July 1st, 2006 070106 07/01/06 20060701 07012006

[JustKaren]

Hi Everyone,
My daughter (11) and I will also be on the July 1st cruise! It should be incredible with a possible shuttle launch and the Pirate's at Castaway! I have spa treatments booked (I deserve it!) and I am looking to relax, relax, and have fun. We are staying at Pop for a few days prior and will also be renting from Budget to get to the terminal.
We are first time cruisers and are looking forward this trip so much! It looks like you all have been chatting for a while on this board and know each other well. Any advice for a newbie? Do you all get together to meet too?
Thank you!!

 

[Husker4040]

Hi Everyone,
My daughter (11) and I will also be on the July 1st cruise! It should be incredible with a possible shuttle launch and the Pirate's at Castaway! I have spa treatments booked (I deserve it!) and I am looking to relax, relax, and have fun. We are staying at Pop for a few days prior and will also be renting from Budget to get to the terminal.
We are first time cruisers and are looking forward this trip so much! It looks like you all have been chatting for a while on this board and know each other well. Any advice for a newbie? Do you all get together to meet too?
Thank you!!

Hi Karen! Welcome! The thread has been around for a while, and we have been adding people almost daily the last few days. I have a 13 year old daughter, and a 14 year old daughter. Check back on page 28 for an entire list of who has at least checked into the thread. You can send your info to Lisa at LDB1030@sbcglobal.net, and if you ask her very nicely, she will add you to the list! Don't you love how I offer to give you more work Lisa?

There is a meet scheduled. Hang on, let me find that post. Got it. Here is what we have set up so far. I say after safety drill on starboard side on the level above the sailaway party. We let Deb (from CT) make that decision. I think we work better by committee.



Patti

 

[LMH64]

My sister and her family just moved to NC. They LOVE it there! My dh was just there on business a couple of weeks ago and really liked it. We have lived a lot of places, but that isn't one of them. :sad2

I have a teenager to spare if you like.


Patti

I was born in NC, but my family moved to Florida when I was 4 years old. My sister and her husband just moved back to NC about 2 years ago. They live close to the Outer Banks. They had lived in Hawaii previously and thought that they would really miss it, but they absolutely LOVE being in NC. My husband and I are considering moving there when we retire, but that is still a "few" years away.

What exactly does dh stand for? I'm new to this board and haven't figured out all the abbreviations yet.

I have teenage cats. Does that count?

Lisa

 

[Husker4040]

I was born in NC, but my family moved to Florida when I was 4 years old. My sister and her husband just moved back to NC about 2 years ago. They live close to the Outer Banks. They had lived in Hawaii previously and thought that they would really miss it, but they absolutely LOVE being in NC. My husband and I are considering moving there when we retire, but that is still a "few" years away.

What exactly does dh stand for? I'm new to this board and haven't figured out all the abbreviations yet.

I have teenage cats. Does that count?

Lisa

Absolutely, teenage cats count! I have senior citizen dogs. I think Lisa has a cat also.


Patti

 

[LongIslandMouse]

Welcome JustKaren and LMH64! We are from Long Island, NY. Looking forward to meeting everyone too! Hey, has anyone ordered from the Perfect Gift for a birthday basket? My little one will be 2 on July 21st and we'll celebrate early again as we did last year on our July Wonder cruise. I ordered a birthday cake from disney cruise ahead of time and little did I realize when I got on board the cake is the same you order for room service for free. Anyway, this time I thought I'd get him a beach pail basket. Anyone done this? Ideas for the basket?

 

[LongIslandMouse]

Hi Just Karen and LMH64 and welcome! We are from Long Island, NY and looking forward to meeting everyone too! Hey has anyone ordered a birthday basket from The Perfect Gift? Our little one will be 2 July 21st and we will celebrate early like we did last year on the Wonder in July, even if he is too little to remember, we will always remember having characters around when we sing Happy Birthday! Anyway, last year we ordered a birthday cake and deocoration to be in the cabin upon arrival from Disneycruise direct, but I thought a beach pail would be a great idea this time. Anyone done this? What to stuff in there? Ideas?

 

[LongIslandMouse]

sorry for the dbl. post...I am having technical issues today getting "server too busy, please try again" every time I try. Anyone getting this?

 

[JustKaren]

Thank you for the warm welcome!
I kept getting the "server busy" today too when I posted. Is it usually like that?
I actually ordered a basket myself the other day, and I found the people were very nice, but I added this-and-that to the basket, so it ended up costing me more than I expected. I would suggest that you do not add any extras! Just have the included snacks, drinks and pail; I think a medium sized one was like $35. They said they wrap it very nicely too. The woman on the phone suggested I put on the tag "Love, The Disney Princesses", which I thought was cute although my 11 year old will not be as impressed as LongIslandMouse's 2 year old.

 

[ldb1030]

Okay since Karen said "pretty please" (Thanks to Patti!), I've added her and also the other Lisa to our "list" way back on page 28!!!

Is there anyone I've forgotten to add??


Got alot done today....I think! I'm normally working today but a co-worker caught me at a weak moment and asked me to switch with her this week! I don't function well when my schedule is changed!

 

[mattmommy]

I ordered 2 floral arrangements for 2 aunts going with us on the cruise. One is Aunt Francie 6/30 and the other is Aunt Jackie 7/3. I picked the color and type of flowers and added plain and peanut M&M's for AF and Wise chips and pretzels for AJ. They were very accommodating.

I wish I could get DCL to decorate the room, but don't need 2 cakes. Do you think I could buy the decorations and ask my steward to do it? We're all on the same deck. I figure I would give him a "point of service" type tip. How much? $10? $5 each room? Too cheap? Be honest. I would of course take care of him in the end for our room.

 

[DVC98]

That would be great Nancy. We'll have to figure out a time and place to meet - I know the girls have each others e-mail addresses so maybe we can work something out through their e-mails.

When we were on the ship several years ago, there was a launch - the ship ended up leaving an our later but I don't know if that'll be the case this time -it was great to see the launch - we now bring binoculars on our trips because of that launch - we didn't know about it prior and didn't have the binos then.

I'll have to plan a nap prior to the Pirates movie - otherwise I'll probably fall asleep! Wouldn't want to do then when it's a PremEAR!!!

Sheila

 

[ldb1030]

LOL! See, she has to like me! We have so much in common. My parents are big reality tv people. Not me. I guess I just don't get it.


Patti

I think I like reality TV because then I realize MY life is not so bad afterall!
You know, like soap operas! They are so stupid but boy it sure makes me feel better!

 

[happyatdisney]

Hi Karen and Lisa (LMH64)! Welcome to our little group! It is so exciting to see it growing, especially as our cruise gets closer. We're from Maryland, about 30 minutes outside of Baltimore. Lisa, you said your sister is near the Outer Banks: we just LOVE it there. We have spent a number of summers vacationing there. It is actually my second favorite place on earth.......after WDW of course. Where do they live? DH and I (well maybe me more than him) talk quite a bit about retiring there as well. Melissa, our DD goes to college in a couple of years (she is 15), and I would love to pick up and go once she is somewhat settled. I just love NC!

Karen, you will love cruising, especially with Disney. This is our second, but our first seven day. We cruised on the 3 day Wonder in October 2003, for our 15th anniversary, and Melissa's impending 13th birthday. We got the birthday decorations from Disney for the stateroom to surprise her, and she actually still has them! Karen, just know that you can't do everything, relax and have fun!

Sheila, Melissa is going to e-mail your girls to see about getting together Saturday morning. I actually think she wants to send out a group e-mail to everyone that she has e-mail addresses for. She is so psyched about POC, and when I told her about the ship at Castaway Cay, she nearly flipped out.

And forgot who all said they were reality show fans, but we are BIG Survivor fans here. Also like Amazing Race and American Idol. When all three were on during the spring, between the DIS and watching the shows, it was hard getting anything else done!

So, am in official panic mode now. Full fledge. Went to Walmart tonight hoping to get my last few things........they looked like the locusts had picked them clean. I couldn't even get sunscreen!! Now, will have to try somewhere else tomorrow (and I have OTHER things on my LIST for tomorrow), and I STILL don't have anything to wear for Pirate/Carribean night!

I think I need a vacation!

 

[happyatdisney]

One other thing: I am PRAYING that if this launch does go through, that they move the lifeboat drill one way or the other. We are in the same stateroom that we were in last time, and our drill location was in Animator's Palette. Nice to be inside, but if that launch goes on at the same time, we will MISS it! And after waiting my entire life to see a launch, I am not going to be this close and not see it.

There will be a grown woman, mortifying her teenage daughter, sobbing her eyes out if I miss seeing the launch because of the lifeboat drill!!

 

[LMH64]

I want to thank everyone for the warm welcomes you have extended to me. My family and I are so excited about the cruise, we have already started packing and I am only 150 miles away. We will drive up the morning of the 1st and my sister's father in law will take us to the Port.

I grew up on Merritt Island which is right there near Port Canaveral. It was really cool because I got to see so many of the launches over the years. We got to see many of the Apollo shots and we were there for the beginning of the Shuttle program. My favorite launch was one that went up at 2:00 in the morning. I had friends at the time that worked at the Cape and got us passes to go out there for the launch. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen. The sky lit up like it was daylight and all the fish in the lake freaked out and started jumping out of the water. It was an amazing night. I really hope that the launch goes up. My husband is from Pennsylvannia and has never seen a launch up close. We have tried a few times, but it has never worked out for him to see it.


My sister lives south of Norfolk, just over the NC border. It is a very small town, so peaceful and sweet, much different than West Palm Beach!


Ok, I guess I've rattled on long enough. I'll give someone else a chance to talk now.

Lisa

 

[happyatdisney]

Lisa, I know the area where your sister lives pretty well: we travel through it on our way to the OBX. I keep telling DH: the perfect place for us is northeastern NC, just south of Virginia Beach, and a short hop, skip and a jump to OBX!

 

[Skuba2]

Hey gang. DH tried on his clothes last night---nothing fit in terms of dress up clothes. His work went totally casual a few years back and since then he wears nothing but casual pants and even jeans. Sort of bummed that we won't be "dressing up" for formal night, but the flip side is I don't have to worry about the kids'.

Welcome to all the new comers. Lisa---sorry I didn't get back to you on the PM. This is a good group going on this cruise. Come to the dismeet after the safety drill (and any launch). You will find it kind of kewl to see familiar faces as you walk through the hallways.

Deb

 

[Husker4040]

Good morning everyone! It's going to be almost 100 in Omaha today! That is really going to stink (and so am I) when it comes time to walk today! I have a packed day today! Sara has to pick up her instrument at 1:00 (dh will take), I work until 1:45, then will walk. That gets me home about 2:15, I want to start washing up the new cruise clothes, Jess needs to be at Sylvan from 4:30-6:30. I may just run errands during that time again. Still trying to get dog food. Hopefully I can have Sara make dinner and she can have it ready when we get home. We have to leave again at 7:30 to get her to band practice by 8:00, then I will be off to Borders to get #12!! It will be almost 9:30 before I get home, and that's my bed time. Whew!

In talking with Deb from Ct, she said I'm taking too many clothes, so I need to weed some things out. I took everything out last night and folded them in seperate piles for everyone. Maybe Thursday I will have time to go through them and figure out what we can do without.

Oh my! I just realized that tomorrow we are in single digits! It will be much easier to get done what I need to next week when I'm not having to pretend to work for 8 hrs/day. Better get something done before my boss gets in. I have been here for an hour now!



Patti

 

[ldb1030]

Okay since we have 2 Lisa's now, I get confused and think "hmmm are they talking to me or the other Lisa"
Sooooo I'll be Lisa from KS, you know, kind of like Deb from IA!!

Patti-I sort of did the pile of clothes thing last night, well for Jim and I anyway! Alexa is on her own!Q
I think I've gotten it down pretty good! He kind of freaked when I showed him the suitcase with just "stuff" in it! You know like, the cups, air freshner, excursion bag, sunscreen, etc............
Not sure where shoes are going!??!?!

 

[DVC98]

Hi Karen & Lisa - nice to have you on the DIS boards! Karen - my sister lives in N. Reading so I'm sure she can't be far from you! You'll love cruising - it's our favorite vacation - so far - I hope to be able to compare Hawaii some time soon

Shoes - they take up so much room - we always end up filling up one suitcase just with shoes - and it always gets opened when going through security.

Patti - how do you walk with that heat in the middle of the day?
I do my exercising first thing in the morning - although Kacey and I hit the tennis ball around last night and it was VERY uncomfortable, so muggy

Off to the outlets this morning - just need a few things. I think I have all the little stuff. I bought the sunscreen a few weeks back @ Costco - they had the spray stuff in a 2 pack so I decided to get it while I could - seems once the warm weather comes it disappears.

Sheila