"Bubbles, Bubbles...My Bubbles!"

[Stinasmom]

Sorry, we are huge Finding Nemo fans here!
Question about bubbles....
I found those bubble guns on sale at disneydirect.com and got one each for for my 2 kids...they have them in Princess and Buzz Lightyear. I thought I had read somewhere (and now can't find it) that someone used these bubble guns at the sail away party. Can someone confirm this? I don't want to be obnoxious with two of them going!
Also, can anyone think of a time on the cruise (7-nighter) where using them again would be fun and/or appropriate? (another deck party? Just any old time on the decks?) These babies are not small and will take up precious space in the luggage...would like to get good use out of them!
I was even thinking of using them after the cruise at Disneyland during parades...still, then I have to haul them around im my backpack!! The things us moms do for our kids!
TIA for addressing this oh, so important, life-or-death topic for me!!!

 

[UGAFan0829]

I can't remember anyone saying that they had used the bubble guns before, but I know there had been a post about bubble blowing for the sailaway party. I think it would be a VERY cute idea for them to take along to use. Not only could they use them then, but if your family gets a verandah, they could always blow them there!

 

[kmiles]

Here's my take on the whole "bubble" situation:

The Sailaway Celebration can become very crowded, very quickly. Some areas of the ship will be more popular than others and thus have much larger crowds. (For instance, the Goofy Pool on Deck 9 will be covered and will serve as the main "dancing" area for the party. The Starboard side of the ship (which will be facing the DCL terminal building) on Decks 9 and 10 will also become very crowded (especially Deck 10) as people want to wave as they leave port.

If you do choose to use bubbles I think it wise to be mindful of those around you. Not everyone wants to have them blown in their face and soap slopped all over them. (Remember, it will be windy.) On one cruise I've actually confronted a group of individuals that were using bubbles and not being mindful of others. It was rude and I made sure they were well aware that I didn't appreciate it. (This may sound harsh but I wasn't the only one who said something at the same time.)

Also, keep in mind that bubbles are, well, soap. Get them on the deck and someone is going to slip. I've seen this too.

My take on the whole bubble thing is to leave them at home unless you can ensure you and your children 1. don't make a mess on the decks, and 2. don't bother others.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Rence]

If you are flying, do not pack these in your carryon. Toy weapons, no matter how innocent, will likely be confiscated. They need to be in your checked luggage.

 

[Stinasmom]

Rence--great advice! Kinda silly, but you're right!! (Just the thought of threatening someone with a pink Disney Princess bubble gun makes me chuckle!! )

Kmiles - points well taken. Sorry you had to deal with the annoyance. I had considered the soapy mess factor and acutally the bubble guns are less messy than the old dip-the-wand method as you are not slopping out the excess. I wouldn't want a slippery deck or bubbles in my face either. I did, however, feel a bit "lectured" by your post.

Anyone else out there had fun and postive experiences with bubbles and/or bubble guns!!

 

[inkkognito]

We have done bubbles (both blown and via bubble gun) in the aft section of the ship. It tends to be out of the way of the crowd so you don't annoy others. Also, we bring some extras (like the little "wedding" bottles) because they tend to attract kids. Then we can give them their own bottles.
One of my fondest memories is when we were in the front doing bubbles once (I think it was a sailaway from the port). It attracted a little boy, so we gave him a bottle. He climbed up on one of the lounger chairs and was "chair surfing" while blowing bubbles in the wind. It's was so cute!
Barb

 

[kmiles]

Sorry. No lecture intended!

Just providing my experiences with the bubbles and some suggestions that would hopefully avoid anyone in any party becoming upset.

I was posting more for anyone who does/will use bubbles rather than directly at you.

At any rate, enjoy the cruise!!!

 

[mickeyboat]

We brought "automatic bubble blowers" - not shaped like guns - last March. It ended up being a disaster for us. We were late getting to the sail away party and in my haste to get the guns ready for the kids, I put the bubble solution in the wrong part of the gun (don't ask). Then I spilled bubble solution on the deck - so I spent a good bit of time trying to find something to clean up the mess. For me it was more trouble than it was worth.

If you have to pack the guns in your "checked" luggage, it is possible you won't even have the luggage before the sail away party.

A good place ot blow bubbles later on in the trip might be on secret deck 7 aft. You probably won't bother anyone there.

Good luck.

Denae

 

[lbgraves]

I also wouldn't recommend them on deck 9 at the Goofy pool. It does get crowded & something like that would really get in the way. Your kids will probably want to dance with the rest of the crowd, especially when the characters come out & they wont want to hang onto them so that would mean more for you to carry around. We have brought the small wedding favor bubble things with some of the solution poured out so that it isn't full. Our entire DIS group was at the front near the stage for our first cruise & all of the kids had them along with Mickey ears. We didn't have them for our second cruise but we still had a great time. It was much colder that afternoon though.

 

[Rence]

If you want to be in thick of things on Deck 9 for the sailaway, bubbles are probably not a good idea as it is too crowded. If you want to watch from above on Deck 10 as a family group, it could be kind of fun.

However, given the choice of those two options, it is a lot more fun being down in the middle of all the goings on.

 

[Stinasmom]

You all have had a lot of great advice about the bubbles! I find it interesting how much you hear about them...good for the kids, gift baskets, sail away party, etc. and yet, actually, they may create more mess and hassle than they are worth!!

I also have a product review for anyone who is thinking of getting the previously mentioned Disney bubble guns as I went ahead and took them out of the packages today.
The Princess one is great for bubbles...you attach the bottle of bubble juice right to the gun itself and pull the trigger...it releases lots and lots of tiny bubbles--continuously with no dripping. BUT.... it makes an incessent shooting sound, like the old astroids game from an arcade, mixed with siren sounds and automatic weapon fire sound. Hmmmm...not what I expected!
Now, the Buzz Lightyear one has NO sound effects but it doesn't have the capability of attaching a bottle. So you have to dip and drip while a fan blows lots of bubbles...and when dry, dip and drip again. Great in the backyard...maybe not on the deck of a cruise ship.

I am glad I got them, the kids will have fun in the backyard all summer, but I think I will leave them home. And, lbgraves is right, I would end up being the one to lug them around when they didn't want them.

Thanks again for all the insight...if anyone else has an experience to share, please do!!!

 

[lbgraves]

LOL! No, I don't think that you want to add the sound of an astroid blaster & sirens to the sail away party. LOL! Just think if the thing was set off in your bag. LOL!