9/24/09 3 Day Wonder - Cruise Meets, and FEs, and Goombays oh my!

[m_kasch]

Jen, if you want, I can make you a couple of magnets!! I'm going to order some extra magnet paper from walmart.com, it's only 6.88 there -- less than half of what they charge at an office store!! I have to order some blank cards for my CPA studying too.

Donna, I was also not fond of the shower in the handicap room at Pop. We stayed there for one night when we got in late...check in was smooth. Our room was approximately 1,000,000 miles from the parking lot. And our bed had about 50,000,000 springs sticking up in it so we kept getting poked all night...we could hardly sleep for cracking up that every time we moved we got poked by a different spring. If it hadn't been so late when we got in and we were only staying the one night, I totally would have called the front desk and complained. But, we survived!!

 

[jenny105]

Mary, would you? That'd be awesome! I don't care what they look like lol. If everyone else has magnets, I want one too!

Yup, the policy changed to 90 days and I guess everyone was complaining about it, because as of 10/27 it's going back to the 180 day mark. Congrats on losing 10 pounds!

 

[karentan]

i was thinking of making you a couple too jenny, i bought 5 sheets on A4 magnetic paper for about $6 off ebay, including shipping, bargain!!

when they originally went down to 90 days, i'd heard that it was in order to get the online booking system up and running, now thats done, they're doing what they said they would and putting it back. but on the flip side, it still wont be of much use to most people if they're not releasing park hours til 3 months out as it is currently?

cristina, yay for you joining in the FE, i'll post the new list below. and congrats on losing the 10 pounds! gifts dont have to be huge, its the taking part that counts, there's a couple of us that have let it get a bit out of hand
by the way, whats your family name cristina? i need it for one of my gifts

lainey, the ohanas ressie i've got is still there, not sure if we'll need it, but i'm planning on keeping it til the last minute just in case. the number is 3917 7875 8041, its at 8.30 on the 21st for 8 people.

well i've just had word back from my DVC renter, and we're now confirmed at SSR for the first 8 nights. i'm so much more excited about staying there than at ASM, although part of me still wonders why i've not ended up going with the free dining, and am now paying for it instead!!

 

[karentan]

here's the most up to date list so far of FE participants:
jenny105 - jenny nieczypor (26) and joe
m_kasch - mary kasch (27) and tim
karentan - karen tan-pearson (29) and gary pearson (27)
disneyhoneymooners - lainey neal (24) and greg
futuredis – stacy crotser(35), DH chris (37), and DS Kaleb (3)
lilo's mum - Donna and Bob Decker, daughter Kelly (23) and one other person, to be determined
duchessandkittens - amy, DH, 3 sons (14, 12 and 6), dad, brother, niece (4) and nephew (5) - 2 cabins participating (family names are Thomas and Francis)
dr girlfriend – Stephanie varner and DH paul
portsofcall – Cristina, DH, and DS.

pre cruise meet:
monday 21st at Ohanas at the Polynesian
Wednesday 23rd at jellyrolls at Disney’s boardwalk resort (time to be determined)

cruise meet:
Thursday 24th (embarkation day) 2.30pm on deck 10 outlook bar, overlooking goofy pool

Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=64245672458

 

[m_kasch]

Karen, I was bored earlier and looking at rental cars for you. I found one through Alamo that was $113.08, or 68.62 euros (I think that is what you use?). If you are interested, or want to keep looking, I can PM you a couple of coupon codes that you could use. The $113.08 was for picking up the car Wednesday evening and returning it Sunday evening...that way, you would have it for going to Jellyrolls. I love trying to save money on rental cars!!

 

[karentan]

68 euros is more like it, we've so far avoiding having to join the single currency!! so we're still on the pound. i'm actually just looking for car hire from the wednesday and dropping it off on the thursday at the port, as we both decided that it was easier to get the DCL transfers back from the port as its too much hassle to drop the car back on the sunday then have to go back to the hotel then catch the bus to a park.
that'd be great for the codes if you dont mind, thanks!!

 

[jenny105]

Hey, I won't argue if you want to make magnets for me too, Karen!

They're supposed to be releasing park times 180 days in advance too so it coincides with dining. I think people will be much happier about that cause I know when the September hours kept getting delayed, people (including myself!) were impatient and borderline furious!

 

[karentan]

i think with the way the parks have been in the past year wise, that there'll be a fair few changes to the park hours before the actual time. i dont see disney committing 100% to park hours 6 months in advance with the way the economy is at the mo. july and august's hours have both been extended, but i wouldnt be surprised if park hours were reduced at any point if there is a downturn in trading.

 

[jenny105]

I've noticed they've cut down on parades and shows. Everything used to be on a daily basis; not anymore! Should make trying to see Fantasmic fun!

The power in our office went out but now it's back on. I hope it goes out again and I can leave!

 

[karentan]

come on power cut!!!

in the 16 days we're out in florida, fantasmic is only on 3 times. thats ridiculous for a show that fills up to capacity (of about 10,000) on a daily basis.

i'm thinking of all the value people who were upgraded for free to SSR at the mo, its not fair that us non-USA people dont get these pin codes oh well, i'm only paying £177 extra for a 2 category upgrade.....

 

[jenny105]

I read about all the people that got a code for that. I wonder if I'd stayed with ASMo if I would have gotten one.

Power is still going strong.

 

[karentan]

i was thinking of calling up on the off chance there was one attached to my reservation, but i know that UK people NEVER get pin codes. its not fair

 

[jenny105]

It is unfair. You're paying just like everybody else. Why not extend it to anyone that had a reservation booked?

 

[karentan]

we cant enter the passholder sweepstakes either, and we cant get ANY pin codes.....

 

[karentan]

but yay for it being one month til we leave!!
and tomorrow i get to say that we're going to orlando in less than a month!!!!
and we cruise in 43 days!!!

 

[m_kasch]

Okay Karen, I lied. but not on purpose!! it was already in pounds...so it is 67.66 pounds. i just don't get the whole foreign currency thing!! is that a good price? if you don't want the hassle, you COULD keep the rental car, go to Saratoga, and then when you are getting ready to go to epcot that day just drop the car at the Dolphin and walk or take the boat from there. Dolphin is super easy for the rental, we've used it there several times. I'll PM you the coupon code tomorrow, and i can bring you one of the coupons from my book in case they ask for it...

 

[Lilo's Mom]

Donna, I was also not fond of the shower in the handicap room at Pop. We stayed there for one night when we got in late...check in was smooth. Our room was approximately 1,000,000 miles from the parking lot. And our bed had about 50,000,000 springs sticking up in it so we kept getting poked all night...we could hardly sleep for cracking up that every time we moved we got poked by a different spring. If it hadn't been so late when we got in and we were only staying the one night, I totally would have called the front desk and complained. But, we survived!!

We had a great room location it was right by the food court. So we could stop and fill up our mugs before we headed to the buses. The bed was ok, and they gave us a refridgerator for free...but that shower was just not for me! When Kelly and I stayed there, we had a room that faced the Hippy Dippy Pool...then we had two double beds and a regular bathroom, so I liked that room much better!

Power is still going strong.

Jenny, what is the AAA price for a 7 day park hopper? Kelly doesn't want to lay out the cash for an AP, and I can understand that since we want to try to go to Disneyland next year so she probably wouldn't be at Disney World twice in a year.

 

[karentan]

mary, the cheapest i can get it from the dolphin is £80, thats without a code. which rate have you got?

 

[karentan]

i've just priced it up using a code of the net, i got it down to about £70 (still have to pay parking at the port), but i've thought about it, and i can get a one way car hire, then the DCL transfers on the way back for £66. its not work the extra £35-40 total to not have the cases on the cruise.
thank you so much for taking the time to check that for me though mary

 

[Lilo's Mom]

Karen
Why are you renting a car to go to Port? Did you ask SSR if they would hold some of your luggage until after the cruise? Logically I think they should be able to do that for you since you are checking back in after the cruise. Also since people ship boxes to the resorts all the time, they must have some sort of storage they could leave your suitcases in. Would ME round trip from SSR be a less expensive option for you then?