Alternative Family Travel

[UGAFan0829]

I just have to say this- and I know it doesn't really pertain to the actual "documentation" thing that you had originally asked about...
But, I think the beautiful thing about Disney is that everyone can go and have a good time, wether you are considered "traditional" or not. I can't ever see anyone ever being treated differently at Disney.
I hope that you and your family decide to cruise one day, as I am sure that you will LOVE it!

 

[tde1969]

We have an alternative family and have had great experiences on Disney cruises. The passport issue has never been a problem but we have sole custody and carry the paperwork with us on the cruise. We are preparing for our third cruise to bring the magic home in August. Initially I had alot of reservations about going on any type of traditional cruise, but having done the Atlantis cruises when I was single, they are certainly not a family environment. We do all the normal things a couple with a kid do and no one seems to care. The suriel bath, the romantic turndown, dinner at palos, etc etc but we've never really been the type of couple to make out in public nor would i really want to watch any other couple make out on the cruise. The great part is we get to do fun things with our DS(7 yrs old) and just seem to be like everyone else. He loves the kids club, the mickey pool and would rather hang out with his little friends than his parents, lol. He ask at dinner how soon will we be dropping him off at the club and he hates to dress up for the formal nights. He's just a regular kid and that's how the other kids see him. The first cruise we had a dinner table to ourselves so it made it really simple. And I will admit that last year I was worried to find that we had a large table with another family. By the end of the cruise, we were trying to figure out if we could all cruise together again the following year. I guess our experience with Disney cruise line has been that there is enough pixie dust to go around for any type of family.

 

[Lazeric]

I am so glad to hear about your time on the cruise.

We truly enjoy WDW as well. We have been going for years, and Presidents week 2006 will be our first cruise as a family. We have thought of going on the R Family cruises in the summer, but Disney is our winter vacation, and in the summer we go to family Week at the Cape. So being that we love Disney so much, we chose to go on the Disney Cruise. It sounds like we made a smart choice.

Thanks for all of your information.

Eric

 

[jgalecpa]

I guess our experience with Disney cruise line has been that there is enough pixie dust to go around for any type of family.

That may be one of the best quotes on this board, ever!

You have great friends you have never met, who will be on the cruise.

Have a great time.

Jim

 

[TeaforWendy]

Great thread! I have to say I was amazed and pleased at all the great dads I saw on the Disney cruise -- totally absorbed in their kids, playing in the pool, standing in line to get popsickles, autographs, photos, etc. I can tell by the way you describe your daughter you are the same, Eric -- one more awesome dad on the cruise.

(Sadly, I see far too few awesome dads in every day life.)

 

[Lazeric]

That was a great line about the Pixie dust. My daughter through the years has asked why some people are angry at WDW, the happiest place on earth. Have told her that some people no matter what, can't be happy.

If anyone is going to be on the 2006 Preidents week 7 night voyage, please let me know. It would be great talking with people.

Eric

 

[Downrivermama]

Hi Lazeric,

I'm a single mom and have had to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune at times since my DD 7 was born. I had a bit of a problem getting a passport for my DD a few weeks ago. I researched the State Dept website to see what would be accepted as proof of sole guardianship. I just assumed that the postal employees knew too or at least had a binder they could refer to. Wrong. The first P O I went to told me , in front of my child that they would have to "research" it and and they would get back to me. So I went home and printed up that section from the DOS site and went to another local PO. They were better about it and would accept the applications to send to Chicago and even called Chicago (but the person wasn't there). But the one guy was yelling to the guy at the other window if he had ever had this situatuion come up and stated it so 5 people in line, and DD could hear. I was upset with the total lack of discretion. Good news is that the Chicago pp office knew what they were doing and we got our pp .

It is just astounding in this age of diversity that some people still lack sensitivity to other people's situations.