Sept. 11th, 2004!!! Roll Call!

[amgpmg]

Wow! These boards are active lately! I saw this post yesterday, but was running out so did not have a chance to respond and today I had to search through the other posts to find it. I have been slowly planning our trip, but have now booked a trip to WDW in July with some family members, so I have been concentrating on that more. The days are not going fast enough for the cruise - I am patiently waiting.

Kathy

 

[missycat1925]

hi...im on this crusise..wondered if anyone was worried about the weather..i want to make sure to go to castaway cay---

 

[missycat1925]

i have read a couple of posts that said they missed castaway cay because they went in september. so wondered what the danger in that happening was..has anyone went in september before?

 

[dvcspain]

i was there on september and the weather is wonderful but you have the danger of hurricanes, they say that they aro going to sail anyway so they are going to avoid the hurricane and go to other place instead of Castaway Cay but i hope this don't happen to us

 

[missycat1925]

i wonder how often that happens in september? did it ever happen to you while you were there?

 

[dvcspain]

I WAS THERE ONE TIME AND WAS WONDERFUL

 

[Hunter'sMama]

Hi Ya'll!

I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself. My name is Sarah and I'm a long-time Disney enthusiast. My husband, Josh, my son, Hunter (19 months), and I are excited to embark on our first Disney cruise on 9-11-04. I have cruised to Bermuda twice before on different cruise lines, but this is my husband's first cruise and I'm eager to share the experience with him and our son.

I'm lucky enough to have visited Walt Disney World approximately 20 times so far and enjoyed my son's first meeting with the Mouse in Oct. 2003. My husband and I just returned from a weekend trip to Disney World at the beginning of March and look forward to our next visit in 2005.

I have stayed at numerous Disney properties (ie: Fort Wilderness, Coronado Springs, Dixielandings, Carribbean Beach, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, and Wilderness Lodge) some more than once and only have great things to say about the Resorts and the Parks.

I'm looking forward to reading the posts on this forum and hope to get to know some of you prior to the cruise in September.

Take care!

 

[aaronamy]

Hi everyone! We just got back from a ski trip to Colorado. It was so warm that we skiied in T-shirts. Mmmm makes me even more ready for the cruise. I have piles of laundry but I just had to get my fix since it has been more than a week. I also read the Disney Cruise Passporter all the way home. Thanks ldb1030, I finished it! Welcome aboard Hunter'smom! Our ship may fill up soon. Regarding the weather, Ive heard that the seas may actually be calmer durring hurricane season than they are other times of the year, I hope! Last time we cruised it was the end of Jan. and we had 8 to 13 ft. waves They had to close the pools sometimes because all the water was sloshing out! We still had a great time

 

[NancyDVC]

Welcome Hunter'sMama. This is a good group.
Has anyone thought about setting up a DIS meet? Being a DCL novice I don't know where to start.

Welcome Back aaronamy. You said you just finished the DCL PassPorter? I think mine is getting worn out from being read so many times. I can't wait until they announce the new edition.

Now my dilemma is do I buy the paperback or the deluxe edition? The deluxe is very nice but heavy. I have to consider that I always overpack when I travel especially to WDW so the deluxe edition of the DCL PassPorter may be too heavy and therefore take up valuable weight if I pack it. I don't want to be charged for being overweight. (I just missed being charged earlier this month on the way to WDW by taking things out of my bag and putting them in my friend's bag!
Hmm decisions, decisions, decisions. And the cruise isn't even close yet!

 

[dvcspain]

welcome to everybody!!!!

nancy you could take only the pages that you era going to use.

i don't have the DCL guide but i'm waiting for the second edition.

 

[amgpmg]

Welcome Missycat1925 and Hunter'sMama! I too am a little concerned about the weather, however am sure that they will do everything they can to try and get to Castaway Cay. We cruised in January last year and although we were able to go the Castaway Cay the weather got pretty cool out. We really could not enjoy the water at all.

Kathy

 

[NancyDVC]

dvcspain
Yes, that would be the practical thing to do-only take the pages that I will be using but the problem is that I am compulsive in that area and always think that I will need something urgently that I've left home!!!!
That's why I always take 'extras' of shampoo, hand cream etc. Small containers of course but way too many. And then I stash them all over my bags and can't seem to find what I need when I need it anyway.

As for the weather I won't worry about it. (Or at least not worry until a week or so before and watch the Weather Channel compulsively ecery minute I get to make certain that one of those nasty tropical storms isn't headed our way.)
Now I know that the captain will steer the ship to safer waters if a storm is headed towards our route. But what if the storm is headed for our route the day we are due to embark?
Way too much thinking going on here. I need to sit back and read my DCL PassPorter again along wiht all the info that I have downloaded and printed about the cruise. And maybe watch the DCL again. (BTW this DVD is awesome!)

 

[Mattnlaura]

Having taken a 3 day as part of our honeymoon in sept of 99, I can say that the seas were fine, excepr for the first night when we were in small swells. Unfortunalty we were unable to goto castaway cay as the hurricane that had passed a few days earlier had left the channel that the ship uses to dock full of sand. We did get to see some interesting things though. Like the hotel in nassau that was half destroyed by the hurricane and the tender from castaway cay which delivered supplies that loaded below our stateroom. No worries thought, my wife has talked with mother nature and made it clear that there will be no bad weather during that week or else!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[ldb1030]

Welcome to all the new cruisers for 9/11!

Is it time for me to start packing yet?

 

[Hunter'sMama]

My suggestion is not to worry too much about the weather. My parents took my sister and her daughter on the Eastern Carribbean Cruise in Sept. '02 and they had spectacular weather. They were able to stop at all of the ports including Castaway Cay and came home tanned and relaxed. And, the truth of the matter is that even if there is bad weather, there's nothing we can do about it anyway so why worry?!?

For those of you who are members of the Castaway Club, have any of you used the Nursery? We have a 19-month old and would like any information ya'll can provide. Also, is it possible to have in-room babysitting?

Thanks.

 

[HookedonMagic]

Hunter's Mama,

We used Flounder's Nursery for our four month old last March. They offer limited space, so go early your first day to book the days and times you require. You can always cancel (with adequate notice) later. We used the nursery most evenings during dinner. It was staffed with three young women, all British. They were all caring and professional. We never leave the baby with anyone other than family when we are home and felt comfortable leaving him at Flounders. They give you a pager when you leave the baby and you are welcome to stop in anytime and check on him.

There is no in-room babysitting on the Magic. We just got off the Mariner of the Seas with our now 15 month old. They offered in-room sitting, which we used twice. The woman was nice, but we definately did not feel as secure. We definately prefer Flounders.

Feel free to ask any questions. I'll try to help.

Lisa

 

[Hunter'sMama]

Thank you, Lisa for the valuable information. Can you tell me what types of hours they offer and were there many children when you brought your son? Also, it is only the younger children that can use this service, correct? Hunter will have just turned 2 when we cruise and he, too, has only been left with family. I know that Disney would only hire reliable and caring individuals and am confident that the service is wonderful, but the books that I've read so far don't talk too much about Flounder's.

Thank you again for your time.
Sarah

 

[HookedonMagic]

Sarah,

I don't recal specific hours...I know that they are open several hours during the day, as well as several hours each evening. I think the hours change daily. Perhaps you can post your question on the boards.

Yes, only the little ones are allowed in Flounders. Those under three. Again, I don't recall the ratio of caregivers to children, but I know it was low. Our son was an infant, so he basically had his own caregiver. It was never very crowded...maybe a max of 9 children to three castmembers.

Lisa

 

[Hunter'sMama]

Thanks again, Lisa. I appreciate your help. I'll check it out and I'm sure Hunter will be enrolled for at least a few hours so my husband and I can have some time to ourselves.

Take care!
Sarah

 

[HookedonMagic]

You're welcome, Sarah! I'm glad to be of some help. While we enjoy family time with our children, a few hours alone are especially nice during vacation. You don't want to miss Palo, the Surial Bath and the Quiet Cove pool...all wonderful mom and dad only options on the Magic!

Lisa