We don't wanna go home!!! Nov 1-8, 2008 Magic Western

[podsnel]

Beautiful pictures, Ellen! I know I've been a slacker, but I'm all caught up. And I can't believe it's almost over!

Ok, so really, what happened with the breakfast? Was there really food under all of those covers? It looked gooooood!

I love the shot of the cruise ship in the distance - looks like it's sitting on the trees!

ps - did Pods go to the game on Sunday?

Yes- there was really food under those covers- and I took the pic AFTER we sent 2 plates of pancakes and like 4 plates of eggs and 2 or 3 plates of toast back- plus, I think, a bowl of fruit!! And, FWIW, I had ordered this all BEFORE we went to Palo, so you can't even blame intoxication- I am this stupid sober!!! That is what's REALLY embarrassing!

Yes, Pods was at the Giants game on Sunday. How disappointing a game was that? Really, though, as I said on your thread, it means we'll be able to stay out more on Sunday night in St John- last year we stayed home and watched the Giants win the playoffs when we were there-

My DGF, Jane, found the game very exciting- A true Giants fan!

Pods was just a little happy when they won-

Ahhh well...this year they'll just have to watch the playoffs in whatever bar we crawl into!

 

[podsnel]

Back in the cabin, the kids showered and watched tv, while I began the looooonnnngggg process of packing up- the ONLY thing making the packing a little easier was knowing that tomorrow we would be going to WDW- well, that and the fact that on Thursday of the cruise we had rebooked for another western on Oct 30, 2010! That really helped- probably would have helped more if we were going sooner, but still a very, very good thing!!

Anyway, after I packed most of the stuff, I showered and DS9 and I headed to the WDT for the final show- Til we meet again. This was a combo of some of the acts we had seen during the week (comedians, magicians) and the characters in a musical production.

Cindy is still my favorite-

Then some comedy- the Tinkerbell DVD had just been released- but it turns out there's one more new fairy ready to take on the world by storm- the REDNECK FAIRY!

Has anyone met him yet with the other fairies in the Magic Kingdom? Oh boy.

Wow- fireworks again!

A nice show, but I don't think it cheered anyone up!

 

[karajeboo]

Oh, Ellen, I'm crying with you! Say it ain't so! It's can't be over already!

 

[podsnel]

Oh, Ellen, I'm crying with you! Say it ain't so! It's can't be over already!

Oh...it be so.

 

[Camster0307]

I HATE THE LAST DAY!!!!!!!!!

 

[podsnel]

Once again, we were in Parrot Cay for dinner. But, of course, we would be enjoying yet another menu to celebrate the evening. Ranzil & Christian came over to take the drink order, and DS9 just said, "You know" and DS11 got a last strawberry smoothie-

I wanted to try the Artichoke Dip with Sweet onion mayonaisse and focaccia toast-

Very yummy! DS9 ordered some chicken soup from the kids menu-

DS11 had a chilled seafood medley-

he ate all of it but the smoked salmon. DH had Romaine salad with Artichoke chips served with a bacon wrapped date and caesar dressing-

Our table neighbor, who I called Debbie because I REALLY think she looks like my neighbor,Debbie, didn't get a date on her salad- so they brought her one. Our servers seemed a little distracted tonight, and we learned it was because they had a table of 8 or 10 added this last evening. At the end of the meal, one of those passengers came over to tell us how lucky we were to have had Ranzil & Christian all week- whoever they had had all week was not good, they were not happy, and finally said something and were switched to our guys- who they ADORED! Of course... Anyway, here are our table neighbors, I am so happy we got to sit next to them all week!

Debbie...I mean, Mindy-

I really enjoyed her company. The two of us took so many food photographs that week it was like we were the DCL cuisine paparazzi! By the way, Mindy and one of her girls had gone parasailing on CC, and she was over the moon about it- We will have to do that next time!!

Back to the food! DH ate this delicious Seafood Linguini Pasta with Lobster (the tiniest pieces!) scallops, shrimp, clams and asparagus in a shrimp tarragon sauce-

And the rest of us had Grilled Beef Tenderloin served with William Potato, asparagus spears, and bernaise sauce-

Remember a million posts ago I said DS11 had baked alaska in bed? I was wrong- it was something else! Sorry!! Tonight was the big baked alaska parade!

See the woman in the last pic between the two servers? Wearing a striped shirt? None other than....Jenny2!!!

All the servers marched with their flags-

Christian-

Ranzil-

Too many desserts in the next post!

 

[podsnel]

I HATE THE LAST DAY!!!!!!!!!

Not this one, you don't! Because my LAST day was your FIRST day!!! Look out! Pretty soon there's a Dismeet....

 

[TigerKat]

I've been slacking here, been very busy. Your TR's are simply the best, well yours & Cammie's. I hate to see it end....did you say a DIS meet?

 

[bfosbenner]

Dont let it be over!!!!!!!


and....

GO EAGLES!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Oh NO! Last Show - Last Dinner - Last Dessert - and you're already packed. ..... Your dinner looks wonderful - and it's great you made some great friends!

 

[podsnel]

On to dessert!! DS11 and i shared Celebration Cake- a cheesecake-strawberry-vanilla concoction- (DS's FAVORITE is most anything Strawberry)-

DS9 examines a last Mickey bar with sprinkles-

DH dug into Chocolate Decadence, a dessert with chocolate and whit chocolate mousse-

As all these desserts are being served, we kept hearing " Happy Birthday to You..." being sung all over the place! Did they have a run on cakes? Were they about to be dumped overboard? Is this cruise really filled with people who were born on November 7th?

*****Wait! I interrupt the report for this stupid bit of useless Lost/Seinfeld trivia! LOST, "There's no place like home" just came on- the woman in the plane with them, who tells them they're the Oceanic 6? It's BIG SALAD from Seinfeld!!!!!!!

I really gotta get a life!*********

Anyway, what was I saying before I went all ADHD on everyone? Oh, yea- birthday singing abounds, and then... IT'S MY TURN!!!

I truly couldn't fit a bite....I soooo wish I could have! Christian kept on telling me to take it back to the cabin and have it for breakfast in the morning...but I knew I'd forget...Wish I could have taken it off the ship! I could have drowned my sorrows in it in our rental car!

One last pic with Debbie...I mean, Mindy, because they were leaving VERY early in the am, as they were flying home first thing the next day-

We said our good byes, and all left the dining room....

Back at the cabin, Stephanie, our lovely room steward, was haulin all that luggage in the hall away...

What a great laugh that woman has!! Here's our last towel animal-

Our kids were in the clubs, and I think we decided to just sit on the verandah one last time with a glass of wine, and reflect on a beautiful and amazing vacation we were so very fortunate to have enjoyed...

In the morning...we're having breakfast in PC, and then we're going to WDW to do all the things we never did before- so please come back to read! It's not all over!!

Ellen

 

[podsnel]

I've been slacking here, been very busy. Your TR's are simply the best, well yours & Cammie's. I hate to see it end....did you say a DIS meet?

Yea- gee- the most AMAZING women were there!!! Yes- I NOTICED you were MIA and you were sooooo missed!!! Welcome back!

Dont let it be over!!!!!!!


and....

GO EAGLES!

I don't think I'm allowed to cruise with you anymore...you like that AWFUL GREEN team! Our friend, Frank, called(with some other guy) on our answering machine the night before that game and sang the whole Eagles fight song...it was hilarious!!

Oh NO! Last Show - Last Dinner - Last Dessert - and you're already packed. ..... Your dinner looks wonderful - and it's great you made some great friends!

I know- they should just let us all stay on board until we get sick of it and weigh 8000 pounds! But they threw us right off!! No mercy!!

 

[dvc4life]

Oh, Ellen, I am getting all teary eyed thinking that it is over!!!!! Please, more, more, more. I just love your report. Makes me think I am actually back there.

 

[anewmac]

aww its over already LOL.....cant wait to hear the last few hours.

and btw only awesome people are born on Nov 7th... LIKE ME! lol

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I'm so glad you get to have a few days in WDW - that would get my vote, such a softer landing than getting on a plane and heading home - when you leave the ship it's like - "bye-bye, now get your bags and GET OUT!" It would feel so much better to stay in the magic for a day or two.

 

[Leash]

That is EXCELLENT!!! Great for you!!! Wow, I feel so powerful. Just to be safe, you'd better bring me along so I can help influence you throughout the cruise!!

I had DMom read your report and I think she is almost as excited as I am!
I would love you there to influence my trip since you seem to have the secret to the perfect vacation but I just saw that you're going in October 2010 so I doubt you would be going again in early December 2010. Well I will jsut have to use your TR's as a guide to vacation heaven.

 

[A-T-G]

I have loved this TR so much! DH and I were discussing things we could do for my b-day this year (it's between big b-days but, still significant!). The first thing that came to mind was a Disney Cruise! He said we could discuss this idea further (I've been reading him snippets from your TR!).

So sad it's over but, can't wait to see what you guys got up to at WDW!

 

[BabyRN]

Oh my that strawberry cake looked so yummy!!!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I haven't even been on a cruise yet and I'm getting teary thinking about the end!! You have inspired me to definitely write a TR when I get back from my honeymoon.

 

[podsnel]

It's time to get off the Magic.

The phone rang bright and early, Mickey was saying, "It's OVER!!!! Get the *$%# off!!!!" Well, not really, but he may as well have been! So we washed up, grabbed our carryons (including the cute DCL rolling dufflebag I got with all my shop purchases ) and headed to breakfast. We were back in PC- and what was nice was we were able to eat at 8 am or so instead of 6 am because we had the late seating.

I have only these photos of breakfast- just couldn't get in the mood for a food porn shoot! All around us people were hugging their servers goodbye- some kids we saw (including Jenny2's DD) had made pictures or cards for them- so sweet, really says a lot about how fantastic that waitstaff is. Soon it was time for us to do the same, and we wished Christian & Ranzil all goodness and happiness, hoping we would one day get to see both of these great men again.

Then it was time for the mass exodus-

We were all choking back tears, quite honestly I could very easily have bawled like a baby, but I held it together for the boys- and to save my own face! You know what it is, about the cruise that made it so hard for me to leave? Yes, it was a great vacation, but I am lucky enough to be able to say I have had lots of those. It was the fact that, as Mom, or even DW, I am always the Cruise Director- I decide where we eat on vacation, what we eat, when we eat- I arrange the activities, I arrange the transportation, I take care of all the little details that make it magical for my family. But on this cruise...well, Brent was the CD! I was OFF!!! All those decisions were off my plate AND someone tidied my room everyday and gave me chocolates on my pillow at night. We were told when and where we were eating, and it was awesome! Someone I trusted and really liked told my family what we would like to eat. All the planning for what to do was either arranged before I ever even saw the ship, or taken care of once we got on by someone else with oodles more knowledge than me. I just had to show up and start having a grand old time. I was totally pampered and spoiled, it was a unique and incredible week- just FABULOUS...

Ok- a few steps, and we were off. A porter found us, and helped us find the luggage, and within minutes we were at the curb getting into a Budget van and being taken to get our car rental. The driver was a former DCL employee, who was enthusaistically singing accolades about Disney CL- he told us Disney always has a way of making things right, if there's a problem, they somehow manage to handle things so well. I guess this came up because when we left port on Nov 1st, the other ship that was supposed to be leaving at the same time was running very late- they had some problems on the way back to PC. He said, somehow, that stuff doesn't happen with Disney. But it happens all the time with the others, he said. Anyway, our plan was to get the car and drive to WDW, where we would spend an overnight to get over the post-cruise blues. We piled into our rental, headed to the happiest place on earth- but looking like we were on our way to a hanging! I do seem to recall at one point the boys and I were all yelling at DH because he just didn't seem as appropriately miserable as the rest of us. His attitude was "It's over! Move on!" and we were all like "what's wrong with you!! This is the worst day ever!!!" Poor Pods.

Originally we had thought we would go to Aquatica for the day, but we decided instead to just head for the BWV and go play some mini golf.

We checked in, and our room was not yet ready, so after the manager and I discussed the virtues of DCL (of which he was a BIG fan!), we went over to Fantasia Gardens for some golf. This 2 days we wouldn't be going to the parks, we were going to do all the things we always wanted to try on our WDW vacations, but never got around to.

Cont'd in the next post-