12/09/06 Cruise Continued ~ Pirating Bananas DIS Geekorama Part 2 Part 4

[elaineteresa]

I don't have a lot of use for travel agents myself.

I would rather do everything myself but that wouldn't get me a group rate so I'm stuck. I had a few woes this weekend along those lines and I had to get all NY about it. But I did get an email response by 8:15 am. monday morning. The agents must have earlier access to the cruise desk?

When I was pricing cruises I had several of them tell me things that were completely wrong and I knew just from reading my Passporter - these were college of Disney graduates.

I think the agents know they can get whatever they want from the asst. cruise director once it gets closer to sailing time so they don't really worry about these deadlines.

or so I gathered from my go round this weekend.

elaine

 

[elaineteresa]

oh the GF is just a bunch of Bubba's and southern belles - no one takes them too seriously.

When your money is the same color as everyone else's that is the great equalizer.

ooh - who's going to flame me now?

elaine

 

[klineyqueen]

I am all caught up...I think I am going to drag DH away from the TV and get him to help me work on packing for our beach trip.

 

[klineyqueen]

DH is watching dirty jobs. They are cleaning up monkey poop. I have never watched this show before. It is kind of gross and funny.

 

[kimerinc]

The first time we went to 1900 Park Fare years ago it was our first trip over to see the GF and I got the same snooty feel. I was REALLY uncomfortable and felt like "people like us" did not belong there. I have to admit that I would probably never stay at the GF but I have been able to feel like on short visits that we are not entirely unwelcomed, kwim? Although on our last trip we did have some unfriendly behavoir at the valet. We had never valet parked before and I got the impression they didn't appreciate having to help us.

Becka, You are stressing me out. We are staying at GF. I have never stayed there. We have only stayed at the Swan, Beach Club Villas and Contemporary. We wanted to stay there because DD hated the bus system to Magic Kingdom and this was only a short stay instead of a week at those rates... We did the princess Tea with Sleeping Beauty in Feb, and it was DD's favorite thing on the entire trip! She just ate it up! So now I am stressed. How snooty are these people?

Kim

 

[lbgraves]

There are several characters that we have yet to meet that we really want to. Like Mulan - is she on the cruise?

elaine

She wasn't on the first two cruises but was on the third one. Aurora was new for the second, along with Pochohantas. There have been reports of Aladdin this year so I am hoping that we can get his autograph. DD & I found him on the street in MK but I wasn't use to taking our books with us all the time. We have a picture but no autograph.

 

[lbgraves]

Also, a funny today. My TA sent e-mail and called to let me know I could book my stuff now... no, really?

Kim

Um...DUH!!! Yeah...she is a real cruise expert.

 

[lbgraves]

I don't have a lot of use for travel agents myself.

I would rather do everything myself but that wouldn't get me a group rate so I'm stuck. I had a few woes this weekend along those lines and I had to get all NY about it. But I did get an email response by 8:15 am. monday morning. The agents must have earlier access to the cruise desk?

When I was pricing cruises I had several of them tell me things that were completely wrong and I knew just from reading my Passporter - these were college of Disney graduates.

I think the agents know they can get whatever they want from the asst. cruise director once it gets closer to sailing time so they don't really worry about these deadlines.

or so I gathered from my go round this weekend.

elaine

Elaine...don't go by the Passporter completely when challenging your TA. There is some wrong info in the latest book.

 

[lbgraves]

Don't worry about it, Kim....you are staying there with a princess.

 

[Jhalkias]

So John1, do you have and issue with us West Coast people?? Yes, it is the wild west, but we have learned how to use napkins and dining with us would not necessarily be a bad thing. You know I am joking, of course. That just read funny to me and I had to comment.

Just the Californians . . .

Are you tuned in Jordan???

John1

 

[elaineteresa]

We would love to get Pocohontas too.

We got Aladdin but never Jasmine - she had rushed off to be in the parade last time we were in Epcot looking for her.

Can you find out ahead of time who will be on board.

maybe I will let my travel agent "hook us up"

elaine

 

[kimerinc]

I have a request...seems kinda strange to post after I've been posting these other posts, but....I wasn't sure if it was okay to ask and just now decided that I should...

Can you guys keep my father and mother in your prayers? My DM called me and said my father was taken to the hospital...looks like he broke his hip. My father is 63, but suffering terribly with cancer and I bet his body is just really getting weak. Anyway - my mom threw her back out and can't move. So I have 2 parents out of commission. My dad has to have surgery and the ambulance took him to Tampa general. My mom is home alone at the house...hopefully able to move enough to make some food. I wish I could fly down but I just can't get away with the kids, school and work. My heart breaks and some prayers from a kind bunch like you all would really help. THANKS!! I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

okay - I'm out of here...I need to go run some errands and pick up the kids....and oh yeah - they just issued a tornado watch for our area for the next 4 hours .... little football players on a big open field with a tornado watch. hmmm...... are they psycho coaches or what?!!!


hugs, k

Oh Karen. I am so sorry! Can hospice help? Can I send lemonade? When my mom had cancer, that's all she could drink so we took lots. Can I send some!

You are in our prayers.

Kim

 

[lillygator]

Well I ended up spending $80 for 18 things on the Disney site and got a 5% discount it seems. I loaded up on the $2.99 PJ pals though...what a deal!!

Going to hit the hay or maybe price check.....

 

[elaineteresa]

oh I'm sure that the Passporter has errors too but this was basic stuff like telling me there were no Cat. whatever cabins on a certain deck and all you had to do was look at a diagram and see that there were.

there are several page index errors which drive me crazy in the Passporter - they must have carried over the page from the last edition.

elaine

 

[Bella2000]

Elaine...don't go by the Passporter completely when challenging your TA. There is some wrong info in the latest book.

I was just looking at corrections last night here for the 4th edition.

 

[elaineteresa]

that's great advice Lisa - when Cinderella is staying in your room you don't have to worry who else is staying there because you are already filled with pixie dust.

elaine

 

[lbgraves]

We would love to get Pocohontas too.

We got Aladdin but never Jasmine - she had rushed off to be in the parade last time we were in Epcot looking for her.

Can you find out ahead of time who will be on board.

maybe I will let my travel agent "hook us up"

elaine

It simply depends on who is in the cast on each cruise for who will show up. Sometimes a CM is cast multiple times & the primary part is the one who shows up...so you wont see another member they portray...if you get what I mean. There are the basic ones who will always be there but others will vary. There is a list of possible characters in the FAQ thread on the main board. You can call the PALS line at night to get the next day's detailed listing. The navigators will simply say character appearances 5-7. PALS will tell you who, when, & where. There can be four or more scheduled at the same time...atrium portside, atrium starboard, deck 4, deck 4 balcony.

 

[lbgraves]

I was just looking at corrections last night here for the 4th edition.

They have the wrong night listed for the 4 night Pirate night...which is confusing alot of people. Of course, with DCL CS telling people that there are no porters at the terminal...what do you expect?

 

[MrsMork]

DH is watching dirty jobs. They are cleaning up monkey poop. I have never watched this show before. It is kind of gross and funny.

DrHug cleaned rabbit poop at a research facility for a SHORT time right after he got home from VietNam when he first started college. EEWWWWW! It was from diseased rabbits too. YUCK!

 

[Jhalkias]

Becka, You are stressing me out. We are staying at GF. I have never stayed there. We have only stayed at the Swan, Beach Club Villas and Contemporary. We wanted to stay there because DD hated the bus system to Magic Kingdom and this was only a short stay instead of a week at those rates... We did the princess Tea with Sleeping Beauty in Feb, and it was DD's favorite thing on the entire trip! She just ate it up! So now I am stressed. How snooty are these people?

Kim

Kim,

You'll have plenty of your DIS friends to keep you busy and spend some time with - you can ignore the "Stepford Families" and all the Bubba's and Belles too! Don't stress or worry about it, you've got a bunch of us to lean on while you are down there - and we are not snooty at all!

If you can get by in a country club, (even one where you have to use the cell phone while dodging cars) you will be fine at the GF. That is what it reminded me the most of - one of the snooty country clubs in town.

One thing you will LOVE is quick access to the MK. You are just one stop away from MK - of course, on the way back, you are the last stop on the monorail.

John1