our non-rushing (sorta) disney anniversary w/ PICS & VIDEO! new TR link - p. 136

[KatGarcia]

Great update! I'm jonesing for a ride on EE!!! I went for the first time last trip and I wanna go back on ever since!!!! I can't even think of taking pictures on a coaster like that, but they came out awesome!

 

[Eventer98]

Great update Dawn...as always picture riffic! Oh i can see your full siggie now

(Tara...thank you for the Bonamine advice! I take dramamine when i fly but i always thought it would be too strong for riding rides..i will def. give the B. a try in october on all those crazy California Adventure rides! )

I can't tolerate backwards rides (EE!) or spinny ones (Primeval Whirl!) but had NO problems on either of those during my last 3 trips. I didn't try the teacups though..I think that would be pushing it!!

Dawn - great update. Love the video too. I didn't realize SSR was that close to DTD. Do you have to own DVC to stay there?

No..you don't have to own DVC to stay at any of the DVC resorts Renting points is the way to go...if you can't rent then it's like $325/night. (If you are able to rent most people charge about $10-$12 a point and most nights are less then 20 pts.) We stayed in Congress Park as well and it was a 10m. walk to DTD. We tried the ferry too but it was actually longer then walking!! It was awesome to sit on our balcony at night and hear the music from Pleasure Island!! Infact, we bought in without having stayed there...we loved the pictures so much we went with our gut and have no regrets!

 

[JAHokie46]

Great updates! I get busy and can't visit for a week and thread nearly doubled in size!

The view from your room looks really cool.

 

[winkers]

I love the outfit you picked out for me! Remind me not to hire you as a personal shopper!

Everest x2 is awesome! I love that ride!

 

[DisneyLaura]

No..you don't have to own DVC to stay at any of the DVC resorts Renting points is the way to go...if you can't rent then it's like $325/night. (If you are able to rent most people charge about $10-$12 a point and most nights are less then 20 pts.) We stayed in Congress Park as well and it was a 10m. walk to DTD. We tried the ferry too but it was actually longer then walking!! It was awesome to sit on our balcony at night and hear the music from Pleasure Island!! Infact, we bought in without having stayed there...we loved the pictures so much we went with our gut and have no regrets!

Who do you rent points from?

Winkers I love your siggy, I wish he'd bite her too. I can't wait until August 2nd. I read all three books in one month now I have to wait soooo long for the fourth. UM got me hooked.

 

[punkin413]

Another great update... what a wonderful location at SSR. Someday I would love to stay there. (with three kids we won't fit lots of places)... can't wait to see more pictures.

thanks! SSR was just great. the studio we had had a queen bed and a full-size sleeper sofa. on friday night, our friends anna and chris and their 3-year-old luke joined us for the pirate & princess party and they slept on the sleeper sofa with no problem - it was really comfy. not a traditional bar-in-your-back kinda thing! i wouldn't dare attempt to have that many people in a room for more than 1 night though. the bathroom wasn't big enough for all of us! anyway, they have 1 bedrooms at SSR that would be perfect for your family - the kids could sleep on the sleeper sofa and they also have fold-up crib things in all the rooms, i think (tucked away in the closet).

She even looks like she's doing the power sign....

i didn't even notice that!

I love this pix!!!!!!!

i tried to make it look like they were really standing there for the picture. beana's wasn't as good because silly me got her straw in the picture.

Great update Dawn!! Can't wait for food porn!!

it's coming up next!!!

First of all. LOVE the new signature pic! Loving all of your updates, you rock Hoping things stay slow at work so you can feed my obsession
What a cool day at AK, love the meltdown countdown, we always laugh at that too, until it's our kids The flat's are HALARIOUS, what a cute idea. Your EE photo's were awesome. Love how you guys just took your time and were laid back in your touring that day, maybe I need to take some tips from you .
Your room at SSR looks great, gotta love an empty Disney bus. How was transportation to and from there generally?
Can't wait for the next update
Lesley

i would say i'm hoping things stay slow, too, but unfortunately the mortgage payment is calling so i need money!

it's so funny that you think we're laid back - we were so exhausted! i guess that happens when you don't get good sleep at the hojo the night before.

as far as the bus transportation from SSR, it was good going to the parks. i did notice that it lacked a little coming from the parks back to the resort. it seemed like our waits for busses when we were heading back to the resort were a little long. i know one day we waited like 30-40 minutes. could've just been our luck, though. we did take the boat to DTD one day and that was kinda neat, although walking is faster if you're in congress park.

Great tripee! The flat tourists are hilarous!!!!!!!!!!

Can't wait for more!

thanks!!!

Great update. Love all the pictures. Beana and Mattica seem like they are having a great time.

they had a blast!

What great pictures while riding EE. And you are a brave one. I HATE riding in the back of EE. I'll never sit back there again. Came off that ride feeling completely disoriented.

I'm glad you liked SSR. It's a beautiful resort. We usually request the Grandstand section which has a great pool for the kids. In fact, we'll be there tomorrow. Why no dancing banana you say? I guess I'm not the dancing banana type. This is more my style:



BTW, you mentioned all the typing you have to do. What kind of steno machine do you have? Mine is actually paperless. The software does the transcribing for me.

I really enjoy reading your TR. Actually, I'm down to 2 that I subscribe to - yours and Jordan's. You must have heard of Jordan. You know, the hot, sweaty Asian guy, as he likes to call himself. Yours and his are a lot alike. Lots of pics, light reading and very funny.

i love the back of EE! the faster the better for me. although i don't put my hands up any more because last year my neck snapped and wouldn't go straight for about 10 seconds afterwards when i had my hands up on EE. never doing that again!

i'm so jealous that you're going to SSR/WDW tomorrow!!!!! have fun!

i'm actually a voice writer. i don't know if you have those in your state or not. some states do, some states don't. georgia is about 50/50 with voice writers and machine writers (which is what i'm sure you are). if you don't know what i'm talking about, let me know and i'll explain. i'm still certified by the state and do everything that a machine writer does and the finished product looks the same - it's just a different way of taking down the hearing/depo/whatever. they have voice recognition software for voice writers where it will transcribe as you go, but my boss tells me to wait a couple of years before spending the $12,000 on it because the technology just isn't "there" yet. so i just use digital recording on my laptop, therefore i have to type my work. at this point, i don't mind. once i get my own judge (probably within the next 2 years), that will definitely change because i'll have a TON more work!

jordan? who's jordan???

Great update Dawn...as always picture riffic! Oh i can see your full siggie now

good...i'm glad you can see it. that's just weird. by the way, tell the peeps i said hello. i haven't been over there in like a month. i'm so busy and just consumed with other stuff. i miss you guys, though! i'll get over there soon!

Great update! We are staying at SSR on rented points in a week and a half!

awesome! if you want, PM me your e-mail address and i'll send you all my pictures of SSR. i probably won't get to my day 3 installment before you leave and that's when i took all those pics.

Dawn - great update. Love the video too. I didn't realize SSR was that close to DTD. Do you have to own DVC to stay there?

thanks! tara (eventer) answered your question. and i would definitely recommend renting points! the only trick is to find someone who's a DVC member who you feel you can trust with renting points from because you'll have to send them money and trust that they make the reservation and everything for you. PM me if you ever have any questions. we're definitely going to be renting points the next time we go for another full-blown vacation. i'm not doing it in september because me and erica don't want to spend a ton, so we're staying at pop. then in december we're going back for a long weekend just to see the Xmas decorations and in order to save money for that we're staying at a condo off site. but the next time i have a real vacation, i'm renting points again!

Great update! I'm jonesing for a ride on EE!!! I went for the first time last trip and I wanna go back on ever since!!!! I can't even think of taking pictures on a coaster like that, but they came out awesome!

i love EE! glad you liked it too. about taking pictures, i had a death grip on that camera!

Great updates! I get busy and can't visit for a week and thread nearly doubled in size!

The view from your room looks really cool.

thank you! don't worry about keeping up - just go to the index in the front and see what you've missed. i'm just glad you're here!

I love the outfit you picked out for me! Remind me not to hire you as a personal shopper!

Everest x2 is awesome! I love that ride!

what? you don't like that get up? i thought it was very fashionable.

i want an EE in my back yard. maybe someday.

 

[punkin413]

Who do you rent points from?

not to answer for tara, but she's a DVC member, so she doesn't rent points. i actually rented points from her! i know that heather and lynda over on the peep thread are also DVC members. so there's a few that i know you know. there's a board you can go to here for DVC members but anyone can view it and it kinda explains the whole points thing.

 

[DisneyLaura]

not to answer for tara, but she's a DVC member, so she doesn't rent points. i actually rented points from her! i know that heather and lynda over on the peep thread are also DVC members. so there's a few that i know you know. there's a board you can go to here for DVC members but anyone can view it and it kinda explains the whole points thing.

Thanks I think I might look into it because we're going with 6 next year, my family with my mom. My cousin actually is a DVC member maybe I'll ask him. I would be kind of scared to send money to someone not knowing them too well.

 

[dwheatl]

Great update! I love the FOTLK! When we went, one of the kids they brought out was a little boy with Down's Syndrome. You could just see the look of absolute wonder on his face. This was my response. It was just too sweet. I guess it would have looked strange taking pictures of strangers' kids.

 

[Spartangirl]

Great updates, Dawn!!!

FOTLK is a show we never miss, and like you, I LOVE EE!!! That's great that you got to ride it 2 times in a row........the back is so much fun! I agree, it does seem a bit faster back there.

I can't wait to hear about your Kona dinner. We've eaten there a couple of times for breakfast and tried dinner for the 1st time on our last trip. It was SO GOOD!

Your pictures are wonderful..........can't wait for more!

 

[VandyFan10]

i'm telling you.....the flatness was out in full force this afternoon!

What an awesome picture!

look at all that money! wonder how much is down there.

Wow that is a LOT of bank!!

the view from the top of the mountain......

This is SUCH a cool pic....I'm definitely going to take more like these when we go!

I bet we were sleepy we got a lot of press time today!

does it really seem faster in the back? I might have to try that.

I think all coasters seem much faster in the back!

It is also usually a much rougher ride

That's why I'm a front girl

Not to bring up Opryland again but Dawn will remember the Screamin' Delta Deamon.....it was a 3 seater (could put 2 in each seat) that would rock the CRAP out of you, but if you were in the front seat it wasn't so bad....it was wierd

She even looks like she's doing the power sign....

I didn't even think of that!

Great update. Love all the pictures. Beana and Mattica seem like they are having a great time.

I had a GREAT time!!

And I can't wait to go when I'm puffed up too

OH!! And I just have to say I LOVE your new siggy, the pic of you and ray is precious and the pic with us the timeline and the vandy logo...LOVE IT!!

We will have to take a better picture when you come up here next weekend!

 

[Brenle]

We're leaving at 4:30 a.m. for the airport. Good thing is we'll be landing around 9:30 a.m. at MCO.

I do know what voice writers are. I live in RI and they are "not allowed" here. Mass. has them, though. All reporters here need to be certified through the Superior Court. I agree - software is ever changing. It's made my job so much easier.

Good luck getting your own judge! Maybe Jordan will send you some of his mojo he has and you'll be in like Flynn.

 

[punkin413]

for those of you watching american idol, i just had to share this. as i sat staring at the TV with my jaw to the floor while watching fantasia burino's (don't know if i spelled that right) performance, they flashed to simon sitting there with the same exact expression i had on my face. that was about 7 minutes ago. i've been rolling on the floor laughing since then!

 

[kaysmommie]

for those of you watching american idol, i just had to share this. as i sat staring at the TV with my jaw to the floor while watching fantasia burino's (don't know if i spelled that right) performance, they flashed to simon sitting there with the same exact expression i had on my face. that was about 7 minutes ago. i've been rolling on the floor laughing since then!

Me too!!
Great pics on EE and your SSR room looks really nice. We might have to try renting points sometime or buy DVC, just have to convince DH .

 

[punkin413]

Great update! I love the FOTLK! When we went, one of the kids they brought out was a little boy with Down's Syndrome. You could just see the look of absolute wonder on his face. This was my response. It was just too sweet. I guess it would have looked strange taking pictures of strangers' kids.

so sweet! there was a little girl with what looked like some sort of cancer riding aladdin's magic carpets one day when we were there. she was in a wheelchair and didn't have much hair left - looked like she'd been through chemo. my heart just broke for her, but it was such a warm and fuzzy feeling watching her have fun and watching the CMs help her on and off the ride.

Great updates, Dawn!!!

FOTLK is a show we never miss, and like you, I LOVE EE!!! That's great that you got to ride it 2 times in a row........the back is so much fun! I agree, it does seem a bit faster back there.

I can't wait to hear about your Kona dinner. We've eaten there a couple of times for breakfast and tried dinner for the 1st time on our last trip. It was SO GOOD!

Your pictures are wonderful..........can't wait for more!

thanks! i love EE in the back, but the front is cool too. heck, i'll take it any way i can!

and i LOVE me some kona!!! it's one of my favs.

What an awesome picture!

i tried to make it look like you were really there. yours turned out really good, but i'm a dope and got beana's straw in her pic.

This is SUCH a cool pic....I'm definitely going to take more like these when we go!

just hold on to your camera!

I bet we were sleepy we got a lot of press time today!

you guys were exhausted!

Not to bring up Opryland again but Dawn will remember the Screamin' Delta Deamon.....it was a 3 seater (could put 2 in each seat) that would rock the CRAP out of you, but if you were in the front seat it wasn't so bad....it was wierd

oh, i HATED that ride! it was a bob sled type of coaster in that it didn't have a track that you were connected to. so in between the big dips or whatever you'd take, you had to go into a little track that would sort of propel you into the next section. whenever you got into that area, that thing would completely beat the crap out of you! i remember having to put some space between the bar that goes between your legs (think space mountain) and myself or it would possibly cause me not to bear future children!

OH!! And I just have to say I LOVE your new siggy, the pic of you and ray is precious and the pic with us the timeline and the vandy logo...LOVE IT!!

We will have to take a better picture when you come up here next weekend!

thanks! yeah, we need a more recent, less cold picture! that pic of me and ray was taken at the P&PP.

We're leaving at 4:30 a.m. for the airport. Good thing is we'll be landing around 9:30 a.m. at MCO.

I do know what voice writers are. I live in RI and they are "not allowed" here. Mass. has them, though. All reporters here need to be certified through the Superior Court. I agree - software is ever changing. It's made my job so much easier.

Good luck getting your own judge! Maybe Jordan will send you some of his mojo he has and you'll be in like Flynn.

4:30? wow! better you than me! but who am i kidding - i'd get up any time to go to disney!

we're certified through the state. they give the test twice a year and one room has voice writers in it and the other one has machine writers. it's the same test - they just separate us because it's easier that way. i actually monitored one of the tests last year for the machine writers (to get continuing education credits ) and one girl was listening to her ipod while she was transcribing what she'd taken down. i don't know how she could concentrate!

i will be getting my own judge soon....i hope. i work in a 3-county circuit just north of atlanta. we have 3 superior court judges. there are 5 court reporters with my firm (and my firm's responsible for superior court and juvenile court work) and i'm number 4 on the totem pole, so the 3 above me are "officials" and have their own judges. our circuit is 5th in line in the state to get another judge. the area i live in is growing FAST so we REALLY need another judge. our poor judges are worked to death! anyway, when another one gets appointed, he/she will be mine!

 

[aldisneygrl]

Love all the pics and videos. We've been to AK twice and have never looked at the animals except for on the safari ride. Didn't know they were there. Guess I didn't do my AK homework.

Oh, little "insider" tidbit. Do you want to know what EE looks like on the back? Well....


















It's completely flat! We saw it when we ran the 5K in Jan. I thought that was so cool. We took pictures of it. I don't have photobucket, so I can't post it, but it is wild to know what it looks like on the front, and then to see the back.

 

[Goofyluver]

for those of you watching american idol, i just had to share this. as i sat staring at the TV with my jaw to the floor while watching fantasia burino's (don't know if i spelled that right) performance, they flashed to simon sitting there with the same exact expression i had on my face. that was about 7 minutes ago. i've been rolling on the floor laughing since then!

You mean the mouth agape pose???

I had the same one!

 

[winkers]

for those of you watching american idol, i just had to share this. as i sat staring at the TV with my jaw to the floor while watching fantasia burino's (don't know if i spelled that right) performance, they flashed to simon sitting there with the same exact expression i had on my face. that was about 7 minutes ago. i've been rolling on the floor laughing since then!

I think 90% of America had that expression on their faces!
All I heard was someone screetching like a cat in heat!

 

[Eventer98]

Me too!!
Great pics on EE and your SSR room looks really nice. We might have to try renting points sometime or buy DVC, just have to convince DH .

I didn't have too hard of a time convincing DH...DVC will pay for itself in 7-8 trips and you own it until 2054, or something like that. Well worth the money..plus you get tons of discounts on other stuff. Disney has their own financing available which is great b/c it doesn't show up on a credit report so it will never prevent you from getting another loan for other stuff.

 

[lexmelinda]

Dawn! You really AREN'T rushing this time! Sounds like a fun day.

But. EE twice in a row. ((barfing smilie)) I guess that's just me.

I love the location of your SSR room. How far is the walk to DTD. As the crow flies, it looks pretty close!

Sorry you're so covered up at work! Looking for a new installment soon!