March 23, 2013 FANTASY - The Final Inaugural Cruise of the Disney Fantasy

[castle4us]

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OUR DISNEY FANTASY CABIN TOUR

Hi everyone we will be doing a Cabin Tour of the different categories and variations of cabins on our beautiful ship.

Volunteers are really needed to make this interesting tour work.

We need volunteers who don't mind showing off their cabins, and volunteers/disers who would like to tour.

The tour is most likely to take place on our 1st sea day Sunday March 24th at 2-4 pm, while our cabins are newly lived in.

It was fun to see the pictures and the tour sounds great!

 

[lupitail]

So thrilled to find this forum My DS (12) and I will be cruising on this SpringBreak cruise ... our very first Disney cruise. It is amazing to find so many other like-minded Disney fanatics

Welcome Katie!

It's our first cruise as well. Traveling with my DH, DD(14) & DD(8)

We can't wait!!

 

[LV Disney Fan(atic)]

So thrilled to find this forum My DS (12) and I will be cruising on this SpringBreak cruise ... our very first Disney cruise. It is amazing to find so many other like-minded Disney fanatics

Welcome to the group and to the DIS boards!

 

[willyguy]

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OUR DISNEY FANTASY CABIN TOUR

Hi everyone we will be doing a Cabin Tour of the different categories and variations of cabins on our beautiful ship.

Volunteers are really needed to make this interesting tour work.

We need volunteers who don't mind showing off their cabins, and volunteers/disers who would like to tour.

The tour is most likely to take place on our 1st sea day Sunday March 24th at 2-4 pm, while our cabins are newly lived in.

This will also help us to locate our some of our FE doors, make plans for future cruise selections, say hello and get to recognize some of our dis friends.

If you are willing to show your cabin please PM (Private Message) me with your category and cabin number so I can add it to the tour.

If you would like to just do the tour post or PM me your request so I can add you to the list.

I'll be including my cabin a category 8A. See the pictures below of sister cabin on the dream courtesy of travelgal and momm2four

Brenda

Best picture for seeing the layout of the room, Tracey commented that the rooms are spacious

desk area

room 5522 from the hall

Hi we like to look at the other room. Can you put us on the list thank you so very much.

 

[Fadog]

Does anyone know if you can reserve the shuttle bus from the Country inns and suites ahead of time or do you have to wait till you arrive at the hotel to do so?

 

[lbgraves]

Hi we like to look at the other room. Can you put us on the list thank you so very much.

You need to PM the person to get on the list. They probably won't see your comment at the end of that post.

 

[lbgraves]

Does anyone know if you can reserve the shuttle bus from the Country inns and suites ahead of time or do you have to wait till you arrive at the hotel to do so?

I don't believe so, but the only way to know what the current policy is would be to call them directly.

 

[hbg4]

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OUR DISNEY FANTASY CABIN TOUR

You need to PM the person to get on the list. They probably won't see your comment at the end of that post.

Hi we like to look at the other room. Can you put us on the list thank you so very much.

It was fun to see the pictures and the tour sounds great!

PLease send me a pm, too. I am keeping track of who will be touring and showing cabins. The tour details wil be given to all participants closer to the cruise date.
Brenda

 

[DisneyFans222]

Welcome Katie!

It's our first cruise as well. Traveling with my DH, DD(14) & DD(8)

We can't wait!!

Thank you so much for the welcome. As first-timers, looks like we will both be putting to good use the wealth of information we have learned from this amazing site. I am so excited for this cruise, as compared to my first one last year on RCCL...that one just did not feel geared toward us, and I could not wait to get off that boat. After all the research and being a Disney fanatic, I gotta feeling this will be the first of many Disney cruises.

 

[lbgraves]

So thrilled to find this forum My DS (12) and I will be cruising on this SpringBreak cruise ... our very first Disney cruise. It is amazing to find so many other like-minded Disney fanatics

There are several 11 & 13 yo boys on this cruise. Once you have 10 posts here on the DIS, you can request to join the FB group [link in first post]. Several of the kids are in contact with each other already so they will have friends when they board.

 

[lupitail]

I have reservations with my DH for Palo the last night of the cruise, should we skip and go to farewell dinner??

 

[lbgraves]

I have reservations with my DH for Palo the last night of the cruise, should we skip and go to farewell dinner??

That is up to you. The kids can go to dinner in the MDR while you are at Palo. The last night is usually rushed with packing, the final show and Till We Meet Again. The kids will want to spend time in the clubs saying goodbye to the CMs & their cruise friends. Personally, after 9 cruises, that is one night that I would not go to Palo. Is this your first cruise? We didn't go to Palo until the second cruise. We just didn't want to miss anything. It could also be the night of your annimation show in AP, so you would miss that.

 

[DisneyFans222]

Welcome to the group and to the DIS boards!

Thank so much for welcoming us! I cannot believe as much of a Disney fan that I am that I did not find the DIS boards sooner. Have always been the go to Disney gal with friends, family, and co-workers, but felt like an anomaly...mainly because of the running joke ... "It's SpringBreak (Summer vacation, Holiday break) ...no need to ask where Katie is going on vacation." I knew my "community" was out there somewhere ... and now I have found it

 

[DisneyFans222]

There are several 11 & 13 yo boys on this cruise. Once you have 10 posts here on the DIS, you can request to join the FB group [link in first post]. Several of the kids are in contact with each other already so they will have friends when they board.

Lisa,

Thanks so much for the "welcome" and the great information. I will get to posting so that my DS will be able to begin some new friendships before we board on our Fantasy journey.

 

[lbgraves]

*** FE GROUP CHANGE ***

I sent an email out to the contact list, but posting here and on FB to make sure every one knows. Another family has been added to the FE group. An email was not received by the group months ago, and have already made their gifts. Sorry for the confusion. The list has been updated to include their room.

 

[JacksGirlz]

*** FE GROUP CHANGE ***

I sent an email out to the contact list, but posting here and on FB to make sure every one knows. Another family has been added to the FE group. An email was not received by the group months ago, and have already made their gifts. Sorry for the confusion. The list has been updated to include their room.

This was Diser jdkdorn correct? Just want to make sure we aren't leaving anyone out. I printed out the facebook FE list today.

 

[lbgraves]

This was Diser jdkdorn correct? Just want to make sure we aren't leaving anyone out. I printed out the facebook FE list today.

Yes! I still am not sure that it happened but very glad that she contacted me here so they were included.

 

[lupitail]

Ok experienced cruisers we are staying at Pop Century then using Disney transfers to port. DH believes this is the easiest thing to do ... my argument is that we can't leave early and get o the ship ASAP?

From what I read all the buses from resorts get there later in the day.

Is is worth renting a car and driving or getting a town car?

Already paid for transfers. .. Not sure I could get refund at this point.

 

[lbgraves]

Ok experienced cruisers we are staying at Pop Century then using Disney transfers to port. DH believes this is the easiest thing to do ... my argument is that we can't leave early and get o the ship ASAP?

From what I read all the buses from resorts get there later in the day.

Is is worth renting a car and driving or getting a town car?

Already paid for transfers. .. Not sure I could get refund at this point.

You can cancel the transfers and get refunded!!! Look on mousesavers.com for rental car discount codes to find the best or see what has been posted on the boards lately. DH can drop you and the girls off at the port & return the car, then take the shuttle to the port. Should be easier without luggage and only one person needing a seat. What is your PAT? The buses do start to arrive after 1 p.m. from WDW resorts...or later.

 

[hbg4]

We've traveled to the port using transfers and car rental.

If you can get a car rental or town car for the day which is less than your transfers, then yes it is worth it in my opinion IF you have an EARLY boarding time . At least you can aim to start checking in early. Last year DCL was not letting non Disney vehicles into the port before 10.30am, but I've heard they have become more lenient now.
The advantage of getting on board early is that you can get to have an early lunch which starts 11.30am or 12pm depending on which restaurant, do the ship tour, the first one usually starts around 1pm, do the spa tour, unpack if your luggage has arrived or take a quick break in your cabin after 1.30pm.

I've also traveled using the airport transfers and it seems that these passengers are the earliest cruisers allowed in. When I cruised on the Dream 2 weeks ago, the first DCL bus left MCO at 9.15am, the next at 9.30am. When we got to the port check in desk, the only people I saw there at 10.15am were those from the airport. I got a photo with captain Mickey for the first time in 10 yrs without waiting more than 3 minutes.
Unfortunately when they started boarding at 11.15am the only people allowed to board first was group 1 which included the concierge and platinum members.
The next cruise we took (the DVC cruise) , group 2 and 3 were boarding at 11.45am.

I've taken the transportation from the resorts also. The earliest we have got to the port was at 1.45pm. We got picked up from the deluxe resorts around 12pm and then the bus picked up other passengers from another 2 or so resorts before heading out.
The advantage of this is that by using DCL transportation you don't have to handle your large check in luggage or tip the workers at the port. The whole trip is more relaxing, and as soon as you've checked in at the desk, you are allowed to board the ship no matter what your online boarding time states. With DCL transportation, you can get there very early or very late, but at least you avoid the manic crowds.

As for refund of your transfers, I don't think it's too late.

Good luck. We'll be taking transfers from the resort for this trip.
Brenda