09/18/11 - DVCers Take Over the Dream (S.S. Member Cruise 2011) - Thread #4

[erionm]

Hey Erionm,

I thought you just made up your location: Longwood, FL. I thought, yea right, he's just bragging now. It sounds like a place I would make up, anyway. But I looked it up on MapQuest and it really does exist. My mistake.

Now back to our regularly schedule programming.

I had to think about your comment for a couple of minutes before it sank in. I'm not one to make up place names for my profile. Yes Virginia, there is a Longwood, FL.

Longwood is a nice little town about 15 miles from Downtown Orlando. If any one is interested: http://longwoodfl.org/

 

[Hoosier John]

I had to think about your comment for a couple of minutes before it sank in. I'm not one to make up place names for my profile. Yes Virginia, there is a Longwood, FL.

Longwood is a nice little town about 15 miles from Downtown Orlando. If any one is interested: http://longwoodfl.org/

Yep, I saw how close you were to WDW (at least waaay closer that me). I guess that's why you know so much about Disney.

Lara's gone this week, so I've got no one to keep in line.

 

[peloha86]

Hi Jennifer,
I see from Andy's list that most of the people so far are staying onsite before the cruise. We have done this and have taken the DCL bus to the ship. The ship won't leave you if the bus breaks down, and they provide short cartoons on the monitors during the trip. Lately we have been renting a car at the airport and spend the night before in a hotel at Cocoa Beach. The Hampton and others have a shuttle bus to the ship terminals (around $10 per person), and let you leave your rental car in their lot. This allows us to stop for food/wine, to walk on the beach at sunset, and drive to dinner. I have heard that transportation-wise, 3 people is about the break even point for renting a car. 4 people will save money renting a car rather than paying for Disney transportation.I have heard others rent a car when they arrive and return it near the port, where at least one of the car companies has a shuttle to the ship. Erionm, I believe knows which car company(s) offer this. Then re-rent after the cruise. On our last cruise I also spoke with a family who hired a service to drive them back and forth. This particular one was a full size Ford van (maybe 9 passenger?). They found him on the internet, and he dropped them off and picked them up. Their pick-up from the boat was on time, and I heard no complaints about dropping them off. They had a large family, so it probably really payed off for them.
What about the rest of you ... What do you all think is the best way to make sure you don't miss the boat?

WELL WE USUALLY USE DISNEY TRANSPORTATION FROM RESORT. ONE TIME WE HAD 2 BUSES GOING FROM OKW. YOUR GUARANTEED TO GET BOAT IF YOU USE DISNEY BUS. WE ARE PLANNING ON STAYING AT OKW BUT CANT BOOK IT YET. WE HAVE RENTED A CAR FROM ENTERPRISE FOR 1 DAY FROM AIRPORT AND DROPPING IT OFF IN COCO BEACH. THEY SHUTTLE YOU OVER. THEN WHEN WE GET BACK WE DO THE REVERSE BUT I DRIVE OVER TO THE MARRIOTT TO DROP CAR OFF. THEY SHUTTLE ME BACK TO WDW. YOU CAN GET TO THE PORT EARLIER BY RENTING A CAR.

Thanks for the info! After working a BUSY 12 hour shift yesterday

(that's me, running around at work) and reading the above, we decided to fly to MCO then drive straight to PC. Researcing flights and hotels at PC. Then hopefully I can find something on Disney property, somewhere...
WOW...

Just watched news about snow in Indiana

and WDW segment in NBC Nightly News about how cold it is in Florida now. The weather has been horrible! Please be safe out there...

 

[peloha86]

Found some nice pics of the interior of the Dream...

 

[lpotter]

Has anyone gone on any of the fireworks cruises? Was it worth the $$? We are talking about doing an Illuminations cruise after the member cruise. Anyone interested in splitting it?
Sue

Jim and I saw them when we were there earlier this month. Seems to me they sat just under the bridge between France and the UK pavilion. They are not out in the lake I don't think.

 

[Hoosier John]

Thanks for the info! After working a BUSY 12 hour shift yesterday

(that's me, running around at work) and reading the above, we decided to fly to MCO then drive straight to PC. Researcing flights and hotels at PC. Then hopefully I can find something on Disney property, somewhere...

Hey Jennifer,
Two more thoughts. I didn't mention it, but you can also park your car at the port for a fee, not sure how much. If you're thinking about leaving it at the hotel and taking a shuttle, make sure they offer both (I'm sure you understood that, but just to be sure).

 

[Hoosier John]

Jim and I saw them when we were there earlier this month. Seems to me they sat just under the bridge between France and the UK pavilion. They are not out in the lake I don't think.

That's still pretty close. I'm really leaning toward Epcot now, pending the bank's (Lara's) approval.
Wonder where they anchor for MK?

 

[lpotter]

That's still pretty close. I really leaning toward Epcot now, pending the bank's (Lara's) approval.
Wonder where they anchor for MK?

It is a different perspective and I would prefer Epcot because I can't imagine the Fireworks at MK without the castle.

 

[dvc deernut]

Jim and I saw them when we were there earlier this month. Seems to me they sat just under the bridge between France and the UK pavilion. They are not out in the lake I don't think.

YES THEY PULL UP UNDER THE BRIDGE. THERE ISNT A BETTER VIEW FROM THERE. WE NORMALLY STAND BETWEEN THE TO SHOPS NEAR THE START OF THE SHOWCASE. WE ENJOYED OUR SPOT BEHIND THE BRITISH PAVILLION. ONE TIME WE STOOD RIGHT BESIDE THOSE BOATS, WE WERE DOWN WIND. ALL WE SAW WAS A LOT OF SMOKE AND VERY LITTLE FIREWORKS.

I GUESS YOU COULD SNEEK ONTO THE EARTH BARGE WHEN THEY BRING IT OUT YOU WOULD BE FRONT ROW CENTRE AND BETTER IF ITS COLD

 

[dvc deernut]

JUST THOUGHT ID MENTION FOR ALL YOU IN THE SNOWY AREA IN THE MIDWEST. LAKE EFFECT SNOW HIT THE LONDON SARNIA AREA PRETTY BAD. CHECK OUT HWY 402 EAST OF SARNIA. THEY GOT 3 OR 4 FEET IN SOME AREAS. WE ARE 90 MIN AWAY AND GOT 1 INCH BUT ITS NASTY COLD HERE.

 

[mlholster]

Hi Lynn,
I believe you have the highest level room in the group. This is what I think you have:

Offered Room / Cat / inside (tot) / Pts / DCL's Stateroom Description / Poker? / Member(s) Name(s)
Room 12516 / Cat V / ~256 (299) / 241 / Concierge Fam StRm w/ Verandah / yes / mlholster (Mark & Lynn)

Just so I don't overstep my bounds, will your room be part of the tour?

Good evening everyone. Christmas can start now, we just watched Christmas Vacation. I needed a good laugh.

John, yes everyone is invited to our room for the tour.

 

[Hoosier John]

JUST THOUGHT ID MENTION FOR ALL YOU IN THE SNOWY AREA IN THE MIDWEST. LAKE EFFECT SNOW HIT THE LONDON SARNIA AREA PRETTY BAD. CHECK OUT HWY 402 EAST OF SARNIA. THEY GOT 3 OR 4 FEET IN SOME AREAS. WE ARE 90 MIN AWAY AND GOT 1 INCH BUT ITS NASTY COLD HERE.

Are they used to it there? Because 3-4 feet of snow here would close the state (except maybe along the lakeshore, but probably there too). Plus until the wind dies down, plowing would be useless. I hope they have big snow shovels, and even bigger arms!

 

[Hoosier John]

Good evening everyone. Christmas can start now, we just watched Christmas Vacation. I needed a good laugh.

John, yes everyone is invited to our room for the tour.

Cool, I love all the Vacation shows, and Christmas Vacation is Lara's favorite.

Do you already have a contact person for the Concierge Room that you can ask if it's okay to invite 40 of your closest friend up to?

 

[mlholster]

Cool, I love all the Vacation shows, and Christmas Vacation is Lara's favorite.

Do you already have a contact person for the Concierge Room that you can ask if it's okay to invite 40 of your closest friend up to?

This will be our first time on concierge level on a boat so I am unsure what I can or can't do. I will check into it though. Sounds like a fun time.

 

[Hoosier John]

Has anyone gone on any of the fireworks cruises? Was it worth the $$? We are talking about doing an Illuminations cruise after the member cruise. Anyone interested in splitting it?
Sue

For anybody who might be interested, or who wants to know what it is about, here is a clicky that will explain it.

Illuminations is at Epcot and Wishes is at MK. We are open to doing either. It is just something we have never done and sounds intriguing.

Jim and I saw them when we were there earlier this month. Seems to me they sat just under the bridge between France and the UK pavilion. They are not out in the lake I don't think.

Lara just gave me the GO AHEAD with the fireworks cruise. I guess depending on the date. Might I suggest the day we get back to port, September 21st. It will make for a long day, so maybe we can get a nap in, but we won't have to pay for a day at the park that day (at least I'm assuming it won't have a cost of admission to do it?).

It would be me, Lara, and Laran (4 then). Once we get it all ironed out, let us know where to send our portion of the money. I'm assuming you're trying to get 10 of us to fill up the boat, too.

Like I said, your original idea of Illusions at Epcot sounds better to me, right now.

 

[Hoosier John]

This will be our first time on concierge level on a boat so I am unsure what I can or can't do. I will check into it though. Sounds like a fun time.

Great, and you have the best room of all of those interested, so we will be really excited to see it. Thank you!

 

[mlholster]

We did the Wishes cruise a couple of years ago. Our 2 youngest were celebrating 2 major events. Our son graduated high school, yay our fingers had been crossed. And our dd sold her first million dollars worth of purses, a very big deal. SO we booked the cruise for that.
It was very cool to see from that vantage point in front of ther MK. We also had a cake for our kids and chips and cokes on the boat. They also put a banner across the boat.
Before going to the front of the MK we toured bay lake and we were told all about the lore of the lake. Our captain told us about the architecture of the WL, and then the old River Country and the shoe tree. It was neat. Then we made our way over to the Seven Seas Lagoon for the fireworks. It is a memory we all cherish.

 

[Hoosier John]

We did the Wishes cruise a couple of years ago. Our 2 youngest were celebrating 2 major events. Our son graduated high school, yay our fingers had been crossed. And our dd sold her first million dollars worth of purses, a very big deal. SO we booked the cruise for that.
It was very cool to see from that vantage point in front of ther MK. We also had a cake for our kids and chips and cokes on the boat. They also put a banner across the boat.
Before going to the front of the MK we toured bay lake and we were told all about the lore of the lake. Our captain told us about the architecture of the WL, and then the old River Country and the shoe tree. It was neat. Then we made our way over to the Seven Seas Lagoon for the fireworks. It is a memory we all cherish.

Sounds like you really had a great time, and of course Disney held up their end by going above and beyond.
I suppose they anchored in front of the main gate and you watched the fireworks over the Train Station? Could you see the Castle in the background?

 

[mlholster]

Sounds like you really had a great time, and of course Disney held up their end by going above and beyond.
I suppose they anchored in front of the main gate and you watched the fireworks over the Train Station? Could you see the Castle in the background?

Yes we were right in front and at that time paid to have the music piped in. You are in an area with other boats, I don't recall being bothered by their noise since we heard the music in our boat. Yes we could see the castle, well I got a little teary eyed. It was very special.

 

[Carmouse10]

Good evening everyone. Christmas can start now, we just watched Christmas Vacation. I needed a good laugh.

John, yes everyone is invited to our room for the tour.

Hi Lynn

I was just wondering; when we are touring your stateroom, will the butler be there or will he still be assisting the chauffer with waxing your limosine?

Yes my dear, it IS pure jealousy