New Year's Eve 2008 12/27/08 SEE POST#1 FOR LIST

[tiggerwannabe]

Dude- DEFINITELY! it's actually the 2nd time i did it (Louise's first).
the technology behind a segway is so amazing and truly ahead of its time. but the best part of the tour is being able to go around world showcase before it opens. it's just so fun and totally worth the money. i mean, where else are you gonna get the opportunity to ride one of those things?

Segway's gonna be at the Magicmeet!!!

DH, DS, DSsGF and me just got back from the Phillies game...it was friggin freezing out there!

 

[CustardTart]

Morning, everyone! It's a beautiful day here in sunny London!

I don't know if you've already discussed this, but are any of you staying at WDW before/after the cruise? We're debating whether to come over for Christmas 2008 and spend a few action-packed days in the World before chillin' aboard the Magic. Decisions, decisions...

Wick, glad you give the Segway tour a as DD and I were wondering about giving it a go in October...

 

[Aisling]

Good morning Karen

I love the photo of Sammy being swallowed up by that Mexican hat!

Ok, pre/post cruise plans. Well, I have a fantasy of staying at the Grand Floridian before the cruise, but most likely won't, as that grand chunk o'change can be better spent. But you have me thinking, so today I'm going to take another look at the dates, and list my options. Today is a perfect day to do some cruise planning...dreary, cold, overcast.

Just an update: Mel is still here; he hasn't gone to see his father yet, and I've decided to stay out of it, because we've been arguing over it all, and I just need to step back for now.

Happy day to you all. See ya on the flip side! (Tig, I HAD to borrow that phrase from you; it's so cool!)

 

[CustardTart]

Good morning Karen

I love the photo of Sammy being swallowed up by that Mexican hat!

It's one of my fave WDW photos! He's now nearly as tall as his brother and he still wears those shorts - I believe in buying big to make 'em last! Next time we're there en masse I'll have to take that photo again...

Ok, pre/post cruise plans. Well, I have a fantasy of staying at the Grand Floridian before the cruise, but most likely won't, as that grand chunk o'change can be better spent. But you have me thinking, so today I'm going to take another look at the dates, and list my options...

That's a lovely fantasy to have, Aisling! Some years ago we stayed at GF during Christmas to celebrate DD's 16th which is on Dec 23rd!


TBH I've now got all kinds of crazy schemes going on in my head - I always want to make the best use of DH's precious vacation days and I'm wondering whether to combine the cruise with a trip to Barbados which we'd probably do in Feb 2009 anyway! The logistics are a little insane but we'd save $$$$ on those transatlantic flights! Oh well, maybe I just need to step away from the computer and get out more...

Update! Actually you don't save $$$ on the transatlantic flights! Maybe coz it's Xmas and NY, you end up adding on a few $$$, not to mention £££ and €€€ so that idea's blown out of the water! Oh well, back to the drawing board...

 

[bride2007]

Good Morning All,

Welcome Karen My DH and I will be spending the week after the cruise at WDW. We will be staying at our time share, which is the Sheraton Vistana Resort. His son will be with us on the cruise and then we are shipping him home so that we can play at WDW by ourselves. We will probably stay at the Raddison, near the port, on the 26th.

Aisling, thanks for the update. I hope that Mel is doing OK. I'm sure that he just needs some time and then he will do what is right for his family and himself.

I was curious about other cruise lines, and found that Carnival (Glory) has a NYE cruise the same week we cruise, it would be $1000 less and that would be for a verandah stateroom. We may have to try them for our next cruise but then again, they have a casino on board and that is probably where the $1000 would go. My DH loves Blackjack!

 

[Aisling]

I just realized something about myself, I WANT IT ALL!

We can't stay in Florida after the cruise because of work and school, and we can only arrive on the 26th because of conflicting family schedules. So, we have the day before we cruise, and that's it which is fine.

Here's my child-in-the-candy-store syndrome at work for the day/night before:

I want to stay at the Raddison, because it seems to be a favorite with Disers, and also because I want to experience the port-area excitement. A pre-cruise meet at Grill's is what lots of people do, so I want to do it, too.

I want to stay at Ron John's at the port, not for any reason except for it being another hot-spot with Disney cruisers.

I want to stay at WDW, because Chad, Jesse, and Lou have park tickets, and we can get our WDW fix for a day. How can we be so close to WDW and not go? Mel and I can buy tickets to go into the parks.

I want to stay at the GF, because it's so expensive, and it's really not a favorite of mine, so can't see us staying there for a regular-length WDW vacation. If we stay the night before cruise, it'll be a chance to have stayed there and take it off the list of resorts we haven't stayed. Only one night wouldn't be so $$$$, except for the fact that we have 5 in our party, which would require two rooms. That'll be close to $1000 just for one night.

I want to stay at Pop, because two rooms would be a lot less money than the GF.

I want to stay at All Star Movies, because I love the theming, and again, it wouldn't break my bank.

I want to stay at a deluxe, because Mel has only stayed at All Star Sports and the Beach Club, and I want him to experience another deluxe at Disney.

I want to stay at AKL, because it's like our home resort, having stayed there three times, and it has sentimental value. Also, I'd love for Mel to see it. But the rest of us having stayed there, it would prevent us from trying another place if we stayed there again.

The kids want to stay at the CR, which they love, but again, we've stayed there twice, and want I think I want to try something new. Another again, Mel hasn't stayed there, and I want him to have that experience. But then the dilemma, do we get two rooms? That would be almost as expensive as the GF.

I want to take the DCL bus because it adds to the excitement, and we had so much fun on the bus the last time.

I want to take a limo, because it would cost less than the DCL bus for us all, and add some pre-cruise luxury.

I want to fly down there for Christmas, and Chad and Louise can meet up with us on the 26th since we are free and Louise has family obligations on Christmas day. It would be a new experience for me, Mel, and Jesse to do WDW with just us three, but then I'll miss Chad and Louise. Also, if we did this, we'd have to stay at a mod or value because I really don't want to spend too much pre-cruise.

There's more, but I'm running out of colors!

Can anyone help this crazy woman?

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Wow girl...I thought my brain was busy...Yours if Off The Hook!!!!

 

[CustardTart]

I just realized something about myself, I WANT IT ALL!

I feel your pain, crazy lady!

I'm having similar dilemmas myself and I can't decide what's the best thing to do. I'm now looking at DVC points for the week before the cruise as the whole Barbados thing is just unworkable, not to mention bankruptable!!!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

The Radisson and Ron Jon's are miss-able

The GF sounds like and awesome idea, I have a feeling we could find some discount codes for you if we have to.

I also know the GF has larger rooms, I'm curious how much they are now.

I would totally stay at the GF for one night~

MK and Epcot are RIGHT THERE if you did.

Skip the one's you've done before, make it a truly once in a lifetime trip.

Go down early with just you and Jesses and Mel, esp since Chad and Louise just had their own trip.

You could stay somewhere else mid range, in one room, til Chad and Louise got there-then switch to the GF.

The DCL bus would only be the same if more of your group returned.

A Limo is ABSOLUTELY cheaper than transporting 5 people via DCL charter. And super special because of who you would be riding with

How's that for getting in your head with you????

 

[tiggerwannabe]

GF detail says they sleep up to five in one room!

I've stayed in a regular room and know they have a couch...I wonder if that's where #5 sleeps?

Do ya think Jesse would mind the couch???

enquiring minds are at it again...

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Let us not forget Ft Wilderness Cabins!

They sleep 6 comfortably and are only $250 a night, vs the $1000 you would spend for two rooms at a deluxe AND they include a kitchen!

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...ldernessCampgroundResortGuestRoomsListingPage

I'm sure if we looked I could also find a discount to these rooms as well



I think just like you do Aisling, I just never vocalize all my thoughts cause people around me usually get that blank stare when I start my ramblings...

Hugs to you and Mel btw...

I'm sure he'll come around when he's ready~

 

[Aisling]

Let us not forget Ft Wilderness Cabins!

They sleep 6 comfortably and are only $250 a night, vs the $1000 you would spend for two rooms at a deluxe AND they include a kitchen!

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...ldernessCampgroundResortGuestRoomsListingPage

Holy overload, Batman!

I totally forgot about Ft. Wilderness cabins! I have to add this to my "want" list, and do some more analysis. A few pages back I mentioned I want to try Ft. Wilderness, just because it'll be such a new and different experience of WDW. I'm not very into woodsy stuff, but I'm looking to try everything at WDW.

We have so much time to plan, which is a blessing for me. I enjoy it so much, and it helps keeping my mind off other stressful goings-on.

Tig, your ideas are much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to go over it for me. I'm going to check into rates right now. You rock!

Karen, do you have any pics to share of your GF trip?
Sorry about Barbados being unworkable for you. I love it that we're all alike in our thinking about trips and planning!

And Debbie, you raised an interesting point about other cruiselines. They can really afford to charge less because of the on-board gambling; I never thought of that. DCL is the only cruise we've ever done, and Mel and I aren't gamblers, but when the kids are grown and on their own, who knows. It does look like fun!

 

[CustardTart]

Karen, do you have any pics to share of your GF trip?
Sorry about Barbados being unworkable for you. I love it that we're all alike in our thinking about trips and planning!

Sadly, no. It was way before the digital era so all photos are printed and I need to be the world's most organised lady (and I'm not) to scan those babies and get them onto the Mac - one day, Aisling, one day...

Today is one of those days when I'm alone for waaay too much time (DS back to school, DH out for evening) so I've obsessed about vacation plans all day - but I've got a solution! The new plan is for me, DH and DS15 to go to VWL for the week prior to the cruise and have the remaining 4 join us for 1 night before getting a limo to Port Canaveral! That gives us time to get our rollercoaster fix and enjoy the on-site decorations...

Hey, if you do FW or GF (or any WDW resort for that matter), we could meet up for a festive pre-cruise drink...

 

[tiggerwannabe]

You are very welcome dahling!

Here are a few pics from when I stayed at the GF with my friend Donna...they're all clickable to see the full size photo~

The lamp in our room-


The building we stayed in-


The main pool-


The view from our balcony-


My side of the room-


Donna nd me at Typhoon Lagoon-


I've seen other cruise ships...yeah they're purty and all...

but I like my Disney.

I doubt I'll ever cruise with another~

 

[tiggerwannabe]

...

Hey, if you do FW or GF (or any WDW resort for that matter), we could meet up for a festive pre-cruise drink...

I'm in!

If I know Nan, she'll be flying in early and spending some quality WDW before we cruise.

I can promise we'll be there at least one day early~Mom learned from her first cruise flying down the day of is not the best of ideas...too many things can happen to keep us from getting to the port on time.

 

[trinibjill]

Picture Arnold Horshack in Welcome Back Kotter waving his hand in the air & going wu wu wu.

Well I looked at the picture of Ft Wilderness Lodge & that is the bomb
I'd love to go there. It's not like any other place & the others are so alike.
It is like totally awesome. (say it like a valley girl)

 

[nskjerven]

ya ya, we're coming early (don't tell Paul I said that) I figure we have to do Xmas there, it's just too hard to do it here and then fly out after. (ha nice little world I live in here huh?) I won't do top of the line again. We just can't afford it after Repo in May and NYE cruise. I'm not even sure how we are going to do both of these as it is, so I'm for now flying low and just expecting things to fall in place. that's me the no plan girl

Since we did GF last time I'm not to hip on doing it again. I actually loved the Beach Villa idea, but home much $$$$

 

[Aisling]

Rent a Villa at the Boardwalk with a boarwalk view from a DVC member. Cheaper than getting a deluxe from CRO. Can't remember how many are in your party Tig, but a 2-bedroom will sleep 8.

Just trying to think of the most fun place to stay when not going to the parks. I'd pick BWV or AKL, and since you've already been to AKL...

I just read through some older posts, and I found this idea of Grim's. Just another option to check out.

 

[grimgrinnin]

Since we did GF last time I'm not to hip on doing it again. I actually loved the Beach Villa idea, but home much $$$$

Let me know the date's you'd want to stay and I'll figure it out for you. Keep in mind that Sunday - Thursday is cheap. Friday-Saturday are a lot more.


grim

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Let me know the date's you'd want to stay and I'll figure it out for you. Keep in mind that Sunday - Thursday is cheap. Friday-Saturday are a lot more.


grim

What do you figure it'd be if it were just the one night?

Just the 26th possible and how many points/dollars????