From the Far East to MEXICAN RIVIERA Updated 1/31 with pics!

[JJsmama]

Pretrip and Day -1 (Long Beach) below.
Day 1 http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43900911&postcount=21
Days 2 and 3 At Sea http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43901236&postcount=22
Day 4 Puerto Vallarta http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43902260&postcount=26
Day 5 Cabo San Lucas http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43902395&postcount=28
Day 6 Cabo San Lucas Again http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43902413&postcount=29
Day 7 At Sea to LA http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43902548&postcount=31

I have been hesitant to begin a TR because I always find myself so busy on the hoidays (WDW) that I don’t get around to taking photos and writing things down. However, I am hoping to have a more relaxed sort of holiday this time so I will begin with the hope of following through because there are so relatively few Mexican Riviera TRs.

Cast O Characters
Myself, mother to 3, planner extraordinaire, Disney Lover
DH. Who prefers to be totally left out of photos and reports, Reluctant Disney traveler
DS13, wonderful travel companion and obsessive planner like mom
DS11, just in it for the fun, not bothered by the details. Dis Trivia lover
DS4, first cruise, first time he actually wants to get close to the characters, Very excited about the Mickey Ship

My three sons. You can guess where they are.

We have done one 4 night Wonder, one 7 night Magic and now are about to embark on a 7 night Mexican Riviera.

One thing that makes us a little different is that we are flying into LA for the cruise from Shanghai, China, where we have lived (as foreigners) for the past five years. I am mostly nervous about the jet lag and time difference and desperately hope we can get on a decent schedule onboard. Sometimes, I think I have made a terrible mistake by planning this cruise because of the distance involved, but it is paid for now and only 10 days away, so No Going Back Now!

On With the Show, I mean Story.

This trip came together somewhat as a fluke. Since we have been living in Asia, I have pretty much given up on the idea of another DCL, despite the fact that we loved our last one, which was right before we moved abroad. The time difference from here and the East Coast (13 hours) is just too much for the body to take for a short trip to be enjoyable and I prefer to cruise in the off season vs the summer. (The boys and I and my mom do WDW every summer, but DH doesn’t like it there, so he is happy for us to go without him. He prefers holidays which consist of lying around in the sun, a few beers by the pool and maybe some water sports. He works hard, so I don’t blame him. But the boys and I LOVE Walt Disney World!!

The boys are out of school for a week in January for Chinese New Year holiday and we were considering trying the new Aulani in Hawaii. I was deep into the planning stages of that when I got an email from DCL about Kids Sail Free. Well, those are never offered on dates when anyone with kids can actually go, but I read it anyway. Lo and Behold, it was during our break! (One of the few times I thought Thank God we live in China.) Since the West Coast time difference is easier on the body than the East, I decided to at least consider it. I priced out our KSF price in a Cat 4 Verandah (I know, I know they have changed the category names, but I am Old School) and I couldn’t believe the price! I showed DH and he was actually on board – especially considering that my 40th is coming up this year and I told him the cruise could ‘count.’
DH somewhat complicated things by asking ‘Can we get one of those big rooms?’ Well Yes, dear, but no KSF discount. Nonetheless, my DH wanted the suite and there was a mid ship one left, so I hurried to book it. So, the KSF deal totally lured us into the cruise even though we didn’t actually get to use it. Those Disney Execs really know what they’re doing. ☺

About a week later I got serious cold feel about all the logistics of travel, jet lag, the boys getting back to school two days late, but I quickly found out that changing your mind after booking a suite is more complicated than after booking a lower category. (For that reason, I will hesitate to book a DCL suite in the future and may book two connecting instead, but probably it will be hard to go back…) Probably the stricter Suite rules were a blessing because now we are 10 days away from the cruise and very excited!

About me and other trips: When it comes to WDW trips, I plan obsessively. Seriously, is there anyone on the DIS that doesn’t? We do a week at WDW most summers and I have the entire trip planned well in advance. You know the type: Which park we will visit which day, what time to be there, where we will eat, ADR numbers printed out, which order to hit the attractions…. Actually, it is obnoxious. But we go during peak season and it is really the only way to have a great trip peak season. We almost never wait more than 20 minutes for anything. Thus, planning for DCL is something of a let down. I really don’t feel the need to plan much. Truly a disappointment for a control freak/ planner like myself. I have Zero excursions planned, Zero spa reservations, and one Palo ressie which I made just so I could give the Shoreside Concierge something to do. (They were getting worried when I had no requests.)

I am not a big fan of Mexico, having had a bad experience there on each of the four trips I have taken there in my life. Thus, I am not feeling a particular need to explore it while we are there. We chose the cruise because it was good timing, we love DCL and it was West Coast departure. Oh well. Since we live abroad, in a very different country and have explored Asia on holidays and every day for five years, I feel ok about just staying onboard the ship and just relaxing. (Actually, I take that back. On our DCL Western, nothing bad happened in Mexico. We just didn’t particularly enjoy our time there. But the three other trips were frightening and I have never been in a situation like that in any of the 15 other foreign countries I have traveled in. Ok, I will tell you and then I would rather not talk about it. Two instances, as a younger blond women, of being cornered in the back of markets and inappropriately touched / leered out/ suggested to/ mobbed (Cancun) – and I am not naïve and one instance of being purposely and untruthfully accused of stealing jewelry in an attempt to extort money from my family, who was perceived as wealthy (Acapulco). This turned into a very bad situation involving the US embassy…) Now I am almost 40, I don’t think I would get all that attention anymore. I do not mean to run down the country in print. In fact, we have lovely friends here who are Mexican, but my experiences are real and they do not encourage me to want to spend time there again.

Today, I am online buying a few Jake and the Neverland Pirates shirts for DS4 to have sent to the ship. He is so excited to show Captain Hook his shirt. I don’t know that the rest of us will dress up for Pirate Night. I know for sure that DH and DS13 won’t want to. I think we will just try and look tropical that night. DS4 on the other hand, can’t wait and asks to look at the shirts online every day! I just hope that any of us is actually awake at dinner time!

Just throwing this one in for the curious.

Next up: getting ready for the trip!

 

[nsiordia]

Wow, I can't believe we only have 10 days to go!!! I have thought about writing a PTR/TR too, just haven't had a chance.

Sorry to hear about your experiences, I can completely understand why you don't want to go to Mexico.

But being on the boat will be very much worth it

 

[jedijill]

I'm in. So sorry about your previous experiences (had a similar experience to your first in a souk in Tunis last year) I think you are totally right on just to enjoy the ship! Have a great trip!

Jill in CO

 

[JJsmama]

We leave a week from tomorrow. The good thing is that we leave here on Saturday afternoon and we get to LA (if no delays) on Saturday afternoon because it is so far behind us in time zones. (The bad news is, on the return, we lose Monday altogether.)

I have made our hotel reservation for the night before the cruise in Long Beach Downtown. The hotel gets good reviews, but I am still nervous about LB in general. Apparently, you take one wrong turn and you are in GanG Territory. Nice. Same for San Pedro. Really makes me long for Port Canaveral!!

I will let you know how the hotel and the area are.

Also, I have sent two packages to the hotel from online shops. One of Bonine, etc and the other is the Jake and the Pirates shirts. I wanted to send those to the ship, but when I tried to get all the required address information on the online shipping text boxes, there was no way.Plus, they want a detailed contents list outside the box. If I had been making the box myself, I could have done it, but not this way. SO, also will be reporting on whether I received those boxes at the hotel or not.

I ordered some little (Dropps?) drop in laundry soap packets and am looking forward to try them on the ship. We travel a good bit over here so I will bring the rest back with me and take them on other holidays if they are good. (My boys are always spilling something on their clothes and we always travel to hot, humid, sweaty places.) A little T shirt laundry on vacation does not bother me at all.

Otherwise, I am not feeling the need to pack as many odds and ends as I do for a WDW trip. Does anyone else feel this way? I'm not taking our lanyards or pocket sized sunscreen, misting bottles, etc. Now, let's see if I can get the boys to limit their packing.

These are the shirts I ordered for the older two. I thought they were really cute, despite the fact that they say 2011 and our cruise is a few weeks into 2012. I'm sure my Smarties will notice, but hopefully still wear them. I liked the design better than any of the others for my tweens. This is the back, by the way. The front was pretty plain with DCL 2011. The little guy got a couple "Jake" Tees.

 

[tokyodisneydad]

ok I will be reading along as I prepare to do a similiar trip all the way from Japan to Florida next year. We don't get over to the states very often, but when we do it takes alot of planning. so I can understand what you are going through.

 

[JJsmama]

ok I will be reading along as I prepare to do a similiar trip all the way from Japan to Florida next year. We don't get over to the states very often, but when we do it takes alot of planning. so I can understand what you are going through.

Ok, TokyoDad, I will try and give you the benefit of my experiences. From Asia to the East Coast is pretty brutal, to be honest, but you know that already. It takes us at least 5 days to begin to feel normal and even then we will still be up very very early. You will definitely want to have Early Dining on the cruise. The good news is, a lot of people sleep in so you can have lovely uncrowded breakfast and pool times in the mornings. You can be first on the AquaDuck!

Is there a chance you can come in a few days early and start to acclimate? Our WDW trip last year was about one week after we landed in the US and that was good. Still, my ADRs were early.

12 hour time difference is rough on your body, you know. I am hoping against hope that we will be ok on our MR. For most of that cruise, we wll actually be 17-18 hours off, which is biologically 6-7 hours off, which should be more manageable.

I will ask the crew next week if they have menus and other info in other languages.

 

[acpalmer]

I have made our hotel reservation for the night before the cruise in Long Beach Downtown. The hotel gets good reviews, but I am still nervous about LB in general. Apparently, you take one wrong turn and you are in GanG Territory. Nice. Same for San Pedro. Really makes me long for Port Canaveral!!

I will let you know how the hotel and the area are.

Can I ask which hotel you are staying at? We are flying in the day before our cruise in March and staying on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, so just wondered if you will be in the same general area. It looks pretty touristy from the maps, so I think we'll be OK, but would love some additional feedback.

 

[geffric]

I have those shirts..LOL bought on the Dream a while back..

but I am so going to wear it to the port and on the cruise 1st day..
along with my DCL watch ..( I am a DCL dork)..

 

[JJsmama]

Can I ask which hotel you are staying at? We are flying in the day before our cruise in March and staying on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, so just wondered if you will be in the same general area. It looks pretty touristy from the maps, so I think we'll be OK, but would love some additional feedback.

We're staying at Residence Inn Downtown. (There is another, not called Downtown, that is supposed to be rough but this one is newer and gets great reviews.) It is very near the Queen Mary. (I should have book QM, but forgot about it and already sent a package ahead to RI. My oldest son loves Titanic history (and ghost stories) It would have been a nice treat for him.

A friend (here is Shanghai) who grew up in LB and went to Cal State LB is the one freaking me out about LB, telling me how dangerous it is! She did check the location on the hotel and said we should be fine there but not to walk around too much at night. I will definitely write about the hotel and area as there are so few good choices for us on the MR.

 

[JJsmama]

I have those shirts..LOL bought on the Dream a while back..

but I am so going to wear it to the port and on the cruise 1st day..
along with my DCL watch ..( I am a DCL dork)..

Have Fun!! Almost time for you to go! Which color shirt did you buy? I bought one white and one green, for DS11, who loves green, but I am hoping the color is not awful in real life.

 

[marciemouse]

I'm so glad you're doing a TR, as we are sailing the Wonder out of LA in March. (our first cruise ever) My sister is in China now. She's spent the last few winters living there and teaching. I totally DON'T envy your flights! Both our DD's are adopted from Ukraine, so I know that long flights with kids is just not that fun! Thankfully, we live about a 6 hour drive from LA now!

 

[acpalmer]

We're staying at Residence Inn Downtown. (There is another, not called Downtown, that is supposed to be rough but this one is newer and gets great reviews.) It is very near the Queen Mary. (I should have book QM, but forgot about it and already sent a package ahead to RI. My oldest son loves Titanic history (and ghost stories) It would have been a nice treat for him.

A friend (here is Shanghai) who grew up in LB and went to Cal State LB is the one freaking me out about LB, telling me how dangerous it is! She did check the location on the hotel and said we should be fine there but not to walk around too much at night. I will definitely write about the hotel and area as there are so few good choices for us on the MR.

I'll look forward to the report! I think we will go to the aquarium during the afternoon (we get in mid-morning) and then be to the QM for evening time and do the self-guided tour. My younger DS is very into the Titantic and all things ghost-related, so we think he will really enjoy this!

 

[JJsmama]

Ok, three more days and we are on our way!! I am a bit nervous because snow is forecast in Seoul, South Korea on the day we have to transfer through there. No flight delays, please!

Here's a funny story that happened yesterday. You all know we Disers are waiting impatiently (and understandingly now after the terrible tragedy) for DCL's announcement of where the Wonder will be next year. Well, this relates..

As I have said before my husband is a somewhat reluctant DCL traveler. And he prefers to skip WDW altogether. Since I take my boys to WDW each year, DH would just rather vacation without the Mouse. Nonetheless, we leave Sunday on our third DCL and i am sure he is hoping it will satisfy me for a long time.

I was saying how the ships were such a lovely example of Art Deco and Art Noveau, which he claimed not to remember. He said, "Well, if you like Art Deco, you should go to Miami, you'd love it!"

Now, who can guess what happened next?


That's right! I said, "Well, it just so happens that that is exactly where our friend the Wonder will be sailing from next year!"
He knew he had stepped right into it! LOL

 

[Laundress]

So excited for you. Fingers crossed for safe travels. Looking forward to hearing about it all when you get back. We sail end of April. So please tell us all about your fun and what we shouldn't miss.

 

[JJsmama]

day -1 to 1

We have arrived!
First of all, please excuse typos. I do not have a real keyboard with me.

After a long bumpy flight across the Pacific, we arrived yesterday in LA. Hurray! We were feeling pretty good yesterday but jet lag got us last night and noone got enough sleep. We will just be a little red eyed in the photos

The purpose of today is to report on Long Beach. We are at the Residence Inn Downtown right next to Queen Mary. Lovely area really! Beautiful here along the waterfront. Great Residence Inn! New, friendly helpful staff, great breakfast. Would definitely recommend if you have a car. We needed to stock up on a few things and found a great Von's grocery store in downtown LB. (corner of Atlantic and Broadway.). Recommend going there if in the area. DH and boys went out this morning looking for pharmacy for a few things we forgot. DH says the area does go down hill fast so be careful. (this from a man raised in downtown Atlanta.). It was ok on sunday morning though, but not a good selection of things, so they went back to Von's again.

Hotel had saved my two packages for me and DS 4 was so excited to get his 'jake' shirts when we arrived. Thanks RI!

We can see a Carnival ship from here. I dont know if the Wonder is not in yet or if we can't see her from here. Off to the ship! Pics and more reporting afterward.

 

[acpalmer]

Thanks for the report on Long Beach. Just two more months and we are there ourselves!

 

[cnj]

Can't wait for your updates! What room are you in or would you prefer not to say? We are in 8032 in two months. I cannot wait to hear about your concierge experience.

We love Mexico. I am sad that you had so many bad experiences there! We have been on three Disney cruises and our favorite excursion, besides Castaway Cay, was the paradise beach excursion in Puerta Vallarta. It was the first thing I booked when our excursion window opened up. If you do decide to get off the boat, I highly recommend this one!

 

[JJsmama]

We are having a great cruise! We are currently in port at PV. The weather has been beautiful every day! I really thpught it would be cold the first sea day but it was not. We have been on deck in the beautiful sun every day. very smooth sailing for the most part - even for someone very motion sensitive. The internet is way too slow for a real update, but i will get that done after we get home.

For now, back to relaxing in the suite and then off to the concierge reception with The Muppets to follow.

 

[PizzieDuster]

Thanks for the update!

I see you will have beautiful weather in Cabo too!

Glad to hear about the first day at sea!

I will be looking at the live web cams in Cabo for you guys!

 

[LuvEeyore]

Thanks for the update. I am long to hear more.