The 13th and final ABC Super Soap Weekend — and my second — has come and gone and I still can’t believe it’s over. It was such a fun whirlwind that I want to share some of the highlights with you, our readers.

FRIDAY
10:17 AM: My cab driver to New York’s JFK airport tells me I look like the Virgin Mary and even holds up an illustrated calendar for proof. (Note: I did not see the resemblance.)

11:36 AM: I spot Cameron Mathison (Ryan, AMC), his wife Vanessa, and their lovely children Lucas and Leila near our departure lounge. (Yes, they were on the same flight.)

12ish: I run into my SOD colleague and weekend companion, Lauren Flynn, and we go off on a search for snacks to take on the plane.

4:30 PM: We disembark in sunny Orlando and head down to the Disney Magical Express, spotting the Mathison clan by the baggage carousel. I can’t help but crack up seeing a playful Lucas go sliding across the carpet.

5:05 PM: We pass a party for Super Soap contest winners on the fake beach outside the Yacht Club resort hotel. We see AMC’s Aiden Turner (Aidan) at the bash and then continue to the hotel so we can check in to our rooms.

7:15 PM: We eat dinner at Morocco’s Tangerine Café in Epcot Center’s World Showcase. Mmmmmmm couscous.

7:35 PM: Lauren and I get caught in a freak thunderstorm and are forced to take refuge inside the Mexican pyramid.

SATURDAY
7:28 am: I’m passed by Aiden running down the path that connects our hotel to the Boardwalk. He says a polite “Good morning,” as he goes by.

8 AM: Various actors are brought in for a press junket, during which I admire Rebecca Herbst’s (Elizabeth, GH) shoes and talk to Michael Easton (John, OLTL) about his graphic novel and the upcoming NY Comic Con (I LOVE comics). GH’s Greg Vaughan (Lucky) comes over to hug his “favorite Canadian” (besides Jason Thompson) Bree Williamson (Jessica/Tess/Bess, OLTL) while I’m talking to her.

1:45 PM: I hit the AMC talk show at the Premiere Theater in Hollywood Studios, hosted by TV’s Bob Guiney. I text message Lauren so she can find where we’re sitting. When asked how he feels about both Cameron and Aidan making out with wife Rebecca Budig (Greenlee), Guiney cracks, “A brother gotta eat!”

3 PM: Lauren and I watch our first Casting Call hosted by Cameron and promptly wheeze ourselves to death laughing as he pretends to be OLTL’s Cole and offers to “make out behind the dunes” with the three lucky contestants. Actual Cole, Brandon Buddy, and Kristen Alderson (Starr) show up to finish up the program.

4 PM: We stick around for the GH talk show, once again hosted by Bob Guiney. GH’s Kelly Monaco (Sam) more or less steals the hour by saying hilarious and scandalous things. Go find it on YouTube! One of her milder observations is that “Sam does not steal, she borrows” men.

6:30ish PM: Lauren and I go back to our hotel to change clothes and chill for a bit.

8 PM: We make it back to the park for the Colgate Total Street Jam. We’re then totally impressed by the rock stylings of Bradford Anderson (Spinelli, GH), Jason Tam (Markko, OLTL), and Brandon Barash (Johnny, GH) and AMC’s Bobbie Eakes and Melissa Claire Egan (Krystal and Annie) doing a Bob Fosse number. Am also amused that Kristen Alderson reprises a number from the non-Disney movie ANASTASIA that she sang at her very first SSW.

Somewhere around 9:30 PM: Lauren and I head over to the afterparty (sorry you couldn’t come, guys), where we grab some food and sit with Lauren’s OLTL pals, John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex) and Farah Fath (Gigi), Farah’s sister, and Jason Cook (Matt, GH).

9:45 PM: Pirate Mickey and Donald appear. An adorable little moppet in a purple dress makes a wobbly beeline towards Mickey…and is followed by daddy Thorsten Kaye (Zach, AMC). (It’s safe to say that Marlowe Kaye is probably the only female at SSW who ran AWAY from Thorsten Kaye. LOL.)

10ish PM: I spot AMC’s Darnell Williams (Jesse). Lauren urges me to go say hi. I can’t. Am suddenly struck shy. (Yes, I had an attack of shyness. I can’t believe it either.) Rebecca Herbst and Michael Saucedo’s (ex-Juan, GH) son, Ethan, rocks the house by singing “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane with the party’s awesome pirate cover band. Susan Haskell (Marty, OLTL) takes pics of Marlowe getting into the groove.

10:30ish PM: I finally get up the nerve to talk to Darnell, who proves to be awesome and gracious as I admit how important Jesse and Angie are to me and how wonderful it is to have him back on AMC.

10:45ish PM: GH’s Braden Walkes (Cameron) dances his little heart out. The onlookers, including yours truly, are floored at his fresh moves. Lauren and I congratulate Brandon Barash on his rockin’ Street Jam performance and also catch up with Jason Cook.

11:00 PM: Lauren and I are dancing and spy James DePaiva (ex-Max, OLTL) peering at us over the rims of his glasses. LOL!

11:15 PM: We spot GH’s Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) and grab a few minutes with the truly sweet Greg Vaughan and his gorgeous wife Touriya. Hugs from Vaughan render us temporarily speechless.

SUNDAY
7:25 AM: We arrive for the second press junket of the weekend and soon get time with AMC’s Vincent Irizarry (David), Cameron Mathison, my new friend Darnell, and various other folks from GH and OLTL. (Sorry for not naming everyone! Rest assured, everybody was great!)

11:15 AM: We settle in for the “Schemers,” panel, consisting of Vincent, Melissa Claire Egan and Thorsten; OLTL’s Kassie DePaiva (Blair) and Bree Williamson and GH’s Kelly Monaco and Kirsten Storms (Maxie). They all try to figure out exactly how their characters qualify for that designation…and just how fertile Kaye’s various ABC characters have been!

12:15 PM: We go over to the giant Sorcerer’s Hat stage, where Erika Slezak (Viki, OLTL) has a candid chat with THE VIEW’s Sherri Shepherd. She’s totally hilarious.

1:45 PM: Yet MORE Erika Slezak time, with Bob Guiney, where she reveals her deep and abiding love for Donald Duck. Then, the OLTL teen scene plus Farah Fath is brought on. Fath is surprised by Jason Cook pretending to be a fan. He runs up to the stage and hugs her.

3:00 PM: Cameron hosts a Casting Call with John-Paul and Farah. Wackiness and much laughter ensues. No making out behind sand dunes this time!

9:30 PM: We arrive at the end-of-Super-Soap afterparty, noticing that there is a table reserved for Susan Lucci (Erica, AMC), completely with a chilling bottle of champagne.

9:45 PM: Making it three days in a row of official sightings, I spy Aidan dressed to kill in a natty suit and compliment him. He smiles and says, “I always wear my Sunday best.”

10:00 PM: We catch up with Bree Williamson, Kimberly McCullough (Robin, GH) and McCullough’s adorable godchildren and soon notice that Ethan Saucedo and his sister Ella are on the dance floor again! Cue a reprise of “Life is a Highway.”

MONDAY
3:30ish PM: Upon returning to JFK airport, I head for home, but Lauren has to pick up bags. She spots Susan Lucci and husband Helmut Huber at the malfunctioning baggage carousel, patiently waiting for their things!

 

originally posted on soapoperaweekly.com