P.O.T.C. On Stranger Rides! The Missing Chapter,,Final Thoughts,, Preview Thoughts.

[pkondz]

But I did just want to share a milestone with everyone as this is my 500th post on DIS. I think that means I finally get to graduate from Mouseketeer? Or do I still have another 500 to go until that happens?

Congrats on the milestone! And if you look at your avatar, just above it, it says "DIS Veteran".

Either that or Ponzi has to write that pre-trip report.

Oh, there's always the possibility. But I'm pretty sure Nebo will have a TR up for the August trip well before our (hopefully) March 2013 trip.

 

[Thumper_Man]

Ok, guess it's time to talk a bit about the upcoming trip:

It's from April 29 to May 9.

Allright, thank you very much, see you after the August trip.

That was the shortest pre-trip report I've ever read. Straight and to the point. Oh wait. Helps if I scroll down.

He also knew if he DIDN"T invite us we'd have to kill him.

Or at least get a good ol' fashioned whooping.

So,,,,, Coronado it is, this will be our 4th time staying there,, first time was in '05 for our very first Free Dining experience,,, and first time flying down, 7 nights in Casitas, building 5 over looking part of the lake, a water view upgrade for free. Second time was in '07, 6 nights in the Cabanas that wound up an incredible trip that started at Hard Rock Hotel,,, remember? Kung Foo Fighting and The Joker by the pool? And getting lost over at Portofino Bay,,, not to mention the really cool fight at Pat O'brians'.

Again, we had trouble getting a "smoking" room, and eventually they gave us a free upgrade to a room right next to the cabana's quiet pool.

Third time was in February of '08, we were supposed to be in a ground floor room in building 3 in the casitas,,, we went and looked where they said it would be and I wasn't really happy,, the view was of a row of hedges right in front of us. But while we were waiting for it to be ready,,, Diane called to check on it and got the greatest cast member,,,,

"No, it's still not ready yet, but if you'd like I can give you a lake view but it's on the third floor."

We took it in a hearbeat and to this day, it's still the best overall view room we've ever had in Disney; it was a dead on Lke view, and the funny thing was, there was a standing ashtray 15 feet away from our door! We didn't even have to sneak smokes or run down to a DSA. But that was only for 5 nights, then we left to stay in Kissimmee to go house hunting, or at least neighborhood hunting,,, that's when we got that really crappy room where everything was falling apart, so every time we go to CS, our stays have gotten shorter.

Not this time,, this is for 10 days, we're flying down, got tickets for 220 a person that I could have had for 205 if I had not put it off hoping it would drop.
Since we are flying,, we have no cooler for food like we usually do,,and it occurred to me that every time we flew, we've always had the free dining plan to not worry about food, so now what? There is no free dining this spring!

And Coronado and Pepper Market is NOT a place to have to buy food out of pocket, that is NOT a cheap food court, so we decided to do something I have always wanted to do,, just get the quick service dining plan, so that's what we ended up doiing.

Something tells me you like Coronado.

But then, more bad news slid in:
Our favorite rides in all of Disney are BTMR, and Test Track.

Would you care to guess which 2 major rides will be refurbished during this time period?
Yep, we couldn't believe it!

Splash Mountain and TSM? No.
How about Expedition Everest and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster?
Still wrong?!
I don't know then, I give up.

How come they never seem to refurbish Sounds Dangerous, or Stitche's Escape?

Or demolish them.

On the subject of tickets, since we are going in August, we'l turn our tickets into annual passes for the first time in our lives, I know the kids want hoppers so we might as well do it now for this trip and enjoy having hoppers here, as well.

Considering you're averaging about 2 trips a year, I'm surprised you didn't have them already.

Chuck Negron will be there performing.

Who? you say.

He is one of the members of 3 Dog Night, so I guess we'll see One Dog Night that day,, you know,, Easy to be Hard, One, Eli's Coming, Out in the Country, Liar, Celebrate, Mama Told me not to Come,,,, and lots more, so I'm kind of looking forward to that.

I bet for sure you'll here "One Is The Loneliest Number."

I guess that's pretty much it, I'll talk to Diane to see if I'm leaving anything out right now.

A night planned to see the "Kiss Goodnight" perhaps.

Oh yeah, just thought of something:
One reason I've shunned hoppers passes in recent years is because we like to collect fastpasses in the morning to use at night, should be interesting to see how the new system plays out with FP.

Even if you don't do a TR for this trip, at least let us know how this went. I think everyone is interested to know if they will actually start enforcing FP return times. I haven't bought our tickets yet, for our December trip. So it would be interesting to know if I need to get hoppers or not. We can usually stay at one park all day. So to save a little money, we've considering not getting hoppers. Of course I know we can always add it on later if we need to. But if we can collect FP's and use them later, then I may not get them.

 

[Thumper_Man's Wife]

Nebo, now that the TR is finished and it won't interrupt the smooth flow of information and sarcasm in your chapters, I was wondering something.
Have you seen that commercial for Snickers - peanut butter Snickers, to be exact - in which researchers are interviewing 2 sharks who have just eaten Steve, and he was delicious because he had just eaten peanut butter Snickers? I love that commercial - makes me laugh every time (just guess what my ex-husband's name is!)
But I was wondering if you get a cold shiver down your spine when you see that. My advice is never eat a peanut butter Snickers, so that if you happen to be eaten by sharks, at least they won't enjoy it.

 

[pkondz]

Ok, guess it's time to talk a bit about the upcoming trip:

It's from April 29 to May 9.

Allright, thank you very much, see you after the August trip.

I'm good. That's about all I usually want in a pre-trip. I usually don't comment much on them. Here's the difference betweeen the two: (and no, this isn't going to/didn't happen)

This Friday, I'll get a head start on the laundry and maybe cook some Kraft Dinner for supper, then watch TV and go to bed. Oh, my! How exciting!!!!

Booooooorrrrrrinng!

Last Friday, I tried to get a head start on the laundry but the water line to the washer burst and I spent 2 hours cleaning up the mess. While I was doing that, I forgot that I had KD on the stove and it boiled dry and started to burn. The fire department showed up and the whole neighborhood turned up to see what was going on. Now I'm known as King KD to all my neighbors. And I never did get to watch that show I'd been dying to see. So what did I wind up watching? A cooking show where they mentioned that you can do much better than plain old mac n cheese!

Better, no?

Oh allright, when I kept pushing the subject on the way home from our wonderful last September trip that tried to kill us, we were actually considering just about coming right back to get it right, a "right after Thanksgiving trip".

Yeah, and then you'll have a perfect trip some day and be saying, "We'll have to go back since it was so great!"

There's just no pleasing some people.

Just kidding.

After the last freeze our butts off triip I had pretty much nixed future winter type trips,,, but now I"m wavering again and thinking that it just COULDN"T be that cold again.

And it never will be that cold again... unless you go, of course.

He also knew if he DIDN"T invite us we'd have to kill him.

Well. That's only fair.

We took it in a hearbeat and to this day, it's still the best overall view room we've ever had in Disney;

Really? Even better than the AKL room view? 'Cause that was pretty sweet.

And Coronado and Pepper Market is NOT a place to have to buy food out of pocket, that is NOT a cheap food court, so we decided to do something I have always wanted to do,, just get the quick service dining plan, so that's what we ended up doiing.

I have a feeling that you may like it... but will miss the TS restaurants.

Would you care to guess which 2 major rides will be refurbished during this time period?

Ugh! That bites!

And I can never find the new furbishes anywhere.

it's really cool looking with huge boulders and cactii and stuff.

I love it when you talk all technical like.

CBR blows it away for ocean front, island type theming.

So why didn't you go back to CBR, then? Just wanted a change?

Livin Thing, Strange Magic, Can't get it out of my Head, Telephone Line, Don't Bring me Down,,, and others, so it gives me something to do while I"m whining about no Test Track.

I'd heard that Don't Bring Me Down was in reference to when Skylab fell back to earth.

Useless triva du jour.

 

[winkers]

One question.....when can we expect the next report? I need to mark it on the calendar so I don't miss the beginning again!

 

[nebo]

I have visions of upcoming trip reports already. Flying?? Really?? Steel tube of death? I look forward to your CSR comments, it is one of the resorts I am considering for our next stay. Won't be until June 2013 but already trying to figure out exactly when and where. I graduate this December (with my Masters, I'll be a Nurse Practitioner) and my son graduates in May/June 2013 from high school so... we're going to have a big "we done got our diplomas" celebratory trip.

that sounds great, but I've heard of RN, LPN but what is a Nurse Practitioner? And I'll bet you wish you lived near us so you can have job security?

Hi all,

Hi Melvin

Still stringing along several pages back. Your final day is still coming to an end back where I am. Fell behind again as we have been busy prepping for our first non-Florida vacation in ummm, 15 years? Leaving on Friday for the far left coast of Mexico.

But I did just want to share a milestone with everyone as this is my 500th post on DIS. I think that means I finally get to graduate from Mouseketeer? Or do I still have another 500 to go until that happens?

I know from browsing ahead a bit that this is coming to end. Just wanted to say that I will look forward to your next trip report; hopefully there is at least one more to keep the magic alive for a full year until we are with the mouse again. Either that or Ponzi has to write that pre-trip report.

Thanks for stopping by Miles, now you have to shoot for 1000,,,, funny, off hand I have no idea how many posts I even have.

:


Something tells me you like Coronado.

Yeah, I do. The Casitas section is the coolest resort area to walk through at night





Or demolish them.

No Kidding! It's amazing how they can come up with absolute brilliance most of the time,,, and yet somewhere along the line they thought SD and SE were good ideas. And I will throw in Journey into your Imagination as well, I've been on old fashiioned train ride type funhouse rides at old time amusement parks that blow stupid Figment and Dreamfinder's lame ride away.

Considering you're averaging about 2 trips a year, I'm surprised you didn't have them already.

I know, I know, but we never plan on taking the "next" trip at the time.

I bet for sure you'll here "One Is The Loneliest Number."

Yep, I'd say that was their biggest hit.

A night planned to see the "Kiss Goodnight" perhaps.

Oh YEAH

Even if you don't do a TR for this trip, at least let us know how this went. I think everyone is interested to know if they will actually start enforcing FP return times. I haven't bought our tickets yet, for our December trip. So it would be interesting to know if I need to get hoppers or not. We can usually stay at one park all day. So to save a little money, we've considering not getting hoppers. Of course I know we can always add it on later if we need to. But if we can collect FP's and use them later, then I may not get them.

It sure seems like they plan on enforcing them now, that's suppposed to start tomorrow, isn't it? We should be getting reports then soon enough.

I 'm beginning to think that you are the one making up these smileys!

Last Friday, I tried to get a head start on the laundry but the water line to the washer burst and I spent 2 hours cleaning up the mess. While I was doing that, I forgot that I had KD on the stove and it boiled dry and started to burn. The fire department showed up and the whole neighborhood turned up to see what was going on. Now I'm known as King KD to all my neighbors. And I never did get to watch that show I'd been dying to see. So what did I wind up watching? A cooking show where they mentioned that you can do much better than plain old mac n cheese!

Better, no?

Yep,,, pretty much why I never go into pre trip report land

Yeah, and then you'll have a perfect trip some day and be saying, "We'll have to go back since it was so great!"

There's just no pleasing some people.

Just kidding.

Kidding or not, you're probably not too far off.

And it never will be that cold again... unless you go, of course.

Our first December trip down was great weather, our first February trip down was great weather. They really set us up for the big sting. Our second trip in February was just brutal, 7 days and nights of freezing to death trying to hide in a gigantic Yo Yo having a smoke, never went in a pool at Pop the entire time.
And that last trip at Pop we froze on last year actually started in November, I thought we were totally safe from the cold ,,, we had a great first 2 and a half days before the bottom fell out.


Really? Even better than the AKL room view? 'Cause that was pretty sweet.

Usually, a good lake view still trumps a pool view and ours was right next to the lake, with great palm trees framing it,

I have a feeling that you may like it... but will miss the TS restaurants.

Well, we do have the Luau,,, and the Planet Hollywood voucher if we want,,,,and this time I WILL get the damn cheeseburger!

Ugh! That bites!

I know, we'll spend the day at Tom Sawyer's Island.



Yes, the furbish line even hurt me a little.

I love it when you talk all technical like.



So why didn't you go back to CBR, then? Just wanted a change?

Well, we were just at CBR, but the food court also had a lot to do with it,,CBR's is nothing special at all, but at CS that would be a great place to be on even just a counter service plan, and we never have stayed in the Ranchos section.

I'd heard that Don't Bring Me Down was in reference to when Skylab fell back to earth.

Didn't know that, and Don't bring me down is the only line I can think of.

Useless triva du jour.

One question.....when can we expect the next report? I need to mark it on the calendar so I don't miss the beginning again!

I weill probably do a mini report starting right about May 12 or so, a few days after we get back.

 

[cjlvsccm]

Ok, guess it's time to talk a bit about the upcoming trip:

It's from April 29 to May 9.

Allright, thank you very much, see you after the August trip.

...

We have a really early 6 am flight, so if we can check in early enough and go over to Epcot that first Sunday, Chuck Negron will be there performing.

Who? you say.

He is one of the members of 3 Dog Night, so I guess we'll see One Dog Night that day,, you know,, Easy to be Hard, One, Eli's Coming, Out in the Country, Liar, Celebrate, Mama Told me not to Come,,,, and lots more, so I'm kind of looking forward to that.

We actually saw them once,, rigtht here in good old Carpentersville back in around '90, at the yearly Jamboree days our town put on, and they really sounded great.
I think it was 2 Dog Night back then.

Then, starting the next Friday for 3 days a few members of Electric Light Orchestra will take the stage, and I have the hardest time picturing them playing at DisneyWorld.
Everybody remember them?
Livin Thing, Strange Magic, Can't get it out of my Head, Telephone Line, Don't Bring me Down,,, and others, so it gives me something to do while I"m whining about no Test Track.

Hey, we'll overlap, sort of. DH & I are first-time cruising on the Dream 04/29-05/03. Staying in Cape Canaveral the night before, then afterwards will stay with my brother, sis-in-law, and Dad at bro's timeshare in Clermont for a couple nights, before we all leave that Sat. No actual plan for the parks, but...

I LOVE ELO!! I wonder if I can talk my hubby into one day at Epcot on Fri?? We do have one non-expiring day remaining on our old tix. Hmmm....

...

so, I booked the luau, which I always wanted to do.. I know, I know, it gets poor reviews, but I always wanted to do it. and I ensured that my extra money doens't end up just being "swallowed up". ...

I hope it's fun!!! I paid for category one, so we'll be up front. another reason we never did this is it can be cancelled for inclement weather. now, what do you do with 2 TS credits at the last minute? (someone on a thread once suggested, "ell, if the weather's bad anyway, we just use them for room service" yeah, I want to sit in the room and eat on that little table) and who knows if yuo can get in any signature places last minute?
wel, solved that problem pay cash! If it is cancellled, we get our money back, and no credits wasted.

it'll be fine... no, it'll be great!!!

Great idea on the cash booking! We actually have a reservation for a family dinner at Ohana... it was a toss-up between that and the luau. Of course it'll be great!

 

[shan23877]

Where did you find the info for the Test Track refurb? We'll be there the week before you and I didn't see any closures listed on Epcot's calendar.

I hope it's open for both our trips! It's DD's favorite ride in all of WDW.

Ok, I did some research. Undrcover Tourist lists it as closing in April, and so does AllEars. Disney doesn't have it on their refurb lists. I wonder what's up?

 

[Thumper_Man's Wife]

I 'm beginning to think that you are the one making up these smileys!

I appreciate the compliment, but I'll leave the photoshop and things of that nature to Pkondz...I'm not that skilled. I just happen to have the patience to look for the smiley that goes with the story. I am a visual kind of person, So when i can see the action in my head, I want everyone else to see it too...Although, honestly, I don't know if me allowing you all into what goes on in my head is a wise decision. The people with the pretty white coats may stop by because of an anonymous tip or something.

I weill probably do a mini report starting right about May 12 or so, a few days after we get back.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

I weill probably do a mini report starting right about May 12 or so, a few days after we get back.

I expected nothing less of you Neebs! Looking forward to it.

You know there will be stories to tell for sure. And you can't just sit there staring at the TV thinking about how you almost died on the ATOD or how the Luau was or how much you enjoyed shopping on Main Street with Smidgy and not tell us about it That would be totally against your nature.

 

[jcc0621]

Ok, guess it's time to talk a bit about the upcoming trip:

It's from April 29 to May 9.

Nice

He also knew if he DIDN"T invite us we'd have to kill him.

Ot at least

So,,,,, Coronado it is,

We almost picked this for August. It was #2 after CBR. Jimmy wants Pop!

How come they never seem to refurbish Sounds Dangerous, or Stitche's Escape?

Smidgy had already said that we can now FINALLY spend time looking in all the shops on Main Street that we've never been in.

So we are finally going to do the Luau over at the Poly. We've done Hoop de Do Do twice, but never the Lewow.

Have seen once, WAY back in in 1982

well, one thing you left out... well, changed... I only won one square, the rest of the money for the luau I earned.. I got a christmas bonus from the VFW,some christams bonuses from house cleaning, AND, a couple who are my regular customers at the restaurant gave me a christmas card with a $50 christmas tip!!!! (gee, guess they must like me?)
but.. Noooo, nebo makes it all sound like "luck". harrumph!

She works hard for the money. So hard for it, honey.
She works hard for the money. So you better treat her right.
(copyright Donna Summer)

everytime I have either won money or got extra money, I always say.."this is MY money, to do with what I want,

I agree

no, it'll be great!!!

Yes it will

 

[Mom&RN]

that sounds great, but I've heard of RN, LPN but what is a Nurse Practitioner? And I'll bet you wish you lived near us so you can have job security?

I definately could have job security if I lived near you nebo A Nurse Practitioner is kind of like a junior doctor. Nurse Practitioners can assess patients, diagnose patients, write prescriptions, etc. In most states (Texas included which is where I live) we can not write for certain "big gun" narcotics (can write for viks but not morphine) and we can't go into solo practice, we have to be in a practice with at least part time doctor supervision. Otherwise we function pretty much like docs, most Nurse Practitioners do either Family Practice, Women's Health or Pediatrics but more and more specialists are using Nurse Practitioners in their practices. I know, I'm long winded!!

 

[cp'ersmom]

You're story got my heart racing and sent chills up and down my spine because I know of people with a very similar story in the same part of the country that did not have a happy outcome. Obviously like the star of any story I knew you made it home safely but I couldn't help but shutter at the thought of what could have been.


I still have a few pages to catch up on, this board keeps kicking me off and I'm not sure which is the last page I read. Hope you keep the report live till you start the pre-trippy for the next adventure.

Thanks so much for the tips, hints, insite and most of all the laughs. I went through a few ugly months during the course of this trip report and your humor really helped to get me through.

Ok, enough mush and compliments, I need Pkondz here to lighten up the mood!!!

 

[smidgy]

I have visions of upcoming trip reports already. Flying?? Really?? Steel tube of death? I look forward to your CSR comments, it is one of the resorts I am considering for our next stay. Won't be until June 2013 but already trying to figure out exactly when and where. I graduate this December (with my Masters, I'll be a Nurse Practitioner) and my son graduates in May/June 2013 from high school so... we're going to have a big "we done got our diplomas" celebratory trip.

what GREAT accomplishments!!! great jobs!!!!

 

[Thumper_Man]

I still have a few pages to catch up on, this board keeps kicking me off and I'm not sure which is the last page I read. Hope you keep the report live till you start the pre-trippy for the next adventure.

I've fallen a time or 2, or 3, ok a lot. I will randomly put a bookmark so I know where I left off. This is just a helpful little tip.

 

[cp'ersmom]

Thanks, I will give that a try"

 

[pkondz]

Ok, enough mush and compliments, I need Pkondz here to lighten up the mood!!!

I feel like I need to ride in on a white horse or... this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGx94VPb8V8

 

[McDisney]

I feel like I need to ride in on a white horse or... this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGx94VPb8V8

Mr Kaufman was a genius.

 

[Cameo818]

Nebo & Smidgy, I've been a longtime reader and lurker. I think I remember de-lurking on one of your other trip reports, but I didn't catch this report until you were done with the epilogue. I'm looking forward to reading both your mini-report after your April/May trip and the big trip with Jackson in August!

 

[nebo]

I LOVE ELO!! I wonder if I can talk my hubby into one day at Epcot on Fri?? We do have one non-expiring day remaining on our old tix. Hmmm....

We've already got that Friday written in for Epcot because it's also an EMH day

Great idea on the cash booking! We actually have a reservation for a family dinner at Ohana... it was a toss-up between that and the luau. Of course it'll be great!

Well have fun on the cruise, I'm not really sure why, but I think if it was up to me, a cruise would still be Carnival or Princess or RCL,,, I think I"d rather have a cruise a little bit more adult oriented, plus I"m well familiar with the price of Disney's drinks.

Where did you find the info for the Test Track refurb? We'll be there the week before you and I didn't see any closures listed on Epcot's calendar.

I hope it's open for both our trips! It's DD's favorite ride in all of WDW.

Ok, I did some research. Undrcover Tourist lists it as closing in April, and so does AllEars. Disney doesn't have it on their refurb lists. I wonder what's up?

TT is doing a major refurb in the queueing area I believe, I've been meaning to look up a podcast that I guess Jakeybake did on the subject, but my guess is they want to make the line more interactive like they did for Pooh, Haunted Mansion, Space MOuntain,,,

I appreciate the compliment, but I'll leave the photoshop and things of that nature to Pkondz...I'm not that skilled. I just happen to have the patience to look for the smiley that goes with the story. I am a visual kind of person, So when i can see the action in my head, I want everyone else to see it too...Although, honestly, I don't know if me allowing you all into what goes on in my head is a wise decision. The people with the pretty white coats may stop by because of an anonymous tip or something.

Now you're just showing off!

I expected nothing less of you Neebs! Looking forward to it.

You know there will be stories to tell for sure. And you can't just sit there staring at the TV thinking about how you almost died on the ATOD or how the Luau was or how much you enjoyed shopping on Main Street with Smidgy and not tell us about it That would be totally against your nature.

hold it, what was that last part about enjoying shopping,,,,,