November 18, 2006 Thanksgiving Magic Special Western 2X Castaway Cay 11/18/06

[ICEMANPAD]

Due to some recently learned information, we opted to change cabins based upon a special deal for Florida residents. However, the only cabins affected are cat 11's. Since we had a 10, albeit a secret porthole, we opted to take the cat 11 and save the money, especially since we rarely spend any time in the cabin other than to sleep anyway.

Thus for the list, we will now be in cabin 7127. One nice feature about this location is that it is literally adjacent to the virtually unknown and unused deck on deck 7 aft, so it will almost be like having a private veranda w/out the cost. FYI, we had a veranda last year and are booked for one next year so we do have the means to compare, and while it is agreed that it is not quite the same thing, for literally nearly half the price, we're quite satisfied w/the arrangement.

Noting a tip we saw above, another great spacesaver is to hang a plastic shoe tree over the bathroom door facing out, but instead of shoes, use the slots for brushes, shampoo, suntal oil etc. Since the plastic ones come w/about 20 pockets and are easily packed, they are very handy. Ours comes w/metal hooks that go over the top of he door, but still allow for the door to be shut.

Chuck

 

[DiszyGram]

Chuck, I bought one of those cloth shoe trees with four metal hanging hooks on it. I'm glad you said to use the bathroom door because I was going to try using the cabin door. I also have a hanging cloth one with shelves for the closet. It drops down and has nice sized shelves for anything that will fit on them. It's like extra drawer space.

Gail

 

[ICEMANPAD]

In case anyone is interested, the cabin we gave up today is one of 6 secret porthole cat 10 cabins. It is basically a cat 8 cabin for a cat 10 price. There is an obstruction outside of the porthole, but it's not a major obstruction. If you go to castawayclub.com you can see pictures. We want to share the info in case one of our fellow turkey disers are interested in the cabin. It is cabin # 5020.


Lisa

 

[DiszyGram]

Check out post # 101 and see if there is anything more anyone wants added on to our cruise list of people.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Andrea, welcome. We have actually added another two people to the group we are traveling with. That brings our total upto 15 in our linked group. Maybe there is someone who is not so large that you can link up with for dinner. You would not want to join us anyway...we have little ones that will not be enjoying the 2 hour meal. Besides we will be bringing some cups and string to communicate with the people at the other end of our table.

Icemanpad, we are glad that you are joining us on our deck. The Aft is alsoour preferred spot on the ship, but the way we look at it is we are on the ship so we will take whatever. This is our first time on Deck 7. We are usually 5 or 6 aft.

Ditto on the shoe organizer. We have the one with the metal hooks and hung it on the bathroom door. What a lifesaver and junk picker-uper it was.

Like Diszygram said if you want anything added to our list speak up. I have the one with room numbers/dinner times

 

[DiszyGram]

So far we are the only ones with an early dinner. My grandson is used to a 5pm dinner since he goes to bed early at home.

I'm afraid a late dinner would have him falling asleep at the table. The shows after dinner keep him awake because they are such great shows. The guest desk has free headsets that can be borrowed for heaing impaired people and he is hard of hearing. You wouldn't know it because he reads lips very well and hears enough to tell what you are saying. It's the only problem he ended up with after being born three complete months early and weighing 2 pounds and 10 ounces.

If any of you meet him, just make sure he is looking at you when you speak to him. He speaks so well himself that people don't realize he is deaf. I'm proud of how well he has adapted to his handicap and he attends a regular school. He gets very upset and angry when other children, who don't know any better, tease him about his hearing.

Fortunately he is a nice looking boy and attracts a lot of attention from the girls.

 

[MontclairBear]

we..will..have..two..less...people...DG...our..Nanna...had..a...stroke...OCT..9...she...is...a...fighter...and...should...recover...well...we..pray

sorry...for...all...the...dots...my...keyboard...is...broken....just...what...I...need!!

 

[andilynn]

Thanks for the welcome Cruisecrzy! Sounds like you are an expert cruiser. Not sure who I'll be sitting with for dinner yet. I'm thinking Disney will assign me to a table since I am solo. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get a fun group. I'm eating at the late seating. If anyone has any tips or tricks for my first Disney cruise that would be great.

Andrea (34 years old, single)

 

[njdisneymomof2]

We have early dinner. I guess with a family of 9 we will have our own table. From what I have read, our dining rotation should either start with Animator's Palate (young kids) or Parrot Cay (older kids). The kids in our party are 11, 9, 8 and 2 (almost 3). I don't know if they are considered younger or older for the dining standards. I guess we will have to wait to be surprised. We are getting very excited!


njdisneymomof2
New Jersey
3 cabins on deck 2
#1 self, DH, DD9, DS8
#2 SIL, BIL, Niece 2 (almost 3) (from PA)
#3 MIL, Niece 11 from PA.

 

[DiszyGram]

(((Montclair Bear))) Sorry to hear about your Nana. Sending prayers she has a quick recovery.

Andrea, mayby you and my single daughter, Valerie, can attend some of the evening events for adults only together. She is a people person and well liked by everyone she meets. She loves getting a chance to go out with just adults occasionally Valerie also knows how lucky she is to have a mom willing to babysit.

Her ex husband and father to her son passed away a few months ago from a tragic accident.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Montclair Bear vey sorry to hear about Nana.

Andrea, prepare yourself for the 8:30pm seating that goes LAP. Before our daughter that was what we always had.

NJdisneymomof2 you'd be surprised. Last year our 1 year old was enough to get us the 8:15 seating. We Loved be the middle seating....which surprised us since we really wanted LAP.

Later today if my dd is napping I will update the list of times and room numbers.

Off to check some things.

 

[andilynn]

Hi again,

M, I'm very sorry to hear about your Nana. My prayers are with her. I Nanas.

8:30 dinner is good for me. On our Princess cruise last year we ate so much during the day it was a struggle to be hungry by dinnertime.

DG, I can't wait to meet Valerie. I'm so sorry to hear about her exhusband. That is terrible. I was 22 when I lost my Dad so I can't imagine what it must be like for your grandson.

Ok, I've got to do some work..I don't want to but I have to!

Andrea

 

[ICEMANPAD]

An updated list would be nice if the time presents itself. As to dinner seatings, our DS 7 never eats w/us b/c he finds it boring and a waste of time. He much prefers to have his meals w/the kids club where the meals are shorter, the food simpler and more to his liking, and lots of his contemporaries.

Thus, we always take the late seating which is much easier to prepare for given shore excursions and shopping. We expect to have the APL again for the 3rd year in the row which is our preferred rotation b/c it puts us in the niceat restaurant for formal and semi-formal nights. We requested the rotation and our server from last year from Disney, the latter if she has returned from a sabattical.

Chuck

 

[pdeep]

We have early seating. Just the 2 of us. Not sure of the rotation. Got Polos for the first night. Will have to check in at our table and meet whomever we might be with.

Pat

 

[DiszyGram]

I'm looking forward to meeting any people who join us at our table. Never met anyone I didn't like on a cruise.

Next November my sister and I will be going on my first cruise not on a Disney ship. She cruises every few months. Living in Florida and 15 minutes from Port Canaveral makes it easy. I don't know what cruise line it will be but I know it's from Nov. 3-10 and it is a Caribbean cruise. I'll find out in January. Something else nice to look forward to.

 

[outahere]

We have main seating and requested the LAP rotation, because it is at 6:00PM. Eating earlier than that really makes you rush. We didn't want to do late seating because my parents usually eat much earlier than 8:00PM.

If anyone is updating the list, we are on deck 8.

Only 10 more days!!!!

Ed

 

[mollygirl13]

Hello-
Just got back from a whirlwind Disney-filled weekend! (Disney Wedding)
Had a blast at the wedding. Did 4 parks in 3 days + a Beach Bash at Yacht Club Fri night, wedding & Reception Saturday! Just got in last night. Trying to recover from 5 loads of piled laundry!
Now onto cruise things!!!
Now I need to repack for the crusie. Waiting very patiently for crusie docs to arrive. Not here yet but we are in Philadelphia area.
Glad to see some chatter on the boards. Less than 2 weeks. My family is so excited. DH and I had a nice dose of Disney this past weekend so it satisfied us a bit. (PS: Expedition Everest was our favorite ride!!!)
Hope everyone is packed and ready to go!

 

[cruisecrzy]

hoplea
Alabama
Party of 6, self, DH, two parents, DD's 12 & 10

4boons
West Texas

DiszyGram
Maryland
Myself (Gail) DD 38 & her DS 7-wearing disney shirts
Early Seating

GreenGirl8
San Diego, Ca.
Jennifer Marie... self and a new husband. Anniv. cruise.

Mollygirl13
Bucks County, Pa.
self, DH, twin sis, and parents (60th birthday)
Late seating
6072/6074

catnip0113
Connecticut

maggiekid

pdeep
self (pat 49) & DW (Shirley 54) 23 anniv. on Nov. 19
Late seating

outahere
Suburban Boston West
self (ED) DW, DS12 and Ed's parents-wearing yellow lanyards
Early LAP
Deck 8

njmoms
New Jersey
5 adults and 1 child (7)

Moonbeams
Dallas, Tx
Jennifer & Berry

The Ducks
Self and DH, DD16

ICEMANPAD
Weston Fl.
Chuck, Lisa and DS7-wearing bright green Tday 2005 shirts
Late Seating
7127


MontclairBear
11 in group, self, DH, (7 year anniversary on 11/20) DD4, DD2, Brother & wife with DS11, DS6, DS3,

njdisneymomof2
New Jersey
#1 self, DH, DD9, DS8
#2 SIL, BIL, Niece 2 (almost 3)
#3 MIL, Niece 11 from PA.
Early Seating
3 cabins on Deck 2

Cruisecrzy
Kissimmee, Fl
Michelle 31-wearing bright green tink shirt
DH John 32
DD 27 months-wearing green tink dress

7520
Late Seating 8:15PLA

Friends traveling with us
Ettie 34
DH34
DD5
DD3
Deck 1
Late Seating linked with us

Fran and Bill (Parents of Ettie)
GTY Cat 6
Late seating with us

5 Adults
1 2yo
Deck 2 midship
Late seating with us

Andilynn
Andrea traveling alone
Sanfrancisco, CA
Late Seating

 

[andilynn]

Hi Guys,

I wasn't able to book bruch or tea because I booked the cruise so late . Will I have a chance to book a time when I get on the cruise or should I not get my hopes up?

Is it possible to book Disney transportation from the airport if I wasn't able to book my airfare through Disney? How would I do that?

One more thing...would it just be better for me to rent a car and return it in Port Canaveral? Is it crazy crowded at the Budget there or is it ok and I won't have any problems getting a shuttle to the boat?

Thanks so much for your help!

Andrea (34, single and crazy excited!!!)

 

[cruisecrzy]

Andrea,
There is always a chance for booking Palo. Just go to Rockin' Bar D(check your navigator to make sure it is there) at the specified time and see if you can book. There is usually space if you get there early enough.

Ground transportation can be booked without booking a flight. Don't know about renting a car since we are local. I know you can buy a seat on the DCL bus because we always have that option. It is ground transportation. Anyone know the 800 number. I only know the number to the office in Celebration. Sorry on that one.