The "Was I really Switched at Birth?" Pre-trip Report Turned Trip Report About This Page:

[tikibird]

Woo - hoo - way to go Stinky! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Tell her we all said congrats - loved your description of the competition.

and looking forward to the first Mickey Bar, of course! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[LilMarcieMouse]

forti as I was reading this part I was rooting for Stinkey WTG GIRL!!! your very lucky. Still no Mickey Bars Counter is still at zero.

[tigger536]

Congratulations to you and to Stinky! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Wow! First and second place in a national competition! That is a HUGE accomplishment!

I'm so happy and excited for her! And what better a place to celebrate the victory than WDW! Looking forward to more of your report. I hope you got a Mickey bar sometime (but I'm sure you did [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] !)
Jacquelyn

[MrsM]

Wow, I'm so glad you didn't make us wait to find out what happened with your niece's competition! I coach baton twirlers (with some equally confusing rules), and I know how excited I get when they do well - and I'm not even related to them! I'm really enjoying your report (including the expense reports!) and looking forward to your next day.

[SMG]

WoW!! Why to go, to the Stinker!! I know your proud! Anxiously waiting more.....

[Janet 46]

Great report, Forti! And you haven't even done Disney yet! I'm very happy for Stinky and her accomplishment. Can't wait to read more!

[Ursunique2001]

Congrats to Stinker!

Now I want to know how she managed to get that trophy back home?

[Fortissimo]

Originally posted by Ursunique2001:
Congrats to Stinker!

Now I want to know how she managed to get that trophy back home?

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">She actually ended up with I think 4 more trophies for her duets and trios. (Yes I'm a very proud and bragging aunt! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] )

Her dance teacher and her husband drive a trailer down with all the props and costumes, so the trophies and bogey boards come back on that.

Thanks for the comments and for letting me brag. I need to figure out how to scan and post the Stinker's picture.

Guess I'll start working on day 3!

[Fortissimo]

Day 3: Sea World and how returning a rental car can be an exciting adventure

A prank call by Stitch woke us up at 7:30. Mom headed of to the food court to refill our mugs, coffee for her and Diet Coke for me, while I took a shower. While Mom is showering, I dry and straighten my hair, wondering why I’m taking the time to do this when you won’t be able to tell I straightened it by 10 a.m. We munch on breakfast of Pop Tarts [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] in the room before heading off for Sea World.

In our original plans, we were not going to have a car this day as we weren’t going to rent it until July 2, the day we were originally going to Daytona. Not planning on having a car to get to Sea World, I researched the different modes of transportation to Sea World from PO-R. We could have taken a taxi, way too expensive; used TTc, expensive, but cheaper than a cab; used Mears for $15/person round trip; or, we could have taken the Lynx, Orlando’s bus system for $1 each way. The Lynx, Link 50 to be exact, picks you up at the Transportation and Ticket Center and goes down I-4, making stops at Sea World, Disney University, and the Downtown bus station. Check out their web-site at golynx.com next time you want to venture off site. It looks as if it would have been worry-free!

However, plans do change, and we rented the car earlier than planned and just decided to keep it an extra day so we could go to Sea World and the out-lit mall.

Getting to Sea World for WDW is very simple, take I-4 North until you get to the Sea World exit, turn right and like ten seconds later you are at Sea World. We pay the $7 for parking before a parking-lot attendant guide us to a space. We make note of where we park so we don’t look like tourist looking for their car at the end of a long day.

The next stop is the ticket counter. You know how most people go right when choosing a line, therefore making the left liner shorter? That’s not the case here. People picked the closest and longest lines to get into, so Mom and I head to the counters on the right. While standing in the line, the lady behind me kept running the stroller in to my ankles. Each time I would glance back, but say nothing. After about the fifth time, I glance back and she yells at me that she would not keep hitting me if I moved forward. But if I move forward I would be standing on my mother as there is no other place to go. I’m very good and just ignore her until she rams the stroller into me, causing me to run into my mom. The lady said, “I told you to move!” Where am I supposed to move? I wonder. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] Her husband takes the stroller from her and silently apologizes. At about this time the people at the counter are done and I’m able to escape the Mad Stroller Mom.

We enter the park just as they are raising the flag and playing the National Anthem. [img]graemlins/usa.gif[/img] This morning ritual is completed and we’re off to Journey to Atlantis. It is already very hot at this point, so we decide by getting wet we will have plenty of time to dry off, but keep cooler at the same time. Stinky has told Grandma how scary JTA is because most of it is in the dark. The drop isn’t bad, she warned my mom, but the mermaid in the story line is really scary. Mom looks at the drop and kind of gasps. I tell her it’s the only drop and it’s over very quickly.

As we enter the boarding area, we hear a father yelling at a girl of about 8 years old. She is too scared to go on the ride and is crying. The person loading the boats asks the girl if she wants off, which she says yes to. The ride operator tells the parents they can do a parent-swap so the little girl doesn’t have to ride. By this time the father is going crazy and almost screaming at this poor little girl. The ride operator bluntly tells the father that he will not start the ride if the girl doesn’t want to go. The father gets out of the boat, yanks his daughter out by the arm, and smacks her. By this time those of us in line are yelling at the dad to lighten up and get a grip on reality. The mom and the boy exit the boat, looking as if they want the loading area to open and swallow them. I felt the ride operators did an outstanding job of keeping calm with this father. The employees at Sea World appeared to be in a lot cases, such as this, high school aged kids. I think if I were in that situation at that age, my mouth would have gotten the best of me. Indecently, we saw this family a few more times during the day, each time the dad was yelling at the crying girl.

We survive the JTA, but are very wet upon exit. Mom laughs and wonders why Stinky finds the inside part to be scary (you’ll find out why it is scary to Stinky later). I take Mom’s picture with the drop in the background so she can prove to Stinky she survived the mermaid.

Upon consulting the map and show schedule, we discover the dolphin show is set to begin in about 20 minutes. We decide to hit the litter box, something about cold water makes one need to use a litter box, and then wait in the Dolphin stadium for the show. While waiting we begin to roast. I am so glad that I had been soaked on JTA, because there is no way I could have sat on those metal seats without dying of heat. I drank almost my whole bottle of water in the few minutes before the show. Once the show started, it wasn’t too bad as we sat in the splash zone. While this made us smell of fish and salt water, [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] it did keep us wet and cool. The show was great, but they do need to change it. One thing is different, however, the guy who starts the show by singing Buffet tunes no longer sings the song asking people to shout when they hear their city or state called.

We continue to stroll around Sea World, looking at the flowers and birds, petting the dolphins and sting-rays, and feeding the sea lions and otters. Soon it was time to catch Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island. While this show hasn’t changed overall, there have been a few one-liners added. My favorite was when one of the pirates asked Clyde how may people were on the island, the pirate demanded a re-count because people in Florida don’t count very well.

During the show, which is my favorite at Sea World, my stomach began to growl. While everyone was exiting, we sat there and debated where to have lunch. We decide to head over to the Anheuser-Busch Hospitality Canter where Mom can get a beer with her lunch. We both order the Club sandwich which is huge, with potato salad. I also bought a pickle and a large drink. This sandwich was out of this world! It was too big to fit in my mouth (No comments Don!), so I had to take out the piece of bread in the center of the sandwich. It was still a little to big, but oh well, no one knows me here so I can be a slob.

After lunch we catch the Shamu show. Now the program says the show is 35 minutes, but it didn’t seem like 35 minutes. It went by way to fast and didn’t really have much substance. It is definitely not what either my mom or I remember.

We exit the stadium and head to Wild Artic to see how Denver’s most famous polar bear cubs, Klondike and Snow, are doing. We skip the bumpy ride simulator and instead just do the walking tour. With the walking tour, however, they still show you the movie about the artic. Once we have landed on the artic, we tour the exhibit. What, no polar bears? Oh there’s one, sleeping in the corner. Being the obnoxious person I am I always have to ask how Klondike and Snow are. See, these two twin bears were abandoned shortly after their birth in the Denver Zoo. Every night the news stations in Denver would give a Klondike and Snow update. People stood in lines for an hour to catch a glimpse of these two little bears. When the Denver Zoo announced that Klondike and Snow would be moving to Florida, a group actually filed a law suit trying to block the move. Too many of us it has become a joke, but others are still trying to get the two bears back to Denver. The employees of Sea World got tired of Denver visitors asking about Klondike and Snow, and harassing them with absurd statements, that many of them tell you the bears don’t live there anymore. The two previous times I have been to Sea World since the bears moved south, I have received the, “They don’t live here anymore” to “Klondike is sleeping and Snow is back in Denver breeding.” Don’t ever tell a person from Denver Snow is back in Denver for breeding purposes as the only male the Denver Zoo has is her father. This scenario is highly unlikely. This time however, the employee explained that today was the twins’ day off and that they were probably sleeping.

to be continued...

[Fortissimo]

It getting close to 3 at this point and we are both hot and tired, so we decide to head out for the out-lit store. It is very easy to get to the Out-lit mall from Sea World. At the exit, turn right onto International Drive. The Mall is about 3 miles down on the right hand side. From the Mall to WDW, turn right out onto International Drive and continue to the end of the road. Turn right and this will lead you right back to the main gates.

We find the Character Premiere store just as it starts to pour. Once inside we look around to find a few bargains. There are huge discounts on the clothing items. The trick is to find something you like in your size. I pick two sweat shirts that were originally $50 each marked down to $19.99 and $15.99. One was in an extra large, which I swim in, but it was cool and it will be very comfy. The other was a large, which is still too big, but I don’t care. I love big sweat shirts.

After making our purchase, well, after I made my purchase, we decide to return the car now instead of the next morning.

This is where the excitement starts! We return the car to the National Desk at the Car Care Center. While we are waiting for the shuttle to take us back to PO-R, we walked over to the gas station so Mom could get cigarettes, she hadn’t brought any and needed a fix, and I really needed a Gatorade. Well, they sell cigarettes but not Gatorade. Coke has even invaded the little gas station in WDW and they only sell Powerade. I buy it as I’m desperate and have run out of water a long time ago. As we are walking across the parking lot back to the National building, I see a dark blue or black Mazda truck pull up to the front of the building. A man gets out, walks over to a pile of unattended luggage, and grabs two golf bags. He looks around and runs back to his truck and throws them in the back. He gets to his door and I yell at him. He jumps in, starts the truck and peels out. Mom figures out what just happened just as we reach the building. I go in and ask who owns the bags outside and two men say they were theirs. I break the news to them and they don’t believe me. They run outside to find their golf bags gone. The CMs at National call security so they can take a report. Mom and I try to get on the shuttle that has just arrived, but I’m asked by security to give a description of the truck and the man. I tell him what I saw. I was too far away to get a license plate number, but at least I got the color of the truck and the make and model. The men thank me and we’re given a ride back to PO-R by the security officer.

After resting for a while, we head to the food court for dinner. I had tossed salad and a slice of Pepperoni pizza that turned out not to have any sauce on it. After dinner we took the boat to DDT and did some serious looking. I found a Sorcerer Mickey snow globe that I fell in love with, but it was $120. It had different tears on it, each with a smaller globe featuring a different scene from Sorcerer’s Apprentice. I decided before purchasing this globe, I would wait a few days to see if I found anything else I liked better. We went to Team Mickey and I bought a visor and two pairs of Mickey socks. I was able to use my AP here for a 10% discount on my purchase. Our last stop was Gourmet Pantry so Mom could buy a small bottle of wine (see, I have already driven her to drink beer and wine as well as smoke and it’s only the third day!). As she is paying for her purchase, I see it. A cooler with Mickey Bars! And look, there are no little kids with grubby hands squeezing them! [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] I of course had to purchase my first Mickey Bar of the trip.

We get outside and I un-wrap the treat and take a bite! MMmmmmmmmm!!! Just as I remembered! I can’t believe that after exactly two years, I am finally eating a Mickey Bar! They have changed a little, I think. It seems they have less chocolate coating and more ice cream. But it is still yummy. [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]

We reach our room and turn on the TV. I of course have to call home to check on my fur-babies, oh, and my husband. All is well back in Denver. Mom and I read for a while before hitting the sack.

Next up: Epcot and Do You Really Think We’ll Need Ponchos?

Expenses:

Parking at Sea World, $7
Sea World pass for me, $48.95 with tax and a $4 coupon
Lunch at Sea Wolrd: $10.57 (this could have fed 2 people as neither my mom or I finished our sandwich)
Character Premiere-LBV, $38.14
Dinner at Riverside Mill Food Court, $8.04
Team Mickey's, $29.68
Mickey Bar at Gourmet Pantry, $2.65

Mickey Bar Count: 1 [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]

[ 07-15-2002, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: Fortissimo ]

[tikibird]

Me thinks you have been hanging around your kitties too much with your comments about using the litter box! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I am feeling bad for the little girl at Sea World! [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Kudos to you for reporting those thieves - you deserved that Mickey bar (I also think they are different now, but no one in my family does.)

Anxious to find out if you got that snowglobe! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Wondcat]

Cograts to Stinky, why do you call her stinky?

Roberto – BIL, age 39. Probably the most-easy going person I have ever met. He was born and raised in the Philippines on a mountain top with no electricity or running water. Knows 9 different languages and wins in Scrabble every time. He met my sister when she took a wrong bus in Manila. For some reason unknown to me, he was nice and took her to her destination.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">I thought that you said that she was the smart one?LOL!

[Tara O'Hara]

I can't believe that strollermom!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] I used to wok people all the time with a stroller and be mortified! I can't believe that dad at SeaWorld! I hate parents that do that to their children! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] I can't believe you are like an assistant junior detective! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Did you feel like you were on TV?!? You are having a very exciting trip! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Tara

[ 07-18-2002, 07:25 AM: Message edited by: Tara O'Hara ]

[ProChristo]

Wow, Forti, did you feel like you were on
'Orlando Vice"? Way to go! I haven't been to Sea World since 1985, and I don't remember any rides there at all except a people mover that went into a shark tank. Sounds way cooler now. And about the mickey bars changing, When DB and I went for one day in November 2000, I was shocked to see that the bars were not vanilla with chocolate ears and a Mickey face. When did that happen??? I like the ones they have now okay, but to me there really is no comparison with the originals.

[AKLRULZ]

I would have had SERIOUS words with stroller mom - I hated it when I'd accidently hit folks with the stroller when our kids were very little. And that Dad - well after what happened yesterday in California, I hope he feels a bit of regret on the memories he created for his little girl and he hugs her tight today.

AND FORTI DID YOU NOT RIDE KRAKEN AT SEA WORLD?!?!?!?!? [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] It's only the best roller coaster in Orlando! Please tell me you just neglected to include it in the report!

And glad you finally got the Mickey Bar (they were good, I'll admit!)