May 28, 2005 Mexican Riviera

[carriep1657]

Jedisan and Challada, I'm glad to see that you were thinking that nights 4 & 5 were good choices. Since I'm new to this, I wondered if my logic was good in choosing those nights.

We are in the Sacramento area and DD will have her last day of school on 5/27. She gets out at 12:35. We plan to start our drive down around 2 pm. That way we can get through Sacramento and Stockton before traffic starts for the 3-day weekend. If thiings go as planned, we should get over the Grapevine after traffic dies down.

Thanks for letting my DD join in the ice cream tea. She turns 7 in April. She tends to be very quiet around new people. She's got lots of self confidence though and always wants to try new things. She was ready to go to the ice cream/tea on her own and was a little disappointed when I told her that I'd be joining her.

 

[Jedisan]

This will be our fourth cruise to the Mexican Riviera. The San Pedro port is very close and we enjoy the itinerary. Here's a helpful tip (I hope):

With this itinerary, we will be going through mulitple time changes. There is a two hour time difference between California (PST) and Puerto Vallarta (CST). It's difficult (especially for kids) to get up at 7:00 a.m. (when it feels like 5:00 a.m.). We discovered this when we took the kids a couple of years ago. We did not have specific tours arrange and it seemed like it took a while to get ourselves together, have breakfast and get off the ship.

This year, we'll make sure to get into bed a little earlier the night before we arrive in Puerto Vallarta. We want the kids to be well-rested before we go into town.

As we make our way north, we get the time back and it's not as tough.

 

[challada]

Carriep- I'm glad your DD wants to join in the icecream party! The more the merrier and my DD will help her come out of her shell! Emi has a unique ability to make friends for life everywhere she goes!

I didn't even think about the time change...hmmm...

How many folks are booking the dolphin shore excursion? We are thinking of booking only that one and strolling around on the other two (nothing sounds too enticing on either of the other ports...I don't think my kids are interested in the tequila tour, though I might be by then!). Grammie wants to do the dolphins too so I am thinking it's a good choice but now taking into account the time difference I wonder if we can get our rears in gear in time!

Can't wait to meet everyone!

 

[poconoboatniks]

Hey Jedisan,

Tell Sarah that she won't be the only 10 yr girl onboard. Our dd is going to 11 on 6/9, but loves to have any age friends onboard.

I haven't been able to contribute too much on this board up to now. We were on the Wonder 2 weeks ago and this past week dd was hospitalized for pneumonia. She's going back to school tomorrow and I will have more time to post.

Has anyone heard whether or not Pirate night has been cancelled for the West Coast cruises? I read somewhere else that Disney was planning something else in place of the Pirate Night. My kiddos had a great time at Pirate Night on the Wonder. Although, we didn't get to see the fireworks.

We booked the Radisson for the night before the cruise and haven't decided about what we are going to do after the cruise. Our kids are still in school (#$%^snow days keeps pushing back the last day of school).


Poconoboatniks

 

[carriep1657]

Challada, that's great that Emi can make friends so easily. What a wonderful gift to have. I'm torn about booking the dolphin encounter excursion. My DS REALLY wants to do it. However, I'm afraid that he might back out once we got there.

poconoboatniks, I'm so sorry that your DD has been so sick. You must have been worried sick. Good to hear that she's on the mend and will be back at school this week.

jedisan, I hadn't thought about the time change either. Does anybody know what time zones Mazatlan and Cabo are in?

 

[challada]

From what I can decipher at the time zone websites, looks like Mazatlan is an hour behind Puerto Vallarta (or eq to our Mountain time)...I can't find Cabo so I am thinking since it's on the Baja Pen. that it is on Pacific time (eq to Ca).

 

[suesings]

Hi Carrie,
What is your DD7's name? I'm hoping to mention Emily and Katie (and your daughter's) names to my DD5 Kelly beforehand. That way hopefully they can feel like they know each other already and not be as shy.

We are from the Bay Area (south) and aren't sure if we will go to Disneyland for a couple of days prior to cruise?

We are thinking of trying for Palo's reservations on the 4th or 5th night also. I wish we knew when formal night is scheduled? We have an 18 month old (will-be 22 months) so she will have to go in Flounder's Reef for us to be able to go to Palo's. I've heard space is very hard to come by in Flounders so I guess we will have to see how it goes.

It seems like the people who report their children don't enjoy the clubs are shy and don't know anyone so hopefully if we all have an ice cream together when we get on board our girls will have a better time in the clubs having known someone in advance? We are also thinking of going to the Mickey pool after we board (hoping to board early).

Sue

 

[carriep1657]

Sue, we are also hoping to board early and visit the Mickey pool. I really get stressed out when there are tons of kids playing in a pool. I figured that the best times for my kids to enjoy the pool will be when we first get in and while we're visiting the various ports.

My DD is named Mattie. I have shared Kelly's, Katie's and Emily's names with her. She seemed pleased to know some names. I think she feels like she's already got some friends now.

Challada, I bet you're right about Cabo being PST. It sounds like PV will be the only one where the time change is a real problem. If we do an excursion there, I'll opt for the later time.

I also wish we knew when formal night was and if there will be pirate night or some other special night. I bet lots of people will be looking forward to our posts when we return. I wonder how much internet access costs onboard. I bet people on the later west coast cruises would pay for our internet access just so we could give them a live update.

 

[Jedisan]

I did some additional research about the time zones - Puerto Vallarta is in CST, Mazatlan is MST and Cabo San Lucas is PST.

We are also hoping to board early and lounge by Mickey's pool. Katie is really looking forward to the tea party and making some new friends. She is usually a little shy for the first 5 minutes, but is then very outgoing.

It would be nice to know when the formal nights are for planning purposes. On our previous 7-day west coast cruises, they were usually on the second and sixth nights.

 

[challada]

Carrie-

Definitely welcome Mattie to the group! We were planning on checking out the pool first thing too as that was the suggestion I got from a previous cruiser...maybe our girls will just start the party right away!

I saw a package deal on the internet access on the disney website and can't remember what it ran, but it was enough for me to say "no way"...let's start a pool from the folks after us..LOL

 

[suesings]

Hi,
Welcome to Mattie. My Kelly can be shy at first but once she warms up she does great. I get stressed with super packed pools too. Especially with all these posts about parents allowing their kids to jump in the pool (when it is posted no jumping), hold other kids heads under water and let their diaperless babies into the pool, freaks me out. If we head straight for the pool once we board maybe it won't be so crowded. I think the ice cream place "Scoops" is by the pool, is that right? I know my daughter will like the slide.

Isn't the internet access like $6.95 a minute or some outrageous thing? I bet the future cruisers would chip in to get out live reports

 

[challada]

Ok..the internet question was bugging me, so I checked the rate online...

it is 75 cents a minute w/3.95 to send emails...you can get unlimited package for 89.99 for one person (no sharing).

 

[carriep1657]

Oh my, I guess I won't be getting internet access onboard.

Sue, I figure that my kids will really only get to play in the Mickey pool when we first board and during other off times. The whole crowded pool thing is too much for me. That would be great if Scoops is close to the pool.

 

[poconoboatniks]

Hi Sue, Jedisan, Carrie & Challada,

Scoops is very close to the Mickey Pool. On past cruises, someone from the dis grabs a table close to Scoops for a meeting place. 3:00 is a good time because most people are onboard by then and it gives everyone enough time to chat before the lifeboat drill. Most of the kids are already in one of the pools and we're dragging them out to meet some of the other dis kids. Some kids from the April 28 sailing have set up their own thread to get to know each other.

Poconoboatniks

 

[suesings]

Thanks for the info Poconoboatniks. I take it you have been on a DC before? Can I ask you a question? Were the pools really as crowded and wild as some people have reported? Is it better for a 5 year old to play in the Mickey Pool since people have said the Goofy Pool has older kids jumping and rough housing?

Does anyone know if there is anything planned for DIS'ers (all of us) on the May 28th cruise? This is my first cruise so I thought I'd check.

Thanks!

 

[challada]

So far, it looks like the only DISer's thing planned is the girlie get together we have talked about....maybe somebody wants to jump forward and plan a grown up thing!

Frankly, we were considering "jumping ship" to the 14 day repo cruise before ours so I was reading their thread (which is 394 pages long!) and am amazed at all the things they are doing on the boat! Yea, it is a little longer of a cruise, but these (DIS)folks are doing stuff like: scrapbooking class, winetasting party, sailaway gifts for others, room tag, special shirts/buttons/patches, book exchange days, etc, etc, etc! (these are the ones I remember wanting to go to)

So...since we are now "back" aboard our 7 day (14 day conflicts w/some big scheduled things), I propose we start some cool stuff on our cruise too! I've never done Disney cruise (or any cruise) so I don't think I'm the best to organize! I would LOVE to propose a couple of book exchange days when we are at sea (like in the lounge?)...how about a room tag game too (magnet on door, pass along to someone else on list)....any other ideas?

 

[videogal1]

So far, it looks like the only DISer's thing planned is the girlie get together we have talked about....maybe somebody wants to jump forward and plan a grown up thing!

Frankly, we were considering "jumping ship" to the 14 day repo cruise before ours so I was reading their thread (which is 394 pages long!) and am amazed at all the things they are doing on the boat! Yea, it is a little longer of a cruise, but these (DIS)folks are doing stuff like: scrapbooking class, winetasting party, sailaway gifts for others, room tag, special shirts/buttons/patches, book exchange days, etc, etc, etc! (these are the ones I remember wanting to go to)

Well, a lot of us met on the 10-day cruise and it's easier to get things organized with people you already know than with a list-ful of strangers....
Of course the rest of the passengers may feel a bit resentful, too...as though they've been dropped into the middle of a chartered boat...

 

[poconoboatniks]

Hi Sue,

Yes, the pools can get very crazy. My dh or I are in the pool with our kids at all times. A bigger kid dove on top of my then 5 yr in the Mickey Pool. We were on the Wonder in Feb. and I saw a lady take a small child with swim diaper showing in to the Goofy pool. WHY? Can't read? My kiddos love the sea days, but not the crowded pools. We get up early so that they can enjoy the pools before it gets to bad. My dd 10 now understands why having a great book to read is important. My ds 7 still hates to get out of the water. This past trip he ended up falling asleep on the lounge chair. I just covered every inch of him with my coverup.

They can be even more chaotic if the seas are rough. You have all these kids jumping and the pool water is sloshing back and forth.

I think if you just plan on staying with your kids while they're in the pool and getting them to do other activities when the pool is full you should be alright. You don't want to spend the whole day near the pools anyway. The sun is strong even with sunscreen. The noise can get to you after awhile.

The adult pool is aways peaceful and not very crowded. You can get in and sit for a long time. Let the kids go to the club for a little while, get a good book and order the drink of the day. Lover's Delight was soooooooo yummy(We were on the Wonder for Valentine's Day).


Poconoboatniks

 

[crhenderson]

We are considering this cruise but we will have to take our 9 year old daughter out of her 4th grade class. How many are taking their kids out of school?

 

[Jedisan]

We are considering this cruise but we will have to take our 9 year old daughter out of her 4th grade class. How many are taking their kids out of school?

We are taking both our DDs out of school for this cruise. Our oldest, Sarah,(currently 9, but will be 10) is in fourth grade. We discussed the trip with her teacher and she will give us the class assignments for the week. We will need to "home school" her on the cruise. As long as she completes all her work, she will get full credit for the week. Our younger daughter is in Kindergarten, we will do the same for her.

We did this a couple of years ago when we did the Mexican Riviera cruise through Princess. At the time, Sarah was in second grade. It worked out fine. Because she completed all her work, she was not marked as absent and still received a perfect attendence award for that semester.

Since this cruise is leaving over Memorial Day weekend, the kids are only missing four days of school. Sarah understands that while she gets to go on this incredible vacation, she will still need to complete her schoolwork. We just do a little bit everyday.