Disney Dream August 7, 2011

[Mackie Mouse]

jla...I am definitely not creative enough to come up with a logo from scratch! If no one else has an idea, however, I do have something up my sleeve... *twiddles thumbs and whistles*

Belle - you inspired me to e-mailed the friends I have been tossing around seeing Book of Mormon with. We may be in for mid-July, a few weeks before the cruise I will keep you posted and, if all goes well, will offer a full review at our Cruisemeet!

Good FE gifts that we received last cruise were anything edible (candy, home-made cookies, mini bottles of booze...those came in VERY handy as good grown-up gifts!) and geographically-themed stuff. One family from England gave everyone chcolates from a shop in their hometown. Some Jersey Shore natives did saltwater taffy. We got a Phillies beer coozie from a family not too far away from us We also did a Philly-themed edible gift for everyone, but again, not giving that away as it was a big hit and I think we want to stick with it! Fun stuff for pirate night is also nice - eye-patches, bandanas, glowsticks. Some crafty people go absolutely nuts making autograph books, scrapbooks, photo albums, etc. for each cabin. I have seen here on the DIS people who have made door magnets and people who have made mix CDs of Disney music for each cabin. Really, the sky's the limit. I would also not be fearful about cost...it's not about what you spend or spending equal to everyone else, just about the fun of gift-giving and meeting fellow cruisers. Some people go all-out, some spend just a few cents per cabin giving what they can.

disneys cruella - I will PM you info about our cruisemeet website so that you can give me your information and we can get you on-board for the FE

ETA: jla and susie - What are your cabin numbers? I have you on for the FE but I don't have a cabin listed yet for either of you

 

[susiemmfan]

I am glad that it is Friday. It was a long week back after our spring break last week. We were in Florida and had perfect weather - sunny and mid 80's all week. I am tired of the cold weather back here at home.

I also got to book everything for our Alaska cruise in July this week. I was able to get brunch and High Tea at Palo. My mom is joining us on the Alaskan cruise so I have another adult to dine with at Palo.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

 

[jlawall]

jla...I am definitely not creative enough to come up with a logo from scratch! If no one else has an idea, however, I do have something up my sleeve... *twiddles thumbs and whistles*

ETA: jla and susie - What are your cabin numbers? I have you on for the FE but I don't have a cabin listed yet for either of you

Me neither...I will send you my cabin number...don't have it where I'm at right now............

 

[BelleBway]

I finally booked my post-cruise hotel with the new discounts that came out on Friday!

Although it's sorta annoying that I could only get a discount on my first 2 (of 3) nights... stupid timing of having a trip that overlaps into 2 different booking seasons. (yeah, NOW I know I should have booked a room for the 3rd night with the previous 40% off discount and then later added 2 more nights when the new discount came out...)

 

[susiemmfan]

I finally booked my post-cruise hotel with the new discounts that came out on Friday!

Although it's sorta annoying that I could only get a discount on my first 2 (of 3) nights... stupid timing of having a trip that overlaps into 2 different booking seasons. (yeah, NOW I know I should have booked a room for the 3rd night with the previous 40% off discount and then later added 2 more nights when the new discount came out...)

How exciting! I like the hotel you picked. It had been on my bucket list to stay there, so we stayed one night after our cruise in 2009. Felt like a queen.

 

[villagesbarbara]

NYC was a blast--just wish the weather would have been better. It was pouring and SO cold! We saw Mary Poppins which was WONDERFUL! I think it was even better than Lion King and Wicked, which had been my previous favorites. We loved it!

Other than that we just made the rounds of shopping...Disney Store, M&M store, Hershey Store, American Girl Doll store. Cha ching $$$ but fun!

Sounds like our weekend there in December - except we saw Mama Mia. But the store list and $$$$'s were right on. Just saw the hotel we stayed at on a recent ABC News report highlighting the fact that the rooms were way smaller than the hotel site's made them look. Didn't matter, we didn't spend much time in them. We were there since our youngest was on a panel at a film festival. Dec in NY/Holiday Decs/Tourist Shopping/Doomesday Film Festival. Doesn't that sound like a round of "one of these things doesn't belong". You never know where science fiction will take you. For her it led the English Professor to sitting on the film festival panel with the writer of Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. That was kind'a cool. Well at least we are unique.

Getting closer and my better half is really gearing up for his DCL obsession. He reminds me each day when the Dream is in port. A friend sailed on her maiden and the pictures he shared just got us really excited. We were on shore at Jetty Park when she left for that one. She is a beauty.

Getting close to our 105 day mark - can't wait to watch Mickey swim.

Barbara

 

[Mackie Mouse]

Belle - where are you staying? I want to seethe with jealousy!

barbara...love the use of wanting to "see Mickey swim"

 

[BelleBway]

Belle - where are you staying? I want to seethe with jealousy!

Grand Floridian! (I assume that susiemmfan must have seen my post in my pre-TR linked in my signature?)

I was supposed to stay there- in RPC concierge no less- for my birthday 2 weeks ago, but that entire trip had to be canceled since my mom isn't up to travel. Don't really need concierge- that was more for my mom's benefit so she wouldn't have had to walk to the outer buildings. But I am splurging for theme park view!

 

[villagesbarbara]

I finally booked my post-cruise hotel with the new discounts that came out on Friday!

We're all at Villas at Wilderness Lodge the night before and the 5 after. It's our big annual family invasion of WDW. Since we live here, we usually just pop down for a day or two at one of the DVC resorts, thanks to the kid's DVC points. I raised them right, didn't I.

Traditionally, before a DCL cruise, we always have breakfast at Whispering Canyon - the little ones love it and so do the rest of us. Just the right amount of fun to kick off the cruise.

Barbara

 

[susiemmfan]

Grand Floridian! (I assume that susiemmfan must have seen my post in my pre-TR linked in my signature?)

Yes, I did. When I booked at that time, they asked if we were celebrating anything and I stated that we were celebrating the year I turned XX, a milestone birthday.

When we went back to the room that night, they had left a Mickey Mouse made out of white chocolate and chocolate covered strawberries. It was awesome!

However, our stay was somewhat bittersweet since the monorail accident happened the night we stayed there. We did not know about the accident until my mom called the next morning to check if we were OK.

 

[BelleBway]

Yes, I did. When I booked at that time, they asked if we were celebrating anything and I stated that we were celebrating the year I turned XX, a milestone birthday.

When we went back to the room that night, they had left a Mickey Mouse made out of white chocolate and chocolate covered strawberries. It was awesome!

Aww, this was a milestone birthday for me... it would have been so amazing to have been there for it. We had all our ADR's and everything when we had to cancel the trip. (I had a sort of awesome day anyway- but in a totally different way than if I'd been at WDW)

However, our stay was somewhat bittersweet since the monorail accident happened the night we stayed there. We did not know about the accident until my mom called the next morning to check if we were OK.

Yeah, I can see how it would be kinda weird if you were there when it happened. I think that was a few months before my last trip.

 

[Mackie Mouse]

Awesome, Belle. Although I must admit that my dream Disney vacation involves a stay at AKL with a savannah view...

 

[BelleBway]

Awesome, Belle. Although I must admit that my dream Disney vacation involves a stay at AKL with a savannah view...

I did that when I took the girls to WDW for the first time, 2 yrs ago-- until then, I'd really been dying to stay there. It was cute when they called home and tried to ask for there to be giraffe and zebra in the backyard when they got back so it would be easier for them to get used to not being on vacation anymore.

I think that staying at AKL was what inspired me to actually go to Africa last year. Then I got to stay at a hotel where not only did I see animals from my window, but a monkey actually came into my hotel room and stole a bag with a camera charger and memory card! (I eventually got the charger back)

I like to try different hotels, and GF is the only deluxe I haven't yet stayed at so I'm definitely excited.

 

[kk92476]

on Ebay! Can't wait to get it. I found a lady who customizes with names and colors--very cute!

Keep checking online and am still stuck in the second dinner--BOO! Last time we did WDW cruise (10+ years ago, before my dd was born, with my husband and his kids and IL's) we were stuck in the 2nd dinner and it just didn't work for us. We eat dinner very early...and my DD LOVES to go to fancy restaurants, so the idea of sending her to camp while we have a date dinner would stink because she's the type who would really appreciate the dinners.

My fingers are crossed, but they said it isn't necessarily first come-first changed on the wait list--they give priority to people with babies. Grumble...

 

[Mackie Mouse]

kk - I hope you are able to switch! If it helps you look on the bright side, I couldn't imagine having early dinner myself. DH and I usually eat very early at home, but vacation changes our routine, so eating late isn't such a big deal. We also found that early dinner would have definitely cut into our excursion/activity time, and late dinner just made it so easy to have time to hit the pool/grab a drink/change and relax after the show/etc. I can see how ending your meal close to 10:00 might be troublesome with a kid...but if you need to you can make it work!

I am sure you will love your FE if it's from the ebay lady I'm thinking of. We got one from her to give our our cruise buddies as a surprise and it's came out just great

Less than four months to go!

 

[villagesbarbara]

on Ebay! Can't wait to get it. I found a lady who customizes with names and colors--very cute!

Keep checking online and am still stuck in the second dinner--BOO! Last time we did WDW cruise (10+ years ago, before my dd was born, with my husband and his kids and IL's) we were stuck in the 2nd dinner and it just didn't work for us. We eat dinner very early...and my DD LOVES to go to fancy restaurants, so the idea of sending her to camp while we have a date dinner would stink because she's the type who would really appreciate the dinners.

My fingers are crossed, but they said it isn't necessarily first come-first changed on the wait list--they give priority to people with babies. Grumble...

We usually choose the late seating. Last cruise with the family we had early and it was so rushed to get time to do everything - it seemed we were always rushing around to get ready in time for dinner. Now we take late, enjoy our afternoon activities, go back to the cabin for a rest (or nap). We then get a light snack around 5 or so while everyone is getting ready. It seemed to work well with the little ones. So, even if you can't change it might work out well.

 

[Mackie Mouse]

also, kk...no matter when you will be eating, you will be eating on a DISNEY CRUISE. Can't get any better than that!

Is anyone planning to do a little door decorating? We had no intention of doing it at all on our last cruise, but our door wound up covered in magnets somehow anyway. We wound up with a few magnets in FE gifts, and since it was our honeymoon a few DISers took it upon themselves to make us a bunch of magnets for our door...our collection kept growing mysteriously as the week went on! (We had a pretty awesome group of DISers on the last cruise - you guys have tough shoes to fill, but I think you can do it Either way, having magnets all over the door did make it easy to find our way home in the middle of our endless hallway of staterooms, so I definitely want to jazz up our door this time. I saw this posted elsewhere on the cruise thread and wanted to share in case anyone wants to grab it:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/b...requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sku=57/9500

I was thinking I'd have to get the expensive magnetic sheets that just run through your printer, but this looks way more economical - you print on regular printer paper (so if you mess up with size/placement, no big deal) and then stick onto the magnetic sheets. And the price is great!

 

[kk92476]

Thanks--I know we'll make it work either way--but when spending so much $$ I feel like I want my first choice, lol! I'm very hopeful that we'll be able to switch! I'd hate for my DD to miss all of the special dinners.

On another topic--does anyone know how the excursion/Palo booking work? I keep reading about people not being able to book what they want (sold out before they get a chance) so I want to make sure I'm ready to pounce the instant I am able! I know the date, but what is the time? 7am like ADRs at the parks? Or is it 12:01am... and what time zone?

Can you tell I'm excited?! : - )

 

[Mackie Mouse]

You can book at midnight on whatever day is designated via how many previous cruises you have taken. If this is your first cruise, that will be 75 days out; your 2-5th cruise, 90 days (countdown to May 9th has begun here, whoo!), 105 days for your 6-10th cruise, and 120 days out for 10+ cruises or if you stay concierge. I believe time is your local time...although it might be Orlando time.

If you miss out on booking something, the good news for dining is that many reservations are saved for people to book on-board. On our honeymoon, we were unable to get brunch at Palo ahead of time but really wanted to go. We found the desk on board for making dining reservations and had our choice of times on either sea day. They also offered to let us move our Palo dinner time to better coincide with the sunset So I am hoping that even if reservations are all booked up for us on May 9th, we'll have luck nabbing Remy, Palo, and another Palo brunch (HEAVENLY) by the time we're actually sailing away.

 

[susiemmfan]

It is based on Orlando time. I am in the Central time zone so I only have to wait until 11:00pm.