Disney Dream 29 June 2012

[annabug]

Well, I talked my husband into lettin us stay until Sunday around 5 PM so we'll be staying 4 days. I wanted to do WDW first but we're trying to conserve days and I use the week of July 4th for our vacation since he'll get the day from his company.

We've already decided to come the night before and stay at the Hyatt at the airport. The cruise buses start running earlier from the airport than they do from the resorts. We were a little late getting to the boat last time so we're going to try this.

we are staying at the Hyatt the night before too! I just booked with a AAA rate for 188 for the night. I do know there are ways to get it cheaper, but i just wanted to get it done. you can request a lobby or runway view....i know my kids will love seeing the planes come and go

i just picked up a rolling soft cooler for water and adult beverages!!

does anyone know what type of juice is available??

Is prune juice available on the ship?? im thinking not, may have to bring for my little guy

 

[jazzykirl]

We arrived at the airport around 8:30 am. The airport does your check in for the ship there and we were given a boarding #3 for the ship. The first bus to the port was 9:30. Then it is a 50 minute ride. We boarded the ship about 11:45. That is about the time they started letting people board.

I think staying at the Hyatt is an excellent idea. We flew in that day and I was concerned the whole time that something was going to delay our flight and we would not make the ship.

 

[juliebug1997]

My big reason for staying at the airport and getting on earlier is because of the complete check in system went down about an hour before we arrived on the bus from the Contemporary. We arrived at the port around 1:15 PM but we didn't even get on the boat until 3:30 at the earliest because the fire marshal wouldn't let any more people in the building.

That's great that you went ahead and booked the hotel. I may see if DH can Priceline it. We'll see.

 

[twinboysmommy]

Hi everyone!

We will be joining you next year! It will be me, DH, and twin DSs (11). My parents will most likely be joining us. DH & I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary while we are cruising!

It will be our 3rd cruise. We sailed on the Wonder in the summer of 2009, and we just got off the Dream last Tuesday. We had an amazing time...so much fun! What a beautiful ship!

Kristie

 

[jazzykirl]

Welcome Kristie The only way I could get off the Dream was knowing I would be coming back How exciting to be celebrating your 20th anniversary on the cruise!

Did you do FE's on your last cruise? Did you have a name for your group? Our group was the Motley Cruise. We did a private Facebook page that was wonderful. It was easier to follow posts and the group became very close. We still are going strong on our FB page.

 

[juliebug1997]

Welcome Kristie The only way I could get off the Dream was knowing I would be coming back How exciting to be celebrating your 20th anniversary on the cruise!

Did you do FE's on your last cruise? Did you have a name for your group? Our group was the Motley Cruise. We did a private Facebook page that was wonderful. It was easier to follow posts and the group became very close. We still are going strong on our FB page.

We had a FB group for the July 2011 group this year and it was a lot of fun.

I would do a FE but I'm not sure exactly what it is, the purpose, etc.

 

[twinboysmommy]

Did you do FE's on your last cruise? Did you have a name for your group? Our group was the Motley Cruise. We did a private Facebook page that was wonderful. It was easier to follow posts and the group became very close. We still are going strong on our FB page.

Hi!

No, we didn't have a name for our group. That's such a fun idea! I also love the idea of doing a FB page. It's so much faster & easier.

We did do a FE exchange. I think that there were about 17 rooms or so. Here is a picture of our door decorations & our FE. I think we need to call it a SE now that they've made it a seahorse!

I'm definitely up for doing another FE next June!
Kristie

 

[twinboysmommy]

I would do a FE but I'm not sure exactly what it is, the purpose, etc.

Hi!

It's a "Fish Extender" gift exchange . . . here is a thread I saw that explains it pretty simply:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2755302

Hope this helps!
Kristie

 

[jazzykirl]

Hi!

It's a "Fish Extender" gift exchange . . . here is a thread I saw that explains it pretty simply:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2755302

Hope this helps!
Kristie

That is an excellent thread that explains the Fish Extenders. I agree it is going to have to change to "Seahorse Extenders." Your door looked great. I decorated our door in June, but we didn't do the "FE's" this past cruise. I missed doing it.

 

[jazzykirl]

If the group is interested in setting up a private Facebook page, I will be glad to give it a try. First, we need a name for our group. Any suggestions?

 

[Leshaface]

We are fresh off the Dream (June 21-26) and we booked this cruise onboard! Not sure of before or after stays. I'm just so excited to be going back to this beautiful ship.

Omgosh we were on that cruise also and are booked for the June 29th cruise as well!!

We loved it soooo much we knew we had to book another one! So we rebooked yesterday (they couldn't rebook us on the ship since it was too busy) but they were able to give us the discount along with the OBC!

Excited to be sailing on the Dream once again!!!

 

[annabug]

Hi everyone! Just catching up on our June cruise thread. So glad to see some new cruisers joining!

BTW,, just for a more formal intro...Hi, I'm Lisa (aka...Annabug), I'm 38y, married, with 2 little ones, girl 7y, and boy 3.
I am crazy for traveling, and all things Disney, especially visiting the world. this will be our first family cruise, we have brought our kids to DW 3 times before.

I love planning, reading experiences of other travelers. BTW, Leashaface, I have followed some of your travel, and enjoyed reading your perspective.

I am super excited about this cruise! I know it will be HOT, but we can only travel in summer now that our DD is school age.....but we dont care! we will be in Disney mode!!

I read the thread on the cute little fish extender gift things...I had never heard of that before. Are we able to participate with kids?? I would love to know more about it. Kristie, that FE that you had is adorable, did you make it??

So for those of you that have cruised before, if you would like to do a FE, please count me in, and any further details about it would be greatly appreciated, especially regarding where I can get the extender made for me...LOL,,i dont sew....

i would like to decorate our door also, still need to look into that

ok, so I am super excited for my family to enjoy this trip, I am new to cruising so I am open for any advice i can get, and happy to meet you all!
Lisa

 

[jazzykirl]

Omgosh we were on that cruise also and are booked for the June 29th cruise as well!!

We loved it soooo much we knew we had to book another one! So we rebooked yesterday (they couldn't rebook us on the ship since it was too busy) but they were able to give us the discount along with the OBC!

Excited to be sailing on the Dream once again!!!

Did you go to the Meet and Greet on ship June 21? Are you on the Motley Cruise facebook page? Actually did you do a Trip Report? If so, I beleive I read it. How cool to have a former cruiser from the last cruise.

 

[jazzykirl]

I found these off another Dishboarder's post. These might help new cruisers.

Helpful hints for first time cruisers or first time Fish Extender participants:

Fish Extender Primer (thanks Tiara Todd): http://www.disboards.com/showthread....3#post32651483

New Cruisers/New Disney Cruisers (thanks Kevin): http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...74&postcount=1

Advice for 1st time cruisers: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2561827

Hi Lisa! I'm Jill...akaJazzykirl. The fish extenders are really fun for the kids. It is exciting for them to find little trinkets left by "secret santas".

 

[juliebug1997]

Beautiful DREAMers? Sailing on the DREAM?

I would be willing to participate in the FE.

We decorated our door last time but no one else on our side of the ship decorated their doors. We had lots of pictures and only our room attendant seemed to like it.

 

[jazzykirl]

Ok, just realized the first two links can not be found

Helpful hints for first time cruisers or first time Fish Extender participants:

Fish Extender Primer (thanks Tiara Todd): http://www.disboards.com/showthread....3#post32651483

New Cruisers/New Disney Cruisers (thanks Kevin): http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...74&postcount=1

Advice for 1st time cruisers: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2561827

I guess that is not to helpful. Ask away on the FEs and the rest of us that have done them before will answer.

We have a couple of names for our Facebook page....Beautiful DREAMers and Sailing on the Dream Do we have anymore suggestions?

 

[Leshaface]

Hi everyone! Just catching up on our June cruise thread. So glad to see some new cruisers joining!

BTW,, just for a more formal intro...Hi, I'm Lisa (aka...Annabug), I'm 38y, married, with 2 little ones, girl 7y, and boy 3.
I am crazy for traveling, and all things Disney, especially visiting the world. this will be our first family cruise, we have brought our kids to DW 3 times before.

I love planning, reading experiences of other travelers. BTW, Leashaface, I have followed some of your travel, and enjoyed reading your perspective.

I am super excited about this cruise! I know it will be HOT, but we can only travel in summer now that our DD is school age.....but we dont care! we will be in Disney mode!!

I read the thread on the cute little fish extender gift things...I had never heard of that before. Are we able to participate with kids?? I would love to know more about it. Kristie, that FE that you had is adorable, did you make it??

So for those of you that have cruised before, if you would like to do a FE, please count me in, and any further details about it would be greatly appreciated, especially regarding where I can get the extender made for me...LOL,,i dont sew....

i would like to decorate our door also, still need to look into that

ok, so I am super excited for my family to enjoy this trip, I am new to cruising so I am open for any advice i can get, and happy to meet you all!
Lisa

Hi Lisa! I must say, I thought it was going to be ridiculous hot on our cruise, June 21-26, and it actually wasn't bad! Yeah, it was a little muggy, but really you're only outside when you're going to the pools or at the beaches, otherwise, most things are indoors.

I was soooo surprised that DH wanted to book another cruise! When we had booked the first cruise, he was very apprehensive and would have chosen to go to WDW vs the cruise. But the day before we got off the ship, he wanted to look into re-booking! Fun to be had by all! And you're kids will have the BEST time!

Did you go to the Meet and Greet on ship June 21? Are you on the Motley Cruise facebook page? Actually did you do a Trip Report? If so, I beleive I read it. How cool to have a former cruiser from the last cruise.

Ugh, no unfortunately I didn't. We just got so wrapped up in everything around us, I lost track of time, but i'm hoping to redeem myself on this upcoming cruise! And YES, i'm still on the FB page actually. And I am doing a TR as well! Want to relive the moment as much as I can (plus it holds me over till our next cruise, in less than a year!)

 

[annabug]

Hi girls!! Oooohh... this is making it even more fun! Ok, so I think we have me (lisa), Kristie, Jill, Julie, and Lesha....Am I missing someone???

Thanks for the links, I will be sure to check them out.

I like Beautiful Dreamers, or something with JUNE in it, like JUNEiper Dreamers or JUNEbug Dreamers. oh I dont know, Im not so creative..

Now regarding facebook....... .....I am probably still the only person on earth that has not "joined" this new movement..LOL My DH teases me all the time, even he has an account, and lets just say, well, he is certainly not a social butterfly (like me (can you tell I like these little faces you can add, they are so cute!)

so I have been meaning to find an excuse to join facebook, would i need to do that to be part of this group?? (I would be willing to do that for the sake of DIsney
just let me know

on a cuter note, I just ordered pirate costumes for my lil ones, cant wait to get them!
thats all for now, lisa

 

[jazzykirl]

Hi girls!! Oooohh... this is making it even more fun! Ok, so I think we have me (lisa), Kristie, Jill, Julie, and Lesha....Am I missing someone???

Thanks for the links, I will be sure to check them out.

I like Beautiful Dreamers, or something with JUNE in it, like JUNEiper Dreamers or JUNEbug Dreamers. oh I dont know, Im not so creative..

Now regarding facebook....... .....I am probably still the only person on earth that has not "joined" this new movement..LOL My DH teases me all the time, even he has an account, and lets just say, well, he is certainly not a social butterfly (like me (can you tell I like these little faces you can add, they are so cute!)

so I have been meaning to find an excuse to join facebook, would i need to do that to be part of this group?? (I would be willing to do that for the sake of DIsney
just let me know

on a cuter note, I just ordered pirate costumes for my lil ones, cant wait to get them!
thats all for now, lisa

I love the smiley faces too

Face book is just an easier way to follow conversations. A facebook page hasn't been set up yet. After we decide on a name I can try and set up a Face book page for the group if you would like. Ithink this would be a great excuse to join facebook. You can connect with old friends and make new ones

Isn't it exciting getting pirate costumes? My boys are older 22 and 17, so Dh and I dress up It is so cool seeing everybody dressing up as pirate

 

[twinboysmommy]

Hi everyone!

I'm here . . . just sooo busy last week. We had our nephew (from another state) with us for a week. Three 10-year-old boys ~ oh my! We were running all week.

Last night we doubled that and had six 10-year-old boys for a sleepover!

I'm trying to catch up today and pack our twins for their week-long camp. We take them tomorrow. I will have more time to read/post once we get them dropped off!

As far as names for our FB group, what about something to do with our double-dip at CC? The "DD" group didn't really sound appropriate...more like a bra support group. I'm too tired to brainstorm right now!

I did not make the FE in my picture. That's hilarious if you knew me. I can barely thread a needle!

I ordered if off someone online, but that was 2 1/2 years ago so I don't remember. I had one made for my parents this last cruise. I will see if I can find the info. of the lady who made it. She did a nice job!

Okay, better start packing the boys up . . .
Kristie