March 17, 2012 Disney Magic Western Carribean

[jenthron]

So excited- it looks like there will be alot of kids close in age on this cruise! My twin girls are 6.5 and are so excited. It's great to see more 3-4 year olds for my DD Cora! Abby and Kara- will either of you have any of your kids in the kids club during excursion days?

 

[DetailGal]

My son is 8.5 and my daughter is 4. Sounds like our kids are just about the same ages. We also know another family (classmate of my daughter) who will be on this cruise. They have a 7 year old boy and 4 year old girl.

jenthron... i don't know how to quote more than one person in a new post..??

FLDisneyMom, that's awesome! your son and the other 7 y o are right at my boys ages and your 4 y o girls... perfect! maella will be 4 in may. will any of your kids or the other two go to kids club? jenthron... i hope the kids will go to scuttles cove on CC for at least a little while, just so we can enjoy a little alone time on the island. i don't think they'll go when we're at coz or grnd cayman, b/c i think we're just going to do all day beach days nearby. to both of you... i really hope my kids love kids club. i know if we could meet up on first day and help our kids acquaint themselves with at least a couple other kids with common interests, that'd really help them out. but again then it'll still depend on other kids going to kids club during some of the same times. i plan to start out by bringing them during times when activities are planned that they've already expressed an interest in (experiments, mystery hunt, crafts and so on). hoping to get them excited this way. then i know they'll need to go at one time when i scheduled a spa appt for the two of us. and i'd really love a few other moments of peace, so again, just really hoping they love it and ask to go. i hear many kids do but my oldest is shy and sometimes he sets the tone (whether or not i want him to). my 7 y o is outgoing and if he makes a friend, he'll want to go. same with my 3 y o, she'll love it. we are on late dining rotation right now, so unless our waitlist brings us up to first time slot... i'm wondering if my kids will go for the kids club at end of late dining (where they pull kids out quicker and let adults dine longer while kids go to club). they may be so exhausted that they wouldn't be able to handle another activity. not sure...

 

[DetailGal]

ok i have a question about delivery on FE gifts. i read someone say sometimes fe gifts are "lifted" from the FE's. IMO I think of FE's as i think of my stroller at WDW. i've never once had an issue and we always left bags in it with common items (not my camera or $).

if this is a concern - should we try to deliver at a time when we know someone will be coming or going in the near future? i read one person say they knock after they drop items?? i'd imagine most people wouldn't want a disruption if they're napping or their kid is sleeping. when i hear a knock i assume i HAVE to answer the door, now. but when your little one just fell asleep after 3 days of no naps... that might stink! =) so just curious what the thoughts are of those who've done this before?

kara

 

[FLDisneyMom]

So excited- it looks like there will be alot of kids close in age on this cruise! My twin girls are 6.5 and are so excited. It's great to see more 3-4 year olds for my DD Cora! Abby and Kara- will either of you have any of your kids in the kids club during excursion days?

Not sure yet. I know DD will be with me for a ship excursion in Grand Cayman while the boys do something else. We might leave DD behind in Cozumel but I'm not sure she'd like that and I think DH wants to do a family thing. I'm hoping my DD will do better in the kids club than she did on our last cruise 2 years ago. She'll be 5 in October. It will definitely help her to know other kids.

 

[FLDisneyMom]

we are on late dining rotation right now, so unless our waitlist brings us up to first time slot... i'm wondering if my kids will go for the kids club at end of late dining (where they pull kids out quicker and let adults dine longer while kids go to club). they may be so exhausted that they wouldn't be able to handle another activity. not sure...

We have late dining (by choice). From what I've read they take the kids to the kids club about 45min into dinner. We've had late dining in the past and DS has always gone to the kids club with no issues. Somehow kids just do things differently on cruises that may not be part of their usual schedule.

 

[tidefan]

Tidefan... can I ask you more about this? I was thinking about this as I was assembling gifts. Some of my items are lower value and so some age groups will have more than one item. Others might be getting just one item like maybe mom or dad (or adult). I'm kind of just figuring about $5 per stateroom. Is that somewhat how you decide what you'll do? I was thinking actually that my kids would probably enjoy delivering gifts on more than one occasion. So I wasn't sure if I should split up gifts kind of like you're talking about or if I should just do say kids early and adults later, so we get the experience of delivering them more than once. Would love to hear your thoughts as this is our first FE. Also, do most people put who it's from on the gift? Do they stick to dis id name, family name, stateroom?

As for a group meet on the first day...We would love to get together for that!

We usually stock up on Disney items throughout the year, and we distribute what we have. If that means we distribute on 2 or 3 days, then so be it. We have a blast doing it.

 

[BCGTURTLE]

My group would LOVE to meet up with everyone! We have all of our FE stuff purchased, just have to assmble!! Getting Suuupppeeerrr EXCITED!

 

[Wondermom1965]

ok i have a question about delivery on FE gifts. i read someone say sometimes fe gifts are "lifted" from the FE's. IMO I think of FE's as i think of my stroller at WDW. i've never once had an issue and we always left bags in it with common items (not my camera or $).

if this is a concern - should we try to deliver at a time when we know someone will be coming or going in the near future? i read one person say they knock after they drop items?? i'd imagine most people wouldn't want a disruption if they're napping or their kid is sleeping. when i hear a knock i assume i HAVE to answer the door, now. but when your little one just fell asleep after 3 days of no naps... that might stink! =) so just curious what the thoughts are of those who've done this before?

kara

I quess that could happen, but some people don't put their name on it, so it's hard to know if it was swiped or you were overlooked. I'm sure it's possible with tweens and teens running around not as supervised. I've never had anyone knock on the last three cruises, but we are usually in and out pretty quick. We can sometimes hear something outside of our door and find a treat when we look. Because you are back at your room often, there are lots of chances to collect your FE gifts and be back on your way. DD loves the surprise of it all. We do tie-wrap our Fish Extender down, just in case, because of what we read.

 

[Wondermom1965]

We usually stock up on Disney items throughout the year, and we distribute what we have. If that means we distribute on 2 or 3 days, then so be it. We have a blast doing it.

Us too! We are always thinking "This would be great for F.E.'s" Funny how Disney has changed the way we think and shop I had ours ready and then found more stuff. I will see what we can fit in suitcases with 7 days worth of stuff to take.

 

[Wondermom1965]

My group would LOVE to meet up with everyone! We have all of our FE stuff purchased, just have to assmble!! Getting Suuupppeeerrr EXCITED!

Can't wait to meet you all

 

[Wondermom1965]

13 Days till we are on the ship! It's gonna be St. Patrick's Day , don't forget your green!

 

[wilsonmago]

I am new on this board. My DD (6) and I are going to this cruise. My DW cancelled in the last minute due to some health issues. I am a little nervous about going on the 7 day cruise just two of us. My DD is 6 going on 7 in April. She is very shy. I am wondering if there are other similar aged girl she can play with and go to the kid's program together......

Thanks!

wilson

 

[BCGTURTLE]

I am new on this board. My DD (6) and I are going to this cruise. My DW cancelled in the last minute due to some health issues. I am a little nervous about going on the 7 day cruise just two of us. My DD is 6 going on 7 in April. She is very shy. I am wondering if there are other similar aged girl she can play with and go to the kid's program together......

Thanks!

wilson

Wilson, there are several little girls in that age range in the group! My little girl, Lucy, is 7 (8 in May) and her friend Anya, whose family is also traveling with us is 7 (8 in May). Several of us are meeting the first day of the cruise between 3:00-3:30pm. If you keep up with the thread, I'm sure you'll see the details when they are posted!

 

[jenthron]

Hi Wilson=
My twin daughters, Maddy and Emma, are both six and will be in the Kids Club probably most of the week! They will be 7 in September. They are not shy at all and I will let them know that they will have another playmate to get excited about. What is her name?
We'll be at the meet-up the first day as well.
Jen

 

[jenthron]

Have the room numbers for the FE's been emailed yet? I haven't received anything... Trying to figure out how to pack all of this stuff! Anyone have tips on what you DON'T need to bring? Maybe I can lighten our load!

 

[jenthron]

Has is been decided that we are meeting in the main lobby/atrium for the meet-up? Is that an obvious easy to find place?

 

[DetailGal]

Have the room numbers for the FE's been emailed yet? I haven't received anything... Trying to figure out how to pack all of this stuff! Anyone have tips on what you DON'T need to bring? Maybe I can lighten our load!

jenthron, i got an email with room numbers. make sure mommyofthreeboys has your email address. or you PM your email address if you like and i can forward the one i have.

there was one room # we didn't have yet... bcgturtle (hope i typed that right) your friends right?

I GOT MY FE GIFTS ALL DONE! Yay! I finished the mens gifts late last week, tied up loose ends with the kids stuff and over the weekend finished my handmade gift for the ladies. I plan to deliver all our gifts at one time, unless I feel differently once on the ship. But I think we'll do it all in one shot. Plus, most of my gifts are things that I think people would like to use while on the ship, so I will be delivering earlier in the cruise.

My bedroom is covered in piles of clothes. I've been packing for 3+ weeks already. Yes... my id is detailgal. =) I have two suitcases done... one is just FE gifts! =) Getting so excited!!!

Kara

 

[FLDisneyMom]

My bedroom is covered in piles of clothes. I've been packing for 3+ weeks already. Yes... my id is detailgal. =) I have two suitcases done... one is just FE gifts! =) Getting so excited!!!

Kara

My office/craft space is a disaster with things for the cruise all over the place. I keep trying to contain it to a box or two (haven't taken out the suitcases yet) but the pile keeps growing. Still working on coordinating clothes for pictures. Decided today that DS should probably have at least a blazer of some sort. Checked around online and will be running to JC Penny later today. I still need DH to try on his dress shirts and make sure they still fit!

We live in South Florida and are driving up on Friday after our kids get out of school. When it was just me and DH for a weekend out of Port Canaveral last fall we drove up the same day. However, I know that when we're leaving on a longer trip we *never* leave at the time we planned and it stresses me out. So in order to avoid that we decided to spend the night before near the port. I'm getting very excited (already trying to get DH to book the Fantasy for next Spring Break)!

 

[mommyofthreeboys]

Have the room numbers for the FE's been emailed yet? I haven't received anything...

PM me your email address and I will send it to you

Same goes for hkatmom. I don't have your email address to send you the final list.

Has is been decided that we are meeting in the main lobby/atrium for the meet-up? Is that an obvious easy to find place?

Or there is a lounge that might be a good meeting spot??? Promenade Lounge is where meets have occured in the past. Usually no one is there on the first day so its a good meeting spot because if people are there, chances are they are a part of the DIS group.

Anyone want to share a photo of yourselves so we know who to look for?

jenthron, i got an email with room numbers. make sure mommyofthreeboys has your email address. or you PM your email address if you like and i can forward the one i have.

there was one room # we didn't have yet... bcgturtle (hope i typed that right) your friends right?

Kara

The room number is 7125

 

[DetailGal]

promenade lounge 3-3:30 sounds good to us! my picture is next to my id. husband shaves his head and he's tall. kids all blonde.

thanks! kara