03/01/2008 Eastern!!

[Johnna_Story]

The Storys are off tomorrow to join friends at Deep Creek Lake - a resort town in Western Maryland. It's no Disney Cruise, but it will have to do. We'll be with three other families so the kids will entertain each other and we may actually get some grown-up conversation in.

Have a great weekend all. Johnna

 

[Micday]

Hey,
i just notice some of you guys are from DC !! We are taking the train up your way July 14th. That's why I haven't been writing, trying to plan our DC trip. So do you guys have any good tips ?

I got us the White House tour ( please do not let them cancel), plus a Captiol Tour with our Senator Dole. We are staying at the Westin Embassory Row from July 14-18th. We are renting a car for the weekend only then walking or metro the rest of the trip.

Michelle

 

[Johnna_Story]

Hey,
i just notice some of you guys are from DC !! We are taking the train up your way July 14th. That's why I haven't been writing, trying to plan our DC trip. So do you guys have any good tips ?

I got us the White House tour ( please do not let them cancel), plus a Captiol Tour with our Senator Dole. We are staying at the Westin Embassory Row from July 14-18th. We are renting a car for the weekend only then walking or metro the rest of the trip.

Michelle

Yeah!!! I love living and working here in DC; it's a great city. Lucky for scoring a white house tour - those are hard to come by these days. My fingers are crossed that you don't get cancelled.

Some tips - comfy walking shoes, read the parking signs carefully (they can be VERY confusing) and if you plan to metro a lot, check into the day passes they have. The Embassy Row area is really nice, and it's near Dupont Circle which has a lot of great little shops, restaurants, and night life (though you probably want to avoid that with kids!)

Finally - definitely go down to the mall to see the monuments at night. I haven't done that in a LONG time and it's one of the most beautiful things about DC.

I'll PM you my phone numbers in case you have any questions while you're here, or restaurant recommendations, or whatever. I'm not a total expert, but I'm happy to help when I can. And if you're in my neighborhood one day and want to meet, just let me know! Have a great trip!!!! Johnna

 

[Micday]

Thanks !!!!

I don't have everything down yet but I plan on finishing it this weekend. That is really nice of you to give me your # and once I figure out what where doing maybe we can meet. Then we won't be face "strangers" when we meet in March. I do not think we'll do any really nice resturants, Madison would rather eat at McDonald's. Not that we'll be eating a lot of McDonald's, I don't need any help gaining weight.

I do have one question (so far) !? Will my Husband (James) miss out if he drives us to the monuments at night? The Senator's Aide said for us to park at the East Potomic Park and walk to the Monuments ? James does not like the ideal of driving in the dark in a city we do not know looking for parking. He's an excellent driver and great with directions. Should I stop being cheap and just book us a tour ?

Michelle

 

[Johnna_Story]

Thanks !!!!

I do have one question (so far) !? Will my Husband (James) miss out if he drives us to the monuments at night? The Senator's Aide said for us to park at the East Potomic Park and walk to the Monuments ? James does not like the ideal of driving in the dark in a city we do not know looking for parking. He's an excellent driver and great with directions. Should I stop being cheap and just book us a tour ?

Michelle

Michelle - I'm a big fan of doing what you're most comfortable. It will really depend on if you are going on a weeknight or weekday. DC is a pretty easy to drive city, but you just have to do what is most comfortable for you. Another option is a cab - you can get a cab so easily and go at your own pace; have them drop you off where and when you want and then just get a cab back (or hop on metro) back to your hotel. I'm in favor of a tour, but tours can be unreasonably expensive, so it will really depend on your budget.

I know this is a really ambiguous answer - but I hope it helps nonetheless.

Johnna

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Hi Everyone,
I think someone said they were going to send me a list of everyone. Right now, I think I have mapped out there are five families of us, right? Are there any teens or preteens going. My friend is suppose to be joining us this cruise and she has a 12 yo dd and 16 yo dd at cruise. I think some of you have kids my kids age as well. Just trying to fiqure out whom is whom.

 

[kshabare]

Michelle,

I hope you received my email last night with the spreadsheet attached. My computer was not making nice with me!

It's hard to see that half of the year is gone already. I would very much love to put my toes in that Caribbean sand right now though. This week in CT is supposed to be one of the hottest of the summer. And, this heat and humidity is NOTHING like St. Thomas. I don't do CT beaches. Ewie. We were looking at our pictures yesterday. I miss Mickey.....

Have a great week everyone!

Kim

 

[kshabare]

... and a friend just came back from Carnival. They had a great trip. But didn't I feel like a snob when we started to talk about the pools! I told her how Disney is the only one (or one of few) whos pools are freshwater, not salt water. Salt in my hair on the ship? EWIE!! I'm spoiled!

Kim

 

[Micday]

Kim,

I did not know the "other" ships used saltwater in their pools !!!!!!!!!

I did not get your email so could you please resend it.

Michelle

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Hi Everyone-
Since there are two Michelle(s), I think we are going to have to make a difference between us. You can do me "atinkerbellmom" as MMichelle. The other M can stand for Minnesota or our last name. I'm not going to tell you growing up almost everyone called me "Mickey" if not Chelle. My Godfather still calls me "Mickey". Maybe this is the reason I am and have always been a Disney Addict. See they started and now I am $paying$ for it. Does this sound okay to you Michelle?

Kim, I did get the spreadsheet, actually I got both copies. So I do not know if you still need to send it to Michelle or not. Thanks for being the "keeper of the list". The only thing is all of you are EastCoasters. We feel a little "left out". If your Dkids are between 8 and 11 and have an e-mail account set up, PM me and give me the address. I will give it to DS and let them e-mail each other back and fourth. He is into the "penpal" thing. My girlfriend is suppose to be going with us too. Her girls will be 12 and 16 at sail. So any connections there will be great too.

Have a great weekend everyone. I do check my Dis PM's often and my e-mail often, but do not get on the Dis everyday.

Til We "Post" Again,

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Hi Guys, just bumping us, just in case someone else is joining us and needs to see the thread without a lot of work. I can not believe noone else has joined us. Look out up-grades, here we come............

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I was coming to bump this and saw that I was too late. I am not praying for an upgrade as much as this sailing to become one of the ones on the "magical rates" list. That would save a significant amount of money. I am really looking forward to seven days of fun and relaxation.

 

[Johnna_Story]

Just checking in and bumping us up. It would be nice to meet some more people, but if it's just us, we'll just rock on ourselves!

We did get lucky this past Saturday at the zoo - we went to see the pandas, and luckily Tai Shan (the "baby" - he's 2) was eating a huge bamboo stalk right in front of us. The kids were so excited - and me too!! One of the benefits of living right outside DC - we can go to the zoo and other museums any time. And they're free!

That's our big update - everything else is the usual summer stuff. Hope everyone is well! Johnna

 

[yamata45]

Bump! Bump!

The cruise will be here before long. Sumer is over almost.........soon the holidays will rush past...then the Jan-Feb thaw.....AND THEN IT'S HIDDEN MICKEY TIME!



OOH yeah!! OOH yeah!! Super Magical Ohanas Deck 10 Hidden Mickey Time!! Booh Yah!

J.

 

[Johnna_Story]

Hope all is well during these lazy hazy crazy days of summer!

I'm sure we'll have quite a few more DIS cruisers joining us after the summer ends. And I can't wait for those end of summer sales (that are starting already!) to get all the stuff we need for March.

Ciao for now! Johnna

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Hi Fellow cruisers-
Johnna-
We do think alike..... I just sent out an e-mail to my friends to tell them last week, to start hitting the end of the season sells to be sure the kids have sandles that fir for March. I also reminded them of swim suites.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Hey everybody!!

I am having a lazy sunday!!! The older that I get, the lazier that I get... I am going to apply for passports this week. I have to get that done!! I am freaking out over it. lol.

I have two more weeks of class (college professor) then I have two weeks to get ready for my fall semester. I know, I really have a hard life. lol.

My dd has already started school, this week was their first week. She is on a year round school schedule but my son is not. Strange school system here.

I am agonizing over my plans for transportation to the port. I have thought about flying into mco, staying at disney using magical express, and then using a towncar to the port. But I am worried that with four people, we will have two much luggage. Another alternative is to fly into orlando, rent a car and then drive to port canaveral, and drop off the car the next morning. I dont want to use disney transportation because they don't get you to the port early enough to suit me.

Who else is staying at Disney the night before? Maybe we could split a van? and leave really early. I am DVC and I am making a reservation tomorrow for the night before the cruise somewhere on site. Let me know...

Talk to you guys later!

Tammy

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Tommorrow the seven month booking window opens for me to book the Friday nite before this cruise. I am hoping that I can get the AKL, savannah view. If not, I will book a suitable room as we are flying in the night before the cruise.

Only seven months to go!!!

 

[Johnna_Story]

Who-hoo!! Only 7 months to go!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I got the AKL for the night before the cruise!!! I am pretty happy about that. Since it was a weekend night, it was almost a sure thing.

I am taking the clan down to the county clerk tomorrow to apply for our passports. I hope that seven months ahead of time is enough time. They seem to be so far behind.

Less than seven months away!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!