keith_h

20 hours ago, Seals said:

First of all, you don't go to rope drop because you have 

• Front of the line attraction access
• Access to any restaurant at Walt Disney World (no normal reservations needed)

Only the poor common folks who have to stand in line or depend on reservations do rope drop.

I was thinking of rope drop as the event but mostly as the entry time. Rope drop with extended hours would certainly be over 12 hours. Seems to me at $12K you shouldn't be time limited and if it were me I'd want to milk every penny of it. 

It says it is only a 12 hour day so on extended opening days does that mean if you go at rope drop they kick you out 12 hours later. I also wonder how they will handle bookings since the suite is used for things like Make a Wish. Do you share it, do they forgo $12K, do they kick the freeloaders out?

20 hours ago, PandS said:

Yes, you were! Every time we walked to the Settlement area, I would say, "Wow! That DaveInTN sure knew what he was talking about!  He SAVED our trip!".  😁

My husband would respond with something like, "Do you have your Magic Band?"

Susan

Please stop you'll only make his head bigger than it already is.
 

19 hours ago, DaveInTN said:

See....you get it.  We need more people like you around here.  

Has anyone notified INC that she has a problem?

53 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

You missed the most important part of PandS's post.  I was right!   😂

Now we'll never hear the end of it.

1 hour ago, Travisma said:

It seems like plastering these warnings on everything kind of dilutes the entire reason to have a cancer warning in the first place.

Just like everyone get a medal because they participated, and the real shining stars don't get recognized for how well they did, or the boy who cried wolf one to many times.

It waters down the warning.

 

I won't disagree but one could also say labeling everything is an overreaction or not putting in the effort to determine if their products use items on the list. I also won't deny the list has some questionable materials though. 

The initiative process is common in western states. It has its pro's and con's. In California I think it has been somewhat out of control for a long time. It is good as it allows for direct democracy to override the state legislature when they ignore the populous and do what they want. Its major failing is in a large state like CA it is relatively easy to get find enough people to sign petitions for fringe or not well thought out ideas. It has also become more open to corporate and special interest manipulation in recent years as means to get around the state's business and liability laws which goes against the original intent of the initiative process in the state constitution. Having lived in the state a couple of times I think even with its problems it is a good process. Most initiatives never make it to the ballot or fail the vote and it is a way to correct legislature inaction or overreach. One thing I think that would help is to increase the 5% of the population requirement for petitions to something like 10 or 15 percent to force more thought into initiatives early in the process.

1 hour ago, PghBob said:

Think of the money lost on this law, the pollution caused by the manufacture and painting of the signs, and the lost man-hours due to this law.  This is an example of common sense not being common, especially among politicians of all stripes. 

It wasn't politicians. It was a voter initiative that passed so the state had no choice but to implement it.

1 hour ago, DaveInTN said:

Don't worry....Buzzy has joined Melvin in the Disney Character Protection Program.  He's now disguised and working under an assumed name as a greeter at the Walmart on 535.  

I thought they gave him a job in security running one of the entrance metal detectors.

9 hours ago, shoreline99 said:

Looks like wetland pretreatment basins. Mostly used for stormwater and surface runoff to catch sediment or other particulates, IIRC.

So, not sewers, but possibly mosquitos.

Or more alligator habitat.

On 1/13/2019 at 8:29 PM, Travisma said:

Are you near any Publix in that part of NC?  I know they have been moving into the state.

They are big on ordering you anything you want if they don't carry it.  Not sure if that covers cuts of meat, but it wouldn't hurt to ask the meat department manager.

We have one about the same distance as Trader Joe's. We don't shop there. To honest their prices are on the high side and the few times we've gone the produce is not as good as the local chains. 

3 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

So since this epic thread hijack has turned into an interesting discussion about grocery stores (go figure),

It's all about food. I'd say given this bunch that is a close to staying on topic as you can get.

On 1/12/2019 at 3:29 PM, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

Be sure you coordinate that trip to TN around the annual Defeated Creek GG. This typically occurs mid to late September. 

I'll keep it in mind. Since we want to be there for the color change it is most likely we will be going up in October. Need to finish up this years's spring trip planning/reservations before I work on the fall trip.

From our house it is 700 miles up I-95 compared to 800 via I-81. After a couple of marathon pulls with our old trailer I decided no more and try to limit the daily drive to about 350 miles up to 500 if we must. We even make the trip to the Fort two days splitting the difference with an overnight in Savannah. It also has a side benefit. Since we typically arrive on a Sunday we have no problem getting campsites.

It's not like there aren't already thousands of pictures of WDW all over the internet for free along or satellite images with the granularity to count the number of kids and number of adults in the Meadows Pool.  

I can understand some concern and would have complied with Security's request but think they went a overboard.

9 hours ago, Travisma said:

https://www.modbee.com/living/article3129400.html

Tri-tip: California's cut is gaining fans from coast to coast

When it comes to beef, tri-tip rules as the king of the California grill. Now, this humble, easy-to-cook cut is gaining a toehold in other parts of the nation and is even wowing diners in the Big Apple.

Sporadic consumer demand outside California has spurred Costco, other national chains and regional grocers, to supply what the California Beef Council has officially dubbed "California's cut." The council has fielded so many requests from people in other states longing for tri-tip that it posted a meat-cutting chart on its Web site (www.calbeef.org).

Costco has dropped tri-tip here. I can't even order it by the case which they did for a while after removing it from the shelves.

5 hours ago, Starbuc71 said:

We live in FL and actually bought season passes for Dollywood.  I will take that park over Disney 10 times over

Dollywood is on our list of a place to go to. I'm hoping to line it up with a change of colors trip this fall with a couple of days in Chattanooga to visit the Tennessee Valley Railroad. 

On 1/10/2019 at 4:46 PM, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

the quicker DH stops white-knuckling it and relaxes ...a tiny bit.

You must have missed the part where I said relaxation takes priority over speed.    Not to mention I have to save what little sanity I have to drive into Boston and find the one road that will get us to the Boston Commons parking garage and not Chelsea. The difference for me is less than a 100 miles which is negligible over two days drive.

We drive a lot in mountains whether heading up to the Asheville area or driving up through the Virginia's to catch I-64 West. More scenery with lots of trees definitely helps with the relaxation thing.

3 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

CT is the worst for traffic and roads hands down, every. single. trip. Doesn't matter if it's 84, 91 or 95. It's all terrible.  And if there's even a flake of snow in the air... just pull over and take a nap.

Since I've pretty much have to go on I-84 in CT unless I go way out of the way it sounds like that area is a wash. 

Thanks for the thoughts. I have driven I-95 between Washington DC and Philadelphia more times than I would like. I have never made it through that area without a lot of stop and maybe go traffic. This includes driving on a Sunday. The fastest I ever managed it is a bit over 9 hours for what should be about 7 hour drive. I still have some time but I am thinking of cutting over to I-81 in Northern Virginia. If we leave Friday afternoon after Rene gets home from work and stop in Richmond, Va I think we will have a better chance of finding a nice campground to overnight on Saturday along that route as well. Still haven't figured out the return trip as we are thinking of heading up into New Hampshire for a couple of nights.  

12 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

This thread has really gone off the rails.

I've never seen tri-tip on the Trails End menu but would certainly welcome the change if they did.

How's that for returning to the subject?

14 minutes ago, Travisma said:

I've only been to Trader Joe's a few times in Omaha and here in Tampa.

I found that their prices seemed pretty high on most items, especially fresh meat.

We don't do much shopping there but they are the only place I can get certain cuts of meat that were common on the West Coast. Tri-tip in particular. While it is still more expensive than West Coast grocery store prices it is a lot less that the old fashion butcher shops in my area.

We are planning a trip up to the Boston area in May. We plan on staying at the Normandy Campground in Foxborough. For the route although longer I am thinking of cutting over to I-81 via I-270 and then up to I-84 to cut across. After that we would take the Mass. Turnpike to I-495. I've looked at the Massachusetts' toll rates and will probably forgo an EZ Pass as the difference is about 60 cents. From past experience of driving I-95 between Washington DC and Philadelphia my guess is driving time will be about the same but even if it isn't I am planning two days to drive anyway so an extra hour or two isn't a big deal. This is a vacation so lower stress trumps speed. What I am wondering is if that route is really as good as it appears or am I better off just sticking with I-95, its various bypass loops and save 100 miles?    

9 hours ago, Travisma said:

That's why I watch 99% of my TV off of a DVR!  I can bypass all the ads.

And is it just me, or is the picture of the woman in the upper left of the salad ad just plain terrible?

It's hard to tell if that is a smile or an "I really don't like this" look.

8 hours ago, Travisma said:

Seems like Lidl are opening stores in the mid-Atlantic states area.

A friend works in Raleigh and she said they opened one there last summer.

My nephew lives just above Charlotte and they opened one not far from him.

 I see member tags with NC, DE, and GA saying they are there or opening.

I hope they hit FL soon.

Then again, Aldi was in parts of NY long before they came to FL.

I have a friend that is in Europe now, and she found an Aldi in Austria, but they are called Hofer there.

Had the same logo on their signs.

 

Lidl has three stores in our area. The one in Raleigh is the closest but still 25 miles away. They were going to build one about 10 miles from us but canceled it shortly after Ikea cancled their store in the same proposed shopping center.

7 hours ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

Aldi.  Is a German owned and based company. Unfortunately the closest Aldi is about 25 miles away so we don’t shop there often. But occasionally I crave some German treats from my childhood  and I can always find something there to satisfy my craving. 

But I always forget to bring sacks.

And a quarter. Lol

I always stock up on the German Herring tins when they come around once a year as no place around here carries a similar product. We also like a number of their imported German products. At least from memory they are similar to foods my grandmother and her parents, all first generation Germans, cooked. Of course my great grandmother would not be caught buying a store made sausage any more than she would buy sauerkraut in a jar (that was in the crock by the stove). 

6 hours ago, Travisma said:

Is she so thrilled with her Purple Cupcake that shes praying to some deity for thanks that she was able to get one?

Is there a giant purple monster looming above her that just pooped out that cupcake?

 

It reminds me of this.

 

 

I just don't get what a lot of advertising people are thinking....  maybe it's my age.

 

It's become obvious you are no longer in the target demographic.

2 hours ago, Travisma said:

My daughter said it won't be quite the same eating them, since you won't have to finish them in 45 seconds before they melt and fall off the stick in the 95 degree FL sun!

Stick a few boxes in the deep freeze and save them for August.

Prop 65 was a voter initiative that required labeling of anything that might cause cancer no matter how slight. I think a lot of the signs and labels are prophylactic in nature whether they are truly needed or not. To be honest  I'm surprised they don't have a warning on birth certificates that being born is known by the State of California to carry the risk of getting cancer.

53 minutes ago, Travisma said:

And now Lidl has invaded the US.

They are like Aldi on steroids but still the low prices.  They have delis, bakeries, smoked meats and some clothing.

We go to Aldi's quite a bit. On staples they are less expensive than Walmart or the membership stores and we don't have to buy in bulk. The one we go to has been crowded lately. I'm hoping that will change with the new store they are building in our town. However even when they are crowded they don't waste anytime opening up more checkouts so things still move pretty quickly.

Lidl has been starting to build around here. One effect it has had is older Aldi stores being remodeled and increased in size. We are just waiting for one to get close enough to us to see what they are like.

2 hours ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

 We were at the four last week, I’m not sure if this is been reported or not, it probably has, but the three or four cast members I spoke to said it’s going to be a 15 story high-rise resort. How the heck are they going to make a 15 story high-rise resort  blend into wilderness Lodge and the Fort? 

Maybe they will surround it with camouflaged cell towers.