May 12, 2007 -- Taking the Magic to the Mediterranean -- 14 day Repo Cruise! Part 2

[kpros]

HEY! If reading on deck is not a fun activity, then WHY am I bringing 10 books with me? You and I can have fun reading together!

Everytime I've tried to spend some time reading on deck 4 - I fall asleep. I guess that's not a bad thing.

Ken

 

[milestogo]

Jonathan just returned from the bookstore at the library with 6 more books. So, now he has about 15 to take with him. I keep reminding him about all the activities and how we didn't even come close to doing the activities last time.

 

[gydell]

Well I got some more info about the cruise. There will be a show called When Mickey Dreams with characters, a show called Art of the Story with characters, On the Nose a trivia game with prizes, And everynight that we have been in a med port there will be a deck party themed after that port. There will of course be the regular shows.

 

[eller]

I've been keeping a list of everyone who wants to have Tea with Wendy (who could be Alice - that makes sense - and would be fun too), so I'll add you to the list. We'll see what we can do to have a party of all of us. It never hurts to ask.

Since you are keeping track. Please add DD, Jessica to the list, as she was not going before. Thanks Kelly.

Lori

 

[mom_rules]

Well I got some more info about the cruise. There will be a show called When Mickey Dreams with characters, a show called Art of the Story with characters, On the Nose a trivia game with prizes, And everynight that we have been in a med port there will be a deck party themed after that port. There will of course be the regular shows.

Wow you're good! Keep the info coming.

On the laundry issue-I've decided that since I have to go to the Mall when I arrive in Orlando anyway I'll buy a small box and bring it with me. Saves an explanation at customs if I just buy it there.

 

[gydell]

We feel your pain, girl!! We've gotten nada either! Oh well at least we get to leave for WDW in

4 days!!!!



Erik

I'm so jealous! We have 9more.

 

[Brooklyn]

What are fish extenders and magnets???????

Please HELP the very inexperienced cruiser to understand these things.

THANKS!!!!

 

[cupcake]

Cynthia--have you done his laundry in a public machine before? My aunt is so sensitive that when she did that on vacation she still broke out. It appeared to be from the residue of other people's detergent still in the machine. Now she always lugs along enough to avoid doing laundry when traveling (and does a bit by hand in the sink) .Something to think about.

Augh!!! Thanks for this thought, Hadley. Does anyone know if the machines have an extra water or extra rinse setting? If not, I foresee us running laundry twice (second time with no soap). Almost 3 weeks of whites is a lot of stuff! When we got the front loading machine and the HE Tide, it took 3 or 4 days of wearing the Tide clothes for the allergic reaction to kick in, so I imagine he would be OK with a trace of bad detergent (although a second wash would address that). The funny thing is that he used regular (non-free) All for years despite being allergic to something in many bar soaps and didn't have a problem, but we switched to the free after the HE Tide incident.

I think I am going to get a bar of Ivory for a test run; I imagine that if that's OK, the Ivory detergent is OK. Have to also look for some other detergent options, bc a "free" type detergent would be ideal. Everything comes in such huge sizes! But I don't want my poor dh to have his allergy problem kick in.

Thanks again, Hadley!

C.

 

[hopemax]

Jonathan just returned from the bookstore at the library with 6 more books. So, now he has about 15 to take with him. I keep reminding him about all the activities and how we didn't even come close to doing the activities last time.

I told DH last night, that I would start packing today, so he could start pulling his stuff out. So I woke up this morning and there was a pile of 7 books waiting for me on the dining room table. Then, when I got on IM, he said he forgot one and wanted to know I needed to know it right now because he didn't want it to not get packed. These books don't include the ones he will have with him on the plane to MCO, and he hasn't decided which history type books he will be taking. These 7 are just the "Nautical Fiction" books he's been saving since January.

 

[tig82174]

What are fish extenders and magnets???????

Please HELP the very inexperienced cruiser to understand these things.

THANKS!!!!

Fair enough questions! They are, by no means, mandatory...especially since I'm SURE you're feeling a time crunch! But those of us who are totally psychotic...er...I mean...ENTHUSIASTIC about cruising with Disney make magnets to hang on our stateroom doors (which are metal). In addition, our very own Debbie (Epkotkilterfan) apparently began 2 years ago the tradition of hanging an organizer or mail slot thing from the fish clip outside her door that Disney usually uses to put notes outside your door, etc. Since then they have been dubbed "fish extenders" (because they extend your fish so it can not only hold one piece of paper but oodles of fun stuff). There are pictures posted earlier in this thread or someone will probably repost one so you can see. A bunch of us have made lots of magnets and some fancy fish extenders for our doors......really it's just a way to liven up our cruise experience(s) and to bond with one another!


Erik

 

[ssnyder]

I'm officially up to 4 bags!. Since we downsized our luggage we are already up to 4 - UGH... and I'm sorry to say that I'm not quite done yet. BUT, fortunately, my DF lives in Fl, so I'm shipping a big box of stuff that we are not bringing back with us to him to bring to WDW next week.

Are you sure there is going to be enough room for me (and my 2 bags) in your Dad's car?

 

[cupcake]

Good idea on the baby detergent. All three kids are sensitive (get it from DH) and we also use HE. I haven't used Ivory Baby, but for years all I could use was Dreft (before the Free stuff was available).

Not to totally hijack to discuss laundry detergent but what HE detergent do you use? The only thing we could find was a bunch of organic things (Nature's Something or Other) at the Whole Foods that did not get the laundry clean (I know I sound like a TV commercial, but you should have seen my whites!!) and the incredibly expensive but excellent Persil Free, which we use. I know I could use half the amount of a regular detergent, but it just seems better to use a full amt of a low sudsing detergent, plus I have visions of some sort of dire sudsing problem if I use non-HE detergent.

Neurotically yours,
Cynthia

 

[cupcake]

Yes and I carry Seventh Generation Liquid with me . . . . When getting first started washing, I smell the machine. If there is a fragrance I will either 1) wash a load of other family member's clothes (I'm the one with the problem) or 2) Run an empty load.

Good luck!

Have a great day everyone!

Lori

Thanks! That is a really good suggestion. Seventh Generation, at least in our home machine (Miele front loading), needed bleach to achieve good results, but a few washes won't be a problem, and I am pretty sure they have smaller sizes. I will stop on my way home from work today! This is why one needs a good running packing list: it would not be good for us to be aways for almost 3 weeks with no safe detergent.

Btw, the kindergarten diploma is super cute! Just wanted to note that you have a typo, "it's" should be "its." You wouldn't want to notice it once Mickey signs it!!

C.

 

[Brooklyn]

Fair enough questions! They are, by no means, mandatory...especially since I'm SURE you're feeling a time crunch! But those of us who are totally psychotic...er...I mean...ENTHUSIASTIC about cruising with Disney make magnets to hang on our stateroom doors (which are metal). In addition, our very own Debbie (Epkotkilterfan) apparently began 2 years ago the tradition of hanging an organizer or mail slot thing from the fish clip outside her door that Disney usually uses to put notes outside your door, etc. Since then they have been dubbed "fish extenders" (because they extend your fish so it can not only hold one piece of paper but oodles of fun stuff). There are pictures posted earlier in this thread or someone will probably repost one so you can see. A bunch of us have made lots of magnets and some fancy fish extenders for our doors......really it's just a way to liven up our cruise experience(s) and to bond with one another!


Erik

If anyone could post any pictures of these things that would be great. At this point I am sure that I can't pull any of this off but I would be interested to see them.

THANKS

 

[txaggie94gigem]

Ok I am officially in major "cram" mode (remember the week before finals in college? Like that!) Realizing that I cannot possibly do all the internet research I want on the ports of call before we go, I am relagated to getting some guide books. Again, not going to have a chance to read these before the trip, but, hey, I have 6 days at sea to figure out what to do, right? I went to Barnes & Noble last week for a little while, but got overwhelmed.

So here's my question, what guide books/maps can ya'll recommend that I can order from Amazon or pcik up from Barnes & Noble or Borders?

Possibilities we are interested in:
Tenerife:
pyramids, market or Mt. Tiede (volcano)
Cadiz:
really don't know much about this one at all and the Rick Steves book I looked at didn't have anything.
Gibraltar:
rock on our own
Barcelona:
again, don't know much. The chocolate museum seems interesting.

we really need to have a port planning session on board...so we can all brainstorm together....who is planning it for us...anyone?????

 

[kpros]

If anyone could post any pictures of these things that would be great. At this point I am sure that I can't pull any of this off but I would be interested to see them.

THANKS

Follow this link for an example of both:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=16662927&postcount=12

Ken

 

[txaggie94gigem]

i went to walmart today and this is what i found....

concentrated "all" that is the size of a small hotel shampoo bottle that is 2 loads worth of laundry soap for $1.27

TIDE laundry liquid packets, 3 in a box for $0.97 that has instructions on how to sink wash items so i do not know if they can go in the machine or not...

anyway, i got 1 extra tide packet set and 2 extra all bottles if anyone needs them....just pm me and i can always go get more for anyone before the trip!

elizabeth

 

[misseulalie]

Ok this is just wrong, UK gets theirs and the Canadians have none yet...... OK maybe Disney is trying to butter you up for that big tea issue that you had before so you don;t get any ideas on this trip

Cheers!!

Pat

Hey, don't worry, I'm 30 minutes from the DCL office and I haven't received anything!!

 

[gailadams_uk]

Well I got some more info about the cruise. There will be a show called When Mickey Dreams with characters, a show called Art of the Story with characters, On the Nose a trivia game with prizes, And everynight that we have been in a med port there will be a deck party themed after that port. There will of course be the regular shows.

DH,DD (gismo1554) and 1 saw Art of the Story on the 11 night cruise last September - very good show. We were also in the winning team for On the Nose - geat fun and a prize which made us feel like children again !!


Gydell - I am also bringing along a book or two - reading helps me relax.

DizzneyDAnn and tig82174 - Still no magnets for me either. Tried to keep my daughters magnets (rikimuk) when they arrived, but my other daughter (gismo1554) gave the game away !

Have nearly finished packing - glad to see others have packing issues like me - far too much for the airline allowance.

Brooklyn - love the Kindergarten diploma.

Only 5 days until we leave for WDW - staying at Riverside is like going home, we've stayed there so often.

See you all soon

Gail

 

[NHdisneylover]

Once again we spent half a day away from the computer (bowling and ski ball ) and it takes half an hour to read all the posts that went on while we were away. I shudder to think of how long it will take me to catch up tonight (dance, karate, and auditions for Sound of Music will have me out for several hours).

This morning I tried to respond to things as I came across them and ended up repeating info others had posted later down, so I will try to just remember this time around.

First, thanks to everyone who complimented Rio's ship. I have already passed these along to the proud architect. And I will be sure to pass along the fashion compliments to Dave tonight as well No one can acuse him of not being a fun dad!

Things to do in Barcelona. There is so much. Even with three days we made many tough choices and are probably packing in more than a sane family should (good thing sanity isn't such a strong gene in our family). We plan to take the funicular to the top of Mountjuic for the incredible views and to see the fortress and then wander down by foot checking out statues, etc along the way; wander along la rambla and soak in atmosphere, tour Gaudi's Casa Batlo, Casa Amatier, La Pedra and Sagrada Familia, spend an afternoon at Parque Guell, tour Pueblo Espana; see the dancing fountains at plaza espana; check out olymic port area; wander a bit in barrio gotica (we are staying there) and visit the Picasso museum. We have a plan (even which places are best to take taxis to, which to walk and when to take the metro). I TOLD you we are paking in a ton of stuff. But, having once ended a WDW annual pass with the "five people, four parks, one world, one day increditour" I know we can pull it off

Kindergarten diploma--How cute is that?

Gydell--awesome info on show/parties. Thank you for sharing.