MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[DCLInauguralXmas]

Airborne rocks! We use it at my office, if someone comes down with something or your start to feel off you drink an airborne concoction or two and you find yourself feeling better.

Love all of the info on the holiday events! 6 weeks and 2 days til "DCL-day"

 

[dbxazd]

We used Airborne last year and it was great! I used the kids melts (it's like a Crystal Light packet of crystals that you just dump in their mouths). And the kids actually liked it. We did that for a few weeks leading up to the Disney Cruise and it worked well for us then - so I'm going to do that again this year. DH and I used the nighttime Airborne - it's like Apple Cider flavor and I added my own hot apple cider to "spice" it up!

Also - the kids and I got a flu shot last year - don't know if that makes a difference - DH didn't get one and he didn't get sick all season.



Robin

 

[ShannonR]

Good evening all!!

We used Airborne last cruise as well!! I had the kids take the chewable tablets for 1 weeks prior to cruising. The kids moaned and groaned about it, but I reminded them how hard I had worked and how long we had been waiting for that cruise, so they sucked it up and took the tablets each and every morning. Melissa got the stomach flu one week before leaving and I FREAKED!! I quarantined the other kids to their rooms (they even ate in there: ), Lysoled EVERYTHING, and washed my hands until my skin fell off. She finally got better on Thursday before we left, Thank God.

DD15 and I started packing on Sunday!!! I couldn't believe how much FE/Christmas decoration stuff I had accumulated. It took one large suitcase and I still did not have everything in there. I told DH that I am going to have to bring one outfit only and wear it each and every day just to accamodate all the gifts/decorations!!

I have to get ready for work now!! Have a great night!
Shannon

 

[nzdisneymom]

Thanks for the Airborne recommendations - I'm going to stop and get some tomorrow after work. I'm not sure if I'll send Nathan to school tomorrow or not - he's sneezing so much tonight still and is just miserable. His computer teacher sent him to the clinic last period today. We're supposed to visit my folks this weekend for early thanksgiving but if he's not any better, we're staying home.

Here's to good health for all of us on the board.

 

[dbxazd]

Here's to good health for all of us on the board.

I'll drink to that!!!

Robin

 

[KathyFP]

WOW so much to catch up on. Work has been crazy (but then again that is nothing new).

A couple health emergencies with a friend and my mom. Car broken into stole GPS and daughters purse with her IPOD touch (she had it for three weeks). At least Santa knows what t o bring her for Christmas

We have been trying to stay at Disney for NYE, but unsuccessful!

We can't wait to cruise!!

I did make it to staples and bought magnetic paper - sooo cool. Not sure when I will have time to actually make the magnets.

DD and I have several ideas for our FE gifts. We still do not have a cabin number. We have our ornament for the exchange.

Looking for an underwater camera since we are doing the dolphin excursion.

Off to the post office today for passports - I am such a last minute person.

Also trying to make arrangements for the inauguration. We are doing a group charter. DD (10) is really excited about going to DC.

 

[tinksmom]

Thanks for the updates on all the Christmas activities. DH said he wants to see a movie onboard this cruise. Looks like we'll get to see the premiere of Bedtime Stories.

Great pictures, Renee. Now I'll have an idea of whom I'm looking for at lunch Tuesday. Carly and I are cookie cutters of each other -- although I'm 48 and she's 15.

I'm thinking of shipping our FE gifts, Secret Santa gifts, and decorations to the Beach Club. We've done that before with Christmas decorations for our room when we've stayed at VWL. That way I won't have to try to pack it all. Does anyone know if you can wrap shipped gifts?

Happy Thursday!
tenya

 

[DCLInauguralXmas]

Kathy - When we went snorkeling in Hawaii we used a cheap disposable underwater camera and had excellent luck with the photo quality. I saw them at last weekWalmart for about $8 each. At that price you can get one for everyone and not have to worry about missing a good photo.

Tenya - I think it was mentioned in an earlier post from the CrusinLattas that she looked into shipping directly to the ship and that they would allow wrapped packages to be shipped. I think I am going to have to do that also. Any idea on how far in advance we need to ship it so it is there when we arrive????

I swear my 18 year old DS is a "Griswald" relative. Ever since he was 10ish he would go out the day after Christmas and use his Christmas money to buy yard decorations for the following year. He has had quite the holiday light display for years. Anyway, long story short we always get a live Christmas tree, we go out to the tree farm walk around til we find the perfect one and then cut it down and haul it home. With us going on the Cruise this year, I said no tree. He didn't like that answer so when he came home from getting his truck fixed last night he stopped at Walmart and had purchased a prelite fake tree and brought it home. We put on XML holdiay music and decorated it last night, so it now looks like Christmas at our house.

 

[CrusinLattas]

I did ask about how early to ship stuff when I talked to the fellows that send stuff to the ship. It is a big warehouse so they did not recommend sending it more that a week early - they recommended doing the 2 or 3 day delivery so you know it gets there at the right time. Wrapped is not an issue - they use an x-ray so put on there what is in the box so if it looks funny they don't have to open it. I don't know how much you can ship to the rooms at the resorts - the ship was only 1 ft cubed boxes - 1 per room - so depending on how much you are bringing and if you are staying somewhere else the night before could be a deciding factor on where you ship. I wouldn't think they would have as many limits on a hotel.

 

[tinkerbell_29]

I loved seeing the christmas photos. Can't wait to see everything in real life. I've tried airborne before but with my low immune system it just doesn't work. I finally went to the doctor yesterday to get something for ym eyes and this cold that will not go away. Hopefully all will be well by the time we go. When we go out of the country i usually get a z-pack from my DR for just in case but i don't think I'm going to do that this tiem and we will just hope I don't get sick.

Lissa

 

[bigedwin]

Hello!

We just placed a request to switch form Second sitting to first sitting dining.
Wife and kids will preffer to do the early diner instead of late.
I know I know We had a year to figure that out!

But anyways my question there is 5 of us set up for 2nd siting.
We just requested be switched to 1st.
Does anybody had any experiences switching diner times??
Did you hear before the cruise or did you have to wait until the Boarding day?
Any feedback will be appreciated.
By the way the agent claimed we were the only people to had requested switching from second to first. ( I do find that hard to believe )
There are 5 of us (3 adults 2 kids)

Ed

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hello!

We just placed a request to switch form Second sitting to first sitting dining.
Wife and kids will preffer to do the early diner instead of late.
I know I know We had a year to figure that out!

But anyways my question there is 5 of us set up for 2nd siting.
We just requested be switched to 1st.
Does anybody had any experiences switching diner times??
Did you hear before the cruise or did you have to wait until the Boarding day?
Any feedback will be appreciated.
By the way the agent claimed we were the only people to had requested switching from second to first. ( I do find that hard to believe )
There are 5 of us (3 adults 2 kids)

Ed

Ed - it might be that everyone else who has made the request has already had it granted, but like you, I suspect that hasn't happened.

It's easier to go from main to second seating.

Sometimes the seating is changed per your request before sailing and you find out just when you check your reservation online. Otherwise you would likely just find out when you check in. If you still have second seating when you board, make sure to go to the dining changes place (probably in Rockin' Bar D) to see if they can switch you then.

We've always had main seating - I prefer it because that lets me enjoy the evening activities a bit more (time to digest before going out for more - LOL). And with the kids, it's easier because even if they don't eat dinner with us, they c an eat smething during the same period of time and we're all free for the night for the shows, movies, games, etc.

We leave in 5 weeks!


If you've asked for the speadsheet and haven't gotten it, please PM me (PalatkaCruisers - I'm sending yours tonight - it's on a different computer than this one).

It's raining here today - thunderstorms woke me up at 5:30. Zachary is in the schoolwide spelling bee today so I'll be going to watch him this morning. Nathan is still not feeling well. Gary has a dentist appt. I have several projects at work that begin today (whose idea was that? certainly not mine!). So it will be busy for us today.

 

[Diana Lyn]

Hello!

We just placed a request to switch form Second sitting to first sitting dining.
Wife and kids will preffer to do the early diner instead of late.
I know I know We had a year to figure that out!

But anyways my question there is 5 of us set up for 2nd siting.
We just requested be switched to 1st.
Does anybody had any experiences switching diner times??
Did you hear before the cruise or did you have to wait until the Boarding day?
Any feedback will be appreciated.
By the way the agent claimed we were the only people to had requested switching from second to first. ( I do find that hard to believe )
There are 5 of us (3 adults 2 kids)

Ed

When we cruise in Feb, we automatically got late seating because main was full. At the time, the girls were 4 and 3, so there was NO WAY we could eat that late. We were on the waitlist and it never came through. When we got on the ship we went right to one of the bars (where they do the Palo ressies too) and they switched us right away, it wasn't a problem. So even if you don't get switched before the cruise, when you get onboard head to wherever they're doing the dining changes and they can hook you up.

BTW--this Feb cruise was completely full too, so they must pad the dining room totals for last minute switches like this.

 

[Diana Lyn]

We leave in 5 weeks!

Oh my!!! We DO leave in 5 weeks!!!!

I have SO much to do and so little time to do it. I plan on getting my shirts ordered this weekend. I have my FE gifts done, my ornament but that's about it. I have to get working on my door magnets too!! YIKES!!

(yes, I'm panicing a little... )

 

[tinksmom]

Morning Everyone!

Bigedwin -- when I made our reservation last January we were given second dinner seating automatically because main was full. I had us placed on the waitlist for main. I checked online and called off and on over the past months "just checking". I was rewarded the end of last week, our waitlist finally came through. Good luck on yours!

When Carly was eating breakfast this morning I asked her if she was going to get up and go to her first class 5 weeks from today. She just stared me down. Teenagers!
tenya

 

[DCLInauguralXmas]

I was confused about the 1 cu ft size on the box. And, even more than I was confused I was worried - I mean how much can you get in a one foot square box????? So I wrote an e-mail to IDS to verify. I was relieved to hear that it can be the size of a filing box 24x24x12.

Good morning,

In regards to your email a guest can ship a box to our location for delivery the ship, however the box needs to be no bigger than like a file box, lets say 24x24x12, you will need to have a packing list on the outside of the box with your name, stateroom, sail date, and cabin number on it. We would need the package a few days in advance of your sailing date to ensure the loading of the package to the housekeeping department who will be putting the package in your stateroom for your arrival on board. The mailing address is IDS, 9001 Marlin Street Cape Canaveral, Fl. 32920. If you should have any further questions please call me on my cell phone and I would be glad to review everything with you.


Tommy Fincher

321-799-9100 Office Phone

321-536-2517 Cell Phone

I hope this helps others!

 

[tinksmom]

I just solved our decorating problems. You can now order a Christmas tree "centerpiece" and holiday decorations for your cabin on the DCL website. The tree is $80 and the decorations are $30. Your cabin will be decorated when you board! Costs a little, but for me it's worth it.

Now I wonder if I can take the tree through customs and take it VWL for our stay after the cruise.
tenya

 

[nzdisneymom]

Zachary won the school-wide spelling bee today. Just gotta share my proud mommy moment.

Tenya - thanks for the tip about ordering the holiday decorations onboard - I may do that for us as well.


I hadn't thought about door magnets in a while - guess I need to get to work on those, too. Not sure what we'll make, but I had Tom make us some "name tags" with our DIS names so I will probably make those. I did get a magnetic paper-holder that I can put a new sheet in each day if I end up just doing that instead of the individual magnets.

 

[dbxazd]

Tenya -
Thanks for the tip re: Christmas Cabin decor.......That sounds like a great idea (I'm gonna check it out!).

WOO HOO!!! 5 weeks - awesome!!!

BTW - I went back to Target today - and they had the Tide travel detergant - but they are in single size packets......I was looking for the multi-load mini containers (which I have used in the past) so maybe I just overlooked this new design when I was there last week......These are single load packets......sooooo much easier and less messy (and disposable since it's only one load!!!) I have the dryer sheets too!

Later - Robin

 

[CrusinLattas]

Thanks! That sure helps me! I got the 1 ft. over the phone so I am glad to see the larger box size in email form! I was wondering just how much I could ship in such a small box! Thanks for checking that out!

I was confused about the 1 cu ft size on the box. And, even more than I was confused I was worried - I mean how much can you get in a one foot square box????? So I wrote an e-mail to IDS to verify. I was relieved to hear that it can be the size of a filing box 24x24x12.

Good morning,

In regards to your email a guest can ship a box to our location for delivery the ship, however the box needs to be no bigger than like a file box, lets say 24x24x12, you will need to have a packing list on the outside of the box with your name, stateroom, sail date, and cabin number on it. We would need the package a few days in advance of your sailing date to ensure the loading of the package to the housekeeping department who will be putting the package in your stateroom for your arrival on board. The mailing address is IDS, 9001 Marlin Street Cape Canaveral, Fl. 32920. If you should have any further questions please call me on my cell phone and I would be glad to review everything with you.


Tommy Fincher

321-799-9100 Office Phone

321-536-2517 Cell Phone

I hope this helps others!