May 13.2006 Eastern

[DrCavin]

Now I need to book airfare, hotel, car....

Same here, haven't found a flight for less than $265 pp.... Haven't even decided if we are coming in on Thursday & going to WDW. The time is starting to fly-by, the last week goes way to fast & have to run around like crazy getting stuff packed..

 

[hooksenemy]

We will be joining you on the May 13 sail - and although I have skimmed through the 15 pages of posts, I haven't really seen to many details of everyone.

Hopefully as it gets closer I will be caught up. As for us - we are a party of "9"

4 adults in the age range of 35-40 (Carolyn (me)& Dan; Mark & Michelle)
5 kids (DS 9, DS 7 they are mine) We are traveling with friends and their kids are ages (Daughters 10 & 8 and a son who is also 8 (twins)) All the kids are looking forward to the camp our boys have told their friends much about it but I think until you experience it you just can't get the true feel!

This will be our 5th cruise (2nd DCL) and our first to Eastern Carribean.

I have just started flagging the shore excursions we are most intersed in and of course am ready to book our spa days

Last cruise with DCL 2 years ago you couldn't book anything online, I am looking forward to having a shot at Palo this trip, our last trip despite arriving within the first 1hr. of boarding of the ship, we couldn't get the days we wanted!

Does anyone know when our dining rotation will come out?

I am hoping Michelle will log into this thread as this is their first cruise and they are enormous WDW fans so we convinced them based on a great rate and good time of year for us Hockey Parents to go on a trip! Hockey winds down - just before Baseball heats up!

Hope to check in again soon.

 

[hooksenemy]

Our kids none of the 5 have any idea we are going in May, 2005 - they think we are booked for May, 2007 - they have all agreed since late August to give up any and all soda until our cruise which they think is 2007 and would be about 1 1/2 years from when they started! None are real soda drinkers but it was kind of a fun trick to play on them - they really watch each others back to make sure they don't lose out! If they complete the task they each get $100 for the cruise and to kids 10 and under that is alot of CASH

Also, we booked our airfare 3 weeks ago and got approx. $120 (taxes/fees incl.) from Providence on Southwest we arrive Thurs. night and will do a park on Friday - we are pretty sure it is grad weekend so we don't think MK will work since it is usually closed early on Friday night for a private party so we are still debating where to go!

 

[Hanover]

We booked our May 10th/May 21st flights for $79 each way on Southwest ($707 for the 4 of us including taxes.) It would be nice if we got the "ding" rate of $39/each way ($93 round trip including taxes) we got Christmas day for our trip next week. We have a nice credit from the difference of the original flight we had previously booked for next week and the ding rate to use towards the May flights.
We also booked a SUV from Alamo for $250 from May 10 through May 21. Thought that was pretty good. We are planning to go to parks May 11th and 12th and then again on the 20th. Our older son really wants to do Universal, so we may do that on the 12th if MK has a Grad night. We are still debating whether to leave the vehicle in parking or drop it off.
We'll be staying at the Embassy Suites Buena Vista (on points unless I can persuade my husband to save them for another trip and stay on- site instead). After staying on- site for our last several trips and using the dining plan, and taking advantage of EMH hours, it's going to be hard to go back to off site.
We are still figuring out how to break the surprise to our sons that they are going on a week long cruise and not going to Cape Canaveral for the day. Our oldest son, Keegan, will remember his 9th birthday (May 13th) the rest of his life that's for sure! It's getting harder and harder to keep it from them. My parents and my husband's dad are also going on the cruise and they've almost slipped quite a few times.
Over the last year, we've been saving single dollar bills and change for the boys for spending money and it's really adding up these days. I think we just may be transferring half of that money into our excursion and Shutters accounts. I wish that Shutters would offer the $99 CD that the parks just started offering for up to 300 photopass pictures. Anyone think that the cruise ships will ever do photo pass type cards?
We are really looking forward to being able to do our Palo, excursion, spa, Oceaneer's Club/Lab, etc. reservations next month! It will be here before we know it.
We are heading to the Disney parks next Wednesday for a week, but my husband and I just can't stop thinking about how we wish we were going on the cruise instead.

 

[hooksenemy]

Hanover, looks like your children and min are in for quite a surprise in May! We to have had a difficult time keeping the secret! My mother almost slipped at lunch yesterday when she was talking to my son (9). I think that will be my greatest bummer if someone blows it for us! Shopping needs to begin fairly soon and I am sure some red flags will start flying I just hope I can keep my Poker face

We are located in deck 2 and I unfortunately think we are in a noisy cabin 2628 I need to check with dcltribute site to confirm that it was so long ago we booked!

Have a great day, it is snowing here in Boston so I am in cleaning

Carolyn

 

[SQUIGGLE]

jodifla - what in the world are you doing in Michigan at this time of year?!
It might make you feel better to hear I had to scrape my car windows this morning!!! And it wasn't fun! OK, I'm tired of winter - shoo, go away!!

Hey final payments are duw next month - can you believe it?

fran

 

[Hanover]

Hooksenemy (Carolyn)-
We really hope we can pull the surprise off. I'm worried about them not noticing I'm packing their dress shirts, pants and suits. They know that they will not be needing those kinds of clothes at the parks! I am also probably going to order them tuxes off of Ebay. l have to measure the boys before ordering them, and I'll have to make up some excuse for that one!
We are cold here as well, but at least we don't have any snow. I'm am so looking forward to flying into 76 degrees on Wedneday in Orlando. I hope the weather report is correct. Then again, anything out of the 30's and 40's is a plus.

I'm wondering how many rooms will open after the last payments are due next month. I've been considering upgrading to a balcony (we have a port hole) if a decent location opens up. Then again, that's an extra excursion worth of money. Decisions


Have a great week

Danielle (can't remember if I've ever written my real name on this thread)

My husband is Derek and our sons are Keegan (8) and Brennan (4)

 

[huey duey & luey]

Hi everyone
I finally convinced my party that we should go down before sat. I was really hoping to go Thursday and go to the MK on fri, they would rather just go down on Fri and go near the port. Can anyone tell me of a nice hotel that is near the port? Also do you rent a car then or take a cab from MCO to the hotel etc.? Thanks so much
My kids and I are getting SO excited
eta: Hi Danielle I just wanyed to say that I have 2 boys who will be 4 in March
Tara

 

[TSirgey]

We are staying at the Radisson Resort at the Port. We are arriving Friday afternoon. We decided to rent a car through Budget because it is MUCH cheaper than the transportation. For $40 we have our own car for the day and they have shuttle service right to the port.

 

[TSirgey]

Oh also...

eta: Hi Danielle I just wanyed to say that I have 2 boys who will be 4 in March

My name is Tara too and I have a DD who is 5.

 

[huey duey & luey]

Oh also...



My name is Tara too and I have a DD who is 5.

Hi Tara
my daughter is 4 also (they are triplets)
thsi was also for our 10th anniversary, a few months early. Our anniversary is August but I didn't want to cruise in the summer. I am definitely going to look at the Radisson thanks
Tara

 

[DrCavin]

Huey....

Check www.dcltribute.com the site has some great info on hotels near the port. It has not been updated for awhile, but is still some great info. Last time we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Coco, NOT Coco Beach. We paid like $60 for the night, the hotel had just recently opened, had a great pool and was about 15 minutes from the port. I just looked & here is the hotel http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/coiaa It is about $90 for May 12 this year.

 

[huey duey & luey]

Thanks Dr. Cavin

 

[huey duey & luey]

one more question, does anyone have any suggestions on what would be the best transportaion from MCO to the hotel.? Thanks

 

[DrCavin]

I just read that this year Grad Nights are 4/28, 4/29, 5/5, & 5/6..

 

[DrCavin]

one more question, does anyone have any suggestions on what would be the best transportaion from MCO to the hotel.? Thanks

I would rent a vehicle. Budget and Avis have free shuttles from port to rental office. We used Budget last time & they were great.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

Hi all,
DH and I made the difficult decision this week to cancel our booking as our 5-year-old DS was talking about not wanting to cruise. He is apparently not ready for a trip like this just yet. Believe me, we tried to persuade him to go. He has seen the DCL dvd several times, the Travel channel special, etc. It would be a horrible situation if we arrived at the port and our DS refused to board the ship or had some sort of meltdown once we were on board. I will not force him into doing something he does not want to do. I guess we'll try again for 2007 or 2008.

The good news is that we will be taking another trip to WDW in place of the cruise, just after you all have arrived back at the Cape.

I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL time! We'll be thinking of you! Happy sailing!

 

[littlebunny]

What a bummer! I can't imagine getting this close and then having to cancel. Sorry DeeCeeSW. Hopefully in a couple of years he'll be jumping to go!

TSirgey, I have 3 daughters 8, 6 & 4. They're all so excited! Now that the holidays are over and we finally moved into our new house I'm catching up with our board. I can't believe how close the cruise is now!

Has anyone bought insurance? I was thinking now was the time to do that.

 

[DrCavin]

DeeSeeSW Sorry to see you have to delay your cruise, that would be a difficult decision.

littlebunny, we did not purchase insurance last cruise & wont this time. FYI, you don't have to buy insurance through DCL, there are many that will insure your trip, usually at a better rate & more protection than DCL.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

Thanks, but surprisingly, I am not that bummed about it. It's weird. We still get to go to WDW, so I'm just as happy. The important thing is that the whole family is happy, that means all of us, especially DS. My 5-year-old does not "run the show," here, however, his feelings needed to be considered. We imagine there's nothing worse than an unhappy 5-year-old "trapped" on a ship (except, maybe an unhappy 2-year old, LOL).

We'll sail one day, I don't doubt that!

Have fun!!!!!