A cruise for New Year and a surprise trip to WDW - Update Post 103

[declansdad]

Hello all, it's almost time for us to head south again so I thought it was a good time to kick off a new trip report. Welcome to all our friends, both old and new.

This trip will include yours truly, as well as pooksma and our ds, Declan. We will also have along with us two newbies to the World. We will call them R and G.

We started talking about this trip last Christmas when pooksma suggested that we look at a cruise for the holidays. Originally, we had the three of us plus pooksma's parents. We are now up to 21 people for the cruise and the 5 of us for the side trip to WDW.

We have planned for three days at the World followed by an 8 day Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Cruise Lines with stops in St Maarten, St Lucia and St Kitts. For the three days at WDW we will stay at Pop Century.

So here is the plan. Pooksma parents will be leaving on their first of two cruises on Dec 21 so we will be having our Christmas on the morning of the 24th. This is because we will be leaving later that day to drive to Portland Maine. We will overnight and fly with JetBlue on Christmas morning through NYC. We are hoping to get to NYC before Declan figures out we are actually on our way to Orlando and not Fort Lauderdale. SURPRISE!!!


We told Declan we were leaving on the 25th because you are never sure of the weather this time of the year. He has been looking forward to going to Bass Pro Shop in Fort Lauderdale so I hope he isn't disappointed with WDW instead. For this part of the trip we will be joined by R and G. Their kids are all grown up and this will be their first time visiting the World.

We will stay at WDW until the morning of the 28th. We have rented a car from Hertz at Shades of Green and from their we will drive to Fort Lauderdale. The cruise leaves on 29th and we will spend the first two days at sea, including New Year's Eve.

I got the suitcases out tonight so I'm sure the packing will start soon. We are now waiting for the package from WDW to arrive.

Stay tuned for more.

 

[declansdad]

Part 1 December 24th and 25th

Part 2 Boxing Day at MK

Part 3 Boxing Day at AK

Part 4 Boxing Day at DHS

Part 5 EPCOT



Beginning of the cruise

Jan 1 in St Maarten

Jan 2 in St Lucia

Jan 3 - 6 St Kitts and at sea

 

[tinkerbellandeyor]

I am sure once the package comes from WDW that will be a big hint

 

[MeMom]

This should be an exciting Christmas at your house.

I didn't know Declan was a fan of Bass Pro Shop, or if you have mentioned it, I have forgotten. (Old people do that. ) We have one of those here. As far as I am aware, it is the only store that has opened back up from the flooded Opry Mills Mall. So, when you come to Nashville one of these years, that's where we can meet.

It will be fun showing your friends Disney World for the first time. Maybe they will leave with plans to come back with their own kids.

Happy packing!

 

[BrooklynnsMommy]

Checking in. Interested to see how far you make it before Declan figures it out.

 

[declansdad]

I am sure once the package comes from WDW that will be a big hint

Got that covered; it is coming to my office.

This should be an exciting Christmas at your house.

I didn't know Declan was a fan of Bass Pro Shop, or if you have mentioned it, I have forgotten. (Old people do that. ) We have one of those here. As far as I am aware, it is the only store that has opened back up from the flooded Opry Mills Mall. So, when you come to Nashville one of these years, that's where we can meet.

It will be fun showing your friends Disney World for the first time. Maybe they will leave with plans to come back with their own kids.

Happy packing!

LOL, he has never been to one. I went ot one in Foxborro Mass. and told him about it. When he asked what we would do n Fort Lauderdale for the 3 days I told him they have a big one and it is near our hotel. I think tat is why he wants to go there.

Checking in. Interested to see how far you make it before Declan figures it out.

Welcome! We are keeping our fingers crossed. We have the postcards that MeMOm picked up for us to use in the reveal. We are hoping that we get to JFK before giving that to him. The kicker may be the ME tags we will need to put on the luggage in Portland.

We have been lucky so far. We've kept this part of the trip secret since the summer and we are still on track to reveal the trip that pooksma and I took in 2008 on his 30th birthday.

 

[declansdad]

We have a first for NB in December - schools closed because of, not snow, but flooding.

We have no snow, 8 degrees C (approx 50 F), and flooded roads and rivers. Wild!

 

[Poolrat]

Coming over from MeMom and Jills report.

I can't wait to hear all about the reveal.

 

[declansdad]

We've taken the next step, our package has arrived.

We have also had our first Christmas. With pooksma parents leaving Tuesday for their first of the two cruises, we had dinner and some gifts last night. Declan was wired!!

 

[Queenofallthings]

We've taken the next step, our package has arrived.

We have also had our first Christmas. With pooksma parents leaving Tuesday for their first of the two cruises, we had dinner and some gifts last night. Declan was wired!!

Woo Hoo....we're here!!

Cannot believe you guys are dealing with flooding....when does that happen in December in Canada?? If it's any consolation at all, it's been -40 with the wind chill and we have record snow fall already ... and it's only the middle of December....looks like to good ol Red River will be flooding again in the spring!!

Cannot wait to hear all about this...so excited that the suitcases are out...that's my favorite part

 

[declansdad]

Woo Hoo....we're here!!

Cannot believe you guys are dealing with flooding....when does that happen in December in Canada?? If it's any consolation at all, it's been -40 with the wind chill and we have record snow fall already ... and it's only the middle of December....looks like to good ol Red River will be flooding again in the spring!!

Cannot wait to hear all about this...so excited that the suitcases are out...that's my favorite part

The weather here has been crazy. Here is a link to a video that was taken just outside of Fredericton. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKIWKF4RtO4&feature=player_embedded

The weird thing is most of the flooding seems to be in places that are not usually impacted this bad in the spring.

 

[pooksma]

Becoming more and more real-tonight I tried on some clothes I had purchased over the summer to make sure they still fit. It would be hard to find summer-type garb now!

Only 7 school days left!!!!

 

[MeMom]

Coming over from MeMom and Jills report.

I can't wait to hear all about the reveal.

At least this time there is a reveal.
There was a time when all things were kept hidden.....

The weather here has been crazy.

The weird thing is most of the flooding seems to be in places that are not usually impacted this bad in the spring.

After our flood last May, I really realized the long-term damage that can be done and the way lives and jobs can be threatened in an instant. I hope your flooding subsides quickly.

Becoming more and more real-tonight I tried on some clothes I had purchased over the summer to make sure they still fit. It would be hard to find summer-type garb now!

Only 7 school days left!!!!

That's fun to pull out summer stuff. I'm guessing it will be in the 70's while you are there.

What is your last day of school? You don't go all the way through next week, surely!

 

[declansdad]

At least this time there is a reveal.
There was a time when all things were kept hidden.....






After our flood last May, I really realized the long-term damage that can be done and the way lives and jobs can be threatened in an instant. I hope your flooding subsides quickly.





That's fun to pull out summer stuff. I'm guessing it will be in the 70's while you are there.

What is your last day of school? You don't go all the way through next week, surely!

Yes and some things are still only talked about in hushed tones.


School here finishes on the 23rd. Same as my office, a meeting in the afternoon and that will be it until Jan 10th.

 

[pooksma]

Shhhhh!!!!!!! (quietly doing the single digit dance) 8 more sleeps!

 

[Queenofallthings]

I had to come and do the single digit dance with you my friends!!!! I can't believe it's so close and with Christmas still to come it will fly by!!!

 

[declansdad]

I had to come and do the single digit dance with you my friends!!!! I can't believe it's so close and with Christmas still to come it will fly by!!!

Thanks for dancing!

It is almost time to start packing.

 

[declansdad]

Office is closed and we are 1 sleep away from the start of our trip. WOOHOO.

My first real vacation since last summer.

Packing is just about complete, Declan will open a few gifts in the morning and we will be on our way.

 

[uncw89]

Have a great time! We are here now and go home tomorrow. the weather has been nice the last few days, but was chilly when we got here on Sat. I think it's supposed to get cooler next week. Have fun on your cruise too! DS has even been swimming!

 

[Queenofallthings]

So exciting!!

I take it you guys are ok from all the flooding...again...did you ever think we would use the word flood in December??

Have a wonderful safe trip and can't wait to hear all about it when you return.

HAVE FUN DECLAN!!!!