The Anticipation is Excruciating!

[AgentSweet]

I know what you mean! We booked this past January (2015) for March 2016! And I'm keeping it a secret from our son...the anticipation is killing me! He has no idea. We even happened upon a DCL special on the TLC channel and watched and he asked if we could go. I told him it's just too expensive.

I don't know what I'm more excited about....the cruise itself or seeing his face when he realizes we're going on a Disney cruise!

Oh that's so evil and amazing! He's going to be ecstatic I can feel it! When are you going to tell him? How are you going to tell him?

 

[AgentSweet]

The Destination America channel has done some videos available on you tube. Disney magic. More Disney Cruiseline.

We actually decided we wanted to go one a cruise after my Mom and I saw the show on Destination about the rebuild of the Magic. I didn't know they had episodes on youtube though, I've been stalking the tv trying to catch more Disney Cruise shows.

 

[AgentSweet]

If you want to book a cruise for 2017, be prepared to wait even longer than what it takes for the planning DVD to arrive. Those itineraries have not been released yet. Most likely release dates will be late October 2015 for dates January - April 2017, March 2016 for dates April - August/September 2017 and then May 2016 for the rest of the year 2017. At least this is the pattern from the last two years, things can always change!

We've been told that the dates wouldn't be released until next year we were prepared for that, but it's nice to see some prediction about actual months, Thank you. I've been checking the DCL site every other day "just in case"

 

[bumbershoot]

we're not ever really sure what's on it? How to get started stuff we assume?

I would gear yourself towards getting fluff, not-really-helpful info, and then if it gives something more than that you can be pleasantly surprised.

This place is a good source of information for the most part. Probably better than DVD!

Yes.

But we're sure we won't be going until 2017 either way

Ah, well, just know that LOTS will have changed by the time you board. Best to make sure everyone in the family knows that what you see is just a guideline, and not to expect, well, anything to be totally the same. Kid's clubs are changing, no arcade on at least 2 ships soon, etc etc etc...

 

[AndreAggie]

Oh that's so evil and amazing! He's going to be ecstatic I can feel it! When are you going to tell him? How are you going to tell him?

I know!! I think that's the best part!

My husband travels frequently for work, and I sometimes go with him if I can and if it's a fun destination. DS always gets bummed he never get to go. Since this is booked during DS spring break, we're going to "join Daddy on a work trip!" Then on the morning of the cruise, I'm going to have Mickey call him and break the news. He's 5 and still watches Disney Junior shows, so this should go over very well. We're staying at the Intercontinental Miami and I'm hoping with my husband's "status," we'll get a room with a view of the cruise ships. If not, we'll be there soon enough after the call.

Only 186 more days to go!!

If I tell him any earlier, I'll get 1,457 questions every. single. day. for the next 186 days. So we're going with the element of surprise. And what 5 year old doesn't want to be surprised with a Disney cruise?!

 

[AgentSweet]

So I'm wandering out to the mail yesterday morning to put a birthday card in the mail before the mail runs (Our guy usually doesn't show up until around noon). So I open up the mailbox and suddenly everything starts glowing, a holy choir is belting out some jazzy tunes and the light is almost blinding.

THE DVD HAS ARRIVED.

(unfortunately that birthday card is going to be late now, but hey, you win some and you lose some.)

So yesterday has to have been the busiest day we have had in forever: Dogs needed dropped off at the groomers, we had to drive thirty minutes out to deliver cookies to three different house holds, had to drive thirty minutes back, had to drop the sister off at physical therapy, had to rush fifteen minutes out to deliver the correct safety goggles to the father at work who forgot the goggles, had to rush back to pick the sister up, drove another thirty minutes out because the fabric store in the next town over is having a sale and you do not skip a fabric sale when the mother is a quilter, then from there we had to rush back to town the pick up the dogs from the groomers, drop the dogs off at the house, rush to the grocery store to pick up dinner items, somehow spend way to much time at the grocery store, drag our tired butts back to the house, make dinner, and finally

finally

at nearly midnight, we sit down as a family to watch the DVD.

It was mostly fluff, we kept pausing the dvd so I could better explain things (rotational dining, port excursions, etc, etc...) that were only brushed over in the DVD. There was some stuff that I felt was mildly informative but if I'm being really honest, the dvd wasn't meant to tell me anything anyways. It was meant to get the father excited about the cruise. Dad has never been one to openly show his excitement about any kind of family vacation, he mostly walks around petting his wallet and whispering "it'll be okay" to it.

I've never seen him so excited about a vacation. It was amazing, he was grinning and asking questions and already is trying to figure out a budget.

This was the moment I was waiting for. The green light to officially start planning.