Bringing The Magic Home - 8/20/05

[scrappy910]

On doing laundry on the ship, how many laundry rooms do they have? I told my dh I wasn't doing any laundry on the ship because I had heard the facilities are VERY busy unless you use them in the middle of the night (I'm sure the people in the staterooms next to the laundry room would love that) or while in port and everyone is off doing excursions. And also, I am on vacation, right????? Now back to see if I can stretch my clothes to last 18 days.

Carol

 

[mickeyfan1]

Scrappy, I would definately ship a case of diapers to the hotel you are staying at before the cruise. Call your hotel and get the information needed. Most hotels will accept packages for arriving guests up to a few days ahead of that time.

As far as food and wine shipments, the Port Authority at San Pedro says no food of any kind will be accepted in shipments. I would imagine the same thing goes for wine or liquor. I will be carrying one bottle of Chocolate Vodka for a special friend, I will have it with me on the planes and in the hotel and carry it on the ship, unopened of course! I would hate to mail something like that and run the risk of breakage.

 

[ehtpnt]

Carol we are flying out on the 18th from Pa. Doing DL and DCA on Friday. Maybe we'll run into each other. Look for the lime green lanyards everyone. We should be very identifiable.

We are three weeks from today! I have the same problem the rest of you have. I need to wear the things I plan on bringing. I didn't think I would do laundry on the ship, but have finally realized there isn't going to be a choice. Wonder how much noise the machines make at 4 AM.

I plan to dress up for the pirate night. Have the costume all figured out. Just have to put the lettering on the back. Have friend who makes jewelry who is making hanging things for my pirate scarf. And I can wear the pants for dinner other times. Phil of course will maybe wear the bandana.

Estelle

 

[pclare]

Glad to know Im not the only one trying to figure this packing out and stressing about every last detail. My list of things to do seems to be growing instead of shrinking and the box for shipping is right out of control! I dont even want to think of how crazy the next 20 days is going to be.

With 6 of us in our family I have resigned to do laundry 2x and send out some of the ironing to be done for the formal wear that we are taking. Im not looking forward to doing the laundry but a necessary evil when we are trying to limit baggage when gone for 3 weeks. After all it would be nice to have room to bring some souven'ears' back!

Good luck all....let the packing panic begin
Pauline
481 hours till were off!

 

[Whiskers]

Speaking of wine, Donna or any other local, where in Anaheim can we find a liquor store that isn't resort area expensive? I was thinking of the grocery store west on Katella, but it's been a number of years since I went over there so I don't remember what all was there. Thanks!

Tracy

Tracy - There is a Vons on Chapman - just down from Harbor Blvd. I asked on the Disneyland thread about walking there (its not far from our hotel) but was told it isn't the best area to walk in. Not sure what kind of wine they sell, but I'm going to order groceries online and have delivered to the hotel.
Diane

 

[scrappy910]

Guess I need to clarify about the infant reference. I do not have any infants, kids are all grown. Just was thinking what my dd went through last February when we went on a 7 day RCCL cruise and she has a 4yr old daughter and an 18 month old son. And couldn't imagine what parents are doing for a 14 day cruise. At least she didn't have to worry about bottles and baby food. We are part of that group whose kids are grown but still enjoy the Disney cruises. We thought about bringing our 4 yr old granddaughter, but she couldn't be away from mommy and daddy that long. I know she would have had a blast. And we would have enjoyed watching her reaction to everthing. Oh well, maybe next time.

Carol

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Sandy, I agree with everything you said, but the port authorities said differently. If you are sending it to the port to be brought on the ship by the port workers, you should check with them before sending the wine. One of the last two newsletters had the address and information from Renee on shipping to the ship. I plan to bring my wine on with me. Don't want to risk losing it

Tracy, I called the Port Authority at San Pedro World Cruise Center just now and they acted like I was a crazy person. They said whatever Disney allows is fine but to call Quay Cruise Agencies. I did that too and they said the same thing. I am and always have been a little iffy on the wine but the snacks should be just fine. I feel better because I already shipped one box. Which reminds me Victor at Quay Cruise Agency (tele # 310 223-0026) said that their address has changed to 1000 E Del Amo Blvd, Carson CA 90746. He said my other box should be fine because they will forward it to the new address. Phew, thank goodness.

 

[Hgomes]

Thinking of cancelling this excursion due to reports about polluted water after reading some of the other threads. It would be tough to be at the beach and not be able to go in the water especially since it will probably be very hot and humid. Any thoughts or do you know someone who did this on the May Repo?

 

[miclen]

Thinking of cancelling this excursion due to reports about polluted water after reading some of the other threads. It would be tough to be at the beach and not be able to go in the water especially since it will probably be very hot and humid. Any thoughts or do you know someone who did this on the May Repo?

Hi, my kids and I are also planning on doing the Coco Loco Beach Break and I have been having the same concerns. I've beeen trying to get information and finally did get a PM from a May Repo cruiser who had done this. She said her family loved it. She felt safe, said the food and service were great, and the staff was very helpful. As for the water, she did not say it was bad, although they had a strong undertoe. Anyway, I think we are going to stick with this excursion. I felt better after hearing from someone who had been on it.

 

[eye R.N.]

Good to know I'm not the only one stressing out. Formal and semiformal clothes are laid out, so is anything I'm not planning on wearing the next two weeks. I need to work on pins for trading, power strip, corkscrew, and the traveling pharmacy.

laundry: I have never had a whole lot of trouble on the ship, but I do get up early. I am planning on one load at HOJO's the night before boarding (since I'll be too wound up to sleep) and one load on the ship. That is the only way we will be at four suitcases.

wine: I went to our local liquior store and told them what was happening, and that I needed a local wine. They steered me to what they considered the best Maryland wine. I just hope it's drinkable. I am taking it as a carry on along with the two bottles I will be consuming on the cruise.

Pirate night: in another life I was a colonial re-enacter so I have the chemise and bodice, I just need to find a skirt.

 

[lotsofboys]

As far as the wine goes, we have purchased wine carriers with special foam packing for our past two cruises. You can buy 3, 6 or 12 bottle holders, probably more but that was all I recall. We checked a 6 bottle box on the plane and at the port on our first cruise and it was delivered to our room no problem. On our second cruise, fortunately I went to our room to start unpacking before the lifeboat drill and had a message from GS stating that a box of mine was being held in the terminal for me to pick up. You guessed it, my box of wine! They had no problem with me bringing it on but said they could not deliver it to my stateroom I had to carry it on. Thank goodness I went back to the room when I did or we would have sailed without it.


Michelle

 

[kcashner]

To answer the above...there is a laundry room on decks 2,6,and 7. Each has about 4 or 5 washers and dryers. I've seen them busy and I've seen them empty. My logic would be that more people will be trying to do laundry on the 14 day than on a 7.....I may do laundry on Sat morning before we board just so everything is fresh. We'll see......

 

[scrappy910]

Thanks for the info on the location of the laundry rooms. Now what may seem like a silly question - do we need to bring rolls of quarters for the washers and dryers? I can just see the line at guest services when people decide to do their wash and need quarters or whatever the machines take.

Tracy, not sure, but maybe a paragraph about location of laundry facilities and what cruisers will need to have to use the machines (money, detergent) can be put in the newsletter. That is if it isn't toooooo long already.

Thanks again for the info.

Carol

 

[pampat]

Thanks for the info on the location of the laundry rooms. Now what may seem like a silly question - do we need to bring rolls of quarters for the washers and dryers? I can just see the line at guest services when people decide to do their wash and need quarters or whatever the machines take.

Tracy, not sure, but maybe a paragraph about location of laundry facilities and what cruisers will need to have to use the machines (money, detergent) can be put in the newsletter. That is if it isn't toooooo long already.

Thanks again for the info.

Carol

I can't remember ever having to worry about coins for the laundry but perhaps my memory is fading! I think you have to buy detergent (unless you bring your own) but don't recall having to use coins to operate the machines. Because of the length of our holiday, as many of you, and being restricted severely to baggage allowance (only 33 kilos each -1 bag per person), I plan on doing laundry several times. We will be like the poor relations on this cruise - you'll see us in the same clothes over and over. But doing laundry on holiday is not like doing laundry in real life, is it?????

Pam

 

[winotracy]

Thanks for the info on the location of the laundry rooms. Now what may seem like a silly question - do we need to bring rolls of quarters for the washers and dryers? I can just see the line at guest services when people decide to do their wash and need quarters or whatever the machines take.

Tracy, not sure, but maybe a paragraph about location of laundry facilities and what cruisers will need to have to use the machines (money, detergent) can be put in the newsletter. That is if it isn't toooooo long already.

Thanks again for the info.

Carol

The deck 6 laundry room is directly across the hall from 6588. I know this because we are in 6590 and I checked it out last time on board. You either need quarters or can use the change machine in the laundry room. They have all the supplies in the laundry room for purchase. If you are in need of an iron, you'll find it here too. I've printed your post to see if I have room in the newsletter and I'll include it. Great idea Carol!

I know where the rooms are located (approx) on 6 and 7, but does anyone know the approx location of the laundry room on deck 2? Maybe I'll post on the main board about this.

Tracy

 

[hbg4]

Hi Tracy
the laundry room on deck 2 is shown in the passporter cruise line edition. Unfortunately I'm at work right now so I don't have the copy. If no-one else post the answer before I get home I will post it later. I think its on the aft half of mid ship on the port side.
Brenda

 

[scrappy910]

Good morning everyone. Well we are one day closer to being on the Magic. DH and I were talking last night and he mentioned that he was having a hard focusing on things at work, he said he was constantly thinking about the cruise. Whew, that made me feel good, because yesterday, my day off from work, I did absolutely nothing around the house. Had no motivation except to see if there was anything else I could lay out to be packed and check the boards for any new information.

Need to finish up my door magnets so I can cross that off my list of things to do.

Is there any information as to what nights we will be having formal, semi formal, pirate, tropical nights? I thought I had seen somthing where it was listed (should have printed it out then), but thought I would remember where I saw it. Seems like Disney would post that information somewhere so people would know how to pack for these specials nights. What do people do that are not aware of boards like this to get info?????

Carol

 

[scrappy910]

Brenda,

Thanks for the reminder of the Cruise Passporter. Laundry on deck 7 is across from rooms 7590 - 7596 and on deck 2 across from room 2096.

Carol

 

[winotracy]

Is there any information as to what nights we will be having formal, semi formal, pirate, tropical nights? I thought I had seen somthing where it was listed (should have printed it out then), but thought I would remember where I saw it. Seems like Disney would post that information somewhere so people would know how to pack for these specials nights. What do people do that are not aware of boards like this to get info?????Carol

Yes, Carol, there is information. Don't have time to type it up right now, but can you wait until Monday? (it's in the newsletter! )

Thanks Brenda for the reminder about the passporter and Thanks Carol for making me not have to go upstairs to get it

Tracy

 

[Regina]

Since you're talking about laundry, I'll drop in and tell you about the May cruise.

I did more laundry than I planned (What was I thinking. My 20 year old goes thru about 47 outfits in a day. )

Please, please, please bring rolls of quarters. The change machines are notorious for not working. There was just one day that it was super busy, but the machines have countdowns so you can decide if you want to wait or not.

On that particular day, I was waiting at one laundry room while DH left to scope out the other one. We knew that it would be at least 15 minutes at the one where I was waiting so DH took the roll of quarters.

There was an older gentleman who kept trying to get his dollar to go into the machine. It just wasn't working, and he just wasn't giving up. Since DH had our quarters, I couldn't help him out. Meanwhile, his wife had clothes in the washer and nothing was happening.

I pointed out the laundry room phone and they called for assistance. One other person who was waiting and who had left came back with quarters for them.

AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SPOUSE PACKS ENOUGH TIDY WHITIES TO MAKE IT A FEW EXTRA DAYS!! What is it with guys and this undie rationing thing???