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

[Scott H]

Welcome to NHdisneylover and elderfam! Hadley, I have you on our wine and cheese party list, so don't worry about the PM. Scott is going out of town for a couple of days, he may not get a chance to post, but I'll try to keep up our end.
Lynn

 

[kpros]

Good Morning Everyone! Another day closer to cruising!!

Hi Lynn!

Kissimmee - If I had the chance I think I would go for the B2B. Oh wait - I am on the B2B.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Ken

 

[tig82174]

Oh my goodness.....again we grow!!



WELCOME to all the newcomers! Better late than never!!! We're definitely filling up....but I still see we're very heavy on adults...which is good...not that I don't love kids...because heavens knows I'm often one of those wacko adults out there dancing with them on deck and stuff (so I sincerely hope that Milestogo still intends to lend me her daughter as a dance partner at some of the events!!! )....but I really REALLY want there to be few enough kids to have an adult night in the Oceaneers Club like they said there was on the last repo cruise! Not having any kids of our own...Jason and I have only ever walked BY the Oceaneers and never been in it!!



Erik

 

[seaulater]

No one in our group has ever used DCL transportation to the port from the Hyatt (after staying the night before). Does anyone here have any idea when the first bus leaves? Does it stop anywhere else, or just go straight to the port? Trying to figure out when we need to be up and out and we'd like to be one of the first onboard since we got zero Palos due to booking so late. Almost considering doing a one way car rental if the buses leave too late. Thanks!!!

By the way it is pouring rain here and we may get snow at my house tonight!!

You will NOT be first onboard if you take the bus from the Hyatt to DCL.

It is a blizzard here in Salt Lake City. Snowing miserably. I hate snow. I want spring.

 

[seaulater]

Hello! I just found this website a week ago after reading a reference to it on the "passPorter's" website. I booked our cruise in may 06. I thought I was the only one crazy about planning!! We are Cynthia and Jeff living in northern virginia. This will be our second cruise. We are DVC members with points at Boardwalk, Beach Club and as of this week Animal Kingdom Villas!! We have two grown daughters 21 & 24. My husband is in the Navy and I have a background in Retail Management.
I just spent a week reading this entire thread...PHEW!
I will be posting lots of questions as you guys are hands down the best information source EVER! I was blown away by the link to the ship builders site.
Question 1; how early is to early to show up at the ship terminal? Last time we got in later in the day and feel like we missed out on a lot.

Welcome.

Answer to question 1:

It is never too early to show up at the ship terminal. Just ask Scott!

But seriously, the actual terminal will open up about 10 a.m. and then boarding begins around 12 noon. We are there first thing in the morning as we like to get on, eat lunch, and enjoy the whole afternoon starting with the first disboard meet around 3 p.m. up on the deck!

 

[cupcake]

1. We are staying at the port the night before for the first time (we usually drive from Orlando after WDW). This leaves us all sorts of chances to engage in compulsive behavior which was previously unavailable to us! So if we want to get to the terminal really early, is 10:00 when the gates swing open, so to speak, or can we get there earlier? My dh plans to drop me off with the luggage and then go return the rental car and take the shuttle back. I've seen conflicting info about this generally on the boards, with some people saying everything's locked up (in terms of even being able to get into line) till 10 and others saying you can get into line much earlier. Do tell!

2. Oooh, I hope we can do the Oceaneer Club too! My dh and I checked both clubs out during evening family time on a prior cruise (absolutely no one was there) and everything looked like so much fun. Plus, you can't do wine/martini/margarita tastings ALL the time, although now that we know that each tasting is different, we may give that plan a try.

3. I personally would not do the DCL transportation if you want to be in a favorable place for the Palo line. We got a very inexpensive rate for a rental car, btw, using an online coupon from the Entertainment book.

4. NJDisneylover says "But, this deal is just too good to pass up (especially since we could get air back to Boston for $380pp!)." Way to go! It's funny, it seems like a lot of people who want to go are getting scarily high fares quoted, and then others like you are not having a problem. That's an awesome fare!!! I have read that the adult to child ratio on this particular cruise is skewed heavily to adults, so that may work out particularly well for your family.

Cupcake

 

[disneycruising]

:

No one in our group has ever used DCL transportation to the port from the Hyatt (after staying the night before). Does anyone here have any idea when the first bus leaves? Does it stop anywhere else, or just go straight to the port? Trying to figure out when we need to be up and out and we'd like to be one of the first onboard since we got zero Palos due to booking so late. Almost considering doing a one way car rental if the buses leave too late. Thanks!!!

By the way it is pouring rain here and we may get snow at my house tonight!!

I am also wondering how this works!


I am hoping that one of our wonderful DIS friends can tell us how the DCL busses work? We are flying in the night before, if that make a difference. Are you give a certain time to get on the DCL buss?

At this moment my DH is considering, renting a car to get to the port ahead of time. To see if we can get connecting rooms for us! Which we don't have at this moment. Then, the kids and I will ride the DCL bus with our luggage.

We were able to make one Palo's dinner, on our Anniversary. But we were unable to book the brunch. So, he would like to book that once on board.

 

[tig82174]

I don't know if this is feasible for people or not...but another option for people regarding the DCL transfers who are concerned about what time they get to the port, might be to take the transfer from the Orlando airport. We have purchased the DCL transfers from Orlando airport to the port and then from the boat to the Barcelona airport. So we plan to just return our rental car that we'll have with us at DisneyWorld the week prior to the airport in the morning just as if we were returning it to catch a flight home...but then we're going to go to the DCL desk and hop on the next bus to the port.

Our TA told us that the DCL buses will be leaving continuously from the airport starting early in the morning...(because some people are arriving at the airport very early....Scoobypop told me that he and Robert are actually on a red-eye from the west Coast that arrives in Orlando at 6am the day of the cruise...so I'm sure they'll be on an early bus to the port, too....maybe Scott can keep them company! )....anyhow so we plan to get up, check out of AKL early, and return our car by 8:30 or 9am so we can catch an early bus to the port and be there in time to get on the boat early and enjoy lunch and go check out the spa to confirm our reservations and maybe buy a Rainforest Room package (WooHoo! ).

SOO...long story short....maybe if you have to do the DCL buses and you want to get to port early....plan to take the bus from the airport and just catch an early one.



Erik

 

[mom_rules]

:



I am also wondering how this works!


I am hoping that one of our wonderful DIS friends can tell us how the DCL busses work? We are flying in the night before, if that make a difference. Are you give a certain time to get on the DCL buss?

At this moment my DH is considering, renting a car to get to the port ahead of time. To see if we can get connecting rooms for us! Which we don't have at this moment. Then, the kids and I will ride the DCL bus with our luggage.

We were able to make one Palo's dinner, on our Anniversary. But we were unable to book the brunch. So, he would like to book that once on board.

We're using DCL from the Hyatt this time-I was told the first bus leaves around 10:00am.
Last couple of time we've used DCL from the BC and it left at 11:45.

 

[milestogo]

Well, you can find me at the front of the line with my hair in a ponytail and probably applying make-up, lanyard around my neck, Long sleeved B2B cafepress t-shirt on. Oh yea, I'm the short one!!! We're driving over at the crack of dawn. I've called DCL 1700 times about what time do they arrive and open the doors. The boat comes in in the morning. The cast members arrive and open the doors at 10:30 am, the boat officially boards at 1pm, but usually begins at 12:00. I was told that there are daily shuttles from AK at 10:30am, but this one I'm not sure about?

Welcome new folks!!!!

 

[milestogo]

Erik, Zoe wants to dance with you at the ball, but she thinks you're Tigger!

Also, Erik, I think there are going to be some requests to teach cartwheels in the hallways.

 

[milestogo]

Hello! I just found this website a week ago after reading a reference to it on the "passPorter's" website. I booked our cruise in may 06. I thought I was the only one crazy about planning!! We are Cynthia and Jeff living in northern virginia.

Cynthia, my family is from Springfield!

My friends just crack up when I tell them about the Disboarders and how organized and what planning freaks we all are. They don't believe that there are others like me or far more advanced than me.

 

[milestogo]

OK, one more post for today. Finally took time to look at all the pictures on Debbie's list. They are great pictures - loved em!!!

 

[kpros]

We stayed at the Hyatt and used DCL transportation for our second cruise way back in 2001. As I recall, people started gathering near the hotel lobby at about 9:30am and they gave out boarding group cards. The first group left at about 10:00am. That puts you at the port at about 11:00am (more or less). No stops!

As a side note - I probably will be getting to the port sometime between 10:30 and 11:00. I will find a spot and start giving out name badges and lanyards at that time. Once on board, I will have the name badges and lanyards available again at our dismeet at 3:00pm on deck 10 (starboard) overlooking the Goofy pool.

Ken

 

[seaulater]

Well,

Scott and Lynn usually are first in line. Scott likes getting to the port at about 6 a.m. (no kidding! HA)

Robert and I are usually right behind. I drag Robert outta bed at the hotel and then I drive like a madman to the DCL terminal playing "I SPY THE DCL CRUISE BUSES" coming back to Orlando from the ship. You get 1 point for every DCL bus you spy first and -2 points if you yell DCL Bus and it is not. Makes the time go fast. Then you get 5 bonus points for spotting the Disney Magic first before getting to the terminal. I'm an expert on this-if you watch in between the two trees as you are on the bridge you can spot the Smoke Stacks as you reach the top.

Okay, so then Robert drops me off at the terminal with the luggage and then he drives over and returns the rental car and then shuttles back to the DCL terminal. He usually arrives back by 9:45 a.m., just in time for the porters to start taking the luggage and then they open the DCL terminal at 10 a.m. sharp and we get to be first in line to check in.

If you don't have enough luggage tags, no worry, Porter Bob will have plenty of extras and will ask you how many more you need so you can tag them before he hauls them off!

Oh-and one more thing. I have NEVER seen a DCL bus pull up prior to 10 a.m. when the DCL terminal opens for business. Don't know what time the first one gets there, because we are already partying inside.

 

[tig82174]

Erik, Zoe wants to dance with you at the ball, but she thinks you're Tigger!

Also, Erik, I think there are going to be some requests to teach cartwheels in the hallways.

Cartwheels? Please that's kid's stuff....I'll do a round-off and 10 back handsprings in the hallway....and up on deck on the basketball court I'll throw a tuck or layout...maybe even a full twist for ya! (that smiley works cuz not only is he laughting but he's KINDA flipping)



Erik

 

[cupcake]

Well,

Scott and Lynn usually are first in line. Scott likes getting to the port at about 6 a.m. (no kidding! HA)

Robert and I are usually right behind. I drag Robert outta bed at the hotel and then I drive like a madman to the DCL terminal playing "I SPY THE DCL CRUISE BUSES" coming back to Orlando from the ship. You get 1 point for every DCL bus you spy first and -2 points if you yell DCL Bus and it is not. Makes the time go fast. Then you get 5 bonus points for spotting the Disney Magic first before getting to the terminal. I'm an expert on this-if you watch in between the two trees as you are on the bridge you can spot the Smoke Stacks as you reach the top.

Okay, so then Robert drops me off at the terminal with the luggage and then he drives over and returns the rental car and then shuttles back to the DCL terminal. He usually arrives back by 9:45 a.m., just in time for the porters to start taking the luggage and then they open the DCL terminal at 10 a.m. sharp and we get to be first in line to check in.
QUOTE]

We don't have a point system, but we do play Disney music on the car CD player to get in the mood! (singing along is mandatory). Can we sing and keep track of points at the same time?!? That's questionable!

I think we've always gotten there around 10 before driving from Orlando.

So are you guys all lined up by the entrance? Sorry for being so paranoid, I got totally confused when I saw someone say they do not let cars in prior to 10, which didn't seem right to me. Oooh, just thinking about it gets me excited!

Cupcake

 

[milestogo]

I think Scott and Lynn already have a real room on this ship, while I on the other hand have booked us into a coat closet.... so, if Scott's in my way to get am upgrade I'm throwing him off the deck

Linda, That is a great game! This will be our first trip driving to the port so I'm excited. Anyone have good directions to the port?

Maybe we should follow Scott and Lynn to the port!

 

[NHdisneylover]

1. I have been going back through the posts and have to say I really hope we are lucky enough to end up in Erik's and Jason's dining rotation. It will save me hunting all over the ship each evening to see the latest set of coordinated ties! How fun is that? Also, if Zoe ever gets tired of dancing, Marika will probably join you! And Rio LOVES to party and dance; so he is always available (flight home had to be coordinated so as not to miss the dress rehearsal for the dance recital--spends all year talking about his routines and next chance to be on stage).

2. Lynn, Thanks for adding us to the Wine and Cheese list. That get together alone has gotten David to quite chiding me for being obssesive and start encouraging me to check the boards!

3. Another paper option for the banner would be to call a local newspaper and ask for their "end rolls." The papers have machines which use giant rolls of paper to print on. When the roll gets too small they have to remove it and are generally thrilled to find people who can use it. Our local paper gives us nice, white, strong (not newprint like at all) paper rolls which usually have about 150 feet left on them (it is about 2 feet wide). The yalways try to ge tus to take more than we can possibly use as they are so trhilled to ge tsomeone who can use it. We have lived in several states and always found someone who is happy to give us this paper for free.

Hadley

 

[gydell]

MIlestogo - you will have to push me out of the way to try and get that upgrade. We are in a closet also......but I guess if we camp out on the 11th then we can be first to request that upgrade!