Nyah Nyah Poo Poo

Out of the mouths of tourists come some of the world's best one-liners.

When I moved to Celebration, I knew that there was a downside to living in Tourist Land. I expected the traffic jams and wall-to-wall bodies that descend during peak vacation season. The prospect didn't bother me because I moved next door to Mickey with no rosy illusions. I knew that summer and the holidays would be hell. A smart Floridian simply learns to work around the crowds.

But little did I know that the tourists would bring a wonderful bonus. If I have the patience to listen, I hear some of the most hilarious comments and conversations. Who needs big ticket attractions like Soarin' and Expedition Everest for amusement? Sure, they're a blast, but you can have even more fun simply by lurking around the parks and keeping your ears open.

Tonight, we didn't go to a theme park; we had dinner at Artist Point in the Wilderness Lodge. But since the Spring Break crowds were out in full force, we still had a decent "dinner show."

Actually, the best part occurred after dinner. During the meal, there was some low-key entertainment at a nearby table, although it wasn't the best I've ever heard. There was a family (mom, dad, and two daughters), and Mom was trying to convince the older daughter that she had been to Disney World before. The kid wasn't buying it; she adamently denied ever having visited Mickey in the past. Finally, Mom blurted out the punch line: "Sure you did! You were in here!" She beamed as she said it, patting her stomach. "I was pregnant with you, and I was soooo faaaaat." Oops, a little bit more information than I needed to know!

Other than that, there wasn't much going on around us. We enjoyed a lovely meal of mushroom soup (me) and mussels (hubby), a cheese plate shared between us, and then beef (me) and tuna (hubby). All of the dishes at Artist Point are excellent, but the one item that stands out the most is the mushroom soup. I don't think it's actually cooked in the kitchen...rather, it's sent down in big vats from Heaven. I just wish that they offered it by the gallon rather than by the bowl.

We topped off our meal with raspberry sorbet (me) and coffee two ways (which is actually a dessert and which was eaten by hubby...it's a piece of cake and a small bowl of expresso creme brulee). Then we headed out, although we took a little detour to walk around the courtyard. I just love strolling the grounds of the Wilderness Lodge. It's my favorite Disney World resort; we have lots of happy memories from our tourist days centered around that hotel. It was the first Disney hotel that we ever stayed at as a couple, so both my husband and I have a soft spot in our heart for it.

One of my favorite memories was a trip on which I had purchased a stuffed Figment toy. The next evening, as we headed through the courtyard, I glanced up and said to my husband, "Did you leave the lights on in our room?" I pointed up at the glowing window, but he shook his head and said, "No, that must not be our room." I was sure that it was, but the light puzzled me.

The mystery was solved when we opened the door. My Figment was propped up in bed, holding the television remote. The TV was on, tuned (of course) to the Disney Channel. Every night, Figgie was up to something different when we returned from the parks. My favorite was the night he was wearing a shower cap and holding a bar of soap, with a towel draped on his arm. Our maid definitely got a nice tip.

But aside from good memories, I just love the ambiance of the Wilderness Lodge. It's patterned after the National Park Service lodges, and if you've ever visited them, you know what a phenomenal job Disney did in the theming.

We rounded the pool and approached the main building, where there is an overlook with several rocking chairs. As we approached, I noticed a grandma chasing two little kids around. She was yelling to them as she tried to corner them among the chairs: "Nyah nyah poo poo! Nyah nyah poo poo!" For some reason, it really tickled my funny bone to hear that chant echoing in the night air. It sounded like the sort of thing you'd hear on the playground...it was so surreal to hear it coming from a gray-haired woman. They say that Disney brings out the kid in everyone, and in this case it certain seemed to be true.

As we walked through the lobby, I chanted it softly to myself. My husband, who apparently had missed the scene, gave me one of those, "What the heck is she babbling about now?" looks. I expained the scenario to him, but he at first he didn't understand the humor, as he misunderstood and thought I meant the kids were the ones saying it.

"No, no," I quickly corrected him. "Grandma was the 'nyah nyah poo poo' chanter."

Leave it to my hubby to come up with a wry observation that made me nearly bust a gut: "Well, maybe she was wearing Depends and was trying to tell them she had an accident." I know it's rude, but that totally set me off into a fit of the giggles. I thought I might have an accident myself. He kept it up, embellishing the scenario: "The poor kids were probably running from the stinky smell, and she was warning them. That's what 'nyah nyah poo poo' meant!"

I'm sure that poor woman, having some innocent fun with the young 'uns, had absolutely no idea that she had also provided entertainment for two locals with a warped sense of humor. It was one of those times that you just had to be there.

As we headed back to Celebration, I tried to sober up my thoughts, but just the thought of that phrase set me to snickering again. The sad thing was, neither my husband nor I had any alcoholic beverages (unless our server made my iced tea into a Long Island without my knowledge). It was one of those times when a mind-altering substance wasn't needed to put a skewed spin on the world. Personally, I think it was the influence of the full moon. The big yellow sphere beamed down in all its glory from the night sky, inspiring all sorts of craziness in the humans below.

Back at Duloc Manor, the hilarity had worn off as both my husband and I settled down to work (we don't have typical 9 to 5 schedules, so our evenings are usually spent slaving away to afford the extravagent meals that are our downfall). But every now and then I would picture the kids dodging among the rockers, just out of grandma's grasp and hear her chant drifting on the night breeze: "Nyah nyah poo poo! Nyah nyah poo poo!" and I would smile to myself.

Our next Disney World restaurant will be O'hana...I can't wait to discover what new adventure awaits us there.

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