July 9th 2005 - West Coast Cruise.

[offwego]

Docs are here, too!!

Glad to see the occasional mentioning of our little clandestine "nocturnal potential-to-kinetic energy conversion" plans. The thong reference is really not sanctioned by the Mickey Slide band of Pirates, though! Maybe some kind of invisibility garb would work better.

After looking at the "discount" airfares online, we decided to make the drive from here..probably spend Friday night around Bakersfield. Anyone know the drive time from there to the port on Sat morning?

Buzz

 

[swcruiser]

Buzz,
I am not 100% sure on a direct route. I can tell you that Bakersfield is about a 2 hour drive from where I grew up (West Covina). West Covina to San Pedro is about 45 minutes. I would say around 3 hours at the least barring traffic.
Lori

 

[CACruisin']

Regarding towels: We just got off the Magic on Saturday. Disney provides towels for everyone going on excursions at the meeting site. We did non-Disney excursions however. It was no problem to go up to Deck 9 and take as many towels as you wanted for the day. Lots of people did this and Disney had no problem with it. As mentioned before, there is a very large bin right by the elevators/stairs after you reboard the ship to throw your dirty towels into.

Offwego: Are you taking Friday off or trying to drive after work? If you can make the drive all the way to San Pedro on Friday, I would highly recommend it. Even if it means arriving really late. The weekend traffic on 5 down the valley and 405 in LA can be such an unknown factor, I would hate to have the stress of traffic delays on the day you board the ship. We had a two hour drive from San Diego the morning of the cruise. We got a later start than planned (still packing - yikes!) and I was stressed the whole time that we would have a traffic jam. It made our first day more stressful than it needed to be. We drove to Stockton immediately after the cruise. It took about 5 1/2 hours, I think? Davis is about an hour north of Stockton.

Good Luck and everyone have a fabulous cruise!

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

What CACruzin' didn't mention is that she has a 2 year old (VERY cute BTW) and they didn't get to San Pedro until 1:30pm. Not a good combination. They had to wait over an hour to check-in and that was at the Castaway Club check-in. (Craig, PM me about the "secret" check in ) So she was more than ready for that sailaway drink!

She's also mailed me her Navigators Thanks, Anna, I mean, CA Cruizin' They didn't see any jellyfish, had some windy days, rented wave runners down the way from the Office ($40 for 45 minutes), Randi's was wonderful, 2 year-old loved the toys in Flounder's -AND- they had a fantastic time on the zip line tour!!!! Herbie was playing, but alas, not Charlie.

Anyone know how to post a picture? I've made my door sign (ok, I made 10). Working on the "keep the kids occupied while we wait" books tonight. How are the name tags coming? Oh, I bought some badge holders. Have extras. PM me if you want one.

10 days
oh boy oh boy oh boy :thewave:

 

[jel0511]

Cheri - that's not good to hear. We're being picked up by DCL at DLH at 12PM, so we could arrive at 1:30 depending on traffic. I've already resigned myself to realizing we might not be on board until 2PM, but such is life, anything later will get me angry!!! Anyway, still haven't started packing and have a TON of laundry to get started before I can pack!! We leave our house around 6AM on Saturday, and I can't wait!!! The running around starts now; dentist, peds and cast removal all scheduled for the next few days. Hopefully I can get to a few things before Friday, but I doubt it. I'll probably have 3 or 4 loads to do, and pack!!! Luckily, we're pretty efficient about packing, I just pack everything and hope for the best!! I'm trying to limit our luggage, and hope for only 6 pieces, but we'll see........

 

[Sarangel]

I second the running around motion. We have laundry to do, I've got a vest to make for Mike & a shirt for me (which may not get done), Lexi has to get a Hepatitis A shot (good thing we mentioned the trip to our ped. at her 2 yr appointment), we still have to find a dog sitter for a couple of days (our sitter needs to go to LA from the 11th to the 14th), not to mention a Birthday party that Lexi's invited to, the 4th of July parade with her Nana, work and sleep (ha).

I think that by the time we get there, we'll be ready for a vacation.

 

[Dylcal]

Cheri - that's not good to hear. We're being picked up by DCL at DLH at 12PM, so we could arrive at 1:30 depending on traffic. I've already resigned myself to realizing we might not be on board until 2PM, but such is life, anything later will get me angry!!! Anyway, still haven't started packing and have a TON of laundry to get started before I can pack!! We leave our house around 6AM on Saturday, and I can't wait!!! The running around starts now; dentist, peds and cast removal all scheduled for the next few days. Hopefully I can get to a few things before Friday, but I doubt it. I'll probably have 3 or 4 loads to do, and pack!!! Luckily, we're pretty efficient about packing, I just pack everything and hope for the best!! I'm trying to limit our luggage, and hope for only 6 pieces, but we'll see........

Well I guess we might be on the same bus as we are also staying at a DLH and will be picked up. Which hotel? I assume it will be like Disney World and one bus makes several stops!! Will you be in green? We will so you will know us!!

As for the packing I am limiting us to 4 very large suitcases!! I am about packed but haven't started Dylan's. Still have a few loads of laundrey to do for last minute items but we are not leaving until the 5th. Is is the 9th yet???

Sheryl

 

[jel0511]

Sheryl - yes we'll be at DLH the night of the 8th, so I'll look for you!!! We won't be wearing green because of my stroke I never got around to ordering the shirts. We're at DL the 2nd - 5th at Grand Californian and then we go to San Diego (actually Coronado) until the 8th and head back to DL then to stay at DLH for the 8th.

 

[SCOUTER-DAD]

Sheryl - yes we'll be at DLH the night of the 8th, so I'll look for you!!! We won't be wearing green because of my stroke I never got around to ordering the shirts. We're at DL the 2nd - 5th at Grand Californian and then we go to San Diego (actually Coronado) until the 8th and head back to DL then to stay at DLH for the 8th.

Glad to hear you're doing better and are going to be cruisin. Saw your post regarding missing the shirts, but it is not too late. If you still want the shirts, you may pm me with a head and name count. I can set them up for you to go online to order. You can have them shipped to me (I'll give you the address) and we can drop them off at hotel. We live close by and I am always in that area. Shipping is fast and we can get them before you sail. Just wanted to extend the offer. If you want 'em, we can make it happen.

 

[jel0511]

Thanks Craig!! I also got your PM! I appreciate it and definately will have to think about it!!! Darren isn't home yet, so I'll have to talk to him first!! Again, THANKS!!!

 

[offwego]

Offwego: Are you taking Friday off or trying to drive after work? If you can make the drive all the way to San Pedro on Friday, I would highly recommend it. Even if it means arriving really late. The weekend traffic on 5 down the valley and 405 in LA can be such an unknown factor, I would hate to have the stress of traffic delays on the day you board the ship. We drove to Stockton immediately after the cruise. It took about 5 1/2 hours, I think? Davis is about an hour north of Stockton.
Good Luck and everyone have a fabulous cruise!

CACruisin, I mean Capt Anne Read: Thanks for the advice...yes, we're going to start the drive after a hopefully-truncated workday. I figured making it past Bakersfield was a good idea, but didn't know if we could get all the way down there. Where would you recommend staying if we get closer to San Pedro, but maybe still up on the 5 (before the 405-110 parts)?
Thanks, I mean "Arrrrrrrrrrrgh!"
Buzz, er, ah Capt John Rackham

 

[FOJMO]

Don't know if any of you subscribe to the Disney Insider (by email), but here's the article they just had on their latest edition!

http://disney.go.com/inside/issues/stories/v050628.html

Cool picture!

VAL

 

[hayesktrm]

Val, great article. I know when I see the Magic, I will get all teary...and I can't imagine how teary I will be when we we have to get off the ship.

 

[hayesktrm]

Okay, I just wanted to say....I want to go now!!!
Anyone else paranoid that someone will get sick? I think I'll keep the kids in quarantine next week. Right now, all our good friends have a stomach bug going on (of course all the people the kids are going to VBS with). Megan and Todd are both on antibiotics for sinus infections so they will be fine by then. I just can't imagine waiting for 14 months to go on this vacation and someone getting sick. We should start taking the Airborne now!

Karen

 

[GrumpyMom1]

Okay, I just wanted to say....I want to go now!!!

Ditto!

Anyone else paranoid that someone will get sick? I think I'll keep the kids in quarantine next week. Right now, all our good friends have a stomach bug going on (of course all the people the kids are going to VBS with). Megan and Todd are both on antibiotics for sinus infections so they will be fine by then. I just can't imagine waiting for 14 months to go on this vacation and someone getting sick. We should start taking the Airborne now!

Karen

Yes! Now that it's so close I'm beginning to worry about all kinds of things from getting sick to bad weather.

But everything will be fine and soon we will be sailing!

 

[jel0511]

STOP talking about people getting sick!! This has happened VERY recently! Remember we had to cancel our April WDW Trip because Brandon got an ear infection..... If this happens again, after everything this family has been through the last 2 1/2 months, I'll have another stroke!!!!! I'm getting on that plane on Saturday!!!!!!!!

 

[SCOUTER-DAD]

Wanted to offer this tip: When heading to the port, we play a little game traveling down the 110 towards San Pedro - Who sees the Magic first? When you exit the 110 for the world cruise center, it lets you out off on the blind side of the hill. But, right before the exit, if you look ahead and to the drivers left, you will catch a terrific glimpse of the Magic and the large mickey on top of the world cruise center. As excited with anticipation as we all are, be careful not crash when everyone starts to scream excitedly the first time they see the Magic.

 

[hayesktrm]

I'll tell Todd he can't play the game, Craig!

Lori, you all have had your share of illnesses...no more. I can't believe you start the "Magic" this Saturday. How incredibly exciting. Will you be at Disneyland on the 4th? We will be going to a friend's house--we can see the fireworks at Six Flags from her house. I think if we get on our roof we can see them, too, but I don't want to fall off .

Yes, Sheila, I think when I board I can stop worrying about EVERYTHING.

Here's some pixie dust for everyone that we all stay healthy !

 

[swcruiser]

Hi Everyone!
I seem to remember sometime back we were "talking" about getting post cards from our hometown for the kids to exchange with each other. I just remembered. Are we still doing that?
Lori

 

[GrumpyMom1]

Hi Everyone!
I seem to remember sometime back we were "talking" about getting post cards from our hometown for the kids to exchange with each other. I just remembered. Are we still doing that?
Lori

I was wondering this too.

Lori, you WILL get on that plane this Saturday!

Craig - thank you for giving me something to show my kids that I'm not totally crazy just because I scream when I see the Magic.