One thing you wish you'd known

[clarabelle]

1)I agree with Zebra stripes- I wished I had shopped a little- I missed out on the 50$ on board credit.

2)Have sunglasses for everyone including the kids for the lifeboat drill- we were all facing a glare.

3) Again if you have kids- let them wear their swimsuits when boarding then one parent can take them swimming and the other make reservations and you don't have to cram into a bathroom stall trying to change.

I know that is 3 -I couldn't help myself

 

[GenieDana]

I wish I knew when the Florida residents rates were going to be for 2004! Does anyone know?

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I wish I had known how great Palo was! We didn't go on our first cruise, and then when we did go on the second we were kicking ourselves for not going the first time!

 

[@GoofyNut]

Don't try and do or see everything available and not leave enough time to RELAX!

Browse the DISBoards and make some friends before you board the ship. You'd be real surprised how much more fun you'll end up having.

 

[SFed]

Remember, the first day is part of the cruise, particlulary on a three or four night one. I cannot stress enough how much better it is to get to Port Canveral (or at least Orlando) the night before the cruise. You can then have a leisurely morning and get to the terminal early to be first in line - it is pretty cool to be the first family on the ship. We used to live about 5 hours from the Port and did the drive the morning of the first two. After that we decided to try going down early and it is so much better.

...and don' t miss Palo.

 

[dianedisney]

#1...Arrive the day before, as others have recommended. You don't want to loose a whole day of fun due to fatique.

#2...Take massive amounts of pictures. You will get home and wish you have gotten that one shot you didn't take.

#3...Only let Disney braid the hair. On the islands their sanitation rules and ours are two totally different things. Have had clients come home with; head lice, scalp rash, severe dandriff. Even using your own comb doesn't protect you from their filty hands. Remember...bactria is invisible to the naked eye.

#4...Over packing is very easy to do.

#5...Relax, enjoy and don't stress on minor things. If you use the internet alot, get the unlimited time for approx. $90.00, you will be glad you did.

#6...If you get unlimited internet, be sure and post "Live" reports. We love those.

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Hi dianedisney.

Remember...bactria is invisible to the naked eye.

Yes, beware of where you walk in Northern Afghanistan...






PS:

Usage: geographical name
1 : district N Afghanistan corresponding closely to ancient Bactria
2 : or ancient Bac.tra /'bak-tr&/ town N Afghanistan capital of ancient Bactria

 

[dianedisney]

ha ha...funny funny....so I wasn't a finalist in the National Spelling Bee.

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by dianedisney
ha ha...funny funny....so I wasn't a finalist in the National Spelling Bee.

But Verandahman was! Ask him how to spell "cruisin'"!

Rae

 

[Leigha]

I wish I'd known my own pictures were going to come out blurry for some reason. I wish I'd spent the money on at least one good picture from Shutters. The Cast Members were so great to take our pictures and I hadn't had trouble with the camera before - I wish I'd known.....

 

[TeensMom]

They are going to take a family picture as soon as you walk on board - if you are each carrying 2 bags or toting a wheelie bag, you are going to look like a family of packhorses. We did.

You don't have to buy the photo package the first few days - wait to see if there will be enough (or any) pictures you want to purchase. If you have young kids and they participate in the activities, there will probably be a lot. If you have older kids, or it is just you and spouse, you may waste your money. Find your pictures each day and group them - they may move them but they won't throw them away. The special posed pictures (with characters, captain or in front of backdrops) aren't part of the package. You buy them separately.

 

[rae519]

The main reason I opt to splurge and get my pictures developed by Shutters! At least if one of mine don't come out, maybe I can get a similiar one of theirs or try for the same shoot (often impossible, I know!)

Rae

 

[timbuktu]

1. over the door organizer is a must. i thought it was a stupid purchase but it is a life saver in the small bathrooms.

2. go to matinee live performances when you can

3. I would skip the spa treatments. Not worth the chaotic 1st day appointment making. They are very expensive and staff are very pushy about selling you their lotions and oils etc. If you want spa treatments get them in your hometown for 1/2 the price.

4. Hope you get lucky enough to see Kacey Cummings as Belle in "Remember the magic" show.

5. Don't stress out about being first off ship for Castaway Cay. Plenty of chairs all over the place and you don' t have that long there to be staying still very long.

6. Go to Animator's Pallet without grandious expectations. The presentation is great but did not overwhelm the senses like I had heard.

Have A Great Trip

 

[dclwdwlover]

Don't know if this happens (ed) to anyone else, but my video camera wouldn't stay on the majority of our trip. Wanted the horn 'oh so bad' & missed it! If I had known the simple solution to the problem BEFORE we got home I would be much happier now.
Turns out that with the extreme coolness inside the ship with the air conditioning & then taking your video cam. outside into the humidity it shuts the whole thing down. They say to bring it out 1/2 hr. to 1 hr. before trying to use it. Must be - didn't have a problem before the cruise or since.

 

[ohiominnie]

Originally posted by timbuktu
6. Go to Animator's Pallet without grandious expectations. The presentation is great but did not overwhelm the senses like I had heard.

dh will be glad to hear this. we knew about Animator's Palate LONG before we even toyed with the idea of taking a cruise. So we get there, enjoy most of our dinner, and our 6 yr old announces he has to go potty --#2! He turns the bathroom into a social gathering, discussing tile patterns, the way the toilet paper comes off the roll....anything!! So during the climax of the AP show, dh was trapped in a bathroom with ds, and I kept craning my head around to find out WHEN oh WHEN were they getting back?? dd is the only one who really sat back and watched the show!

dd and ds returned just as the show was over!

so lesson learned?? don't take a 6 yr old with full bowels to AP!

 

[disneydeb]

just came back from 3rd disney cruise, here is what i have learned:

1-if you plan to do excusions , book them before you leave home, i thought it would be no problem booking them once on board but i only got my excursion in grand cayman, not cozumel or key west, very disappointed, as we were trying for the glass bottom boat excursions as daughter is pregnant and just thought it would be easier on boat with bathrooms and food and air conditioning , the only one we got was ther one to stingray city i swore next time i'm booking excursions before we leave home!!!!!

2-get a room with a verandah, had 3 inside staterooms and with growing family there is nothing like a little fresh air

3-seven day cruises are the way toi go

4-remember your sea bands

5-go the night before, we always stay at hyatt at airport gives us time to shop and relax and eat , then we just go up to room and before you kjnow it its 930am and time to go.to ship

6- we also did not hurry for anything, we took a leisurely pace we didnt feel rushed, we didnt get pushed, and we still saw and did everything else everyone else did,

7-i think whoever said dont do the spa is right , did it twice very expensive, they were kinda ruff, im delicate as im sure alot of other people are, and they did try to push the products,actually the hair salon for highlighting was verry good, but the manicureswere not that great for what you pay, and im not cheap, i spend a lot of money on trips and vacations, and souvineers,

8-bring extra money for rebooking cruises , you can get some great in board credits for next trip i did

9- have fun , you will

 

[aprilgail2]

Bring Bonine, don't trust the sea bands will work for you, many many people get no relief from seasickness using just those.
I agree with not rushing off the ship for Castaway Cay, there were empty seats all over for most of the day.

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

as daughter is pregnant

Congratulations, "Grandma-to-be" disneydeb!

 

[rae519]

Hey, a Grandma in the making!!!!
How wonderful!

Best wishes to you and your daughter!!!!!!

What a great way to start a morning with this kind of positive and upbeat news!!!!!!

HURRAH!

Rae

 

[b&bdiscruisers]

I totally disagree with "don't do the spa treatments". I've gone on 4 cruises, and have had total body massages (back of legs, front of legs, feet, back, and arms.) It was well worth the money and when you don't include the facial they don't try to sell you the products. The secret to making the appointments is upon boarding the ship (and get to the terminal early in order to get in line early) go straight to the Vista Spa to make appointments. That is what my daughter & I did on the May 17 cruise this year & there was NO one there in front of us. Making the appointments was a breeze & we got the times that we wanted. I scheduled 3 massages & my daughter scheduled 4 or 5. Obviously we thought it was worth it! As for getting the treatments in your hometown, how many of us ever find the time to do that? A vacatiion is the perfect time & place to treat yourself.