August 25, 2011

[BevS97]

I was so wanting to book a cabana on family beach ......

on our cruises - I try to do one big thing my mom would consider excessive and very pampering ......

Didnt even get close to a cabana

have you checked in?? I am trying to check in now but it's telling me I need to wait until May 27 (which is today). I'm in the UK, so wondering if it's just not open yet.

 

[melmar136]

I was so wanting to book a cabana on family beach ......

on our cruises - I try to do one big thing my mom would consider excessive and very pampering ......

Didnt even get close to a cabana

I thought you could only book one online if you are in the concierge rooms? And that you could check when you board to see if they still have any available?
I saw that in someone's TR. They really wanted one, it wouldn't allow them to book online, and they were able to get one by going to the excursions desk as soon as they got on board....

Good luck if that is the case!

 

[bcanderson78]

We were also looking forward to a cabana but when none were available, we went with hot stone massages instead. Still pampering and excessive but we're just as excited to be honest!! I can hear the waves already.

 

[dizneeat]

I thought you could only book one online if you are in the concierge rooms? And that you could check when you board to see if they still have any available?
I saw that in someone's TR. They really wanted one, it wouldn't allow them to book online, and they were able to get one by going to the excursions desk as soon as they got on board....

Good luck if that is the case!

No, you can book them online! I got one for Serenity Bay, but there was only one left.

 

[joius24]

Got Remy at the time and date I wanted...after reading reviews I thought I'd go for it...just for the experience

Booked at 12:04 AM EST. totally worked .... this is my 2nd b2b portion ...the second one will be more about doing nothing ...so no excursuions ....just food and SPAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

 

[melmar136]

No, you can book them online! I got one for Serenity Bay, but there was only one left.

oh, thanks for letting me know that you can book them online...just in case, for the future!
Congrats on getting one!

I was just excited to be able to get on and look at everything, and be able to book!
Although, I'm thinking of waiting till we get on the ship to book spa stuff, just to see see if they offer any specials...

 

[melmar136]

I was filling in some of the online check in and was wondering about arrival time to the port...
Since we are staying at WDW before the cruise, we were told there would be something in our room when we check in, telling us when the DCL bus would pick us up to bring us to the port.
Anyone know what time they normally get you there from a WDW resort so I know which time to choose for port arrival on the online form?

Thanks!

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

Last year we got to the port around 1 pm. Some other posters have said that choosing an arrival time is not that important if you are doing DCL transfers.

 

[dizneeat]

I was filling in some of the online check in and was wondering about arrival time to the port...
Since we are staying at WDW before the cruise, we were told there would be something in our room when we check in, telling us when the DCL bus would pick us up to bring us to the port.
Anyone know what time they normally get you there from a WDW resort so I know which time to choose for port arrival on the online form?

Thanks!

We have never done DCL transportation to the port, but friends did, and as far as I remember the bus picked them up after 11am and they arrived shortly before 1am at the port.

 

[AlisonUK]

Please excuse the newbie but I have a few questions about the FE, if anyone can help!
I've made our FE and have started gathering items together as presents. Are there any rules/guidelines as to how/when we deliver? Also, will there be a cut off date for people signing up so we know how many to buy for?
I was thinking of individual presents for the children and then a shared 'goody bag' for the adults but am a bit worried that there may be adults travelling from separate households in one cabin - should I be doing them all separate presents? Or am I totally overthinking this?!
Thanks for any advice and thanks again for organising!

 

[joius24]

Please excuse the newbie but I have a few questions about the FE, if anyone can help!
I've made our FE and have started gathering items together as presents. Are there any rules/guidelines as to how/when we deliver? Also, will there be a cut off date for people signing up so we know how many to buy for?
I was thinking of individual presents for the children and then a shared 'goody bag' for the adults but am a bit worried that there may be adults travelling from separate households in one cabin - should I be doing them all separate presents? Or am I totally overthinking this?!
Thanks for any advice and thanks again for organising!

Alison, it has been my experience that each person does what they want...

I got individual presents (one for each person in the cabin) from some people and a "cabin" gift from others. I enjoyed each thing either way and I enjoyed giving...but like you, I think I overthought it when I was a Newb. Really no pressure... it all about the FUN Just do what your comfortable with and what makes you happy...it IS vacation.

There seemed (at least in my case) no schedule for delivery, whenever the person deemed it to be convenient, they delivered. I'd get new gifts in my FE late at night, midday and in the AM (fairly late sleeper myself). I did my deliveries at night , less people in the halls etc...

not sure if it helped but thought I'd try....Happy Memorial Day to all!

 

[dizneeat]

Please excuse the newbie but I have a few questions about the FE, if anyone can help!
I've made our FE and have started gathering items together as presents. Are there any rules/guidelines as to how/when we deliver? Also, will there be a cut off date for people signing up so we know how many to buy for?
I was thinking of individual presents for the children and then a shared 'goody bag' for the adults but am a bit worried that there may be adults travelling from separate households in one cabin - should I be doing them all separate presents? Or am I totally overthinking this?!
Thanks for any advice and thanks again for organising!

Hi Alison,

No rules for FEs!
I can only give you what we learned from experience.
People give one present per stateroom, others give one to every person in the stateroom.
People do little presents, like a small one, every day (that's what we do) and others give a larger one once a trip.
Whatever you come up with is fine.
As for the cutoff date - I guess it will be when we leave for the US, August 13, as I might not be able to update, add people to the list.

Don't overthink, just have fun with it. We had a really hard time coming up with gifts this year, since we are doing 3 cruises in a row and some of the FE participants are doing that too! So we needed to come up with a lot of different presents!
So far I have nearly done all my knitted ones, Tom has started on creating a few of his and we are slowly getting there, with the ideas slowly taking shape. This should be fun - NOT work!

Looking forward to meeting you all in person!

 

[BevS97]

Hi Alison,


As for the cutoff date - I guess it will be when we leave for the US, August 13, as I might not be able to update, add people to the list.

We are leaving for the US on the 9th, so I will need to have my gifts all done before then.

 

[ladyleslie]

My mom (grammy) calls it the "FE Run".... (isn't she cute)

Last year i did a back to back . For the first cruise I went to everyones door everynight of the trip and left something and then I fell on deck the first afternoon of the second cruise and hobbled to every door once and just left everything I had planned to give..... so it's up to you

I also left one gift for the adults ( a bank) as a memento of our trip (i had a hard time thinking that up and im not quite sure what I'm going to do this time) and then themed things for the kids.

No pressure... Remember it's suppose to be fun....

I told my daugther I was recruited to be a secret agent, and we had to leave something in the pockets of the FE without getting caught, the very first year we did the FE (she was 7yrs old) and she thought I was the "bestest" Mom......

be as creative or not as you want - just be comfortable!!!!!!!!!!!


And on a different note ........... I got the family cabana on the second leg of my cruise!!!!! I am NO longer disappointed but I am instead a very happy camper!!!

 

[dizneeat]

My mom (grammy) calls it the "FE Run".... (isn't she cute)

Last year i did a back to back . For the first cruise I went to everyones door everynight of the trip and left something and then I fell on deck the first afternoon of the second cruise and hobbled to every door once and just left everything I had planned to give..... so it's up to you

I also left one gift for the adults ( a bank) as a memento of our trip (i had a hard time thinking that up and im not quite sure what I'm going to do this time) and then themed things for the kids.

No pressure... Remember it's suppose to be fun....

I told my daugther I was recruited to be a secret agent, and we had to leave something in the pockets of the FE without getting caught, the very first year we did the FE (she was 7yrs old) and she thought I was the "bestest" Mom......

be as creative or not as you want - just be comfortable!!!!!!!!!!!


And on a different note ........... I got the family cabana on the second leg of my cruise!!!!! I am NO longer disappointed but I am instead a very happy camper!!!

The DREAM bank was from you?????? We loved it! And we are using it to save for our vacation this year!

 

[AlisonUK]

Thanks for all the advice - I'll stop worrying and just go with the flow! (Anyone else got that song stuck in their head now?!)

Karin - I've just been browsing the Disney food picture of the day thread and came across your photos of food on the Wonder - wow, it looks amazing. To say nothing of the drinks ...

 

[melmar136]

My mom (grammy) calls it the "FE Run".... (isn't she cute)

Last year i did a back to back . For the first cruise I went to everyones door everynight of the trip and left something and then I fell on deck the first afternoon of the second cruise and hobbled to every door once and just left everything I had planned to give..... so it's up to you

I also left one gift for the adults ( a bank) as a memento of our trip (i had a hard time thinking that up and im not quite sure what I'm going to do this time) and then themed things for the kids.

No pressure... Remember it's suppose to be fun....

I told my daugther I was recruited to be a secret agent, and we had to leave something in the pockets of the FE without getting caught, the very first year we did the FE (she was 7yrs old) and she thought I was the "bestest" Mom......

be as creative or not as you want - just be comfortable!!!!!!!!!!!


And on a different note ........... I got the family cabana on the second leg of my cruise!!!!! I am NO longer disappointed but I am instead a very happy camper!!!

Glad you were able to get a cabana!

 

[dizneeat]

We are leaving for the US on the 9th, so I will need to have my gifts all done before then.

Thanks for all the advice - I'll stop worrying and just go with the flow! (Anyone else got that song stuck in their head now?!)

Karin - I've just been browsing the Disney food picture of the day thread and came across your photos of food on the Wonder - wow, it looks amazing. To say nothing of the drinks ...

I just checked the other cruise meet thread that I am subscribed to and they chose July 1st for their FE cut off date. So everyone will have ample time to get all the gifties done with no sweat.

So, I think I am now going to make July 15 the latest date to sign up for our FE exchange. Hope this is okay with everyone!

Lots of good food on the Disney ships! And BTW, Alison, I am in the middle of a trip report from that trip last summer - so if you want to check out our adventures on the Wonder, the link is in my signature.

And on a different note ........... I got the family cabana on the second leg of my cruise!!!!! I am NO longer disappointed but I am instead a very happy camper!!!

for scoring a cabana! We got one too!

 

[joius24]

Well....just tried to add my neice to our room and found out that it would cost me almost as much as I paid for the ENTIRE 3 day cruise for my son and I when I booked.
Thats how much the price gone up since I first booked... On the good side I saved lots of money booking so early...but I am bummed I can't afford to bring her with us for the three day leg.

Oh well ya win some ya lose some....

Got the FE stuff today for the leg I am participating in...just need to put them together ....

 

[conandrob240]

We had the same issue when in tried to add my mom. We paid around $1000 for 3 people - lowest category and it was $1000 to add my mom. A few weeks ago, we got lucky and we added her for $800 more but went up to a cat 4 so it worked out great!