Announcing family when members have different names

[FredS]

I have heard several references to being "announced" when boarding the ship. Is it last name and city/state, e.g., "Smith family from Miami, Florida" or what? What about blended families with members with different last names?

Surely Disney has a smooth way to deal with this. (It could be awkward to "Smith family and Jones family" or worse to just say the last name of part of the family.) How does this work?

 

[Pugdog007]

Originally posted by FredS
How does this work?

It doesn't. Never has for us anyway.

Granted, we have 3 different last name's & I think it leaves them totally confused. They would probably work with you and announce one of your choice if you requested it... it's just never been that important to us so we walk through and they just look at us... Welcome... from AL!

 

[aprilgail2]

Last cruise we all had the same last name (though if we didn't I Would have just had them use my daughters last name since it would be more important to her to hear it than myself) and this next one we will be two seperate families so maybe we will have them do just the kids two last names like smith-jones families from NY. I personally don't care nor does the other adult, the kids are the only ones who would get a kick out of it I think.

 

[SeaSpray]

This is a good question. We're a family of 4 with 3 different last names. Usually we use my DH's and my last name. For example, my web site is named "Brown Family Vacations". This doesn't bother my DSs at all. So I hope they just announce us as the "Brown Family". When Disney sees more than one last name, do they ask you which name you'd like to have announced?? My DSs are absolutely part of the "Brown family", so I think this would be the best option for us.

I'd like to hear how other families in this situation handled this.

Thanks!

Hmm....I just thought about this for a second... How would this sound..."The Brown family of Massachusetts, including Craig Smith and Robert Jones"

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by SeaSpray
So I hope they just announce us as the "Brown Family". When Disney sees more than one last name, do they ask you which name you'd like to have announced??

They ask you when you walk in what your name is and that's how they announce you. You could conceivably be announced as the "SeaSpray" family if that's what you choose to tell them. It's totally up to you.

 

[BethC1952]

We considered this issue, too, and decided that, for this trip, we'll all be one hyphenated family, as in "The Smith-Jones Family". That way, all the kids will hear their family announced.

Beth

 

[Masonpips]

I use my maiden name at work, a hypenated name at other times and my married name for the kid's school so it can be confusing.

But since they do ask you, we told them "the Mason and Lauren C____ family from Houston, TX" (we lived there last year). The kids got to hear their names which was the cool part about it for them.

I'll never forget my DS - they said our name, they clapped (it's SO cool) and he just spun about in the atrium trying to figure out what to do next. It was a riot!

 

[CamColt]

We only have 1 last name, but on our 2 cruises, we have never been announced.

 

[December99]

Couldn't you just come on as two separate groups? I mean if your kids want to be announced with their last names and then you and your dh could go on with one of your last names? Or if you have a big family traveling together just go on by families?

 

[FredS]

with members who happen to have two different last names. My personal thought for the best well to handle would be "...the Smith and Jones family" i.e., both last names but clearly ONE family. I was not (and actually am still not) even clear on where the person announcing got their info (verbally from a member of the group or from perhaps from boarding documents) or if Disney had some standard way to deal with what I would think is a very common situation.

As far as the announcement, if would seem that any special meaning would be lost if members, particularly the kids, didn't hear their own name called or if there was some distinction making each name a different family. If you get down to it, I would actually prefer to be announced with first names!

 

[SeaSpray]

FredS:

I'm still not totally clear on it, either. From what I gather, they ask you where you're from and what your name is right before they announce it? If so, they'd better have a piece of paper to write this down because I WILL say both of my DSs FULL names plus DH's and mine. Maybe *I* will write it on a small slip of paper and hand it to whoever will be announcing. LOL "Craig Smith, Robert Jones, Terry and John Brown" Then again, I have to wonder if my DSs would even care if they heard their names or not. I have a feeling they wouldn't care, but at least I have a year to decide how to handle this. lol

 

[TinkerBellPixie4GOAL]

You could always discuss this with your family beforehand and decide to make up a last name that would apply to you all. i.e. Smith and Jomes families become the Williams family....you know?

 

[jrabbit]

As to where Disney gets the names to announce, It happens after you cross the gangplank (like a Jetway at the airports) onto the ship. There are two doors, one to the right and the other to the left. A crewmember will be there and ask for your family name and where you are from. You tell them and continue walking into the atrium. About the time you arrive there, the person you spoke to announces your name and the many cast members stationed around the atrium clap for you and your family. When we boarded last month (we were in the first 50 or so people on board), Captian Mickey was up on the 5th floor directly across from where you boarded the ship and he was applauding for you too!! It seemed like Mickey was around for a couple of hours. If you arrive later you may not be greeted in quite the same manner as if you arrive early. All of the cast members have other jobs to attend to too.

They did handle the multiple family situation quite well - you just give them your name (Smith and Jones Family) and that is what they say. It's quite possible that they might bungle it up and say "Families" but I would not let it bother me. Like someone else said, you could divide up and have the "Smiths" announced and the "Jones" announced seperatly.

 

[FredS]

I think we have an idea of what to expect and how to handle it. We plan to be early birds and it would particularly impress my son to be announced and applauded, especially by Mickey. Thanks!

 

[mmouse37]

Guys, don't forget that this all happens pretty quickly and the CM's do not have a whole lot of time to announce everyone individually in your group. There are 2 thousand plus people boarding and by stopping to give individual family names in a group can slow the process and back people up on the gangway.

We travelled with 3 families and they announced our names like A, B, C, families from New York.

Just make sure you know what you want them to say so you don't hold up the line.

MJ