The Moist Exhausting Free Trip Ever - Link to Part II Thread pg. 244

[glennbo123]

There should be a rule....no one should be alloiwed to try phishing scams on you while you're at Disney! (Ok, there should be a rule that no one should try phishing scams on you whatsoever, but the "at Disney" rule might be easier to do.) Honestly, I hope that if that happens I don't go into knee-jerk "ok, sure - here you go" mode. We did notify our credit card company before we left. I couldn't believe there was an option in the automated menu to do it!

Yeah, there oughtta be a law!

With the first one I thought it was a scam, but by the second I was starting to wonder. The best thing to do is call your credit card company.

I never knew that there was an option on the automated menu for it. (Guess I should do it more often.)

Looking forward to seeing how much trouble you and Dan got into at Yeehaw Bob's!

It was Judy and Candi who were the troublemakers! Just kidding.

Sorry about your headache. I get migranes which are no fun but weather, and allergies are my triggers. Sleep is the best remedy but my drugs are the only way to make it go away.

Thanks, sorry to hear that you get migraines. I agree sleep is the best, which is what was killing me -- I was at Disney and didn't want to sleep!

In 2006 you could fill your mug at Pepper Market but when you ate there the CM's did too and it was confusing. I guess when they remodeled they just put it behind the wall.

Yes at the grab and go, Cafe Rix now has the self serve mug station. Before they remodeled that it had a different name when it was really small. I forget now and it doesn't matter

Yes, I now remember seeing it when I bought the mugs, but it never occurred to me after that. That's okay, we weren't lacking for sugar.

 

[marvali]

That little 'c' in there was completely intentional.... just so you know

If I had a dime for every time I've heard that one.......

Oh this one is easy... there was a contest to pose as goofy shrugging but everybody was failing miserably... in fact I can see some "rise the roof" poses here and there

Oh my! I see that I will never live that one down.

Since I'm about to post another chapter, I suppose I should pick a winner in the little game we had this afternoon.

I'm going to say that the winner is.....



Tribilín.



I'm a sucker for a reference to one of my old TR's.

Oh okay, I see how it is. References to previous glennbo threads, regardless of whether or not they refer to things he can't live down, are still considered sucking up and worthy of recognition! Now I have a . I guess I am just going to have to quit being Mr. Niceguy all the time and start taking pokes at glennbo, even if they are totally out of my character!!!

Ay carumba!

Yeah, and I didn't even mention 1247-1391!!!

Huh, I thought it was a typo too. Sorry about that!

photochopping



Poor Judy!

Well, at least it wasn't just me....

Does she say things like "Those darned octegenarians!"?

No really, I thought this was funny. This isn't just a veiled attempt at sucking up to gain any competitive advantage in the next glennbo picture contest!

While Marlene and James took turns using the bathroom area to change into their bathing suits, I noticed my headache worsening. I bent over to take off the tags that the airline and bell services had put onto our luggage, and with the rush of blood to my head I thought that my head was going to explode.

I got a couple more Advil from Judy, and she offered to accompany the kids to the pool so I could lay down for a while.

As you get older, you have to be careful of overexertion. Those tags can be brutal!

So off they went to the pool. Well Judy, Marlene, and James anyway. Lauren stayed back to rest also. I figured that with the pace that Judy had been going for the last couple of weeks, she’d be the one who would get sick or tired, or sick and tired,

"And tired" always follows sick.....

but no – I was the first casualty. I don’t know if it was because of the travel, or too little sleep, or worrying about the ticket situation, or what, but I was hurting like no headache I’ve ever had before.

C'mon man, suck it up and quit with the excuses! There are pictures to take, games to play, children to conquer......

Just as I started out, I got a strange call on my cell phone from “cardmember services” saying that there was a problem with my credit card and fraudulent activity may have occurred. To continue, it asked me to enter my 16-digit credit card number. Well, I may have been born at night, but I wasn’t born last night,

Man, isn't THAT the truth!!!

and I knew that my credit card company shouldn’t need me to enter my number if they called me, so I hung up.

Good thing that advil kicked in when it did or you might not have been thinking so clearly!!!

I was greeted by a challenge coming from the beach volleyball court. Of course, it was James. Let me at least see the pool first!



I went over and played a little volleyball with James. It was kind of tough since it was just the two of us. Pretty much whoever served, scored. That’s a lot of ground to cover for just one person per side.



After that, James challenged me to a game of foosball.

I warned you about these impending competitions, but you just won't listen to me!

He couldn’t come up with two excuses in a row, although he did say something about his scraped hand.

Okay, now we know where he gets THAT from.....

Judy sometimes wonders why I can’t let the kids win, but I think it’s a guy thing. I’m too competitive not to play to win. When they win, they know they really have beaten me, because I’ll give it my best shot.

That's exactly how my boys respond when they do beat me.....they KNOW they actually won!

yes, it's a guy thing, not letting the kids win.

It must be a guy thing, my dh does the same thing, and our kids are 5 and 2. Though he has eased up and let them win recently, but I know that won't last. My kids always beat me

That's profiling....and that's wronnng!

I don't let my kids win either after they are about 6 or so- I think it's more a personality thing than a guy thing. I"m sure all of mine are forever damaged and will need therapy someday.

See!!!!

I have to admit, I am not sure which color of mug top to get. I know, obsessive. I'm leaning towards black- it's more versatile. and will go with my shades.

Must be a woman thing.

 

[glennbo123]

We are staying at Saratoga Springs. Not what I would pick but my parents have points with RCI and RCI has an exchange with SS and that's what was available. (plus we don't have to pay= me ) I have to admit, it's a bit overwhelming at first. I have two boys; Aidan is 4 and Logan is 3. Aidan just recently started begging to go to WDW. He even wrote it on his report at school..the one thing he wishes for is to go to WDW. They have no idea they are going. They know they are going on a surprise trip but dont know where it is. We plan on telling them the day of, well DH plans on that - for me, it gets harder and harder not to tell them. The only reason I haven't told them yet is because I don't want to constantly hear "When are we going to Disney?"

I have some ADR's booked but I feel like I am constantly changing my mind. Throw in a change in our flights due to a Southwest sale (now have $150 credit on southwest) which will now have us there in the morning. So I am reading every day, trying to figure out what will work best for us and go from there. We are going to the MNSSHP which I know the boys will LOVE! I can see how this becomes an addiction, I mean obsession.

Glad to hear the headache went away enough for you to make it to the pool
It is creepy how they called both you and your wife. Looking forward to the next post.

That is so cute that your son knows he wants to go to Disney. It really is a magical place. It's great that you can fulfill his wish. And a big "thank you" to your parents, right?

I thought I wouldn't like SSR, but after seeing a room that my sister-in-law and nephew stayed in last year, I changed my mind. It looked really nice. Link to SSR post from last year's TR

I'd recommend walking over to Downtown Disney on your first day. That way you're still "doing something" on the day you arrive, but you don't feel like you're wasting a park day since you're not there for a full day. Aidan will probably like the Lego store.

The surprise will be great. Make sure to videotape the reveal.

 

[ChefDisneyLu]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE your TRs!

I really don't post much but I just read your last TR and now I am into this one and it is Great!

I can't wait for more...Thanks for sharing.

Lisa

 

[Believeinfairytales]

Every time I go on vacation, somebody tries to scam my credit cards. Wierd, isn't it? I never get them unless I'm on vacation. So it does appear that someone out there KNOWS when/where I am using my credit card. Scary.

 

[vamassey1]

What is it about kids and pools? I always want to hit DTD, but no the kids want to hit the pools. When we went in Feb it was too cold to swim so DTD it was!

I do have to admit the pool area did look fun.

 

[hucifer]

I'm here, I'm late, I'm sorry.

I just read your intro (that's as far as I got) and I gotta say that some of your runner-up titles were pretty awesome. But none were as awesome as your pre-trippie title. I still think "Expensive" is far funnier than "Exhausting." For whatever my opinion is worth.

So I'm ready to put on my wet suit and dive in. I'm totally ready to immerse myself in a Glennbo adventure.


Okay. Here I go....

 

[butiflfeet]

I just caught up and it sounds like quite an adventure so far! Looking forward to more!

 

[hucifer]

Is this minutiae boring you yet?

You bored me at "The days leading up to our trip..."

For a snack we were served a package of tiny cookies. They were literally about a half an inch across. Lauren looked over at me while I was eating them, so I went into a Charlie Chaplin-like routine. I held the cookie with thumb and pointer finger of both hands, bit about a third of it, and chewed it thoroughly while staring blankly ahead, like Charlie did when eating his shoe in “The Gold Rush”, pretending to be thoroughly satiated with this tiny morsel.

Awesome.

So, we tightly sealed an empty water bottle before we took off and when we reached “cruising altitude” I took it out of James’ bag. It was tight as a drum. He thought that maybe it would explode or something. Nah, that’s a different trip report -- “The Most Explosive Free Trip Ever”.

That title would draw a crowd.

Anyway…I unscrewed the top and a bunch of air escaped, almost as if I was opening a full bottle of pop (or, what they call “soda” here in southeast PA). Then, on the way back down, we watched that baby shrivel up until the sides were almost touching each other. Fun with science! James’ ears really hurt during the descent, so I used the water bottle as an illustration of what was happening to his eardrum. Ouch.

I never expected to get a science education while reading your TR, Glenn.

We finally gave-in to the unrelenting pull that bell services had on our luggage. I mean, it was like some cosmic tug of war against unseen forces that we were obviously never going to win. So we obediently trudged back to bell services and relinquished the only worldly treasures we could give, our undies and toiletries, in rolling LL Bean duffels.

Bell Services: 1. Glennbo's Gang: 0.

Up next: Lunch at the Pepper Market

A better title would be:
Explosion at the Pepper Market
or
The Most Expensive free trip to the Pepper Market


On to the next installment!

 

[hucifer]

It’s actually quite simple, and it works much better than other food courts, such as the Riverside Mill at Port Orleans Riverside. Let me try to explain it. Your server will give you a few 3x5 inch cards with a bunch of boxes, about 1 inch square, printed on them. We received one card per person, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You take your card with you as you peruse the various food stations, and when you request something, the food service worker will stamp one of the boxes on your card with whatever it was you ordered, and give you your food order. You take your food and card back to your seating area, and when you’re finished eating you take all of your cards to the CM at the register who tallies them up and holds out her hand while the Disney cash register makes a “cha-ching” sound.

THAT'S simple? It sounds like stereo instructions.

Here are a couple photos of the décor. The first is from our table, looking up at this half-human/half-bird kind of statue thing.

They're paying homage to the thing that invented the ordering/paying system.

I forget what it was, but James announced, “I’m going to get the whatever”, which happened to be the most expensive item at that particular station.

That's my boy.

So, I obviously had to lay a framework for the kids’ selection process. I said, “You can pick any entrée, as long as it’s $9.99 or less.”

Dude, you're like the meanest dad EVER.

Here's a photo I forgot to include, which just illustrates my point.

It's like a feeding frenzy!

Attack of the hungry Glennbo Gang. Yikes! Good thing I'm not a pizza.

 

[mom2AandL]

I dont want to hijack your TR but yes - a HUGE thank you to my parents. Don't get me wrong, SS looks amazing and we will be in a 2 bedroom villa. It's just funny that for our first trip as a family we end up at SS. My mom grew up in Upstate NY and I was born in Upstate NY.

Both the boys will LOVE the Lego store. We were thinking of going to MK that day and having a lazy time walking through. I know that we should have a plan but I think the kids would love to go just to see it. Still deciding.

 

[hucifer]

I suppose we could have walked over to the building and started trying our keys in every door, but that’s a good way to get kicked-out. Or at least, so I’m told.

Good to know.

Then I really dug deep, looking for anything, “how about AAA, or Blood Bank of Delmarva?” (I was thinking of what cards I had in my wallet in case I actually had to produce identification in the unlikely event she said “Why, yes! Yes we do give a Blood Bank of Delmarva discount!”

He who asks most questions, learns the most.

Also, he who asks dumb questions look like fool.

We were in search of room 3452, in the Casitas section, which is the section nearest the Convention Center. Despite trying to follow signs which showed where various room numbers were located, we still wound around buildings, and made a few wrong turns. We went up one set of stairs, but it only went to a second floor on that particular building, and our room was a third floor room. Back down again. The good thing was, we happened upon some nice courtyards, with beautiful fountains and scenery. We eventually found a courtyard with an elevator! We got on it and pushed the button for the third floor. Getting off the elevator, Lauren started leading us to the “2” building instead of the “3”, but after correcting that, we soon found our room.

Sounds like the Pepper Market folks designed the room layout.

We left to go back to our room, very happy with the outcome of our “tickets to nowhere”. We hadn’t walked very far, only about to the Pepper Market, when we heard, “Ma’am! Ma’am!” It was the senior CM, running after us, huffing and puffing. She had our comp tickets so that we didn’t have to make a return trip to the Front Desk.

Only in Disney World.

We found our way to the elevator that we’d used before to get to our floor and a maintenance worker also got on the elevator. He was very nice and asked us where we were from, and if we’d just arrived and those kinds of questions.

Then when we got off the elevator he held the door and said, “Do me a favor”.

Yes?

“…..Enjoy!”

We took a few steps and Lauren said, “I love Disney!” I said, “I know! Where do they find these people?!”

Only in Disney World.

Up next: Our first casualty

THAT'S a better title. I knew you had it in you.

 

[glennbo123]

If I had a dime for every time I've heard that one.......

You'd be paying cash for one of those new Disney homes.

Oh okay, I see how it is. References to previous glennbo threads, regardless of whether or not they refer to things he can't live down, are still considered sucking up and worthy of recognition! Now I have a . I guess I am just going to have to quit being Mr. Niceguy all the time and start taking pokes at glennbo, even if they are totally out of my character!!!

I call 'em like I see 'em Mr. Niceguy.

Yeah, and I didn't even mention 1247-1391!!!

Uh, until now.

No really, I thought this was funny. This isn't just a veiled attempt at sucking up to gain any competitive advantage in the next glennbo picture contest!

Oh, that's reassuring.

As you get older, you have to be careful of overexertion. Those tags can be brutal!

Coming from anyone else, I'd take this as a dig. But I know that you're older and probably really have had trouble overexerting yourself wrestling with the tags. So...thank you.

C'mon man, suck it up and quit with the excuses! There are pictures to take, games to play, children to conquer......

Man, isn't THAT the truth!!!

This may be the funniest thing you've ever posted. I really did laugh out loud.

Good thing that advil kicked in when it did or you might not have been thinking so clearly!!!

Yes, and also entered my social, birthday, mother's maiden name....

I warned you about these impending competitions, but you just won't listen to me!

Well you warned me now, like 3 weeks later.

Okay, now we know where he gets THAT from.....

I wish I could deny this, but....I can't.

That's exactly how my boys respond when they do beat me.....they KNOW they actually won!

Yes, but in your case it happens a lot.

That's profiling....and that's wronnng!

Somebody's been watching the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, I see.

Must be a woman thing.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE your TRs!

I really don't post much but I just read your last TR and now I am into this one and it is Great!

I can't wait for more...Thanks for sharing.

Lisa

ChefDisneyLu!!! Wow! Thank you for the kind words! I love posts like yours, so feel free to comment all you like.

Every time I go on vacation, somebody tries to scam my credit cards. Wierd, isn't it? I never get them unless I'm on vacation. So it does appear that someone out there KNOWS when/where I am using my credit card. Scary.

That is scary. How do they know?

What is it about kids and pools? I always want to hit DTD, but no the kids want to hit the pools. When we went in Feb it was too cold to swim so DTD it was!

I do have to admit the pool area did look fun.

Well, I love to hit the pools too. Not sure why, but vacation resort pools are just more fun than your average neighborhood pool.

I'm here, I'm late, I'm sorry.

Hucifer's here!!!

I was hoping you'd be dropping by sometime soon!

I just read your intro (that's as far as I got) and I gotta say that some of your runner-up titles were pretty awesome. But none were as awesome as your pre-trippie title. I still think "Expensive" is far funnier than "Exhausting." For whatever my opinion is worth.

I know, "Expensive" is a much funnier word than "Exhausting". I don't know what I was thinking.

So I'm ready to put on my wet suit and dive in. I'm totally ready to immerse myself in a Glennbo adventure.

Oh nuts, I was hoping for the scarf.

Okay. Here I go....

Wait! I'm not ready!

I just caught up and it sounds like quite an adventure so far! Looking forward to more!

butiflfeet! Glad you're here, and caught up. It's going to be fun!

 

[hucifer]

I bent over to take off the tags that the airline and bell services had put onto our luggage, and with the rush of blood to my head I thought that my head was going to explode.

Again with the explosions. Perhaps that WAS a better TR title.

After resting for about an hour my head began to feel better and I got my cell phone to check the DIS.

Damn, you're dedicated to your groupies. Headache and all.

she warned me that it was about a 10 minute walk from where our room was. The main pool was located on the completely opposite side of the lake from the Casitas buildings.

I've never stayed at Coronado, but I've walked the grounds there and I have to say...holy cow! That's a hike!

Judy sometimes wonders why I can’t let the kids win, but I think it’s a guy thing. I’m too competitive not to play to win. When they win, they know they really have beaten me, because I’ll give it my best shot.

You're also the kind of dad who throws their kids in the pool to teach them to swim, aren't you?

Judy called me to tell me that she had talked to our credit card company and there was no problem with our card. It was a phishing scam.

Nice!

Up next: A Yeehaa of a DISmeet

The only thing that bums me out about this title is that it wasn't with me.


Well lookee there. I'm all caught up! Of course, I kind of cheated and only read the TR posts. But 28 pages is a lot of reading. And I'm at work and stuff.

Bring on more Glennbo Gang! I'm ready!

 

[hucifer]

ChefDisneyLu!!! Wow! Thank you for the kind words! I love posts like yours, so feel free to comment all you like.

Oh sure, feel free to compliment all you like. Now if you have complaints, on the other hand...well you can keep those to yourself.

I was hoping you'd be dropping by sometime soon!

I embrace your welcome. It's been too long, buddy. Sorry about that.

I know, "Expensive" is a much funnier word than "Exhausting". I don't know what I was thinking.

You know, it's not too late to change it. NMAmy did, based on my pressure.

Oh nuts, I was hoping for the scarf.

Wait! I'm not ready!

You better strap yourself in and get ready for impact. It will be explosive.
(ETA: that sounded sexual and it was totally unintended, I swear!)

 

[glennbo123]

I dont want to hijack your TR but yes - a HUGE thank you to my parents. Don't get me wrong, SS looks amazing and we will be in a 2 bedroom villa. It's just funny that for our first trip as a family we end up at SS. My mom grew up in Upstate NY and I was born in Upstate NY.

Both the boys will LOVE the Lego store. We were thinking of going to MK that day and having a lazy time walking through. I know that we should have a plan but I think the kids would love to go just to see it. Still deciding.

Don't feel like you're hijacking, you're fine. But, if you start a PTR you can post specific questions, plans, etc. I've gotten to know a lot of the readers on this TR pretty well and any one of them could help you (and would love to) with your planning.

A trip to MK, just to stroll through and take in the sights and decide what you want to "attack" when you go back at a later time, is also a great idea.

 

[marvali]

You'd be paying cash for one of those new Disney homes.

Dangit, I knew I should have been collecting all along....

I call 'em like I see 'em Mr. Niceguy.

Now I KNOW you consider me a good friend. Good friends always overlook your faults!!!


Oh wait, that was sarcasm wasn't it????

Coming from anyone else, I'd take this as a dig. But I know that you're older and probably really have had trouble overexerting yourself wrestling with the tags. So...thank you.

After all this strenuous typing, you woke me up from my nap to tell me THAT???

This may be the funniest thing you've ever posted. I really did laugh out loud.

(Note to self: Quit trying for the ingenious, witty response and just go for the easy one.)

Yes, but in your case it happens a lot.

Hey, you promised not to tell.....

Oh nuts, I was hoping for the scarf.

Aren't we all.....

You're also the kind of dad who throws their kids in the pool to teach them to swim, aren't you?

It's okay, he knows you will be there to save them if they get into trouble.

The only thing that bums me out about this title is that it wasn't with me.

Shoulda worn the scarf!

Well lookee there. I'm all caught up! Of course, I kind of cheated and only read the TR posts.

Hucifer's here!!!

I was hoping you'd be dropping by sometime soon!

Good thing she didn't have a lot of time on her hands!

Now if I could just get the Goddess of Trucking to join in on my PTR, I might could finally get it off of page 1!

 

[glennbo123]

So many huciposts to reply to!!!

You bored me at "The days leading up to our trip..."

And yet you read on.

That title would draw a crowd.

Well I wouldn't want too many readers.

I never expected to get a science education while reading your TR, Glenn.

Just wait, on the return trip I explain string theory using actual strings.

A better title would be:
Explosion at the Pepper Market
or
The Most Expensive free trip to the Pepper Market

Where were you when I needed you?!

On to the next installment!

Glad you're savoring each one.

THAT'S simple? It sounds like stereo instructions.

It's somewhere between "falling off a log" and "setting the alarm on a hotel clock".

They're paying homage to the thing that invented the ordering/paying system.

Sacrifice! We demand a sacrifice!

That's my boy.

So you go for the highest-priced menu items too, huh?

Dude, you're like the meanest dad EVER.

I know. My poor suffering kids.

Attack of the hungry Glennbo Gang. Yikes! Good thing I'm not a pizza.

It's sights like this that get those "Don't feed the alligators" signs put up.

 

[glennbo123]

He who asks most questions, learns the most.

Also, he who asks dumb questions look like fool.

Dangit, I want to ask for clarification on this, but am afraid to.

Sounds like the Pepper Market folks designed the room layout.

Except that the Pepper Market wasn't difficult!

Only in Disney World.

Only in Disney World.

You know it.

You know it.

THAT'S a better title. I knew you had it in you.

Again with the explosions. Perhaps that WAS a better TR title.

Yeah, maybe.

Damn, you're dedicated to your groupies. Headache and all.

Groupies are so fickle. They'll leave you for a more interesting TR in a heartbeat.

I've never stayed at Coronado, but I've walked the grounds there and I have to say...holy cow! That's a hike!

The map says it's .75 miles around the lake, but it seems longer than that to me.

You're also the kind of dad who throws their kids in the pool to teach them to swim, aren't you?

As tempting as that is, I haven't tried that one.

The only thing that bums me out about this title is that it wasn't with me.

Aw! Maybe someday!

Well lookee there. I'm all caught up! Of course, I kind of cheated and only read the TR posts. But 28 pages is a lot of reading. And I'm at work and stuff.

Bring on more Glennbo Gang! I'm ready!

I haven't even begun to think about the next installment yet.

Oh sure, feel free to compliment all you like. Now if you have complaints, on the other hand...well you can keep those to yourself.

I actually wanted to write something like that, but was afraid my new reader wouldn't know how to take that.

I embrace your welcome. It's been too long, buddy. Sorry about that.

No problem! Just glad you're here.

You know, it's not too late to change it. NMAmy did, based on my pressure.

No, I'm not changing now.

You better strap yourself in and get ready for impact. It will be explosive.
(ETA: that sounded sexual and it was totally unintended, I swear!)

See, this is why I love your posts! The edit made me laugh harder than what you originally wrote!

 

[All7OfUs]

Yes, poor Judy. She's not even on here and gets threatened with photochopping.

Sorry, Judy, it was all in the name of WINNING!! I try not to let the big kids win either

Game Reveal: That picture Dan posted was from the Yeehaa Bob show. I think we actually were doing the Hokey Pokey. That's what it's all about.

funny.

Liesa says she does the same thing, but she probably just has a little extra testosterone.

The hair is really geting out of control. When I meet you, and start scratchin my crotch, you'll know how real it is.

Well, black does go with anything. Don't stress too much over this one

I'll start looking for a scarf to match...

Soon you won't win at anything against them, so live it up now.

Living it up, buddy. Livin' it up. Monopoly is an ugly affair.