From WDW To DL With Love - January 06, 2011

[RRBB]

I have done the high tea at Palo and was so unimpressed with it that I won't be doing it again. I thought it would be similar to the Grand Floridian's tea but the food was nowhere near as good.

Tea was not my favorite..tried twice.. did love the brunch tho...

Yup, we're going to pass on the tea too. It did not meet expectations at all. I would have rather spent my time with the kids or out on deck or just about anywhere else during that hour. But we do want to do brunch again.

 

[ChipperMerlin]

We had a glitch as well. After the Spoon full of sugar number, the house broke. It was a 30 min delay but it picked up right were it left off. To bad you did not get to see her fly over the crowd. It was awesome. My jaw droped, and I even knew it was coming. That was great. Bert walking up the side of the stage and dancing upsidedown was really cool too.

I guess we were lucky when we saw Mary in London in 2007. Our seats were toward the front center and at one point, it "rained" tiny red, pink, and white tissue hearts. I picked them off my clothes and also some from the floor for my scrapbook.

I'm finally back - we had a wonderful trip to WDW in October, where I finished both the 10K Race for the Taste and the 13K Tower of Terror race, and enjoyed the first cruise after the Wonder came out of drydock. Parts of the ship weren't available yet - and one afternoon there was a flood on the wall away from the windows - where all the art had been hung. You never saw such scurrying around. It was a waterfall the entire length of the wall from the area by where the DVC desk is down to the back entrance to Studio Sea.

Unfortunately, what started out as a cold in early November turned into pneumonia and it knocked me for a loop. It's been awhile for me to get my energy back. We are leaving Wednesday morning for WDW for some rest and relaxation and meeting friends for fun times. I'll be back there again in March for the Princess 1/2 Marathon Weekend. Anyone else going to that? We're also going to Disneyland for the Valentine's Day weekend.

Looking forward to seeing Auntie Lynn and Shoshie & Adam again and making new friends. Of course, we'll be seeing GoofPrincess several times before the cruise. Welcome to all the new cruisers who signed up since I left and started "lurking."
Shirley, aka the Chipmunk half of ChipperMerlin

 

[auntlynne]

...We are leaving Wednesday morning for WDW for some rest and relaxation and meeting friends for fun times. I'll be back there again in March for the Princess 1/2 Marathon Weekend. Anyone else going to that? ...

I'll be at Coronado Springs Resort March 2-7; doing the Royal Family 5k Saturday morning.

Lynne

 

[aan1701]

I know DW and I will be doing both Tea and Brunch. Just nopt sure what days we want to do them.

 

[DisneyCruiser83]

Good Morning everyone!
I read somewhere else that people were on the forward decks as early as 4AM on PC crossing day to get a good view.
I really want to see it, too, but 4AM is way too early for me to be up on vacation. We will have a verandah (but I don't know where yet), so we will see it, just not exactly straight on. Good luck to those of you who will be up there super early!
Today is the day I was thinking would be good to do the spa villa for two. Most people will be on deck, and we can still view what is going on from the villa. For those that have done this crossing before, is there something special done today, that is a "can't miss", or is it considered a "normal" sea day?
What are you all planning to do on the Panama Canal crossing day?

 

[granmaz]

Good Morning everyone!
I read somewhere else that people were on the forward decks as early as 4AM on PC crossing day to get a good view.
I really want to see it, too, but 4AM is way too early for me to be up on vacation. We will have a verandah (but I don't know where yet), so we will see it, just not exactly straight on. Good luck to those of you who will be up there super early!
Today is the day I was thinking would be good to do the spa villa for two. Most people will be on deck, and we can still view what is going on from the villa. For those that have done this crossing before, is there something special done today, that is a "can't miss", or is it considered a "normal" sea day?
What are you all planning to do on the Panama Canal crossing day?

We were on the 2008 WB. We weren't there at 4am, though I think I would have gone up the first time around 5.15 and some people were already there. The crew were not allowing any chairs there and moving any that had been placed!! They serve hot drinks and pastries up there in the table tennis area, so I grabbed some, then went back to get my husband. So I think it would be a bit after 6 before we went back and found a spot. We were quite close to the front, just above the little jutting out extra bridge area. It was a fantastic atmosphere. We were over an hour later setting off through the locks though as a nuclear sub came along and they get priority!!

Later there was a BBQ on deck, but I didn't partake, not sure why now. I believe it was good though.

The ship photographers get off at the locks and take photos of anyone they can. If you are on your verandah it is easy to find your photo in Shutters.

 

[granmaz]

View coming up to first locks.

A little further. See the crew out on their deck.

This was us.

Of course I have many more, and so will others.

 

[JenKatt]

In 2005, people slept on deck the night before the canal crossing. You couldn't get near the front of the ship. Glad to hear that they stopped the moving of chairs and what not. That made for a mess in '05.

 

[auntlynne]

View coming up to first locks....

I love the video of the ships. Thank you.

 

[catwoman25]

Does any one from the 2008 WB remember what and when the theme nights were? All this talk about brunch has gotten me thinking about Palo brunch and dinner.
I am loving the daily weather reports and activity schedules!!

 

[granmaz]

I have our Mini Navigator that a cruise mate did for us all.

If you call embarkation day as Day 1...

Seems to be one error in that on Days 3 and 4(the first 2 sea days) it is down a formal nights, so not sure which one was. I'm thinking Day 3.

Day 5, Aruba - Tropical Night.

Day 13 - Pirate Night

Day 14 - Formal(supposed to be Ballroom under the Stars but it was freezing, so cancelled)

There was also a Semi formal, and a Mexican Night, but they aren't on the Mini Navigator.

To be honest I wouldn't presume things would be the same for this cruise, but nice to know what might be offered.

 

[Tigfanjeff]

In 2005, people slept on deck the night before the canal crossing. You couldn't get near the front of the ship. Glad to hear that they stopped the moving of chairs and what not. That made for a mess in '05.

Said it before, and will say it again. Being on Deck 10 forward is insanely overrated. Wander the entire ship. Seriously. Lower actually allows you to feel and see the motion as the boat rises and falls in the locks. We had a couple of Disboarders on our cruise who had verandah's on the back of the ship (The ridiculously large ones) that opened them up for the pacific locks. Deck 4 is an awesome place to view at least one of the locks. The only place on the entire crossing that I felt deck 10 was the best place was the cut at the centennial bridge. Honestly, you are going to experience one of the engineering wonders of the world, and to do so you're going to stand as far forward and high as you can? Get down where you can touch the locks, where you can wave at and talk with the workers, and where you can truly enjoy your time.

Which one do you think is a better view?

or

Now, I'm not saying Deck 10 is bad. Please don't think that. I enjoyed being up there (as that is where the food was) but it isn't worth getting up early for. It isn't worth spending the entire time up there, and it certainly isn't where I will probably spend more than an hour during this crossing.

And for good measure, here's Centennial Bridge.

That IS worth getting up on Deck 10 for But you don't need to be at the very front with the hordes to enjoy it.

 

[ColoBlu6]

Would a group of us like to do a High Tea at Palo? That's something I've always wanted to do, but Joe hasn't been interested.
Our 2008 Christmas cruise, I just kept checking the online bookings and finally got what I wanted. You know, the old motto, "if at first you don't succeed!"

Count me in on High Tea. I would like to do the brunch too. Do you think you and Joe would like to do this?

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

Good morning cruisers and welcome to the Panama Canal!

The current temperature is 90 degrees with partly cloudy skies...make sure you take the time today to enjoy the BBQ on deck!


As others have posted... move around to see it all! We were on the EB 2008 and for the beginning of the locks we were in a handicapped area due to my Mom being in a wheelchair. I know they would not allow people to camp out overnight. We had a verandah midship and opened our cabin to anyone who wanted to come in. We had a spectaculer lightning and thunder storm right before the last set of locks and watched it from there.

We will once again open our cabin to anyone who would like to enjoy a bit of the Canal from a verandah and some hospitality.

Tonight's dinner will be East meets West themed... the drink of the day is the Panama Hat.

Enjoy your day!

 

[aan1701]

This will be the fifth time I have done a Westbound Panama Canal crossing. When we start to go through I will be alseep. I am forced to agree that being on Deck 10 forward is way overated. To me the Wonder of a Panama Canal transit is not a Lock Door opening, but how close we will be to the walls. It is only maybe at the most 2 feet on each side. That is best viewed from deck 4 on either side. I have pics of how close you do come, but I need to find them. As for lunch, I will be at the BBQ at the Goofy pool, if they do it again. As far as theme nights, I think it is fair to say, what they have on the seven day cruises will be there. Any other night, I want to be suprised.

 

[mackeyapp]

Reading about all of this has our entire family (DH, myself, DS13, DS14) really excited. We have only completed one cruise (last June 23-7 day Western) and we fell in love. This looks like it will be sooooo exciting. Eager to learn lots from all you experts.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and pics of PC, it is all so so excitng, I truly cant wait.

My car broke on the way to work tonight, I had to phone Dad to come rescue me, I stole his car and left him with the broken one.
Its ok though him and Len took it home, Lens going to fix it.
Have I mentioned how much i love Len and my my Dad?

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and pics of PC, it is all so so excitng, I truly cant wait.

My car broke on the way to work tonight, I had to phone Dad to come rescue me, I stole his car and left him with the broken one.
Its ok though him and Len took it home, Lens going to fix it.
Have I mentioned how much i love Len and my my Dad?

Sorry to hear about your car.. hope you are able to fix it quickly!

 

[TDC Nala]

So now you ARE ziplining? Wow... didn't think I'd get you to do that one, I'm proud!
Yeah I know, brunch brunch brunch....
and as many tasting as we can get in... I think Jeff and Kris's husband may miss us.....

what, they don't eat or drink? Men...

I like Palo brunch because the food is AWESOME. The high tea...well, NOT AWESOME.

 

[annmorr]

thanks to everyone for sharing all of the details from past PC cruises...... and I am most willing to share my deck 7 portside verandah with you all! and I am really glad to see that the temp there is around 90 degrees today, but someone mentioned that around day 14 it was "freezing"???? Yikes!