From WDW To DL With Love - January 06, 2011

[LindaBabe]

We are going to get this deal also - otherwise we will be at the Radisson with LindaBabe - who apparently knows some of my East Coast Scrapbooking friends!!!

All of the room booking and dinner plans are fun, fun, fun!!

Welcome Carmie and family!!

Can't wait for the excursion info to pop up on the website!!

I do? DO tell!

 

[carmie3377]

Can't wait for the excursion info to pop up on the website!!

Do most of you book your excursions through Disney? We didn't book any through Disney in Dec. On our stop in Tortola, we did the Baths of Virgin Gorda on our own as DS was too young to book with Disney. It was so easy and we saved about 50%. In St. Thomas, we rented a car and just explored on our own. I'm trying to decide if I want to fork over the extra money and go with the Disney excursions this time or do what we did last time.

I know the boat will wait on you if you are late from a Disney excursions. What are the other benefits besides that and convenience by booking Disney excursions?

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Do most of you book your excursions through Disney? We didn't book any through Disney in Dec. On our stop in Tortola, we did the Baths of Virgin Gorda on our own as DS was too young to book with Disney. It was so easy and we saved about 50%. In St. Thomas, we rented a car and just explored on our own. I'm trying to decide if I want to fork over the extra money and go with the Disney excursions this time or do what we did last time.

I know the boat will wait on you if you are late from a Disney excursions. What are the other benefits besides that and convenience by booking Disney excursions?

Carnie, sorry we never done all that many on our cruises so cant help, we dont go that far but will probably stick with disney or get taxis to beaches if they are not too far.

 

[DisneyCruiser83]

We use Disney excursions as a springboard for ideas as to what to do, then look into things on our own. But, there is an excursion I am interested in listed on the dis for PV that looks like something only done through Disney. I will have to do more research as we go on. So far, we are doing Aruba and Manzanillo on our own and staying on the ship for Cabo. Not sure what we are going to do in Costa Rica Yet.
For the day before the cruise, we will be at CI&S. I really like the feeling of that hotel, it really gets me in vacation mode! Hopefully hotwire or priceline will have a deal as we get closer. If you are looking for a meal around the port area, Kelsey's Pizzaria was tasty and comfortable. Kind of like Olive Garden, but had more of a family feel.
Have a good day everyone!

 

[aan1701]

Booked my 3 nights at Kidani Village. Have to wait till June to book Cali and also SW for our air.

After March 23 I can tell you the date you can make your reservations for us. It may be June, it may be eariler, it maybe later, but I will relay the info.

 

[pahrumpgirl]

Since we will be coming down on 12/22 for our December cruise on Princess and staying until we leave on this trip - I am thinking it would melt. Did you get any of that ice storm last week?? I would take 3 feet of snow all at once before I would take an ice storm - nasty things.

I hiope everyone's day is going well - hump day here and we are officially over the hump since it is lunchtime.

Gail, I am with you. I will take snow before ice any day. We haven't gotten a lot of either this year although we got more in december than we have in a long time.

Great pictures! Thanks for posting!

Gail,

Bring me a snowball on the cruise!!

Denise, I keep telling you you can have any snow we get, you just have to come and get it.

Do most of you book your excursions through Disney? We didn't book any through Disney in Dec. On our stop in Tortola, we did the Baths of Virgin Gorda on our own as DS was too young to book with Disney. It was so easy and we saved about 50%. In St. Thomas, we rented a car and just explored on our own. I'm trying to decide if I want to fork over the extra money and go with the Disney excursions this time or do what we did last time.

I know the boat will wait on you if you are late from a Disney excursions. What are the other benefits besides that and convenience by booking Disney excursions?

The other advantage that I know about is if for some reason the ship can't make port Disney will refund your excursion money where if you do it yourself, that doesn't always happen.

Carol

 

[pahrumpgirl]

Just thought I would let you know that we now have 17 people on the Dry Wipe Board list but will still take a few more.

Carol

 

[aan1701]

Well since the talk has moved to excursions, I already know what I am doing in each port. CC. Lunch at Serenity Bay and a trip on the new Pelecian Plunge. Then the next time I get off the ship right now I will be going through U.S. Customs in L.A. Yup that's right. I plan on a lot of ship apprecation time.

 

[Tami0220]

I know I want to do that zip line tour in Puerto Vallarta. My DH wont do it but I see he can go as a spectator and enjoy the tequila bar. Plus I love Walmart and I understand Puerto Vallarta has a big one so have to check it out, lol. Other than that I would like to do something in Costa Rica but have no idea what. We love to lay in the sun so hope to get plenty of that in.

 

[Tami0220]

My sister lives in Russia and has special Santa's made for family members. She asked me what I wanted on my Santa and I said Chip and Dale. This is what I got for Christmas. I was speechless. I sooooo love it.

Isn't it amazing??!!

 

[RanCan]

I know I want to do that zip line tour in Puerto Vallarta. My DH wont do it but I see he can go as a spectator and enjoy the tequila bar. Plus I love Walmart and I understand Puerto Vallarta has a big one so have to check it out, lol. Other than that I would like to do something in Costa Rica but have no idea what. We love to lay in the sun so hope to get plenty of that in.

Tami,

Candy and I are also interested in a zip-line excursion. Just don't know which one. There is also one in Costa Rica. If anyone knows which would be best let us know..

 

[JenKatt]

Tami,

Candy and I are also interested in a zip-line excursion. Just don't know which one. There is also one in Costa Rica. If anyone knows which would be best let us know..

We're going to do it in PV because from what I understand it's not that great a port. In Costa Rica, I'm not sure yet. If there is a cave trip we'll do that (my brother is in doctoral school for geologist and a huge caver)

 

[tinkryansmom]

Tami - that Santa is AWESOME!!

LindaBabe - I hear you scrap with a few friends...Greater Boston, NH, CT area. They've told me all about you. Just kidding. We have mutual DISFriends!! Sure would love to go meet them someday!

Carmie - we have done both with regards to excursions. I do feel more comfortable dealing with the companies Disney has a relationship with. But that being said I know you can book some of the same companies on your own. We will be limited as we are traveling with our 3.5 year old.

 

[LindaBabe]

The only thing I know for sure is - visiting friends in PV. Most of the time, I will probably be appreciating the ship right along with Alan ;-) "Thrill" as in zip, snorkle, cave, climb, swing, ride etc is NOT in my vocabulary.

Tinkryansmom - I can bring pictures! You really SHOULD come over to a crop sometime!

 

[aan1701]

Plus I love Walmart and I understand Puerto Vallarta has a big one so have to check it out, lol.

That is so funny you say that. On the WB Repo in 08 I was so looking forward to PV and then I go out on deck turn my head, and there was that huge Walmart right at the port . I was so saddened by that I stayed on the ship. Seeing a huge U.S. store like that in a foregin port just killed my day.

 

[carmie3377]

We would love to go zip-lining but since DS will only be 4, we're going to hold off. I know we could leave him at the kids club but we just don't want to do that while we are off the boat. We'll find something else exciting that's a bit more kid friendly.

 

[Tigfanjeff]

After this years temperatures in Florida in January, you might not need to have the snow ball delivered.

Do any of you experienced cruiser or the astronomically gifted know if we will be able to see the southern cross constellation on the cruise?

Katherine

Yes. It will be easily visible from both Aruba and Panama.

The downside is, best viewing will be around 4 or 5 AM and it won't be visible at all until around 1AM.

 

[aan1701]

Yes. It will be easily visible from both Aruba and Panama.

The downside is, best viewing will be around 4 or 5 AM and it won't be visible at all until around 1AM.

Cool. I will be up

 

[ChipperMerlin]

My sister lives in Russia and has special Santa's made for family members. She asked me what I wanted on my Santa and I said Chip and Dale. This is what I got for Christmas. I was speechless. I sooooo love it.

Isn't it amazing??!!

Amazing doesn't begin to describe it. As a Chip & Dale fanatic, I am in awe of it. Lucky!!!!
Shirley, the Chipmunk half of ChipperMerlin

 

[carmie3377]

Yes. It will be easily visible from both Aruba and Panama.

The downside is, best viewing will be around 4 or 5 AM and it won't be visible at all until around 1AM.

I'm not really into astronomy but DH and both of the kids are. DS is only 3 and he loves to look at the moon, stars and planets with his daddy. He found a rock in the yard the other day and he told me it was from a meteor! Anyway, I just told DH this and he said that is awesome. He said he'll definitely make sure to see it. Won't be the first (or last) time that he's gotten up in the middle of the night/early in the morning to see something in the sky!