Several members of the GABL and a few spouses spent the week in Orlando after the 1999 rookie draft.  Here are there insights from the week.

Wally "The Commish" Wilkins

WOW! What a vacation. Janice and I had a great time visting with those that were able to attend all or part of the vacation. We had a great time at the various Amusement Parks and Ball Parks. I can't stress enough how much fun it was, and how relaxing it was. The house was fantastic and a real bargain compared to what it would cost to rent hotels, without the convenience of a private pool, hot tub, all appliances and furnishings. It was within minutes if Disney and a lot of the other attractions in Orlando/Kissimmee. I should be getting some more pictures of the house soon and will try to get them to Dennis to put on the website if he hasn't already beat me to it.

Day 1 Friday Jan and I arrived early in the afternoon to pick up the keys and "open" the house. Being the Reservees, we claimed dibs on the master bedroom suite, complete with king bed and garden tub and a separate shower that would have been big enough for 6 or 7 people! Jan and I headed for the pool right away and then Gary called from the Hotel he was at, and I went and picked him up for the weekend. Next, we guided Heidi and Mike's taxi to GABL central (wish I had gone to pick them up - we need to coordinate flights next year). Keith arrived later in the evening. Mike and Gary joined me as we went in search of Dennis at the airport.

Day 2 Saturday - DRAFT DAY Cohen arrived the next morning on the Red eye from Lost Wages and we went to beakfast at the IHOP. Dave Hoock (glad to finally meet you face-to-face Dave!) arriving around noon. The draft went off a little slower than I hoped, but thanks to some great communicating by everyone, we were able to get it done! Dave headed home in the evening. Mike and Gary got pizza since they didn't have a lot of draft picks.

Day 3 Sunday Gary had to get back to the hotel to join his group to head back to SC after a scheduled game (rained out) and we decided to get beakfast at the Perkins, but due to the crowd, we went toward Lakeland and stopped at another Perkins for Breakfast, where Cohen tried to pick up the waitress, and Heidi ate her meal from a bicycle helmet. I had the Monster Breakfast named the Dirty Dozen or something like that. We then headed toward Lakeland with Jan and I following the directions given us by someone who obviously had no idea where we were going. We finally got back to the stadium but the game was rained out somm we headed back to the house, beating the others back due to a shortcut that I new about. Dennis, Heidi and Joey Bag-O-Doughnuts joined me on a GABL shopping expedition as we stocked the house for the coming week.

Day 4 Monday Heidi, Jan and I headed for Seaworld while Mike, Cohen and Dennis went to catch a game. Seaworld was a blast and Heidi and Jan managed to find pearls and jewelry that Mike and I were only to happy to see them with (really!). Dinner at Pacino's was excellent!

Day 5 Tuesday Dennis, Heidi, Jan and I head to The Animal Kingdom while Mike and Cohen attend another game. Again a great time had by all. Mike and I got away without any jewelry this time, but I still picked up numerous souvenirs and figures, etc. for Jan.

Day 6 Wednesday Jan spent the day with a friend who had moved into the area from GA, while the rest of us headed to Epcot. Dennis and I left Epcot to go see the Astros and Mets play and were treated to the shortest professional basebalkl game that I have ever seen. It was over in 2 hours 20 minutes. We got to see Duncan ejected for arguing a call. After the game, we went back and picked up Jan to go and get supper. We did some serious damage to the Lobster etc. at Captain Nemo's. Heidi, Mike and Cohen went to the Cirque de Sol and were really impressed. Dennis, Jan and I went to Epcot and got in a couple of attractions before the Laser and frwroks show called Impressions. Let me tell you, it was impressive!

Day 7 Thursday Jan and I decided to spend the day at the house and pool while Mike, Heidi, Cohen, and Dennis go to Disney/MGM. Disney/MGM is a fun time, and They really enjoyed themselves, as did Jan and I! Later Cohen, Jan, Dennis and I headed to Tampa to watch the Yankees and the Reds. Cone was awesome as he pitched 5 perfect innings in what has to be the largest and most impressive A Baseball park in the country, Legends Field. I mean, this thing has Sky Boxes! After the Yankee starters left, the young shortstop who replaced Jeter couldn't seem to find first base and the Reds ended up winning 2-1. After the game was over, Jan and I watched the fireworks display as Cohen and Dennis headed for the van.

Day 8 Friday We got up and Said goodbye to Dennis (who would be the last one leaving Orlando, little did we know) as Cohen took him to the airport. Around 10, Jan and I loaded up and said our goodbyes to Cohen, Heidi and Mike and took the keys back to the Property Manager and headed north to Georgia. A wonderful and memorable vacation!

Tom "Fat Boy Slim" Simko

I saw 4 spring training games, saw my boy Darren Dreifort hit 10+ homers in batting practice (let Gary Sheffield retire - we have out left fielder!). Spent time at EPCOT (ate wonderful deserts with Heidi Gorsuch, fell in love with an Italian maiden, a fair damsel from Morocco and a French filly). Saw a young Morrocan man twist his body into positions unimaginable. Sang folk songs with the Voices of America (including Turkey In The Straw!).

Attended the breath-taking Cirque de Soliel show with Heidi and Mike at Disney's Downtown center - an awe-inspiring show full of dancing, gymnastics, trapeze artists, juggling, high-wire walking, clowns and equisite music. Peed at the House of Blues!

Went food shopping with the gang, including Joey Bag-o-donuts!! Bought Velveeta, but didn't eat it!

Spent a day at Disney's MGM Grand Studios ... and survived the Horror Hotel elevator drop ride! Visited with the Green Army Man (NOT GI-JOE!!!). Saw Pocohantas (she was pretty!) and Beauty from The Beast (pretty too!). Saw the coolest 3D movie with the muppets (incredible!)

Almost ran into a tree (ONCE! - it was dark!), missed Wally and Dennis' attack at the all-you-can-eat Lobster and Steak place, saw plants being grown IN THE AIR, slept like a baby in my own bed at our great house, dangled my feet in the pool, had WAY TOO MUCH fun with balloons, and sang with Wally's wife Janice!

If you weren't there ... you missed it. If you WERE there, remember that we'll always have the memories (hey..who's got the VELVEETA!)

Heidi "Not Doran" Gorsuch

Without reservation, I honestly can say this was one of the best vacations I ever have taken. I have visited more exotic locations. Also, I have traveled with relatives, close friends, and associates who shared many common interests. However, the spirit of the GABL bunch cannot be matched. Let me clearly state at this point that I DO NOT have any interest in baseball or Strat. Being around a fun, intelligent, open-minded group was a vacation in itself. I believe everyone at the house was free to be himself/herself. No one was excluded. People were free to be as social or as private as they chose.

The Disney theme parks as well as Sea World were trips no adult should miss. Many of us needed a vacation to lands of fun and silliness, as well as natural beauty and learning. Your children would not have beeen bored. Besides these trips, we enjoyed a heated pool and hot tub, both enclosed in a screened porch. I walked the neighborhood several times and felt safe at all times of the day and night.

The cost of this trip was not prohibitive. With many of us staying at the house, we actually saved money over going to the hotel/motel. Also, we all bought food to keep at the house.

Please consider this trip as a serious possibility for next March. I cannot think of reasons to NOT attend.

Dennis "The Webmaster" Bronstein

I'll start with my arrival in Orlando.  Nobody remembered to take my flight information with them, but fortunately Heidi remembered I was on Delta, so Gary was able to find me at the airport.

The next morning was draft day.  Dave H. came over from Jacksonville for the day to make his first appearance at a GABL draft.  After spending a couple of hours trying to get into a chat room, we finally had to have Clyde be the go-between with the rest of the on-line managers.  The first couple of rounds were agonizingly slow, partly because of getting the on-line communications working, and partly because Cohen thought for sure he would get Adrian Beltre and had absolutely no idea who to pick when he didn't get him.  Gary and Mike had a few rounds with no picks, so they made a pizza run and brought back enough pizza and breadsticks to feed an Ethiopian family for a year.   We finally started moving and wrapped up the draft in about six hours.

Sunday we headed over to Lakeland for the Tigers-Royals game.  Wally missed the exit and drove about 40 miles out the way.  The rest of us made it to the stadium fine, and the stealth minivan Cohen was driving enabled us to avoid paying the $3 to park.   We met former GABL member Rick Corbeil and his son at the game and talked to them for a while.  Unfortunately, the game was rained out, so we headed home.  We met up with Wally and Jan back at the house, and not having anything else to do, we took Heidi on her first GABL shopping trip.  There was only Wally, Cohen, and I, so it was the full impact, but Heidi got the gist of it.

Monday, Cohen, Mike and I went to the Astros-Dodgers game in Kissimmee while Wally, Jan, and Heidi went to Sea World.  We watched Darren Dreifort put on the best hitting show this side of McGwire in batting practice.  Then the Dodgers put the hurt on the Astros 13-3 or something like that.  Dean Crow, who Mitch wanted to add to the draft, put on quite a show himself for the Astros.  He gave up three doubles, a single and a homer to the first five batters he faced and only got out of the inning on a fantastic play by Russ Johnson to start a double play.  After the game we took Mike on his first visit to Hooters.  That night with no basketball to watch (Heidi was crushed) we watched the classic movie Army of Darkness starring Bruce Campbell.  I can't wait for it to come out on DVD so I can see the director's cut.

Tuesday Wally, Jan, Heidi and I went to Disney's Wild Animal Park while Mike and Cohen went to the Braves-Indians game.  The park was pretty neat, especially the safari, but it was really crowded because it was so new.  Jan enjoyed getting soaked on the Kahli River Rapids.  We also got to see Miss Paleantology 1999 and her parter Diggs give a tour of the dinosaur exhibit.

Wedenesday we all went to Epcot together in the morning and spent a good chunk of it playing home run derby on Sega Saturns.  Then Wally and I left to go the Mets-Astros game in Kissimmee.  We had front row seats as tThe Mets won 2-1 in the shortest game I have seen in a long time, about two hours and twenty minutes.  Mariano Duncan got ejected after arguing with the third base ump on an appeal play.  Then we stopped at Mail Boxes Etc. so I could mail the bat I won for being the GABL trivia champ.  I finally had to explain to Gomer that if put the bat in the tube skinny end first it would be much easier to get in.  We then picked up Jan and went to Captain Nemo's all you can eat sea food and steak buffet.  We attempted to put them out of business but didn't quite do it.  Then we went back to Epcot to see the laser light/fireworks spectacular.

Thursday Mike, Heidi, Cohen and I went to Disney/MGM Studios while Wally and Jan relaxed by the pool.  You haven't lived until you've seen Muppet Vision in 3D.   The Swedish Chef has found a new job as projectionist.  The Tower of Terror is also an outstanding attraction, although Heidi chose to skip it.  We got to meet the green guy, whoever he is, and also saw Buzz Lightyear among others.  We then picked up Wally and Jan and dropped off Heidi to study her French and headed to Tampa for the Yankees-Reds game.  Mike decided to watch the Buckeyes and stayed home as well.   We had to shell out $6 to park (the attendent said it was only $5 before the got Clemens) but we did see George at the game.  David Cone pitched five perfect innings and Bernie Williams homered but the New Yorkers still lost 2-1 because Alfonso Soriano couldn't make a throw to first.  And best of all, we got some Carvel ice cream, because every day is Sundae at Carvel.  We also got to see Raymond James Stadium and the remnants of the Big Sombrero.

Friday we packed up and headed home.  My flight was canceled and they could get me on another one for six hours, and then I had a three hour layover in Atlanta and finally got into Denver at 9:30, eight hours late.  Delta sucks.