March 5, 2011 - Bushwacker Wild Wild Westerners

[AmandaRG]

I did get an organizer, but decided against clear pockets as we have young ones and they tend to still tinker with stuff. I am going to hang it prior to leaving and try to decide what would best work in which pocket, and label them.

Good idea about the pump soap, at least I think so!

One question I do have, how many outfits do you bring? I am a chronic overpacker. It has usually served me well, but I really don't want to bring tons of stuff. We will be driving down, so airline baggage isn't an issue.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Thanks, Tink but we wouldn't want to DEPRIVE you of your pride and joys!!!!

WELCOME AMANDARG!

Glad to have you onboard!!!! You'll find we're a pretty fun and crazy group!!!!

Yes, D.... I just wanted to share my Pixie Dust with you... Since your head is getting so crowded with the Wedding plans and year after year, I wanted to let you borrow mine and go back down "Memory Lane" I already have the practicing "We love Aunt D & Uncle Russ." See and they will not eveb cost you anything..... Remember "Kids sail Free." As long as you promise not to put jean on them for dinner...

Yes welcome Madi.... You for sure will have a blast... Your kiddos will as well. After all you now have the two versions of the "Wild Wild West" that we can download....

Lady Story, BJ & D..... Don't we need to get another husband recruit to complete the Village People?

All I have learned to do away with some of the extras that many bring. We do the liquid soap thing too BJ. We place it in the bathroom with the toliet. No over the door shoe hanger as some of you know); I think we do not like things hanging on the door, hard for our family to manuver around. We do bring a "Stick Up" air freshner though. Just for midsailing when you are reminded that the sewer storage is underneath us. We bring a roll of quarters (yes I do laundry before heading back home-as some of you know the little OCD) and I bring a travel alarm clock' not for waking up, but because I wake several times a night and need to see what time it is.... Mandi, message me your e-mail. I have this wonderful e-mail that I put together for newbies last time. I will be happy to share it with you. My biggest advice... Do not over-plan. Just have fun. It is vacation.

Mark.... I was wondering where you were. I was wondering if you stayed at the second property. I am happy to see you and know that Johnna did not leave you in the "Can You Hear Me Now" location.... Hey next summer, I think we all should come and vacation there.

All~ Yes, MicDay was the one that alerted us all to that Magical savings; but........... I think some of you owe me.... If it was not for me, you may have choosen the sailing the following week Eastern. The promotion would have been over by then.... So I think you all owe me a Bushwacker or 2 or 3 or 4.....

 

[atinkerbellmom]

For those that commented that we are friends traveling together; believe it or not.... We are friends through here. Many of us met through these boards and cruised together before. We each other so much, as Lady Story said.... we just keep doing it again and again.... So now that you are a part of the family.... You are a friend too....

You will get to know our quarks over the months and if you still love us then you are "In".

Let's see..... Mark does not like they make him motion sick... I use a lot.

Lady Story..... Does not like typos, spelling errors or synthex errors... I have a lot of those too as I never proof read these darn things and tend to type a lot. Plus I do not care for even posting pictures as it takes me waaay to long and Johnna has to talk me theough it each time.

Me..... I just have several opinions and try to keep them to myself, but somehow it does not work... Just do not wear jeans or shorts to dinner and I am fine...

Seriously.... We have gotton to know each other through here and as a result stay in touch outside of the boards. The more you share here, the more we get to know each other and the better the "Friend Circle". If you ever do not understand a post, just ask. It usually has a funny Story behind it and we can explain. No secrets....

I can not believe all of the LA families we have on this cruise. Were they offering you guys discounts to said during Mardi Gras or something. Maybe we missed that "BEADS" promo they were offering. I guess we should practice that "Who Dat" saying heh?

Jennifer, I do remember that we are from here together. We have to talk. Are you flying SWA or Delta? We usually wait to get our air, but now that Labor Day is over, I can start searching. Anyone book air yet? Except for our extended vacationers driving from Main and Mani who is also driving.

 

[AmandaRG]

Thanks for the breakdown, Tink. Not a huge smilie user myself...but I have been known to do it from time to time.

As for me, I am Type A, so I want everything I do (or that reflects on me) to be perfect. Our kids have gone SO very far into helping to change that from day one.

I don't scare easily, so maybe that is a good thing!!

 

[noladave]

A LOT of Louisiana people head to Disney to escape Mardi Gras every year. We decided on the Cruise this year, mainly becuase we were getting burned out on our "commando" style park visits every year. Tried DL one year, thinking it might be different, but no, it just added stress because of the filights...

Since we had done a land/sea cruise in 1998, and the 3 days on board weren't enough, so we decided to go with the 7 day cruise this year..

Kids are old enough now, so we might get some great "couple" time , but as we all know, plans don't always work out the way we want them to.

So, we are going to try either the couple massage and spa villa, or do the exotic rasul, or maybe both, if we get enough time.. Kids are 12 and 17, so they will either not leave us alone, or won't leave the clubs, and stay up all night

 

[disjest8]

We haven't sailed DCL in several years, but I just stumbled upon the Kids Sail Free promo for this cruise and booked it. I'm so excited! We had a Carnival cruise booked, but this is much better. It will be me, my husband and our two DSs who will be 8 and 9 at cruise time.
Looking forward to getting to know everyone.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

disjest and family.... I am to be the first to welcome you... Happy you dropped the party boat to come onboard the Mickey Boat with us.... I have a DD your kids age. Johnna is the keeper of our list. She can get all of your information and add you. Thanks for finding our thread family. We are so pretty nice Bushwackers .
Please pipe in so we can get to know you a little better. It will be fun.
Noladave- Thanks for explaining that LA piece. My DD was looking at your picture and guess what caught her eye 1st.... The HSM basketball.
Talk with you guys later. I am on call this weekend so should sleep when I can. Night!

 

[donmil723]

Hello and welcome to our newest cruise buddies!!!!

Jumba--According to DCL's website, the shows on the Magic are Disney Dreams, Twice Charmed, and Villians Tonight! Looks like you were right and The Golden Mickeys isn't on the Magic anymore.

Has anyone started looking at the shore excursions? I noticed they have a dolphin encounter/swim at Grand Cayman that they didn't have when we were there in 2006.

Noladave--We had a couples massage on our last 7 night cruise which we thoroughly enjoyed. We also did the exotic rasul which was fun once Russell overcame his claustrophobia. Would we do either again???? Massage, YES, YES, YES! Exotic Rasul, probably not...

Oh, and TINK!!! If we get to practice being grandparents or Aunt D and Uncle Russell, remember we get to spoil "our" kiddos and then send them back to their parents.

Well, ya'll have a nice Sunday! We're off to a family reunion...

 

[disjest8]

Thanks for the warm welcome, we are so excited to be sailing Disney again.
We will be leaving for a vacation in Hawaii later this month, so I'm a bit preoccupied with that right now, but I will be more active on this thread once we're back from that vacation. As a matter of fact, I might be severely depressed when I have to come home from that vacation, so it's a good thing I can focus on this one as soon as I get back.

About us...
Kristi - me, 47
Kerry -DH, 52 Name is spelled like a female, but he's male...retired air force
Colton - DS, 8 now; 9 when we sail
Seth - DS, 7 now; 8 when we sail
We are WDW and DCL addicts, but have tried to venture out the last couple of years. We have enjoyed our Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises, but Disney is still our favorite. The Kids Sail Free promo made this cruise only slightly more expensive than the Carnival cruise we had previously booked and I would have blown that difference in the casino on Carnival easily. So here we are.

We've had sort of a busy month. Our 8 year old broke his wrist 2 weeks ago and our 7 year old was diagnosed with pneumonia today. We are very fortunate that they are both generally healthy and are expected to recover quickly. Sorry, I usually try to read through the thread and catch up when I join a cruise meet, but it's not looking like I'm going to have time to do that this time. Please forgive me and point me in the right direction if I state the obvious, stir the pot or ask an already answered question.

I would welcome any suggestions for fun stuff to do with kids in Key West. Last time we did the trolley and my boys were not very impressed.

Looking forward to getting to know more about the members of this very active cruise meet thread.

-Kristi

 

[Jumba]

Kristi - Welcome aboard. My DS' 9 & 6 will be happy to have more boys on board. We will be in San Antonio over the Thanksgiving break.

Most LA schools get Mardi Gras week off to get the heck out of dodge. <y kids are planning to bring plenty of beads for everyone.

 

[AmandaRG]

Hi Kristi! Sounds like you guys have so much going on right now!

This will be my first Disney experience, but I seriously doubt it will be the last!

As for us, we are SO ready for some cooler weather in TN. This has been a crazy hot, dry summer. We still can't get rid of the mosquitos! Our girls started back to Parent's Day Out last week, so maybe we will get into some sort of routine again.

 

[2gr8DisneyKids]

So now I am not only a resort switcher, I am a cruise hopper!

We just switched from the MR cruise to this one! DH wanted the kids free verandah, Grand Cayman, and we all wanted Castaway Cay!

This will be our third cruise, second on DCL. Cannot wait!

We are looking at the Ruins and Cultural Center for Cozumel and the beach at Grand Cayman.

We are:
Me (Katie) 33
DH (Ted) 36
DS (Adam) 7
DD (Lauren) 3

Cannot wait for the FE!!!

 

[sunburnin]

Hi all,

Just moved our cruise from March 19 to March 4 to take advantage of the kids sail free offer. Can't beat that!

Me, DW, DS8 and DD 6.

I'll have to surf through all 24 pages (WOW!) of this thread to catch up.

Look forward to chatting with you all.

Rob

 

[AmandaRG]

Hi Katie and Rob! Look forward to getting to know you a bit better before the trip!

 

[atinkerbellmom]

I want to extend a warm Bushwacker to both Katie & Family as well as Rob and Family... We are a pretty nice group... It is to have you onbaord. PM the started of the thread with all of your information so she can get you added to our spreadsheet. Our family is growing....

 

[GettinReadyforDisney]

We just paid our deposit for this cruise so we're joining in the FUN!!

We're another Louisiana family from Mandeville. (As you non-Louisianians have figured out -- many of us from Louisiana have an entire week off for Mardi Gras -- which makes for a great time to travel!! We actually do like Mardi Gras and we try to catch some parades and other festivities before we leave. Plus, we don't leave for Mardi Gras every year)

I saw there are other families from Louisiana and even some from Mandeville (it will be interesting to see if any of us actually know each other!!)

Us: Me and DH plus DS (13) and DD(will be 10 at time of sailing).

This is our second DCL adventure. We did the 7 nt eastern in the summer of 2009.

Let me know who has kids the same age as ours -- so maybe they can meet the first day.

We are just very excited to be joining in!!!

P.S.: Just realized when previewing this post that I have to change my signature -- we were going to WDW and staying at Bay Lake Tower before deciding on this cruise!!! I'm off to change it to DCL!!!!!

 

[atinkerbellmom]

We just paid our deposit for this cruise so we're joining in the FUN!!
I want to be the first to say to the "Ready" family. I am excited our family is growing ....:cool1:
We're another Louisiana family from Mandeville. (As you non-Louisianians have figured out -- many of us from Louisiana have an entire week off for Mardi Gras -- which makes for a great time to travel!! We actually do like Mardi Gras and we try to catch some parades and other festivities before we leave. Plus, we don't leave for Mardi Gras every year)
Yes, I just asked this a few pages back and some of your neighbors explained to me why everyone is from LA. I asked if there was a new "Resident Rate for Louisiana"..... I have relatives from there, but NO it's self. Sure wish you could bring me some "Craw Fish" on the ship.... Since it is against the rules though, I will not ask.

I saw there are other families from Louisiana and even some from Mandeville (it will be interesting to see if any of us actually know each other!!)
Message the started of the thread with all of your information and you will see if you actually know the other family or not. I know there are a lot of pages, but if you breeze through them, I bet you can find out a lot prior to the next spread sheet.
Us: Me and DH plus DS (13) and DD(will be 10 at time of sailing).
My DS will be the same age as your DS & DD almost the same as your DD. So I am really excited to have you onboard... As you may have picked up, some of us have sailed together before, even though my kids get alone with the opposite sex "Very Well", they would still enjoy a same sex friend I am sure.

This is our second DCL adventure. We did the 7 nt eastern in the summer of 2009.
We have done both the Eastern a couple of times and the Western and actually (with the exception of traveling with the Story, EJKJ, Day & D's Family..... We actually enjoy the Western. I do like the extra Sea Day on the Eastern, but like the Western POC's. So I think you will be happy.
Let me know who has kids the same age as ours -- so maybe they can meet the first day.
If possible, I would like for the kids to talk as soon as possible; through us as we get to know each other first. We have done this each time we cruised and it is amazing.... The kids get on the ship as if they have been friends for years. It is like going back to "camp". That is always the high-lite of my meets threads. I have really gotton to some of these "Bushwackers" here and do view them as "friends". Also mates too. don't go telling my DH or posted our secret on the internet or something.

Please feel free to share as much as you feel comfortable with sharing. The more you do, the better friendships that form. This has always made the biggest difference on our meets thread.

 

[cyndi-rella]

A group of us will be on this cruse as well. Where or do I need to register to participate in the Fe exchange program?

 

[cyndi-rella]

Hey all!!! So excited to start this thread - I've never started one before!! (okay - well, I started one that had a typo saying "2001", and not "2011" - so I started this "take two" thread.)

We are looking forward to what will be our 5th cruise - and the second one on the Western intinerary.

And we're especially looking foward to meeting up with our friends and fellow Dis'ers Brenda and Michele - but I'll let them add to the thread so they can introduce themselves.

Of course, we would love to meet new DIS friends as well! So sign on and join us!!!

 

[cyndi-rella]

This is our first DC, but have been to DW many times. We are from Nebraska and will be traveling with two other families. This will be a Christmas surprise for our children and are looking forward to getting to know some of the other families on our trip.

Our family consists of:

( Jodi )
( Cyndi )
( Emily )