August 16, 2011, Disney Dream

[RanCan]

Hello fellow cruisers and AquaDuck riders, hope everyone has a good day!!

 

[hmansure]

I was looking at some of our ADRs for our next WDW trip this morning, which got me to thinking about dining plans for this cruise (yeah, I have too much time on my hands), and was searching for copies of other past DCL 5-day cruise Navigators and couldn't find any. I know things will obviously be different on the Dream, but was just curious to see how other 5 day trips went from an activity and dining perspective. I guess I'll search on the DIS for some trip reports.....

 

[elgerber]

Good morning everyone! Another lovely snowy day here (that was sarcasm LOL). Not 2 feet, but that would be better. About a foot for us, between last night and Tuesday, which means 1-2 hour commutes until Tuesday afternoon or Wed. UGH!!!!!!!!!
Sure would like to be on a ship right about now!

 

[sdchickie]

Good morning everyone! Another lovely snowy day here (that was sarcasm LOL). Not 2 feet, but that would be better. About a foot for us, between last night and Tuesday, which means 1-2 hour commutes until Tuesday afternoon or Wed. UGH!!!!!!!!!
Sure would like to be on a ship right about now!

Do your kids still go to school after there has been snow? Mine are out again! Last week they only went to school for 3 half days and were off Mon. and Fri. Just curious if they have to make up alot of school since I'm sure it snows out there alot more than out here (usually).

 

[elgerber]

Do your kids still go to school after there has been snow? Mine are out again! Last week they only went to school for 3 half days and were off Mon. and Fri. Just curious if they have to make up alot of school since I'm sure it snows out there alot more than out here (usually).

Oh yeah, it's extremely rare for my kids to miss any school for snow. I believe 1 day last year they called off school, for cold, it was -35 air temp and they were worried that the busses wouldn't run well or might get stranded. We go on with life as normal, just takes us a heck of a lot longer to get there LOL.

 

[sdchickie]

Wow, I can't believe they don't cancel school for snow. My kids have missed 7 days so far and they are off tomorrow too. Then we get more snow tomorrow into Wed. so they might be off Wed. too. I just can't see the busses driving in this stuff! I'm supposed to be working to pay off my cruise, at this rate I'll be slightly short!

 

[hmansure]

Wow, I can't believe they don't cancel school for snow. My kids have missed 7 days so far and they are off tomarrow too. Then we get more snow tomarrow into Wed. so they might be off Wed. too. I just can't see the busses driving in this stuff! I'm supposed to be working to pay off my cruise, at this rate I'll be slightly short!

When do guys have to make up all that time?! Our school calendar has no extra days built into it so they make it up by taking days first before they'd ever consider adding days in June! Kids were due to be off on Friday for Prez Day weekend; however, they've already taken that one back as a snow day.

I'm afraid to watch the news tonight to see what this Tue/Wed storm is going to have in store for us next!

I saw on the news that Vancouver is dire need of snow for the Olympics and are trucking in snow!! Go figure?!?

 

[2littleprincesses]

The same here as Erika. We live in the Twin Cities metro area and when it snows, you just take triple to quadruple the time to get there. This am my commute was 1 1/2 hours where it normally takes me 1/2 hour. Schools are not canceled, but after school activities are today. I think the school districts allow for 2 snow days, but more than that they have to add a day for each day taken.

I work in a metro school district and I cannot remember when we have had more than 1 day off for snow or cold a year. Life in MN.

Do you know if your kids will be making up the days at the end of the year?

I wish I was planning ADRs--which ones are you going to do?

I already have my list of those we didn't get to last time. LeCellier, 1900Park Faire, O'hana, and at least one we did--Wolfgang pucks, ugh I am getting so hungry thinking about it.

Hope Kristin is having fun. Hope everyone else is driving safe and staying warm.

 

[elgerber]

Our afterschool activities aren't even cancelled. We have to go out again tonight LOL. At least it's not cold!!! Our district builds in no days off, we miss a day, we make it up.

I would like to be planning ADRS. Oh, silly me, I have to book mine at the end of this month!!! That is way too far in advance for me.

 

[sdchickie]

We have 3 days built in and we rarely use all 3 even. This year with the snow so bad Maryland has declared it a state of emergency for this last snow and the big one we had at the begining of Dec. so the days that we missed back then and the 2 from this storm will just be wiped clean. So now we're just breaking even I think. They will take other holidays away if they need to to try and keep school ending on time.

 

[2littleprincesses]

I have a question for you guys--When do you tell your kids that you are cruising? I thought about doing something for Christmas next year, but I don't know if that is too far in advance. I want them to have some planning time, but don't know if they need that much (8 months)

 

[sdchickie]

MMMM ADR's I wish I was going down to Disney just for the food! I guess it's good my APs expired, I gained 5-10lbs. every time I went down there! I was so bored stuck in the house that I was looking online earlier and found that I have eaten at over half of the Disney property restaurants. My favorites are California Grill and Olivias. I'm drooling on my keyboard just thinking about eating at either one of those places!

 

[sdchickie]

I have a question for you guys--When do you tell your kids that you are cruising? I thought about doing something for Christmas next year, but I don't know if that is too far in advance. I want them to have some planning time, but don't know if they need that much (8 months)

I told my kids about this cruise last Christmas, but I had the captian Mickey from Macys. I didn't want to risk having his batteries die over the next year so I gave it to them far in advance. They were excited, but no where near as excited as when we suprised them the day of the cruise. That was the best vacation at Disney. I told the kids we were going down again and they were like cool, we get to miss school and get to do the MNSSHP. Then when we got down there my Mom suprised them by flying in from CA. Then on the last morning that we were going to be at Disney my mom gave them each a scrapbook with a poem about going on a cruise!

 

[hmansure]

We told our kids as soon as we booked. Planning vacations are a family activity here. Sometimes it comes down to an old fashioned vote, too! This year it came down to going to Vero or WDW. Believe it or not it was 3-2 vote in favor of WDW (we have a couple of beach lovers here!).

As far as ADRs go.... we're pretty much set for our trip. I absolutely can't stand having to book these things 180 days out either! But then I see/hear all those people walking up to Le Cellier and being turned away and realize it's a necessity at this point. This time around we're doing Boma, Teppan Edo, Rose & Crown (perfect place to watch Illuminations!), 1900 Park Fare, Spirit of Aloha Show.... and probably a few that I can't recall off the top of my head.

 

[elgerber]

I have a question for you guys--When do you tell your kids that you are cruising? I thought about doing something for Christmas next year, but I don't know if that is too far in advance. I want them to have some planning time, but don't know if they need that much (8 months)

I told my kids a couple of months ago. My kids are 14 and 16 though, so it's different. We are a big Disney family and it comes up darn near every night at dinner LOL, so it's hard to keep things secret here.

 

[My4PhillyGirls]

For our second cruise, I surprised my 4 ladies with a cruise notice in their Valentines Day cards for an August cruise

They were screaming all over the house

Joe

 

[jenanderson]

For our second cruise, I surprised my 4 ladies with a cruise notice in their Valentines Day cards for an August cruise

They were screaming all over the house

Joe

I love this idea! I would scream all over the house if my DH surprised me with a cruise for Valentine's Day!

 

[kritter]

We are home no snow here but looks like some will fall on Wed. Not happy to be home that is for sure. I need to get up early and make some cupcakes for the kids class tomorrow..........I got home and then had to run to a Board Of Education Budget Meeting nothing like coming right home back to reality. I was not even home an hour and had to run out to it.........UGH!!

Loved flying South West though!!

Amy, the crowds were very low. Not long wait times for any rides at all...............

Loved being at OKW, they rooms were nice and BIG......

 

[jenanderson]

We are home no snow here but looks like some will fall on Wed. Not happy to be home that is for sure. I need to get up early and make some cupcakes for the kids class tomorrow..........I got home and then had to run to a Board Of Education Budget Meeting nothing like coming right home back to reality. I was not even home an hour and had to run out to it.........UGH!!

Loved flying South West though!!

Amy, the crowds were very low. Not long wait times for any rides at all...............

Loved being at OKW, they rooms were nice and BIG......

Welcome home Kristin!!!

I am sorry that you had to come home (especially since you had to come right back and work)...but I hope that you had a wonderful trip!!

Can't wait to see some photos and here the details of the trip!!!

 

[2littleprincesses]

Welcome home Kristin! I hope your dd is feeling much better now. Sorry you had to come back to the real world so soon. That is hard!!! Can't wait to hear all about the trip.

Stay safe all you east coast drivers--sounds like it is heading your way.