Video Killed the Trip Report Star: A Little Halloween Magic (Western) Complete!!

[nenner1]

Hello friends, freaks, and fans!

After a very long and painful absence I am excited to announce my long anticipated return to the DCL Trip Report forums with a brand-spanking new and revolutionary (drum roll please) TRIP REPORT!

Right here is where you start, and although I don't have much for you to read yet because frankly I am 8 days from leaving and too stinking busy to breathe.

In any event, this is what it's all about: 10 days and 9 nights of fun, sun, sand, sea, spooks, frights and delights including a 7 night Western Caribbean cruise aboard the Magic for Halloween! On top of that I'll add to the haunts from the Walt Disney World Resort with a stop by Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!

You'll get to see the power of the Dis as our very active and wonderful meet thread experiences more group activities than you could or should count. You'll sail the seas with us, visit the ports of Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Castaway Cay. We'll do really cool stuff like Dis Meets, double the Tricks and Treats, Fantasy Fest, swimming with stingrays on our own private Dis Captain Marvin's excursion, chilling at Nachi Cocom where we take over the beach (also Dis exclusive), more than one scavenger hunt, Pelican Plunging and Springing a Leak on Castaway Cay, not to mention since it is always 5 'O Clock where we are, wasting away at...not one, not two, but THREE Margaritavilles! There will also be a few Tricks and Treats along the way.... plenty to keep you occupied, and hopefully enthralled!

If you're curious about the title, I should emphasize that this is not a video trip report. It is a traditional, very detailed written play-by-play of our entire trip with as many big pics as my Photobucket bandwidth can handle. There will be a video too, but that is only supplementary to our story.

I won't talk too much about us, because, well, trust me, later on you'll probably wish I'd just shut up. But I'm Jen. I'm 36, and I'm a cruiseaholic. I have a few interests besides cruising and those include Disney, video editing and production (a-HA!), digital scrapbooking, fires, and photography. The fires part- just don't ask. My DH is Ron, he's also 36 and sadly he is also afflicted with Cruise Obsession Disorder (it's contagious, folks). We have 3 children, DS Brendan (11), DD Savannah (9), and DD Sarah (2), who very charmingly sings the DCL ship horn "When You Wish Upon a Star", of which you might be subjected to ad nauseum later. This will be our fifth cruise overall and our fourth on DCL. If you don't get your fill of us here, you can read all about those via the links in my signature.


If you get lost along the way, or if we just chatter too much for you in between the segments of what you really want to read, here are direct links to each installment:

PRE-CRUISE

• INTRODUCTION: Not a Pre-Trip Report Pre-Trip Report <--YOU ARE HERE!

• THE BEST LAID PLANS...

• Life is a Highway/This Hotel Room

• It's Really Not-So-Scary!

• Boo To YOU! (Part One)

• Boo To YOU! (Part Two)

• Cocoa Loco (Part One)

• Cocoa Loco (Part Two)

CRUISE!

• Where the Boat Leaves From (Part One)

• Where the Boat Leaves From (Part Two)

• It's My Red Party and I'll Cry If I Want To

• A DISer's Life For Me!

• Bom Bom Bom Bom Bom Bom Booooooommmmmm!

• A Magical Quest!

• This Is Halloween

• Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet....

• Wastin' Away Again (literally....)!

• Halloween on the High Seas!

• A Spooktacular Meal!

• Food, Folks, and Fun (Part 1)

• Food, Folks, and Fun (Part 2)

• No Shoes, No Shirt....No Problems!

• Princes, Princesses, and a Mouse

• 70 Disers...and One Boat (Part 1)

• 70 Disers...and One Boat (Part 2)

• 70 Disers...and One Boat (Part 3)

• Wasting Away Again....Yes Again! (Part 1)

• Wasting Away Again....Yes Again! (Part 2)

• Villains! Tonight! (Part 1)

• Villains! Tonight! (Part 2)

• 100 more Disers...And One Beach! (Part 1)

• Pirates Invade Cozumel! (and Beware of Attack Palapas!) **Part 1**

• Pirates Invade Cozumel! (and Beware of Attack Palapas!) **Part 2**

• Day-O (The Banana Boat Ride)

• Pirates Invade Cozumel! (The Hunt For Buried Treasure)

• A Fiesta, A Siesta, A Piscina, and A Tequila (Oh My!) **Part 1**

• A Fiesta, A Siesta, A Piscina, and A Tequila (Oh My!) **Part 2**

• A Fiesta, A Siesta, A Piscina, and A Tequila (Oh My!) **Part 3**

• Yo Ho, Yo Ho!

• Yo Ho, Yo Ho! (Part 2)

• Splashfest! (Part 1)

• Splashfest! (Part 2)

• Rock Lobstah! (Part 1)

• Rock Lobstah! (Part 2)

• Taking the Plunge! (Part 1)

• Taking the Plunge! (Part 2)

• Ribs to the Left, Ribs to the Right! (Part 1)

• Ribs to the Left, Ribs to the Right (Part 2)

• Til We Meet Again (Part 1)

• Til We Meet Again (Part 2)

• Til We Meet Again (Part 3)

• See Ya Not Soon Enough!

So what are you waiting for? Hop onboard Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Cruise!

Happy Halloween!
Jen

[livingis2me]

Oh no, not a PTR!!! Ok, Ok, it's not really a PTR.

Being one of the cast of characters I hope this is a great trip and trip report.

[JKSWonder]

Off to a great start so far. Following!

[PrincessTrisha]

It'll be fun to see the same cruise through a different set of eyes.

You have a great writing style.

I can't wait to set sail

[Fastpaks]

Originally Posted by PrincessTrisha

It'll be fun to see the same cruise through a different set of eyes.

You have a great writing style.

I can't wait to set sail

LOL right?! Only like 3 different sets.. this is going to be fun!


Ps I link yours and Sarge's in my thread later tonight!

[Jennifer48]

Great start! I read your last DCL TR and loved it. Hope you have a fabulous Halloween cruise!

[Sccrmnky2005]

Can't wait to read about your wonderful cruise coming up!!!

[MagicMe]

I'm on board at least for the TR - just wish I could see Sarah enjoying all the great stuff on the ship!! I don't think she cared much at all on the last DCL cruise!!

[nenner1]

Originally Posted by livingis2me

Oh no, not a PTR!!! Ok, Ok, it's not really a PTR.

Being one of the cast of characters I hope this is a great trip and trip report.

Oh for sure, as you know I am cool as a cucumber.

Originally Posted by JKSWonder

Off to a great start so far. Following!

Woo-hoo! Glad to have you Jane, I have a feeling we will have plenty to write and read about!

Originally Posted by PrincessTrisha

It'll be fun to see the same cruise through a different set of eyes.

You have a great writing style.

I can't wait to set sail

Thanks Trisha, me either! What a party this is going to be! I agree, I love to read TR's from others on the same cruise with you-its so much fun to get others' perspective!

Originally Posted by Fastpaks

LOL right?! Only like 3 different sets.. this is going to be fun!


Ps I link yours and Sarge's in my thread later tonight!

Cool, thanks for the shout-out! I can't believe you are leaving in just a few days...one week from today for us!

Originally Posted by Jennifer48

Great start! I read your last DCL TR and loved it. Hope you have a fabulous Halloween cruise!

Awesome, a return reader! And here I thought I scared all of those away! ha ha! Glad to have you onboard for this one, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Originally Posted by Sccrmnky2005

Can't wait to read about your wonderful cruise coming up!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by to read! I promise it will be if nothing else quite an adventure.

Originally Posted by MagicMe

I'm on board at least for the TR - just wish I could see Sarah enjoying all the great stuff on the ship!! I don't think she cared much at all on the last DCL cruise!!

Melodie! Yay, finally some DDD gals! This cruise has some big shoes to fill after the last one, but I'm working my tireless little booty off to make it a ton of fun. I actually read your TR installments this morning but I was too tired to type everything I wanted to say so I'll be heading over your way pronto!

Yes, you won't believe Sarah- she has changed so much just from January's cruise. And Savannah has really done a great job hyping her up- I think she really gets it that we are going on a cruise with Mickey. She walks around with all of Sav's sailor Mickey and Minnies, and watches House of Mouse Villains on an endless loop. And...wait.til.you.see.her.Halloween.costume-OMG!


THANK YOU ALL for reading and taking the time to post and let me know you're here! Hopefully I'll be able to go into a little more detail about our plans in the next couple of days, in the meantime I need to finish my Dis'ing and get packing!

TTFN, Jen

[podsnel]

Hey Jen!! I LOVE your TRs, can't wait to read another one, especially one I might actually be IN! See you at MNSSHP one week from right NOW!!!!!!!

[nenner1]

Originally Posted by podsnel

Hey Jen!! I LOVE your TRs, can't wait to read another one, especially one I might actually be IN! See you at MNSSHP one week from right NOW!!!!!!!

MIGHT be in? Are you kidding girl? You are like full blown co-star status! Are you going to do one this time too? DO IT!

I have waaaay too much to do to be leaving in less than a week. STILL haven't started packing and I *HAVE* to finish the ToT packets since Friday nightsare the only opportunity I get to bamboozle the office copy machine.

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by nenner1

MIGHT be in? Are you kidding girl? You are like full blown co-star status! Are you going to do one this time too? DO IT!

I have waaaay too much to do to be leaving in less than a week. STILL haven't started packing and I *HAVE* to finish the ToT packets since Friday nightsare the only opportunity I get to bamboozle the office copy machine.

Is it possible for me to do the copying? To help you? Can you send me graphics or something via email? You have done so MUCH to make this cruise magical for ALL of us (and there's a LOT of ALL OF USes in our DIS thread!!). Thanks for all the hard work- the ToT is going to be AWESOME!!!

Can't wait for our 11 year olds to meet- I hope they become good buddies.

Also, VERY glad to hear I'll be in co-star status... because I am plannin on havin' a LOT of fun with YOU!!

Of COURSE I'll be doing a TR- I am trying to get as much done of my current one as I can so I don't have to write 2 at once- I've done that before, and it's not so easy...

So happy you suggested Nachi, too- have you seen TA lately? The recent reviews look better- I was looking at all the photos last night, what a great day that's going to be!

Good luck p[acking, and please let me know if I can make the copies for you-

E

[dizney-cruiser]

I love the name!!

Memo to self: Don't do anything to cause Jen to write about me . . .

[nenner1]

Originally Posted by podsnel

Is it possible for me to do the copying? To help you? Can you send me graphics or something via email? You have done so MUCH to make this cruise magical for ALL of us (and there's a LOT of ALL OF USes in our DIS thread!!). Thanks for all the hard work- the ToT is going to be AWESOME!!!

Oh you're a doll. Actually I am sending it out today to everyone so they have a chance to read it before the cruise and (hopefully understand what the heck we've got going on!) once I finish the cover pages for everybody. I do have you listed as a volunteer, it is you or Pods? I haven't looked at my volunteer list for awhile, I'm not even sure exactly where I have you (or him). There isn't much copying at this point-just the few pages in the packet that are similar. I've just been procrastinating on it since it was a lot to put together and try to make it as simple as possible but frankly I don't think I succeeded! It's like 6 pages long!

Can't wait for our 11 year olds to meet- I hope they become good buddies.

Oh totally! They will have a blast!

Also, VERY glad to hear I'll be in co-star status... because I am plannin on havin' a LOT of fun with YOU!!

MOST definitely!

Of COURSE I'll be doing a TR- I am trying to get as much done of my current one as I can so I don't have to write 2 at once- I've done that before, and it's not so easy...

No doubt, I have enough trouble with one!

So happy you suggested Nachi, too- have you seen TA lately? The recent reviews look better- I was looking at all the photos last night, what a great day that's going to be!

That's great! Ron was really concerned our massive monstrosity of Dis crazies would overwhelm them so he emailed and they promised they will be staffed to handle the crowds. We'll see. I'm sure once those drinks start flowing we will be just fiiine!

Good luck p[acking, and please let me know if I can make the copies for you-

E

Oh thanks so much, but like I said several pages of each packet are different so I will just print those here and copy the ones that are the same for all and then assemble them at work (shhhhhh ). I only have 3 more days of work left, can I get a whoop-whoop!?!?

Enjoy your packing too!!!

Ha! I AM starting today.

Originally Posted by dizney-cruiser

I love the name!!

Memo to self: Don't do anything to cause Jen to write about me . . .

Hey now....I DO have stuff to write about you, TONS of praise for all of your hard work, keeping the roll call straight and maintaining Posts 1 and 4 in all the awesomeness they are. I can't express how easy it has made things for me to just pop there anytime I need to reference anything. I even have it saved offline so I could go over stuff at work. Taking over the FE and making those terrific Deck Plans was wonderful, and you did a great job..I know you were working so hard!!! THANK YOU!

And don't even think you've read the last of yourself! Bwahahaha!

[Tinkerkell123]

Subbing! Can't wait to hear all about it!!