Coffee on the Verandah - Let the Festival Begin - 5/13

[KatMark]

Well, it sounds as if it is about what you expected. Maybe in the New Year you can convince him to slow down.

[mickeystoontown]

I'm glad to hear that your Dad did well through the procedure. It's so very hard to wait on news from the doctors and hospital staff. I hated to hear that it sounds like ya'll will go through this every six months or so. I'll be sure to keep your nephew and dad in my prayers.

[rndmr2]

Sounds like you had a nice first dinner! That's great you ended up with nice table mates, that's always a good thing.

Great pics of the room, that's good you posted them, I have never seen any with all the beds set up either, usually it's just with the main bed set up and then a floor plan.

Glad to hear your dad's procedure went ok and that your nephew is on the right track with his new doc.

[MAGICFOR2]

Happy to hear the procedure went well, and they were able to open the artery for now. Thanks for the update.

[MEK]

Glad your dad is OK. Well, it could be worse, right? It just must be very frustrating dealing with this chronic occlusion of his right coronary artery. Sorry your parents have to rearrange their trip.

Those firework pictures look so beautiful, but the other pictures I have seen of the crowds yesterday make me very afraid to go to Disneyworld during the New Years. I guess NYE would make a good pool day and night.

Happy Planning. Can't wait to see the T-shirt!

[Charleston Princess]

Happy New Year, Cynthia!!!

With some downtime this break, I actually get to catch up on the DIS!

Looks like lots of fun at Vero -- can't beat the price of the mini-golf, and the bikes were something new and different! Can't argue with the joy of having Mickey bars for lunch! Very cute Tervis tumbler, and I love the beach shot of all of you!

Lots of prayers for your family and friends. What a rough time! You wrote a beautiful tribute to Tracy -- I was crying buckets. We will all miss her.

Aulani? Score!

What a pain about the ice before boarding. Thank goodness the retainer was found. My heart stopped when I read that it was left behind!

I have never seen The Hunchback of Notre Dame, either.

[englishrose47]

Glad you Dad survived the test and is sorta okay!!!Loved the updates !The Gplden Mickeys looks awesome !! Question you can request which restaurant you go to twice ??? I definately need some input on all that sorta stuff !!I am pretty sure we will get the early seating , and with 10 of us prolly wont have table guests !!!

[dizneeat]

First off, glad to hear that your dad is doing okay!

I loved the update! And I had to laugh about your comment of the bag being in the way. We were in the same type of stateroom and only two people and we tried to cram everything under the bed as otherwise it felt crowded in the room.

Maybe next time we should use the pull down bed as well. We usually use the couch as our second bed. Are there any differences between the two?

As for the whistling door - we had one of those too on our summer cruise, but we found once we locked the door it stopped.

Thank you so much for all those cruise updates - it makes me so longing for our February cruise!

[GreatBiscuit]

Finally got caught back up! The ice fiasco had me cracking right up. Glad to hear the DVC purchase worked out. Looking forward to more!

[addictedtothemouse]

Oh my. That was some mess trying to get your add-on. Yea for pixie dust and knowledgeable cast members.

[PracPerfPatricia]

Sorry and glad to hear about your Dad Cynthia...sorry he & your family has to go through all of this but glad that he is pretty much ok...

Wow... must have been weird for Jeff and you to know he had another wife at your Dinner... It sounds like they were lovely table mates...That must have been hard and awkward for her as well...Your meal sounds lovely though...

Fabulous looking show...

Nice to know that Em isn't the only one who believes her suitcase is a piece of furniture on trips...

[2xcited2sleep]

Happy to hear good news on your nephew and that the procedure went well for your Dad. Maybe slowing down will be one of his new year's resolutions. Very cool that the family brought up your New Year's trip... looking forward to seeing the t-shirt design.

Thanks for posting the pictures of the family suite. It really does look very spacious... I am impressed!

I hadn't realized that you could be as specific in your dining requests as asking to be seated with families with kids of specific ages... good to know! Is it also possible to ask to be seated by yourselves or are all the dining room tables for larger groups?

GORGEOUS Illuminations pictures. I've been hearing rumors of an Illuminations refurb... not sure how I feel about that. By far my favorite fireworks show.

[glennbo123]

Oh yes, I can see that that duffel bag is going to be a problem. Looking forward to that story.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by KatMark

Cynthia, I just wanted to stop by and wish you and your beautiful family a very Happy New Year.

Ninja post! Happy New Year Kathy!

Originally Posted by KatMark

I was posting a "Happy New Year" post to you and you were posting your update.

The show looks really cute and how neat that Raphunzel was in the balcony next to you.

It was really neat and surprising, she was definitely an addition to the show since we saw it on the Wonder.

Originally Posted by KatMark

The room looks plenty big for the three kids...well, except for that bag (I have a child who lives out of a suitcase and drives me nuts in the process ).

Glad you had a good dinner and that you enjoyed the adult comedy show.

It really was, at least for sleeping and if that bag had been away, fine when everyone was up and in the stateroom as well. They did a lovely job on the Dream raising the master bed, we fit all our suitcases under there, it was wonderful!

Originally Posted by rentayenta

Happy New Year Cynthia.

Jeff was right, thank you for the shot of the bed layout in the family suite. I have been under the impression my family would have to get 2 cabins when pricing out cruises. I know with two cabins we'd have an extra bathroom but the family suite has got to be less expensive than one interior and one with a balcony, right? Maybe I'm up in the night.

Belle is one of my favorites too.

You really would all fit in one. The master is raised so all the suitcases fit under the bed. The bathroom is a split bathroom plus you have a mirror and outlets over by the couch/kids bed. It would be cheaper plus with one interior and one verandah the best you could get is across the hall, you can't get adjoining.

Originally Posted by Mndisneygirl

Nice update! I liked the Golden Mickeys too - not my all time fave, but it was a fun show - cool that Rapunzel was up by you!

I know what you mean about the camera settings. I really wish I could find time to learn mine better. I know it has the capability - it's just user "issues"!

Someday. Maybe I will make that a plane project on the way to Aulani. I can kid myself, right?

Originally Posted by Mndisneygirl

I hope on our next cruise our kids enjoy some time on their own too.
Funny about the wine at dinner! I guess if she's a wine drinker, she appreciates it. At least she helped work on those three bottles!

So the set up of the beds - was that curtain next to the murphy bed the verandah door?

I hope your feet get better soon!!

Well she had a glass, the first night. I helped the rest of the cruise.

Yes, the curtain next to the beds was the verandah door. I didn't do a good job of capturing the rest of the room, there is another curtain between the master and the kids area that is closed at night. Love that! Same as the Wonder. Same split bath but it was the round shower which was really roomy!

Originally Posted by Disney9.9.10

The Golden Mickey's looks like such a cute show. What an adventure at dinner - pouring wine for the wrong guest I'm glad that you had such good table mates though.

Also, Happy New Year to you and your family!!

She was a super good sport about it, it was funny. Happy New Year to you and yours!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by MEK

I'm so glad your nephew found a new cardiologist and has been started on appropriate meds. All I can think is the old doctor was waiting for his ejection fraction to change before referring him to a specialist. But I agree that he should have been under the correct specialist care all along. I hope that his next echocardiogram brings good news!

The interesting thing is we are not at all sure than anything had in fact had changed.

Originally Posted by MEK

I hope your dad is making out OK with his cath today. Fingers crossed.

He got home about noon today, doing well. They did postpone their trip but hopefully only by a week.

Originally Posted by MEK

Great update. Thanks for the picture of how the family suite looks. I was curious about that.

The sunset from the verandah looks beautiful!

Wow - that show looks great. I didn't know you could take pictures of the show. It looks pretty cool.

I did a good job on the 3 beds, not so much on the rest of it! No flash photos but yes, other than that you could take pics.

Originally Posted by MEK

Too funny about the wine. What a way to get an unexpected glass of wine.

Dinner sounds yummy. I guess I'll excuse you for not posting food pics.

I just felt odd first night in front of new people plus we were kind of focused on celebrating K's birthday. It was yummy, I think you will like it!

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

Happy New Year! We are just laying low after our kids have left. I am glad to hear your nephew has a new doc and a treatment plan. I hope the new meds help. And I hope your Dad did okay with the angio? Interesting that his heart "makes new bypass" I didn't know it would do that. Amazing. Glad to hear he is okay for now.
Well, you've made it through your first night. Sounds like you are settling in nicely. I am wondering what your impression of Enchanted Garden is - did you think it was as impressive as the ads look? Too funny about the waiter serving your wine to your tablemate! They usually have everyone all figured out in advance. Someone didn't do their homework. Looking forward to your Nassau day!

I thought it looked about the same, or less, than the adds. A few of the lights were out and that really bugged me at the time. It is pretty, I just think the Royal Palace is prettier. It was bizarre about the wine and frankly I think Jeff was a little offended as truthfully the other mom was noticeably a bit older than I but given that I wasn't seated near her girls, the whole thing really made no sense. She was a great sport, it was funny.

Originally Posted by mickeystoontown

Although I'm sure that ya'll hoped that it would have happened sooner, it sounds like the new doctor is just what your nephew needed.

I think so. Our biggest fear is that his dad may well not enforce him taking his meds when he is there so we will see how effective they really are. He tends to fall into the "he's fine, you are overreacting" camp.

Originally Posted by mickeystoontown

I had to laugh when I saw the "dewrinkling" picture. You'll probably remember my iron "incident" on the cruise. I should have used their dewrinkling methods.

You know, there is very little a spray bottle of water and a few could tugs can't improve.

Originally Posted by mickeystoontown

What a great way to end the evening, good shows and a nice dinner.

It was.

Originally Posted by mickeystoontown

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year Lisa!