May 20th 2006 Western Magic Cruise - Who's Going?

[Faith&Hope]

Hi! I forgot to tell you that we are staying in a cat 5 room.

We are also coming in 2-3 days before hand to see Florida and then cruise for a week! As if that's not going to be hard with a very active 3 year old and an 8 month old, we are renting a car and driving to Atlanta for 3 days to visit a new nephew and then driving to Tennessee for a week to visit my parents! So...that's almost 3 weeks...I'll be ready to come home at that point! Hmm....Or maybe we should just head back to Port Canaveral and board the next ship leaving.....

Definitely wouldn't be able to afford that!

 

[callahanjulie10]

Faith-They have additional spa times available in the spa once you board. It might work better since you could book that and then go on and book Flounders. If you can swing it, I would book the villas- they are supposed to be AMAZING You both get massages or whatever you choose and then alone time with a private jacuzzi and lounges. Very secluded and romantic.
It sounds as if you have a very long and great vacation ahead of you. Unless your girls travel well, I would say that you should drive no more than 6 hours a day. I have always followed this "rule" with my DD and our whole family is never cranky while traveling. In fact, we drove all the way from Florida to the Upper Peninsula, Michigan this summer and had such an enjoyable vacation. We haven't taken a driving vacation (that far) in quite a few years.


Anyone think anymore about the Dis meet? I keep looking everyday on disncruise.com and there seems to be plenty of rooms available. Maybe we will have a half empty ship to ourselves!!

 

[callahanjulie10]

Here is what I have so far so please feel free to let me know info and I will edit my post...
Anty30- New York- DD8, DS5- cat 9- prestay @ Radission
RavenRob- Baltimore- DD7, DS4- cat 5- Dropping in the day we depart
Churchlady- Lawrenceville, GA- DD9, DN11, DD13- 2 adj cat 9s- DFs and their DD-13- cat10- prestay New Residence Inn
Kimsue68- S Jersey- 11 in party including DD11, DN11,2,3,4,7- SIL & BRO, mom (Babs417) & BF- cat ?- Radisson
Crazypom- British Columbia- DD11, DS9, DD5, DS3- ROY suite BABY!!! - prestay ?
JonetteA- HONEYMOON cat6 prestay Dream Disney Wedding! POFQ & Boardwalk! One lucky gal
Echoqueen-TX-DS10, DS7 cat 6- prestay Radisson
lilo62- CT- no kids- cat ?- Ron Jon Resort
domil723- MO- DD21 & DF- 2 cat 10's (SPH) BWV
callahanjulie10- FL- large group- DD14, DFS14 (on ship BDAY), DFS-12, DFD18, DFF-18, DFD-18, DFD-3, DFS-6 about 6 families!!! cat 10- prestay- Ron Jon Resort
roomies-Utah- all mid-20's (those were the days ) cat ?- prestay ?
Oliver-Germany- DH and DW celebrating their anniversary - cat 8- prestay- Caribbean Beach WDW!!
Crystaldri- 4 in the party- cat 9- prestay?
Beenthere-Maryland- cat 12- prestay?
nez-bleu- UK- twins DS & DD (best of both worlds!)- cat ?, prestay ? but poststay AK- 7 days- Here is a family that knows how to vacation
DCDevil- Iowa- cat 9-parents who will tackle taking their 5 kids plus friends!!! DCD is 17 (Happy B-day ) Dsister-19, Dbrother-17, Dsister-13, Dbrother-12 and w Friends! - cat 10- prestay- 4 nights undecided...
Faith & Hope- DH & DW, 2 DD's (3 and 8 months)- LA, CA- cat 5- no pre-stay info decided....a whole bunch of traveling when they get off!

 

[DCDevil2007]

Anyone think anymore about the Dis meet? I keep looking everyday on disncruise.com and there seems to be plenty of rooms available. Maybe we will have a half empty ship to ourselves!!

I already have a good place picked out if we want to do this, it worked great last time!

 

[RavenRob]

All:

On Wednesday while visiting my Mom in South FLA, I received a phone call from my DW on her cell phone while she was at work. She was meeting with a co-worker when their discussion got to talking about us having a disney waffle maker that we received as a housewarming gift from friends. My DW's co-worker said that she loved Disney, well my wife replied so do we and we are going on a Disney cruise in May. Well her co-worker said 'Really so am I'.

DW asked when she was going and she replied..............................

May 20th

My wife nearly fell off her chair.

Turns out DW's co-worker is a first time cruiser and is taking her son (5) and one of her friends is coming with them. They are actually staying on the same deck as us (7) and is flying into MCO on the same flight with us.

You want to talk about a really small world....

So now we can add someone else to the list........

49 days and counting...........

 

[anty30]

That is awesome. I cannot wait to meet all of you.

 

[donmil723]

I'm excited about meeting everyone too. We really need to decide about a Dis meet time and location. I've been reading the thread about Dis meets and really liked the idea about bringing postcards for each group from your state or town. I mentioned that to my DH tonight and he even liked that idea! What does everyone think?

DCDevil, where did you have a dis meet on your last cruise? I think you mentioned it was at the sailaway party!

What about meeting somewhere between the two dinner seatings on the first night at about 7 or 7:30 p.m.?

Or does anyone else have any suggestions?

Only 49 more days????? Awesome!!!!!!!!

Donna

 

[callahanjulie10]

The only problem that I have with a DIS meet at the Sail-Away party is that it is really hectic that day. In fact, most families are enjoying exploring the ship, unpacking, making last minute ressies, eating, doing the drill, waiting for luggage to arrive, then going to shows or early seating. I would much rather do it day 2 or maybe in the AM at the port expecially since they have the number system now. Of course, we could also do it early then again later in the cruise. Maybe in one of the lounges in the daytime or in the Roy suite (hint hint!!)
This is just from experience- day 1 is very hectic and the deck party is very crowded.
I love the postcard idea or if there isn't a postcard, maybe something that represents your town. This would personalize it and we definately need to do a group picture. We did this with Inkognito and are on her website. Fond memories. In fact, on our 1st cruise, my DD (at that time- 6 yrs old) meet twins who she just got along with so well. We met the parents but never set anything up. The next year we cruised again and the same twins were on our cruise again- different month and different DCL ship! Since then, they surprised the girls by bringing them to PCB for their 13th birthday and we have cruised together 3 more times!
We met another family on our first DCL Western cruise and ended up meeting up with them at WDW at Thanksgiving and another family we met tried to get a meeting at Universal but we just couldn't go at the time they could, but our tablemates actually met up with them!!
Who knows who will just hit it off with who and make friends for a lifetime.
This is such a great opportunity that I want to make it count.
We used to do meets the night before at Radisson but with so many new hotels and places to stay that isn't an option now. In fact, this is the first time in 8 cruises that we aren't staying at the Radisson!
Anyway- whatever the majority votes on is fine with me-but my vote is day 2 or in the port the day around 11ish. We have about 22 families give or take.

 

[anty30]

Since this is our first cruise, I don't have any opinion on when would be best to meet, but tell me about the postcard idea. I don't know what it is.
Anty

 

[donmil723]

According to the thread I read on the cruise board (sorry I don't know how to post a link), everyone should bring a postcard or as callahanjulie suggested something little that represents your town or state to give to each group/disboard member that is on our cruise. We can exchange them at our dis meet.

So far we have the following suggestions for a meet:

1. Sailaway party
2. 7 or 7:30 between dinner seatings on first night
3. sometime on day 2
4. cruise terminal about 11 a.m.

Any other suggestions or votes?

Donna

 

[DCDevil2007]

We can drop the terminal idea as by 11 I will be on the ship, when those doors open we will be 3rd in line (thats always how it ends up....3rd) But i think that maybe in the roy suite would be nice. Just because I know I'd never be in there any other time. Pictures and postcads sound nice.

 

[callahanjulie10]

DC- they have changed the boarding routine. Each party is given a number- there is no "line" anymore but people still like to line up. A little before they open the ship- all disabled and suites are boarded or they are automatically given a 1 (I am not totally sure). Then numbers are called in 15 minute increments or so. The numbers are not given first come first serve, they are handed randomly out, so in essence, someone who comes in after I do could have an earlier number than I do. They do not do this until about 12ish though. I love to board the ship as early as I can and before they started this new system have been #1 or #2 in line. Of course- others still got to board before the line did, including the family they pick to kick everything off. I was never sure how they chose this family- I wonder if they still do that..anyone know?
That is the reason I said we could always do a mini meet at the port. No one has to be in line anymore, it is supposed to e more relaxing I guess but I think it would be fairer (is that a word!! ) if they gave out X amount of 1's and when they ran out, give out 2's etc. This is not the way I understand it to work though.

 

[anty30]

What dining times does everyone have? We have late seating and have requested 8pm which is the APL rotation. Maybe we can get together sometime before the 1st seating or something. Although, Roy Suite sounds more fun.

 

[callahanjulie10]

I didn't know that a certain dining time meant a certain dining rotation. We were given 8:30 dining time- what rotation is that? I really would like APL- which we have had everytime we have cruised before!
I like the meet before early dining- we could already be dressed and have cocktails!!! Everything is coming together

 

[beentherealot]

hi everyone
we have early seating. meeting before our dinner is doable, if a little more rushed for us.
i forget who mentioned it, but meeting the next day sounded like a good option. i think that'll be the key west day?
and, meeting in the roy suite sounds really nice! hint hint (-:

 

[donmil723]

Great ideas and input so far about a dismeet.

From what I have read, it is my understanding that they do give out numbers to board in the order you arrive at the port. Of course, those in suites and disabled get to board first. On our last DCL cruise, we arrived early at the port and were one of the first to board. We waiting in the terminal from about 10:30 until noon when they started boarding. Right now we are not planning on arriving at the port until 11:45 or 12:00. Figure by the time we get checked in they will have started boarding and we won't have to wait more than an hour to get on the ship since it goes pretty fast once they start letting people on board. Of course, we might be so excited that we'll get there at opening or if we decide to have our meet at the port, we'll also be there early! LOL!

The sailaway party is from 4:30-5:15 and the staggered times for first dinner seating are 5:30, 5:45, and 6:00 p.m. Unless we meet at the sailaway party, it won't give people with the 1st seating much time to get ready. And show time for 2nd seating diners is at 6:00 so those would be rushed too unless we had it during the sailaway party. Since we will probably all be at the sailaway party anyway, would designating a certain spot to meet for our group help? Of course, the younger kids especially enjoy dancing with the characters so I know the sailaway party might be difficult for them. And on Day 2, do you think everyone will be on board the ship early enough to meet before the first seating?

According to a recent navigator, they have a Friends and Family Get Together in the Promenade Lounge, deck 3, aft, which is open to everyone, from 7:15-8:30 p.m. on the first night. By then the first seating diners will be done with their meal and the main show doesn't start until 8:30 p.m. for them and the 2nd seating diners will be finished with their show and their staggered dining will be at 8:00, 8:15, 8:30 p.m. We could come and go as our schedules permit with everyone trying to be there around 7:30 perhaps. And since this is a get together for everyone, we might meet up with some really nice non-Disers! I didn't go to this get together on our last cruise so I really don't know anything more about it except what I've read in the navigators. And, of course, they might not even have this on our cruise. I do know that we had some time between the show and our 2nd seating dinner on our Wonder cruise. Is this too late though for parents of young kids?

If we meet on Day Two, when would be a good time? Would some of us possibly have our character breakfast on that day? Aren't we in port from about noon until after sunset? If we meet before 1st dinner, would most of us be back on board and what time would this be--4:30, 5:00, etc.? Would meeting between dinner seatings be better on the 2nd night or would that be about the time of sunset? Don't want to miss the famous Key West sunset!

I don't even know which option I like the best yet. That's why I'm asking questions and making observations--so we can all try to get as much info as possible before deciding.

Keep the suggestions, pros/cons, observations, etc. coming ....

Donna

 

[anty30]

I was just thinking that on Sun. will be our character breakfast at 9:30. We cannot go ashore in Key West until 12. Maybe we can have a quick gathering around 11am on Sun.??

 

[Echo queen]

I have Palo brunch on Sunday at 11:30am.

We have first seating for dinner, I don't know what time that really means or which rotation.

 

[OliverOAS]

Hi everybody,

I just took a look at my cruise details and I found the information, that we have "Second dinner seating 8:30 PM". Does that mean we have Lumiere first (according to a navigator from january)? Or does Disney changes this sometimes? And what is our dinner rotation then LAP or LPA ?!?

Oliver

 

[donmil723]

Hi Oliver!

We won't find out until we check in and get our KTTW cards what our rotation will be and the actual time for our dinner seating. However, usually if they are just adults in your party you will get the LAP rotation which is at 8:30 pm. The other possible times and rotations are APL at 8 p.m. or PLA at 8:15 pm.

Donna