"Wonder"ing through the Panama Canal Dec 2012 - updated 7/1/12

[slstacey]

I have also booked a trip on this Disney Cruise thru the Panama canal and need to try and get my son excused from school. I am just wondering what your angle was to your school and if you were successful! I have never done this before and I am a bit nervous as he just cannot afford a 10 day unexcused absence! Thanks! Susan

[dthogue]

Originally Posted by slstacey

I have also booked a trip on this Disney Cruise thru the Panama canal and need to try and get my son excused from school. I am just wondering what your angle was to your school and if you were successful! I have never done this before and I am a bit nervous as he just cannot afford a 10 day unexcused absence! Thanks! Susan

How old is your DS?

Our school allows 10 days excused absence for educational trips. I have never had a problem getting any of my children excused. We have to list the educational value of the trip - we do the standard learning about the culture and customs of other countries, being able to practice Spanish skills with those who speak it as their native language. We will be visiting the Mayan Ruins and having lunch with an Mayan Family. I also told them about the seminars that Disney has regarding the building of the Canal and how that seeing the canal first hand is something that you can't see in a classroom. We will be ziplining and learning about the jungle, riding a camel and learning about the islands, and of course the hisroty of several new countries.

Hope that helps.

[dthogue]

Wow - time has flown by - we are 3 weeks and 6 days from the cruise. Several plans have changed...

After several flight changes with United, and an unexpected credit from Southwest that needed to be used or lost, we change our flights to BWI and Southwest. I feel so much better about this flight than the United flight. we usually fly out of BWI and are much more comfortable with that than PHL. We will be driving down Friday night and staying at the Comfort Suites and will fly out at 6:55am Saturday morning. We have a connection in Las Vegas and should arrive at LAX about 12:30pm.

I booked Super Shuttle as our transportation from the airport to our Hollywood Hotel and then on Sunday to get us to the port.

Our FE exchange has grown to 76 cabins and over 200 participants. My gifts are all done and ready for final packing.

Formal and Semi-Formal clothes have been decided upon and everything has been purchased. I need to pick up a few things for me, but other than that all the clothing items are ready to be pack.

Excursions have been booked and deposits made if needed. We will be zipling, taking a camel adventure, visiting the ruins and a segway tour. It is going to be a busy 2 weeks.

I did start gathering items to be packed - I will start with the suticase either this week or next. That should be fun.

Other than that, I think we are ready to go as we can be at this point.

[cherrybaby]

Hi, we have just booked this cruise for our family of five and I would really like to know if it is not to late to get involved in some of the exchanges such as the ornament or if there is any meet ups, etc...We have cruised three times before with Disney but this will be the longest voyage. I would love to connect with others and be a part of the fun before we even get on the ship!

[Jeff Spencer]

Hi,

It's not too late for some things, it is for some others. Hop on over to our cruise thread and introduce yourself. The ornament exchange is open, I see you've already signed up for name cards. There are several meets planned. Check out the "Meets" tab on our cruise web site, which is linked below.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread....8#post46681588