We don't wanna go home!!! Nov 1-8, 2008 Magic Western

[podsnel]

Sooooo.......this is where you're hanging out these days?

I'm here and loving your pix so far! Especially love your face on Splash Mountain!(yeah- it's the same one I make!)

Yea- that's because I was totally thinking of you and Lauren getting stuck up there for 20 minutes right before we hit the big slide!!!

 

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

Looks like you all had a blast!! Isn't AKV so nice to come 'home' to? When we stayed there, however, we were way at the end of a really long hallway, furthest from the buses! It seemed to take forever to finally get back to our room!!

Great pics, hon. You all look really happy

 

[TigerKat]

I'm here! I so enjoyed meeting you and especially our phone conversation that night. Loving your TR so far!!!!!

Check out my new ticker, we've got a HUGE DIS group going, come along!!!!

 

[Camster0307]

I'm here! I so enjoyed meeting you and especially our phone conversation that night. Loving your TR so far!!!!!

Check out my new ticker, we've got a HUGE DIS group going, come along!!!!

Kathy - OMG! I just checked out your ticker! You're not planning on visiting that OTHER park, are you?

 

[TigerKat]

Kathy - OMG! I just checked out your ticker! You're not planning on visiting that OTHER park, are you?

We're expanding our horizons.....

ETA: Mainly for the restaurants......

 

[karajeboo]

Hey Ellen! Great start - looking foward to following along. I've almost convince my DH to try HHIR, so maybe this will help me convince him to try DCL!

I so wish I could've met up with y'all last weekend! I was one weekend behind you!

As for the head tilt, that is hysterical! But y'all looked great in your sports costumes!

 

[alan_renfroe]

Hey Ellen! I found your TR and it is wonderful!!! Your stories and pictures were very entertaining - now I can't wait to read the rest of the report!

Great job...keep up the good work....and keep those food pics coming!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Subbing in Ellen, I'll be back to read! I'm excited to see your trip!

 

[karajeboo]

And I can't believe you sall ALL the "dorfs" (as Ally calls them!). That would knock out another 6 pages from her autograph book. Someday, I hope!

 

[Camster0307]

And I can't believe you sall ALL the "dorfs" (as Ally calls them!). That would knock out another 6 pages from her autograph book. Someday, I hope!

I had asked a CM about seeing all the dwarfs; he said they are usually only out all together during the MNSSHP. Although, I definitley remember seeing them late one night during a MVMCP. Go figure!

 

[karajeboo]

I had asked a CM about seeing all the dwarfs; he said they are usually only out all together during the MNSSHP. Although, I definitley remember seeing them late one night during a MVMCP. Go figure!

What are dwarfs? I'm talking about the DORFS! You know, the little guys with Snow White?

 

[E&BMom]

WOW- a B2B!!! I was telling my kids that there are people who are fortunate enough to do this, and they think you must be the luckiest people in the world (so do I!). Which 2 did you do? Have a wonderful vacation!!

We did a 4 day and then 3day on the Wonder. The 4 day was a Double dip so we got to go to CC 3 times!! It was great. We did it that way because we really wanted to do a 7 day but the magic was in California and we didn't want to go there. I wish we could do B2B on the magic someday. Now to get the money and the time!!!

 

[jblb1020]

O.K. I am signing on! Great Trip report and I LOVE the pictures! Sorry we missed you guys on the ship! I think I saw you and your husband walk by us by the pool and you where wearing tye-dye shirts. I can't believe the Election Day Castaways vacation is over!

 

[podsnel]

Looks like you all had a blast!! Isn't AKV so nice to come 'home' to? When we stayed there, however, we were way at the end of a really long hallway, furthest from the buses! It seemed to take forever to finally get back to our room!!

Great pics, hon. You all look really happy

We were very, very happy. Then we came home and were very, very sad! But my friend Cammie had just started her trip, so everyday she would TM me a photo or note from WDW, and it REALLY helped me ease out of awesome vacay mode!

I'm here! I so enjoyed meeting you and especially our phone conversation that night. Loving your TR so far!!!!!

Check out my new ticker, we've got a HUGE DIS group going, come along!!!!

Hi Kathy! Loved meeting you, too, and thanks for keeping me company on the phone that night! DH was watching the game in the other room, you were GREAT company!

We are going to be down there right after your trip and (hopefully) right before- I'll keep you posted, sounds like fun!!

Hey Ellen! Great start - looking foward to following along. I've almost convince my DH to try HHIR, so maybe this will help me convince him to try DCL!

I so wish I could've met up with y'all last weekend! I was one weekend behind you!

As for the head tilt, that is hysterical! But y'all looked great in your sports costumes!

Well, I hope if I helped to convince him about HHI, I can convince him about the cruise, too! My biggest regret @ the cruise is that we missed all those years while they were little- it's sooooo incredible for the older ones, but it's total MAGIC for the little ones!!

And I really wish I had been there to meet youse guys - loved that pic Cammie sent, wish I could've jumped through my phone!!

Hey Ellen! I found your TR and it is wonderful!!! Your stories and pictures were very entertaining - now I can't wait to read the rest of the report!

Great job...keep up the good work....and keep those food pics coming!

Hi Alan!! I'm so glad you're here, after I shamelessly plugged my TR on another TR!

Subbing in Ellen, I'll be back to read! I'm excited to see your trip!

Yay! Come back soon!

And I can't believe you sall ALL the "dorfs" (as Ally calls them!). That would knock out another 6 pages from her autograph book. Someday, I hope!

If I had girls....but the men in my life looked at me like I was crazy when I said let's wait on line for Snow White & the Magnificent 7! Cindy's step family was out, too, later with NO LINE- but DS11 would NOT go for it!!!

We did a 4 day and then 3day on the Wonder. The 4 day was a Double dip so we got to go to CC 3 times!! It was great. We did it that way because we really wanted to do a 7 day but the magic was in California and we didn't want to go there. I wish we could do B2B on the magic someday. Now to get the money and the time!!!

3x at CC? THAT is an AWESOME itinerary!!!

O.K. I am signing on! Great Trip report and I LOVE the pictures! Sorry we missed you guys on the ship! I think I saw you and your husband walk by us by the pool and you where wearing tye-dye shirts. I can't believe the Election Day Castaways vacation is over!

I was SO SAD not to meet you!!! I WILL be looking to hook up with you next time I'm in LBI, though... thanks for reading along!

OK- I have time for a short post...

 

[podsnel]

Saturday, November 1st, 2008- the day we had been dreaming of, was finally here!! I JUMPED out of bed (this is what I do on vacation- it is the exact opposite of what I do in my regular life) and ran to the balcony to check out the animals.I could see some in the distance, but not terribly close, so I went downstairs to the Mara to fill my mug and get breakfast for my group. On the way back to the room, I met my first Election Day Castaway, Jenny2- who ironically would be the EDC I would see the most of all week long! We recognized each other because (and I don't know if you noticed in my previous pics) Stampinshauna on our meet thread had made all of us lime green wristbands which were awesome! Anyway, back at the room, we ate watching the animals (which I don't think ever grows old!) and I repacked- we were leaving 2 suitcases at AKV while we were away on the cruise, and they would be delivered to BWV for our night there afterwards. Great idea, and it worked beautifully- thanks JBLB1020 for mentioning it on our thread! Fortunately, I had tried to keep all the WDW wear and cruisewear separate, so it wasn't THAT hard...but then there was THIS mountain in our room we were not sure how to handle-

OMG- did we get enough candy??????? We split the chocolate from the sugar stuff, and I left the sugar stuff with the checked BW luggage (and then gave it away to housekeeping....SHHHHHHHH!).

11 am was here, and the boys went down to wait for the limo, while I did some fast shopping for pins and q-tips (isn't that what YOU buy before your 1st cruise??). They actually ran into good friends from S Plains while they were waiting in the Port Cochere- how funny!! And then....here comes our Limo!

We used Sterling Limo, they were prompt, had a great price, the car was gorgeous, and we stopped for a case of water and wine and vodka on the trip to the port. We got to watch The Incredibles on all 3 flat screen tv's on the way there-

And we popped the champagne and water bottles they provided to toast our voyage!

Soon we saw the most beautiful sight of all...

The boys were stunned and in awe of her size- I don't think they had any idea just how big this cruise ship would be until right then and there!!

I had really worried about what time to get picked up- and I have to say, this seemed to be just right. We were at the port at about 12:45, and had the place almost entirely to ourselves- very small line for checking the kids into the clubs, that was it.

By 1:15, they were announcing our family to thunderous applause and we were on board the Magic!!! The fun had finally begun!!

 

[karajeboo]

OMG! I can hardly wait for more!!! We live so close to the port, plus we have a Carnival cruise that leaves from right here in Jacksonville, but I'm so "afraid" to cruise! A) Will I freak out being in the middle of the ocean? and B) Will I feel obligated to disembark at every port, and not enjoy the ship? Seriously, I have issues with this - Jeff and I can catch a 3 night cruise right here for like $250pp and we're afraid to try it!

So hurry up and write more so I can live vicariously through YOU!

 

[Mozart]

A) Will I freak out being in the middle of the ocean? and B) Will I feel obligated to disembark at every port, and not enjoy the ship? Seriously, I have issues with this - Jeff and I can catch a 3 night cruise right here for like $250pp and we're afraid to try it!

a) I've never seen anyone freak out because they're out in the ocean, but then again I'm sure someone has. Just remember that normally even though you can't see land, the captain positions the ship so that land is just over the horizon.
b) It sounds like you're thinking about doing a Carnival cruise. I have my own personal feelings about the wisdom of cruising on Carnival, but suffice it to say that I would not use one cruise line as representative of what all cruises are like. Just because Carnival is no good doesn't mean you wouldn't enjoy Disney.

 

[karajeboo]

a) I've never seen anyone freak out because they're out in the ocean, but then again I'm sure someone has. Just remember that normally even though you can't see land, the captain positions the ship so that land is just over the horizon.
b) It sounds like you're thinking about doing a Carnival cruise. I have my own personal feelings about the wisdom of cruising on Carnival, but suffice it to say that I would not use one cruise line as representative of what all cruises are like. Just because Carnival is no good doesn't mean you wouldn't enjoy Disney.

Good advice! I have a good friend who's a TA and she said Carnival is good for first time cruisers because the ships are older and smaller (at least the ones out of Jax) so you have nothing to compare. We thought of doing it just to get a feel for the whole cruising thing. I've also been told by the same friend/TA that Carnival is second only to DCL for it's kids programs. So that was encouraging, too. And for thta cheap price (plus we see deals offered on TV all the time for even cheaper rates!) we could maybe give it a go.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Hey neighbor!! I am a self-proclaimed trip report lurker! I read them and read them and never respond. But since you are my neighbor AND since I will be taking the Western Cruise (my first cruise ever) in less than 8 months now AND since I might want someone to repsond to MY trip report if I do one........

I just wanted to say I love the report so far! I can't wait to read more about the cruise!

 

[podsnel]

Good advice! I have a good friend who's a TA and she said Carnival is good for first time cruisers because the ships are older and smaller (at least the ones out of Jax) so you have nothing to compare. We thought of doing it just to get a feel for the whole cruising thing. I've also been told by the same friend/TA that Carnival is second only to DCL for it's kids programs. So that was encouraging, too. And for thta cheap price (plus we see deals offered on TV all the time for even cheaper rates!) we could maybe give it a go.

I had been on 3 quick cruises prior to this one; Royal C to Bahamas, Celebrity to the Bahamas (out of Jacksonville with DH! We stayed at Amelia Island Plantation the night before- GORGEOUS!!!), and Norwegian Dawn to the land of drunken stupors and king size hangovers (but it was fun!). Those short cruises were a good way to figure out if cruising was for us or not- you should check out a fast one if you're that hesitant. But 7 days on DCL? It was total heaven. We could have stayed another week, easily. It was soooo much better in so many ways than those other 3 lines. And you, being a Disney addict, would love it even more! So go ahead and get that quick little cruise out of the way soon, and then book on the Oct 30, 2010 Western DCL because we'll be on it!

And Mozart- I heard you were in DTD right before we were! I'm so sorry I missed you- I had a page saved in my autograph book and everything!!