Panama Canal Eastbound Sept. 14, 2013--it'll be WONDER-ful

[MPS516]

Just returned from Thanksgiving at WDW 79 most every day and 28 back here, only 50 degrees difference

Lots of people and high school marching bands but lines not nearly as bad as I thought they would be. The longest was Soar'n which said 115 minutes and ended up being 80, Walked straight into most saying 20 minutes and only 5 minutes for Rockin Roller Coaster.

Christmas decorations were great and and much warmer than our usual end of December visit. Hope this holds us over until we are in DL/CA next March

 

[oybolshoi]

Helloooooooooooooo?!



It's awfully quiet around here!

We are headed to WDW in one week for our first ever holiday visit! So excited I can't stand it ... and still have to get through another week of work, which I also can't stand.

Hope everyone is doing well!!

 

[twokats]

Helloooooooooooooo?!



It's awfully quiet around here!

We are headed to WDW in one week for our first ever holiday visit! So excited I can't stand it ... and still have to get through another week of work, which I also can't stand.

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Personally I have been busy with course study that I have to pass before the end of the year to complete IRS requirements for my job!!!

Weather has been very warm here in TX for December and we are in another drought!

I know you will enjoy WDW for the holidays. We usually go the first 10 days of December (this was our off year, we will go in 2013) and enjoy the decorations and festivities. Have a great time. If you have not already made plans to see CP in Epcot, don't miss it. It is fantastic!

We are also getting ready for our cruise on Feb 1 aboard the Magic in Galveston. Just a 4 night, but at least it will be a quick getaway.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

[MPS516]

Helloooooooooooooo?!



It's awfully quiet around here!

We are headed to WDW in one week for our first ever holiday visit! So excited I can't stand it ... and still have to get through another week of work, which I also can't stand.

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Way too quite, starting to think no one else is coming. WDW during the Holidays is FANTASTIC We were there for Thanksgiving this year and just after Christmas 2010, busiest times of the year and crowds not nearly as bad as we had expected.

We did the soft opening of Fantasyland and checked out the decorations at some of the resorts, really nice.

If you are going to watch the fireworks at MK we found the middle of the street in Liberty Sq between the bell and the lake you can see very well and no crowd. Watched the parade, just up the street from there, watched the fireworks and then after made our way up to the castle as the rest of the crowd from Mainstreet was leaving the park, waited a few minutes and watched the late laser show on the castle - again very little crowd.

Have a great time.

 

[MPS516]

Weather has been very warm here in TX for December and we are in another drought!

We have had pretty nice weather at the other end of I-35 as well, snowing today so we are going to have a White Christmas

 

[oybolshoi]

Personally I have been busy with course study that I have to pass before the end of the year to complete IRS requirements for my job!!!

Weather has been very warm here in TX for December and we are in another drought!

I know you will enjoy WDW for the holidays. We usually go the first 10 days of December (this was our off year, we will go in 2013) and enjoy the decorations and festivities. Have a great time. If you have not already made plans to see CP in Epcot, don't miss it. It is fantastic!

We are also getting ready for our cruise on Feb 1 aboard the Magic in Galveston. Just a 4 night, but at least it will be a quick getaway.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Good luck with the exams ... no fun this time of year. We have also had warm weather here in mid-Missouri although it's supposed to get cold next week. Thanks for the tip about CP - we haven't booked it but were planning to hover at the fringes.

Way too quite, starting to think no one else is coming. WDW during the Holidays is FANTASTIC We were there for Thanksgiving this year and just after Christmas 2010, busiest times of the year and crowds not nearly as bad as we had expected.

We did the soft opening of Fantasyland and checked out the decorations at some of the resorts, really nice.

If you are going to watch the fireworks at MK we found the middle of the street in Liberty Sq between the bell and the lake you can see very well and no crowd. Watched the parade, just up the street from there, watched the fireworks and then after made our way up to the castle as the rest of the crowd from Mainstreet was leaving the park, waited a few minutes and watched the late laser show on the castle - again very little crowd.

Have a great time.

Thanks for all the great information - we're hoping to use our new camera to film fireworks at MVMCP as a test for what it can do on this cruise next year.

 

[dthogue]

We are thinking about booking this cruise - it would me me, DH and DD (15). We were booked on the EBPC cruise that left today but had to cancel due to a medical issue. We really want to do the PC, but more important we want to do it with Disney. I'm hoping they offer some deals for this sailing, the cost is a little higher than the Dec cruise.

Tammy

 

[MPS516]

We are thinking about booking this cruise - it would me me, DH and DD (15). We were booked on the EBPC cruise that left today but had to cancel due to a medical issue. We really want to do the PC, but more important we want to do it with Disney. I'm hoping they offer some deals for this sailing, the cost is a little higher than the Dec cruise.

Tammy

Well sure hope something works out so you can join us. With all your planning and work on the Dec Cruise, your FE coordination and meet set ups you have a head start for Sept. Also hoping your hip is better.

 

[twokats]

We are thinking about booking this cruise - it would me me, DH and DD (15). We were booked on the EBPC cruise that left today but had to cancel due to a medical issue. We really want to do the PC, but more important we want to do it with Disney. I'm hoping they offer some deals for this sailing, the cost is a little higher than the Dec cruise.

Tammy

Sorry you missed out on the current PC cruise, but hope you are able to join us. I had been reading y'alls thread for the Dec PC to see how many were going and what the plans were. There is a couple from Houston that left on the cruise who is hoping to book the February cruise we will be on while on board. Let youalleverybody know when you book and she can add you to the roll call. I am in charge of the FE, postcard/recipe exchange and those wanting to go to the wine tasting. If you join us and know of other things we might be interested in, please let us know.

We are going on a short trip the 1st of February on the Magic from Galveston to Cozumel. Then we will be hot and heavy with the rest of our planning for the PC trip. February is when I will be able to make my reservations for the Grand Californian at Disneyland which is where we hope to stay before the cruise.

 

[MPS516]

We are headed to the Virgin Islands right after Christmas and have no idea of what we should be doing on St John and on St Maarten, any one have any tips ?

 

[twokats]

We are headed to the Virgin Islands right after Christmas and have no idea of what we should be doing on St John and on St Maarten, any one have any tips ?

When we were there in 2011 we took bus tours at each location.

On St Maarten the tour took us around both the Dutch and French sides of the island with one of the stops being at the butterfly farm, which my mother thoroughly enjoyed. It was a joy to watch how happy she was when a butterfly would land on her hand, that whole trip was a fabulous trip especially since we lost her later that summer. On the French side we stopped for a while for shopping, eating or just to walk around the area. On the other side we stopped in an area that had an overlook of a beach where we could take pictures.

We did the same sort of tour on St John which took us around that island with occasional stops for pictures.

We chose those for our first time to get an overview of the different areas. When we go back again, we will probably try something different.

Whatever you decide to do will be great since those are two beautiful islands!!!

 

[MPS516]

Thanks, we do want to see what the place is about in order to scout for returns as well. Our thoughts have been this is an area we are likely to rent month long condo's during our future winter get aways.

Did you just hook up with a tour at the pier or did you you pre arrange ?

 

[twokats]

Thanks, we do want to see what the place is about in order to scout for returns as well. Our thoughts have been this is an area we are likely to rent month long condo's during our future winter get aways.

Did you just hook up with a tour at the pier or did you you pre arrange ?

We did the one that Disney had. I have only gone off on one solo excursion and that was when we were in Nassau. All our other Disney cruises, we have chosen from their excursion offerings to play it safe (at least in my mind). I don't mind the larger groups, plus the knowledge that the ship will not leave without the Disney groups puts a little extra comforting feeling in me.

On St Maarten it was an actual bus we were on, but on St John it was an open truck. Both were very comfortable and we enjoyed both. On the bus we were in the front seats behind the driver, so we really got to know him well. He was originally from Houston, TX, so when he found out we were from TX also, he really talked a lot to us when we were driving (and he wasn't pointing out sites) and even when we were stopped.

The truck driver wasn't as close to us, so we just got the regular tour spiel, but we could tell he was a native of St John.

My DH really likes it when we sit down and go over all the excursions for each of our cruise destinations. We usually try to do something that really gives us the feeling and the history of the places we go. We are not big on just going to a beach and all those activities, since my DH is not much on 'playing in the water'. When we go to Castaway Cay, he finds a comfy spot to park his body and he watches me and DD walk in the water and take pictures. When we are at home he hates to shop, but when we are out and about these ports, he does not mind following me around to see what there is. He even carries my packages, he knows my taste in clothes and when we were on the Western Caribbean he would help me look for the specifics that I wanted at each port.

I have a friend who goes yearly to St Maarten and she and her DH have been there so much there is a specific place they go, and they have a certain cab driver they call to take them where they want and they absolutely love it.

She had given me tips when we were there in 2011, plus she has told me other things for when we return.

 

[MPS516]

Your DH sounds a lot like me, I would just as-soon drive spikes under my nails than sit on a beach all day I can hardly stand to even hear that we have to go shopping here but in port doesn't seem like such a burden

We do want to get around the islands and would like to stop at a couple of interesting places like the butterfly farm and rum factory, maybe the bar at Maho beach for a plane landing can give the girls enough beach time

 

[twokats]

Your DH sounds a lot like me, I would just as-soon drive spikes under my nails than sit on a beach all day I can hardly stand to even hear that we have to go shopping here but in port doesn't seem like such a burden

We do want to get around the islands and would like to stop at a couple of interesting places like the butterfly farm and rum factory, maybe the bar at Maho beach for a plane landing can give the girls enough beach time

Yes you do sound like my DH. His idea of shopping is to tell me what he needs and I go get it for him.

My friend recommended the bar for the plane viewing, but DH was not very enthused about that since he is a private pilot and he works on big government aircraft at his job and he said he sees enough take offs and landings.

 

[MPS516]

I don't really have a big interest in seeing either but afraid if I don't that will be the one thing everyone at work asks if we did.

 

[tojam]

Due to work and an inabilty to get the time off I need, we have decided to withdraw from the PC cruise for this year. We are doing two other cruises instead.

Hope you all have the best of time! Hope our travel paths cross in the future.

 

[MPS516]

Due to work and an inabilty to get the time off I need, we have decided to withdraw from the PC cruise for this year. We are doing two other cruises instead.

Hope you all have the best of time! Hope our travel paths cross in the future.

Sorry to hear, maybe there will be a better opportunity in 14.

 

[twokats]

Due to work and an inabilty to get the time off I need, we have decided to withdraw from the PC cruise for this year. We are doing two other cruises instead.

Hope you all have the best of time! Hope our travel paths cross in the future.

Will miss you, but totally understand. Enjoy your other cruises.

 

[MPS516]

Happy Christmas to all and to all check the itinerary

The DCL Web site now shows all October and November sailings out of Galveston sold out Highly unlikely and even more, the itinerary for our cruise has been pulled down with a note that Guest ashore times and onboard times are subject to change without notice.

Anyone hear any rumors There has been talk of cutting Galveston contract short and sending Wonder over to FLA, could this be