1/17/09 Magic anyone???

[Georji]

We just booked and are THRILLED beyond belief! Our boys will be 6 & 7 by then and showing them the promo video they're beside themselves with excitement! Anyway, just checking if anyone else is coming!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Is this the Eastern cruise? We were told it was the Wonder. We'll be there. My DD will be turning 9 on the ship! Its a great big birthday present to her!! Of course she already knows because I can't keep a secret to save my life.

 

[Bytor01]

Well, I tried to start a 1/17/09 back in early December but I guess I was too quick for everyone. It seems they removed it and it is lost or at least I can't find it. Here is my original post and I am glad to see some people are finally joining us on this cruise. This is definately the 7 day Eastern on the Magic.

12-06-2007, 04:44 PM #1
Bytor01
Earning My Ears


Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 63 January 17, 2009 Eastern Caribbean Cruise

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I just booked my cruise today and this will be our second cruise on the Magic. We went last January around the same time (MLK's holiday). We did the Western version that time. We can not wait especially since we jumped up in categories and we will be in a category 3 stateroom this time. We had a cat. 6 last time. Well, I figured I would get this thing going so I can't wait to see who stops by and joins us.

Tim

DVC Member 2003 muiltiple stays in WDW
1/13/07- Disney Magic-Western
1/17/09- Disney Magic-Eastern

 

[dwipperfurth]

Booked this in December on the first day we were able to!
My kids will be 11 (girl) and 4 (son).

Does anyone know the dining rotation between the 3 restaurants? Such as 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1 or 1,2,2,3,1,2,3?

Thanks.

 

[Bytor01]

Congrats on booking this cruise, you and your family will have a great time. Again, we went January '07 and it was great.

The dining rotation will be given to you once you get checked in the day of the cruise. Instead of 1,2,2,3,3,1. it will given to you as L,A,P,L,A,P,L. This would be thatyou start at Lumiere, then go to Animator's Palate the next day, and then Parrot Cay the next day and so on.

Last cruise we had a P,A,L...rotation.

Tim

 

[Eeyore77]

Hi there everyone. Me and my DH will also so be joining you on this cruise. We just got off the Magic last week from doing the Western Caribbean cruise and it was fabulous. This will be our 6th DCL cruise and we couldn't stand to get off the ship without booking for our next trip. We have never done the Eastern so we are looking really forward to going to different ports.... YEAH!!! This cruise is a few days after our anniversary so we will be celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary. I am soooo excited I wish it wasn't so far away....

 

[toddlerhouse]

We just got off this cruise for 2008 doing the Eastern on the Magic and booked for the same week next year as the kids are out of school 3 days next year.

We had early seating- 6pm. Our rotation was lumire's, animators and parrot cay. Our character breakfast was Mon am.

Formal night was Sunday, Pirate night was Tuesday after St Maarten, Semi forma (lobster night) was Thursday.

We had great weather- definately pool and laying out on the sea day- though it was a little windy. St Thomas and St Maarten were beautiful with temperatures of 85. Friday at Castaway Cay was a little cool- only 75 and the water was pretty cool though there were plenty of people both swimming and snorkeling-it warmed up later in the day but alot of people were wearing long sleeves.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Brenda (DH, DS will be 9, DD will be 6)

 

[Eeyore77]

Welcome Toddlerhouse.... I see that you are from Hillsborough. I used to live in Raleigh and work for the TV station in Durham. I just moved from NC a year and a half ago. I miss it. I am sure that we will all have a ton of questions for you. I have done the Western 2 times but this will be our first Eastern. i am really looking forward to it.

 

[owensjro]

Well, I am on hold with DVC MS right now waiting to do our rebooking onto this cruise. We also just got off the cruise that sailed this past week and loved it so much we're ready for another!

Of course, I was told my wait time may be up to 20 minutes. Must have called at a really great time.

Jim, Amanda, and Hannah (5, 6 at time of cruise)

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Well, I am on hold with DVC MS right now waiting to do our rebooking onto this cruise. We also just got off the cruise that sailed this past week and loved it so much we're ready for another!

Of course, I was told my wait time may be up to 20 minutes. Must have called at a really great time.

Jim, Amanda, and Hannah (5, 6 at time of cruise)

Nah, that's just Member Services!!

Glad you had a good time on your last cruise.

 

[owensjro]

Ok, we're booked. Now we just have to wait a year. Bah.

Couldn't believe the price/points increase for this cruise compared to this year. They've changed the "seasons" and moved this cruise from Value to Regular and now there is a High Value category in between as well. Ah well, we still booked on points since we couldn't do cash for this one.

Jim

 

[owensamo]

Ok, we're booked. Now we just have to wait a year. Bah.

Couldn't believe the price/points increase for this cruise compared to this year. They've changed the "seasons" and moved this cruise from Value to Regular and now there is a High Value category in between as well. Ah well, we still booked on points since we couldn't do cash for this one.

Jim

Yay! Jim says we're booked! So now I have another thread to read my husband's messages on and think "Hey, that sounds like us!" before actually looking to see who posted it!

We had an awesome time on this year's cruise, and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone next year!

Amanda

 

[du286]

We are booked too! Just the wife and I this time. The DVC points increase was a disapointment, but didn't we become DVC members for the "Magic" of Disney.

 

[Bytor01]

I am glad to see the thread starting to get some more activity. I was always wondering if I shouold use our DVC points to book a cruise but I figured it is not a good usage of the points. I also have heard and of course seen the amounts the say the cruise will cost you. Do you regret using the points on the cruise when you can obviously get more bang out of using them at WDW?

Tim

 

[owensamo]

I am glad to see the thread starting to get some more activity. I was always wondering if I shouold use our DVC points to book a cruise but I figured it is not a good usage of the points. I also have heard and of course seen the amounts the say the cruise will cost you. Do you regret using the points on the cruise when you can obviously get more bang out of using them at WDW?

Tim

Jim won't usually book if we figure we're getting less than $8-10/point return on our booking. Our 1/19/08 cruise was actually better than that - the point rate was probably as good as using it for Disney - and entertainment and food is included! It's not when you're booking Disney, so even if you're only getting $7 or $8 per point on the cruise, that's *all inclusive* - whereas at Disney there's still money you'll have to spend out of pocket. Also, on both cruises we've booked through DVC, our DD was cheaper than if we'd booked directly through Disney, so there's an added bonus there, too.

The change in the points structure for 2009 make it not quite so good a deal, but considering they said there were 680 DVC members on the 1/19 cruise this year, it doesn't really surprise me that they increased the points for the equivalent cruise next year - it makes sense, as apparently it's a more popular time than they had originally anticipated.

We've been DVC members since 2001, and I think we'll start using our points more for cruises and less for Disney. We've paid for them to offset vacation expenses for the next 40+ years - if our vacation happens to be a cruise, then it's silly not to take advantage of what we're spending on our membership to help offset the cost.

Amanda

 

[owensjro]

Jim won't usually book if we figure we're getting less than $8-10/point return on our booking. Our 1/19/08 cruise was actually better than that - the point rate was probably as good as using it for Disney - and entertainment and food is included! It's not when you're booking Disney, so even if you're only getting $7 or $8 per point on the cruise, that's *all inclusive* - whereas at Disney there's still money you'll have to spend out of pocket. Also, on both cruises we've booked through DVC, our DD was cheaper than if we'd booked directly through Disney, so there's an added bonus there, too.

The change in the points structure for 2009 make it not quite so good a deal, but considering they said there were 680 DVC members on the 1/19 cruise this year, it doesn't really surprise me that they increased the points for the equivalent cruise next year - it makes sense, as apparently it's a more popular time than they had originally anticipated.

We've been DVC members since 2001, and I think we'll start using our points more for cruises and less for Disney. We've paid for them to offset vacation expenses for the next 40+ years - if our vacation happens to be a cruise, then it's silly not to take advantage of what we're spending on our membership to help offset the cost.

Amanda

Uh, yeah. What she said

If we didn't use points for this cruise we wouldn't be doing it as I simply can't come up with that cash given we had an unexpected Colorado trip come up for a wedding this summer. So, if it is between going or not going...yep. I'll use points!

I also don't feel like trying to rent out the points so have no problems getting $8 or $9 per point even though I could rent for $10 or something.

Jim

 

[Bytor01]

"but considering they said there were 680 DVC members on the 1/19 cruise this year"

Wow is that what they told you. When we went last year I wouldn't think there was that many on the cruise. We went from Jan. 13th thru the 20 on the Western cruise. At least there was not even that amount maybe 40 people at the DVC members event. If there was over 600 people I would thknk more would at least come to this event. Maybe I am mistaken and people don't want to be bothered and waste the hour.

Tim

 

[owensjro]

"but considering they said there were 680 DVC members on the 1/19 cruise this year"

Wow is that what they told you. When we went last year I wouldn't think there was that many on the cruise. We went from Jan. 13th thru the 20 on the Western cruise. At least there was not even that amount maybe 40 people at the DVC members event. If there was over 600 people I would thknk more would at least come to this event. Maybe I am mistaken and people don't want to be bothered and waste the hour.

Tim

Diversions was standing room only for this cruise. It was packed. Walking up and down the halls it seemed like every other door had a DVC magnet on it. Of course, there were also over 1000 children onboard. They said there were over 350 3-5 year olds. The YA folks all agreed this was more than they had ever seen before. There was actually a long line to check in the first at sea day at the Oceaneer's Lab.

Hopefully there won't be quite as many this next time I think our daughter was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of children.

Jim

 

[owensamo]

Diversions was standing room only for this cruise. It was packed. Walking up and down the halls it seemed like every other door had a DVC magnet on it. Of course, there were also over 1000 children onboard. They said there were over 350 3-5 year olds. The YA folks all agreed this was more than they had ever seen before. There was actually a long line to check in the first at sea day at the Oceaneer's Lab.

That was somewhere between 350-400 5-7 year olds, actually (the 3-4s weren't in the lab at all).

It was definitely packed in the Member presentation - I don't know there there was much extra room at all! I don't know what the capacity of Diversions is, but I'm sure we exceeded it.

On our first 4-night Wonder cruise last April, there were maybe 50 people in Diversions. This was probably at least 3x that!

Amanda

 

[Eeyore77]

The January 12th Western Cruise was also packed with DVC members as well. I was used to there being around 50 people on the ship that were DVC, but not this time it was a full house.