Disney Dream ~ May 18-22, 2015

[MandyLandy]

Okay gang, heres the two groups if we decide to split:
FE 1-
BiffCo (family of 4), VanessaDisney4L (family of 2 plus dog), Ottes 4 (family of 4 plus dog), Ottes4 (family of 4)MarkHeardJr (family of 2), Dugette (family of 3 plus cat & dog), NicciMouse (family of 3), NicciMouse (Family of 2), MandyLandy (family of 4 plus two cats & one dog), and SDMommyof3 (family of 8).
FE 2-
Disneyboy87 (family of 2), DenysL324 (family of 3 plus dog), Micandkay (family of 2), EricaWolf (family of 4) and JillsCrew (family of 4)

Please voice your opinion if you haven't already on what you would like to do...split or keep all 15 together. If we split, 5 more families can join and someone in FE 2 can take the lead with their group. If we don't split, we'll will get more goodies ) I'm supportive either way

 

[NicciMouse]

Thank you NicciMouse! I got the changes made, but just wondering if your MIL will still be coming?

Thank you! Yes, she is still coming but not participating in the fish extender. She will be rooming with her mom.

 

[Erica Wolf]

I am happy either way - just super excited to get started on the gifts for everyone! MandyLandy - thank you so much for taking charge and organizing all of this!!!

 

[disneyboy87]

How soon do we want to make a decission on this? I want to make sure we all have plenty of time to get our gifts started and complete

 

[MandyLandy]

The FE(s) will close March 31 to give everyone adequate time to order/make/buy gifts. We could see how much more participation we would get until then, then maybe have that as the deciding factor? Kind of thinking ahead here- but things we would need to take into consideration if there are between 15-19 families...stay as one "larger than 15" group or split? Doesn't matter to me- I'm just the organizer )

 

[VanessaDisney4L]

I would be ok with 10 or 15 families anything over than that would be too much for myself here bc I am already doing the 'other' FE exchange too. I am excited to be able to finalize all my gifts soon

 

[TLKirby]

Hello everyone,
We will also be cruising on the Dream on May 18th. This will be our family's first Disney Cruise and we are VERY excited!!!!! We are still trying to figure everything out and I just found this site. We would love to be included in the FE. I am traveling with a group of 4 rooms. My room consists of myself 33, my husband 31, my son 4, and daughter almost 2

 

[TLKirby]

Oops I missed we will be in room 9021 and we have a fur baby Coco(dog)

 

[disneyboy87]

I would be ok with 10 or 15 families anything over than that would be too much for myself here bc I am already doing the 'other' FE exchange too. I am excited to be able to finalize all my gifts soon

What is the "other" FE exchange?

 

[Jill's Crew]

I think I have another family interested in participating as well. Let's see where the numbers are on the current deadline date (3/31) and then decide on how to divide up the groups, knowing that there will likely be 10-15 per group. This is such a fun idea I would hate for anyone not to be able to participate. Looking forward to it!

 

[mamadragona]

Hi there,
If we do more than 1 group, I'd love to join the FE. Maybe you can put us with the other food allergy person?

DW, DH, DS (7), DD (5). Both DS and DD have a dairy allergy.

We'll be coming in from WDW too for StarWars Weekend and other fun. With this winter, I've never needed a break more.

Never been on a cruise, never been to WDW... I am a total novice at this, and a bit overwhelmed. Any/all advice appreciated.

 

[jheltz27]

Hello there ALL! This will be our 1st Disney Cruise and we're all so excited! It will be my wife and I and our 2 boys ages 10 & 6. Would love to hear what everyone is planning on doing for excursions as we're still trying to decide. Getting an upgrade quote from my TA also as I think we could use the extra room. I need to read up on the FE specifics... not really sure what that is. We'll be staying 2 days at the Wilderness Lodge Villas but just 1 day at the MK before the cruise. Thanks!!!

 

[Dugette]

Well, got the online check-in done tonight (first time DCL cruisers). Got an early PAT (10:45am), so that was good. Got super annoyed, though - I had a Palo brunch in my cart (only 1 time left to pick), then added some nursery time to my cart before checking out and the brunch disappeared! And there are no more. Apparently others can take things out of your cart?! I know that we can likely get the brunch reserved after getting on the boat, but I was really hoping to have this all set in advance and have one less thing to deal with once we board. I did grab a Palo dinner, just in case we are totally out of luck on brunch. Hope you all got what you wanted and can't wait to cruise with everyone!

 

[markheardjr]

Well, got the online check-in done tonight (first time DCL cruisers). Got an early PAT (10:45am), so that was good. Got super annoyed, though - I had a Palo brunch in my cart (only 1 time left to pick), then added some nursery time to my cart before checking out and the brunch disappeared! And there are no more. Apparently others can take things out of your cart?! I know that we can likely get the brunch reserved after getting on the boat, but I was really hoping to have this all set in advance and have one less thing to deal with once we board. I did grab a Palo dinner, just in case we are totally out of luck on brunch. Hope you all got what you wanted and can't wait to cruise with everyone!

With that early of an on-board time you should be fine to get a brunch in if you go straight to dining bookings. Also, just keep checking back because people will move/cancel their reservations all the time. I booked a message for my wife on our last cruise weeks after it said it was full.
Also, not sure if you tried again, but I tried to add a Palo dinner and it said it was booked. I went back in and it didnt' show anything so I tried to rebook at a time 30min later and the original booking popped up and it said I had a scheduling conflict. That was weird. Worth checking again.
Side note, not to put you off, but we did the Palo brunch last time and I would have rather not done the brunch and done another dinner. The brunch was just too much seafood and the few things we would eat they had, they tried to jazz it up with stuff and it was just off putting. Like grapes and cheese pizza? Um no. But maybe you like Seafood and you'll love it. If you don't, its a bit of a carb load feast with the sticky buns & pastries.

 

[Dugette]

Thanks, Mark!

With that early of an on-board time you should be fine to get a brunch in if you go straight to dining bookings. Also, just keep checking back because people will move/cancel their reservations all the time.

That's what I was thinking - we should be able to get it once we're onboard. Just didn't want to deal with it then, as we also want to get character meet tickets and maybe more nursery reservations once we board. I keep checking back, but keep getting the same message with nothing available.

Side note, not to put you off, but we did the Palo brunch last time and I would have rather not done the brunch and done another dinner. The brunch was just too much seafood and the few things we would eat they had, they tried to jazz it up with stuff and it was just off putting. Like grapes and cheese pizza? Um no. But maybe you like Seafood and you'll love it. If you don't, its a bit of a carb load feast with the sticky buns & pastries.

Thanks for the feedback! Interesting, as most reviews seem to favor the brunch. I'm not a seafood person at all, but DH loves it. I'm thinking, from the pictures I've seen, there is probably plenty of other stuff to interest me. And I don't mind the occasional carb feast. Funny, the grape gorgonzola pizza thing sounds really strange to me, but I keep seeing rave reviews about it everywhere. The dinner does seem like a good option too and I like the time we got, so that's a good back-up or maybe we'll do both, if we can swing it!

 

[jheltz27]

Got our upgrade through... paid for 4B cause it was only thing available and then found a 4C room this weekend so we now have an OBC. We're in Room 7644 near the aft elevators. Was hoping to do the men's shave before our Palo dinner but can't find anything available at a reasonable time without the tacked on additional treatments. I tried to get my wife to do a spa treatment but she's just not too excited about the cost of them and isn't a huge fan anyway. Just trying to gather as much info as I can over the next 70 days or so without getting too overloaded...

 

[jheltz27]

Hi there,
If we do more than 1 group, I'd love to join the FE. Maybe you can put us with the other food allergy person?

DW, DH, DS (7), DD (5). Both DS and DD have a dairy allergy.

We'll be coming in from WDW too for StarWars Weekend and other fun. With this winter, I've never needed a break more.

Never been on a cruise, never been to WDW... I am a total novice at this, and a bit overwhelmed. Any/all advice appreciated.

mamadragona... If you have any questions on the WDW side, I'd be glad to answer. Just sent me a PM and I'll do my best. I was a finalist for this year's DPMP so I guess I'm qualified to answer...

 

[MandyLandy]

Hi Everyone! We're up to 18 families. I've recieved feedback from only a few folks about whether to split or not, so please keep your opinions on this topic coming. I know a few of you are still working on getting your cabin numbers, so thank you for telling me that so I don't keep hounding you...but for the folks I haven't heard from please let me know as soon as you can- BIFFCO & MAMADRAGONA

 

[mamadragona]

I am wistfully thinking about trying to get a walk-in upgrade depending on cost and availability. We're in 5509.

Eek. I have to book WDW fast passes this weekend. Or Monday actually I think.

 

[Dugette]

Hey, all! If you need anything to do when you get off the ship on Friday the 22nd, Disney just announced that it is the 24-Hour Day! Magic Kingdom is open from 6am Friday-6am the next morning (Saturday)!