April 4, 2010 Disney Wonder 4-night

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

Sorry for joining so late...

Things have been super hectic here, and I've only been able to do the bare minimum of vacation planning. (normally I'm all registered and on our cruise meet up list super early *sigh*)

I did complete the vacation binder though

Anyway, I wanted to introduce myself and hopefully get on the fish extender lists! Either way, I have been gathering up small items and planning my homemade items for the FE anyway...

We are...

Wendy <- that's me, the overworked, over stressed, Disney obsessed momma!
Mark - my lovely DH who puts up with and contributes to my Disney obsession
Kennedy - DD (6) - the main beneficiary of the Disney obsession

We are from Ky. We cruise every year, but this is our first Disney cruise. We're spending our first half of Spring Break on the Wonder, and then 4 days in WDW. I'm afraid that I might over-Disney the family, but so far they seem to enjoy it

We have a second one booked for next spring break out of LA. (We love that itinerary, never gone with Disney, but it's a fav from other cruise lines).

I've noticed that everyone was sharing photos... So, here is a photo from fall break (Oct 2009) It's not my most flattering photo, but it'll do, I suppose.

That's my brother in the front. He always goes with us to WDW, because big sis pays, and he's 18 and likes free. LOL! He will not be going on the cruise, though, cause I'm not that nice

Now that we're all introduced, I guess it's time to catch up on those 8 pages I've missed.

26 days!

 

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

All caught up now.

I'm really bummed about missing the FE list deadline. I hope that you will add me in, just in case, I PMed our info to Whamma.

We're flying SWA to MCO on Sunday morning. I really hate flying out on the day of the cruise, but it arrives at 9:50AM, so I'm hoping if the luggage doesn't make it, they'll have 6 hrs to locate it... We are staying in Pop Century afterwards until Monday (skipping a day of school! naughty parents!), then we'll fly back. I haven't decided which parks we'll be in, because of the aforementioned lack of planning time, but I'm working on that this week!

We're planning to go to Atlantis on Nassau day. I'm taking a chance on buying day passes at Atlantis, but in the event that we cannot them, then we'll spend part of the day going through the Dig, visit the beach, and then head back and see the straw market. I am completely ok either way on the passes, because DD is hesitant to take the plunge through the Shark tanks anyway... LOL It surprised me to see that so many people suggest staying on the ship on the port forums on CC. I can't imagine not leaving the ship! I'm the most excited about Castaway Cay! Eek! It looks like so much fun!

So many DD in this group. Our DD, Kennedy, absolutely loves kids clubs on other cruise lines, so this will absolutely blow her mind! I love the new "pick your own activity" plan on this one. She seems to always be stuck as the oldest kid in the group, doing the same ole activities... I'm excited for her to do all this fun new stuff. She always makes a friend

Too bad it's only 4 nights

As for Easter, on NCL we departed the day before Easter, and kids club gave out egg shaped candies and stuffed Easter bunnies. They had an egg hunt and even had a visit with an Easter bunny in costume. My daughter is really expecting the Easter bunny to make an appearance, because he was there 2 years ago... Even if he doesn't, I'm going to have him leave a note in our pre-flight hotel about how he put her basket in her room on the cruise ship. I don't know how I'm gonna get all that in my carry on, but we'll see!

 

[whamma]

I just PMed everyone who is on the FE List--please read and respond. Thanks!!!

 

[whamma]

Welcome Aboard, IWannaBeAPrincess!

We're going to have fun!!

 

[jeff1]

I am working on getting my posting up to allow pics and PM's I am not allowed as of yet

 

[WDWCrazyfromGA]

I am working on getting my posting up to allow pics and PM's I am not allowed as of yet

Jeff - don't you have 4 questions you need to ask some of us previous cruisers - that's all you need to start PMing.....

 

[WDWCrazyfromGA]

We are...

Wendy <- that's me, the overworked, over stressed, Disney obsessed momma!
Mark - my lovely DH who puts up with and contributes to my Disney obsession
Kennedy - DD (6) - the main beneficiary of the Disney obsession

Welcome IWannaBeAPrincess!

You have just described my family to a T! Right down to the 6 yr old DD who is the beneficiary of my obsession.

 

[Lemola]

Welcome IWannaBeaPrincess! LOTS of 6 year old girls on this cruise! Wow!

Jeff, feel free to post nonsense here to bump your post count! We won't bust you to the mods.

 

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

Thanks for the welcomes!! I am so excited to a) be here and b) to be there

since it's late, I say we go ahead and call it, 25 days!

Woot - I figured out our park order for the post trip!!

 

[CyndiandChris]

but my TA says they should be here any day now!

 

[whamma]

Hey gang,
The votes are in and IWannaBeAPrincess is in!!! In with the Fish Extenders that is!!

I just sent everyone a new FE list. Welcome again IWannaBeAPrincess!!

3 weeks from today my family leaves for WDW. I can't wait!!

 

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

hooray! thank you everyone!

You won't be disappointed!!

 

[tmbacon]

Wow, I can't believe it's coming up so fast! I had to replace my passport recently (I lost it somehow in our move from Chicago to Charlotte 4 years ago - ) and JUST got the new one in the mail this week. So, now I can breathe a sigh of relief - cruise is paid in full, documents are all in order, so we are all set to GO!!!

We are driving down (about an 8-our drive), will stay in Daytona Friday night b/c our boys want to see the Daytona Speedway - they are HUGE Nascar fans. Saturday we'll treck down to the Country Inn & Suites, check in, have dinner at either Fishlips or the Grill, Sunday is cruise time!!

 

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

Yesterday we got all of our taxes finished! Usually we have to pay, but thankfully this year we didn't.

Today we got out all the summer clothes and tried them on... Oh so painful after being all covered up all winter! Also scary pale... must find some spray tanner or go to the tanning bed (shhh)

I just booked another vacation last night, but this time to Atlantis, so I think we'll cross off the outrageously expensive Atlantis excursion off our list for this cruise, and focus on visiting more of the historical stuff and maybe head over there to show Kennedy the resort so she'll get excited to go back in June, without actually doing the aquadventure stuff...

Once you get in the gear to plan for vacations, it's so much fun!!!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

 

[birdie9]

Oh those lovely taxes. We also finished ours and can really enjoy this vacation. I would hate to have to deal with that on the return Gosh, the girls really out number the boys this time. Can't wait these 3 weeks. My daughter has all her clothes laid out and ready

 

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

With 20 days until our departure, I can do nothing but think about leaving for warm weather!!

I looked up the weather outlook/averages for April, and rain chances are low for April, with avg temps in the low 80s! Wow, doesn't 80s sound great?!?!

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/monthly/BFXX0005?month=1

 

[whamma]

I looked up the weather outlook/averages for April, and rain chances are low for April, with avg temps in the low 80s! Wow, doesn't 80s sound great?!?!

Sounds fantastic!

I am SO looking forward to vacation!! One of these days I'm going to slip up and tell my kids about the cruise though. My son can't figure out why I am being so picky about the new spring/summer clothes we're buying! He'd wear black everyday if I'd let him--but really--black, in the Bahamas???

I am for sure going to have to sent a box ahead of us with FE stuff and my son's birthday gifts. There is no way it's all going to fit in luggage (unless I want to pay for an overweight bag!).

I think this weekend I'm going to start getting clothes together--we certainly don't need short sleeves and shirts here in Northern Illinois right now. Thankfully all of our snow has melted though.

Counting the days!!!

 

[collinsfamle]

Did anyone ever decide on the meet aboard the ship? I would really like to do that and get to know some of you

I am sorry that we can't do the FE, but I am concerned with being able to fit everything in our luggage. We are planning to bring a little something from the Easter Bunny for Easter morning in the hotel room, and I am afraid that if we added FE items to that, we wouldn't get it all in the bag.

We are really excited and looking forward to this. Even my teenage son, who doesn't get too riled up about anything, is excited!

 

[collinsfamle]

Great pics everyone!!!

Just a heads up...If you are planning on staying at WDW anytime before or after the cruise, Disney just lifted the blackout dates on the room-only discounts! Wahoo! If you go to the Disney website, the blackout dates are still listed, but if you click "check availability" the discounts will show up for our Easter dates. There have been reports that if you call the reservation lines they think you need a pin code to do it, but you don't. It's just called the "Winter-Summer promotion." We just upgraded from Pop to POLY!!!! for very little money!

Lemola,
If we already have our reservations - how do we get them to apply this discount?

 

[tmbacon]

Great pics everyone!!!

Just a heads up...If you are planning on staying at WDW anytime before or after the cruise, Disney just lifted the blackout dates on the room-only discounts! Wahoo! If you go to the Disney website, the blackout dates are still listed, but if you click "check availability" the discounts will show up for our Easter dates. There have been reports that if you call the reservation lines they think you need a pin code to do it, but you don't. It's just called the "Winter-Summer promotion." We just upgraded from Pop to POLY!!!! for very little money!

O. M. G.

I was just on the site prior to knowing of this and rates were sky-high, but I just went on and you're right, the prices have definitely lifted! Would LOVE to stay for just one night after the cruise at PO Riverside - off to convince the hubby that we should do this!!