September 29, 2012 - Ropin' Some Magic in the Western Caribbean

[jpglisson]

Just had another thought. I really shouldn't stay up this late.

How many bags can we bring on board per person? We are driving to the port so no worries about getting on a plane. I thought I read somewhere about 2 bags, but that could have been the airline.

And how do I bring the FE gifts on board? Mine won't fit in a small bag.

Sorry. I just loved the banana dancing.

 

[jpglisson]

I agree about the medicines... every time we travel w/our daughter, I pack everything for every ailment! I also like to go to the pharmacy and pick up the pedialite pouches you add to water in case they get dehydrated or get sick (vomit & or the runs) and need fluids to rehydrate. I also bring fiber gummies to help her stay regular... as well as bandaids and neosporin ...of course I'm self diagnosed OCD!

Just this evening I started laying out all of my daughters clothes for each day and trying to figure out what she'll need (I kind of feel like I'm packing WAY too much).

My daughter is bringing 4 princess gowns to wear for dinners and a pirate-ish outfit - so that leaves 2 more dinner outfits...

I may just have to start a spreadsheet too!

How old is your daughter? Mine is 5 1/2 and loves to dress up. Do you know if they can wear them in the play area?

Thanks for the reminder. I need mine to try on her dresses. I have dh and my outfits, but I still need dd.

 

[SeeJennyCruise]

I am getting so excited, but feel so far behind on preparing. I printed out all our documents today and put them in a binder. I decided to take my little briefcase to put all paperwork in so I don't forget anything.

I've started an Excel spreadsheet on what to pack, but I'm sure I'm forgetting something. This is our 1st cruise. Any tips on what to bring? What do you wish you would have brought on your first cruise?

I have sun screen, insect repellant, camera, swimsuits, etc. You know the stuff on the Disney list, but I'm sure there are things that would make the trip easier, so please let me know.

What about toys? Are any of your children insisting on bringing something?

I use spreadsheets and tip lists that I have collected. I'll even color code an itinerary to let the family know what we (DH and me) plan to do each day. They have the option of doing there own thing or going with us. We have a small kit of things we always take with us including:

Belkin Mini Surge Protector Dual USB Charger (on Amazon, love this thing)
small flashlight
mini lysol spray and/or clorox wipes
a few gallon and sandwich size baggies
highlighter
OTC meds (Benedryl, anti itch cream, baindaids, neosporin, ginger, bonine, normal stuff)
Good aloe after sun with lidocaine (just in case)
Small six pack size cooler (we like more ice in our cabin)
sometimes binoculars
small scissors, string and sometimes small bit of duck tape
travel cribbage board and deck of cards (DH and I rarely get to play except on cruises)

I've never used the over the door shoe bag, but I like the idea of it.

 

[TxMermaid1]

Only bringing one **toy** and it's a clear plastic tube filled with multi colored beads and has like 25 little things in it...took my daughter to the local Children's Museum and this one, a Wizard of Oz themed tube was in the gift shop. You shake it and see if you can find the items...like the red ruby shoe, Dorothy's basket, Toto, a little Emerald City, etc. Was going to make one with a water bottle, beads and random small toys but this one was made already....figured it would pass the time on the airplane flight and on the long car rides to and from IAH to Galveston.

Be careful about taking that bottle on the plane. Security will most likely take it from you. You are not allowed any liquids in any container larger than 3 oz. even if you only have 3 oz of liquid the container must not hold more than that. In other words if you have 3 oz of liquid on a 4 oz container... they will take it away. You would have to put it in a check in bag.

Just had another thought. I really shouldn't stay up this late.

How many bags can we bring on board per person? We are driving to the port so no worries about getting on a plane. I thought I read somewhere about 2 bags, but that could have been the airline.

And how do I bring the FE gifts on board? Mine won't fit in a small bag.

Sorry. I just loved the banana dancing.

Disney will pretty much let you bring all you want. They do ask you only bring 2 but they don't stick to that. We have taken as many as 4 each. Including cases of water and alcohol.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

In our cruise kit, we have an alarm clock with lighted numbers (not one in cabins), duct tape, small scissors, power strip, flash light, suction cup hooks, lanyards for keys, nail clippers.

We also.carry a first aid kit always. Kid meds like motrin, benadryl, pepto. Adult meds include aspirin, advil, mylanta, nyquil, an antibiotic (Hubby is crazy allergic to most kinds, so our doctor allows us a prescription to have on hand always just in case...I don't want to try and find a suitable antibiotic.in Jamaica or Mexico if he needs it!), anti-diahrrea pills, an ACE bandage wrap, bandaids, neosporin, butterfly closure bandaids, Benadryl bug bite topical stick, chapsticks, all prescription meds with bottles (in case you need refill or have a reaction, you know what you have), all my family's doctor info on a laminated card, tweezers, drawing salve, a pack of sewing needles, Sudafed, saline nose spray, eye drops, ear drops for ear aches.

I think that covers it. I am *slightly* OCD about being prepared for emergencies or sick bugs that come our way . I just always think...if XYZ happens and we are stuck on a boat, what am I going to wish I had?

I love the idea of Pedialyte packet mixes...when Reese gets a tummy bug, he always goes downhill FAST and it is always his Electrolytes that are the problem. After last winter, when we were really close to taking him to the ER, I worried about what would happen if we had been on a cruise. Luckily we were home and I could pump him.up with Gatoraid and he rallied and got better.

I.will definitely find those packets for our first aid bag!

Oh. And I.keep all our stuff in a 2 gallon zip lock bag.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

I also have some prescription pain meds that our doctor gave us as a precaution. Think about preexisting things you or spouse may have and plan for the worst.

After Hubby spent two days.in agony trying to pass a kidney stone, my thought went to "what if we are on a boat when the other one tries to pass?".

We cruise 4 or 5 times a year, so I am a little over cautious with having meds on hand to help. Our doctor agreed to the prescrips pain meds because of this...if he could keep on top of the pain, he would have been better off.

So...my point is...if you have an.underlying condition, do what you can to.prepare for the worst! I am sure.the medical staff onboard is top notch, but I always, always plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Sorry for the downer message!! Back to your regularly scheduled Pixie Dust!!

 

[Phelpsie70]

I also have some prescription pain meds that our doctor gave us as a precaution. Think about preexisting things you or spouse may have and plan for the worst.

After Hubby spent two days.in agony trying to pass a kidney stone, my thought went to "what if we are on a boat when the other one tries to pass?".

We cruise 4 or 5 times a year, so I am a little over cautious with having meds on hand to help. Our doctor agreed to the prescrips pain meds because of this...if he could keep on top of the pain, he would have been better off.

So...my point is...if you have an.underlying condition, do what you can to.prepare for the worst! I am sure.the medical staff onboard is top notch, but I always, always plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Sorry for the downer message!! Back to your regularly scheduled Pixie Dust!!

Not a downer at all! My son has several chronic conditions, so I try to plan for everything. Last cruise, we ended up in the infirmary when he had an unexpected symptom that he hadn't experienced before. We had to pay for the visit, but the medical staff was fantastic. They prescribed meds and fixed him right up. However, I now have had our GI prescribe that same med so it it happens again I have it - we bring those meds plus any over the counter you can think of.

 

[Phelpsie70]

I think alot of the unusual items I usually bring have been mentioned. But we also bring along one of those cardboard drink trays you can get at McDonalds/Dunkin Donuts. I always grab an unused one a couple weeks before the trip. That way whenever we want drinks, we have a tray to carry them back from the beverage station and we don't have to make multiple trips.

Michele

 

[soccermom1422]

I think alot of the unusual items I usually bring have been mentioned. But we also bring along one of those cardboard drink trays you can get at McDonalds/Dunkin Donuts. I always grab an unused one a couple weeks before the trip. That way whenever we want drinks, we have a tray to carry them back from the beverage station and we don't have to make multiple trips.

Michele

I got a drink carrier from Sonic. I unfolded it so it will lay flat for packing and covered it with duct tape. That way it is a little stronger, and if it gets spilled on it won't fall apart. And it fits the big tumblers we are bringing perfectly.

 

[disneynoodle]

Wow, Michele!

That's an outstanding trip tip that I've never heard about before for drinks.

On our last cruise the weather was horrible one day and I was the only one in my family (and possibly the entire ship) NOT sea sick. I went up to the drink station without thinking about how I was going to carry back three cups of Sprite for my family. Needless to say, it was a very difficult walk back to our cabin with the ship rockin' and rollin'! I wish I would have had one of those fast food drink holders that day!

 

[kpaulson]

Be careful about taking that bottle on the plane. Security will most likely take it from you. You are not allowed any liquids in any container larger than 3 oz. even if you only have 3 oz of liquid the container must not hold more than that. In other words if you have 3 oz of liquid on a 4 oz container... they will take it away. You would have to put it in a check in bag.



Disney will pretty much let you bring all you want. They do ask you only bring 2 but they don't stick to that. We have taken as many as 4 each. Including cases of water and alcohol.

This isn't liquid at all, I was just going to use an empty water bottle but bought this instead...but yeah it's full of beads and small toys...

http://www.finditgames.com/products...Details&itemid=616&productId=3133&prodid=3133

Hope that link works!

LOL I should have waited and looked online for one instead of buying it at the Children's Museum...they have a beach one online

 

[MinnieKeira]

I have an FE question....

Will we be assigned a day to give out our goodies, or do we just pick a day?

 

[jpglisson]

Thank you all for the great tips! Keep them coming. I'm working on that spreadsheet and adding all your wonderful ideas. It's kind of like camping...except I don't need the kitchen sink.

I feel like I'm bringing so much stuff and wondering how to get it all into the suitcases.

DD insists on bringing her American Girl doll and pack a case for her. I told her that "Amber" would probably have to stay in the cabin most of the time. Anybody else running into this?

 

[Belle6000]

Such good tips!!! I, too, am a color coder and spreadsheet maker. I also bring lots of medicine. My kids have a knack for getting sick on vacations and my daughter got sick on the last Disney cruise we took so I'm coming prepared this time!! She has asthma and a peanut allergy and various medical needs so our first aid kit is rather well stocked!

I second what everyone is saying to pack. And don't forget an underwater camera if you're going snorkeling...and a corkscrew if you're bringing your own wine.

I'm not sure how many bags we will have. Since we are driving we aren't worried about how much we're taking. With all the formal and semi formal stuff we'll probably average 2 bags per person with a couple of small carry ons. I have a small, fold up bag that has wheels so I'm going to bring that on with our wine and FE gifts in it.

As far as toys, my dd brings a build a bear animal on every vacation. This time, she's bringing her build a bear cat. She also insists on bringing the animal clothes to wear...I have limited the amount of clothing she can bring for the cat though! Although, I admit, the cat has a cinderella dress and a pirate costume. I'm going to have her bring a little drawstring backpack to carry it in so I don't get stuck holding it when we board.

Whenever she's taken a stuffed animal on a disney vacation the "mousekeeping" staff always has fun with it. At WDW they even made her bunny a hammock out of towels one day! On the cruise, they make up the beds and put the animal on top with a towel animal or chocolates or something. It just depends who you get and how creative they are. Anyway, my dd always enjoys coming back to the room and finding her stuffed animal "doing" something. So, if your child wants to take a toy, I recommend a stuffed animal because usually the room host or hostess will give it some special attention.

 

[Belle6000]

I have an FE question....

Will we be assigned a day to give out our goodies, or do we just pick a day?

I think we are just picking a day.

 

[IllyzMomma]

How old is your daughter? Mine is 5 1/2 and loves to dress up. Do you know if they can wear them in the play area?

Thanks for the reminder. I need mine to try on her dresses. I have dh and my outfits, but I still need dd.

Illeana is 4. She'll be dressing up as a princess for 4 dinners (we have belle, cinderella, snow white and rapunzel). I was thinking it was a bit much, but they're kids, we're on vacation and if she's having fun, than what's the harm!

 

[Belle6000]

How old is your daughter? Mine is 5 1/2 and loves to dress up. Do you know if they can wear them in the play area?

Thanks for the reminder. I need mine to try on her dresses. I have dh and my outfits, but I still need dd.

They can wear the dress up stuff in the play area. They list the character meet times in the personal navigator too so if you want a pic dressed like a certain character it would probably be pretty easy to do.

Even though we have princess dresses I don't think we're bringing them. Claire is 9 so, even though she still wears them around the house, I don't think she'll be into wearing them to dinner. She wanted more grown up clothes this time.

 

[Piper]

This isn't liquid at all, I was just going to use an empty water bottle but bought this instead...but yeah it's full of beads and small toys...

http://www.finditgames.com/products...Details&itemid=616&productId=3133&prodid=3133

Hope that link works!

LOL I should have waited and looked online for one instead of buying it at the Children's Museum...they have a beach one online

I have an FE question....

Will we be assigned a day to give out our goodies, or do we just pick a day?

That will work fine--it is a little like the "I Spy Bags" that we make for the kids at Give Kids the World.

 

[Piper]

I have an FE question....

Will we be assigned a day to give out our goodies, or do we just pick a day?

You just pick a day. As long as you get it done during the cruise, that is all that matters!

 

[TxMermaid1]

CHAMPAGNE GIRLS "BEAUTIES AND THE BEASTS EVENT"...... We now have 24 people on the list for the champagne tasting. I spoke to Disney and they say we MUST have a min. of 25 for the tasting. They said if we don't get 25 to do the tasting that we can have an open bar. There would be a fee of $13.75 pp and you can have unlimited drinks during the hour we are having the social. We are looking at Sep. 30 (a sea day) at 3:00 PM. So ... we either need 1 more to sign up for the tasting or we will go to plan B and do the social with unlimited drinks for the $13.75....... thoughts?