BethC1952
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2001
- Messages
- 3,949
The Original Cast:
Me -- BethC1952, age classified (figure it out for yourselves!), AKA Grandma, experienced WDW visitor (25+ visits since 1978)
DH -- Jim, 52, AKA Grandpa, experienced WDW visitor (25+ visits since 1978)
The Kids:
DS -- Jimmy, age 28 AKA as Daddy, experienced WDW visitor, 23+ visits between 1978 and 1984
DDIL -- Lori, age 23, AKA Mommy, absolute WDW newbie and very skeptical--I'll go because it's a family trip, but I'm not going to have a good time.
DGD -- Shannan, age 3 1/2, absolute newbie, has seen my collection of WDW pictures (over 4000), and knows all there is to know about WDW.
Aunt Janet's Gang
Aunt Janet (Grandpa's sister), age 40 something, absolute WDW newbie, another "I'm going because it's for the kids but I'll hate every minute of it" type.
Uncle Nick (Aunt Janet's husband), age 6 years older than Aunt Janet, yet another "I'm going because it's for the kids but I'll hate every minute of it" type, coupled with "how am I ever going to pay for all of this?"
Andrew, 13 1/2, son of Uncle Nick and Aunt Janet, WDW newbie
Megan, 9 1/2, daughter of Uncle Nick and Aunt Janet, WDW newbie, doesn't care about WDW, wants to go on the cruise, will only tolerate WDW if there's a hot tub.
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Castaway Cay
It seems like its been a million years since I was at Castaway Cay (its been one day less than one year).
Shannan was up bright and early, knocking at our door (just like at home, were next-door neighbors on the ship, too), wanting to have breakfast and get to her kids club so that she could start her day on Castaway Cay. Grandpa and the rest of the gang werent quite ready for breakfast, so I took her for a sneak peek at Castaway Cay. We went the few short steps out of our door and down the hall to the deck on Deck 7 Aft to see this beautiful spot.
But Grandma, the waters GREEN!! Yes, indeed it was. It was that beautiful, clear, emerald green that seems to exist only in this part of the world. I explained to her that yes, when the water at home is green we dont go in it (Jersey Shore water should be blue!), but here its magical water, and the green color assures that the magic is working. The magic controls the water temperature and the weather, you understand. And both were obviously going to be perfect today.
We took some pictures and looked at the island for a while, and by then the rest of the group was ready for breakfast. We had a wonderful breakfast at Parrot Cay, and headed off the ship to Paradise.
We stopped to take some pictures with the Christmas decorations on the dock (who knew it would be snowing on Castaway Cay?). We headed toward the tram stop, and ran into Daisy Duck! A few pictures later, and we were headed to the perfect beach. The Kids took Shannan to sign in at the club, and joined us on the beach. Even though we were far from the first people off the ship, we were able to get lounge chairs under the trees for the eight of us who werent in the kids club that day.
This was my third trip to Castaway Cay. The first time, the weather was hot, and humid, and it rained right after lunch. The second time it was cold and damp, and it rained right after lunch. This time, the magic worked. The water was warm, the weather was warm, the sun was shining, and we had a wonderful day. Aunt Janets kids were thrilled to see all the fish swimming around, and we even found some sea sponges.
We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Cookies and spent some more time back on the beach, this time with Shannan, who loved swimming in the warm water with Grandpa and Grandma and her cousins while her parents and Aunt Janet and Uncle Nick dozed under the palm trees. By 3 PM I needed to get out of the sun (Im always very careful, never sunburned, and even so I had skin cancer). We reluctantly packed our bags and headed back to the ship for a little quality time with the hot tub (and, in Shannans case, with the bath tub).
Our show tonight was Golden Mickeys, and I couldnt wait to see it after everything Ive heard about it. There was even a sign stuck to our mirror inviting us to the festivities. Of course, we were running late, and arrived just before the show began. It was cute, but I didnt think it was great. Maybe because Im not a really big fan of most of the newer Disney movies.
Our dinner rotation tonight had us at Animators Palate, which has my favorite menu. Everyone enjoyed dinner, and our servers were great, as always, at keeping Shannan amused between courses, and at helping her to select her meal. I enjoyed the show much more this time than either of my previous two cruises, but I think thats because the sound level was much lower, and I was able to enjoy it without leaving the room with a pounding headache from the noise!
Tonight was the night that we had chosen before had to surprise Shannan with a sleep-over with her cousin Megan in our room. We had already told our stateroom hostess, so that the couch was made up in our room with a pillow at either end so that the two girls could share it, and the couch in The Kids room was left alone, so that they could enjoy sitting and watching TV (or whatever it is that young married couples do when the grandparents take the kids). We headed out for a big nightour first stop would be the arcade. It was the first time I had been there, and it was fun! We played some air hockey and some of the other games, and then we went to watch some of the kids involved in some activities at the pool. We went up on Deck 10 to watch the ship sailing, and then headed back to our room with plans to order cookies and milk. The girls, however, were so tired that they fell asleep before they even changed their clothes! Grandpa took our mugs and had them filled with tea, and we watched them sleeping for a few minutes and headed off to our own bed. When we woke in the morning, both girls were jumping on our bed demanding breakfast!
Me -- BethC1952, age classified (figure it out for yourselves!), AKA Grandma, experienced WDW visitor (25+ visits since 1978)
DH -- Jim, 52, AKA Grandpa, experienced WDW visitor (25+ visits since 1978)
The Kids:
DS -- Jimmy, age 28 AKA as Daddy, experienced WDW visitor, 23+ visits between 1978 and 1984
DDIL -- Lori, age 23, AKA Mommy, absolute WDW newbie and very skeptical--I'll go because it's a family trip, but I'm not going to have a good time.
DGD -- Shannan, age 3 1/2, absolute newbie, has seen my collection of WDW pictures (over 4000), and knows all there is to know about WDW.
Aunt Janet's Gang
Aunt Janet (Grandpa's sister), age 40 something, absolute WDW newbie, another "I'm going because it's for the kids but I'll hate every minute of it" type.
Uncle Nick (Aunt Janet's husband), age 6 years older than Aunt Janet, yet another "I'm going because it's for the kids but I'll hate every minute of it" type, coupled with "how am I ever going to pay for all of this?"
Andrew, 13 1/2, son of Uncle Nick and Aunt Janet, WDW newbie
Megan, 9 1/2, daughter of Uncle Nick and Aunt Janet, WDW newbie, doesn't care about WDW, wants to go on the cruise, will only tolerate WDW if there's a hot tub.
------------------------------------------
Castaway Cay
It seems like its been a million years since I was at Castaway Cay (its been one day less than one year).
Shannan was up bright and early, knocking at our door (just like at home, were next-door neighbors on the ship, too), wanting to have breakfast and get to her kids club so that she could start her day on Castaway Cay. Grandpa and the rest of the gang werent quite ready for breakfast, so I took her for a sneak peek at Castaway Cay. We went the few short steps out of our door and down the hall to the deck on Deck 7 Aft to see this beautiful spot.
But Grandma, the waters GREEN!! Yes, indeed it was. It was that beautiful, clear, emerald green that seems to exist only in this part of the world. I explained to her that yes, when the water at home is green we dont go in it (Jersey Shore water should be blue!), but here its magical water, and the green color assures that the magic is working. The magic controls the water temperature and the weather, you understand. And both were obviously going to be perfect today.
We took some pictures and looked at the island for a while, and by then the rest of the group was ready for breakfast. We had a wonderful breakfast at Parrot Cay, and headed off the ship to Paradise.
We stopped to take some pictures with the Christmas decorations on the dock (who knew it would be snowing on Castaway Cay?). We headed toward the tram stop, and ran into Daisy Duck! A few pictures later, and we were headed to the perfect beach. The Kids took Shannan to sign in at the club, and joined us on the beach. Even though we were far from the first people off the ship, we were able to get lounge chairs under the trees for the eight of us who werent in the kids club that day.
This was my third trip to Castaway Cay. The first time, the weather was hot, and humid, and it rained right after lunch. The second time it was cold and damp, and it rained right after lunch. This time, the magic worked. The water was warm, the weather was warm, the sun was shining, and we had a wonderful day. Aunt Janets kids were thrilled to see all the fish swimming around, and we even found some sea sponges.
We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Cookies and spent some more time back on the beach, this time with Shannan, who loved swimming in the warm water with Grandpa and Grandma and her cousins while her parents and Aunt Janet and Uncle Nick dozed under the palm trees. By 3 PM I needed to get out of the sun (Im always very careful, never sunburned, and even so I had skin cancer). We reluctantly packed our bags and headed back to the ship for a little quality time with the hot tub (and, in Shannans case, with the bath tub).
Our show tonight was Golden Mickeys, and I couldnt wait to see it after everything Ive heard about it. There was even a sign stuck to our mirror inviting us to the festivities. Of course, we were running late, and arrived just before the show began. It was cute, but I didnt think it was great. Maybe because Im not a really big fan of most of the newer Disney movies.
Our dinner rotation tonight had us at Animators Palate, which has my favorite menu. Everyone enjoyed dinner, and our servers were great, as always, at keeping Shannan amused between courses, and at helping her to select her meal. I enjoyed the show much more this time than either of my previous two cruises, but I think thats because the sound level was much lower, and I was able to enjoy it without leaving the room with a pounding headache from the noise!
Tonight was the night that we had chosen before had to surprise Shannan with a sleep-over with her cousin Megan in our room. We had already told our stateroom hostess, so that the couch was made up in our room with a pillow at either end so that the two girls could share it, and the couch in The Kids room was left alone, so that they could enjoy sitting and watching TV (or whatever it is that young married couples do when the grandparents take the kids). We headed out for a big nightour first stop would be the arcade. It was the first time I had been there, and it was fun! We played some air hockey and some of the other games, and then we went to watch some of the kids involved in some activities at the pool. We went up on Deck 10 to watch the ship sailing, and then headed back to our room with plans to order cookies and milk. The girls, however, were so tired that they fell asleep before they even changed their clothes! Grandpa took our mugs and had them filled with tea, and we watched them sleeping for a few minutes and headed off to our own bed. When we woke in the morning, both girls were jumping on our bed demanding breakfast!
!
