Disney Dream - June 12, 2011

[Scouter]

Thanks Rose, for the pixie dust.
I didn't even notice you called Bill Dan, I was trying to get it right myself.
I wasn't trying to be a smarty pants!

Ok, passing out...from fatigue...giving up...going to go DREAM about
Mickey...Mickey Bars!

Night!

Oh, no, sorry I didn't mean you were a smarty pants you just made me realize that I was using the wrong name. I'm glad you said that

 

[Scouter]

Four Fridays until we leave!!!

 

[Scouter]

Watched my baby girl graduate this evening! There were just about 600 graduates, the largest High School graduating class ever in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. It was a very nice (although long) ceremony. Went to dinner afterwards with my family and then we will have a party tomorrow.

Awesome! Graduation pictures please.

And have a great party today

 

[Scouter]

3DAN is my Taekwondo classification, Angela thought it would make a good nam de plume. Everyone says DAn all of the time. It's fine!!! You know, I think the bananas have been practicing "line" dancing. ANgela is coasternut!!
Hit it , Boys!

Bill

Got it

 

[Scouter]

OK, I have a question. I called DCL to prepay the gratuities and told the rep I wanted to prepay the room host(ess), the server, and the asst server. In the cruise docs we got, they also have a "suggested" amount for the head server. I told the rep I didn't want to prepay that one- I would rather wait and see how much we see the head server. Isn't that another name for the maitre d'? In past cruises, we have rarely even SEEN the maitre d', much less had him/her do anything for us that would be deserving of a daily tip. My thinking is that we willl tip the maitre d' as needed. So, help me- is the head server the maitre d'? If so, should I tip him/her daily? The DCL rep told me I cannot prepay some of the tips- I have to do all 4 or not at all.

Yes, as I see it the head server and maitre d' are one and the same. At least on Disney cruises. He is the one that oversees the server and assistant server and heads you over to your table.
This page on cruise critic lists them one and the same:
http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=132

Here is another cool calculator for tipping based on number of nights and by cruise line:
http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

And here is a whole thread on the DIS on tipping:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=509463

 

[foohpah]

Watched my baby girl graduate this evening! There were just about 600 graduates, the largest High School graduating class ever in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. It was a very nice (although long) ceremony. Went to dinner afterwards with my family and then we will have a party tomorrow.

Congrats!!! I am sure you are very proud. I can't imagine mine graduating. Preschool graduations were traumatic enough.

A rainy, cold Sunday here. I got more work done on my house and I think I am about to start tackling the packing list. Getting the luggage out and starting to sort through the items that I can get packed now. I will be in a constant state of packing from here on out. 19 more days to go.....

 

[PirateMom]

Hi dis friends! Somehow I haven't made it to the list on p 1, but DH and ds x 3 are also on this sailing!!! We a in 6668 and are also traveling with my parents (who are taking my nephew, 15) and my SIL, BIL, and nephew (11). This wil be the first Disney cruise for all 11 of us.

Like many of you, we just got our cruise docs, but I have a couple questions and I'm sure someone here can help.

We are staying at Coronado Springs for 3 nights before the cruise and have transfers from the hotel to port the morning of he 12th. Do we put the cruise luggage tags on that morning? Cruise docs say to put the on before fly down, but that can't be right. We haven't gotten the luggage tags for Magical Express yet for our arrival day, which makes me nervous (and can't remember now when those usually arrive). Help???

See you soon!

 

[Fab5Family]

Goodness, I have so much to catch up on. Hopefully I will get a chance this evening to scroll back through all the pages of conversations I have missed and see what each of you has been up to.

We are down to the very end of the school year: only 8 more full school days for the kids, then two half-days with all the awards ceremonies, parties, cleaning out desks and lockers, etc. I still have to work two more days after the kids are out since I lead teacher inservice programs – but then we can ALL start our summer!

We seem to be one of the few school districts in Texas that still follows a junior high model (7th – 9th grade) rather than middle school (6th – 8th), so this has been a very big year for my 6th grader as he prepares for his elementary school “graduation.” He was selected by the faculty as the Student of the Year and will also be receiving a number of academic and service awards at the sixth grade ceremony. Justin has mild Asperger’s (a disorder on the autism spectrum), so I think leaving elementary on a high note will help him adjust more easily to junior high. Honestly, he tends to thrive in the school setting since it is so highly structured – he just has some awkward moments in the social realm, particularly in meeting new kids.

I am hoping he can connect with another boy in the tween age range from our DIS group at our meet on the first day. (Anyone into Harry Potter, Pokemon, or Star Wars would be a perfect match for him!) I’m not sure how he will feel venturing off to the Edge on his own, but I hope he will give it a try. He loved the Oceaneer Lab on our last cruise, but he was in there with his brothers. This year Justin is 11 and the twins are 9. If the Edge turns out to not be a good match for him, then I may check into moving him to the Lab with his brothers.

Okay … I am off to try to catch up on old posts, so you may be seeing more comments from me as I work my way through them all.
Holly

 

[grandpawelch8]

Welcome. We received our Magical Express tags about a week before cruise documents. Your Magical Express tags go on going on the flight to Disney World. Your cruise tags will go on your luggage the morning going to the ship. We will be staying at Saratoga Springs the night before and the night after.

Gloria

 

[Fab5Family]

We also are still in the midst of our kitchen remodel, which is going to be delayed out through the end of July because of the cruise. However, if we get our cabinets before we leave, that should help. BUT, being without a kitchen sink and dishwasher for 3+ weeks is going to be quite interesting to say the least. However, I'm sure once the dust settles (literally) we will love our new kitchen. We are going to have a lot more space and it is going to be so nice to look at something other than white.

When we moved into this house four years ago I had white cabinets, white formica countertops, white formica backsplash, and a white tile floor. The only thing worse was the pink grout around the white tiles and the blue wallpaper with pink flowers. It was all nicely done, but I am just NOT a pastel person.

We did our remodel in stages, but I am now thrilled with my kitchen. I actually kept the white cabinetry as a contrast to the darker granite countertops and the slate floor and it has turned out to be a nice complement.

I hope you love your new kitchen as much as I love mine. (But be aware ... you will still be finding construction dust in odd places for months to come.)

 

[Fab5Family]

I watched Rachel's graduation practice yesterday morning at the University Center where it will be held on Saturday, and I have to say, that when they played the processional song and the students practiced walking to their seats, I had a tear in my eye. On Saturday when it's for real, I think the tears will really be flowing. Tears of joy, of course.

By the time I am reading this, the ceremony is already over. I hope it was a wonderful evening for both of you. Congrats to you and Rachel!

 

[Lovin'themouse]

Goodness, I have so much to catch up on. Hopefully I will get a chance this evening to scroll back through all the pages of conversations I have missed and see what each of you has been up to.

We are down to the very end of the school year: only 8 more full school days for the kids, then two half-days with all the awards ceremonies, parties, cleaning out desks and lockers, etc. I still have to work two more days after the kids are out since I lead teacher inservice programs – but then we can ALL start our summer!

We seem to be one of the few school districts in Texas that still follows a junior high model (7th – 9th grade) rather than middle school (6th – 8th), so this has been a very big year for my 6th grader as he prepares for his elementary school “graduation.” He was selected by the faculty as the Student of the Year and will also be receiving a number of academic and service awards at the sixth grade ceremony. Justin has mild Asperger’s (a disorder on the autism spectrum), so I think leaving elementary on a high note will help him adjust more easily to junior high. Honestly, he tends to thrive in the school setting since it is so highly structured – he just has some awkward moments in the social realm, particularly in meeting new kids.

I am hoping he can connect with another boy in the tween age range from our DIS group at our meet on the first day. (Anyone into Harry Potter, Pokemon, or Star Wars would be a perfect match for him!) I’m not sure how he will feel venturing off to the Edge on his own, but I hope he will give it a try. He loved the Oceaneer Lab on our last cruise, but he was in there with his brothers. This year Justin is 11 and the twins are 9. If the Edge turns out to not be a good match for him, then I may check into moving him to the Lab with his brothers.

Okay … I am off to try to catch up on old posts, so you may be seeing more comments from me as I work my way through them all.
Holly

Hello Holly!
I also have a son who is in 6th headed to 7th grade, Cameron. He at times is a little socially awkward, he LOVES Pokemon, Starwars, Harry Potter. It sounds like they may get along quite well. If you'd like to meet up the first day I'd love to get the boys together.
Tricia

 

[Fab5Family]

Sometimes things get done better in last minute stealth mode

Rose -- Love the "stealth mode." I may have to borrow that.

Personally, I think I am in more of an ADD planning kind of mode. I get started on one thing, which then reminds of another. Then I rush off to take care of that before I finish doing the thing I was trying to accomplish in the first place.

Like today ... I meant to have the boys try on swim suits to see who needed new ones. That made me think of flip flops and water shoes. When I went to get the pool bag where I keep the water shoes stashed, I stopped to add "beach bag" to my packing list. But when I looked at my packing list I realized that I needed to type up a list for my mom & dad. I never did get back to having the boys try on swimsuits.

 

[Fab5Family]

No cruise docs for me HOw about you, Marci?
But, wait a minute,,,, I am a cruise "Doc"!
Hit it , boys!!!

3DAN is my Taekwondo classification, Angela thought it would make a good nam de plume. Everyone says DAn all of the time. It's fine!!! You know, I think the bananas have been practicing "line" dancing. ANgela is coasternut!!
Hit it , Boys!

Bill

Bill,

We seem to have a few things in common.

I am also a "doc," although mine is of the PhD variety so my husband calls me a "fake" doctor. His family is full of MDs and mine is full of PhDs. (Our poor kids will have so much pressure when it comes to college and grad school.)

I have also trained for several years in TaeKwonDo. I made it to first degree black, but then life and the kids' schedules got in the way of me keeping up an appropraite training schedule -- so that's as far as I got.

Looking forward to meeting you,
Holly

 

[PirateMom]

Welcome. We received our Magical Express tags about a week before cruise documents. Your Magical Express tags go on going on the flight to Disney World. Your cruise tags will go on your luggage the morning going to the ship. We will be staying at Saratoga Springs the night before and the night after.

Gloria

Thanks! That makes perfect sense...should I be worried that we haven't received our ME tags yet? Has everyone else gotten theirs?

 

[Fab5Family]

Hello Holly!
I also have a son who is in 6th headed to 7th grade, Cameron. He at times is a little socially awkward, he LOVES Pokemon, Starwars, Harry Potter. It sounds like they may get along quite well. If you'd like to meet up the first day I'd love to get the boys together.
Tricia

Tricia,

Sounds like Cameron and Justin may be a great match. We are planning to attend our DIS meet at 3 pm on the first day (at Currents, Deck 13 forward). We are also hoping to make it to a pre-cruise meet at the Country Inn & Suites pool at 8 pm the night before the cruise. Any chance you are staying there?

Holly

 

[abitagirl916]

Awesome! Graduation pictures please.

And have a great party today

Here are a few grad pictures (At least one is kind of blurry):

Rachel waiting to get in line for the processional.

The entire 2011 Fontainbleau High School Graduation Class:

Rachel & her brother Daniel.

Rachel at her celebration party.

Hopefully I will have more pictures soon. Daniel took some pictures that he will give me on a CD. Once I get these, I may post more.

It's been a great two days!!

 

[bairdbeth]

Ok I think I have caught up on all I missed! I have updayed both FE lists and will email them out tonight. I have also PM'd Mamajean who wanted to do the FE. If I hear back I would like to try to make a separate FE list to include them. If anyone else would like to join this list, let me know (that includes those of you who are already on the original lists, but would like to do a few more cabins!)
Congrats to Rachel and to all the others who are graduating! How exciting!
We have 10 more school days here and then I have 2 post planning work days. I still have 5 more IEP meetings and then we do a preschool graduation, so the next 2 weeks will be busy, busy , busy!
I am now a secondary caregiver for my mom as she doesn't bath herself due to her injured hand (she smashed a mirror and has stitches and an open wound) She also fights my dad when he tries to help her bath, so I gave her a shower yesterday and she did not fight me. Dad wants me to come once a week, but I will go 2 times a week to give her a shower. I just need to figure out a back up plan for the 2 weeks we will be gone. Dad doesn't want someone coming in (a nurse) to help, but I am going to try to talk to him about this for at least for the 2 weeks I am gone so that I won't feel guilty being on the cruise. Then I can work on him when we get back for more permanent help.
I bought a Kindle and need to load some books. I really look forward to relaxing on deck and at CC and doing some reading! We have our docs so now just to pack and finish FE gifts.
Can it please be June?!!!!
Beth

 

[cincinmouse]

Congrats abitagirl916 and your daughter.

Its been another crazy week at work and this weekend all it did was rain again. I don't think I going to see the sun until the Cruise. We are just trying to figure out what we are packing and what we still need to buy. Panic packing mode has not set in yet but it will shortly. How some of you plan for a cruise and go to WDW for several days before or after I take my hat off to you.

Have a great week eveyone.

Below are some pictures from DD first communion last weekend.

 

[3DAN]

Holly,,,, looking forward to seeing you. I studied for nine years with a grandmaster ninth Dan here in Indianapolis. I was also fortunate enough to have my training registered with the Kukkiwon in Seoul, South Korea. You may remember that it is the headquarters of the World Taekwondo Federation. I got a card and EVERYTHING!. I sure was and am proud of my training with Grandmaster Park. Unfortunately, my shoulder and right hip have been causing me some pain and I thought it better not to continue to push it. Being a physician, I usually got asked to see the injury when it occured at class or promotion. I still get asked when I am around sporting events and they know who I am. Phd, EH?? Pretty impressive!!! Definitely worthy of being called "Doctor". Don't let them fool you, Doc! I SAY SO!!! Who do you think trains the MD's. I know, some of the other MD's do a lot, but the Phd's start the whole process. Hey,,, my niece got a masters in microbiology and I can't for the life of me imagine how she could EVER do THAT! She is also in medical school in Louisiana and will be the sixth generation of physician in our family. I am the fifth.
Bill