Disney Dream August 7, 2011

[jlawall]

We always attend Match Your Mate, we plan to attend that event if our dinner is done by then.

On another note, there is an extensive thread on arrival issues that we need to be aware of.....as of August 2nd, the word is that DCL will be enforcing the check in times.....

 

[michpoit]

FE gifts are done, t-shirts are finished, lanyards have been taken out and pins are sorted and once DD gets home from Girl Scout Camp on Friday, we will offficially be ready to leave! I was looking at past navigators and the DVC member gathering was also at 2:30 on the 1st day. That being said, the 2nd meeting time would probably work out better for us.

10 more days until we leave - woo hoo!

 

[Mackie Mouse]

FE's are officially DONE over here, too! t-Minus one week!

jla - I saw that thread! We aimed for the very earliest check-in time, so we'll see what happens. I am intrigued to see how this plays out...

 

[kk92476]

We are doing the land/sea package so I am REALLY hopeful that we will just be able to breeze on board when we arrive. That's the way they "sell" it. Check-in once at the hotel and then you are done. I will say that last time we went to WDW and did online check-in it was a total breeze. Our room was ready (at 10am!!), all I had to do was show my ID and we walked right in. It was lovely. Fingers crossed that it is easy again!

FE's are officially DONE over here, too! t-Minus one week!

jla - I saw that thread! We aimed for the very earliest check-in time, so we'll see what happens. I am intrigued to see how this plays out...

 

[simbasmom2]

As for the check-in times...you can check in later if needed just not earlier...right? If one is late I hope you dont get moved to the back of the line.HAHA. I think we timed it perfectly, but we are at the mercy of the airline. I guess it makes since to enforce times. OHHHHH we are sooooo close!! YAY!

I need to figure out what drinks to pick up on the way to the port. Anybody bringing beer? How do you plan to keep it cool? The "fridge" on the Wonder wasn't that cold. I read somewhere that people put ice in the fridge to keep it cooler. What do they put the ice in? A big freezer bag may work. Add that to the list...small and big ziplocs. Its amazing how these come in handy.

 

[Marypoppinsiam]

We just bring in a soft side cooler and since you have to stop to pick up drinks, you could possibly just pick one up there also. We did that this last spring and it worked out great. The funny part was our room attendant everyday would put fresh ice in it for us (lets just say he got a big tip for that!)

I am bringing vanilla vodka for sure. I need to go on to Hungry Girls website to see if she has any more recipes for skinny margaritas. Does anyone know if the Dream has the beer mug exchange up and running yet?

 

[BelleBway]

Does anyone else start to feel pre-travel blahs about a week before a long planned vacation..?

It just feels like I've been planning this forever and building it up in my mind... and now part of me is worried that it won't live up to "all that". Especially since I am taking my nieces and I really want them to have an awesome time... and also enjoy spending some time together with me.

I'm sure that by the end of next week I'll get back to excited mode... Just right now, I am feeling all sorts of anxiety and perhaps some letdown.

 

[DisneyJenn23]

As for the check-in times...you can check in later if needed just not earlier...right? If one is late I hope you dont get moved to the back of the line.HAHA. I think we timed it perfectly, but we are at the mercy of the airline. I guess it makes since to enforce times. OHHHHH we are sooooo close!! YAY!

I need to figure out what drinks to pick up on the way to the port. Anybody bringing beer? How do you plan to keep it cool? The "fridge" on the Wonder wasn't that cold. I read somewhere that people put ice in the fridge to keep it cooler. What do they put the ice in? A big freezer bag may work. Add that to the list...small and big ziplocs. Its amazing how these come in handy.

There are new fridges on all 3 ships. They are actual fridges instead of the cold boxes. They keep everything nice and cold!!

 

[simbasmom2]

Thanks for all the info everyone. Love the fact that they are real fridges and I do plan to bring a big soft sided cooler now! Belle-dont worry be happy everything will be fab!

 

[Mackie Mouse]

Does anyone else start to feel pre-travel blahs about a week before a long planned vacation..?

It just feels like I've been planning this forever and building it up in my mind... and now part of me is worried that it won't live up to "all that". Especially since I am taking my nieces and I really want them to have an awesome time... and also enjoy spending some time together with me.

I'm sure that by the end of next week I'll get back to excited mode... Just right now, I am feeling all sorts of anxiety and perhaps some letdown.

I'm working hard to keep busy this week for this exact reason! Spent today visiting my adorable 9-month-old nephew and my brother, spent yesterday running my last-minute errands and assembling FEs. Tomorrow should involve straightening up the house so we leave it relatively clean next week and a trip to Michael's to frame some Disney-related art prints to go in our guest room (which is where I am officially relegating the Disney in our house so people don't think we're crazy), and then Colin and I are headed to a Phillies game in the evening.

Of course, this means that by Friday I will be completely out of things to do but it will be too early to start really packing and I will be going insane.

 

[Mackie Mouse]

Random question: Does anyone want me to send them a Word doc version of the FE exchange list? I just started editing the DISer list I have on my computer so I can keep just the FE people handy...I'd be happy to link to it here or find a way to upload it to the site so everyone can have a copy and not have to print out the whole webpage. I confess that my plan was to load it as a PDF onto my iPad and look super-pretentious as I walked around the ship handing out gifts

 

[Marypoppinsiam]

That sounds great. I am just trying to wrap things up around here. Debating back and forth about booking onboard for our next DCL cruise. Why does the Fantasy prices have to be so pricy??? Possibly looking at the Mex. Riviera and spending some time at DL. Somehow I feel so much better getting off the ship knowing that I will return to DCL again in the future.

 

[Mackie Mouse]

That sounds great. I am just trying to wrap things up around here. Debating back and forth about booking onboard for our next DCL cruise. Why does the Fantasy prices have to be so pricy??? Possibly looking at the Mex. Riviera and spending some time at DL. Somehow I feel so much better getting off the ship knowing that I will return to DCL again in the future.

Mary - come to Alaska with us next summer!!

 

[kk92476]

Mary - come to Alaska with us next summer!!

We are toying with the idea of Alaska or the Carribbean in summer 2012. Fingers crossed!

 

[Marypoppinsiam]

We were suppose to go on an Alaskan cruise 2 years ago but we thought Ryan was too young to go. Unfortunately DCL doesn't do a land portion along with the 7 day sailing. I would really love to put on a land portion since I probably will only go to Alaska once.

We are looking on going to the Mex. Riveria over Spring Break (which ours is over Easter so we have a total of 13 days off-yeah Catholic Schools). Celebrity also has a 10 day Southern Caribbean cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, which is half the price of the DCL Fantasy and it is only a 7 day. So that is my small issue.

Next summer we are headed back to Destin, FL. with some of our friends for a week.

 

[Mackie Mouse]

We are toying with the idea of Alaska or the Carribbean in summer 2012. Fingers crossed!

kk - We're pretty set on the July 2nd cruise next year. Clearly you should come along...

I hope that link works here! I sorted the rooms from lowest deck to highest numerically to make gift distribution as easy as possible.

ETA: It just occurred to me that given how our site is password protected some people might not be comfortable having a publicly-accessible link available. Let me know if you'd like this taken down and I'll stick the link on our site instead...

 

[artifex85]

I hope that link works here! I sorted the rooms from lowest deck to highest numerically to make gift distribution as easy as possible.

We're going to make a FE run together, right?

(or you're at least going to print out a copy for me and KNo?)

 

[BelleBway]

ETA: It just occurred to me that given how our site is password protected some people might not be comfortable having a publicly-accessible link available. Let me know if you'd like this taken down and I'll stick the link on our site instead...

I'd sorta prefer the link to be on our site if possible...

 

[Doppler]

Is it too late too sign up for FE's

 

[Doppler]

If not where can I get a pouch for the FE's