February 7, 2004 Eastern

[kcashner]

I allowed my daughter to sign herself in and out at age 10. We made a rule that she had to be either in the lab or in the cabin..she couldn't sign out and run the ship. She could also ask the lab to page me, in which case, we could go wherever. I'd leave a note in the room telling her where I was.

The next trip, I gave her the "run of the ship." DCL is really very safe...and my DD is vocal enough to scream or find the nearest CM (as appropriate) if she ever thought she had a problem. As to women being accosted.....never had any trouble on DCL!

 

[disneygal58]

Annie,
3:30 outside of Studio Sea sounds great.
About the bathing suit thing - that's what a nice, large sarong is for....How crazy are we for planning a cruise a month after putting on the holiday pounds? To justify dessert each night, I never take the elevator. I make myself walk ALL of those floors and floors of stairs each day (we usually have a cabin on Deck 2). The walk around Deck 4 is beautiful and relaxing - if you can't steer clear of those wonderful chairs, it's more relaxing.
I am sincerely looking forward to meeting all of you. Will we be donning the traditional green ribbons?

Happy Countdown,
Dawn

To those of you that have recieved their documents - did they arrive UPS or FedEx?

 

[JenGang]

OK, outside Studio Sea at 3:30. I can do that providing I can find Studio Sea. I'm assuming that they give us a map of the ship? LOL Now I guess I'd better work on that giant lime green hair bow. LOL

 

[kcashner]

Getting ready.....I looked at the Disney party decorations and decided that I didn't really want to spend another $30 for what will eventually end up in the trash...
So this morning, I went to our local "Party Outlet" store. I got a door decoration, a garland to put around the door, a centerpiece for either the room or the dinner table, a couple birthday cards, etc. all for under $10. Not too shabby....no Mic and Min, but nice "teenage" colors.

I wanted to do something to surprise/embarass/delight DD on the big 13th birthday!!! Even got a musical card!

Less than a month to go.......
Kathryn

 

[lotsofboys]

Dawn,

Our documents arrived Priority Mail, but again from Costco Travel in Washington state.

 

[kcashner]

FedEx from DCL

 

[Annie12345]

Hi everyone - and the countdown's on... I will try to find lime green ribbons...

Dawn, you are right about sarongs... what a great invention! Maybe we'll get a chance to do some laps around deck 4 together... I try to do the stairs instead of the elevators, too...

Jen - studio sea is deck 4 centre -- you can look over the railing at deck 3 where everyone boards the ship...

Stay warm,
Ann

 

[disneygal58]

Ann,
Laps followed by time in the Rainforest Room - perfect morning for me!
UPS phoned last night and said that they will deliver our documents today. I hope they arrive while we're home. Today I have to bring DDMeagan to the airport to return to school in frigid Colorado (fighting back the tears). Thank Goodness that I have a cruise to look forward to...

Still crossing my fingers for a little upgrade,
Dawn

 

[kcashner]

It is cold and snowy here. I even bailed on going to the gym this morning as there were so many accident reports on the roads. I can't wait for my heated lounge in the Rainforest!!!

Lime green ribbons????

 

[kcashner]

Ok gang....I'm really getting anxious. I looked up the weather in Orlando--60 now with a high of 72 today. In St. Thomas, 72 now with a high of 81. I'm ready!!!

THe extended forecast was even better.
Kathryn

 

[disneygal58]

Well, I recieved part of my documents today. It seems as though they have mailed my 18 year old daughter's (who has always lived with me) to an address in a town in Florida that I am unfarmiliar with. DCL explained that they have always had this other address as an alternative (news to me) for my daughter. They are supposed to send them to us on Monday.
And no upgrade. Oh, well.... I'll be hiking up all of those flights of stairs from Deck 2.
Hope more people recieved good news in the mail today....

Dawn

 

[Annie12345]

Michelle, I forgot to answer your question about the sign in/sign out privileges for your boys... My DD will have just turned 10 a few weeks before the cruise... we are planning to give her sign in/out privileges with stipulations - we will take her to the clubs when she wants to go, and she can choose to go to our room from there, but she will have to have us paged so we will know that's where she's going... so if she's not with us, she should only be in the club or the room. Other than that, if she wants to go somewhere else, we will take her, or else have to know where she is going, with who, and will probably check up on her. She definitely won't have the run of the ship... Last year, she loved the kids club and spent most evenings there, not wanting to leave...during the day she was usually with us unless there was an activity going on that she really wanted to do... maybe your boys will enjoy it more this year since it's a new age group...
Dawn, we didn't check out the rainforest room last time but it sounds wonderful... I think we will do it this cruise. We might even have a spa treatment...

 

[Cyberkashi]

Susan: Thanks for putting together the list but 10 & 13 are the same family.

-- Jami Borman

 

[sbatty]

lotsofboys: You mentioned that your boys didn't really enjoy the clubs. We have never cruised so I am curious about your experience.

I just booked the Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld for our pre-cruise trip to Seaworld. Has anyone heard anything about this hotel. We booked through priceline so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

This is a real small detail but I remember reading that the cabins only had showers. My kids have never showered. Do you know if the shower heads are the detachable kind or are they fixed in place? If they are fixed we better start practicing showering now.

This isn't cruise related, but is SeaWorld an all day park? Is it like WDW where we should plan to arrive right at opening time?

You can tell we are getting close because of all the questions.

 

[disneygal58]

Not to worry, the cabins have tubs as well as showers.
Sea World can definitely be an all day park. It has undergone expansion and renovation over the past year.
Yes, we are certainly getting cloer. I have begun making lists, tucking away tips envelopes and parking fees.
Keep Warm,
Dawn

 

[Annie12345]

Susan, the tubs are pretty small but they should be okay for the kids... the showers are telephone showers that detach from the wall... We've never stayed at the Rennaisance Orlando Resort but have friends who did, and loved it...

 

[kcashner]

As to the club and lab...if my DD made a friend in the first day or 2, she loved it. If she didn't meet a friend, she hated it. I really think it has a lot less to do with the programming than with the social situation.
She's met her "buddy" for this cruise already, so I'm looking forward to the Rainforest.......

All cabins (except mayby handicapped) have tubs just like at home.

Sea World is an all day, but you can do it in one day. It isn't necessary that you be there at the opening...but shortly thereafter. The Renaissance hotel is nice.
Kathryn

 

[lotsofboys]

Thanks Kathryn and Annie for the advice on signing in and out.

Susan, I didn't want to be too detailed in my previous post, but my then 5 year old DS LOVED his club. He would have stayed all day if he could. The twins, then 8, did not enjoy the club because "it was too noisy and rowdy" for them.... to quote them exactly! For boys, it seemed that all there was for them to do was video/computer games and if they weren't the first ones in the club in the morning they could never get a turn. They are both very quiet and I can imagine that they probably just didn't speak up enough for what they wanted to do. We insisted they pick at least one of the Main Event activities each day so they would at least get their suprise at the end of the week. They go into a new age group this time, but the same club if I'm not mistaken so I won't hold my breath. Maybe since they are older they will make a couple of friends that can motivate them to attend each day.

Also, we have a Sea World here and if you have never been it is absolutely an all day park, especially in the winter because unless the Florida location is different, the one here is only open 10:00am to 5pm and that is barely enough time to do the main attractions. Have fun!

 

[mmouse37]

Hey everyone...

I hope you all don't mind that I am adding my group to the list of 2/7 cruisers!!! We just booked 2 weeks ago and I am psyched...this will be our 10th DCL cruise. We have done all the itinearies at least twice and just love DCL.

Our kids DD20, DS19 and DD15 are mad because, unfortunately they cannot come with us this time....2 older ones will be at college and the youngest can't take time off from H.S.

It will be me, hubby and hubby's brother and his wife (they are cruise virgins and very excited....since we talk so much about our past DCL cruises and we actually took their two DD's 20 and 21 with us last January on DCL). Their kids are unhappy as well that they can't go this time!!

Dawn.....I believe we cruised together in the past....in my signature you can see the dates of our past cruises....weren't you on one of them? Let me know. We have Cat 9 GTY and will be picking up our docs at the port so will not know cabin # until we check in.

We are staying at the Doubletree in Cocoa Beach on 2/6. Glad to be part of the group!!!

Here is a link to our past cruise pics....so you can see who we are.

http://community.webshots.com/user/daisy651

MJ

 

[disneygal58]

Hello MJ!
Yes, we meet at the Dis get together last January. I am sailing with one less daughter this time (Meagan is away at college in Colorado). We did a four night in May to hold us over for this voyage. This is our first Eastern Itineray. If the truth be told, I don't care where we go - the Magic is the true destination for me.
So, welcome aboard - again.

Dawn