August 12, 2006-DIS DREAMS DO COME TRUE-Magical Western Cruise

[DVC4US]

Laura,

What a great present!

I am sure he will love them and I can't wait to see him on the cruise.

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

When I was trying to find someone for our trip to Scotland they all told me they had never been there but I could take this or that guided tour. Well, that's not what I wanted because we wanted to go at our own pace so now I am trying to do all the research.

You surely will do a GREAT job !!!
We don't relay that much on TA ... they don't seem to care so much about preferences / needs of customers ... they just sell "packets" !!!

Nobody better than you can know WHAT YOU ALL WOULD LOVE TO SEE / DO !!!

GOOD LUCK !!!!
Never been in Scotland, but it should be quaint,with very beautiful landscape !!!! Have you got relatives or friends over there ?

CIAO !!! Laura

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

If I could have Brunch Monday forget the Character Breakfast...As we have requested APL @ 8:00pm our Character Breakfast would now be Sunday Morning @ 9:30am I think... I was planning on making reservations for the Brunch Sunday before Key West. If we get the APL we would miss our CB. (I wouldn't mind)

Beckie, I'd love brunch on Sunday !!! before Key West !!!!
In some way ...don't know why ... we never could have CHARACTERS Breakfast on the Disney ships so far !!!

Maybe I have to go back AGAIN and AGAIN ... till I can have this CB !!!!!!!

CIAO ! Laura

 

[firstmickey]

Laura, those are so cool! I actually saw those on ebay and wanted to get the kids ones for Kevin. I just bought him a black suit for his first communion this year and I thought that vest and tie would be perfect for the cruise.

 

[DVC4US]

You surely will do a GREAT job !!!
We don't relay that much on TA ... they don't seem to care so much about preferences / needs of customers ... they just sell "packets" !!!

Nobody better than you can know WHAT YOU ALL WOULD LOVE TO SEE / DO !!!

GOOD LUCK !!!!
Never been in Scotland, but it should be quaint,with very beautiful landscape !!!! Have you got relatives or friends over there ?

CIAO !!! Laura

CIAO Laura!

No friends or family over there it's just a place my Mom's always wanted to go. She reads a lot of historical romances and a lot of them are set in Scotland so she wants to go see the castles. Dad wants to golf.

I think I have most of it planned now, just have to make a few adjustments to the itinerary. Mom decided she would like to see London also, se we are going to take the over night train from Edinburgh to London for a quick 2 days seeing the sights around London.

 

[mgbagley]

Three families are now interested in the Dolphin Swim. We bought the Royal Swim because that is the one where you get to actually swim with them and not just touch them. They suggested the 2pm time since we have to tender in Cozumel and that takes longer. It would be so good if all of us could go together and then we can get the video to remember it by!
Christina has emailed Kaitlin and found they are both American Idol fans. I must admit that I watch it too, although the fun part with all the bad singers is really my favorite. She also has been in touch with Rachel. I hope those contacts will have them looking forward to meeting each other, as it does for me with all of you.
My daughter will be driving home from college for Easter and although it is only a 2 hour drive, I am on pins and needles until she gets here. I remember how nervous I was bringing a baby home from the hospital, not knowing what to do, but nothing can compare with the nervousness of your teen driving a car!
Since I teach high school, this is my spring break too, so I hope to do some planning at the computer as well. I have to have every minute of every day planned! I think my family is going to ban me from the computer!
Have a great Sunday.
Michelle

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Laura

Love Marco's new bow-tie and vest, just showed them to Terry he wanted to know why you did find some with Grumpy?

Hope everyone enjoys the Dolphin Swim, while I would love this excursion I feel that we will go to Mayan Ruins @ Tulum but it looks like a long ride with several hours of the tour being on a bus. Which doesn't sound like fun. Did you book the Royal Dolphin swim excursion with Dolphin Discovery?

Laura what are you and Marco planning?

Beckie

 

[DVC4US]

Good Monday Morning Everyone!!!

Where is everyone - we had fallen to the 2nd page again.

Britt flies home today, so on pins and needles again. I will try to check in later but Alyssa has an orchestra concert tonight so it might be tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great day!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Laura, those are so cool! I actually saw those on ebay and wanted to get the kids ones for Kevin. I just bought him a black suit for his first communion this year and I thought that vest and tie would be perfect for the cruise.

Oh Donna,I've seen those vest and tie for kids !! So cute !!!!
Will Kevin like to dress up on the ship ?

WE ALL will have to have a formal portrait taken as a DIS group !!!

Laura

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Laura
Love Marco's new bow-tie and vest, just showed them to Terry he wanted to know why you did find some with Grumpy?
Laura what are you and Marco planning?
Beckie

Ciao Beckie !!!
I tried and made LOOOOONG searches ... but could not find any vest and tie with Grumpy on them !!!! though YOU KNOW Marco already has LOTS of GRUMPY ties : he got another one of those last Christmas at Disneyland Paris !!!
To be honest Marco doesn't like to dress up ... but this way I'm sure he will love to wear a tuxedo and grump on it all formal night long !!!!

Well at Cozumel we would like to try again the TULUM excursion : when we took it with RCCL I was DELIGHTED - though the weather was VERY VERY HOT indeed !!! Marco enjoyed it - though he is not that much involved in ancient civilizations as I am !!! He had a GREAT CHANCE to grump for DAYS and DAYS ... as his videocamera broke after Tulum - due to the high temperatures , as we had to learn back to the ship !!!!
If I recall correct the ride by bus was long - but not bad at all; we did two stops and our guide (a Mayan guy) was very knowledgeable and friendly !!! Enrique shared with us stories and tons of info about Mexico and Mayan people during the ride by bus and at the ruins; he and I chatted all the way back to the ship!!
I see DCL offers also snacks and beverages + a stop at the beach ... so I think this may be an interesting option !!!

I was also thinking of Chankanaab National park or maybe Xcaret park ...
Still some time to "ponderate " ...

Any thoughts , darling ?

Laura PM sent

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Three families are now interested in the Dolphin Swim.
Michelle

Maybe you all could ask to be on THE SAME EXCURSION : so great fun !!!


Michelle, surely Jessica will be SOON at home safe and sound and you all will spend such happy days together !!!
It's hard when they grow up... still being "our" baby !!!!
A special hug to you !!!

Laura

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Britt flies home today, so on pins and needles again.

Extra- big kisses from Italy , LeiLani !!!!
Let us know when Britt is back home !!!
RELAX !!!!! she is NOT doing the driving !!!!!!

Laura

 

[ReggieB]

Loved the Mickey bow-tie and vest. Tim will probably just do the suit thing, rather than a DJ (sorry a tuxedo, English slip-up) We have to buy Ben a smart blazer and trousers (pants...I'm not doing very well today...right American head is now on) for a wedding, so I might as well get some use out of those. I keep looking at the tux rental form in the Disney stuff they sent. I'll ask Tim again.

We are only going to do one excursion, some sort of Stingray thing on Grand Cayman. There are a few to choose from. I think the one I was looking at was the Stingray City Reef Sail and Snorkel. I can't snorkel to save my life..no really! I can't breath through my mouth very well...don't ask, snorkeling require some sort of mouth/breathing combo I can't master!!! But I think Tim and Ben will love this, even if we just float about. We did the Dolphin excursion in Nassau, which was great, I wouldn't want to try and repeat the experience and have it be awful, if you understand what I mean! We might actually stay on board for that day at Cozumel. The ruin's trips sound great, but Ben would probably be restless. I would love to do the horse ride too, but Ben needs to be much older for that. I want as little rushing around as possible.

Well having booked that REAS package too, I now have a week of bookings to look forward to. I have the cruise stuff to do, and our 6 months out for our trip to WDW in October is coming up too. So my head is swimming with plans. We are supposed to be going home to UK in June, but as I have no reservations to worry about for that so it's kind of dropped out of my head. Except my brother has announced he and his family are flying in from Singapore to visit too at the same time, so there is going to be a bit of a mad rush to claim a bedroom at Mum's!!! I booked first!!

LeiLani - You where talking about taking the train down from Edinburgh to London. My Mum and Step-dad live in Greenwich, London (Tim & I used to live in London too, a few streets from Tower of London, great location) and have been up to Edinburgh a few times, and they swear by the plane. There is a great airport actually in London (not one of these ones that claim to be in London but are about 30 miles out!) It's called City Airport. You can get cheap flights, which can be about the same as the train, and it's very quick, it takes Mum about 20 mins from Greenwich (just south of the river) by taxi to get to. The flight time is about 1hour 20 mins. If you were looking to maximize your time, just a thought. I have to say as far as seeing the countryside by train, the view on that route is pretty uninspiring and grim in places until you get closer to Scotland!! So on a night train you really wont miss much!!

 

[DVC4US]

Extra- big kisses from Italy , LeiLani !!!!
Let us know when Britt is back home !!!
RELAX !!!!! she is NOT doing the driving !!!!!!

Laura

Thanks Laura I really appreciate it. She is on her last flight now so should be at the airport in about an hour then she has an hour drive home. She has done this so often that I try not to worry about her so much. Your right too, I would probably worry a lot more if she was driving.

 

[DVC4US]

LeiLani - You where talking about taking the train down from Edinburgh to London. My Mum and Step-dad live in Greenwich, London (Tim & I used to live in London too, a few streets from Tower of London, great location) and have been up to Edinburgh a few times, and they swear by the plane. There is a great airport actually in London (not one of these ones that claim to be in London but are about 30 miles out!) It's called City Airport. You can get cheap flights, which can be about the same as the train, and it's very quick, it takes Mum about 20 mins from Greenwich (just south of the river) by taxi to get to. The flight time is about 1hour 20 mins. If you were looking to maximize your time, just a thought. I have to say as far as seeing the countryside by train, the view on that route is pretty uninspiring and grim in places until you get closer to Scotland!! So on a night train you really wont miss much!!

Louise - Thanks so much for the information. I will look into flying, but I think my Mom seems to be set on a train(not sure why) but it's her trip. I checked on the train and we can go overnight in a sleeper car so it should be too bad. But I will defintely look into flying. Do you have any suggestions on hotels. Since I haven't been to London I am not sure where anything is. I was thinking about the Savoy but I am not sure if that is a good central location. We would want something that is nice and a central location. Thanks for all the help.

 

[ReggieB]

Louise - Thanks so much for the information. I will look into flying, but I think my Mom seems to be set on a train(not sure why) but it's her trip. I checked on the train and we can go overnight in a sleeper car so it should be too bad. But I will defintely look into flying. Do you have any suggestions on hotels. Since I haven't been to London I am not sure where anything is. I was thinking about the Savoy but I am not sure if that is a good central location. We would want something that is nice and a central location. Thanks for all the help.

Leilani - The Savoy is very nice! I had my graduation dinner there at the Savoy's Riverside (or is it Riverview?) restaurant. Sentimental value is very high on that one. I think that's a pretty good location as you are walking distance to Covent Garden, which is great for a bit of shopping or restaurants. Plus taxi's aren't too pricey if you want to zip up to Oxford Street/Bond Street for shopping (Harrods is in a completely different direction over in Knightsbridge, but not that far) If you must take the bus/tube you are close to Charing Cross Station which can just about get you anywhere by train or tube, and loads of buses go down that way. I'm a taxi fiend, I used to get them to take home from work!! Tim always wondered where my money went! But the buses are my next favorite way to get around. I also love the Dorchester, which is not as great a location but we had our blessing reception there (we eloped, but couldn't get out of a church blessing and reception!) it is really very swish. Our room was lovely, a really nice size (a rarity in London, don't forget they don't do two beds in a room, maybe two twins, but that's as good as it gets!) The Waldorf is good, that's a little further down from The Savoy but still close to Covent Garden (room size is pretty good) Also Le Merdien (off Picadilly Circus) isn't bad and I hear very nice things about The Lanesbrough (sp?) though the location isn't so great, not so much walking distance, but you aren't far from things by tube/bus/taxi.

Massively off topic there, but I hope that helps you plan a little! If you get a chance go to the top of St Paul's dome (where Diana and Charles married), it has one of the best views of London. My Mum volunteers there once a month, so if you see Sue say hi!! Wouldn't that be wild?!! That would be my one thing not to miss (the view from St Paul's, not my Mum!!)

 

[DVC4US]

Louise

Thanks so much for the information. I am going to print it out and look into all of those.

Thanks again, and if I see your Mom I will say "Hi!"

 

[DVC4US]

Okay, I posted this on my other cruise thread so I thought I should do it here also. I am trying to keep 2 different cruise threads going and trying to remember what was talked about on what thread. So if I say something one day that doesn't make sense please let me know.

 

[DVC4US]

Good Tuesday Morning Everyone!!!

Busy day for me today. I am going on a field trip with Alyssa's 4th grade class to the symphony orchestra this afternoon. Then after that I have parent teacher conferences at the high school for Brittany, and then Alyssa has Girl Scouts. So I will probably not be back on the boards until later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[DVC4US]

Here are some of our plans for the week before the cruise at WDW so if anyone wants to join us for anything let me know, because I will be making reservations soon.

Sunday - swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove

Tuesday - Sea World and Dine with Shamu

Thursday - Dinner at O'hana

Friday - Dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe

The only other night we have tied up is Wednesday so if you want to make plans for a mini-meet any other time let me know.

Hope everyone has a great day!