40-Something Kid
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2004
- Messages
- 178
Soap Opera Weekend 2006 Pre-trip Report
Im excitedly counting down the days to go with my sister and her family to Soap Opera Weekend at Disney MGM, not for the soaps or the soap stars, but to see and to be part of the craziness. This is my fourth attendance at this event.
I dont really watch soap operas so much--I put the ABC soaps on occasionally while Im cleaning the house. But, in order to tell an interesting story five days a week, the soap opera writers have to create over-the-top sensational plots, with daily dramatic cliffhangers. How many car accidents, poisonings, arsons, comas and secret love children can one community have? How much more can those unlucky people bear? Why dont they just turn off all the lights and move away?
So, Im not up to speed on the soaps and the actors, except Susan Lucci (more to follow on her, at some point). But that does not matter at all to me because I am there to watch the other people. THEY are entertaining to ME. And, unfortunately, a time or two I have been entertaining to THEM. Yes, there are embarrassing stories of my policing autograph lines with way-harsh words to eliminate line-cutters. Nothing physical, thank goodness. And there was the time when I forgot to judge the difference between my own normal size and the Size Zero-Minus of an actressmy simple hello hug almost knocked her to the ground, which I believe would have shattered the bones in her tiny backside.
I borrow my sisters family for Soap Opera Weekend. I have a husband and two teenaged sons, who are into playing football and weightlifting. My family is wonderful, just not suited for Soap Opera Weekend.
My sister has two adolescent daughters plus a surprise baby daughter, who is three. She has been to Disney more than 10 times. Yes, Im talking about the baby. Our two families have a Disney addiction.
This time we are staying in two rooms at the Yacht Club, because there is a walkway from this resort to MGM. We plan to walk well before dawn in fashion-forward skirts (or maybe Capri pants--we are not finished deliberating) and sandals both Saturday and Sunday, so we can get in line with the hordes of other fans and wait for three hours or so for the park to open. My sisters husband and her baby will stay in the hotel room and miss this. However, the baby got to participate in this part last year, when we wheeled her stroller in the dark to MGM from the Boardwalk Inn. Yes, the pathway was lighted--were not insane!
When the turnstiles finally cut us loose, we will madly rush in to get in line again to get Fastpasses to see stars that I may or may not know anything about. Each Fastpass will tell us what time later in the day to get in line to meet that star. We repeat this getting-in-line-for-Fastpasses process 2 or 3 times, when there will be no more to dispense for the day. How much fun is that?
As I said, the crowd at this event is entertaining, but the most comical is my own cast. I own up to my sarcasm. Multiply by three and set to nonstop audio, and that would sum up the commentary from my sister and her two adolescent daughters.
Carriemy three-years-younger sister. Major Fashionista. Always finding that perfect pair of black pants. She now has 17 pairs of black pants, and her closet walls are curved outward. Federal Investigator, meaning she has a badge, the perfect fashion accessory.
Kristen---my 14-year-old niece. Beauty pageant winner and A student. Last year she was the founder and former President of her Middle Schools Fashion Club. Im not kidding about that.
Bunny---my 11-year-old niece. Another A student, with amazing artistic talent. Very cute. Has perfected the art of spontaneous witticismthat is, shes a really skilled smart-aleck.
Oliviamy 3-year-old niece. Big, round hazel-green eyes and soft dark curls. Has the upper hand, always. Way too much smarter than the rest of us. Big fan of JoJo and Cinderella.
Mark---my wonderful brother-in-law and one of my favorite people. Adores all those girls he lives with. Part owner and manager of a hotel. Admires and imitates Mickey Mouse. Master of the corny joke.
Me, Deborah---Part-time cost analyst, wife, and mom to teenaged boys. Disneyholic, and not in any recovery programhubby says, correctly, that I have drunk the Kool-Aid. Love the Redskins, The Office, my German Shepherd, and the gym. Favorite princess is Tinkerbell, not because of her supposed moodiness, but because she is the only one with a wand, dummy. She can FLYthe other ones walk. (Oh yeah, or worseAriel swims.)
Anyway, Soap Opera Weekend is only two days long, which is not an acceptable length of stay for Disneyholics like Carrie and I. She and Olivia fly down from Providence, and I fly down from Washington, DC, on Wednesday, November 8. The others in her family come down the following evening, in consideration of school. We stay till Monday.
The rest of my report will follow our trip, and describe the crazy people we meet and see, as well as our own struggles with temporary insanity. I expect we will have a great time! Will include pix!
Im excitedly counting down the days to go with my sister and her family to Soap Opera Weekend at Disney MGM, not for the soaps or the soap stars, but to see and to be part of the craziness. This is my fourth attendance at this event.
I dont really watch soap operas so much--I put the ABC soaps on occasionally while Im cleaning the house. But, in order to tell an interesting story five days a week, the soap opera writers have to create over-the-top sensational plots, with daily dramatic cliffhangers. How many car accidents, poisonings, arsons, comas and secret love children can one community have? How much more can those unlucky people bear? Why dont they just turn off all the lights and move away?
So, Im not up to speed on the soaps and the actors, except Susan Lucci (more to follow on her, at some point). But that does not matter at all to me because I am there to watch the other people. THEY are entertaining to ME. And, unfortunately, a time or two I have been entertaining to THEM. Yes, there are embarrassing stories of my policing autograph lines with way-harsh words to eliminate line-cutters. Nothing physical, thank goodness. And there was the time when I forgot to judge the difference between my own normal size and the Size Zero-Minus of an actressmy simple hello hug almost knocked her to the ground, which I believe would have shattered the bones in her tiny backside.
I borrow my sisters family for Soap Opera Weekend. I have a husband and two teenaged sons, who are into playing football and weightlifting. My family is wonderful, just not suited for Soap Opera Weekend.
My sister has two adolescent daughters plus a surprise baby daughter, who is three. She has been to Disney more than 10 times. Yes, Im talking about the baby. Our two families have a Disney addiction.
This time we are staying in two rooms at the Yacht Club, because there is a walkway from this resort to MGM. We plan to walk well before dawn in fashion-forward skirts (or maybe Capri pants--we are not finished deliberating) and sandals both Saturday and Sunday, so we can get in line with the hordes of other fans and wait for three hours or so for the park to open. My sisters husband and her baby will stay in the hotel room and miss this. However, the baby got to participate in this part last year, when we wheeled her stroller in the dark to MGM from the Boardwalk Inn. Yes, the pathway was lighted--were not insane!
When the turnstiles finally cut us loose, we will madly rush in to get in line again to get Fastpasses to see stars that I may or may not know anything about. Each Fastpass will tell us what time later in the day to get in line to meet that star. We repeat this getting-in-line-for-Fastpasses process 2 or 3 times, when there will be no more to dispense for the day. How much fun is that?
As I said, the crowd at this event is entertaining, but the most comical is my own cast. I own up to my sarcasm. Multiply by three and set to nonstop audio, and that would sum up the commentary from my sister and her two adolescent daughters.
Carriemy three-years-younger sister. Major Fashionista. Always finding that perfect pair of black pants. She now has 17 pairs of black pants, and her closet walls are curved outward. Federal Investigator, meaning she has a badge, the perfect fashion accessory.
Kristen---my 14-year-old niece. Beauty pageant winner and A student. Last year she was the founder and former President of her Middle Schools Fashion Club. Im not kidding about that.
Bunny---my 11-year-old niece. Another A student, with amazing artistic talent. Very cute. Has perfected the art of spontaneous witticismthat is, shes a really skilled smart-aleck.
Oliviamy 3-year-old niece. Big, round hazel-green eyes and soft dark curls. Has the upper hand, always. Way too much smarter than the rest of us. Big fan of JoJo and Cinderella.
Mark---my wonderful brother-in-law and one of my favorite people. Adores all those girls he lives with. Part owner and manager of a hotel. Admires and imitates Mickey Mouse. Master of the corny joke.
Me, Deborah---Part-time cost analyst, wife, and mom to teenaged boys. Disneyholic, and not in any recovery programhubby says, correctly, that I have drunk the Kool-Aid. Love the Redskins, The Office, my German Shepherd, and the gym. Favorite princess is Tinkerbell, not because of her supposed moodiness, but because she is the only one with a wand, dummy. She can FLYthe other ones walk. (Oh yeah, or worseAriel swims.)
Anyway, Soap Opera Weekend is only two days long, which is not an acceptable length of stay for Disneyholics like Carrie and I. She and Olivia fly down from Providence, and I fly down from Washington, DC, on Wednesday, November 8. The others in her family come down the following evening, in consideration of school. We stay till Monday.
The rest of my report will follow our trip, and describe the crazy people we meet and see, as well as our own struggles with temporary insanity. I expect we will have a great time! Will include pix!
