The Battle For My Wallet IV: Return of the ZZUBs (Addendum, p.85; 07/12)

Zzub, you rock (i bet nobody told you that before).

Unfortunatly, I am not a woman of many words (I try, but it doesnt work - then again, some people may be happy about that.........)

So, let me just say:Thanks for Sharing :teeth:
 
O.K. ZZUB!!!!!!!!!

Love Love Love Just hanging here,,,not knowing any details about the location of the room,,,or what you ate instead of Tonga Toast that night.
I think while I am waiting..............................................................................................................................................................................................
I went back to look at your pictures again. My goal was to spot the reflection of "YOU" in the shiny black van..........No luck......I tried!!!!!!!!!! :magnify:


Guess I'll just sit here and wait...........


-------------------------------------------------jan :surfweb:
 
ZZUB said:
If you’ve never had Tonga Toast, never experienced the gastronomic pleasure that exists for one brief period each day, then you’re not properly equipped to understand why people fight in wars to defend our way of life. Tonga Toast. A combination of bananas, cinnamon, bread and other stuff so fantastic you think you died and are banqueting in the halls of Heaven.

Indeed, if Heaven doesn’t have Tonga Toast, I don’t wanna go.
Agreed!

ZZUB said:
I would have stayed at The Travelodge at that point.

No I wouldn’t either. I hadn’t completely taken leave of my faculties.
Whew, I was getting worried there!

ZZUB said:
I walked up to the counter where I was greeted by the nicest cast member, Helen Happytohelp. I told her my name and she started doing that thing they do where they type a mile a minute.

“Is there any chance we can get a bunk bed room? My daughter’s been asking the whole way here, but I told her we might not get one. Also, my wife is 11 weeks pregnant, if you can get us close to an elevator I’d appreciate it very much.”

“Well, it’s pretty late in the day . . .”
Are you freaking kidding me?!? I was reveling in your latest installment, tearing up at your pictures of my beloved Wilderness Lodge and you leave us with a cliffhanger?! You are a cruel, cruel man :sad2:
 
A clue! A clue! paw:

He had to have gotten at least one upgrade, be it bunk beds or the lift local. The reference was Helen Happytohelp. Not, Helen Hateyourguts. Or Helen Holdinmeback, or HopelessHelen.
 

I'll have the "Big" Trip Report. You know it's like a trip report, only bigger, with lots of stuff in it...
 
Good reportin' ZZUB but I hate cliffhangers. Especially this close to my own trip. Hoping for an upgrade to bunks myself. Hurry back. Only have 6 more sleeps til I find out for myself how wonderful WL can be.
 
/
Oh Zzub! So very wonderful to read a whole post with out Yolanda "Scaresusalot" getting over excited! Wheww!
So great to hear from you! Can't wait for the next piece of the puzzle! :wave:

You are really good at cliff hangers... did you ever consider writing for TV!!
 
Zzub, I love your trip reports.

For those who are going to WL soon, I'm wishing you pixie dust for a good room. We stayed there last Wednesday 9/27. Booked a standard room. At check in around 3 pm, I inquired if it was possible to get a bunk bed room. There was just one left, and she gave it to us. It was a Woods view bunk bed room. Awesome!! Plus, we got a towel animal although I don't think anyone in my family appreciated it except me.
 
We're staying at VWL on our next trip so I'll be interested to see ZZUB's review of the hotel. I read his previous three after they were all done, so I didn't have to wait for each installment. They're worth waiting for, though.
 
This cliffhanger is worse than the pirates cliffhanger!!

HURRY back !! You are making us :crazy:

great report by the way....and hope all is well with the Mrs. ZZUB
 
I always enjoy reading your reports.
I have had miscarriages also, it is always traumatic. The first time I was young, it was my first pregnancy and the worst part of the whole thing, the doc was so horrible! He was very cold and said it was no big deal!

As I sit here today w/ds#2 on my lap, I don't know how I could have gotten through it without my faith.
I was so happy to read of the good news! I hope all goes well for the ZZUB family.

cheri
 
Patience is a Virtue.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................waiting.................................................................................................................................................................still waiting......................................................................................................................................................................... :rolleyes1 :rolleyes1 :rolleyes1 :rolleyes1 :rolleyes1 :rolleyes1 :rolleyes1



-----------------------------------jan :surfweb:
 
ZZub,

First~ Sorry about Samuel ...I read this whole thread today on my daughter's 4th birthday and I don't know what I would have done without her

Second~ Congrats!!! to you and the Mrs on the new pregnancy. I'll pray for you too.

Thirdly~ You are an amazing trip reporter and I always know that I will enjoy anything that you have written, especially the comments from LaLa and Mel. The three of you crack me up :rotfl2:

Keep the fun flowing and hopefully you'll finish this report before our trip in December
 
Chapter Five: Pop Tarts and Bike Rides

“Well, it’s pretty late in the day, let me see what I can do.”

As Helen Happytohelp disappeared “into the back,” I pondered the changes in fortune that brought us to the Wilderness Lodge on the sixth of September. I considered how ironic her words were. I did everything I could to be at the Lodge earlier in the day. I built my whole day around being there early. I didn’t need to be reminded that it was pretty late in the day.

“I’m a freaking Disney Nerd!” I felt like shouting.

I didn’t actually shout that of course. I didn’t shout anything. I hear tell it’s impolite to shout things in public. Unless it’s a well timed Roll Tide! Which rarely gets shouted anymore. Except in disdain.

I don’t lose well.

But I didn’t yell a thing while I was standing at the check in counter at the Lodge (we’ve stayed there exactly once and already it’s just, ‘the Lodge.’). Instead, I watched as Helen Happytohelp walked around the back and I considered how timely her words were to me. While I anticipated her return, I was unusually confident that she was going to come back with good news for us. No matter how late it was. Why? It wasn’t because she was Happytohelp although she was. It was because there was nothing I could do about it. It has been my experience that when I try very hard to make sure something happens, when my plans get thwarted, almost always God provides a better way.

And even if we didn’t get bunk beds, I was sure whatever room we got would be fantastic. In other words, while Helen said, “Well, it’s pretty late in the day, let me see what I can do.” What I heard was, “It’s under control, ZZUB. Trust me.” Except God didn’t call me ZZUB. He called me by my real name. God’s funny that way.

But don't tell anyone ZZUB isn't my real name. Let's keep that our little secret.

So I smiled. I walked over to the little kid tv area and talked to my wife and checked to see how she was doing. I told her what was going on. She look tired, spent. I considered again how odd this trip felt. There were moments that felt normal, like when we exited the Turnpike and when we arrived at the Lodge, but then there were moments like this when it was like I was standing a few feet away watching us. Wondering what was wrong with those people. They didn’t seem as exited as they should be.

I kissed her and told her it wouldn’t be too much longer. As I walked back to the check in counter, I noticed Helen was coming back out.

”Well, you’ve been upgraded to a courtyard view with bunk beds.”
I said, “Thank you very much. You’ve made my daughter very happy.” But what I really meant was, “WOO FREAKING HOO!!! You’ve made me very happy!!!”

Helen then took out the Lodge map and showed us where our room was. We received an inner courtyard view which meant we were pretty close to the elevators and the main lobby. She continued clacking away on her computer (evidently more than one person is translating the Metro Orlando area yellow pages into Klingon) and I went over to the tv area to get my wife and daughter and tell them the news. My wife was feeling a little weak so she held onto my arm. At the news that she was going to have bunk beds, my daughter began bouncing up and down. The way little girls do.

We walked back to the check in counter and Helen gave us our room keys, dining plan info, a folder of stuff and she gave my daughter a bag with coloring pages, crayons and, of course, stickers.

I’ve written before that my favorite time of any Disney trip is the moment between check in and when you get to your room. It’s the greatest time of anticipation. You’ve checked into your hotel which means you’re really there. You’ve received your room keys and park tickets which confirms that in a few hours you’ll be riding rides, laughing hysterically and eating ice cream. Your whole trip is ahead of you. And so you walk towards your room wondering what it looks like and what your view will be like and whether it’s a good location.

Having never stayed at the Lodge, we really didn’t know what to expect.

Well that’s not entirely true. I’ve been to Allearsnet and I’ve spent more than a few minutes on the Disboards looking at pictures of the Lodge rooms. So I had an idea. But still, having never seen it in person, I was looking forward to checking it all out.

My wife couldn’t walk very fast and because of that, I was forced to do something I don’t do very well. Go slow. And that was a good thing. I wasn’t so preoccupied with my normal rush to get to the room. Instead, I was forced to savor the experience a bit more.

It was like eating a chocolate bunny at Easter. In our house, we don’t just bite the ears off. First, you smell. Get the essence of the chocolate in your nose. See if you can actually taste it without actually tasting it.

Then you bite the ears off.

And so it was with our walk to our room at the Lodge. We stopped at the bubbling spring and I showed my daughter how the water started there and then turned into the river which ran into the pool.
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Then we walked over to the elevators. Which, by the way, are fricking cool. Or we were just complete rednecks so desperate for a vacation that we were easily impressed?

We exited on the 4th floor and walked around the corner and down a ways to our room. I put the key in the door and swung it open. Wow! What an amazing room. My daughter ran past me and checked out the bunk beds and my wife and I surveyed the place. Because they just renovated the Lodge, everything still looked and smelled new. The flat screen tv is very cool, a big improvement over those miniscule 27” deals they have at PORiverside. We walked around the room looking at every detail and touching every thing.

Look it. We’re not complete rubes. My wife and I have been fortunate to stay in some very nice places, so it’s not like we’re unaccustomed to indoor plumbing and carpet. We were just a bit shell shocked from the last 16 hours and maybe even the last eight months. Even now, thinking back on this day, it’s amusing to me the way we walked around the room at first, opening drawers, calling each other over to “look at this,” or “come check this out.” We were impressed by the big things like the tv , the bunkbeds and the cool as all get out carved headboard. We were impressed by the smaller things like the bathroom set up and the curved shower curtain bar.

Mostly, however, I think we were impressed that we were actually there. 16 hours earlier, we didn’t expect to be here at all.

That wasn’t the only reason we were impressed with the room, however. At least I don’t think it was. Look at how cool the place is:

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It was also hugely functional. There was plenty of space to store our stuff. And this little area was perfect for the ZZUBsnacks.
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It’s not a vacation if you don’t have Yoo Hoo and Pop Tarts. And I’m not on vacation until the Pop Tarts appear. There are two drawers over the cabinet which housed the fridge. We filled the top drawer with good stuff: Pop Tarts, cookies, goldfish. The bottom drawer had the crappy snacks: trail mix, Nutragrain bars, fruit snacks. In other words, garbage. I grabbed my camera and took some pictures before we moved in and trashed the place.

We went out onto the balcony and checked out the view. It was amazing.

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For reasons that only Rainman can appreciate or explain, I walked back and forth between our room and the balcony several times. “This is so amazing!” I kept saying over and over. I looked at my wife, and asked, “isn’t this amazing?”

“It is,” she said, and I could tell she was feeling overwhelmed too. I put my arm around her and kissed the top of her head and squeezed her close to me. I’m a squeezer.

The bellman knocked on our door and I went to let him in. He started unloading the 800 bags of stuff we brought with us. I told my wife to lay down and I would unpack our stuff.

What was I thinking?

But as my daughter went up and down and up and down and up and down the ladder on her bunk beds, I scurried around moving our stuff in. Every so often, I would move over to my wife, now laying down on the bed and give her a kiss and say, “isn’t this amazing?”

I also turned the air down to 65.

I go to Florida in summer because it’s hot. And then I run the air so cold my wife wears sweats.

Then I called downstairs and asked for extra towels. Because you can never have enough towels.

And it’s never too early to ask for them.

And although my wife was resting so nice, I jumped on the bed. And did a victory dance.

“Daddy’s acting crazy!” my daughter said.
“Yep,” my wife said. “Daddy’s on vacation now.”

I hopped off the bed and walked back out to the balcony. I considered what she said. She was right of course. We were on vacation now. I looked out past the pool at the lake and I just started thanking God that my wife was ok, that the baby was ok, for allowing us to be on vacation, to be in this place that we love,. And I thanked Him for the amazing room He set aside for us. Even if it was pretty late in the day.

Faith isn’t like riding a bike for me. Sometimes I forget. I’m not saying I forget God. I don’t. I’m saying that sometimes I get so enamored of my ability to make things happen that I think I’m making things happen. I forget that despite all my plans, I’m not in control. He is. And He really will provide for us. Big things and little things. Things which mean everything and things He does just to remind us that He loves us.

Like letting us know our child is ok. And letting us come to Disney World. Letting us stay in the Wilderness Lodge. In a bunk bed room with an amazing view. None of my plans made this happen. From time to time, I need to be reminded that God is God. I am not. Sometimes I forget to trust Him. I forget that He loves my children more than I do. He loves me more than I do. And He loves to bless us. Even with things which, in eternity seem trivial. Like a bunk bed room with a courtyard view at the Wilderness Lodge.

I stood on the balcony for as long as I’ve ever stood still in Disney World. I stood still.

And I was reminded how to keep my balance.

_______________

Click Here for Chapter Six
 
“I’m a freaking Disney Nerd!”
Yes, we know. :teeth:

But don't tell anyone ZZUB isn't my real name.
Well, of course it isn't. It's Ozball. Or J. Among really good friends. Everyone knows that!!!

I kissed her and told her it wouldn’t be too much longer.
You really are a sweet man, you know that I know that you know that I know that, right?? (blech!!! I have to go rinse this nasty taste out of my mouth now!! ((big grin)) )

Then we walked over to the elevators. Which, by the way, are fricking cool.
I'm sure he didn't mean any offense Frick! :teeth:

“It is,” she said, and I could tell she was feeling overwhelmed too. I put my arm around her and kissed the top of her head and squeezed her close to me. I’m a squeezer.
J!! Don't make me say you're sweet again!!! I'm getting that funny feeling in the back of my throat!

Faith isn’t like riding a bike for me. Sometimes I forget. I’m not saying I forget God. I don’t. I’m saying that sometimes I get so enamored of my ability to make things happen that I think I’m making things happen. I forget that despite all my plans, I’m not in control. He is. And He really will provide for us. Big things and little things. Things which mean everything and things He does just to remind us that He loves us.

Like letting us know our child is ok. And letting us come to Disney World. Letting us stay in the Wilderness Lodge. In a bunk bed room with an amazing view. None of my plans made this happen. From time to time, I need to be reminded that God is God. I am not. Sometimes I forget to trust Him. I forget that He loves my children more than I do. He loves me more than I do. And He loves to bless us. Even with things which, in eternity seem trivial. Like a bunk bed room with a courtyard view at the Wilderness Lodge.

I stood on the balcony for as long as I’ve ever stood still in Disney World. I stood still.

And I was reminded how to keep my balance.
That's the ballgame.
 
Ohhhhhh that view........

We fell in :love: with the WL when on our very 1st trip to the "world" we were granted an upgrade to a bear faced courtyard view. Loved every single second of that stay and can't wait to go back :thumbsup2
 
Wonderful update! You had me teary-eyed at the end. I do feel truly blessed that we are able to go to WDW as much as we do, and it's always nice to be reminded again of just how blessed we are.

Great pictures of the Lodge room! Looking forward to more!
 
Zzub, the foreshadowing of Helen Happytohelp totally gave away the bunkbed score. Yay for you, though! We must've gotten the same room that MommyPoppins had, because it had a weird smell and a NOT flat screen tv. We enjoyed it, five of us, crammed in, because it was only for 2 nights.

Roll report! Roll!
 
Great report so far. As usual.

Thanks for the mention. Of course you could have provided a link as well as a name. Eh? It's the least you could do, since you didn't even read it yourself. ;)

Glad you got a great room. A room in which I actually paid for and got downgraded. To something out of a Steven King movie.

:moped:
 





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