>> April 1, 2012 - Disney Dream Spring Break Frenzy! <<

[D73]

Is the IB program you teach in MYP or Diploma? So cool to hear from someone familiar with the program. We currently have three Middle Schools and three High Schools that offer the program. It is still a relatively new concept to our county and many parents don't get it. Some of my friends don't understand why I would pull Connor from his home school and have him apply to this program. I think the global way of teaching will be good!
DS was motivated to take Chinese until he heard all the negative comments. I think his concern is he may not get an "A" and it will blow his straight "A's"! I'm not sure where I got this overachiever from but he doesn't get it from me! We may have to discuss the Chinese again.
He also has an interest in learning French. We go to Canada quite a bit since my parents have a vacation home there, it's near Toronto - so not much French spoken in that area. My DH said he won't have much use for French... choices... but I like what you said about it not being something he is learning for the future but opening him up to a new language.
Thanks everyone for your input!
Debbie

I teach the PYP which is fro ages 3 to 11. However my school is an IB World School where we teach all 3 programs. So students have the opportunity to matriculate through the entire IB programme.

In our school the languages that are currently on offer are French, Spanish and German. The rationale for this decision is 1) French is the host language for where we are located, 2) German is the predominant language of our host country (though it is slightly different as we have discussed earlier in the thread and 3) Spanish is the next European World Language after English, French and German. Discussions are occurring as we look to expand our school to include Madarin and or Russian but it would require interest amongst our students. Some students do study other languages of interest via correspondence as well.....Skype is an amazing tool.

The students at my school are from over 50 different countries but the majority come from wither European countries or North America so these language choices make more sense for the population we have. The other thing however that is very noticeable in my school is how quickly a third 4th or 5th language is learned once mastery of the mother tongue and the 2nd language is acquired. Even if it is a non related language group.

Basically I feel that one thing many Americans sadly lack is the ability to speak more than one language. I took French in high school and again in college but the motivation was not there until I really needed it by moving here. Never did I think I would use it in my daily life but in this day in age you just never know. I still do not consider myself fluent but I sure do know how to get through a basic conversation and get things that I need. I am also able to get by on vacations in other places because French is often a common language if English and the native language are not helping us communicate.

Anyway, enough off topic......lets have drinks on board and I will be happy to talk about it. And I am willing to give a little basic starter lesson in French to your son (or anyone else) if he chooses to go that route.

Christopher

 

[virginiafam]

Glad you found our little thread. And welcom to your first Disney cruise! Is this your first cruise in general? My family did our first cruise with Disney last year during the Spring Break cruise and we loved it so much we rebooked for this years Spring Break while onboard. Any questions - don't hesitate to ask. There are many of us on this thread who have cruised before.
I will add you to the Roll Call and FE. I need a little more info for the FE "spreadsheet"! Names and stateroom number. You don't have enough posts to PM me...so you can either post away, till you get to ten or put the info here on this thread if you are comfortable with that or let me know if you want me to PM you my email address.
We also have a Facebook page for this thread if anyone who is new wants to join, just let us know. One of us in the group will have to "friend" you and then add you to our private group.

Hope this helps...
Debbie

Hi, Debbie,
This is our 2nd cruise but the first for Disney. We've been hearing so much about Disney Cruises and we can't wait!

I don't want to miss the roll call so could you please send me a PM with an email?
Thanks,
virginiafam

 

[Deb T.]

It's Tuesday, and exactly 6 weeks from today we'll be looking forward to enjoying a full day on a little piece of heaven on earth we call Castaway Cay! One very special couple is also looking forward to becoming Mr. & Mrs. today! Happy Wedding, CCBride412!! As the captain docks the ship, we gaze longingly at the pristine white sand beach dotted with colorful umbrellas and lounge chairs that are beckoning us ashore. We eagerly don bathing suits, sunscreen and cover-ups and then head to breakfast to indulge in another wonderful meal onboard. It is so nice to not have to cook! Beginning around 8:30am, we’ll make our way down to Deck 1 to debark directly onto the island – no tenders for us here!

As we make our way past the tiny little post office on the right, some of us will stop in to purchase Bahamian stamps to adhere to postcards destined for the family and friends who aren’t enjoying pure paradise with us today. “Wish you were here!” Sometimes, Donald Duck is standing outside for photos! We’ll also run into Mickey, Minnie, and even Captain Jack Sparrow throughout the day for fun photo ops! This is the second time (and the last) that we can get "up close and personal" photos right next to our beautiful ship!

We’ll make our way to one of several beaches... families will settle on the first beach on the left, arriving by tram or by walking. Seasoned castaways who prefer fewer crowds will continue on down to the far end of the family beach. Adults sans children will continue on to Serenity Bay. Everyone will marvel at the crystal clear pale blue ocean water! Wow! Look closely, and you’ll see tiny little fish darting around in the water, reminding us that we really are on a teeny tiny natural tropical island in the middle of the ocean! Wade farther out so that the water is up to your neck and you can still look down and see your feet through the water! Amazing!

Now that we have staked out our little piece of paradise for the next several hours, it’s time to relax! With any luck, the sun is shining brightly, there is a gentle tropical breeze, and the ocean water is warm. We sit back in our beach chair (or hammock or lounge chair) and enjoy the gorgeous view! The ocean stretches out in front of us for as far as we can see! Those on the family beach have a fabulous view of The Dream docked to the left. Laughter and squeals fill the air as children of all ages begin to frolic in the water. We can’t help but smile as our picture perfect vacation plays out before our very eyes.

There is almost as much to do on the family beach as there has been onboard the ship! Building sandcastles, swimming, sunning, and smiling. Beach volleyball, basketball free-throw challenge, and Crab Races are all starting soon. A DJ is playing popular beach music. Have any requests? Yes, this beach area is alive with energy! Some have already ventured off on rented bicycles or are floating lazily in rented inner tubes. Is anyone signed up to pet and feed stingrays today?

Working up an appetite? Cookies' BBQ and Cookies’ BBQ2 have been busy all morning preparing barbecue feasts for us and the aroma wafting toward us now is making our stomachs rumble! We gather the family and migrate toward the buffet lines that are filled to the brim with hamburgers and barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, pasta salad, potato salad, potato chips, fruit, and cookies. After filling our plates, we sit down at a picnic table in the shade of the shelter and proceed to stuff our bellies, being careful to save some room for ice cream! Oh yes, there is soft-serve ice cream on the island, too!

After lunch, some will check the younger children into Scuttle's Cove so parents can have a little bit of “couple” time. The kids will enjoy fun activities (including a whale dig!) while parents explore the island on their own and possibly even decide to see what the adults-only beach is all about. Serenity Bay can be found at the far side of the island, at the end of a long tram ride down an abandoned air strip and what seems like worlds away from the family beach. Peaceful and serene, this beach is bliss for those wanting true rest and relaxation. Some are reading, some are dozing, some are floating in the pale blue water, and some are sitting in beach chairs at the edge of the ocean with their feet in the water. The Air Bar is nearby, and servers pass by frequently to make sure we all stay properly “hydrated”. Next to the Air Bar is Serenity Bay’s very own private barbecue lunch spot. And just like at Cookies’ and Cookies’2, they even have ice cream and cookies! We're on vacation, so calories don't count, right??? Those of you who have young children might wish they were older so you, too, could spend the entire day here at Serenity Bay, but those of us who’s children are grown know that those days pass all too quickly and we secretly wish our children were still young and enjoying Castaway Cay with us.

A fun spot to walk off lunch (and get a little exercise) is the walking/bike path half-way down the runway between the family and adult beaches. Our reward for venturing inside this maze-like trail is coming across the little observation tower where you can look out over most of the island! It’s a fairly long walk, so be sure to grab some cold water before heading in if the day is hot.

All too soon, we realize it’s getting closer and closer to the 4:30pm all-aboard time. Wait! Have we taken time to check out the little souvenir shops yet? Although there are a few Castaway Cay items in the onboard gift shops, a much larger variety of exclusive CC merchandise is for sale only on the island! Don’t worry about not having cash, though, because only our Key to the World cards are accepted here. Very convenient… too convenient according to my DH!

We hear the ship’s horn and that is our cue that all aboard time is approaching. Reluctantly, we start gathering our belongings. Did you know that a sprinkle of baby powder makes brushing off the fine white sand a very easy task? With a heavy heart, we begin trudging back toward the ship. Do we REALLY have to leave this beautiful island? Say it isn’t so. If we hadn’t thought about rebooking onboard yet, we are certainly thinking about it now!

Back on the Dream we can hear our final sail away party already underway on the pool deck. The upbeat music helps us feel a little better about having to leave Castaway Cay behind. We make a quick trip to the 24-hour Drink Station to rehydrate before watching our vessel slowly pull away from the beautiful tiny island. As Castaway Cay fades into a tiny far-off speck in the distance, we head to our cabins to shower and get ready for tonight’s activities. It is truly mind boggling that 4,000 people are showering at practically the same time and we all still have plenty of hot water to wash the remnants of Castaway Cay off of us! Gosh, the water heater in my house barely makes it through two people showering!

At our 3rd dinner rotation restaurant tonight, we’ll greet our servers and tablemates by name, having become very familiar with them over the last two nights. We’ll also realize that many of the servers who we saw working hard at Cookies BBQ and BBQ2 today are now busy making our dinner experience as perfect as possible for us tonight! Do they ever get a day off? (The answer is: rarely – all DCL crew work a minimum of 70+ hours each week! ) As we look around the restaurant, we observe that a few guests failed to apply enough sunscreen during the day ouch! We also can’t help but notice that the servers and quite a few guests are dressed up like pirates! Hooray! It’s the long awaited “Pirate Night”! Did you pack some pirate wear? Will we see you dressed in a pirate t-shirt or head-to-toe authentic outfit? Did you find some pirate-themed items in your FE? Thanks, DCL, for our pirate bandanas! Love the pirate-themed menu!

Between dinner and Pirate Night festivities, there are plenty of activities listed in the Navigator! Keep an eye out for Captain Jack Sparrow and other characters available for photos and autographs! Feel lucky? Try Pirate Bingo! Like game shows? Play “A Pirate’s Life for Me”! Instead of a stage show in the Walt Disney Theatre, a special guest performer has been brought onboard to amaze and entertain us. Who will it be tonight? A comic? A juggler? A ventriloquist? A combination of all three? Let’s go see!

As darkness descends, sailors beware - the pool deck has been transformed into a pirate’s lair! Aye mateys, there be not one, but two pirate parties awaitin’ ye brave souls: the Mickey’s Pirates in the Caribbean family-oriented show and then the livelier Buccaneer Blast as darkness descends. Arrrrrrrrgh! Aye, there be Pirates IN the Caribbean! Let’s get this party started! Did you know that DCL is the only cruise line in the entire world that has been granted permission to set off fireworks at sea? We can hardly wait to experience this! Savvy sailors (read: cost conscious) have brought their own booty (read: glow stick necklaces and bracelets from the Dollar Store) to wear tonight.

As the pirate party winds down, the Pirate Dessert Buffet is being readied for us in Cabana’s! Oh yeah, it’s time to eat again! Definitely check out all of the spectacular food sculptures on display! But, go soon because it’s usually only open from 10:30pm to 11:15pm! Afterward, pull up a lounge chair on the pool deck and experience watching “Pirates in the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” on the huge Funnel View movie screen outside on deck 11. Really, how many people can say they have watched one of the Pirates’ movies with the amazing built-in special effects of actually being onboard a real live moving ship?!? Shiver me timbers!

Soon, our sugar high begins to wear off and the now familiar gentle rocking of the ship has relaxed us. We realize we are weary from a full-day of amazing adventures. Time to make our way back to our cabins, empty our FE’s, check out our newest towel animal, glance at tomorrow’s Navigator, and ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……………….

 

[guarn3md]

Hi, Debbie,
This is our 2nd cruise but the first for Disney. We've been hearing so much about Disney Cruises and we can't wait!

I don't want to miss the roll call so could you please send me a PM with an email?
Thanks,
virginiafam

OMG! I completely forgot. Sorry! I update the Roll Call and FE at work because I have it saved on that computer. I updated to reflect "tellyaddict" and forgot you all! So sorry...
I will try to PM you right now. Let me know via this thread if you do not get a PM from me!
Thanks!
Deb

 

[guarn3md]

Hey Christopher! Thanks for that info...very interesting. We had a conversation with Connor over dinner tonight - pancakes for Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras...Yum! Anyway...I asked Connor what he really wants to learn and he said Mandarin...so there it is...that is decision of the hour for the 10 year old.
Can't wait to meet and talk on board!! Your job sounds so interesting...
Debbie

 

[ccbride412]

Debbie, I have to agree with everyone that Mandarin is the way to go! Like Christopher, I took French in high school and college and it has helped when I was in France and Switzerland, but no real use for it in FL! The one thing I can say about having a background in French is that since it's Latin based, learning Spanish has been a lot easier for me. I think that once you learn any other language, it makes it easier to keep learning more, so the fact that he's even doing that (and has an interest in doing it) is great! I'm glad to hear he stuck with what he wanted to do instead of being discouraged. He can always add another language later if he really wants-why be just bilingual? Why not trilingual?! I came from a school that started an IB program after I left and I have to say, those were some bright kids! Congrats!

 

[ccbride412]

Thanks Deb T! Looking forward to being that "very special couple!" You're posts are so exciting!!

I decided that I want to wear my wedding dress all day (I paid for it, might as well get some use out of it right?) So DF and I aren't dressing up as pirates CC night, but we can't wait to be surrounded by them!!! (don't worry, we'll be pirate-y, just not that night )

 

[D73]

Sorry about the of topic but since some of you are avid planners I thought maybe one of you could help me with a point of curiosity.

Does anyone know what the predictions for crowds are for the MK on 29 February? Are they expecting huge numbers because of the 24 hour open time? Anybody know? Just curious really.

Thanks
Christopher

 

[RemoCat]

Sorry about the of topic but since some of you are avid planners I thought maybe one of you could help me with a point of curiosity.

Does anyone know what the predictions for crowds are for the MK on 29 February? Are they expecting huge numbers because of the 24 hour open time? Anybody know? Just curious really.

Thanks
Christopher

The blog that I follow ("Josh" at easyWDW) has the overall crowd level as a 5, so he's not expecting anything close to capacity crowds (like we will see over Easter...). As far as his recommendation for MK for that day, he has it listed as "It Depends", so it looks like he's not sure what exactly this will do, though he expects heavier evening crowds as people become curious to see what all Disney has in store. That being said, it's not exactly a busy week (still a week or two early for the start of spring breaks), and also a school day, so locals will only be there in the evening, if at all. So it doesn't look so bad, at least from what he's predicting. If only we could have crowd level 5 from Apr. 5-9...dreaming....

 

[VA_mouseman]

Sorry about the of topic but since some of you are avid planners I thought maybe one of you could help me with a point of curiosity.

Does anyone know what the predictions for crowds are for the MK on 29 February? Are they expecting huge numbers because of the 24 hour open time? Anybody know? Just curious really.

Thanks
Christopher

I use touringplans.com for guidance; it requires a nominal annual fee but the crowd calendar and customized touring plans are well worth it, IMO.

Feb 29
Overall Crowds

Crowd Level: 2 out of 10
Crowd Notes: One More Disney Day

Magic Kingdom
Crowd Level: 2.4 out of 10
This is a Park to Avoid
Park Hours: 6:00am - 6:00am
Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade at 3:00pm
Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at 8:00pm
Main Street Electrical Parade at 10:00pm
Main Street Electrical Parade at 12:00am

Epcot
Crowd Level: 2.9 out of 10
This is a Park to Avoid
Park Hours: 9:00am - 9:00pm
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at 9:00pm

Disney's Hollywood Studios
Crowd Level: 1.7 out of 10
This is a Neutral Park
Park Hours: 9:00am - 7:00pm
Morning Extra Magic Hour at 8:00am
Pixar Pals Countdown To Fun! at 3:00pm
Fantasmic! at 7:00pm

Animal Kingdom
Crowd Level: 1.1 out of 10
This is a Best Park
Park Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade at 3:45pm

 

[SSinWYO]

Oh my gosh! I'm sooooo glad I'm not the only one packing this far out. My friend thinks I'm nuts, but she can't possibly understand as she's not going on a Disney Cruise, am I right?!?!

Deb T, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all of your tips and the daily stories. I just got through reading them and now I'm even more excited if that's even possible.

Happy Wednesday everyone!! 39 days....

 

[Deb T.]

Deb T.- I'm trying to convince DF to do "Match your mate" but he's being stubborn. My sister and he hubby did it as the newlyweds on the cruise they got married on and they won! I love your breakdown of what to expect. I'm getting so excited reading everything!!

Has anyone else started packing yet? Is anyone done packing? I'm about halfway and I know DF and FSIL and her family are all half done too! I can't wait and Deb's posts are just making the wait harder!!

Meaghan we started organizing, getting clothes ready, making our pirate costumes (my DH is doing a great job) and picking up those little things we need, like water shoes for the beach, sunscreen and dress pants for our boys. It's the fun stuff and your right Deb's posts are making the wait much harder and makes we want to get there today.

Deb's posts are fantastic!! After doing the preview cruise last year with my hubby, I can totally picture everything she describes. Although, we didn't get to see Villains Tonight, as we were on the very first cast member preview and it had not yet passed safety inspection. So, something new to look forward to!!

Deb T - I was just reading your Monday entry and two things from last year struck me that I just had to share!
First - being up at 6:45 to watch them tether the ship. My Dad is an early riser. He hit the gym every morning last year and then would walk all over just accumulating information. Being a boater, he was enthralled with how the tethered the ship. I think it was on Castaway Cay that he watched them shoot something from the boat to the dock in order to tie it up. He would come back to the room every morning and report all that he had seen and done. Made me want to get up early and explore with him, for about 5 mins, then I remembered I like to sleep.
Second - we just happened to see the Pilot boat and the man jump from our ship to the boat by accident. We were standing out on our verandah watching us pull out of port and we were trying to figure out why a boat was speeding right next to the cruise ship...when my Dad explained it all and then told us to watch for it. We could hardly believe our eyes! It was amazing to see the man jump from the huge cruise ship to this boat! Wish I had my video camera!!

Thanks for all this! So much better reading it this year as opposed to last year, when I knew nothing. It is making me relive it all and get more and more exicted for the trip!
Debbie

Thanks Deb T! Looking forward to being that "very special couple!" You're posts are so exciting!!

Deb T, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all of your tips and the daily stories. I just got through reading them and now I'm even more excited if that's even possible.

Thanks for all the kinds words, everybody! I'm working on today's post now...

 

[Deb T.]

Thanks for staying tuned to my little countdown story!


Exactly 6 weeks from today, the sun rises early on the Dream as we slowly cruise at sea! One special girl is looking forward to celebrating a very important milestone in her life - her Bat Mitzvah - with family and friends today. For some, this will be the first day ever of not stepping foot on solid land!!! It is the perfect day for exploring all the nooks and crannies of our beautiful ship! Outta bed, sleepy head! Let’s see what the Dream has in store for us!

First, it’s time to eat… again! Maybe you're planning to pamper yourselves with a sit-down breakfast in the Royal Palace or Enchanted Garden this morning? Or maybe you’d rather sit outside on Cabana’s deck, looking out into vast expanse of ocean, occasionally glimpsing another ship on the horizon. The Aqua Duck is opening at early! So is the Midship Detective Agency - have you solved a mystery yet? How about watching Jack-Jack’s Incredible Diaper Dash – the cutest race I’ve ever seen! The princesses are gathering this morning for autographs and photographs. There are usually two bingo sessions offered today – are you feeling lucky? Maybe you are in the mood for a movie? Trivia contests? Spa treatments? Quite a few of us will head to the pools and hot tubs. And almost all the kids will want to spend time with their new friends in the Kids’ Clubs. Characters will be out and about all day, too! It's really not possible to have a moment of boredom on a Disney ship! So much to do, so much to see, so much to eat… is it lunchtime yet???

The afternoon is also full of activity choices! How about a round of Goofy Golf? Have you ever wondered how to make towel animals? Well, now’s your chance! Have you ever raced a car that your family made out of vegetables? How about a cooking class? There are also several Family Craft sessions! More trivia games. The information session about DVC will give you a chance to win a raffle!!! Wine tasting for the adults! Another stop at Eye Scream. Maybe we'd better do a few laps around Deck 4 to burn off all those extra calories we’ve been indulging in… or better yet - take a nap on one of those comfy lounge chairs on Deck 4 instead!

The last full day aboard the ship also means we need to begin preparations for our dreaded departure. First on the list is stopping by guest services to charge tips to our cabin so we can put tip vouchers in the little tip envelopes that were left on our bed last night. We’ll be sure to leave our cabin host’s tip envelope on the bed before we head to dinner – sort of a reversal of roles since he/she is the one who has been leaving us little surprises there each night. (We’ll hand our other three tip envelopes out at the end of dinner.) We also need to pack – a most unpleasant task since we have now decided that we never want to leave the ship – ever! Suitcases need to be outside our cabin door (ironically pretty much in the same spots we found them just three short afternoons ago!) by 10:30pm so they can be whisked away and waiting for us in customs in the port terminal tomorrow morning. Don’t forget to set out a full set of clothes for the trip home though, including shoes! DCL crew have lots and lots of stories about people disembarking in their pjs!

A gorgeous orange sunset comes all too soon, but there is still plenty to do as we try to fit in every last moment of this magical vacation! There’s a dance party, another game show, and karaoke just to name a few. It will be difficult to narrow down which photographs to purchase from Shutters – they reflections of treasured memories, captured and frozen forever! It’s time for one last souvenir shopping spree in the gift shops! Oh - and don't forget that the Captain will be signing autographs tonight in Whitecaps!

Main diners are headed to the last restaurant in their rotation, now with their table number ingrained in their memory. No need, though, as your server recognizes you as you approach the entrance and happily escorts you to your table. Some will exchange email addresses with tablemates, planning to keep in touch. We’ll say our goodbyes to our new friends and servers, but we will see most of them again in the morning during our quick sit-down breakfast before having to leave the ship. Late diners are enjoying tonight’s stage show, Disney’s Believe – which is only performed on the Dream! It is a sweet, well-performed, sentimental Disney story.

Eventually, those with young children will have to retrieve them from the Kids’ Clubs one final time. Wouldn't it be great to have those wonderful Counselors at home with us!? Then, we all head to the atrium for a final farewell from all the characters at 10:15pm. They have gathered together in the atrium for a little goodbye show, and we really do hope to see them again real soon!!!!

We head back to our cabins and peek in our FE’s one last time before unhooking them from our fish/starfish/seahorse. We check out our last towel animal. We set an all-too-early wake-up call. And then we snuggle into bed one final time, a little bit sad that our cruise is coming to an end. And finally, after a very full day, the gentle rocking motion lulls us to sleep one... last... time.......

 

[WDWExpress]

Deb T.... Love the daily trip review but I have to admit I am a little sad reading this one, what it's over before it begins.. Tear... But then again, we haven't even begun yet, we still have the planning, packing and anticipating still yet to do.. and I can always go back and read the daily posts all over again, building the anticipation.

 

[MMDDMD]

Thanks for mentioning Ellen's Bat Mitzvah! The coordinator that I've been working with is suggesting that we have our service in the Outlook Lounge on Deck 14 and then our reception outside on Deck 11 aft. Do those of you who have been on the Dream before have any input on whether this is a good idea? Thanks!

 

[Deb T.]

Thanks for mentioning Ellen's Bat Mitzvah! The coordinator that I've been working with is suggesting that we have our service in the Outlook Lounge on Deck 14 and then our reception outside on Deck 11 aft. Do those of you who have been on the Dream before have any input on whether this is a good idea? Thanks!

Outlook Lounge is the "go to" place for special ceremonies on the Dream. It's a nice area with large windows and great views because it's so high up on the ship. I'm assuming what DCL means by "Deck 11 aft" is the outside dining area of Cabana's? I looked over the deck plans for each deck to help refresh my memory of all the areas on the Dream to see if there might be another option, but that does seem to be the best place for the reception. It's out of the way, so no one would be "walking through" your private party. The view off the back of the ship would be nice, too. I think you'll be happy with both locations!

 

[SpartanDis]

We are counting the days until we leave for our Dream cruise! My kids are excited. We're supposed to get snow here in Michigan tonight which makes me dream of our cruise even more.

My 9 yr old daughter (who is going on 16) thinks she's too old for the Oceaneer club and wants to go to the tween club. She doesn't think there are going to be any other 9ish year old girls on the cruise and she's going to be stuck playing with her 7 year old brother.

We are on main dining and staying on deck 2.

Haven't started to pack yet - but I'm getting things ordered (bathing suit coverups and such). My kids and DH are hoping for a snow day tomorrow (my husband is a teacher). I just spent a big chunk of today catching up here as I was home with my DD who has a stomach bug.

It won't be long now!

 

[Deb T.]

And now, the final installment of Deb T.’s day-dreaming. Unfortunately, though, it’s the day we don’t want to think about... the Dreaded Debarkation Day...

So, here we go… Eactly 6 weeks from today the wake-up call comes early… waaaaaay too early. There’ll be no sleeping in this morning anyway because of all the raucous hustle and bustle in the hallways. The efficient (but definitely overworked) cabin stewards are frenetically trying to get the ship ready for the next batch of 4,000 new cruise guests! Do we really have to vacate our cozy comfy cabin? Please say it isn’t so! But, alas, it is, and so we rise and begin preparations for the next leg of our trip, whether it’s a stopover at WDW or a flight/drive back home.

Last night, we had to put all of our luggage in the hallway by 10:30pm, so hopefully we’ve all remembered to keep out a full change of clothes for today. If not, then you will join the ranks of guests who have had to wear, um, “creative” outfits as they disembarked, until they could be reunited with their luggage in the Customs area!

For our final morning onboard, we find ourselves eating breakfast in the same exact spot we ate dinner last night, with the same attentive server and assistant server who we’ve grown to love and will miss. This meal is much more hurried than our casual dinners have been, which can make everything feel a bit awkward. After all, the servers also have to hurry to prepare the restaurants for a whole new set of cruisers who are already eagerly heading toward the port. We say our final goodbyes to tablemates, then, we linger... stall, actually... as we slowly and reluctantly made our way toward the exit in the atrium. This large opening in the wall on Deck 3 has been concealed and gone largely unnoticed during the duration of the cruise, and we take a moment to marvel at how clever Disney engineering is! After all, it is the same portal we entered with great anticipation just 4 days ago! Momentarily, we mentally weigh the consequences of becoming a stow-away onboard just so we can extend our wonderful vacation a little longer. Some of us will be only slightly consoled by the fact that we already booked our next Disney cruise a couple of days ago while onboard to get the valuable onboard credits and discount... and we will already be counting down the days until that next adventure!!

As we near the doors, we pass by tall wooden containers, each with a slot for the all-important Guest Comment Cards. DCL cast and crew live and die by these surveys. It's been said that every department has a meeting soon after each cruise and all the comments are read aloud. Those who receive top marks can be rewarded with things such as leave time, computer time, etc. Those who don’t could be terminated. DCL is very serious about exceeding guest expectations. Whenever you encountered excellent service over the last few days, hopefully you noted the cast member’s name and wrote about it on the comment card. They will greatly appreciate it, and you'll feel good, too!

It will take a lot of effort to walk out the doors toward the port building, but we know we have to debark (or risk arrest ), so onward we go and make our way through the doors that separate bliss from reality. The life preserver signs that just four days ago said “Welcome Aboard” now say “See You Real Soon!” We veer toward the right and down an escalator to the cavernous luggage storage area. Suitcases are laid out in rows under signs that match the luggage tags we were given the night before. We gather our belongings and head toward the Customs agents. We pull out our passports and Customs Declaration form and proceed through and out the doors to the many modes of transportation waiting to take us to our next destination. And so ends our DREAMy cruise. Where are you headed now? To the airport? Driving home? Back to Disney World? Wherever it is, I wish you safe travel.

Over the next couple of days, some of us will occasionally be caught off guard with the sudden sensation of the ship rocking! It’s a common phenomenon that occurs during the physical process of getting your “land legs” back. These unexpected subtle reminders of having been onboard a Disney ship always make me smile.

As soon as we get home, we’ll pull up the DIS Boards to check on this Meets thread and all of our new friends. Some of us will also begin posting on the Meets threads of our newly booked cruises, ready to make more friends!

We’ll really miss having all our meals prepared for us and our rooms cleaned twice a day. Yes, we are back to reality, but we now have many new wonderful memories to cherish forever!

 

[MMDDMD]

We are counting the days until we leave for our Dream cruise! My kids are excited. We're supposed to get snow here in Michigan tonight which makes me dream of our cruise even more.

My 9 yr old daughter (who is going on 16) thinks she's too old for the Oceaneer club and wants to go to the tween club. She doesn't think there are going to be any other 9ish year old girls on the cruise and she's going to be stuck playing with her 7 year old brother.

We are on main dining and staying on deck 2.

Haven't started to pack yet - but I'm getting things ordered (bathing suit coverups and such). My kids and DH are hoping for a snow day tomorrow (my husband is a teacher). I just spent a big chunk of today catching up here as I was home with my DD who has a stomach bug.

It won't be long now!

Hi SpartanDIS,
75 degrees here in Georgia today!

We are travelling in a group of 30, 10 of which are girls. Of those 10 girls, 5 of them are between 9-11 and will be in the Oceaneer Club together. Please tell your daughter that there will be plenty of tween girls for her to be with. We are also main seating and are on deck 9. We'll be on the lookout for you so that your daughter will have friends.

BTW, our group also has 3 boys in the 6-8 range so your son will be just fine as well. We would hate for siblings to be stuck playing together on the Happiest Cruise Ship in the World!
Michelle

 

[ccbride412]

We are counting the days until we leave for our Dream cruise! My kids are excited. We're supposed to get snow here in Michigan tonight which makes me dream of our cruise even more.

My 9 yr old daughter (who is going on 16) thinks she's too old for the Oceaneer club and wants to go to the tween club. She doesn't think there are going to be any other 9ish year old girls on the cruise and she's going to be stuck playing with her 7 year old brother.

We are on main dining and staying on deck 2.

Haven't started to pack yet - but I'm getting things ordered (bathing suit coverups and such). My kids and DH are hoping for a snow day tomorrow (my husband is a teacher). I just spent a big chunk of today catching up here as I was home with my DD who has a stomach bug.

It won't be long now!

My DF's niece will be in the group with your daughter too. She's 9 and from the stories I've heard from her about the Disney cruises they take every year, she LOVES the age group she's in. Your DD may never want to leave!