The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[MinnieM123]

i though the Guess Who was terrible, like some of the songs but, it was more of a cover band. Only one orginal member is still in it (pianist)

Peter Noone is always great

A lot of the older groups don't have original members, but I disagree that they sounded like a cover band. As a matter of fact, I was chatting with a bunch of people after their shows, and the consensus was that they put a lot of energy into the show, and were quite well received. I do understand, however, that music is an art form, and is subjective to the listener; so I can still respect your opinion, regardless of whether I, personally, agree with it.

As for Peter Noone, he's always charming and funny up on stage, and a big crowd pleaser.

 

[Songbird76]

I know what you meant. I was just joking about driving over. SotB is probably like the Wall Drug in South Dakota, a curiosity that is fine to stop at if you are driving past but not worth driving out of your way for. Although a couple of miles from the Wall Drug in SD is the entrance to Badlands National Park which is gorgeous and I might drive a little out of my way for that.

We have done both many times! Did you ever go to the Corn Palace? That's a one and done. But we used stop at Wall Drug on our way through every time we went back East to Illinois to visit my mom's family. We had various standard stops, including the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth, Minnesota, and Wall Drug and the Badlands. We also usually stopped at a Happy Chef in Mitchell South Dakota...there was a fire one year. A bird built its nest in the P on the sign on the side of the building and the straw caught fire from the electrical wiring for the sign. We were evacuated as a precaution, but it was put out quickly and we were allowed to go back in and finish eating. There was also a gas station I remember stopping at...big pink Elephant statue outside that you could put a coin in and it talked, but I was too little to remember where that was and it was torn down eventually, so we didn't stop there anymore. It was more habit to stop there than anything. But we LOVED Wall drug as kids!

 

[Gabe1]

Can I ask you something? You said you've been going for years...did you ever do Shark Reef and did you have to pay extra for it?

I've been going to WDW since it opened almost annually or more. We went to Typhoon since it opened. Shark Reef closed, it was cool. We never paid extra. It was always included.

 

[MinnieM123]

I want these donuts!

Hey, get in line . . .

 

[MinnieM123]

Medical issues all resolved phew! got my replacement processor a few hours ago via overnight deluxe shipping(the one that offers before 11am deliveries).

Today is free day, going to be with my cousins.
tomorrow will be my last day and I return home on monday

Yea!! So happy this all worked out for you in the end. Enjoy the rest of your time there and have a safe trip back home on Monday.

 

[Songbird76]

Yes, that was me who said you couldn't understand what she says. It's one of my two pet peeves, the other being scooping notes. I didn't pick up on the fact that she sings flat until you said it, though, and you're completely right.

That is pretty bad that the Dutch kids who didn't speak English as well could be better understood. My chorus class wanted to do Adele my last semester of college. By then, I'd been in there for so long that the director and I were on a first name basis, and somehow, I ended up with veto power. I didn't think Adele's songs would work very well, and I didn't want the chorus, which was mostly freshman, picking up any of her bad habits. So no Adele. We ended up doing Flashlight from Pitch Perfect 2, which worked much better.

Yes, the scooping notes is another of my pet peeves. Katie Melua does that, too and I really can't stand her...she's way worse than Adele, even. It's painful for me to listen to. But Katie's songs are also RIDICULOUSLY stupid. Adele's songs aren't bad in and of themselves...just the way she sings them.

 

[Gabe1]

I should have been more specific and say that if you are on I-95 headed north or south, at least one stop at SotB is necessary (no more then one). To drive out of your path to see it would be just plain grounds for commitment to a mental institution. It is one of the last of the old time roadside attractions. It has remained because of the traffic on I-95, but, certainly not a destination in and of itself. In other words, one can live a perfectly happy and fulfilled life without ever being aware of its existence. Over time... this too shall disappear.

Ha!

 

[Songbird76]

Medical issues all resolved phew! got my replacement processor a few hours ago via overnight deluxe shipping(the one that offers before 11am deliveries).

Today is free day, going to be with my cousins.
tomorrow will be my last day and I return home on monday

Do you notice a difference? Can you hear better with a new processor?

 

[Gabe1]

Happy farm market Saturday to you! Ours is opening today with a huge grand opening deal because of a new pavillion they built over the winter/fall. We were going to go but rain was predicted so we did our main shopping last night and didn't feel like going in the rain today. So of course it isn't raining! But it was chilly on our walk, 47 this morning!



But you'll look so cute!




Does going vegan mean not eating real dairy ice cream? If so I'm out. I could deal with no meat, but without ice cream . No deal.

My niece is trying to go vegan over vegetarian. Shhh....but I think she is still eating cheese and ice cream. Can't say I blame here plus like I said they still love and eat Jello

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

We celebrated DD's birthday with my in-laws today and I had planned to take her shopping in Arnhem and stop in at this cupcake shop we love, but I went to look up the hours last night and discovered it is permanently closed. So I went looking to find out what happened and if it was truly closed or just moved, and discovered the lady still takes orders and bakes from her home. She was very accommodating and even though it was almost 10 pm, she took my order and made us delicious caramel popcorn cupcakes.
View attachment 206203

DD was soooo happy!

View attachment 206204

Those cupcakes look really good. So nice of that lady to make them, although it was money in her pocket. Your daughter looks so happy, hope she had a good birthday.

We have done both many times! Did you ever go to the Corn Palace? That's a one and done. But we used stop at Wall Drug on our way through every time we went back East to Illinois to visit my mom's family. We had various standard stops, including the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth, Minnesota, and Wall Drug and the Badlands. We also usually stopped at a Happy Chef in Mitchell South Dakota...there was a fire one year. A bird built its nest in the P on the sign on the side of the building and the straw caught fire from the electrical wiring for the sign. We were evacuated as a precaution, but it was put out quickly and we were allowed to go back in and finish eating. There was also a gas station I remember stopping at...big pink Elephant statue outside that you could put a coin in and it talked, but I was too little to remember where that was and it was torn down eventually, so we didn't stop there anymore. It was more habit to stop there than anything. But we LOVED Wall drug as kids!

I've only driven out there once and we did stop at the Corn Palace, and I agree it is one and done. Hubby has driven out there quite a few times on Youth Mission trips to the Reservation and the kids always want to stop at the Corn Palace and Wall Drug. When hubby and I drove out there I wanted to see the Jolly Green Giant, but he didn't want to take the time, I agreed to not see it but next time we drive out that way I'm going to see it!

 

[MinnieM123]

I'm not big of surprises of any kind. I was sad when they took all the lockers out of the resorts by the main pools after 9/11. When PO opened in '90 they were a quarter or 50 cents. Sometimes through the years we'd store our
refill mugs in there-eat breakfast, stash mugs get on bus and fill them back up again upon our return from parks at night. It omitted that back and forth extra walking especially at larger resorts.

Free lockers they installed at Kali around 5 years ago.


I want to say all of the Disney Parks lockers changed over to digital a year or so ago though. Also with new lockers was a Very Veiled price hike. In W parks it was $10 small, $15 large that included a $5 deposit that was returned when you turned in your key. When the lockers were installed the prices remained the same and it slipped under many guests radar - the well not really factor cause you didn't receive the $5 back when you cleared out locker.

Throughout the Uni Parks are free lockers that are digital as many attractions do not allow carry ons. I kinda like that. Uni has introduced their version of a magic band called a Tapu Tapu (cute) for virtual queues, the band will tell you when it is your turn at water park for E Slides, so you can play instead of lining up in the hot sun. The band also locks and unlocks your locker and you can load money onto the band thru their app. So no fear of forgetting your locker pin#

Well, all this is fascinating. First of all, I didn't realize they had removed the lockers from the resorts (it's been a number of years since I've stayed at a Disney hotel--I'm usually now over at the Swan). I do recall when I stayed at AKL some years ago, on my day of check-out, I had a locker out by the pool. It was great to get in a last swim prior to taking off to the airport (late afternoon). They had a complete changing area with showers, etc., as well. It really "extended" my stay.

As for the digital lockers at the water parks, they were not there in May of 2016, because I was there and the lockers were the older key versions. What really surprised me from your info. above is that the $5.00 deposit is no longer returned??!! When I was at Blizzard Beach this week, I was just so glad that I remembered all my numbers, that I didn't even think about the $5.00 return deposit!!

So, here's another tidbit for you. When I first went to the swim shop, I asked to rent a towel. The guy asked if I was a Disney hotel guest and I said yes. He gave me a towel, and told me that one towel was free to Disney hotel guests. (I used to pay at least a few dollars for a towel.) Hence, my guess is that they're offering a free towel to a D. hotel guest, but charging them a full $10.00 now for a locker, with no $5.00 refund at the end. Sounds very convoluted to me!!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Hey, get in line . . .

I'm at the head of the line.

 

[Songbird76]

Only on the forums

I bet you look fantastic in the golden bikini. It might clash with the gold plate on your halo, though.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Can I ask you something? You said you've been going for years...did you ever do Shark Reef and did you have to pay extra for it?

Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon was always included with admission, unless maybe you wanted to scuba instead of just the free snorkel. It closed in late 2016, I think park of the new family raft ride is now using some of that area or maybe not but I know that they permanently closed shark reef.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

My niece is trying to go vegan over vegetarian. Shhh....but I think she is still eating cheese and ice cream. Can't say I blame here plus like I said they still love and eat Jello

 

[Gabe1]

There wasn't just salads at qs places there were also veggie burgers and "bowls". Usually they were 2 or 3 dollars cheaper than the meat options. TS locations I save much more anywhere from 4-25 dollars as opposed to the meat options. The lone exceptions were the buffets we hit but I had my boys with me so as a family I think we still did well. I think I'm one of the few who complains about the cost of character meals. If you calculate the cost savings over 4 weeks, vegan is the way to go

I still try to block out the cost of Character Meals and all the buffets. I look at what some families pile on their plate (and what is left on 3 or 4 plate loads)
crazy. I actually believe I receive better quality and more freshly prepared food when I order from a menu. My second choice to sit down would be family style. It rubs me wrong to pay Table Service price and tip (and I tip very generously) at a buffet cause it is self service cafeteria style.

 

[MinnieM123]

I've used those before at Hershey Park. They have complimentary lockers near Skyrush because they don't let you take your bags through the line on that one. Normally, there's a bag drop area at the entrance of the ride, but for that one, they have you lock up your stuff, and then anything else you may have (cell phones, keys, etc.) they have you leave at the beginning of the ride.

Anyway, I didn't think the lockers were that bad. It was the same thing you were describing, where you would go to a machine and it would assign you a locker, except no charge for the use. I just always use the same pin that I use for my phone. If I'm with my parents, we have a standard one we use that's an old alarm code we retired several years back. I actually prefer it because I'm afraid I'll lose the key.

Think about it this way: your stuff is probably more secure because if you lose the key and it has the locker number on it, then someone could pick up the key and know exactly which locker to go to.

Maybe they should put characters on the lockers. Make it easier to remember. Instead of being assigned to locker A113, you're assigned to the Minnie locker. Or the Cinderella locker.

I like your response--especially the part about putting characters on lockers. That's about my speed. As an adult, I wish they'd make Garanimals clothing for us. I could create lovely outfits by matching my orangutans with orangutans, and gorillas with gorillas!!

From now on, I'll heed your other advice about just using a very common code. Again,I think it was just more that I wasn't aware of the locker payment changes, and it sort of threw me off.

Thanks for the helpful tips!

 

[MinnieM123]

I like the digital lockers too, we use a code that is easy to remember and take a picture of the number. Hubby puts the receipt with the locker number on it in his wallet. I suppose that wouldn't be the best way to remember the number though if you couldn't carry anything on to the ride.

That's a good system for carrying the numbers in his wallet. However, in a water park, it wasn't like I could carry my wallet with me. That was the issue--I had to memorize the locker number and my pass code, which I had to make up on the spot. (P.S.: Numbers are not my thing!! I know that's hard for a good mathematics teacher like you to understand! )

 

[Gabe1]

View attachment 206188

It may not look like much, but I'm proud of it. Ran for about 3/4 of a mile before I did my first leg of walking.

Before I even reached the mile portion, there were 4 or 5 men passing my group going the opposite way, meaning they were already about 2.5 miles into it. I'd love to have that kind of stamina.

Woot! Good for you!

I walk deliberately about 5 miles a day. I average about 15,000 steps a day on my fitbit. GABE does not run.

 

[Songbird76]

Ok, thanks...that's what I thought, but we were all excited to do that last Summer and then we got there and they were charging $20 per person to do it, so we ended up not doing it. I couldn't find ANYTHING in the books or website information indicating there was an upcharge for it and I was sure I read somewhere that it was included, so I was very disappointed to find out otherwise. But when I asked a CM, she said they'd always charged, but it really didn't sound like she was telling the truth. I'm wondering if they are instructed to fib on stuff like that so people don't get mad when they get charged extra. "uh...no ma'am, it's always been that way."