All I Got Was A Lousy T-Shirt. . .(SleepyD's WetnWild Shower Fan Club -16 Feb 07)

[sleepydog25]

Quote:
I don't know if you realize or not, but you provided another handy dandy tip to your readers regarding the verandah door. It slides, people. Slides! I'm just saying...



Hee Hee...I remember!

From personal experience?!
Sleepy,

You never would have been able to pose like that with the old lifevests DCL used to have.

Cheers to person at DCL who ordered the new lifevests....and is that an approved use of a PFD???

Even chunkier styrofoam in use back in the day? We used them for an extra coffee table.

Dog

Your TR is most remarkable. Undoubtedly one of the better ones I have read. I am humbled by your museings.

Grumpy Dude

I am humbled by your humbleness. Really. I do appreciate the kind comments. As Doc has mentioned, I can be a bit, ummm, detailed, but therein usually lies a story, hopefully worth reading. I thank you for your continued patronage.

I need the next installment PLEASE

NNBM, is cowbell a euphemism for installment?

I'm glad I have a face to the name now.....Even though the life jacket was almost all that you saw. And the first one your halo was so bright I couldn't see either.

Therein lies a clue as to my thought processes, dearie. You were quick to catch on. . .

We are gonna need pics for proof.

Well, all I have are glow-in-the-dark ones. . .and I don't think you want to go there. . .

 

[Bethipooh4]

Well, all I have are glow-in-the-dark ones. . .and I don't think you want to go there. . . [/font]

OH MY......

 

[JDBlair]

Your TR is longer than some of those who went on 7 day cruises. Any plans for a 7 day cruise? That way, you could write a book and become a Best Seller because I'd buy it. And I don't think I'd be the only one in line to purchase. They'd make great holiday gifts!!!

 

[DocLovesDis]

Your TR is longer than some of those who went on 7 day cruises. Any plans for a 7 day cruise? That way, you could write a book and become a Best Seller because I'd buy it. And I don't think I'd be the only one in line to purchase. They'd make great holiday gifts!!!

You're assuming he'll be done by Christmas. . .

 

[JDBlair]

You're assuming he'll be done by Christmas. . .

Good point. He could start shopping his book to the publishers now and then maybe we'd be set to go for Christmas 2008? Is that asking too much?

 

[sleepydog25]

OH MY......

Uh huh. . .

Your TR is longer than some of those who went on 7 day cruises. Any plans for a 7 day cruise? That way, you could write a book and become a Best Seller because I'd buy it. And I don't think I'd be the only one in line to purchase. They'd make great holiday gifts!!!

I don't know why, but this struck me as hilarious. At least water is easily wiped off a computer screen! No plans for a 7-day, but a 4-day is a real possibility. . .think that's long enough for a novella?

You're assuming he'll be done by Christmas. . .

That just hurts. . .

 

[JDBlair]

Uh huh. . .

I don't know why, but this struck me as hilarious. At least water is easily wiped off a computer screen! No plans for a 7-day, but a 4-day is a real possibility. . .think that's long enough for a novella?

That just hurts. . .

Oh sure! And sorry for getting your screen wet but I have enjoyed your TR's and find them to be the highlights of my day. I have even forgiven you for going without Princess. DH wanted to take a cruise without the kids but I refused - it'd break my heart to leave them behind. I managed to sell him on DCL with the promise that we'll lose the kids in the clubs. So, if you hear of a woman going overboard in September 2007 - it was me because the kids refused to leave our sides!

 

[DiaLady]

Yikes . . . I missed three pages . . Way to go again, Sleepdog. It's a great read while watching the NL finals.

The basket was fabulous. Where did you (or Doc) order it from?

Looking forward to Day 2 . . .

 

[sleepydog25]

Day 2: The Tub O’ Death and Between the Madding Crowds​

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(Yes, I changed the title. . .author’s prerogative)





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Shortly after the last echo of the ship’s horn, we bounded down the stairs to our stateroom. Hercules: The Muse-ical was next on our agenda at 6:15, followed by dinner at Animator’s Palate at 8:15. We had packed nice clothes for each of our dining experiences since, to us, dressing up is part of the excitement. Only, there was one problem. No luggage for mama, though she had the foresight to pack a dress in her carry-on bag. You may be asking yourself, “why not just wear that one?” If you did, then you are a man.

The clock was pressing toward 5 p.m., the latest time we were told to expect said luggage. Every bump in the corridor meant I had to open the door to check for her suitcase. Oliver must have thought I was playing a human version of whack-a-mole. Once. . .twice. . .thrice. . .nothing. Finally, right at 5 we heard a loud thump—it was here! Thank god. Again, you may be asking yourself, “if the case arrived at 5, and the show isn’t until 6:15, what’s the problem?” Again, you would be a man. To be fair, we did want to unpack before the show and dinner to make more room in the cabin. The cabins are reportedly spacious by cruising standards, but that doesn’t mean you’ll mistake them for a suite at VWL. And the last thing we wanted to do was unpack at midnight after knocking back the gift wine, more wine at dinner, and then martinis at the Cadillac Lounge.


Break, break! If you have stuck with me this far into my TR, then you deserve a bonus picture. . .and here it is!

Goofy and Donald. Oops. I mean Doc and Donald. He asked if she was a quack. (Bada-boom! Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week!)


With her first night’s outfit secure in our possession, all we needed was to freshen up. For me, it meant lolling on the bed, a quick shower, and dressing. For her, it meant shower, make up, hair, clothes, and jewelry. I don’t know how you women do it. I’m so glad to be a man (though the painted toes have grown on me). Hats off to the DCL ship designers, too. That split bathroom idea is great—obviously a woman figured it out. A guy would’ve just had an extra urinal on the verandah. The cool thing was that Doc could complete her routine in one bathroom while I bathed in the other. The effects of the previous day’s long drive combined with the excitement of experiencing a grand cruise for the first time led me to choose a soaking bath over a stand up shower.



I started running the bath and even figured out how to operate the deceptive gizmo that gives you hot or cold water. At my house, a half turn to the left means hot, a half turn to the right means cold. This sucker had to be spun like the Wheel of Fortune. Within moments, however, I had a calming tubful of soothing bath water, and that’s when I made my first mistake. . .I got in. My second mistake was leaning back. You see, I’m a relatively tall man; whereas, that bath wasn’t big enough to wash two My Little Ponies side-by-side. “Do not drop the soap,” I thought. “Bobbing for it is not an option.” Idiot that I was, I decided to lay as flat as I could, the result of which approximated a large worm in a test tube. I still had yet to get clean, so I started doing the booty shake thing just to slosh water around a bit hoping the sudsing action would work just like in a washing machine. Gramps from the Sail-Away party would’ve been proud.



Numbness began setting in. I needed to get out. Naturally, being a man, I couldn’t ask for help. Next she’d be wanting me to ask for directions! On the other hand, I could picture Doc sitting in a therapy group, quietly whispering, “Hi, I’m Doc. I married a doofus.” There was no room to turn on my side and grasp anything outside the tub, nor was the space big enough for me to do a sit up. I was floundering like a hooked marlin. So, I stuck my left leg over the side of the tub as a brace, grabbed the Wheel of Fortune knob with my right hand, slid my left hand under me, and pried my way out of the tub o’ death. “You okay in there?” Doc queried. “Just peachy!” I replied. . .while showering. Shortly after that episode, we were ready to go. Doc looked lovely. And even I can clean up decently.



We arrived early for Hercules. We can’t help being early; it’s our way—immaturus adventus. So, we had to wait a few minutes before the doors opened. The ship offers beverages and snacks in Preludes, just outside the theatre, but we opted not to buy anything. Remember, we had purchased a butt, er, boatload of candy and snacks for the very purpose of taking them into the shows thus avoiding the exorbitant prices the ship charges. However, we discovered something, another travel tip if you will. Depending on your eating habits, you don’t need snacks. With the shows and restaurants timing meshed, you’re going to be snacking shortly before dinner or immediately after dinner. Either way, we found snacks unnecessary in the shows. Furthermore, food seems to constantly be available on the ship, somewhere, some time, in some form. And this is a good time to talk about food on board the Wonder.



Part of the cost of your passage is the food. It’s prepaid. They know it. You know it. And they are willing to roll out the feed bags, people. In addition to the previously mentioned restaurants, you also have the Cove Café (pastries) open from 6:30 a.m. to midnight; Pinocchio’s Pizzeria open from noon to midnight; Pluto’s Dog House open from noon to 9:30 p.m.; Scoops (ice cream and light snacks) open from noon to 3:30 p.m.; late night snacks at Route 66 lounge from 11 p.m. to midnight; a 24-hour beverage station; and even 24-hour room service! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT come near a DCL trip if you’re even thinking about losing a few pounds. Even Wimpy could be sated on board the Wonder. There is anecdotal evidence of all this in the pages ahead. For now, just remember. . .you don’t need to bring snacks.



The theatre itself wasn’t crowded which we found surprising. Sure, it was nearly full but not jam-packed like some Disney venues can be at the World. Within a few moments, the show started, and it was hilarious. The production values were quite good, the performers topnotch, the songs witty, and the writing quite topical—everything from “It’s Hard to be a Pimp” (recent Oscar-winning song if you didn’t know), to “Deal or No Deal,” to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Indiana Jones, Taxi Driver, and dozens more. Parts of the stage could be raised or lowered hydraulically; they used wires to “fly” some of the entertainers (though not in Hercules Doc wants me to note); and the backdrop and sets of all the shows were amazingly detailed. We left this show (and each of the others) thoroughly impressed with their quality.



We had about an hour to kill before heading to Animator’s Palate, so we browsed the two main shops—Treasure Ketch and Mickey’s Mates—on both the port and starboard side of the ship just aft of the theatre. (I’m slingin’ some nautical terms now, baby!) The gift shops had the usual suspects re: trinkets, shirts, sweats, toys, and whatnots. Actually, the selection is decent, and if you want a watch, they have those, too, featuring several well-known and pricey companies such as Swiss Army. Guess my Timex Ironman sport watch will have to do me another few years.



The shopping venues were crowded. Apparently, every person not currently dining, slamming back Bahama Mamas, or puking over the side of the ship decided to shop right that moment. You know, I don’t mind shopping. Ask Doc. I go with her on occasion, and I have been known to encourage her to buy more things, say if she’s on a trip to update her wardrobe. Hell, I’ve even given advice to women I don’t know. “Your husband will love that,” or “Those horizontal stripes are not flattering,” and “You’ll want flats with those pants not heels.” I’m helpful that way. Shopping is a dirty necessity sometimes, and being at WDW or on a DCL ship is no different. But, for. . .the. . .love. . .of. . .all. . .that. . .is. . .sane, people, please, PLEASE learn how to move around in tight quarters without completely gumming up the aisles and walkways.



Digression alert! In my TR about our visit to WDW in June (hint: there are links to said TR earlier in this thread), I mentioned that folks have a terrible habit of gathering in the worst of places. It’s 8 a.m., EMH at the MagicKingdom, and the ropes are dropped. What’s the very first thing people do when they step just inside the archways leading to Main Street? They stop. They gather their forces. They set their plans—in the bloody entrance! All I ask is one side or the other before we pile up behind you like limp noodles in a strainer. End of digression, except. . .



. . .the same thing happened in the shops on the Wonder! Ahh, Mom sees THE sweatshirt she’s been dreaming of the past six months. Not only does she go over to the rack, but so does her pre-teen daughter reeking of eau de lavender, her twin sons who are channeling Beavis and Butthead, her husband who is digging fingernails into his wallet, two cousins twice removed re-enacting the famous Darth Vader vs. Luke Skywalker light saber duel , an aunt with halitosis, her uncle’s best buddy from high school who has sinus congestion, and her in-laws who look as if they’d rather be back in Florida drinking tepid tap water from a hose. Once they descend upon the ground where you stand, your only options are to a) become one of their cousins, b) take the sweatshirt and run, or c) duck under the rack directly behind you and crawl to daylight. We chose c).

We decided to walk around the ship a bit more instead of fighting the hordes of gift and souvenir seeking passengers. There would be plenty of time to shop later. Since we had yet to explore all the ship, a familiarization tour of sorts was in order. Truly, the attention to detail was impressive, as evidenced by the following photos.

Here's the famous glass sculpture hanging from the ceiling. I believe the artist's name is Chihuly. This work is massive!

Notice the detailed trim that went around the bottom of the railing of Deck 4 in the atrium. I tried to get closer, but security took a dim view of me hanging off the railing like Terk.

What makes Disney, well, Disney? Attention to detail. Why have a regular arrow pointing out floor numbers when you can have Mickey's hand? Only those heavily inebriated types thought Mickey was signaling a bird.

Though, initially, I had resisted Doc’s interest in cruising, I will admit for all posterity that I was slowly being converted. In a word from our current youth, “kewl.”



Coming up next: Day 2: What Are the Odds?

 

[curlybop]

Tub o' death

Absolutely hilarious once again. Keep on going. I'm loving the photos also.

 

[FatherForce]

Know what's funny?

When I first saw that tub, I says to the wife, I says " What kind of a Maroon would try and take a bath in a tub this small?"

Now I know.

For the record, her answer was, "Someone much smaller than you"

Amen on the Shops' size.
My observations in my TR will be pretty similar to yours it seems...

Y'all can check it out at : http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1254752

 

[outahere]

SD wrote.......

What makes Disney, well, Disney? Attention to detail. Why have a regular arrow pointing out floor numbers when you can have Mickey's hand? Only those heavily inebriated types thought Mickey was signaling a bird.

Trivia alert..........

The elevator Mickey hands on both ships were designed by Don 'Ducky' Williams. Ducky is the Senior Character Illustrator for WDW and we have had the pleasure of sailing with him on 2 out of our 3 DCL cruises. He does an excellent presentation and draws characters as he talks (about 20 drawings). Those drawings are then given away in a raffle at the end of his presentation. If you're ever on a sailing when he is, be sure to go listen to his talk.

Back to our regularly scheduled TR.........

 

[Bethipooh4]

Tub o' death

Absolutely hilarious once again. Keep on going. I'm loving the photos also.

Remember, we must not confuse the Tub o' death with the super -suck- o -matic....

I don't think I am ever going to be able to call Disney bathroom fixtures by their normal names again....

 

[sleepydog25]

Know what's funny?

When I first saw that tub, I says to the wife, I says " What kind of a Maroon would try and take a bath in a tub this small?"

Now I know.

For the record, her answer was, "Someone much smaller than you"

Amen on the Shops' size.
My observations in my TR will be pretty similar to yours it seems...

Doc saw this post and just had to call me on my cell phone. She was laughing so hard she could hardly speak, and I had to pull into a parking lot! You're killin' me!! They call me, Mr Maroon!

Trivia alert..........

The elevator Mickey hands on both ships were designed by Don 'Ducky' Williams. Ducky is the Senior Character Illustrator for WDW and we have had the pleasure of sailing with him on 2 out of our 3 DCL cruises. He does an excellent presentation and draws characters as he talks (about 20 drawings). Those drawings are then given away in a raffle at the end of his presentation. If you're ever on a sailing when he is, be sure to go listen to his talk.

Now how cool is that? I'm envious of you, out. We'll definitely look to see if he's along for the ride next time we cruise!

Tub o' death

Absolutely hilarious once again. Keep on going. I'm loving the photos also.

Sorry for the large size of the one photo, but Doc and I thought it would be easier to see the detail in the filigree.

Oh sure! And sorry for getting your screen wet but I have enjoyed your TR's and find them to be the highlights of my day. I have even forgiven you for going without Princess. DH wanted to take a cruise without the kids but I refused - it'd break my heart to leave them behind. I managed to sell him on DCL with the promise that we'll lose the kids in the clubs. So, if you hear of a woman going overboard in September 2007 - it was me because the kids refused to leave our sides!

Cool! Disney entertainment at its finest!

Yikes . . . I missed three pages . . Way to go again, Sleepdog. It's a great read while watching the NL finals.

The basket was fabulous. Where did you (or Doc) order it from?

Looking forward to Day 2 . . .

You missed three pages at my glacial pace? Ohhh, because you were watching the Cards miraculously win the NL crown. All is understood then. As for the basket, I'll have to let Doc tell you from whom she ordered it. I know there's a link somewhere, but being the highly efficient person she is, I know she can find it much more quickly than can I.

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

gotta sweat it out, you are writing a "howling" good report. woofie, i think
we are in the same age bracket...when forgineer was the .."warm up the
crowd", band for marshall tucker?..actually seeing them playing at local
..pubs. you probably have a disneyland guide book from the 50's?

* calvin & hobbes..well since i had children during his tenure, i "had'
to get them ever..last..oneie...woof! actually, the publisher own the rights..
in the begining...& while he fought for control..they did released some
legimate items..and that's why you can see me wearing a "calvin& hobbes"
tie...during formal nights..[there's only so much --dressing"up" codes, one
wild man can tolerate....just saying..mine are not boot-legged!

while i thinking about it,...you never told "the rest of the story" regarding
your new trend..painted toe nails? c'mom admitt it!!! not the furst time,
& "i 've been waiting"..for ..for the free love generation..to have return.
neato, the lil things you did ..on your cruise..and sneaky too!...having
drinking material delivered to your room....worst...acting all sentimental
with your lil miss...by your accounts, it is self evident..that you are using
sleepy dog as a cover for being nuthin but a hound puppy? why do i
think you was the juke box winner? p.s..wondering what kind of "rewards"
or disney dreams were bestowed upon you when the cabin lights dimmed..

well you could reveal how many wishes did the genie..from the bottle ,
granted ? ..l am betting more than 3, hemp doggie???


ok, i am messing c you..well what do you expect...?



you rookie!!! loading,unloading, loading...shake it up...are you sure your lil
missy wasn't in the front seat snickering? i sorta know how you felt...
thru my own lil experience...



once upon a time, i used to lived at cocoa beach..it's amazing how much
it has changed. i also used to romp over merritt island,melbourne & the likes..
if you ever get a chance, drive down {south} , on a-1a. great places to find the "lion & the coconuts."



ha! while you doing your luggage, we were across from you on the wonder...
so you was the entertainment out in front? we never received a loading pass,
however, we never arrived until after 2pm...we sorta do our cruises a lil
different then most...& have our own timetables. we did get a different type
of ticket..inside our luggage..a notice of baggage inspection by the
transport. security admin. ...probably from my wife's one suitcase filled with
alot of the items you listed...even more! sooo, i just like to ..
you to the order of pack mulies orginzation. [based on ..you're going to do
more cruises?]



yep, your comments about clothing and the significance to women is a
proven fact...that no man can ignore, if committed!



hey,dude..just so you know..i never entered our room 1-1/2 hrs before
dinner...[we always done early dinners]...too many things i can end up
doing wrong...and i hate the gi upsets before eating.. ..ha,ha, what a
great preformance..you gave...[clapped,clapped]..right up there with
alfred hitch clock 's shower scene..pssssst..there's some other hidden
showers around the ship...i only used ours during early mornings...

just thinking..your "rubb a dubb- duckie" shower show would make a great
disney 's variety show..if you wore your speedo's...for..ladies' nights..
i'll bet all the melly stormers' would be lining up for this..specaility
cruise...p.s..i run the bubble machine if you get me on free?



car pics..yes, i do the same type..and i can't believe my wife
reacted the same way as yours....



can't figured out how you did his with your behind
i then realized, i made the mistake of taking her from the begining..ours
have being doing disney cruises since she was 2 y/o...see? once they learn
what it is about...there no ways for us to sneak off now..dwatts..i envy
you guys..what a special time for couples..however, we ususally have 2
rooms, and know how to "work' the clubs...

slick about adding lil kisses in the booty...did you get any returns
with lipstick?



when we arrived and they anounced our names..another family came over..
yep..they had the same last name...& were too boot! funny
thing i realized after reading your report, i made alot more women friends
than guys...



your lil is just a lil younger than ours...she indeed, has her
mother's sweet lil face but from your report, alot of your character..
that was such a neat lil thing she gave you guys..not wanting you to
get bored? are you going to post the drawings...and what did you get
her?



shopping...expert?..yeah right..you trouble maker! well, just so you
know, i have developed the survival skill of redirecting...you're not
the only one that can offer suggestions...before this cruise, i had lil
gold booties made up that had "hidden mickey" bows in our children's
birth signs....and even tinker bell's earring/necklace for our daughter...
needless to say...lots of ,without costing mega$$$.

 

[Disneygrl36]

Oh my gosh........the pictures this conjures in ones head.

QUOTE:
so I started doing the booty shake thing just to slosh water around a bit hoping the sudsing action would work just like in a washing machine. Gramps from the Sail-Away party would’ve been proud.

You are a funny, funny man even if you are a Maroon.

 

[NAB]

The first thing I thought of when you said you took a bath was....where.

That was just way to funny.

Yes we found ourselves eating way to much. It was hard to get back into our jeans to go home.



--

 

[firstmickey]

I could picture Doc sitting in a therapy group, quietly whispering, “Hi, I’m Doc. I married a doofus.”

You know, I don’t mind shopping. Ask Doc. I go with her on occasion, and I have been known to encourage her to buy more things, say if she’s on a trip to update her wardrobe.

Well, at least now we understand why she married the doofus!

What’s the very first thing people do when they step just inside the archways leading to Main Street? They stop. They gather their forces.

the Disney Lemmings!

Truly, the attention to detail was impressive, as evidenced by the following photos.

the same could be said for this trip report!

 

[CruiseBoundnKY]

Ok, I gotta chime in here and let you know that I'm tuning in. Not only me (who by the way is cruising with her family for the first time in May on the Magic) but my co-worker. We check the board daily while the boss is out of the office.

I must say, "Hats off to your incredible writing talents. You are very entertaining".

Keep it coming. Karen

 

[DiaLady]

This was so good that I had my dh put sports center on mute so I could read him the good parts .. .LOL.

Can't wait to the next installment (and so is dh!!)