The Twelve Days of Swinter: From Castaway 'Key' to a Partridge in a Palm Tree!

[HulaHoopy]

I have been reading along on your TR and we also go to Disney on 10/24, but we are staying at CBR. I will say hi if we see you in the parks!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Why can't I find people like that?
Wow...$400 is nothing to laugh at. I'm sure you will put it to good use!

Well this sort of thing NEVER happens to me so I am just as shocked as you would be. And I agree, $400 is not pocket change! I'm glad it was to her though!

I was reading your report last night when Jill called. We both 'wowed' at your $400 gift! Very cool!

The walk between POR and POFQ is one of the most peaceful places on property. Sometimes there will be no one but you, yet you know you are in the midst of thousands and thousands of people not too far away. I hope you do get to walk that path. It's not long at all.

I wowed quite a bit myself. I'm still thinking to myself that I can't believe that happened to me!

I know you love that walk and I am going to try my best to do it. Know that you'll be thought of along your favorite Disney trail.

I have been reading along on your TR and we also go to Disney on 10/24, but we are staying at CBR. I will say hi if we see you in the parks!

Well how about that! Please do say hello if you see us. I'll be the one walking with a guy wearing that hideous hat!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Well, I haven't really been able to say why I have been so busy lately and not able to be on the DIS much, but now I can finally spill the beans! I am officially a travel agent for a Disney only agency!!! I am really excited, and nervous, and overwhelmed, but mostly excited! I'm not sure if I should even be telling all of you this on the DIS as it is an off limits topic, so I better keep it short and sweet. I do want to thank three very special DIS ladies who have helped me tremendously in the last few weeks with lots and lots of honest and good advice. I won't name any names so that none of us will be going to the DIS principal's office, but you know who you are. You guys are the BEST!! Keep your fingers crossed for me that I do well!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Yay!!! Congrats on the new job!!! Best wishes as you start this new adventure!!!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Congrats Rinky!!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Congratulations Rinky!! Good luck, I'm sure you'll do well!

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Congrats on the new job, Rinky!! And good luck with everything!! Have a great time on your trip. Make sure you do lots of research for all those soon-to-be clients!!! You are going to do an awesome job!

 

[sharonW]

Well, I haven't really been able to say why I have been so busy lately and not able to be on the DIS much, but now I can finally spill the beans! I am officially a travel agent for a Disney only agency!!! I am really excited, and nervous, and overwhelmed, but mostly excited! I'm not sure if I should even be telling all of you this on the DIS as it is an off limits topic, so I better keep it short and sweet. I do want to thank three very special DIS ladies who have helped me tremendously in the last few weeks with lots and lots of honest and good advice. I won't name any names so that none of us will be going to the DIS principal's office, but you know who you are. You guys are the BEST!! Keep your fingers crossed for me that I do well!

WOW very surprised and happy for you, you can live the disney magic through others every day, nothing can be better!!!!! Lesley loves her job as a diz agent and sure you will too!!!

 

[sjs314]

Congrates Rinky so very Happy for you

 

[Majordis]

Hi Rinky
I really enjoy reading your trip reports. You have a beautiful family. I am coming out of lurkdom to ask you a question about your upcoming cruise. Did you join the FE this time? We sailed on the Dream in February and my DS loved the decorated stateroom doors. I know he would love the FE but I am on the fence. I am just curious if this was something you wanted to do again. Thanks and have a great cruise. Can't wait to hear about the aft cabin

 

[MeMom]

I know you love that walk and I am going to try my best to do it. Know that you'll be thought of along your favorite Disney trail.

Well, that will be cool! Maybe you can send me a phone picture.

Well, I haven't really been able to say why I have been so busy lately and not able to be on the DIS much, but now I can finally spill the beans! I am officially a travel agent for a Disney only agency!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me that I do well!

Seems like once someone becomes a travel agent, they disappear from the DIS - too busy with work. I can think of several right off the top of my head who used to be on here a lot but who barely have time to peek in any more. Real life wins, of course. I wish you well in this pursuit. This is something I may check into doing when I retire.

 

[sharonW]

Rinky...did you get my pm??

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Yay!!! Congrats on the new job!!! Best wishes as you start this new adventure!!!!

Congrats Rinky!!!

Congratulations Rinky!! Good luck, I'm sure you'll do well!

Congrats on the new job, Rinky!! And good luck with everything!! Have a great time on your trip. Make sure you do lots of research for all those soon-to-be clients!!! You are going to do an awesome job!

WOW very surprised and happy for you, you can live the disney magic through others every day, nothing can be better!!!!! Lesley loves her job as a diz agent and sure you will too!!!

Congrates Rinky so very Happy for you

Please don't feel snubbed by me doing a mass reply, but a friend has warned me not to talk about this stuff even in general terms, so I am just going to say a big THANK YOU for the well wishes to all of you and change the subject before I get in trouble with the DIS.

Hi Rinky
I really enjoy reading your trip reports. You have a beautiful family. I am coming out of lurkdom to ask you a question about your upcoming cruise. Did you join the FE this time? We sailed on the Dream in February and my DS loved the decorated stateroom doors. I know he would love the FE but I am on the fence. I am just curious if this was something you wanted to do again. Thanks and have a great cruise. Can't wait to hear about the aft cabin

Well thank you! I'm glad you've enjoyed the report. Hopefully I will finish it... eventually!

We didn't do the FE this time but not b/c we didn't enjoy it. I just decided not to do it to save a little money. We had some added expenses on this trip with getting a balcony and there were no standard rooms availble at POR for the free dining promo so we had to get a garden view. Those two things added a couple hundred dollars to the trip so I cut out the FE and some other things. But my DD LOVED doing the FE and I actually got some really cool things too. The only negative about it was having to make the deliveries. It took us about an hour or more to walk all over that HUGE ship on all the different floors and drop our stuff off. And that took time away from us being able to do something else on the ship too. But other than that, it was a really fun activity that I think any kid would love.

Well, that will be cool! Maybe you can send me a phone picture.

Seems like once someone becomes a travel agent, they disappear from the DIS - too busy with work. I can think of several right off the top of my head who used to be on here a lot but who barely have time to peek in any more. Real life wins, of course. I wish you well in this pursuit. This is something I may check into doing when I retire.

I would send you a picture, but I don't know how to do that! I know! What's wrong with me! I actually just have an el cheapo Tracfone and I don't even know if it will do that stuff. If I carry my laptop, I can post one here though! I do know how to do that.

Rinky...did you get my pm??

Sorry! I haven't been on the DIS all week. I just saw this, but I did reply to you! Better late than never I suppose.

 

[sharonW]

No problem Rinky, did get your pm....gona miss you around here now that your off to big things!!!! Have a great disney vacation!!!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

No problem Rinky, did get your pm....gona miss you around here now that your off to big things!!!! Have a great disney vacation!!!

Well, don't write me off from the DIS just yet! I hope to still be around even if I can't check in as much. I would miss everyone way much!

 

[sharonW]

Well, don't write me off from the DIS just yet! I hope to still be around even if I can't check in as much. I would miss everyone way much!

I was hoping you'd say that...I would miss you too. LOVE your TR's so much. just know how busy you will be as a TA, it kinda took Lesley away from here. I really hope you can fit the diz in....hey aren't you at disney now???

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Live from I-95 just outside Jacksonville Florida!!!!!!...............

Thanks to DH's handy dandy mi-fi in his car, I can post this as I am rolling down the highway! Technology is so cool!

We left home yesterday afternoon and made it to Jacksonville by 9:00 last night. We have had a less than stellar trip so far though. Traffic has been terrible, lot and lots of big trucks and half of their drivers appear to be intoxicated! We had several near 'bumps' yesterday. My nerves have been a mess! Then some dude had major road rage last night and scared the puddin' out of me. He kept riding our tail, then pulled up beside of us, hanging out the window, shouting obscenities and giving us the finger!! He then pulled in front of us and slowed way down... I thought DH was going to ram that idiot! All this while my child is in the backseat!

Somewhere around Savannah we stopped for gas and had this very shady guy approach us and ask for money. It was already dark, so that freaked me out. DH said no and then he just stood there and stared at us while he pumped the gas.

We went a little ways down the road and stopped at a McDonald's for dinner. We walked in, took one look and turned around and left! It was nasty, the workers all looked like they had just gotten out of prison, and there was a sign on the wall that said, and I kid you not... "You have 20 minutes to eat your food and then you need to move on!" What the heck! We bailed out and found somewhere else to go!

Once we made it to the hotel in Jacksonville, I thought we were good... HA! No such luck! The A/C rattled all night and we didn't hardly sleep at all. We should've just gone back and asked for another room, but it was late, we were already dressed for bed and just wanted to go to sleep. Then in the monrning, I found a roach crawling up the bathroom wall!!! It was a brand new Hampton that hadn't even been open a year! I couldn't believe it! So I told the guy at the front desk that we were less than thrilled and he was a total jerk! He said we should've asked for another room last night! I explained to him why we didn't and that we never saw the roach until this morning! Then he proceeded to give me major attitude and even used a cuss word with my child stand right there!!!!!!! What an idiot! Needless to say, I was really ticked at that point! The worst part... he was the manager!!!

Aren't I just full of joy and cheer this morning!

Now of'course, we have this hurricane to deal with, so I am wondering if I should have just stayed home at this point! It's really hot and humid and has already started raining. Looks like we are going to loose two days off our trip because of this. I just hope CC isn't messed up and we can't stop there. Our cruise sails on Nov. 1 (Thursday), so I don't know if that's enough time to get things cleaned up. Right now it's a Cat. 2 and that is nothing to sneeze at. And it's possible that when it moves on it may be heading to my house! And of'course, I am not there to batten down the hatches! And I have a dog and two cats outside that I'm worried about.

I'm so stressed right now! Lord, I hope things get better!

 

[sjs314]

Live from I-95 just outside Jacksonville Florida!!!!!!...............

Thanks to DH's handy dandy mi-fi in his car, I can post this as I am rolling down the highway! Technology is so cool!

We left home yesterday afternoon and made it to Jacksonville by 9:00 last night. We have had a less than stellar trip so far though. Traffic has been terrible, lot and lots of big trucks and half of their drivers appear to be intoxicated! We had several near 'bumps' yesterday. My nerves have been a mess! Then some dude had major road rage last night and scared the puddin' out of me. He kept riding our tail, then pulled up beside of us, hanging out the window, shouting obscenities and giving us the finger!! He then pulled in front of us and slowed way down... I thought DH was going to ram that idiot! All this while my child is in the backseat!

Somewhere around Savannah we stopped for gas and had this very shady guy approach us and ask for money. It was already dark, so that freaked me out. DH said no and then he just stood there and stared at us while he pumped the gas.

We went a little ways down the road and stopped at a McDonald's for dinner. We walked in, took one look and turned around and left! It was nasty, the workers all looked like they had just gotten out of prison, and there was a sign on the wall that said, and I kid you not... "You have 20 minutes to eat your food and then you need to move on!" What the heck! We bailed out and found somewhere else to go!

Once we made it to the hotel in Jacksonville, I thought we were good... HA! No such luck! The A/C rattled all night and we didn't hardly sleep at all. We should've just gone back and asked for another room, but it was late, we were already dressed for bed and just wanted to go to sleep. Then in the monrning, I found a roach crawling up the bathroom wall!!! It was a brand new Hampton that hadn't even been open a year! I couldn't believe it! So I told the guy at the front desk that we were less than thrilled and he was a total jerk! He said we should've asked for another room last night! I explained to him why we didn't and that we never saw the roach until this morning! Then he proceeded to give me major attitude and even used a cuss word with my child stand right there!!!!!!! What an idiot! Needless to say, I was really ticked at that point! The worst part... he was the manager!!!

Aren't I just full of joy and cheer this morning!

Now of'course, we have this hurricane to deal with, so I am wondering if I should have just stayed home at this point! It's really hot and humid and has already started raining. Looks like we are going to loose two days off our trip because of this. I just hope CC isn't messed up and we can't stop there. Our cruise sails on Nov. 1 (Thursday), so I don't know if that's enough time to get things cleaned up. Right now it's a Cat. 2 and that is nothing to sneeze at. And it's possible that when it moves on it may be heading to my house! And of'course, I am not there to batten down the hatches! And I have a dog and two cats outside that I'm worried about.

I'm so stressed right now! Lord, I hope things get better!

Rinky breathe.....easy for me to say I am so sorry to hear about the rough start to your trip but it can only get better now....positive thinking

I been thinking about you the past few days so I am glad you are able to update us. Everything will be fine, It has to be ! Love and hugs

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Rinky breathe.....easy for me to say I am so sorry to hear about the rough start to your trip but it can only get better now....positive thinking

I been thinking about you the past few days so I am glad you are able to update us. Everything will be fine, It has to be ! Love and hugs

I know. I need to chill out. I just got worked up with that hotel manger this morning. We should be in Disney in about 30 minutes though and I know when I drive under those Disney arches, things are bound to get better!

 

[sharonW]

OMG Rinky!!!! Yikes, fingers crossed tight and oodles and oodles of pixie dust going your way for smooth sailing the rest of your vacation!!! Say hello to mickey for me and have a wonderful time!!!!!