October 13th, 2007~"Cruise-A-Palooza"

[bevtoy]

Hi All. Ive been trying to reply to pm's but keep getting an error message. We would love to be on the email loop for the girls.

I live very close to the Disney Catalog distribution center. They have a store open a couple days a week. Does anyone have things they want me to look for? Last week I saw adult pirate costumes for $20 and girls princess costumes for $10. I'd be happy to pick up things as I find them if you send me "wish lists". I bought Grace a cute tink bathing suit for $6. It's "hit & miss" but when you hit, it is usually a GREAT bargain.

Shellie

I just now e-mailed you about the pirate costume I would love several! I also emailed to have you and your daughters added to the list. Thanks!

 

[WishesFT]

HI. Both my girls have started emailing! Thank you so much! What a terrific idea for shy girls.

I am starting my shopping list. This is going to be fun! The best I can hope for for my DH is a really obnoxious tropical shirt and maybe an eye patch.

 

[TamieH]

To build the excitement and help the girls save spending $$ for the trip, on the 6 month mark, I gave them each a chocolate gold coin and the following:

I took one of those plastic (no writing on it) ice cream containers with the lid & handle on it and turned it into our two DD's spending money container. I decorated one side with Mickey Mouse stickers, her name & etc for the DD11 and the other side with Princess stickers, her name & etc for the DD6. I created a cardboard divider which splits the inside in half for each girl. I then covered the center of the lid with a white circle (covering the info about the ice cream) and cut two 1/2" x 3" slits in each cooresponding half of the lid again with each of their names beside their slot.

We had been giving the girls Disney Dollars this school year for "A's" on their quarterly grade cards, V-day presents, Stocking Stuffers & etc. We placed all of their earned DD and cash in their own areas in the bucket.

Now it is up to them to continue to look for ways to earn extra $ in the next 6months for their spending on the trip & at the ports. What they have saved is what they can spend. So instead of quickly spending every single dollar that the DD11 gets in her hands, she is now thinking ahead about the cruise and saving.

They really enjoyed this surprise and I plan to give them each another $1 Disney Dollar and chocolate coin at the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 month marks as well.

We might try the countdown link idea that I read about here when it gets a little closer.

 

[margaritaqueen]

Tamie - love the idea about the Disney Dollars as rewards! Because my daughter goes to a Catholic school, we are able to buy gift certificates at hundreds of stores/restaurants/etc... and a percentage goes straight back to our tuition bill. Luckily for us, Disney is one of the options, with a 7% back to our bill!! The trip alone is giving us a couple hundred off our tuition next year, so I am all about buying more Disney Dollars!!

I told my DH that he has to stop complaining about the cost of the cruise, as it is actually saving us money next year!! Maybe we will have to go on more, so DD can go to school FREE!!

 

[APOOHFN]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1430825

Looks like we can't decorate the doors anymore...

 

[jenmack]

I saw that too. I am sooooo disappointed! I had already printed and cut ours out. I guess I will be decorating the inside of our door.

 

[APOOHFN]

We may be in luck...I just read an updated post from someone who talked to DCL and they said as long as the signs/decorations are magnetic (and not taped or glued), it should be ok.

 

[jenmack]

My fingers are crossed... I printed mine out in magnetic paper so we "should" be able to do it. I have been reading all the post on the thread too and tape I could see people doing, but glue? Oh well. This too shall pass.

 

[bevtoy]

We may be in luck...I just read an updated post from someone who talked to DCL and they said as long as the signs/decorations are magnetic (and not taped or glued), it should be ok.

Magnetic signs are OK!
Glue and tape are forbidden....I don't blame them that damages the paint on the doors.
Back to dreaming now.............

 

[TamieH]

Are any of the girls that are emailing each other going to be in the 6th grade in October (11-12 year olds)? Our DD will be along with our friend's DD11 and they might enjoy it before crusing. I noticed that another cruise in October has a "Kid's Chat" thread that looks fun too.

OK, how about any DD's that will be in first grade? I would love for Megan to find a friend early in the trip to make the clubs & pool more fun for her. 5 years is a big gap between my kids and the DD11 doesn't always want to play with her little sister when she has a friend around.

Thanks

 

[DisneyFamilyTX]

Just curious if there were any DS's 4,5 & 6 years old going? I'd like to know if I could tell my DS about anyone he might get to meet in the club. Seems like the DD's have the majority for now. Only 172 days!!!!

 

[APOOHFN]

Just curious if there were any DS's 4,5 & 6 years old going?

My DS will be 3 1/2 by the time of the cruise. I'm not sure what to do because as of now, he has absolutely ZERO interest in potty training and I read in order to use the kids club, the child has to be 100% potty trained and that includes going to the bathroom by themselves, undressing their pants & pulling them back up, etc...Rut roh!

 

[bevtoy]

I hereby challenge anyone on this board to a weight loss of 20 lbs by the time of the cruise. Anyone taking?
I usually just walk but I joined the local gym yesterday for a little better workout.

 

[jenny2]

Bev... I'm in!! I joined a gym last week but haven't made it over there yet to try it out.

 

[jenmack]

DisneyFamilyTX, My youngest is 6 years old and will be in the 1st grade at time of cruise. I know that he would love to "meet" som others his age before the cruise.

Bev & Jenn, count me in! I joined a gym in Febuary, and got a little carried away at first. (I tore my right calf muscle in a step class) Needless to say...A couple months later, an almost healed calf muscle, (never going to a step class, Again!) I'm back on track, I think.

 

[margaritaqueen]

Count me in on that 20lbs, x 5!! (Don't think I am going to lose that much in 5 months, though!!) I have got to get on that treadmill in the basement!

Also, DisneyFamilyTX - our friends who are coming with have a DS who is 5, named Shane. She would love to have him "meet" others, too! I will tell her you are interested and she can pm you!

I think most of the DD's that I have seen (in our girls chat) are in the 3-5th grade range, but my daughter certainly THINKS she is as cool as the 6th graders.

 

[3boyslovediz]

Just curious if there were any DS's 4,5 & 6 years old going? I'd like to know if I could tell my DS about anyone he might get to meet in the club. Seems like the DD's have the majority for now. Only 172 days!!!!

My DS's will be 6 and 8 and they will love to meet some friends!! My older one is quite shy and just turns 8 in August so he will stay with his brother in the 5-7 club. We are also planning on booking the Doubloon excursion!

 

[jenmack]

My DS's will be 6 and 8 and they will love to meet some friends!! My older one is quite shy and just turns 8 in August so he will stay with his brother in the 5-7 club. We are also planning on booking the Doubloon excursion!

My husband and I did the Doubloon Sail in St Thomas on our October 2005 cruise. It was a lot of fun! We actually are planning on doing it again because my DS-6, loves, loves, loves turtles!

 

[jenmack]

I just remembered. If you go to the Doubloon website at www.doubloon.com you click on the boat you are going on which is the boat on the top left. It has red sails. Then you click on Party Pictures, then scroll down a little and click on 2005 pictures. After that scroll down a little again and click on October 2005 and lastly scroll down again and click on October 15-21, 2005. My Husband Mark and I are the 4th picture in from the top left (across).

On the way back from our excursion they turned on fun party/caribbean music, handed out chips & salsa, soda and tropical drinks for the adults. They also went around giving everyone a tattoo & then taking a picture which as you see is posted on their website (It took about a month or so for the pictures to be posted).

We had alot of fun, the crew of the Doubloon were very fun, frienfly and informative in regards to safety and underwater life. Seeing the Turtles was so cool. My husband had a turtle come up right in front of him. We saw a lot of coral, fish (dory's and scar's(from nemo) I liked to call them).

The only negatives were that we got a little seasick (not too bad) from being on a smaller boat. I planned on taking something for seasickness before we went, but I forgot. I won't again. There was a boy about 6 or 7 that had gotten sick. Also, they push hard on selling their t-shirts/tank tops on the way back and they asked for a tip. But, I got over it (I planned on tipping anyways) and as far as the merchandise...I know how to say no, so not a big deal. Anyway lot of fun!!!

 

[bevtoy]

Does anyone know which morning and what time we have to get up for customs?