Sept 25, 2011 Wonder - Mexican Riviera

[7evans]

Hi everyone! We just booked this cruise and are first time DCL-ers!
My husband and I will be sailing with our 5 children: DS(16), DS (14), DD (11), DS (9) and DD (6) ... which makes 7 total!
My SIL and her husband, and 3 boys will also be traveling with us! (ages 8, 5, and 3)
We would love to participate in the FE exchange!!! I see that there have been some changes, so whoever takes over, please add our family to the list. We are just learning about all the crazy Disney stuff and don't want to miss out on anything!
We are so excited and can't wait!!!

 

[wideeyedwonder]

We have had to cancel this cruise......I need someone to take over the roster and FE list

Kim and DS, sorry you won't be joining us on this cruise.

I'd be happy to take over a FE list...I'll use the names and ID's posted in this thread to compile the list for now, but if it starts getting big, I'll have to think of a better way.

Everyone, for now, please re-post if you want to be included on the FE list. Please include your DIS name, your party information (for kids, please include how old they will be when we sail), and your cabin number (if you have it).

An example would be:

wideeyedwonder
Me-Greg, DW-Sheri, DD(13)-Rebekah, DD(9)-Jojo, DD(9)-Olivia
8092

If you have to cancel the cruise, or otherwise can't participate in the FE exchange, PM me.

If you change your cabin number, please PM me as well.

I'll try to put the list (and keep it up to date) using google docs, so we can all see the latest version.

I'd like to close the FE list 2 weeks before sail date, to give people enough time to shop for the FE gifts.

As some of us may be changing/upgrading cabins at port, I'd like to hear any ideas on how to get updated lists to everyone on the first day on the ship.

Thanks everyone. We are looking forward to September...it looks like we will be staying at the DVC Villas at the Grand Californian for two nights after the cruise, and the parks should be decked out for Halloween! Haunted Mansion Hollidays and "Ghost Galaxy" Space Mountain! Woot!

 

[7evans]

Count us in for the FE!

7evans
Me (Mindy), DH (Aaron), DS (16) Spencer, DS(14) Riley, DD (11) Paris, DS(9) J.J. DD(6) Sydney
Room# ... somewhere on the 1st deck. I'll get back to you.
Thanks for doing this! We are already working on our gifts!

 

[Jennifer in MI]

Hi everyone! We just booked this cruise and are first time DCL-ers!
My husband and I will be sailing with our 5 children: DS(16), DS (14), DD (11), DS (9) and DD (6) ... which makes 7 total!
My SIL and her husband, and 3 boys will also be traveling with us! (ages 8, 5, and 3)
We would love to participate in the FE exchange!!! I see that there have been some changes, so whoever takes over, please add our family to the list. We are just learning about all the crazy Disney stuff and don't want to miss out on anything!
We are so excited and can't wait!!!

HEY!!! Another big family on our cruise! Our kids' ages line up almost exactly. At the time of the cruise, we'll have: Ds (15), Ds (13.5), Ds (11), and Dd 5. We're just missing a 9 yo!!! I'm excited to have you on board!! This will be our fourth Disney Cruise - we're addicted!! Where are you guys from?

Kim and DS, sorry you won't be joining us on this cruise.

I'd be happy to take over a FE list...I'll use the names and ID's posted in this thread to compile the list for now, but if it starts getting big, I'll have to think of a better way.
wideeyedwonder
Me-Greg, DW-Sheri, DD(13)-Rebekah, DD(9)-Jojo, DD(9)-Olivia
8092

If you have to cancel the cruise, or otherwise can't participate in the FE exchange, PM me.

If you change your cabin number, please PM me as well.


Thanks everyone. We are looking forward to September...it looks like we will be staying at the DVC Villas at the Grand Californian for two nights after the cruise, and the parks should be decked out for Halloween! Haunted Mansion Hollidays and "Ghost Galaxy" Space Mountain! Woot!

Thanks so much! I was just debating whether or not I could do this. But, you can have it!! We'll be traveling for the month before the cruise and I didn't want to be out of touch in case of updates for that long.

Anyway -we're in!

Jennifer in MI
Me - Jennifer
Dh - Steve
Ds - Sam (15)
Ds - Andrew (13.5)
Ds - William (11)
Dd - Margaret (Meg) (5)
Rooms: 6620, 6622

Are you DVC members? We're looking for a couple days in LA to include Disney and have NO idea where to stay. I'll look into where you're staying!

 

[Super*Mum]

Thanks for picking this up neighbor!

Super*Mum
Me - Heather
DS 10 - Slater

We are in a GTY room so the wait continues... (I love the thrill!) I'll let you know as soon as we have room number.

Getting close to the 6 month mark!

 

[7evans]

HEY!!! Another big family on our cruise! Our kids' ages line up almost exactly. At the time of the cruise, we'll have: Ds (15), Ds (13.5), Ds (11), and Dd 5. We're just missing a 9 yo!!! I'm excited to have you on board!! This will be our fourth Disney Cruise - we're addicted!! Where are you guys from?

Hey Jennifer! We are from Arizona, so we can just drive to LA ... This is our first Disney Cruise! We are so excited! I saw that our kids' ages match up so well! That will be so fun for them to have automatic friends!

Right now, we have 2nd seating for dinner, but would like to try and change it to 1st seating ...

We are already starting on our FE gifts! Have you done that before on your other cruises? I think it will be so fun for my kids! My kids are also wanting to do some pin trading ... do they do much on DCL?
Any other advice for us first timers would be great!
I'm not sure how I am going make it 6 more months!
Glad I found this group! Thanks!

 

[Jennifer in MI]

Hey Jennifer! We are from Arizona, so we can just drive to LA ... This is our first Disney Cruise! We are so excited! I saw that our kids' ages match up so well! That will be so fun for them to have automatic friends!

Right now, we have 2nd seating for dinner, but would like to try and change it to 1st seating ...

We are already starting on our FE gifts! Have you done that before on your other cruises? I think it will be so fun for my kids! My kids are also wanting to do some pin trading ... do they do much on DCL?
Any other advice for us first timers would be great!
I'm not sure how I am going make it 6 more months!
Glad I found this group! Thanks!

Hi!!! We're going to be in AZ before our cruise and we'll be driving to LA too! We have first seating, but quite honestly, I wouldn't mind second seating. On our other cruises, we had to be back to the ship earlier because we needed to get ready for dinner. And, dd couldn't stay awake for the show after dinner. I think I'd rather feed her early, take her to the show, and then go to dinner. She'll fall asleep on the chairs. So, we may be up for a trade!

Yes, we've always done the FE. It is SO much fun!!!! My kids LOVED coming back to the room to see if there was something there. We're gathering ideas for our gifts. They have to be small because we'll be driving for a month before the cruise and it can't take up much room!

Three of mine do pin trading. They have certain times where they have it on the ship. It's really fun for them!

Advice? Have fun!!! Don't try to over plan. Be ready to go with the flow. I tried to plan WAY too much for our first cruise and had a hard time relaxing for a couple days.

Things we enjoyed:
Wine tasting
kitchen tour
Kids' clubs (the kids are helping me come up with these)
FREE pizza
FREE soda
FREE ice cream (Can you tell the kids are still helping me?)
Photos (we got some wonderful pictures of our family all dressed up - we never do that! They are expensive though, so bring money!)
All the deck parties
The shows
Golf with Donald in the atrium (Ds13 won!)
Kite making (we then used those kites on Castaway Cay - of course, our cruise doesn't stop there!)
Bingo

Things I want to do next time:
martini tasting
Beer tasting (notice a theme? Ds 10 just said, "Mom! She's going to think you're an alcoholic!" No- I just like to taste nice drinks!)
Tea party


There's more, but we've got to get started with schooling (we homeschool!).

 

[Jennifer in MI]

Making it through the next six months - HOW DO WE DO IT!? I am seriously obsessed with traveling and we have nothing planned until this trip! We usually do a couple of smaller ones during the summer and we don't this year because this one will be so long for us. So, I sit here and keep planning THIS trip. It feels WAY too far away.

I think I may make up a calendar for my fridge with cute Mickey heads to put on each day. My two youngest love that kind of thing. Once baseball season starts here, we'll be so busy I won't have time to think!! Two of mine are on travel teams and one is in Little League. My 13 yo has been practicing baseball 5x/week for the last three months!

Anyway, that's how I'll stay busy! How about you?????

 

[7evans]

My boys love baseball too! How fun! This year the 2 older boys are doing track, and my 8 year old is in Little League (DH coaching)
With 5 kids, there is always something to keep us busy, but I'm sure it is going to be a LONG 6 months til this trip though!
I've got some projects going. I'm working on making our fish extender ... trying to decide if I should make one big long one with 7 pockets, or make 2 ... one for the boys and one for the girls!
Found some fun gifts for FE (at our Disney Store outlet)
Ordered some pins for pin trading, and my kids are already having fun trading them. We heard that one night the officers come out and trade with the kids. My DD (6), can't wait to "trade with the Captain"

 

[Jennifer in MI]

My boys love baseball too! How fun! This year the 2 older boys are doing track, and my 8 year old is in Little League (DH coaching)
With 5 kids, there is always something to keep us busy, but I'm sure it is going to be a LONG 6 months til this trip though!
I've got some projects going. I'm working on making our fish extender ... trying to decide if I should make one big long one with 7 pockets, or make 2 ... one for the boys and one for the girls!
Found some fun gifts for FE (at our Disney Store outlet)
Ordered some pins for pin trading, and my kids are already having fun trading them. We heard that one night the officers come out and trade with the kids. My DD (6), can't wait to "trade with the Captain"

Awesome!! My two oldest run too! My oldest ran the Disney half marathon this past January (I ran the full!!).

The fish extender question!! That's a fun issue to solve, for sure! We opted for one pocket for dh and me and then one for each child on one FE.

I need to order pins for my dd. She just started her collection for her birthday in January.

My biggest issue right now is CLOTHES!!!! I've been working out HARD for the last couple months and I've lost a lot of inches. NONE of my clothes fit anymore. It's a fun problem to have, but I went shopping today with our vacation/summer in mind. Tried on 90 things. Walked out with 3. I want to wear cute clothes on our trip!!! But, I have to find them first.

 

[Super*Mum]

So excited to come home today and find a package filled with kids FE gifts! I think shopping for FE stuff (and our trip to DL) will help me get through a few of the days but I booked this trip back in June or July... I don't think I've ever waited this long for anything! Usually if I want to go somewhere I book it and in a couple months I'm on a plane. Perhaps this is teaching me a good life lesson.... I'll let you know what it is when I figure it out

This is the first year my DS didn't play baseball since preschool. It was a tough decision for him but his team had been together since kindergarten and this was the first year all but two players decided to stop. They have a pact that they will start back up next year. For this season we are a water polo family (though I do miss watching baseball and getting a tan instead of sitting in the freezing cold at night by a pool!).

 

[Jennifer in MI]

So excited to come home today and find a package filled with kids FE gifts! I think shopping for FE stuff (and our trip to DL) will help me get through a few of the days but I booked this trip back in June or July... I don't think I've ever waited this long for anything! Usually if I want to go somewhere I book it and in a couple months I'm on a plane. Perhaps this is teaching me a good life lesson.... I'll let you know what it is when I figure it out

This is the first year my DS didn't play baseball since preschool. It was a tough decision for him but his team had been together since kindergarten and this was the first year all but two players decided to stop. They have a pact that they will start back up next year. For this season we are a water polo family (though I do miss watching baseball and getting a tan instead of sitting in the freezing cold at night by a pool!).

FE gifts - what a FUN box!!! Makes it all feel more real and closer! We always book way ahead because we need connecting rooms, so we're used to waiting. But, because this trip is more expensive, we aren't doing two trips this year, so this feels WAY too far away.

We figured out what we're doing for the FE gifts. Now to make them . . .

How old are your kids again? I don't know what I'd do if my kids decided not to play!! Baseball games are my social life during the spring and summer!! Water polo sounds fun though!!!

 

[Jennifer in MI]

It's feeling closer!!!! I just made our reservations for the night before our cruise! We'll be at the Doubletree San Pedro. Free parking, free shuttle. $149/night for 2 queen beds!!!! I'm still deciding where to stay in LA for the couple days before the cruise. I'm thinking the Residence Inn in Burbank. We'd have enough points to get two free nights. It's in the middle of everything we want to do in LA (Disney, Angels' game, Hollywood Blvd/Sign, etc). Anyone stayed there?

I also made our reservations in Las Vegas for the night after our cruise!! We'll be two nights at the Venetian. If you've been there, let me know what you think. We liked it because the rooms are all suites and when you have 6 people in the family, we need room!!!!

 

[Super*Mum]

How old are your kids again? I don't know what I'd do if my kids decided not to play!! Baseball games are my social life during the spring and summer!! Water polo sounds fun though!!!

I have one DS9 (will be 10 in a couple months). I know what you mean by it being your social life! Especially since we have had the same team for years it is always a party on the field (we are the team everyone is jealous of... though not for skill.... we've got food, drinks, a bbq, cakes, amazing photogs.. and we can SCREAM!). We are always doing sleepovers, beach days, bonfires, etc. after the games. It is such an odd year.

Oh well... at least with water polo I don't have to keep a sharp eye on my DS in the pool during the cruise. He can tread water for at least an hour-and-a-half!

Sorry! No info for you on the hotels you are staying at. Have not stayed at the Venetian but it is a very nice hotel (from what I remember )

I was going back and forth about staying at the Doubletree or Crowne Plaza before the trip but am now thinking we might drive down the morning of just because I don't want to unpack at the hotel and have to repack. If you factor in the $12 a day savings by leaving your car at the hotel that is quite a deal for the Doubletree!

 

[OtherEvans]

Yay count us in for the Fish Extender list! We are traveling with the 7Evans and the excitment is contagious! We can hardly wait.

OtherEvans
Me-Meredith, DH-Reo, DS(8)-Bryson, DS(5)-Payton, DS(3)-Jackson
2039

 

[Jennifer in MI]

I have one DS9 (will be 10 in a couple months). I know what you mean by it being your social life! Especially since we have had the same team for years it is always a party on the field (we are the team everyone is jealous of... though not for skill.... we've got food, drinks, a bbq, cakes, amazing photogs.. and we can SCREAM!). We are always doing sleepovers, beach days, bonfires, etc. after the games. It is such an odd year.

Oh well... at least with water polo I don't have to keep a sharp eye on my DS in the pool during the cruise. He can tread water for at least an hour-and-a-half!

Sorry! No info for you on the hotels you are staying at. Have not stayed at the Venetian but it is a very nice hotel (from what I remember )

I was going back and forth about staying at the Doubletree or Crowne Plaza before the trip but am now thinking we might drive down the morning of just because I don't want to unpack at the hotel and have to repack. If you factor in the $12 a day savings by leaving your car at the hotel that is quite a deal for the Doubletree!

Your team sounds like a lot of fun! My 10 yo was on a team like that a couple years ago. It was SO much fun!!!

Yay count us in for the Fish Extender list! We are traveling with the 7Evans and the excitment is contagious! We can hardly wait.

OtherEvans
Me-Meredith, DH-Reo, DS(8)-Bryson, DS(5)-Payton, DS(3)-Jackson
2039

Hello!!! Welcome. I wish we were traveling with a friend. We've cruised and vacationed with my sis and her family numerous times. They just aren't up for this one, unfortunately.

Our family starts our trip in SIX months!!!

 

[wideeyedwonder]

What a sad, sad day for Japan. My prayers go out to them.

Here on the Cali central coast we got to experience a much much tamer version of a tsunami:

(from the local morning news, Avila beach, pictures are mere minutes apart)

 

[Super*Mum]

wideeyedwonder... I saw the same footage that morning.. including the two idiots who kept jumping in front of the camera guy waving, causing a scene, and taking their sweatshirts off. Couldn't help it but all I could think was, "Darwinism at its finest." (For the idiots who had hours of warning to get away from the beach... not the victims of this tragedy)

As for Japan, that is truly terrifying. They are all in my thoughts. We took an "emergency trip" up to San Fran this weekend. I called my closest friend on Friday morning (who now lives in SF) and she was hysterical as she was unable to reach her family in Japan. We went there to take her mind off of everything. Luckily they are all accounted for and well. My heart and thoughts go out to those who aren't and fear what long term effects this will have (radiation in the water, etc.). The photos that wideeyedwonder posted are less than a mile from a nuclear power plant where we live. Terrifying to think what could have happened here and what others are experiencing there.

 

[mamacrumbcake]

Kim and DS, sorry you won't be joining us on this cruise.

I'd be happy to take over a FE list...I'll use the names and ID's posted in this thread to compile the list for now, but if it starts getting big, I'll have to think of a better way.

Thank you Wideeyedwonder! Please count us in.

mamacrumbcake
Me (Karen), DH (John), DD13 (Madeleine), DD11 (Tina)
stateroom: GTY, will keep you posted

 

[Jennifer in MI]

wideeyedwonder - isn't is heartbreaking? The devastation is so bad that I just can't wrap my head around it. I've had to keep the news off and away from papers for a while. It just hurts to read these reports.

Supermom - thank GOD your friend's family was okay. Were they anywhere near the quake/tsunami?

Hi Karen!!! Welcome! (Sorry if you posted before - I need to print out a list of everyone so I can keep track!!)

So, I decided that I needed to know when our next trips were coming and I've booked two more!!! We'll be back at Disney in Jan to run the half and full marathon. We'll take our niece along too. And, I booked Oasis of the Seas for next August! Anyone been on that ship? My boys are SO excited. Meg is sad because there aren't princesses there.