May 11th 2008 ~ Any Double Dippers Out There?

[Bibbidi]

We're gonna have to celebrate all these June birthdays on the cruise next year!!

Nobody celebrates on my birthday...September 11th.

That's a tough one. My DH's b-day is September 10th, pretty close.

 

[Mousermom]

branv:

Yes, you can buy park passes at the Disney Store. I've never seen a disney "gift certificate" before, but if you mean a gift card or Disney Dollars, then yes, they can buy passes with eithier one of those. Hope that helps you.

Karen and Bibbidi:

Yes, it's pretty tough to have your birthday fall on the worst day in American history, but my family tries to make my birthday nice for me every year.

Have a nice day girls!!

Mary Beth

 

[Mousermom]

Hey everybody!

Just checking in...

I have a question about parking at the port...

We just got a brand new beautiful SUV and I was wondering if we (gasp) drove to Port Canaveral, where would our car be for the four days we are on the cruise? We have never been on a cruise before and I don't know what to do with the car? I've seen on the cruise trip reports that people take their rental cars back to the agency after they drop thier families at the ship and take a shuttle back and meet them in line to get on the ship. Is there a fee for long-term parking at the port? Are you even allowed to leave your own car there? This would really cut costs for us if we drove to Florida from Philly.(It's not like we haven't done it before!!)
I hope one of you girls can answer these questions for me. I know my OEPDs will NOT let me down!!!

Also...

I FINALLY got my discount card from work. You should see all the cute stuff I got!!! I bought Mickey and Minnie tank tops for me, also an Eeyore shirt and a cute pocketbook with Mickey ears on it, Grumpy shirts for DS and DH,a Big Bad Wolf shirt for DS, and a Mickey antenna topper) All that for 29 bucks!!!!! I also found out the other day that starting July 10th, we will get a discount on disneyshopping.com!!! I can't wait!!!

Talk to you all soon!

Mary Beth

 

[CustardTart]

...We just got a brand new beautiful SUV and I was wondering if we (gasp) drove to Port Canaveral, where would our car be for the four days we are on the cruise? We have never been on a cruise before and I don't know what to do with the car? I've seen on the cruise trip reports that people take their rental cars back to the agency after they drop thier families at the ship and take a shuttle back and meet them in line to get on the ship. Is there a fee for long-term parking at the port? Are you even allowed to leave your own car there? This would really cut costs for us if we drove to Florida from Philly.(It's not like we haven't done it before!!)
I hope one of you girls can answer these questions for me. I know my OEPDs will NOT let me down!!!

There's parking at the terminal, Mary Beth and it costs $12 per day. Some details here. DD and I are going to be intrepid and park our hire car there next May...

Great news about your discount! I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have any wages left with all that tempting merchandise...

 

[Bibbidi]

Just writing to let you know that we decided to "jump ship". I think we're going to wait until the kids are a little older for the Disney Cruise and we'll probably try for a 7 night when we do it. After returning from the world 4 weeks ago (tomorrow actually) the kids can't stop asking about going on their favorite rides again, we really want to take our time next year at the parks and stay a little longer, maybe 8 or 9 nights on the dining plan. So it looks like we'll enjoy that vacation on land only instead. Also, we need to make another trip home next week to spend some time with my dad (he has advanced lung cancer) and that $800 deposit is nagging at me with these other expenses coming up. I hope you all have a great time. I will be keeping up with the thread to see how the cruise turns out and how two trips to Castaway Cay are. Hopefully one of you will post awesome photos when you return! Happy Sailing!

 

[CustardTart]

Aww that's a shame, Bibbidi, but the DCL cruises aren't cheap and your kids will probably appreciate it more when they're older. WDW is a fantastic destination in its own right and I'm sure you'll love an extended vacation on-site. Who knows, we might meet up at some time in the future...

So very sorry to hear about your Dad - my Mum contracted secondary lung cancer after initially being diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1990. Not a great time and my thoughts are with you and your family...

Keep in touch and take care...

My very best wishes...

 

[Mousermom]

Sorry to hear you won't be joining us, Bibbidi.

Take care and keep in touch.

Love,
Mary Beth

 

[Bibbidi]

Mary Beth and Karen,

Thanks for the well-wishes. My dad and I are very close so his diagnosis was devastating last year. It was truly a miracle that my parents were able to join us on our vacation last month, and for that we are truly grateful.

Hopefully in the near future we will be on a Disney Cruise, but I think you're right Karen, my girls will appreciate it a little more when they're a tad bit older. Right now our youngest is only about to turn 4 and she has just discovered the "magic" of the Magic Kingdom rides and can't wait to return to those. I know that if we just did the cruise and not any time at Disney (to save money) my kids would be disappointed that we just didn't go to the parks. So for our family, it seems like the best choice is to stick to a longer and relaxing land vacation for now. I am so looking forward to hearing the details of the cruise and maybe in another two summers we'll be ready to get back on board.

Ellen

 

[alecsmom]

Bibbidi - I too am so sorry to hear that you won't be joining us on the cruise but it's certainly understandable under the circumstances. My grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago this summer and it was a truly devastating time for the family. My prayers are with you and your family.

I think that when you do decide to cruise in the future you and your family will love it. Even though I've never been on a Disney cruise my DH and I have been on 4 cruises and took my DS on one last summer - and even at 3 he absolutely loved it. I agree that Disney is NOT cheap and so you better be sure it's something you really want to do with your money. I think a 7 nighter would be a perfect first cruise for you guys - that way nothing is rushed.

I wish you all the best.

Yvonne

 

[Bibbidi]

Bibbidi - I too am so sorry to hear that you won't be joining us on the cruise but it's certainly understandable under the circumstances. My grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago this summer and it was a truly devastating time for the family. My prayers are with you and your family.

I think that when you do decide to cruise in the future you and your family will love it. Even though I've never been on a Disney cruise my DH and I have been on 4 cruises and took my DS on one last summer - and even at 3 he absolutely loved it. I agree that Disney is NOT cheap and so you better be sure it's something you really want to do with your money. I think a 7 nighter would be a perfect first cruise for you guys - that way nothing is rushed.

I wish you all the best.

Yvonne

Thanks Yvonne! I'm glad to hear that so many kids love cruising as much as the parents. I'm sure we will get on a Disney ship at some point in the future. For now, thanks for the kind words and as I said, I will be lurking around this thread to see how things are progressing for everyone on the double dip! Ellen

 

[CustardTart]

Giving us a little *bump* as were at the bottom of page 2!

Hope everyone is fit and well!

Did you have a good birthday on Tuesday, branv?

 

[branv]

Hola everyone! Yes, I did have a good birthday! Well, I did laundry for part of it, which was not so fun (though I always appreciate clean underwear). But then it was a wonderful dinner with a HUGE Mexican Martini and a gigantic cheesecake. Mmmmmmmmm.

How about you CT, did you enjoy your celebration?

Bibbidi, I'm terribly sorry to hear you won't be joining us. I hate lung cancer, hate it, hate it. My dad had lung cancer when I was 19, and miraculously is cancer-free today, but we lost my dear grandmother to it about 6 years ago. My thoughts are with you and your family, sending you and your father strength and healing.

 

[CustardTart]

Hola everyone! Yes, I did have a good birthday! Well, I did laundry for part of it, which was not so fun (though I always appreciate clean underwear). But then it was a wonderful dinner with a HUGE Mexican Martini and a gigantic cheesecake. Mmmmmmmmm...

Sounds wonderful! Come to think of it, I did quite a bit of laundry on my birthday too - maybe it's symbolic of a fresh start..?

I had a wonderful time, thanks very much - who knew becoming 44 years of age could be so fab?!!!

 

[Bibbidi]

Hola everyone! Yes, I did have a good birthday! Well, I did laundry for part of it, which was not so fun (though I always appreciate clean underwear). But then it was a wonderful dinner with a HUGE Mexican Martini and a gigantic cheesecake. Mmmmmmmmm.

How about you CT, did you enjoy your celebration?

Bibbidi, I'm terribly sorry to hear you won't be joining us. I hate lung cancer, hate it, hate it. My dad had lung cancer when I was 19, and miraculously is cancer-free today, but we lost my dear grandmother to it about 6 years ago. My thoughts are with you and your family, sending you and your father strength and healing.

Wow, I'm always so grateful to hear stories about people who actually survive lung cancer. I've known a couple people in my life who've survived cancer who technically shouldn't have. My dad is 66, but it still seems too young to be that sick, especially when his mom is 92 and still living independently. Do you recall what stage lung cancer your dad had? My dad was diagnosed with 3b which is about as bad as you can get, except for stage 4 which is about a 6 month prognosis. So far it's been 15 months since his diagnosis and the max for 3b is usually 18 months. We're all praying that the "average" will not hold true for him. Thank you for your concern.

 

[branv]

Bibbidi, it is so true that doctors quote statistics and what not, but no one knows..ever. I have heard time and time again of people being told that their cancer is very bad, and they have 6 months, and there it is 3 years later and they're in remission. If you don't mind me being a little gooshy for a second, there is one thing I know and this is that Doctors and Lab results can't quantify the human element of hope, love and strength.

I know what you mean about needing to hear the good stories. With my dad, I honestly don't know what stage he was. My parents are of the "don't ask, don't tell" type. He still doesn't want to talk about it now, and when it happened I was a little too out there and confused to know what the heck was going on (and as weird as it sound, it was pre-internet, so information wasn't as readily available). I know that it was very close to his heart and there was some lymph involvment, though not a huge amount. They removed 1 lobe and gave him chemo, radiation. I know somehow his voice box was involved, so part of it is teflon and he talks very raspy now.

I'm really sorry I don't have more information for you. What I can tell you for sure is that it was very hard for him, he was very sick, but he's still here 15 years later. There is hope.

((((Bibbidi)))

 

[Mousermom]

Hi Everybody!

Just checking in....

to you, Bibbidi! Thinking of you and your family at this difficult time.

I lost my dad in 2004 to COPD and sleep apnea syndrome. He was sick for awhile but he refused to seek medical attention. (He and my mother were divorced for years but my two brothers and I were always close to him.)

I think about him daily and wish he was still here with us and that he would have taken care of himself. My brothers and I would try to get him to go to the doctors, but I think he felt he would have been a burden to us. Which was not true at all. He was a really funny guy and the one thing I miss about him was his infectious laugh. He was only 57 years old.

You are in my thoughts and prayers, Bibbidi.

Love, Mary Beth

 

[branv]

I have three topics here, vastly different, so be prepared for whiplash as I do a 180.

**I know I posted this on the main board for all the double dippers, but it appears no one saw it..or you know, cared..and it sank like stone. So, I thought I'd update you guys on the Palo brunch.

And that is....there still isn't any information.

Very good to be informed, huh?

I emailed DCL asking if we were still going to have Palo brunch despite there not being an At Sea day. They responded that they're still working on that.

So what we do know is:
If they're still "deciding" that means there is the potential that
a) there will not be a brunch
b) the brunch will not be on the next to last day

and

c - which isn't really an option but needs to be said) don't those jackalopes know that I've already planned things out to the nth degree of minutia? What are they thinking all willy-nilly deciding to mess with the brunch day -- we're talking about the potential for mass chaos, or at the very least some unpleasant hysterical women flat on the floor, in the fetal position clutching Passporters to their chest. Super-planner's systems are simply to delicate to handle this sort of uncertainty.

Ok, so really it doesn't mean too much, but I would miss that yummy food!

**But, the potential for no brunch does not compare to my other bad news....the worst has happened.

No really, it is...the absolute worst.

There is a rumor that Space Mountain will be refurb'd starting in Jan. '08, last six months.

Why, ooooh whyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Ok, so it is just a rumor, maybe I'm being a little too dramatic (yah', ya' think? )

**Can you believe that I just finally figured out what the Pirates and Princess party is? I thought it was just some little activity, I didn't know it was another thing like Halloween and Xmas where they closed the park earlier than normal to regular park-goers and had a seperate ticketed event. Though they didn't do it last May, how would you feel if they offered this next May when we're all there? Is this something you'd like to see happen or is it "booo hissss"? On one hand, I'd hate to have to buy ANOTHER ticket just to stay at MK, but on the other hand it might be cool. Thoughts?

 

[branv]

HEY!!! I got TAGGED!!!!

WAAAY Cool.

(and can I just say I'm really grateful the tag fairy quoted me on this instead of my post about PMS in the parks )

 

[CustardTart]

HEY!!! I got TAGGED!!!!

Congratulations!

 

[CustardTart]

Happy Monday, everyone...

My thoughts on:

1) Palo Brunch. Just keeping everything crossed that it puts in an appearance tho' it's absence could be the impetus for a little onboard re-booking - I fancy the Eastern Caribbean in 2009...

2) Space Mountain. Shame but these things happen and I love any excuse to plan another trip (see above)...

3) Pirates and Princess Party. If available and our schedule permits, I'm 100% positive DD and I will book tickets...