That Pirate Stole My Tiara: The Pre-Trip Report

[TarzansKat]

I am totally jealous of itinerary 2.1! It sounds so like so much fun. And I appreciate the shout out and offer to challenger Disney security and obtain the finest specimen of pirate for me. Savvy?

Am I reading correctly that you'll be having tonga toast three times? Did I get that right? I'm envious.

And I'm totally there for the Goofy's Candy Co, I have yet to go there, and the make your own snack on the food porn thread has me drooling. Wise choices, sister.

Laissez les bon temps roulet!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm so bummed. My trip is not for another 180ish something, way too long, many days away. I still can't make my ADRs

You can't be that far from your 180 day mark! You're going just after me and I know I'm pretty well within mine. I think I'm at my 165ish day point. How much longer until you can book?

Where are you planning on eating?

Can you tell I'm still hungry?

I'm just dying to see the new Indy movie this year!

We saw a preview for this when we went to see '21' two weekends ago. Despite BFs comment about how isn't Harrison Ford, like, 80 by now (which might send Charleston Princess into the throes of a hissy fit LOL), we both agreed it looks good. I told him I wanted to see the others before we went to see this one.

Here's a shocker for you, you jamba juice loving New Englander.....I just had my first ever smoothie 2 weeks ago.

And what did you think???

I don't know where in PA you are but you'd be serving yourself well to visit either of these Jamba locations:

University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

or

University of Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, PA

Jamba is heavenly.

So should I follow the advice of what I'm pretty sure are thousands of DIS Dole Whip loving fans and try it or go with the Mickey Bar instead. From the girl who's nickname was chocolate when she was little, I think I'm leaning towards Mickey.

Is this a trick question? The answer, my dear, misguided friend is not either/or, but BOTH.

And I appreciate the shout out and offer to challenge Disney security and obtain the finest specimen of pirate for me. Savvy?

Savvy.

I think we've all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically.

Am I reading correctly that you'll be having tonga toast three times? Did I get that right? I'm envious.

That's the goal, anyway. I'm not even going to begin counting the number of Lapu Lapus I'd like to imbibe.

Laissez les bon temps roulet!

Let them roll, indeed!

 

[JKMJ441724]

You can't be that far from your 180 day mark! You're going just after me and I know I'm pretty well within mine. I think I'm at my 165ish day point. How much longer until you can book?

Where are you planning on eating?

Can you tell I'm still hungry?

On the 13th. We have so many people going with us, that we are having to stick to pretty simple fare in order to accommodate everyone's tastes.

My kids have begged me to have breakfast at Chef Mickey's EVERY morning. So we are good for that at least ONCE. We are considering doing the Fantasmic dinner package, I can't remember what the choices are for that (so I'm relying on my DisSis to take care of that).

Two kids = lots of character dining. I really wanted to avoid all of the places we ate last time - not that there is anything wrong with any of them; it's just there are so many new places to see and visit. But Liberty Tree Tavern is still high on the list, as is Whispering Canyon. We can book next week and still have not bitten the bullet to make a decision.

 

[JKMJ441724]

I heart Boston and the Big Dig.

So again, hopefully flying out of Prov and into Tampa.

Just an aside - Babe is enamoured with Boston. He is REDSOXNATION all the way, something completely out of place with his Southern upbringing. We have been to Fenway twice. Your fair city was great, even though no one could understand me, y'all.

Do you spend much time in Providence? If so, you know the smokestacks that have come to be so prominant their skyline? I helped build those. I took video of them as we drove past them on our way to BOSTON.

I can point at something and say - I built that. It feels nice. People in Providence probably hate it.

 

[JKMJ441724]

Do it! Do it! (Yes, that be peer pressure you're feelin'.)

OK. I did it. I bit the bullet and started my own PTR. PLEASE, PLEASE come visit me over there. And sign my guest book, it's on the nightstand by the phone.

 

[JKMJ441724]

Wow. That's a lot of posts in a row (NOFENCE) from me. I bet if I tried really hard, I could come up with a least one more thing to say.

 

[If U Had Wings]

Ummmm you all have me thinking of orange dream machine jamba juice.

Unfortunately (or probably a good thing) there are none anywhere near me here in Connecticut. By the time I'm in NYC for work tomorrow it should be cold out and the urge will pass. The calorie counts on those things really scare me.

 

[JKMJ441724]

Girrrrlll....we need to have a serious talk!
Now onto what could be a girls only autracity (I'm pretty sure that means bad, very bad, even if it's not spelled right) Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink!!!! I think I can say with all honesty that BF will have no interest in these two, but if for some chance he does, you know he's a keeper for this fact alone.

You need to get your BFF's together and watch these movies. Who didn't fall in love with Jake Ryan. He may be the hottest higher schooler I've ever seen....he sure didn't go to mine! You will meet him, Farmer Ted, Long Duck Dong and laugh and cry through THE BEST 80's chick flick...am i right girls?

As for Pretty in Pink, you will never look at John Cryer in Two and a Half Men the same every again...I'm hoping since this list didn't include St. Elmo's Fire you've seen that one...but if not, add that to your list because it's the last of the Brat Pack movies.

Okay, done with rant. You better get busy because you and Blockbuster are about to become really good friends.

She’s seen all the classics
She knows every line
Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink
Even Saint Elmo’s Fire
She rocked out to wham
Not a big Limp Bizkit fan
Thought she‘d get a hand
On a member of Duran Duran

Bruce Springstein, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she‘s uncool
Cuz she's still preoccupied
With 19, 19, 1985

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I really wanted to avoid all of the places we ate last time - not that there is anything wrong with any of them; it's just there are so many new places to see and visit. But Liberty Tree Tavern is still high on the list, as is Whispering Canyon. We can book next week and still have not bitten the bullet to make a decision.

TEN PEOPLE. Bless you. That's a lot of different appetites to appease.

Good thing there's only two of us on my trip. Because I can get pretty food-selfish. Thank goodness Missy is easy to please.

Just an aside - Babe is enamoured with Boston. He is REDSOXNATION all the way, something completely out of place with his Southern upbringing. We have been to Fenway twice.

Babe will be mortified to hear that this Yank couldn't give two carps about baseball AND REDSOXNATION.

(However, I can't say that out loud in this office. You might find this PTR would end shortly thereafter. Due to the fact that yours truly is floating somewhere in the Charles.)

However, if Babe wants to talk some Patriots football action, tell him to PM me.

Also, it's weird calling your DH Babe. I feel like we dated or something.

Your fair city was great, even though no one could understand me, y'all.

LOL I've lived in this area my entire life and there are still times, particularly when I'm around people who are 3rd or 4th generation South Boston-ers that even I'm like, "WHAT did he just say?"

Also, in addition to never using our turn signals in the car (it's a sign of weakness), we also don't use R's at the end of our words. Who needs 'em?

In all seriousness, though, when I travel people don't know where I'm from. They guess the East Coast, but can't usually pinpoint it. After years on the phones as a reservationist, my accent has become well-masked.

Do you spend much time in Providence?

I spend LOTS of time in Providence. My nonna (Italian gramma) lives there.

The Providence Place Mall also lives there. Where I buy most of my shoes. And pay rent to Sephora.

If so, you know the smokestacks that have come to be so prominant their skyline? I helped build those. I took video of them as we drove past them on our way to BOSTON.

I can point at something and say - I built that. It feels nice. People in Providence probably hate it.

LOL I know where those are. Drive by them all the time.

I didn't realize you were a smokestack builder. Look at you, all good with your hands!

I wouldn't worry about people in Providence hating your smoke stacks. They're too busy hating the new I-95 I-Way (which happens to pass right by your smoke stacks.)

On a related note, I believe those buildings/stacks are owned by Dominion. Which is who my daddy works for. Only he works at the Brayton Pt. plant in Somerset, MA, not the RI plant.

And yes, at 29 I still call him daddy.

The calorie counts on those things really scare me.

Not as scary as the calorie count on Tonga Toast, I'm sure.
I might not have a Jamba accessible to me, but I do have boloco (which I think is just an MA thing). They do great smoothies too.

She’s seen all the classics
She knows every line
Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink
Even Saint Elmo’s Fire
She rocked out to wham
Not a big Limp Bizkit fan
Thought she‘d get a hand
On a member of Duran Duran

Bruce Springstein, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she‘s uncool
Cuz she's still preoccupied
With 19, 19, 1985

THIS cracked me up. You totally rock.

And for the record, in 1985, I was six. And I think the Bizket's ok.
But I DO miss when MTV was more about the music videos and less about the Super Sweet 16's.
I also miss Remote Control.
And You Can't Do That on Television.
And Kids Inc.
And the Mickey Mouse Club. When Britney never forgot to wear undies.

Working on the next chapter for you guys. Not sure when it'll be up. I'm a busy little bee today.

 

[PrincessV]

I'm still catching up, but had to break for a comment...

If you've read my past TRs, you'll know I love me some shoes. LOVE. Me. Some shoes.

And, living in FL, I'll admit to a ginormous collection of flips. None of which are ever worn anymore. Know why?

Crocs flips.

Uh-huh. Now, I also have some clogs and Mary Janes, becuase my fashionista side is balanced by an equally strong crunchy granola side. But they don't get worn much anymore either. Because of the...

Crocs flips.

You won't regret this purchase.

 

[PrincessV]

I'm back... to do this:

The Poly??!!

 

[JKMJ441724]

Babe will be mortified to hear that this Yank couldn't give two carps about baseball AND REDSOXNATION.
However, if Babe wants to talk some Patriots football action, tell him to PM me.

Babe will talk Patriots football, ladies' bowling, old geezer synchronized swimming The other day, that Red Sox guy that lost the '86 World Series for them, finally came out of hinding. Babe felt the need to discuss it with me. It was all I could do to stand there and listen and act like I cared. But there are things that you must suffer through for the one that you love.

Also, it's weird calling your DH Babe. I feel like we dated or something.

I've called him Babe longer than the pig has been in the city. If he were president, he would be Baberaham Lincoln.

Also, in addition to never using our turn signals in the car (it's a sign of weakness)

Funny, that. We drive for miles. MILES. In the fast lane with our left turn signal on with absolutely no intention of making any turn whatsoever.

we also don't use R's at the end of our words. Who needs 'em?

We tend to lose our G's.

LOL I know where those are. Drive by them all the time.

I didn't realize you were a smokestack builder. Look at you, all good with your hands!

Former smoke stack builder. In high school, I argued for three years with my Trig teacher that I would NEVER use this crap in the real world. He would just sigh and say, "you're going to be in for a rude awakening." Then what do I do for my first real job right out of high school? You guessed it. I get a job working for structural engineering firm doing math all day, every day. But after only six years, I decided to work with attorneys.

On a related note, I believe those buildings/stacks are owned by Dominion. Which is who my daddy works for. Only he works at the Brayton Pt. plant in Somerset, MA, not the RI plant.

And yes, at 29 I still call him daddy.

I love it when grown women call their fathers "daddy." I am 35 and call my 40 year old brother "Brother." The in-laws call him "Brother." I am trying to teach my kids to call him "Uncle Brother." Not really having a lot of luck with that one, though.

THIS cracked me up. You totally rock.

No. You rock. And you know that. See how I just snuck? sneeked? snook? a quote from Cars right into our conversation. That's for the moderator.

But I DO miss when MTV was more about the music videos and less about the Super Sweet 16's.
I also miss Remote Control.
And You Can't Do That on Television.
And Kids Inc.
And the Mickey Mouse Club. When Britney never forgot to wear undies

And Mr. Wizard's World
And Fragle Rock
And Smurfs (not on acid).

And, living in FL, I'll admit to a ginormous collection of flips.

My DBFF lives in Tampa and had to take her car in to have the air conditioning fixed. IN JANUARY!!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

my fashionista side is balanced by an equally strong crunchy granola side

I think my fashionista side has my crunchy granola side gagged and bound in a windowless room somewhere.

Crocs flips.

You won't regret this purchase.

I'm thinking of maybe taking a stroll on over to the Crocs store near work at lunch today to check out the other colors in person. I'll try not to "accidentally" knock over the smurf-on-acid collection.

I'm back... to do this:

The Poly??!!

I KNOW, right?! I'm doing that myself. Only, looking less like a fruit.

The other day, that Red Sox guy that lost the '86 World Series for them, finally came out of hinding. Babe felt the need to discuss it with me.

Yeah the only part of opening day I cared about was that Steven Tyler sang the national anthem. This girl hearts her some Aerosmith.

But there are things that you must suffer through for the one that you love.

Ever have to watch an episode of Inuyasha? In case you're sitting in front of the PC (or Mac) saying, "What language is this chick speaking?!"

To you I say, "Japanese". It's an anime show. That, I swear to you, is more melodramatic than any soap opera I've ever had the misfortune of watching.

Except maybe Passions. That was some weird doody right there.

If he were president, he would be Baberaham Lincoln.

Does he make you feel funny? Like when you used to climb the rope in gym class?

Funny, that. We drive for miles. MILES. In the fast lane with our left turn signal on with absolutely no intention of making any turn whatsoever.

And no self-respecting MA driver will tell you. We either laugh and point or just continue to ride your bumper, swearing to ourselves about the directional and wondering exactly where do you plan to take a left into the jersey barrier?

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

And Mr. Wizard's World
And Fragle Rock
And Smurfs (not on acid).

And Reading Rainbow.
And the one episode of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood where he went to the Crayola factory.
And Night Court. I don't know why but I was obsessed with this show as a child.

 

[If U Had Wings]

How old do I feel that I can actually remember MTV when it only played videos?

 

[JKMJ441724]

How old do I feel that I can actually remember MTV when it only played videos?

Video killed the radio star.

What do we have to do to kill all these reality shows????

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I have some goals, some Must Do's for this trip.

However, I also have some goals and Must Do's for Life.
(You can be a winner in the game of LIFE!).
It's kind of like having a list of lists. But different.

Anyway, the biggest goal is to shed this excess weight I've been carrying around since, oh, birth.

No kidding. I was a pretty "healthy" baby. About 8lbs. Which was big for 1979. Meaning I was fat.

I also had no hair until I was about two. My mom would dress me in little pink dresses and would Scotch tape bows to my head and people would still comment on what a handsome little boy she had.

Perhaps this explains today's need for therapy. Go figure.

Back to the subject at hand, I've always been overweight. Plump. Round. Fat (and phat). Curvy. Big. Heavy. And seven other words to Sunday that mean the same darn thing.

But never chunky. I always felt like those were "boy" words thanks to another 80's classic.
You gotta do the Truffle Shuffle.
C'monnn...
Do it.
C'moooonnnn...
Do it!

Welcome back to the 21st century.

It's only lately that I've become comfortable talking about being overweight. You have to love who you are before you can change into the person you want to become.

(I'll send you my therapist's address so that you can all send her your copays for that session.)

My weight didn't really get totally out of hand until I was in college. I didn't put on the freshman 15. I think I doubled that. Easily. I don't think I ate many hot and/or healthy cafeteria meals that year. Instead me and my friends used our meal plans to subsist on do-it-yourself Belgian waffles. Which were right next to the soft serve machine. And the cereal dispensers.

The result? Daily ice cream waffle sundaes covered with hot fudge and Golden Grahams. GET IN MY BELLEH!

I moved back home and went to another school my Sophomore year. When I probably gained close to another 30 lbs. Times were rough and food was like a warm hug. But with calories. And a caloric hug always has the worst side effects. Burger King was my favorite type of hug. A #10 with cheese no lettuce with a Coke and fries. Please. It came to $6 and change, I think. Sad, no?

But the thing was this, in less than two years, I'd left home for college, moved back home, lost my grandfather, broke up with my boyfriend, had a nervous breakdown and decided to drop out of school as an architecture major. I was also working two jobs while in school full time. I was so burnt out that I took a vacation from work and spent the entire week in my bedroom. The WHOLE WEEK. I never got out of my jammies. I only got up to use the bathroom. I think I showered twice. (Gross, I know.) At that point I was so depressed that I didn't want to eat. Not even my beloved BK. My mom threatened to send my to see someone. In a hospital. The kind with the nice padded rooms. She was scared for me. Heck, I was scared for me.

Suffice it to say I have no desire to return to that period of my life.

I decided to go see a therapist on a friend's recommendation. She is an angel and has really pulled me through some tough, tough times. We didn't work on my weight right away, though. There was lots of fun emotional carp to weed out first.

However, I realized that I had to do something when the scale hit 240. It was pretty bad for me at that point. Everything hurt me. I hated mirrors. I cried all the time. I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic - which basically means, get your butt in gear or guess who's pricking her finger the rest of her life? The heels of my feet were so dry and calloused that the skin would get these deep, painful cracks in them and I could barely walk. I did a very leisurely walk-a-thon with my mom and a friend once and at the end I'd hurt something deep in the arch of my foot (an injury which later resurfaced at Disney, remember?). I'd hit my breaking point. Literally.

I tried a lot of things. Weight Watchers had worked for my parents (they lost 60lbs each in six months) so I tried that. In the 5-6 years since then, using a kind of modified WW, I've lost 45ish lbs. Which I'm very proud of. Once I hit 199, I promised myself that I would never see 200 again. So far, so good (mostly...you know, except on those days when I'm bloated enough to act as one of those crab pot buoys on Deadliest Catch).

But I still have more to go. You may have noticed that I have a new ticker at the bottom of my siggie. I have no gripes or fears about sharing my actual weight with the world (keeps a girl honest) and you'll see that my goal weight is 58ish lbs. from now. That's just a "goal". I'm not so much a numbers girl. I don't care about the size on the label. I care about adoring the way I look in the mirror. And 140 happens to be a healthy medium for my height (5' 4 1/2"). If I love where I am at 150, I'll stop there. Who knows.

I know enough about eating healthy to write six books. (But we never take our own advice, now do we?) Having lost all that weight the healthy way the first time around, I know what the rights and the wrongs are now. What works for me is a combo of Weight Watchers and Biggest Loser and WorkoutAdviceFromMyBoyfriendWhoCanEatAWholePizzaAndHisWashboardAbsLookEvenBetterTheNextDay.

I am calling the newest installation of my program: Loser Watchers and Next Day Pizza Abs.

So, I've decided to set a Disney weight goal within my overall weight goal. I know, from past experience, I can lose about 2lbs a week when I'm disciplined and all is right in the world. However, so as not to overdo it this time around, not knowing what types of plateaus I may hit, I'm aiming to lose 1lb a week between now and when I'm hula-ing up to the front desk at the Poly.

In numbers, here's what that means:

Today's Weight: 198.4
# Weeks Until Check-in = # Lbs. To Lose: 23
Goal Weight as of 9/20/08: 175.4

I have not been that weight since high school. It also puts me within about 6lbs of the half-way point of my overall goal.

I'll be weighing myself on Thursday mornings and will let you know each week how I do. I'll also update my ticker. Wish me luck!

 

[If U Had Wings]

Thanks for sharing the story. I've found myself in much the same boat as you for much of my life. I feel like I've always felt "fat" even when I was a child. I can't remember a time when someone wasn't harping on me that I needed to watch what I was eating. Looking back at pictures of myself now, I think I look fine. Certainly not big enough to garner the non-stop barrage of hounding I used to give. Everyone always made me feel like the Goodyear blimp.

I managed to achieve that status on my own. Starting like you with the Freshman 25 or so. I put on quite a bit my freshman year. Going into my junior year I lost a ton, practically living at the gym most of the summer. That summer ended with my boyfriend breaking my heart, and me turning to food. It just got worse from there. 2 years ago I hit a breaking point when I was weighing in at 235. I don't think it's my heaviest, but it's when I had enough. I started e-diets that January and by summer had lost 50 lbs to hit the lowest I had been in years - 179.

Then that fall I lost my job and things started falling apart. By the following Jan. I had gone back up to about 199. I started a new job, but money issues were starting to stress me and again turned to food. I've been trying to ignore my increasingly tight clothing, but forced myself to get on the scale this week again. It was back to 218. I made a pact with myself to get down to at least 185 before my trip at the end of Aug.

If you don't mind a little company, I'll keep checking in. It will help to keep me honest.

 

[LegoMom3]

I have some goals, some Must Do's for this trip. ...


I know enough about eating healthy to write six books. (But we never take our own advice, now do we?) Having lost all that weight the healthy way the first time around, I know what the rights and the wrongs are now. What works for me is a combo of Weight Watchers and Biggest Loser and WorkoutAdviceFromMyBoyfriendWhoCanEatAWholePizzaAndHisWashboardAbsLookEvenBetterTheNextDay.

I am calling the newest installation of my program: Loser Watchers and Next Day Pizza Abs.

So, I've decided to set a Disney weight goal within my overall weight goal. I know, from past experience, I can lose about 2lbs a week when I'm disciplined and all is right in the world. However, so as not to overdo it this time around, not knowing what types of plateaus I may hit, I'm aiming to lose 1lb a week between now and when I'm hula-ing up to the front desk at the Poly. ....

Sign me up!! I want next-day-pizza-abs! And heck, whether it works for me or not, it sounds yummy...!

Anyway, I just want to give you a big one of these: So, so many of us have been there! I'm there right now. I don't have as far to go, and I can't say I've been through the emotional stuff you have, but overweight is overweight and besides being unhealthy, it just plain stinks.

And, isn't it amazing how much of a motivator a Disney trip is?!!! Ever since I knew for sure we were going this year, I kicked myself into high gear!

Stick with it and don't be afraid to come here and vent, cry, share and laugh....We're with you!

.

 

[2ScottishPrincesses]

Hey from one Rubenesque gal to another I have faith you can do the weight loss thing ...don't know if I can though DH and I decided this morning we would make a concerted effort to try to lose some weight for the summer, so guess what you're not alone