Great unknown tips or secrets!

[OKW93]

I don't know if this has been posted yet because I haven't read thru everything, but one of the best tips I got was to bring and extension cord. There is another outlet behind the tv. (I'm hoping that it is still accessible now that The Magic has flat screens.). Anyway, it was a great help.

 

[nicki.momof3]

All these tips are great! One I really used is to ship a box of "stuff" directly to the ship. I sent the snacks one tipster mentioned, old sand toys that they played with and then we left on CC, room and door decorations, and some liquor. Highlighters and post-it notes are good too. My kids loved the Lab. I had to pull them out at midnight because I was tired! If I think of anything else I'll post!

What address do you use to ship stuff to the ship. How far ahead do you ship it?

I really need to do this.

 

[nicki.momof3]

Along the same lines we took a limo from the airport to the boat. On the way we stocked up on 2 cases of beer, 1 case of Mike's hard lemonade, 2 bottles of champagne and a few bottles of wine. Also, a case of bottled water. We carried it all onto the boat and took it directly to our room - no problems. Sure cut down on the bar bill at the end of the trip!:

I love this idea. My concern was that our room wouldn't be ready when we got on board. Can you generally go directly to your room?

 

[nicki.momof3]

We had pirate costumes, and a few pirate related gifts for the kids delivered direct to the ship from a mail order company....not only did it save us packing costumes, but also it was a great surprise for the kids to have a parcel to open when they got into their room.

What address do you ship to?

 

[TiggerTails57]

I love this idea. My concern was that our room wouldn't be ready when we got on board. Can you generally go directly to your room?

Cabins usually open up at 1:30 pm

 

[disneyfaninaz]

What address do you ship to?

From the FAQ stickey:

Sending packages ahead of time to the ship:

PLEASE follow these instructions carefully!!!!!!


-ONE box per stateroom, no exceptions.

-The package must have the guest full name, ship, sailing date, stateroom number or GTY if you have not been assigned a stateroom number.

-The package also must have a packing slip attached to the outside of the box that details the contents of the package. For prescriptions, a copy of the prescription is sufficient. Your list may or may not be read but it must have one. Write packing slip on the outside of the envelope.

-NO FOODS/DRINKS OF ANY KIND, LIQUOR OF ANY KIND, FIREARMS, ETC.. This may cause the dogs to hit on your box and that would be a bad thing.

- The required size of the cartons you are shipping down have to be about the size of a record storage box 12 inches on a side and should not weigh more than 20 lbs. (This has been asked personally by Dave Adams who is the owner)

Address your package(s) to:

IDS c/o (Ship Name) / Ground Services
Guest Name / Stateroom # (GTY, if you don't know what it is when you send the package)
9001 Marlin Street
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

In the bottom left corner of the top of the package put the following information:ATTN: HOUSEKEEPING

Packages must arrive by 5:00 PM on Friday for Saturday and Sunday sailings.

Packages must arrive by 5:00 PM on Wednesday for Thursday sailings.

If your box is hit on by the screening dog or chosen for additional screening they will open the list and the box and look through it. They will close it back up and provided nothing bad is in it then it will be in your room as usual later after boarding.

These boxes will be coming on the ship with the crew mail among other things so they may be in the staterooms later then they were before as they are low priority in the scheme of things for Disney.

 

[nicki.momof3]

get your tea with alice tickets at the counter right after you board. they went pretty fast during my last two cruises.

Where do you get the Tea with Alice tickets. What do the little girls were? Do most come in Alice dresses or is any princess dress OK?

 

[jilljill]

Where do you get the Tea with Alice tickets. What do the little girls were? Do most come in Alice dresses or is any princess dress OK?

Go to Guest Services on deck 3 and ask for tickets. I don't remember seeing anyone wearing Princesses dresses when we've gone. My DD would just wear her bathing suit and cover up to go since it's in the middle of the afternoon.

 

[kath1210]

I prefer Parrot Cay too. On our last 2 cruises the greeter told us they were full and to go to Topsiders. I told them we had family already in there (which ok was a lie, but I wanted to eat at PC!). They let us in and it wasn't full at all. (both times!).

We did this same thing! I wonder why they try to restrict PC so much for lunch on the first day? The atmosphere there is just so much more relaxed than Topsiders or BBB.

BTW, the greeter was also lying, so it's even.

 

[nicki.momof3]

From the FAQ stickey:

Sending packages ahead of time to the ship:

PLEASE follow these instructions carefully!!!!!!


-ONE box per stateroom, no exceptions.

-The package must have the guest full name, ship, sailing date, stateroom number or GTY if you have not been assigned a stateroom number.

-The package also must have a packing slip attached to the outside of the box that details the contents of the package. For prescriptions, a copy of the prescription is sufficient. Your list may or may not be read but it must have one. Write packing slip on the outside of the envelope.

-NO FOODS/DRINKS OF ANY KIND, LIQUOR OF ANY KIND, FIREARMS, ETC.. This may cause the dogs to hit on your box and that would be a bad thing.

- The required size of the cartons you are shipping down have to be about the size of a record storage box 12 inches on a side and should not weigh more than 20 lbs. (This has been asked personally by Dave Adams who is the owner)

Address your package(s) to:

IDS c/o (Ship Name) / Ground Services
Guest Name / Stateroom # (GTY, if you don't know what it is when you send the package)
9001 Marlin Street
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

In the bottom left corner of the top of the package put the following information:ATTN: HOUSEKEEPING

Packages must arrive by 5:00 PM on Friday for Saturday and Sunday sailings.

Packages must arrive by 5:00 PM on Wednesday for Thursday sailings.

If your box is hit on by the screening dog or chosen for additional screening they will open the list and the box and look through it. They will close it back up and provided nothing bad is in it then it will be in your room as usual later after boarding.

These boxes will be coming on the ship with the crew mail among other things so they may be in the staterooms later then they were before as they are low priority in the scheme of things for Disney.

So according to the sticky you can not ship snacks and liquor. I keep reading that people do ship both. Has anyone ever shipped snacks and liquor and did they arrive safe?

 

[DaniTaylor]

So excited about all these tips we are set sail on our very first cruise on 2/19!

 

[Donnaksmj]

Bring a can of Lysol spray.....disinfect everything!

 

[Kurby]

i found this thread a few weeks ago and book marked it but didn't post - i've been looking ever since so i can jot down some of these wonderful tips.

they really are some fantastic stuff here.

 

[Kurby]

HAHAHA i finally got to page 33 and i'm doing the same thing - only mine is in excel and i'm sorting by different catigories.

gotta love computers and the internet.

and of course this site

Haven't been yet, but sure enjoyed all these tips!

Here's a couple of my own...I keep a Word file open while I am reading tips, and then just copy/paste, or type in lists of tips, so I don't forget them or have to go find info later in the threads.

YES, the baby powder trick works...just discovered this one 2yrs ago..makes going to the beach SO much more fun!

Thanks for all the great tips, everyone!

 

[aznaphrodite]

To those of you keeping a list of these great ideas, would you mind e-mailing it to me? I can upload it to my web site and let everyone download it. PM me if you don't mind sending it and I'll give you my e-mail address.

 

[dunnhorn]

I'm a newbie and our first Dis Cruise is 5/09. Looking to organize all the tips I can get! Thanks!

dunnhorn@mindspring.com

 

[Kurby]

what's your web addy? have you uploaded anything yet?

To those of you keeping a list of these great ideas, would you mind e-mailing it to me? I can upload it to my web site and let everyone download it. PM me if you don't mind sending it and I'll give you my e-mail address.

 

[smatterchu]

Use a 'runner' whenever possible - especially when you have smaller children in tow...

examples....

After the 'boat drill' - one parent can usher the kids upstairs to stake out a spot for the sailaway party while the 'runner' takes all of the life vests back to the cabin.

Other opportunities would be with the buffet lines -- one person can make a sampler tray and just stack empty plates underneath. Add extra silverware and head to the family either at the table or in the cabin... Even if you had to make two trips, the errand is 10 times faster without little ones scrambling around....it just is.

 

[TiggerTails57]

Good tips, this will be our first time with kiddies in tow.

 

[idrivealumina]

I'm a newbie and our first Dis Cruise is 5/09. Looking to organize all the tips I can get! Thanks!

Wondering if you are going to make these tips available to everyone once you organize them? That would be awesome BTW!