DCL Party Planning Thread (combined threads)

["Got Disney"]

Ok - so - my DVD skips!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY sat down to watch it, and it skips, then plays, then skips again - so, NOT happy with this!

Oh, well, what I can see of it is pretty cute -but, the skipping is quite annoying... I guess I'll play it anyway....

Laurie

Wonder why some of thema re doing that didnt they check to be sure they are all okay do they check that before sending them this is why they should have had our stuff to us as planned 2 weeks ago so if any snaffos we could request another.

I hope mine does not do that. I am so frustrated as it is with the company that put all this stuff together. I just made out my booze and food list for today

I am making

Cheese fondue with Ham, steak, hot dogs wrapped in pastry, apples, broccoli, tomatoes, breads, mushrooms, cauliflower, potatoes

Choc. Fondue- pears, Strawberries, marshmallows, cakes, Graham crackers, pineapple, bananas, apples, pretzels, rice crispy treats

Salad
finger sandwiches- Roast beef, Turkey
Crab dip recipe from here
Melon fruit soup
Rum cake
Shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce and cucumber salsa
Chips and onion dip
popcorn

Wine that goes good with cheese and choc.
Konk koolers
Strawberry Martinis, and Berry fusion Martinis
Soda

We have no liquor in the house except for Brandy so the Alcohol will cost us. By the time we get to the coloring contest no one will be able to see the pages my kids will be judging the picture....they will be upstairs and remember this is a all girls party...DH is our designated driver

By the way UPS has not come back yet I have such anticipation because not sure whats going to be in there at this rate ...or if my box is in one piece

 

[SILLYANDI]

The cake looks AWESOME! Wonder how it tastes? Aren't you even tempted to cut into it?? LOL I would be!!

Laurie

Your cake looks so yummy. I think I'm flying to your house instead!

 

[SILLYANDI]

I hate to do this, We are all finally in positive party mode but I cant keep my mouth shut!
I went to the Disney Warehouse Store to see if I could find some filler for the gift bags (I know I swore I wouldn't but I broke down and did!). Anyway, I saw most of the stuff that came in our boxes there and you don't want to know the prices. I wasn't in this for the $$ amount or anything I just felt slapped in the face again because we got leftovers from past year's stock that is now available to the general public at HUGE discounts. The comment from the Disney Exec. about the packages being late because of the production of DCL specific items for the box was a laugh. They were late with the PROMOTIONAL DVD-not hand selecting special items for us.
The up side is-anyone who got the Minnie and would like a matching Mickey- you can get them for under $10.

 

[AKmickeymoose]

My package came Thursday and I was a bit disappointed, not for myself, but for my guests. I am glad that I was making mine more of a get-together than a promotional thing. I would be embarrased--I keep bragging about how superior Disney Cruises are to others.

I did not receive the area posters, did get a tinkerbell photo album and my plush was a Minnie. I have all boys, so I was not tempted to keep these, but as a prize for guests, what about them would make people think "Disney Cruise"? They price tags were still on the Goofy ears, and for what they say those cost, I too would rather have had a few cute keychains or things that more people could have to remind them of how fun Disney is, if not make them want to go on a cruises.

I am not going to use the activity sheets they sent (peter pan, Ratatouille, cinderella), but instead will copy pages from a Pirates of the C. coloring book I bought IN DISNEY WORLD! (hint-hint, Disney)

I too felt that the party items did NOT reflect Disney's attention to detail--in fact the Peter Pan items and ads are the exact opposite of what I consider Disney. They did not have to be Cruise-specific items, but I think Disney is not being honest if they do not admit that their goal of these parties was to get us to "SELL" our friends on Disney Cruises. They just could have helped us do that. When I promote and event, I do not advertise OTHER events to get people to come--did they even use a PR person? And not having time is not an acceptable excuse. They are professionals. We are trying to convince people to spend a substantial amount of money to cruise--not watch a tv show or try Hillshire Farms. As I have stated before, a $50 credit for a few guests is not enough to convince someone to spend $500+ on a cruise, but it is a helpful "carrot" to dangle for encouragement.

***AND ABOUT THE KIDS VIDEO***

I WAS APPALLED! The very first thing on the movie was how to try to get onto the ship by bribing with money, lying and deceiving people!! I am not stupid and realize that it is all in fun, but I do not recall a Disney MOVIE that promotes those values!! And the host continues to lie to do the things he wants on the ship. I am not sure how he got a room, either, since he wasn't actually booked on that cruise--maybe it was while the room was being cleaned! My kids are no saints, but they picked up on the lying and deceiving the guy was doing! He was funny--and the professional clips that they cut in were nice ones that I recognized, but I was really shocked. And I would shudder to have my paranoid sister-in-law see it that DVD--she might think any trickster could get on the ship (he does not get kicked off the ship until AFTER the cruise)! I acknowledge that we are a small market of 1000 and they did not want to spend money, but at least show HONESTY!!

Again, I complain not for me but for what they wanted us to show our guests. Quality.

 

[SILLYANDI]

Know it's too late for party purposes, but I got two of the underwater posters and would love to swap a MM one to frame and put in the house.
Thanks!
Oh, I guess just pm me or if it's full (I haven't deleted lately) email me at george@ebicom.net

Melanie

I e-mailed you-I got 2 of the Mickey/Minnie ones!

 

[DVCLaurie05]

Hey all -

I just got my email confirmation for my sweepstakes - just so you know - be on the lookout for yours!!

Laurie

 

[InstImpres]

Check your emails for the cruise sweepstakes confirmation, I just got mine!!!!

 

[SILLYANDI]

Got Mine! YAY good news again.

 

[Luckymomoftwo]

Debbie - they are GREAT! Everyone's things are turning out awesome! I have to get busy on that baking! LOL I am making these 'no pudge' brownies - (doing weight watchers - have to lose before the cruise! LOL) - anyway, if I don't ice them, do you think I could just put mickey's on the tops, w/the the vanilla? Maybe do Mickey in white??

I think that would look neat, too...just the brownies w/ no icing and adding Mickey's in white!!! Be sure to post a picture of them so we can see!!

I haven't been so good as far as the weight loss goes...maybe after this weekend I'll be more motivated!!!

 

[skylynx]

We are having our party tonight because I have to work tomorrow. I just made my cruise director shirt using the transfer. To my surprise, it actually came out fine. I don't have much hope for its shelf life once it hits the washer and dryer, but at least the whole transfer ironed on.

I set the main dining table with a Mexican blanket and sombrero from a Cozumel cruise, metal Corona buckets which will be full of ice and Coronas and lime when the guests arrive. On our first cruise using Dreams Unlimited they had fabulous DCL decorations left in our stateroom, so they've now become part of the decor. There's pina colada mix ready to go by the blender. On the coffee table in the living room I've placed some photo albums and the DCL souvenir plush ship with four character beanies along with the Castaway Club flags we got last year. 12 year old DH has the Oceaneer's Lab poster on his door. Even the two golden retrievers will be sporting pirate bandanas.

We're having a fruit tray, cheese tray, chips, salsa, Dino Bites, bagel pizzas and pigs in blankets plus a coffee cake for dessert. Wish I'd had time to bake more homemade things, but we literally just came back from WDW and had to clean the house after work.

Good luck to everyone...let the partying begin!

 

[Im_A_Princess]

I hate to do this, We are all finally in positive party mode but I cant keep my mouth shut!
I went to the Disney Warehouse Store to see if I could find some filler for the gift bags (I know I swore I wouldn't but I broke down and did!). Anyway, I saw most of the stuff that came in our boxes there and you don't want to know the prices. I wasn't in this for the $$ amount or anything I just felt slapped in the face again because we got leftovers from past year's stock that is now available to the general public at HUGE discounts. The comment from the Disney Exec. about the packages being late because of the production of DCL specific items for the box was a laugh. They were late with the PROMOTIONAL DVD-not hand selecting special items for us.
The up side is-anyone who got the Minnie and would like a matching Mickey- you can get them for under $10.

That is just SAD!

What happened to "the Disney Difference"?

 

[Mi3stooges]

We are having our party tonight because I have to work tomorrow. I just made my cruise director shirt using the transfer. To my surprise, it actually came out fine. I don't have much hope for its shelf life once it hits the washer and dryer, but at least the whole transfer ironed on.

QUOTE]

Wash it inside out, it should help!!

 

[barney4liz]

Ok - so - my DVD skips!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY sat down to watch it, and it skips, then plays, then skips again - so, NOT happy with this!

Oh, well, what I can see of it is pretty cute -but, the skipping is quite annoying... I guess I'll play it anyway....

Laurie

Someone previously suggested playing it on a computer -- it might not be compatible with all DVD players. Have you tried that? I haven't played mine yet -- that's on the agenda tonight. I think we can play it on DD's Wii, which we are also using for our photo CD.

 

[barney4liz]

Got the sweepstakes confirmation! Good luck everyone!

Any news on the guest sweepstakes?

 

[Tikihula]

Our Partyhttp://www.houseparty.com/party/43744

OK everyone! Listen up (please)

Did Disney mess up on the quantity of gifts? ...Yes
Did they really mess up with the OBC restrictions (now fixed due to comments they received)? ...Yes
Will Disney do better next time and learn from this? ...Yes

Disney is a mass marketing machine. No one does marketing better than the Disney Company. Their mistake was in the subcontracting of the House Party to a Non-Disney fanatic who does not know the attention to details that we have come to expect from Disney (like the free-floating napkins in the box).


But...
One of the things they REALLY did right was trusting us to hold their parties!

We ARE Disney Cruise Line Fans. I don't think there is anyone signed up for the parties that does not LOVE DCL. We share our love all the time without a party.
WE can make the party a HUGE success.
We know Disney's attention to details and in customer service.

Everyone here, I believe, wants to host a party to show their love of DCL to others. It was not about host gifts or guest gifts at all. Although enough guest gifts would have been really nice

I am off to the party stores and grocery store to get ready for tomorrow.

HAVE A GREAT PARTY EVERYONE!

This is gonna be FUN!!!!!

Remember: RELAX!

PS- Not sure if this was mentioned before as an idea for the party but.. I am going to put together all of our past Navagators (in order by month, year,...) in a big spiral notebook so that guests can flip though it at their leisure to see all the kids activities, information, movies, late night activities for adults, ...

Thanks for the common sense reminder that we're doing this for fun and for the love of Disney. We didn't have to spend hundreds of dollars on food and trinkets and prizes and decorations. We could be having a very simple party with a few snacks and just our friends over to discuss the Disney Cruise Line. I think some folks are getting carried away and stressing themselves out worrying about all this and trying to do too much. Let's take the lemons we have and make some lemonade out of them and have wonderful parties! And good luck to all you hosts - I hope at least one of the cruise winners is a DISer!

 

[carole88]

I finally got my box. It actually came yesterday but I didn't see it. The UPS person hid it pretty good! I got pretty much the same things everybody else got. So glad we can use the OBC for sailings we already booked. I also got my email confirmation for the sweepstakes.

Today I made the orange rum cake that was posted on here. I also have a decorative bundt pan that I had never used before. The cake came out fantastic! It is so pretty. Thanks for posting the recipe. I wouldn't have made it otherwise. I also made coconut shrimp today for the first time. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. They also came out great! I'm pretty proud of myself right now! My oldest DD is dying to eat them, but she will have to wait till tomorrow.

As for the rest of the food, we are having:

chips, dips & salsa
cheese platter
assorted hors 'doeuvres
shrimp cocktail
caprese salad
confetti rice
mango & pineapple salsa
caribbean spiced ribs
jerk chicken
meatballs (grape jelly & chili sauce)
asparagus pizza
hot dogs
fruit platter
ice cream bar
chocolate trifle (also from allrecipes.com - to die for!)

I might also make some chocolate chip cookies. Have to see how the time goes. Tonight I have to take my DD to a high school that she will be auditioning for next month. They are having an open house to let us know about the audition process. I wish it wasn't tonight, but will just have to make do.

Hope everybody elses party plans are going well!

 

[allears]

Thanks for the common sense reminder that we're doing this for fun and for the love of Disney. We didn't have to spend hundreds of dollars on food and trinkets and prizes and decorations. We could be having a very simple party with a few snacks and just our friends over to discuss the Disney Cruise Line. I think some folks are getting carried away and stressing themselves out worrying about all this and trying to do too much. Let's take the lemons we have and make some lemonade out of them and have wonderful parties! And good luck to all you hosts - I hope at least one of the cruise winners is a DISer!

Yes!! Well said! Can't wait to hear about who wins the trip, how cool will that be!

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Yes!! Well said! Can't wait to hear about who wins the trip, how cool will that be!

I hope the winners are Dis board people

 

[hyandui]

Hello All, I e-mailed the Home Party Main Office today as I had a friend that was trying to find the spot to register for the chance of winning a guest cruise, here is the reply I received,
Dear Ralph,

The current sweepstakes is for hosts only. There is a separate guest sweepstakes beginning tomorrow. Details will be available on the site tomorrow.

Boy do I feel dumb.

On another subject, Put all these good cookies I have been reading about in a box with a plain wrapper, leave then on the middle of the table and I will beam them up.

 

[Tigger1221]

Here is one of our treats for tomarrow night.!