August 16, 2011, Disney Dream - Part 2

[MrsJobba1]

AWWW !! What a sweet puppy !!! He has so grown !!! What a soft "hair" !!! Caleb is really adorable !!!!!!!!!!

Happy Easter to you , Helen !!

Have fun with the dogs !! Wishing you all nice warm days !!!!!

Laura

Thank you - yes we had lovely weather

Amanda, Your FE looks great!
Helen, Caleb is a cutie! Good luck at the competition.

Happy easter everyone! I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!!!!!

THANKYOU for all the info !!!!!
Can you tell us AT WHAT TIME DCL STARTED TO EMBARK PEOPLE ??

DGH is thinking of arriving to the port around 10.00 am ..........

same time as us !!

THANKYOU !!!! We will be arriving with a town car , so I guess we will ask for departure from AKL about 8.30 !!!!!
I am the one who arrives 30 minutes BEFORE the planned meeting time ... at work but also with friends / family reunions !!


Seriously , I hope for #2 boarding paper : we'll have so much to explore !!!!

Usually at OUR check-in counter there is a short line - or no line at all ...
A PRIVILEGE of being FOREIGNER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then .................... I can start to ... chat :
I think that many of us will be there so IMHO the waiting won't look sooooooooooo long

laura

We'll be checking in there too!

Thankyou !!!
It all is coming together NOW !!!

This afternoon WE WILL BE WORKING ON OUR ESTA PERMIT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's just a renewal , but ...
So hoping it works for us ... each time I am a bit apprehensive ..................

Good luck with the ESTA

 

[hbg4]

Anytime! I agree that renting a car maybe less expensive. And no matter how you get to the DCL terminal, the important thing is that you get there! Let me know what you decide to do.

When we vacation, we want to do as little work as possible and have everything go smoothly. So my hubby always puts it to me this way when I propose a new way to cut costs: "Does saving x amount of $ outweigh the stress of ____________? (insert cost cutting proposal)" And then I have to make a pro/con list of it all. 9 out of 10 times the savings don't win, so we spend a little more to make our vacation as relaxing as possible.

I'm especially glad we booked the DCL transfers this time around with all the stories about getting something like boarding #26 and not being on the ship until after 2pm. Those 2 extra hours on the ship are worth the extra bucks!

All the other times I've booked using DCL transfers on the Magic and Wonder we've got low boarding numbers when we've arrived at port.

We met another family on our April 17th cruise on the Dream who took the DCL transport and didn't arrive until 1pm. They got boarding #28

From looking at the reports it seems like a 2 hr wait to board regardless of the time you arrive, unless you are a platinum member or concierge guest.

So the best thing I reckon is to get the earliest arrival you can whether with DCL or private transportation

 

[MrsJobba1]

Hi all,

Hope you all had a great Easter

Well we got back this afternoon and I've already done two loads of laundry

I have to say a big thank you -the weather was perfect it was unbelievable the pixie dust really worked.

Dogs had a great time at the flyball competitions and we came away with two 1st's and two 3rd's

Caleb enjoyed his first caravan holiday -
This is Caleb at the back. Gem on the left (spotty dog) and Bella on the right

I also had to share this with you

 

[Amanda132]

From looking at the reports it seems like a 2 hr wait to board regardless of the time you arrive, unless you are a platinum member or concierge guest.

So the best thing I reckon is to get the earliest arrival you can whether with DCL or private transportation

Yeah, that's what I've been seeing as well. I'd rather get there at 10 and get on the ship at noon than get there at 1 and get on the ship at 3. Same waiting time, but more ship time!

 

[elgerber]

Thank you Helen, always makes me smile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Between Caleb and puppy cam, lot's of smiles!!

 

[Amanda132]

Helen, your dogs are adorable! Especially Caleb! He has such a cute puppy face! What type of dog is he?

For those of you who don't know, WDW came out with free dining today, but it doesn't start until August 28. I was hoping to get free dining because I thought it would be nice to have our meals at WDW after the cruise "taken care of" since they would be on the cruise itself. As of now, it looks like we're not getting any discounts at all. Now I'm thinking about not doing Remy like I'd originally wanted to because we'll have to pay rack rate for our room at Pop (which I still haven't booked yet... was waiting for a discount, but maybe I should get on that). Oh well. You win some and you lose some I guess!

 

[Minniemouse07]

For those of you who don't know, WDW came out with free dining today, but it doesn't start until August 28. I was hoping to get free dining because I thought it would be nice to have our meals at WDW after the cruise "taken care of" since they would be on the cruise itself. As of now, it looks like we're not getting any discounts at all. Now I'm thinking about not doing Remy like I'd originally wanted to because we'll have to pay rack rate for our room at Pop (which I still haven't booked yet... was waiting for a discount, but maybe I should get on that). Oh well. You win some and you lose some I guess!

There was a free dining deal available for the time just after the cruise... it was offered last year from August until just before Christmas. We booked just after it came out last year and took advantage of it.

Since then WDW has come out with a number of both public deals and PINs for the same time frame (20-40% off rooms, kids play/stay free, etc) but for us, free dining works out the best since dd turns 10 and becomes an "adult" in WDW's eyes just a few weeks before we sail!

 

[Amanda132]

There was a free dining deal available for the time just after the cruise... it was offered last year from August until just before Christmas. We booked just after it came out last year and took advantage of it.

Since then WDW has come out with a number of both public deals and PINs for the same time frame (20-40% off rooms, kids play/stay free, etc) but for us, free dining works out the best since dd turns 10 and becomes an "adult" in WDW's eyes just a few weeks before we sail!

Sigh, I know. I missed the 25% room deal by just a few days. Originally we thought we were going to do WDW before the cruise, in which case the discount wouldn't have applied. We changed our minds to doing it after the cruise just a few days after the discount ended.

 

[lovesDCL]

How early did you have to get up to be sure that you get an early boarding time? I will be doing everything in my power to get the lowest boarding number possible because I want a Palo brunch if at all possible and figure getting on board early is going to be my only hope.

We usually are at the DCL check-in by 7:30-8am. I think they board the first bus between 8:30-9:30 am (it's varied the four times we've used the transfers). We've always gotten on the first bus out.

 

[lovesDCL]

Does anyone know what is the earliest time you can get DCL transportation from MCO airport or the Disney resorts. And do you have a choice of your departure time ?

I know from MCO the DCL bus for Hyatt guests departs between 8:30-9:30 am the four times we've used this transportation. As for a "choice" of when to depart, I have heard then ask families if they would like to be on an earlier bus, or a later one. However, I do not know what "later" is. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!

From the resorts, I've only used the transfers once and we were told what time to meet the bus, which was at 11am.

 

[gfolchick]

Staying up late tonight...trying for Palo dinner on night 2 (which is one of our friends B-day), Parasailing, and catamaran trip in Nassau.

Good luck tonight Gold members!

 

[lovesDCL]

Staying up late tonight...trying for Palo dinner on night 2

Does anyone know what days we will repeat in the dining rooms? I wanted to book Palo on a night when will be in that restaurant for the second time...

 

[Minniemouse07]

Does anyone know what days we will repeat in the dining rooms? I wanted to book Palo on a night when will be in that restaurant for the second time...

I have the following from another post here on the cruise board

5 Day Rotations

1 AP/EG/EG/RP/AP
2 RP/AP/AP/EG/RP
3 EG/RP/RP/AP/EG

The repeats are day 3 (pirate night) and day 5.

Again...this is what was posted previously. I have it up on sticky notes on my computer here at home so I don't have the original thread handy.

If any of the above is incorrect, PLEASE correct me!

 

[lovesDCL]

I have the following from another post here on the cruise board

5 Day Rotations

1 AP/EG/EG/RP/AP
2 RP/AP/AP/EG/RP
3 EG/RP/RP/AP/EG

The repeats are day 3 (pirate night) and day 5.

Again...this is what was posted previously. I have it up on sticky notes on my computer here at home so I don't have the original thread handy.

If any of the above is incorrect, PLEASE correct me!

Thank you!!!

 

[gfolchick]

I have the following from another post here on the cruise board

5 Day Rotations

1 AP/EG/EG/RP/AP
2 RP/AP/AP/EG/RP
3 EG/RP/RP/AP/EG

The repeats are day 3 (pirate night) and day 5.

Again...this is what was posted previously. I have it up on sticky notes on my computer here at home so I don't have the original thread handy.

If any of the above is incorrect, PLEASE correct me!

I don't think that is correct. This might be for the other 5 day itinerary. Our pirate night is on Day 4 so I think Day 3 and 4 repeat for our cruise. I had posted a while back the rotation, I'll try to find it again.

 

[gfolchick]

Found it!

For 5 Night Cruises departing on a Tuesday:
Night 1- Cruise Casual
Night 2- Cruise Casual
Night 3- Dress Up Night
Night 4- Pirate Night- Special Menu
Night 5- Cruise Casual- Special Menu (this is still a ? but a good possibility)

Dining Room Rotations (Restaurants repeat 1&5 3&4)
1- RP, AP, EG, EG, RP
2- EG, RP, AP, AP, EG
3- AP, EG, RP, RP, AP

 

[Minniemouse07]

Found it!

For 5 Night Cruises departing on a Tuesday:
Night 1- Cruise Casual
Night 2- Cruise Casual
Night 3- Dress Up Night
Night 4- Pirate Night- Special Menu
Night 5- Cruise Casual- Special Menu (this is still a ? but a good possibility)

Dining Room Rotations (Restaurants repeat 1&5 3&4)
1- RP, AP, EG, EG, RP
2- EG, RP, AP, AP, EG
3- AP, EG, RP, RP, AP

THANK YOU!!!

I will redo all my sticky notes!!

 

[MrsJobba1]

Helen, your dogs are adorable! Especially Caleb! He has such a cute puppy face! What type of dog is he?

Hi

I have border collies ( sheep dogs)

 

[MrsJobba1]

Staying up late tonight...trying for Palo dinner on night 2 (which is one of our friends B-day), Parasailing, and catamaran trip in Nassau.

Good luck tonight Gold members!

Im going to bed now as I've set my alarm to get up early. 4.30am here in the UK
Good luck everyone x

 

[Pudo]

OK...so I finally got around to paying in full and logged in to book Palo. Much to my surprise there was no Palo Brunch options. I thought this was strange since only Platinum and Concierge can book so far (don't remember if they still do REAS).

Anywho, I called DCL and they told me something I didn't realize, not sure after 8 cruises how I didn't notice this, but they only do Palo Brunch on sea days. Since there is only 1 sea day it appears there is nothing left.

The DCL supervisor claimed that they don't hold back inventory for the different tiers (Platinum, Gold & Silver) which further surprised me. I would really love to see someone log in tonight and have availability. I honestly don't believe him, but hey maybe it's just wishful thinking.

Good luck tonight,

Jeff