01/02/2014 Disney Magic 3 Night - Miami

[barbeaujo]

Hello everyone,

we just changed this morning our Fantasy cruise for this Magic cruise. It will be a nice end to our xmas vacation in south Florida, and we cant wait to see the "new" Magic ! WE were also told that holiday decoration would remain on this cruise, and that also was something we always wanted to see.

Theyre will be four of us , Myself, DH, DD (12), et DS (9). If anyone starts a FE list, we are in !

Our first time with Disney out of Miami, and finally, after 10 years ... our 11th Disney cruise ! We will finally change level in their program

Josee

 

[pershing]

BIENVENUE barbeaujo!

Roll Call (Updated 8/30/13 Most recent update on first page)

krazy4crusing-Me, DH DS9 DD4 (Ontario)
pershing-Myself single mom of 3 DS's, will be 19, 17 and 15 (Massachusetts)
gigi1313-Mom, Dad, Daughter turning 19 on cruise, Son 16 and Little Son 5! (New York)
DCLInauguralXMAS- there are 7 of us (Indiana)
barbeaujo-Myself, DH, DD (12), et DS (9) (Quebec)

and Congrats on your first cruise as PLATINUM MEMBERS! Woohoo! (We're getting closer)

Did you really hear that the Christmas Decorations would still be up? That would be so great as I didn't expect that. Although waiting to do it on the day the Magic is transitioning back to Port Canaveral (Jan 5) makes sense as there would be no passengers to get in the way.

I added you gigi, cause I figure you're gonna book in late October when the IGT's come out after the final payment is due on Oct. 18.

and~

I think we can start a FE LIST now cause 2 would have looked pitiful but 3's a party!

FE LIST
gigi1313
barbeaujo
pershing

I have so much FE stuff already. I overbought for the last cruise as I joined early and then it got so big they split it into 3 lists! Not that I think we'll have that problem on this cruise.

 

[krazy4crusing]

I really hope they don't offer any OGT/VGT rates after we pay in full, I will be really upset. We are happy with the price we paid considering it is the end of our Christmas holidays and the cruise before this one is twice as expensive. It will be a bit crazy heading back to work/school the day after the cruise but so worth it. We love DCL. I also love that this short 3 day cruise moves us closer to being gold members.

We are surprising the kids and not telling them about the cruise at all. This has been really hard for me. Our DS has been rambling on and on about all the new features of the Magic and asking when we may get to go and check it out. He has watched the videos online to see the new Aquadunk and has told everyone about it.... so funny. We just went on Carnival a few weeks ago and he was constantly comparing their water works park to the new slide on the Magic. He also compared everything else... this is nice mom... but it's not Disney.

We are planning on telling the kiddos we are heading to the airport but instead head to the port. I am going to video our son's face as we drive up because I am sure there will be much screaming and tears flying! (from all of us) LOL

 

[krazy4crusing]

Hello everyone,

we just changed this morning our Fantasy cruise for this Magic cruise. It will be a nice end to our xmas vacation in south Florida, and we cant wait to see the "new" Magic ! WE were also told that holiday decoration would remain on this cruise, and that also was something we always wanted to see.

Theyre will be four of us , Myself, DH, DD (12), et DS (9). If anyone starts a FE list, we are in !

Our first time with Disney out of Miami, and finally, after 10 years ... our 11th Disney cruise ! We will finally change level in their program

Josee

Welcome!! Do your kiddos speak French and English? Our DS9 is in French Immersion and speaks French fluently so maybe the kids can meet up and chat. He has had a great time this summer speaking French with all of the Quebecois kids we met on our camping trips. Our DD4 speaks a little bit of French from her classes at school and her BFF who is bilingual. Bienvenue!!

 

[barbeaujo]

( sorry i dont know how to reply whiting a quote to more then one person )

Pershing, you made me laugh reading your reply. Thank you for your warm welcoming, it is appreciated

I asked when we made this reservation for the xmas decoration and they assured me it would still be on. They usually remove it around Janaury 6th , they told me ( disney cc member phone line )

Krazy4crusing, we speak french at home but ... they go to an immersion school in english.. guess we live the same life, in an opposite way
We will definitly have them meet. Our son will also by 9.

See you all soon, i will start working on our FE

 

[pershing]

( sorry i dont know how to reply writing a quote to more then one person )

C'est facile! You click on the "+ symbol at the bottom of the first post you want to quote (and the second post, and the third post etc) and on the last post you want to quote, you click Quote

and Voila, you have multi-quoted!

I really hope they don't offer any OGT/VGT rates after we pay in full, I will be really upset. We are happy with the price we paid considering it is the end of our Christmas holidays and the cruise before this one is twice as expensive. It will be a bit crazy heading back to work/school the day after the cruise but so worth it.

You know it's gonna happen, you must be mentally prepared for it. Every catagory is still open except Navigators and they always sell out. I'm ok with it cause I know I'm not a risk taker. It would drive me more crazy if I waited to see if they had IGT's and then they didn't and the price went up.

Anyone else driving down like me? First time! Woo hoo! I'm scared!

 

[Mickeysgirlz]

Just booked this am (YAY!) very excited ... I'm in if you start an FE group and is there a facebook page? This will be our 3rd cruise Myself, DD14 and DD9 (10 on Jan 29) Glad I found this thread!

 

[krazy4crusing]

Welcome to our thread. We are small but mighty!!

 

[Mickeysgirlz]

Thank you!

 

[krazy4crusing]

Anyone else driving down like me? First time! Woo hoo! I'm scared!:eek


We are driving down too. It will be the 3rd time driving down to Florida and although I love to fly, driving is much more affordable.

Here is our survival plan:

We leave at 4 am. We take lots of snacks for the kiddos, bring a picnic breakfast and lunch that we eat on the fly so we can get as far as possible on the first day. The kiddos have DVDs ipods, DSs etc... to keep them busy. We also pack a wrapped gift (ie a movie and a box of candy) for each time we stop for gas. The kids love the little gifts and it keeps them quiet and amicable until we get to our next stop.

We priceline our hotel about an hour before we plan on stopping using a mobile app and we eat dinner at Cracker Barrel because its fast, good and convenient to the freeway.

Can't wait!!

 

[Mickeysgirlz]

We're already in South Florida ... that's why I couldn't resist booking this cruise ... LOL! So close ...

 

[pershing]

Just booked this am (YAY!) very excited ... I'm in if you start an FE group and is there a facebook page? This will be our 3rd cruise Myself, DD14 and DD9 (10 on Jan 29) Glad I found this thread!

Mickeysgirlz!

I have a DS who is 15 and will be in Vibe also! Yes we have a FE List! Small but sturdy. I will add you to the list.

We had a facebook thread last cruise and it really got the husbands involved in meeting each other. I think it's a good idea. Although, once we got on facebook, the message board thread kinda fell by the wayside.

We are surprising the kids and not telling them about the cruise at all.

We are planning on telling the kiddos we are heading to the airport but instead head to the port. I am going to video our son's face as we drive up because I am sure there will be much screaming and tears flying! (from all of us) LOL

I'm doing the same thing. Although I'll be saying its time to drive home. I've decided to roll the dice and stay in Orlando and leave the morning of the 2nd at 6 am. That way the kids will probably be sleeping from a late night in the parks and not realize I'm going the wrong way. Planning to be at the Port by 10 am.

It's hard keeping my mouth shut. I'm a single mom and usual blab blab blab about the trip as I'm planning it, "....and we're gonna stay here and go there...." Luckily, teenagers are so self-absorbed they don't hear me anymore!

We are driving down too. It will be the 3rd time driving down to Florida and although I love to fly, driving is much more affordable.

Here is our survival plan:

We leave at 4 am. We take lots of snacks for the kiddos, bring a picnic breakfast and lunch that we eat on the fly so we can get as far as possible on the first day. The kiddos have DVDs ipods, DSs etc... to keep them busy. We also pack a wrapped gift (ie a movie and a box of candy) for each time we stop for gas. The kids love the little gifts and it keeps them quiet and amicable until we get to our next stop.

We priceline our hotel about an hour before we plan on stopping using a mobile app and we eat dinner at Cracker Barrel because its fast, good and convenient to the freeway.

Can't wait!!

Wow, You drive from Ontario!!! I have nothing to complain about driving from Cape Cod!

We plan on leaving around 1 or 2 am Christmas Day. I know, talk about Holiday Quality Family Time! We are gonna celebrate on the Eve with my extended family and then head out.

The boys all want Playstation 4's anyway, which is all they are getting 'cause they are so expensive and they are contributing 1/2 of it while I pay the other half. So Christmas isn't the little kids surprise and joy thing it used to be for us. So we are shaking it up and going to WDW and Universal, which we've never done at Christmas 'cause my mom job is working in a chocolate shop and no one's allowed to take vacation before Christmas.

Osborne Lights, Gaylord Ice here we come!

oh, and a surprise cruise :wink:

I will take your priceline advice asI keep mapping where I should stay and it's not working out.

We're already in South Florida ... that's why I couldn't resist booking this cruise ... LOL! So close ...

You're so lucky! No flying, no driving! I'm green with envy!

 

[Mickeysgirlz]

Mine is a Christmas surprise!

On our June Fantasy sailing we had a facebook page and the kids were all text messaging each other - we then had a huge meet and greet the first day in the DLounge - and a group mixology. It was a totally blast! Plus just walking around the ship you were always bumping into to someone you "knew" - we had a small community! LOL!

We're also sailing to Alaska in July 2014 ... and that facebook page is slow to get going ... my past June one is still active though - we made friends for life on that cruise

 

[pershing]

We are slowing down on our last cruise's facebook page. The biggest post lately was who rebooked and when.

We also had a private mixology class that was HUGE and pretty raucous, frankly.

I'd be up for that again. Although, maybe I'm wrong but I don't think this cruise is gonna book up much more. Nobody wants to go to Miami when the Magic is sailing back to PC the next day.

Updated FE:

FE LIST
gigi1313
barbeaujo
pershing
Mickeysgirlz

 

[Mickeysgirlz]

I think Florida Peeps might ... the only reason I'm going it because it's out of Miami - I figured it was a great chance to see the new stuff! It's like a cruise to nowhere really ... I won't even get off in Nassau (ick) Dream stopped there - but I will for Key West ... cool place! It might be freezing too ... January 2012 we were on the Dream and wore coats and long pants the first 3 days ... on Castaway Cay we were dressed for winter with scarfs ... luckily it was a double dip trip and by the end of the week when we went back it was sunny and warm. Of course we are Floridians so below 75 we're freezing our buns off!

I read in one of the post the Christmas decorations will still be up - that is SO COOL!

 

[krazy4crusing]

I think Florida Peeps might ... the only reason I'm going it because it's out of Miami - I figured it was a great chance to see the new stuff! It's like a cruise to nowhere really ... I won't even get off in Nassau (ick) Dream stopped there - but I will for Key West ... cool place! It might be freezing too ... January 2012 we were on the Dream and wore coats and long pants the first 3 days ... on Castaway Cay we were dressed for winter with scarfs ... luckily it was a double dip trip and by the end of the week when we went back it was sunny and warm. Of course we are Floridians so below 75 we're freezing our buns off!

I read in one of the post the Christmas decorations will still be up - that is SO COOL!

We were on a cruise in January 2012 too and it was freezing! It was the coldest day Key west had experienced in years. We got off the ship in shorts and tshirts and spent the morning shivering as we rode the trolly. We will be better prepared this time. Seeing this cruise as a cruise to nowhere is very smart. We booked this cruise only for the new features. I can't wait to see all the updates, especially the aquadunk. I don't care if we get off or not either although I agree about Key West, it is super fun!! I love the vibe there.

 

[pershing]

We were on a January cruise in 2005. My 40th birthday! There was a huge snowstorm screaming up the East Coast and the water was choppy in the Caribbean. I didn't get off the ship at Key West 'cause it was so soon after boarding and we were still exploring the ship. However, then we couldn't dock at Grand Cayman or Castaway Cay because of the choppiness (old dock at CC, new one probably doesn't have the same issues)

We swam in the pools in our short wetsuits and were the only one's in the pools. I swore I'd never sail in January again, but here I am, doing it again. We are just interested in the Magic, though you've got me curious about Key West now.

I was thinking about doing Blue Lagoon or Paradise Island water park in the Bahamas 'cause we have never gotten off. Seven cruises and we've never gotten off!

Maybe I'll just research Key West instead. What besides the trolley is great about Key West? Just walking around or touring it? Or anything specific?

 

[krazy4crusing]

If we are not doing the trolley we just get off and walk around for a few hours. The Trolley is great because you can get on and off at your leisure. There are coupons on their websites to get a discount.

These are a few of the to do's in Key West:

Aquarium
Butterfly Conservatory
The pie guy
Truman's house

The beaches are not great but we sometimes head over just to walk around and see the water.

Cheap souvenier tshirts, trinkets etc...

Great bars and restaurants on Duval St.

 

[pershing]

The Pie Guy???

Now that sounds interesting!

I will look online for that trolley coupon as my kids would like to ride a trolley, I think.

Here is our itinerary for our cruise:

3-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Magic Itinerary C
January 2 to January 5
Disney Magic


Day Port Ashore Onboard
1 Miami, Florida — 4:00 p.m.
2 Nassau 7:00 a.m. 2:45 p.m.
3 Key West, Florida 11:00 a.m. 4:45 p.m.
4 Miami, Florida 7:30 a.m. —

Guest ashore times and onboard times are subject to change without notice.

I just noticed that we don't have Key West first thing like on the other cruises we did.

We only have five hours to look around though. That makes me nervous about missing the boat.

Look at Nassau too. 7 am to 2:45. Ok that's at least seven hours. Very tight schedule if you think about it.

Disneycruise dot com doesn't have any Concierge Cabins available right now. So, somebody is booking cabins. Just not the lower cabins.

 

[krazy4crusing]

I just called Disney to find out if brunch will be offered on the cruise. I was expecting that the answer would be no since there is no sea day. The castmember said that the ship will have brunch on the port days and that when our window opens in a couple of weeks we can book it.

Super cool!! The Key West Day would be a good day since we arrive at 11 am.