April 17, 2011 on the Dream

[Deb T.]

Us too - the more the merrier!

Please keep us in the large group. I think it will be a blast with such a large group! Thank you so much for doing this for us.

Deb. T., please add us to the large group. It's my first time doing FE's and
it sounds like a bigger group would be more fun.

Just moved you all to the Group #1 Larger FE group.

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh crap..in for a penny, in for a pound. What's another few pounds in my luggage?? Put me in with the large, all inclusive FE group.

 

[Deb T.]

Oh crap..in for a penny, in for a pound. What's another few pounds in my luggage?? Put me in with the large, all inclusive FE group.

Got it!

So far, 11 of the original 24 participants have asked to be in the larger, (Group #1) FE Exchange:
Deb T. & DH
Ness2289 & DD12
alenushka & DH, DD10, (and maybe DS in college)
bdink921& DH, DS12
guarn3md & DS9, DParents, DSis7
ydrj & DH, DS16, DD14
svcutler & DH, DD15, DD11
jeni37 & DH, DS14, DS10, DD6
disneycruisegal & DH
allaboutdisney1967 & DH, DD13
goofy4tink & DH, DD17

No one yet has specifically indicated they'd like to be in the smaller FE Exchange Group, which will be limited to 10-12 families. However, there had been three people who had contacted me previously about splitting up the group, so I think there's a possibility of at least those three being in the smaller group.

Based on past experience, I believe that there could be as many as ten more families joining the FE by the April 1st deadline (maybe more, maybe less). I can't anticipate which group they'd like to be in, though.

So, those are my rambling, "thinking out loud" thoughts. I just wanted to let everyone know up front what they may or may not be getting into. Like I posted earlier, I aim to please! I want the FE exchange to be a positive experience for everyone.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.

 

[Donnaksmj]

hi...

We would like to be in the large FE group too.
DH's Name Jon
DS's name Jonny
Don't have our cabin # yet

Thanks

 

[svcutler]

Ooohhh Jill, I was looking in another forum and saw that you had written about the galley tour. How long is this and was it enjoyable? I've always like the "behind the scenes" tours, and thought this would be interesting.

Do you also know if they have a tour of the backstage theaters?

Thanks for any info....

 

[WPoohgirl]

Hi Everyone,

Have not posted for a long time. Remember I thought we may be moving to Maine? Well, my husband got a fabulous new job but of course I am really having a hard time selling our house. We are going Mid Nov anyway, my husband has been up there for a month already. The air-fare is horrible from Portland so I have looked at Boston and Manchester NH. I was really stressing that I should just change the dates but I already know you all and I think we are really going to need it after this move! I have been following the link as I get weekly e-mails I just have not posted!

I am all in for the big FE group. If I remember correctly we can do one family bag for each cabin if we wish right? Last cruise we spent quite a bit of time making deliveries every day for different ages and genders. It was a bit much for me although I enjoyed it vastly. Is it bad form for me to just make some really fun generic bags for each cabin rather than trying to do each person?

I want you all to know in the midst of this crazy, wonderful, stressful ride of moving when we had no intention of doing so, reading your posts every week has kept me somewhat sane and given me joy.

Hope you all have a great week! Wendy

 

[pershing]

Hi Everyone,

Have not posted for a long time. Remember I thought we may be moving to Maine? Well, my husband got a fabulous new job but of course I am really having a hard time selling our house. We are going Mid Nov anyway, my husband has been up there for a month already. The air-fare is horrible from Portland so I have looked at Boston and Manchester NH. I was really stressing that I should just change the dates but I already know you all and I think we are really going to need it after this move! I have been following the link as I get weekly e-mails I just have not posted!

I am all in for the big FE group. If I remember correctly we can do one family bag for each cabin if we wish right? Last cruise we spent quite a bit of time making deliveries every day for different ages and genders. It was a bit much for me although I enjoyed it vastly. Is it bad form for me to just make some really fun generic bags for each cabin rather than trying to do each person?

I want you all to know in the midst of this crazy, wonderful, stressful ride of moving when we had no intention of doing so, reading your posts every week has kept me somewhat sane and given me joy.

Hope you all have a great week! Wendy

Welcome back! Keep hanging in there. I know some people in Connecticut that thought their houses wouldn't sell for years and both sold in the last 2 months! Things are getting better.

I actually found good airfare flying Southwest out of Hartford on the 13th and 26th. They have connections and stops, but are much better than Boston or Providence.

 

[alenushka]

This link was posted on FB a few days ago. When I finished watching the first clip, I was pleasantly surprised bs there were many other clips I did not see before, including Remy's dishes sneak-peaks. Just wanted to share...

http://news.travel.aol.com/2010/10/15/innovations-from-disney-dream-team/

 

[Deb T.]

hi...

We would like to be in the large FE group too.
DH's Name Jon
DS's name Jonny
Don't have our cabin # yet

Thanks

I am all in for the big FE group. If I remember correctly we can do one family bag for each cabin if we wish right? Last cruise we spent quite a bit of time making deliveries every day for different ages and genders. It was a bit much for me although I enjoyed it vastly. Is it bad form for me to just make some really fun generic bags for each cabin rather than trying to do each person?

I've got you both down on the larger Group #1 FE Exchange.

Wendy ~ the FE Exchange is totally "anything goes". Whatever you want to do will be perfect.

I really want the FE Exchange to be a fun and positive experience for everyone. Therefore, there are no parameters. You can give whatever you want. And, you can deliver whenever you want. I know that some cruisers prefer to deliver as soon as possible, some cruisers prefer to deliver on sea days, and some cruisers theme their gifts for pirate night and deliver on that day. With as many of us who are participating, I'm pretty sure that we'll find our FE's full of goodies every time we go back to our cabins!

 

[Deb T.]

Ooohhh Jill, I was looking in another forum and saw that you had written about the galley tour. How long is this and was it enjoyable? I've always like the "behind the scenes" tours, and thought this would be interesting.

Do you also know if they have a tour of the backstage theaters?

Thanks for any info....

We've done the Galley Tour twice and thoroughly enjoyed this special time "backstage". I definitely know it's not offered on the 3-night cruises, and I'm not sure if it's offered on the 4-night cruises. They are always offered on the 7-night and longer cruises, and always on a sea day. The Galley Tour is free, but you do have to sign up at Guest Relations to receive tickets for it.

I believe there is a backstage theater tour, but it's available for Platinum guests only.

 

[jilljill]

We've done the galley tour on the 4 day cruises. The tour usually lasts about 15-20 minutes, but can take longer if you have a group that has lots of questions for the chef doing the tour.
Our tour this past summer on the Magic was officially over in 25 minutes, but we stayed about 30 minutes longer getting an even longer tour of the kitchen you don't see and talking with the chef. It was funny because the one CM that was there to make sure the tours went the way they should asked the chef to finish up so she could go on to her next assignment. He just looked at her and said he was fine with us and sent her on her way. He just laughed after she left and wondered why she didn't think he could take care of us. Being friends with one of the head chefs on the ship definately has its perks .

Yes, the theater backstage tour is only for Platinum Guests. We had to cut our's short because we had brunch ressies that day and there's only 1 time for the backstage tour.


There are other tours offered on the ship, such as a walking tour on embarkation day, but no other backstage tours. Just check the daily Navigator's to see what is offered or check with Guest Services upon boarding to see what is being offered.

 

[scootch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuwoj8YUQMI great video, enjoy!

 

[svcutler]

Thanks for the info on the galley tours. Too bad about behind the scenes though

I saw the video Scootch. I have a tear in my eye! So exciting!!!

 

[bdink921]

Try this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb8hnubbX2I

Hope it works!!! I am getting so excited for this cruise!!!

 

[alenushka]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuwoj8YUQMI great video, enjoy!

Try this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb8hnubbX2I

Hope it works!!! I am getting so excited for this cruise!!!

Thank you ladies for sharing! I dropped quite a few teas of excitement She is so beautiful! She is floating!!!! It is just so so exciting! I want to jump instead of going to sleep

 

[guarn3md]

I just cleaned out my son's closet - boy was that fun! I can't believe what I found in there - 5 pirate bandanas!!! It's weird...I was thinking of getting bandanas for the five of us for the pirate night...now I don't have to. I think they were left over from his 5th birthday party.

Happy Halloween!
Debbie

 

[Deb T.]

I just cleaned out my son's closet - boy was that fun! I can't believe what I found in there - 5 pirate bandanas!!! It's weird...I was thinking of getting bandanas for the five of us for the pirate night...now I don't have to. I think they were left over from his 5th birthday party.

Happy Halloween!
Debbie

What a nice surprise! A clean closet AND you don't have to buy pirate bandannas now! I love it when something like that happens!

 

[svcutler]

OK, DCL Veterans....
Dressy night - first, WHY? But OK, I won't fight it. Please let us know the following:
1. How dressy is dressy? What is appropriate and what can we get away with without appearing like the schlumps...
a) Ball gown
b) cocktail dress
c) dressy pants, heels, nice top (do I have to?)
d) or a sundress w/sandals (more like it)

What about the girls (tweens/teens)? Husbands?

Please advise.... and thanks!

 

[Deb T.]

OK, DCL Veterans....
Dressy night - first, WHY? But OK, I won't fight it. Please let us know the following:
1. How dressy is dressy? What is appropriate and what can we get away with without appearing like the schlumps...
a) Ball gown
b) cocktail dress
c) dressy pants, heels, nice top (do I have to?)
d) or a sundress w/sandals (more like it)

What about the girls (tweens/teens)? Husbands?

Please advise.... and thanks!

And Deb T.'s answer is...................... D!

Although, I'll be C, but only because I'm more comfortable in slacks than a dress.

And, yes, I've seen lots of A and B's, but usually on the longer cruises.

Once, though, our family of four was F! Our luggage was lost by the airlines on our way to our 11-night Mediterranean cruise. Actually, we were told that about half of the passengers were without luggage on that cruise! Formal Night was, as luck would have it, the second night of the cruise - a sea day - so no chance of luggage catching up with any of us. However, DCL was wonderful and more than understanding. We were encouraged to go to dinner in whatever we had, which in our case was what we had worn on the red-eye flight overseas: jeans, comfy long-sleeved shirts, and tennis shoes. Thankfully, no one seemed to pay any attention to us, or the other similarly clad patrons, at dinner. Not even those dressed like A!

DH insists on wearing a suit and tie, although he readily admits that many men are dressed in slacks, dress shirt, and tie (sans suit jacket). I did finally talk him out of taking his jacket on the Baltic cruise, but he was not a happy sailor.

 

[jilljill]

Most likely DD (16yo) & I will be wearing capris and a nice top. DH will wear dockers and a polo or button down non-dressy shirt. You won't see us in dressy clothes on a short cruise.


Remember that the dress is suggested and not required.