March 18, 2006 -7 Day Magic Cruise - Is anyone else booked yet?

[tecdavidt]

Expedition Everest is open! Wow, we just missed it. I didn't realize it was that close to being completed. We were at WDW Dec. 27th through Jan. 3 and it wasn't open. I thought they said April but it is open now, darn. It looks like a fantastic ride. Have fun. We did enjoy the new Epcot ride, Soar'an (How ever do they spell that name?) Kathy

 

[cinderlexa's mom]

Thanks Michelle!

Only info I still need is to figure out if the Marriott at the Orlando Airport is very clean. I need a clean place to stay...I got it through Priceline for cheap. Cheap enough that if it's not clean--I'm not staying! LOL!

 

[jphart]

Hi Everyone,

Will anyone be wearing the green Mickey ears from Home Depot that indicates they are DISers that I have seen posted on the board? I've seen some people on the DIS board wear a bright green ribbon instead. I figure it will be an easy way to spot fellow cruisers. I didn't know if I should go pick some up for us tomorrow.

Thanks,

Jennifer

 

[jphart]

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone done the Kayak Ecotour on St. Thomas?

 

[Surfergirl]

Anyone recieved documents yet? Looks like people on the cruise the week before us have theirs.

 

[tecdavidt]

Well, we know it is close when our TA tells us our air through Disney. Not good air this trip but not horrible either. Going we leave DM at 6:40 (yuck) but arrive at 2:28 all on Northwest. Coming home we leave Orlando at 3:25 pm (way late compared to any other cruise we have taken on DCL) and arrive in Des Moines 8:24. Not bad but wish it was closer to 6:00. Oh well at least we have flights. Now they are working on seat assignments. That is the biggy. One cruise she forgot to get seat assignments (Delta) and we had trouble getting out of Des Moines. I told the agent I didn't care what she did, we had insurance and I new Disney had to get us there because we bought the air through Disney. Guess what, we got on the plan after the TA talked to Disney.

She also made a comment that she was worried because the docs aren't here. I told her that they have been arriving about 2 weeks out so we weren't panicky--yet. One cruise we have had them 6 weeks out and another 2 weeks so you just never know.

Just 29 days! and after todays nasty weather, I want to be there right now.
We are having January weather in February, bummer.

Kathy

 

[PHILinAK]

Regarding green ears or ribbons: I think I'd vote for ribbon just because the ears might not make it in one peice, but I'm game for whatever...it would make it easy to identify each other

Regarding documents: ours aren't here yet...we booked through ICE. They promised to FedEx them to us as soon as Disney sent them to them...they usually wait until a week out..mail can take longer than that to reach us and it will take us so long to get to Florida (even if we make the connecting flight) that I didn't want to risk them not getting here on time.

Regarding weather in the Lower 48: I think WE are the hot spot in the nation now! It's been around 40 (ABOVE!) during the day for the past couple of weeks. This is usually our coldest month. We actually had a rain day from school last week! (They never close schools for snow here)....it was freezing when it hit the ground - quite fun

Getting excited!!!!!
Cheryl

 

[Eeyore1928]

We will also be on this sailing! We are a family of 3 DH,myself and DD-3. We are so excited for our daughter to get onboard. This will be our 6th dcl cruise, but our DD's first!!!!

I hope to meet some of you onboard!

 

[jedimindtric]

Hello to everyone. We just booked this cruise yesterday. We went on the 3-night Wonder in December and the kids loved it, so we thought we would try the 7-night. My husband is also a school teacher and this is his Spring Break. We have two kids 5 and 2. Looking forward to getting onboard the Magic.

 

[cruisecrzy]

I am up for wearing green ribbons. It will give my husband another reason to make fun of me. I already went and got a bunch of the paint chips and glued magnets to them. They will be part of our door decoration as well as a cheap toy for my daughter

Jedimindtric-I am a highschool teacher as well. I know how hard it is to work your vacations around those....my students have a countdown on the board for me...I think it is their way of counting down to springbreak without looking excited for themselves. Also, I have a friend with daughters the same age as yours. She already talked to the folks at DCL to make arrangements for her 2-year old to get a trial run in the Club. That way her kids can be together because last cruise did not work well for them. The little one wanted to stay with her big sister.

PhilinAK-it is in the mid 70's today if that gives you something to look forward to. I think you are so brave living with all that snow. I couldn't do it that is way we moved away from Chicago.

See you all soon.

 

[tecdavidt]

Welcome aboard Eeyore1928 and jedimindtric. I am adding you to our cruise list.

Weather in Des Moines 2/17 -- I think it is zero! BRRRRRR. In four weeks we will be in Orlando and I hope it is in the 70's for us. I need the warm sunshine really bad.

Kathy

 

[tecdavidt]

Our TA just called, must be working late on a Friday since it is 6:00!, DCL changed our entire air. Now we leave on American at 12:30 pm and arrive after 7:00 at night on Friday. We come home on Delta. We leave at: 11:15!!!! Thankfully, we do have the insurance and they have to get us home. I would never book a flight that early but Disney did. Well, if we don't make it they have to get us home. The change in air has to have something to do with seat assignments. We didn't have assignments with the first air package and seats out of Des Moines sell out fast.

Just watched Timon's video. Awesome. I am ready now!

Kathy

 

[cruisecrzy]

Kathy,
Wow, I cannot believe all the changes. I never thought about the air travel aspect of cruising....too much stress for me. I guess worst case scenario you get stuck in sunny Orlando one more day.

Good luck in your travels.

 

[tecdavidt]

I look at it this way, I'd rather be stuck in Orlando than stuck in cold IA. Actually by March our temps should be in the 50's but it could by still cold enough for snow. I was surprised when Dave came home and told me about the air changes. I had just learned about the air yesterday and DCL already changed it! At least with the insurance we bought, Disney has to get us there and get us home. March '04 we didn't have seat assignments coming home and when we showed up to MCO Delta was paging our names. Thank goodness for insurance, they ended up putting us on a flight to Miami then on a flight to Cinncinnati in first class! then to Des Moines. Kathy

 

[jedimindtric]

Cruisecrzy,
When you mention the 2 year old that is getting a trial run at the club -- does that mean they are considering letting her in the 3-year old program? That would be great, but I thought they were strict on the age guidelines. Mine did pretty good in Flounders last time, but it really is geared towards the younger babies with only a small climbing system for the ones a little older. Fortunately, the caregivers in there were wonderful and my little girl loved going there. I do wish they did not have the 10 hour maximum though. We would have loved to see Narnia last time, but the club just closed too early (Disney did not start the movie until 11:00pm) and we had run out of Flounder hours the next time that they showed it.
Have to say the weather in Florida is finally beautiful!! After having ice on my car this winter 4 times, I am glad to see it back in the 80's.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Cruisecrzy,
When you mention the 2 year old that is getting a trial run at the club -- does that mean they are considering letting her in the 3-year old program?

Yep, that is exactly what I mean. My friend called and here is what she was told. You have to go to the club and ask about a trial run for the 2 year old. AS long as the child can prove they are fully potty trained (can do it all by themselves....they are allowed pull-ups at night) and can communicate then they will be allowed to participate in the three year old program. As long as there is room of course since they are not charging any extra for the 2 year old to participate. Now I have heard that they may not give her the trial run until Sunday night, but I have only heard positive things about it.


As for flounder's when we were on in November they told us they are not estrict on time limit. If you ask and they are not fully booked they allow you to book more. The lady told me the time limit is only to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to use the nursery.

Could not agree more about the temps. We keep our cars in the garage so no need to scrape windows, but I saw the frost on the grass one morning. We went to SeaWorld today and I had wished I wore a tank top.....it seemed so warm I wanted to go for a swim.

PM me know if you need more info on the Club for the 2 year old. My friend got a bunch when she called in.

 

[PHILinAK]

Kathy,
Our flights got changed a few months ago....they had completely done away with all non-stops from Alaska to Florida, so now we have to pray our flight isn't late out of here and we miss our connection. It'll be spring break here, too, so the airport is usually nuts. If the flight's delayed, there are usually no other seats out during the break. It's rather like living on an island in some ways. But, I, too, like so many others who are on this trip, am a teacher....so - double the cost for airfare and lots of crowds. I think the day I retire I will take an off-season vacation - what a luxury!

We ended up having to buy two trip insurance policies, too, to cover the weird reasons we might have a problem. The hardest was finding one to cover volcanic eruption. I think they thought I was nuts when I called, but we've had one mountain coughing and spewing the past few months. Life in the Great Land, never a dull moment.

Cheryl

 

[krystagali]

Our cruise has been booked for some time now, but I just found this site. I (29) will be cruising with DH (28), DS (2) and DD (5 months). We will be on board for SIL's wedding at Castaway Cay. There will be about 15 of us on the boat, but It's good to see so many people planning for the same time.

I've booked Flounders for the day of the wedding...any other suggestions on good times to send kiddies to the nursery?

Beth

 

[cruisecrzy]

I've booked Flounders for the day of the wedding...any other suggestions on good times to send kiddies to the nursery?

Beth

I booked our daughter (19mos) in Flounder's for our Palo times. We may book her for an evening, but we actually have friends on board who volunteered to watch her so we can go play in Rockin' Bar D. On our last cruise a lot of people booked it for their dinner time so they could enjoy a baby free dinner.

Sounds like you will be having an extra special cruise.

 

[tecdavidt]

Welcome Krystagal! We have never been on CC when there has been a wedding. Where is the ceremony on the island? Kathy