Sept 4-8 2005 Wonder S.S. Member Cruise! Part 3

[cgcw]

I'm off to Chuck E Cheese today! Having my sister here is going to let us do some fun outings this week. Tomorrow we are going to, we'll I don't know how to describe it but it's called the Catskill Game Farm, it's kind of like a zoo I guess!

Have fun at Chuck E Cheeses. I love to go at 9 a.m. when they first open in the morning. There are no crowds whatsoever and it's an easy way to keep track of all the kids.

It's easy to spend a fortune in tokens though.

 

[#1Mouse]

My memory isn't what it used to be...Ok, ok, it's never been good...now it's worse....
Don't quote me on the EXACT prices, but they are somewhere in these ranges...
You could buy a single picture (6x8) for about $10. Or you can get a package.... if you buy a package of about 10 pictures, it's about $80 or so. They have even bigger packages if you're so inclined to get them. You can also buy one or two pictures at full price, then later if you find that you want to upgrade to the package, you can bring in your receipts and they'll credit you those single pictures. OR, buy the package, but then find you don't find 10 pictures you want, they'll go back and credit you the package and just charge you the single price. They are NOT packages like school pictures (100 pictures of the same pose)

You'll see Shutters camera men all over the ship (including IN the pool, UNDER water! --one of them fell into the Goofy pool on the 10 day....camera and all!) Hunt them down if you want more pictures to be able to chose from.

WARNING....Shutters gets very busy before and after dinners.

HINT....Buy the official DCL frame for 6X8 pictures. It's cool, plus, 6x8 is not a standard picture size so finding a 6x8 frame is tricky. Went through Michaels, Joannes, Hobby Lobby, etc etc and couldn't find one. Finally just waited until the next cruise and bought two.

TECHNICALITY....you WILL be able to buy pictures while in port on disembarkation day. Shutters will be open early in the morning. It will be the ONLY gift shop open b/c of their port rules. BUT....you will only be able to buy pictures....NOT frames or any sort of other merchandise they have there. THAT is why we didn't get a 6x8 frame on the first cruise....figured we'd wait until morning and get it......WRONG!!!!!!

HTH, and again, don't quote my prices...

The "staged" photos are 8 x 10 and cost $20 each. If I'm remembering correctly if you bought a certain amount of 8x10's you received a folder frame with a picture of the ship. Not sure of the details and now I'm questioning myself that it might be the deal we received on the RCL cruise It doesn't take much to confuse me.

 

[MaryJ]

GTKYFC Question of the day ----

If you could change one choice you made when you were younger that possibly altered your entire course of life, what would that be?

Mine would also be college. In high school, I was interested in studying speech therapy. The nearest schools that offered programs were about 3 hours from my home. My boyfriend (who later became my DH!) went to school at a local university (he's 3 years older) and I couldn't stand the thought of being so far away from him, so I comprimised and went to another local school and majored in elementary education. After my first quarter, I knew that wasn't for me. I ended up dropping out of college after my first year and getting married. Never did go back to school, but I was able to use my experience to help my DD's choose their schools. Two of them considered looking at schools near where their boyfriends would be and I told them that they shouldn't choose their school just to be near their boyfriend. If the relationship is real, it will last no matter how far apart you are. It turned out to be true for the first one....she married her BF even though their schools were across the state from each other! The second is still in school, so we'll see what happens there. She and the BF ARE still together!

 

[alikat99]

The "staged" photos are 8 x 10 and cost $20 each. If I'm remembering correctly if you bought a certain amount of 8x10's you received a folder frame with a picture of the ship. Not sure of the details and now I'm questioning myself that it might be the deal we received on the RCL cruise It doesn't take much to confuse me.

No, I think that you're right. We have a framed picture of the ship with our 8x10 on the other side. And, I do think that we got it for purchasing a few of the 8x10s. Plus, we did one of those 6x8 picture packages, because we fell in love with SO many pictures.

 

[MaryJ]

Since Cindy posted the getting to know you question I'll help add to getting to 10,000 by posting a fluff question.


It has been 303 days since we were all calling Member Services to book this cruise. In honor of those 303 days what 3 things have you most enjoyed about this meets thread?

1. Chatting with everyone who shares the same Disney interest.
2. Getting to know people on a first name basis (still confused about all the Mary's and Annmaries though)
3. The shared jokes (Blinkies, Crocs, Henry, fish extenders....somehow I missed the Mrs. Lips one....must have happened while I was on vacation)

 

[cquick]

GTKYFC Question of the day ----
If you could change one choice you made when you were younger that possibly altered your entire course of life, what would that be?QUOTE]

My biggest choice ( I have many, of course) would have been to go to 4 year university. I went to a community college and got an associate in science degree, but I still wish I had gotten my 4 year degree right away. I tood some courses and passed some exams later, but I never had that sheepskin to hang on my wall! I also would have studied harder in High School insted of goofing off!
bye, Connie

 

[Jenny0725]

Here's a tip - did you know you can have Christmas Cards made on the ship using one of your pictures? What a great way to show family and friends the fun you had on the Member Cruise![/size][/size]

Has anyone done this? I'm wondering what the cost is and I imagine that they ship the cards to your home.

I was thinking of bringing Santa hats and taking a picture of the girls on the beach at CC for our Christmas cards. But if we had a really good family picture I would consider just ordering them from the ship.

 

[cgcw]

....somehow I missed the Mrs. Lips one....must have happened while I was on vacation)

Just to put you back in the loop. Mrs. Lips is the lady some of us bought the fish extenders from on ebay.

 

[#1Mouse]

GTKYFC Question of the day ----

If you could change one choice you made when you were younger that possibly altered your entire course of life, what would that be?

I wish I would have learned a second language. I never thought it was necessary when I was younger but times have changed. My oldest daughter speaks fluent Spanish, I think it's neat. I don't think it would have altered my life but it would have come in handy a few times.

Now to bore you with a cute story! When we moved into our house 5 years ago, we had all the boxes from the stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, washer, dryer and the TV. To put them out in the garbage we would have to cut them all up and bundle them - what a pain. Since there were other houses in the neighborhood being built, the builders would have someone come by and clean up all the junk left from the construction workers. I saw the truck across the street and went over to ask the guys if they would take all these boxes, I even tried to explain that I would pay them to take all the boxes. Well, they only spoke Spanish and kept telling me No English, No English. I sent my daughter over (great mother of the year moment, I used my cute spanish speaking 18 yo to get the job done!) She walked over there spoke to them and before I knew it they were in my garage taking all the boxes and loading them into their truck. She tried to pay them but they wouldn't take the money. Everyday they were in the neighborhood working they would drive by and honk the horn and all the guys in the back of the truck would wave!

 

[#1Mouse]

Has anyone done this? I'm wondering what the cost is and I imagine that they ship the cards to your home.

I was thinking of bringing Santa hats and taking a picture of the girls on the beach at CC for our Christmas cards. But if we had a really good family picture I would consider just ordering them from the ship.

My sister and her dh did this. I know that they purchased 25 cards and got to choose the picture they wanted for them. They were mailed to them a short time after their cruise. I can't remember the exact cost, but it was something I would have done if all of our kids were with us. Can't send out Christmas cards with just me and dh and none of the kids

 

[alikat99]

Has anyone done this? I'm wondering what the cost is and I imagine that they ship the cards to your home.

I was thinking of bringing Santa hats and taking a picture of the girls on the beach at CC for our Christmas cards. But if we had a really good family picture I would consider just ordering them from the ship.

That is an adorable idea!!! Do you mind if I borrow it? Our Christmas cards are usually our family, but I think that it would be cute to do it with the girls this year.

 

[cgcw]

That is an adorable idea!!! Do you mind if I borrow it? Our Christmas cards are usually our family, but I think that it would be cute to do it with the girls this year.

I was going to ask too.

We have the santa hats with the Mickey ears someplace in the Christmas decorations. I'll have to see if I can find them in the next 11 days.




Gail, why can't you send out pictures without the kids on them? After all, our Christmas cards usually have the kids on them without us.




And a TOP!! Woohoo!! We need to start celebrating these if we're going to make 10,000! Time is running out.

 

[alikat99]

Whooo-who!!! Yeah Cindy on the TOP!!!

And, I love your idea with the Mickey Ear Santa Hats. We just have regular Santa hats, but it would be really cute with Mickey Ear hats.

 

[#1Mouse]

No, I think that you're right. We have a framed picture of the ship with our 8x10 on the other side. And, I do think that we got it for purchasing a few of the 8x10s. Plus, we did one of those 6x8 picture packages, because we fell in love with SO many pictures.

Yeah, I just looked at my folder and I do have a DCL ship picture with our family picture. I must have gotten it with the 8x10 photos we purchased. The 6x8 candid photos (expecially the ones of the kids) are very hard to pass on.

Just a note of warning for first time cruisers - if you like pictures this is one area you should budget alot of money. On our cruise in February I told John that we really wouldn't need many pictures because we have so many from our previous cruises. Well.....................I just couldn't pass up all the cute photos of my dd and the formal one was really nice with John in his tux, and the ones of us in each port....etc......before I knew it our photo bill was almost $200 Ooops, don't know how that happened

 

[MaryJ]

Gail

Your story wasn't boring....in fact, it made me

 

[cgcw]

Just a note of warning for first time cruisers - if you like pictures this is one area you should budget alot of money.

Gail, to spend more than $200 would be easy? Is that what I'm hearing?

 

[#1Mouse]

It has been 303 days since we were all calling Member Services to book this cruise. In honor of those 303 days what 3 things have you most enjoyed about this meets thread?

1. Meeting everyone and getting to know them before the cruise. It really is fun traveling with friends.

2. The fun we've had with the blinkies, Mrs. Lips, UPS man, Henry, missing smilies & konk koolers. I sure hope I didn't leave anything out!

3. Tips and suggestions that you learn - even if you have cruised before.

 

[cquick]

so what did you search for when on Ebay looking for "fish extenders"?

 

[alikat99]

so what did you search for when on Ebay looking for "fish extenders"?

I searched on Mickey Organizers and found several different types. Mrs.Lips was the seller that had that most "fish extenders".

 

[#1Mouse]

Gail, to spend more than $200 would be easy? Is that what I'm hearing?

It sure is for me! When it's just John and I traveling, it's not too bad, but if the kids are with us....well....those pictures are so darn cute and I have to have all of them!

I love the idea of the santa hats. What a great card to send out, the kids (and the parents too) on the beach at CC wearing bathing suits and santa hats. Now I wish our kids were traveling with us.......................NOT!!!!