have been back now for a day, so I guess it is time for a trip recap. I must preface this by saying I think this was the most hectic/crazy/exciting trip to Disney that I've been on in a while. I am sorry if this turns out to be long, but I have not yet mastered how to tag for a "cut".
Sunday morning we were supposed to get picked up at 5 in the morning to make our 6:45 flight. 5 am comes and there is no limo/taxi. In an amazing feat of vehicular prowess, my father manages to drive us to Newark in about 25 minutes. We then waited on line to check-in for 20 minutes, and then another 40 minutes to get through security. We literally run to the gate minutes and i mean minutes from them taxi-ing to the runway. Walking onto the plane, we get a call from...the limo driver. Silly guy thought it was 6 am. Oooooo. Anyways the plane flight was uneventful, and Disney even picked up our bags at the airport and shuttled us to the hotel. There we met up with the Slic/Sullivan crew. Walked to ESPN for some yummy eats. When that was over the Pic crew minus Joe arrived. We then headed over to MGM-Studios. We all went on Star Tours, the Great Movie Ride, and the Rockin' Rollercoaster. While everyone else headed to the Brown Derby for dinner, I walked to the Backlot Diner for some really expensive McDonald's. *I wasn't ready to have Brown Derby twice in 20 hours.* Tooo much food. Anyways I caught the tail end of the Star Wars weekends. It was interesting to watch people walking around all dressed up as jedis and stormtroopers and such.
Monday was I think....my favorite day. Everyone else got up early to have breakfast. I met up with them after breakfast to say good morning before I headed back to MGM for lunch at the Brown Derby with an Imagineer. Everyone else made their way to EPCOT. When I first checked in I received a special nametag/pin that is like the park employees pins, with my name on it. There were about 9 people altogether, including myself. The manager of the Brown Derby led us to the "Bamboo Room". It is a replica of the "Bamboo Room" that was part of the original Brown Derby in Hollywood. It was the place where the "most important" somebodies in Hollywood would gather for cocktails. A very nice intimate room. There I met Disney Imagineer Eric Goodman, a show producer. He started out at disney working as a tractor driver for the Indiana Jones show, then worked in the sound stages in MGM, and now he workd on the Disney photopass project and the Innoventions showcase in EPCOT. We sat down and even the menus were personalized. And what pray-tell did I have for lunch (which was absolutely out of this world)- tortilla and corn soup, the famous Cobb salad, a grilled New York Strip Steak, and to top it all off a Strawberry Creme-Brulee. Eric talked about what got him hooked to work at Disney, some of the new rides and attractions, also about some rides that didn't quite make it but some remnant is in the parks. He answered some of my really odd questions about Space Mountain and Journey into Imagination. Not really supposed to go into so much detail, I have no idea would read this and such. When dessert came out we sang Happy Birthday to the lady I was sitting next to, who looked nowhere near the 70 she was turning. Unfortunately, our time had run out, but before Eric left, he signed these beautiful plates. I really thought they would give us one of those silly plastic plates, but this really is a heavy duty ceramic specialty plate. Eric asked me what he should write on the plate for me. I jokingly said, I have nothing in particular, after paying for this meal, which is the worst part of the lunch...He said, "Oh yeah, thanks for paying for lunch everyone." The group laughed. So my plate says thanks for the wonderful meal. I made my way back to the Boardwalk and finished writing up my postcards. I also mailed them, so it isn't my fault if you haven't gotten them yet. It's all the US Postal Service's fault. The whole group went over to the Yachtsman Steakhouse for dinner. Matt's friend Eddie also met up with us. After a second yummy meal, we wandered around the Beach Club and made our way back to the Boardwalk. Everyone, except my Dad, Matt and Eddie, went into JellyRolls. It is a bar with dueling pianos, that only play requests. My only problem was the cover charge of 8 bucks. But they guys who were rollin' out the tunes were amazing.
Tuesday everyone else went for breakfast at the Kona Cafe in the Polynesian Resort. (Do we see a trend that resa does not meet for breakfast?) Anyway, I meet up with everyone at the Magic Kingdom. In a matter of about 4 hours we hit Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, the Enchanted Tiki Room, Haunted Mansion, and the "refreshed" It's A Small World. On Splash, Matt, Chrissy and I squeezed ourself into the front row. Not a smart idea. We got sooo soaked because of all the weight. My fam and the Pic crew had lunch at the Big River Grille right before Joe arrived. We all did some serious napping before heading to Palio's restaurant in the Swan. We decided to Joe should go on some rides so we sped through EPCOT ooo-ing and ahhh-ing at Illuminations (9pm) towards the Monorail. Make our way to the Magic Kingdom, and before the park closed at just after 11, we made it on Splash, Big Thunder and Space Mountain again.
Wednesday was Mom's birthday- so she and Dad went on a Segway Tour and then to Animal Kingdom. Matt and I went on Mission Space early in the morning and then met up with the Pic's, Mr. Slic, and Sean for Test Track and Mission Space again. We then ran back to MGM, had lunch there. Sean, Matt and the Pic crew went on Rockin' rollercoaster and Tower of Terror, while myself and the rest of the Slic's went the see the new Extreme Stunt Car Show. Lots of fast driving, people on fire, stuff blowing up. Fun. After the show, the rain began. We all braved our way to get home. We all chilled out before getting ready for Mom's B-day dinner at the California Grille in the Contemporary Resort. Another amazing meal. Had some California rolls with amazing shredded crab. I gotta thank suzer for letting me try the rolls over spring break last year. They happen to be one of my new favorite meals. We also got to see the Wishes firework show from the top of the Contemporary. I love watching the fireworks from so high up.
Thursday we all spent doing something different. I, who managed to not get sunburned prior to Thursday morning, had a suntan lotion malfunction for the 3 hours the sun was out and I was at the pool. So now I don't feel like, or look like I managed to avoid the sun at all. My bro went to Norway, cause he loves Norway. Mom and Dad went early to get on Soarin' and then stopped at the pool with me. The Pic crew headed over to Animal Kingdom and the Slic's did some shopping. Since my sunburn had not yet manifested itself, I suggested we leave a little early to go to Downtown Disney. So we were off yet again. We did a little shopping and then met up with Joe's friend John for dinner at the Portobello Yacht Club. After dinner- those of us who were still standing- matt, joe, john, chrissy, and myself, walked over to Pleasure Island for an evening of pure...enebriation (spelling?). I have to make it a point to go drinking with chrissy and joe more often, which maybe a little hard considering the whole living in different states deal. It was quite enjoyable. We managed to safely get back on a bus and to the hotel with little over 4 hours before we had get up to leave again. Outside of the alcohol and now extremely red sunburn blotches I had, the trip home was uneventful.
Anyways, I think that is it. Lots of memorable things...but nothing that would really make much sense to anyone else. To understand it would require even more reading time by ya'll and I'm sure you are sick of my horrible writing.
It is 4th of July weekend and NB isn't setting off fireworks. So I guess I will have to go elsewhere. Might head to Lynnea's family shindig. Stay cool, and remember to lather up before going outside, or you'll look like me.
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