The McSparklesons Sail the Magic... AGAIN! $500 Potato Chips! 3/13

[Wicket's Mom]

I freak out with those twisty high drives. When I was a kid I lived in New Mexico, would travel a lot to Arizona on some hair raising mountain roads.

I got really creeped at the Grand Canyon when we went in 2010. I can't go anywhere close to any kind of edge!

I love Ally's dress, the colors are so nice. At least if she doesn't like lobster that means more for you!

 

[podsnel]

You said put the plow in the ground.....lmao!

 

[podsnel]

I LOVE your Yosemite pics- We are all very excited to go next summer!!!!

I was so happy you got to tee off on that hole- such a cool birthday present- in addition to the bagpipes- awesome!

Great update on the cruise, too- lol-

 

[tony64]

Thanks for the update.

What does put the plow (Plough in English)in the ground mean???????
It's not an expression we use over here.

 

[RGirl]

Loved seeing your Cali pics!

And a great update. The pics of the Fantasy (was it the Fantasy? or the Dream? now I've forgotten ) were hilarious. Such a show-off giant beast of a ship.

It's funny reading your report while writing mine - it's like alternate worlds or something: the same, but not quite. Magic, Wonder, Wonder, Magic......

 

[disney debi]

Great update and mini TR! I guess it does mean there will be more lobster for you, such as shame she was switched at birth though. lol.

 

[tinkerbelltwins]

I loved your mini trippie of Northern California. We used to live out there and your photos made me miss it! The whole area from Big Sur up is absolutely beautiful. I'm with you, that drive on 120 is white knuckle sandwich time.

 

[karajeboo]

Thanks for the update.

What does put the plow (Plough in English)in the ground mean???????
It's not an expression we use over here.

It basically just means to suck it up and keep going..... If you stop you'll stop so "put the plow in the ground" and keep going........ You'll see why shortly.

 

[karajeboo]

This is exactly the same way I felt driving up Mt. Lemon in Tucson, AZ. My sister was driving and I was hanging onto the car door for dear life. It's a twisty drive up a mountain on a two lane road and although there are guardrails, I had no faith that those things would save us one bit should our rented economy car go hurtling towards one of them.

I also hate driving on the Taconic Parkway in New York, which we have to do when we go camping. It's small, it's twisty, it's super dark, there are rock faces on each side and deer that run across the road. I age every time we go on it.

Now I just drove up to Ohio yesterday and there's a spot in VA that has a beautiful lookout over the valley, and I was fine - I think I was more nervous that I was going to freak out, than I actually was when I drove it. But I'm a control freak - I was driving MY car and I was fine......

I have to stick up for Ally here. I love lobster - but the Mac and Cheese with the lobster was not a good dish. I'm not sure how you can screw up Mac and Cheese but they did.

I thought it was really good, therefore YOU are not my daughter either!!!

I freak out with those twisty high drives. When I was a kid I lived in New Mexico, would travel a lot to Arizona on some hair raising mountain roads.

I got really creeped at the Grand Canyon when we went in 2010. I can't go anywhere close to any kind of edge!

I love Ally's dress, the colors are so nice. At least if she doesn't like lobster that means more for you!

I'll walk right up to a dropoff and look down, it was just the drive. I had a check up with my family dr on Tuesday and he thinks it was a one time deal, due to some family stress right now. I sure hope so because that was the WORST feeling ever!!!

You said put the plow in the ground.....lmao!

I LOVE your Yosemite pics- We are all very excited to go next summer!!!!

I was so happy you got to tee off on that hole- such a cool birthday present- in addition to the bagpipes- awesome!

Great update on the cruise, too- lol-

Best birthday EVER!!!!

Loved seeing your Cali pics!

And a great update. The pics of the Fantasy (was it the Fantasy? or the Dream? now I've forgotten ) were hilarious. Such a show-off giant beast of a ship.

It's funny reading your report while writing mine - it's like alternate worlds or something: the same, but not quite. Magic, Wonder, Wonder, Magic......

Yes, it was the Fantasy, and she's beautiful - HUGE for a Disney ship, not so much by cruise industry standards..... We are cruising the Freedom of the Seas, built as the "largest cruise ship" in 2006 at about 150K tons and the Fantasy and Dream are each 120K tons...... Then there are the mega ships out there now...... But compared to the Magic and Wonder, yest, they are giant ships. And after doing only 4 nights on the Dream there is no way to see it all in such a short cruise, which is why we have the 7 night Fantasy booked next year.....

Great update and mini TR! I guess it does mean there will be more lobster for you, such as shame she was switched at birth though. lol.

Well, I know even more that she was switched at birth - I mean, puberty has made her an EVIL child!!!! Surely she's not mine!!!

I loved your mini trippie of Northern California. We used to live out there and your photos made me miss it! The whole area from Big Sur up is absolutely beautiful. I'm with you, that drive on 120 is white knuckle sandwich time.

Thank you!!!!! Even Jeff admitted to it being a scary drive, and he had control. Never never never never never never again!!!! Although we would like to go back to Yosemite and Monterey again, will NOT be heading in via 120.....

 

[RGirl]

"Yes, it was the Fantasy, and she's beautiful - HUGE for a Disney ship, not so much by cruise industry standards..... We are cruising the Freedom of the Seas, built as the "largest cruise ship" in 2006 at about 150K tons and the Fantasy and Dream are each 120K tons...... Then there are the mega ships out there now...... But compared to the Magic and Wonder, yest, they are giant ships. And after doing only 4 nights on the Dream there is no way to see it all in such a short cruise, which is why we have the 7 night Fantasy booked next year....."

I read a TR on here about one of those truly enormous ships - I would spend my whole cruise lost!!!

I may or may not have a DCL trip booked for next year too.

 

[karajeboo]

I read a TR on here about one of those truly enormous ships - I would spend my whole cruise lost!!!

I may or may not have a DCL trip booked for next year too.

Was it nenner1's TR about the Oasis? And what DCL cruise did you book???? Do tell!

 

[RGirl]

Was it nenner1's TR about the Oasis? And what DCL cruise did you book???? Do tell!

Yes!!!! It was fascinating! I am both intrigued and scared of a ship that huge.

I have to leave a little intrigue for my TR, don't I???? All will soon be revealed........

 

[tokyodisneydad]

Quick question...Maybe Ally can answer this one better. What kind of pins did the officers have for trading? Good ones? Special ones?

Somewhere behind my love for wine, Tokyo Disney SEA and my family...not necessarily in that order...is my love for pins. Though my collection is small(just over a 1000...667 of those are GOOFY) I do like to trade when I get a chance. Especially since trading is not allowed in the Japan parks.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

I will be staying away from those huge ships. I watched a program on PBS & they told how the large ships with all the decks were so top heavy they would easily tip over in high seas & a lot of wind!

Give me a small Disney ship!

 

[karajeboo]

Yes!!!! It was fascinating! I am both intrigued and scared of a ship that huge.

I have to leave a little intrigue for my TR, don't I???? All will soon be revealed........

Aw c'mon!!!! Don't leave me hangin!

Quick question...Maybe Ally can answer this one better. What kind of pins did the officers have for trading? Good ones? Special ones?

Somewhere behind my love for wine, Tokyo Disney SEA and my family...not necessarily in that order...is my love for pins. Though my collection is small(just over a 1000...667 of those are GOOFY) I do like to trade when I get a chance. Especially since trading is not allowed in the Japan parks.

No trading??? That's unAmerican! Wait, I guess that's okay in NOT America! lol They were decent pins, like what CMs might have in WDW. The CM pins and hidden Mickey pins...

I will be staying away from those huge ships. I watched a program on PBS & they told how the large ships with all the decks were so top heavy they would easily tip over in high seas & a lot of wind!

Give me a small Disney ship!

I watched the making of the Freedom of the Seas and the top decks are not iron like the bottom ones, to help compensate for this. So it keeps the weight down low. But I must have started dozing off because I can't remember if they were paper mache, cardboard or what....

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi Kara! Your Cali trip looks so amazing! I love SF - can't wait to go back someday. It is so cool you got to be at PB for your Birthday! How special.

Sorry about the panic episode. Jim has been dealing with some things like that too - not that he's had any stress. I hope things settle down soon for ou.

If you had to say good-bye to Jordan, at least you had a nice evening as you left him behind! Miss Ally looks especially pretty in that dress with her hair pulled back, BTW.

 

[Beth D]

Wow two TR in one!

LOVE LOVE the bagpiper! They just give me chills! That view of Pebble Beach is fantastic from hole 7#. Did you do the Tiger fist pump after your shot? I think you had a red shirt on!

I know what part of VA/NC you're talking about! It's right on 77 when you come in/or out of the mountains from WV isn't it? DH once drove the stretch from about Wheeling all the way down to NC at night in super dense fog. Even the semi's were only going about 40 MPH. He got about 30 feet off the bumper of a caravan of them and just followed their lights. That was all the further ahead you could see. WE figured that the truck drivers on their CB's would know about any bad spots and slow up before we could see anything.

 

[RGirl]

Aw c'mon!!!! Don't leave me hangin!

The pressure!!!!!

 

[jenseib]

Gosh the bag pipes birthday tribute was super awesome! Wit hteh fog and background, I almost thought you went to Scotland for it.

I am soaking up your TR now...and going to go back and reread...I know someone who recently booked the magic and I need to get more familiar with her now!

 

[karajeboo]

We were all up at guess what time? "Half past bright and early!"

It was another gorgeous day waking up onboard the Magic - but then again, even a bad day on the Magic is better than a good day back home!!!!

Ally wanted a sit down breakfast so we made our way to Lumiere's for a carb overload, to get ready for our day in Mexico!

I'm not even going to bother with descriptions of that food - cause it was, well, breakfast!!! And it was yummy, and fattening, and so bad for me, that I feel guilty even talking about it any more!!!

We passed this guy on our way up on deck....

He and Ally danced a bit...

Even Goofy is ready for a FIESTA today!

We headed up on deck and look who we see!!!!

We will be docking alongside the Fantasy for yet another FIRST!!! First time two Disney ships have been docked side by side in another port!

Not sure how long the Fantasy had been there, but passengers were waiting to see us arrive - it was sooooo crowded on that dock by the time we got in and we were debarking at the same time that all 4000 Fantasy passengers decided to debark! Crazy!

We met up with Tori and Molly on deck - these three spent a LOT of time together on this cruise!!!! Wait until you see what Ally and Molly did the last two nights!!!

And Ally was so happy in that pic...... <queue suspenseful music now>

Because it was right after I took THIS photo....

That Ally came out on deck (she and her pals had left for awhile while we were waiting on clearance from port authority)..... crying.... and said.....

"I lost the wave phone!"

Jeff still swears that Ally's arm came OUT of the socket at this time. Because I grabbed her, spun her around, and DRAGGED HER back into the ship to retrace her steps.

In case you don't know, it's $250 to replace a wave phone......

Tammi and Tori already knew it was missing - apparently Ally had put it in her pocket and at some point realized it was gone. Ally went to Tammi first, because she knew what kind of reaction she's get from Mama.....

So Tammi and Tori were already retracing. Then Tori hooked up with Jeff and I and helped us look, while Ally and Tammi looked in other areas.....

We all met up at our cabin about 15 minutes later and there it was, in our fish extender!!! So THANK YOU to whoever took the time to return it!!!

After all the drama with the wave phone, we relaxed a bit, and headed into our cabin to grab our day bag and head out for our day in Cozumel.

Check out our cabin steward across the hall, yelling to his friends on the Fantasy!

It was so obvious that everyone was excited to see other DCL ships in port....

We soon discovered this was a BIG day out in port for crew members. We saw a LOT of them debarking with us.

Right in front of us was the band that we saw several times in Rockin Bar D....

Trying to upload video now but having a problem. Anyone good with Macs? I've been uploading on my pc to youtube straight from my camcorder, but I deleted all the videos because they are on the Mac. Problem is, I can't seem to upload video clips to youtube from the Mac. It will only let me upload the full iMovies, but not clips....