MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[tinksmom]

We're main dining, too, so time doesn't matter. Well, we do have Palo brunch ressies at 11:30. Move along little kitties!

$4 for a soda at a party to celebrate Christmas and being DVC members. Geez, good thing Carly gave up soda six months ago! And I'm just going to let my imagination run wild with the scooters.

Shannon, the cold front that brought 40s to south Texas brought 20s and snow to north Texas. BRRRRRRRR, right Renee?

Amy, will you let us know what the temps are supposed to be next Friday? I want to know how to dress for the flight and evening at Epcot.

9 more sleeps!
tenya

 

[alikat99]

Amy, will you let us know what the temps are supposed to be next Friday? I want to know how to dress for the flight and evening at Epcot.

9 more sleeps!
tenya

I will keep my eyes on the weather down here. Right now, the 10 day forcast puts central FL around 70, but it really gets more accurate at about 5-7 days out. So, by the end of the weekend, we'll have a really good idea about the temps here. The key is that usually most days are pretty comfortable, it's the nights that can get chilly. I would definitely bring a sweater or sweatshirt down here.

 

[ShannonR]

Hi again!

Tenya: Thanks for the attempt to make me feel better, BUT ALAS it does not. I want 90-100 degree weather with sun EACH AND EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE!!!!( DH says I better pack a bag and move to a shack on the beach at the equator! ) So for today, I will bunker down inside my house with heat blasting at 85 degrees. You will all laugh when you see me. I will be the one who is bundled up like it is 20 degrees out, whether it is 20 or 90. The pictures of all our trips to WDW and the cruise last year are always hilarious: DH and the kids in shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits, etc... with me in long pants, a sweatshirt, and usually a coat on top of that! I am just always cold, no matter what. (I probably need a fat and/or blood transfusion, right?)

Amy: I got your e-mail this morning! Thank you so much for organizing this excursion. We are so excited and I can't wait to see the baby's face when she sees the dolphins!!

I am currently trying to pack up my Christmas decorations/FE gifts and I can't fit them into the approved shipping box size. It looks like I will have to use the extra suitcase after all.

Shannon

 

[BearFan]

We have late seating for dinner, too. Maybe we could have several tries at a group photo. Just found out that I need to tear the house apart looking for the time off slip for my DH on Dec 19 or he has to work that day. Our flight is scheduled for 1:30 PM, now I have to look into late flights from O'Hare (aka land of snow and ice). I REFUSE to let this get me down. My poor husband is frustrated & apologetic for everything but he's the one stuck 8 hours from home in a fleabag hotel with no cell or internet reception driving a co-worker from China around for two weeks of training he's already had. Ho Ho Ho. How many days until we disembark?

Lisa Marie

 

[minnie1]

For those of you who are staying at the Country Inn and Suites, have you stayed there before? Is there any hidden cost for the shuttle? Will they take all your luggage? How safe is the parking lot compared to the port parking? We are thinking about switching.

Angie

 

[Diana Lyn]

For those of you who are staying at the Country Inn and Suites, have you stayed there before? Is there any hidden cost for the shuttle? Will they take all your luggage? How safe is the parking lot compared to the port parking? We are thinking about switching.

Angie

We stayed there in February when we took a 4 night Wonder cruise.

The fee for the shuttle was I believe $3 per person. What we did was, Bruce drove me, the girls and all our luggage over to the port in the morning. You can see the stacks from the ships from the hotel, so it's that close. He then drove back to the CI/S and hopped on the shuttle. I gave our luggage to the porter, went through security, checked in and by the time I got our KTTWs he was standing there next to me. I figure we save like $15 because we would have had to pay $9 for us for the ride and $5 for a tip for the bus guy moving our luggage. Coming back we just paid for the 4 of us to take the shuttle because it was like 30 degrees and windy. But the driver carried all our luggage for us and even loaded our car when we returned to the hotel.

I found the parking lot well lit. They give you a tag to put on your dashboard saying you were parking there from when to when. I wouldn't leave anything valuable in your car, but I figure the hotel parking is just as safe as parking at the lot at the port.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Diana Lyn - great tip about having DH drop you, kids, and luggage off at the port and then getting the shuttle back to the Port. I'll have to suggest that to DH, and if you guys are doing that again this time, maybe we can head over at the same time - then the DH's can shuttle back to the port together. Did you just pay the shuttle driver when you got on? Were they already waiting at the Port when you came back?

This front that is coming through has given me a pounding headache that nothing is helping - I think I need to go home and go to bed... but I'm off half-day tomorrow so I can't really leave. Just gotta stick it out til 2:45.

 

[CrusinLattas]

How's this for a time idea - what if we meet at 9:00 AM - that way you should be done if you were early and not due yet if you are late - that gives about 30 min. for picutres and exchange - will that be enough time? Odds are 1/3 that it will have breakfast that day so odds are not too bad that some may be rushed if it goes beyond 30 min.

Ok, so I asked on the main cruise board about the character breakfast times and here's what I found out...

"It is usually 8:00 am for earlying seating and 9:30 for late so one of you can rush the kids to the club and the other can check in at Palo if you have a 10:30 resie, if you can't get it switched to 11:00."

So, does anyone in this group have late seating that would miss the picture?? I don't want that to be the case, so I'd rather see if we can figure it out ahead of time.

Tenya, Alan and the kids met me at the office yesterday and we went out to eat at TrailDust - they love the slide - anyway, Anna got so excited when it started to snow! AJ didn't know what he was looking at - I don't think we have had a good snow in the last couple years and it didn't stick so he didn't know about the fun he was missing! Personally, I prefer the bubble snow on Castaway Cay!

I have so much to do with so little time! I just found out that the kids have Christmas parties the night before we stay at the airport and the day of our going to the airport - we are spending the night by the airport since our flight is before 8:00 AM and they will do free parking, bag a breakfast, and a shuttle - sounded like a better way to go for about the same cost as 1 1/2 weeks of airport parking. I was planning on keeping them home on Friday, but may send them to school if a party is involved and I am not done with everything!

I just watched Samantha Brown's Disney at the Holidays - I am so in the mood to go now! I got an iphone and downloaded a Season of Disney and plan on watching them in the next couple weeks when I get a chance to keep me and the kids excited - as if we needed the extra help!

This is not in my budget this year ($199), but have you all seen this?

Amazon had two very opposite reviews, but it looks so cute!

I am ready for warm weather!

 

[ShannonR]

We have main seating dining, also. We chose that because of DD4 . She would never last until late dining. My older two kids didn't go to the character breakfast last cruise and don't plan on going this time either, so it will just be myself, DH, and DD4 . They will be in the group picture, though (they have no choice when it comes to pictures )

Shannon

 

[Diana Lyn]

Diana Lyn - great tip about having DH drop you, kids, and luggage off at the port and then getting the shuttle back to the Port. I'll have to suggest that to DH, and if you guys are doing that again this time, maybe we can head over at the same time - then the DH's can shuttle back to the port together. Did you just pay the shuttle driver when you got on? Were they already waiting at the Port when you came back?

This front that is coming through has given me a pounding headache that nothing is helping - I think I need to go home and go to bed... but I'm off half-day tomorrow so I can't really leave. Just gotta stick it out til 2:45.

We are doing the same thing again this time. When you check in, you have to book the shuttle and tell them you're leaving your car. You buy tickets for a specific time, it's like every 15-20 mins. you also buy your return trip tickets and reserve your spot the same way.

 

[nzdisneymom]

We are doing the same thing again this time. When you check in, you have to book the shuttle and tell them you're leaving your car. You buy tickets for a specific time, it's like every 15-20 mins. you also buy your return trip tickets and reserve your spot the same way.

Thanks for the details. What time do you think you guys will be heading over? DH thinks we should just all take the shuttle - it's still less expensive than parking at the Port for the week.

 

[Diana Lyn]

Thanks for the details. What time do you think you guys will be heading over? DH thinks we should just all take the shuttle - it's still less expensive than parking at the Port for the week.

We'll be going over early, probably a little bit after the terminal opens....I can't stand sitting around in a hotel room when I can be sitting around in the cruise terminal!! It definitely adds to the excitement!!

 

[hinsok1]

We got our docs!!!! But my nephews luggage tags are in our with our stuff . . . oh well, we'll just bring them with us. We are staying at the Hyatt, so he won't need them until Sat morning anyway. But then again . . . maybe I should mail them to him . . . .

Still working on FE gifts . . . then need to do business cards, and door signs . . . and the iron ons for the family tshirts . . . how come no one else in the family can help with this stuff . . . I think they all pretend to not know how to work the computer some times!!!! They seem to manage moving around message boards ok!

Better get to work . . . two more free nights before the flight to Orlando!!! Ugg - where did the time go . . .; Work people are just shaking their head . . .they don't seem to understand that while this takes awhile, it is part of the fun!!!

 

[DisDancerina]

Hi again!

Tenya: Thanks for the attempt to make me feel better, BUT ALAS it does not. I want 90-100 degree weather with sun EACH AND EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE!!!!( DH says I better pack a bag and move to a shack on the beach at the equator! ) So for today, I will bunker down inside my house with heat blasting at 85 degrees. You will all laugh when you see me. I will be the one who is bundled up like it is 20 degrees out, whether it is 20 or 90. The pictures of all our trips to WDW and the cruise last year are always hilarious: DH and the kids in shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits, etc... with me in long pants, a sweatshirt, and usually a coat on top of that! I am just always cold, no matter what. (I probably need a fat and/or blood transfusion, right?)

Amy: I got your e-mail this morning! Thank you so much for organizing this excursion. We are so excited and I can't wait to see the baby's face when she sees the dolphins!!

I am currently trying to pack up my Christmas decorations/FE gifts and I can't fit them into the approved shipping box size. It looks like I will have to use the extra suitcase after all.

Shannon

Come to Arizona, then see how ya feel.

 

[dbxazd]

still planning on the trip - but now have to plan for a viewing and funeral. my mom died this afternoon.........

 

[alikat99]

still planning on the trip - but now have to plan for a viewing and funeral. my mom died this afternoon.........

Oh Robin - my thoughts and prayers are with you!!! I know that you knew it was inevitable, but that doesn't make it any easier. If you need anything, let us know!!!

 

[gardengirlco]

still planning on the trip - but now have to plan for a viewing and funeral. my mom died this afternoon.........

Robin, I am so sorry for your loss. Lots of P&PT going out to you and your family during this difficult time.

 

[minnie1]

Robin, so sorry to hear about your mom. Lots of hugs and prayers coming your way.

Angie

 

[bigedwin]

Robin!
So Sorry to hear about your Mother.
It is never easy but Family and Friends are there for you!
God Bless her.
Our prayers are with you and your Family.

After this week You and your family will definetly need some time to get away and relax.

Ed,Michelle

 

[Diana Lyn]

Robin,
I'm so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family in this tough time.