Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>And should I know who all these people are? Frank? Martin? I feel so uninformed.<<< Frank= you don't want to know. Martin= Martin Smith of <a href="http://www.martinsvids.net/" target="_blank">http://www.martinsvids.net/</a> He's awesome. Knows just about everything technical and historical about the parks.
Originally Posted By MousDad Between waiting for Staggs and '74, I don't know if I can take it much longer.
Originally Posted By leobloom <<(Secret of the day that not even Spirit knows: the toilet handles in Liberty Square are tiny replicas of the Declaration of Independence! Take a magnifying glass and look at them next time you're there>> >> Okay is this for real? Or is someone going to be video taping my naive self believing you and scrutinizing said handles on my next trip? I'm very curious, but feel a "punk'd" episode in the making! That and my son will think I have truly lost it at last! << Christi, you believe in Disney details, don't ya? I have all kinds of restroom trivia that I can share with you. For instance, a tiny Mickey face is on *some* of the toilet seat covers because it's company policy that the Mickey logo must be imprinted on something every 100 feet in Disney's theme parks. Sometimes, it's a toilet seat cover that allows them to comply with the policy. As for the Declaration of Independence toilet seat handles, you'll have to take a magnifying glass and check for yourself. But be prepared for a magical, memorable experience!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<You have no idea ... but you may be invited to join at some point! >> <<Although I guess I should feel privileged to be considered I do prefer getting a paycheck instead and I don't need a letter from Tami telling me that fraternizing with online celebrities is prohibited in my employment contract. >> Does that mean you can't fraternize with yourself? Or Lindsay? Or Doobie? (I'm gonna assume you don't hang out shooting the bleep with folks like Al Lutz and Jim Hill!) Besides, anything 'off the record' with me, remains so ... it isn't always easy because there are things I'd love to shout from the rooftops ... but when something is put in the vault, it stays there! <<And should I know who all these people are? Frank? Martin? I feel so uninformed. >> Frank is a dude who lives in a trailer in New Mexico and we are not sure whether he has ever actually set foot in a Disney theme park or whether he is paid to be a butt-head (is that OK here?) by another fan site to draw hits. Martin is a very well in touch Disney expert, especially on the tech side of things. And he's a fellow countryman of yours.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Hmm ... the other Lee has commented he thinks I look like a younger Sharon Stone. >> <<Did MK Security allow you into the park in your Basic Instinct dress? I remember there is a policy about wearing a tee-shirt and shoes all the time - is there a similar one for underwear? )>> While I won't comment further on the dress issue, I will say from past experience (and often seeing sights that have damaged my corneas) that WDW has no formal underwear policy ... and while I think folks should be allowed to go commando on their own, I think theme parks require Mickey boxers! ;-)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Ewwww, that mental image means there is less coffee in my mouth than there should be.>> Hey, you didn't complain when I was wearing that dress at Heathrow's lovely Crowne Plaza! ;-)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>I think we can credit Lee Hisownself for that one.<< <<Nope. That one is pure Spirit.>> Guilty as charged! >>So Lee, and Him are Buds.<< <<No, sir. And please refrain from making such slanderous allegations in the future...>> Maybe Frank is simply Steve's alter-ego? Or maybe Mom plays him when bored?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<When can I be looking for the next instalment?>> <<Between waiting for Staggs and '74, I don't know if I can take it much longer.>> I will see about getting it up (and the trip report too!) tonight. I'd be doing so now, but there seems like a lot of blather going on about nothing (Disney's press 'event') today ... and nothing gets a Spirit excited like blather about nothing ... well, except for free food!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> you obviously haven't tried Vermonth Sharp White Cheddar--mmmmmmmmmmmm << That really comes from Texas cows!
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> Maybe Frank is simply Steve's alter-ego? Or maybe Mom plays him when bored?<<< HOW COULD YOU SUGEST SUCH A THING!?
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Oh yes, they both feel 100% the same about Pleasure Island, specifically, the Adventurers Club ;-) << I always knew that Lee really wanted to get rid of those drinking dens, and have a more family friendly oriented Downtown Disney!
Originally Posted By MPierce <<That's pretty generous of you Spirit.>> >> If the kid buys other people's junk on eBay, then he can take a nice elderly man such as yourself out to dinner! << Good point.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> And should I know who all these people are? Frank? Martin? I feel so uninformed. << Well you should know Martin he lives in Manchester. Don't all you Brits know each other!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Is dinner 2.99 with 1.50 shipping? << That would get me a Dole Whip Float!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Maybe Frank is simply Steve's alter-ego? Or maybe Mom plays him when bored? << Do you think Mom, and Zenia are best Buds?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 OK ... where did we leave off after the last 2,876-word post about MAGICal WDW construction walls, urinals and vinylcrapation? Oh yeah, so your intrepid day-tripping, wall-peaking, fanboi-flaming pair of LPers had decided that after 3 1/2 of wishes, dreams, magic and constuction walls, it was time to leave the MK. So ... we did. Walking up the entrance ramp to the MK monorail station we couldn't help but be moved by the giant boulders that, for a decade now, have counted as landscaping. We walked onto one of the monorails (it may have been Black, but again what does color matter?) noting that instead of tacky balloons, the monorail was plastered with what looked like giant stickers advertising MNSSHP, which in an amazing show of restraint by Phil Holmes, Erin Wallace and Co, started AFTER Labor Day this year (I know, amazing!) At this point, and with the AC no better than 'working to some degree', I was thinking a few things, including 'I'm not in Anaheim' ... 'I'd really like to head over to one of the Lodges and go to sleep' ... 'I wish Pierce were here' ... and ... 'I really could use a magical WDW restroom'. We pulled into the TTC without any hold for traffic clearance (which likely put a smile on my friend TDLFAN's face, even though he wasn't with us, and was likely in some exotic locale like Cincinnati), switched beams and (thankful we didn't smash into another train) were on our way to what's left of EPCOT Center to meet up with a MAGICal pal from the UK. We got to EC and noticed on parking lot trams working, but an OC Sheriff's car parked underneath (a common occurrence in these post-Patriot Act days!) I also noticed what would have truly been art if photographed the right way ... Mickey and Goofy Pez dispensers intertwined on the roof of some of the EPCOT ticket booths. The way they were placed made me think it was the work of a bored CM. But I enjoyed it. There were no signs of the Lights of Winter, however. We walked in thru the 'Guests Without Bags and Therefore Automatically Not Terrorists' entrance, got a nice greeting from the CM at the entryway and were inside the giant memorial at EPCOT for people dumb enough to spend their money on lousy photos on giant gravestones. As we walked in, crowds were again, non-existent, so much so that Stitch was standing out (because you know blue doggies from space with bad dispositions and a love for Elvis music represent our future ... or, please pray they do because where this country is heading right now that would be a HUGE step up!) to the far right jumping around and waving and trying to get our attention or just anyone's ... because it's much more fun to play with others than it is to play with yourself. As it turns out, Daisy Duck was also over there looking very lonely too. I wanted a photo, but Lee was adamant that we didn't have time, so off we went. My memory is a bit fuzzy here, but I'm pretty certain I checked out the 'new' restrooms near EPCOT's lockers. For a park celebrating the future (well, along with dreams, magic, wishes and the 15th B-day for that girl who lives down the street and dresses way too provocative for her tender age), the new facilities were nothing special. Bland with some slip-resistant surface on the floor that seemed to impress Lee. I missed the brown and white tiles that said 1982 myself. I also couldn't quite fathom why hand-dryers hadn't been installed and then I realized that Danny Cockerell likely gets bonuses when things come in under budget. And greenbacks beat going green any day! Since we couldn't get in touch with our world-famous friend from the UK, Lee and I opted to take a ride on SSE because there are supposedly magical triangles in it ... and I find Judi Dench very sexy and blue light bulbs to be like magic 'shrooms. One bizarre thing happened in that whenever they played the video onboard, my mouth had a giant ... a giant ... a giant ... triangle in it (I SWEAR I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP! ASK LEE!) I have no idea why ... or if it was an even an isosceles. We exited and met up with Martin, his lovely Michelle (hope that's spelled right) and three other dudes. We hung out in front of the fountain, talked DL, talked WDW, talked Vegas, talked all sorts of stuff ... that's when I realized that 'you are a Floridian, not a UKer, you do NOT enjoy standing outside in the sun at a theme park in September'. We soon began a slow trudge over toward the World Showcase Lagoon with numerous stops for restrooms, smoking breaks (they still like the habit in the UK), photo ops and the like. It was while we were hanging out in the shade near Norway that I found out that one of the dudes with us apparently had some rather negative feelings toward some evil Internet Spirit with a '74' at the end. He felt that this disgusting, vile, repugnant dude had run him off of a MAGICal forum because he may have suggested that teens don't have the same life experience or perspective of older, farty, Spirits. After making fun of this '74' character (he sounds like a total buttocks face to me), I thought it only fair to tell said fanboi my super secret, real-world identity ... because I was afraid if I didn't that someone might truly begin ROFLTAO down the WS Promenade. Thing is, as DCA proved, life doesn't always go according to plan. No matter what I said. No matter how I tried to subtly tell the kid who I was, it was flying over his head, like a Space Mountain car after derailing. Michelle was so amused by the situation that she had to run to the MAGICal Norway restrooms. When she returned, the subject had been tabled because ... well, sorry, but sometimes you just have to be there. We then rode Maelstrom because Martin said they have tweaked the effects and it was looking good. Maelstrom isn't a fave of mine. To be truthful, it was the first Disney attraction that ever disappointed me upon opening. It's OK, but that's it. It looked it nice shape, but that's about it! We ignored the film and walked thru quickly because being uber-kewl fanbois, we don't have to watch the post-show. At this point, there was some discussion about heading to Mexico as it was soft opening day for the new Cantina and Hacienda dining locales. I wasn't thrilled with the idea because no one in the group had signed up for 'Take a Spirit to Dinner' Program, we had just eaten a few hours ago, I didn't want to buy Mexican cuisine that started at $21.95, I didn't want to run into any of 'those crazy Internet folks', and I didn't want to run into Danny Cockerell and have an unpleasant exchange because I have some issues with the way EPCOT is being run. The 'group' decided on the Cantina, thankfully. The place was loaded with employees of the company that runs the Mexico pavilion food locales (and CSR's locales as well) and everyone seemed friendly and 'on' because that's the way it always is on opening day. I didn't have the insulting $11.95 fast-food tacos ($15 with a beverage) but those who did said they weren't very good. I did have some of the churros, which at $3.50 are pretty fairly priced and a Coke. Normally, I'd have had a Margarita (now up to $10 due to guest demand for higher prices), but with the heat and lack of sleep, I just didn't feel that wise. The seating area is quite nice ... but small ... only 80-person capacity. The table and seats are also bolted to the floor, so no MAGICal fanbois try to take them home as souvenirs. We sat ... and we sat ... and we sat ... And I'd like to tell you what happened next, but I am out of time right now ...
