December 12 - 19, 2009 Western Magic

[yiddles]

Both of my prior cruises had a DIS meet at 3pm in the Promenade Lounge. Seemed to work out well. On the first cruise, one of the cruisers even handed out little gifts to everyone at the meet since we hadn't discussed Fish Extenders at all. I was too busy checking out my stateroom on the last cruise to make it to the 3pm meet, but we also caught up in the terminal when we met the person who ordered the wristbands to pay and pick them up. (Even having missed the big meet, the wristbands were a great way to tell who was part of the board group ahead of time.)

Works for me, I say the sooner the better!

 

[pxlbarrel]

Gah, just booked our flight home...it's at 8:15 pm!! Long story short...sometimes waiting for a fare to go down can backfire, especially during the Christmas season.

Anyway, the plan right now for our ground transportation is to book Happy Limo to take us from CBR to Port Canaveral and then rent a car from Budget when we get back. We'll do something "spacey" around the area (Kennedy Space Centre?? Ugh...probably...even though I've been there a few times already...my parents have not.) and maybe some outlet malls before dropping the car off at MCO.

We'll be home in our own beds...probably around midnight if we're lucky...closer to 1 am more likely. At least I have Sunday to recover before going back to work.

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Gah, just booked our flight home...it's at 8:15 pm!! Long story short...sometimes waiting for a fare to go down can backfire, especially during the Christmas season.

Anyway, the plan right now for our ground transportation is to book Happy Limo to take us from CBR to Port Canaveral and then rent a car from Budget when we get back. .

Can I ask how much your "happy limo" was and for how many?

 

[pxlbarrel]

I haven't actually booked Happy Limo yet because I don't know what time is best to get to the port. Any suggestions?

My travel agent called them today to ask about pricing (she was convinced there would be all these hidden service charges -- their FAQ made her believe that... so she called to make sure.) Anyway, it'll be $121 one way from CBR to Port Canaveral. There will be four of us so we're hoping to fit in a luxury sedan as opposed to going more $$ to a minivan. And all we have to pay extra is the tip to the driver.

 

[Scooby3x1y]

It really depends on how you feel about going early and being one of the first to be on the ship. We practically go at the crack of dawn. Not really, but are in the terminal about 10 am or a little before. It's like having another whole day on the ship.

Some don't go until noon, but it seems that the longer you wait to go, the longer the lines in the terminal. KCashner could probably tell you best.

In Barcelona, we were one of the first 3 parties on the ship. They took a disabled guest and their family and two other groups before us. It was really fun.

We've thought about getting on, getting settled, and then running back to the stores, then turning the rental car in. Haven't done it like that yet, but we may try it this time.

 

[kcashner]

You have a couple options from WDW to the port. You can rent a car or you can hire a towncar/limo service...or use the DCL service. Personally, I think the DCL service gets you there too late and costs too much, but everyone has his own idea of what's important.

Towncar/limo services WILL price match. It could end up costing you about $100 + tip. The towncar WILL allow one 15 minute stop if you need a grocery or Walmart on the way. A Budget rental (24 hour rental) cost me $42 + gas +tolls for a total of just over $50 for a Kia Soul week of 9/10. There's a Budget location at the Doubletree hotel by Downtown Disney. The other agencies are located near WDW and all offer to pick you up and bring you to their location. It's an easy drive to the port. Discount rental codes are available at mousesavers.com and rentalcodes.com. You need to do a little leg work and check all companies and codes!

Each of the limo companies specifies what size vehicles will hold how many people and how much luggage. You choose the vehicle that fits your party. There's certainly nothing wrong with using a limo company to take you from MCO to WDW, but you can get there FREE on Magical Express. Granted, it's a bus, not a limo....but it's free, not $100, and it includes the luggage service. You can buy DCL transfers one way or round trip. NOTE Magical Express (free) runs from MCO to WDW and back. DCL transfers ($35 per person each way) runs from MCO and WDW to the port and in the other direction as well.

As to when to arrive--what do you need to do at the terminal/on the ship. If you want to be one of the first to board, you'll want to arrive in the 10-10:30 range. If you have all the reservations you need, don't need to sign kids up for the programming, etc...arriving at/about 12 is perfect--you'll literally check in and walk right onto the ship with little or no waiting. The one time NOT to arrive is 1:15 - 2, which is the time you'll hit the WDW bus traffic! Boarding goes really quickly, so don't panic about a "bad" boarding number. We arrived at 11:30, got number 9, and were on the ship 20 minutes after boarding started. Thus, unless your plans require you to be at the terminal early, you won't wait long to board with a later arrival. You can always pick up your kid programming pager after boarding if you aren't doing while killing time early.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Ohhh..thank you VERY MUCH for that info. It's exactly what this cruise newbie wanted to see.

I think I"ll arrange for the limo to pick us up so that we get there at 11:30 then. Enough time to have breakfast without rushing! I thought about renting a car to get to the port but decided I didn't want the hassle of going to get it and dropping it off.

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Ohhh..thank you VERY MUCH for that info. It's exactly what this cruise newbie wanted to see.

I think I"ll arrange for the limo to pick us up so that we get there at 11:30 then. Enough time to have breakfast without rushing! I thought about renting a car to get to the port but decided I didn't want the hassle of going to get it and dropping it off.

Remember, the first thing you do after you board is eat.....it sets the tone for the rest of the trip

 

[pxlbarrel]

Remember, the first thing you do after you board is eat.....it sets the tone for the rest of the trip

LOL How early can we chow down? (See, I need all these food tips before I go....) hahaha I told my mom that if she wanted, she could order 2 mains if she couldn't decide which one she wanted at dinner (as a joke) and she looked at me seriously and said, "That's so wasteful!!" LOL I didn't want to tell her that some people would/could eat two...and that's ok too!!

So, if you walk around the deck, how many calories do you burn?

Oh...another question. I see on the packing lists that people bring... ice cream cones???? (without the ... ice cream)

bleh, I gotta go shopping this weekend to find some "formal/semi formal" clothes. I'm not one to dress up (ie, I rarely dress up) so this will be...an experience.

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Oh...another question. I see on the packing lists that people bring... ice cream cones???? (without the ... ice cream)

They have cones on the ship. I can't imagine for the life of me why someone would want to bring cones.

Use common sense with the packing lists. Some of it you'll never use. Check here if you can't figure out the value of having something.

ie...bungee cords are great if you have adjoining rooms to hold the doors open, however, if you don't have adjoining rooms, there is no point. Also, not everyone needs a night light. We will leave the closet door ajar, or the light in the bathroom on with the door shut, it works perfectly and allows me to bring one less thing. The shoe holder is nice, but not too necessary. We've never used one, but I bought one for this trip. We're Cat. 12 gty, so if we don't have the split bathroom, I can see where this might be valuable.

etc. etc. etc.

 

[kcashner]

Lunch is available as soon as you board. They don't start boarding till the food is ready. Your choices are Parrot Cay and Topsiders (same food, different atmosphere), any of the "fast food" outlets on deck 9, and after 1:30 you can order room service. NOTE there is NO food available anywhere from 3:30 - 4:30 as the crew starts preparing for the safety drill at 3:30. Food opens up again after the drill.

Packing lists--some people are crazy! If you don't know what something is for, don't bring it! Bungee cords to keep doors open--your stateroom host will supply door stops that go at the top of the door to do this if you have connecting staterooms. Night lights--as above, light on, bathroom door closed makes a great night light. I do like a lighted clock when I have an inside room as I have little idea whether it's day or night, but setting the TV to the "view from the bridge" channel and turning the sound off will give you the same thing--the view from the bridge is total blackness when it is dark out! I've never figured out why I'm supposed to bring duct tape...which seems to have been re-named duck tape. Yes, I know it has all sorts of uses at home, but if my closet door needs repairing, etc. on the ship my stateroom host will deal with it. If I need to repair a tear in my luggage, he'll even provide me with a piece of tape for that.

I'd need 10 suitcases to bring all the stuff on some packing lists! Read them, but think about yourself and what YOU will use.

I do find the shoe hanger to be useful. We put it on the bathroom door (outside) to hold all sorts of toiletries, sunscreen, cameras, etc....stuff that you need to put somewhere but that might need to be used by more than one person. It's a bigger deal with the single bathroom than the split simply because you have more room in the split.

Ice cream cones--some people are not happy that these are sometimes not available at the ice cream station on deck 9. Over the years, DCL has varied as to whether there are both cones and cups available or just cups. There are always cones at Castaway, and CMs can get you cones if you ask. OH, but they are the coned with the pointy bottom and some people's little darlings only like cones with the flat bottoms. You know, if you feel the need to bring ice cream cones onto a Disney ship, go for it. I don't have that much space in my luggage or my head! I'd tell my kid to eat it from the cup or order a Mickey Bar!

 

[pxlbarrel]

kcashner, I really enjoyed reading your post.

duct tape (aka duck tape -- when did that tape became aquatic fowl?) I was wondering about that...you know that some places don't like that in your carry on....

Ok, thanks for clearing up the cone mystery. I thought that was odd...and now, after it's been explained to me, I think it IS odd.

I looked at some of those packing lists and wondered if people were boarding with giant steamer trunks or something. My brother will pack the kitchen sink if you let him but even these lists made him look like a great packer.

 

[Scooby3x1y]

I agree, to me, if you need to bring every comfort of home, you're not on vacation and should stay home . I think there is a distinct difference between needing everything, and other things that may help you make the best use of your space and time.

I do like the highlighter idea though, it seems that I can never find what it was I wanted to on the navigator.

Of course, like life, it is all subjective.

 

[IndyDisneyFan]

Besides the shoe holder, my next favorite thing is an extension cord. There just are not enough plugs to plug in all of our stuff (hair dryer, phone charger, camcorder battery charger, camera battery charger, portable game system charger ). It gets used every day and well worth packing!

Laura

 

[bevtoy]

That shoe holder is my 2nd favorite item so worth packing! Keeps my stress level at a minimum!

My favorite are my door magnets I love them!

 

[kcashner]

Yes, there is only one outlet in the cabin that is any good for re-charging things. Not sure why, but....the ones in the bathroom make it look like my camera or phone is charging, but in reality it is not. The one by the desk works. OK, there are outlets by the tables next to the bed, but if you can get something into them, more power to you. A multi-outlet thingy or extension cord is a MUST with a teen

Don't forget to turn off your cell phone when the ship sails--cellular at sea will happily put calls thru to you at $2.95 per minute + carrier charges. Turning it off at sea will save your battery also. You can use the phone on your regular plan while in Key West. Lounge by the pool and leave voice messages for your friends, "Guess where I am and you're not?"

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Besides the shoe holder, my next favorite thing is an extension cord. There just are not enough plugs to plug in all of our stuff (hair dryer, phone charger, camcorder battery charger, camera battery charger, portable game system charger ). It gets used every day and well worth packing!

Laura

I don't know what the official name is, but I call them plug extenders. They turn one plug into 3. Two of those make my life a ton easier.

 

[Shelebeen]

I don't know what the official name is, but I call them plug extenders. They turn one plug into 3. Two of those make my life a ton easier.

We have a mini power bar . I think it has 3 outlets - we bought them at IKEA I think.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I've got a Belkin mini power bar (3 outlets + USB port). Nice and small. But now I'm wondering if I need to bring a larger power bar because between my brother and I, we have a ton of things to charge!

 

[kcashner]

I've got a Belkin mini power bar (3 outlets + USB port). Nice and small. But now I'm wondering if I need to bring a larger power bar because between my brother and I, we have a ton of things to charge!

How many items can you plug in at a time? No, I'm not being stupid--some adapters take more space than one plug so you can't always plug something next to them. Does everything need to charge every day? Do you want a multi plug on an extension cord so your computer reaches to your bed? The answer to those questions will determine whether your nice small 3 spot will do it or whether you need a 6 outlet power strip.

On my May cruise with 3 teens in my room, it was the big 6.