FEB 14 2004 Western Cruiser's

[moocow35]

Hey Lynn,

That is great! You really lucked out. Aimee and I will be arriving like at 9:30 am, and are staying at the Hyatt also. Again, I will extend the invitation to you and your kids to join us going to Downtown Disney. We would be taking a towncar, but would have to book a van or stretch limo to fit everyone. I haven't booked that yet, but will be soon. We plan just to shop around, have dinner perhaps at the House of Blues, and then go to the 6:00 show at Cirque du Soleil. You still might be able to get seats for the show. Then head back to the Hyatt to meet up with Ali who will be flying in that night. If not, perhaps we could meet up that evening so the girls could meet your kids.

I booked and confirmed our horseback riding with Nicki's in Grand Cayman, have the Jeep excursion booked in Cozumel, as well as the teen fury for the girls in Cozumel. I am all set! Now all I have to do is pack and try to patiently wait.

Robin

 

[DMOMof3]

We can all relax and breath now... the much anticipated letter arrived... no not our docs..... DD's college acceptance letter, she got in to her one and only choice, what a happy christmas!


Robin, after speaking with the kids and as tempting as it is to go to downtown disney for Friday, we have all unamimously decided to go over to Epcot for the day instead after we have checked in, we still have unused park days on our passes. We really want to try out Mission Space and get dinner around the World (have to price car rental as opposed to taxi). We will definately meet up at the hotel later in the evening, I know my kids will be trying out the pool. What time are you planning on leaving for downtown?

What do you do on disembarkation day? I'm wondering if the Hyatt rents rooms for the afternoon, our flight isn't till 6:15. I know my kids will be tired or we would just like to hang out at the pool.

Lynn

 

[moocow35]

Hi Lynn,

Tell your daughter congratulations on her acceptance. That was quick! Norwalk schools do things very different. Aimee has to give all her applications to her counselor who then puts in the recommendations (Aimee is not allowed to read them) and mails the applications. We are not expecting to hear back until spring. We still have to book all the interviews as the schools require a portfolio and interview to be considered.

Sorry you won't be joining us, but we understand. I'm hoping when we arrive that early in the morning we will be able to check into the room. This last time I think we were able to check in at 11 or so when we got there. We will head out for Downtown shortly after checking in. We will head back for the hotel around 8 that night to meet up with Ali when her flight gets in. Perhaps we can set something up for a Starbucks coffee or something later?

When we stayed there last, there was a discount offer to rent the room for the day in with our paperwork, I'm sorry I can't remember how much, but they do offer that. I'm sure your kids will be tired that last day. It is customary for the teens to stay up all night that last night on the ship.

5 days till Christmas, and then no time at all till the cruise!

Robin

 

[moocow35]

Hi everyone!

I just got my package of buttons and lanyards in the mail from Jeffrey and his family. They did such a nice job, and were so VERY generous with them. Thank you so much Jeffrey and family!

Robin

 

[JeffreyY]

Hi Robin

I'm glad you liked the buttons. We are ready for the rest of the group to give us their order. We're off to Killington tomorrow for a little snow fun. Have a good holiday.

Jeffrey

 

[reddaddy04]

Just jumping back into Forums after 6 month absence... you know how it is, you book the cruise and everybody gets excited until you realize you're not leaving for 9 MONTHS!

Anyway, Feb 14 cruise will be our first on DCL... 3 DD's ages 7,4,2... reading these threads makes me feel like I've got a lot of catching up to do the next few weeks. We're staying at the Radisson Fri nite so hopefully we can meet up with some of you then as well.

I'm somewhat surprised not more posts here since I'm sure the boat will be full for vacation week....

 

[Dreamer04]

It's been a busy fall.

My DH, DS 14, DD 6, DM 77 and I are all on the 2/14 Western. Our shore excursions are as follows

Key West-Old Town Trolley-all of us

Grand Caymen-Stingray City-all except DM

Cozumel-Dolphin Encounter-all of us

Castaway Cay-Wild Side excursion for DS, Parasailing for DH,DS and myself.

The teen catamaran I think is also booked-have to verify this!

We're flying out of JFK on 2/13, staying at the MCO Hyatt. Happy Limo is picking us up and bring us back to MCO on 2/21. Our return flight isn't until 8P, so we're getting a day room at the MCO Hyatt so we can enjoy the pool, nap, have dinner and head home.

 

[moocow35]

Hi all!

Looks like our prem"ear" at sea will be the Lion King 1 1/2. It releases on the 10th, so most likely that will be it.

I'm home with the flu (so much for the flu shot I got!) at least I am getting any major illness out of the way in advance. Once I shake the "train wreck" feeling, I will start my packing list.

The document dance is not far away now!

Robin ºOº

 

[Dreamer04]

Robin, take care of yourself. We all had the flu about a month ago and are just feeling 'ourselves' again. It takes a lot out of you.

Feel better soon!

Ursula

 

[moocow35]

Thanks Ursula,

I have litterly been in bed since Sunday night. This has now turned into a sinus/bronchitis thing, and the antibiotics I was given 2 days ago must not be the right ones, as I am increasingly getting worse. I plan to call the doctor as soon as they open today to get something else. 5 days in bed is way too much for me, I have things to get done!

Thanks for the well wishes, and I'm glad your feeling better, let's see, one month from now at least I'll be feeling "myself" for the cruise.

Robin

 

[Geneca]

Hi Everyone,

I just found this group and wanted to say a great big HELLO to all
those who will be our shipmates this Valentines. This will be our
4th Disney Cruise, we have been on one other cruise with Princess.
No comparison!! Disney is by far the best. We will be traveling
with my husband, myself, my daughter who
is 12 (a month away for 13 and hoping to go to the STACK) my son who is 10 and my mom and dad in law. We are driving from Michigan and getting to Orlando on Friday and staying at the Boardwalk, then driving to the pier on Saturday morning. We are DVC members so we can use our points for the stay at Disney. We were original planning on being in a cat 11 on deck 5 but got moved to deck 2 because of a discount option for my inlaws. It will be a big change because last cruise we were in concierge level 3. I'm not sure I will like being so low on the ship and without a balcony.
We have late seating for dinner also. My inlaws are not so happy about that because they prefer to eat earlier but it will give us more playtime during the day.
We are planning to go on Conch Train tour in Key West, (after reading the posts I think we will be also making a stop at the Blonde Giraffe. As my MIL loves key lime pie.
I believe we are doing the submarine tour in Cozumel and the Stingray City Observatory and Island Tour in Grand Cayman. I'm not 100% sure on these as my DH is planning this and I never know until it is time to leave what the final decision was.

Can't wait to go!!!


Laura

 

[JeffreyY]

Hi Everyone

If you have Disney arranged air out of Laguardia (NY) you may want to check with Delta to see if you are on flight 2573 (6:30 AM). We were on that flight 2 years ago and as a guess, I called Delta, and they were able to confirm our group of 11 people are all booked on the same flight this time also. We were able to get seats assigned even though we didn't receive documentation from DCL yet. We are also booked on a 12:00 PM return out of Daytona connecting at Atlanta.

Jeffrey

 

[robins]

Hi Laura,

We will be on your cruise also. I have a daughter that turned 13 in september. She is unsure of the stack because she will not no anyone. I also have DD11 and DD6. We will be with another family that has an 11 year old girl also. So I think she was planning on just hanging with them, however she would like meeting kids her own age. We are also on deck 2. This being our first cruise, we will not know what we are missing.
I am soo excited. I think it will be a great time.

Robins

 

[Geneca]

Robins,

My DD about this cruise. She read in the DVC newsletter that the age group for the Stack was 12-17. But on the DCL website it says 13-17. So she is quite upset about that. She is will be 13 in May and my DS will be 11 in May. She already acts like she is 16 she doesn't understand why she can't go to the Stack. I did send a question to the DCL but haven't recieved a reply. It seems like if they are that close to the age they might let her go in. Since I know she will be hard to live with if she has to be in the group with her brother.

I can tell you that you will love the Disney cruise. Everything is totally first class. You will be forever spoiled for any other cruise line. My DH and I went on the Princess Western last July for our anniversary and it was really nice but near as nice as Disney and I would NEVER take my kids on one. I know on Disney that everything is kid friendly except the areas that they specifically tell you about. Princess didn't seem that way and I would not have been able to take my kids to any of the shows and the kids club was a small as my living room not a whole deck like Disney.

I think you will not want to leave the ship.

Laura

 

[DMOMof3]

Welcome all new cruisers!

Just in case you haven't gone back and read the whole thread, I'm trying to get some of us adults together for an At Sea Day Brunch at Palo.

I will be reserving it prior to boarding, all I need are names & cabin #'s. So far it's Robin & I, anymore interested?

How about a DIS meet during the sailaway party so all the DKids that haven't met yet can do so. Looks like there's quite a few of them.

Here's my gang:
myself Lynn
DD17 Suzy
DS14 Joe
DD12 Rachel (who is upset by the way that she is only 12 1/2)
we will be staying in cabin 8086

Here are the plans so far.

Leave Hartford 2/13 arrive 11:45am (tentatively going to Epcot)
meeting up with whoever is at the Hyatt in the evening

Key West - open

At Sea Day - Palo Brunch

Grand Caymen - Stingray City with Captain Marvins

Cozumel - Dolphin Swim with Dolpin Discovery

Castaway Cay - open

2/21 - hanging out at Hyatt until 6:15pm flight to Hartford



I have all my seat assignments & reservations, now all I need to do is possibly rent a car for the afternoon on 2/13.


Robin, hope you are feeling better


I think its almost time to get packing or shopping for those items we don't have.

Lynn

P.S. Jeffrey, is the button factory still open?

 

[moocow35]

Welcome to the new cruisers from me also!


Thanks Lynn, I am feeling a little better today. Back to work anyway, and made it the whole day.

Jeffrey, we are on that flight number out of La Guardia at 6:30am, however it is the day before, we are leaving on Friday. We are flying out the following Saturday from MCO at 1:55 direct back to New York.

Our plans are:

Key West - Keno sandals first stop, then random shopping (I recommend the Hemingway House tour for anyone interested)

Grand Cayman - Horsebacking riding on the beach with Nicki's

Cozumel - Disney Jeep excursion, the girls will be doing the teen catamaran thing

everything else is open. Basically relaxing and more relaxing.

I've booked our room at the Clarion for Thursday night in New York by the airport so we can have 2 extra hours sleep. FL Tours limo has been booked for our "excursion" to Downtown Disney on Friday. Cirque du Soleil ends around 7:30pm, so we will leave downtown Disney at 8:00 to head back to the Hyatt. I'd love to meet up with any of you staying there on Friday night. I know Lynn and Ursula will be there. Aimee and Ali would like to meet the other teens before "the stack" however both of them are old hands with the cruise.

Lynn, meeting at the sailaway would be great, however I can almost promise that Aimee and Ali will already be off "checking things out" so they won't be there. I asked FL Tours for the grocery stop, and was thinking about getting some champagne or will take any suggestions to toast our sailaway. I'll tell you though, we should pick an out of the way place, if the weather is good, there is so many mobs of people on the upper decks it is very hard to find anyone.

I haven't thought about packing or what to take yet. Too bad one can't magically lose a ton of weight overnight, that would help. But keep dreaming, right!


Robin ºOº

 

[JeffreyY]

Hi again

Robin - You're lucky to have a direct flight back. Did you book it yourself or thru Disney? Even our Atlanta connecting flight is full (some members of our party do not even have assigned seats yet).

Lynn - My DW, DS12 and DD, who is almost 8, are reserved for the Cozumel Royal Swim but the Discovery Web site now says you have to be 8 and taller than 4'5" which my DD is not (even on her tippiest toes). She is a great swimmer, but we may have to switch to the Encounter program. Either way, I'l be the official photographer.

Yes, the button factory is gearing up for the anticipated requests (we made 24 cruise buttons yesterday). Just email (jeffreyy@aol.com) or PM the info and I will send them out to you.

Bye for now

Jeffrey

 

[moocow35]

Hi Jeffrey,

I booked through Disney, but I opted for the Air Deviation, and paid quite a bit more to request direct flights. Last year Disney had the other part of my family fly in a little jet connecting in PA then on to FL. There is no way I would step foot on one of those little planes. I'm sure I could of booked direct flights on my own for less, but then this time of year I want the "Disney Air" security in case of bad weather.

Also, I would not worry too much about your daughters height and the Dolphin Discovery. We did this last year, and last minute they booked 2 "walkins" with our group. It was 2 little girls, now I'm not too good with ages, but #1, the adults did not go in with them per the websites rules, and #2, they did appear very young and short!

Robin

 

[robins]

My I have three DD 13, 11, 6. We are going with a family that has another DD 11 and a DS 7 that is best friends with my DD 6. Since all my other kids are in a different group than my 13 year. She wants to have a penpal that she can talk to before we go on the cruise so she can already have someone she "knows" before go. Does anyone here have a dd 13 that would like to be a penpal with my daughter.

 

[Geneca]

Robins,

My daughter would love to meet someone before we leave. She is 12. will be 13 in May. She hopes they will let her go to the Stack. I called DCL and they said that they have to be within one month of the age for special allowances. But if your DD would like someone to chat with either through email or aol instant messanger just let me know. you can pm me and i can give you her nickname or email address. Of course, i will have to ask her which one she is using this week.

Laura