Christmas Cruise 2005!!!

[tiggerwannabe]

Ok...Now for my replies...

Aisling: I've seen bullhorns at the toy store, little ones ... will you be our bullhorn tour guide if I be the planner?

You and Chad don't use your AIM very often, do you? I have you all saved on my AIM, I see Jesse all the time but not you two...

Karen: PM sent regarding Ginny's spreadsheet, email me your email address if you'd like me to send you a copy.

I was originally planning a Dec 22nd flight to stay at DH's Aunt's house in Melbourne and avoid the Friday night/Christmas Eve rush. Now I'm thinking of going on the 21st, if I can make it happen-splurge and take the girls to AKL until my mom drives down on the 23rd. We're moving to the Radisson the night before the cruise. :crossing fingers: Nan and Paul and family will be at the AKL and I'd love to spend those first couple days there at Brittany's dream resort and get to hang out with them and Molly and Wil for a couple days.

Mom flew the day of the cruise last august and said the timing is too tight for her liking. Delays are totally unpredictable.

and about the cruise meets I am arranging...

These will be completely relaxed gatherings, not really "meets." I'll let you all know when I find good gathering places and when I plan on being there and all are welcome to simply join me.

Some of us are staying at the Radisson, for that I was thinking of drinks by the pool.

The sail away party is on deck 9 and I heard deck 10 overlooks the party and is less crowded, so I'll be on deck 10. (I will specify a spot for the deck 10 gathering causedeck 10 is a huge area.)

I will share what excursions I'll be doing jic some others want to do the same.

Aisling and I are doing the banana boat ride at CC together, we'll coordinate a time for that too.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Tigg: : I eyeballed that very closely in Disneyland, but since Wilson has about a hundred swords already I had to past....but that darn bird is sooooo cute..... I might have to put myself on a mission just for the bird Brit will wear it well

Ciao,

Nan

The parrot is what sold her on the set!

He's sooo cool!

A little side note for everyone with kids...

I picked up a bag full of eye patches in the outerbanks, enough to cover some of our kids and a couple adults if necessary

I also picked up some stickers and am planning on making either shirts, bandanas of buttons out of them...those are still in the planning stage...I'm leaning towards making buttons out of them.

 

[Aisling]

Nan and Paul and family will be at the AKL and I'd love to spend those first couple days there at Brittany's dream resort and get to hang out with them and Molly and Wil for a couple days.

You lucky !!!!!!!!
We loved AKL. For a moment, I was just about to decide to cancel my MCO Hyatt ressie and book AKL for the night, but I...well...I don'tknow what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I can get AKL standard view for the $177 I'm paying for the Hyatt, I'm gonna do it. But I doubt I'll be able to get that price. Gonna go check right now.

 

[Aisling]

AKL pool view, over $400 for one night! (Dec. 23rd). Gonna go check for a code.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I sent Nan AP codes yesterday for December...haven;t seen anything else tho

I need December 21 & 22

the 23rd we are going to the Radisson with my Mom

 

[Aisling]

I got AKL for Dec. 23rd for $189!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Standard view, but who cares!!! I just called the toll free CRO number, and they got me the rate through "McDonald's". My kids are gonna flip! Woo hoo!!!!! Should I tell them?? And we're doing the Magical Express bus, which is still free from MCO!

Sorry, Grim, I won't be meeting you at the Hyatt after all. We'll meet on the Magic!!!! But I'll buy you and Dede a drink in honor of my outta control happiness!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I got AKL for Dec. 23rd for $189!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Standard view, but who cares!!! I just called the toll free CRO number, and they got me the rate through "McDonald's". My kids are gonna flip! Woo hoo!!!!! Should I tell them?? And we're doing the Magical Express bus, which is still free from MCO!

Sorry, Grim, I won't be meeting you at the Hyatt after all. We'll meet on the Magic!!!! But I'll buy you and Dede a drink in honor of my outta control happiness!

That's Awesome!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations my friend!

 

[nskjerven]

Okay Party @ AKL!!!!! We are concerige so we may even have a good spot for it....I'll of course keep you all posted. Maybe we can all get into lounge as guests of us???? You know me pushing the limits of EVERYTHING I do

Tigg did you get AKL too or should I say YET???? I'm going to try to see if we can get the AP rate, but I bet they wouldn't be on concerige level, so probably have to keep our outrageuous rate this time...oh well, I've mental prepared for it so it's only money and I have that tree in my backyard (did I mention that to anyone?)

Aisling:If you leave from AKL with us then I won't be worried about getting there late, otherwise I was thinking about getting a car to arrive a checkin early enough to savor everything...what do you think. Disney told me that they leave around noon, I think, that would make us arrive around 1-2pm...eeekkkk I'm so nervous about it....but if we go Disney no touching the luggage, I guess that alone makes it the right choice 'eh? I think they also told me it was all of us or nothing...I'd even be okay having Paul and the kids do Disney and I'd find my way out ahead of them in the morning...ramble ramble. I bet I'll have to book again while on the boat because then I'd know how it do it ALL PERFECTLY. What a nut job huh?

Good news on another front, I got a new client yesterday. A referal from an old CEO client. It's always nice to have new business for the money part, but my ego enjoys it too...people say nice things about me. I have to stop at the 3 I have now or I'd have a major melt down at Xmas, since I have to farm out my work for those 2 weeks. Fortunately my SIL and sis are in the business & I can trust them to handle my emergencies while I'm gone. This will be the first vacation Paul and I have had longer than 1 week in 9 years. (& that one was cut short by morning sickness)

Kris: I'm going to snoop now for the rates at Double Tree for CKU...Fingers crossed. What are the constraits for you???? How many beds etc...I figure non-smoking, yes????

About the Meets: Question? If we meet on the deck first thing will we miss the charcter send off??? My girl friend (who cruised Mexico last week) decided to miss the first meet to enjoy the deck party, what do we do here?????I love you all, but I love Micket more....ha ha ha

Jill & Tori:: Expert advise please tell us what you think on this topic????

I'm soooo excited about this vacation I can hardly wait

Ciao,

Nan

 

[tiggerwannabe]

The thought of AKL just entered my mind...nothing firmed up yet

I am sooo up for it if I can get Aisling's rate for my two days...I could also check out and hang out with y'all til Mom arrives. Check in at the Rad I'm sure is late in the afternoon anyway right?

The meet I spoke of was during the sail away party

Mostly for those of us who'd rather watch from above ... We'd be right there and get to see the characters, just not within the crowd.

When my family and I board I'd like to eat, drop off our crap...

maybe go swimming and check out the Stack. I read I'm only allowed in it the first day, it's be nice to see it before I get locked out of it

then we do the drill and meet for the sail away party.

better?

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Don't be nervous about the first day...

Ride with Aisling's crew to the port, get yourselves some food and meet us at the party.

Congratulations on your new client!

I'm glad things are going well...:knocking on wood now:

That's nice that you and Paul can get the time together for the holiday.

John and I are enjoying every bit of time we can get now that our two are so independant

A lunch alone is heaven to us...

 

[Aisling]

Tig, this is the number I called: 1-800-421-3732 It's a CRO number, but connected with McDonald's somehow. When I called, I just said I'd like to check the price for my date, she asked for my code, I said I don't have one...I'm scouring the internet looking for one. She said hold on. Then she asked for all my info, names, address, ages of kids, etc. Hold on again. I got nervous, thinking she was booking me already, but she came back and asked what type of room I wanted, and I said standard. Just a minute, ok, we have a standard room for $189. $189???!!! Yes, it's $189!OMG, I can't believe it, I'll take it!

And I took it. Never had to give a code, never said I worked for McDonald's or whatever affiliation they have with McDonald's. She just confirmed my info, Lectura family, such and such date, McDonald's code, and will you be needind the free Disney Magical Express Bus service? Oh, yes, thank you so much. You'll receive your ME luggage tags 21 days before your trip.

She said we can get the DCL bus at Animal Kingdom, and info will be at Guest Services. Voila!

Nan, my goal was to get to the port as early as possible, be among the first there, to savor it all. Some of you may remember a while ago I was being fanatical about it. But for 10 bucks more, we'll stay at AKL and get to the port a little later. We won't miss anything. I'll make sure I savor it all before I get on the ship, walk around the terminal, hoot 'n holler that I'm really there, and then run onboard looking for my friends!

Tiggie, I don't want to put the burden on you, but you're much better than I am with setting up meets and figuring out the details. Some of the questions like will we miss character greetings if we go to the sail away party, well, I have no idea about these things. I just know I can't wait to be with you all. I know we have our own families and want to be with them, but making some time here and there to meet up with each other from our gang is so exciting.

Again, I have to post fast before I get the boot and lose this whole post!

 

[FletcherMem0rial]

I'm back on but guess what...

I'm going back to plan A for pre-cruise cause Rose called and we just booked flights to Orlando in October on SW for $117!!!!!!!!

 

[Aisling]

I'm going back to plan A for pre-cruise cause Rose called and we just booked flights to Orlando in October on SW for $117!!!!!!!!

Holy moley Tig, you're going to WDW again?? What an awesome price. Man, I wish I could book that price now for 2007!
Will it be just you and Rose going? This is too exciting. I miss WDW SO much! Great news!

 

[FletcherMem0rial]

None of my cruise plans are changing

My idea of an AKL splurge is ... If $$ make a surprising upswing between now and December, it could change again, but for now I'm splurging on spending a quiet week in Orlando with my friend Rose.

My intentions, Miss Aisling, was to organize the meets, I was putting you in charge of the bullhorn

Nan: I got my package! Yay! I now have golden ears with my name on it

Mom, yours are here too!

Mom brought me back a golden ears antenna topper from FL and Nan picked me one up from DL...Did you know they are different from each other? I thought I'd have dups...

I can try to take a picture of them and show you how different...maybe tomorrow.

I'll try for a pic of us in our hats too

[size=-2]Nan, are you a member of paypal? Email me when you get a minute please. [/size]

 

[Aisling]

My intentions, Miss Aisling, was to organize the meets, I was putting you in charge of the bullhorn

I just got an idea...Jesse has a Lilo and Stitch voice-changer bullhorn. I'm bringing it with me!!!

 

[FletcherMem0rial]

Awesome! No purchase necessary

Does it change your voice to Stitch? or just make it wierd

Mel won't think that's too over the edge will he?

[size=-2]if he does, send it my way, I'll pack it for you [/size]

 

[Aisling]

Mel won't think that's too over the edge will he?

Mel would be MORTIFIED if I pulled that bullhorn out of my suitcase!

 

[FletcherMem0rial]

Mel would be MORTIFIED if I pulled that bullhorn out of my suitcase!

You laugh at that >?


you're too much my friend...

 

[nskjerven]

Aisling:

Just send it to me, I'm packing for a family of 43, so Paul wouldn't notice one more thing

Okay Tigg, you may have had the right idea, of not coming with your husband on this trip, because mine is going to go completely out of his mind with us of like minds together!!!! Ha ha on him

Tigg you can paypal me if you want, but a check in the mail is fine....I'll forward you my paypal crap in email. What is the difference with the toppers???? You again have me in suspense.

Did ya see the little box marked "SHOWER CAP" it isn't....just peak inside and see what I got ya. I got it on the first trip btw, and can't believe what a total slug I was about getting it in a box and sending it to you.

okay I've got half of the playgroup here for an overnight tonight...2 8 year old girls and 2 5 year old boys....I better get in the house and make sure they are all well...

nite nite...

or as Aisling might say NITE NITE

Nan

 

[domiii]

and about the cruise meets I am arranging...

These will be completely relaxed gatherings, not really "meets." I'll let you all know when I find good gathering places and when I plan on being there and all are welcome to simply join me.

Can we call them MAGICal Gatherings - afterall we are part of a family here. I was planning on sending DD, 2 nephews and a niece up to scope out a place for the sail away party after the drill. Tig, once you pick a location, I'll map it out for Kayla!!! I am REALLY getting excited now. It's just about all we talk about at dinner or driving someplace in the car.

Let me just say this now - I am officially jealous of all of you - meeting prior! I did not do my homework in planning this trip. I wish we were flying down on the 23rd. Part of the problem is my sister is a teacher and the 23rd is a full day of school. She lives 2 hours from us so unless we wanted to take the red eye .... So please send a lot of pixie dust our way on Christmas Eve!!

Love the bullhorn. BTW FYI the stars and stripes antenna topper from the parks were different from the ones in the Disney Store. I'm not surprised DL and WDW golden ones are different. It's all in the details! I have one for EVERY holiday, except the Uncle Sam one ... maybe on the cruise.