MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[bigedwin]

Hello!
Does anybody Know if we will be chaging our time zone on the ship?
I need to kow if we are staying in Easter time zone or we will subtract or add an hour.
THANKS
Ed

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hello!
Does anybody Know if we will be chaging our time zone on the ship?
I need to kow if we are staying in Easter time zone or we will subtract or add an hour.
THANKS
Ed

We will definitely be changing time zones but no worries - they adjust the ship clocks and post it in the Navigators. Just be sure to double-check before you disembark in Cozumel or Grand Cayman to know what time it is when you are leaving and what time you need to be back. Our experience has been that our stateroom host will adjust our stateroom clock for us.

 

[jadeblue]

Wish you all a very merry x'mas!

 

[hinsok1]

Okay, so I'm freaking out a little bit:
Here's our forecast for Thursday night through Friday noon (and our flight leaves at 8 am Friday):

12+ inches of snow with blowing and drifting!

I am so concerned about us getting out of the Milwaukee airport!!

Okay, so now that I vented a little, I feel better. The only good thing is that our flight is early, so if there is a delay, we have all day to fly out. Also, you have no idea how happy I am that we are flying down to Orlando a day before the cruise. For that I am very thankful!!

Question: I have put magnet strips on the back of a couple of signs I want to put on our door. Will the magnet strips cause any problems going through the luggage metal detectors???

(By the way, I have not started packing)

LOL . . . My FIL is flying out of Milwaukee tomorrow morning also . . . he calls me this am and says, "Have fun on the flight, we will not be able to make it". I'm like "What??" He is so concerned about the weather . . . .

I just made reservations at a hotel near the airport for tomorrow night. We were just going to get up early to make the 1 hour drive Friday am, but traffic has been so bad with the snow and ice lately and with a predicted 4-8 in of the white stuff, I'm not taking the chance . . . found a deal at Hyatt Place for the same amount it will cost us to park at the airport . . . and we can leave our car their for the entire trip . . . so I guess it is ok. Except I'm not completely packed yet and I have to work tomorrow and had plan to get the manicure and pedicure tomorrow night . . . oh well.

 

[BearFan]

Have a safe trip everyone. I just printed out scavenger hunt lists Can't wait!
See you all soon!!!!

Lisa Marie

 

[psharrock]

Well its Thursday morning and its 4:30am , and we're up, heading off to the airport in about 2 hours for our 10:25am flight. We should be arriving at about 3pm and crossing 5 time zones, so the flight its just over 9hrs.

As usual we'll be walking zombies when we arrive, but we'll have Friday to recover, before travelling from Kissimmee to Port Canaveral on Saturday morning.

We've prepared the kids a treasure hunt for Friday morning, which will lead them to their answer of where they are going for their 'special surprise'

Paul

 

[minnie1]

We are leaving today!
I will try and check in from the hotel.
Everyone have a safe trip.

Angie

 

[tinksmom]

Happy and safe travels to everyone. Tons and tons of pixies dust to everyone with weather woes!

I look forward to meeting everyone on Saturday.

I just wanted to give you all a quick update on Carly. We didn't get the testing or answers we hoped for Wednesday. We did like the doctor. She's like a Korean Einstein. Dr. Huyen feels it's either Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome; both are nerve damage, with the RSD being the worse. If it is RSD the doctor doesn't feel it has progressed very far. Carly is off the crutches and back in a boot. Dr. Huyen said if it is RSD the worst thing you can do is not use the foot.

Carly has a an appointment this evening for an EMG and Dr Huyen is trying to find a location that can do a nuclear bone scan today. I don't think we'll know anything until after the holidays, though.
tenya

 

[xsjackson]

Oh my... what is a teacher to do with 2 snow days in a row. NOTHING!!!!

I'm packed and repacked. I've cleaned and changed sheets for our return, now I just need to relax and hopefully get to te airport by 5am tomorrow morning!


already up and scrapped the 7 in off the car. Coffee in hand. My sister, her kids, dad, and my daughter all leave today.

Good luck with everyone travelling today. We are actually having thunder and lightening in our snow! Kinda cool since I dont have to go out.

 

[nzdisneymom]

This is the hardest part of preparing for a cruise with a bunch of DISers - sitting at my desk in my office while half of you have either left or are on your way and I'm still working! I'm wrapping things up today so that tomorrow morning will be an easy day as I'm working 1/2 day tomorrow, too.

Gary woke up with an earache this morning, so he has stayed home, taken a handful of ibuprofen and sudafed, and is going to do all the laundry and his packing! What a blessing for him to have the extra time, but not at the expense of him feeling bad. I told him if he's not feeling any better tonight that he's going to the dr first thing in the a.m. to get some antibiotics. Because he doesn't take meds very often, I figure a round of antibiotics won't hurt him even if he doesn't need them. So you all send some "feel better" vibes to Gary. And Zachary, too - his nose was beginning to be a mess yesterday but at least we have time to get him all cleared up as well.

I have a Christmas party tonight at 6:30, so after that, I get to do the last of my laundry and packing.

And then in the morning we tell the children! They got watches in their "ho-ho pocket" this morning and were wondering why.

All my pre-trip errands are done except a stop at the bank for cash for the trip. And gassing up my car for the trip to Port Canaveral.

Tenya - I hope you guys get your appointments set up for Carly so that as soon as you get home you can get her on the road to recovery. Bless her heart. But at least she'll get loads of attention from cast members on the ship!

I'm thinking we may be the last ones to leave - probably about 2:30 on Friday afternoon... anyone leaving later than that?

Sending good-weather-vibes to all of you, especially those coming from the northern areas of snow and ice and such.

 

[ShannonR]

Today's the day!! We leave as soon as the kids get out of school! They only have a half day tomorrow so they won't be missing much. I would have taken them out today, but they both have final exams and can't miss them.

Melissa (DD4 ) woke up with a fever at 1:00AM. I have given her Motrin twice since then and IT BETTER NOT turn into anything else!!!!!!! This city has been nothing but a sick bay since September. In the schools and at work, we literally have been passing it back and forth and can't seem to get rid of it. It is SSSSOOOO frustrating! I have been sick, I mean REALLY sick, twice since September and I NEVER get sick. I don't know when it is going to end, but I am guessing in the spring when school ends.

It is still cold and raining down here with ANOTHER element to add to the mixture: fog! I am so ready to leave to some nice weather!

I can't wait to see all the Hyatt girls tomorrow night!!! Denise, Kim, Sheila, and Corinna: have a safe trip to Orlando and I look forward to meeting you tomorrow night!

Shannon

 

[alikat99]

Well, on Monday night, I stayed up almost all night (took a nap from 2:45 - 4:15am) cleaning, organizing and doing laundry. So, last night, after I got home from school (and I tutor twice this week after school) I was exhausted. The girls hadn't been shopping for each other, so we took them out to dinner and shopping. Got home and went to bed at 9:30pm, but still NOTHING was packed.

I got up at 3am and really started packing. All of the suitcases are laying on my bed (so it has to be done tonight before I go to bed )!!! I packed up almost all of the non-clothing stuff. I can't believe how much stuff we have, between the Christmas decorations, gifts, FE stuff, general medicine kit, etc, etc, etc!!! So, when I get home after teaching and tutoring, I need to mop and vacuum all the floors and the cleaning part of the house is done. Then, I just need to pack up our clothes and I should be done.

Our plan tomorrow is to get up early, DH has the day off, so we're going to go to breakfast at Chick-fil-A, then DH will drop the girls and I off at school. All of our middle schoolers have a mid-term tomorrow morning, so I have to protor an exam for the 7th grade. Then, they are all having a party and being released at noon. The girls have their tumbling party at 1pm and then my hope is to leave here after that, around 2:30pm, or so!!

Then, we're headed over the the DVC member mixer, then to watch fireworks at the MK, drop the girls off at the Cubs Den and then dinner at Artist Point.

Here's to hoping that whole plan works out!!

Safe travels to everyone that has left, or is leaving soon!!!!!

 

[alikat99]

Melissa (DD4 ) woke up with a fever at 1:00AM. I have given her Motrin twice since then and IT BETTER NOT turn into anything else!!!!!!! This city has been nothing but a sick bay since September. In the schools and at work, we literally have been passing it back and forth and can't seem to get rid of it. It is SSSSOOOO frustrating! I have been sick, I mean REALLY sick, twice since September and I NEVER get sick. I don't know when it is going to end, but I am guessing in the spring when school ends.

I know what you mean, Shannon!! I just found out that 2 kids of 2 of the teachers that I work with (and their kids go to school with Madison), are throwing up for the last 2 days. I'm ready to quarantine my kids in order to go on this cruise. We've already battled 2 sinus infections (Emily is still on antibiotics) and an ear infection. I do NOT need anything else!!!

Pixie dust for heathy travelers too!!!

 

[CrusinLattas]

Oh my... what is a teacher to do with 2 snow days in a row. NOTHING!!!!

I'm packed and repacked. I've cleaned and changed sheets for our return, now I just need to relax and hopefully get to te airport by 5am tomorrow morning!


already up and scrapped the 7 in off the car. Coffee in hand. My sister, her kids, dad, and my daughter all leave today.

Good luck with everyone travelling today. We are actually having thunder and lightening in our snow! Kinda cool since I dont have to go out.

Wow, that must be incredible to watch! Pixie dust that it will be done by the time you need to leave!

 

[CrusinLattas]

Tenya and Carly, I am so sorry that they are still trying to figure out what's going on with her foot! I know she is missing dancing and really would rather not hobble around WDW!

I just got this from Grandma Latta; it was on vacationstogo dot com:

Ok, I couldn't get it to show as a picture so maybe the will let me include the link:

http://www.vacationstogo.com/christmas_card_2008.cfm

It is a twas the Night before Christmas for Cruisers poem.

Everyone have safe travels and we will see you soon!

 

[minnie1]

Turning off the computer now so I can pack it. We are leaving in a few hours (trying to get dh to come home early so we can get on the road).

We are getting out of here just in the nick of time. A winter storm is getting here tomorrow at 5a.m. If any of you remember, my dh did not want to leave until tomorrow morning and drive all the way but I convinced him to leave tonight and drive to southern Virginia. He is thanking me for that decision now.

I'll check in tomorrow from our hotel near the port.
Happy Travels!!
Angie

 

[nzdisneymom]

Angie - good call on your part about leaving a day early to get some road behind you!

We've been evacuated from our work building three times today, but each time we have had to go back in. This last time I thought about just leaving since I could be home doing stuff to get ready The boys are out of school already today - Zachary has a play-date and Nathan is playing on the computer - still clueless about where we're going! So maybe it's better for me to be at the office so I won't blab or accidentally say "now where are those passports?" out loud

 

[nzdisneymom]

P.S. -- it's 77-degrees here in Tallahassee (north Florida) this afternoon.

 

[ShannonR]

Well, this will be my last post pre-cruise! We have the van all packed, two out of three kids here at home (we will pick up DS12 on the way out of town) and all the timers set!

I can't begin to tell you ladies (and gentlemen) how much I have enjoyed "talking" to all of you in these past months since Amy created this thread. I remember thinking as I would be reading and responding, "is this cruise EVER going to get here?" Now it is finally here and even though I don't want to think it, I know how quickly it will go by and life will go on as usual. Thank you SO much for all the wonderful conversation over the last 18 months and I can't wait to meet EACH AND EVERY one of you!!! See you at the port!

Shannon

 

[CrusinLattas]

This will be my last precruise post as well - I know many of our group are already there and others that are leaving soon! Everyone have safe travels and we will see you on deck!