Nine Nights: Filling 2019 with Disney Adventures around the World *New TR Link 7/31

I'm finally caught up on your pre-trip report and just in time for the drama. As is you don't already have enough on your plate. I hope it all resolves itself and in the end you'll still be in Disney with your family.

Good luck with the rest of the packing.
 
*sigh* The realization of living out of a bag once again has hit, and I'm hoping I have the determination to make some tough cuts when it comes to my Disney accessories. No, I don't need both my Thunder Mountain AND my Animal Kingdom AND my runDisney shirt. No, I can't take ten pins to trade. And NO, I can't buy all the new Been There series Starbucks mugs while I'm there!:rotfl2::rotfl:
That must be so hard!!! But sounds like you are well organized and up for the challange!

If we do venture inside the MK, I might try and grab our traditional shot of Alex and Landon at the sword:
05-jpg.398498
They keep the sward under a cover now, so some reason... And only uncover it when the jesters are out. I really don't know why and makes me sad. I have some good pics of Gwen trying to pull the sword out. I hope you can get a photo some how!

I interrupt this insane day of packing out our house to announce that Disney sent Alex and I emails saying there are issues with all our Fastpasses from the 9th to 14th. (We arrive at Shades on the 6th.)
They said if we don’t call by tomorrow all the passes will be cancelled.
UGH!!!

Nothing like having a house full of German packers boxing and crating up all our belongings, a toddler freaking out from all the changes, and a dog that injured himself on a walk earlier to make an international phone call with a 1 day window interesting....
Poor kids. It's hard to understand at that age.

Uhmmm, that's not very reassuring. Also, we get 60 minutes a month of free international calling through our Office subscription and we used close to 20 on this call. So if the next one takes more than 40 minutes, Alex and I will have to wait until we are back stateside at the end of the month.
Yikes. And a call to Disney is never short.

***Another note to add: I know I'm behind on a lot of you all's reports. I promise I will play catch-up as soon as some of the craziness dies down here. It's on my list!***
Don't worry about it. We all understand. Just get through your moving and you will be ready to enjoy your trip!
 
Oh dear! I hope that gets resolved quickly. I know disney is trying to crack down on guests making and canceling reservations just to get fp benefits, but legitimate reservations shouldn't be messed up in the process.

Oh no! I think Disney will work some Disney magic and get things straightened out for you. Not what you wanted to deal with at such a stressful time. Good news on the packing!

Oh no! Hoping everything is resolved!

At least there's some positive! Best wishes and pixie dust to you as you navigate through the next little while!

Ugh that's so frustrating! Disney is supposed to be the escape from the stress- not add to it!

I'm finally caught up on your pre-trip report and just in time for the drama. As is you don't already have enough on your plate. I hope it all resolves itself and in the end you'll still be in Disney with your family.

Good luck with the rest of the packing.


Thank you, everyone! I would have felt bad if Disney hadn't been able to resolve our issue with only two calls, because I would have let it fall through the cracks. Our Fastpasses did not get deleted, but Disney did manage to attach my mom's Shades reservation to our account, so Alex had to call them back and fix the issue. If he hadn't, we would have lost our passes from the 12 to 14th.
As of....whenever I checked last. (Friday?) Everything is still on MDE so let's hope it stays that way.




They keep the sward under a cover now, so some reason... And only uncover it when the jesters are out. I really don't know why and makes me sad. I have some good pics of Gwen trying to pull the sword out. I hope you can get a photo some how!

WHAT?! :scared1:
Oh no!!! This is so disappointing. Alex isn't a sentimental guy; he probably wouldn't bring a camera into the parks or remember to take any photos if it weren't for me, but this is the one thing he wants to make sure he gets every trip. The shot with Landon actually pulling the sword out is in a frame I let Landon paint for Father's Day, and Alex makes a point to set it up in every office he has. Including the ones at his deployed locations! He's going to be so devastated when I tell him this....
 
Incoming! I have a little bit of time this afternoon and decided to pop in here for a visit.

My family is officially living out of suitcases now. The final damage looked like this:
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The two bags on the bottom are Alex and mine. His weighed in at, like, 35 pounds. Whereas mine hit 45 pounds. Oops. So much for leaving extra room for souvenirs. (Although, in my defense, I have all the kids' medicines in mine and the children's Benadryl has to account for about 3 of those pounds...:rotfl:)
The purple case is the kids', and it's so poofy because Evie INSISTED we bring her Cinderella costume along. I'm going to open the front zipper and blue glitter is going to explode everywhere.:laughing:
The remaining black bag has all Alex's work clothes and some liquids we couldn't bear to throw away. It will also become my catch-all for Florida purchases.

The Rubbermaid bin holds all our dog's essentials, and the big HP bag is our cookware necessities. And the blue/green beach bag will be staying at a friends' house because it has our wine, laundry detergeant, and cooking spices.
We also have our carry-on backpacks and the dog's kennel, but then that's it! Everything we will need until around mid-July.

Talk about living with less!



The packers spent three days at our house, but really it was like two. They didn't arrive until noon the first day and worked until five. Then the following day they were here for close to 8 hours and only took a lunch break! They had to come back on the third day because they had 30 minutes worth of loading to do.
Speaking of, for kicks and giggles, in case you aren't familiar with how we get our stuff from one place to another here is a photo from the end of Day 2:
02.JPG

They box everything up, including big furniture items like beds and dressers, then they load them onto crates and nail them closed. The big box on the left with the green string around it is actually our couch. Because it was so large it went into a special "couch box" all on its own.


While we spend a week in our house between the packers coming and moving into a temporary housing facility, the military gave us "loaner furniture" to use. This is only available at overseas bases, and Alex and I have relied on it heavily both when we arrived here and now.

The stuff isn't glamorous but it does the job:
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The rug and television are ours; we're getting rid of them when we leave and kept them for this very reason.

Oh, and Buster is ours too.:rotfl2:



04.JPG

Hi, Disboards pulled up on my laptop.:laughing:

We also get to keep our fridge and washer/dryer and wardrobes until someone comes to pick everything up the same day we leave the house. So while our stuff is gone, it's been very comfortable. Enough that I have been able to redirect my mind back to Disney and start thinking about our trip a little more.


Now that the Shades debacle is fixed, we're back on track and I decided to make some lists.

I love me some lists.

They focus and calm my mind, mellow me out.
And this time instead of sad things like "Final coffee date with ____" and "clean windows" I got to make fun ones that involved sugar and passholder discounts.

The best kind!


With that being said, I present to you two lists!


Souvenir Hopefuls:
(these aren't necessarily Disney purchases, they are more things I hope we can return to Europe with at the end of our trip.)

- New wallet for Alex

- New rain jacket for me


- New dish towels. I'm hoping the coop at Disney Springs has some nice Disney ones I can buy.

- Disney shirts for Landon and Evie. We are going to be near a Disney outlet when we fly to my SIL's house, and I'm hoping I can find several shirts for the kids that they can wear on our trip. Sadly, their wardrobe is lacking in Disney clothing.

- The Been There Series Animal Kingdom mug:
05.jpg
(google image)

I haven't been a huge fan of the new Been There series, but I'm a sucker for anything Animal Kingdom and this one looks amazing. It'll go nicely with my 4 other AK themed mugs that I display.


- Been There Series Epcot Mug:
06.jpg

(google picture)

Alex loves Epcot and he thought this mug was awesome. So instead of always stealing my mugs to make tea, he's getting one of his own. :laughing:

- Tradeable pins for the kids. Landon and Evie have been interested in the concept of pin trading, so we think it's time they get to try it out and see if they like it. I forsee Landon loving the activity and having no issue approaching Cast Members to ask, whereas I predict Evie will be petrified and only trade if her dad does all the work.




Now, on to the good list. The Disney FOOD!

Snacks/Food Hopefuls:
I know I won't be able to achieve everything on this list; it's more an ongoing wishlist of items I want to try again or for the first time.


- (~ this means it's new to me) Peter Pan Float:
07.jpg

I feel like literally everyone is raving about this snack, and I've got some major FOMO going on. Even though lime isn't a flavor I really like, I'm hoping it will be refreshing enough that I won't mind it.


-~Loaded Tots from Friar's Nook
-~Citrus Swirl
-~Wish Granted Donut

-~Lost Princess Cone:
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Lemon is one of my favorite flavors, so I have high hopes for this cone!


-~ Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake:
08.jpg
Spoiler alert: We are eating at Liberty Tree Tavern one night, and I cannot wait to finally try this infamous dish.


-~Baked Mac and Cheese at Eight Spoon Cafe in Animal Kingdom
-~ Hazelnut Lunch Box Tart from Woody's Lunch Box in DHS
-~ House Made Crab and Cream Cheese Wonton from F&G Festival
- Beef brisket burnt ends from the F&G Festival
- Duck Confit from the F&G Festival
-~Cheddar Cheese soup from Le Cellier
- Zebra Domes from AKL
-~ Vegetarian Falafel Pita from AKL
- Magic Hat Number 9 Beer from AKL ***Alex loved this beer when he tried it at F&G in 2014, which is very rare because he's not a drinker. So when I saw this on the Mara's menu, we both became really excited. Now, hanging out in a quiet spot while we drink some Magic Hat # 9 is on our list of things to do during our kid-free trip. ***

- Sweet Pretzel and Aass Pilsner from Norway:
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I got these as a snack our last time in Epcot and loved both. They were refreshing and filling and will be my go-to treat on the days we are in Epcot.



Whew. All done! My food list is a bit ambitious, especially since I have a lot of ice creams listed and I don't eat ice cream anymore. :confused3 I am really hoping my family members will want to try them, as well, and I can just take a bite or two. That could work, right? :laughing:
Thinking about my snack and souvenir hopefuls made me really happy; kind of hard to believe I'm a few weeks away from having the ability to try these foods. Disney and your delectable treats, I'm coming for you!



Up Next....Day 7 Plans
 


Wow - things are really underway! I'm sure it's a huge relief that packing up your house is done and you can turn your mind to other (more fun) things. The Peter Pan float looks so good! Wondering if it's like a lime sherbet? If so, to me it would taste refreshing. I've had the toffee dessert at LTT before and it's amazing. Try to save room for it because it's very rich and filling. Have never had the sweet pretzel but it's something I need to give a try. Disney snacks are a highlight of my Disney trips. It won't be long for you - happy and safe travels!
 
That is some intense packing!

I’m sure your pretty relived to have that box checked off!

Happy the shades of green issue was resolved!

The trip will be here so soon, and will be amazing!

My daughter has been thinking about pin trading, but when I mention it she says she wants the pins but doesn’t really want to trade them....
 


Sounds like things are going much better and moving right along.

Your food list has made me very hungry.
 
I'm so glad that things were resolved well and quickly! The best outcome!

It's so interesting to see the behind the scenes of the move, and it's so weird to think that you won't see your stuff for such a long amount of time.

There's no better list than a Disney list.
 
Yay, glad to hear your fps are safe.

Tradeable pins for the kids

My girls adored pin trading, but they're also very comfortable starting up conversations with strangers, even adults. Based on the way you describe your kids, I think you're right about Landon loving it and Evie not so much.
 
I'm glad all of your packing went smoothly and that you can think about fun things again! It definitely seems like that whole packing situation would be a nightmare if you aren't organized!!

Love your list! I always want ALL the snacks and then I get to Disney and feel like if I eat anything else I may explode! But I feel like lists like that are just so helpful when you are in a park and in need of a snack and you know all the best things near you!!
 
Wow - things are really underway! I'm sure it's a huge relief that packing up your house is done and you can turn your mind to other (more fun) things. The Peter Pan float looks so good! Wondering if it's like a lime sherbet? If so, to me it would taste refreshing. I've had the toffee dessert at LTT before and it's amazing. Try to save room for it because it's very rich and filling. Have never had the sweet pretzel but it's something I need to give a try. Disney snacks are a highlight of my Disney trips. It won't be long for you - happy and safe travels!

This week has certainly been less stressful than last week! Now we are concentrating on cleaning out the house and going to final appointments and going-aways with work and friends. Getting our stuff packed out was one of the bigger hurdles we had to deal with, so thank goodness it's done with on this end!

I'll have to remember not to fill up on the main entrees at LTT so I save room for the cake. It's hard to remember dessert when you're in the moment and chowing down on all the food set before you!

I love the sweet pretzels from Norway, but they are in the donut family. So I think you have to like those types of dessert to really like the pretzels.


That is some intense packing!

I’m sure your pretty relived to have that box checked off!

Happy the shades of green issue was resolved!

The trip will be here so soon, and will be amazing!

My daughter has been thinking about pin trading, but when I mention it she says she wants the pins but doesn’t really want to trade them....


It's a relief to have all our stuff packed and taken care of. Kind of nice to know it's all out of our hands until we get our next house and have to start the process in reverse. Then it becomes the "what got damaged" game....

I'm hoping my kids will enjoy the act of pin trading more than the pins themselves. My husband is a pin "collector" and I don't know if I can have more boards in my house. (Which he definitely listed as a high value item on our packing inventory.:rotfl:)



Glad all the packing went ok!! Your house must feel so bare!

Your lists sound great!

Alex hates being in the house this week, because it doesn't feel like "home" anymore. He is more than ready for us to move to our hotel.

There's so many Disney snacks and foods I want to try, I really had to narrow down my options otherwise my list would have gone on for ages!
 
Sounds like things are going much better and moving right along.

Your food list has made me very hungry.


Everything is falling into place very quickly, and it sometimes surprises Alex and I that we are weeks away from our trip. It still feels like it's theoretical and far-off still.



I'm so glad that things were resolved well and quickly! The best outcome!

It's so interesting to see the behind the scenes of the move, and it's so weird to think that you won't see your stuff for such a long amount of time.

There's no better list than a Disney list.


When we moved over here to Germany, being without my stuff was a big adjustment for me. But I think this time around I'm taking it in stride. The positive side is that, last time, we had to spend a long time without our things in our house. It took about 2 months for it to make its way via boat over to Europe. Whereas this time, we sent it so early that when we find our new home, we should get our stuff delivered within a week or so. That'll help a lot, I think, because not having things right now is easier because we have friends to rely on and know where to go to get what we need.


Yay, glad to hear your fps are safe.

My girls adored pin trading, but they're also very comfortable starting up conversations with strangers, even adults. Based on the way you describe your kids, I think you're right about Landon loving it and Evie not so much.

Ideally, I would let Landon try his hand at pin trading and find something else for Evie to do, but she is such a determined person that she feels she HAS to do whatever big brother does. Whether she likes it or not, if Bubba is coloring then so is she. If Bubba wants to ride bikes, then wants to as well. (This made his soccer season exasperating last year. "No, Evie, you can't go out on the field with your brother.")
So I think no matter if she's having fun or not, Evie is going to want to pin trade alongside Landon.


I'm glad all of your packing went smoothly and that you can think about fun things again! It definitely seems like that whole packing situation would be a nightmare if you aren't organized!!

Love your list! I always want ALL the snacks and then I get to Disney and feel like if I eat anything else I may explode! But I feel like lists like that are just so helpful when you are in a park and in need of a snack and you know all the best things near you!!


I am glad the packing out is finished and I don't have to think about my stuff again until we find a new home. Then the "what got damaged" game will begin, but at least I'll be coming off a Disney trip and will hopefully be more relaxed!

I agree about the lists. I think if I have it written down somewhere, I'm more likely to look at it and remember to try something, rather than hit up my old tried and true favorites.
 
The kids are still young enough – I hope – to be content with visiting City Walk but not the Universal parks. As much as Alex and I love frozen butterbeer and Escape from Gingotts, we want to wait until both kids are tall enough to hit all the minimum height requirements before bringing them back into the parks.

And let’s be honest….this will still be what entertains them the most:
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Very true! And you can also take the resort boats along the canal if you wanted to!

Our next pass is for Enchanted Tales with Belle. Yet another attraction none of us have ever done before. I think the kids are finally old enough to understand the show and handle the disappointment if they are not picked for a role. Whether we do this with our passes or another day, Enchanted Tales is high on my wish list of things I want us all to do this vacation.
Oh, so cute! At least all the kids can get a role, even if its a small one!

I interrupt this insane day of packing out our house to announce that Disney sent Alex and I emails saying there are issues with all our Fastpasses from the 9th to 14th. (We arrive at Shades on the 6th.)
They said if we don’t call by tomorrow all the passes will be cancelled.

Nothing like having a house full of German packers boxing and crating up all our belongings, a toddler freaking out from all the changes, and a dog that injured himself on a walk earlier to make an international phone call with a 1 day window interesting....

Disney is legitimately the furthest thing from my mind right now; this is exasperating. *sigh*. I have to go dig out my laptop from the no-pack room and look at my plans and figure out what the heck is going on.

To update everyone: ours and my mother's Shades of Green reservation got kicked off MDE. When we called and spoke with someone, they said this "was a known and common issue."
She took our reservation information and said she would send it to her IT people to hopefully get it sorted out. She also said she would leave a note in our file for anyone else dealing with us.
When we asked about our Fastpasses her response was: "Well, I'm not going to lie. They will probably disappear. But hopefully we can work something out if you call back in a few days."


Uhmmm, that's not very reassuring. Also, we get 60 minutes a month of free international calling through our Office subscription and we used close to 20 on this call. So if the next one takes more than 40 minutes, Alex and I will have to wait until we are back stateside at the end of the month.

Sheesh.
Soooo annoying! If they do cancel anything and it's their fault, then at least I know IT can help you out. They cancelled my sister's last day of FPs for our September trip. I was able to get 2 back, but couldn't get FoP. The IT guy gave her a FoP pass good anytime that day. So they can at least do that if yours get lost! But that's the last thing you want to deal with!

The purple case is the kids', and it's so poofy because Evie INSISTED we bring her Cinderella costume along. I'm going to open the front zipper and blue glitter is going to explode everywhere.:laughing:
Haha, so cute! I expect she will need to wear it a bunch!

Tradeable pins for the kids. Landon and Evie have been interested in the concept of pin trading, so we think it's time they get to try it out and see if they like it. I forsee Landon loving the activity and having no issue approaching Cast Members to ask, whereas I predict Evie will be petrified and only trade if her dad does all the work.
Yes, I can definitely imagine that with the kiddos! If you have time, you can try stopping at the Disney Outlets to get a handful of cheap tradeable pins (or just do the ebay lots of 50 pins for $20, even though most of those end up being fake, but at least fun for the kids to trade!)

07-jpg.400387


I feel like literally everyone is raving about this snack, and I've got some major FOMO going on. Even though lime isn't a flavor I really like, I'm hoping it will be refreshing enough that I won't mind it.
So I just saw that they now have a Lemon-Lime swirl (off-menu) at the Polynesian!

Spoiler alert: We are eating at Liberty Tree Tavern one night, and I cannot wait to finally try this infamous dish.
Mmmm - Caroline and I ate there last week and it was delicious! I actually preferred the savories, because I'm not a big toffee fan, but I was very satisfied! They changed up the dessert a bit, so its a trio - Ooey gooey toffee cake, apple fritters, and banana walnut cake.


Have fun on your trip if I'm not able to comment before then!
 
Soooo annoying! If they do cancel anything and it's their fault, then at least I know IT can help you out. They cancelled my sister's last day of FPs for our September trip. I was able to get 2 back, but couldn't get FoP. The IT guy gave her a FoP pass good anytime that day. So they can at least do that if yours get lost! But that's the last thing you want to deal with!

Right after I first made the Fastpasses, Alex took screenshots of them all with the dates just in case Disney tried to pull a fast one and say we never had them. He isn't taking any chances with his FOP opportunity! (I'm optimistic that the problem is fixed for good, though.)



Yes, I can definitely imagine that with the kiddos! If you have time, you can try stopping at the Disney Outlets to get a handful of cheap tradeable pins (or just do the ebay lots of 50 pins for $20, even though most of those end up being fake, but at least fun for the kids to trade!)

Our flight back into Orlando gets in at 11, so I'm going to be ambitious and hope we can get over to the character warehouse to pick up some discounted pins. Sure, I'll have to get up at 3 that morning to catch our flight but I think I can make it there and to Shades to check in and meet up with my mom and kids by 3.


So I just saw that they now have a Lemon-Lime swirl (off-menu) at the Polynesian!

I saw your post last night and immediately went to check it out. I'll have to remember it since it's not listed on the menu!


Mmmm - Caroline and I ate there last week and it was delicious! I actually preferred the savories, because I'm not a big toffee fan, but I was very satisfied! They changed up the dessert a bit, so its a trio - Ooey gooey toffee cake, apple fritters, and banana walnut cake.

I'm really happy they changed it to the trio of desserts, because I'm not a toffee fan but really want to give this Disney famous dessert a try. Now I know I can taste it without having to eat a ton if I don't like it.
 
While we spend a week in our house between the packers coming and moving into a temporary housing facility, the military gave us "loaner furniture" to use. This is only available at overseas bases, and Alex and I have relied on it heavily both when we arrived here and now.
That is a huge job getting everything packed!

We also get to keep our fridge and washer/dryer and wardrobes until someone comes to pick everything up the same day we leave the house. So while our stuff is gone, it's been very comfortable. Enough that I have been able to redirect my mind back to Disney and start thinking about our trip a little more.
Nice to have some time to Disney dream!

I love me some lists.

They focus and calm my mind, mellow me out.
Same!

I feel like literally everyone is raving about this snack, and I've got some major FOMO going on. Even though lime isn't a flavor I really like, I'm hoping it will be refreshing enough that I won't mind it.
It is very refreshing....I think you'll like it. :)

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors, so I have high hopes for this cone!
Adding this to my list for July!

-~ Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake:
I want to try this but apparently there are nuts in the sauce and I am allergic to tree nuts. :(

Vegetarian Falafel Pita from AKL
- Magic Hat Number 9 Beer from AKL ***Alex loved this beer when he tried it at F&G in 2014, which is very rare because he's not a drinker. So when I saw this on the Mara's menu, we both became really excited. Now, hanging out in a quiet spot while we drink some Magic Hat # 9 is on our list of things to do during our kid-free trip. ***
Putting this on my list for our AKL stay!

Thinking about my snack and souvenir hopefuls made me really happy; kind of hard to believe I'm a few weeks away from having the ability to try these foods. Disney and your delectable treats, I'm coming for you!
You are so close now!!
 
Well done on getting all the packing sorted. I didn't realize you had to find your own house when you moved country-I thought maybe the military had housing you stayed in but I guess at least you get to fully experience what it's like to live in each place like a local which is good :)
I love lists too and find them calming plus they focus my mind on what I actually want/need to do/try. Those are some really tasty looking snacks plus the mugs look great too. I'm happy you can breathe a little now and start to look forward to your trip :)

ETA Meant to say I’m glad you’ve all got your priorities straight re the packing- Evie has her princess dress and youve got seasonings, wine and laundry detergent. Excellent job right there!:thumbsup2:goodvibes
 
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Hey Alicia,

I'm trying to climb out of a very, VERY deep DISHole, but making progress. I'm all caught up here and can relate all too well with packing and living out of suitcases and moving. It's... hard.

You have some fantastic snacks planned! 8 Spoons... MMMMM!!! And the Peter Pan Float. OH YES!

Glad that the Shades debaucle was fixed and the FiPs were salvaged! EEK!
 
I'm going to open the front zipper and blue glitter is going to explode everywhere.:laughing:

:rotfl2::rotfl2:#princessproblems

We also have our carry-on backpacks and the dog's kennel, but then that's it! Everything we will need until around mid-July.

Wow! That moving process sounds extremely intense. I am highly impressed by your organizational skills!

whereas I predict Evie will be petrified and only trade if her dad does all the work.

This is literally me with pin trading except it's DBF doing all the talking! :rotfl:

I feel like literally everyone is raving about this snack, and I've got some major FOMO going on. Even though lime isn't a flavor I really like, I'm hoping it will be refreshing enough that I won't mind it.

That's how I feel about the Peter Pan float too. I'm dying to try it but I don't like lime at all so I don't know what to do.

-~ Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake:
08-jpg.400391

Spoiler alert: We are eating at Liberty Tree Tavern one night, and I cannot wait to finally try this infamous dish.

Ugh I wish I was eating this right now! Our last meal at LTT was so disappointing that DBF won't agree to go back yet but that toffee cake is soooo good!
 

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