October 17, 2009 Western

[wendym]

I love the graphic and my vote is for DIScovering Neverland.

Mine too - it is lovely! Of course having Peter Pan and Wendy in it is always a good idea! On our last DCL cruise I treated myself to the DCL wall clock for my lab - well the wind was so strong on Friday that my door slammed and the clock fell down and smashed - I am so upset as it always made me happy looking at it. At least nobody was hurt but of course no way will the school reimburse me for it - I've bought a $2 one from Tesco to replace it but it isnt the same!

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Kimberlee - I just wanted to say how nice I think it is that you're organizing an email list for the kids on this sailing. I hadn't found the message boards yet when I brought my stepkids, but I think it would have made a huge difference if they had made friends online with other kids beforehand. They had fun on the cruise, but they are both a bit hesitant of anyone they don't know, so they really avoided the kids clubs. Kudos to you for doing this!

My boys are really excited about it, they have been thinking up names for an email address all weekend!
I "borrowed" Yazee's idea and we made a trip chain this weekend! We leave in 135 days tmw! My kids loved the idea of making the chain, so thanks again Yaz for the idea! I will try to post a pic tmw morning!
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

 

[NCjenn]

I think we've decided not to get passports since it is not required for this cruise. It'll save some money. Is anyone else choosing not to get them?

Jennifer

 

[MommyTo5]

YAY! Our family is doing MNSSHP on the 15th, this will be our first time there so we are super pumped. WE fly in on the 14th and are staying at the BCV.
I think we will do MK the day of MNSSHP and probably DHS on the 16th.
So exciting!
Do any of your children want to participate in our "kids email list"??
Im going to compile a master list of all the kids email addresses so they can get to know one another. My ds's are 5 and 7 and I will be helping them along!

Awesome, Kimberlee! It sounds like our paths may cross before the cruise! I'd really love to meet up for a quick hello in the parks, or maybe even a bite to eat!

My kids would definitely be interested in chatting with others before the cruise. With the first cruise group I was with, we set up a Yahoo Group for this purpose. When someone emailed, their message was sent to all of the children in the group. It worked out great! Just an idea!

 

[lucky1]

I wonder what Sunday has in store for us.

Okay... Hopefully your Sunday was much better.

Ours Sunday got a little complicated. DH started feeling sick, fever and tired. He went to the DR on Monday and Pneumina is back in both lungs (This is what sidelined us from our May cruise). Luckly he noticed it early so he is on antibotics and will be taking it easy and staying out of the hospital (hopefully)

Also we got our refund checks from the cancellation of our May cruise from the insurance. YEAH.

Laura

 

[lucky1]

My boys are really excited about it, they have been thinking up names for an email address all weekend!
I "borrowed" Yazee's idea and we made a trip chain this weekend! We leave in 135 days tmw! My kids loved the idea of making the chain, so thanks again Yaz for the idea! I will try to post a pic tmw morning!
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

We need to think up an email for DD so she can participate, things have been busy, but once we get that done I will PM you.

 

[lucky1]

I think we've decided not to get passports since it is not required for this cruise. It'll save some money. Is anyone else choosing not to get them?

Jennifer

Jennifer, We already got them, but I see a lot of people on the main board indicated that they are not getting passports either. The risk is very small of having to fly or being left at a foreign port. I considered it for our May cruise, but the passports came in time.

 

[MommyTo5]

I think we've decided not to get passports since it is not required for this cruise. It'll save some money. Is anyone else choosing not to get them?

Jennifer

I haven't decided what we are going to do yet... we made it through our first 2 cruises just fine without them. The only reason that I'm even considering getting them before this cruise is because we'll need them for our Transatlantic cruise in April anyway.

 

[MommyTo5]

Also we got our refund checks from the cancellation of our May cruise from the insurance. YEAH.

Laura

That is super!!! Who was your insurance through?

 

[MommyTo5]

Just wanted to post again as it's my 500th post

Congratulations, doberlady!!! You are officially a DIS Veteran!

By the way, I think we are on another group together although I'm pretty inactive these days (years! )... gymbobaynmoretoo!

 

[doberlady]

Angie-

That is too funny!!!!!! I am a Mod on Gymbobaynmore.

 

[lucky1]

That is super!!! Who was your insurance through?

The one that Disney offers on their website. Access America. We filed the claim 2 weeks ago via a fax, they started processing it on 5/26 and we received the check on 6/1. Pretty impressed, but it was a cut and dry case.

I am trying to see if we want to use something else that is much cheaper, because Access America was more than 10% the cost of the cruise.

Laura

 

[lucky1]

Angie-

That is too funny!!!!!! I am a Mod on Gymbobaynmore.

Ok... what is Gymbobaynmore? Is that for those that are trying to break the habit of buying cute clothes for their girls at Gymboree?

I need help there.

Laura

 

[yazee1]

I think we've decided not to get passports since it is not required for this cruise. It'll save some money. Is anyone else choosing not to get them?

Jennifer

No, we already have ours from the first time we cruised. It was much cheaper then, so if we had to make the decision for this cruise, I don't know what we would do. What are your options besides getting a passport, just a birth certificate? I haven't paid any attention to the issue.

 

[yazee1]

I think we've decided not to get passports since it is not required for this cruise. It'll save some money. Is anyone else choosing not to get them?

Jennifer

I just noticed your daughter is 8, too. It flips me out that my daughter, who was barely old enough for the Club on her first cruise, will be in the LAB this time.

 

[yazee1]

My kids would definitely be interested in chatting with others before the cruise. With the first cruise group I was with, we set up a Yahoo Group for this purpose. When someone emailed, their message was sent to all of the children in the group. It worked out great! Just an idea!

I like that idea!

 

[yazee1]

Okay... Hopefully your Sunday was much better.

Ours Sunday got a little complicated. DH started feeling sick, fever and tired. He went to the DR on Monday and Pneumina is back in both lungs (This is what sidelined us from our May cruise). Luckly he noticed it early so he is on antibotics and will be taking it easy and staying out of the hospital (hopefully)

Also we got our refund checks from the cancellation of our May cruise from the insurance. YEAH.

Laura

Oh my gosh, I hope your dh's condition has greatly improved since he's started the antibiotics. No hospital!!

No minor disasters in the last couple days. In fact, on Sunday, my daughter found my camera. It must have fallen out of my big canvas bag and rolled under her van seat.

 

[TheDawnPatrol]

I think we've decided not to get passports since it is not required for this cruise. It'll save some money. Is anyone else choosing not to get them?

Jennifer

Just keep an eye on the travel requirements as they just changed June 1:

On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

CHILDREN: U.S. citizen children under the age of 16 will be able to present the original or copy of their birth certificate, or other proof of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate or citizenship card.

Groups of U.S. citizen children ages 16 through 18, when traveling with a school or religious group, social organization, or sports team, will be able to enter under adult supervision with originals or copies of their birth certificates or other proof of citizenship. See the Department of Homeland Security's GetYouHome.gov for more information on the changing travel requirements.
U.S. PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS:

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport to enter or re-enter the United States when traveling via air, land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.
The U.S. Passport Card: The passport card is only valid for re-entry into the United States at land border crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.
WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land or sea, as of January 31, 2008:
Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)
State Issued Enhanced Driver's License (when available)
Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)
U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business
Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
Form I-872 American Indian Card

 

[kerickson]

Just keep an eye on the travel requirements as they just changed June 1:

On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

CHILDREN: U.S. citizen children under the age of 16 will be able to present the original or copy of their birth certificate, or other proof of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate or citizenship card.

Groups of U.S. citizen children ages 16 through 18, when traveling with a school or religious group, social organization, or sports team, will be able to enter under adult supervision with originals or copies of their birth certificates or other proof of citizenship. See the Department of Homeland Security's GetYouHome.gov for more information on the changing travel requirements.
U.S. PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS:

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport to enter or re-enter the United States when traveling via air, land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.
The U.S. Passport Card: The passport card is only valid for re-entry into the United States at land border crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.
WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land or sea, as of January 31, 2008:
Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)
State Issued Enhanced Driver's License (when available)
Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)
U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business
Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
Form I-872 American Indian Card

I saw this update the other day and wasn't aware kids under 16 were being exempt from this change. I was planning on getting my kids a Passport Card. It works like a passport for land and sea travel between US and other countries in the Western Hemi, but now given the above it doesn't look like we'll need them. The Passport cards are much cheaper than regular Passports. What to do...

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Our family is Canadian, so we have needed our passports FOREVER! DH and I were married in Vegas and had to have our Ds's pictures done.....try telling a 2 year old not to smile when they are having their picture taken....
It took FOREVER!
We went to Mexico when DD was 3 months old, and needed a passport for that too....the passport picture place had to slump her up in a bumboo chair and take several pics until they were certain her eyes were open! We went to the passport office to apply with paperwork and pics in hand, and the picture place had taken the pic of DD's head too small! So we had to redo the pictures, she was asleep, so we had to wake her, at 3months and get her in the chair again! It was HORRIBLE! But its done now, and under 2 is good for only 3 years I think!
Thats my passport story! LOL
In regards to the Yahoo group, I think that would be a great idea! Can you share pictures in a group like that?? I will check it out and set it up!!