MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[xsjackson]

I need to call the Radisson at the port and make sure my daughter can check in from college and not have to wait for us. She is taking the auto train w/ VA sister and all the reservations are under my name. They get in 19th in the morning and we won't get to Cape canaveral until 8-9pm after a flight from Seattle and picking up a car.

Also want to get shuttle times to the port. In the past we have had to reserve and with 4 people it was no big deal but with 16 it might be harder... don't you think???

 

[tinksmom]

Susan, you get the Aunt-of-the-Day award! I know your nieces will enjoy getting the FE goodies. I think that's so cool that your dad will wear his dress whites for formal night. If I happen to see him dressed out, I'll be sure and thank him personally. Congrats to your son! Carly was excited to get her braces off and she only had to wear them a year and half.

Lissa, I hope your feeling better. Pink eye is nasty. In case you don't know, be sure and through out all your eye make-up, and wash your pillow cases in hot water.

Cindy, thanks for the new FE list.
tenya

 

[dbxazd]

For Cozumel - we're not doing anything organized....DH maybe will get off the boat and do some shopping, but I'm thinking Port Day specials at the Spa! We did Cozumel last year and wasn't too impressed - so we (me, DS and DD) will more than likely take advantage of the quiet port day on board and go to the Mickey Pool.

I'm super excited - 36 days until we leave for WDW! I started pulling t-shirts, shorts and bathing suits aside....I can't start packing yet because I'll forget what I put in the suitcases and have to re-pack several times!

Very fall like weather here in Southern Maryland - after all - it is the middle of November. Happy Veteran's Day to all who have served and are serving - THANK YOU!!!

Robin

 

[corinnak]

Cozumel - we are planning the excursion to Xcaret, but I haven't seen anyone else talking about it, so I need to know - is there something I don't know?

It's COLD here now, so sunshine and warmth is starting to sound REALLY good!

 

[nzdisneymom]

DH and I were at Walmart today and I bought a couple of pairs of pants for the boys and some nice polo-type shirts in hopes that they may look like they actually care about how they look / dress when we're on the ship. They needed more pants, anyway, so i thought I'd get them while i could. Now to hope they don't grow a lot in the next five-plus weeks! I got a couple of new things for me yesterday -- Beall's was having a great sale AND an extra 15% off if you're over age 50. Well, I'm not, but DH is so I made him go with me

I took my car in for an oil change this morning and it is still there - needed new tires (which we knew) and they were having a good special on them, and of course they found something else that needed to be done. ugh. so now i'm waiting around for them to call me to tell me it's ready. They said by the end of the day. I don't want to start on anything and then have to stop in the middle to go get my car. (at least that sounds like a good excuse to just read the DIS and rest).

I think a nap might win this afternoon.....

 

[tinkerbell_29]

For cozumel I'm doing the dolphin excursion with the group and my brother is doing the taste of mexico excursion with DCL. Mom plans on finding a nice quiet spot and reading. Mom and I will alos do a little shopping while were there. We did not have veterans day off. I wish we did because i could have used a break. No days off until Thanksgiving.

Lissa

 

[dbxazd]

The following was just sent as part of my weekly allears.net newsletter - sorry for the repeat (if that applies!) I know I was excited to read all about the cool stuff going on during our cruise!!!

Robin


Disney Cruise Line will kick off the holidays with special Thanksgiving voyages: setting sail November 22 with a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise on the Disney Magic, and on November 26 with a 4-night Bahamian cruise onboard the Disney Wonder. Cruisers will enjoy a sumptuous Thanksgiving Day feast with Mickey, Minnie and friends dressed in traditional Thanksgiving attire. Activities throughout the day include holiday crafts for youngsters and the big NFL football games broadcast live on Ariel View Television, the 24-by-14-foot screen located above the Goofy Family Pool on deck 9.

The Cruise Line will continue to host numerous onboard holiday events from Thanksgiving and continuing through to the new year on both the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic, beginning November 22:

-- nightly "King Triton's Tree Lighting" in the atrium lobby, where a young guest will help Disney characters light the glittering, three-deck-tall tree.
-- an afternoon Tropical Pool Party every day with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Plenty of Disney characters join the celebration, including Lilo and Stitch, Chip and Dale, Mickey and Minnie, Goofy and Pluto. Be sure not to miss the "Winter-Sunnyland" conga line around the pool.
-- special family time with holiday crafts, such as decorating stockings, making holiday cards and creating holiday animation cells.
-- holiday storytellers sharing tales of diverse holiday traditions, from Hanukkah and Kwaanza to the Bahamian Junkanoo, plus, an all-new story just for Disney Cruise Line guests about the magical feeling of the holidays on a ship.
-- traditional holiday feasts in Disney's three themed dining rooms.
-- " 'Til We Meet Again," a special holiday edition of Disney Cruise Line's farewell on the final night of each cruise, with Disney characters and the ship's crew in a musical finale led by Mickey Mouse.

For cruises that put in at Castaway Cay during the holiday period:

-- "snow flurries," decked-out Christmas trees, Disney character meet-and-greets and holiday carolers.
-- holiday-themed activities, such as making candy cane reindeer, paper plate angels and snowflake mobiles.

The Disney Magic will host a 7-Night Holiday Caribbean Cruise departing December 20, with visits to Cozumel, Grand Cayman and, as a special holiday treat, two stops at Castaway Cay. The Disney Wonder 4-night Christmas cruise departs December 24, with visits to Nassau and Castaway Cay. On Christmas morning at the lobby tree, Santa Claus and his elves will have surprises for all the kids, along with cookies and milk. Guests can attend sunset Hanukkah services and Christmas services, including midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

To celebrate the new year, Disney Magic departs on its 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary December 27; Disney Wonder departs December 31 for its 4-night cruise. These voyages will feature a special New Year's Eve party to ring in 2009, complete with DJ music, sparkling wine in commemorative flutes, confetti and balloon drop, and a midnight countdown.

 

[pogopossum]

we've been detoured to cozumel twice before, so dd has already said that she is not going ashore. not sure if the rest of us will do anything organized or not, may just rent a jeep and go to the beach.

we did the fury catamaran the first time and loved it. dd, who was 5 at the time, even snorkeled for about 20 minutes, then started figuring out how deep it was and wanted to go back to the boat.

last time we did the cozumel beach break, which was ok. nice beach, fun games, but the pool was not so good. the food wasn't great, and the shopping was only ok. can't really recommend this one.

we are trying to get our cabin decorations planned. just got the musical gingerbread house at hallmark, and will be getting the singing snowmen soon. we may have to pack a whole suitcase with decor, if we brought all the singing snowmen along, don't think they'll all be making the trip, though. we've got our little mickey tree that we got at wdw two christmases ago. so we'll have those, plus a few lights, and our door decoration. so i think we'll be appropriately christmased out.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Robin -thx for posting the holiday events! I'm so excited about actually being on the ship for Christmas day, and I really need to be sure we pay attention to the Navigators so we don't miss out on any of the special-to-the-holidays events!

 

[CrusinLattas]

Thanks for the post on the upcomming events! I am getting really excited. There is so much to do this time of year it always seems to come so fast the last month and a half!

Our plans for everywhere but Castaway Cay is to stay on the boat! We might get off at Cozumel - at least there are some things in walking distance from the boat. I have never really liked Grand Cayman. The first time we visited there we were on a RC ship and the tendering took so long and it was so hot it just was not worth the 'fun' when there were so many cheaper and easier things to do on the ship. I don't think Grand Caymen is easy with the really young or old due to just getting a shore! I was really happy our trip was going to Costa Maya because it is perfect for a quick shore trip - oh well - the boat is a nice alternative! I think I would be happy never getting off the boat - but hey, for Castaway Cay I will make the trip - twice this time!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Our first cruise in 2005 we were diverted from Cozumel and went to Costa Maya instead. We were less-than-excited about that change as we really wanted to go to Cozumel but Wilma dictated otherwise. So when this cruise itinerary became available, we jumped on it even with Costa Maya as a repeat port for us because we had heard they were improving the port and also we figured we could treat it as another at-sea day - and it had two CC days.

Then when Costa Maya changed to Grand Caymen, we were actually glad because although Grand Caymen is also a repeat port for us, we had only done a DCL excursion for the morning - the city/island tour that went to Hell, the Turtle Farm, and Stingray City. We enjoyed the tour but when we got back to the pier, we went back to the ship for lunch and then I had a spa appt. I wished in hindsight that we (at least DH and I) had gone back over to the immediate area to see the shops even if not to purchase anything.

I figure this time we have such a limited time in port and it is Christmas Eve that we aren't doing an excursion and will likely treat Grand Caymen as a quick look around the shops and then back on board to relax. There are several Disney movies that are either coming out or have recently come out that we have yet to see, so I'm looking forward to watching some movies in the Buena Vista Theater.

You know there is a new one coming out on Christmas Day - I wonder if they'll show it at midnight like they have some of the others (although the others have been blockbuster-much-anticipated movies). I'm torn between wanting to watch a midnight-movie and the fact that it is Christmas Eve / Day so I need to sleep so Santa can visit... which I'm still trying to work that detail out...

 

[CrusinLattas]

OK - I love the computers - today anyway!

I got together my Thanksgiving Evite - we'll see how the family does with things organized and computerized...HA

I also got my Christmas Card Addresses uploaded on Hallmark dot com! I am so excited about this option this year. You can upload your list and design a card photo card or use one of the ones online and they mail them out at cost! Talk about saving hours! Last year I sent them out late after our cruise - we drove and that's what I did on the way home! This year we are flying and I really want to get them out on time! One less headache before departure! We are getting our picture taken Saturday!

OK - really nothing new to report but thought I would share about the cards for others that are wondering how to get it all done!

 

[CrusinLattas]

If I remember correctly - National Treasure II was going to be released at Christmas and they had it in the big theatre early and called it a Premier. We didn’t have to stay up until midnight – and they had neat premier stuff to hand out. The year before the big movie was that Santa movie with Tim Allen and Martin Short – one of the Santa Clauses movies. It was still out in the theatre, but that was a NYE cruise so it was not like the early release.

My guess is that we will have Bedtime Stories as our big movie on this trip. Here are it's details:

Bedtime Stories

Release Date: December 25, 2008
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Adam Shankman
Screenwriter: Matt Lopez, Tim Herlihy
Starring: Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Keri Russell, Richard Griffiths, Courteney Cox, Lucy Lawless, Teresa Palmer, Russell Brand, Aisha Tyler, Jonathan Pryce
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: Disney.com/BedtimeStories
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary: An adventure comedy starring Adam Sandler as Skeeter Bronson, a hotel handyman whose life is changed forever when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. He attempts to take advantage of the phenomenon, incorporating his own aspirations into one outlandish tale after another, but it's the kids' unexpected contributions that turn Skeeter's life upside down.

It sounds like a good one to me!

 

[dbxazd]

The movie idea sounds great! I think since this is such a special time of year and we might not be back on another cruise in the near future - it'd be neat to let my kids stay up late and do all sorts of fun stuff!! We can sleep when we get home!

I do think that being onboard on Christmas day sounds like a lot of fun!! I don't want to miss anything!

Have a good hump day all!!!

Robin

 

[CrusinLattas]

Hi All:

Cindy and other F/E people. Grandma Latta wants to be added. She is on the spreadsheet but it does not have her in her cabin. Her cabin is 6000.

 

[corinnak]

Hi All:

Cindy and other F/E people. Grandma Latta wants to be added. She is on the spreadsheet but it does not have her in her cabin. Her cabin is 6000.

My Father-in-Law had that cabin on our last cruise. He LOVED it!

 

[CrusinLattas]

Castaway Cay:

Santa:

Gingerbread house on Ship:

 

[dbxazd]

Castaway Cay:

Santa:

Gingerbread house on Ship:

Great photos - thanks for sharing!!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hi All:

Cindy and other F/E people. Grandma Latta wants to be added. She is on the spreadsheet but it does not have her in her cabin. Her cabin is 6000.

I had Grandma Latta (Marie) listed with CrusinLattas - so everyone just add her cabin number... I wondered if she was sharing with you all since you had two cabins. Renee, will you fwd the spreadsheet to her?

Nathan came home early from school today with a cold. I hope this means he will get any illness over with before December. Have any of you used Airborne? I was thinking about getting some for preventive measures.

 

[CrusinLattas]

Thanks Cindy - I already sent her an updated one so she is good to go!

corinnak - glad to hear she has a great room!

Has anyone ever stayed on Deck 1? This will be our first time and not sure I am excited about it.