20050514..May 14, 2005...Official Check in Disney's 1st 14 Day thru Panama Canal Part 3

[Hygiene99]

just going to whine for a minute ..

i wana go Cruzin ............................now

 

[Scott H]

Yee Haw! The things they do in Wyoming for excitement.
__________________

And that is just Monday night......

 

[seaulater]

No docs here yet and I was just home, but then Pony Express will make it through Wyoming before Utah.

I want my documents.....

 

[BobandLee]

And Finally(if I keep this up, I'll catch up with Scott's posts )
Glad that spring is finally here to stay.

Some how I dont think so...
Scott H. 707
Hygiene99 523
seaulater 518
moocow35 486
JenKatt 415
videogal1 336
karaeric 322
Q's My Princess 288
BobandLee 266
kpros 254
DisneyPinDiva 254
bonzie1 238
jin diesel 223
kellib36 216
krdisneybound 201
EpcotKilterFan 159
3DAN 152
SandraLee 151
Tigfanjeff 146
kaylin 144
rcostello1 136
Mickey&JoshNut 133
DisneyDreamer8 111
Az Pirates 100
bettemom 98
tap & dap 91
cotomom 90

I didn't say how long I had to keep it up.

 

[winotracy]

Today's Excursion Highlights!

The Curacao Sea Aquarium
By Arlene (Mississaugamom)​

When I wasn't impressed with Disney's excursion to the Curacao Sea Aquarium, I started investigating what other options were available at the Aquarium. Since our "All Ashore" time in Curacao is currently posted as 7:30 am, and our "All Aboard" is 7:30 pm, we have lots of time to strike out on our own if we want to:

For comparison, here's Disney's Excursion Description: "See sea life while staying high and dry! An approximate 2.5-hour visit to the Curaçao Sea Aquarium is the perfect way to observe the island's underwater wonders from a comfortable vantage point. After an approximate 15-minute ride through historic Willemstad and over the impressive Queen Juliana Bridge, you'll arrive at the island's number-one attraction, where more than 300 species of tropical fish reside. The aquarium also presents a wide variety of aquatic entertainment, including shows featuring dolphins, sea lions, sharks, and turtles, plus a unique underwater observatory. During the approximate 15-minute return ride, you may choose to be dropped off in downtown Willemstad for shopping and sightseeing before taking the approximate 10-minute walk back to the ship
Adult Price: $35 (Ages 10 and above)
Child Price: $25 (Ages 3 - 9)
Departure Times: 9:10 am"

For those who DON'T want to stay "high and dry", there are numerous programs at the Sea Aquarium that could be of interest to you. Getting there will be very easy. I have been in contact with the Marketing Manager of the Sea Aquarium, and asked him about transportation. He replied:

"Taxi's will be waiting for you at the end of the pier. The price should be $12 (up to 4 persons), one way"

Using the info from their website: www.curacao-sea-aquarium.com and information from the Marketing Manager, I've put together the following:

A visit to the aquarium (at your own pace) is less expensive than Disney's Excursion even if you have only 2 people going and taking a cab back and forth.
Adult Admission: $15.00 per person
Child (5 - 12 yrs) $ 7.50 per person

Admission is INCLUDED in all of the adventure/encounter programs offered at the Aquarium. Reservations can be made through their secured on-line website for any of the programs offered.

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS PROGRAM:

"Snorkelling and/or diving with sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and many, many colourful tropical fish!"

Bring your bathing suit and take part in a thrill-of-a-lifetime adventure called "Animal Encounters". This is the only place in the world where you can hand feed sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and colourful tropical fish in one dive.

The best thing about "Animal Encounters" is that both divers and non-divers, starting at age 12, can participate in this exciting diving activity. Children under 12 and those not interested in scuba can participate in the Animal Encounters Snorkelling Program:

Animal Encounters Dive Program:
$54 p/p Times: 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm

After a short briefing, you are free to seek out the adventure of being surrounded by sharks, rays, turtles and many other fish looking to get some of your food. You begin with a special 30-minute PADI-approved immersion course. Your certified dive instructors then prepare you for your first scuba dive. You will be closely and safely supervised every step of the way for the entire 45 minute immersion underwater.

Animal Encounters Snorkel Program:
$34 p/p Times: 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm

First you will receive a short briefing about snorkelling in the Animal Encounters lagoon. After that collect your snorkel gear at the counter, then simply snorkel around the lagoon and experience all its inhabitants in natural surroundings. Don't forget to pick up some sardines, so you can hand feed the sharks and the turtles. Photographers are available so you can show everybody at home how brave you were to feed and swim with the sharks!

Certified Divers: ALSO Dive The Outside Reef!
$65 p/p (Encounter Dive and Outside Reef Dive) Times: 9:00 am, 1:00 pm

Do you have your Scuba Certification? Within a 30 second walk, you can also dive our fabulous Sea Aquarium house reef, which is one of the most beautiful in Curacao.

SEA LION PROGRAMS:

Sea Lion Encounters: $39 p/p 9:00 am

You will learn more about sea lions while getting up close and personal with a sea lion and a training specialist. General training techniques will be explained and the guest will have the opportunity to do some basic behaviors with the animals. This half hour experience concludes with the guest to have the opportunity to touch and even kiss these curious and playful animals.

Sea Lions Swim/Snorkel: $69 p/p 2:00 pm

Accompanied by a sea lion trainer you will gather around a selected natural lagoon of the sea aquarium. The group will begin to learn more about the aquatic Eco-system and conservation issues as well as sea lion general behavior. During a point of the teaching, the group will be joined by a one of the specialized trained animals. Under supervision of the animal specialist, the guests will proceed to interact with the animals through touching, wading and even swimming with the animals.

Sea Lions Scuba Dive: $99 p/p 10:00 am

A group of certified scuba divers will proceed with together with a sea lion trainer to a selected dive site. Natural underwater fauna and flora life will be pointed out and even photographed. At one point of the dive the group will encounter one of the specialized trained animals. Under guidance by the animal specialist, the divers will proceed to interact with the specialized animals in the natural setting of the ocean depths. Certification needed.

Sea Lion Training Experience: $149 p/p 8:30 am and 1:00 pm

Learn to be a Marine Mammal Trainer! Through the Curacao Sea Aquarium Sea Lion Trainer Experience, guests will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes with the animals and their trainers. As a participant they will work directly with the sea lion training staff in a wide variety of activities. These interactive learning activities range from the glamorous: experiencing an open ocean training session, to the not-so-glamorous: cleaning the food preparation area. They will also be introduced to the principles of training, basic animal husbandry, and many other aspects of caring for marine mammals. The small group size will provide for a very personal and unforgettable experience. The program will take about 3.5 hours

DOLPHIN INTERACTIONS:

The Curacao Dolphin Academy is located at the Curacao Sea Aquarium. The following programs are available:

DOLPHIN ENCOUNTER PROGRAM:

COST: $69.00 p/p TIMES: 8:30 am 11:30 am 2:30 pm

Our Dolphin Encounter Program offers you the rare opportunity to learn more about the Bottlenose Dolphin while standing waist deep in the water on a submerged platform. Prior to the activity, the dolphin trainers will give a brief explanation.

Intimate group sizes are maintained in order to give you the best opportunity to examine and study the dolphin's physical characteristics.

Children under the age of eight (8) must be accompanied by a paying parent or guardian. Some additional restrictions may apply. Please e-mail for details.

SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS:

COST: $149 p/p TIMES: 8:30 am 11:30 am 2:30 pm

Our Swim with Dolphins program offers you the rare opportunity to swim and play with a beautiful Bottlenose Dolphin. Prior to the activity, you will receive instructions from the dolphin trainers.

Upon entering their lagoon, you will first become acquainted with our dolphins through petting, and kisses. Then, taking the interaction one step further, clients swim and play with the dolphins under supervision of one of our dolphin trainers, and even take an exciting dorsal ride!

Intimate group sizes are maintained, in order to give you the opportunity to touch, interact, swim and have a good time with these lovable marine mammals.

Only experienced swimmers may participate in the Dolphin Swim Program. Participants must be at least 4 feet and 3 inches tall (1 meter and 30 centimeters). Scuba fins must be worn throughout the activity. Pregnant women can only participate in the Dolphin Encounter. Some additional restrictions may apply. Email us for details.

SNORKEL WITH THE DOLPHINS:

Cost: $159.00 TIME: 4:00 pm

Our Dolphin Snorkel Program offers you the rare opportunity to learn more about the Bottlenose Dolphin while snorkeling (free diving) with them in their natural salt water lagoon. Prior to the activity, you will receive instructions from the dolphin trainers.

Group sizes are kept small, in order to give you the opportunity to examine and study the dolphin's underwater behavior. Participants must be at least 4 feet and 3 inches tall (1.3 meters). Scuba fins must be worn throughout the Dolphin Snorkel program.

Underwater free diving experience is required for participation in this unique and wonderful opportunity to come face to face with a dolphin. Pregrant women can only participate in the Dolphin Encounter Program. Some additional restrictions may apply. Email us for details.

DIVING WITH DOLPHINS:

Unfortunately, this program is currently only scheduled for 7:30 am, so we won't be able to reach the Aquarium in time. I've included the info in the event they are able to schedule at a different time during the day. Cost: $179.00 p/p

Our diving with dolphins program offers you the rare opportunity to learn more about the Bottlenose Dolphin while diving with them in their natural seawater lagoon. Prior to the activity, you will receive instructions from the dolphin trainers.

Group sizes are kept to a maximum of 2 people (excluding the Dolphin Trainer), in order to give you the opportunity to examine and study the dolphin's underwater behavior.

Valid open water dive certification is required in order to participate in this unique and wonderful scuba dive opportunity to come face to face with a dolphin. Pregrant women can only participate in the Dolphin Encounter Program. Some additional restrictions may apply, email us for details.

Additional Activities:

BEACH BREAK NEAR AQUARIUM:

Within walking distance of the Curaçao Sea Aquarium you will discover a beautiful stretch of soft white sand, the Sea Aquarium Beach. 400 meters of white sandy beach, tropically shaded by coconut and date palms, without doubt the most popular beach on the island.

The Sea Aquarium Beach is the perfect way to relax after being thrilled by feeding the sharks!

The Sea Aquarium Beach has restrooms, showers, beach shops, a fully-equipped dive shop and security. You will also find a variety of beach bars and restaurants, offering fresh fruit shakes, tropical cocktails, nice lunch and romantic dinners.

The Animal Encounters Photoshop:

Animal Encounters has it's own photo shop specialized in underwater photography, and it's professional photographers will gladly arrange underwater pictures and video of your dive.

A photographer can accompany you on your dive to make a beautiful video or picture of your underwater experience. The best part about the video is that the plastic window between you and the sharks doesn't show up on screen. You can show everybody at home how brave you were to feed and swim with the sharks!

They also have photo souvenirs, Animal Encounters T- shirts, film and videotapes. Underwater video and photo cameras can be rented by the day.

"Sea" you at the Sea Aquarium!

Arlene

 

[seaulater]

Okay, so I wanna know...........................has DCL updated the book and does it say anything about pirate night?

At Christmas we had all these upset passengers because they knew "nothing about pirate night" and it was still listed as tropical night in the cruise documents.

Some people...................................

 

[seaulater]

Today's Excursion Highlights!

I wanna go!!!!

 

[BobandLee]

I wanna go!!!!

Me too. After today, I am ready.

Atleast the weather is nice here.

No snow here. What about out west in dem der hills?

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

Okay, so I wanna know...........................has DCL updated the book and does it say anything about pirate night?

At Christmas we had all these upset passengers because they knew "nothing about pirate night" and it was still listed as tropical night in the cruise documents.

Some people...................................

Okay Linda, I just went through the Passport to Disney Magic booklet that came with my cruise documents and you are right...it says nothing about pirate night. It does list 5 special evenings:

TROPICALifragilisticexpialidocious Dinner (Eastern Caribbean Itinerary)
MEXICALifragilisticexpialidocious Dinner (Western Caribbean Itinerary)
Around the World Dinner
The "Best of" Dinner
Captain's Gala Dinner

So I guess it will just be us DisBoard people dressed up like pirates!!!!!!!

Elaine

 

[krdisneybound]

Okay Linda, I just went through the Passport to Disney Magic booklet that came with my cruise documents and you are right...it says nothing about pirate night. It does list 5 special evenings:

TROPICALifragilisticexpialidocious Dinner (Eastern Caribbean Itinerary)
MEXICALifragilisticexpialidocious Dinner (Western Caribbean Itinerary)
Around the World Dinner
The "Best of" Dinner
Captain's Gala Dinner
So I guess it will just be us DisBoard people dressed up like pirates!!!!!!!
Elaine

I went to look at booklet and come back and post and was already posted as above. Sure everything will be the same

NOTHIN' 'BOUT PIRATES NITE.....................

 

[Kevin&Randall]

Okay, so I wanna know...........................has DCL updated the book and does it say anything about pirate night?

At Christmas we had all these upset passengers because they knew "nothing about pirate night" and it was still listed as tropical night in the cruise documents.

Some people...................................

I just quickly went through the Passport to Magic. There is no mention of Pirates. It does still mention Trapicali- / Mexicali-, Around the World Dinner, Gala Feast and the Best of Dinner.

I must say I'm surprised how 'stale' the document they are mailing out are. It shows a print date of April 2004. But I guess if you print thousands of them, you want to burn through your supply and not waste money.

Randall

 

[Kevin&Randall]

WOO WOO!!!

UPS man just dropped of the documents. A cute little brown box.

We're going on a cruise, cruise, cruise
How about you'se, you'se, you'se
You can come too's, too's, too's
We're going on a cruise, cruise, cruise!

Banana Conga Line!

OK, so this may not work as I traditionally am not the "poster"...

In looking through "our" documents it became quite apparent that there is only ONE set - two luggage tags - and ONE NAME. So I can't help but think...

Is this an oversight on behalf of DVC / DCL? Have they changed the way docs are preparped? In the past we've received a booklet per person in the room.

Has this all been some kind of crazy dream / NIGHTMARE and I'm really not cruising?

OR - Have I been purposely dropped just to add a little more stress and tension to my life this week? My little countdown calendar on my office door that I've been tracking since 10 weeks out with all the little XXXs on it has just been a great big TEASE???

I'm hoping it's the first option!!!

For those others (two if I recall) that got docs - were they intact? There is currently NOTHING with my name on it and I find this a tad unnerving.

Kevin

 

[icunurse_celeste]

Thanks to everyone for the info on dropping off bags. Our rental car was cheaper than DCL transport AND I am NOT going to use DCL transport from one of their hotels--You get there too late.

I REALLY need a Palo reservation for May 27- which is the last night- BUT my 10th wedding anniversary----so we want to get there plenty early.

(I always hate the last night- so if I can 't get a Palo res I will REALLY be grumpy!)


Also congrats to all of those who have their documents!!!

(Atleast those of you who used Dreams get to go to a cool party in the Roy Disney suite----anyone want to bring me a long? I will have to wait a long time and my TA is NOT throwing a party- I feel cheated!)


Thanks!

 

[krdisneybound]

OK, so this may not work as I traditionally am not the "poster"...
In looking through "our" documents it became quite apparent that there is only ONE set - two luggage tags - and ONE NAME. So I can't help but think...
Is this an oversight on behalf of DVC / DCL? Have they changed the way docs are preparped? In the past we've received a booklet per person in the room.
Has this all been some kind of crazy dream / NIGHTMARE and I'm really not cruising?
OR - Have I been purposely dropped just to add a little more stress and tension to my life this week? My little countdown calendar on my office door that I've been tracking since 10 weeks out with all the little XXXs on it has just been a great big TEASE???
I'm hoping it's the first option!!!
For those others (two if I recall) that got docs - were they intact? There is currently NOTHING with my name on it and I find this a tad unnerving.
Kevin

Kevin: There are two of us going and we received two complete booklets. Inside each booklet was all our information, ie client # - reservation # and our names and addresses already typed in on several of the docs. Even our Embarkation Departure Form was completely filled out and all we have to do is sign them. Each one was bound in a little booklet.

Didn't you get your this way??

 

[JenKatt]

Put on you eye mask and go to SLEEP! You crazy lady you...
Do you work 12's? I do- 7 am to 7pm...(Friday, Saturday, and Sunday- but I got this Sunday off due to low census)
---I had SICK people this weekend----I couldn't sleep and kept on calling work to check on them.

Take Benadryl---do something or your gonna have to stay up or you'll get messed up even more.

I work 6p to 6a, self scheduling... we almost are never at low census, but are right now (well low for us), but we've had so many call outs they're paying us extra anyways
I wish benadryl worked for me, but it doesn't.. I'll be okay I do this kinda stuff all the time

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

OK, so this may not work as I traditionally am not the "poster"...

In looking through "our" documents it became quite apparent that there is only ONE set - two luggage tags - and ONE NAME. So I can't help but think...

Is this an oversight on behalf of DVC / DCL? Have they changed the way docs are preparped? In the past we've received a booklet per person in the room.

Has this all been some kind of crazy dream / NIGHTMARE and I'm really not cruising?

OR - Have I been purposely dropped just to add a little more stress and tension to my life this week? My little countdown calendar on my office door that I've been tracking since 10 weeks out with all the little XXXs on it has just been a great big TEASE???

I'm hoping it's the first option!!!

For those others (two if I recall) that got docs - were they intact? There is currently NOTHING with my name on it and I find this a tad unnerving.

Kevin

Kevin

Mom & I each have our own little booklet with personalized forms and luggage tags in each.

Elaine

 

[moocow35]

No documents here in Connecticut yet. There have been times that our UPS guy comes as late as 8:00 PM.

Congratulations Kay, Kevin, Randall, Lenny, Sheila, Vicky and Dick!

Kevin, I would think that something is missing from your docs.......Is it too late to make a phone call? Good thing you caught this early enough to get it corrected. In the past, we have always only received 2 yellow luggage tags per person.

Emily, how funny! I ordered a blinkie skull yesterday! Looked really cool!

Sandra, the documents come directly from Disney when you book with DU. Hopefully they will show up tomorrow

Linda, wouldn't that be a hoot to have tape up reserved for us DIS people? Do you think we could get away with it?

I DID GET MY GOLDEN MICKEY EARS TODAY!!!

Robin

 

[mikimous]

OK, so this may not work as I traditionally am not the "poster"...

In looking through "our" documents it became quite apparent that there is only ONE set - two luggage tags - and ONE NAME. So I can't help but think...

Is this an oversight on behalf of DVC / DCL? Have they changed the way docs are preparped? In the past we've received a booklet per person in the room.

Has this all been some kind of crazy dream / NIGHTMARE and I'm really not cruising?


Kevin

YOU SEE... your comments about the Disney Vacation Curse are coming back to haunt you! I'd definitely be calling... as even I know that there are supposed to be docs for each of you... at least something with your name on it... unless ... perhaps... you've been bumped off by your cabinmate!

 

[DisneyDreamer8]

Yeah...More people got their documents!!! That deserves the Banana Man...

Here's hoping we get ours this week sometime but it will probably be next week.

Only 25 more days!!!!!

 

[kellib36]

Just came home from work wide awake.. my body is so confused, it's light out and I'm up! I did surprisingly well considering I've been up since 3 yesterday, so 22 hours....

I can't even imagine....... Kelli