~ The Man Report ~~~~~~~~~ Bonus Material Included ~~~~~~

[jas_mom1]

I'm still fascinated reading your TR. You and Linnie make me laugh.

Thanks!
Dianne

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

As bad as the meal selection was the night before, Pooh woke up in a good mood and ready to have fun. I don’t even think she went to the can once prior to leaving!

What!!! I woke up so sick I thought I’d hurl. That sausage was barking big time and I did visit the can, but I won’t say how many times. We got on the road and I couldn’t even talk lest I would upchuck. I did NOT feel good. Nor was I in a good mood. Buzz is so oblivious –what a life that would be-to be in a constant state of Buzz-ness.

We hatched our plan while waiting in line to go thru the turnstiles. Mom would grab the two monkeys, rent our stroller, then meet me in front of Kali River Rapids which doesn’t open until 9:30 a.m. I will GAT my way over to Expedition Everest, grab four fast passes, then head to Kali.

It was the perfect plan. Ungowa!!!!!!

Not really perfect, I got the stroller, then headed toward Kali. I ran into that giant mass of people in the middle of the road too. I tried to GAT my way through. I saw an opening and I took it, only to smack some lady in the back of her knees with my stroller. Oops. I said, “I’m very sorry.” She turned around and said, “That’s ok.” What a nice lady-she was polite, even though I almost knocked her down. I gave up GATtin’ and just followed the rest of the throng. I made my way toward the boat ride and no sooner did I get there, than I saw Buzz coming toward us. After some monkey watchin' and bathroom doin', we got on Kali. I love that ride-it's so fun. I really liked it the first time we rode it-Moan Boy was turned around backwards as we went down the big waterfall and got a huge mouthful of nasty Kali water-he doesn't turn around anymore! Poor kid! Yuck!

It’s now only 9:10 a.m. as I reach my crew. We wander around the Kali area and watch the cute monkeys playing prior to the ride opening. I inform Loud Girl that the monkey looks like her uncle Darryl… mommy’s brother.

At least my brother doesn’t look like a Toad with a capital T. No offense to toads.

My grandpa and my mom have really round faces-they're very cute. I’ll post a picture if I can find one.

I loved watching the monkeys. Last year we heard them making sounds and the baby one made this sound just like Buzz makes when he’s bored! No kidding! When he heard that, he said he wasn’t going to do that sound anymore. Probably a good thing.

I love the ponchos. I also love the looks and questions we get from people when they see us wearing them. “This ride isn’t that bad, is it?” Uh, yeah, it can be. I’ve been drenched a few too many times. I don’t care if I look like a geek. I want to be dry and comfortable!!

We ride EE next and love it. Loud Girl is only 5 and she thinks this is the best ride ever (EE Train she calls it).

It IS the best ride ever!! I love it.

Countdown to Extinction used to be the name for Dinosaur. I’m not exactly sure why they changed it but they did. The ride used to be much different in the early years.

Uh, maybe it was because Disney came out with a movie named Dinosaur???

I don’t do the “spinny” roller coast as I have a tendency to topple over in a heap upon exiting.

Yup, see Blue’s TR for the full story on that.

We walked out of the store just as MB and Pooh were exiting the “spinny” roller coaster. To get their attention, I do a little “jig” much to Pooh’s horror.

I kept walking, pretended like I didn’t know him.

30 minutes in the Dig Site is enough for the kids so we head over to have lunch at the Flametree BBQ. A beer and a pulled pork sandwich is just what the doctor ordered. I feel good by this point but the baked beans would be barking by dinner time.

I passed up the beer, beans and corn. Probably should’ve said no to the sandwich too, but by this time I was feeling close to something resembling human-ish and decided to chance it. Not a good plan.

Why can’t we give our stroller away!?!? Nobody should ever deny a free stroller even if you don’t have any kids. It has many uses including, but not limited to, clearing paths at the rope drop & keeping track of intoxicated spouses.

Any guesses who that might be? I’ll give you a hint-not me!

Our big night out was coming up. I knew I needed to take it easy on the food. The next day we were planning on renting a boat or swimming-no more park-ing. Dinner at TGIFriday's. Great! Or so I thought...

 

[Goofster57]

I love the ponchos. I also love the looks and questions we get from people when they see us wearing them. “This ride isn’t that bad, is it?” Uh, yeah, it can be. I’ve been drenched a few too many times. I don’t care if I look like a geek. I want to be dry and comfortable!!

Better to look like a Geek then walk around with wet underwear all day

 

[Marion]

Oh my.... here I am only on page 21 with so much to remember and more comments I meant to make are long lost! I started reading on Monday and I think I'm going to be caught up today! Between the rabid duck and the Travelocity gnome (I snort-laughed coffee when I got to THAT pic... and then the one with the Aflac duck... omg ) the beer drinking ... oh yeah... you poured a BEER into the bushes by the pool?!?! In this country you could be deported for that you know. And what's up with the clueless Canadian theme? Hmmmm? Ok... I think I'm done for the moment....

Edited for Lego... I already had potato head pieces on my shopping list and apparently must add legos. Is that the same deal... pack pieces into a box for a set price? And do they have unique duplo sets? I have little tiny tykes to buy for and legos are still too teeny for them.

PS: between you and Mel I'm having to learn another language... GAT, eggtimers... I'm ded...

 

[blue_river]

LOL!!

My question is this: Once they hit the small city, shouldn't they have picked up a road map and some beer?

You would THINK so eh??

Buzz is so oblivious –what a life that would be-to be in a constant state of Buzz-ness

Sounds like my DH

I kept walking, pretended like I didn’t know him.

I don't blame you!

Better to look like a Geek then walk around with wet underwear all day

ewww...I second that one.

And what's up with the clueless Canadian theme? Hmmmm?

ummm....that's for my benefit - Buzz enjoys picking on little ole me

It's okay though, payback is always fun

 

[KathyRN137]

Better to look like a Geek then walk around with wet underwear all day

Boy oh boy,

I am soooo tempted to make a slightly suggestive joke.....but, I'm already on thin ice on this board, so I will resist the temptation.

Kathy

 

[Goofster57]

Boy oh boy,
I am soooo tempted to make a slightly suggestive joke.....but, I'm already on thin ice on this board, so I will resist the temptation.
Kathy

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

Boy oh boy,

I am soooo tempted to make a slightly suggestive joke.....but, I'm already on thin ice on this board, so I will resist the temptation.

Kathy

Make the joke. I would.

I don't blame you!

Hey!!

Edited for Lego... I already had potato head pieces on my shopping list and apparently must add legos. Is that the same deal... pack pieces into a box for a set price?

Yup, just load as many as you can fit for $12. The "guys" are sold separately.

What!!! I woke up so sick I thought I’d hurl. That sausage was barking big time and I did visit the can, but I won’t say how many times. We got on the road and I couldn’t even talk lest I would upchuck. I did NOT feel good. Nor was I in a good mood

Oh ya, now I remember. We went around a corner too fast and she turned green. Then LG was singing in the back of the car and got in trouble. I started making grunting noises just to test her irritability & the consequences yeilded an irritability result of 11 (on a scale of 1-10).

My mind apparently chose to "block" that portion of the trip out.

At least my brother doesn’t look like a Toad with a capital T.

My step-brothers are very "Toad-Like". Sucks to be them.

Was that you on that “Montanans” gone wild video?

If the person you saw had her hair up in a bun, wearing sweats, knitting a sweater, sipping on a glass of wine, and watching Dr. Phil re-runs, then YAH, that was probably her.

 

[IBelieve207]

"If the person you saw had her hair up in a bun, wearing sweats, knitting a sweater, sipping on a glass of wine, and watching Dr. Phil re-runs, then YAH, that was probably her. "

can't wait to here Linnie's rebuttal on this!

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

Blue, I meant to tell you, I loved your joke-that was hilarious!

Also, Marion, that Lego store has everything-not just little tiny pieces and guys you put in a bag. It has a bunch of different Lego sets you can buy. There were some with Sponge Bob, girly ones, Star Wars-just all kinds. I think they also have the bigger ones for smaller kids, but I'm not sure.

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

I found a picture of my family! Brother, Mom and Grandpa!! All together in one picture-what are the odds of that!!

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

This is a much better depiction of Pooh's family:

 

[Goofster57]

You guys are a crack-up



Did you go on the same vacation together?

 

[Marion]

Also, Marion, that Lego store has everything-not just little tiny pieces and guys you put in a bag. It has a bunch of different Lego sets you can buy. There were some with Sponge Bob, girly ones, Star Wars-just all kinds. I think they also have the bigger ones for smaller kids, but I'm not sure.

Thanks It definitely sounds worth a look. I wonder if I can ditch my hubby and sneak in there alone.... If he gets wind of a place that only sells Lego the whole day will be shot. I lost him for over an hour in Toys R Us at Christmas... he was drooling over the pirate ships!

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

Marion, Best not to take your hubby to World of Disney if he likes pirate ships! I spent nearly an hour looking at them and I'm not really even into them. They have great pirate sets! In fact, they have great everything! I could spend a whole day shopping there! If only Buzz would let me-that'd be my idea of a perfect day!

ETA-I should add that, after much consideration and much "Hurry up" prods, I bought one of the most expensive pirate sets and no one even plays with it! My kids weren't that interested in it. Go figure...

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

Gasp! The Poncho People. Moan Boy & I took ours off too soon!

Loud Girl's Potato Head

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

~ The Man Report ~~~~~~~~~2007~~~~~~~~~~~Exit Light, Enter Night~~~~~


Our usual babysitter had an emergency so Fairy Godmothers sent over a substitute. She seemed harmless enough and spent the first 15 minutes telling us about her qualifications. Lin seemed at ease so we kissed the kids, jumped in the car, and cranked up some Guns & Roses… Welcome to the jungle, we got fun and games, we got everything you want, baby I know your name…



I bang my head and hold up the “Metal Sign” with my right hand. Lin stares at me with gaped mouth and wide eyes. In three hours though, she won’t even notice.

As all things in our lives, we have procedure for our “Night Out”. We head to DTD first where I drop off Pooh at World of Disney while I head to the bar at Raglan to sip Irish whiskey, enjoy the company of the bartender, and wait. Let’s face it; it’s what I do best.

She arrives and shows me her numerous “Mickey” items she purchased at which I nod numbly waiting for her to finish.

We then jump back in the car and crank up some Metallica…Exit Light, Enter Night, take my hand, off to never-never land…



I take the back roads to the Contemporary Hotel and listen to Pooh the entire way; “…are you SURE you know where you’re going”.

We pull into the guard shack out front of the Contemporary where the suspicious Disney-law enforcement official steps out and barks “…State your purpose”. ::cop: I proudly tell the pompous gate-keeper of our Priority Seating reservations at the California Grill. It is THE place to dine at Disney and I’m feeling a little “snooty”.

He checks the roster with a careful eye, then waves us in.

I pull in to the valet parking area, toss the driver a fin, then proceed to the 2nd floor where you’re now required to check in.

In the old days, you simply got on the elevator and went to the top floor where the restaurant is located. You could order a cocktail, then look out the windows at the scenery or wander over to the observation deck. Those days are gone.

The only way to enter the restaurant now is to have a Priority Seating reservation and be escorted to the elevator where they’ll punch in a code allowing access to the upper level.

Apparently, too much “riff-raff” was making their way to the restaurant to watch the fireworks without spending large amounts of money on food & wine. That little problem has now been cured.

Personally, I think it’s all hogwash. They are denying us our God given right to enjoy a wonderful view of Wishes while slurping down a $14 glass of wine. Now, I’ve always gone to the Cal Grill with a reservation already in place. But what if I just wanted to stop by? What if I just wanted a quick glass of wine or scotch whilst surveying the scenery below?

Nope! The only way to visit the Cal Grill is to have a Priority Seating reservation and the access code for the elevator. Something tells me this can be circumvented. I shall have to think long and hard about how to sneak up in October without the prized Priority Seating ressie. I’ll have to keep Pooh in the dark however as she’d never go along knowing we might be “breaking” a rule. Good grief!

I enjoy tipping people when good service is rendered. I go so far as to keep a stack of $5 bills in my car to give to the homeless people standing on the street corners. Anyone willing to do that all day needs the money more than I do. I know, I know, that’s not an example of a tip, but it shows the deep compassion imbedded in Buzzila.

The valet came right out, opened our doors, gave us directions, and did it all with a smile. He deserved a fin.

The gal that punched in the access code into the elevator on the 2nd floor was a little “snippy” so she got nothing even though she hesitated ever so slightly in anticipation of receiving a “dead president”.

The hostess who sat us was very nice and efficient so she also got a fin.

We were sat in the “Wine Room” with a great view south towards Epcot and MGM. It started to rain as the sun was setting which made for a spectacular view. More romantic it could not have been.

Our wine steward recommended a nice (small) bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet. He brought it out, poured me a small sample which I expertly sipped, swished, swirled then gulped down. I gave it the old “Thumbs Up”.

Here’s a shot of us in the Cal Grill Wine Room with our small bottle of wine:

Our first course was a BBQ Pork Flatbread (fancy term for pizza) which Pooh made the comment; “…this is gunna hurt tomorrow”. It was outstanding!

Next up was a Crab California Roll with soy sauce. This was for me as Pooh doesn’t like sushi. It was fantastic but I was starting to get full. Lin enjoyed a nice salad during my sushi but I can’t remember which one she ordered.

For the main course I ordered a Wild Sea Bass that was out of this world delicious. It melted in my mouth and was bursting with flavor.

Pooh stared at the menu for an excruciating period of time trying to decide what her main course was going to be. I looked at the menu for two seconds and knew she would end up ordering the Oak Fired Filet. Her need for red meat is never satisfied. I once watched her take down an entire rack of pork ribs at our local BBQ joint. It wasn’t pretty.

I’m sure Pooh was a half-starved hyena with a tapeworm in her former life. The woman can put a “hurtin” on a plate of meat like you’ve never seen. Of course, she DID order the Oak Fired Filet, as I knew she would, and devoured it in less than three minutes. The craziest part is she never gains any weight. She’s pretty much the same size as when I met her.

On the other hand, I nibbled delicately at my fish, tasted my wine, and conversed with the waiter to get his attention off the scene my wife was creating to my right. A three-legged cat happening upon a pack of wolves had a better chance than the Oak Fired Filet had.

We decided that we weren’t quite bloated enough yet so dessert was in order. I believe I had the Crème Brule as I usually do. I can’t remember what Pooh had. I think I was just avoiding looking in her direction by this point.

The Cal Grill is one of my favorite places in the world. If done correctly, you can get seated by the window and enjoy the Wishes Fireworks show over MK while you dine. We’ve done this many times. This time, I didn’t care where we were seated. Go with the flow was my motto on this trip. We finished our fantastic meal just prior to the fireworks show and watched it from the bar where the lights were dimmed and the music from the show was piped in. As usual, it was incredible.

We left satisfied, jumped in the car, and cranked up some Prince …tonight I’m going to party like it’s 1999… I pretend to play the keyboards on the dash board which Pooh responds by saying “Please Don’t Do That!”

We headed towards Pleasure Island down the back roads for some good, old-fashioned Partying. I could hardly wait. I was gunna show off some of my new gangsta moves on the dance floor.


Next Up: We Get Jiggy

 

[Disneyolic]

~ The Man Report ~~~~~~~~~2007~~~~~~~~~~~Exit Light, Enter Night~~~~~

We then jump back in the car and crank up some Metallica…Exit Light, Enter Night, take my hand, off to never-never land…

Well thank you. I now have that song plugged into my brain. I'm not a big Metallica fan but I do like that song. Hubby has the CD and I sometimes sneak it to hear it but pretend I don't like heavy metal... ...unles it's JUDAS PRIEST!

 

[KathyRN137]

The craziest part is she never gains any weight. She’s pretty much the same size as when I met her.

How sweet! You're not such a Buzilla afterall!

Lin Dear, I thought I liked you.....but anyone who doesn't gain any weight after having two kids....hmmmm. I'm not so sure anymore....

It was a real treat to read about your romantic dinner. Ed and I will have to eat at Cali Grill one of these days!

Kathy

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

Lin Dear, I thought I liked you.....but anyone who doesn't gain any weight after having two kids....hmmmm. I'm not so sure anymore.... Kathy

This is what I mean about Buzz being in his own little world! I gained 60 pounds with my first pregnancy and nearly 50 with the 2nd. I totally gain weight!! I always say I'm not a yo-yo dieter-I'm a yo-yo eater!!

One year I'm up, the next I'm down. I hover around the same size all the time, but will gain 20 pounds, then lose it, then gain it, then lose it...That's why I have so many clothes-I keep 3 different sizes depending on where I'm at that year with weight.

The bad thing is as I get older, I can't lose it that easy-I used to be able to just think it and the weight would fall off, now I have to completely starve myself to shed anything and work out like a dog...I'm a bigger person, I'm not petite at all-big bones, big muscles-just big! The only things small about me are my head and my feet! So don't believe him that I don't gain weight, but boy do I love him for saying it!

I've been thinking all day about a rebuttal for the comment:
"If the person you saw had her hair up in a bun, wearing sweats, knitting a sweater, sipping on a glass of wine, and watching Dr. Phil re-runs, then YAH, that was probably her. "

Ok, I don't wear my hair in a bun-it's a knot. I don't knit-I crochet. And it's afgans for our church, not sweaters. I love wine, but not during Dr. Phil-he's on at 3 PM here-Wine Time isn't until 6 PM. Dr. Phil reruns? I prefer the new ones but I'll take what I can get. 14 years of marriage-Does Buzz even know me at all????

Buzz's typical day? Here it is:

He's sitting at the computer or in front of a t.v. with a deer in the headlights, glazed over expression on his face, wearing sweats, sucking very loudly on a piece of candy or loudly chomping on gum, with a beer in front of him and completely oblivious to anything going on around him. He's got his shirt on that says, "Chick Magnet" and once in awhile gets up to visit the bathroom. But not too often.