August 16 2009 4 night Wonder, Cruise-O-Maniac

[Coach Rick]

Well, I checked the meet calandar and didn't find any threads for this date, so I guess I will start one.

I just booked this out of sheer sadness. There were 14 of us originally to be leaving this Sunday August 17, 08 on a double dip, but my dad got really sick and we had to cancel the last minute (Aug. 15).

We are in Cat 3, 8534. When I called Disney they offered the change, which after August 31 will go away. Yep, they will no longer offer to apply it to a future cruise, and we would be out $2000! The insurance does not pay back the "non-refundable" deposit. Knowing this now, I will never book this category again!

Ok, nuff of dat! Now to plan the NEW cruise. One thing I will miss is all the buddies I made on the meet thread for this one, but I am sure we will gather a "plethora" of new ones, and maybe some from this years. So if you wouldn't mind, state your name, age (if you wish) and those of your traveling party, along with your room and time of dinner, and where you are from. I will keep a running tally....I'll go first...

Coach Rick
Rick (52)
DW Rose (51)
DD Amy (24)
DS RJ (19)
DD Brittney (15)
Stateroom # 8534
DM Marie(70)
Stateroom # Category 6
Late dining
DSis Elaine 44
DBIL Mike 45
DNephew Anthony 10
DNephew Nick 10

tink lover
Mary
DH Paul
DD (10)
DS (8)
DS (6)
Stateroom #
Early Dining

mandymouse
Mandy (45)
DH Paul (44)
DD Kerry (18)
DD Becky (16)
Stateroom # Category 6
Late Dining

sdwjones
Me
DH
DS (5)
DD (12)
Stateroom #
? Dining

TraciM
Traci (36)
Jessica(12)
Thomas(9)
Stateroom #
Early Dining


DisneyWhirled
Karen
DH John
DS Colby (10)
DD Kaylee (7)
Stateroom # 7010 Category 8
Late Dining (waitlisted for Early)

magchevez
Maggie
DH Brian
DS William (7)
DD Christine (6)
Stateroom #
? Dining

kipsy
2 chrildren
? (15)
? (11)
Cat 9
? Dining

SSR Lover
Julianne
husband Doug
Jake (8)
Jason (6)
2628

mvlimmex
Vicki
DH Marty
DD Adriane 11
DS Zach 6
DD Stephanie 5
DS Isaac 2
2075 & 2077
Late Dinner

Keever
Laura
DH René,
DS: Jacob, age 13
DS: Danick, age 11
2103

3Smithboys
Lani
DH?
Matt 11
Jack 6
Ryan 6
Stateroom #8092
Late Dinner

DIS family count 57

 

[tink_lover]

Hello Coach Rick! Sorry to hear about your dad. We were originally scheduled for Oct 2009 during a school break, but found out the Wonder will be in dry dock. DU worked overtime to get us into the connecting SPH rooms for this cruise in August.

Cast will be me (Mary), dh (Paul), dd who will be 10 at cruise time, ds 8 and ds 6. First time cruise for us. We are new DVC members and will probably try to tack on a DVC stay at the end of the cruise if possible. We are also looking forward to meeting new dis'ers on the cruise. Oh, if I am remembering correctly, we are early dinner.

 

[Coach Rick]

Hello Coach Rick! Sorry to hear about your dad. We were originally scheduled for Oct 2009 during a school break, but found out the Wonder will be in dry dock. DU worked overtime to get us into the connecting SPH rooms for this cruise in August.

Cast will be me (Mary), dh (Paul), dd who will be 10 at cruise time, ds 8 and ds 6. First time cruise for us. We are new DVC members and will probably try to tack on a DVC stay at the end of the cruise if possible. We are also looking forward to meeting new dis'ers on the cruise. Oh, if I am remembering correctly, we are early dinner.

Welcome Tink Lover...Thanks for your well wish's. Now starts the new plan...Since you are a first time cruiser, if you have any questions fire away. While I have only done one cruise, I have planned the heck out of this last one that never happened I can help some. We have owned DVC since 02, and the memories it has created for us is absolutely priceless.

 

[mjvans]

Hi Coach! So glad to see someone else on this ship!! LOL It has been very lonesome here since April when we booked this cruise

This will be our second cruise, the last being way back in 2004. We are planning a week in the parks before we board and will be staying at the boardwalk. We are so excited but as it is a surprise not to be revealed until New Year's Eve, it will be great to chat it up here!!

My husband and I will be traveling with our 4 kids!! Russell, also known as R.J.(18), Paige(13),Ty (11), and Matt (9). My husband Jay (55) and me, Michelle, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay younger
We have 2 connecting inside rooms on deck 7, 7505-7507

Look forward to getting aqquainted with you and other fellow passengers!!
ps...........what do you coach???????

Take care!
Michelle

 

[Coach Rick]

Hi Coach! So glad to see someone else on this ship!! LOL It has been very lonesome here since April when we booked this cruise

This will be our second cruise, the last being way back in 2004. We are planning a week in the parks before we board and will be staying at the boardwalk. We are so excited but as it is a surprise not to be revealed until New Year's Eve, it will be great to chat it up here!!

My husband and I will be traveling with our 4 kids!! Russell, also known as R.J.(18), Paige(13),Ty (11), and Matt (9). My husband Jay (55) and me, Michelle, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay younger
We have 2 connecting inside rooms on deck 7, 7505-7507

Look forward to getting aqquainted with you and other fellow passengers!!
ps...........what do you coach???????

Take care!
Michelle

Hello Michelle, and welcome aboard...this is too funny, two RJ's on the same ship...

Chicken to reveal your age... I wear it like a badge of honor.

I coach girls high school ice hockey, and am an Athletic Director, and high school technology teacher, along with being a part time travel agent, and running an embroidery, screen printing business out of my house. Keeps me busy....

 

[mjvans]

Rick, you are a busy guy!! So, I turned 50 in February. Ok, I said it!! Actually, 50 is the new 40, so it is not so bad, right?? Hey, there are some perks, I am the youngest in my age division when I run!!
Take care!! Hope your Dad is on the road to recovery!!
Michelle

 

[tink_lover]

Hey - Coach Rick - you and my dh are going to get along fabulously!!! He was/is a hockey coach also. He coached high school boys and in fact, one of his teams went to the MN State HS Hockey Tourney. He "retired" from coaching the older boys after we adopted our boys from Russia. Now he coaches the little kids again.

And we will have three RJ's as that is my little guy also.

Michelle - How did you like the GC hotel? We will be calling this week to see if we can use our developer points there over spring break. We are new AKV owners as of last month.

Did either of you rent a room at the Atlantis or similar hotel in the Bahamas?
I'm wondering how early I need to do something like that?

Mary

 

[Coach Rick]

Cool tink lover...all three of my kids play too. My oldest DD just graduated from Salve Regina. She quit playing her senior year because of her workload, but she had tried out at 16 for the Olympic team back in 2000, and then got chosen to go to the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center, for the national goaltending camp in her senior year in high school. That was a hoot... For me, well I am thrilled to be one of 5 founding coaches to put together the high school girls program for the state of RI. It was a thrill to see girls begin and excel at a sport that had been long dominated by males.

I have not used the Atlantis, but visited on a tour by one of the best island taxi guides in Nassau. But in my professional opinion, booking there for the day program is not a huge issue. BTW, it's much cheaper to book at the Comfort Inn, and still gives you access to all the amenities at the Atlantis.

 

[mjvans]

Hi Mary!
We absolutely loved the GC!! We stayed there in 2006 and 2007. The first year we used our points for a standard room, as my oldest son had to attend a mandatory basketball camp and could not join us. Last year we used points for a studio!! I loved both rooms!! Disney at its finest for sure! I would not hesitate to go again!! I'm a bit partial to California though as I grew up there!!
We have also used our points to stay at Shutters on the beach in Santa Monica! A wonderful retreat after doing Disney for sure!!
As far as Atlantis goes, we were thinking of splurging and doing the Atlantis Aquaventure rather than booking a day room at Comfort Suites. Not 100 percent sure though. Thankfully, we have time to decide.
My hubby unfortunately is not a hockey coach! He is a firefighter that loves sports though!! Hope that counts! Go Mariners!! Go Seahawks!
Michelle

 

[Coach Rick]

My hubby unfortunately is not a hockey coach! He is a firefighter that loves sports though!! Hope that counts! Go Mariners!! Go Seahawks!
Michelle

Sure does!!

And I will raise you one...GO SOX (red version )...GO PATS.....GO CELTS....GO BRUINS...(well looks like we have to continue to wait on that last one )

 

[tink_lover]

Go TWINS

I spent some time last night on the DCL boards and even though it is still a year away, I'm really excited for this cruise. When does the window open for booking Palo?

 

[mjvans]

It may be at 75 day outs, although I think it can be 90 days out if you are castaway club members. I also think we can do all the reservations and signs up for kids club online now. That is way cool!!!!! We did Palo's last time and the food was divine!!
Michelle

 

[Coach Rick]

It's 105 days if you do a cat 3, concierge.

 

[tink_lover]

OK, really newbie question...I know what you get when you do CL at a resort. What do you get for concierge level on the cruise? Have you booked that level before? I will say that even though I read the balcony was not an issue, it just makes me feel better for this first cruise not having it for the boys (fondly nicknamed Frick and Frack). If we like this and want to do it again, I think we will book one cat 6 and an opposite 11 so that we can have the balcony.


Mary

 

[Coach Rick]

OK, really newbie question...I know what you get when you do CL at a resort. What do you get for concierge level on the cruise? Have you booked that level before? I will say that even though I read the balcony was not an issue, it just makes me feel better for this first cruise not having it for the boys (fondly nicknamed Frick and Frack). If we like this and want to do it again, I think we will book one cat 6 and an opposite 11 so that we can have the balcony.


Mary

Well, the most impressive thing is, IMO, you get a separate check in desk, and you get on the ship quicker, and you get to have a special reception with the Captain, and you obviously get a larger room, in our case a 1 br suite, and you get to order anything from any restaurant for room service, and the triple wide veranda is pretty cool, and of course as mentioned, first dibs on ressies for Palo and everything else...ok, I'm done...

 

[mjvans]

Mary, we had a balcony the last time we cruised and I absolutley hated it!! It totally freaked me out! I was so afraid my boys would fall overboard!! Scary! We opted for the inside staterooms just to relieve my fears!! LOL
Michelle

 

[Coach Rick]

I can certainly understand your fears, but at 15, 18, and 24, I am not that worried about it.

Personally I think I would freak out if I couldn't look outside and see daylight. I just loved sitting on the veranda early in the morning the day at sea, and watching the sun come up on the ocean! It was so very quiet, and serene, and absolutely breathtaking. Yeah, I know I could have gone up to deck 10 for that, but I wouldn't be sitting up there in my bathrobe.

 

[mjvans]

how about the secret deck on 7?? I think bathrobes are allowed

 

[tink_lover]

Here's another question for you (can you tell I have been thinking about this lately?) - where did you purchase your trip insurance from? I keep thinking we will be cruising this time next year and watching the hurricanes going through.

Coach Rick - I mentioned to my dh that you coached girls hockey and he wondered if you know a friend of ours who is the girls coach at Shattuck-St. Mary's in MN. It is a pretty elite hockey program for boys and they have been working on the girls program as well.

Michelle - Glad someone understands my balcony phobia. My guys are 18 months apart but because the older one spent his first two years in an orphanage, he still has some "catching up" to do and often acts younger.

Have a great labor day weekend!

Mary

 

[Coach Rick]

Here's another question for you (can you tell I have been thinking about this lately?) - where did you purchase your trip insurance from? I keep thinking we will be cruising this time next year and watching the hurricanes going through.

Coach Rick - I mentioned to my dh that you coached girls hockey and he wondered if you know a friend of ours who is the girls coach at Shattuck-St. Mary's in MN. It is a pretty elite hockey program for boys and they have been working on the girls program as well.

Michelle - Glad someone understands my balcony phobia. My guys are 18 months apart but because the older one spent his first two years in an orphanage, he still has some "catching up" to do and often acts younger.

Have a great labor day weekend!

Mary

I bought mine from DCL, but there are many. Some better and some worse...

I can't say I do know that coach...