12/01/07 Western December 1, 2007 - Let's get the party started!

[grumpy-gramps]

Wow, you guys have all been busy! Football and soccer are winding down over the next 2 weeks so I'll have more time to keep up on Disboards.

We are staying at the Wilderness Lodge Villas 11/28 and checking out the morning of 12/1. My parents are also staying at WLV. We will all be driving to Port Canaveral early on Saturday. We like to get on board as soon as we can.

We were at WDW and did a 3 day Wonder cruise last December and got to see a lot of the resorts decorated for Christmas. We made dinner ADRs at the Grand Floridian, Poly, WL, CSR and AKL so we could check out the resorts. We also got to see POR, CSR and CBR. Everything was decorated beautifully.

Hi,
Were doing basically the same.
Are you going to the Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom when your are there?
I thinking of ordering tickets and going Friday night, as we arrive around noon on the 30th.. Who knows might see you..
have a nice night,
gg

 

[Hanover]

Hi,
Were doing basically the same.
Are you going to the Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom when your are there?
I thinking of ordering tickets and going Friday night, as we arrive around noon on the 30th.. Who knows might see you..
have a nice night,
gg

Yes, we are doing MVMCP. We are going the 29th though. We just bought AP's so that's opened the door for us to either go to Illuminations or Wishes on 11/28 after dinner at Chef Mickey's. The 29th we are going to go to Epcot for a few hours in the morning and then going back to the WLV to relax/rest before MVMCP. Our ds6 fell asleep at MNSSHP by 9 after resting half the afternoon so he'll probably still fall asleep at MVMCP. I would like for him to at least see the parade because he loved the MNSSHP one and wasn't up last year for the late parade at MVMCP. We made sure to go to the early MNSSHP parade so he would be up. On the 30th, we plan to go to MGM for a few hours. We are checking in my parents at the WLV around noon and will just hang out at the resort or go to DTD. We have dinner ADRs for Ohana that night. On 12/1 we plan to eat breakfast and head to the port. We love to get there early, even if we just sit around and wait. Just the feel of the terminal and watching everyone check in is fun. Once we board the Magic, we are going to eat and then let the boys swim until we can check into our room.

We are kind of just swinging it in terms of cruise excursions. I closely followed trip reports in the summer for the Med cruises before we went on ours and we cancelled half the Disney ones we booked to do them on our own. We saved a ton of money and did more than what the Disney ones would have provided. DH and I have been to Key West and Cozumel and have done the trolley tour and the dolphin excurision in respective ports. We will probably take the boys on the trolley tour on our own and walk around the town. In Cozumel we may go to Chankanaab to snorkel. In Grand Cayman, we have the pirate adventure excursion booked but I'm not positive we'll keep it. Depends if we do something with my parents instead. I am hoping to get excursion advice from DS6's librarian's daughter who used to live in Grand Cayman.

After the cruise we are staying one night at AKV. We are meeting Disfriends we met on our Med cruise who will be there that day for dinner at Boma. We don't fly back home until late on 12/9 (after 8PM) so we are going to do Animal Kingdom in the morning and hop to the Magic Kingdom. We wouldn't have gone to the parks that day, but we figure having our APs we'll make the most of it. We were going to buy more 10 day no expiration tickets since we used up the last of our old 10 day no expiration tickets up earlier in the month but it was cheaper to buy the APs (with a DVC discount). We would have used 8 days on the 10 day tickets by late April so it was worth it to buy the APs.

 

[Gerweniel]

The boys and I will be at MVMCP on the 29th as well!
We enjoyed MNSSHP last year and got to ride Splash Mtn during the fireworks which was really cool, so I caved in and bought the tix for the Christmas party. I can't wait to see it snow on Main St and hear the caroling. Nutcrackers freak me out, so I don't know if I'll be able to watch the parade.
DS13 Devin is picking our TS restaurants this trip and we're going to the Poly for the Luau on the 28th (hokey I know, but we enjoy hokey - and the food and fire part of the show) and the San Angel Inn for the first time on the night of the 30th. I've got an ADR for Boma buffet breakfast on embarkation day. With my boys, all you can eat is a good thing Then we'll catch the bus from there to the ship. The anticipation and excitement is almost overwhelming. Yesterday we got Disney mail and our land docs arrived. No cruise docs or cabin assignment yet.

It will be a trip of firsts for us. 1st time at CSR, 1st MVMCP and first cruise. We are very fortunate indeed.

 

[Michelle2]

Hi everyone,
Looks like we will be joining you on this cruise! We are excited to be going on our first Western. It was a bit of an impulsive decision, but it's a done deal now!
It will be myself, DH, and DS who is 5. We have 3 other kids, but they have school, and will be staying with their grandparents while we are gone.
We are on early dining, and are in stateroom #7118

Due to work, my DH is heading to Florida right before and after the cruise, but DS and I are staying a few days before and after the cruise due to FF tickets. I am hoping to take him to a few days at WDW and maybe even MVMCP on the 9th.....

Just wanted to say hi!

 

[grumpy-gramps]

Hi everyone,
Looks like we will be joining you on this cruise! We are excited to be going on our first Western. It was a bit of an impulsive decision, but it's a done deal now!
It will be myself, DH, and DS who is 5. We have 3 other kids, but they have school, and will be staying with their grandparents while we are gone.
We are on early dining, and are in stateroom #7118

Due to work, my DH is heading to Florida right before and after the cruise, but DS and I are staying a few days before and after the cruise due to FF tickets. I am hoping to take him to a few days at WDW and maybe even MVMCP on the 9th.....

Just wanted to say hi!

HI,
aboard Glad you can sail with us. I know we'll have a great time..
again,
gg

 

[grumpy-gramps]

Hi, rgroves,
here is your draft door sign:

sorry for the delay..
gg

 

[grumpy-gramps]

John! The boys and I love the sign! Thanks again. We are certainly looking out for Pirates Night stuff after Halloween. You and your family look like you're having a blast.
Me thinks it will be a merry time for all!

Jill, Ian and Devin

Hi,
Since the boys liked the first one. How is this one?.?.

have a nice weekend,
gg

 

[Gerweniel]

Love it! Thanks and you have a good weekend as well!

(you picked out the right characters for the boys - Devin IS mischievious like Stitch..hehe)

 

[Michelle2]

HI,
aboard Glad you can sail with us. I know we'll have a great time..
again,
gg

Thanks for the welcome, grumpy gramps. I loved seeing your pirate pictures and door signs, you do a great job!

DH and I were thinking about what entertainers and movies they will have onboard. We noticed that National Treasure isn't released until closer to Christmas, so we were thinking that Enchanted will be the main movie this cruise since it is coming out end of November. I will be happy to see that one on the Magic!

 

[rgroves]

Hi, rgroves,
here is your draft door sign:

sorry for the delay..
gg

THANKS!!! Looks great. I'll edit it and add the room number.


I just bought my magnet paper and need to sort through all the pics I've collected to see what I want to print now.....

 

[WishesFT]

Hi! This is Shellie. We had to change our cruise to this one and we are all sooo very excited! Only a month away!

It will be myself, my dh, two dd's 8 & 10. We also have friends coming who are first time cruisers with one ds 11.

My dh & I just came back from a Wonder cruise in Septeber. Too fabulous for words. My advice - be sure to keep some romance time for yourselves!~

I haven't read all of the postings yet, is there a meet already scheduled? I am especially interested in one for the kids.

 

[Edd]

Has anyone come up with a place to meet maybe Saturday afternoon. I will be getting on later so hope I can make a meeting at one of the lounges before the sail way party or later on in the evening. Can't wait to meet Grumpy and his family. Grump seems like a fun guy.

 

[rgroves]

Well, We're going to get ot the terminal early (10am), since we want an early boarding number.

I've also got a massage at 6'ish, so what about right before or after the safety drill.

 

[jlowejd5]

I got this link from a friend of a friend, so I can't vouch for it one way or the other, but since we're going to be in Key West on the last day of it...

We're supposedly going to meet said friend-of-friend and get a tour of some of KW's fun spots.

See you all in a few weeks!!

http://piratesinparadise.com/

 

[Gerweniel]

Thanks for that link! It looks like there could be more fun to be had!

 

[clymusa]

Hi All,

We're going to be on this cruise too! I spent literally hours to find others to get info and experiences as this will be our first cruise.

Let me get the symbologies and lingo correct... We'll be on the Disney Magic on the 12/01/07 trip with my DW, and DD Almost 5. No clue what cabin we're in.

Watched the DVD like 3 times already and she can't wait.

Hope to see you on board. I also noted the fun door plaques and will work on one soon!

I'm at work now and can't read all 20 pages of posts, but I've bookmarked it and will definitely enjoy them at home.

Hope to meet you funny people on board!

Chris, Chin & Sydney

 

[grumpy-gramps]

Hi All,

We're going to be on this cruise too! I spent literally hours to find others to get info and experiences as this will be our first cruise.

Let me get the symbologies and lingo correct... We'll be on the Disney Magic on the 12/01/07 trip with my DW, and DD Almost 5. No clue what cabin we're in.

Watched the DVD like 3 times already and she can't wait.

Hope to see you on board. I also noted the fun door plaques and will work on one soon!

I'm at work now and can't read all 20 pages of posts, but I've bookmarked it and will definitely enjoy them at home.

Hope to meet you funny people on board!

Chris, Chin & Sydney

Hi,
The more folks we have the better the
Don't worry about your cabin number, as a third of us don't know what our cabin numbers are...
have anice day,
gg

 

[grumpy-gramps]

Hi! This is Shellie. We had to change our cruise to this one and we are all sooo very excited! Only a month away!

It will be myself, my dh, two dd's 8 & 10. We also have friends coming who are first time cruisers with one ds 11.

My dh & I just came back from a Wonder cruise in Septeber. Too fabulous for words. My advice - be sure to keep some romance time for yourselves!~

I haven't read all of the postings yet, is there a meet already scheduled? I am especially interested in one for the kids.

Hi to you folks too,

Can't speak for a kids meeting as my youngest who will be with me, will be 32 on the 5th of Dec but I'm sure out of 20 pages you'll meet up with outer folks who have young ones.
You know what they say "once the young ones go to the the club or lab (based on their age) you probably won't see them much" but be prepaired will still be there ..
have a good one,
gg

 

[grumpy-gramps]

Has anyone come up with a place to meet maybe Saturday afternoon. I will be getting on later so hope I can make a meeting at one of the lounges before the sail way party or later on in the evening. Can't wait to meet Grumpy and his family. Grump seems like a fun guy.

Hi Edd,
Last month was the family this month will just be me and DD (it's her birthday on the 5th)..

The last trip I was on (Mothers day weekend) that had a 20 page thread, only had 4 people show up for the 3 o'clock meeting at the promanade lounge (one of the normal DisBoards meeting locations) all the excuses in the world were given but it just boils down to not making time...

Now the very last trip Sept.29 - Oct. 6th had over 3000 posts and 200 pages
and about 30 to 45 people showed up, so you never know...

We'll just have to see what everyone wants to do , , or or maby everything
see you when we see you,
gg

 

[Hanover]

I think a lot of people get caught up in the midst of activities on embarkation day and wind up not going to Dismeets. We did not go to a Dismeet on our first Disney cruise in February 2005. We were overwhelmed with everything and didn't want to stop our boys from swimming to go to the Promenade Lounge. On our Eastern Magic cruise in May 2006, we had a very active cruise meets thread. The people that posted the most didn't show up at 3PM at Mickey's hand for our Dismeet (except for VerandahMan who came with his wife, mom and daughter). Maybe 5 families out of a good 40 showed up. We did run into several other thread members through out the week we recognized from pictures everyone began posting. On our 3 day Wonder cruise last December, it was only us and one other family at the Dismeet at the Mickey pool. We all thought meeting where our kids would likely be would be the easiest. In the Mediterranean in July, we didn't make the meet on deck 10 at the sail away party because it was 9PM (it was a night sail away) and we couldn't tell who was wearing our Disboard shirts a member designed. We did all meet up though during the week for a get together at the very back of Topsiders. Cruise staff even had it roped off for a "private function" and had drinks and snacks for us. Captain Tom came out to meet all of us and took pictures with us. A good 30-40 thread members showed up through out the meet. I'm not sure who in our group organized it, but it worked out great.

Here's a picture from our Med Dismeet. DS6 is in the orange rash guard, ds10 in the red rash guard, I'm in a brown Dis shirt behind ds10 and dh is in Navy blue Dis shirt behind the girl in the white shirt with the lanyard.

This is one of my favorite pictures of the Magic. We were landing in Barcelona when I spotted it.

This is ds6, Brennan, who had to have his own Golden Mickey after watching the Golden Mickey's.

ds10, Keegan, on pirate's night: