Lies and Deceit - It's What This Trip Was Built On (A CLT Report) - UPDATED 3/9 - Page 17 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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You are such a great writer Karen!!! Sounds like a fun morning in the MK with the CLT! I loved the story of your driver to the WL. Glad you all made it in one piece. I feel the same way about the WL. It's such a warm, homey feeling when you walk into that lobby. Thanks for sharing the YouTube video of Charlie the finger biter. It was so adorable. Hurry back with more.
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I'll bet the bathroom lady had the "look what I did" look on her face, too!
Great updates, girls!
Ok, I'm really keeping Miss V from her nap know . . . I went from readig (and laughing though) the update, to loud laughter and tears at this little gem.
Whew! I just read the whole thing (and wasted my morning 'off' with the kiddos at my parents' house, and I was supposed to be sewing...) Great TR! Waiting on the next update now...
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Heather R, DVC Member and Disney Mom's Panelist, loving loyal wife to Chris & stay-at-home mom to Annie - 5, Catie - 3, and Lilly - 1
Sheesh! I have foot-in-mouthitis these days. I didn't mean reading your report was a waste, I hope it didn't sound like that! Just my profound lack of sleep shinng through.
__________________
Heather R, DVC Member and Disney Mom's Panelist, loving loyal wife to Chris & stay-at-home mom to Annie - 5, Catie - 3, and Lilly - 1
The noise continued, as I washed my hands, and then there was a brief crescendo of groaning, followed by a deep sigh of satisfaction, and an audible, "Ohhhhh, yesssss."
Um . . . are you sure that wasn't my dear, sweet Mary Devall? I had a similar experience in the restroom at San Angel Inn except for the fact that it was obvious that my daughter was the one in the stall. Although she was not quite as verbous as your particular "stallee", she really put her all into it.
Quote:
I looked at the woman standing next to me at the sink and said, "She should've stuck with the salad," before I exited the bathroom.
Oh Lord! You crack me up! There was another lady in the restroom with us. She was washing her hands as I stood outside of Mary Devall's stall. When I told Mary Devall that she sounded a bit like she was having a baby, the lady finally let go of her laughter.
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I am sitting here with tears running down my face I am laughing so hard!!! WONDERFUL update Karen - please hurry back with more (and I think between you, Sharon, Eileen and Cheryl - we have some professional writers in our midst!!!)
I just read through your entire trip report today and I have laughed my way through all of it! I want to go on a trip with you because it seems like you have some kind of magical mojo that makes everyone trip over themselves to serve you better. Oh, to be a witness to that in person but I guess I'll settle for another update instead (hint, hint)
After a quick ride (well via Fort Wilderness, so not so much on the quick,) we were pulling up to Epcot. We were presented with the new entrance barricades directing everyone towards the bag check area. As Eileen and I both were now adherants of Princess Sharon's tips to tour by, we were all bagless. So, this new formation was seriously annoying, and a serious disadvantage to guests arriving by bus versus car. Oh well, we were in soon enough and off to check out the new movie in Canada.
We worked our way back to the theater, stopping to admire some gorgeous window displays along the way.
We also came across the fellows from Brother Bear all by their lonesome. Seriously, there was NO ONE around. Of course, we had to take a picture with them because we felt sorry for them all alone with no one to play with.
Like the shades? I guess I was feeling a little too cool for the likes of Brother Bear. Dorkalicious!
Kindly, my compatriots have failed to recount the next little episode. I walked down the stairs, immediately on to the boardwalk / bridge contraption next to the stream, and out towards the Kidcot stop looking for the theater. Uh, no theater out there. So, I backtracked back over the boardwalk / bridge contraption, past the stream, and found my friends standing in front of the actual theater. Eleven trips to WDW, and I had absolutely no idea where that theater was, as I'd never seen O Canada. Hey, wait! I just had an awful thought, what if P-Sha and LeeNee didn't even know I was gone? No. No way. Right? :
Anyway, there was a fairly handmade looking sign that indicated O Canada as being closed. Eileen and Sharon looked a little confused about why, so I offered up the possibility of a protein spill. Because, you know, I have a special gift for inserting that inappropriate mental image in the minds of my friends. We had a bit of a wait before the storyteller started, so we spent the time taking some photos of the lovely gardens.
There was a bit of a crowd forming at the stage in front of the pavilion, and you know how I am about free-form crowd situations. Time to mosey on over and get aggressive with the spot staking. Fortunately, the kids here were assembled just like I prefer them, sitting down and out of my sight lines. The storyteller was a good one. He began in the most gorgeous rustic woodsman costume, and really had the kids (and me) entranced.
As he told his tale of a man, perhaps right in front of us, who took on the role of jolly old elf, he gradually added pieces to his wardrobe, until he was in full red coat, hat, and sack full of toys. It was at that moment, and sadly not before, that I realized that this storyteller was secretly none other than Santa Claus.
I turned with a look of triumph to my friends, in case they hadn't gotten our storyteller's secret identity, as I exclaimed, "Ohhhhh," knowingly, only to find the girls with looks of complete bemusement at my slow-on-the-uptake-ness. Eileen even said, "Seriously?!" with disdain. Sharon just laughed. And laughed. And. Laughed.
We were in perfect time to walk over to the UK for storyteller number two. As we walked towards the back of the pavilion, I was completely taken with the patch of pointsettias that they had ornamentally arranged around the lawn area. I kept looking closely at the leaves of the plants, at what looked like raindrops, but particularly sparkly. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that they were actually large pieces of glitter. Can you imagine the guy in facilities who has to GLITTER the pointsettias. I can imagine the conversation with his superiors, "Uh, George. We've decided to make the pointsettias a bit more magical this year. Could you go around to all of the 70,000 plants we have on property and apply some magical pixie dust to each leaf? You can start in the UK." Seeing as this was the only place I spotted glittered pointesttias, I have an image of George dumping the remaining pixie dust in the lagoon, and taking the rest of the week off.
You probably can't see it in this picture, but trust me, those suckers were glittered.
Anyway, maybe it was because of the glittered pointesttias, or because of the Christmas music playing, or because of the gorgeous architecture, but I suddenly felt like I was enjoying a moment in London just before Christmas. Well, aside from the 75 degree temps that is.
I imagined the people emerging from the stores with their bright blue Walt Disney bags, as shoppers scurrying around with their Christmas packages. The music, the scene, the Christmas decorations, it was absolutely perfect. Until that is, a man sitting on the bench near us with a particularly large package (hope it was a present for his wife!) lit up a huge cigar. He looked particularly pleased with himself, or his package, or his cigar, and just as the cigar smoke invaded our olfactory zone, Father Christmas emerged to begin his story.
We were stuck if we wanted to hear him, and in the man's defense, he was clearly enjoying himself in a designated smoking area. It was just poor planning on Disney's part to put the storyteller right next to the smoking area. Anyway, Father Christmas' outfit was gorgeous, but we just didn't enjoy this storyteller as much with the smoke. We didn't have nearly the good time that we had in Canada, and nowhere near the fun of large package, cigar boy. Oh well! Plan better Disney!
With the storyteller ended, we were in perfect time to head out the International Gateway to the DVC Merry Member Mixer. As we exited Epcot, we saw the tent, and an absolutely ginormous line to get in to the mixer. We took a pitstop at the restrooms (read Eileen and I used the facilities, while Sharon waited impatiently ) and then got our spot in line just a few moments after they opened things up. We were inside the tent quickly enough, and it looked like the lion's share of the line had immediately got in another line to stake out merchandise. This decision left a fairly small line where we wanted to go: to take pictures with a beautifully bedecked Minnie and Mickey.
Timing worked out perfectly, because as we were just about to take our turn, Dawn and Tiff joined us for a quick group shot.
I wanted to get a shot of Eileen with her beloved Minnie, so we shoved Mickey to the side (I don't know maybe Dawn and Tiff talked to him) and got a little one on one action for my girl and her girl. (That's not supposed to sound dirty, but you've been waiting for this update for too long for me to go back and fix it. And, now you'll have to wait a few seconds longer since I just wrote that last sentance... and this one. )
After the picture taking session, we tried a sampling of the food and drink on offer at the party. They had platters full of the most gorgeous, most enormous, frosted cookies, and more desserts than you could imagine. There was also cider on hand, and a cash bar for those who needed to indulge after a day in the parks.
We grabbed a plateful of goodies, and shared a table with some other DVCers. What I love about the DVC party is that it does feel like a neighborhood Christmas party. You chat with the neighborhood home owners, the kids all do arts and crafts together, you laugh at the dancing, and you play with some of the locals. In this case, the locals are none other than Disney characters. I was so enjoying seeing the kids run up and hug Pluto as he'd walk by. And, then as Mickey and Minnie were finishing up their photos, who should walk by our table but this lovely couple.
Aren't they adorable?
Then, right after Donald and Daisy, we spotted Goofy sauntering our way. Actually, I think we may have heard a little squeal from Miss Sharon, signaling the Goof man's arrival. We all cleared the way for Sharon. Because as you've all learned by now, you don't get in between Sharon and either a limoncella margarita or Goofy. There was somebody who tried it once, but that was when we were the CLQ. Think about it, think about it. There you go! Sharon was absolutely delighted with the new arrival. And, Goofy knew he was in the company of a true fan. He literally engulfed Sharon, and she put on the most beauteous grin you've ever seen. But, the past part, the absolute most delicious expression I captured, showed up in my camera's view-finder.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sharon looks gorgeous and happier than ever. But, check out the little girl in the corner of the pic. Is that not the sourest expression you've ever seen? Let me translate for you... "Ummm.... HELLO?! Who's that big girl with Goofy? Didn't she get the memo that Goofy's out for the kids? He's here to see me. ME!" (Note how she's even patting herself.) "I put all these stickers on for NOTHING!" her!
Well, with Eileen getting to play with Minnie and Sharon getting to play with Goofy and Karen getting to play with a ginormous sugar cookie, we could all leave the Merry Member Mixer happy and satisfied. We headed over towards the bus stops at the Beach Club with a brief detour to check out the gingerbread carousel inside. We had just a bit of a wait, but occupied it (and most of our bus ride) chatting to a lovely woman who had snagged one of the coveted pins at the DVC mixer. She actually had a huge collection of these special pins. And, it made her happy to get them and it meant more cookies for me, so it was all good. We got to the Magic Kingdom quickly enough and hurried our way through to Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner. We had a date for dinner with our favorites!
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Karen, aka Zack's Mom - Lover of all Things Disney and the San Francisco Giants!
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I feel the same way about the WL. It's such a warm, homey feeling when you walk into that lobby. Thanks for sharing the YouTube video of Charlie the finger biter. It was so adorable.
Hurry back with more.
I had a similar experience in the restroom at San Angel Inn except for the fact that it was obvious that my daughter was the one in the stall. Although she was not quite as verbous as your particular "stallee", she really put her all into it. 
Dora
Oh well, we were in soon enough and off to check out the new movie in Canada. 
:
) and then got our spot in line just a few moments after they opened things up. We were inside the tent quickly enough, and it looked like the lion's share of the line had immediately got in another line to stake out merchandise. This decision left a fairly small line where we wanted to go: to take pictures with a beautifully bedecked Minnie and Mickey. 
) 
There was also cider on hand, and a cash bar for those who needed to indulge after a day in the parks. 
Sharon was absolutely delighted with the new arrival. And, Goofy knew he was in the company of a true fan. He literally engulfed Sharon, and she put on the most beauteous grin you've ever seen. But, the past part, the absolute most delicious expression I captured, showed up in my camera's view-finder. 
her!
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