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

[jiminyC_fan]

I've been trying to decide which island to go on a helicopter tour. Your last set of pictures sold me!

 

[MousseauMob]

Sponsor the Lanyard - I think we are waiting for the appointed leaders of this (Erik and Jason, because they have done them in the past with glowing reviews ) to give us more details. Like several of us, they have to finish one cruise before they can give more attention to this one a year away.

I have cruised where people helped contribute to the cost of the lanyards (they are about $2-3 per person and include a lanyard with the cruise's "name" and dates and a badge holder + a personalized name tag insert with a design - usually it will be similar to the designs you see in people's signature blocks at the end of their posts) in lieu of purchasing a separate item to gift in the FEs. Some of the "lanyard team," these people who contributed, do not wish to participate in the FE and just generously help offset the costs.

Keep reading and we'll get some more info on the lanyards - they'll even tell us how to sign up for them as our sail date gets closer.

Ah, I get it! I'm in for the sponsor thing.

AS FOR ACTIVITIES I WOULD LOVE TO ADD A DOOR DECORATING CONTEST: IF WE COULD ORGANIZE A TIME TO MEET ON A SEA DAY AND AS MANY JUDGES AS WOULD LIKE COULD TOUR THE FLOORS AND GIVE SECRET RATINGS TO THE DOORS, I WILL SUPPLY A FEW PRIZES AS WELL....ANY THOUGHTS? ANYBODY EVER DONE THIS AND HAS SUGGESTIONS? I WOULD LOVE THIS TO BE ADDED TO THE ACTIVITIES PAGE.....I WILL BE IN CHARGE

That sounds like a cool idea - I'm going on record right now to say, I won't be winning! I'm missing the artsy and crafty genes!

 

[Lexa]

Lynne, wonderful pictures....can you tell me what is the price range for helicopter tour and how long the tour is?

 

[Happy Goofy]

We did a door decorating contest on the EBTA last year. They had different catagories-such as Pirate Theme, different port themes, best cruise theme etc. Some people changed decorations to match the ports they were in. The winners were announced at the lunch we had where the Secret Mickeys were revealed.
There were also people that got certificates for the most cruises, youngest, oldest, recently married, longest married etc.

We were able to arrange a lunch where they set aside some tables for our group. I think we ordered from a special menu.

We also had a PJ breakfast which was a lot of fun. Again we were able to get some tables set aside for our group.

 

[auntlynne]

I've been trying to decide which island to go on a helicopter tour. Your last set of pictures sold me!

Wish I had some Kauai ones - that would probably really sell you. Kauai is the lush garden isle + the Waimea Canyon (think small Grand Canyon with layers of red in the rock) + the Napali sea cliffs.

However, I don't think there's an island in Hawaii that wouldn't make a spectacular helicopter view.

Mind you, when we went to volcanoes, it wasn't flowing - that can make a big difference.

Lynne, wonderful pictures....can you tell me what is the price range for helicopter tour and how long the tour is?

Will look and see and report back. I am sure Disney will have helicopter excursions which will lock out many of these companies from doing personal bookings (but that usually doesn't increase the prices).

 

[adedward]

Wow, Lynne, what pictures!

Erik and Jason, we will contribute towards lanyards (and I enjoyed your blog of Alaska).

Like others who have posted, we don't do fish extenders or "formal" gatherings of DIS groups (so far at least), but enjoy the group excitement and planning, getting to know folks a little, saying hello around the ship and such, and learning so many good tips. Last cruise, the 2010 EBTA, we ended up next door to a couple from our DIS board group and became good friends, spending quite a bit of time together. It's all good!

 

[HollyTyler]

We zipped in Puerto Vallarta and it was incredible. We might consider it again in Hawaii. Do you have a link?

Here's one I found, but I haven't researched it yet or any others really, as far as being reputable, etc.: http://www.kauaiziplinetours.com/

 

[HollyTyler]

You've got almost a year to make friends with all of us.




We zipped with Skyline Eco Adventures at Ka'anapali on Maui - this is what my niece would recommend as the #1 activity for that island.

http://www.zipline.com/

Just checked their website - now they also have a location on the Big Island (Hawaii), very near our port of Hilo. It is at Akaka Falls, which in itself is a nice visit. This zip line adventure consists of 6 zipline crossings and the tour lasts from 2-2.5 hours.

Currently priced at $135 if booked online

Tours start each hour from 8am - 3pm

Restrictions:
- weight between 80 and 260 # (too light and you get stuck - too heavy and they have problems making sure you stop)
- age 10 or older - under 18 needs legal guardian to sign the release and waiver of liability (required for everyone)
- no smoking on tour
- able to walk 1/2 mile over uneven terrain

Oooooh.....thank you, thank you!!

 

[HollyTyler]

I think this cruise, with being such a special one as there aren't any more YET, filled with repeat cruisers, and many of us have cruised together before. But, we all love to meet 'new to us' cruisers and by the time this cruise comes along we should all know each other pretty well!!!!! Please slap us all if we get a bit too cliquey though!!! We really don't want to appear that way.

It is going to be a fabulous cruise!

Don't worry. Yes, there are quite a few people who know each other. This is kind of the nature of the beast. The special cruises do a attract the same kind of crowd. There are people on this cruise that I have done two or three cruises with. Don't let this bother you though. We are a really friendly and inclusive bunch and I for one am looking forward to meeting new people.

Corinna

DITTO on both!

 

[HollyTyler]

I did the Alaska canopy zipline in Ketchikan... my first zipline (bucket list item) it was awesome... yet terrifying!!! I gave new meaning to the term "tree hugger"!!!

My mom did it at one of the Alaska ports too on the cruise we just got off (can't remember which port she did it at though, might have been Ketchikan), and that was her thought exactly!

 

[HollyTyler]

I am so sorry if any of you felt excluded or less then welcome. Please know we have all been the newbie at one time and hopefully all were made as welcome I was. If we are ever talking about anything that you are not clear about please ask. One thing I can say we are good at, or guilty of, depending on how you look at it, is sharing information. We are happy to help. Our enthusiasm is also an excuse to relive our past cruises. Also, remember, I am sure you have info you can share with us that we will appreciate too.

Ditto!

 

[HollyTyler]

Hi Lexa,

Don't worry about being a newbie....we all were at 1 point

It does get to the point where you will find yourself sailing again (& again) with some of the same people....there are alot of us that LOVE the longer cruises & days at sea, so we jump at the special itineraries. I love recognizing people while out & about on the ship (or on land). Even if I don't know the DISer well, I can still say HI or smile & know that I will get the same in return. Know that you can always find someone who will take YOUR picture when needed & will help answer questions you may have.

We were strangers once and I know I now have lifelong friends (and I do tend to sail together/on purpose with them).

That's 1 thing I really about the DISboards - we're accepting of each other as most of us have this HUGE for Disney (& DCL) in common

Exactly!

 

[tig82174]

Hey all,

OK you eager beavers are going to force me to get this lanyard ball rolling before I was ready, aren't you?!?!

Ok...so a few things:

1.) I am NOT taking signups for lanyards themselves yet. (I have to set up a central email account to which I want information to be sent and then set up a spreadsheet that can be viewed by all but not edited).

2.) For those who are wondering what the deal with the lanyards is-----they will be a custom lanyard specific to our cruise with a badge holder and a name-badge in them with both your first name and the DISboard name you use or are linked to (in the case of children and significant others). These lanyards will be made available FREE to all who request them...but there will be a deadline by which they must be requested. (To allow me time to actually order them, print badges and put it all together----and probably then ship it to LA before the cruise).

3.) So, how are they FREE to everyone???? Simple.....

....because of the LANYARD TEAM!!! The Lanyard Team will be a group of about 20-25 DISers or DIS families (I've found in the past that usually is a good number...but we may be flexible) who all contribute to the cost of purchasing and producing the lanyards. In the past when I do this I've divided up the primary cost evenly by the number of people on the Lanyard Team and then reached out to them to let them know what the contribution might be....but it's usually in the vicinity of $20-$40 depending on how many we have to make.

So...how do you join the lanyard team? Well I was going to wait and start collecting names later....but I guess we can just start that now.

So if you would like to contribute to the cost of producing our group's DIS lanyards, please PM me ASAP. I will invite the first 25 volunteers to be a part of the group!

(Note: I have NOT been able to keep up with this thread the last week or so and so I have not been keeping track of who said in a post on here that they were willing to contribute....which means if you want to contribute you MUST PM ME....don't assume I saw a post here on the general board cuz I may not have!)


Also....it is entirely up to members of the lanyard team if they want their contribution to the lanyards to be their fish extender gift to the whole group or not. Jason and I have done it both ways in the past. My hope is that as a group we will all agree that the fish extenders and FE groups are a FUN activity that everyone is free to participate in however they feel most comfortable and able!

 

[LindaBabe]

Okay, gang, checking in here. I could have sworn I had checked in before, but couldn't see me on the list, so here I am.

Trying to wrap up things from the "Wonder"ful time on the repo and Alaska cruise.

For Hawaii, plans are for me and my daughter Jamie to join (unless she gets some crazy idea to go work at WDW again next summer.) She is thoroughly enjoying working in entertainment and she has a dance rehearsal next Monday for some show (not sure what she is doing.) She is "Great friends" with about 10 different Disney Characters so far!

I will plan on doing a themed Hawaii Disney Scrapbook class for this cruise. I have actually already found a couple of themed papers that will work perfectly. For those that have cruised with me before, you know the drill.
Go ahead and send me a PM with your info and stateroom number and a couple of months before the cruise I will post the date, time, place and cost for the class and what we will be doing. For Alaska we did a 12 x 12 book (well we started it anyway--long story--but for those on that cruise, your final paper is going in the mail and on its' way to you).

I am headed next for a really quick trip to go see my daughter at WDW and get pictures of her!

I'll keep checking back. Looks like we already have a chatty group!

WOO! HOT NEWS! Linda if you are doing a scrapbooking class then I hereby abandon the idea of a scrapbooking swap in honor of the better idea! Gang, if you scrapbook and you want to have some serious fun on board ship, Seaulater's class is the one you want! I did it on the Magic 5 day in 2008 and it was a BLAST. We actually met twice because the second "dip" was cancelled thanks to Hurricane Hannah. LOVED IT!

 

[threebritts]

Home from Alaska and all unpacked and back to work and reality tomorrow.
Still waiting on a box of souveneirs coming by UPS that we mailed from Seattle.
What a " wonderful" cruise we had and enjoyed meeting alot of disboarders. I think so far of the 6 weve taken it was my favorite and hoping Hawaii will be even better.

We ziplined in Skagway so now weve got that bug and will def be booking it!

Looks like were getting a good turnout for the FE and so glad Linda will be doing a scrapbooking class. For all the newbies interested in scrapbooking definitly sign up because she goes all out and does some beautiful books for us!

Hope everyone is well and home safe and look forward to chatting about HAWAII now

 

[auntlynne]

Hey all,

OK you eager beavers are going to force me to get this lanyard ball rolling before I was ready, aren't you?!?! ...

and our newbies just wanted to know how it all worked.

Thanks!

 

[auntlynne]

Here's one I found, but I haven't researched it yet or any others really, as far as being reputable, etc.: http://www.kauaiziplinetours.com/

This is a link to a discounter, not the actual zip line companies. They are selling trips to 3 different vendors: Outfitters Kauai, Princeville Ranch, and Kauai Backcountry.

http://www.outfitterskauai.com/

http://adventureskauai.com/

http://www.kauaibackcountry.com/

Check out the websites - they have lots of activities in addition to ziplining - to get an idea of what's available - but be aware that you may have to book them through DCL, as they make exclusive contracts.

 

[HollyTyler]

This is a link to a discounter, not the actual zip line companies. They are selling trips to 3 different vendors: Outfitters Kauai, Princeville Ranch, and Kauai Backcountry.

http://www.outfitterskauai.com/

http://adventureskauai.com/

http://www.kauaibackcountry.com/

Check out the websites - they have lots of activities in addition to ziplining - to get an idea of what's available - but be aware that you may have to book them through DCL, as they make exclusive contracts.

Yup! I was just looking at it as a way to see what's out there. SO EXCITED, I have no idea how I'll decide what to do at each port, LOL!!!

 

[HollyTyler]

Home from Alaska and all unpacked and back to work and reality tomorrow.
Still waiting on a box of souveneirs coming by UPS that we mailed from Seattle.
What a " wonderful" cruise we had and enjoyed meeting alot of disboarders. I think so far of the 6 weve taken it was my favorite and hoping Hawaii will be even better.

We ziplined in Skagway so now weve got that bug and will def be booking it!

Looks like were getting a good turnout for the FE and so glad Linda will be doing a scrapbooking class. For all the newbies interested in scrapbooking definitly sign up because she goes all out and does some beautiful books for us!

Hope everyone is well and home safe and look forward to chatting about HAWAII now

Yup, it was an awesome time!

Unpacked?! I just opened one of Tyler's suitcases today and found lots of CLEAN clothes, just as I was about to do laundry! Bonus!

 

[valbob89]

I heard back from Jordak with a design for us our cruise. I think Marty did a great job.

here is what it would look like on a shirt