August 16, 2011, Disney Dream - Part 2

[jenanderson]

Hey, Jen,
we are staying at Country Inn and Suites the night before the cruise. It's $139 plus tax. But you get to leave the car for free and they have breakfast too. Lasst year we stayed there before we went on the Freedom and I asked if they had any better rates and she said yes and gave me the better rate! I forget what it was. I just booked through their site.

Thanks for sharing! I have been looking at the Country Inn and Suites because their prices seem really good. I will be checking it out again.

Jen, we are staying at the Residence Inn by Marriott since my parents had points and they got us two rooms for free. So we could not beat it....Guess, what Jen?? We are are going to surprise the girls with a Disney Trip for their birthday!! My parents are going to book the room with their points so fingers crossed that tomorrow DVC has room available. We will be going in early Feb. just for four or maybe five nights!! I am not sure how the school is going to handle this but oh well!! Right??

Kristin - I would love to stay at the Residence Inn with by you guys but I think the price is too expensive for us. That is great that you can get it for free!

OMG....the girls are going to be so excited!!!! I can't believe that you are going to take them but it is GREAT! Start the planning!

 

[hmansure]

As it stands today we are booked at Vero pre-cruise and tentatively had planned to just drive up in the AM, but...... our 7 month non-home resort DVC window is next week and there's talk here amongst the family about moving that over to WDW. We are already booked post-cruise for the Treehouse Villas so there will be some more discussion about all of that here over the next week.

If we end up moving we will just probably use a car service to get us to the port in the AM - we've had success with that in the past.

 

[MrsJobba1]

GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
BOYS AND GIRLS!
WE SET SAIL IN 32 WEEKS! THAT IS 223 DAYS!

​

What a great Picture - thanks for sharing

I can't beleive we sail this year - everyone at school yesterday made the comment oh dear Helen's 'gone disney again' lol they did not understand at all that I was excited because the Dream was coming home


Jen we are staying at Disney's Boardwalk villas - our dvc home prior to cruise.

On the 21st it will be our 7month window for post cruise stay - we are thinking of changing it- anyone got any suggestions which Disney to try? We've stayed OKW (bitspread out though and a lot of walking a we dont have a car, SSR (our other home - love the spa there), WL (nice but DH hated WCC with the interaction (he's shy not like me))

Any suggestions???

 

[elgerber]

Jen we are staying at Disney's Boardwalk villas - our dvc home prior to cruise.

On the 21st it will be our 7month window for post cruise stay - we are thinking of changing it- anyone got any suggestions which Disney to try? We've stayed OKW (bitspread out though and a lot of walking a we dont have a car, SSR (our other home - love the spa there), WL (nice but DH hated WCC with the interaction (he's shy not like me))

Any suggestions???

None from me, BW is my home too, and I LOVE it!!! I really have no desire to stay anywhere else. Maybe BLT, but that's the only one .

 

[Minniemouse07]

I haven't booked anything yet but I'm leaning towards the Country Inn & Suites.

Since we will have our own vehicle, I'm thinking it will be easier to have dh drive us all over in our van, drop the kids and I off w/ all our stuff and then he can go back to CI&S and take the shuttle back. Do you think this is doable?

We will be there the two nights before the ship sails...going to Kennedy Space Center on Monday.

Did anyone else note the thread on the main cruise board about getting FREE tix for KSC from your local congressperson? With tix running $41/A & $31/C this is awesome!

I've been impatiently waiting for WDW to release their August calendar so I can start planning out the land portion of our trip. Since we will have the opportunity to see characters on the ship I'm trying to skip all the character meals we always do (Chef Mickey's & 1900 Park Faire, etc) and try new places...except dd told me this morning that 1900PF was her very favorite and we just HAVE to go there! sigh

 

[hmansure]

On the 21st it will be our 7month window for post cruise stay - we are thinking of changing it- anyone got any suggestions which Disney to try? We've stayed OKW (bitspread out though and a lot of walking a we dont have a car, SSR (our other home - love the spa there), WL (nice but DH hated WCC with the interaction (he's shy not like me))

Any suggestions???

Our favorites are OKW & BWV. I've heard great things about AKV, too and we may try for there this time around. DW really wants to stay at BCV; however, we have never been successful getting something there at 7 months or less (small number of rooms, etc).

 

[hmansure]

Did anyone else note the thread on the main cruise board about getting FREE tix for KSC from your local congressperson? With tix running $41/A & $31/C this is awesome!

That is awesome!

 

[acomasdiaz]

Right now, we have reservations at SSR before the cruise. But, we might change that once our 7 month window opens up next week.

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
BOYS AND GIRLS!
WE SET SAIL IN 32 WEEKS! THAT IS 223 DAYS!

​

WOW !! This is so exciting !!!!!! Thanks for posting !!!

 

[tinkerbelltwins]

Hi everyone,
My family is staying at the Country Inn Suites the night before the cruise. I used the awesome code CARLSONF (learned about it on the main forum) and got the Kids Suite for $70. I think that rate isn't available anymore once the manager of the hotel figured out that the word was out on the DISboard about the rate. We cruised on the Magic at Halloween and we stayed the night before at the CIS. Loved it -- one of the twins, Hope, had an asthma episode and the staff were quite helpful. Also, the day before our cruise we flew into MCO, rented a car, drove over to the Kennedy Space Center and did the tour for free. I wrote my state senator from VA, Senator Warner, about seven months before the cruise and we managed to obtain four free tickets. Our girls, even though they were six at the time, loved the tour. Quite obviously, there is lots and lots of space for them to run around and tons of interesting huge things to see. The shuttle was supposed to be launched the day after we left the port for our cruise, but it was delayed due to weather.

By the way, we found that it was very easy to return our rental car as the Hertz office it is right next to the CIS. My DH dropped the girls and I off at the port, drove the rental over to the Hertz office, hopped on the rental car shuttle, and made it back to us before we had barely moved an inch in line. Super easy and convenient and cheap. On that WC cruise I got the CIS for $74 by bidding on priceline. FYI: I understand from the boards that it isn't a guarantee anymore to get the CIS if you plug in the right criteria.

We plan on staying for a couple of days after the cruise at the WL, our favorite WDW hotel.

Beth

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Quick question: Where are people staying the night before the cruise?

We are staying 14 days at AKL BEFORE the cruise !!
In fact we had booked this part of our vacation since November 2010 :
we found a wonderful offer on the European Disney site : FREE classic DINING PLAN for all of the 14 days !!!

We will book a "town car" service to the port ; it worked so nicely on our past cruises , absolutely hassle free !!!

laura

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Sending you lots and lots of Pixie Dust!!

Anyone see this link today:;
http://www.wftv.com/video/26362177/index.html



We are are going to surprise the girls with a Disney Trip for their birthday!! My parents are going to book the room with their points so fingers crossed that tomorrow DVC has room available. We will be going in early Feb.

AWWW !! I'm so CURIOUS but it looks like I cannot see that link, will try again later ...

WOW !!! What a wonderful surprise for the girls !!!!!!!!!!! and such a nice treat for you as well !!!

 

[Shelebeen]

We have a house booked for 10 days pre cruise in Windsor Hills - I don't think we will hit WDW at all - well maybe a water park. We will take a limo to and from the terminal.... thats a pretty nice stress free way to arrive.

After the cruise we are going to stay 3 nights at AKL and hit at least Magic Kingdom, not sure if we will go anywhere else.... will see

 

[gfolchick]

The plan is to stay at our off-site timeshare the week before the cruise. Problem is, runs Sunday to Sunday so I still need a place for Sunday night and Monday night. Debating doing Universal on-site, Beach Club or Cape Canaveral area. We've stayed at CI&S and Radisson before. I think the rest of our traveling party (which is 4 different families) all have their own ideas of what to do. My parents are driving from CT to FL and were talking about staying at CI&S. My brother will probably fly out Friday night and maybe stay at Universal. Our other 2 families will probably want to stay near Disney. I guess I need to start looking into some options. I don't even have airfare yet

I am loving all the coverage of the Dream's arrival and the video of the inside spaces. I wish I could have been at the Port yesterday for her pulling in.

Gina

 

[BigDogHU75]

We are staying at AKV 4 nights before the cruise. We love that resort. After the cruise I want to stay either at BLT or OKW. We always try a new resort either before or after the cruise. So, we will see when the 7-month window opens up.

 

[kritter]

Seems like many of us have our Pre and Post Cruise Plans already taken care of.

If anyone who is staying at the port the night before wants to meet for a group Dis Dinner, I am happy to figure out a place for all of us to meet......Just a thought!!

 

[uncw89]

Seems like many of us have our Pre and Post Cruise Plans already taken care of.

If anyone who is staying at the port the night before wants to meet for a group Dis Dinner, I am happy to figure out a place for all of us to meet......Just a thought!!

Kristin, that sounds like a good idea. I know you said you like Grills. we tried it last summer and really liked it too.....but I'm open for suggestions.

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Kristin, that sounds like a good idea. I know you said you like Grills. we tried it last summer and really liked it too.....but I'm open for suggestions.

What a nice thing to have a pre-cruise DIS meet !!!
We cannot be there , we'll spend our last night at MK - arriving to PC around 11.00 am on departure day ...

but IT'S SURELY IS A LOVELY WAY TO START THE DREAM !!!!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

The wait is finally over...

Oh I so LOVE this pic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had ... how do you say ? GOOSE BUMPS (?) when watching those videos someone posted !!! The two horns ,answering each other, are so ... inspiring !!!!!!!!!!!
WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

laura

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

PD Laura! Hope you find your keys!
Tell Marco, I hope he had a nice Birthday the other day! Of course, he might really be Grumpy today if he doesn't find the keys!

THANKYOU !!
Thanks also to dear Jen !!!
No way , those keys were NOWHERE to be found ...
I was scared thinking :WHO has our keys ?... House is "left alone" most of the day when we both work ...

So to make it short H called the artisan who made our "armoured" front door and he took care of everything , now we have NEW keys all over the place
and also a much lighter wallet !!!!!!!

BUT I feel happy and can have happy DREAMs !!!!!!