February 24, 2007 Magic!

[akdaisy]

bump......

 

[interested]

 

[KingCruisers]

This is our first time cruising - me, dh, ds (10), and dd (8).

Any last minute wisdom for first time cruisers?

We are so excited...I can't even put it into words!

Annie

 

[becca_n_wa]

Any last minute wisdom for first time cruisers?

Best advice I can give, slow down and just enjoy your vacation!

Welcome to the DIS and to our cruise!

 

[sherekhan]

This is our first time cruising - me, dh, ds (10), and dd (8).

Any last minute wisdom for first time cruisers?

Annie

Hi, this is my first time cruising with Disney, too! I pack a little each day so I can feel like it's closer. Lucky they're summer things that I don't actually wear in the chilly north right now.

Anyway, if you haven't already found JLSM97's massive list of tips, I'd suggest going to her site

Also, there's another past cruiser on another cruise named LaurlieMT who posted a great list on 10-31-06 with the subject line "Cruise Tips and Packing Hints (long!!)" I read these two and some advice on mousesavers and I feel pretty prepared.

ah....ok, is seems I don't have enough posts to add links to my message. get to Mousesavers and add ".com" to the end to get there. I bet if you asked JLSM97 sweetly, she probably has enough posts to actually put the address here!

 

[JLSM97]

I bet if you asked JLSM97 sweetly, she probably has enough posts to actually put the address here!

Or you don't have to actually ASK at all!

The link to all the tips I've collected from the DIS boards is in my signature.

--J.

 

[sherekhan]

of course! which is where I saw it in the first place. This is why I've been packing every day...I seem to have no memory at all. I'm assuming that will not get better on board...

 

[sherekhan]

Hey, while I'm on-line today...do y'all do the lime green thing to meet up? I've read that some people do it and never meet anybody. Will this group be sporting the green?

FYI, I changed my avatar to look more like me. In real life, I look nothing like Mushu or the stone dragon.

 

[JLSM97]

FYI, I changed my avatar to look more like me. In real life, I look nothing like Mushu or the stone dragon.

Yeah, unlike MY avatar, I actually have facial features in real life. Just think, though... if we looked like our avatars, we wouldn't need any lime green Mickey heads to find each other!

On our first cruise I wore the green Mickey all week (on my lanyard with my KTTW card). However, I think most people took Mickeys out of view after the first day. I saw someone from afar at the port and then later at reservations I spotted one and introduced myself, but otherwise never found a single DISer after the first couple hours. One person stopped me halfway through the week and said their spouse was a DISer. So face-to-face, I only met one person. I will probably wear the Mickey again this time, and I'll give one to DH too, so hopefully anyone else willing to be identified as a DISer will too.

DH is Asian and I'm as white as white can be... that oughta narrow down a search for us.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Hey everybody! Look at your ticker!!! It doesn't say months anymore . . . today is the start of the "day" countdown!!!

THIRTY MORE TO GO!!!

Let's get the party started!!!!!!



Of course, my party starts 7 days before it does for you guys . . . so, I'll be waiting patiently for your arrival on the 24th!!! I'll be the one on the ship - Deck 10 peering over the banister to you!

 

[Downrivermama]

I just noticed my ticker too! We actually leave on the 22nd to spend time at WDW. So technically it's 28 days. Woo Hoo!

 

[sherekhan]

Has anyone here ever used the sport water bottles with filters from Pure Water 2 Go? I read about it as an alternative to packing/buying a lot of disposable water bottles, but I wonder if they actually work well.

 

[sherekhan]

So my sister-in-law reminded me of her favorite lime green accessory! They are the awareness bracelets that say "Donate Life." As we're all grateful that her husband was blessed to receive a kidney transplant last year, I think this is what I'll be wearing. It may not be as lime a green as you can get, but since it has a great message, it's close enough for me!

If you'd like to try to connect with other Disboarders (and promote organ donation) they're only $1 at:
http://www.shareyourlife.org/gift_orderform.html

(yay! I have enough posts to include the website )

 

[KingCruisers]

I loved the packing advice! I am typically a "last minute" packer. I am going to set up our suitcases tonight in our spare room. Also, I tend to overpack and the lists will be very helpful. Can you all beleive that we will be sailing in less than a month!?

I am looking at 6 inches of snow and ice in my yard right now...that even adds to the excitement!

Hope to meet you soon!

Annie

 

[sherekhan]

I am looking at 6 inches of snow and ice in my yard right now...that even adds to the excitement!

Annie

Plunging temperatures and more snow today here! Seems like it adds value to the trip, doesn't it?

 

[JLSM97]

Has anyone here ever used the sport water bottles with filters from Pure Water 2 Go? I read about it as an alternative to packing/buying a lot of disposable water bottles, but I wonder if they actually work well.

I've got a few. I love them at home and refill them all day long. However, when we went to Disneyland in November they didn't seem to filter out the bad taste of our hotel tap water AT ALL. In the parks they were fine--maybe fewer chemicals? Maybe a little magic?

Because of the hotel water thing, I'm leery about recommending them for the ship now. I remember the water onboard having way more "flavor" than I think water should have, and I guess it all really depends on how much of a water snob you consider yourself to be.

JLSM97 = big water snob

 

[becca_n_wa]

I loved the packing advice! I am typically a "last minute" packer.

I am looking at 6 inches of snow and ice in my yard right now...

I have been going insane since last week because of packing. My clothes are going to look HORRIABLE! Since we are moving out of our house soon, I have to have 3 sets of luggage for 5 PEOPLE!

1. Our clothes (including 3 kids school uniforms and all of DH Army clothes) for after we move out but are still in the area.

2. Vacation clothes and stuff

3. Clothes, toys, misc... for a few weeks after the cruise. Enough to last us until we find a new house to live in Savannah and our household goods are delivered.

So, if you see my family and we are wrinkled head to toe, you can tell your DH, its ok they had thier clothes packed more than a month in advance!

Speaking of all this, I have 7 suit cases and 1 dress bag already and at least 1 more to pack for the cruise....this is crazy... I have WAY TOO much luggage for this cruise! Oh, plus my Mom is coming also humm...what will she pack?

As far as the snow, I am so glad you guys have it! I am a beach person, not a snow person! Where do you guys live? We live about 50 miles north west of Nashville on the KY/TN line. It has been cold here but no snow.

 

[akdaisy]

I have not even thought about starting to pack...you guys are making me feel like a procrastinator! Okay...I take that back. I did dig out everyone's snorkel gear. Oh, and I found DD a beautiful dress at Macy's.

Time is ticking down...4 weeks from right now we will be waiting for our rooms to be ready!!!!!

 

[sherekhan]

I have not even thought about starting to pack...you guys are making me feel like a procrastinator! Okay...I take that back. I did dig out everyone's snorkel gear. Oh, and I found DD a beautiful dress at Macy's.

that's so funny, I've found just about everything EXCEPT the snorkel gear! I haven't seen it since 2001. But the good news is that I discovered I can fit into a gown I haven't worn since my honeymoon...two children ago! So, I hope I make it to formal night, so _I_ can be a princess and not just DD

Anyway, we live in the Chicago area. It's not as cold here as predicted, but still...brr.

 

[becca_n_wa]

4 weeks from right now we will be waiting for our rooms to be ready!!!!!

Oh WOW That is sooo cool!

Are you guys planning to get to the port early or after 12? I would like to get there early but then again, I dont want a long drawn out wait..I might have a panic attack because of being so excited