January 13, 2007 - 7 Night Magic Western

[sopandbass]

I can't decide whether or not to get pirate costumes for the cruise. We've been with and without costumes in the past but the things I have for DD won't fit anymore. Should I really promote thievery and plundering to a 6-year-old? Of course, I should!!!! Now, if only I can find a jeweled eye patch for myself... DH is a good sport about these things but a Captain Hook outfit might be a little feathery for him.

Anyone else wearing costumes?

 

[pdarrah]

Aargh! Of course we are! If you look back a few pages, there is a photo of DS & I in full pirate gear I don't know if DH will give in to the pressure and dress up or not. He did last time and DS7 will say "Pleeaasse Daddy!" so my guess is that he will!

Boy, it was a long day today. I left home around 8AM and just got back about 15 minutes ago. DS was so tired (my DM took him to his fiddle and cub scout stuff tonight) that he went straight to bed with no complaints. The trade show I am at this week actually runs from 9AM to 6PM tomorrow! I am going to be so wiped out by the time we get to this weekend. DH left on another business trip today, so DS and I are on our own until Friday evening.

pdarrah

 

[Vulcandream]

DH is a good sport about these things but a Captain Hook outfit might be a little feathery for him.

Anyone else wearing costumes?

Tell DH that if he wants to see "feathery" he should see me in costume at http://www.bwdarrah.com/dcl/whosgoing.htm (scroll to bottom of page). Now THAT is feathery.

Pdarrah, you have mentioned a trade show a couple of times - what industry. Is it one of those deals where you get all kinds of cool stuff, useless crud and enough free pencils to last 6 people a life-time?

 

[thomprod]

Tell DH that if he wants to see "feathery" he should see me in costume...

Vulcandream ~ LOVE the costume! You're right...a Captain Hook outfit is nothing compared to the lovely outfit you're wearing in that picture! I guess I always think of Cyril Ritchard's Captain Hook in the Mary Martin "Peter Pan" before I think of the Disney version for his costume, though.

We're in Stratford, Ontario this weekend and we'll be seeing "The Glass Menegarie" this afternoon. The stars aligned and I was able to be away from work for a Sunday and my DM said she'd watch DD and it's been fabulous. I love last-minute get-aways. But wait, I love far-off get-aways as well because I'm geeked about the cruise, too, which is not as "far-off" as it seems!

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

 

[sopandbass]

The previous post is from me but someone...um...my DH, thomprod, logged into my laptop to look at the disboards and didn't change the user back to moi. So, just in case someone's actually keeping track of who's who on this thread the post above this one is from sopandbass. Thanks for your attention.

 

[Bytor01]

So, I have not posted in awhile because I have been too busy getting my Nov WDW trip planned (11/9-16 at BCV- DVC owners). As I have nothing further to do for that trip I have turned my attention to our 1st cruise. I am ready to pay our balance and get ready to secure some ressies for whatever I can get a my hands on. I would like to get a Palo dinner, a spa massage for the DW, my kids (DS5 and DD5-twins) into the Club and a wine tasting. I have also been looking at the shore excursions. We have narrowed it down and are looking into doing the following: KW- Pirate Scavenger hunt (good for the son and not a big time consumer so we can walk around and take in the sights), GC- Nautilus undersea tour or Seaworld Explorer semi-submarine, C- Cozumel Beach Break, and CC- Castaway's Stingray Adventure. If anyone has had any dealings or comments, let me know especially if you have done any of these before.

Tim

 

[sopandbass]

Hi, Bytoro1! You're in a for a great cruise!

This past May, we did the Stingray Adventure on CC and we had a good time. It was my DH, DD-then 5 and me. DD was scared at first and took a while to warm up to the creatures but soon she was feeding them and petting them. It's very contained and safe. You can snorkel for a while with the stringray if you want but you'll have a good experience even if you don't do that. We thought it was a good event for us.

 

[sopandbass]

Okay, it might not be available by the time I call back but would anyone be interested in sharing a pontoon boat rental for Friday evening, January 12th, to watch Illuminations at Epcot? You can post or private message me.

 

[Ginny]

Hi, All -

Oh my gosh...........if you haven't had the opportunity to enjoy an Illuminations Cruise................jump on Sopandbass' offer before its booked!! Don't think about it - just say YES!!

It is truly an incredible show and you have FRONT ROW SEATS in the comfort of your own Pontoon Boat. We have been lucky enough to take the cruise with just our family and another with some dear friends AND we just love it.

To be honest, I ran right downstairs and asked DH if he was willing to give up Fantasmic for Illuminations...............and he really had to think about it. Then, he gave me the look and said, "I love the Illuminations Cruise but I'd really like to see Fantasmic before I die." (we've tried before).

The dock is right at the Beach Club and they take you on the Pontoon Boat for a nice little cruise before pulling up in Epcot to view Illuminations. You can have a nice little treat at Beaches and Cream before you board.

Sopandbass, I'm sending lots of Pixie Dust that someone takes you up on your offer.

Take care -

Ginny

 

[cepmom]

sopandbass ~
I would have loved to take you up on your offer, but we won't be arriving until late Friday night. I am trying not to take the kids out of school on Friday if I can help it. My DD's high school does not allow vacations to be excused and we'll be pushing it by taking her out the following week for 4 days. Our flight is for 8:55 PM Friday night, arriving close to midnight. I am hoping to switch it to 5:45 PM once SW has a sale. SW only has a few n/s flights per day from PVD to MCO and we have early morning, 5:45 pm and 8:55 pm to choose from

 

[skylynx]

sopandbass

If we were getting there early enough on Friday night, we'd go too! On the night DH and I met, we were at a Disney Institute event at Epcot and got to have eclairs and coffee at the preferred viewing area near "France." Those are the best seats we've ever had for Illuminations, but I would like to do the pontoon boat sometime.

Just got back from celebrating DH's birthday at a mountain retreat in Estes Park. We stayed in a condo with a breathtakingly beautiful panorama of several large peaks. It looked like the cover of a Christmas album, as we had some snow and lots of shaggy pine trees around us. On the first morning, several small mule deer were picking their way around our patio. We saw lots of elk and bighorn sheep and deer...they were walking all around Estes Park at twilight. In fact, we saw more animals in the town than in Rocky Mt. National Park! We also walked around the Stanley Hotel, of "The Shining" Hollywood fame. It didn't look scary at all, but they do ghost tours and sell RedRum merchandise in the gift shop.

We had the pleasure of meeting Deb (Colorado Mom) for coffee on our way to the mountains from Denver. This is Disboards at its best, I think, getting to meet people you already know! How nice to see a friendly face when you are strangers in town.

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Everybody - I'm back!

Wow, last week was tough and then I caught a cold over the weekend Yesterday and today I have been catching up at the office, but I think I may have found my desk under all the piles late this afternoon

VulcanDream - Our company is an Import/Export company. It was founded by my Grandfather about 60 years ago. My father has run it for about 30 years. One of the products we import are cutting tools for very hard wire (as in spring wire & piano wire). The tradeshow was "Springworld 2006". There were a few good give-aways, but most of it was junk! We also import parts for the transformer industry (the plastic bits that the wire gets wound around, the boxes they get put into, connectors that help clip wires to the transformer, etc). Our exports are mostly big, industrial equipment stuff - primarily for steel mills and electric motor manufacturers and rebuilders. I have degrees in Physics, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science and worked in the "corporate" word for about 12 years. Then my department got killed just when my father was desparately looking for help (his longtime assistant retired) so I went to work for him. It isn't at all in my "field", but the flexability is really nice!

Sopandbass - I checked with DH and we are definitely interested in the Illuminations Cruise. (DH, DS and myself). Won't we need to get around 9 or 10 people to make it reasonably priced? Has anyone else expressed interest?

Bytor01 -

I would like to get a Palo dinner, a spa massage for the DW, my kids (DS5 and DD5-twins) into the Club and a wine tasting.

If you don't manage to get Palo online, it sounds like most DISers have been able to get what they want once they arrive at the ship. Getting the kids into the club isn't a problem. The online signup is just for convenience - it saves a little time filling out forms at the port. I don't think you can sign up for the wine tasting until you get to the ship - I think you go to guest services for that. DH did it in 2004 and my parents did a Tequila tasting in 2005.

I'm afraid I can't comment on the excursions you have selected - we tend to go off on our own....

Palo - I can't remember if I posted our plans after the 2AM ordeal or not! We are dining at Palo on Tuesday (Grand Cayman) - I made it for 6pm in hopes of seeing the sunset... We are having brunch with Skylynx and Impala on Sunday (before we get to Key West) and also having Tea with them on Thursday.

This week is a little better than last week ... DH will only be traveling Thurs/Fri and he gets back early on Friday. DS is going to a birthday party tomorrow at a pumpkin farm - so I have to run out with him tonight to buy a gift! The monthly Garden Club meeting is on Thursday night, but I think we actually have Friday night totally open and can spend an evening at home - maybe even relax! DS & I and my parents are going to visit my Grandma on Saturday - she lives about 1.5 hours away and still is in her own home and totally with it at 98 yrs old! Sometimes I think we are clearly insane to be this busy! (but we do have a lot of fun so it is probably worth it.)

When you have a chance, look at our cruise website - a few more folks have joined the Who's Going list! If you sent me info and I seem to have ignored you, please resend - I found a couple in my "spaminator" and hope I haven't missed anyone....

pdarrah

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Everyone,

I sure hope your weather is better than ours! I'm already bummed because for the last 2 years we have been on the Magic this week. Of course, we changed it this year because we were tired of hurricanes - and of course, there aren't ANY hurricanes in the caribbean right now So instead of being on the Magic, I am at work and it has been raining ALL day and the temperature is in the mid-40's

pdarrah

 

[familycruiser]

Since Sat. is daylight savings, it will actually feel like 4:00 when its 3:00 am on Sunday night for the last ressie rush. Would love to get Palo reservations, but I am wondering if it will already be full with those that got to make their ressies 90 days and 105 days early. Is it worth staying up until 3:00 am on Sunday for the possibility of Palo? Do any of you who did it earlier know if its already full? Hate to loose the sleep for nothing! Not interested in spa treatments and still undecided about shore excursions. Thanks.

 

[Vulcandream]

OK, I am confused again. I thought it was right after midnight that I could make reservations on Sunday night. Am I wrong? I am in Eastern Standard Zone by the way.

 

[cepmom]

OK, I am confused again. I thought it was right after midnight that I could make reservations on Sunday night. Am I wrong? I am in Eastern Standard Zone by the way.

sorry Vulcandream...it's 3:00 am eastern time. They stagger it this way so that people in all time zones can access the reservations at the same time (3:00 am EDT, 2:00 am CDT, 1:00 am MDT and 12:00 am PDT)

What I found works best is to set my cell phone alarm for 2:55 and lay down on the couch to fall asleep. That way when the alarm goes off, I don't wake my DH who will then really think I've lost it getting up in the middle of the night to make Palo ressies! I leave the computer on and logged in to the disney cruise website. It only takes a few minutes then I'm off to bed for the rest of the night (morning)

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Everyone! Still cold and dreary hear near Chicago... I sure hope it is better for Halloween -this would be nasty trick-or-treat weather!

OK - back a couple of pages, there was a breif mention of door signs and I said I'd post more later .... it is finally "later"!

For the first time cruisers who may not have read about this yet on the boards: Many DISers (and maybe a few normal folks) like to decorate their stateroom door with magnets and magnetic signs. (We avoid tape since it may get stuck to the door and cause extra work for the crew.) The signs are often made on our computers and printed onto magnetic paper. Some folks prefer to hand make their signs and then add stick on magnet stuff.

There are several reasons we do this:

1. It helps you find your room in the endless hallway with identical doors.
2. It helps other DISers know that other crazy disney folks are on board.
3. It can be used to celebrate an event such as an anniversary or birthday.
4. Its fun!

I have some pictures of our door from our last cruise. I mostly make computer signs. DS (then 6) hand made signs for each port - and then our cruise changed to an Eastern and he only got to use Castaway Cay. We did put them all up so he could have a photo with them. Rather than post a bunch of photos here in the thread, here is a link to my Photobucket.com page. There are a few other things here, but at least half of the first page is door sign stuff. http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a301/pdarrah/

For our last cruise, someone suggested a DIS sign that we would all use (in addition to our personal signs) and a very nice gentleman took my idea of "DISer on Board" (like the "Baby on Board" car signs) and designed one for us all to us. I have slightly modified it (changed the date) for our cruise. It looks like this:

If anyone would like to do this for our cruise, please say something here and I'll put a link to the full resolution JPG file on the cruise website. (Edit: I just added the full resolution version to the photobucket site.) If you have a color printer, you can either print it onto the magnetic paper (I bought mine at Walmart) or onto regular paper and then add magnets.

Anyone else doing door signs?

pdarrah

 

[Ginny]

PDarrah - I love the Dis On Board Sign and would love a link. Thanks so much for sharing! That is one of the things I love about the DIS.....everyone is so giving!!

I did see one thing which I'm sure you've already noticed: I think it's supposed to read 2007. Or............. I can be really happy staying the same age for another year. Either way is okay with me!

Thanks, again, for the sign - it's wonderful!!

 

[Bytor01]

Well, just paid off our balance w/ our TA. Luckily I will be at work tomorrow night and will be able to be online at the time the bookings go public. One question I have is, do I have to log on at 3:00 am EST and then bring up the planning page or can I be logged on already and then bring up the planning page at the prescribed time? Could be a matter of seconds but hey ya never know. Really intersted in getting those Palo ressies if they are available still.

Tim

 

[cepmom]

Well, just paid off our balance w/ our TA. Luckily I will be at work tomorrow night and will be able to be online at the time the bookings go public. One question I have is, do I have to log on at 3:00 am EST and then bring up the planning page or can I be logged on already and then bring up the planning page at the prescribed time? Could be a matter of seconds but hey ya never know. Really intersted in getting those Palo ressies if they are available still.

Tim

I usually log on earlier than 3:00 then just click on the appropriate page at the right time. Good luck getting what you need