Not Quite a Mom on the DIsney Moms Panel - (Day 4)

[ILoveLegos]

Not Quite a Mom on the Disney Moms Panel

Training Trip: December 10 – 14, 2010
Resort: Disney’s Yacht Club
Participants: 14 new Disney Moms Panelist &
Johnetta (single girl, without kids – Auntie of 7)

December 13, 2010.

8:30 am - The Tylenol worked and I felt refreshed in the morning. This morning was filled with the actual training for the moms’ panel: computer stuff, legal stuff, <secret stuff> and media stuff. That is until a Toy Story green army man came into the room and got us up and marching! He scared me half to death yelling ten-hut from behind us as we answered our first question online. After some calisthenics, we were ushered in to meet Lotso the hugging Bear. We got some good laughs and great pictures there!

2:00 pm - After a buffet lunch we boarded the motor coach to see Golden Oaks Sales Center and to Tour the property. Okay, I know this sounds weird, but I had dreamed that I would tour this place – when I heard about it! I was so excited to see this!!! The Sales Center is gorgeous and I was snapping pictures – before I was told I was not supposed to, so I will not include pictures here! The facility is close to everything. On a good night, you will hear fireworks and see the really high ones. The Four Seasons Hotel will offer a great place for you to put up guests and I can imagine strolling through the development past some celebrity’s Disney home! I think I could easily get used to VIP lifestyle that it offers! :cool:

[ILoveLegos]

5:45 pm - After the Golden Oaks tour, we went back to the Yacht club to change into warm clothes another cold night was expected and we were to have dinner in a secret location in Hollywood Studios (HS) to be followed by Fantasmic! Well, it was way too windy for Fantasmic, so it was cancelled that night. We enjoyed a somber buffet meal together in which various ones among us literally cried because it was our last night together as a group. Prior to dinner, we had about one hour to explore HS on our own. Some ran for Tower of Terror or Rockin Roller Coaster and others just ran into the darkness. I stood there hesitating for a moment and I heard Laura say from behind me – hurry Johnetta – you only have an hour! I turned to her with a big grin on my face and said, “I so excited, I don’t know where to start!”. Thankfully Jill was there and she had an idea! She and I went straight for Toy Story Mania. We got fast passes (we had access to fast pass machines after hours since we were considered media).  We did not have enough time to ride then because we wanted to see the Osborne Lights before we had dinner. I’ve never seen so many lights – (that is the point isn’t it, LOL?). It was simply marvelous.

After we finished our tearful dinner and since we could not see Fantasmic we all eagerly left to spend our last few minutes in HS riding before the park closed! Jill & I had out fastpasses for Toy Story but others in our group wanted to join us – namely Lyn who had never ridden it before and our bus driver! He was like a kid along with us and he eagerly joined us on the fun!!! So all these pink & blue jacketed Moms Panelist boarded Toy Story Mania together at park closing and we had the ride of our lives or so we thought. I rode alone since we were uneven and I wanted to concentrate on the big point targets! I didn’t have any nieces & nephews with me to help, so I could really “work” the game! I got my personal best score – Whoo-Hoo! If I had a “buddy” in the car with me we could have gotten the extra team-work bonuses too, oh well. I love the way the rockets breezy by you on this ride!!! As each group of us would exit we’d take a growing group photo in front of the Toy Story Backdrop with Tim. One woman & her mom approached us and asked if we were the new Moms Panelist – she too had applied and I was so excited to meet us in the parks. I really felt like we all belonged in a club together (Moms Panel hopefuls & Moms Panelist)! Then to our surprise as we left the ride, our group leaders told us to get on the motor coach fast! We ran down an alley and boarded it quickly, Tim, our driver was right there waiting for us. We didn’t know what was happening but our VIP chauffer had arranged for us all to ride Arrowsmith’s Rockin Roller Coaster together after hours! Now this was a ride of a lifetime!

He drove us right to the ride practically (well the off-stage portion). We all rushed out of the bus in total ecstasy! We walked past the pre-show and there were the cast members waiting for us, after they could have gone home – to put us on the ride all together! They were super-great sports and we were jumping up and down with excitement! Our group requested a specific Arrowsmith song (I never knew there were different ones available). They said put in track 4! We got in the super stretch limo and pulled away from the curve. Well since we were after hours it took about 2 minutes for the computer to launch us. Boy does the anticipation build in that amount of time. 3-2-1  0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds … SWEET! We made it through the traffic jam with moments to spare and then we jumped up and ran to the picture viewing area. Well it is great to see the reaction of your family on the ride – imagine that magnified it by some 20 of us – the whole coaster was full of our friends!!! Some of us were taking quick pictures of the monitors (I know you are not supposed to do that but … we wanted to preserve the memory). Then our Laura asked the cast members to make pictures available for all of us. She bought like 20 of the right then and there and we all got our special memory of the dream night! When we got back on the bus we could not thank Laura, and Tim enough … we felt like rock stars!!!!

[KylesMom]

Thank goodness you were feeling better this morning. Tylenol - the wonder drug! :D You were meant to experience this whole day!

What a thrill to see the Golden Oaks sales center. While many may not agree that it belongs on Disney property, you can say that you've been through the pearly gates to see it. What a memory that will make!

You may have had a private bus driver while you were there, but I don't think many things beat a private chauffeur ride on RnRC. Out of curiosity, what song did the members request? Inquiring minds want to know!

It may be your last night there, but it was an unbeatable one, Johnetta! :mickey:

[pdrlkr]

Thanks for the Report! :smickey:

[ILoveLegos]

For KylesMom: Our group requested "Love in an Elevator" if memory serves me right. I think it is cool that the words are changed to "Love in a Rollercoaster" for this attraction! :mickey: This song is paired up with "Walk this Way"! It was a blast! :cool:

[yjgirl32]

I am so jealous- love rocking roller coaster!!! Thanks for sharing.

[eeyorepoohfan]

What a busy day! My DH and I were there when you guys were there. It was very cold for sure! I didn't realize they didn't show Fantasmic, we almost tried to go see it that night too! I'm glad you are feeling better for this day of your trip! I've enjoyed reading about it all!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Thanks for the report

[vizsla]

Thanks for the report.

[faline]

I'm so glad you were feeling better! With such a wonderful opportunity, you certainly would not want to miss a moment!

You clearly have made a number of very special friends! I'm sure that mean even more than all the other experiences these days provided to you!