5/27/06 "Il pochi il fiero i blabbermouths" We *will* sail again Part 11

[justmestace]

Wow... quiet around here lately... must be getting close to crunch time for Christmas!! (Yes, that's right... Christmas... not some 'unnamed generic holiday in which a coniferous tree is uprooted and brought in the house'... don't get me started.)

I'm off to St. Pete (FL, not Russia) for a meetings this afternoon and tomorrow. I'll never figure out why this meeting is always so close to Christmas... ugh!!! Too much to do, too little time!!!

Monica - hope everything went well... I'm sure it did!

Seeing as how it's almost Christmas......could you explain your tag? Waiting to escape Alcatraz?

 

[justmestace]

I've been chatting a little (10 whopping pages!) with some people on another board (gasp!) about this upcoming Norwegian cruise and have convinced them to make door signs and decorations. Most of them have cruised often, but had never thought of doing what we have come to think of as a necessary part of the cruise.

I made one sign that I particularly like....I think it's cute, so I'm sharing:

This cruise is alot like our Double Scoop cruise....we're going to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Santo Tomas de Castilla (Guatemala), so that's why I added the kind of Mayan looking sun.

 

[Dancind]

Yes, Kiki, I'd like to know too.

So today I start getting ready for the trip. Only have a couple of more Ebay packages to wrap, and a couple of bills to pay. It's much easier to pack for WDW than a cruise, so not too worried. Kevin got the laptop ready, and all his camera stuff, the rest is gravy. With the GPS, the laptop, the cameras, the iPods, the cel phones, the Nintendo DS (started on Brain Age), our electronics will weigh more than our clothes. And we're probably carrying them all on. What's wrong with this picture? I guess I could leave the Nintendo home, and I don't really need my own camera. I think I can convince Kevin to take a few pictures of the kid, though she likes to take pictures too.

Irene, your phone number is in my cel. That on the road DIS meet sounds good!

The agenda is pretty fluid, but our to do list includes the new Nemo show, another ride on Expedition Everest, a visit to the Living Seas to see the changes there, the AK Safari and trails for picture taking, the Holiday Illuminations show, and MVMCP. We've done the Candlelight Processional several times, but will stop in if there's room and we are there at the right time. We are trying a couple of new restaurants this time. House of Blues with the Scubas (do we need a reservation?), and SciFi Cafe at the Studios. The latter was Alicia's idea, I have never been interested in going there. Once should do it, but maybe we will like it!

I keep forgetting to check on the Member parties to see if there are any we can attend. Mary, you're right, they have gotten much better than the 2004 one.

Oh, and this will be our first time to stay in a one bedroom at BCV. We usually get a studio there for some reason. King size bed, yay! I hope it's more comfy than their queen size beds.

 

[Dancind]

Very cute, Stacey! And the sun almost has a hidden Mickey in it. We know where your heart is.

Speaking of which, Irene and Jim, you need to say hi to some folks for us. You probably won't see our nice concierge ladies, but you can find Ian! He's pretty much everywhere on the ship, you can't miss him. Tell him the Wild Women of the Wonder 11 day cruise say hi. And Cesar too, our Brazilian server, if you can find him. Stacey, where's his picture?

 

[MarkRG]

The agenda is pretty fluid, but our to do list includes the new Nemo show, another ride on Expedition Everest, a visit to the Living Seas to see the changes there, the AK Safari and trails for picture taking, the Holiday Illuminations show, and MVMCP. We've done the Candlelight Processional several times, but will stop in if there's room and we are there at the right time. We are trying a couple of new restaurants this time. House of Blues with the Scubas (do we need a reservation?), and SciFi Cafe at the Studios. The latter was Alicia's idea, I have never been interested in going there. Once should do it, but maybe we will like it!

I keep forgetting to check on the Member parties to see if there are any we can attend. Mary, you're right, they have gotten much better than the 2004 one.

Oh, and this will be our first time to stay in a one bedroom at BCV. We usually get a studio there for some reason. King size bed, yay! I hope it's more comfy than their queen size beds.

Hi! Here's some info to help you along.

The Nemo show is extra cool, think I've said that already, and the changes to Living Seas are nice. We didn't do the CP this time, had too much else on our plates already, didn't want to be rushing that time. And the holiday Illuminations is just plain over the top.

As far as reservations for dinner, ABSOLUTELY for any sitdown place. We were just in MGM and stopped at the Brown Derby at 2 in the afternoon and they said they were full up for the entire day already, I'd expect Sci-Fi and HoB to be no less busy.

Don't know what Member Mixers are running now, but get there early! It fills up quick and if you want any merchandise (special pin too), go there immediately, it's to the right as you walk in the door, the line will be incredible within a half hour of the area opening.


Have fun!

 

[Dancind]

Thanks, Mark. We do have reservations for all dinners except HOB. I think Jim is in charge of that one? Will check on the Member parties pronto.

Does anyone else get the e-mail from Disney? There's a story on there today about the new Cinderella Suite. It sounds even nicer than the Walt, Stacey! How can we get in? I guess we should all enter the Sweepstakes.

 

[RachelTori]

Hi Diana! Tori really likes SciFi too!! Something about eating in a car that seems to appeal to them! Don't forget to check out the Osborne Lights while you're there. And if Kevin gets some good pictures of them, which I'm sure he will, can he please share?!!

 

[RachelTori]

I made one sign that I particularly like....I think it's cute, so I'm sharing:

This cruise is alot like our Double Scoop cruise....we're going to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Santo Tomas de Castilla (Guatemala), so that's why I added the kind of Mayan looking sun.

That's a great sign, Stacey!

 

[justmestace]

Here's a picture of Cesar on the night that they did the new "Mickey Mouse Club" theme in the dining rooms...that's not really what they called it, but I can't remember right now what it was.

 

[ohiominnie]

So today I start getting ready for the trip. Only have a couple of more Ebay packages to wrap, and a couple of bills to pay. It's much easier to pack for WDW than a cruise, so not too worried. Kevin got the laptop ready, and all his camera stuff, the rest is gravy. With the GPS, the laptop, the cameras, the iPods, the cel phones, the Nintendo DS (started on Brain Age), our electronics will weigh more than our clothes. And we're probably carrying them all on. What's wrong with this picture? I guess I could leave the Nintendo home, and I don't really need my own camera. I think I can convince Kevin to take a few pictures of the kid, though she likes to take pictures too.

The agenda is pretty fluid, but our to do list includes the new Nemo show, another ride on Expedition Everest, a visit to the Living Seas to see the changes there, the AK Safari and trails for picture taking, the Holiday Illuminations show, and MVMCP. We've done the Candlelight Processional several times, but will stop in if there's room and we are there at the right time. We are trying a couple of new restaurants this time. House of Blues with the Scubas (do we need a reservation?), and SciFi Cafe at the Studios. The latter was Alicia's idea, I have never been interested in going there. Once should do it, but maybe we will like it!

We practically had a whole suitcase full of chargers. Camera (x2), iPods, DS's, laptop, etc etc etc! Geez!

Hint for the Nemo show....show up EARLY!!!!!!! We were planning 30 mins early but were walking by the line 45 minutes early and it went all the way from the Nemo building clear out to the bridge that takes you into Dino land. TICKED ME OFF ROYALLY that ppl were non-chalantly "merging" into the line....no, they were not joining family members already there, they were opportunistic ppl who didn't understand the concept of a line. One family did it in front of us (with about 6 ppl separating us) and I said, fairly loudly, "way to go, great job, excellent thing to teach your children!" They ignored me. Next time one of them turned around I gave them the thumbs up sign and said "way to go, smooth." And so it repeated about 4 times. Finally the mom looks at me and in a snotty Southern accent voice says "WHO are you talking about????" uhhh.....DUH..... I said "I'm referring to any person who doesn't understand the concept of a LINE and who feels entitled to jump in where ever they feel like it." Well, we get to the Nemo building and it's PACKED to the gills (no pun intended) as we are entering we are told "standing room only behing the very last row of bleachers." which means Nemo would be about the size of a pencil eraser. We decided to just walk straight through and try for the next show. I told the in laws "we're just going to pass through and catch the next show" and snotty southern accent mom turns to me and says "Thank God for that." So I said "good job, way to go." And walked out. Grrrrrr.

So we go to the next show and get a decent seat.....and the woman sitting next to me has her ~3 yr old on her lap. The poor child is coughing up a lung. Not just a dry irritating cough. Not even a "the kid has a little drainage b/c of a slight cold" kinda cough. I'm talking about a hacking pertussis like cough. Seriously. And everytime the little girls stopped coughing for a moment she'd whimper and moan. Ok, WOMAN....GET A CLUE. This kid should be IN the hotel room and RESTING!! And not infecting all of the innocent Nemo watchers in the area. I'm sure I appeared rude, but I put my tote bag between her and I (creating a little distance) and watched the Nemo show with my back completely turned on her. I also rearranged the seating to get my kids as far away from this kid as possible.

And to add to that, they had gotten one of those intricate face paintings for her (she was a zebra) and mom kept telling her "don't rub your nose, your zebra will smear." I feel bad for the cast member who had to paint that on her while she was hacking all over.

some ppl just have no common sense.

ok, my original intent for the post was "get to Nemo early"

Oh, and to say Sci-Fi Diner is themed nicely but the menu isn't that great. Hope you have priority seating b/c every restaurant was packed packed packed when we were down there. (dining plan encourages table service meals)

AND.....we ordered Smores at 50's prime time diner. We had told the in-laws about the smores and how you get 16 marshmallows etc etc. The plate came out with EIGHT marshmallows. I audibly gasped when the server set them down. And then commented "yup, another example of how the dining plan has changed things around here." The server went into a big spiel about how bad the dining plan has been for Disney. Said that SO MUCH food is wasted. That ppl take one bite and they throw the rest away. Also said that service is slower b/c now instead of the "smores guy" having to make a smore here and there, now he's making them constantly b/c EVERYONE is getting a dessert. So the cast members in the back can't even keep up making the appetizers and desserts.

We did NOT have the dining plan and I think it worked in our favor. Haven't done the math, but I do know that when we could share, we did and we went away from meals feeling full but not overstuffed. Plus I didn't feel pressured to keep each and every table service ADR.

Whew....vent over.

 

[justmestace]

That's a great sign, Stacey!

Thanks!

Were your ears burning last night? Jared got a phone call from a girl. We teased him mercilessly the whole time. I asked who it was and he said "Victoria's friend". Well, it took me a while and I finally said "Oh! You mean TORI?"
And of course, Jay was totally clueless, so I had to go through the whole "You know, Dwight and Laura from the cruise......"

 

[ohiominnie]

As far as reservations for dinner, ABSOLUTELY for any sitdown place. We were just in MGM and stopped at the Brown Derby at 2 in the afternoon and they said they were full up for the entire day already, I'd expect Sci-Fi and HoB to be no less busy.

Our first night we ate at 'Ohana....Mike was in line to check in (we had an ADR) and ppl were in front of him trying to get in. The hostess said "we are booked solid. We have over 900 ADR's for tonight!"

WOW!

U TOP!!! Shared with smoothie dad!

pdfg

 

[justmestace]

Right there with ya, OM

 

[ohiominnie]

Thanks, Mark. We do have reservations for all dinners except HOB. I think Jim is in charge of that one? Will check on the Member parties pronto.

Does anyone else get the e-mail from Disney? There's a story on there today about the new Cinderella Suite. It sounds even nicer than the Walt, Stacey! How can we get in? I guess we should all enter the Sweepstakes.

My parents and I were approaced by one of the Research team. My parents answered all the questions and then we were talking with the woman (she was from Ohio near to where my parents lived, so we talked for quite some time)

She said everything is random....that the "Dreams" people are given a list of randomly generated "things" to be looking for. Maybe the family has to all be wearing the same shirt to win x prize or the first person to pin trade with a certain "dreams" person gets a prize. She said one day they were trying to give away a Disney cruise. It had been randomly generated that the first person/family to sit on a PARTICULAR bench outside of the AMC theater at DTD would win the cruise. The "dreams" person hung around (inconspicuously) all day and NO ONE sat on that bench the ENTIRE day!!!! So the cruise is back up for grabs.

My mom thought she could "force" a prize and kept approaching the "dreams" ppl to the point where it was embarrassing. I'd rather have the pixiedust spontaneously sprinkled on me than "demand" it. For example....one day at MGM I picked up someone's Mickey hair scrunchy off the street and walked over to the information window....handed it to the CM there and said "I found this, someone may be looking for it." She thanked me and then asked KT if she could name the 7 dwarves." (or is it dwarfs?) Anyway, KT did and she won the "dreams" certificate and a cast lanyard pin. And then one day we were walking through AK and a CM asked Nick if he would do him a favor. He had to say something into the CM's walkie talkie (can't remember what it was....some code) and then he (and KT) got a free ice cream treat from the cart.

Didn't win anything big, but didn't expect to either, so it's all good.

 

[RachelTori]

Thanks!

Were your ears burning last night? Jared got a phone call from a girl. We teased him mercilessly the whole time. I asked who it was and he said "Victoria's friend". Well, it took me a while and I finally said "Oh! You mean TORI?"
And of course, Jay was totally clueless, so I had to go through the whole "You know, Dwight and Laura from the cruise......"

I got asked last night, "where in AZ does Jared live?"!! I think the girl who called him, Sarah (who was on our cruise), was calling from a car somewhere in Arizona!!! The family is on a road trip to Utah. Wonder if they were planning to drop in on you?

 

[Dancind]

Thanks for the tips, OM. Noting, get to the Nemo show EARLY. Yes, fun in lines, good times. I do that too, but I try to restrain myself. Ever since one guy in a Southwest line threatened to clock me.

Oh yikes. The Tour Guide site says crowd levels will be 4 to 6 on our park days. This doesn't sound good. Or is it just that every single family there is on the dining plan? We are not doing it this time, mostly because we aren't actually going to the parks on the days we are staying on site, except for MVMCP. But I don't think HOB is on the dining plan, that's a good thing. I do know that the guys at Les Chefs give you a lot more attention if you aren't on the Candlelight package! Learned that one several years ago. Alicia wants to go and try to speak French with them. Who am I kidding, any excuse to eat at Les Chefs works for us.

 

[justmestace]

I got asked last night, "where in AZ does Jared live?"!! I think the girl who called him, Sarah (who was on our cruise), was calling from a car somewhere in Arizona!!! The family is on a road trip to Utah. Wonder if they were planning to drop in on you?

That makes sense, because we heard him talking about the freeway north of us, and Flagstaff, AZ. I was surprised that he knew what he was talking about. But he's not nearly as "blond" as Jordan!
These kids are fun, aren't they??

 

[ohiominnie]

Oh yikes. The Tour Guide site says crowd levels will be 4 to 6 on our park days. This doesn't sound good.

I will say this much. We went in Dec 2001, Dec 2002, Dec 2003, Dec 2004 (only to MVMCP pre cruise so it doesn't count) and Dec of 2006.

The second week of this last trip was HORRIBLY busy. The first week was fine (Nov 26-Dec 2) The next week (Dec 3-10) was busy busy busy.

I don't know if it was Pop Warner, or Mousefest (near the end) or WHAT, but it was packed. Early entry was a MUST in order to avoid long lines. Maybe we're just spoiled---but 70 minutes at BTMRR is NOT in our touring plans.

That second week we were with Mike's dad and his wife....and they said it was nothing compared to when they've gone (July and Spring break week) but to us...it was very very busy.

 

[ohiominnie]

And I have to add.....18 straight days with relatives is NOT a good idea.

By the end of it, I was ready to choke someone.

Mike's dad and his wife (of over 26 years) were all over each other like teenagers. They'd take every opportunity to hug and kiss and cuddle. At one point Val (after getting wet on Splash) said "Karen, feel my butt." UH....NO THANK YOU. I believe I actually blurted out that exact line. But Mike's dad had no hesitation in reaching out and rubbing her butt.... And then he kept trying to "warm" her by pushing up to her close and rubbing her.

Excuse me, I'm about to lose my DINNER!

It wasn't exactly like I wanted to see a 60 yr old man doing this stuff....esp. in front of his grandkids!! Puh-leese.

Can anyone tell I'm pretty glad to be home????

Next trip is sacred. NO GUESTS. It's ONLY going to be us. If you're in WDW while we're there we might meet up with you, but we are NOT having any guests in our room!!!

 

[justmestace]

Yep... I have to admit, as much as I hate to see young couples and teens hanging on eachother in public, it's even more annoying to see old(er) couples doing it. Maybe because they should know better?