Nov. 28, 2009 Western - Post Thanksgiving Relaxation Cruise

[Eeyore'sthebest]

And okay, I'll jump in with the GTKY stuff some more.

Me - Mom, Wife, Compliance officer, Girl Scout leader. That about sums it up. No time for anything else. I work in NYC. Love the environment, hate the commute. Love to camp, especially FW.

DH - Stay at home dad due to being disabled. We've actually reversed roles. He is a plumber by trade but not your typical toilet guy. He used to repair large, industrial pumps. He can create, build, repair, fix, juryrig just about anything. His nickname is MacGyver. The school loves him (small, Catholic one). They found out about his skills and if he walks down the hallway he is dragged into classrooms to fix things. Anyway, he rides his motorcycle when he can, loves to flea market and camp. The original Disney fan. He recalls camping at FW when it first opened and pretty much spent most of his childhood at Disney. He's the one that got me hooked. So if you want to hear stories, he's the guy to go to.

DD - She's 9. Smart kid, sweet kid and a hidden sharp wit that she only takes out when she needs it (or at least we're working on that). It sometimes gets her in trouble and sometimes has me laughing so hard that my stomach hurts (don't tell her I said that). She loves, loves, loves to dance. She takes 3 classes a week and would take more if it fit into her schedule. She made the dance team this past summer and got to dance with at Ellis Island. She also takes Karate and has just started basketball. Oh yeah and of course girl scouts. She liked princesses but was never really "into them". Give her a good power ranger any day of the week.

 

[jd99]

Hello...I'm on the Nov 28 Magic Western Caribbean cruise . First time cruising with Disney. I'm a divorced mom, age 39, traveling with my two children...daughter, 17, and son, 12. We are so excited! Are there any other single parents traveling with kids? I'd like to meet some single adults to socialize with. My friend @ work is a Disney addict and talked me into taking a Disney cruise this year. She also directed me to this site to meet some of my fellow cruisers. I have cruised before with Carnival and Royal Caribbean. I have only heard wonderful things about the Disney cruises and I'm getting more excited as our sail date draws nearer.

Welcome! As Allison mentioned, we are having a cruisemates meet on the first day (Saturday) at 2:45 p.m. in the Promenade Lounge. This will give folks a chance to meet and kids to hook up with others their age before the boat drill, sailaway party and all the fun begins. Join us. Just send an email to me at jeffd99@yahoo.com with your names and ages of kids as I am compiling a list that I'll send out a couple of weeks before the cruise.

 

[jd99]

And okay, I'll jump in with the GTKY stuff some more.

Me - Mom, Wife, Compliance officer, Girl Scout leader. That about sums it up. No time for anything else. I work in NYC. Love the environment, hate the commute. Love to camp, especially FW.

DH - Stay at home dad due to being disabled. We've actually reversed roles. He is a plumber by trade but not your typical toilet guy. He used to repair large, industrial pumps. He can create, build, repair, fix, juryrig just about anything. His nickname is MacGyver. The school loves him (small, Catholic one). They found out about his skills and if he walks down the hallway he is dragged into classrooms to fix things. Anyway, he rides his motorcycle when he can, loves to flea market and camp. The original Disney fan. He recalls camping at FW when it first opened and pretty much spent most of his childhood at Disney. He's the one that got me hooked. So if you want to hear stories, he's the guy to go to.

DD - She's 9. Smart kid, sweet kid and a hidden sharp wit that she only takes out when she needs it (or at least we're working on that). It sometimes gets her in trouble and sometimes has me laughing so hard that my stomach hurts (don't tell her I said that). She loves, loves, loves to dance. She takes 3 classes a week and would take more if it fit into her schedule. She made the dance team this past summer and got to dance with at Ellis Island. She also takes Karate and has just started basketball. Oh yeah and of course girl scouts. She liked princesses but was never really "into them". Give her a good power ranger any day of the week.

Allison
It's too bad our girls will be in different groups at the clubs since they seem to have a lot in common. Sports, dance, girl scouts, shyness, wit, a little princess aversion... Well maybe they can hook up at the pool or playing ping pong or hoops together.

 

[jd99]

Not to steal from Allison, but...

One Month from Today and we'll be sailing toward Key West
Southernmost point of the US
Duval Street
Amazing sunsets
Snorkeling
Shopping
Mallory Pier and all the weirdness there
Sloppy Joe's Bar
Ernest Hemingway's house
Six toed cats
Wild roosters
Key Lime Pie

Maybe you have a Palo brunch reservation.
Getting into the rhythm of life on the ship.

I'm getting to be too excited to sleep.

 

[Griffith6]

Not to steal from Allison, but...

One Month from Today and we'll be sailing toward Key West
Southernmost point of the US
Duval Street
Amazing sunsets
Snorkeling
Shopping
Mallory Pier and all the weirdness there
Sloppy Joe's Bar
Ernest Hemingway's house
Six toed cats
Wild roosters
Key Lime Pie

Maybe you have a Palo brunch reservation.
Getting into the rhythm of life on the ship.

I'm getting to be too excited to sleep.

Jeff - I was thinking we would stay on the ship at Key West and enjoy pools. Anything on the list above that is fun for younger families? We have Palo that morning and thinking kids will enjoy pools and maybe kids clubs for a bit. Since you are the veteran, curious your feedback on Key West.

Debbie

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

One Month from Today and we'll be sailing toward Key West

I was thinking this today when I was getting my third cup of coffee. I really need a vacation.

 

[jd99]

Jeff - I was thinking we would stay on the ship at Key West and enjoy pools. Anything on the list above that is fun for younger families? We have Palo that morning and thinking kids will enjoy pools and maybe kids clubs for a bit. Since you are the veteran, curious your feedback on Key West.

Debbie

Oh we have been there done that with Key West so we actually booked a snorkeling excursion. I'd say you don't miss much by staying on the ship. But it's really really easy to just slip off for an hour or so and get a piece of key lime pie. Last year, we actually went to the aquarium which was really nice for the kids. They had a touch tank, demonstrations, we saw sharks, and a bunch of other stuff. If you've never been, you should get off the ship for just a short period of time and then get back and enjoy the pools. That's what we did last year.

 

[suzannecat]

The kids...hmm...

David is 11 1/2. He's loved all things Disney since he was little. We actually used the Disney Cruise we took when he was a toddler as an incentive for potty- trining (Mickey doesn't like diapers, we'd tell him, you have to use the potty to go to the kids club...). Of course, being a pre-teen now and all,he won't admit to loving Disney quite as much, but deep inside he still does. He's pretty active- soccer, Boy Scouts, gymnastics, and dance. He takes a combo class tap, ballet and hip-hop and he just joined a local competitive team for hiphop. His 15 minuts (seconds?) of fame came a few years ago while we were on vacation at Atlantis. Regis and Kelly were filming there that week and he got picked to be in their "Dancing with the Fans" segment. Spent half a week learning the dance with a Broadway choreographer in a conference room instead of going on the water slides. Pretty cool- hubby put the clip on Utube. We never know what we're going to get with him. Sometimes he's shy and very moody- other times very lively and bouncing off the walls.

Eliana is 6 going on 16. She's a real character. She loves the princesses and Hannah Montana and especially loves dressing up, imaginative play, etc. A real actress in training. She spent last night at David's dance class Halloween party jumping all around hamming it up in front of all the older kids. She does soccer and gymnastics too, but more for the social aspect and to just be able to let out a little extra energy than for the "sport" of it. She's really looking forward to the kids clubs!

Hubby- well, he likes both cruises and Disney but thinks I'm a little crazy with it all. He's a fun guy, much more of an extrovert than I am. He does computer IT stuff for an online travel agency.

 

[kmccoy]

Hi MSGLDV,
Just thought I would let you know that I too am a divorce Mom traveling on the cruise. I have 2 daughters ages 8 and 3. My Mom will be traveling with us though. Hopefully we will see you at the meet.
Kim

 

[DisneyCrunch]

It's great to see some new "faces" WELCOME!!! Stick around

More GTKY:

I'm a stay at home mom. Have been for almost 11 years now. I usually have a part time job to keep me busy--I made pizza for awhile and right now I am on hiatus from a job at a cool cafe where I barista up the best espresso drniks known to man (at least I'm humble ) and dole out amazing hand made pastries...I fancy myself a coffee snob as well as a beer snob. I hate the winter and don't know why I live in VT (actually I know why: because my hubby likes it here and it's not too far from my sister and parents in CT) Some of my favorite subjects are birth, parenting, and education though I don't suggest getting me started I'm looking forward to an insane winter with three Disney vacations (I don't know whose life I just woke up in cause it's not mine!) and lots of snowboarding. I really hope to find work doing anything--even scrubbing toilets -- for a software company in the next year.

Hubby is working as a pizza maker right now--not a sign of what he wants to do with his life as much as it is a sign of the state of the job market in VT. He's spent most of the last 10 years working for a big ski mountain in our area in a few different positions but usually one in which he spent the bulk of the day on his snowboard. His dream is to open a skateboard park and I encourage him every single day to move forward move forward move forward.

My oldest, she's almost 11. She's one in a million that kid. She's a total spitfire although she's mellowed quite a bit in her "old age." She was born on x-mas--the first grandchild on both sides--my husband's parents are Jewish...It's just like her. She is also a big dancer--hip hop these days although she isn't taking any classes--she's chosen gymnastics classes at the moment. She's a tiny little thing (you'll guess her to be 8) and she's all energy, muscle, and grace. She's an extreme extreme extrovert, she's everything "girl", and she never stops moving OR talking. She's my polar opposite in so many ways and yet I see myself in her all the time too.

My middle is my sweet boy who is 7. He's my most sensitive kid, but you wouldn't always know it (especially by the way he acts towards his little sister these days ) He has a lot of rules for the way things should be and if you break these rules he's quite offended--unfortunately he won't tell you the rules . He's shy till he warms up to you but it doesn't take long. He loves--LIVES--to skateboard and he's really good at it for a wee dude. He's very artistic and he adores "nature"--plants and bugs and critters. I think he's the most like me of all my kids.

My third--my 5 year old daughter-- is a total nutcake. She is hilarious and so fun and can also be so infuriating! She's whip smart--too smart for her own good I think. She has these curls and these big blue eyes and she totally suckers people in. Watch out for her She likes a lot of what her older siblings like. She's all energy too, like her big sister--her energy is just a bit more chaotic. She's very social and loves making new friends. She's really looking forward to meeting some princesses. She just came over and asked me to insert that smiley She hasn't settled into any real solid "interests" but she loves to try new things and puts herself fully into whatever she does. She's a really happy person

My kids all go to the same small independent school. It isn't graded and they spend a lot of the day together moving in and out of different activities...so if you ask them what grade they're in you'll either get a or a long explanation.

 

[Disneyholic]

Hello...I'm on the Nov 28 Magic Western Caribbean cruise . First time cruising with Disney. I'm a divorced mom, age 39, traveling with my two children...daughter, 17, and son, 12. We are so excited! Are there any other single parents traveling with kids? I'd like to meet some single adults to socialize with. My friend @ work is a Disney addict and talked me into taking a Disney cruise this year. She also directed me to this site to meet some of my fellow cruisers. I have cruised before with Carnival and Royal Caribbean. I have only heard wonderful things about the Disney cruises and I'm getting more excited as our sail date draws nearer.

Glad you found us. Just jump right in. Near the beginning of this thread there is a list of Getting to Know you questions. Most of us have filled in the information so we can get to know a little about eachother before the cruise. We are also planning a DisMeet onboard at the Promenade Lounge at 2:45 the first day.

 

[Ackjtal]

new to the boards please bear with me

mother of 3 girls - 15, 9, 12

looking to hook up with the fish extenders and any tips anyone may have for the cruise

this is our first

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

new to the boards please bear with me

mother of 3 girls - 15, 9, 12

looking to hook up with the fish extenders and any tips anyone may have for the cruise

this is our first

Welcome!!! We have lots of girls on this cruise! Mine is 9 and she's emailed a couple of times with Disneycrunch's DD. Steph - My DH deleted the last email so Kenzie owes your DD an email. She's so mad at her father I might end getting her a gmail account.

Anyway, back to the welcome! We have a meet scheduled at 2:45 p.m. in the Promenade Lounge. Email jd99 - jeffd99@yahoo.com if you'd like to attend. He's the expert Disney cruiser. I've been one cruise and we loved it so much we are going back.

Nessa if running the FE spreadsheet. Hmm, she hasn't been on since we started the new thread but I did send her the link. I'll send her a PM to see if she can come and post over here. Actually, now that I think about it you don't have enough posts to send a PM. Let me know if you definitely want in and I will send her the details. I will need your cabin number so we can put you on the list and you already provided the details of your family.

So welcome and feel free to ask any questions you want!!! And read further up the thread and if you'd like you can answer the GTKY (getting to know you) questions that were posted on the first page.

 

[jd99]

new to the boards please bear with me

mother of 3 girls - 15, 9, 12

looking to hook up with the fish extenders and any tips anyone may have for the cruise

this is our first

Welcome!!! Please email me jeffd99@yahoo.com if you'd like to attend the meet at the Promenade Lounge on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. Also know that I have an 11 year old daughter looking to make friends and she has emailed a couple of the girls here. If you want your 12 year old to "meet" someone before they cruise, just email us her email address and I'll have Lizzie shoot her a note.

 

[boundfordisney]

WOW lots of chatter back and forth now, and its great to see more joining up with us ! Disneycrunch have you checked out the black pearl skatepark at Grand Cayman? My grandson loves skateboarding so we are going to take him to the skatepark while on Grand Cayman, it really looks awesome from what we have seen on the website.I will try and fill in the gtky tomorrow when I have a little more time. See everyone real soon!

 

[DisneyCrunch]

WOW lots of chatter back and forth now, and its great to see more joining up with us ! Disneycrunch have you checked out the black pearl skatepark at Grand Cayman? My grandson loves skateboarding so we are going to take him to the skatepark while on Grand Cayman, it really looks awesome from what we have seen on the website.I will try and fill in the gtky tomorrow when I have a little more time. See everyone real soon!

Wow, you just changed SOMEONE's vacation!

My husband is currently DROOLING all over the website and my son might just pass out dead when he sees it.

How doable is it, do you know? Are they allowed to bring boards on board? Is it far from the ship? I'll keep looking into it too. My son already asked "Are there any skateparks on the cruise?" We laughed cause we thought there was no way. Craziness. If this works out you're gonna be a hero

 

[Disneyholic]

new to the boards please bear with me

mother of 3 girls - 15, 9, 12

looking to hook up with the fish extenders and any tips anyone may have for the cruise

this is our first

Glad you found us!

 

[shellfish_mickfish]

So...we've shared some details about ourselves....now lets share some about our kids/fellow cruisers. I realize not everyone has kids...so I didn't leave it at just that. If you'd like to share some of your own interests/the interests of the ppl cruising with you please feel free!

O.K. here we go.

Me - DM (Dear Mom) 44 Telecom System Designer (Disneyholic-your hubby and I could probably talk for hours but we will be on VACATION!! I bowl on a girls league every week and DH and I bowl every other weekend. I also sing and really love karaoke so you will probably find me there on the ship at some point.

DH Pat - 40 Cement Truck Driver and enjoys hunting small birds and deer. He has 2 black labs that are his boy children. He's also into cars and fixing them. He keeps really busy with that since we haven't had a new car in 10 years!

DD Abby - 7 (will be 8 in Dec.) Very much like mommy! An extrovert - wants to be a singer and dancer when she grows up. Loves meeting new kids and likes to be in charge. She is in 2nd grade and is in dance lessons and gymnastics. That's about all mommy has time for.

DD Annemarie 5 - She is the pleaser of the group. Very sweet child who would give you anything if you asked. She is in Kindergarten and loves to be in school and be with friends. She is also in dance lessons but I'm thinking this will be the last year. Not into it as much as the other one. She did gymnastics this year too. Again, that's about all mommy could handle in one year.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Morning all! Happy Friday!!! And boy I need this vacation. We've had 3 senior people resign at work, one of them being my immediate manager. His boss just told me "I've looked at the vacation schedule and while it may take some extra work ahead of time I've decided you can keep your vacation." I'm thinking that it's a good thing because otherwise I might be in jail on assault charges. Just sayin... Let's not punish the one that DIDN'T quit.

Oh yeah, and I'm a compliance officer on a trading desk. It's not like I'm the only available heart surgeon on the east coast or something. No one dies if I'm out of the office. The company still runs without me here. (sshh, don't tell anyone that)
So on that note, I asked for half a day on Nov. 25th and I'm working from home that morning! We will be on the road by 1 p.m. headed for WDW!!!

And Shell - My DD also owes your DD an email. She loves to chat and looks forward to receiving them she just never gets around to typing the actual email itself.

Ackjtal - If you'd like your 9 yo DD to email mine, just let me know. She only emails on weekends though because she's managed to get herself too busy during the week. Just post a note on here and I will PM you my email addy. I'm sure you can receive them, just not send them.

And yeah, new people. Great idea to start the new thread!!

 

[Griffith6]

I have noticed several kids have December bdays -including my oldest daugher that turns 9 on Dec 28th. Thinking we might look into the Christmas cruise for next year so she can celebrate turning double digits on the ship! Only problem is it is a small fortune!

Happy Friday - we leave for Orlando 4 weeks from today - we will be at the airport about this time on Fri, Nov 27th!