12/19/2009 - 12/26/2009 Magical Christmas Cruise! It's not that far Away?

[itutorfortravel]

Found another great one on you tube. Check this out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW_uyGL3-kg
Bill

I love the holiday video links you've been posting! Thanks for helping me stay in the spirit of the holidays...Christmas and Disney are my two favorite things, so I will be loving every bit of the atmosphere next week!

 

[robynchic]

What about water temps? That's what DH is most concerned about.

 

[Downrivermama]

Wow! this time next week we will be doing the saftey drill! I'll take any temp that is above 40!

Debating what to pack.

Gotta pack the suitcases!!!

 

[disneyland255]

Hey All! Less than a week now and we will be on the water!

We've got our FE's done.

My wife is getting the goody bags together, we shopped our butts off for FE gifts, and getting laundry and house cleaning done (no one wants to come home to an unclean home after a fantastic vacation!).

Celebrated Christmas with family tonight since we'll be gone.

The only thing we need now, the final updated list for the FE if anyone has it! Please IM me or email me the Excel sheet at disneyland255@msn.com.

Thanks and we'll see you all in less than a week!

P.s. Is anyone getting in the night before? We're staying at the Hyatt at MCO the night before.

 

[Peaceableone]

P.s. Is anyone getting in the night before? We're staying at the Hyatt at MCO the night before.

We are coming in the day before. Arrive at MCO around 3:30 or so. I tried hard to get us the Hyatt MCO, but their prices were too high and they didnt come up on Hotwire. Funny though, I called to confirm my room at Renaissance, and found my rate dropped $20, so I got a price adjustment. I don't think I could get this rate at the Hyatt, so I'll be very happy with the Renaissance.

See everyone soon!

 

[owensamo]

We're actually getting on a plane to Orlando in 6 hours!

I can't wait!! We're all packed and ready to go... I just hope we didn't forget anything!

Amanda

 

[3DAN]

Have fun Amanda,,, Don't forget us!!!!!

The bananas will miss you.
Bill
Five days until I leave for MVMCP.

 

[itutorfortravel]

We're actually getting on a plane to Orlando in 6 hours!

I can't wait!! We're all packed and ready to go... I just hope we didn't forget anything!

Amanda

Amanda, have a great time at WDW! When are you going to tell your DD about the cruise? Look forward to meeting you...

We are staying in Cocoa Beach the night before.

 

[bpescar]

We are coming in the day before. Arrive at MCO around 3:30 or so. I tried hard to get us the Hyatt MCO, but their prices were too high and they didnt come up on Hotwire. Funny though, I called to confirm my room at Renaissance, and found my rate dropped $20, so I got a price adjustment. I don't think I could get this rate at the Hyatt, so I'll be very happy with the Renaissance.

See everyone soon!

Mark and I arrive at Orlando at 5pm. We are staying at Saratoga Springs next to Downtown Disney. Usually with Disney transportation nd all we can figure with no delays we will be in our room by 7pm. Give us a call and we can meet up!

 

[disneyland255]

Thanks for responding everyone. I dind't realize how many were coming in the night before. We did the stay certificate for the Hyatt and it was only $140 (as opposed to the $220 online). My parents are cruising with us so we split the cost. We did it for the convenience.

Have fun heading to Disneyworld today! Sounds like so much fun!!!

 

[Proud2BMomof3]

Thanks for responding everyone. I dind't realize how many were coming in the night before. We did the stay certificate for the Hyatt and it was only $140 (as opposed to the $220 online). My parents are cruising with us so we split the cost. We did it for the convenience.

Have fun heading to Disneyworld today! Sounds like so much fun!!!

Hi there - We are actually coming in Friday morning and staying at the Hyatt. We plan on spending the day at WDW. We are travelling with our 17 month old triplets ... their 2nd time to WDW and 1st Disney cruise.

Can't wait to meet everyone!!!

 

[disneyland255]

Triplets??? Oh my gosh! Please share any tips you have on traveling with children for the 1st time. Ours is 16 months and has never flown or cruised. Been to Disneyland though. Have a wonderful time that day and we'll keep our eyes peeled for you all!

 

[robynchic]

We're coming down Friday night, as well. We're going to be driving (4 1/2 hours) and staying at a hotel in Cocoa Beach that has free parking and shuttle service to the terminal if you spend a night at their hotel. Another bonus is that since it's a Choice hotel, and DH has Choice Hotel points, we're staying there for free, too!

FE's are almost done, I'm about to take care of the last bit now, then make latkes for dinner.

 

[Downrivermama]

Hey All! Less than a week now and we will be on the water!

We've got our FE's done.

My wife is getting the goody bags together, we shopped our butts off for FE gifts, and getting laundry and house cleaning done (no one wants to come home to an unclean home after a fantastic vacation!).

Celebrated Christmas with family tonight since we'll be gone.

The only thing we need now, the final updated list for the FE if anyone has it! Please IM me or email me the Excel sheet at disneyland255@msn.com.

Thanks and we'll see you all in less than a week!

P.s. Is anyone getting in the night before? We're staying at the Hyatt at MCO the night before.

Hi there - We are actually coming in Friday morning and staying at the Hyatt. We plan on spending the day at WDW. We are travelling with our 17 month old triplets ... their 2nd time to WDW and 1st Disney cruise.

Can't wait to meet everyone!!!

We are staying at the Hyatt too! Our plane lands at 8:41 PM on Friday night. And the weather forecast is looking good. Now just gotta call the Hyatt, so we can get in on the luggage service to the Magic. Didn't feel confortable flying in the same day. DD has school all day! (They have a 1/2 day Monday the 14th?) She gets out at 2:54 PM and our flight leaves at 6:12 PM. So it will be a quick swoop to pick her up and off to the airport!

 

[KikiMouse]

Kiki, since you have a sailboat...

What do you think the water will be like in St. Maarten on this trip? Choppy? We are going on a catamaran excursion and I am becoming a little worried about motion sickness for me, no one else in my family. I hate to take anything for motion sickness, as the meds either have weird side effects or make me fall asleep! Trying to decide if we should keep or change that excursion.

Hi Kimberly, well unfortunately I don't have my boat any longer! Anyway, yesterday, I checked the winds and they were anywhere from 12-15 mph Then today I checked them and they were about 4-6. For winds at 12-15 you should get just a little chop, some whitecaps, but it is a nice wind for sailing.
Winds 4-6 mph is a light breeze, with a few wavelets. In terms of sailing, its more fun if there's a nice breeze, I like it. I have motion sickness, on motorboats I always get seasick. But not on a sailboat. Now I checked on the boards about the Golden Eagle. Its a 76 foot. But there were some people who had gotten sick on it and they said it was bumpy.
So, I don't know what to suggest. I haven't sailed on a big cat like that before, I have always sailed a sloop from a 24' to a 36', which kind of glides along in the water.
Now about accuweather, sometimes it is sketchy. And when you are checking it that far in advance, you never know! So, you may have to wait until you actually get on the ship to see what the conditions are expected to be. Does that excursion typically sell out? It looks like a popular one.
Its tricky if you can't take anything for motion sickness. Luckily I can usually take a small dose and it is OK, I get a little sleepy sometimes. Bonine or non-drowsy Dramamine.
Maybe you can read the boards and see what you think, I searched Golden Eagle, seasick
Good luck!
Kiki

 

[Downrivermama]

OK! I think everything on the FE spreedsheet has been corrected!

 

[KikiMouse]

What about water temps? That's what DH is most concerned about.

I checked one of the St. Martin websites and I think water temp for winter ranged from 78-80 degrees. Two years ago, my husband I did the Eastern and we very comfortable swimming in those temperatures, that was in Jan. St. Thomas, 79 degrees, should be about the same, we were swimming there too.
But Castaway Cay was a different story for me. It was sunny, but still too cool for me to swim. although there were lots of kids and parents in the water. I don't like cool water. But my SIL and nephew who are from Oregon thought it was fine!
The weather in Castaway Cay on the 25th is supposed to be cloudy, showers and only 75 degrees. If it clears up a little, I may try to swim but I don't know...
Like I said before, accuweather is sometimes quirky and sometimes flat out wrong! I hope so, I would so like it to be pretty that day!
Hope you got over you mini-cold. I am stressed too, I'm starting to get distracted and going on these boards, so I have got to get back to work! I am packed though, so Fri early I can be out the door!
Kiki

 

[lovesDCL]

We are staying at the Hyatt too! We fly out Thursday night and get in Friday
morning and plan to head over to DTD for a little while.

FEs are all done and we're about 90% packed... It's so hard to get any grading done when all I can think about is being on the Magic!

 

[lovesDCL]

Kiki, thanks for all the weather info!

 

[TedDeb]

We're new to this website but not to Disney cruises or Disney World. This is our 4th Disney cruise this year, and we're really excited to be on the Disney Magic for Christmas.

We're assuming that everything is pretty much closed for this cruise but, if it isn't, we'd like to get involved. Will somebody let us know?

Thanks.

Ted & Debbie