12/10/05 ~ Anyone else cruising.....??

[lbgraves]

Yes, that is the time. I guess that we will all be online waiting for the resies to open up at 3 am next Sunday. Maybe we can keep each other awake in one of the DIS's chat rooms.

DH has been checking out Transair from Newport News. The fare isn't bad...39 each way so a little over 300 for the four of us BUT then we will need to add on a hotel room Thursday night in VA and a rental car to get us to the port, then WDW & back to the airport. I think that it will end up costing us much more than driving even with gas prices. I just like the idea of having our own car there and being able to leave a suitcase in it with just our WDW things & not having to take it on the ship with us.

 

[Disney Di]

So if you are a first time cruiser is it 75 days out that I can book with Palo? I sure hope some reservations will be open for us first timers. (I'm sure there will be).
John congratulations on the great fair price!!!

Lisa, Looks like your children were enjoying their first day of school! You take great pictures. What type of camera do you use?

I was wondering do you worry about the salt air from the sea damaging your camera or camcorder? What kind of preventive messures do you use tp protect your camera? I like to keep my camera around my neck all the time so I can get to it quick if I need to.

bye Disney Di

 

[lbgraves]

Di, we have a Kodak easyshare 6.1. DH has it up at his parent's right now or I would get the model for you. It does take great pics & video! We only got that one this June after someone decided that they needed our 3.1 Kodak more than we did at WDW. I liked that one too but it did have a bit of a delay in the lag time so I used our 1.3 for action shots. Now I don't have to. I usually keep the cameras in a small bag that I carry with me everywhere. I keep my empty cards & extra batteries in it too so I am always ready. The only thing that I noticed is on hot days I need to wait a couple minutes when I go outside from the AC. If it is too hot the lens is foggy when you take it out. That clears up in a minute or two.

Speaking of pictures, today is DD's 5th birthday. I can't believe it! Her party was Friday. Just a few friends over for pizza, cake, and a princess make over. They were so cute! DD was great...first party that has happened! LOL! She was gracious & sweet to everyone and even let us all eat her cake! Not the case two years ago. LOL!

 

[cristit14]

Lisa, those are great pictures. She sure is cute!
I just realized that I won't be waiting up with all of you next Sun morning to make ressies. I will be out of town at a Girl Scout Leader retreat. I won't be home until Sunday afternoon sometime. Oh well... I am sure that there will still be some times left.

 

[lillygator]

Lisa - what great pictures! A princess makeover party sounds fun! I bet everyone had a blast! Was that castle a cake as well? They have one like that at Publix that Samantha oooh's and ahhhh's over everytime we pass the bakery!

 

[cristit14]

I had a strange cruise dream last night. Most of my cruise dreams have to do with us getting onboard and never being able to find my room. This one we got on board and realized that we were on deck one. I was really upset because I had requested a room on deck two so that we had a big porthole. When we finally found our room, it had a HUGE picture window that pretty much covered the whole wall and the room was twice as big as a normal room. Also in the dream I kept trying to get my family to hurry up because we were going to miss the DIS meet at the Mickey pool and I was afraid that we would never meet up with anyone after that.

 

[lillygator]

What a wild dream!!

So does everyone have their reservations picked out? I am trying to decide...so afraid I am going to miss something, but that makes a great excuse for going back! I am not worried about the excursions so much but picking the right evening for Palo.

Also - the CC member reception, when does that usually happen? and is it worth going to?


We went to Gainesville Saturday for the game...we had such a great time. Samantha was so funny she sat in her chair and cheered and was great for the entire time! The next day all she could talk about was the "gator game" and had to keep looking at the program! This is her third season but this is the first year she has been so in to it! We got her picture next to the big Gator (do this every year to see how much she has grown) and started Haley's pictures too. and I don't want to say this too loudly but I am pretty sure Samantha is potty trained. She hasn't had an accident in almost 2 weeks now (I think) and she did great on the 3 hour ride and all during the game....but I am keeping my fingers crossed!

I can't believe it the first week of September...we are going through month end close right now so we are pretty busy here at work. This weekend I am going to be tired! We are going to the game Saturday - probably get home around midnight and then I have to stay awake for the darn reservations - then I have to work on Sunday at 8am!! I better start resting up now!

I've read on the tips pages to bring multiple swimsuits...do most all of you do that? or just for the kids? I do not want to pack tons of stuff but I know how awful a wet swimwuit is to get into. I guess I could always use a dryer....

 

[missmulan]

Lisa, those pics are great! today was my DD's 7th birthday. Wow, 7....where have all the time gone???

Lillygator: I'm gonna have trouble picking Palo night too. I want our Palo night to be during the International Menu night because that would be our least favorite menu.

 

[lbgraves]

V, we pack at least two suits each. They take a while to dry in the bathroom on the line & I would rather put on a dry suit. They don't take much room either.

 

[cristit14]

I know that we want to do the Doubloon Sail and Snorkle on St Thomas, but as far as Palo is concerned, I still haven't figured out which night I want to do that or should we just do the brunch? I am also debating whether or not I should do a spa visit. I mean, it is my birthday so I deserve it right?

We also bring two suits for everyone. I hate putting on a wet suit.

I went to Kohls the other day (I just love that place). I spent $39 and got myself 4 new tops(3 sleeveless variety and one polo type), DH 2 new polo shirts and DS a new tie. I have to meet someone close to where Kohls is today for a few minutes so I might end up going by again and see if I can find anything else that I just can't live without.

 

[lillygator]

Wow Cristi - what a bargain!

I need to buy DH and I some new clothes...I look at all our photos and we are wearing the same stuff on different trips! I usually only buy stuff for the girls...
I think I am going to try to book Palo on the Who wants to be a mouseketeer night...(not that I know which night that is) and then I am not sure about brunch simply because I have to make sure Flounders is open and try to guess which day we'll have a character breakfast. I would like to do both simply because we have never eaten there!
I'm really rethinking the excursions as well. Everything I have read says most you can do cheaper on your own. DH definitely wants to snorkel...this Saturday is the night!! I guess we'll all be up late (well Eastern time zones!!)

 

[Disney Di]

I think we will schdule Palo's on formal night. That is the night my DH & I plan to renew our vows. I beleive that is on a Sunday. I plan on doing the brunch at Palo's but don't know which morning. Won't Disney schdule the charaecter breakfast around the Palo brunch? Well my DD states she plans on room service that morning. I am beginning to think my DH is more excited about this trip than I am.


I was told if you plan your own excursions it is much cheaper than going through Disney. We plan to do some snorkling at St John"s Trunk Bay. I have never snorkled before but I've been told it is fun. I will try anything at least once. I went white water rafting in Colorado that was so fun! Colorado is such a beautiful State. I had heard there might be a Stingray encounter at Castaway Cay. Has anyone else heard anything on that?
Disney Di

 

[lillygator]

I've read about the stingray encounter as well and suggested it to DH - he said "Vanessa, we swim with stingrays everytime we go to the beach lately...." (said in a very parental tone) He's right..we are always doing the "stingray shuffle". So I think I can safely x through that one.

I forgot today was my 90 day window for our WDW check in! I am only planning on booking dinner for both Thrusday and Friday night, the rest we can just wing.

I've never done excursions on my own...I plan on doing the Megan's Beach on our own though...or one of the beaches anyway. I think we'll end up booking a snorkeling excursion through Disney. I just don't know which one would be best!

Now that we are approaching the 90 day mark - this is starting to feel like it is really going to get here soon! I just can't wait!

 

[lbgraves]

They have the character breakfast on a sea day at 8:15 & 9:45, so if you have late seating you wont be out until at least 10:45. Brunch starts at 10:30 but I can understand not wanting to have to rush out of PC, drop the kids at the club & rush to Palo. Our kids also do NOT like eating with the club so I want to be able to finish brunch in time to pick them up for lunch...by the pool of course. If we get stuck with late seating I guess that we will just get them a quick breakfast at Topsiders that morning to hold them until PC, have them eat something heavier for a snack and that should hold them until 12:30/1. We can go to an 11 am Palo brunch resie then. OK, I didn't think that it would be possible for me to like late seating any more but now I do.

We were on the fence about going to Palo for dinner but the recent change in dining times has made us decide definitely NOT this trip. IMO it is just going to be too much of a PIB to deal with which time slot our rotation is going to be in, how the show will be affected time wise, and making sure which activities will be going on in the club to keep the kids happy while we are in Palo for 2 hours. I prefer stressfree cruises. We didn't do Palo on our first cruise & had a great time. This time will be brunch...which was my favorite last cruise.

As far as excursions, the only one that we are booking is the Golden Eagle for DH & John. The rest of us will probably hop in a taxi & get a tour of the island with a stop at the butterfly farm. DS may want to stay on the ship in the club...that will be up to him. The girls just love butterflies so they should enjoy that trip. We want to take the tram on St. Thomas. Hopefully we will dock this cruise and be right there, though the better shopping was at the tender dock. We already have souvies from these ports though so I don't feel the need to buy more tshirts. They do have the stingrays at CC now. Someone on the repo cruise won an spot in the first excursion there. We enjoy just sitting on the beach relaxing at CC. Who knows? We may get the chance to actually see Serenity Bay this trip! LOL!

 

[lillygator]

Yes - I would love to see Serenity Bay!! We went to a Butterfly Farm in Key West and it was awesome...Samantha had a blast...they would land all over you! It was very hot in there though as the walk through is kept like a greenhouse type environment. I am not sure what the one in St Marteen is like. The girls will love it though.


The thing that gets me is Flounder's is open a noon and 10 on the seas days from the April cruise....so as much as I would love to do the brunch, I guess it's kind of a guess if they will even be open. I am not going to stress too much about it! It's vacation and I know we'll have a great time anyway.

Is the character bfast something to not miss? I am assuming they come round your tables like any other character dining...but is it special ones...say Cap'n Hook, Mr Smee?? I could go for their autographs!

I'm also not going to worry about booking excursions aside from the one snorkel trip...I would like to do some shopping and see the islands...unfortunately we aren't there very long. Personally I'd love to just lay on the beach all day - left alone with a good book and a tropical umbrella drink, but that's not going to happen! At least not for a few more years!

Lisa - how's your daughter liking school?

 

[cristit14]

On St Maartin I am thinking that we will just take the water taxi to Great Bay Beach. Has anyone done that? Then on CC we can just hang on the beach. I would like for the kids to go to the club for a little bit so we can at least see Serenity Bay though.

I am thinking for Palo about going either Monday night or Thursday night. I wish I knew what our rotation will be I would rather do Palo on Mon night, but I don't want to miss the AP light show. I enjoyed it last time on the Wonder. I was also thinking about Wed night, but that is the day we will be doing an afternoon excursion and I don't want to worry about getting the kids fed and then us ready for dinner too.

Disney Di, thanks for the compliments on my beautiful state . I am a transplant, but I have lived here for almost 20 years now so I consider myself a native. I haven't been white water rafting, but DH did a couple of years ago. I think I could go as long as it wasn't a "wild" river. I would be happier just floating along easily.

 

[cristit14]

Had to show off a couple of pictures of the kids. Rachel just mastered the unicycle and she is really proud of herself (so are we). Jacob got a new haircut and thinks he is one "Awesome Dude".

Hopefully the pictures are here this time

 

[lbgraves]

The character breakfast is probably very basic...but the kids look forward to it. We probably wont have it on our next cruise in 2006 since there will only be 2 sea days. We wont pay for them in the parks so this is their only option. There is Chip & Dale, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, & Pluto. You can see them on the ship at other times but this is an easy way to get pictures with them & the kids at one time. Hook & Smee will be in the atrium before dinner on pirate night, V.

School & DD weren't getting along yesterday morning. She decided to cry from the time she got up until I left her at the door of her classroom. This morning was bad at home but she cleared up when we went out to the car. I recruited the teachers at the drop off & down the hall to help her if it happened again...but she did really well. They all complimented her so maybe that will help. This is her first full day of school!

 

[wingawh]

Hi

Does anyone know what time they will open up everything for us to make reservations? Tomorrow night (or Sunday morning rather)? I keep hearing 3am Eastern, is this what you are planning for?

 

[Disney Di]

I went to the St. Marteen's Butterfly Farm web site & they sugested spraying yourself with perfume & the butterflies will land on you. They are attracted to the scent. We plan on going there. I've never been to a Butterfly farm & I have always enjoyed butterflys.

Here is the Web site for the Butterfly Farm:http.//www.thebutterflyfarm.com

Rachel should be proud. Unicyles are not that easy to master. Heck just getting up on it takes soime doing! I tried ridding my friends when I was a kid. I could never get up & going. Jacob looks like an awsome dude.

Do you have to dress up for Palo's brunch or high tea or is casual wear ok?
Disney Di