From WDW to DL With Love - January 06, 2011 part 4

[sak0526]

DH wanted to know - at the Hyatt (or other airport hotels) or at Port hotels, would they get us to ship earlier than staying at WDW? that's the point of his choice of hotel....
how do the hotels near port get your there or are you on your own? (how meaning when and what costs...etc).

thanks!

Sorry Harole Ann. Was hoping you'd have an excuse to come down towards here and we'd use that to meet up. we dont head your direction either. well, looking forward to meeting on the ship!

 

[valbob89]

maybe it's just me after a long miserable day at work but let me see if i get it:
you can get a room at hyatt for 215 and they'll take your luggage to the ship and you can sign in...to the ship or what???? right at the hotel. Or what do you do the morning of the cruise at the hotel?
or you can book possibly cheaper and the concierge will arrange shipping of luggage to hotel for what fee? or is it the disney fee?
or you can book possibly cheaper and arrane for DCL to take you for $35 each to the boat wth free luggage transportation.
What's the $25?
sorry, maybe like i said i'm just confused as there's so much rattleiing in this meager head...
thanks! (i often like lists anyway of choose this... or this... or this with the attendant costs and pitfalls/advantages)

sherri

Sorry I wasn't clear. Let see if this helps.

Basically you can purchase the hotel stay at the Hyatt from DCL for $215. It doesn't include luggage transfer.

You can purchase transfers to the ship for $35 per person - this includes your luggage transfer

If your staying at the Hyatt but don't purchase the transfers (you have other
transportation to the ship) regardless if you purchased the stay from Disney or own your own, you can purchase the transfer of just your luggage for $25 from DCL, 1-6 bags. The concierge will arrange it

If you are staying at the Hyatt, not purchased through DCL but you purchased transfers from DCL and want your luggage picked up from your room, you need to tell the concierge you purchased the transfers from DCL and request luggage picked up. There is no additional cost.

It isn't confusing, until you try to explain it - or it is just the way I explain it maybe. Hope this is better.

Val

 

[valbob89]

maybe it's just me after a long miserable day at work but let me see if i get it:
you can get a room at hyatt for 215 and they'll take your luggage to the ship and you can sign in...to the ship or what???? right at the hotel. Or what do you do the morning of the cruise at the hotel?
or you can book possibly cheaper and the concierge will arrange shipping of luggage to hotel for what fee? or is it the disney fee?
or you can book possibly cheaper and arrane for DCL to take you for $35 each to the boat wth free luggage transportation.
What's the $25?
sorry, maybe like i said i'm just confused as there's so much rattleiing in this meager head...
thanks! (i often like lists anyway of choose this... or this... or this with the attendant costs and pitfalls/advantages)

sherri

So as not to confuse the issue further, I am responding to the question of the check-in separate from the luggage issue.

The morning of the cruise. At the Orlando airport they had Disney transportation to all Disney destinations, on the first floor. Airport check-in, arrival and the Hyatt are on 3. One line is just for DCL, but no Castaway clue line. There they take your transfer papers (if you purchased them) and give you your castaway lanyards (or they did when we were there). They checked our passports and that our other papers were in order. I think they gave us our key to the world cards but maybe not. They told me this allows them to keep track of how many buses they are going to need and when.

Then we got into a huge line with everyone going to some Disney place, many had piles of luggage with them. Eventually we reached the front of the line and were assigned to a DCL bus.

At the pier we still had to wait in line and check in there, where they checked our passports again and took some of the other papers.

Disney manages crowds really really well, better then anyone else. If I had never exprienced the luxury of not having to go through all that I wouldn't have thought anything of it.

Val

 

[valbob89]

DH wanted to know - at the Hyatt (or other airport hotels) or at Port hotels, would they get us to ship earlier than staying at WDW? that's the point of his choice of hotel....
how do the hotels near port get your there or are you on your own? (how meaning when and what costs...etc).

thanks!

Sorry Harole Ann. Was hoping you'd have an excuse to come down towards here and we'd use that to meet up. we dont head your direction either. well, looking forward to meeting on the ship!

The schedule on when you can get onto the ship is the same no matter how you get to the ship and where you stayed the night before (only exception is if you where staying on the ship and doing a back to back). When we had a transfer from the park there was only one designated time for departure. We arrived at the ship after they had opened the ship for going aboard but before you could go into your cabins. Because ships can depart at different times, this may not always be the case. From the airport there are buses leaving all morning and it is pretty much was when you check-in and get through the lines. Meaning if you elect to get on one of the first buses by getting to the first check-in line when it first opens, you should be able to get to the terminal and be in the first group to get onto the ship. When you leave from the park it is whenever they decide to get the bus(es) to the ship. Don't know about other hotels. Val

 

[kmitchel]

@JenKat - I work by Waters and Henderson, so International Plaza is easy for me to get to a lunch if we want to all meet there one day. The only day bad for me is Thursdays.

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

Just a reminder - I know some of you PM'd me that you were thinking about getting the lanyards- tomorrow is it! I will be placing the order on Friday.

If you wish to purchase them - please send me a PM.

Thanks! This is who I have so far:

#1Yepod
A Litle Pixie Dust
ACDSNY
brooklyn
bwcb4
cardidog
Carmie3377
ChipperMerlin
Cindy Girl
CruznLexi
danfromca
DisneyCruiser83
Disneymoon0909
Disneyana's Aunt
DisneyPata
Dolpingirl
Glindmood
goofprincess
granmaz
Happy Goofy
HollyJolly
JenKatt
JimmyMartin
JL
John&Laura
KayR
Kerry
Laura Elliott
loislane2002
marksmermaid
MickeyMagic
Mom_rules
Phil&Deborah
PixieDustII
poohs4me
RRBB
Shoshie
Shushh
Smith2615
Soothymom
Sumeto
Tami0220
Teresa-FB
Tinkerbel129
Tinkryansmom
Tinksmom
unkamike
Valbob
WaitingToMeetDumbo
WDWPrincess71
WideEyedWonder
zakerdog

 

[SoothyMom]

Regardless of where we meet, do we have a date, maybe in November before the holidays, to meet? The two weekends in November would be 6-7, 13-14. Should I send out a message to the N. California folks and see what they think and which weekend would be preferred? Also, float the Disney Museum and solicit other ideas? What you think?

Val

Were not SoCo but would so fly in for this! Please include us in the invite!

 

[Pixie Dust II]

If anyone wants to meet at WDW Wednesday, Thursday or Friday let me know. Ryan and I will be at the Beach Club. That is about as close as I will be able to get to anyone prior to cruising unless someone is close to Charleston, SC. Would love to come to Scotland, but don't think that will work!

Right now I am trying to back up my Iphone before it explodes so I can download a new one tomorrow!. There always has to be something coming apart at the seams around here. Hopefully my time is over! Today is my best day in a long time, but I am afraid to say that too loud!!

 

[valbob89]

Were not SoCo but would so fly in for this! Please include us in the invite!

My opinion is that everyone would be welcome. If you come to N. California to the, meet and greet and will be in SF before or after, we'd be happy to play tour guide, if you want one. No problem if you don't need one.

val

 

[SoothyMom]

ANybody for a meet in Scotland????????????



Thought not

I sure do .. but would probably simply couldn't find the time before Jan

 

[SoothyMom]

My opinion is that everyone would be welcome. If you come to N. California to the, meet and greet and will be in SF before or after, we'd be happy to play tour guide, if you want one. No problem if you don't need one.

val

We are so spoilt, we would fly in that AM and home that night. Our kids would be in bed by bedtime! I love free flights!

My kids love the huge park in China Town! We spend many afternoons there ...

 

[LindaBabe]

We are so spoilt, we would fly in that AM and home that night. Our kids would be in bed by bedtime! I love free flights!

My kids love the huge park in China Town! We spend many afternoons there ...

Gosh, you could fly ANYwhere for a meet!

We might be able to meet up that day! Let us know.

Russ & Judy

I'll send you a pm.

DH has wanted to see the La Brea Tar Pits since he was about your son's age. http://www.tarpits.org/ Your son might really enjoy it. You can get a lot of good information at the library or the internet if he wants to read about it. Good luck!

Loved it - if he's at all into science or wooly mammoths - that's the place!

 

[Disneyana'sAunt]

Just thought I'd let anyone that wanted to fly into and out of Greenville/Spartanburg or Charleston South Carolina know that Southwest will be open for business starting March 13th. They will have $30 one-way tickets for the first couple of weeks. Now I don't have to pay a fortune to go home! I LOVE SOUTHWEST!!! Janice

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Just a quick drive by to say hello. January can not get here soon enough

Amen Sister!

Is anyone suprised to hear this:
Disney Cruise Line was recognized last week as the No. 1 cruise experience at the Annual Readers' Choice Awards for Conde Nast Traveler magazine in New York City. Known as the leader in family cruising, Disney Cruise Line took the top honors in the Mega-Ship category, which is part of the magazine's annual readers' survey that recognizes the best in travel for resorts, destinations, airlines, cruise lines and car rental agencies. Samantha Brown, renowned travel expert and television host on The Travel Channel, presented the award to Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz at the awards gala in New York City. In addition, the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine recently named Disney Cruise Line the Top Family-Friendly Large-Ship Cruise Line in the 2010 World's Best Awards poll.

Definitely not surprised.

Just a reminder - I know some of you PM'd me that you were thinking about getting the lanyards- tomorrow is it! I will be placing the order on Friday.

If you wish to purchase them - please send me a PM.

Thanks! This is who I have so far:

#1Yepod
A Litle Pixie Dust
ACDSNY
brooklyn
bwcb4
cardidog
Carmie3377
ChipperMerlin
Cindy Girl
CruznLexi
danfromca
DisneyCruiser83
Disneymoon0909
Disneyana's Aunt
DisneyPata
Dolpingirl
Glindmood
goofprincess
granmaz
Happy Goofy
HollyJolly
JenKatt
JimmyMartin
JL
John&Laura
KayR
Kerry
Laura Elliott
loislane2002
marksmermaid
MickeyMagic
Mom_rules
Phil&Deborah
PixieDustII
poohs4me
RRBB
Shoshie
Shushh
Smith2615
Soothymom
Sumeto
Tami0220
Teresa-FB
Tinkerbel129
Tinkryansmom
Tinksmom
unkamike
Valbob
WaitingToMeetDumbo
WDWPrincess71
WideEyedWonder
zakerdog

Was about to say, I don't see me on here (eeyorelvr10) then as I was scrolling down, I see me. Should have known you wouldn't hang me out to dry.

 

[valbob89]

We will not get to fly out of LA until Saturday and I just can't find something fun to do or where I should stay in LA. I will be with my 9 year old son, but we live close to Disney World and I didn't think he would be impressed by Disneyland and we would only get one afternoon in the parks anyway.

Thanks!

I grew up near the Port of Los Angeles. (Palos Verdes on the west, Long Beach on the east.) Long Beach has the Queen Mary museum, and you could show your son what an Atlantic crossing was like between the '30s and '60s: CRAMPED! Plus, there were different categories. You might compare the shape of the QM to the DW (I think it was the inspiration for Disney's classic ship lines) as well as the finishes and flourishes in the public rooms. And, you can get a tour of the QM's bridge and engine room. It's adjacent to the Long Beach cruise ship pier, and a Carnival Cruise ship is sometimes there. What a difference between old and new!

San Pedro has the Cabrillo aquarium at Cabrillo Beach, just at the outside of the ship channels and near the start of the west end of hte LA breakwater. Nearby is the Fort MacArthur museum, an old Army coastal fort with huge guns to protect the port. I found them by searching Google for Cabrillo museum San Pedro. Others came up, too -- Long Beach has a Latino art museum, for example, but probably not a 9-year-old's idea of great fun. But the "crawl under it" aqarium tank, and the "worm's eye view of the bay" exhibits are probably very preteen cool. I would have had a great time as a kid clambering around the MacArthur cannons. Not far to the west is Point Fermin Light House, now a park. Tours of the tower, must be 40+ inches tall, and I suspect your DS will qualify. So check those out.

How about the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, also near where the ship docks? (I found a website for museums of California, and... there it was.) Lots of cool old nautical stuff. I loved maritime museums as a kid, still do.

the bob-half of Valbob

 

[Happy Goofy]

Is anyone taking the Disney Transfers from the port to Paradise Pier Hotel or to another hotel at Disneyland?

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

Was about to say, I don't see me on here (eeyorelvr10) then as I was scrolling down, I see me. Should have known you wouldn't hang me out to dry.

I didn't realize I had you under your name and not Disname..LOL

 

[ACDSNY]

Is anyone taking the Disney Transfers from the port to Paradise Pier Hotel or to another hotel at Disneyland?

We're taking the DCL transfers from the Port to the Disney Grand Californian, I think it was $30 per person. This way we don't have to hassle with our luggage.

We plan on taking a taxi to SNA (Orange County Airport) when we fly home on Sunday night.

 

[unkamike]

Is anyone taking the Disney Transfers from the port to Paradise Pier Hotel or to another hotel at Disneyland?

My niece and I are taking the Disney Transfers to Disneyland Hotel!

 

[SoothyMom]

Do any of ya'll pin trade?