Way Early Roll Call For March 4, 2006 Eastern.........

[sandraB]

I too have many "lists"....

I have the one from here, which I printed out, then highlighted according, to need to buy, have in house and need to find, and do I need this???

I also have lists in the van, for dollar store, walmart, etc.......

I think I am getting there!!

I think we may have 4-5 suitcases!!! I don't know how you did just three shelley!!! I have a duffle bag just of shoes!

We are away this weekend at a hockey tournament, so I also need to pack for that!

I can't wait till next week!!!!!!

Sandi

 

[Qball]

Well I went over our cruise documents with our TA and there was an overnight stay before and after the cruise at one of the Disney Resorts! Here we thought "oh wow, we got an upgrade" but NO, TA phoned to see "why" and DCL made a mistake and we're not getting a couple free nights in a Disney resort...oh well. At least we have our documents now. Can't wait for the nice weather!!!!!

 

[Qball]

I also received my documents this week-yeah! I spent this past weekend buying all the last minute things that I needed, the list was a mile long before I was finished. I have everything out and ready to pack and I finished packing for the kids because we are leaving on the 27th. I ended up having to use 3 suitcases to get all the boys stuff to fit. All the clothes was not so bad it was the 6 pairs of shoes and a pair of water shoes each plus the snorkle and way too many medications ( I feel like a walking pharmacy). Also does anyone know what you fill in for the bahamas paper work because it asks the number of nights you are staying- do we leave it blank or put zero because we do not actually stay there overnight.??? Shelley

Hey Shelley
That's pretty good...3 suitcase for the 4 of you with 6 pairs of shoes each!!!! Must be the 36 size giganto suitcases!!! I'm hoping to get away with 2 suitcase. I actually nested an empty one in one of them to allow for the "guys" DD will likely be allowed to buy as her souvenirs.

 

[LisaSp]

Hi Lisa,
Count me in on the list madness...these are mine:
-to do before we leave home
-to buy before we leave home (this list is actually done now)
-to buy when in the states
-packing list A, clothes and essentials
-packing list B, non-essentials
-packing list C, miscellaneous items
-packing list D, carry on luggage
-plus my list of tips that I've received from these boards

And I'm taking the lists with me as well to make sure I "check off" so I don't forget something behind.

I love it! Someone else as obsessive-compulsive as me!!

 

[allcanadian]

That was only 3 suitcases for my 2 kids .I have not even started to pack for myself and DH. We will probably have at least 3 or 4 more yet. I wish that I could fit everything into 3 suitcases but that definitly will not happen.Qball, glad to hear that you got your travel docs before you left. Shelley

 

[sandraB]

That was only 3 suitcases for my 2 kids

Ok....that sounds more like it!!

I don't feel so bad now! Laura (who did the cruise at christmas) took 9 suitcases with her! She said they needed two luggage carts at the airport, and then the rental car agency took one look at them and upgraded them to a minivan!

I am a little worried about the rental car, we have an economy booked!! Maybe I should really upgrade!

 

[allcanadian]

Sandi, we did rent a minivan, otherwise I think that the kids would probably end up sitting on suitcases. I would not be surprised if we end up with 6 or 7 suitcases. We could probably do with less for the cruise but because we are leaving almost a a week before we cruise it seems like I am packing enough for a whole month. Shelley

 

[sandraB]

I am soooo obsessed right now! I have no attention span for school at all! We leave a week from today, and I can't stop thinking/talking about the cruise....

I am sure I am annoying my friend who went at christmas (laura) because all I want to talk about is disney!! My sister tells me her coworkers are getting tired of hearing about it too!'

I still have tons of little things to do....but time is running out! We are in Moncton this weekend, so I will probably get everything done there...

Is anyone bringing their own snorkel equip? I haven't seen any around here....thought we would look in the states...

would target have theirs out yet?

Sandi

 

[sandraB]

Sandi, we did rent a minivan, otherwise I think that the kids would probably end up sitting on suitcases

I think ours will be!! LOL

oh well, my husband says, it is only an hour..........

 

[Qball]

I think we are almost done packing except one last load of laundry before we go and put in the "underwear" and DH has a couple pairs of shoes. I have all our dress clothes laid out in the spare bedroom on the bed to be packed last minute so they don't get wrinkled. So I managed to do it in 2 suitcases for the three of us...one 36" and one 32" and each of us has a carry on.

I brought our snorkle thingy and snorkle mask...skipped the flippers. We bought them years ago at Walmart...so they are really cheapy ones.

I'm a little stressed right now. I hope I have everything on my list that we need. DH hasn't helped much cuz he's been very preoccupied with work trying to tie up 4 projects before he goes...he's been getting up at 4am to work and works till 6pm and on the weekends...poor guy and he's been sick with the cold for over a month and it seems to be getting worse. DD had the cold too but it seems to be getting worse as well. At least mine is almost done and didn't get it as bad as DH. I'll be miffed if we get booted off the boat due to colds....

 

[Qball]

speaking of cars...I've got to add "confirm hotel and car rental" reservations...just what I need, no room or no car rental.

 

[allcanadian]

Good idea about confirming the hotel and car reservations. I am sure that it was on one of my many to-do lists that I have scattered everywhere. Qball, what time are you arriving at the radisson on Friday? We are hoping to get there in the early afternoon so the kids can spend the day swimming and we can relax after a busy few days at the parks. I also need to call to see if we can check in to the hotel a little early. I am working both Saturday and Sunday this weekend so I only have the next few days to get everything done because we leave Monday morning. Qball, how did you manage to get everything into 2 suitcases? I think that I need to take some packing lessons from you . Shelley

 

[sandraB]

speaking of cars...I've got to add "confirm hotel and car rental" reservations...just what I need, no room or no car rental.

This is a good idea, I went to do this, and realized I had the rental car booked for the wrong dates!!!

I am sure it would have been ok, but still.....

I also found out the other day my youngest sons birth certificate was only a mothers copy and I needed a state certified one!! we live in canada now, so I was in a total panic!! I have to say...Tennessee has the easiest, most effecient vital statistics department I have ever seen! I can even track the birth certificates travels....if I had needed one here...it would have taken weeks!!!And been much more painful!!!

I read they could have denied my son boarding! I can't imagine if that had happened... I am so thankfull for these boards....I read it here. In canada, the birth certs don't have a "seal" so we really didn't realize the problem.

Both our boys were born in the states, but our oldest also has a canadian citizenship card...which we didn't do for our second....big mistake....now we find out it can take up to 18months to get...so we can't get him a passport until that!!

 

[Ariel&Flounder'sMom]

Is anyone bringing their own snorkel equip? I haven't seen any around here....thought we would look in the states...

would target have theirs out yet?

Sandi

We bought ours at Costco, but we just got home from Target, and yes, they have theirs out now. Of course, we live in the headquarters of Target, so I don't know if we have the same merchandise, but the snorkeling stuff was right by the water toys.

I read they could have denied my son boarding! I can't imagine if that had happened... I am so thankfull for these boards....I read it here. In canada, the birth certs don't have a "seal" so we really didn't realize the problem.

I don't understand? Did you fix the problem - or are you still worried? What can you do?

 

[sandraB]

I ordered a birth cert from tennessee....so it should be ok now....

That was just to close...I almost didn't even look into it...my husband was like" that's the one we allways travel with, and have never had any probs..."

The one I have is only a mothers copy from the hospital, we moved shortly after he was born...so I guess I never received the "state seal" one.

All is ok....except I am not totally ready yet!!!

Sandi

 

[princessesrule]

I am so glad that I am not the only one obsessing about this trip. My lists are a mile long! DSIL (whose familiy is sailng too) and I discussing our lists and our spending. We thought we got a great deal on the price of the cruise, but it almost doubles with all the things we want to buy before!!
We leave in a week! I cannot wait. My DDs are constantly trying on their dresses!
DCL here we come!!

Are we planning on meeting somewhere, so we can finally put faces to names??

 

[sandraB]

We have talked about meeting at the mickey pool after lunch.....

I don't know if that works for everyone...but that's the plan for now.

Any other suggestions?

 

[allcanadian]

The mickey pool sounds good to me because that is were my kids will want to be if the weather is nice. I would have a hard time dragging them away to go anywhere else.Did anyone else check in on line? I did that today so I would not have to fill out all the forms that were sent by disney, and hopefully it will be quicker to check in when we get to the terminal. Shelley

 

[Qball]

GQball, what time are you arriving at the radisson on Friday? We are hoping to get there in the early afternoon so the kids can spend the day swimming and we can relax after a busy few days at the parks. I also need to call to see if we can check in to the hotel a little early. I am working both Saturday and Sunday this weekend so I only have the next few days to get everything done because we leave Monday morning. Qball, how did you manage to get everything into 2 suitcases? I think that I need to take some packing lessons from you . Shelley

Hi Shelley
We arrive in Orlando at 1:05pm...pick up rental car, go to some sort of Walmart type store to pick up a few supplies. DH will drop us off at the hotel and he'll drop off the rental car by the port. So I'm guessing we'll arrive mid to late afternoon and start winding down and relaxing. Hopefully go to the pool as well, then supper. So we might see you at the pool. If not, we'll definately see you in the lobby the next morning to catch the 10am shuttle. DH will be tired as he has the red-eye flight that day so we'll probably go to bed pretty early.
As for packing, there are only three of us (me, DH and DD4) plus I have to admit, I did not pack for the whole 12 days we are gone. I'm planning to do two loads oflaundry half way thru. So we packed 6 outfits each for the day and 3-4 dressy/casual outfits for the evening suppers. Hopefully I'm not over the weight limit. If so, then I will pack the nested 3rd suitcase.
I guess it will be hard to I.D. each other...I guess you could say the closest Disney character I look like IS "Mulan". DH has been told he looks like Rob Lowe (I don't think so) or Patrick Muldoon or even Matt Damon...DD, I've been told is a splitting image of me but with dark brown hair instead of black and of course my brother is coming with me and we apparently look like siblings and of course he has black hair as well. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

 

[Qball]

The mickey pool sounds good to me because that is were my kids will want to be if the weather is nice. I would have a hard time dragging them away to go anywhere else.Did anyone else check in on line? I did that today so I would not have to fill out all the forms that were sent by disney, and hopefully it will be quicker to check in when we get to the terminal. Shelley

I didn't know you could check in online...on the DCL website?