I had to change the subject or risk peeing in my pants from laughing so hard! Besides, I had to get back to the order of business so we could get out of there...We were wasting daylight! I told her that we had the ressie’s at Crystal Palace still and if she wanted to use them great, otherwise I’ve got to cancel or they’ll charge my credit card…she said that she’d go…I told her we’d catch up with her later and we headed to Epcot…



First thing we got a legacy tile…Tony and I have a brick in the walkway going towards the Contemporary which we’ve yet to actually see in person…yet another thing we didn’t get to do. We wanted to make sure we got the legacy tile now that our little family has expanded. Still disappointed we couldn’t get a picture of the 3 of us, but anywhooo…



We went into the camera shop to get our Photopass CD and they said to come back in about a half hour. Great – I’ll race you boys to Soarin’!!! We got there and wow – there was virtually no line. Thank you Karma!! FINALLY…timing was good too as it was now pouring…we went up the walkway fairly quickly and then came to a stop behind maybe 30 to 35 people…we waited. And waited…and yes, we waited some more…then they made that dreaded announcement…Soarin’ will be closed for at least 2 hours…Bummer…Well, silently I said to myself, “Self, don’t sweat it…DVC baby!!! I can come back any time!!”



The boys and I left and cruised around a bit, splashing around in puddles and dodging raindrops and headed back to the camera shop. The CM’s in the shop were awesome…they spent quite a bit of time with me, looking at pictures and putting some graphics on them…Totally worth the $99, I think…wish I’d had more of just the 3 of us…there were usually Cruella and Horace in there with us. Cruella probably thought I’d buy the pictures for her too…Beyotch…



We made our way back to WL and decided to grab a last meal at Whispering Canyon. There was a bit of a wait so we went and sat in front of the fireplace to dry out and warm up a bit…Tony and Michael were at the Lincoln log table a little bit later and I was in a rocking chair by the fire, trying not to cry because we had to go home. I saw Cruella and Horace come in…soaked to the bone and ugly…face all twisted like a madwoman…I froze like a deer in headlights…and remained silent. I turned my back to them and pretended not to notice them in the lobby…my pager went off just in time…I went directly to the Lincoln log table to fetch my crew. I turned in the pager and we were waiting for them to gather our menu’s, etc. and I started to cry…Tony laughed at me and said “ALREADY???” Finally we were seated…we had a great lunch – the restaurant was packed and it was a fun crowd…One of the waitresses was walking around with a microphone asking if anyone wanted to say or sing anything and I prodded DS a bit to get up and sing…before I knew it, Michael was walking around the restaurant, trying to catch up with the waitress…when she came back towards our table Michael had been across the room – taking the same route as the pony races he’d done several times that week. I grabbed the waitress and pointed out Michael and said that he wanted to sing…she called his name and was waving and told the crowd that Michael wanted to sing a song…she finally went and picked him up and stood him on a chair and gave him the microphone and he sang his little heart out…I was clapping and bawling like a baby!! DS actually stood up on a chair and sang Hakuna Matata to the entire restaurant…it was awesome…what a great moment.



We paid our bill and I told Tony that I was going to go to Roaring Forks to use up the rest of our snack credits on Mickey rice krispy treats and juice boxes for the plane and as we walked down the stairs….BAM…there was Cruella and Horace…staring right at us…looking like she was going to lunge at my throat….she was beside herself that I didn’t call her to join us for lunch…remember the PS she was going to keep at Crystal Palace? Yeah? Well, she didn’t…I thanked her for nothing…she had the nerve to ask me what my problem was – why did I care that she didn’t go…I said, “You know what? I don’t care…It’s one more meal for you on my credit card” and with that I walked outside…I decided to sit on the bench and have a cigarette – we were due to get on the ME bus in about a half hour…Cruella and Horace followed me outside and had the nerve to complain about the trip…I kind of snapped at her that I didn’t want to hear it…told her it was her own problem. The only way people CAN’T enjoy themselves here is if they CHOOSE not to, so it was her problem, not mine. She told me to go and errrr…ummmm…spend some quality time with myself, shall we say. Fine I said – I’ve been getting screwed all week anyway…I pointed out to her that this was probably the last time we were going to see them for a long time as we were going to be moving to North Carolina soon and she seemed to get sad and then angry all in the span of like 15 seconds…then she told me about how the Disney CM's are idiots because it was too late to check her in from here and now she had to check in at the airport...she didn't actually READ the ME Checkout sheet...she just glanced at it. *******... Oh, and I almost forgot...she actually went and argued with the front desk over $16.00 charged to her debit card for something she bought...she was complaining about having $16 lousy dollars charged...you guys don't even want to know what my bill was...UGH



It was time for us to board the ME bus, but it was late…we were watching for it, getting a bit nervous…now it was nearly 20 minutes late and still no sign of it. Cruella is mad…but this time I have no idea what for…we weren’t even speaking…we just sat on opposite benches, virtually ignoring each other. Then she stood up and said to Horace, let’s go check on our luggage and off they went back into the hotel. No sooner did they walk into the lobby did the bus come. The bus driver was totally stressed out…almost yelling at everyone that the bus was running late…DUH…and it was overbooked, so if you wanted a seat, you needed to get on NOW…to make matters worse, bell services had all of our luggage on a cart at their podium and DH had to lug it all down the stairs and bring all 9 bags down to the bus driver. I stood outside the bus for as long as I could looking for Cruella and Horace to say goodbye…they were no where to be seen. For all I knew they were watching from the lobby. I finally decided to get Michael on the bus while Tony finished dealing with the luggage. There were no seats together at all on the bus now and it was just about filled with a bunch of mortgage people who were at the GF for a conference. And none of them would give up their seats…Michael sat in one seat with a lady and I sat in another and Tony was still outside tipping the driver. He came in and ended up going a couple of seats back from us…



Guess who shows up outside the bus…Yep – Cruella…and she’s pissed…big surprise there, I know….well she started screaming at me for getting on the bus and not saying goodbye…I tried to explain out the window what had happened and how they’d left and we couldn’t find them and she just started flinging F-bombs at me at the top of her lungs…I told her we’d catch up with her at the airport and again she told me to go and get jiggy with myself and walked away. At that point I was glad the bus was filled with conference goers and not families…how embarrassing. I tried calling her cell phone but she didn’t answer…as the bus pulled away, I saw her flip me off out of the corner of my eye, still yelling…



And that, my friends, was the last I saw of Cruella…I tried several times that night to call her cell from the airport and she wouldn’t pick up. So finally I stopped calling.



We didn’t talk at all until late April, right before we moved. The vacation has never been spoken of since. I haven’t seen any pictures she took…Nothing. All she's done has given new meaning to "Free Disney Dining"



So there you have it, Mouseketeers…our adventure has (thankfully) come to an end…



DH and I were just discussing the end of this TR and some of the goings-on. A lot of things he didn’t know or notice, so this TR has opened up his eyes as well. I told him how sad I was and about my walk alone through the MK, which I’d never mentioned until now. He feels bad for me I think…He said, well, when we go in December, it’s going to be different.



We’re going to make the next one an awesome trip…December will be OUR magical gathering!


Thank you all so much for reading and for your kind words and sharp wit! I've enjoyed it!! And I'm looking forward to doing my next TR...

And thanks to Delswife and tiggerwannabe, I now know to take 3 steps to the left should I ever make the mistake of doing something like this again!!

G'night everyone!!! Thanks for coming in today!! Love ya, mean it!!!

M-I-C....See you real soon!!!!

PS - Please forgive any typos - I'm rushing to get this done and it's nearly 1am...YAWN...so bear with me!!