Canadian Buffoon's Hi Low Vacation - South Central Musings

[pkondz]

I saw your update and will hopefully get mine posted and then back to yours. But not today. I have an "extra" band rehearsal this morning and then a friend is coming back to our house for pool time and dinner, so no DIS for me today. Only phone.

Have a nice, relaxing time by the pool!

Also, Lake Elsinore is more remote so it might take even longer to get there. Shipping times between US and Canada have always been problematic. That was something that we always had to tackle in my old job. We even had a fulfillment center up there (in Markham, ON) so that promotional materials could be fulfilled in Canada. Otherwise they took weeks to arrive.

See??? I'm not making this stuff up!

 

[pkondz]

Those giant rodents look equally amazing, yet way too big to be a real rodent.

Yep. Still rodents.
Not as big as Mickey, but...

They seem bigger than a small child!

They are!
Apparently, the average weight is 100lbs,
with large ones up to 175lbs.

But yay for a new motorcycle and an even bigger yay for travelling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Stopping for a photo in front of the station
2. Skippers Canteen
3. Splash Mountain
4. Closing. You can sleep when you're not at Disney
5. Because no buses came in that time frame
6. 4. (I am also in the 'frequently gets asked for directions even if you can clearly tell I'm not from this country' club)
7. yes
8. Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder
9. Spider
10. for the purpose of this exercise, I am going to have to say pkondz

Noted.

Yes, your great photography skills caputured it!

Aw, shucks.

132 minutes

Noted.

 

[pkondz]

That's almost as good as Disney!! I hope you do a TR for that too! Vegas is a blast.

I was thinking of doing an abbreviated one.
I won't take notes,
cause what happens in Vegas....

But maybe I'll post some highlights.

I assume you have been before being in the West-ish part of Canada?

I've been twice.
But never until fairly recently.
I think it was... five years ago?

I'm going in November and can't wait.

How long are you going for?
Do you know where you're staying?

I have recos if you are interested

Yeah, sure!
PM me or post here.

I'm not sure if you heard the stories out of Toronto last Spring when we had some Capybaras escape from the High Park Zoo and were on the loose for a couple of weeks in the city?

I did!
Actually, Kay did.

Pretty funny...it was the top story on the news for a while lol.

I bet! Escaped felons!

Anyway...certainly looks like fun to feed them...I had no idea they did that in Palm Beach!

I didn't either.
But Kay found that and...

ANOTHER Disney trip!! So exciting!!! Can't wait to hear about this one!

 

[pkondz]

1. So... what'd I do before even going in? Stopped for a photopass shot of the train station
2. I have an ADR... where is it? BOG
3. What's the first ride I go on? 7DMT
4. Considering my lack of sleep,
how late do I stay at MK? until closing and you only have a short time at the house of the mouse so you must make the best of it.
5. Why is my wait for a bus 16 minutes? because you left at closing with all the other masses
6. How many times was I asked for directions?
(It just happens to me.) 6 times
7. Dole whip. Yes or no? (as in did I have one.) yes - it is mandatory item at Magic Kingdom
8. Why yes, I do have FPs. Where to? 7DMT, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain
9. What wild animal do I encounter
back at the resort? wild cat
10. Who's your favourite TR writer? pkondz

Noted.

Bonus - snarky airlines - saw it

We try to not keep a low profile.

Transportation wait times total - 123 minutes.

123 has already been picked.
I can do 122 or 124.
If I don't hear back before the
deadline, I'll flip a coin.

 

[pkondz]

That's 7 mph faster than SM. I hope you had your hands in the air.

Weeeee!!!!! "Hey! Get off the road!"

Well, THAT escalated quickly.

It's all Harley Davidson's fault!

Yes, with our tank on empty halfway between Winnemucca, NV and Burns, OR. At 7:00PM on a Sunday. It was 29 degrees in December. We were 21 and 24. And really, really stupid.

We've all been in our 20s and stupid.

Maybe not that stupid....

Yeah... that stupid.

Stop ciphering, and that won't happen.

Had to see if leave was available first.
Couldn't do that from Alberta.

I'll probably be deep in my Guam trip planning. Someday....

Someday.
I suspect I'll be in Oregon
before we meet in Disney.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Vegas by way of London from winnepeg such a world traveler! J/K Vegas should be fun! Jim says the way things are these days , he wants to do our foreign travels at Epcot

Now for Kay, you have raised a genius! Trip to FL sounds perfect!

 

[pkondz]

Hi Pkondz
Way to go.go . .A brand new bike and a Harley at that and in the style you've always wanted.

Yesss.... Can't wait to actually get it.

A trip to Las vagus just before Christmas's

Technically... that is our Christmas
gift to each other.
The underside of the tree may be on
the light side.

and to top it all up a trip to Disney in March with your daughter

Yes!

no wonder your still writting your first chapter.

I've got 4 done (if you include the updates. )

Your excitement must be off scale

Nah.

Well, maybe a bit.


Okay, a lot.

But I think it is time to soon at least give us all a little snifter off what happened at the airports on your first day.

Um... Did you miss it?
I've already posted that chapter.
I've gotten to the bus at the resort.

 

[irene_dsc]

You and Kay are doing a lot of what we did on our last trip! No giant rodents for us, but we did do both Universal and WDW on Spring Break. I highly recommend you stay onsite at Universal to get the front of the line privilege. We didn't, and definitely regretted it.

Dh and I are hoping eventually to get to Vegas. He's been before, but I haven't.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Just a few years ago,
Ruby says to me.
"Life's too short. If you want a scooter, get one."

Seriously... get this woman to the spa!!!!

But then he went and played dirty.
"If you buy now." He said. (It's a 2017)
I'll knock off $1,000 and give you $500 more
in trade-in value."

Well... I also want a $180 part.

"We'll throw that in for free."

"I don't like the wheels, though." I said.
He found some on the East coast.

So I put a deposit on it.


I don't have it yet, as there was a wrinkle.
Shortly after signing,
the dealer on the East coast
changed his mind.
They weren't going to send the rims.
They're black rims.
And they're discontinued and can't be found.

So now, I'm getting rims powder coated
(at no charge) and when that's done,
I should have a new bike.

Nice negotiating!

"Maybe." She says. "Since we're halfway there,
we could continue on to London?"

But, alas, by the time I did more cyphering,
we determined that being on the East coast
has absolutely zero benefit to getting to London.
We'd have to fly from there, back west to Toronto
and then East to London.
It was no cheaper than to fly from Winnipeg.

I've never understood this either. Happened to us when we had to fly to HI. It was cheaper to make stops in AZ and Portland Oregon first

Well, why don't we do that?
Because by the time we figured this out,
the seat sale was already gone.
A flight to London was now
four times more expensive.

So Ruby and I are heading down
to Vegas for a quick little getaway
in December.
And the nice thing is, they're direct,
non-stop flights.


And that's development #2.

(How many of you got that reference?)

"I want this she says."
And shows me this picture:

All I think of is this:

And

But hey to each their own!

"Did you want to do anything else?" I ask.
"I've never been to Universal." She replies.
And there are some rides at Disney
that I'd like to do."

Well... if you're gonna twist my arm...


Hello!

No firm plans yet,
but I do have the last week of March
booked off (Spring break) for her.


And that's development #3.

 

[juniorbugman]

I will pick 124 nice even number.

 

[pkondz]

Vegas by way of London from winnepeg such a world traveler!

That would be a pretty good trip, though!

J/K Vegas should be fun!

I hope so!
It's gonna be a quick one.

Jim says the way things are these days , he wants to do our foreign travels at Epcot

Oh, man. I hear that.
The world is turning into
one scary place.

Now for Kay, you have raised a genius! Trip to FL sounds perfect!

Wasn't that hard.
"Where do you want to go for your birthday, Kay?"
"Japan!"
"No."
"Germany!"
"No."
"England!"
"No."
"Montreal!"
"No."
"Minneapolis!"
"No."
"Florida!"
"Well, if that's where you want to go."

 

[pkondz]

You and Kay are doing a lot of what we did on our last trip! No giant rodents for us, but we did do both Universal and WDW on Spring Break.

Oh, really!
Well, I guess if did it,
then we should do it.
Right?

I highly recommend you stay onsite at Universal to get the front of the line privilege. We didn't, and definitely regretted it.

I need to get the UOG for Uni.
Last time I was there,
there was only one park.
Things have really changed since!

Dh and I are hoping eventually to get to Vegas. He's been before, but I haven't.

It's an interesting place.
Lots to see, lots to do.
Adult playground.

 

[pkondz]

Seriously... get this woman to the spa!!!!

Okay!

Nice negotiating!

Thanks, but TBH,
I think he did most of the work.

I've never understood this either. Happened to us when we had to fly to HI. It was cheaper to make stops in AZ and Portland Oregon first

"Look. Just get a plane that goes from my house
to wherever I want to go... when I want to go. Okay?"


Seems reasonable.

Ah, well.
Maybe next time.

I suspect when Andy or Mark get here,
they'll recognize it.

All I think of is this:

Rats. (Pun intended.) I can't see the video.
I'll check it out when I get home.

And

But hey to each their own!

Not a fan of giant rodents?

 

[pkondz]

I will pick 124 nice even number.

Got it!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

That would be a pretty good trip, though!



I hope so!
It's gonna be a quick one.



Oh, man. I hear that.
The world is turning into
one scary place.



Wasn't that hard.
"Where do you want to go for your birthday, Kay?"
"Japan!"
"No."
"Germany!"
"No."
"England!"
"No."
"Montreal!"
"No."
"Minneapolis!"
"No."
"Florida!"
"Well, if that's where you want to go."

On 2nd thought that is genius parenting, "My dad said I could go anywhere I choose for my birthday."

 

[pkondz]

On 2nd thought that is genius parenting, "My dad said I could go anywhere I choose for my birthday."

 

[irene_dsc]

Doing both parks in one week is definitely the most expensive way to do it, alas. You don't get any cheap days, and to ride the Hogwarts Express, you need a Park to Park ticket. But, you have to do it. This is part of why we drove and stayed offsite. (Plus, way more space.) But, front of the line tickets are have peak pricing, and Spring Break is pretty much the peak! So, staying onsite gives you the same benefit, although you'll need to check current info. The Harry Potter areas get really crowded. Since Kay likes to sleep in, you'll probably want to do those areas in the evening.

The Dis also has Universal forums, btw.

As for Vegas, as an architect, I really need to visit sometime. Too many clients reference places there! Plus, the whole Learning From Las Vegas thing. I also want to see Cirque de Soleil there.

 

[Steppesister]

Keep the lights on for me.

 

[cindianne320]

WHOO HOO! How awesome you may get to go back to Disney/Universal, and to Vegas!

 

[cindianne320]

Ok- now I'm all caught up. Sorry your trips had some lows But glad there are many highs as well. And thank you for the links at the end of each chapter/update and the links at the beginning- I had missed the first travel day, but was able to go back and click on links to make sure I didn't miss anything else!