July 22-26, 2007 (7/22-26/07) Wonder

[keenercam]

Any DISers heading to the Bahamas on the Wonder July 22-26? We've always had the good fortune to "meet" really wonderful people on the DIS boards before our DCL cruises. Hoping our good fortune will hold and we'll have a lively thread for the next 4.5 months!

Here's the list of DISers sailing on this cruise, as promised!

Disney? Again? -- Nan, DH & DS8.67
keenercam (Cam) & keenho (Howard) & DDalmost19 (Jenn)
HappyPeach & DH & DSalmost2
mickeynut674, DH & DS3
oklamomof4boys (Carol), DH David; DS15; DS12; DSalmost11: DS8;
oklamomof4boys's DFs Jennifer & Scott & their DD17and DS12
noahsmom -- Kelli, DH, DS9 (Noah)
pop5 (Paige)

 

[oklamomof4boys]

Yea! I finally found somebody on the same cruise! This will be our first cruise ever. It will be me, DH and 4 boys- ages 15, 12, 11 and 8. We will also be cruising with our friends and their 2 kids- a 17 y.o. girl and 12 y.o. boy!

 

[keenercam]

YAY!! I am so glad you posted! Have you done any DCL cruises before? The kids are absolutely going to love it! Are you doing a land portion of your trip, too? We are spending two nights at Port Orleans French Quarter before the trip, but we are flying right home afterwards.
Isn't the planning fun? Hard to believe that in about a month, we can start making Palo and spa reservations! Did you request early dining?

 

[oklamomof4boys]

This is our first cruise of any kind. We have been dreaming of a Disney Cruise for years ( and saving for it also). The kids are so excited and have loved helping with all the planning. We are going to be in Orlando for a week before the cruise but I don't think we are going to WDW. We usually go to Disneyland every year and it feels like home to us. Somehow going to WDW would feel like "cheating"-lol! Actually it's more because it is so expensive- so we are going to do Universal and some other stuff.

We are so excited- just about every day my youngest asks how much longer until the cruise. Yes, we requested early dinner. I think my oldest ( a 6' football player) is most excited about the food! My youngest has a heart disease, so I cook pretty healthy. They rarely get all that rich and fried food!

 

[keenercam]

Oh, wow! Your oldest is really going to LOVE the abundance of food. I am sorry your youngest has a heart condition. The great thing about a cruise is that you can be as busy or relaxed as you want!
We've done the 7 day Magic 3x -- Eastern with our kids; Western with a bunch of adults and no kids; then the Western with our kids and our best friends and their kids. Every single trip was awesome! This one is with our DD18 only. DS14 will be away at camp for 3 weeks. We'll be celebrating the completion of DD's first year of college and DH's first year of his MBA program. We'll all need a vacation desperately by then!
It's funny what you said about DL. We felt the same way when we travelled to DL in September for the first time. We've been to WDW so many times and felt like we were "cheating" going to DL, but it was also very sentimental to see "Walt's park". I don't know how to say this without hurting your feelings, but I really hope you might find a way to spend just ONE DAY even at WDW. The Magic Kingdom is just something everyone should experience once. If you find that you might be considering going and want any help coming up with a manageable list of "must-do's" I'd LOVE to help. :

We are really looking forward to maximizing our time on the Wonder and may not even get off the ship in Nassau. DD and I may do spa and fitness center stuff that day and spend a lot of time by the pool. It is the first time she is old enough to do the adult stuff on a cruise, so I want her to have the opportunity to do whatever strikes her fancy.

 

[keenercam]

bumping in the hopes of finding others, so that DD18 might "meet" other WONDERful cruisers ahead of time.

 

[keenercam]

bump!
oklamomof4boys -- look's like we'll have the ship to ourselves! LOL!

 

[pop5]

Hi everyone. We just booked!! We just did the eastern for spring break a few weeks ago with my five boys and loved it. My husband and I were looking to go on a 4 night cruise without kids for my 40th bday and had booked a rcl one. After reading the not so great reviews we decided that nothing could live up to disney. Now we booked this one without kids. We are doing the 7 night eastern again next march with the boys, however, I am excited and quilty at the same time. I loved meeting dis friends on my last cruise.

 

[keenercam]

Yay, pop5!! So glad you are celebrating your 40th on the Wonder! So glad your boys loved the Eastern and you have that to look forward to again next year!
We did the Eastern in 2001 with our kids, went back a year later for the 7 day Western with all adults we'd met in 2001 and had a great time. Then, in 2004, we did the Western with our kids. I just can't imagine sailing anyone other than DCL right now. We are very excited to have this trip to look forward to with DD who will be almost 19 by then.

 

[pop5]

Thanks keeenercam. It was after I had booked the sovereign of the seas for this same week and I started to do my usual research that I started to get a little scared. I kept reading reviews that talked about a urine smell in the cabins and many said what bad service and food they had. I told my husband about it and he said that we just couldnt beat disney. That was all I needed to hear to cancel asap and book the wonder. I am sure that in a couple of weeks I will have added the kids and our whole romantic getaway will be another crazy vacation. Ill take a crazy kid vacation on disney anyday over a urine smell for 5 days without kids.

 

[keenercam]

pop5 -- I DEFINITELY think you will LOVE doing this trip as an adults-only outing. We had a great time going to the late evening comedian shows, then going to the nightclub to dance and then walking on deck, looking at the stars. Very, very romantic! Especially since you have next year booked with the boys. Go and enjoy this trip.

Speaking of which -- did you guys make your spa and palo's reservations yet? If your cruise is paid in full and you are a castaway club member, you can book today (90 days out, can you believe it!). Just wanted to remind you.

I am one of those crazy compulsive planners that you read about and fear. I actually set my alarm and got up at 2:36 pm (yes, it took 6 minutes for the alarm to get through my fuzzy brain), signed onto the disney cruise line website and made ressies for Palo's brunch for DH, DD and me; Palo's dinner for DH and me; and some spa stuff. We can cancel up until 2 days before sailing so I figured I'd make the ressies now and then may cancel some of the spa stuff but didn't want to miss out on Palo's brunch and dinner.

pop5 -- not sure if you've read about the romantic couples stuff at the spa but DH and I have done the exotic rasul (then called surial mud bath) and the couples massage on previous cruises and really enjoyed both.

 

[pop5]

Keenercam, I think you must be my long lost twin!! I also set my alarm and made all my reservations. I did the brunch, dinner, and spa too. We did the couple massage last march and loved it. I rebooked it. Well, I figured the " no kids" wouldnt last long. It is no longer a romantic trip! Where are you from? I am from bham, alabama.

 

[keenercam]

pop5 -- my name is Cam and I am from NJ originally, off to PA for college, back to NJ for a few years and have been in Delaware for 18 years.

I can't believe you relented and are bringing 5 CHILDREN on your romantic cruise! FUN!!! How old are they? Our DS14 will be away at performing arts camp for 3 weeks so we are only taking DDalmost19.

I was soooo relieved to get Palo's brunch since there is only one at-sea day. The last time we did it was as we were sailing in to Key West on our first DCL western cruise. It was awesome!

 

[pop5]

Hi Cam, my name is Paige. Actually, I am not taking all five boys. They all just got back from the magic a few weeks ago and all are doing magic again next march. Soooo, we just decided to take our 6 year old who has a bday a few days before cruise. None of them know about it yet, including him. The others all have football and golf and wouldnt miss their sports even for a cruise. I am the disney obsessed one in my house. What are you planning on doing in Nassau ?? I am thinking about staying on ship mostly that day, however, I would like to see Anna Nicoles house. I know thats pathetic but I am a news junkie. Paige

 

[pop5]

Cam , one more question.... just curious what time your sea day brunch is?? mine is at noon.

 

[keenercam]

Hi, Paige! I am so glad you responded!
What a great surprise for your 6 yr old! I hope he loves the kids club and you still get lots of couple time with your DH!
We aren't doing anything in Nassau. Actually plan on just staying on the ship all day. I like to get up real early and I want to go running on deck and then pick up some fruit and some coffee at the buffet. We have a couples massage at 9:15 and the exotic rasul at 11. Then I plan to lie around in the sun all afternoon. We are going to the DVC members celebration at 4. Then our Palo's dinner is at 6. So, I think we'll just enjoy the ship all day and avoid the crowds in Nassau.

Our Palo's brunch is at 10:30 and Jenn is going with us to that-- I figured she'd love the crab legs and omelette station. I wanted time that morning to run and to get fruit and coffee, then a relaxing shower before getting a real meal. I also wanted to do the galley tour at 2:45 and figured that going to Palo's early still allows a couple hours at the quiet cove pool in between.

See what a pathetic, compulsive planner I am?

 

[pop5]

Cam, I am a runner to0. Loved deck 4! I wonder if more people will end up on this thread. It makes it so much fun when you feel like you know others on the ship.

 

[keenercam]

yay, Paige! I should have put "run" in quotes, though I am glad the deck lap is only 1/3 mile. I can actually jog that far.

I also am hoping more people will start posting on this thread. The more the merrier!

 

[pop5]

Where is everyone?? We have a cruise to obsess over!

 

[keenercam]

Hi, Paige! Can you believe that there aren't more WISHers here? I feel like our cruise isn't going to be very crowded at all, though I know that is impossible in July. Maybe there will be very few DISers and the cruisers won't know a lot of the secrets that DISers learn on these boards.
Oh, that reminds me -- I have to call Shirly at The Perfect Gift,though I can't go into any detail here because DD and DH may read this thread at some point!
I am going to Disney this weekend for the Minnie Marathon Weekend. I and 6 girlfriends who met on the DIS WISH boards are staying at OKW and doing the 15k on Sunday. We'll all arrive on Friday and we have a schedule jam-packed with fun activities and meals. Once I get back next week, I'll really be obsessing about the cruise, especially to get over the post-race letdown.
Are you arriving just in time for the cruise? Or are you getting to Orlando early? We are flying in Friday night and staying at POFQ 2 nights. We have reservations for Chef Mickey's for Saturday brunch and Boatwright's for Saturday dinner, a carriage ride at POR and then we're taking Jenn to Pleasure Island. Should be a lot of fun packed in even before we board the Wonder!