May 12, 2007 -- Taking the Magic to the Mediterranean -- 14 day Repo Cruise! Part 2

[tazzmacd]

Change money, Man I have to change to US, GBP and Euro's. It is going to be rather confusing to carry around that many different traveller cheques or even cash. For the most part I think we will bring just a few hundred of each and lock it in the safe then the rest of the buying will be on the credit card. Safer that way I think.

Scoobypop, don't worry about the weather, we can talk later this summer when we are just comfortable and you can't go outside becuase it is too hot We both have our ups and downs......

Cheers!!

Pat

 

[cupcake]

Another planning question:

Has anyone purchased the dining experience pass for $65 to get the 20%food discount? Was it worth it?

You have to spend $325 on food/alcohol to break even (i.e., cover the price of the DDE card). This calculation assumes you are just using it on food -- there are a few other benefits here and there, and if you are planning on doing that stuff anyway, you could subtract that value off the $325 to see what your break even number is.

Given that we were planning to spend over $325 at places covered by the DDE, we thought it was an excellent value. How much you save depends on how much over $325 you go.

Note that it takes a long time to get the DDE card, so if you have to pick up the letter (serves as a temporary card) at WDW, you will need to factor that into your plans so as to have it prior to any covered dining. We got ours outside Epcot at guest services. You cannot pick it up at the International Gateway entrance and if my memory's right, Epcot's the only place you can get the letter. If you need to get the letter, be sure to let them know and confirm the place(s) you can pick it up! Have a great trip!!

Cupcake

 

[Scott H]

There are several but the one I used here was http://gc.kls2.com/

Thank You very much, pretty darn neat....

 

[Scott H]

JUST THINK OF HOW MANY MORE DVC POINTS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BUY SINCE YOU POSTPONED YOUR RETIREMENT!

Yes---Hollywood is Clayton and Clayton is Hollywood. When we were on the DVC member cruise in October his nametag said Clayton and I had to go talk to him when I finally saw him because he wasn't around anywhere! He said that when he is "Assistant Cruise Director" he is working behind the scenes taking care of all the paperwork aspects of the job for the cruise staff and therefore he has to go by "CLAYTON". He said he much prefers "HOLLYWOOD", but knows that in order to work up to cruise director he has to do the necessary jobs to climb up the ladder of success. It was pretty funny watching him because he wanted to be on the stage SOOOOOO BAD! I gave him some pictures that I took of him from our 11 night in September on the Wonder.



We don't get to the port early. Early would be 2 a.m. We are still sleeping then!

More DVC Points KEWL!!!!! and more $$$$$ to pay for those dues.....

I did remember you talked to Hollywood, and folks he is a member of the Grass Skirt Frat..

I will get more together on that and the Wine and cheese thingie for you new folks.

Long day 450 miles of driving....

 

[Scott H]

Eric, Great work with those kids, very neat!!!!

 

[Scott H]

We just received the DVD yesterday, so I'm sure it is on it's way to everyone.

We purchased some Euros from Bank of America online. We probably didn't get the absolute best rate, but at least we have them and don't have to worry about it. Everything I've heard is that you get best rate at the ATM machines. But I figured that it really didn't cost us that much more for the amount we purchased.

Ken

RE Foreign Currency---- I recently learned that AAA offices can do exchanges.

 

[Scott H]

I was thinking that maybe they decided to have Pirate's night on the 18th so that they could show the premier that same night - at midnight it would the 19th and the date of the premier at Disneyland.

This would be great.....

 

[Scott H]

No DVD here, yet but Lynn just picked up the mail, I am still at work.

We have some euros left from our last trip so not sure how much more we will need.

Also Amex offers the same service.

All caught up,

 

[NHdisneylover]

Boy oh boy, lot's of chit chat to catch up on today!

Scoobypop--enjoy your warm weather without guilt. I actaully LIKE snow (just not record setting cold w/o white stuff comming down or wind). We celebrated our 11th aniversary Friday by going skiing As Pat pointed out, we'll have our own best temps in the summer; I would rather spend time in our cold than in your summer heat (I lasted exacly one year in Pheonix before running back to mountains!).

Erik--We live in a small NH town. I am happy to find dance calsses and gymnastics within 20 miles to take Rio to. When we lived in Detroit Rio took a great gymanstics class with tramp. and harness, foam pit, etc where I am sure he would have tumbling down by now had we satyed. Here, the gymanstics class only has temperory equipment they drag out once a week from a closet! The dance studio does offer basic tumbling on mats (no bouncy stuff to help these little guys get into the air). He will probably take that next year--but he is in 4 dance classes this year and there is a limit to how much we can spend on these things if we still want to vacation.

Kathy--I missed saying this yesterday. We SO sypmathize with you being "homeless." What a way to spend the time though! We lived in a Marriot for two months waiting to get into this house, an Embassy Suites for 3 months when we moved to Detroit and a Homewood Suites for a month and half when we moved to Indianna (I was pregnant at that point).

$$$$ I have been debating when to get that and how much as well. We'll use the credit card (Disney Points) as much as possible. When David works in Germany it gives us a better exchange rate than we've been able to get just exchanging cash anywhere. But, we will need cash for buses, taxis, etc. Hmmm

Scott and other stargazers--we were at a homeschool program at the Planetarium today. I have been promised some basic charts and at least half an hour of dome time to try to learn some of the costellations we will see in the next week or two. The people who work there are almost all retirees who do it becasue they love it. Luckily for us, they get pretty excited to talk to kids who are passioante about astronomy as well. Maybe we should set up a DIS stargaze night?

Off to Town Meeting tonight (quaint New Hampshire politics).

 

[misseulalie]

Just got the DVD today... ok, if you haven't seen it yet, wait for the strange man asking for the bathroom in the kid's section...

Then the other amazment is that they showed video of every port except Olbia. Is it that bad that they couldn't show 10 seconds of footage????

My last big question is why the repo cruise and it's ports were never mentioned

 

[Scott H]

Hadley, we haev done stargazing in the past and it sounds great to me. Best to be flexable so as if a conflict or clouds move in. Sounds like your group will have a great head start. KEWL!!!!!

 

[cquick]

I wenet to my Sun Trust Bank and ordered $500 in Euros and $200 in pounds Sterling. It cost us a $10 fee for the whole transaction. It's not much, but a little to start with. We hope to use Visa for most of the items. And we can use our ATM when we are there, but if we get cash with our credit card, it'll really hit us.......!5% fee right away. I hate that about credit cards.. So I use ATM as much as possible. I wonder how much the shiip will charge us?

 

[BobandLee]

Hey so this is totally off topic...but because so many people seemed so interested and supportive of the cheerleading squad for whom I'm the tumbling coach recently winning their national championship competition, I thought I'd share this. Here is a link to a youtube video that one of my girls' father taped with his cameraphone (they wouldn't allow videocameras into the competition apparently)...it's not super great quality and the crowd is screaming so loud you can't hear my girls' music but you can at least see their routine...and in particular the entire opening gymnastics/tumbling segment for which I'm taking credit lmao: ) because I helped make up that piece in terms of what tumbling shoudl go where and I taught half those girls to even DO that tumbling!!

Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkN7_oGvThk

Enjoy if your'e a cheerleading fan ...ignore if you're not!

Erik

great job Erik. nice video. takes a lot of work by both the kids and their coaches.

Just got a call from my little cheerleader, granddaughter, and they were in competition in Orlando, FL (Americheer). Her team came in 2nd and 4th in their age group, 1st and 2nd grade.
No videos. But I will get to see the cheerleader mag that they will appear in. woo hoo

 

[BobandLee]

Excuse my ignorance here, but couldn't you just buy whatever currency you needed onboard? I'm sure Disney would give the prevailing rate.

 

[hopemax]

I wenet to my Sun Trust Bank and ordered $500 in Euros and $200 in pounds Sterling.

Those are exactly the numbers I was thinking. Thanks.

 

[milestogo]

Kelly--I'm so jealous, I didn't get a special DVD?! Maybe today, we'll see. And can I ask what is prompting you to get the WDW Annual Pass? I know you're a CA Dineyland local, just curious.
Chris: scoobypop

Chris, I'm getting the annual pass because Eric made me!

No really, we decided to get the pass because we are going back again next year for a whole week before the Panama Canal cruise. So, we decided to go again (using our DVC points) for a week in December. But, you're right we are DL locals and you are not very far from us which means you are due for a trip out here!!!!! It is our pleasure to show visitors around our area - there is a lot to see outside of DL, so do let us know when you are heading across the border.


Thanks very much to everyone giving me so much detail about the DDE. I was surprised because our annual passes at DL provides a discount at all the restaurants. So, we assumed it was the same at WDW. I wasn't sure if I was understanding it correctly. What another $65 on top of the pass

 

[milestogo]

It looks like only the B2B'rs are getting the DVD because it pertains to the med ports. Sorry guys, it does include Barcelona, that's why I thought you may have it. By the way if anyone still didn't get the little booklet of info and needs one, I have 6 and would be happy to send you one if you PM me.

 

[misseulalie]

Why wouldn't the Repo cruisers get the DVD? We are sailing to the Med. After watching the DVD, it would pertain to the Repo cruisers, too.

Cadiz is in the Med. and Gilbraltor is known as the gateway to the Med.

hhhmmmmm, another question for DCL..........

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

Clayton is the host of the new Med DVD too!

Debbie: will you please post the offkilter times again? I can't find them on their website.

AK question: Will kids like the food at BOMA?

You can always look at the Unofficial Walt Disney World entertainment site: Click here and select Epcot. But they will probably be changing in April when Flower and Garden starts their Flower Power concerts. Right now they play at 2:30, 3:30 5:30 6:30 & 7:30 Sunday - Thursday.

I will be sitting at the stage for anyone to stop by!

Debbie

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I think that we are going to exchange on the ship for Euros. We do not need a whole lot, but will definately need some.

csnyder - Interesting idea about Pirate night and POTC!! That is a good option!

I updated the roster and the deck plans. If anyone would like to add their picture to the roster send me an e-mail. Thanks Tazzmacd for the new picture. It was added!

Also filled out the online check in so that is all taken care of. Still can not wait for the documents to arrive! Still have a while to wait to do the document dance.

Debbie