Memorial Week Cruise May 24-29, 2009

[g-ma]

Yay, we'll be on the same bus!

I also think, if we were repeat cruisers we wouldn't do it again either, but, gotta check it out once.

The resort looks beautiful. I figure maybe 5 hrs there??? Plan to head back for sure by 4. I think the last bus runs at 4:30. Don't want to miss it, Luckily, there is something each family member is interested in (that's the hard part).

Doing the dance We're getting closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[twokats]

About this time in 75 days I will be landing in Orlando to start the celebration!!



Not the least bit excited are we!!!

 

[CUL8R]

Hey TwoKats...what airline are you flying? We've got a connecting flight to catch in Houston that day...we're flying Continental...which has had a couple of incidents with it's smaller planes as of late...so, for all of you who do pray, please keep us in your prayers that day!

I got my book with the excursions, tips and stuff today...woo hoo! Still no room number though. They still say it's guaranteed.

We decided not to do any Nassau excursions...mostly because of the cost and the fact that both of my boys now qualify as adults for pricing...oh for them to be young again and be able to share a meal...now they both eat enough for two! We're just going to do the walking tour that we read about in the Passporter's Disney Cruise Line vacation planner...then head back to the ship. My TA sent me a copy of 2 Personal Navigators from a cruise she took...looks like there's enough going on on the ship to keep us busy or relaxed.

I hope each of you get the excursions you're hoping for. Don't forget you can fill out your boarding/check-in forms on-line starting tomorrow...just print them out and take them with you to check in for the cruise....I am sooooooo excited!!!

How are y'all coming along on your fish extenders and magnets? I'm not very far along just yet...still looking for a magnet to represent my younger son. I found a Mickey icon with a nurses cap, so I'll use that one for me...then y'all saw the graduation Mickey for my older son. I've got some fabric picked out for my FE but haven't even washed that yet.

Today in Disney:

1911 - John Lounsbury, Disney animator and one of the "Nine Old Men" is born. Some of Johns artistic talents were utilized in Fantasia, Cinderella and Winnie the Pooh. Happy Birthday John!!

2008 - The Block Party Bash debuts at Disney's Hollywood Studios. (Personally, I was happy to finally see it go and have something else, Disney's Pixar Parade, come to DCA!)

 

[twokats]

Hey TwoKats...what airline are you flying? We've got a connecting flight to catch in Houston that day...we're flying Continental...which has had a couple of incidents with it's smaller planes as of late...so, for all of you who do pray, please keep us in your prayers that day!

I got my book with the excursions, tips and stuff today...woo hoo! Still no room number though. They still say it's guaranteed.

We decided not to do any Nassau excursions...mostly because of the cost and the fact that both of my boys now qualify as adults for pricing...oh for them to be young again and be able to share a meal...now they both eat enough for two! We're just going to do the walking tour that we read about in the Passporter's Disney Cruise Line vacation planner...then head back to the ship. My TA sent me a copy of 2 Personal Navigators from a cruise she took...looks like there's enough going on on the ship to keep us busy or relaxed.

How are y'all coming along on your fish extenders and magnets? I'm not very far along just yet...still looking for a magnet to represent my younger son. I found a Mickey icon with a nurses cap, so I'll use that one for me...then y'all saw the graduation Mickey for my older son. I've got some fabric picked out for my FE but haven't even washed that yet.

Our flight is on American Airlines (a direct flight) out of DFW. My husband does not do layovers or any stops if he can help it. All I have to worry about with them is hoping they do not strike before we come home.

Isn't that book just the neatest little thing with so much info in it!! I still am undecided if I want to do anything on Nassau or not. Part of me wants to do the dolphin encounter, but . . . . .

My fish extender is only closer to being done in that I have a lady at church who sews and she has agreed to help me make it. I have it designed in my head, unfortunately so far I have not found my fabric yet. I hope to get to Hobby Lobby this week and see what reaches out and grabs me!

I will have plenty of magnets I am sure, I just have to decide which ones absolutly go and which ones wait til next time!! For your youngest son. I have the Jack Skellington character and I have a blank Mickey head, but they are not together. Would you like to see them and see if you can come up with something on your own? I am snowed under with tax returns and I barely have a few minutes a day to check the message boards.

 

[CUL8R]

For your youngest son. I have the Jack Skellington character and I have a blank Mickey head, but they are not together. Would you like to see them and see if you can come up with something on your own? I am snowed under with tax returns and I barely have a few minutes a day to check the message boards.

That would be great, and thanks...the cruise isn't until the end of May, though. Please finish up with your clients and you can send the clipart after April 15th if that helps.

I've just been on the boards a lot lately because I've had a whole week off...tomorrow I go back to work. They had me take the time off because I was under a lot of stress...I witnessed someone getting shot and he died, and even though I am a hospice nurse and deal with death fairly regularly, it's never in a crisis situation like this was. Anyway...I probably won't be able to be hanging out at the boards as often.

I do have to go to Anaheim for a few days next week...helping my DD pick up the rest of her belongings...so do any of my cruising buddies need anything from Disneyland...I'm working up any excuse to make a stop there!!!

 

[Kelly Lou]

Hi All!
We leave boring OHIO in 70 DAYS!!!!!
Disney here we come!
Too excited!!
Alright, that's all for now cuz I'm going to book my excursions now!!!!

 

[lilouisianagal]

Meeting at the sail away party sounds great. And for reference, I have rarely seen other groups in WISH green!

Loving the trivia there g-ma!

Kelly Lou- glad you like MfM! I'm definitely a finisher, not a placer. But I have a great time finishing!

CUL8R- I'll probably just get a paint chip and/or wear my WISH shirt. You won't be able to miss me if I wear it hehe! Sounds like a tough week but a trip to Disneyland will definitely help. Lucky you!

We'll probably be staying on the ship on Nassau day. We have a really early flight to make the ship so having a rest day will be nice. It is vacation after all!

We're flying on Delta right now. We have an early flight out of Baton Rouge to Atlanta, one hour layover, then on to Orlando!!! I'm going to try calling to see if there is any way to get a slightly later flight though.

I haven't even started on my FE or magnets. That will be a spring break project. Or post school!

I haven't been tracking who's doing FE's but here's the roster so far:

jenelabri (Jennifer) from ?; traveling w/DH, ds 9, dd 5 and both sets of grandparents; sea only?; 1st cruise; celebrating?; ? dining?; Deck? Room?

candlemakerw/twins (name?) from Massachusetts; traveling w/DH, DD5, DD5; land&sea; 4th cruise; celebrating?; ?dining?; deck 6, room?

g-ma (Marlene) from Ohio; traveling w/DH, adult children (KellyLou), spouses, and kids; land&sea; 1st cruise; celebrating son's b-day/alone time/family; main dining; Deck 7 & 2, Room 7035

Kelly Lou (Kelly) from Ohio; traveling w/DH, DS 8, DS 7, and DD 3 (and parents (g-ma), siblings, in laws, and nieces and nephews- 17 total); Land&Sea&Land; 1st cruise; celebrating family; main dining; Deck 7 Room 7039
The Warrens: Kelly (Tink), DHJim (Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indian Jones, Grumpy, The Incredibles), DS8/Jimmy (Star wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indian Jones, nemo, incredibles, cars... anything boyish), DS7/Joey (Star wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indian Jones, nemo, incredibles, cars... anything boyish) DD3/Mary-Elizabeth/M.E. (Princesses)

Willsgirl (Colleen) from Ohio; traveling w/ DH, DD7, DS4, DS2 (with g-ma and Kelly Lou); sea only?; celebrating?; ?dining?; deck?, room?

The Thomases: Colleen (Minnie, Mickey, Pooh characters), DH/Will, DD7/Katie (Hannah Montana, Highschool Musical, Camp Rock, Princesses), DS4/Brandon (Mickey, Cars, Nemo, anything boyish), DS2/David (Mickey, Cars, Nemo, anything boyish)

twokats (Kathy/Kat) from Texas; traveling w/DH; land&sea&land; 1st cruise; celebrating 25th anniversary; late dining; deck 6, Room 6080

hillfam (Monique) from Georgia; traveling w/DH, DS7, DS2; Sea?&Land?; 4th cruise; celebrating DH's return/4th honeymoon; main dining; deck 6, room 6110

lilouisianagal (Claire) from Louisiana; traveling w/DH; Sea only; 1st cruise; celebrating Honeymoon; main dining; deck 2, room 2078

CUL8R (Tina) from Arizona; traveling w/DS, DS; [little]land&sea; 1st cruise; celebrating sons' graduations; main dining; deck? room?

Tina (Goofy, Mickey, Tiggr, Tink, Thumper), DS18/Jacob (Star Wars, Grumpy, Fox and the Hound), DS14/David (Star Wars, Jack Skellington, Mater)

dunnhorn (Leslie Ann) from Georgia; traveling w/ DH, DS7, DD5; sea &land; 2nd (1st) cruise; celebrating 10th wedding anniversary; main dining; deck 6, room?

 

[g-ma]

Made my ressies. Got everything I wanted. Will anyone be going to Palo for brunch on sea day? What type of things did everyone book?

 

[dunnhorn]

Made my ressies. Got everything I wanted. Will anyone be going to Palo for brunch on sea day? What type of things did everyone book?

Hi there! We're doing the Palo Brunch too!!! We have ressies at 10 a.m. because I also booked a couples spa villa for the afternoon. Can't 100% decide if we will keep with it because good LORD it is expensive! But hey, this is our 10 year wedding anniversary present to ourselves, so why not???

 

[g-ma]

Leslie Ann,

I'm really looking forward to Palo. We have a noon ressie and in the morning hubby and I have the couples well being massage scheduled. It's still costly in my opinion, but a little more manageable.

Sounds like your going to have a great trip!

 

[CUL8R]

Ahoy there, Mateys!

How's everyone coming along on their Fish Extenders? I haven't started. I have fabric picked out...and I have designs picked out for our door magnets, but nothing is made or put together just yet.

We have a new cruiser joining us. He's the friend of my younger son. His name is Cris and I'm actually surprised his parents are letting him come with us because of the cost this late in the game ..but it makes my youngest more comfortable having a friend along...so maybe I can get him/them into the teen club now.

Gma glad to hear you got all of the extras that you wanted...and glad those of you who wanted Palo were able to get in too.

Louisiannagal, what is a wish shirt?

61 days left...60 until many of us leave...it's getting closer!!

 

[Kelly Lou]

Hi Everyone! So excited! Big countdown here~

I bought fish extender gifts last week! Now I just have to make lables and my fish extender...

So, right now I think the word is that we are planning to meet on Deck 9 just before and during the sail away party.

We currently have 8 groups participating in our fish extender: Sunday 5-24: cuL8r, hillfam, twokats, Kelly Lou, lilouisianagal, Willsgirl, g-ma, Dunnhorn- so that's 2 per night, I will post a schedule of who/ when closer to the trip, I'm waiting to see if we get anymore late joiners closer to the cruise.

Other thoughts: during out meet how will we find eachother? Suggestions, anyone? Maybe we should say when your looking at the stage let's try to be on the right side, towards the front? (Just throwing out a suggestion- I'm not at all familiar with the ship, if anyone knows it any better tell us where the best spot is). Also, what about waving a green flag- any volunteers? Or wearing the lime green mickey paint chips from home depot? I saw photo button pins for 79cents at our craft store, maybe we could all get something like that to wear a paint chip? Any other suggestions.

Another thought was a second meet in the evening at one of the lounges- incase we miss some of the group at the big sail away party. Any thoughts on a time or place for that???

Can't wait to meet you all and let the wonder begin!!!!

 

[CUL8R]

I think the paint chip button idea is GREAT

I don't know that I can find a green flag...what about a small American flag? Those are everywhere...I could probably glue a green Mickey paint chip to a small American flag and wave that also.

I'm not familiar with the ship layout either. Someone earlier had mentioned meeting on deck 10 aft, overlooking deck 9...I assume the next thing would be to move down to deck 9 to be part of the action. Anyway, we are getting to the point in time when decisions need to be made pretty soon...so if it really doesn't matter to you where we meet...if you're the type that would prefer to be told "this is where we're meeting/what we're doing" and you'll be there, please say so because I think we're waiting to get everybody's input and not everybody is inputting.

M-I-C see you real soon! K-E-Y why? Because we like you! M-O-U-S-Eeeeee!

 

[hillfam]

Just tell us what to do, when, and where!

 

[hillfam]

BTW, our soldier is back home healthy and safe on American soil. I thank God everyday for what he goes through to keep our land safe.

 

[g-ma]

Hilfam--great to have him home, safe and sound. Thank him for us for his service.

O.K., I'm one of those people who wants to be in the action, not watching it. I vote for deck 9. As close to the front as we can get. As soon as the safety drill is over head to deck 9. I'm onboard with getting the round photo buttons from a local craft store and putting a lime green mickey in it. We could write our names on it too. This would be easy to spot from the front but not the back. Going with cul8r's idea of also having a flag.

Later that night many of us will end up in a lounge somewhere. I say we have an open invite to also meet up here just incase we lost someone somewhere. Say 9:30 ish at ??? Does anyone know which lounge offers the best music or is the most fun?

Again, as far as the FE gifts go. Try to stay around $1.00 pp. Too expensive if we go much higher. I also hear alot of people make homemade gifts. There is a thread on dis under cruiseline that offers idea's. Didn't get mine yet, but I have idea's. I may go with one thing for the girls, another for the boys, and something else for the adults. We'll see what I come up with. Anyway, it's a surrrrprissseeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spreading the pixie dust-------------------M

 

[Kelly Lou]

Yeah Hilfam!!!!
So glad to hear he's home!
I give you as much credit as him- I don't think I could be a military wife: stressing about his safety and having to deal with the kids and hold down the fort at home alone.
Enjoy your time together. And, we're on our countdown to the cruise now!!!!!


Anybody else have any input on when and where to meet? Especially in the evening. Are there several bars/ niht clubs/ hang out areas??? What's a fun one?

 

[CUL8R]

Alrighty! Now we're getting somewhere...

So let's do as Kelly Lou suggested, meet up on deck 9 before/during the sail away party (can we see the ship leaving the dock from there? I've read the CM's at the port wave good-bye with big white Mickey hands...I'd like to see that!) to the right side of the stage as you're facing it, with green Mickey buttons and flags...let's do the small American flags in honor of the hillfam...whatayasay?

I probably won't be meeting anybody up in the lounges because some of my family can get in and the others can't...but...if my studies are correct the lounges on the Wonder are the Cadillac Lounge that's a quiet lounge with a vintage car theme and Diversions which is a sports bar. There's an adults only area at the Cove Cafe. Then there's WaveBands, a dance club which has a different activity every night (top 40, golden oldies, karoake etc)...and if I'm correct...somebody please correct me if I'm wrong...the adult clubs are all located on Route 66 on deck 3.

Looking forward to meeting y'all. I'll be the one with the green Mickey button waving an American flag!!!

 

[g-ma]

Sounds like a plan. I look forward to meeting all of you. Also, I vote for wavebands for later that night. Seems like more will be going on there and it could be fun.

Diser's rock!

 

[Willsgirl]

Everything sounds good to me