New, April 28th-May 5th Eastern!!

[mormadsmom]

More to come later. Hope you enjoy!

 

[DeloreanGirl]

can't wait to read yours too! How did it go flying out from CA? We'll be there too next year, and I am a bit nervous about being exhausted. Thinking about a redeye flight Thursday night!

The flight out was great, but back was a bit exhausting. I purpously broke it up from CA to TX, then TX to FL. It was 1:55 to DFW and 2:20 to MCO. We got in late at night and stayed at the Hilton Gardens Inn. Going back, was okay but we were tired! If I had to do it over again, I would book a red-eye non-stop!

 

[mormadsmom]

Deloreangirl,

too bad we didn't meet! I can't wait to read yours!

 

[DeloreanGirl]

Deloreangirl,

too bad we didn't meet! I can't wait to read yours!

I know, I didn't get to meet about 80% of the DIS'ers. Whenever I saw someone with a green shirt, I didn't know if I should go up to them and say something or if it was just coincidence that they were wearing green! Perhaps we'll see each other in the background of our photos. I have to get some schoolwork done, then I'll post Day #1 on the T.R. thread.

 

[Floridagram]

Mormadsmom!

I cracked up at the embarkation pic! Our Olivia is the same personality. We waited and waited in line for Belle and then we get up there and she did a similar pose. Alexis is smiling away and Olivia turned her back. So the photographer snapped away, what could he do? Then Belle said watch this Mom and she slid over to the stairway and talked to her, no response, so Belle peeked around from behind and the photograher snapped, then she tried peeking at her through the stairway. DD bought all the pics as proof that Olivia acts that way. She has often said she is afraid Olivia will wonder why there are less pics of her and now she will know why. I do have to say that the girl who played Belle was incredible and we have some great pictures of her!

 

[dreamcometrue]

great pics and TR! Wow, your oldest DD sure is a spitting image of your DH, isn't she?

 

[scottishwee35]

Hi mormadsmom

When I see your family photo and I see that the little girl was sulk. Oh, it brought my memory back as my son often like that when he was small.

Looking forward to read your trip report.

Scottishwee35

 

[LITTLEKID58]

Txs so much for sharing..TFS

 

[cmash95]

I Love reading trip reports and your DDs are adorable. this is going to be a fun one to read.

 

[bellalyssa]

I love that you add so many pictures! As a first time cruiser, I don't know what the ship looks like! Cute family, by the way!!

 

[Jennifer48]

That embarkation photo is classic! She is just too darn cute even with that puss on her face. That picture will be great blackmail for the future even when she's in high school!

Can't wait to hear the rest

 

[mormadsmom]

Thanks for the comments! yes, our Maddie is a handful. When she was only 7 days old, I knew what I was up against. It was going to be a different ride form my older girl. Morgan not only looks just like my husband, but has his quiet and more reserved personality. Maddie, (according to DH) acts just like me. You never have to guess what she's thinking! (or us)

 

[mormadsmom]

Back to where I was. We unpacked all of our things right away. For as much as we had, there was plenty of room to store our things. Enough drawers for clothing, room in the closet for hanging and putting away the suitcases. If you have a flat enough suitcase, it could be slid under the bed.We stood on the verandah and watched folks come up the gangway. Before we knew it the annoucement came on that the boat drill was about to start. On the back of your door, there is a map that tells you where to go. Easy. We put on our lifevests, told the kids NOT to blow the whistle and headed out. There cms with hand signs with letters that matched your lifevest telling you which way to go. We stand on deck in rows with shortest in front. There were some latecomers. Had to wait until everyone is there and cm's begin to call out stateroom numbers. When your number is called, you yell here and wave your hand and they will ask if everyone in your party is present. Then I guess you get checked off. We were shown how to fasten the lifevest correctly and that was that. I want to say 15 minutes tops? So back to the room to put them away in your top closet and out to where our Disboard group was meeting. Deck 10, but we were early so I was not sure where to stand. Got a spot on the right side of ariel vision. Forgive my ignorance of the nautical terms. Would that be portside? But hey, some people were already there and with their bahama mamas! By the time I saw some lime green shirts and leis, we were about 3 deep of people and there was no way I was going to squeeze out to go to other side of the deck.

Then there was the countdown! And of course the horn blasting "when you wish upon a star". The energy on those decks! And to think they've done this before and will do so again next week and the next after that. It was like the first time ever. Anyway enough of that. Yes, I did tear up a bit. There was loud music, lots of dancing. My dd 11 more reserved preferred to watch with dad, dd 5 hung on to dad and watched. Me, I 'm dancing holding on to the rail and singing along with "heyyyyyyy baby, I want to know,ohoh, will you be my girl" It was almost as if I already had a couple of bahama mamas. Now the ship is actually moving. Didn't realize it until I turned to look over the opposite rail just in time to see the cms from the terminal waving good bye at us with those big Mickey hands. Goodbye! I'll miss you! NOT!

Now we head back to our room to dress for dinner. We have the 5:45 dinner seating PLAPLAPL I believe. Originally we had the 8:30 seating but 2 wks before we sailed I asked for earlier. It did make things seem a little rushed, but I would rather it be this way. We would eat, take a family photo or get some princess autographs or go back to the room for something or other and then back in time for one of the shows. Also, our dining ticket were waiting in our room with our dining schedules when we go there. Making all the online reservations for Palo and excursions were a great help too.

Now back to our room and we are still sailing out of port canaveral. We stand on our verandah and marvel at this. We wave to folks eating at restaraunts, fishing, going by in their little dinky boats. Ha! and to think I used to be one of THOSE! We dress and head to Parrot Cay where we meet our servers Noel from India and Ion from Romania. They were both very sweet and attentive. We learned some magic tricks AND, here's the best part, they cut up my kids steak for me!!!! Every night, our Maddie had to have steak. And Every night Noel or Ion or even the head server Alessandro from Italy cut it all up for me. For you mommies out there and dads, you know by the time you cut up your childs steak your food has gone cold. Once I had to take Maddie to the bathroom and came back to find my food had been covered up. I don't remember what I ate, but I know I had creme brulee cheesecake. I always know my sweets. Kids had Mickey bars.

After dinner, we explored the ship and then went in to see the oceaneer club. Kids were everywhere. The first place our Maddie wanted to do was play the computer. Go all the way to the middle of the ocean and thousands of dollars later and she wants to play on a computer? So, we let her for a few moments. So we visit a while and head to our room to call it a night. By the way these dinners last about an hour and a half. Another reason to go for early seating. Mike takes Morgan to explore more and I am left to tidy up for the evening. Got Maddie settled in the bottom bunk after exclaiming over our towel animal and chocolates.

I step out onto the verandah and for the first time that evening I actually felt something like anxiety maybe? I could see ahead of us the Carnival cruise line light and nothing but blackness and water. I thought, gee, if I really wanted to leave right now, I couldn't and there is not a thing I could do about it. It was very strange at first being in the middle of all that vastness. That quickly passed though, DH brought me some dessert. Into bed and watched a little disney channel and lights out.

 

[mormadsmom]

more photos. They are smaller now, it should be easier to view.

 

[mormadsmom]

And another.

 

[mormadsmom]

more

 

[mormadsmom]

more

 

[mormadsmom]

And one more.

 

[mormadsmom]

Forgot this one. Notice the lime green?

 

[cmash95]

your daughter looked so enthused when she met daisy. she really is cute. and how nice they cut her steak up for her. It's little things like that , that distinguishes disney from other cruiselines.