April 11th 2009 Magic Eastern Easter cruise--UPDATED WITH ROLL CALL PG 1

[AnaRN]

I have to tell you....we JUST booked the cruise LAST WEEK! We were absolutely shocked that they still had cabins available AND we got an outside view?!?

Actually, we booked 2 cabins because my parents will be a few doors down from us. I just couldn't believe it. I guess Disney is hurting just like everyone else.

But really, we've been looking around for a vacation to take over Spring Break and this cruise was the cheapest we could find. We got the Fl. Resident rate which is out of this world, crazy cheap. They actually came in UNDER Royal Caribbean by about $500.

Needless to say we were thrilled and so excited!!!

I've been looking at the fish extender threads and was wondering....with so few of us going....will there be an exchange? I've been teetering on the fence trying to decide if I want to try to make one & participate and then I saw some threads where there were 100+ people and thought - there is no way I could even try to get enough gifts together for that many.

Thoughts? Feelings?

 

[itutorfortravel]

Only 7 Weeks from today till we are on the Magic!!!

 

[kellimomo3]

I've been looking at the fish extender threads and was wondering....with so few of us going....will there be an exchange? I've been teetering on the fence trying to decide if I want to try to make one & participate and then I saw some threads where there were 100+ people and thought - there is no way I could even try to get enough gifts together for that many.[/QUOTE]

No, we have not discussed this. I can't believe only 7 weeks!! I need to get organized!

Kelli

 

[cruising fun]

I am new to this thread thing...what is a fish extender thread?

 

[Had2disneycruz]

I am new to this thread thing...what is a fish extender thread?

After extensive research a few weeks ago, I found what a fish extender (FE) is! If you read other cruise threads, you will see how people use them. Outside of your cabin door is a fish plaque and apparently, the cast members (CM) will leave your excursion info on top of this fish. Folks started decorating the fish and then making these fish extenders to hang from the fish. Dis'ers leave gifts in the fish extenders for other dis'ers. If you check out other threads or google, you will find pictures. Some folks get them from ebay, and if you do enough research on the disboards, you can find someone who makes amazing FE's. I also learned how fellow dis'ers organize meets on the cruise, have Secret Mickeys, and decorate their doors with magnets. It's all really cool. My husband wants us to make our FE. I think it will be fun to leave gifts for my kids and the other folks we are traveling with. If we see other FE's on board, we would leave something for them too.....just for fun!

 

[Had2disneycruz]

I have to tell you....we JUST booked the cruise LAST WEEK! We were absolutely shocked that they still had cabins available AND we got an outside view?!?

Actually, we booked 2 cabins because my parents will be a few doors down from us. I just couldn't believe it. I guess Disney is hurting just like everyone else.

But really, we've been looking around for a vacation to take over Spring Break and this cruise was the cheapest we could find. We got the Fl. Resident rate which is out of this world, crazy cheap. They actually came in UNDER Royal Caribbean by about $500.

Needless to say we were thrilled and so excited!!!

I've been looking at the fish extender threads and was wondering....with so few of us going....will there be an exchange? I've been teetering on the fence trying to decide if I want to try to make one & participate and then I saw some threads where there were 100+ people and thought - there is no way I could even try to get enough gifts together for that many.

Thoughts? Feelings?

I think the fish extender idea is really cute. I want to make one and will leave stuff for the kids in it. If we see others on the ship, we will leave gifts for them too. If you check out more threads, you will see that folks keep the gifts simple and cute. Dollar store items, items from oriental trading, and candy were some things I read about. I am trying to find items that are from our area and state. It think it would be fun but don't feel obligated.

I saw that Disney still had Cat. 12 available yesterday. I guess this cruise is not sold out. Cat. 12 is a great deal. We have 2 cabins for our family. We have 4 kids so it was our only option. This trip was also the cheapest vacation we could find for all 6 of us.

Only 48 days to go!

 

[AnaRN]

I think the fish extender idea is really cute. I want to make one and will leave stuff for the kids in it. If we see others on the ship, we will leave gifts for them too. If you check out more threads, you will see that folks keep the gifts simple and cute. Dollar store items, items from oriental trading, and candy were some things I read about. I am trying to find items that are from our area and state. It think it would be fun but don't feel obligated.

I saw that Disney still had Cat. 12 available yesterday. I guess this cruise is not sold out. Cat. 12 is a great deal. We have 2 cabins for our family. We have 4 kids so it was our only option. This trip was also the cheapest vacation we could find for all 6 of us.

Only 48 days to go!

Isn't that SILLY that the cheapest family vacation either of us could find for our families was a Disney Cruise? I never thought I would hear myself say such a thing!

We even looked at driving somewhere and staying in a hotel...this was STILL the cheapest we could find.

We are getting SO super excited.

We did get some magnets together too....I'm in the process of creating a few more too.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm......so you are going to leave little things for your family in your FE...they are just so darn cute. Well, I've got a little more time to ponder....not much though...

Hurray!!!!!

 

[Freddyfishstix]

Hi all, We are still here and ready to go! We have added another day to our vacation and will be ariving at the Radisson on Thursday We will either go over to Kennedy or just chill by the pool for the day on Friday.

FYI in case no one has noticed on Disney's Gifts and Amenities part of the Cruise Site, they have added an Easter Gift section. SEE YOU ALL SOON

 

[itutorfortravel]

Welcome to all the new cruisers on the thread! Glad to see more people are joining us...I can't believe you can still get a cabin in all cats on this sailing...I thought spring break was a popular time to go?!

Anyhow, if you want to, go to the first page of this thread and send a PM to kellimomo3 so she can add you and your family to the roll call...many of us have found that we have kids close in age going on the trip!

 

[juliebird27]

Thanks for the explanation of the Fish Extenders. Sounds cute. We actually booked a catergory 12 bc its just the two of us and it was a really great deal. I was certainly suprised to see it posted just two months before the sailing date.

 

[AnaRN]

Am I the only one who is ready to pack up and get on with this cruise?

I don't know if I'm going to last......do you think the authorities at Port Canaveral will get suspicious if I just get a tent and camp out?

Okay....so for sure 1 person is doing a F.E.

Is anyone else sure they want to do a F.E. and if so.....do we want to do an official organization where people sign up to participate and then exchange?

Maybe if there are only a few families wanting to participate -- it wouldn't be too hard to organize and gather presents?

I'm very tempted to do one for our family with it being the Easter cruise and leaving little treats for everyone daily.

 

[sdzm]

Exactly how does this work? Do we have a count of how many people will be participating and we bring that many gifts and just drop them off at some random time during the cruise?

 

[oatmealdiva]

Hi, got room for three more?

We (myself, DM and DS) will be joining you on this sailing. My mom has cruised too many times to count; this will be my 6th cruise, and this will be DS's first cruise. We are all DCL newbies and very excited! Well, my mom and I are excited...DS has no idea that this is going on. I haven't figured out when to tell him either!

We will be celebrating a couple of milestone birthdays on this trip. I turn 40 one month before the sailing, and my mom turns 70 in June. DS will turn 8 in May.

We'll be flying in from Los Angeles on Friday. I have been such a slacker that I have not made ANY reservations for us. Hopefully my mom and I will be able to get a Palo reservation for brunch or high tea once we board.

See you on board!

 

[PPFQP]

Hi, got room for three more?

We (myself, DM and DS) will be joining you on this sailing. My mom has cruised too many times to count; this will be my 6th cruise, and this will be DS's first cruise. We are all DCL newbies and very excited! Well, my mom and I are excited...DS has no idea that this is going on. I haven't figured out when to tell him either!

We will be celebrating a couple of milestone birthdays on this trip. I turn 40 one month before the sailing, and my mom turns 70 in June. DS will turn 8 in May.

We'll be flying in from Los Angeles on Friday. I have been such a slacker that I have not made ANY reservations for us. Hopefully my mom and I will be able to get a Palo reservation for brunch or high tea once we board.

See you on board!

Welcome! Glad you're joining us! Your ds will be so excited!

 

[AnaRN]

Exactly how does this work? Do we have a count of how many people will be participating and we bring that many gifts and just drop them off at some random time during the cruise?

Well, I've never participated in one before but from what I've read about.....Yes...that is how it is done.

We'd just have to know how many will be participating so you can plan on a small gift for each participant.

I was looking on this board as well as cruise critic and there are very elaborate extenders, some with a felt bucket and used paint to write the family's names on it, some did tote bags tied together...all kinds of ideas.

The same with gifts...some have done very labor intensive home made gifts....some put a piece of candy in the extender every day....again...all sorts of ideas.

I think I am leaning toward doing one. Even if it ends up just being for my family. I know there is one other family who will be putting one up as well.

It looks like this might be a small group going anyway....so even if we all end up putting an extender up....it would not be too costly or time consuming to make sure everyone got a little gift.

I think I just talked myself into definitely doing one!

And if you are going to put one up...the one thing that I've gathered from all the threads I've looked at....bring zip ties to secure it to the fish so it doesn't grow legs and wander off.

Perhaps as a family decides to participate -- on the roll call page, it could be noted that they will have a F.E. up?

 

[itutorfortravel]

Hi, got room for three more?

We (myself, DM and DS) will be joining you on this sailing. My mom has cruised too many times to count; this will be my 6th cruise, and this will be DS's first cruise. We are all DCL newbies and very excited! Well, my mom and I are excited...DS has no idea that this is going on. I haven't figured out when to tell him either!

We will be celebrating a couple of milestone birthdays on this trip. I turn 40 one month before the sailing, and my mom turns 70 in June. DS will turn 8 in May.

We'll be flying in from Los Angeles on Friday. I have been such a slacker that I have not made ANY reservations for us. Hopefully my mom and I will be able to get a Palo reservation for brunch or high tea once we board.

See you on board!

Welcome! Your DS and my DD should be in the same club together unless you are moving him up since his bday is soon after the cruise We haven't told our DD about the trip yet either. She will find out in just a few weeks after her 7th birthday party...boy will she be surprised!

 

[itutorfortravel]

I wanted to ask what you ladies and gentlemen plan to wear on formal night? Do you go all out with evening gowns and tuxes or just suits and cocktail length dresses? I have a beautiful dress I thought of wearing and DH was thinking about a tux but then we read less and less people are getting that dressed up and we don't want to look like the oddballs...I know I shouldn't worry about what other people are wearing, but we don't want to look like the DCL newbies, even tho we are!

 

[PPFQP]

I wanted to ask what you ladies and gentlemen plan to wear on formal night? Do you go all out with evening gowns and tuxes or just suits and cocktail length dresses? I have a beautiful dress I thought of wearing and DH was thinking about a tux but then we read less and less people are getting that dressed up and we don't want to look like the oddballs...I know I shouldn't worry about what other people are wearing, but we don't want to look like the DCL newbies, even tho we are!

We have formal wear from a previous cruise, so we're wearing that. Here's a picture from last year.

 

[TBRox]

Hi - could you please add us to the Roll Call:

TBRox: Sally & Michael from NJ with
daughter, Sarah, 20 (w/special needs)
son, Davey, 11

 

[Had2disneycruz]

Exactly how does this work? Do we have a count of how many people will be participating and we bring that many gifts and just drop them off at some random time during the cruise?

Hi sdzm. Yes, that is pretty much it. Keep in mind, you don't have to spend a lot to get cute things for the FE. Ideas I have read are candy, items from oriental trading or the dollar store. Some folks have made magnets for other dis'ers cabin doors. It's a fun idea for the kids...to give and receive. My DD's will love trying to be stealth, leaving goodies for other kids. Of course, all this is optional.