April 19, 2008 - Western - VERY Early Roll Call - Anyone??!!

[anty30]

Hey Tink. Awesome, we are nieghbors on and off the cruise. What school district do you teach in. I am a sub. Started this year after being home 9 years. Leo is in 1st grade and Ava is in 4th and so I have a lot of free time and subbing works out well.
I would definately be interested in a group brunch at PALO.
Joan: I remember planning my first DCL cruise and it was positively overwhelming. I loved every minute of it (both the planning and the cruise). It is the best vacation ever.

Is anyone planning on staying the night before at the Raddison? That is where we will be.

 

[yogibigdog]

Is anyone planning on staying the night before at the Raddison? That is where we will be.

I have stayed there twice before two different cruises. We also have stayed at Ron Jon's Resort and the Inn at Cocoa Beach. Last time we stayed at the Radisson I would have to say we were really disappointed. Room was really dirty. Found whole bag of smashed up potato chips under the bed. The rooms are in need of some updating.

Next week are trying the new Country Inn and Suites. They have a room with bunk beds that we will be trying. My kids don't share the bed well.
If anyone is interested I will post some pictures and let you know how it is when we get back. Can't beat the rate I got either I think it was $89.00 plus you get breakfast.

 

[anty30]

yogibigdog,
I would consider switching to the Country Inn and Suites, but do they have a free shuttle? We will have a rental car for the drive to Cape Canaveral, but last year we returned it early Sat. morning and took the Raddison shuttle. I would have to agree with you though on the condition of the room. We had a room that was really old. We would request a room in the back of the hotel next year as those are the newer ones. However, if the Country Inn and Suites gets glowing reviews, we may switch. The pool at the Raddison was great though. The kids spent the whole day in it on Friday. I will be looking forward to your report when you return. Pics would be great also. I am super jealous that you are going next week.

Antoinette

 

[Tinkified]

I second that Jealousy, Anty! To be a week or even a month out would be FABULOUS!....but then again, a major headache to our financial situation...2 disney cruises within a month of one another...my idea of heaven!

We are going in the night before as well. Not sure if we are interested in the Raddison after that glowing report. I haven't really looked into it...just planned it in my head...figure those small details can wait. Have you made your air plans yet...do you do your own or disney's? Are you going to go out of Stewart? We love the convenience, but hate the layovers...hoping for jet blue or airtran direct. How bout you Joan, our fellow Hudson Valleyer?

By the way, Anty, I forgot to mention before that I teach in Newburgh School District. I am the inclusion consultant teacher for k and 1. Are you subbing in Brewster?

Have a good weekend and Happy Holidays all. Remember to send Spring our way if you find her. We are desperately looking for her. I think the Easter Bunny's toes might freeze.

Ciao for Now
Michelle
Michelle

 

[yogibigdog]

yogibigdog,
I would consider switching to the Country Inn and Suites, but do they have a free shuttle? We will have a rental car for the drive to Cape Canaveral, but last year we returned it early Sat. morning and took the Raddison shuttle.
Antoinette

We rent a car too. My husband will drop all of us off with the luggage at the ship. Then he will return the car and take the Budget shuttle over to the ship.
You can always take a shuttle or taxi from the Country Inn Suites by you would have to pay for it. I will find out all the details and take a bunch of pictures while I am there.

 

[anty30]

I second that Jealousy, Anty! To be a week or even a month out would be FABULOUS!....but then again, a major headache to our financial situation...2 disney cruises within a month of one another...my idea of heaven!

We are going in the night before as well. Not sure if we are interested in the Raddison after that glowing report. I haven't really looked into it...just planned it in my head...figure those small details can wait. Have you made your air plans yet...do you do your own or disney's? Are you going to go out of Stewart? We love the convenience, but hate the layovers...hoping for jet blue or airtran direct. How bout you Joan, our fellow Hudson Valleyer?

By the way, Anty, I forgot to mention before that I teach in Newburgh School District. I am the inclusion consultant teacher for k and 1. Are you subbing in Brewster?

Have a good weekend and Happy Holidays all. Remember to send Spring our way if you find her. We are desperately looking for her. I think the Easter Bunny's toes might freeze.

Ciao for Now
Michelle
Michelle

Hi Michelle,
Yes, I am a sub in Brewster. K-3 are the grades I teach because it works with my schedule. I most often do the special ed classes with children who have disabilities. I find it very rewarding and challenging at the same time. Different from day to day.
My DS is in a 1st grade inclusion class. He has done really well there. Taken great strides since September. I am sure it is challenging for you.
We are going to fly out of Westchester most likely. It is 20 min. for us. Jetblue and Airtran both go direct out of there. Stewart is an option if the price is right. Last year we flew out of Westchester on Airtran and it was $69 each way. You cant beat that.

Joan & Michelle, do you guys ever go to SplashDown in the summer with the kids? Maybe we could have a meet there. I am sure Gina and Jeff would go too, even without kids.
My DD goes to sleepaway Girl Scout camp for 2 weeks in the summer and I know they are doing a day trip there. That is the day I will go with Leo so that I can see her. I will probably go more than once though.
Antoinette

 

[4newtocruise]

Wow, I missed a lot. Now it's the weekend I had to go back to work. I'm an RN at Horton Hospital and work 12-hour shifts. Because of Spring Break, I tried to work the weekends to be home with the kids all week!

Thanks for all you followups!

I thought in my passporter guide book you could somehow figure out what restaurants you will have on what day. Is that true? I'll have to look it up.

Antoinette: I haven't been to splashdown in a long time! Is that the one that used to be Action Park? If it is, that was the last time I was there. I would love to get together in the summer. My DD ( I think I finally got what this means, it took a while, ha, ha) is going to camp at the YMCA here in Middletown for four weeks during the week the end of June to the end of second to the last week in July. She is very active and gets bored easily. This is the first time I'm going to try it.


Michelle: Thanks for all the great information! Where do you get the information booking excursions on your own?

Do I really need to think about hotel stays, airfare, and car rentals now? Oh my, I feel like I'm behind and it's over 12 months away. What do you use a rental car for? Does that mean nobody does the Disney ground transfers?

I'll stay where everyone else is staying - you guys are the experts! We are going to fly in a day ahead. Michelle/Antoinette: I would leave out of Stewart for the convienance but it can be just too expensive, so when we travel we have been leaving out of LGA or Newark. Do you find that as well or has it gotten better? Plus, my husband may have enough frequent flyer miles to get us four tickets, so then we would have to leave out of LGA or Newark on American Airlines.

Okay, I have to get to work, talk to you all soon!
Happy Easter to Everyone!

 

[bmalonef45]

Wow, I missed a lot.

Do I really need to think about hotel stays, airfare, and car rentals now? Oh my, I feel like I'm behind and it's over 12 months away. What do you use a rental car for? Does that mean nobody does the Disney ground transfers?

Happy Easter to Everyone!

Plenty of people use the Disney ground transfers but they also are spending more money and having much less freedom. We compared the cost of a family of 4 to use the DGT to renting a car from MCO to PC returning it at PC and then Renting a car from PC to MCO and the savings was huge. At 30.00 per person each way it was going to be 240.00 to use the pretty Disney busses. We found we could rent a car for around 30.00 a day and then just take a shuttle or cab to the port. There were extra steps but the extra money was worth it. Plus we had the freedom to make stops etc. Also we used National which has to be the furthest from the port. They don't have a shuttle but on the day you arrive that isn't all that bad. There were pretty long lines at each of the Rental car shuttle pick ups. The busses aren't big enough for everyone so you get to wait. The cab ride is 15.00 and there is no waiting. Depends on the timing I guess but that was the best 15.00 we spent on the entire trip. Don't know what we will do next year but I do know we won't be paying for the pretty new paint on the Disney busses!

 

[anty30]

I agree about the car rental. Last year we rented a car from Budget for $35.00 and drove to the Raddison. DH returned the car early Sat. am and got a ride back to the hotel and then we took the shuttle to the port. Upon our return we walked out of the terminal and the Budget shuttle was there waiting for people. We got our car and were at the airport with an hour. Again, it was $35.00 for the car that day.
It is a huge savings if you dont have a large party going. There are only 4 of us, so it made sense.

Joan, Splashdown Beach is on Route 9 off of exit 13, Wappingers.
Antoinette

 

[Angiefromalberta]

Hi again everyone,
It is so nice to get info from people that have done this before. Are there any other Canadians here yet??
We are booked in a category 9 in room 2108 I believe. I tried to pick a room that would have less motion. I really hope that myself or my family are not prone to sea-sickness. That would really put a damper on the trip. I was down in Montana for the weekend and bought some Bonine-just in case. Then I noticed when I got home today that it expires in November....UGGH!
Angie

 

[conny264]

I second the car rental decision.We did it every time.I have a Avis preferred Customer card.Very quick service at the Airport and the Port.They have bigger shuttles than the other companies and we never waited more than 5 minutes.

One other thing,has anybody seen the website for Aquatica,the new waterpark by Seaworld?
It looks amazing and is supposed to be open in Spring 2008.Originally we we´re planning on going to Kennedy Space center the day before the cruise but are no thinkig of getting a Room in Orlando and go there.
If anybody is interested:www.aquaticabyseaworld.com

Lots of greetings from Germany
Conny

 

[anty30]

Hi again everyone,
It is so nice to get info from people that have done this before. Are there any other Canadians here yet??
We are booked in a category 9 in room 2108 I believe. I tried to pick a room that would have less motion. I really hope that myself or my family are not prone to sea-sickness. That would really put a damper on the trip. I was down in Montana for the weekend and bought some Bonine-just in case. Then I noticed when I got home today that it expires in November....UGGH!
Angie

You have my old cabin! I LOVE that cabin. I actually requested it, but it was not available. I got #2614, which I am now excited about because it is on the opposite side of the ship and we will have a different view. You will love that cabin. It was great, no noise whatsoever. Convenient to aft lifts. Really great.

 

[4newtocruise]

Thanks Bryan and all of you for all your information! I'm printing all this out so I don't forget! Without you guys I would be spending a lot of money that I don't have!!!

When do I have to start reserving airfare, car rentals and hotel stays?

Antoinette: I don't think we have ever been there! We'll plan something for the summer, maybe sometime in August. If it ever gets warm around here!!

-Joan

 

[4newtocruise]

Plenty of people use the Disney ground transfers but they also are spending more money and having much less freedom. We compared the cost of a family of 4 to use the DGT to renting a car from MCO to PC returning it at PC and then Renting a car from PC to MCO and the savings was huge. At 30.00 per person each way it was going to be 240.00 to use the pretty Disney busses. We found we could rent a car for around 30.00 a day and then just take a shuttle or cab to the port.

Bryan or anyone: I just want to get this straight. We fly into MCO the day before, pick up the rental at the airport and drive to the hotel? Stay at the hotel then drive the next day to PC and return the car there? Or do you drive from the airport to PC, drop off the car and take a taxi back and forth from the hotel?

Thanks.
Joan

 

[anty30]

Joan,
You have different options. We rented from Budget at the airport (make sure you reserve a car in advance). We drove to PC and went shopping at Ron Jons (a must for last minute items). We went to the hotel and then Sat. am DH returned the car to Budget and they brought him back to the hotel. No taxi needed. Most car rentals will give you a complimentary ride to wherever you need to go. The Raddison gave us all a free shuttle to the port.
Another option is to have your DH drop you all off at the port with the luggage and then he can go and return the car and then get a ride back to the port. It is up to you. Because the Raddison shuttle was free, we chose that option.
Upon your return from the cruise, you walk out of the port and all of the car rentals have vans there to pick up passangers. Again, just make sure you reserve a car in advance.
Antoinette

 

[Tinkified]

To all the experienced car renters: How far is the port to the rental places?
How far is the Raddison from the rental places?

Happy Monday all...one less monday morning to do until our cruise!

Joan/Anty: We're in for Splashdown! I know the plan of going there is far out...but we are away the first week of july and the first week of aug. But I am sure we can work something out!

Ciao for Now
Michelle

 

[bmalonef45]

I think Budget and Avis are pretty clost to the port. Not sure about Hertz but I know all of them are closer than National. Have the Emerald Club membership so that is what we normally use. May not next year. National doesn't have a shuttle but contracts with a cab company to offer 15.00 trips back and forth to port.

When you drop the car off is up to you but if you do it the same day it cost less obviously. We like to have it for the freedom with young kids you never know what you will need. Basically I dropped the family and luggage at the boat then took the car back myself. Let them deal with the check-in process!

It worked really well and is how we'll do it again. We stayed at WDW the night before last time. I think we will probably stay at PC next year though.

As far as reserving airfare its hard to know. Just start looking for the best deals. A lot of the airlines don't offer booking this far out though. Usually it pays to wait as deals come and go.

 

[Angiefromalberta]

You have my old cabin! I LOVE that cabin. I actually requested it, but it was not available. I got #2614, which I am now excited about because it is on the opposite side of the ship and we will have a different view. You will love that cabin. It was great, no noise whatsoever. Convenient to aft lifts. Really great.

That is such a great coincidence!! Sorry I beat you to your old cabin. I booked it because it had good reports from the DIS site...now that I think about it, maybe it was your report!!

To all you veterans
Just to summarize, does this make sense.
Fly to Orlando, rent a car From Avis or Budget. Drive to the Radisson Hotel near Port Cavernal, return the car to the rental agency, have them drive you back to the hotel, then take a shuttle from the hotel to the ship on the day of the cruise. When we get off the ship, grab an Avis or Budget shuttle back to the rental agency and drive ourselves back to the Orlando airport or hotel or wherever.

This is the way that I understand it. Please let me know if this is right. It is so confusing when it is your first time. I imagine we will be a day or two early as we haven't booked any flights yet.

Angie 2108

 

[bmalonef45]

I think you got it Angie!

If you want you could keep the car until the next day just to have it with you but that may cost extra. I thought it was nice to drop the family off then go take the car back while DW and the kids checked in. But either way I think the rental car is the way to go.

 

[conny264]

For anyone who would like to see how far the rental Car Companies are from the Terminal.
Map on:www.dcltribute.com
Nice overview.

Take care
Conny