November 25th, 2016 - Black Friday on the Wonder

[Huskiesrule]

i'm ok with 9 in the group, but as the cruise gets closer and we have more than enough, we can always add later right?

We can always add more and I am sure we will have some last minute people that want to join a group.

 

[Kdspratt]

My family is booked on this cruise and very excited. It will be our first cruise ever. We are Mom, Dad, Son age 15, and Daughter age 9.

 

[Kdspratt]

I am a Disney Nerd, and do a ton of research before I do anything. I will list some tips I have found to get to my ten posts.

What to pack that you may not think about
1. Push Lights (at night the cabins get pretty dark)
2. Waterproof phone case for underwater pictures
3. Line and clothes pins to dry swimsuits in bathroom
4. Drive thru drink holder to carry drinks from top deck
5. Sand toys for Castaway Cay (also cash exchanged to buy a stamp at the local post office and send a postcard)
6. Address labels to mark items at customs
7. Ziploc bags to take snacks on excursions
8. Insulated tumblers to use for drinks
9. Throw blanket for comfort on the patio or deck at night
10. Magnetic clips to use on door to leave your family notes

 

[Kdspratt]

I am interested in the FE program and have already purchased stuff for this. Once I get to ten posts I will look further into this. If you are looking for an extender hanger, I have found a lot of great ones on Etsy. I also bought my door magnet decorations from there.

 

[Kdspratt]

The Disney Movie Rewards site now has $10 Disney Gift Cards available as rewards. If you are saving giftcards up for your cruise and have rewards point from buying or going to see movies, now would be a good time to cash them in.

 

[Huskiesrule]

My family is booked on this cruise and very excited. It will be our first cruise ever. We are Mom, Dad, Son age 15, and Daughter age 9.

to the group!

I am a Disney Nerd, and do a ton of research before I do anything. I will list some tips I have found to get to my ten posts.

What to pack that you may not think about
1. Push Lights (at night the cabins get pretty dark)
2. Waterproof phone case for underwater pictures
3. Line and clothes pins to dry swimsuits in bathroom
4. Drive thru drink holder to carry drinks from top deck
5. Sand toys for Castaway Cay (also cash exchanged to buy a stamp at the local post office and send a postcard)
6. Address labels to mark items at customs
7. Ziploc bags to take snacks on excursions
8. Insulated tumblers to use for drinks
9. Throw blanket for comfort on the patio or deck at night
10. Magnetic clips to use on door to leave your family notes

Glad you are doing research and sharing your info with others who are new to cruising

I am interested in the FE program and have already purchased stuff for this. Once I get to ten posts I will look further into this. If you are looking for an extender hanger, I have found a lot of great ones on Etsy. I also bought my door magnet decorations from there.

If you go back a page I listed what I need to know if you are interested in joining the FE. Just let me know and once you hit 10 posts I can pm you for the info as we are keeping most info private, the only info posted here for the FE is your DIS name and who is in your party(no real names).

 

[ballle_98]

Hi there. This is my family's 2nd Disney cruise on the Wonder from Galveston. We are traveling as a party of 7. My husband, myself, our 17 year old daughter, 14 year old son, 11 year old daughter, 6 year old son, and my mother.

Does anyone know if this will be a Merrytime cruise?

We'd like to sign up for fish exchange but they didn't have any GTY cabins that slept 4 available when we booked. I have one cabin number but not the other.

We look forward to meeting everyone. Our family is easy to spot because our youngest son is in a little blue wheelchair.

 

[Huskiesrule]

Hi there. This is my family's 2nd Disney cruise on the Wonder from Galveston. We are traveling as a party of 7. My husband, myself, our 17 year old daughter, 14 year old son, 11 year old daughter, 6 year old son, and my mother.

Does anyone know if this will be a Merrytime cruise?

We'd like to sign up for fish exchange but they didn't have any GTY cabins that slept 4 available when we booked. I have one cabin number but not the other.

We look forward to meeting everyone. Our family is easy to spot because our youngest son is in a little blue wheelchair.

Yes, this will be a Merrytime cruise! You can sign up for the FE even though you only have one room #, you just have to let me know when it is assigned and I can update the list. If you are interested in signing up you can pm your info to me - all I need to know is room # or GTY, who is in each room(you can use real names or not, not mandatory to use real), ages of any kids(already posted) and an email to send the final list to. Optional info is any allergies and favorite characters. Did you want to do both rooms separately or consider it as one?

All my "rules" for the FE are posted on page 13, post 250 for anyone interested in joining the FE.

 

[Tzbwilsonfam]

Ok, I just booked our room at Comfort Suites Paradise Island for me, DH, DMIL and DS on Nov 29. I read a few tips on this blog that it was an option for getting to see and experience Atlantis a little cheaper......so anyone in this thread doing the same time and want to meet up and catch a cab/van together???

 

[Huskiesrule]

Not us, we probably won't get off the ship since we've been to Nassau many times. I haven't been to Atlantis for awhile, but have fun!

 

[N365PA]

Hey Y'all,
We're booking today and joining the cruise. For my wife (hamm1207) and I this is cruise 15 or 16 and the first for our daughter. Her 1st birthday is the first day at sea. Looking forward to seeing everyone on board and having a good cruise.

 

[hamm1207]

We're joining you for this cruise! It'll be me, my husband and our daughter (turning 1 on the cruise)! We have an OVGTY, so we'll get room info later. My husband and I are platinum on DCL and this will be our daughter's first!

Looks like my husband beat me to it...he's N365PA

 

[hamm1207]

I should let everyone know that these will be small groups for the FE at 10 rooms per group. We generally have first timers here and I don't want to overwhelm anyone. You are more than welcome to join multiple groups if you feel up to it though!

We'd like to sign up for the FE. Thanks!

 

[Tzbwilsonfam]

Hey Y'all,
We're booking today and joining the cruise. For my wife (hamm1207) and I this is cruise 15 or 16 and the first for our daughter. Her 1st birthday is the first day at sea. Looking forward to seeing everyone on board and having a good cruise.

Wow- 15 or 16!!! This is our first and our first with our 2 yr old. What's your favorite part about Disney cruises? What makes you keep coming back? And any random advice for first time Merrytime cruisers?

 

[hamm1207]

Any advice for cruising with a 1 year old?

 

[Huskiesrule]

Hey Y'all,
We're booking today and joining the cruise. For my wife (hamm1207) and I this is cruise 15 or 16 and the first for our daughter. Her 1st birthday is the first day at sea. Looking forward to seeing everyone on board and having a good cruise.

We're joining you for this cruise! It'll be me, my husband and our daughter (turning 1 on the cruise)! We have an OVGTY, so we'll get room info later. My husband and I are platinum on DCL and this will be our daughter's first!

Looks like my husband beat me to it...he's N365PA

I will send you both a pm requesting info, you can choose who responds

 

[Huskiesrule]

Any advice for cruising with a 1 year old?

Would love to give helpful tips and tricks about sailing with very young kids, but the youngest I have taken was 8 years old. I would think the only big change would be the kid's club vs. having to book times in the nursery. Sorry I can't be more helpful on that one!

 

[hamm1207]

Wow- 15 or 16!!! This is our first and our first with our 2 yr old. What's your favorite part about Disney cruises? What makes you keep coming back? And any random advice for first time Merrytime cruisers?

Speaking for myself...I love disney cruises for many reasons. Here's a few...

1. Customer service is amazing (they will do everything in their power to make sure you're enjoying your vacation). On our West Coast Repo cruise a few years ago, there was a leak in the ceiling in the hallway just outside our room (our door got wet, but nothing came in the room). They ended up working on it for a good 3 days to get it all fixed (we were never troubled by it and it didn't take away from our vacation), and each day we came back to our room and there was something waiting for us (fruit platter, eclairs, etc) and they staff was very apologetic about the situation. We didn't expect anything at all, and they showered us with kindness.
2. Entertainment (broadway style musicals, friendly staff, entertainment for all ages--including adults!)
3. You get to wake up in a new place (or out to sea) everyday.
4. The food is fantastic (I always save room for dessert)
5. Friendly staff that remember you---(for a while we were cruising 3x a year and often running into the same cast members. They would remember us, where we're from, etc). My husband met a cruise director in the hall (while waiting for me in the bathroom) and the two of them were humming the song that was playing. My husband asked the cruise director the name of the song, and the CD said that he wasn't sure but that he'd get back to him. Within 30 minutes there was a message on our stateroom phone with the name of the song. From that point on, every cruise that we ran into that CD we tried to stump him with a question and he gladly played along.
6. Disney takes care of their cast members. Regarding the above mentioned story about the CD: we sent an email to DCL (as we usually do following a cruise), and my husband mentioned the CD and how he made the cruise memorable. Well, later that year we ran into the CD again and he thanked us for the praise that he received from DCL regarding our praise for him.
7. The stateroom host/hostesses are awesome!!
8. Clean ships!!

I'm excited to see the cruising world with a child!

 

[Tzbwilsonfam]

Speaking for myself...I love disney cruises for many reasons. Here's a few...

1. Customer service is amazing (they will do everything in their power to make sure you're enjoying your vacation). On our West Coast Repo cruise a few years ago, there was a leak in the ceiling in the hallway just outside our room (our door got wet, but nothing came in the room). They ended up working on it for a good 3 days to get it all fixed (we were never troubled by it and it didn't take away from our vacation), and each day we came back to our room and there was something waiting for us (fruit platter, eclairs, etc) and they staff was very apologetic about the situation. We didn't expect anything at all, and they showered us with kindness.
2. Entertainment (broadway style musicals, friendly staff, entertainment for all ages--including adults!)
3. You get to wake up in a new place (or out to sea) everyday.
4. The food is fantastic (I always save room for dessert)
5. Friendly staff that remember you---(for a while we were cruising 3x a year and often running into the same cast members. They would remember us, where we're from, etc). My husband met a cruise director in the hall (while waiting for me in the bathroom) and the two of them were humming the song that was playing. My husband asked the cruise director the name of the song, and the CD said that he wasn't sure but that he'd get back to him. Within 30 minutes there was a message on our stateroom phone with the name of the song. From that point on, every cruise that we ran into that CD we tried to stump him with a question and he gladly played along.
6. Disney takes care of their cast members. Regarding the above mentioned story about the CD: we sent an email to DCL (as we usually do following a cruise), and my husband mentioned the CD and how he made the cruise memorable. Well, later that year we ran into the CD again and he thanked us for the praise that he received from DCL regarding our praise for him.
7. The stateroom host/hostesses are awesome!!
8. Clean ships!!

I'm excited to see the cruising world with a child!

Awesome! thanks....we are frequent Disney World vacationers, but this is our first cruise. We are excited we don't have to fly anywhere to enjoy a little taste of Disney. (Texas Natives)

As far as traveling with a 1 yr old........ I did read somewhere that Disney does't allow swim diapers in their pools on the ship. I don't know how they police that or really what's wrong with swim diapers (aren't they made for water and more sanitary that regular diapers???) That would be the only thing I would research. Swim diapers are allowed in the splash zones......

 

[hamm1207]

Awesome! thanks....we are frequent Disney World vacationers, but this is our first cruise. We are excited we don't have to fly anywhere to enjoy a little taste of Disney. (Texas Natives)

As far as traveling with a 1 yr old........ I did read somewhere that Disney does't allow swim diapers in their pools on the ship. I don't know how they police that or really what's wrong with swim diapers (aren't they made for water and more sanitary that regular diapers???) That would be the only thing I would research. Swim diapers are allowed in the splash zones......

We cruised out of Galveston a few years ago (on the first Galveston sailing) and it was nice. Galveston port area isn't too pretty, but it was nice to stay with friends and just drive to the port (we used to live in Houston). Being that we're coming in Thanksgiving day, we're not sure if we're going to stay with friends that night or just grab a hotel in Galveston.

I know that DCL does not allow swim diapers in the pool as a sanitary precaution. There are lifeguards on duty at the pool and the pools are carefully monitored for sanitary reasons---we've seen multiple cases of the pool being closed due to cleaning because a child did a little number 2 in the pool... The crew is big on keeping everything clean and sanitary to keep norovirus and other illnesses at bay.