9/7/02 Fellow Cruisers

[randytenn]

Are you kidding??? My wife has had her "What Outfit I'm Wearing Each Day" list prepared for the past month.

We can't bring out our suitcases until the last minute. Our dog figures out that we are leaving, and that he is going to stay at "Grandma's House", and gets very upset. He associates suitcases with something bad. So, we have to hide them until we are ready to go.

I, myself, am excited because I am through putting my tuxedo together. I couldn't stomach paying $85.00 rental for a tux that I would only ever wear one night. So, I bought a tux jacket on Ebay, and then bought the pants, shirt tie and cummerbund at a local store. Spent around $90.00 total, but now, I own it, and won't have to rent one on subsequent cruises. Plus, if I ever lose my job, I have my Maitre D outfit ready ("Would You Like Smoking or Non Smoking?")

DW and I are very excited. Is this next month going to drag, or what!!!

 

[GoVols]

We'll be there too -- me, 30, and DH, 33.

This will be our fifth Disney cruise -- second 7-day. But it's been nearly two years since we sailed, so we're incredibly excited.

We got our documents 8/6. All that's left is the waiting -- and the packing.

Has anyone else booked excursions? We booked Pinel Island snorkeling and one of the St. John snorkeling trips.

Amy

 

[randytenn]

We booked the Sea and See and the St. John snorkel tour. Very exciting! We booked them the first day available! Wish we could book Palo like that!

Can't wait for those cruise docs!

 

[myfairygodmother]

What!!! You haven't started packing yet!!! We had the "extras" bag(disp. beach floats, otd shoe holder, water shoes, extra film, hangers, laundry detergent, ziploc bags,etc....) packed at the 60 day mark!

When my TA called on 8/6 to say the docs had arrived and were ready whenever I wanted to get them, I was there 4 hours later. She said she was shocked to see me so soon, figured I would not be in until the weekend--guess she doesn't know me too well!!

I'm happy to announce that I met my goal(as hard as it was) of waiting until (almost) the 30 day mark to tell the girl's about the trip--they are so excited!! The 8 year old was initially worried about iceburgs (seen Titanic too many times) but was fine after getting out the globe & discovering that we would be in warm water. The 3 year old asks every morning if it's time to go to the ship yet... Keeping this trip a secret for 5 months was definately NOT easy!!

All of the pre and post hotel reservations are made, I'll finalize our car rental reservations for St. Marrten tonight. Then all that's left to do is finish packing the clothes and hope we can make this countdown timer go faster......

 

[tstobb]

Haven't started "packing" yet but the "going on the cruise stuff" pile is growing daily! Now if Disney would only cooperate & drop the prices on their luggage I could REALLY get something done!

 

[Quickdraw]

Is it crazy to sit and watch the countdown clock? LOL My kids (8 & 4.5) kept asking me how much longer until we cruise so we made a paper chain. It is such a joy to remove a link each day and a good visual for the kids to see as well. My son will be in school for two weeks before we cruise and I don't think I have ever seen him this excited about going back. He equates school starting to going on the cruise. Plus, I think he loves the idea of his friends working hard while he is having fun (don't we all?). So I guess I will keep packing (hangers.. didn't have those on the list, good idea).

Janice

 

[shellgoodman]

The 4 yr old is so excited. The paperlinks sounds like a great idea. I'm starting to pack but have a couple of questions. No docs yet so was wondering if the 9/7 cruise also has the trial dinner times also? In addition, do you think it is too late to upgrade to an outside room? We are cat 11 deck 6. Thought that maybe since we have little ones and will be in the room more than we should try to see if any cat 9s are still available. Worth a go?

 

[romeo&juliet]

Hi There!!! My hubby, children and I will be on the 9-7 cruise also. First cruise for the kids, second for us. Kids are boy age 9 (will be 10 in Sept), girl age 7 and girl age 3... Hoping there are lots of other kids the same age to help occupy mine..lol.. I was showing my son some of the sample navigators for the kids programs earlier tonight and he said "But you and Dad will be lonely while we are having so much fun"...lol...I told him I thought we'd be ok...Looking forward to meeting you guys!!!

 

[Brent B]

Is it September yet??????

 

[tstobb]

Not nice to tease Brent!!!!!

 

[randytenn]

We got our cruise docs yesterday. I guess we are really going!!!!

 

[shellgoodman]

Finally my docs arrived! Hooray! I ended up not upgrading after all. It would be several hundred dollars more. I would rather use that for babysitting fees and shopping. It will be the first time I will be in a inside cabin on any cruise. I bet it will be really dark but I bought a nightlight (the kids would have needed one anyway). I have been packing somewhat for the kids and myself in anticipation of my husband waiting til last minute to pack. He usually packs the night before and then does such a horrible job that ultimately I am guilted into doing all his packing and ironing.

Does anyone know if we have the trial dinner times also? It doesn't say anything in the docs. For children, it's great.

 

[Brent B]

Hey is anyone going to Orlando early? We are going in on thursday the 5th. If so we need to get together for a pre-bon voyage party...

I did not see anything on the dinners either and my travel agent is about clueless on everthing......

 

[tstobb]

We're also going up on the 5th (just a 3 hour drive) and hope to be there befor 4pm.
DS is turning 9 on the 6th so that day is up to him & we never set our plans in stone when we're at "The World".
Do need to renew our passes 1st and may hit Epcot 1st night.
DW keeps changing her mind about which hotel - currently booked at PO Riverside but that may change!

 

[Quickdraw]

I have been watching for you to post that your docs arrived. Glad to hear they came (finally) We will be at the Radisson early Friday. Planning to use the pool and have dinner at Kelsey's or Grills. Finally my husband is showing interest. Must be that pile of luggage in the bedroom! I would also like to plan to meet you all. Any suggestions on how to do this? Lime green ribbons anyone?

Janice

 

[kimtenn]

DH (randytenn) and I are flying in 9/7 and taking the motorcoach, arriving on the boat around 2 p.m. We were wondering what to put on our lanyards so fellow "DIS" board people would know us. I wanted to make an insert with our user names and the DIS board logo.

Plus, Quickdraw, the lime green ribbons seem to be tradition, so I'll add those to both of our lanyards.

Hope to run into some of our nice DIS board acquaintances! If you guys want to meet somewhere on the ship sometime, we'd be open to that. Otherwise, we'll just 'play it by ear' and hope we run into some of you on board.

 

[myfairygodmother]

Just a dining times update...

According to Disney we will have the trial dinner times for our cruise. Early seating will be at 5:30 and late seating will be at 7:45.

We'll be arriving at the Radisson on Friday evening in time for the girl's to do some swimming. Hopefully we'll run in to some fellow cruisers!!

 

[shellgoodman]

I had a feeling we had the trial dining times. I might have a dilemma with an extremely cranky child. My 2 yr old naps very late in the day so it might be difficult to get her out of the room for 5:30. I'll have to play it by ear. I know that the main sitting is full on our cruise. Do they sometimes allow people to change to the late sitting after a couple of days?

I might have to force her to take her nap earlier in the day. Will she comply with that? Probably not but I'll give it the ol' college try.

 

[randytenn]

Shell,
I'm not sure, but do you have a time change from you are at to Orlando? If so, you may have to take that into account, as you may be dining even earlier than you thought. Our time change is one hour, so we would actually be eating at 7:00 p.m. our time.

 

[shellgoodman]

What a great thought but we are on the same time zone - EST as Orlando.

It is about 5:20pm right now and guess who is sound asleep. I wonder if I'll be eating a Topsiders everynight! Maybe I can trick her with nap time as I have an inside cabin. If there is no daylight in the room, she won't think that she's missing anything.