The Fixer,The CookMaster,The Teacher,The President: 2007 sequel-*BACK 10-20-08 * Yep

[jamal]

Well, we weren't going back this year. After all, last Spring Break we enjoyed the Trip of a Lifetime at the Poly with our dear friends the Gatelatch family. As someone posted right here, we had pixie dust raining on us!!

It was true. We were soaked in backstage meet-and-greets (thanks to The CookMaster and some of HER former castmates), experienced plenty of Disney extras (Cirque, spring training, fishing, concierge), and we traveled in royal style. Our families could not have traveled better together, from my Shrek and the Gatelatch's Cledus dependence on afternoon breaks (naps) to the four boys perfect rhythm and my synchronized thoughts with my dear friend and cookie maker, we knew the trip of a lifetime was best revisited in pictures and memories.

Then my Shrek sent an email.
Stay tuned. I'll post more tomorrow and introduce the cast this week.

 

[Grammyof2]

Want to be the 1st of the 1000's of Fixer groupies to sign on for the ride



Plus - Love that siggie pic

 

[Wonders10]

Hi there!

I loved the TR from your last trip! Looking forward to reading about this one too!

 

[jamal]

Thank you!!!
More tomorrow!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Yay!! You're back!! I sure loved your last trip report!

I'm jumpin' on the bad boy early!

 

[princessjv]

Today is tomorrow...can't wait for the scoop!

 

[nicolemarie]

Yeah Jami!!

I'm on!

Can't wait to hear all about it!!

NM

 

[mdsouth]

I enjoyed reading your last report and am excited to read more!

So, I am on board!

 

[jamal]

One November evening A (DS12) and I were watching Amazing Race so I was away from the computer. This gave Shrek a rare few minutes to surf at home. When our show was over I hopped back in my seat to check the Dis before bed.

This was in my Inbox:

Darling Fixer,

Look at Disney for Spring Break. Leave March 16, return on March 25.

Poly. Concierge. Dining Plan. Park Hopper - 8 day. We'll fly on SWA.

Serious. See what the best deal you can get and then let's talk.

Love you,

Shrek​

Well, I fell out of my $30 yard sale Pottery Barn chair! I couldn’t decide how to play it so I sneaked back to the bedroom and pretended I hadn’t looked at email. I forwarded this to him at work the next morning:

Dear Shrek,

I am so upset!! After almost four years with Comcast and over 10,000 emails, I finally got a spam. What do you think caused this?

Should I get technical advice??

Love,
Your ball and chain​

His reply:

Yes. I am serious.​

My response (in 2.6 seconds):

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

WHOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really??
Really Really???

Um...HOW????
I love-a-you.
Me​

Followed by the somewhat embarrassing,

“Oops! Got so excited I replied to myself!!!!!!!!!”​

I was afraid to believe it, but he sounded serious.

I cautiously approached the subject that evening as he read his favorite magazine. Mr. Cool just smiled over his ever-present reading glasses and said, “Um hum. I thought you’d like that. I keep thinking about what you say about how the boys will not stay young forever and how our family is at it’s best there.”

Pounce.

Not on HIM.

Disney.com, a weak site at best, messed with my mind for the next few hours. Shrek wandered in and out of the room asking what I had found and why the pictures on the screen didn’t look like the Polynesian.

Because, Honey, I have a plan…

 

[PrincessV]

Okay, I missed out on your last TR - I'm getting in on this one early! I'm loving it already

 

[praisehisname]

I'm hooked already--can't wait to read more!!!

Denise

 

[MA pigletfan]

so hooked!!! i love sequels!

 

[solgent]

oooh, how exciting and tantalizing1 can't wait to hear more!

 

[jamal]

Thanks for jumping on board!

We have been very fortunate (see my signature) to stay at our choice of MK resorts the past four years. We are Poly addicts and Shrek wanted to stay there again. I love, adore, and dream about the Poly. Let me tell you, a few years ago on a late afternoon walk to the MK launch with to-go glasses of wine (and soft drinks) from the Poly concierge lounge I told my darling husband I never needed to vacation anywhere else as I had found Nirvana. He hugged me, heard me, and encouraged me to get a job. We’ve also loved the Contemporary (be-still-my-heart-MK Tower-view!) and Christmas week at Wilderness Lodge.

I still had an itch. I am a novelty seeker. Sometimes I need something new, and I knew my 3 boys might like Stormalong Bay. I know A loves the thrillers at MGM. I know we love Soarin’ and never get enough time wandering the World Showcase. E likes street entertainment and I could picture him soaking in the Boardwalk and World Showcase performers.

Shrek adores ice cream so I made sure Beaches and Cream was on the screen every time he walked through the room.

It took about a week. He still wanted concierge (it’s his personal encounter with once a year luxury, believe me) but he trusted me on the resort. I think the pool, B and C, and the proximity of two parks sold him. We booked eight nights with the forever-named Disney Dining Plan for the Overfed (see last year’s trip report) and hatched our plot to convince the Gatelatches to return with us.

It’s time for a refresher on last year’s Fixer and Gatelatch cast, with ages updated for 2007:

Me, The Fixer (because I fix problems and situations, not things), Jam, Jamal, 43 YO Disney planner, wife and mom
DH 45, Told me early in our dating he wanted to honeymoon at Disney. Shrek (sorry, but he is…an ogre with a heart!) Everyone calls him Shrek. He is Mr. Incredible, too.
DS12, A, Calvin AND Hobbes, sweet, the imagineer, lives for Disney magic, has firm plans to work for Disney. Not a greedy spender like his brother…
DS7, E, Schmev, made of steel but terrified of Tower of Terror, Happy, Golden Sunshine, Buff. Greedy little joker....

Our friends: They will be known as The Gatelatch family, as Cledus introduces himself and orders at Starbucks. CookMaster, GS12, GS9 (Gatelatch sons)
The CookMaster, became my friend through our sons’ friendship. Songbird and lover-of-life, has zesty hair, Scoutmaster, The Magician on our last trip as she arranged THREE backstage meet-and-greets
Cledus B. Gatelatch: The CookMaster’s DH, can’t vacation more than 6 days.
Their DS13, actor and awesome kid, Boy Scout, terrific friend to my A!
Their DS10, comic book writer extraordinaire, C, has written two hilarious comic books about “The Fixer” (me) and “The CookMaster” (his mom).

 

[jamal]

I chuckle just thinking about it. If we weren’t going back to Disney World this year, I assure you there was NO way the Gatelatches would go. I mean, Cledus, as The CookMaster says, squeaks when he walks. He is convinced Disney costs $1000 per day and he has other uses for that coin. The very words, “Do you think the Gatelatches would go again?” were met with snickers in the Fixer kitchen. No way. Wasn’t happenin’.

I asked her what she thought. Oh, that gave my friend a good laugh. Are you kidding, she said? She insisted the ONLY way Cledus might consider it would be if Shrek talked to him. We knew our husbands agreed that our boys were growing up and our days of watching them love Disney might be numbered. Hmmm… It’s important to squeeze every moment of memory out of childhood. Cram memories in their heads while draining money out of their college savings. College savings? Oh, I forgot to mention that that topic is OFF LIMITS on this trip report!

The plan was hatched. One November weekend our older boys had a Boy Scout campout. Cledus and Shrek would have some good fireside chat time. We suggested Shrek mention how much fun we had at Disney and that we were planning to go again and that A and E really wanted the boys to go too. He could also say how much fun the wives had together and oh yeah? Didn’t we have a good time too?

I arrived at the campsite about 5:00 PM. The CookMaster grabbed me and informed me Shrek had opened the topic and Cledus said he would think about it! We were halfway there and they planned to have lunch the next week. Shrek was confident he had a lock on the deal.

By Monday afternoon, we were booking airfare for eight. For the first time in our lives, my friend and I were speechless. The men had figured it out without our help.

Four Fixers, Four Gatelatches, One Beach Club. The Gatelatches, of course (see cast above) would be staying five nights lest Cledus’ business implode. We decided to wait until Christmas to tell the kids, but I began to make ADRs, of course.

 

[Emeline]

My first posting - I am nervous as I write this as I am just a novice and I am traveling with the Fixer and family - our Disney heroes. My family DH, DS13, DD11 and DS7 will be spending the week with the Fixer, the Cookmaster and the Teacher over spring break. We had thought about going, delayed our plans due to a possible Europe trip this year, and then found out about the fun our friends were having and it took 5 seconds for me to say we were coming too! The Fixer
and Gatelach families have graciously allowed us to jump on board with their Grand Gathering - actually, they had no choice as I had booked the hotel without any messing around! We are thrilled to be joining them and hope we add to the magic and not to their fight/disagreement tallies each day!! Or be the ones in the bad photos!! We are off in 2 days and I can't wait!!

 

[jamal]

Ohhhh!!!!! I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!!! Look! It's The President!!!!!! My Sweet Emeline is here!!

You'll meet the rest of the Coattails later!!! You'll love them! Now I just have to get the CookMaster and Teacher to post...

 

[OhMari]

Have a great trip everyone. I hope we get to hear 4 different versions of the TR. It's fun to read how someone sees a something and the next person could totally miss it-I should know, I totally missed Walt and Mickey statue on our first trip and my family had pictures and everything. I have no idea where I was that I missed the statue.

 

[The Cookmaster]

After a year of cajoling I'm finally here! I'll let The Fixer tell our story but I may jump in with comments. I'm completely unfit to join the ranks of the clever trip report writers that I've enjoyed so far!

 

[Grammyof2]

Jamal - are you creating alternate personalities in your spare time?

Welcome to the Cookmaster(whom I have heard so much about and who has great hair) and Emeline who has no idea what she might have signed on for

Hope you are all packed and strapped in - because you are in for a fantastic trip.

Now let me introduce you both to the PM feature here. Just click on my name and send me any dirt you want to share. My lips are sealed