City, Sand, and Savanna - Link to new trip report

[scottny]

Nice pic from the Luau.
Glad you made it home through the storms.

 

[englishrose47]

Great ending to the TR Glenn !!! How long before we have another TR to read !!Of course more "Judy" sightings as well !!! But now you are finishe you can devote more time to picking on me

 

[glennbo123]

I do remember this! I had to save enough shots on the roll to last the trip, and if I was going to take a photo, it had to be really worthy! Digital really revolutionized photography.

Exactly! Take any crappy photo you want, and sort 'em out later. Which has led to the "selfie". Such progress!

These last couple of days have been nuts. I manage our survey crews and we've been pulled in 20 different directions. We had to drop everything and get up there, and now everybody needs all of the information we can gather yesterday.

Somewhere I saw recently that the state with the most structurally-deficient bridges is PA. Now I look on the internets and see a headline that we're 3rd. At any rate, we're up there.

In a totally different area, but I know what you mean. My update at staff meeting this afternoon was I don't think I have been this still for this long in a few weeks. I had to dip into my office quick to change something after training and before a meeting and got 4-6 things dumped on me when my staff found me "in" To get done in 10 min before I had to run back out.

Everybody needs more with less. It's the same all over!

I done gone and done it- I read the whole thing, all the way up to the sappy, er... poignant end. Such a bummer it's come to its natural end. But hey, that just means you've made margin in your life for another TR, right? RIGHT!?

Yes, eventually if I kept plodding along, it had to come to an end sometime! I might do a little report on Hilton Head. We'll have to see how it goes. If it goes as planned, it might be a pretty boring TR because the plan is to just relax at the beach and pool. I do have a couple of activities booked: marsh kayaking and a dolphin tour, and I plan to take a waterproof camera with me so I might get some fun shots.

I gotta be honest, it's difficult to read all about others' trips and have none on the horizon for us for a long while yet. But, the good news is that slowly but surely I'm paving the way for more regular forays into my Place of Happy.

I know exactly what you mean. I was following both Cynthia's and Mark's TRs on Hawaii, taking notes, making plans, and then it became readily apparent that now was not the time for us to take that trip. Which put me in the DIS-blah's back around late-summer last year. And I probably haven't even fully snapped out of it yet. But you know that you are working on the right things; your priorities are where they should be. Hang in there, and your opportunity to celebrate at Disney will come at the perfect time. And thanks for checking in on some of your DIS-cronies from time to time -- we think of you often and wonder how you're doing, so it's great to get a little update.

Those sweet moments of memory making are what it's all about, and I'm so glad you've let us into that special moment, even just a little.

Peace, my friend.

Thanks Liesa!

I am slowly managing to get caught up with my subscription here on the DIS. I am sad to see your trip report ending, it was wonderful to follow along!

Aw, thank you Magdalene!

I loved the ending, it seems that you were able to have some wonderful moments shared with three generations that will live on as precious memories for all of you!

Yes, we had quite the range in ages, but I think we all had a great time and definitely some lifelong memories were made!

I hope your next trip with Judy will be magical as well! And I hope we will get a trip report about your adventures in Hilton Head! I would love to stay there some time in the future and am interested in reading all about it, just as I loved the Vero Beach portion in this trip report.

Thank you. I think I'll do a little write-up on Hilton Head; hopefully we get some good material to report. Like Vero, Hilton Head is under-represented in trip reports. Glad you liked the Vero Beach portion of this TR!

Glen, sorry I missed the update. You posted it the day I left for Disney for my girls' trip for nine days and I'm just getting around to getting caught up (I started my TR if you want to pop in...the link is in my signature).

Sorry about my poor timing, but you'd rather be in Disney with the girls than reading my stuff anyway, and I don't blame you! Okay, I'll have to get over there.

I had no warning and no where to hide when you posted about your mom and you having to leave the room to be sure you weren't misty eyed. I was and am. Such a sweet, sweet moment for you and your Mom.

Aw, what a neat way to put it: "I had no warning and no where to hide..." Sorry about that, but I had to get some emotion out of you people!

I'm glad you made it home safely with all of those storms.

There were some weird weather patterns that year. The electric utility guys were definitely busy, and heading north to help out.

I love the photo you got your parents and so happy they had not yet destroyed it. It is a great memento of a very special trip.

Thanks. They appreciated it, and it made for a nice surprise at Christmas.

Nice pic from the Luau.
Glad you made it home through the storms.

Thanks Scott. We still got a little bit of driving in heavy thunderstorms, but missed the worst of it. Very grateful for that!

Great ending to the TR Glenn !!! How long before we have another TR to read !!Of course more "Judy" sightings as well !!! But now you are finishe you can devote more time to picking on me

Thanks Rosie! I don't know, depends on how motivated I am after we get back from Hilton Head and if I get some nice pictures and/or stories to share. I don't want to bore anybody!

I'm beginning to think that you like being picked on.

 

[englishrose47]

Thanks Rosie! I don't know, depends on how motivated I am after we get back from Hilton Head and if I get some nice pictures and/or stories to share. I don't want to bore anybody!

I'm beginning to think that you like being picked on.

You ae right I LOVE it !!!Gives me a warm fuzzy feelig

 

[glennbo123]

You ae right I LOVE it !!!Gives me a warm fuzzy feelig

Aw!

 

[glennbo123]

 

[glennbo123]

 

[glennbo123]

 

[glennbo123]

 

[glennbo123]

 

[glennbo123]

Well, what more can I say about this trip? I mean, you all helped me out after the last chapter with comments regarding cherishing the moments, and how much our time together meant to everyone, and treasuring the memories. At the very least, it was an amazing couple of weeks that will be remembered for a long, long time.

First, Lauren celebrated her high school graduation with a 3-night trip to New York City with her mom. Their itinerary has been nearly copied by Adventures by Disney, with accommodations at the Manhattan Club and adventures which included touring Rockefeller Center, being a Today Show tourist, a boat trip past the Statue of Liberty, and the highlight of the trip: seeing "Wicked".

Then, we all enjoyed some concentrated family-time togetherness (which is another way of saying we drove), heading to Disney's Vero Beach resort for a few days of fun at the beach. We experienced the highlight of our stay there when we got to see a mama turtle laying her ping-pong ball eggs in a sandy nest on the beach in the dark of night.

And finally, we met Poppy and Gram at Walt Disney World to help celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, and for some memory-making across the generations. I got to show Poppy and Gram how the Animal Kingdom Lodge complex has grown since they were there last in 2001, and in the parks Gram reminded us that they were there "to do stuff"! The weather wasn't ideal, with Tropical Storm Debby dumping a deluge, but in the end it really was for the best, as it kept the temperatures down to some tolerable levels for Poppy and Gram. We had a relaxed touring pace that worked for all for all of the different speeds in our group -- the kids could go off on their own while the rest of us found attractions to suit the older folks. We weren't always together for a great big group picture at every Photopass photographer that we passed, but that was all right. We stuck with our first-night tradition of seeing YeeHaa Bob and he was a hit with my parents, as I expected. Later in the week, the ladies made memories over tea, getting all gussied up and visiting the Grand Floridian. But some of my favorite times at Disney have always been in the restaurants, and for this trip we hit some of our old favorites and a couple of new spots, which didn't disappoint: 50's Prime Time, Flying Fish, Boma, Biergarten, and the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show.

Looking back, that was a whole lot of ground to cover. No wonder it took me two years to tell the tale!

We really made full use of our Disney Vacation Club membership with this trip, with a trade-out to the Manhattan Club in New York City, trying a new resort for us in Vero Beach, and getting a 2-bedroom savanna-view suite at our home resort, Kidani Village. I am so glad that we decided to buy into Disney Vacation Club back in 2008 -- there's no way we could have swung a trip like this without it. In fact, I looked at rack rates the other day for those rooms for the same time of year, and in 2014 the lodging for this trip (if no discounts could be found) would cost...well, maybe it's not good form to list an amount, but suffice it to say, it's a very, very large sum. <cough> 5 figures <cough>

Judy and I are heading to Disney's Hilton Head Island resort this Saturday to enjoy a week of relaxation, lowcountry-style. I think that I'll probably write a little trip report on that when I get back, so be on the lookout. In the meantime though, follow me on Instagram (username is glennbo123, same as the DIS) and get some updates in real-time!

One good piece of news for the trip is that I checked for potential tropical storm activity yesterday on NOAA.gov and saw this:

Another order of business is to wrap-up the Judy game

. Thanks to all who played along, I hope you had fun with it. It looks like Marv is our big winner , so Marv, drop me a pm with your address so that I can send you a little prize.

Seeing how this report went on for so long and you may have forgotten all of the high's and higher high's, (what low's?), let's end with a parade of some of my favorite pictures:

Judy and Lauren had a great time in New York City

Vero Beach was an enjoyable side-trip before we got to DisneyWorld

Maryann put the "cast" in cast member and turned up just about everywhere

Turtle walks were a time for rocking out and getting back to nature

The beach was beautiful at sunrise

Butt we learned that copious dews water the earth by night

We had great accommodations at Vero and Kidani

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[glennbo123]

continued from previous post

Walt Disney World was just as much fun as ever!

We saw some distant cousins

We had plenty of opportunity to don "rain capes"

High tea was a high priority

I enjoyed photographing Kidani

Between the savanna at Kidani and the safari and trails at Animal Kingdom, we saw lots of animals, like this photobombing ostrich

Generations bonded

Fireworks were enjoyed

New dishes and old favorites delighted the senses

Dumb looks were perfected

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[glennbo123]

continued from previous post

Spoilers were skillfully avoided

I saw the future, and its name is Glennbo

James was James

Poppy and Gram were cute as buttons

The Luau ended with an act I like to call "Flaming Death"!

And lastly, my favorite Photopass pictures

Maybe

Before I end this last entry in the trip report, I'd like to thank everyone who read along, and especially everyone who posted a comment. I can't believe that you stuck with me for all this time! You make it a joy to write these trip reports, you spark my creativity, and you kept me going in this endeavor that obviously went on for quite a while! I call you all "DIS-friends", and anyone who's written a trip report knows that it's just the greatest feeling to see a comment from someone across the country, or even the world, knowing that they are living the trip right along beside you. Thank you so much!

Much love! And I'll see you around the DIS!
Glenn

 

[nodnol]

What a great wrap up! I'm sure you'll still be talking about this trip, when your kids take you on a trip to WDW with your grandkids

Enjoy your vacation at Hilton Head! I'm looking forward to the trip report...

 

[Flossbolna]

What a wonderful wrap up!

And thank you very much about the comment about your readers! I absolutely agree that the conversation with the readers is a big aspect why writing a trip report is fun! You put it more eloquently than me though...

I hope you and Judy will have a magical time in Hilton Head and I shall be looking out for your trip report. I might even try to figure out that instagram thing...

And congratulations to Marv for winning the Judy game!

One final tiny request - looking at all those great family pictures from two years ago, I could not help but wonder how the kids must have grown up over the last two years. Any recent pictures you could show us? Marlene must be close to finishing high school, too?

 

[natebenma]

What a wonderful wrap up!

One final tiny request - looking at all those great family pictures from two years ago, I could not help but wonder how the kids must have grown up over the last two years. Any recent pictures you could show us? Marlene must be close to finishing high school, too?

Same exact thoughts! Great report and great wrap up!

Need to see a current picture of the kids.

Have a fantastic time at Hilton Head, I look forward to reading all about it.



PS- 15 Judys? (plus the Judy game icon)- sorry, some habits are hard to break.

 

[KatMark]

Glenn, I just have to say that this was one of the most enjoyable TR's I have ever read, and the best recap ever. Thank you for sharing with us, and I love the bond you have with your parents and the one they have amongst themselves--60 years! Just awesome.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

^^^^ Best one yet!!!

Ooh I hope Lauren goes after a little commission from Disney for the itinerary help.

You know Glenn, I'm not going to lie (of course I wouldn't lie), but despite this TR running for almost 2 years, looking back at the Parade 'o Photos, it really doesn't feel that long at all. What a fun summary to see these photos again, and the stories that accompany them really are still fresh in my head.

Your final thoughts are truly beautiful and so very true and I couldn't agree more with every single statement. Your's was among the first TR's I connected to before even joining the DIS, and it's a real honour to call you a DIS-friend.

Looking forward to your Hurricane Free (knock wood) HHI report, and of course, wishing you another Disney World trip some day soon (Hurricane Free).

 

[glennbo123]

What a great wrap up! I'm sure you'll still be talking about this trip, when your kids take you on a trip to WDW with your grandkids

Thank you Katharina! Oooo, I look forward to that trip!

Enjoy your vacation at Hilton Head! I'm looking forward to the trip report...

Thanks. I am soooo looking forward to it, let me tell you.

What a wonderful wrap up!

And thank you very much about the comment about your readers! I absolutely agree that the conversation with the readers is a big aspect why writing a trip report is fun! You put it more eloquently than me though...

Thank you Magdalene. Very cool (and fitting) that you two sisters are the first to comment on this final chapter of the report. I've read a lot of very eloquent TR wrap-ups and wasn't sure that I'd hit the mark but gave it a shot.

I hope you and Judy will have a magical time in Hilton Head and I shall be looking out for your trip report. I might even try to figure out that instagram thing...

Oh I hope you do! I'd love to see what happens on the other side of the pond. It's not too difficult -- easier than making a table of contents on the DIS!

And congratulations to Marv for winning the Judy game!

He is a pretty fierce competitor and seemingly had quite a knack for checking-in at just the right time.

One final tiny request - looking at all those great family pictures from two years ago, I could not help but wonder how the kids must have grown up over the last two years. Any recent pictures you could show us? Marlene must be close to finishing high school, too?

Same exact thoughts! Great report and great wrap up!

Need to see a current picture of the kids.

That's a fair enough request! I'll throw in one that I also posted on Instagram -- me and the kids at a Bruce Springsteen concert in Hershey last month. We had a blast!

Judy didn't want to go since it was a school night and she goes to bed early. I'm sure you'll notice that James has changed some: got braces and his hair's gone curly with puberty kicking in. He's behind his classmates in height, but has grown over 2 inches since January, so maybe he's catching up. Marlene will be starting her senior year this fall.

Have a fantastic time at Hilton Head, I look forward to reading all about it.

Yay, another built-in subscriber and I haven't even taken the first trip note yet.

PS- 15 Judys? (plus the Judy game icon)- sorry, some habits are hard to break.

I need to go back and look at what the Rules Committee rulings were on a couple of these, but I think you're short. Also, the stickler's out there will want the winning entry to at least specify an amount per post.

 

[glennbo123]

Glenn, I just have to say that this was one of the most enjoyable TR's I have ever read, and the best recap ever. Thank you for sharing with us, and I love the bond you have with your parents and the one they have amongst themselves--60 years! Just awesome.

Wow, thank you Kathy. I'm so glad that you enjoyed reading it and thanks for sharing along the way.

I have to agree with you, my parents have always been an great example of love and the bond between them is amazing.

^^^^ Best one yet!!!

Thanks, I made that one a while ago, but haven't thrown it in much. Do you happen to remember what picture that's taken from? It's from my last trip report.

Ooh I hope Lauren goes after a little commission from Disney for the itinerary help.

Wait a second, I'm the one that made their itinerary. Since I wasn't going along, I waited for them to plan their stuff, and then Lauren came to me saying, "soooo, since you're such a great trip planner, would you plan some stuff for mom and I to do in New York City?" Sheesh, what would these people do without me?

You know Glenn, I'm not going to lie (of course I wouldn't lie), but despite this TR running for almost 2 years, looking back at the Parade 'o Photos, it really doesn't feel that long at all. What a fun summary to see these photos again, and the stories that accompany them really are still fresh in my head.

That's great to hear....this TR has been around so long it might've been running close to it's expiration date. "Here, sniff this TR...does it smell funny?"

Your final thoughts are truly beautiful and so very true and I couldn't agree more with every single statement.

With the love-fest going on on your TR, I had to bring my "A" game.

Your's was among the first TR's I connected to before even joining the DIS, and it's a real honour to call you a DIS-friend.

Aw, that's awesome. And now you're sucked in; a full-fledged TR writing machine! I haven't met you in person yet, but it's only a matter of time at the rate you're going.

Looking forward to your Hurricane Free (knock wood) HHI report, and of course, wishing you another Disney World trip some day soon (Hurricane Free).

Thanks Rob!