12/09/06 Cruise Continued ~ Pirating Bananas DIS Geekorama Part 2 Part 4

[becka]

The post on the main board about which seating is best early vs. late really has me wondering if maybe I am looking at this all wrong. What are your opinions?

 

[elaineteresa]

I went with the late after reading posts on several boards about it.

My thinking was I could feed the kids early, then we could see the show together as a family. I want them to see the dining rooms at least Parrot Cay and AP and the pirate night. But my son still spends most of the meal under the table and he would not last much more than 45 min. or so.

We will get them an appetizer or something and then take them to the kids club after the first course - we asked for 8pm seating.

Kisses to Lisa for pointing out the time change into this arrangement which will mean that I won't be falling asleep at the 8pm seating myself - at leat for part of the cruise.

I feel like the entertainment is really part of the extra bucks you pay for the Disney cruise and I don't want to miss that. Being an ex-NYC person I miss all the theater we used to go to before we moved to the boonies It will be fun to share this with the kids.

It will be really nice for hubby and I to eat alone which we rarely get to do.
He is either travelling or we are eating early and he eats late.

sorry longish.

elaine

 

[elaineteresa]

also many people complained that they missed the best evening programs in the kids club when they had the early dinner because they overlapped too much.

elaine

 

[Jhalkias]

Drive by hello.

Hey Jordan,

Nice to see you are still around and thinking of us. We'll miss seeing you. Anytime you want to talk sports (other than hockey) drive on by!

John1

 

[Jhalkias]

I can't post 66 more times and live with myself...plus can you imagine how much time that would take....

Thanks for the shout outs, Real Mickey, Caroline, Angie, Lisa.........

Yeah, can you even imagine anyone doing THAT?????

John1

 

[lillygator]

I've been on DD this evening trying to get the $2.99 suits....I have a 10% off code and it's only applying to three things PJ pals...??? I've logged in rebooted you name it...

 

[Jhalkias]

We ate there on our last trip. Please don't flame me...but....DH and I thought it was a bit snooty for our liking. Our waiter wasn't very good and I think that kind of made the whole experience bad. I told DH that we will be going back there when Eliza get a bit older to see Cindy...but neither of us is in a big rush to hit it again.

I am less worried about being flamed than upsetting Kim (since she is staying there) . . . but here goes anyway . . .

We have only stayed at the GF ONE time. I really wanted to stay there because I always thought that the hotel was so beautiful. Well, I must say we hated our stay there. The whole time, I felt like some kind of second class citizen. We may or may not make more income than the people who stay there - I don't know, but most of the people I ran into you would think are as wealthy as Donald Trump.

I'm the friendly, talkative type - at the pools, around the resort, etc.. NOT there! I always had that feeling that Brandi is talking about here. I also kept getting the feeling that I was in some kind of "Stepford Wives" run amok, as EVERYONE dressed and acted alike - men and women!

We did have a meal at 1900 this last time, and that was fine, but I never think I could feel like I belong at that place.

Sorry Kim . . . I've been waiting to get that off my chest for awhile, and Brandi opened the door.

John1

 

[lbgraves]

The post on the main board about which seating is best early vs. late really has me wondering if maybe I am looking at this all wrong. What are your opinions?

Those arguments work IF you don't have young kids who want to see the characters inbetween the show & dinner....so you have to be dressed before the show...close to dinner time. OR if you don't want to see the same shows again you can stay ashore longer and return around 7/7:30 from an excursion...though I don't think any of the departure times on our cruise would allow that.

 

[Jhalkias]

I think with the GF it's all whether you feel you belong or not. The people working there are all schlumps like us. LOL. (speaking for myself of course)
elaine

I don't think we ever really got that feeling from the CM's - more so from the hotel guests . . . See my "Stepford Family" comparison above.

John1

 

[lbgraves]

also many people complained that they missed the best evening programs in the kids club when they had the early dinner because they overlapped too much.

elaine

Our kids opt to stay with us & see the shows after dinner rather than go to the club. Once the show is over with around 9:30, they are fine to go check it out. I have taken DS to the club 30 minutes after we started dinner then go pick him up for the show. On formal nights I prefer them to stay with us since they are dressed up. There are more pictures to take after dinner.

 

[Jhalkias]

Ragweed High and Mold because of all of the rain - gasp

Yes, dieing here in Ohio too. I started on my Zyrtec yesterday. I sleep great, and the dreams I have are like going to Disney, but all day long all I want to do is go back to sleep!

John1

 

[lillygator]

ughhh....DD is making me so mad....it's applying the code to a size 2PJ Pal but not the 4 and to 2 pirate t shirts but nothing else?? What am I doing wrong?

 

[lbgraves]

After fighting with both kids to get them out of bed this morning....DD told me to stop waking people up ...they are going to bed even earlier. DS is already 26 minutes late so he will lose reading time...which will kill him. Lights out at 8:30. DD is going up to bed at 8. Catch you later!

 

[Jhalkias]

I have a request...seems kinda strange to post after I've been posting these other posts, but....I wasn't sure if it was okay to ask and just now decided that I should...

Can you guys keep my father and mother in your prayers? My DM called me and said my father was taken to the hospital...looks like he broke his hip. My father is 63, but suffering terribly with cancer and I bet his body is just really getting weak. Anyway - my mom threw her back out and can't move. So I have 2 parents out of commission. My dad has to have surgery and the ambulance took him to Tampa general. My mom is home alone at the house...hopefully able to move enough to make some food. I wish I could fly down but I just can't get away with the kids, school and work. My heart breaks and some prayers from a kind bunch like you all would really help. THANKS!! I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

okay - I'm out of here...I need to go run some errands and pick up the kids....and oh yeah - they just issued a tornado watch for our area for the next 4 hours .... little football players on a big open field with a tornado watch. hmmm...... are they psycho coaches or what?!!!


hugs, k

John1

 

[Jhalkias]

I went with the late after reading posts on several boards about it.

My thinking was I could feed the kids early, then we could see the show together as a family. I want them to see the dining rooms at least Parrot Cay and AP and the pirate night. But my son still spends most of the meal under the table and he would not last much more than 45 min. or so.

We will get them an appetizer or something and then take them to the kids club after the first course - we asked for 8pm seating.

Kisses to Lisa for pointing out the time change into this arrangement which will mean that I won't be falling asleep at the 8pm seating myself - at leat for part of the cruise.

I feel like the entertainment is really part of the extra bucks you pay for the Disney cruise and I don't want to miss that. Being an ex-NYC person I miss all the theater we used to go to before we moved to the boonies It will be fun to share this with the kids.

It will be really nice for hubby and I to eat alone which we rarely get to do.
He is either travelling or we are eating early and he eats late.

sorry longish.

elaine

I didn't go to the boards to read the post. For us, the time would be too late to eat late. And, it is a treat for us to eat together like this as a family. Also like Lisa, the kids have always accompanied us to the shows, and since DD was not really so into the clubs anyway, she did not feel like she was missing much.

I may be wrong about this too, and Angie you can correct me if I am . . . but there did not seem to be as many kids at late dining, and there seemed to be more folks from overseas and the West Coast at the late dining.

So, we enjoy early dining, and it has become a routine for us. We would only change if we had no other choice.

John1

 

[MrsMork]

The post on the main board about which seating is best early vs. late really has me wondering if maybe I am looking at this all wrong. What are your opinions?

We booked late seating on our first cruise thinking that the time difference would make a difference. What we found was that with in a day our bodies were on Florida time since we spend a few days at the parks before the cruise each time. We tried early on the 10 day cruise and it just doesn't work as well for us. We like the earliest late seating. We did late seating with Aaron when he was 3 and it worked for him then, so it should work for him now. I am positive that he would fall asleep during the show if we did that after a big dinner and a full, fun day. That being said, I think that what works for us may not work for you. At some point you may want to try the other seating on a 4 day cruise to see if it works.

 

[Jhalkias]

How's the weather holding up V?

We'll be thinking of you guys - stay safe!

I need to go and get the dog some exercise now.

Catch you all later.

John1

 

[MrsMork]

I may be wrong about this too, and Angie you can correct me if I am . . . but there did not seem to be as many kids at late dining, and there seemed to be more folks from overseas and the West Coast at the late dining.

John1

So John1, do you have and issue with us West Coast people?? Yes, it is the wild west, but we have learned how to use napkins and dining with us would not necessarily be a bad thing. You know I am joking, of course. That just read funny to me and I had to comment.


Seriously, John1 is correct. There are fewer small kids at late seating and more of us west coasters tend to schedule late, thinking as I did first trip that the time change would be an issue. It is not. I am in bed by 11. After dinner we usually walk around the ship a bit, "walking off dinner" so the tummies are not quite so full. DrHug can stay up much later than me. Neil Diamond - I am morning, he is night time. I am the sun, he is the moon, play me.......

 

[waltsgirl]

V what code are you using?

 

[elaineteresa]

yes that was my feeling as well Angie - that the kids would fall asleep during the show since during the school year we are in bed by 8:30pm. They are not really interested in food and I am interested in having some alone time with hubby after 5 yrs 11 mos of twinhood.

I know as first time cruisers we are probably missing some angles like the character greetings that Lisa mentioned. But I know there are several evening programs that my kids will really like - they love science experiments.

SO we will hope for the best and hope to see at least a few of you in the dining room at 8pm with us - if you aren't able to get early dining.

elaine