November 15, 2008 7 night Western 11/15/08 11-15-08

[LauraLap]

Hey guys! Seems everyone is busy around here. We booked another cruise today....a Western Carib. cruise on the Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) in March 2009. So, hopefully I don't love Disney so much that I'm not able to go back to Royal again. I can't imagine as I'm pretty addicted to Royal Caribbean

So, what kind of room does everyone have? We just got a cat 12 guarantee and I'm so bummed about it because I'm really a balcony gal, but it's the only way DH would agree on doing Disney because of the cost. Hopefully we're not too claustrophobic! Anyone else on the inside with us?

Nothing much else new here.....chugging away working in order to pay for our vacations LOL.

Fish extenders - I don't think we decided on what we are doing yet......I just know that I have my grandmother on the case making one for us.

 

[Disneyday]

Hey laura Lucky you! Another cruise! ( I'm not jealous honestly)

We have adjoining inside rooms on deck 2. I would have loved a balcony too but I think we'll have more space with 2 rooms. Oh well, maybe the upgrade fairy will visit us and move us to the Walt suite

 

[bambilin]

Hey guys! Seems everyone is busy around here. We booked another cruise today....a Western Carib. cruise on the Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) in March 2009. So, hopefully I don't love Disney so much that I'm not able to go back to Royal again. I can't imagine as I'm pretty addicted to Royal Caribbean

So, what kind of room does everyone have? We just got a cat 12 guarantee and I'm so bummed about it because I'm really a balcony gal, but it's the only way DH would agree on doing Disney because of the cost. Hopefully we're not too claustrophobic! Anyone else on the inside with us?

Nothing much else new here.....chugging away working in order to pay for our vacations LOL.

Fish extenders - I don't think we decided on what we are doing yet......I just know that I have my grandmother on the case making one for us.

We have a balcony on deck 6. We booked it sooo long ago. I was only about 3 months pregnent with Trevor, we booked as Lnda, Derrick, Dillon and Baby Bheer, LOL. We got a great rate back then, it has gone up. I have been 23 cruises (used to do two a year when I was single with no kids!) and have never once been visited by that upgrade fairy on ANY of the lines. I also LOVE Royal Caribbean and Norwegian as well, so I hear ya Laura. We will probably do a Norwegian Cruise in 2009 because they do not charge (other than port charges) for kids under two so we will get Trevor in real cheap!!!

 

[izma]

Hello fellow Disneyphiles!

I am planning our pre-cruise stay and would like any opinion on which "dinner show" to see;

Spirit of Aloha
Mickey's Backyard BBQ
Hoop de Doo Musical Revue

Oh and if any of you are staying at the resort as part of your holiday, and are annual pass holders, you can now add the Disney Dining Plan to your room-only stay.

Thanks!

 

[izma]

Hey guys! Seems everyone is busy around here. We booked another cruise today....a Western Carib. cruise on the Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) in March 2009. So, hopefully I don't love Disney so much that I'm not able to go back to Royal again. I can't imagine as I'm pretty addicted to Royal Caribbean

So, what kind of room does everyone have? We just got a cat 12 guarantee and I'm so bummed about it because I'm really a balcony gal, but it's the only way DH would agree on doing Disney because of the cost. Hopefully we're not too claustrophobic! Anyone else on the inside with us?

Nothing much else new here.....chugging away working in order to pay for our vacations LOL.

Fish extenders - I don't think we decided on what we are doing yet......I just know that I have my grandmother on the case making one for us.

We are in a Catagory 10 deluxe inside. I'd LOVE a balcony but with the pre and post cruise disney stay...complete with annual passes and the DDP, it was not in the budget!$!

Laura...catagory 12 will be fine I think. You just have to get him hooked on Disney, then the balcony will be yours...That's my evil plan!

Here is what we have planned so far (okay...what I have planned so far!)

Key West: We will rent an electric car and just bomb around. I'd like to see the museum where the treasure from the Atocha is held. I've seen it before-on tour, and was fascinated! We will go to the Blond Giraffe for Key Lime Pie on a stick and I will NEED Mojito's.

Cozumel: We're going to the park I can't spell (Chanakaab?) and swimming with the Dolphins.

Grand Cayman: We have chartered a boat for some snorkelling through Eco-outrage tours.

Castaway Cay: Nothing planned yet.

That's where it's at for us so far.

I am currently bummed because NASA changed the lauch schedule and despite changing my park stay, my airline tickets and the timespan of our holiday...it's unlikely we will see a shuttle launch.

BooHoo.

 

[LauraLap]

Izma - That stinks about the shuttle launch! Sorry We're just staying at WDW 2 nights prior to the cruise, only one full day at the parks.....I'm trying to figure out the best plan of attack.

 

[ALawley]

We have been to all three of the dinner shows you mentioned and they are all so wonderful. Hoop-De-Doo is indoors and therefore the only one that is guaranteed to go forward rain, snow, sleet or sunshine! It also is the one that our kids seem to equally enjoy when they were young kids, preteens, teens and now young adults!

We loved the food at the Spirit of Aloha and the show is predictable and corny but the Hawaiin dancing, Polynesian dancing and fire-eating, flame tossing portion is AMAZING!

Mickey's Backyard BBQ, our kids liked when they were very little. Hope that helps. I too am bummed about the shuttle.

We are going up the week before the cruise and will attend Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party on the 14th, it's nice that you can see all of MK at the Party, which frees up your day to attend another park...but we do not have children traveling with us...a late night party might make for a long departure day!

Tax Day marks our 7 months away from sail-away day! Yipee!

 

[bambilin]

Got a call from my friend Alice. She tried to book Caribbean Beach where we are booked for 11/14 and the promo rate rooms are sold out. We had only paid $111.47 for the night. So they decided to use points (they are new DVC members) and stay at Saratoga Springs. They booked a 1 bedroom and are able to get an additional studio room for a really small amount of points so she offered us the room so we can stay there together. MY TA said no big deal to cancel the Caribbean Beach reservation. So, now we will stay at Saratoga Springs instead of Caribbean Beach. They still offer the shuttle back to the ship so that was all I was worried about. Of course we will still go to MVMC Party that night!

 

[ALawley]

I got my mickey' parties mixed up! We are going to MVMCP....not, MNNSHP..all tho, I love that party too!
Saratoga Springs is one of my favorite resorts. We are DVC members and we will stay at Wilderness Lodge, I can call tomorrow to make our ressie's! the rest of our fellow travelers are going to stay either at the airport Radisson or at the Hyatt in Port Canavarl. They have teens in high school, who are missing a week of school for the cruise itself, so they are flying in late on friday nite, to avoid more absences.
I noticed also that a discount is offered for the Mickey's Verry Merry Party for annual pass holders and dvc members as well, "on special select dates" I haven't seen the dates yet for discounts, maybe the 14th will be one of those nights!

Tomorrow is only 7 months away!!!

 

[bambilin]

Thanks Audie,

I will have Alice check and see if 11/14 happens to be one of those discount dates. Appreciate the heads up!

Linda

 

[Disneyday]

Hi everyone

I was so excited today when DH said I had a packet from the US, I have been waiting for my bracelets since 3/14.
Then I saw a small ripped envelope with only 5 bracelets (I ordered 10 just in case) and was a little disapointed. I thought they might have been packaged a bit better for international shipping.
Oh well, now I've had my little grumble I had better make sure we don't lose any.

 

[bambilin]

Hi everyone

I was so excited today when DH said I had a packet from the US, I have been waiting for my bracelets since 3/14.
Then I saw a small ripped envelope with only 5 bracelets (I ordered 10 just in case) and was a little disapointed. I thought they might have been packaged a bit better for international shipping.
Oh well, now I've had my little grumble I had better make sure we don't lose any.

Hey Disneyday I am really surprised, my bracelets only has to be mailed to NY and they were packaged pretty well. Did you email Penney? I would for sure, because when I had a question on what I received, she offered to replace if there was a problem. Go to the auction page, and click on "contact member" and you will be able to send her an email. If you need me to check I can see if I still have her email someplace, let me know. I would give it a try, she was really very pleasant!

 

[izma]

Hi everyone

I was so excited today when DH said I had a packet from the US, I have been waiting for my bracelets since 3/14.
Then I saw a small ripped envelope with only 5 bracelets (I ordered 10 just in case) and was a little disapointed. I thought they might have been packaged a bit better for international shipping.
Oh well, now I've had my little grumble I had better make sure we don't lose any.

I ordered two extra bracelets...you are welcome to them if one of yours goes missing while we're on the cruise.

Hey, does anyone have any experience with sea sickness. Hopefully we will be untouched but I want to bring along something just in case. Do I want Gravol, seabands...what?!?! I don't want us to be Dopey or Grumpy....

I am also wondering about the Mickey's Very Magical Christmas Party. DH is not a fan of Christmas and his spirit has over flowed to the rest of us. Is the MVMCP something that might renew our HOHOHO? He can stay back at the room and pack...

 

[Disneyday]

Thanks for your kind offers. We have 2 child bands with 'Alice' on and 3 adult bands but I don't think the fellas will mind going without their bands anyway. I e-mailed the seller last night just in case she had shipped 2 seperate packages. Here's the reply

'Yes, all of the wristbands were shipped together. I have never had anything like this happen before. Check with your local post office and see if there is anything they can do.'

The post office say there's nothing they can do as the package may have split in the US.

PS. Alice wore hers to bed last night and they do glow in the dark!

Izma what is Gravol? I suffer from really bad motion sickness so intend to stock up on Bonine or non drowsy dramamine when I get to the US, they are recommended on here alot. I've also bought 2 wristbands just in case. pity they don't come in lime green
Sue

 

[bambilin]

Hello all. I am really sorry to hear Penney's response, I really thought she would offer to resend you the 5. I also ordered two extra in case Dillon lost his, so we will have extra if you need.

I have been to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party three times so far. This will be the first time for hubby and the kids. All of the regular rides in the Magic Kingdom will be open in case hubby isn't too into the festivities. Besdies the park being decorated like crazy, the Christmas Parade, where they make it "snow" on Main Street and where you smell gingerbread in the street as Mrs Claus' float goes by is just GREAT for Christmas Spirit. There are also several locations in the park where they serve sugar cookies and hot cocoa included with admission. The characters are all in holiday garb, and there are special holiday stage shows, carolling, etc. Hope you guys wind up going and enjoying!!

20+ cruises, and never once experienced seasickness. First cruise brought dramamine and wore one of those bands. Had it off by end of the first day. This will be hubby's 5th cruise, Dillon's 3rd, no seasickness there either thank goodness! All of the ships have those "little pills" readadily available but honestly I do not know which ones they are. Hoping Trevor will also have our cruising constitutions!!

 

[izma]

Gravol is dramamine. I was just wondering if bonine is better (if it doesn't make you as drowsy) or if the sea bands actually work.

I have two spare adult bracelets with no names on them.

How much are the tickets to MVMCP? I am an annual passholder now and I understand there are discounted tickets for certain days.

Where on earth has Mommytofive gone? I worry.

 

[bambilin]

Sorry I was no help with the seasickness question!

Here is last year's ticket info for MVMCP, I hope 11/14 is one of the DVC siscount dates:

(including taxes):

Adult (age 10+) $51.07
Child (age 3-9) $43.62

Gate Pricing subject to availability, many nights will sell out in advance.

Advance Purchase Savings Price for select nights only (including taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $43.62
Child (age 3-9) $36.16

DVC or Passholder Advance Purchase Savings Price for select nights only (including taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $40.42
Child (age 3-9) $32.97

Children under 3 are admitted free

Well, considering she is really a Mommy to 6 now, Maybe she is just busy with the kids, let's hope!!!

 

[LauraLap]

Hey guys! We received our bracelets in fine form this week. Love how fast things get to Canada, eh? LOL!

We've booked our flights, so that's really exciting. We're flying out of Rochester which is about a 2 hour drive from our house.....800 total for the 4 of us for direct flights! If we flew out of Toronto (10 mins from our house) it would have been 2400 dollars for a direct flight! Yikes! Anyway, it feels good that is done.

Now we're deciding if we should do MVMCP or not. Maybe you guys can offer some advice. My kids are 3 and 4......their normal bedtime is 7:30pm! So, we fly in on the evening of Nov. 13th, staying at POFQ. So, for the next day our option is to buy two day tickets to MGM (DH and I already have one day leftover from our last trip) and then do MVMCP at night OR we can just do MK for the full day and then rest at night.

What would you do? I don't want to burn the kids out on the very first day of the vacation! LOL. Then again, they may be too excited to sleep anyway so we might as well go to the Christmas party. We have done it before, but when we went it was POURING rain, so I always feel like I missed out on the real experience, kwim? Thoughts?

 

[ALawley]

Help, can someone walk me through the ordering of the bracelets again? I am not an ebayer...so you will need to be specific. I will order some extras and bring them with us on the cruise...I know we will loose one or two and it seems the post looses them too!

I still haven't seen the discounted or special days For MVMCP, tickets go on sale May 1. I hope to see some news on discounted days the week before tickets are on sale.

 

[bambilin]

Lucky you, bedtime of 7:30!!! My kids are nightowls. It is great when we have to go out at night but horrible when we need to wake up early which is most of the time!! MVMCP only starts at 7 PM, so if you think it is going to be too much for them, maybe you should skip it for your own sanity. Then again, it is a vacation, you could always live dangerously!!