Disney Wonder Jan 23, 2011

[so_oregon]

I overpack. I know I overpack. But guess who everyone comes to when they need something.....the woman who overpacks.

ipod
speaker
laptop
Kangaroom (google it...it's snazzy) that holds power strip and cords to the other stuff.
phone
other phone
yes, third phone (no, I am kidding about the third one...)
Skype phone
(okay, I wasn't kidding).
second laptop
camp clothesline for wet suits
DVD player/movies for the 3 year old
(I was kidding about the second laptop by the way.....)

kindle
FE stuff
more FE stuff

too many pants
way way too many shirts
4 dresses (because I won't know which one I want until that evening).

shoes
more shoes
yup, more shoes

it is rough being old and fat and have the same feet you were born with. They complain.

 

[airtime247]

We actually pack a lot lighter now than we used to. Of course, now we are hauling around a lot more in the way of toys and entertainment for Emma so I guess it's a wash.

Some things we pack...

- Over the door shoe hanger for holding toiletries on the restroom door
- Power strip for all the chargers we have
- Lots of $1 and $5 bills for tips and buying small things in port. You may have a hard time breaking larger bills in some shops.
- Night light if staying in an inside cabin
- Plenty of meds (Benedryl, Tums, Dramamine, etc.) just in case
- Laptop for freeing up space on camera and camcorder
- List of souvenirs I'm looking for because I never remember everything while I'm shopping
- Tropical shirts (because I'd look like a freak if I wore them where I live)

-steve

 

[denversees4me]

No one has mentioned HAIR DRYERS !!! Disneys SUCK !!! At least they did last time I was on board !!!! dont forget
Zip Ties for FEs and something to cut them with

 

[F&A]

No one has mentioned HAIR DRYERS !!! Disneys SUCK !!! At least they did last time I was on board !!!! dont forget
Zip Ties for FEs and something to cut them with

This is fun and enlightening. We all bring power strips.

Ashley bought a new hair dryer to bring on this trip. She agrees, the hair dryers suck.

For over the counter meds, I recommend anti bacterial ointment. You never know when you scrape a knee snorkeling or something.

I also pack small binoculars to check out passing ships and ports from the veranda. We also bring travel coffee mugs (previously reference addiction to morning coffee).

Frank

 

[Sbriggsgirl]

This will be our 6th disney cruise! We are so excited, we booked the january 23rd on our cruise in June, perfect timing because the kids sail free sold out the next day! Soooo glad DCL finally made it to Cali!

 

[googles111]

Thanks for the tip, will have to check it out. We have two Fry's near us. Last year I made a sign with photos from our wedding and hung it from the fish. Ashley loved it. People kept coming by wishing us a happy anniversary. She liked the attention.

We don't have a Fry's here. I ended up buying the magnets off of this website. http://www.escapadedirect.com/mainpa.html

But looking into flying. What airport are you flying into? Anyone else? What airport is best?

It depends on if you want to drive. If you go out of Ontario the travel time depends on the traffic. If there isnt much traffic it would be about an hour. LAX would be the best one to fly out of. That is closer and shouldn't take as long. Again, it all depends on how the traffic is. It's always busy.

 

[bklawyer]

Hi it's Dave (as if there's only one in the world!). Six time Dsiney cruiser? That is awesome!!! Any important words of wisdom you'd care to pass on to those of us who only recently discovered vessels could travel by sea? The closest I've ever been to a boat (ship?) is this week when it kept raining so I went to Home Depot for a truckoad of planks and two of every animal. Got those at Petco. Otherwise, I drove by the Carnival Splendor when it docked here, but that's the extent of our family's lifetime experience with stuff that sways side to side. Any info us newbies need to know? Thanks!!!

 

[bklawyer]

Hey guys, how'd you get the Crowne Plaza for $65 per night on Priceline? I've never used it before and I surf the Internet on a short bus, so I got all confused when it made me select Long Beach or New Zealand or whatever when submitting a price. Would you mind helping out a bro before I pull the remaining 17 hairs outta my head? (I mean, cabeza - we are going to Mexico afterall!). Thanks, Dave.

 

[airtime247]

Hi it's Dave (as if there's only one in the world!). Six time Dsiney cruiser? That is awesome!!! Any important words of wisdom you'd care to pass on to those of us who only recently discovered vessels could travel by sea? The closest I've ever been to a boat (ship?) is this week when it kept raining so I went to Home Depot for a truckoad of planks and two of every animal. Got those at Petco. Otherwise, I drove by the Carnival Splendor when it docked here, but that's the extent of our family's lifetime experience with stuff that sways side to side. Any info us newbies need to know? Thanks!!!

Let's see, some things a first-timer needs to know...

10) Dramamine may help with motion sickness but only rum helps stabilize the rocking of the ship.

9) Not since high school could you split from the restaurant without waiting for the check.

8) Leave your Twister game at home. There won't be enough room to play it in your cabin.

7) Just because they do fireworks on the ship doesn't mean you can too.

6) You can't walk more than ten feet without a crew member wanting to give you hand sanitizer.

5) There will be a guy called the head server. You won't be able to figure out what he does for the life of you but you'll tip him anyway.

4) The showers are tiny and the toilets are loud and VERY powerful. Be sure you close the lid before you flush or you may end up on the deck below.

3) If you think you're fat now, just wait until day 7.

2) Karaoke on the high seas sucks just as bad as on land.

1) Dogs pee in little pools filled with grass.

-steve

 

[F&A]

Let's see, some things a first-timer needs to know...
...
-steve

Steve, I agree with all of your tips and humbly offer a few more:

1. Pack only what you need and pack using luggage that can be collapsed, such as rolling duffel bags. This way your bags can be easily stored in the closet without taking up too much room.

2. Know what the drink of the day is. Its usually pretty cheap. Also, don't hesitate to "sneak" bring some booze on for a evening cocktail, just like high school.

3. Bring some hand held walkie talkies like the Motorola talkabouts for your family to stay in touch on board. Along those lines, take the battery out of your cell phone especially if it is a smart phone to avoid unnecessary data roaming charges. Blackberry's and such may turn on for a calendar reminder and stay on with you not knowing about it and start racking up roaming charges. Plus you are vacation so take the battery out at Port and don't put it back in until you return. Call your cell provider and asking about a regional plan if you must have it on to avoid surprise charges and guarantee the lowest usage fees.

4. Bring a small speaker to use with your iPod so you can do the same. You can enjoy the morning coffee on the balcony to some tropical music and watch the sunrise on your balcony.

5. Bring a refillable cold beverage container and a refillable coffee mug to take full advantage of the 24 hours beverage station (not just 8 oz at a time).

6. Book shore excursions, and spa appointments as early as possible before sailing.

7. Bring your own sunscreen and over the counter meds to everyday needs. Sinus/cold pills, pepto, tums, keopektate etc.

8. Free room service! You can fill out a card the night before and pre-order room service breakfast. No one told us about this on our first cruise and I found breakfast order card as we were cleaning out the room and bummed. It is in the "desk" type drawer usually.

9. Ask the staff. Don't hesitate to ask the staff for anything. You can be surprised what they can accommodate or make happen.

10. Book your next cruise on board. Take advantage of the discounts and credits on board. These reservations can always be changed or canceled later.

11. Check out the high tea and brunch for at sea days.

12. You may want to bring your own hair dryer. Ashley and others on this board think the one the rooms suck (they should blow)

13. Probably too late for our sailing but we have both regular passports and the passport cards. I like to take the passport cards with us when you leave the ship just in case. They are just as good as passports for land and ship travel. We use them as out photo ID for the cruise and keep the regular passports safe in the lock box in the room.

 

[jkrislc]

Very funny, Steve.

Here's my two cents after a dozen cruises, but only one so far on Disney:

1. Get to the ship as early as possible. This way you'll have extra time if the unexpected happens and a couple of extra hours onboard. Lunch will be available once you board, but rooms won't be available until about 1:30. Thus, pack light as far as carry-one are concerned. Also, pack swim stuff if you want to enjoy the pools right away. This was a big hit with my son last year as he was the only one in the splash area.

2. Don't be afraid to order something you've never had in the dining room. If you don't like it, they'll happily bring you something else. Also, if you don't want a salad, feel free to order two appetizers and/or make a meal of them. If nothing appeals to you, there are some basic "always available" choices (e.g., salmon, chicken, etc.). Keep in mind that portions are on the smaller side, so it's expected that you'll order from all course selections on the menu, and they won't frown if you order two entrees.

3. Bring travel mugs like others have said, but refill them from the disposable cups provided. They don't want you filling your own mugs directly out of Noro virus concerns. And while soft drinks are included at the beverage station on Deck 9 and in the restaurants, you'll be charged for them through room service and at bars.

4. No heating elements, other than hair care appliances, are allowed, so leave the candles, cup warmers, etc. at home.

5. Storage space is surprisingly good; I've never needed the shoe organizer, but others swear by them. However, I have found a large bag or pop up hamper very useful for dirty clothes.

6. Walkie talkies are suggested by some, but don't always work well due to all of the metal in the ship. Also, the Wonder now has two portable phones per cabin that can be used throughout the ship to keep in contact with each other. The downside is that you'll be charged $250 if it is lost or damaged, but they're free to use otherwise.

7. Take highlighters to mark the daily program so that you don't miss any activities you might be interested in. Some suggest multiple colors like yellow and blue, that way when you come across a green highlighted activity you know everyone is interested in it. Read the program daily so you don't miss anything. It also provides important information like dining times, store hours, when you need to be aboard on port days, etc. You should also take it with you when ashore as it has the ship's agent information should you miss the ship and need to catch it at the next port. Extra copies are available at guest services.

8. For the most part, the "shopping talks" onboard are a waste of time and the stores mentioned have paid a fee to be a preferred store.

9. They run a lot of movies on the TV. Somewhere in the cabin there will be a list; I didn't find it until the last day so I always saw parts of movies as they were ending or after having already part way through. Other movies (Ariel View and theater) will be listed in the program.

10. Luggage needs to be put out the night before returning to LA, so make sure to have enough carry-on space for your night clothes. Also, remember to leave out your clothes for the next day, including shoes. I once accidentally packed my DW's jeans so she ended up wearing her lounge pants for the next 36 hours as it was a Hawaii cruise with an 11 pm departing flight. Luckily they matched the rest of her outfit and no one noticed. Could have been a disaster, however.

11. Pack all the OTCs you think you might need; they're expensive onboard. I also pack a small first aid kit. Sunscreen is especially expensive.

12. Have small bills on hand to tip the porters and room service. I generally tip $1-$2 per bag and $2-$3 for room service, more if I'm ordering a lot.

13. Don't be excited that they have a pizza place open until 11 or midnight. While others might disagree, I thought the pizza sucked. My 3 year old thought it was the best, however. That said, Pluto's had surprisingly good food.

14. Try the shows. If you don't like them, you can always leave. Plan to arrive early (15-20 minutes) for good seats.

15. They charge for snacks at the movie theater, but you can always bring food from elsewhere.

16. Use zip ties to secure your luggage. You'll know instantly if someone has been in your luggage and if you're flying you don't have to worry about the TSA destroying your locks. Just make sure you pack something to cut them with. I drop a multi-tool in an outside pocket of my checked luggage that's unsecured and have never had a problem.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can think of right now.

Kris

 

[so_oregon]

Hey guys, how'd you get the Crowne Plaza for $65 per night on Priceline? I've never used it before and I surf the Internet on a short bus, so I got all confused when it made me select Long Beach or New Zealand or whatever when submitting a price. Would you mind helping out a bro before I pull the remaining 17 hairs outta my head? (I mean, cabeza - we are going to Mexico afterall!). Thanks, Dave.

click the hotel tab at priceline dot com. Type in San pedro, california. Type in your dates (1/22/11-1/23/11). It searches. Then, there are three tabs across the top. Pick the "name your own price" tab. Area 3 is san pedro. Pick 3.5 star hotel. put in your bid of 65 in the bid box. put your initals in the approved box....and click continue.

 

[so_oregon]

if you bring a white pillowcase and permanent markers in a big ziplock, you can take the packet down to Guest Services and ask for character autographs. You should put chocolate bars in there for the characters as they get hungry while signing. It will be delivered back to your stateroom on the last night of the cruise, signed by all, princesses, whoever you have asked to sign......

pretty snazzy. The characters will also sign a photo mat....generally will do 2 per stateroom....

 

[bklawyer]

You guys are the best! Steve, you're my new best friend. I definately want to party with you. I had Twister, a Oujia board and 50,000 dominos already packed, so you saved me some trouble. I feel really prepared! My wife keeps making me put the snorkel away before bedtime, but showering seems easier these days (except the swim fins keep covering the drain). I'm going to try the priceline thing; thank you for the instructions. I tried to call William Shatner first but Nimoy kept picking up.

These tips are terrific. Thanks again.

Dave

 

[jkrislc]

You guys are the best! Steve, you're my new best friend. I definately want to party with you. I had Twister, a Oujia board and 50,000 dominos already packed, so you saved me some trouble. I feel really prepared! My wife keeps making me put the snorkel away before bedtime, but showering seems easier these days (except the swim fins keep covering the drain). I'm going to try the priceline thing; thank you for the instructions. I tried to call William Shatner first but Nimoy kept picking up.

These tips are terrific. Thanks again.

Dave

Keep in mind that while the hotel on Priceline will include a shuttle to the port, it is not likely that they will include parking while on the cruise, so expect to pay extra for that. Even so, you'll pay less at the hotel than at the port (probably about $6 per day versus $12). You may want to call the hotel before bidding to be sure.

Kris

 

[denversees4me]

hi all
so close !!!!
Just scanning over the boards before heading off to the gym will read more later - but wanted to comment on the pizza thing LOL I did not like pizza from anywhere EXCEPT room service pizza it TOTALLY ROCKS !!! I sometimes get cravings while at home for that stupid pizza and shhhhhh dont tell guide dog school but Denver likes it too LOL we share

 

[Kidlette]

Hi guys! I know I'm behind and I probably won't remember everything I wanted to say, but here goes!

1. To whomever wanted to know how to book the Crowne Plaza, I am scared that the wrong impression is being given by the instructions. Just because you bid how you were told does NOT mean you will necessarily get the Crowne Plaza - you may very well get a hotel you don't want. Just beware.

2. Frank - what is a passport card? I'm intrigued! I've never heard of one, where do I get it?!?!

3. To elaborate on Kris' #2 - it is so true! Order or ask for whatever you want. On our last cruise I just said, "I want what I had last night." I didn't even have to tell them what it was, they just said "ok" and brought me what I wanted! Also, the waiter explained that it is easier for them to bring you multiple full plates than "special order." For instance, if they have chicken, potatoes, and assysparagus and you want double potatoes and no assysparagus, they will simply bring you 2 full dinners to double your potato order - NO JOKE!

4. If you say "nothing" for dessert you may very well receive a plate with "nothing" written on it!

5. In our opinion the buffet breakfast at Beach Blanket Buffet was YUCKY!

6. Keep an eye out for Characters - they are MUCH more interactive on the cruise than in the parks! On our last cruise Captain hook actually played ping pong/table tennis with the guests!!

7. When laying on a lounge chairs under the stars to watch a night-time movie on the jumbo tron make sure to triple dress, bring blankets and bundle, bundle, bundle! (The played Pirates of the Caribbean on our sailing). Also - if you want a lounge chair, a good spot, and/or a group of spots - send someone SUPER EARLY to gather seats because a movie under the stars fills up super-duper quickly!

8. The "art show" or "art auction" is a rip-off! Well, we think so. Ryan and I saw paintings being "auctioned" (sold) for more money on the cruise than they were on Disney World property. They are fun to look at, but it doesn't seem like they are a cost effective "souvenir."

9. Ask for a strawberry smoothie (non alcoholic) - they are DELICIOUS! They do add up in cost though, so watch out!

10. I am not going to say how because I don't want to have more competition, but if you win any shipboard credit your name is Jessica McIntosh and your cabin number is 6311!

 

[Kidlette]

Karen - was it you that wanted your wristbands mailed to you? I can't find where your address is. If that was you, will you please send me a PM with you address so I can send them out?? Thanks!! If it wasn't you, whoever it was please send me a message. Thanks!

 

[Kidlette]

Karen - was it you that wanted your wristbands mailed to you? I can't find where your address is. If that was you, will you please send me a PM with you address so I can send them out?? Thanks!! If it wasn't you, whoever it was please send me a message. Thanks!

Never mind Karen - I found it! It was you, the address was on the gift card. I will get that mailed out to you ASAP!

 

[Kidlette]

FYI -

I see people noticing how funny Steve is. I just want to say that y'all don't know the half of it! He's funny as expletive! He is Amy's first, but when it comes to funny friends I got dibbs! Holy explative batman!

P.S Steve and Amy - I was totally not joking about the Emma gift text the other day. What if I took it out of the packaging and tried to compactly pack it - would that be stupid?? Yes, I am 100% serious!