One Way Trip to Canada, Eh? FINAL THOUGHTS 08/10

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi. With 73 days or something until we sail on our West Coast Repo on the Disney Wonder, I thought I would hold my place for a PTR to become a TR for this cruise. We are excited to sail again with DCL - I'll be back to introduce us and get the planning started!

 

[anewmac]

Yeah Im 1st

Cant wait to hear all about the planning and exciting times ahead for ya!

 

[jerelle]

Hi. With 73 days or something until we sail on our West Coast Repo on the Disney Wonder, I thought I would hold my place for a PTR to become a TR for this cruise. We are excited to sail again with DCL - I'll be back to introduce us and get the planning started!

Well then, let me be the first to pre-welcome you to our beautiful country. You'll love Vancouver-it is gorgeous! Good time to visit too! Only one year post Olympics and there will be so much to see and do! Enjoy!

PS We really do say "eh"!

 

[Disneymaddness]

I'm in! I was one of those lurkers! I've never done a Disney cruise but would love to some day. Looking forward to yours!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Yeah Im 1st

Cant wait to hear all about the planning and exciting times ahead for ya!

Congrats on being FIRST!!! Thanks for coming onboard!

Well then, let me be the first to pre-welcome you to our beautiful country. You'll love Vancouver-it is gorgeous! Good time to visit too! Only one year post Olympics and there will be so much to see and do! Enjoy!

PS We really do say "eh"!

Thank you for the warm welcome! I am excited to see Vancouver - it looks so beautiful on TV. We have a whole day there before taking the train to the Seattle area, so you can help me plan how to see the most!

PS I know! We lived in North Dakota, and meet alot of Canadians! Guess what, my relatives in Minnesota say it, too!

I'm in! I was one of those lurkers! I've never done a Disney cruise but would love to some day. Looking forward to yours!

Welcome! Thanks for coming out of lurkdom! I hope I can bring you back a really great report so you will want to book right away and start packing!

 

[firebug83]

.

Yeah Im 1st

Cant wait to hear all about the planning and exciting times ahead for ya!

 

[firebug83]

I'm in! I was one of those lurkers! I've never done a Disney cruise but would love to some day. Looking forward to yours!

/

 

[nenner1]

Woot1 I'm here! On with the show! LOL!

Excited to hear all about the Repo!!!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Jen! I'm glad you're here! I will get started! I'm never sure if my planning details are that interesting, but now that I'm in the home stretch, I'm sure I can come up with some details. Maybe someone out there knows about SF or Victoria and can give us advice, too!

 

[podsnel]

I'm in too! So excited for you!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Ellen! Now we can really get started! I'm filling in for the receptionist at church for a couple of hrs, so maybe I can get little something going!

 

[YukiPhnx]

I'm here, ready and waiting!!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Yuki! Thanks for being here! I just got started, had quite a start on my PTR, and I hit something on this unfamiliar keyboard that logged me out I guess it was so I could say Hi to you first!

2nd Try coming up!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Okay, now I've posted this twice - the last time, the DIS kicked me out while I was sending. So I'll just have to start this baby up again later!

 

[YukiPhnx]

OH noo! Darned technology.

Well, I'm sure you've learned to just type it up on a word.doc or notepad before posting it here. I learned that the hard way!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Wow - I'm just getting started on page 2 of my own TR! I've used Word tonight, as Yuki reminded me of - so hopefully we can get sailing!

Thanks for joining us on this sailaway. Being an avid DISer, I am compelled to write a TR, and I'm so excited I already have readers!

Our cruise is the first ever Disney Wonder West Coast Repo from LA to Vancouver April 27 - May 3. It just occured to me today we are making Disney History!!! Sometimes things go right over my head!


Our Crew:
Jim, DH – Papa to our 4 grandbabies, Air Guard upper Supervisor, and badly in need of another vacation
Myself, Tammie – Gramma to the grandbabies, Arbonne Area Manager

We are lovers of all things Disney and are DVC owners since 2006 – we purchased on our first ever cruise – an 7-day Eastern on Disney Magic 12/05 to celebrate our 25th anniversary – yes, without kids!

Our 2nd cruise was in October 2010 on RCCL. This was an incentive trip from my company - a Western Caribbean to Jamaica. The TR link is in my Siggie.

It is pretty exciting for us to be taking 2 cruises in 6 months. We are feeling really blessed for sure!


This cruise was really booked on a Whim. We had some DVC points to use, and were looking for something different to use them on. I saw this itinerary the day it was open for booking and we both thought it looked like fun! One attraction was being in Oregon, we are about half way from each port. We don’t have to fly across the country to get to the cruise!
I called Member Services and played, “The Price is Right!” Book me a cabin using the most points without going over! We are on Deck 6 in a deluxe oceanview. Cat 9A, which used to be a Cat 8! I won’t miss the balcony on this chilly cruise – I wouldn’t be sitting outside with my coffee in the mornings, anyway! We have 6 points left over that we won't be using, so if anyone needs 6 points to book that last day or something, they have been banked to UY Aug 2011. PM me and if it works out, you can have them!

Next: Who, What, Where, When

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Now back to the basics

Who: In case you haven't met us, here is a pic from formal night on our last cruise - also my profile pic, I guess:

What:
So our plans are starting to firm up, which always makes the trip seem so much more real! Almost real enough to pull out the suitcases and start packing!
We will be flying from our home airport, which Jim is very happy about. Our airport is small – think of the old show “Wings” – and you have it. We do have free long term parking, which is a great perk! It is so funny when planes arrive – they make announcements like, “Now arriving at gate one…” and “your baggage can be picked up at Carousel 2” (even though we have only 1 carousel)
Some of you who read my last cruise TR know that we played trains, planes and automobiles last time. Well, actually we will this time, too, but not just to get to our destination!

When and Where:
We leave at 5:30am on April 23rd, flying to Santa Anita (John Wayne) If anyone is flying to LA for a trip to DL – this is so much better! Smaller airport, safer area to drive in and way less traffic! 45 min to DL, and you can get Disney Transportation

The reason for leaving 4 days early? Jim has an Uncle in Anaheim hills who is just a few years older. They were raised as brothers pretty much. So, let’s meet their family: Uncle Leonard, Aunt Gail and their 17 yr old daughter Caitlin. They are so much fun and are the reason we are Disney addicts! They took us with our two boys on our first trip to WDW 13 yrs ago as a gift and we’ve been hooked ever since! Of course them living close enough to see DL’s fireworks at night helps us be able to be quite frequent visitors to DL and CA too!
We’ll arrive at 9:30 am and the fun will begin! We have our traditions when we get together. This is probably how it will go:

Sat – brunch at Tom’s Place (Leonard’s neighbor started this yummy place from a small burger shop – now quite a large chain in the area)

- Get caught up, probably BBQ and hang out by the pool
- We will watch a nightly marathon of either POC or National Treasure movies, as well as videos of Caitlin’s Figure skating competitions – her team is part of the US Figure Skating Team and just took Gold in the regionals! Some of her teammates will compete in the Olympics!!!
Sun – Easter – they don’t have a church, so we will probably relax in the morning
And go out for dinner later, or head to DTD or the Gardenwalk area which is
A fun addition to the DTD area.
- Or we may head up to the mountains to their cabin for the night
Mon and Tues – Head to DL and CA, look out for this guy:

maybe Universal studios
- They always produce DL passes from somewhere – we can get all the big rides done by 1 or 2 in the pm –having grown up at DL since the “E ticket” days, Leonard can GAT circles around any TGM planner!
- Probably have dinner at Medieval Times

or Lonestar Steak (we’ve been known to do either one)
Wed – Apr 27th – Cruise Day! Leonard will drive us to San Pedro port. We had to put down an arrival time when registering for the cruise, so we put down between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm.
- Sailaway is at the usual 5pm time.
Thurs – Sea Day
Fri and Sat – San Francisco- I have a friend since 4th grade, Deborah, who is in the bay area, and she is planning to meet up with us – probably on Friday! I haven’t seen her in 20 yrs!!!
Sun – Sea Day
Mon – Victoria, BC
Tues – De-Bark at Vancouver, BC = Spend the day touring, then take the 5pm train to Stanwood, WA where my DSIS lives. We’ll get in there at 8pm, and she and I will probably stay up all night catching up!
Wed – We plan to just have a low-key day – maybe take a picnic to a nearby lake, but not head in to the city. DSIS has 4 daughters, so there will be more than enough Estrogen there for for Jim. Maybe Scott, her ex, will come by and rescue Jim for awhile!
Thurs – Take the commuter train to SeaTac airport and fly home
There you have it in a rather long nutshell! We are excited to see family and friends, to visit DL, and to sail on the Wonder!

When we arrive in SF, we’ll be sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge! I get goosebumps just thinking about standing on the deck, and watching that amazing structure overhead while they horn plays, “When you Wish Upon a Star!”
We’ll see some amazing scenery and new places. It will be different, in that it will be a chilly cruise, and we won’t be doing any beach days – it will be quintessentially Northwest – cool damp air, lots of coffee and dressing in layers – lots of fresh air! I think this will be a really novel cruise, and we will just enjoy seeing what Disney has planned!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Here! Your trip already sounds amazing!!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Here! Your trip already sounds amazing!!!

Jackie! So happy you're here! Welcome!

 

[Camonkeygirl]

Hi Tammi,

I can't wait for your TR. My DH and I will be on the repositioning cruise from Vancouver to LA in Sept. Have a great trip.