July 2, 2005 - WE ARE THERE!!!

[mokehil]

I am eager to book my flights today. If I board the ship around 2pm do you thiink I will still have good success booking Palo. I am going with your recommendations and feel it is a priority. I am pinching pennies so I can buy more drinks of the day! Arriving on ship by 2 will give me $100 bucks!! (Plus we don't have to leave home at 5am, we can leave at 7 am.) How fast do you think Disney will get us out of LAX and to the port. We are 6 and will land at noon?

 

[MinnieMart]

what does eveyone think? see this is how it worked in the past. you can board as aearly as 12 noon or 12:30. there is a line to get on the ship. you have lunch see your room and start headind to palo;s just want to make sure that you are not giving up a couple of hrs of being in awe of every thing around you. what is your dinnere seating early or late? the deck party begins at 5 pm however a mandatory life boat drill is at 4pm which takes up time . so i say get up at 5am! drink lots of cofee!! and plan to relax the next 7 days!!! lisa

 

[tchrmom]

I'm with Minnie.........If I were you, I'd fly in at the earliest time possible! When the Magic is here in FL, we ALWAYS drive over the night before and spend the night at the port.......even when we just live in Tampa..........I just want to board EARLY. In May, we were the 2nd family on. In October we were about the 5th family on.

Try serving you family Ramen noodles for 2 weeks. Use that money to get the better flight time..........just kidding!

Got my passport papers turned in today,
What an ordeal! I arrived and was given the #63. I then heard them call, "Number 31?" AAAUUUGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's over, for now........next month I'll have to do it again for DS and DD.

Have a great Tuesday!
Fran

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

I called DCL and after talking with them we have decided not to get the kids passports. She said nothing has changed, just that they are recommending them now. My DH and I will use our passports but we will just use BC for the kids. (If they don't make it back into the country..oh well Momma and Daddy get a little longer of a vacation JUST KIDDING!! ) Even if I got the baby a PP, by the time July came around it wouldn't look like her anymore anyway. We can better use the $350 for essentials for the cruise, like Mommy's massage, drinks of the day, smoothies of the kiddos, etc... Now that we finally got out taxes done, we can pay this sucker off!! July here we come. Amy (We've had sun for atleast 4 days straight!!)

 

[mokehil]

That's a plan, get onboard early, catch my breath and get my ressies, when that's done head around and eat and play! I'll think I'll bring bubbles for the sailaway party!

Oh my, I have never had a line to get my passports. I just go to the county government center and walk right up to the dest. She did say it would take about 20 minutes per passport but she also said she would grap others to come help check us in. One of the beauties of living in a small community. Moke Hill is 526, that county seat is 2500, my county seat is 2000. We live right on the border dividing the two. I don't wait in line for DMV either, I've heard horror stories about those waits. Gee, when ever they print a rotten picture of you, they make ya wait in long lines....

 

[AnnaS]

Mokehill - am I reading right- if everything goes as planned with your flight, you will be arriving at the ship/port around 2 PM? - you are brave. I think you are cutting it too close - airlines can change flights/time, traffic problems, etc. We have also always flown in the day before. If you cannot fly in the day before - try to get there very early - or did you book your flights already?

 

[wdw1014]

I need some help with what can be put in your suitcases and carry on's for the flight. I have only flown one other time and it was way before 9-11. Can you pack items like nail clippers in your suitcase that will be checked at the airport. I know they are very careful about carry-on's, but hope that a simple item like nail clippers and nail files can be brought along as long as they are in suitcases that are checked in at the counter of the airport. Can any of you more experienced fliers help me?
Angie

 

[XLT800]

Just want to throw in my vote for getting there early. As tchrmom says we get to the port at 9:45. Once on the ship, we skip the photo. She goes to spa and I go to Palo. We meet in Parrot Cay for lunch. Then we sign kids up for clubs. This is all done before 1:30. Then we sit by the pool and relax until time for the life boat drill. Remember that Saturday is day one of your cruise.....try not to waste it in an airport if possible. I just hope that we can make this work in CA.

Dave

 

[AnnaS]

Angie - is your nail filer a metal one? Put that and your nail clippers in your suitcase to check in. I had forgotten a very small LaCrosse scissors in my carry on last time we flew - long story - but had to give it up of course.

Also a reminder to everyone - remove/keep/hold your exposed film - I had forgotten where I placed all my rolls two years ago. They were very nice in giving me time to go through my bags - but when you are in a hurry and panic mode (that they would be destroyed), you can't find anything. Anyway - they can get ruined if they go through their detectors. I could not find mine - they were not completely destroyed, but definitely damaged.

 

[wdw1014]

Anna,
Thanks, I knew there would be someone who had the answer to my question. You guys are the greatest..
Angie

 

[mokehil]

I changed the flight, we should be to the port around 11:30. I was beginning to panic too! (And it is March 1st, I don't even want to imagine July 2nd.

We have a very short flight and there are numerous other flights in the event something happens.

Day before is not possible at this point but I'll continue to check into the option. Where is everyone staying the night before? Disneyland won't be an option this time.

Since I am sold on Palos, what days do they do the brunch and the high tea?

 

[AnnaS]

11:30 am sounds much better. A few hours to play with.

We are staying at the Best Western Sunrise in Redondo Beach the night before.

We will be staying at the Fairfield Inn hotel in Disneyland after the cruise for three nights. (We should of just stayed 3/4 nights in DL before the cruise - too late now - we have done this twice before and will be doing it again).

 

[XLT800]

Mokehil...we are flying in on the 28th and staying at Paradise Pier and doing DL for 3 days. Then probably taking a shuttle to the port early Saturday morning.

Dave

 

[MinnieMart]

it's starting to feel real now! i just had dd spend time w/ me on the dcl site about beach excusions then went to google to the islands itself to read about the beaches. we will do our own thing but we want to know exactly where to tell taxi's to take us ect. pizza! at palo's yum. we took a picture of the prochutto{ i am italian, just can't spell!} pizza and there is a fruit pizza! and don't forget about the choc souffle!!!!! what's hard is that since this a special cruise. we don't know what night to book. is there going to be navagators posted say like on castaway club site. barb if you are out there? that's a question for you. there is bingo! for some down time! well , time to get this snow atta here, its march and we had a snow day today. talk soon lisa

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

Maybe we should start thinking about when we all want to meet up. Any ideas?? It's getting closer...but my big diet ideas are getting farther away!! I guess I'd better get in gear or forget about it. (It's those darn Girl Scout cookies my daughter is selling, get me everytime ) Talk to you all later. Amy

 

[AnnaS]

On our last cruise we met on the top deck for the sailaway party. Everyone had picked up at Home Depot the green mickey faces - or we could display a green ribbon. Someone had also taken a count for Paolo Brunch and booked it for everyone way before the cruise. I regret not going. I did not want to have/make too many "appointments" where I had to be there - I do that at home ever day.

My low-carb diet went out the window right before the holidays and if we keep getting more snow or have to stay in much longer - here come another 10 lbs. Gotta get ready for work. See you later.

 

[AnnaS]

P.S. I forgot to mention - Barb and Tony are the most experienced cruisers here.

Where are you BarB? Did you give up on us - need your input - Do you have another scheduled cruise before this one?

Thanks.

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

I figured I'd bounce us back to the first page. Amy

 

[XLT800]

Tchrmom here, signed in on DH's name................

We were the last thread on page 1, so I'll bump us up.

Rain, Rain, Rain, here all day. Also, I have to say, very cold and damp......for Tampa at least.
Hope the sun comes out and warms us back up tomorrow.


I was at the mall yesterday. OK girls, fess up........who's been looking for "cruise clothes"?
Saw a reall cute outfit................wonder what I can sell? HAHAHAHA!
Guess I can't buy anything until I pay the last $2,002.32 on the cruise.

Happy Friday!
Fran

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

I'd love to start buying cruise clothes but I haven't decided what size yet!!?! Ok tomorrow, NO MORE GS COOKIES in this house!! Now I just have to convince the kids to give them up(and DH)!!
Looks like another rainy weekend for us. Everything should be nice and green when everyone gets out here!! That is if we don't all slide into the ocean with all the mud!! Talk to you all later. Amy