Ohana goes to Hawaii PTR

[Ohana 4]

I've never written a trip report before, but I think it's time to start. I plan to journal every day of our Hawaii trip and include it in my scrapbook, so I thought I would start right here!

It all began a long time ago, on a Fantasy not so far away....

DH and I were on the Maiden Voyage of the Fantasy on March 31, 2012. We chose not to take our two kiddos because this was a vacation to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. And, because the kids are in school and can't be taken out!

The Maiden Voyage was our second Disney cruise, as well as our second cruise ever. On our first cruise to Alaska last June, we did not rebook on board. Why? I'm still asking myself that question. I don't know why. But we did book the New Year's Eve cruise on the Dream soon after we returned home from Alaska.

Anyway, back to the story. On the Maiden Voyage, we got a wild hair and booked the October cruise to Hawaii!!! So excited!!! Two whole weeks on a ship??? In only six months from our current cruise? Unbelievable. But we've always wanted to go to Hawaii from LA, returning to LA. And this was perfect. Again, we'd have to leave the kids home because of school!

So we booked. I quickly joined the cruise meet thread here on the Disboards and bought our airline tickets on Southwest. We get there a day before sailing so we have plenty of time to a)find any missing luggage, and b) not miss the boat!!!

I'm typically a huge planner when we're at WDW, but I've learned to let things go on our cruises. Everything seems to work out just fine. I'll be planning our hotel stay the night before the cruise next. At first we thought we'd stay at GCV on our DVC points. But then we'd have to find transportation to the hotel and then to port. And we're not going to Disneyland, as our flight gets there in the afternoon. So we'll just get a hotel room near the port, I think. Just don't know where yet. We have Hilton Honors points, so we hope to stay in a Hilton-type hotel. Hopefully one that offers shuttle from the airport and also to port.

So that's where we are in the planning stages at this point. I hope I haven't put anyone to sleep (if anyone is reading).

I'm not sure how to post pictures yet, but I'll figure it out before I start posting the actual trip report in October.

 

[dededisney]

You haven't put me to sleep! I thought we were the only crazy ones to leave our kids at home to take a Disney cruise! We are doing the Eastbound Panama Canal cruise while our two boys will be at home with my parents. But lucky them, I am sure we will bring them home a souvenir or two. Can't wait to hear more about your trip. I love Hawaii and I am sure it will be a great cruise.

 

[Ohana 4]

You haven't put me to sleep! I thought we were the only crazy ones to leave our kids at home to take a Disney cruise! We are doing the Eastbound Panama Canal cruise while our two boys will be at home with my parents. But lucky them, I am sure we will bring them home a souvenir or two. Can't wait to hear more about your trip. I love Hawaii and I am sure it will be a great cruise.

Thanks for reading, dededisney! Happy Mother's Day!
I've never done a trip report, much less a PREtrip report, so I hope it won't be too boring. The waiting is always the hardest. Are your two boys young? Mine are 19 and 15, so I feel really bad in leaving them since they won't be able to experience the sights, but in the other way, the leaving young babies way, I don't feel too bad. They're old enough! You know what I mean?

 

[dededisney]

My two boys are 13 & 9, so not too young. But man did they want to go! I also feel bad about not taking them, but DH and I also need some time alone occasionally. Last time we left them for almost the same about of time was 7 years ago for our 10 year anniversary...gosh that was a long time ago! They also have been to so many places around the world that they are definitely not deprived. My DH is going to start a pre-trip report as well...don't know when, but we still have a lot of time before we go. Hope you had a great Mother's Day!

 

[luvslikepi]

Can't wait to hear more about your plans.

 

[Ohana 4]

Can't wait to hear more about your plans.

Thank you for reading, luvslikepi!

 

[RaglanRoad]

I just returned from the Wonder and the Hawaii trip. I think you will enjoy it. We had alot of fun and alot of relaxing. I am doing a little blog as a recap mostly for me to remember what I did lol I would be happy to answer any questions you might have also.
Aloha and I know you will have a great voyage.

 

[Ohana 4]

I just returned from the Wonder and the Hawaii trip. I think you will enjoy it. We had alot of fun and alot of relaxing. I am doing a little blog as a recap mostly for me to remember what I did lol I would be happy to answer any questions you might have also.
Aloha and I know you will have a great voyage.

Thank you! I'm sure I'll be asking all kinds of questions as we get closer to the excursion-booking time! It's really fun to go on a unique cruise, but it's a bit difficult to plan for it. Since you were the first cruise to Hawaii, they may even learn from your cruise and change things up a little bit on ours. Who knows? I've been reading everything on the Disboards with Hawaii in it!
I should be posting another update pretty soon. Not much to write about this far from the cruise. I decided to do this trip report since my kids weren't going to be coming with me, so I wanted to journal what we did so we can tell them about the trip when we return. And thought if I already have it written, I may as well share it with the Dis.

 

[Ohana 4]

Just a quick update! We recently decided on our hotel stay for the one night before we set sail. We'll be staying at the DoubleTree somewhere near port. I let my husband do the planning of this hotel, and I'm still unsure of the logistics. He's convinced that there is a fee shuttle from the airport to the hotel, and then from the hotel to port the next day. We'll see. The crazy planner in me is trying to come out! But if we have to get a taxi for either of those transports, so be it. I'm learning to give things up. I am. Really.

The good news is I have now paid off our cruise and added the ship to airport transfer to that segment of our trip. We are now PAID IN FULL! And only 137 days until we sail.

Meanwhile, tomorrow is the last day of school for my daughter. After tomorrow, she'll be a sophomore! We got season passes to the Six Flags park near our home. That should keep us busy for a while. It's not Disney World, but it'll have to do. I'd rather have had Sea World, but I was outnumbered.

Another quick trip is coming our way. My FIL had heart surgery recently and needs some help around the house. DH is flying out to Phoenix to see him for a month. Kids and I will be driving out near the end of June to visit. Road trip! I love a good road trip! Maybe I'll even drive a little further and visit Disneyland while we're so close. Or at least San Diego to visit the ocean! I'm from California, and I really really miss the ocean. Texas beaches just don't cut it!

Until next time!