April 4, 2010 Disney Wonder 4-night

[5 Disney Fans]

Hi Everyone,

Add us to the first timers list for the April 4, 2010 cruise

We are so excited. Our kids are ages 11 (DD) 8 (DS) and 5 (DD). We would love to do the fish extenders also

Soooo excited! I was thinking of doing Easter Baskets for our kids and putting them in the room once we board. Instead of baskets I was going to use beach pails. I just need to figure out how to sneak this stuff in a carry on! M&Ms now makes adorable Disney themed M&Ms which would be nice for a DCL Easter Basket.

 

[whamma]

Welcome Aboard "collinsfamle" and "5DisneyFans"! We're going to all have a blast. Plus a bunch of us our keeping this a secret--and need each other to "talk" with to keep the secret! I'm still thinking I'm going to keep this secret until the day the ship departs! We'll see...197 days and counting.

 

[collinsfamle]

Thanks Whamma! I don't think I would be able to keep the secret that long! Besides, we are going to fly in on Friday and spend a couple nights at POP Century, so I would have to tell them early anyway. I think I am going to be doing well to keep it to myself until Christmas! And, I know my youngest will want to help with the door magnets, and fish extenders.

I would be interested to hear any ideas the rest of you have for the "Easter Bunny". My youngest sort of still believes that he is real. Maybe we can have an egg hunt around the ship or something? I'll keep thinking...

 

[mjhd]

I hope they have an Easter egg hunt - that would be so fun for the kiddos even though mine don't really believe anymore.

I think we will stay at a budget hotel the night before the cruise, and then hopefully, if we can get a cheap flight, stay at the Nick hotel for one night after the cruise, and maybe check out a Disney resort we haven't stayed at before the next night. If we have to drive, all additional days are forfeited

 

[collinsfamle]

mjhd, we are also coming from Michigan, and I know what you mean about the air fares! The cheapest I have found flights from DTW to MCO is $284 pp. I don't know whether to book them now (current price is $289 pp) or wait and see if they come down. I posed the question both to passporters and on cruise critic's air forum to see if anyone had any good inside info, but they are just guessing like the rest of us. For the most part, the advice has been to book now, as they assume the prices will go up. With my luck, the day AFTER I book the flights, the prices will drop - so maybe I should keep you posted! No reason ONE of us shouldn't get a good price.

 

[whamma]

Thanks Whamma! I don't think I would be able to keep the secret that long! :

My kids think we're just going to WDW for the week. I'm trying to keep the cruise a secret. This summer when we went to WDW I kept it secret until the week we left--because I was afraid they'd wonder why I was packing. For this trip, they shouldn't suspect anything since they know we're going on a trip.

mjhd, we are also coming from Michigan, and I know what you mean about the air fares! The cheapest I have found flights from DTW to MCO is $284 pp. I don't know whether to book them now (current price is $289 pp) or wait and see if they come down.

Thankfully, our flights are booked--all 4 of us are flying for a total of $1200. We fly into Orlando Sanford Airport because we can fly direct from our hometown there.

I'll tell you that for our 2009 spring break (also to WDW) I did what you are doing--waited and waited and agonized. In the end, it was a bad idea. I finally booked in early January and I ended up paying DOUBLE what we're paying for 2010's spring break airfare.

Not telling you for sure what to do--I know it can be a tough decision. But at least if you book now you can get that expense out of the way before you have to finish paying for the cruise!

 

[collinsfamle]

I'll tell you that for our 2009 spring break (also to WDW) I did what you are doing--waited and waited and agonized. In the end, it was a bad idea. I finally booked in early January and I ended up paying DOUBLE what we're paying for 2010's spring break airfare.

Not telling you for sure what to do--I know it can be a tough decision. But at least if you book now you can get that expense out of the way before you have to finish paying for the cruise!

Thanks for the information. I am already kicking myself for not booking last week. Already, the fares went up $40pp. I am not the kind of person who likes this stuff hanging over my head, and as you said, I can get this part paid for and concentrate on the cruise. I am sure I will be booking this week.

 

[TBRox]

I haven't checked the boards in a while and was so happy today when I did and found you all out there!!! We, too, will be joining you all for the Easter Break Cruise on the Wonder! We have been very fortunate to have cruised for the past two Spring Breaks. Both of those were on the Magic for 7 days - one Easter and one Western and both AMAZING!!! This year we're changing it a bit and we'll be in the parks for three days prior to boarding...and we can't wait! Plus, although we hear they are pretty much 'twins', we are anxious to find the little differences between the Magic and Wonder (very curious about the Staff as well!! - Cruise Director, etc.) Easter day last year was fantastic! (Although, as already mentioned we were all on board already the day prior)... we had a wonderful Mass in main theater and the gift shops had arranged baskets that were delivered for Easter morning (you picked out whatever you wanted from the gift shops and for a nominal fee they packaged it all up in white baskets and left it in the staterooms - my kids were so excited when we returned after breakfast and found them there!)...Lots of fellow "dis-boarders" use a local florist/gift basket person who I heard did a great job - She delivers to the ship prior to boarding - so it is possible that if you order with her - you might have baskets (and yes, she does do some Disney themed ones) in your staterooms as you arrive on Sunday!

whamma - I have a DS12 too!!! Hopefully, they will have a chance to connect here or on board (last year he met two friends on the boards prior to cruise time and they had a great time getting to know each other through emails and then 'finding' each other once we set sail)...

Looking forward to 'counting-down' with you all !!!

 

[whamma]

Hi TBRox! Glad to hear you are joining us. For a second there I thought we were on the same cruise in 2008 but we were on a Western for Easter and you were on the Eastern that year so we probably missed each other by a week. I'm anxious to see the differences between the Magic and the Wonder too. It sounds like Wonder will go through dry dock soon (maybe even now) so it will be even more like the Magic. TBRox what stateroom are you staying in? Also where are you staying before you go to the ship?

We did use the local gift basket lady on our last DCL cruise and it was awesome. If someone really wants to see I'll post a pic. It was waiting for the kids in the room when we arrived. Mostly snacks and sand toys for the beach. It was huge!

I'm still thinking cruise by right now I'm obsessed with Christmas! We'll be at WDW and this week was my 90 day mark for dining ADRs. Everything is booked but I keep rethinking and adding and wondering if I should do something different. The planning is enough to make one crazy!

 

[unkamike]

Hi everybody, taking my nephew (14) and niece (17) on their first cruise, this will be my sixth. Has anybody else taken teens on a Disney Cruise? Is there plenty for them to do, I know they don't want to hang out with me.

 

[TBRox]

Hi everybody, taking my nephew (14) and niece (17) on their first cruise, this will be my sixth. Has anybody else taken teens on a Disney Cruise? Is there plenty for them to do, I know they don't want to hang out with me.

The teen club is the best - the kids will LOVE IT... 'don't plan on seeing them much unless you set specific rules (we insist on 'family dinners'). The kids all have a blast and it really frees up the adults too for some kid-like fun too...

 

[whamma]

Welcome unkamike! Wish I had an uncle like you when I was a kid--taking your neice and nephew on a cruise--very nice! I agree with TBRox-- they will enjoy it. My kids are younger but on our last cruise, it was amazing how my son was so tired at dinner he was practically asleep but if there was an activity in the kids' club at 10 p.m. (i.e. dodgeball, swimming) he was suddenly wide awake and ready to go all night. The teen club is just as fun.

 

[unkamike]

Thanks! I've been on 5 Disney cruises, but only with adults or very young children. I never even looked at teen activities.

 

[4formickey]

Southwest new fares are out. We booked for $169 r/t person before taxes. The good thing about this is that if the fares go down,I will rebook for the lower fare. So now is the time to book.

 

[mjhd]

Southwest new fares are out. We booked for $169 r/t person before taxes. The good thing about this is that if the fares go down,I will rebook for the lower fare. So now is the time to book.

Thank you SOOOOOOOO much! As I was booking DTW, it sold out at checkout so now we have to fly out of IND which is a 5 hour drive from here. Still worked out to $588 for the 4 of us so at least we won't have to make the 24 hour drive! And both flights are direct and at great times.

Anyone else flying out of IND?

Thanks again!!!

 

[4formickey]

Our flights are up about $30,Im glad I booked earlier.

 

[whamma]

I'm glad to hear that everyone's travel plans are getting set. Only 172 days until we sail!

 

[Lemola]

Hey all! Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that might be planning a WDW stay before or after their cruise. TOMORROW (10/27) dining reservations open for our travel dates. They are switching back to 180 days instead of 90. FYI!

Our cruise will be here before we know it! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukhah, New Years, AHHHHHHH! Lots to keep us busy until then!

 

[mjhd]

delete

 

[Maryrn11168]

Hi Everyone! I am SOOOO excited. We did a 7 day DCL Western in 2008 and it was great! We've wanted to go back but the $$$$$ was keeping us at WDW instead. I'd been tossing around a spring break cruise even though we'd already booked a week at WDW. I was going to talk to my DH today about doing a shorter cruise instead of WDW then I discovered the "kids sail free" deal and I knew it was destiny!!! Just finished booking--I swear it took forever. The rooms kept disappearing on me but we're on deck 5. Really wanted forward Deck 2 (where we stayed last trip) but everything must be booked. Sorry I'm rambling--just so excited. Now I have to keep this wonderful secret from my kids, DS 12 and DD 7 who have been begging to Disney Cruise since the last one. Just can't wait! Our last DCL cruise was Easter too. Welcome everyone!!

We will be on the Magic for Easter!! Soo excited!! Since you did an Easter Cruise in the past I have a question....Do they do anything special?? Egg hunt?? baskets to buy or be delivered to your cabin??? My kids are wondering!! Thanks!