April 29, 2012 ~ Aloha! ~ Wonder to Hawaii- who is with me?

[valbob89]

That would be cool! Not only is he an amazing artist - I love his story & he's a really nice person.

I was just thinking this too!! In fact, yesterday afternoon, I pulled out the prints that I didn't get him sign last time,with the thought I want to bring them with me this time.

Maybe we should make a list of what special entertainment we would like to see, vote on our top three and I'll draft a note to DCL. I doubt it will make any difference but it might. It also could be fun thinking about the possibilities.

 

[castoff]

The pins were limited edition so many of us made the choice to wait in line for hours, yes hours, to get a pin. They issued one for each port, except PC, which they sold when the store opened after visiting the port. A dozen or so people slept all night in the chairs outside the store to get the last pin. I figure I spent 10 hours of my vacation in a line. On that last day the line went all the way around the carpet edge outside the store, up to the theater doors, back down, around the walls, down the hallway outside the stores, around the railing overlooking the lobby, past Studio Sea and around again meeting up with the other end of the line. While everyone was pleasant, we were blocking the elevator exit and stairs. When I went down to the lobby and told one of the officers there was no DCL personnel managing the crowd and it was dangerous (I was afraid someone would fall down the stairs) they were to busy to listen. As I said before, everyone was very nice but it was just bad. I always tell people that the difference between DCL and other cruiselines is the way they know how to manage the crowds without making it seem we are being managed. They failed with this.



They might, but they didn't with the TA or PC cruises so I think your safe.

I would NEVER wait in a line that long for anything ! They had Ali & Aj on our cruise and meet & greet, autograph & pic. I am not kidding when I say the line was wrapped around DECKS to see them. We also had alot of kids on that sailing. My DH & I just laughed as we walked by.My memory isn't so good......I am trying to think if pins were delivered or we had to pick them up?

I was just thinking this too!! In fact, yesterday afternoon, I pulled out the prints that I didn't get him sign last time,with the thought I want to bring them with me this time.

Maybe we should make a list of what special entertainment we would like to see, vote on our top three and I'll draft a note to DCL. I doubt it will make any difference but it might. It also could be fun thinking about the possibilities.

It can't hurt. I know they even read these boards.

 

[dylan'smom]

If you don't mind me asking, how much did they charge for these? I am planning on staying at the Grand Californian. Hopefully the price will be similar.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news... but GC starts around $300 per night...! The best rates I've seen are around $250 for AP & groups.

But...the villas at GC are a wonderful option if you do DVC, up to about 20 pts per night on average. We could watch the new water show from our room.

 

[valbob89]

Your welcome ! Kids that age are so much fun. My kids are older, 17 & 20.





I wasn't on that cruise but heard all about it. It was different on the repo 08. If it isn't broke don't fix it !!! We were given a form to fill out what we wanted. At first we were going to just get some single pins but decided to buy the set. It really was just that simple !!! Here is pic. it came with the mat and I framed it.

I am also hoping for Ducky !

Love this pictures, it looks great. Wish they had offerred this is us on the 2011 PC. They did sell a map and then you could buy the pins, if you were able to get them. I took the them and framed them but they don't look as good as yours. Also like your pins better.

 

[MrsMork]

I do hope those that did the PC and stand in the pin line will email Disney so that does not happen on the Hawaii. Not sure where to stay might be near the port as we have done DL in the past. I did see the Double Tree had an all inclusive rate that had transfers from LAX, hotel, Breakfast and Transfer to the ship for $250. Seems pricy to me.

I am hopping everyone here will let DCL know to do the merchandise right this time. Not only pins but any special shirts and such.

I wasn't on that cruise but heard all about it. It was different on the repo 08. If it isn't broke don't fix it !!! We were given a form to fill out what we wanted. At first we were going to just get some single pins but decided to buy the set. It really was just that simple !!! Here is pic. it came with the mat and I framed it.

I am also hoping for Ducky !

I heard about the 2005 PC pin issues, but on the 2008 WBPC, as above, we filled out the form as to what we wanted, which included an extra set for our son if available, turned it in and got a time to pick them up. We did get the extra set with no problem. Hopefully they will keep it simple like they did in 2008. WBTA 2010 there were no lines for pins. Have there been issues with lines for pins since 2008?

Merchandise: D&P purses were available on the 2010 WBTA - I'm not one to spend my spending money on a purse though - and there was a line waiting for Treasure Ketch to open. But eveyone that I knew who wanted one, got one and there were still some in TK at the end of the cruise. Merchandise was available and marked down to 50% off by the end of the cruise - T-shirts, travel mugs, etc.

Ducky - YES!!! I am sure he will sail with us! He has been on each of the "special" cruises that we have done. What an incredibly nice man!

 

[dcannon101]

"Hawaii by Cruise Ship" by Anne Vipond!!

Does anyone know if this book is available as an ebook from anywhere. That way I will be able to ake it along on my iPad.

 

[UKANGEL]

For those interested in beaches.............here is your top ten.

http://www.bestplaceshawaii.com/tips/10_best/beaches.html

Ooooh thank you, off to have a look......

That would be cool! Not only is he an amazing artist - I love his story & he's a really nice person.

Oh yes! What a lovely, and very interesting man!






.

 

[Happy Goofy]

I was one of the grandmothers who stood in that line for ALi and AJ. It was hours. I just had double knee replacement a few months before. While I was in line a very nice CM came up to me and asked if I would like a chair. I was so thankful. People were cutting into the lines and it was a big mess until they started to pass out numbers. The lines were so long. When I finally got up to the Ali and AJ they remarked that my grandchildren should thank me for waiting in that line.

Some people were cut off from seeing the girls after they waited in line. It was not a happy situation.

It is basically what happened to the pin situation.


I will send another email to Disney about the pins

 

[gdaneowner]

I heard about the 2005 PC pin issues, but on the 2008 WBPC, as above, we filled out the form as to what we wanted, which included an extra set for our son if available, turned it in and got a time to pick them up. We did get the extra set with no problem. Hopefully they will keep it simple like they did in 2008. WBTA 2010 there were no lines for pins. Have there been issues with lines for pins since 2008?

Merchandise: D&P purses were available on the 2010 WBTA - I'm not one to spend my spending money on a purse though - and there was a line waiting for Treasure Ketch to open. But eveyone that I knew who wanted one, got one and there were still some in TK at the end of the cruise. Merchandise was available and marked down to 50% off by the end of the cruise - T-shirts, travel mugs, etc.

Ducky - YES!!! I am sure he will sail with us! He has been on each of the "special" cruises that we have done. What an incredibly nice man!

I am not familier with the pins myself, but seems they do need something a little more simple. Maybe a way you could buy them from your cabin steward, or something like that.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I am hopping everyone here will let DCL know to do the merchandise right this time. Not only pins but any special shirts and such.

I agree, the Dream maiden voyage special merchandise was a mess and total chaos. They need to rethink how they do it.

I agree with both of you. I hope they learned from the Dream Maiden Voyage. It was a total nightmare. The RSV or whatever it was called was nice but it should have included the special merchandise.

I am hoping Ducky will be on this cruise!!! If there is a special D&B purse for this sailing, I am saving up now!

Morning everyone. Last night my wife asked me if she thought there would be a special Dooney & Bourke bag for our cruise. My wallet hurts just thinking about it. She can't walk by a Disney themed D&B without buying it.

I LOVE DUCKY himself and his story. He is truly an amazing person. I was impressed on the Maiden Voyage. We did a B2B and were waiting around watching the crowds disembark and there was Ducky standing in line in that horrible mess. He doesn't expect special treatment and I love that about him.

D & B bag?????? I'm there!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

2010 WBTA - Merchandise was available and marked down to 50% off by the end of the cruise - T-shirts, travel mugs, etc.

I wish we could say the same for the Maiden Voyage of the Dream. The only leftovers were off sizes and not many. THey were NOT discounted even on the following cruise.

As far as Ducky sailing, I have no doubt either. Like you said, he is always on the special sailings. Seriously, I have run out of walls for my lithos. Is that a good thing?

 

[MrsMork]

I wish we could say the same for the Maiden Voyage of the Dream. The only leftovers were off sizes and not many. THey were NOT discounted even on the following cruise.

As far as Ducky sailing, I have no doubt either. Like you said, he is always on the special sailings. Seriously, I have run out of walls for my lithos. Is that a good thing?

People probably wanted MV merchandise for Ebay.

 

[aan1701]

Valvob. Thanks for posting the story. I was one of the few dozzen that waited overnight for the last pin on the PC cruise. I also waited in line overnight on the 2005 WBPC. It was such a releief when they just left a form in our room for the 2008 WBPC. Also I am sure as well Ducky will be there. So make sure you leave room to bring home a litho.

 

[goofprincess]

Love this pictures, it looks great. Wish they had offerred this is us on the 2011 PC. They did sell a map and then you could buy the pins, if you were able to get them. I took the them and framed them but they don't look as good as yours. Also like your pins better.

Val, even though Tony and I didn't sail in 2008, I have collected the PC pins because I liked them. Didn't know they had a map. Very cool. I like the way you have them displayed in frames from the 2011 cruise; giving me a good idea to use my Michaels coupons.

 

[aan1701]

One thing I want to ask and I know it is a long shot. If any of you who were on the EBPC in 2008 and have a extra set of pins and a map I have a extra set from the WBPC in 2008 I am willing to trade.

 

[socababy]

Cool. I always wanted a twin. I think I don't want to go to the beach because I live about a mile from a beach here in Los Angeles so I don't need a vacation to swim, snorkel or whatever in the ocean. I can do that in my back yard.

Also in So CA with the beach in my backyard. However, you will never catch me in our cold, dark murky water. LOL Hawaii, however, I love playing in the ocean there. Polar opposites IMO!

 

[LittleDisneyLovers]

I too hope Ducky is onboard, I was lucky enough to win one of his sketches on the 2010 WBTA (Baloo). His seminar / talk was very interesting and he seemed like such a nice man. May just take my WBTA litho and have it signed

The pins were limited edition so many of us made the choice to wait in line for hours, yes hours, to get a pin. They issued one for each port, except PC, which they sold when the store opened after visiting the port. A dozen or so people slept all night in the chairs outside the store to get the last pin. I figure I spent 10 hours of my vacation in a line. On that last day the line went all the way around the carpet edge outside the store, up to the theater doors, back down, around the walls, down the hallway outside the stores, around the railing overlooking the lobby, past Studio Sea and around again meeting up with the other end of the line. While everyone was pleasant, we were blocking the elevator exit and stairs. When I went down to the lobby and told one of the officers there was no DCL personnel managing the crowd and it was dangerous (I was afraid someone would fall down the stairs) they were to busy to listen. As I said before, everyone was very nice but it was just bad. I always tell people that the difference between DCL and other cruiselines is the way they know how to manage the crowds without making it seem we are being managed. They failed with this.

Thanks for explaining, I too was a bit lost as to the situation.
So, Have there been any more problems since 2008, or have they sorted it out now? I know there were no lines on the WBTA and there were pins left over at the end of the cruise. Maybe they are not so 'limited' anymore?

Hope everyone is having fun planning, I'm trying to organise myself for a new baby so haven't done much cruise planning. But I'm sure I will be spending many hours on the couch breastfeeding so I'm planning on planning then

 

[dolphingirl47]

I'm a total newbie to this subject, but I can see where I would want a smooth process for merchandise. Can you briefly explain what it was they did wrong before, and what would be a better/preferred method? I'd like to send them a communication, but I don't really understand what occurred. I tried looking back through the posts, but I couldn't find the original one.

The pins were limited edition so many of us made the choice to wait in line for hours, yes hours, to get a pin. They issued one for each port, except PC, which they sold when the store opened after visiting the port. A dozen or so people slept all night in the chairs outside the store to get the last pin. I figure I spent 10 hours of my vacation in a line. On that last day the line went all the way around the carpet edge outside the store, up to the theater doors, back down, around the walls, down the hallway outside the stores, around the railing overlooking the lobby, past Studio Sea and around again meeting up with the other end of the line. While everyone was pleasant, we were blocking the elevator exit and stairs. When I went down to the lobby and told one of the officers there was no DCL personnel managing the crowd and it was dangerous (I was afraid someone would fall down the stairs) they were to busy to listen. As I said before, everyone was very nice but it was just bad. I always tell people that the difference between DCL and other cruiselines is the way they know how to manage the crowds without making it seem we are being managed. They failed with this.

Graham filmed the pin line on the last day. Here is the link to it:

http://youtu.be/_vTKATHulb4

Corinna

 

[poohluv2u]

Yay it took a couple of days but I finally caught up with this thread.

Last time I was in Hawaii, I visited the Polynesian Center and went to their luau which was quite tasty.

I'm pretty sure that the Polynesian Cultural Center is closed on Sundays .. I'd be shocked if it wasn't

Anyone from Seattle on this cruise?

Howdy neighbor we live in Oregon, but DH was born and raised in Seattle

Morning everyone. Last night my wife asked me if she thought there would be a special Dooney & Bourke bag for our cruise. My wallet hurts just thinking about it. She can't walk by a Disney themed D&B without buying it.

Although I don't think they would make a D&B specifically for this cruise, I think it highly likely that they might create one for their Hawaiian Resort. Maybe they could make it available for the cruise. I'm hoping Disney will offer some kind of tour to Aulani. We go to Oahu almost every year so we've already done all of the tourist attracations there, but a day pass to Aulani sounds way cool

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I too hope Ducky is onboard, I was lucky enough to win one of his sketches on the 2010 WBTA (Baloo). His seminar / talk was very interesting and he seemed like such a nice man.

Green eyed monster has me on that one. I always hope I win Jiminy. No such luck so far.