~~~ May 16, 2009 ~~~ Western Magic ~~~

[NoodlesMom]

Tink113

Every time that we've gone to Paradise beach, we are usually one of the first to arrive. We are not big shoppers so we usually get off the ship and head straight over there. Maybe we went on the not so busy days but we have always sat in the first row of seats next to the water. It looks like we will be there on a Wednesday this time and according to my little but of research, there may be 7 ships in port that day. If you want something quiet, I've heard really good things about Nachi Cocum (I may have spelled that wrong). It is an all inclusive beach. I think it may be $40 a person but I've heard that it’s really quite and that price includes food and drinks for the day.

 

[Faith&Hope]

Hello everyone! Well, today was the payoff day for our original cruise (April 25th) but I called and changed it to your cruise! Yeah! This will be our 4th disney cruise (all 7 dayers). It will be DH(38), myself (33), DD(6) ad DD (3, almost 4). We are in room 7598 (cat 5) and are waitlisted for early dinner. I have not been able to read through all of the pages but read through some.

This will be our 3rd time doing the Western. I think we might do Dolphin Discovery at Chaun...... but there are few time slots left so I better get in gear! Went to Paradise Beach (I think) last time and didn't really enjoy ourselves. The beach was really rocky, the pool was gross. So we are doing something different. We are booking on our own.

In Grand Cayman, we are just going to enjoy 7 mile beach. Last year, we did a snorkeling trip through Captain Marvin's. I enjoyed it but my little one fell asleep in the boat! We love this beach but don't remember where the little old lady in the taxi van took us last time! We loved the place she took us but I can't even remember to describe it. I think it had a little restaurant and a place to rent chairs and umbrellas. It wasn't a hotel. Anyone have any suggestions on what part of 7 mile beach to go to? I didn't write down the name of the area and I so regret it now!

In Key West, we are staying on the boat!We've done the butterfly farm twice and southernmost point.

SInce I just switched today, I've got lots of reading to do and decisions to make!

For those of you who are first timers, you will love it! My husband has not worked since June of last year but we are making this cruise work! We looked into RCCL because we live by the LA port and it would have cost us so much less, but we can't give up Disney. THe smiles on our kids faces, the smiles on our faces when we dropped them off in the club, the tears in the kids eyes when we had to leave (and mine, I admit, really ), we can't give up on the memories that are made! We are just going to make it work...somehow!!

I would love the navigators and the FE list! I have my FE from last year that I made and it wants to be hung up!! My email is kymtillman@aol.com

Sorry so long! Just wanted to introduce ourselves and let you know that I have lots to read to catch up!!

Kym

 

[indigodisney]

Welcome Kym!!

So glad you are going to come on this cruise and that you will make it work. That is how I feel about my vacations. My job is so stressful and we do what we can to make sure that we can go away each year.

Your plans for excursions sound great...we are also doing the low key approach so we won't seem to have much to book on Saturday night when we reach the 90 day mark.

Welcome welcome!!

 

[lillygator]

morning cruisers!

 

[sfrasc2000]

This will be our 3rd time doing the Western. I think we might do Dolphin Discovery at Chaun...... but there are few time slots left so I better get in gear! Went to Paradise Beach (I think) last time and didn't really enjoy ourselves. The beach was really rocky, the pool was gross. So we are doing something different. We are booking on our own.

eWelcome aboard if you are looking for the dolphin encounter see my last post. Book through dolphin discovery not disney.

 

[lillygator]

hmmmm we planned on ending our day at Paradise Beach, but it isn't nice?

 

[lillygator]

I am only staying up on friday night to book Palo!

 

[shasess]

Good Morning!

Welcome Kym!

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

to our cruise, Kym!!!! We're glad you changed! With all your previous Western cruises, you'll be very helpful to all the new cruisers with any Q's they may have! I'll update you on post #1!

Speaking of post #1, does anyone ever go to it to refer to anyone's info? (I do quite frequently, but I didn't know if anyone else does.) Anyway, I was thinking of maybe adding more info for each family (only if you want it added), such as # of previous DCL cruises, any excursion/Palo plans, any celebrations (I think I've done a few of those), and maybe even a family photo so we can recognize each other right away! We posted photos of our families on our last cruise thread, and it was so neat to be able to see a familiar face around the ship. (We did it throughout the entire thread, though, so it wasn't all in one easy-to-get-to place like #1 would be.) A lot of us gathered together after checking in at the terminal, and I still remember immediately recognizing several other families who were in that area already when we got to the top of the escalator! What does everyone think? There's quite a few families that have joined the thread but haven't been posting much. Maybe we can help get them out of hiding again!

 

[shasess]

I am only staying up on friday night to book Palo!

At least your booking day falls on the weekend. I think new cruisers booking day falls on Monday
Does anyone know what time the booking begin?

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

I am only staying up on friday night to book Palo!

I think it's Saturday night. That's when I'm planning it anyway. Maybe I'm wrong! Yikes! We better find out for sure, huh?

 

[lillygator]

yes, Saturday night - and yes post pics and add info - the more the better!!

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

Went to Paradise Beach (I think) last time and didn't really enjoy ourselves. The beach was really rocky, the pool was gross. So we are doing something different.

We built sandcastles, etc., and I definitely don't remember Paradise Beach being rocky (see a previous picture with a Dos Equis bottle in the sand), and I didn't even see a pool anywhere at all. Serenity Bay, on the other hand...now that's rocky!!

Here's another closeup of the Paradise Beach sand.

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

yes, Saturday night - and yes post pics and add info - the more the better!!

Will do then! Whomever wants to, just send me a PM with any extra info & photobucket links to photos that I can copy & paste so I don't have to go back through the entire thread looking for everyone's plans & photos (or pick one that you don't want there!). I could go all the way back through it, of course, but I'd rather not. If I end up getting a lot of info to put in, I may not be able to start working on it until this weekend, so I wouldn't want it to get lost amongst the pages of the thread, so a PM should work better. THANKS!!!

 

[austin77]

Welcome Kym!!

Hudson5&Lennon3 I def want to add info, so ill send you a post!!!

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

Hudson5&Lennon3 I def want to add info, so ill send you a post!!!

Thanks! I did mine, yours, and a little bit of my parents (they're not sure about some stuff yet, and I'll have to either look for or take a photo) so others can see how the extra info looks. Let me know what you think!

I've done shasess, too, but I'm having trouble with their photo. It's just putting up the link, even though I have

around it. HELP PLEASE, ANYONE!! Is anyone else forum-savvy enough to know what I can do to post their pic instead of the link? TIA! Never mind!!! I GOT IT!!!

 

[lucyddr]

This is one of the most recent photos of Adam and I. It's been a little cold here...

As far as info goes:
Friday night at Radisson with 10am shuttle.
Saturday is my 32nd Birthday!
Palo dinner hopefully on either Sunday,Tuesday night. (Tuesday is my favorite choice and preferably early in the evening.)
Palo brunch whatever day is available for around 11:00. (Ideally not on KW day, so as not to spoil my FKLP!)
KW: Probably bike around and snorkel at the Fort. (Bikes are easier to park than electric cars, thus my change of plans.) Cheap day!
GC: Snorkel off the beach to the Calli Shipwreck, otherwise hang around the beach. If the IRS smiles upon us Thursday, maybe the jet ski excursion (not through the ship though) to the wreck and reef.
Cozumel: Dune buggies for sure!
CC: Serenity Bay, nothing structured!

Our cruise history is in my signature...Second trip on the Magic Western. (DH doesn't like sea days very much, so I doubt we'll get on the Eastern any time soon. Fortunately, we went to St. Thomas on our Southern cruise!)

 

[austin77]

It looks great!!! Thanks for putting it up! I think its a great idea!!

 

[lucyddr]

Thanks Val for your work in doing this! I think it really will make the trip more fun to "know" who you are travelling with!

 

[shasess]

I've done shasess, too, but I'm having trouble with their photo. It's just putting up the link, even though I have

around it. HELP PLEASE, ANYONE!! Is anyone else forum-savvy enough to know what I can do to post their pic instead of the link? TIA! Never mind!!! I GOT IT!!!

Thank you!!!!