6/13/2009 Western on Magic

[nikkistevej]

Oh wow, just noticed I'm now a Mousketeer! I've earned my ears!!! Yea ME!!!

 

[triplefigs]

Ours is at 1pm- I think we're going to go early and swim and explore early too.

We are going at 1pm too (Encounter vs Swim still TBD)

 

[djd7292]

You can book a one way transportation with DCL. You may have to call them to do this. Or, if you want, you can travel back with us to MCO. We are hiring a service (Happy Limo, Ace, haven't picked which one yet). We have a family of 5. Most of the services have vans that hold 7-10 people with luggage for a rate of $110 plus 20% tip = $132 divided by 7 people comes to less than $20 pp. Less than your DCL transportation which runs $35 pp one way. It would be fun to go back as a group!
If we had more people, we could get our own little Dis-er bus! Let me know if you need any priceline tips or discount codes for your rental car.
Oh, I asked my DD what her favorite things to do for free was and she said to shop! She especially loves the stores in the resorts (Grand Floridian has 2 floors worth and I think the Poly does too). She also loves roaming the stores at DTD. OK, its free if you shop but don't buy!

That would be great to share... our flight is at 12:10 though (not sure if that would work for you). Let me know.

I have looked at numerous sites for hotels & car rental... my head is spinning. I am not keen on Priceline (tried the bidding but they don't tell the hotel until after you give them your cc). I have plenty of time to keep looking though. Trying to get everything organized. Good thing we are not doing any excursions.

 

[sinnika]

Does anyone know anything about Dolphin Discovery in Grand Cayman? The site said it's brand new but I'm curious as to why no one on the cruise board ever mentions it. All I hear about is Cozumel. You also get free admission to the turtle farm.

I didn't even realize they had one. I was thinking about going to Boatwain's marine park and turtle farm or Stingray City in Grand Cayman and Stingray won out (kids ruled on that one)! Maybe since its new, no one has given a review of the Dolphin Discovery in GC. There was a great review of Boatswains on a TR and DCL also does an excursion there. ($92 pp) Booking on your own, tickets are $45, but you would have to get your own transportation. The free admission is just to the turtle part. You pay an additional charge for the rest of Boatswain's park. Looks like they have a really good educational swim program.

"Besides the incredible experience with dolphins, you will have the opportunity to enjoy one of Cayman’s top activities: the Turtle Farm in Boatswain’s Park. The entrance for the Turtle Farm is totally free for dolphin program participants, and if you want to enjoy the rest of Boatswain's park you will just need to pay a $20 upgrade. Seize your day at one of the Caribbean must-see places, it is worth it!"

 

[sinnika]

That would be great to share... our flight is at 12:10 though (not sure if that would work for you). Let me know.

I have looked at numerous sites for hotels & car rental... my head is spinning. I am not keen on Priceline (tried the bidding but they don't tell the hotel until after you give them your cc). I have plenty of time to keep looking though. Trying to get everything organized. Good thing we are not doing any excursions.

Our flight is also at 12:10pm!!! We're headed to Baltimore for a week or so!
OK, for your priceline, here's some advice that I got from another Dis-er expert: "I check Hotwire to see what they are running--If I find something I think is good on hotwire (breakfast, shuttle, whatever I'm interested in), I know that's the highest I'll need to go for priceline. I typically am bidding only the MCO area. Rooms at the port cost more.

Since you have a lot of time, I'd first check Hotwire to see what they are showing and then go up in $1 or $2 increments. I've also used hotwire. For instance, if Hotwire is showing a $39 room with a shuttle and breakfast and I've already bid $38 on Priceline, I'd just nail the Hotwire room."

The 2.5 stars by MCO on hotwire include free shuttle and free breakfast. I started bidding daily on Priceline at $35, went up $1 to $2 to $40, then on Mon I bid $42 and it was accepted with an upgrade to a 3 star! No free breakfast though, but they do have a breakfast buffet. No, you won't know your hotel, but it will be close to the airport and prob close to where you get your rental car (ours is 6/10 mile away). Let me look up some car rental notes I have and PM you. My responses are getting long winded, TMI for others if it doesn't apply to them. Sorry guys!

 

[Disney Fans]

My first magnet for this cruise....If anyone would like this personalized please pm me and I can put your names on the top. Magnets tend to walk away when they are not personalized. I am thinking I am going to make more of a "celebration" type one but the pirate theme always seems to be popular on DCL.

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Disney Fans]

We were celebrating my DD's 5th bday on our last cruise- they bought a beautiful piece of cake to the table and sang to her.

Sweet photos!!

 

[nikkistevej]

11 weeks until our cruise!!

 

[Brooklyn]

You are going to end up with everyone wanting one-the design is amazing.Of course I want one too-or you could tell me how to make one.

That is fine. I love creating things for people. It is so much fun! I used to make these for tons of people on DIS. It just got too hard to keep up with it all. I still get requests from time to time and I am happy to fill those. It is easier when I am filling requests for the same cruise. At least most of the information is the same. It gets hard when I get a ton of requests for all different dates and ports. So these requests are a piece of cake.

If you wanted to make one your own you basically start with a background, add a table with dates and ports and then clip art in a png format (format with no background on the clip art, basically no white behind the clip art)

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Thanks!

11 weeks until our cruise!!

YEAH!!! So excited!!!

I called DCL and got 2 sideways CAT 11's right next door to each other!

One of them is actually one that we have for the TA next summer! So excited!

I love those sideways room and I am so happy to be on Deck 5. I like being right above the Walt Disney Theatre to be able to head right up to the room after shows and being on the same floor as the kids club! Since DD will be old enough to sign herself in and out of the kids club it will be nice for us to be on the same floor. I also love those Deck 5 hallways bc there are not a lot rooms down there so less foot traffic!

I would have liked to have booked a CAT 12 but none are available so I will take the next best thing and chose the exact rooms I want.

I will make everyones magnets this weekend. We have one more day at Disneyland and then I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend!

Have a great day everyone!

 

[nikkistevej]

That is fine. I love creating things for people. It is so much fun! I used to make these for tons of people on DIS. It just got too hard to keep up with it all. I still get requests from time to time and I am happy to fill those. It is easier when I am filling requests for the same cruise. At least most of the information is the same. It gets hard when I get a ton of requests for all different dates and ports. So these requests are a piece of cake.

If you wanted to make one your own you basically start with a background, add a table with dates and ports and then clip art in a png format (format with no background on the clip art, basically no white behind the clip art)



Thanks!



YEAH!!! So excited!!!

I called DCL and got 2 sideways CAT 11's right next door to each other!

One of them is actually one that we have for the TA next summer! So excited!

I love those sideways room and I am so happy to be on Deck 5. I like being right above the Walt Disney Theatre to be able to head right up to the room after shows and being on the same floor as the kids club! Since DD will be old enough to sign herself in and out of the kids club it will be nice for us to be on the same floor. I also love those Deck 5 hallways bc there are not a lot rooms down there so less foot traffic!

I would have liked to have booked a CAT 12 but none are available so I will take the next best thing and chose the exact rooms I want.

I will make everyones magnets this weekend. We have one more day at Disneyland and then I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend!

Have a great day everyone!

Have fun in Disneyland- we want to go there in a couple of years. Probably after they build the new Grand Californian villas- so we can use our DVC points.

 

[Diane71969]

Brooklyn- I love the Dolphin pics!!! I am so excited about doing the encounter in Cozumel!!

Diane- Did you book your parasailing already? I wonder how many they are letting on the boat? I'm excited about that too.

Yes I booked the parasailing in CC. I wonder that too. Hopefully they don't have more than 1 boat so we are all together since we are planning on taking pictures of each other....

 

[nikkistevej]

Yes I booked the parasailing in CC. I wonder that too. Hopefully they don't have more than 1 boat so we are all together since we are planning on taking pictures of each other....

Yeah, that would be nice to all be together!! I see you got your countdown ticker up!!

 

[Diane71969]

Yeah, that would be nice to all be together!! I see you got your countdown ticker up!!

Yeah I got the ticker up! I wanted the Disney Cruise Name Tag Day Countdown but I couldn't get it to load on my page. I also can't get the cute little logo representing our DIS Cruise up. Oh well I guess something is better that nothing.

 

[Diane71969]

Looks like alot of us will be at Chaakaanaab for the Dolphin Discovery! We should plan a Dis -meet somewhere - maybe at the pool for a drink. We have a 3:30pm royal dolphin swim for DS, DD and DD's new Dis-er friend. We plan to get to the park early to swim and snorkel first. When is everyone's times?

We will be there all day. Our Royal Swim is @ 12:00 so we are going to go the the park before and after. Everyone meeting up is a great idea. Plus that way we can all take photo's of one another to prove we were actually their with our kid(s). Sooo many of us are the ones always takingthe photo's we never get the pleasure of having photo's of us in them too. I'm looking sooooo forward to that on this trip.

It's so nice to be making all these friends!

 

[sinnika]

We will be there all day. Our Royal Swim is @ 12:00 so we are going to go the the park before and after. Everyone meeting up is a great idea. Plus that way we can all take photo's of one another to prove we were actually their with our kid(s). Sooo many of us are the ones always takingthe photo's we never get the pleasure of having photo's of us in them too. I'm looking sooooo forward to that on this trip.

It's so nice to be making all these friends!

Looks like many of the swim times are at 12 and 1pm. We should plan on trying to leave the pier around the same time - maybe 9:30am or 10am and all share taxi vans. You know, safety in numbers! Then we can get some group and family photos when we get there (and still looking fresh!)
Here's some more details for those who booked it on their own, not thru DCL:
"The snorkel equipment is not included; it is available to rent for $15.00 USD per gear.

The transportation is not included, every one has to take a taxi and it is approximately $15. - $20 USD per cab and the taxi fits 4 people unless there are more than 4 then you will need a van and the fare is approx. $35 - $40 USD to the national park Chankanaab. "

Also, towels are not available there (showers are) and those can be picked up by the pool on deck 9 prior to the excursion. Just remember to return them back to the ship.

Also, there are several of us adults that are not doing the dolphin swim, so if others might want to join us and just enjoy Chaakanaab, even for half day, its only $16. Plus there's a $2 off coupon on their website! http://www.cozumelparks.com/

 

[nikkistevej]

Looks like many of the swim times are at 12 and 1pm. We should plan on trying to leave the pier around the same time - maybe 9:30am or 10am and all share taxi vans. You know, safety in numbers! Then we can get some group and family photos when we get there (and still looking fresh!)
Here's some more details for those who booked it on their own, not thru DCL:
"The snorkel equipment is not included; it is available to rent for $15.00 USD per gear.

The transportation is not included, every one has to take a taxi and it is approximately $15. - $20 USD per cab and the taxi fits 4 people unless there are more than 4 then you will need a van and the fare is approx. $35 - $40 USD to the national park Chankanaab. "

Also, towels are not available there (showers are) and those can be picked up by the pool on deck 9 prior to the excursion. Just remember to return them back to the ship.

Also, there are several of us adults that are not doing the dolphin swim, so if others might want to join us and just enjoy Chaakanaab, even for half day, its only $16. Plus there's a $2 off coupon on their website! http://www.cozumelparks.com/

It would be nice to share a van and some $$$$$. I don't know how we could arrange that though, unless like you said we pick a time to meet, and then get a van at the pier.

 

[sinnika]

It would be nice to share a van and some $$$$$. I don't know how we could arrange that though, unless like you said we pick a time to meet, and then get a van at the pier.

The park opens early, at 7am. We dock at 9:30am, so I think around that time would be a perfect meet up time. Depending on how many, we'll need several vans. We have 5 in our family going. We can pick a meeting time, then go as a group to the taxi stand and get the appropriate number of vans/taxis.
One more interesting fact I came across, when I was looking up the park hours, was this:
6. Can we use suntan or sun blocker inside the Park?
Yes. But they must be biodegradable so you don’t damage the ecosystem. If you don’t have them, you may purchase them inside the Park.

Anyone know where you can buy biodegradable sunblock ahead of time??

 

[sinnika]

I will make everyones magnets this weekend. We have one more day at Disneyland and then I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend!

Have a great day everyone!

These are so cool! Would you mind making us magnets too, please?
Our last names are:
Po and Mason (we have 2 cabins). Of course, we want to pay you, just let us know costs!

 

[nikkistevej]

The park opens early, at 7am. We dock at 9:30am, so I think around that time would be a perfect meet up time. Depending on how many, we'll need several vans. We have 5 in our family going. We can pick a meeting time, then go as a group to the taxi stand and get the appropriate number of vans/taxis.
One more interesting fact I came across, when I was looking up the park hours, was this:
6. Can we use suntan or sun blocker inside the Park?
Yes. But they must be biodegradable so you don’t damage the ecosystem. If you don’t have them, you may purchase them inside the Park.

Anyone know where you can buy biodegradable sunblock ahead of time??

I'm going to look at Walmart tonight, and I'll let everone know if they have it.

 

[nikkistevej]

So has anyone on Main dining or late requested a dining time. I called DCL and requested 6pm rotation- we had 5:30 last time and it seemed a little early. It is just a request, but we'll see if it happens.