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

[disneycruising]

We will probably stay at the Residence Inn or Country Inn and suites at the port the night before. We also will be staying an extra night in Barcelona after the cruise....anyone have any suggestions for a hotel there? Pat??

I understand the Radisson has a very nice package -- and offers free shuttle to the port - the Best Western as well.

I am traveling with my (5) year old VERY active grandson -- his first cruise and trip to Europe. I'll book my own air - but the long flights/layovers have me a bit concerned. Neither my husband nor children care for travel -- so I really have high hopes for the grandkids --- certainly not wanting the last memory of our first big trip to be a series of long, tedious flights. Aer Lingus is offering some good fares out of Dublin and spending a few days in Dublin is a good way to break up the monotony of the flights. Does anyone else have any other suggestions? The flights out of Paris and London are significantly more expensive than Dublin. My first impulse was to bring both the grandkids, especially with the $99 cruise fare, but with the airline situation, I am not sure the other passengers deserve to listen to a 3 and 5 year old bicker for hours on end, nor me! And the 5 year old, wouldn't get to do the shore excursions he wants to do (age restrictions).
thanks,
Bettie
DFW

I have 4 children and they have traveled all their lives! One has ADD (attention deficit disorder) so I understand how hard it is to keep everyone happy and entertained. The kids and I have never flown this far. My Dh travel all the time for work. He keeps telling me it will not be a problem. But, we all know who will really be taking care if the kids. The thought of flying for all those hours... has kept me closer to home. This is why this cruise is perfect for me...I only have to fly home!!

I don't have any suggestions about your flight. I do think it is great to have a few lay overs. This way he can get off the plane, maybe have something to eat & stretch his legs. Just moving from plane to plane, is a change of scenery.

I thought I would share with you some of the things that have worked for us:

* before the flight, talk about what you expect of him. How he has use his best manners, to sit in his seat, use an inside voice, and entertain himself. I think this is the most important thing!

* let him pack a bag with toys he want to play with him on the plane. Tell him how many items he is allowed to bring. Don't forget to include a small blanket and his favoite lovie. If you are lucky he might rest a little!

* Have stash of new toys, in your bag. I like to wrap them, so they seem like a gift! The dollar store is a great place to find things! deck of card, small cars, coloring book, a book...

* Bring some small candies in a baggies...to use to count down how many hours. Let him eat one every hour. This way he can "see" how many hours are left.

* I bring a small DVD player or a laptop that can play movies and a head set!! Don't forget the movies!!

*Books on tape.

*Lots of blank paper, crayons or markers, and tape. He can color, make games (hang man, tic tac toes). or you can create things.

* If he get to antzy. Invest and excuse to walk to the bathroom!! Oh, let go wash your hand. Just, this a little change might be enough to regroup.

 

[tig82174]

Oh my....I'm too busy to check the boards for 2 days and again I fall behind!! I'm really just going to have to tell my bosses that I MUST be given longer lunchbreaks at work or something or I'll never keep up!

Anyhow...welcome to our newbies!

Hadley and everyone else in New England....I feel your pain. I spent the large part of my teen years, including graduating high school, in Limestone, ME (up in Aroostook County whose claim to fame is that it claims to be the northern-most county in the 48 continental states!)...and we live in Upstate NY now...which granted isn't New England but it's pretty darn cold! (Our neighbors just an hour to the East made national headlines in February by getting nearly 100 inches of snow!) Jason and I, too, are ready ready READY to get out of this darn snow and into some sun and sea!!!

As for games....Jason and I love boardgames...we have lots...Pictionary, Taboo, Boggle, several varieties of the Cranium games, Mexican Train Dominoes (although my mother CONSTANTLY has to re-teach us the rules because me only play it when she's here! ), Scattegories, etc. and a bunch more I"m sure that I'm not remembering.....but I can't promise we're going to bring games because that's precious packing space and weight we'd be compromising!

I also come from a long line of card players----but they play Euchre. I have taught Jason how to play before so if people play Euchre we could do that, too.



Jason

 

[hopemax]

DH and I play a lot of games, but they aren't games that most people have heard of. I guess in Germany, family game night is a big deal and there are bunches of game designers so lots of very different types of games. Some American companies have made English translations of the games, and there are some American designers who have made their own similar type of games. When we moved to Arizona, DH found a local gaming group and was introduced to all these games. I guess you would call them more "strategy" games.

We are planning on bringing one "party" game called Smarty Party which is a variation on Outburst. We're definitely bringing a game called Alhambra since we will be in the area (you collect tiles to build your own market), and 10 Days in Europe (collect country cards to move your way around the continent) . And if my DH can find a copy, a game called Atlantic Star where you are trying to collect cards to put on a show on a cruise ship.

 

[hopemax]

I am also willing to teach people a card game my family always plays. It's a rummy game, with 5 different hands, played with two decks.

 

[tazzmacd]

Mine are all set up for 2 players. I could bring 2 boards - or we could use 4 colors of pegs on a two track board - woudl that work?

That could but the easiest way is to just play partners, makes it a little more interesting since we only throw one card into the crib each and get dealt 5 cards. We usually play that everybody puts say $5 into a pot and we play a round robin. Top 4 teams move to semi finals the winners play in the finals and the winner of the finals get the pot. Of course the winners are incouraged to buy a round of drink for the losers form the winnings

Cheers!!

Pat

 

[NHdisneylover]

Oh my....I'm too busy to check the boards for 2 days and again I fall behind!! I'm really just going to have to tell my bosses that I MUST be given longer lunchbreaks at work or something or I'll never keep up!

Anyhow...welcome to our newbies!

Hadley and everyone else in New England....I feel your pain. I spent the large part of my teen years, including graduating high school, in Limestone, ME (up in Aroostook County whose claim to fame is that it claims to be the northern-most county in the 48 continental states!)...and we live in Upstate NY now...which granted isn't New England but it's pretty darn cold! (Our neighbors just an hour to the East made national headlines in February by getting nearly 100 inches of snow!) Jason and I, too, are ready ready READY to get out of this darn snow and into some sun and sea!!!

As for games....Jason and I love boardgames...we have lots...Pictionary, Taboo, Boggle, several varieties of the Cranium games, Mexican Train Dominoes (although my mother CONSTANTLY has to re-teach us the rules because me only play it when she's here! ), Scattegories, etc. and a bunch more I"m sure that I'm not remembering.....but I can't promise we're going to bring games because that's precious packing space and weight we'd be compromising!

I also come from a long line of card players----but they play Euchre. I have taught Jason how to play before so if people play Euchre we could do that, too.



Jason

EUCHRE!!! Someone in your family must be from the midwest. David's family is from Iowa--thus we are Euchre players. Had two kids so we could play whenever we wanted Maybe we can play some on the ship, not many people in New England have heard of Euchre let alone play it.

As far as packing space goes we are not bringing anything game wise that takes up more space than cards. It is easy enough to borrow a game from Diversions when we want to play. But we are fond of playing many types of games and will happily join in with many of you on other games if you have room to tote them.

 

[milestogo]

* Bring some small candies in a baggies...to use to count down how many hours. Let him eat one every hour. This way he can "see" how many hours are left.

Xllnt idea!!!!


Wow, nobody got the trivia question today! Hope, I thought for sure you'd have it - don't we have any prince experts?

 

[jw2736]

Two months to go! Time is counting down!!

Plan on doing another update tonight or tomorrow. Still some new people being added! This is going to be a great group of people I just can't wait!

I still have to make my arrangements from Barcelona to Paris. Is anyone else going to Disneyland Paris directly after the cruise?? Trying to decide on using the bus from the airport to DLP or a towncar. It is twice the price but it would be on my schedule and not theirs.

EpcotKilterFan, Check out Easyjet.comI am leaving Barcelona at 12noon of May 26. For two of us, it was only about 130 dollars. We are staying in Paris for 4 days then going to DLP for another 3 day before coming back home

 

[NHdisneylover]

* Bring some small candies in a baggies...to use to count down how many hours. Let him eat one every hour. This way he can "see" how many hours are left.

Xllnt idea!!!!


Wow, nobody got the trivia question today! Hope, I thought for sure you'd have it - don't we have any prince experts?

Trivia question? Where?

 

[milestogo]

Today's Trivia Question is:


One Man voiced Two different princes?


Remember to try to answer by looking in your own home, office, talking to others - avoid the easy internet!

 

[hopemax]

Wow, nobody got the trivia question today! Hope, I thought for sure you'd have it - don't we have any prince experts?

Well, I don't want to be a trivia hog. But this one I'm not quite sure. I know someone who voiced a prince and a king, but 2 princes I have to think about.

 

[OH 6]

We have gotten to be a chatty bunch again - haven't we?! I suppose it will get worse the closer we get to the cruise. Anyone care to estimate what post # we'll be on the day that we leave??

Seems I only have time to lurk during the week with work...and post only on weekends.

Welcome to our new transatlantic travellers!!

I'm completely stumped on the last trivia question.

Enjoying 63 degrees today in Cincinnati - it's about time. Hopefully that means some relief for those of you in the Northeast.

Anyone have any any big plans for next weekend??

And remember that those of us that Celebrate daylight savings time change at 2am Sunday.

 

[milestogo]

Hope, I'm entirely stumped on the question "a king and a prince - same voice!

I need to know something very important... Does WDW still have Pal Mickey? How much is it and is it worth it?

Also, What are the dates for this year's Mickey Christmas and Mickey Halloween?

 

[tazzmacd]

Ya know I jsut realized that with the time change on the weekend that means we have one less hour to wait for the cruise to leave

Cheers!!

Pat

 

[hopemax]

Hope, I'm entirely stumped on the question "a king and a prince - same voice!

Hint: Its the same movie, (but they are different characters).

When I babysat eons ago, I watched it just about every Sunday,.

Now, I did find a possible answer to your question, but I did have to IMDB. I had a guess about where I would find the answer, but it would be on my DISAVOWED list. But I suppose there could be multiple answers. So since I didn't get the answer the right way, I will leave it for someone else.

I don't think the 2007 dates are out yet for the MNSSHP or MVMCP. However, the WDW calendar shows the MK closing early on these nights in September, 14, 21 and 28 so there is an expectation that a party will be on those nights.

 

[kpros]

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll be on my bicycle trying to log some miles and then making name badges.

Ken

 

[milestogo]

OK, I have two guesses:

Prince Ali Ababwa is also the king of thieves

or

Prince Simba is also The Lion King

Are either of these correct? close? Oh man that's a hard one

 

[hopemax]

Nope Think older, and the characters are different. (Not aging, or impersonations).

 

[milestogo]

OK, we narrowed it down to Prince John, but we didn't have any references in the house. We finally broke down and looked it up online (broke my own rule) Peter Ustinov also King Richard. It's funny, Prince John was in our first round, but we did not remember him as the king as well. I think we got it, but flunked the process.

 

[hopemax]

Very good