Magic, January 16, 2010--Winter Day Castaways

[shellcruiser]

Glad to see so many receiving their cruise docs. It makes it seem much more real to me. I actually saw swimsuits at Costco today. Thought it might be an omen that I need a new one for the cruise As I begin my Christmas baking it actally seems a sick coincidence that I will be in swim attire in 3 weeks Can't wait for the warm weather no matter what I have to wear.

ltzol, bunless, swimchick1984, and AimeeJ,

Hey gang, please check your private messages.

Need a little info from everyone.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[shellcruiser]

Yes, this is our first cruise with Disney! We are all very excited, but clueless being 'newbies'! A neighbor had actually told me about the fish extenders at a DCL House Party she hosted. I know my daughter will love that. Looking forward to meeting everyone that Sat. If you have any other pointers for us, please pass along! I've tried to read past messages to get more info. All is appreciated! And yes, went to Southwest and West Forsyth many moons ago!

Well, as far as pointers, you can find a million on these boards. One of my favorite things about DCL is that DH and I can have some time to ourselves without feeling like the kids are board or "stuck at home". In the past our kids have never been ready to leave the kids programming when we pick them up. DH and I enjoy Palo, the adults only restaurant. There is a surcharge for meals there ($15-I think), but we feel it is more than worth it. The service and the quality of food is even better than in the dining rooms.

Are you driving to Port Canaveral? If so I would recommend taking advantage of one of the hotels that offers shuttle service to the port. On past cruises we have driven to Savannah or Jacksonville on Friday night and then parked our car at the terminal. The $ really add up fast when you consider the car is just parked. Last fall when we cruised w/ Disney we stayed at the Radisson Resort at the Port. It was very comfortable and convenient. We left the car at the hotel and used their shuttle to/and from the terminal. There are a few hotels in Port Canaveral that offer that service.
The best advice I can offer is don't overpack. The cabins and the closets only hold so much. Every cruise I take a little bit less, and we still have things we don't wear. But don't forget to add a little pirate gear if you have it. I love dressing up for Pirate night DH will usually humor me with an eye patch and/or bandanna, but the girls and I will dress up!

FYI, my DD-9 Kari is in third grade too. I'm very excited that she can make a cruise friend close to home. On our last cruise she made 2 very good buddies, but one lives in Ohio, and the other in New Jersey. So, now they are penpals (e-mail pals ). One last question, I see from your tag that you are a nurse? or nurse educator? Do you happen to work for Novant? I am a pharmacist with Novant Health (Forsyth Med Center).

 

[ltzol]

Just got an email from our travel agent that my documents are in - I think I might be the last one - but that's OK. It's still exciting!

Something else that is exciting - we actually got those free tickets to the Kennedy Space Center. With all the money that I have spent lately between the cruise and Christmas - every little bit helps.

Today Hubby and I are hitting the gym (gotta put that swim suit on soon) then taking the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. I won't let them see any Disney movies this close to the vacation in case they are playing on the ship

Merry Christmas Eve Eve (as my DD said to me this morning)!

 

[shellcruiser]

Merry Christmas Eve Eve (as my DD said to me this morning)!

Too cute

 

[hgon76]

I wonder if there is any system DCL uses to send out docs? Many of you got them a couple weeks ago, I got mine 2 days ago, & my aunt (who is cruising w/us & lives the next street over from us) has not gotten hers yet. Weird. I feel that I was much more prepared for the cruise last year for some reason. Just got to get Christmas out of the way so I can finalize everything else for this cruise. Working til 4:30 then off til Monday! Hopefully in the middle of all the eating & presents I can find time to at least hit the gym for some cardio!........We shall see

 

[Bunless]

Just got an email from our travel agent that my documents are in - I think I might be the last one - but that's OK. It's still exciting!

Haven't gotten ours yet. We're further away than most (except for the ones from Hawaii!) so I'm not worried about it.

 

[Bunless]

Wait! I just read that Swimchick got hers...maybe I should be worried? lol

DISMEET!!!

I was thinking about the DisMeet (3pm!) and about where to meet. I've read that some groups meet outside, and some inside. Knowing that it might be chilly at the port, I'm thinking inside will be the best choice for us. Now, for where? Someone had previously suggested the promenade lounge. Any other suggestions? Or does that sound like the best idea for everyone?​

 

[hgon76]

Sounds good to me. I just have to go easy on the sailaway drinks so that I don't sleep through it

 

[OCD for WD]

Just finished speed reading the 28 pages of posts (from both threads) to do a quick catch-up so now I can introduce myself. (Of course the speed reading means I didn't pay any attention to who posted what so please don't expect me to know anything when I meet you. lol)

My family and I booked this cruise over a year ago and I actually posted on the original thread but my intentions to keep involved didn't turn out as I planned. But I introduced my mother to the DIS and she's become an excellent lurker: telling me the various things that are going on and learning how to make magnets, etc. She just won't actually join and post anything herself.

So here goes for the introductions... (this was us on the Wonder in '07)

Obviously the kids are all a little bigger now - some bigger than their Aunt Kimmy! (The 14yo was already bigger than me back then! I'm the one in the purplish dress.)

So anyways... it's me - Kimberly (or Kim or Kimmy or Kim-Kim, etc)
DF & DM Clement & Juanita (far right back of pic)
DB & DSIL Kenneth & Vicki (middle back of pic)
plus Kirsten(17), Brittany(14), Patricia(10), & Elizabeth(10)
DS & DBIL DeAnna & Barry (left side & back)
plus Trevor(12), Dylan(9), and Megan(6)
and a family friend Kelley who is about my age.

15 of us in 4 rooms - at least I'm in a SPH - but it's with Kelley and the oldest nieces. Oh well, I'll be thankful I'm on the ship, right?

We are not in for the FE (so don't worry that we missed the deadline), but definitely excited about meeting everyone at 3pm in the Promenade Lounge! I think it will be nice for the kids to meet other kids than just their siblings and cousins. Plus it will give me other people to meet for when I decide to ditch my family, lol!!

I loved cruising with them on the Wonder in '07, but I have to admit that I had a better time on the Magic in '08 ALL BY MYSELF for the Panama Canal cruise. Met some of the best people ever - still chat with them almost daily on Facebook (one of the main reasons I can't ever get to the DIS - lol).

Anyway, to wrap up this monster post I thought I should add that we're in 2nd dining and I'm forcing them all to dress up for pirate night!! Also, we have a private tour booked for St. Maarten but not really sure what we're doing for St. Thomas. (I think that answers all the main questions...)

Okay, I'll try to stay on top of this - surely I can for 3 1/2 weeks!! YEAH!!

 

[OCD for WD]

And I've got to figure out what is up with my logo. The Mickey ears were all black when I uploaded the picture to Mickeypath but for some reason they went all fuzzy and faded went the countdown was made. Weird!

 

[OCD for WD]

At Mom's for Christmas and got a copy of a great family picture from my niece's confirmation back in August. So I thought I would repost the other picture with it for fun just to compare how 2 1/2 years have changed everyone.

 

[AimeeJ]

Welcome to all of our newcomers!

The begining of the week is our busy time for the holidays. Now I'm just working all weekend.

I think it has become tradition for DIS meets in the lounge so the crew would miss us if we didn't show up. I'm trying to keep the weather nice, and I'm sure just not having snow is an improvement for most of you but it has definatly been windy around here. Make sure you have a jacket or layers packed.

 

[Bunless]

I'm up, and avoiding wrapping the last four gifts...for no good reason.


Meanwhile, a couple of quotes that always get me going...



"One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies." "Three times Della counted it, One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas"

"Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies!"
"Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist."

"Christmas won't be Christmas without presents!"

"'God Bless us every one!' said Tiny Time, the last of all."

 

[hgon76]

Is the promenade lounge the one off to the side on the way to Parrot Cay???

 

[pit303]

Is the promenade lounge the one off to the side on the way to Parrot Cay???

Yes, it is.

Happy Holidays everyone tomorrow we get ready for Take 2 of my daughter's wedding at least tomorrow will only be rain no blizzards!! Wow are they going to have some stories to tell.

 

[hgon76]

Merry Christmas to all! Made a DVD of last years cruise & set it to the song "hey baby". Told them (the kids) it was just a compilation of all our pics & that was their gift. Then at the end of the DVD I put across the screen "Well pack your bags because on January 16,2010 we're going on another Disney Cruise!!" then I threw a bunch of sunscreen, sandals, sunglasses, etc in a huge box & had them open it last. DS pretty much knew already (at 14 it's harder to keep a secret). But DD was surprised. They still don't know we were upgraded to an oceanview so I'm going to keep that a little surprise for when we get there

 

[RockiesLady]

Oh my..found this board, as decided I needed to start planning our familie's first cruise.

I will be traveling with my husband, and two children: DD (6) and DS (4).

We have never taken them on a cruise and I have a MILLION (well, maybe not quite) questions.

Who has the time to indulge me?

What is a fish whatever?? Gift Exchange?? I have no idea what that is

 

[hgon76]

Welcome aboard! I think the fish extenders deadline expired but, it's a sort of wall hanger thing w/pockets that you hang outside of your stateroom door. Outside of everyones stateroom door is a metal fish ornament that people hang these "fish extenders" from & people from the dismeet exchange little treats in them. It's a cute idea but w/Christmas just before the cruise & how hectic everyday life has been in general I just didn't have it in me.But there are a few that did it. We are planning a meet, I believe in the Promenade lounge around 3. Good chance for all to meet. Especially the kids who will be hanging out in the clubs together all week.

 

[ljcrochet]

Oh my..found this board, as decided I needed to start planning our familie's first cruise.

I will be traveling with my husband, and two children: DD (6) and DS (4).

We have never taken them on a cruise and I have a MILLION (well, maybe not quite) questions.

Who has the time to indulge me?

What is a fish whatever?? Gift Exchange?? I have no idea what that is

I have 4 1/2 year DD. They will have a great time together on the cruise i'm sure.
What questions do you have? This will be my girls 2nd cruise but our first disney cruise.

 

[weezyree]

I am very new to this forum and lastnight was my actual first time ever really reading anything. We just completed in August our 3rd DCruise after my husband's LONG 15 month deployment. We loved it, but noticed something different that the one we took before he left.

Funny bags were being hung on the doors of the cabins and people seemed to be having fun with it. I wanted in on the fun too, but it took me forever lastnight to find out
1. What those bags were!!
2. Who to contact to get in on the fun!!
3. How to find you to get in on it.....

only to see the deadline was the 15th of Dec. I am hoping it isn't too late to share my name and cabin number with others to exchange with. My husband and I are ditching the kids (since they missed 5 days of school in August) and taking my darling Aunt who just had a terrible experience on her first cruise on another cruise line who shall remain nameless.

I wanted to add to her memories with the fun of the FE's if it wasn't too late.

We are a military family and are stationed in South Texas right now, so we have lots of ideas for the FE's.

Please let me know soon so I can start buying goodies for the exchanges and give me some cabin numbers to share with.

Our cabin number is 2565 and we have three adults.

My husband Matt, my Aunt Dianne and Me....Lisa

Thanks so much and Happy New Year.

My personal electronic mail is weezyree at hot mail dot com if you like to email me there. I tried to send you a PM and can't leave me electronic mail address here since I am less than 10 posts or something and it tooks me nearly 40 minutes to find you this morning so I hope I find this again.

Again thanks for helping if you can and I understand if you can't!!!