Sept 20,2011 Wonder Repositioning Cruise

[FergusBC]

Anybody else still feel the boat rocking? I went to work today but had to leave two hours in as I apparently smuggled home some germs. When my desk started rocking, I figured I was better off home in bed

We had such an awesome time. I'm so sorry we didn't get to meet all of you. I recognized some t-shirts and I think some faces around the ship but was too shy to say anything. Except on pirate night. Rum is an excellent antidote for shyness. And those red cups were AWESOME for our rum & cokes. And the purse sized Tylenol was even better at breakfast the next morning

My girls loved the FE exchange! The hard part was keeping them from checking it every 30 seconds! You were all so thoughtful - there was everything from the practical to the whimsical and we loved it all

It took us awhile to actually get ours handed out as we did it in bits and pieces, but we had a blast running around the ship on our 'secret mission'. Also found out my girls have a very strange idea of what 'stealthy' means.

Our Highlights:

• DOTDs and martini tastings and whiskey tastings and that big beer mug and...well, you get the idea!
• Watching our kids run into the Club/Lab with huge smiles on their faces
• Palo!
• Walking the deck early in the morning and just enjoying being there (well, that was just me)
• Drinking a glass of wine at the movie (hmm, maybe I should have put that with the first point)
• Palo!
• The towel animals. Okay, maybe it was just me but I loved coming back to the stateroom, wondering what it would be that night! Also found I was terrible at identifying towel animals ("Mom, it's a turtle! Duh!") Sigh...
• The food. Some of it was good, some of it was excellent, but let's face it, even the stuff that was kind of hit or miss, we still didn't have to cook it or clean up after!
• Did I mention Palo?

Lowlights:

• Line ups for the characters. We never did make it through one. Yeah, patience is not my strong suit
• The coffee - sadly it didn't agree with us and we had to stop drinking it. Fortunately the hot chocolate was good. I'm not a pop drinker but went through a lot of diet coke on the cruise - probably seeking the missing caffeine buzz!
• My daughter's puke fest in the Promenade Lounge (sorry for any that may have witnessed it - and that was before we hit the rough weather LOL)
• The hour and a half of his life spent at the DVC presentation that my dh will never get back - might have been worth it if he'd won the OBC door-prize but he didn't, so it wasn't.
• Not finding out about the self-serve ice cream until the last night! (although an added highlight that probably saved me 5 pounds right there!)

Now come on with the 2013 itineraries already!!!!

 

[CADZNYCHC]

Anybody else still feel the boat rocking? I went to work today but had to leave two hours in as I apparently smuggled home some germs. When my desk started rocking, I figured I was better off home in bed

We had such an awesome time. I'm so sorry we didn't get to meet all of you. I recognized some t-shirts and I think some faces around the ship but was too shy to say anything. Except on pirate night. Rum is an excellent antidote for shyness. And those red cups were AWESOME for our rum & cokes. And the purse sized Tylenol was even better at breakfast the next morning

My girls loved the FE exchange! The hard part was keeping them from checking it every 30 seconds! You were all so thoughtful - there was everything from the practical to the whimsical and we loved it all

It took us awhile to actually get ours handed out as we did it in bits and pieces, but we had a blast running around the ship on our 'secret mission'. Also found out my girls have a very strange idea of what 'stealthy' means.

Our Highlights:

• DOTDs and martini tastings and whiskey tastings and that big beer mug and...well, you get the idea!
• Watching our kids run into the Club/Lab with huge smiles on their faces
• Palo!
• Walking the deck early in the morning and just enjoying being there (well, that was just me)
• Drinking a glass of wine at the movie (hmm, maybe I should have put that with the first point)
• Palo!
• The towel animals. Okay, maybe it was just me but I loved coming back to the stateroom, wondering what it would be that night! Also found I was terrible at identifying towel animals ("Mom, it's a turtle! Duh!") Sigh...
• The food. Some of it was good, some of it was excellent, but let's face it, even the stuff that was kind of hit or miss, we still didn't have to cook it or clean up after!
• Did I mention Palo?

Lowlights:

• Line ups for the characters. We never did make it through one. Yeah, patience is not my strong suit
• The coffee - sadly it didn't agree with us and we had to stop drinking it. Fortunately the hot chocolate was good. I'm not a pop drinker but went through a lot of diet coke on the cruise - probably seeking the missing caffeine buzz!
• My daughter's puke fest in the Promenade Lounge (sorry for any that may have witnessed it - and that was before we hit the rough weather LOL)
• The hour and a half of his life spent at the DVC presentation that my dh will never get back - might have been worth it if he'd won the OBC door-prize but he didn't, so it wasn't.
• Not finding out about the self-serve ice cream until the last night! (although an added highlight that probably saved me 5 pounds right there!)

Now come on with the 2013 itineraries already!!!!

SOOOOO sad i didn't get to meet you & your family - WHERE does the time go on those ships???? it's such a FABULOUS trip though - ALWAYS something FUN to do!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE it and SOOOOO excited to be sailing again in just 3 more months!!!! and to have DS sailing with me again - it will have been 3 yrs for him - MUCH TOO LONG!!!!!

 

[FrozenFire]

It was wonderful meeting you, too! I guess being trapped on a bus for four hours is one way to make new friends....

Sorry, I missed that. What happened??? Shuttle issues??

 

[tanyaewa]

We're back home!

Got back to Vancouver at 5pm from Disneyland - had a great 5 days there!
WestJet was amazing - shuttled to Best Western Abercorn that had kept our car while we were gone. Great service and $ value!

Drive home to Whistler was nice - but missing being on vacation already.....

Getting the boys off to school this am.... wearing their cruise T's!!

Can't wait to share highs &n lows and notes with you guys.
Amazing cruise xoxoxoxo!

 

[GrumpyGoat]

Anybody else still feel the boat rocking? I went to work today but had to leave two hours in as I apparently smuggled home some germs. When my desk started rocking, I figured I was better off home in bed

We had such an awesome time. I'm so sorry we didn't get to meet all of you. I recognized some t-shirts and I think some faces around the ship but was too shy to say anything. Except on pirate night. Rum is an excellent antidote for shyness. And those red cups were AWESOME for our rum & cokes. And the purse sized Tylenol was even better at breakfast the next morning

My girls loved the FE exchange! The hard part was keeping them from checking it every 30 seconds! You were all so thoughtful - there was everything from the practical to the whimsical and we loved it all

It took us awhile to actually get ours handed out as we did it in bits and pieces, but we had a blast running around the ship on our 'secret mission'. Also found out my girls have a very strange idea of what 'stealthy' means.

Our Highlights:

• DOTDs and martini tastings and whiskey tastings and that big beer mug and...well, you get the idea!
• Watching our kids run into the Club/Lab with huge smiles on their faces
• Palo!
• Walking the deck early in the morning and just enjoying being there (well, that was just me)
• Drinking a glass of wine at the movie (hmm, maybe I should have put that with the first point)
• Palo!
• The towel animals. Okay, maybe it was just me but I loved coming back to the stateroom, wondering what it would be that night! Also found I was terrible at identifying towel animals ("Mom, it's a turtle! Duh!") Sigh...
• The food. Some of it was good, some of it was excellent, but let's face it, even the stuff that was kind of hit or miss, we still didn't have to cook it or clean up after!
• Did I mention Palo?

Lowlights:

• Line ups for the characters. We never did make it through one. Yeah, patience is not my strong suit
• The coffee - sadly it didn't agree with us and we had to stop drinking it. Fortunately the hot chocolate was good. I'm not a pop drinker but went through a lot of diet coke on the cruise - probably seeking the missing caffeine buzz!
• My daughter's puke fest in the Promenade Lounge (sorry for any that may have witnessed it - and that was before we hit the rough weather LOL)
• The hour and a half of his life spent at the DVC presentation that my dh will never get back - might have been worth it if he'd won the OBC door-prize but he didn't, so it wasn't.
• Not finding out about the self-serve ice cream until the last night! (although an added highlight that probably saved me 5 pounds right there!)

Now come on with the 2013 itineraries already!!!!

I got over the rocking the second day on land...

The coffee was tolerable, but not up to the quality of what I get out of my Keurig at home. The only place where the coffee was poor was the self-serve station on Deck 9. I still drank it. I guess after twenty years in the Navy, I can drink anything...

Heather came back with a cold also, which is surprising. She works in Guest Services at the San Diego Zoo and is exposed to just about every common bug known to medical science on a regular basis.

 

[tinker1bell]

I haven't really been on the boards for a while since our arrival in LA on September 25. I had a doctors appointment on Monday and I had surgery on Tuesday evening. After recovering in the hospital for a day I returned home yesterday afternoon and I have been taking it easy. Tonight I fly to WDW for the W&D Half Marathon and although my doctor doesn't recommend I run the race I will try to walk it. Yeah, everyone thinks I'm crazy.

It was great meeting my fellow Disers on this cruise and considering my condition I did have a good time. I heard I was the easiest person to spot since I was the only passenger with a sling. You people are the best!

It was so nice to meet you!! Hope to see you in January. I am doing the 5K but will be cheering the two other ones.

 

[tinker1bell]

Stephanie and our two friends left on Tuesday after two days in Disneyland. I got to ride Mr Toad's Wild Ride two times!!! That has always been one of my favorite rides.

Right now I am staying with my SIL in Murrieta, Ca. We went wine tasting yesterday and I am hoping we can do that again today. I will finally go back home on Sunday.

 

[roseburghughes]

We are home safe. What a great trip. It was wonderful meeting you all. I had a medical procedure the morning after arriving in Portland and we stayed an extra day there. Yesterday we took Amtrak from Portland to Eugene and our daughter and grandkids picked us up for the drive home.

Highlights of the cruise were:
Stepping onto the ship and hearing our name announced. (It was the first time our daughter was on a Disney Cruise ship)
Leaving Vancouver with Disney employees singing goodbye and the cardboard signs about Jack the dog on the dock.
Going under Lions Gate Bridge, with people waving.
First night dinner with table mates: Janice, Trevor, Wilma, Carol, and Elaine.
Great weather in Victoria.
Early morning jog and hot tub routine (very few people up at 7am)
Chatting with DISers and others
Room service chocolate chip cookie.
Mickey Bar for dessert at dinner.
Sunshine in Ensenada.
Palo.

Low spots:
The lines for character photos
No cookies at Goofy’s Galley (last year when we sailed they had a plate of chocolate chip cookies out)
Grey skies on Sea days
Supershuttle was not ready for us when we got off the ship early.
Sound and Light testing in Animators Palate (it spoiled the dinner show)

Ideas for the next Disney Cruise:
Pack fewer clothes
Bring gum and hard candy for excursion days
Always take all of our bags off the ship ourselves (we rolled all of our bags off the ship and bypassed the cavern of multiple lookalike bags and saved a lot time) We got off the ship so early that we were able to drop our bags at our Anaheim Hotel, take hotel to Disneyland and still be there for rope drop.
Have room service lunch in our stateroom
Do Palo brunch
Bring pins for pin trading
Try late seating for dinner
Book a Secret Porthole Stateroom (We loved our sideways Cat 11, but would like a split bathroom)
Do FE exchange

 

[CADZNYCHC]

WOW - that was great - it took us over an hour and 1/2 to get off the ship & go thru customs - next time i'm doing an early disembark

 

[FergusBC]

Ideas for the next Disney Cruise:
Always take all of our bags off the ship ourselves (we rolled all of our bags off the ship and bypassed the cavern of multiple lookalike bags and saved a lot time) We got off the ship so early that we were able to drop our bags at our Anaheim Hotel, take hotel to Disneyland and still be there for rope drop.

Lucky you, you obviously didn't book with Karmel Shuttle! We got off the ship quite early but didn't make it to DL till noon (and darn lucky we got there then!) Right, Bus #2?

And that reminds me, not sure who gave the 'suitcase handle covers' in the FE exchange but what a great idea! Made it super easy to spot our suitcases at the port and then again at the airport. And thank you for the note explaining what they were because I thought they were coasters (and that's why my husband doesn't let me out much )

Try late seating for dinner

Yep, same here... I found the afternoon just flew by and then it seemed rushed to get ready for supper. I had been worried the kids would be too tired for the late seating. But quite the opposite, it seemed they weren't even hungry for the early seating! But they stayed up past 11 pm most nights

 

[CADZNYCHC]

OMG - i am having such 'cruise depression'....two weeks ago sister arrived....and our FUN FUN week began....

SO glad that i'm going to see the 'boy' tomorrow - that should help!!!

 

[KatiezMom]

Finally made it back to home, sadly the first thing I did was get on my laptop. I missed it almost as much as I missed my dog while I was away. I love Disney but a 5 day cruise then 5 days in California might have been a bit much, I am seeing mouse ears in my dreams. Kate also came home with a cold, got off the ship with a cough and it hasn't gotten better but that didn't slow her down much. She did Grizzly River about 8 times in a row, more than I could handle. And if anyone ever asks you to do the swining cars on the Mickey wheel, say NO!!!!

I am glad that people liked the red cups, my mom and I tried a couple things that turned out not so well so we thought the cups would be both commemorative and useful. If you were ever walking around with your cups and saw two ladies staring at you longer than necessary with goofy smiles, that was probably my mom and I.

Next time we would try Palo and try something at the spa. I am also embarassed to admit this but I didn't make it to one of the shows, Steve and Kate went to the Toy Story one but when it came time I always found something else to do. I did enjoy having a late dinner, but Kate didn't so she ate dinner at the buffet ten hung out at the club. Tritons was my favorite by far, and I hated Animators. I think our server Stacey took it personally when all I ordered was a steak and nothing else. Parrot Cay was ok, the banjo music was sort of an odd choice. I was surprised to see that we had a character breakfast, my mom booked out early and we ended up having Goofy come and sit with us for a bit which was wonderful.

Time for some serious laundry (didn't do it on the ship and the hotel was having flooding issues so I had to do ghetto laundry in the tub and dry with the hairdryer which is always fun) and catch up on Greys Anatomy

 

[chisafam]

I got over the rocking the second day on land...

The coffee was tolerable, but not up to the quality of what I get out of my Keurig at home. The only place where the coffee was poor was the self-serve station on Deck 9. I still drank it. I guess after twenty years in the Navy, I can drink anything...

Heather came back with a cold also, which is surprising. She works in Guest Services at the San Diego Zoo and is exposed to just about every common bug known to medical science on a regular basis.

I got a cold, too! Must have been some little kid running around licking stuff or something.

 

[chisafam]

Sorry, I missed that. What happened??? Shuttle issues??

A few of us took the Karmel shuttle from the ship to the various Disney hotels. Well, it was the PLAN to go to the hotels, but the driver was completely lost. After waiting almost two hours just to get on the bus, we load to find the driver looking up hotels on his iPhone. He ended up driving past the park and into Orange, and would have kept going until we collectively told him to turn around. After continued wandering and few actual drop offs, we finally got off at Anabell's and took a cab to the Disneyland Hotel.

Four hours and he never did get us there. I will NEVER take a shuttle without Disney markings again.

 

[tanyaewa]

Karmel sounds like a nightmare! Bummer....

We used *Primetime* for a private van 8ppl it was $96 to Anaheim from port
Called them again Anaheim to SNA and it was $72.

Bookmark them for next time!

Like some others admitted I just voyeured this trip. Saw lots of Pirates of the Pacific T's and Pam & Nate in the embarkation lounge! In DL there were several groups with the DCL cruise T's too.

My little family LOVED the cruise!!
The boys had a blast everywhere EXCEPT the kids clubs - lol Not a fit for them.
We were able to send them to the movies many times though. What a blast to see all those 3D films! We don't get 3D in Whistler so it was a real treat.
They also loved the sports court area. And the *wave* pool on Thursday.

Highlights
ease of embarkation
weather in Vancouver and sitting on Deck 9 upon arrival
size of the stateroom! Cat10C Deck 2 aft was perfect placement for us
rotational dining was fun.
Toy story show
lots of activities going on all the time
multiple entrees and multiple desserts each night
character meets were fun - Deck 9 gazebo Goofy
arrival reception in Ensenada
sail away party
fireworks
last night show
ease of disembark

Lowlights
pushy drink servers in first 4 hours
length of Pirate Party - 1/2 the time would have been good
food was pretty *average* in preparation although it was fun to have so many choices
Kids clubs were very geared to little ones. Club was for minis and Lab was WAY too computer-centric. My 9yo was not impressed. They are busy outdoor kids though.
Cost of photo prints. For 1/2 the price I would have bought many more.
Such a waste to see them thrown way. No wonder people *take* them. I almost did just so as to not see them as *garbage*. Very very wasteful.

 

[Brooklyn]

Any info on what they did in dry dock? Photos? Updates?

 

[sanjuan60]

Okay, I just put 2 in my backpack, will give them to you at the meet

Janice

JANICE- just a quick thank you again for the lanyards. What a great surprize. It was quite a last minute request, but we used them and love them! It was nice to meet you and cruise with you. thanks again.
susan

 

[GrumpyGoat]

A few of us took the Karmel shuttle from the ship to the various Disney hotels. Well, it was the PLAN to go to the hotels, but the driver was completely lost. After waiting almost two hours just to get on the bus, we load to find the driver looking up hotels on his iPhone. He ended up driving past the park and into Orange, and would have kept going until we collectively told him to turn around. After continued wandering and few actual drop offs, we finally got off at Anabell's and took a cab to the Disneyland Hotel.

Four hours and he never did get us there. I will NEVER take a shuttle without Disney markings again.

I carry a hand-held GPS unit when I travel and I use it to check on cab and shuttle drivers. The only shuttle we used was in San Diego so we knew where we were going without it.

 

[sanjuan60]

I am glad that people liked the red cups, my mom and I tried a couple things that turned out not so well so we thought the cups would be both commemorative and useful. If you were ever talking around with your cups and saw two ladies staring at you longer than necessary with goofy smiles, that was probably my mom and I.

KatiezMom-We both Loved our red cups. they were extremely useful! very fun. of course all of the other very thoughtful gifts were wonderful. the special coin, the pins, all of it.. just perfect! it added alot of fun to the cruise. thanks again. katieZmom and everyone who participated in the FE gift exchange!

 

[CrystalS]

And that reminds me, not sure who gave the 'suitcase handle covers' in the FE exchange but what a great idea! Made it super easy to spot our suitcases at the port and then again at the airport. And thank you for the note explaining what they were because I thought they were coasters (and that's why my husband doesn't let me out much )

So glad you liked them! I almost didn't put in the note, but mom thought I better, lol. We also made the crayon/notepad rolls for the kids (well most of the kids, sorry to the couple that we had to give alternative gifts too, I just wasn't as fast at sewing them up as I thought I'd be )



We loved all the wonderful gifts from everyone, DS was so excited every time there was a surprise inside! Those gifts alsmost took up a small suitcase all to theirselves just to get home, lol! Loved the red cups, wonderful idea, and the pins, so cute! A lot of wonderful practical gifts too, very handy, and all the fun kids stuff, they love them!

We just got home last night (or I should say the wee hours of this morning). Spent 5 days at Disneyland and got to Knotts Berry Farm too .

We used Socalimo for our Limo service from port to our DL hotel. Wonderful service, prompt pick up time, complimentary beverages, friendly driver. It was nice to sit back and not worry about anything. Highly recommend them!
Used supershuttle to get from hotel to airport at the end of our trip, and although they were on time and got us to the airport, I found the driver unfriendly and felt like we were just being herded onto the shuttle. Wish we had splurged on the Limo again for that instead, but oh well.

We got to the Dis meet late, but did get to meet a few of you, and saw more of you around the ship throughout the cruise, thank you for being such a friendly bunch!

Planning on doing a trip report soon, so keep an eye out for that.
We had such a wonderful time! Hope you all did too!