August 22nd 2009 Western Carribbean Anyone?

[TheFatMansWife]

Hi everyone.
We're on this cruise (and the week before !)

Thats me Bev, Dave (theFatMan), Nicola 14 and James 12(on 17th Aug) flying in from London..

We would be more than happy to join in fish extenders etc

 

[wayneg]

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Welcome Bev & Family. Added you to the website let me know if you want any other info adding, set your location as London with link to Wiki but can be more specific if you have a webpage of your local area. www.astersflorist.co.uk link bottom left.

 

[TheFatMansWife]

Have seen link.
nice list of people, looking forward to meeting you

 

[sandyh67]

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can't believe that this is the first post of the year and it is already mid January.
Today is a new milestone in terms of my families trip planning activities. It is 7 months today until we leave for WDW I get to book our DVC stay today. Only one more month and I can start booking dining. I have a Disney Christmas count-down calender (blocks) that I am using to count down the days until our trip - there are only 212 days to go. Sadly I just discovered that my favorite ride Space Mountain will likely be closed while we are there. As far as I am concerned the ride is perfect as it is
Please share your trip planning details...I would love to hear what everyone is doing.

FYI The ADR window was recently changed from 180 days to 90 days-
Happy planning!

 

[trimix]

FYI The ADR window was recently changed from 180 days to 90 days-
Happy planning!

ADR? What's that?

 

[wayneg]

ADR? What's that?

Advance Dinner Reservation.
Something we rarely bother with but this August we have 16 nights free dining plan so will have to make some reservations. In total we have spent approx 52 weeks in Orlando and only ever had 5 evening meals in Disney, always eat offsite so its going to be a whole new experience.

100% agree with Space Mountain comment, thanfully I knew about the refurb so rode it twice at Xmas. It is just a perfect ride as it is. Just hope they do not change it to something like Disneyland CA, don't enjoy that one half as much. I heard it has to be a more modest upgrade, no idea what that means but as it is now its my fave ride at WDW, so hope it will be after.

 

[jhryb]

FYI The ADR window was recently changed from 180 days to 90 days-
Happy planning!

Yes I found that out when I called to make my DVC booking. I was asking about the Dining Plan and the CM told me that the 90 day window is a temporary change while they are updating their dining system so that reservations can be made on-line. She said that they may go back to 180 days. Oh when will the new system be ready??? I hate waiting.
Now I am anxiously waiting for May so I can book Palo and make my ADR.

 

[trimix]

Thanks for defining ADR. Where can I find a list of what will be out of service when?

And on the subject of Disney dining, what would you all recommend for a romantic dinner for two? Victoria and Albert's is the most expensive, but that doesn't make it the best. I have heard good things about the California Grill, especially for a late dinner to watch fireworks over dessert.

What would you all recommend?

 

[Mackie Mouse]

FH and I wanted to do California Grill We will be spending one day in the park on Friday the 21st before leaving for our cruise, but arriving in Orlando on Thursday the 20th. That means making a reservation May 20, right?

And Palo, etc. opens up as soon as we've paid off the cruise, or 60 days out...?

 

[jhryb]

Thanks for defining ADR. Where can I find a list of what will be out of service when?

And on the subject of Disney dining, what would you all recommend for a romantic dinner for two? Victoria and Albert's is the most expensive, but that doesn't make it the best. I have heard good things about the California Grill, especially for a late dinner to watch fireworks over dessert.

What would you all recommend?

You can find the list of refurbishments at http://wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/rehab.htm

I have never been to Victoria and Albert's, but my DH and I went to California Grill for my 40th bday in October. We timed our reservation so that we were able to go out on the balcony b/w dinner and dessert and watch the fireworks. It was wonderful. The main area of the restaurant is extremely loud and hardly romantic. There is a quiet little room at the back of the restaurant that has less than 10 tables and it was very nice (this is where we sat). You can't see the fireworks from the quiet room, but it still has an amazing view.

 

[trimix]

FH and I wanted to do California Grill We will be spending one day in the park on Friday the 21st before leaving for our cruise, but arriving in Orlando on Thursday the 20th. That means making a reservation May 20, right?

And Palo, etc. opens up as soon as we've paid off the cruise, or 60 days out...?

It sounds like the 20th is your only choice - assuming your flight arrives early enough. Using frequent flier miles, at the award level I used I could not get a flight out of Seattle until 2 PM on Friday the 14th, so we get into Orlando just before midnight.

Palo and everything else opens 75 days before departure, and your full payment is also due 75 days before departure. If you are a Castaway Club member (I am not) then you can book onboard reservations 90 days in advance, or 105 days out for suite guests - but again you have to pay the balance due before you can make reservations.

I am hoping to watch Grand Cayman fade into the distance from Palo, and I booked the romantic escape, so I will pay off my cruise 107 days out and make the reservations 105 days out.

 

[trimix]

Exactly seven months to go, people! 212 days from today!

I booked on 29 Feb 2008, 540 days out, so over 60% of my wait has now passed.

And I am curious - who here has been waiting the longest? David, our kind web host, started the meet & greet thread on 4 Dec 07, almost three months before I booked. Anybody make reservations earlier?

 

[wayneg]

And I am curious - who here has been waiting the longest? David, our kind web host, started the meet & greet thread on 4 Dec 07, almost three months before I booked. Anybody make reservations earlier?

I booked 1 day later 5th Dec 07. but didn't find the thread until later in the month.

On Tuesday Evening this week we came close to cancelling, the £ hit a low against the $, when we booked the cruise it was around $2/£1 now its down to around $1.37, luckily we paid half off at the good rate but other half is still to pay and at todays rate its about £350(almost $500) more than it was.
Got the calculator out and started looking at other options but adding up a hotel, food & car to stay in Orlando we felt it still worth doing the cruise but only just, another downtown in the £ and we might have to reconsider.

 

[Maza]

Exactly seven months to go, people! 212 days from today!

I booked on 29 Feb 2008, 540 days out, so over 60% of my wait has now passed.

And I am curious - who here has been waiting the longest? David, our kind web host, started the meet & greet thread on 4 Dec 07, almost three months before I booked. Anybody make reservations earlier?

Dave started the thread almost instatly after booking our cruise on the first day they where available! its been a long time coming i can tell ya!

 

[Maza]

Hi everyone.
We're on this cruise (and the week before !)

Thats me Bev, Dave (theFatMan), Nicola 14 and James 12(on 17th Aug) flying in from London..

We would be more than happy to join in fish extenders etc

welcome Bev..i will add you to the FE list!

 

[TheFatMansWife]

welcome Bev..i will add you to the FE list!

thanks,we all enjoy joining in with the FE.
Your kids are the same age my two 14 and 12

 

[Maza]

thanks,we all enjoy joining in with the FE.
Your kids are the same age my two 14 and 12

lol...indeed...mine will be 13 and 15 by the time we set sail. There is a good number of teens and pre-teens in our group!:

 

[MrR]

Hi all.

Just thought I'd add my clan to this thread - there are five of us in all who'll be flying over from London to be on this cruise; Me, my DW, and our three DDs - 13, 15, and 19 (unusual names, I know).

It's our fourth time visiting Florida in five years, though we're resigned to the fact this'll be our last time for the foreseeable future - we're going to be paying to put our kids through university for most of the next decade. So, we're going out with a bang!

Before we even get to the cruise, we're doing eight nights at the beautiful Bahama Bay Resort in Kissimmee (it'll be our third time there - we went elsewhere last year, and it just didn't measure up), before three nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (our first time in a Disney resort).

To say we're excited about the cruise is an understatement. The only downside is booking so early (though not as early as some, I see) - it's difficult to concentrate on the work that's supposed to be paying for this trip!

 

[Maza]

welcome MrR.....more teenage girls to add to the mix...excellent
Have you cruised before?

 

[MrR]

Nope. This is our first cruise - we've not been with any cruise line before, so we're proper newbies.

And yes, we'll be bringing more than our fair share of teenage girls with us...

It's a gamble taking them anywhere these days, to be honest, but fingers crossed they'll have a great time.