April 12, 2008, 4-12-08, 4/12/08 Eastern Magic

[TaraMom22]

Truly, you can either go absolutely beserk planning every last detail .....

There are some highlighted threads on the top of the main cruise board that are chalked full of information. Also, you can search that board OR you could just start reading it. Pretty much everything is covered.

Deb

OMG! So, I am definitely the type to go "absolutely beserk" researching everything. I just started reading the main cruise boards and my brain is spinning

I don't even have our flights yet and am already thinking about magnetic door signs and "fish extenders". I better stop reading until I get our flights, rental car and hotel.

I really went to read about before/after cruise hints. I am trying to figure out which hotel, whether to stay at the airport or the port the night before and after, etc.

 

[Skuba2]

It took me years to figure out what a "fish extender" was---wasn't sure I really wanted to know.

We did try to stay after one cruise at a hotel at port. The main problem we ran into was that check in wasn't until 4. We hated it--we were all so tired. We went to Kennedy space center and basically rode the bus around the tour. I was so exhausted, I just wanted to go to bed.

We fly in on Wed before the cruise and enjoy the parks. It allows us a very casual drive to port on Saturday morning. Then we fly straight out on Saturday.

I have heard good things about the Hyatt at the airport. They have the pool and it makes an easy commue to the airport.

Get those ressies booked--particularly anything in Orlando. It is a busy week and things will fill up quickly.

Deb

 

[cindyd1@optonline.ne]

Does anyone know what night the Pirate Party is on? Thanks

 

[dsnyfangoofy2]

OK Skuba2 and TaraMom22 --- what ARE fish-extenders???? Don't leave the rest of us out of the loop!

I also get overwhelmed if I try to read too much from the boards at one sitting. I figure I have quite a bit of time and I'm stretching it out. I appreciate the specific hints I have found on this thread. Keep them coming!

 

[dsnyfangoofy2]

Skuba2,

While I was writing my last reply -- about fish-extenders -- I got a pop-up box that said I had a private message. l must have clicked something wrong, because I've not been able to access it.

Any help on how to do this??? It was about the Show-Me State.

 

[dsnyfangoofy2]

OK, Skuba2 -- I figured it out and got my message by going to my regular e-mail address that I used to open this board account. (I have three e-mail accounts and I don't check that one as often.) I was going to say you could still answer the question to let others know, but I think I just did!

 

[dsnyfangoofy2]

One last message from me on this personal message topic -- I found you can also access it up in the top right-hand corner of this page -- in the cute little yellow box. I'm slow, but thorough!

 

[Skuba2]

You are too funny. The answer to "a fish extender": There is a metal clip outside each stateroom in the shape of a fish. It is used by the crew members to leave notes, itineraries or well wishes. Some people use something to I believe clip in it to allow for additional things to attach to it as decoration.

Don't panic. You'll plan yourself to death and then you'll toss it out the window as soon as you get that first drink in your hand and the warm wind in your hair.

Deb

 

[TaraMom22]

OK Skuba2 and TaraMom22 --- what ARE fish-extenders???? Don't leave the rest of us out of the loop!

Bev,
You are right to not read too much all at once. When you do you realize that lots of DIS'ers do lots of things to show their excitement for the upcomming cruise. I had gone looking in the FAQ thread for some info on before and after cruise logistics. Instead I found myself reading a thread titled "Where can I find out how to make door signs for our stateroom on the cruise?" That opened my eyes to that fact that DIS'ers often decorate their metal doors with posters and such that they design and print on magnetic sheets. In that thread somebody mentioned fish-extenders and then pointed to a thread devoted to only the discussion of fish-extenders. I was so easily distracted from my purpose that I followed to find that fish-extenders are things with multiple pockets that DIS'ers hang off their fish outside their door so they can do sort of a non-christmas version of secret santas with other DIS'ers that they have met in their MEET forum. Definitely not important enough of a detour that I should have let myself be distracted from my purpose of getting hotel, car and flights booked.

Tara

 

[Skuba2]

Welcome Tara to the obsession that is the disboards. It is a separate obsession all on its own but it may be coupled with a planning obsession, a Disney obsession or possibly both. There is no cure for this obsession. You think by going on a cruise, it will cure your obsession. You are wrong. It will increase your obsession to the point you will start to plan your next cruise before you last post cruise laundry is complete. For those really effected, the obsession takes hold on the ship when you realize the cruise is almost over. You will find those people camped out by the re-booking desk in an attempt to be the first in line to get relief from this obsession by booking another cruise. Alas, it will fail in the end and the whole obsession is a permanent way of life!

PS---be careful watching the Travel Channel. It has shows that are about the Disney Cruise Line experience as well as other things Disney. It will only cause excited pointing at the TV. Be afraid---be very afraid.

Deb---sorry--couldn't resist

 

[dsnyfangoofy2]

My DBIL just e-mailed me our cabin numbers. Since DMIL ("Grandma") is footing the bill for everyone, most people have the basic inside cabin, in the 6600s and 6100s -- sort of midships.

However, our DNephews and our family both paid the difference and upgraded to the deluxe inisde with split bath, and we two ended up on deck two. (I'm looking forward to the split bath with two teenage boys!)

I have a bit of a claustrophobia problem and have had a window on our first cruise and a verandah on our second. I don't know how I'm going to do with no window, and now being stuck on deck 2. I'm thinking of paying more and upgrading again.

From cruising before, I know you don't spend that much time in the cabin, but they have to sedate me to do an MRI in that closed little space, and I have nightmares about being in closed spaces! AARGH!

The other deluxe insides seem to be on 5 and 7, which sound much better to me, but I'm afraid they may all already be assigned. I've contaced the friend of our nephew, who is our travel agent, and asked her to see about changing.

Any advice or comments???

Bev

 

[Skuba2]

This is one topic I can't give advice on. We are in a suite. We tend to spend enough time in the cabin to warrant the extra room. I can often be found on my lounger on my verandah with ipod, book and drink half asleep. All the things I don't get to do at home----be a veg.

My point of view---if your cruise will be ruined by a small cabin, go bigger. If you don't care about it, then spend the money elsewhere.

deb

 

[TaraMom22]

YEAH! I just got all of our flights booked last night. Not an easy feat to figure all of that out.

Then I tried to figure out a rental car and after a bunch of searching I gave up and went to bed.

If anybody can help, or point me to a good thread, I would greatly appreciate it.
Question #1: Which rental company is most convenient at MCO?
Question #2: Which rental company is fastest and most convenient at the port - for both drop off and pick up?
Question #3: Is $85 really the going price for a minivan per day (given we are 8 months from cruising)? That is what I found at both Budget and Hertz.
Any suggestions on how you all handle the transportation thing would be great. Remember there are 5 of us and we are comming in the day before and leaving the day after the cruise.

Thanks, Tara

 

[Skuba2]

I guess the first question in my mind is Are you going to use the car for anything other than to and from port? We rent a van before the cruise because we are spending three days at Universal. We rent from Avis at the airport and drop off at the Radisson near the port. My husband will drop us off and our luggage. I check us in without him and sit and wait. He takes the car and his identification and takes the car to the Radisson. Then he gets on the Avis shuttle and gets dropped off in the pier parking. He gets to walk in and find us. We show his face at the counter agent we used before and we are set. We then take a limo home. We are also a family of 5. With luggage and all of us, a van barely works. We are usually sooooo exhausted in the morning, we all snooze in the van on the way back to the airport.

If you are strictly using it for transporation to and from port--a limo may be the way to go. You can build in a liquor/grocery stop on the way to the port. $85 seems low to me---don't forget all the add on charges and fuel charges and airport charges, etc. That is a major week down there for the parks as well as the cruises (we aren't the only ones departed that morning). So, it gets very crazy at rental agencies and hotels.

Hope this helps.

Deb

 

[TaraMom22]

I guess the first question in my mind is Are you going to use the car for anything other than to and from port? .... $85 seems low to me.

Deb

Thanks for your reply Deb. Because we are comming from California, we get in the night before the cruise. We plan to go straight to the Residence Inn in Cocoa Beach and then use the van to pick up some drinks in the morning before going to the port.

On the way home our flight is at 8:00 am on Sunday, so we will stay at the airport Hyatt. We were planning to use the van to get to Kennedy Space Center for a tour before driving back to Orlando.

As I cosidered whether to rent a car or use a van I read some threads that indicated that DISers were able to rent cars for $40/day, so I guess I was hoping for something less than $85. I think $85 is still substantially less than a limo, but I am worried about the amount of time we will end up standing in rental car lines.

Also, there are 5 of us, so any transfer service that charges per person will obviously be more than $85 for the 5 of us.

EDITED TO ADD: I got a booking through Thrifty for $60.11 plus all those taxes and fees (total is $73) using code WMRT.

 

[momto3angels]

Just wanted to see if anyone is having any luck booking flights. Tickets on United and American are easily $350 and we are not used to spending that much for a direct flight from Chicago to Orlando! Southwest has not opened their flights yet so we are hoping they will be less.

Deb, thank your daughter for sending Abbi a Webkinz gift...she loved it!

 

[Skuba2]

Most of us from CT are waiting for Jetblue to open up the month. They are only taking booking up to Feb 08. Driving us all crazy. We may have the whole plane coming home though. LOL!!

I'm glad she got it---Jenn liked her gift too and was estatic Abbi got the gift. She hadn't seen her on the webkinz, so she thought of sending it to her to get back with her again. I had to take the whole webkinz thing away toward the end of school last year---Jenn basically couldn't concentrate on anything.

Deb

 

[dsnyfangoofy2]

Our TA says we can't book our dining rotation until 4 months out -- which would be December 12-ish. Does that sound right to you experienced Dis-cruisers?

 

[Skuba2]

You don't really "book" a rotation unless a TA can do that as a perk. You basically request the rotation that you wish to have and they try hard to work it out. You should have main seating or late seating on your ressies already though. The main seating sells out quickly. They do hold back a lot of seats.

Basically, the head waiter is the person who works out all the table assignments ahead of the cruise. They always hold back some tables to allow for changes, etc.

Deb

 

[dsnyfangoofy2]

Has anyone ever used or observed the use of strollers or wheelchairs on board the ship?

Grandma is mobile, but sometimes tires easily and we might want to use a wheelchair at times. We will have two infants in our group and they will often be in strollers. I know that most areas are "accessible" but I was wondering how "convenient" they are.

Also, has anyone ever borrowed the ship's strollers instead of bringing their own? I was wondering what they are like. Are they like the ones at the parks or designed for ship-board use?

I caught the tail-end of a DCL documentary on the travel channel last night. Wish I had known it was on, but I'm sure it will be there again sometime in the next 7 1/2 months!