5/24/03

[dizneykids]

i tried coordinating one for the sailaway last year, and it got quite hectic. if one is scheduled, i would recommend it for monday when we are at sea and there's not so much competing for our attention.

 

[digitalmom]

Boy, this thread is starting to get active. I am not offering to set up a meet but if we do end up trying to do one, we need to make it in a very clear and obvious place and I think that dizneykids is right about the day. On the past 2 cruises that the kids and I went on we tried to do meets but it didn't seem to work out for us. Both times they were scheduled on Saturday, either just before or just after we left port and it was way too hard to find the people and we never did find them.

 

[dizneykids]

there's really nothing to setting up a meet except finding a way to let people know WHERE to meet and HOW to meet. i've heard that a lot of groups suggest the sessions lounge during the day simply because it isn't used. however, i have an aversion to closed-in smoky places, so while it may be a good place to initially meet, it is not a good place to remain for me.

we could meet in front of sessions and then after a bit, go up to the pool area. that way, the kids aren't whining about us old folks yakking. i've got 3 boys...10 (nearly 11), 9 and 4. the older two may want to swim or just head to the club. the younger one would love pool time.

what do y'all think?

digitalmom....are y'all going to make it? i read on the other thread that it was up in the air.

 

[sara]

Welcome to all the "new" people! As the cruise gets closer, it's fun to really start planning. Now, I've been thinking about it for a year now. I am ready for spring!!!!!!

A meet does sound good. It's fun to put faces with names.

My exciting news....I finally got airline tickets. I've been waiting since July!!!
The times are perfect. Now, I just hope the airline doesn't change that. We are surprising the kids with something after the cruise. Let's see if I can keep it a secret from them. (doubt it)

Sara

 

[newhampshire4]

I agree... last time, our first cruise, everyone was supposed to meet on deck 9 during the sail away party, but that was as specific as it got - I think we were all first time cruisers, and someone read that deck 9 was "the" place to meet - well, someone forgot to mention there would be a few hundred people on deck 9 and never met anyone except for one family - and that was only because our daughters had a better plan than the adults did
..and of course, I know 4 girls from NH, NJ & CA who might already have their plan in the works... right girls?

 

[MagicInTheStars]

HI! I'm newhampshire4's kid. If you have any kids ages 13-15 going on the cruise 5/24 please let me know!

 

[digitalmom]

dizneykids - It looks pretty good that we will be there. We have been told by someone at the company that is doing the trip my 13 year old is going on that the tentative departure date from Atlanta is now June 1st instead of May 31st. My 13 year old said his teacher who is doing the trip wants to leave June 1st or 2nd, so hopefully they won't leave until June 1st at the earliest and I won't need to worry about getting him back to Atlanta in a hurry on May 31st . My husband is so positive that my 13 year old will be going with us that he has invited a friend of my 13 year old's to come with us. The parents are thinking about it. As for the 15 year old I just need to somehow get him to Destin or Panama City(Florida) from the port on that Saturday. The things you do for your kids. When I originally booked this trip, July 2001 I never thought that my kids would be doing things right after school got out. It seems the older the kids get, the busier they are. Also my husband is a firm believer in that if the kids have a opportunity to do something then he is going to try his hardest to get it to work out.

MagicIn TheStars - I will have 2, possibly 3 boys with me. My two boys will be 13 and almost 16 and we may have another 13 year old boy with us(a friend of my 13 year old's).

 

[dizneykids]

they know we're going on the cruise, they just won't (hopefully!) know that we're going to be in the walt suite until we board. my dh and i are trying very hard not to slip!

to make the day complete, we've decided to go on the disney bus out to the port. we're flying in late friday night (it's the kids' last day of school) and staying at the hyatt. it's more expensive for the 5 of us, but less hassle and more fun.

 

[NYdiscuisers]

If you are going to be in Florida the day before, you might want to keep an eye on this page. (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-115/index.html) As of today, there is a space shuttle launch scheduled for 5/23/03. No launch time is available.

We're hoping that we'll be able to see it, but don't get your hopes up too much, yet, as these things are easily delayed or rescheduled.

In memorium, http://www.nasa.gov/columbia/COL_memorial.html

 

[digitalmom]

If it does work out that there is a space shuttle launch May 23rd or even the 24th, I may have to rethink about only driving so far into Florida on Friday and driving the rest of the way to the port on Saturday. Even from the Atlanta area it is a long drive to the port and once it gets dark, I drive even slower. We'll just have to wait and see what happens with that date.

 

[sara]

Please, please, please let there be a space shuttle launch! That would be so cool!!! I'm trying not to get too excited. I've heard the joke about any day EXCEPT the scheduled day. I'll be watching the site for a time.

Sara

 

[dizneykids]

i finally had a chance to read this entire thread through from the start. i'm showing 11 cruising families (so far!), with a total of 18 (plus) children ranging in ages from clark3's 3 yo dd to digitalmom's 15 yo son.

in suggesting we meet on sunday, i totally forgot that on the western, we are in key west on sunday. now, the ship doesn't dock until around noon, but it may not be the best day for a meet. thoughts?

monday, we are at sea....may be a better fit for a meet. or...maybe we could meet quickly on sunday just so everyone can say "HI," then plan a pool-side meet on monday. thoughts?

there is a 7-day western navigator set posted at http://www.castawayclub.com/

newhamshire4...i, too, am a beth.

lmcastelli....i have a 10yo son as well, am going to have him (or his 9yo brother (16 months younger) start following the kids' thread....what are the ages of the kids in the other 2 families travelling with you?

jerseycruisers....is your 11yo son just 11 or an older 11? my 10yo will be turning 11 the week after the cruise.

finally, my dh is going to HATE me (probably my kids, too!) but i'm going to make the same offer i did on our last cruise...i know on our first couple dcl cruises, i desperately wanted to see one of the royal suites. so, we'll have an open house of sorts, so anyone who wants to come see the suite can. i need to work on the details, but am thinking monday sometime (after the cabin steward does his/her magic in picking up after us!).

btw...any pin traders in the group?

 

[sara]

dizneykids, how nice of you to offer your room for others to see! Hope your husband doesn't mind too much.

I'm not sure at all about meets. We've only been on the 4-day. There was a meet scheduled for sailaway, but we were too busy dancing away!!!! It would be nice to meet people earlier in the week. In case we should bump into one another later in the week. But, I'm no help as to when.

digital mom, glad things are working out for you.

Sara

 

[jerseycruisers]

Hi, JerseyCruiser's daughter! I'm 13. If there are any other teens going on the 5/24 cruise who want to get in touch, send me a PM. I've talked to Britt already.

dizneykids: My brother is 11 now and will turn 12 in July. He'd be glad to have a friend on the cruise.

Can't wait for the cruise!!



Chrissy

 

[newhampshire4]

Hi other Beth
That would be WONDERFUL to get a glimpse of the suite... wahoo
I know, I haven't gotten this itinerary in my head yet- I keep having to pull my confirmation sheet to help remember any sort of order of where we are going.... all I know is we HAVE to get to Castaway on Friday this time!
Sunday might be tough- not only is it Key West at noon, but in the morning, 1/3 of us could be at a character breakfast - so maybe sometime on Monday might work best. We'll have to take a peek at other Western cruise dates to see what they are doing for timing!?!
Beth

 

[newhampshire4]

...and no pin traders, although my husband was a panelist on Who Wants to Be a Mousketeer, and thinks his panelist pin is worth a million dollars, so he might sell for half a million ... lol!

 

[dizneykids]

well, not quite a million, beth, but it is hard to get one. i have one as i jumped up and down and was very loud so i'd be picked. would have rathered be a contestant, but there's always this cruise

okay, since this meet will be a come & go kind of thing, why don't we plan for 10am+ somewhere between the goofy pool and the mickey pool? then we can figure where we can best plop ourselves and still keep eyes on kids if necessary. then, assuming my kids don't drag me away for the shuffleboard tournie (assuming it is the same day/time on our cruise), i can take small groups down to see the suite.

my only request is that when we do find a place to rest, it's not in the direct sun unless absolutely necessary. i have problems with sun, even with loads of sunscreen, so i prefer to use my intense sun days for excursions.

oh, just thought of a way we can locate each other. i have a mickey auction paddle from disneyana a couple years ago. i'll just tape that somewhere.

 

[dizneykids]

i hate being on page 2!

 

[Skierkid546]

I am going on the the cruse with my mom (digitalmom) and I will be 13 and looking for some one that will be my age

 

[jerseycruisers]

Skierkid546: MagicInTheStars started a thread called *teens/common Ground!!* Feel free to post something there!