May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 4

[LiserAnn]

Hello

We are from Scotland, UK and we got the reservation booking yesterday. We are so exciting about it.

Deborah and Ian
Keith will be 11 and Olivia will be 8

Welcome...our boys will be 6 and 9 on the cruise!

The company that I work for uses Enterprise for all of our customer rentals. I will get ahold of the regional manager for our area and see if I can talk them into opening on sunday since I think they might get quite a bit of business from the ship. I let you know how it goes.

Venetia, that would be wonderful because I'm really trying to figure out how else we'd get back home!!

My girls will be missing Friday no matter what if I do the red-eye it be Thursday. Did you ask the school about The Independent Study Program yet?
I need to get back to LAX. I have not figured that one out yet. We don't have any family out here and I don't dare ask any of my friends to take me to the airport for the morning flight if we do the red-eye than I could ask someone. My dream would be to take the next cruise and send DH home. I know I will need a vacation when we get back. Do you think he would mind.

Lori-do you need to get back to LAX because of your car? We're flying out of LAX but our plan is to rent a car in Murrieta to get there...a Taurus was about $40. So, if Enterprise will open up on Sunday, when we return, we'll rent again to get back to Murrieta which should cost another $40-50. Have you thought about just renting a car?

We haven't checked into independent study yet. I want to wait until January to bring the subject up at school...no need to alert the "troops" early!

The sisters are home safe and sound!

Bless you, my child!

I wouldn't want unflattering pics of me posted so I assume no one else does either! I figure no picture is better than a picture that's not a true representation of the person!

Just getting on for the first time since our fun, fun meet! It was so nice to meet those who could attend. Again, thank you, Lisa for setting this up!

You're so welcome!!!

Speaking of parking! I forgot about this one. Did any of you have a hard time with your validated ticket?

No I was actually serious. Remember when we were all getting are parking passes validated at the resteraunt. I did it when Lisa mentioned it. Thanks Lisa. When we were leaving I gave the guy my ticket and he said it was $10.00 and I said no we were just validated (sorry no puntuation in this story). Then he said no and I said then here is DH's ID and he said NO! Then Kristin in the back seat said look I can even see the wholes punched in the card. All of a sudden we were let through. I felt really bad that my 10 year old made him feel like an idiot. I don't think they are Disney Employee's though.

When we got to the booth the lady asked me where we got our ticket validated. I told her and the $10 immediately went to $0 and we were let through.

 

[scottishwee35]

Welcome aboard!! I have family in Glascow. We also have friends who live in Scotland who worked on the Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup game released in 2003. Gillian worked for my DH in the states then went back home to Scotland.

Hello

Glasgow is a great place and very friendly people there and I have a friend who live there. I often meet her at Glasgow for lunch or stay overnight. Last year at Disney Wonder Cruise I met staff I cannot remember her name, she is working in duty free, she come from Glasgow. She was delighted to see another Scottish!!

Scottishwee35

 

[scottishwee35]

Hi

I would like to saying thank for Welcome Us.

I cannot believe how many people had join it.

I will trying to catch up with you all.

Also I am glad that there are some childrens to come along and fine for our kids to meet.

Scottishwee35

 

[Jhalkias]

In my experience, guys are easier to raise and girls are WAY harder!! Just my thoughts...

Into year 7 so far and year 20 with the boy, I can vouch for this at least in my case!

 

[Jhalkias]

We have only eaten at Le Cellier once, and had vowed to not go back. We did not have good service and our food was just ok. The only highlight was DD's "Chocolate Moose" dessert... yes, shaped like a moose!!

Wish we would win a "dreams" thing!!

Karen

Wow, We LOVE Le Cellier . . .

Had great service every time, and good food. We have been there 3 times and no complaints other than other rude diners near us.

 

[granmaz]

We have only been to Le Cellier once. Overall it was quite a good experience, but we were at a table right outside the toilets and within about 4 inches of another table for 2!!!

Both our steaks were grissly, which is really why we haven't been back - just in case!!! I think we will try it again sometime, but for now there are other places where we have had a better experience.

 

[disneylover5]

Well, as far as the boy vs girl thing....only having girls, I can't compare, but UGH girls can be hard. Mine is only 8 and tonight was an all out brawl between us over homework....really, can it get worse?! I think we need to trade kids for a homework hour every few days. I don't know about everyone elses' kids, but if someone else is helping mine, she does so much better.

Yes, I think it can get worse and I am tightening my seatbelt now for a wild ride. Daniel was so easy.....so so so so so easy. I never had to ask about homework or tell him to call me.....he is still like my best friend (and cruise partner on this cruise......you guys will love him!!).

I keep wondering about Gretchen....she is exactly like her brother in the first 10 years of her life......except she loves the stage and Daniel did not. But everything else is almost like raising the same kid.

Annie.....my DD13.....oh my.......she is so cute and brings home straight "A's" and has glowing reports from school.....but the friend thing is going to be the death of me.......

I realized on Mother's Day this year that next year I will not be with my girl's for Mother's Day next year....and I momentarily had the thought that I could not go on this cruise and leave them for Mother's day.........notice I said Momentarily

 

[disneylover5]

Okay guys, here is one of my repeated posts......below is the Webcam from a block from our beach house. The weather on the East Caost is supposed to be splendid. Mark this site as a favorite and watch the beach fill up so you can not even walk on it.........I bet today it will be beautiful.

To my friends in England....just before lunch time your time, you can watch the sunrise.....so cool!!!

www.bethanycam.com

Lisa

 

[granmaz]

Thanks again for the link Lisa. I think Bethany Beach is on our 2009 round the US(ish)trip!!!

 

[lillygator]

Wow, We LOVE Le Cellier . . .

Had great service every time, and good food. We have been there 3 times and no complaints other than other rude diners near us.

this is John's favorite as well but Mother's Day we were served our drinks when ordering and they were not refilled until halfway through my steak (this included appetizer's)....we could not find our waitress and we flagged down a hostess who asked what we had and instead of just refilling them she went and found our waitress who them came to our table and said "oh you need refills?" which took extra time...if you have ever had their mashed potatoes you definitely need something to wash them down with....and we had had her before and she wasn't all that great then either.


I am sure we'll be back though.

 

[LisaG520]

AP's cost you more up there? That's a bummer! I had no idea! We try to go at least once a month which works out to about $27 a visit.(Premium Passes) Even better if we can squeeze in two visits a month a few times.How much is a Premium in Nor.Cal.?

We have the Premium too and also go at least once a month.

I think the Premium and Deluxe are the same for everyone - but then there are the 2 cheap passes that are only available for So Cal residents. They have so many black-outs dates last time I checked. I don't think the cheapest one is good on any Saturday, holiday weeks/ends or at all in the summer. And the 2nd cheapest isn't good on holidays and all summer. We didn't want any of the restrictions so went with the Premium (I think our latest renewal was $359). We figure we save $144 in parking fees alone!

I have heard people on other boards post that they were able to get the So Cal passes and don't live in California. Probably depends on the CM selling the tickets that day.

Several years ago we bought the So Cal discount day tickets for friends with no problems. The following year they told us So Cal ID was needed by the ticket user in order to purchase. Again though it might have been the CM that day.

- I think our last regular annual passes to WDW were only $100 more than our DL ones. Which considering you get twice as many parks seemed like a much better value.

Wow didn't mean to write a novel...

 

[LisaG520]

We had a great time Sunday. Thanks so much for arranging everything Lisa!

Love all the pictures. It will be great to see everyone again next year!

 

[calmom]

Lisa (Calmom), I just wanted to share a story about children in first class on an airline. When Samantha was two, she and I were flying first class on United to Florida to catch the Big Red Boat. Her dad was meeting us there as he was already in Florida on business.

After we were seated and Sam was "plugged" in to her headset and her Sony video of Lady and the Tramp, a couple boarded the plane. Since they were seated next to us, the woman loudly exclaimed, "Good grief, I AM NOT flying first class with a toddler to Florida. We just got in from Hong Kong and I AM NOT going to listen to a whining brat for 6 hours!!"

I was appalled!! The flight attendant politely suggested to the couple that if they felt so strongly they might want to change to another flight. The women loudly suggested we should be removed because clearly we must be on a "pass". The flight attendant tactfully informed the women since we were full fare paying passengers and she and DH were on an upgrade only, we would not be asked to leave the plane.

After calling the flight attendant a very rude name and demanded to see the captain, her DH joined the fray asking that DD and I be removed. The captain came out of the cockpit, was told the situation and informed the couple Sam and I would not be asked to leave. After a few more choice words, the couple disembarked to the applause of the other passengers.

Samantha and I had wonderful service and the rest of the passengers were very nice to us on the remainder of the flight.

I can not believe it! If I was there with one my sons, they wouldn't have to worry about my son misbehaving - it would have been me! It would have made me so mad. People like that should charter their own planes so they never need to bother the public.

 

[calmom]

I don't think there are any pretty naked runners!!!

Brad Pitt?

 

[granmaz]

Brad Pitt?

Well it might be nice to find out!!!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Grumpy John here just wanted to let folks know that I'm skulking about and that Deb has been checking in bu not posting much.
We are having some family issues to deal with and I'm sure that she will be back soon. see you later

 

[birkner]

Oh, and on the subject of those naked runners....doesn't SF host a naked bike race annually where people paint their bodies to be different things? I thought I saw pictures of that one time. As a runner, I couldn't imagine ever trying it naked....the horrorific sight it would be and the pain!!!!!

For anyone interested in naked bike racing, here is the web site:

http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/

 

[granmaz]

Grumpy John here just wanted to let folks know that I'm skulking about and that Deb has been checking in bu not posting much.
We are having some family issues to deal with and I'm sure that she will be back soon. see you later

Sorry to hear about the family issues John! Love to Deb and tell her I am looking forward to our morning chats.

 

[birkner]

Noel,

Always glad for the advice, but what I meant by "control" is that I have trouble letting go of control in letting all the kids come to OUR HOUSE. I've never been good with people making messes.

As far as the rest goes, that's always been our philosophy as well; we have a great group of parents and kids that we all know and keep in touch with, and we trust our daughter to be forthcoming with any issues that may arrise. Of course, she's only 12...

Karen

Karen:

I understand what you mean as I am a neat freak. However, I guess I would rather have them all in my house making a mess than anywhere else. My philosophy is no matter what age they are until they are on their own, i.e. paying their own bills, you need to keep in touch with all of the parents and the issues.

The old adage is he who has the gold makes the rules, really does work!!

Noel

 

[mom_of_2_princesses]

Lori-do you need to get back to LAX because of your car? We're flying out of LAX but our plan is to rent a car in Murrieta to get there...a Taurus was about $40. So, if Enterprise will open up on Sunday, when we return, we'll rent again to get back to Murrieta which should cost another $40-50. Have you thought about just renting a car?

Yes we will have our car at LAX! I might just do the dreaded super shuttle if the car rental place does not open.

When we got to the booth the lady asked me where we got our ticket validated. I told her and the $10 immediately went to $0 and we were let through.

Yes I thought our experience was quite bizarre.