12/19 Wonder Anyone coming???

[Suzanne033]

Where are you in Indiana? I am up near South Bend.

 

[dotterson]

You found us!

d

 

[westjones]

We are in Muncie. About a 17 hour drive to WDW and DCL!

Wish we lived closer!
DJ

 

[dotterson]

HI,

We're trying to decide which hotel to go to before the cruise. We're driving from Atlanta, so don't really care for a 'resort,' but...

I've already reserved the Day's Inn and have second thoughts about the Radisson. I believe the Day's Inn parks their cruise cars at the Radisson's lot. They use Art's Shuttle to go to the ship and someone said not very early (which defeats the purpose of staying close.)

What to do?????

We can get free breakfast at the Radisson. They have a nice pool. We'd probably be too tired to do much else after driving 8 hours. The Day's Inn is near the pier and has many restaurants to chose from. ARG!!!!!

Any thoughts??? Anyone stayed at either? I'm starting to lean to the Radisson. It's $40 more for the 3 of us, but it should be a nicer experience (esp. with breakfast).

Appreciate your input!

Are we there yet??????d

 

[westjones]

We are staying at WDW Boardwalk the night before and just parking at port. We have to high-tail it home to be there for Christmas Eve the next night with my sister, and I don't want any delays getting started that day.

So I am afraid I am no help.
DJ

 

[dotterson]

Ah, decisions, decisions! I'm looking at a million websites and just don't know what to do!

BTW, we've reserved five days at DW in April! 2 at the Poly Conceirge and 3 at the BCV.

Nat just finished swimming for the County Swim Meet and made the finals! (Didn't make State tho!) There's always next year!

d

 

[disney3144]

We are staying at the Radisson. I was able to get a room for 4 of us for $94.00. I figure with the pool for the kids, and being so close to port, I couldn't go wrong.

Jennifer

 

[dotterson]

Well, several questions:

1. How old are your kids?

2. How did you get $94? Does that include breakfast? What type of room/beds?

Wow! I'm impressed!

thanks,
d

 

[disney3144]

My boys will be 9 & 12 at that time. I went to the website and looked at all of the prices for the rooms. They had one that was named "Visit Florida standard" It has two double beds-non smoking. It says that the room comes with a coffee maker & a ceiling fan. It does not say anything about breakfast however. I'm sure it doesn't have a "poolside" view. But we figured it's just for 1 night, so we would "deal" with it.

Jennifer

I did book this room back in Dec. 2003, so I don't know if this rate is still available.

 

[dotterson]

"I'll check the Visit FL Standard." Might do it over the phone too, just to be sure...

My DD is going to be 12 1/2. If you elder son doesn't think girls are icky, maybe they can email or become friends prior to the cruise. Nat is already emailing two girls her age from this Board!

Thanks for the heads up about the rate. Dave from Marietta says we should stay in Daytona, but I think we'll go all the way and be close to the cruise the next day.

d

 

[disney3144]

This cruise is a surprise Christmas gift to them, so they don't even know that we are going. We told them that DH has a Navy reunion in Florida that weekend, so that's "why we are going to FL". Then we are going to take them WDW for Christmas. I always wanted to be there for Christms, but I had to wait until "Santa" wasn't going to be an issue anymore.
But I'm sure they can "hang" out on the ship. My son LOVES video games. He will probably be in the arcade alot!

Jennifer

 

[dotterson]

on the Board too. I think their son is 12 1/2 or near 13 if I rememebr.

Looked up the rates: there's $99 for AAA, $109 got Super Saver, and $119 for breakfast. Hmmmmm....

Might want to call tomorrow.

thanks!

d

 

[Suzanne033]

We took my DD5 to WDW for Christmas 2001 (she was 2 1/2 then). We didn't have a problem explaining to her that Santa knew where she would be. We had her send a letter to Santa telling him where she was going to be for Christmas. We also took her to see a 'Mall Santa' so she could tell him face-to-face.

It was awesome. We were staying in All Star Sports and they had mini-Christmas tree for approx. $5. So when she woke up there was a little Christmas tree with a couple of presents underneath of stuff she had seen in the parks and we went back and got.

It was the most magical Christmas we have ever had.

 

[WDWCrazzyCunninghams]

Hello all! Remember me! LOL Sorry I haven't been around much! Isn't awful when real life gets in the way?
WELCOME to Suzanne!
We are the other family keeping the cruise a surprise! Colton will be just shy of 10 and Connor will be 7. They too, LOVE video games. I am sure the arcade will be a HUGE draw for them. I am sure we'll see you in the arcade Jennifer! We told them that we are going to Disney in December. Only because we have room in our timeshare for friends of ours to join us and in talking, they overheard. The Cruise is still a secret!
We have chosen to keep our late dinner seating and just grab some grub if someone gets hungry before. I think it will be nice to have a relaxed evening and not be rushed...or so it is said, that is the way it happens. We are late eaters anyway. Steve usually works until 9pm, so dinner at 930 is not unusual for us.
We too, have not found a decent airfare and look like we will be driving down. In the long run, it will be better since I won't be limited to what I can bring, I will save on air and rental car, and I will have the comforts of my own car. I don't know about all of you, but I LIVE out of my van! My neighbor teases saying that I could stay in my van for 3 days and not starve! Heck, we'd even have clean clothes!
I better get these boys to swim lessons. I promise to check in more often! Have we planned a meeting time once we board ship? Should we wear a lime green Mickey head from Home Depot with our names on them? Like a Mickey Name Tag?
See ya real soon!

 

[westjones]

Originally posted by WDWCrazzyCunninghams
Have we planned a meeting time once we board ship? Should we wear a lime green Mickey head from Home Depot with our names on them? Like a Mickey Name Tag?
See ya real soon!

I don't think anything has been planned yet. We have a 7 day Eastern Disney Cruise coming up in 9 weeks and we are just now planning a DIS Meet with that group.

I will just throw out what this September group has decided to see if it would work for this group also.

We are meeting on the first day in the Promenade Lounge at 3:00 pm (before the drill). This is usually a 'slow' time because there are no programs for the kids going on at this time and people usually have their reservations for the spa and Palo done by then. I guess this place has been used before for meets and has worked well for other groups. People do bring children with them at this time and that way the kids get to meet before being in the Club/Lab that evening (already will know some faces this way). We are going to wear the Alien Green Mickey Paint samples from Home Depot (I haven't gotten one yet, so I don't know what they will look like).

Anyway, that is what our September group is doing, maybe it will work for us in December too.

DJ

 

[WDWCrazzyCunninghams]

Originally posted by westjones


We are meeting on the first day in the Promenade Lounge at 3:00 pm (before the drill). This is usually a 'slow' time because there are no programs for the kids going on at this time and people usually have their reservations for the spa and Palo done by then. I guess this place has been used before for meets and has worked well for other groups. People do bring children with them at this time and that way the kids get to meet before being in the Club/Lab that evening (already will know some faces this way). We are going to wear the Alien Green Mickey Paint samples from Home Depot (I haven't gotten one yet, so I don't know what they will look like).

Anyway, that is what our September group is doing, maybe it will work for us in December too.

DJ

Sounds like a plan to me! Let us know how it works out and we'll go from there! 7 whole days....Sounds wonderful...er, ah, Sounds MAGICal!! Enjoy!

 

[westjones]

Originally posted by WDWCrazzyCunninghams
Sounds like a plan to me! Let us know how it works out and we'll go from there! 7 whole days....Sounds wonderful...er, ah, Sounds MAGICal!! Enjoy!

Oh, we are SO excited! When the 7 night is over, I will be a lot more focused on this Christmas Cruise. I can't wait to see the decorations!

DJ

 

[dotterson]

Tried to PM you and it wouldn't!

How was your DW trip? Where did you stay? The weather? How did the girls like the Cindy Slipper? (I read it on the Restaruants thread). Is it worth $14 now?

We're booked in April (Spring Break) for 2 days at the Poly Conceirge and 3 at BCV. I can't wait until the cruise!!!!!

d

 

[westjones]

Originally posted by dotterson
Tried to PM you and it wouldn't!

How was your DW trip? Where did you stay? The weather? How did the girls like the Cindy Slipper? (I read it on the Restaruants thread). Is it worth $14 now?

We're booked in April (Spring Break) for 2 days at the Poly Conceirge and 3 at BCV. I can't wait until the cruise!!!!!

d

Gee, I wonder why they PM didn't work? I have had a couple of other PMs this week. Maybe the system is having problems today.

Our trip was nice, but very HOT! We stayed at Port Orleans for one night and really liked that resort! Then we moved to the Villas of Wilderness Lodge. We loved it there too.

The Slipper was nice, but I would not have ordered 4 of them for $14 each (but they did adjust it to $8 each for me since that is what they told me when I ordered them). I do think it would be worth ordering at least one to share. They are SO cute and we got a lot of attention from fellow diners when they were brought out. My kids LOVED that.

We tried the Hoop Dee Doo Review for the first time and we all really enjoyed it. Probably won't do it again though because once the girls turn 12 they have to pay adult prices (and I had trouble paying the $150 for the four of us as it was).

The HIGHLIGHT of our trip was Vero Beach. This was our first visit there and we all really enjoyed the resort. They do fun activities with the kids, and the pool was lots of fun, and well.....we didn't want to leave!

So we enjoyed it (still like the cruise best of all).

Thanks for asking.

Michelle is at her grandma's this week, I am sure she will be writing to Natalie next week when she returns.

DJ

(BTW, we are trying out the different Disney Vacation Club resorts since we joined 2 years ago, and Beach Club is still the favorite of all 4 of us---you will LOVE your stay there in April).

 

[dotterson]

DJ,

I understand about the price increase. Nat just turned 12!

We have 100 points at BVC and this will be our 3rd time there. We love it! We've stayed once at Boardwalk -- and that was my second choice. The Wilderness didn't do it for us (maybe because we were there the week after 9/11.) I thought DH would really like it and he wasn't too excited... He's a Poly Man (we've been there 3 times) and I figured we'd try out the Conceirge... (I think we're doing GF Concierge when Nat sings at Disney in two years.)

Our other points are at HHI. Depending upon the weather, it's hit or miss. The last time it rained and there wasn't a lot to do...

Looking forward to trying out Vero Beach some time too.

We did the Hoop Dee for Jeff's B-day a few years ago. They really gave it to him!!!! Don't think we'll do that again tho! Also, the rehitching at the Garden Grill (you see a pattern here -- high embarrassment factor!!) Always looking for new things to try!

Haven't been on the cruise for 3 years, so we're due! I just booked the Radisson (kept the other one too, I can always cancel). Also, bought insurance. Dec., can't come fast enough!

It's booming here -- lovely storms almost every night!

take care,
d