Bound for Barcelona - April 10, 2010 EB TA - Part 4

[brack]

Is the ship a good place to purchase a Mickey Mouse watch? How about Downtown Disney?

Thanks

At DTD the main store gives a discount to AP and DVC members. If you are looking for a DCL Mickey then the ship is the place.

 

[JessicasMom]

When we go to Barcelona and want to ride the HOHO bus, do we pay for it when we get on the bus or should I buy my tickets on line? Sorry to be a pest but I can't figure this out?

Jennifer

I purchased our tickets online and the voucher states "This voucher will only be accepted on board the Barcelona Bus Turistic." You'll get a 10% discount by buying online (but I am not smart enough to figure out if it's worth it or not, with exchange rates and cc costs, if any, to factor in!). I'm assuming they changed their system to eliminate the "booth"....at least, I hope so.

FYI, I had literally just completed the transaction online when the phone rang with an automated verification call from Visa's fraud division. It's a good thing I was home at the time. I must remember to call them this week with our itinerary. Picked up Euros and Pounds today....it''s feeling more "real" every day!

Still haven't figured out what we're doing in Madeira, either. Planning for HOHO in Cadiz and Barcelona, an "official" cab tour in Gibraltar, but not sure what to plan for M. Guess I need to figure it out pretty soon! Not really interested in doing a Disney tour; we like to march to our own beat, I guess.

DH and I are playing the "In _ days, we'll be __" game and fantasizing about what we'll be eating (Yes, we've been dieting in anticipation and it's getting to us!). Today, a friend who cruises with DCL regularly was telling me how much she enjoys the restaurants and Castaway Cay buffets, saying (clearly without thinking), "You're not eating just regular port food on the island, it's Disney food!"

Sorry to hear about weather problems/flooding. Yesterday, our forecasted rain turned out to be 4" of the white stuff. Crazy surprise. Today, didn't even need a coat.

 

[cupcake]

With regards to the time change....has anyone thought to wake up super early one day and do the change all at once (or over 2 days) instead of little by little? I read recently that it's easier on your body if you take one night light on sleep rather than ticking away one hour each night.

Any advice on this??

We did the 2007 Eastbound TA. The hour a day thing was really tiring. After a few days, it hit us like a ton of bricks (and we were not alone, apparently the morning activities and breakfast were not, shall we say, very popular!). However, once we got to land and had to get up very early a few days in a row, we adjusted and everything was fine. We pondered this at length as the time change was easily the #1 thing we would do differently if given the chance, which luckily we are! After much thought, and based on the 2007 navigators/time change days, we decided there's no way to take it in one or even two bites and stay even roughly with ship time for dining, etc. We are thus going to consistently go to sleep at 11/11:30 (using DCL time, which shifts) and get up 8 or 9 hours later. We will adjust depending on the DCL schedule, and if we can manage to do it in bigger bites, we definitely will. Our tendency was to go to sleep/get up later and later as the time changes mounted up and then take naps. I cannot recommend it.

If anyone else has any ideas, do share! I suggest that you have some sort of plan, though, as the "Transatlantic Nap" idea suggested by DCL was not as efficacious as we would have liked.

Cynthia

 

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I must point out .....

it is time for the .....


Single Digit Dance to begin!

 

[realfam]

Ya that's what I was figuring. I can't believe how much stuff I need to get done in the next 8 days.

I read the same, I figured I would ask the desk about our bags when we checked in.

 

[brack]

We actually leave home in a week because of a conference in Orlando. We are attending the first two days and then being driven to the port .... picking our DS and DDIL up from the airport on the way.

Too much left to do.

 

[Donaldcp98]

I did download the form! Now to take the time to fill it out.

Well at least thats a baby step in the right direction....

 

[TheCruisers]

At DTD the main store gives a discount to AP and DVC members. If you are looking for a DCL Mickey then the ship is the place.

What is AP and DVC? (blush)

Thanks for all the comments regarding watches. Im just going to have to look at both places, and if necessary, buy two!

Calling all Hockey fans (NC Tink, Im thinking you ), my husband wants to know if there is any way he can get NHL play-off news and/or watch a game here and there while on board, now that the Ottawa Senators have secured their spot. Any ideas?

I ended up cancelling our 9:30 Parasailing excursion. My knee is acting up and Im not sure if I can manage it. Also, I thought better of surprise DS with it, and asked him if he wanted to go. After some thought, he said he was a bit scarey and he'd rather spend (MY) money on souvenirs.

Thanks!

 

[Donaldcp98]

What is AP and DVC? (blush)

No need to blush. With all the abbreviations on here it can be a bit overwhelming to understand what everyone is talking about. AP= Annual Passholder. DVC= Disney Vacation Club (timeshare) Hope this helps.

 

[brack]

What is AP and DVC? (blush)

No need to blush. With all the abbreviations on here it can be a bit overwhelming to understand what everyone is talking about. AP= Annual Passholder. DVC= Disney Vacation Club (timeshare) Hope this helps.

Thanks Donald ... I should have known better.

 

[KrisannB]

Ok purchase our Disneyland Paris tickets before the price went up on Friday (well when they take the discount away ) It is not cheap to go there - but then again neither is WDW - Our cost was $71 for a one day hopper for both parks.

I have 2 suitecases packed and ready to take - I still need to load my FE things for Groups 2 & 3 in to my FE bag and then that bg will be ready to go too!

I have been trying to decide between several things and last night I had a dream about it so that made up my mind - it is something a little different but I hope everyone will like it and it will come in handy. I just need to see if there are any repeat people in groups 2 and 3 - my group one gifts are already different from this.

Krisann

 

[dizmomof2]

I just need to see if there are any repeat people in groups 2 and 3 - my group one gifts are already different from this.

Krisann

It is just you and I that are in both groups. Don't worry about it at all, I'll already have two gifts from you (but thanks for the concern!)
Jen

 

[auntlynne]

Working on FE for both cruises - I'm in 2 groups of 12 cabins each - so why do I have 267 separate items ?

This is why I tell people never to ask me for advice on FE gifts - I simply go crazy when the shopping begins!


Brack - in the middle of doing taxes did you ever find the misplaced FE? You have left us hanging on that part of the story.

 

[auntlynne]

And I forgot that I did some more shopping the other day.

At least the stuff that is not one-time use or disposable is very small.

 

[scottjm]

I have just about decided to dump the Under Siege Disney tour in Gibraltar and go it on our own with taxi and bus. The buses sound good from what I read. Has anyone done something like that in Gibraltar before?

 

[brack]

Brack - in the middle of doing taxes did you ever find the misplaced FE? You have left us hanging on that part of the story.

No I didn't find it! I have to make a new one. I have an idea for not only us but our DS's room also.

 

[brack]

Working on my taxes and have done the calculations for my "Part year" Maryland state. Now to enter them into the PDF file to mail off.

I have also done most of the math work on my Federal taxes and need to plug in the numbers to see how they turn out.

 

[mackeymouse4eva]

I have just about decided to dump the Under Siege Disney tour in Gibraltar and go it on our own with taxi and bus. The buses sound good from what I read. Has anyone done something like that in Gibraltar before?

From what I can tell..the official taxi tours in Gibraltar cover the same things as the Disney tours...for much less per person. Also if there is an area that you want to explore further, you could go back or leave it as the drop off point at the end of your tour. The only thing that I have not seen much on is the World War II Tunnels, but it seems that some DISers have checked it out and are going in the afternoon on their own- we will probably do the same, after our "Official Rock Tour". It seems that Gibraltar may be the easiest port to cover on your own...and still see everything you want.


Hey ...you guys are Boy Scouts...shouldn't you be scaling The Rock...?!!!

 

[MikeAndNick]

I have just about decided to dump the Under Siege Disney tour in Gibraltar and go it on our own with taxi and bus. The buses sound good from what I read. Has anyone done something like that in Gibraltar before?

Scott, I am doing the same thing. I posted a question on on Trip Adviser and was told both the taxi and bus would be fine. Me and my son are going to do the bus and spend the time were we want to spend it. We kind of go on our own pace.. sometime fast ... sometime slow. If the link will stay on the post here is the link to my responses about going it on our own.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...54017-Cruise_Ship_to_Cable_Car-Gibraltar.html

 

[mackeymouse4eva]

Working on my taxes and have done the calculations for my "Part year" Maryland state. Now to enter them into the PDF file to mail off.

I have also done most of the math work on my Federal taxes and need to plug in the numbers to see how they turn out.

I am the BIGest procrastinator on my taxes...and I was hoping to have the $ before the trip , to pay a few bills, buy a few cocktails.. well as usual I waited and waited...finally last night I E-Filed at 2am...Thank goodness that is done!!!! I'm lucky also - the State refund will be here in 3 days and the Federal will be deposited on the 9th!!! I'm so excited and RELIEVED!


My next goal is to finish packing at least an hour before we have to leave for the airport...I'm usually leaving my house an hour+ later than I should, with about three extra bags - because I ran out of time and panic'd, and put in everything that wasn't nailed down


I always say "this time will be different".....hmmm we'll see what happens!!!