July 17, 2004 Magic (Western)

[mousemom218]

Hi everyone!
We are thrilled to be taking our 3rd Disney cruise this year. Last year we did the Eastern Caribbean, and the year before 4 days on the Wonder. This year we are all psyched for the Western. My dh and I live in So. Florida, where we are a mere 2 1/2 hours from WDW. We generally go about twice a year, although I must confess, some years we went more (once you have those annual passes, look out!) We are also DVC members, so we've visited Vero and Hilton Head several times. We just love the whole thing! I have 2 kids-- a 16 year old girl and an 11 year old boy. Disney mixed up our excursion mailing (they sent the one for Nassau), so we haven't really had a chance to pick anything. We're open for suggestions. From past experiences, dd wasn't thrilled with any of the teen excursions, so we may pass that up. But we're open for suggestions!
I look forward to meeting all of you on board!

 

[cathie]

Good Morning Everbody! Welcome Carole..this will also be our 3rd Disney Cruise. You are soooo lucky to live in Florida! We drive down from NH ( about 26 hrs, ) but we're used to it. We also have annual passes & this will be our 3rd trip to Florida this year ( can you tell where we want to be!!) We should all plan to meet at some point..we seem to have kids around the same age. My son 16, nephew almost 13 & myself are looking forward to the Stingray City Excursion with Captain Marvin's. Jeanne ,I'll have my son get in touch with yours. Looking forward to those docs! Talk to everyone soon!! Cathie & The Gang

 

[dznyacct]

I just got home from work and our cruise documents were on my front porch!!!! I am soooo psyched! I can't wait to get them all filled out this weekend. Only 7 more weeks guys!! You better get packing (or if you're like me, you started packing weeks ago!). Everyone have a MAGICal Memorial Day weekend!

 

[MommaluvsDis]

Just got the rest of our docs in today too!! I'm soo excited! yeehaaaaaaaa! Hey we went to Home Depot and got some of the Mickey ears paint chips and are going to put our first names on them and put them on our door! They're so cute; I got different colors for each or us but, of course, mine is lime green!

 

[dznyacct]

MommaluvsDis ~
Cute idea to put the ºoº on your door! I have some of the lime green ones that I attached to my backpack/fanny pack for our last two trips. Can I ask what deck you're on (so I can keep a look out for your ºoº door)? We're on deck 5 in one of the coveted secret porthole rooms. I just may have to copy your idea. Great way to quickly find your cabin.

 

[MommaluvsDis]

We'll be on deck 7 rooms 7005 & 7007. Feel free to copy the idea as it wasn't mine to start with! I stole it from here! I'm going to put each one's first names on their Mickey head with my Dis name under my name. I also bought, from Dollar Tree, some tropical decorations for our door! We should have no problem finding our room, unless we have too many drinks of the day!

 

[cathie]

Hi again everyone! My sis is doing the Mickey thing for our 3 staterooms too. Anyone else up on Deck 6? We're way back in the aft section, awesome area, very quiet. We'll have to look for the Mickey decorated doors on Decks 5 & 7. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend! Cathie & The Gang

 

[colonels cruisers]

Hello all! We (DH, DS (3)) and I are traveling with you. Along with DH's immediate family (Nana, popa, 3 cousins , 2 aunts and an uncle). DH (John) , DS and I are on the Capt Marv at 11:15 with Keenercam, cathie and needsNescape.

This is our first cruise so we are very excited. Driving down thursday night staying at the Radisson with a 10:30 AM shuttle Saturday Morning to the ship.

Any ideas, thoughts or suggestions to make this an even more fantastic cruise would be GREAT! I am a 'tad anal'

Just over 7 weeks left......
Michelle

 

[MommaluvsDis]

I was just wondering as I've not seen anyone post.

 

[mousemom218]

We've gotten ours! Just counting the days!

 

[dznyacct]

Just got the DCL persmission form for Matt (my son's best friend traveling with us) notarized. I also found a "temporary guardianship" form on the internet that his mom filled out. We also had that notarized (also copies of his medical and dental insurance cards). It also covers any medical/dental mishaps (he's had to get stitches twice when he's been with us - hopefully I'm being overly cautious!) besides legally making me his temporary mom. I'm sure I won't have any trouble at all with him, he's a great kid. He actually listens to me better than Jake!

I think Brian's going to kill me though.. I saw the Island Mickey and Friends shirts on sale at disneystore.com (light blue, very tropical, very cruise appropriate), and I got the three guys the shirts and I got me the sarong skirt. Brian does NOT like dressing alike, but these were too cute to pass up and they'll make for such a great picture. Jake and Matt are fine with it (they like to keep the 1st National Bank of Mom happy!). I'm sure Brian will wear it, but will just shake his head at me. Oh well, everybody's got to have an obsession and mine's ºoº!!

I got our lime green ºoº lettered with our names last night. How are others attaching them to your cabin door? I thought about buying a strip of magnets and cutting a piece for each one. Any other ideas???

I just found out that we're having a luau day at work in a few weeks. Perfect to get me in the tropical cruise mood! I'm also helping a friend at work plan her family's first cruise for next May or June. She's begging me to take LOTS of pictures on the cruise. I just got a new digital camera that has a memory card with a capacity of about 700 pictures. I "think" I'll be OK!!

Hope everyone gets their documents real soon. It's so "real" once you get them. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about seeing that beautiful ship. Keep counting down the days!!

 

[keenercam]

Hi, everyone! Bumping this up to see if everyone else has gotten their documents. Ours still aren't here , but we are definitely starting to get into the cruise groove!

Took DSalmost11 shopping Sunday to Kohl's -- buy one get one free on all boys bathing suits, tank tops, tee shirts, athletic gear, and buy one get one 1/2 off on underwear; 25% off ties and 40% off island print shirts. YEAH!!! He hates trying on clothes but loves having lots of new stuff for the trip.

DDalmost 16 finished her last final yesterday and will now be able to look forward to the trip -- have to get her over to Kohl's too, since all juniors stuff is on similar sale.

So, have all the teens and kids finished school? We are now getting ready for day camp and the kids are looking forward to being nice and tanned before heading to Orlando -- less likely to get that wicked tropical sunburn this way.

Anyone going down ahead of time? We'll be at the Polynesian for our first time -- arriving Thursday afternoon. Really looking forward to that -- can't wait to see the EWP from the Poly beach.

Have a great day!

 

[mousemom218]

Hi Cam!
Our kids are the same ages and genders as yours, so I hope they get to meet up. They have been out of school for over a week and are well into the summer thing. DS is away at camp for 3 weeks, so I am going through withdrawal but I know he is having fun. DD is working at a local day camp. We are all counting the days til our trip. We are trying to work in a weekend at WDW, but I don't think we'll make it back til Labor Day. One of our friends saw the new fireworks show and told us it made her cry! Sounds great!

Check in with you later!

 

[cathie]

Hi Everybody! Our TA said the docs should be in today or tomorrow...all right!!! Up here in Raymond, NH the kids won't be out of school until next Friday..finals for the high school next week. My 16 yr. old just got his driver's license....just in time for summer! It's supposed to reach 90 degrees here today & tomorrow..the weather changes daily in good old New England! We've booked our Stingray City Excursion with Captain Marvin's..can't wait. Talk to you later!!! Cathie & The Gang

 

[MaryPSU]

Hi Cam and all:

Yes, we got our documents about two weeks ago (as did the other two families we're traveling with).

Our children have one more week of school ... although we're all into the summer mode at this point! We'll be getting 90 degree temperatures here in NJ this week.

Sounds like you're busy getting everyone's cruise wardrobes ... my family is pretty much done except for ME! I'll take care of that this coming weekend.

We're heading to Florida just one day in advance, and plan to stay at the Radisson. We love eating at Grill's on Friday evening, so that will be a great start to the week!

We'll be traveling with DS10 and DD8 ... and our friends' DD11 and DD7. They are all looking forward to meeting other kids.

Mary

 

[NeedsNEscape]

Hi Folks,

You all sound so organized! I don't have anything done yet -- no shopping, no packing, no itinerary, ...!!! I have to get on the stick.

Heck, my kids got out of school last friday, but they are still suffering from the trauma of it all! They are having "separation-from-their-friends" anxiety. This means having to have a lot of sleepovers.

Anyway, Cathie, I was glad to read that you had some word on your docs since you went through MouseEarsVacation, too. (Or at least, I thought you did.) I was told not to expect mine until two weeks before the cruise.

Mary, I'm bummed because when I finally got around to calling the Radisson two weeks ago, it was completely booked for July 16! Instead, we will stay there the day after the cruise (24). Maybe I should call ahead for reservations at Grill's? ha, ha!

I haven't got around to really figuring out what we are doing before and after the cruise other than we decided to drive to Florida (although it appears to be cheaper to fly) and leave a few days early going down and take some time coming back. I have Harry Potter #5 Book-on-tape to listen to. I figure that will get us all the way to Florida (love the reader). I also have made arrangements at the kennel for the dog, so that kind of commits us to travel dates. For the cost to kennel the dog, I ought to have bought her a cruise ticket! And I still haven't figured out what to do with the cat!!

Fortunately, all of your postings motivate me!
Jeanne

 

[cathie]

Hi Jeanne & the rest of the July 17th Cruisers! Don't worry about not being organized..we usually do an itinerary but haven't got around to it yet. We cruised on the Wonder this past Feb. so we kind of know what to pack. When school's out next week my sis & I will get more things put together. Anyone else staying @ Ron Jon's the night before the cruise?..looks like fun from what we've seen & read. We're spending 2 nights @ Animal Kingdom Lodge after the cruise before driving home. About your cat Jeanne,..we have two & I usually have my neighbor check on them & keep them fed and the litter box clean. It's a lot easier than boarding them but I suppose with a dog you have to. We're officially booked with Captain Marvin's @ Stingray City. My 10 yr. old niece even wants to go snorkeling & swim with the stingrays too! I can't wait!! Talk to everyone soon! Cathie & The Gang

 

[NeedsNEscape]

Cathie,

This is so exciting! Based on your posting, I emailed my TA to ask about the docs. Sure enough, he just got them today and will send them out tomorrow. Well, with the post office closing and the Reagan funeral efforts, I probably won't get them until Monday anyway. DH and the guys and I are on our way to Busch Gardens tomorrow anyway.

I waited too long for Ron Jon's and I couldn't get in there the few days before the cruise. The earliest I could get in was the Sunday after the cruise. So I'll have to hit Ron Jon's another time. We'll be staying at the Holiday Inn that folks posted notes about.

We stayed at AKL two years ago and it was wonderful. The animals are so interesting and I'm not sure why because they just kind of hang around. It was very relaxing and, of course, beautiful.

I usually leave the cat alone but then we're only gone for a week at a time. This will be two weeks. Maybe she will finally learn to miss us?

Anyway, it's almost as good as having docs,
Jeanne

 

[NeedsNEscape]

Hi Folks,

I wanted to ask if you all were going to bring jackets and ties for the DHs and DSs? My guys are very casual (and it will be especially hard to convince them to get back into jacket and tie now that school is out!)

I like Kathy's (dznyacct - did I get your name right?) idea of getting matching island shirts, but I will have to make a really good case for it. But until her posting, I hadn't really thought about taking the opportunity to get a really good family pic done while on the cruise. What a good idea! I'm always the one taking pictures. My DH had the same reaction to matching shirts as Brian, though!

Anyway, since many of you have been on the cruise before (and I do have Palo reservations already),
can the guys get away with just polo shirts and dockers?

Wondering,
Jeanne

 

[mousemom218]

Hi all--
This is our second 7 day cruise. Last year DH brought a tux and DS a suit for formal night. Everyone looks so nice, it's a great opportunity for family pics. Not to mention that DD loves to get all fancy! As for myself, I am still dieting down for that dress to fit! On the formal nights, people get really formal. Tell your boys they won't be out of place if they are dressed up.