October 16, 2008 3 night

[ndepaola]

Hi there everyone.

We'll be joining you so thought I'd pop in and say hello. This will be our second Disney cruise, but our first time on the Wonder.

We have a fish extender (which I FORGOT to pack for our 7 day cruise in April!!!), so I'm up for doing Fish gifts if anyone is interested. We can pull that together when we get a bit closer to sailing...I'm also happy to pass along the info for the woman who custom made our Fish Extender, if anyone is either un-crafty or time-impaired like me!

We did the REAS package last time, and ate at Palo (dinner, brunch and afternoon tea) and went to the Rainforest Room, and the Margarita tasting, and the galley tour, so I'm happy to answer questions, if you have any. No kids, so I can't help you out with those questions.

 

[Smiley22]

Try and Try again Yeah I finally figured how to fix the countdown clock. Guess i was using the wrong format.

Welcome ndepaola!! Thought we were the only ones going on the cruise without kids. We are just big kids at heart though.

What is are your thoughts on the REAS?? I am thinking I may add that to our trip today. Anniversary and all thought it may be fun and one way to make the trip a little more special. We are also thinking about the Wine tasting etc. Any tips would be helpful.

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Hi there everyone.

We'll be joining you so thought I'd pop in and say hello. This will be our second Disney cruise, but our first time on the Wonder.

We have a fish extender (which I FORGOT to pack for our 7 day cruise in April!!!), so I'm up for doing Fish gifts if anyone is interested. We can pull that together when we get a bit closer to sailing...I'm also happy to pass along the info for the woman who custom made our Fish Extender, if anyone is either un-crafty or time-impaired like me!

I hope I don't sound too dumb.....however I have no idea what a fish extender is. This is going to be our first cruise so I'm still learning all the in's and out's of crusing.

 

[brucechase]

No such thing as too dumb for a question. I've spent way too much time here on the disboards, that's the only reason I know about these things. Basically it is a small bag that you hang from the fish that is right outside your door. People on the cruise meet boards get together and leave little (inexpensive) prizes in the pockets (usually for the children - but not always). The prizes are sometime Disney themed, or local area related, but only limited by your imagination. It makes for a great surprise sometimes. It's just another thing to make the cruise a special occasion for all involved.

You can see all kinds of stuff in this thread, but it is a long read.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1219607

 

[ndepaola]

REAS: I booked this last time for a couple of reasons - You get to book not only Palo, but also everything else at 105 days out from sailing. We were first time cruisers, so this was a huge difference over the usual 75 days out. This time, as repeat cruisers, the window opens at 90 days, so we'll be ok. I really wanted to enjoy my first day on the boat (fyi - "It's a ship, not a boat. Its not a boat, its a ship..." ) so even without the added things it was worth the money to be able to book everything we wanted in advance and avoid the scramble for reservations at embarkation.

You also get dinner at Palo with a bottle of wine (we got champagne), passes to the Rainforest room, a free photo (which we never even used - bad bad cruisers), 2 waffle bathrobes (nice but I didn't use them on the cruise since I wanted to wash them before wearing), and a travel ice bucket. One morning you can get champagne breakfast delivered to your stateroom and one night they do a romantic turndown service - rose petals everywhere.

Overall - I thought it was a great way to celebrate our first ever cruise and I recommend it.

2. FEs - exactly right - pockets that you hang on the decorative fish outside your stateroom door. Everyone who wants to participate gives out their stateroom number and we all exchange small gifts. Some people gave out pirate gear. One person made CDs. I gave out Cayman Islands ornaments/souveneers. It was a lot of fun - even though I had left my FE at home.

 

[brucechase]

Only a couple more weeks to make the final payment. Does anyone else wait to the last minute like me or am I the only one?

 

[zulaya]

Well, we used DVC points so we had to "pay up" at time of booking...

 

[Smiley22]

We are all paid up, Palo reservations made and thinking about when we can squeeze in Vista Spa services. We are going to WDW world for a couple of days after the cruise and we havent made reservations for that yet. Still trying to decide which hotel to try this time. Has anyone stayed at Coronado Springs??

 

[ndepaola]

I wasn't awake at midnight, so I logged on at 7:30 this morning and saw that Palo was...


WIDE OPEN?!?


Guess there aren't a lot of repeat cruisers coming along? Well, works for me. Booked Palo and the Catamaran/snorkeling excursion on Nassau.

 

[brucechase]

Great, maybe I can get book some things since I am a first time cruiser. Should I get up at midnight to do the booking?


One last thing, it looks like they changed the depart time for Nassau again. It started out at 7:30pm then went to 5:00pm and now it's back to 7:00pm. This might change some of my plans .

 

[Kyneburg]

I'm on the October 16th trip, also. Myself and the 13yearold niece. First time on a Disney cruise. Hi, y'all.

 

[brucechase]

Just the 2 of you?!?!?

I see that you are right outside Savannah. I lived there for a couple of years but I'm currently in Augusta. We plan on going down the day before since our children are out of school for a fall break. Are you going down the day of?

 

[ndepaola]

Welcome to the DIS Boards!

I'm sure you'll learn a lot just floating around the threads. If you have any questions, we're here.

So, do you automatically win best relative ever, taking your 13 year old niece on a cruise!?!

 

[brucechase]

Is anyone thinking of going to Atalntis by way of the Comfort Suites? I am seriously considering this but there are 5 of us and that would mean 2 rooms. If someone with 3 or more than 4 are doing this I would consider splitting the cost for the 2nd room. Is anyone else thinking of doing this for our cruise?????

 

[zulaya]

I'm thinking about it, but I'm leaning towards not even getting off the boat and having it all to myself. All the reports I've read make it sound like more hassle than I want to deal with to be at Atlantis - whether directly through DCL or the Comfort Suites.

 

[Kyneburg]

Just the 2 of you?!?!?

I see that you are right outside Savannah. I lived there for a couple of years but I'm currently in Augusta. We plan on going down the day before since our children are out of school for a fall break. Are you going down the day of?

We are driving down the morning of. We only have a long weekend for fall break, so we just have the four days we need for the cruise.
The niece has never been on a cruise, so I decided "Why not?!" I need a break and she's a good kid! So,...

 

[Kyneburg]

Welcome to the DIS Boards!

I'm sure you'll learn a lot just floating around the threads. If you have any questions, we're here.

So, do you automatically win best relative ever, taking your 13 year old niece on a cruise!?!

Thanks for the welcome!
I've already picked up some really useful information.

"Best relative ever"--in some eyes, maybe--However, I've also gotten a few "What are you Thinking!?!" Seriously, she's a great kid and my only niece (no nephews, either). So, yeah, I spoil her--That's my job in this family tree and I'm pretty good at it!!

 

[farscape]

The family just returned Sunday from a fantastic cruise to the Mexican Riviera on the Magic.

There we be only two of us 1st time cruising on the Wonder in October - Diane (47) and me (52).

We are really looking forward to Castaway Cay, Toy Story and Palo (didn't have a chance on the Magic).

Still trying to decide what to do in the Bahamas. I have been there once but Diane has not. We would just like to walk around Atlantis to view the casino and the grounds. I believe this is possible without any admission fee?

We had a great group of DISboard members on the Magic and although it is a shorter trip, hope for the same on the Wonder.

Cheers!!!

farscape aka Roy - Southern California

 

[brucechase]

Roy and Diane, welcome to our little discussion. Glad to see that there are more people going. Was your previous cruise a 7 day out or Cal.? I don't know if I could do a 7 day then a 3 day, it would almost seem like a letdown (even though you can't have a bad time on a Disney cruise). There really isn't a lot to do in Nassau (from what I read), I do think that you can walk around Atlantis a little but you won't see it all without paying. I'm still thinking of doing the full Atlantis bit or just staying on the ship. I'm torn between the 2 options.

Have a good trip traveling across the country for this cruise. Are you doing the parks before or after or just flying in for the cruise? Others will be able to give better advice since this is my first cruise.

 

[farscape]

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the welcome.

We had actually booked the 3 Day Wonder trip first, thinking that would be our first DCL cruise.

However, Disney Magic only comes to the West Coast like every 3 to 5 years although there are rumors that it may be stationed permanently on the West Coast in the future. So we could not pass up the opportunity to take the kids on a DCL cruise without flying across the country to do it.

Since we spent a great deal of the 7 days keeping track of the kids and taking them on shore excursions, the 3 day Wonder trip will allow us to do what we want so we are looking forward to it.

Yes, we own at OKW & BCV and will be extending our trip for another few days after the cruise.

Cheers!!!