20050618 - June 18, 2005 - Magic to Mexico

[mexicocruiser]

I read through my docs today (with all the great info you all have been providing I hadn't read all the inf they sent!!). They are saying the port opens at 10 am - it sounds like getting there right at 10 might be the best bet. I have been lurking other sites and have heard that the wait is less than 45 minutes if you arrive right when they open. DD is so excited she would like to be there at 9:30!!!

See you all on board in less than a week. I will be the one carrying the lime green purse - you can't miss it!

 

[CACruisin']

We just had a pretty big shake a few minutes ago. (initial report is 5.6 south of Temecula.) Youngest DD does not like earhtquakes apparently! I hope the other SoCal cruisiers are ok.

V-Bug: I don't remember if your family is in CA yet. If so, uhmm... welcome to CA. One more experience you can say you have had.

 

[CruisingCA2005]

I was the only one in our family to feel the quake. It was just a slight rolling motion here. Here's a cool site that shows the recent earthquakes in S. California. http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/latest.htm

We are getting a late start today....

 

[CACruisin']

Everyone felt it here. I was on the computer everyone else was still lounging in bed.

That website is always the first place I look.

I am so excited there is a live thread for the current cruise. I didn't think we would be getting info from that one.

We will be at the port around 11. We will be the family of 5 in the blue maui mickey wear. (How I got DH to agree to that, I will never know!)

 

[datadoc5]

Looks like my DW has woke up and realized that we are cruising this Saturday. She is now in drill sargeant mode and 100 push-ups to all who fail to follow orders, lol. She has been very busy with her job for the last month and had the cruise pushed aside. I was the one doing all of the research and reservations. Boy, that has changed now! We will be flying in on Friday with DBIL, DSIL, DNW(18) DNW(15) and DS(24). This is the big celebration for DW 50th this year and we are also celebrating DNW high school graduation.

I have been lurking around for months reading everyones great comments and DW just ordered me to do a posting (I am not very good at doing pushups, lol).

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the cruise.

 

[CACruisin']

Welcome datadoc5 and crew!

I think we are all in "drill sargeant" mode this weekend. I know DH definitely feels it here!

If you have been lurking, you know we are having an informal meet at 3 at Scoops to put faces and names together.

CruisingCA2005 has been keeping a cruise list of who's who.

back to the packing ...

 

[datadoc5]

DW and I plan on being there. Really getting excited now. Spent all day today doing shopping for the items needed for the cruise. I think we got everything.

See you soon.

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Welcome to the June 18th thread Datadoc!!

We have a spreadsheet of the 6/18 DIS cruisers & we'd like to include your info. Please email me at raeann@gmail.com or PM me with the following info. If you send a picture, I'll upload it to our 6/18 cruisers album.
Names & ages of the cruisers
Hometown
Stateroom #
Early/Late dining
Any fun facts
Shore Excursions

Another fun thing that we've been doing in preparation for Pirate's Night: What's your pirate name?

 

[mexicocruiser]

Wow - it's almost time to leave for LA, we are out of here on Thursday morning!!!
DD (12) wants to know how many of you all are dressing up for the pirate night??? I have seen some of the photos and it seems that folks get pretty dressed up!!

 

[Hollyster2]

My family is! My daughter Ashleigh(15) is a big pirate fan and is wearing a pirate shirt. Several in our large group will be dressed up a little bit!

 

[dlander]

Oh my goodness I haven't posted in a while! And several of you are already on your way

Welcome Datadoc This evening I also jumped into drill sargeant mode. I had DH hopping!

Hollyster: I agree we will be grateful for each good day we have

Capt Anne: You are so lucky you get to wear the Maui Mickey clothes

See everyone soon

 

[CruisingCA2005]

MexicoCruiser: DD (3 1/2) has a pirate costume (red & white shirt & pirate jeans). DH & DS will be wearing NFL Raiders t-shirts 'cause that's the closest they'll get to being pirates. I have a black "martini pirate" shirt that I'll be wearing.

 

[CoastalCA]

Hi All,

Anyone else concerned about the stomach virus going around the ship? Up here in Shell Beach we have no flu's going around. I really hope it gets cleared up. I have not seen anything from the June 4-11 cruise regarding this.

Still packing...........will it ever end?

Rene'

 

[CruisingCA2005]

I haven't heard of a stomach virus going around here recently. DD did have a stomach virus 5 months ago.

I can't believe we're cruising in 5 days!!

 

[CACruisin']

My DB's family in Monterey had an awful flu a couple of months ago and we have friends in Riverside area and WA state who have also been hit in the last couple of months, so there is definitely a really nasty bug still around. We have not seen it locally though (Knock on wood!).

DD's pack and play and all of her own bedding just went back on the "Pack" list. I am sure Disney sanitizes their PNP's but I don't want to take any chances.

For pirate night we will be in tropical wear with pirate accessories (assuming the Oriental Trading Co order shows up in time!)

DH is packed (he'll be gone the rest of the week, so he had to be packed before he left.) I have a bunch of stuff laid out for me. Now I just need to make final decisions.

DD's on the other hand keep wearing the stuff I want to take on the cruise! I need to get them packed today while they are at school and close their suitcases so they can't get into them.

youngest DD is easy. She doesn't pick out her own clothes yet, and as the third girl she has more clothes than the rest of us put together!
What's harder for her is getting her toys and books packed up. That will likely be a Friday thing.

Well off to Target again ... I forgot to buy diapers! How could I forget diapers?

 

[DBinMV]

Got to the park nice and early (for us) yesterday - park was pretty crowded but not absurdly so. We did manage to work around Adventureland and Fantasyland, where most of the crowds tend to be.

Buzz is an awesome ride, even if it does bore Rae Ann to tears (Nice picture, by the way, Rae Ann). Unfortunately, the Star Tours fast-pass was down, but it was still only a 30-minute wait. DS loves that ride. I like it until the exit drops you off in the gift shop and DS starts begging for yet another Star Wars toy.

Rolled around Toon-town for awhile - typically crowded, but the boys got to play with some of the interactive stuff near City Hall and the Fireworks factory.

Had lunch at Taste Pilot's grill in CA. Still one of the better places for a burger or chicken sandwich. Got Fast passes for Soarin' Over CA, but they were having problems with the ride which would come back to bite us later.

After lunch was Bug's Land - hardly any lines. Got the kids on the Ladybug ride (like the Teacups, but you can't spin them yourself), Flik's Balloon ride, and Heimlich's. Next, we went to go to California Screamin', but it was SHUT DOWN. DW was very bummed....but we got the kids on Tritan's carousel, which everyone liked.

Kids said they were hungry again and they wanted Happy Meals (Ugh!), but you know what - if your kids eat the food, the Happy Meals are a deal. $5 for the typical McD's meal, plus the toy they give you would easily cost $5 in any of the shops, if not more. There are other restaurants near the McD's in CA, so that might be a good way to do lunch.

Took DS on Mulhullond Madness - a great little coaster for kids 4+. Then it was off to Soarin.....it was working again, but so many people had gotten Re-Entry passes from it being down that even the fastpass line was 45 minutes. It was worth it. It was DS's first time, and he was grinning from ear to ear, after a brief moment of "I don't want to go" after I strapped him in. We had some first-timers next to me on the other side, and the mom was kind of freaking out when she saw the preview of being lifted off the ground - she thought it was going to be like Star Tours. She ended up really liking it though. For those of you who haven't been, this really is a must-do ride - be sure to use all of your senses! (Don't want to give too much away) You might want to avoid it if you have fear of heights or vertigo, though.

After that, it was over to the Brother Bear Adenture area. Both kids tore around on the netting, swinging bridges, slides, etc. It gave me and DW a little workout, too! Finally, we caught the Block Party Bash. If your kids like the Pixar characters like mine, it's a good one.

After all that, both kids pretty much passed out.

OK, sometime this week I have to find the suitcases......

DBinMV

 

[windermerejudy]

Have fun you guys and be sure and pack something warm for 1st sea day and last. It was 62 last week on deck.

Yes everyone we knew on board was sick at some point during the week of June 4th. There is one person writing that she saw noone sick but maybe that is because they were in their rooms puking. 4 out of 6 of us were ill. Many of the staff were ill, they suspended the galley tour due to increased incidence of GI disorders, we were late boarding due to extra bleach wiping down of everything------HOWEVER it is only as good as the weakest link. We were talking on the way back to the airport about the buses and vans. the hotels, the carpets, ....its endless......Good news is it only lasted a few hours. I truly don't think DCL wants to keep stats on it because many of the people that were sick tried to contact medical and noone ever replied. My mom missed one of our excursions and she was told if she went to medical they would refund her money but they weren't open and when they finally were, she was well. As for myself, I was fine, but 2 of my kids experienced it and I never reported it due to her experience. I just think they do not want it getting out that DCL has been having this occur. Hurts business.

Take chlorax wipes and Lysol too.

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Thanks for the info & for posting all of your trip reports Judy!

I'm packing heavier jackets for the kids & I (if DH wants to freeze, that's his problem). Lysol wipes....check.

We're going to Palo high tea at 3pm on Sunday.
Palo dinner - 8 pm on Wednesday.
Palo brunch - 11:30 am on Monday.

 

[CACruisin']

Looks like we are spending the day together in Mazatlan, Rae Ann

We also have dinner ressies for 8pm on Wednesday. Sunset will be at 7:54pm and we'll have a nearly full moon too. We are planning on taking the kids to the early show of Twice Charmed if it is still on Wednesday and then sending them to the club. They are excited about having room service for dinner.

We have brunch on Friday. I don't think we will make it to high tea - it doesn't line up with Flounders hours.

Pirate night in PV will be the summer solstice.

 

[lvrodmic]

Have fun you guys and be sure and pack something warm for 1st sea day and last. It was 62 last week on deck.

Yes everyone we knew on board was sick at some point during the week of June 4th. There is one person writing that she saw noone sick but maybe that is because they were in their rooms puking. 4 out of 6 of us were ill. Many of the staff were ill, they suspended the galley tour due to increased incidence of GI disorders, we were late boarding due to extra bleach wiping down of everything------HOWEVER it is only as good as the weakest link. We were talking on the way back to the airport about the buses and vans. the hotels, the carpets, ....its endless......Good news is it only lasted a few hours. I truly don't think DCL wants to keep stats on it because many of the people that were sick tried to contact medical and noone ever replied. My mom missed one of our excursions and she was told if she went to medical they would refund her money but they weren't open and when they finally were, she was well. As for myself, I was fine, but 2 of my kids experienced it and I never reported it due to her experience. I just think they do not want it getting out that DCL has been having this occur. Hurts business.

Take chlorax wipes and Lysol too.

Judy,

I just wanted to start by saying how much I enjoyed reading all your posts before you left for your cruise. I have appreciated your letting us know how cold it was the first couple days and the last day so we could bring a couple of warmer outfits. I guess we should know about the virus that some of your group had so that we could be prepared with our Lysol etc.
But, Judy, now that we know all these things can you go back to your POSITIVE comments and your enthusiasm that you had before you went. I want to hear all the great things that were on the ship. I will be leaving with my DD, DSIL, DGD will be leaving on June 18th and after reading some of the posts about the cold and stomach virus they are not as excited. Please help me out here. Thanks. We are big Disney fans like you. We are season passholders to Disneyland and have been down your way to Disneyworld three times and on the Disney Cruise in Florida two years ago. We will go to Disneyworld again in October. We always have such great fun. Only four more days till cruise.