BigJon
will work for Dole Whip
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2007
- Messages
- 434
Hello Everyone, this is my first trip report. This was me and my wife's 14th Disney Cruise. Our 3rd without the kids (they're both in college). Our last cruise was the Panama Canal cruise last December (LA to Miami). The first part of my report is to let people know what to expect if they fly in to IAH, and what to look for if they are taking Disney transportation. I bought the Disney transportation before they increased the price, so for me and my wife, the total was $120 for both of us. Not bad for a 1 hour and 15 minute trip each way.
Day 1 - ARRIVING AT GEORGE BUSH AIRPORT AND DISNEY TRANSPORTATION:
We flew in to IAH (George Bush) a day early, and stayed at the Comfort Suites on Sam Houston Parkway. This particular Comfort Suites offered free transportation to and from the airport, and they offered free transportation to anywhere within a 5 mile radius, which came in really handy the night before our cruise, because they took us to Wal-Mart to do some last minute shopping. Anyway, last Saturday morning, we took the hotel shuttle back to the airport, and arrived around 9am at Terminal A. I was told to arrive around 10 to 10:30am, but I got there earlier, because I wanted to see if we could get to the port earlier. We took our luggage inside, and immediately found the Disney representatives. A couple of the ladies were walking around the baggage claim area (which is located on the lower level). Notice that their table is located at the WEST hallway.
After we checked in at the desk, we were given a card with a number, and the lady told us to take a seat in front of the Carnival check-in desk, and she would let us know when the bus arrived. As we sat there, we noticed the first "Disney Difference". The 2 guys at the Carnival desk looked like they were bored, and ready to take a nap, while the ladies at the Disney table were smiling, and talking with each other, and the guests. Also look at the next picture, and notice how cool the Disney area looks, and how bland the Carnival area looks. (a picture is worth a thousand words!)
After sitting there for about 10 or 15 minutes, we were told we could take our baggage outside, and it would be loaded in a separate truck. The Disney representative told us that we could take it with us on the bus, or we could load it in the vehicle shown below. So we just took our baggage outside, and gave it to a guy, and he loaded it in the back of this truck.
We went back inside and sat down, and probably about 10 or 15 minutes went by, and we were told to go outside, because the bus was there. We walked up to the bus, and I gave the guy our card (I think it had #13 or #15 on it). The same guy made a brief speech ("you will be taken to the port at Galveston......"), and we were off to the port. To bad they don't have the cool Disney Cruise Line buses in Houston, like they do at Port Canaveral.
As a side note, while we waited at the airport, I spoke with a Disney rep, who told me that our cruise had about half the number of guests (that were taking Disney transportation from the airport), than the previous cruise. Once we boarded the bus, we watched a Disney Cruise video regarding what we were to expect on our cruise. After that video, we watched a Funniest Home videos, that was broadcasted on the Disney Dream. When that video ended, nothing else was shown. The trip lasted about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (something like that?) Something funny that our driver said (or at least me and my wife thought it was funny), once we got to Galveston, our driver announced that we would be "confronted" by Disney employees when we got to the port. "Confronted".....that sounds like it might get physical! Well, it's been a long day flying from Texas back to North Carolina. Time to get a good nights rest before church tomorrow. I'll post the rest of my "first day".......tomorrow. I have a lot of pictures (my Parrot Cay lunch plate, an empty Quiet Cove pool area, and so on).
Day 1 - ARRIVING AT GEORGE BUSH AIRPORT AND DISNEY TRANSPORTATION:
We flew in to IAH (George Bush) a day early, and stayed at the Comfort Suites on Sam Houston Parkway. This particular Comfort Suites offered free transportation to and from the airport, and they offered free transportation to anywhere within a 5 mile radius, which came in really handy the night before our cruise, because they took us to Wal-Mart to do some last minute shopping. Anyway, last Saturday morning, we took the hotel shuttle back to the airport, and arrived around 9am at Terminal A. I was told to arrive around 10 to 10:30am, but I got there earlier, because I wanted to see if we could get to the port earlier. We took our luggage inside, and immediately found the Disney representatives. A couple of the ladies were walking around the baggage claim area (which is located on the lower level). Notice that their table is located at the WEST hallway.
After we checked in at the desk, we were given a card with a number, and the lady told us to take a seat in front of the Carnival check-in desk, and she would let us know when the bus arrived. As we sat there, we noticed the first "Disney Difference". The 2 guys at the Carnival desk looked like they were bored, and ready to take a nap, while the ladies at the Disney table were smiling, and talking with each other, and the guests. Also look at the next picture, and notice how cool the Disney area looks, and how bland the Carnival area looks. (a picture is worth a thousand words!)
After sitting there for about 10 or 15 minutes, we were told we could take our baggage outside, and it would be loaded in a separate truck. The Disney representative told us that we could take it with us on the bus, or we could load it in the vehicle shown below. So we just took our baggage outside, and gave it to a guy, and he loaded it in the back of this truck.
We went back inside and sat down, and probably about 10 or 15 minutes went by, and we were told to go outside, because the bus was there. We walked up to the bus, and I gave the guy our card (I think it had #13 or #15 on it). The same guy made a brief speech ("you will be taken to the port at Galveston......"), and we were off to the port. To bad they don't have the cool Disney Cruise Line buses in Houston, like they do at Port Canaveral.
As a side note, while we waited at the airport, I spoke with a Disney rep, who told me that our cruise had about half the number of guests (that were taking Disney transportation from the airport), than the previous cruise. Once we boarded the bus, we watched a Disney Cruise video regarding what we were to expect on our cruise. After that video, we watched a Funniest Home videos, that was broadcasted on the Disney Dream. When that video ended, nothing else was shown. The trip lasted about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (something like that?) Something funny that our driver said (or at least me and my wife thought it was funny), once we got to Galveston, our driver announced that we would be "confronted" by Disney employees when we got to the port. "Confronted".....that sounds like it might get physical! Well, it's been a long day flying from Texas back to North Carolina. Time to get a good nights rest before church tomorrow. I'll post the rest of my "first day".......tomorrow. I have a lot of pictures (my Parrot Cay lunch plate, an empty Quiet Cove pool area, and so on).
Following along and looking forward to hearing all about your cruise.
