Joseph Wonder Cruise (Two Days Visiting Family and Two days at WDW) Pre-Trip About This Page:

[ShelbyJoy]

Introduction - Pre-Trip Report

Agenda:
May 14 & 15 – Visit with Mom and Step-Dad
May 16 – Disney Hollywood Studios
May 17 – Magic Kingdom
May 18 – 22 – Disney Wonder (Me, DH & DD only)

Who:
DH – Jared
Me – Shelby
DD - Joy (3)
Sister - Stacy
Nephew – Gavin (4)

DH and I have been on one Disney Cruise before. It was in May of 2004 on the Wonder, about 10 ½ months before our daughter was born. No, unfortunately she wasn’t our “little souvenir” as the old DCL commercial so innocently referred to it as. But we were hoping! What a cool story that would be.

My daughter has been to Walt Disney World twice since she was born in March of 2005. DH and I have been countless times before. People have made comments about our DD like “why are you wasting your money, she won’t remember anything” or “wow she’s going to be spoiled!” Are you kidding me? These trips aren’t for her…she’s just our little tag-a-long!

Our last WDW trip was in January of 2007. Now that it’s April of ’08, I’m getting pretty antsy! It’s been way too long! Last June we decided to sign up for a cruise. Although we decided during our last 4-night cruise in ’04 that it wasn’t long enough, we decided to once again go for the 4-night cruise since we do have a toddler. We’ll have DD test the waters (pun intended!) and see if she can handle her sea legs. So far she’s a pretty go-with-the-flow kind of girl and we have high hopes.

Once I was finally able to pay off the balance and get online to make reservations, I filled out the Oceaneer Club registration for DD, signed DH up for a Nassau tour (that he still hasn’t decided if he’s taking), and I have signed up for a Cabana Massage on Castaway Cay. Since it is my birthday that week, I decided I had to splurge. We decided to forgo Palo since we weren’t sure how DD would take to the Oceaneer Club. I’m sure we’re going to regret that decision. We're planning on a low key and relaxing cruise…just what we need.

April 22 we received or cruise documents! I’ve officially started packing. It’s getting so close. I’m so excited I’m not really concentrating at work (don’t tell my bosses). I’m constantly checking this message board for updates and advice. I’ve been trying to prepare DD for the cruise. Telling her that we have to take a big plane and get on a big boat! Every once in awhile we’ll get out the scrapbook and check out the pictures of the Wonder and the beaches and get her familiar with it. I think she’s excited. She’s been telling everyone about going on “bacation on the big boat”.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, I’m also excited because we are doing two days at WDW prior to the cruise with my sister Stacy and my nephew Gavin (4). DD and Gavin get along so well and they are going to LOVE exploring everything together. We are taking them to MK and DHS. Unfortunately they won’t be cruising with us. They haven’t been to WDW before and are depending on us to show them a good time! I have been bombarding them with information and plans and keeping them up to date on things. I think I’m driving my sister crazy…but she knows how I am! Stacy says as long as Gavin sees the Power Rangers and Lightening McQueen, he’ll be happy. I had to break the news to her that Lightening may not be there. Oh well, we think he’ll be excited with everything else that it won’t matter.

Until next time......

[lauriep]

Have a great trip, Shelby!

[DyanKJ130]

Great start!! Hope you have a magical time!!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Shelby

[NanaTink]

Great pre-trip! Looking forward to reading all about your trip!

[MickeyMAC]

Great start, hope you have a wonderful trip and cruise.

[ShelbyJoy]

Re-Cap
Agenda:
May 14 & 15 – Visit with Mom and Step-Dad
May 16 – Disney Hollywood Studios
May 17 – Magic Kingdom
May 18 – 22 – Disney Wonder (Me, DH & DD only)

Who:
DH – Jared
Me – Shelby
DD - Joy (3)
Sister - Stacy
Nephew – Gavin (4)

I know when vacation-time is getting close because I have the strangest dreams!! Anyone else do this? Although I am obsessive with planning everything and making lists and I haven't EVER forgotten anything major, I usually start having dreams, or some may consider nightmares, when the first vacation day draws near.

Oh yeah, NINE DAYS until our vacation officially starts, btw!!

Back to the dreams...Dream #1 took place exactly two weeks prior to vacation day. Without going into too much detail that won't make sense to anyone else, here's what happened:

I was on the Disney cruise with my DD, a co-worker and her DD and the co-worker's MIL. My DH wasn't with us. The thing I was freaking out about was that I forgot my dress for dress-up night AND I forgot all of my DD's clothes. She had to go throughout the cruise with a sweatsuit on. But, I finally remembered that my clothes were in my home-closet that happened to be in the stateroom of a 2nd co-worker that was on the same cruise. HUH?? Apparently there was a port-hole in that closet that led to my home closet. Crazy...anyway, I was all set for dinner...in fact, I had three dresses to choose from. My DD on the other hand was out of luck.

Dream #2 took place a couple nights later. In this story, my DH and I were the only ones going on the cruise. For some reason after we checked in at the port terminal my DH decided he wanted his usual Chick-Fil-A visit BEFORE we boarded the cruise. It was 3:45 p.m., but he wouldn't listen to me that we needed to board! Finally about 9 p.m. he decided it was time to go to the ship so he hired someone to take us on their boat and practically chase down the Wonder.

In both dreams I could feel the panic in my chest. It's so weird how your dreams can seem so vivid and the details can make no sense at all. I can't wait to experience the dream I have the evening before our flight departure. Although I probably won't sleep because I'll wake up to check the alarm clock every hour on the hour. Ughhh...

If anything else crazy comes up, I'll check back one more time before departure....

[mcc0313]

Your plans sound great...have a wonderful trip and can't wait to hear about it when you return...

[lauriep]

I get anxiety dreams before every trip. Maybe because we play out all the crazy, disastrous scenarios in our dreams we prevent them from becoming reality.

At any rate, soon the nightmares will be over and the real waking dream will begin. Your plans sound great. Have a wonderful time!

[Colexis Mom]

Have a great time

[NanaTink]

I've had the same kind of dreams before our vacations too! And I also keep waking up and checking the alarm clock......
Have a wonderful trip!

[chezp]

Your plans sound great - have a wonderful time!

[jhoshowski]

I have anxiety dreams before my trips, as well.

I can't wait to hear all about your trip - the cruise in particular. I cruised with Admiral Cruise Lines when I was 17 - that was, well, let's just say almost 20 years ago. Then DH and I did a 10 night with Royal Caribbean for our honeymoon. Next year we will be cruising on the Wonder - first Disney Cruise for us, first Cruise for our kids (and my parents, DH's parents, and my sister and her family). Bunch of newbies! So I want all the details. (okay, when you get back, anyway)!!

[DyanKJ130]

Those are some dreams!! I guess it's just your mind's way of preparing to avoid those things from actually happening! It will be here before you know it

[ShelbyJoy]

Despite the fact that we had unexpected visitors the evening before leaving (who stayed until 8:30 p.m.!), we managed to get everything squared away and packed and we all had a decent night’s sleep.

My alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. Although we had planned on picking up my sister Stacy and nephew Gavin (“G”) at 4:45 a.m., I believe that’s the time we left our house. DD was being her usual dilly-dally-self, but that’s ok…only 15 minutes behind schedule. I always factor those types of things in when I come up with my plan! We had DD go potty, threw her in the car half asleep in her pj’s and off we went. Our plane was scheduled to leave Detroit at 7:45 a.m. We had plenty of time. G, on the other hand, was excited and ready to go! When we got at their house, he ran out of the house, bright-eyed and asked “Are you ready to go on vacation!?” He was VERY excited. So excited, in fact that he asked, “Are we there yet Mama?” before we were even out of their driveway.

Traveling to Florida went smoothly. Our flight was on time, no luggage was lost, we received a free upgrade on the rental car and made a trip (highly anticipated by DH) to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. We have one Chick-Fil-A in Michigan and it’s in a food court in a University near Detroit…and it’s not open on the weekends. Chick-Fil-A is my husband’s favorite fast-food restaurant so it’s a must when visiting the South. After eating a yummy lunch and letting the kids burn off some steam in the play area (where DD asked “is this ‘bacation’ Mommy?”), we were off to my mom and step-dad’s house. It was another one-hour drive.

Mom and step-Dad were ecstatic to see us…especially the grandchildren. We had a fun two days visiting, swimming, eating and lazing around. It was a great start to a wonderful vacation.