"Double Dip Delight" 09/27/08 - Take 2 with Link to Original Thread!

[TheDisneyGirl02]

I'm blaming Erik for not being able to book our flights earlier today! After getting home, I didn't see my PayPal Debit Card on the table beside my laptop. So I logged into my acct to see where I last used it and praying my acct wasn't depleted because I lost it!!! Well, the last transaction was for AIDS Rochester, the organization Erik and Jason are walking for to raise funds. So if the card wasn't in my purse nor on the table, it had to be in the cushions of the couch! Sure enough it was!!



I just love you guys! I didn't know about the discount code. So thanks to Born2Cruz and Erik , I was able to apply the discount when I booked our flights tonight! I would have paid $633, however the total ended up being $548 for the three of us!! THANK YOU!!!

Sooooo, being I was feeling so "official", I also decided to pay the remaining $322 balance on the cruise itself tonight as well!! Also, before I came home, I found a really nice snorkle ensemble at half off at Tuesday Morning. THEN, I arrive home and find my new compact tri-pod, named Gorillapod, at my doorstep (this is so cool)! It will go nicely with my brand new upgraded digital camera I purchased a couple of weeks ago! I am SO on this cruise now!

Cruise Paid in Full

Flights Secured

Friday Night Hotel in Port Canaveral Paid

Rental car secured

I'm a happy girl!! So what am I going to do? Go to Disney World, of course!!

Pop Century Resorts Paid

Park Hopper Purchased

Get DBF to commit to going

The checklist looks good!

I hope your DBF goes to WDW with you!!!!!! Is your DBF going on the cruise with you?

My DBF and I were talking about WDW and the Cruise tonight with his DMom (MagicMe) and we are ALL so excited!!!!! The specials on the Travel Channel are fueling our excitement!!!!

 

[Aquagirl]

This is one popular cruise. I checked out what was available on the website and it is sold out!

 

[Buckeye Gal]

OHHHH i like that tripod. Ok what type of camera did you get. Ive been shopping around looking for a new one. the one i have is 5yrs old kodak and it was a great started digi cam. but I really need to upgrade the pics are not what I want them to be. Specially indoor far shots come out all dark and grainy. any tips yall have are more then welcome.

Isn't that the coolest invention?!!! You could wrap it around the rails on the side of the ship for fireworks in landscape or portrait direction. Not having to find a surface for the traditional tri-pod to sit on is going to be so liberating. I have a small fold up tri-pod that fits in my camera case that I bought from Eddie Bauer years ago, but this will be the best. It has soooo many functional applications.

OHHH that reminds me, from a Google search, I found a coupon code before I purchased my Joby Gorillapod. It's "GorillapodLOVE", and it's good until 12/31/08. The discount is for 15% off. They also have a "Green" option to purchase it without packaging, and that saves you around $4, too.

For starters, know that I'm no expert on cameras, so I'm sure others here can give a very detailed, professional view on cameras. My last 3 cameras were Pentax. Two were 35mm (both with a remote control that I LOVED and really miss), then when I went digital, I also got a Pentax. So this is now my fourth Pentax, and all I've purchased were simply upgrades, not for reasons that I didn't like the quality.

The new toy I purchased is a Pentax Optio M50 (or http://www.pentaxoptiom50.com/M50/?gclid=COCDx4Ol5pICFRkyFQodv0Aw4Q).

It has all the features of my older 5MP 5X Digital Zoom and more. It will take video, audio for the video or for you to "attached" to a picture, has MANY modes for water shots, snow, flowers, people, pets, night shots, panorama, etc. The other thing that was an upgrade for me was the quicker shutter release time. This one is documented as approximately 0.003 seconds. So it truly snaps almost as soon as you press the button. As you know, the earlier digital generations delayed more than we were accustomed to with our film cameras. The NEW industry technology included with this camera is "Smile Capture". I kid you not, it knows when every person in the picture (up to 15 people I believe) are all smiling, and it will automatically snap the photo. So you know all those pictures when you just don't get the exact moment when everyone smiles in the picture around the Christmas tree or when the baby is playing on the floor and you just don't know when that precious smile will come?? No worries with this one! Of course you can turn that feature off when you don't want it, but it's a selling point for some home photographers.

I know what you're talking about in terms of the grainy photos when you REALLY zoom in. What I learned when I purchased my other digital camera is that you really want to pay attention to the Optical Zoom more than the Digital Zoom value. Also, for me, one of the selling points of this new camera is that it has image stabilization, which is a large contributor to the grainy pics I ended up with when I zoomed it to the hilt. Plus, I figure with this new Gorillapod, I should have incredible close up pictures. Of course with the Smile Capture feature, you can accurately assume this camera has face recognition to focus on your people subjects, which I didn't have before.

The specs as well as the manual are found on the QVC link I included above, but I'll also include the specs right here for a quick glimpse of its features.

If you're wondering, I purchased the blue one.

 

[Buckeye Gal]

.... I'm hoping to get a car rental for around $200 or so for two weeks and if I can I have decided we will drive to port and pay for parking because I'm a rental car snob ....

Kimberly I have a Gorillapod as well I just love it....I still need to figure out insurance what did you decide to do for that?

You may also want to look into getitng 2 one-way rentals for the car. It may or may not be more economical, depending on if you really need the car at CBR and if you stay at a hotel at Cape Canaveral that has a package deal so you can leave the car at the hotel at no cost.

I'm thrilled to hear that someone has tried the Gorillapod and loves it!

As far as insurance, admittedly, I was very frustrated looking at options on insuremytrip.com. I looked at the medical and evacuation coverage from the DCL provider and a couple of others, and did see that I could get more medical coverage, but I decided that it just didn't seem to be the right fit. I also learned that many providers were not an option for us because of the age of my Grandmother (76). So I definitely was not going to get the insurance for less money, but in the end, decided I didn't want to spend the additional money for the additional coverage. (KNOCKING HARD ON WOOD HERE!!!)

I hope your DBF goes to WDW with you!!!!!! Is your DBF going on the cruise with you?

My DBF and I were talking about WDW and the Cruise tonight with his DMom (MagicMe) and we are ALL so excited!!!!! The specials on the Travel Channel are fueling our excitement!!!!

I agree about the fuel!

He will not be going on the cruise with us. Originally, the cruise was just going to be a mother-daughter birthday celebration (our birthday's are exactly 2 weeks apart), so it was intended to be a girls only trip. It only got better in January when I got my Grandmother added. So now it's still a mother-daughter vacation, but on a differet level, if you will.

I haven't pressured him at all about going to the World, but put the invite out there. He's brought it up voluntarily a few times in the past 8 weeks or so. Right now, he's in-between jobs as the contracting work he was doing had unexpected budget cutbacks, so they got rid of all the contractors. So this week was 2 weeks without work.

(I actually keep telling him that it may be meant to be that he got cut from the job because thankfully he financially can be off, yet moreover, he's been studing for his Level 1 Charted Financial Analyst designation exam, which is in June, and he's extremely stressed about it. For the past couple of months he hasn't had all the study time he had desired to have. I guess it's an extremely difficult exam and only available to take 2 times a year with a high failure rate. The next 2 levels are only availalbe to take once a year.)​

Anywhoooo....he hasn't found anything yet, so until he even knows where he will be and if he could even get time off in September, we can't make a flight purchase anyways. I'll be going with or without him, which is fine. Although since he's never been there, it would be great to go together. Of course I would rather go with someone, but mom can't get additional time off from the hospital, and I really really wanted to take 2 weeks off and go to WDW. I haven't been there in over 10 years!!! Believe it or not, I'm quite an introvert, so I'm good with being alone for awhile.

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

Kimberly: are you staying at Pop before of after the cruise? We will be there Oct 4 & 5!!!! I am looking for a new camera, DS broke mine Thanks for the link

anewmac: We ALWAYS fly airtran, they are GREAT, I like them better than southwest! go for it!

xongrats on everyone getting flights, I have been on since booking ours, its getting so real!!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Yeegads you all posted a bunch last night

Cheryl--Manchester airport is one of my very favourite thigns baout living in NH. It is so easy to get in and out of We will have to try to get together one day. I don't get down to Mass too often (gas and parking are pricey as you know) but we'll make something happen. The kids and I will be in Cambridge next week on Wednesday. They are taking two workshops at MIT. On the way home I have promised to stop at Texas Roadhouse (in, Salem? Somewhere right on the NH border--I know how to get there but I don't know where it is ).

KImberly--way to go on checking off that list

To all of you getting fligths and hotels booked--awesome to feel it is all comming together, eh?

My in laws are flying in from Denver on the night before the cruise. They want to just chill at the Hyatt at the airport then use Disney transportation down the next morning (meanwhile the 4 of us will be partying the night away at MNSSHP!) None of us have ever stayed at the Hyatt. Does anyone have any good advice for booking it for a good price? Do they do AARP discounts or anything?

 

[skoi]

Julie, I believe the official recommendation from DCL is no earlier than noon. I've read on the boards that many have taken earlier flights, but again, you never know if you get held up by customs, have transportation issues to the airport, and in your case as well as others, you have a crew of kids behind you to help get through the airport process. So imo, I wouldn't want the addeded stress of "am I going to miss our flight?", so I personally would go with their recommendation.

Have a great weekend everyone!

I was thinking one, but wasn't sure. Fortunately, one of the Horde will be 14, and has already helped to herd the little ones through a foreign country and DW, so she'll be a huge help. She'd do better if I gave her a whip and a shepherd's crook, then she could drag them back by the neck if they tried to wander off.

Anyone ever take a stroller on board? We might have two, especially looking at the prices Disney is charging for rentals nowadays.

Julie

 

[Buckeye Gal]

Kimberly: are you staying at Pop before of after the cruise? We will be there Oct 4 & 5!!!!...

Bummer. I'm arriving Saturday, Sept 20. My flight doesn't get in until 1:20 pm though. Then Grandma and Mom will pick me up on Friday when they arrive around noon. We'll probably go to DTD or something like that and then head to the Radisson in Cape Canaveral.

 

[tig82174]

Hey everyone!

Kimberly----sorry we "lost" your card in the couch for you!

Well Jason and I are officially paid in full, too! Now we're just poised and ready to start booking online when we can for reservations, excursions, etc.

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

Hey everyone!

Kimberly----sorry we "lost" your card in the couch for you!

Well Jason and I are officially paid in full, too! Now we're just poised and ready to start booking online when we can for reservations, excursions, etc.

OK GUYS, I cant do ANYTHING by myself so since you guys and Kimberly are paid in full I am gonig to pay ours off RIGHT NOT

 

[zweihund]

On a site note (little brag here) I am a nurse, I have been for about 1.5 years and I got a call from my boss yesterday, I won the Nursing Excellence Award on my floor, it is decided by our peers, so that was a nice honor

What a GREAT day...
Award
Extra day at disney

WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Happy thursday everyone, I work these next 3 nights, and of course it supposed to be a GREAT weekend

I'm a little late, but congratulations! That's pretty awesome

No worries about the blood test. It is a standard yearly thing to monitor ongoing treatment--nothing scary. Just a pain in the rear once a year and an explanation for why I am less coherrent than normal (which is saying a lot, eh?).

Sandi, how did it go at the vet last week? Is Hoagie all better?

Edited to add: DENISE YOU GO GIRL!!!! Congratulations on the award and what an excellent day you had overall!

Hadley, I passed out after my last blood draw, it was so sad....it was at my hospital, too! So I had to explain why I had been gone for an hour when I stumbled back to my floor I hope yours went better than mine. Luckily my doc said everything looked great, phew! Won't have to do that again for a year, at least.

Hey everyone!

Kimberly----sorry we "lost" your card in the couch for you!

Well Jason and I are officially paid in full, too! Now we're just poised and ready to start booking online when we can for reservations, excursions, etc.

Sweet! I can't wait to pay ours off. We're doing it with the "extra check" we get in the summer. Should manage to squeak it in right before the 90 day window so we can actually book some things. With a full cruise, I have to be ready at 4am!
Has anyone ever done that? I can't decide if it's worth getting up that early or just chancing it.....hmm.

Well, the family left today, so for the first time in almost a month we have no visitors and are not prepping for visitors. It feels kind of strange. Not that I have that much time to think about it, I have yet another writing deadline approaching.....I have 1 due Monday, 11 (11!!!!) due the following Monday, and then 1 more that Tuesday. Holy speed writing, Batman.

If and when I come up for air, I might get to start looking at excursions.

Happy weekend!

 

[skoi]

Has anyone ever booked a guarantee cabin? Because of changes in our line up (sister not coming and moving 4 of us into one cat 6, then putting one kid in with the grandparents) we were reassigned from our original cat 6 (slept 3) to a guarantee to sleep 4 cat 6. Any idea when you find out what the cabin number is? And can I book reservations for Palo, etc if I don't have a cabin number?

Thanks. This trip is just getting so complicated.
Julie

 

[FatCat]

I believe guarantees can happen at any time. But they tend to happen about 45 days prior.

We have a guarantee right now for Cat 8.

I am hoping for the upgrade because by definition it will bring us from porthole to verandah.

 

[Buckeye Gal]

....Sweet! I can't wait to pay ours off......Should manage to squeak it in right before the 90 day window so we can actually book some things. With a full cruise, I have to be ready at 4am!

I think it was sometime in the last year that the opening of the booking windows changed from midnight Pacific time to midnight Eastern. So, bookings now open up at midnight EDT. Personally, I think that's much easier than getting up at 4 am!!

 

[scoutsmom99]

You may also want to look into getitng 2 one-way rentals for the car. It may or may not be more economical, depending on if you really need the car at CBR and if you stay at a hotel at Cape Canaveral that has a package deal so you can leave the car at the hotel at no cost.

I kind of looked into that, but I noticed a lot of places charge an additional fee for dropping it off at a different spot than pick-up location. Plus on disembarkation day I'm hoping we can get a fast start by just heading out to our car and getting on the road. Yes I will really need the car at CBR lol I am that much of a car renal snob. I'm thinking we are doing MNSSHP the night before (I'm also doing the 9/23 party) and coming down on Saturday am.

I'm thrilled to hear that someone has tried the Gorillapod and loves it!

You will really like it.

As far as insurance, admittedly, I was very frustrated looking at options on insuremytrip.com. I looked at the medical and evacuation coverage from the DCL provider and a couple of others, and did see that I could get more medical coverage, but I decided that it just didn't seem to be the right fit. I also learned that many providers were not an option for us because of the age of my Grandmother (76). So I definitely was not going to get the insurance for less money, but in the end, decided I didn't want to spend the additional money for the additional coverage. (KNOCKING HARD ON WOOD HERE!!!)

Ok so am I reading correctly that you decided to skip insurance or that you had already booked the DCL insurance?

 

[Buckeye Gal]

Ok so am I reading correctly that you decided to skip insurance or that you had already booked the DCL insurance?

Oh no. Sorry. I didn't skip it. I just stuck to the policy offered by DCL.

 

[Buckeye Gal]

I've posted a question on the appropriate forum, but would also love to know if any of you have taken this tour. I'm seriously considering it.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I've posted a question on the appropriate forum, but would also love to know if any of you have taken this tour. I'm seriously considering it.

Worth every dime. It was a blast

 

[googles111]

Hoagie,

Here is the college tv schedule for the week of our cruise as it stands today

Sat., Sept. 27 Fresno State at UCLA TBD ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

We will be at this one... GO DOGS!



My quote thing didn't work for this one. I was looking at that little tripod that was sent and that is awesome. The one that twists. How much is that? I went to the site and they are sold out. I didn't see a price.
Tonya

 

[dan and scott]

Ok perhaps it is close enough to the sailing to throw our hats into the ring!

This will be our 17th Disney Cruise and looking forward to seeing the Magic come out of drydock renewed!

We hail from the BUCKEYE state-GO BUCKS!
We have 4 other people cruising with us (2 additional staterooms)
Staying at BWV before the cruise to get some park time in before the sailing.

Not sure what else to say, but looking forward to meeting everyone onbaord.

Have a great day!
Dan (and Scott)