January 3, 2011 - 5 night Bahamas Sailing

[mommyofthreeboys]

Up to you! It can be a garbage bag! Seriously, I've seen a reusable bag used before. I don't think anyone will judge ya so whatever you come up with is fine.

Wait. That might have sounded bad. It can be anything. I am NOT saying the stuff that goes in the bag is garbage!
I love everything that goes in the FE.

 

[Georgia3]

Our room will be right next to an elevator. Im a bit worried about our FE being messed with (stuff taken, or the whole thing stolen). Anyone have any thoughts? I wonder if I can rig a bike chain to it. lol.

We zip tied our FE to the fish, just so it would not fall off. I do not think anyone would like a personalized FE with my families name on it.

On our last cruise we had 50 cabins in the FE. It was a lot but I would not like to miss out and say I wish I had that FE gift. We will do both groups if we split.

 

[Elangen]

We zip tied our FE to the fish, just so it would not fall off. I do not think anyone would like a personalized FE with my families name on it.

On our last cruise we had 50 cabins in the FE. It was a lot but I would not like to miss out and say I wish I had that FE gift. We will do both groups if we split.

zip ties- brilliant!

 

[Silverfox97]

zip ties- brilliant!

We also use a zip tie....just remember to bring something to snip the zip tie with to take it down

 

[Georgia3]

We also use a zip tie....just remember to bring something to snip the zip tie with to take it down

Too funny - we did have to use nail clippers - it was difficult but yes we forgot about getting it off ourself! I need to add that to the list, Thanks!

 

[wonkadeb]

A stocking is a great idea! Thanks!

 

[Silverfox97]

A stocking is a great idea! Thanks!

Here's the Buzz one someone had: http://www.amazon.com/Disney-Buzz-Lightyear-Holiday-Stocking/dp/B002STNMWO -- doesn't even look Christmas-y

Bet you could find something post-holiday sales!!!

 

[wonkadeb]

I just read on someone's trip report that their DIS group also made arrangements to meet for a group picture on Pirate Night. It was a really neat picture to see all of them in their Pirate Garb together. Maybe we could do something like that, too?

 

[auntlynne]

I contacted a limo/town car service for transport from the airport to the port (hmmm, Im going to have to remember which one...). We will have to fly in the day before, and stay the night. I would love to do the Hyatt, but I cant justify it for just one night. Econo lodge, here we come. Well, something cheap. Not sure what yet. The town car service was almost $100 cheaper for our family of four, and I will make use of the grocery stop....

On a previous cruise, we did car service when we had 5 of us arriving the day of the cruise; this cruise we have to arrive the day before, so we are renting a car from Hertz.

The airport location is located in the parking deck (just behind the Disney buses). The Cape Canaveral location is right in front of the Country Inn & Suites, about 1.5 miles from the Port, and they have a free shuttle to the Port.

We ended up with a mid-size SUV for about $75 tax included (AAA discount) for Sunday pick-up at MCO/drop off at Cape Canaveral and then $81 for disembarkation day (off the ship at 9am, flight out at 3:20 - we'll have lunch somewhere in Orlando).

It saves us roughly 1/2 the cost of Disney transport and allows us the freedom to dine out and play putt-putt the night before the cruise.

Before the Eastbound TA, a bunch of us used Priceline to secure rooms at the Country Inn & Suites for $62/night (bid $49 + tax) - they assign Priceline guests to family suites which contain a queen, a twin, and bunk beds and include breakfast. I tried the $49 bid for Sun, Jan 2, but it was not accepted. You can try a new bid every 24 hours, I think, so I may try a little higher.

 

[mistyandbenjamin]

On a previous cruise, we did car service when we had 5 of us arriving the day of the cruise; this cruise we have to arrive the day before, so we are renting a car from Hertz.

The airport location is located in the parking deck (just behind the Disney buses). The Cape Canaveral location is right in front of the Country Inn & Suites, about 1.5 miles from the Port, and they have a free shuttle to the Port.

We ended up with a mid-size SUV for about $75 tax included (AAA discount) for Sunday pick-up at MCO/drop off at Cape Canaveral and then $81 for disembarkation day (off the ship at 9am, flight out at 3:20 - we'll have lunch somewhere in Orlando).

It saves us roughly 1/2 the cost of Disney transport and allows us the freedom to dine out and play putt-putt the night before the cruise.

Before the Eastbound TA, a bunch of us used Priceline to secure rooms at the Country Inn & Suites for $62/night (bid $49 + tax) - they assign Priceline guests to family suites which contain a queen, a twin, and bunk beds and include breakfast. I tried the $49 bid for Sun, Jan 2, but it was not accepted. You can try a new bid every 24 hours, I think, so I may try a little higher.

How are you sure you will get the country inn and suites? Sounds like a good deal!

 

[mazz1]

I wouldn't go that far - it's not that it didn't go down well, it's just that some people said they don't mind delivering to everyone, and some want it split up. Here's what was said back on page 5 of our thread:





I know that there are a lot of people from far away on this cruise (UK, Canada). Speaking only for our family, we are from Tampa, so packing space is not an issue, as we aren't really limited since we just have a 1 hr 40 min drive to the port. Everyone does their FE gifts differently - we gave a CD to each stateroom last time for the adults, and a bag of goodies to each child. I, for one, am scaling back, as I was, let's see, more generous than most people (not all), and I learned my lesson. It's meant to be a fun thing to add to the cruise, not a time and money consuming problem. Really, you could go out and buy clearance christmas candy, throw it in a zip lock bag, and pass that out. You are thinking, "wow, that seems cheap"? Well, that would be better than some of the stuff we got. Now, I am not at all complaining, I am just simply saying that everyone does FE to varying degrees. By all means, please don't spend $100 if you don't have the money!!

I think mommyofthreeboys has the best idea. If you want to deliver to say, 10 rooms, then be in group 1. You would just deliver to the people in that group. If there are enough people that want to deliver to everyone, then we would be in group 2, and we would deliver to everyone in both group 1 and group 2. What does everyone else think?? So far, we have 3 people that want to split it up and 1 (myself) that will happliy exchange to all rooms. Let's get a poll going

i must say sorry, i do remember now reading it back and i do sincerely apologise, my memory is pretty rubbish with my epilepsy medication (although this really is no excuse) i do hope i have not upset anyone that really wasn't my intention - Marie

 

[Silverfox97]

i must say sorry, i do remember now reading it back and i do sincerely apologise, my memory is pretty rubbish with my epilepsy medication (although this really is no excuse) i do hope i have not upset anyone that really wasn't my intention - Marie

No need to apologize - it's all good!

 

[lisare]

I have been on a FE list that was 100 rooms long . So 20+ rooms is nothing to me. I would love to do all rooms. Plus the kids do love seeing what has been left.

 

[Elangen]

Im seriously distracted planning for this trip.

I want to make or commission:

1) a puzzle for the kids to open announcing the cruise
2) tshirts with their names
3) magnets, fun stuff, oh yeah, and an FE and prezzies for them

I need to:
4)make plane reservations
5) hotel reservations for the night before
6) make reservations for Flounders nursery and for Palo (cant wait to pay and have resrvations opened!
7) Lose ten pounds so I can gain it back over the trip. lol.

 

[Silverfox97]

I have been on a FE list that was 100 rooms long

Holy crap!

Im seriously distracted planning for this trip.

I want to make or commission:

1) a puzzle for the kids to open announcing the cruise
2) tshirts with their names
3) magnets, fun stuff, oh yeah, and an FE and prezzies for them

I need to:
4)make plane reservations
5) hotel reservations for the night before
6) make reservations for Flounders nursery and for Palo (cant wait to pay and have resrvations opened!
7) Lose ten pounds so I can gain it back over the trip. lol.

We are going to do the puzzle thing, too. We are going to get it made, wrap it, then put it at the very back of the Christmas Tree under every other gift, so DD gets it last. Can't wait to see the look on her face. Also can't wait to stay up until midnight Monday night to try to book our Palo brunch

 

[mazz1]

Also can't wait to stay up until midnight Monday night to try to book our Palo brunch

snap!! although for me it wil be 5am tues morning and i'm so not a morning person, but hey i missed out on a brunch ressie on the med cruise so def going to try for one this time no matter what it takes i was thinking i'd quite like to do high tea too but dh reckons that's going just a tad too far two palo feasts in one day?

ooh i need to lose a good stone too (14lbs) i'm still trying to shift the 7lbs i gained on the med cruise back in august and it would be nice to lose a bit more especially with the christmas indulgences yet to come, i'm just relieved we don't have thanksgiving over here in the uk or that would give me yet another excuse to overindulge, not that i normally need any excuse

i really should get my backside in gear and go back to weightwatchers

 

[mommyofthreeboys]

I have been on a FE list that was 100 rooms long . So 20+ rooms is nothing to me. I would love to do all rooms. Plus the kids do love seeing what has been left.

Oh MY!!! I think I would have just ordered some personalized pencils and been done with it! I couldn't imiagine doing that many rooms. How long did it take you to deliver everything?

 

[lisare]

I took my time and did it over 2 days. Just wanted it done & over with.

 

[familyfun5]

Hi we are officially joining you all. It was a bit of a process. We had reservations on 7 night Eastern Jan 15. However, we also are doing the Feb 6th MR with kids sail free [Jan was booked first]. So with the cheap 11C rates we are with you all and canceled Jan 15.

Me, 36 years old; DH 42, DS 2 ½, DD 18mo. Not sure how it will work we have two cabins 11C and they do not connect so we may have one cabin just sitting empty.

I would like to also do the FE and find it great fun.

SOO.. excited to be with you all. This will be our 4th Disney Cruise (including DS) and DD 3rd. We are doing two days at DW before and two days after. Any thoughts on the best Disney hotel for little ones? We are thinking two days at moderate and two days at an Animal Kingdom hotel, maybe? All opinions are wanted. We are also thinking of two parks AK and MK, then one day at Discovery Cove. Hum….Now I just need to get this job I have been interviewing for to pay for all of this. I have one interview Monday, if that goes well I will have two more. Such a long process, start date at this point is Oct 30th. But, it is a great job if all goes well I will likely be there for many years.

Looking to meeting you all.

 

[Silverfox97]

Hi we are officially joining you all. It was a bit of a process. We had reservations on 7 night Eastern Jan 15. However, we also are doing the Feb 6th MR with kids sail free [Jan was booked first]. So with the cheap 11C rates we are with you all and canceled Jan 15.

Me, 36 years old; DH 42, DS 2 ½, DD 18mo. Not sure how it will work we have two cabins 11C and they do not connect so we may have one cabin just sitting empty.

Couldn't you have just booked 4 people in the 11C GTY and then you would for sure get upgraded? Would be even cheaper than booking 2 rooms....

Any thoughts on the best Disney hotel for little ones? We are thinking two days at moderate and two days at an Animal Kingdom hotel, maybe? All opinions are wanted.

As far as moderates go, we have done Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Resort, and my favorite by far is the Caribbean Beach. I liked Coronado, don't get me wrong, but just like caribbean Beach better. I like the way the food court is set up better, as well as the main pool. Can't comment about Port Orleans.