October 21st 2006 !!!!

[Jpoo]

Well, I got up at 430 am (EST) and the the reservation system would not allow my to book any resies. I kept getting error messages. Finally it popped up and said to call during business hours. yeah-right. i will try again in a couple of hours. congrats to everyone!

 

[Jpoo]

Tried again when I got to work. (this is a no-no) but I had success!! I got my palo dinner 10/24 and palo brunch 10/26!!! That's all I really was concerned about, so I am happy! We are doing non-Disney excursions. I am considering a spa treatment, but not decided yet.

 

[DisneyZell]

Just booked our Palo reservations too. We got brunch on Mon, the 23rd at 10:30 and dinner on the 24th at 7:30. We're doing excursions on our own, so didn't book any disney ones. We are so excited and can't wait. It's finally getting closer.

 

[suz72]

Congrats everyone on their Palo, spa, excursion ressies!

I need to sign up at 75 days out and with my luck, I won't be home that night! Bummer! I would like Palos on Sunday night...but I have 2 fall back options. If I can't do it online...I will just have to get to the port early.

I have emailed Nativeway about their Rays, Reef, and Rum Point excursion on Grand Cayman...haven't heard back yet. Not doing any DCL excurions.

Susan

 

[sunshinegirl]

I booked Palo for brunch on Sunday and the Rasul for Thursday morning. Now I'm looking at excursions. I really feel like we should take the kids to something off of the boat. I mean, it seems weird to go the whole way down there and not have them see a little culture. But then I worry that if I book something with the kids it will overlap with something they really want to do in the Lab like a character visit. Oh, the dilemma!!!

 

[tinkerfun]

Hi Sunshine girl,

Susan had a few good ideas about shore excursions that I checked out that don't require reservations:

at Key West, there is the Butterfly conservatory, located at 1316 Duval St. 1-800-839-4647 adults $10, kids $7.50. There is also an aquarium in Key West. We also enjoyed going to Kermit's Key Lime Shoppe , where Kermit stood outside looking like he was going to throw a pie at you. We picked up key lime water taffy, key lime lotion and some really refreshing key lime soda.

In Cozumel, you can take a taxi to Paradise Beach , I checked it out on their website and if I remember correctly it is $8 per person to use their chairs, umbrellas, showers, bathrooms, kayaks, water trampoline, etc. Maybe a few of us can plan to meet for this one and go together-it would be nice to share taxis and have a larger group hang out together at the beach to keep an eye on kids and items.

So you can still get out and check things out after you see what the kids might want to do for the day on board. Last time we went, the kids opted to stay on board while my dh & I checked out Key West. In Cozumel, we just took a taxi to the beach. The only excursion we had planned ahead of time was for Grand Cayman, and the ship went to Costa Maya instead!

Julie

 

[sunshinegirl]

Hey Julie,

That sounds like a really great idea! I figured that Key West would not be a place that I would be really psyched about taking the girls but that Grand Cayman and Cozumel might have some good opportunities. The Key Lime Shoppe sounds very cool though!

DH is saying that he wants to try some jet skis or something like that at CC. I am usually such a chicken but really want to make this trip fun for him. I'm thinking maybe one scheduled excursion that involves snorkeling? I saw that there is now a haunted ship at CC that you can snorkel around. Does anyone know anything about that?

 

[tinkerfun]

Ahh, the ship you are talking about is the Flying Dutchman, now located at Castaway Cay! It is not too far away from shore. For those who may not have seen Pirates of the Carribean 2, yet, it is the ship that Davy Jones sails.

Here is a link for more info on it: http://allearsnet.com/cruise/cr_news.htm#0705
And here are some phots:
http://allearsnet.com/cruise/ghostship.htm

My kids and I are really excited about it!
I heard if you rent a boat you could take it out there, I haven't heard if you can swim out to it though.

Last trip my son (7 at the time) and I spent quite a long time snorkeling at Castaway Cay. They give you little vest to wear that you can inflate a little or a lot and they have lifeguards around their snorkeling area. They have sunk items in the area to attract fish. It was a lot of fun and didn't require any reservations, you just head on out.

Julie

 

[J&ADisneyMom]

Hi everyone

Congrats on all of your reservations. I did mine this morning (made final payment Sat am but it wasn't processed until today). This is what I ended up with:

Sunday Palo's brunch
Monday Rasul
Tues Capt Marvins (made them back in March)
Wed hoping to go to Paradise Beach. There are four ships in port that day and we're the last ones in. I bet the beach will be crowded. The guys might do the Jeep Tour-has anyone taken it before?
Thurs vow renewal day and our anniversary. My wedding coordinator will make our spa ressies to have our hair done and we're eating at Palo's that evening.
Fri reserved our floats and bikes and are considering the banana boat

I also booked all of hotels (Thurs we're going to MNSSHP and staying on property, and in Cocoa Beach), bought our MNSSHP tickets, and booked our car rental for both legs. Now, I need to get airfare and we should be set!

I wanted to book the walking tour of Key West, but since I'm booked at Palo for 10, it won't allow my name to come up on the 1:15 tour with my family. Has anyone done a walking tour on their own? Mostly, we want to do the Key Lime place and cigar factory. Maybe I'll post on the cruise forum page and check with Shirley but I'm open to suggestions!

Thanks,
Shell

ps any suggestions on how to change our brunch ressies to 8 people (from 2) so that we can eat with our group?

 

[tinkerfun]

We just did our own walking tour when we were in Key West last time. As long as you know where you want to go. (We didn't know, just wandered around, and still had a good time-found the key lime shoppe, saw really big fish, a neat shop with a koi pond out back, interesting people and bars-it was fun)
Decided to add the rasul on the same day as our Palo brunch. After doing so, I wanted to see if I could move my brunch from 11am to 10:30am. But I couldn't check the times since I had already booked a brunch. So I CANCELLED my brunch to see if 10:30 was still available and it was NOT, just the 11am was (which was probably because I had just cancelled it!) so I hurried up and booked it again. I sure would have been mad at myself if I had lost it!!!
Julie

 

[DisneyZell]

Shell, I am also hoping to make our Palo brunch for 4 so we can enjoy it with friends who are coming with us but have never been on a disney cruise before. So, if anybody knows how to do it, let us know!

Thanks, Deanna

 

[msr709]

Hi Everyone!

I'm going on this cruise with my DSis and DBIL, just us three adults. Staying at the Hyatt on the Friday before, not going to WDW at all (which will be very hard for me, I'm the real DISney fan here) but trying to save some $. I'm in charge of making the ressies but its our first cruise, so no 90-day booking for us. I guess we have to wait to Aug. 7 to make online ressies. Not thinking so much about making excursions ressies since we want to make this a very relaxing type vacation. We all grew up in Puerto Rico, so we've seen a lot of the Eastern Caribbean, its Mexico we're looking forward to. Looking forward to doing some shopping and maybe a beach day. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated. And how is the weather that time of year? I remember it being like spring weather in P.R. but how is it in the Western Caribbean, I can assume its pretty much the same? Has a meet been planned yet? Hope to meet you all soon. Can't wait

 

[gottaluvpooh]

My family will be on this cruise. Myself - DH, DD and my MIL.

I have booked Palo brunch for Key West day and Palo dinner the last night of the cruise.

Haven't made many excursion res's except the sting ray at CC.
Will be staying on ship at Key West but looking for things to do in Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

 

[suz72]

DisneyZell : Deanna, Drew, ds8, ds4

Neighbors a la Zell: DH, DW, ds9, dd6

Jpoo: Jennifer, DH, ds9, ds5

Suz72: Susan, Jon, dd3, dd6

Cheryl N WI: Cheryl, DH, dd12

Nrslady: Tracy, DH, ds12

J & A Disney Mom: Shell, Tom, ds5, ds3

J & A Disney Mom: Mom and Dad

J & A Disney Mom: friends, DW and DH? and ds8, dd6

Tinkerfun: Julie, DH, dd11, ds9

Duane: Duane, Claudine, dd10

DVCKatie, Katie, DH, dd21

kecall: Karen, DH, dd9, dd13

abitjaded: Carla, Brad ds10, ds13

sunshinegirl: Tricia, DH, DD5, & DD3

msr709: & DSIS & DBIL

gottaluv & DH, DD, MIL

I added onto Carla's list...looks like we are growing...have I missed anyone?

 

[Belle17]

Hello everyone! Last year I finally convinced my parents that we need at least one very special vacation together before I graduate high school in spring 2007 - and I for one can't believe that we're really going on a cruise! None of us have ever been on a cruise before, and we've all been so busy with work, school, etc. that we hardly ever get to see all five of us at once. Even my brothers, who are constantly glued to their video games or at band practise and hardly get excited over anything, can't wait for the cruise. I believe the last time we had a genuine family vacation (as in, all five of us were together and had an awesome time) was when we went to Disney World six years ago. My parents are both very hard workers, and I think they deserve to have a nice break like this. Are there any other teen cruisers among us? I'm 17, and by cruise time my brothers will be 14 and 16. Since we live in south Florida, my brothers and I will be missing three and a half days of school (Thursday is a half day and Friday's off), but it is a sacrifice we are willing to make. ...and that's the only week this trip would be possible for all five of us.

Oh yes - I saw some posts on this thread about some people wondering where to get pirate costumes... Working on costumes in my school's drama department has taught me that the best place to get the absolute best costumes is your neighbourhood Goodwill or thrift store. My pirate costume for the pirate-themed night on the cruise consists of an old dark blue ankle-length skirt, pirate-perfect frilly white shirt, and a rust-red vest on top. Altogether it was under $7, and I love the way it all fits together. My mom and I are going to join forces to try to make Belle's gold/yellow dress for me to wear on at least one formal evening on the cruise, and I'll also wear it to the drama banquet at the end of the year. (Belle is my favourite Disney princess!) Take care, everyone!

 

[tinkerfun]

Welcome Belle17! Glad to have you and your family aboard. Thanks for the thrift store idea for Pirate Costumes.
Julie

 

[surf'un]

We just learned of this site from an experienced dcl friend. Just reading the entries has increased our excitement of the trip. Our family has ages 5, 7, 11, and 13. We also have Grandma coming with us. My Mom is wondering how it is being single on such a family cruise. We are eagerly anticipating this trip during the kids' fall break from school. What are the best times for Palo dinner and brunch reservations. We also can't make these online until 75 days prior to departure. We now have started to count down.

So glad to have joined together with other DC Folks!

Surf'un

 

[hank56]

I am new here so beg patience, times ticking down for the cruise and family is excited. I am wondering about maybe finding someone for my 12 and 13 yr old boys to hang with. No big deal but it would maybe be nice for them to look forward to meeting someone their ages. This is our second Disney cruise, and third overall so we know what to expect from the ship and ports just trying to enhance their experience.

 

[surf'un]

We would like to hook up with other families with kids our age. We have ds13, ds7, ds5, and dd11. We are new to this too.

Surf'un

 

[teamwilliams]

Hi everyone! I have been reading this forum for awhile now, getting more and more excited! Decided to officially add our names to the list of fun people we will be sailing with. This will be our first cruise and the first Disney experience for our daughters, ages 5 and 8. We will be traveling with my sister, BIL, and their kids. Their children are 5, 3, and 1. My parents will be along, too, as well as my FIL. This trip was booked last August so the cruise is finally getting closer! Is it too soon to start packing?!?