Our First Disney Cruise "Double Dip Delight" Pre-TR & TR September 27-October 4, 2008

[dismom73]

I know what you mean about the Disney merchandise. I just cleaned out my reciept folder today (all receipts kept there, target, wal-mart, home depot etc) I think more than half of it was Disney receipts You must be getting really excited! Compare to us (Oct 09) your cruise is right around the corner.

 

[anc22]

Pre-Cruise Plans: We reserve the right to (and probably will) change any and all of these plans at any time without warning and for no particular reason at all. Thank-you.

We used our Alaska Air miles to book our flights. We will fly from PDX to Seattle and then take the Red-eye from Seattle to MCO. So, we are leaving on Septmeber 24th, but won’t actually arrive in Florida until September 25th at 7:30 A.M.!! My whole thought process when choosing this flight was that my 3 year old DS has never flown and I am hoping that he spends most of the flight sleeping…though I am sure he has other plans .....we will see. He is definitely smart enough to know that there isn’t a whole lot that I can do to discipline him on a cramped airplane. I am sure that I will have enough funny stories and embarrassing moments to write a full TR just on the flight itself By the way, how do you give a kid a “time out” while on an airplane ……..Hmmmmmm.

I had originally booked a limo with FL Tours company for our ride to and from Port Canaveral. The cost was going to be $305.00 + 20% tip + a fee for a grocery stop. This was going to be a surprise to my family, but SURPRISE, it turns out I am having to cut costs a bit, so I ended up booking with Cocoa Beach Shuttle Service. A round trip shuttle ride will cost us about $150. I would have loved to have walked down to baggage and seen a limo driver holding a sign with our name on it though....... But, sacrifices will have to be made Pre-cruise, so we don't have to make them DURING the cruise.....if you know what I mean.... .... ....

We will be spending 2 full days and 2 nights at Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort and Waterpark in Cape Canaveral. I knew that we were going to be unable to visit the Parks while we are there. I know what your thinking.....how in the world could we come all the way across the country and not visit the parks??? , well, remember the whole cutting costs thing? So I tried to find a hotel with enough activities to keep us busy. Ron Jon has a large waterslide, lazy river plus swimming pools and hot tubs. There is also a movie theater which is also included in your stay . I had at first reserved a studio and then changed to a 1 bedroom as I wanted a balcony.

I am still unsure about how we will get to the port the morning of the cruise. I know that there is a shuttle from Ron Jon for an additional charge but I have also read that there is a limo/cab company that will pick you up in a limo from your C.C. hotel and take you to the port for $15, so we may end up getting our “limo fix” that way…………….is that like a 2 minute limo ride? "O.K. kids, hop into the limo for your very first limo ride! Now buckle your seat.....Oh.....O.k. kids we are here....wasn't that fun?"..........

Still to figure out:
Post cruise hotel
Excursions
Palo
Spa treatments
F.E. gifts
Secret Mickey

 

[nenner1]

Hoppin' on board your pre-trippie, Arin!!!

I just love reading about "us"

 

[anc22]

I am now officially Paid in Full!

I will be able to book Palo and other fun stuff next week on 6/13/2008.

One other thing, thanks to my newly aquired Disney Chase Visa, love it, I have changed our transportation to Cape Canaveral back to a limo! I am not telling my family though, so they will be really surprised. They are going to be so excited.

 

[Muushka]

I am now officially Paid in Full!

I will be able to book Palo and other fun stuff next week on 6/13/2008.

One other thing, thanks to my newly aquired Disney Chase Visa, love it, I have changed our transportation to Cape Canaveral back to a limo! I am not telling my family though, so they will be really surprised. They are going to be so excited.

6/13??? Are you cat 3 or above? I thought it was the 29th!!

PS I am enjoying reading your plans! See you soon.

 

[Mozart]

Did Arin spring for the Romance Escape at Sea package maybe?

Must be nice.

 

[anc22]

Did Arin spring for the Romance Escape at Sea package maybe?

Must be nice.

Why, yes we did

Muushka: The REAS package allows you to book stuff 105 days out as well as some other little treats.

Thanks for reading

 

[zweihund]

I am now officially Paid in Full!

I will be able to book Palo and other fun stuff next week on 6/13/2008.

One other thing, thanks to my newly aquired Disney Chase Visa, love it, I have changed our transportation to Cape Canaveral back to a limo! I am not telling my family though, so they will be really surprised. They are going to be so excited.

 

[Maggie62677]

Arin, it's great to hear about all your planning...I actually look forward to reading what you've got up your sleeve next!

I too have a 3 year old son, Avery - are you signing your little guy up for the OC? I was hoping A-man would find a 'buddy' on the ship...trust me, it's MUCH easier if they have a friend they can cry with...just kidding.

 

[wilma-bride]

Great pre-trip report. I love how you have spent so much time (and $$$) planning your family's outfits for the cruise. Your DS sounds very much like mine - except he is 5 and still having regular meltdowns when things don't go according to plan. I had real worries about a 9 hour flight from the UK with my DS back in April but, despite a 6 hour delay, he was absolutely fine. I hope your DS is the same

 

[anc22]

Arin, it's great to hear about all your planning...I actually look forward to reading what you've got up your sleeve next!

I too have a 3 year old son, Avery - are you signing your little guy up for the OC? I was hoping A-man would find a 'buddy' on the ship...trust me, it's MUCH easier if they have a friend they can cry with...just kidding.

Thanks for reading Yes, we will be taking Chase to the kid's club. He loves being around kids, so he will probably be there a lot. The part that I am nerveous about is our late dinner........... He doesn't do so well at restaurants, so we will see how it goes.......................

 

[Maggie62677]

Thanks for reading Yes, we will be taking Chase to the kid's club. He loves being around kids, so he will probably be there a lot. The part that I am nerveous about is our late dinner........... He doesn't do so well at restaurants, so we will see how it goes.......................

Well, as a 5th timer on the DCL with 3 times having late seating, naps are a God-send Now, I know this hard - especially with SO much going on, but I find that Benedryl works wonders...JUST KIDDING!

No seriously, late seating isn't that bad ... my DH and I are actually considering switching to late seating since it's what we're used to. We liked that service better because you have more time to shower and such and you're not constantly rushing around. Also, up on deck 9, which I'm sure you know about already since you are so on the ball, there's all the 'fun' food that 3 year olds prefer anyway. If you brave your normal rotation, the servers are WONDERFUL at keeping the little ones entertained...they pretty much cater to them...you feel like you're just along for the ride!

Hope this helps!

 

[zweihund]

Well, as a 5th timer on the DCL with 3 times having late seating, naps are a God-send Now, I know this hard - especially with SO much going on, but I find that Benedryl works wonders...JUST KIDDING!

That almost made me spit out my tea!

 

[anewmac]

Thanks for reading Yes, we will be taking Chase to the kid's club. He loves being around kids, so he will probably be there a lot. The part that I am nerveous about is our late dinner........... He doesn't do so well at restaurants, so we will see how it goes.......................

I was worried to with late dinning, even with P who is 10 and J will be 6. Heck even E gets tired and cranky at 35 lol. But for us west coasters the 8pm dinning is only 5pm if you think about it... Or so I keep telling myself LOL

 

[anc22]

I was worried to with late dinning, even with P who is 10 and J will be 6. Heck even E gets tired and cranky at 35 lol. But for us west coasters the 8pm dinning is only 5pm if you think about it... Or so I keep telling myself LOL

Oooh, I never thought about it that way..........In that case, he will be a perfect angel

 

[Maggie62677]

That almost made me spit out my tea!

Sorry Erica...knew that would catch some by surprise. I actaully pondered putting that in there several times; thank you for not taking me so serious.

 

[zweihund]

Oooh, I never thought about it that way..........In that case, he will be a perfect angel

Sorry Erica...knew that would catch some by surprise. I actaully pondered putting that in there several times; thank you for not taking me so serious.

Hey - I'm the one whose mother used to give her barbiturates as a baby! I can't remember the name of the medicine, but her doctor gave it to her for my colic. It worked so well, she didn't even read the label for a week! She still apologizes to me to this day

No wonder I turned out the way I did......

 

[anc22]

So, because of my beloved REAS Package that I purchased with my cruise , I get to book Palo, Excursions and Spa treatments this coming weekend! After spending way more time than any "normal" person should trying to decide..., here is what I am planning on booking: Palo Brunch & Palo Dinner, of course. I'm hoping to book one of these, probably brunch on my hubbies birthday As for Excursions, I still don’t know if Costa Maya Excursions will be available for booking yet, because of the repair of the Port still being in progress. After looking thru my Passporter, which I may as well have surgically attached to my body , I think we may end up just walking around the mall area. My son isn't really old enough to go on too many of the excursions and we don't want to leave him on the ship for that long without us. We were planning on doing the Banana Boat ride on our first day at Castaway Cay, which I was very excited for, even though just looking at pictures of a banana boat causes me to hear the Jaws soundtrack in my head . But, of course, Disney had to go and cancel it on me. So, DD and I will be doing the Sting Ray thingy, probably on our second visit to C.C. so we can spend our first stop just exploring, since we have never been there before. Oh, and just between you and me....the hubby isn't "comfortable" being in the water with sea creatures (otherwise known as stingrays ), but don't get his being "uncomfortable" confused with him being "scared" though.... So DD and I will be braving the sea creature filled waters without him. As for Cozumel, we have already booked a Beach Break on our own. I thought about booking the Paradise Beach Break thru Disney, but some of the reports that I have read complain that the section of the beach reserved for Disney guests is very cramped and that the food isn’t very good. So, we booked a Beach Break with Nachi Cocom beach club, which includes lunch and unlimited drinks… ……as well as use of the pool, beach and the option to rent jet skis and other water toys . The real selling point for me was that they limit the number of guests per day to 100 to prevent over crowding. And now we come to the SPA where do I start? Well, I know for sure that we are booking the Rasul (again, hubbies birthday ) I also want to get the stone massage and possibly one of the facials. So, that's the plan. I have no idea how it will go once I get down to the whole booking process. I don't know how it all works Hopefully I will be able to report back with all of the great ressies I get!

 

[crissichef]

Hi Arin - Great report so far........I didn't realize that both are kids are the same age.........DD10 and DS3. I'm sure they will be keeping us on our toes! From what I have read, DS3's should get along quite well!

Crissi

 

[flower91882]

Hopefully I will be able to report back with all of the great ressies I get!

Would love to hear what you get. I'm also getting very jealous of all of you with the REAS package. I want to book Palo!!! I just couldn't justify it this time. I hope the things I want will still be available. I'm getting a little nervous about it. Silly anxiety disorder.

Well, good luck with booking!