1/26/2013-Fantasy-Eastern including Puerto Rico

[jilljill]

Got my bookings done. Took me about 25 minutes to get logged in and able to access the reservations part of the website. Not sure I'll keep everything booked, but for now it's done.

 

[cblack]

Got my bookings done. Took me about 25 minutes to get logged in and able to access the reservations part of the website. Not sure I'll keep everything booked, but for now it's done.

Same here, took about 20-25 minutes and I sure am tired this morning! Not sure if it was just me, but for those who will be booking soon, after you select an activity and check availability, there is a button all the way on the right that says Confirm Activities. You need to push this to save the activities. That took me a couple times to remember and was frustrating in the middle of the night!

 

[cblack]

We are just 120 days away!!! Woohoo!!!

 

[mbung]

Does anyone know what the Silver Castaway Club members booking deadlines are? Is it 105 or 90 days out.

Airlines tickets are booked, hotel rooms are booked almost have the cruise paid off. Getting there.

 

[jilljill]

Does anyone know what the Silver Castaway Club members booking deadlines are? Is it 105 or 90 days out.

Airlines tickets are booked, hotel rooms are booked almost have the cruise paid off. Getting there.

Silver is 90 days out. Once you are logged into DCL's website and you pull up your reservation it will tell you the date you can do your bookings. Your cruise must be paid in full in order to make online reservations or do your check in.

 

[sarbah77]

Silver is 90 days out. Once you are logged into DCL's website and you pull up your reservation it will tell you the date you can do your bookings. Your cruise must be paid in full in order to make online reservations or do your check in.

I'm so happy that the 90 day mark - October 28 - is a Sunday. Whew. It won't matter if I stay up late!

 

[sarbah77]

For some reason, I am having terrible sticker shock at the prices for Universal Orlando. We're planning to go there the day before the cruise... and if they ever release their January hours, perhaps the night before. Might be our most expensive excursion - ha ha!

 

[jilljill]

Check Costco, BJ's or Sam's Club for Universal passes. The Costco here in DE sells them, although I haven't paid attention to the price.
Have you looked at the add-on's to the regular passes? Like, front of the line and dining. Just to add to the shock.

 

[sarbah77]

Check Costco, BJ's or Sam's Club for Universal passes. The Costco here in DE sells them, although I haven't paid attention to the price.
Have you looked at the add-on's to the regular passes? Like, front of the line and dining. Just to add to the shock.

Yeah. There's one-time front of the line passes and unlimited front of the line passes. I've also looked at Undercover Tourist, signed up for Mousesavers emails that supposedly contains "secret" links to discounts, and looked at Costco.

Costco's 3 day pass is, per person, about $5 more expensive than Universal's 2 day pass. Our flight on Saturday isn't until 6pm, so we could theoretically go there before we fly home, using that 3rd day. However, if Universal closes "early" on Thursday (the day we fly down), then it's not worth it. Our flight is scheduled to land at 2:45, so there's not a lot of day left, especially in January when things close earlier... but if we don't do something, we'll end up in our hotel room, watching TV.

(Of course, there is always Downtown Disney, too. And now that we have two nieces and a nephew - yay! - there's lots more reason to go there. )

 

[jilljill]

Where are you staying before the cruise and do you have your hearts set on Universal? Any of the parks down there are crazy expensive for 1 day tickets. Sea World has some nice options that give you 14 days of admission that aren't that expensive and many employers have discounted tickets available. My sister in law was able to get 14 day tickets to Sea World and Aquatica, their water park, for around $89/person thru her employer.
There's Gatorland - definately not a theme park and rides, but it can be a fun day for around $35/person.
Just some more options for you.

 

[sarbah77]

We do have our hearts set on Universal (unless the price chokes us). We've never ever been and we're both thrill ride junkies. When we go to Disney, we always PLAN to go to Universal, but we end up having too much fun to ever make the effort. So, we're making the effort this time, unless things change dramatically. Anything is possible in the next 110+ days.

We're planning on staying near the airport. I found a hotel at a good price with good reviews and we are going to rent a car, so that makes that somewhat easier, too! (Ideally, we'll return the car early Saturday and catch the DCL shuttle to Port Canaveral. Well, ideally ideally, we'd be traveling with more people and hiring a private shuttle, but that's not how it worked out this time) I'm still keeping an eye on things. Car rentals are a tad pricier than I like, though I was able to use my work-negotiated leisure contract to get a decent price on a bigger car (as in: slightly cheaper for a full size than it would be for a compact). And I'm also looking to see if the Hyatt at the airport will pop up on Last Minute Travel!

We'll also use the car to find somewhere to buy maybe a bottle of wine and a six pack of hard cider to carry on the ship with us. We don't drink a lot and we both tend towards the sweeter drinks, which means we don't tend to drink wine on board. And we'll have a few non-Disney sorts of dinner choices, too, which will be a nice change!

 

[jilljill]

Have you priced out returning the car near the port to avoid the $70 cost for DCL transfers from the airport to the port? The savings would almost cover the cost of 1 of your Universal tickets.
Another thought is that there is a thread on here somewhere that mentions staying at a hotel near the airport and for the cost of your room you also get transfers to/from the port. If you can't find the thread send a PM to kcashner and ask her about the airport hotel since I've seen her post the info.

 

[mbung]

We go to downtown Disney on Friday night, just to get into the mood and have a good meal. Plus it wears down my son (a little) so he will sleep friday night. I must admit, it helps me get to sleep also.

 

[sarbah77]

We go to downtown Disney on Friday night, just to get into the mood and have a good meal. Plus it wears down my son (a little) so he will sleep friday night. I must admit, it helps me get to sleep also.

I never sleep that well. I'm always the type who has the brain going and going with the GOOFIEST anxiety scenarios going through my head. This past January, it was about all the ways I knew the ship was there but I couldn't see it or get to it or ANYTHING. When it was time for reality, we checked out of our hotel, walked out the front door, turned right and BAM. The ship was visible from our hotel. At that point, I was pretty sure that we weren't going to miss it! (It was RCI's Voyager of the Seas, out of New Orleans. I doubt I will ever be that close to a ship again!)

 

[sarbah77]

Have you priced out returning the car near the port to avoid the $70 cost for DCL transfers from the airport to the port? The savings would almost cover the cost of 1 of your Universal tickets.

I haven't looked at that. But I've looked at the hassles that other people have had to deal with and it leaves me a bit wary. As much as I like "cheap," I also really like "easy," which is why my preference is straight to the ship. I might look again, though!

EDIT: I looked again. It's $1 more expensive to take the rental car out to the port. Do you know what return location to use - Cape Canaveral? Cocoa Beach?

Another thought is that there is a thread on here somewhere that mentions staying at a hotel near the airport and for the cost of your room you also get transfers to/from the port. If you can't find the thread send a PM to kcashner and ask her about the airport hotel since I've seen her post the info.

Yup, I found that (a Hyatt, I think?). The hotel cost, with the transfers, is $8 cheaper than the hotel and Disney transfers, so it's pretty much a wash! I think the advantage for me with the DCL transfers is being brought to the airport rather than the hotel, then having to get to the airport.

 

[jilljill]

I'm not sure which location to use, but I think the info is in the FAQ sticky either under Rental Car or under Port Canaveral, Shirley's Helpful Hints Thread.

That sounds really expensive for a 1 way rental car, $71. Usually you can get one for under $50 or even under $40 for a 24 hour rental. I've even gotten one on Priceline for $11/day plus taxes - that one I ended up keep for the 4 day cruise and paid for parking since the price wasn't bad in the long run.

I thought the hotel near the airport that had the port transfers brought you back to the airport or the hotel, whichever you choose . At least that's the way I recall kcashner saying it worked.

 

[sarbah77]

I'm not sure which location to use, but I think the info is in the FAQ sticky either under Rental Car or under Port Canaveral, Shirley's Helpful Hints Thread.

That sounds really expensive for a 1 way rental car, $71. Usually you can get one for under $50 or even under $40 for a 24 hour rental. I've even gotten one on Priceline for $11/day plus taxes - that one I ended up keep for the 4 day cruise and paid for parking since the price wasn't bad in the long run.

I thought the hotel near the airport that had the port transfers brought you back to the airport or the hotel, whichever you choose . At least that's the way I recall kcashner saying it worked.

No, it's $1 more for the two day rental to bring it to the port than it is to return it to the airport.

 

[jilljill]

No, it's $1 more for the two day rental to bring it to the port than it is to return it to the airport.

Got it now. I forgot you said you were going for 2 days before the cruise.

 

[manitobamickey]

EDIT: I looked again. It's $1 more expensive to take the rental car out to the port. Do you know what return location to use - Cape Canaveral? Cocoa Beach?



Which company are you going to use? we are using budget and their location is just around the corner from the port. They have a complimentary shuttle to the port they are the Astronaut way location, port canaveral.

 

[sarbah77]

EDIT: I looked again. It's $1 more expensive to take the rental car out to the port. Do you know what return location to use - Cape Canaveral? Cocoa Beach?



Which company are you going to use? we are using budget and their location is just around the corner from the port. They have a complimentary shuttle to the port they are the Astronaut way location, port canaveral.

So I did more research. National does have a rental car place out there but no complimentary shuttle. Would probably have to get a taxi. As of right now, the other car rental companies are about $70-$100 more expensive than National. Unless things change, it's DCL bus for us.

And that's FINE. It's easy. We'll get on the ship, regardless!