March 31-April 7, 2007 Eastern...3rd try :-)

[delaneysmom]

Oooh, Kinkos, what a great idea! Thanks!

 

[cruisecrzy]

Oooh, Kinkos, what a great idea! Thanks!

What about your public library. I asked my students how they do their work and they told me the public library has computers and printers that they can use and they pay by the sheet they print out.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Since so many people are working on door signs I thought I would post my Pirate night signs.

 

[Targhee]

Hello to all,

Just found this forum this week.

I'm not up on the sign making, door posting etc., but at least I did read the 21 pages of postings.

But, I'd thought it would be good to try and do some connecting prior to boarding.

About us

Traveling from Idaho, 1st time cruise for me
2nd time for DW, DD, DS (1st time was on a Carnival Cruise- Mexican Riviera)

Me: 44
DW: 43
DD: 10
DS: 12

We have scoured the Passporter's Field Guide and Brinbaum's, our kids are enrolled in the Oceaneer's Lab, have reservations for activities on St. Thomas and Castaway Cay, early seating, are staying in Port Canaveral at the Residence Inn on 3/30, staying 2 extra days at the end to go to Kennedy Space Center, and have reservations for Palo on 4/3 at 7 pm.

What's everyone's opinion of our Palo reservations? Should we run straight to the reservation desk once we board and change them if we can?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Targhee

 

[dpuck1998]

Since I don't sleep...let me be the first to say welcome

One suggestion for you is to read up and consider late dining.
We are traveling with a 6 and 8 yo and are doing late dining anyway. Just seems to work out better overall for shows, etc. But do some reading on it and make your own call. This is our first cruise also so I could be way off base on it.

We have Palo booked for Sun at 6:30 and Tues at 8:00 so we should run into you on Tues night. Not sure if we are keeping both nights or not yet, depends if the boys want to do Pirate night with us or not. We are going to try to get brunch when we get on board and maybe change a Palo night to Mon or Weds

Little over 3 weeks!

YEA

 

[ScrapinDisney]

We leave 3 weeks from today whoohoo!!!!!! I haven't packed or shopped for a thing, it's been a little crazy around here!

 

[minniesota]

Targhee- Welcome aboard!

This is our second cruise and second time on the Eastern. I agree about dinner seating. We did early seating the first time when our kids were 10 and 12 but we are doing late seating this time. We always felt kind of rushed before dinner and then we would go to the shows on a full stomach (and maybe a little wine!) There was more than once when we found ourselves dozing! And then I was ready for bed so we didn't really participate in any of the later-evening activities. We are in the central time zone and usually eat around 6 which translates to 7 and 8 p.m. onboard (we travel in 2 time zones) so I think this will work better this time!

We have never experienced pirate night so I can't help out with your Palo ressies. Would the kids feel like they are missing out if they're not in the restaurant on pirate night? Truly, I don't think my kids would care but they are 15 and 13. And they would go have dinner without us. That being said, I have heard it's not real difficult to change days if you get to Rockin'Bar D right away once you board. We are going to Palo on Wednesday night and brunch on Monday. In my opinion, the brunch is better but they are both wonderful!

We will be at the Residence Inn on Friday night too! What activities do you have planned in St. Thomas and CC? What deck are you on? I'm sure one of us can help out with a door sign if you think you'd like one.

Can't beleive we are leaving in 3 weeks!

 

[minniesota]

cruisecrazy- Love your Mickey pirate sign! Too cute!!!

 

[dixieslanding]

Didn't get our 'free upgrade' to Cat 4 like last time but we are on starboard side and only second balcony --- hopefully next door neighbor won't be a smoker so we can really enjoy the balcony this time.

6530..... three weeks away.... I don't think DW really realizes it's coming as we are so busy with school, me with work, and.. refinishing our basement....

Hopefully we pack in time.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Targhee
Welcome!!! I think your family will love the ship. This is DH and I 7 Magic cruise and DD 4th. So we love it. I will try to post another message for you that will have links. 1 to a 50pag document and 1 to a 16 of all sorts of tips and things on a Disney cruise. But I will need to get those to post.


I will put your info into our cruise list later today or tonight.

As for Palo I wuld go directly to Rockin' Bar D if you want to make a change. Typically the earlier you get there the better the chances are. The same if you want to get into a class like spinning or that in the Spa. They only have a few spots. Last spring we divided and conqoured. I went to Palo to verify our Ressies, 1 to Guest Services to get Tea with Wendy Tickets, and two of us ran the stairs to the Spa to put our names on the classes.

Ditto what all said with the dinner seating. I feel that things are so rushed when you are trying to ge to the early seating. Especially when you are out on the island most of the day. Like dpuck said research it a bit.

As for the signs there is a whole thread all about making signs but Minniesota is right. I or others would be more than happy to help you out with that.

Also, do you know about the pillowcases or photomats that you can turn into guest services to have signed by all the characters?


Pirate Night
I would say the best part of Pirate Night is the deck party. That is the thing I would not miss. A money saving tip if you have kids into this stuff....buy glow necklaces at the dollar store then give them to them on pirate night to wear to the deck party. I actually buy the bracelets and connect the two in the package to make a necklace (easier to pack then necklace package).

The dinner in the dinning rooms is a special menu that looks like a treasure map that you get to keep and each person gets a pirate bandanna.

But the most important thing is to save room in your belly. There is the biggest spread of food at the pirate party. Tureky legs, chili, build your own fajitas, desserts, in November they did not have the Crepe O-matic

As for the signs there is a whole thread all about making signs but Minniesota is right. I or others would be more than happy to help you out with that.

Also, do you know about the pillowcases

 

[cruisecrzy]

Here is the link to find the 50 page word document (manulog). The link is in the first post.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1242973

Here is the link to a Tips thread. Someone summarized all the tips into one document. I believe it is 16 pages worth.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1242604


Targhee-you can print these out and have some bedtime reading

 

[Targhee]

Thanks for all the great info. Lots of reading to do this weekend.

So the consensus is do late dinner seating.

It is my understanding that on 4/3 there is a "pirate dinner" (at the regular dinner seating) and a "pirate deck party" (at 9:30). Is that correct? Again, that is the same night we have reservations for Palo, so I'm considering switching them.

Didn't know about turning in the mats/pillowcases.

They have spinning classes? I just figured I'd end up on the bike at 5:30 am (I ride approximately 3000 miles each summer).

I'm not too worried about the signs.

We're on deck 5 towards the front. Any issues?

On St. Maarten we're doing the beach on our own.

On St. Thomas/St. John we're on the 5 Star Snorkal & Beach Adventure

On Castaway Cay we're doing the Extreme Getaway Package.

Thanks again to all.

Targhee

 

[dixieslanding]

Hello to all,

Just found this forum this week.

I'm not up on the sign making, door posting etc., but at least I did read the 21 pages of postings.

But, I'd thought it would be good to try and do some connecting prior to boarding.

About us

Traveling from Idaho, 1st time cruise for me
2nd time for DW, DD, DS (1st time was on a Carnival Cruise- Mexican Riviera)

Me: 44
DW: 43
DD: 10
DS: 12

We have scoured the Passporter's Field Guide and Brinbaum's, our kids are enrolled in the Oceaneer's Lab, have reservations for activities on St. Thomas and Castaway Cay, early seating, are staying in Port Canaveral at the Residence Inn on 3/30, staying 2 extra days at the end to go to Kennedy Space Center, and have reservations for Palo on 4/3 at 7 pm.

What's everyone's opinion of our Palo reservations? Should we run straight to the reservation desk once we board and change them if we can?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Targhee

Don't run.... Grab your blocking gear and tear a B-Line for Palo reservations!!! We didn't on our first two cruises and WHAT a mistake. YOur kids will be delightfully happy (mine are 10 ds and 12 dd) and you and spouse will love it. Choose brunch over dinner in my opinion -- on a sea day (good luck i'll be racing you!)

 

[dixieslanding]

your kids will be delightfully happy means...

no kids in Palo

kids do their own 'thing' (with club) for dinner

together.. WONDERFUL

We LOVE our kids and given my many hours at work i prefer to be with them on vacation.... but it's fun being w/ my wife on a 'date' when we know kids are happy, safe, and on same ship. Nothing better than that in this world.

 

[cruisecrzy]

It is my understanding that on 4/3 there is a "pirate dinner" (at the regular dinner seating) and a "pirate deck party" (at 9:30). Is that correct? Again, that is the same night we have reservations for Palo, so I'm considering switching them.

Didn't know about turning in the mats/pillowcases.

They have spinning classes? I just figured I'd end up on the bike at 5:30 am (I ride approximately 3000 miles each summer).


We're on deck 5 towards the front. Any issues?

You are correct. There is a pirate themed dinner. If I get the chance I will scan in the menu for you. And there is a seperate deck party at 9:30 and a huge buffet after that.

Yes, they have spinning classes. I took one last spring taught by a tough teacher and then a not so tough teacher. The classes fill fast because the # of bikes are limited. If you are on the waitlist just show up. A guy did that on our last cruise and got in when people did not show for the class.

Do you know about the mat/pillowcase thing or do you need someone to explain it. Briefly in case you already know you put items in a bag turn in at guest relations and they return it to your stateroom on the last night signed by the characters. I will see if I have a picture to post below handy.

The only thing I do not like about being forward is all the stuff we want to do is on the opposite end of the ship....topsiders, drink station, etc. So we feel like we are constantly crossing the ship. Other than that nothing I can think of.

 

[minniesota]

Hey, cruiscrazy-

Weird thing - I was checking the DCL site this morning to see if any Cat. 11s on Deck 7 showed up overnight and for the heck of it, I checked the other Cats. On Deck 7, the site shows 7520 available. Isn't that your room???
Must be a mistake but thought you'd want to know.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Hey, cruiscrazy-

Weird thing - I was checking the DCL site this morning to see if any Cat. 11s on Deck 7 showed up overnight and for the heck of it, I checked the other Cats. On Deck 7, the site shows 7520 available. Isn't that your room???
Must be a mistake but thought you'd want to know.

This is sort of funny. Thanks for looking out for me. 7520 was the room I had on our Nov. cruise. I am just using that as a placeholder until I get my room number. We are GTY Cat 6.

Thank you for noticing and letting me know.

 

[minniesota]

Ahhh...that explains things! I was admiring your door signs and thinking you'd be down the hall from us. So, do you know where you will be this time?

 

[cruisecrzy]

Ahhh...that explains things! I was admiring your door signs and thinking you'd be down the hall from us. So, do you know where you will be this time?

I am hoping to find ut on either Tuesday or Wednesday. We usually do not get assigned until 2-3 weeks out.

 

[dpuck1998]

Thought I'd post a couple of my signs here and see what you guys think...