May 19th 2011, Three Day Dream Cruise

[tikibirds]

Where is everyone staying the night before the cruise?

We are staying at the Country Inn and Suites with the cruise parking package.

 

[Mum from oz]

I am thinking of staying there too. Who did you book through? Did you go directly through them?

 

[suzyqn]

I'm getting really excited for this trip! Got my Palo reservations last week as well as my boarding time (although I am unsure how strict they are with that). It will be here before we know it. I am especially enjoying reading the trip reports that have been posted. Can't wait!!!

 

[tigger2on]

Animal Kingdom Lodge villas from the 12th
Then Beach Club Villas after the cruise

 

[Linda67]

We will be in the Wilderness Lodge before and after the cruise

I am also going to be re-booking on-board

Even though we have never cruised before I have already decided that we are going to love it

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on your pre-cruise hotels as we will probably stay at the port the night before on our 2012 cruise

I still haven't worked out what I am going to do for FE gifts, I am waiting for inspiration to strike

 

[Tracykim]

Gosh!! I'm so jealous!!! We will be staying home the night before the cruise. We live about an hour away from the port and about 25 mins away from WDW. NOW I'm thinking about gettting a room in Cocoa just to get the party started!

 

[cathy_s]

We're at home the night before the cruise also. Depending upon our boarding time, we may even have the kids start the day in school and then pull them out before heading to the port. It doesn't count as an absence if they leave early-only if they miss the whole day. School for DD#2 has gotten amazingly strict on missing days. Of course that wasn't the case when we booked the cruise--anyone and everyone was pulling their kids out for vacation but as soon as we planned on missing 2 days everything changed.

 

[tigger2on]

We're at home the night before the cruise also. Depending upon our boarding time, we may even have the kids start the day in school and then pull them out before heading to the port. It doesn't count as an absence if they leave early-only if they miss the whole day. School for DD#2 has gotten amazingly strict on missing days. Of course that wasn't the case when we booked the cruise--anyone and everyone was pulling their kids out for vacation but as soon as we planned on missing 2 days everything changed.

How do you guys know your boarding times? Are you conceirge? I thought we didn't get our boarding times until we got to the terminal...

 

[tigger2on]

Gosh!! I'm so jealous!!! We will be staying home the night before the cruise. We live about an hour away from the port and about 25 mins away from WDW. NOW I'm thinking about gettting a room in Cocoa just to get the party started!

I'm JEALOUS cuz you live near WDW!!!

 

[Linda67]

I'm JEALOUS cuz you live near WDW!!!

I was thinking the exact same thing

London is a long way from WDW

 

[cathy_s]

How do you guys know your boarding times? Are you conceirge? I thought we didn't get our boarding times until we got to the terminal...

I was under the impression-maybe I'm wrong-that due to the number of people boarding the Dream we are assigned times to arrive at the port.

I could swear I read that somewhere but life has been a bit overwhelming for the past few months (lots of health problems in my family) so I really can't trust my memory-it's a lot like Swiss cheese!

I just assumed that once we got the luggage tags etc. we would get a boarding time. A previous poster mentioned getting a boarding time so I just took that to confirm that they really are assigned.

For both the Magic and the Wonder we were given a group number (not sure if that is the exact name) when we checked in at the port and that determined our boarding time. Something makes me think the Dream is different though...

 

[LoriABil]

We are staying at the Hyatt Regency MCO. We are not getting in until 11:30pm Orlando time (leaving Wednesday after work) so while a lot of places were cheaper, this just made the most sense for us. Although I did book the room on Last Minute Travel for $130! So we saved a little there...

But after the cruise we will be at WDW at the Beach Club! Woohoo!

I am so excited, especially after Sunday when, while doing our taxes, we thought we would have to scratch the whole thing! We thought we were going to owe over $9000 this year - totally unplanned and unexpected. But we discovered our accountant was a dimwit (er, that would be me! )

So, after we got DH's heart started again we decided we could go to WDW after all!

 

[tigger2on]

Well... we can always ask the experts
I'll post the question on the forum and see what's up...
Thanks for the info though

 

[suzyqn]

Sorry, I should not have used the term "Boarding Time." I got my Port Arrival time. Yes, with the larger ship they are trying to schedule people versus having huge crowds at one time. You do not receive a boarding number until you are in line at check in.

Once I filled out all of my online documentation I was then able to select an arrival time. I don't know how strict they will be but ours is 10:30-11:00. Our first year (since reading the DIS boards) we got there at 10:00 and received boarding #2. Last year my husband felt that he needed to water the entire lawn before leaving (while we waited in the car) and we got there later but we were still on board shortly after noon.

Sorry to confuse.

Suzy

 

[cathy_s]

Sorry, I should not have used the term "Boarding Time." I got my Port Arrival time. Yes, with the larger ship they are trying to schedule people versus having huge crowds at one time. You do not receive a boarding number until you are in line at check in.

Once I filled out all of my online documentation I was then able to select an arrival time. I don't know how strict they will be but ours is 10:30-11:00. Our first year (since reading the DIS boards) we got there at 10:00 and received boarding #2. Last year my husband felt that he needed to water the entire lawn before leaving (while we waited in the car) and we got there later but we were still on board shortly after noon.

Sorry to confuse.

Suzy

You didn't confuse me!

I'm actually kind of relieved to read that I wasn't imagining things. I thought that I had read something about arrival times at the port but just couldn't completely trust myself. There's only so much that this poor brain can process at one time and that detail only partially "stuck".



Just found this thread that seems to explain the confusion.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2663646

 

[mcrcleveland]

Hello all! This will be our first Disney Cruise and we are so excited. My husband and I are celebrating out 9th anniversary and have invited my parents along so that they can celebrate their 50th anniversary. Our 2 year old son will also be with us. I have seen a few postings about FEs and they sound fun. I would like to learn more and possibly participate. Also any other tips for crusing would be great! Thank you, Christy

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Hello all! This will be our first Disney Cruise and we are so excited. My husband and I are celebrating out 9th anniversary and have invited my parents along so that they can celebrate their 50th anniversary. Our 2 year old son will also be with us. I have seen a few postings about FEs and they sound fun. I would like to learn more and possibly participate. Also any other tips for crusing would be great! Thank you, Christy

What part of GA are you from?

 

[Linda67]

Sorry, I should not have used the term "Boarding Time." I got my Port Arrival time. Yes, with the larger ship they are trying to schedule people versus having huge crowds at one time. You do not receive a boarding number until you are in line at check in.

Once I filled out all of my online documentation I was then able to select an arrival time. I don't know how strict they will be but ours is 10:30-11:00. Our first year (since reading the DIS boards) we got there at 10:00 and received boarding #2. Last year my husband felt that he needed to water the entire lawn before leaving (while we waited in the car) and we got there later but we were still on board shortly after noon.

Sorry to confuse.

Suzy

Hi Suzy

I have just been reading about this on another thread.

Can you do on-line check in right now then? I thought you would have to wait for a few days out

Linda

 

[mcrcleveland]

What part of GA are you from?

The Savannah area

 

[tikibirds]

I am thinking of staying there too. Who did you book through? Did you go directly through them?

I did - booked directly through their website. Was able to score this property through Priceline our last cruise, but no such luck for this one, so I just decided to go direct.