February 3rd 2014 Magic Official Thread Meet!!

[jadedjojo]

I have been on 18 DCL cruises (DH Dave has been on 15 - I went on 3 girls' only cruises!). In January 2014, we are doing B2B Wonder cruises - January 24 and 29; we get off the Wonder in Miami, staying overnight at DVC Vero Beach, then board the Magic on February 3 and staying on for the February 7th sailing. Then, I have to get out of cruise mode as we head to DVC Hilton Head for 2 nights, then head to Morgantown, WV to spend time with 2 of our 6 grandkids and their parents before heading home to mid-Michigan. We are also booked on the 11/1/14 Fantasy. We were supposed to be on the Vancouver to LA repo and the PC this September but had to cancel, so that is why we are doing B2Bs.

I see you live in the Orlando area. How fun! Are you a CM?

Jan

I am not a CM, but I wish I was! I'm a little west of Clermont, so Disney is an easy day trip, but to work there would be a little far. Although my DH's cousin lives nearby and she works there... and his sister lives in Orlando and works there as well. I've yet for them to offer us any perks yet (and I know they have them!). I'm going to have to bribe them with cookies lol. And wow @ 18... I wish we had started earlier than 2006 with DCL, we may have been there already too. We wanted to go on a cruise as early as 2001, but we always thought they were out of financial reach. Boy, were we wrong! With a lot of research we realized they are very feasible and quite often if you play your cards right. We have had a lot of opportunity with living in FL too, we've taken advantage of great FL residents rates and we are pretty close to PC so it helps. Last year when we went to Alaska I was a little out of my element! I didn't realize the planning and such it takes to go on a cruise for everyone else. The airfare, hotels, car rentals... it took quite a lot of planning. Sometimes I don't realize how easy I have it with living close to the port. Have you been to DVC Vero Beach before? We went a few years ago for my birthday, and it was quite wonderful. We left on the Wonder out of Miami this past March, and I loved it. I liked the change of scenery. We left around sunset, and it was awe inspiring to see the city from the end of the channel. An "AHHH" moment .

Wow, 13 cruises! Awesome!! We can't wait to try the Aqua Dunk as well and I'm kinda excited to try the new Mickey slide as well. I think I just make the height requirement max by 1/4 of an inch

OMG, what is the height restriction? I want to go on that one too! *pout* I'm rather short at 62 inches tall, so I'm hoping I made the cut lol.

 

[dandjfla]

I heard its going to be 64 inches so you can ride too! Woohoo!

I agree, we ARE spoiled! We live outside of Tampa and are only 2 hours away from port. We're lucky we don't have to pay airfare because if we did I don't think we would be to afford it!

 

[JanDave]

I am not a CM, but I wish I was! I'm a little west of Clermont, so Disney is an easy day trip, but to work there would be a little far. Although my DH's cousin lives nearby and she works there... and his sister lives in Orlando and works there as well. I've yet for them to offer us any perks yet (and I know they have them!). I'm going to have to bribe them with cookies lol. And wow @ 18... I wish we had started earlier than 2006 with DCL, we may have been there already too. We wanted to go on a cruise as early as 2001, but we always thought they were out of financial reach. Boy, were we wrong! With a lot of research we realized they are very feasible and quite often if you play your cards right. We have had a lot of opportunity with living in FL too, we've taken advantage of great FL residents rates and we are pretty close to PC so it helps. Last year when we went to Alaska I was a little out of my element! I didn't realize the planning and such it takes to go on a cruise for everyone else. The airfare, hotels, car rentals... it took quite a lot of planning. Sometimes I don't realize how easy I have it with living close to the port. Have you been to DVC Vero Beach before? We went a few years ago for my birthday, and it was quite wonderful. We left on the Wonder out of Miami this past March, and I loved it. I liked the change of scenery. We left around sunset, and it was awe inspiring to see the city from the end of the channel. An "AHHH" moment .

I have stayed at Vero Beach twice - love it! One of my favorite bars/restaurants in Florida is the Green Cabin at VB - love the patio overlooking the ocean! We also had lunch there one day after we were forced to get off the Wonder.....

In 1998, we decided to try cruising. We were looking at a lot of cruise brochures trying to decide which one to take. One day, we saw a TV ad for DCL and I told Dave - that's it, we're going on a Disney cruise. We boarded the Magic for a 4 day cruise in July 1999 and the excitement is still there even when we boarded the Magic last November in Galveston.

Jan

 

[canucktinkerbell19]

So excited to be joining you all! We just booked and can't wait to see the new Magic! This will be our 3rd cruise. We have been on the Dream and the Fantasy. Will be myself, dh and ds (10). Would love to be part of the FE if one is organized.

 

[JanDave]

So excited to be joining you all! We just booked and can't wait to see the new Magic! This will be our 3rd cruise. We have been on the Dream and the Fantasy. Will be myself, dh and ds (10). Would love to be part of the FE if one is organized.

Welcome aboard, Canucktinkerbell19 and Family!!!

Where in Ontario are you? We live in mid-Michigan.

Jan

 

[tech9798]

Hi everyone! So excited to join in. This will be our first Disney cruise. DH and I took an anniversary cruise a few years ago on RCCL, but it has taken me a while to convince him to take the kids and pay the Disney price. We will be driving in from Ga and spending the weekend in Orlando. I hope to do the Magic Kingdom and a relaxing day resting up and visiting Dowtown Disney. Our kids are 12, 10, 7, and 2 - 4 year olds. I am hoping they all love the kids' club, A LOT!

 

[dandjfla]

Welcome to the group! You guys are going to love it!!!

 

[JanDave]

Hi everyone! So excited to join in. This will be our first Disney cruise. DH and I took an anniversary cruise a few years ago on RCCL, but it has taken me a while to convince him to take the kids and pay the Disney price. We will be driving in from Ga and spending the weekend in Orlando. I hope to do the Magic Kingdom and a relaxing day resting up and visiting Dowtown Disney. Our kids are 12, 10, 7, and 2 - 4 year olds. I am hoping they all love the kids' club, A LOT!

Welcome tech9798 and family!!! And welcome to the DIS! I know you and your family will enjoy the Disney Magic!

Jan

 

[jadedjojo]

Welcome, welcome!

You know what's funny tech9798, I have the opposite problem. I wanted to do a last minute cruise in August or September because I'm having DCL withdrawal (lol), and the prices really hurt for DCL for August. So I looked at RCCL, but having only ever cruised Disney, we are having a hard time making the jump. We watched the videos, looked at photos, read reviews... and we just keep going "But on Disney..." Then DH spoke to a coworker today who has been on both RCCL and Disney, and he said "Don't do it! You will just be sad the whole time, thinking "Aww I wish I was on Disney."" So now I doubt I can ever get DH to "jump ship." One of the problems we found in reviews was the nickel and diming on RCCL. I didn't like that on RCCL you'd have to pay for sodas (all free on DCL unless it's room service), then on Disney we get our Castaway Club discounts and the OBC pays for tips, then also on Disney there are very few surcharges (only for Palo/ Remy).

I read a review that may reveal why we are really afraid to try other lines, and it was an example of the service. I read that on RCCL's Coco Cay day, a person had to go from their stateroom to the pool deck and use their seacard to check out a towel to bring to the island. Then when they got back onboard, they were required to bring their dirty, checked-out towel all the way back to the tender, then the pool deck and check it in. I was like, huh? Man, we have it spoiled on Disney! I remember one time a DCL attendant was pushing the DCL towel cart around Nassau and handing out towels/ collecting them, and I was like, AHHHH, I love you Mickey lol. Let alone that on CC you get towels off the ship, and you can bring them back to the ship, or leave them in a dirty towel bin, or crew will randomly ask if you want a towel/ want to get rid of your dirty towel... it's just so pampered. Just an example of what I read... there were other reviews regarding other aspects that also made me think.


Well, I guess DH and I will just have to be patient for our big happy Mickey boat in February . (Unless there is a DCL FL resident rate in September, then it's on like Donkey Kong lol).

 

[canucktinkerbell19]

Welcome aboard, Canucktinkerbell19 and Family!!!

Where in Ontario are you? We live in mid-Michigan.

Jan

Thanks Jan!
We are outside of Fort Erie, close to the Buffalo border. My brother lives in Michigan though -near Novi.

 

[JanDave]

Thanks Jan!
We are outside of Fort Erie, close to the Buffalo border. My brother lives in Michigan though -near Novi.

We live about 45 minutes west of Novi.

Jan

 

[canucktinkerbell19]

We live about 45 minutes west of Novi.

Jan

Small world :0)!!

 

[VADizneeFan]

We'll be onboard on the 2/3 Magic sailing as well!

Me, DH, and DD who will be 9 -- our fifth Disney cruise. We'll be flying down from VA with a couple of nights at WDW pre-cruise and a night post-cruise as well.

We'd love to join a FE group if one gets going.

 

[dandjfla]

Welcome aboard to everyone who recently joined!

 

[JanDave]

Just so excited about our cruise aboard the remodeled Magic!!!

 

[tech9798]

On the iPad, so not sure how to quote, but to jadedjojo:
I have been on girls only cruises on Carnival and NCL, plus the cruise on RCCL with DH. We really enjoyed the RCCL cruise, we got free gratuities through cruises.com plus I got a soft drink card for $30 and DH didn't care about sodas. We only paid for a couple of specialty coffees on the cruise and massages. So, I didn't feel that we were nickeled and dimed. The cost of the Disney cruise was over twice RCCL, so it has been hard to justify, especially taking the kids. Carnival was closer to our house and cheaper, but I just didn't want to cruise with them again. I am super excited about the Disney cruise, and I know I will have a hard time going anywhere else, but unless they super wow DH, this will probably be our only Disney cruise.

 

[jadedjojo]

On the iPad, so not sure how to quote, but to jadedjojo:
I have been on girls only cruises on Carnival and NCL, plus the cruise on RCCL with DH. We really enjoyed the RCCL cruise, we got free gratuities through cruises.com plus I got a soft drink card for $30 and DH didn't care about sodas. We only paid for a couple of specialty coffees on the cruise and massages. So, I didn't feel that we were nickeled and dimed. The cost of the Disney cruise was over twice RCCL, so it has been hard to justify, especially taking the kids. Carnival was closer to our house and cheaper, but I just didn't want to cruise with them again. I am super excited about the Disney cruise, and I know I will have a hard time going anywhere else, but unless they super wow DH, this will probably be our only Disney cruise.

Thanks tech9798. I will keep it in mind for the future. Although now I got a new job, and I am not allowed to take PTO for six months- so no last minute cruise for me . Although it lines up perfectly for this cruise (phew!).

 

[dreabean13]

dreabean13 - where are you in Ohio? We travel through Ohio a lot to get to Morgantown, WV. In fact, we are going to Put-in-Bay in mid-July (not on a weekend though) and spending 3 days there.

Jan

I just saw this-I'm sorry! I am in Ontario (Mansfield) about half way between Cleveland and Columbus. I was actually at Catawba Island a couple of weeks ago. Go figure!

Can't wait for the cruise. I still haven't decided whether or not I should tell my daughter beforehand or not. If I do, it will be close to the time to go (Christmas at the earliest), but I don't know!

 

[dreabean13]

Ok everyone... The time has come.. I have volunteered to organize the FE list and I am ready to get started! (thanks to Keli for sharing her spreadsheet from her last trip!) This is my first cruise and obviously my first time organizing the FE, so if anyone has any suggestions, feel free to share! I suppose for the time being I will collect everyone's information and we will plan on one group, but if the group gets too big, I will break it down into smaller groups.. If you would like to participate you may either reply to the post or e-mail your information to dreabean13 @ gmail.com with "FISH EXTENDER" in the subject line. If you e-mail, please let me know-sometimes they go to the "spam" folder and I don't see them!

Here is the information I will need for now (if anyone has other suggestions of things we should have on the sheet, please let me know!):
Your Name/Gender:
Cabin Number:
Adult 2/Gender:
Adult 3/Gender (If you have two separate families we can do them separately, but I know in my case we have a grandma coming with us so we're all together):
Child 1/Age/Gender:
Child 2/Age/Gender:
Child 3/Age/Gender:
Special Occasion:
Special Notes (things you may or may not like/food allergies/etc.):

I am SO excited to start on this. I already have a couple different ideas for gifts and hope to get started working on them soon

 

[dandjfla]

Thanks for taking on this task! I sent you my info on Facebook already. Can't wait!!!!