May 5th 2007 Western Magic CINCO DIS MAYO!

[sherrie]

Bltoh are you talking about the dolphins in Cozumel, I am going to book the swim today fro katie and myself, My freind showed me her video and it looks great. they did the encounter which is different from the swim. She said this was her kids favorite thing of the whole cruise and was well worth the money.

I FINALLY found a flight , got a ding from southwest and booked yesterday sure beats driving from CT.

We are flying in the day before and fly back until Sinday morning, Need to find hotels and 1 day rental car.

Budget is the one right by the port right?

Fpr those staying at the Radisson is it worth it to stay if arriving at 7 pm there. Please let me know what you are all doing for those flying in the day before. I need to move quickly here , talk about cutting things close/ phew

talk later

 

[mbw12]

Anyone doing the dolphin encounter or have done it before?? was telling dh that dd is old enough to do this but not sure its worth $110 per person for 30 minutes. what do you all think? Dh said he would consider it snce dd is old enough to be able to do it (min age is 3 and she will be 4 )

we are doing the dolphin encounter at cozumel...it will be myself, my DH, my DS9, and DD7. Cannot wait!!!!!!

 

[mbw12]

Fpr those staying at the Radisson is it worth it to stay if arriving at 7 pm there. Please let me know what you are all doing for those flying in the day before. I need to move quickly here , talk about cutting things close/ phew

talk later

We are arriving the day before also....and are just going to get an inexpensive hotel near the port. I think last time we went, we stayed at a Days Inn or something in cocoa Beach....nothing fancy at all. I figure that we won't be in the hotel for that long anyway, because we will be arriving around dinner time, getting something to eat, than going to bed early to get up have breakfast and head into the port anyway!!!!!

 

[KimberlyC]

Anyone doing the dolphin encounter or have done it before?? was telling dh that dd is old enough to do this but not sure its worth $110 per person for 30 minutes. what do you all think? Dh said he would consider it snce dd is old enough to be able to do it (min age is 3 and she will be 4 )

I would LOVE to do it. I even tried booking it on our own (since Devin isn't 3) but the only time not reserved by the ships in port was 3:30pm - too late. The reviews I read were mixed because each person only gets to stand on the platform and interact briefly and the rest of the time is waiting around. But I still thought it would be cool and worth it. My mom, sis, BIL and 2 of their friends did the Dolphin Swim - I saw the video and it was amazing. I was too prego to cruise with them so I missed out and have been jonesing to do it. So I'll be envious!

Sherrie: We won't get to the Radisson until 6:30 or 7pm because our flight arrives at 5pm. The earlier flight cost more, so I took the cheaper. Congrats on the ding! Budget is by the port AND on-site at MCO. Maybe I'll see you on the shuttle

 

[sherrie]

Mbw IHubby found motel 6 for 53.00, it just looks so gaudy comapred to the raddison but it is half the price and like you said we will just be sleeping there.Not sure yet. just tried hotwire but dont like knowing what I am looking at.i

 

[Madisonznana]

What is the difference between the swim and the encounter? Can you book either from Disney. Still just thinking of doing the beach in Cozumel though. That is Pirate Night isn't it? If it is we will definitely need a nap!!!!
We are on our way to the park to fly a kite!!! It is a very warm windy day here. Bye
Karen

 

[sherrie]

The encounter is the one with the disney cruise where you stand on the platform, the swim you would book on your own, you actually get down in the water and go for a dorsal swimhttp://www.dolphindiscovery.com/cozumel/ check it out the park it is in looks beautiful with other things to do there as well

 

[KimberlyC]

What is the difference between the swim and the encounter? Can you book either from Disney. Still just thinking of doing the beach in Cozumel though. That is Pirate Night isn't it? If it is we will definitely need a nap!!!!
We are on our way to the park to fly a kite!!! It is a very warm windy day here. Bye
Karen

What Sherrie said. Plus I believe there are 2 types of swims. I can't remember exactly but the dolphins can pull you with their dorsal fin and also can push you (foot push). One of the swims has both and one of the swims just has one, I think just the pull. I want to say you have to be 8 (maybe it was 10) years old to do the swim. Madison would be too young


Well I finally printed out my door signs tonight. DH finally loaded MSWord on my laptop so I re-did them to not be so fuzy. Plus I was able to adjust the margins easier since I couldn't quite figure it out in MSPaint. So 1 thing down 623 other things to go (just a guesstimate or a slight exaggeration)

 

[mbw12]

What time do most of you plan on getting to the port? last time we went (in 2005), we got there very early so that we could be one of the first to board......but that was before the new boarding process, so i don't know if getting there early now makes a difference???

 

[KimberlyC]

What time do most of you plan on getting to the port? last time we went (in 2005), we got there very early so that we could be one of the first to board......but that was before the new boarding process, so i don't know if getting there early now makes a difference???

10am when it opens - for several reasons.
1) I want an early boarding pass to be early on the ship so Devin can swim and I can go work out the Palo Brunch (which I didn't get) and the Flounder's ressies as well as work out any other dining issues.
2) More time for Devin to swim in uncrowded pools.
3) We'll be up anyway, no point staying at the hotel - the terminal looks cool and should keep my big kid (DH) and little kid (DS) entertained.

Actually, I'll drop the family off at 10am when it opens and then head to Budget to drop the rental, but I should be back pretty quick!


Not too much time left. I can't believe it was a year ago this past weekend that we booked the cruise - thought we'd have to wait FOREVER! Now forever doesn't seem that far away

 

[pppiglet]

Our transportation is picking us up at the Hyatt MCO at 9am, so this should put us at the port at 10am. We've never been to this terminal so that's why I'd like to be there early. We can check out the model of the ship and take pictures and meet some of you Disers early!

 

[MickeyD]

Keep in mind everyone that they typically will NOT allow you into the terminal building til around 10:30. Sometimes they won't even allow drop offs until then.
We arrived about 10:30 last May, then ended up sitting in the parking lot for two hours because of a bomb scare. At least we got into the area, because anyone that tried to arrive later, was shut out on A1A. They closed the whole road!
Anyhoo, I think we will still try to get there btwn 10:30 and 11 because before they have let us on early (like 11:45 one time) and then we can enjoy Topsiders and the ship before it gets too crowded.

Lisa

 

[Madisonznana]

Debbie, who did you get to take you to the terminal? We are going with Disney's transportation and I will call to see how early they start to take us.

 

[The Kirks]

Are we there yet??? I am going to just forget about my worries on this trip and relax!!! Kaylin did well at her state race. I was worried, there were some pretty bad accidents because it was raining. She did'nt get to practice at all because Carl was trying to get her rain tires on and then right before she went out they changed it and he had to redo everything and she has never competed in anything that big. She came in 7th out of 11. She was upset but I told her she did'nt come in last and she did'nt wreck so be proud of yourself. Gotta give the boys a couple anyway Hope everyone has a great week!

Kim

 

[Madisonznana]

Kaylin should be very proud!!! Rainy weather and still finished?!?!?! Great job!
Karen

 

[pppiglet]

Debbie, who did you get to take you to the terminal? We are going with Disney's transportation and I will call to see how early they start to take us.

We are using Sunray transportation. They said that they'd meet us outside the Hyatt with a sign at 9am.

 

[Madisonznana]

We are using Sunray transportation. They said that they'd meet us outside the Hyatt with a sign at 9am.

That is early! I guess we will get there when we get there. We will try for the first bus out, but I won't drive myself crazy! I decided we most likely won't have Madison swim, because we will never get her out of the pool! I don't necessarily need Palo ressies,
so besides being there for the meet of the Cinco Dis Mayo cruisers, we will just take our time and be officially in vacation mode!!

 

[BLTOH]

well if 3:30 is the only time left for the dolphin thing i think i will wait to make sure we definitely have late dinner seating before booking and then just maybe book it once on board.

i am working on our shirts..didnt get them done over the weekend.. just too much going on and dd never got over her flu till sunday..boy was last week a rough week. i am just way beyond ready for vacation now. is that bad??

we are staying at the radisson but we will be getting there fairly early since we are driving overnite. but we choose the radisson mainly for the shuttle to the port as we weighed the cost of paying port costs verses high price hotel and free shuttle. for us it was cheaper to pay the higher price for the hotel and take the shuttle then to drive to the port and pay port costs.

as far as when we are getting to the port we are booked for the first shuttle to the port which is 10 am so i figure we should get there between 10:15 and 10:30am...we just want to be early so the kids can look around and check things out and such..plus with fairly early checkout at the hotel theres no reason to hang aroundat a hotel when you can't stay in the room past 11ish

well hope everyone is having a good week so far. we are just getting back into our normal routine around here after a entire full week of dd having the flu and the rest of us with sinus infections.

 

[KimberlyC]

well if 3:30 is the only time left for the dolphin thing i think i will wait to make sure we definitely have late dinner seating before booking and then just maybe book it once on board.

i am working on our shirts..didnt get them done over the weekend.. just too much going on and dd never got over her flu till sunday..boy was last week a rough week. i am just way beyond ready for vacation now. is that bad??

we are staying at the radisson but we will be getting there fairly early since we are driving overnite. but we choose the radisson mainly for the shuttle to the port as we weighed the cost of paying port costs verses high price hotel and free shuttle. for us it was cheaper to pay the higher price for the hotel and take the shuttle then to drive to the port and pay port costs.

as far as when we are getting to the port we are booked for the first shuttle to the port which is 10 am so i figure we should get there between 10:15 and 10:30am...we just want to be early so the kids can look around and check things out and such..plus with fairly early checkout at the hotel theres no reason to hang aroundat a hotel when you can't stay in the room past 11ish

well hope everyone is having a good week so far. we are just getting back into our normal routine around here after a entire full week of dd having the flu and the rest of us with sinus infections.

Tracy, I didn't mean to confuse the dolphin excursions. 3:30pm was the only time WE could get BOOKING IT ON OUR OWN through Dolphin Discovery. I don't know what times DCL has available but I think they only offer it earlier. The reason that 3:30 was the only time left IF WE BOOKED ON OUR OWN was because the cruise ships get first dibs on the prime time spots (i.e. 10:30 and 12:30 I think the Dolphin Discovery website says). WE can't book through DCL because you have to be 3 years old and Devin will be 5 weeks too young. If you book through DCL, I'm sure you'll have an earlier time and no problemos!

Hope Amber is feeling better!

 

[BLTOH]

Tracy, I didn't mean to confuse the dolphin excursions. 3:30pm was the only time WE could get BOOKING IT ON OUR OWN through Dolphin Discovery. I don't know what times DCL has available but I think they only offer it earlier. The reason that 3:30 was the only time left IF WE BOOKED ON OUR OWN was because the cruise ships get first dibs on the prime time spots (i.e. 10:30 and 12:30 I think the Dolphin Discovery website says). WE can't book through DCL because you have to be 3 years old and Devin will be 5 weeks too young. If you book through DCL, I'm sure you'll have an earlier time and no problemos!

Hope Amber is feeling better!

you know i remember you saying that before hand now..call it snot brain memory lapse will have to look at the site and see what they have available..anyone know the cancellation policy on the ressies? like if i book it now and decide to cancel once we get on board will it be an issue?

i got 2 of our shirts done tonite will do the other 2 tomorrow nite..yeah i'll take couple pics and share them when i get them done...not too happy with the one right now as it puckered on me and it looks rough but dd likes it anyways.