Our Thanksgiving Fantasy - Nov 22-Dec 1 - COMPLETE!!

I will pay extra for real coffee anytime. That is so much better than Nescrappe.

My parents loved Palo when they cruised. They ate there for dinner, but they really enjoyed it.

Wait.....you get all that and get to order an entree?! I think I would leave that ship with 20 extra pounds on me!

Mixology class sounds like fun! I've always wanted to learn more about mixing drinks.

Holy smokes! He's balancing a bottle on his face!

Nope, would not be partaking in the Bellini.....Peach Schnapps = Danielle goes happy go pukey......:rolleyes2

Hahaha, changing clothes four times in one day. Sounds like me!
 
I will pay extra for real coffee anytime. That is so much better than Nescrappe.

It really is. Ours was basically a double espresso every day, but we loved it. And it was only a couple of bucks.

My parents loved Palo when they cruised. They ate there for dinner, but they really enjoyed it.

We did that on our last cruise. Very enjoyable.

Wait.....you get all that and get to order an entree?! I think I would leave that ship with 20 extra pounds on me!

YES !!! I am not going to say whether that happened to me or not, I was afraid to get on the scale.

Mixology class sounds like fun! I've always wanted to learn more about mixing drinks.

It was really fun !!!

Holy smokes! He's balancing a bottle on his face!

At one point he had a full drink on the top of that bottle too. Never spilled a drop.

Nope, would not be partaking in the Bellini.....Peach Schnapps = Danielle goes happy go pukey......:rolleyes2

Word. Peach Schnapps is just nasty. It reminds me of freshman year in college ...LOL.

Hahaha, changing clothes four times in one day. Sounds like me!

Haha - it is a little much for me ......
 
Hi Susan. I read through all the updates so let's see if I can remember all my comments.

Thanks for sharing what a fish extender is. Oh those Dis sub-cultures!! I've only been on cruises where there's just a mail box with no cute gift exchanges. I saw a photo of your coin purse on FB and was very impressed (this was before I knew it was part of your gift exchange.) All of your crafty items are not only adorable but perfect for the age groups.

I loved seeing photos of Saratoga Springs with the holiday decorations. What a lovely resort even without the holiday décor.

Why mess with a good thing at WPE. I don't!! One of my favorites in DTD.

I wondered which park you would head to after getting your APs renewed.. aha. Hollywood Studios.

The flips flops you bought your DD are the exact ones I bought during my rain proofing shopping trip before our Monsieur Paul dinner. I gave them to Em since she liked them so much. They are cute.

I wish we had made it to Streets of America for the lights to be turned on. However, it was amazing enough to be there at all and watch the dancing lights.

Oh those ears to pass through for boarding - it must be thrilling. Having never cruised Disney I imagine it is much more exciting than what we have cruised as far as the boarding experience. We've never had the fun of having our names called for being welcomed aboard. ;)

That scavenger hunt meet and greet is a fabulous idea! Glad your kids made some friends. That always makes the cruise nicer for mom and dad when the kids are happy and occupied.

That was a LONG first day. Goodness I'd be exhausted. Sorry about the ankle bothering you. I've seen your recent FB posts. My little 5mm hairline is nothing compared to yours. Ouch!

Palo brunch looks wonderful with all the choices and a mimosa too! I'd sign up!

Ha ha the mixology class. After a few drinks I'd be rolling along as well. Looks like a great experience and Julian is amazing. How does he do that?? Wow.

Ok, all caught up. Loving following along since we were cruisers long before Disers and I love seeing the comparisons between our experiences and yours. :)
 
Hi Susan. I read through all the updates so let's see if I can remember all my comments.

Thanks for sharing what a fish extender is. Oh those Dis sub-cultures!! I've only been on cruises where there's just a mail box with no cute gift exchanges. I saw a photo of your coin purse on FB and was very impressed (this was before I knew it was part of your gift exchange.) All of your crafty items are not only adorable but perfect for the age groups.

The fish extender can be a lot of work, but it is really a lot of fun. And it is a great way to get to know people.

I loved seeing photos of Saratoga Springs with the holiday decorations. What a lovely resort even without the holiday décor.

It is our home DVC resort. I love all of he DVC resorts, but this one was really pretty at Christmas.

Why mess with a good thing at WPE. I don't!! One of my favorites in DTD.

I always say I am going ot get something different, but we always get the same thing.

I wondered which park you would head to after getting your APs renewed.. aha. Hollywood Studios.

Not my favorite park, but we wanted to see the lights !!

The flips flops you bought your DD are the exact ones I bought during my rain proofing shopping trip before our Monsieur Paul dinner. I gave them to Em since she liked them so much. They are cute.

I think she wore them today. It was 80 degrees here. It will be 40 on Tuesday. If you don't like the weather in the south .... just wait 5 minutes .... it will change

I wish we had made it to Streets of America for the lights to be turned on. However, it was amazing enough to be there at all and watch the dancing lights.

We had seen the lights a couple of times, but this was the first time we made it on time to see them get turned on.

Oh those ears to pass through for boarding - it must be thrilling. Having never cruised Disney I imagine it is much more exciting than what we have cruised as far as the boarding experience. We've never had the fun of having our names called for being welcomed aboard. ;)

You need to go !!

That scavenger hunt meet and greet is a fabulous idea! Glad your kids made some friends. That always makes the cruise nicer for mom and dad when the kids are happy and occupied.

Thanks !! It really did help !!

That was a LONG first day. Goodness I'd be exhausted. Sorry about the ankle bothering you. I've seen your recent FB posts. My little 5mm hairline is nothing compared to yours. Ouch!

I was supposed to have surgery again on the 26th, but my doctor talked me into trying a cortisone shot. It hurt pretty bad and so far it hasn't helped. I will give it a few more days though. I go back Jan 31st. It has really taken too long to heal and it has been very frustrating !!

Palo brunch looks wonderful with all the choices and a mimosa too! I'd sign up!

OMG - it was sooo good !!!

Ha ha the mixology class. After a few drinks I'd be rolling along as well. Looks like a great experience and Julian is amazing. How does he do that?? Wow.

That was soooo fun. I am so glad we did it !!

Ok, all caught up. Loving following along since we were cruisers long before Disers and I love seeing the comparisons between our experiences and yours. :)

You need to go !! You would LOVE it !!!
 

Day 4 Part 1

We slept until about 9:30 AM or so and DH and I went up to Cove Café for coffee.



And over to Cabanas for breakfast



We ate there and brought the kids something back to the room.

We took some photos as we approached Grand Cayman.







We hung out in the room until it was time for our excursion the Extreme Dolphin Swim!!!

DH and the kids were STOKED about this encounter. I was going as an observer because my crappy ankle wont allow me to swim very far. And I was fine with taking photos on the sidelines. Here is a description of the excursion.

On this tour you will:

- Take an approximate 30-minute bus ride to Dolphin Discovery Cayman. Receive an informative orientation and your lifejacket.

- Then, immerse yourself in three feet of water for a fun-filled approximate 30-minute encounter where you're invited to touch and play with these gentle creatures of the deep.

- During the hands-on experience, examine the dolphin's smooth skin and delight in its gentle demeanor. Practice and learn some of the techniques the trainers use to communicate with the dolphins and discover how to feed them.

- Delight in a very special kiss and "handshake" from the dolphins and enjoy a "dance" with your new mammal friend.

- Move into deeper water and get ready for the highlight of your adventure as you are pulled across the surface of the water by the dolphin's pectoral fins during a "belly ride". During free time, you can continue to swim and freely interact with the dolphin.

- At the completion of your swim, you'll have time to view the photos of your program.

- Cross the street and enjoy approximately 45-minutes free time to explore the world famous Cayman Turtle Farm. Home to over 8,000 green sea turtles that range in size from six ounces to six hundred pounds, this nature preserve is the only one of its kind in the world.

- View giant turtles in the massive breeding pond, and learn about the conservation efforts to preserve these magnificent creatures. You can hold young sea turtles for an exclusive photo opportunity at the turtle touch tanks. Note: Please follow the turtle handling protocols demonstrated by staff members. You can also view the turtle hatchery and the gift shop for souvenirs.

DCL would tender us over to the port and from there we would take a bus to Dolphin Discovery. Soon, it was time for us to go down to the D-Lounge where we were all to meet for our excursion.

The marble floors everywhere were so beautiful.



DD wanted me to take this photo. She said she was a hamster.



So we waited a while at the D-Lounge and finally we were lead downstairs to the tender. We got on the boat right from the ship.













Once we got on dry land again, it started to rain.



We werent too worried about it though, we knew it would stop.

We were given wristbands and taken to buses. And we were on our way finally ..







We were here !! And the sun was shining !! We couldnt wait !!
 
The excursion sounds really awesome. I'm sorry you couldn't do it because of your ankle!
 
The excursion sounds really awesome. I'm sorry you couldn't do it because of your ankle!

Yeah the whole ankle thing has been going on WAAAYYY too long now. I'm ready for some resolution. This will be my LAST "wait and see" from my doctor. If nothing happens by the next appointment, I will switch. In his defense though, I think he is giving me some time to be SURE. The surgery is VERY painful.
 
I can't wait to read about your excursion. I am excited to hear about the Turtle Farm too.
 
I can't wait to read about your excursion. I am excited to hear about the Turtle Farm too.

I will get it posted soon and I got TONS of photos !!! Even though we had 4-5 hours for the excursion, we barely had any time for the turtle park, but I do have some photos there ...
 
Day 4  Part 2

They assembled us into groups and DH and the kids got life jackets while I scoped out a spot to take photos.









They went down these stairs and stood on a ledge in the water. They were in the perfect place for picture taking.









Everyone got to do kisses and dancing.











Then everyone takes turns swimming out





And then the dolphin swims you back in. Everyone got to hang on their fins and get pushed on a kick board.



















Continued next post
 
Dolphin Excursion Continued







DS got to do the kickboard twice since they said they didnt get good photos the first time. It all took maybe about an hour and a half or so. DH and the kids LOVED it !! The dolphins were very playful and happy.



They were always jumping and talking. The trainers were very affectionate with them as well. So it was a great experience that we would recommend.

Everyone got rinsed off and we headed inside to see about photos. The prices were insane. Something like $35 a photo. We only had $130 on us and I asked the lady what we could get for that. She leaned and whispered to me that she would give us a CD with all of the photos on it. There were 65 photos. Other people seemed to be paying A LOT more than that, so I didnt ask questions and took the offer.

We also got three 8x10s printed out. So I guess they would rather sell them for whatever price they could get.

Time was getting short, so I stood in line to pay while DH took the kids across the street to the turtle farm.

 
Looks like so much fun! I did the Dolphin Discovery in Cozumel and we found they were willing to bargain on the pictures there too.

Jill in CO
 
Oh Susan, those pictures are amazing!!! I love when pure joy is captured in a photo. What an unforgettable experience! How lucky your family was to get up close and personal with the dolphins.
 
Looks like so much fun! I did the Dolphin Discovery in Cozumel and we found they were willing to bargain on the pictures there too.

Jill in CO

I really appreciated that, too. I told DH the photos would be expensive, but $250 for a CD ??? Wow. Glad we got it at a reduced- but still kind of high - price.

Oh Susan, those pictures are amazing!!! I love when pure joy is captured in a photo. What an unforgettable experience! How lucky your family was to get up close and personal with the dolphins.

My DH was just as excited as the kids. Normally, he would have choked at the price of this, but he thought it was a chance in a lifetime that needed to be grabbed. And I agree. I am so glad we got to do it.
 
I have been AWOL. Did post a reply a couple of days ago but it is lost in cyberspace.

The mixology class looks like fun but would be a waste on us Jim doesn't drink and I have to be very careful. I'm not supposed to drink and have paid dearly at times when I have.

The dinner looked really good but WOW!!! That is a lot of food. Guess a cruise is one place not to head if you are trying to diet.

Sorry about the ankle thing. I still haven't decide if I will get mine done. The pain factor and the thought of being in a cast just make me think the pain now isn't that bad. Who cares if it gives out on me.

The dolphin excursion looks amazing. I can't swim so taking pics would be OK with me. They all looked like they had a fantastic time.

OK I think I'm caught up.
 
I have been AWOL. Did post a reply a couple of days ago but it is lost in cyberspace.

I hate it when that happens ---

The mixology class looks like fun but would be a waste on us Jim doesn't drink and I have to be very careful. I'm not supposed to drink and have paid dearly at times when I have.

I have had to apologize to my liver on several occasions.

The dinner looked really good but WOW!!! That is a lot of food. Guess a cruise is one place not to head if you are trying to diet.

Yeah the diet pretty much goes in the toilet. One of the very best parts of cruising is the food. Diet when you get back, I say.

Sorry about the ankle thing. I still haven't decide if I will get mine done. The pain factor and the thought of being in a cast just make me think the pain now isn't that bad. Who cares if it gives out on me.

Yes, you definitely have to weigh the pros and cons for sure. Mine is better than it was before surgery, but still not all the way better. I got a cortisone shot on Friday and it hurt something awful. And instead of making things better - it seems to be worse. So I will probably have a "revision" surgery in February. I would have liked to have just had it this week since the kids are home and things are slow at work. But the doctor wanted me to try the shot first.

The dolphin excursion looks amazing. I can't swim so taking pics would be OK with me. They all looked like they had a fantastic time.

I was fine with taking photos. I am glad we got to do it.

OK I think I'm caught up.

Yay !! I need to catch up on yours and some others as well ....
 
That looks like so much fun! I wonder if the dolphins feel as smooth as they look lol. Merry X-mas :) -Amanda :cutie:
 
That looks like so much fun! I wonder if the dolphins feel as smooth as they look lol. Merry X-mas :) -Amanda :cutie:

Merry Christmas to you as well Amanda !! I will have to ask the kids. I never got to touch one and now I am am wondering myself.
 
The dolphin encounter looks like a lot of fun. They're definitely in it for the money though... wow! Nice negotiating skills by the way. I just hope that you really had about $200 on you but only told them you had $130. :rolleyes1
 
The dolphin encounter looks like a lot of fun. They're definitely in it for the money though... wow! Nice negotiating skills by the way. I just hope that you really had about $200 on you but only told them you had $130. :rolleyes1

I imagine it costs a great deal to run that facility. It was really expensive, but worth it for a once in a lifetime experience for us.

LOL - We really only had $130. We grossly underestimated how much the photos were going to cost ......
 














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