Christmas Cruise 2005!!!

[tiggerwannabe]

~Will do Franco~

Only 37 more days

 

[Aisling]

I started a thread about what to do NYE

Colleen, what a great thread! I hope it gets tons of responses.

I'va also been looking into the tours that include Blackbeard's Castle. I've read that St. Thomas was really big in the pirate days, a favorite island of theirs. I'd like to show my kids some of that history, and also the triangle trade plantations, but I'm not sure if St. Thomas was included. I'll be brushing up om my history preparing for this trip.

I've decided not to do the Anguilla Dolphin Swim. It's 7.5 hours long, and takes up too much time, making it impossible to see any of St. T or St. J. So, I've added Dolphin Cove to my next WDW trip (in my dreams, at this point, but someday!)

Just wondering, on excursions that do watercrafting or biking, where do you put your day bags? There's an eco-tour I'm looking into, where we all get on "personal watercraft", so what do I do with my backpack? I planned on carrying towels, water, etc.
Thanks for any ideas!

 

[trinibjill]

Aisling - Hi


On the excursions we went on - water was available & they supplied towels. When we went on tha kayaking on Castaway Cay we left our stuff on a picnic table & one of the guides stayed with it. Also, on the kayak there was a storage-waterproof area.

On the Catamaran & snorkling again plenty of water & towels were provided. Very roomy plus if you wanted other beverages they were available.

On DCL they sold a cruise line water proof bag that was great to put the camera, personal items & water bottle. We usually put snacks in the bag, also. It was very handy & not bulky at all.

Jill

 

[tiggerwannabe]

If I buy myself one thing on this cruise, it'll be one of those DCL waterproof backpack things

Aisling: Do you mean Discovery Cove? I highly recommend it...hubby and I went without kids the inaugural year with another couple. I have plans in my head to take our DS & DD in the future. That'll be our next trip, most likely in late 2006. Bonus is hubby's aunt lives near Orlando in Melbourne Beach, so accomodations won't be an issue.

If you had to choose one activity for NYE, which would it be:

1)NYE Fireworks Cruise

2)Watch Fireworks from a hotel area, i.e., swolphin bridge, boardwalk, sog garage roof

3)NYE in a (most likely) very crowded park

 

[Aisling]

Jill and Colleen,

LOL yes I meant Discovery Cove! And to further prove how mixed up I'm getting with all the excursion info, I mistakenly thought the Anguilla Dolphin Swim was a part of the St. Thomas port-of-call, when it's really part of the St. Maarten port-of-call! Anyway, I have over 400 days to get it all straightened out. Oh wait, excursions are booked 90 days out, so I have...well lots of time LOL!

Jill, I had no idea DCL sold a waterproof bag, which I'm surely going to buy. It'll be so useful, and also make a nice souvenir.

For NYE, I'd choose the Fireworks Cruise, but don't they only hold 12 people?

The Boardwalk area sounds great, too. I've never been to SOG...is it to the right of MK?

I'd love to be right in front of the MK castle at the stroke of midnight, but I don't know if I want to take the chance of being in wall-to-wall people all day. I've read they close the park early that day, so we'd have to get there early and stay there all day up to midnight. Not too appealing.

Was I much help? LOL It's hard to decide!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Majestic gave away some of those same bags at the last DISmeet as gifts, they are very nice. No, I didn't win one, but I did come home with a huge castle pin, a mickey antenna topper, a WDW Trvivia book and an ice tray. My niece won a music box of the castle with a moving monorail riding aroun it...so cool!

Yes, the cruise is on a pontoon boat that hold 12-and that is only if you have 8 adults and 4 kids. If it's all adults it only holds 10. The cruise normally costs $120 for the trip, but it may be more $$ because of the occasion...

MK could be an option as long as we get to the park early, as resort guests we have a better chance of getting in. They'll stop outsiders before they'll stop resort guests.

If not, good company (anywhere in WDW) could be a good time!
ya think?

SOG is nearest to the polynesian going away from MK. The golf courses are on that same side.

Gotta go, goodnight all!

 

[Franco56]

During your cruises has anybody tried the gambling at Atlantis or anywhere else? Is it up to par on what we have in the USA? Thats what we are doing for Thanksgiving this year. We are heading up to Foxwoods for a day and a half. Taking the boys also. We would not take them, but they just opened a huge Arcade there so along with the pool and eating they will busy also. But, what about the ports? Any info? Thank you kindly.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Mom showed me last night that Cirque de Soleil does a *special new years eve show. This years' cost is $105 per person, but they offer quite a few extra souvies-anyone interested in that?

*details are on disneyworld.com special events page.

Franco: my boss has been to the Atlantis, but alas did not gamble there. Maybe someone else here knows?

 

[grimgrinnin]

Originally posted by tiggerwannabe


If you had to choose one activity for NYE, which would it be:

1)NYE Fireworks Cruise

2)Watch Fireworks from a hotel area, i.e., swolphin bridge, boardwalk, sog garage roof

3)NYE in a (most likely) very crowded park

I pick 1!

We did the fireworks cruise (Illuminations) for the 4th of July this year. We skipped the parks all together that day and just did the cruise. Be forwarned: They will jack the price up for this cruise. It's normally $120 for up to 12 people. For holidays, they only offer the 'top of the line' cruise, which is $350 for the first 4 people, and $50 per person after the first 4. A cruise for 12 would cost $750!!! We only had 4 people.

The cruise includes catering and beer/wine/soft drinks.

The experience was well worth it. We felt like celebrities drinking our wine with a completely unobstructed view of Illuminations, while hundreds of people smashed, pushed and shoved each other above us on the bridge. You could hear people mutter 'Who are THEY?'.

When the show was over - no crowds - just a nice cruise back to the doc.

Don't think I'd spend $750 for the privledge, however...


grim

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Wow! $750!!!

I was sure the cost would be higher but, Wow!

 

[Aisling]

It looks like the fireworks cruise is out of my budget, but we still have a while to decide what to do for NYE.

My change jar is really filling up. I'm using a water cooler jug, and put all my loose single bills in at the end of the day, along with change. Saving for this cruise has made me realize how much money we waste on a daily basis, on things we don't need or even really want. I'm really cutting back without depriving my family of anything. The biggest pain in the neck as far as expenses goes is gas for our 3 cars. Gas here in NYC is $2.15 a gallon, and I drive a Dodge Caravan, so I spend a lot more on gas per week than I used to. I think I'll start using my son's little Neon while he's in school, since my Caravan is a gas guzzler, and Chad's car has much better milage.
Also, we've been paying $800 a month for car insurance (this is with NO ACCIDENTS and defensive driving certificates!!), and I finagled Geico to get it down to $700. Car insurance is a killer with a teenager, but next year it'll go down, since he'll be a 3-year driver, and will be officially "experienced" on the policy.

Anyway, don't forget to vote.
And I hope you all had a fun Halloween!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Would you (plural-meaning anyone) consider going to a Cirque show for NYE?
It's cheaper than a fireworks cruise, fits more people and we could hang out in DTD & see fireworks there after the show.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...?id=CirqueduSoleilNewYearsEveSpecialEventPage

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Aisling: How dare I complain about insurance. I only pay aboout $1900 a year for our 3 cars.

I agree about the wasted change-I think I'm frugal only because I save my change for our trips. We have 3 change jars spread throughout the house. Last disney trip my change paid for the hotel stay on the trip down. When we went to NC, it covered our gas expense. We're still collecting for next months trip. I'll probably have enough to pay for the hotel room in SC, again.

Hey Mom! Like my new avatar?!

 

[trinibjill]

Disney gives a whole new meaning to words. Avatar was one of the words in readers digest word power this month - along with discombobulate, persnickety, flibbertigibbet & kerfuffle. ( I'm not making this up). Good picture.

Wow Aisling - I pay $800 a year for insurance. I think I'd have to give up driving if I paid that much a month. You must be rich.

Saving the change. Yes, it's a good thing. Every day I am putting change into the "METER".. I have a change bank the size & shape of a parking meter.

Jill

 

[Aisling]

Would you (plural-meaning anyone) consider going to a Cirque show for NYE?

I think this is a great idea.

 

[grimgrinnin]

Originally posted by tiggerwannabe
Would you (plural-meaning anyone) consider going to a Cirque show for NYE?

Sounds good to me!


grim

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I just called Cirque about booking seats for next years' show.
The NYE show books when it's announced, about 60 days ahead.

~Keep saving that change people, I'll start making a list~

Tiggerwannabe/trinibjill=4
Aisling=4
grimgrinnin=2

Anyone else?

 

[Franco56]

Ladies, I think my famly will pass on that for NYE. I don't know why, but that kind of show leaves us cold. But you ladies sound like you know what you like and maybe we will see you before or after the show.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Franco: I still have my note to see what SOG Garage offers for fireworks views. Maybe we could meet there? The swolphin Bridge also seems like a good place for us to watch fireworks together.

Who all here would consider meeting for fireworks?

~We could do both if we go to the 6pm Cirque show. It'll be over way before midnight~

 

[trinibjill]

HI
Franco, I was wondering where you were; especially since you started this thread. Sorry to hear you don't care for cirque de solei. I saw the show at Disney in 1999. At first I didn't want to go. I talked myself into it & really enjoyed it. It wasn't what I even imagined it would be.

Colleen, the SOG garage might be a good idea. I think I'd rather do that than PI. By the way, the e-mail on the animals was cute.

Jill