Coffee on the Verandah - Two by two - 5/21

[CarolynK]

SO funny your husband doctored your drinks! I'm sure it had to be done (I know we would have done the same thing--if I'm drinking, it better be strong enough to taste it!!). It's so nice when a cruise line allows alcohol to be brought on board (RCI doesn't - won't be cruising them again!).

Love all the DVC stuff, is this standard issue for members? I don't remember getting anything free when we cruised the Wonder....

Yaaayy for finding the retainer! What a break!!

[PracPerfPatricia]

So glad that Kendall's retainer was retrieved... wow that Disney Magic extends to all things doesn't it...

See that rum Jeff brought already came in handy... just barely off the shore...

Sorry but picturing Jeff giving narrative about Cape Canaveral ... funny I feel like I've been there.... different faces and place but similar tune out reaction...

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Mickcruiser

Muster drill is one of the three parts of cruising I could do without, waiting to board, muster drill, and getting off

Yes to all 3 although the cruise wouldn't happen without them so I guess we need them! Well except for the getting off part.

Originally Posted by Mndisneygirl

Yay - the retainer isn't lost!! So glad it didn't rain out your sail away.

We were very happy it was there!

Originally Posted by Mndisneygirl

Score on the DVC swag! We have the "old" logo hats. I used the tote bag to haul a lot of "extra" FE stuff off the ship with us! I think they need to pass out real luggage now.

I love that tote bag, it's extra large and I use it all the time!

Originally Posted by Mndisneygirl

Glad you had a few moments alone to enjoy a glass of wine etc. It seemed on those short cruises, we never had a minute to relax. I'm looking forward to a longer one with more time!

We definitely preferred the longer cruise. I can't imagine how short a 3 nighter would feel!

Originally Posted by Disney9.9.10

You must have been so relieved about the retainer! As someone who once wore them, I can say that I understand I love all of your sailing away photos too!

Very relieved about the retainer. I only had to wear mine at night so didn't have to deal with taking it out to eat, what a pita!

Originally Posted by glennbo123

Whew, thank goodness you were able to get the retainer back!

Sounds like a fun start to the cruise.

We were very relieved to have it back and be sailing away!

Originally Posted by EastYorkDisneyFan

Unfortuitly it's important for the safety of you and everyone else on the boat.

Yes it is. Much as I liked the comfort of the theater muster, I'm not sure people got as much out of it as the crowded one next to the lifeboats. It was so huge it was more like a social event than actual instruction giving.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by MEK

So, so glad the retainer was easily retrievable. Yeah!

YAY is right!

Originally Posted by MEK

Kendall looks so cute with he B-day decoration as a Hat. Too cute!

I love the pictures from the verandah. I hope I am on the right side of the ship for that. Pretty sure I am.

I love that picture of her. I think you are on the right side of the ship for that as well, which side are you on again?

Originally Posted by MEK

Doctored drinks - something I would do for sure.

So - how does the cruise line know you are DVC members? I booked through AAA. Does she add that to my reservation as a reminder?

Looking forward to more.

Yep, you would. Doctor the drinks that is. DCL "knows" but who knows how they know. Lots of speculation about it. Some folks have said they didn't get magnets and if you call, they don't add DVC to your ressie but somehow the system seems to know. AAA wouldn't add it I don't think but you can ask. If for some reason you don't have a magnet though, stop by the DVC desk or one of their events and you can get one plus all kinds of free swag.

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

Okay, I can sleep now - Kendall has her retaiiner. The sail away is not really my thing as far as the mosh pit, but I enjoy the event from up above anyway. Nice start, now that you've dumped your offensive ice out.

Mosh pit that is SO exactly it! How funny. We did enjoy it from above and away from the crush.

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

Thank goodness for attentive CM's.

Thank goodness is right!

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

Without coffee?

For now

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

Don't tell anybody, but I think watching the ship in action and the scenery rolling by is more interesting than the party.

Your secret is safe with me!

Originally Posted by Angies1274

Whew! So glad the retainer was found!!

Me too!

Originally Posted by Angies1274

Kendall's birthday gift was so cute!!

Great start to the cruise so far! Can't wait to read more!!

It was pricey but the look on her face was worth it. Pretty horrible cake though.

Originally Posted by rentayenta

Yay on the swag.

Swag is always good!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Moira222

it has taken me three days to finish catching up with all these interruptions.

I know the feeling! I think I've ready maybe 5-6 other TR updates that I haven't been able to comment on. Hopefully over the weekend!

Originally Posted by Moira222

Sorry for to myself about the whole beer/wine/ice fiasco. Very good of you to not lay on the "told you so's" right after. aaaaaggghhhh

It was funny, but COLD!

Originally Posted by Moira222

I am SO GLAD that the retainer was not lost. The ending of that post had me dreading the next bit. YAY for Disney knowing that kids will be kids!

Muster sounds like something I could do without but at least its over and done.

Muster was really painless. More so as we had a retainer back in hand. Or mouth. LOL!

Originally Posted by Moira222

I still think its great that you can comfortably part ways for a few hours and then meet back up again with everyone. and SCORE on the cute hats at the DVC desk. Bet those come in handy!

The ship looks so pretty inside. I would love all the live entertainment.

Thanks for the heads up on the new TR. I am so anxious to see these Halloween costumes....

The kids LOVE DCL, it is a level of freedom they don't normally get. We hardly see them at all and they are all old enough to have it work out well. Plus we have some systems to track them and touch base between the white board on our door and the wave phones. Doesn't mean we didn't lose them more than once though. Ultimately though we always knew they were ok and relatively easily found.

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

OMG what luck on the retainer front. Thank goodness!!

No kidding, it was a stressful moment!

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

Love that you doctored the DOTD. I would have purchased just for the glass too!!

I'm glad we have the glasses. Not that I've used them or anything but they are still fun to have! Jeff kept wondering if I'd bought non alcoholic versions.

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

So far I'm sold on the cruise experience? Looking forward to learning more.

Oh I think you would love it, especially the newer boats as they have really done an amazing job expanding the adult only lounge and entertainment areas. Just wonderful! There is a champagne bar on the Dream that has your name on it.

Originally Posted by CarolynK

SO funny your husband doctored your drinks! I'm sure it had to be done (I know we would have done the same thing--if I'm drinking, it better be strong enough to taste it!!). It's so nice when a cruise line allows alcohol to be brought on board (RCI doesn't - won't be cruising them again!).

It did taste like they'd given us N/A versions. Supposedly not but really you couldn't taste a thing. Even with bringing what we did on board, we still spent plenty. DCL wins in the big picture by allowing it for sure.

Originally Posted by CarolynK

Love all the DVC stuff, is this standard issue for members? I don't remember getting anything free when we cruised the Wonder....

Standard issue was the magnet and lanyards. The rest you had to stop by the desk for or go to an event.

Originally Posted by CarolynK

Yaaayy for finding the retainer! What a break!!

We were SO relieved!

Originally Posted by PracPerfPatricia

So glad that Kendall's retainer was retrieved... wow that Disney Magic extends to all things doesn't it...

It does! Serious birthday pixie dust.

Originally Posted by PracPerfPatricia

See that rum Jeff brought already came in handy... just barely off the shore...

Must be the boy scout in him, always prepared!

Originally Posted by PracPerfPatricia

Sorry but picturing Jeff giving narrative about Cape Canaveral ... funny I feel like I've been there.... different faces and place but similar tune out reaction...

I bet! It was really fun though and I think we all enjoyed it more than the party to be honest.

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Yes it is. Much as I liked the comfort of the theater muster, I'm not sure people got as much out of it as the crowded one next to the lifeboats. It was so huge it was more like a social event than actual instruction giving.

It's funny you say that as out of the three I've been to only one everyone paid attention to it as standing next to our group was a police officer from the marine unit in San Pedro. It was before the 2008 east bound Panama Canal cruise, and the muster position I was assigned to was right beside where they had the gang way.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by EastYorkDisneyFan

It's funny you say that as out of the three I've been to only one everyone paid attention to it as standing next to our group was a police officer from the marine unit in San Pedro. It was before the 2008 east bound Panama Canal cruise, and the muster position I was assigned to was right beside where they had the gang way.

Oh how funny! We paid more attention on the Wonder simply as 1) we are all squished together and 2) the CM made us repeat EVERYTHING out loud. She was really good, and funny too!

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Oh how funny! We paid more attention on the Wonder simply as 1) we are all squished together and 2) the CM made us repeat EVERYTHING out loud. She was really good, and funny too!

Also people were cracking jokes to and asking him things about the drill too.

[eandesmom]

I wanted to take a moment to remember a very special DISer. This week we lost one of our own, she was known and loved by many on this board.

I first met Tracy (manntra) on the DIS back in 2011 when we were putting together a girls trip for the Flower and Garden festival. Tracy was a poster on many TR’s, but didn't write any of her own as far as I know and I came to know her first through her witty comments on other TR’s and then on my own. I have so many memories of that trip and of Tracy that it’ is hard to single them out but a few things come to mind. She loved Disney. She was a DVC owner and used her membership for trips for herself and for her family, especially her niece Brielle. Animal Kingdom Lodge was her home and she had a special love for everything about it. Our trip had us all staying at Beach Club Villas and I can’t tell you how much fun we all had lounging at the pool, wining and dining all over Disney. She helped introduce me to several new restaurants and we had a shared love of wine, with very similar palettes. Some unique things happened on that trip. We were all together, just leaving dinner, when we found out Osama had been killed. We all ended up back at BCV, like a slumber party, watching the news. It was surreal. We also did the Wild Africa Trek together, one of my favorite pictures of Tracy is from this Trek.



Having a lovely lunch



All of us being animals



Who knew that less than a year later she would be diagnosed with cancer and have to postpone her trip for the Flower and Garden Festival. She tackled her cancer as she tackled everything, fighting it "“like a girl”" to win her battle. She was able to get " “clearance”" as she put it, to go on her October trip for food and wine, literally having treatments right up until the trip with surgery scheduled after.

Mary Ellen had arranged with Tracy for us to have breakfast together, just the 3 of us and I will forever be grateful that she did so. It was a yummy breakfast (the buffet at The Wave has some amazing and unique options, yum!) and it was so wonderful to see her. She was in great spirits and other than being thin, you really would not have known she was sick at all. We had picked up a little gift for her that seemed fitting.



Turns out she had been wanting that specific pillow and hadn't been able to find it. Pixie Dust! Pixie Dust abounded for her on the trip. From special safaris arranged by Melissa and Christine to all kinds of magical things, Disney letting her apply the unused tickets from the cancelled trip and upgrading them at the same time, all kinds of little things that really added up to a whole lotta love all around. After breakfast we headed over to our big DIS meet and you can see just how happy she looks. Later in the week she did tire I know and ended up getting a wheelchair for some of the trip but my goodness, you'’d never have known.



I have to share my last memory, and visit with Tracy. The next day, Mary Ellen and I had planned to pool hop to the Poly. Little did we know several other DISers had the same idea. Tracy, her friend Kathy and her niece Brielle being one of them. It was such a pleasant surprise to get set up in our loungers and realize they were just in front of us!

Tracy had mentioned during breakfast that the feeling of clothing on her scar from her surgery really bothered her so she was wearing bikini’s. It was an impressive scar, running all the way down her front. I will never forget beautiful Tracy, rocking that bikini, scar and all and just being so happy and comfortable with herself and wearing her battle for the world to see and admire. Standing at the end of the pool, listening to her niece scream her head off as she went down the slide, just doing the everyday things that vacation is all about, will always stay with me as such a beautiful happy moment. She had another 8 days at the world after my last visit with her I think and I know made amazing memories for herself, and everyone around her. Sadly after the trip, she learned her tumor was now inoperable. Even knowing that, I couldn't have imagined things would happen this soon.

When I learned that Tracy had started hospice I rushed to try and get our photopass share together and out to her. It was just over a week later that she passed, from us learning that she had started hospice. The speed in which it happened was surreal. I know she was able to see the pictures online, not sure if she saw the actual ones again but do know that her niece knows they are there and will get them if she ’hasn't already. When I heard the news on Wednesday I was in shock. Jeff and I decided to go out for dinner while Eric was at scouts (instead of the gym) and raised a Margarita glass to her, spending our dinner chatting about my memories of her. While chatting I went to FB to pull up a picture to show him and stumbled across some old facebook emails between the two of us, back from much earlier in her diagnoses. We had chatted quite a bit, my ex having had brain cancer, I know how hard it can be to try to be strong for those around you during something like this and Tracy really was the rock for a lot of folks and that’s hard to keep up. Finding those emails and re-reading her words was a very special parting gift to me.

Rest in peace my friend, you will be missed but never forgotten



I can't sell you those points

[Mndisneygirl]

Well said, Cynthia! Thank you for sharing some of those special memories with us! That pillow is great and your pictures were wonderful


To Tracy:

[dizneeat]

What a moving tribute, Cynthia!

Thank you so much for sharing your memories with us all. From the photos you posted it looks so unbelievable that after just a few short months she would leave us all and go to a better place.

[Disney9.9.10]

That post was beautiful Cynthia. Tracy and her family will be in my thoughts… I cannot imagine what they must be going through right now. I never got to know her, but Tracy sounds like she was an amazing person.

[Disney9.9.10]

On an unrelated note, will you be doing a TR for your Aulani trip?

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Mndisneygirl

Well said, Cynthia! Thank you for sharing some of those special memories with us! That pillow is great and your pictures were wonderful


To Tracy:

To Tracy!

Originally Posted by dizneeat

What a moving tribute, Cynthia!

Thank you so much for sharing your memories with us all. From the photos you posted it looks so unbelievable that after just a few short months she would leave us all and go to a better place.

She really was glowing with happiness, such a wonderful way to remember her. I imagine she hid a lot, she was used to having to seem strong for others but you can't fake that kind of joy.

Originally Posted by Disney9.9.10

That post was beautiful Cynthia. Tracy and her family will be in my thoughts… I cannot imagine what they must be going through right now. I never got to know her, but Tracy sounds like she was an amazing person.

I can't imagine. I know they were all very close and hope that they can really be there for each other.

Originally Posted by Disney9.9.10

On an unrelated note, will you be doing a TR for your Aulani trip?

Yes! Not sure yet if I will do a PTR, I will have a small update on the trip in my next update though!

[KatMark]

I am sitting here in tears...what a beautiful tribute to Tracy. Thank you for sharing your memories of a special DISer.