March 20, 2004

[Cara]

I am so jealous!!! You get to go to the parks after the cruise, and I have to go home and go back to work!

Cara

 

[Padre Disney]

Cara, who did you get your airfare with?

5 months from today we will be leaving for our drive to Orlando. WOO HOO!!

While on our 3 day a few weeks ago we checked on adding another room to our March reservations and the price had went up about $400 dollars more then we had reserved our other rooms at. Since we were not real sure if we would need the room we decided not to book it. WELL after returning and talking about how much fun we had another couple has decided they might like to go. I called to check the price of another cat 11 and OMG! They said they had no cat 11's left when only a few weeks ago they did. They did still have a cat 12 and the price would be over $3000 for 2 adults. WOW. That price was $800 more then just a few weeks ago and it was for a cat 12 not an 11. So we will not be adding another room. I knew prices went up but I am so surprised they have went up soooo much so fast.

DVC4US, We still plan on a trip your way on 11/1. K is very excited she gets to see B. We are just trying to get her excited about the cruise again. Knowing you changed cruises dates K is sure she will not have any fun with out B on the 3/20 cruise.

 

[Muushka]

Padre Disney, try calling Sam's club. I booked with them a few weeks back and they have a special price with Disney for just that cruise. We booked 2 adults, at 6, with insurance for $3190.
I believe cat 9 was going to be $2300 or so. Good luck!

 

[Cara]

Padre Disney, we booked our flight through Delta!

Cara

 

[Padre Disney]

Muushka
I just called Sams 2 check on rooms. The best they had was $3186 for a cat 10 with 2 adults.
I am so glad we booked our rooms while on board back in March. I guess it does pay to book early in some cases.

Cara,
I have been watching the airlines for friends of ours and Delta is the only one that keeps coming back with good fare. I keep telling them the better book but they are waiting for SWA. I don't think SWA will offer anything much better then Delta has.

 

[Muushka]

OOOhhh, Padre Disney, kinda scary. I am glad I received my travel stuff from Sam's club the other day with the room number and the price written on it. Otherwise, I would have been afraid I had made a mistake. I wonder why such a difference in price?

Maybe I will give them a call and see what's up with their prices.

 

[tecdavidt]

Padre Disney, hello Bev.
What city are your friends flying out of? If Des Moines, better start checking to see if there are any seats available. I had a women ask me who my TA was because her TA told her all flights were booked already, that they would have to fly out of Omaha or KC or maybe Minn.!!! I do remember a few weeks ago American announced they were reducing the size of the planes out of Des Moines. Scary thought for Spring Break when all flights are full. During Spring Break we have taken MD80's out of Des Moines at 6:00 AM and the flight is full! I hope American puts that size of plane in service for Spring Break or else the available seat count will be a lot smaller than previous years. March 20th cruisers keep posting! I will be making our cruise list soon. Kathy

 

[strawberryblonde]

We just had our first two "chilly" nights here. Fall is on it's way. Will make looking forward to the cruise all that much more fun

 

[Padre Disney]

Kathy,
Our family lives in Atlantic. They could fly out of DSM, MCI or OMA. Just called swa today and have tickets for all of us on hold. Not sure yet if we will fly cause we would need 7 tickets and we can drive round trip, food and lodging lots cheaper. BUT it is so nice to fly. We just flew swa non stop and it was GREAT. The tickets we have on hold are out of MCI and NON STOP. So I just need to talk DH into it. He hates to fly so we will see.

 

[dvcmomdeh]

I just wish I could book flights. Southwest will have a good deal.... someday. They are only booking out through March 6. ARGH!! It is a gold 45 in Indiana today.

Keep sending sunshine and wishes for the cruise to get here.

 

[Padre Disney]

They just opened up through March. Lots of the cheap stuff is GONE. CALL fast

 

[dvcmomdeh]

Well.............!!!

We'll be driving. 2 adults very experience, and a new driver 15+ on a permit. Anyone else driving from this far north. Totally missed all of the $79 one way flights. My travel agent even missed them.

Now we have Saturday night at the BCV reserved with DVC points and will most likely lose them.

It should be an awesome cruise despite how we get there. Can't wait. So looking forward to warmer weather and winter hasn't even started yet.

 

[tecdavidt]

Padre Disney,
I am lucky because my husband's idea of a vacation is no driving. He doesn't want to take vacation days to drive before the vacation starts. In fact that is why he loves to cruise, can't get much more relaxed than that. I can't remember who our air is with this March, probably American but we have taken Northwest. The air was booked through DCL.

Good luck in trying to fly. It is a lot easier and your vacation really starts as soon as you are in the air terminal. Nonstop flight, you can't go wrong with that. I don't think we every had such luck as to be on a nonstop flight.

One thing I am concerned about is that I have some knee surgery in January and we have DCL transfers. I don't know how I will be riding in the DCL bus. We love watching the little tape and hearing people react when they first see the ship but sitting with my knee bent that severe may not work. If you do fly you need to take the bus just once to enjoy the promo tape and hear the ooh's and ahh's of first time cruisers. Maybe we will take a limo again.

A little reminder to all: WE ARE LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OUT!!! Can you believe it. March 20th will be here before we know it. Maybe we will get that new show by then, the Golden Mickey's? Can't wait to see the changes aboard our lovely ship the Magic.
Kathy

 

[Cara]

Bumping for Marilee!

Cara

 

[geffric]

We are flying.. using the last of the frequent flyer miles. We are on AA and arriving Friday night. We drove last year for spring break and the traffic was really bad.. it seemed like all of Northern IL had emptied out and drove to Disney..

We are staying Saturday night after the cruise because we couldn't get a flight back and being AP holders - why not? At first I was going to use points and stay at OKW, but hate to waste points for a one night Saturday night stay, so i have been looking for a "deal" .. AP rates aren't out yet and I am not inclinded to pay rack rate for 1 night, so waiting and hoping for AP rates or a Hotwire deal.

 

[MickeyMagic]

geffric - I'm sure I read somewhere that the Swan and Dolphin have Entertainment rates out for 2004. I think they also had some AP rates, but not sure if they are good into 2004. It might be a good backup plan while waiting on other AP rates.

 

[mobetsy]

Some pixie dust landed on us We had enough FF miles for three tickets (no saver deals here, only the standard 40K ones), but not the 4th. Not bad at all, but still... Then the last time dh was travelling (which is how we got all those miles in the first place), he offered to give up his seat for someone else, figuring he could get a little money for it. His offer wasn't taken, oh well. At the last minute, a customer service rep came on the plane and asked him if he'd be willing to get off, and said they'd give him a free ticket anywhere in the US! He was off faster than you can say "Orlando" It will add just a little more to our smiles on our way there, knowing all 4 tickets were free! And Cara and I have arranged our flights so that our families will probably even be able to meet at the airport and head to our Friday night hotel together, and to all spend the last Saturday of the cruise together as well. Our dh's call us serial planners because we are becoming so compulsive about every detail I can't wait!!!

 

[geffric]

Thanks Mickey Magic - I will check out the rates at Swan and Dophin... I actually bought an entertainment book to help the school,, i never thought of using it for hotel discounts... DUH must be a gray moment..


We/ no , read that me/ are starting to plan for the trip.. it's only 5 months away....

Now I have to lose enough weight that i can wear a bathing suit in public and not offend others at the pool. I wonder how many lbs i can lose in 5 months.. especially around the holidays.

Oh well

 

[MickeyMagic]

geffric - I'm in the same boat (ha - pun intended). I'd like to lose some weight before the cruise, as well. I have quite a bit to lose, but I'd like to be able to not totally cringe when I look at the pics they take onboard! Maybe I'll bop over to the WISH board and get something started!

 

[geffric]

Good Idea about the WISH board....meet you over there

Everyone will know my family we are the ones that never miss a dessert or 2 at every meal... Last time on the MAgic..we finished breakfast one morning and DS( then 7 )said he wanted a donut.. so we all went to Topsiders for donuts and fruit loops.

Oh well........