October 30, 2011 Wonder - A Haunting on the High Seas

[valbob89]

Happy Halloween. Hi Yall!!!! My name is Joni and my family and I will be joining your merry bunch.

I am a planner. A major planner (just warning you!!!) I have to do the FE. I refuse to go on a Disney boat without that. This will be our first Disney cruise and I am on cloud 9. I just cancelled a 3 day cruise on the Dream and booked this one. The kids sail free offer helped. I bet it will help get more cruisers on here. By 75 days out (Aug 16) we should have a better look at who all is going.

Let me introduce my bunch - We are the ones who walk around Disney in matching outfits. Not just shirts but fully matching outfits. We are totally addicted to all things Disney. We have been to WDW numerous times but never to DL as a family - that will change before this trip. We are starting our vacation with a 3 day trip to DL.
First,
Me (Joni)

I am a the crazy Disney person. The motivation for all things related to Disney. I am the researcher, master planner, seamstress, and motivator. My spare time is spent planning my next Disney vacation and then sewing for it.

Troy - my husband
He loves Disney - just not as much as me. I kind of have to encorauge him to go along with all of my hairbrain schemes. But in the end - he does it. I love him.

Kyler - 9 yo
The kiddos don't know about the cruise - great fun.
He loves Star Wars, Indy Jones, and Army men, and Legos.

Kayla - 8 yo
Her current obsession is Jesse and cowgirls. She loves Toy Story. She still likes the princesses, but they are not as important.

Kennedy - 2yo
Sweet Ken-Ken, She reminds me of Charlie on Good Luck Charlie. She knew the Fab 5 before her shapes. Enough said.

We are going to be dressed up for Halloween, maybe more than one costumes.

I love the shirt idea!! I think our theme should involve Halloween. I liked what the first poster said...Haunting the the High Seas. I was too excited about posting so I just read the first few pages and the last 2. I am going to reread it all in a min. I am so excited to meet all of you. I know we will have the best cruise ever!!

Joni - Welcome to you and your family. So glad you are joining us. I see you found the roll call spreadsheet and added you and your family - great.

Samantha can tell you which graphic she sent to the get a quote for shirts, I think it was the Jordak ship with ghosts. Let her know if you want to join in ordering shirts from her guy, she has generously offered to organize an order for anyone interested. You can also do it on your own and I can help you with pointing you to the graphics. I mocked up a few other ideas if you want to print magnets for your door. Let us know if I can help in any way.

Val

 

[Gr00vyChc]

Hi Val. Could you pls remind me again which post is the roster and the graphic? I like the Haunting theme too

 

[valbob89]

Hi Val. Could you pls remind me again which post is the roster and the graphic? I like the Haunting theme too

You can link to the roll call spreadsheet from page 11, post 158. I don't own the first posting so can post it there.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=tQW07ZuA8a4izKy3q3VMR9Q&authkey=CM2SpuMB#gid=0

Page 6, has some graphics and page 7 posting 104 has the ship and ghosts. You can access that graphics with the higher resolution on flickers. Here is that link

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmvandy/5677178676/in/set-72157626499266747/

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything.

 

[princesskayla]

We plan to do Disneyland at a slower pace before the cruise... No other real plans, except that we might do the Hallowe'en party one night at DL. We're staying at the Sheraton Park hotel down the street from the parks. It's a great location my sister and I stayed there when we went to DL about 2yrs ago.

We are going to do the Halloween Party at DL on 10/27 (I think). We are dressing up for that as well.

I asked Jordak, who has created a lot of the magnet and shirt designs you see on cruises, to create one for our cruise. Here is what he came up with. I think it is great.

LOVE IT!!
We decided to go on this cruise for Halloween because we live in Alaska. We just moved to AK in June and I don't think I could stomach a Halloween with jackets covering everyone's costumes. We normally go to WDW for MNSSHP and this will be the first year that we don't go.

 

[valbob89]

We are going to do the Halloween Party at DL on 10/27 (I think). We are dressing up for that as well.



LOVE IT!!
We decided to go on this cruise for Halloween because we live in Alaska. We just moved to AK in June and I don't think I could stomach a Halloween with jackets covering everyone's costumes. We normally go to WDW for MNSSHP and this will be the first year that we don't go.

Yes, Jordak did a great job. The link I gave you to a Flicker is a little bit different, It has the year and Bob pumped up the color some so that there is more definition especially with the ghosts.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Hi Joni!

I think if we do the party we will go Friday the 29th but we haven't really decided yet. I guess I should decide before tickets go on sale July 1st!

In Ottawa we always wore the costumes OVER the winter jacket (or full snow suit) this made the costumes fit for a few years as well as it was so big to fit with the jacket!

 

[valbob89]

A Cruise Credit article that might be of interest to some:

7 Tips to Ease Your Way Through Customs
Home > Features > At Your Service > 7 Tips to Ease Your Way Through Customs

Facing customs and immigration can be intimidating. The experience even led travel memoirist and I-will-never-remarry icon Elizabeth Gilbert to say "I do" when her Brazilian-born partner was refused reentry in the U.S. She got a gold ring and another best-seller out of the deal, but you may just get a spoiled vacation and a heap of trouble.

For the most part, customs and immigration is a practically imperceptible process handled by cruise line officials on your behalf, often in the early hours of the morning. Occasionally, you may have to meet face-to-face. Since you may not be able to marry a Norse god to get off the boat in Oslo, here are some tips for clearing customs and immigration on your next cruise.

Carry a photocopy of your passport, and keep it separate from your passport, just in case you misplace the original. Also carry a driver's license or government-issued photo ID.

Have a notarized travel permission letter for minors traveling without both of their parents or legal guardians. Even one parent traveling alone with his or her child may encounter difficulties entering certain countries without a notarized letter from the other parent giving permission for the travel. If you have full custody or the child's other parent is deceased, you may need relevant paperwork.

Turn off your cell phone. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are directed to confiscate mobile phones if they see passengers using them.

No jokes! No wisecracks, no smart-aleck remarks. Don't fuss or make a scene. All may tag you for secondary screening. It's best just to speak -- in a polite, efficient manner -- only when you are addressed.

Do your research. A visa doesn't guarantee entry into the United States. CBP officials make the final determination as to whether to admit you or not. It is often the same for U.S. citizens at foreign ports. Don't assume you are entitled to enter another country. Other things you need to think about:


Have a misspent youth? You may be deemed "unfit" to enter some countries, such as Canada, if you've ever been convicted of a DUI, driving dangerously, simple assault or even shoplifting.


Cruise line-sponsored excursions are usually covered under visa waiver policies. Plus, take note that 36 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program with the United States. (Get more details through the U.S. State Department.)


If you're going off on your own in ports in certain countries (including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and the Republic of Korea), you may need a visa. Cruise-sponsored and state-approved tours will get you a visa waiver.

Keep good records. When you return to the U.S., you must declare everything you didn't have when you left. Keep a running tally and all receipts. Don't bring back any meats, fruits or vegetables. No alternative-remedy shopping while in port, either. Customs won't allow you to bring in medicines purchased abroad that aren't FDA-approved.

Think twice before bringing back compromising photos or videos of you, your partner or your friends. Otherwise you may just be entertaining CBP officials in the office.

 

[princesskayla]

Hi Joni!

I think if we do the party we will go Friday the 29th but we haven't really decided yet. I guess I should decide before tickets go on sale July 1st!

In Ottawa we always wore the costumes OVER the winter jacket (or full snow suit) this made the costumes fit for a few years as well as it was so big to fit with the jacket!

I hadn't thought of that! in Gerogia, it usually okay to go for a few houses if not all of them without jackets. Oh well, I guess I wouldn't have to worry about jackets this year either.

How are you getting from DL to the port? I was going to look into that this week.

How many others are going to be in DL before the cruise??

 

[Meig]

Here is a link to a google spreadsheet you can input the info yourself or send to me. If you input onto the spreadsheet please save the document and close when finished.

Meig, if you want to add this link to your first posting, #1 on page1, that would be great or I can add it to mine on, posting 12, page 1.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=tQW07ZuA8a4izKy3q3VMR9Q&authkey=CM2SpuMB#gid=0

Added

 

[Meig]

T-shirt information!!

Tell me what you guys think. My t-shirt guy said he could do the shirts, he would use a digital print and said they would work on white or ash gray shirts. They would be $8 each.

Tell me what you all think, I know someone (Val, I think) showed a sampled from Vista Print that was on a darker gray shirt, maybe everyone would like that better? let me know My feelings won't be hurt if we decide to go with someone else

I'm all over the ash grey shirts. Sign me up for 6 and I'll let you know sizes once you need that.

 

[Meig]

I hadn't thought of that! in Gerogia, it usually okay to go for a few houses if not all of them without jackets. Oh well, I guess I wouldn't have to worry about jackets this year either.

How are you getting from DL to the port? I was going to look into that this week.

How many others are going to be in DL before the cruise??

We won't be at DL before the cruise (DH doesn't want to add on that expense when we are going be all about The Mouse for the whole week) but we are flying out on the Friday before (the 28th) and planning on doing some sightseeing on Saturday. Still haven't gotten our hotel, but I want to stay at the Doubletree since it is so close to port. DH is being eh about it.

My parents are also going to be on this cruise but they don't get into the FE or any of that. I guess I need to get in gear for that still, too.

Nice to see the boards getting a little more active, and frankly I am glad there isn't 300 people doing FE I'm up for a drink of the day session (we're not wine people). We are not sure about wearing costumes yet, but we know we will not be doing formal or semi-formal nights. We did it on the last few cruises we've been on, and it's just too much for us with all the clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc.. We want to relax, and dressing up isn't relaxing for us

 

[valbob89]

Happy Independence Day weekend for all our US cruisers.

It looks like we have enough interest in a drink of the day mixology session to ask DCL if they will schedule one for us. I'll send Dorothy a message today. Will let you know what she tells us. You usually don't hear back until a few weeks before the cruise.

Not sure what you would like to do about the Champagne Girls but right now I don't think we have enough to have a private DCL tasting. If it is ok with everyone we can plan to have a girls get-together on my verandah. We may need to find some chairs but there is certainly plenty of room. What do you all think? Maybe we can have it one afternoon that they are most likely to be doing an afternoon character meet and we can all crash that for pictures. I can pack disposable champagne glasses or call room services for glasses and people can bring their favorite champagne or sparkling non-alcoholic drink to share.

Let me know what you all think about this.

Val

 

[TinkLoverSam]

I hadn't thought of that! in Gerogia, it usually okay to go for a few houses if not all of them without jackets. Oh well, I guess I wouldn't have to worry about jackets this year either.

How are you getting from DL to the port? I was going to look into that this week.

How many others are going to be in DL before the cruise??

We are going to do a car service which one... not 100% sure yet. My sister used 1 on her recent trip to DL to get to and from the airport, they didn't tell her about an 18% autograt and didn't bring their credit card machine so she ended up cancelling her return trip and using a cab to SNA instead.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Happy 4th of July weekend for all our US cruisers.

It looks like we have enough interest in a drink of the day mixology session to ask DCL if they will schedule one for us. I'll send Dorothy a message today. Will let you know what she tells us. You usually don't hear back until a few weeks before the cruise.

Not sure what you would like to do about the Champagne Girls but right now I don't think we have enough to have a private DCL tasting. If it is ok with everyone we can plan to have a girls get-to-gether on my verandah. We may need to find some chairs but there is certainly plenty of room. What do you all think? Maybe we can have it one afternoon that they are mostly likely to be doing an afternoon character meet and we can all crash that for pictures. I can pack disposable champagne glasses or call room services for glasses and people can bring their favorite champagne or sparkling non-alcoholic drink to share.

Let me know what you all think about this.

Val

Your verandah sounds great for the Champagne girls get together I'll have to remember to pick some bubbles up before we hit the crusie!

 

[DoomBuggyHitchhiker]

So if the girls are doing champagne on Val's veranda, what do the gents get to do?

 

[valbob89]

So if the girls are doing champagne on Val's veranda, what do the gents get to do?

Glad to hear from you, the site has been very quiet.

What would you like to do? Perhaps you could coordinate something? Meeting at the Cove? Ping Pong contest? Card or some other game meet? Go wild take over the secret deck on deck 7 and bring beer and chips or something.

Val

 

[DoomBuggyHitchhiker]

Glad to hear from you, the site has been very quiet.

What would you like to do? Perhaps you could coordinate something? Meeting at the Cove? Ping Pong contest? Card or some other game meet? Go wild take over the secret deck on deck 7 and bring beer and chips or something.

Val

Could all be fun. I just wanted to jump back in to the discussion!

 

[stefanie.cadell]

Maybe them men could get a pool going for whatever football game is on for that weekend.. Heck, even I'd be down to get in on that! I <3 football.. Especially college ball. Go Big Red!!

 

[TinkLoverSam]

My DH would be into anything that involves beer or sports or cards! Preferably all three. He's not much of a joiner but he's a talker!

 

[DoomBuggyHitchhiker]

My DH would be into anything that involves beer or sports or cards! Preferably all three. He's not much of a joiner but he's a talker!

Nothing against any of the men on this trip, but I am not into any of those things. Hey, I am a single man going on a Disney cruise by himself. You do the math.