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

[CACruisin']

We just saw Wicked here in San Diego last month. That was the best! Full of great surprises and lots of fun.

I am soooo jealous! We tried to get tickets for Wicked either here or in Costa Mesa, but no

I am a fanatical reader and think the lendiing library is a great idea . However, it is not looking too good for us to go on the repo cruise now. DH has a conference he MUST attend the last week of May. I still really want to go on the cruise, but it just won't be the same with just me and DD3. I havn't had the heart to remove my ticker or cancel the cruise yet. I'm still exploring other possibilities, but it is not looking good.

 

[CACruisin']

I do read all the Harry Potter books the second they're released

DD12 had a swim meet the weekend that Book 6 was released. There were easily 50-60 copies of that book being read at the meet by kids, parents, and volunteer staff! When DD12 would go to the staging area before each of her events, I would sneak in a few pages myself before her actual heat was up.

 

[tig82174]

That reminds me that I haven't read the latest Harry Potter book - maybe that would be a good book for the cruise.


We just saw Wicked here in San Diego last month. That was the best! Full of great surprises and lots of fun.

The latest Harry Potter is pretty good (by no means the best in the series, but good)....but it's thick/heavy...so plan on not packing that on your return trip!


Yes, "Wicked" is wonderful. I saw the original broadway cast several times in NYC. I'm actually a huge broadway/musical theater buff.


OK, so spent most of the day today in Typhoon Lagoon. Very fun and relaxing. I know that Blizzard Beach is the newer of the two water parks, but I actually like Typhoon Lagoon better, I think. Then I came back to the resort, ate lunch, and did laundry...then went to the spa for the "Adirondack Stone Massage" which was fantastic! The spa here is beautiful....clean, peaceful, serene...nice facility. The massage itself was heavenly. My therapist, Amy, used over 45 stones total I counted on the counter before I left. Most were hot....very hot, which I loved. And some were ice cold and were used on the hands, feet, and face.....it was so relaxing that I literally got light headed and the room started to spin. It was a LOVELY way to end the day on my last full day here before we leave tmw afternoon and Jason and I switch places....with him lazing about all day and me in my conference.

 

[tig82174]

However, it is not looking too good for us to go on the repo cruise now. DH has a conference he MUST attend the last week of May. I still really want to go on the cruise, but it just won't be the same with just me and DD3. I havn't had the heart to remove my ticker or cancel the cruise yet. I'm still exploring other possibilities, but it is not looking good.

AWWWW!! Quite a few of our little online group have had to back out! Does anyone with an "inside source" have any idea how the cruise is selling at this point? It's funny but here at the World right now there is literally NO promotion of it that we've seen. In fact, even some of the CM's that we've talked to didn't know about the repo cruise OR the rest of the Med. cruises during the summer. The Disney TV's do have a channel profiling the Cruise line but I haven't seen anything specific about the Med. cruises on tehre either when I've surfed through.....you'd think taht Disney would really be pushing it here on property.

 

[milestogo]

Hi Guys and fellow media queens...

I've been so frantically busy here that I haven't had a chance to log on for several days...

Curt and Susie, Your trip sounds wonderful. I can't wait to see Italy. I wish we were spending more time in Italy than in Barcelona (the back to back spends several days there.)

I love the lending library idea. DH is a monster reader, in fact, we are about to put about a thousand books on ebay trying to decrease our bookshelves. He would love to trade books - he'll go through a book a day by staying up all night on the cruise balcony reading. I, on the other hand, am very dyslexic and yet crave information and entertainment so much... in slow motion! I'm currently reading Nora Ephron's book, I Hate My Neck, listening to two books on tape -- The Devil Wears Prada & a book about the psychology of Optimism... and 2 textbooks for school (one about statistics - a dyslexic nightmare) and 17 parenting books as research for our book that I've been working on all summer.

We have been listening to the entire Harry Potter series read by Jim Dale (who has won several Grammy's for his work on the series.) I loved the last book. I listened to Wicked and was shocked at how morbid it was... so was dying to see the show for so very long that when it finally came here (Costa Mesa - 3 minutes from my house) we had an email that said 29,000 people had requested email notice for tickets for a very short run. I went over to the theatre and couldn't get one single ticket for any one show. I was so bummed. I stopped someone at DL last week who was wearing a Wicked t-shirt who just raved about the show.

I toured with Jesus Christ Superstar for a year and was lucky enough to see several other shows along the tour. For ten years I saw almost everything for free with prime seats and now I can't get a single seat - UGH. We too are TV and movie junkies, I worked in television and comedy for 10 years, so its a part of my soul. In fact, this is the most exciting time of the year when all the new shows come out. Several of my old friends were just up for emmy's. I am absolutely in the media queen club.

maleficent1959 - congrats. We've been doing the same, making sure we are really pushing our business plans to make this happen and not be worried about the money.

I'm not giving up on you CACruisin

Man, Erik, it sounds like you're having a wonderful time. Tell me some fun food that you've found. and where?

Debbie, Haven't you had enough rain this year? Here is some sunshine

Padalyn, are you back from pin trading? Did you go too, Debbie.

OK, goodnight everyone,
Kelly

 

[mom_rules]

CACrusin-come with us! We will take care of you no worries about that.

 

[ssnyder]

CACruisin' and milestogo -
Sorry you couldn't get tickets to Wicked. We had San Diego Broadway season tickets for the year before and so had advanced purchase available to us last season. That is how we got the Wicked tickets. I had no idea that it was so hard to get the tickets. We really enjoyed it.

CACruisn' - I hoping it will work out for you to attend the cruise.

Actually, I'm hoping that it will work out for Curt and I also. I don't think it is going to be a problem, but we both work for Ligand Pharmaceuticals (IT department). You may have seen us in the news lately. We are going to be downsizing dramatically (by at least three quarters), so our current jobs are up in the air. We won't really know where we stand for a few months.

 

[milestogo]

ouch, Susie. Fingers crossed.

 

[pixie3]

My father-in-law has to leave to go home as soon as we get to Barcelona.

Does anyone have an idea about the earliest time to catch a flight. We will keep his luggage. THere is a flight at 11:10 - is that too early.

I tried to do a search - but I really hate the search engine. Sorry.

 

[tig82174]

Hey all,

Well Disney is done and now we're in Fort Luaderdale for MY conference....much less fun, but I suppose I ccan't complain since I'm still in the warmth of Florida and I'm not paying for it!

I will say, however, that by ANY standards the hotel the NY State Dept of Health put us in is NOT very nice (everyone is very disappointed and annoyed)....but in specific after spending a week at Saratoga Springs....this place is like living in a dumpster!

Oh well...se la vie!

Well those of you who didn't get to see Wicked...definitely should. (And, milestogo, while I think that the book is brilliant (and written by a native upstate new yorker), I like the show better because it's very pretty, MUCH less dark while retaining some of the important social/political themes, and the music is AWESOME). Another year of the national tour is coming and I heard there are going to be even more stops because of the popularity of this year. Also, of course, there are the "permanent" shows in NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles (opening in February 20007 but I think tickets are already on sale...or will be soon) and London.

Milestogo...I didnt' do too much fun eating, really. While the water parks, salons, spas...and even some of the parks....were fun as a solo gig.....sitting down to eat alone wasn't fun for me....and Jason was tied up most of the day and evenings so I actually ate in the room a lot and then mostly counter service places...and I fell in love with "Foodquest" (the lunch counter(s) run by The Cheesecake Factory inside the DisneyQuest complex).

 

[tig82174]

My father-in-law has to leave to go home as soon as we get to Barcelona.

Does anyone have an idea about the earliest time to catch a flight. We will keep his luggage. THere is a flight at 11:10 - is that too early.

I tried to do a search - but I really hate the search engine. Sorry.

No he can make it on that flight. Ours is at like 11:30am and I think that disney is officially telling people not to book flights before 10am or 10:30....so an 11am flight shoudl be fine. We all have to be off the boat by 8am, right? The airport is 30 minutes tops....so you'd be at the airporty well before 9am and even it takes an hour or two to do security, etc....you'd be cool.

 

[pixie3]

No he can make it on that flight. Ours is at like 11:30am and I think that disney is officially telling people not to book flights before 10am or 10:30....so an 11am flight shoudl be fine. We all have to be off the boat by 8am, right? The airport is 30 minutes tops....so you'd be at the airporty well before 9am and even it takes an hour or two to do security, etc....you'd be cool.

Thank You, I appreciate that. I couldn't find anything on the web site (But I haven't tried to call them).

 

[milestogo]

I'm so glad to hear that Wicked will come around again. It was the dark, creepiness that I was so surprised by. I thought I'd love it and was very surprised. But, I know I am going to love the musical - I've seen so many cast appearances on the talk shows out of NY and it sounds beautiful. The very idea of the two stories is exciting. Sorry you didn't get to do much fun eating, sounds like Jason was really busy, I hope he got to do something fun.

Susie, DH loved the book trading idea.

CACruisin, I see a Yo HO Monte Christo sandwich in your future!

Has anyone been to the DL Halloween Treat? It is the second year that DL is doing it and we got tickets with our neighbors. WDW has done it for quite a few years I think... is that what you did Erik? They close the park early here and we bought special tickets for it. Any thoughts anyone??????

 

[ssnyder]

Has anyone been to the DL Halloween Treat?

We did it last year and it was OK. It was just Curt and I and we hadn't been trick or treating since about 12 years old, so we kind of had fun. It wasn't near what I have heard described happens in WDW. It was just a bunch of stations set up giving out candy. No special entertainment. Maybe they'll do more this year.

Curt has finished editing the Italy pictures - here is the link: Italy vacation
Be sure to catch the Disney connection (on page 2). It's kind of hard to make out in the photo - but think woman with seven little guys and you will get it.

 

[tig82174]

Has anyone been to the DL Halloween Treat? It is the second year that DL is doing it and we got tickets with our neighbors. WDW has done it for quite a few years I think... is that what you did Erik? They close the park early here and we bought special tickets for it. Any thoughts anyone??????

Yeah that's what we did....the World has been doing it for a while...they call it "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party." That's what we went to. You have to purchase a separate special ticket. They close the Magic Kingdom at 7pm and either kick everyone out or they try to corral everyone who was a day visitor and is also staying at the park for the party up near the front gates while they do the set up inside the park for the party. Then they re-open the areas of the park a little later and you get a wristband. Almost all the attractions are open, there are two Halloween themed Parades that are great (same parade but they do it ttwice), a halloween fireworks show.....there are tons of great decorations around the park, all the characters are wearing halloween costumes, and there are trick or treat stations throughout the park where you can get more candy than anyone ever needed in their life! Lots of people in costumes. Lots of photo ops. Little dances with characters happening around the park....adn the park is open til midnight. Very fun!

 

[tig82174]

We did it last year and it was OK. It was just Curt and I and we hadn't been trick or treating since about 12 years old, so we kind of had fun. It wasn't near what I have heard described happens in WDW. It was just a bunch of stations set up giving out candy. No special entertainment. Maybe they'll do more this year.
QUOTE]


Oh i forgot about other special entertainment....there's a show on the front steps of Cinderella's Castle (where the Cinderellabration show was performed every day until just recently).....I can't remember the name of the show but it stars all the villains.

SSnyder....did you mean that DisneyLAND really didn't do much more than candy last year? Or that you went to it at the World and were disappointed? Because the party at the World totally met our expectations....we're definitely planning on going again in the future! I'd recommend the Halloween event(s) at WDW to anyone!

 

[ssnyder]

SSnyder....did you mean that DisneyLAND really didn't do much more than candy last year?

Yes, that is what I meant.

 

[milestogo]

I get the feeling that they have improved and expanded the planning for this year. They are decorating both parks calling it Halloweentime, some kind of little shows and crafts, several new food items and treats will be available. Woody's Halloween something will be open every day for a month and they are converting both Haunted Mansion and the Tower of Terror to something spooky. Since last year was the first time, hopefully they are picking up as many little details as WDW. I'll let you know after we've been there. I'm going as Edna Mode (goes with my Devil Wears Prada book & movie theme this month)

 

[padalyn]

I am going to WDW this weekend!!

Hey Padalyn..... I remember that you are going to the pin event. If nothing else, you can find me on Sunday at the Off Kilter stage. Usually on the left side of the stage.

And this is not a day to soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Debbie

Debbie - I didn't see you - but we were so beat after each day of trading we barely made it to dinner then "home". I am looking forward to getting back there in October!!

 

[padalyn]

Are there any other avid readers out there? Curt goes through so many books while on vacation (about 1 a day) that his suitcase is packed with books when we start out. I don't make it through near that (I started on my fourth book on the way home), but still don't like to pack a suitcase full of books. Curt leaves a trail of books behind him and takes advantage of any trading libraries where we are staying.

I was thinking with all the sea days on our cruise, we are going to be going through a bunch of books. I was wondering if it might not be a good idea to start our own trading library. I was thinking if everyone brought an extra book to start the library with, we'd have a pretty good collection to start with. We'd volunteer to host the library. Is this a good or bad idea? I can see the main difficulty would be a variety of tastes. Curt and I like mystery, fast action, science fiction, and fantasy.

All the books at the end could be donated to the crew.

wow - what a great idea - I am an avid sci-fi and fantasy reader. I collect them also (talk about an expensive hobby!! More than pin trading!!). Well I was worried about the same thing - then realized that on the 14 day Panama cruise we had almost as many days at sea - I never even opened a book!! There is SO much to do, they keep everyone so busy with tours and other seminars etc that I just never had the time to read.

I am planing to tackle the DaVinci Code - figure one book will hold the whole trip! I am taking the 14 day and the first 11 day.