July 30,2012 - 7 Night Wonder Cruise to Alaska

[mom2dzb]

99 days! So exciting! (Except, I have to pay still. That's not fun.)

 

[Jhalkias]

We aren't PIF yet either. Hate to give Disney my money before I have to. We did the train in Skagway - really enjoyed it. Friends did some of the float plane excursions and really enjoyed them - if you can afford it - they are not cheap!

 

[Disneygal19]

We have 5 people in 2 cabins going on this cruise and very excited since we haven't done a cruise in over a year!!

My husband and I will be bringing our 10-year-old DD and our 16-year-old DD as well as my 81-year-old mother.

We are planning to stay at one of the Starwood hotels in downtown Seattle from Friday through Monday (i.e. W, Westin or Sheraton) before sailing. Anyone else make pre-cruise plans yet?

Would love to find some new friends before the cruise to help get things rockin' when we hit the ship!

We are going to be staying at the Sherton before the cruise!! Our flight gets in at noon so looking foward to exploring Seattle!

 

[Jhalkias]

We have not yet made our Seattle plans or flights. We are hoping to get in Friday night or Saturday and spend some time exploring Seattle too.

 

[mom2dzb]

Since no one else has stepped up, I will volunteer to admin the Fish Extender activity for this cruise. If you want to participate I'm gonna need the number of people that will be in your party, approximate ages (for adults, just adult is fine), sex, and rooms. For example, in my party we have 2 rooms with 1 DH, 1 DW, 1 DD (adult), 1 DS (adult), and 1 DGS (11).

Sometime in June, I will need actual room numbers. If you don't want your room number published, IM me and I will put it on the list but not on the website. I am hoping to close this list to additions in June so we will have a good count in plenty of time for the cruise.

I sent you a PM!

 

[mom2dzb]

Is there a pirate night on the Alaska itineraries? We're starting to plan our FE gifts!

 

[Larissa]

There was a pirate night when I went last year. No fireworks though, due to Alaska Maritime Law.
It was SUPER windy - bandana's were flying off left, right, and centre, so I'd say clip it into your hair (multiple times) and wear a sweater just to be safe.

 

[4BeachBums]

Since no one else has stepped up, I will volunteer to admin the Fish Extender activity for this cruise. If you want to participate I'm gonna need the number of people that will be in your party, approximate ages (for adults, just adult is fine), sex, and rooms. For example, in my party we have 2 rooms with 1 DH, 1 DW, 1 DD (adult), 1 DS (adult), and 1 DGS (11).

Sometime in June, I will need actual room numbers. If you don't want your room number published, IM me and I will put it on the list but not on the website. I am hoping to close this list to additions in June so we will have a good count in plenty of time for the cruise.

Thank you so much for volunteering to coordinate the FE! It is our first time participating so we are excited!!

We have two cabins with 5 people total in our

1st Cabin
Adult - Male
Adult - Female
Child - Female Age 10

2nd Cabin
Adult - Female
"Child" - Female Age 16

I will PM you the cabin #'s later.

 

[mug318ca]

Just to give you and update and to spur others into signing up... our FE list has 3 DIS member groups participating. It includes 6 rooms and 17 participants.

If your not familiar with what this whole FE thing is about, look here http://www.disneycollegeblog.com/2011/06/whats-fish-extender.html. I will be closing the list and mailing out the list to participants only on or about June 30.

If you want to participate, post the names, ages, sex, and room numbers of the participants in your party. If you want to post them in a PM to me, that's fine too. Names are important, but optional, since there are some folks that like to personalize their FE gifts. Ages are important, mostly kids, to give some guidance to other participants in getting age appropriate gifts. Sex is important, but optional, again for that personalized gift. Obviously, room numbers are mandatory since the gifts are delivered directly to the rooms.

 

[mug318ca]

Thank you so much for volunteering to coordinate the FE! It is our first time participating so we are excited!!

We have two cabins with 5 people total in our

1st Cabin
Adult - Male
Adult - Female
Child - Female Age 10

2nd Cabin
Adult - Female
"Child" - Female Age 16

I will PM you the cabin #'s later.

Thanks. You're on the list.

 

[Sleeping_Beauty81]

Well all my excursions and cruise check in are done.

We do have to pick a port arrival time for anyone who wants to know. Now whether they follow it at the terminal remains to be seen.

I was shocked that there were still plenty of Palo Brunch times left when I was booking last night; considering there are only the 2 days.

We decided to do the Mendenhall glacier & whale quest (Juneau), Misty fjords & wilderness explorer (Ketchikan) and the Alaska nature & wildlife expedition (Skagway).
For anyone who is interested all the start times are between 7:15 - 8:15 am.

Transportation down to Seattle is booked. Travel insurance is done.

All that is left is the hotel for the night before.
I'm thinking of the Best Western Loyal Inn. They are offering a cruise package that includes a breakfast in the morning as well as a town car to transport us to the cruise terminal. (One less cab ride will be a-okay with me)

I am so excited now. Can't wait for the cruise docs to come in a couple months.

 

[Spokavegas]

So frustrated!! I cannot get our Palo brunch booked- the system continuously keeps jamming up every time I select it! Grrr.....!!!

Oh- and HELLO! My name is Karla, I'm actually a Disney getaway planner (I'd love to mention my company name but don't want to get in trouble!) and our family will be joining you all on this cruise! It will be our third, and I'm still on the fence about FEs.... I just started this job this fall, and planning for others has gotten in the way of planning MY OWN cruise! We have 2 staterooms- myself, DH, DS 10, DS 8, and my mom and her friend from the other side of the country! We are Seattle locals and could NOT let the Disney Wonder come here and us not get on it- despite the cost!

Excited to cruise with you all! What excursions have you booked? I'm still on the fence about our DCL options, although DH and DS 10 will be doing a non-Disney (gulp) fishing excursion out of Skagway that they've yet to book either!

So whattya say?!? LET'S DO THIS!! We're down to the nitty gritty, friends- just 90 days left until we sail!!

 

[Spokavegas]

CHECKED IN!! Wooo hooooo!!!! I had to call in to web services to get my Palo meals booked, but I got them too!

Also......I should let everyone know (not to alarm anyone b/c things COULD change)- but the agent that I just spoke to said that there is currently NO Pirate Night scheduled for the Alaska sailings this summer....?!?!? Let's collectively keep checking back on this just to be sure. Right now, Formal Night is scheduled for Day 2- At Sea, and Semi Formal Night is schedule for Day 6- Ketchikan. Hope this helps!!

 

[Disneygal19]

We just booked our excursions and Palo times as well!!!! We are doing the High Tea in Palo on the sea day and Palo Brunch on the Victoria day (can't believe we were able to get both!!!)

As far as excursions we are doing Sled Dog Musher's camp and White pass railway in Skagway, Adult only whale watching, Mendenhall Glacier, and Salmon bake in Juneau, bear country in Ketchikan, and horse drawn trolley tour in Victoria!!

Getting soooo excited!!! Can't wait to see you all on the ship :0)

 

[Spokavegas]

Have any of you lurked the other Disney Wonder meets for Alaska? People are dropping like flies! "Sorry, we had to cancel this cruise.." All over the place! So sad!

So......why do I still have a GTY Verandah room? Hoping to have a stateroom assignment soon!

I'm also wondering though if that's why we're still seeing availability for Palo- that, and the fact that the website has been having a NUMBER of problems kicking people out, or jamming up at the "Check Availability" window sometimes if you're not using Safari or Firefox.

I think we're going independent for our excursions all except for the Liarsville Gold Rush in Skagway for part of our group.

 

[Larissa]

Originally I had asked a question about the schedule, but I see it was answered above.



I notice a lot of you guys are booking brunches. May I ask if there is a specific reason you chose brunch over dinner?

 

[Disneygal19]

Originally I had asked a question about the schedule, but I see it was answered above.



I notice a lot of you guys are booking brunches. May I ask if there is a specific reason you chose brunch over dinner?

For my family it is because we don't want to miss out on any of the themed dinners and we like to do a lot a night before and after dinner so don't want to be stuck eating for a long period of time. Also I have heard brunch is amazing!! We will be trying the high tea as well on this cruise

 

[Spokavegas]

I usually book one of each, b/c both are so great! The brunches are absolutely amazing, with SO much food - and breathtaking views midday! Dinners are so romantic- we really like picking one non-event night to enjoy a quiet dinner date for the two of us while the kids play.

We're going to brunch on our At Sea day with my mom and her friend, and then a dinner for my husband and I while at Tracy Arm. The "special nights" for our sailing are Formal Night on Day 2 (At Sea) and Semi Formal Night on Day 6 (Ketchikan.)

There is no Pirate Night for the Alaska sailings this year.

 

[Sleeping_Beauty81]

Originally I had asked a question about the schedule, but I see it was answered above.



I notice a lot of you guys are booking brunches. May I ask if there is a specific reason you chose brunch over dinner?

We like the brunch mainly because it is just that little bit more casual and we prefer the food choices at brunch.
I also feel bad not ordering wine or cocktails at night like almost everyone else and it is just embarrassing when my husband orders chocolate milk.

 

[Spokavegas]

Haha!! I just LOL! My oldest LOVES the chocolate milk onboard!

Dinner would still be great without cocktails.....but I do love the limoncello after a Palo souffle. (Drool.....)