MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[tinkerbell_29]

Hi everyone! We are getting really excited about this cruise in fact I've been told if i don't stop talking about my DB is going to strangle me. We ended up getting a great dela on a rentla car for the whole trip so were just going to leave it at the hotel and use their shuttle. The only thign i have left to do is make the few reservations for Palo we want to do tea and brunch and to book Matt's excursion for Cozumel. I've finally gto everything for after the cruise arranged. we are going to do teh extremly stupid thing and be at the MK for NYE. I know it's crazy but we did Christmas day there and survived it can't be any worse. We will not be persay dressing up for pirate night. Matt's got a pirate mickley hat and mom and I will wear the bandana's they provide. We will be dressing for formal night though. Matt is wearing a tux unwilling of course mom has insisted. Are we going to do the group t-shirt thign or not? That way I know whether to make us t-shirts or not.

Angie i sent you a PM about the dolphin excursion. We are deffinetly wanting to do it.

We are now waiting for the 2010 dates to comeout. We are hoping for somewhere in Europe. If not we will be doign an ABD instead of a cruise. I do wish these were not ebign released unitl December though that wya we could book on board. Oh well.

Lissa

 

[xsjackson]

I haven't been on in a while and my sister, Ginny, can't seem to get on at all. She can get logged on but it will not let her reply.

so for her I am posting:

Fish hangers are all done. How many are participating. My kids and I want to make goodies for everyone! Prates yes, almost finished 16 pirate costumes for the family. We are looking forward to dressing up since this is our 1st cruise. Anything else I need?

 

[xsjackson]

Ist day of school. went verywell. My 8th and 9th grade students did great! Its going to be a great year at the junior high I teach at. Positive thinking.

excusions: any suggestions? My family has been to Cosumel before but we road 4x4s. Don't want to do that again, disappointing. I think we want to see ruins. Suggestions for Caymans? My husband and I (pre-kids) use to go there once or twice a year. So we have been there. On last cruise I did the island tour with the kids while my husband dove. Thinking about doing the pirate boat. Did that on St Lucia but not at the Caymans.

Anybody know How do we get on the same excutions if 6 of us can register 9/20 and the rest have to wait as first timers?

Thanks

 

[nzdisneymom]

Someone asked about fish extender gifts doing them daily, one per family, what.... well, that's the great thing about fish extender gifts - you do what you want! Some folks like to do just one per family while others like to have things to deliver several times throughout the trip. We haven't figured ours out totally yet so we'll see what we end up doing!

T-shirts -- there has been some interest - and it seemed like enough interest to make it worth doing a group design / cafe-press sort of thing. Someone (and I can't remember who now) coordinated it for their previous cruise and offered to coordinate for this one -- so if they'll jump in and let us know what needs to happen, we probably need to jump on it pretty quickly. As for designs, we know the limitation is no licensed characters, but the ships are ok. I'll ask on the main thread for those who have done group shirts if they'll post pics for us to get some ideas.

About excursions with different booking windows - I think you just have to hope the can get in at the same time as you. One thing to remember is that if they don't get in the same time as you to start with, keep checking back as people change their excursion plans all the time - and they also keep some slots open that you can book onboard as not everyone can book online. Also know that as long as you're on the same excursion time, you can line yourselves up at excursion time so that you actually do the excursion together! They often have several shuttles and break you into groups.

 

[DisneyCamper]

It has been a while since I've posted. Thanks for the responses and the ornament exchanges sounds like fun (as well as the hangers/ extenders for the door). Talked with the family and they were excited about it. Someone mentioned somthing about T-Shirts - sounds interesting as well. We're all looking forward to the cruise.

Does anyone have suggestions for transportation from an airport hotel to the port? We're thinking about using a car service.

 

[nzdisneymom]

It has been a while since I've posted. Thanks for the responses and the ornament exchanges sounds like fun (as well as the hangers/ extenders for the door). Talked with the family and they were excited about it. Someone mentioned somthing about T-Shirts - sounds interesting as well. We're all looking forward to the cruise.

Does anyone have suggestions for transportation from an airport hotel to the port? We're thinking about using a car service.

You could do a car service or see about DCL transfers. I know that buses run from the airport to the Port leaving relatively early (like 9 a.m. and continuing through the day).

 

[perdy1234]

Hey everyone We will also be on this cruise. This will be our first 7 day cruise so are very excited. What are some good excursions to do and what kind of things can we expect for Christmas? Look forward to seeing everyone!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hey everyone We will also be on this cruise. This will be our first 7 day cruise so are very excited. What are some good excursions to do and what kind of things can we expect for Christmas? Look forward to seeing everyone!

Welcome! Our first DCL was the week before Christmas in 2005 and it was so amazing to see the ship and terminal all decorated for Christmas.

I'm Cindy D., wife to Gary, mom to Nathan and Zachary (the n and z that make me a disneymom). This will be our 4th DCL cruise but the first that is a SURPRISE for the boys -- they don't know about the trip and if I can keep my big mouth shut and my planning quiet, then wow -- we don't plan to tell them and just let them figure it out when we head south on 95 at Jacksonville instead of north like we usually do to go to Grandma's

 

[alikat99]

Diana did the Cafepress thing for our DVC cruise in 2006. It worked really well, and they did a great job on the t-shirts! I still mine 2 yrs later and it's in great shape!!

 

[hinsok1]

Welcome! Our first DCL was the week before Christmas in 2005 and it was so amazing to see the ship and terminal all decorated for Christmas.

I'm Cindy D., wife to Gary, mom to Nathan and Zachary (the n and z that make me a disneymom). This will be our 4th DCL cruise but the first that is a SURPRISE for the boys -- they don't know about the trip and if I can keep my big mouth shut and my planning quiet, then wow -- we don't plan to tell them and just let them figure it out when we head south on 95 at Jacksonville instead of north like we usually do to go to Grandma's

Cindy - you are so much better than I would be . . . my kids would have know within weeks!!! I could not keep that big of a secret.

 

[hinsok1]

We went to both Grand Cayman and Cozumel on our last DCL Cruise. Did Stingray City, which was nice, but will not do again. Then we did the jeep tour in Cozumel, which we enjoyed, but wasn't really geared for a younger crowd. Plan on doing something different again.

We are hoping to do snorkeling on both islands, if I can convince DS (8) that snorkling is cool before the trip! He took lessons 2 years ago and did great, but was scared to do it once we got to the islands . . . . not sure what this year will bring. After Stingray City we went to Seven Mile Beach on our own. It was a wonderful experience. The kids had never been to an ocean beach before. DS just wanted to dig in the sand until he discovered body surfing. . . . DD just loved the waves.

DH is a little worried we will not have much time to do anything in Grand Cayman. I think they usually dock early morning and the first tenders are 8:00, but for this trip, we won't dock until 11:00 or something like that, then we need to be back on board by 4:00. Does anyone have any more info?

Can anyone else log into My Cruises on the DCL website and see what excursions are being offered by Disney? I can't see anything. I thought on our last cruise I could see all of the excursions, and spa treatments, even before the 90 day mark?

Last time we booked by ourselves, but with all of the changes we keep seeing on this trip and the short time period in Grand Cayman, I'm thinking we will book through the ship to be safe.

 

[alikat99]

We've been to Grand Cayman twice before with DCL, and both times, we booked Capt Marvin's Stingray City and had a great time. But, with the short time in port, we're definitely going to book an excursion through DCL this time. I don't want to take any chances!!!

As for being able to look at excursions on the DCL website under My Cruise. I don't think that you're able to do it that way, at least I can't. But, you can go to Ports Of Call and look there. But, that's for all excursions for Grand Cayman, not just the ones for our Christmas Cruise (which I imagine will be fewer, since we have less time).

 

[dbxazd]

You could do a car service or see about DCL transfers. I know that buses run from the airport to the Port leaving relatively early (like 9 a.m. and continuing through the day).

We are using Tiffany Car Service (we used them last year and they were great!) Since there are 4 of us - it was less expensive to hire the car service than to do the DCL transfers - plus we got a stop along the way (for provisions )

Robin
POP and Magic 12/08

 

[nzdisneymom]

We made our final payment today!

Of course now I feel extremely broke.

But at least it is still three more months til we sail so there is plenty of time to save up for excursions, etc.

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Congrats Cindy on making the final payment. Isn't it great to know that it is paid in full and you no longer have to worry about that part.

 

[gardengirlco]

Hi Christmas cruisers. My family and I will also be on board the Magic this Christmas. It'll be me, DH, DS10 and DS3 (2 months shy of 4 when we cruise). We booked on Day 1 so we've been looking forward to this for quite some time. The only other cruise we've done is a 3-day Wonder trip in 1/06, so we are really excited to be doing 7 days this time. We'll also be going to WDW for a week before our cruise.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hi Christmas cruisers. My family and I will also be on board the Magic this Christmas. It'll be me, DH, DS10 and DS3 (2 months shy of 4 when we cruise). We booked on Day 1 so we've been looking forward to this for quite some time. The only other cruise we've done is a 3-day Wonder trip in 1/06, so we are really excited to be doing 7 days this time. We'll also be going to WDW for a week before our cruise.

Hiya - and welcome to the meet thread - glad you decided to come on over and join us. We (me and DH since the kids don't know yet) are getting more and more excited every day about the cruise! These next several weeks will go by fast.

 

[gardengirlco]

Hiya - and welcome to the meet thread - glad you decided to come on over and join us. We (me and DH since the kids don't know yet) are getting more and more excited every day about the cruise! These next several weeks will go by fast.

Thanks, Cindy! Congrats on your final payment and on keeping it a secret from your boys for so long! You must not have nosy kids like I do who eavesread over my shoulder, or else you're good at quick clicking the mouse to a different window if you hear them coming.

 

[nzdisneymom]

LOL - I do most of my DISBoarding at work (ssshhh... don't tell - although I'm sure they know from traffic reports). Or else I wait til they are otherwise occupied.



I saw this in another thread on the main board and thought I'd repost it here or those who might not get a chance to check out the main board. It's about the upgrades which we'll see when we sail..


CELEBRATION, Fla. – An exciting collection of enhancements awaits the Disney Magic as the ship heads into dry dock Sept. 6-24, 2008. The 2,700 passenger cruise ship will undergo a series of upgrades for guests of all ages.

Here is a glimpse at what’s in store:


Indulgence and Relaxation
Quiet Cove, the serene pool retreat reserved for the enjoyment of adults, will undergo a makeover including upgrades to Cove Café, the pool and the deck area. Cove Café, the ship’s sophisticated coffee lounge, will incorporate a new seating area with plush, comfortable chairs providing the perfect venue to relax while sipping a cup of gourmet coffee. Meanwhile, the adult pool will be outfitted with soothing, cascading waterfalls from the two hot tubs. Teak deck and lounge chairs with plush cushions will line the pool, creating an inviting, stylish ambiance in line with the Vista Spa and Salon.

Fun for the Little Ones
The Oceaneer Club, a Neverland-themed play space for 3-7 year olds, and the Oceaneer Lab, a whacky and interactive laboratory exclusively for 8-12 year olds, will be enhanced with new registration areas that make the check-in process more efficient and hassle-free. This sets the stage for incorporating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the youth activity areas later this year, which will further enhance and streamline the check-in process. The technology uses RFID tags embedded on wristbands, allowing children to simply tap a sensor to check in and out of the clubs.
Even the youngest cruisers will have a splashtacular time in “Mickey’s Splash Zone,” a new toddler water playground inspired by Fantasia’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice. This 385-square-foot extension to the Mickey Pool on deck 9 will feature star- and moon-shaped interactive fountains, a soft play surface and whimsical splash zones; creating an inviting environment for children not yet toilet trained and in swim diapers.

New Conveniences
The guest staterooms onboard the Disney Magic are receiving an infusion of technology with the installation of flat-screen LCD television sets. The new 22-inch units will be mounted on a swivel arm to allow easy viewing from multiple locations within the stateroom.

 

[Lizdisdog]

Thanks to Cindy D for inviting me to join this thread. My DH and I are from the Uk and will be cruise no 7. We were due to be on the first cruise after dry dock but friends we met on the Panama WB in 2005 and who we then cruised with on Transatlantic EB in 2007 persuaded us to join them on this cruise, looking at the current weather conditions around the Bahamas I can't say I am too disappointed not to be sailing at the end of this month LOL
I now need to read through the 52 pages of this thread to catch up on all you guys. I'm sure we'll meet some of you in December.