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
Our Homepage

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.

[disneyknut]

Wow you guys!! Sounds like so much fun! I'm jealous!! I've yet to meet any Passporter friends!
Love the start of your trip report & I take it from the photo that Joe did make it [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[AKLRULZ]

Way kewl! Gosh I would have loved to have been there - can't wait to hear more! And that is a sharp picture - looks like ya'll had a nice day (cracking up at the date on the picture!).

[Dumbo]

I just have one question. Were you somewhere in the Twilight Zone??? You met 8/16/03 but the picture is dated 3/11/03.

[simbarel]

Cool! Can't wait to read more!

Originally posted by NancyW:

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.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Too funny!

[Colexis Mom]

Great picture everyone [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img] Wish I could have made it there [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] Sounds like everyone had a great time [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[PS - I LUV WDW]

Great start Nancy! Love the photo [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]

Now for my .02 cents .....

Brian and I were also there with 10 minutes to spare, except we were over at Sam' bar at Cheers. The Fanueil Hall website listed that as the only Cheers location. After we had been there a few minutes looking for familiar faces and those we hoped to recgonize from the Boards, we saw Marie, with her Passporter pouch, and her 3 girls (boy did that picture on her signature make it easy to figure out who she was!). We inquired at the podium and they quickly figured out that we needed to be over on the South side instead of the North, so over we went were I saw Nancy and Janiene waiting inside.

I totally agree with Nancy that it is so strange that a total group of strangers can just carry on conversations like we've known each other for ages. Of course all of our posting here must help [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I'll wait for you to continue with the story before adding any more comments!

[loobyoxlip]

I'm ho-o-o-ome!!! We barely made the flight from Boston-Milwaukee. Only 2 empty seats!!! Ack. But we did. Made it home at 3:50. Clothes are in the dryer already, house is cleaned, so of course thought I would pop in and check in here. [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]

Thanks for the great TR, Nancy. I can't wait to see the pictures from the harbour cruise!! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[BostonTeaParty]

Originally posted by Dad2jbj:
And that is a sharp picture - looks like ya'll had a nice day (cracking up at the date on the picture!).

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Somebody help me, I turned on the date thingy and I don't know how to turn it off or change the date.
[img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[BostonTeaParty]

Originally posted by Dumbo:
I just have one question. Were you somewhere in the Twilight Zone??? You met 8/16/03 but the picture is dated 3/11/03.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Actually the date is 3/11/02 Dumbo. [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[BostonTeaParty]

Originally posted by PS - I LUV WDW:

Now for my .02 cents .....

I'll wait for you to continue with the story before adding any more comments!

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Pam, and any other Passporters who participated, please feel free to jump in at any time with your thoughts and comments, it will only enrich the story. [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]

[BostonTeaParty]

Lunch was progressing nicely, when the waitress came over to inform us that since we had guaranteed 25 people, we were financially responsible for the no-shows. Now, we asked to speak to the manager to explain we were down by a few due to various situations that couldn't be helped, including the blackout. The manager called corporate headquarters and, apparently they were unsympathetic to our situation. I had signed a contract and had to honor it, end of story. So, after talking it over amongst ourselves, we decided that if we had to pay for the food, we wanted the extra meals. Pam's husband Brian had the best idea, of taking the extra meals over to some homeless vets that were hanging around the holocaust memorial, and giving them lunch. That eased the situations enormously for all of us. By this time Barbara-MSODancr, and her 3 sweet children had arrived. They were just beginning to enjoy their lunch, when the final insult happened. A member of the waitstaff came over and asked us to leave so that other patrons could have our seats. Excuse me? Number 1. - There were plenty of empty tables available. Number 2. - It was only noon, they gave a group our size one hour to eat lunch??? They showed me a form they had printed out that stated as much, however, no one had ever mentioned that to me while I was making the arrangements. We did move on shortly after that, but I was steamed. I was telling Paul all about it when I returned home. He said "you should have told them that you were writing a review of their restaurant for publication (which is true), for a Disney website where many, many people would be reading about them. Then see what their response is." He also thought Cheers is more of a tourist spot and they probably figure we wouldn't be returning. Well, they would be correct about that now. I was very disappointed in how they treated us, and a bit embarressed, having guests from out-of-town being subjected to this. Fortunately, the rest of our day was trouble-free and great fun. While everyone was finishing up lunch, I walked over to the Duck Tours kiosk and learned that the only tour left for that day was not until 6:30 that evening. There was another kiosk just outside Cheers for Town Trolley Tours. I asked there about what was available and they had tours leaving every 15 minutes with a cruise of Boston Harbor thrown in. Sold! She even gave us the group rate.

Barbara and her children had to leave, so they did not join us for the rest of our adventures. We gathered outside Cheers and decided it was time for a group picture. We found a very nice passerby, who took our wonderful group photo. I tried to get a shot of him as he was talking to Joe, (thought it would make a fun additon to the report) but he walked away just as I snapped and I only got half of him. We decided to walk over to Long Wharf and take the cruise first, and pick up the trolley tour afterwards. It was a brutally hot day in Boston, hazy, hot and humid, in the 90's. We all got something cool to enjoy while waiting for the cruise; some got shaved ice, others had dipping dots or a cold drink. It was a very busy day on the waterfront, with people milling about waiting for cruises, going to the Aquarium or other activities. Finally it was time to board! We headed up to the very top deck, claimed a bunch of seats and talked during the entire cruise. I don't think any of us heard a word the narrator said! It was a lovely way to spend an hour, but I was hoping there would at least be a breeze on the water. Not today! The sun was beating down on us just as hard as it was on dry land. Well, at least I managed to get a great shot of the group with the Boston skyline in the background. I'm adding a photo from the cruise website so you can see the type of boat we were on. I didn't think to take a shot of the boat myself. Too busy gabbing.

Next up: Where did half our group go??? and - We tour the city and learn many interesting facts. Including where the term "hooker" comes from.

Group Shot on board the Cruise boat Nolan:

Front: Sarah, Amanda, Kylor, Andrew, Jalen
Back: Tina (behind Amanda), Joe, Jennifer, Brian, Janine, Pam, Jennifer's DH (William?) and Jenny. Where did Marie go?

web page web page

[AKLRULZ]

Sounds like ya'll handled the sticky situation at the restaurant with class - they were the ones with issues. Overall, though, it sounds like tons of fun even in the heat!

[loobyoxlip]

Oh my gosh Nancy. I was totally out of the loop at the other table. LOL. I seriously had no idea they asked us to leave!! At least the girl at the Trolley Tours was super nice [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] That picture on the boat is way cool! Except I'm missing [img]graemlins/cry2.gif[/img] Maybe I'm in the one Marie took with her camera!

[iloverags2]

Wonderful report! I agree...it's so nice to meet up with fellow passporters and just carry on a conversation like long lost friends. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Can't wait to read more, and see more pics!