>> April 1, 2012 - Disney Dream Spring Break Frenzy! <<

[SpartanDis]

I finally got a chance to call and switch our dining from main to late dining - so if anybody here was on a waiting list for main dining, it might be a good time to call and see if you can be switched. We went back and forth, but the two things that made us change our minds - the kids are looking forward to having the counselors come and get them at dinner time and I don't want to be rushed for dinner when I want to watch a sunset over the ocean. Either would have been fine - but this works out well for us now.

I'm spending the weekend filling up the iPods with music and movies to watch for the car ride, charging DS consoles and pulling things together to pack.

I can't believe we're so close!

 

[mubriankoz]

Just realized at this time next week I'll be relaxing at the Residence Inn hoping I can fall asleep and get some rest before my first disney cruise!!

 

[WDWExpress]

Just realized at this time next week I'll be relaxing at the Residence Inn hoping I can fall asleep and get some rest before my first disney cruise!!

Was thinking the same thing.... we are going to spend next Saturday with my sister, bro in law, niece and step mother at Cape Canaveral, and then dinner... Will be great to see them but I'm wondering if I will sit still long enough to enjoy the visit. Still can't believe it...

 

[Deb T.]

Just realized at this time next week I'll be relaxing at the Residence Inn hoping I can fall asleep and get some rest before my first disney cruise!!

That reminds me of that cute WDW commercial a few years ago where the Dad was tucking his son into bed and the little boys says, "I'm too excited to sleep!"

I suffer from motion sickness (I can't even ride in a stick shift car!!!) so I start on Bonine the evening before a cruise (and then every night until we disembark). Bonine is a non-drowsy medicine, but I think it causes me just a tiny bit of sleepiness, so I use it as a good strategy to help me get a little bit of sleep the night before a cruise! Even after 12 Disney cruises, I'm still very, very, very excited about being back onboard!!!

Won't be long now..................

 

[VA_mouseman]

Magnets are finally done!

Not sure if I'll have enough of a door for them or not

 

[Deb T.]

Magnets are finally done!

Not sure if I'll have enough of a door for them or not

Well, at least the door is magnetic on the inside, too, if you need more room. Can't wait to see your door!

 

[mubriankoz]

oh and if anyone is looking to give up their cabanna on CC we would gladly take that off your hands for you! lol, just a bit of wishful thinking...

 

[WDWExpress]

oh and if anyone is looking to give up their cabanna on CC we would gladly take that off your hands for you! lol, just a bit of wishful thinking...

Brian... we have been looking as well and when I contacted Disney they let me know that the 2 that do not show up on the listing 13 & 16 are for concierce guests should they decide to use them.

I believe it was Deb T or GuarmMD who told me that they have done Castaway Cay a large number of times and only had one issue with someone moving their stuff off their chairs.We have a security combo box that goes on our chair to put our valuables (keys to the kingdom) when we are in the water. I'm sure that if some of us end up sitting close to one another we will be more than willing to keep an eye out for each others stuff. We want to snorkle with the kids and were a little concerned about just leaving our stuff... guess we will have to see how it goes.

 

[Deb T.]

oh and if anyone is looking to give up their cabanna on CC we would gladly take that off your hands for you! lol, just a bit of wishful thinking...

Brian... we have been looking as well and when I contacted Disney they let me know that the 2 that do not show up on the listing 13 & 16 are for concierce guests should they decide to use them.

I believe it was Deb T or GuarmMD who told me that they have done Castaway Cay a large number of times and only had one issue with someone moving their stuff off their chairs.We have a security combo box that goes on our chair to put our valuables (keys to the kingdom) when we are in the water. I'm sure that if some of us end up sitting close to one another we will be more than willing to keep an eye out for each others stuff. We want to snorkle with the kids and were a little concerned about just leaving our stuff... guess we will have to see how it goes.

Here's that you both end up with cabanas!

It was me who's been on CC ten times (one surprise double-dip!) and only had an issue once - and I thought it was bizarre since it happened on Serenity Bay and there were many empty lounge chairs. The couple didn't take anything, they just pushed all of our stuff (towels, books, magazines, and beach bag with sunscreen, wipes, baby powder, etc.) off of the loungers and then completely ignored us when we returned after eating lunch when we had to walk up to where they were laying (on OUR chairs) to retrieve our stuff out of the sand! Still irks me. But, be advised that the main cruise page has had several threads about items being moved or taken while on CC, so use caution with your valuables. It seems that sand toys and the rented floats are what are "borrowed" most often.

I think your security combo box is an excellent strategy! I saw them advertised in a travel magazine (they even had lime green!) and put it on my Christmas wish list... but alas, I must have been a bad girl last year because Santa did not give me one. I might zip tie our beach bag to a chair this year when we leave to eat lunch. We use a mesh bag, so I think it would be secure if I sort of wove the zip tie in and out of the little holes. The downside would be that one of us (read: me) would need to carry a small pair of travel scissors in our (read: my) pocket so that we (read: I) can cut it off when the dreaded "all aboard" time rolls around.


Won't be long now.......................

 

[WDWExpress]

Here's that you both end up with cabanas!

It was me who's been on CC ten times (one surprise double-dip!) and only had an issue once - and I thought it was bizarre since it happened on Serenity Bay and there were many empty lounge chairs. The couple didn't take anything, they just pushed all of our stuff (towels, books, magazines, and beach bag with sunscreen, wipes, baby powder, etc.) off of the loungers and then completely ignored us when we returned after eating lunch when we had to walk up to where they were laying (on OUR chairs) to retrieve our stuff out of the sand! Still irks me. But, be advised that the main cruise page has had several threads about items being moved or taken while on CC, so use caution with your valuables. It seems that sand toys and the rented floats are what are "borrowed" most often.

I think your security combo box is an excellent strategy! I saw them advertised in a travel magazine (they even had lime green!) and put it on my Christmas wish list... but alas, I must have been a bad girl last year because Santa did not give me one. I might zip tie our beach bag to a chair this year when we leave to eat lunch. We use a mesh bag, so I think it would be secure if I sort of wove the zip tie in and out of the little holes. The downside would be that one of us (read: me) would need to carry a small pair of travel scissors in our (read: my) pocket so that we (read: I) can cut it off when the dreaded "all aboard" time rolls around.


Won't be long now.......................

Deb T- I was pretty sure it was you but I couldn't find the original post... MY DH has a great suggestion for you instead of zip ties, buy a small, cheap bicycle lock, they are coated with plastic and are combo locks. They are thin enough that you should be able to weave them in and out of your bag and then lock it to the chair...plus the upside is you don't have to carry scissors or nail clippers with you.

Can't believe that we are on the final countdown, we are rushing around for the last minute items today...

 

[clc053103]

oh and if anyone is looking to give up their cabanna on CC we would gladly take that off your hands for you! lol, just a bit of wishful thinking...

Us too...would even be willing to split someone's! Do people really ever cancel?

 

[kindman]

Has anyone stayed at the MCO Hyatt before the cruise? I've done it for other cruise lines and we did the day room post-Dream cruise last year but my question is what time do they open the checkin at the airport for Disney transport to the ship? I have heard a couple different times on the main board and a follow-up question would be do I need the entire family there for checks-in? Thanks in advance and to all you Cabana seekers out there I have been checking every couple days since the window opened with no luck but if I get one would definately be willing to share in the good fortune.

It's warm in Indiana but I still can't wait for the boat. Thanks.

 

[Deb T.]

Deb T- I was pretty sure it was you but I couldn't find the original post... MY DH has a great suggestion for you instead of zip ties, buy a small, cheap bicycle lock, they are coated with plastic and are combo locks. They are thin enough that you should be able to weave them in and out of your bag and then lock it to the chair...plus the upside is you don't have to carry scissors or nail clippers with you.

Can't believe that we are on the final countdown, we are rushing around for the last minute items today...

Thanks! That is great advice!

 

[Deb T.]

Has anyone stayed at the MCO Hyatt before the cruise? I've done it for other cruise lines and we did the day room post-Dream cruise last year but my question is what time do they open the checkin at the airport for Disney transport to the ship? I have heard a couple different times on the main board and a follow-up question would be do I need the entire family there for checks-in? Thanks in advance and to all you Cabana seekers out there I have been checking every couple days since the window opened with no luck but if I get one would definately be willing to share in the good fortune.

It's warm in Indiana but I still can't wait for the boat. Thanks.

While we have never stayed at the MCO Hyatt prior to a cruise, we have flown in on embarkation day and taken DLC's bus from MCO to the port (and back) several times. DCL's check-in is the same area as Disney's Magical Express, on Level 1 (ground level) of the B-side of the airport. It's a bit tricky to get there and I'm not sure how exactly how to explain the best way other than to tell you to walk in the general direction of "Gates 30-59" and then follow the signs to ground transportation.

I don't believe you will need everyone there to check in as long as you have everyone's passports and the signed cruise contract pages. I'm not sure what time the counter opens, but I know it's fairly early. Maybe you could scope it out the day you arrive at the Hyatt.

We haven't used DCL's transportation since the port opening time changed from 10am to 11am. Buses used to depart MCO sometime between 9:30-9:45, so I imagine now they won't start leaving until around 10:30am. I do know they fill the buses on a first-come/first served basis by handing out bus numbers as people are checked-in.

Are you going to let the Hyatt handle your luggage? You also have the option of taking it down to DCL's check-in desk that morning (as if you had just arrived at MCO that morning). And, a little known option (and what we always do!) is keep all of your luggage with you until you're called to board the bus, whereupon the bus driver will stow it under your bus and then DCL's porters will take it straight into the port building. It's the only way to be 100% sure that your luggage makes it to the port. I am such a worry-wart when it comes to things like that - but with good reason - we had luggage that was lost by the airlines for 5 nights of our 11-night Mediterranean cruise in 2007 AND we watched a porter in Dover put our luggage on a hand cart and then drag that cart over to the buses headed for Heathrow's airport instead of toward the ship for our 2010 12-night Baltic sailing! That porter knew we were embarking on our cruise that day because he was the one who unloaded our luggage from the towncar we arrived in! After keeping an eye on the cart for about ten minutes, DH couldn't stand it any longer and finally ended up dragging it back to the gates that led to the ship and then turned it over to a different porter. Yea DH!

Good luck to you, also, for snagging a cabana. How many does it hold? Maybe there will be one big DIS party in one of them!

Won't be long now.................

 

[mubriankoz]

Brian... we have been looking as well and when I contacted Disney they let me know that the 2 that do not show up on the listing 13 & 16 are for concierce guests should they decide to use them.

I believe it was Deb T or GuarmMD who told me that they have done Castaway Cay a large number of times and only had one issue with someone moving their stuff off their chairs.We have a security combo box that goes on our chair to put our valuables (keys to the kingdom) when we are in the water. I'm sure that if some of us end up sitting close to one another we will be more than willing to keep an eye out for each others stuff. We want to snorkle with the kids and were a little concerned about just leaving our stuff... guess we will have to see how it goes.

well if you end up getting that cabanna we would be all over sharing if you want to divide up the cost. At very least I think it would be a great idea if a bunch of us got beach chairs together, im sure between playing with stingways and swimming and whatever someone would be around at different times.

 

[WDWExpress]

well if you end up getting that cabanna we would be all over sharing if you want to divide up the cost. At very least I think it would be a great idea if a bunch of us got beach chairs together, im sure between playing with stingways and swimming and whatever someone would be around at different times.

It would be fun if a bunch of us got beach chairs together... Hang out and watch each other's stuff... although I have heard from a number of folks that people are pretty good about leaving things alone.. just don't leave anything valuable, but that makes sense anywhere.

although I find it funny because when we are at the parks we watch people leave all kinds of stuff in their strollers, camera bags, back packs, you name it.... no one ever seems to both them. I guess it's the Disney way.. polite.

 

[Deb T.]

It would be fun if a bunch of us got beach chairs together... Hang out and watch each other's stuff... although I have heard from a number of folks that people are pretty good about leaving things alone.. just don't leave anything valuable, but that makes sense anywhere.

although I find it funny because when we are at the parks we watch people leave all kinds of stuff in their strollers, camera bags, back packs, you name it.... no one ever seems to both them. I guess it's the Disney way.. polite.

Speaking of "the Disney way", did you know that when guests enter Tokyo Disneyland in the morning, many will lay a straw mat down on the Main Street curb where they would like to watch the parade and fireworks that night... and NO ONE moves or steps on the mats throughout the day!? I find that to be absolutely fascinating and hope to one day witness this incredibly polite tradition!

 

[ddeal1957]

Good evening fellow FE group #2 groupies!

I can’t believe that next week at this time we will be on the Dream and heading to Nassau. Mark and I decided to upgrade our room so I sent PM out to everyone that I could with our new room #. Please check your PM's for the updated information. If for somereason the PM did not come through - please let me know and I'll resend it.

Can't wait to meet everyone soon!

Debbie (ddeal1957)

 

[MMDDMD]

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[WDWExpress]

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Love the photo... Ellen looks beautiful and I think she is expressing how we all feel. Jumping with excitement.