What Happens at the Beach Club... Travels with Teens, Take Two, (PTR) 4/6 p. 29

[natebenma]

Post deleted for being in the wrong thread - OOPS!

You visit other threads?!?

Cupboards are sparkly clean and I got to look at my collection of refillable mugs from various years that I can't bear to part with We are now sorted and organised by colour and size (much like your lego from years back) Feel free to call anytime as I'm open for visitors again-finally!!!!!!!!!
Oh and definitely missed my music blasting-VH1 just didn't cut it today Need to get myself an ipod.

Good to hear you are happy with your clean up. I need to dust the shelves with all my cookbooks. But it is right above my computer desk. And if I am at my computer desk, I might as well check to see what is happening on the DIS and Facebook.

And down the rabbit hole I go!

 

[JanetMom]

You visit other threads?!?

The problem is I spend way too much time on your threads. I put my latest trip report update into your trip report.

 

[natebenma]

The problem is I spend way too much time on your threads. I put my latest trip report update into your trip report.

That actually would have been good since it has been almost a week since I have updated here myself!

Maybe tomorrow...

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Good to hear you are happy with your clean up. I need to dust the shelves with all my cookbooks. But it is right above my computer desk. And if I am at my computer desk, I might as well check to see what is happening on the DIS and Facebook.

And down the rabbit hole I go!

See this is what happens me when I go looking for photos of room views for you on the FAQ thread!! I end up finding old nursing photos and such and then when I do find view ones I cant find the room number and so they are no use anyway ...........But hey at least I have fun reminiscing

 

[MickeyT]

I put my latest trip report update into your trip report.

And the question is, "How do you know you spend waaaaaayyyyy to much time on DISboards"!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

And the question is, "How do you know you spend waaaaaayyyyy to much time on DISboards"!

 

[natebenma]

See this is what happens me when I go looking for photos of room views for you on the FAQ thread!! I end up finding old nursing photos and such and then when I do find view ones I cant find the room number and so they are no use anyway ...........But hey at least I have fun reminiscing

You and I spend a lot of time going down that rabbit hole together!

And the question is, "How do you know you spend waaaaaayyyyy to much time on DISboards"!

 

[natebenma]

And here we are at the night of the DISmeet.

The first thing I need to do before we get into this is apologize for the lack of pictures. But I’m not really sorry. We were all just having such a great time meeting each other and chatting that nobody picked up their phones or cameras to take pictures.


A little historical background

The annual Beach and Yacht Club DISmeets started back in 2010. Disneymomx7 (Robyn) was the catalyst who got these started. At that time, we had just started keeping the “Be Our Guest List” on the FAQ thread, which lists the dates DISers are staying at the resort (for the record, we were using this name way before that little dining establishment opened over in NFL)

Robyn picked a time after one of Teena’s shifts in the lobby and invited anyone who wanted to join them. There was a great turnout- around 30 or so including family members, but the photo only includes DISers:

2010:

siouxi31, Teena, YCFan, Disneymomx7, kirbygump, LovintheLodge, Disney1976

I surprised everyone by appearing at the meet unexpectedly- in poster form.


More surprises were in store for future meets…

In 2011, there was a surprise “Nanny Shower” for Teena. Her daughter was expecting a little prince or princess (Lily), so Robyn arranged for a cake and everyone brought or sent presents. So much fun! (I assume)

2011: Nanny Shower

Thanks for the photos, kldmom2000!

For more pictures from the meet/shower, check out this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=42109256#post42109256


Another surprise in 2012

YCFan decided at the last minute to come to the meet and surprise Robyn. Just a couple of us were in on the secret, which was almost spoiled when Robyn caught a glimpse of YCFan before the actual meet, but she shook her head and said “That can’t be her.” This was not the first time Robyn had an unexpected encounter with Nettie- before Robyn and Nettie first met, their families happened to be dining at the same restaurant (Narcooses?) and when Robyn thought she recognized her, she followed Nettie into the bathroom. I love this story!

YCFan, DMx7, Teena, Catho72, TheMagicalOne, and Robyn's daughter in front


2013:

A little low-key compared to past meets. I think there were actually two meets that night- one earlier with some families who had other plans and then this group:


Couchy, Teena, Robyn’s Daughter and Robyn.


Flashforward to this year (if this sounds familiar, it is because it is from my intro)

A lot of us on the FAQ thread group have been friends for a long time, but have never actually met face-to-face or we have only seen each other once or twice.

As spring approached, more and more dominoes were falling. Each week, someone new would succumb to peer-pressure and announce they were coming to meet this year.

A few months ago, I received a private message from one of my first DISfriends, HockeyMomR (Rebecca). And I quote

“I know you don't know me, but if you are interested and would be comfortable you could stay with me and my mom. Hope you don't think I am crazy for asking you. Would be great to meet you.”

Wow! What a thoughtful and generous offer!

On Mother’s Day, I told Mark- “Do you know what I really want for Mother’s Day? To attend the DisMeet in August”.

We booked a ticket for me on Southwest to Florida that morning.


*********************************************************
Monday August 18, 2014

The official meet was scheduled for 6:30, after Teena’s shift at the Beach Club ended. But Robyn, Rebecca and I decided we would get together a little earlier, at 6.


Along with Teena, Robyn and Rebecca were two of my very first friends on the DIS. But the two of them have been friends for even longer. Over the years, they have had a couple of opportunities when they were planning on being at the Beach Club at the same time and were going to meet, but fate got in the way. One year it was a broken leg that changed plans, another was a treasured pet who needed to be cared for.

We thought it was appropriate for our group to meet alone, before everyone else.

Others streamed in at different times, each entrance eliciting squeals of glee and hugs.

Once we were all there, we played a break the ice game- tell a little bit about yourself- where you are from, what you do for a living, your family, and name your favorite and least favorite Disney movie.

We all found we had lots of different connections.

For the record- my favorite movie is Toy Story II- this is the one that Nate really loved when he was little, and the message of a treasured childhood toy really resonated with me because Nate had “Nay-Nay Roar”, a Fisher Price (sorry Rosa) toy lion that he cherished and slept with every night until he was 7 or 8 years old.

My least favorite- I don’t know- I don’t even think it is a Disney movie, but I detest “The Never Ending Story”. It really doesn’t end!


How about you? What are your most/least favorite Disney movies?


Here’s a couple of candid shots, and that’s all I got!



This is me obviously telling a hilarious story, most likely about naughty goats.



How many goat stories does this woman have???





Here’s a little introduction to the attendees at the meet, without revealing too much personal information:

Teena, of course, does not really need much of an introduction. She is a part-time greeter at the Beach Club and has been a treasured friend to me since our first meeting in July 2009. I was thrilled when she shared that she had received the Presidential Award that day for all of her volunteer time at her daughter Jeanne’s elementary school.




TheMagicalOne is one of Teena’s friends. She has come to the meets since the year of the Nanny shower. It was great to meet her!

As I said earlier, Disneymomx7 (Robyn) was one of my very first friends on the DIS. I am continuously impressed by how much she cares for everyone and for her strength. She continues to encourage me and amuse me with stories comparing her son to my son Nate. “There is hope!”

I have already introduced my roommates HockeymomR and her mom Carol. I first contacted Rebecca via Private Message on the DIS in 2009, asking if she would contribute a photo of her family for a photo album I was putting together as a gift for Teena. She said that was a great idea and she would get a picture to me as soon as she had a chance. I wonder if I will ever see that photo…


Next up, ScottMC and JNPants. I actually had met them in person about a year ago. They live about 25 minutes away from me and we met at a bar in a nearby town. Scott was amused when I told the hostess I was there to meet two guys that I found on the internet. The drink I ordered for this get-together? A Sunken Treasure, of course! I brought my laminated recipe card and the bartender was kind enough to oblige.

July 2013






YCFan is my go-to when I need any info about the Yacht Club, since I have never ventured any further than the lobby there. She is sweet and kind and from what I understand, can throw one heck of a party!!! Her son was at the meet and I enjoyed talking to him, too.

Janetmom- my friend from the north who is a whiz with a pair of knitting needles. We have fun together spinning yarns about, well, yarn! I am more on the production end (sheep) while she actually makes something productive. I mentioned earlier that we have very similar senses of humor and I appreciate that she laughs at my jokes more than she groans. Oh yeah, and she also actually follows some of the advice that I dole out in my trip reports. The only other person I have met who understands the brilliance of the return trip to the Beach Club from DTD via a circuitous route involving DTD resort boats and a bus to EPCOT.

I loved meeting Mommyrosa2 and her lovely daughter. We share New England roots and discussed all of the things we have in common. Another incredibly sweet and generous friend! If you believe in karma, it is easy to understand the pixie dust that followed her and Mr. Mommyrosa2 on their recent Disney trip to celebrate their anniversary.

Tarak is the newest member of our little clan, but she fit right in immediately. Not only did she bring bags of Hershey’s Macadamia Nut kisses and two of her delightful children to the meet, she brought along her sharp sense of humor and outgoing nature. We became new, but fast, friends. Gosh, I hope I get more opportunities to hang out with her. Already we are planning a major FAQ east coast road trip in the dream van/bus Tara is looking for.

Now, who am I forgetting???

NinjaMom, of course! It is really difficult to get details about her life, but after plying her with a Sunken Treasure or two or ten, we were able to get her to divulge that she previously worked in surveillance for a secret government task force, the ACCS: the Anti-Clown-Crime-Squad. She is too proud to admit it publicly, but she is the one who discovered this helpful hint if you ever find yourself in a creepy situation:








We sat around and chatted in different groups and the time went by way too fast.

When I glanced at my watch, I was shocked to see that it was already 8 pm. A few of our friends had other plans with their families for that evening, so we said our goodbyes. The rest of us decided to stick together and try to find someplace for our group to eat.


The Rest of the Night:
The Crew at Crew’s Cup, Damn! This traffic jam, Stumbling onto a Secret and A 5 year old Promise Fulfilled
Click above to get to the next post

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Aw really, really, really wish I could have been there with you all. I love the candid shot of you chatting and mid-clap Looks like you all got on great and for a bunch of people who met on the internet there doesn't seem to be an axe-murderer among you (hopefully looks don't deceive us lol)

Bet the hostess in the bar was more than a wee bit concerned you were meeting strange men from the internet

 

[JanetMom]

An excellent update!

It was a great meeting with not one axe-murderer among us. But if there had been one lurking about I'm sure Ninja Mom would have stood up to take care of the situation. And if she didn't feel she could manage it single-handedly, she would no doubt have had Mr. Ninja Mom stand guard as a lookout.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again... It was great to meet you Dee and I love your sense of humour. I've have learned much from you over the years, most importantly the most scenic way to spend some time travelling from resort to resort to DTD to resort to Epcot to resort.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

An excellent update!

It was a great meeting with not one axe-murderer among us. But if there had been one lurking about I'm sure Ninja Mom would have stood up to take care of the situation. And if she didn't feel she could manage it single-handedly, she would no doubt have had Mr. Ninja Mom stand guard as a lookout.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again... It was great to meet you Dee and I love your sense of humour. I've have learned much from you over the years, most importantly the most scenic way to spend some time travelling from resort to resort to DTD to resort to Epcot to resort.

Sounds like NM and Mr NM could have handled any and all situations swiftly and appropriately unless of course NM was causing the bother in which case Mr NM would do the sensible thing for the sake of self-preservation and pretend not to notice

Sounds you all got on like old friends (which is what you are really) and like you Janet I feel I have learnt so much from Dee but without a shadow of a doubt the best thing I ever,ever learnt was how to avoid that darn bus back from DTD!!!!!!!!

 

[KatMark]

Dee, I'm attempting to get a little caught up since I don't have internet access at my mom's).

What a fun update and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing pictures (and your poster) of the previous meets.

And I still love that you were asked to come and stay with your friend, Rebecca.

Since you asked: my favorite Disney movie is Beauty & The Beast and my least favorite is Lilo & Stitch.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

No apologies needed Dee. I totally understand the lack of photos. On all my DISmeets to date that lasted any length of time, it's almost criminal how little photos I got. But you just don't think about it.

Oh clearly they ripped off your name for that restaurant. For sure.

Wow Dee, even in absentia, you still make all the meets.

HAHAHA, when I first read it I thought you said naughty "ghosts". Of course that would be some pretty awesome stories too I'm sure.

Heehe, "meet two guys that I found on the internet". Try explaining the DISmeet concept to customs, lol.

Obviously I love everything about this and it's so wonderful that you finally got to take part in actual 3D form.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Dee, I loved this update! I have always said that the friends that I have made here on the Dis are lifelong friends. We can share not only our Disney love but the ups and downs of life with our Dis friends.

I actually laughed outloud at your "how many goat stories does this lady have" comments. So funny!

You know that you are having a great time when time flies like it did that evening. I can hardly wait to hear where the rest of you guys spent your evening.

 

[HockeyMomR]

Dee - such a great update. Witty, informative, fun and heart-warming all in one update; really enjoyed reading. Is funny how time passes and you did such a nice job on documenting. About those goat stories....

I really did go out on limb with the PM invite to you and so glad I did! Oh and my family picture

Rebecca

 

[IheartDDuck]

Epic DISmeet, yay! I love DISmeets. They're one of my favorite things about going to Disney now!

I just love the friendships that I've made on the DIS. People that I would have never crossed paths with if it wasn't for Disney. It's just awesome.

 

[natebenma]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, FRIENDS!!!

 

[Katesdad]

Thanks for the latest chapter. The descriptions of all the DISers was really helpful as I've been reading their stories all these years. Too bad that I'll have to wait a few more years before i'll be able to travel during August. Too much work to be done here at the office that time of year. Maybe one of these years I'll be able to actually say hi and buy you one of those sunken treasures.

Katesdad

 

[teekathepony]

What a wonderful update! The lack of pictures is just a testament to how much fun everyone was having. I loved the history of the meets too, and your poster appearing at one of them. Glad you were able to attend in a more corporeal fashion this time!

Happy birthday again!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[natebenma]

Aw really, really, really wish I could have been there with you all. I love the candid shot of you chatting and mid-clap Looks like you all got on great and for a bunch of people who met on the internet there doesn't seem to be an axe-murderer among you (hopefully looks don't deceive us lol)

Bet the hostess in the bar was more than a wee bit concerned you were meeting strange men from the internet

That would have been great!

If all of the people I wanted there were there, we would need a MUCH bigger room!

Well, Scott was drinking a Cosmo so the hostess wasn't too concerned. True Story!

An excellent update!

It was a great meeting with not one axe-murderer among us. But if there had been one lurking about I'm sure Ninja Mom would have stood up to take care of the situation. And if she didn't feel she could manage it single-handedly, she would no doubt have had Mr. Ninja Mom stand guard as a lookout.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again... It was great to meet you Dee and I love your sense of humour. I've have learned much from you over the years, most importantly the most scenic way to spend some time travelling from resort to resort to DTD to resort to Epcot to resort.

Yes, if Mr. Ninja Mom can handle her, I think he is up for anything!

I had so much fun every time we were together! And I know we are both dreaming of that moment when we are spending our retirement years passing one another on the DTD boats.

Sounds like NM and Mr NM could have handled any and all situations swiftly and appropriately unless of course NM was causing the bother in which case Mr NM would do the sensible thing for the sake of self-preservation and pretend not to notice

Sounds you all got on like old friends (which is what you are really) and like you Janet I feel I have learnt so much from Dee but without a shadow of a doubt the best thing I ever,ever learnt was how to avoid that darn bus back from DTD!!!!!!!!

As I mentioned above, I'm pretty sure Mr. Ninja Mom can handle just about anything!

Yes, all you need to know is just 3 words "DON'T DO IT!!!"

Dee, I'm attempting to get a little caught up since I don't have internet access at my mom's).

What a fun update and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing pictures (and your poster) of the previous meets.

And I still love that you were asked to come and stay with your friend, Rebecca.

Since you asked: my favorite Disney movie is Beauty & The Beast and my least favorite is Lilo & Stitch.

Thinking of you!

It was fun revisting the previous meets. It was sad not being able to be there in person in past years but this one more than made up for that.

Rebecca and her mom were fantastic and generous roommates!

B&tB certainly stands the test of time.

No apologies needed Dee. I totally understand the lack of photos. On all my DISmeets to date that lasted any length of time, it's almost criminal how little photos I got. But you just don't think about it.

Oh clearly they ripped off your name for that restaurant. For sure.

Wow Dee, even in absentia, you still make all the meets.

HAHAHA, when I first read it I thought you said naughty "ghosts". Of course that would be some pretty awesome stories too I'm sure.

Heehe, "meet two guys that I found on the internet". Try explaining the DISmeet concept to customs, lol.

Obviously I love everything about this and it's so wonderful that you finally got to take part in actual 3D form.

It was weird not snapping away during the meet, but it was right.

They totally ripped me off, but then again, I may have stolen the name from a certain movie, so I guess we are even.

I couldn't not be there at the past meets.

I guess naughty "ghosts" would be appropriate for today.

It was fun meeting some DIS friends, even outside of the Disney bubble.

It was such a fantastic get together. And the "Day ain't over yet!"

Dee, I loved this update! I have always said that the friends that I have made here on the Dis are lifelong friends. We can share not only our Disney love but the ups and downs of life with our Dis friends.

I actually laughed outloud at your "how many goat stories does this lady have" comments. So funny!

You know that you are having a great time when time flies like it did that evening. I can hardly wait to hear where the rest of you guys spent your evening.

Thanks!

That is so true, Lisa! We all share a love of Disney, but so much more.

I can't imagine what life would be like without all of the folks I have met here.



I really was telling goat stories!

It was a fantastic night. There's still a lot more to go!

Dee - such a great update. Witty, informative, fun and heart-warming all in one update; really enjoyed reading. Is funny how time passes and you did such a nice job on documenting. About those goat stories....

I really did go out on limb with the PM invite to you and so glad I did! Oh and my family picture

Rebecca

Thank you! For the kind words, and for making this happen!



I didn't think you would mind me putting in that little tidbit.

Epic DISmeet, yay! I love DISmeets. They're one of my favorite things about going to Disney now!

I just love the friendships that I've made on the DIS. People that I would have never crossed paths with if it wasn't for Disney. It's just awesome.

So fun!

It is so cool that your parents love the DISMeets as much as you do, but it was nice for me being there solo because my family does not quite get it.

Yes- Just awesome!!!

Thanks for the latest chapter. The descriptions of all the DISers was really helpful as I've been reading their stories all these years. Too bad that I'll have to wait a few more years before i'll be able to travel during August. Too much work to be done here at the office that time of year. Maybe one of these years I'll be able to actually say hi and buy you one of those sunken treasures.

Katesdad

It was nice to put some faces to screen names and to find out more about some of the fantastic group who make up our FAQ family.

What a wonderful update! The lack of pictures is just a testament to how much fun everyone was having. I loved the history of the meets too, and your poster appearing at one of them. Glad you were able to attend in a more corporeal fashion this time!

Happy birthday again!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Thank you, Wendy!

Sometimes less is more with the pictures. Rarely, but for that night it was.

I am so glad I got to be there too.

Thank you!