Fun, Food, and Fenway; one man’s journey into Tripreportville.

Howdy! Welcome to my trip report. A few words of explanation are in order before we get started. First, I am not including any photos of myself or my family. Sorry, but we are internet camera shy. My wife believes that everyone on the internet will mercilessly stalk us, steal our identities, murder us in our sleep, and give our corpses a severe case of cooties. Consequently, no photos of us will be included in the following report.

Second, I shall attempt to atone for this with other photos, regardless of their relevance to the given topic. Yup. It’s a shame, as I took some rather snazzy and humorous photos of us, but the whole “internet danger” thing prevents me from posting them. Well, that, and the people in the unmarked black government helicopters. My tin foil hat prevents them from “getting to me”, but I digress. Just so you know, I’m an average looking dork, my wife is a lovely woman, and my daughter remains cute as a button into her twenties. We had a blast during the four days spent at WDW, and we guaranteed our return by purchasing annual passes for 2013.

We stayed at The Coronado Springs Resort. It was nice, although I consider many of the Disney Resorts to be glorified motels. I do enjoy the ornate surroundings and the general vibe that exists when staying on property. We spent four days at WDW, and spent one day at each of the four parks in this order: DAK, MK, EPCOT, and DHS. The parks were very congested, but we managed our time well with a little Fastpass and parade-time expertise. I credit my wife for our success, as I am more apt to wander aimlessly. That, and I can get lost going from the kitchen to my bedroom at home. Day one granted nice weather, days two and three provided cold and damp weather, and day four brought back the warmth and sun.

DAY ONE: Our journey began early, before sunrise. We had to get some cash at an ATM and return some books to the library book drop, so you can already tell that we are a partying kind of crowd. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the words, “hold it down rsoxguy, or the neighbors are going to start banging on the walls”. Of course, I live in a single family house, so I don’t really understand why people say that. Anyway, after an arduous drive on the Florida Turnpike (that’s officially The Ronald Reagan Turnpike to those of you who enjoy trickle down driving), we finally arrived. Everything at the Resort and the Parks was still decorated for Christmas. We were there at the tail end of the Holiday Season (Jan. 2nd through Jan 5th) and everything was very festive. I wanted to check in early, but the line was too long, so I left the resort and headed to DAK.


We arrived at DAK and promptly purchased a set of annual passes. Life is good.
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You may be asking yourself, “Why did this freak post the photo below?” I am a guy. I often travel with two females. I spend a good deal of time patiently waiting outside of restrooms, while the females go inside for various and sundry reasons. This was the first stop of the trip, and to quote the Norwegian host, “nor will it be the last”…
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The crowds on the first day were not bad at all. I attribute this to the fact that DAK is probably the least popular park destination. I think that the place is beautiful and well themed. It could use a few more attractions and activities, but it is still a great place to spend the day. We first hustled over to get Fastpasses for Expedition Everest. We then took in an early Safari and nature walk, which yielded many animal sightings. I shall now attempt to share my wildlife expertise with you, the common tourist. Try to follow along as best as you can...

This is an animal. You're welcome.
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This is a long necked animal. You're welcome.
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These are dangerous and hungry animals. You're welcome.
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These are animals with big horns on their faces. You're welcome.
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These are striped animals. You're welcome.
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This is a big nosed animal. You're welcome.
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This is a hairy animal. You're welcome.
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This is a flying animal. You're welcome.
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This is an animal sticking his face in his own filth. You're welcome.
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The vehicle in the background is full what we naturalists call "people", and they freakishly mix peanut butter with jelly. You're welcome.
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Next, we rode Expedition Everest. The Yeti was not particularly aggressive, but the attraction is still a fun ride.

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We also went to the Finding Nemo show, Bug’s Life, Lion King, Dinosaur, and various other attractions.

Regardless of the opinions of others, I love this ride. It's so incredibly kitschy that I'm drawn to it like an ant to sugar. I think that they should set up a chiropractor's office at the exit. That would make it perfect.
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This should be converted into a big slide for kids, like the one used by Fred Flintstone during the opening credits of the cartoon. Man, I should get paid to be an Imagineer...
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My wife found humor in this. I just tried to imagine a CM's reaction to the words, "you're in charge of the huge Santa Dinosaur beard."
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Oddly, the dinosaur on this sign was just as animated as some of those in the actual ride. Whacky!
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To be continued...
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
"Hi there, I eat large bird appendages while walking in public places, and it is my pride and joy to announce it on my shirt everywhere that I go!"
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That's me on the stilts. My family makes fun of me for wearing them wherever I go. Who's laughing now, bleacher climbers??
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We had to leave the park around 5 p.m. that day, so we ate lunch/dinner at Restaurantosaurus. The irony of this meal lies in the fact that we ate there solely because we planned to go to a nice restaurant “in town” later that evening. Instead, we purchased some snacks at Publix and ate them in the room. Oh, curse my poor plan implementation!
I have a strong disdain for counter service food at WDW, but there are times in life when you have to do what you have to do. I really like the paper straws that they use now at DAK, and I skeeved a few into my backpack. They remind me of my childhood, when using a straw was a treat. Does anyone remember drinking directly from a glass at a restaurant? I sure do. I used one of those straws last Sunday while enjoying a cool, non-alcoholic beverage in the comfort of my home. Thief, you say? When one pays thirty dollars for a tray full of lukewarm and bland food with a few sodas, the straws come aplenty. :p


Our meal consisted of chicken nuggets and fries. Try not to salivate too much. Or wretch. Whichever.
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There's something about the term "cheesecake in a glass" that makes me want to simultaneously laugh and quit eating food forever.
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We moved on. These were birds in the trees. They were not flying over my car in the parking lot. I was happy.
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I took these two shots with different camera settings. I just thought it was nifty.
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We checked into the resort that afternoon, and left for an evening engagement and the aforementioned Publix shopping trip. Here’s the resort lobby area:
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DAY TWO: The next day was spent at The Magic Kingdom. The place was packed! Everything was beautiful and festive, albeit overcast.

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We checked out the Fantasyland area, and did some shopping.

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You can almost hear the Beast belching in this one, can't you? Majestic!
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We then stopped at the Pinocchio Village Haus Restaurant for a bit of brunch. I really enjoy the “old school” feel of this Disney restaurant. Painted characters on the walls and all, it feels as though it’s still the 70’s and Stitch doesn’t exist yet.

This meal was better than I expected. It included BBQ Chicken Flatbread, Meatball Sub Sandwich, and Chicken Breast Nuggets. Kind of bland, but not nauseating. Stellar recommendation, yes?
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Afterward, we wandered a bit, in and out of rides and attractions. There were too many to list, but do your best Barney the Dinosaur impersonation and imagine me having a great time on various rides. Vicariously fun, isn’t it? Here’s some of it…

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Yeah, I rode this without a little kid. You want to make something of it?
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To be continued...
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Anyone sitting in front of the computer with a Weight Watcher's frozen meal right now? Yeah, sad...
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Walt's headstone, or so they say...
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That's me in my Golden Girl's disguise. It helps me to cut in lines...
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The Sunshine State? More like the cheap plastic rain slicker capitol of the universe.
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I would sleep in the tree house, but it would require that tourists not call me the least realistic animatronic in the parks. I already get that at home.
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That lady to the left? Yeah, she's on an internet forum and doesn't even know it.
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Tight crowds? Nope. Just a free food sample giveaway. Did I mention that Costco has purchased WDW?
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This is my tribute to an attraction that I enjoy every single time I get in. I don’t know even know why I enjoy it so much, but I do. We went twice on this day. Why post a tribute? Because this is my trip report, and I can post anything that I want. Well, unless one of the moderators hates CoP and edits my report. Shoo, scat, CoP hating moderator!

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That crazy Patty and her car phone. I'll bet she thinks the TV video player is Beta.
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We had ADR’s for dinner at the Kona Café in the Polynesian. Want an honest assessment?

Food- yummy, but not fantastic.
Atmosphere- a bit too much like a common hotel cafeteria, but colorful and pleasant enough.
Service- not very efficient or attentive.

I did like the food well enough to post these…

Sweet Bread and Macadamia Honey Butter.
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My daughter and I both had the Teriyaki New York Strip Steak.
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My wife had Sustainable Fish with Forbidden Rice. She ate it anyway!
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My daughter and I both had the Banana Chocolate Creme Brulee for dessert.
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My wife had them bring an Ohana Bread Pudding A La Mode with Banana Foster Sauce from next door. She-loved-it.

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The remainder of the evening was spent doing, well, stuff. Here’s some of it…

It looks like checkers, but it's really Monopoly. They're not dead, just really sick of battling over Boardwalk and Park Place.
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To be continued...
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In honor of my wife's Irish roots. See honey, this extremely time consuming trip report hasn't made me forget you...
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The blue one with the red ribbon has my name on it. That's the crux of my defense strategy when I show up for my court hearing next month.
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Lousy shot, great display. May they never alter or dispose of it.
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Not quite as intimidating as Judi Dench...
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I'll be back...
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DAY THREE: The next day was spent at EPCOT. Think damp air, drizzly rain, and cold temperatures. We know how to swing in Florida, baby! We mostly did things in Future World, leaving a great deal of the World Showcase for another trip. We did see the film in France. One thing: there is a scene in which you are on a wagon going through the narrow street of a small village. To the right, there is a goofy looking old man with a pipe in his mouth, sweeping the street. He cracks me up every time that I watch this film. Look for him the next time that you attend, and have a chuckle on my behalf.

Can you believe this line for Figment? Uninformed victims! OK, OK, I went in...
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This is what a 120+ minute line looks like at Test Track. I got in line at 30+. I'm laughing at them right now, but I'm too compassionate to type the phrase "hahahaha"...d'oh!
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It is at this point in the report that I remind you all of my inability to reveal my true, international spy identity on the forum. Most of the photos taken at EPCOT were of me and my family, so I have few to offer of this day. Consequently, I will guide you through the wonders and pleasures of another great vacation destination. Sit back, smell the sausages in the air, and listen for the funny Boston accents…

Famous sign. Ironically, there are no Citgo gas stations in Boston.
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This is Monster's Inc., Boston style.
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It's empty because I paid for a tour. Yeah, I'm a zealot.
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Back to Disney…we walked to the Flying Fish Cafe on the Boardwalk later that evening for dinner. It’s a great feeling when you hike a long distance in drizzling rain and cold temperatures with sore feet after walking all day, just to realize that a boat would have taken you to the doorstep of the restaurant. Boy howdy, we goofed! Yup!
It was a well decorated and well staffed restaurant. Oh, the food wasn't bad either!

This is the bread. The yellowish stuff in it threw off my whole world, but I did eat it, and it tasted like bread. Go figure.
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Crisp Jonah Crab Cake appetizer. My wife and daughter loved it. I wouldn't even consider tasting it. Have I mentioned that I'm a finicky eater?
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I had the Potato Wrapped Red Snapper.
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My wife had the Oak Grilled Maine Diver Scallops. She said that the risotto underneath was delicious.
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My daughter had the Gorganelli Pasta A La Bolognese.
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My wife wanted to try a dessert, so she ordered a Caramelized Banana Napoleon. She really liked it.
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We decided to go to Beaches and Cream after dinner, but we took the boat. Yeah, I only make any given boneheaded mistake once, unless you count a couple of incidents that occurred years ago involving a mountain lion, a pocket knife, and a box of Captain Crunch. We’ll just try to forget about that for now...

WOW! What a great place! I really enjoyed Beaches and Cream, and will return soon for a full meal instead of just ice cream. We sat in a booth and ate as though we were starving. The table service was great, the atmosphere was festive, the ice cream was delicious, and we saw a couple of Kitchen Sinks being served to others. Gluttony has its subtle rewards.

I had a Strawberry Sundae. Delicious, and calorie-free through a little TDO Magic.
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My daughter had a Milky Way Sundae. She would have said it was good, but she immediately fell into a coma after the last bite.
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My Wife had a Peppermint Shake because she was still full from the Napoleon dessert at The Flying Fish. It was a seasonal flavor. It comes with whipped cream and a cherry, but she asked them to leave those off.
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One of my many talents (OK, my only talent) is the ability to tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue. Gross, I know, but I had to tell someone. Here's the proof. Now go and have a good gagging away from the earshot of your family members.
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We ended the night by perusing the streets of EPCOT and taking a ride on Spaceship Earth. It’s a family tradition to do this before we leave EPCOT. The only negative aftereffect involves hearing Judi Dench’s voice in my head back at the resort room. Aaaack….I just felt a chill go down my spine as I was typing these words! And why is my skin crawling? Medic!


To be continued...
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
DAY FOUR: This day was spent at DHS. It was our last day, but the sun came out and the warm temperatures returned. Take the good with the bad, right? We wanted to take some morning snacks to the Indiana Jones show, so we purchased these. They’re probably protected by some type of copyright, so let’s keep this little pretzel photo between us. Shhh…

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This next photo is here because something just struck us as being funny.

Check list:

1. Fast moving roller coaster. ✔

2. Bad Boys rock band. ✔

3. Loud music. ✔

4. Underwear sponsor. ✔

Why not change the sponsor to Depends® brand and make it complete?

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We ate a midday snack at The Starring Rolls Cafe. I love this place. We had an Eclair, a Napoleon, and some type of Peanut Butter Ultra-Chocolate Cupcake. Notice the snazzy holiday cup? Good times, good times...
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Many of you Disney amateurs may not know this, but Walt was a huge Red Sox fan.

Oh, yeah, it’s common knowledge that back in the day he originally wanted to call his theme park in California “Red Sox World”. True story.

The Mickey Mouse Club? It is a well-known fact that the original name was “The Ted Williams Club”. True story.

He also wanted to name his first kid “Little Fenway”, but he gave in to the objections of his wife. True story.

Walt’s pet name for his wife? “My darling Yastrzemski”. True story.

Here’s proof of it all…
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Most of the photos taken at DHS were of my family, so I shall once again regale you with photos of Walt’s favorite place, Fenway Park. Enjoy. I know I will…

This guy works at the games when he's not working his gig at The Festival of the Lion King show. See, it all ties together...
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Yeah, makes me want to sit down without a can of Lysol.
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A view from atop The Green Monster, and yes, I'll stop with the Fenway stuff already...
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Well, enough of that…back to the WDW action. We had an ADR for dinner at The Hollywood Brown Derby. Many thanks to those who encouraged me to eat there. It had been several years for me, and your advice allowed me to eat the deliciousness that I present to you below…

First, a view of the main dining room from our booth...
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I had the Marinated Pork Chop with smoked Gouda cheese, apple slaw, and potato hash. Words can not aptly describe how much I enjoyed this dish.
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My wife had the Seafood Cioppino, but she had them leave out the mussels.
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My daughter had the Cobb Salad. It was much more ornate when it arrived, but the photo was taken after the server stirred things up.
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For dessert, I had a Citrus Honey Nest, with lemon cheesecake as the base.
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My daughter had the Double Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee.
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I saved the best for last. My wife had the Chocolate Three Ways. I had a small taste, and IT WAS DELICIOUS. Sorry, but I felt that a shout-out was in order for this dessert . Enjoy...
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The Osborne Lights were fantastic. I have seen them several times, and they strike me as being spectacular every year. I could hang around the streets for hours enjoying them. “Say Jim, there’s a guy wearing a Red Sox cap that has been hanging around here for hours asking people for spare change. Call security.”

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All together now... ♫♪ "Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen" ♪♫
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We went to a few more attractions, did some shopping, and headed to the parking lot for a bit of a drive. I arrived at home exhausted, but gratified. The three of us really enjoy the times when we can be together as a family without some of life’s distractions, regardless of where we are. I hope that you enjoyed reading my trip report. All in all, we had a great time, and we plan to return as soon as possible. Just remember that enjoying Disney World, and life itself, begins inside…not outside. :)


THE END
 

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
Just remember that enjoying Disney World, and life itself, begins inside…not outside. :)

Exactly!

*orders T-shirts emblazoned with this motto, imbeds RFID chips to "enhance the experience", sells them at WDW for a considerable profit*
 

njDizFan

Well-Known Member
I read the trip report in it's entirety and I will say it was moderately adequate. I am still rather disturbed at your lack of family pictures and I give you warning this is the last time I read one of your TRs without said photo documentation. In lieu please send us a link to everyone's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and flikr accounts...

Honestly...I really like it...
 

Sans Souci

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the TR. It was a fun read. Flying Fish is our favorite restaurant. I have always wanted to try the Brown Derby, but my husband doesn't like eating in a table service restaurant in the parks. Kind of odd, yes?
 

ShookieJones

We need time for things to happen.
Great Job! I laughed....I cried (mostly at the pictures of Fenway, the beloved mecca of Red Sox Nation - although one of the most glorious places on earth..the sad thoughts of this past season were a little to overwhelming).

Also -- Thanks to your rave reviews of the Brown Derby I have now put it on out must-do list for our September trip.
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Best trip report ever!!!!!!!! Yaz (and Bob) would approve.
Thanks! Yaz needs a personal tour of this thread, and I'm just the guy to do it. He should bring along a decent black Sharpie, just in case I happen to have some memorabilia that looks plain without a signature.
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Great trip report. Even with all the Fenway pictures.

-Liz from NY ;)
Thank You. If it's any consolation, the Red Sox do not seem to be a threat to anyone this year. Well, Little League teams should shudder in fear.
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I read the trip report in it's entirety and I will say it was moderately adequate. I am still rather disturbed at your lack of family pictures and I give you warning this is the last time I read one of your TRs without said photo documentation. In lieu please send us a link to everyone's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and flikr accounts...

Honestly...I really like it...
I'm glad that you like the report. We don't belong to any social media groups, but I am aiming toward getting my photo on the wall of Cheeburger Cheeburger one day by eating a one-pounder.
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Thanks....very entertaining. Maybe my husband will finally read a TR due to the Green Monster pics!! We had to move one of our vacations around the Sox's playing at Tropicana one year which I must say turned out pretty awesome.
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks for the TR. It was a fun read. Flying Fish is our favorite restaurant. I have always wanted to try the Brown Derby, but my husband doesn't like eating in a table service restaurant in the parks. Kind of odd, yes?
I'm glad that you liked the report. I enjoyed the food at The Brown Derby more than I did the food at The Flying Fish. My wife and daughter concur. Both were nice experiences, and I found the staff at the Flying Fish to be particularly friendly and accommodating.
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Great Job! I laughed....I cried (mostly at the pictures of Fenway, the beloved mecca of Red Sox Nation - although one of the most glorious places on earth..the sad thoughts of this past season were a little to overwhelming).

Also -- Thanks to your rave reviews of the Brown Derby I have now put it on out must-do list for our September trip.
I'm glad that you enjoyed the report. There were times in writing it that I thought myself to be crazy for the effort involved. The Sox will rise again, but I don't think that 2013 is the time. Perhaps they'll surprise us all on Yawkey Way.
 

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks....very entertaining. Maybe my husband will finally read a TR due to the Green Monster pics!! We had to move one of our vacations around the Sox's playing at Tropicana one year which I must say turned out pretty awesome.
I'm glad that you enjoyed the report. I took those Fenway shots a couple of years ago on a tour. It was my second time to take a tour of the ballpark, and I'll probably do it again in the future. I have a shot of me sitting in the dugout, using the bullpen phone. They have yet to hire me.
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
I'm glad that you enjoyed the report. I took those Fenway shots a couple of years ago on a tour. It was my second time to take a tour of the ballpark, and I'll probably do it again in the future. I have a shot of me sitting in the dugout, using the bullpen phone. They have yet to hire me.

My husband would die of excitement!!
 

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