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

[jaycns]

I love the flashback!! Great installment! I am so glad your niece liked Fantasmic this time...I think she might have squished you this time if she tried to climb in.

Keep it coming Jam! I love reading your updates!!

PS Thanks for sharing "Daddy" with us! He's great!!

 

[Jennifer48]

Hooray an update! Woot Woot!

I love your writing style. Your experiences are so great and I love following along.

 

[Tanya90210]

What a Fantastic! chapter.... I love the Rocks n drops too I'm going to have to look into the disney fishing stuff... dh's been getting more and more into fishing lately

 

[Bibbidi]

Yeah, another update! My other favorite trip report by TimandLesley is coming to an end so I'm so glad that you're still posting updates to yours. Fantasmic terrified our girls (4 and 2) the only time we went. We haven't been back yet. Maybe next year when they're almost 7 and almost 5.

 

[AshClan]

Jami! Loved the Daddy/Teacher pic! And the one of the 3 boys is precious. You can just see how happy they were!!

Lexmelinda......the taxidermy line had me Didja know that Shrek has a little affinity for taxidermy? That was FOFF. Just what Jami needs, some fish on the wall!!!!

Rockin' and Droppin', baby! I can't wait!!!

 

[Emeline]

Ok - the Fixer is slipping a bit in her memory. The President's family was indeed in on this oh so average dinner at MGM. Remember we went to look for McDreamy paraphenalia but the store was CLOSED?? No coffee mugs to wake up to with the cute doctor's face. The men had the little guys somewhere else ( i didn't write things down because i was with the fixer and her little notebook - seemed like overkill to me to keep track) for awhile while we held down the dinner fort. And this is the night sweet Beat looked at me and asked if he could ride RRC with me! I was so honored AND "Sweet Emotion" played during this ride - my favorite of all!! Best ride, best song to ride to - one of my best memories, along with Captain Jack!!! Love late nights at the parks with all my friends and family!! Keep up the story line Jams!!

 

[jamal]

That's right, Em! I remembered there was a side trip, another mission of sorts going on and now I remember it was the search for the ABC merchandise store.

We kept that up for several days now, didn't we?

Heh heh.

OK, now, Disney, you need to Fix this!!

Once upon a time your Studios Backlot Tour dumped into the MGM/ABC store which sported a tasty sampling of MGM and ABC merchandise.

Help me people: you remember, right?

You could buy your Gone With The Wind magnets, Wizard of Oz coffee mugs, and current ABC hit posters and memorabilia.

We just knew we could score some Lost and Grey's loot this trip and circled that park eleven-teen times in search of it.

We were DENIED!

I ask you: since when does Disney deny target-audience females AND their target-audience tweens with cold hard cash and room-charging priveleges?

This store has dwindled in appeal, faded in scope, and lost its mojo.

Blah.

A few 'Best Friends' Oscars and Directors' Clapper Frames later and we were outta there.

OK, so that was ~$200.

Don't tell The Mouse.

 

[Bibbidi]

Yes! I remember the store! We haven't been on the Backlot Tour in a while. Sorry to hear that it's gone. I personally think they could use a few more stores with "original" merchandise as opposed to the same stuff you see over and over again.

 

[jamal]

Tuesday, March 20

Is it Tuesday already? We left on Friday. We came home the next Saturday. I have lots of pixie dust to tell you about.

Better get crackin’.

I’ll update you on our bunch in case you’ve fallen asleep, been on vacation, or read some of Mel’s multiple reports and confused the casts.

I also like to read about them again because I love them:
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 (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 who went with us last year: They will be known as The Gatelatch family, as Cledus introduces himself and orders at Starbucks. CookMaster, GS13, 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. She has more tricks up her sleeve…
Cledus B. Gatelatch: The CookMaster’s DH, can’t vacation more than 6 days.
Their DS13, Japago on this trip, actor and awesome kid, terrific friend to my A!
Their DS10, Beat, comic book writer extraordinaire, C, has written four hilarious comic books about “The Fixer” (me) and “The CookMaster” (his mom)

The Teacher—40, my sister, funny, beautiful, loves coke bottle gummies
DS12—B, my son’s six week younger cousin and friend since birth
DD10—Cinderella as just cast in our school play, my precious niece who has my heart!

The Coattail Family:
The President—Emeline, the tall beauty we also call The Mayor and community builder. She loves tennis, wine, entertaining and, sadly, cats. We continue to speak despite that shortcoming.
The Australian—Her DH. Shrek had to really listen to understand him when they first met. He’s an incredible tennis player and devoted family guy who rarely breaks for naps. Uh oh. I named him Crush this trip after watching him with Nemo.
DS 13— He’s G. Future tennis pro, smart kid, and my A’s classmate for 6 years.
DD 11—This redheaded beauty was just cast as the Queen in our school’s Cinderella! She’s a great friend to my niece and the Cookmaster’s DS10.
DS 7-- Little G, first grade friend of my E, adorable adventurous scout, hasn’t been to Disney in four years!

Got that?

It’s time to go to Animal Kingdom. Every one of the Party of Sixteen was ready to scale Everest and face the Yeti. I just got all hopped up again word processing it. When I think of Expedition Everest and what Disney invested in the themeing, planning, research, and authenticity, I am humbled by The Mouse. We’ve watched The Travel Channel specials on Making of Expedition Everest several times (I commend them to you) and just know that Walt would appreciate what Joe Rodhe and his team did in creating story for Animal Kingdom’s guests. From the sights and smells as you enter Asia to the thousands of minute details in the queue, that attraction has more to keep you entertained than many small museums provide for separate admission.

When you think about it as a guest in central Florida, it’s difficult to remember the vision and labor required to transform the stage into that show. Of course, Everest is one of many attractions with such elaborate themeing and that is Disney’s trademark, but it sinks in well with me at Everest. I’m sure it’s because it’s so recent

Needless to say, we were ready to ride!

First, though, I received a phone call as I was trying to deal with Disney hair…again. Uh oh.

It wasn’t about Granny. Believe it or not (I still didn’t) she was holding her own and still eating chicken broth, though the respirator was close to her bed and ready for action if she needed it again. Whew.

No, it was the Teacher, my sister. My nephew B had been puking all night. Hi LaLa! Hi Frick! Oh, I don’t remember what he ate at the ABC Commissary or at Toluca Legs at 1am and didn’t ask AT THIS POINT, but he was a no-go for the Yeti and all other AK lurching and riding.

Major Bummer!!!!!!!!!!

They were going to stay in at POP and watch the sprinklers at the Hippy Dippy all day.

That might make me hurl.

I asked if she felt like could leave him long enough to drive Cinderella to AK or get her on a bus (with promises to meet her at the stop) so she could at least have an AK day. Yes! Whew. Calls. Timing. Watch checking. Clothes flinging. Bag stuffing and grabbing.

The Fixer’s Disney vacation remained in multi-task overdrive all week. I loved every minute of it.

We met in the lobby as usual where I shared the sad news about Aunt M and B. Major Bummer. Queen M and Beat were very happy Cinderella was going to meet us. Me too. I remained optimistic about B’s stomach for later in the day, for we had big dinner plans. What else is new?

As we rounded up the kids in the Beach Club lobby, the dads (Crush and Shrek) went to the little cartoon-viewing area to retrieve little G and E. This day, as usual, E was holding a DVC button. He was also chatting up a DVC rep. Roll eyes. You all know those DVC reps never entice kids or solicit talk. No, our E is just that curious and greedy. He’s seen enough DVC kiosks, Welcome Home signs, and mansion-esque (eye level) photos that he’s become the family’s agent. As we got on the AK bus he grabbed hands with me and Shrek:

Mommy and Daddy, why haven’t we had a DVC?
Us: Evan, you greedy little money-bleeder, what do you mean?
Well, the sign says it’s Disney home away from home and that’s what you said Disney is for us, Mommy. Us: Take off that pin.
Of course we had a plan and I doled it out on the bus. Emeline and I decided the little boys needed to preserve their legs and had earned a stroller, so I offered to be the stroller runner. First, though, we had to retrieve our niece from the parking lot.

I’m a little bit scared of Disney parking lots. First, I don’t drive at Disney. I never even have a car there. I once had the misfortune of getting in a car going from POP Century to California Grill at the Contemporary.

We ended up in the deserted AK parking lot.

These lots are designed for the parking CMs’ enjoyment, aren’t they? They are an attraction for the cast.

Well, my poor sister got all twisty and confuzzled and finally ended up on one wheel at my feet. She tossed out the Princess, handed me her KTTK, and wished us a magical day in the park. I wished her a tolerable day with magazines, a hurling teen, and Stacey.

Excuse us, people, but we need to get to Everest!

We need to ride the cold mountain!

We’re soooo not afraid of the Yeti.

Bring it.

Oh good; I haven’t lost my niece yet.

Themeing. Flags. Authentic Tibetan novelties. We might have seen them all while we waited in line that day. Did you take them all in?

We missed much of it in our FOUR circles through the queue.

4.

F-O-U-R.

We are~~

Yeti Masters.

FastPass Magimaticians.

Everest Conquerors x 4.

Pre-11:00, even.

Cold crew, post four Yeti-encounter:

Thanks G, for playing along. Or is he?

In between the Encounters we had to go to Dinoland. Yes, you can ride the Yeti (tmi?) multiple times in a morning, but you have to have some filler, too.

Those of us who don’t do Dinosaur did the hideous arcade games and Primeval Hurl. My E was undone because too many people were playing the games for him to have a shot at winning a big ugly prize. I was livid.

I don’t do greed. When he started crying over the carnival game in that pathetic circus Disney calls Dinoland, I almost took him back to the room. Well, I thought about it because I was MAD. My Golden Sunshine can be the most patient boy in The World but when ‘I want’ and ‘Please can I have’ and other words of desperate consumption rear their ugly heads I break out what mothers have been flailing into the air for centuries: find a gratitude attitude in this land of overindulgence or you’ve ridden your last Yeti.

I say it twice a week in this culture of excess: our kids’ lives are a party.

Party on.

Back to the cold Asian mountains we hooked up with the CookMaster who was attached to her phone as she had been all morning. She had her perpetual smile and good-news voice in high wattage as she chatted away with her Disney connection.

Disney connection?

Well, if you were with us last year you’ll remember the CookMaster has some pretty fabulous tricks up her sleeve. A singer and performer herself, she used to work with some current Disney CMs who were kind enough to dazzle us with magical backstage pixie dust last on our last trip.

Did you forget? Here's a sample: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1064872&page=3

She’s at it again and they have promised new magic, this time beginning at Animal Kingdom!

Would we be available for VIP seating for the new Nemo show at 12:30?

We would! We are! We’ll be there!!

I’ll be back tomorrow—Yes, TOMORROW—to tell you about it. I just had to make sure my poor TR still had a pulse.

I really am back.

Are you?

 

[Bibbidi]

I'm back! Can't wait to hear about the VIP experience at the Nemo show.

 

[Grammyof2]

I’m a little bit scared of Disney parking lots. First, I don’t drive at Disney. I never even have a car there. I once had the misfortune of getting in a car going from POP Century to California Grill at the Contemporary.

We ended up in the deserted AK parking lot.

I'm back, er here, er somewhere.

But the above quote??????????? I represent that statement



If I have one piece of advice, I actually saw it written on a table cloth at the Cali Grill, never get into a car with your interent friends. You never know what experience you will leave with

Can't wait to find out what magic the CookMaster stirred up.

 

[flipflop]

So glad you're back. Missed you.

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Another excellent installment Jam! Can't wait to hear about the special pixie dust!

 

[Tanya90210]

yay... love the update.... as always

 

[jaycns]

I'm still here, and of course, OH SO IN!! Come on Jamal! Don't leave me hanging, I leave in TWO days for WDW, I need an update before then! HA HA HA driving anywhere gets me confused. I am a taxi/limo in other cities, GPS in my own hometown and NOT even trying Disney driving gal!

Drop me off in the middle of nowhere with the knowledge of which direction home lies and I am fine, put me on a road with a map...I get inexplicably lost!

I am glad your niece was able to join you! And I am hoping your nephew makes it to the dinner you had that night.

Now... ...I am ready to hear more!!!

 

[jamal]

Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!! She did it! Well, he did it. As the CookMaster says, you can never have too many friends. She is right. I could see her eyes traveling back to her single days of performing on stage (20 plus years ago) with her current CM friends as she hung up the phone. She was almost speechless as she humbly gave us the details of our next couple of hours. Yes, we had preferential VIP seating for the new Nemo show!

Did I mention it looked like rain? This early, preferred seating ultimately kept our human parts very dry.

Anyway, as we walked to the safari to save Little Red, then on to Flame Tree Barbecue for lunch, the CookMaster talked to us about her kind CM friend. It really speaks to Disney guest satisfaction that he wanted to make her (our) day--and vacation—so special.

This friend has been with Disney for years. He and another of the CM’s friends (who we will see later in the trip!!) are the CMs you WANT to know work for Disney. They truly love the Mouse, Walt, and making guests have magical experiences.

I cannot tell you how much I felt the magic of Disney when we heard how delighted they were to do this for us. The CookMaster kept saying, “Are you sure? All of us?” and he assured us it was his pleasure and apologized for not being able to greet us himself that day.

We told the kids the big news over chicken and corn at Flame Tree. By the way, E and little G were pretty tired of Applesauce, grapes, and carrot sticks by now. I case you don’t know, those are the choices on the children’s menu at all Disney CS restaurants. E didn’t really complain; we just got creative in swapping up his food with the rest of our family’s fries and beans. He also ate most of my chicken.

Even the older boys were curious about the Nemo show for they can appreciate musical theater and all love Lion King. We had heard how impressive the show was and were eager to see how the underwater story we had been singing for years would come to life in a theater.

I DID feel guilty walking past the umbrella-ed hordes lined up for miles toward the short roped area near the Nemo theater. How long had they been waiting? We went to the back of the building, as instructed, where the CookMaster gave her secret handshake and code to a CM. We were led into a roped (still outdoor) area with two other family groups for a short wait.

Let me be clear about something we learned that day. Well, first I will say that people never cease to amaze me.

Now, remember the last chapter I mentioned E’s difficulty with a gratitude attitude? I needed to re-load for the family sharing the VIP area with us. They were, honestly, so rude it was funny. We couldn’t even look at each other for fear of laughing.

Pushers.

There we were, a group of 20 or so, waiting to go into VIP seating together, and they pushed. One woman in particular, who couldn’t have known who was going in first, pushed us all. She sidled up to kids and adults, shouldering and elbowing, in order to make certain we knew she required the entire VIP section to herself.

We almost didn’t know HOW to get out of her way without backing into the shrubs.

Once inside the theater, guess what? They were on the first row and we were……………
………………..right behind them on the second row!


We liked her so much we took her picture to remember her:

Here we all are, about to enjoy the show as one, big, happy VIP group:

The show was fantastic! We later learned from the same CM that it is one of the toughest shows to work in all of Disney World. Why? The movements. In fact, they have to run it as a double or triple cast (depending on the number of shows per day) due to muscle fatigue and carpal tunnel. The Nemo character is extremely difficult to portray. It’s also difficult for CMs to work the show more than six months at a time. Next time you see it, imagine yourself as one of the cast members!

We all enjoyed the show very much and agreed it was a terrific new way for Disney to showcase storytelling in musical theater. We still love Lion King the best, but loved the balance of the two in our day. Most of all we are grateful to The CookMaster and her wonderful friend for the special experience of VIP seating.

He also told her he would be in close touch during our Magic Kingdom day (the next day) and had some big things in store for us. Hmmmm… we thought we could handle that!

We used our final Everest FastPasses just after the show, then were pleasantly surprised by ANOTHER call about VIP seating. Yep. This time it was for Festival of the Lion King. Wow.

We had enjoyed this treat last year as well, so were honored to do it again. This show astounds me. I just love it. I will tell you that being that close, for the second time, makes me feel weak and out of shape. The cast of that show is unbelievable!

Every time I see it I am impressed with the voices, timing, story, music, strength, acrobats, casting, and sheer pleasure I see on the faces of everyone in the jungle. After our backstage meet and greet last year I saw it continue, too. Confidence, pride, and dedication are pervasive in Animal Kingdom. We love it more every time we go.

On this day, though, we needed a break. You know it’s naptime when Cledus and Shrek are looking at their watches and asking when they get their naps. I called my sister who reported B was a little better. She thought they might meet us for dinner, but we made a plan to take Cinderella back to Beach Club with us just in case they didn’t make it so she could still play.

Up next: more ways to amuse ourselves during naptime, fantastic dinnertainment, and where is everybody? Then, more Magic in the Kingdom!

 

[princessjv]

Yet another great VIP day, minus the pushy, push petals...

What luck you have, that you got not 1 but 2 offers of VIPness. Granted to good people who have gratitude attitudes (I love that one).

 

[PittypatBR]

Well, how nice to see you again and hear more about your trip. I had almost given up! Enjoying!

 

[IkeandMike]

I just caught up, so it's like you were never gone. Great TR! As usual, wouldn't expect anything else.

Glad to hear your granny was feeling better!

 

[Tanya90210]

Another VIP Score!! I am really excited to see the nemo show... now even more... I had heard good and bad reviews.... I'm leaning towards good

FOTLK VIP too... Wickid! Did you get to do a meet and greet this time too?