The McSparklesons are BACK and they are CRUISIN! COMPLETE 10/4

[KristiMc]

Originally Posted by jcarwash

Wasn't everyone on the ship from Ohio? Sure seemed that way.

Yes, I saw so many people from the Cleveland area.

[DizzyErin]

Kara, loving your TR as always

[CRdisMom]

awesome magic ms mcsparkleson! so the real question is does that dog tag still work for Ally? If so I WANT ONE!! LOL....with this warm weather my kids have become wanderers...

[karajeboo]

Originally Posted by KristiMc

Hey that is Shawn (kid with his chin on the railing) looking at the ship.

Funny thing about Ally seeing someone from your neighborhood - we did. At dinner the first night Shawn said - "Hey that kid rides my bus" - and I said, "Yea, right". Then the kid waved to Shawn. So we went over and I recognized the mom and she said to me hey your on the PTO. Small world.

Not only is that Shawn in the photo, but he is the one who came over and asked us to show him where the Oceaneers Club was on the model!!!!

Originally Posted by jcarwash

Wasn't everyone on the ship from Ohio? Sure seemed that way.

I know I saw one or two Buckeye shirts! I think packed more thinking they'd be in the NCAA final game!!! Even though I've moved a few times, I'm still a Buckeye at heart!

In fact, we met a man who was on a Celebration cruise with his family to celebrate his wife's life - she passed away last year from breast cancer. He currently lived in Columbus, OH, but he spent time in Anderson, SC which is just down the road from us. It really is a "small world" in so many ways.

Originally Posted by KristiMc

Yes, I saw so many people from the Cleveland area.

And C-bus, and Cincy......

Originally Posted by DizzyErin

Kara, loving your TR as always

Thanx Erin!!!

Originally Posted by CRdisMom

awesome magic ms mcsparkleson! so the real question is does that dog tag still work for Ally? If so I WANT ONE!! LOL....with this warm weather my kids have become wanderers...

Warm weather in Minneapolis? What, did it finally get above freezing???

[MAGICFOR2]

So much fun seeing your pics of the Terminal! It looks pozitively SPARKLY!!!! I love the SUPERSTAH pic. Can't wait to see the story for that one. Poor Ally

[CRdisMom]

yes the weather actually is warm enough for the Koi pond to be open. The ice should be going out any day now and we can get the docks in at the cabin. C'mon spring!

[JaxJags08]

Great start, Kara! I'm taking notes for the day I finally get to cruise on DCL...going to check prices now...

[Debbie6221]

Great report so far! Thanks for sharing!

[karajeboo]

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

So much fun seeing your pics of the Terminal! It looks pozitively SPARKLY!!!! I love the SUPERSTAH pic. Can't wait to see the story for that one. Poor Ally

The terminal was great but I can't imagine how crowded it will be for the Dream. They will need to stick to the check in times that are give out or else it will be a ZOO!!!!!

Originally Posted by CRdisMom

yes the weather actually is warm enough for the Koi pond to be open. The ice should be going out any day now and we can get the docks in at the cabin. C'mon spring!

I think our winter is over - should be consistently in the 70's now with an ocassional day in the 60's...... I don't think I could handle coming back to winter after this cruise...... I would revolt.

Originally Posted by JaxJags08

Great start, Kara! I'm taking notes for the day I finally get to cruise on DCL...going to check prices now...

I stopped by EL after the cruise to have lunch with friends! I was telling Jeff that you had been by there checking out the neighborhood. Another small world episode........ I'm telling you, DCL was the BEST vacation I've ever had!

Originally Posted by Debbie6221

Great report so far! Thanks for sharing!

Hey Girlfriend!!!! You know I love TRs!!!

[SoonerGirl]

Hi there! I followed the link in your siggy from the post you made on my PTR and thanks to your handy links I'm all caught up already!

I'm so glad I came over, aside from the fact that I'm absorbing everything I can find about cruises to prepare for ours, you are a very entertaining writer, I may have laughed out loud a few times, and I may now have a DH who is working across the room that thinks I'm nuts, but it's all good.

Can't wait to hear more!!

[soontobewed07]

Subbing to your trip report I cannot miss a McSparklesons trip report.

[luvndizny]

Hey!!!

Just catching up on your report...and noticed:



Those are the SUPER COOL awesome lanyard/id things you made us!!! No kidding, we were just about to go to the store onboard to see if they had any for sale because I immediately realized we'd made the mistake of not having something easy to carry our KTTW cards in!!! Then (enter sounds of heaven opening up....AAAHHHHH)...your FE gifts arrive! Woohoo! In this episode-The McSparklesons save the day! (Action figure sold separately...)

Seriously, I am so stealing that idea to give out as a FE on our next trip!

Oh and:



That's me and the kiddoes to the left (hubby was dropping off the car) checking in!

I am gonna start a TR this weekend...so enjoy reading yours and reliving our wonderful experience!!

[karajeboo]

Originally Posted by SoonerGirl

Hi there! I followed the link in your siggy from the post you made on my PTR and thanks to your handy links I'm all caught up already!

I'm so glad I came over, aside from the fact that I'm absorbing everything I can find about cruises to prepare for ours, you are a very entertaining writer, I may have laughed out loud a few times, and I may now have a DH who is working across the room that thinks I'm nuts, but it's all good.

Can't wait to hear more!!

Laughter, it's what's for dinner...... I love TRs because I can relive the whole trip. And I drag them waaaaaay out because just like the trip itself, I hate for it to end!

Originally Posted by soontobewed07

Subbing to your trip report I cannot miss a McSparklesons trip report.

No Ma'am you can NOT!

Originally Posted by luvndizny

Hey!!!

Just catching up on your report...and noticed:



Those are the SUPER COOL awesome lanyard/id things you made us!!! No kidding, we were just about to go to the store onboard to see if they had any for sale because I immediately realized we'd made the mistake of not having something easy to carry our KTTW cards in!!! Then (enter sounds of heaven opening up....AAAHHHHH)...your FE gifts arrive! Woohoo! In this episode-The McSparklesons save the day! (Action figure sold separately...)

Seriously, I am so stealing that idea to give out as a FE on our next trip!

Oh and:



That's me and the kiddoes to the left (hubby was dropping off the car) checking in!

I am gonna start a TR this weekend...so enjoy reading yours and reliving our wonderful experience!!

It's what we do. We stop speeding bullets, leap over buildings, and drop off FE gifts just in the nick of time! Whew! It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it, right?

I got the lanyards online and ordered just the exact amount for the adults, then I ordered for the kids later...... I did the design myself and had a BLAST attempting that for the first time. There was a bit of colorful language flying around from time to time but for the most part it wasn't too bad. Someone on the DISign board made the candy bar wrappers for me several weeks ago. I wanted to get the smaller bars, but couldn't get the design sized right, so it was to everyone's benefit that I had to get the big bars!

[karajeboo]

As soon as they announced our board group# 3, we were on our way. It was just OK, as in the OK Corral, as in we were HERDED through the gangway.... click links for video clips.....

Mooooo! VIDEO

Yes, you heard that right. I moo'd. I sure did. And I'd do it again...... So MOOOOOOO!

OK, now back to my 40's......

Boarding a Disney cruise looked like it was going to be just like the Haunted Mansion immediately upon exiting the elevator. Except the port never stretched. Not once. I don't think. Although it did have high ceilings.... but I digress..... (get used to it, it happens a lot!)

Once we squeezed through the funnel that is actually the giant Mickey head, we were in the holding pen. With 2 lines. Now fellow DISers, which line did I take???? The LEFT!!!! Duh! And the right line moved quicker.......

We're getting closer - go LEFT! VIDEO

As soon as we moved through the line where our KTTW cards were swiped, for the first of many times, although this time did not include an $8 Drink of the Day so it may have been the CHEAPEST swipe of the trip, we were asked to move in front of a DCL backdrop where we were photographed and fingerprinted. OK, so we weren't fingerprinted, but after the chipping of my child, the corraling, and now the quick quick quick photo, I was ready for anything, maybe even an ear tag for quick identifying later!!!

But FINALLY! Actually, it all happened in less than 5 minutes, it was a piece of cake...... And just like the Haunted Mansion, you have that initial cattle call after the elevator, then once you get into the queuing line, you are relatively safe from the crowds, then once in your own personal Doom Buggy, it's just you and the spirits.... Same thing boarding the Magic. Minus the hitchhikers.

We have the gangway to ourselves as we make our way onto the Magic for our INTRODUCTION!!!!

We are SOOOOO close! VIDEO

And I'll bet you really wanna know how we were introduced, don't you? Were we "The McSparkleson Family?" Were we "Superstaaaahhhhs?"

Well, this is how someone else was introduced:

Magic Introduction VIDEO

I really have no idea how we were introduced. I was crying. Again. For the second time that day. It was just so MAGICal. Yes, I really am that cheesy, but it's because it really was that magical!!!! I couldn't believe that the time had finally arrived. We were on our first Disney cruise!

So when we walked through the gangway and the CM asked me for our family name, the first thing I blurted out was.......

OUR NAME!!!!

And in hindsight, that may have been a good thing, because when we were still in the OK Corral, Ally grabbed my hand, looked me dead in the eye, and said..... "MOOO!"

OK, not really. She actually said, "Mama, PLEASE don't embarass me when we get on the ship." She was pleading with me with those big cow eyes (moooo!) and digging into my hand.

So obviously we were NOT too sexy for the Magic, and we were not even Superstaaaahhhs. But we will always sparkle.

And in my mind, I AM STILL A SUPERSTAAAHHHH!



We were met by a cast member to herd us (I really need to get out of the corral!) quickly out of the atrium, to make room for the next family. We knew immediately where we needed to be, so we quickly made our way up to Deck 9 and Topsiders. After all, it's now a little after noon and we have not eaten yet. And I'm HUNGRY!!!! Moooooo!



I would like to thank my family for allowing me to walk around all day with the hangar straps hanging out of my shirt. I feel so glamorous seeing this in all the photos.....

Our view from Topsiders looking out over the port.....

Norwegian Sun


Carnival Dream


Kennedy Space Center






And before long, my favorite cast member (or are they CRUISE members?) came by and offered me the Drink of the Day!!! He then took my KTTW card for the first of MANY swipes to made this trip.....

LIFE....IS.....GOOD!





We filled our plates and settled in to watch the, well, nothing really because we're not moving yet!





Heaven in a cup.....




UP next: Let's tour the Magic!

[jcarwash]

Originally Posted by karajeboo

Someone on the DISign board made the candy bar wrappers for me several weeks ago. I wanted to get the smaller bars, but couldn't get the design sized right, so it was to everyone's benefit that I had to get the big bars!

We really enjoyed the big bar. MMMMM.