The Fantasy's First MNSSH Cruise: Zombies of the Caribbean October 27, 2012

[gilsan]

How would people feel about having the scavenger hunt on Thursday, our sea day instead of actual Halloween? We dock in Cozumel early morning and all aboard is something like 5.30pm. This is the only decent port time we have on this cruise, we are so short changed at both GC and Costa Maya, and we have a full day out planned, as I'm sure do lots of you. Evening just wouldn't work because of both dinner sittings, shows and Disney's own Halloween offerings. As we would only just have left Mexico, and Thursday would be their Dia de los Muertos, perhaps we could use that at a thinly veiled excuse for a scavenger hunt!
Here's what wiki has to say:
"In some parts of the country (especially the cities, where in recent years there are displaced other customs), children in costumes roam the streets, knocking on people's doors for a calaverita, a small gift of candies or money; they also ask passersby for it. This custom is similar to that of Halloween's trick-or-treating and is relatively recent"

I confess, I am biased and would prefer it to be on a sea day, or just while we are not in port for purely selfish reasons because I would love to be part of it and would happily help with the logistics of co-ordinating it and on the day and I would hate for DD to miss out because we are off the ship at the time it takes place.

How do others feel?

I thought the sea day would be a better day too!

 

[gilsan]

That is such a neat shot! It looks like 3-D!

Thanks I took it with my tilt shift canera. It is low quality but does take some interesting shots.

 

[gilsan]

I have added a news section to the first post. That way if this thread gets going and you are away from it for awhile, you can just check the front page for any important information.

 

[gilsan]

Picture of the Day

 

[Staceyl0u]

Loving the news section Gilsan, just reading through last years trip report and as we are six months out I don't see why we can't do something similar, we have so much time!!

 

[IrishCowboy]

I have added your thread to the cruise meet list

Have a great cruise!

 

[BMICKEY]

I have added your thread to the cruise meet list

Have a great cruise!

Thanks IrishCowboy!!!!

 

[DisneyOrBustColorado]

DIS Name: DisneyOrBustColorado
Stateroom: 8656 - for now
Names/Age(s) at sailing: Arlen 37, Melissa 36, Westin 8, Eastin 6
Where From: United States, Southern Colorado
Dining - late or early: Early
Celebrating: 14 year anniversary, our boys both in school, life in general
Fish Extender (FE): YES
Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt: Maybe - 2 kids
If yes for scavenger hunt state the number of kids and/or if you are available to volunteer, we are also looking for someone to co-ordinate the scavenger hunt.

We will be in WDW prior to the cruise & will be attending the MNSSHP.

I do agree that the scavenger hunt would be nice on an at sea day. What a great educational opportunity to teach our kids about the day of the dead that is celebrated in Mexico.

I'm not sure if I can commit to time to volunteer. I wouldn't mind helping do things before the cruise, but I spend so much time away from my children that during this trip I just want to dote on them & spend all of my time with my family. I hate to sign up for something that I will later regret or be unable to fulfill. Please let me know if there is something that I can do from behind my computer before the cruise starts & I will be glad to do that. My son studied the Day Of The Dead in his International school last year, so maybe I could help come up with clues that would include some informational facts?

P.S. LOVE the cruise graphic. How wonderful!!! It makes it feel so much more real & exciting. Thank you to those of you that have taken over & made this thread awesome & exciting!!! I was not sure what to do as this is only our second ever cruise & our first time on the DIS boards.

 

[gilsan]

Welcome to the new thread DisneyOrBustColorado!

I understand about the Scavenger hunt, that is the reason I don't want to be in charge of it. I have a tendency to a agree to take on to much and then resent it later I agree better to say no now then wish you had later Whoever heads it up should really want to do it.

Which MNSSHP are you planning on attending? We are debating between the Oct 25 and 26. We arrive on the 25th but I am concerned we maybe tired from the trip, (we fly out at 6:30am), but I am worried the 26 will be busier since it is a Friday night.

 

[katzs13]

We went to the MNSSH party last year. You do not want to be there on a Friday. It is pure madness. Way too crowded. Way more than during the day. We are going to go on Thursday the 25th day this year.

 

[gilsan]

I thought I would go with a food picture today. I believe this is White Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie.

 

[DisneyOrBustColorado]

Which MNSSHP are you planning on attending? We are debating between the Oct 25 and 26. We arrive on the 25th but I am concerned we maybe tired from the trip, (we fly out at 6:30am), but I am worried the 26 will be busier since it is a Friday night.

We fly in to Orlando on Oct. 20th. We plan to attend the MNSSHP on Monday the 21st. We hope that it may be less crowded since it is a Monday & further away from Halloween. I will keep watching this board to see how things come along.

 

[Himmin]

DIS Name: Himmin
Stateroom: 9674
Names/Age(s) at sailing: Charlotte(21)and Lee (27)
Where From: UK, Isle of Man
Dining - late or early: Late
Celebrating: Honeymoon!!
Fish Extender (FE): Y
Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt: N

 

[gilsan]

DIS Name: Himmin
Stateroom: 9674
Names/Age(s) at sailing: Charlotte(21)and Lee (27)
Where From: UK, Isle of Man
Dining - late or early: Late
Celebrating: Honeymoon!!
Fish Extender (FE): Y
Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt: N

Welcome Himmin and Congratulations on your Wedding!

 

[Maddiesmum03]

Himmin, a Disney themed wedding sounds so much fun! (we got married at WDW in 2008 ) and a Fantasy cruise as a honeymoon... what a wonderful way to start married life!

 

[Himmin]

Himmin, a Disney themed wedding sounds so much fun! (we got married at WDW in 2008 ) and a Fantasy cruise as a honeymoon... what a wonderful way to start married life!

Thanks, Im soo excited, I would have loved a WDW wedding but I have family who can't travel far so thats why we chose a Disney themed wedding!!

Am soo looking forward to the cruise, we travel over to America on the 22nd October stay on I drive till the cruise and then do 2 weeks at Disney after, so I am hoping the cruise will be the relaxing part of our honeymoon!!

I wish October would hurry up!!

 

[Maddiesmum03]

Do you think we could have a small group of us organising the scavenger hunt rather than leaving it to all one person? I would be happy to be one of a few, but not to undertake the whole thing on my own ( I am more than happy it is on our sea day BTW)
Would it really take that much organising?
we would need
- to know which children are taking part, their names, ages, cabin number and allergy status
- sweets to give , perhaps it would be easier for each family that wants to participate to donate a bag/pack of sweets to the organisers at sailaway, or whatever DIS meet we organise ? otherwise someone will have to be responsible for not only collecting money in but also buying bucketloads of sweets to bring on board. Most of us are travelling in by plane and are limited to certain luggage restrictions, but regardless of that who wants to spend well earned vacation time candy shopping!
- bags to give out to the children to collect their goodies, these could be personalised so we know who's taking part, or plain bags and a personalised badge, or something along those lines
- someone to sort the candy into batches for each clue "station" and instructions for the helper at that station on how much to give each participant.
- helpers for each station to give out goodies and tick off children as they visit and hand out fresh clue
- someone to help choose suitable locations ( any previous cruisers on the Dream would have a better idea of good places) and people to write clues (and how many locations do we want to go for?) clues would need to be printed.
- choose nearer the time on if it would be a good idea to split children into groups to visit each station in a different order so each helper isn't overwhelmed depending on how many children we have taking part- this is what they did in the Halloween cruise in that link on our first page

For the "adult version" each entrant could donate a "snack" or treat as their entrance fee! - nothing alcoholic so under 21's can join in. these treats could all be put into a gift bag for the winner, or maybe first second and third bags, then all entrants could be given a list of clues to locations which they could visit in any order as they solve the clues. The clues could be much harder, but would end up at the same stations as the children. They could be given a sticker at each station by our helper to prove they have ran all over the ship! first person back to the starting point is the winner!
these are just ideas, I may be completely off the mark, I've only ever organised little scavenger hunts at childrens parties, I know this is a whole different scale. What am I missing???

 

[Maddiesmum03]

Thanks, Im soo excited, I would have loved a WDW wedding but I have family who can't travel far so thats why we chose a Disney themed wedding!!

Am soo looking forward to the cruise, we travel over to America on the 22nd October stay on I drive till the cruise and then do 2 weeks at Disney after, so I am hoping the cruise will be the relaxing part of our honeymoon!!

I wish October would hurry up!!

Don't wish your life away...planning is half the fun

 

[gilsan]

Do you think we could have a small group of us organising the scavenger hunt rather than leaving it to all one person? I would be happy to be one of a few, but not to undertake the whole thing on my own ( I am more than happy it is on our sea day BTW)
Would it really take that much organising?
we would need
- to know which children are taking part, their names, ages, cabin number and allergy status
- sweets to give , perhaps it would be easier for each family that wants to participate to donate a bag/pack of sweets to the organisers at sailaway, or whatever DIS meet we organise ? otherwise someone will have to be responsible for not only collecting money in but also buying bucketloads of sweets to bring on board. Most of us are travelling in by plane and are limited to certain luggage restrictions, but regardless of that who wants to spend well earned vacation time candy shopping!
- bags to give out to the children to collect their goodies, these could be personalised so we know who's taking part, or plain bags and a personalised badge, or something along those lines
- someone to sort the candy into batches for each clue "station" and instructions for the helper at that station on how much to give each participant.
- helpers for each station to give out goodies and tick off children as they visit and hand out fresh clue
- someone to help choose suitable locations ( any previous cruisers on the Dream would have a better idea of good places) and people to write clues (and how many locations do we want to go for?) clues would need to be printed.
- choose nearer the time on if it would be a good idea to split children into groups to visit each station in a different order so each helper isn't overwhelmed depending on how many children we have taking part- this is what they did in the Halloween cruise in that link on our first page

For the "adult version" each entrant could donate a "snack" or treat as their entrance fee! - nothing alcoholic so under 21's can join in. these treats could all be put into a gift bag for the winner, or maybe first second and third bags, then all entrants could be given a list of clues to locations which they could visit in any order as they solve the clues. The clues could be much harder, but would end up at the same stations as the children. They could be given a sticker at each station by our helper to prove they have ran all over the ship! first person back to the starting point is the winner!
these are just ideas, I may be completely off the mark, I've only ever organised little scavenger hunts at childrens parties, I know this is a whole different scale. What am I missing???

I agreeI don't think that it will be that much work and having a few people heading it up is a good idea. I like the idea that everyone should donate 1 pack of sweets, it will mix up the candy types.

IMHO US candy bars are not as good as Canadian/English bars, it will give the US kids a treat I figure I can bring a bag or two of candy down and the space used can be used for souvenirs on the way back.

I like your ideas!

Really if your kids are taking part on parent could be available to take your child around the ship and the other would be able to volunteer to man a station. I would think it should only take a hour and we could have s strict cut off time. We should also try and pick a low traffic area to start off the hunt, in the thread from last year it sounded like they had a lot of non dis/thread people try and get involved.

 

[gilsan]

We fly in to Orlando on Oct. 20th. We plan to attend the MNSSHP on Monday the 21st. We hope that it may be less crowded since it is a Monday & further away from Halloween. I will keep watching this board to see how things come along.

It will probably be less busy earlier in the week. We did the party our first time we went to WDW, so we could skip it if we think it will be too busy.