Christmas cruise 2010

[amystevekai&bump]

Amy - we will also be doing the Trolley. Do you have a link to book that online? I am curious where the stops are? I think in Cozumel we are leaning towards a beach day and in Grand Cayman probably the turtle farm, but yes, we plan to do all the bookings directly since they are either cheaper or a little less.

And we bit the bullet and upgraded from a 9 to a 4 so we are excited!!

working on the magnets and my FE ideas!

Sarah

Congrats on your upgrade!

Here is the site. I never book online, I usually just get the trolley once we get to KW. Maybe Amy has different info for you. Until then, try this...

http://www.trolleytours.com/key-west/

Hi - no that is the same website that I would have given Sarah I am going to book mine online and then just print the tickets - its one more thing I can pay for in advance and less money that I have to pay out when I get there!!

I am planning on booking and paying for as much up front as I can this vacation - we are away for nearly a month, and I don't want a huge visa bill to come back to after the trip!!

I have just ordered a fish extender from a really nice lady on ebay - I am useless at sewing and hers are beautiful. This is my first time doing a fish extender so I haven't got a clue what gifts to bring??

Do we buy presents for just the children, or for both adults and children or just a general family gift?? And I have heard a few people talk about a goody bag per family - do we do that instead?? (as you see I really am clueless)

And finally, it has been so long since this thread started - do we know how many people are participating and if so, where do I find this information??

I am now in full planning mode, I am this week trying to get all my family's christmas lists from them as I want to have bought and wrapped all their presents by the end of October. I also need to have sorted my two boys' gifts and wrapped their toys. Then November will be devoted to fish extender gifts and vacation planning, I then have 10 days in December to visit all the relatives and do christmassy things with them before we leave for WDW on Dec 11th!! phew - I am exhausted just typing it all, but very excited!!

 

[ladypirate]

we booked our Palo dinner for the 26th and we booked our excursion in Cozumel - Mayan Ruins and Discover Mexico. for Key West, GC and CC, we are either booking direct or at CC, not doing anything but relax. Gosh i hope the weather is going to be good.

I'd like to start a tally of who is going to be participating in the FE exchange? I know we are. and my sister in law will be too. If you are going to participate, please respond and i'll start a tally and include your cabin number (if you know it already), and number of people and ages of kids. Our FE will be just our kids. Something like this:

Deer cabin 8026 - Maggie age 7, Olivia age 5

Sarah

 

[amystevekai&bump]

we booked our Palo dinner for the 26th and we booked our excursion in Cozumel - Mayan Ruins and Discover Mexico. for Key West, GC and CC, we are either booking direct or at CC, not doing anything but relax. Gosh i hope the weather is going to be good.

I'd like to start a tally of who is going to be participating in the FE exchange? I know we are. and my sister in law will be too. If you are going to participate, please respond and i'll start a tally and include your cabin number (if you know it already), and number of people and ages of kids. Our FE will be just our kids. Something like this:

Deer cabin 8026 - Maggie age 7, Olivia age 5

Sarah

HI Sarah

We've booked the stingrays at Castaway Cay for DH and our eldest son, Kai and we have booked the 7 mile beach break at Grand Cayman. I was about to book the Key West hop on & off trolley tour directly (as the DCL version doesn't allow you to get on and off and direct is a lot cheaper!) but I noticed they had a children go free offer until the end of sept., so I thought I'd wait to see if they extend the promotion before I book it!

We would love to participate in the fish extender (infact I have a lady making me one as we speak!!). There are four of us in cabin 6616 - Me - Amy, DH - Steve, DS6 - Kai & DS3 - Lucas!!

Thanks so much for sorting this - its all getting very exciting now!!

 

[Pixiedustdawn]

I will not be participating in the FE. I found it to be a lot of work this past summer and it took too much time away from us just relaxing and taking it easy. Besides all the extra packing I needed to do.

If we are going to have a meet in the lounge, I would love to participate, and would love to meet everyone.

 

[artman]

We are still going (Artie, Claudia and Owen 10), now paid in full. My parents have decided to tag along as well.

We are going to have to pass on the FE, we are trying to streamline our luggage (much to my wife's dismay) and will need every square inch.

Does anyone know what nights will be pirate and formal night?

 

[ShannonR]

Hi everybody!! I just got back from my week long conference trip to Vegas and I am so glad to be back!!! Vegas is a very loud, bright, and exhausting city but I got lots of pretty pictures Hahahaha

I regret to say that we will not be participating in the FE exchange either. I also feel that it takes up way too much time and takes away from family time so we will pass this time around. I would love to have a meet and greet and on the last Christmas cruise, we combined it with an ornament exchange which was really nice. It's just an idea but it's way more relaxing than running around trying to find peoples staterooms and leave FE gifts. That was exhausting for both me and the kids. We also did a "secret santa" gift exchange on Christmas Eve Maybe because we did SO MUCH and so many activities with our DIS group on the last cruise that I got burned out and just want to relax on this one.

We booked our excursions and I am excited about what we have chosen to do. We are going on the pirate ship in Grand Cayman, the thrill boat in Cozumel and then parasailing on Castaway Cay.

I went straight to work the first night I got back from Vegas and have been working every night since. I can't wait until my next day off so I can start packing...I want to take inventory of what I have and what I still need to get

I hope everyone enjoys what is left of the weekend!!
Shannon

 

[Pixiedustdawn]

Hi Shannon,

I agree about the FE being exhausting and a lot of work.

We have done the pirate ship in the Caymans and enjoyed it very much. It was a lot of fun walking the plank.

Hope you get to relax before you have to pack again.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I'm actually getting quite sad about this now! I have ordered my first ever Fish Extender and I was so excited to be able to do this on the Christmas cruise for my two children as I thought it would really add to the magic for them - but it doesn't look like anyone is going to be doing it - is that right??

I am far more interested in the Fish Extender than doing any other type of exchange.

 

[RatherBeWithMickey]

I'm actually getting quite sad about this now! I have ordered my first ever Fish Extender and I was so excited to be able to do this on the Christmas cruise for my two children as I thought it would really add to the magic for them - but it doesn't look like anyone is going to be doing it - is that right??

I am far more interested in the Fish Extender than doing any other type of exchange.

Me, too. I haven't really weighed in again on the subject, as I was waiting to see what others had to say. I was also excited about doing our first FE, especially for the holidays. My DS is 21, so a kids only exchange would leave me out. And since my family is not big on "social events", I would either have to attend a meet by myself, or not go at all. At least with a FE, we could spend time together distributing gifts and Christmas cheer. My only concern was keeping the groups small enough to make it a little more manageable for all involved. Doesn't seem like that would be a problem here, with so little interest being expressed to date. Guess we'll see if anyone else on the cruise checks in. If not, Amy, I have an idea or two to run by you.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Me, too. I haven't really weighed in again on the subject, as I was waiting to see what others had to say. I was also excited about doing our first FE, especially for the holidays. My DS is 21, so a kids only exchange would leave me out. And since my family is not big on "social events", I would either have to attend a meet by myself, or not go at all. At least with a FE, we could spend time together distributing gifts and Christmas cheer. My only concern was keeping the groups small enough to make it a little more manageable for all involved. Doesn't seem like that would be a problem here, with so little interest being expressed to date. Guess we'll see if anyone else on the cruise checks in. If not, Amy, I have an idea or two to run by you.

Hi Mindy!! I think we could definitely do it- It would be great if there ends up being more people, but even if it ends up being our two families and Sarah's then I am happy to do a couple of 'drop offs' for each family (that is still less than I was expecting/hoping to do!!) and then at least even with just a few of us doing it, we would still probably end up with a little something each day - how does that sound??

I agree that my DH won't really be up for too much socialising - I think as it is our first (and probably only) christmas with just the 4 of us, he is hoping to make it a really special family time, which probably rules out too many DIS meets!!!

I do hope more people join in - but even if there are just a few of us, it would be great if we could somehow make the fish extender work - I think it sounds great fun and I know my boys will love it!!

 

[RatherBeWithMickey]

Hi Mindy!! I think we could definitely do it- It would be great if there ends up being more people, but even if it ends up being our two families and Sarah's then I am happy to do a couple of 'drop offs' for each family (that is still less than I was expecting/hoping to do!!) and then at least even with just a few of us doing it, we would still probably end up with a little something each day - how does that sound??

I agree that my DH won't really be up for too much socialising - I think as it is our first (and probably only) christmas with just the 4 of us, he is hoping to make it a really special family time, which probably rules out too many DIS meets!!!

I do hope more people join in - but even if there are just a few of us, it would be great if we could somehow make the fish extender work - I think it sounds great fun and I know my boys will love it!!

Works for me . Talk to you soon!
Mindy

 

[Pixiedustdawn]

Does anyone know if the weather is going to be very hot, hot, warm, or iffy this time of year?

 

[lh1217]

Hi,

We will be on this cruise too! Cruising with me is my DH and our DD and her husband. This is our second Disney cruise, but our first Christmas cruise. We were on the Wonder for a three night cruise last year right after Christmas and enjoyed it so much we decided to go back again. I do agree , prices are very high at Christmas, but we are looking forward to celebrating the holiday Disney style...should be fun!!!

Lisa

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Hi everyone - and Welcome Lisa!!

Not long to go now!!!

I now only have 5 weeks and 1 day left until we leave for London and our flight to Orlando on Sat 11th Dec!!!

So..... I was wondering who else (beside Mindy and us) are participating in the Fish Extender exchange?? As I really need to get myself sorted on the gift and packing front - I thought going away for Christmas was easy, and I am sure it will be once we finally get there - but the organisation of it all beforehand is quite stressful (and a bit exciting too!!)

Hopefully hear from you all soon!!

 

[RatherBeWithMickey]

We are still going (Artie, Claudia and Owen 10), now paid in full. My parents have decided to tag along as well.

We are going to have to pass on the FE, we are trying to streamline our luggage (much to my wife's dismay) and will need every square inch.

Does anyone know what nights will be pirate and formal night?

When I last spoke with the Concierge desk, they told me Christmas would be our formal night, pirate night is on the 27th (Cozumel), and semi-formal night will be the 28th (sea day). This is all subject to change, if weather conditions force a change in our itinerary, etc., but that's how it works out thus far. Hope this helps!
Mindy

 

[RatherBeWithMickey]

Hi,

We will be on this cruise too! Cruising with me is my DH and our DD and her husband. This is our second Disney cruise, but our first Christmas cruise. We were on the Wonder for a three night cruise last year right after Christmas and enjoyed it so much we decided to go back again. I do agree , prices are very high at Christmas, but we are looking forward to celebrating the holiday Disney style...should be fun!!!

Lisa

Welcome Lisa! I haven't checked in here in a while, or I would have said hello earlier. We're all looking forward to celebrating with the Mouse, too! We've been on several Disney cruises, but never for the holidays, so I'm beyond excited.

Mindy

 

[mikash]

Hi, I am lookinf to see if there is going to be a fish extender on the 7 night X-mas cruise on the Disney Wonder. We just learned about this and would really like to take part.



Thanks Mikash

 

[mikash]

we booked our Palo dinner for the 26th and we booked our excursion in Cozumel - Mayan Ruins and Discover Mexico. for Key West, GC and CC, we are either booking direct or at CC, not doing anything but relax. Gosh i hope the weather is going to be good.

I'd like to start a tally of who is going to be participating in the FE exchange? I know we are. and my sister in law will be too. If you are going to participate, please respond and i'll start a tally and include your cabin number (if you know it already), and number of people and ages of kids. Our FE will be just our kids. Something like this:

Deer cabin 8026 - Maggie age 7, Olivia age 5

Sarah

Hi, We would like to take part in the Fish Extender we have never done this before but our friends told us how much fun it is to do. It is just my husband and me we do not have kids but love disney.

Mika's cabin 6578

Thanks Shelley

 

[mikash]

 

[Pixiedustdawn]

Welcome to all the newcomers!

I do believe a small group is forming for the FE's. I am sure Amy and Mindy will be very happy to see you want to join.

Cooler weather is moving into the Northeastern part of the country now, so it is wonderful to think about our Holiday cruise in the warm temps!