August 1st 2009 - Eastern 8/1/2009 The Eastern Caribbean Castaways

[disneymom8589]

Helen -- I hope you had a great trip.

I have to admit -- I was getting lost on names, kids, ages, who wanted to do the gift bag drawing, FEs etc. so I went back to the start of the thread and took notes. Now I know where my DS13 gets his memory issues.

I've been doing a lot of planning the past week or so. I've finally booked the transfers from airport to WDW to port to the airport, have decided on ADRs for WDW, and have researched the excursions. Now we need to meet with our neighbors to decide on a lot of the details.

Some interesting facts I've gathered on info people have shared:

We have families from the U.K., Washington State, Pennsylvania x 2, and Texas x 2. Around 20 adults, 8 kids. At least two with shoe obsessions, a couple of scuba divers, and at least 3 actively trying to lose weight. We also have at least 6 teachers in the DIS group, counting traveling companions, two anniversaries being celebrated, and one birthday.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Fun information! Thanks for being such a good organizer!

Kim

 

[marcij]

TG it's almost over. We start our spring break on Saturday, and I'm not sure I'm going to make it. Tomorrow is the end of our grading period, and I'm at my wits end! TG for a cruise to make it worthwhile!

Have a terrific week!

We just returned late last night (actually early morning!) from our NYC trip. It was fantastic and I'm sure you and Dave will thoroughly enjoy yourselves. I highly recommend going on a New York bus tour (Grayline, etc.) to really see everything. They offer tickets for hop-on, hop-off options, so you can get off pretty much anywhere in Manhattan (at least where the major tourist attraction sites are!)

Now comes the cruise!!! It won't be long now!

I'm glad you had a terrific time!

This is what we did all weekend... We did end up with 1st place. We spent Saturday at DS10's soccer game in the morning, then over an hour away in Ft. Worth for the rest of the day and night at baseball games for DS13, then back up yesterday at 5:45 to Ft. Worth, getting in around midnight last night. Up again at 4:45 this morning for work.

DS is on the bottom row, far left. My nephew is second row, far left.

Sorry the pic is so large -- it's not a good quality either -- we forgot our camera so this is borrowed. We had windchills in the upper 20s last night...I'm still trying to thaw out (remember, I'm a Texas girl!).

 

[DanielSan]

Some interesting facts I've gathered on info people have shared:

We have families from the U.K., Washington State, Pennsylvania x 2, and Texas x 2. Around 20 adults, 8 kids. At least two with shoe obsessions, a couple of scuba divers, and at least 3 actively trying to lose weight. We also have at least 6 teachers in the DIS group, counting traveling companions, two anniversaries being celebrated, and one birthday.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

*ahem* and two couples (my wife and I; and my (and MsLefever's) parents) from New York State! *ahem*

lol

 

[MrsJobba1]

Helen -- I hope you had a great trip.

I have to admit -- I was getting lost on names, kids, ages, who wanted to do the gift bag drawing, FEs etc. so I went back to the start of the thread and took notes. Now I know where my DS13 gets his memory issues.

I've been doing a lot of planning the past week or so. I've finally booked the transfers from airport to WDW to port to the airport, have decided on ADRs for WDW, and have researched the excursions. Now we need to meet with our neighbors to decide on a lot of the details.

Some interesting facts I've gathered on info people have shared:

We have families from the U.K., Washington State, Pennsylvania x 2, and Texas x 2. Around 20 adults, 8 kids. At least two with shoe obsessions, a couple of scuba divers, and at least 3 actively trying to lose weight. We also have at least 6 teachers in the DIS group, counting traveling companions, two anniversaries being celebrated, and one birthday.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Hi Marci,
Thanks I had a fab trip - it was so good it took me a week to recover. 20 teachers on the loose

I volunteer to organize the kid's fish extender swap! Post here or send a PM if your kids want in!

We are now under 125 days to sail! I'm planning a 100 day family party on the 23rd!

(it seems I can't write a statement without an exclamation point!)

Thank you for organinsing this. I cant beleive its 113 days till the cruise

We just returned late last night (actually early morning!) from our NYC trip. It was fantastic and I'm sure you and Dave will thoroughly enjoy yourselves. I highly recommend going on a New York bus tour (Grayline, etc.) to really see everything. They offer tickets for hop-on, hop-off options, so you can get off pretty much anywhere in Manhattan (at least where the major tourist attraction sites are!)

Now comes the cruise!!! It won't be long now!

I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip. we will look into the hop on hop offf bus I'm so excited about this holiday.

I have spent the week planning our first 6 days to wdw. In 9 days time we can make our Adrs and I can't wait.

We are going away at lunch time in our motorhome. It will be Gem's first time away We have a dog competition this weekend. Please keep your fingers x that the rain will keep off (although typically it is forecast) Looking forward to getting away. Then when we get back its our wedding anniversary. I was a millenium bride - so 9 yrs boy thats gone fast.

Take care all and have a happy Easter
xx

 

[DanielSan]

Just checking to see if my Turtle Ticker is set up right....

 

[DanielSan]

Sigh. It's not...

 

[marcij]

Sigh. It's not...

Sorry about the ticker. Do you have to have a certain number of posts before you can have one? Did you upload to a photosharing site and use the img coding?

Helen -- I hope you had a fabulous trip! Congrats on your anniversary!

I had surgery on my shoulder last week. They found a bone spur and a bunch of scar tissue, so I'm working from home this week and taking it easy. Lots of planning going on here. I'm trying to decide Palo dinner -- can't make up my mind if I want to do it on formal night or semi-formal night. And excursions are driving me nuts -- I can't decide what to do. Will someone make my decisions for me?

 

[disneymom8589]

Sorry about the ticker. Do you have to have a certain number of posts before you can have one? Did you upload to a photosharing site and use the img coding?

Helen -- I hope you had a fabulous trip! Congrats on your anniversary!

I had surgery on my shoulder last week. They found a bone spur and a bunch of scar tissue, so I'm working from home this week and taking it easy. Lots of planning going on here. I'm trying to decide Palo dinner -- can't make up my mind if I want to do it on formal night or semi-formal night. And excursions are driving me nuts -- I can't decide what to do. Will someone make my decisions for me?

Take care of your shoulder so you can fully enjoy the cruise!

 

[MsLeFever]

Next Thursday is 100 days to go!!

I'm hoping to have some sort of 100 celebration to surprise the kids when they get home from school. Although I'm not sure what counts as "Disney" food. Balloons and such. I'm going to make a paper chain with 100 links so that we can start our "official" count down!

 

[disneymom8589]

Next Thursday is 100 days to go!!

I'm hoping to have some sort of 100 celebration to surprise the kids when they get home from school. Although I'm not sure what counts as "Disney" food. Balloons and such. I'm going to make a paper chain with 100 links so that we can start our "official" count down!

That is a terrific idea! I'm sure the kids (and adults!) will love it!

 

[marcij]

Next Thursday is 100 days to go!!

I'm hoping to have some sort of 100 celebration to surprise the kids when they get home from school. Although I'm not sure what counts as "Disney" food. Balloons and such. I'm going to make a paper chain with 100 links so that we can start our "official" count down!

Sounds like a great idea!

For the FE exchange, our friends do want to participate. Their kids are Matt (13) and Mia (8). I don't know if either of us will buy an FE, but we will put some kind of a bag up, or could the little gifts be put in plastic bags and hung from the fish? Will that work?

 

[Momtoredheads]

Hi guys! We just booked yesterday and are psyched. This is our first Disney cruise and second cruise ever. ( We did NCL out of New Orleans for Spring Break in March.) I hope it was Ok to post here. I am sooo excited and so is my husband. The kids don't know yet--just waiting for the right time to tell them and hoping that they will actually stay in the kids club for more than 30 minutes on the first night!

It is now time for planning!!! I am not even sure where to begin. We are going to be driving from Collierville, TN (outside Memphis) to try to save the price of airfare.

Does anyone have any helpful tips?

Thanks in advance,

Maria

 

[disneymom8589]

Hi guys! We just booked yesterday and are psyched. This is our first Disney cruise and second cruise ever. ( We did NCL out of New Orleans for Spring Break in March.) I hope it was Ok to post here. I am sooo excited and so is my husband. The kids don't know yet--just waiting for the right time to tell them and hoping that they will actually stay in the kids club for more than 30 minutes on the first night!

It is now time for planning!!! I am not even sure where to begin. We are going to be driving from Collierville, TN (outside Memphis) to try to save the price of airfare.

Does anyone have any helpful tips?

Thanks in advance,

Maria

Welcome aboard!! You will love the Disney cruise. I'm sure your kids will have a hard time leaving the kids club!

 

[MrsJobba1]

Sorry about the ticker. Do you have to have a certain number of posts before you can have one? Did you upload to a photosharing site and use the img coding?

Helen -- I hope you had a fabulous trip! Congrats on your anniversary!

I had surgery on my shoulder last week. They found a bone spur and a bunch of scar tissue, so I'm working from home this week and taking it easy. Lots of planning going on here. I'm trying to decide Palo dinner -- can't make up my mind if I want to do it on formal night or semi-formal night. And excursions are driving me nuts -- I can't decide what to do. Will someone make my decisions for me?

Hi Marci,

Thank you we had a great trip and came 1st with Floss' team

I'm sorry to hear about your shoulder -rest up and take it easy so that you can enjoy the cruise

Thanks for reminding me about Palo planning - not really thought much about it - although last cruise we did it on semi formal night and the lobster was amazing

Next Thursday is 100 days to go!!

I'm hoping to have some sort of 100 celebration to surprise the kids when they get home from school. Although I'm not sure what counts as "Disney" food. Balloons and such. I'm going to make a paper chain with 100 links so that we can start our "official" count down!

That sounds great - I'll try and do a big countdown here too

 

[MrsJobba1]

Hi guys! We just booked yesterday and are psyched. This is our first Disney cruise and second cruise ever. ( We did NCL out of New Orleans for Spring Break in March.) I hope it was Ok to post here. I am sooo excited and so is my husband. The kids don't know yet--just waiting for the right time to tell them and hoping that they will actually stay in the kids club for more than 30 minutes on the first night!

It is now time for planning!!! I am not even sure where to begin. We are going to be driving from Collierville, TN (outside Memphis) to try to save the price of airfare.

Does anyone have any helpful tips?

Thanks in advance,

Maria

Hi Maria and

You are more than welcome to post - congrats on booking the cruise. We are a small group but a really friendly bunch. Some of us booked this cruise more than a year ago so are getting really excited as its getting closer.

We come from all over as well ( I'm from the UK) sorry I can't help with the driving question but I do know you can park at the terminal. Feel free to ask any other questions and we'll try to help.

Take care
Helen

 

[MrsJobba1]

106 days and counting

 

[marcij]

Hi guys! We just booked yesterday and are psyched. This is our first Disney cruise and second cruise ever. ( We did NCL out of New Orleans for Spring Break in March.) I hope it was Ok to post here. I am sooo excited and so is my husband. The kids don't know yet--just waiting for the right time to tell them and hoping that they will actually stay in the kids club for more than 30 minutes on the first night!

It is now time for planning!!! I am not even sure where to begin. We are going to be driving from Collierville, TN (outside Memphis) to try to save the price of airfare.

Does anyone have any helpful tips?

Thanks in advance,

Maria

Maria -- i'm so glad you joined our group! I have two boys, age 13 and 10. How old are yours?

Just ask away and I know someone on here will be able to give you advice or point you in the right direction.

Marci

 

[joycsk]

Next Thursday is 100 days to go!!

I'm hoping to have some sort of 100 celebration to surprise the kids when they get home from school. Although I'm not sure what counts as "Disney" food. Balloons and such. I'm going to make a paper chain with 100 links so that we can start our "official" count down!

Dear Barbara et al.,

How about breakfast for dinner and mickey head shaped pancakes? I love the paper chain idea. I've only done it for xmas!

And yes, we're in on the FE exchange. I'll be thrilled once we know names and ages and such. I have one or two ideas that I'm kinda proud of, but we'll have to see if they work out.

Marci et al.,

I just got a super cute FE from another diser on the FE board. I'm very excited. Hanging bags on the fish can work. Sadly, I do get nervous about the 'grinches' who are said to take FEs that don't belong to them.

Is anyone making magnets?

More soon. I can't believe it's been so long since I posted.

 

[joycsk]

Hi Marci,

Thank you we had a great trip and came 1st with Floss' team


Congratulations, Helen!

 

[joycsk]

I hope it was Ok to post here. I am sooo excited and so is my husband. The kids don't know yet--just waiting for the right time to tell them and hoping that they will actually stay in the kids club for more than 30 minutes on the first night!

It is now time for planning!!! I am not even sure where to begin. We are going to be driving from Collierville, TN (outside Memphis) to try to save the price of airfare.

Does anyone have any helpful tips?

Thanks in advance,

Maria

Dear Maria,

Welcome! I can't speak for your kids, but this is our second cruise - both Disney. In 2007 our two kids - then 3 and 6 were ecstatic in the club. As for driving, although I don't know the south too well (I'm a PA yank) I've read on other threads that it is very easy to drive to port. There is SO much information on this board. There are lots of packing tips, driving directions - all kinds of stuff. Have fun!!