Wild Turkeys and Dancing Banana Heads Cruise 11/25/06

[woogal]

Welcome Dandy and Andy! We're glad to have you aboard!

And BON VOYAGE, KATHY! We are so jealous! But we'll be watching the ship as you cruise off tomorrow. Make sure to wave at the camera!

 

[DutchsMommy]

Hi Andy and Danielle!

Your youngest and friend's DDs are my son's age - which I think is GREAT!! I was really hoping he could get to 'know' (as much as they can at this age) kiddos his age before the cruise. Mommy and Daddy would LOVE having to drag him out of the Club every night LOL! He is a typical 4 yo (birthday in Feb) - LOVES Dinosaurs (bit 'Rainman-ish' on the Dinos if you ask me, but whatever), trucks, hotewheels, being silly, talking about his butt, wiggling his butt, telling really bad jokes - I'm sure you've been there LOL.

Anyway - his name is Dutch. We are Sarah (me) and Stony (dh). Looking forward to hearing more about the youngsters cruising with you!

We took Dutch on the Wonder last Feb when he just turned 3. He really enjoyed the Club, and we enjoyed the whole DCL experience - really great for kids and grownups alike. I am thinking he will enjoy the Club even more this time. Last time he was just potty trained and I was really worried about accidents. He also was just beginning to play with others so the organized activities were a bit over his head. By the time we cruise he will be almost 5 and I think he will find the activities alot more enjoyable, and will really like meeting kids and playing together. Maybe we could plan some 'pre' activities so that the kids can get a head start on getting to know each other. That way, when we arrive we can just get them together and let them take it from there.

Some of us on the board have suggested linking ressies together for dining. I put my name into the hat - even though it is late seating. I am therefore REALLY hoping DS hangs in the Club so we can have a nice adult dining experience! If not, oh well there's plenty of chicken fingers on the high seas - but I think it is pretty likely he will take playing in the Club over sitting in the dining room any day! LOL

So.........WELCOME!!!!!!

And Hello to everyone else. Sorry I havn't been on in a while - been SO busy at home and work. Anyway - exciting news - we bought a new car yesterday and I can go pick it up tomorrow - woohoo. DH works with cars so I have had 'second hand beaters' for YEARS - I am so excited....imagine, new car smell!!!!!! I got leather seats (heated for that warm tushie on a cold morning feeling too LOL!), 6 CD changer, sunroof, cool black colour etc etc. Anway - I'm really looking forward to picking it up (as you can likely tell! ).

I can't believe how fast time is flying - which is good for the upcoming cruise! Only 6 months and a bit to go

Gotta go - riding lesson tonight and gotta pick up DS at daycare.

TTFN

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Congratulations on the car.
You gave a beautiful detailed description about it, accept for the type of car it is???

So if you dont mind, me asking, What type of car is it???

Kathy

 

[disneediva]

Dutchsmommy, congrats on the car. Since Katrina I have been trying to talk the DH into a new Saturn Vue, I think he is near cracking.
Kathy, Tell DH he really only needs I pair of shoes and he can wear those on board, pleaseeeeeeeee let me stowaway.
Wendy

 

[Dandy8]

Hi Sarah, Stony & Dutch,

So nice to meet you. I think your son and ours would get along great. He is into all of the stuff you mentioned and his most favorite is The Wiggles. He always tells me he wants to be a Wiggle (he wants to be a wiggle that wears the color brown - don't ask me why he picked that but I guess he figures there isn't a brown wiggle currently)when he grows up. Hopefully we can all meet up the first day and say hello and get the kids acquainted. My son's name is Jared (he just turned 4 on 4/13) and my daughter is Hailey (6 1/2 - she'll be 7 when we cruise). We can't wait to go!

Congrats on the new car!!! Enjoy!

Danielle

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Bye everyone, we are off to the port.
Keep your fingers crossed the smoke doesnt close any more roads. last night 3 main roads to the port were closed.
The ones that are open now could close at anytime, so all of us who are cruising today need lots of pixie dust blowing our way so we can make it safely and on time to the port.

I will be waving at the 2 palms camera to all of you!!

Kathy

 

[cruisemutt]

What in the world are we gonna do without Kathy for 4 days?? Its gonna get awful quiet in here Sure hope she makes it to port ok.

 

[fourfoxesinpa]

Hello Dandy8 & Andy & Disney Darling.

Welcome to the Board. I have FINALLY had a chance to sit down and update our spreadsheet. Whew! What a big group we are.

If there is ANYONE here who isn't technologically challenged like me and can figure out how to post this spreadsheet on a secure website so everyone can look at it at will, please send me a PM. On the last cruise, we exchanged the link via PMs so it wasn't published. Just not cool to post so much personal information in one place (although everything on the spreadsheet was from this board). If we can't figure that out, I can always email the sheet to anyone if you'd like to see who's onboard so far. Just PM your email address to me.

 

[DutchsMommy]

Here's hoping Kathy has a great cruise. Why is it smoky down there? Are there brush fires? Sorry - I'm a little out of touch.

Thanks for the congrats on the car. I picked it up this afternoon. It's really neat - and NEW! It's a Mazda 3, black, GT with GFX and Luxury pkg. Now - don't ask me what all that means DH is in charge of the details. All I know is it is really nice looking, easy to drive and has a leather interior. We also got satellite radio free for a year in the car - so we'll have to see how that goes. I really don't listen to the radio that much. Mostly with DS in the car we were watching kids DVDs and documentaries about dinosaurs. I now know how to spell and say Carcharodontosaurus and Eustreptospondylus - which is a bit strane, but stranger still is DS knowing more than I do LOL. I imagine it will take me a while to figure out all the bells and whistles of the car, but as a Type A I am about 1/4 of the way through the manual LOL!

Danielle, I am going to tell Dutch about Jared and ask if he wants to post anything to him. I'll mention Hailey as well, but he is in a bit of an anti-girl phase right now. Besides, she is a 'bug kid' and probably wouldn't want to hang out with him anyway. Oh kids - gotta love em.

So, things are good here. The weather is shaping up nicely. We've been around 20 for the last week or two. I think that's around 70/75 (Lampy - sorry your calculator was just to Einstein-ish for me to bother with right now ). It's great to be able to get home from school/work and have Dutch playing outside while I get dinner ready. He wanted the sprinkler on tonight for goodness sake! And being the good mother I am I said 'what the heck' so he splashed til he was blue. I am hoping to pay off the last of the trip in the next month or so. Our dollar is SO good against the USD right now - around the .90 cent mark - which is great for us. When we first went to WDW we were around .65 cents. It makes a huge difference on a trip this big. I can't believe how time is flying. I feel like I need to get on things, but likely will be running around last minute.

Well I better go and get dinner out of the microwave (sorry Martha). Talk to you all soon.

Oh...PA...the new car doesn't have a DVD player. Anyone but one of the portables to use in the car? Anyone have experience good or bad? The one in the minivan was built in to the ceiling, but the ceiling on the new car is too low, so I was thinking about one of the ones you hang on the back of the seat. Then we could also take it with us on trips etc.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Hi everyone, just checking in again.
So are all the people that are linking up reservations just on the later dining rotation? Is anyone doing any linking on the early rotation? Not that I have it yet (I am on waitlist), but I am hoping to get it....last cruise it just really worked out for our kids.

We kinda dress up for pirate night. I have some pirate shirts that we all wear, along with some hats and eyepatches, swords, and the bandanas they provide...I just bring a few for whoever wants to wear them.

We will be flying in on Thanksgiving day on the 23rd, and flying directly home on Saturday when the cruise is over on the 2nd. I wish we were going to WDW for a few days afterwards like we did last year, but I guess I should get the kids back to school! LOL

It's coming up fast. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Hey Michelle, we are flying in on Thanksgiving morning also.....either staying at the Beach Club or Universal....not sure yet! We did it in 02 (cancelled Eastern Magic) and 03...Eastern same week! So yes, this is our 3rd Eastern booking for the week after Thanksgiving!!

 

[Dixielady908]

Hello everyone....Well I Know Cathy left just a few short hours ago, howver I cant wait until she's back to hear all about her cruise.

Sarah, Congrats on the new car.....love the new car smell.

Just thought I'd drop a line and say hello. Thank God tomorrow is Friday...

Have a great Friday everyone...

Denise

 

[TiggerKing]

Hey Everyone! I hope it has been a great week for everybody. Congrats on the new car Mommy!

It has been a great week here in Atlanta. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the 60s. I am looking forward to the weekend, although it is going to mean cleaning out the basement. DW and I are about to start finishing our basement so that we can allow my oldest brother to move in with us. He is on disability and can care for himself, but really can't afford his own place. So, once we get part of the basement converted into a small apartment for him, he will be moving in with us. I am actually looking forward to doing most of the work myself, with the help of a couple of friends. Now, if I could just convince work to pay me to stay at home and work on the basement, I would have it made!

As for going down, DW and I will most likely drive down on Friday. We do Thanksgiving dinners twice on Thursday, so I will need a bit of rest. As for the return, I haven't quite decided yet. I would love to come back and spend a day at WDW and maybe take DW to see La Nouba. I have seen it, and I think she would enjoy it.

Have a great weekend everybody!

 

[Dandy8]

Hi Everyone!

So how many of us are there? We have the early seating and are contemplating moving to the late since my parents and the other family we are traveling with are late and on the wait list for early. I'm afraid the kids will fall asleep in their plates if we do the late seating. On the other hand if we do the late they will enjoy the show better. Ahhh.....such dilemmas! I guess we will have to take naps.

We're flying in the day after Thanksgiving and staying near the port at the new Residence Inn. Anyone every stay near the port? Please let me know your experience and where you stayed.

Sarah, Your car sounds great!!! The kids would love to post.

FourfoxesinPA, Are you from PA? DH & I went to college there.

We're enjoying the great weather here in New York, Sunny & high 70s....just perfect!

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Hi Everyone!

So how many of us are there? We have the early seating and are contemplating moving to the late since my parents and the other family we are traveling with are late and on the wait list for early. I'm afraid the kids will fall asleep in their plates if we do the late seating. On the other hand if we do the late they will enjoy the show better. Ahhh.....such dilemmas! I guess we will have to take naps.

We're flying in the day after Thanksgiving and staying near the port at the new Residence Inn. Anyone every stay near the port? Please let me know your experience and where you stayed.

Sarah, Your car sounds great!!! The kids would love to post.

FourfoxesinPA, Are you from PA? DH & I went to college there.

We're enjoying the great weather here in New York, Sunny & high 70s....just perfect!

Dandy, we ALWAYS fly in 1 or 2 days prior to sailing and stay at WDW DDs enjoy down town and with "Chicago weather" we would hate to be delayed due to snow the day of the sailing!

 

[woogal]

Good morning E1!

So it's finally Friday, and yet another day closer to the cruise. My gosh, this is going to be a LONG summer!!!!

Bill (Mutt) and I are flying in the day before, and my parents are picking us up at MCO and we're staying overnight with them. They will bring us to the ship on Saturday and pick us up when *sob* it's over. Seeing as my dad is one of those "it's-5am-time-to-get-up" kind of guys, for all I know the mutt and I may be in line to get registered at 7 a.m. (NOT!) ... you know, like waiting in line for a concert?!

Danielle, when we went last Thanksgiving with my family, there were 12 of us from 7 to 70, and late seating was good for a couple of reasons. It gave the younger ones time for a nice hour or 2 nap (which they needed IMMENSELY since they were on the go from the minute they woke up) ... as well as naps for some of the older ones (!) ... and they enjoyed the shows that much more. Plus we weren't rushed to get back to the ship at any of the stops.

Hey Ladies ... what are you planning to wear for "semi-formal" night?

 

[favoriteslave]

Good Morning All -

Since its been raining cats and dogs here, we have been MORE than busy at work. (Soccer).

I thought I would write and answer some of the questions that are going around.

We are staying at the Radisson at the Port. We stayed there last year and DS loved the pool. We will probably hang out there until around noon (or they kick us out) I hate carrying my bag with me on the boat so I will show up around 1:00 ish and that I can deposit my bag in my room and so I can use both hands to start drinking with (J/k).

I bought a formal last year, its PINK (which is not one of my colors) but it looks good with a tan. I will probably wear it again. DH & DS had matching tuxes with pink paisley vests that matched my dress. If I can find a red dress, I will be buying and wearing that one instead.

Funny story about the dress: After Dinner I had made a b-line for goofy and lost my DH and DS in the process (had to get a picture), so I start walking around the ship to find them. I'm in the Aft Elevators and a man and his daughter get on. He says look - its one of the princesses. (Talk about being in an uncomfortable situtation.) I smiled and said, "just for tonight". It still makes me smile when I think about it.

Have a great weekend.

 

[cruisemutt]

Danielle? Make sure the kids don't bite the hosts or the servers at the late seating...it puts such a damper on the evening (ask woo).

 

[woogal]

Oh Danielle? Here is an illustration of what it looks like with little ones ... late seating ... no nap.

(I wish you could see how hard she's crying to get the full effect!)

What a great dinner that was ...

If you think that's bad, you should have seen Mutt (he's a bear when he needs a nap)

Tonya: I'll meet you at Signals on 11/25 at 1:01 p.m., K ?

 

[favoriteslave]

Woogal, you are on at Signals. I am really hoping that my bartender is back for our cruise. I never had an empty glass, unless I wanted one.

We had a 8/9 year old at late seating. He did well. Most evenings I had to pull him out of the pool at 730 so that he could get dressed for dinner. Having dinner with Mom and Step-Dad was the only thing he was required to do during the day. He talks daily about our servers and was crying when we left Breakfast the last morning of the cruise. (so was MOM)

ttyl.

 

[LindaBabe]

Welcome Andy and Danielle!

Bon Voyage, Kathy!

We're a party of two, arriving in Florida on November 17th, we hope. We're bringing a pair of Disney Virgins for Thanksgiving week, then putting them on the plane home on the way to Port.

It seems as we age we prefer time for dinner to settle before we go to bed, and even on a cruise, we're larks rather than owls, so we've chosen early dining, although I would like the latest of the early times. WE'd be happy to link - if there's anyone who doesn't mind 'middleaged with no kids' at their table :lol:

What to wear to dinner. . . I have a set of comfy velvet clothes - pants, jacket, shell, skirt and (dress if I can fit in it) and will wear some combination of those. I know on the western the rotation to want is PlaPlap to get Lumiere's on Formal night. What is it on the eastern? Edited to say I guess that is eastern . . . I wonder where I ate on the western?

Sorry, I forget what the other questions are - Knew I should have written them down before I started answering. You'll find I can't remember twice round a broom handle - including names. I might as well apologize now!