October 22, 2005 Roll call

[pdarrah]

Hi DisneyFan551,

Just a quick question for you. Do you and your group want to be added to our cruise website on the "Who's Going" page? You can post as little or as much info as you like. It's just kind of nice to be able to look at that page and see all the DISers that are going!

It looks like your group has a lot of 4 and 5 year olds - is that their ages for the cruise or will they be mostly 5 and 6 by then? My son will be 6 for the cruise and asks me nearly every day if there are any kids his age going on the cruise with us. He had a wonderful time with a DISer girl his age on our first cruise.

Pamela (pdarrah)

 

[Timon]

Kathy,

I went to dpreview, ( I used this site to decide on my last camera) and according to them, the Rebel does have an LCD. Here's a photo:

Here's the in-depth review of the Digital Rebel
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos300d/

 

[scrapperjill]

The rebel does have an LCD...but it's only for viewing the pics...it does not show what is in the viewfinder prior to clicking the shutter. I was somewhat disapointed with that also..I find our Sony so easy to use...by looking at the LCD screen and taking the shot. But the more I've looked the more I've found that alot of the SLR Ditials you have to use the viewfinder....For various reasons....like it holds the camera steader...Your able to "focus" on your subject with the AF spots...Zooming with the lenses, and not a zoom in/out button...and auto focusing. The more I think of why you would have to look through the viewfinder...the more it makes sence.

I finally did it...I broke down and purchased the package "kit". I think it was somewhat of a good deal...The price was average of what I was finding just the camera body and lense...but it also came with a real nice cannon camera bag that says it'll hold a couple SLR's and lenses, two batteries, a battery charger...and various cables...oh and Photoshop elements...which I already had I'm still kicking myself for not buying it the week before...when they had the $150 rebates....But so far I really like it. I couldn't decided between the Rebel or the new D20...But in the end went with the Rebel...I figure I can always trade it in towards the D20 at a later date if I decide.

I haven't printed any pics yet...I really haven't had much time to really go out and play to much with it...and with Valentines Day comming I'm sure I won't have time this weekend. But I think the following weekend is a 3 day weekend...so maybe we'll take a day trip someplace.

I went to a few camera shops in Seattle Tuesday and priced acessories and diffrent lenses...WOW I couldn't beleive the prices of the lenses....I don't remember my Minolta's additional lenses being so costly...But it has been quite some time since I last bought a lense... maybe I just don't remember how much I put into them....and maybe it was the lenses I was looking at.

 

[Timon]

scrapperjill,

Ooooh, I had no idea! Hmmm, yeah I am used to using my LCD screen as well. It took me months to get used to NOT looking at a viewfinder!

You will have to let us know how you like your new camera!!

Have fun with it!!

 

[scrapperjill]

I didn't realize either...until after I purchased the camera...I saw the screen...and just assumed you could see your shot through it..I don't think anywhere in the research I was doing it ever mentioned the screen was used only for viewing pics after they were taken. But like I mentioned in the other post...the more I though of why....it made sence.

It took me a long time to get use to the LCD on our sony...It just seemed so odd to just hold the camera up away from your face...and take pictures. Seeing that I've only been using that one for a year....I don't think It'll take me to long to get use to the viewfinder again...but it does feel strange now.

 

[American Scrapper]

Oh Sandi, you have to tell me how you like it! I am still hesitant, and Jim thinks I am absoultely NUTS to be considering buying a camera for that much money. I am just afraid that it will all be too much for me. I have been very spoiled with my cameras that I have owned in the past. They have been very good to me!! I don't even think that I would consider it, if it wasn't for the poor quality of my photos in dark situations. I just hope that if I do buy this camera, it eliminates that problem.

The sales clerk showing me that camera did say that the veiw finder would defeat the purpose of an SLR. I will have to do some research. Thanks Disneyfan551. I will check out that site.

Only 252 days left to go.

Kathy

 

[scrapperjill]

American scrapper...what did she mean by it would defeat the purpose of the SLR?

I love our sony so much...with how easy digital is...I've been a BIG photo/camera person forever...and didn't think I'd like the digital...But with how easy it is to get prints made and remade...and to see the pic right then...no waiting..I love it. But like you, our sony didn't do so well in darker places..like some indoor shots. If it wasn't for that I probley wouldn't have been looking either. I'll have to send you a pic that Jesse took in our living room, at night with only a couple table lamps on..maybe I'll take one with my sony so you can compare the diffrence...I couldn't beleive how well it turned out.

Let me know what the sales person ment I'm courious

.

 

[Timon]

Okay, yeah, that makes sense now. Because the Digital Rebel is an SLR camera, what you see in your viewfinder is the exact picture you are taking. In a regular digital camera, what you see in your viewfinder is only an approximate view of your actual photo. And so, in an SLR, you would only see the photo in the LCD AFTER the microprocessor sends it to the LCD, therefore, you could only see your photo after you have taken it.

This is taking me back to my Visual Communications Class! Whew, that was WAY too long ago!

 

[scrapperjill]

Hey there...just had to jump in and make a post...we were getting pushed back to page two...

Happy Valentines Day...

 

[ThreeSmiths]

Bump!

 

[pdarrah]

Wow - we were almost at the end of page 2!

Now I know that I am a planning nut - I've just setup out excursions for Grand Cayman and Cozumel!

For Grand Cayman, we are going with Capt. Marvins for the "Half day Stingray & Snorkel" from 10:00am to 1:00pm (www.captainmarvins.com). We had signed up for this last year and of course couldn't do it after Hurricane Ivan closed down Grand Cayman. DS5 is really looking forward to this, so I hope it works out this year. (Capt. Marvins was great last year when it had to be canceled -sent a nice email that showed our reservation was canceled and even answered an email from that DS5 had me send asking if the stingrays were OK.) For anyone who is interested, they take your credit card info when you make the reservation, but that is just to hold your spot. When you get there, you either pay with cash, travelers check or credit card. Of course, if the ship docks on time at Grand Cayman and you just don't bother to show up, they will charge your card! They do not charge you if the ship can't dock there or docks so late that you can't make it to your tour.

For Cozumel, we have arranged to snorkel with Eagle Ray Divers (www.eagleraydivers.com) which is exactly what we did last October on the same cruise! We had such a wonderful time snorkeling with Chellie that we are going to do it again. They do a 2 reef snorkel or a 2 reef snorkel with lunch or a 3 reef snorkel with lunch. However the 2 reef and 3 reef with lunch options cost the same! We found this out because we would like to do the 3 reef, but don't know how DS5 will hold up. Chellie suggested we start out with the 2 reef snorkel with "lunch" and then if there is time and DS5 has the energy, we'll go ahead and do a 3rd reef. (The reason I am putting quotes around the "lunch" is that it will probably be rather late - like around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.) One of the reasons we loved this excursion last year was that it was so personal - we were the only group snorkeling that day, so it was just the 3 of us and Chellie (there were some others on the boat, but they were doing Scuba). I know that they limit the groups so that even if others are snorkeling with us, it will only be 10 or 12 people - much better than the excursions where they move people around in herds!

So, we are still 8 months from our cruise, and I've finished planning excursions! (At Key West, we'll go it on our own - last year we went to a lovely garden which we might do again.)

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend - we have a mix of snow/rain/hail/freezing-rain/etc going on today and this afternoon we have to drive to my MIL's house (it takes about 1.5 hours in good weather even though if you could fly like a bird it is only about 35 miles away - a case of "you can't get there from here!")

pdarrah

 

[Timon]

pdarrah,

Hello! From one nut to another


I booked our Grand Cayman Excursion with Native Way already for the Stingray and Island Tour for $40. We did the Stingrays with them in Oct 2003 (they didn't have the stingray/island tour back then) and it was so much fun, so we booked with them again.

In Cozumel, we plan on doing the Fury Catamaran but from the research I have done so far, it's actually cheaper to book it through Disney than on your own, so hopefully it won't be sold out!

Just like you, we are doing Key West on our own. We want to visit the Southernmost Point of the Continental USA (we visited the Southermost Point of USA in Hawaii in 2000 and that was pretty neat!) then we want to do some parasailing and just walk down Duval Street and maybe buy some Kino's.

Scrapperjill,

So, how's your Rebel??? Have you used it much? I would love some feedback about what you like/dislike! By the way...I just noticed on Pamela's site that your name is Sandi...I assumed it was Jill silly me! SO...how did you come up with "scrapperjill"???

 

[afoss]

Hi! My best friend just got off the Grand Princess last week and she did the snorkel/sting ray excursion with Captain Marvins and she LOVED it. She said the best thing was, besides the price, there were only a total of 9 people on the boat and 4 of them were crew. She said it was wonderful and haf so much interaction because it was such a small group. She said as they were leaving, the cruise ship excursion for this was arriving and she guessed there was 40 people. She just laughed.

We aren't sure what we're going to do. Probably stay on the boat in GC. Already did the stingray excursion and the shops are pretty expensive.

Key West on our own. Get some Key Lime pie and go visit some B&B's we have stayed at before to say "hi".

Cozumel is up in the air. We would like to book something but I'm not sure how to work it with Flounders. For sure go to a beach.

We have pretty much decided that this cruise was not going to be packed with appointments of any kind since we aren't sure how the kids are going to do.

Weather here is yucky too. Rain, snow, wind, etc. Typical IL weather. Can't wait for that sunshine. Eight more months to go!!!!

 

[scrapperjill]

So far I'm enjoying the Rebel...I haven't had much time or good weather to go out and play to much with it...I did get to the park today...but haven't loaded the images to see how they turned out yet....I did do a couple sample shots for American Scrapper...to show the diff with my sony and the cannon..in low light and no light settings...I was amazed. The inablity of my sony to take good shots in low light areas was really the only reason I even considered another digital...I love the Sony...it's so small and easy to use...and takes GREAT photos (out doors and in good lighting). There is alot to learn...with the diffrent modes and how to switch between things...but over all I'm loving it.

As for my name...scrapperjill a few years back I was in the mists of doing a business plan to open my very own scrapbooking store here in my town ..and..I was going to name it ScrapperJack's...not sure why...but that's what I decided on....anyways...when I was setting up my e-mail account...I tryed Scrapperjacks..and low and behold...it was already taken. ...so I went with Jill...scrapperjill...ie Jack -n- Jill. Anyway...scrappersandi...just doesn't have the same ring. But that's okay...most people do think my name is Jill because of that...but all is good.

As for excursions...you guys are really planning early... We booked the Capt. Marvians last year...but because Ivan was doing his thing...we didn't even get close...so I'm guessing well go with them again this year. I'm not sure about Mexico...we had talked about doing the Dune Buggie thing...but before that we were talking about a beach day and more snorkling...so that's still up in the air somewhat....as for Key West...We were going to rent the electric cars...I heard if you mentioned Shirley's name you could recieve at 20% discount. We thought it could be fun to bop around in one of the little cars...and see the town on our own... But I really hadn't given it much thought yet.

 

[afoss]

You have to rent one of those cars in Key West. We rented one back in 1999 when we were there and it's so fun. We called it our "egg car" because it looked like a yellow and white egg. Too cute. As long as it doesn't rain (the sides are open), you'll have a blast in one. We also rented scooters one year. Fun too.

 

[scrapperjill]

Just wanted to say...I put some more layouts from our last cruise on the two peas site....(Sept 2004)..I think there was about 6-8 new layouts from today.

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/album_display.asp?album_id=29423

If that link doesn't work it's on the Two peas site...in the Disney catagory under Scrapperjill

 

[American Scrapper]

WOW! Some of you have started booking your excursions already! I have not even thought about it. I am thinking we will book the same excursions we had planned last year. We were doing Captain Marvins in Grand Cayman, the Dune Buggy excursion in Cozumel and we will be doing our own thing in Key West. We are huge Jimmy Buffet fans, so we will definitely be headed to Margaritaville for some souviners. Those cars sound like fun too.

Scrapperjill, I took a look at your pictures! They are looking great!!

Kathy

 

[pdarrah]

Happy Monday everyone! I'm the only one in the office today and I'm having trouble getting motivated to work

ScrapperJill and American Scrapper - are you considering the "half day" trip with Capt. Marvin? - it would be cool to have an all DISer group!

One of the reasons I can't believe I've booked excursions already is that last year at this time we were still just starting to think about maybe taking a cruise - we didn't even book it until early May and I don't think I started planning excursions until July or August.

pdarrah

 

[scrapperjill]

I think last year we booked the 1/2 day also....so I'm sure we'll stick with the same thing.

Too funny American Scrapper..that we both booked the same excursion last year...and didn't even know it.

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Everyone,

I just discovered that I had some broken links on the "Useful Stuff" page on the website. If anyone has been trying to get to the dining chart or the itineraries, they now work!

pdarrah