Canadian Buffoon's Hi Low Vacation - South Central Musings

[Gracefulskinny]

Okay!

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


Seems reasonable.

Not a fan of giant rodents?

Not generally. There are however exceptions for the talking kind.

 

[pkondz]

Doing both parks in one week is definitely the most expensive way to do it, alas.

Now you tell me!!

You don't get any cheap days

It's Disney. There's no such thing!

and to ride the Hogwarts Express, you need a Park to Park ticket. But, you have to do it.

Fully intend to.

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!

I know. We've done it once.
They closed MK due to capacity
one day.

The Harry Potter areas get really crowded. Since Kay likes to sleep in, you'll probably want to do those areas in the evening.

I'm hoping to convince her to do rope drop.
Wish me luck!

The Dis also has Universal forums, btw.

I do know!
And I've never visited.
Guess that'll have to change.

As for Vegas, as an architect, I really need to visit sometime. Too many clients reference places there!

I believe you.
We designed our pool after
the pool at the Mandarin Oriental.

Plus, the whole Learning From Las Vegas thing.

Had no idea what that was.
Googled.
Interesting.

I also want to see Cirque de Soleil there.

We have seen "Ka" at the MGM Grand.
Amazing... no... Amazing show!

 

[pkondz]

Keep the lights on for me.

Will do! Have fun and come home exhausted!

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

Isn't that the Trifecta of fun?

 

[pkondz]

Ok- now I'm all caught up.

Good!

Sorry your trips had some lows

Ah well,
you'll see that they weren't too bad.
I mean a lost credit card
doesn't compare to some
of the lows I've read on others' TRs.

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!

You're welcome!
And it looks like you weren't
the only one that happened to.

 

[pkondz]

Not generally. There are however exceptions for the talking kind.

Ah!
So if you were walking alone...
in a strange city...
at night...

... and suddenly you were swarmed by a thousand rats
who forced you down a dark alley to face their Rat King.
And the King hissed, liquidly.
"Prepare for the ultimate ssssacrificccce, human!"..

You'd be all "Awww... Cute!"

?

 

[rndmr2]

Congrats on the new bike! Bet you can't wait to get on the road with it.

That's awesome that you are going to Vegas. I have been twice (with my parents) back in 97-98 somewhere around there. We stayed at the Excalibur and then at Treasure Island. They were both great trips. If you haven't seen Cirque de Soleil Mystere I HIGHLY recommend it. Loved that show, I even bought the CD. I have seen 3 other ones since then (including La Nouba) and this is still my favorite one.

And that you are (most likely) going to Disney in March!!

 

[pookersmom]

I'm here and sort of mostly caught up. With the caveat that I will probably disappear again since I am in the midst of editing a novel and will probably start drafting a new one in November.

But then I can come back. I know how long your trip reports take.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Ah!
So if you were walking alone...
in a strange city...
at night...

... and suddenly you were swarmed by a thousand rats
who forced you down a dark alley to face their Rat King.
And the King hissed, liquidly.
"Prepare for the ultimate ssssacrificccce, human!"..

You'd be all "Awww... Cute!"

?

Uh... No.

btw... can you send a link to the page to feed the ROUSes? (I know they are called something different but I've already forgotten their name and They will only ever be ROUSes in my brain. ) DH doesn't believe that the picture you posted is real.

 

[pkondz]

Congrats on the new bike! Bet you can't wait to get on the road with it.

Thanks! And I'm dying to get it.
I just hope I will before winter sets in
and I can't ride it!
It's going to be bad enough
looking at it sitting in the garage
for the next 5-6 months.

That's awesome that you are going to Vegas.

I have been twice (with my parents) back in 97-98 somewhere around there. We stayed at the Excalibur and then at Treasure Island. They were both great trips. If you haven't seen Cirque de Soleil Mystere I HIGHLY recommend it. Loved that show, I even bought the CD. I have seen 3 other ones since then (including La Nouba) and this is still my favorite one.

Have you seen Ka?
That's the only one we've seen
and we were blown away by it.

We're probably going to see O.

And that you are (most likely) going to Disney in March!!

Another Disney trip? Woot!

 

[pkondz]

I'm here and sort of mostly caught up.

Hi! to the TR!

With the caveat that I will probably disappear again since I am in the midst of editing a novel

Whoops! Bye!

Are you editing your own?
Or someone else's?

and will probably start drafting a new one in November.

Are you published?
What genre do you write?

But then I can come back. I know how long your trip reports take.

Not this one.
I plan on having it done
within three weeks.

Four. Four weeks.
Five, tops.

Maybe six if I get busy.


Or seven...


Better make that nine.

Nine weeks.
But no more than ten.
Or eleven... ish.





I'm talking about the next update...

 

[pkondz]

Uh... No.

Are you sure???

btw... can you send a link to the page to feed the ROUSes? (I know they are called something different but I've already forgotten their name and They will only ever be ROUSes in my brain. )

They're called capybaras.
Here's the link:
http://www.palmbeachzoo.org/capybara-experience

DH doesn't believe that the picture you posted is real.

Just Google (images) "Feeding capybara"
Lots of pics of people feeding them.
Like this one:

"Attack of the killer rodent"

 

[Gracefulskinny]

They're called capybaras.
Here's the link:
http://www.palmbeachzoo.org/capybara-experience

 

[irene_dsc]

Now you tell me!!

Lol. I'm thinking you knew that. But yeah, 3 days of WDW and 2 Park to Park at Uni.

It's Disney. There's no such thing!

True! But at least when you go from, say, 4 days to 5, you get that nice price drop. That doesn't really happen when you go from 2 days to 3.

Fully intend to.

Expensive, but you can't really go to Universal for HP without it.

I know. We've done it once.
They closed MK due to capacity
one day.

Yikes. At least it wasn't *quite* that crowded when we were there! Our Epcot day was the one that seemed the worst for crowds, actually.

I'm hoping to convince her to do rope drop.
Wish me luck!

Good luck with that one! But maybe if it's the *only* day you try it...

I believe you.
We designed our pool after
the pool at the Mandarin Oriental.

Nice! And seems doable in a normal backyard, if you have space. But I'm guessing you skipped the palm trees!

We have seen "Ka" at the MGM Grand.
Amazing... no... Amazing show!

I've said I'm waiting until I get to Vegas to see any of their shows. I'm stubborn that way. It just seems like the place where I need to see it.

 

[franandaj]

So here's a little real life update.

OK hold on...













Lemme get a big cup of coffee....













Allright. Go.

But I don't know if anyone knows all.
Or all the details, anyway.

I'm sure we don't, you don't tend to share until you're all ready, and even then you leave questions.

I think you guys all know that I own a Harley.

Well, I did know that but I have no idea what model it is.

So I got rid of my scooter.
I wasn't happy about it,
but it was either that or die, I figured.

I had a moped in high school. I don't even think it went that fast.

For just a little more than that other bike,
I could get an even nicer Harley.

Sounds like a no brainer.

I can't really travel with it,
since the fuel range is only about 100 miles.

Huh. I had no idea the traveling radius was so small. It wouldn't be a problem in California. I think the state has become so populated that there aren't very many 100 mile stretches without fuel.

The other day, I called my local dealership.
Well, whadaya know.
They have the exact model I want.
In the right colour too.

So which one is that?

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

Nice.

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

It was no cheaper than to fly from Winnipeg.

Huh. You wouldn't think so. I know when I flew to Halifax everyone had to fly to Toronto for connections.

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.

Okay. Forget it.

Bummer.

So Ruby and I are heading down
to Vegas for a quick little getaway
in December.

That sounds like a fair trade. So Vegas I know a thing or two about. But then again you are probably looking for the quintessential Vegas experience, staying on the strip, seeing the shows, eating at the themed restaurants....

We do Vegas on the more local take. We go there to gamble and eat at places off the beaten path. We stay almost as far as we can from the strip, and seek out tables with low blackjack minimums.

But Kay's another person altogether.
("But Kay's another person!")

(How many of you got that reference?)

I got nothin.

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

Good for her. Not me.

"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."

Universal is fun. You need to be fit and enjoy being "toseed around" on rides. I have problems with motion sickness on some of them, but it's something everyone should definitely experience. Especially if you're a Potter fan. Disney has what it takes to get me coming back again and again.

Interesting. Were Frans' folks renting
while they were living there?
Or did that come later?

Oh no, the place we are trying to get out of, they built it. Not with their own hands, but they approved the plans and chose the layouts and which extras that they wanted.

They were big into Real Estate and Fran's father would have kept accumulating property if his wife let him.

So you cleaned their house when you got a round to it.

Well sort of the opposite... but come to think of it, we might have taken just as long to clean out their place as we are taking to clean out our place.

I used to eat a big meal on midnight shifts.
Not anymore, though.

I didn't say it was a big meal. I just don't sleep well on an empty stomach.

I have heard of those incidents.
Man, that sounds like it totally sucked
on that flight from Alaska.
And hey, if you can afford it... do it!

The airline was Alaska, the flight was from Seattle.

Not this one.
I plan on having it done
within three weeks.

Four. Four weeks.
Five, tops.

Maybe six if I get busy.


Or seven...


Better make that nine.

Nine weeks.
But no more than ten.
Or eleven... ish.

Definitely by 2018...right?

 

[cinderkelly]

Sorry for taking so long
to get this update up and running.

Sorry for taking so long to reply! This real life business is for the birds

Shall I be honest with you?
There was a point during my travels,
when I considered chucking

I know exactly how that feels

I had my card! Yay!
Let the holiday commence!

Woo hoo! Let the spending commence!

That evening, I spent my time cooking,
(Spaetzle, chicken schnitzel,
jaeger sauce and corn on the cob

Wow I'm impressed!

The plane departed on time at 5:15am.

Oh look! We're coming in
for a landing in Toronto.

I love how cities look from that angle

Because it was a Florida-bound flight,
they board it a little differently.
The flight is almost completely made up
of families with children.
So instead of boarding

Oddly enough our Florida bound flight was made up of mostly elderly people and their families. We had a A group boarding position and by the time we got on the plane to choose our seats ( Southwest) the plane was half full already with the old folks and their families that they let board first

Man I love that first row!

Oh. And notice the brand spanking new shoes?
This is a public service announcement.
Do not, under any circumstances,
buy new shoes and not break them in
before going to Disneyworld.

Trust me on this.


At 10:35, right on time, we were airborne.

Let's try this again...

Awesome and not awesome! First row! And brand new shoes, although they look snazzy they can cause problems fo sure!

Got it now?
Wait... Lemme zoom in a bit...

I see it!

I see thunderstorm clouds
(Cumulonimbus, aka: CBs)
and that means rain.

I saw those exact same clouds

I sashayed up to the check in desk at 2:44pm.
Not bad.
Thirty minutes from airport to resort.

That's pretty good !

Yup!
The absolute closest room to the buses
and Melody Hall.

Sweet! That should save some wear and tear on the 'ol knees

You're still

Yep, still reading

1. So... what'd I do before even going in?

Have a photo pass photographer take a pic of you in front of the train station

2. I have an ADR... where is it?

Skippers Canteen

3. What's the first ride I go on?

Haunted Mansion

4. Considering my lack of sleep,
how late d

11:00pm

5. Why is my wait for a bus 16 minutes

It wasn't there yet?

6. How many times was I asked for directions?
(It just happens to me.

3

7. Dole whip. Yes or no? (as in did I have one.)

Not yet

8. Why yes, I do have FPs. Where to?

7DMT, haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain

9. What wild animal do I encounter
back at the resort?

Squirrel!!!!!

10. Who's your favourite TR writer?

You, but only because of the way you spell favourite

Bonus:
(Back by popular demand)
Did you see it? Be vaguely specific.
Saying yes ain't gonna work.

Love those snarky skies

What is my total time spent waiting
for Disney Transportation?

175 minutes

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Remember last chapter I said bad things
come in threes?

Yep…
(still depending on when you start counting)

Well, maybe good things do too.

What’s the time limit on counting those up?
There could be more than three.

I can't tell you how many people
cut me off or tried to run me off the road
to "teach me a lesson".

Never interfere with folk who are clearly higher grades of human than you…
(at least in their own minds)


(Assuming they have any…)



(minds, that is..)

So I got rid of my scooter.
I wasn't happy about it,
but it was either that or die, I figured.

Some folks would have told you to just live dangerously.

Of course they neglect to consider the notion of dying dangerously.

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

Clearly you were born under a lucky star.

"Could I take it for a test drive?"

They don't normally do that... but yes.

Sounds like a clever salesperson baiting a particularly lovely trap.

But I wasn't in a rush to buy.
Winter's right around the corner, ya know.

Ahhhh, but he encountered a cunning quarry.

But then he went and played dirty.

As hunters are oft to do…

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

Nicely negotiated, sir.

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

Cool! Now don’t mess this one up.

A flight to London was now
four times more expensive.

Dang, forgot to consider that other forces would mess it up for you.

So Ruby and I are heading down
to Vegas for a quick little getaway
in December.

But that is not a bad consolation prize there.
Don’t see you as a bigtime gambler; what things in particular do y’all want to take in down that way?

But Kay's another person altogether.
("But Kay's another person!")

And don’t call me Shirley.

(How many of you got that reference?)

Probably most of the Dads

Okay. So what do you want?
"To go to Japan!"

She does dream big.

May not get all of the dreams right away, but she should keep dreaming them.

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

The habitat for those is going be taking up a right decent amount of space in your house.

"You want to feed giant rodents?" I ask.
"Yah." Kay replies.

Whew…
Dodged a bullet there

"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."

Just what fraction of a second did it take to agree to that plan?

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

Hope this works out.
Y’all should have a marvelous time.

 

[irene_dsc]

That sounds like a fair trade. So Vegas I know a thing or two about. But then again you are probably looking for the quintessential Vegas experience, staying on the strip, seeing the shows, eating at the themed restaurants....

We do Vegas on the more local take. We go there to gamble and eat at places off the beaten path. We stay almost as far as we can from the strip, and seek out tables with low blackjack minimums.

Lol. Dh and I really don't gamble at all. So, yeah, I know *I* really just want to do and see all the other crazy stuff *around* the gambling. Although I did have fun playing roulette at a recent charity fundraiser. I had one more chip, and decided to be all dramatic and put it on 00. So, of course, I won. Later, when I had lost the rest of it, I did the same thing. And won, again. Since it was for charity, there wasn't cash - but you could trade in your chips for raffle tickets. I ended up winning a gift certificate to any Lettuce Entertain You restaurant! So, that's pretty much my only gambling claim to fame. I figure I probably will never be able to do it again, so I should finish with that.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I had to catch up on all the latest news.

Those of you who read the chatter
between chapters already know
some of this.

Sadly, I wish I had time to read the chatter. I'm mostly limited now to just staying current on new updates.

There have been three recent developments.
Remember last chapter I said bad things
come in threes?
Well, maybe good things do too.

That sounds much better.

It was the other drivers.
The speed limit in a lot of the city is 35.
My top speed.
But everyone drives closer to 40.
I slow people down.
And they don't like it.

I can't tell you how many people
cut me off or tried to run me off the road
to "teach me a lesson".
Well, I learned my lesson.
People, at least behind the wheel,
can be complete and total jerks.
(Except I didn't use the word "jerks".)

I hate people sometimes. You probably made them arrive 30 seconds later to wherever they were going.

Ruby was very understanding and encouraging.
"Over my dead body." She said.

She is very understanding.

Ever seen a sign "Next gas 150 miles"?

Maybe once or twice.

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."

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

Wow. I'm taking you to my next car negotiation!

I love to travel.
Ruby loves to nest.
I want to go and see the world.
Ruby wants to curl up and relax.

They do say that opposites attract.

"I have a meeting on the East coast." She says.
"Okay." I say.
"In November." Says she.
"Okay." I say.
"Wanna come?" Says she.

Great news! Will it be in Philadelphia? Baltimore? D.C.? You could be so close!

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

Whoa. That escalated quickly. But in a good way!

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.

Well, sure. Makes perfect sense.

Because by the time we figured this out,
the seat sale was already gone.
A flight to London was now
four times more expensive.

Son of a...

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.

Excellent! But that's nowhere near the East Coast. So I'm less of a fan.

But Kay's another person altogether.
("But Kay's another person!")

(How many of you got that reference?)

Can't remember if Airplane or Police Squad used that one first.

Okay. So what do you want?
"To go to Japan!"

She's funny. I bet she wants a pet unicorn, too.

She has a guinea pig
in addition to our two dogs.

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

Radioactive guinea pigs!! Run for your lives!

By the way, that guy looks WAY too happy to have his hand bitten off by a radioactive mutant rodent.

Those are Capybaras.
Basically giant guinea pigs.

Oh, right. I knew that.

"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.

Beautiful! Sounds like an awesome gift.

 

[chillitsanne]

Fun update! Looking forward to reading more

1. So... what'd I do before even going in?
2. I have an ADR... where is it?
3. What's the first ride I go on?
4. Considering my lack of sleep,
how late do I stay at MK?
5. Why is my wait for a bus 16 minutes?
6. How many times was I asked for directions?
(It just happens to me.)
7. Dole whip. Yes or no? (as in did I have one.)
8. Why yes, I do have FPs. Where to?
9. What wild animal do I encounter
back at the resort?
10. Who's your favourite TR writer?

1. a happy dance
2. BOG
3. Haunted Mansion
4. Midnight
5. because you just missed one
6. 4 times
7.yes
8. 7DMT, Splash, Haunted Mansion
9. Snake
10. well you are off to a good start so ill say you!

Bonus:
(Back by popular demand)
Did you see it? Be vaguely specific.
Saying yes ain't gonna work.


My Big Fat Canadian Bonus:
I ride Disney transportation
eighteen times this trip,
including two trips on DME/dud.
You already know the first three
had wait times totalling 26 minutes.
(3 for DME + 23 for park buses.)
I've also told you that my luck
wasn't as good as my previous trips.

Armed with that information...

What is my total time spent waiting
for Disney Transportation?

Bonus: fly the snarky skies?
2. 196 Minutes

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

It was the other drivers.

I can see this. I try, for the most part, to be considerate of those on scooters and bicycles. But here people on the 35-mph scooters like to get on roads where the speed limit is 55mph, and that's where I take issue.

"Don't get a scooter. They're not cool.
You have to get a bike."

Well, duh. I thought everyone knew this?

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."

Aaaaaaand that's how they reel ya in.

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

Oooooooooh. Our plans are to black Joe's entire bike out, put in a green headlight, throw on some purple LED underlighting, and then paint a Viking symbol on the side. Confused?

Yeah, I was too when he first told me what he planned. But then I realized what he was doing. Our favorite non-Disney animated movie is How to Train Your Dragon. We even went to see the sequel in theaters (and it was the closest I've ever seen him come to crying). So we're making his bike Toothless, in a sense.

And I'm.....not quite entertaining the notion yet, but the thought has crossed my mind a couple of times of getting a bike of my own. Mentioned it to my mom, and she had about the same reaction Ruby did at first. And she hasn't warmed up to it. Still thinking of taking the class, if not for any other reason than to be prepared in case something crazy came up and I ended up having to drive Joe's. But that's also a hefty fee, and spare cash is in short supply, but they're done for the season so I have another 5-6 months to make up my mind.

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.

I have yet to make it to Vegas. My friend tried really hard to get me to go along with her (also in December) but we already had two people out at work and being the holidays....I didn't see it happening. And I'm hoarding my PTO.

(How many of you got that reference?)

Nope. Am I allowed to play the "I'm too young" card here?

Okay. So what do you want?
"To go to Japan!"

Joe does too. I told him only when we can afford not to fly economy.

"You want to feed giant rodents?" I ask.
"Yah." Kay replies.

As a girl who paid extra to go behind the scenes and pet a sea otter at the Georgia Aquarium.....I see nothing unusual about this.

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

Dang it. You sure you don't want to go in the summertime? Say, the first week of June? No?