October 27, 2007 - Cruising around the Moon - A Magical All Hallows Eve

[vital]

OK, panic setting in!

I'm a single mom and have to save all year for our yearly vacation. I'm having some thoughts on booking this cruise! I'm going to number my thoughts so it'll be easier for y'all to reply to them. I'm sort of a second-guesser so I need some help from you gals (and guys if I've missed any)!

1. Is it really worth the extra money? I keep seeing other cruises for almost
half the price of this one. I know we'll love it once there, but would it be
as good on another ship?

2. If I did do another cruise at this time of year, would there be any kids on
that boat? I know Disney will be packed with kids year round, but what
about the others?

3. Should I do the extra day before or after the cruise? I know I've already
asked this but since I'm about to put down deposit, I'm having second
thoughts. Told you I worry!

4. Will I like an inside cabin? I've cruised 4 times and have had ocean view so
I could see out in the morning. I guess I'm spoiled.

5. Should I book for July instead? I really want to do Halloween b/c it's my fav
time of year and hurricane season will almost be over.

6. Will my big a## be ready for a bathing suit by then? OK, this one is for fun,
but can't you tell I'm a worrywart!

7. Should I do the land/sea package to be at WDW for the Halloween party? I
love to cruise and I don't know if 3 nights would be long enough for me. DS
will be 8 then and I'm afraid he'll want to try the thrillers again and one day
at MK won't be enough.

8. Should I buy a park hopper pass for the one day we're there if I don't do
the land/sea and try to cram as much in as possible? DS just wants to do
POTC ride for now.

9. Am I freaking out b/c I don't have anything else planned right now? This is
the only thing I have to focus on at the moment.


I think I already know all the answers but I like to get reassurance from others! Being a single mom, I like for our vacations to go as trouble free as possible so we can have good memories!

I'm really a fun person and once my mind is made up I'm layed back and take things as they come. I just need to get all the worrying out and put my deposit down. I don't know if you can rearrange ressies once deposit is made so it'll be my final decision!

 

[Hockeychic]

Good morning everyone.

Yupper I cruised last October....it was hot hot hot. Weather was absolutly beautiful.

I can give you my opinion on some of your answers.

1) I think with a 8 year old, if they like disney it is definatley worth the money. We cruised Carnival just DH and I a few months after we did disney and couldn't stop comparing the little things that disney did that made it so special. But again, if you aren't a disney fan it probably isn't worth it.

2) There was tons of kids on our Oct cruise last year. I am cruising on Carnival this year in Oct so I can let you know if there is alot of kids. We only picked Carnival as this is the week my kids get a 1 week school break and Disney was doing East and we wanted West.

3) DD and I are probably staying at Disney the night before and either renting a car to get to port or getting a town car. But we will not hit the parks just probably DTD. I found last year we had 3 days at disney parks before the cruise and we kind wished them away to get on the ship.

4) On disney I had a inside, Carnival I had oceanview and this Oct I have a balcony. Next March I have a inside and this Disney cruise I have a inside. I had no problem with a inside, I felt safer not having to worry about the kids playing on the balcony...even though mine are much older...16 and 13 then. There is so many activities we only where in our room to eat, shower and change. Disney has a channel on the TV that shows you outside so you can check weather, if we are in port etc.

5) July will be much more expensive and you have more of a risk (I think) of hurricanes, although last year we cruised a few days after wilma, hurricanes are usually done by the end of October.....plus none of us are on that cruise....so you will miss having foo foo drinks and Palo with us

6) I am hoping to lose 30 more pounds by this Oct, I haved lost 30 so far but still a ways to go....but that would be the least of my worries.

7) We are considering the Halloween party on the Friday night. We did it last year and it was great....never waited for a ride but we did a Tues night I think. Friday will be busier but it was still alot of fun. I have done a 7 and 5 nighter and even the 5 nighter wasn't enough....7 is perfect.

8) If you go to the Halloween party you can do POTC...park hopper for 1 day might be a bit nerve racking.....just my opinion

I don't think I missed anything........

I think you should go ahead and book.....so you get your preferred cabin and dining time. You have until July or August to cancell without penalty so I say GO FOR IT.

You will love it!!! And so will DS. The only time I could force my kids to hang with us with at dinner and they where always trying to take off before dinner. Except lobster night...I ended up leaving before DH and DS....

 

[Kimmielee]

1. Is it really worth the extra money? I keep seeing other cruises for almost
half the price of this one. I know we'll love it once there, but would it be
as good on another ship?

Yes, I think it is worth the extra money or I would be taking Noah on another cruise line. It's the extra special Disney touches. The fact that the characters make appearances in the clubs and they have an amazing graduation ceremony that they get to be on the stage with Mickey and pals at the end. As Noah grows older or if he loses interest in the clubs then I'm off to another cruise line because of cost.

I'm a single Mom too... with no child support to be seen, ever... and I save hard to play hard and take amazing vacations. I think we'll cruise at least a few more times before Noah is over the Disney touches and then we'll switch to RCCL.

2. If I did do another cruise at this time of year, would there be any kids on
that boat? I know Disney will be packed with kids year round, but what
about the others?

I haven't sailed this time of year, so this one is hard for me to answer.

3. Should I do the extra day before or after the cruise? I know I've already
asked this but since I'm about to put down deposit, I'm having second
thoughts. Told you I worry!

Due to flying in on Friday evening before our cruise, I put the extra day at the end so we could go to MK on Saturday evening AND Noah will still only miss 5 days of school and I take only 5 vacation days. If I put the extra day first, that increases to 6 for each of us.

4. Will I like an inside cabin? I've cruised 4 times and have had ocean view so
I could see out in the morning. I guess I'm spoiled.

I can't answer an inside cabin either... I am super spoiled and must travel with a verandah... however, if I couldn't swing the extra money and it meant being able to cruise or not, I'd take an inside cabin because you spend so very little time in your room!

5. Should I book for July instead? I really want to do Halloween b/c it's my fav
time of year and hurricane season will almost be over.

I, personally, wouldn't cruise from June to mid Oct. due to how hot it is and how worried I am about hurricanes. With that said, plenty of others do but I think another thing you will find is the prices are more expensive in the summer due to kids being out of school. It's one of the motivators for me to cruise over Halloween. It's also our favorite time of year, the weather has been gorgeous for us in FL when visiting WDW two years in a row in mid to late October in '03 and '04 but I cancelled our '05 WDW trip to be able to afford the April '06 Spring Break prices. Hurricane Wilma (I think it was her) would have been there had I kept our original WDW world plans.

The Captain will divert the ship based on weather, if need be. I'm not concerned that a hurricane will be a worry in late October! There is a first for everything, but I'd rather be on a ship that can be diverted than stuck in WDW in a hotel room!

6. Will my big a## be ready for a bathing suit by then? OK, this one is for fun,
but can't you tell I'm a worrywart!

You are a funny woman. Let me tell you... I am not a thin barbie doll, not by any means. I am overweight, wear a size that starts with a 2 and doesn't end there!!! I never felt out of place, judged or concerned that I didn't fit in. I hope to lose weight too, but if I don't... I am what I am and I'm still me... In the "Devil wears Prada" there is a comment that a 4 is the new 2 and a 2 is the new 0. The actress Anne Hathaway says "I'm a 6" and he tells her that's the new 14. I thought to myself... oh my, what does that make me now?

7. Should I do the land/sea package to be at WDW for the Halloween party? I
love to cruise and I don't know if 3 nights would be long enough for me. DS
will be 8 then and I'm afraid he'll want to try the thrillers again and one day
at MK won't be enough.

This is a tough one. We've been to WDW three time in the past 4 years so we've had lots of time for rides, etc... IF you haven't visited in a while and your son loves the rides, I might consider the Land/Sea but would do it the other way around and do 4 nights on the cruise, 3 at WDW. I'd also review prices for the Land/Sea as stated on the web site and then try to put a package together, yourself, separately. Depending on your cabin choice and the resort choice, you may be able to put a package together that is less expensive. For example, I don't think the values are put with cruise packages. I could be wrong though... check it out!

My problem with the Land/Sea combo is that I'd want to take the Land portion AFTER (due to the timing of the 4 night cruise being Sunday to Thursday) because of the positioning of the time off for Noah and myself. Keeping it in ONE week vs. spreading it out into two work weeks. That's me though... some love to travel on week days and I hear airfare is cheaper! Also, many others will tell you do the land first because the cruise is sooo relaxing. So, if traveling Thursday to Thursday works for you.... then land first/cruise after would be great!

I'd suggest the 4 night simply because of the extra day at sea to explore the ship and enjoy the weather.

8. Should I buy a park hopper pass for the one day we're there if I don't do
the land/sea and try to cram as much in as possible? DS just wants to do
POTC ride for now.

I'm buying a straight ticket and only doing MK. By the time we are at the Poly, checked in and ready to head to the park, I think there will only be time to do one park. It's another reason we are staying at the Poly to be close to MK and be able to stay until the park closes and have a quick trip back to the hotel!

9. Am I freaking out b/c I don't have anything else planned right now? This is
the only thing I have to focus on at the moment.

This, my dear, only you can answer... what about a "mini trip" this fall or early spring next year to break up the wait?

I think I already know all the answers but I like to get reassurance from others! Being a single mom, I like for our vacations to go as trouble free as possible so we can have good memories!

I'm really a fun person and once my mind is made up I'm layed back and take things as they come. I just need to get all the worrying out and put my deposit down. I don't know if you can rearrange ressies once deposit is made so it'll be my final decision!

I had huge doubts with my first cruise. It started out as the 7 night EASTER (April 15, 2006) cruise that was outrageously expensive. Almost $6K for Noah and I. Then I panicked and changed to a 7 night the next week.... still quite expensive and then lowered it to a 4 night. It was because Spring Break pricing from March to April was very high priced... I should have switched to this Halloween instead. So... I ended up with a 12 day dream vacation and spent over $6k anyway by the time I paid hotel, park tickets and dining. Keep in mind that the cruise includes your food and that is one of the most expensive parts of WDW. I wish I had stuck with my original plan since I ended up spending so much anyway!

I hope these answers help you and don't think twice about asking questions! I found the cruise to be the best single mom's vacation out there because we do get some "alone time" to do adult things. I LOVED it and can't wait!

 

[Kimmielee]

Good morning everyone.

Good Morning Kim2! What's on deck for today? Anything fun planned?
Congrats on the weight loss.... I can only hope for such good results! How are you doing it?

 

[Hockeychic]

Not sure what I am doing today......I have a spare bedroom that I have been throwing things in for my vacation and it is a mess so I might get in there and straighten it out and see what I still need to buy....

Or I might chill by the pool Oh ya and have to go grocery shopping, kids are whining there is no food in the house....which what that means is nothing I can just throw in my mouth...they actually have to cook....lol

I am not doing anything special to lose weight. I have tried every fad diet under the sun and recently I was told i have high cholesteral and to get that down without going on pills I have to eat better and excercise and that is what I have done. Sounds so simpe eh?? I am not perfect all the time but even if I want McDonalds, instead of the Big Mac combo I get a happy meal...just little changes but I go for long walks.

Kim2

 

[Kimmielee]

Hey Kim2 - is there a lot of the cruises on your Halloween 2006 cruise going on this one? I was lurking over there to see what t-shirt designs they came up with... and saw a couple of our cruisers doing the 2006 one too! Unless... they posted on the wrong year?

 

[Hockeychic]

I cruised on the Oct 2005 one. I am going on Carnival for Oct 06. Disney was going Eastern and we wanted Western. No one that I cruised with in 05 is on the 07 one that I know of. The people I cruised with in 05 where great to chat with, we spent time on board with some people but not alot, because it was our first cruise we spent alot of time checking things out.

I know one of the girls my DD met on the 05 cruise is on the 06 one but DD met her on the ship she didn't subscribe to Dis.

I will pop over and check it out.

Kim

 

[vital]

Thanks for your input. I'm going to book the cruise with y'all! I think I'm going to do WDW before the cruise. I like to have a day to get reacclimated to the real world before going back to work. I'm a nurse and have to listen to ppl complain all day so the day between vacation and work helps me out a lot! LOL .

I know we are going to have fun! I just have little freakouts before booking things. Spending a lot of money does that to me. You should've been around when I was deciding to get a car . My friends told me if I didn't get the car they were going to kill me. So, I got the car and LOVE it.


Thanks again for the support and feel free to kick me in the butt if I start freaking out again!

 

[Hockeychic]

Kim1 I went back and read through a few pages and none of the screen names are familiar.

I there more then 1 thread for that cruise???

SO glad you decided to stick with us. You will not regret it!!!!!! We will have alot of fun and your DS will love it!!!!


Kim

 

[Kimmielee]

Thanks for your input. I'm going to book the cruise with y'all! I think I'm going to do WDW before the cruise. I like to have a day to get reacclimated to the real world before going back to work. I'm a nurse and have to listen to ppl complain all day so the day between vacation and work helps me out a lot! LOL .

I know we are going to have fun! I just have little freakouts before booking things. Spending a lot of money does that to me. You should've been around when I was deciding to get a car . My friends told me if I didn't get the car they were going to kill me. So, I got the car and LOVE it.


Thanks again for the support and feel free to kick me in the butt if I start freaking out again!

Yeah Paula!!! I'm the same way.... and I'm in the middle of the new car decision process as well. OH MY - everyone is about ready to kill me too! I was deciding between a Saturn Vue and a VW Beetle Convertible... 'till I found out that there is only 5 cubic feet of trunk space in the Beetle... then I thought I had decided on the Vue and I picked up a consumer report that highly recommends the Jeep Liberty... GRRRRRR.

 

[Kimmielee]

Kim1 I went back and read through a few pages and none of the screen names are familiar.

I there more then 1 thread for that cruise???
Kim

XLT800 & his wife and LoriLuvsDisney.... the first and last person on our list!

 

[Kimmielee]

XLT800 & tchrmom with DS (15) and DD (12)
PJPoohbear & her Mom (59)
Love*2*Shop with DH, DS (Kyle - 8) and DD (Madison - 6) ***Celebrating Wedding Anniversary on 10/25 and Rachel's B-day on 10/29!!!
Kimmielee (aka Kim1)- with DS (Noah - 8) and Sarah (our sitter) ***Celebrating her 24th birthday on 10-24!
Hockeychic (aka Kim2) - with DD (15)
KimSue68 (aka Kim3) - with her DH, DS (6) and DD (4)
Babs417 - KimSue's Mom!
***KimSue68's Sister - with her DD (12), DS (8) and DS (4) and MIL too!
LoriLuvsDisney - with her DH, DD (12) and DS (10) ***Celebrating 25th Wedding Anniversary and DD's birthday on Halloween night!!!
Vital (aka Paula) with DS (Ethan - 8)

 

[Hockeychic]

From what I understand XLT800 and family is the sister and BIL of one of the ladies I cruised with last year. She has advised me they are on our cruise as well. Hopefully they come back to chat.

I also cruised with Love*2*shop. Rachel and her husband, Also very nice people. Hope she comes back to chat also.

Hi to everyone!!!!!! Come back and chat soon.

Kim2

 

[vital]

ok, now i'm getting excited! I just looked at pirate costumes for pirate night! Looks like I'm going to have to get to work on my big a##! Those pirate costumes are very revealing!

 

[vital]

we were close to being booted to page 2! Hope y'all are having a good weekend!

 

[Kimmielee]

ok, now i'm getting excited! I just looked at pirate costumes for pirate night! Looks like I'm going to have to get to work on my big a##! Those pirate costumes are very revealing!

I'm ordering one of the wench costumes for our local shop here in town. I didn't dress up last time, but this time.... I really want to!

 

[Hockeychic]

I wore a pirate costume last year it was fun. Don't worry about buying a bandana they give you a Pirates of the Carribean one.

It was such a nice night out DH and I went for a walk at 7....ended up stopping at a friends didn't get home until almost 11:30.....yikes....so I missed Big Brother....what happened.?????

 

[Babs417]

Its getting hotter in South Jersey. I want to be on the cruise now on the ship with the wind in my face.

 

[Kimmielee]

so I missed Big Brother....what happened.?????

We must rely on Penny... I missed it too! Oh Penny... did ya catch it???

 

[pjpoohbear]

Ok, after K won HOH, the house was real quite. All kind of shock by the BB6 celebration, they are still telling others that there is no BB6 alliance, yeah right!

Then there was a Food comp, and the new Pb&J is "slop" oatmeal maybe(?). There were two team of 6, two troughs of slop with plastic rats and they were tied in pairs, think barnyarn motif. They each had to retieve a rat with their mouths and bring it back, each pair took two turns. 1st team to twelve won. Nik, during her first turn brought back her own bandana, which had fallen into the slop instead of a rat. This caused BB6 w/ Nik and Danielle to lose and they will be on slop for the week, lol.

Chilltown made a pact with K to put up floaters next week if they win HOH, if K put up floaters this week, he bought it (it is the glass house HOH, all over again.) So the nominees are Diane and Nik. That was the end.

Pj

Ps. I really wasn't pay that much attention, really.