May 18, 2013 MAGIC EBTA - Who is with us?

[binkytell]

Originally Posted by gramfrog

We are leaving on the Magic this week (9 nights) . Our FE is organized to be 9 in a group so that each day one family is assigned to deliver. Maybe if this 14 night voyage has 14 families in each FE group? Just sayin'

Have a fab trip, I'm so jealous.

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by Viking_53

I was able to call Enterprise and get the same rate as above.

Unfortunately, they could not confirm a car seat for me, and even if they could, the price with taxes, etc was right about $85.

I don't want to drag a car seat along with me, for just the first 45 miles of the trip, so I guess I keep (and hope it runs from Hobby), my DCL transfers.

Thanks for the help though - at least others can benefit from this same rate information!

Chuck

No problem! With five of us now (since Mother In Law joined) we went the car rental route. For car seats, we are planning to keep an eye on our local online garage sale or CraigsList to purchase one good enough to make that leg of the journey. We have purchased brand new booster seats for under $20 on sale at Target such as this, and thought of taking our old backup car seat with us to just donate/discard in Galveston. Not the Britax of course, but something that gets us from Point A to Point B since that is the only leg of our journey we need a car seat. All of our European excursions are providing a car seat or are on buses not requiring use of one.

You will also read staying around Hobby is not the best of areas. I've done it when presenting at a conference in Houston, but not an area where you can walk anywhere, especially at night. Houston Hobby Marriott Airport South is what Disney was using at one point for pre-cruise hotel according to an email I had received in 2012 when doing the research. Not sure if they are even doing that currently.

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by gramfrog

Thanks, Mandy! It IS the first on the new itinerary. Looking forward to Key West, even though we only get to be there 1/2 day. Bucket list. Our grandson's 10th birthday is actually on the same day as the WDW visit (yay!), so that makes it more magical. We are going as "placeholders" for the second room, since kids are free these trips from Galveston and our DD has five kids (surprise twins after their three-- OMG)
The FB page for this week's sailing is all a-dither over the fog thing. What a problem for last week's sailing!

LOL - there are lots of placeholders happening. A great way to coerce the grandparents along! The kids sail free makes it a great deal. Envious you will be on Castaway Cay next week - WooHoo!!!!

[Kirbo]

Originally Posted by binkytell

When we cruised in 2011, dawns husband didn't want to link either but she told him they would probably get linked with others anyway, so she went ahead and did it and we all got along fabulously.

On the wbta we had around I'm guessing about 50 of us linked, all within tables of each other. So you will be part of a group

I told DH the same thing! He's agreed to it.

FYI, we're not Disney people . We've never been to WDW and havne't taken our kids to DLR. But we ARE DCL people. This is our third cruise, we've done two MR cruises and they were the best vacations ever.

Our girls are not super into the clubs. They spent almost all their time with us on both cruises, but we're hoping they'll enjoy the space more this time. They also loved the club more than the lab (they aren't very mature, they are on the young side for their age). We're also hopeful that there will be a sleepover in the club/lab that they can go to. They haven't had one IRL yet, so this would be a trail run.

Anyway, I'll send you a PM. Thank you so much for organizing this.

Gosh, I just realized that you and MandyGirl are really taking great care of all of us! Thank you to both of you for all your hard work. This is going to be such a fun cruise!

[kaseyC]

Just wondering how many of us are staying at the IAH Marriott the night before the cruise?

Taking DCL transportation?

[kaseyC]

Originally Posted by Kirbo

I told DH the same thing! He's agreed to it.

FYI, we're not Disney people . We've never been to WDW and havne't taken our kids to DLR. But we ARE DCL people. This is our third cruise, we've done two MR cruises and they were the best vacations ever.

Our girls are not super into the clubs. They spent almost all their time with us on both cruises, but we're hoping they'll enjoy the space more this time. They also loved the club more than the lab (they aren't very mature, they are on the young side for their age). We're also hopeful that there will be a sleepover in the club/lab that they can go to. They haven't had one IRL yet, so this would be a trail run.

Anyway, I'll send you a PM. Thank you so much for organizing this.

Gosh, I just realized that you and MandyGirl are really taking great care of all of us! Thank you to both of you for all your hard work. This is going to be such a fun cruise!

They may like the the club/lab more this trip because there are not nearly as many kids as the regular 7 night sailings. The kids get to really know the youth staff and enjoy the spaces without be overwhelmed.

[Kirbo]

Originally Posted by kaseyC

Just wondering how many of us are staying at the IAH Marriott the night before the cruise?

Taking DCL transportation?

We are! We're doing Disney Air, so I have no idea of our flights, but my TA said that they'd be putting us up in the Marriott. Oops, I just realized that I don't know what airport we're flying into. So maybe we aren't

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by binkytell

When we cruised in 2011, dawns husband didn't want to link either but she told him they would probably get linked with others anyway, so she went ahead and did it and we all got along fabulously.

On the wbta we had around I'm guessing about 50 of us linked, all within tables of each other. So you will be part of a group

Have to elaborate... It was awesome. Meeting folks that by the end of the cruise you know will become lifelong friends, you plan future cruises with, meet up at Disney with... It was an awesome group.

Just link first, ask hubby forgiveness later No, seriously, we all got along great, spent time together throughout the cruise outside of dinner. Never met prior to the cruise. They got used to my Texan drawl and I started getting acclimated to some Scottish and Canadian accents

[Kirbo]

Originally Posted by kaseyC

They may like the the club/lab more this trip because there are not nearly as many kids as the regular 7 night sailings. The kids get to really know the youth staff and enjoy the spaces without be overwhelmed.

We're very hopeful. But I must say, we had such a great time our last two cruises that we know it'll be fine if we're all together again this time. (Thankfully, I enjoy my kids ). Last cruise we told them that they had to go into programming for our brunch and dinner dates. Otherwise it was up to them. I'd love if they had more fun there this time, but if they don't it'll be ok too.

[Kirbo]

Originally Posted by MandyGirl

Have to elaborate... It was awesome. Meeting folks that by the end of the cruise you know will become lifelong friends, you plan future cruises with, meet up at Disney with... It was an awesome group.

Just link first, ask hubby forgiveness later No, seriously, we all got along great, spent time together throughout the cruise outside of dinner. Never met prior to the cruise. They got used to my Texan drawl and I started getting acclimated to some Scottish and Canadian accents

I'm getting excited!

[kaseyC]

Originally Posted by Kirbo

We are! We're doing Disney Air, so I have no idea of our flights, but my TA said that they'd be putting us up in the Marriott. Oops, I just realized that I don't know what airport we're flying into. So maybe we aren't

Disney uses IAH Marriott, I'm sure that's where you will be.

We don't get in until 9:59pm. I chose a later flight so the girls will miss one less day of school. The 17th is my daughter's birthday and she wanted to bring a treat in to share with her class since it is also her last day of school.

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by Kirbo

I told DH the same thing! He's agreed to it.

Sweet!!

Originally Posted by Kirbo

We're also hopeful that there will be a sleepover in the club/lab that they can go to. They haven't had one IRL yet, so this would be a trail run.

They had one for ages 5-10. Our newly-turned 5-year-old did it and loved it! Had never done a sleepover IRL before.
Note of warning: Each child received a bright orange bag to place their belongings in. Our's had her dress shoes from dinner and Keens from the day. Someone walked out with her bag, and we didnt pack 18 pairs of shoes for her! It took many trips to GS and manager of kids club to coerce them to send out a text to those who attended to ask them to please check their bag that it was indeed their's. Finally got her shoes back. But it was a pain in the rear. They sent out a text to tell us to collect our kids, but would not send one out 20 min later to please check bags when we noticed our's had been taken. We will have some sort of something to clip onto her bag this time to make sure it stands out. The staff checked each child out of the kids club that morning, but did not check that all the identical bags were who they belonged to (and they were preprinted with child's name). We couldn't take her to eat at a restaurant with no shoes.

[binkytell]

Originally Posted by MandyGirl

Have to elaborate... It was awesome. Meeting folks that by the end of the cruise you know will become lifelong friends, you plan future cruises with, meet up at Disney with... It was an awesome group.

Just link first, ask hubby forgiveness later No, seriously, we all got along great, spent time together throughout the cruise outside of dinner. Never met prior to the cruise. They got used to my Texan drawl and I started getting acclimated to some Scottish and Canadian accents

I'm sure my accent wasn't the problem

Have you seen Brave yet, if you have I'm sure you will relate to the big guy, if not watch it, he is so brian

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by binkytell

I'm sure my accent wasn't the problem

Have you seen Brave yet, if you have I'm sure you will relate to the big guy, if not watch it, he is so brian

Gotta love Brian!! I pay extra close attention listening to him speak!! And catch it about half the time.

[Kirbo]

Originally Posted by kaseyC

Disney uses IAH Marriott, I'm sure that's where you will be.

We don't get in until 9:59pm. I chose a later flight so the girls will miss one less day of school. The 17th is my daughter's birthday and she wanted to bring a treat in to share with her class since it is also her last day of school.

What a great way to start a birthday celebration! Kicking off the cruise with a bang.

Thanks for the info on where we're flying into. You'd think I'd know these things.