08 DEC 2007 - 7 Day Eastern Magic Part 2

[RBennett]

I play Runescape, scrabble, and PoGo games

I am SOO about some PoGo Spades!! In college Pooh_Girl and I were in band and the first rule of being a band major is that you have to skip classes!! IT'S A MUST!! And we had our own "band lounge" in the Fine Arts building, so we played Spades ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!! And what can I say, between Spades, Canasta, and ERS, that's all we did. It's amazing I actually graduated!!

 

[RBennett]

So...I feel like such a newbie. Is my family the only one who's never cruised before?

And seeing as you're all so "experienced" I'm checking my reservation online madly--with a GTY room, I still have to wait for about a month to get a room assignment right?

Off to tuck in ds and wrest the book from his hands.

Don't even think that you're the only "newbie"!! DW and I have never been on a cruise either, it's just since we booked this in April of '06 we've had a LOT of time to plan every detail of this. The problem is we've planned it in our HEADS, but we have yet to buy any clothes for the cruise or the items we want for the Secret Mickey.

 

[RBennett]

We just watched Lilo and Stitch. I went though four tissues.

Has anyone ever noticed that Scrump is lime green?

I LOVE that movie, and I am not ashamed to say I usually need 1 tissue. Especially when he's in the woods reading the Ugly Duckling. He's just so darn "cute & fluffy". DW swore if we ever get a dog we're naming it Stitch. And GREAT observation on Scrump!!

 

[RBennett]

Where are Robby and Tina staying the night before? Maybe you could meet up and take a Town Car to the ship together.

I love the Disney bus, but I'm looking forward to being able to leave when we want to that morning. (We've got 7 so I was able to do a SUV limo for only about $100 more than the DCL transport including the tip.)

Well.... if you can believe this; Tina and I are packing up and leaving Thursday night, around 11:00 or midnight, and driving straight to the port nonstop. We'll arrive Friday afternoon cause it's around a 14 1/2 hour drive. We actually kind of like to drive because it helps build the excitement a little bit more. But to answer your question, we're staying at the Country Inn and Suites. We heard it was the closest, so..... anyway!! Look at the ticker now!!! IT SAYS 1 month (I don't look at the add'l days.)

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Hey Bill
went to a cowboy game last year and the kids in front of me were acting ridiculous and I finally told them something to the effect of if they could sit down and stop throwing stuff at each other because I was trying to watch the game and then they told me If I couldn't see I could just watch it on the screens.....Hello like I forked out all of that money for gas, food, tickets to watch it on TV....OK so I didn't pay, put my point still stands

We can totally relate. We bought season tickets several years ago (pre kids ) and got fortunate in that there happened to be 2 front row seats available. Well we quickly found out why they were available. There are temporary bleachers they put on the field in front of our seats so we really weren't front row. But the real problem was that these seats were for the half time act which 9 times out of 10 involved large groups of kids. So they were constantly up and down and playing around in front of us and we couldn't see the game. It really ruined the experience for us and we just took the loss of the option fee and didn't renew our tickets. Oh well, hakuna matata.

- Bill

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Oh and Bill and Jennifer, think about if you want to buy into more than one resort. I was going to buy 200 points at SSR, but now am going to just buy the minimum 160. Then if I need more points, I'll buy into another resort. That way I'll have 2 places to choose from at 11 mos. out. I talked to the guide about this. He said he owns at 2 resorts, and will probably purchase a 3rd. One reason is that then each membership can be willed to a different person. (One per kid). But for reasons of usage, you can combine all of your points. Cool huh?

Very cool! That is one of the questions I was going to ask the guide during our tour. We would love to be able to book at 2 different resorts at 11 months out and it sounds like it is doable. Thanks for the info Wendy!

- Bill

 

[BethC1952]

Hi, everybody!

Trying to play catch up! I'm working from home today, rather than sharing what has turned into a full-blown head cold with my co-workers. Since I have no voice, I told them if they need me they'll have to email. I guess that means I'll have to stay right here on line most of the day!

OK, about games--We have family game night every second Sunday. My son works every other weekend, so we have games on his Sunday night off. We play lots of things, but our current favorite is Uno. It's very challenging and entertaining to play it, because it's a color-based card game, and DH Jim is almost completely color blind!

Palo--as of two minutes ago there are no reservations available on line for any meal. I'm still trying to get High Tea, but it hasn't been available at all. Has anyone been able to book High Tea? Perhaps for some reason it's not available at all for our cruise.

DS was not happy with this weekend's football. He's a Jets fan. I never really watched football, baseball and basketball are much more my kind of sports. My boss is a former NBA player, so we often talk basketball in the office. He's still friendly with a lot of people in basketball.

Vacation Planning: Jim doesn't want to have anything to do with it. I make the plans, I pay the bills, I check us in. I always ask him if he wants to do anything special, and for this cruise I made him sit with me and pick out the excursions. He wouldn't have a clue how to get in touch with our TA (Merrie at DU) or how to check on our reservations. If something happens to me, he'll have to get my DIL to help him!

Beth

 

[plutojudy]

Hope you feel better soon. With the help of Levaquin, I am fighting a sinus infection which started with a cold on 9/17, then flu on 10/1.
I am hoping I get all my sick over with early this year. Same for you.

 

[Cruise]

I just heard the rumor about possible Alaska sailings in 2009 and Transpacific in 2010!

I've got a waitlist in for a Cat 3 for either Europe or Panama Canal in 2009. Can't wait to get a final answer!

Whoa... if they go to Australia in 2010, I'm on that one. I just got back from second Oz trip in May and loved it all over again. I was planning on going back next August, 2008. If they do a 2010 sailing, I'll take a miss on 2009 to be able to pay for it!

 

[Cruise]

Vacation Planning: Jim doesn't want to have anything to do with it. I make the plans, I pay the bills, I check us in. I always ask him if he wants to do anything special, and for this cruise I made him sit with me and pick out the excursions. He wouldn't have a clue how to get in touch with our TA (Merrie at DU) or how to check on our reservations. If something happens to me, he'll have to get my DIL to help him!

Beth

I got my reservation with Merrie at DU too! My DH doesn't even care about excursions. I'm sitting there explaining how I want to book St John through Disney because then we're assured we get back to the ship, don't miss the ferry, and his eyes just glaze over. Finally, I just said "Ok, the only thing I need to know from you is if you want to go with me or stay on the ship." Geez. I'm guessing if something happens to me, he'll just call Disney. Probably Disney World.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

All is well in the world today (at least in Texas!). . .

I am sooooooooo glad the Cowboys won last night! Bill was born and raised in Texas. So, he is a die-hard Cowboys fan. My Dad, in MA, called right after the first (of many) intereceptions. He joked that Brady would NEVER have done that. We always make a bet with my Dad when the Cowboys play the Patriots (every few years). Last year, we bet him who would go further in the play-offs. Needless to say, we sent him some lobsters last year. We can't wait to make a little waiger for the upcoming game. Since moving to Texas, I have become a Cowboys fan. However, I will ALWAYS be a Red Sox fan!

- Jennifer

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Beth:

I hope you feel better soon. When does flu season "officially" start? There seems to be a lot of people ill lately.

- Jennifer

 

[BethC1952]

I'm sitting there explaining how I want to book St John through Disney because then we're assured we get back to the ship, don't miss the ferry,

That's the only thing Jim insists on--that we book through Disney, even though it may cost a little more. He works with guy who get left behind by his cruise ship because he didn't get back in time. He had gone on a tour to the other side of whatever island it was, and the tour vehicle broke down. The people on the ship had no way of knowing where he was, and, of course they left him behind. He learned a very expensive lesson, and has never taken another cruise!

We always take DCL transportation to the port, too. Our first cruise was on a Memorial Day weekend (end of May for you non-US people). There had been a huge accident on the highway, and we sat for almost two hours on the bus without moving. At that moment he said that he would never go to the port any way except with Disney, because the chances were much better that they wouldn't leave without the people from one of their own buses. We arrived about 3:30 that day, so we were in plenty of time, but it could have been a disaster. So, that means that we have to force ourselves to stay at WDW for at least one night before the cruise, since staying at the airport just isn't quite the same!

Beth

 

[Cruise]

That's the only thing Jim insists on--that we book through Disney, even though it may cost a little more. He works with guy who get left behind by his cruise ship because he didn't get back in time. He had gone on a tour to the other side of whatever island it was, and the tour vehicle broke down. The people on the ship had no way of knowing where he was, and, of course they left him behind. He learned a very expensive lesson, and has never taken another cruise!

Our first two cruises, we did all our excursions on our own. Took a taxi in St Thomas to Magen's Bay and just walked around St Maarten. On the Western, we did Captain Marvin's for the Stingrays. But thinking about the possible "what-ifs" does make you reconsider that kind of thing.

Good point about the drive to the port too. A lot can happen on an hour drive. I think I read a report at one time where one of the DCL buses actually broke down on the way to the port so they had to send another to pick the people up.

I always thought the worst would be to miss the ship in one of the ports where there's a couple of days at sea before the next stop. Even if you caught up with it, almost half the cruise would be over before you got back on board.

 

[MrsMork]

DH & I may split up... Him to Palo to Reserve High Tea and me to the Salon to book a Hair appointment for Formal night..

That is a good plan. Then meet for lunch.

 

[MrsMork]

I should go to bed soon.. I have to get my oil changed and new windshield wipers.. Mine dry roted and it is suppose to rain tomorrow night..

DS is having a bad night.. His mouth is really sore.. I gave him some night time liquid cold medicine with a pain reliver in it.. I'm hoping he'll be able to sleep and go to school tomorrow.. He couldn't stretch his mouth wide enough to swallow tylenol..

I can't wait til all his orthodontic treatments will be over..

Oh poor guy! I hope he's feeling better today. OUr DIL went thru that stretching the upper palate thing. She was in pain alot and lost a ton of weight.

 

[MrsMork]

$400 airfare to save $6 on t-shirts. Hey... it all evens out.

Congrats! Post 5000 wow! Early on I never thought we would get this chatty, but it is good. I am feeling like I know you all alot better and can't wait to meet you!

 

[MrsMork]

My sister's future DH is trying out for the PGA tour. He goes to qualifiers, but no card yet.

They came to visit a couple months ago and he brought his clubs to take down to San Diego... apparently some good golfing down there. And I was thinking.... you use your baggage allowance for golf clubs??

That would mean we would have to leave some of our Pirate gear at home! It takes all kinds, I guess.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

I've been giving Bill (DH) lots of hugs and kisses over the weekend. I can't believe we are going to WDW in a couple of weeks! We didn't want to sign up for DVC "blindly". We need to see the facilities first-hand. Also, we are hoping if we do sign-up now, we could use some of the points for our December trip. THANK YOU HONEY!

I was always curious why people had signatures with more than one DVC property on it. That makes sense to buy into more than one to have the priority booking. (Thanks Wendy!) However, would we have to buy 160 point for each additional property?

- Jennifer

 

[MrsMork]

Oh and Bill and Jennifer, think about if you want to buy into more than one resort. I was going to buy 200 points at SSR, but now am going to just buy the minimum 160. Then if I need more points, I'll buy into another resort. That way I'll have 2 places to choose from at 11 mos. out. I talked to the guide about this. He said he owns at 2 resorts, and will probably purchase a 3rd. One reason is that then each membership can be willed to a different person. (One per kid). But for reasons of usage, you can combine all of your points. Cool huh?

But be aware you can't combine points at 11 months. You can only book at 11 months up to the amount you own at that particular resort.