November 12, 2005....7 Night Eastern...Who Else?

[Houseforsale]

STB soooo wonderful to hear from you and hear that you are safe and with what sounds to be minimal compared to other locations. You have tons of work ahead of you, but you must feel blessed to at least be in a position to be able to work both physically and damage wise. We wish you had us all there to help you with the work, but at least you know our hearts are with you.

 

[DIS NURSE]

I have been watching CNN alot in the last 24 hours and I cannot believe my eyes...it is up there with Sept. 11th IMHO!

With that said, when we finally heard from STB on the Beach, I was relieved! I am so glad to hear you are okay! I even told my mom over the phone about you guys today....she thinks I am crazy and "dangerous" to be speaking to "strangers" on the Internet.

With that said, I teared up to read you realized that us "strangers" truly care about you! We are all human....and we all have the DISNEY faith within us! .....sounds crazy but I think there is a common denominator there! Wouln't Walt himself be so proud to read such a statement??

I really hope that no matter what you still decide to join us on the cruise! It will be therapeutic if nothing else!

I happened to catch CNN this am while in the gym.......they were interviewing an NICU RN about having to air evacuate premies from their current hospital to one with better circumstances. I felt like I was right there! I used to be a transport RN for premies and indulged in the "rush" wisking premies and other sick neonates out of rural hospitals to our NICU....I could completely relate!

I am back at the (safer) bedside now and enjoying that just as much if not better.....but it is interesting how when the media spotlights on the plight of "premies" everyone pays attention. I love my job more than I realize. I feel I make a difference.

Bless the soles of those suffering from this tragedy.....exept for those who are pilforing stores on my tv screen! I want to smack them upside the head! It makes America look ugly!

 

[barkley]

stb, we are so relieved to hear from you! you have been on our minds and hearts constantly! thank you so much for taking some precious time to update us.

when we heard the numbers today 78,000 in temporary shelter...i was trying to wrap my mind around the number-if we were to pray for each impacted person for only 1 second it would be a prayer lasting just shy of 23 hours i heard a phone interview by an icu nurse still trapped in a hospital in new orleans area-only 3 patients have been evacuated to date. no power, no water, no clean linens, staff is resorting to using iv's to stay hydrated, many are beyond the point of mental and physical exhaustion, so little food supplies left that patients and staff are getting by minimaly (nurse admitted that staff is not getting daily nutritional need in order to stretch what food supplies are left among patients). the group in the hospital called the paula zahn shown on crt tv to attempt to get information on resuce efforts in their area (no t.v., limited radio or cell phones to get local information available to them), to plead for assistance and remind people "we are still here". this woman's voice was emotional, fearful and very telling of the horrendous circumstances they are undergoing. i am experiencing emotions similar to those in the wake of 9/11.

to everyone on this board-you have way surpassed "fellow cruisers" a long time ago. you are all a tremendous group of caring and compassionate souls that i have not experienced the like of for many moon. in reading back through our many pages i see how we have grown as friends, shared our deepest personal concerns and losses, and bonded together in a truly special way.

i so look forward to finaly meeting all of you-for me this cruise will be very much a "family event"- a large extended family that until this thread progressed i wasnt aware i had.

love you all-keep the faith-take care

gayle a.k.a. barkley

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Just heard on the news that the WDW Company has donated 2.5 million and that does not include the personal employee donations.......

And for those in Texas - esp. Houston - WAY TO GO - with your donations of time and hospitality. I saw folks with welcome signs in the middle of the night - as the those being evacuated were pulling up to the Texas dome....

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Barkley posted this on another trhead - but I thought we should share it here as well....

i am in the process of making a folder to take with us on vacation. in addition to the hard copies of hotel/air/cruise/rental car resies. and map quest directions to our destinations, i am photocopying the following to include:

driver lic.
passports
insurance cards (i also made a quick reference sheet with drug allergies, current meds, etc. that could be grabbed in an emergency)
proof of car insurance (our regular insurance covers rental)
credit cards/bank cards (front and back)
hubby's dive certification.

if i were taking travelers checks i would be copying the receipts as well.

i am copying everything that i would need in the event the original was lost or stolen. while a certified legal copy is needed for certain things-in the event of their loss or theft, it is essential to have something on hand to get the ball rolling.

Thanks Barkley....I need to do this too.....

 

[barkley]

Barkley posted this on another trhead - but I thought we should share it here as well....



Thanks Barkley....I need to do this too.....

you are quite welcome. there was an additional posting to this thread where folks asked about making extra copies to have friends or family hold on to at home. i suggested scanning each item into you computer and creating an email. this way in an emergency it could be easily accessed and printed.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

STB, I have tears in my eyes reading your post. Everything you have been through with Katrina, and you can still find something to be thankful for. My thoughts and prayers are withyou guys, and I am sure DS will fare fine, because he obviously has parents that truly care about him. You may be new to the "parent gig", but it sounds like you really have a handle on it. God Speed to you and yours.

 

[DIS NURSE]

Barkley, I too was moved by that telephone plea from the ICU nurse to Paula Zahn. I cannot even imagine! You could tell by her voice that at first her duties as a nurse and staying strong for her patients was her number one priority but by the time of her phone call to the TV station, she and her co-workers lives were falling apart emotionally and physically. She sounded desparate! With no help in site! How tragic?!

There seems to be mass choas and confusion with the relief efforts? That will surely change in the coming days, but I have to ask myself when they knew this cat. 5 storm was coming, why didn't our military move in immediately after the storm went through? Even the President didn't give it his full priority until at least 48 hours after! Waited until the choas unfolded and it is was too late for many.....people's bodies floating around, etc!

Onto a happier thought....I called DCL this am and to be expected the phone reps have no info on what rotation of dining rooms goes with what staggered seating times. I did put in my request of PLA, so if that works and I get it I guess I will just have to live with what seating time that is. Thank goodness for these boards 'cause surely as the time gets closer people will post their Magic experiences. Can you comfortably make a 8:00 seating if you want to see the shows at 6:30 p.m.? That is kinda' tight, isn't it? And pirate night you would have to leave dinner early if you get 8:30p.m.

BIG QUESTION.....don't all of these changes to dining make it near to impossible to link dinner ressies amongst those of us who are interested?

 

[nick262]

Hello All,

STB Beach, We are so thankful that you and you family is safe. We are still praying that you will recover quickly. Please let us know if there is anything that we can do for you.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

I called and requested the traditional late dining at 8:30...Apparently, this is still a "test". So, I do not know if they will be testing this when we cruise...but we will see....What I was told is that they will group guests at 8:00, 8:15 or 8:30 for EACH resturant. She thinks that they will group the seatings based on the table assignments - so 1/3 of each resturant will start at 8:00, 1/3 at 8:15 and 1/3 at 8:30 - maybe....You will find out when you board, what you will get. And it may be optional?????

You can also request a rotation, so I asked for PLA as well....

She would not tell me when the character breakfast would be with the PLA rotation and instead said we would find out on board...so, if it is the same morning as the Palo's brunch I will try not to eat.....breakfast that is.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I just called my TA this morning to pay off the cruise! YAY YAY YAY! Am I one of the last ones to do this???

 

[awoltoday]

I just called my TA this morning to pay off the cruise! YAY YAY YAY! Am I one of the last ones to do this???

Well, maybe you're the last to pay your TA... but with 0% APR for 6 months, we'll be letting it "ride" on the credit card for a while longer Nothing I like more than free money!

Now, start packing!

 

[chip&dale&fun]

I just called my TA this morning to pay off the cruise! YAY YAY YAY! Am I one of the last ones to do this???

Maybe - but I will do the YAY YAY YAY YAY Dance, with you.

 

[4formickey]

I just made the kids some picture id's for their trip. Very simple and they look very good.I used the bag tags for your luggage and made an id with microsoft photoshop. In about 2 months ,we will be playing with the mouse

 

[DIS NURSE]

Okay....so now I am even MORE confused about possibly linking dining times and places.....to clarify....say C&D&F and I both get PLA as a request.....does that mean that we still won't get the same 8/8:15/ or 8:30 time slots necessarily? We both have late seating, but that doesn't matter? SO CONFUSED!

Regarding the Character Breakfast......my choice of rotation is almost solely based on that darned breakfast.....because if you get the PLA rotation you also get the Thursday am Character Breakfast (last ones to do it and spread out from all the other excitement for the kids.....one last thing to "surprise" them with on the cruise!)

The news tonight is utter horror (CNN and FOX). I must turn it off. I don't want to dream about it, but I will undoubtely. I almost felt guilty taking our two kids and their three friends to a high-end resort pool with a big water slide today. We were basking in the 83 degree temps with beautiful clear blue skies and no crime, poverty, or insecurities. It felt weird. One of Abby's friends (all of 7 years old) told me in the car that she saw, "someone screaming for help with nowhere to go". She said it with such compassion and fear! Her dad is a Neurosurgeon and she lives in a mansion! She is still a sweet, kind little girl with integrity. I like that about that child.

WE RECEIVED OUR BANDS IN THE MAIL TODAY! They have probably been sitting in the mailbox for days but DH was out of town and he didn't leave me the mailkey! I am so stoaked! They have already been resealed in an envelope and hidden far away to be packed when I get REALLY serious.

Just a question to Choc Marg......and BTW, thank you again for all your hard work,......... Did you send STB on the Beach their bands? Will they ever get them due to the floods? Just wondering.

 

[Choc_marg]

I am so far behind. I've ben really busy with work, kids & all sorts of other trivial issues!! So..... first let me say that STB, I am so glad that you guys are OK, but so sad that you will have so much work to do. Wish I were close by to help swing a hammer & use a shovel! Are the home improvement stores still standing?

DISnurse - I did send STB her bands. I have no idea what their status is. I guess it will take extra time if they get htere at all. Is the PO still standing?? There are extras of the large/med ones, so we'll make sure they are taken care of in case they don't ever arrive.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Good Morning Cruisers - one less day before we cruise.

Things in New Orleans are worse. Heard on the news there is now a shoot to kill policy --- also heard the AstroDome is full. Prayers are needed. I am afraid pixie dust cannot help any more.

Choc-marg - thanks for putting aside extra bands for STB onthe beach.

Disnurse...As far as I can tell from my conversation with the Disney Agent - a dinner rotation is not guarenteed. So even if you requested PLA, you may not get it....Second, yes, my agent said EACH dinning room will have some at 8 and some at 8:15 and some at 8:30. She (and I) think that they will assign the same times to the same tables. So table 100 will start at 8, table 200 at 8:15 and table 300 at 8:30.

We are comfortable with 8:30. We found we barely had time to go from the show to the Atrium for our glass of Fairy Tale Champagn, you can only get it at Disney, greet the captain, have a photo and see Miceky. Plus, we are used to eating late...and we have no kids. The one time we cruised, there was no interference with Pirate's night. The menu is different, and we still got good spots BUT, we did not wish to be on the dance floor for pirates.

My recommendation --- "No worries" I stressed so much on the first cruise, which was only a 4 night about the rotation. I do not want to have the charvter breakfast on the same day as our Palo's brunch but I think PLA will do that, even though the agent would not committ. But, I wanted Lumeiers for formal night. Oh well, trade offs......See you soon...

 

[4formickey]

During 9/11 we where told not to let our children see the tape of the air plane hitting the towers, lets do the same for hurricane Katrina The press will play up all the bad and it is truly bad. It is some good things happening for some of the folks in the gulf area , lets try to think about those things. Dis Nurse don't feel bad, take the time to enjoy your family and truly thank God that you and your family is healthly. It does bring tears to your eyes to see the people and the pain that they have but we must continue to provide for our children and teach them to help those that are in need, not the greedy!Enjoy your time with the little ones because you know how their lives can be changed with just love,kindness and a great home with wonderful parents like you and your husband.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Enjoy your time with the little ones because you know how their lives can be changed with just love,kindness and a great home with wonderful parents like you and your husband.

This is a wonderful "motto" --- I have revised a little for me...hope you do not mind...

"Enjoy your time with your family, your spouse, parents and children for your life will be measured by love, kindness and good memories."

 

[4formickey]

I just jazz up our wrist bands.I put glitter glue on the embossed area to highlight the area, it looks great. I'm not doing the kids bands because the glitter may come off .In 66 days we are leaving for WDW I checked out the gas prices in my area,$3.29 or $3.19 with a carwash. I know that the prices will go up this weekend. Fill up every one I'm glad that we do not hav e a Suv! For those that had to have one God bless your heart. We are leaving the minivan at home this week end and taking the car.I may cut the old water hose and keep that in the car incase we park near a compay truck. Lockable gas caps are need now!