A Hop, NO Skip, and Many Mishaps to a Disney Dream!

[OneTreeHillAddict]

It sounds and looks like you had a great first day on the ship. I'm really lovin this tr! River is always looking over my shoulder at what I'm looking at and now he keeps asking when are we going on the cruise. He said THEY (meaning you) get do go so why can't we? See what you've started?

I love that Mickey pool. When I win the lottery I'm gonna have one built just like it. Who am I kidding? When I win the lottery I'm gonna move to one of those new million dollar homes their building in Disney World!

I can't wait to see what happens next!

I go away from Dis for a while and when I come back I see it full of neighbors. Myrtle Beach Disney fan here too!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Well that was just plain mean to stop there!!

You got some very nice lighthouse pics the second time around, of course, I thought the first one's were pretty too

Ok, now, where did you go??????

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Oh my goodness!!! That is just dirty! I was sooooo looking forward to this update and then you do me like that! Ok, you've had your fun, now bring it on lady!

All the port pictures are great! I'm guessing you did the dolphin excursion since you gave it away that you aren't going to Atlantis.

 

[stephielela]

ooooh, suspense!

 

[Caretames1]

Just thought I'd pop in the say..........

Happy Mother's Day to you!

 

[Kathy Jetson]

I go away from Dis for a while and when I come back I see it full of neighbors. Myrtle Beach Disney fan here too!

Hi neighbor!

 

[Kathy Jetson]

Jen that really was mean.

Have a happy mothers day!

 

[that's nice]

Happy Mothers Day!!!!

 

[dizneeat]

Great lighthouse pics, Jen! Maybe we should drag ourselves up to the open decks one of those summer cruises instead of just plopping down on the veranda chairs taking photos of the lighthouse!

Oh, and I think I know what you did that morning!

Happy Mother's Day, Jen!

 

[jenseib]

I'm a little early, but Happy Mother's Day, Jen.

Thanks...Happy Mothers Day to you too!

I think your lighthouse photos are great!

I can't wait to see your excursion pictures! Claire must have had a ball with it all!

Thanks. I'm still working on the next update, but I will get it posted as soon as I can.

I've been reading but I do the trip reports through the wii so I see huge pics. It takes tears to make comments via the wii controller so I don't. Just wanted to say everything sounds and looks like a blast so far. How did you like the escargot? I am so looking forward to that. I haven't had it since our honeymoon cruise.

I did like the escargot. I have only had it a handful of times in my life and I enjoyed it each time.

I go away from Dis for a while and when I come back I see it full of neighbors. Myrtle Beach Disney fan here too!

Well that was just plain mean to stop there!!

You got some very nice lighthouse pics the second time around, of course, I thought the first one's were pretty too

Ok, now, where did you go??????

Thanks. I am still working on the next one, but I'll get it up soon. I got busy doing yard work yesterday and then my internet went out last night for some reason. We decided to go out for the evening then, so I didn't have any evening time to work on it some more.

Oh my goodness!!! That is just dirty! I was sooooo looking forward to this update and then you do me like that! Ok, you've had your fun, now bring it on lady!

All the port pictures are great! I'm guessing you did the dolphin excursion since you gave it away that you aren't going to Atlantis.

I'll tell you all soon enough!

ooooh, suspense!

Just thought I'd pop in the say..........

Happy Mother's Day to you!

Happy Mothers Day to you too!

Jen that really was mean.

Have a happy mothers day!

Happy Mothers Day to you too!

Happy Mothers Day!!!!

Thanks Tim!

Great lighthouse pics, Jen! Maybe we should drag ourselves up to the open decks one of those summer cruises instead of just plopping down on the veranda chairs taking photos of the lighthouse!

Oh, and I think I know what you did that morning!

Happy Mother's Day, Jen!

Thanks. I love early mornings on vacation....at home, not so much.

I think all my facebook friends no what we did, because I have posted some of those pictures already. And I kind of talked about it in in my PTR, but never said what I was going to do for sure.

 

[jenseib]

The next section is going to be scattered with pictures here and there. I left my SLR in our room. I didn’t want it going on this trip with us. I took pictures with my waterproof camera and my point and shoot on this excursion. Of course that card is the “infamous” lost card now.

So on to the excursion…what was it you ask?

It was the Dolphin Encounter at Blue Lagoon.

This was an encounter…NOT a swim. The Swim cost a lot more and I wanted to just give this a try and not break the bank.

I had debated over several excursions before booking this. We also just thought of winging it back when Skip was coming.
Claire had seen a commercial abut Dolphins and soon started asking to swim with them.
After some thought and research, I decided to book the Encounter. Blue Lagoon was rated better than Atlantis…and cheaper too. So I went with that.
Once Skip made the decision NOT to come, I asked Mom if she wanted to take his place. She said no. But she wouldn’t mind observing. I quickly tirid to book her, but our time slot was booked for observers…..Though I actually saw very few observers there that day.

So…I had left off when we had gotten off the ship. We waited for a few minutes or so and then a new person came to direct us where to go. While standing there I took some pictures of the AquaDuck part that goes over the side of the ship...and some ship pictures, etc. Of course they are all gone now. …that still really irks me.
While standing there we saw that on that spot of the Aquaduck that comes over the side of the ship was a girl just sitting there. A CM crawled out to her and pushed the raft through and they crawled back in. I had heard this sometimes happen if you don’t have enough weight. No worries for us. Claire wasn’t tall enough to ride by herself and I had plenty of weight for the 2 of us! LOL!

Our guide led us to a boat to ride over to the island. It was a pretty long walk, but not much further than the walk everyone has to take to get to anything in port. I had that point and shoot in my hand and I took shot after shot after shot, just randomly aiming it. I even took a picture of a cool small boat that was docked and the guys who were working on it….Oh how I wish I could see those pictures now.

We got on the boat and Claire and I went up to the top and chose the back row seats. Soon we were on our way to Blue Lagoon. I shot lots of pictures on our way to the island….MOST on the lost card, but I did switch back and forth to the waterproof camera every so often, so I have a few to post.

There she is.

And then I switched cameras again for the rest of the ride over, so those pictures are lost.
It was about a 20-30 minute ride over to the island. Nothing too exciting, but there are a lot of HUGE homes and yachts along the way to look at.
I was told by several different people to bring a sweatshirt, as the ride over can be chilly. My suggestion is DON’T. Claire and I were too hot to wear them, which meant I had to stuff them in my backpack, along with 3 big towels. If you get chilly, I would just say use your towel to wrap up in. It will save on room. Of course the exception would be if it was really a cold day.
I could tell Claire was excited. She just looked around and watched the water with me on the way over, but I could tell she was thinking…..”let’s hurry up and get there!”
And soon we arrived!!!!
I took lots of pictures of the Blue Lagoon sign and the island as we pulled in, but again all lost.

When we got off the boat we were all led down the dock to a little open aired classroom where we learned a little bit about dolphins.

The classroom was packed. Claire and I just squeezed in where we could.

We then were led to another area to get lockers and put our stuff away. I took this one on the way.

We put our belongings in the locker and then were directed where to go. There was a couple of spots for those doing the “swim” and a few for those doing the Encounter.

We had to climb down to a floating dock and the sit on the edge with our feet in the water. That water was COLD!!!!!!!
We then waited…..and waited….and waited a little more.

We could see these guys swimming over in another area.

And this guy swimming here and there.

Claire is still patiently waiting.

We see this guy walk over by the other dolphins and talk to them.

Another dolphin comes over to say hi.

Our instructor comes over and tells us that the dolphin that is supposed to come to us is not behaving. He/she wants to play with his friend and won’t leave the other area unless they both can come. He said they don’t make the dolphins do anything they don’t want to do, so he was going to try for another one, and basically it was a waiting game.

FINALLY we had one who wanted to play with US!

I believe her name was Dot. She was pregnant…..about 7 months I believe…..and they can go up to 11 months if I remember right. I just remember it was a random time, like between 9 and 11 months or something like that.

Our instructor gave us the directions, and told us how things would be happening and then we got started.

 

[KatMark]

I had a feeling it was going to be something to do with dolphins...seemed like something Claire would really enjoy. This is part of the reason I love going to Marco Island and staying in the condo...seeing the dolphins early in the morning swimming.

Sorry about the missing pics...but the ones you got are great. Can't wait to see more of the Encounter.

 

[jenseib]

I had a feeling it was going to be something to do with dolphins...seemed like something Claire would really enjoy. This is part of the reason I love going to Marco Island and staying in the condo...seeing the dolphins early in the morning swimming.

Sorry about the missing pics...but the ones you got are great. Can't wait to see more of the Encounter.

Yep...another clue is that on facebook my profile picture is Claire with a dolphin! LOL!
We really loved touching the dolphins. It is probably something I would've never ever done if Claire hadn't insisted in her cute, wrap Mommy around your finger way!

 

[dizneeat]

Yep...another clue is that on facebook my profile picture is Claire with a dolphin! LOL!
We really loved touching the dolphins. It is probably something I would've never ever done if Claire hadn't insisted in her cute, wrap Mommy around your finger way!

Yes, I saw that photo on facebook!

Your photos are really cute and I love seeing Claire being so excited about the encounter!

Thanks for sharing again, Jen! Shame about the card though!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Awesome!!!!!!!!! I was so hoping this was what you did!!!! I can't wait to see the rest! I feel so bad for you that you lost some of your pictures from this. I would have been really upset too. My pictures mean a lot to me and I know yours do too. What a bummer! What you do have though is great. You are very fortunate that you had two cameras so you didn't loose everything.

I have a question for you that I haven't been able to find the answer to anywhere. Do they have a bathroom on the boat that takes you to Blue Lagoon? That may sound weird, but I hate to get "trapped" on any kind of transportation for more than 10 minutes or so without a bathroom. My bladder has just never been the same since pregnancy and when I have to go, I have to go NOW! Sorry if that was TMI! I'm just really paranoid about it. And I know the fact that we are around all that water will only make it worse!

 

[jenseib]

Yes, I saw that photo on facebook!

Your photos are really cute and I love seeing Claire being so excited about the encounter!

Thanks for sharing again, Jen! Shame about the card though!

Thanks. I am bummed about he missing card, but at least the dolphin pictures were saved!

Awesome!!!!!!!!! I was so hoping this was what you did!!!! I can't wait to see the rest! I feel so bad for you that you lost some of your pictures from this. I would have been really upset too. My pictures mean a lot to me and I know yours do too. What a bummer! What you do have though is great. You are very fortunate that you had two cameras so you didn't loose everything.

I have a question for you that I haven't been able to find the answer to anywhere. Do they have a bathroom on the boat that takes you to Blue Lagoon? That may sound weird, but I hate to get "trapped" on any kind of transportation for more than 10 minutes or so without a bathroom. My bladder has just never been the same since pregnancy and when I have to go, I have to go NOW! Sorry if that was TMI! I'm just really paranoid about it. And I know the fact that we are around all that water will only make it worse!

Yes! I think if I remember right though, it didn't look the cleanest, but if you got to go, then you just make do. I remember a kid asking his Dad if he could use it and the Dad told him to wait.

 

[Tinkermom76]

Very cool, dolphins are neat. Can't wait to read more!!!

 

[kgundyfire]

This thread is great. Thanks so much for sharing all of this & taking the time to share it all. My husband's whole family (about 17 of us) will be going in Sept. It will be our first family cruise.

 

[jenseib]

Very cool, dolphins are neat. Can't wait to read more!!!

I'll try to get more today. We are going on a field trip to the park with Claire's class today, so if I get my next update done, it won't be till later today.

This thread is great. Thanks so much for sharing all of this & taking the time to share it all. My husband's whole family (about 17 of us) will be going in Sept. It will be our first family cruise.

thanks for reading along and WELCOME to the Dis!!!! You will have so much fun! I can't wait to go back!

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

Ahh!! I can't wait for more!! Dolphins are truly one of my favorite animals, and seeing the pictures that you took made me teary eyed. I hope you were able to get a good interaction. Dot looks absolutely beautiful. Sigh.

More please!