DIS Dads The DIS Dad's Club VI - Man's Room

[Cinderella's Fella]

HERSHEY PARK!!! that will give you something to do for a day. hershey, dorney,philly zoo,lancaster dutch wonderland, crayola factory, all these this are with in an hour of each other. you woukd have to do some hotel hoppin but we can help you with that.

I second Hershey. before I read Dave suggestion, I was going to say Hershey. Besides all of the above, they have a great garden that's fun to walk though and a butterfly house, I was covered in butterflies when I did it.

 

[stopher1]

I know some of the other guys will disagree vehemently, but I think it's a good thing to see something different from Disney once in a while.

Your kids are still young, so I think a trip to Washington D.C. might be fun. There's a lot to do there (and a lot of it is FREE!), that I think they'd be engaged. Or, there's Myrtle Beach.

I agree with Mark. As much as we love Disney detinations, there really are so many other terrific places to experience out there.

 

[GoHerd1028]

HERSHEY PARK!!! that will give you something to do for a day. hershey, dorney,philly zoo,lancaster dutch wonderland, crayola factory, all these this are with in an hour of each other. you woukd have to do some hotel hoppin but we can help you with that.

I second Hershey. before I read Dave suggestion, I was going to say Hershey. Besides all of the above, they have a great garden that's fun to walk though and a butterfly house, I was covered in butterflies when I did it.

That is yet another good idea...how far is Niagra Falls from there??

Not sure if your family is the outdoorsy type, Go Herd, but we really enjoyed our trip to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge last summer. We did the national park there a lot (and it's FREE) and there's a ton to do in downtown Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, that unfortunately is NOT FREE.

There are some very nice cabins up in the mountains to give you that secluded feeling, even though you're only minutes from the city.

Didn't do Dollywood when we went, but friends have told us we should have. They say it's pretty nice.

I had thought about Gatlinburg , but I was not sure that there was enough to keep us busy for a week or if it was more a long weekend type thing...I had forgotten about Dollywood Have you stayedin the cabins before?

I agree with Mark. As much as we love Disney detinations, there really are so many other terrific places to experience out there.

I am glad that I am not losing my membership status to even think of doing something besides Disney LOL

im only at 8 guys so far. ray,ron,steve,tim,carl,barry,christian,christopher. im activly working on jason and mike only lives in the next town. hopefully ill be at before spring. 8 of the guys i met all in one trip. but to be fair, i was there for 2 weeks so i was able to be there for alot of the guys coming down.

I am at 5 guys...Carl, Dave, Christian, and Barry. I met one of our new members on our cruise last year Dan (GoBucks1169). Looking forward to more meets in the future.

Keep the travel ideas coming guys!!!

 

[AJRitz]

That's the good thing about the clubhouse annex over on Facebook, we know you're still around. Good luck on the cases!

Hey, there's Aaron! I was thisclose to sending you a message on FB to make sure you hadn't left us. Hope things settle down and you're back to vacation planning soon!

i was windering were you went!!! glad to see you back aaron!!!

Thanks guys. I realized after I posted about work craziness that I may have neglected to stop by here and thank the members of the gang that were so friendly and supportive last month when we got the news about my Dad's aneurysm. (I don't remember if I posted this all here, or if it was just over on FB, but the quick summary is that doctors discovered a brain aneurysm in my dad at the end of December, while looking for something totally different on the opposite side of his head). The update is that he had a coiling procedure to remove the aneurysm just after New Year's. The procedure went perfectly, and he was back to normal in less than 24 hours. It was truly amazing and a huge relief. The support from folks here was a big help when I first got the news and was freaking out a bit - thanks again Steve, and everyone else.

In other news, Squeaker now has a confirmed ADHD diagnosis, and we've been working through finding the right medication for him. Early success with stimulant meds proved unsustainable (the side-effects were too much for him). We're seeing some benefit from a medication called Attuniv, but the full dose is too much for him, and the insurance company is refusing to continue paying for the smaller "introductory" dose. So he'll be switching to another med when this prescription runs out in a few weeks. the new med is similar, but will have to be taken 2x/day instead of once.

Hopefully, all of this will start to calm back down again, and I can be a more regular contributor to this wonderful community.

 

[Bunch24]

I had thought about Gatlinburg , but I was not sure that there was enough to keep us busy for a week or if it was more a long weekend type thing...I had forgotten about Dollywood Have you stayedin the cabins before?

We stayed there for I think six days, at a cabin we rented from a friend of the family. Most of the cabins there offer the same, though. There was plenty enough to do for the whole week. Like I said, we did the national park for probably three days. There are hiking trails, Cade's Cove loop (which you drive), waterfalls, etc. And during the summer, the beautiful creeks make for great swimming holes/tubing courses.

Pigeon Forge is full of shows, similar to Hoop Dee Doo. Black Bear Jamboree is a dinner show with musical acts (when we went it was a tribute to every decade of music). Comedy Barn is a very fun, family-friendly comedy show set in the Hee-Haw style. There's a Dixie Stampede show, which is a country and western version of Medieval Times (or so I've been told). There are other shows we didn't really explore also. Besides that, Pigeon Forge's main drag has tons of miniature golf courses, arcades, go-kart tracks, etc. They do have a Christmas Village place (can't remember the name), but the day we went there was a Santa Claus there and plenty of free activities for the kids (face-painting, balloon animals, card-making, etc.)

Gatlinburg has a pretty cool main street with lots of shopping and museums. There's a car museum, Ripley's museum, another wax museum. Oh, and lots of fudge places. LOL Gatlinburg does have the Ripley's Aquarium, which was a pretty good experience. Gatlinburg is themed like an old German village, so the buildings are all close enough to park and just walk up and down.

We liked the trip there enough to probably put it into our rotation of non-Disney vacations. It's a little on the expensive side, IMHO. But that's coming from a guy who believes the biggest bang for your vacation buck is WDW.

 

[GoHerd1028]

Thanks guys. I realized after I posted about work craziness that I may have neglected to stop by here and thank the members of the gang that were so friendly and supportive last month when we got the news about my Dad's aneurysm. (I don't remember if I posted this all here, or if it was just over on FB, but the quick summary is that doctors discovered a brain aneurysm in my dad at the end of December, while looking for something totally different on the opposite side of his head). The update is that he had a coiling procedure to remove the aneurysm just after New Year's. The procedure went perfectly, and he was back to normal in less than 24 hours. It was truly amazing and a huge relief. The support from folks here was a big help when I first got the news and was freaking out a bit - thanks again Steve, and everyone else.

.

Page ownage
No thanks are necessary...was glad to be able to say something that might have made things a little easier to understand...I am thrilled it went so well!!!

 

[GoHerd1028]

We stayed there for I think six days, at a cabin we rented from a friend of the family. Most of the cabins there offer the same, though. There was plenty enough to do for the whole week. Like I said, we did the national park for probably three days. There are hiking trails, Cade's Cove loop (which you drive), waterfalls, etc. And during the summer, the beautiful creeks make for great swimming holes/tubing courses.

Pigeon Forge is full of shows, similar to Hoop Dee Doo. Black Bear Jamboree is a dinner show with musical acts (when we went it was a tribute to every decade of music). Comedy Barn is a very fun, family-friendly comedy show set in the Hee-Haw style. There's a Dixie Stampede show, which is a country and western version of Medieval Times (or so I've been told). There are other shows we didn't really explore also. Besides that, Pigeon Forge's main drag has tons of miniature golf courses, arcades, go-kart tracks, etc. They do have a Christmas Village place (can't remember the name), but the day we went there was a Santa Claus there and plenty of free activities for the kids (face-painting, balloon animals, card-making, etc.)

Gatlinburg has a pretty cool main street with lots of shopping and museums. There's a car museum, Ripley's museum, another wax museum. Oh, and lots of fudge places. LOL Gatlinburg does have the Ripley's Aquarium, which was a pretty good experience. Gatlinburg is themed like an old German village, so the buildings are all close enough to park and just walk up and down.

We liked the trip there enough to probably put it into our rotation of non-Disney vacations. It's a little on the expensive side, IMHO. But that's coming from a guy who believes the biggest bang for your vacation buck is WDW.

Sounds like a lot of stuff to do there. It is only about 4 or 5 hours from us so that is a plus too!

 

[MiJo]

Gentlemen,
My wife has made me a bet! If I can get below 230lbs (at 250lbs) before my 43rd b-day (March 13th) then she will pay for the ENTIRE trip herself. But if she can get below 200lbs then I have to pay for the airfare myself. Other then starving myself or consulting a Bariatric Surgeon. Any suggestions. Strict Dole-whip diet? Low-carbs/low-fat LeCellier diet?

*OWNAGE*

I lost some weight by cutting out all snacks after 6 PM and by eating desserts only on Sundays. I don't know if that'll help you lose 20 lbs by March 13th, but it might.

im only at 8 guys so far. ray,ron,steve,tim,carl,barry,christian,christopher. im activly working on jason and mike only lives in the next town. hopefully ill be at before spring. 8 of the guys i met all in one trip. but to be fair, i was there for 2 weeks so i was able to be there for alot of the guys coming down.

Dave ~ We will get together one of these days! My DW and I celebrated our 35th Anniversary tonight with dinner at the Springtown Inn. First time we'd been there and we enjoyed it. Nice atmosphere; good buffet for me and scallops for her. We'd do it again.

 

[Bunch24]

Sounds like a lot of stuff to do there. It is only about 4 or 5 hours from us so that is a plus too!

I think there's plenty to do, but my kids are easily entertained. That doesn't even include a trip to Dollywood and the adjacent water park. That's probably two days if you do the park on one day and water park the next.

 

[GoHerd1028]

I think there's plenty to do, but my kids are easily entertained. That doesn't even include a trip to Dollywood and the adjacent water park. That's probably two days if you do the park on one day and water park the next.

and if I recall correctly...isnt Cherokee, NC a short drive away??

 

[dvczerfs]

That is yet another good idea...how far is Niagra Falls from there??


I had thought about Gatlinburg , but I was not sure that there was enough to keep us busy for a week or if it was more a long weekend type thing...I had forgotten about Dollywood Have you stayedin the cabins before?



I am glad that I am not losing my membership status to even think of doing something besides Disney LOL


I am at 5 guys...Carl, Dave, Christian, and Barry. I met one of our new members on our cruise last year Dan (GoBucks1169). Looking forward to more meets in the future.

Keep the travel ideas coming guys!!!

if you were to stay near philly or the lehigh valley area. you are 45 min. from philly, new york city, lancaster,pocono mtns. (which has water parks) hershey. philly zoo is nice. the history stuff may bore the little ones but the smithsonian has stuff for kids. dorney parks, crayola factory. you could spend weeks in our area and still not see eveything. if your intrested i can give you more sites and parks to look up on the net. niagra is about 6 hours north but we do have the bushkill falls if you want to see water going over a cliff.

 

[Bunch24]

and if I recall correctly...isnt Cherokee, NC a short drive away??

It's about an hour long drive (30 miles or so) straight through the middle of the national park. It's a beautiful drive through the mountains. One afternoon, on a particularly cranky day for the youngest, we hopped in the car and drove through the mountains to Cherokee and turned around and went back to Gatlinburg. Our youngest sleeps like a hibernating bear in the car, so it was a great 2-hour break from his whining. Plus, we listened to Mouseworld Radio and some Disney podcasts and enjoyed the scenery.

We were told by several park rangers that the NC side of the Smoky Mountains had all the beautiful waterfalls. The best waterfall we "saw" was on the TN side and was guarded by a stupid bear foraging through food left behind by careless picnickers. Got a great picture of the bear standing about 100 feet away from me, then hauled tail back down the mountain.

In hindsight, it was probably stupid to stand there taking a picture of a hungry bear with only a wooden bridge between us.

 

[caa1277]

ahhh, you will be gone before i get there. we use to stay at cbr, its nice and it is quiet there.

We have never stayed at CBR.......our last two trips we stayed at POP. We're looking forward to trying something new.

 

[GoHerd1028]

hey caa1227...where is Shelbyville as opposed to Ashland?

 

[caa1277]

hey caa1227...where is Shelbyville as opposed to Ashland?

Shelbyville is just east of Louisville by about 15 miles or so. As far as Ashland goes, straight down I-64 about 2.5 hours away maybe.

 

[GoHerd1028]

Shelbyville is just east of Louisville by about 15 miles or so. As far as Ashland goes, straight down I-64 about 2.5 hours away maybe.

Ok..I got an idea more of where you are...we are in southern Ohio near Ashland.

 

[caa1277]

Alright guys.....I need some help here. We are flying down to Orlando on June 2 and staying until June 12. We need to rent a car to drive home with because we are going to stay at some beach in Florida for a few days after WDW. The rates I have been quoted are for one-way rates are they EXTREMELY high!

Anyone know of any good deals for one-way rentals out of Florida for June 12-18?? We need a minivan.

Any and all help, advice and information is greatly appreciated!

 

[GoHerd1028]

Alright guys.....I need some help here. We are flying down to Orlando on June 2 and staying until June 12. We need to rent a car to drive home with because we are going to stay at some beach in Florida for a few days after WDW. The rates I have been quoted are for one-way rates are they EXTREMELY high!

Anyone know of any good deals for one-way rentals out of Florida for June 12-18?? We need a minivan.

Any and all help, advice and information is greatly appreciated!

When we flew down in December I had to fly into Clearwater and out of Orlando...got a good deal on Priceline for a minivan and name your own price.

 

[caa1277]

Ok..I got an idea more of where you are...we are in southern Ohio near Ashland.

Not to far away then. You follow college sports?

 

[GoHerd1028]

Not to far away then. You follow college sports?

Well...you Might say that LOL...check out the signature and the username