Early Roll Call for 10-31-04 Happy Halloween Cruise aboard the Wonder !!

[acrucifer]

hey gang,

the Dis meet initially scheduled for 3pm on 10-31-04 was rescheduled for 8pm on 10-31-04. I realize some people may not be able to attend and a second DIS meet is scheduled for 11-3-04 at 3pm . The first meet was rescheuled because it couldnt be fit in between the tot, safety drill and sail away party, so 8pm was the only logical choice. both meets are to take place at the promenade lounge.

 

[disneyfreakk]

i have no idea how i missed that! DUH!

 

[Betty Breed]

Ralph, I finally am able to get on line. It's been 5 days and I couldn't check even my e-mail! I'm gonna e-mail my pictures to you right now!(before it goes down again) Please let me know if you don't get the pictures, they are coming from my daughter's email. Later days. Betty

 

[disneyfreakk]

how did you do it?? i go a day and start to get the shakes! i an addicted to these darn boards, lol.

 

[Betty Breed]

Yea. I'm going on my 6th day as of today. The internet goes up, the internet goes down. It's only taken me 3 hours to clear all my e-mail with the ups and downs Haven't had a chance to even try to get to the boards except right now, and I don't know how long I'll be able to stay on line! Can't wait til our trip. Later days.

 

[Shana Rayce]

Hi all!
The excitement level is certainly growing at our house!! 41 days and counting until we leave for Orlando!! I called Shirley today and discussed a basket for Logan...she is the nicest lady! I am anxious to put the basket/bag together for him...she has all kinds of neat stuff!!

Marley...your last note said 25 kids...did we gain some? Last list you posted I believe the count was 21...? I think it's good that we pushed the TOT time back to 2:30....I don't think any of us want to be rushed with lunch/making ressies/whatever else we need to do once we board!

Talk to you soon!

 

[marley]

yes, we are now at 25 kids. We are going to have to split the group in half. I broke everyone up last night and we will have one group of 12 and one of 13. If each group would only have one parent accompanying their children, we should have 7 parents for one group and 6 for the other.

I've decided since we are not having the DIS meet until 8 pm that night and since we have enough to split up into two groups, that we can move the TOT up even further to 2:45 (I'll be there by 2:30 though) but everyone has to be prompt and ready to go!! We should definitely be done by 3:30/3:45 in plenty of time for the 4 pm boat drill.

I'll send the details again later but here is what to expect:

Meet promptly no later than 2:45 at the mid-ship elevators overlooking the atrium on deck 5 (this area is located right between the Oceaneer lab and Club). Please send one adult per family and everyone else please be in your staterooms ready to hand out candy/goodies by 2:50. Bags will be handed out at this time, groups will be split in two and we will head out! One adult per group will be given a map detailing where to go and Kellie will have already put the signs on the stateroom doors so they are easily recognized. (thank you Kellie)

As of right now, we have 18 staterooms to hit but many are right next to each other and most are mid-ship. We are spread out on 5 decks. I'll probably have one group start on deck 8 and then the other on deck 2 and we will end up just in time to head back with the candy to our staterooms and put on our life jackets for the drill.

For those of you who don't have children, make sure both groups have hit your stateroom and then you are free to go

If the plan seems flawed or anyone has suggestions, please fire them away since this is my first attempt at doing this.

Marley

 

[marley]

Barb:

forgot to ask if you would still be able to provide bags for the "loot". If you don't want to bring them up to deck 5, maybe I could meet up with you at the port or you could send them up with John or Lise. It is up to you. Let me know what you think is best. Thanks again for the offer!

Marley

 

[disneyfreakk]

barb if you havent gotten the bags yet i have enough for everyone! just let me know.

 

[bgomes]

Yeah, I'm still able to provide the bags. I've got them already. Gotta love that Oriental Trading Co. It will be no problem to meet everyone on deck 5 to distribute them there.

Also, I must welcome our newest member, tlrotzoll. Hi there!!

Looking forward to meeting everyone . Thanks again to you Marley and Ralph. You've both been putting so much into this.

 

[Shana Rayce]

Good Morning....

Marley, thanks for the update....
The only thing that I see as a potential problem with splitting into 2 groups is that one parent has to stay in the room...I know I don't want to be that parent...and I doubt my hubby does either! We both want to be able to go with Logan while he is doing the TOT thing ....We love watching him do fun things...and I know how excited he will be, and we both love sharing that with him! Hope that doesn't sound too goofy! Maybe this is a silly question...and the answer is obvious..but what why do we have to split up the group? Were you thinking that 25 kids wondering the halls would just be too much congestion in the hallway? The only alternative I can think of is if there is someone that doesn't have kids, and one person could stay in their room and the other could come to our room and hand out goodies...
Does anyone else have a solution? Thanks....

 

[marley]

My reasoning is actually based on what the people on the Magic do every year. I've been "lurking" on their thread and they've done this every year for several years and it seems their sentiment is that you have to have much smaller groups to be able to navigate the hallways. I know they now have over 50 kids and they are splitting up into 4 groups and asking only 2 parents go with each group.

The hallways are quite narrow. What do you think Ralph? You've been on the Wonder before.

Also, if you wanted to have someone hand out candy in your room so both of you could go, Barb and Bob happen to be across the hall from you, not that I'm volunteering them They could even just hand out your goodies for you from their room if they didn't mind or since you and your husband would be meeting up with the group on deck 5, you could just hand out your goodies there before we all start. It is up to you.

What does everyone else think? Shana, I know you are the only one when you joined that said you both wanted to go. Which is perfectly fine. I know I don't want to miss it. Luckily, I know my husband is glad he won't have to wander the halls with us so it was an easy decision for us

Marley

 

[acrucifer]

Hi guys,

this can be easily worked out I think. the hallways are narrow and there will be porters putting towels and other things in the various staterooms and passengers milling about going back and forth to their rooms. 25 children doing a tot will be too many at once and will crowd the narrow corridors. having the two groups is a good idea and since this issue is affecting only shana at this point, why not have shana, her DH and logan go trick or treating during the first shift, and the kids on the first shift simply skip shanas room. during the second shift, all 25 kids can stop by shanas for their candy, although not all at the same time. although this may crowd the area outside shanas room for a few minutes, she and DH get to go on tot with Logan and hallway congestion is avoided with its attendant consequences (like irate passersby) just my 2 cents . if anyone has a better idea, please we all listening.

 

[TROD]

I think you are right - we need two groups - but does Shana have to pass out candy? If she wants to give her items to my husband - I am sure he wouldn't mind passing it out. There probably will be more than enough for the kids. I am thinking of oriental trading non-candy items.

 

[marley]

I agree! There will be plenty. Whatever choice you pick Shana, the kids won't notice the difference. The kids will be so giddy just to be there!

Marley

 

[Shana Rayce]

THANKS everyone for your suggestions! I really feel like I am being a pain in the butt right now!! Let me discuss with DH tonight, then I'll let you all know what we decide.

TROD...appreciate the offer to hand out my goodie bags....I might take you up on that!

Again...THANKS for your input! I can hardly wait to meet all of you!!

Marley...what is that you mentioned about finding out what the Magic was doing for TOT?? Is there some way to find out about what the Wonder is doing??

 

[marley]

You are not being a pain so don't worry about what ever decision you make. As long as you guys have fun

What I was refering to was the same "thread" like we are doing for our cruise, the Magic people are doing for their Halloween cruise. They have a group on that thread that go every year on the 7 day Halloween cruise and are experts at organizing their TOT so I've been taking some of their advice and their ideas! Makes my job simpler.

Marley

 

[bgomes]

Shana:

I would be happy to hand out your "goodies" for you, It would be no problem, since I don't need to go TOT'ing, and I know my hubby doens't want to go either. We just enjoy seeing all the little ones. Especially since we are right across the hall from you

Barb

 

[tlrotzoll]

Thank you everyone for all your "welcomes". I can hardly contain my excitement anymore. I feel this is all I think about!!!! When a DCL commercial comes on, I get tears in my eyes! I guess I shouldn't admit all that. Ya'll don't know me yet, and I must sound like such a sap!!!!

Anyway, just spoke with my DH and he said "no problem, I'll do either one (staying in the room or going along!)!" We will figure that out later. If anyone needs help, it wouldn't be a problem to hand out someone else's candy.

I have been on the computer so long - reading everything that I have missed in the last two days, and now I haven't started anything for dinner. Guess it's tomato soup and grilled cheese for us! Ha!

I look so forward to meeting everyone! Again, thank you Marley and Ralph for all your hard work!

Tammy

 

["Ginger"]

Hi all
I've been lurking, see you have a group T-or-T started, GOOD!

We're up to 52 children and 2 more pending, I had to place a cut off date on ours. Over the years I've learned that people tend to wait till the very last minute to sign up. Boy!!!! that gets others a little upset with they think they've got it all done.
I'm going to break our large group down into 5 smaller groups. We have 5 decks with participating rooms on them for the kids to visit. I'll be starting 1 group on each deck, each group will work their way to another and another till each group has hit every deck and every stateroom participating.
The reason I have 2 people with each group, one will lead the children to the staterooms and the other will bring up the rear to make sure everyone stays together, also to watching for uninvited guess tagging along. YEAP!!!! uninvited guest, it happened last year.
I've made up maps of the decks, putting together routes for each group to travel by. BTW, our group leaders staterooms will be excluded from the map. If they have treats they can hand them out in the lobby, I will be providing treat bags for them also.
I'm hoping we can complete our T-or-T in 1 1/2 hours.
I made our starting time at 11 a.m. with hopes that we won't be up against Disney's which started around 2pm last year.

If you have any questions please come on over and ask.

"Ginger"
P.S. you may want to rescheldule your T-or-T for a Sea Day, you'll have more time and your luggage. Just a suggestion.