Mexican Riviera July 20, 08...Hola Amigos

[Quimby]

Hello everyone!!!

The only bad thing about planning this far in advance is the waaaaait!

This will be our second cruise. We sailed in Dec. 06. My children now are DS 9 and DD 6. We have some friends who are coming with us that it will be their first cruise. Their DD and mine are the same age. We are in room 8016 and they are next to us! I'm excited about the cat. 2. My brother might come too and I am going to try and talk my Dad and stepmom into it too. I am considering asking a friend to come with my DS 9 because no one else in the group for him to play with! I'm not sure though because we have discussed coming out a few days early and going to Disneyland.

Anyone who has any advice on things to do before cruise, and where to stay I would greatly appreciate! I have never been to California. Also one of my friends who is going has never flown before, I'm sure coming into LAX for your first flying experience will be a treat! We are coming from Southern Illinois.

Thanks for putting me onto this sight!



http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;10708;128/st/20080720/e/Mexican+Riveria+Cruise/dt/-1/k/a50f/event.png[/QUOTE]

Welcome Pumpkinbaby!!!

LAX has actully gotten better in the past few years. You will just need to decide if you are renting a car or hire a shuttle to take you to your hotel. In July everything is very crowded, especially Disneyland but since you will already be here you may consider staying in Anaheim for a few nites to see DL and Cal. Adventura. You will be about 25 min from some good beaches too. There are tons of places in Anaheim, depends on budget.

Good Luck!!:yay: :yay:

 

[pumpkinbaby]

Would you stay at Disneyland or somewhere else? What are the best beaches to go to? We will probably hire a car to pick us up and take us to hotel maybe, or at least to the ship. I am not sure I would feel comfortable renting a car since I've never driven in a city that large. St. Louis is the biggest city I've driven in! Been to New York, Chicago, etc. but never driven there.

 

["Got Disney"]

Would you stay at Disneyland or somewhere else? What are the best beaches to go to? We will probably hire a car to pick us up and take us to hotel maybe, or at least to the ship. I am not sure I would feel comfortable renting a car since I've never driven in a city that large. St. Louis is the biggest city I've driven in! Been to New York, Chicago, etc. but never driven there.

Well that all depends on if you decide to go to DL. I would stay on property and get the transferes and have the Buses take you back and forth from LAX to DL than DL to ship than ship to LAX...that will be easier and more fun...

 

[ll_california]

Would you stay at Disneyland or somewhere else?

We stayed both on property and offsite when we visited Disneyland. We prefer some of the offsite properties as they are actually closer to Disneyland Resorts than two of the onsite properties. Some of the hotels/motels on S. Harbor Blvd. are directly across the main entrance of DL (Best Western, Park Vue Inn, etc.)

 

["Got Disney"]

I found this thread on Dancing bananas and found it funny so I thought that I would share it with you..Enjoy! lol

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1346541

 

[Quimby]

What dinner seating did everyone get?

Anyone want to make Palo ressies for me? I won't be able to book until 75 days out.

So what trips and cruises does everyone have planned before of July 20, 2008 Mex. DCL?

I am going on a girls trip on RCL for 3 nites LA to Ensenada...My 1st cruise...I'm trying to find a white noise machine since I have trouble sleeping even at home...Plus, trying to loose lbs. before, but that is a never ending battle.

This summer we'll go camping at the beach and lake a few times.

We will also stay at the Marriott Newport Coast Villas for a few days (timeshare preview package)...

We'll try to get to Sea World in the next few months.

I am always looking for great travel deals!!

Have a great week!!!

 

[pumpkinbaby]

We have main dining I believe. Who know when Palo Ressies booking will change by 08 things may be different. I forget how far ahead suites get to book. Does anyone know if I can make ressies for the people going with us who are in a Cat. 4 since we'll be dining at Palo together? I know we're seated together in the dining room, but I wasn't sure how the Palo ressies worked. I know when we got on the ship last time there was no problem with the concierge getting additional Palo brunch ressie because we were only able to book a dining early.

We are planning on going to visit my Dad in Idaho this summer. We also will go to several Cardinal games. I might go to Chicago with a friend and her DD to American Girl store this summer. My DH will going on a hunting trip in Colorado and that's probably about it. My friends that are going and some of their relatives are discussing maybe Hawaii in 2010.

 

[Quimby]

We are planning on going to visit my Dad in Idaho this summer. We also will go to several Cardinal games. I might go to Chicago with a friend and her DD to American Girl store this summer. My DH will going on a hunting trip in Colorado and that's probably about it. My friends that are going and some of their relatives are discussing maybe Hawaii in 2010.

Hawaii is amazing!!! I have spent a lot of time there!! If you have any questions let me know!!!

 

["Got Disney"]

Que pasa?(whats happening)
Buenos dias amigos....hope your all well. As far as Palos ressies go if I am able to no problemo! CAll DCL and ask them that question. I know that you can make a ressie for a large party of different people like if you are all wanting to go to Palos than you can make a ressie for say 10 or more in the large room but that is under your name....

They will fill up right away...like if the excursions and palos booking opens at around 3am than I can gaurantee that by 4am they will be almost booked. But people do cancel all the time so as soon as you get on board head to guest services and put your name in on the wait list. By the way...I like there brunch better than there dinner and also the days at sea are first to go and the port days you can usually find something..pick a day that we are at port the longest and do a 10:00 brunch and you can be off the ship by 12:00...that is if that is your only option

WE have done that before and it was perfect.

We have main dining

Vacations will be 10 days camping in the summer...we take our motorhome if you want to consider that camping. I like a toilet in the middle of the night thank you WE camp local at a place called "Campland on the bay" great place to acmp and 100s of kids and my kids absolutely love it there.
WE have been going every year for about 6 years and we camp at the same time and most of the people camp the same time also so year after year the kids can see there camping friends and so do Dh and I.

However since one on my DS start HS that year and it is a Charter school and they are on a different schedual than our district ...we needed to change that ressie to a week prior.

So we will be camping that summer for 10 days than 1 week home than 14 days on the cruise. Than Branden starts school around the 9th.

Lots to read....sorry

 

[pumpkinbaby]

Sorry for the little sidebar, but if you were only going to go to Hawaii once, where would you go. There would be five adults with children 9,10, and 13.

 

[Quimby]

Sorry for the little sidebar, but if you were only going to go to Hawaii once, where would you go. There would be five adults with children 9,10, and 13.

That would be a toss up between Maui and Kauai.
Maui has a lot more nightlife, restaurants, shopping etc. Kauai is more lush tropical but less nightlife, restaurats, shopping. We went to Maui last summer and snorkeled with sea turtles everyday!!

The place you stay is a big decision. Are you trading a timeshare or looking for a hotel?...

If you are going to go all the way to Hawaii I would try to go for 10-14 days so you could spend 6 nites Maui, 6 nites Kauai and 2 nites on Oahu (to see Waikiki Beach, North SHore, Pearl Harbor USS Arizona)....

There is so much to see and do there!!! Love it!!

 

["Got Disney"]

My Dh wants to go to Hawaii but than something comes up with DCL and we keep being pulled in...wekeep saying,lets go next time and well as you can see we are doing a back to back.

WE are know talking about going in 2010 but you know what will happen then? A new ship will be here in CA and well...we will have to be on it of course

WE will get there....and if DCL does not offer anything besides a new ship than we will go to Hawaii, and go for at least 14 days as you say....we only vacation on big trips every other year for 14 days. If we end up only doing one week in 2008 yhan we will go to DL for 7 days instead and use our DVC points there.

WE like to travel everyother year and go camping every summer for 10 days. The camping is a must,if you want to call camping in a motorhome camping. I must have a toilet in the middle of the night after all I am 49 and tenting is over!

WE have been camping at Campland on the bay for 6 years..great place to camp and it is local. There are 100s of kids and great activites and the boys would give up any vacation in order to go there...so no matter what we plan we are always booked 2 years in advanced or we cant get in.
That is how fast it books up.

WE would like to do a cruise to Hawaii right out of SanDiego but the dates are not right. They always sail when school is in

 

[ll_california]

We just went to Hawaii last summer. It was our 4th Hawaii trip (2nd one with the children). If we were only going to visit Hawaii once, we would mainly stay in Maui and spend a day in Big Island to see the volcano.

Haven't thought too much about the onboard ressies and excursions yet, as we're also planning on go to the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing in August and not sure if we have enough vacation days to do both.

 

["Got Disney"]

We just went to Hawaii last summer. It was our 4th Hawaii trip (2nd one with the children). If we were only going to visit Hawaii once, we would mainly stay in Maui and spend a day in Big Island to see the volcano.

Haven't thought too much about the onboard ressies and excursions yet, as we're also planning on go to the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing in August and not sure if we have enough vacation days to do both.

WOW the olympics in Beijing sounds great...have you ever been to either before?? sounds like a great experiance. Can I hide away in your luggage?

 

["Got Disney"]

Quimby,
was at the thread about the RC Freedom of the seas...I have though myself about sailing on her but that ship looks so big and impersonal. If DCL does not have something really special in 2010 than we may try her out. The kids will than be 14 and 16 and ready to try a different ship.

Will be nice of DCL was to bring anew ship into it's fleet but who knows...
One thing that I love about DCL is that I let my kids have check in and out privaledges and no way would I do that on the huge ship...

I also like the smaller ship feel...and the Freedom looks to much inside like a shopping mall and not a ship. I do like all the other things you can do on it however..but paying for all the extras like skate rentals and such can add up...

so for know it is Disney...my kids still love the DCL ...not so much the characters but there freedom on the ship to have there own vacation and not just mine and D hs...

 

[ll_california]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";16880136]WOW the olympics in Beijing sounds great...have you ever been to either before?? sounds like a great experiance. Can I hide away in your luggage?[/QUOTE]

I saw the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta (Kids were not born then). I was orignially from China, so kids are very excited about the idea of Olympics + China. They want to do Dinsey Cruise, too, and sailing from CA is a plus for us. We're still trying to get enough vacation time to do both.

 

["Got Disney"]

I saw the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta (Kids were not born then). I was orignially from China, so kids are very excited about the idea of Olympics + China. They want to do Dinsey Cruise, too, and sailing from CA is a plus for us. We're still trying to get enough vacation time to do both.

I would choose Olympics for sure...but that is the adult in me...not sure how my kids would feel...Are you planning on taking the kids to the Olympics also? That would be a great experiance IMO

They may not realize that however till thre there

 

["Got Disney"]

Hi everyone,
I wanted to let you know that I have started cruise info on page 1. I have only put info that you have posted down. If you would like me to add more info (see my name) than just let me know. If You would like me to deleate your info please let me know that also...also as we move along I will put all of us in order of rooms so it is easier to see who we will be our neighbors...

Hope all is going well. As we move closer we can start planning fun things for those of you that would like to meet. WE can talk about door signs for this cruise and help those of you on how to make them if you would like them. And T-shirts..what ever...and keep inmind that not everyone needs to participate, only if you want to.

Any and all ideas are welcome so be sure to add all your input!!! I will have to be the one to add the info on page one because I am the only one who can edit it...so just let me know what you would like added!!!

I look forward to the next 1 1/2 years of excitement with you!!!

Have a great day...Robin

 

[pumpkinbaby]

On the last cruise we exchanged magnets from our state. I think we discussed it fairly soon before we went and then I couldn't find any. If we would want to do something like that again it would give me plenty of time to find some. I will be in the state capital next month and surely I can find some there!

 

[ll_california]

Robin,

Thank you for compiling the cruise list. Our cabin # is 6032, and we have early seating.

Yes, we're going to take the kids to Olympics; they're very eager to see Great Wall and watch the swimming competition. If we end up not having enough vacation time to do both, we will probably choose the Olympics as we can always do DCL at a different time.