Eastern Caribbean Fantasy Oct. 5, 2013

[actnkidz]

Ok so I am finished with all the FE Gifts and all of the birthday cards but I thought there was an anniversary too. But I think they dropped and are not participating any more. Please let me know if you are celebrating an anniversary. I have actually already made the card, lol.

I packed all the FE gifts and OMG it took up a whole suit case! WOW!

We also are celebrating our 14th anniversary on October 9, and my daughter turns 9 on October 11!

 

[Viking]

I thought you were doing the crazy plane beach private tour with us on St. Marteen.

Oooops, senior moment: We'll do the Kayak, Hike & Snorkel on St Thomas, of course!

 

[Viking]

We'll celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary on the first night of the cruise. It was on 8/13, but I had a kidney stone removed on that day, so it wasn't a day suitable for celebrating.
On 10/10 I will turn 50.
And then there is a kind of cruising anniversary, too: Our table consists of ten DCL veterans and twelve years ago eight of us cruised together and also dined together all week then. The fifth couple completing our table has cruised with us twice already, too.

 

[Viking]

For Deb T and everyone else who booked the Kayak, Hike & Snorkel on St Thomas
Check out this link
http://www.viecotours.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=85

This is the website of the company we're doing the tour with. Surprisingly the tour costs just $79 through DCL, but $139 when booked on the company's Website.

 

[Deb T.]

For Deb T and everyone else who booked the Kayak, Hike & Snorkel on St Thomas
Check out this link
http://www.viecotours.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=85

This is the website of the company we're doing the tour with. Surprisingly the tour costs just $79 through DCL, but $139 when booked on the company's Website.

Interesting. DCL's tour is an hour shorter and does not include lunch, just snacks and beverages. Sounds like fun, though!

 

[Viking]

I make it half an hour as Disney states up to 4.5 hours, but 30 minutes and a lunch don't explain a 60 bucks difference Perhaps DCL just negotiated a big rebate.
To be honest, we usually skip lunch anyway on the ship or just have some fruit, so I'm more than OK with just a snack.

We just bought a waterproof digital camera for that trip. If you don't bring one, we'll gladly share our pix.

 

[Deb T.]

I make it half an hour as Disney states up to 4.5 hours, but 30 minutes and a lunch don't explain a 60 bucks difference Perhaps DCL just negotiated a big rebate.
To be honest, we usually skip lunch anyway on the ship or just have some fruit, so I'm more than OK with just a snack.

We just bought a waterproof digital camera for that trip. If you don't bring one, we'll gladly share our pix.

Keep in mind that DCL adds time (approx. 30 min) for everyone to meet on the ship and receive their tour stickers before heading off to begin the excursion, whereas a private company's tour actually begins at their stated time.

Thanks for the offer on sharing underwater photos. We have a waterproof digital camcorder, so we'll see how well that does.

We are really looking forward to this excursion!!!!

 

[Deb T.]

Super excited about our pre- and post-cruise WDW stays! I've been logging into "My Disney Experience" often, sometimes to tweak our dining reservations, but mostly just to see if we might be able to test out the new MagicBands. Two weeks ago, I was able to link our Annual Passes! Wednesday night, I was able to sign up for FastPass+'s!! Then, last night, the link for MagicBands was finally live!!! DH and I were able to customize our bands (color and name) and they will be shipped to our home mid-September! Can't wait to try them out! I believe they are supposed to be used as keys to our hotel door, park admission tickets, FP vouchers, and for charging priviliges! Fun!

 

[Viking]

Those MagicBands sound like I wouldn't care for them as they remind me of hospitals and cheap all-inclusive-resorts, but I just googled FastPAss+ and that sounds like a great innovation!!!

But I guess we won't be visiting the parks anytime soon. This year it's the beach before and after the cruise and next year we'll probably fly to Fuerteventura in the spring and in the fall we plan to fly to San Francisco and then do a tour covering Oregon, Washington (state), Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and perhaps Nevada. We ened to make up our mind whether to fly back from Frisco or from Sin City - we'll see.

We had our last Disney-fix in 2010: a full day at Epcot, a night at Saratoga Springs Resort, and a morning in Downtown Disney - so we're good for some time

I guess you're right about that half hour DCL adds. I totally forgot as we did our last excursion with them in 2001. In '03, '04 and '06 we booked everything with local businesses via the Internet. The only thing we booked through DCL was a couple of floats on Castaway Cay.
We always had a very low bill, when we checked out from the ship: Just a few cocktails, a couple of bottles of the stuff they call Champagne , some souvenirs and a few pictures from Shutters - and of course the tips for the crew. I guess it will be the same this year, except for the St Thomas-tour

 

[Deb T.]

Watching the Fantasy sail out from Port Canaveral right now! http://www.portcanaveralwebcam.com/ She'll only leave five more times without us! Can't wait!!!

 

[Deb T.]

Those MagicBands sound like I wouldn't care for them as they remind me of hospitals and cheap all-inclusive-resorts, but I just googled FastPAss+ and that sounds like a great innovation!!!

They're actually quite thick and made of rubber - more like a wristwatch than a flimsy plastic strap. Here's the link to Disney's promo page about them: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/ And, here's a youtube video that shows a MagicBand up close and some of the accessories that you can purchase to add to them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSyU1bV0OMQ

 

[pixiehallow]

Is anyone else going to be at Disney the day before?
We just made our reservations for the 5:15 luau dinner show at the Polynesian. It would be fun if anyone else wanted to meet up for dinner.
We will be celebrating our youngest birthday.

If no on the dinner, we will be spending the day at Downtown Disney.

We are completely packed
I am getting so excited

 

[pixiehallow]

The sign up for this FE is closed


Notice to late comers, contact Pontiuspython. She has volunteered to oversee putting something together for late comers. Her current cut off date is Sept. 5th

I will try to keep the FE at (or very Near) the top of each new page from now until we cruise for convenience.

Break down of groups: (yes, some cabins are in both groups. ..they requested to be)

Group I
pixiehallow
TamaraH
FrozenMinnie
Santam01
JulFromMD + 2
JulFromMD +3
JulFromMD +4
LadyCP
ozdisneyfan
Tiggerlily878
Deb T
Wanderluster25
2Crazygoofies
tatianasuv
Mrs Stevenson
MDennis28
DisneyFan_SD
Texas Lady
crews
Gillilma

Group II
pixiehallow
actnkidz
Mercinursi
jamelynn24
TCCDad
kmronnie3
Contrady family
Santam01
JulFromMD
JulFromMD +1
jbhatch
goofydvc
Tenn
chipmunklove
Jgamy
SinDee
Kprovax
Kprovax +1
Deb T
hng1979
jaimelynn4
Marchetti family
hmhaase
Texas lady
Southern gal
Aussiemickey
Fluffybunnyfeet
Ourfairytalelife
Carpenm3
Larrisje
dancegirl914

48 confirmed

Sub Groups have been sent out...If you are in group I, please remove MickeyFan from your list.

If you want a list of all Cabins, I will be happy to send one to you. All you have to do is ask

~Tink~

 

[Deb T.]

Is anyone else going to be at Disney the day before?
We just made our reservations for the 5:15 luau dinner show at the Polynesian. It would be fun if anyone else wanted to meet up for dinner.
We will be celebrating our youngest birthday.

If no on the dinner, we will be spending the day at Downtown Disney.

We are completely packed
I am getting so excited

Congrats on being all packed! That's quite an accomplishment!

We're doing EPCOT and MK the day before the cruise. First, we'll be "eating our way around the world" at the Food & Wine Festival for our lunch. Then, we'll eat dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern before picking out a good spot to watch our favorite Disney parade, "Boo to You!" the Grave Diggers!

 

[pixiehallow]

Congrats on being all packed! That's quite an accomplishment!

We're doing EPCOT and MK the day before the cruise. First, we'll be "eating our way around the world" at the Food & Wine Festival for our lunch. Then, we'll eat dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern before picking out a good spot to watch our favorite Disney parade, "Boo to You!" the Grave Diggers!

Sounds like fun

 

[honeyblee]

We're newer to the boards and in the latecomers FE group, but we'll be celebrating 6 years of marriage on 10/08. I almost booked Palo for that night, but then I saw that was Pirate Night, so we moved it. Can't miss Pirate Night with my little scallywags.

 

[Viking]

They're actually quite thick and made of rubber - more like a wristwatch than a flimsy plastic strap. Here's the link to Disney's promo page about them: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/ And, here's a youtube video that shows a MagicBand up close and some of the accessories that you can purchase to add to them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSyU1bV0OMQ

Thanks for the links, Deb. I had already googled the first one, but the video was interesting.
Disney obviously never runs out of ideas to make people spend their money. If a guest goes all the way and adorns his/her MagicBand with a cover, a slider and a set of Band-Its, that'll be another $30 in Disney's coffers - for plastic junk that was produced in China for probably less than a buck.
That's nearly as ingenious as selling pins made in China for a few cents for $6 and up

I'd prefer an app on my iPhone that would store my tickets, FastPass, roomkey, etc without having to wear a bracelet.

 

[JGamy]

We will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary on the cruise. We booked a dinner at Remy's to celebrate.

Joyce and Jon

 

[TamaraH]

We will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary on the cruise. We booked a dinner at Remy's to celebrate.

Joyce and Jon

How exciting! Happy anniversary.

 

[Deb T.]

Thanks for the links, Deb. I had already googled the first one, but the video was interesting.
Disney obviously never runs out of ideas to make people spend their money. If a guest goes all the way and adorns his/her MagicBand with a cover, a slider and a set of Band-Its, that'll be another $30 in Disney's coffers - for plastic junk that was produced in China for probably less than a buck.
That's nearly as ingenious as selling pins made in China for a few cents for $6 and up

I'd prefer an app on my iPhone that would store my tickets, FastPass, roomkey, etc without having to wear a bracelet.

Funny, these "band accessories" being a HUGE moneymaker for Disney was my first thought, too! But then, I take into consideration that nearly every product available for purchase is marked-up for a profit. I'm guessing that even the "couples watches" you and Anja are considering purchasing, while not made cheaply in China, still bear a considerable mark-up in price. It all comes down to what someone is willing to pay for any particular item. Beauty (and value) is in the eye of the beholder. So, I will most likely fall into Disney's greedy plans and purchase at least one item to personalize my new MagicBand.