February 2, 2008 Eastern early check in

[Gina]

Would you add my grandchildren, Cassie, will be 11, Allison, will be 10, and Kendall, she will be 6. We also will have Emerson, a little boy, age 1 1/2.
We are getting so excited about our cruise.
I can't figure out how to join the yahoo group. Please, Help!!
Thanks, Barbara

Hi Barbara ~

Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/febcruise/ and press "join this group." Then you'll either sign in with your Yahoo information, or create a Yahoo account, and it'll send a message to me to approve a new member. When that is done, it'll send you a message letting you know you're a member, and other info. That's it!

If you'd like to PM me with your email address, I think I can also manually add you that way.

-gina-

 

[pjohnson]

Hey Peggy!

Yes, I'll take care of Seth, Paige and Riley's names for your sisters. I still have Jordan and Bryce's from last year but I'm going to do a new one for them so it won't be the same.

I love the wine tasting and that one will be fun. I want to do a margarita tasting this trip. I'll have to look up the schedule in my navigators and see which days the margarita tastings are on. I'm sure I could twist your arm hard enough on that one too! If not you, maybe Ginger!!

You need to join in the fun in the yahoogroup too if you haven't been there yet.

How's the quietness in your house? Driving you crazy yet?

Hey Lisa,

Ginger will be at the margarita tasting. Scott and I had dinner with her last night she said to count her in. Dinner topic for last night was the cruise. We already booked our rooms at the Radisson. Join the yahoo group today waiting for approval.

We started working on the house again. So, haven't had time to enjoy the quietness. I never sit still long enough. Michelle, Jordan and Bryce were here this afternoon. We talked about our plans for the trip. Trying to figure how we are going to haul the luggage for this group. U-Haul I guess

Can't wait

Peggy

 

[PhotoLisa]

Check the yahoogroup for a list of pillowcase names that are complete including the link to find them.

 

[VickiHD]

PhotoLisa

Thank you so much for creating Peters name for the pillowcase. It's so cute!!!!

Can I pick up transfer paper at any craft store???

Vicki

 

[PhotoLisa]

PhotoLisa

Thank you so much for creating Peters name for the pillowcase. It's so cute!!!!

Can I pick up transfer paper at any craft store???

Vicki

You can get the paper at Michael's, Hancock Fabric, Hobby Lobby, walmart, etc.

Don't forget to "flip" the design before you print it out. Go to the Disboard's Creative DISigns forum to see the tips for transfering designs for printing.

 

[PhotoLisa]

There is a thread in the forum that states someone was told when they applied for their passport it could take 4 to 5 months to receive it.

Do I think the 1/1/08 date will be pushed back? Yes. Is it guaranteed that we won't need a passport? No This date has already been pushed back. I was in the number that felt the date would be pushed back from the original 1/1/07 date and was right. This time . . . I'm not feeling as strongly. Its possible but not as improbable as a year ago.

If the date holds true, you wouldn't be able to board the ship without a passport. DCL does not have to give you compensation if you get to the terminal and you can't board because you don't have the proper documents.

If you don't have a passport and need one, its time to apply. Don't wait until the last minute because the issuance time will only get worse as people try to get their passports closer to the deadline.

The post office will be open on Friday when most people are off of work. Take advantage of that day to apply for your passport.

 

[Gina]

I don't think they're going to change the 1/08 date at all this time, because you already have to have a passport to travel out of the country by air. DS and I applied for ours on 2/26, and they *still* aren't even showing up in the system yet. We still have 10 more months before we sail, but this IS the government... I won't relax until they're in our hands, especially after it took almost a year just for my idiot ex to get around to having that piece of paper signed and notarized.

BTW, I'm sorry I haven't been very active here or on the Yahoo group lately -- work and school are completely kicking my butt. Is it summer yet???

 

[Cajun Princess]

Hey to all the new sailers. It's going to be a GREAT cruise.

Sorry I've been away. Just lots of stuff going on. I can't wait til summer.

I tried to sign up for the yahoo group. Hope it worked.

PhotoLisa - I remember you from the 2006 cruise. I don't know if we ever met but I saw you taking pictures one day. I also saw the pics you posted after the cruise and they were great. So jealous that you got to do back to back cruises. What a dream that would be. I also made pillowcases like yours for our last cruise. I didn't tell the kids or DH about them and had the room steward put them on the beds. Everyone loved them. Each name was done with that persons favorite character. We didn't have them signed.

Didn't know it would be Superbowl Sunday. Go Saints. I think watching the game on the ship will be lots of fun. Will they play it on the jumbo screen outside?

We already have our passports. Got them when they came out with the first date. Thought we would need them for the Feb. 2006 curise. It was extra money but glad we got them when we did. Even with Hurricane Katrina we sill got them a week early. Yes they were in New Orleans when the storm hit.

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter

 

[big jack 2002]

Bump. I couldn't hardly find this!!!

 

[HawkeyeGal]

Hi! I'm Michelle, wife to one, mom to 2 - 4 and 19 months currently. We were on the Feb 10th Western this year and booked on board for the Feb 2nd Eastern in 2008. I'm thrilled to find this thread! We traveled with 2 other couples (3 other kiddos - 7, 4 & 4.) Looking forward to planning with you all!

 

[Gina]

Hi Michelle! Welcome to our little party!!

You're going to love doing the Eastern... Western is nice, but Eastern is a whole different atmosphere. The extra sea day is awesome, too.

Please feel free to join us, if you like, on our Yahoo group. There we are sharing links and photos and info, and can group messages according to topic which makes it so much easier. We also have a database set up where you can enter your family's info, and you'll be able to print the whole thing out before sailing so you can have contact info for everyone. Just go to groups.yahoo.com/group/febcruise and join from there.

We still keep this thread bumped too, though, if you don't wish to be a part of the Yahoo group. Hope to talk to you more soon!

-gina-

 

[Billinaz]

I just found out that we will be out of communications range for the super bowl game. Complete blackout.

Maybe everyone can watch the people always playing basketball on the bow at all hours of the day and night instead??

 

[SnowWhite2]

Not to worry....

I was on the Magic for Super Bowl 2007 and it was shown on the big screen on Deck 9, in the sports bar on Beat Street, and in the promenade lounge. The feed was from ESPN but a Spanish version of ESPN. All of the stats and graphics were in Spanish. They did have audio in English.

The sports bar had prizes and food - looked like nachos, etc. Deck 9 had hot dogs and big soft pretzels which were filled with an apple type filling. Promenade lounge had cheese/crackers, fruit, etc.

If you would like to watch it on Deck 9, make sure to bring a sweatshirt and jeans because it is very windy and chilly if you are out there for a long time.

Formal night will not be on Sunday but will be moved to Monday.

_____

I just noticed you are going on the Christmas 08 cruise - we are going on that one also! My DH thought I was crazy when I booked both of them during our Feb 07 cruise. Good to see great minds think alike!

 

[Billinaz]

I was just kidding.. tryig to see if anyone would go for that.............

Not to worry....

I was on the Magic for Super Bowl 2007 and it was shown on the big screen on Deck 9, in the sports bar on Beat Street, and in the promenade lounge. The feed was from ESPN but a Spanish version of ESPN. All of the stats and graphics were in Spanish. They did have audio in English.

The sports bar had prizes and food - looked like nachos, etc. Deck 9 had hot dogs and big soft pretzels which were filled with an apple type filling. Promenade lounge had cheese/crackers, fruit, etc.

If you would like to watch it on Deck 9, make sure to bring a sweatshirt and jeans because it is very windy and chilly if you are out there for a long time.

Formal night will not be on Sunday but will be moved to Monday.

_____

I just noticed you are going on the Christmas 08 cruise - we are going on that one also! My DH thought I was crazy when I booked both of them during our Feb 07 cruise. Good to see great minds think alike!

 

[taraandmike]

Hi Everyone,
I am brand new to this site and just booked this cruise last week. I am so excited as this will be our first cruise and first disney vacation also! I will be going with my husband and 3 children 12,14 and 16. I am impressed with all the helpful information on this site and it will take me forever to get caught up. February can not get here soon enough..


Tara

 

[pjohnson]

Hi Everyone,
I am brand new to this site and just booked this cruise last week. I am so excited as this will be our first cruise and first disney vacation also! I will be going with my husband and 3 children 12,14 and 16. I am impressed with all the helpful information on this site and it will take me forever to get caught up. February can not get here soon enough..


Tara

Hey Tara,

This is our 2nd cruise with Disney! Once you sail with Disney your hooked! Every year we take a family vacation. After all these years I've never heard my husband (Scott) tell everyone they have to take a Disney cruise until now. There is so much to do as a family. The kids can do their thing and ya'll can do yours. That is one of the things that is so great about it. Your children are going to love it! Start packing Look forward to meeting ya'll some of us are scheduling to do the Margarita tasting.

Peggy

 

[eeyoresbestfriend]

Hi Everyone! Ijust booked my family ont his cruise too- we are SO excited! We have done one other Disney Cruise, in January of 06 but only a 3 night! Have been trying to get back ever since!! My husband is in the military,so it's hard to plan these things, but he will be coming back from Iraq at the endof the year and we wanted to do somthing FUN!
Does anyone have any thoughts on what the weather might be like for this cruise? I am going to go back an lookthrough this thread again, but is there somewhere that lists what each dinner etc will be?I know t hat I read that Formal night will be on Monday due tot he Superbowl, how does that effect everything else? Thanks for any help this looks like a great groupofpeople, can't wait to join you!

 

[Gina]

Hi Tara, hi Eeyoresbestfriend! Welcome to the party!! Jump right on in the discussions with us, either here or at our Yahoo group!

Glad to have you with us!

-gina-

 

[Billinaz]

Im actively trying to add to our cruise... Ive been recruiting everyone I work with!

I think we might try Palo for dinner this cruise........

 

[olewnikpe]

Excuse me while I rant to nobody in particular, just to get it off my chest.

We are planning to use USAirways frequent flyer miles for 3 or our 4 airline tickets for the cruise. But over the past few years, they changed how their miles redemption works. Officially, it costs 25,000 miles for a roundtrip domestic ticket. Now, with the exception of red-eye kind of flight times, most flights are now 50,000 miles roundtrip, which they don't really advertise as being the case. So now I call it the Miles Redemption Prevention program.

I know we're still a ways away, and shouldn't worry about it, but we'd like to have everything set that we can set, so we can focus on the things we need to focus on as we approach sailing (reservations, excursions, etc.), not stressing over flights come November and December.

When I mention available flights, I'm referring to flights that only cost 25,000 roundtrip. To fly into Orlando on Feb 1, there is only a 5:30am flight that is available, coming home, we'd have to wait until Sunday . We were hoping that our DD (8) would be able to go to school for most if not all of the day on 2/1, which is normally how we do it when we go to WDW, since she will be out the whole following week. Besides, getting up with two kids to catch a flight that early is crazy anyway.

We looked at any airport within 2.5 hrs drive of Port Canaveral (Tampa, Jacksonville, and West Palm Beach) to see what flights are available for us to use our miles. It looks like Tampa will be our best bet, with a 9:50 am flight out of Philly to Tampa on 2/1. Which means no school for DD, but at least the flight is at a decent time. Coming home we can fly out at 6pm on Sat.

With all the flights I've taken with USscareways over the past few years, it annoys me that they provide this kind of service. I know, during busy times of the year, there is historically problems with blackout dates, but are other airline's frequest miles programs this restrictive, or cost so many miles, even during seemingly slower times of the year?

--Eddie