Remember

Things i've learned about making a trip to Walt Disney World that i want to remember if we ever get the chance to go again:

Plan the trip as far in advance as possible.  Six months is good, a year is better.  If you are going with a big group, it's hard to get meal reservations for the whole group the closer you are to the actual date, so make your reservations as far ahead as you can.

Stay at one of the Disney resorts, even if you have to pick one of the cheapest ones, and take advantage of the "Extra Magic Hours" offered to resort guests only.  Especially at the Magic Kingdom, after the late night fireworks show, lines are minimal and you can get on all of your favorite rides over and over with little or no waiting.  During those extra hours, it is even less crowded.

There are vegetarian/vegan options at every park and at every table service restaurant.  You may have to search a bit, but they are around.  The Tusker House restaurant in Animal Kingdom, the Tangerine Cafe in the Morocco section of Epcot, the Prime Time Cafe at Hollywood Studios, and Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe and the Colombia Harbor House at Magic Kingdom all have delicious options.

 

The Fountainview Cafe in Epcot and the bakery on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom have Starbucks coffee, and a coconut milk latte is addictive!

Monorails are more like one of the rides than they are an actual means of transportation.  If you can take a launch from a resort, do that.

The buses can be efficient, but can also get held up on traffic.  Yes, even on property there can be traffic jams, and we saw an accident at one intersection.  Leave plenty of time to get where you want to go.

The Soarin' ride is as much fun the 6th time as it was the first, and the PhilharMagic is, too.

Watch out for the birds, they will steal your food if given the chance.  The squirrels are persistent beggars, too.

It's scarier to go home and wish you had gotten on a particular ride than it is to just go ahead and get on it while you are there.  Roller coasters make you feel like you are flying, and it's always fun to fly (as long as you don't have to actually get into one of those tin cans at the airport).

The first aid station nurses are generous with bandages when the mini first aid kit you brought runs out.

While every job has its stresses and occasional bad days, every person you ask there will tell you that, most of the time, s/he loves the job and wouldn't want to work anywhere else.

When one of the characters is out greeting people, it's not a person in a costume, it is the character.

Don't be shocked at how expensive everything is.  The happy, smiling service is worth it.

As with all things, there will be glitches.  Rides can go down, buses can break down, the whole monorail system can go down, and there will always be something under construction.  It's okay, they are making things better all of the time, and even Disney magic needs maintenance work done on it.

Go for two weeks if you can, you won't have to cram everything in so fast.

Never go during President's Day week, it is always the most crowded week of the year.

Buy the MemoryMaker photo package, and take full advantage of it.  Get pictures taken by the Disney professionals everywhere that they are.  This is especially true for me, as i'm a lousy photographer. 

You will never regret tipping generously.

Don't forget to bring out your inner child and let her/him have a great time.

 

Today is:

Curling Is Cool Day -- embrace the Olympic sport the whole family can play; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Defenders of the Motherland Day (formerly Red Army Day) -- Russia and some former Soviet Republics
     Homeland Defenders' Day -- Kyrguzstan
     Motherland Defenders' Day -- Transdniestria

Diesel Engine Day -- Rudolph Diesel received his patent in Germany on this day in 1893

Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day -- while i can't figure out who started this one, even Mr. Google says it's celebrated today

Easy Divorce Day -- marking the passage, in 1915, of the Nevada law granting easy divorces after only a 6 month residency, the first such in the US

Fairtrade Fortnight begins -- UK (a chance to get involved in making sure farmers in developing countries have fair wages and good working conditions)

Great Lent begins-- a/k/a Clean Monday, Ash Monday, Pure Monday, Monday of Lent, Shrove Monday, Collop Monday, Rose Monday, Merry Monday or Hall Monday, and (in Cypress) Green Monday -- Orthodox Christian

International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day -- internet generated

Iwo Jima Day -- commemoration of the US flag raising

National Banana Bread Day

National Day -- Brunei

Pebbles Day -- Pebbles Flintstone was born this day around 10,000BC

Republic Day (Mashramani) -- Guyana

St. Milburga of Shropshire's Day (Patron of birds)

St. Polycarp of Smyrna's Day (Patron against dysentery and earache)

St. Serenus the Gardener's Day (Patron of bachelors, falsely accused people)

Terminalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival for Terminus, god of land boundary markers)



Birthdays Today:

Emily Blunt, 1983
Niecy Nash, 1970
Michael Dell, 1965
"Bobby" Bonilla, 1963
Howard Jones, 1955
Patricia Richardson, 1951
"Too Tall" Jones, 1951
John Sanford, 1944
Johnny Winter, 1944
Peter Fonda, 1939
Sylvia Chase, 1938
Donna J. Stone, 1933
Paul Tibbets, 1915
William L. Shirer, 1904
Victor Fleming, 1889
W.E.B. DuBois, 1868
Emma Hart Willard, 1787
George Frederic Handel, 1685
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, 1646
Samuel Pepys, 1633


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Fortune and Men's Eyes"(Play), 1967
"Pinocchio"(Disney Cartoon), 1940


Today in History:

Emperor Diocletian orders the general persecution of Christians, 303
Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with movable type, 1455
France begins its fifth "holy war" against the Huguenots, 1574
Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army, 1778
The first US raw-cotton-to-cloth mill is founded, in Waltham, Massachusetts, 1813
The first US pharmaceutical college is organized, the College of Apothecaries in Philidelphia, 1821
Santa Anna begins his siege of the Alamo, 1836
John Newman leaves the Anglican Church and is welcomed into the Roman Catholic Church, 1846
In Mexico, American troops under General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna, 1847
Great Britain formally recognises the independence of the Boers in the area between the Orange and Vaal rivers, signing the Bloemfontein Convention with the Orange Free State, 1854
The London Times publishes the world's first classified ad, 1886
Charles Martin Hall, assisted by his sister Julia Brainerd Hall, produced the first samples of man-made aluminum, 1886 
The French/Italian Riviera is struck by an earthquake that leaves 2,000 dead, 1887
The Tootsie Roll is introduced by Leo Hirshfield, 1896
In France, Emile Zola is imprisoned for writing his "J'accuse" letter accusing the government of anti-Semitism and wrongly jailing Alfred Dreyfus, 1898
The Cuban state of Guantanamo is leased to the US, 1903
The US acquires control of the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million, 1904
The Rotary Club International is founded in Chicago, 1905
Russian Tsar Nicholas II dissolves the Diet of Finland, 1909
The US state of Nevada enacts a convenient divorce law, 1915
The February Revolution begins in Russia, 1917
Plutonium is first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, 1941
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is founded, 1847
The first mass inoculation with the Salk vaccine begins in Pittsburgh, 1954
First meeting of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), 1955
The United States Environmental Protection Agency announces its intent to buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Missouri, 1983
Supernova 1987a is seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 1987
A small fire occurs in the Russian Space station, Mir, 1997
An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31, 1999
Unknown criminals pour more than 2.5 million liters of diesel oil and other hydrocarbons into the river Lambro, in Northern Italy, causing an environmental disaster, 2010

Where's that watch?

The mood in the house is mixed right now.

Grandma and Grandpa announced, last November, that they wanted to take as many of us as could make it to Walt Disney World this year at Mardi Gras.

Bigger Girl and #1 Son both had to bow out, she because she doesn't feel she can miss school, and he because he just started this job and you don't go into the boss at a new job and tell her/him you need a week off to go on vacation with your family, not when you are 23.

All the plans are set, hotel, who is driving (us), who is flying (Uncle J, Bryn and Dre, because no one wants to be in a car for that many hours with a 9-year-old), and all the other myriad details.

Everyone was looking forward to it.

Then the kink got thrown into the works.  Grandma, who has always had somewhat fragile health, got so sick last week she had to call Grandpa to come home early from a meeting and take her to the doctor right away.  She was on the verge of pneumonia and had pleurisy, and was put on a very strong antibiotic.

 

As she seemed to be recovering as fast as she got ill, the plans didn't change.  Then the antibiotic caused such bad side effects she had to get off it it.  By then, her lungs were clear, but since she didn't take the full course of medicine, she cannot be exposed to crowds or being outdoors a lot in the cold weather to make certain she doesn't relapse.

They are insistent that the rest of us will still go, and we will.  We are all sad and upset, though, that Grandma and Grandpa won't be with us.

This past week has seen me chasing my own tail to get ready, and today i am working at Ms. P's house, and tomorrow i am scheduled to deliver flowers for Valentine's Day, but only in the morning, as we leave in the afternoon.  So much has been crammed into this last week that i don't know whether, as Dolly Parton said in Steel Magnolias, "to wind my butt or scratch my watch!"

 

When we leave town, i have to think of everything, including how much cat litter to have in the house and to time my kombucha (fermented tea) brewing so it won't be over fermented by the time i get back.  As for the Valentine's Day deliveries, i am going to miss being able to earn the money for the full three days work, but at least i can get one morning in.

Yesterday we tried to get Little Girl her driver's license, since she now only has a permit and we thought it would be a good idea to do this before she helped drive.  She had early dismissal, so we went to the DMV.  They told us we now have to have an appointment to take the driving test.  You cannot call for an appointment, you have to fill out an application and get an appointment.  We did, and they had a same day testing available, at 2pm.  We left to have lunch and came back.  She passed, and then they said, "Where is her proof of school attendance?"  It seems you need that now.  Of course, by the time they told us, there wasn't anyone still at the school who could get it for us, so Sweetie has to take her back on Friday while i'm delivering flowers, but after he gets the oil changed in #2 Son's car and air in Bigger Girl's tires.

And now as subduedly excited as i am that we are getting to go, i think i need to find that watch to scratch. 

Today is:

Abraham Lincoln's Birthday -- US (with a wreath laying ceremony at the rebuilt cabin near where he was born)

American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting -- Chicago, IL, US (a five day meeting of top scientist; who knows what these people will come up with next, because science is amazing!)

Borrowed Days (through the 14th) -- Scottish Highlands (Gaelic Faoilteach, days supposedly borrowed from January, and if the weather is bad, the rest of the year will be good.)

Darwin Day -- International (birth anniversary)

Day Holy to Diana -- Ancient Roman Calendar

Desert Festival -- Jaisalmer, India (three days of local culture, contests, and fun)

Feast of the Incappucciati -- Gradoli, Italy (members of the Confraternity of Purgatory makes the rounds of the town gathering food for the souls in Purgatory, which is served at a banquet next week on Ash Wednesday)

Fettiger Donnerstag  -- Swabia, Germany ("greasy Thursday", so called because of the greasy Kuchli cakes and pastries made today to use during carnival before the Lent fast)

Gold Rush Days -- Wickenburg, AZ, US (celebrating the Old West; through Sunday)

Lost Penny Day -- in honor of pennies, the first US coin to commemorate a person; collect all those pennies you have hanging around and donate them to a good cause

Miami International Boat Show -- Miami, FL, US (biggest boat show in the US, and the main event for product introductions; through Monday)

Oglethorpe Day/Georgia Day -- Georgia, US (landing of General Oglethorpe at what is now Savannah in 1733)

Pick A New Love Song Day -- internet generated, and why?  Only bother if your old one has worn thin.

Plum Pudding Day -- shouldn't this be at Christmas? Ah, well, i don't set them, i just report them.

Powamu Festival -- Pueblo/Hopi Native Americans (8 day sacred Bean Dance and purification ceremonies; date approximate)

Red Hand Day -- UN (Drawing attention to the plight of child soldiers.)

Runic Half Month of Sigel (Sun) begins

Sacrifice to Dionysos -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)

St. Julian the Hospitaler (Patron of boatmen, carnival/circus workers, childless people, clowns, ferrymen, fiddlers, hospitality, hotel keepers/innkeepers, jugglers, knights, pilgrims, repentant murderers, shepherds, travellers, wandering musicians; to obtain lodging while travelling; San Giljan, Malta)

Union Day -- Myanmar

Youth Day -- Venezuela


Anniversaries Today:

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is founded, 1909
Michigan State University is founded, 1855
Maria Therese Habsburg marries Emperor Francios I, 1736


Birthdays Today:

Jennifer Stone, 1993
Christina Ricci, 1980
Jesse Spencer, 1979
Naseem Hamed, 1974
Josh Brolin, 1968
Chyna Phillips, 1968
Arsenio Hall, 1955
Joanna Kerns, 1953
Michael McDonald, 1952
Simon MacCorkindale, 1952
Steve Hackett, 1950
Cliff De Young, 1947
Maud Adams, 1945
Ray Manzarek, 1939
Judy Blume, 1938
Joe Don Baker, 1936
Bill Russell, 1934
Arlen Specter, 1930
Joe Garagiola, 1926
Franco Zeffirelli, 1923
Dom DiMaggio, 1917
Lorne Greene, 1915
Ted Mack, 1904
Roy Harris, 1898
Omar Bradley, 1893
Anna Pavlova, 1881
John Llewellyn Lewis, 1880
John Graham Chambers, 1843
Charles Darwin, 1809
Abraham Lincoln, 1809
Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 1775
Cotton Mather, 1663
John Winthrop the Younger, 1606
John Winthrop the Elder, 1588
Kujo Yoritsune, Japanese shogun, 1218


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Child's Play"(Play), 1970
Dracula(Film), 1931
"Rhapsody In Blue", 1924
"Beggar on Horseback"(Play), 1924
"Fruen Fra Havet(The Lady from the Sea)"(Ibsen Play), 1889


Today in History:

Vasco da Gama sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on his second voyage to India, 1502
Santiago, Chile, is founded by Pedro de Valdivia, 1541
A year after claiming the throne of England for nine days, Lady Jane Grey is beheaded for treason, 1554
The Onderlinge van 1719 u.a., the oldest existing life insurance company in the Netherlands is founded, 1719
Englishman James Oglethorpe founds Georgia, the 13th colony of the Thirteen Colonies, and its first city at Savannah, 1733
The first US fugitive slave law, requiring the return of runaway slaves, is passed, 1793
The Teatro di San Carlo, the oldest working opera house in Europe, is destroyed by fire, 1816
The Creek Indian treaty is signed, requiring the tribes to turn over all of their land in Georgia to the government and migrate west by Sept. 1 the following year, 1825
Ecuador annexes the Galapagos Islands, 1832
Official proclamation sets April 15 as last day of grace for US silver coins to circulate in Canada, 1870
The US Congress abolishes bimetallism and authorizes $1 and $3 gold coins, 1873
King David Kalakaua of the Sandwich Islands/Hawaii becomes the first king to visit the US, 1874
The first news dispatch by telephone takes place, between Boston and Salem, Massachusetts, 1877
News of the Battle of Isandlwana, the single greatest defeat for the British Army at the hands of a native army, reaches London, 1879
The New York to Paris auto race, via Alaska and Siberia, begins; George Schuster wins after 88 days behind the wheel, 1908
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) forms, 1909
The last Ch'ing (Manchu) emperor of China, Hsuan T'ung, abdicates, 1912
A meteor creates an impact crater in Sikhote-Alin, in the Soviet Union, 1947
U.S.S.R. launches Venera 1 towards Venus, 1961
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1970, is exiled from the Soviet Union, 1974
Carmen Lawrence becomes the first female Premier in Australian history when she becomes Premier of Western Australia, 1990
NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft touchdown in the "saddle" region of 433 Eros becoming the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid, 2001
The city of San Francisco, California begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in response to a directive from Mayor Gavin Newsom, 2004