​Boarding the ship, your family name is announced and the cast members line the entrance and clap.

Setting set sail with Disney Cruise Line on Black Friday, you walked onto a Very Merrytime Cruise.  DCL takes the wonder of Christmas and adds their own creative touch to create an experience that is purely magical.

We walked in and saw a life-sized gingerbread house and a huge Christmas tree. The cast members even wore scarves!
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There was so much to see in the amazing lobby. I just paused to take it all in. Then ​I jumped in line at guest services to sign us up for anything that we could. We got tickets for the gingerbread house decorating class and a few tips about things that were going on that afternoon.

With an 11:30AM boarding time, we had plenty of time to get on board and make it to the buffett  before there were just a ton of folks in line. It was nice to stop and make a plan together about how we were going to slip up and wander all over the Wonder.  

We heard there were tours of the ship, but we took off on our own and explored and wandered around. Stairs up each deck and from one end to the other, we saw the kids club, pools, and resturants. We saw it all! 

We left the day after Thanksgiving from my sister’s house. Getting up early and getting everyone moving was a breeze because we were all so excited. We started planning our cruise two years earlier.

Part of the online check-in process (Learn more about check in here) includes selecting a port arrival time that are in 30 minute increment arrival windows beginning at 10:30 AM. Arriving a little before our time was a good idea. It allowed us to make sure we knew where we were headed, unload, and get organized.

We pulled right up the terminal at the Port of Galveston. We unloaded our bags right at the curb and there were plenty of porters there to help. With 13 people piled in two mini-vans, it was an adventure. The dads took the cars to the parking garage where we pre-paid and rode the shuttle back, just the two of them.

In our matching shirts, we watched all of the other guests in their matching shirts arrive for a bit until the dads made it back to us. Then we all went through check-in together.
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While we waited (and by that I mean, corralled and entertained all 7 children) I went through our boarding bag on more time to make sure that I had all of the documents that I needed to help us get through check in quickly and smoothly, things like signed pre-board documents that we printed from the portal as well as passports and birth certificates.

-Once we entered, we waited in a short line at a check point where each member of your party over the age of 18 presented a valid form of identification and our cruise documents. From there, you stepped up go through a standard security check and our carry-ons were zipped through the x-ray.
Once we entered the terminal and waiting in another very short line, I completed the Public Health Questionnaire for our group. It asked if any members of your party have been experiencing a fever in conjunction with a sore throat, cough, runny nose, muscle aches or headaches, as well as if there has been any vomiting or diarrhea over the last 3 days.
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At the desk, we all had our photos taken and received our Key to the World cards. Once everything was signed and counted, we decided not to stand in the line to check our children into kids club, but chose to do it on-board. As we explored the ship, we knew that was one of the first places the children wanted to check out. We also just walked past the photo backdrops in the check in area to make our way up the escalator. Once we were upstairs there were more lines. One was to take photos with Mickey Mouse and one was for backdrop photos and your first Key to the World Card scan.
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​Once the key was scanned we were on the bridge to the ship! 

We chose to stay on the 2nd floor in an inside stateroom to save money. We knew that we wouldn't spend much time in our rooms and with it being our first cruise, we honestly just didn't know. In hindsight, a little port hold would have been fun, but I'm not sure it would have been worth the extra cost.

There was a generous size double bed and a couch that slides into bund beds. We had 2 adjoining rooms and there was plenty of room for all of us. As a matter of fact, one afternoon towards the end of the cruise, we can back to the room and there were probably 20 teenagers in the kids room watching a movie!

When you first meet your housekeeping staff, they will ask you questions about how you want the room, the beds, etc. We asked them to leave the bunk beds out in one room and to leave the couch in the other. There were a few times that we asked them to go ahead and make the couch in the kids rooms, but you never know when a mid-day nap for the kids might just do the trick.

There was storage everywhere. We unpacked the first day, slid the suitcases under the bed, and just enjoyed the cruise. There were 6 of us. We had several drawers that went unused.

​I saw an idea on Pinterest to pack a shoe rack with pockets and hand it in the closet. I filled the pockets with suggested items like baggies, medicine, band-aids, our FE lists, etc. and it was a fantastic idea. 

We joined a Facebook group made up of people who were going on our cruise. They answered questions, alerted us to deadlines and things to look into, and create groups for Fish Extender Gifts. Outside each stateroom door there is a fish hanger and this is where those who choose to participate, hang their pockets, stockings, file organizers - all decorated and festive. Our groups were made of 10 families and by joining the group you agree to bring treats, gifts, momentos for the others in your group. For our group, you could bring whatever you wanted, no price range, no rules about the number of days, or even if the expectation was for a gift of each person or for the cabin... It was all up to the giver.

I cannot even tell you what fun this was. Our family signed up in a different group for each cabin and the variety of gifts was astounding. We were absolutely blessed. Each time we came back to the room, the kids - young and old - would check their pocket to see if they had a new FE gift. 

Was it difficult to get it organized and made and packed? Of course. Was it worth it? Definitely. 

Another fun surprise were the amazing towel animals on the bed each night. They were so creative and fun, it was delightful to see what new creation would appear each day. At the end of our cruise there was an event with the housekeeping staff where they taught us how to make several (probably the easiest) animals.

We are going on our first Disney Cruise this fall. I recently heard about fish extenders. Fish extenders are a fun way to share SWAPS with other cruisers – especially when traveling with kids. We (probably just me) are really excited about the fun surprises. I can't wait for the kids to run back to the room, excited about what surprises might be waiting.

WHAT’S A FISH EXTENDER?
Apparently on Disney Cruises, each of the staterooms has a small silver fish or seahorse right outside the door. FE participants hang a bag or special holder to the “fish” to serve as a mailbox. To participate, sign up in the cruise group online or on social media, provide your information and stateroom number, and make little goodies for each person or each cabin.

What to give for fish extender gifts.
This is the fun part – the sky is the limit!  We have been hunting and brainstorming for a few months. I found so many really fun ideas. With no price range and no specifications, there are so many options. 

Ornament Exchange 
There are so many variation, recipe exchanges, ornaments, kids only and one and on. So we decided (I love Christmas and just told everyone I signed us up) to participate in exchanging ornaments with some of the people on our cruise and this project is something that we are doing for those in our group. I bought 2 paper punches, colored cardstock, and small plastic fillable ornaments.

I think they turned out really well.

Have you been on a Disney Cruise? What were some of your favorite FE Gifts?

It has long been one of my life goals to visit all 50 states. My grandparents did it. They drove in a Volkswagen Van in the 90's and finished up their list. They made their trek before cell phones and GPS and online reservations - they were both in their 70's at the time to boot!

Two years ago I was presenting at a conference and we took the family and drove from Texas to Boston, Mass and it was amazing. It was a rock star trip, different hotel every night kind of trip. Our children were able to see and do so much; it would have taken years to do it any other way.

What Counts?
There is an All 50 Club to recognize those who have visited all 50 states. A great debate has been, "What Counts?" and there are some who want to run marathons in all 50. There are some who say airports don't count some think that you have to stay the night in a state for it to count.

I love the idea of seeing all of America.

Fun Links to Explore
Interactive Map to track how many you've visited
Connect with Explore All 50. They even have a newsletter and are on social media.
You can take the All 50 Challenge on List Challenge

I bought the Let's Go See All 50!, Visiting the 50 States Journal to help me keep track of what we have left. It's so easy to fill out and even has a page to color in all the states you've been in. 

 I am the campus coordinator for a scholarship program, which affords me the opportunity to work with some pretty amazing students. I met John during his first year at Tech; it was my first year as the coordinator. We were both pretty new at this and had quite a bit in common: both first gen, both loved to write and enjoyed the PR game. We sort of adopted him into our family over the years - and I liked that a lot.

John hadn't planned on going to grad school, but once the idea was planted it took root quickly. He made connections and got several offers. When it was time, he chose Utah State - even though it was almost 1,000 miles away. When I would tell people about our trip, they would always ask, " Now, where are you going?" I'm not sure if they believed that we were going all the way to Utah!

The trip was well planned out and then we changed the plan... often. We saw New Mexico and Colorado before stopping for the night just over the state line in Utah. Beautiful colors lined the road and pit stops were full of silliness.

It was a long drive, but when we finally pulled into Logan, we saw the most adorable little town surrounded by mountains and plastered with a love for Utah State all over.

When we were ready to unload, it looked like it would rain. There were a few sprinkles, but it never stopped progress. With 4 kids and 2 grown men helping unload the truck, it didn't take long.

Touring the campus was fun. The campus is not too big, but it is spread out. The one thing that John wanted us to do before we left was to try some Aggie Ice Cream... homemade ice cream, made right there on campus. It was just as delicious as her said.

We took a different route home and drive through Wyoming and down through Denver. We drove all day through Wyoming and didn't see many people, a few small towns, but not many people at all. There were signs for miles about a rest stop that was actually quite a bit of fun- compete with dinosaurs!