Sean and Eric's Engagement Report About This Page:

[AKLRULZ]

Originally posted by Sean:
But,Ummm, Steve, there is not an igloo’s chance in Ouagadougou that this whole report will be done by the time you leave! Maybe after you get back, though… (And have a marvelous time with the Mouse, BTW!)[

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">One can always hope! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] This report ROCKS, Sean. I will look forward to the rest upon my return...we leave tomorrow morning!

[Janet 46]

I can tell this is going to be a great trip report! Don't make us wait too long between segments, please. And congratulations!

[tinksmom]

Thanks so much for sharing your vacation with us. I can't wait for more. You're a supberb story teller!

[wheatenwalker]

Loving your report and cant wait for more!

[LuvMK]

Great report so far Sean but we are all waiting to read about that all important 1st day meal at CRT!

Keep writing! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[tikibird]

oooohhh, I'm loving hearing about the lodge (will be there in 6 days!), and the expense report is a great feature!

More please.... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[September]

But I want more NOOOOWWW [img]graemlins/cry2.gif[/img]

This is a great trip report and I can't wait to read the rest of it.

Congrats on your engagement...don't forget that us girls want all the details!

September

[Las17]

I'm hooked now. Where's the rest,please?

I love your writing style-you know how to add the details that keep us coming back!

Congratulations! Let us hear about the proposal soon!

Laura

BTW-I know what you mean about the WL lobby. We checked out one week before you checked in.

[Mel & Richard]

Great report! Just one thing... Might we be fortunate enough to have a picture posted of you doing the happy dance? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] I have a picture in my head but it's probably wrong...

I really am looking forward to the rest of this.

Mel

[Beth L.]

Excellent report Sean, I'm having a ball reading it! Congrats on the engagement, can't wait to read about it.

By the way, we flew Delta Express also and I think we had your pilot on our way home yesterday. During our landing it was like stop, go..stop, go..very discomforting when you're in midair! [img]graemlins/ukid.gif[/img] But since I'm here typing this, I'd say he did a good job getting us on the ground.

[DreaminDisney]

OK, Still waiting for more [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] BTW Congratulations!
Excellent writing [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Sean]

Good morning Disney friends! [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img] It is pretty early in the a.m. and I am in my Big Yellow Mickey Slippers (BYMS), (sorry no ears this morning) and sipping my coffee trying to grasp a hold of consciousness. Thanks so much for all of your comments!

Steve, you probably won’t see this ‘til you get back, but I hope that you had a really great time! I can’t wait to read about YOUR trip!

Tiffany, about the spider… well, that night when the lodgekeeper finally came, she was a little miffed. She informed us that SHE was the one who cleaned our room and that there was no spider web when she was there. I just kinda smiled and said the room was great, everything was wonderful, it was just the spiderweb. So I showed it to her and she sprayed it with windex and used a rag to wipe it up. eeeewwww! I would have used a broom or something. But anyway it was taken care of. (But that is not the end of that story…) I tipped her (I always tip when people make a special trip to the room for any reason) and she went on her way. Thankfully she was not our lodgekeeper for the whole stay!

Day 2 was our MK day. I don’t know why, but our stay just has to begin with the MK! It is the source of the magic for me. It was the park that Walt was the most involved with planning before he died and so it is the closest to his original vision.

Day 2

Monday, June 10, 2002

I woke up about 6:00am. (On my own, can you believe it? One of our resolutions for this trip was NOT to use an alarm or wake up call. This was a vacation after all!) I showered, etc. and dressed in what was to be my Magic Kingdom outfit: khaki cargo shorts (I love those things! All those pockets for maps, receipts, money, my rain poncho*, etc! LOVE them!), a red sleeveless shirt and a red sun visor. Then I bugged Eric to get his bum out of bed so we could start! I then left him to his ablutions, while I went downstairs to Roaring Fork. I need to eat! We had PS at Crystal Palace at 9:10am, but I couldn’t wait. I went Roaring fork armed with my room key (the key to the world – and it is! I highly recommend using your room key to make all purchases. Then at the end of your stay you will have a fairly accurate account to where you were and when, and what you did. Sometimes by the end of a vacation it all gets a little fuzzy!) I got some coffee and a cheese Danish. [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] Wow! That was one of the best cheese danishes I have ever had! Last year we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside (formerly Dixie Landings) and the cinnamon rolls there are OUTSTANDING! So if you are staying there, make yourself get one. If you are staying at WL, then a cheese Danish is obligatory. (I’m sorry, but it is.) While I was sitting there eating my Danish and slurping caffeine, (and noticing a man about my age who was...lets just say, beautiful – eating nothing other than a small plate of eggs and drinking water. Well, I suppose that is why I will never look like that. I enjoy food too much, and since it all could end at any time, I am going to eat, sweetheart!) Eric joined me.

The first night was done so we had to check out and then check back in for our Discovery Magic Package, which we did. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Yay! We were ready for the day! On the way to the boat to the MK we stopped at the pin cart and bought two of those 100 Years of Magic commemorative flashing pins. Those are great! Buy one! We had so much fun with them. I’ll be mentioning them every now and then when they come up. We walked out humming to the dock. Just as we were walking up, there was a boat that pulled up to the dock! It was the boat for the Contemporary, which disappointed a few people who were waiting for the MK boat, but we got on it. One can walk to the MK from the Contemporary, and it is a very nice walk, I might add. The view from the boat of the WL and the Contemporary was lovely! I love boats! I love Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon! I love the WL! I love the Contemporary! Heck! I just love Disney! [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] We docked at the Contemporary and there was a whole family of mallards waiting to greet us on the dock! Neat! (I took a picture.) Then we walked to the MK. Beautiful day so far!

We got to the MK and went through the search station and then waited in the queue to get in; they had not opened the park yet. But, our PS was for 9:10 so we were not in any huge hurry. So we took some pictures and waited. The family in front of us had the cutest kids! The father went up and got everyone a park map. The smallest one – maybe about 9 or 10- laid the map on the ground and plopped himself down on his stomach perched up on his elbows in order to survey the map. The kid was sooo cute!!! I want one! Finally we were let in and the first order of business was to get a locker. Then we headed to the Crystal Palace.

Nothing can describe the feeling when you walk onto Main Street, USA. The Castle at the end of the street, the popcorn vendors, the warm morning sunshine casting a welcoming glow on the turn of the century buildings…I think I am going to cry…(ok, not really, but you get the idea!) As we walked down Main Street, “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” from Hello, Dolly! was playing. They played a lot of music from that show on Main Street. Of course it fits, but I never noticed it before! On our way down Main Street we had a rather gruff cast member take out picture. A few feet more there was a really nice cast member that we liked, so we let him take out picture, too. We went directly to the Crystal Palace and there was a huge line. Good grief. Oh, well… We finally got the to podium and gave our name and PS time and then waited. We stood on the stairs and just looked at the Castle and Main Street and talked a little about the day. In about 1.2 minutes the nice little old lady called us in for our breakfast! Not bad!

When the cast member sat us, Eric noticed that on the bottom of her name badge was printed the name of a Disney character. The name badges used to have printed where the cast member was from, which we preferred. She explained that it was now the cast member’s favorite movie, ride, character, or song. That got us into a delightful conversation with her. She was a native of Florida, from Haines City and she loved working for Disney. It is those types of conversations that make the trip so much more wonderful!

After we were seated we noticed that Pooh (who does not come to your table, he is stationary in the center of the restaurant) had no line, so we jumped at the opportunity and got some pretty fun pictures! (I hope I can figure out how to post some pictures so that you can see them!) When Eeyore cam to the table I got a very fun picture of Eric pouting next to him! We also got a pic of us with Tigger (T-I-double-ga-rrrr), but no Piglet! That was something of a let down. No matter, the breakfast was fun and filling and we were ready to enjoy the rest of the day!

We left the Crystal Palace stuffed and satisfied. Now, we planned on doing some of the things that we did not get to do the last time we were here first. So, we headed to Fantasyland via the closest path which led to the left of the castle and brought you to Tinkerbell’s Treasures. We headed to “Peter Pan’s Flight”. We had not done that the last time we were here because the line was too long, so we thought we would catch it early today. The wait was only about 15 minutes so we jumped in line. Eric had never been on it before and it is one of my all time favorites, so it was a little exciting (this was our first ride this vacation!) He loved it! While we were flying over London our 100 Years of Magic commemorative flashing pins flashed white. We were one of the stars, I guess. It was very cool. Then, at the end of the ride, the pins went all silly, flashing all of the lights wildly! Neato! We got off that ride and went to the other ride we did not go on last time due to the inhuman length of the line; “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”. There was already a very long line. Good Grief. So we procured a fastpass and then went to “It’s a small world”. Near the end of the ride, when everything is white, the pins flashed white. As we were floating passed all the “goodbye” signs, they changed color and flashed wildly! Great fun! I am so glad we purchased those pins! We then went back to “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” and got on. What a very cute ride! I love it! I am a big Winnie the Pooh fan (friends of mine say that I am Christopher Robin). I didn’t notice the picture of Mr. Toad handing over the deed of the property to Owl until Eric pointed it out. It is in Owl’s house. Ahh..a little nostalgia for “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.” Alas… [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

After I wiped my eyes, we went to the front of the castle to watch Cinderella’s Surprise Celebration. I always do enjoy those shows! After the show was over Eric and I both admitted to each other that we felt a little silly because we both got a little “choked up” during the show! [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img] Call me old fashioned, but we are just sentimental fools! We then headed down Main Street to the tune of “Fortuosity” (the very same that you will find on the official soundtrack to WDW, track 2. Go put it in right now.) Now then, we were heading to “Town Square Exposition Hall.” We checked out the pictures that we had taken earlier, chose one, paid for it, and had it sent to the hotel room. I love that feature! Don’t you? Then we wanted to look at some of the “100 Years” stuff. That was a lot of fun. Every time you answered a question correctly, the 100 Years of Magic commemorative flashing pins went wild! We took some fun pictures, played the D-Show on the kiosks on the way out, and poked around the shop a bit. I have been waiting all year for mouse ears, so we went to the Chapeau and each got one (with our name embroidered on it, of course!) Something we noticed there; the embroidering was done manually. At DD when you get a pair of ears embroidered, it is done (sit down to avoid the shock) by machine. The look is a lot cleaner at DD, but there is something charming and old fashioned about having it hand done. There is something about the care and concern and love that flows into the stitching as it is being done. The stitching is a little off on ours, but we are “a little off”, too, of course! So, our hats fit our personality much more than the machine woven ones would have!

He hopped on the train to Frontierland.

We then headed to “Tom Sawyer Island;” hot, sticky, and way over-crowded. So, this is why we skipped it last time. Just as we were emerging from the mine, it started to pour rain. We made it to Aunt Polly’s Dockside Inn and purchased cokes and sat down under the marquee to wait a bit for the rain to stop. Which it did. Then we herded ourselves like sweaty cattle onto that tiny raft while a catatonic cast member shuttled us over to the other side. Let me off that raft!!!!

OK, by that time we were a little peckish, so we went to the “Columbia Harbor House” for some lunch. We placed our order and as was our habit, surrendered our room key-card to charge it to the room; telling her to charge it to the room. I remember it as though it were in slow motion from one of those ghastly horror movies: she took my card, swiped it and then informed us that it was using our Discovery Magic Package Magical Wishes to pay for the food!!!!!! Nooooooooooooo!!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] We had figured out that each “Magical Wish” of the package was worth between $25 -$30. So we were resolved never to use them unless the cost justified it. And a $7 lunch certainly did not justify it. Poor Annie (that was the cast member’s name). I was hot, sticky, in a cramped space and very hungry. I hope she is still working there after the trauma of it all! The manager did remedy the situation, but for the idiotically frugal New Englanders it was a very scary experience!

[Sean]

After our “lunch” we went to the “Haunted Mansion”. The 100 Years of Magic commemorative flashing pins went off several times during that ride! Very fun! Now, according to the book “Inside Disney” by Eve Zibart, “There is a wedding ring embedded in a brick near the exit of the Haunted Mansion.” We could not find it. Could any of you?

It was time for the parade so we cut through the “Heritage House” shop (you know, the shop that NOBODY ever shops in) and got a great view of the “Share a Dream Come True” parade! Yay! I was very excited about seeing this parade! And we had a great spot to watch it, too! The music swelled, the parade started coming around the corner into view, Walt at the drawing board….and then…as if Maleficent had struck her wicked blow, it started to rain! Not just any rain, it POURED! But the parade kept going! Some of it was actually very funny! The Blue Fairy was drenched! You could practically see though her light blue negligee that she wears (that saucy tart) and her mascara was running all over her face! The poor dear! Mary Poppins had her umbrella up. (Isn’t great when a costume prop comes in handy!?) When the villains float came by they had ushered Maleficent off (I told you it was she!) presumably so that all that green paint would not go everywhere and so that her chin wouldn’t fall off! All in all, it was a hoot! I really enjoyed it! What troopers they all were!

We walked down the street through Frontierland to the passage to Adventureland and used the loo. It was still raining when we emerged from the loo so we looked around the Adventureland shops to wait for it to stop. While we were shopping we noticed that “The Magic Carpets of Aladdin” was sill running in the rain! And there was NO LINE! Imagine that! So, we armored in our Wal-Mart special ponchos, got right on the ride! That was fun. Then we went next door to the “The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management”. Phil Hartman was the voice of one of the birds outside at the pre-show. (We miss him.) That show is one of our favorites. After that we headed to Tomorrowland and on the way out of Adventureland we noticed that there was no wait for “The Pirates of the Caribbean” which we got right on with NO LINE and NO WAIT.

Next on the “we didn’t do that last time” list was “Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin”. We hoofed it to Tomorrowland got Fastpasses for the ride. Then walked over to the “Timekeeper” which I love. I am so glad that it was open. (It often isn’t.) We then went to the TTA, for which there is hardly ever a wait. (“Tom Morrow, paging Mr. Tom Morrow…”) Then it was time for Buzz Lightyear. Eric collects Viewmaster reels, so he thought that the giant viewmaster in the queue was fun. That is a fun ride! Eric’s gun read “error” about one minute into the ride. And I have to say that my score, when I looked up at the end to see how I was categorized, categorized me as “Galactic idiot.” Oh, well, there would be a next time!

Then we headed back to the resort. We took the boat back to the WL went up to the room, changed into our swim trunks and went for a swim. Then we came back up to the room. After I had my shower and re-dressed I noticed a special present for me on the bed! It was a Mickey Mouse doll! Now let me put this in context for you: I have NEVER had a Mickey Mouse doll. I know, it is hard to believe, but there it is. I was a deprived child. Eric had tried to buy me one from the Disney store in MA, but I told him that I wanted my first one to be from WDW. Yesterday, while we were at the World of Disney store at DD, Eric had slipped away (not a hard thing to do in that behemoth of a store) and bought me a Mickey and had it sent to the room. While I was in the shower, he went down to the mercantile and picked it up and brought it back to surprise me!!!!!! I was sooo happy!!! We then (shall we say) ever so discreetly “used” the balcony, [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img] and then went to the Territory Lounge for a drink. It was just the right time for a Cosmo! MMMMMMMMMM……nothing like a pink drink in a martini glass! [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]

And then – this is the moment that you have been on the edge of your seats for – took the boat back to the MK for the BIG MOMENT! [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]

I don’t like to pat myself on the back (to often) but everything was perfectly timed! We walked into the MK just as the SpectroMagic Parade was starting so we had a wonderful view of the whole thing. As it was ending our 100 Years of Magic commemorative flashing pins went white and then changed color as the parade changed color! We walked directly behind the parade all the way to Castle, then went around the castle to the right (where it lets you out by Sir Mickey’s) and entered the Castle for Dinner. As I walked up to the podium, I told the cast member my name and the time for the PS and she said, “ahhh…Mr. McDaniel, we have been expecting you!” We went into the waiting area, and sat alone, as there was no one else there waiting to be seated. (I am very nervous at this point. Does he know? Does he suspect? What is he thinking? Should I do it? Is it not enough? Is this going to be OK?……….) The cast member sat us at the table in the center of the windows! Eric said, “Hey, this is where we saw that couple get engaged the last time we were here!” “No, it’s not.” I tried to deflect the whole engagement thinking. “They sat over there.” OK, we ordered. I had the filet mignon (which is always what I get here. I think is so good!) Eric had the chicken. Halfway through the meal the lights dimmed and the fireworks started! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] WOW! We had a front row seat! We could see all the fireworks perfectly! WOW! (I just thought I would say it again!) I was so nervous I ate everything in record time. Eric thought it was a little funny that I was eating so fast and asked if everything was OK. If only he knew! After dinner and fireworks, but before dessert, is when it happened. The waitress brought out a silver tray with an embroidered pillow on it. On the pillow was a glass slipper. On the glass slipper on one side was etched, “Will you marry me?” On the other side was etched, “Sean and Eric June 10, 2002”. The waitress presented the tray to Eric. Eric thought it was a joke and just looked at me. The waitress then turned the slipper toward him and said, “I think the shoe says something.” He read it and smiled. Then I took the shoe and got down onone knee and presented the shoe to him and asked him, “Eric, it’s no joke. Will you marry me? You make me the happiest I have ever been and I can’t imagine my life without you.” He said Yes!!!!!! We got some good pictures of that! I’ll post them when I can. Then, I think he was in a little shock. He just kept staring at the slipper. He looked over at the table next to us and said, “He got me a shoe!!” We had dessert and then talked a little, both of us a little euphoric. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] The waitress brought out a white box with “Royal Engagement” printed on the top of the box. Inside were two champagne flutes with “Cinderella’s Royal Table” on them! It was a present from them to us!

Then by the time we left the Castle the last SpectroMagic parade was happening. We made our way though the crowd, Eric literally clutching the glass slipper. On the way down Main Street he turned to me and said, “You are not my boyfriend anymore. You are my fiancé.” I got a little teary and agreed. (I am getting very teary reliving it right now!)

The words from the “Share a Dream Come True Parade” are :

When you Imagine Time becomes Timeless
When you Imagine and you Believe
Fantasy Dances and Hopes are revealed
And the Dreams that you Dream become Real.

Mine Did.



Spending:
Danish at Roaring Fork: $2.43
locker at MK: $5.00
breakfast at Crystal Palace: $40.00
purchases: $22.89
ears hats: $14.84
Mickey rice crispy treat: $2.65
lunch at Columbia Harbor House: $18.29
mug from CRT: $3.18
Dinner at CRT (was $95.59, but we used our Discovery Magic to cover it.)
purchase: $6.36
drinks at territory lounge: $17.27

Spending total for Day 2: $146.64

Next: Day 3: Epcot, World Showcase

[iloverags2]

Oh my gosh, Sean! This is so wonderful. What a perfect scene, with the Fireworks and the table by the window. I love the glass slipper, and Eric's response ("He got me a shoe!"). Thank you for sharing this truly special moment in your life with us. [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]

[Beth L.]

Oh Sean, I'm in tears! What a magical proposal, I don't think it could have been any more perfect! You must post these pictures immediately if not sooner! Thank you so much for sharing your special moment with us, it was wonderful! [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]