April 11th 2009 Magic Eastern Easter cruise--UPDATED WITH ROLL CALL PG 1

[PPFQP]

Welcome! Glad you're joining us!

Hi Everyone!

I'm SOOOOO excited. We just booked!!! We sailed last year on a 3 day and knew that next time we would have to do a 7. Honestly I thought we would have to wait a while longer, but we got a great FL resident deal. So we will be joining you all!!

Our family includeds my DH, DS15, DS10 and me!

The kids don't know yet since we just booked this morning but I think we will tell them tonight. They usually know something is up when Mom spends hours with the computer, checkbook and Disney Guide Books!

I'm sure in another hour the excitement will change into complete panic when I realize all that we have to do in such a short time. I'm already stressing trying to decide if we should apply for passports and hope then come back in time or just use BC. While I know most people are getting theirs back really quick it seems the Miami office is behind. Of course that's where ours will go and I know of several people who have been waiting over 3 weeks and still haven't received them.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant. Looking forward to talking to you all more.

Janine

 

[PPFQP]

I would love Shirley's contact info. My husband and I want to do something special for my parents who are traveling with us. They do so much for our DD and have provided child care for us the last 5 years when we are at work and DD is not at Pre K (which saved us tons of money!). Anyways, maybe we can do something through the Perfect Gift. It would be a nice surprise.

Here's the website with the phone number: http://www.theperfectgift.cc/index.html

If you call her, make sure you tell her you're from the Disboards.

My parents used her to deliver flowers and gift baskets to my girls when we did our 2005 cruise. They were really beautiful and she will come up with something nice for you.

 

[juliebird27]

Has anyone cruised during Easter before? Anything special occur on the ship?

 

[cruising fun]

Here's the website with the phone number: http://www.theperfectgift.cc/index.html

If you call her, make sure you tell her you're from the Disboards.

My parents used her to deliver flowers and gift baskets to my girls when we did our 2005 cruise. They were really beautiful and she will come up with something nice for you.

Thank you so much! I will check out the site when I get home from work today

 

[kellimomo3]

Has anyone cruised during Easter before? Anything special occur on the ship?

I'm also very curious about this. Do they have an egg hunt for the kids or something? I know they have church services but I'm wondering what else.

Also more praise here for the Perfect gift. We have used them for two of our Disney Cruises. Shirley will customize any basket how you want. You may want to think about having her fill a big bucket instead of basket so your kids can then use it at any beaches you may visit on the cruise including Castaway Cay!

 

[Grumpymom73]

I tried looking at some trip reports from last years Easter cruise, but all I've seen so far is the Easter Services and a few Easter crafts in the kids clubs. I'll keeping looking and let you know if I find anything else. I'm happy that our formal night lands on Easter. It will make spending the holiday on board a little nicer IMO.

 

[PPFQP]

Has anyone cruised during Easter before? Anything special occur on the ship?

We did -- in 2005. I think there were pictures with Donald and Daisy in Eastery/springy outfits. At breakfast (that was the morning of our character breakfast), everyone got a dyed Easter egg (hard boiled egg). I think there was an Easter egg hunt for younger kids at some point in the day. We didn't do it because we were in port that day (Key West) and wanted to sightsee. Since it will be a sea day this time, there may be more to it.

I also believe there was a church service, but we didn't go to that either.

I think we have brunch scheduled for that morning this time around.

 

[TBRox]

Shirley will customize it with whatever you might want in it - that's probably a better way to go. The only thing is that it will be delivered on the day you board (not Easter Sunday). You could always try to hide them for a day!

Shirley sounds like the way to go! And I'd either have to try to "hide it all in a suitcase" or try to hide it in the room somewhere - Fortunately, both kids are a little older so the "necessity" to have it there on "Easter Morning" has passed (sadly) - but the Mom in me still feels the need to have something there (they are so excited about the Cruise itself that having a surprise in there room when we get there or the next day probably won't matter much) -
Does anyone know what time and where Church services will be on Easter morning?

 

[AnaRN]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

AnaRN It really is a small world! We are also from Clermont!

Oh wow! How neat is that?!? Clermont will be well represented!

When my husband and I went on our honeymoon cruise - there was a guy that had a Lakeridge Winery shirt on and we started chatting....turns out they live in a subdivision right behind ours!!! We joked that we both could have saved a ton of money and car pooled to the port if we knew.

That was then....and now....we'd need a mini van to load our crew for the trip in.

 

[Grumpymom73]

Oh wow! How neat is that?!? Clermont will be well represented!

When my husband and I went on our honeymoon cruise - there was a guy that had a Lakeridge Winery shirt on and we started chatting....turns out they live in a subdivision right behind ours!!! We joked that we both could have saved a ton of money and car pooled to the port if we knew.

That was then....and now....we'd need a mini van to load our crew for the trip in.

It's funny for a small town we end up meeting up with other people from Clermont wherever we go. Two years ago we went up to the Disney Hilton Head resort and when we were walking around a shopping area I hear someone yelling hello to us. Turns out it was the Pharmacy Tech from Publix. She was also there with her family. Now everytime I go to the pharmacy we talk about how we wish we were back there.

As for the expense of parking I'm starting to consider getting a room at the Radisson for Friday night and leaving the car there. It will only save us about $5 but it's one extra night of vacation. I just don't know if I want to wait on the shuttle. On our last cruise we got to the port early and had to go to the waiting area but we were the first car allowed to pull into the drop off area. I like my cruise to start as early as possible.

 

[Had2disneycruz]

Wow, I have missed a lot! Welcome grumpymom73! All this talk of Easter makes me realize that I have a lot more work to do than just pack for the cruise. I totally forgot about dyeing Easter eggs! I like the idea of the EB coming the week before. Regardless of when we celebrate, I will have something for the DD on the cruise. I will probably do "Easter bags" for the older DD's and "Easter buckets" for the younger DD's. The bucket idea for CC is another great idea! Keep the ideas coming!

I am impressed that so many of you have kept the cruise a secret from your kids. I wish I had thought of that, but once we decided to go, I turned into a nut! No secrets here!

We got word that one of our excursions was canceled in St. Maarten. We were looking forward to the Beginning Scuba excursion with our older DD's. Oh well! Money saved already!

38 days to go!

 

[anjiellisvt]

I was actually able to find collapsible easter baskets at WalMart and figured I'd fill it with a few treats and toys that I can hide around my suitcase. My only concern is I am scared to hide chocolate and have the luggage get hot on the way to Florida (I'm really looking forward to hot, just not melted chocolate on my clothes). Hopefully they will be satisfied with Peeps. It would be nice if they had an easter egg hunt on board. The kids would get a kick out of that.


Love, Life Is Short

 

[cruising fun]

Thank you PPFQP for Shirley's information!!! I was just looking at the cruise themed baskets. I plan on calling tomorrow to order a basket for my parents and I think I will do a sand pail basket for my DD. She will love the surprise and then we have some sand toys and snacks. I appreciate the information.

If anyone finds anything about activities for Easter please share. My DD is set on our "traditions" of Easter but is ok with asking the Easter Bunny to come a week early. It would be nice to do something on the boat though.

 

[kellimomo3]

I had a thought this morning and just tried it out on the fam. I told them I had seen the Easter bunny at the mall and asked him to come to our house the Sunday before Easter this year since we would be on vacation. I was holding my breath, I have one non-believer (DS12) and 2 believers (DS10 & DS8) so I thought I might have been opening a Pandora's box of questions but they were all like great idea Mom! I'm so relieved. Now, we can simply celebrate Easter the Sunday before as far as baskets and easter dinner go and then celebrate again on the cruise. My kids are just old enough to buy this explanation and just young enough to believe it!!
Just wanted to share!!

Kelli

 

[Grumpymom73]

Thank god for those parent/Easter Bunny conferences the mall is now offering! Thank was a great idea Kelli!

I really didn't think it would bother my DS10, but he keeps asking if they are going to do an egg hunt on the ship. And I really though he was past the Easter Bunny thing but I guess not since he asked about it. Just goes to prove Mom knows nothing just like my other DS15 likes to tell me.

I just booked us a room at the Radisson for Friday night. Now I have to call to book the shuttle. It ended up saving us $5 over parking at the port and we get an extra night of vacation! Can't beat that!

 

[Princess Row]

We will be traveling the 4/11 cruise also.
2 girls 14/5
Me and my mom. Just the four girls :]

 

[anjiellisvt]

We will be traveling the 4/11 cruise also.
2 girls 14/5
Me and my mom. Just the four girls :]

Welcome Princess Row. I have a DD6, maybe the girls will meet in the oceaneers club. I also have a DD10 and a DH coming along. Just the girls sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[itutorfortravel]

Good to see some more girls in my DD's age group coming on this cruise! It would be fabulous if we could have the girls meet in the Oceaneer's Club! I know my DD can be sort of shy if she doesn't know anyone so it would be wonderful if I could tell her that mommy "knows" of some little girls in her age group who are going

 

[cruising fun]

I had a thought this morning and just tried it out on the fam. I told them I had seen the Easter bunny at the mall and asked him to come to our house the Sunday before Easter this year since we would be on vacation. I was holding my breath, I have one non-believer (DS12) and 2 believers (DS10 & DS8) so I thought I might have been opening a Pandora's box of questions but they were all like great idea Mom! I'm so relieved. Now, we can simply celebrate Easter the Sunday before as far as baskets and easter dinner go and then celebrate again on the cruise. My kids are just old enough to buy this explanation and just young enough to believe it!!
Just wanted to share!!

Kelli

We are doing this too...it makes packing a bit less stressful!

 

[oatmealdiva]

Yes -- as someone else mentioned they are featuring them in the "gifts" section on the Disney Cruise Line site. You could also arrange something with Shirley from The Perfect Gift. She's a florist in Cape Canaveral who can deliver to the ship. If you want something more custom, that would be the way to go. We have used her on 2 past cruises and highly recommend her. If you need her contact info, let me know, but it should be available in the FAQ section of the board.

PPFQP...

Thank you so much for the recommendation of The Perfect Gift. I called and they are doing Easter Sand Pails this year - so I ordered one of those. It will be perfect for Castaway Cay! The lady I spoke with, Rebecca, was really nice and helpful!