Whoah! We had to pay for lunch today! The Horror! 10/9/11 MR Anniv. Cruise TR UPDATED

[Disney Dreams]

Characters
DH: Not a "Disney-nut," but someone with an appreciation for the Walt Disney Company, its products, creativity, characters, and movies. He is a fan of cruising and enjoys the relaxed atmosphere of a Disney Cruise ship.

Me: The Disney-crazed one in the family. Movies. Music. Parks. Ships. Characters. Songs. Art. Collectibles. You name it, if it's Disney, I love it.

Together, we have spent 20 years going through life's adventures. We have been married for 13 years, as of last Monday. As much as we dearly want children, our only kid is our little four-legged rescued pup. He's our angel and we love him to pieces. Without any kids, WE are the kids. We enjoy spoiling each other when we can, we are young at heart, and we just enjoy sharing laughter together. We like the nice things in life, but also enjoy just being two big kids enjoying the world together. And we try to add some adventure to it whenever we can, even if it requires a bit of creativity.

Location
McDonalds, about 30 minutes outside of San Pedro, California

The Scene

DH and I approach the drive-through window of a McDonalds in our car (as opposed to walking through the drive-through )

Man at the drive-through window: That will be fifteen dollars and twenty seven cents.

Camera shot: Zoom in on DH's face. Shock. Horror. Disbelief. Pan to my face. Confusion. Clearly something is dreadfully wrong here.

Pay-for-lunch??? What is happening?? Where are we?

It is about 1pm Sunday, October 16, 2011, just a few hours after disembarking from the Disney Wonder in Southern California. And we have entered, ack, the Post Cruise Zone!

- fade to black -

And so begins the first afternoon AFTER our seven day Mexican Riviera anniversary cruise from October 9, 2011 to October 16, 2011 onboard the Disney Wonder. It was a wonderful week, filled with new adventures, familiar faces, pixie dust, unexpected events, relaxation, laughter, completing a "to do" item 13 years in-the-waiting, and a few brief moments of panic to remind us of the important things in life amidst a week of fantasy and fun.

And it all started five weeks prior, in a simple conversation over dinner....

Come along for the journey. I can promise some romance, excitement, suspense, and even a small amount of fear and panic. I'll try my best to make it entertaining, interesting, and if you're not careful, you might learn something along the way.

- Dreams

 

[marciemouse]

Looking forward to the rest of the TR!

 

[Kman34]

Sounds like it's gonna be a great trip report...cannot wait!

 

[CitaPita]

This is probably my favorite start to a trip report, ever! I'll come along for the ride.

 

[FergusBC]

I love the start! We cruised last month and it still makes me sad not to get chocolates on my pillow We're hoping for a MR trip in 2013 so will wait with bated breath to hear about your adventures !

 

[namihos]

can't wait to hear more!! my hubby and 2 daughters (ages 2 and 4) are going on our first disney cruise on 11/13!!! thank you so much for sharing!!!

 

[iloverags2]

Ooooooh! Looking forward to this!

 

[LuvEeyore]

Okay, Im hooked!! Im in for more.

 

[Juls2989]

Awesome start!!!

 

[Leshaface]

Signing on!

 

[Snoopygirl]

Can't wait to read your TR!!! I'm still trying to upload all my photos.

Glad we met you both. Maybe we'll meet again on the Wonder some day......

 

[Laundress]

can't wait for more

 

[Donathius]

Subbing

 

[scrappinmom]

I'm in!

 

[Disney Dreams]

Looking forward to the rest of the TR!

Sounds like it's gonna be a great trip report...cannot wait!

Thanks! I'll try not to let you down. First true TR I've done. Hope you both stick around.

This is probably my favorite start to a trip report, ever! I'll come along for the ride.

Aww, how kind of you. Thank you. Welcome aboard! Happy to have you join us.

I love the start! We cruised last month and it still makes me sad not to get chocolates on my pillow We're hoping for a MR trip in 2013 so will wait with bated breath to hear about your adventures !

Thanks! And now that you mention the chocolate... there was no chocolate OR towel animal on the bed last night when we went to bed here at home! What's up with that?? Maybe the dog did something with them? Hmmm.... Something's just not right. And you know, I can't seem to locate the button on the phone that triggers a Mickey ice cream to be delivered to our door either! Bizarre happenings! And it all started, hmm, when? Oh, wait, I remember now. When we entered that dreaded, scary, post-cruise zone!

can't wait to hear more!! my hubby and 2 daughters (ages 2 and 4) are going on our first disney cruise on 11/13!!! thank you so much for sharing!!!

Oh you are going to LOVE it! Thanks for the interest... I'll try to deliver.

Ooooooh! Looking forward to this!

Okay, Im hooked!! Im in for more.

Awesome start!!!

Signing on!

Yay! Welcome all!

Can't wait to read your TR!!! I'm still trying to upload all my photos.

Glad we met you both. Maybe we'll meet again on the Wonder some day......

I can't wait to read it either! Still uploading pics too! It was wonderful to meet you as well! Would love to sail with you again... and dine at Palo!

can't wait for more

Subbing

I'm in!

Welcome all!

Next up... It Doesn't Really Matter Where We Go

 

[Christy323]

I'm in!

I so know what you mean about having to pay for lunch, haha. The whole week after my cruise I kept sending my best friend texts like "nobody cleaned my room twice today," "nobody peeled my shrimp today," "nobody delivered Mickey bars to my room today."

 

[disney-a-holic]

A great start, I look forward to reading more!!

 

[godalejunior]

So I am jumping the gun here...what time did you arrive back in port at San Pedro and were able to get off the ship?

 

[Disney Dreams]

I'm in!

I so know what you mean about having to pay for lunch, haha. The whole week after my cruise I kept sending my best friend texts like "nobody cleaned my room twice today," "nobody peeled my shrimp today," "nobody delivered Mickey bars to my room today."

What's up with that!?!?!? And where IS that room service button???

Glad to have you along!

A great start, I look forward to reading more!!

Welcome!

So I am jumping the gun here...what time did you arrive back in port at San Pedro and were able to get off the ship?

Isn't that like reading the last page of a book first?

Ummm... I *think* people were disembarking by 9am. Maybe? I'll ask DH what he remembers and post here.

- Dreams

 

[Disney Dreams]

I must say I am humbled and honored by everyone's comments on my first post of my first attempt at a true TR. I will try to live up to any hopes you may have at this point.

So, where were we? Ah yes....

And it all started five weeks prior, in a simple conversation over dinner....

DH and I were at our favorite local (Southern California) restaurant just recapping the happenings of our day. After he told me about a big meeting he had at the office, I mentioned, "On a more important note, someone on DIS posted pictures of food from Palo."

DH: Yum. Palo pizza.
Me: You'd eat there everyday if you could.
DH: For $20? Probably.
Me: Ummm... don't I get to come? That would be $40.
DH: You can if you want, but I could eat there without you.
Me: You'd have a Palo chocolate souffle without me?
DH: Maybe.
Me: You know the Wonder is cruising from LA right now, right?
DH: You know we have no money for a cruise right now, right?
Me: Yeah. I know. (long pause) So, what are we going to do with our DVC points that expire in May?
Waiter: What can I get for you two tonight?

And that was it. The seed was planted.

Nothing further was discussed that night about using our DVC points, Palo, or getting back to our beloved Wonder which we had sailed on twice previously, most recently in May on an amazing, incredible, fantastic cruise to Alaska.

Over the next seven days we randomly discussed various plans for using our DVC points that were going to expire. We called DVC to see if, maybe, just by some crazy shot, there were any DVC reservations available on the October 9, 2011 cruise which would overlap with our wedding anniversary. There were.

Hmmm.... And we had enough points to cover an inside or outside stateroom. Hmmm....

But cruising isn't the best use of points.
But we don't have to pay for airfare, which we would if we used points at WDW.
But we can't really afford excursions.
But we could afford Palo!

(Did I mention that you can anticipate food porn throughout??? )

And the seed that had been planted, started to grow a bit.

But we have zero interest in Mexico.
But we don't really feel safe in Mexico right now.
But we don't have to get off the ship.
We could just spend a week on the Wonder.
Would that be crazy?

--- Welcome to conversations in our household over a few days. ---

Who spends a week on a ship and doesn't get off at the ports?
People spend a week at Club Med.
Our Club Med just happens to float.

-- uh oh, justification --

Could we really just go spend a week on the Wonder?
We could eat at Palo.
We could see shows.
We could relax.
We could soooooo spend a week on the Wonder and never get off the ship.
But is it good use of our DVC points?



And then, the final stra - errr - fry fell.

Okay, stay with me here: We were eating dinner (yes, meals are when we actually talk to each other around here! ). We had a basket of french fries in front of us.

Me: I think the cruise is a waste of DVC points.
DH: But in May, we get more points. (moves a fry, representing 2012 points from the basket to a bread plate)
Me: Yeah, but will those be enough to go to WDW?
DH: Yes.
Me: But then we are out of points.
DH: Until the following May. (puts another fry on the bread plate)
Me: Yeah, but by then this year's points are gone. (eats a fry from bread plate)
DH: True. But the following May, more points. (adds another fry onto bread plate)
Me: So if don't use our current points to cruise?
DH: (adds two more fries to the bread plate) Then we have these, which expire (eats them!) and these (points to existing fries on bread plate) still to be used. And more to come every May (puts a giant pile of fries on the bread plate) for the next 47 years.

(You may now thank me for your Sesame Street Education of How DVC Works. I told you that you may learn something if you weren't careful!)

And the next morning, with one phone call to DVC we booked our "Mexican Riviera But We Aren't Getting Off the Ship" cruise onboard the Disney Wonder for our wedding anniversary!

It didn't really matter where we were going. We weren't really looking for a destination. We were just trying to find a way to spend a week back at our favorite hotel... which happens to be a cruise ship.

And we found a way! It was final. Paid. Non-refundable points. In four weeks we would be back on our ship! Woooohoooo! And it cost us a grand total of $95! Well, plus two years of our DVC points. But there are more fries in the basket for many more years to come.

And that is how you end up booking a cruise one month prior to sailing, with no prior clue you were going. (Not recommended for obsessive compulsive planners!)

It's official! We are going to spend a week on the Wonder for our anniversary!

Up next: Let the whirlwind planning begin! 30 days to plan, shop, pack, and go!