July 9, 2006 WONDERful Cruise! All Aboard!

[Trishde]

We have the early seating, says 6PM on our reservation. Today I am registering the kids (Yeah!! for mom!!!) I wanted to book Palo but according to Passporters, Pirates Night is the 2nd night and they repeat 1st night & 2nd night restaurants on the 4day. I wasn't sure that I wanted to book Palo the 1st night and don't want to miss the Pirate Menu. I might just book it for the first night anyway. My son to be 10 DS said no big deal to him but more concerned with his little brother.
Does anyone know what the kids do for dinner in the clubs?
Any advice on Palo would be great!
I am also going to book my spa today!!!!
The kids really want to countdown, we leave on 4th of July morning (for that long east coast drive down). We are staying in Brunswick Georgia just for the night of the 4th (they seem to have an old fashioned 4th of July celebration.) Then off to Boardwalk!!
Everyone have a good one!!!!
Looks like here is Jersey it's going to be a nice day (maybe I can start my tan after my weight watchers meeting, get a jump start )

 

[Hollyster2]

Wow, I missed that info in the passporter about repeating the restaurant on 1st and 2nd nights. Thanks! I will have to think about that. I wanted to try Palo for dinner one night, but haven't decided yet. I did make my Brunch reservations because that is one thing not to be missed! I have to register my kids for the kids club still, thanks for the reminder!
The kids went to dinner and lunch at topsiders when my kids were in the club. They ate very early. My kids have also had lunch in animator's palette while in the club. My 7 yr old is mostly impressed by the "secret passageway" they take from the club to the dining rooms. Hope you enjoy the sun today. It is supposed to rain on us today here. I am taking my twins to school early and then hitting the YMCA for my circuit training class. I just started back at it yesterday. Better late than never I guess. LOL
We are counting down the days on our screensaver right now. When we get to 30 days we will make a countdown out of post its and have the kids do a collage for the background or something. We haven't made our door signs yet either. SO EXCITING!!!

 

[Trishde]

According to these boards (DIS) people who were just on 4-days said that Pirate night is still castaway cay day (3rd night). I am going to e-mail passporter to see if that is a mistake about pirate night being 2nd night. I booked Palo for 7pm on 2nd night & if I find out it is Pirate night, then I will change it.
Still haven't booked spa but the kids are registered & Palo is booked (even booked Banana boat for my DH & DS(10).
I printed the cruise check in papers too.
I'll post what I find out.

 

[Hollyster2]

That would be great if you could post what you find out. From all of my books it says pirate night is Castaway Cay day. Where did you read that we repeat the restaurant first and second night? You mean we go to our first restaurant the night we board and then return the very next night and repeat the restaurant?? I just assumed we would repeat on the last night of the trip.

 

[Trishde]

I just got the new Passporter for Cruise 4th edition and now that I have had the chance this evening to check it out in more detail;
page 119 states 2nd night on 4 day is Pirates in the Caribbean menu (also on the dining schedule page (which is next page 120). It also states on page 141 Deck parties that on 3 & 4 night cruises it's held the evening we're in Nassau (which is day 2).
On page 121 (dining worksheet) there is a note that the exception to rotation rule 4 night cruise repeat the 1st restaurant on the 2nd night.
I e-mailed passporter & I am waiting for a reply about the pirate night. They suggest that if booking Palo that you do it instead of Parrot Cay but we wouldn't know our rotation until we ge our 1st navigator. They have an anticipated rotation but that doesn't really help because I am not sure what you would do with a mix of kids, it has for all adults, young kids, older kids (my kids will be 10 & late 5, I would consider that middle unless they are talking older kids as teens).
According to passporter I might be canceling Palo & play it by ear & hope there is a spot.
Ok, with this pressure I think I need to add another spa treatment
I haven't even started that yet!!
Find my happy place
I will post when I get a reply from passporter.
Have a good one!!!!

 

[Hollyster2]

Thanks Trishde!
I just don't know what to do about Palo! I have tried to find a recent 4 day navigator online, but no luck. The first night on the ship we will want to have dinner with the kids. The second night we will want to have the Pirate Menu! The third night we might be in Animators or Triton's and I don't want to miss either one! Oh well...I will wait and see what you are going to do since I can't decide.

With our dinner seating so early we can eat lightly with the kids and go to a late dinner a Palo I guess. The thing is, I have heard they have a lot more movie time in the clubs now and if there aren't many planned activities in the evenings the kids won't be happy with us leaving them in there. Post when you can!

 

[Trishde]

I got a reply from Passporter this morning, it was an error in the book, Pirate night is the day we are at Castaway Cay (which is Tuesday, night 3). I have my Palo for Monday night at 7 (day we are at Nassau) I am so excited!!!!
I am in the same boat, wanted to have dinner with the kids on 1st night & don't want to miss Triton's or Animator's.
Now to decide on spa.
Don't know if DH would go for the rasul thing, I am trying to talk him into at least getting a massage. I would like to do the Stone therapy & one of the facials. Though the Cellulite reductions sounds good since I am on weight watchers & might need some toning up, The exercising can do only so much.
I also really wanted to take the kids to Atlantis but not sure about spending whole day, my DH & I were there for our 10th annniversary & loved it & I know the kids would. Hubby would rather stay on boat (thinking myself might also be a good idea to do some of the things that might be really crowded on day at sea).
I thought about maybe getting off boat to go to straw market but don't want to bring the kids & not sure if DH wants to do that either.
I have time to think about that but want to get the spa decided I need to be pampered

 

[Hollyster2]

OH COOL! Ok, no I have to decide about Palo too! It is for sure that we repeat the restaurants the first two nights?
I have read that the ship in Nassau is not as empty as one would think. Many people stay on board. We are trying to decide on Atlantis also, but you know...we are on the ship such a short time that I think we will decide against it. My husband and my friend's husband want to golf there. I would like to find the Pirate Museum with my older kids and check out the Straw Market then spend the day back on the ship.
I am sooooo sore from returning to my circuit training class! I must stick with it until the cruise! Still up a few pounds from the Easter brunches and chocolate feasting. I need coffee right now so I had better get moving. Have a great day all!!

 

[Hollyster2]

Just read on the Trip Reports board that they repeated restaurants on the 2nd and 3rd nights of the trip! Monday Night at Palo still seems like your best bet, unless it is the first night of Animator's Palatte and they still only do the light show the first night of a cruise. I probably will chicken out of Palo, since I am so unsure of what rotation I will have.

 

[Hollyster2]

Our airline changed our flight times and flight numbers! We had great seats and now we are all over the place. I have never had this happen before. Hopefully they won't change us around too many more times. I think we can work out the new seating arrangements, but I am bummed we will depart from home an hour later, and get to Orlando at least an hour later. It will be evening there, and there will be a good chance we won't have our luggage until the next morning. The upside of all this is we leave 45 minutes later going back home so that buys us a little more time.

 

[time2relax]

Can't wait for this trip. Our first Disney experience. We are a party of three. DH, DD 5 and myself. Anyone travelling with a 5y/o girl? I am a little worried about dropping her off at the club by herself. I know she will have fun.......just trying to imagine how this is going to work.

 

[Hollyster2]

We have a 5 yr. old girl traveling in our group! We are traveling with another family and they have a 3, 5 and 7 yr old-all girls! We have cruised together once before, and we left the kids in the Disney Clubs. Of course, they knew each other. My now 7 yr old daughter stayed in the clubs when she was 5, and without knowing anyone. She did however like the time broken up a bit, and still does.

We go over the navigator together and I ask her what activities is would she really like to be in the club for and then she chooses some things she would like to do that are out of the club. Usually that is pool time. THEN after she has her say I tell her when I need her to be in the club-like for Palo Brunch, or when she doesn't want to go into port. If I let her ask her what her ideas are first, and then make pool time for her at least once every day she has a ball in the clubs! Her most memorable event is walking throught the "secret passage" to the restaurants. She can't wait to go back and do that again!

 

[time2relax]

Thanks Hollyster for the tips. I think letting my DD pick some things she wants to do will be fun for her and much easier for me. I will definitely break up her time in the clubs. We are sooo looking forward to this trip.

Now I just need to make sure our Rasul time can be changed from 8am on sea day to later in the afternoon.

 

[Hollyster2]

Happy Mother's Day!!

 

[jimmiej]

Hey everyone! Just checkin' in. Anybody excited yet?

 

[Hollyster2]

Well I am!
Busy here with end of the year school stuff, but I am going to go through the kids summer clothes this weekend and take inventory of what we still need.
We are getting ready to make a countdown to hang in the kitchen that the kids use every day. We usually do that at the 30 days out mark. WhooHOO!

 

[Hollyster2]

Our house starts counting down tomorrow!!!

We haven't done any cruise shopping yet, and I am behind on going through the kids clothes. With our Memorial Day campout out of the way, I think I can focus on the packing part.

The time is just flying by! I hope the actual vacation crawls by at a snail's pace.

 

[jimmiej]

I've been counting down for over a year. Course, I don't have children to ask me every day. Enjoy your countdown!

 

[Hollyster2]

Hello!
Well the kids are having fun with the countdown, and I am too!
Hope everyone enjoys the time before the trip, and has plenty of time to pack. The weather just turned warm here this weekend, and it only reminded me how close our trip is.

 

[jimmiej]

This trip is really sneaking up on me. I guess that's a good thing.