January 4, 2003!!!!

[Fawn]

Hi Sue

Not sure what time it is yet, but I'm thinking 6ish. I'll let you know more exact time when I find out. The Park is close by Shirley said, so shouldn't be much of a drive.

I'm so looking forward to meeting everyone...and getting married, of course!

 

[cottoncandy]

Hi Fawn

Congratulations ahead of time. My family of 6 will be with you on the cruise in January. We are from Reading, not too far from you. Can't think of a better month to get away from the cold and snow to go cruising. This is our second Disney cruise and the time is just not passing fast enough.

We are leaving out of Philly the night before, but are staying at the Holiday Inn at the airport. On this trip it will be myself, Candy, DH Scott, DS Brian(19), DS Brandon(17), DD Amanda (14), and DS JUstin(10).

Our staterooms are 7002 and 7003 forward. We plan on never being in the rooms though. It's hard trying to plan our excursions. There are way too many choices.

Where exactly is Trappe. The name rings a bell but can't picture it. My husband is a pharmacist for CVS and started out in philly and surrounding areas, but that was years ago. Are you close to IKEA? I know where that is (My favorite store) I go at least once a month. It would be cool to get to know somebody that you're cruising with ahead of time.

It would also be nice to find teens going on this cruise to chat with my kids before we go.

Disney Rocks,
Candy

 

[Fawn]

Jo and Ernie - Disney Honeymooners!
Disney Kids - Fred (21), Matt (16), Becca (19), Samantha (13), and Ashleigh (12)

Lisa and Allen

Sue, Smoe and Dakota (10)

Cheryl, Al and Rachel (8)

Mom, Dad, Buzz (5) and Belle (7)

Candy and Scott, Brian (19), Brandon (17), Amanda (14), Justin (10)

Hi Candy...and thanks so much! You are very close to us. Trappe is right between Pottstown and King of Prussia. ...if you have heard of Ursinus College, we're about a mile up the road! If you're talking about the IKEA in Plymouth Meeting, we're about 25 minutes closer to you than that.

We're going down Thursday night...wish you were staying at the Radisson with us! We seem to have some of the same ages...or almost. Maybe some of our kids can e-mail before the cruise if they're interested?

Anyone else joining us? We'll have to eventually plan a meet on board as we get closer!

 

[cottoncandy]

Hi Fawn

NOw I know where you are. Is it the Trappe exit that takes yo to Pottstown hospital? I had back surgery there last year. And yes the IKEA I'm talking about is in Plymouth Meeting. My sister lives near there and that's usually where we meet for lunch and to shop of course. Scott works in the CVS's down there sometimes. He's in charge of scheduling for all the northeast pharmacies beside managing his own. It usuallytakes me about an hour 15 minutes to get there. What a small world.

I keep on trying to get Scott to renew our vows onthe ship,but he just never comes around with an answer. We were married at a district justice. It was my second marraige, and the first I was a teenager and spent so much on my wedding. WE've been marrie d 13 years in November and I want to wear a wedding dress on the beach. I was thinking about just showing up in one
anyway. We always joke about how Monica and Phoebe on Friends bought wedding dresses just to wear and dance around.

My kids would probably like to email yours. They live on the computer. What is Becca going to do onboard? Brian is torn between being an adult that can't drink and hanging with his brother in commom grounds. They were never around last time. I think he liked the planned parties. They also played basketball alot. Brian's drink tab was close to $80 because he had to have non alcoholic margaritas the whole time. I am so glad that he has a job this time.

Brandon is quiet. He's into drawing (animation) and skatboarding,and music like system of the down and slipknot.
Amanda will talk your ear off. She spends all of her spare time on the phone gossipping, very outgoing and friendly. Justin is into hockey, riding his new bike that he won at the XGAMES and just hanging with all the neighborhood kids. He doesn't get on the computer much. But likes to IM people when he does. If they would like to write they can use my email address; BBAJMOM@aaol.com. They have their own but they are forever changing. I can't keep up.

 

[Fawn]

Hey Candy

Yup, we're 10 minutes from the Pottstown Hospital. Tell Scott we live right up the block from the new CVS in Collegeville! This IS a small world!

Still not sure what I'm doing for a wedding dress. Our girls all have theirs, but Mom is likely to show up in her birthday suit at this rate!

Let's see. Becca is probably going to choose the adult mode and hang a lot with her new big brother, Freddie! They don't get to see each other much since he's off in the Navy and she's at college. Becca is also looking forward to having a "legal" drink with the adults at Carlos and Charlies! She's a really fun kid...a sweetie all around!

I imagine Matt may spend quite a bit of time hanging with his sibs since he is fairly quiet and shy...Brandon and he may just get along! We will shoo him off to the club on the first night, but it may not take....we'll see. It may really help if he knows someone else first!

Freddie obviously will be in the adult mode at 21. He's a real active sort (versus the party animal type), and I'm sure he's going to be looking for guys to toss a ball around with. He's also a SUPER big brother, and I know he'll be dragging his little shadows (sisters) around from time to time.

Samantha will be just 13 and going on 30 at the time of the cruise. She is also friendly and can talk up a storm...she is majorly into Karate! Ashleigh will be just turning 12 and she is the baby of the bunch. She just likes to hang out, swim, listen to music, be silly and eat...she grows about an inch a month these days! I know the girls are looking forward to the club...they loved it on our first cruise!

None of my kids are puter kids...can you imagine?? I think with our new and improved large family...9 kids and one grandson altogether...they just have too darn much to do all the time!

However, having said that, I think they may just like to know someone before the cruise. I'll pass on the addy, and we'll see what we can get cooking!


I can't wait!!!!

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

I think this needs a bump! Only 71 days to go and time seems to be flying! We're getting really excited, pretty soon we can book our excursions!!!!!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I'm definitely getting really psyched for this, especially after that 2 inches of snow we got the other day! Our balance has been paid (awaiting those documents...), I have my doctor's okay, but we won't be getting our room assignment until the last minute (according to our TA). But I can live with that--it must mean we'll be moving into the Walt suite (and they'lll have to pry my cold, dead hands off of it to get me out at the end of the week!). My only worry is that we have late dinner seating--if it doesn't change, we'll deal with it, but I'm a little concerned. Other than that, I could pack tomorrow!

 

[mmouse37]

BuzznBelle'smom....where upstate NY do you live....we are "downstate" right on the NJ border but my DD18 goes to SUNY Oneonta and my DS17 is looking at Buffalo State for college.

Hopefully we will be joining the 1/4/03 group but not definite as of yet!!!

MJ

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

We're in Saratoga County, in a more cows than people little town, but we love it. We'll be flying out of Albany the afternoon before the cruise, just to give us some leeway in case of weather. Hope you can join us on the cruise!

 

[Lisa F]

Oh my god, I cannot BELIEVE that we are SO CLOSE! It's kind of making me nervous because I have to present my thesis before I can go away on vacation and the days are ticking away!

In GREAT news, one of the secret porthole rooms came available and Cathy at dreams unlimited, my favorite person in the entire world right now, snagged it for us! It is right next door to where we were on our 3 day cruise in september so we know we like that location!

I absolutely cannot wait!

Lisa

 

[mmouse37]

Bumping up again because it is only 8 weeks away and I am proud to say that I will be joining all you 1/4 cruisers!!!! I just made my final payment so it's official. It was iffy there for awhile. I will be travelling with my oldest DD and her two cousins as well with another couple.

Can't wait!!!! This will be DCL cruise #7 and the excitement is still high!!!!

MJ

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

Hi MJ welcome aboard, glad to see another DISer joining us!
We are really excited too, today is the 60 day mark!!!!! It's so hard to believe that it's getting so close. Pretty soon we'll all be watching for our Doc's to arrive and when they come I'll be even more excited, if that's at all possible LOL! I made our reservation for our 1 shore excursion that we're booking through DCL this morning. Now I'll have to start studying all the menus and diferent dining rotations to try and figure out what night will be best for Palo.
MJ I have a question for you seeing how you've cruised 7 times; do you remember if you had the same dinig rotation every time? If I knew what rotation we would have it would make it so much easier to figure out what night to do Palo. I don't know if I should somewhat be thinking we'll have the same rotation as we did the other time we cruised.

Cheryl

 

[inkkognito]

Just noticed that this thread is bumped up again...we're getting so excited! We love the Western itinerary, and it will be especially fun with lots of other DISers aboard.
We hope to see everyone around, and we'll be easy to find as we'll be in good ol' 5650. Just two more months!!! It's gonna be an awesome cruise
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[mmouse37]

Cheryl.....we have had different rotations each time because we have been on the three, four and seven day cruises. On our last two 7 day ones I requested a specific rotation each time a few weeks before we sailed. The CM I spoke with was not familior with the different dining rotations so I enlightened him about the different ones, PLAP, APLA, LAPL.

He was very grateful and said he would note it on our ressie and e-mail the dining department. On both cruises I was told by the CM on the phone that it could not be guaranteed and did not even know if it could be done, but both times I received the requested rotation.

I actually called DCL to make the final payment today and asked the CM for the APLA rotation because that would put us in Lumiere's for both formal nights and Parrot Cay for Tropical night which is what we like. The CM today told me that no dining rotations could be requested at all, but then she said she would check with a supervisor and came back and told me she noted it on our ressie and e-mailed the dining dept. Who knows if we will get it or not.

We are late seating and staying at the Radisson the night before.

Here is a link to my dining charts if you want to take a look.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/52061656/52882589TwpLan

http://community.webshots.com/photo/52061656/52882617bsKkFP

Can't wait to meet all the fellow DIS'ers on this cruise!!!!

MJ

 

[Lisa F]

Is anyone booked on DU? Barb, it seems like you guys always use DU yet when I last checked my reservation it told me that only one family (total) is booked on the cruise. Does that mean it's only us or us + one other family?

There are so many disers on the cruise, I was just wonder if we'd get the gift or something for 8 or more cabins!

Lisa

 

[mmouse37]

We booked directly with DCL.

MJ

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

MJ Thanks for the info about how your dining rotaions have worked in the past and about requesting a certain rotation! I actually printed a copy of your wonderful dining rotation chart about a week ago and was studying it and the menus and the kids Navigators last night. I just didn't realize when I posted my questions last night that you were the one that had made that wonderful chart - Thank you so much - it has been very helpful but I think I'm driving DH and DD crazy with trying to get input from them LOL. They'll just have to live with my decisions.
I have one more question for you if you don't mind? Is the "light show" in AP the first night we would dine in that restaurant (the night with the regular AP menu)? I don't want to book our Palo reservation for that night and miss it.


Lisa We booked directly with DCL.

 

[mmouse37]

That one I am not sure of. I think Dave has info at his site at www.dcltribute.com

I always get confused with the AP light show. I am trying to think when we had it on our 8/3 cruise. I do believe it is the first night you are in AP. Check Dave's site just in case.

MJ

 

[inkkognito]

We are definitely booked through DU...just made the final payment recently.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[disneygal58]

HELLO!!!!
Add us to the list - we just changed our 2/1 ressie to 1/4. We are : Dawn single mom to Meagan - 19 and Erin -17. We changed dates to accomodate Meg's school schedule. Our 86 day countdown immediately shifted to the current 58 (thanks DU and Donna).
Now I have to get serious about excursions. We have travelled with 2 - 3 days and 1 - 4 day in the past, this is our first 7 nighter. We will definitely stay at the Radisson Friday evening as we will be driving in from Clearwater area.
We're thinking about walking among the ruins in Cozumel and hanging with the stingrays in Grand Cayman. Key West will be laid back.
I am going to try to stay clear of the spa - I work as a Massage Therapist at a large, beautiful spa here in Tampa Bay and have access to services on a regular basis.
My daughters will be thrilled to hear that there are other older teens aboard.
I look forward to meeting all of you.
Dawn Hope