Sept 10 2009 "Wonder-ful" Cruise

[crewsin250]

Has anyone ever traded pins while onboard the ship. I have just received 20 pins that I purchased off of e-bay, if so maybe at the M&G you can take a look and let me know if I have anything worth trading.

Mabel good luck on your room change, maybe they will move you up to a cat. 5 if thats all they have left.

14 days till we leave headed to the port. Still have not finished my shirts these 12 hour work day's make it tuff.

 

[LisaRN97]

I wish we were leaving this week!! I need a vacation!! Ahhhhhh....

 

[kcashner]

Many CMs will have pin trading lanyards--Guest Services, those seating you at breakfast and lunch, and there are special pin trading sessions with the officers. Also, the sales staff in the gift shops will trade. Obviously, when they are really busy the lanyards disappear....but any CM wearing a lanyard will trade with you.

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

We have used the Radisson and the Quality Suites. They are "sister" hotels with the same owner. The Radisson has a HUGE parking lot behind the hotel where you can leave a vehicle while you cruise provided that you stay at one of their hotels either before or after the cruise. You DO NOT have to pay the extra for a "cruise package" to do this. They offer a free shuttle to and from the terminal. The Quality Suites offers a free breakfast--it's pretty basic, but it's adequate. At the Radisson, the breakfast is included if you buy the cruise package, otherwise you pay. Make your shuttle reservation when you make your hotel ressie. They are every 30 minutes starting at 10:00.

The Quality Suites is nicer inside than out. Great staff! In the morning you'll check out and drive to the Radisson to park and catch the shuttle. Unload your bags at the front of the hotel and leave one person there with the bags (or everyone who doesn't want to walk. ) Then follow the signs toward the back for "cruise parking."

When you get off the ship, you'll find the shuttle making a continuous loop between the terminal and the hotel--you might wait for 10-15 minutes, but it will come to get you. No reservations or time slots. If you don't want to wait for the shuttle you can take a cab to the hotel for about $20. That's still cheaper than parking at the port.

We paid $107 including all taxes, which was almost exactly equal to the $105 we would have paid to park on our 7 day cruise. Granted, this cruise is only 3 days, but that's still almost 1/2 of your overnight stay cost!

I started packing tonight!!!!! Well...maybe "sorting and making a pile" would be a better word.

Thank You, I am going to look into it time is tick'n

 

[crewsin250]

Kcashner do I need a laynard to put my pins on in order to trade. And if I get a laynard will they come up to me and see if I would like to trade are do I have to ask the CM if they would be interseted in trading. Thanks for all and any info you can help me with.

13 days till we leave.

Paul

 

[kcashner]

You do not need a lanyard. The CMs who can trade will be wearing lanyards with their trade pins...and sometimes there is a trade book on the sales cart when it is in the atrium. The rules are pretty loose--you just need a pin that is a legit Disney pin (not a cheap knock off), sometimes they enforce the rule that you have to be offering a pin that the CM isn't already wearing, sometimes not. You will need to approach the CM if you wish to trade. They may make a comment about your pins if you're wearing a lanyard, but in general they won't ask you to trade unless you approach them. The CMs are required to trade with you as long as you have a pin (just like in the parks). It isn't an issue of do they like/want your pin.

DD doesn't wear a lanyard for pins. They get heavy! I'll usually keep a trade pin or two in my pocket or my fanny pack...or maybe ONE on my lanyard that holds my KTTW. Can you tell--she trades, I carry!

 

[LisaRN97]

This is our first trip as a family and I have been reading up on the pin trading....one question: Does Disney supply the pins for the CM's or do they purchase them on their own?

 

[kcashner]

Any time you see a CM wearing pins, they are supplied by Disney. This applies to the parks as well as the ship.

If a CM chooses to trade pins on their own time, they cannot be in "costume" while doing it.

I've been rather unhappy with the car rental rates from WDW to the port for our cruise. I just re-checked the various codes and was able to take $30 off my previously lowest rental rate!!!! YEAH.

 

[crewsin250]

Kcashner thanks for all the pin trading info and i'm also glad you was able to get a better rental rate.

This is my last weekend to get things together for our cruise so we will be getting clothes, paperwork, and all other items ready. Every one always wants off Labor day weekend so I will have to work.

Only 10 more days before we leave headed to the port, we are getting really excited about this cruise.

 

[CrystalS]

I can't wait!!!

I have all our papers together, made shirts already, printed park maps for our WDW stay afterwards.

Stuff left to do:
-Pack our bags (planning on using large ziplocks to pack "outfits" to make things easier!
-Make Jacobs FE!
-Confirm our flight times, etc to make sure they haven't changed


We haven't made any shore excursion reservations. Would have loved to do Atlantis, but its so expensive! I'd like to do Blackbeards Cay Beach & Stingray adventure though. But Disney only books 3yrs+ so we'd have to book this on our own. I'm nervous about booking on our own because we then have to get to the excursion and hope that nothing goes wrong and we get back in time.....

Anyone doing Blackbeards Cay?

 

[crewsin250]

We were able to get out today and buy snacks,drinks and a few items for the kids FE. Also ordered a gift basket to be in the cabin when we arrive. Made reservation for hotel in Orlando and laid out a few clothes for the trip.

6 transfers and 2 t-shirts later we were not very successful in this task, will try 1 more time. But have had a little better luck on the magnets.

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

We use Priceline frequently when we need a room in the airport area for an evening arrival the night before the cruise. If I fly in after work/school, I don't want to bother with driving to the port area that night; I'd rather drive when it's light. At the 2.5* level, all the Priceline and Hotwire rooms include free breakfast and free shuttle to/from MCO. We typically pay $31 -$39 + taxes and fees (add $10 for tax and fees). Priceline is technically for 2 people, hotwire allows up to 4. Recently we have stayed at the Amerisuites, Hampton, and for this trip we have the Hyatt Place.

Rooms near the airport are typically cheaper than rooms near the port. Also, if you do a port room on Priceline, many hotels exempt these from their shuttle service. If you have a rental car, that's no problem (you turn it in and ride their shuttle). If you're driving, you then have to pay port parking.

How far is the drive from the airport hotels to the cruise port? and when I am looking at hotels should I be looking for hotels near coco beach or the space center area? When using pricline or Hotwire what time do they allow you to check in?

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

We have used the Radisson and the Quality Suites. They are "sister" hotels with the same owner. The Radisson has a HUGE parking lot behind the hotel where you can leave a vehicle while you cruise provided that you stay at one of their hotels either before or after the cruise. You DO NOT have to pay the extra for a "cruise package" to do this. They offer a free shuttle to and from the terminal. The Quality Suites offers a free breakfast--it's pretty basic, but it's adequate. At the Radisson, the breakfast is included if you buy the cruise package, otherwise you pay. Make your shuttle reservation when you make your hotel ressie. They are every 30 minutes starting at 10:00.

The Quality Suites is nicer inside than out. Great staff! In the morning you'll check out and drive to the Radisson to park and catch the shuttle. Unload your bags at the front of the hotel and leave one person there with the bags (or everyone who doesn't want to walk. ) Then follow the signs toward the back for "cruise parking."

When you get off the ship, you'll find the shuttle making a continuous loop between the terminal and the hotel--you might wait for 10-15 minutes, but it will come to get you. No reservations or time slots. If you don't want to wait for the shuttle you can take a cab to the hotel for about $20. That's still cheaper than parking at the port.

We paid $107 including all taxes, which was almost exactly equal to the $105 we would have paid to park on our 7 day cruise. Granted, this cruise is only 3 days, but that's still almost 1/2 of your overnight stay cost!

I started packing tonight!!!!! Well...maybe "sorting and making a pile" would be a better word.

How far are the hotels from each other?

 

[lovechild6175]

I was ambivalent about changing rooms, but the decision was made for me. Apparently, they needed an accessible room, so they moved me on their own (last Thursday, after I got all our docs - heh).

So no we are in Rm. 5637 on deck 5. Apparently, they still had at least one cat 11. Bummer.

I'm using a small tote bag as my daughter's FE. After seeing FE's on eBay, ours looks like it'll do the job.

Quick question: Is it a hike from the parking lot to the terminal? I will have DD(4) and our luggage. Kinda intimidated here.

Can't wait to see you guys at the M&G!

 

[kcashner]

From the airport area hotels to the cruise terminal is about a 45 minute drive. Same from the airport to the Cocoa Beach area hotels.

All of the Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral hotels are along A1A. If you take the Beach Line highway from the airport, you'll actually drive past the cruise terminal exit. You'll go around a curve and you're suddenly on a sort of "busy town street" rather than an expressway. That's A1A which also goes by "Atlantic Avenue." It runs for several miles. The Radisson used to be the closest hotel to the terminal, now I think the Residence Inn is 1 block closer...both about a mile or so away from the ships. The car rental return places are all along this road as well...Hertz is closest, then Budget...Thrifty is farther down the road. ALL of the hotels are within about 4 miles of the ships.

When you are looking for places, you want MCO (airport) area or "Cocoa Beach" area (cruise terminal). You do not want COCOA! That's different from COCOA BEACH.

I think check in time at most hotels is 4, but if your room is ready they'll let you check in early. Since it's pre-paid, you can arrive at any time after that (no need to call for late check in). Check out at most places is 11, but some are 10.

You won't have your luggage when you walk in. You'll pull the car up to the porter's line and give them your luggage...then you'll go park the car. When you walk back with your daughter, you'll just have your carry on and your DD.

Did I get all the questions? If not, ask me again!

 

[crewsin250]

Hope everyone had a great weekend, we are getting so close now.

We are having a break out of flu going on around here some regular flu some swine flu 1 school in our area has had over 100 students out last week. We hope we are able to keep this away from us at least till after the cruise.

Paul

 

[LisaRN97]

We went to a DVC event yesterday in NY and got to see Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofey....the girls went nuts! It was a great prelude to next week....we are all getting so excited!!

 

[CrystalS]

Oh how fun!
Your children are adorable

I can't wait until next week, I wanna go NOW, lol.

 

[kcashner]

Now I can get serious about getting ready......YEAH!! Laundry is done, snorkel equipment brought up from basement, paperback book for flight obtained....looks like it's time to get organized!

 

[crewsin250]

Wow Lisa I bet your kids are so excited they get to see Mickey and Minnie 2 weeks in a row.

Made it through another day at the ship factory,only 9 more days till we leave.

Paul