A WONDERful Christmas on the Mexican Riviera. 12/18/2011 Complete TR

[Dchachos]

You get the same prices through a TA, but travel agents give you better on board credit.

As a special education teacher, I particularly enjoyed reading how you dealt with your son's special needs. If I may ask, is he an aspy? If you prefer not to share that information I of course totally understand. All in all it sounds like both boys did great! I am glad you got some alone time, that is SO important for any parent!

I will keep your servers in mind, you can request a certain serving team and if they are on board you usually get them.



thanks again!
Charles

Charles

No both my boys have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: James' symptoms presents with a lot of the same characteristic as autism. Brendan's issues are more impulsively and no connection between cause and effect.

Before I got sick the second time I was on my way to earning a degree in special education and I did a paper on the commonalities of FAS and Autism and my conclusion was they are very close but we know what causes FAS where the cause autism is still a mystery.

And yes alone time is a precious commodity. Finding sitter for the boys has been a challenge in the past. They learned young, and I am not sure how, the easy way to scare off a sitter. We went through so many when they first came to me. Now I am lucky because I have three sitters who aren't frightened by their quirks.

Have a great day

Dianne

 

[twindaddy]

Charles

No both my boys have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: James' symptoms presents with a lot of the same characteristic as autism. Brendan's issues are more impulsively and no connection between cause and effect.

Before I got sick the second time I was on my way to earning a degree in special education and I did a paper on the commonalities of FAS and Autism and my conclusion was they are very close but we know what causes FAS where the cause autism is still a mystery.

And yes alone time is a precious commodity. Finding sitter for the boys has been a challenge in the past. They learned young, and I am not sure how, the easy way to scare off a sitter. We went through so many when they first came to me. Now I am lucky because I have three sitters who aren't frightened by their quirks.

Have a great day

Dianne

Ahhh, got it. That probably would have been my next guess. FAS presents itself in so many different ways, just like autism as you mentioned. That you took two child with special needs on a cruise by yourself should qualify you for some kind of award. If I had met you on the cruise, I would have hit up the cruise director to give you a free massage or something.

How was the staff at the Kids Club?

 

[Dchachos]

Ahhh, got it. That probably would have been my next guess. FAS presents itself in so many different ways, just like autism as you mentioned. That you took two child with special needs on a cruise by yourself should qualify you for some kind of award. If I had met you on the cruise, I would have hit up the cruise director to give you a free massage or something.

How was the staff at the Kids Club?

Well thank you, when we first became a family it would have been a little more difficult. After more than five years I can pretty much anticipate the behaviors, knowing what is coming really helps me either handle it right away or head it off.

The kids club staff was pretty good. There wasn't one that stood out more than any others. From what I could tell they all enjoyed being around children and had lots of energy which was a must because at times the club was packed. I'm not sure what the ratio of counselor to child was but it seemed better than some daycare centers I've used. There are tons of activities for the kids.

This is definitely a cruise for kids. Most of the activities were family or kid oriented. The adult only daytime activities centered around selling. How to have a flat stomach seminar in the spa: buy a product from the spa. How to make the most of your shopping at port. At night there was some bands or adult games however they ended by 11:30 maybe 12:00. The teenagers club went until 2:00am.

Hope you enjoy your cruise.

Dianne

 

[lilow]

What an amazing family vacation. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. I saw your link on our cruise discussion board. I enjoyed your report and all of your photos. Looks like you all had a great time! One can see you are an amazing mom!!!!

 

[EnchantedTikiGal]

The boys were taken off by the trainer and the parents were brought to an observation area. I could have bought a package where I could join in the swim but each child needed an adult with them. I was just as happy to watch.

Totally Loving your trip report! Thank you so much for sharing!

May I ask which dolphin package you bought for your boys? I cannot figure out any package where kids get to swim without parents in with them. Your guys are the same age as my little dude (9) and I know he'd much rather swim than just pet and feed them. Would love for him to be able to!

Thanks so much

 

[Dchachos]

What an amazing family vacation. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. I saw your link on our cruise discussion board. I enjoyed your report and all of your photos. Looks like you all had a great time! One can see you are an amazing mom!!!!

Thank you so much, I appreciate the kind words. Somedays I feel like Ursula because I spend the entire day yelling at my kids. I would much rather be Ariel. lol

And yes it wasn't just amazing it was magical. I so can't wait to do it again.

Everyday since we got back James (the oldest one) asks about what the people on the ship are doing. Last night he said "so tonight is Saturday that means the people on the boat are packing their things and getting sad because they have to get off in the morning, right? and then new people will get on and go to Mexico".

Have a great day

Dianne

 

[Dchachos]

Totally Loving your trip report! Thank you so much for sharing!

May I ask which dolphin package you bought for your boys? I cannot figure out any package where kids get to swim without parents in with them. Your guys are the same age as my little dude (9) and I know he'd much rather swim than just pet and feed them. Would love for him to be able to!

Thanks so much

Well thank you very much and glad to see that people are enjoying it and still reading it.

The dolphin excursions do get confusing. The one we used was Cabo Dolphin Kids. Hopefully this link will take you there. http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...ions/cabo-san-lucas-mexico/cabo-dolphin-kids/

I paid $105.00 per child. You might get it cheeper through the Cabo Dolphin Center. If you want pictures, and you will, budget $95.00 for 1 chilc or $139.00 for 2.

You might get a better deal going directly through them or through another vendor, I was to leary to book any excursion that were not through Disney. Only because if there was a problem I know who to deal with.

 

[betsy918]

Hi Diane! I'm loving your report and pictures, wishing we were all back on the ship! I hope you and your boys have many more trips to come!

 

[Dchachos]

Hi Diane! I'm loving your report and pictures, wishing we were all back on the ship! I hope you and your boys have many more trips to come!

Betsy

I am sooooo missing the cruise life today. We cleaned out both boys rooms and came up with a ton of toy to donate to charity and tons of things that needed to be thrown out. I am exhausted.

Glad your enjoying the report I don't know how far you got but your in the report.

I hope Mary-Grace enjoyed her cruise as much as my little men did. I would love to do the Feb cruise with you guys if the IRS gets my return to me before then we might be a last minute add on.

Nice to talk to you again.

Dianne

 

[betsy918]

Betsy

I am sooooo missing the cruise life today. We cleaned out both boys rooms and came up with a ton of toy to donate to charity and tons of things that needed to be thrown out. I am exhausted.

Glad your enjoying the report I don't know how far you got but your in the report.

I hope Mary-Grace enjoyed her cruise as much as my little men did. I would love to do the Feb cruise with you guys if the IRS gets my return to me before then we might be a last minute add on.

Nice to talk to you again.

Dianne

Hi There! Yes, it was fun to see my name included in your report! Mary-Grace and I talk about the cruise every day. Like your boys, we imagine what the people on the ship are doing right now. We are once again in count down mode. How great would that be if you got your check and could join us! Keeping my fingers crossed!
Betsy

 

[Inspired26]

After he got sick I laid some towels on the bathroom floor and brought his blanket in there because he was not sure if he was going to get sick again. My boys are always fighting yet I left the bathroom for a minute and came back to find this:

James is always saying he doesn’t like Brendan and loves to do the older brother torture treatment on him. I have evidence that her really cares.

What a proud mom moment!! That was so sweet.

 

[Dchachos]

Hi There! Yes, it was fun to see my name included in your report! Mary-Grace and I talk about the cruise every day. Like your boys, we imagine what the people on the ship are doing right now. We are once again in count down mode. How great would that be if you got your check and could join us! Keeping my fingers crossed!
Betsy

Betsy
I went in to check prices because most cruises are half as much as the Christmas one but the your Feb cruise must be sold out. Darn it! It would have been nice to go at the same time again.

Dianne

 

[Dchachos]

What a proud mom moment!! That was so sweet.

Yes it was a super proud mom moment AND I now have proof next time he tells me he doesn't like his brother. I keep telling him Aunt Esther is my best friend and someday you and Brendan will be best friends too. He says no and I just laugh.

Thank you for reading my TR

Dianne

 

[EnchantedTikiGal]

Well thank you very much and glad to see that people are enjoying it and still reading it.

The dolphin excursions do get confusing. The one we used was Cabo Dolphin Kids. Hopefully this link will take you there. http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...ions/cabo-san-lucas-mexico/cabo-dolphin-kids/

I paid $105.00 per child. You might get it cheeper through the Cabo Dolphin Center. If you want pictures, and you will, budget $95.00 for 1 chilc or $139.00 for 2.

You might get a better deal going directly through them or through another vendor, I was to leary to book any excursion that were not through Disney. Only because if there was a problem I know who to deal with.

Wow, thanks! I did not know the Dolphin kids included the chance to actually swim with the dolphins, none of the reviews or descriptions I've read said this! I've been debating whether to book Dolphin kids or Dolphin encounter, now I know to go with kids

I definitely will be booking through Disney, I'm too paranoid of troubles arising from booking otherwise, LOL.

Pics are definitely being budgeted for too, this is a once in a lifetime thing!


Ty again so much!

 

[betsy918]

Betsy
I went in to check prices because most cruises are half as much as the Christmas one but the your Feb cruise must be sold out. Darn it! It would have been nice to go at the same time again.

Dianne

Dianne...It's only showing sold out directly through Disney. I booked mine through cruisesonly.com They still have availability, I checked just yesterday.
Betsy

 

[Dchachos]

Wow, thanks! I did not know the Dolphin kids included the chance to actually swim with the dolphins, none of the reviews or descriptions I've read said this! I've been debating whether to book Dolphin kids or Dolphin encounter, now I know to go with kids

I definitely will be booking through Disney, I'm too paranoid of troubles arising from booking otherwise, LOL.

Pics are definitely being budgeted for too, this is a once in a lifetime thing!


Ty again so much!

Glad I could help and glad that you will budget the pictures in. You are right it is a once in a lifetime experience.

When Brendan got on the dolphin and rode it around I was a proud Mom, "that's my boy he's isn't scared of anything" then when James went almost at the end and I got a little teary eyed. He gets afraid of lots of things so I knew it was a big leap of faith for him. Even weeks later I smile when I think of how amazing that must have been for both of them.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I love answering because then I get to relive that part again.

Dianne

 

[dcperry]

Dianne I loved reading your travel report, it's interesting reading what others experiences were and what they did. LOL after looking at some of your pictures it hit me. I was taking pictures of everything and ended up with pictures of you and the boys in a lot of my Animators Palete pics.. I was also the same lady that helped James get his "5 shrimp" from the buffet when we boarded the ship. You have a beautiful family

 

[Dchachos]

Dianne I loved reading your travel report, it's interesting reading what others experiences were and what they did. LOL after looking at some of your pictures it hit me. I was taking pictures of everything and ended up with pictures of you and the boys in a lot of my Animators Palete pics.. I was also the same lady that helped James get his "5 shrimp" from the buffet when we boarded the ship. You have a beautiful family

I LOVE reading other TR from our cruise too. It's interesting to see what other people thought of the same experience .

I remember you helping him get his 5 shrimp, he is so funny that way. He just makes me smile when I think of his little quirks. Thank you for helping us. As a single mother with a handicap we find ourself in situations were we might need some extra help, so we really appreciated it .


Where you seated near us in Animator's Palate?

I love how freindly everyone not just CMs but other passengers were on the ship. It truly was a magical experience for us. I also thought it was funny that once the feet left the boat the nice was gone. People were pushing and cutting others off . Not everyone I was still under cruise glow magic. But it was fun to watch.

Dianne

 

[Hoosball]

sounds like fun! thanks for sharing.

 

[Dchachos]

sounds like fun! thanks for sharing.

It was the trip of a lifetime. Thank you for reading.

Dianne