09/21/08 SSMC08 S.S. Member Cruise 2008

[WDWLVR]

OK now that I called, I'm even more confused. The guy said that they weren't required, but if you had to be flown off the cruise for any reason they wouldn't let you with out a passport. They aren't required but recommended. HUMMM. Anyone have any hints as to if I should chance it or not??? How often does someone need to be flight'd off the ship? Not that I couldn't save one of my own children being a trauma nurse. I'm almost a little of a Mc Guiver. LOL

They aren't required to get on and off the cruise. They are required to fly in and out of the caribbean. So you don't need them for the cruise but it would be very very good to have them. Only you can decide what is right for your family. We've had them for about 4 years now and it was one of the best investments we've made. Makes check-in and out very quick and efficient and since I know we'll be cruising for years to come a good investment.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[mohrt2]

We have a theme!

Sailing on the waves of "Disney Inspirations," the S.S. Member Cruise 2008 will go where no voyage has gone before. To a place where Disney meets Dali. Where even blindness is illuminating. And where a blank sheet of paper is the ultimate opportunity. Meet some of today's leading visionaries as they reveal the inspirations behind Disney classics and offer a sneak peek at "what's next." Marvel at inspirational underdogs whose real-life stories illustrate the endless power of the human spirit. Learn from the experts as you tap into your inner artist and bring your own inspirations to life.

Anyone have any idea of what this might mean or how it will actually translate into events? Were the themes for the previous cruises equally as obscure?

 

[WDWLVR]

Anyone have any idea of what this might mean or how it will actually translate into events? Were the themes for the previous cruises equally as obscure?

My guess is that it will involve some imagineers and Disney artists.

Maybe we'll be lucky and have Ducky Williams again. He is a true Disney Inspiration.

As for the themes...yes they were. We had "Celebrating Disney Milestones" and "Disney Legends". Both themes that left it wide open just like this one.


Not sure what this one

Marvel at inspirational underdogs whose real-life stories illustrate the endless power of the human spirit.

means. I know we had an ispirational speaker on the 2006 cruise. We didn't go see her and from what I heard it wasn't one of the best presentations. Wonder if it will be something like that again.

 

[dejnosluvmickey]

Ok. I'm completely addicted to this message forum. I'm now on page 100. Only another 200 to go. LOL. Was up til 1am on a night that I didn't have to work LOL. Who needs sleep??

 

[tikimimi]

Ok I shouldn't have left this up to hubby. He has put off getting our passports until now. I almost freaked out when I saw this!I just saw how long it can take to get passports. Is this seriously true??? I think I'm going to have to pay a lot of $$$ to get them before the cruise if I can even get them at all. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Any tricks anyone knows?

My husband did not get his passport until this spring. It took about 4 weeks form application/picture/payment till receipt in the mail, but I knwo someone who got one last summer - well she went 6 months before she was to leave and she had to pick it up in Miami on her way to Brazil for her mission trip. I don't know any tricks - it really depends on your area, official agency, and demand. Maybe you can contact a travel agent nearbya dn just ask if there is anything special you can do to speed it along save paying the expediting fee. I know with your children under 14, I think it is, it will be very important that you and your husband go together to sign all the paperwork. Just don't waste any time and get it going!

 

[tikimimi]

We have a theme!

Sailing on the waves of "Disney Inspirations," the S.S. Member Cruise 2008 will go where no voyage has gone before. To a place where Disney meets Dali. Where even blindness is illuminating. And where a blank sheet of paper is the ultimate opportunity. Meet some of today's leading visionaries as they reveal the inspirations behind Disney classics and offer a sneak peek at "what's next." Marvel at inspirational underdogs whose real-life stories illustrate the endless power of the human spirit. Learn from the experts as you tap into your inner artist and bring your own inspirations to life.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to what it means saying "... where Disney meets Dali." I am so excited we finally have a theme! Now off to find some pirate clothing - will they let us know for sure that we need it?

 

[swaite64]

My DD passport only took 1 week from the application to receiving it it the mail. Boy was I surprised!!

 

[MarkRG]

Now off to find some pirate clothing - will they let us know for sure that we need it?

Pirate night has nothing to do with DVC.
That's totally a DCL thing they do on both ships, count it as a for sure.

 

[MarkRG]

My guess is that it will involve some imagineers and Disney artists.

Maybe we'll be lucky and have Ducky Williams again. He is a true Disney Inspiration.

As for the themes...yes they were. We had "Celebrating Disney Milestones" and "Disney Legends". Both themes that left it wide open just like this one.

Sure sounds like Ducky'll be on. Hopefully we'll have as good a lineup as the '07, and hopefully with enough warning this time to know if we need to bring any memorabilia.

Not sure what this one means. I know we had an ispirational speaker on the 2006 cruise. We didn't go see her and from what I heard it wasn't one of the best presentations. Wonder if it will be something like that again.

I get the same thing you do reading that - I think that's one of Jim's personal interests to have a motvational speaker.

 

[cherylp3]

Todd predicts we will be given a sketchbook and pencils on check in and predicts an art contest.

 

[WDWLVR]

Todd predicts we will be given a sketchbook and pencils on check in and predicts an art contest.

I hope not. We still have the 2 we got back in 2005.




PDFG and all our friends who need it.

 

[tikimimi]

Thanks for the word on the pirate clothing, Mark!

 

[tikimimi]

Todd predicts we will be given a sketchbook and pencils on check in and predicts an art contest.

Tap into your own inner artist and bring your own inspirations to life - sure sounds like it!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Maybe we'll be lucky and have Ducky Williams again. He is a true Disney Inspiration.

Don "Ducky" Williams was on our December 2007 cruise. He has an amazing and inspirational story. Also, he is an amazing artist. He was at our dinner rotation and there were always people huddled around his table. DH and I were in the elevator one evening with him and his Dad. He was very friendly. I hope he is one of the speakers. The wording regarding the future has got me intrigued. Maybe, someone from Disney-Pixar? Hearing John Lasseter would be pretty neat. I assume the speaker line-up isn't known until we board? I guess now we just wait and speculate.

- Jennifer

 

[WDWLVR]

Don "Ducky" Williams was on our December 2007 cruise. He has an amazing and inspirational story. Also, he is an amazing artist. He was at our dinner rotation and there were always people huddled around his table. DH and I were in the elevator one evening with him and his Dad. He was very friendly. I hope he is one of the speakers. The wording regarding the future has got me intrigued. Maybe, someone from Disney-Pixar? Hearing John Lasseter would be pretty neat. I assume the speaker line-up isn't known until we board? I guess now we just wait and speculate.

- Jennifer

Ducky is amazing. We've been lucky enough to sail with him 3 times. He was also supposed to be joining us on the 2006 Member Cruise but had to cancel at the last minute due to a family issue.

I'd love to have John Lasseter on board with us. That would be amazing!

They should let us know at least some of the speakers ahead of time on the website. Speculation is always good. Last year they teased us with a fuzzy picture of Marty Skalar. Wonder what they will do this year.

 

[manascarfan]

I hope not. We still have the 2 we got back in 2005.




PDFG and all our friends who need it.

They actually did that already?
I can't imagine they would have us do it again then, but I was thinking on the same lines.

Dave

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

OK now that I called, I'm even more confused. The guy said that they weren't required, but if you had to be flown off the cruise for any reason they wouldn't let you with out a passport. They aren't required but recommended. HUMMM. Anyone have any hints as to if I should chance it or not??? How often does someone need to be flight'd off the ship? Not that I couldn't save one of my own children being a trauma nurse. I'm almost a little of a Mc Guiver. LOL

Our whole family got passports last year. We went to our local Post Office (Check before you go, not all process passports). That is the first and I hope only time I spend more than four hundred dollars at the post office. I was always uncomfortable traveling out of the country with our children without a form of picture id. For us, it was more for peace of mind than neccesity.

Like mentioned, you cannot FLY in and out of the US without a passport, even to the Caribbean and Mexico. So, it would make things more difficult in the event of an emergency. U.S. Requirements for traveling to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean region by AIR: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

In case anyone needs it . . .
U.S. Department of State website for passport application: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html


- Jennifer

 

[tinkerbelle77]

Happy Birthday to all that I missed!
Welcome Aboard to the newbies!

We finally have a theme! Sounds like it will be surrounded by art...Krystina will love this! She is an awesome artist and is always wanting to learn new things when it comes to art. Hopefully its as good or better than last years sounded!

 

[tinkerbelle77]

Our whole family got passports last year. We went to our local Post Office (Check before you go, not all process passports). That is the first and I hope only time I spend more than four hundred dollars at the post office. I was always uncomfortable traveling out of the country with our children without a form of picture id. For us, it was more for peace of mind than neccesity.

Like mentioned, you cannot FLY in and out of the US without a passport, even to the Caribbean and Mexico. So, it would make things more difficult in the event of an emergency. U.S. Requirements for traveling to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean region by AIR: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

In case anyone needs it . . .
U.S. Department of State website for passport application: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html


- Jennifer

We also got passports for the whole family...It was a great investment for us...We have used them 4 times with this cruise. I feel more comfortable with kids, having them. I don't want one of them to be sick, and we can't fly back to the states because we don't have one.

 

[WDWLVR]

They actually did that already?
I can't imagine they would have us do it again then, but I was thinking on the same lines.

Dave

Well they didn't do a drawing class but we did get sketch books with sketch pencils in them in our gift basket.