February 12, 2011 - 7 night Eastern

[robinpgma]

Where are you staying Pre-Cruise...? Can't decide if staying in WDW area or Port Canaveral...let me know.

I'm not doing much planning which is not like me....normally I have this stuff wrapped up by now.

 

[TiredOfCold]

Totally understand Jax... that was the way I was feeling too!

I bit the bullet yesterday and just booked my husbands return flight. I looked at the seat map and the plane was somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3rds sold all ready - I can't imagine they will be dropping the price much if it's that full 3months out.

I think my main issue was the return date - we are flying home on February 21st which is both Family day in Alberta and President's day in the US. Pretty busy day for air travel!

Both of our outbound and return flights have 1 stop - but total travel time is only 7 hours. The return connection in Chicago will be tight, but we're not changing carriers so if United makes us miss the connection at least they will be on the hook for getting us home eventually!

I also ordered a pillowcase for my daughter and a FE from gradysmommy on ebay - now I feel as though I can relax a bit.

I hope the flight fairies do their magic for the rest of you who are still waiting to book!

 

[Jax]

Robin,

Pre-cruise we are planning on flying in on Feb 10 and staying at the Polynesian (couldn't resist using the 40% off room rate), so we will be going from WDW to the port the morning of the cruise (still trying to decide Disney transportation vs car service).

Post-cruise we will be spending 1 night at the Dolphin and flying home on the 20th.

 

[noelk]

Totally feel your pain regarding the flights...I think you heard all too much about us facing similar decisions, and I'd be the first to admit I've felt so much better since we booked our flights both ways two weeks ago. While we don't have the long journey you do from Alberta, we also face the crazy extra fees charged on Canadian flights (air traffic control, airport improvement, security, transborder security, etc).

Our original plan was to stay one night pre-cruise at Port Orleans French Quarter (and already have a reservation), but we're now in MCO for two nights pre-cruise...the Thursday night, the 10th, we arrive just minutes before midnight...with two kids arriving that late, I've got to get on booking a room at the Hyatt (but the prices are so high!)...then, do we stay both the 10th and 11th at the Hyatt, or do we stay the second night at POFQ.

Also, unlike our original plan, we'll also be in MCO one post-cruise night, and I've got to figure out where we're going to stay. We won't be doing any parks this trip, so I'm more focussed on a good location for shopping and other activities, plus a great pool. Thinking of Swan or Dolphin, maybe the Gaylord Palms, or some other nice, good priced hotel.

 

[blessedmomofboys]

Hi everyone! I have taken a break from all of the planning but I am back and in full swing! Have y'all decided on excursions? I'm struggling with St Thomas and St Maarten... I want to do something that my boys will enjoy (ages 1, 2, and 5) and we will enjoy as well. We are traveling with my inlaws and sister-in-law and her family and spending Thanksgiving together so hopefully we can all sit down and plan everything then. But I want to have an idea of what my family wants to do. I think my boys would really enjoy the beaches and I wouldnt mind doing a little shopping. I still need to order my fish extender... I had thought about making one but I don't think that's gonna happen!

Anyways, excited to start back with the planning!!!

 

[TiredOfCold]

Welcome back to the planning blessedmomofboys! We are not likely to do any ship organized excursions - the beach and the beach for us! We may rent a car or hire a cab to do island tours, but I'm not making any firm plans. I will likely do some research on tripadvisor to figure out potential transport options and print out my usual pile of tips and notes about each destination... I'm a planner, my husband is all about spontaneity!

Jax...We are staying at the Polynesian as well... must be that us Calgarians didn't have a summer and we are in dire need of as much tropical atmosphere as we can get our hands on! oh, and that 40% off was too hard to pass up - you are correct.
Maybe we will see you there... I'll be the pasty white chick by the pool trying desperately to get my dose of Vitamin D.

We arrive on the 8th and will be spending the first night with DH's parents at their rented townhouse in Kissimmee. We are at the Polynesian for the 9th and 10th - likely visiting Magic Kingdom on the 10th and Epcot on the 11th... the night of the 11th we will be back at DH's parents and they will drive us to the port (best in-laws EVER)

 

[seasideliz]

Hello ladies
I am so happy to have found this board! I haven't had a chance to read all the way through yet, but wanted to just post and say hello.
We will be cruising with you all on the Magic in Feb! Our first cruise and my kids (dd 4, dd 9, and ds 11) first Disney anything!
We have been looking at the cruise for almost a year and saw a special come up for kids sail free and jumped on it. Then my brother saw a 25% off for Canadians (which was an amazing deal) so he and his family will be on the same cruise!

This boards are a wealth of information (I can't believe how much planning people do).

Can you tell me what FE is?

TX and looking forward to getting to know you all!

Liz

 

[TiredOfCold]

Glad you found us seasideliz...
The FE is a small gift exchage program. There is a ton of information on the boards about it.... Julie (aka ilovedevin) has taken the lead for our group and is compiling the list of participants for our cruise. She has set a cut-off date for joining - November 29th - this will give us all time to buy and or make our gifts (although I know some of us have already started acquiring making things - maybe too many things )

Here is a quote from Julie descrbing it:

Check out e-bay for Fish extenders "gradysmommy" makes them for those of us who can not sew. For those of you who can, you get an idea from her's. As well as the several post on the thread's that fellow Disser's have posted. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2438099

Basiclly you hang it on the fish outside your stateroom and other Disser's put gifts into them. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1980639 show's some wonder pic's of past gifts.

This is what I have learned thus far. MOST IMPORTANT!!!! All gifts are welcome there is no such thing as a cheap gift!

Second you decide if you want to give out one gift per state room or per person

Third you can buy or make your gifts. So if you think you make the best chocolate chip cookies feel free to give those as your gift

Hope this helps???

and another which also talks about our group face to face meeting Julie organized:

Just to get you up to speed we are having a FE exchange to those who are interested. It's like a secret santa where you make or buy small gift's for those who are participating. We are also having a DIS-meet at 3:00 boarding day at the Prominade lounge, there is a map on page six. It's for everyone who is on our thread to meet and get greet. Both are optional. Should you decide to participate in the FE, I will need to know your room number to be added to the list. My personal e-mail is julieandkavin@yahoo.com. Also it seem's that a lot of us are staying at WDW the night before, they currently have at least 25% off and up depending on which resort you stay at. If you have any question's feel free to ask, everyone on here are more than willing to help just a FYI though I don't think anyone on here has ever been on a Disney Cruise so most of the answer's are from what we have learned from reading the boards.

Hope that saves you some time sifting through our messages!

 

[blessedmomofboys]

I really want to do the beach for St Thomas and St Maarten but worried about not going through DCL. I know it would be sooo much cheaper to just go on our own but I have major anxieties that we won't make it back to the boat or something will happen.

We are officially booked for WDW 4 days pre-cruise. We are staying at All Star Music and got a killer deal with the 25% off. We are doing the parks for 2 days and then taking a day off on Friday so catch up on a little laundry and rest before the cruise.

We booked our flights a few weeks ago and our flight to MCO leaves at 6:20 am!! OMG! Super nervous about getting to the airport an hour away from our house that early in the morning. Our other choice was to get to MCO around 6 that evening but I want to have time to go to Downtown Disney that day and not feel like we have traveled all day. Plus it will give us some time to settle into the hotel before 2 straight days of parks.

 

[noelk]

OK, now it's time to really get in to planning mode...it's snowing here! Not just a few flakes, but actual accumulation on the ground (but it may be gone by tomorrow afternoon)!

The calendar still says October! Makes me long for the tropics even more! Now I really do need to book those pre and post cruise hotels, and a rental car in St. Martin!

 

[seasideliz]

Thanks for the info Emma, I found some info after I had posted as well. Is there a running count of how many are participating?

 

[seasideliz]

Emma, can you share the discount code for Budget
Any advice on where to stay in Orlando - we land the Friday night and will drive up early Saturday... so nothing fancy, just to sleep basically.

I booked a car rental with Budget using the DIS board discount code. It's not a pre-pay so we could cancel at any time and it's a great rate - $33 (taxes in) for an intermediate car for 24 hours, pick up at airport and drop off in Cape Canaveral.

 

[TiredOfCold]

Hi Liz,

The code I used was: Y937800

Funny, I probably don't even need the rental car that I booked thanks to the inlaws

NoelK -SNOW... already had a few flakes here too last week. Melted thankfully and now we have double digits forecast for next week. Always the way - nice in the west, crappy in central/eastern Canada... and unfortunately, vice-versa!

 

[noelk]

Car rental prices can bounce around from one day to the next. We're booked with Budget both ways. Our one day rental pre-cruise came in at $52 (including taxes) for a full size; one day post-cruise for me was $53 (including taxes).


At the time I booked these (mid-Sept), the cheapest rate I found on budget was by using the Costco member's BCD code (W852802) and coupon (UUPZ011).

 

[seasideliz]

Great, I will check Budget and see if either of those codes work!

 

[ilovedevin]

seasideliz, I sent you a PM hope you got it.




Julie

 

[blessedmomofboys]

Thanks for the info Emma, I found some info after I had posted as well. Is there a running count of how many are participating?

I curious too what the current list is for the FE. I need to get on that so I have one more thing checked off my to do list!

 

[seasideliz]

I curious too what the current list is for the FE. I need to get on that so I have one more thing checked off my to do list!

ilovedevin sent it to me and there are 8 families i think on it. seems manageable so far!

 

[blessedmomofboys]

That's completely manageable! Anyone catch any of the videos of the Dream floating out? Pretty impressive!

 

[seasideliz]

seasideliz, I sent you a PM hope you got it.




Julie

yes ty, not sure how many posts i need before i can pm!

I started reading more today and am going to get a journal for planning tomorrow. I like to get all of my info and 1 place and have all of the options listed out so I can discuss with DH and see what he thinks he'd like to do.
We are beach people, so most likely we'll be hitting the beaches, but if there is some good shopping, I will probably go with my SIL for a few hours and check that out!
I'd also like to try Parasailing, but I know it is expensive, so will have to see how our saving works out prior to the trip.
Are there any must do or must see at our Ports?