February 2, 2008 Eastern early check in

[Gina]

Only one week of this semester left for me, and then I will be able to get a-postin'! If I survive finals, that is. LOL I'm impressed that you have been sewing actual clothes... that is so neat! I can't sew a button on without it falling back off 30 minutes later.

Tyler Dean and I have been practicing our crowd-craziness so we can try and get on Mickey Mania again and have been plotting out our plan to FINALLY get a coveted hammock on Castaway Cay this time.

We haven't started actually packing, but keeping adding to the ever-present "cruise box" in my bedroom as I find trial size things and other stuff. We have pretty much everything we need now, but I do still need to find Tyler Dean a new tie. (And someone to show us how to tie it! LOL)

I can't wait for next week to be over, so I can finally have some time to think about the trip!!!

 

[MyLove4Disney]

Only one week of this semester left for me, and then I will be able to get a-postin'! If I survive finals, that is. LOL I'm impressed that you have been sewing actual clothes... that is so neat! I can't sew a button on without it falling back off 30 minutes later.

Tyler Dean and I have been practicing our crowd-craziness so we can try and get on Mickey Mania again and have been plotting out our plan to FINALLY get a coveted hammock on Castaway Cay this time.

We haven't started actually packing, but keeping adding to the ever-present "cruise box" in my bedroom as I find trial size things and other stuff. We have pretty much everything we need now, but I do still need to find Tyler Dean a new tie. (And someone to show us how to tie it! LOL)

I can't wait for next week to be over, so I can finally have some time to think about the trip!!!

Although I am not going though finals, my 23 year old daughter is in college now and she is prepairing. She is in her official Jr year as a vocal performance / education major. It is very different then when I went to school for business, ya know general test for every class. Music performance is all about performing. Instead of a final exam she has a jury, singing 6 songs I know that doesn't sound like much, but none are in english they are in german or french, no english, all from memory and have to be perfect, can't forget any words or you could end of failing the semester and you have to start over. It is very gruling for her, me too, because I feel her stress. She is also in an Opera, they only have 6 performance and the 1st two and the night before we leave for Florida and then they have a break for two weeks and then 4 more shows after we get back. I'm worried she will get sick on the trip she has the female lead, but we are going to try and relax as much as possible.

I bet your family feels your stress with finals too. So I wish you good luck and find time to relax also, even before the cruise,


Hey anybody out there on our trip a DVC member, have you read your new Disney Files Magazine, new cool stuff coming to the parks in the next few years.

 

[big jack 2002]

We are so ready for this cruise. I have been looking at my clothes and laying out what I want to pack. I have been looking for sandals all summer, fall, and now winter. I am going to just have to wear my old ones, I guess. We have our hotel reservations made, our transportation reservations made, our hoop-de-do reservations for the night before the cruise made. We are ready!!!
Are we going to have a DIS meet?

 

[Billinaz]

Anyone staying at the Country Inn and Suites on Feb 1 and want to get the kids together to get to know each other before we get onboard?

We have 2 girls (12 and 8) and one boy, 10.

 

[big jack 2002]

We are coming down 3 days early and staying at CS. Is anyone else staying at a Disney resort?
Barbara

 

[Gina]

Are we going to have a DIS meet?

We sure are! We had been discussing that over at the Yahoo group. I'm going to host one on embarkation day, around 2:30 or so, in the Promenade Lounge (kids welcome there.) I think someone else might be hosting a meet that evening as well, but I'm not sure where that stands.

I would love to come up with some sort of identifier for all of us, but I am the least-crafty person I know. LOL If I could afford it, I would just have a bunch of the custom rubber bracelets made for us. I have a ton of the lime green Mickey heads from Home Depot, but have zero thoughts on what to do with them.

 

[olewnikpe]

Hey anybody out there on our trip a DVC member, have you read your new Disney Files Magazine, new cool stuff coming to the parks in the next few years.

Yes, we're DVC members, and read the new issue. Amazing how much they're continuing to expand the vacation options. I wish we had the money to buy all the points we would need to take advantage of everything!

 

[MyLove4Disney]

Yes, we're DVC members, and read the new issue. Amazing how much they're continuing to expand the vacation options. I wish we had the money to buy all the points we would need to take advantage of everything!

Wish I could buy more points too, I used points last year to do our cruise, but I think I get a better cash price on the cruise if I know far enough in advance that I'm taking a cruise. Last year it was kind of last min decission. So points were a great option. Kind of felt like a free cruise.

 

[Gina]

I kept the printout from 1/8 of this year when I booked this cruise, and at last check the price for our cat. 7 has gone up $600 since then! And to think friends and family laugh at me for booking "so far out"... Ha!

 

[mfabre]

We are coming down 3 days early and staying at CS. Is anyone else staying at a Disney resort?
Barbara

We are also going to be in Disney before the cruise! My brother surprised me and my DD7 with a mother daughter trip for Christmas. We are going to fly down on the Tuesday and stay in the parks till Friday. I can't wait! My mom (PhotoLisa) and my godmother are also joining us at Disney. I have always wanted to do a girls trip! The rest of our cruise crew will be arriving at the port on Friday.

I am not sure if my husband will drive from the port on Friday evening to pick us up or if we will head out there on Saturday morning. As long as I am there it doesn't matter to me!

 

[Billinaz]

Dan (10) is looking for a boy on this cruise to email so he can get to know someone before we get to the port.

His sisters already have email friends.....any boys in the group that want to email??

The email address is:

Kids-Feb2008-DCL-Cruise@cox.net

 

[Gina]

Dan (10) is looking for a boy on this cruise to email so he can get to know someone before we get to the port.

His sisters already have email friends.....any boys in the group that want to email??

The email address is:

Kids-Feb2008-DCL-Cruise@cox.net

Tyler Dean is 11 (will be celebrating 12 onboard) and he would love to have some friends ahead of time to hang out with. I'll have him email when he gets home from school! Do you need his email address to add him to the distribution list?

 

[Brancaneve]

Just wanted to say hi though....it was nice to see someone else who planned ahead!

Tara

Hi! My name is Gisela and in case you were wondering, Brancaneve means Snow White in Portuguese. My husband and two kids(ages 5 and almost 3) will be on this cruise along with my parents who have never cruised before. We are extremely excited and are busy trying to get our 2 year old potty trained before the trip but not finding much success. Wish us luck!

 

[Billinaz]

Gina


Just have Tyler email Dan at that email address.

I go through the emails first before the kids get to see them......

I review them before they are sent too.

 

[MyLove4Disney]

I'm getting ready for the holidays now, got the 2nd tree up. It is our disney tree full of mini disney babies. All the different one we have collected over the years with red and white garland. It is really nice.

We are getting Nor Cal version of cold here. it was 28 degrees out this morning warming up to a 48. If you look out side you would thing that is should be 70 degrees, beautiful clear blues skys. But it was very crisp. We need some rain and a lot of snow in the Tahoe area but it hasn't come yet. We don't get snow in my area, but once every 7 to 8 years. We thought the other day we just might see some but it started warming up.

I know a number of you are from the east coast so I hope you are able to stay warm. Just keep thinking about the cruise and the warm afternoons out on deck sipping the drinks of the day.


Yahoo doing the 50 day dance

 

[Chariandlee]

Feb 2-9, 2008 Magic

This is my first time on this site and our first cruise ever. I am trying to figure out this site and I am going crazy. I know NOTHING about cruises let alone a Disney cruise. I will be traveling with my husband, 7 year old son and our daughter who turns 4 while on cruise. I would be thrilled to get ANY advise about excursions, kids activities etc. THANKS!!!

 

[Gina]

Feb 2-9, 2008 Magic

This is my first time on this site and our first cruise ever. I am trying to figure out this site and I am going crazy. I know NOTHING about cruises let alone a Disney cruise. I will be traveling with my husband, 7 year old son and our daughter who turns 4 while on cruise. I would be thrilled to get ANY advise about excursions, kids activities etc. THANKS!!!

Welcome to the DIS, to this cruise group, and to your newest addiction!!

Wow, where to begin... Do you have any guide books? Do you have a PassPorter? If you don't, check your library -- the cruise edition is the only guide out there devoted to Disney Cruise Line, and is sooooo helpful!

I'm not sure what sort of tips to offer... Do you have anything in specific you were wondering about? I can tell you this much: Take a picture of your kids before you board, because you'll forget what they look like by the end of the week. Once they see the Oceaneer Club, you'll have to pry them out of there with a crowbar.

This is a great thread for tips, tricks, and secrets for your cruise:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=468132


And please feel free to join our Yahoo group set up for this cruise! There are a lot of helpful tools there, and people have posted a lot of great information. It's a closed group, which means no one is there who shouldn't be there. Please feel free to add your details to the database there, and your photos to the photo album! Just head to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/febcruise to join.

We'll be having a meet on embarkation day at about 2:30pm, at the Promenade Lounge (children definitely welcome!) It's a great way to meet your fellow cruisers and make some new friends.

Looking forward to meeting you and your family!

-gina-

 

[Chariandlee]

Gina,

Thanks for the information. I don't have a guide book and I never even heard of a passporter but I will definatly look into getting them. Some of the info I am looking for is do I just drop in at the Oceaneer Club or do I need to make specific reservations, how do I know how much and who to tip, what are the drink cards that I have heard about....stuff like that. Is this the kindof of info I would find in the guide or the passporter? I think I am just freaking out because I am so out of my "knowledge comfort zone" when it comes to a cruise. We have always done the "Sandals" or "Beaches" all-inclusive resorts and I know everything I need to about them. Also, I get motion sickness easily and I am a little worried about that (I guess I will just have to load up on patches or pills or something). Lastly, I really wanted to go to Beaches Turks and Caicos for this vacation but my husband wanted a break from just a beach resort so I guess that is why I am not getting that excited about this trip. I keep telling myself that I will have a fabulous time (based on all the wonderful things people say about Disney cruises).

Thanks for the threads.....I will check them out.

Hope to see you on the ship.

Chari

 

[Gina]

Gina,

Thanks for the information. I don't have a guide book and I never even heard of a passporter but I will definatly look into getting them.

Hi Chari! I'll try and toss my thoughts in on your questions. The first thing I want to tell you is, take a deep breath!! It'll all be worth it, I promise. I know it seems overwhelming, but the planning is half the fun! *points to her tag* And the more you plan, the smoother things will go and the more you'll be able to relax.

Some of the info I am looking for is do I just drop in at the Oceaneer Club or do I need to make specific reservations,

You are within the time frame now where you can go online to disneycruise.com and sign into your reservation. Once there, you can register your kids for the kids' clubs. At the terminal, or once onboard, you can pick up the pager they will have for you so that they can page you when your kids want to be picked up or things like that.

Once they are registered for the Club/Lab, you can drop them off and pick them up whenever you/they like, with a few restrictions: When the kids are "transitioning" from one location to another, say from the Club to the Sports Deck, you will not be able to sign kids in or out until they get to the destination and the counselors have counted all the kids again. The kids' clubs are open all day (and trust me, that is SO much nicer than other cruise lines) until midnight or 1am.

How do I know how much and who to tip,

Here is a very handy tip calculator:

http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

The last full day of the cruise, they will leave you tip envelopes in your stateroom for each of the people mentioned on the tip calculator above. You just give the little envelopes to the intended people. I think you can also prepay your tips now, but I'm not sure how. We also bring something like a big bag of candy for the kids' club counselors who are SO great.

What are the drink cards that I have heard about....

They used to have a drink mug/sticker program, but now they have free soft drinks at the drink station on deck 9 aft. They also have milk and tea, if I remember correctly. The above are all free at meals, also. The only time there would be a cost for soft drinks is if you ordered them from room service or at a bar.

Is this the kindof of info I would find in the guide or the passporter? I think I am just freaking out because I am so out of my "knowledge comfort zone" when it comes to a cruise. We have always done the "Sandals" or "Beaches" all-inclusive resorts and I know everything I need to about them.

The PassPorter is awesome -- I couldn't live without mine for either trips to WDW or on the Magic. But you can find most if not all the info right here on the DIS boards! It's just all nice and organized in the PassPorter.

If you have done all-inclusives, then your cruise vacation will be very similar. Most everything is included -- even 24hr room service. The only things that are extra are alcoholic drinks, bingo, spa services, that sort of thing.

Also, I get motion sickness easily and I am a little worried about that (I guess I will just have to load up on patches or pills or something).

I always take Bonine, and swear by it. It's chewable, and it works. I start taking it a few days before we leave so that it is in my system, and also so that any side effects such as drowsiness have had time to go away as my body gets used to the medicine. According to a recent thread, you can ask the pharmacist for a big bottle of generic Bonine for a LOT less. I'm going to try that this time!

Others swear by ginger capsules, and even the show Myth Busters determined that ginger was the most effective of the non-pharmaceutical options.

If you decide to try the patch, get it very soon and try it for a good while to see how you will react to it. Some people have no problems at all, and some have cruise-ruining side effects.

Whichever option you go with, just stay with it no matter how you feel. Preventing feeling icky is way easier than trying to reverse it!!

Lastly, I really wanted to go to Beaches Turks and Caicos for this vacation but my husband wanted a break from just a beach resort so I guess that is why I am not getting that excited about this trip. I keep telling myself that I will have a fabulous time (based on all the wonderful things people say about Disney cruises).

I really think you're going to surprise yourself... and you'll be thanking your husband big time. Imagine your fabulous all-inclusive vacation, except that your resort has Broadway-quality shows and a ton of fun activities, AND sails around to visit some wonderful places!! And if nothing else, the day at Castaway Cay will top everything else.

Hope this helps... let us all know if you need any other info!

-gina-

 

[MyLove4Disney]

Is everyone getting ready for holidays this week. I am getting the house ready, getting all the special cooking stuff out. Made our menu out yesterday, same every year but we don't have it any other time of year so I had to figure out what I need to buy for dinner. My family is small now. Only my two brothers their wives, my dad and my daughter, she will be 23 the day after christmas, so no little kids. But I keep having dinner, When i was a kid we used to have 25 for dinner. My mom would work so hard making dinner each year. I sure miss her, she was my best friend I feel empty without her, it will be 4 years January, since God took her to heaven. Everyone says it get easier with time, I'd like to know when thats going to be. We used to go to WDW together she loved it, first time she went she was 58 years old.

Well my work is official closed between xmas and new years except for public safety and other emergencies(I work for a city gov). My division is moving to another building about 1 mile away but my office isn't ready yet, so I won't be moving nor the division head for about 2 months. So our area has been a mess with people being in an out, doors unlocked and open to the public. So I was being careful and left my purse in my van in the middle console area on the floor and a coat covering it, and guess what at 10:45 to 11 am this morning, a beautiful day turned ugly, my van was boken into and they stole my purse. Here I was trying to be safer, no, I was wrong about that, it was my own fault I should have known better. (wish I had a trunk but not in a van). Well they didn't get much in my purse for cash, only had 5.00 cash. I had only a couple credit cards and a check book and drivers license. But the bad thing. I had my WDW 10 day never exp. park hopper tickets with 8 days left on them in my wallet. So my 8 days are gone that make me so sad. They won't do anything with it. I knew that I didn't have much in my purse, so I went and looked around in the garbage cans there is a single softball field next to where employees have to park, was hoping they just wanted cash, because I had other things in my car they could have taken, cell phone. a bag from a jewlery store that was empty, but it still had the fancy wrapping in it so it look like there was still something in it, but they didn't even touch that, and it was easier to get to. Van was still locked they just busted out the window.

Well teaches me a lesson and merry christmas to me . I can't wait to take this cruise. But now not sure I will be going to the parks afterward as planned.

this year is really ending sucky I know it could have been much worse, but still i'm sad.

Ok everyone come on and cheer me up, tell me all the fun things everyone is doing and preparing for our MAGICal cruise.