From WDW To DL With Love - January 06, 2011

[LindaBabe]

Who would have thought getting rid of that thing would be so difficult. Oh well, on the bright side, there's fewer than 100 pages to go!

 

[Tigfanjeff]

Who would have thought getting rid of that thing would be so difficult. Oh well, on the bright side, there's fewer than 100 pages to go!

Yeah... I need to post more useless posts without a moderator actually yelling about it.

 

[glindamood]

Good Monday everyone. I have been slacking on my posts - so sorry. We had a nice weekend - sunny with blue skies on Saturday but dark (with no snow) yesterday. It was misty on the way to work this morning but that has changed over to snow in the last 15 minutes. Just ONE weather pattern would be good as multiple ones make for treacherous roads. We still have snow (Caberfae, the closest ski resort is reporting groomed slopes with a 40" base) but there isn't that much in my yard.

Not much of anything else to report - still have some baking and prep to get done for the holiday but hope to have that all wrapped up (now there is a pun) in the next few days. We are celebrating on the 24th so I best get my rear in gear.

Have a good day all - one Monday closer!

 

[izma]

Trying to do my bit!

On the topic of weather. It was -40 here yesterday. For those of you in the States...-40 Celsius is the same as -40 F. I think we have some cruisers from Edmonton AB...they hit -46C.

 

[izma]

Can one of you Los Angelites/ Angelinos?, or one of you frequent cruisers tell me how long to get from Wonder in Long Beach (I assume that's where the ship comes into port) to Dinnylan? I'd like that in approximate minutes. Where does everyone stay in DL and do they give us any kind of deal through the cruise?

 

[izma]

How long does it take to transit the Panama Canal?

Do they have a special shin dig on deck?

If we order certificates I'd love to get some.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Yeah... I need to post more useless posts without a moderator actually yelling about it.

I didn't think there was such a thing as a usless (off topic) post on a meet thread. The whole point is to get to know each other, so we can talk about everything and anything!

How long does it take to transit the Panama Canal?

Do they have a special shin dig on deck?

If we order certificates I'd love to get some.

It takes all day to get through the canal. As the sun rises you will see all kinds of boats/ship around you...all waiting their turn through the canal. There are sets of locks at each end with a lake in the middle, and you move pretty slowly through the lake too. I think it was well after 4PM when we went under the Bridge of the Americas on the WBPC.

.

 

[izma]

Oh it just looks marvelous!

Thanks for the info!

 

[orlandothebeagle]

I am so excited about this cruise, its all I blooming think about, and Ive got a ta first that I never think about.

 

[Tigfanjeff]

Can one of you Los Angelites/ Angelinos?, or one of you frequent cruisers tell me how long to get from Wonder in Long Beach (I assume that's where the ship comes into port) to Dinnylan? I'd like that in approximate minutes. Where does everyone stay in DL and do they give us any kind of deal through the cruise?

Angeleno is proper, without the Los. The last cruise we ended up coming in on a weekend, whereas this time it will be on a Friday, so it is a whole different game. Last time it took about 45 minutes. In our case, I'd say 90-120 would be the minimum safe time from disembarking to being at DL. You may get there faster, but it won't be a lot faster then that. The ship actually docks at San Pedro, about 4 miles west of Long Beach. Also, unless policy has changed, disembarking at San Pedro is NOT like Port Canaveral where if you feel like skipping breakfast you can disembark as soon as the ship is cleared.

Disneyland won't offer anything special for coming on the cruise, but it is the slow time of year already so discounted rates should be plentiful. Unlike WDW, offsite hotels are very practical so don't discount them.

 

[Tigfanjeff]

How long does it take to transit the Panama Canal?

Do they have a special shin dig on deck?

If we order certificates I'd love to get some.

Izma, they will set up a ton of stuff up on deck, but don't stay up on deck 9/10 the entire time. The canal is truly best experienced from all over the ship. I really recommend you go through at least 1 of the 6 locks from deck 4.

I also plan on hosting the Lake Gatun party for Disboarders in our room. I also hope to have a couple of nights where we do showings of the good star trek films (2,4,6, First contact and the reboot) so that those who think Star Trek V was good can have the error of their ways corrected.

There is a company that offers certificates and I put a link up to it on the cruise website (wonderpanama2011.com).

 

[izma]

oh -40 is so much easier to take on the Dis!!!! Even when your planning a cruise a whole year away!!!

I think we may just overnight at Port Canaveral before the cruise, and spend a couple of days at Disneyland afterwards. We are hoping to meet up with some friends there.

Any suggestions on where to stay and what to do on the day before we leave PC?

 

[Tigfanjeff]

As a reminder, if you are NOT on the list at www.wonderpanama2011.com and want to be, send me a PM or e-mail at monorailpilot@gmail.com. If you *ARE* on the list and change/cancel/anything about what is already on the list, please be courteous and PM/e-mail me as well.

Thank you.

 

[Tigfanjeff]

oh -40 is so much easier to take on the Dis!!!! Even when your planning a cruise a whole year away!!!

I think we may just overnight at Port Canaveral before the cruise, and spend a couple of days at Disneyland afterwards. We are hoping to meet up with some friends there.

Any suggestions on where to stay and what to do on the day before we leave PC?

Anywhere in the area is fine, especially since you probably won't be hitting the beach. Ron Jon and the Radisson are usually recommended, though if you stay at the Orlando airport you can get Cruise Line transportation. Obviously, a night at Disneyworld itself is also a great place to stay and also offers transportation. Since they started the online bookings, the need to get to the port at the moment boarding started is much less than it used to be.

If you don't do the obvious thing and hit Disney/Orlando up, you can always hit up Kennedy Space Center.

 

[izma]

Izma, they will set up a ton of stuff up on deck, but don't stay up on deck 9/10 the entire time. The canal is truly best experienced from all over the ship. I really recommend you go through at least 1 of the 6 locks from deck 4.

I also plan on hosting the Lake Gatun party for Disboarders in our room. I also hope to have a couple of nights where we do showings of the good star trek films (2,4,6, First contact and the reboot) so that those who think Star Trek V was good can have the error of their ways corrected.

There is a company that offers certificates and I put a link up to it on the cruise website (wonderpanama2011.com).

Sounds like your a pro! I look forward to lots of advice!

The cruise website is great! I noticed the "onboard education" bit and I think it's an excellent idea to get the kids together to get some school work done.

We never ASK if we can take the kids out. We just do it. As I understand it, it is quite a different process in most of the states. Last year we took them out 3 weeks and we were told to do some "special" projects about our trip. This year we took them out 2 weeks. When I asked for homework, our principal said "who wants to do homework on a holiday?!?!". What a gem! She explained that the teachers never quite cover the amount of material they think they are going to, then the poor kid who has been away comes back ahead of the rest of the class. My kids caught up in one weekend!!!

Still, I am hoping they send a little homework as they kids are in middle school now. I think the environment of some kind of study hall would be just the thing! If they think other kids are "in the same BOAT", they won't feel so much like they are missing out and at the same time they will be more likely to get something done!

 

[izma]

I am just contributing up a storm today!

We also LOVE to bring back "photo essays" of the kids doing homework in various places like...on the beach in Castaway Cay, on the Deck of the Magic, at the table of the California Grill with the fireworks in the background, in the Limo....it is really quite a funny thing to bring back for the teachers. Of course we don't really make them do any homework in any of those places BUT if I HAD HOMEWORK...those sound like pretty nice places to do it!

 

[aan1701]

Just wanted to add some stuff about the port of Los Angeles. Jeff is so right about the disenbarkation here. Also be prepared to stand in a long line outside to have your passport scaned. Yes scaned. Unlike at Port Canaveral, they acctuly look at the passports and documents. This happens even before you go down to pick up your luggage. In L.A. I highly recomend that you spend the money and get a passport. Using other documents will only incresse your time getting to your bags. As for travel time to DL. Once on a bus and going should take only 20 mob or so. If going to LAX about the same in travel time. Jeff I love the idea about the room party, one of my friends is having one with booze so you will have to be offering some booze. Also I am so there for a Star Trek veiwing party and to make fun of Star Trek V. That move was just flat out bad.

 

[izma]

My kids had passports since day 1...in case of a massive lotto winning.

Thanks for all the great advice.

An offering of booze? Canadians don't drink

 

[pahrumpgirl]

I didn't think there was such a thing as a usless (off topic) post on a meet thread. The whole point is to get to know each other, so we can talk about everything and anything!





It takes all day to get through the canal. As the sun rises you will see all kinds of boats/ship around you...all waiting their turn through the canal. There are sets of locks at each end with a lake in the middle, and you move pretty slowly through the lake too. I think it was well after 4PM when we went under the Bridge of the Americas on the WBPC.

.

And we were able to get through faster because we followed the submarine through. I heard that in 2005 they sat in the lake for quite awhile. We will have a reserved time for the locks on the east side but not on the west side and may have to wait for awhile to get through.

They had coffee, tea, juice, milk and pastries on deck ten in front of the basketball courts in the morning and a great Bar-b-Que for lunch. The characters also made several rounds.

 

[Tigfanjeff]

And we were able to get through faster because we followed the submarine through. I heard that in 2005 they sat in the lake for quite awhile. We will have a reserved time for the locks on the east side but not on the west side and may have to wait for awhile to get through.

They had coffee, tea, juice, milk and pastries on deck ten in front of the basketball courts in the morning and a great Bar-b-Que for lunch. The characters also made several rounds.

The pacific locks times are dictated by the number of ships coming through the Culebra cut. Basically the Atlantic bound convoy has priority through the canal. Once the last atlantic bound ship is about to exit the cut they fire up the ships in the Gatun anchorage and make for the coast. The process then repeats at night. The number of ships they let in on the pacific side depends on how many they can get through before they have to let the Atlantic ships go past so they can start the night convoy toward the Atlantic. And that number is dictated by how many they can get through before the morning reserved slots start. It's a heck of an operation.