Roll call for the 10/23/2004 Western Magic. Who's with us?

[faithmagicmickey]

Good morning all it's early morning on Sunday it's very sunny out but chilly it's does feel good I love fall mornings in New England the colors are changing on the trees it's so beautiful.

WOW this board is so busy. It's great to see that we are all so excited about the cruise finally after all this time.
Beano, when did you 1st start this thread?

I hope you all get your docs soon. Beano you just reminded me I have to start filling mine out soon.


You know I'm usually a planner but this time I'm not going to be because I've already been on the western cruise before so I was only going to do 2 shore excursions 1 in Grand Cayman and 1 in Castaway Cay. As we all know Grand Cayman is out and from what I've been reading Costa Maya does not sound like much fun at all. I may just stay on the ship. I only want to get off the ship in Cozmel to shop and have some drinks and fun at Carlos and Charles (that is the best), at Key West (no shopping cuz everything is way too expensive) the only thing I want to do is try to find a place called Bo's Fish Wagon to try some Conch fritters, and of course at Castaway Cay I'm going to try and get up the guts to Parsailing (I may just have a drink or 2 before I try that) like I said I'm usually a planner but I'm not going to be this time I'm going to "go with the flow" this time??????

Well, I better run now I have a wicked lot to do. Talk to you all soon.

Faith

 

[pdarrah]

Good morning everyone!

It is downright chilly here - I think there may have even been a little frost on a few things when I first woke up... Definitely autumn here.

Some more info on Costa Maya. I emailed the "Maya Beach Garden" which is a resort sort of near Majahual. I asked if they had any info on tours to the Chacchoban ruins. Here is their reply (I x'd out the email address since it didn't seem fair to post it without permission...)

First I would like to ask when you are scheduled to dock at Costa Maya? You are correct about Chacchoban being smaller. It is still very park-like and beautiful. Booking a visit is usually a 1/2 day affair allowing plenty of time to do something else. The tours you book from the ship or from the pier all include licensed English speaking guides. I don't know the price of the tour, but they provide a bus or you can take a taxi and get a guide once you are on site. I do know one excellent guide that you may be able to book in advance. His name is Ivan Cohuo. His email address is xxxxxxxxxxx. He checks email about once a week as he doesn't have email in his home (few Mexicans do). If he is unavailable, I sure he could recommend someone else. His services run $35 per tour (or in that neighborhood). Please tell him that I recommended him to you.

So what do y'all think? Is anyone interested in me getting more info on this and maybe putting together our own excursion? if we set it up ourselves, we can have a little flexibility on the time. We could arrange to head out at 8:30 or 9:00 and those who wanted to visit the school could do that first thing before we left. If you didn't want to visit the school, you'd have a little more time to wake up and get ready!

Why couldn't I have been one of those "I don't plan anything and just go with the flow" type people?!?

Pamela

 

[abitjaded]

Pamela, I'm in. I'll bet the guide will have transport options. Four of us, two adults, two kids 8 and 11. Cherie, what about you? Would love to do this first thing in the morning, while it may still be a bit cool (Ha!). School, then ruins, then back in time to get Blue Ha to take us on a snorkel (DCL's boat snorkel only allows kids over 10, so, for us to snorkel, means we have to hire out)?

Carla

 

[DisneylandDarren]

Hi All, hope everyone is having a great Sunday. I just got back from work after a very early start 5:30am!!! But now i've got the next 2 days off so I'm happy. I would love it if my Docs arrive before I'm back at work on Wednesday.

Carla - It's great to hear you had a good time at the Rose & Crown. It's so funny you mention fanny packs because I remember training a new female CM in the Fish and Chip hut, it was the first time she'd ever been in the US and the first guest she served mention something about fanny packs and she went into shock! Of course once I explained it she was ok!
It's great also your kids got to "start" the fireworks, I used to love getting kids to do that, they always seem to love it so much.
You know I really didn't want to leave there at the end of my contract, I had such a great time but my visa was about to expire and I had to go .
As for Adina, the name rings a bell (You have to excuse me, I'm very good with faces but bad with names). I think I know who you are talking about, unfortunatly she wasn't in the same serving team as me so I didn't know her personally. I couldn't really tell you if she is still on the ship, although most servers stick around for a few contracts so keep you fingers crossed and hopefully she'll be there. Remember if you go to Sessions when you first board the ship (where they do the dining requests) you could speak to the head servers and ask them if Adina is still on board, if so you could then request her as your server for the week (this is not an uncommon request). Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Well I'm busy doing a bit more vacation planning, we're spending the week after the cruise in Orlando so I'm trying to get some idea of what we're going to do each day. It's all making me more excited

-------
Darren

 

[BeanoC]

Good morning everyone. It's a beautiful Sunday here in California. Supposed to be around 90 degrees today, and throughout the week.

Faith - I started this thread on Oct. 27th, 2003.
Seems like forever ago!

3 weeks from today is Key West day! Faith, I agree that Carlos and Charlies is great fun, but we also want to go to Sloppy Joes and Margaritaville while in Key West. Key lime pie and margaritas are health foods, no?



Come on let me take you on a Sea Cruise.




'Beano'

 

[RonnieJo66]

Hi All,

I am sooooo looking forward to Key West!! Already have plans ......Margueritaville, for a ? flavored marguerita, Sloppy Joes', chocolate covered frozen key lime pie from The Blonde Giraffe, Southern Most Point and may be even Cole's Peace Bakery for some artisian breads!!!
Um..........guess I better not eat for awhile huh?

And somewhere in there I GOTTA shop!!!!

Nice Day to All....

Smiles,

RonnieJo

 

[jenmack]

Hey Pamela,
You beat me to it! I was just reading the post's from the last couple of day's & I was going to mention Ivan Cohu, but it looks like you already did. Anyway, I e-mailed him 2 dat's ago, but still haven't heard back from him. Marci, from the Mayan Beach Garden said that it could take a couple day's because she think's he check's his e-mails at an internet cafe. Marcia also said that Ivan Cohu grew up in Chacchoben & so is very familiar w/ the area. I'll let everyone know if/when he responds to my e-mail. Although you could or probably have e-mailed him yourselves.

I'm willling to to go & if anyone else, we should make a group of it. It should be fun... -Jen

 

[DMoss3377]

Hi!

DH and I are thinking that we'll probably do more of the "go with the flow" thing this time around. So we're not booking any excursions. We're going to shadow our new friends, since they know all the "good" places to go! Course...they may try to lose us along the way, but we'll find them...they can't hide! Hehehehe...LOL

Our only plan is to have as much fun and fellowship as possible!!!

REDNECK WORD: JAWJUH

We use to live in Virginia, and now we live in Jawjuh!

oh yeah...3 more weeks...yeah baby!

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

Carla and Pamela,

Yup, Yup, Yup! Count us in on the School-Ruin thingy. My son is dying to get to the ruins and I think it's really important for them to see the school and "give" for once. Just let us know where and when to show up.

I'm going to start stalking the Fed Ex guy


Redneck word for the evening: butternut

I butternut eat until the cruise if there's chocolate covered Key Lime pie (sound yummy)

 

[jenmack]

Okay,

Here's the thing... I am already finished packing(I know I'm a little obsessive), but anyway, for a family of 5 people we have 3 suitcases & 2 garmet bag's. This is not including carry-on(s).
A little to much? My mom is just laughing @ me. She say's I need to "down size". So, do you think I'm packing a little on the heavy side? Or, do you think it's apropos with maybe "almost" everyone else? Or, am I an anomaly?

 

[pdarrah]

Hi Jen,

It looks like we can put together our own excursion if we can work out the details. With those who have posted here, we have a decent sized group with you folks, us, Carla's family and Cheri's family (& anyone else who joins in)- I think it will be fun

I don't think you too far off on the luggage. I think we are going to end up in 2 suitcases and 1 garment bag for the 3 of us - that's 1 bag a piece. Your 3 & 2 for 5 works out the same. We do try to keep our carryons to a minimum, but for this trip it will probably be a little more than usual. We won't be lugging a laptop this time, but DH is going to carry wine, we have all the camera gear, stuff for the little guy to do on the plane, a change of clothes for each since we will be leaving cold Chicago and arriving in Orlando at 10:30 and heading to GatorLand to meet some of my relatives there (no they aren't gator's - its just a convenient place to meet!) Aargh! I dread carrying it all...

Pamela

 

[BeanoC]

I only WISH we could pack like you guys!

Looks like we'll have 3 softside suitcases, plus 1 huge hardside one, plus our carry-ons. My carry-on is on wheels, full of nothing but electronic equipment. 2 or 3 camcorders, 2 digital still cameras, filters, lenses, tapes, chargers, tripod, etc. etc. Did I mention I film alot?

DW's carry-on has meds, kid's CD players for the plane rides, and so on. I think we're considering bringing our living room furniture too.


'Beano'

 

[pmcougar05]

I think i got you all beat....since i plan on finding me a wife down there and not coming back, i will be bringing everything, my dishes, my living room, my bed....do you think that is too much...haha...j/k. I got to practice up on my horseback riding this weekend out at my parents...yep still gots it! I will prolly do the tag along thing also, just plan one excursion. I did here there is a big festival at key west the day we will be there. So i am sure we will find plenty to do.

patrick

 

[tarzanman]

Hey Beano! Did you clear that luggage load with your transportation people? I think that you might have too much there. Is it less than last year's 2 weeks worth of luggage?

I think that we can fit it in the land yacht. No Problem Mon!

Can't wait to see you folks! I really need this vacation.

Redneck Word: beesnest

My further-in-law's hardware store is going out of beesnest.

 

[skylynx]

Hello, Everyone

I figured the frequency of posts was going to skyrocket when everyone else, too, realized it was due time to start wondering where the snorkels got stashed after the last cruise...

This was an exciting weekend for us...like Dana and Steve, we have a new addition to our family--a 950 pound Quarter Horse named "Cowboy" that was John's surprise (early) birthday present. (Somebody tell me how to post a picture on disboards, plz?) When we went to the barn Sunday morning, Cowboy was waiting in his stall with a big bow around his neck. John didn't understand right away, and thought it was the horse's birthday. He was soon corrected. Cowboy was a track "pony" we rescued from the race track before he ended up a Belgian entree. So now we are a family of three kids, two dogs, two horses, two bunnies (including the Largest Dwarf Bunny in the World) and five goldfish. I didn't think it was appropriate that a proper Englishman not have his own horse. John's "real" birthday will be the first day of the cruise, but I thought it best not to pack the pony along with the sunscreen, and so he got his pressie early.

It was also my son's ninth birthday this week and we took eleven kids to see "Shark's Tale." It was quite decent...very Shrek-like in composition and humor (at times you'd hear only the adults laughing as PG-13 joke sailed harmlessly over the kids' heads).

We've decided at Costa Maya to go for a wander around in the morning, perhaps join Pamela in the school visit if it allows time for us to get in position for the beach horseback ride at 12, and then go back on board, sit on our verandah, crack open the Coronas and limes and look for dolphins. That's an ambitious enough itinerary, I think ;-)

Three weeks from today, we'll be at sea en route to Costa Maya!

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

Oh Denise, can I come visit you? I am so jealous that you have 2 horses now. If I could, I would own a horse. I don't know how to post pictures on the DIS but I hope someone can help you because I really want to see pics of your horses. My friend has a paint that I just love, his name is Nickel. She had another horse named Mikey but had to give him up yesterday...their barn that she boards at is closing and the prices of other boardings is too expensive for her with her 2 horses. She leased Mikey for the summer and was considering buying him. He was a sweetheart and unfortunately sold to someone else.

Luggage...ya planning on only 1 suitcase and 1 carry on, but with my formal dress, I may need to have 2 suitcases!!!! I overpack so much and am trying not to do it this time. Swimsuits, shorts and tank tops is all I am packing!!! (maybe I can convince myself of that.

I went to Margaritaville in Las Vegas, but would love to go there at Key West, sounds fun. I need another tank top from there only with one that says Key West!!!

 

[BeanoC]

tarzanman - No worries Mon! No more luggage than last year, I promise; except my camera bag is twice as big now. You'll thank me after you see the DVD



Redneck word : Heavy Ewe


"Can I heavy ewe do me a favor"?



'Beano'

 

[skylynx]

Hi, fellow travelers

Heidi...we're working off partial board of the two horses, so imagine how much manure-toting, fence fixing, and hay stacking that will be...They are worth it, though. We just moved horses to a more affordable (and nicer) location where we can cash in on sweat equity.

I'm trying to figure if I can get away with capris and sneakers for the trail ride...do NOT want to lug jeans and boots on the cruise. The beach ride web site says no flipflops/etc, which makes sense since they'll only fall off, but the people in the pictures were BAREFOOT!

Ladies: Don't forget to pack your gloves and tiaras!

 

[faithmagicmickey]

Originally posted by DudetteTwo

DARREN: You will ALWAYS be Disney Dude #2. My son Derek is Disney Dude #1 (since he was the first one to travel with Disney Dudette #1 & #2) & Ted is officially Disney Dude #3. We are taking applications for Disney Dude #4, #5, #6, etc.

QUOTE]

OK Eugene and Mike want to apply for Disney Dude 4 and 5.



Faith

 

[BeanoC]

Hey, Patrick - I see you finally put your picture up on Pamela's website. Nice to put a face with the attitude!

Dang boy, you an uglier redneck than me!


Buy me a beer and I'll forgive you.


Redneck word for tonight: Seed

"Disney Dreams is a great show, but dad burn it, I already seed it".



'Beano'