April 14,2013 Dream 4 Day...

[angel's momma]

Christi,
I sent you another pm

Thank you

 

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

We're in for fish extenders.

 

[cinmouse]

Define busy please I checked the crowd predictions before we picked the dates, but based on what you've said, I'm now worried. Is break just through the 21st?

When we went a few years back on MA vacation after the cruise, we found it to be one longest waits we have had, besides Christmas week. Our vacation ends but NH is the week after so I think thers is always some overlap. I would not stress about it, we just made the decision to try going for a few days before the vacations, since it works better for us.

Not that all people go to Disney...maybe things will be different this year as air fare has been very high, we were looking at upwards of $300-$400 each way and finally found a one day sale & grabbed it...when the air fare was higher than the cruise cost I was getting a bit disappointed, but for me it all worked out.

 

[cinmouse]

We are driving down this year too, a first for us. We are driving to Disney's Hilton Head Resort the Wednesday before the cruise and we will be leaving home at 3:00am. On Thursday we are planning to goof around the resort in the am and then head to Savanna or St Augustine and arrive at OKW that night. Last year we went to Hilton Head for April vacation and drove down but stayed over night in the Richmond VA area.
We will start heading home when we get off the ship, hopefully make to Richmond VA that night. On Friday we have loose plans to spend the day in Washington DC and then head to Boston on Saturday. I hate driving through DC and Baltimore on weekdays.
Airfares were so crazy high, though I do keep checking.

That sounds like a fun trip..since it appears your a flexiable in your travel, you might be able to snag a cheap flight as it get closer. Although you will miss all the other places along the way..I love Savanna & Washington, DC!

 

[cinmouse]

We stopped along the way last year. Made it to Delaware the first night, Brunswick GA the next, and were at The Magic Kingdom for Lunch I was terrified but luckily with some prodding, my kids saw it as an adventure. We bought place mat maps and they kept track of where we were. They had art stuff, books and some simple toys they could play with sitting there. We let them watch two movies a day. One before lunch and one after a dinner stop. Then they went to sleep in the car for an hour or two until we stopped for the night. We stopped every few hours somewhere they could run around for 10 minutes. We took it slow but actually made much better time than we anticipated. We hadn't planned to arrive until midafternoon but made it to BCV, checked in and were in the park for lunch. This year we need to decide whether to keep DS out of school Friday, so we can leave Thursday night to make the same trip. That would get us to PC a day early. But there is less traffic leaving on a Thursday night than Friday thanks to all our fellow New England vacationers. We can make it if we leave Friday, but I am not so sure I like the idea of arriving right at our 1130 PAT, so we'll see. He has missed only 3 days this year, so I think we will pull him.

We can't stand Logan despite it being our closest. We usually only go for SW out of Manchester or Providence, and by the time I looked it was over $300 pp each way!

I LOVE the placemat idea for a road trip..that is great! We will be at Disney Thrusday - Sat then staying @ The Courtyard Cocoa Beach Sat Night before the cruise.

We also try to fly from Manchester, but SW was so high, there was no way..then TA found an Air Tran special and grabbed it from Boston, so we lucked out. You can keep checking, we found it was cheapest to fly either Wed or Thursday, so since you are looking to keep your son out Friday, maybe a Thursday night flight would work for you.

 

[disneyluvrtink]

We're in for fish extenders.

Yay!!

 

[angel's momma]

When we went a few years back on MA vacation after the cruise, we found it to be one longest waits we have had, besides Christmas week. Our vacation ends but NH is the week after so I think thers is always some overlap. I would not stress about it, we just made the decision to try going for a few days before the vacations, since it works better for us.

Not that all people go to Disney...maybe things will be different this year as air fare has been very high, we were looking at upwards of $300-$400 each way and finally found a one day sale & grabbed it...when the air fare was higher than the cruise cost I was getting a bit disappointed, but for me it all worked out.

Thanks for the info. Frustrating that the crowd prediction site isn't reflecting that. Financially, we need to be sure that we can get the most out of the trip, but most importantly, it's going to be harder to protect her from illness if the crowd levels are higher.

 

[lml2013]

I'm not sure if I should ask this here, but yall seem like experts! Is there anywhere around the port to get breakfast before we board? We are driving down the night before we board. Or would you wait to eat when you board? Sorry I'm such a rookie!

 

[cinmouse]

I'm not sure if I should ask this here, but yall seem like experts! Is there anywhere around the port to get breakfast before we board? We are driving down the night before we board. Or would you wait to eat when you board? Sorry I'm such a rookie!

Are you staying @ one of the hotels, most offer breakfast.
There is a McDonald's by the Marriott Residence inn.
In Cocoa Beach by Ron Joe's there is an IHOP
I am not sure if the resturants by the pier serve brrakfast, but if you search the main.cruise board there was a thread a few days back.about them & listed t
he websites.
We get breakfast @ the hotel.

 

[hubbloveswdw]

I can't wait for this vacation. I am more excited than my DDs! I am counting down the days. "See ya all real soon!"

Susan

 

[hubbloveswdw]

We stopped along the way last year. Made it to Delaware the first night, Brunswick GA the next, and were at The Magic Kingdom for Lunch I was terrified but luckily with some prodding, my kids saw it as an adventure. We bought place mat maps and they kept track of where we were. They had art stuff, books and some simple toys they could play with sitting there. We let them watch two movies a day. One before lunch and one after a dinner stop. Then they went to sleep in the car for an hour or two until we stopped for the night. We stopped every few hours somewhere they could run around for 10 minutes. We took it slow but actually made much better time than we anticipated. We hadn't planned to arrive until midafternoon but made it to BCV, checked in and were in the park for lunch. This year we need to decide whether to keep DS out of school Friday, so we can leave Thursday night to make the same trip. That would get us to PC a day early. But there is less traffic leaving on a Thursday night than Friday thanks to all our fellow New England vacationers. We can make it if we leave Friday, but I am not so sure I like the idea of arriving right at our 1130 PAT, so we'll see. He has missed only 3 days this year, so I think we will pull him.

We can't stand Logan despite it being our closest. We usually only go for SW out of Manchester or Providence, and by the time I looked it was over $300 pp each way!

We are driving down too. What route do you take to the NJ turnpike?

 

[DVCFan1994]

We are driving down too. What route do you take to the NJ turnpike?

We try to take a look at traffic and go a couple of different ways depending. We used to live in the Mid-Atlantic but our family was all here, so we've made the trip a lot and have learned some alternate routes. Our default route is the pike to 84 to 91 to the merritt parkway and then a bunch of parkways from there that I can never remember the order of until I am on the road When I see the names on the sign, I know its the right exit. I know they include the Hutchinson River, the cross county and the saw mill. We end up going over the GW bridge and onto the turnpike. We find if there is no traffic this is the fastest. But, depending on time if we are worried about NYC traffic we'll take the TappanZee and then the palisades parkway down to the turnpike. I am a big fan of using google maps while DH drives and picking alternates as we go.

Good luck with your drive. After doing so well last year, I am a little nervous my kids won't be as excited with the adventure aspect of it this year. I will have to come up with some new activities I guess. Last year we counted how many american flags we saw along the way down. This year my daughter recommended counting trees! I did find a travel bingo game that I think they'll like.

I just want to get on the ship As long as we get there it will all be fine!

 

[hubbloveswdw]

Dvcfan1994 that is way we are planning to go too. I love parkways through CT and NY.
When we drove to HHI last April after we hit Hartford we did not hear a peep out of our Daughters. We hooked them up with individual DVD players. My older DD was FaceTiming with friends and talking on the phone. They had it better than JetBlue. One there favorite things was stopping for cinnanbuns on the NJ turnpike.

Our favorite places to stop for gas are: NJ, VA, SC and FL.
We try to avoid fueling up in NC.

I loved your placemat of the states idea. I am going to use that.

Good luck with your drive too.

 

[cinmouse]

Thanks for the info. Frustrating that the crowd prediction site isn't reflecting that. Financially, we need to be sure that we can get the most out of the trip, but most importantly, it's going to be harder to protect her from illness if the crowd levels are higher.

I understand, maybe it just me, but we try to travel off school vacation week and found it to be busy. Of course, I would assume not as busy as the summertime.

I hope my comment about the crowds did not scare you, as you have enough to think about. I hope that the trip becomes a reality for you & your family.

 

[angel's momma]

I understand, maybe it just me, but we try to travel off school vacation week and found it to be busy. Of course, I would assume not as busy as the summertime.

I hope my comment about the crowds did not scare you, as you have enough to think about. I hope that the trip becomes a reality for you & your family.

Thank you I'm very glad you told me about the crowds , we've always gone during value season. I mistakenly thought mid-April was past Spring Break time. Angel wants to go in Spring, and school band concert & finals make May hard to do, except for the last week, and that would put us at wdw the first week of June, which is most likely hotter & more crowded. We just have to wait & see if our cruise dates are approved, and hope for the best.

 

[whamma]

I'm still alive! Sorry I've been away for so long.
I thought I was getting notifications for this thread but evidently they stopped. That's what I get for trusting technology!
Wow, it took me awhile to catch up on this thread and I still haven't had time to read angel's momma's thread. (Sending you some pixie dust for this cruise to work out just the way you want it to!)
As far as fish extenders, if anyone else wants to coordinate it--no problem. I'm still deciding whether to join in--hopefully yes. But since I'm still on the fence about it, I probably shouldn't plan it.
Excited to see the activity on the thread!
64 days! (and only 62 until my family arrives at Bay Lake Tower pre-cruise!!) Can't wait!!!

 

[disneyluvrtink]

Yay! Welcome back! I can't wait until the cruise! I would be happy to coordinate the FE!

 

[angel's momma]

Wow, it took me awhile to catch up on this thread and I still haven't had time to read angel's momma's thread. (Sending you some pixie dust for this cruise to work out just the way you want it to!)

Thank you

 

[disneyluvrtink]

I think we should go ahead and get the fish extender list started. I've been itching to start working on the gifts lol. What can I say, I like planning. (I've already been shopping for clothes for the cruise. I'll have way too much to choose from lol )

If you don't know what a fish extender is, this should help! =-)
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32651483&postcount=378

Information needed:
Disboard username
cabin number if you know it
Family last name
First names, genders, and ages of everyone in the cabin
an email address so I can send the lists to. I won't sell your email address I promise ;-)
Everyone's favorite characters
Everyone's favorite color
Any celebrations
Any allergies

If you don't feel comfortable posting the information on here, you may email me with the info at emiline1328@aol.com

A few Guidelines:
1. Each cabin participating must provide at least one gift to each cabin participating in the FE. You can provide a gift to each person in the cabin, just the kids, or one gift for the whole cabin. It is completely up to you! You are welcome to give more than one gift.
2.The gifts must be delivered by 4 p.m. on the 17th (the last night) so everyone has time to pack their stuff up.
3. It would be nice to have a tag on the gifts so we know who the gift is from, even if it is just the disboard username.
Other than this, there aren't really any set rules except to just have fun!!

I'll send out the lists maybe once a week or so as I get people signing up. I'll send out the "finalized copy" of the list around March 15 to give you plenty of time to put the gifts together. So March 15 is our tentative sign up deadline. I will more than likely make some extras that way if we have anybody that wants to sign up after March 15 they will have something too.

I'll start:
disboard name: disneyluvrtink
cabin number if you know it: 8D GTY (It's killing me not knowing my room number lol)
Family last name: Hutchison
First names, genders, and ages of everyone in the cabin:
Emily F 27
Rose F 52
Jordan M 21
Everyone's favorite characters:
Emily: tinkerbell, belle, Aladdin, woody, stitch, gaston, chip and dale, Darth Vader (he counts right? lol)
Rose: Mickey, Minnie, Ariel
Jordan: Donald Duck, and anything toy story or cars
Everyone's favorite color:
Emily: pink and blue
Rose: green
Jordan: blue
Any celebrations:
My (Emily) 27th birthday! (the day before the cruise!)
Any allergies: None!

 

[angel's momma]

Thanks for setting it up Emily.

We want to do it, but we can't commit until our dates are confirmed.