Who's in for GREECE and TURKEY, June 15 2003????

[joius24]

MinnieDiva - You look familiar to me. You didn't happen to do the MR cruise last January did you?
Sue

Sue....you look familiar LOL
Were you on the EBTA (2010) or dream (2011) in the last two years????

 

[MinnieDiva]

We live in Happy Valley, OR - just outside of Portland. My husband grew up in Kirkland and we lived in Kirkland and Everett when we first got married. His mom currently lives in Anacortes. We are practically neighbors!!!

Marni

No kidding!! We're actually in Anacortes right now for a swim meet!!! I work up here, too!

 

[o&smom]

No kidding!! We're actually in Anacortes right now for a swim meet!!! I work up here, too!

That's even funnier!!! I was a competitive swimmer as a kid and into freshman year of college! I was a member of the Shelton Sharks AAU team in Shelton, WA from about 11 yrs old. As I got into high school I became a distance freestyler. What's your kids fav event and how old?


Marni

 

[MinnieDiva]

That's even funnier!!! I was a competitive swimmer as a kid and into freshman year of college! I was a member of the Shelton Sharks AAU team in Shelton, WA from about 11 yrs old. As I got into high school I became a distance freestyler. What's your kids fav event and how old?


Marni

DD is 8, and officially can kick my butt!! She's far better on longer distances. Fly and IM's are her faves, but she did an amazing job today in the 500 Free. She's starting to get 10U gold times, so today when she qualified for 3 more events, she earned her way into a meet in Kamiak (Mukilteo) in 2 weeks. Sigh. And...we'd gambled that if she did personal bests and got a gold qualifying time, she'd get a new suit and goggles.....so....we owe her...

 

[o&smom]

DD is 8, and officially can kick my butt!! She's far better on longer distances. Fly and IM's are her faves, but she did an amazing job today in the 500 Free. She's starting to get 10U gold times, so today when she qualified for 3 more events, she earned her way into a meet in Kamiak (Mukilteo) in 2 weeks. Sigh. And...we'd gambled that if she did personal bests and got a gold qualifying time, she'd get a new suit and goggles.....so....we owe her...

Good for her! I hated fly! When is her bday? My DS is 8 and will turn 9 on July 13. Too funny!!

Marni

 

[justhat]

DS will be turning 7 on the last sea day on the cruise - hopefully by then he will have made some friends and we can have a little party for him! That was one of the things I liked the most with this itinerary - the number of sea days.

How fun for him to celebrate his birthday on the ship! We did my son's 1st birthday on the Med cruise in 2007 (technically his birthday was the day after we got home, but who can have too much cake for a first birthday!?) and he loved it.

Our umbrella stroller is on its last legs after carting around DS at WDW the last few years. I think he may be well over the weight limit come next year! But it was certainly a necessity for us at WDW! Good to hear that there is less walking with Disney excursions - we are considering biting the bullet and forking out the $$$ for the ABD add on, once it is released.

Just curious about what you and others have done regarding car seats/booster seats for your children on the flights and various modes of transportation in Europe? My son will be 4yrs2mths on the cruise....I've been thinking (and I know I have WAY too much time to figure it out) that at some of the ports, we might just grab a taxi or such and explore stuff on our own. While I know safety is of the most importance, the idea of lugging around a booster seat is not fun.

Well, last time we did bring carseats, but only when we took private vans for the entire day. And even then it was a total waste as the seatbelts didn't pull out to lock and we didn't have a locking clip for the seats, so basically useless. For a taxi I wouldn't even bother. In fact, we'll likely do some private vans again and not bring anything for our 3yo. I would like to, so maybe our backless booster, but she's super tiny (22lbs at 34" at 2yo), so she won't technically meet the reqs for our backless booster. Mind you, I am one of those, and I hate the term, "car seat nazis" at home. My 2yo is rearfacing, 5.5yo in a 5pt harness, and ~8yo just moved from harness to booster in November. So for me this is huge! But it was just such a waste of manpower last time with seatbelts that didn't work with carseats that I figure why bother? So we'll see with the backless booster, but that would be the extent, and only if I can leave it in one van all day, not carry it around cause *that* isn't happening with 3 kids to watch!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Well, last time we did bring carseats, but only when we took private vans for the entire day. And even then it was a total waste as the seatbelts didn't pull out to lock and we didn't have a locking clip for the seats, so basically useless. For a taxi I wouldn't even bother. In fact, we'll likely do some private vans again and not bring anything for our 3yo. I would like to, so maybe our backless booster, but she's super tiny (22lbs at 34" at 2yo), so she won't technically meet the reqs for our backless booster. Mind you, I am one of those, and I hate the term, "car seat nazis" at home. My 2yo is rearfacing, 5.5yo in a 5pt harness, and ~8yo just moved from harness to booster in November. So for me this is huge! But it was just such a waste of manpower last time with seatbelts that didn't work with carseats that I figure why bother? So we'll see with the backless booster, but that would be the extent, and only if I can leave it in one van all day, not carry it around cause *that* isn't happening with 3 kids to watch!

My DH was certain that our boys would still be riding in booster seats when they went to middle school, but both were finally big enough for the vehicle seatbelt to do its job without the boost by the summers between 4th and 5th grade. And the thing is, the boys didn't mind sitting in the booster, so I don't know why he was so worried. Better safe than sorry, I say. I'd bring the backless booster for the younger one for those times you do have a vehicle that it will be helpful in.


o&smom - welcome to the group.

 

[MinnieDiva]

Good for her! I hated fly! When is her bday? My DS is 8 and will turn 9 on July 13. Too funny!!

Marni

She turns 9 at the end of May!

 

[justhat]

My DH was certain that our boys would still be riding in booster seats when they went to middle school, but both were finally big enough for the vehicle seatbelt to do its job without the boost by the summers between 4th and 5th grade. And the thing is, the boys didn't mind sitting in the booster, so I don't know why he was so worried. Better safe than sorry, I say. I'd bring the backless booster for the younger one for those times you do have a vehicle that it will be helpful in.


o&smom - welcome to the group.

Very true and exactly how I see it. In fact, my oldest opted to sit in the harness cause she found it more comfortable than the booster till November. She still fit either way so it was fine with me. But my husband said the same sorta thing, like, "won't kids start teasing her?" We're lucky that several of her friends have the same harness to booster seat she has, some harnessed, some boostered, so never a complaint or criticism.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Very true and exactly how I see it. In fact, my oldest opted to sit in the harness cause she found it more comfortable than the booster till November. She still fit either way so it was fine with me. But my husband said the same sorta thing, like, "won't kids start teasing her?" We're lucky that several of her friends have the same harness to booster seat she has, some harnessed, some boostered, so never a complaint or criticism.

I think these days that kids just know that you ride in a booster seat until you're big enough to not. We never had an issue with friends teasing or kids at school in the car line. What's funny is that our boys still prefer to ride in the back seat even though they are teenagers and certainly big enough to ride in the front. In fact, one could get his learner's permit now and the other will be eligible in September, so we had to enforce the "you must ride in the front seat" rule if we don't have both adults in the car. After all, you can't drive from the back seat

 

[o&smom]

She turns 9 at the end of May!

Our DD bday is May 22. She will be 2 this year.

Marni

 

[o&smom]

So, in case you want to know how deep my craziness lies, I started a PTR:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2871334

Love your PTR! It seems we follow you around a bit as we were on the last 2010 Med cruise and the last 2011 Alaska cruise as well.

Marni

 

[kmc33]

So, in case you want to know how deep my craziness lies, I started a PTR:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2871334

Your PTR is a hoot! I'll bet my family wishes I would find a way to channel my Disney crazed energies instead of bugging them

Also, had to tell you... I had a similar conversation with my DH on his birthday -- it looks like our DHs share the same birthday!

I am so happy to have a place to come where others understand my Disney obsession!!1 I look forward to reading more of your PTR!

 

[justhat]

Our DD bday is May 22. She will be 2 this year.

Marni

My youngest will be 3yo on the cruise next year. Glad to hear there are some other little ones!

 

[MinnieDiva]

Love your PTR! It seems we follow you around a bit as we were on the last 2010 Med cruise and the last 2011 Alaska cruise as well.

Marni

Your PTR is a hoot! I'll bet my family wishes I would find a way to channel my Disney crazed energies instead of bugging them

Also, had to tell you... I had a similar conversation with my DH on his birthday -- it looks like our DHs share the same birthday!

I am so happy to have a place to come where others understand my Disney obsession!!1 I look forward to reading more of your PTR!

Glad you all are enjoying it! I'm glad to have an outlet for my thoughts....

And Marni, that is too funny that 2 years in a row you've gone right after! Let me know if you wander up this way to see your MIL. We can have a mini dis meet!!

 

[joius24]

Hi everyone,
Was just chatting to an old EBTA buddy...remebering the welcome fireworks when we arrived in Barcelona...
thought i'd share.... they still make me cry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-GJNwEqL68&feature=plcp&context=C33ed300UDOEgsToPDs kJJv8qTRFLpNSxkzGpdLwwE

 

[MinnieDiva]

Hi everyone,
Was just chatting to an old EBTA buddy...remebering the welcome fireworks when we arrived in Barcelona...
thought i'd share.... they still make me cry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-GJNwEqL68&feature=plcp&context=C33ed300UDOEgsToPDs kJJv8qTRFLpNSxkzGpdLwwE

Thanks for sharing! I remember seeing this (or similar) thinking how cool it would be to be "welcomed" into port like that!!

 

[mehaul]

Thanks for sharing! I remember seeing this (or similar) thinking how cool it would be to be "welcomed" into port like that!!

We were on the 1st Disney cruise to go to Estonia in 2010 - no fireworks, just a small band

Our cruise will be the first to go to Greece and Turkey. I doubt Greece can afford the $ for the fireworks, hopefully Turkey starts saving for our reception.

 

[MinnieDiva]

Our cruise will be the first to go to Greece and Turkey. I doubt Greece can afford the $ for the fireworks, hopefully Turkey starts saving for our reception.

I'm wondering if we'll have "media" coverage on board with us? Cruise critic maybe?

 

[finkerbell]

Just booked! I was swamped at work and just found out today about this cruise - oh well, better late then never

This is our third Disney Cruise (Alaska - Klondike Kruisers 2011 & Bahamas 2009). It will be DH Ed and DD Hayley and we will be celebrating her graduation from Law school and Forestry school.

Looks like it will be an amazing trip! Love the itinerary <3