May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 5

[gydell]

Anybody taking a 5 or 6 year old boy? My DGS is asking. Where is everyone staying before the cruise? I want to stay at DL after the cruise so I am undecided as far as before the cruise.

 

[granmaz]

I know Holly Tyler has a little boy, I think 5 at the moment. He is called Tyler. Endkaos has 3 boys I think.

We are staying at WDW for a few days before the cruise and I believe a few more are. Not sure if it will be POP or POFQ as yet. It seems many are going to stay one night at the Hyatt Orlando Airport.

I have just booked the Candy Cane Inn for a few days after the cruise. We have never been to DL so should be fun - especially on Memorial Day weekend!

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

I spent the whole weekend over there...the first 2 days vacuuming and sweeping up dead flies! No joke!!! The homeowners had left garbage in the trash compactor and the flies had a glorious winter in there, YUCK Yesterday was spent weeding 20% of the driveway and that took all day. Scott calls them old growth weeds!!!! Some were taller than me

You've painted quite a picture!

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

Aye yes, we're making cold pasta salad and brownies because "Anyone can cook."

Sounds great to me...especially the brownies!!!!

 

[Jhalkias]

Ok, no way to catch up . . .

Amy and I are at Ben and Jerry's on Emerald Isle using their free Wi-Fi. Weather has been really nice - sunny and not too hot.

No internet access at our place - not even dial up.

Hope all is well with everyone.

 

[Jhalkias]

I lied . . .

I opened every page since we left in a new tab, and will catch up when we get back to our place!

 

[ibouncetoo]

I'm just starting to look at flights too. I have my flight to MCO booked already, got a good fare and am arriving 2 days before the cruise. But I'm a little stumped for the return from LAX. DCL has told me to book a flight after 1:00 pm to be safe. Will it really take that long to get off the ship and get to the airport? I know you can never tell how long it will take to get through security and I have never been to LAX before There is a good flight, timewise if not exactly a cheap fare, but it leaves at 12:15. Would I be cutting it too close? I hate the thought of having to wait until 9:00 pm for the next flight.
Thanks
Kathe

Hi stranger....glad you popped in! I'd probably go with the 12:15 flight...but I'm a thrill seeker! you can stop laughing, Peg.

Actually, I don't know how we're getting home from LA. At one point Peg mentioned just renting a car and driving back...I think she's assuming there will have been too much SHOPPING on the cruise and she won't want to schlep stuff on a plane! Sounds like a good idea to me

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

I'm just starting to look at flights too. I have my flight to MCO booked already, got a good fare and am arriving 2 days before the cruise. But I'm a little stumped for the return from LAX. DCL has told me to book a flight after 1:00 pm to be safe. Will it really take that long to get off the ship and get to the airport? I know you can never tell how long it will take to get through security and I have never been to LAX before There is a good flight, timewise if not exactly a cheap fare, but it leaves at 12:15. Would I be cutting it too close? I hate the thought of having to wait until 9:00 pm for the next flight.
Thanks
Kathe

My sis, her son & I did the west coast Magic a couple of years ago. She & her son flew home to Phx. from Orange County/John Wayne airport and I drove them there. It seems to me that they left around 1 p.m. and I got them to the airport just in time (an hour early). I remember that there was a huge backup to get off the ship and they had separate lines for those w/passports and those w/out. The passport line was shorter. We had late seating so we were in the second group to disembark.

I'm not sure how far LAX is from the port (or more importantly, how LONG it takes to drive there--milage doesn't necessarily help you know how long it will take to drive somewhere in that area.) My guess is that it would take at least 45 min. Then factor in how early to need to be at the airport for your flight--these days, an hour usually isn't enough time, so you'd probably want to be there 90-120 min. early I would think.

Does DCL let people w/early flights disembark before everyone else? That would make a difference, too.

 

[Tluvs2talk]

Hi Everyone,
I haven't been on the board in a while and thought I would say hello. I was also wondering who had plan to go to Disneyland when we get to California, and where everyone was staying before and after the cruise. We are staying at the Raddison before the cruise and at the Best Western in Anaheim across from Disneyland after the cruise.

Teri

 

[Jhalkias]

Vanessa,

Clear some room on your PM's - your PM box is FULL!

 

[JLSE50]

Nice pictures, Jan. I really like her dress.

I went to see Ratatouille today. It's a great movie! Visually stunning and funny. Word of warning: don't come hungry! After it was over, one of the group said, "I want to go home and cook something!"

Thanks ! It is a lovely dress. That is why she wanted to wear it again at the family party a month after the wedding. If I could get the pictures to post I could set it up with some explanation.
Jan

 

[JLSE50]

I lied . . .

I opened every page since we left in a new tab, and will catch up when we get back to our place!

Let us know if it works. I tried to do that with my laptop a couple weeks ago and when I closed out the first tab they all went BYE-BYE. I know I did not do something wrong because it happened another day too. I hope it worked for you and you can tell me what I did wrong when trying to post some pictures of the Family Party.

Jan

 

[JLSE50]

My sis, her son & I did the west coast Magic a couple of years ago. She & her son flew home to Phx. from Orange County/John Wayne airport and I drove them there. It seems to me that they left around 1 p.m. and I got them to the airport just in time (an hour early). I remember that there was a huge backup to get off the ship and they had separate lines for those w/passports and those w/out. The passport line was shorter. We had late seating so we were in the second group to disembark.

I'm not sure how far LAX is from the port (or more importantly, how LONG it takes to drive there--milage doesn't necessarily help you know how long it will take to drive somewhere in that area.) My guess is that it would take at least 45 min. Then factor in how early to need to be at the airport for your flight--these days, an hour usually isn't enough time, so you'd probably want to be there 90-120 min. early I would think.

Does DCL let people w/early flights disembark before everyone else? That would make a difference, too.

We have known people who disembarked FIRST by skipping breakfast and standing at the doorway until it was opened.

We also know people who had second seating for dinner who explained to their servers that they needed to leave earlier and everyone was fine with them showing up for early breakfast.

Then there is us--we don't want to leave. They almost have to pry our fingers off the railings--so we eat late seating and take our time and meander off the ship and down the gangway when there is no one there. Also means our luggage is almost the only luggage in the claim area and there is next to no line to take it through customs.

Jan

 

[been2marceline]

On our way to Denver for Christmas last year, we were delayed in Chicago for 3 days because Denver Airport was closed due to a blizzard. To finally get us to Denver on Christmas Eve, American Airlines routed us via Las Vegas, and from there to Denver they put us on Frontier. It was a relatively short flight but comfortable enough, and all the staff both on the ground and in the air were very friendly and helpful.

And I just love those animals on the tailplanes! Have often seen them on the ground at Denver, and on TV adverts, but never thought we'd fly Frontier because they don't do UK flights.

Same with us...

Delayed flight by United in Denver on our way home from NY last June. They put us on Fontier after a LONG night in Denver and it was a great trip with great people!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

We have known people who disembarked FIRST by skipping breakfast and standing at the doorway until it was opened.

We also know people who had second seating for dinner who explained to their servers that they needed to leave earlier and everyone was fine with them showing up for early breakfast.

Then there is us--we don't want to leave. They almost have to pry our fingers off the railings--so we eat late seating and take our time and meander off the ship and down the gangway when there is no one there. Also means our luggage is almost the only luggage in the claim area and there is next to no line to take it through customs.

Jan

Ditto again! We are exactly the same "don't make me leave!!"

Karen

 

[EllaEnchanted]

lol Deb, no worries. Actually we do ahve to go into London on Wednesday as we are travelling via the city to go up north. We're doing open days at some of Becky's first choice Universities at the moment and I've said I'll go to see Leicester Uni with her...
http://www.le.ac.uk/external/

I'm hoping the train services will be back to normal by then! Luckily, the London Uni's she was visiting were all in the last couple of weeks.

x

Angel, I'm glad you're getting out of the house and wandering off with Becky....but be very, very careful and keep your eyes and ears open for anything suspicious. There's still some very bad people out there. Don't let it keep you from living your life, just be smart and keep your wits about you.

I hope you and Becky have a great day together and I hope she finds the University that's right for her. Have fun together.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

I'm in - just need to find a couple of thousand £'s to get there!!!

Me too!!!!



When you buy a house this way do you get it straight away? Sounded l;ike you are already in and cleaning, as well as eating!!!

And drinking!!! CHAMPAGNE....my favorite one too!!!! Cheers to Kaylee (a true Champagne Girl) and Scott and the girls in their new home.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

We drove into Yellowstone one time by way of Bear Tooth Mountain Pass. We were in our 30 foot motorhome and I actually was LEANING in as I looked out as if I could tip the vehicle over. It was SPOOKY. They had pins at the gas station at the foot of the highway saying I SURVIVED BEAR TOOTH MOUNTAIN PASS in wiggly letters like it was written when someone was scared. I wish I had gotten one. They did not have them in Yellowstone.

One of my fears is sliding backwards down an icy hill in the winter. I never did it but my imagination of it is so VIVID I truly think that is why I love FLAT Indiana even though I grew up in upstate NY and lived in PA.

Jan

Sounds like my driveway at home...

After growing up on flat Long Island....I'm looking forward to retiring in Delaware where the roads are flat and straight also. Living in PA mountains is beautiful, but I have had enough.

Where did you live in upstate NY and PA?

 

[EllaEnchanted]

We've had another security alert today! A car on fire was driven into the arrivals hall at Glasgow airport. The drivers got out and were tackled by policemen and caught. They think it was a failed suicide attack! One of the occupants was on fire. We now have higher security levels and therefore problems at all other airports. We could be in for some more. Not nice!

They have arrested eight people so far....five of which are Doctors! So hard to believe....how could they harbor so much hate for so many in the world that they don't know or understand....all in the name of their religion??? It's scary and perplexing to me.

We all have to be a little more aware and on guard everyday in everything we do....because you never know where or when the next shoe is going to drop. They tell us just to expect that it will happen.

John and I did our first cruise about two and a half weeks after 911. It was eerie and the security was alongside the boat in every port....in full force. The boat was empty....but we decided that we were still going and that we would have a good time. We met some great people that we're still friends with and have cruised again with....and we got the DCL bug....we were hooked and had to do it again....every opportunity we got.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Jan, Sarah and Tom's wedding looked perfect. How special and unique to them and shared by all. A beautiful day to remember always.