10-5-02 Magic Cruise

[diznynut]

Hi everyone. Welcome aboard DVC Magic and Dacind. We also have early seating so maybe we'll see you around Carla. We usually go to WDW during the fall and have never experienced extened hours in the evening. I don't think we'll make ps ressies prior to going. We have always had good luck getting in at EPCOT the day we go there. Has anyone tried the Garden Grille for lunch? We normally go to Norway, but want to try something new this trip. We also are going to try and do the Fantasmic package at MGM and eat at Hollywood and Vine. JUst typing this has me longing to be there. Looking forward to putting faces with names.
Shondra

 

[abitjaded]

We never had lunch at Garden Grille, at least not in the present frying pan incarnation, but breakfast was a tradition for us, loved it. Gone now, because of the cut-backs, but Chip and Dale once TPed the restaurant with the recycled paper towel. We ate at Hollywood and Vine last trip and I was underwhelmed, gimmie grapefruit cake and fish at Brown Derby! (I even have the recipe and make the cake for a Disney 'hit').

We have hit just about every restaurant at WDW. My SIL and DN are coming along for their first trip and I have been trying to decide on the best restaurant in each park, one day per park... San Angel for atmosphere at Epcot, Breakfastousaurus then Boma for AK, Brown Derby-Fantasmic at MGM (just for me, figure there are more fun, like Sci-Fi, but, see above!), and...hmmmm... MK, maybe hop the monorail and hit dinner at Calif Grill or O'Hana or Kona or.....boat to Artist Point, how can we only go four days....

Carla

 

[Twinave]

You have a great thread going. Sounds like a nice quite cruise. My family and my sister's family will be getting off the Magic on Oct. 5th. We hope to stay at the Raddison one more time before heading home on Sunday. There is a Shuttle launch scheduled for Sunday the 6th. Would LOVE to see that. Anyway, enjoy, enjoy!!

 

[kizzmequik]

We will be on the 10/05/02 cruise. It will be our first ever and I have so many ?????? I would like to email someone directly that has been before. If some one is intrested in helping please email me at kizzmequik@mchsi.com

Thank you

Lea Ann

 

[abitjaded]

Welcome aboard kizzmequik, your profile says chef, ohhhh...what are you planning on ordering for meals? Have been to WDW many times, but not DCL cruised.

Carla

 

[kizzmequik]

Hello, Yes I was there in 73 and 77 then I went with a friend in Nov of 00, Husband and youngest 3 sons Nov 01 and with oldaest Daughter and her boyfriend in March 02. I guess I have the bug now. This will be our last trip for a few years with children in college and expecting a grandbaby. I dont really care what I eat as long as someone else is cooking it!!!

Can you bypass the formal nights and eat somewhere else we are going to have 4 teens with us and I just cant see buying all of the clothes we would need. They just dont have much call for formal and they are all growing so fast. We eat good food all of the time so as it is a treat we really wont feel to bad if we miss out on one or two special meals.

This whole trip has added up faster then I ever thought it could so I was wondering if anyone has been to the ports and just spent the day relaxing? Is there much to do if you are not going on the side trips? Also do you know if wheelchairs are available if needed, my Mom is going and has some trouble going long distances.

Ok I know this sounds dumb but I have never even seen a ship how far is it from one end to the other in terms of say blocks? I am trying to decide how my Mother will do walking to dinner and things.

Lea Ann

 

[goofysgirl]

Lea Ann,
We have never been on the 7 day cruise, but we have been on two four days. I have seen people dressed very formal and then I have seen people in shorts in the dining rooms. No one seems to be out of place not matter what they have on. I believe that Topsider's has a buffet instead of the formal nights if you wish. My girls will dress in sun dresses or something a little pretty, but they will not have on gowns or anything like that. They are just not the type to use formals often.

I am not sure Disney has wheelchairs available, but you might want to check directly with DCL. While the ship is large I think that it a 1/4 mile all the way around deck 4. You can stroll leisurely and there are places to rest if your Mom should need.

We plan on doing the beaches by ourselves to help defray costs also. Don't forget the ship serves all day at port so if you want you can do a little sightseeing, come back to the ship and eat and then depart for some more adventure, oir you don't ever have to leave the ship! Relax and enjoy, once you are on the ship for about five minutes, this Disney calm comes over you and nothing else seems to matter.

 

[abitjaded]

Lea Ann,

My mother will be on the trip also. She is 84 and has some osteoporosis related spinal fractures. She can do just fine on foot some days, but others not, and certainly I do not want her walking great distances on a rolling ship. We are planning on buying a transporter wheelchair, not the type with large back wheels, simply four small wheels. Please go to the disABILITIES group, I bumped a thread with my questions (see post "is there a disability guide for cruise". There is little info on DCL for wheelchair needs. They do have some wheelchairs for loaners, but it sounds nowhere near as organized as the parks, hence our decision to bring our own (still searching ebay to get a deal, probably end up buying new, about $250). disABILITIES also has info about rentals in the area. Call DCL special services (I called DCL 1-800 and they transferred me) with any specific questions, they seem to be willing to ask around and try and get some answer. There are other web sites that have some trip reports on wheelchair needs on cruises (sadly DCL, maybe due to the younger population of the cruisers, appears worse in some respects). Check out cruisecritic.com. Some lines even have stair crawlers and their personnel will assist on and off ship whereas DCL will not. If you email me direct I can also forward some info from private emails I have received. I am still working on shore questions. I will let you know what I learn. Have some info, let me know what you may be interested in and I'll tell you what, if anything I know.

As to formal, my kids are going to wear white shirts, black pants (the cargo type that zip off to shorts, multi purpose) and nice vests (I am making them-cheap), good enough. There are lots of threads here on this, just search using "formal".


Carla

 

[kizzmequik]

Thank you for all of the good info!! It really helps

lea ann

 

[Dancind]

Bumping this thread back up, maybe we'll find more cruisers. We will be staying at the Radisson after arriving late on Oct. 4, anyone else? We'll be making a liquor run Sat. morning, need to find out where. Since we have an 11 yo daughter, I'm assuming we will have the PLAPLAP dinner rotation, late seating. What plans have you all made for the excursions? We are taking snorkeling equipment, so will probably look for some local tours that will allow a little more time for snorkeling than the Disney excursions. Come on, everyone, time for updates! Diana

 

[abitjaded]

Update Denver,

Cough, cough, gag. Heyman fire, winds northerly.

Carla

 

[abitjaded]

Since we have some special needs, we do not want a huge shore excursion, I am working on a private boat for snorkeling off St. Thomas, hopefully Capella Islands part of the Nat'l Park, south of Charlotte Amalie, details will follow. Would anyone be interested in joining us? DCL runs trips to Turtle Cove here, groups of six or a large boat. So far I know price would be about $650 for the boat, taking up to 18, could come out cheaper than the DCL and hopefully less regimented. I have the NPS book that shows this area, looks like good reefs.
Carla

 

[abitjaded]

Jean at shoretrips.com has been great! check out this site. She has sent me the following info on the trips they offer:

Hi Carla,
....wonderful boat captains who operate private sailing and snorkel trips. Unfortunately, they are both licensed by the Coast Guard to only take 6 people and because sail boats travel at a much slower pace, they would not be able to go to Buck Island....I have also heard back from the operator of the snorkel trip.....his answer to me:

The youngest and oldest probably would not enjoy the trip based on the assumption that their will be other people on the boat with other needs and wants.
It sounds to me like they should consider a private charter. That way they could choose the spot that they would all be comfortable in. Buck Island is such a destination that could accommodate the various needs of the family.

To charter his boat, an 18 passenger, diesel powered monohull, 30' long vessel from 8am-12noon would cost $657.00. Quite a bit more than if you were to buy spaces on the regular snorkel trip.
I know that these are probably not the answers that you were hoping for. You could still book the trip you were originally inquiring about, but Buck Island is not one of the stops on their regular itinerary.
Please let me know if there's anything else I can look into for you.
Sincerely,
Jean

additional info:

"This trip is run by an excellent dive shop on St. Thomas and they would pick you up at the cruise pier. Water, ice and a cooler is provided on board. You could bring your own drinks or for an additional charge (let me know if you're interested and I'll get the exact price), they could provide sodas, fruit punch and oranges). The trip time would be approximately 8am - noon. The dive shop operator tells me that the snorkel sites would be in and around the coves of Buck Island, where the water is calm and the visibility is up to 100 feet. There is a shipwreck, the top of which is in about 20 feet of water. I have added the charter for the whole boat onto our website, in the "other" category, as we already have it priced as a charter because there is a minimum of 6 to run this trip.

Carla

 

[goofysgirl]

Anyone else joining us?

 

[kizzmequik]

Well we will not be joining you now. My husband has decided he has had enough Micky and so we are swithing to another cruise line. Have a wonderful time!!

 

[diznynut]

Sorry to hear you will be switching to another cruise line. I guess that is six less on our cruise.

 

[diznynut]

Just moving us back up!

 

[abitjaded]

Hey all. 90 day reservation time if extending your trip to WDW!

We just got back from a work-vacation. Drove 2,000 miles from Denver to Tucson. Incredible Petrified Forest, Walnut Canyon, Casa Grande, Montezuma's Castle, Sonoran Desert and Mesa Verde. Kids have five new Ranger badges and picked up lots of trash and learned about the ancient peoples of the West to earn them! Sad stuff, though, the West is so dry and burning (and hot 112 degrees F) that parts of the Nat'l Parks have closed to protect them, but the great part is you get to do things folks normally book years in advance, because tourists have stayed away in droves! BUT the best news of all, RAIN the last few days, the dry washes in New Mex and Arizona were flowing!!!!! (And Mom got to veg by the pool for four days in Tucson while DH went to a conference, and the kids swam and got their snorkel technique down to perfection.)

Back to reality and Cruise-planning-escapism.

Carla

 

[abitjaded]

A private charter from Jean at Shoretrips, the charter goes to Buck Island, we may be at 10 persons, any more??? Getting cheaper than the Disney charter if we can get a few more takers.

Originally posted by abitjaded



"To charter his boat, an 18 passenger, diesel powered monohull, 30' long vessel from 8am-12noon would cost $657.00. Quite a bit more than if you were to buy spaces on the regular snorkel trip.

This trip is run by an excellent dive shop on St. Thomas and they would pick you up at the cruise pier. Water, ice and a cooler is provided on board. You could bring your own drinks or for an additional charge (let me know if you're interested and I'll get the exact price), they could provide sodas, fruit punch and oranges). The trip time would be approximately 8am - noon. The dive shop operator tells me that the snorkel sites would be in and around the coves of Buck Island, where the water is calm and the visibility is up to 100 feet. There is a shipwreck, the top of which is in about 20 feet of water. I have added the charter for the whole boat onto our website, in the "other" category, as we already have it priced as a charter because there is a minimum of 6 to run this trip.

Carla

 

[abitjaded]

C'mon guys, let's add a little drivel here! Bump, bump!

I booked our restaurants yesterday for our four day WDW extension post-cruise. Got a really nice chatty CM on the Disney Club 1-800 number. We booked Garden Grill for Epcot the first day (hoping to move dinner to Brown Derby with reserved Fantasmic seating), then O'Hana after MK closing, Boma after AK closing and finally, breakfast at MGM's Holly and Vine, although we may not make this, Delta wants a fortune to move our flight to later in the day. I'm looking forward to introducing DSIL and DN to WDW. We are still planning on staying at the Swan, but we are also holding a ressie at All Stars, hoping that the AKL or some other great resort will come down for October. Lots of speculation on when rates after October second will be published. Lots of folks were hoping (on the Resort board) that rates would come out Monday, but no luck. Ah... memories of Alligator Bayou and free character breakfast on Fall Fantasy for $60 a day.... Now dreaming of grapefruit cake and souffle....

Carla