April 17, 2011 on the Dream

[Deb T.]

Off topic question but... I need help!
Has anyone ever made chocolate covered oreo cookies??
I have been trying to make them all day for a bake sale fundraiser for our Relay for Life team. A good friend's daughter is 5 years old and has Leukemia, she was diagnosed at 18 months old, had chemo for two years, went into remission then relapsed last August. She is now on chemo again for two more years. Anyway...we formed a Relay team last May and we are doing it again this year. This year we are getting serious about fundraising and we are having a bake sale at the middle school we all work at for our 1/2 day/teacher work day Thursday.
So my great idea was chocolate covered oreos. I have Ghiradelli dipping chocolate. I melted it in a double boiler, no problem. Then I read to put a skewer in the middle of the cookie and freeze for an hour then dip and harden with it the stick holding the cookie up. Let me say that didn't work! So then I dipped and put them on a cookie cooling tray. Guess what that didn't work - cause all the chocolate hardened in the grooves and then when I tried to remove they fell apart - lots of broken ones to eat...
Next I dipped and hardened on wax paper - that worked much better! But now I am out of chocolate and only have 17 bags of three cookies to sell. Do you think three cookies in a bag is ok for $1? If I wanted to make more, can I just melt chocolate chips or do I need to go buy dipping chocolate??? Anyone have any suggestions? I have googled this but not found anything helpful.
Thanks all...
Didn't get much cruise stuff done today because I have been stuck in the kitchen with oreo cookies and chocolate!
Debbie

Sorry... I'm no help regarding chocolate covered Oreos. They sound good, though. The only thing that came to mind was possibly laying them on a sheet of wax paper and slowly pouring the chocolate on one side, then let them harden, turn, and pour the choc over the other side?? Might be better than trying to dip them?

One thing I do know, though, is that it's really sweet of you to be working so hard to help a worthy cause.

Another thing - has the little girl had a wish granted from the Make-A-Wish Foundation yet? If not, please encourage the family to contact their local office. I've been a wish granter for six years and help grant 4-5 wishes a year. In fact, I'm going to see a new wish child tomorrow evening!

 

[lmb]

Help! we just decided to skip Atlantis because we wanted to spend more time on the ship but I'd love to get out to a beach for a little while on our day in Nassau. Is there any beach that's nice and also fairly close to the port? I thought I was all done planning and now I'm scrambing!

 

[curlybop]

Off topic question but... I need help!
Has anyone ever made chocolate covered oreo cookies??

I use the bark coating from the grocery store. The oreo is already strong in taste so I don't get the really expensive chocolate for it. Just be sure not to get it too hot or it will seize up into blobs. I dip them and place on wax or parchment paper for easy release. If you wanted to get a bit more fancy, dip in the chocolate, then sprinkle mini m&m's, sprinkles or other small candies before the chocolate sets. Then dip a fork in white chocolate and drizzle over the whole thing.

 

[rdevine10]

Help! we just decided to skip Atlantis because we wanted to spend more time on the ship but I'd love to get out to a beach for a little while on our day in Nassau. Is there any beach that's nice and also fairly close to the port? I thought I was all done planning and now I'm scrambing!

We just booked the British Colonial Hilton Day Pass.

We liked it because:

you can walk to it from the boat
has a calm water beach
has a pool for the kids to swim in
get a food/bev credit

We plan to spend 3 to 4 hours there. It will cost us $125 with a $70 food/bev credit. Booked through Island Marketing.

There is also a public beach down the street from there...I do not know how it is rated!

HTH!

 

[mommy2sixpumpkins]

Off topic question but... I need help!
Has anyone ever made chocolate covered oreo cookies??
I have been trying to make them all day for a bake sale fundraiser for our Relay for Life team. A good friend's daughter is 5 years old and has Leukemia, she was diagnosed at 18 months old, had chemo for two years, went into remission then relapsed last August. She is now on chemo again for two more years. Anyway...we formed a Relay team last May and we are doing it again this year. This year we are getting serious about fundraising and we are having a bake sale at the middle school we all work at for our 1/2 day/teacher work day Thursday.
So my great idea was chocolate covered oreos. I have Ghiradelli dipping chocolate. I melted it in a double boiler, no problem. Then I read to put a skewer in the middle of the cookie and freeze for an hour then dip and harden with it the stick holding the cookie up. Let me say that didn't work! So then I dipped and put them on a cookie cooling tray. Guess what that didn't work - cause all the chocolate hardened in the grooves and then when I tried to remove they fell apart - lots of broken ones to eat...
Next I dipped and hardened on wax paper - that worked much better! But now I am out of chocolate and only have 17 bags of three cookies to sell. Do you think three cookies in a bag is ok for $1? If I wanted to make more, can I just melt chocolate chips or do I need to go buy dipping chocolate??? Anyone have any suggestions? I have googled this but not found anything helpful.
Thanks all...
Didn't get much cruise stuff done today because I have been stuck in the kitchen with oreo cookies and chocolate!
Debbie

Do you have a winco? They sell the chocolate in bulk there cheaper than most places. I would get dipping chocolate personally as you won't have to add crisco to keep it thin. Also, I always do wax paper and pop them in the freezer for 30 min or so. I also will drizzle more chocolate of a different color on top to make it more pretty. Good luck! Also, I don't think your price is bad at all!

 

[castlegazer]

Hello all,

I can't believe we leave in less than 3 weeks. Deb - I love the play by play posts. I spent this morning going through my boys' clothes. As I should have expected most everything from last summer is too small. I'm lucky in that I've got the 3 boys, so its usually only DS14 who needs new stuff. I've got piles everywhere. My bedroom looks like a flea market. For some reason this makes me happy.

This will be our first cruise, I'm hoping some veterans can help with a question. Several of our group will be doing the Catamaran snorkel excursion in Nassau. Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm most interested in the water temp. Will it be warm enough to comfortably snorkel? I couldn't find much information on this excursion.

Thanks!

We always travel this week of the year to Florida and its often HOT!! Night time water temps can be a bit chilly, but the caribbean waters are very warm by this point. Its been in the 80s pretty consistently in Florida for a little while, so water there even should be nice.

By the way, I have a 9 year old son and a 6 year old daughter - my son is a strong swimmer, but likes to just stay pretty shallow at Castaway Cay - he would love to have a buddy to play with (my daughter comes with the equation too, because she goes no where without him).

 

[bdink921]

We always travel this week of the year to Florida and its often HOT!! Night time water temps can be a bit chilly, but the caribbean waters are very warm by this point. Its been in the 80s pretty consistently in Florida for a little while, so water there even should be nice.

Oh, I hope so!! The only time we've been to Florida and had hot temps was in the summer . The last 2 times we went to Florida in April, the weeks before and after had temps near or above 90 but while we were there we had high 60's/low 70's and cold at night (low 50's). That's nice for New England in April but not Florida. I know some don't like the hot temps but when I go to Florida, I like it HOT!!!!!! Need some nice warm sun after this past winter

 

[bdink921]

Yelena, I emailed you

 

[goofy4tink]

Has anyone shipped a box down to the ship beforehand?? My FE stuff is taking up waaaay too much room in carryon and I don't want to check them (just know they'll disappear). Just wondered if it was feasible to ship ahead of time and the best way to do it. I think I remember seeing something posted about that in this thread someplace!!

 

[Deb T.]

Hey allaboutdisney1967 - I just tried to answer your pm, but received this error message:

allaboutdisney1967 has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space.

Let me know when you've had a chance to go in and delete some of your pm's, and then I'll resend.

 

[Deb T.]

Has anyone shipped a box down to the ship beforehand?? My FE stuff is taking up waaaay too much room in carryon and I don't want to check them (just know they'll disappear). Just wondered if it was feasible to ship ahead of time and the best way to do it. I think I remember seeing something posted about that in this thread someplace!!

Directions are in the *** DIS DCL FAQ - New Alphabetical Listing of DCL Information *** sticky at the top of the main cruise thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2068966

 

[mommy2sixpumpkins]

I am so excited, I got all my Fe's done. Now time to start on the FE itself. I know somewhere I read the dimensions. Does anyone have them handy or know where to find them?

 

[alenushka]

Yelena, I emailed you

Thank you, Bridget!

 

[alenushka]

I am so excited, I got all my Fe's done. Now time to start on the FE itself. I know somewhere I read the dimensions. Does anyone have them handy or know where to find them?

I found this one in my "files"
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=30302583&postcount=609

All FE gifts are bagged and labeled, t-shirts are done, FE is done, buttons are done, magnets are done and packed, DD's dresses are adjusted, two tote bags are done Now, only if I could be done with packing......We have only ONE weekend left - I am both scared and super-excited.

 

[goofy4tink]

Directions are in the *** DIS DCL FAQ - New Alphabetical Listing of DCL Information *** sticky at the top of the main cruise thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2068966

Duh!! Thanks.

 

[chief64]

hi all

our first disney cruise! can't wait. two kids... girl, 13 and boy 12

 

[jeni37]

Hi and Welcome! It is our first time sailing as well. My kids are two boys:14 & 10, girl 6. This is a great thread and a fun group to talk to.

 

[Mom2BCCC]

We always travel this week of the year to Florida and its often HOT!! Night time water temps can be a bit chilly, but the caribbean waters are very warm by this point. Its been in the 80s pretty consistently in Florida for a little while, so water there even should be nice.

By the way, I have a 9 year old son and a 6 year old daughter - my son is a strong swimmer, but likes to just stay pretty shallow at Castaway Cay - he would love to have a buddy to play with (my daughter comes with the equation too, because she goes no where without him).

Castlegazer - thanks for the info. I'm good with HOT. Sounds like we should get your DS and DD together with my DS and DD. DS10 plans to swim and snorkel at CC. DD5 (she turns 6 two weeks after the cruise) would love to have a little girl to play with. She's very social and outgoing. DS10 is shy but good once he gets comfortable. I'm hoping they both like the clubs.

Has a meet been planned? Unfortunately I haven't been keeping up with the thread as much as I'd like.

 

[alenushka]

I was chatting on FB with my friend who is joining us on 4/14 sailing. Here is her response (with links to Dis- included) to my "announcement" of change of dining times

"dining times...
I looked online and confirmed via the phone, the dream dinner seating times are 6pm and 8:30, maybe some people were confused because only the dream and fantasy will have these times (the other Disney ships are 5:45 and 8:15) We are in Nassau until 7pm, but the waterpark at Atlantis closes at 6, plus we will need to be on board by 6:30 at the latest.
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/onboard-dining/dinner-times/

ps -If you know anyone who is still figuring out what they want to do at Atlantis or if the excursions they want are booked up through Disney, here is a link to the day visit options straight through atlantis, plus when I inquired, the waterpark armbands are always on sale in the casino and at the front desk. They are $110 per adult and $80 for children 4-12 under 4 free or beach passes etc are cheaper. Or if they have questions about making day pass purchases or activities like swimming with the rays or dolphins they can call 1 888.877.7525
or they can use this link to book day activities at Atlantis https://secure.atlantis.com/bookdaytrip.aspx

just wanted to share.....

 

[Disbound]

Our first cruise as well! Myself, husband and 13 year old daughter.
Can't wait for the warm weather!