MICKEY'S PARTY PIRATES! September 7th 2008 - Disney Wonder

[pjstevens]

Karen,

DO NOT listen to Dale. It's been cold here (no real snow though). It is actually going up to 30 today I think (great compared to the below zero winds last week). Hope you all feel better soon.

 

[tinkerbell34]

I was just wondering how everyone is doing. Anyone have any vacations planned? Any exciting news? I'm taking Chris tent camping the first weekend in March at Fort Wilderness as a reward for keeping his grades at A's and B's. I have never done this before so I am very excited. It sounds like we will be very busy with lots of things to do there. My brother and I are planning a trip to Shanghai for the third week of May. Has anyone ever been there? It should be interesting. I noticed from my brief trip to Amsterdam that I start missing the luxuries of home fairly quickly. It will be interesting to spend a whole week somewhere. Well, I'm looking forward to hearing from the rest of you and how things are going. I miss you all!

Karen, somehow I missed you posting your sleding pics! It looks like you all had a lot of fun! We have had about four days total here where it would be cold enough to snow.....down in the twenties and teens in some areas. That isn't the case today....it is 80! I tell you, it gets interesting dressing for the artic tundra for two days and then for the beach the rest of the week. It isn't a wonder we don't get sick more often.

 

[yazee1]

I was just wondering how everyone is doing. Anyone have any vacations planned?

Hi, Dawn. Just yesterday I was thinking of you and your family as well as Patty and Dale. There is a thread on the main cruise board about table companions. The poster wanted to hear horror stories, but I could only remember how much Warren and I enjoyed our time with your family and with Dale and Patty. I wish we could all cruise together again.

The prospect of gator encounters don't bother me. It's not like you're going to find them crossing the road while you walk your dog. My mother has lived in Florida for the past 25 years. I remember when she first moved there. The area was just starting to be developed. There was a lot of wet land and animal life. The gators would inhabit what seemed like any body of water, natural or man-made. My step-sisters, who are four and five years younger than me, almost learned the hard way not to swim in the canals.

No big plans for this year except for another Disney Cruise this October with my in-laws. I think you all knew about that before though. My younger BIL and his family aren't going, but just last month my older BIL said he wants to go, so we added him to our reservation. He's going to bunk with my sons. I'm going to make room magnets that say's "Mickey's Youth Hostel" Between the snoring and the stink of dirty socks, you better believe I will not be stepping foot in that room. That is what Walkie-Talkies are for.

Dawn, I hope you make it to Shanghai this year. I've never been there. Any kind of travel is my kind of travel. May's not that far away. How exciting.

 

[tinkerbell34]

We had an amazing time with you also. I always looked forward to dinner so we could catch up on the day together. I look forward to hearing about your trip in October!

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Hi everyone!! Long time no hear!

I was wondering what everyone was up to and if you had any Disney vacations/cruises planned soon?!

 

[pjstevens]

Hi Hayley,

We have a lot going on (keeps us busy)...

1 1/2 months til our first trip staying in our new 'home' Animal Kingdom Villas! We are taking a short bday weekend trip. Then in August we'll be heading west, for our first trip to Disneyland (taking the kids for that one)... And we already have a weekend in January booked as Dale, our dd Aubre and I are all doing the 1/2 marathon at Disney then!!! Can't wait.

Of course we are busy watching our precious granddaughter grow. So hard to believe she's more than two months old!

Hope everyone else is preparing for spring (I cannot wait).

 

[tinkerbell34]

I keep forgetting it is cold in other parts of the country. Hard to remember in 80 degree weather. hehe

Chris and I just returned from camping at Fort Wilderness. We had a GREAT time! We went horseback riding, did the campfire sing-a-long, went fishing, rented a sea racyer, and saw the electrical water padgent for the first time ever.

I'm trying to save the money for Shanghai in May and I'm thinking about doing the ATX family adventure at the Kennedy Space Center for Christopher's birthday present. I thought about doing another camping trip for Chase's birthday at Fort Wilderness but I think I would just plain die in the heat by then. I'm still trying to work that out in my head.

What is everyone else up to? I sure miss you all! I was online looking a cruise prices trying to figure out how to get on another one soon. hehe Chris is still talking about our time on the Wonder almost daily. Just yesterday he was looking for a bigger box to put all of his memories in.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Wow! Everyone is so busy! Congratulations on your GD Patty, I can't believe she's been born already, let alone 2 months old! I remember when you told us you were going to be a GM!

I'm jealous of all your Disney trips! I wish we were going back this year!!

DF and I are seriously contemplating booking another cruise as part of our honeymoon next year! We loved the last one, and I'm still disappointed we managed to miss you all! Especially since it's half-deposits now, we're contemplating the August 22 2010 cruise, and 'our' cabin 7120 is still available. Tempting!

We are totally looking forward to our wedding!

 

[tinkerbell34]

How is everyone doing? What is everyone up to these days? We did the NFL football camp again this year.

Ernest Graham of the Bucs

We also did a fishing tournament. I'm sad to report that Christopher still hasn't caught a fish. Of course, he wouldn't let me use the shrimp for bait. They were still alive so he had to free them. He also wouldn't let me use the worms for the same reason. He kept careful watch over them and then brought them home and buried them in our front yard. What can I say? He has a soft heart like his mommy.

We also went to the FL air show and saw the Blue Angels. They are amazing!

I am currently researching my trip to Shanghai. That is suppose to happen the third week in May. After reading some "must try" dishes, I have decided I will be on a steamed rice diet. After that, I'll be flying out to Seattle in June for a few days. I have to pick up Christopher from his dads in Oregon and then we will visit some friends in Seattle for a couple of days and then fly home.

I also just bought Christopher's birthday present for this coming year. Another surprise. Of course that isn't new. I have been surprising him with trips since he was four. This was a little pricey but not as much as a Disney Cruise ship! This will actually be the very first year, since he was 2, that we have not done something Disney! Since he has been addicted to NASA for the last 3 years I figured it would be ok to deviate this year. Here is a description:

ATX Family
Explore the final frontier together during Family Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.



Your family will spend two days immersed in astronaut training, riding realistic simulators and building and launching your own rockets. You will meet a veteran NASA astronaut and spend time exploring Kennedy Space Center on a very special tour designed for Family Astronaut Training Experience participants. Finally, you will work together to perform a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station in a full-scale orbiter mock-up and fully outfitted mission control facility.

Ages: 8 and older
Price: $625 (plus tax) for first two participants ($275 each additional participant)

Daily Schedule:

Day 1
2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Meet the ATX instructors and your new teammates, and get checked into your hotel. Next, board a KSC bus for a private tour of Kennedy Space Center. Walk in the heroic footsteps of America’s astronauts from Alan Shepard to today’s space shuttle astronaut pilots and scientists.

From there, you’ll head to the Training Facility at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® for a pizza party and a lively presentation about the rigors of spaceflight and its effect on the human body. The day concludes with building your model rocket for the next day's launch.

Day 2
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Mission Day! Your day begins at the Training Facility with a space shuttle briefing to prepare you for your space shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Experience realistic spaceflight simulators and begin learning how to perform your mission assignment. Before you launch, enjoy a buffet lunch where you will meet a veteran NASA astronaut. You will have time to ask questions about what spaceflight is really like, and receive an autographed photo of one of America's heroic space explorers. Then it’s back to the Training Facility for the culmination of ATX - launching your model rocket and taking part in a successful space shuttle mission!

Make reservations online or call 321-449-4400. Space is limited.


I thought it sounded very cool for my future astronaut son.

Well that is an update from me. I can't wait to hear what all of you are up to.

 

[pjstevens]

WOW Dawn, that sounds awesome! I'm sure Christopher will love that! We are 26 days from our first trip as DVC members! So looking forward to a long weekend away!

Isabella is now three months old! I was off Good Friday so we got to spend some time with her.

We've got lots going on here. Tyler (our youngest) has his senior prom the weekend before we go away. I've been working most of the winter on the after prom that we (the senior parents) hold after the prom so the kids have a safe place to go until 2:30 in the am!!!

The weekend after we get back, I am running my very first 1/2 marathon! I've been training for this and hope to be able to finish. I do not expect a good time but just crossing the finish line is my goal.

After that, I'll be full force training for The 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk. It's a sixty mile walk over three days to raise funds for breast cancer awareness.

 

[yazee1]

Hi, Everyone!

Not much is new here. We haven't moved, changed jobs, had any more kids, planned any trips, adopted a pet, met anyone famous, broken any bones, won the lottery, solved world hunger or bought a car. We're blessedly boring. That astronaut experience sounds great. You guys know we're not "Disney" people. I'd much rather spend several hundred dollars on the astronaut experience than a couple days at the Parks.

So Dawn, what's on the "must try" list that's so repulsive you would rather eat white rice? Monkey brains? My brother-in-law ate them once.

We don't have much planned for this year except getting out of debt. It's a rice & beans, no frills year for us. We are still going on a Disney cruise with our in-laws this fall, but that's because my inlaws are helping us pay for it. We tried to bail out explaining that even paying half (right from the get-go they offered to pay half) is more than we can afford right now, but they really want us to go, so they sent us money for the whole thing. Dh, rather than rejecting their generosity, told them we'd take it as a loan. Thank God for generous in-laws. Now we just have to save up for the transportation and all the cruise-related expenses.

I hope to catch up with Patty and Dale some time this summer since they only live a state away and are almost on the way to my in-laws house. Hopefully, Patty won't make me run with her. I'd have a heart attack trying to keep up with her.

Thanks for checking in! I hope we can all be on the Magic together one day!

 

[tinkerbell34]

Your granddaughter is GORGEOUS! What a cutie! How do you not hug her to pieces?
Congradulations on all your training! I would like to hear your report on the 3 day. The one in our area is the weekend of halloween. We have been doing a "move it to lose it" campaign at work. Every 40miles we do equals a state. Whatever team does all 50 states get entered into a drawing for a prize. There are six members so a team and 86 teams. My team is #3. Last week I did 96 miles (between walking, bike riding, and fishing). I think this week I did like 25 miles. I'm pooped! I don't know how you do it!
I wish we could catch up with you in May but alas I can't make that happen. Perhaps we will catch you the next go around. So glad to catch up with you!

 

[tinkerbell34]

So Dawn, what's on the "must try" list that's so repulsive you would rather eat white rice? Monkey brains? My brother-in-law ate them once.

Pig entrails and pig waste products. I also don't see me trying eel which was another dish. Actually, I printed out a Chinese to English translation of menu items and I started to wonder if there is anything the Chinese won't eat! Things like pig brains and horse hooves are not anything I would consider a culinary delight!


I'm happy that you are still going on your cruise! When are you going in October? We will be doing the family atx Oct 23rd. I do wish we could all meet on the Magic one day.....or perhaps on dreams or fantasy? I wonder what the new ships will look like and where they will go?

 

[dolphingirl47]

I have not been on this thread for ages as I have been so busy. We are short staffed at work so I sometimes feel like I am working round the clock. At the moment it is definitely the memories of the two cruises last year that keep me going.

I can't remember how much of my plans I have already mentioned. I am pretty sure that I mentioned that we are booked for the Westbound Transatlantic Cruise in September 2010. We are also seriously considering doing the Eastbound Transatlantic. We checked the one way fares and the amount that we would save by buying return tickets, nearly pay for the second cruise. If they still have category 11 cabins for this cruise when we are on the Magic in October, we definitely will book this.

We are also getting rather excited about the news that the Wonder is relocating to Los Angeles in 2011. A Panama Canal Cruise is the next big adventure on our wish list. We are hoping for a mid February sailing date. Being on the Wonder for our anniversary would just be fantastic.

A bit sooner than that, we have another cruise booked for the end of May, but this time we are cheating on the Mouse Boats. I saw staff rates for airline staff for a back to back cruise on the Norwegian Jade that were too good to pass up. We are doing a 5 night cruise to Dublin and Cork in Ireland followed by a two night cruise to St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands. We have an inside cabin for the first 5 nights and then a balcony cabin for the last two nights. I am so looking forward to this. I am not even sure if I will get off at the ports, but I just can't wait to be on a ship again. I have the feeling that I will spend a significant time relaxing on a heated tile lounger. The ones on the Norwegian Jade even have a view and indoor hot tubs nearby.

I have also finally sorted out most of our vacation for October. We booked a 7 night Western Caribbean cruise for October while we were on the Wonder last September. I had booked our post cruise stay at our home resort Old Key West as soon as I could book it at the eleven months window, but I had always intended to move this stay to the new Bay Lake Towers DVC resort as soon as my seven months window opened. Shortly before that we were discussing that I really would like to stay at Animal Kingdom Villas. DH has been a bit reluctant about this, but agreed to a split stay. The plan was 6 nights at Bay Lake Towers followed by 3 nights at Animal Kingdom Villas. Well, when I could finally ring to make the changes, the first two nights were not available at Bay Lake Towers. So I booked the first three nights at a standard view studio at Animal Kingdom Villas first and was then planning to ring back at the end of the week to try again to book Bay Lake Towers. Suddenly DH had a change of heart. He said that he really wants to spend some time at our home resort. So we suddenly had some points to spare. As a compromise we agreed on a four night stay in a Savannah view studio at Animal Kingdom Villas followed by five nights in a studio at Old Key West. This meant that we had to move from Kidani Village (the new dedicated DVC resort) to Jambo House (part of the Animal Kingdom Lodge hotel), but that actually suits me pretty well. The restaurant at Kidani does not appeal to us at all, but we love Boma so being in the same building as Boma is a definite advantage. We also really want to try out Jiko this time round.

Although it was not part of my original plan, I am actually really looking forward to go back to our home resort as well. I suppose it makes much more sense to try again for Bay Lake Towers for our two or three night post cruise stay after our Westbound Transatlantic Cruise in 2010.

We also have our flights sorted out. We are flying with Delta via Atlanta. So now we just have to sort out what we are going to do for the three nights before the cruise. We have friends in Nokomis, Florida and DH really wants to head over to the Gulf Coast. I don't really feel that we can do this justice on this trip. We don't get into Orlando until 6:30 pm until September 30th and by that our bodies will tell us that it is 11:20 pm and therefore bedtime. So we would need to spend the first night at a hotel near the airport anyway. We would probably be able to make a start very early the next morning as we tend to be wide awake by 5 am for the first few nights.

Dawn, if you read this, maybe you can help me. I seem to remember that you live in that general area as well. How long does it roughly take to drive from Orlando International to the Sarasota area. I also want to be at the cruise terminal between 10:00 and 10:30 on October 3rd. Do you know how long it would take to drive from the Sarasota area to Port Canaveral?

If this is not really worth our while, then we probably just stay near the airport for those three nights. We both want to go to the Florida Mall at some stage during our vacation and would be in the perfect location for that near the airport. I also quite fancy a day at SeaWorld before we head out on our cruise.

Corinna

 

[tinkerbell34]

Wow Corinna, you really have a lot to look forward to! I hope you will be sure to come back here and tell us about all your trips!

It takes me 3 hours to drive to Sarasota from the Orlando airport (2 hours from Disney). My average speed is about 80 miles an hour (some times 85 ). I would give yourself a good four hours from Sarasota to the cruise terminal so you have a little cushion for traffic.

Corinna, have you ever been to Shanghai? I'm planning a trip there in about 3 weeks and have been unable to find any really good information. By that I mean personal info, like from a forum like this one.

Patricia, when are you and Dale coming this way? I can't make promises but I would like to try to venture up that way when you're there to see you at least for a short time. There is something I would like to bring to you and Dale.

 

[pjstevens]

Patricia, when are you and Dale coming this way? I can't make promises but I would like to try to venture up that way when you're there to see you at least for a short time. There is something I would like to bring to you and Dale.

Dawn, we are counting down!!! We'll be at Animal Kingdom Villas on May 7th through the 10th!!! Cannot wait. It's next weekend. Any chance you'll be venturing out our way would be wonderful. If you don't still have my cell, email or pm me (i'm sure I've got yours in my phone still). We'd love to see you.

 

[pjstevens]

. . . .

Corinna

Corrina, I am so jealous!!! You have some amazing trips coming up. I hope you'll remember to come tell us about that. We'll be staying at the new Animal Kingdom next week with a Savanna view. We've always stayed at the values (Pop or All Stars) so this is a big difference for us. We hope to some day make it to Ireland also as that is where my family is from. Would love to hear about all your trips!

 

[dolphingirl47]

Wow Corinna, you really have a lot to look forward to! I hope you will be sure to come back here and tell us about all your trips!

It takes me 3 hours to drive to Sarasota from the Orlando airport (2 hours from Disney). My average speed is about 80 miles an hour (some times 85 ). I would give yourself a good four hours from Sarasota to the cruise terminal so you have a little cushion for traffic.

Corinna, have you ever been to Shanghai? I'm planning a trip there in about 3 weeks and have been unable to find any really good information. By that I mean personal info, like from a forum like this one.

Patricia, when are you and Dale coming this way? I can't make promises but I would like to try to venture up that way when you're there to see you at least for a short time. There is something I would like to bring to you and Dale.

Hi Dawn, thanks for the information. I called DH as soon as I read this and he decided that this is really too far for two nights and too risky having such a long journey to the port. So we have decided on the Crowne Plaza at Orlando Airport for the first three nights.

I have never been to Shanghai. The furthest East I have been is to Dubai. Shanghai is one of our most popular destinations at the moment though.

Corrina, I am so jealous!!! You have some amazing trips coming up. I hope you'll remember to come tell us about that. We'll be staying at the new Animal Kingdom next week with a Savanna view. We've always stayed at the values (Pop or All Stars) so this is a big difference for us. We hope to some day make it to Ireland also as that is where my family is from. Would love to hear about all your trips!

I will definitely do trip reports for all of our vacations and put the links in my signature.

I hope you have a wonderful time at AKV. Before we bought into DVC, we never even stayed on site so that was a definite change for us, but now we would not go back to stay anywhere else. Just for fun, I priced the same four nights in a Savannah view room at AKL via the Disney website and then showed it to DH. He went decidedly pale. He had not realized just how good value our membership is. We were lucky that we bought when the Pound was so strong.

I have only been to Ireland once on a day trip to Dublin, which I loved and DH has never been. DH emailed me a photo from Cork harbor (one of the ports of call) with a Killer Whale and her calf. This would be so neat if we saw wild Killer Whales on this cruise.

Corinna

 

[tinkerbell34]

Corinna, your welcome. I'm sorry you won't be able to come down this far for a visit.

Patricia, I sure do still have your cell number programed into my phone! I'll see what I can do about coming up that Saturday possibly. We won't be able to go into the parks and I don't want to mess up any plans you have. I'll see what I can figure out. I am sure you are very excited!
We are staying at the All Star Sports one night on May 27th. Chase decided he wanted to go Epcot on his birthday (May 28th) so we will do that and go home. Unfortunately the Garden Grill is booked solid but I'm hoping if we show up when it opens that perhaps we can squeak in for a birthday dinner. I bought a birthday package to be waiting in the room for Chase when we check in. He'll have balloons, a mickey ear hat with his name on it, a goofy plush, an autograph book, and some snacks......all with a birthday card from his pal Mickey. I love planning birthdays. Can you tell? hehe

 

[pjstevens]

Corinna, your welcome. I'm sorry you won't be able to come down this far for a visit.

Patricia, I sure do still have your cell number programed into my phone! I'll see what I can do about coming up that Saturday possibly. We won't be able to go into the parks and I don't want to mess up any plans you have. I'll see what I can figure out. I am sure you are very excited!
We are staying at the All Star Sports one night on May 27th. Chase decided he wanted to go Epcot on his birthday (May 28th) so we will do that and go home. Unfortunately the Garden Grill is booked solid but I'm hoping if we show up when it opens that perhaps we can squeak in for a birthday dinner. I bought a birthday package to be waiting in the room for Chase when we check in. He'll have balloons, a mickey ear hat with his name on it, a goofy plush, an autograph book, and some snacks......all with a birthday card from his pal Mickey. I love planning birthdays. Can you tell? hehe

Dawn, is it just the two of you? If they have no availability, try calling and seeing if they ahve a table for four! That's the only way we are able to eat at Le Celier (we too are doing Epcot for my bday). That's our only definite plans. Sat and Sun are still open. I have a friend who is planning to get us in the parks with her pass but we are up in the air as for time and where. We do have a dinner ressie at the new restaurant in AKV at 5pm Saturday.

I hope we can make it work out, would be so great to see you!