Oct. 15, 2006 (4 nights on the "New" Wonder)

[saratogagirl]

No worries at all about E decorating the table I think it will be great fun, cant wait I am so excited ....

I'm not so worried about going with the weight limit but always dread coming home I tend to over indulge with my purchases - cant beat the shopping !!

What are you like, you have Brenda asking now and I havent even ever spoken to her, lets just say its unger discussion LOL xxx

 

[MJ5MOUSE]

I want to play too!

Favorite rides:
MK-Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain
Epcot-Honey I shrunk the audiance (or is that a show)
MGM- Rockin Rollercoaster
AK-Bugs Life (see Epcot)
Really want to ride Everest!

Shows:
Lion King and the AK parade (I love AK)

IOA:
Spiderman (ride)
Blues Brothers (show)

Shoes: Always Sneakers

1st time in parks: 21 (I was in the Navy)

Water Park: Typhoon Lagoon (Never been to Blizard Beach)
Souv: Figment

Snack: ICECREAM any time any where. ( I like those Dole whips too Jake)
Alie likes that they haver McDonalds French Fries

And adding; Who is your favorite Characture?

 

[saratogagirl]

Hi

Favourite Characters - Chip and Dale

Whats your favourite Resort ?

Linda just took a sneaky peek at your next years gathering and it looks like Brenda will be at Saratoga the same time as us this year, and also at MNSSHP on the 24th, my like seemsto be full of coincidences this year and is getting weirder !!

 

[Lindy Loo]

Hi MJ

Fav character
Wayne Snow white ( apparently she was very verry pretty, at the castle )
Me Minnie mouse
Elouise Capt Hook ( only cos shes dressed as him as I type)
It changes every second!!


Jules, perhaps its "FATE" you and Ian book the 7 nighter.??????

Glad you are ok with the table decs, wont be much, but we thought it would be fun. But with E being the only kid, didnt want to make your table "tacky." or "kidish"..................... although i hope we can all be kidish" at some times on the cruise.

 

[Lindy Loo]

from Elouise xxxx

 

[SparKeLLy]

Oh boy, now I need to catch up again

My favorite character: Tinker Bell
Jacob's favorite: Donald

So far we've only stayed at Pop Century which is fantastic....but my "favorite" resort that I really want to stay at is the Polynesian. Hoping to stay either there or the Contemporary next year...the Boardwalk resorts look amazing too!

Favorite waterpark? Never been to either at Disney. We live near the Wisconsin Dells (Water Park Capital of the World) and we rarely go to those so it's not something we're interested in doing while at Disney.

My favorite souvenir is probably my Tinker Bell Music box and Miss Piggy tank top. And the stuffed Mickey & Minnie. I love stuffed toys even though they are just dust collectors once we get home!


Hello Elouise!

 

[Sue88]

Three cheers for Captain Elouise Hook
(She is much more fun than Barbosa!)
We will have so much fun on pirate night!

Thanks for the info on soarin Jules. It is good to hear that you like it even if you don't like the simulators. I do think I will try it when I get the chance.

I have so many favorite charectors that I can't narrow it down to one. Of the classic charectors I am a fan of Goofy.

 

[saratogagirl]

Sue

I was very nervous about Soarin, I am exactly the same as you simulators completely wipe me out !! I had to try Soarin as I had heard so much good about it, I was a newrvous wreck getting on though.

It is amazing, mind blowing I cant find words to describe it, first time we rode we were in the top road, we got off and waited 50 minutes to go straight back on, again in the top row, last time we rode I had a put cos we were in the bottome row - LOL, please try it you will love it ...

We've never stayed at Pop Kelly but would love to try.

Linda look at Wayne go - eyeing up Snow White, ha ha, I cant say anything Ian has a bot of a thing for Aeriel, I thing its those shells !!, plus she is a bit feisty ...

 

[Lindy Loo]

Hi all


Got my tickets today,should be all happy, but now VERY STRESSED!

We booked last Sep (05) with Jetsave, who use Virgin, we did this as we wanted a Virgin flight for the 32kgx2 per person lugguage ( not that we use it all, but we do take alot of stuff with us) Anyway in Feb Virgin announced that baggage allowance would be decreased to 23kg x 2 per person. for anyone who booked AFTER April 1st. I was panaicking and got my TA to double check we still got the bigger allowance. Anyway after LOTs of calls to Virgin Jetsave etc it was verbally confirmed and backed with an E mail from Virgin Cust Services , as we booked before 1st April our tickets would be 32kg x 2.

BUT, yep you guessed.............. ouor tickets say 23kg, not even 23kg x 2!

Ive been on phone for over an hour ( on a premium rate number!) to Virgin, who are not at all helpful. Jet save say thats what the standard amount is !!!! What.... no way.............!

Ive just measured the new hand lugguage size allowance on the Virgin web site ( while holding in a call, I HATE those stupid music sounds thay pay, while on hold!!!) and guess what, our hand lugguage is just a few cms too big ! So looks like we need to get a new bag! On a good note our camera bag is ok!

Tried also to ask Virgin about lip balm, one person said NO, one said maybe ????

Thanks for letting me moan.................. this is getting soooo stressful.

Wayne says, dont worry pack as normal and go to Gatwick with E mail and they will HAVE to let us take it all, BUT I dont want all the hassle at the airport, cos if they say no, where do we put all the stuff we have to take out ???? The tickets clearly say only 23kgs!!! I supposed we pay excess baggage and then try and claim it back when we get home . I just wanted a smooth start to the holiday.

I need a

 

[saratogagirl]

Linda

Virgins Customer Service Department is appalling, I am seriosly thinking of not using them next year. You get to make your booking with a nice smiley British person, and then it all goes down hill. I have spent I dont know how long this year on hold, and trying to explain myself to people I can only assume are in a foreign call centre ... I have sent several mails of complaint to Virgin all to no avail. Next year I will fly with someone else from our local airport ....

We to have the same promise as you, as we booked last November, I have not had any tickets yet, so cannot comment on what I am being allowed.

I agree with Wayne, pack your cases using your 32kgs and take the e-mail with you, Virgin cannot be allowed to get away with what is quite frankly bad bad customer service.

Thanks for letting me vent to ...

 

[MJ5MOUSE]

Here is Pixiedust and hugs for Linda and Jules that the airlines honor their agreements and allow the luggage. I know that the Dis Magic will provide the incentive. How exciting to have your tickets I have been looking at the calendar trying to anticipate when my Doc might arrive.

My Fav resort that I have stayed in is AKL but I would love to try the Grand Floridian and the Wilderness Lodge

I will sure miss talking to everyone when you are all here or on your way and we can't chat everyday for the week or two prior to our sail date. But it will be cool to know that you are near by enjoying Orlando

 

[saratogagirl]

Thanks for the pixie dust Jane, I had to have my little rant, honestly you would not believe the way that Virgins customer service had deteriorated over the years, I started flting with them in 1992 and they were wonderful, but lately there are real issues ...

 

[Sue88]

That is very distressing that the airline is changeing things when you had everything in order already! Sorry to hear of your trouble and stress.

That is so true Jane. We will want to chat more the closer the cruise gets and we will miss those who will not be posting in early October.
Linda and Jules, What day(s) are you leaving to start your holidays?? I am sure you have already said but I don't remember.

 

[saratogagirl]

Hi Sue

It is very frustrating, especially for Linda who now has the tickets in front of her !!

We fyy out on the 13th of October, so we will be chatting nearly until the day of the cruise !!

 

[Lindy Loo]

We fly on Sat 7th ( Kellys wedding day! )

But I will be chatting right up to 5pm Friday night when we drive to my parents ( 20 min away from airport!)
We fly at 12.30 noon on the Sat getting to Orlando mid late pm.

Cos of all the security issues we have to check in by 8.30am. No probs for us as I THOUGHT I could check in online, like last yea. NO, cos we booked with Jet save, who did a block booking, on line check in cant be done ! Great! They sell all this when you book, take your money, then say the "perks" cant be done
So looks like we will be at airport about 7.30 am and in a BIG queue. Still on the up side, we will be on our way!!

No pressure, but Sue and MJ and jules, you will have the IMPORTANT task of keeping us on the front page

Still no reply from TA as to weight of suitcases.

 

[SparKeLLy]

That is a major stress about the luggage.

I'm worried a bit myself that my very much advertised carry-on size case that I bought recently will be too big for the overhead bins, it seems so large!

It's awful to hear that Virgin has such poor customer service these days. I remember in college for marketing classes we watched a whole documentary on the Virgin company and Richard Branson about the great marketing and customer service they had.

We don't leave until early the 11th, so I'll be able to chat through most of the day on the 10th. You'll get a sneak peek at wedding pictures!

 

[saratogagirl]

Can't wait to see the piccies Kelly.

I think Richard Branson is a great man, very much admire all he has achieved, the biggest mistake that seems to have been made is placing Virgin Customer Services dept in a foreign country, I assume for cost cutting reasons, I am not all racist but they have difficulty in understanding me, and I have difficulty understanding them, this is a topic that has come up many times on the DIS UK boards. One of the most infuriating things and please excuse while I vent, is that when they answer the phone, they say Good Morning Virgin holidays "insert name" speaking, how can I help, they all give the most obviously British name you can think of, when it is obvious that people in these countries could not pssibly have the names that they use, it infuraites me that Virgin think we are naive enough to believe that these people are based in the UK.

 

[MJ5MOUSE]

I went looking for your friend Brenda's trip report since Linda and Jules were talking so much about her. I found it interesting that she had so many negatives concerning sailing right after drydock. Nothing that ruined her trip, but she did say she would not choose to sail out of drydock again. I will get to experiance this first hand from both sides. Our Wonder cruise will be right out of drydock and my RCCL trip will be right before the Mariner goes in.

 

[MJ5MOUSE]

Mike, Jen, Val, Belinda, Tammy, and ecramer22 (sorry, don't know you real name)

Are you still out there somewhere?

How bout you Alie? Check in sometime.

 

[Sue88]

Poor Linda! I know that it must be very frustrating. It is a bit funny about the foreign speaking people using names that they would not naturally have. I would probably laugh when they said their name!

I am happy to know when everyone is flying. I wrote it on my calendar here at work so that I can think about each of you as you depart! I am flying early on the 12th. I probably wont post much on the 11th because I will be home packing and fixing food that my husband can easily microwave while I'm away!

I will be eagerly awaiting the wedding pictures Kelly!

Jane, we will be wanting a report on the Mariner cruise. And lots of photos too.