July 18th - 25th, Magic to Tortola

[BomaGreg]

Another thing I forgot to mention was the 3D movies. We saw both Bolt and G-Force in 3D on the ship, and they were amazing fun. For the techno-geeks out there, I'm not sure they used polarized lenses for the 3D effect. The glasses had a faint color to each eye, and coupled with the fact that the 3D never really "jumped" off the screen, leads me to believe it's some form of anaglyph showing. However, unlike other two-color glasses methods, the movies still looked sharp and colorful, and possibly even brighter than poloraized glasses movies I've seen.

Oddly, both my wife and I commented on how much more comfortable it was to watch the movie than other 3D movies we had been to before. Helping to make the 3D even better, G-Force was letterboxed on the screen, and actually utilized the black bar space for explosions and debris to add extra umph to the 3D effect. I'd love to know if anyone who reads this has any insight into how the 3D is done in the movie!

Anyway, tech stuff said, they were both fantastic movies (I'd never seen Bolt before, either), and I highly recommend seeing both if given the chance!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Okay, so I am going to usurp my husband's thread a little, but I'll have to draw it out over a few days.

First, I think it's worth mentioning that we had a pretty big group of DIS-ers going on this cruise, and it made it so much fun! Even though this was our 6th DCL cruise, it was our first fish extender participant cruise, and I'm so glad we did it, even though the preparation was a bit harrowing! (Well, for me. Not for my dh.) We had 40 -- yes, forty -- people for the FE exchange and since we booked just three weeks before sailing, it was a hectic three weeks! I will post my homemade FE later (or dh can do it for me!), but for a first timer without a sewing machine, I was quite pleased in the end.

For anyone who hasn't done the FE exchange -- do it! It was so much fun coming back to the cabin to check the FE throughout the cruise, even if my kids had some fist fights over it. (And my dd6 almost killed me when I ate one of the pieces of candy. "There were four!" I said. "I was saving the one you ate for last!" she yelled. Note to self: white secret flavor Airheads are really yummy.) And delivering the FEs was fun, too, because we got to see everyone's doors and FEs.

T-2 and Counting

The Thursday night before the cruise, some of the DISers got together for evening drinks at Disney, and then two of the families met us for dinner at Downtown Disney's The Earl of Sandwich. Whether by accident, fate, or good planning, our kids (all girls) really clicked, which made my kids even more excited about the cruise. The adults all got along wonderfully as well, and it really felt like we had known each other for quite some time. After dinner with the Earl, we hit Goofy's Candy Company for fudge and handmade treats and then left each other with sugared up kids until Saturday. My kids talked about their new friends for a full day and a half between the DTD meeting and the port, so we knew going into this cruise that it was going to be really special. My older dd (dd9) had emailed a few kids of DIS-ers before the cruise, so she was really excited to meet them as well. It was really exciting to see her acting so grown up and planning her social calendar.

To be continued . . . .

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Embarkation Day


Since we live about 45 minutes from the Port, we have our embarkation day routine pretty well rehearsed. The only difference this time was that we did NOT have to make the obligatory Target run before we left!

We left our house at about 9:20 -- 20 minutes later than expected, but still in the noise and early enough for mommy (that’s me!) not to have a total control freak meltdown. We had just gotten on the 528 when our youngest dd told us that she closed her bedroom door before she left, making us have a moment of duress over whether she closed the cat in to her room. We came to a consensus that she did not and would not have to turn around. Whew!

We got to the port at about 10:00, but went one exit too far – I think they’ve expanded the exits since we last sailed. Either that, or middle aged dementia has set in. After some not so choice words, we got to the terminal, dropped off our luggage (a lot of it!) with the porters, paid them the “I’m going to give you a huge tip just in case it makes a difference as to whether or not you lose my luggage” tip, and then parked the van in our usual very close parking spot.

There was a line going into the terminal, which made my dh a little upset (we’re often in the first 10 to get there), but it was no longer than 5 minutes. While we were in line, a few people said my dd6 and dh’s names, which was really odd. We finally figured out that they were from the DIS boards and recognized us from a picture we had posted! It was a very cool way to start the cruise.

We also got some really odd looks from others in line and couldn’t quite figure out why. Then we remembered that we were in matching DIS-green shirts that I had made:

No one understands a DIS-er except a DIS-er, I guess!

We got into the terminal, pulled out our pre-printed online forms (I love these!), certified that we didn’t have fevers or vomiting, got in the Castaway Club line, and were checked in within 5 minutes. We got our CC lanyards, which we were very excited to see were still being handed out, and got ready for boarding. We did really enjoy when the CM who checked us in said, “Wow – you guys have been on a lot of cruises!” I’m not sure why, but this seemed to excite the whole family, especially the kids. The kids, however, like to fight over their DCL cruise numbers, particularly over whether an in utero cruise counts toward the number. As the family arbiter, I say it does not, which gives dd9 a one cruise advantage over dd6.

We staked out a seat to dump the carry on luggage, which included a one gallon bottle of sangria. (More stories on that bottle on day 7.) I checked the girls into the kids’ clubs while dh sat back and waited with the luggage.

We immediately ran into GeorgiaJamie and family, who we had met at Downtown Disney, and my dd9 and her dd9 ran into each others’ arms. Just thinking about that moment of joy for them makes me a little emotional. But I digress. While they were hugging and planning their itineraries, I found out that several of our DIS friends had been the first people at the port and had been upgraded to a Cat 1. WOW! I was so happy for them, especially since two of them were taking a mother-daughter cruise together. Her daughter, who is this amazing, kind, beautiful, and graceful 16 year old, gives me faith in the next generation of kids nearing adulthood. So much bad stuff is said about teenagers nowadays, but the teens I met through the DIS-families were just wonderful, and I was so happy to see that two of them would up in the Roy Suite.

We continued to run into a lot of DIS-ers in the terminal, which was really fun and made the time pass quickly. Before we knew it, they were calling our boarding number and we were heading through the mickey ears to take our first picture!

To be continued . . . .

 

[BomaGreg]

Yeah... Being there twenty minutes later, and seeing all the people fill the terminal already, was kind of a bummer. We never had to really wait for anything, but I always like being there when it's nearly empty.

And next time we get a smaller bottle of sangria.

 

[MagicMe]

Oh this is fun!!! Two for the price of one!!!!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Oh this is fun!!! Two for the price of one!!!!

We're basically Statler and Waldorf in a tad younger form.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Embarkation Day, part deux
(Saturday, July 18, 2009)

We finally head through the mickey ears. I realized I hadn't taken my obligatory "kids in front of the ears" picture because we had been chatting so much in the terminal, but oh well.

We were going to skip the first picture, but decided to go for it. In the end, it was the one picture we bought from Shutters and the best picture of our family ever! Plus, it's proof that my family loves me enough to all wear matching shirts and not complain about it. (At least not to my face.)

As we approached the ship, we looked at each other. DD6 and I did the countdown to vacation as we approched the entryway. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

JUMP!

(She has to jump onto the ship.)

There was a lot of good karma when they announced our name because that was something we really missed on Carnival. A CM came to us and started to chat. I realized that this 110 pound woman was the one thing between me and Palo reservations, and tried to speed her up.

"Have you sailed with us before?"
"Yes, this is our 6th time."
"Great! Welcome back! Can I show you around?"
"No, I think we're all set, thanks!"
"Where are you planning on going first?"
"I'm going to run and make Palo reservations now."
"Do you know where it is?"
"Yes, Rockin Bar D!! Gotta go!"

And I literally ran off.

I recall my youngest saying something like, "Mommy, this hallway is cool!" and pointing to the cityscape, but I left her in the dust. And yes, she understands, because she knows that our vacation officially begins after mommy makes Palo reservations!

RBD was empty except for a couple of people mulling over whether Palo was worth it. So I quickly made my reservations and although we didn't get the exact days we wanted, we did book tea, brunch and dinner. We had never done high tea before, but now that the kids are a little older and we thought they'd be more likely to ditch us for their friends, we decided to try the tea, too.

After I walked away from the Palo table, we all looked at each other, mouthed "shrimp", and headed to Parrot Cay.

There was a group of a people crowded around at Parrot Cay, and when we approached, the CM told us there was a 40 minute wait, but that Topsiders was available. We said we would wait, and put our stuff down in the Promenade Lounge. Dh headed to the restroom and the girls went to pull out their DS games. Before the DSes could boot up, the CM told us our table was ready. Dh was still in the bathroom (and to protect his manliness, it was a really quick bathroom break, but not nearly as quick as the decrease from a 40 minute wait to a 45 second wait), but the shrimp were calling us and we figured he would find us. I asked the CM at the door to please keep an eye out for my husband, and said he'd be easy to recognize because he's a 6'3" guy wearing the same shirt as his three female family members.

The girls went up to the buffet while I stayed with our bags. I was starting to worry about dh, but he finally came in and told me that he was waiting in the Promenade Lounge and no one had told him we were in Parrot Cay. Oopsie.

Did I mention that Parrot Cay was only about 30% full?

We hung out in Parrot Cay for quite some time, just enjoying the room (that restaurant always makes me happy) and the quiet. We really don't like Topsiders because of the pushing and dodging, so we really enjoyed the quiet of PC and were in no hurry to leave. It was, after all, the start of our vacation . . . .

to be continued . . . .

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

(I've edited the above to say that we had never done high tea before, rather than brunch -- we've always done brunch and LOVE it!)

 

[BomaGreg]

(I've edited the above to say that we had never done high tea before, rather than brunch -- we've always done brunch and LOVE it!)

Mmmmmm... Scallops. I will go on a Disney cruise just to eat those again. I swear it.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Mmmmmm... Scallops. I will go on a Disney cruise just to eat those again. I swear it.

I was very sad to see the Couquil St Jacques has gone from the Luminere's menu. But DCL does provide plenty of other opportunities for scallops. They had a FABULOUS scallop appetizer one night on the WBPC and I was hoping it would appear on the new menus...but alas, it wasn't to be. It had a slice of deviled egg and a tiny caviar garnish...oh it was yummmy!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

I was very sad to see the Couquil St Jacques has gone from the Luminere's menu. But DCL does provide plenty of other opportunities for scallops. They had a FABULOUS scallop appetizer one night on the WBPC and I was hoping it would appear on the new menus...but alas, it wasn't to be. It had a slice of deviled egg and a tiny caviar garnish...oh it was yummmy!

There were definitely scallops on menus other than Palo on the Magic. I just can't remember which nights. But nothing beat those chilled scallops at the Palo brucnh.

 

[Dizzyworld]

Embarkation Day, part deux
(Saturday, July 18, 2009)

We were going to skip the first picture, but decided to go for it. In the end, it was the one picture we bought from Shutters and the best picture of our family ever! Plus, it's proof that my family loves me enough to all wear matching shirts and not complain about it. (At least not to my face.)

Love your picture. How did you make your shirts?

Add more to your report. It is interesting to read.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Love your picture. How did you make your shirts?

Add more to your report. It is interesting to read.

Sorry, I've been out of town for work but will add more soon!

I bought green t-shirts and drew the Mickey head swirls on them with a bleach pen.

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

Sorry, I've been out of town for work but will add more soon!

I bought green t-shirts and drew the Mickey head swirls on them with a bleach pen.

Bleach Pen!! What a great idea! I was going to post the same question. OK if I steal your idea? Thanks!

 

[ibouncetoo]

Bleach Pen!! What a great idea! I was going to post the same question. OK if I steal your idea? Thanks!

I'm already thinking of ways to salvage shirts I've ruined trying to get spots out!

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

I'm already thinking of ways to salvage shirts I've ruined trying to get spots out!

Me too, exactly!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

I'm already thinking of ways to salvage shirts I've ruined trying to get spots out!

Tie dye is the fixer of all ruined shirts.

 

[BomaGreg]

Scones.

It's wasn't entirely successful (well... it was the Grand Floridian recipe, so it could differ from Palo), but they were edible, which frankly is some sort of miracle considering the fact I made them.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Where is the Devonshire Cream? And the jam? And the fluffiness and light dusting of pixie dust on top?

 

[BomaGreg]

Where is the Devonshire Cream? And the jam? And the fluffiness and light dusting of pixie dust on top?

Why do you hate me?