Doin it in Style @ The Poly! September 2010 Here we Come!!!

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I now have a new obsession, that being reading up about Disney Cruises etc We saw a Cruise ship set sail yesterday and it got me thinking about how we want to do a land and sea for our Disneymoon.

Hope everyone is well and that you all had a lovely Easter

Ooooooh, I had the same problem!! I became completely OBSESSED with the cruise portion of our honeymoon, to the point that there was NO WAY it would ever live up to my expectations. Did you read my honeymoon TR? Not trying to sway you one way or the other but we MUCH preferred the land portion and the day we got off the ship, we spent one last day in Epcot and it was the most wonderful day we've ever had and made us wish we had just spent our whole honeymoon in the parks.

 

[Stefy]

Ooooooh, I had the same problem!! I became completely OBSESSED with the cruise portion of our honeymoon, to the point that there was NO WAY it would ever live up to my expectations. Did you read my honeymoon TR? Not trying to sway you one way or the other but we MUCH preferred the land portion and the day we got off the ship, we spent one last day in Epcot and it was the most wonderful day we've ever had and made us wish we had just spent our whole honeymoon in the parks.

I did read your honeymoon TR and know that you guys didn't have the greatest of experience. I remember how you guys were so happy at Epcot on your last day.

For us, this is something new and something we have always wanted to try. I am a bit skeptical myself because I am not a huge fan of the sea/ocean (it scares me) and I tend to think bad thoughts about sailing on ships etc. But it does look v appealing and fun. I figure if we do a 3 night Bahama's cruise as soon as we get to Florida and then 7 nights at Disney it should be ok, as at least we have the 7 nights on land to fall back on.

 

[Stefy]

Hey All

How are we doing?

We managed to book the last 3 nights ADR's of our trip and breakfast on day of departure

After much faffing around and trying to work out what reference number goes where, we finally managed to get onto the US website to do ADR's online. Overall it wasn't a bad experience, quite quick and painless really. This is what we managed to get:-

Sunday 10/10/2010
Breakfast: Grand Floridian Cafe - 9:10am (originally wanted 9am, but this is fine as we are mini golfing on this day, so in no big rush)

Dinner: Narcoossee's - 5:30pm (exactly the time we wanted)

Monday 11/10/2010

Breakfast: Donald's Safari Breakfast at Tusker House - 8:25am (originally wanted 8am, so am not too pleased with not getting the time we wanted. But I figure that we can still enter the park at 8am, grab some snaps, eat and then head over to Kilimanjaro Safari's for a FP)

Dinner: Jiko The Cooking Place - 7pm (exactly the time we wanted)

Tuesday 12/10/2010

Breakfast: Crystal Palace - 8:05am (originally wanted 8am, but only 5 min difference)

Lunch: Chef's de France - 2pm (exactly the time we wanted)

Dinner: Yachtsman Steakhouse - 8pm (exactly the time we wanted)

Wednesday 13/10/2010

Breakfast: Kona Cafe - 9am (exactly the time we wanted)

We are now officially done with booking ADR's. I will post all our ADR's and times again, as we are thinking about trying to place Sannaa for lunch somewhere and would appreciate your help with where we could possibly place it.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I did read your honeymoon TR and know that you guys didn't have the greatest of experience. I remember how you guys were so happy at Epcot on your last day.

For us, this is something new and something we have always wanted to try. I am a bit skeptical myself because I am not a huge fan of the sea/ocean (it scares me) and I tend to think bad thoughts about sailing on ships etc. But it does look v appealing and fun. I figure if we do a 3 night Bahama's cruise as soon as we get to Florida and then 7 nights at Disney it should be ok, as at least we have the 7 nights on land to fall back on.

I think a 3-night cruise before the parks sounds perfect! I wish we would have done something like that instead.

 

[Stefy]

I think so too, because we have also never done a Cruise before either, Disney or other.

I priced up 3 nights just for the hell of it for September next year and its quite cheap (priced it up on the US site). $993 dollars for both of us in a Deluxe Ocean View with Verandah between decks 7-10 (I think). What deck were you guys on?

 

[dismagiclover]

Glad you got those last ADRs done Just some info about our 8:25 reservation at Crystal Palace. We showed up extra early that day (by accident. The bus pulled up right as we arrived at the stop). Anyway we entered the park with all of the other early ADRs a few minutes before 8:00 and mozied our way up Main St. We took a couple of pictures and then I figured we might as well check in. So I checked in around 8:05 thinking we'd have to wait 20 minutes or so. We waited all of about 30 seconds. So if you show up early to Tusker House you still have a good chance of getting in early.

 

[disneybarbie]

I think so too, because we have also never done a Cruise before either, Disney or other.

I priced up 3 nights just for the hell of it for September next year and its quite cheap (priced it up on the US site). $993 dollars for both of us in a Deluxe Ocean View! with Verandah between decks 7-10 (I think). What deck were you guys on?

Hi Stephy - I had exactly the same thoughts as you on Cruising!
Also after reading Nikki's honeymoon TR I decided to do the cruise then wdw.. just in case we don't like it!
Is that the Disney Dream ship for Sept 2011? Last week it was announced that the Artist's Palette restaurant will be like Turtle Talk in Epcot... I'm sooo excited about it!!

Emma xx

 

[Stefy]

Glad you got those last ADRs done Just some info about our 8:25 reservation at Crystal Palace. We showed up extra early that day (by accident. The bus pulled up right as we arrived at the stop). Anyway we entered the park with all of the other early ADRs a few minutes before 8:00 and mozied our way up Main St. We took a couple of pictures and then I figured we might as well check in. So I checked in around 8:05 thinking we'd have to wait 20 minutes or so. We waited all of about 30 seconds. So if you show up early to Tusker House you still have a good chance of getting in early.

I'm glad too, now I don't have to worry those for now and can get on with other planning now

That sounds cool, we figure if we get there for 8am we can have a slow stroll up to Tusker and then check in and see how it goes

When you had an early ADR, was it virtually empty on Main Street? Compared to how it usually is.

Hi Stephy - I had exactly the same thoughts as you on Cruising!
Also after reading Nikki's honeymoon TR I decided to do the cruise then wdw.. just in case we don't like it!
Is that the Disney Dream ship for Sept 2011? Last week it was announced that the Artist's Palette restaurant will be like Turtle Talk in Epcot... I'm sooo excited about it!!

Emma xx

I have spent the last hour looking at all the onboard activities etc for the Disney Dream and I am so excited, I really hope we can do this for our Disneymoon. I am loving the sound of the Enchanted Garden and Royal Palace

Yes I priced for September 2011, whether we can go in 2011 is another matter, but I just wanted to see how much we are roughly looking at for a 3 night so i know what to budget for.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Hey! I have been lurking on the DIS the past few days. I am liking your ADR choices a lot! It makes me wish we had more time in WDW to just have some relaxing days...but DH and I have decided to make some changes to our vacation to allow for relaxing days. I also have been thinking about doing a cruise but am unsure because of the sea sickness. I get motion sickness pretty bad. That's a great price for a Disney Cruise, under $1000!

 

[Mickey_Mom]

Wow, I really can't wait to hear about your experiences at all of those fabulous restaurants.

A land and sea Disney trip sounds really nice. The hubby won't go anywhere near a cruise ship however, so I'd have to go with a friend. Not quite as romantic....

 

[Stefy]

Hey! I have been lurking on the DIS the past few days. I am liking your ADR choices a lot! It makes me wish we had more time in WDW to just have some relaxing days...but DH and I have decided to make some changes to our vacation to allow for relaxing days. I also have been thinking about doing a cruise but am unsure because of the sea sickness. I get motion sickness pretty bad. That's a great price for a Disney Cruise, under $1000!

Its not bad, but we are now thinking about increasing that to 4 nights which takes us over $1000, but its still a great deal for us.

I am hoping we get a bounceback in the room when we get there, we have never done one before, but would defo love to do it. Do you know if you can use bounceback on DCL?

Wow, I really can't wait to hear about your experiences at all of those fabulous restaurants.

A land and sea Disney trip sounds really nice. The hubby won't go anywhere near a cruise ship however, so I'd have to go with a friend. Not quite as romantic....

Us too, might have to minimise my meals a few weeks before we go so I am prepared for all this food.

I am so excited about it, I can't stop obsessing over it Dave says to get this trip out of the way first and then see where we are after that. But me being impatient will just torture myself by looking stuff up.

I am sure a cruise with a friend would be lots of fun, could be a girly cruise. You could pamper yourself in the spa, drink cocktails on deck and just relax and chill

 

[Stefy]

I thought I would explain our recent absence over the weekend with an update for you guys. Obviously Friday we spent most of the day making ADR's and updating you guys on that. Saturday we had to wake up at 4am to travel to the Isle of Wight. We decided to stay overnight a while back as that is where me and Dave plan to get married and I wanted to go back to the Hotel we stayed at last year, as thats where we want to have the ceremony. I also wanted to show my parents, so the Bank Holiday Weekend was the perfect opportunity to go.

We had a fun day on Saturday, arrived late morning and drove to the town centre of the area we were staying in. Played a few arcade games and took a stroll.

After that, we went to a Butterfly park. I really enjoyed visiting this place as 1. It was warm (the weather was not our friend this weekend FYI). 2. It had butterflys which I love to look at. Here are a few pics we took:-

As you know, butterfly houses are usually always hot, so when Dave took this pic, the camera steamed up straightaway, so we got a few steamy pics

I thought it was cool that this little guy landed on my dad, had to gently nudge him away as he would leave.

This guy is a strange looker, but still cool.

After the butterflies, we entered an Italian style garden which was pretty beautiful.

My mum and dad, excuse his crazy eyes, but I had to lean over a railing to take this pic and was taking my sweet time.

Entering the Japanese Garden

There was also another two different rooms, one weird Pirate room which was dark, but was illuminated and another was a water garden type room where water shoots at random and you can choose to get wet if you wanted, but it was too cold on this day.

We went into a nearby garden centre after just to browse, as you do and we came across some Disney merchandise.

After that we went back to our B&B which I will never stay in again. It was cold and the bed covers, duvet and pillows were just horrible, not to mention their solution for central heating was an electric heater which took forever to warm up.

Will update you with Sunday pics later on, have to get ready to leave for work now

Ciao for now

 

[Soopafly]

I am sure a cruise with a friend would be lots of fun, could be a girly cruise. You could pamper yourself in the spa, drink cocktails on deck and just relax and chill

3 Words - Refillable. Beer. Mug.

 

[dismagiclover]

When you had an early ADR, was it virtually empty on Main Street? Compared to how it usually is.

It's relatively empty, but there are still people around. Everyone that has an early breakfast at either CP or CRT is there. Plus I think they do early appointments at BBB as well. The time I've seen Main Street the emptiest was actually at a P&P Party. Everyone was off on rides and stuff and Main Street was just dead. It was pretty cool. Too bad they don't those anymore.

 

[Stefy]

3 Words - Refillable. Beer. Mug.

I love how thats the only enticement for you

It's relatively empty, but there are still people around. Everyone that has an early breakfast at either CP or CRT is there. Plus I think they do early appointments at BBB as well. The time I've seen Main Street the emptiest was actually at a P&P Party. Everyone was off on rides and stuff and Main Street was just dead. It was pretty cool. Too bad they don't those anymore.

Coolbeans, looking forward to some empty Main Street pics, are the PP photographers there around that time too?

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

That place looks lovely! And you have such a beautiful family! You and your mom look soooo much alike and you dad is the cutest!

As far as empty main st. goes...we've had the 8:05 at CP many times and have never seen an actual empty main st. There are a good amount of people there for breakfasts. I think that you need to either be one of the first ones there OR maybe have like an 8:25 ADR so that the initial breakfast crowd has already gone through...I never tested either theory so it's all just speculation!

 

[dismagiclover]

Coolbeans, looking forward to some empty Main Street pics, are the PP photographers there around that time too?

The PP are there and believe it or not they aren't very busy either. I think we visited 3 different photographers on our stroll down Main Street and didn't wait for any of them! It's a great time for Photopass

Here are a couple of pictures to give you the idea of the lack of crowds. The 1st one it looks like the clock says 7:55. You can see people in the background. In the second one you'll notice there are not people in the background In the 3rd one you can see a few people.

 

[UncleOrville]

That butterfly garden looks lovely! Many more butterflies than the one I saw at the beginning of the Flower & Garden Festival!

 

[Stefy]

That place looks lovely! And you have such a beautiful family! You and your mom look soooo much alike and you dad is the cutest!

As far as empty main st. goes...we've had the 8:05 at CP many times and have never seen an actual empty main st. There are a good amount of people there for breakfasts. I think that you need to either be one of the first ones there OR maybe have like an 8:25 ADR so that the initial breakfast crowd has already gone through...I never tested either theory so it's all just speculation!

Thank you We may be a small Ohana, but it works

Thats an interesting theory and makes sense, we have an 8:25am for Tusker, have to see how that works out

The PP are there and believe it or not they aren't very busy either. I think we visited 3 different photographers on our stroll down Main Street and didn't wait for any of them! It's a great time for Photopass

Here are a couple of pictures to give you the idea of the lack of crowds. The 1st one it looks like the clock says 7:55. You can see people in the background. In the second one you'll notice there are not people in the background In the 3rd one you can see a few people.

You guys are so cute, love the Castle Hub pic, so empty Crowd wise is not bad in all of those

That butterfly garden looks lovely! Many more butterflies than the one I saw at the beginning of the Flower & Garden Festival!

I read about that, but at least you saw one.

The Butterly House was really quite cool. There were two butterflies that were flying all over the place and they were the most vivid blue, but when they closed their wings, they looked like moths.

 

[Stefy]

The next day was Sunday and we had a meeting with the owners of the Manor about our wedding and it was quite productive.

We got out most of the queries we had and I have found out that there is not much that is needed to be done, as the Manor is themed so that decoration wise you are pretty much ready to do. Apart from this new structure they have built for weddings, it looks pretty cool, but the colour is not v me/us so we agreed (me and Dave) that we should cover it in flowers

We got back a quote and I discussed with my dad previously that if it was a certain amount then we would book a date If thats the case, I could very well get to check out my wedding dress this year

Anywho, I took some pics and thought I would share with you guys

I had previously booked a Grand High Tea to surprise mum and after our meeting we sat down to these.

After tea we explored the grounds a bit more and took some more pics.

On the ferry home, we saw the P&O Oceana setting sail from Portsmouth and seeing this got me thinking about the DCL and now I am obssessed with going on a Disney Cruise

and that was our weekend