Wonderful Panama Canal Sept 2014

[KyCruisinSusan]

This is a general announcement/comment about WHY I am keeping the FB group secret. I have gotten a couple of comments via PM that it seems overprotective to keep the group secret.

The other FB group that I admin voted to decrease the secrecy - now we are having all kinds of trouble. Since we have links to the FE list which contains personal information on that page, the FE organizer has been spammed beyond belief with request for everything from medications to money requests. All the links have been removed, but the problems still persist. The FE list had to be redone, since the google doc was hacked and all the information was "stolen".

Folks emails have been hacked, and posts have been made on their accounts. I warned folks on the Dis that having the FB group private rather than secret group was risky, and the worst I dreamed of happened.

Because of that - this group will remain secret. I am sorry that some feel this is a problem, but there is a lot of personal information available to all of us via FB. Each of the lists provides the dates of travel, add to that our names and home towns and we are leaving ourselves wide open for thieves. I can go on and on - but the bottom line is, the secret group protects us all.

Cayla

Thanks for looking out for us all Cayla and helping to keep our plans and identities safe.

Has anyone have any experience with shutters,? This is our first cruise with 11 of us going, and for 14 days I would love ALL THE PHOTOS. IS IT WORTH IT..?.
..

Shutters is pretty great. The photographers do a really good job taking pictures of great quality.

The cost for this cruise is $339 for ALL prints if you do it in advance (mycruisephotos.com). Not sure what the price will be on board.
Last year on the EBTA (14 nights) we paid $399 for the CD's and then an extra $75 for the prints as well. There's only 2 of us, so not many permutations but we still managed to get 593 photo's.
This year we have just purchased the prints only, as we never used the CD's.

Mother and I split the cost of the photo package of all prints and the CD so that it only cost us each $220. When you take into consideration that it is very likely that this will be our last really big vacation that we take together as Mother/Daughter it is worth every single penny. We will take advantage of any and every photo opportunity that we can so that I will have memories of this trip for years and years to come, especially when the day finally comes when she is no longer here for me to enjoy spending time with her.

Went shopping today for FE stuff! I need to sign up still but have so many ideas in my head. I am a fairly crafty person and love scrapbooking, so it has been fun thinking of things to make and exchange!

We finished up our FE stuff yesterday and now it's just a waiting game until the final list comes out to see if we have enough or need to grab some last minute items.

You'll never suspect that isn't actually a yogic asana (pose). I'll tell everyone that's why I'm going it, and no one will be the wiser!

We'll be fine. Try it, you'll like it!

Richard

Put me down for the session on our first day at sea then and I'll give it a try. If I enjoy it then I will consider doing other sessions.

 

[bbkeough]

Wow what a small world, do you have kids traveling withyou,? I have a 13 yr old boy and 4 yr old girl

No, this is our first cruise as empty nesters. I do not like being an empty nester at all, but I know we are going to have a great time on this cruise!!

 

[Va-NanaTink]

The cost for this cruise is $339 for ALL prints if you do it in advance (mycruisephotos.com). Not sure what the price will be on board.
Last year on the EBTA (14 nights) we paid $399 for the CD's and then an extra $75 for the prints as well. There's only 2 of us, so not many permutations but we still managed to get 593 photo's.
This year we have just purchased the prints only, as we never used the CD's.

OK, GREAT, MY HUSBAND says "we have a good camera, we will take our own," meaning I will take our own...lol but this is our first vacation, so i am seriously considering it!!!

We have good cameras too, but I want pictures of us together…I want them so we can enjoy the memories…and for our family. I don't have any pictures of my parents together other than the picture of them standing in front of their car shortly after they got married. All of their pictures as well as most of the pictures of my childhood were lost in a flood that took everything they owned. I only have the one because I had it before the flood. A disk is a great way to have the memories saved.

I am excited that we are staying at WDW while the Food and Wine Festival is conveniently happening. Are there any experienced F&W attendees here? I am following a blog http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2014/06/18/more-2014-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-menu-items-puerto-rico-is-back/#more-109379 which makes me think I could be spending a lot of time walking around the world...

This looks like a lot of fun. I understand you need to pay for the samples. Do you also need to buy a ticket other than regular admission?

Just regular park admission, then the cost of whatever you want to eat. We usually buy one of something and split it, that way we both get to try it. Last year, the items cost about $4.95 each. We have never been able to do the whole thing in one day, which is all we have this year, so there will be some strategic planning going on before we get there!

Mother and I split the cost of the photo package of all prints and the CD so that it only cost us each $220. When you take into consideration that it is very likely that this will be our last really big vacation that we take together as Mother/Daughter it is worth every single penny. We will take advantage of any and every photo opportunity that we can so that I will have memories of this trip for years and years to come, especially when the day finally comes when she is no longer here for me to enjoy spending time with her.

Memories are priceless to me. It's my one souvenir I really want. I don't need more 'stuff' or shirts or other things. I want the memories and the photos to spark them!

 

[davidls]

Memories are priceless to me. It's my one souvenir I really want. I don't need more 'stuff' or shirts or other things. I want the memories and the photos to spark them!

Donna told me the same thing about a year ago or so. Not to buy her anything for her birthday, she has all of the "stuff" she needs. That is why I'm taking her to WDW for her birthday and treating her to the "Be Our Guest Restaurant" as my gift to her for her birthday. Of course she knows about going to WDW and our dinner reservation. But she don't know I ordered a special cake to be delivered to the table for her birthday. (I may still be walking funny on the cruise after this visit to WDW!!!) Any way, we are getting the photo CD as well, so we can get pictures of us together on this cruise.

 

[dee slack]

Donna told me the same thing about a year ago or so. Not to buy her anything for her birthday, she has all of the "stuff" she needs.

just like my dad - he says that if he can't eat it, drink it or drive it (!) he doesn't need it - so now we take him for a nice meal for his B'day, C'mas and Father's Day.

 

[Robin"D"]

Hey Gang....

We are 80 days and counting...
Been a while since I've been on the thread....
Are the count/ list being finalist ?

Group for Palo/ cabin crawl/ tastings .....

Robin & Angel "D".

 

[mmbl]

Thanks for looking out for us all Cayla and helping to keep our plans and identities safe. Shutters is pretty great. The photographers do a really good job taking pictures of great quality. Mother and I split the cost of the photo package of all prints and the CD so that it only cost us each $220. When you take into consideration that it is very likely that this will be our last really big vacation that we take together as Mother/Daughter it is worth every single penny. We will take advantage of any and every photo opportunity that we can so that I will have memories of this trip for years and years to come, especially when the day finally comes when she is no longer here for me to enjoy spending time with her. We finished up our FE stuff yesterday and now it's just a waiting game until the final list comes out to see if we have enough or need to grab some last minute items. Put me down for the session on our first day at sea then and I'll give it a try. If I enjoy it then I will consider doing other sessions.

PLEASE TELL ME how you - or your mom- get the other to split the cost of things? Mine offer but I just can't seem to do it! We now, generally speaking, pick up the tab for kids, spouses, grandkids.... They do offer but we always say no; I just find it hard to to do! : /

 

[Cruisin]

PLEASE TELL ME how you - or your mom- get the other to split the cost of things? Mine offer but I just can't seem to do it! We now, generally speaking, pick up the tab for kids, spouses, grandkids.... They do offer but we always say no; I just find it hard to to do! : /

Do you adopt?

 

[Baysurf]

PLEASE TELL ME how you - or your mom- get the other to split the cost of things? Mine offer but I just can't seem to do it! We now, generally speaking, pick up the tab for kids, spouses, grandkids.... They do offer but we always say no; I just find it hard to to do! : /

The same with us Maria!

 

[Va-NanaTink]

PLEASE TELL ME how you - or your mom- get the other to split the cost of things? Mine offer but I just can't seem to do it! We now, generally speaking, pick up the tab for kids, spouses, grandkids.... They do offer but we always say no; I just find it hard to to do! : /

I have the same problem.

 

[Futurist]

PLEASE TELL ME how you - or your mom- get the other to split the cost of things? Mine offer but I just can't seem to do it! We now, generally speaking, pick up the tab for kids, spouses, grandkids.... They do offer but we always say no; I just find it hard to to do! : /

If you decide you actually want them to split the cost with you, then it can help if you phrase things differently:

"Who would like to split the cost of a photo package with us?"

or

"Would anyone like to split the cost of a photo package with us?"

as opposed to

"Would anyone like some of the photos from the package we're buying?"

If you really would like people to share costs with you, showcase it up front, then it won't seem so awkward when it comes down to sharing the cost. Of course, you can't then push them aside and say, "Never mind; I'll get this." You have to want them to pay for what they want more than you want to seem generous. If not, you're going to pay for everything – because that's what you want.

Just a thought. Please disregard if this isn't helpful.

Richard

 

[mmbl]

If you decide you actually want them to split the cost with you, then it can help if you phrase things differently: "Who would like to split the cost of a photo package with us?" or "Would anyone like to split the cost of a photo package with us?" as opposed to "Would anyone like some of the photos from the package we're buying?" If you really would like people to share costs with you, showcase it up front, then it won't seem so awkward when it comes down to sharing the cost. Of course, you can't then push them aside and say, "Never mind; I'll get this." You have to want them to pay for what they want more than you want to seem generous. If not, you're going to pay for everything – because that's what you want. Just a thought. Please disregard if this isn't helpful. Richard

Maybe we'll start with '" which kid wants to take hey, US to Hawaii?" - then we can smile really big! I have a feeling they may all look perplexed and then laugh! Sounds as if we're not alone in the pay-for-all scenario!

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

YOU WILL PAY FOR EVERYTHING!!! The whole thing is like one big tapas restaurant with small plates, bigger than samples, but not a whole meal. Great food, great drinks, fairly reasonable cost depending on how much you can eat!! the special events- which book in August and generally sell out quickly- are not cheap to very expensive. Very FUN event.

Oh that's easy!! I paid for the photo package up front and then she wrote me a check for $220 which I deposited and immediately set up a CC payment so it just moved on down the line.

We have done pretty much everything on this cruise costs together. She paid for the plane tix to CA and I paid for the plane tix home from FL. I paid for all the stuff to make our FEs and she bought that usb power thingy that someone posted about on facebook. We will each pay 1/2 of the tips and we will pay for our own excursions and Palo's. I will probably pay for both of our tastings, which should run $105 each, and here is why.

3 years ago, after my step father passed away, I saw an advertisement at Lowe's for a pedestal washer AND dryer for $728. I didn't have that much cash to fork out for new appliances so I called mom and offered her a deal. If she would give me the money to buy the washer and dryer I would pay for her cell phone, which is on my plan but she had been paying for, until June of this year.

Well, in the past couple of weeks, i got an escrow statement from my mortgage company showing that I was $1194 short on my escrow and that my house payment was going to increase to $957/mo beginning in August if I didn't pay that amount. My monthly budget wouldn't allow for an increase of $147/mo so I called them intending to put that amount on my CC and they informed me that they were unable to accept a CC and needed a check, to which I said that I didn't have that kind of cash available, so I called mom and said, "I have a problem". She, of course, being the mother that she is, and having the funds available, wrote my mortgage company a check for the shortage amount. I really thank my lucky stars that she had the funds available to help me.

My mother and I have a very special relationship that I wouldn't trade for ANYTHING and I am looking incredibly forward to taking this vacation with her. I "lost" her for the 24 years that my step father stole her away from me, so I'm trying to make up for lost time. He passed away in 2011 and we've been having a grand time together since then. I know that sounds like he was a monster and I don't mean for it to sound that way. We just didn't have the opportunities then that we have now so we're playing "catch up"

 

[mmbl]

Oh that's easy!! I paid for the photo package up front and then she wrote me a check for $220 which I deposited and immediately set up a CC payment so it just moved on down the line. We have done pretty much everything on this cruise costs together. She paid for the plane tix to CA and I paid for the plane tix home from FL. I paid for all the stuff to make our FEs and she bought that usb power thingy that someone posted about on facebook. We will each pay 1/2 of the tips and we will pay for our own excursions and Palo's. I will probably pay for both of our tastings, which should run $105 each, and here is why. 3 years ago, after my step father passed away, I saw an advertisement at Lowe's for a pedestal washer AND dryer for $728. I didn't have that much cash to fork out for new appliances so I called mom and offered her a deal. If she would give me the money to buy the washer and dryer I would pay for her cell phone, which is on my plan but she had been paying for, until June of this year. Well, in the past couple of weeks, i got an escrow statement from my mortgage company showing that I was $1194 short on my escrow and that my house payment was going to increase to $957/mo beginning in August if I didn't pay that amount. My monthly budget wouldn't allow for an increase of $147/mo so I called them intending to put that amount on my CC and they informed me that they were unable to accept a CC and needed a check, to which I said that I didn't have that kind of cash available, so I called mom and said, "I have a problem". She, of course, being the mother that she is, and having the funds available, wrote my mortgage company a check for the shortage amount. I really thank my lucky stars that she had the funds available to help me. My mother and I have a very special relationship that I wouldn't trade for ANYTHING and I am looking incredibly forward to taking this vacation with her. I "lost" her for the 24 years that my step father stole her away from me, so I'm trying to make up for lost time. He passed away in 2011 and we've been having a grand time together since then. I know that sounds like he was a monster and I don't mean for it to sound that way. We just didn't have the opportunities then that we have now so we're playing "catch up"

That's really sweet. You sound as if you have a great relationship with your mom. That is wonderful. I lost my mom in 2001 and we just weren't very close- ever; so I am eternally grateful that I am blessed to have an adult daughter that I can count among my truest blessings and a best friend. I'm sure your mom must feel the same way!

 

[davidls]

PLEASE TELL ME how you - or your mom- get the other to split the cost of things? Mine offer but I just can't seem to do it! We now, generally speaking, pick up the tab for kids, spouses, grandkids.... They do offer but we always say no; I just find it hard to to do! : /

Sounds as if we're not alone in the pay-for-all scenario!

We are in the same situation as the rest of you guys. We pay for everything. I think our kids/grandkids almost seem to expect it. Sometimes don't even get a thanks Mom/Nana or thanks Dad/Papa. (Who are these kids...............and where did they come from!!!)

 

[Cruisin]

We are in the same situation as the rest of you guys. We pay for everything. I think our kids/grandkids almost seem to expect it. Sometimes don't even get a thanks Mom/Nana or thanks Dad/Papa. (Who are these kids...............and where did they come from!!!)

Yep, it does seem like most of us are in the same position. Is it a generational thing? I know that my parents/inlaws never automatically paid for everything nor did we expect it.

If we go out for dinner with the kids they will just sit back and wait to see if we will pay, although our son will sometimes step up and do the honors.

There really is no one to blame but ourselves

 

[Thekoeppens]

I'm going to guestimate how many people are members here and on the fb group, then try to order there enough wristbands for everyone. I'll ask people not to take extras. I'd rather do that than try to keep a running count. I'll distribute the wristbands with a checklist at the onboard meeting on the first afternoon, and will accept donations in any amount (in bills only, no coins, please!) from anyone who wishes to help defray the costs. KISS is my favourite principle! See You Real Soon! Richard

We would love wrist bands. I need 4 for myself and husband plus our friends traveling with us. It is their first time on Disney cruise line.

What will you have printed on the bands. I am sure it was posted somewhere?

Thanks for all you are doing

 

[Va-NanaTink]

We are in the same situation as the rest of you guys. We pay for everything. I think our kids/grandkids almost seem to expect it. Sometimes don't even get a thanks Mom/Nana or thanks Dad/Papa. (Who are these kids...............and where did they come from!!!)

Yep, it does seem like most of us are in the same position. Is it a generational thing? I know that my parents/inlaws never automatically paid for everything nor did we expect it.

If we go out for dinner with the kids they will just sit back and wait to see if we will pay, although our son will sometimes step up and do the honors.

There really is no one to blame but ourselves

Same here, Mom/Mema and Dad/Papa are the 'money tree.' I think they were a little shocked this past January when we paid for their WDW tickets and used our DVC for the villa, and all the groceries, but they had to come up with their own money for any special meals and their own cruise. I did buy all the photos and disks for everyone. I think it's become too easy with us paying everything. From now on, it will be the DVC is paid for, but all the rest, you take care of on your own. Because Mom/Mema and Dad/Papa are taking a couple of extra long cruises over the next couple of years!

Oh that's easy!! I paid for the photo package up front and then she wrote me a check for $220 which I deposited and immediately set up a CC payment so it just moved on down the line.

We have done pretty much everything on this cruise costs together. She paid for the plane tix to CA and I paid for the plane tix home from FL. I paid for all the stuff to make our FEs and she bought that usb power thingy that someone posted about on facebook. We will each pay 1/2 of the tips and we will pay for our own excursions and Palo's. I will probably pay for both of our tastings, which should run $105 each, and here is why.

3 years ago, after my step father passed away, I saw an advertisement at Lowe's for a pedestal washer AND dryer for $728. I didn't have that much cash to fork out for new appliances so I called mom and offered her a deal. If she would give me the money to buy the washer and dryer I would pay for her cell phone, which is on my plan but she had been paying for, until June of this year.

Well, in the past couple of weeks, i got an escrow statement from my mortgage company showing that I was $1194 short on my escrow and that my house payment was going to increase to $957/mo beginning in August if I didn't pay that amount. My monthly budget wouldn't allow for an increase of $147/mo so I called them intending to put that amount on my CC and they informed me that they were unable to accept a CC and needed a check, to which I said that I didn't have that kind of cash available, so I called mom and said, "I have a problem". She, of course, being the mother that she is, and having the funds available, wrote my mortgage company a check for the shortage amount. I really thank my lucky stars that she had the funds available to help me.

My mother and I have a very special relationship that I wouldn't trade for ANYTHING and I am looking incredibly forward to taking this vacation with her. I "lost" her for the 24 years that my step father stole her away from me, so I'm trying to make up for lost time. He passed away in 2011 and we've been having a grand time together since then. I know that sounds like he was a monster and I don't mean for it to sound that way. We just didn't have the opportunities then that we have now so we're playing "catch up"

what a wonderful relationship! I lost my mother 17 years ago and miss her every day. Actually, today would have been her 82nd birthday. Yes, she was too young when she passed!

 

[Cruisin]

I lost my mother 17 years ago and miss her every day. Actually, today would have been her 82nd birthday. Yes, she was too young when she passed!

I'm sorry to hear that you lost your mother so young.

We still have all 4 of our parents. My mother is the youngest at 79 this September but the others are 81, 83 and 86. My dad (81) has been in a nursing home since he was 74 with dementia.

My mom is doing good and she is still cruising with us whenever we invite her along

 

[Futurist]

We would love wrist bands. I need 4 for myself and husband plus our friends traveling with us. It is their first time on Disney cruise line.

What will you have printed on the bands. I am sure it was posted somewhere?

It allows for printing on opposite sides of the outside (if that makes any sense) with a max of 25 characters per side, so I'm planning to have:

2014 Disney Wonder EBPC

and

Cruisin' thru Panama

I'm open to suggestions, but this is what I've worked out so far.

Richard