May 18, 2013 MAGIC EBTA - Who is with us?

[MandyGirl]

Thank you, think we will definitely look into getting the car then.

I know Houston is one of the largest cities, is it that scary to drive in??

Thanks

I would say it's not scary in Houston, but it's not the country. Signs are well marked. Now, scary to me has been Boston or LA for traffic with crazy drivers. Boston had so much road construction one time it was easy to get turned around or detoured. And in New York City, which is where hubby bought our most recent vehicle a few months ago, he didn't even bother trying to drive up there. He just let the salesman drive and that was good enough for him! (And shipped the vehicle back to our house!!)

I drive with an image of the main map in my head and can visualize where I'm headed, and I am usually the driver in our family. The GPS is usually in hubby's hands, but even when I travel by myself or just with my kiddos like I did last month (and on some other trips), I rely on the old-fashioned paper road maps. I hate that GPS, especially when it is not updated and gets us lost or road construction or detours deviate things. (It did that to us in San Antonio, and once in St Thomas - we ended up on a road that I literally had to back down in a steep area with big dropoffs!) Always have a paper map with you just in case.

And you know us crazy Americans... we drive on the wrong side of the road here! And wrong side of the car, too! A couple months ago we had a car rental for 10 days in St Thomas / St John, which the steering wheel is on the left but you drive on the left (not right like in the States).

And thanks a lot... now you have me craving Cheesecake Factory...

 

[binkytell]

I replied straight away to let you know I received your pm about fe info, so let me know of you didn't get it!!

There is no list as yet, we are 10 months away, on the wbta we had 7 groups of 20 staterooms so I feel it is just too early to make any groups as yet, as we have no idea of the numbers that will sign up.

I sent my info for the roll call, and am looking for the FE exchange list - I sent a PM ages ago, but don't see a list.

Cayla

 

[binkytell]

I will be happy to do the Book Exchange. I use a Kindle so I will not be contributing but our stateroom is right outside of the midship deck 8 elevators and stairs... so very easy to get to.

On our 2007 WBTA we just used a plastic bag hung on the door. I'm thinking maybe a canvas bag or a reusuable shopping bag.

Read a book I was lucky to get a chance to read the navigator with an 8 month old maybe this time

 

[dee slack]

We are thinking of flying out on the Wednesday 15th May to Houston, spending 2 nights there and then spending a night at Galveston Island because it looks a pretty cool place! Someone correct me if I am wrong!

Thought it would be nice to get up on the Saturday morning all refreshed, swing back the curtains and just see the Magic there in port!

There's premium outlets in Houston so we may even rent a car from the airport and then drop it in Galveston on the Friday. I really need to get to Cheesecake Factory, Hot Topic, the Disney store and a sneaker place before we leave the US. Things are just so much cheaper over there!

.

We are flying out Wednesday too. So far, we are planning to drive to San Antonio for 2 nights then for Fri night not sure whether to go back to Houston so we can drop off the rental car and catch the DCL shuttle or drive to Galveston the leave the car at Enterprise office. The latter option, we need to check where exactly the drop off is and how to get to the port. Totally with you for shopping, for me it's Joann, Michaels and Hobby Lobby to stock up on craft scrapbook stash and got to have Taco Bell !!!!!!!

 

[binkytell]

If anyone who sent me a pm to sign up for FE didn't receive a reply from
Me to say I had added you to the list, could you let me know, as I replied immediately to each one when I got it. Thank you

 

[binkytell]

We are flying out Wednesday too. So far, we are planning to drive to San Antonio for 2 nights then for Fri night not sure whether to go back to Houston so we can drop off the rental car and catch the DCL shuttle or drive to Galveston the leave the car at Enterprise office. The latter option, we need to check where exactly the drop off is and how to get to the port. Totally with you for shopping, for me it's Joann, Michaels and Hobby Lobby to stock up on craft scrapbook stash and got to have Taco Bell !!!!!!!

We're planning on going to San Antonio too for few days just not sure when
As we're hoping to fly out on 11th may and having a week in Texas.
What do you have planned in San Antonio? I'm just starting to do some research so we can get some firm plans to book hotels.

 

[kaseyC]

Read a book I was lucky to get a chance to read the navigator with an 8 month old maybe this time

How about a magazine? They could be exchanged as well.

 

[binkytell]

How about a magazine? They could be exchanged as well.

Yeah magazines would be great too, as most buy a couple at airport and then we all bin them I am going to try for a book though, she is in nursery 2 full days every week now so I'm
hoping she will love flounders this time, fingers crossed

 

[Tink1987]

I would say it's not scary in Houston, but it's not the country. Signs are well marked. Now, scary to me has been Boston or LA for traffic with crazy drivers. Boston had so much road construction one time it was easy to get turned around or detoured. And in New York City, which is where hubby bought our most recent vehicle a few months ago, he didn't even bother trying to drive up there. He just let the salesman drive and that was good enough for him! (And shipped the vehicle back to our house!!)

I drive with an image of the main map in my head and can visualize where I'm headed, and I am usually the driver in our family. The GPS is usually in hubby's hands, but even when I travel by myself or just with my kiddos like I did last month (and on some other trips), I rely on the old-fashioned paper road maps. I hate that GPS, especially when it is not updated and gets us lost or road construction or detours deviate things. (It did that to us in San Antonio, and once in St Thomas - we ended up on a road that I literally had to back down in a steep area with big dropoffs!) Always have a paper map with you just in case.

And you know us crazy Americans... we drive on the wrong side of the road here! And wrong side of the car, too! A couple months ago we had a car rental for 10 days in St Thomas / St John, which the steering wheel is on the left but you drive on the left (not right like in the States).

And thanks a lot... now you have me craving Cheesecake Factory...

I don't think he would ever ever contemplate driving in NY lol, I'll never forget my first experience getting out of a taxi in that wonderful city.

I think he is most scared of LA next year hehe.

You're craving Cheesecake Factory?! I haven't had that wonderful cake since NYE 2009 :-( lol

 

[Tink1987]

We are flying out Wednesday too. So far, we are planning to drive to San Antonio for 2 nights then for Fri night not sure whether to go back to Houston so we can drop off the rental car and catch the DCL shuttle or drive to Galveston the leave the car at Enterprise office. The latter option, we need to check where exactly the drop off is and how to get to the port. Totally with you for shopping, for me it's Joann, Michaels and Hobby Lobby to stock up on craft scrapbook stash and got to have Taco Bell !!!!!!!

Can I ask what makes you want to go to San Antonio over Houston if you don't mind?

Car rental prices are looking pretty decent so far, anything to get me to those premium outlets!

Everything is just so much cheaper in the US, I can't wait to stock up! I am literally taking hardly any clothes apart my cruise formal wear and will buy a lot of Disney tees in Houston!

 

[Tink1987]

Yeah magazines would be great too, as most buy a couple at airport and then we all bin them I am going to try for a book though, she is in nursery 2 full days every week now so I'm
hoping she will love flounders this time, fingers crossed

I think the magazine exchange is a great idea!

I didn't put myself down for the book exchange, I like to read mine again and again and get a bit funny about the spine being bent etc. *pedantic*

 

[binkytell]

I think the magazine exchange is a great idea!

I didn't put myself down for the book exchange, I like to read mine again and again and get a bit funny about the spine being bent etc. *pedantic*

Collette just had a look a t some of your pics, wow that food looks amazing, I'm sitting salivating at pics and watching Jamie Oliver on tv, not a good idea when I'm on slimming world

Was that on a recent cruise?

 

[Tink1987]

Collette just had a look a t some of your pics, wow that food looks amazing, I'm sitting salivating at pics and watching Jamie Oliver on tv, not a good idea when I'm on slimming world

Was that on a recent cruise?

Yeah, that was our P&O cruise to the Norwegian Fjords at the beginning of June. Was our first cruise, we loved every second of it!

 

[kaseyC]

Yeah magazines would be great too, as most buy a couple at airport and then we all bin them I am going to try for a book though, she is in nursery 2 full days every week now so I'm
hoping she will love flounders this time, fingers crossed

I always buy a few at the airport too. That's when I catch up with all of the celebrity gossip!!

 

[dee slack]

We're planning on going to San Antonio too for few days just not sure when
As we're hoping to fly out on 11th may and having a week in Texas.
What do you have planned in San Antonio? I'm just starting to do some research so we can get some firm plans to book hotels.

So far, we are looking at a day on the red bus to see the Alamo, mission, tower, historic district then 2nd day either Six Flags or someone local mentioned an area/place west of SA that is quite scenic.

Can I ask what makes you want to go to San Antonio over Houston if you don't mind?
Car rental prices are looking pretty decent so far, anything to get me to those premium outlets!
Everything is just so much cheaper in the US, I can't wait to stock up! I am literally taking hardly any clothes apart my cruise formal wear and will buy a lot of Disney tees in Houston!

SA looks a bit more historic and picturesque than the more modern and busy Houston, then we can go shopping early evening as I've checked that there's plenty of my kind of shops nearby

 

[MandyGirl]

SA looks a bit more historic and picturesque than the more modern and busy Houston, then we can go shopping early evening as I've checked that there's plenty of my kind of shops nearby

Ditto! We have not vacationed in the Houston area except once for Kemah / seeing Galveston (Hubby has never lived in that area). We have taken several vacations to San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country. Let me look for a post that has several links that I made a while back...

 

[MandyGirl]

Here it is:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=45060267&postcount=403

Just things we have enjoyed over the decades I've mostly lived north and east of Dallas, with a few years outside Houston in my 20s.

 

[MandyGirl]

And I have to add this one minute clip... It is from the new Jack Black / Matthew McConaughey / Shirley MacLaine movie "Bernie", which is based on a true story in east Texas. It is an independent film, but this is near the beginning of the movie that gives a quick (comical) overview of the geographic regions of Texas from a local in an east Texas coffee shop. Any of us who have ever lived east of Dallas have been able to totally relate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JREkqCvLzSo

 

[dee slack]

Here it is:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=45060267&postcount=403

Just things we have enjoyed over the decades I've mostly lived north and east of Dallas, with a few years outside Houston in my 20s.

Thank you, that's very helpful. I like to see the 'real' place that I'm visiting, not too keen on big sprawling cities that could be anywhere. I also have a bit of a thing for the stereo-typical cowboy too

 

[MandyGirl]

Also, there is a mega outlet shopping center in San Marcos. This is on the interstate between San Antonio and Austin and is very accessible. There is actually more than one outlet mall but they are right by each other. You can EASILY spend a day in this area - lots of stores.

Here are two links depicting the stores:

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/store_listing.asp?id=88
(140 stores)

http://www.tangeroutlet.com/sanmarcos/directory/
(this one has a Disney store - total of 38 stores here)

And if you dare reveal to your husbands I told you about this oasis, I will just have to say I have NO CLUE what the heck you are talking about. I have not been to the Disney store there, so can't tell you anything about it.

Sales tax in Texas varies, but it is around 8.25%. Not like the shopping I did in New Hampshire a few weeks ago with NO sales tax. That was so nice! But many of these are outlet stores, hence often much cheaper than their normal stores (just still have to watch prices).