20041218-cruise-friends-memories

[tkd lisa]

Welcome back Gail! Glad you had fun, and hey, an extra day in FL couldn't be all bad? GaRry, we had 18 degrees here today, and we're MUCH farther south than you!

Okay, I'd like some advice on a change in our travel plans. Hold on cause it's long-winded (surprise, surprise!)

Original plan was to fly ourselves and the in-laws in on Friday the 17th, priceline an airport hotel, go to port Saturday am, cruise, stay the 28-29th at Shades of Green and do a 2 day length of stay park trip, priceline at the airport again and fly home the 30th. The in-laws have only done Magic Kingdom in 1979. I know they'd love Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Our kids really want to see Mickey's Philharmagic and Mission Space. None of us have been on TOT or RnRC (kids were too little the last time we were in MGM). So I'm wanting to park hop, hence the length of stay idea.

I've been looking at trip reports for this year at the same time, and the crowds seem horrible during the week after Christmas! FIL can't stand crowds. He really gets claustrophobic! I was originally against taking the kids out of school. They will be in 6th and 7th grade, and middle school was a tough transition for my daughter.

I'm really worried about the crowds, and the trip reports seem to show that crowds are really light the week before Christmas, I'm thinking about doing the 2 days before Christmas instead of after. I've also had a lot of trouble getting SOG to communicate with me. I've sent 3 email reservation requests and none have been answered. Their 1-888 number is set up for travel within 90 days so I haven't tried it yet. I found out that we can get the stars and stripes pass (government/military length of stay equivalent) even if we don't stay at SOG as long as we stay on disney property. So I'm considering:

Take the kids out of school Wednesday at noon and catch an evening flight to Orlando (set the in-laws up on the same type flight). Priceline at the a/p (I'm assuming it will be pretty late, probably 9 at least and I'm not willing to drive to WDW and pay WDW prices for a short sleep). Book at either POR or Pop Century with 2 one-day reservations (This is value season, and rack rate is either $133 or $77!) Pick up star and stripes pass on the 16 December one night reservation which gives admission on a park hopper basis for the 16th and 17th. Leave the WDW hotel the morning of the 18th, and CRUISE! Then on the 28th, just fly out that afternoon.

The 2nd option saves us one hotel night, as well as several hotel changes, gives us lower crowds, cheaper rates, etc. The only down side is taking the kids out of school for 2 1/2 days instead of 1/2 day. What do you think?

 

[WVMD]

gaRry,

You better be careful - I'll be lurking around - and I'll snipe away your 10,000th post........

Still have a long way to go to even the 2000th post.....

Well, starting another day in the ER - so I hope everyone has a good day - Hope I don't see any of you in my ER.....

Virgil (aka )

 

[Dancind]

Lisa, definately do your WDW days BEFORE rather than after. Yes, the 29th thorugh a few days after New Year's will be wall-to-wall people. We were there for New Year's Eve 2001, imagine not being able to walk through huge Epcot because there's so many people (and that was the 29th!). Would love to do that too, but DD will be missing 3 days of school if we leave the night of the 17th! Can't do five, and I doubt we will go to WDW after the cruise, once was enough for those crowds. It's worth the visit for the decorations and special Holiday shows, etc., but before would be so much better. In fact, you could probably attend Mickey's Christmas party on one of those "before" nights.

Gail, did you stay on the Caymans or were you on a cruise? We were at Georgetown on Dec. 21, tendering from our Celebrity cruise. Stingray City tours were cancelled that day too. They've been having bad weather for a while, really hurts the economy there. Diana

 

[two4ruff]

Haven't checked in for awhile....

Two feet of snow and -3 here, I'm ready to see blue water!!

Wish some of you worked in the ER we had to visit over New Years! My son broke his collarbone in a hockey tournament in Pendicton Canada. Nothing more fun than an out of country er visit...

Hope all is well as I continue to lurk...

 

[jilljill]

tkd lisa, Aren't your kids going to miss school any days of the cruise? My DD will miss, 12/21-23.
Have you checked the prices of getting a hopper pass thru SOG or DOD? That way you will have unused days that you can use on a future visit to WDW - just a thought for you.


gaRry, watch out for that that is on our cruise!!!


two4ruff, Hope your DS is mending well.


Another cold day here too, and windy. We are supposed to have some snow tomorrow. I hope it doesn't amount to anything.

 

[tkd lisa]

No, the school will be out for Christmas after 12/17 until 1/3. They get two full weeks. They only get 2 days guaranteed for spring break though. If there's no snow, they'll add two more to spring break.

Jill, I know that the in-laws will never come to WDW again, so the 3 extra days on the park hopper passes will never be used. I also know that we could use up the days left on their passes, but DH isn't a big fan of the parks, so we might not use them for a long time. I think a hopper pass at govt rate is still more than $200 apiece, and the length of stay at govt rate is right about $110. Since I'm going to be buying 6 this time, I can use that $600 for fun on the cruise!!

I know that I will pay more per day for a length of stay pass. If I didn't want to park hop, I'd probably just buy two one-day passes, but I want to be able to move around to see what we want to see in the time we have.

Thanks to all for your inputs.

 

[WVMD]

tkd lisa - Nice tag - I guess that chocolates weren't enough - huh???



Virgil

 

[WDWLVR]

Lisa - the tag fairy got you!

 

[tkd lisa]

So cool, so cool!!!!


Now I know the secret!! Cash does it, huh? I do feel honored because the tag fairy posted on the community board that she/he (not sure if the actual tag fairy has a gender??) is taking some time off. I'm glad I got tagged before the break! Must have been the 900th post that helped!

Mary, I'm glad you posted. You've been quiet this week. I was just about to send you a pm to be sure things were okay. I assumed it was the job craziness. Are you going to chat tomorrow? Love to talk to you and anyone else that wants to pop in.

 

[WDWLVR]

Lisa - thanks for the concern - you are a sweetie!

Yes the job is crazy. Long, long hours and I'm feeling really beat down. Still looking for something else but no luck yet.

I should be in chat tomorrow night. I love cruise chat. Maybe this will be the week you and gaRry are in at the same time.

 

[jilljill]

Originally posted by WVMD
tkd lisa - Nice tag - I guess that chocolates weren't enough - huh???



Virgil

Virgil, I guess the TF has something against
Maybe your day will come, like when you snipe 10,000 away from gaRry



Nice tag Lisa.


Mary, good luck with the job search

 

[tkd lisa]

GaRry, note that challenge from Mary? I should be in chat around 9. See you there!

And Virgil, one day when you least expect it, maybe it will happen to you too!

 

[tkd lisa]

Oops, one more question I meant to ask. Do you think that I could post my parks question at the top of this page over on the trip planning board? I'd really like some input from the experts(you guys are great, but I know there's LOTS of park nuts over there!) but I"m not sure if it's too specific of a question. Thoughts?

 

[WDWLVR]

Lisa,

By all means post your question over on the trip planning board. You'll get lots of answers.

My opinion is that do the days before the cruise at WDW. We've been down there in Mid-december before and it is nice. When we went in early December this year the weather was great and the crowds were light. Plus since you will be there a Friday night you could do MVMCP which we love. It is a late night but since you are cruising the next day you will still have more time to sleep than if you were flying in that day. The parks are beautiful at that time of year.

Best of all after walking around the parks - you get to relax on the cruise for 10 more days!

 

[wdwgoose]

YES before christmas if your me you know this?????
also there are lots of dis meets and me we I will meet you me I there okay????
the first 2 weeks was great at W D W now its starting to get more people there. MVMCP also makes more people. we did five of them ( I think)

WHAT !!!! no raddision ??????? well !!!!!!

YES CHAT night ?!?!?! will be there after lisa..... or me or I
unless the gets it first.
another day at work. about 7 here. okay time for breakfast and take my meds. went to bed without them last night. think this bug thing might be getting to me


gaRry

 

[Hercules10]

How many of ya'll are going to take Xmas decorations to decorate your cabins?

 

[WVMD]

gaRy, You're safe tonight - I won't steal chat. I have to work 5p-2a so I won't make chat.

Herc10 - I've been reading the cruise report from this Xmas and how they decorated to get some ideas. We do plan on taking at least some lights. We also got a Disney pin Xmas tree (sort of like an Advent tree - you put on a new pin each day of December) this year and plan on taking it also. I'm sure that they'll have a new pin tree next year - but we had to spend $8 to get a $6 pin (the Final pin) sent to us - they didn't release it until late.....

Have fun in chat!

Virgil

 

[Hercules10]

WVMD - I've been reading those same reports and was curious. Couple folks talked of packing whole suitcases full of decorations with extra extension cords. My wife and I don't do much cabin dwelling. Maybe a small prelit tree and an advent calender would be nice and not as cumbersome....hmmmmmm think-think-think.

 

[tkd lisa]

I'm thinking of taking our stockings, and maybe a string of lights. I can't imagine how much luggage we're going to have! 12 days * 6 people!! Even though I do laundry, I bet we'll have the max per the airlines! 12 suitcases! plus 6 carryones! I think we had 4 suitcases and 4 carry ons last time.

 

[Dancind]

We just did a Holiday cruise on Celebrity. Some folks put a decoration on their door, several had the wreaths that played music and a cartoon thing when it was touched. I saw lots of kids making them play up and down the halls, and decided the noise would drive me nuts if I were in the cabin. So maybe a nice old fashioned (small) wreath... We did take DD's stocking, but with scuba gear and formal wear, I can't imagine taking any more!

Lisa, post your question over on the Parks board, but I think you'll get the same answers. Sorry, it's just crowded that time of year. Actually, I find that the folks on the DVC board know the most about WDW, but they might consider it off-topic. On the other hand, you might consider renting points to stay at DVC if you go before the cruise. It would be cheaper, nicer, and as a Guest of a DVC member (which renters are considered), you will get a 10% discount on a LOS pass. At least, I think you can (someone correct me if I'm wrong). If we don't go to BCV in August, I'll have some extra points! I'm still trying to figure out if I can afford one more trip before the big cruise.