A Hop, NO Skip, and Many Mishaps to a Disney Dream!

[pmama]

Wow, what a great TR so far! Beautiful pics. Glad you enjoyed Blue Lagoon. Subbing!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Wow, what a great TR so far! Beautiful pics. Glad you enjoyed Blue Lagoon. Subbing!

Hey there! Haven't seen you around in a while. Glad you are back. Seeing your post just reminded me that I still don't know why you used your trip insurance! Are you guys planning another cruise on DCL any time soon?

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Hey, I just read your TR on CC!

Just stopping by to say it is very addicting!!! Can't wait for more!

 

[pmama]

Hey there! Haven't seen you around in a while. Glad you are back. Seeing your post just reminded me that I still don't know why you used your trip insurance! Are you guys planning another cruise on DCL any time soon?

Hi! Sorry I know I'm awful. someone PMd me to let me know the TR has been closed. I plan to ask for it to be opened long enough to post ending. One more week of school!

 

[jenseib]

I would like to do a Disney cruise, they look so good. Does DCL have a 7 day cruise? That would be right up my alley.

Jen I hear you about the money part, my DH has the same ideas as your DH. It can be so exasperating some time!

Yes they do have 7 days ones. The Fantasy, the new ship coming out next year, will be sailing the 7 night Carribean cruises. The Magic does now, but...Actually it just left for Europe, so I think right now there are no DCL Carribean cruises for the summer. And then Wonder is doing Alaskan cruises right now. Let me know if you really do want to sail, and I can help/hook you up.

I'm joining in! I love your trip report so far. Now I definitely want to go on a Disney cruise!

Thanks for joining in. It is a lot of fun.

I loved Minnie's costume!!!! That detective game looks like tons of fun too.

Wasn't she so cute? Claire loved the detective game.

Wow, what a great TR so far! Beautiful pics. Glad you enjoyed Blue Lagoon. Subbing!

So good to see you back!!! I love your past TR's. I do hope you can finish the one.

Hey there! Haven't seen you around in a while. Glad you are back. Seeing your post just reminded me that I still don't know why you used your trip insurance! Are you guys planning another cruise on DCL any time soon?

I know what happened! Actually she PM'd me awhile back to let me know when we were thinking of cruising last Dec.

Hey, I just read your TR on CC!

Just stopping by to say it is very addicting!!! Can't wait for more!

Thanks for reading! Yep, I post over there too. I think I'm an update behind over there.

Hi! Sorry I know I'm awful. someone PMd me to let me know the TR has been closed. I plan to ask for it to be opened long enough to post ending. One more week of school!

Oh, I do hope you finish it. It was such a great trip...minus the Trip Insurance reason.

 

[jenseib]

WE had a very fun day yesterday.
It was long and I was tired by the end. The good and the bad....(we always have bad..I swear). I ate a lot of good junk. We got a discount coupin Friday from Claire's school for $15 off her ticket. Skip was amazed of the timing of that. LOL Claire is not a big thrill seeker. She liked some rides, but some were just a little too fast for her. IT's NOT DISNEY!!! The bathrooms were gross, this park has only been open a few weeks this year, and things were in desperate need of painting, food was even more expensive...and I ended the night by telling Skip I am now offically a Disney snob.
And the worst part of the day happened about 15 minutes on the road. I had just gotten on the turnpike. Skip told me that the speed limit had been raise. We ll in this dumb conversation, I misttok the raise to be 75 MPH and it was only to 70. 5 minutes or less on the turnpike I got pulled over going 78. Now I don't think 78 is really that bad in a 70 MPH zone anyways, especially since I thought the speed limit was 75. AND the car in front of me was going the same speed or faster....but I was the lucky one chosen and got a big fat ticket. I was mad...but even more so because when the cop came up to the car, Skips first words were.."I told her she was going to fast". Lets just say he got the cold shoulder treatment for most of the drive there. And it didn't help that Claire was complaining in the back seat that "we could be there by now if Mom didn't get stopped".

 

[Stefy]

Just spent the last two days reading your TR and I am really enjoying reading along. It looks like you guys are having the time of your lives so far

Love the dolphin encounter, those photos are amazing and something to really treasure

Can't wait to read more

 

[jenseib]

Just spent the last two days reading your TR and I am really enjoying reading along. It looks like you guys are having the time of your lives so far

Love the dolphin encounter, those photos are amazing and something to really treasure

Can't wait to read more

Thanks for reading. It was a very fun excursion. I hope to get another update today...if photobucket cooperates

 

[jenseib]

Well my plan was to update before going out to work in my yard today. BUT as I was loading pictures to photobucket, it all of a sudden unlogged me and I couldn't get back on. I have found out now that photobucket has gone done, so I'll have to wait till later to finish up and then post it.

 

[KatMark]

WE had a very fun day yesterday.
It was long and I was tired by the end. The good and the bad....(we always have bad..I swear). I ate a lot of good junk. We got a discount coupin Friday from Claire's school for $15 off her ticket. Skip was amazed of the timing of that. LOL Claire is not a big thrill seeker. She liked some rides, but some were just a little too fast for her. IT's NOT DISNEY!!! The bathrooms were gross, this park has only been open a few weeks this year, and things were in desperate need of painting, food was even more expensive...and I ended the night by telling Skip I am now offically a Disney snob.
And the worst part of the day happened about 15 minutes on the road. I had just gotten on the turnpike. Skip told me that the speed limit had been raise. We ll in this dumb conversation, I misttok the raise to be 75 MPH and it was only to 70. 5 minutes or less on the turnpike I got pulled over going 78. Now I don't think 78 is really that bad in a 70 MPH zone anyways, especially since I thought the speed limit was 75. AND the car in front of me was going the same speed or faster....but I was the lucky one chosen and got a big fat ticket. I was mad...but even more so because when the cop came up to the car, Skips first words were.."I told her she was going to fast". Lets just say he got the cold shoulder treatment for most of the drive there. And it didn't help that Claire was complaining in the back seat that "we could be there by now if Mom didn't get stopped".

Sorry about the speeding ticket...Mark got one two years ago going to Dubuque and everyone was passing us! Markie was pulled over in the same area but he told the police officer that he was rushing back to Dubuque because his girlfriend had just gone into labor and the police officer let him go.

Thanks for the heads up on Cedar Point. Our oldest and some of his friends are thinking of doing a long weekend and that was one of the places they were thinking of going. I'll let him read this and he can take it into consideration.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I'm cracking up over your ticket story! I hate you got the ticket but the way you told the story sounded EXACTLY like it would have happened with me and my DH. That really stinks though! I hate an unexpected bill! I hope you can get it reduced so it doesn't go against you're insurance.

And as for Cedar Point... I can totally relate. Since going to Disney, everywhere else like that seems like a dump. If you're a snob, then I'll have to join that club with you. We do have some decent theme parks near here, like Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but even as pretty as it is, it's still not Disney. We went there last year since we had to skip Disney in 2010 and they had a ride there that was a total knockoff of Soarin'. I was really excited to ride it b/c I love Soarin'. What a huge disappointment. It was so cheesy in comparison AND it made all of us VERY motion sick. We decided after that trip that if we can't afford WDW then we will just stay at home and keep saving up until we can.

 

[Mindy5767]

Replies in red.

ok I can't figure out how to quote what I wanted that you said, but basically... why would your passports be over $400? We have a family of 5 that we paid for when we got them for our Alaska cruise in 2008 and it didn't cost that much! But the cost of airfare, hotel, etc does sure add up. I read somewhere about Disney paying the cost of hotel for the night before your cruise under a certain situation, but I don't remember what it was.

 

[Mindy5767]

I'm cracking up over your ticket story! I hate you got the ticket but the way you told the story sounded EXACTLY like it would have happened with me and my DH. That really stinks though! I hate an unexpected bill! I hope you can get it reduced so it doesn't go against you're insurance.

And as for Cedar Point... I can totally relate. Since going to Disney, everywhere else like that seems like a dump. If you're a snob, then I'll have to join that club with you. We do have some decent theme parks near here, like Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but even as pretty as it is, it's still not Disney. We went there last year since we had to skip Disney in 2010 and they had a ride there that was a total knockoff of Soarin'. I was really excited to ride it b/c I love Soarin'. What a huge disappointment. It was so cheesy in comparison AND it made all of us VERY motion sick. We decided after that trip that if we can't afford WDW then we will just stay at home and keep saving up until we can.

Yeah, we had that same experience going to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. Everyone told us it was nice and clean. We were told the food was better than at Disney (I did not believe that one). They only have quick service but have put together a couple of less than interesting meal experiences that you can pay extra for. One you get to dine with the cast of one of the Irish dancing shows. Another was with Sesame Street Characters. The quick service was NOT better than Disney at all!! AND it was more expensive. The park was pretty clean, much better than Hershey Park or Kings Dominion but NOT Disney clean. Almost ALL the bathrooms had lines (ladies) because there weren't enough stalls. The only bathroom that did have enough stalls was the one at the German dance/hall Oktoberfest. At Disney, while there are the occasional bathroom with just a few stalls and lines (think EPCOT entrance near the snack stands), you can walk a few extra strides to the England bathroom which has dozens. That's the case in almost any area of Disney. And I NEVER had as much as company at the bathrooms in the Odyssey building. Its my EPCOT go-to place to bathrooms. Its probably a best-kept secret. It also takes alot to give me price shock at a theme park because I live in a high cost area, but I didn't feel the meals were worth the price. I didn't buy any souvenirs. There was nothing appealing. I even walked out of their candy store empty handed. I just had to keep reminding myself that I paid $65.00 for each ticket and can use it as often as I want until Sept 5th... so you get what you pay for!

 

[Caretames1]

Sorry you got a ticket, I managed to talk my way out of one a few years back. I was going 80 in a 55 I happened to be lucky that it was a local detective that pulled me over and I told him I was on the way to get my DD from school. He realized I was running late.
He gave me a warning, and let me go. BUT, said that if I got stopped in the next 12 months, I would recieve a ticket for that violation.

I've behaved so far

I am a Disney snob I felt that way after Seaworld. So far, nothung has compared to Disney.

 

[DizDragonfly]

why would your passports be over $400? We have a family of 5 that we paid for when we got them for our Alaska cruise in 2008 and it didn't cost that much!

Passport prices have gone way _way_ up in price since then. It's $68 more to get your (adult) passport than it was in January of 2008.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

ok I can't figure out how to quote what I wanted that you said, but basically... why would your passports be over $400? We have a family of 5 that we paid for when we got them for our Alaska cruise in 2008 and it didn't cost that much! But the cost of airfare, hotel, etc does sure add up. I read somewhere about Disney paying the cost of hotel for the night before your cruise under a certain situation, but I don't remember what it was.

Passports are now $135 for an adult and $105 for a child. They also charge $15 per person for the photo. For our family of 3, that is a total of $420!!!!! That is a huge add on expense to a cruise! I know you get to use them again, but still, it's pretty hard to swallow on the first go around!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Yeah, we had that same experience going to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. Everyone told us it was nice and clean. We were told the food was better than at Disney (I did not believe that one). They only have quick service but have put together a couple of less than interesting meal experiences that you can pay extra for. One you get to dine with the cast of one of the Irish dancing shows. Another was with Sesame Street Characters. The quick service was NOT better than Disney at all!! AND it was more expensive. The park was pretty clean, much better than Hershey Park or Kings Dominion but NOT Disney clean. Almost ALL the bathrooms had lines (ladies) because there weren't enough stalls. The only bathroom that did have enough stalls was the one at the German dance/hall Oktoberfest. At Disney, while there are the occasional bathroom with just a few stalls and lines (think EPCOT entrance near the snack stands), you can walk a few extra strides to the England bathroom which has dozens. That's the case in almost any area of Disney. And I NEVER had as much as company at the bathrooms in the Odyssey building. Its my EPCOT go-to place to bathrooms. Its probably a best-kept secret. It also takes alot to give me price shock at a theme park because I live in a high cost area, but I didn't feel the meals were worth the price. I didn't buy any souvenirs. There was nothing appealing. I even walked out of their candy store empty handed. I just had to keep reminding myself that I paid $65.00 for each ticket and can use it as often as I want until Sept 5th... so you get what you pay for!

No way is the food as good at BG as WDW! That just makes me laugh! BG is very pretty, and for a local thing, it's ok, as is King's Dominion. But the one thing they will never have is the nostalgia and warm fuzzies that WDW has. I don't think they will ever be able to compete in the customer service area either. I've never been ANYWHERE (hotel, restaurant, theme park, store, etc) that has anything close to the level of costumer care that they do. It always amazes me that WDW is so huge and can still do that part right. Yeah, I've had dud CMs before, but they are few and far between.

 

[KatMark]

Passports are now $135 for an adult and $105 for a child. They also charge $15 per person for the photo. For our family of 3, that is a total of $420!!!!! That is a huge add on expense to a cruise! I know you get to use them again, but still, it's pretty hard to swallow on the first go around!

I remember in 2007 I paid around $100 - $110 for our youngest son's passport (he was 19 at the time) because we had to rush the process because he was going to China with his college wrestling team. I couldn't believe it. I'm thinking perhaps DH and I should get ours this year before we go on our 30th anniversary cruise in 2013 and they go up even more.

 

[stephielela]

Jen! I saw the Dream!! I am so so so jealous of your trip now. It pulled in after we did to Nassau and all I could do was stare at it with longing. And when we were pulling away and everyone was waving us off and the horn started to play "When you Wish Upon a Star" there were tears in my eyes. We WILL be going on that ship... or the Fantasy... but for sure one of them!

 

[jenseib]

Sorry about the speeding ticket...Mark got one two years ago going to Dubuque and everyone was passing us! Markie was pulled over in the same area but he told the police officer that he was rushing back to Dubuque because his girlfriend had just gone into labor and the police officer let him go.

Thanks for the heads up on Cedar Point. Our oldest and some of his friends are thinking of doing a long weekend and that was one of the places they were thinking of going. I'll let him read this and he can take it into consideration.

I think he will be fine. Skip didn't think anything was wrong. At least in th bathroom situation. As for the paint, he didn't notice it till I pointed out a railing. I noticed more things because I sat out most rides. I didn't want to spin and get sick, and I wasn't into anything too high. And if I knew it was jerky I stayed off too because my neck and shouldre problems have been acting up a lot lately. So I noticed a lot of stuff that most probably wouldn't. Guys wouldn't care at all. And that park has a lot of big coasters if he's into that. I am no any more, but I used to be. I think when you become accustomed to Disney, you notice it more.
The officer came up on the passanger side and I told Skip too bad he didn't come on my side, or he might've gotten a good look at cleavage....

I'm cracking up over your ticket story! I hate you got the ticket but the way you told the story sounded EXACTLY like it would have happened with me and my DH. That really stinks though! I hate an unexpected bill! I hope you can get it reduced so it doesn't go against you're insurance.

And as for Cedar Point... I can totally relate. Since going to Disney, everywhere else like that seems like a dump. If you're a snob, then I'll have to join that club with you. We do have some decent theme parks near here, like Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but even as pretty as it is, it's still not Disney. We went there last year since we had to skip Disney in 2010 and they had a ride there that was a total knockoff of Soarin'. I was really excited to ride it b/c I love Soarin'. What a huge disappointment. It was so cheesy in comparison AND it made all of us VERY motion sick. We decided after that trip that if we can't afford WDW then we will just stay at home and keep saving up until we can.

Cedar Point used to be my favoritye palce to go. Now I just can't feel the warm fuzzies anymore. Things have changed too. They are limited on land and now they have cut down so much opf the trees and cute things to make room for all the coasters. They have a Fronteir land which used to be kind of cute. NOW they have coasters running all through it and as you enter from one side, in one of the cute buildings it is a Panda Express restuarant. I didn't know Chinese was popular in the Old West.

ok I can't figure out how to quote what I wanted that you said, but basically... why would your passports be over $400? We have a family of 5 that we paid for when we got them for our Alaska cruise in 2008 and it didn't cost that much! But the cost of airfare, hotel, etc does sure add up. I read somewhere about Disney paying the cost of hotel for the night before your cruise under a certain situation, but I don't remember what it was.

Passports are on the rise. I think I figured around $400 for us as well. AAA will take your picture for cheaper if you are a member. I read it's going up again to sometime this year.

Yeah, we had that same experience going to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. Everyone told us it was nice and clean. We were told the food was better than at Disney (I did not believe that one). They only have quick service but have put together a couple of less than interesting meal experiences that you can pay extra for. One you get to dine with the cast of one of the Irish dancing shows. Another was with Sesame Street Characters. The quick service was NOT better than Disney at all!! AND it was more expensive. The park was pretty clean, much better than Hershey Park or Kings Dominion but NOT Disney clean. Almost ALL the bathrooms had lines (ladies) because there weren't enough stalls. The only bathroom that did have enough stalls was the one at the German dance/hall Oktoberfest. At Disney, while there are the occasional bathroom with just a few stalls and lines (think EPCOT entrance near the snack stands), you can walk a few extra strides to the England bathroom which has dozens. That's the case in almost any area of Disney. And I NEVER had as much as company at the bathrooms in the Odyssey building. Its my EPCOT go-to place to bathrooms. Its probably a best-kept secret. It also takes alot to give me price shock at a theme park because I live in a high cost area, but I didn't feel the meals were worth the price. I didn't buy any souvenirs. There was nothing appealing. I even walked out of their candy store empty handed. I just had to keep reminding myself that I paid $65.00 for each ticket and can use it as often as I want until Sept 5th... so you get what you pay for!

It's just not the same. In years past I didn't notice it so much, but now that I am a more regular Disney goer, WOW, you really can see it. Cedar Point does have a lot of bathrooms, and usually not much of a wait. In fact 3 times Claire and I went yesterday, there were people waiting. Each bathroom has two sides and people would be off to the right waiting, and I would look at the left side and see several stalls open and we would slip right in.
The tickets weren't too bad in price...half of what Disney gets for a day. The food was costly though. I paid $4.75 for a VERY small bag of glazed, sugar coated amonds. And they weren't that good. I paid $3.50 for 6 mini donuts. That was proably the best deal. LOL! We did eat at a buffet that was about $17 for each adult and 9 for Claire, but the food and selection wasn't fabulous. But it was OK.

Sorry you got a ticket, I managed to talk my way out of one a few years back. I was going 80 in a 55 I happened to be lucky that it was a local detective that pulled me over and I told him I was on the way to get my DD from school. He realized I was running late.
He gave me a warning, and let me go. BUT, said that if I got stopped in the next 12 months, I would recieve a ticket for that violation.

I've behaved so far

I am a Disney snob I felt that way after Seaworld. So far, nothung has compared to Disney.

I never can do that. And even if I tried, Skip would've ruined it for me! I was hoping he would have mercy on me when I told him I thought the speed limit was 75, but he didn't. Skip kept talking to him, and I told him to shut his mouth. He was making it worse. Skip thinks he's such a jokester, but I don't think this guy was in to joking people.

Passport prices have gone way _way_ up in price since then. It's $68 more to get your (adult) passport than it was in January of 2008.

Yes they have. A few years ago I looked and they were $75 a person.

Passports are now $135 for an adult and $105 for a child. They also charge $15 per person for the photo. For our family of 3, that is a total of $420!!!!! That is a huge add on expense to a cruise! I know you get to use them again, but still, it's pretty hard to swallow on the first go around!

Yep.

No way is the food as good at BG as WDW! That just makes me laugh! BG is very pretty, and for a local thing, it's ok, as is King's Dominion. But the one thing they will never have is the nostalgia and warm fuzzies that WDW has. I don't think they will ever be able to compete in the customer service area either. I've never been ANYWHERE (hotel, restaurant, theme park, store, etc) that has anything close to the level of costumer care that they do. It always amazes me that WDW is so huge and can still do that part right. Yeah, I've had dud CMs before, but they are few and far between.

You are right, no warm fuzzies. I took a lot of pictures and it just didn't feel as exciting.

I remember in 2007 I paid around $100 - $110 for our youngest son's passport (he was 19 at the time) because we had to rush the process because he was going to China with his college wrestling team. I couldn't believe it. I'm thinking perhaps DH and I should get ours this year before we go on our 30th anniversary cruise in 2013 and they go up even more.

I think rushing adds like another $50 to the cost as well. You should get yours now before they go up again. I think I read they were going up soon, but I can't remember when.

Jen! I saw the Dream!! I am so so so jealous of your trip now. It pulled in after we did to Nassau and all I could do was stare at it with longing. And when we were pulling away and everyone was waving us off and the horn started to play "When you Wish Upon a Star" there were tears in my eyes. We WILL be going on that ship... or the Fantasy... but for sure one of them!

I saw that on facebook! Isn't she PERDY! I keep thinking everyday how much I want to get back on her.