The information I posted at the beginning was from a newsletter sent by
Dreams Unlimited. Here is the whole news letter:
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Subject:
Dreams Cruise News - May Edition
Date:
Fri, 16 May 2003 11:59:13 -0400
Hi everyone!
THIS JUST IN!!
The latest news from
Disney Cruise Line confirms the rumors that we have been hearing. While in drydock, the Disney Magic will undergo the following transformations:
- ESPN Club will become the Teen Club
- Common Grounds will become a gourmet coffeehouse
- Off Beat (formerly Dueling Piano bar) will become a Cheers-type sports bar
Also of note, Rockin' Bar D will be non-smoking until 9 pm every night
BBO Code
Just wanted to start off with some news of a postcard code that some of you may have heard about, the BBO (or Bounce Back Offer). This promotion is for select guests who visited a Walt Disney World
resort earlier this year and were mailed a postcard with this code on it. It is NOT for the general public as some websites may have suggested, sorry. If you received a postcard with this offer, e-mail me and
let me know the resort you stayed at and your travel dates.
TRANSFERS
When I was making plans for my next cruise, I was booking
FL Tours to pick us up and did some calculating of the cost of using a Towncar versus the
Disney Cruise Line motorcoach transportation. I was
very surprised at some of the savings. For my family of 4,
DCL transfers would total $196.00 (4 @ $49 each). Using the coupon found here
http://www.fltours.com/specials.htm#20 and getting $10 off the
price of the towncar with the coupon, it is only $150.00!!! We get personalized service in a comfortable towncar and we are saving money!!
Personally, I use the towncar because I don't like having to wait for the bus to fill up (both going to and from the Port), the kids get a kick out of seeing our name on the card held by the driver situated at the
bottom of the escalator on the way to Baggage Claim, we can do a grocery stop on the way to the Port if requested ahead of time, the drivers are personable and very courteous and the price is right! Saving
money is a bonus though! For more information on FL Tours, check out this page of the DIS
http://www.wdwinfo.com/transportation/transportation1.htm
Pin Trading on the Disney Cruise
Pin trading has become a phenomenon at the Walt Disney World Resort that has continued over to the Disney Cruise Line. Pin trading officially started at the Walt Disney World Resort in October of 1999 at
the kick-off of the Millennium Celebration. While the idea of collecting and trading pins has been around for many years, especially among Olympic Fans, Disney brought
this to a new level of guest/cast member and guest/guest interaction with it's own brand of Disney enthusiasm.
How pin trading works is any guest can trade any Disney pin (it must say Disney on the back) with any Cast Member (Disney employee wearing a nametag) that has pins around his/her neck on a lanyard (a
black strap of fabric).
Cast Members must trade you one pin for one pin as long as they do not already have the same pin on their lanyard. You can purchase pins and/or lanyards in almost any store at Walt Disney World,
Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line and your local
Disney store. Any pin you purchase at any of these locations will be fine for pin trading on the cruise.
Here is a tip: go to your local Disney Store before your cruise and buy some pins for trading. Many times these pins are cheaper than the ones you can buy at Walt Disney World or on the ship, and recently
there have been some great sales on pins at the Disney Store.
Guests can also trade with other guests. Many guests who trade pins are collectors and most likely have some older pins, or pins that mean a great deal to them. They may also be looking for specific pins
that may be more
difficult to get than what you have to trade. Remember, other guests do not have to trade their pins and sometimes they may even ask for more than one pin for one of theirs.
Pin trading on the cruise works exactly the same way it does at WDW. You will see cast members onboard wearing lanyards who will be happy to trade pins with you. Every evening at about 7:00PM (check
your navigator for exact times and locations) Disney Cruise line has a pin trading session in the lobby. A cast member will arrive with a cart filled with pins for sale.
He/she will also be wearing a lanyard with pins to trade, as well as have a 'pin book' from which you can trade. A special Disney Cruise Line Exclusive pin will be on sale that day and guests are encouraged
to bring their pins to trade with other guests.
There are many great pins available on the cruise that you cannot find any where else and these make some 'traders' when you get to Walt Disney World.
One word of advice when trading/collecting pins, collect what you like. Many people collect pins with one particular character on them and some people collect one 'type' of pin, like Disney Cruise Line pins.
Picking
something specific and sticking with it will make it easier to start a collection and more fun when you find that one pin you don't have. You might hear stories of pins selling for a lot of money on Ebay or pins
being worth a lot - please don't think pins are going to pay for your child's
college fund. It's a fun hobby that will provide you with a lot of great memories and some cool souvenirs when you return home.
Trading pins is also a great way to interact with Cast Members and other traders. Pin traders may sometimes look intimidating but they are usually very friendly and enjoy talking with people and talking about
their pins.
So while your on your cruise look for pins you like and have fun - after all that's what the cruise is all about.
