January 14th 2006 Magic Western.............

[CPM]

CPM, I haven't done too much thinking about excursions yet. Key West will just be shopping, I'm sure. And I'm thinking about the dolphin swim at Cozumel, will probably put that on my Christmas list and hope for $$ from family I'll probably snorkel at Grand Cayman. I'm just so excited about being on the ship, I don't even care where we go!

Are you doing it at Chankanaab National Park? I wanted to go there on our July cruise but they were closed because of hurricane damage. I also heard they lost one of their sea lions and some other animals and fish. I hope everything is okay there now. I'm sure it will all be fine by January.
Maybe I'll try getting there again. They have a nice beach there. It's not very far fromk the peir either.

 

[Ariel&Flounder'sMom]

Okay, poll time. Are you getting passports for your whole family?

Since there has been a change in the deadline, I'm just curious what other January cruisers are doing.

DH and I have them, but DD's 3 & 5 don't, and I really don't want to wait until the last minute to get them if we decide they should have them.

What are you all doing?

By the way Cheryl, thanks for the tip on Captain Marvin's!

 

[cockermom]

Just DH and I going, and we've already got them. Our "kids" are adults, though, so they'd be footing the bill if they were sailing with us. Haven't really paid attention to the new regulations. What are the rules going to be for minors regarding passports?

 

[Ariel&Flounder'sMom]

On the government web site, it used to say December 31, 2005, everyone going to the Caribbean must have a passport.

Now, that is off the website, and the date is 2008 for anyone traveling to the Carribean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada. Although, many are speculating that a deadline could reappear.

Here's the link:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Obviously, it's a chunk of money for little ones, and I don't know if we should just bite the bullet or wait and save the cash for now.

 

[whome?]

Regarding passports, I'd wait on getting ones for the kids, unless you feel you will be traveling again later in 2006. They are only good for five years because children's appearance changes. So I'd save the money for now.....this from a woman with no kids. I will be going ahead and getting my passport anyway, as I now have some time share points and hope to plan a trip for late 2006 to Great Britian.

Regarding Cozumel and the dolphins.....I haven't done any detailed research, just read some trip reports with good reviews. I'm really trying to hold off till the fall before I let myself get too involved, just in case there are problems and I have to cancel. Let's just say I'm hopefully optamistic

 

[CPM]

Okay, I'm confused. Are they now changing the date of making us get passports?
I would love to hold off getting them. I know I won't be leaving the country for a few years after this cruise because the next cruise will be an Alaskan cruise.

 

[CPM]

I just went to the web site. It clearly states that you don't need one until January 2008. So, I guess we don't need it.

 

[2munchkins]

We went ahead and got passports for our 2 DDs earlier this summer. It only took three weeks to get them back!

We got them because it is a better source of identification, since it has a picture on it (and they love having 'adult' things). I wasn't thrilled with the idea of having to bring birth certificates on board. Birth certificates are too easily damaged, compared to a passport.

 

[Omalley]

Myself, DW, DD4 and DD1 will begin the Passport process in early September. We travel through Canada at least once each year, and the Passports should limit potential questions at the border.

CPM - Depending on where your Alaska cruise begins (US or Canada) you may want to consider having passports available for that trip as well.

Can anyone provide more details on the Sea Lion tour at Chankanaab? What type of transportation do you take? How long is the excursion? Is there any interaction (feeding...) with the Sea Lions. Thanks, DD4 is crazy about Sea Lions at the moment.

 

[CPM]

CPM - Depending on where your Alaska cruise begins (US or Canada) you may want to consider having passports available for that trip as well.
.

It will still be before the 2008 deadline, so I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get them. Looks like it's a final decision to wait until 2008.

 

[whome?]

Hi Cruisemates! Still have my fingers crossed that this trip will be a "GO" for me. I'm going ahead and getting my passport, as I hope to cross the Atlantic soon.....and who knows where the Magic may sail in 2007.....I love the Mediterranean rumor

 

[missminniemouse]

Just found this thread today. Count us in as well! DH, DD10, DS6, myself and a dear friend of ours will all be going. We got 2 connecting staterooms booked, so our friend can have a little privacy, yet we'll all still be together. This will be the second Disney cruise for all of us except DS. The rest of us went on the Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Magic 5 years ago. Had a blast.

As to the passport issue, our travel agent said the kids should have them. We applied for them about a week and a half ago.

We'll be arriving at WDW on Thursday, the 12th and staying at Pop Century. We live in Wisconsin, so like the people from Minnesota, just don't trust the weather entirely. Have to build that fudge factor in. After the cruise we get to go back to WDW for a few more days. As luck would have DH has a business meeting at Coronado Springs on Monday and Tuesday, so the kids and I get to play a little longer.

For shore excursions, we're debating a number of different things. Key West will probably be the most un-scheduled port. Think we'll roam around a lot on our own. DH isn't really into the water stuff, so snorkeling is probably not on the agenda. Don't know exactly what excursions we'll pick yet, but have been in contact with our friend that is accompanying us and we're tossing ideas back and forth. I'm the "planning Diva" of the family, so getting all this stuff decided in September for January isn't too early as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Ariel&Flounder'sMom]

Welcome MissMinnieMouse! Another cheesehead to the thread!!

I was born in Milwaukee, but grew up in the Chicago area. Now, I live in Minnesota with DH - who's now a Vikings fan, even though when I married him he was a Steelers fan.

Sounds like you're ready to go! Have you booked your flight? I'm watching them, but haven't found a good enough price yet to bite the bullet.

We are coming in on the 13th, but still trying to figure out where we will stay that night.

We got a planning packet in the mail yesterday from Disney. The trip is coming fast - isn't our date Oct. 15th to pay in full so we can start making reservations?

 

[missminniemouse]

We booked our trip through DVC, which covered the 4 of us and our friend paid cash for his portion when we booked back in May. We booked our flight shortly after the cruise, but had to change the return dates after DH found out about his meeting. We're flying on Northwest out of Milwaukee and paid around $250 per person. I haven't seen anything cheaper than that since we booked. Nice thing about this is it's a direct flight to Orlando. Leave MKE at 7:00am and get to MCO at around 10:30am. Still leaves a good portion of the day to do something when we get in. Prices out of Green Bay are totally outrageous, so the last couple of times we've gone to Orlando, we've flown out of Milwaukee. We always stay the night before at a hotel right across from the airport. They have a program where if you stay for even one night you can leave your vehicle there the entire time you're gone. It's a nice secure parking area, fenced in and gated. They shuttle you to the airport and when you return you call them and they take you right to your vehicle with all your luggage. Works out great.

We decided to stay at Pop Century because it's one of the few Disney resorts we haven't stayed at before. We'll be renting a vehicle, so it wasn't important to be at a resort that will have cruise line pickup.

We got the planning packet in the mail yesterday as well. I've emailed our friend that is going along several times today tossing ideas back and forth for shore excursions. We'll be seeing him the weekend of Oct 14-16, so will make our final decisions then. Works out well since the 16th is the day we can start making our reservations. I'm getting really excited now!

 

[whome?]

. The trip is coming fast - isn't our date Oct. 15th to pay in full so we can start making reservations?

The actual payment due date varies according to CAT booked, I believe. Those of us in the cheap seats have an Oct 31st due date.

Welcome, missminniemouse!

 

[DisneyDDS]

Our group of family and friends (total of 12) will also be cruising. Mine and hubby's third Western Disney cruise. Hi to the Wisconsin folks...we live in Milwaukee and we will be crusing with three other couples from milwaukee including my in-laws (their second Disney cruise). We will also be traveling with my Sis and her family (their first cruise ever) from Michigan. She has a 8 year old son. Any other 8 year old boys out there looking foward to the lab? Any Michiganders traveling? (Sorry, but I am new to all this abbreviation lingo...what do all the abbreviations stand for...DD, DH Etc...I would like to be in the know)

Yo ho, yo ho a pirates life for us!

 

[MickeyPhD]

This will be our first Disney Cruise!

 

[missminniemouse]

Welcome MickeyDDS and MickeyPhd! Looks like the Midwest will be well represented on this cruise. Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin have all been mentioned, I believe.

 

[whome?]

And I was born in Indiana! Also lived and worked in Chicago for ten years! Guess will have lots of Mid-Western friendlyness on this cruise

 

[CPM]

The actual payment due date varies according to CAT booked, I believe. Those of us in the cheap seats have an Oct 31st due date.
Welcome, missminniemouse!

We also have the Oct. 31st deadline. Cat 6, wouldn't call that a "cheap seat"
Acutually on DCL there are no cheap seats