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

[tig82174]

I got my reservations done for WDW next year – we decided to stay at the All Star Movie. It’s been a long time since we stayed at the budget resorts, but we don’t want to spend the money on the fun ones and don’t have any points left. We thought that would be fun for DD who will be 4 – has anyone stayed there or know anyone who has stayed there. I haven’t got our air yet either, I’m still watching the rates and options. I think we have finally decided to fly from BCN to Dulles and stop in to see my mom for a couple of days before heading back to Orange County. So, it sounds like Delta, Air France, Iberia are the choices that everyone is happy with – did I miss any airlines?

Jason & Erik, did you see the new Pooh show on the Disney channel introducing the new character, Darby?

Hey Milestogo.....no we haven't seen it. Who is Darby? Oddly enough we rarely watch any kind of Pooh TV shows or cartoons. We watch the movies usually....like the Tigger movie of course and we have Springtime wiht Roo (the Easter film)....but we haven't even seen the Heffalump movie yet....we've been meaning to look for it in Blockbuster. We do actually watch Disney Channel....but I tend to revert to my adolescence and watch a lot of the teen shows.....That's so Raven, Phil of the Future, etc.....and I'm a HUUUUUUGE High School Musical fan!


Jason and I have stayed in All Star Movies....I liked it a lot. Our room was very nice and the theming is cool. In our room we love little details.....so there's a wall sconce that when it's off looks like a box of popcorn and when it's on has stars all over it. The pool, like most the Value resorts, is pretty basic.....no fancy theming or shape or slide or anything...but it's big..and the Sorcerer Mickey who shoots spouts of water is a fun photo op. We would definitely stay there again if we were on a budget and had no points left. (And I read in an online poll recently published on allearsnet.com that All Star Movies was rated as the favorite value resort in guest surveys......so I'm sure you'll enjoy!)

 

[littleowensmommy]

My friend stayed at All Star Sports.

 

[milestogo]

Thanks for the input on the all stars. We definitely don't want to spend our money on the hotels when there are so many fun things to spend our money on in Europe. I'm planning to buy two very fine purses, something I can enjoy for a very long time instead of a hotel that I'll barely remember later (among several other good things.) I think this hotel is going to boil down to the thrill on DD face when she sees the very large character on the buildings.

When we go back in December 07 we get to stay at the OKW resort and do the Wonder 4 night cruise - yeah.

Darby is a little girl new to the hundred acre wood. And the Heffalump movie is a must see (we've seen it a few hundred times!) We just got an animation cell from DL for DD's Pooh room. I'll bring you guys a pic of it on the cruise.

Littleowensmommy, I'll PM you.

 

[Scott H]

Just a little Bump here.

I like the All Stars resorts and want to stay at Pop, the big thinies are KEWL.

I guess most of us are just being busy with other plans and fall trips to crank it up here, this will happen for sure.

DVC finally got things together and we might be planning Tanzania for feb/march of 2007. Will see if I can get the time off, as Lynn will be retired by then.

 

[tig82174]

Just a little Bump here.

I like the All Stars resorts and want to stay at Pop, the big thinies are KEWL.

I guess most of us are just being busy with other plans and fall trips to crank it up here, this will happen for sure.

DVC finally got things together and we might be planning Tanzania for feb/march of 2007. Will see if I can get the time off, as Lynn will be retired by then.

You're going to Tanzania with DVC points?! Is that one of those Adventures by Disney things? We honestly haven't even really done any substantive research into the DVC options outside Orlando yet.

 

[Scott H]

You're going to Tanzania with DVC points?! Is that one of those Adventures by Disney things? We honestly haven't even really done any substantive research into the DVC options outside Orlando yet.

It is part of the Aventure Collection, not an Adventures by Disney, teh difference is the Adventure collections operators are like sub contractors, where the Adventures by Disney are Disney run. That is my guess.

 

[tig82174]

It is part of the Aventure Collection, not an Adventures by Disney, teh difference is the Adventure collections operators are like sub contractors, where the Adventures by Disney are Disney run. That is my guess.

Ah cool....like I said we haven't fully researched all the possibilities through DVC yet...we're still getting used to taking advantage of the benefits we get in traveling to the World a few times a year....I figure we have 47 years to experience all the other benefits!! Although, no surprise to anyone on here, I'm sure, I DO happen to recall from the tour/presentation that there's an African Safari trip....so I'll be going on that at some point!!

 

[Scott H]

The great thing is DVC is pretty picky as to who they sub contract to for DVC exchanges. Well this is our experience, in that all exchanges have been above our expectations and up to our preceived Disney Standard.

 

[ssnyder]

I haven't been checking posts for a few days. Curt's brother and family were here. We took them to Disneyland on Sunday (Milestogo - looks like we missed you again). This was the second visit for our 7yo niece. The first time was two years ago when she was 5. We had a lot of fun but the adults were sure exhausted.

Erik & Jason - we are also planning on flying back to Orlando after the cruise and staying there for a couple of nights before flying home. I think at this point we will just stick with the Disney arrangements for getting from Barcelona to Orlando. They are charging us $778.69 per person, which includes the transfers to the airport.

 

[tig82174]

Erik & Jason - we are also planning on flying back to Orlando after the cruise and staying there for a couple of nights before flying home. I think at this point we will just stick with the Disney arrangements for getting from Barcelona to Orlando. They are charging us $778.69 per person, which includes the transfers to the airport.

Very cool....I guess I didn't even realize that Disney was doing coordinated travel from Barcelona to Orlando.....but it doesn't matter. It looks like we got pretty much the same price. Ours was $1375 for the two of us plus the cost of the transfer from boat to airport. Then once we get to Orlando after the cruise we're going to do the magical express for the first time ever....we usually don't do it b/c we always rent a car...but we don't se the point of renting car for only 2 days memorial day weekend....so we'll let Disney do the driving...drop us at "home" at Saratoga and we'll just relax the weekend away and try to get ourselves back on Eastern Time Zone time before we have to head back to work on Tuesday morning.....which is going to be a DARN painful experience after having off from may 5th through the 28th to bond with the mouse!! (& all of you hehehe)

...and for all you DisneyLANDers....I have a fun story. There is a colleague of mine here in New York who has made fun of me for YEARS about my obsession with all things disney and vowed that Disney is the "evil empire" blah blah blah Well that colleage was in Anaheim all last week for a conference for work and one of his colleagues there convinced him to go to the Land (his exact words were, "She was paying so I figured whatever, it's free, not my problem if she wants to waste her money" LOL). Well needless to say he returned to NY yesterday and this mornign I had a voicemail pronouncing that he is officially a "convert" adn that he spent over 12 hours in the park and absolutely adored it. He was raving specifically about the Enchanted Tiki Room, the Teacups, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the "spectacular" fireworks show. I sent him a quick email this morning. It said.....

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE!

 

[milestogo]

Oh Susie, of course, we were there all morning Sunday.

I have had several people tell me that it's the evil empire too. Or they're waiting till their kids are "old enough to appreciate it" My SIL'S family was the was the same way... now they have annual passes and live in NC.

I've had several people ask me if I'm worried about DD3 becoming "disenchanted" "overexposed" & "corrupted by the media merchandise mogul." My response is varied: "I'm still in love with it and so are millions of others!" or "What if she grows up to be an imagineer?" "What if she falls in love here or honeymoons on the Disney Cruise" "What if she becomes a social worker and works with prison inmates and this is the place she comes to decompress?" "What if she writes the next Nemo?"

The non believers tend to be the angry folks with less imagination!

 

[milestogo]

Trivia Question???
What is SMS-077?

 

[ssnyder]

We went ahead and booked our San Diego / Orlando tickets today. We are flying on American Airlines, arriving Orlando on 5/11 at 3:40pm and departing 5/28 at 11:48am. Not sure what we are doing for accomadations yet, but will probably rent a car on both segments. Maybe we'll check into renting points to stay near fellow DVC cruisers. We also have some very good friends that live in Orlando and might be upset if we didn't spend some time with them.

 

[tig82174]

Greetings all......

I don't really have anything worthwhile or new to post here.....I was just getting lonely reading the board everyday b/c I think this is the longest it's gone since I joined without getting ANY new posts! LOL

 

[jasonroo]

Trivia Question???
What is SMS-077?

Any hints?

 

[Scott H]

The non believers tend to be the angry folks with less imagination!

I totally agree.

 

[Scott H]

Trivia Question???
What is SMS-077?

Does this refer to the Disney Magic???

 

[milestogo]

sms-077

It's on a ride at Disneyland. Most likely it is at the Magic Kingdom too!

 

[tig82174]

sms-077

It's on a ride at Disneyland. Most likely it is at the Magic Kingdom too!

I have no idea....does it have something to do with Space Mountain? Just a guess.

One month exactly before Jason and I take off on our "business" trip to the World!!

 

[milestogo]

yes! good guess - keep guessing.