June 1, 2012 - 5 night Bahama Dream Cruise

[rewhitingjr]

Thanks! Thats a big job you took on

We are really excited for the oportunities he will have shooting for Eagle scout. He already completed the swimming badge and its only been two months.DH is now our Cubmaster so DS can be a Den chief once he moves up a few ranks. They were going to take over a tiger group but our town was about to lose their Cub charter if somone didnt come forward. Dh has been working 100hrs week for three years while working two jobs and going to graduate school part time out of state. He finishes classes in two week and really cant wait to do scouting with our son.

In November my DD7 has been asked to dance in the Christmas WDW parade so we will get some special time with her soon too! She still has to learn routine and be approved to move on but I doubt that will be a problem. We have told her just being asked is an honor and even if we gets all the way to WDW and she dosen't perform we are proud of her. (Disney has right to refuse a performer if they feel they are not ready)

Not to leave my DD13 out her reading team won 1st place in regonals.

kinda stunning what kids are doing today. When I was 13 I think the most I had accomplished was watching evey episode of the Brady Bunch in reruns

So we know we have some Scouts and Scifi fans, what else are the adults/ kids on our cruise interested in?

Now I feel old. When I was 13, Brady Bunch was in its FIRST season and Star Trek (The Original Series) was finishing its third and final year on TV. I still remember my first visit to Disneyland in 1964 at age 9.

I'll forever be young at heart as long as there is Disney. Walt Disney said: "Fantasyland is dedicated to the young at heart and to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true." In less than six weeks, another of my dreams come true ... this time on the DREAM.

 

[sfergy]

Just wanted to see if anyone has asked DCL to confirm the itinerary. This is what I'm gathering it should be:

Fri, June 1, Port Canaveral, Cruise Casual, Golden Mickeys
Sat, June 2, Castaway Cay, Cruise Casual
Sun, June 3, Nassau, Pirate Night
Mon, June 4, At Sea, Semi Formal, Villians
Tue, June 5, Castaway Cay, Cruise Casual, Believe
Wed, June 6, Port Canaveral

I know Disney's showing Monday, June 4th as the Pirate Night, but I've read multiple posts saying that its been incorrect...

UPDATE:
Received from the Shoreside Concierge Team:

Below is the itinerary for your sailing as it pertains to suggested attire/theme nights during the sailing:

Friday, 6/1 Cruise Casual
Saturday, 6/2 Cruise Casual
Sunday, 6/3 Pirate Night
Monday, 6/4 Semi-Formal
Monday, 6/5 Cruise Casual

This schedule is subject to change, however is most up-to-date. I noticed the discrepancy on your itinerary on disneycruise.com and have reported this issue to the appropriate department. I do apologize for any confusion! Please note also that we do not offer a formal night on this 5-night sailing (offered only on 7-night sailings or longer!).

Regarding the shows, our Cruise Activities & Entertainment teams onboard will determine which show will be presented on which night, therefore this information is not confirmed until you are onboard.

 

[gatorfreud]

Not sure about the itinerary... I too have seen lots of posts saying what is on the DCL website is wrong for many folks. I swear, don't get me started about the Disney websites in general. It is pretty unbelievable how much they suck!!!

So let's see.... we do lots of boy things around here as you can imagine - the boys play soccer and are pretty into it. They also take music lessons (guitar for older and piano for younger). And they like video games, words with friends with the relatives who live far away, etc... Mostly causing a mess everywhere and lots of noise....

We are Florida Gators - moved out here to SF in 2000 and thought we would go "home" after a couple years, but here we are.... So we watch a lot of Gator sports whenever possible!

I do a lot of science enrichment at my sons' elementary school (I am a Physics teacher - currently teach at an online charter school in LA) - and am the PTA President which is a ton of work since we have a really active group and have to supply a lot of stuff for the kids since CA education funding is in the toilet.

DH works at a design firm (doing tech stuff) - they have done some work with Disney in the past which was pretty cool.

OH and I do like to do crafty things, which I have been too busy for lately, but have rediscovered doing my FE gifts. it has been a great couple of months working on everything and enjoying it!!!

We should start to post pictures too... let me see if I have any anywhere from before.... let's see if I can get this to work....

Here is me and Karl on Halloween - you'll see this Pirate attire again!

Mark and Kurt around Christmas of 2011. We aren't very good at whole family pictures!!

 

[gatorfreud]

Beside Disney

hahaha!!! well yes I suppose that is a given!

 

[tiggspring]

Now I feel old. When I was 13, Brady Bunch was in its FIRST season and Star Trek (The Original Series) was finishing its third and final year on TV. I still remember my first visit to Disneyland in 1964 at age 9.

I'll forever be young at heart as long as there is Disney. Walt Disney said: "Fantasyland is dedicated to the young at heart and to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true." In less than six weeks, another of my dreams come true ... this time on the DREAM.

I hear you on both counts.
This weekend I was with the Brownies at the Carnegie Natural History for a Camp out. They had the girls remove DNA from a cell using a RFLP technique (dont ask) I was talking about how in HS advanced Bio I made a model of DNA and how new the whole thing was to science back then. The instructor said your right this technique was developed in 1980. Well the joke with my DD7 was mom is older than DNA

I used to tease my DH that he was older than dirt and this same DD on her 5th birthday actually asked how old is dirt Daddy She was in school but aparently believed me Now I guess I'm older than the dirt!

 

[tiggspring]

Not sure about the itinerary... I too have seen lots of posts saying what is on the DCL website is wrong for many folks. I swear, don't get me started about the Disney websites in general. It is pretty unbelievable how much they suck!!!

So let's see.... we do lots of boy things around here as you can imagine - the boys play soccer and are pretty into it. They also take music lessons (guitar for older and piano for younger). And they like video games, words with friends with the relatives who live far away, etc... Mostly causing a mess everywhere and lots of noise....

We are Florida Gators - moved out here to SF in 2000 and thought we would go "home" after a couple years, but here we are.... So we watch a lot of Gator sports whenever possible!

I do a lot of science enrichment at my sons' elementary school (I am a Physics teacher - currently teach at an online charter school in LA) - and am the PTA President which is a ton of work since we have a really active group and have to supply a lot of stuff for the kids since CA education funding is in the toilet.

DH works at a design firm (doing tech stuff) - they have done some work with Disney in the past which was pretty cool.

OH and I do like to do crafty things, which I have been too busy for lately, but have rediscovered doing my FE gifts. it has been a great couple of months working on everything and enjoying it!!!

We should start to post pictures too... let me see if I have any anywhere from before.... let's see if I can get this to work....

Here is me and Karl on Halloween - you'll see this Pirate attire again!

Mark and Kurt around Christmas of 2011. We aren't very good at whole family pictures!!

Well if your a Physics teacher you probably now enough about biology to answer the question am I older than dirt?

Your boys are soo cute. My DD7 is a bit boy crazy so they should watch out for her

My DS10 into soccer too! It took a backseat for two years while he took gymnastics. He really loved doing the rings and got to the point of doing an inverted L completely on his own. Then he hit a growth spirt gained 10lbs and a few inches just before their exhibition for parents and he could no longer do several things quite as well. At that point he decided gymnastics was fun but he wanted back on the soccer team. He always wanted to do both but that was impossible. Dont even get me started on Video games. If it has a glowing screen he is not even in the same room with the rest of us

San Franciso sounds cool! We LOVE Pittsburgh. All the benifits of New England without the traffic, unemployment and rediculous cost of living. We do miss the ocean but with the costs and traffic we never got to do anywhere near the things we do now. Pittsburgh is not the fithly 2nd rate city New Englanders think it is.

We are in a great country comunity with a old fashoned downtown and a decent school distric but cutbacks here have been HORRIBLE. You have quite a job on your hands with the PTA trying to keep the schools more functional.

My DH is a Forensic Social worker, Adjuncts at the University of Pittsburgh and consults with Law firms on the side. He hopes to be a full time time proff once his PHD is done.

We met at a Childrens Psychiatric Hospital back in RI working as milue therapists. However I got hurt by a patient and eventually developed Fibromyalgia so my full time job now is just keeping functional enough to keep the kids on track. I'll be thrilled when DH has done his classwork and he will be home more. Just one more week and he is done

 

[gatorfreud]

Good - hopefully the boys will hook up in the kids club! I am looking forward to bit of time alone with DH to relax!! Without the constant noise noise noise! Not a whole lot, but I think a few hours a day they can go hang out and do kids stuff! And I can get a few minutes of PEACE!

We are coming to Pittsburgh at the end of June for my grandma's 90th. Should be fun! My whole extended family is from there. We were last there when the boys were 3 and 1. What's good to do with kids? We'll probably do kids museum. How is that waterpark? And Kennywood - they had a blast there last time. We are going to a Pirates game. And mostly driving all over to see all of the relatives!

We really like San Francisco. It's actually a really great place to raise kids, although I would have never thought that. Our school is really sweet, lots of great families and sweet kids. Our house cost waaaay too much and is not that big, but I really do love it here. It took me about 8 years to make peace with it - but now I am settled!

Glad your DH is almost done!!!!! Yikes on the fibromyalgia. Yuck.

 

[rewhitingjr]

Got my cruise document in the mail today!

It's official. We are going on the cruise!

Anybody else get their documents yet?

 

[gatorfreud]

Not me!! I wonder if they go to my TA or to me directly?

 

[CowboyKell]

Got my cruise document in the mail today!

It's official. We are going on the cruise!

Anybody else get their documents yet?

Just read this, realized I had not checked the mail today, snuck out to the mailbox in my PJs (Mickey Mouse top w/ Goofy bottoms) and there it was. I guess we're going!

So, only 12 bags for the three of us......guess I'll need to pare it down a bit

 

[tiggspring]

Good - hopefully the boys will hook up in the kids club! I am looking forward to bit of time alone with DH to relax!! Without the constant noise noise noise! Not a whole lot, but I think a few hours a day they can go hang out and do kids stuff! And I can get a few minutes of PEACE!

We are coming to Pittsburgh at the end of June for my grandma's 90th. Should be fun! My whole extended family is from there. We were last there when the boys were 3 and 1. What's good to do with kids? We'll probably do kids museum. How is that waterpark? And Kennywood - they had a blast there last time. We are going to a Pirates game. And mostly driving all over to see all of the relatives!

We really like San Francisco. It's actually a really great place to raise kids, although I would have never thought that. Our school is really sweet, lots of great families and sweet kids. Our house cost waaaay too much and is not that big, but I really do love it here. It took me about 8 years to make peace with it - but now I am settled!

Glad your DH is almost done!!!!! Yikes on the fibromyalgia. Yuck.

Wow its a small world!

Yeah living with FMS every day is an adventure. Somedays I have a pooh brain and an eyeore body but I'm still a tigger at heart DH nicknamed me tigger because I used to dance in the halls around 3am when we worked together

As far as Pittsburgh goes we have not been to the childrens museum in since DH started school and it had a complete overhall and is supposed to be fantastict! The national avery is right down the rd and has a new penguin exhibit. Only a few miles away is the Science museum and they have added Sports Works. A complete building devoted to sports. You can ride a bike on a wire up near the ceiling, do a bungee jumping ( kinda like trampololine with bands). It is not a huge building but alot of fun. Science center also has robotic exhibit my son loves as well as a WW2 Submarine. Duckie boats tours might intrest your boys (land/sea). Finally the Carnegie Natural history Museum has updated and expanded their Dinosaur museum since you were here last and the Zoo added polar bears then Sea lion exhibits

As far as Kennywood I havent been there yet but I know they have made updates and have a sister water park for an additional fee. Get to the water park early if it is going to be really hot because it closed to visitors around noon several times last year. THe Mckeesport area around the park can be a rough neighborhood (My DH works out there) so be mindful like any city later in the day. You can usually get discount tickets at Eatnpark.

Considering your boys ages you might want to consider Kennywood's sister park Idlewild.http://www.idlewild.com/ It's been voted by amusement today the best childrens theme park in the world (i know corny) beating out leggo land. Its truely an Old fashoned park with a wooden roller coaster from 1938. All set in the trees It includes admission to their water park Soak zone. If you plan on going for two days get a season pass and you can add a vip pass to soak zone for $5 this allows you in 30 min early and would give you aprox 45 min of minimal crowds at their wave pool. We have gone on Sundays at opening and have had the whole water park to ourselves! Just me, DS and about 20 lifegaurds or the first 45min. The locals are all at church and since it takes more than an hour from Pittsburgh guests tend to get there in the late morning. If you are out there in the Laurel Highlands 5 miles from the Park is Ligonier which has a Fantastic French and Indian fort. Their exhibit include pistols given to George Washington. The shopps in this quiant town are not open on Sundays and they have several other small museums. Seven springs has also added quite a few summer activities to balance the ski season. My kids loved the alpine slide. All these places are an hour or more east of pittsbugh. Hopefully your family is on the eastern side of the city or you can spare a day or two just for you and the kids.

Hope you didnt already know this. Just I have to do things when I remember

Now back to our usual programing.........

 

[gatorfreud]

Thanks!!!! That is really helpful - you mentioned some new things I haven't done before. I am definitely checking out the science museum!!!

Kim

 

[rewhitingjr]

Fellow Dreamers. Just had an inspiration.

What are your thoughts if we wore a badge on our lanyards to identify our DISboard group? tiggspring came up with the name fishhooks and Jdismom came up with the idea of green ribbons. What if these were combined like so:

This would be a great way to identify each other on board.

Let me know if you are interested. We can go one of two ways: fishhook all by itself on a green background or include our DISname on the badge. Each badge will be double sided and embossed. I can make these without cost and distribuite them either at our Cruise Meet or deliver them to your FE by beginning of day two on board. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

If you are interested, let me know how many badges you would like me to make for your family.

 

[gatorfreud]

We don't have lanyards but I can put it on my bag or something!

Kim

 

[rewhitingjr]

We don't have lanyards but I can put it on my bag or something!

Kim

Bag or ?something? would work fine as long as you have someway to attach (ie twist tie).

For anybody that has cruised before with DCL - you will get a Castaway Club lanyard. If not, you can buy them inexpensively at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Office Depot, Office Max (etc). Also, Disney store sells DCL lanyards with wallets on their website for $8.95 http://www.disneystore.com/disney/store/DSIProductDisplay?isSingleMatch=true&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&productId=1288967&catalogFromSearch=10002&storeId=10051&N=1000285.

 

[tiggspring]

Hey guys did you see that DCL is changing its tipping policy and will automaticly charge it at the start of the cruise. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-plan.htm#tipping I had been told by a friend that when she cruised they added taxes to gratuities that were part of the bill and that some lines she had cruised actually kept part of it for themselves (not sure if DCL did). I planned on pay as I go to make sure those that actually served me got what they deserved. I now realize this is really the only pay they get so having been a server in the past it is important to me that it goes where I want it to. Guess I will be going to frount desk and asking them to remove it from our bill. I'll see how it goes. Dont think it should be done pre cruise (can't know service was even adequit yet) unless a cruiser chooses to do it this way.

What do you guys think that have cruised DCL?

 

[Jdismom]

rewhitingjr, you are just taking care of every detail for our group. The tags look like a good idea, (especially if you are willing to make them. I wouldn't know how.) Thanks! If everyone is agreeable, I think passing them out at the meet on the first day would be a good idea, and then putting the others in the FEs of anyone not there.

I had suggested the lime green ribbons because I believe that is the Dis symbol, though I've never really looked before for people wearing them in the parks.

As far as the gratuities go, we will have stateroom credits we plan to use. If we use them, are taxes added? How can that be avoided?

 

[Spiffie]

Fellow Dreamers. Just had an inspiration.

What are your thoughts if we wore a badge on our lanyards to identify our DISboard group? tiggspring came up with the name fishhooks and Jdismom came up with the idea of green ribbons. What if these were combined like so:

This would be a great way to identify each other on board.

Let me know if you are interested. We can go one of two ways: fishhook all by itself on a green background or include our DISname on the badge. Each badge will be double sided and embossed. I can make these without cost and distribuite them either at our Cruise Meet or deliver them to your FE by beginning of day two on board. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


If you are interested, let me know how many badges you would like me to make for your family.

I LOVE this!

What if we did something like mail all of Deck 6 to me and I will distribute as soon as rooms are ready. That way, if we are wearing them at the DISmeet, we will know we have the right group! I will pay for the postage to all volunteers that pass them out!

I am just trying to think of a way to make it less work for you - but, feel free to slap my hand if you need to!

 

[gatorfreud]

I am in for whatever! I guess I might get everyone to wear them if I can find lanyards.

 

[disneymeister]

I love this idea...my family will defn wear them.

So excited to have the school yr winding down for the kiddos...not that they have much of a leisurely summer. Lots of camps and time with Grandparents in Wisconsin. but first!! Cruise with the disney folk!!