20050618 - June 18, 2005 - Magic to Mexico

[vacationbug]

HA! Today is my Friday this week, as we have our "President's Day" off tomorrow. Weird, but I guess it all has to do with scheduling Monday classes so that too many are not missed.

Hey DBinMV and CruisingCA: I've seen on these boards that men have worn either suits or a jacket with dress pants for the formal/semi nights; I am leaning towards no tux for the hubbie. Aren't tuxes wool anyways (warm or hot to wear?) having never been in a tux, I don't know but for the cost, if we don't need to rent or buy a tux, then one of his suits will be "just fine". Besides, I can't see trying to convince my DS13 to wear a tux! It will be difficult enought to get him to wear something "dressy".

I heard on the news this morning that Pittsburgh is a depressing city (only 309 days of drear a year) so you'll know why I'm not kidding when I am looking forward to some sunshine!

How are you Californians doin? Drying out now- I hope?!!!

We've made our flight plans and pre-stay plans, so now it's on to the double-digits...remember I'm ahead of you guys by a few hours!

Since we booked the cruise before the DCL change from 60 to-90 days payment due, our final cruise payment isn't officially due until April, but apparently one can't book any excursions until that final payment has been made, so I guess I'm going to be coughing it up sooner than my "official" due date. Anyone else in that "boat" with me?

Have a nice weekend everybody. Dream happy dreams and when I "see" you again, we'll all be doin' the "double-digit dance".

 

[DBinMV]

Thanks for the info, Rae Ann. I think I can swing a formal night. It's nice that I won't have to wear a tie at Palo, just a dress shirt.

Vacationbug, re: tuxedo rental - most guys hate the idea of wearing a tux, especially rentals. They never fit quite right, and yes, the good ones are wool. (The cheap ones are a polyester blend - ech!) I have to believe that guys wearing a tux will be in the minority.

Yes, California has returned to it's normal self - mid seventies today.

I just put down final payment yesterday. A heads up for you Disney Visa holders - if you pay with your Disney Visa card, you will get a $50 ship-board credit. It's not much, but it's something. I think you have to pay the whole thing with your Disney Visa, so if you put the deposit on another card (like I did), they can refund the deposit to the original card and put the full charge on your Disney Visa. I believe Disney Visa is also offering 6 mos/no interest on Disney vacations, if that helps anyone.

DBinMV

 

[CruisingCA2005]

LOL. Don't forget those ugly plastic looking shoes that you often get with rentals.

I'm planning on paying off our cruise next week. My mom & the others who are travelling with us have already paid off their cruise. We'll also be having our teleconference soon to discuss shore excursions. I have to remind them of the time difference between the ports & L.A. It's bad enough that we'll have a 2 hour difference between L.A. & Puerto Vallarta but they'll be dealing with additional 3 hour time difference because they're visiting from Hawaii.

 

[Hollyster2]

I am paying off our cruise next week also!

 

[Hollyster2]

Wow Rae Ann, with the time changes it is a good thing your family will be able to relax on the ship the first two days out!

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Doing the double digit dance!!!!!!!! I'm a day late and we're 98 days out but I'm doing the double digit dance.

 

[tink1963]

Dancing along with you. Double digits. The final count down has begun.
If DH does not go fishing tomorrow we may take a drive to San Pedro and check out the port.

 

[tink1963]

I was reading some of the navigators that are posted from previous cruises. On one I notices that there was a Prem-EAR of a new disney movie. I then looked into what movie might be coming out during the cruise and found that Herbie Fully Loaded opens in theaters on June 24. Do you thing they might prem-EAR this for our cruise?

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Did you take a drive down to the port? It's not as pretty as Port Canaveral since it's one of the largest industrial ports in the world but as long as the Magic's going to be there, I'm not complaining.

Paid off our cruise today. Woohoo! That's the one good thing that has happened on "Moody Monday" at our house. Both kids woke up in terrible moods this morning so it's been an ordeal trying to get them ready for school. Funny, you can wake them up at 5:30 in the morning to go to somewhere fun but they won't wake up at 7 to go to school.

 

[tink1963]

No we were unable to go. DH went fishing so I did some cruise shopping.

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Cruise shopping...that sounds like fun.

I got a promotional package for Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebration in the mail last night (for annual passholders). I haven't really had a chance to look at everything but it looks like they're planning a lot of fun things. They also printed a calendar for March, April, and May showing all the special events planned. I'll post details about June/July if they send anything for those months. There are a lot of commemorative items for sale (of course!); pins, tshirts, etc. I have an extra coupon for $20 off 2 day park hopper tickets (good for up to 8 people). I think the passes have to be purchased between May 5th-June 17th and used by June 30th or 10 days after the first use. PM or email me if you're interested.

 

[tink1963]

Cant wait to get mine. We just got are passport renewals in todays mail. We got the tinkerbell anniversary card.

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Ooohhh.... Tinkerbell. We still have the old Goofy cards. I don't think we're going to be renewing next year 'cause we really don't go as often as we'd like and we'd also have to buy a ticket for DD. Ours don't expire until October so we still have 7 months left to get our Disney fix.

 

[DBinMV]

I, along with a few of my in-laws, are going to try to book the Canopy Tour in Puerto Vallarta. Anyone else going to be booking that?

Re Disneyland: A co-worker got on Buzz's Astro Blasters last weekend - he said it was pretty cool. Sounds like the Tiki Room will also be better than ever.

DBinMV

 

[CruisingCA2005]

My mom said she'd watch the kids so that DH & I can go on the canopy tour. I'm supposed to have a conference call with the other people we're cruising with to find out what they want to do. Since Puerto Vallarta is 2 hours ahead of PST, I'm not sure what time we'd like to do our excursion.

I can't wait to try Buzz Lightyear at Disneyland. We had so much fun at the WDW attraction.

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Okay I'm confused about Puerto Vallarta time. Most websites say that "Puerto Vallarta is in the Central Time Zone (the same as Texas), which is two hours ahead of California and one hour behind New York" but I've also seen that Puerto Vallarta is 1 hour ahead of ship time (on Cruisecritic). I've also seen a handful of sites that say PV time is Mountain Standard Time.

Uggh..It's so confusing.

 

[tink1963]

I just phoned my inlaws, who have traveled to Puerto Vallarta many many times. They are members of the Santa Barbara/Puerto Vallarta sister city. He said that Puerto Vallarta is two hours ahead.

 

[vacationbug]

So basically what you are saying is that there are 4 different time zones for some of us and 3 for others?
1) East coast 2 West coast
2) PV
3) Maz
4) Cabo

Aw gee, my bio-clock will really be messed up! I get "off schedule" by the Spring-Fall hour switch (why does it still exist?) My wrist watch is on the Fall time still, as I refused to change it this year (my stubborn-streak showing plus I couldn't figure out how...). I think they ought just to add 30 minutes to the current time and call it quits with the changing time thing! Besides "loosing" that hour of sleep in the spring-ahead is awful. Jet lag and for not even going anyplace but to bed!

5 more weeks in the semester! I am sooooo looking forward to vacation!

Has anyone seen some of the other "meets" boards? They're going crazy with things like scrap-book "classes" and wine tasting parties. They've got arrangements for door signs/magnets and all such stuff. It's really something!

Wow! We're supposed to hit the 50's tomorrow and Saturday! That is a nice break. This morning it was 31 degrees! The warmest morning in quite some time!

Hey - I don't think I'm Irish (unless it's in my 50% Mutt) but "Happy St. Patrick's Day" to any of our cruise group who celebrate their heritage today!


Bev

 

[vacationbug]

DBinMV: What are they "doing" to Tiki?- for us who have never been to DL?

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Cabo and Mazatlan are both Mountain Standard Time (1 hour behind PV & 1 hour ahead of LA time).

I have seen some of those other cruise threads. They have so many activities planned and so many "gifts" and commemorative items specially made for their cruise. Our family has matching t-shirts that we bought from the disney store online. I should have made a custom design & had them printed at cafepress or another print shop that does small orders. I'm still trying to design stateroom signs for the 3 cabins. I was thinking about doing a "Small World" theme but now I'm not too sure. LOL. My family's going to think I'm a nut!!