Official 50th trip reports and tidbits

[€uroMeinke]

Another quick one:

End of the day on the 17th - at the park entrance, they are giving away crates of cupcakes. Guest (AKA Mrs. MousePod) decides to ask for a cupcake and returns with a flat of 60, holding them like a cigarette girl and passing them out to any who would take them (heh, like unaccompanied children). Somewhere, there's a picture of her holding such a pose on Harbor Boulevard.

[innerSpaceman]

Trapped in Tomorrowland was my low-point, too. It was the final hour of my frustration of not being able to be everywhere at once.

I need my CLONE, dammit. I was having dinner at two DTD restaurants at the same time on Monday evening (Monday being, as Darkbeer will insist, Disneyland's actual birthday.) Appetizers and drinks at Catal, dessert and drinks at Jazz Kitchen. Ugh, if only I'd remembered in my inebriated state that the two establishments are footsteps apart, I could have flipped back and forth between them most handily.

But after dessert at Jazz, I could not remain with my friends to be serenaded by the pianist who was a close friend of one of my dinner companions. It was, as I have since learned, a really rollicking half-hour that my Clone should have enjoyed.

But NO ... I had to run back to the suite to gather the "equipment" for our final Space Mountain ride of the four-day extravaganza.

Being chided by my pals to be on time, I rushed back, gathered the rainbow glasses and the Nitrous Oxide dispensers, moved the stereo nearer the balcony for optimal fireworks enjoyment, and then monorailed over to Tomorrowland. But where was everyone? Ugh, my cellphone was malfunctioning. It's a new phone, and I could not for the life of me figure out how to turn the speaker off that was annoying everyone in a twenty-yard radius and making me inaudible to the receivers of my calls! I went through every freaking menu option and pressed every damn button. No luck. 8:00 came and went, and with 8:30 fast approaching ... well, there was no way I was going to be able to do both the last Space Mountain and the final fireworks viewing from my swanky suite. I had been looking dramatically forward to both things.

I was on the verge of tears (um, well, past the verge - the fourth day of hard partying will make you quite susceptible to breakdown) when my gang finally arrived. I handed over the equipment and bid them a good time on Space, but told them I had to abort in order to view the fireworks from the suite. But being the friendly friends of friendship that these friends friendlishly are, they instantly proclaimed they would hit Space Mountain after the fireworks, and would join me in the suite to watch "Remember" for the final time that weekend. And since a great part of my desire to see the fireworks from the suite was to share that unique angle and experience with my friends, I was overjoyed and overcome with emotion.

And so, happiness and harmony were restored. There was a final, friendly, funtastic party in the suite ... and perfectly music-synched (thanks Isaac) fireworks viewing from our ultra-rare double balcony at the Disneyland Hotel. Followed by a close-the-Park, close-the-weekend ride aboard the returning Space Mountain ... with rainbow glasses for all (and nitrous oxide for a select few).


Love love friends love friends gush love friends mush.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The gushyness is overflowing....now I want to gush about your post.

You must spread some Mojo around before giving it to innerSpaceman again.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

• Babette, the fun drunk
• Babette and I nearly having a good ol' catfight
• Tramspotter, really loopy from being tired and slightly drunk
• zapp, totally smashed, but still able to synch fireworks music
• NA taking off NirvanaMan's pants while he read aloud from the bible

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I was on the verge of tears (um, well, past the verge - the fourth day of hard partying will make you quite susceptible to breakdown) when........

Really????????

Yeah, me having the same type of fit a three year old would have had was just normal for me.

Originally Posted by CP

NA taking off NirvanaMan's pants while he read aloud from the bible

This is so wrong on so many levels.

Plus, then NM told me I was "very talented" since he didn't know I removed the belt as well. Silly all around.

I was going to write down all of the funny, absurd things we heard over the weekend, but all I can remember is "Has anyone turned in a potato?"

Damn, my memory is shot - and I don't even drink!

[wendybeth]

NA doing what? Lol!

's for iSm as well- he truly did need a clone. I wish I had one tenth his energy.

[€uroMeinke]

* Everyone missing the 10:00 AM Monday Morning breakfest meet

[Moonliner]

Hey, while we are thanking people, I think I might just have the longest list of all!

CP - For your Early reports
BarTopDancer - For the first photos I saw from the event
mhrc4 - For the first photos I should have seen.
CoasterMatt - For crying on main street.
DisneyDaniel - For some great photos
Motorboat Crusier - for the 411
Disneyphile - For humor under fire
NirvanaMan - Geek Video! Say no more nudge nudge.
Hades - My own behind the scenes reporter.
€uroMeinke - Sharing your moments
GD - For being speechless, that speaks volumes.
MickeyLumbo - True to friends.
Morigoon - For the first mega trip report, a very big nutshell indeed!
ubergeek42 - Doing his part to be the magic.
libraryvixen - For sharing "The best weekend ever!!!"
LounginBruin - For joining the thread. Welcome to the Lot
Wendybeth - For the kids view of the day.
innerSpaceman - For doing that voodoo that apparently you do so well.
Claire - For adding extra detail to the day.
Zappop - For being a definite 'E' ticket friend to everyone.

You all are the next best thing to being there!

But I'm not done yet. There is still one more person I have to say a special thanks to....

Drum roll please....

Not Afraid.

I don't know that I've ever seen anyone quite this happy. Your joy is infectious!



(Special thanks to DisneyDaniel for posting this photo!)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

• The thrill that went through the Esplanade crowd when Matt Ouimet made his appearance, and the rush to the gate with cameras...I had to stop myself from yelling "WE LOVE YOU MATT!!!" It was obviously a great quiet moment he was having with the CMs
• Watching the first (only? Don't think I saw more afterward) Monorail (Purple) pass over the Esplanade on its way to Tomorrowland, all the passengers cheering and waving, and all of us waving and cheering back
• Asking a "CM" a question and realizing that they were a phone customer service person that really didn't know anything

[wendybeth]

Okay, I'm not going to do the usual "I rode on such and such, and ate churros until they were coming out of my ears" report, but rather a highlights, lowlights and perceptions of type of post.

First, finally getting to meet some more of the LoT and MC regulars- they were all wonderful, and it's nice to be able to put a memory of the person IRL to the person I see posting. I got to see NA, CP, GD, €uro, Zapp, Erica, KB and Gus, and most everyone I met last fall again- everyone looks great, and everyone seemed to be having a blast. I won't bitch too much about not seeing everyone long enough, because that's just the kind of event it was. There was far too much going on and waaay to many people to hang for a significant amount of time with each one. I also got to meet the dynamic iSm, and was duly charmed, as well as DisneyDaniel and Disguy. Poor DisneyDaniel got nailed by a stroller while we were heading through NOS- he was our first casualty. (We did look all over for you, Daniel!) I also got to meet the Mousepods- besides being an incredibly cute couple, they couldn't have been nicer. I felt like I'd known them for years.

Lots of us were staying at the Park Inn, but it was quieter than I thought it would be. I guess we saved our rowdiness for the Park. Not a bad place to stay, but I'll admit to checking out the Grand and deciding it might be worth a closer look next time. The first LoT person I met was Gemini Cricket, along with Ralphie. He had told NA he thought he saw me, she confirmed I was there, and he was sweet enough to come up to the pool area (we were letting the kids go for a swim pre-park) and introduce himself and Ralphie. Thanks, GC- what a great welcome, and I appreciated it!

After the swim (and a few drinks) we headed over to the Park. I can't tell you what a great feeling it was to walk onto the Esplanade, listening to the sounds of Disneyland. (And yes, Mousepod- I wll break down and buy that set!) I spoke with NA and we agreed to meet up a bit later in NOS, so we decided to take the kids on ToT first. It was fun watching Barb and Kirsten (our friends) ride it for the first time. We went on it twice then went over to DL.

Okay- this is going to be in installments, because I am multi-tasking at the moment, but I wanted to get going before I forgot too much. I'll put up part two later.