Magic: November 1, 2013 5 night Western

[diesel2512]

I think this is the last post I need. Again, Sorry! Thanks!

 

[MrsMork]

Sorry everyone for the overload, but I have to make more posts in order to message anyone...so I'm just going to post a couple more times. I'm really sorry! Thanks!

No problem. It is a great way for us to get to know you!

We booked a Dolphin Swim for Grand Cayman and touring the turtle farm afterwards. I have "swam" with dolphins before in the Bahamas but hubs and kids haven't yet so why not?
We are early dining this cruise, we did late dining last cruise and vowed to never do it again. It was the only slight negative of the cruise for us. Only because by the time we were seated and decided on the meal, and were served, it was probably 9 or 9:15pm. By the time dinner was finished it was 10 pm and we were all falling asleep in our sundaes. We never had the energy to go out after dinner.

We also are early dining. We enjoy both for different reasons, but early just a bit better for us. We are doing a tour in GC that ends at the Turtle Farm also. Not the dolphin swim though. We also did the dolphin encounter in Nassau and it was an amazing experience!

 

[randomiam79]

Just put a hold on two balcony rooms with the MTO rate!! Which is amazing, best deal we have had yet...However how does everyone feel about NO castaway cay stop?? This is the only thing stopping me, I have till tonight to decided. We have been to cozumel and not to impressed, never to gran cayman though. Can I find a great beach to make up for castaway??

No castaway is kind of a bummer. I don't get it. But then again, I'm a big fan of sea days so it will be ok. We live near the beach so not too worried about missing castaway. Remember, some cruises that have castaway scheduled never make it there due to seas, winds, etc. DW and I will be at castaway next month so we'll make sure to get our fill then.

 

[MrsMork]

No castaway is kind of a bummer. I don't get it. But then again, I'm a big fan of sea days so it will be ok. We live near the beach so not too worried about missing castaway. Remember, some cruises that have castaway scheduled never make it there due to seas, winds, etc. DW and I will be at castaway next month so we'll make sure to get our fill then.

This one and our next neither have CC stop. Sad, but we will try to bury our disappointment with a drink of the day.

 

[fly4free2]

This one and our next neither have CC stop. Sad, but we will try to bury our disappointment with a drink of the day.

I've been to CC three times and its not a big deal for me or my traveling party. We are .....shall we say older and won't have children with us so it's ok. CC is a beautiful place and I understand why people want to go there, there's so much to do. I'm more about the ship and not the ports because I've been to them all before. For those who haven't, you will love both. I'm all about the Drink of the Day idea ;-) Then, mix our own in our rooms because Disney so graciously allows us to bring our own. Order a All Hands on Deck platter and wine glasses from room service, I'm a happy girl. Then of course it goes without saying, Mickey Bars for afternoon snack.

 

[TempusFugit]

This one and our next neither have CC stop. Sad, but we will try to bury our disappointment with a drink of the day.

Now your speaking my language Angie! We hit CC twice last year on a double dip and it was awesome. The only drag is the other stop was Nassau.

Welcome all to our (not so) humble group! We're planning on breaking in the refreshed Magic properly.

 

[MrsMork]

I've been to CC three times and its not a big deal for me or my traveling party. We are .....shall we say older and won't have children with us so it's ok. CC is a beautiful place and I understand why people want to go there, there's so much to do. I'm more about the ship and not the ports because I've been to them all before. For those who haven't, you will love both. I'm all about the Drink of the Day idea ;-) Then, mix our own in our rooms because Disney so graciously allows us to bring our own. Order a All Hands on Deck platter and wine glasses from room service, I'm a happy girl. Then of course it goes without saying, Mickey Bars for afternoon snack.

This is our 15th cruise, 2 double dips. There may have been one in there with no CC, but not that I can think of. We loved CC already, but the last cruise (PC May) we got a cabana with 2 other adult couples and I will tell you it was HEAVEN! That I would do again and again. Nice to be able to split the cost though!

 

[jenerra11]

We were also able to book 2 rooms with the MTO discount, there are 6 in our immediate family, but we also asked after our in-laws who were debating coming with us, and Disney said as add-ons that would be fine because being a large party they had to give us 2 rooms anyhow so the discount would apply to them too. We could not have booked after the fact, a separate room for them. The discount only applied to the party traveling/booking together. And no more than 2 rooms would be discounted. Does that make sense? Our thought was to book self in room 1, and hubs in room 2, but in actuality hubs and I stay together with 2 kids) and in-laws stay together (with other 2 kids).

That's how we did it also. My mom(Military Spouse) is in one room with 3 of her dependents and one of her other dependents is in the other room (with us) because all couldn't fit in one room. Therefore, we received the MTO discount for both rooms. I had to wait for day to get this approved through management because they were saying that because she had 3 adults that was over 18, we couldn't receive the discount. But I informed them that one of the adults is disabled and the other two is in college and mom is taking care of them. The lady called me back and said that the two rooms were approved.

 

[jenerra11]

Double post

 

[fly4free2]

This is our 15th cruise, 2 double dips. There may have been one in there with no CC, but not that I can think of. We loved CC already, but the last cruise (PC May) we got a cabana with 2 other adult couples and I will tell you it was HEAVEN! That I would do again and again. Nice to be able to split the cost though!

WOW, it's it great to be able to say 15th cruise. Please don't get me wrong, I love CC as well, I was just saying I wouldn't "not" go because there was no CC I just love cruising, I've done over 15 myself, unfortunately not all on Disney. Would love to do a cabana someday, maybe next year on the WBTA . I'm excited about meeting everyone, it seems as if we are a small enough group that we should run into one another often I'll send you a pm about FE's

 

[MrsMork]

WOW, it's it great to be able to say 15th cruise. Please don't get me wrong, I love CC as well, I was just saying I wouldn't "not" go because there was no CC I just love cruising, I've done over 15 myself, unfortunately not all on Disney. Would love to do a cabana someday, maybe next year on the WBTA . I'm excited about meeting everyone, it seems as if we are a small enough group that we should run into one another often I'll send you a pm about FE's

Oh I understood. CC obviously is not a deal breaker for us either. This cruise and our next neither have CC. Get hooked up with some DIS folks on the WBTA and share the cost. Six people with no extra charge and you need one of them to be either platinum or concierge in order to snag one. We are inside stateroom people, but have gotten to the platinum mark so we can book early.

 

[MrsMork]

REMINDER ABOUT FE PARTICIPATION

So far we have 9 cabins participating. I will try to post this reminder every week or so. CUT OFF DATE IS OCT 1 TO ALLOW TIME TO GET THE GIFTS TOGETHER Anyone wanting to participate please get the following information to me via PM.

Number of adults, (indicate M/F) number and age of children and indicate B/G
cabin number
any allergies

 

[JennLK]

REMINDER ABOUT FE PARTICIPATION

So far we have 9 cabins participating. I will try to post this reminder every week or so. CUT OFF DATE IS OCT 1 TO ALLOW TIME TO GET THE GIFTS TOGETHER Anyone wanting to participate please get the following information to me via PM.

Number of adults, (indicate M/F) number and age of children and indicate B/G
cabin number
any allergies

Thanks again for doing this - do you have any inkling to about how many people? I want to try to narrow down my ideas... If you don't that is no biggie

 

[JennLK]

We booked a Dolphin Swim for Grand Cayman and touring the turtle farm afterwards. I have "swam" with dolphins before in the Bahamas but hubs and kids haven't yet so why not?
We are early dining this cruise, we did late dining last cruise and vowed to never do it again. It was the only slight negative of the cruise for us. Only because by the time we were seated and decided on the meal, and were served, it was probably 9 or 9:15pm. By the time dinner was finished it was 10 pm and we were all falling asleep in our sundaes. We never had the energy to go out after dinner.

we tried late dining on our last cruise and felt the same way!

 

[MrsMork]

Thanks again for doing this - do you have any inkling to about how many people? I want to try to narrow down my ideas... If you don't that is no biggie

So far it looks like 18 adults, 4 kids and 3 young teens (12/13)

 

[diesel2512]

So, I'm trying to decide which night hubs and I are going to Palo. Last cruise, upon advice, we skipped pirate night rotational dinner and went to Palo. We liked it, but we felt a little guilty that the kids missed whatever the waiters do in the main dining that night.
This cruise, we booked the Palo on night 2, then brunch on day 5. Part of me is scared to go on night 2 because what if that's the night we have the restaurant we'll only get once? But on the other hand, I don't want to miss pirate night again (even though I've heard the menu that night is nothing special), but I also don't want to go on the last night because I want to be with the whole family on the last night of the cruise....ADVICE from seasoned cruisers PLEASE!!! Skip pirate night dinner again, or what????? Skip Palo dinner this cruise and just do the brunch?!?!?! Help meeeeee!
Thanks in advance

 

[TempusFugit]

That's a tough one. As we're just adults we don't mind missing pirate night this go around so that's when we're going. We generally don't like to do the first or last night's either for various reasons. My advice would be to go with the second our third night. If it so happens that it falls on the night of your singular restaurant visit just go to Palo reservations upon boarding. We've always found them to be most accommodating.


Ps. Good choice picking brunch as well.

 

[MrsMork]

We love the dining rooms and so have stopped doing Palo dinner. We do brunch and spend every night in the dining room with "our" serving team and our tablemates.

 

[TempusFugit]

Also an excellent suggestion.

 

[randomiam79]

So far it looks like 18 adults, 4 kids and 3 young teens (12/13)

Were in! 2 adults, 3 kids ages 5 and 7, and 1. Always so much fun.