January 13, 2007 - 7 Night Magic Western

[sandym]

Welcome oiler! You will love the Disney Cruise. We are addicted

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Oiler - Welcome! We're just a few doors down the hallway from you (6076) and Skylynx is also in that same area. My son will be 7 (approaching 8 when we cruise).

There is a link to our cruise website in my signature below. We have a "Who's Going" list there. If you would like to be included, just send me a PM or email.

pdarrah

 

[Ginny]

Hi, All -

Pdarrah, the website is wonderful. You are really talented. Thanks for all the work that goes into putting it together!

I have been out of the loop for a few weeks but am getting back on track now. DH accepted a new position last month which is very exciting but requires him to travel alot. We have both laughed at how out of practice we are at being apart and how naive we were thinking we could just jump back into this lifestyle. I have had to relearn being a "single" parent again and all the ultra-organization that goes into juggling my job, house, dog, bills while still being an attentive mommy to DD and DS. He's having to relearn how to pack, travel, and is a bit lonesome for us. DD (11) doesn't really remember all of DH's deployments before he retired from the military but having DS (18) home right now has been a real blessing.

Last night, after DH called, I think both DD and I realized we were getting this down...............I don't need so many notes around the house to remind me of everything I need to do and she said she finally "gets" what the three of us meant when we (DH, DS and I) talked about compartmentalizing - she is really excited about planning for DH's return next week after a month away.

And, we both enjoyed the calm of a quiet Friday night as last week found us in the ER after she sliced her hand. Long story but I called DS (18) to tell him not to meet us at the restaurant for dinner as we were ER bound and he got on the phone with her and calmed her right down..........cuz she knew she was going to get some stitches. Talk about stepping up to the plate. When the two of them were talking on the phone was one of those moments that I take a deep breath and commit the moment to memory because I am so grateful that they love each other so much.

Of course, its Saturday morning...........I've been up since 4 - have done two loads of laundry, checked my e-mail at work, fed the dog, shopped on-line at the Talbot's sale and am going to start paying the bills before we head to her soccer game (just to watch because she still can't play) and then this afternoon it is time to finish on her Science Fair project. Notice how I squeezed that little shopping excursion in!!

I cannot wait until our cruise..............I am so looking forward to being aboard the Magic, again. Although, I did send DH an e-mail last week and ask if he was interested in the Repo Cruise in August of 2007. What caught my eye was the 5 days at sea. I also included the list of prices which may be why he hasn't answered my question, yet!!

Pdarrah, thank you again for the website. I e-mailed the link to DH just to give him something fun to focus on!

Take care, all!

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Ginny - Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you like the website.

If you would like to include any of your information in the "who's going" section - just let me know.... It only takes a few minutes for me to add or edit the info there, so you can always include an little now and more later if you like.

Does it feel like spring anywhere else? Here it is 39 degrees, raining and gray! Yuck

Pdarrah

 

[cepmom]

Well, I caved in this week....I let my DD16 in on the big secret cruise of '07!! She had been talking about going on another cruise and she kept going on about school and when she would be able to take time off wihtout dealing with the whole "unexcused absence" issue and make up work etc.

I felt I needed to run it by her before I booked airfare and "locked" us in to the whole trip. She is ecstatic and is said she would be comfortable taking four days off of school without it becoming a problem. We did agree to keep it a surprise for the younger girls though....

Ginny ~ I feel for you. My DH has been traveling quite a bit for work lately too. He's been away since last Friday, but should be home by Thursday or Friday this week. I'm finally getting used to being a "single parent" while he is away.

oh ~ and welcome to all the new cruisers going with us!!! I can't wait

 

[Ginny]

Good Morning, All -

Just wanted to check in and see how everyone was doing or if someone had started a new thread because we have all been so quiet on this one. I cannot believe that our trip is now only 8 months away. I am getting so excited and ready to start planning all the fun stuff..................today.

Trying to decide where to stay for the few days pre-cruise. It is between the Beach Club, Poly and Grand Floridian this trip. Love the Beach Club.....have never stayed at the Poly (although I love Ohana's) and wasn't that thrilled with GF the last time we stayed there so thought it might be fun to try it again.

Also, I think we will try the Jeep Ruins tour again this time. I just think that sounds like so much fun and it gets great reviews!

 

[LuvEeyore]

What a crazy time this has been over the last two months. My job is transferring me in 6 weeks so now comes the cleaning, packing and wrap up in one place and then preparing for the new place. At least the move is only 2 hours away. This move will also put me closer to my mom. My sanity and break from packing, cleaning etc., is scrapbooking my December trip and reading about the ports we will see in January and beginning to think about shore excursions. When the time comes that I can book it will be great because I will be in the middle of a huge project for work (a paper that might as well be a dissertation). This is due a month before the cruise and I have to present the paper two weeks after.
I am ready for a break already!!
Keep in touch and as you all learn new tidbits please share them.
Hope you all have a blessed day.
Lee

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Folks!

This is probably the busiest time of year for me. We have 3 family birthdays in May (one of which is DS - we had his party last weekend) and this is the BIG time of year for our garden club involvment. Every year we have a huge plant sale (May 20 this year) and my family is heavily involved. My DF & DM chair the committee, so we all end up with lots of assignments! The week before the sale (this past weekend) ALL the plants come to my house - I live only a couple of blocks from where the sale is held and have a big enough yard to handle it... So.... this weekend well over 3000 plants arrived in my yard. They all need to be organized, labeled and priced before Friday. Friday night we'll move them all to where the sale will be held and all day Saturday we'll be there (starting at 6:30AM). All that is bad enough, but every 3 years we hold a Garden Walk in June - and this is one of those years. My parent's garden is on the walk this year and I am the one who gets to create the program/ticket for the walk and get it printed up. I am also in charge of publicity i.e. press releases, posters, etc. We are squeezing our spring vacation between these two events, so we will be at WDW from June 9-16

Once we get through June and all this stuff is over, I'll start planning and thinking more about January.

I hope everyone else's life is a little calmer right now!

Pdarrah

 

[cepmom]

just want to let you all know if you are looking for a place to stay the night before the cruise, the new Residence Inn near the port has a great price on a 2 bedroom suite. I just booked it for $115 per night including taxes!! This is the AAA rate, but without AAA, the rate was still only $109 before taxes! The room has 2 king beds, a sofa bed, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen etc and it includes breakfast the next morning!!

DH has a free night certificate for Red Roof Inn in Orlando that I figured we would use the night we fly in, but I could not pass this up! I think we will be much more comfortable in a 2 bedroom suite than the 5 of us attempting to sleep in 2 double beds

https://marriott.com/reservation/rateListMenu.mi

 

[CBJHockeyNut]

Thanks for the info on the Residence Inn. Just booked a 2 bdrm suite as well for the $115. Great deal.

It looks like no shuttle to the port. Can anyone either confirm or deny if this is true? We will have a rental car so I is just a question of when we drop it off.

Thanks again and hope you all have a great weekend!!

Nut

 

[sopandbass]

Well, it's official...I'm addicted to DCL.

We were blessed to go on the first Double Castaway Cay cruise last week...but oh, nooooooo, that just wasn't enough.

I kept trying to resist Deck 4 Midship all week but I couldn't help it.

I bravely strolled past the Future Cruise desk several times but my lack of resolve forced me into an open, cushy chair. Soon, it was my turn to ask about rates and dates.

"Good things come to those who wait" kept going through my head as I asked about December 2007.

"The Westbound TransAtlantic crossing would be the trip of a lifetime" kept going though my head until it exploded after the reality of the price set in.

"How about January 2007?" came out of my mouth because that's about as long as I wanted to wait before another cruise.

So, count us in! My DH, our DD-who-will-be-6-by-then and myself. We're looking forward to looking forward to this cruise with all of you!

 

[Ginny]

SOPANDBASS -

Welcome to our group!! I have experienced "cushy chair" syndrome in front of the Future Cruise Desk myself ....................and, if all goes well, will find my way there during our cruise in January.

I share your pain about the cost of the transatlantic cruises but it was more the length of time to be gone from work (which, alas, is a vital requirement in order to pay for said extended and expensive cruise) so I had to pass.

I'm starting to get very excited about our cruise. We had to cancel our DCL cruise in December, 2005 due to my new job so I have been in DCL withdrawl and am counting the days.

 

[sandym]

sopandbass! Can't wait to plan with you!

 

[pdarrah]

Welcome SOPANDBASS!

Hi Everyone!

Just stopping in for a moment between all the other stuff I should be doing.... We survived the plant sale, the Garden Walk program is at the printer, I still need to send out press releases (today!) and we are leaving for WDW on Thursday night! When we get back, we'll have one week to get ready for the Garden Walk ... then it will all finally be done It is fun, but it is also exhausting! Anyway, I'll be back a little more regularly after we make it through June.

SOPANDBASS & anyone else who's interested: We have a website for our cruise. It is at www.bwdarrah.com/dcl and has a lot of info about the western ports, some spreadsheats to help with planning and a "Who's Going" page with info about any of us who would like to be included. If you would like to be included in the list, just send me a PM or email (pdarrah@sprynet.com) with your info. I will only list what you ask me to - if you have just posted stuff here, I will not just take it and add it to the website out of privacy concerns. You can include as much or as little info as you would like and it is easy to make changes, so feel free to add more later if you would like.

Regards,

pdarrah

 

[Ginny]

Pdarrah -

I wish you a great time in WDW and hope all goes well with the garden walk. Actually, you inspired me as I hadn't gotten any annual in our yard and wasn't taking the time to water since Mother Nature keeps passing us by so far. It looked pretty sad. But, we now have lots of color and the grass is really green. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing but it's been fun and DD loved helping me pick out plants and do all the planting. And, so far, all are flourishing.

Enjoy your respite at WDW -
Ginny

 

[sopandbass]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'll be checking in from time to time and hope to get to know all of you!

Peace,
Sharon

 

[Colorado Mom]

Just leaving my mark so I can come back tomorrow and read all this

 

[Eeyore3838]

Hi, I am pretty new to the DIS, and don't post much. But I thought I would let you know that Me (will be 24) and my DFi (25, will THEN be my DH!) will be honeymooning on this cruise! We are getting married at Disney's Wedding pavilion on 1/11/07! This will be my first cruise. We are ecstatic! Can't wait!

 

[Ginny]

Dear Colorado Mom -

Welcome to the January 13th Cruise Thread!!


Dear Eeyore3838 -

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!! I can only imagine how exciting it must be to plan your big day and I know the wedding pavillion will only make it more magical!

There is lots of Disney cruise experience among those who will be cruising on the 13th so if you have any questions about the cruise, excursions, spa.......... please just ask away!

 

[sandym]

Eeyore3838! What a magical way to start your life together!