Mickey Comes to Boston About This Page:

[BostonTeaParty]

Saturday - August 16, 2003

Began the drive into Boston at 10:10 a.m. We are scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. at Cheers in Faneuil Hall. The radio is playing "That's Entertainment". What station is this? I don't normally hear songs like this on the radio. There is no traffic, I breeze into the city by 10:30. It may take longer than that to find a parking spot.

No, I'm in luck. The garage just across the street from Faneuil Hall is open and I drive right in. I get a spot on the second level! No driving to the top of the mountain today. I am just outside Cheers with 10 minutes to spare. No one is here yet. I am first! (That's a first). I'm so excited and looking forward to seeing everyone.

I step inside and take a seat. The restaurant doesn't even open until 11 a.m. I look over some pamphlets I picked up for the Duck Tours and the Town Trolley Tours while I wait.

11 a.m. Still no one here yet....getting a little nervous. I glance outside the large glass windows to see if anyone looking "Passporter-ish" is approaching. Finally! I spot Janine-FanOfMickey, just as she spots me. We chat for only a few minutes because Pam-PS - I LUV WDW and her DH Brian walk in next. While we are greeting Pam and Brian, Marie-CRCrazy, instantly recognizable due to the pictures we've all seen of her three beautiful daughters, walks in with Amanda, Jenny and Sarah. Moments later Jennifer-WishIWasInDisney, her husband and son Andrew all walk in. We decide to be seated as the entryway is rapidly filling up with Passporters. Soon everyone is seated and chatting, wondering if Tina-loobyoxlip and her boys will make it. The consensus is that due to the blackout, she probably didn't make it. When what to our wondering eyes should appear, but a tall woman with two instantly recognizable, adorable little boys.

Note: We did all comment on how much easier it was to recognize Passporters due to the pictures we've seen of their children.

Now we are ready to order lunch. We are informed by the manager, that Barbara-MSODancr will be late, but will be joining us. Joe-Elliot's Dragon is also coming later. Janine and I decide to hit the ladies room first to wash up. We walk down a flight of stairs and are instantly in a bar that is the exact set-up from the Cheers TV show. They even have stand-up cut-outs of Sam, Carla, Frasier, Woody, Norm, etc. As we head back upstairs we take a different set of stairs and end up in a completely different restaurant. There is nary a Passporter to be seen! Talk about confused!! We realize our mistake and go back down and up the other stairs and are reunited with everyone. We are all laughing as we explain what just happened.

We all enjoy a tasty lunch. Conversation and laughter flow easily. I'm shaking my head over this, thinking, some of us have never met before, but it feels like we've known each other for years. The most surreal part is meeting folks we've only seen pictures of. It feels like a storybook that has come to life.

Joe emailed me his cell phone number. I decide to give him a call to see where he is. Joe is one of the funniest and nicest guys you'll ever meet. He answers his phone and I ask him where he is. He says (in his strong Noo Yawk accent) "somewhere with ducks, geese and Swans." I laugh and tell him he's in The Boston Public Gardens. I'm having a little trouble hearing him as Cheers has gotten noisier from the lunch crowd. He is trying to tell me what street he is on, but communication is confusing. I tell him to ask someone where he is and how to get to us, thinking there is a nearby shop he could go in and ask around. Not our Joe! He grabs a stranger walking past and gets directions from them. He will be joining us shortly.

Next up: From Cheers to Jeers
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First row seated: Kylor, Sarah, Nancy, Pam, Jennifer, Jalen, Andrew

Second row standing: Jennifer's husband (I apologize Jennifer, I forgot DH's name, ) Amanda, Jenny, Janine, Brian, Tina, Joe and Marie.