January 21, 2010 - Wonder

[Purplejewel]

just curious -- how many of you are spending some time at Disney World before/after your cruise?

My DH and I are spending 4 days at Disney before the cruise. We are staying at the Saratoga Springs Resort. I can't wait!!!

 

[KSandbergFL]

KSandbergFL- When you go to Polynesian for fireworks, do you have to show something to get out to the beach, or you just go out there. I think that sounds awesome, so can you give me info on what to do. I hate the crowds of MK after Wishes, makes me want to scream, so viewing from there would be awesome!

No, you don't have to show anything. Just take the monorail or the bus to the Poly, and walk on down to the beach.

We have visited every Disney resort in Orlando, just by catching a bus from Downtown Disney. If we make dinner reservations (like at AKL Sanaa), we forget the bus and just drive right in. If you drive, the gate guards will ask you if you're checking in or "just visiting" -- just tell them "we're here for dinner at the restaurant" and they let you right in.

We live in Melbourne, about 80 miles from WDW (a 80-90 minute drive). Every 4-6 weeks or so, we'll drive to WDW and spend the day resort-hopping... we'll first go to Downtown Disney, so our DS8 can get his LegoLand fix, then we "play it by ear" and pick a resort to visit. We almost always end up by watching the fireworks from the beach at Poly, then we drive home.

 

[KSandbergFL]

Here is what I have for the most recent FE list. Please review and let me know if there are any changes. I never heard from the new-comers (5Kruegers etc) if they wanted to be on the list or not.

Also -- if my records are correct, I have room numbers for everyone except MayoTwins. MayoTwins --did you send me your room number yet?

Thanks

KSandbergFL....: 1 boy (8)
MickeyMick1967: 1 boy (7), 1 girl (11)
MayoTwins.......: 2 boys (12,12), 1 girl (6)
Noahade..........: 2 boys (18,7), 1 girl (15)
Fivepin............: 3 boys (10,8,5)
LuvTheEars......: 1 boy (9), 1 girl (6)
SMSNorthUp.....: 1 boy (2), 1 girl (8)
TheFyshes.......: 1 boy (4), 1 girl (6)
CC197823........: 2 boys (10,8), 1 girl (2)
Craze4WDW.....: 1 girl (4)
Hawky7..........: 1 DH, 1DW

 

[smsnorthup]

FYI for anyone that needs a room near the port the night before our cruise:

I just bid and won the Country Inn & Suites on priceline for Wed 1/20 for $49...with taxes and fees it's around $62. It's in the Cape Canaveral area and 2 1/2 stars. I'm very happy with this win but would love to be spending a few nights in the World like alot of you are!

 

[KSandbergFL]

My DH and I are spending 4 days at Disney before the cruise. We are staying at the Saratoga Springs Resort. I can't wait!!!

We go to Saratoga Springs a lot, usually to eat dinner at the Artists Palette.... the food is cooked to-order, and it's never very busy (no waiting). My son also has had great times at the Grandstand pool (the horsetrack themed one).

 

[Purplejewel]

We go to Saratoga Springs a lot, usually to eat dinner at the Artists Palette.... the food is cooked to-order, and it's never very busy (no waiting). My son also has had great times at the Grandstand pool (the horsetrack themed one).

Saratoga Springs is our "HOME" Resort so we have always stayed there since becoming a DVC Member. Our four daughters absolutely love the waterslide at the pool. They last time we were there they just kept getting back on the slide each time they went down it; like a continuous chain for almost one hour - it was so cute! We also really enjoy having breakfast at the Artists Palette. I find they have a good selection of choices and they keep it very clean. We have booked the NEW Treehouse Villas at Saratoga for our October 2010 trip. I hope they are nice. I havn't found too many postings from people who have stayed in them since they opened this past summer.

 

[Purplejewel]

Hey, I just read on Disney Cruise News (www.disneycruisenews.com) under the MEDIA section that Disney has just started implementing a new approach to youth activities on board their cruise ships. Instead of children being restricted to certain activities based on their age, they are now removing the age restrictions so that kids can customize their cruise experience. Kids can choose activities based on interest, not age. Disney did this so that children of different ages - siblings, extended family and friends, can participate in youth activities together throughout their cruise. This is fantastic news for my family because we are planning on taking our four daughters on their first Disney Cruise in 2011 and there is a wide age range between our youngest daughter (6) and our oldest daughter (11), with our two middle daughters both being (9). We were worried that none of them would be able to participate in the same activities but we don't have to worry now. I thought that those of you who are bringing your children on this cruise might like to know this information.

 

[KSandbergFL]

Hey, I just read on Disney Cruise News (www.disneycruisenews.com) under the MEDIA section that Disney has just started implementing a new approach to youth activities on board their cruise ships. Instead of children being restricted to certain activities based on their age, they are now removing the age restrictions so that kids can customize their cruise experience. ... I thought that those of you who are bringing your children on this cruise might like to know this information.

If you have kids, you should've received a letter about this in the mail from Disney, just before Thanksgiving. The changes went into effect on the Wonder on the Dec 17th or Dec 20th cruise, I believe.

There is more than one lengthy thread about this on the DisBoards... the one I follow is here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2334294

We are excited about the changes too... before, our son could only visit the computer games room when his age group was scheduled for that room. He got kicked out once, when it was time for his age group to do something else. Worse, the times when his age group WAS allowed in the games room, conflicted with other family things we wanted to do. On the last cruise, we just didn't use the kids clubs at all, which is a shame. Now, it seems that he might be able to visit the computer games room when it is convenient for all of us. We have high hopes!

 

[thefyshes]

Any help would be appreciated. I understand every family is different etc but I'm trying to budget the Cruise spending $ after our 7 days at WDW.

What is the appropriate tipping on board and who should we expect to tip?

Waitstaff? (how much)
Maids? (how much)
Bell Hops?

Any costs we would be unaware of outside of our beer/wine with dinner or in the evening? We are not doing a formal excursion - we are there to relax after WDW. So, shopping isn't included, I think we'll be shopped out - I'll just take that as it comes! Also, what costs would you see if we spent the day at Castaway Caye?

Thanks for your input!

 

[KSandbergFL]

Any help would be appreciated. I understand every family is different etc but I'm trying to budget the Cruise spending $ after our 7 days at WDW.

What is the appropriate tipping on board and who should we expect to tip?

Waitstaff? (how much)
Maids? (how much)
Bell Hops?

Any costs we would be unaware of outside of our beer/wine with dinner or in the evening? We are not doing a formal excursion - we are there to relax after WDW. So, shopping isn't included, I think we'll be shopped out - I'll just take that as it comes! Also, what costs would you see if we spent the day at Castaway Caye?

Thanks for your input!

Tipping -- make things easy on yourself and use the Prepaid Tips option. You can call Disney and pay it now if you'd like. I believe it's around $12/day per person... so for 5 people it would work out to around $180. If you think that might be too much (or not enough), you can just tip what you'd like. On the last night of the cruise, your room steward will give you tipping envelopes - just put some cash in each one and drop them off at Guest Services (or give the envelopes directly to the person you're tipping). You can also just go to Guest Services and pay your tips there, using your credit card.

On our first two cruises, we brought cash and paid the tips ourselves.. but then we tried the Prepaid Tips option, and it is so hassle-free we stuck with it. We can pack up and leave the ship, without worrying about tracking down our steward or servers to hand them their tips.

For room service -- I usually just hand the person $2-$3. For drinks, you have to look at the receipt -- if they bring you a drink poolside, a 15% tip is generally added automatically... if you pick it up at the bar, the gratuity may-or-may not be there, depending on the bartender. When I get my drink receipt, I usually just "round up" the bill anyway (ie, a $4.28 charge would round up to $5, a tip of $0.72), to keep things simple.

Castaway Cay (the entire cruise, actually) won't cost you an extra dime, unless you buy alcoholic drinks, get something at the gift shop, or do an excursion (like parasailing or jet-skiing).

 

[LuvtheEars]

FYI for anyone that needs a room near the port the night before our cruise:

I just bid and won the Country Inn & Suites on priceline for Wed 1/20 for $49...with taxes and fees it's around $62. It's in the Cape Canaveral area and 2 1/2 stars. I'm very happy with this win but would love to be spending a few nights in the World like alot of you are!

Wow! You got a deal! You might want to call the hotel and add the parking package on to your stay if you plan to park at the hotel. I think it's about $20.00 more, but parking at the port is $15.00 a day.

We are staying at the Country Inn & Suites too, but not at the rate you got! Well, we will be there on Saturday 1/16. That could be the reason we are paying more!

I did some shopping today for a few items for the cruise and plan to finish packing (or most of it by Monday). That way if I need anything I have a few more days to run out and get it. We're all getting so excited!!!!!

 

[hawky7]

You are all so on top of it, I still haven't even done a THING for my FE. I'm half way done with my gifts, but not the actual FE itself...

Oh and then my door decorations...thats my fav part, and I just have the graphics, haven't printed or laminated, nothing. I work retail, and we just got out of crazy holiday time, and are now going into inventory, so I'm exhausted!!! I don't want to spend my days off doing anything other than sleeping!!!

 

[thefyshes]

You are all so on top of it, I still haven't even done a THING for my FE. I'm half way done with my gifts, but not the actual FE itself...

Oh and then my door decorations...thats my fav part, and I just have the graphics, haven't printed or laminated, nothing. I work retail, and we just got out of crazy holiday time, and are now going into inventory, so I'm exhausted!!! I don't want to spend my days off doing anything other than sleeping!!!

I decorated two gift bags and hung them with ribbon. That's about as creative as I will be getting with my FE - I'm a paper person, not a fabric person. Don't stress Sleep lots so you'll enjoy the trip, I'm sure you will need it after inventory

 

[hawky7]

I decorated two gift bags and hung them with ribbon. That's about as creative as I will be getting with my FE - I'm a paper person, not a fabric person. Don't stress Sleep lots so you'll enjoy the trip, I'm sure you will need it after inventory

You got that one right! And my inventory isn't until the 15th...ughhh.... Oh well, I'll have the cruise to look forward to, so its all worth it!!!!


Can't believe it will be here in just two very short weeks, where has the time gone?!?! I hope WDW will be slow when we are there! Last year we went the Sunday after our cruise and it was Superbowl Sunday and since the superbowl was in Tampa, the park was INSANE!!! I was sad. So I'd like for a nice slow park!!!!

 

[smsnorthup]

Hi everyone!

I had an idea for my FE gifts but would need all the kids first names (& adults participating). I'm not sure if it's allowed to give out first names. If it is, would you all pm them to me? TIA! 2 more weeks!!

 

[KSandbergFL]

Hi everyone!

I had an idea for my FE gifts but would need all the kids first names (& adults participating). I'm not sure if it's allowed to give out first names. If it is, would you all pm them to me? TIA! 2 more weeks!!

It's "allowed" to give out first names... if you want to do so. My wife isn't comfortable with "strangers" knowing our son's name, so we'll pass... but the rest of you -- feel free. Still, I would only do it via private messages (PM), you never know who is reading these boards.

Our pockets on our FE will read "Nini", "Mama", and "Little Bear".

 

[Melynny]

I finally received my cruise docs last night! I was going to call and ask them if we were really going on this cruise!

 

[KSandbergFL]

I finally received my cruise docs last night! I was going to call and ask them if we were really going on this cruise!

wow that's really late. i wonder if this cruise was "over-booked" and they had to wait for some people to cancel, to make room for you. When did you book? We booked our cruise in early September 2009, about 4 months ago, the day the Kids Sail Free was announced for Jan-Mar 2010.

 

[thefyshes]

wow that's really late. i wonder if this cruise was "over-booked" and they had to wait for some people to cancel, to make room for you. When did you book? We booked our cruise in early September 2009, about 4 months ago, the day the Kids Sail Free was announced for Jan-Mar 2010.

Our Cruise Docs just arrived as well. Our travel agent checked and Disney said they would be sent 2 wks prior to our cruise. We booked in October.

 

[KSandbergFL]

Our Cruise Docs just arrived as well. Our travel agent checked and Disney said they would be sent 2 wks prior to our cruise. We booked in October.

OK. Come to think of it, previously our cruise docs usually came about 2 weeks before the cruise too... I guess that makes US the unusual ones, we got our docs for this cruise over a month prior to the cruise (before Christmas).