The cha cha trip or Could there be LESS magic, the trip is not ruined yet...!

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

First off, Hi all and, once again, sorry for the delay... I guess you're getting used to it by now... and getting tired of my excuses and delays.

Just the usual... but I have some hopes of being able to post a little more often since I bought a new laptop (those who followed the PTR may remember how the old one powercord drove me mad), and thus I should be able to post even when not in top form.

So, on with the show!
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Back at the resort, we got another towel animal!
I don't know if it's my "thank you /tip" enveloppe (I had given double tip since I had asked for a "special thorough cleaning for health reason"... which I now realize I have no way to know if I got or not), but the mousekeeper got fancy! We had pointed toilet paper, fan handtowels and double towels!

As soon as we got there I called the front desk about the packages that are supposed to be there waiting for me : first there's the surprise Becca sent me, and then there's my 2 TFW lanyards I had ordered and asked to be delivered to the resort because I was too late.
Hurray! I was told I had 2 packages waiting for me! Finally! I couldn't wait to see what dear Becca had sent me, and couldn't wait to use the lanyards to attach our Polar water bottles to my chair... and wait if any DISers would notice them!
Sadly, I still didn't have the croc to go with them...

Mama really wanted to try out the pool. I was pretty tired and wanted to hit the bed ASAP, plus I figured we should chose to either swim OR rest if we were to get the most out of this "split the day in 2 and get back to the resort mid-day" thing... But she didn't want to hit the pool by herself and kinda went into victim mode : "Alright, I understand, it's just me, I don't count, we don't have to do what I want, we'll just do what you need, it's more important", etc. Oh, she's not necessary ironic, I don't even know if she's ever doing it purposefully and voluntarily trying to make me feel guilty so I do it her way... but she clenches her teeth, her face hardens and her eyes get cold, and you can't help but feel guilty. I can't, anyway. She's always done that, even when I was a kid. But she mostly does it with me.
Plus, I'm not sure I wouldn't have gone her way anyways, since I felt so guilty she paid the whole trip, so guilty she had to endure the plane, even with her fears, because my health made us change our plans to drive, etc.; that I wanted her to have the best time. And of course, like any person that's not healthy, I didn't want to feel like a burden and didn't want my health to be the barrier to her having fun... she already had to push my chair, we would already have shorter days, etc.
My state of mind going into this trip was to compromise as much as possible so we don't fight, and to help her have as much fun as possible.

So when she said it was either the pool for both of us or bed for both of us... I agreed for the pool, even if I'd preferred bed.

We changed and Mama pushed me to the pool. You need to remember there are no "quiet pools" in POFQ. But our room was only about 2min. from the main and only pool, and it was almost deserted! The few people there were very calm... no crazy kids running around there!
We found it pretty good looking and I guess, with the alligator slide and all, it must be very fun for kids. But I found the water very cold... I didn't stand it more than 5min. I got out and Mama soon followed me.
We transferred to the hot tub, which is pretty near... a little closer to our room, and that was a good thing!. We stayed in there for about 10-15min. and it felt sooo good for my knees...
The only thing was it smelled quite strongly of javel.
I was happy to notice a CM checking the water quality when we were leaving.

We got back to our room at about 3pm, and we had a message : I had an enveloppe waiting for me at the front desk. We decided Mama would go get it before we'd leave for our ADR. I couldn't help but wonder what it could be, and if the enveloppe was one of the 2 packages? Because I wasn't waiting for anything else!

Mama decided we should try to rest as planned... I couldn't go without rest anyway and we still had a little time before our ADR, so we tried to sleep... deciding that the hot tub would count as our bath.
I simply laid, fully clothed, on the covers of the bed, for 45min., with a sleep mask. I'm not sure I slept at all, maybe I dozed off for couples of seconds at a time, but nothing more, sadly... because I really needed it! Still, the rest helped a lot.
Mama read on her bed and she almost snoozed too... lucky we had set the alarm clock, because we almost needed it! ...except we were even more lucky we didn't need it, because it wasn't set right!!!

After that break Mama went to get the packages, and I reminded her that they should be in my name, not to the room number... that it's normal they don't have anything for the room number, since they both have been shipped before I got the room #! And to check about the enveloppe. But when she got back, she only got the famous "enveloppe"... which was indeed one of the 2 packages I was waiting for... it was the lanyards... They were perfect and the little note that came with them was hilarious!

But I couldn't understand what was happening with Becca's package?! After all, when I first asked that day, I had 2 packages waiting for me! I guess the call about the enveloppe came when the lanyards got tranferred from the mailing room to the front desk... front desk then called me to tell me they had it. But they didn't get the 2nd package... And of course Mama didn't pay attention, and thus, didn't realize one package was missing, so she didn't question anything. I don't know if she asked for "packages", for "2 packages", for something connected to our room, for something connected to my name, for the sole enveloppe or for some or all of the above. As soon as there was a problem, she became very defensive and I wasn't able to get much information about what happened out of her.
But we were on a trip, and we had other things to do than run back and forth to the front desk. So we simply left to get back to MK.

We got there at about 5pm... Which made us realize the afternoon break really wasn't all that great. We didn't rest all that much and we had "lost" more than 4hrs! Including about 1h30 in transport! But since we just about dipped in the pool, not really spent that much time in the hot tub and didn't sleep either, it really felt like lost time and running around for nothing, especially since it wasn't an EMH evening. The main problem is, this mi-day break works if you get up in the morning and hit the parks at a reasonnable time... and if you use your nap time to recharge your batteries so you can take park time at night, and take advantage of a shorter night of sleep. But Mama didn't get that concept or didn't want to follow it. She agreed to try the mid-day break, but didn't want to try to sleep then, didn't want to try to go to bed later at night to get advantage of the night time, and mostly, didn't want to get up early and get going. So because of all this, mid-day break was just lost time.

We didn't feel we had enough time to get into attractions, so we decided we'd rather shop until our ADR. So first I got my Mickey ears. after a little shopping at the Chapeau, I went for the new customizable ears, and chose a grey hat with fushia plush ears and a "Princess" sticker in the front. Of course I had my first name embroidered, in pink... but you can't see it! Maybe one day I'll try to put some glitter glue or something on it...
It cost more than the usual ears, but I really love them, they're really "me", and I had great comments as soon as I put them on! What I like is, especially since this customizing thing is new, there are no other ears like it out there! And I guess, even as time goes by, there are so many possible combinations, there won't be too many!
But I also like, more practically, that those plush ears, because unlike many others, are as cute on both sides! (you'll see the ears soon, on a CRT pic).

Since everywhere in my Disney preparation I learned you should arrive at least 15min. early for your ADR, we went to our CRT dinner about 20min. early, so at about 6h10 for a 6h30 ADR... The CM asked us, politely but coldly, not in a very friendly way, what our ADR time was, and when we told him, he told us that if our ADR time was 6h30, we were to be there at 6h30 and to be back then.
I couldn't believe that a CM could be so cold and almost rude like that!

Luckily, to spend the time we crossed over to Sir Mickey and met a very nice CM who gave us a trivia question challenge... and of course with Mama's very little Disney knowledge (she will watch the movies but won't try to know the movie titles, character names, etc.) and poor memory and my poor memory or, even worst in these cases, word retrieval problems, we were not doing a very good job... But the CM gave us hints until we met her challenge! And when we did she gave us each a special pin!
I was very happy about that, it compensated for the awful manners of the CRT greeter. Sadly, I didn't think of either noting the wonderful CM name or taking the time to give her one of my thank-you cards... that I had made especially for such occasions!
I guess I was too tired and overwhelmed to think much...

6h30pm finally came and we were able to get in at CRT... but not before being asked to park the wheelchair with all the strollers. I was uneasy about leaving the chair and part of my belongings in plain sight while going away for more than 1hr... it's not like leaving it out to go in an attraction for 5-10min... and it was our first time. But we didn't have a choice. We took what we deemed most important and went in.

We were sent in the castle with a bunch of people, all waiting for lady her Majesty herself... luckily, there were seats all around and I could sit there while Mama held my place in line... I still can't believe they don't have something more accessible! Note that I can't remember, maybe they asked if I was able to walk without the w/c and of course I'd said yes... maybe if that was the case and I'd said no, I would've been able to get my chair inside. But I also guess I would've missed on some of the rest!
While we were waiting, a nice CM tried to entertain everyone with, again, Disney trivia... and she tried to let me participate even though I was further than everybody.
Finally Cinderella arrived and the line moved quickly... almost too quickly!
I got my vest, my slim CD case, that I'd use as the solid surface to put under so CIndy could sign, and got my fushia fabric pen out, and hoped it would work... If you'd have seen it!

I had wrapped the vest tightly around the CD case, but it wasn't enough for Cindy to sign properly... she asked 2 CMs (her helper and the photograph) to help me instead extend the vest over it... and she had trouble holding the pen with her gloves...
I was worrying, apologizing, feeling bad, etc. Cindy was very gracious and told me it was OK. I told her it was my first autograph (well, my first Disney!) and she did the "oh such an honor" thing... I mostly said that I was sorry about the vest, that I'd thought it would've been a good idea. And she basically said it was, that it was no biggie.
Right then and there, I decided I'd try it only one more time, and if it was that hard the next time, it would be it.

OT
I'm presently TRYING to type... as we now have a new kitty, not yet 8 weeks, and she's asleep on my right wrist (main wrist), but also half on my track pad!
End of OT

After the autograph, we took the included pic with Mama... which came out OK, but neither of us really like it... we're both so tired, no more makeup, hair messed up, not greatly dressed, badly posed because rushed, including all our stuff in our hands... beside this beautiful, slim, young girl in a ball gown! We'd have to have thought about it and at least wear more formal stuff and put on some makeup, arranged our hair, etc... and then MAYBE it would've been a LITTLE better...

Each kid got a little present after taking the pic with Cindy... little girls got a super cheap magic wand. Yeah, I'm sorry : they are cheap.
I'm not sure, but I think those given in other meals (breakfast & lunch) are better... I hope. The dinner ones, anyways, are cheap and pretty ugly. It's light blue molded plastic with painted glitter and "Cinderella's Royal Table" written on it. The star that makes it a magic wand is just part of the mold. No liquid with glitter, no ribbons. I don't think a lot of little girls were excited to get those magic wands... I didn't see any.

I made a joke to the CM and said "hey, I'm a girl, how come I don't get one?"... and she gave me 2!!! One for me, one for Mama! I couldn't believe it!
I didn't give them back, because I thought of my best friend's twins... Surely, even boys like to role-play with magic wands!

So then we got upstairs... I really liked the place, I found it beautiful. We got a window seat! I can tell you right now, it was one of the meals we preferred, both on the food side and on the atmosphere. Our server was wonderful, very friendly and kind and great for the atmosphere without doing too much.
The bread! OMG the bread! Loved it! We really loved the food... I ate pork and I never really like pork, I especially never order pork at a restaurant... but I did (because I didn't like the other choices, to be honest) and it was good!

The best part of the meal, and which made my day, was meeting the mice!

I really love those characters and they are so cute! It didn't bother me at all that it wasn't a true character meal. After a few minutes of the mice doing rounds, Fairy Godmother appeared, and the little story began... It's then I understood why you can't really arrive early for dinner... I guess they do it in batches... a gang per hour or so, I guess... so every party gets the show... Which doesn't excuse the CM's attitude... he could've explained it or simply told us the same thing in a more friendly manner!

When we got out of the castle, at about 8pm, I caught this pic :

It's one of my favorites...

We looked around a little and did a little shopping without getting too far, and around 8h30, parked for Wishes! I decided I'd get myself a glowing gadget that would serve me for the whole trip... I spotted a seller (not hard to find!) and looked to all the choices, before settling on a lighted Tinkerbell.

I didn't intend on taking too much pictures, because I wanted to "take it in", and take some serious fireworks pix the second time we'd see it. But I still wanted to take some practice pix, so the 2nd round would be perfect. But when I realized my pix seemed good and I didn't feel like I was missing anything, I continued firing... It wasn't like I watched all of it through my lense... it was more 1/2 and 1/2. So I went with it!

Wishes was the best moment of the day, with meeting the mice second. I had tears in my eyes... and I wasn't alone! I saw many others dabbing tears on their cheeks... and Mama cried too. The combination of the music with the beauty of the pyrotechnics, the magic in the air and the thought of truly being there, in the Magic Kingdom... It really was a great moment!

After Wishes, following what I learned in my Disney prep, we didn't leave. We first waited around walking between Main Street and Crystal Palace once or twice... Anyways, it was next to impossible to get on Main street at the time with a w/c; and then we did some shopping along Main Street.

For the record, for most this day and the following, when I'm mentionning "shopping", it's windowshopping... we looked at all that was in the shops, but didn't buy a thing... if I found something I wanted, I'd make a note about it : where it was, what it was, how much it was, for whom I wanted to buy it, etc. Because I didn't want to spend my money too fast and be sorry later. Or simply, didn't want to buy one thing as a gift to someone and later find a better gift.

With all this "waiting for the crowds to thin", and the slow bus system, we didn't get to the resort before 11pm. Thus we learned that, if it is indeed a very good idea to wait a little after Wishes before going to the bus stop... you don't necessarily have to wait up to 30min. ...or more!

Before going to bed, I had the time to get angry at the laptop, because even though I had it on charge all day, it still wasn't fully charge, and the power cord wasn't working... with the power cord plugged in, the power would come and go without anything touching it. If I moved it, I would lose the power very easily... So I was looking at the possibility of completely losing the battery and no way of charging it back... which would be the same as not having the laptop... And that would mean not being able to check my emails, but more importantly, not being able to transfer my pix from my memory cards... not being able to make up space!

I decided I'd look into that the next day, because I needed to sleep.... Tomorrow was our first day at Hollywood Studios! ...With 2 ADRs!

Next - Part 8 : How do you cope with 2 ADRs?

 

[MRYPPNS]

Great to see that you are going to continue with your TR! You look very happy in the picture with the mouse....was that Suzy or the other one??

 

[michellem1118]

Woo-hoo! You're back! I can't wait to read more!!!

 

[swwake]

Yay! An update! Glad you're feeling well. Congrats on the new laptop. I think the swim and nap probably did you more good than you think. Glad you loved CRT (minus the ugly cast member). Waiting for more!

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Hi all.

Just reading how happy you all are whenever I finally am able to post a TR update makes me feel so guilty that I let you down so often.

While I know that it's not like you're waiting by the side of your computers and worrying about me, longing for another post, I can't help but feel like I've been letting so many people down.
It's not because of you or your comments, just because I'm one to live by my word and finish what I start.

I'm starting to realize ('was time!) that a TR was something too big for me. Lately I've been realizing there are a lot of things I thought I could do that I can't. My head has been fighting against my body, if you get the image... I've been starting things I can't finish, and mostly, dreaming to do things I couldn't do, not until I get better, if I ever do.

Of course there have been bad episodes where I've felt too bad to write, or simply, where the moments I had more energy I had to spend to do things that were long overdue... like take a shower, write an email to my best friend, pay my bills, etc.
But I also realize writing takes me so much time, and writing a TR takes more time than just writing anything... you need to go back to your notes, go back in time... If writing a normal-lenght email to a friend about what happened in my week takes me up to an hour, imagine how long it takes me to write a TR episode where I need to check notes in 3 notebooks, organize my thoughts (and all this in my 2nd language... so I'm even slower), chose the pictures... and then proof-read. More often than not, a TR epsode took me half a day.

I realize it's not something I can do.
I'm really, really sorry not to be able to deliver what I've set out to do.

I'm also sorry for myself, because I would've like to gather those memories and be able to read them later... I still have my notes, but I relied a lot on the idea that I would use the notes to remember and write the TR... in a couple of years, the notes will be useless to me!

But one thing is for sure : don't worry, I won't let you dangling with no ending.
I will give you one more episode and all the pictures I intended to give you.

Simply, it won't have the detail and insight I had set out to give you.
If you have questions, I should be able to answer you, as writing out of the blue, like I'm doing now, is not as hard for me.

So I'll see you in the next post... a summary of how the vacation went and ended!
P.S. You'll excuse me and my mistakes : no proofreading this time.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Thank you for writing that post....all too often people will start TR's and just abandon them....never to be heard from again. So I very much appreciate that you let us know why you are unable to finish. I look forward to your summary and pictures!

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

I don't quite know how to start en end this. Nor how to write it in itself, really...

Maybe by subject?
-I quite hated the wheelchair. I felt trapped in it. Of course I could leave it, it's not like I'm paralysed. But people have a tendancy to look at you like you're a "faker" trying to get faster in line when you get out of your w/c and suddenly walk... I didn't have much trouble of mean looks or so, luckily, but I heard a lot of awful comments concerning people who used the scooters and would walk in shops, for example... So I didn't feel like giving those people a reason to get at me! Plus I tended to feel bad on very small walks at the hotel or even just sitting in the w/c, so I didn't feel like getting out of it much... I'd get very frustrated with Mama who'd be sooo slow and hesitating wherever we went, if I'd been on foot, I'd be leading her and walking so much faster! I'd feel like jerking the chair forward, like some kids do in their strollers... Some days were worst than others... And I definitely felt like we lost time. We lost a lot of our time in the bathrooms, altough that wasn't Mama's fault : she's just made that way and older, I guess. She ALWAYS had to go! While I'm sure if she's had her nagging cough checked before we went, maybe she wouldn't have had to go as much... coughing makes you want to go more, doesn't it? We went to the bathrooms about once an hour... And it would take us more than 15min. each time! We'd need to find the bathroom first, then she'd go in, and everything would take her more time because she was anxious, stressed out... and she can't go fast in that state. And I'm not talking about "going", just moving. She had bicycle gloves to prevent blisters on her hands from all the pushing, and she had trouble removing them because she was trying to go too fast, not thinking of what she was doing, feeling pushed, as always. And she would be trying to do everything at once and not doing anything efficiently, of course. She could be taking a whole 2 min. putting the gloves back on after the bathroom break! This normally should take less than 30sec.! Add all those 15min. breaks and you'll understand why I felt we lost time and why I felt a little frustrated. It wasn't as much that she had to go, but that she couldn't control her stress and doubled the time we lost. And of course, I hated the w/c that much more, because she couldn't just leave me there and go while I'd enjoy myself! I'd have to wait for her wherever I was, or go with her and wait there... I thought about the scooter, but realized it wasn't possible because I'd have to walk too often and too much, plus there were many places or times where a scooter would've taken so much more time or made me that much more self-conscious and I really didn't need that (ex. bus).

-I talked in the first days that I was waiting for a surprise package from Becca. Well Disney lost it! Or an employee took it. Hey, I know, it's Disney... but Disney's employees are people too! If you remember, when I first checked about the packages, I was told there were 2 packages waiting for me. When Mama went to get them, there was only one, and Becca's package wasn't there. I went back to the front desk, they called the postal desk or whatever how they call it, I don't remember, which desk had told us there was 2 packages, and they told the front desk they didn't know what happened, but they didn't have anything for me. The front desk didn't have anything more for me either.
I checked many more times, calling the front desk, going to the front desk, even calling the post office! Niet, nada, rien. They would simply bounce me back from one place to the other, never really apologizing (apart from "I'm sorry, we don't have nothing", which I don't consider an apology, would you?). They never aknowledge that the fact the call I received at first said there was 2 packages was proof Becca's package meant it was lost. The resort service was awful!
I never saw a CM trying to go out of his/her way to help me. In fact, I had to explain and re-explain myself and felt like I was talking to a wall most of the time. They didn't even show compassion. In fact, they didn't even show they understood.
I also lost my wheelchair cushion, if you remember. They never found that either. Didn't got an apology for that either. We called the transport service every day (because that's what they said "Sorry, nope, not here, call tomorrow"), because Disney wouldn't have anything to do with it... it's their official transport service, but when a trouble happens, it's not Disney's responsibility! We checked with the front desk anyways, even checked the luggage storage... the guy was very cool, even asked us to look around ourselves (like we would find this little thing if it was under a suitcase... anyways), but all we had was a recorded message from some manager saying he hoped everything was OK now... Completely out of touch!
I heard stories of how staff and management goes out of his way to help and correct problems and I'm not saying I was hoping for a free dining card or discount, but from those stories to what we got, I couldn't believe it!!! Not even an official apology!
And then, it really wasn't a lucky week, I lost my cane (I brought it thinking I may some times not use my w/c... didn't happen much). One time I went to the hottub and used my cane. But didn't feel well so Mama went back to the room and brought the w/c. Unfortunatly we didn't think about the cane!
When I realized it was missing, it had been 2 days, since I wasn't using it... I went to the front desk and met the only friendly and helpful CM of the whole trip... Sadly, she couldn't help. She remembered my cane and all, but couldn't give it back to me, it was locked somewhere. She gave me her name and told me the next day she would have it unlocked and I could have it. She wasn't there the next day. When I explained the thing to the other CM, I was met with the usual block of cold, stupidity and misunderstanding. I'm sorry, but that's what I faced everytime I talked with a CM in this resort! It seemed they could only focus on some words I was saying and if they misunderstood, not a word I would add could stop them from focusing on that misunderstanding (and I should add : it wasn't a language barrier issue). For example, with the cane issue, I mentioned that the 1st CM told me it was locked and that's why she didn't give it to me the day before. That CM totally bugged at that notion and looked in some lockers and couldn't find it and said "how could a cane be in those lockers, it's not big enough!". It didn't matter how many times I told them (they were 2 successively, in 2 days) that the 1st CM never talked about a locker, just that it was in a locked ROOM, they wouldn't stop. They wouldn't try and think by themselves or simply try to help me. It was like, each time I'd be talking to a CM, I'd have to be very careful of how I'd talk to them and what words I'd use, because it was a trap! The wrong word or phrasing and bang! I couldn't get the help I needed...
I finally was able to get understood, but I had to describe my cane 3 times over the phone, in so much details I couldn't believe it was just a cane and not a very precious ring... And then I was asked to wait for it in the lobby, not being told how long it would be until I'd get it... Finally a CM saw the light and realized I was on vacation and not to stay in a resort lobby... so she said she'd manage for the cane to be put in my room. I had asked for this first, but had been told it was impossible!
All in all, for all those CM troubles, all those lost items, we spent more than 4-5 hours of our trip either talking on the phone, in the resort lobby to a CM or, most of it, waiting in line... Because it's incredible how SLOW they are. I hard other clients commenting about this a couple of times.

-I didn't feel that most CMs were particularly friendly and helpful anywhere. Of course, most of them have that almost annoying tendency to be what they call, I think, actively friendly or something like that... They ask you what you liked, if you're enjoying yourself, etc. But most of the time I felt like it was a recorded message and it didn't ring true. I met a couple of truly friendly CMs, I won't bash just to bash. One is truly standing out in my memory.
But many times when me and/or Mama would've needed a little help, sometimes even when we asked for help, sometimes when I saw someone who would've needed help, the CMs were very disappointing. Lack of smiles, lack of informatin, wrong informations, lack of willingness to help, mostly.
So I was mostly disappointed by the lack of magic on that front.

-Thanks to the fact that there weren't too many people, not only was it great to get around in the many locations, but mostly, we never had to wait long for any attraction.

-One of my favorite moment was on Mother's Day. First of all, the Brunch was very good and we had the surprise that some characters were there to greet us (either coming in or at the end, as we chose). It was very beautiful, and bigger than I would've ever imagined. Mama was very happy, even though I had to spoil the surprise. First to get her out of bed at the right time, second because I couldn't find the place... There were no indications once you got in Epcot, not even once you got in World Showcase! We had to ask directions to 3 CMs! (Why? Because the first 2 couldn't give us precise enough directions... referring to what I just wrote...). Since it was Mama's day, we did what she wanted for the remainder of the day. One thing she wanted to do was Soarin'. I was a little worried for her. She has motion sickness pretty easily. I did my homework and she ws supposed to be OK on Soarin, but you never really know until it's done... or too late! But it was supposed to be so wonderful that I really wanted her to try it, so I sold it to her like you wouldn't believe. (of course, I also told her she COULD feel bad. But she knew she would just have to close her eyes).
She LOVED it! So much so that she cried!!! She was really moved by it!
It was sad that even though there weren't too many people, the wait was still too long for us to go back in line.

-We had set out to do all of the attractions we felt like doing at least once, and once we'd done that, go back and do the ones we loved once again, if we'd have time. I also wanted to see each show at least twice (for example, I wanted to see the fireworks 3 times). But Mama decided she didn't want to see ANY show twice. She was disappointed that I didn't want to do attractions a second time (or more) right away... but I had never been there and wanted to experience everything (well, everything worth it) before starting on "reruns"... Since so little interested her, she had a lot of trouble with that. It made me a little mad that I made so many of the compromises and let go so many of what I wanted to do. I didn't have to deal with her "we're always doing what you want" face. We didn't go to Typhoon Lagoon. We had already agreed to go for only a short time, but she was doing everything so we wouldn't go so I agreed. We didn't go to any show twice. I didn't see any parade twice. Some I didn't want to, some it was because we didn't have a choice. Most were because she pleaded or didn't give me much choice.

-We saw that not everybody is mean with people in wheelchairs. But that about half of them are. Well, mean is a big word. Just not caring. It's like your invisible. People in w/c seems to be viewed like an opportunity to view a parade or show better... Find a way to get in front of that w/c person, or get your child there, and you'll see better! I'd find a great spot for a parade or a show, and as soon as it would start, the space in front of me would fill up like it's not believable! And of course, I wouldn't see anything anymore! Most of the time that would be solved by going to the w/c only sections... But sometimes, even there, other families with w/c would let their children get in front of me!!! Sometimes it's not so much a question of seeing the show as of having your personal space... when the child is so close to you that he's hurting himself on your foot rests...
Another example of "great" CM help... on more than 2 occasions, we asked CMs for where the w/c sections were for a parade or fireworks and were told that we would be perfectly fine where we were (and not told where the spot actually was)... And of course, I ended up not seeing a thing, because the difference with the w/c spots is the cord and the less possibility for people getting in front of us!
Of course, another big problem was just getting around... I think it's just the same for people with a stroller... people don't look where they're going or where their child is going, get in front of you and you (in this case, Mama) need to brake and zig zag... If by badluck you run into someone (worst, if someone runs into YOU), you're the one people give mean looks to! Mama was constantly trying to use the safer route, especially because she hates to confront people and hates to be mean, and hates to drive... so we were zigzaging more than anybody and I was getting dizzy and frustrated (because forget the shortest route!)
I'll give you one truly incredible example, because it truly stands out to me...
We were leaving MK early one day and "driving" along the resort bus stop... A bus had just arrived and a handful of people were walking past us, towards MK. In particular, a young girl of about 3-4y.o. She's walking directly towards me, I mean, aming between my knees. She's going pretty fast and could get hurt by the foot rest. Even if I wasn't in a w/c, just knocking against me could send her to the ground (cement!) and could get her hurt!.
Her mom sees her... what does she do? Does she leap to her and take her arm to remove her from harm (and from our way)?. Nope. Of course not.
She calmly, slowly and very quietly says "Jessy". (like "Hey sweety, would you like to play Barbie?" Jessy", not "Jessy! you're going to be hurt!" Jessy"). Not the slightest bit of emergency in her voice. Maybe a slight annoyance. (is that a word?). The kid doesn't even seem to HEAR her. I'm not sure I would've if I wouldn't have been paying attention! The mom waits a couple seconds, I watch the kid getting closer to me... Mom utters another "Jessy..." Her tone didn't change a bit, the kid didn't react any more. Now, the kid is less than a feet from me, did the mom MOVE? did the mom SHOUT? Nope. Mama had to STOP me. And guess what? The kid DID collide with my chair and me. Then and only then did the mom reacted and take the kid away. Not without a mean look. Now come on, what were we supposed to do? We were surrounded by people, too much in a rush to get on one side of the pavement to let us get on the other! We had to squeeze in a little ball and let all of them pass...
It was always like that...

-We spent so much time in Epcot-World Showcase that I almost didn't see a thing in Future World. I'm most sad about missing the aquarium.

-As I started saying in the last "espisode", naps really didn't work for us. Not only did going back to the resort took us too much time, but I realized that naps work for people getting up early and leaving for the parks soon afterward... and taking advantage of the nap to be refreshed and staying in the parks later at night... Mama didn't want to wake up in the morning even when I did, took an eternity to get ready to go, and wanted to get back to resort early in the evening... In that case, naps are NOT recommended. So we never took a nap after that first day. Well except for the Pirates and Princess party, but we didn't hit the parks that day (until the party), we simply went to Downtown Disney... and that whole day was a mess anyways.

-Yeah, PPP was a mess. Because once again, Mama didn't want to listen to me. We waited too long to get to DTD and got back too late. Plus Mama didn't want to get a ressie at MK for that evening OR eat before going there. We got there too late and didn't have eaten. After the usual getting there and getting used to (it seemed we could never start hitting the attractions or having fun until at least 30min. because Mama couldn't function right away once there), we had to eat... she didn't want this nor that, she wanted THAT. We realized everything was closed or closing... And since she couldn't have the THAT she wanted, she became fussy. We did 3 places before we could find something she felt like eating... That meant 30min. of lost time! Then we ate... Had we eaten before getting there, we would've saved an hour! Then it was another of those bathroom breaks. I had did some research about the party, but either I did it wrong or not in the right place, because I felt I didn't know anything : where to go, what to do... So it took us time to decide what to do first, set out our priorities, etc. The little plan we got, we realized later, didn't help us much. I had hear there were princesses with their princes at the PPP but couldn't find them. I thought they were at the Judges tent, but either there were no princesses & princes or I read the map wrong, because I waited in line forever for... Minnie & Daisy! Well I didn't mind them, but I would've preferred the others! Especially the princes, because they're so rare! And I didn't know that Jack Sparrow was doing pix and autographs that night, or I would've gone there... I had a nice hoping for that autograph and I looked for him all trip long, learning only the next week that PPP was the only time he did it!!! That info wasn't on the map, or not easy to find...
I was also disappointed to see that every autograph session took forever in line and was stopping right after the fireworks... Worst : I had realized I needed to fetch a spot early for both parade and fireworks... and there was only one parade, unlike in other PPP happenings... and the whole event was closing early... So all our time was shortened... We lost more than 1hr of our night just sitting and waiting for the parade and the fireworks! The timing of those 2 was bad... We had just started to do stuff and had to stop to fetch a parade place... then instead of doing the fireworks right away, there was a 40min. wait between the 2. But like most people, we just stayed there, because we would've lost our spot for the fireworks! And after the fireworks, there was less than 1hr for autographs. After that, there was still 1hr left for other types of fun, but Mama didn't feel like it. If she doesn't feel like doing something, since she's pushing my chair, I don't really have a choice, do I?
Still, I had just the time for a pic with Belle, in our, cough, similar dresses...
God, I still wonder why I insisted for that pic... I look fat, ugly and cheap.

-My best moments were meeting the characters, while for some of them, I did feel like an adult out of place, most of the time I felt like a kid all over again and could forget there was (no kid around?) someone in there doing just another day's at work. I was especially sad not to meet some of my favorites, like Mary Poppin's penguins. I almost had to beg Mama to meet most of them, as she felt, for her part, that meeting the characters were a loss of time, even if I never insisted to meet a character when the line was long. Except on PPP night of course... One meeting with Mickey, in safari attire, was mostly memorable. It was my first Mickey meeting, but it wasn't the reason. The guy could've been talking he communicated so well! He motioned me to walk slowly (I was getting out of my w/c for all character greeting pics... I have only one without, and it's the Fox, because he was all alone, and he didn't give me time to get up... as soon as he saw I wanted to meet him, he almost ran over!). So, Safari-Mickey motioned me to go slowly, then he saw my wrist orthesis and asked if it was broken. I told him no, just hurt. Then he stroked it gently and showed how sorry he was. And after we posed for the pic, he kissed my hand. Awwwww.
Other characters have kissed the hand, many have motionned to walk slowly and not rush... None have done all and more. On top of it all, he was just after Goofy who could've been looking somewhere else he seemed so cold.
Oh, and I almost fell on Minnie! That same day, safari-Minnie... I was getting ready, backing up a little for the pic, and there was this cement border... Luckily I didn't really fall, just lost my balance and Minie (herself!) helped me stabilize.

-I was a little sorry I took the behind the scenes tour. It was my birthday present (as if the trip wasn't enough!). The real deal, the Backstage magic tour.
It took us all day, a whole day we could've been doing something else... like maybe visit more of Epcot Future World... Because even though I didn't feel it was a total waste of time and money, it was far from what I imagined. Yeah, we visited the utilidors. Yeah, we saw backstage stuff. But not half of what I wanted to see and a lot of time was spent in what I didn't care to see. And unlike what I was told, we didn't visit the christmas warehouse (which was what I was looking forward the most... or almost). I guess that was changed along with the lunch place. I hated the Whispering Canyon Café... along with everyone at our table.
But the biggest problem was, we didn't really see much of backstage MAGIC, didn't learn much of the park's innerworkings, as much as got a briefing like someone wanting to work at Disney would get! We learned a little about how some attractions worked, a couple of bits and pieces about technical informations... most we could've got elsewhere. Most of the day was spent in the CM's quarters learning about how the BUSINESS is run, about Disney's ethics, about a CM's day, etc. We visited more administration and CM's quarters than attractions and parks backstage. And by CM's quarters, I'm not talking about "where they work to run an attraction" or a shop behind-the-scenes, or a resort's, or anything like that. I mean where the CMs go to change, to check their emails, to exchange pins, etc. What I'd think of an orientation class for new employees or future ones. All along the tour, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, the tour guide had gotten the wrong memo and was giving us the wrong tour. But I knew it wasn't the case because she talked too many times of the "backstage magic tour" and about the fact we were on a vacation... Of course I still learned many things, of course I did see many things I wouldn't have had the chance to see. Of course I did see some things backstage (truly backstage)... only, from the bus. Like I wanted to see the christmas warehouse... I saw it... from the outside and really fast. But when you think you'll see the costuming department and what you get is the CMs... We only got CLOSE to the real interesting places, like props department, hair and makeup, costumes... We either had to go without a look, just "knowing it was there" or had a peek through a small window, not being able to really see anything... I couldn't believe Disney was selling this tour at such a price without telling people there were so many restrictions. I was surprised we couldn't bring our cameras, because so much of this stuff had absolutely no importance whatsoever! The more I think about it, the more I realize telling myself I don't regret it is a psychological mechanism to help me cope with the fact it was a waste of time, energy and money. Because telling myself I do regret it would've been to hard emotionnally. But how could I not regret it? It WAS a waste. Yeah, I did learn some stuff. But it tired me and I was deeply disappointed. Mama didn't hate it as much as she thought, but she was disappointed too. Why was I so tired? Because even though they say the tour can accomodate people with w/c if told in advance (which we did), they don't really accomodate. I don't know how much I'm NOT supposed to tell about the tour, but one part is going backstage at the US pavilion of Epcot. If I hadn't been able to walk, I would've been sitting that part out (and it was more than 30min!). Because it involves stairs... So I use these stairs... and there's no chair! Everyone is standing up while the lady is giving out her speech... I started feeling really bad. Finally someone found a chair for me and gave it to me. We got out of there, and on the next part. Each time, the driver had to get my chair out of the bus, and into the bus afterwards (in the luggage compartment). When we realized how it was going, I changed places so I'd be out first, because it was taking so much time, we'd be late and trying to catch up the group! Yup... the tour guide never waited for us! Well, maybe once or twice, she made sure we were there and asked if we were OK, but Mama had to walk faster than she did the rest of the trip. On more than one occasion, people had the choice between elevator or stairs, and each time we were the only one to take the elevator (not that we had a choice...). Well each time, it seems that we weren't in luck, having slow elevators... when we got out everyone had left for the bus or for the next step, and we didn't know which way to go! I found that very unprofesional.

-On my last day, we were back to MK to see what we didn't have time to see yet and to do once more what we had loved. I also wanted to finally do Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. ...But I couldn't. We hadn't been there for long, and while on Liberty Belle I started feeling really weak. I thought it was just one of those bad moments and maybe too much direct heat from the sun (nowhere to hide from the sun on that boat!), and while we were getting off I asked Mama for my Gatorade... as always, especially not seeing me, she didn't take it as an emergency and told me she would stop soon... She wanted to find "the right spot" (she could be coughing really bad and needing to blow her nose real hard and she would be running around in a circle for minutes just to find the spot with a bench AND shade... without too many people, of course. Oh, and on the right side of the alley, if possible!). But then I felt even worse, so I had to make her understand it was NOW. So she stopped as soon as we were off, on the side of the Liberty Belle building and looked at me and almost shrieked. I was white as a ghost. She didn't even give me gatorade, she asked me if I wanted instant ice and at that point, sadly, the answer was yes... You already know the next part : being stressed out, it took her forever to find it in our bag... and being stressed out, she wasn't able to find out the instructions on how to make that bad "instant ice". By then I was almost out, so I couldn't help her. I was starting to get confused and coudln't read or remember how it worked.
Byt some sort of miracle, a CM (in the good category!) walked right to us and asked us if we needed help! I guess my ghostly face helped us... I was about to say "no" and "it's OK", but then I asked (or was it Mama?) if he could help with the instant ice. He did, and wow did it feel wonderful!
Then he offered to help us get to the first aid station... I didn't want to hear those words and had almost vowed not to get there in our trip. Almost just as I was going to say "no" and that it would be fine with the ice and gatorade... I almost completely fainted in my chair and couldn't give my already-prepared answer... So I mumbled something like "yeah" and he helped Mama get through that unwanted first-aid station as quick as possible, through a shortcut, while Mama walked as fast as she could behind him...
Wanna know the funnest thing? He gave me Disney stickers! Like I was a 4 y.o.! Still, I was happy to get stickers! But I didn't even know about that at the time, he gave them to Mama. I was ushered in and given a bed. Of course, nobody knowing about my condition (and nobody asking) they all assumed it was overheating and/or a lack of fluids. Heat may have had something to do with it, but I drank plenty... I spent about 30min. in there, thanking the a/c, and left as soon as I was able to stand on my own. But of course, our day had to end there... After such an episode, my body couldn't stand the heat at all anymore, and there could be no attraction, especially not something like Splash Mountain or BTR.
Still, there was one thing we intended to do and I couldn't leave without doing it... We went back to Adventureland and finally tried the Dole Whip!!!
It was good and the refreshing feeling was great after what just happened. We shared it on the way back to the bus. It was good, but I don't really get what the hype is all about... Still, I'm glad we went back for it.

So yeah, the trip ended on a pretty sour note, exactly what I didn't want to happen. Looking at it in another way, at least it only happened on the last day.

Reading all this, you may think I'm talking more about the bad things... It's not that I didn't like the trip or have only bad memories. It's more that I report on the biggest anecdotes and what's sticking out more... and sadly, we really had our share our bad stuff. It's not for nothing I put "Could there be any LESS magic" in the title of the TR... There was, and no, the troubles didn't completely kill the magic. But almost, to be honest. When, every day, a bad thing happens, even if it's small, it adds up.
And not many good things stick out! The good things are ordinary and small. Like good food, like enjoying the attractions, like meeting the characters, like good weather. Don't worry, if I think of more, I'll add it!

I realize I didn't explain the reason behind the first part of my TR title "Cha cha trip"... Well I'm guessing, by now, you have an idea...
See, I'm there, sitting in this *&(%$*% of a wheechair, not really the captain of my ship, for the first time in my life.
And then there's Mama, pushing me. Or pulling me. Or making a turn right. Or left. Let's say we've decided to go to Spaceship Earth. We are now in World Showcase... It's not so bad while we're going through to Future World... She's slow-paced but pretty constant... She's regularly going from left to right, either trying to go on the side where there are the less people (I told you before she's not the confronting type, so instead of staying on HER side and letting the others split up or change sides, she's going to do the job instead), sparing me of bumping into obstacles like bins or benches (you can't walk/roll in the middle of the alley simply because all the sides are occupied with obstacles, can you?) or because people jump in front of us at the last moment... She often slows down or accelerates without warning, because of people getting in front of us, trying to get past them or trying not to bump them... Sometimes it's simply because she's losing her concentration and sees something interesting... forgetting she's also DRIVING!
...But then we come to a split in the "road" and immediatly you hear the stress in her voice as she inevitably asks me (because you know, I did some online reseach so, once there, I OBVIOUSLY know where I'm going) "is it left or right?". Whatever the answer, it doesn't mean she'll listen. But there's an almost 100% chance she'll go one side first and then change her mind at least once. We're going left... no, wait, we're going right! Nope, finally, it's left.
And then sometimes after a while we realize it was right after all... so we turn 180degree and go back to take the other way... And when finally we get to Spaceship Earth, where's the entry? We finally get to the entree, only to be told wheelchairs need to get through the back. What back, it's round? I want to ask, but it's too late, Mama is already taken me away, she almost never wanted to ask. Well the story is on her side... each time we asked a CM, either the instructions were too complicated/confused for us to be able to follow, either the CM just didn't know or the indications were wrong!
So finally we see a sign telling us it's "that way". We go "that way" and then... we get a t a door... only to see it's obviously not there... we go back on our steps and FINALLY! We are able to get in...
Just think a little about how such movement can feel when you're just sitting there and having that movement imposed on you. Imagine you're in a bumper car, and you're getting there.
I'd lay in bed at night and feel like I was moving and bumping (especially after visiting AK), just like you continue feeling the movement after a day of train traval or boating! So it felt like Mama was doing the cha cha with my chair, never knowing where to go, never wanting to ask for directions, never wanting to take the time to check the map, never seeming to be able to take a decision and stick to it and always seeming to make the wrong choice. And of course, the lack of care from other people didn't help, always seeming to think the w/c was the one to need to move instead of them... But of course, had I been in control of the chair, I wouldn't have them have it this easy! It wouldn't always been possible, NOT to move, but I wouldn't have changed side in prevention, just in case...

So that's all the major things I can think of.
It was a good trip, a great trip. A trip I've been wanting to do all my life and I surely not regret doing it. But I can't say it had been everything I had hoped it would be, and I'm sure most of it is coming from my health limits and mostly, the wheelchair. Most of my frustrations with Mama come from the w/c and wouldn't have been if it hadn't been there. Without it, I would've been able to go on my own and with time apart, it would've been better too. But without it, I wouldn't have been able to go!

It was beautiful, it was magic, I saw many of my favorite characters, I escaped from my dad for 3 weeks (we were able to almost never mention him!). I took wonderful pictures, especially with my special lens at AK...

But even though I'd like to go back, Mama has talked about going back and I didn't even encourage her nor did I checked prices or anything like that. I'm not sure we would have a great trip going back together so fast. I think I should have to tell her a couple things first, like how I hate for her to move me around without thinking how it physically makes me feel, and I don't think she can hear those things. She doesn't seem to be able to take anything without thinking it's personal criticism.

Or maybe we could go back by renting a scooter and shortening our days, I don't know. Oooh, unless it's possible to rent a scooter inside the park and checking my own chair at the door? Do they have big enough lockers for that? Would they keep it at the locker place? I'm just thinking out "loud"... That could be a compromise. Having my chair on site, but a scooter for the parks, so I can go on my own, or at least, move on my own and at my own rhythm... Hummm, I'll check that out.
Another thing is, we had decided not to go back this year (we had a great deal), and instead go to NYC and see a couple of Broadway shows. She was the one to make the decision. I didn't feel like I really want to go back, but if she had wanted to go back, I surely wouldn't have said no... Disney had been a dream for so long, I wouldn't have been the one to stop it from happening twice! But she said it would be NYC instead, and now she's thinking of going back to Disney (without our deal...), and I'm worried it would mean NYC is out. And I wouldn't be happy about that.

I'll post the pics in the next... post!

If I think of something else worth of interest, I'll post it.

Do not hesitate to reply or ask questions. As I said, I gave a last effort for this TR, because I realized it's too much for me, but an answer from time to time is not a problem.

I really love you guys, I never forget you, you're always in the back of my mind (or in front!) and I miss chatting regularly with you...

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

A pic I took on our first day in Hollywood Studios, I found that fountain hilarious :

Same day, A pretty good pic, considering, that I was able to get from inside The Little Mermaid (by the way, we were REALLY surprised and quite disappointed at how short that show was!)

I talked about how people feel free to get in front of people in wheelchairs... This is taken at the Block Party parade and not edited. It gives a pretty good idea. I had to strech and work out a way to get some pics of the parade...
Good news is, by doing some editing, I was able to work out some OK pics.

...I caught such a thigh sunburn at that parade... Sitting without moving in the afternoon sun... I learned I should put something on my thighs when I'm not moving... Lotion? Yeah I had lotion... but it wasn't enough...
Oh, speaking of lotion... All trip long we used spray-on lotion. Neutrogena cooling mist. DON'T USE THAT! It turned orange on many of our clothes and it's not coming off whatever we used. We first noticed it after we washed a batch of clothes at the laundromat at the resort, and tought something had been left in the machine (candy or something). But we realized it was on almost all our clothes, especially near where we had put the stuff. We put some of our clothes in the garbage (sadly) before realizing where the organge spots came from... then we wrote to Neutrogena... I'm sooo backlogged, because I need to reply to them : they answered my complain by sending me an enveloppe to send back the clothes and default product and are asking for how much they need to give us back! That stuff ruined for more than 150$ worth of clothes!

One of the best pics I took at Fantasmic

One of my favorite pics of Spaceship Earth

And we went when?

I took that one for Mama, she loved those floating balls of flowers

Another great example of how polite people can be...

No really, the lady KNEW I was trying to take a pic, she saw me, and now she's trying to look somewhere else... The kid has been told by her parents to stop doing that and "the lady wants to take a picture", but the parents stopped taking care just after saying that and the kid went right back.

IllumiNations

Sadly, do not taste as good as they look...

My favorite character! I was so excited! Mama was very disappointed, she forgot the flash... but I didn't want to go back in line just to take a new pic... Even though there weren't many people... I don't know why there aren't Photopass photographers wherever there are character meetngreets?! I don't find that fair. The worst is when there is one, but he takes a break and the meetngreet continues! You have a photopass, but you don't get the photo for your CD because you have the badluck of being in line when the guy is on break! They should have one who fills in for those times... or the guy should always be in break at the same time... When I paid for the CD, I thought there would always be a photopass guy when I'd meet a character!
Anyways, here it is :

Timon surprised me during the AK parade... he came right into my lense! He almost was too close for me to do a good pic!

This is the great Mickey encounter. Luckily, Mama thought about taking lots of pics and captures every one of those great seconds!

The only bad weather we got, when we went to the Boardwalk.

...Let me tell you, reading all those posts and doing all my research, I never would've thought it's so far from everything and so hard to go there. The indications are not obvious, I felt like I was in the wrong place... especially having to go through the resort to get to the boardwalk itself... It took us forever to get there too! I'm sure when we'll go back to Disney, we won't go back to the Boardwalk or any other restaurant or activity that's in as remote a location. It takes about 1h30 or more from your trip! And let me tell you, from what we've seen, it's clearly not worth it!

The next few ones are from the afternoon parade at MK. I really had a GREAT spot! A lot of the characters aknowledge me :

I'll stop there, I can't add much more.
More in the next post.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Remember the "people are not very polite when they feel moving in front of someone in the w/c will give them a better spot"?

Some twisting, cringing, a good lens and editing program were still able to give me this

Crystal Palace

Sing with me "It's a great big beautiful tomorrow..." I like the show/attraction, I loved the song even more. I bought a CD of the parks just for that one... But I think what I loved the most about it all is this :

I was sitting in the front row, and I would swear he LOOKED at me all the time!

SpectroMagic : The best thing ever at Disney. The most beautiful thing ever. The only thing Mama would've liked to see a 2nd time.

Not the best pic ever, but I wasn't ready to take a pic... It's a fellow (or a fellow of the fellow) we met quite often in the path leading to or from or room at POFQ

We loved the afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian. We loved the Grand Floridian. But don't think we'd fit there much...

Great night pic at Epcot

I did do Expedition Everest... and loved it!

Those made me wanna laugh so much!

No really, if you read that, doesn't it make you think : please, waste. Instead of "put waste here"? Maybe it's a subliminal message for everyone in the parks... waste time, waste money...hahaha. I just had to take a pic of at least one of those...

We went to the Lion King show, and I got a couple of great pics.
But that one was a pretty funny accident

Being in the w/c seats, we were really, really close, and it was sometimes intimidating... especially taking pictures... Those guys played with it

Our P&PP costumes

Once again, I'm at the limit, next post.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

The P&PP Parade (we really DIDN'T have a good spot)

Even the horse poop guys are in costume

P&PP fireworks

Those were the best fireworks I've ever seen. Just for that the P&PP price was worth it. The parade was also very, very good. My pics, even with those I'm not showing here, are really not giving it justice. The lighting wasn't helping me (or I should say, my equipment wasn't good for the lighting condition!) nor did my spot.

Mother's day brunch

That last pic was the center of the room, where the main buffet was served!

This is the gift basket I gave Mama for Mother's Day, she got it when we came to the resort later that day

These are all the roses Mama got on Mother's day, they stayed beautiful for the remainder of our trip, which was about a week, we couldn't believe it!

(the colors in the picture don't give them justice)

The "Fox" character meeting I told you about (I know it's Robin Hood... I just didn't remember the name when I wrote about it earlier)

My best pic in Light's Motor Action

Beauty and the Beast

We were lucky, the villains were out! Sadly, no Photopass guy... the handler offered to take the pic so both me and Mama could be in... Sadly, she couldn't do it right, and we only noticed it later, because it's not obvious on the small LCD screen! She marvelled at how easy it was to take a pic with my camera... Snow White's evil Queen, always in character, even told her, in a very mean tone, that "of course it worked well, did she know nothing, it was a camera like the Photopass guys were using!" I was surprised how much she knew about cameras (recognizing the type of camera having seen so little of it) and as surprised at how she always stayed in character, even being mean to her own handler! Of course, we were the last ones in line to be greeted and maybe they were letting loose a little... That being said, I now know I should make a "bogus focus" on the group before me next time something like that happens, because the girl didn't let the automatic focus go through and just clicked and clicked and clicked... so I had many pics to chose from, but all identical or almost, all slightly blurry, as you can notice. But still OK enough for me to want to keep it, because those villains are a rare thing. Especially since I wouldn't have waited in line long for them.

Before we left HS that day I met my favorite Mickey, Sorcerer Mickey from Fantasia, my favorite animated ever.

Before I stop because I don't have space anymore and move on to the next post, here is what I saw all day :

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

@ Chef Mickey, Pluto had a hard time signing my sweater. By the way, I was able to gather just enough autographs so that it doesn't look weird. The special fabric pens I bought really seemed to work, I washed the sweater a couple times already and no signature faded.

Here is the, if I'm not wrong, now defunct Pocahontas with her forest friends

We went to a training session, where Pocahontas seemed pretty lost on the stage, standing there doing nothing... But that aside, the training session was pretty fun and cute, I would've taken more! (I'm not sure most kids would've, though...)

A couple of Flights of wonder pics (great show, by the way, impressive)

My favorites from our last day at AK, where we took our time in all the paths

My all-time favorite, I never knew a bat could be so beautiful!

I LOOOOVE meerkats! I watch Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet, and couldn't wait to see them at AK. I was all excited when I learned there were meerkats there! Here's another one

From the Kilimanjaro safari

And I saved the best for last, my favorite pic of all, the one we'll put on the wall

I hope you liked them... If you thought there were too many, remember they were intended to be spread out over many, many pages of TR. Intended to make those pages less dull and illustrate our days...
I hope it compensates a little bit for the lack of details and fun anecdotes...

I hope you don't forget me and if you want to chat, you can always PM me... if one of you wants to stay connected, I can always give you my email...

See ya,
Dan

 

[michellem1118]

I'm so glad that you've finished your TR, in a sense at least. I'm sorry your trip wasn't everything you had hoped it would be, but I'm glad that you seem to have made the best of it. Please let me know if you plan another trip... and keep reading/posting here on the DISboards... even if you can't finish your TR the way you had hoped, you can still chat with the rest of us regularly.

I love the fireworks pictures you took, and the AK pictures. Your pictures actually just helped me persuade DH that we need a D-SLR camera.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Great pictures!