February 27th 2011 Mexican Riviera aboard the Wonder

[disney-lover]

FEs are so fun! I would also like to do a Secret Mickey exchange - similar to a Secret Santa exchange, you are assigned one participating cabin to make/buy a gift for. We took the getting-to-know-you questionnaire from our Secret Mickey family and put together a little goodie for them for each day of the cruise, with their actual SM gift delivered on the final night. It's an opportunity to do something a little more in-depth for ONE cabin vs. across the board with FEs... we enjoyed doing both!

I am hoping someone else will want to organize Secret Mickey (LOL) but if not I will do it. I'll wait another month or so before starting sign-ups.

I definitely think it's a good idea to put a deadline on joining FE. We had a handful of people join our roll call at the last minute and it was understandably too late for those who were making elaborate FE gifts or had purchased only a certain number of items. Those people elected to join in knowing they might not get a gift from every single FE cabin... but we had so many families participating and got so much great stuff, I don't think they minded!

Ah I like the idea of a secret mickey, never heard of it before but think it is a good idea. So do you have a certain amount to spend or is it unlimited?

I think with the FE's we should close it a couple of months before we travel so say Christmas time, that should give us plenty of time to get sorted and also give any late comers time to join.

 

[AQW]

We had a suggested minimum amount on our Secret Mickey gift - I think it was $15? But it's really up to the participating family... if you're making something really awesome and the materials don't happen to add up to $15, who cares?

I just started my first planning spreadsheet for this cruise - not excursion info, not a packing list, but a document to track what I want to sew for my kids! I get to do that ever-so-dangerous dance between sewing early (so I can finish everything in time) and waiting as long as possible (so they don't hit an unexpected growth spurt).

We're going on another cruise (Carnival Freedom out of FLL) in October, so I might just plan to start sewing for this cruise after we get back from that one. I won't be sewing for that trip, so I have plenty of time to plan outfits for the Feb voyage!

 

[disneygirlinphoenix]

Ah I like the idea of a secret mickey, never heard of it before but think it is a good idea. So do you have a certain amount to spend or is it unlimited?

I think with the FE's we should close it a couple of months before we travel so say Christmas time, that should give us plenty of time to get sorted and also give any late comers time to join.

Thanks Disney-Lover, for being the spear head! I will assist if you need help! I think the time frame is good as well to cut off invitees.

So excited to meet y'all.

Rachel

 

[lauraleigh9mm]

Rachel-

I will do whatever you tell me to do. This is not my forte'.

 

[Andromeda9mm]

Rachel-

I will do whatever you tell me to do. This is not my forte'.

Laura, I am NOT doing fish extenders or secret mickeys.

You can find me in the bar.

Meredith

 

[lauraleigh9mm]

you suck-I can do this and be in the bar.

 

[IrishCowboy]

I have added your thread to the cruise meet list

 

[FLVacationGirl]

I have added your thread to the cruise meet list

Thanks IrishCowboy!

Our thread is now official.

What kind of planning stage is everyone at?

I'm in the drive-my-spouse-crazy stage, talking about the cruise daily. Poor guy. Busy reading cruise trip reports and watching this thread. We also did the obligatory Home Depot mickey mouse head magnets for our fridge yesterday. I cut them out and DD3 stuck the magnets on. That is as crafty as we will ever get at our house. A little too crafty for me, actually. If anyone outside of Canada or the US wants some Home Depot mickey heads, let me know and I can mail some to you.

Meredith, I had to giggle at your FE vs. the bar reply. If it was a 3 or 4 night cruise, I might not do an FE, but definitely think it will be fun for a 7 night cruise. I might be up for the secret santa/mickey gift.

 

[disney-lover]

Thanks IrishCowboy!

Our thread is now official.

What kind of planning stage is everyone at?

I'm in the drive-my-spouse-crazy stage, talking about the cruise daily. Poor guy. Busy reading cruise trip reports and watching this thread. We also did the obligatory Home Depot mickey mouse head magnets for our fridge yesterday. I cut them out and DD3 stuck the magnets on. That is as crafty as we will ever get at our house. A little too crafty for me, actually. If anyone outside of Canada or the US wants some Home Depot mickey heads, let me know and I can mail some to you.

Meredith, I had to giggle at your FE vs. the bar reply. If it was a 3 or 4 night cruise, I might not do an FE, but definitely think it will be fun for a 7 night cruise. I might be up for the secret santa/mickey gift.

Yay, our little thread official

I've not really started planning yet but I am planning to surprise the kids. They don't know we have booked yet and we thought we would save it till xmas morning but I think we will burst if we have to wait that long! So we have decided to tell them in July, it will be a joint birthday surprise for them both. We are just trying to work out what to do at the moment and how to tell them.

 

[DisneyZell]

Hello everyone,

Our friends finally got a cabin on this cruise today! We have been looking for the past week and were very excited that one actually showed up! They will have a DS who will be 13 at cruise time and DD who will be 10. I have been looking up things to do at the different ports and really want to do a zip line tour I found in Puerto Vallarta. Looks like a lot of fun and something the whole family can do. We also might go to Stone Island at Mazatlan and do some horsback riding. Our kids do not know about this cruise and we are hoping to keep it a secret until we actually get there. We have told them we will be going out to see my parents who live in Palm Desert, so that is our cover. They will be surprised to say the least.

 

[Kirbo]

Thanks IrishCowboy!

Our thread is now official.

What kind of planning stage is everyone at?

I'm in the drive-my-spouse-crazy stage, talking about the cruise daily. Poor guy. Busy reading cruise trip reports and watching this thread. We also did the obligatory Home Depot mickey mouse head magnets for our fridge yesterday. I cut them out and DD3 stuck the magnets on. That is as crafty as we will ever get at our house. A little too crafty for me, actually. If anyone outside of Canada or the US wants some Home Depot mickey heads, let me know and I can mail some to you.

Meredith, I had to giggle at your FE vs. the bar reply. If it was a 3 or 4 night cruise, I might not do an FE, but definitely think it will be fun for a 7 night cruise. I might be up for the secret santa/mickey gift.

That's me!

I'm obsessively reading threads here, plotting how to afford another cruise after this one (our first, and already I've decided I love it ) and crying that we don't get to go sooner!

 

[oregonmommyof2]

I'm obsessively reading threads here, plotting how to afford another cruise after this one (our first, and already I've decided I love it ) and crying that we don't get to go sooner!

I am doing the same thing...

I have been begging DH to book a back to back on the Dream at the end of next year....

 

[Andromeda9mm]

Meredith, I had to giggle at your FE vs. the bar reply. If it was a 3 or 4 night cruise, I might not do an FE, but definitely think it will be fun for a 7 night cruise. I might be up for the secret santa/mickey gift.

Don't worry, I'm not a hag, Laura (lauraleigh9mm) is my sister.

I was messing with her. ha ha ha... BUT I don't think I'll do FE's just because I'm a lazy jerk. BUT, I'll bring some rum and I'll pour you all a drink!

Meredith in Utah

 

[AQW]

::scooting closer to Meredith::

 

[Kirbo]

I am doing the same thing...

I have been begging DH to book a back to back on the Dream at the end of next year....

I want to do the same thing ! I was thinking of booking a B2B while on the cruise for 2012. OR a 7-night eastern if it's on one of the new ships

 

[oregonmommyof2]

I want to do the same thing ! I was thinking of booking a B2B while on the cruise for 2012. OR a 7-night eastern if it's on one of the new ships

I think we may be sharing a brain... I just said the same thing to DH...

 

[IndianaPrincess]

Don't worry, I'm not a hag, Laura (lauraleigh9mm) is my sister.

I was messing with her. ha ha ha... BUT I don't think I'll do FE's just because I'm a lazy jerk. BUT, I'll bring some rum and I'll pour you all a drink!

Meredith in Utah

I'll bring the cokes!

 

[Kirbo]

I think we may be sharing a brain... I just said the same thing to DH...

We probably live fairly close to each other, too

 

[lauraleigh9mm]

I'll bring the cokes!

Diet Coke? I am there!

 

[disneygirlinphoenix]

Thanks IrishCowboy!

Our thread is now official.

What kind of planning stage is everyone at?

I'm in the drive-my-spouse-crazy stage, talking about the cruise daily. Poor guy. Busy reading cruise trip reports and watching this thread. We also did the obligatory Home Depot mickey mouse head magnets for our fridge yesterday. I cut them out and DD3 stuck the magnets on. That is as crafty as we will ever get at our house. A little too crafty for me, actually. If anyone outside of Canada or the US wants some Home Depot mickey heads, let me know and I can mail some to you.

Meredith, I had to giggle at your FE vs. the bar reply. If it was a 3 or 4 night cruise, I might not do an FE, but definitely think it will be fun for a 7 night cruise. I might be up for the secret santa/mickey gift.

HA HA HA!!! If you don't sound like the spittin' image of me. I think my DH is sick of me. He keeps saying I am making too big of a deal about something that is 8 months away. Read the boards everyday, surf the web for info, making crafty stuff. Been planning on FE's gifts, so excited!!
Look forward to meeting everyone