March 13th 2011 Fiesta time on the Wonder!

[lmhall2000]

I booked a GTY and got a room number a week later. We have a room that sleeps 3 and need one that sleeps 4. Our room is 6085, maybe we can help each other out.

Denise!

We have 8, so we still need 4/room capacity...I was hoping to upgrade one of our rooms, if we end up being able to I will definitely contact you before I do it!! I'm so confused why you can't get a room with 4! The only thing I can think of is that they're maxed out for kids...it allowed me to change from a 3 per room to a 4 per room just about 4 weeks ago, and everytime I check for availability it still shows 11Bs available for 4 in a room...maybe they're going to upgrade you as a surprise and your TA doesn't want to mess it up? One can only hope!!!
Here's to pixie dust!!!

 

[lmhall2000]

does anyone know who was put in charge of the FE? I cant find the post that Allen left. Im going out this week to finish up my FE gifts. Lots of crafting involved but so worth it.

I think it's Erin, but she is hitting 2 cruises I think this month so I know she is probably slammed! It's a big chore...so we need to help her as much as possible...I think we should be nearing a point where we cut it off...

hoping her family has a GREAT trip on the Dream!!
Tara

 

[hopelea]

Just returned from Orlando!! What a great time, but it did make me miss Disney.

While there, my dh was reading the local paper, here is a direct quote from the paper
"Three cruise lines will end or scale back on trips to Mexico from Sothern California, a trend some in the industry attribute to escalating drug violence in Mexico that has frightened away tourists.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s luxury liner mariner of the Seas will depart Sunday on its final run from LA to the west coast of Mexico"
NCL's Star will also discontinue its Mexican Riviera trips in May."

I wonder if this will have any effect on DCL???

 

[Dicecatt]

I think it's Erin, but she is hitting 2 cruises I think this month so I know she is probably slammed! It's a big chore...so we need to help her as much as possible...I think we should be nearing a point where we cut it off...

hoping her family has a GREAT trip on the Dream!!
Tara

Yes, it is me! And I had every intention of sending out an updated list...alas, I am on magical express right now and did not finish in time.

My thoughts are we should do groups of 12 to 15 cabins. Anyone else have a preferance? We did 12 on the Med and it was perfect...25 is a LOT. Not only to provide for but also to receive, in regards to luggage.

 

[lmhall2000]

Yes, it is me! And I had every intention of sending out an updated list...alas, I am on magical express right now and did not finish in time.

My thoughts are we should do groups of 12 to 15 cabins. Anyone else have a preferance? We did 12 on the Med and it was perfect...25 is a LOT. Not only to provide for but also to receive, in regards to luggage.

Yes! Sorry, I didn't mean 25 cabins, but 25 'gifts'..sometimes a cabin will have 3-4 gifts needed per room...so I'm in line with you 12 is a good number, if it's not too much more than 25-30 actual gifts!

Thanks!
Tara

 

[tracielynn]

12-15 cabins sounds perfect to me. I was just planning on giving out a family gift to each of the cabins that I receive, but if we are only doing 12-15 I may also do something special for each child in the room. Are we able to get a list of how many kiddos are in each cabin that we are assigned to? I have never done this so I might need a but more explaining once we actually get everything set up.

 

[melsherard]

Yes, it is me! And I had every intention of sending out an updated list...alas, I am on magical express right now and did not finish in time.

My thoughts are we should do groups of 12 to 15 cabins. Anyone else have a preferance? We did 12 on the Med and it was perfect...25 is a LOT. Not only to provide for but also to receive, in regards to luggage.

This sounds great to me

 

[CopaDave]

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s luxury liner mariner of the Seas will depart Sunday on its final run from LA to the west coast of Mexico

I was there at San Pedro to watch her leave. Pictures are here.

I talked to the security guard at the entrance to the Cruise terminal and learned a little about what happens, too. More on this in a bit.

 

[Euphscott]

Texas Girl - I posted a message for you privately - my family might very well be interested...

 

[Dicecatt]

Just wanted to let you guys know, I am doing a trip report for my fun on the Dream in the next two weeks...I'm neglecting our March trip but it is for a good reason!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2626478

 

[CopaDave]

I was there at San Pedro to watch her leave. Pictures are here.

I talked to the security guard at the entrance to the Cruise terminal and learned a little about what happens, too. More on this in a bit.

I have been posting what I learn about the LA Port in a separate thread, located here.

Since the cruising starts on Friday, we should start getting some hard, fast "on-the-ground" intel about the port soon.

 

[lmhall2000]

I have been posting what I learn about the LA Port in a separate thread, located here.

Since the cruising starts on Friday, we should start getting some hard, fast "on-the-ground" intel about the port soon.

Thanks so much for keeping us up to date, it's sooo helpful!!

Dicecatt!! Please let us know how we can help when you get back, so excited you're posting a trip report! Have a blast!!

Blessings,
Tara

 

[TexasGirl]

Texas Girl - I posted a message for you privately - my family might very well be interested...

Sent you a PM. That would be a blast Scott. Whatever you decide is cool. We went ahead and paid our $25 dollar deposit a few days ago for our family of 4. Not bad at all to hold our spots. We owe 195 at the conclusion of the tour. 65 times 2 adults, 45 times 2 kidlets less our 25 dollar deposit.

Glad we've gotten our excursions lined up. Good feeling!

Good luck deciding. Love to have you along.

 

[mindy327]

CopaDave... I couldnt SEE your pictures. Am I doing something wrong? I am anxious to see some very near future trip reports. It should make the unknown a little more familiar. I like to prepare.
The FE group even with 15 will be overflowing our FE'rs. Any more than that We would be leaving gifts on the floor of the FE. Think about it 25 rooms divided by 7 days... Thats over 3 families each day. 12-15 is perfect. How are we dividing them? First ones on the list go first? I think I remember Alan talking about that.
I went to target today and spent 20$ on "travel sized" items. I also found some beach toys small enough to lug along with us. I started packing... Well, the swimsuits and such already. We wont be using them anytime soon. Arizona is warm but not that warm. 78 degrees today... 65 next week.

 

[son3disfan]

This was on the news today:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Pe...aign=Feed:+canwest/F229+(Vancouver+Sun+-+News


This one, more then the other reports makes me nervous.

 

[mindy327]

This was on the news today:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Pe...aign=Feed:+canwest/F229+(Vancouver+Sun+-+News


This one, more then the other reports makes me nervous.

I think my stomach just turned over! I really dont know how to take this. I cant believe that it was in a tourist town....

 

[mikmouse]

I think my stomach just turned over! I really dont know how to take this. I cant believe that it was in a tourist town....

We're rethink our Dec. cruise also. Terrible. It's such a beautiful place and no one wants to go see it now.

 

[CopaDave]

We're rethink our Dec. cruise also. Terrible. It's such a beautiful place and no one wants to go see it now.

Amazing responses. A few years ago foreign tourists were being targeted and murdered in Florida.

Last week some nutzo psycho killed 6 people in Tucson and injured a bunch more.

Daily there are stories of murder and violent activity on the news in EVERY media market in the US, and yet people are in a panic frenzy about Mexico. And the media does their best to stoke the panic by using key words like AK-47, gangland, gang violence, etc.

But they never bother to put it in perspective. Playa del Carmen is on the wrong side of Mexico from Mazatlan.

A quick look through online headlines this morning in the US:

Los Angeles: Student who shot up his high school in Gardena will be charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Spokane, WA: FBI says someone left a "potentially lethal" backpack bomb along a MLK parade route.

Salt Lake City: Centerville man accidently shoots his mother-in-law and his toddler son. (More Gun Violence!)

Atlanta: Cobb County man arrested for beating his father to death when the older man attempted to stop him from beating his girlfriend.

Orlando: Slain woman's son questioned about roommate's homicide.

Victoria (BC): Two found dead in home on B.C. beach, first homicide of the year in Saanich.

New York: 2 beat, rob man in home

• Violence rises in NYC housing projects
• Car trunk gang hunted in Queens
• Alleged cop killer arrested in N.J.
• Teens hurt in shootout after H.S. hoops game
• Rape vic: He said no one would believe me
• Slay witness warned to zip it
• Qns. hubby admits guilt in wife's fatal stabbing

And the list goes on and on. Dang, I guess we should stay away from major tourist areas in the US, too.

The police blotter for the first week of January in Anaheim (home to DL) is full of scary stuff. Burglary, robbery, assault, robbery, armed robbery, commercial robbery, grand theft auto, narcotics assault, gang activity, etc.

This type of thing happens every day in the cities of the US. And yet, we are so desensitized to it that it doesn't even register anymore. Yet, let something happen elsewhere and it's "OMG! I'm Not Going!"

Mexico is 761,600 square miles in size, with over 112 million people, spread across 3 time zones.

Your chances of dying in a traffic accident are much greater than the chance of getting shot in gangland violence in Mexico.

Next time you read the "horrific stories of violence and murder" in Mexico, look at a map. And think about it.

 

[lmhall2000]

Mexico is 761,600 square miles in size, with over 112 million people, spread across 3 time zones.

Your chances of dying in a traffic accident are much greater than the chance of getting shot in gangland violence in Mexico.

Next time you read the "horrific stories of violence and murder" in Mexico, look at a map. And think about it.

CopaDave, I have to strongly disagree with your sentiments. Mexico is notorious for not reporting ALL the incidents, they keep it covered up as evidenced by numerous events..they only say it's 'being investigated' when the victims families come forth and spout the news to their local papers...

Mexico has the most corrupt policing force in the continents on this side of the world, if not all. More chiefs of police have been murdered there than in any of the locations you refer to. Like I mentioned on a thread on the main page, yes, there are isolated nutjobs out there that are unpredictable (Florida, Arizona) but how many of them are a cohesive coordinated effort by a large group (some say tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands cartel members) that is peppered throughout the entire country? You are not comparing apples to apples here....I was given some solace that Mexico's own tourism agency relented that they've got the government cracking down on it and 'most' incidences occur at night when most tourists are informed not to be out....the incident this week in Mazatlan hits home..these were tourists who felt the exact same way you do, they love the Mexican people, they thought since they weren't drug dealers they would in no way be affected...now that man is in a hospital and his daughter is urging others to take heed...that's all we are doing, taking heed....I will not be one of those tourists that says, "I thought we'd be safe"....chances may be slim but with 6 kids traveling, it's not worth stopping off at Mazatlan..am I cancelling my cruise? NO. Will I get off at Mazatlan? NO.

Tara

 

[tracielynn]

Tara..

I am totally with you. We will get off in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo, but we will be staying on the ship in Mazatlan. Hopefully Disney will realize that several families are going to do the same and have planned activities that day. I also agree that violence does happen everywhere, but at least in the US you can count on the police to help you. In Mexico you do not know if the police are more of a harm to you than the criminals. Very sad!!

I am just nervous that Disney may cancel the cruise all together if the violence continues. What do you think? Is that possible??

On a great note I did receive this from Disney today in regards to the Edge..

Thank you for your patience while we researched your request.

It has been verified that the Edge on the Disney Wonder is fully operational. This location premiered on December 23, 2010.

The Out And About activities are offered for the 'tweens' onboard the ships. The activities themselves range from dodgeball to scavenger hunts to basketball tournaments to pool parties. These are activities that take place outside the Edge location, activities that would take them 'Out and About'. Times and locations can be found onboard in the Personal Navigator. And the Youth Counselors will be happy to provide additional information.