10/23/11 - Disney Dream

[DrMomof3]

After getting hit with snow again this morning, a cruise is sounding great!!!

Amanda

 

[jmb910]

After getting hit with snow again this morning, a cruise is sounding great!!!

Amanda

The weather has been pretty nice in Colorado, but we are headed to WDW this weekend! Can't wait. We are excited for it, but not as excited as we are for the October cruise!!!

 

[dsnydaddy]

I guess I should get my information in...

Myself - Kelsey
DH - Eric
DD - Madeline - 8 at cruise time
DD - Alivia - 5 at cruise time.

I did go online and book the comfort inn and suites for the day in Nassau, you can cancel up to 1 week before and get a full refund. It was $244 for the room and then an extra $75 for energy fees and housekeeping. As you can see above we are a family of 4. That price is a far cry from the $620 disney is asking for the 4 of us. I do understand I need a taxi and lunch but I don't think that will cost me $300.

If anyone else books, maybe we can meet and get a van over. It is nice to travel with others and the cost factor would be better.

Hi Kelsey!

We are also a family of 4 booked for the Comfort Suites. It's me (Linda), DH (John) and my DD, Shannon, who will also be 8 years old at cruise time, and my DS, Kenny, who just celebrated his 6th birthday on St. Patrick's day.

As the time gets closer we can discuss sharing a van over. I think the kids will have a blast at the Atlantis and I think doing it this way makes much more $ense

October can't come fast enough!

I'm now reconsidering the Comfort Suites option after reading that thread. If I do just the tour then I'm out $120 so the $200 more would be worth it for the waterpark access.

 

[JLDSMD]

I'm hoping that the Atlantis puts out a discount rate for the fall. I've seen it a few years ago when I did a Wonder cruise as well as other times. Maybe we'll get lucky.

We may end up still on the ship though. Not sure, but the Atlantis would be cool.

 

[JLDSMD]

So we're in Nassau from 9:30 to 6:00. What time do you think we'd get to the pools at the Atlantis? 11:00?

If we wanted to board the ship with a little time left before departure, when would one think that we'd need to leave Atlantis and then go check out from either hotel we're in? 4:00?

Just playing around in my mind how much time we'd actually have there. It is about the amount we'd spend at Blizzard or Typhoon.

 

[Shebbieal]

Haven't posted in awhile,, so just updating. I don't have the time (or energy hahaha) to go thru all the old posts. I will keep up this time.

Are FE still going on for this cruise? Is there someone in charge? We are interested. We have 7 of us this time. I am in a wheelchair, and so excited to get connecting cabins!!!!!!!!!! I have also found out that there even is an accessible cabana at Castaway Cay! !! It will be our 5th Disney cruise.

Sherry

 

[PFlamingo]

Haven't posted in awhile,, so just updating. I don't have the time (or energy hahaha) to go thru all the old posts. I will keep up this time.

Are FE still going on for this cruise? Is there someone in charge? We are interested. We have 7 of us this time. I am in a wheelchair, and so excited to get connecting cabins!!!!!!!!!! I have also found out that there even is an accessible cabana at Castaway Cay! !! It will be our 5th Disney cruise.

Sherry

Yep, I'm organizing it. Here's what you need to do:

FISH EXTENDER INFORMATION

Anyone who wants to participate in the FE, please PM me with the following:

Subject: Dream FE
Disname
Cabin number (or TBA if not yet assigned)
First name, fellow travelers' names and relationship (DH, DD, DS, friend, etc.)
Ages of children (ages of adults are optional)
Anything you are celebrating
Any allergies, esp. food allergies


Be sure you put "Dream" in the subject, so I know you're on this trip and not the WBTA.

If anyone needs info on FE's, here are some posts you can peruse. (Thanks to karentan over on the WBTA thread, from whom I stole these!)

FE basics
fish extender info
instructions for the no sew FE
handmade FE gift ideas
other FE gift ideas

As people sign up and the date gets closer, we'll see how many we have. If the list gets long, we can talk about splitting it up. There were only 10 cabins participating on our last trip so it was really easy to get to everyone.

If anyone thinks of anything else I should include, please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[DrMomof3]

I'm in the middle of lots of stressful things so I thought I'd distract myself by thinking about the cruise! I'm a total newbie to cruising so I really know nothing. I'd love advice though....
We'll be 2 adults without our children (yay!!!). We've never been to Nassau. What would you recommend? I know a lot of experienced cruisers spend the day on the ship but I figure we should DO something, right? We'll be taking our children on the Dream in June, 2012 so I wouldn't mind pre-testing something they'd enjoy. Or else doing something adult-only.
On the same subject, do we need to book an activity on Castaway Cay or is there plenty to do on arrival?

Thanks,
Amanda

 

[Shebbieal]

Pat,

I'll get the info to you.

Thanks
Sherry

 

[INDY1919A4]

I'd love advice though....
We'll be 2 adults without our children (yay!!!). We've never been to Nassau. What would you recommend? I know a lot of experienced cruisers spend the day on the ship but I figure we should DO something, right?

Hello Amanda

I do know what you mean it is a great relief to think about the cruise on bad days..

I do not want to recommend anything because One cruisers dream-come-true can be another cruisers What-a-waste-of-money..

But if you go to the Disney Cruise line web page, then go to "cruises & Destinations", They have a link to "port Adventures", Select Nassau Bahamas
Or Castaway Cay and you can see all the Disney offered excursions, Some do look very exotic, depending on purse and taste...


For Us, The Last time We went to Nassau was 18 or so years on the "Big Red Boat" Then we just wondered the shops and Staw market..

So it will be fun to see what has changed (and what has not)

This year we will take the Disney Tour of the Nassau Forts and Junkanoo Discovery & queens staircase Tour.. ( I am a sucker for Forts and Cannons).. It is pretty cheap at 41 dollars..


And then on the second stop at Nassau I think we will just take the water taxi over to Atlantis and wonder the free areas.. I think the water taxi is under 5 dollars or so...


Castaway cay has so many things to do its unreal.. Bike riding is always a fun way to see the island..


Mike

 

[INDY1919A4]

Just looking at the list of tours in Nassau .. That catamaran, tour around historic Nassau harbor. Could be fun, It is just an hour long and costs $25, So not a big investment in time & money but something kind of neat to do..

Boy if only they had a PT boat instead of a catamaran, like Key west once had.. Now that would be harbor touring in style...

Mike

 

[WhitGB]

So we're in Nassau from 9:30 to 6:00. What time do you think we'd get to the pools at the Atlantis? 11:00?

If we wanted to board the ship with a little time left before departure, when would one think that we'd need to leave Atlantis and then go check out from either hotel we're in? 4:00?

Just playing around in my mind how much time we'd actually have there. It is about the amount we'd spend at Blizzard or Typhoon.

I believe that you can check in and check out at the same time at the Comfort Suites, that way you don't have to go back at the end of the day and do this. We probably will try to get off the ship ASAP and then come back later in the afternoon -3:30ish. I don't know how long the kids will make it (8 and 5)/

 

[WhitGB]

Haven't posted in awhile,, so just updating. I don't have the time (or energy hahaha) to go thru all the old posts. I will keep up this time.

Are FE still going on for this cruise? Is there someone in charge? We are interested. We have 7 of us this time. I am in a wheelchair, and so excited to get connecting cabins!!!!!!!!!! I have also found out that there even is an accessible cabana at Castaway Cay! !! It will be our 5th Disney cruise.

Sherry

Sherry-
Welcome to the cruise. Have you checked out the posting for the cabanas on Castaway Cay. There is some talk about the wheelchair accessible cabana that maybe useful.

And I second coming here as a stress reliever...we just got 18 inches of snow. Honestly, I had packed all that snow stuff away. It had been in the high 50's for the last week.

 

[DrMomof3]

Thanks for the ideas about shore excursions. I have spent lots of time on the DCL website reading and reading. I still have no idea what we should do! My DH isn't someone who can think about a vacation 7 months in advance so it's useless to ask his opinion. And since we're first time cruisers I suppose there's no rush to make a decision! I haven't found anywhere that has reviews - or at least enough reviews to make it helpful. Maybe when the new Passporter cruise book comes out next month???
Although the main purpose of this cruise is for DH and me to relax and celebrate my birthday, I'd also like to use it as an opportunity to scout out ideas for things my children will enjoy next June when they get to sail for the 1st time. To that end, Atlantis may be a good choice because we could decide if it'll be worth the exorbitant price to take the kids (we're a family of 5 so we can't even do the Comfort Suites thing!).
It sounds like we don't really need to plan ahead for Castaway Cay and we can decide on the spot what we want to do. I, personally, would love the private cabana but certainly can't justify the cost with 2 of us. Maybe when we bring the kids....

Cheers!
Amanda

 

[Sinderelly]

Welcome to all new cruisers! I haven't been on here much as we have been so very busy. We have decided to take a trip to WDW in May to celebrate our anniversary, just the two of us. Hi Indymike. We are about an hour southeast of Indy. I hope everyone is staying warm. Come on October!

 

[tommycruiser]

Good morning folks

Welcome to all the new folks

We still haven't booked air yet can't decide if we just book it now or hope for a summer deal with some of the charter outfits

 

[Shebbieal]

WhitGB,

I read A LOT of the cabana post. Thats where I found out there even is a h/c cabana. What other info do you know of? I know it is # 1, the closest one to food and the potty!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks
Sherry

 

[mommyminnie11]

It's our very first cruise!! We are so excited!

Mommyminnie (40)
DH (38)
DD (17)
DD (14)
DS (8) we will be celebrating his 9th birthday on board!

Would love tips for first time cruisers and what would be fun for kids of various ages. We have been to Disney several times and feel like we have that ALLL figured out! Now on to a new adventure!

 

[Disneygrl36]

I was dreaming of being on the dream this morning literally!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on October!

 

[ppartekim]

I'm in the middle of lots of stressful things so I thought I'd distract myself by thinking about the cruise! I'm a total newbie to cruising so I really know nothing. I'd love advice though....
We'll be 2 adults without our children (yay!!!). We've never been to Nassau. What would you recommend? I know a lot of experienced cruisers spend the day on the ship but I figure we should DO something, right? We'll be taking our children on the Dream in June, 2012 so I wouldn't mind pre-testing something they'd enjoy. Or else doing something adult-only.
On the same subject, do we need to book an activity on Castaway Cay or is there plenty to do on arrival?

Thanks,
Amanda

There is enough on the ship that you may not want to get off (except for Castaway Cay).

In Nassau there is a Ardastra Gardens/Zoo and City Tour which is only $42/pp; our shipmates on the last cruise did it and liked it. But, their suggestion is to skip the tour and just go to the Gardens/Zoo directly. I checked the web and admission to the Park is only $15/pp for the day, then come back to town for shopping if desired. So, that is probably what we will be doing this cruise.