Roll Call for GU-4

[Susan]

Okay, the Grand Unification 4 in Orlando is just a few weeks away.

I need all of those attending to give me the following information via e-mail, PM or reply to this post:

Full name (real name and nickname on board so I know who is who)
City and state you are coming from
Telephone we can reach you (preferrably a mobile phone)
E-mail address

If you could give this to me or Lisa ASAP that would be great.

Susan

PS: Be on the lookout for the GU-4 logo and merchandise early this week!!

[AsMoral]

Okay, the Grand Unification 4 in Orlando is just a few weeks away.

I need all of those attending to give me the following information via e-mail, PM or reply to this post:

Full name (real name and nickname on board so I know who is who)
City and state you are coming from
Telephone we can reach you (preferrably a mobile phone)
E-mail address

If you could give this to me or Lisa ASAP that would be great.

Susan


PS: Be on the lookout for the GU-4 logo and merchandise early this week!!

I am sure your logo will look awesome. I loved the GU-3 logo and you and Lisa did a great job on the trinkets. Here is my information.

Tony Harrington
AsMoral
Little Rock, AR
501-350-2769
tony.harrington@cingular.com
tony_h@myway.com

[jimbow8]

I am sure your logo will look awesome. I loved the GU-3 logo and you and Lisa did a great job on the trinkets. Here is my information.

Tony Harrington
AsMoral
Little Rock, AR
tony.harrington@cingular.com
tony_h@myway.com

I will ditto Tony about the trinkets from last year. Are you doing "party bags" again this year? How much do we owe you?

Jim Wright
jimbow8
Woodstock, IL
jimbow8@yahoo.com

[Maggers]

You guys are more trusting than I. I sent my info to Susan via PM. LOL

BTW, I am a relic from another age. I don't own a cell phone.

[Susan]

I will ditto Tony about the trinkets from last year. Are you doing "party bags" again this year? How much do we owe you?

Jim Wright
jimbow8
Woodstock, IL
847-772-1270
jimbow8@yahoo.com
Jim,

I haven't discussed goodie bags with Queen Lisa, but I don't think we'll do them this year. I'll just have all GU-4 merchandise on the Cafe Press site that you can buy and bring to the GU-4.

That's much easier on the Queens. Printing all the stuff ourselves last year was very time consuming. We're both relieved that Cafe Press can save us all that work. Plus, it should look better too!

Susan

[Lisa]

FYI, my Queen and I have been considering the idea of GU yearbooks to be put together with the photos from the first four GUs. Obviously this wouldn't be until after GU-4, though.

Lisa

[Marc]

FYI, my Queen and I have been considering the idea of GU yearbooks to be put together with the photos from the first four GUs. Obviously this wouldn't be until after GU-4, though.

Sounds like this would be a good idea for the fifth year anniversary.

[Lisa]

BTW, I am a relic from another age. I don't own a cell phone.

Fear not, Maggers, I don't have one either. We can't even get a signal here in the boonies.

Lisa

[Maggers]

Fear not, Maggers, I don't have one either. We can't even get a signal here in the boonies.

Lisa

You made my day, girl. I thought I was the only one. :D

[Dave]

Full name (real name and nickname on board so I know who is who)
City and state you are coming from
Telephone we can reach you (preferrably a mobile phone)
E-mail address


David Stephen Moore III (Dave)
London. State? Inebriation?
Also a negative on the phone
david.s.moore@tesco.net

[Ken Valentine]

You made my day, girl. I thought I was the only one. :D


Well, I don't have one either . . . and likely never will. Especially since the Goofermint passed a law allowing cell phone numbers to be released to -- and used by -- phone soliciters. (I get so much of that garbage, I've been thinking about unpluging my home phone again.)

Ken V.

[Lokheed]

So I'm totally new to this board. I've lurked on the website for years, but never registered until just a few minutes ago. I also happen to live less than two miles from Disney World property. Would I be welcome to wander into this gathering to say hello? I'd surely love to meet you all.

[jimbow8]

So I'm totally new to this board. I've lurked on the website for years, but never registered until just a few minutes ago. I also happen to live less than two miles from Disney World property. Would I be welcome to wander into this gathering to say hello? I'd surely love to meet you all.
Absolutely. Everyone is welcome.

I knew someone was watching us. ;) Stop lurking and get involved.

[Lokheed]

Well then, I guess I'll see you at dinner on the 3rd. Groovy.

[Maggers]

So I'm totally new to this board. I've lurked on the website for years, but never registered until just a few minutes ago. I also happen to live less than two miles from Disney World property. Would I be welcome to wander into this gathering to say hello? I'd surely love to meet you all.


Welcome to the board, officially! :)


You may want to let Lisa or Susan know your particulars so they know whom to expect...male, female, real name, etc.

[Lokheed]

Welcome to the board, officially! :)


You may want to let Lisa or Susan know your particulars so they know whom to expect...male, female, real name, etc.

Thanks so much. I sent a message to Susan with my info.

I hope to be able to come by the dinner with FPW, but I don't know how well my son will do. He's autistic, and it's been months since he set foot in Epcot. The Magic Kingdom he loves (he's ridden Snow White's Scary Adventures almost 1,000 times in the past 18 months), but the other parks put him on edge. We'll see.

I'm male, btw. Is there an official place for new members here to introduce themselves? I feel like I am hijacking this thread...

[jimbow8]

Thanks so much. I sent a message to Susan with my info.

I hope to be able to come by the dinner with FPW, but I don't know how well my son will do. He's autistic, and it's been months since he set foot in Epcot. The Magic Kingdom he loves (he's ridden Snow White's Scary Adventures almost 1,000 times in the past 18 months), but the other parks put him on edge. We'll see.

I'm male, btw. Is there an official place for new members here to introduce themselves? I feel like I am hijacking this thread...
Snow White's Scary Adventures? Is that new or is the same one they have had since the 1970's? I rode that when I was about 4 years old. I saw the witch and covered my eyes for the rest of the ride. Don't know if I ever went on it again.

I am still quite upset that Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is gone. That was my favorite.

[Lokheed]

Same one, although apparently it went through a complete overhaul about six years ago. Originally the entire ride was done from the perspective of Snow White, which made sense conceptually... except that you never actually *saw* Snow White because the idea was that you *were* Snow White. So people would come off the ride and complain loudly that the ride was called Snow White, so where the heck was she? They revamped it in the mid-90's, adding Snow White and softening the scary bits. In the literally hundreds of times I have ridden it, I have never once seen a child crying on that ride who wasn't already crying when they got on.

I never got to see Mr. Toad, but I have to say that the Winnie the Pooh ride that replaced it is fantastic. If you have't been to WDW in a while, Mickey's PhilharMagic is also a must-see. Unfortunately, Stich's Great Escape (which replaced the Alien Encounter) is a bit of a dud. The Stitch animatronic is amazing, as are the giant laser cannons, but the story just doesn't quite work. My impression is that the imagineers had a limited budget to work with and (rightly) decided to spend most of it on the animatronics, knowing that they could always go back and fix the story later. The word on the ground is that SGE will close for a rehab shortly to have the story re-worked, and open again in time for the summer season. We'll see.

[Maggers]

I'm male, btw. Is there an official place for new members here to introduce themselves? I feel like I am hijacking this thread...



There is a thread entitled "Name your work, hobbies, playtime, etc." that seems to come closest to a bio thread. You could write there.

[jimbow8]

Lokheed, I just noticed that you posted an ICQ number. I didn't know anyone still used ICQ. I haven't seen one in many years. LOL! I think you might be the first one on this site. :D

[Lokheed]

Lokheed, I just noticed that you posted an ICQ number. I didn't know anyone still used ICQ. I haven't seen one in many years. LOL! I think you might be the first one on this site. :D

Heh. I've had it forever. I don't run the ICQ client, I use Trillian to consolidate all of my IM. I meant to enter my MSN Messenger name as well. I'll go do that right now.

[jimbow8]

Heh. I've had it forever. I don't run the ICQ client, I use Trillian to consolidate all of my IM. I meant to enter my MSN Messenger name as well. I'll go do that right now.
I currently run Yahoo! IM, AIM, and MSN IM separately. I tried Trillian a while back but it kept crashing. Have you had any problem with it? Maybe I'll give it another try.

[Lokheed]

I currently run Yahoo! IM, AIM, and MSN IM separately. I tried Trillian a while back but it kept crashing. Have you had any problem with it? Maybe I'll give it another try.

No problems at all. I work from a home office and need to juggle several IM clients (as well as two different email clients and a couple of phone lines), and Trillian works like a charm. The new version 3 is excellent.

[Maggers]

And BTW, Lokheed, happy belated birthday! Did you make it special and go to DisneyWorld? :D (just kidding!)

[matthewsmommy]

I currently run Yahoo! IM, AIM, and MSN IM separately. I tried Trillian a while back but it kept crashing. Have you had any problem with it? Maybe I'll give it another try.
Stop speaking this crazy language!

[Lokheed]

And BTW, Lokheed, happy belated birthday! Did you make it special and go to DisneyWorld? :D (just kidding!)

Thanks! We didn't go yesterday, but we did go to the Magic Kingdom today. Ben (that's my son) actually rode the train from Main Street to Frontierland, which was a suprising deviation. He did his usual rounds on Snow White's Scary Adventures (six more times today, which puts him at 922 total), which was no great surprise. The big shock was when he actually rode Winnie the Pooh twice in a row. In nineteen months of weekly visits to the park, it's the first time he has ever specifically wanted to go on the same ride twice besides Snow White. That's huge.

(Just as a footnote for anyone who is confused - my son Benjamin is autistic. Three years ago we brought him to Disney World hoping he might enjoy it, and the transformatin was amazing. For four days we watched him come alive. He started speaking spontaneously, naming the different rides. He was focused and *present* in a way he had never been before. He was happy, sure, but more importantly he was engaged and interacting with things around him. We brought him back a year later, and saw the same response again. Six months after that, in the summer of 2003, we moved from Seattle to Orlando so that we could take him to the park on a regular basis and use it as a giant therapy session. I have never doubted that we did the right thing, and his progress has been nothing short of astonishing. He still has a very long way to go, but every day he makes progress. So when you hear that Disney World is a magical place, I'm here to tell you that it is very much true.)

[Maggers]

Lokheed, thank you for sharing that! It's such a hopeful story and so touching! We'll see you in Orlando!

[matthewsmommy]

(Just as a footnote for anyone who is confused - my son Benjamin is autistic. Three years ago we brought him to Disney World hoping he might enjoy it, and the transformatin was amazing. For four days we watched him come alive. He started speaking spontaneously, naming the different rides. He was focused and *present* in a way he had never been before. He was happy, sure, but more importantly he was engaged and interacting with things around him. We brought him back a year later, and saw the same response again. Six months after that, in the summer of 2003, we moved from Seattle to Orlando so that we could take him to the park on a regular basis and use it as a giant therapy session. I have never doubted that we did the right thing, and his progress has been nothing short of astonishing. He still has a very long way to go, but every day he makes progress. So when you hear that Disney World is a magical place, I'm here to tell you that it is very much true.)
Aren't kids amazing? I have a friend with an autistic son, and I can tell it's a real challenge, but it's amazing. Could you have ever imagined loving another human being quite so much? I couldn't. I am amazed every day. I love kids!

[Bluesman Mike Lindner]

Well, I don't have one either . . . and likely never will. Especially since the Goofermint passed a law allowing cell phone numbers to be released to -- and used by -- phone soliciters. (I get so much of that garbage, I've been thinking about unpluging my home phone again.)

Ken V.

Do what I do, Ken:
"Good evening. Is Mike Lindner there?"
"Lindner? Lindner's back in the tank. Should be out around 2012 if he don't kill another inmate like he did last time. Call back then."

[Bluesman Mike Lindner]

Thanks! We didn't go yesterday, but we did go to the Magic Kingdom today. Ben (that's my son) actually rode the train from Main Street to Frontierland, which was a suprising deviation. He did his usual rounds on Snow White's Scary Adventures (six more times today, which puts him at 922 total), which was no great surprise. The big shock was when he actually rode Winnie the Pooh twice in a row. In nineteen months of weekly visits to the park, it's the first time he has ever specifically wanted to go on the same ride twice besides Snow White. That's huge.

(Just as a footnote for anyone who is confused - my son Benjamin is autistic. Three years ago we brought him to Disney World hoping he might enjoy it, and the transformatin was amazing. For four days we watched him come alive. He started speaking spontaneously, naming the different rides. He was focused and *present* in a way he had never been before. He was happy, sure, but more importantly he was engaged and interacting with things around him. We brought him back a year later, and saw the same response again. Six months after that, in the summer of 2003, we moved from Seattle to Orlando so that we could take him to the park on a regular basis and use it as a giant therapy session. I have never doubted that we did the right thing, and his progress has been nothing short of astonishing. He still has a very long way to go, but every day he makes progress. So when you hear that Disney World is a magical place, I'm here to tell you that it is very much true.)

Cool indeed, Lokheed. And welcome to the board. If good talk and good fun are your delight, you've come to the right place.

[Ken Valentine]

Do what I do, Ken:
"Good evening. Is Mike Lindner there?"
"Lindner? Lindner's back in the tank. Should be out around 2012 if he don't kill another inmate like he did last time. Call back then."


The only calls I get are either phone solicitors or wrong numbers -- so I just unplug the phone. Life's too short to put up with that crap.

Ken V.

[Marc]

Finally, I'm confirmed for GU4. Here is my flight information from Southwest.

Itinerary:
Thursday, February 03 - CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) to ORLANDO INTL(MCO)
Flight 1523 V
Depart CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) at 06:35AM and
Arrive in ORLANDO INTL(MCO) at 10:05AM

Sunday, February 06 - ORLANDO INTL(MCO) to ST LOUIS MO(STL)
Flight 2064 V
Depart ORLANDO INTL(MCO) at 07:25AM and
Arrive in ST LOUIS MO(STL) at 09:05AM

Sunday, February 06 - ST LOUIS MO(STL) to CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW)
Flight 2667 V
Depart ST LOUIS MO(STL) at 10:00AM and
Arrive in CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) at 11:00AM

[jimbow8]

Finally, I'm confirmed for GU4. Here is my flight information from Southwest.

Itinerary:
Thursday, February 03 - CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) to ORLANDO INTL(MCO)
Flight 1523 V
Depart CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) at 06:35AM and
Arrive in ORLANDO INTL(MCO) at 10:05AM

Sunday, February 06 - ORLANDO INTL(MCO) to ST LOUIS MO(STL)
Flight 2064 V
Depart ORLANDO INTL(MCO) at 07:25AM and
Arrive in ST LOUIS MO(STL) at 09:05AM

Sunday, February 06 - ST LOUIS MO(STL) to CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW)
Flight 2667 V
Depart ST LOUIS MO(STL) at 10:00AM and
Arrive in CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) at 11:00AM
Excellent! Glad you can make it.

[Lisa]

Finally was able to get my ticket as well. I'll post the new times and such in the official thread up top.

Lisa

[Biggles]

Okay, the Grand Unification 4 in Orlando is just a few weeks away.

I need all of those attending to give me the following information via e-mail, PM or reply to this post:

Full name (real name and nickname on board so I know who is who)
City and state you are coming from
Telephone we can reach you (preferrably a mobile phone)
E-mail address

If you could give this to me or Lisa ASAP that would be great.

Susan

PS: Be on the lookout for the GU-4 logo and merchandise early this week!!

Well, I finally made my reservations. I'll PM the details, but I'm flying SWA from Midway to MCO, arriving at 2:15 p.m. on 2/3 and departing at 10:35 a.m. on 2/6. Unfortunately, because I was unsure of my attendance, I was unable to reserve a room at Pop Century and will be saying at Coronado, but I understand that shuttling back and forth won't be too difficult.

[Maggers]

"After I blow a hole in somebody and slip around on his guts for a while....afterwards...I like to make balloon animals."

Jim,
I just noticed your new signature. That's a Steve Martin line from "Parenthood," right? I love that movie, on my top ten list of personal favs.


PS I know this doesn't belong in the GU 4 thread, but it's where I saw your signature.

[jimbow8]

"After I blow a hole in somebody and slip around on his guts for a while....afterwards...I like to make balloon animals."

Jim,
I just noticed your new signature. That's a Steve Martin line from "Parenthood," right? I love that movie, on my top ten list of personal favs.


PS I know this doesn't belong in the GU 4 thread, but it's where I saw your signature.
Yes, Parenthood was just on some random cable channel the other day (USA, TNT, TBS ?). That movie is so great.

[Biggles]

"After I blow a hole in somebody and slip around on his guts for a while....afterwards...I like to make balloon animals."


I HATE slipping on guts--that's why I only practice head shots. :D

[Marc]

Yes, Parenthood was just on some random cable channel the other day (USA, TNT, TBS ?). That movie is so great.

TBS I believe. They've been having a marathon recently.

[Scott Hajek]

Sounds like this would be a good idea for the fifth year anniversary.
I'll have to try and make #5. I'll be drinking to everyone's health and well-being while still in Illinois.

[Maggers]

TBS I believe. They've been having a marathon recently.

Marathon of what? Steve Martin movies...why didn't someone tell me?? :D

[Marc]

Marathon of what? Steve Martin movies...why didn't someone tell me?? :D

A Parenthood marathon. They just play it constantly over the weekend. Sort of like the A Christmas Story marathon. Only not. :p

[Maggers]

A Parenthood marathon. They just play it constantly over the weekend. Sort of like the A Christmas Story marathon. Only not. :p

ROFL! Who knew? I love that movie, but a marathon? And it wasn't even Father's Day?

[Biggles]

Well, a week from tomorrow it's off to sunnier climes. I'm looking out my home office window at falling snow in falling temperatures, which started me thinking:
Any idea what the temps are like in Orlando this time of year? I wasn't planning on bringing any shorts unless it's expected to break 80.

I also was thinking about the customary book signing session with Paul. Last year, I loaded a box of books into my car trunk for him to sign, but I'm leery of checking my treasured tomes as baggage, and I certainly don't want to lug them on board the aircraft as carry on. What are the rest of the out-of-towners doing? I figure I might just hold off and ship any books I want signed off to Jersey after I return.

[Maggers]

Except for Lokheed, who lives in Orlando and who just joined the Board, we are all out of towners.

I may bring a couple of books but not many, and pack them in my suitcase, which I will then check. For myself, I wouldn't presume on FPW's time to sign a gazillion books just for me. A box of books? No, I wouldn't do that.

[Susan]

Well, a week from tomorrow it's off to sunnier climes. I'm looking out my home office window at falling snow in falling temperatures, which started me thinking:
Any idea what the temps are like in Orlando this time of year? I wasn't planning on bringing any shorts unless it's expected to break 80.

I also was thinking about the customary book signing session with Paul. Last year, I loaded a box of books into my car trunk for him to sign, but I'm leery of checking my treasured tomes as baggage, and I certainly don't want to lug them on board the aircraft as carry on. What are the rest of the out-of-towners doing? I figure I might just hold off and ship any books I want signed off to Jersey after I return.
Weather looks to be in the low 70's during the day and in the low 50's in the morning and late evening. So I would do jeans and bring a jacket, windbreaker or sweatshirt just in case.

As far as books, I'm bringing about 3. That's it. I don't want to weigh down my suitcase or Effy.

Susan

[fpw]

I'm very happy to sign books. It's no imposition at all. Seriously.

[Lisa]

FPW gladly signs people's entire collections every year. If you want to bring a bunch, don't worry about it. It's one of the GU traditions to make FPW sign til he drops. Please feel free to bring as many books as you like.

ETA: Unless you're going to sell them on eBay. If we find out you're doing that, we'll call our "connections."

Lisa

[Susan]

I'm very happy to sign books. It's no imposition at all. Seriously.
And you always do so graciously. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you wouldn't do it, but personally I'd rather talk to you than have you sign my books. Plus, I think you've signed most of my books already! LOL

Susan

[Biggles]

Except for Lokheed, who lives in Orlando and who just joined the Board, we are all out of towners.

I may bring a couple of books but not many, and pack them in my suitcase, which I will then check. For myself, I wouldn't presume on FPW's time to sign a gazillion books just for me. A box of books? No, I wouldn't do that.

I suppose I might bring my rarest ones, but only in a carry on.

Or in haiku, Maggers:

Skycap said to me:
"Carry on, my wayward son?"
"No checked baggage here!"
-----------------------------------
"No checked baggage here!
There'll* be peace when I am done." (*One syllable--rhymes with Merle)
(Kudos to Kansas)

[Biggles]

FPW gladly signs people's entire collections every year. If you want to bring a bunch, don't worry about it. It's one of the GU traditions to make FPW sign til he drops. Please feel free to bring as many books as you like.

ETA: Unless you're going to sell them on eBay. If we find out you're doing that, we'll call our "connections."

Lisa

Please also feel free to bring as much Guinness or Rolling Rock as you like (another GU tradition).

As far as eBay is concerned, we on the board are buyers, not sellers. I would part with one of my hundreds of unbuilt airplane models or (gasp) one of my guns before I would part with one of Paul's books.

And I just remembered a book I HAVE to bring! My copy of "Virgin"! I have to have both the "author" and the author sign.

[jimbow8]

I just found this site and thought others might want to see it. Sorry if this is a redundant post.

DISNEY’S POP CENTURY RESORT (http://www.kingdom-travel.com/Walt_Disney_World_Resorts/Disney_Pop_Century_Resort.shtml)

Damn! It looks like we could spend the whole time at the resort (without even going to the parks) and have plenty to do. The place looks HUGE!

[jimbow8]

There has been a lot of coincidence lately for me. I called a friend last night that I haven't seen in about 10 years. Apparently he is arriving in WDW Sunday, 2/6, so we are going to try to meet up before my flight out.

Then this morning on WLS (Chicago radio station) they had the manager of guest services (or some such title) of the Pop Century Resort on the show. The resort sounds really cool. Unfortunately I only caught the last part of the interview.

I'm getting excited.

[Susan]

I just found this site and thought others might want to see it. Sorry if this is a redundant post.

DISNEY’S POP CENTURY RESORT (http://www.kingdom-travel.com/Walt_Disney_World_Resorts/Disney_Pop_Century_Resort.shtml)

Damn! It looks like we could spend the whole time at the resort (without even going to the parks) and have plenty to do. The place looks HUGE!
Awesome link, Jim! Good job!

Susan

[Maggers]

I also have friends who are traveling to WDW, but they will arrive the day after I leave. (*sniff sniff*)

[Scott Hajek]

And I just remembered a book I HAVE to bring! My copy of "Virgin"! I have to have both the "author" and the author sign.
I was hoping to have a proxy do the same, but alas, it won't work out. Can you sense my envy through this board?

[jimbow8]

I was hoping to have a proxy do the same, but alas, it won't work out. Can you sense my envy through this board?
I'd be more than happy to if you can get me the book before Wednesday. Gonna be up anywhere near Crystal Lake or Woodstock between now and then?

[Scott Hajek]

I'd be more than happy to if you can get me the book before Wednesday. Gonna be up anywhere near Crystal Lake or Woodstock between now and then?Thanks for offering. You are the proxy I mentioned. I was (and still am) hoping to get it to you before then. But, if not, then maybe I can find another way.

[Scott Miller]

Can you sense my envy through this board?

It aint easy being green-with envy that is. Hopefully I'll make it to one someday.

[Lokheed]

Regarding the weather here in Orlando: Yes, it should be in the mid-70's during the day, dropping into the 50's at night. A light jacket is pretty much all you will need. We haven't had much rain lately, which is typical of this time of year. If it does rain, it's likely to be a torrential downpour for about an hour in the afternoon, and then the sun comes right back out and within thirty minutes you forget that it ever rained at all.

Regarding the size of the Pop Century Resort: When it opened last year, that one resort added more hotel rooms on property than all of the non-Disney hotels along the 192 corridor combined. There were a lot of very unhappy hotel operators. Historically Disney has focused on luxury resorts and let the off-property people deal in budget rooms. Now, with the combination of the three All-Star resorts plus the Pop Century Resort (which is actually only half-complete), Disney has opened up tens of thousands of budget hotel rooms that are well under $100 per night in the off season.

As you are approaching the Disney property from the airport, you will undoubtedly see some of the lingering hurricane damage from last year. There are still a few destroyed billboards along the Bee Line, and more than a few business still have broken signs. If you happen to come up 192 you'll see the worst of it, with the combination of the hurricanes, road construction, and loss of revenue from the budget hotels all combining to make repairs happen very slowly. On the Disney property itself you really won't notice much, although if you have been here in the past you will certainly notice how much thinner the stands of trees are. I think there are still one or two signs on property that failed during the hurricanes and which haven't been repaired yet, but for the most part everything is back to normal.

After the welcoming festivities on Thursday, you might want to consider wandering over to Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island. It's very close to the Pop Century, so the shuttle busses can get you there quickly. In particular, check out Starabilia's. If you are in to signed movie, music, and sports memorabilia you will be in heaven. They have a Universal Monsters framed set that I would die for, with autographs from Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Lon Cheney Jr.

[Maggers]

Wow, great ideas, Lokheed. You should be our tour guide! :D

[Lokheed]

Well you know, I am feeling a wee bit disgruntled about work at the moment. I may just have to call in sick to work on Friday with eye problems (I really can't see myself working that day)....

[jimbow8]

Well you know, I am feeling a wee bit disgruntled about work at the moment. I may just have to call in sick to work on Friday with eye problems (I really can't see myself working that day)....
Or as in "Eye really don't want to go to work today." :D

[Ken Valentine]

Okay, the Grand Unification 4 in Orlando is just a few weeks away.

Somewhere or other I mentioned that I wouldn't be sure if I would be able to make it to GU-4 or not until the last minute. Well, the last minute has done arrove.

Numbers have been drawn for the Regional Championships, and I have been paired with a really good mount for the Hippopotamus Races on Saturday, the 5th. So, I won't be able to attend.

Maybe next year.

Ken V.

[Maggers]

Numbers have been drawn for the Regional Championships, and I have been paired with a really good mount for the Hippopotamus Races on Saturday, the 5th. So, I won't be able to attend.


Aww, Ken, we'll miss you. I know I'll miss the opportunity to meet you. But best of luck to you and that hippo! What kind of saddle do you use on such a wondrous beast? Or are you being serious and are truly racing a horse in a race called the Hippopotamus Race?


Maybe next year.

Ken V.

Yes! Lisa just said that next year will either be in London or Boston. Nowhere near the West Coast, but maybe, maybe.....

[Ken Valentine]

Aww, Ken, we'll miss you. I know I'll miss the opportunity to meet you. But best of luck to you and that hippo! What kind of saddle do you use on such a wondrous beast? Or are you being serious and are truly racing a horse in a race called the Hippopotamus Race?

Bareback Hippo racing through the streets of Long Beach. :D

Ken V.

[Biggles]

Somewhere or other I mentioned that I wouldn't be sure if I would be able to make it to GU-4 or not until the last minute. Well, the last minute has done arrove.

Numbers have been drawn for the Regional Championships, and I have been paired with a really good mount for the Hippopotamus Races on Saturday, the 5th. So, I won't be able to attend.

Maybe next year.

Ken V.

Ken,

I've heard that hippos are deceptively fast. Is that true?

[jimbow8]

Ken,

I've heard that hippos are deceptively fast. Is that true?
Extremely territorial and mean, too. I wouldn't want to get close to one.

[Susan]

Bareback Hippo racing through the streets of Long Beach. :D

Ken V.
Holy cow! That sounds dangerous and uncomfortable.

I heard someone else say it was a horse thing. So, what is it really?

Susan

[Biggles]

Extremely territorial and mean, too. I wouldn't want to get close to one.

Dated a girl like that once. :D

[Ken Valentine]

Holy cow! That sounds dangerous and uncomfortable.

I heard someone else say it was a horse thing. So, what is it really?

Susan


Ask Maggers when you get to GU-4.

The initials are Adult Bereavement Counceling.

Ken V.

[Ken Valentine]

Ken,

I've heard that hippos are deceptively fast. Is that true?

They run rather woodenly -- I think "lumber" is the correct term.

Ken V.

[Marc]

They run rather woodenly -- I think "lumber" is the correct term.

Hippos can run up to 30mph for short distance. So says one web site.

[Ken Valentine]

Hippos can run up to 30mph for short distance. So says one web site.

P'raps I should have put a smiley after my statement.

Wooden . . . lumber . . . heh heh . . .

Oh, never mind. :D

Ken V.

[Maggers]

P'raps I should have put a smiley after my statement.

Wooden . . . lumber . . . heh heh . . .

Oh, never mind. :D

Ken V.


ROFL! Ken, it's a testament to how highly regarded you are on this board that you mention riding a hippopotamus through downtown Long Beach, and suddenly we're off to the races! With hippos!

As always, Ken, you never fail to crack me up!

Hey, get someone to tape the race! This we have to see! ;)

[Ken Valentine]

ROFL! Ken, it's a testament to how highly regarded you are on this board that you mention riding a hippopotamus through downtown Long Beach, and suddenly we're off to the races! With hippos!

As always, Ken, you never fail to crack me up!

Hey, get someone to tape the race! This we have to see! ;)

The best part is hearing the Vienna Boys Choir singing the chorus of the Hippopotamus Song while standing around the winners mud-hole.

Mud, mud, glorious mud,
Nothing quite like it,
For cooling the blood,
So follow me, follow,
Down to the hollow,
And there let us wallow,
In glorious mud.

Stirs the soul and moistens the eyes, it does.

Ken V.

[Ken Valentine]

I forgot to mention that the spectators are naked.

Ken V.

[Maggers]

I forgot to mention that the spectators are naked.

Ken V.


OK, for a while there I thought you were just kidding, pulling our collective leg, so to speak.

But naked spectators in Southern California! Now I know you're talking true! :D

[Ken Valentine]

OK, for a while there I thought you were just kidding, pulling our collective leg, so to speak.

But naked spectators in Southern California! Now I know you're talking true! :D

'Course, would I joke about something like that? :D

Ken V.

[Biggles]

They run rather woodenly -- I think "lumber" is the correct term.

Ken V.

Perhaps, but I wooden know.

[Ken Valentine]

Perhaps, but I wooden know.


Maybe, maybe knot.

Ken V.

[Maggers]

Temps in Orlando for later this week are supposed to be in the high 60's during the day, down to high 40's at night.

[Maggers]

I just took a close look at the website Jim provided. The Pop Century Resort is indeed huge, and it looks like there are several buildings, labeled by decade, at which we could have rooms. Are we all in the same building, clustered together, or separated by decades? I don't know where I'm going to be, do you?

I'm now a tad overwhelmed by the prospect of hooking up. I will leave Dave a message, but where is the front desk? Does each decade have its own front desk, or is there just one HUGE front desk servicing all of the decades?

Maggers (the quasi confused traveler)

[Dave]

I don't know where I'm going to be, do you?

Nope, but I do know we got the standard, not the preferred, which I think means we won't be within spitting distance of the main facilities.


I'm now a tad overwhelmed by the prospect of hooking up. I will leave Dave a message, but where is the front desk? Does each decade have its own front desk, or is there just one HUGE front desk servicing all of the decades?

Maggers (the quasi confused traveler)

Have no fear, it will all turn out right in the end. Leave as much info as you can (room number, where you'll be hanging out) at a desk and we'll be hooked up in no time.

Dave

[Lokheed]

The odds are very slim that you will all be in the same building since there are about a dozen different buildings. There is only one front desk for the entire complex, and that building also has the central dining facility and gift shop. That would be the best location for everyone to hang out and hook up.

[Lokheed]

Just a follow-up comment: I have cleared out my evening schedule for Thursday, and would be happy to play tour guide and information source for anybody who needs it. If you have never been to Disney World before it can be a baffling and overwhelming place. The property is 47 square miles with four theme parks, two water parks, several golf courses (and two miniature golf courses), dozens of resorts, and busses going every which way. I would be more than happy to provide my cell number to anybody who needs it, to give you advice and directions if you get turned around somewhere. I won't post it in a public forum, but you are welcome to send me a private message and I will send it to you.

The Pop Century resort is indeed huge, but there is only the one *very* large front desk. In that front building you will find not only the front desk but also the dining facility, gift shop, and bus terminal. There is also a tiki bar kind of thing just outside the dining facility out by the main pool. The Disney cast members are generally very helpful, and are used to helping bewildered and overwhelmed guests find whatever they are looking for. I would recommend that whoever arrives first and gets settled in should head over to the dining hall and get settled in one of the booths to flag down others as they arrive. I can be there around 6-ish to assist in any way I can.

[Maggers]

Lokheed,
I will be getting in the day before everyone else. My plane lands around 3:50 PM and it will probably take, what, another hour for me to get to the hotel, what with picking up luggage and such (I'll be checking my suitcase).

If the parks close at 7 PM, that doesn't leave me a lot of time to see much that night. I was thinking of going to Epcot or maybe to the Downtown Disney complex, which I understand stays open later than the rest.

Maybe I'll just hang out at the Pop Hotel and check it out. It's so big that it could take a long time just to do that.

Think I'd have time to take a monorail ride all over the park?

Thanks for your help.

M

[Lisa]

Maggers, fret not, sweetie. Everyone will be getting an email shortly with everyone else's cellphone numbers. With that many names and numbers to call, there's no way you'll be alone for long.

Lokheed, thanks for the front desk info! Very helpful. That's where we usually meet at GUs so it should be okay.

Lisa

[Lokheed]

I was thinking of going to Epcot or maybe to the Downtown Disney complex, which I understand stays open later than the rest.


If you booked your room with a package that includes park admission, then going to Epcot would probably be fun. If you are paying the room-only rate and paying for park admission separately, then it would be a waste of money to pay to get into Epcot when you'll only be able to spend two hours there. Downtown Disney is an open shopping area with no admission required, and is open very late (I was there last night seeing a movie, and after the movie my fiancee and I were browsing shops well after 10pm). There is plenty to see and do there, and it is also very close to the Pop Century so the bus ride should be pretty quick.

Think I'd have time to take a monorail ride all over the park?


There are only two monorail circuits, neither of which are close to the Pop Century. The both start out at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) in the Magic Kingdom parking lot. The first one travels around the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. The second one travels from the TTC to Epcot. That one actually circles around Spaceship Earth (the giant golf ball). Both are really cool, and highly recommended for the day you spend at the Magic Kingdom.

[Maggers]

Thanks, Lokheed. I do have a park hopper pass. I was thinking of picking up the monorail at Epcot. It doesn't work that way? I was thinking it's like the NYC subway in that you can hop on and off at any stop. Can you only enter and leave it at the Magic Kingdom?

[Maggers]

Maggers, fret not, sweetie. Everyone will be getting an email shortly with everyone else's cellphone numbers. With that many names and numbers to call, there's no way you'll be alone for long.

Lokheed, thanks for the front desk info! Very helpful. That's where we usually meet at GUs so it should be okay.

Lisa

I ain't got no cell phone; I'll be calling from my room or not at all.

I'll have to copy all the phone numbers into my GU4 journal, which means I'll have to copy very carefully and not transpose numbers. I don't have a printer at home.


Maggers (*the fretful, until she gets there and then she forgets all her worries*)

[Lokheed]

There is an Epcot station, but the only other stop is at the TTC in the Magic Kingdom parking lot. You can either stay on the monorail and loop right back to Epcot, or you can get off at the TTC and switch to the Magic Kingdom monorail, which would take you on a loop around the Seven Seas Lagoon. Again, that monorail only has one stop although it does pass through the Contemporary Resort, the Grand Floridian, and the Polynesian. There is another non-express monorail that services those three resorts and the Magic Kingdom that rides on the same guidways as the Magic Kingdom express.

[Maggers]

There is an Epcot station, but the only other stop is at the TTC in the Magic Kingdom parking lot. You can either stay on the monorail and loop right back to Epcot...

That's exactly what I was thinking of doing, just to get on a ride, of sorts, and see some sights. Of course, come to think of it, it'll be dark by then. Wonder what you can see from the monorail at night?

Lokheed, you are a veritable font of wisdom, Disney-wise.

I must say thanks, yet again!

[Lokheed]

Wonder what you can see from the monorail at night?

Passing through Epcot at night is a lot of fun. The monorail line loops through the Future World section of Epcot giving you views of Spaceship Earth, Mission: Space, Test Track, the Universe of Energy, The Living Seas, and the World Showcase Lagoon - all of which look pretty nifty after dark. The ride from Epcot to the TTC is pretty unremarkable at night, but it is also fairly short. Taking the Magic Kingdom express at night can give you some excellent views. Depending on what time it is, there is a sort of electric parade on the water every night on the Seven Seas Lagoon. As you pass the Magic Kingdom you get excellent views of Space Mountain and Tomorrowland in general, and you can also see Cinderella's Castle clear as a bell. After dark the castle is illuminated by special colored lights that are capable of creating millions of colors, so as you are looking at it you can see it shift from blue to green to red, and on and on. During that ride you also pass through the interior of the Contemporary Resort, which is a giant A-frame. As you are passing through it, keep in mind that all of the rooms were actually constructed separately and then lifted up with cranes and bolted into place. The whole building is basically a giant egg carton. Traveling around the other side of the loop you pass by the Grand Floridian, which is a beautiful resort. The last resort you go by is the Polynesian, but you really can't see a whole lot there. If you time it just right, you might also get to see the Wishes fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom, which is clearly visible from anywhere around the Seven Seas Lagoon. (Heck, it is clearly visible from the front of my apartment complex, which is five miles away).

[Maggers]

Wow, Lokheed, you are thorough and exceptionally clear in your descriptions! Thanks.

You probably won't know this, but what the heck,I'll ask anyway. I wonder how late they pools at the Pop stay open at night?

[jimbow8]

Maggers, you are cracking me up! Relax! Everything will be fine. It's a vacation. Focus on having fun, not on making sure everything goes perfectly!

:D

[Lokheed]

I haven't stayed at the Pop Century but I have stayed at the All-Stars on three different occasions, and the Pop Century was built from the same architectual plans (the buildings are just themed differently). Assuming the Pop is largely the same, there will be one large pool right near the front desk / dining hall, and then one or two smaller pools deeper into the property. The pools are pretty much open 24 hours, although there are no lifegards after a certain point in the evening. As long as you are not making a huge racket, nobody really cares if you want to go swimming or soak in the hot tub in the middle of the night. The last time I was there, I was down at the pool around midnight and I was by no means alone.

[Maggers]

Maggers, you are cracking me up! Relax! Everything will be fine. It's a vacation. Focus on having fun, not on making sure everything goes perfectly!

:D


Well, I haven't ventured on a trip alone, ever, except to go and live in Spain for my junior year in college, about a million years ago.

Sooo.... although I am totally used to bopping around NYC on my own, sometimes at all hours, being in scary, big old DisneyWorld is a whole nother story! (*said tongue in cheek, BTW*)

[Lokheed]

Maggers, you are cracking me up! Relax! Everything will be fine. It's a vacation. Focus on having fun, not on making sure everything goes perfectly!

The thing is, Disney World is just so dang huge that it really does pay to come in with a fairly good idea of where you want to go and what you want to do. The options can be so bewildering that you can spend way too much time just standing around scratching your head and figuring out where to go.

[Maggers]

I haven't stayed at the Pop Century but I have stayed at the All-Stars on three different occasions, and the Pop Century was built from the same architectual plans (the buildings are just themed differently). Assuming the Pop is largely the same, there will be one large pool right near the front desk / dining hall, and then one or two smaller pools deeper into the property. The pools are pretty much open 24 hours, although there are no lifegards after a certain point in the evening. As long as you are not making a huge racket, nobody really cares if you want to go swimming or soak in the hot tub in the middle of the night. The last time I was there, I was down at the pool around midnight and I was by no means alone.


I like lap swimming, which I doubt I will find. So I figured if I swim very late, which I like anyway, I can avoid the crowds and get in some solid swimming and not have to worry about sunburn.

There is one big bowling pin-shaped pool and 2 other smallish pools which don't look useful for the kind of swimming I like.

I wonder if you can request which building you'd like to be in? I can't recall if I asked for preferred or not, probably not. Judging from the map, if I wind up in the 80's-90's building, I'd have to pack a lunch and rent a bicycle to get to the large pool, way back in the '50's. :D

[Maggers]

The thing is, Disney World is just so dang huge that it really does pay to come in with a fairly good idea of where you want to go and what you want to do. The options can be so bewildering that you can spend way too much time just standing around scratching your head and figuring out where to go.

Thanks, Lokheed, because that was exactly my reaction when I took a look at the map of the Pop Century Resort Hotel. It's a behemoth!

I don't want to waste time once I'm there. I figured a little planning can go a long way, especially for the time that I am alone.

[Lokheed]

Judging from the map, if I wind up in the 80's-90's building, I'd have to pack a lunch and rent a bicycle to get to the large pool, way back in the '50's. :D

Heh. You can actually see that building from the freeway. There's a giant cell phone on the side of the building.

The first time I stayed at the All-Stars, we were in one of the back buildings. It took us, I kid you not, better than fifteen minutes on the morning we checked out to trudge up from our building all the way up to the front desk and catch our taxi back to the airport. I am not joking in the least when I say you can get completely lost just trying to find your room. When you check in, they actually give you a map and show you where you are standing, how to get to your building, and where the different amenities are. That's just a map for the dang *hotel*. Let alone when you decide to leave the resort and try to navigate to the theme parks.

[Maggers]

Maggers, you are cracking me up! Relax! Everything will be fine. It's a vacation. Focus on having fun, not on making sure everything goes perfectly!

So you see, Jim, my questions are not for naught! DWD is BIG, and planning ahead is not unwise.

Hey, the Queens are going to provide color-coded maps and an agenda, so my little questions about what I'm going to do before the color codes and agendas arrive are justified.

I am focusing on fun, and I am not trying to make everything go perfectly. I'm simply taking care of myself.

[Lokheed]

...DWD...

If you want to sound like one of the cool kids in the know, call it WDW (short for Walt Disney World).

[Maggers]

If you want to sound like one of the cool kids in the know, call it WDW (short for Walt Disney World).

Hehe...that's why I'm a tad concerned about copying phone numbers! :D

[Biggles]

Well, I haven't ventured on a trip alone, ever, except to go and live in Spain for my junior year in college, about a million years ago.

Sooo.... although I am totally used to bopping around NYC on my own, sometimes at all hours, being in scary, big old DisneyWorld is a whole nother story! (*said tongue in cheek, BTW*)

I was just thinking about that very thing. Here you've been living in "The Naked City", "The Concrete Jungle", "Gotham", whatever you want to call it, and you're worried about being alone at Disney World? You'll be fine. :D

[Maggers]

I was just thinking about that very thing. Here you've been living in "The Naked City", "The Concrete Jungle", "Gotham", whatever you want to call it, and you're worried about being alone at Disney World? You'll be fine. :D

Thanks, Biggles, I know I'll be fine. It's that I don't want to waste the time. I want to be sure I'm doing something other than sitting in my room wondering what I should do.

I'm just taking advantage of Lokheed while I'm still near a computer and can ask a zillion annoying questions! :D

[Lokheed]

Ask away. I'm kind of a Disney geek (in case you hadn't noticed), and I am happy to share what I know. Remind me when we are at MGM and I will point out the largest "hidden mickey" at WDW.

(When the imagineers build the parks and attractions, they slip in "hidden mickeys", or subtle mickey silhouettes, all over the place. You'll find them in the scrollwork of an iron gateway, or in the arrangements of plates on the table in The Haunted Mansion. )

[Susan]

All of those in need of planning reassurance should find comfort in an e-mail from Lisa. She'll be sending everything you need.

And if anybody gets lost, just call me on my cell phone and we'll find you.

Susan

[Maggers]

.. just call me on my cell phone .......Susan

OK, I'll concentrate really, really hard and hope my thought-energy will be picked up by your cell phone! :D

[Lisa]

Look for the schedule later in the day, after I get a chance to convert and post it. It should quell at least some of your worries about organization. Yes, WDW is gigantic, but there's no need to work yourself into a state of panic. If I can navigate the NYC subway on my own having never been to the city before, surely Maggers can manage to find her way around the Pop Century resort.

FYI, although I haven't been to WDW since I was a teenager, I used to live in Orange County and have been to Disneyland literally hundreds of times. So part of the schedule is based on my experience there. And YES, Lokheed, I know WDW is way bigger... I'm talking about the ride order and such.

In the meantime I suggest everyone take a chill pill. The vacation won't be enjoyable if we're worrying about cramming the most fun into the least amount of time and fretting over transposing phone numbers.

Lisa

[Biggles]

Thanks, Biggles, I know I'll be fine. It's that I don't want to waste the time. I want to be sure I'm doing something other than sitting in my room wondering what I should do.

I'm just taking advantage of Lokheed while I'm still near a computer and can ask a zillion annoying questions! :D

Just bring a bag of bread crumbs, and you'll be able to find your way back to your room each night (unless the birds eat them).

[Lisa]

OK, I'll concentrate really, really hard and hope my thought-energy will be picked up by your cell phone! :D

At Disneyland there were phones all over the place. I'm sure it's the same at WDW (Lokheed?). Worst case scenario, I'm sure a kindly cast member will direct you to a phone or let you use the one at the desk or wherever you are.

Lisa

[Lokheed]

OK, I'll concentrate really, really hard and hope my thought-energy will be picked up by your cell phone! :D

Just work on channeling the energy of Sadako Yamamura.

>obscure reference that only fans of Japanese horror will laugh at<

[Maggers]

I'm taking said chill pill and now I'm gonna have some real fun... vacuuming, organizing my dresser drawers and packing!

Thanks, Lokheed, for your patience in answering all my questions. I very much appreciate the information and you've helped my get a plan in my head for what I want to do the evening that I arrive and the morning after.

[Lokheed]

FYI, although I haven't been to WDW since I was a teenager, I used to live in Orange County and have been to Disneyland literally hundreds of times. So part of the schedule is based on my experience there. And YES, Lokheed, I know WDW is way bigger... I'm talking about the ride order and such.

Yup, if you have a good grasp of how to survive Disneyland, you will have no troubles whatsoever at the Magic Kingdom. It's the same basic hub-spoke layout, and the lands are generally pretty similar. I'll warn you in advance, though, that you are going to be disappointed by Pirates of the Carribbean. It wasn't originally supposed to be included in WDW but there was such a hue and cry over it's absense that they crammed it in. Unfortunately they didn't have enough space to work with in that part of the park, so the WDW version is substantially shorter than the Disneyland version.

[Lokheed]

At Disneyland there were phones all over the place. I'm sure it's the same at WDW (Lokheed?).

You can't walk twenty paces without finding either a pay phone or a cast member who will be happy to point you to the nearest one.

[Dave]

Okay, this is it. In twelve hours time I should be on a train heading for the airport to get there 3 HOURS before take off (bloody security checks). Aside from an email to Susan regarding room numbers (I hope I don't forget), I shall be incommunicado until you see my smiley face.

Safe journey everyone, see you soon.

Dave