MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[nzdisneymom]

Lissa - that's wonderful about the job - yay!

Can you post the direct link to your trip report here? I'm terrible at finding trip reports if they aren't on the Cruise boards

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Cindy I'd love to but I'm not sure how. If someone will tell me how to post a link I'll be glad to.

Lissa

 

[Az Pirates]

Congrats on the job!

I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I've got it bookmarked so I can come back to it later.

Here ya go:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1924616


Lissa, once you have the page you want opened, all you have to do is right click the url, copy, then paste over here.

 

[SnowWhite2]

Hi guys. I've been so busy at work that this summer has flown by and I"ve not taken any time off. So I'm trying to catch up with life.

I looked at the new port schedule for the cruise and it is funky. Not sure if you have discussed it here but the schedule does not follow the normal Sat - Sat days of the week. At least where I live, Wed comes after Tues.

Sat Leave PC
Sun CC
Mon Sea
Wed Cozumel
Tues GC
Thur Sea
Fri CC

I called DCL and they said that Cozumel is Tues and GC is Wed. SO the ports are correct, the days are not. But I forgot to ask about the ashore time. Is it 8 am for Cozumel and 11 am for GC?

I want to do the Dolphin Excursion on our own and not sure what time to book since I'm confused on what ashore time goes with which port. NZDisneymom - I'm going to book on my own if we do it.

 

[HFC1969]

Hi guys.

I just realized you are booked on the same cruises we are...



Although I am hoping to toss an addtional one in there for my 40th Bday next August..

As far as GC.. I think its like 11 til 4:30 ,,, we are gonna use DCL for that excursion... We'll catch the stingrays next time around.

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Congrats on the job!

I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I've got it bookmarked so I can come back to it later.

Here ya go:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1924616


Lissa, once you have the page you want opened, all you have to do is right click the url, copy, then paste over here.

Thanks! I always wondered how you did that.

Lissa

 

[HFC1969]

118 days....

Bring it!

 

[tinkerbell_29]

I'm going to strangle US Airways if they do no leave our flight times alone. they have changed them again for the fourth time. This time I'm going to have to call and fix things because of the times they have us returning would mess up our last day. I am really frustrated with them.

Lissa

 

[HFC1969]

We use SWA.. luckily they have a bunch of flights from St. Louis to Orlando..

As of now we are landing late Friday night staying at the Orlando Airport Hyatt... then getting up and heading early to the ship..

Anyone up for a late night drink that Friday?? Tis the season...

 

[MOQu]

Well it's official. I just reserved 2 catagory 10 staterooms for myself, DH, DS(4), DD(16) and DS(18).

Now how do I keep it secret and for how long?

 

[nzdisneymom]

I'm glad we're driving so we don't have air transportation issues nor limitations. Lissa - I hope you get the air schedule settled.

MOQu - I've been keeping this secret since April 2007 and hope I can maintain that til we're arriving in Port Canaveral. Welcome to the thread! I'm Cindy D., wife to Gary (who knows), and mom to Nathan (age 12) and Zachary (who will be 11) and they don't know.

 

[minnie1]

We are back from WDW. We had a great trip despite a storm named Fay. I guess we were lucky and all we got was a lot of rain. It really didn't bother us because most of the lines at WDW are inside and the rain also kept the crowds down. I am going to try and do a trip report in the next few days if I find the time. Our girls did get a magical moment. We were at the pool at OKW and since they were the first kids there in the morning they got to open the slide. They got crowns and a certificate and they were the slide princesses for the day.

I am now focused on the cruise. We even bought some pirate stuff at the Magic Kingdom to wear on pirate night. I have to start thinking about packing since we have the cruise plus 7 days at OKW after the cruise. Plus with going in December I have to pack warm clothes because you never know what the weather will be like in Florida in December.

Anyway, I start back to my college classes today and the girls start school in a week. Atleast we have something to look forward to in a few months.

Everyone have a great week.

Angie

 

[hinsok1]

Hi everyone . . . I haven't been on-line in MONTHS!!! Just to refresh everyone . . . we are cruising with DH's entire family, 17 in all. DIL's are celebrating 50th anniversary. Our immediate family is

DH (Brad)
DD (12) (Kat)
DS (7, turns 8 onboard, Dec 24) (Matt)

Looking foward to joining the conversation. . . Life has thrown a few curve balls this summer, in May I was laid off from a company I spent the last 14 years at . . . 1,100 other people also had their jobs eliminated. Just accepted a position and will start Sept 3, the day after the kids go back to school!!! So Lissa I know what you were going through.

What is the Tween link again? I think DD is ready to meet some people.

I think I saw mention that we are going to do a meet and greet? When we were on NCL, we did a meet and greet for those we met on the CruiseCritic message board. I emailed the ship and they set up something our first day at sea in one of the bars at 10:30 in the morning! They provided coffee,juice and danishes. It was very neat. From talking with other veteran cruisers on other cruise lines, they indicated that the ships always sets up something for the groups from Cruisecritic, if someone emails ahead. Has anyone heard of Disney doing something like this? They even put a sign outside the door that said "Cruise Critic Meet and Greet".

Well, hello for now, I will try to finally go back and read through more of the posts!

 

[stillwater]

What is the Tween link again? I think DD is ready to meet some people.

It's http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=23381842#post23381842

Anna's been the only one posting over there lately and she's gotten a bit restless. She's my daughter, who's 13. Her twin brother is looking to meet some kids before the cruise too. (They turn 14 in January.)

The meet and greet on NCL sounds like fun. Did you have a good turnout?

I am so ready to cruise again.

 

[dbxazd]

I think I saw mention that we are going to do a meet and greet? When we were on NCL, we did a meet and greet for those we met on the CruiseCritic message board. I emailed the ship and they set up something our first day at sea in one of the bars at 10:30 in the morning! They provided coffee,juice and danishes. It was very neat. From talking with other veteran cruisers on other cruise lines, they indicated that the ships always sets up something for the groups from Cruisecritic, if someone emails ahead. Has anyone heard of Disney doing something like this? They even put a sign outside the door that said "Cruise Critic Meet and Greet".
QUOTE]

I think this is a great idea......I'd love to meet up!

Robin from Maryland (Pop and Magic 12/08)

 

[BearFan]

I've been to several meet and greets during other cruises and DCL has never provided us with anything special, but then again, I really don't know if anyone's ever asked either. I'm definitely interested in getting together with others on the first day, whether it's pre or post sailaway celebration. I got my fishextended gifts today and I am sooo psyched up!!! I'm ready to sail right now!!!!

OT- are any of you planning a trip to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival this year? DH and I will be there from Oct 15-19 and I'd love to meet you all then if we could swing it.

Take care

Lisa Marie

 

[hinsok1]

I've been to several meet and greets during other cruises and DCL has never provided us with anything special, but then again, I really don't know if anyone's ever asked either. I'm definitely interested in getting together with others on the first day, whether it's pre or post sailaway celebration. I got my fishextended gifts today and I am sooo psyched up!!! I'm ready to sail right now!!!!

Does anyone know who you would contact to set up something special on board? Like a birthday or something? I'm thinking that would be the same person to contact for a meet and greet. I'm willing to coordinate, but I have no clue who to contact! I'll maybe post something over on Cruise Critic also to see if anyone knows . . . .

 

[Az Pirates]

Welcome MOQu!

For me the answer to how long to keep the cruise a secret would be about 30 seconds.
The anticipation and planning is a really big part of the appeal for me.
Plus by saying that... I don't have to even try to keep it secret.
I don't know how Cindy has done it all this time!



We had a really nice Dis meet in Diversions on the 2005 Repo, but there were definitely misunderstandings about who would provide what.

It was going to be a wine and cheese thing. Everyone was bringing wine to share, and the folks who were organizing it were under the impression that DCL would provide basic snacks and the room gratis. Not so, at the last minute they realized DCL was expecting a fee, and quite a significant one IIRC.

In the end the folks at Dreams Unlimited stepped up, sponsored our meet, and covered the cost. But there were several DU agents on our trip, and lots of Dis-ers booked through them. I doubt that they would make paying for meets a habit.

In light of our experience; I'd just suggest that for anything other than an informal meet in a public place, expectations need to be clarified carefully.

 

[nzdisneymom]

OT- are any of you planning a trip to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival this year? DH and I will be there from Oct 15-19 and I'd love to meet you all then if we could swing it.
Lisa Marie

We'll actually be there the weekend before as DH is doing the Race for the Taste. And really, I'd have to do some fast-talking to explain to the boys why we're meeting people who are going on a cruise that we aren't going on (LOL). Although I will say this -- I watched VerandahMan's youtube where he surprised his wife, and the boys watched it with me -- and I told them how much I would absolutely LOVE IT if someone were to plan a surprise cruise for me.

And then a few days later we were talking about what they are going to "wish for" from Santa this year - I always get them started about now so I can make sure to get the order placed with the workshop. anyway, I told them I was going to wish for the same thing I always wish for when I email Santa - to go on a cruise, go on a cruise, or go on a cruise We always email Santa every year and there are three places to put what you want and they always tease me about putting "go on a cruise" in all three spots

I've got part of our fish extender stuff figured out, but I'm waiting on thinking about an ornament until we go to WDW in Sept or Oct. I absolutely LOVE the Christmas store at Downtown Disney, but I also like the one at the MK and MGM (oops, DHS) as well. The boys are used to me buying an ornament or two whenever we're there, so I won't have to be sneaky about that!

And now that we're less than 4 months from sailing, we need to keep our thread on the front page of the Meet forum! All those West Coast sailings are done now and I'm seeing a lot of 2009 postings coming up -- let's not get buried!

 

[tinkerbell_29]

I've finally got the stuff figured otu for the fish extender gifts just got to get it ordered. Thankfully as a family we are not doing to many gifts since the cruise and then going to WDW is our big gift this year. I've still got to buy mom and matt a few things though. I've still got to figure out what to do about a rental car. We will need one to get to the hotel and then on to WDW. I hate to pay for parking at the port as it seems to be really expensive. We don't really need it while were on the cruise but i will have my wheelchair with me which i will need at WDW and really need a placeto store it while we are on the cruise. I'm not sure what we are going to do about the car situation got to decide soon though. Any suggestions?