!!!! Early Roll Call for January 21 2006 Eastern Magic Cruise !!!!

[NEPatsFan]

NEPatsfan, pixie dust, hugs, prayers and crossed fingers that all turns out for you. Please keep us posted!

Thanks! I've got 5 weeks to go and a couple leads I'm working on, so you never know. I would hate to have to disappoint the kids (and me too). Not only that, we have about 35 other family members going on this cruise. My 3 brothers and my sister and their families, my parents, my in-laws and some of the other in-laws. It would be a shame to miss it. Life has a way of getting the way of our plans. We just have to roll with it.

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[crazy4M]

I am leaving my options open for the hotel. I am going to keep watching for the Country Inn & Suites in particular. I believe I have up to 72 hours to cancel my Rad ressie...maybe less, but I will keep watching.

Laurie,

I think I'll book the Radisson also. But let us know what you find out about the other. One of the reasons I was interested in the Radisson is because they include shuttle service to the terminal.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Hi. My name is Jeff. I am a DIS Board addict.

crazy4M, it starts with curiosity, then obsession, and then full blown addiction.

Welcom to the world of DIS.

Jeff

Jeff, our entire family are Disney nuts and between my parents, our kids and DH and I, combined we have been to WDW so many times its ridiculous. BUT...this trip seems to have a different feel. I have NEVER obsessed so much! Is it the DIS boards (love it) or what. I need intervention!!!!!!!!

 

[crazy4M]

Hi. My name is Jeff. I am a DIS Board addict.

crazy4M, it starts with curiosity, then obsession, and then full blown addiction.

Welcom to the world of DIS.

Jeff

Thanks for the welcome. This has already become the best trip I've ever planned and I haven't even left my computer yet.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Laurie,

I think I'll book the Radisson also. But let us know what you find out about the other. One of the reasons I was interested in the Radisson is because they include shuttle service to the terminal.

I certainly will cuz I am on the computer just about 24/7. Its my understanding that you can get a taxi to get to the Port. If worse comes to worse, that will be the route we go. JUST GET ME THERE ON TIME!!!

 

[JLDSMD]

crazy4M and need_a_Disney_fix,

I couldn't remember if this is the first cruise for each of you or not, but our first (this past January) was booked 51 weeks out. I found the DIS shortly after I booked and was hooked. It was a wealth of information. This January will be our 3rd (our 2nd is in October) and I still am learning new things. If you're looking for one recommendation from me, on the Eastern, request dining rotation PLA. It will put you in Lumiere's on Formal night, Animator's Palate on Semi-Formal and Parrot Cay on Pirate Night. I think this rotation puts you in the best restaurants for the different theme nights. Don't think Pirate night would be the same in Lumiere's and I don't think I'd want to be dressed up in Parrot Cay.

As for hotels, have either of you checked out the Hilton? I read on a different thread that if you go to the AAA website and do a search for Cocoa Beach, you can get it for $78 a night. I just tried it. It will say it is $120, but when you click on it, it comes up $78. Not sure if they have a shuttle though, but depending on how much more the Radisson is, taking a cab may still be cheaper.

Jeff

p.s. need_a_Disney_fix, you don't need an intervention, just a good tropical drink during the sail away party. You'll forget all about the obsession.

 

[crazy4M]

crazy4M and need_a_Disney_fix,

I couldn't remember if this is the first cruise for each of you or not, but our first (this past January) was booked 51 weeks out. I found the DIS shortly after I booked and was hooked. It was a wealth of information. This January will be our 3rd (our 2nd is in October) and I still am learning new things. If you're looking for one recommendation from me, on the Eastern, request dining rotation PLA. It will put you in Lumiere's on Formal night, Animator's Palate on Semi-Formal and Parrot Cay on Pirate Night. I think this rotation puts you in the best restaurants for the different theme nights. Don't think Pirate night would be the same in Lumiere's and I don't think I'd want to be dressed up in Parrot Cay.

As for hotels, have either of you checked out the Hilton? I read on a different thread that if you go to the AAA website and do a search for Cocoa Beach, you can get it for $78 a night. I just tried it. It will say it is $120, but when you click on it, it comes up $78. Not sure if they have a shuttle though, but depending on how much more the Radisson is, taking a cab may still be cheaper.

Jeff

p.s. need_a_Disney_fix, you don't need an intervention, just a good tropical drink during the sail away party. You'll forget all about the obsession.

Thanks for the great info. What does dining rotation PLA stand for and how do you go about requesting it? Right now all I know is that we are booked for the late seating, waitlisted for earlier. My daughter is 10. From what I've read on the boards, I might just stick with the later seating. What do you think?

The boards are not only addictive, but actually almost therapeutic for me. This was to be a family trip in Oct. but my husband recently left me. He has agreed to pay for my daughter so I have decided to go ahead with the cruise but booked for January instead. DD10 is so excited and would have been very disappointed if we had cancelled the trip. All this planning and researching has given me a great diversion from other things. I'm looking forward to a tropical drink at the sail away party also.

 

[JLDSMD]

crazy4M,

Sorry to hear about you and your husband. Glad to hear that DD and you are still going. You will have the time of your life.

My DW was leery about going on the cruise last year (she easily gets motion sickness ), but now is addicted. We're trying out a non-verandah room on both upcoming cruises. If she does well, we'll probably be sailing annually. We personally can't justify spending that much $ on a verandah room every year. There are many other places we can go. We could even do two different trips for the total cost of a Cat 6 vacation.

PLA stands for Parrot Cay, Lumiere's, Animator's Palate. This would put you into Parrot Cay on the first night as well as nights 4 and 7. Lumiere's would be nights 2 and 5 and Animator's Palate on nights 3 and 6. If you go out to some of the other websites out there, you can look at the navigators to see what themes will be on each day. The first 3 days are "rotational dining" and you will have each restaurants' specific menu. On days 4-7, the meals are the same in all the restaurants. Pirate night is on Tuesday night, night 4, when we are saiing from St. Martin to St. Thomas (they don't have to sail so fast so they can do the fireworks that night). So whatever restaurant you had for night 1, you will have for Pirate night. Since PC has a tropical theme, it goes well with Pirate night. Another thing to keep in mind that AP only does the light show on the first night you are there.

We got stuck with late seating also. We originally booked our cruise while sailing last January and got early seating. We subsequently cancelled the cruise. When we got it reinstated, we could only get late seating. Now there is some hope. The Wonder did a test on staggered dining and it worked out so well it is now permanent on the Wonder. The Magic is testing it out, but the test is set to end with the cruise the ends on Jan 7. What they do with staggered dining is have the early diners (what was 6:00) come in at 5:45, 6:00, and 6:15. Late diners (what was 8:30) come in at 8:00, 8:15 and 8:30. I have a request in for 8:00 on my October cruise and it is noted for the January cruise that if it is extended, we would like 8:00 then as well. The extra 1/2 hour will help with DS5.

To request either a specific dining rotation or a staggered dining time, just call the Disney Cruise Line and put in a request with the CM. Regarding the staggered dining time, they will tell you they don't have it for our cruise. Just politely tell them that you understand that the test is ending in early January, but if it does get extended you would like your reservation noted that you prefer 8:00 since you have a DD10.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Jeff

 

[crazy4M]

Thanks for the great info. Now I get it, plus I appreciate the heads up for the staggered dining. It sounds like a good idea. I think 8:00 would be better also, we would just have a later lunch. I looked at some of the food pictures on one of the posts. It all looks so great. And here I was just excited not to cook and do dishes.

I have a feeling that like your DW I could also get addicted to cruising.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

...my DH and I are older cruisers (late 40's) and without kids. We have early seating and my question to you is, do you think we would like the late seating better? I would really be open to this, plus it would allow for a family with kids an early seating. What are your thoughts?

 

[crazy4M]

...my DH and I are older cruisers (late 40's) and without kids. We have early seating and my question to you is, do you think we would like the late seating better? I would really be open to this, plus it would allow for a family with kids an early seating. What are your thoughts?

I had read on another thread on disboards a whole range of opinions on this. One that struck me most was that a lot of people felt rushed from their afternoon activities to get ready for early dinner. We are booked for late and on waitlist for early. But the more I think about it we may just stick with late. DD10 would probably do ok with it and we can see the earlier shows and then have time to get ready and get to dinner.

Carmen

P.S. please tell me late 40's does not qualify as older cruiser, I'm turning 40 in Oct.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Carmen, I consider myself young and my 48th b-day is Sept. 4. My DH, on the other hand, is turning the big 5-0 next June. he is a different story. You are as young as you feel!!!

 

[gydell]

How far out can us first timmers book tours and sign up for Palos and kids clubs? Does anyone know why you have to be 5 to swim with the dolphins? I got a AAA rate for the Radisson. Thanks!

 

[Robotyx]

Hiya fellow cruisers...been sitting back reading, not saying anything (DW says enough for both of us LOL). I have to speak up now though...since when is 45 old...LOL. I can still give my 21 yo twins a run for the money.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Hiya fellow cruisers...been sitting back reading, not saying anything (DW says enough for both of us LOL). I have to speak up now though...since when is 45 old...LOL. I can still give my 21 yo twins a run for the money.

I guess I should have worded it differently. Since we are empty-nesters and both kids are adults (sometimes) and married, I FEEL old. Not really, but at times I do. Just remember...you are as young as you feel. At almost age 48, I could keep on going and going and going....I HAVE NEVER FELT BETTER!!!

 

[Robotyx]

We're just pickin on ya Laurie. Personally, I like the later dinner. When we have early it seems that we are always at dinner when we are leaving ports and I like to be topside when we are leaving. I think you will find a lot of empty-nest folks on the cruise. We're in the same category but we are bringing our niece...

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

OK, Robotyx just twisted my arm and I am going to change our dining to late seating. Question...is there anyone that would like to link dining assignments? DH and I don't bite...MUCH!!

 

[JLDSMD]

Sorry guys, I was away from my computer yesterday. Looks like I missed a lot.

First, gydell, first time cruisers should be able to make reservations at 75 days out. Previous cruisers are able to book at 90 days and Cat 1-3 and REAS passengers are able to book at, I believe, 120 days.

need_a_Disney_fix, it is all up to personal preference as to which time works best for you. I don't want to tell anyone which time is better in the event it doesn't work out for them. However, people have posted that later is better for them because they don't have to rush to get to dinner at 6:00 and furthermore, just stroll back on to the ship and go to the 6:30 show (no need to gt dressed). Then they have time between the show and late dinner to get dressed for dinner. Also, there aren't as many families with small children there. Although, as it stands, we will be at late with our 5 year old. Sorry everyone.

We have late seating in October (with 8:00 p.m. staggered seating), so we'll see how DS does. As for early seating, if you fall into "ship time", it will be closer to the dinner time you expect. If you can stay on your "home" time, later would be closer to a 6:00 dining time. We will be at CDT +1 hour for only 2 nights and CDT +2 hours for 5 nights. One benefit of late dining is late breakfast on disembarkment day. Getting up for 6:45 breakfast the last day was hard.

We're hoping that the staggered dining times are extended or made permanent by the time we cruise. I don't think we'll get early seating. The 8:00, if available, will help. We can just eat a later lunch and/or give DS a late afternoon snack to hold him over. We are planning on spending several nights in Sessions after dinner. We went the first time on our last night this past January. We're hoping that we can take DS back to the room, get him changed and down to the kid's club for the movies.

Robotyx, welcome to our cruise meet thread. You said you will be traveling with your DN. If you would like, let me know her age and I can add her to the list of children on our cruise.

Lastly, need_a_Disney_fix, DW has been celebrating the perpetual 39th birthday for a couple times now. If you all prefer, instead of the childrens lists, maybe I should do the "old folks", I mean, adult list.

 

[crazy4M]

This has been a great discussion. I'm going to call my TA in the morning and tell her to leave us on the late seating and take us off the waitlist for the early. Jeff, do I request the PLA rotation from her or is that done later?

Glad everyone has a great sense of humour regarding the age thing. After all we are going on a Disney Cruise. Doesn't that make us all kids at heart?

Carmen

P.S. It's been fun chatting with you guys and noting where you're from (all over the States). I hope we'll get to meet on the cruise.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Jeff, what an awesome idea!


Okay everyone, all the "old folks" raise their hands and make yourself known!!!