PrincessSophiesMom
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2011
Hi Everyone and welcome to my pre-trip report! We have 29 days to go until our cruise on the Wonder!
I’m Linda, also known as PrincessSophiesMom around these parts. I’ve been a disboard stalker for quite a while, but did not join until several months ago. I initially joined because we were considering DLR APs (which we got and love) and became much more active when we considered sailing. I’m married to my favorite nerd, Kevin and we have a DD we love to pieces, Sophie. We currently live in Anaheim, CA and go to DLR quite a bit. We’re not really drinkers, but we are serious eaters
(food pics will be aplenty).
Cast of Characters
Family Holiday Photo 2011: Sophie, Kevin + Linda (photo by Alice Hu Photography
Linda (Super Planner/SP from here on out): that’s me, I’m mommy! I’m 25 (will be 26 at the time of sailing) and I am a work-at-home-mom (WAHM). I operate a boutique events design & coordination firm in Orange County, California. I have an office, but try to go there as infrequently as possible, preferring to work from home with my two year old. My favorite restaurants are LudoBites, Bruxie, Napa Rose and Bottega Louie. I am a clotheshorse (vintage specifically). I have never, ever cruised and have had a hit-and-miss history with motion sickness. I am a wee bit worried about being stuck on a boat for 7 whole days! In regards to the nickname, I am a super planner. It comes with the job, I was born this way. I have spreadsheets galore for this trip, and every trip really. I love to research and plan and execute. Luckily, DH puts up with this, enjoys it really. P.S. This is my very first cruise, ever! CSULB alum (shoutout to LeshaFace)
Kevin (Overwhelmed Husband/OH): this is DH, he’s 29 and a code monkey. Specifically, he is a software engineer. His parents are seasoned travelers so he has been on a cruise before. He rather enjoys it, but we’ve never been on a cruise prior to this because I have never been into “relaxing” on vacation. I’m generally a work hard, play hard kind of gal. That changed a bit when I had DD, now I’d like to come home from a vaca refreshed, not exhausted. DH is quite relieved, thrilled really. We share a love for food, and he’s excited to try some restaurants we’ve found good reviews for in PV and Cabo. He’s actively dieting right now so he can pig out on the ship. DH is a huge football fan! I mean huge, and he’s a Patriots fan (please don’t flame him, he grew up in New England and he’s loved them faithfully since they were terrible). I was going to book the Valentine’s cruise instead because I thought he’d want to be home for Super Bowl Sunday. Well then he heard that the ship actually celebrates the game (and most of his Super Bowl watching buddies aren’t in our area) so he was all for sailing on game day. I didn’t particularly want to go on Valentine’s week because I figured it would be more crowded. February 5 worked out perfectly. P.S. he’s jokingly overwhelmed, not actually overwhelmed. He isn’t much of a planner and thinks my spreadsheets are funny. (Harvey Mudd alum)
Sophie (Camera Hog/CH): this is DD, she’ll be 2.5 at the time of sailing. She’s been potty trained since 24 months so she’ll be able to enjoy most of the pools. Being a SoCal baby, born and raised, she loves swimming pools and ice cream (luckily these two things will be readily available on Deck 9). She’s a good mix of girlie girl and tom boyish adventurer. Her style of dress? Girlie girl to the max (hasn’t met a tutu she doesn’t like). However, when it comes to exploration, she will climb and do just about anything. She is a bit shy, so if you see us on the ship and you’re in a big group, you may find her koala-ing. If you’re in a small group, and especially if you have a child near her age, she’ll be all over you. Despite her timidness at times, if you have a camera, she is the biggest camera hog we know. She was so happy when I got the iPhone 4s. It’s simple enough for her to operate so she wants her photo taken, she wants to look at her photos and then she wants to take poorly aimed photos of those around her (Gymboree enthusiast)
How This Trip Came to Be
I have always been a Disney fanatic!
Mickey's Halloween Party 2011: Sophie is Boo
DH wasn’t raised with the same love for Disney (his parents hate lines, or ques as his British educated father calls them), but when he first went with me in 2004, he was hooked. Disneyland is a perpetually happy place for us, with pixie dust everywhere. We use it as our escape on stressful days and we always come home feeling wonderful. A few months back, life was getting pretty hectic and stressful. He was busy at work, I was a bit overextended with work. To boot, we have certain special circumstances that we were dealing with at home. Anyone who has family or friends with special needs or mental illness knows what I’m talking about. Point is, we needed a vacation! Pop, in comes an email from Disney Cruise Lines. It says “KIDS SAIL FREE”. At first, I thought, hmm, well, that’s nice, and closing email. A few hours later, I’m talking to OH about how nice a Disney Cruise sounds, oh but he’d never be able to take a whole week off from work, and blah blah blah. OH works for a tech boom type company and hates to take time off! He swears it just isn’t worth it because by the time he gets back, there’s just way too much waiting for him. Well, what do you know, but he asks, why not book?! I start doing some research, ooh, looking pretty promising, we could totally do a Navigator’s Verandah on Deck 7 conveniently located near the secret deck, elevators AND drink station. Initially, I didn’t realize you could put down a refundable deposit, so I frantically contacted my friend (OH’s superior’s wife) and ask her to ask her DH if OH can have the week of Feb 5 off from work. Woohoo! I’ve booked the lowest category cabin we’d be happy with, and I’m going to try to upgrade to a full (glass) verandah or one bedroom suite at port. Unfortunately, all the one bedroom suites look booked, so that isn’t looking likely. I think I still may have a chance at a full verandah though. We won’t be devastated if we’re still in a Navigator’s Verandah. Point is, we’re going on a Disney Cruise. One very blissful week at sea! Let’s hope I don’t get hit with mal de mer.
I hope you’ll join me on our first Disney Cruise Line adventure!
It’s my birthday as of 3 minutes ago, yay, and since we share a hometown with Mickey, I’m going to celebrate by going to Disneyland in about 10-12 hours! I’ll keep you posted
Family Photo in Front of the Castle
Special thanks to LeshaFace whose effervescent and entertaining trip reports inspired me to write my own! And she very generously allowed me to mimic her TRs.
My DD whom I LOVE (photo by Sarah K Chen)
SHORTCUTS
The FE & New Friends
I’m Linda, also known as PrincessSophiesMom around these parts. I’ve been a disboard stalker for quite a while, but did not join until several months ago. I initially joined because we were considering DLR APs (which we got and love) and became much more active when we considered sailing. I’m married to my favorite nerd, Kevin and we have a DD we love to pieces, Sophie. We currently live in Anaheim, CA and go to DLR quite a bit. We’re not really drinkers, but we are serious eaters
(food pics will be aplenty). Cast of Characters
Family Holiday Photo 2011: Sophie, Kevin + Linda (photo by Alice Hu Photography
Linda (Super Planner/SP from here on out): that’s me, I’m mommy! I’m 25 (will be 26 at the time of sailing) and I am a work-at-home-mom (WAHM). I operate a boutique events design & coordination firm in Orange County, California. I have an office, but try to go there as infrequently as possible, preferring to work from home with my two year old. My favorite restaurants are LudoBites, Bruxie, Napa Rose and Bottega Louie. I am a clotheshorse (vintage specifically). I have never, ever cruised and have had a hit-and-miss history with motion sickness. I am a wee bit worried about being stuck on a boat for 7 whole days! In regards to the nickname, I am a super planner. It comes with the job, I was born this way. I have spreadsheets galore for this trip, and every trip really. I love to research and plan and execute. Luckily, DH puts up with this, enjoys it really. P.S. This is my very first cruise, ever! CSULB alum (shoutout to LeshaFace)
Kevin (Overwhelmed Husband/OH): this is DH, he’s 29 and a code monkey. Specifically, he is a software engineer. His parents are seasoned travelers so he has been on a cruise before. He rather enjoys it, but we’ve never been on a cruise prior to this because I have never been into “relaxing” on vacation. I’m generally a work hard, play hard kind of gal. That changed a bit when I had DD, now I’d like to come home from a vaca refreshed, not exhausted. DH is quite relieved, thrilled really. We share a love for food, and he’s excited to try some restaurants we’ve found good reviews for in PV and Cabo. He’s actively dieting right now so he can pig out on the ship. DH is a huge football fan! I mean huge, and he’s a Patriots fan (please don’t flame him, he grew up in New England and he’s loved them faithfully since they were terrible). I was going to book the Valentine’s cruise instead because I thought he’d want to be home for Super Bowl Sunday. Well then he heard that the ship actually celebrates the game (and most of his Super Bowl watching buddies aren’t in our area) so he was all for sailing on game day. I didn’t particularly want to go on Valentine’s week because I figured it would be more crowded. February 5 worked out perfectly. P.S. he’s jokingly overwhelmed, not actually overwhelmed. He isn’t much of a planner and thinks my spreadsheets are funny. (Harvey Mudd alum)
Sophie (Camera Hog/CH): this is DD, she’ll be 2.5 at the time of sailing. She’s been potty trained since 24 months so she’ll be able to enjoy most of the pools. Being a SoCal baby, born and raised, she loves swimming pools and ice cream (luckily these two things will be readily available on Deck 9). She’s a good mix of girlie girl and tom boyish adventurer. Her style of dress? Girlie girl to the max (hasn’t met a tutu she doesn’t like). However, when it comes to exploration, she will climb and do just about anything. She is a bit shy, so if you see us on the ship and you’re in a big group, you may find her koala-ing. If you’re in a small group, and especially if you have a child near her age, she’ll be all over you. Despite her timidness at times, if you have a camera, she is the biggest camera hog we know. She was so happy when I got the iPhone 4s. It’s simple enough for her to operate so she wants her photo taken, she wants to look at her photos and then she wants to take poorly aimed photos of those around her
(Gymboree enthusiast)How This Trip Came to Be
I have always been a Disney fanatic!
Mickey's Halloween Party 2011: Sophie is Boo
DH wasn’t raised with the same love for Disney (his parents hate lines, or ques as his British educated father calls them), but when he first went with me in 2004, he was hooked. Disneyland is a perpetually happy place for us, with pixie dust everywhere. We use it as our escape on stressful days and we always come home feeling wonderful. A few months back, life was getting pretty hectic and stressful. He was busy at work, I was a bit overextended with work. To boot, we have certain special circumstances that we were dealing with at home. Anyone who has family or friends with special needs or mental illness knows what I’m talking about. Point is, we needed a vacation! Pop, in comes an email from Disney Cruise Lines. It says “KIDS SAIL FREE”. At first, I thought, hmm, well, that’s nice, and closing email. A few hours later, I’m talking to OH about how nice a Disney Cruise sounds, oh but he’d never be able to take a whole week off from work, and blah blah blah. OH works for a tech boom type company and hates to take time off! He swears it just isn’t worth it because by the time he gets back, there’s just way too much waiting for him. Well, what do you know, but he asks, why not book?! I start doing some research, ooh, looking pretty promising, we could totally do a Navigator’s Verandah on Deck 7 conveniently located near the secret deck, elevators AND drink station. Initially, I didn’t realize you could put down a refundable deposit, so I frantically contacted my friend (OH’s superior’s wife) and ask her to ask her DH if OH can have the week of Feb 5 off from work. Woohoo! I’ve booked the lowest category cabin we’d be happy with, and I’m going to try to upgrade to a full (glass) verandah or one bedroom suite at port. Unfortunately, all the one bedroom suites look booked, so that isn’t looking likely. I think I still may have a chance at a full verandah though. We won’t be devastated if we’re still in a Navigator’s Verandah. Point is, we’re going on a Disney Cruise. One very blissful week at sea! Let’s hope I don’t get hit with mal de mer.
I hope you’ll join me on our first Disney Cruise Line adventure!
It’s my birthday as of 3 minutes ago, yay, and since we share a hometown with Mickey, I’m going to celebrate by going to Disneyland in about 10-12 hours! I’ll keep you posted
Family Photo in Front of the Castle
Special thanks to LeshaFace whose effervescent and entertaining trip reports inspired me to write my own! And she very generously allowed me to mimic her TRs.
My DD whom I LOVE (photo by Sarah K Chen)
SHORTCUTS
The FE & New Friends
