Hey! July 30th, 2005 cruise to Mexico DISfriends!

[lwilliam]

JoAnn started this thread last summer 7/2004 and I can't believe it
is time for our cruise.
Last year it seemed like forever till we got to California.
I can't believe it is only a week away.
Now, Lucy is complaining time is moving too quickly. Anyone else feel
this way?
If time is moving too quickly THIS week, think how fast the week of the
cruise will pass?
I KNOW meeting all of you on these boards has help pass the time....
and the week will fly by.

 

[wendilyn]

Time can't move too quickly for me! Very hot here in NH, We're off to Conn. to visit my mom for the weekend.
Lynn: Still not sure what i lost in the fire or due to water damage. We can't get into the room until Tues or Wed to do inventory. But, there was 12 years of teaching items, books etc in there! Hopefully it will dry and not be full of mold. the humidity here is really bad.

Canopy tour: My girls are really looking forward to the this. We're going on the los veranos one. There is a river with waterslides and a resturant at the end that looks awesome!
Happy Weekend All

 

[jlawall]

2 weeks! 2 weeks! 2 weeks! I feel like I have a million things to do to get ready. I found the bcs and I have my docs, working on excursions, I still need to arrange transportation to the airport in Philadelphia!

BTW, I did a little pre-trip cleaning yesterday!

 

[DisneyMom13]

Lisa - I believe shorts will be in order. I think it is going to be way too hot for pants. But remember that whatever you wear that day you should not plan on wearing for the rest of the trip. I think we are all going to smell like horse c**p!

Wendy - I am with you, time cannot pass quick enough. Working 6 days a week is getting tiresome and I really need this vacation NOW. But like Lucy said, can you imagine how fast that week will go. OK, lets not think about that now.

We are really looking forward to meeting all of you, it is such an honor to have been welcomed into this nice little group when we joined this thread so late. This trip is going to be great!!!! Two weeks from today till sailing, 12 days till we leave for DL.


Debi

 

[LiserAnn]

Debi-Yes those clothes won't be wearable...and probably will need to go into a plastic bag. My DS7 comes home from horseback riding lessons and right into the laundry room he goes to strip down and all the clothes go into the sink. If I don't wash them within the day, the downstairs begins to smell! YUCK! Well, I was hoping we could wear shorts, so that's good, as I know it's going to be H O T!

Kathy-my friends are all going to El Cid so I think Mark and Drew will be there with them. I'll either head there after or go back to the ship. We'll see how it goes!

 

[jlawall]

Nice cheering section Debi!

 

[littleowensmommy]

I think our new plan will be for Ted and Owen to ride with Randi. Amy and I will go to El Cid and Ted and Owen will meet us there when they are done. Lisa maybe you and your son can share a cab with Ted and Owen.

 

[LiserAnn]

I think our new plan will be for Ted and Owen to ride with Randi. Amy and I will go to El Cid and Ted and Owen will meet us there when they are done. Lisa maybe you and your son can share a cab with Ted and Owen.

Sounds like a plan to me! As I recall Owen is 6?! Ryan just turned 7 at the end of June, so they're basically the same age and will more than likely have met each in the O Club (Oceaner's, not Officer's-HA HA) if not at Diversion's on the first night (my kids might be zoned out from all the fun on that first night). So, the ride could be even more fun for them! Be sure to let Randi know as soon as you make your final decision...she was very appreciative that I let her know this far in advance.

 

[RDS912]

In Maz our family is going to El Cid. There is a aqua sports center there to rent sail boats, waverunners, boogie boards ......The pool there is the best in the Golden Zone.. We might even rent a room so there is a place to clean up or for the little ones to lay down in.

Debi: did your husband book the scuba yet?

We are doing Palo brunch on Mon@10:30 anyone else going on that day?

 

[Crowncaster]

David - Just send an email to Frank directly and tell him you woulld like to join our group (the Tarrant and Bolusi families). As you know we are both doing Randi's before so I guess you would have to make arrangements with him as to where to pick you guys up. Cliff divers, now that sounds cool.

Lynn - Any thoughts on what you guys might like to see on Frank's tour?
Debi

Debi/Lynn - I sent Frank an email, letting him know we are joining you. We can meet you wherever Randi's is. In PV, what time is everyone going to the canopy tour? We'd like to book around the same time and maybe even share a taxi to the tour office (by Pemex station).

David

 

[DisneyMom13]

JoAnn- Can you tell I'm getting excited?

Dustin - DH is booked for a 2 tank dive in Cabos with Aventuras Azul. i just paid them through paypal, so he is good to go!!! Also, we are doing Palo brunch on Monday at 11:00, so we will see you there too!

David - We are doing the Los Veranos Canopy Tour with Wendy and her family at around 11:00. We are already booked. That would be great if we could all share a cab.

Debi

 

[littleowensmommy]

Lisa, that sounds good to me. When I email Randi to cancel me and Amy I will ask her what time you guys will be done with her and where the best place will be to get a taxi to El Cid Castilla. I assume you will all have lunch at Victor's before departing. Maybe you won't have to go all the way back to where the Magic is docked to get a taxi. I will also ask her for a suggestion for a landmark/meeting place/ETA at El Cid. I've heard it is huge resort and I can just imagine Ted and Owen wandering aimlessly looking for us. We're going to Palo that evening...as I recall you are also. I'd like to be back at the ship around 4:00pm or so.

Today is Amy's Princess Ariel pool party...join us in the no-rain/no-thunder dance. We've been having extremely hot and humid weather here which is sparking thunderstorms most afternoons.

 

[wendilyn]

Hi,
we're planning on going to El Cid there too. I heard great things about the pools!
Less than two weeks to go!
Wendy

 

[littleowensmommy]

SHORE EXCURSIONS - We went on the pirate tour in P.V. and loved it! http*//www*marigalante*com*mx . We had heard some horror stories about people getting sick. It was a bit rocky (it is a boat). But nothing extreme. It was raining off and on that day, but they have tents to cover the ship we were covered. It was pretty warm, so the rain wasn't terrible - it kept us from baking too much. But it was pretty overcast. From the moment you board the pirate ship, the entertainment begins. The service was great - very first class in my opinion. It was about 2 hours to get to the beach area. You take smaller boats in - this would be a tough trip for those w/physical disabilities. At least on the day we went - it was a little rough to get in and out of the smaller boat. We decided not to snorkel as the crew said there were a lot of jellyfish out, and it wasn't recommended for children. Some people did feel a little sick (overhead) from the ride to the beach. We did fine - one of our parties had a patch. But like I said, it is a boat and I don't know many boats that travel for 2 hours that aren't going to rock back and forth. So if you tend to get motion sickness and medicine doesn't help, than I wouldn't take this trip. But if medicine helps, or you normally do fine - in my opinion, you should be fine. The bathrooms on the pirate boat were nicer than I thought - there were about 5 in the women's bathroom. There are no bathrooms on the beach. The beach was a bit chaotic, mostly because of the occasional rain (towels getting wet). There are a few canopies, and a handful of chairs. So it does pay to be one of the first people off to the beach. If you want to go snorkeling, you will wait until the end to get off the pirate ship as they take you on the smaller boat to a cove area for about 40 minutes, then will take you to the beach. After 2 hours on the beach, we returned to the pirate ship. There was another show, with audience participation. The staff went around constantly asking if anyone wanted anything to drink. They said the ice was from a filtered system. No one got sick from the ice or food, as far as I know. There was some people who got to eat in the main deck in a room towards the back. I think it was a first come, first serve situation with that. We ate down below (where the buffet breakfast was). The food was good - ribs and chicken, corn, salad. There were a lot of fans so it was well ventilated. You can book this tour directly with the company to save money, but by the time we learned of that it was sold out. I had read that Disney was mad they sold tickets outside of their group, so not sure if Disney is going to make them cancel those reservations made already. There was nobody on our trip that wasn't from Disney. You might want to keep double checking with the company if you made them direct to make sure they will honor your reservation. Disney doesn't allow under 5, but the company does. So if you book direct, you could bring a toddler for free. That being said, I was glad we didn't bring our 2 year old. It would have been tough to have to watch him. It really isn't a great tour for toddlers. Getting in and out of the little boats to the beach would have been tough with him.

Lisa, do you think our reservations are secure?

 

[jfis1020]

Lynn I sent you a p.m. Glad you are home and finishing up. Feel free to be smug. I worked all week last week preparing my classroom for BTS! I have only 9 days after we return before we go back!!! I prefer not to use my LAST week of vacation to be at work!

JoAnn While I didn't join until the first of the year, can you believe you started this thread a year ago???? WOW! We certainly have a great group here! This is going to be fun! Your dad's been quiet. BTW.....I have never heard the term "the rents" until your post!

I am thinking that the week will go fast! I am taking the kids to King's Island Tues. and to the Reds/Cubs game. DH and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary Friday night.

When does everyone (except the west coasters, of course) leave for CA? We leave next Monday a.m. Lucy Isn't that your day too?

We are doing the dolphins in PV. I would like (me only) to join the group and Frank in Maz. Cabo we are going to just going with the flow. Maybe the Cabo Wabo with us anyone??? Our best memory on our first cruise was just going with the flow in Key West!!!

 

[LiserAnn]

Lisa, that sounds good to me. When I email Randi to cancel me and Amy I will ask her what time you guys will be done with her and where the best place will be to get a taxi to El Cid Castilla. I assume you will all have lunch at Victor's before departing. Maybe you won't have to go all the way back to where the Magic is docked to get a taxi. I will also ask her for a suggestion for a landmark/meeting place/ETA at El Cid. I've heard it is huge resort and I can just imagine Ted and Owen wandering aimlessly looking for us. We're going to Palo that evening...as I recall you are also. I'd like to be back at the ship around 4:00pm or so.

Today is Amy's Princess Ariel pool party...join us in the no-rain/no-thunder dance. We've been having extremely hot and humid weather here which is sparking thunderstorms most afternoons.

Kathy-that all sounds good to me. In the morning Mark and Drew are going to El Cid for sure along with our friends so I will be go to El Cid after Randi's. Mark told me tonight he was worried about me traveling in a taxi alone with Ryan and I explained that you thought I could catch a taxi to El Cid with Ted and Owen...he liked that idea much better! (Safety in numbers.) You've thought this out much better than I, thank goodness. I didn't even think about how hard it would be to hook up with them afterwards. Let me know what you find out. Yep, we're off to Palo's that night too, 4pm sounds just right to be getting back.

I hope Amy's party was magical....with pixie dust all around!

 

[LiserAnn]

Lisa, do you think our reservations are secure?

Hmmmm, I don't know. She writes that DCL was mad the Margilante made reservations outside the group...our ressies weren't made direct with the Margilante, they're with vallartaonline, my hunch is it won't be a problem. I know vallartaonline would have contacted us by now as they are very reputable and the owner of vallartaonline is apparently friends with the owner of the Margilante. I do know I read recently on cruise critic someone from a Disney cruise booked with vallartaonline and had no problems when they went on the excursion. Do remember to bring along the print out that vallartaonline emailed you confirming you paid, otherwise you could have a problem. If you don't have it, I'm sure vallartaonline can resend it to you! What are your thoughts?

 

[littleowensmommy]

Lisa,

I think we'll have no problem on the Pirate Cruise...even if they did try to give us a hard time I have no doubt that they would be no match for you and me.

Amy's party went very well. We timed it perfectly...not 5 minutes after the last little mermaid departed did the thunder/lightning/downpour begin!

I emailed Randi last night with our reservation change. I also asked her about taxi/El Cid landmark/ETA. I let you know as soon as she replies. If Mark and Drew (or anyone else in that party) have room in their taxi from the Magic to El Cid that morning could Amy and I ride with them?

We leave this Saturday morning for San Diego. I made Ted start packing last night. He moaned and complained the whole time. If he had it his way, he would be packing on Friday night. I have to pack for myself and both kids as well as supervise his packing. It was a good thing we got him going last night. There is so much to remember for formal/semi formal/Palo evenings as well as Pirate Night. I'm trying to get all 4 of us packed into a large wardrobe, an expandable suitcase and an extra-large rolling duffle.

 

[jlawall]

We're leaving next Wednesday and doing DL/CA Thursday and Friday.

I'll have to check with the folks to see where they've been!

I don't know about you guys, but this thread has made the wait more bearable this past year!

It's crunch time, I have a MILLION things to do to get ready!!

Reminders.....

DISmeet at Diversions at 10pm; (optional) bring a brown bag with something ($10) from your hometown to give to another family in group.

Lucy, we are meeting any available DISers on Friday night at Whitewater Snacks (Grand Californian Hotel) at what time??

 

[lwilliam]

JoAnn - we will be at Whitewater between 4:30 and 5:00 on Friday
night (maybe we'll ride that water ride right before and come in
soaking wet!!) - I'll be wearing my lime green Castaway Cay shirt -
I'm pooh-sized - you won't miss me. I figured that time to grab a snack
or do final laundry or dry off and then back to the park later on.....
We are being picked up at 9:00 Saturday morning.
We fly out of Phila. NEXT TUESDAY at 6:15 AM....
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday are our DL/CA days.

Everyone else - you definitely are planners.....good luck with all your tours!

We are booked for PALO brunch on Monday (AND Sunday! - we have two
cabins, remember? I think I better only go to one of them! - MOnday is our
choice - at 11:00AM) - then Mazatlan night at 6:00 is PALO dinner.

JOANN - I can't thank you enough for starting this thread - best thing that EVER happened to me on a vacation

So glad the "little mermaids" didn't get wet, Kathy.

Lisa - DO YOU HAVE YOUR DOCS???????