July 17, 2004 Magic (Western)

[mousemom218]

Definitely sneakers for the excursion days! I've learned my lesson too many times in sandals. Also, if you are spending time in WDW, sneakers and nice thick socks! We go a lot, and it never ceases to amaze me when I see women wearing high heels and little sandals in WDW! We usually get to the parks around 8 am and stay til fireworks, and by then your feet are screaming at you no matter what you wear! My DD also has flip flops in every color and description. She will have to bring one pair for each day, of course!

 

[MaryPSU]

Also ... sneakers for each morning's walks around the deck. Aren't you ladies all going to join me at about 9:00 a.m. every day??

(Of course, my children will be off to the clubs so this exercise won't include them! But it helps me feel like I'm not gaining all the pounds that I really am gaining by eating WAY too much all week!)

DH just came home from WalMart with Kodak underwater cameras ... I had casually mentioned the few things we still need for the cruise and he couldn't help himself. So I guess I have no choice on considering Fuji - they'll be fine since I'm sure the kids will monopolize them anyway!

Cam - I just read your post about Andy's ears to my son Chris. He too has had ear troubles almost since birth - four ear tube surgeries later, he seems to be doing better. But until last year he had major discomfort putting his head under water ... and also didn't like the feel of ear plugs ... so has only recently become comfortable swimming in deep water.

(Chris joked, "why didn't you tell me I had a long lost brother?")

Add me to the list of anal packers ... just yesterday I made a spreadsheet that lists all the dinners by types of dress (formal, tropical, etc.) including Palo dinner and brunch ... with entries for all of us so I can record who is wearing what outfit on which day. My family laughs at me ... but it's better than getting on the ship and being stressed trying to figure it out while we're getting ready!

 

[mousemom218]

On our last cruise I went to 3 8 a.m. aerobics classes, one on each at-sea day. They wiped me out! There was a loyal group of about 5 women that worked out with me. I ate and drank way too much and only gained 2 pounds. I am definitely going to try to work out at least 3 days this time. Do I have any company?

 

[keenercam]

Well, I am definitely one of the Pooh-sized womem who wouldn't survive an 8 am workout, though you can usually find me at sunrise on the deck 4 loungers, looking for dolphins.

Should have mentioned -- though I am not bringing sneakers, I have Teva's, which I usually wear comfortably in the parks all day. DH and DS live in sneakers and will probably wear them to and from the airport, so I won't have to pack them. Jenn will have to be talked into wearing them to the airport too.

Mary -- our underwater pix from two cruises ago are from Kodak and they are gorgeous and vibrant! What a sweet DH taking care of something on your to-do list for you!! Give that man a hug!

Mousemom you are soooo disciplined -- 2 ## is nothing!

Mary -- Tell Chris I am so glad his ears are better. Andy is on his 3rd set of tubes and swims every day even though he usually ends up with what I think of as swimmer's ear.

Well, heading out to have dinner with my family and then prepare for a hearing first thing tomorrow a.m.

Have a great night, everyone, if I don't get a chance to pop in again!

Hey -- I have an idea -- we should all share a tip of the day!

Ready? Here is mine: I pack every liquid toiletry item and powder in separate ziplock bags -- all shampoos and conditioners go in a one or two gallon ziplock together to be put right in the bath.

Jump right in and share (of course, my all-time critical, wouldn't cruise without it tip is the over the door shoe holder, but I am sure you all know that one, right?)

 

[MaryPSU]

Cam - Too funny! I was just thinking that I should recommend we all throw out tips of the day ... you beat me to it! Great idea.

Here is one of my favorites: I take freezer Ziploc bags. I ask the stateroom host(ess) to keep us supplied with ice for the bags. I place a fresh bag of ice in the refrigerator/cooler thing each morning, and our beverages (water, soda, kids drinks, wine, beer) are always nice and cold.

Mary

 

[NeedsNEscape]

Hi Folks,

Wow, do I detect a high level of energy and excitement here?

I still haven't had the chance to go shopping... I am supposed to be doing that right now... but the dog is looking at me and saying she needs a walk.

Cam: My son's birthday is July 27 and he will also be turning 16! He would die if I organized a sweet sixteen party for him, but I was thinking about doing something ahead of time while on vacation.
He is too busy being cool! Heck, I don't even know what to get him....

Is anyone doing the ScavengEAR while in Key West? I thought I saw someone post that note. I am thinking that might be a fun thing to do there.

I will have to think about a tip, I feel like I am playing catch-up to all of you! I don't have any spreadsheets prepared!

Jeanne

 

[dznyacct]

Hi everyone! I can't believe we're all at the 30 day mark, woohoo!! When DU contacted DCL about my 2nd set of documents they were told that a 2nd set was generated in error by DCL due to a computer upgrade "glitch". She told me to throw them away, but I think I'm going to put them in my day bag just in case........
Count me in on the exercise nuts! I've been working out (using an elliptical trainer) very religiously for 9 months. I've lost over 30 pounds and feel GREAT and have tons of energy. I weigh less than I have in many years so I HAD to go out and buy lots of new clothes for the cruise/WDW!! I actually have gotten some really good deals as I've been picking up things for months (I got a black dress for formal night that was originally $88 for $17!!). On Sunday I had a "fashion show" for my dog since Brian and Jake were gone. I tried on all my cruise clothes and swimsuits. I was so happy that everything fit (I intentionally bought a few sizes smaller than I used to wear as a motivator). I plan on working out in the morning before the boys are up, although there may be a few afternoons that I work out instead. Maybe we can all meet up! See you soon!!

 

[cathie]

My sis & I recommend bringing along an air freshener ( the non-electric type works fine) for the bathroom..trust me it's very worthwhile! Disney Magic...one month from today!!!!! Yeah!!! Cathie & The Gang

 

[MaryPSU]

Here's my tip for today ... I learned this the hard way on my last cruise (still can see the wrinkle in a beautiful formal evening photo now framed in my living room):

Bring a large, padded envelope - with some type of cardboard or other support on the inside - to transfer photos home in. Last time I put mine carefully in a flimsy folder in my carryon bag, but not all of them made it without some damage!

Mary

 

[keenercam]

Great tips, ladies! Keep them coming!

For a long time we have been putting change in a "cruise fund" jar that gets emptied at the commerce bank "penny arcade" -- the money goes into an extra account there that we use for entertainment, including the cruise, of course. I have already started hoarding single dollar bills every time I get change, so that I have them for tips, etc., without making a trip to the bank just for that.

 

[cathie]

For those on you that do laundry on board...those mini M&M containers make great quarter holders. We keep a few around the house & deposit ours quarters in the containers for vacation. Thanks for the tip about the pics..I had one that got a little bent too on the last cruise. Have a great day! Cathie & The Gang

 

[NeedsNEscape]

I started looking more into the scavenger hunt in Key West. It is documented at:

http://www.keywesthunt.com/

It looks like a lot of fun. Is anyone else doing that on Sunday? I think we may sign up for it.

I'm still working on a tip.

Jeanne

 

[MaryPSU]

Here's my tip for today:

Bring some address labels. During that last evening, when bags need to be out in the hallway by 11:00 p.m. and everybody is busy doing their "one last thing" (last visit to the clubs, characters in the lobby, etc.) it saves time to stick labels on Disney's required special luggage tags rather than filling them all out by hand.

I also use address labels to stick on things like the kids' disposable cameras in case they're left somewhere.

Mary

 

[keenercam]

I have taken all your hints to heart!

Cathie -- Yesterday, Howard and I were at Safeway and I saw Shrek mini m&m's. I bought them, Howard and I ate them, and I went home and raided the change jar for quarters. It now has the first $9.75 toward laundry and it isn't even half full. Howard said he could have just run to the bank, but this way it is one less thing on the to-do list!! Since we would typically take about $50 in singles for people who handle our luggage and for room service, I have been dropping the singles in a can and I already have $20.

Mary -- Those address labels for luggage tags are one of my favorite tips! I also put a bunch of pre-addressed labels for post cards in a ziplock along with 4 pens and a bunch of post-card stamps -- we try to do postcards Saturday night to drop in a Key West mailbox (US postcard stamps work there). It is a great "quiet time" activity for us each to write one or two postcards that people will get while we are gone. Then, throughout the week, we write cards whenever possible without having to carry an address book -- just put the ziplock bag in a the beach bag and write postcards on the beach!

Tip for the day: If you have any half-empty bottles/cans of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hair gel, deodorant, put those aside to pack -- use them up on the ship or throw away the last little bit at the end of your trip -- a little bit of extra room for souvenirs and you don't have to buy travel bottles of "stuff" that might not be your regular brand or pour from your bottle into travel bottles.

 

[MaryPSU]

Mary's tip for the day:

This is one I learned since our last cruise, and since this problem "bit" us last time I definitely plan to use it next month!!

The stateroom safes are activated by card keys ... and the card that locks the safe must be the same one that opens it. Most people assume that they have to use one of their Key to the World Cards to lock and unlock the safe. Because the KTTW cards are also the ones you take out of the room (so you can get back in, so you can charge stuff on the ship, etc.), it wasn't unusual for one of us to be unable to get into the safe because it was someone else's KTTW card that locked it (and that person had their key elsewhere on the ship!).

I've learned that any credit card can be used to lock and unlock the safe. We plan to bring some old credit card that we don't use - probably from a department store or somewhere. We'll always use that one to lock the safe, and will then hide it somewhere in the room so it's always available to unlock the safe.

(I hope this all makes sense; it was harder to explain than I thought it would be!)

Almost three weeks!!!

 

[keenercam]

Okay, you have probably all heard this already, but now is the time to hoard your dry cleaning plastic covers -- If you hang each item in the plastic, for some reason it minimizes wrinkles. I don't get it, but I know it works!

BTW -- Andy's tuxedo that I bought on Ebay arrived yesterday and it is wonderful!!! I cannot believe I found a brand new tuxedo for $57.99 with all the tags attached (jacket, pants, shirt, vest, clip-on bowtie). It would have cost about $110 to rent one!

 

[MaryPSU]

Hey, Cam ... where did everybody else go? (Maybe they're out gathering dry cleaning plastic covers, M&M containers, old credit cards, padded envelopes, Ziploc bags, and air freshener!! )

Cam - GREAT buy on the tux! Just think how much money you saved that you can now spend on some extra tropical beverages while on the ship. Way to go!!

I'm going to run out of tips before we set sail ... so I just keep checking my packing list for ideas to send out to everyone. Here is one that I use for most vacations: WalMart (or any similar store) has great collapsible coolers and hampers. We own one of each. The mesh hamper takes up NO room in its suitcase, but pops right out into one that fits nicely in the closet. Helps keep the dirties organized.

The soft-sided cooler also folds up very small ... we use it for beach excursions and Castaway Cay. Put a freezer Ziploc bag of ice in it, along with beverages and snacks, and we're set to go!!

Got our new set of luggage and have started laying stuff out ... can't wait!!!

 

[mousemom218]

Hey we're still here!
Maybe everyone else is as intimidated by your fantastic cruise tips as I am! Honestly, I used to think I was organized, but you girls are miles ahead of me! Believe me, I am going to use each and every one of your ideas. The only thing I can add is that we bring a separate suitcase for each kid. One of them can fill a trunk on her own (DD) and one of them doesn't have as many things (DS). That way, we have at least one good sized suitcase dedicated to only laundry when we come home. I filled out all the documents on Sunday, which really got me in the mood! We are ready!

Keep those tips coming!

 

[colonels cruisers]

Read the boards frequently. create a document which you can paste all the suggestions into. Continue to copy/paste/edit this master tips sheet to meet your family's needs.

3 weeks out print document and start your tasks.

Have a good one!

 

[keenercam]

Love these tips! Here is my tip of the day:

Pre-package some of your kids' favorite snack foods in snack-sized ziplock bags or buy individual servings -- put them all in a tupperware container and throw it in one of your suitcases. Grab a few for your beach bag whenever you are going ashore -- you will save a little money and have some snacks you know your kids will eat (especially important for us since we are travelling with our friends who have a toddler and a pre-schooler). The empty tupperware container will be a good place to put all those little souvenirs that might otherwise get scattered (including pins, trading cards, etc) and souvenirs which might otherwise take a beating in your luggage.

We are leaving three weeks from tomorrow!