Stop Making Me Laugh Or I'll Pee My Pants! Go Back! I Lost My Shoe! Trip Report!

[aaaateamsgrandma]

You can sure see the love in your mama's eyes being with her grandbabies. Lovin it as you would expect. Isn't it nice that you got clean rooms in Arkansas? You are off to a good start even tho it was late. Poor possum. He so did not stand a chance with you behind the wheel. He wasn't very smart.

You really must watch Napoleon Dynamite. It is so funny. I've seen it many times and could watch it again anytime it's on. It was on a couple of weeks ago actually.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I understand you missing Lacey. I'm in my first year at college, and while I'm only an hour and a half away from home, I miss my parents (and puppy dogs) like CRAZY sometimes. I went home last weekend and it killed me to have to come back to finish my exams. Luckily I'm done Tuesday afternoon, and then I get to spend a whole three weeks with my family.

I hate country roads too. My boyfriend lives about twenty minutes away, but in a really small town, and the only way to get there is driving through farmland. I refuse to drive at night because my car is old and decrepit and I don't think it could handle swerving and fast breaking, let alone actually hitting something!

I know that it's just as hard for you students as it is for us parents. We miss you guys like crazy too!

Lacey actually finished up her classes last week. But, since she is now the children's church leader, she can't leave until Sunday. I think she tried her best to talk them into letting her leave this week instead of Sunday. At least she gets to stay until after Christmas. She could stay until January 4th but she wants to go to Jessie's house for a little while during the break.

You need to be very careful driving down those little country roads. You just never know when something will run out in front of you. I worry about Lacey driving in her Jeep. It's got a lot of miles on it. Thankfully, it's in pretty good shape. I'd love to get her something new or at least newer but have to wait until she can start contributing to the payments.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Great updates! I love the pictures with UP! I'll have to try to find them next week. My DS15 wont watch UP with me, so I was home alone on a Saturday watching it by myself, now depressing!

That's AWESOME you rode ToT!! I ride it, but alway get really scared and ask myself "What are you doing" My DS15 will ride it over & over & over...I can only handle it once a day! Lucky for me DS15 is being a friend this trip. I'm skipping it!

I can't wait for more updates on Branson! It's great to see pictures of new places.

I liked the pictures of the UP characters too. You could tell we were hot and sweaty though. Be sure to check out the Animation tour. That's usually where the characters from the latest Disney file are.

I love the movie UP. Hunter likes it too so I have somebody to watch it with.

I couldn't believe that I rode Tower of Terror. The entire time I was in line, I kept saying "I'm not going to like this." and I really didn't think I would.

Branson is a pretty neat place to visit. It gets really expensive really fast though. The way to go is to buy a package otherwise you'll blow through your budget in no time at all.

You can sure see the love in your mama's eyes being with her grandbabies. Lovin it as you would expect. Isn't it nice that you got clean rooms in Arkansas? You are off to a good start even tho it was late. Poor possum. He so did not stand a chance with you behind the wheel. He wasn't very smart.

You really must watch Napoleon Dynamite. It is so funny. I've seen it many times and could watch it again anytime it's on. It was on a couple of weeks ago actually.

You can see the love in Mama's eyes. She dotes on Lacey and Hunter. We always include Mama in everything we do so she's closer to my kids than the other grandkids. She doesn't let it show when she's around the other grandkids but you can certainly tell when we are alone.

I was pleasantly surprised that the Days Inn was so nice and clean.

Poor possum, he scared the snookers out of us. I did try to miss him. Just wasn't fast enough.

I am sure that we'll watch Napoleon when Lacey comes home. When she's here, there are movie marathons in our household.

Oh and Hunter said to tell everybody that he knows the writing was horrible and Lafonda is spelled wrong. He was just trying to be extra funny.

 

[Mikes:)Mom]

I liked the pictures of the UP characters too. You could tell we were hot and sweaty though. Be sure to check out the Animation tour. That's usually where the characters from the latest Disney file are.

Thanks! I will check out Animation Tour. For some reason I haven't done before! And I LOVE to draw.

 

[Kathy Jetson]

Congrats on riding TOT. We did it for the first time this year and forced River to get on it. I'm scared of heights too. River was crying the whole time and I was having a heart attack. When it was over we asked him if he liked it and he screamed nooo! Everyone in the elevator started laughing then this young military guy said "hey little man since this is your first time on I have something for you" and gave him a Mickey sticker. River brightened up and said he wanted to do it again I think he rode it about 10 times with his dad I only made it twice!

Funny about the teenager grabbing on to John
Glad John didn't get in a fight!

 

[Kathy Jetson]

Wow looked like you had alot of excitement on your drive to Branson so far with the animals, sorry you hit one I would have been a nervous wreck with all of them running out in front of me! I can't believe Lacey can drive 9 hours by herself I can't make it 3 hrs I start falling asleep at the wheel.
Glad you got a nice clean hotel.

 

[mommytothreeboys]

I LOVE your UP pictures....absolutely adorable!

Good for you for riding TOT...it's one of my absolute FAVORITES! Now my whole family rides which makes it even better! Sorry you didn't get to ride RNRC though....that's a great one too! And...I can't find the Hidden Mickey..give me a hint.

Fantasmic is definitely a "don't miss" for us. Even though we had to stand in another county last trip...still worth it! And I hate it when people get all bent out of shape about honest mistakes...I'm sure you didn't mean to jump in line. Whatever! You're at Disney, mister...chilll!

LOL at the Napoleon Dynamite reference! Still one of our very favorite movies to quote. In fact, just last night Jeff asked me for some chapstick and we all cracked up saying 'my lips hurt real bad'!

Can't wait to hear more about your Branson trip!

 

[mickeystoontown]

This is a test. I'm trying to zoom in on the hidden Mickey. Let's see if this worked.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Darn it! I wanted to zoom in AND make the picture bigger. For some reason, I can only zoom in and then it resizes the picture even smaller. Can ya'll see the Mickey on Steven Tyler's scarf now?

 

[mickeystoontown]

Imagine this small brown haired woman walking into a building and being waved into a room by a man wearing oversized white Mickey Mouse gloves. A woman wearing Minnie ears is standing near a table which has a selection of snack items.....Chip & Dale pretzels, Goofy's Candy buttons, Mickey Mouse shaped gummies and more.

The woman takes a red cup of water and goes and sits down in a black and red chair with white buttons. She nods to those around her.

The man with the Mickey gloves joins the circle of people and says "Do we have anyone new here today?". The brown haired woman stands up and says "Hello, my name is Lisa and I am a Disney Disboard addict.".

"Hello, Lisa!" the people say.

The Mickey hand man says "Do you want to share your story, Lisa?".

"Sure". says Lisa. "I am from Louisiana and all I seem to think about is Disney. I talk about Disney to anyone who will listen. I am in constant Disney planning mode. I go to the Walt Disney World website at least once a day to price out a vacation. I save the offer. I take the Disney survey. I plan itineraries on the Disney site. All in the hope of getting an ever elusive pin code. I can't even get a good night's sleep because I wake up wondering whether or not I put certain details in my trip report."

The other people in the circle just nod their heads in sympathy. Some even mutter "me too".

The Mickey hand man walks over and places his glove on Lisa's back. "It's okay. We've all been there. There is no real cure for what we have. Once you've gotten bit by the Disney bug, it's in your blood. Just know that you are not alone."

Seriously, ya'll. This the the dream I had. I woke up at 2:00 this morning thinking "I didn't finish my Hollywood Studios installment right. I left something out. I finally drifted off to sleep thinking I had to come and tell you guys my dream. And, I did leave something off of my report. I'll come back in a bit and fix it!

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

That is so you Lisa. Totally great dream. Too bad you had to wake up from that one. Were we all sitting around you? Had to be. That is why you always have such good TR's. Always thinking of Disney, Dis and your friends.

Ginny

 

[Angies1274]

Hi Lisa!!

Great Updates!!

YAY!! for riding TOT!! I really, really want to!! (hoping I'm brave enough next trip)

Love all your pictures!! The ones with the UP characters are great!! I missed seeing them last visit--sooooo cute!!

Looking forward to hearing about your Branson trip!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Thanks! I will check out Animation Tour. For some reason I haven't done before! And I LOVE to draw.

The animation tour is fun. It's nothing spectacular....but it's still fun. Once you've done the first half of the tour and seen the characters, ask a castmember where you go to attend the drawing class. The classes are limited to a certain number of people. A castmember will teach you how to draw a Disney character. Once you're done, you can keep the drawing as a souvenir.

Congrats on riding TOT. We did it for the first time this year and forced River to get on it. I'm scared of heights too. River was crying the whole time and I was having a heart attack. When it was over we asked him if he liked it and he screamed nooo! Everyone in the elevator started laughing then this young military guy said "hey little man since this is your first time on I have something for you" and gave him a Mickey sticker. River brightened up and said he wanted to do it again I think he rode it about 10 times with his dad I only made it twice!

Funny about the teenager grabbing on to John
Glad John didn't get in a fight!

Poor Kathy and River! I was pretty darn scared during the first ride. The second ride was so much better. I know it ws because I wasn't as nervous. I am going to try to talk Hunter into riding next trip. Whether or not he actually will, is up in the air.

It's that sweet of the guy to give River a sticker. I just love that about Disney!

John laughed about the teenager for a long long time afterwards. The guy was trying so hard to be all tough and macho and then screamed and cringed like a little school girl.

Wow looked like you had alot of excitement on your drive to Branson so far with the animals, sorry you hit one I would have been a nervous wreck with all of them running out in front of me! I can't believe Lacey can drive 9 hours by herself I can't make it 3 hrs I start falling asleep at the wheel.
Glad you got a nice clean hotel.

By the time we made it to Little Rock, I was ready to just drop on the bed and go to sleep. My nerves were shot!

I LOVE your UP pictures....absolutely adorable!

Good for you for riding TOT...it's one of my absolute FAVORITES! Now my whole family rides which makes it even better! Sorry you didn't get to ride RNRC though....that's a great one too! And...I can't find the Hidden Mickey..give me a hint.

Fantasmic is definitely a "don't miss" for us. Even though we had to stand in another county last trip...still worth it! And I hate it when people get all bent out of shape about honest mistakes...I'm sure you didn't mean to jump in line. Whatever! You're at Disney, mister...chilll!

LOL at the Napoleon Dynamite reference! Still one of our very favorite movies to quote. In fact, just last night Jeff asked me for some chapstick and we all cracked up saying 'my lips hurt real bad'!

Can't wait to hear more about your Branson trip!

We were totally bummed about not getting to ride RNRC. It's our favorite ride in all of Disney World.

I posted another picture of the hidden Mickey. For some reason, photobucket will let me crop the picture to show just Steven Tyler but it won't let me enlarge the picture. Ugh!

I did feel bad about line jumping after the fact. When I got in the flow of the crowd, I certainly didn't have any idea that I was breaking in line. I thought I was just getting in the masses with everybody else.

When we were driving to Branson, we tried to tell my Mama about Napoleon Dynamite. She just said it sounded stupid. We make references about the movie all the time and were doing it on the trip to Branson. Mama just looked at us and shook her head.

 

[mickeystoontown]

That is so you Lisa. Totally great dream. Too bad you had to wake up from that one. Were we all sitting around you? Had to be. That is why you always have such good TR's. Always thinking of Disney, Dis and your friends.

Ginny

It's sad because most of the dream is true. I didn't notice the faces of the people in the Disboard addiction group but I am sure you are right....it was all of you guys.

I really did wake up thinking that I had left something out of my report. I had hoped to have it posted by now but the boss has me doing all sorts of stupid things today. You are still without a boss aren't you? Tomorrow will be heck for you.

Hi Lisa!!

Great Updates!!

YAY!! for riding TOT!! I really, really want to!! (hoping I'm brave enough next trip)

Love all your pictures!! The ones with the UP characters are great!! I missed seeing them last visit--sooooo cute!!

Looking forward to hearing about your Branson trip!!!

Don't feel bad about not riding TOT yet. It took me 14 trips before I ever got up the nerve to ride it. I'm such a tilly bag sometimes.

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

I loved your Branson update! Too funny about the "party" all of the animals were having that night!

Those pictures of your mom and her grandbabies just melt my heart. You can totally see her adoration for them. That's the way it should be. What lucky children you have to have such a loving grandmother! Mitchell should be that lucky. (For his party, DH's mother couldn't wait to leave, even when I encouraged her to stay and spend some time with him. "Next time," she said. I could have thrown something at the back of her head as she turned to leave w/out so much as a goodbye. Sorry. Vent over!)

I loved your dream, too! You know you got it bad when you dream about it! I'm sure I have, too, I just can't remember!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I loved your Branson update! Too funny about the "party" all of the animals were having that night!

Those pictures of your mom and her grandbabies just melt my heart. You can totally see her adoration for them. That's the way it should be. What lucky children you have to have such a loving grandmother! Mitchell should be that lucky. (For his party, DH's mother couldn't wait to leave, even when I encouraged her to stay and spend some time with him. "Next time," she said. I could have thrown something at the back of her head as she turned to leave w/out so much as a goodbye. Sorry. Vent over!)

I loved your dream, too! You know you got it bad when you dream about it! I'm sure I have, too, I just can't remember!

My kids are blessed to have such a great grandmother. John's parents care but they don't care. It's very rare that they attend any special event the kids participate in. They don't come to birthday parties. I've tried to get them to come to our house for holidays but they always turn us down. Most times when they do see Lacey and Hunter they give them money. $20.00 here. $10.00 there. Lacey calls it "guilt" money and then immediately pockets it.

The dream was soooo real. Everything had a Disney theme. The man had on Mickey gloves and the lady had on Minnie ears.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I just sent the boss off to court that starts at 3:00. He should be gone for a good 30 minutes to an hour. Writing up the revised end of our Hollywood Studios days now.

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Guilt money is right, but hey, at least the kids are getting something out of it! Still a shame, though...I just don't think I could ever be that way toward my grandchildren.

Mitchell will probably have to tell me to back off!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Remember when I said I couldn't take pictures of Fantasmic because my camera was messed up? Don't remember? Well, I couldn't take pictures of Fantasmic because my camera was messed up.

While we were waiting for the 59 krillion 902 kajilliion people to leave the Fantasmic theater, John suggests that we find a Walmart and buy a new camera. I told him that we could go back to the room and try some more batteries and if it didn't work, we'd definitely purchase a new camera. But, there really was no need to get one that same night because we were going to the water park the next day and I wouldn't be taking it.

On our way out of the park, we stopped in several of the stores along the main boulevard thinking maybe they sold cameras. We saw a few and I have to say that the prices were pretty reasonable. A little high but that's expected....you're in a theme park. We didn't end up buying any of them because they didn't zoom enough or have enough megapixels. Gosh I hope I said all that right. I don't know camera or computer terms but I can sure speak some mean legal mumbo jumbo.

La di da di da...We go to the bathroom. We jump on a bus. We get off the bus at Old Port Royale bus stop. We dropped our stuff in the room. Lacey goes to the beach to call her friends. Hunter watches television. Lacey comes back to the room to find her dad and I combing through the Orlando/Kissimmee phone book.

Do you know how many dadgum Walmarts there are in the Walt Disney World area? Gadzoodles of 'em! I called one of the ones in the phone book. The guy on the phone gives me directions. I call them out as he's saying them and kinda sorta write them down. I think I know the area the guys is talking about. John thinks he does too. I thank the guy and hang up.

I've had absolutely no luck talking John out of going to Walmart tonight. He is insisting on going right then. What the? He never ever wants to go to Walmart. Why in the world is he so intent on going now? Nothing doing but we tell the kids we'll be back in a little while because we're off in search of a new camera. They look at us with the weirdest look. I just raise my hands and shrug my shoulders. Behind John's back of course.

We get in the car and go all the way down Hwy. 192 and turn on the road that the guy told us to turn on. We have been this way before when we were just out and about exploring the area. The guy told me to watch for a certain gas station. We see the gas station. The next thing I had written down was to watch for a certain drug store. We see the drug store. Hey, this isn't going to be hard to find at all. We're driving along feeling pretty confident that Walmart is up ahead when I see another gas station with the same name. And, then we see another drug store with the same name. By now, we are supposed to be coming upon a hotel that looks like a castle or something. No hotel. We do see another gas station though.

By now, we are way out of town. We're down in the back roads of the outskirts of Way Back Yonderville. I'm not liking the fact that we are driving around almost lost (I say almost because we do know how to get back to where we started) at 12:30 at night.

I find a little road and we turn around and make our way back to Hwy. 192. For many years, we stayed at a Days Suite on Hwy. 192 and we knew Hwy. 192 pretty well. I felt safe again. There's another road that turns down beside the Publix grocery store we shop at and we wondered if there was a Walmart down it. We turned on it and drove for a while and guess where we ended up? Back in the backroads of the outskirts of Way Back Yonderville. I'm not lying. Right back where we just came from. Darn it all!

I turned back around and drove until we got back to Hwy. 192. There was a 24 hour Walgreen's in front of us. John said to pull in and he'd go ask for directions. He went in the store and I locked myself in the car. I called the kids who had gone to bed. They still thought we had lost our ever lovin' minds. Honey, I lost my mind years ago and ain't ashamed to admit it. I told Lacey that I hoped we would come back to the resort. About that time, John came back and said there was a brand new Walmart down Hwy. 192. I told Lacey bye and off we went.

We drove all the way back down Hwy. 192 and passed the intersection where we turned the first time. We went past the knight themed theater around the curve and DUM DI DI DUM (insert trumpets blasting)......we see the most beautiful sight ever.....Walmart! Ahhhh!

We went straight to the camera department at the store and started looking at cameras. There weren't a whole lot of cameras to chose from. Apparently, we aren't the only travelers/park goers/unfortunate souls whose cameras had gone on the blink while on vacation. We narrowed it down to two cameras.

John went in search of someone to open the case and help us. He came back with a lady who didn't speak English very well. Apparently, she didn't understand it very well either. She went in search of a manager to get the case keys. When she came back she had a ring of keys and didn't know which one opened the camera case. When I say the key ring was the size of a grown man's hand, I am not lying. It must have had 50 keys on it. And, she went through every one of them at least twice. Finally, she opened it and stood there while we looked.

We picked one out and she took it over to the electronics register. She had to find a key to the register. While she was looking, I asked what kind of batteries and media card I needed. She didn't know but said I could look in the box. When she was handing me the box, the box scanned....which was okay because I was buying the camera anyway. She asked if I wanted the extended warranty and I told her no. (probably a stupid move on my part given my camera history). She couldn't figure out how to bypass the warranty choice. She called somebody over and we waited and waited and waited. Finally, a supervisor came over. They took the box from me and after a little work, they figured it out.

I still didn't know what kind of battery the camera needed so I asked to look at the box. She handed it to me and it scanned again. Now, the screen was saying that I had purchased two cameras. She called for the supervisor again. We waited and we waited. In the meantime, I figured out that the camera had a rechargeable battery. I did want to buy another media card though. While we were waiting on the supervisor to come, she went to the media card case and went through the whole "I don't know what key unlocks this" scene again. Fortunately, it only took her about 5 minutes to find the right one and I grabbed a media card and we walked back to the register.

The supervisor was there when we got back. John told her we were around the corner and asked her to please wait. I couldn't tell if the supervisor was perturbed at me or at the cashier. I certainly wasn't taking the rap for it. I didn't scan the camera twice.

Lacey calls her daddy about this time asking if we had been kidnapped or ran away or something. He told her that we were checking out and would be back in about 20 minutes.

I paid for the camera and the media card and we got the heck out of Dodge. We pulled into the CBR and were back in our room at 2:35 a.m.! What an ordeal!

I plugged in the camera battery and got ready for bed. We were going to Typhoon Lagoon the next day and it opened at 9:00 a.m. We hoped to make it to park opening but would we?

 

[mickeystoontown]

Guilt money is right, but hey, at least the kids are getting something out of it! Still a shame, though...I just don't think I could ever be that way toward my grandchildren.

Mitchell will probably have to tell me to back off!

Like you said, at least the kids are getting something out of it. I certainly don't expect anything else from them.

I'm always asking the kids if they know they are spoiled rotten and they say yes but they love their dad and I for it. I can't imagine how dirty rotten stinky spoiled my grandkids are going to be.