DISBoarders in the House Raise it UP!! Whoop Whoop!!!
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JDBlair
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After I changed in to dry clothes, we were off for lunch-we were starving! We tried to go to Lumiere’s but were told at the door they were closed. Wow, didn’t even notice it was 2 pm! So, it was up to Deck 9 for burgers, hot dog, fruit and ice cream!!! We sat at a table next to Christa and her family and shared our experiences on St. Maarten. It was pouring rain and we could no longer see the island! So cool!!
(Clouds in the sky. Can you see what we saw?)
Christa and I teased each other about who would make it to see Captain Jack Sparrow first. I have been looking forward to the Pirates In the Caribbean festivities since we booked the cruise. I am a HUGE fan of the ride and HUGE fan of the movies and HUGE fan of Johnny Depp. So, combining these 3 things together was a little piece of Heaven on Earth!! Why Christa thought she’d beat me to meet the legendary Capt Jack was beyond me!!!
This is the afternoon I decided to do laundry!
I had 2 loads I needed to do to get us through the rest of the trip. So, while I waited on laundry, we watched TV and did things around the room.
Before we knew it, it was time to dress and get in line for Capt Jack! DH wasn’t interested in having his photo taken with the man DD and I scream about every time we catch a glimpse of him on TV so we left him to finish dressing and rushed to Preludes. We get to the back of the line and see Christa and family at the elevators. They had already had their pictures taken!! She beat me!!!! The line moved quickly and soon, we were in sight of Capt Jack and DD was in awe!!! She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.
Sadly
, after I took this shot, my camera battery decides to die!!!! I secretly blamed DH for putting a curse on my camera battery! While standing in line, DD learns about autographs and looks up at me and asks for something for him to sign. A co-worker gave me an autograph book for my birthday knowing I was going on this cruise. The autograph book was in our stateroom and I had never thought to put it in the little purse I carried around with me. DS had never gotten in to the autograph thing and I didn't think DD would be interested. So, I’m kicking myself for not having the book and come up with the next best thing – my Navigator. (I never had a moment that I did not have a Navigator on me (unlike my tablemates 
) and was picking up extra copies of them every day at Guest Services.) I didn’t have a pen, however. So, I ask the people behind us if we could borrow their pen but the little girl informs me I must return it! 
No problem!! It was our turn to have our picture taken with Capt Jack and when we approach him he says, “Love your shirt, Love” and my knees went weak. 
(See picture below of me at dinner and the shirt I had on!) DD gets his signature but she is speechless!! Our photograph is cheesy but we love it!!! DD and I float away, after returning the pen, and float down the hallway to the atrium.
DD & I have a lifestyle portrait taken – a Mommy & me photo! Then we quickly rush to the room to charge my camera battery and return to Lumiere’s for our Pirates in the Caribbean Dinner –
Arrrrgh!!! I had brought along my Mickey Pirate ears I got at Disneyland in 2000 – before the big Pirate thing became so popular! We each had our pirate menu and pirate bandanas at our place setting and nobody hesitated in putting the bandanas on. However, Christa’s boys decided to be Gangsters more than Pirates and they had us rolling. DS participated in their fun and would sport his sunglasses and make fake gang signs. There was a good, fun vibe at dinner. Before we left dinner, DH explained to Alexander we would not be at dinner the next evening because we had Palo, didn’t want him to get upset with us!! Alexander told DH we would greatly enjoy Palo! Phew.
Our beloved Alexander!
Hidden Mickey!
After dinner we returned to the room. We weren’t interested in the show that evening, the movie, “GamePlan” was showing. I had laundry that needed to be finished so we just hung around the stateroom waiting on that and preparing for the party! I brought along glow necklaces, bracelets, etc, after reading that tip on the DIS! So, before we headed out to the party, we decked ourselves out in glow attire!! We went up to Deck 10 because we absolutely did not want to be in the insane “thick of things” that was happening on Deck 9.
It was another wet, icky heat issue going on and I could not believe how nasty it was out there! After all that rain, one would think the area would have cooled off but one would have been wrong. (Not the first time I’ve been wrong!) We spotted Christa and her DH, their DS’s were asleep on lounge chairs behind them, and we squeezed in to their spot with them! The deck party isn’t what I expected (I didn’t expect all that dancing!) and I started feeling pity for the CM’s and characters having to dance in this wet, icky heat! When it winds down to the end with Captain Hook and then Mickey and finishes with the fireworks - that was cool!!!! We liked that a lot!!
When the show was over, we made our way to the Buena Vista Theatre for the 11 pm showing of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. We had seen the movie when it came out in the theaters but we saved seeing it for a 2nd time so we could see it on the ship! I loved the idea of seeing this movie on the ship!!! (Believe it or not, this is one thing DS did not ditch out on me! In fact, he had continually reminded me that evening about the movie and kept asking if we were still going to see it.) While DS held spots for us, I rushed to the room for some snacks and things, a pillow and blanket for DD, and grabbed the last load of laundry from the laundry room! (Let me tell you, people in that laundry room were ruthless. Someone had left their belongings in a dryer and those were moved from the dryer to the table. Then someone left their belongings in a washer and someone took those 2 loads of wet laundry and moved them to one dryer. When I returned, all wet clothes, that had previously been in the dryer but abandoned, were mixed in with the dry clothes on the table. I am so glad I kept my eye on my watch so I could return to the laundry room and move the clothes around so nobody else touched them!! So, another word to the wise – make sure you get to your clothes before someone else does!) I also had time to run up to Deck 9 and see what yummies I could score from the Pirate Buffet. That line was far too long and the only thing I scored was a turkey leg. I left the turkey leg in our room because I didn’t think it’d be allowed in the theater. Finally, settled in for the movie and I think it’s totally sweet we didn’t have to sit through all the advertisements you have to sit through at a regular theater!! I don’t think we were an hour in to the movie before DH and DD were asleep and then excused themselves back to the room. DS and I remained, curled as close together as we could get because it was freezing in there, but we were wide awake and enjoying this much anticipated movie-at-sea. This time spent together was really nice and kind of melted away the other attitude moments he had given. He could have been at the Stack but instead, he was here with his mom, watching the movie we had planned on watching before we ever left for the trip. It was very trippy to be on a ship that was moving and then watching a movie that was showing the affect of being on a ship moving. The movements of real life and the movement of the ocean in the movie didn’t flow together so it made me a little dizzy at times but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle!! We loved the movie!!! We waited until the credits were over so we could see the “secret” scene after the credits. Only a few other people stayed for this part and then we all headed out but on our way, discovered a young, sleeping boy in the middle of the theater. Nobody claimed him so a lady tapped him to wake him up. He looked confused, gathered his stuff and left! Someone said they heard his parents tell him he wouldn’t make it through the movie but he refused to leave.
DS and I returned to our room and jumped in to bed. The poor turkey leg was never touched.
(Clouds in the sky. Can you see what we saw?)
Christa and I teased each other about who would make it to see Captain Jack Sparrow first. I have been looking forward to the Pirates In the Caribbean festivities since we booked the cruise. I am a HUGE fan of the ride and HUGE fan of the movies and HUGE fan of Johnny Depp. So, combining these 3 things together was a little piece of Heaven on Earth!! Why Christa thought she’d beat me to meet the legendary Capt Jack was beyond me!!!
This is the afternoon I decided to do laundry!
I had 2 loads I needed to do to get us through the rest of the trip. So, while I waited on laundry, we watched TV and did things around the room. Before we knew it, it was time to dress and get in line for Capt Jack! DH wasn’t interested in having his photo taken with the man DD and I scream about every time we catch a glimpse of him on TV so we left him to finish dressing and rushed to Preludes. We get to the back of the line and see Christa and family at the elevators. They had already had their pictures taken!! She beat me!!!! The line moved quickly and soon, we were in sight of Capt Jack and DD was in awe!!! She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.
Sadly
, after I took this shot, my camera battery decides to die!!!! I secretly blamed DH for putting a curse on my camera battery! While standing in line, DD learns about autographs and looks up at me and asks for something for him to sign. A co-worker gave me an autograph book for my birthday knowing I was going on this cruise. The autograph book was in our stateroom and I had never thought to put it in the little purse I carried around with me. DS had never gotten in to the autograph thing and I didn't think DD would be interested. So, I’m kicking myself for not having the book and come up with the next best thing – my Navigator. (I never had a moment that I did not have a Navigator on me (unlike my tablemates ) and was picking up extra copies of them every day at Guest Services.) I didn’t have a pen, however. So, I ask the people behind us if we could borrow their pen but the little girl informs me I must return it! No problem!! It was our turn to have our picture taken with Capt Jack and when we approach him he says, “Love your shirt, Love” and my knees went weak. (See picture below of me at dinner and the shirt I had on!) DD gets his signature but she is speechless!! Our photograph is cheesy but we love it!!! DD and I float away, after returning the pen, and float down the hallway to the atrium. DD & I have a lifestyle portrait taken – a Mommy & me photo! Then we quickly rush to the room to charge my camera battery and return to Lumiere’s for our Pirates in the Caribbean Dinner –
Arrrrgh!!! I had brought along my Mickey Pirate ears I got at Disneyland in 2000 – before the big Pirate thing became so popular! We each had our pirate menu and pirate bandanas at our place setting and nobody hesitated in putting the bandanas on. However, Christa’s boys decided to be Gangsters more than Pirates and they had us rolling. DS participated in their fun and would sport his sunglasses and make fake gang signs. There was a good, fun vibe at dinner. Before we left dinner, DH explained to Alexander we would not be at dinner the next evening because we had Palo, didn’t want him to get upset with us!! Alexander told DH we would greatly enjoy Palo! Phew.
Our beloved Alexander!
Hidden Mickey!
After dinner we returned to the room. We weren’t interested in the show that evening, the movie, “GamePlan” was showing. I had laundry that needed to be finished so we just hung around the stateroom waiting on that and preparing for the party! I brought along glow necklaces, bracelets, etc, after reading that tip on the DIS! So, before we headed out to the party, we decked ourselves out in glow attire!! We went up to Deck 10 because we absolutely did not want to be in the insane “thick of things” that was happening on Deck 9.
It was another wet, icky heat issue going on and I could not believe how nasty it was out there! After all that rain, one would think the area would have cooled off but one would have been wrong. (Not the first time I’ve been wrong!) We spotted Christa and her DH, their DS’s were asleep on lounge chairs behind them, and we squeezed in to their spot with them! The deck party isn’t what I expected (I didn’t expect all that dancing!) and I started feeling pity for the CM’s and characters having to dance in this wet, icky heat! When it winds down to the end with Captain Hook and then Mickey and finishes with the fireworks - that was cool!!!! We liked that a lot!!
When the show was over, we made our way to the Buena Vista Theatre for the 11 pm showing of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. We had seen the movie when it came out in the theaters but we saved seeing it for a 2nd time so we could see it on the ship! I loved the idea of seeing this movie on the ship!!! (Believe it or not, this is one thing DS did not ditch out on me! In fact, he had continually reminded me that evening about the movie and kept asking if we were still going to see it.) While DS held spots for us, I rushed to the room for some snacks and things, a pillow and blanket for DD, and grabbed the last load of laundry from the laundry room! (Let me tell you, people in that laundry room were ruthless. Someone had left their belongings in a dryer and those were moved from the dryer to the table. Then someone left their belongings in a washer and someone took those 2 loads of wet laundry and moved them to one dryer. When I returned, all wet clothes, that had previously been in the dryer but abandoned, were mixed in with the dry clothes on the table. I am so glad I kept my eye on my watch so I could return to the laundry room and move the clothes around so nobody else touched them!! So, another word to the wise – make sure you get to your clothes before someone else does!) I also had time to run up to Deck 9 and see what yummies I could score from the Pirate Buffet. That line was far too long and the only thing I scored was a turkey leg. I left the turkey leg in our room because I didn’t think it’d be allowed in the theater. Finally, settled in for the movie and I think it’s totally sweet we didn’t have to sit through all the advertisements you have to sit through at a regular theater!! I don’t think we were an hour in to the movie before DH and DD were asleep and then excused themselves back to the room. DS and I remained, curled as close together as we could get because it was freezing in there, but we were wide awake and enjoying this much anticipated movie-at-sea. This time spent together was really nice and kind of melted away the other attitude moments he had given. He could have been at the Stack but instead, he was here with his mom, watching the movie we had planned on watching before we ever left for the trip. It was very trippy to be on a ship that was moving and then watching a movie that was showing the affect of being on a ship moving. The movements of real life and the movement of the ocean in the movie didn’t flow together so it made me a little dizzy at times but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle!! We loved the movie!!! We waited until the credits were over so we could see the “secret” scene after the credits. Only a few other people stayed for this part and then we all headed out but on our way, discovered a young, sleeping boy in the middle of the theater. Nobody claimed him so a lady tapped him to wake him up. He looked confused, gathered his stuff and left! Someone said they heard his parents tell him he wouldn’t make it through the movie but he refused to leave.
DS and I returned to our room and jumped in to bed. The poor turkey leg was never touched.
JDBlair
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- Sep 2, 2006
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You did and you can! Thank you! She is quite a character and I think it comes through in her pictures, as well!
Glad I could assist! And no one should miss that show. We make our way to Parrot Cay for dinner and our tablemates had already told our server we wouldnt be there. Well, imagine their surprise when we sat down! And then, it happened. Alexander, our server, asks us why we were going to miss dinner, our tablemates had told him we would eat at Topsiders and he wanted to know if we had a problem with service or the food or anything? (I should have taken a picture of his face when he said Topsider. It looked like he had bitten in to a lemon or something!) As he asked, I am sure there were tears welling up in his eyes, I kid you not!!!!for even considering skipping our dining rotation!! He really looked crushed! I believe everyone at the table then vowed they would not skip a dining rotation as none of us wanted to crush Alexanders heart!!! We truly felt the love with our server that night!!!
I was going to write this up in my TR but figured it I'd save it for you since you were the guilty party. It was just funny and no one else can possibly understand how we all agreed to not skip dinner ever because it seemed like his feelings were genuinely hurt.
Just for the record: pretty nervy of you guys to try and bail that night!!
You're making me so sad that Alexander won't be on the ship when we sail in 2 weeks. We loved him so much last year I would have loved to request him as our server this year.
Great trip report! I love reading about your son it helps me know I'm not alone. My DS is the most amazing, loving, wonderful boy at home but when we get on the ship he is a horrible teen. He wants nothing to do with us. It seems as if we are torturing him to spend a minute with us but then there will be those moments that will melt your heart and make your forget that terrible teen with the horrible attitude. I guess we should be grateful that they love the Stack as much as they do.
Keep the report coming. You have me so excited about getting on the ship again!
Great trip report! I love reading about your son it helps me know I'm not alone. My DS is the most amazing, loving, wonderful boy at home but when we get on the ship he is a horrible teen. He wants nothing to do with us. It seems as if we are torturing him to spend a minute with us but then there will be those moments that will melt your heart and make your forget that terrible teen with the horrible attitude. I guess we should be grateful that they love the Stack as much as they do.
Keep the report coming. You have me so excited about getting on the ship again!
JDBlair
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I was going to write this up in my TR but figured it I'd save it for you since you were the guilty party. It was just funny and no one else can possibly understand how we all agreed to not skip dinner ever because it seemed like his feelings were genuinely hurt.
Just for the record: pretty nervy of you guys to try and bail that night!!
It's not "bailing" if you tell people your plans. We just wanted to do too much and didn't think about the 2 pm show. What's important here is we made it to dinner, Alexander didn't cry and everyone learned it was unacceptable to ditch dinner!
I'm sorry Alexander won't be there for your sailing!
But maybe you can request Kendell (explanation on that coming up!)! 
I have a feeling a lot of us parents here with ST's can relate to one another. We can use this thread for a support group!
And I'm with you. We should probably be grateful they had an amazing time or we would have all heard about it every moment of the day and our vacations would have been completely ruined instead of just spoiled here and there for a moment or two!! Thank you for reading!!! I'm working on the next installment and will hopefully post it tonight!
JDBlair
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- Sep 2, 2006
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- 1,627
4 hours and 45 minutes after I had gone to bed, the phone begins to ring but I am far too exhausted to realize it’s truly the phone and not my dream. However, I sense DH is out of bed and getting dressed and then I hear, “Babe, it’s time to get up. Babe, get up!” Huh? Think, think, think. 
Why is he up before me?? Oh, yes, Customs Inspection. I slowly push myself out of bed by saying, “I don’t want to sleep my vacation away” and we make our way to the Walt Disney Theatre, the kids and I still in our pj’s! We’re seated to the right of the stage and we wait. The CM’s explain the Custom Inspectors are on the way and we’ll be out of here in no time, they also explain those seated in the middle section would go through customs first. When the Inspectors arrive, they look serious and like they mean business. The main Customs Inspector guy is big, bad and I seriously would not mess with him. 
He approaches the people sitting in the front row of the right section and people in the middle section start yelling at him (seriously, they were YELLING at him), “NO, no, NO!!! Wait!!” and big, bad Inspector man takes a defensive stance of, “Do not mess with me”, turns to the middle section and he yells back something like, “DO YOU MIND??” My eyes were as big as the saucers Alexander used the night before to turn me in to Mickey (I’m awake now!) and I can’t help but think, “They did not just yell at Big, Bad Inspector guy?” So, I ask DH and he confirms they did, indeed, yell at the man who holds the power of whether or not we leave this room!!! Wow!!! This is the moment I realize that people (adults) on the ship are beginning to lose their Disney Spirit and are having more meltdowns than the children! Wow!
They didn’t finish the middle section before they started helping our section and we were quickly out of there. Having the Passports really helped because I noticed those with birth certificates and photo ID’s were taking a little longer to be dismissed. We make our way back to the room and DS gets back in bed. The plan today was to leave the ship, without DS, and go to Maagen’s Bay. I tried to talk DS in to going with us, telling him it wouldn’t be the same as St Maarten, we were going to the beach but he either doesn’t believe me or doesn’t care. I feel seriously torn about leaving him behind, worried we will have a good time without him and he’ll miss out on it, worried he won't be safe on the ship and maybe I should just force him to go. I’m not too worried about his safety on the ship, I truly felt he was safe on the ship and I knew there was no way he could leave the ship without us. It was a tough decision. My head said one thing (let him stay) but my heart said another (take him with us). My head won.
DH, DD and I dressed for the beach and packed our carry-on bag. We went to Lumiere’s for breakfast because we were in no hurry to leave. We had a lovely breakfast and met a CM that truly stood out as a diamond in the rough. (I can’t say enough about CM’s on the ship. I rarely passed one that didn’t greet me, ask if they could help, etc. For the most part, every interaction with a CM, big or small, was incredible. I say “for the most part” because some of the CM’s at the food stands near the pools really seemed like they hated their jobs. I don’t know if it was just me but most of these CM’s seemed to be going very slowly and really seemed like they wished we would go away. While they were never rude, they just didn’t strike me to have that CM Disney Spirit!) But I digress, back to the CM at breakfast. Kendell!!
He was so friendly and attentive and pleasant. We had a lovely chat with him! This was the third time I wanted to take a picture of a CM on the ship so we could always remember him!! (The first being Alexander, then Sara (our stateroom hostess that I never got a picture of), and now Kendell!) We really, really loved Kendell and for those of you who had him as part of your dining rotation for dinner – I envy you! I think he and Alexander would make the perfect serving-team combo!
So, after our leisurely breakfast, we make our way off the ship and I am armed and ready to be approached like St. Maarten. Imagine my surprise when we made it a little ways from the ship and nobody had approached us. (Although DH says he was approached for braids!) Wow. Less than 5 minutes on the island, 100 feet from the ship and I already like this place a million times more than St. Maarten. We actually had to ask a clerk in a shop where we could catch a taxi!!
We load an open-air taxi taking us to Maagen’s Bay. There were other people on the taxi and I think they were from the RC ship also in port. The ride to Maagen’s Bay scared me to death!!!! While it’s a scenic drive and I told myself if I died, it’d at least be in a pretty setting, it even scared DD! DD maintained a death-grip on both DH and I for the entire ride! I had to keep telling myself we were on the Jungle Boat ride at Disneyland and nobody dies on that ride! I was very thankful when we reached our destination and nobody en route died!! What I wasn’t prepared for was the price of $8 a person for the taxi ride, they were kind enough to not charge us for DD. (My Passporter said the ride would be $3 a person!) Then our fee to get on the beach was $4 a person and I don’t believe we had to pay for DD. I had forgotten they didn’t provide lounge chairs and we’d have to “rent” those. So, DH rents 2, we decide against the floats, and we drag our chairs down to our spot. We didn’t bring towels and we could have “rented” them but by this time, we’d paid far more than I had anticipated and we could drip-dry! While the price was a little steep, we were on vacation and when would we have a chance to go to Maagen's Bay again??
Maagen’s Bay is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(view to the left of my chair)
(view to the right of my chair)
The water temperature was perfect!! I was so envious of the homes overlooking the bay, what a lovely view they have. It was about 9:30 by the time we settled in at Maagen’s Bay and we began playing with the sand toys and trying to build castles. We were having a great time.
It was so peaceful and relatively quiet. A small rain shower came in and it was hilarious to watch people run from the ocean to the shelter. It’s not like there was lightening! During this very brief shower, DH, DD and I were practically alone out there in the water! We really loved laying in the ocean and letting the small waves move us towards the beach and then slightly away from the beach!
I probably spent 10 minutes on the lounge chair we rented and DH never sat on his! The rest of the time was spent playing in the sand or swimming in the ocean! We were there for about 2 hours and it was getting busy and loud. We were relatively tired and starting to get hungry. Not wanting to spend money on food there, we decided to head back to the ship! We were rallied together by a taxi driver claiming he would be leaving very soon. So, we rushed to jump in his taxi. But he lied, he wasn’t leaving soon. He was very busy trying to rally together more people. He seated another 8 people after us and went back for more. The people sitting behind us, already in the taxi when we got in, were clearly unhappy and kept yelling, at the top of their lungs and directly behind my ear, at the driver to, “Come on! Let's GOOOO!!! Hurry up!!!” They were more annoying than the actual wait! It actually took the lady sitting in a chair, across from our taxi, listening to a ghetto blaster, surrounded by 2 other men yelling at our taxi driver to get it going before he actually “got it going”! Soon, we were on the return version of Death Drive – Pretend You’re on a Disney Ride 2007!
The Death Drive – Pretend You’re on a Disney Ride 2007, coupled with being covered in sand and salt, made for an uncomfortable ride home but with the Magic in view, I could survive!
But the “ride” wasn’t over yet. Once off the taxi, the driver explained to another family it was $8 per person, including the children. What? (They had 4 or 5 children with them + the 4 adults!
) So, the 2 men in that family started explaining they weren’t charged that to get to the beach. DH wasn’t going to stand and argue, he handed the driver $16, said, “TWO!” and we walked away. I surely hope that unsuspecting family didn’t pay $8 a person!! (I later saw them in the trip at the dining table next to us for dinner and was going to ask but I felt it would be rude!) We shortly debated shopping, went in to one shop and decided to just get back on the ship!
I had the genius idea to go on up to Deck 9 and use the outdoor showers there to rinse off! On our way to the Goofy pool, we noticed the Mickey Pool was empty and the line for the slide was non-existent so DD got in a quick slide or two!
We rinsed off at the Goofy pool area showers and jumped in the pool for a quick swim! Nice!!! We dined on pizza for lunch and enjoyed the near-empty deck. While we were dining, a single line of teen-agers passes us and I notice at the end of the line is DS!
Yeah, he’s alive and well!!!! I scream out, “Jacob!” and all the teens smile and stop and DS blushes. I jump up and hug him! He commented he thought we were going to the island and I told him we were back. (You know that scene in Grease where Sandy and Danny are reunited with each other at the Pep Rally and there's the awkward little meet and greet where they're surrounded by the Pink Ladies and the T's? This exchange between DS and I was kind of like that!) I asked what he was doing and he said they were going to the Stack. Is that code?? Not wanting to embarrass him any longer than I probably already had or hold up the group, I say good-bye and we’ll see him later, remind him he’s on pager duty that night and when to meet us. He quickly leaves.
DD is showing signs of being near a meltdown and DH is clearly tired so we head back to the room for a nap. I’m in no mood to nap (remember the “not sleeping away my vacation” deal?) and suggest I go to the pool while they nap! DH agreed and I was off. Told him I’d be back in a couple of hours (allowing him enough time to sleep but to return in time to prepare for, say it with me, PALO!!!). I gather my belongings and rush to the Quiet Cove Pool!
Earlier in the week I was starting to feel like I would never have a chance to do all the things I had read so much about on the board. The Quiet Cove Pool was one of those things! I know DH and I made a brief visit to the hot tub earlier in the week (not sure which day so it’s not in the report) but not long enough to truly appreciate it. So, I made a stop for a plate full of pineapple (my favorite fruit), a drink from Signals, and I slipped in to the incredibly warm pool! The pool water was warm enough to be a hot tub but it felt good!!!!!!!!!! I struck up a nice conversation with a lady in the pool and we talked about her previous cruises and the current cruise. I kept dreaming of my “someday” talking about my previous DCL cruises. We talked about packing obstacles, they’re able to drive to the terminal and I am not! It was a nice talk but my ADHD kicked in and I wanted to go to Deck 7!
I find the secluded deck there and to my surprise, only 1 other person is out taking advantage of it. It was so quiet and peaceful, until some kid comes out there and starts using the railing for a drum set! I had a lovely view of the island, clouds and RC’s bridge.
I tried to write a little in my journal but the ADHD kicked in again (the rail-drum playing didn't help). So, I was off to Deck 4! I find a comfy chair to sit in and watch CM’s practice lowering one of the lifeboats.
This is where I encounter “Stupidest Mother of the Cruise!” Stupid Son (SS) and Stupid Mother (SM) come out on deck and notice the lifeboat. SM walks a little further up the deck ignoring SS! SS has used his gripping Crocs to help him climb up the Plexiglas and overlook the rail! (Maybe he thought he was Spiderman with his Crocs on?
) I am half tempted to rush over and explain he should not do this until I clearly see that SM sees, obviously, what he is doing but does not instruct him to do otherwise. I look around, in a panic of sorts, and do see signs that say not to climb! I hear SM speak in very clear English with no accent so I am only to assume it isn’t a language issue and she knows how to read! At one point, SS is using his gripping Crocs to climb further up the glass and he slips and lunges forward. 
My heart nearly stops! I know SM sees this heart-stopping-moment occur because she makes some comment to him about not climbing up "so high"!! SM is busy taking pictures of the drill and comments to SS and tells him to lean in to pose for a picture!! He leans further over the railing, after being prompted by his SM's hand signals, so she can get him in the picture with the boat (lowered almost completely down) and the ocean! I had already started snapping pictures of SS and SM in the event DCL needed them to use against SM when/if the child falls overboard! (I don’t believe I am an over-protective parent, I mean, HELLO! I left my DS on the ship while we went ashore. But I never once allowed DD to lean over the railing (when she was in my arms) for fear of being bumped and losing my balance or anything like that and I sure did not allow her to climb up the Plexiglas. I had also stressed the importance to DS about safety around the rails and how deadly it could be!) While this little incident occurred, there were other people on the deck and quite a few of us looked around at each other with expressions of, “Can you believe what we’re seeing?” Freak accidents can and do happen! Thank God nothing happened to this SS! As soon as this moment was over, they left, and I had to gather my belongings and return inside before I witnessed another incredibly stupid moment! People need to Think-Think-Think! In hind-sight, I should have said something to SM instead of taking her picture. If I ever see anything like this happen again, I will say something because I’d rather have some SM think I’m being nosey than to watch their SS fall overboard and have that on my conscience!
I still had some time before I promised to wake DH and DD so I wandered around inside. I found the doors to AP open and went inside. I was worried a CM would be along soon to “shew” me out so I snapped quickly and made my way!
The ship was starting to become busy with the return of the St. Thomas visitors and I made my way back to our room! I believe I had to wake DD and DH and while got their bearings, I snapped our view!
Why is he up before me?? Oh, yes, Customs Inspection. I slowly push myself out of bed by saying, “I don’t want to sleep my vacation away” and we make our way to the Walt Disney Theatre, the kids and I still in our pj’s! We’re seated to the right of the stage and we wait. The CM’s explain the Custom Inspectors are on the way and we’ll be out of here in no time, they also explain those seated in the middle section would go through customs first. When the Inspectors arrive, they look serious and like they mean business. The main Customs Inspector guy is big, bad and I seriously would not mess with him. He approaches the people sitting in the front row of the right section and people in the middle section start yelling at him (seriously, they were YELLING at him), “NO, no, NO!!! Wait!!” and big, bad Inspector man takes a defensive stance of, “Do not mess with me”, turns to the middle section and he yells back something like, “DO YOU MIND??” My eyes were as big as the saucers Alexander used the night before to turn me in to Mickey (I’m awake now!) and I can’t help but think, “They did not just yell at Big, Bad Inspector guy?” So, I ask DH and he confirms they did, indeed, yell at the man who holds the power of whether or not we leave this room!!! Wow!!! This is the moment I realize that people (adults) on the ship are beginning to lose their Disney Spirit and are having more meltdowns than the children! Wow!They didn’t finish the middle section before they started helping our section and we were quickly out of there. Having the Passports really helped because I noticed those with birth certificates and photo ID’s were taking a little longer to be dismissed. We make our way back to the room and DS gets back in bed. The plan today was to leave the ship, without DS, and go to Maagen’s Bay. I tried to talk DS in to going with us, telling him it wouldn’t be the same as St Maarten, we were going to the beach but he either doesn’t believe me or doesn’t care. I feel seriously torn about leaving him behind, worried we will have a good time without him and he’ll miss out on it, worried he won't be safe on the ship and maybe I should just force him to go. I’m not too worried about his safety on the ship, I truly felt he was safe on the ship and I knew there was no way he could leave the ship without us. It was a tough decision. My head said one thing (let him stay) but my heart said another (take him with us). My head won.
DH, DD and I dressed for the beach and packed our carry-on bag. We went to Lumiere’s for breakfast because we were in no hurry to leave. We had a lovely breakfast and met a CM that truly stood out as a diamond in the rough. (I can’t say enough about CM’s on the ship. I rarely passed one that didn’t greet me, ask if they could help, etc. For the most part, every interaction with a CM, big or small, was incredible. I say “for the most part” because some of the CM’s at the food stands near the pools really seemed like they hated their jobs. I don’t know if it was just me but most of these CM’s seemed to be going very slowly and really seemed like they wished we would go away. While they were never rude, they just didn’t strike me to have that CM Disney Spirit!) But I digress, back to the CM at breakfast. Kendell!!
He was so friendly and attentive and pleasant. We had a lovely chat with him! This was the third time I wanted to take a picture of a CM on the ship so we could always remember him!! (The first being Alexander, then Sara (our stateroom hostess that I never got a picture of), and now Kendell!) We really, really loved Kendell and for those of you who had him as part of your dining rotation for dinner – I envy you! I think he and Alexander would make the perfect serving-team combo!
So, after our leisurely breakfast, we make our way off the ship and I am armed and ready to be approached like St. Maarten. Imagine my surprise when we made it a little ways from the ship and nobody had approached us. (Although DH says he was approached for braids!) Wow. Less than 5 minutes on the island, 100 feet from the ship and I already like this place a million times more than St. Maarten. We actually had to ask a clerk in a shop where we could catch a taxi!!
We load an open-air taxi taking us to Maagen’s Bay. There were other people on the taxi and I think they were from the RC ship also in port. The ride to Maagen’s Bay scared me to death!!!! While it’s a scenic drive and I told myself if I died, it’d at least be in a pretty setting, it even scared DD! DD maintained a death-grip on both DH and I for the entire ride! I had to keep telling myself we were on the Jungle Boat ride at Disneyland and nobody dies on that ride! I was very thankful when we reached our destination and nobody en route died!! What I wasn’t prepared for was the price of $8 a person for the taxi ride, they were kind enough to not charge us for DD. (My Passporter said the ride would be $3 a person!) Then our fee to get on the beach was $4 a person and I don’t believe we had to pay for DD. I had forgotten they didn’t provide lounge chairs and we’d have to “rent” those. So, DH rents 2, we decide against the floats, and we drag our chairs down to our spot. We didn’t bring towels and we could have “rented” them but by this time, we’d paid far more than I had anticipated and we could drip-dry! While the price was a little steep, we were on vacation and when would we have a chance to go to Maagen's Bay again??
Maagen’s Bay is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(view to the left of my chair)
(view to the right of my chair)
The water temperature was perfect!! I was so envious of the homes overlooking the bay, what a lovely view they have. It was about 9:30 by the time we settled in at Maagen’s Bay and we began playing with the sand toys and trying to build castles. We were having a great time.
It was so peaceful and relatively quiet. A small rain shower came in and it was hilarious to watch people run from the ocean to the shelter. It’s not like there was lightening! During this very brief shower, DH, DD and I were practically alone out there in the water! We really loved laying in the ocean and letting the small waves move us towards the beach and then slightly away from the beach!
I probably spent 10 minutes on the lounge chair we rented and DH never sat on his! The rest of the time was spent playing in the sand or swimming in the ocean! We were there for about 2 hours and it was getting busy and loud. We were relatively tired and starting to get hungry. Not wanting to spend money on food there, we decided to head back to the ship! We were rallied together by a taxi driver claiming he would be leaving very soon. So, we rushed to jump in his taxi. But he lied, he wasn’t leaving soon. He was very busy trying to rally together more people. He seated another 8 people after us and went back for more. The people sitting behind us, already in the taxi when we got in, were clearly unhappy and kept yelling, at the top of their lungs and directly behind my ear, at the driver to, “Come on! Let's GOOOO!!! Hurry up!!!” They were more annoying than the actual wait! It actually took the lady sitting in a chair, across from our taxi, listening to a ghetto blaster, surrounded by 2 other men yelling at our taxi driver to get it going before he actually “got it going”! Soon, we were on the return version of Death Drive – Pretend You’re on a Disney Ride 2007!
The Death Drive – Pretend You’re on a Disney Ride 2007, coupled with being covered in sand and salt, made for an uncomfortable ride home but with the Magic in view, I could survive!
But the “ride” wasn’t over yet. Once off the taxi, the driver explained to another family it was $8 per person, including the children. What? (They had 4 or 5 children with them + the 4 adults!
) So, the 2 men in that family started explaining they weren’t charged that to get to the beach. DH wasn’t going to stand and argue, he handed the driver $16, said, “TWO!” and we walked away. I surely hope that unsuspecting family didn’t pay $8 a person!! (I later saw them in the trip at the dining table next to us for dinner and was going to ask but I felt it would be rude!) We shortly debated shopping, went in to one shop and decided to just get back on the ship! I had the genius idea to go on up to Deck 9 and use the outdoor showers there to rinse off! On our way to the Goofy pool, we noticed the Mickey Pool was empty and the line for the slide was non-existent so DD got in a quick slide or two!
We rinsed off at the Goofy pool area showers and jumped in the pool for a quick swim! Nice!!! We dined on pizza for lunch and enjoyed the near-empty deck. While we were dining, a single line of teen-agers passes us and I notice at the end of the line is DS!
Yeah, he’s alive and well!!!! I scream out, “Jacob!” and all the teens smile and stop and DS blushes. I jump up and hug him! He commented he thought we were going to the island and I told him we were back. (You know that scene in Grease where Sandy and Danny are reunited with each other at the Pep Rally and there's the awkward little meet and greet where they're surrounded by the Pink Ladies and the T's? This exchange between DS and I was kind of like that!) I asked what he was doing and he said they were going to the Stack. Is that code?? Not wanting to embarrass him any longer than I probably already had or hold up the group, I say good-bye and we’ll see him later, remind him he’s on pager duty that night and when to meet us. He quickly leaves. DD is showing signs of being near a meltdown and DH is clearly tired so we head back to the room for a nap. I’m in no mood to nap (remember the “not sleeping away my vacation” deal?) and suggest I go to the pool while they nap! DH agreed and I was off. Told him I’d be back in a couple of hours (allowing him enough time to sleep but to return in time to prepare for, say it with me, PALO!!!). I gather my belongings and rush to the Quiet Cove Pool!
Earlier in the week I was starting to feel like I would never have a chance to do all the things I had read so much about on the board. The Quiet Cove Pool was one of those things! I know DH and I made a brief visit to the hot tub earlier in the week (not sure which day so it’s not in the report) but not long enough to truly appreciate it. So, I made a stop for a plate full of pineapple (my favorite fruit), a drink from Signals, and I slipped in to the incredibly warm pool! The pool water was warm enough to be a hot tub but it felt good!!!!!!!!!! I struck up a nice conversation with a lady in the pool and we talked about her previous cruises and the current cruise. I kept dreaming of my “someday” talking about my previous DCL cruises. We talked about packing obstacles, they’re able to drive to the terminal and I am not! It was a nice talk but my ADHD kicked in and I wanted to go to Deck 7!
I find the secluded deck there and to my surprise, only 1 other person is out taking advantage of it. It was so quiet and peaceful, until some kid comes out there and starts using the railing for a drum set! I had a lovely view of the island, clouds and RC’s bridge.
I tried to write a little in my journal but the ADHD kicked in again (the rail-drum playing didn't help). So, I was off to Deck 4! I find a comfy chair to sit in and watch CM’s practice lowering one of the lifeboats.
This is where I encounter “Stupidest Mother of the Cruise!” Stupid Son (SS) and Stupid Mother (SM) come out on deck and notice the lifeboat. SM walks a little further up the deck ignoring SS! SS has used his gripping Crocs to help him climb up the Plexiglas and overlook the rail! (Maybe he thought he was Spiderman with his Crocs on?
) I am half tempted to rush over and explain he should not do this until I clearly see that SM sees, obviously, what he is doing but does not instruct him to do otherwise. I look around, in a panic of sorts, and do see signs that say not to climb! I hear SM speak in very clear English with no accent so I am only to assume it isn’t a language issue and she knows how to read! At one point, SS is using his gripping Crocs to climb further up the glass and he slips and lunges forward. My heart nearly stops! I know SM sees this heart-stopping-moment occur because she makes some comment to him about not climbing up "so high"!! SM is busy taking pictures of the drill and comments to SS and tells him to lean in to pose for a picture!! He leans further over the railing, after being prompted by his SM's hand signals, so she can get him in the picture with the boat (lowered almost completely down) and the ocean! I had already started snapping pictures of SS and SM in the event DCL needed them to use against SM when/if the child falls overboard! (I don’t believe I am an over-protective parent, I mean, HELLO! I left my DS on the ship while we went ashore. But I never once allowed DD to lean over the railing (when she was in my arms) for fear of being bumped and losing my balance or anything like that and I sure did not allow her to climb up the Plexiglas. I had also stressed the importance to DS about safety around the rails and how deadly it could be!) While this little incident occurred, there were other people on the deck and quite a few of us looked around at each other with expressions of, “Can you believe what we’re seeing?” Freak accidents can and do happen! Thank God nothing happened to this SS! As soon as this moment was over, they left, and I had to gather my belongings and return inside before I witnessed another incredibly stupid moment! People need to Think-Think-Think! In hind-sight, I should have said something to SM instead of taking her picture. If I ever see anything like this happen again, I will say something because I’d rather have some SM think I’m being nosey than to watch their SS fall overboard and have that on my conscience! I still had some time before I promised to wake DH and DD so I wandered around inside. I found the doors to AP open and went inside. I was worried a CM would be along soon to “shew” me out so I snapped quickly and made my way!
The ship was starting to become busy with the return of the St. Thomas visitors and I made my way back to our room! I believe I had to wake DD and DH and while got their bearings, I snapped our view!
JLSE50
DIS Veteran ** I am a post menopausal woman--my br
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- Apr 13, 2002
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- 6,427
4 hours and 45 minutes after I had gone to bed, the phone begins to ring but I am far too exhausted to realize it’s truly the phone and not my dream. However, I sense DH is out of bed and getting dressed and then I hear, “Babe, it’s time to get up. Babe, get up!” Huh? Think, think, think.
They didn’t finish the middle section before they started helping our section and we were quickly out of there.......
We had an EARLY excursion to St. John.
We got up EARLY and were some of the first into the Walt Disney Theater theater.
We were TOLD by the CMs to sit in the middle as Customs Officials would check us out in the order we had been seated. The CMs knew we had early excursions and said this would let us get out in time to get some breakfast.
The Customs Officials did not board the ship when they were expected so we SAT and WAITED.
That is why people in the middle section were upset. We did not see the POC movie, we went to bed early, we got up early, we followed the CMs' directions and saw the Customs Officials start to check out the late-comers first.
We were NOT quickly out of there and we had a deadline to meet. The excursions can and do leave without people if they are not at the meeting place on time.
As it was, we had to go to Parrot Cay, get a plate of food and eat standing in the back of Buena Vista Theater while waiting for our excursion to be gathered and head out to the ferry.
It was a nerve wracking time and we suggested (on the comment card for the cruise) that they not scheduling excursion departures so tightly with the Customs inspection.
Now you know that there were reasons why the center section was melting down.
Jan
PS: We saw MANY teenagers wandering around the ship Friday night, hugging, crying, sad faces and promising they would never forget each other and would always stay in touch. Yup--The Stack sure has something going on for those kids.
LovableGluttons
See Ya REAL Soon!
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2007
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- 1,298
Fantastic trippie!
St Thomas sounds so nice!
More please!
St Thomas sounds so nice!
More please!
LITTLEKID58
Platinum Castaway
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- Sep 22, 2001
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- 2,666
TFS pics are awesome
JDBlair
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
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- 1,627
Wonder if one of those teen's was mine. I don't think he came in until 3 am that evening! Thank you for reading!!! St Thomas, particularly Maagen's Bay, was beautiful. We would do this again but I hear a lot of great things from my other shipmates/DISBoarders about Coral World and Coki Beach - I think are the names.
I'm hoping to post the St Thomas (PM) tonight.
Thank you for reading and for the compliment!!
Gr00vyChc
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2007
- Messages
- 545
Hi Jac 
I L-O-V-Ed your trip report. I could feel your excitement as you were writing it. Very well done! I wish we could've spent more time with you guys I should've done what you did.. just relax and not rush into every little thing. I think I changed my DD 2 or more times a day, morning, portraits, dinner... uuuggh.. my DH thought that we'd get to relax more.. I said.. maybe on the next cruise 
I didn't know that my DD will get to see the characters more during the week, instead, I kept rushing at every photo op and she begged me to let her go to the club. And of course, the time that we had our Palo dinner was when the only time that she paged us! (It was pirate night and they were playing pirates which she didn't like). We did however go to the pirate show.. this she liked!
Thanks for the trip report!
Pauline
I L-O-V-Ed your trip report. I could feel your excitement as you were writing it. Very well done! I wish we could've spent more time with you guys
I should've done what you did.. just relax and not rush into every little thing. I think I changed my DD 2 or more times a day, morning, portraits, dinner... uuuggh.. my DH thought that we'd get to relax more.. I said.. maybe on the next cruise I didn't know that my DD will get to see the characters more during the week, instead, I kept rushing at every photo op and she begged me to let her go to the club. And of course, the time that we had our Palo dinner was when the only time that she paged us! (It was pirate night and they were playing pirates which she didn't like). We did however go to the pirate show.. this she liked!Thanks for the trip report!
Pauline
JDBlair
DIS Veteran
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- Sep 2, 2006
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- 1,627
Tonight was, say it with me, PALO dinner and I was very ready for this experience. I dressed and took DD to the club while DH finished dressing. (Has anyone noticed that sometimes men take longer to get ready to go out than women?? Or is it just me?) DD’s club was having a “Breath of Fresh Air” on Deck 7 aft so we made our way there. The kids were listening to a story, one boy was having his face painted and other people were out there watching the ship pull away from St. Thomas. I watched a family taking pictures with the father and mother taking turns posing with the children. Having had this dilemma ourselves throughout the entire trip, I walked over and offered to photograph them all together. Oh boy, you would think I had just offered the parents a hundred dollars. They were so happy and thankful and told me how all their pictures were either one or the other of them with the children. I told them it was the same for us and I completely understand how that can be a little disheartening when you look back over your vacation photos. I really hope that picture came out nicely for them because the mother and father were just beaming!!! 
It was fun to stand out there on the deck and listen to the RC people scream and wave good-bye to us. Of course, I waved back feeling sorry for them that I was on the better ship!
DD is running back and forth between me at the rail and her club. I told her she needed to sit down and listen to the story and be quiet or stay with me but not back and forth. That’s when she used her weapon, “I need to go potty!” I started to leave and take her but the CM that checked DD in immediately told me that one of the female CM’s would do it. Wow!!! I wish they could live with me forever because DD usually likes to ruin a nice, peaceful moment with a trip to the restroom!
While DD was gone on her adventure to the restroom, I made my exit. I return back to the room to find DS sitting on the couch with pager in hand. We begin the drill! We explained if the pager went off, he had to get his sister and bring her back to the room! We went down the list of no fighting, no arguing, treat her like a princess, order room service (here’s tip money!), let her watch what she wants on TV but whatever you do – do not ruin our PALO!!! This was followed with the threat that if he ruins our PALO or we return to a nightmare in the stateroom, he will spend all day Thursday with us!! Since we all know by now that the Stack has a hold on him, we knew he’d make it his top priority to follow our rules to avoid the dreaded punishment of having to spend time with his family! He was given a time to meet us back in the stateroom to return the pager and relieve him of his duties!
It was too early for our dinner so we went out to get a drink at Signals and sit in the comfy chairs on the deck in Quiet Cove and watch the ship sail away from St. Thomas. What a handsome man I have!!
Vacation ADHD can be a real pain sometimes. It’s very, very hard to just sit still. When the kids are with you, they don’t let you sit still. When the kids aren’t with you, you start thinking of all the things you want to do that you normally can’t do because the kids are with you and you have to do what they want to do! It’s such a dilemma!! DH, however, can completely chill when the kids aren’t there and it takes him no time whatsoever to ease in to it.
We arrived at Palo at 5:45 pm because I didn’t want to be late to the most anticipated meal of the year! We were seated a little after 6. Sylvester was our server and he promptly greeted us. This is what I think happens in Palo; they give you your menu and go stand around the corner and observe you reading the menu. If you look like you have an idea as to what you are reading, they leave you alone. However, if you look at the menu, then look up at your companion and you both looked dazed and confused, the server quickly returns and takes the menus away from you! Disney doesn’t want you to hurt yourself trying to figure such things out (you’re on vacation, after all!) and they don’t want you to get all stressed in the process. So, they train their Palo staff to be very, very observant of the guests and teach them how to read people like the FBI can! (It’s true, go with me on this.
)
DH and I truly had no idea what we were looking at on the menu. It was a little overwhelming and so many choices. Sylvester begins asking us questions about the types of foods we enjoy, what kinds we don’t like and repeatedly tells us he’ll take care of us. Works for me!!! I love anyone that can order me food that I actually enjoy. Not that I’m a picky eater but I kind of am. So Sylvester leaves us bread with these plates with dips and other stuff.
(I’m a real class act, right? I’m sorry, I know they told us what it was but I truly have no clue what it was!) Oh my gosh was it good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sylvester quickly returned and ordered us not to fill up on bread so we immediately stop eating it. Later he returns and tells us we can keep eating the bread but he doesn’t want us to fill up on it.
One of the reasons I booked Wednesday night is because I read a tip that said to do Palo for dinner on a port day because you can see the island lights as you sail away. We saw no lights! While we had a window seat, we were eye level with the hand rail outside. The hand rail blocks the horizon.
I’m not complaining at all but just wanted to add this bit just in case someone ever feels bad they don’t have a window seat or they have a Palo dinner on a sea day. Once the sun set, we couldn’t see anything in the window except our reflection!
Back to the food. I didn’t take pictures of all of it because it was a little weird whipping out a camera to photograph your food when you’re the only person in the room doing it. Next time, I’ll make sure Christa and her DH go to Palo dinner with DH and me so Christa and I can be Picture-Taking-Partners-in-Crime! The pictures I did take in Palo were done while DH kept an eye out and I snapped as quickly as I could, without using flash! I can tell you that we absolutely loved every single dish Sylvester put on our table. Yum-o-licious! I really wish I had taken more pictures of the food because I would like to remember what we ate, share it with you and drool over it now!! So, another word to the wise – take pictures of what you want (even if it’s food) and don’t worry about what others think. That’s a tip I’m going to use next time!
For appetizer, he brought me a portabella drizzled with chocolate and lying on a bed of cous cous – I think it was cous cous. It was yummy!!!!! We had the 5 cheese pizza and I think DH died and went to heaven for a split second. He is a big fan of pizza and this definitely was a hit with him!!! It was a hit with me, too! I may be a picky eater but I’m a simple-picky eater! Makes sense?? We kept taking bites of things and going, “Oooo, this is soooo gooooodd. Here..Try it!!”
I did order the chocolate martini Sylvester recommended and upon first sip, DH was worried I was going to reenact the scene in, “When Harry Met Sally.” We all know the scene; I don’t need to go in to details. I couldn’t help but take a picture of this perfection because I most definitely wanted to remember that moment!!!
DH and I both had the filet for dinner and what an excellent choice Sylvester made for us.
When it came time for dessert, Sylvester asked if I liked chocolate. Have you seen, “American Beauty” when Kevin Spacey finishes working out and his daughter’s friend is admiring him? She compliments him on his physique and he asks, “You like, muscles?” Sylvester asking me if I liked chocolate was kind of like that in the tone and voice inflection and it made me giggle!! Obviously I like chocolate, I had the chocolate portabella and martini and since he’s trained in reading people FBI style, he knew to only ask the questions he knows the answers to. He brought the soufflé as well as two other yummies. Let the flames begin, I am ready, but the soufflé in Lumiere’s was far superior to the one in Palo. Sad but true. I don’t think I even finished my soufflé in Palo but I did finish the yummy chocolate dessert Sylvester brought me!!
Before
After
Palo was everything and more and I am glad we had a dinner reservation. I know my main priority was brunch and I didn’t care if we had dinner reservations or not but now I’m glad we did!!! Sylvester was very sweet and definitely catered to our likes and dislikes. While we rolled out of Palo, DH asked if we’re allowed to have Sylvester as our waiter for Brunch the next day. I told him he can be requested but there are no guarantees (a tip I learned on the DIS)!! So, DH stops and requests Sylvester for brunch in the AM, they make the note and we roll to the elevators. With all the wonderful service offered on the ship, you’d think DCL would have their own special Oompa Loompa’s to roll you back to your rooms when you’re finished with dinner at Palo. I don’t know of too many people who actually “walk” out of Palo so the Oompa Loompa rolling service would be a great touch. I’d tip for that!!
We braced ourselves at our stateroom door, not because we were full, but because we had no idea what waited for us on the other side of that door. We had such a wonderful dinner, so relaxing and indulgent. It was nice to have this time to just DH and I to enjoy a meal with no repeated restroom visits!! I had even managed to overcome my Vacation ADHD during the meal and just sit and enjoy it. What a lovely evening.
We couldn’t hear anything from the hallway so that was half the battle. We open the door and are greeted by an empty room! It was as though the clouds parted, the sun beam shined down and the Angels sang!! 
To greet us on our bed was our towel animal, invitation to the Disney Vacation Club (in a cute plastic bottle thing!) and a scroll with a Tinker Bell pin attached to it. What’s this??
The Tinker Bell pin reads, “Where Dreams Come True” and the only words visible on the scroll were “Magical Moments.” I’m intrigued; this is nothing like the other goodies left on our bed any other evening! Quickly we unroll it to read, “Magical Moments Across the seas and over the years, may you always remember celebrating this Magical Moment with the Cast and Crew of Disney Cruise Line (Awarded To) The Blair Family (Your Disney Cruise Line Magical Moment) Your 1st Magical Disney Cruise!! (Presented By) Jonathan, Your Magical Concierge Team (Date) October 2007”. Jonathan, the manager at Guest Services!!! We had given him a little smile at the beginning of the trip and now he was returning the favor!!! Very sweet, very unexpected but very much appreciated and treasured!!!
DS returned right on schedule, quickly tossed us back the pager, asked how dinner went (I don’t think he really cared because he didn’t stay around long enough to hear the answer), and DH and I were alone again. I sat on the edge of the bed to change my shoes and as soon as my booty hit the bed, my eyes closed. I shot straight up, Not Sleeping Away my Vacation, and it was too early to go to bed.
After I changed my shoes, we decided to get DD from the Club, or at least check on her. As we make our way there, I notice Belle is in the lobby. I tell DH I’ll go get in line for Belle, he needs to get DD out of the Club and meet me in line. I rush to the line and just as soon as I reach the back of the line, the “closing the line” CM immediately gets behind me. I ask if I’m the last person in line, and you know he thinks to himself, “DUH!!” but he confirms I am! I do the Happy Dance and DH and DD join me. Closing-the-Line CM has to tell quite a few people the line is closed but they can return the next day at 11 am where they will have an opportunity to see all the princesses. I’m just stoked I was the last person in line because Cinderella may be DD’s favorite but Belle runs a very close 2nd, if not tied for 1st!!! When it’s finally our turn to greet Belle, DD is glowing!!! I think the pictures speak for themselves!!
While we were in line for Belle, and immediately after we parted ways with Belle, DD continually announces she is hungry. I have no doubt of this since she ate with the club and realistically that means she didn’t eat but played instead. We return to the room to decide what we’re going to do for the rest of the evening. I sit on the edge of the bed and my eyes close immediately, again. Isn’t this a problem only 90 year old men have?? DH starts commenting that I’m tired and I argue that I have to go to 80’s night tonight. He doesn’t insist I’m tired any more but instead asks what time the 80’s party starts. This was his secret way of arguing! It’s currently somewhere around 8:30, 80’s night is at 10:45 and there is clearly no way I’m going to make it. Giving in to being tired was far easier than trying to fight it and insist I wasn’t, because I was. I really, really was. The idea of pulling on my pj’s, ordering DD room service, snuggling up and watching TV really sounded good!!!! So that’s what we did. I ordered DD dinner and chocolate chip cookies for everyone. When the food arrived, I situated DD with her dinner tray and grabbed a cookie for me and jumped in to bed.
Propped up on my side with pillows, very yummy cookie in hand, I fell asleep.
Or is it just me?) DD’s club was having a “Breath of Fresh Air” on Deck 7 aft so we made our way there. The kids were listening to a story, one boy was having his face painted and other people were out there watching the ship pull away from St. Thomas. I watched a family taking pictures with the father and mother taking turns posing with the children. Having had this dilemma ourselves throughout the entire trip, I walked over and offered to photograph them all together. Oh boy, you would think I had just offered the parents a hundred dollars. They were so happy and thankful and told me how all their pictures were either one or the other of them with the children. I told them it was the same for us and I completely understand how that can be a little disheartening when you look back over your vacation photos. I really hope that picture came out nicely for them because the mother and father were just beaming!!! It was fun to stand out there on the deck and listen to the RC people scream and wave good-bye to us. Of course, I waved back feeling sorry for them that I was on the better ship!
DD is running back and forth between me at the rail and her club. I told her she needed to sit down and listen to the story and be quiet or stay with me but not back and forth. That’s when she used her weapon, “I need to go potty!” I started to leave and take her but the CM that checked DD in immediately told me that one of the female CM’s would do it. Wow!!! I wish they could live with me forever because DD usually likes to ruin a nice, peaceful moment with a trip to the restroom! While DD was gone on her adventure to the restroom, I made my exit. I return back to the room to find DS sitting on the couch with pager in hand. We begin the drill! We explained if the pager went off, he had to get his sister and bring her back to the room! We went down the list of no fighting, no arguing, treat her like a princess, order room service (here’s tip money!), let her watch what she wants on TV but whatever you do – do not ruin our PALO!!! This was followed with the threat that if he ruins our PALO or we return to a nightmare in the stateroom, he will spend all day Thursday with us!! Since we all know by now that the Stack has a hold on him, we knew he’d make it his top priority to follow our rules to avoid the dreaded punishment of having to spend time with his family! He was given a time to meet us back in the stateroom to return the pager and relieve him of his duties!
It was too early for our dinner so we went out to get a drink at Signals and sit in the comfy chairs on the deck in Quiet Cove and watch the ship sail away from St. Thomas. What a handsome man I have!!
Vacation ADHD can be a real pain sometimes. It’s very, very hard to just sit still. When the kids are with you, they don’t let you sit still. When the kids aren’t with you, you start thinking of all the things you want to do that you normally can’t do because the kids are with you and you have to do what they want to do! It’s such a dilemma!! DH, however, can completely chill when the kids aren’t there and it takes him no time whatsoever to ease in to it.
We arrived at Palo at 5:45 pm because I didn’t want to be late to the most anticipated meal of the year! We were seated a little after 6. Sylvester was our server and he promptly greeted us. This is what I think happens in Palo; they give you your menu and go stand around the corner and observe you reading the menu. If you look like you have an idea as to what you are reading, they leave you alone. However, if you look at the menu, then look up at your companion and you both looked dazed and confused, the server quickly returns and takes the menus away from you! Disney doesn’t want you to hurt yourself trying to figure such things out (you’re on vacation, after all!) and they don’t want you to get all stressed in the process. So, they train their Palo staff to be very, very observant of the guests and teach them how to read people like the FBI can! (It’s true, go with me on this.
) DH and I truly had no idea what we were looking at on the menu. It was a little overwhelming and so many choices. Sylvester begins asking us questions about the types of foods we enjoy, what kinds we don’t like and repeatedly tells us he’ll take care of us. Works for me!!! I love anyone that can order me food that I actually enjoy. Not that I’m a picky eater but I kind of am. So Sylvester leaves us bread with these plates with dips and other stuff.
(I’m a real class act, right? I’m sorry, I know they told us what it was but I truly have no clue what it was!) Oh my gosh was it good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sylvester quickly returned and ordered us not to fill up on bread so we immediately stop eating it. Later he returns and tells us we can keep eating the bread but he doesn’t want us to fill up on it.
One of the reasons I booked Wednesday night is because I read a tip that said to do Palo for dinner on a port day because you can see the island lights as you sail away. We saw no lights! While we had a window seat, we were eye level with the hand rail outside. The hand rail blocks the horizon.
I’m not complaining at all but just wanted to add this bit just in case someone ever feels bad they don’t have a window seat or they have a Palo dinner on a sea day. Once the sun set, we couldn’t see anything in the window except our reflection!
Back to the food. I didn’t take pictures of all of it because it was a little weird whipping out a camera to photograph your food when you’re the only person in the room doing it. Next time, I’ll make sure Christa and her DH go to Palo dinner with DH and me so Christa and I can be Picture-Taking-Partners-in-Crime! The pictures I did take in Palo were done while DH kept an eye out and I snapped as quickly as I could, without using flash! I can tell you that we absolutely loved every single dish Sylvester put on our table. Yum-o-licious! I really wish I had taken more pictures of the food because I would like to remember what we ate, share it with you and drool over it now!! So, another word to the wise – take pictures of what you want (even if it’s food) and don’t worry about what others think. That’s a tip I’m going to use next time!
For appetizer, he brought me a portabella drizzled with chocolate and lying on a bed of cous cous – I think it was cous cous. It was yummy!!!!! We had the 5 cheese pizza and I think DH died and went to heaven for a split second. He is a big fan of pizza and this definitely was a hit with him!!! It was a hit with me, too! I may be a picky eater but I’m a simple-picky eater! Makes sense?? We kept taking bites of things and going, “Oooo, this is soooo gooooodd. Here..Try it!!”
I did order the chocolate martini Sylvester recommended and upon first sip, DH was worried I was going to reenact the scene in, “When Harry Met Sally.” We all know the scene; I don’t need to go in to details. I couldn’t help but take a picture of this perfection because I most definitely wanted to remember that moment!!!
DH and I both had the filet for dinner and what an excellent choice Sylvester made for us.
When it came time for dessert, Sylvester asked if I liked chocolate. Have you seen, “American Beauty” when Kevin Spacey finishes working out and his daughter’s friend is admiring him? She compliments him on his physique and he asks, “You like, muscles?” Sylvester asking me if I liked chocolate was kind of like that in the tone and voice inflection and it made me giggle!! Obviously I like chocolate, I had the chocolate portabella and martini and since he’s trained in reading people FBI style, he knew to only ask the questions he knows the answers to. He brought the soufflé as well as two other yummies. Let the flames begin, I am ready, but the soufflé in Lumiere’s was far superior to the one in Palo. Sad but true. I don’t think I even finished my soufflé in Palo but I did finish the yummy chocolate dessert Sylvester brought me!!
Before
After
Palo was everything and more and I am glad we had a dinner reservation. I know my main priority was brunch and I didn’t care if we had dinner reservations or not but now I’m glad we did!!! Sylvester was very sweet and definitely catered to our likes and dislikes. While we rolled out of Palo, DH asked if we’re allowed to have Sylvester as our waiter for Brunch the next day. I told him he can be requested but there are no guarantees (a tip I learned on the DIS)!! So, DH stops and requests Sylvester for brunch in the AM, they make the note and we roll to the elevators. With all the wonderful service offered on the ship, you’d think DCL would have their own special Oompa Loompa’s to roll you back to your rooms when you’re finished with dinner at Palo. I don’t know of too many people who actually “walk” out of Palo so the Oompa Loompa rolling service would be a great touch. I’d tip for that!!
We braced ourselves at our stateroom door, not because we were full, but because we had no idea what waited for us on the other side of that door. We had such a wonderful dinner, so relaxing and indulgent. It was nice to have this time to just DH and I to enjoy a meal with no repeated restroom visits!! I had even managed to overcome my Vacation ADHD during the meal and just sit and enjoy it. What a lovely evening.
We couldn’t hear anything from the hallway so that was half the battle. We open the door and are greeted by an empty room! It was as though the clouds parted, the sun beam shined down and the Angels sang!! To greet us on our bed was our towel animal, invitation to the Disney Vacation Club (in a cute plastic bottle thing!) and a scroll with a Tinker Bell pin attached to it. What’s this??
The Tinker Bell pin reads, “Where Dreams Come True” and the only words visible on the scroll were “Magical Moments.” I’m intrigued; this is nothing like the other goodies left on our bed any other evening! Quickly we unroll it to read, “Magical Moments Across the seas and over the years, may you always remember celebrating this Magical Moment with the Cast and Crew of Disney Cruise Line (Awarded To) The Blair Family (Your Disney Cruise Line Magical Moment) Your 1st Magical Disney Cruise!! (Presented By) Jonathan, Your Magical Concierge Team (Date) October 2007”. Jonathan, the manager at Guest Services!!! We had given him a little smile at the beginning of the trip and now he was returning the favor!!! Very sweet, very unexpected but very much appreciated and treasured!!!
DS returned right on schedule, quickly tossed us back the pager, asked how dinner went (I don’t think he really cared because he didn’t stay around long enough to hear the answer), and DH and I were alone again. I sat on the edge of the bed to change my shoes and as soon as my booty hit the bed, my eyes closed. I shot straight up, Not Sleeping Away my Vacation, and it was too early to go to bed.
After I changed my shoes, we decided to get DD from the Club, or at least check on her. As we make our way there, I notice Belle is in the lobby. I tell DH I’ll go get in line for Belle, he needs to get DD out of the Club and meet me in line. I rush to the line and just as soon as I reach the back of the line, the “closing the line” CM immediately gets behind me. I ask if I’m the last person in line, and you know he thinks to himself, “DUH!!” but he confirms I am! I do the Happy Dance and DH and DD join me. Closing-the-Line CM has to tell quite a few people the line is closed but they can return the next day at 11 am where they will have an opportunity to see all the princesses. I’m just stoked I was the last person in line because Cinderella may be DD’s favorite but Belle runs a very close 2nd, if not tied for 1st!!! When it’s finally our turn to greet Belle, DD is glowing!!! I think the pictures speak for themselves!!
While we were in line for Belle, and immediately after we parted ways with Belle, DD continually announces she is hungry. I have no doubt of this since she ate with the club and realistically that means she didn’t eat but played instead. We return to the room to decide what we’re going to do for the rest of the evening. I sit on the edge of the bed and my eyes close immediately, again. Isn’t this a problem only 90 year old men have?? DH starts commenting that I’m tired and I argue that I have to go to 80’s night tonight. He doesn’t insist I’m tired any more but instead asks what time the 80’s party starts. This was his secret way of arguing! It’s currently somewhere around 8:30, 80’s night is at 10:45 and there is clearly no way I’m going to make it. Giving in to being tired was far easier than trying to fight it and insist I wasn’t, because I was. I really, really was. The idea of pulling on my pj’s, ordering DD room service, snuggling up and watching TV really sounded good!!!! So that’s what we did. I ordered DD dinner and chocolate chip cookies for everyone. When the food arrived, I situated DD with her dinner tray and grabbed a cookie for me and jumped in to bed.
Propped up on my side with pillows, very yummy cookie in hand, I fell asleep.
JDBlair
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 1,627
Hi Jac
I L-O-V-Ed your trip report. I could feel your excitement as you were writing it. Very well done! I wish we could've spent more time with you guys
Thanks for the trip report!
Pauline
Hi Pauline!!! Thank you for stopping by and reading my TR!!! So glad you are enjoying it!!! It sounds like you ran around like a crazy person on the ship!
You must have suffered from Vacation ADHD, too!! One main tip I kept in mind was, "You can't do it all so don't try!" Maybe you missed that tip?? 
So, now you know, on the next cruise, let DD go to the club more, don't go to every photo op, chill more and bribe some Stinky Teen to have Pager Duty on Palo night!!! 
Jac
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
- Messages
- 13,895
I started to leave and take her but the CM that checked DD in immediately told me that one of the female CM’s would do it. Wow!!! I wish they could live with me forever because DD usually likes to ruin a nice, peaceful moment with a trip to the restroom!
It must be a girl thing. My DD does that all the time!!
It must be a girl thing. My DD does that all the time!!
JDBlair
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 1,627
I can't wait until she's old enough to get to and from the restroom by herself. I am so sick and tired of visting every restroom everywhere we go!!! But if you ask my mother and aunt, they say it's pay back from when I was little. I don't remember that so it shoudln't count! 
Jillpie
Can you package some Main St. music and send it to
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2002
- Messages
- 9,236
I laugh every single time you mention ADHD on the cruise
, because you are seriously describing ME. I can completely and utterly relate to what you are saying about wanting to just keep going. I was the first one up, and the last to go to sleep, but really, sleeping was such a waste of precious time, wasn't it?? I could hardly ever rest, and when I stopped, I was thinking. What should we be doing now? I swear, I really know what you're talking about. I LOVE your report. And I also understand everything about your DS (we have 3 teenage boys, they are terrific, but I do get the attitude thing). Can't wait for more!
, because you are seriously describing ME. I can completely and utterly relate to what you are saying about wanting to just keep going. I was the first one up, and the last to go to sleep, but really, sleeping was such a waste of precious time, wasn't it?? I could hardly ever rest, and when I stopped, I was thinking. What should we be doing now? I swear, I really know what you're talking about. I LOVE your report. And I also understand everything about your DS (we have 3 teenage boys, they are terrific, but I do get the attitude thing). Can't wait for more!
JDBlair
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 1,627
I laugh every single time you mention ADHD on the cruise
Sleeping was a total waste of time and I, like an infant and toddler, fought my sleep as much as possible. I'm so glad you can relate to my Vacation ADHD! I never suffer from ADHD except when we're on vacation. And then after vacation, I come home and crash and burn for almost 2 weeks. But hey, at least we can look back and say we had the BEST vacation ever and we wasted no time sleeping!!! I love my DS with all my heart and soul and he is such a great kid. I think it just really surprised me how he acted on the ship because it was completely abnormal for him.
That's why I hold the Stack responsible. I don't know what goes on there but I'm sticking to my theory that it's some good stuff!!!Thanks for reading!!!
I am really enjoying your reports - so newsy and fun.
I'm like you and just can't keep sleeping the time away. I think my husband will want to though, so I forsee a bit of trouble.
I read a blog of a family on the Transatlantic Repo cruise in May, and honestly they just seemed to either sleep till lunch time or keep going back for a sleep. I know the clocks were against them, but I would just feel I had wasted my vacation.
I'm like you and just can't keep sleeping the time away. I think my husband will want to though, so I forsee a bit of trouble.
I read a blog of a family on the Transatlantic Repo cruise in May, and honestly they just seemed to either sleep till lunch time or keep going back for a sleep. I know the clocks were against them, but I would just feel I had wasted my vacation.
JDBlair
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 1,627
I am really enjoying your reports - so newsy and fun.
I'm like you and just can't keep sleeping the time away. I think my husband will want to though, so I forsee a bit of trouble.
I read a blog of a family on the Transatlantic Repo cruise in May, and honestly they just seemed to either sleep till lunch time or keep going back for a sleep. I know the clocks were against them, but I would just feel I had wasted my vacation.
I say you kiss sleeping DH on the cheek and tell him you'll check in with him in a couple of hours!!!
If I had to stay in the room with the sleeping beauties, I would have started banging things together to wake them up! I read that same blog and I believe 2/3 bloggers were teen-agers!!! I think the mother with them did quite a bit of stuff but she also napped here and there. But didn't they have like 10-14 days? If I had 10-14 days, I may have taken a nap or two but not for longer than an hour!!!
Thank you for reading and the compliments.
Writing it is fun but it also allows me to relive the moments a little!!-
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