09/13/09 SSMC09 S.S. Member Cruise 2009 - Part 2!

[wltdsnyfan]

Saturday we are going over to Tampa to see the musical Rent. On Sunday we are going to WDW for the DVC Vacation As You Wish event at the Contemporary.

Sounds like you have a fun weekend coming up. Let us know how the DVC Vacation as you wish event was.

About 45 minutes if no traffic.

Some times in the next couple of years I hope to be that close.

take care
flo

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Good morning everyone - happy Friday!

Anyone got any big plans for the weekend? We'll just be at home. Going to work on our fish extender gifts.


PDFG and all our friends who need it!

We have a double grad party tomorrow that is about it.

Don't know what my friend is going to do if it rains. She has over 60 people coming and was counting on the yard. Oh Well.

take care
flo

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Hello Everyone!

We were getting ready to fall of the first page so I am bringing us back closer to the top.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

take care
flo

 

[BoosGram]

Joanne - we actually have two prints of it. One is a large framed and numbered one (we are 121/395). This was ordered before the breakfast and we could see it that morning but then it was shipped home for us. The second was a gift we got at the breakfast which was a smaller version in a golden frame with a mat said it was from the breakfast and dated. The large one is really a little too large but I love it and it is hanging in our dining room. The small one we hung down in our family room. We actually had two small ones (since both Mark and I got one) but I gave the second to a very good friend. We were also able to buy limited edition pins so I have a pin of the print as well. Again I bought 2 but gave one away.

That's so great; I'm trying to talk DH into a small print . We'll see.....

Being a first time cruiser I have a few questions regarding dining.....

Generally, how many people are seated at a table for dinner? I read that they group adults together and then families with children together.

Do you eat with these same people each evening for dinner?

I know this may sound silly but I have a little bit of a concern with my DD5. She can be very shy at times and it takes her a while to warm up to people....especially men. Even people she knows that she may not see on a regular basis it takes her awhile. I just want to understand how the dining works and start preparing her for the idea now. I hope she will be fine with all the excitement of the trip and it will not phase her but again. .... Start preparing her now.

Breakfast- From what I understand you can select where you are going to eat breakfast each day. Does anyone have any recommendations? I assume the options are sit down table meals and then counter service type meals. Still doing my research.

I assume the same is true for lunch. Although on CC days we would eat there.

Any feedback, suggestions, comments are appreciated.

Lisa, we are 2 adults (chronologically, at least) and we've always been seated w/families. So far, it hasn't been a problem. I am so grateful that Flo is helping us link dining. This way we'll have a head start on friends on the cruise. Yay!

For breakfast, you really have a number of choices: buffet, table service, or room service. We usually do the buffet on Deck 9.

Thanks everyone for the information regarding the dining. It was very helpful.

I really think DD will be okay but it had just crossed my mind this morning that we would be sitting with strangers. She is funny because sometimes she is perfectly fine and other times she won't even look them in the face let alone talk to them.

I have already mentioned it to the kids today that we will be meeting lots of new people and that we will be sitting with another family. I think the fact that we have looked at the Photo Gallery a few times and talked about all the people before the trip will help.

Plus doing the fish extenders will help in the excitement of preparing her.

Keeping my fingers crossed and staying positive.

Your mentioning your DD's shyness reminded me of my DH and his penchant for making friends w/kids. Last February, we were on the bus from MK to AKV and there was a family group including grandparents, parents, and 2 little ones. The smallest member of the group was a 2yo boy who had just learned to use the potty. We'd been on the bus for a few minutes when the little guy started whimpering and holding himself. He suddenly realized he had to go potty. Badly. To distract him, his DGM took out the new stuffed Mickey and Donald she had bought him. DH went right into Donald Duck mode and started "talking" to the little guy in his DDuck voice. The boy stared at the toy and started squeezing its hand to make it talk. It was the cutest thing! The best part is it took his mind off of his condition and he was able to make it to the resort in time.

I guess my point is that most people are very understanding and will try to help if they can. (DH also is Goofy, I mean, does Goofy .)

We have a double grad party tomorrow that is about it.

Don't know what my friend is going to do if it rains. She has over 60 people coming and was counting on the yard. Oh Well.

take care
flo

Flo, have a good time at your party tomorrow. We're just having DDs and DGDs over, which is pretty typical of our weekends.

 

[been2marceline]

Hey all,

Our Cat 3. is becoming available, a possible surgery on the Mrs.' knee forced me to call DVC to find out how the travel insurance would work if we couldn't go and the low and behold - I find out we didn't have any....

We never got any paperwork from them on the cruise - they blamed DCL for not sending it, I find out now that if we hadn't been stupid enough to book the Cat 3 we could have bought insurance - had we know we didn't have it - anytime before the 75 day mark and been ok.

Apparently the Cat 4 and below bookings can buy insurance up to the 75 day mark - Cat3. it is only available same day as the reservation was made - back in November.

Great way to treat concierge guests!

Anyways - hope the upgrade fairy is kind to you all.

We aren't going on this cruise and are a fraction of an inch of dumping all of our DVC and not referring any of our travel clients to Disney again.

We've had enough!

Have fun on the trip!

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Hey all,

Our Cat 3. is becoming available, a possible surgery on the Mrs.' knee forced me to call DVC to find out how the travel insurance would work if we couldn't go and the low and behold - I find out we didn't have any....

We never got any paperwork from them on the cruise - they blamed DCL for not sending it, I find out now that if we hadn't been stupid enough to book the Cat 3 we could have bought insurance - had we know we didn't have it - anytime before the 75 day mark and been ok.

Apparently the Cat 4 and below bookings can buy insurance up to the 75 day mark - Cat3. it is only available same day as the reservation was made - back in November.

Great way to treat concierge guests!

Anyways - hope the upgrade fairy is kind to you all.

We aren't going on this cruise and are a fraction of an inch of dumping all of our DVC and not referring any of our travel clients to Disney again.

We've had enough!

Have fun on the trip!

Sorry about your wife's knee. Hope all works out.

take care
flo

 

[Donald is #1]

Hey all,

Our Cat 3. is becoming available, a possible surgery on the Mrs.' knee forced me to call DVC to find out how the travel insurance would work if we couldn't go and the low and behold - I find out we didn't have any....

We never got any paperwork from them on the cruise - they blamed DCL for not sending it, I find out now that if we hadn't been stupid enough to book the Cat 3 we could have bought insurance - had we know we didn't have it - anytime before the 75 day mark and been ok.

Apparently the Cat 4 and below bookings can buy insurance up to the 75 day mark - Cat3. it is only available same day as the reservation was made - back in November.

Great way to treat concierge guests!

Anyways - hope the upgrade fairy is kind to you all.

We aren't going on this cruise and are a fraction of an inch of dumping all of our DVC and not referring any of our travel clients to Disney again.

We've had enough!

Have fun on the trip!

Wow! Sorry to hear about your wife's knee and about your experience. I hope that you wife's knee improves quickly.

 

[WDWLVR]

Good morning everyone - happy Saturday!

We're going out to run some shopping errands and then to lunch. This weekend we're also going to work on our FE gifts. Finally got everything we need in to do it.

Have a great weekend everyone.

 

[MarkRG]

Hiya!

My turn for a question:

How do you view your DVC?

For me it's two things.

First, it's a prepaid vacation. The largest expense for the two of us and we don't have to worry about it, just go. I like to keep things as simple as possible and it doesn't get simpler than that.

Second, is something that was the foundation of their sales pitch back then. You're buying points that will get you accommodations that are superior to the deluxe resorts at a price per point below them.
That, folks, is our deal.

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Good morning everyone - happy Saturday!

We're going out to run some shopping errands and then to lunch. This weekend we're also going to work on our FE gifts. Finally got everything we need in to do it.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Mary,

Sounds like a fun weekend!

Talke care
flo

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Hiya!

My turn for a question:

How do you view your DVC?

I could vacation at places that I never would because I could not afford it. Reason being with DVC it is paid. All I have to do is pay for meals and things when the time comes.

Should have done it way before we did.

Mark, Like the question.

Take care
flo

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Happy Saturday Everyone!

Hope everyone has a good day.

take care
flo

 

[ravross]

Happy Saturday to everyone.

Hiya!

My turn for a question:

How do you view your DVC?

For me it's two things.

First, it's a prepaid vacation. The largest expense for the two of us and we don't have to worry about it, just go. I like to keep things as simple as possible and it doesn't get simpler than that.

Second, is something that was the foundation of their sales pitch back then. You're buying points that will get you accommodations that are superior to the deluxe resorts at a price per point below them.
That, folks, is our deal.

Great question

This may sound odd, but it also "forces" us to go on vacation. In the past it was tempting to stay home and save money, but now we must "use" our points. This has led us to many great vacations, cruises, and family get togethers that we would not have done without DVC. With the downturn in the economy, it is wonderful to have a "pre-paid" accommodation to stay in, and with a kitchen, we save a fortune in eating some of our meals in.

Ravonne

 

[dvc4life]

Good Saturday Morning. Nice and sunny here today. Not sure what we are going to do this weekend. We need to go get our oldest DD a new matress set cuz hers has gotten pretty bad. We also need to find her some work boots for detassling, which is going to start soon. So we may do some shopping either today or tomorrow. We are just going to play it by ear.

Hiya!

My turn for a question:

How do you view your DVC?

For me it's two things.

First, it's a prepaid vacation. The largest expense for the two of us and we don't have to worry about it, just go. I like to keep things as simple as possible and it doesn't get simpler than that.

Second, is something that was the foundation of their sales pitch back then. You're buying points that will get you accommodations that are superior to the deluxe resorts at a price per point below them.
That, folks, is our deal.

We view our DVC as this, if we didn't have it, we wouldn't take vacation. Since we bought in, we do go on vacations. It is nice to know that we don't have to worry about paying for our resort when we go. It is already paid. Plus, the resorts that we have stayed at, there is no other way we could have afforded it. And there are sooooo many places to choose from. Plus, you have to look at the discounts on tickets and everything. (Even though annual pass holders get great discounts as well.) We feel it is one of the best things we ever did!

 

[Donald is #1]

Hiya!

My turn for a question:

How do you view your DVC?

Let's see, for me it is a way to get deluxe accomodations at a lower overall price. (My last 2 WL & AKL vacations would have paid for 1/3 of my initial DVC investment.) But more importantly, it has allowed me to splurge on larger accomodations.

The second part is that because I know that I will be at WDW every year, I now take much more relaxed WDW vacations. There is no more pressure to try to see everything.

Good morning everyone - happy Saturday!

We're going out to run some shopping errands and then to lunch. This weekend we're also going to work on our FE gifts. Finally got everything we need in to do it.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Sounds like a great day!

 

[Donald is #1]

Flo, can you please post an updated FE list? I am hoping to do some work on mine tomorrow.

OK, let's be honest, I am toooo lazy to look back through the pages to find it.

Thanks Robbie

 

[rbcheek]

wow, is it just me or does it seem to be getting harder to get on the DIS boards?
I'm having difficulties accessing anything, guess facebook is going to have to do to stay in contact

 

[BoosGram]

wow, is it just me or does it seem to be getting harder to get on the DIS boards?
I'm having difficulties accessing anything, guess facebook is going to have to do to stay in contact

It is definitely not you. I was pretty much unable to log in for a month.

 

[wltdsnyfan]

wow, is it just me or does it seem to be getting harder to get on the DIS boards?
I'm having difficulties accessing anything, guess facebook is going to have to do to stay in contact

It is definitely not you. I was pretty much unable to log in for a month.

I am having the same problem

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Flo, can you please post an updated FE list? I am hoping to do some work on mine tomorrow.

OK, let's be honest, I am toooo lazy to look back through the pages to find it.

Thanks Robbie

Robbie,

DOn't blame you. I was going to post one today any way. It is a month from today for cut off.

I am also going to post a dinning one. That has only two weeks before cutoff.

BUt give me a few minutes. I am on my desk top and have to do from my lap top.

take care
flo