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Twinkie
Member
09-24-2002
| Saturday, October 07, 2006 - 6:17 pm
Wow, Sea! I'm sorry I missed this! I can't wait to hear how you did in the race and congrats on collecting so much money!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, October 07, 2006 - 6:48 pm
I guess I did really well.. when I went to collect my "prizes" and tshirt the man (very nice guy) a the table was impressed.. "Purple!" he said.. and shook my hand vigorously. I still don't have my team t-shirt and pin.. arrgh.. this means I'm going to try to get to the parking structure when they open it at 5am and then be at the head of the line for tshirt and pin so I can then get in a line for a shuttle over to the park and attempt to be inside (after security check and probably another line at the gates) for the team picture at 6:15am. And today I saw a little notice casually stuck on a little sign downstairs in the building where I went to turn stuff in that mentioned that they are starting the walk 15 minutes early, at 7am, because they have maxed out on the number of walkers already. Sheesh! People were coming in to register and finding out that they couldn't walk.. they could donate to a team or just donate but not get wristbands and walk unless they had already signed up online. They also ran out of size small tshirts but medium is okay for me with my current gut size, a bit long.. the large is GIGANTIC! I met one woman who had gotten a small in last year's style for her 8 year old. Evidently, I can still collect money and turn in up until the 31st. I'm excited to see what our team takes in since it includes Disney cast members and annual passholders. I all showered and hope to get to bed by 10 pm or at least 11pm (early for me) because I hope to get up by 4am and out the door by 4:30am. 
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Rosie
Member
11-12-2003
| Saturday, October 07, 2006 - 8:11 pm
Go get em, Sea. You can out walk everyone. Hope you do get some sleep tonight. That is some early wake-up time.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 3:19 am
I tried.. was in bed by 11pm and think I MIGHT have slept some between 2am and 3:55am.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 5:46 am
have fun today Sea, I will be there in spirit!!! you are so awesome to do this!
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 7:00 am
Yes!! We're with you!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 11:45 am
LOL.. well if you were you have sore feet I got there a little after 5am. We parked on the ground floor where the employees park which meant going up flights of stairs, crossing a bridge to the front of the garage and DOWN stairs, then across the Pinocchio lot. There it was wait wait wait.. while volunteers showed up and such. Finally I got my disney voluntEARS pin and shirt.. very cute shirt! It seems I was lucky to get the CHOC walk pin yesterday; they ran out of those.. THEN of course there were no trams that early so we got to walk to the park. Luckily I'd been talking to a woman who works in the watch shop on Main Street making custom designed watches and her husband.. really nice people and he took us on the shortest route which no one else was taking. Went through security and then lined up to get in. I lined up with the employees and passholders and met a young man who works in Calif Adventure and was a really really nice guy, then his little brother showed up. We managed to get in the front row for the big group picture, until they added a row in front of us.. Eventually his mom joined us as well. After many picutres (no idea if we can get a copy of them but we took up the steps up from Main St in front of the Main Street Train station. They had brought huge bunches of big balloons.. the clear ones that have a Mickey ears balloon inside them.. I've never had one and anyway we ran up to the back to get one each when the picture taking was done. Then we went to the head of Main Street where we all stood with other teams coming in and they had the Opening Ceremony, none of which I could actually see, being so short. We walked up Main and through Adventureland (right past the Pineapple Whip stand, closed) and around by the Haunted Mansion, then doubled back on the low road skirting the Rivers of America and Big Thunder and came out through Fantasyland, right through the Castle and down the bridge over the moat, then hung a left and wandered through Tomorrowland and then back to Main Street where we had one "lane" going out and there were many more people just going into the park. Across to California Adventure, left and through Hollywood area, then around to the Tower of Terror (all along the way would be characters from the lands and rides.. the Carousel was going and the major original princesses were riding on it... all the bellhops were outside the Tower of Terror.. then we got to continue through a usually forbidden gate to go in back of the TOT and come out through Bugs World, never had seen that and wound around over to Paradise Pier then around by the hotels and back out.. seemed like we came out some odd place because I didn't think we went through the front gate or the security area and suddenly we were in Downtown Disney being cheered by Disney people and a huge group of cheerleaders with an announcer giving team names. And then there were mobs of people, music all over.. the House of Blues had a gospel choir going strong (apparently this is the case at every HOB on every Sunday) and we could stand in lines for various freebies.. frisbees, a cool little light with a whistle, various promo stuff, Kohl's was giving Dr Suess books (but ran out right after I passed, and Chevron gave everyone an autopia car replica. Discounts were available at many of the shops and the pin trader place. AIEEE! I got so loaded down with stuff and met lots of really nice people in the process. Did some shopping. By the time I staggered over to the tram I was hurting and tired and I realized that the idea of dumping stuff in the car and coming back.. well.. not happening. At least there were trams but then it was back across the parking lot, up stairs, across the bridge and lot and down stairs and then find the car. Actually drove out the Employee entrance. I'm really tired but it was so much fun and there were so many touching teams of people walking for various children who are patients at CHOC or have survived cancer and then teams for guilds at CHOC or various departments like Team NICU. Companies had teams. It was pretty amazing. I have pictures but that will come later.. my eyes are crossed. People were amazed at the generosity of people here and I'm very grateful as well. CHOC is a wonderful place and so needed. OK.. I may have to take a nap.
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Rosie
Member
11-12-2003
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 12:23 pm
Thanks for the super report, Sea. Did you take notes? How on earth did you remember all of that? lol Enjoy a well deserved nap.
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 12:26 pm
Sea - I thought of you this morning when I was (still) laying in bed watching the morning weather report. It was chilly when you got started!!!! Loved your recap, look forward to pics, nighty night... 
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 1:11 pm
Sea, no kidding about the sore feet// when I did that Revlon run with Moonie I cried all the way to the car...I had blisters and then I got lost and walked 3 times as much as I should have trying to find the car
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 1:15 pm
great report Sea...I want to do this with you next year....pls let me know when its time to start it up....I will make sure to plan Dylan's party on a dif wkend
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 4:46 pm
It really was fun and you don't have to walk fast, of course. I started out staying with the two brothers and an unrelated woman with long white hair because she was easy to spot but then I got ahead or behind them and kept stopping for picture taking. I saw the couple from earlier in the check-in line.. very cute. they were walking hand in hand, she in her Main Street watchmaker outfit long skirt and jacket with her hair up but then her Disney team shirt over that, he in shirt and shorts with a crazy hat that seems to be from Disney World in Florida and may have been the back half of a duck, but not sure. Then later I walked with him a bit after she had dropped off to go "backstage" so she could check in for her job. And even later I saw the mother of the two guys but never saw them again. I know he works a couple of rides in California Adventure. But I missed a call from Zachyd.. I checked messages before I left for parking and it said none but when I got home, clearly there was a missed call and it was earlier ... GRR! But I don't think my feet would have taken me back inside, even for pineapple whip. Being on Team Disney got us into the park much earlier, and out much earlier too.
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Abby7
Member
07-17-2002
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 7:24 pm
thank you Sea for the great summary! i'm so happy to hear you had fun. even happier to hear you have until October 31 to meet your goal.
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Abby7
Member
07-17-2002
| Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 7:56 pm
https://secure.seattlewebgroup.com/clients/choc/chocwalk2006/sponsor.cfm?DA=sponsorForm&ID=30567 -------------------------------- we have until October 31st to help Sea make her goal, so i'm just keeping this thread alive for a bit longer if that's okay w/everyone.
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Konamouse
Member
07-16-2001
| Monday, October 09, 2006 - 6:11 pm
I wanted to sponsor Sea, but that link to donate is empty!

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:20 am
They need work with their website.. but Abby's link works if you just click continue , then you can enter info. We raised $1.4 MILLION so far!! 15,000 registered participants! We walked 5k, so it said in the paper. The most touching thing was to see some of the kids who were helped marching, or teams for kids who are sick, or kids who didn't make it. Also teams of hospital workers. It was worth getting there at 5am and all the walking before even starting the walk. I sure hope I can get a copy of the team photo.. what a kick that was. Here I am after a long day and with my balloon! I've never had one of these balloons.. it is still going strong up by the cieling in my living room.

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:29 am
Just before we started.. I was not at the very front but close.. can just imagine the late comers (lol, I mean like 7:30am.. I talked to a family later and they didn't even get in the gate for a long time.. I know when we had gone all around Disneyland and were heading out that gate, walkers were still streaming in the gate.
First they had the national anthem, then stretching, led by Mickey, Minnie and Goofy.. I took a bunch of out of focus pics and then took pics way above my head, blind, that were in focus.. go figure.
Note their cute "jogging suits"
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:35 am
After Main St, into Adventureland
and then by the Haunted Mansion, which is converted to the Nightmare Before Christmas at the moment

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:36 am
Then U turn by the Rivers of America and the Pirate Ship was docked..

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:38 am
Woody waved us through Frontierland, but that was blurry, as I was trying to walk and snap.. not the best for picture-taking. The King Arthur Carousel was going full blast in Fantasyland, loaded with princesses (but Pamy was missing):

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:40 am
Then we walked through the Sleeping Beauty Castle

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:45 am
Headed toward the Matterhorn
and then Tomorrowland (all a blur per my camera) back down Main Street, walking fast with a fast walker at that point, out the main gate and over toward California Adventure (note the Golden Gate Bridge)

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:47 am
Off to the "Hollywood" section

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:48 am
Past the Alladin Theatre toward my favorite, Tower of Terror

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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:52 am
We got to go behind the scenes at this point and come through the back of Bug's Land
and then to the fabulous Paradise Pier area

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