New Years Cruise 7 night Western Trip Report

[njmom23grls]

It's finally over, Christmas is past, the cruise is over, the presents are opened and a New Year begins. Now, all we have to do is clean up the debris from a house left neglected for too long this month because of a whirlwind of activities and adventures.

It's back to normal for everyone. Well, maybe not everyone. My DH, Mr. “I’m never going to take a Disney Cruise”, is now a true believer. Yep, Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust. (Thanks Tink!)

Our DD (19) was also on her first Disney Cruise and now has her dream wedding all planned. Ahh……the Magic ($$$$) of Disney……. Hopefully said dream of a Shipboard wedding will be years off allowing us to eat and pay the mortgage for a few more years….

Our adventure – packing adventure that is -begins the day after Christmas. I spend most of my day listening to “should I bring this” “Do you know where that is” – that type of thing. “Get done” I hear myself repeat endlessly. “Nope” I stubbornly say. “Pack yourselves; I’m not doing it for you.” I’ll help dd (8) match colors or DH match a tie – but come’on guys – I’m NOT packing for all of you. Later - 1:30 am – note to self….. Why oh why didn’t you start this battle earlier……. I end up packing entirely for DH and DD (8) – who just could not tear herself away from new Christmas toys to pack (well pack clothing – you know, the boring stuff) – She had a suitcase with 2 bathsuits, a pair of flip-flops, and 50 stuffed friends. “MOM” she had tearfully wailed at me, “I DON”T NEED ANYTHING ELSE.” Sigh….. It was a long night followed by an early morning adventure to Wal-Mart for Sunscreen because DH had forgotten to get some. “Geez…..” I fume at 2:20 am, “do I have to think of everything.” By 3:30 am I decide I’m not going to go to bed as we have to be at the Philadelphia airport by 6:00 am for a 7:30 flight.

“Mom’s grumpy” I hear whispered in the backseat as we finally make our way to the airport. But we’re late I tell myself. I have a right to be grumpy, I think to myself. Add a little whine with that and no coffee and I think someone out there will understand my situation. DH who finally got our 7, yes, that’s right, 7 suitcases plus carry-on’s stuffed into the hatchback of my car, mumbles something about having 4 girls (19, 13, & 8 plus me) and Florida ACTUALLY having stores. Protests erupt from the backseat from the oldest 2 about “needing” more stuff than guys do. I stay out of this conversation. I imagine (turns out rightfully so) that most of the contents of their suitcases will end up on the floor of their stateroom as the wail of I have nothing to wear is plainly heard by myself on Deck 9 while trying to achieve some serenity at the adult pool -or at least drink my Margarita without the “Just say No” lecture my 13 yo is always throwing at me (She doesn’t quite get the age distinction thing).

We get to the airport and actually find parking! Check in goes ok – expect for those of you who have ever flown out of Philadelphia – that gates and check in areas rarely match up and you CAN”T GET from Point A to Point B without running the habit trail that belongs in our hamster cage – NOT THE AIRPORT. Security check point is all the way to the parking garage (I kid you not) – I’m a twitching mess by this time. How fast is the line moving? Are we going to make the plane? If we miss the plane – when is the next plane…? I have a running commentary in my head and I think a bubble above my heard with the %&*$@Y%% is showing as DH jumps out of the security line and starts to dance – yes, starts to dance - puffing out his chest until I notice he is wearing a sweatshirt that says “Pump Up the Grump” With Grumpy on it. Mind you my DH is pushing 50 – he’s not the young Mario of dancing with the stars- he is of the male dance movement of head bobbing. I can’t help it. I have to laugh – the kids of course are mortified which eggs hubby on even more, but I get the not so subtle “message” that I need to lighten up.

We finally arrive at the gate where boarding is just beginning. “See” DH says…. “I told you we’d make it”. He just does not get my need to allow extra time at the airport – probably because he can pee standing up on the plane while I’m forced into the contraption know as the “Airplane lavatory.” Ladies – you all know what I’m talking about here – so enough said.

Part 2 to follow

 

[kate2961]

We get to the airport and actually find parking! Check in goes ok – expect for those of you who have ever flown out of Philadelphia – that gates and check in areas rarely match up and you CAN”T GET from Point A to Point B without running the habit trail that belongs in our hamster cage – NOT THE AIRPORT. Security check point is all the way to the parking garage (I kid you not) – I’m a twitching mess by this time. How fast is the line moving? Are we going to make the plane? If we miss the plane – when is the next plane…? I have a running commentary in my head and I think a bubble above my heard with the %&*$@Y%% is showing as DH jumps out of the security line and starts to dance – yes, starts to dance - puffing out his chest until I notice he is wearing a sweatshirt that says “Pump Up the Grump” With Grumpy on it. Mind you my DH is pushing 50 – he’s not the young Mario of dancing with the stars- he is of the male dance movement of head bobbing. I can’t help it. I have to laugh – the kids of course are mortified which eggs hubby on even more, but I get the not so subtle “message” that I need to lighten up.

I love that shirt. And the dancing....It would have worked for me too!

 

[njmom23grls]

We arrive in Jacksonville (a lot cheaper than flying into Orlando) and get our rental car. DH and I spend 30 minutes trying to pack those 7 suitcases in a puzzle like configuration. Who knew my hatchback held more than a Jeep Cherokee? Because we have a few extra days we had decided to fly into Jacksonville and make the 2 ½ hour drive south the Cape Canaveral. We’d always wanted to go to St. Augustine and Kennedy Space Center – but never had the time on our other Florida trips. We leave the airport around 11:30 – “let’s have lunch in St. Augustine” I say. We all agree (important point here) so off we go.

A few miles down the road, it starts. “What’s the smell” our 8 yo asks. “DAADDD” the big girls wail. DH and I look at each other. It does smell – but not the usual “blame dad” smell. In fact it reeks. I open the ashtray and there’s the evidence and its not cigarettes. “Great” we say. “Let’s just hope we don’t get pulled over.” I call the rental car company. They have no more cars big enough to fit us they claim. Just roll down the windows they say. Yes, that’s just what I want to do, drive a Pot smelling SUV past the drug sniffing dogs of Florida. We pull off and I discard the remains of the ashtray. I nag DH to death about the speed limit – I desperately do not want to have to explain to a state trooper about the fact that we “found the car this way” – when we really did. Note to self. Forget the sexy SUV and just rent the damn minivan next time. More likely to have mashed cheerios and sticky apple juice remains than the remains of a mobile party.

By the time we arrive at the St. Augustine exit – its well past lunch. Lets just find a place to park and we will get something to eat – I say trying to soothe the increasingly whiny kids. Well – who knew that St. Augustine actually has 2hour traffic jams and no parking? We make a SINGLE pass through town – which takes 2 hours. 2 FREAKING HOURS. Past tons of cute shops and restaurants with NO PARKING and LINES LONGER THAN THE MAGIC KINGDOM. We finally get through to the exit and head back to the highway. My dreams of Tapas and a nice Pinot Grigio evaporate as we pull into the McDonalds parking lot at 4:00 pm.

I want to cry in my nuggets. I’m tired and things aren’t going as planned. My 8 yo looks and me and with the wisdom of an adult says” Mom, its all part of the adventure. At least the moss in the trees was pretty. “I laugh and realize she was saying to me what I had said so many times to them. DH points across the street. “Peace offering?” he says. It’s Dairy Queen and he knows I have a weakness for dipped cones. Everyone gets all excited and we pile into the Pot Mobile and after several illegal moves and air sucking through my teeth moments – we arrive at the land of DQ. We pile out. The kids jabbering a mile a minute about what they want. We go inside. Yay – its empty – we can order and get right back on the road, I think to myself. I can taste the chocolate already, feel the crunch as the hard shell breaks and melts to a gooey mess I love. I decide not to worry about the kids’ clothes or the mess in the rental car. Heck, I’ll even start first. So I step up to the counter and order a large chocolate dipped chocolate cone. “Sorry, no chocolate” the bored looking teen tells me. What?! Ok – fine I’ll have a Vanilla dipped. “I told you, we don’t have chocolate”, the gum chewing girl snaps at me. “What DO you have then” I start to say back. “Vanilla. Plain Vanilla.” Turns out that this DQ only has Vanilla. No dipping sauce. No mix ins. No flurrys or blizzards. No milkshakes. Just plain vanilla. I glance at the holiday poster of the peppermint chocolate thingy with longing and face the surly girl and order – “just plain Vanilla in a cone” – its all part of the adventure.

 

[msaseifert]

Loving your report so far - THANKS!!

 

[tjeagle]

Okay...the Dairy Queen thing would have thrown me over the edge! My DH has a story (I will not confirm or deny!) that I once had a total tearful meltdown at a DQ because my ice cream (chocolate!) was melting too fast and my Jimmies (sorry...from Philly, the rest of you call them sprinkles) were all over the place...again, I refuse to confirm or deny!

 

[birkner]

More, more, more.

I loved your trip report so far!!!

 

[Caitsmama]

FINALLY!!! I have been waiting for a NYE trip report!! We are going on this cruise this upcoming nye, and i am dying to hear about it!
Thanks so much for posting ---- keep it comin'! Hope you got some pics for us planners too!! LOL

 

[DiaLady]

Okay, now that I'm getting off the floor from laughing so hard . . . my kids are in bed and wanted to know why I kept laughing so much . . .LOL

We leave on the Magic in less than 6 days so you can imagine how anxious we are to hear the rest of the story . . . LOL. I already sent this to DH, but that was before I read about the pot in the car . . .I wonder if DH could identify the smell . . probably not

Keep the stories coming . . . can't wait to hear the rest of the adventure!

 

[Babs417]

Oh my this is so geat we go in Oct. their is 13 of us all flying together I wish I could write like you are. Im sure we will have alot of stories to tell

 

[njmom23grls]

We finally arrive at our hotel – The Marriott Residence Inn in Cape Canaveral. I almost don’t want to mention it because now I’m afraid I’ll never get a reservation if (when) we cruise again. The hotel looks new. We have a 2 bedroom suite – for 169.00 a night. The room is actually nice and big and clean and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop – they even had complimentary microwave popcorn in the room!

The kids immediately flipped on the tube –sigh…. So much for family bonding time…. Dinner I suggest – even though lunch had just been a few hours earlier. Not hungry they say. Then the little one starts. “Can I have popcorn mom, pleaaaasssse” After mentally rehearsing the upcoming battle to pry them away from the Suite life of Zack and Cody, I decide it wasn’t worth it. Being the bad mom that I am, I let my kids eat microwave popcorn and coke for dinner that night. “They’ll live” DH reassures me. Live? I think. Heck I just don’t want them telling their teachers. Its that “look” that they given you at the parent teacher conference that I don’t want to have directed at me. “Cool!” DD shouts. You’re the BEST MOM in the whole world……Can I have a Kit Kat too?”

DH decides that happy hour would be most appropriate for me and tells the 19 yo that she’s in charge. Ya, right, dad. Pirates of the Caribbean is on the other TV and she is so transfixed that while she is staring at the screen, straw in her month, that she fails to notice that you actually have to close your mouth to swallow and her coke is forming a wet pool on her lap. I take one look at her and bolt for the door – knowing they will be safe as long as the power doesn’t go out and they lose TV.

DH takes me to a nearby place – appropriately named “Fish Lips”. Finally that Margarita I think to myself. We opt for a table on the deck even though it is freezing – but heck I’m in Florida and it’s my vacation and I want a drink on the deck! We settle down in a cute table. DH is suddenly magnetized by the game on TV – and me by the ad for Black Seal Rum. I summon all my courage and approach the bar which is crowded with very young, very cute, very Australian blokes and I suddenly feel very old and very much a mom and I look down at my rumpled shorts and DH’s sweatshirt that I have commandeered in order to withstand the temperatures on deck. But hey – I got a pedicure – so at least I have cute toes I tell myself. Hot Caribbean Pink. Well, actually I think the color was “I’m not really a waitress” – I picked it just because I loved the name. Dh just doesn’t get it. So I summon up my courage to squeeze into this crowd of very cute very young (did I mention cute and young?) blokes and ask the bartender if they had ginger beer for a dark and stormy. A what he says? A Dark and Stormy – I repeat – you know with Black Seal rum – pointing at the ad above his head. “Nevermind” I quickly say. “Can I have a Margarita on the rocks and a pint of …….. “ I have this sudden sensation of unexpected warmth on my leg – well my foot actually. When I realize that one of these not so cute blokes anymore has just ralphed on my foot. I stand frozen like a deer in headlights as the most vile and horrendous things I have ever said are about to escape my lips and then quickly jump out of the way. I look at the guy, I’m thinking, “what the hel…’ and he shrugs apologetically at me and says “nice toes” as he falls on his as* and his buddies hoot and holler. DH has by now torn himself away from the game and quickly gathers me up. We rush to the car. I am sobbing by this time. I’ve lost it. Completely and totally lost it. I’m angry. I’m tired. I feel like I’m caught in a bad dream and want to wake up. Back at the hotel DH puts me in the shower. He shuts the door looking a little frightened – sort of like the “who will emerge from that shower” look and “do I want to be here when she does” thing.

After a good cry in the shower I finally decide that I can’t control what happens on our trip – only my reactions to it. I can’t let one bad, really bad day ruin this trip so I decide to emerge as a somewhat sane and fairly rational woman. I’m drying off when I hear the music. DH had taken my IPod and turned up the sound loud through the headphones. Jimmy Buffet is playing. A note is on the counter. It says meet me at the car and bring jimmy with you. I quickly get dressed and find shoes (see, I really did need to bring all those shoes ‘hon) and go out to the parking lot. DH has the Pot Mobile open and the rear door up. He’s lifted a candle (temporarily) from the lobby and made us a feast of a pile of individually wrapped saltine crackers and jam packets. He hands me a paper cup. It’s a margarita! He had a bottle of the premixed stuff in our luggage as a sail away surprise for me. So we each take one side of the head phones, listen to Jimmy, and click our paper cups to a better day tomorrow.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

If your cruise is anywhere near adventurous as your pre-cruise adventures then this is going to be one heck-of-a TR.

 

[tjeagle]

A Pot-mobile Picnic! Love it!

 

[Caitsmama]

I’m drying off when I hear the music. DH had taken my IPod and turned up the sound loud through the headphones. Jimmy Buffet is playing. A note is on the counter. It says meet me at the car and bring jimmy with you. I quickly get dressed and find shoes (see, I really did need to bring all those shoes ‘hon) and go out to the parking lot. DH has the Pot Mobile open and the rear door up. He’s lifted a candle (temporarily) from the lobby and made us a feast of a pile of individually wrapped saltine crackers and jam packets. He hands me a paper cup. It’s a margarita! He had a bottle of the premixed stuff in our luggage as a sail away surprise for me. So we each take one side of the head phones, listen to Jimmy, and click our paper cups to a better day tomorrow.

That was SO sweet!!!! DH gained some major points there!!!

 

[LisaSp]

Your hubby definitely gains major points though--that was so sweet. I hope the rest of the trip is much more uneventful and you don't have to experience any other strangers' bodily fluids!!

 

[curlybop]

Uh oh. I think we're in for quite an interesting report. Can't believe that guy got sick all over your shoes. That is just terrible. I hope the rest of the trip was more fun & not as um, eventful?

 

[Caitsmama]

Dying to hear more here.....................................pleeeeeeease?!!!!

 

[janets]

What a terrific man to make you a picnic in the Pot Mobile. Hope that these adventures turn back into a really great trip in no time.

 

[CTPinkPrincess]

I would have cried too after waiting that long for a drink and being hurled on!



Great trip report! Can't wait to read the rest of it !

 

[njmom23grls]

The next day begins with a paper cup shoved under my nose. DD is proudly holding it “Mom, wake up. Dad and I got you coffee”. They got me coffee? In Bed? Has hell frozen over? I think to myself. So I unbury myself from the covers and sit up. DH and DD are obviously testing the waters here. I’m fine I reassure them. Today is a new day. We’ll have fun I tell them. Please guys, just no comments on mom’s puffy eyes ok? When I cry the evidence remains for at least 24 hours – and after my doozy last night – I figure I’m good for at least another 12.

We get dressed and head for Kennedy Space Center. DH has always wanted to go to Kennedy and we always take up all the time with “one more day” in WDW. DH makes a sudden stop. “You’ve got one hour” he says “what is going on?” I think to myself he points at the building and says one hour and drives off with the kids to Ron Jon. It is then that I realize he has dropped me at a shoe store. I start to laugh and laugh so hard I have tears running down my face. Now ladies if you have a husband like mine who prides himself on having less than 5 pairs of shoes (black, brown, sneakers, slippers, and boots) – you understand for him to take a shoe-aholic like me to a shoe store is well, funny.

I replace the sandals that were ruined by yesterdays “adventure” and am waiting outside for his return. The relief on his face is palpitable as he sees I only bought one pair. I guess he was afraid I’d end up needing a separate suitcase just for all my shoes.

We arrive at Kennedy on an apparently extraordinarily busy day. Most of the tours are sold out (its 10:30 am) and the lines are long. We make the best of it – ignoring the older girls complaints of boredom and “why couldn’t they lay by the pool”. DH and I are awed in the Rocket garden. The youngest one is keeping dad busy with more “Why” questions than a parent should have to answer in a given day. He patiently explains rockets and physics to her. I see a new side to him. I never knew he knew so much about our space program. There were times during the day that I felt chills – just in absolute awe of the achievements and sacrifices of great men and women throughout time. Standing next to one of those rockets made me so proud – I don’t know why – I’m not usually prone to public announcements of patriotism – but I guess it was more like not just pride in the USA – but pride in mankind for such a remarkable achievement.

Our bus tour takes several hours. It turns out that on an average day they usually get 1200-1800 visitors per day. On a launch day they may get 8,500-9,000 people – but that day (by 3:30 pm – they had already had over 12,500 visitors – more than the entire month of December and it wasn’t even a launch day! We saw what we could and arrived back at the hotel much later that evening than we had intended. We had a nice dinner at Durango’s Steakhouse that night – they even accommodated my 13 yo who has decided to become a Vegetarian, but that is another thread altogether.
We go to sleep that night anxious for the next day to arrive and our joyous journey on the Magic to begin.

5:22 am. “Mom” “Mom, get up!” DD whispers excitedly at me. I crack open one eye – its still dark outside. Groan. “We don’t want to be late for Mickey” she says. Umphh…..I manage and roll over. “Mom!” she says only louder. So out day begins. 5:22 am. We are all up and ready to go by 6:30 am. I manage to hold them off by insisting on coffee and breakfast. The little one doesn’t seem to understand that the terminal isn’t even open to receive arriving passengers yet – in fact – the boat was probably still full of cruisers just returning. We stall as long as possible and arrive at the terminal at 10:30 am. We are sooooo not the only ones there. DD is worried because she’s now afraid we are late. Hubby cracks a joke about there being worse Disney fanatics than me. I’m amazed as there seems to be 200 + people in the terminal and its only 10:30.

DH goes to return the rental car while I go to check in. Except – as I discover, I apparently have forgotten to take the preprinted pre-filled out online check in forms with me. How could I have been so stupid! I want the floor to swallow me. “What happens now?” I say. The castmember smiles at me and says it happens all the time – did I bring the booklets with me? Yes, wheew! I did have those. He tore the contracts out of the books and turned a blind eye while I signed DH’s and DD’s names to the contract and bibbity bobbity booo we were all checked in an DH didn’t know I let the docs at home. So even though I triple checked – I still left them at home. Glad that crisis was averted as was the crisis of DD (19) leaving her purse with passport at Ron Jon’s. Luckily someone honest found it and turned it in and dad got it back. They kept this from me until after we got back. Guess someday I’ll tell DH about the Cruise Docs.

It’s 10:50 am and the waiting begins.

Luckily Goofy shows up around 11:30 so DH takes her to get a picture. We look at the amazing model of the Magic and the girls chatter excitedly about the possibility of any “hot guys” showing up. As the terminal begins to get fuller and fuller their guy radar picks up increasingly. This annoys their father who finally resorts to his big brother antics of years gone by and loudly points out “ Hey, hey, there’s a hot one there for you” to which the pull on his arm begging him to please not say anything because someone might actually hear him. They pipe down. He quits embarrassing them. I ignore the massive amounts of eye rolling being exchanged. Finally it is announced that boarding will begin. We receive a Zone 2 card. I think its around 12:30 when we are allowed to board. We stop for the family photo – and gather all the day bags again – I can’t wait to see the look on DH’s face when we walk into the lobby atrium and the ***** Family from New Jersey is announced to the applause of 2 castmembers who were unlucky enough to have to drum up enthusiasm for 2500 passenger arrivals. He is properly awed by the lobby and the applause and we make our way upstairs to have lunch outside.

After lunch we explore the ship and wait for the room ready announcement. DH and I ask about the dining rotation – it’s a new one. He doesn’t believe me when I tell him that this is new. Our rotation is PLLAPLA (Parrot, Lumiere’s, Lumiere’s, Animators, Parrot, Lumiere’s, Animators) – I guess it’s because of New Years. We confirm our reservation at Palo’s for NYE and I treat hubby with a visit to the spa for a massage for being such a great guy.

At 1:30 the room ready announcement is made and we go to check out our rooms. DH & I and young DD are in a cat 6 – the other 2 are across the hall in a cat 11. DH is a first time cruiser so he’s a little surprised at the room size – I guess he was expecting it to be a little bigger. Within 15 minutes a package we had shipped with DD’s medical supplies was delivered. I feel relieved to know its here. She has a metabolic disorder known as PKU and receives most of her calories and nutrients through a formula that she drinks. We all head upstairs to soak up some sun before the lifeboat drill.

 

[mruhaak]