Sept/Oct 2015?

[Babysaurs]

wooohooo
Just booked our very first cruise ever on 4th oct disney cruise one.
SOOO excited will be 2a2c aged 5 and 8 by then and will combine with our first ever DL trip too.
We had hoped to go this sept/oct but just wasnt going to work but were not going to do a cruise and so im stoked that they have west coast cruises released next year, if we'd gone this year would have been no cruise.
Anyone else planning on going this time next year or an i the only crazy one planning this far ahead lol!

 

[zanzibar138]

Congrats! Which cruise have you booked?

 

[Babysaurs]

The Mexico 5 night baja one figured 5 nights was enough for first timers

 

[zanzibar138]

The Mexico 5 night baja one figured 5 nights was enough for first timers

Oooh that one sounds like fun! How exciting

 

[Meemoo]

Congrats, you have something fantastic to look forward to! My next trip is October next year too - May pass you by in Disneyland

 

[zanzibar138]

Anyone else planning on going this time next year or an i the only crazy one planning this far ahead lol!

FWIW I started planning my trip for August/September this year back in about August of 2012. Can't believe it's so close now!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Definitely not crazy. I think you're sensible. There are a lot of benefits to booking cruises early.

 

[WearegoingtoAmerica]

If you're crazy, I am also. I booked a cruise this week too for October 2015. We're doing a 7 night Western Caribbean on the Fantasy. I'm so excited, so I know how you feel. It's our 1st cruise also.

 

[Babysaurs]

If you're crazy, I am also. I booked a cruise this week too for October 2015. We're doing a 7 night Western Caribbean on the Fantasy. I'm so excited, so I know how you feel. It's our 1st cruise also.

Glad I'm not the only one then!

 

[newkie]

We also must crazy, my mum and I booked yesterday to do a Royal Caribbean cruise for December 2015, and it was already sold out of a lot of cabins!

I wish it was a Disney cruise, but unfortunately my parents won't go as far as the US anymore, so it's just a South Pacific one out of Sydney. I'll get to do a Disney cruise one of these days, but until then, I'll live vicariously through you lot

 

[WanderlustNZ]

We also must crazy, my mum and I booked yesterday to do a Royal Caribbean cruise for December 2015, and it was already sold out of a lot of cabins! I wish it was a Disney cruise, but unfortunately my parents won't go as far as the US anymore, so it's just a South Pacific one out of Sydney. I'll get to do a Disney cruise one of these days, but until then, I'll live vicariously through you lot

Still exciting none the less. Which ship and where does it go to?

 

[thejenningsdodisney]

No not crazy at all!!

My Mum and I are doing WDW in September 2015 and I have been researching and planning since December last year!

We are going to book everything around christmas time this year

I am not planning on getting stressed about it, my research and planning is my break from the stress of my job!!

 

[newkie]

Sorry Wanderlust, I only just saw this We are on the Radiance of the Seas from Dec 15 to 26, so excited! It will my family's first cruise, but parents have done two previously. We are in Family Oceanview room because there's 6 of us and mum and dad are in a Junior Suite. If anybody has done a cruise on a Royal Caribbean ship at Christmas, I'd love to hear all about it. I haven't gotten too hard core with any planning yet, I'm still focused on our Disney trip in Oct this year!

Edited to add: It goes from Sydney to Isle of Pines, Mystery Island, Vila, Champagne Bay, Noumea then back to Sydney.

 

[Andona]

Glad to hear I'm not alone with planning way ahead We usually don't start planning our trip till under the 12 month mark but I've already made the first booking for our August/Sep 2015 trip .

Had to book Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone 16 months out to get the room we wanted We're only doing a brief stop at DL at the end of this trip but so much has changed at DL since our last trip, I reckon I need all the extra lead-time to work on my plans...

Andona

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Sorry Wanderlust, I only just saw this We are on the Radiance of the Seas from Dec 15 to 26, so excited! It will my family's first cruise, but parents have done two previously. We are in Family Oceanview room because there's 6 of us and mum and dad are in a Junior Suite. If anybody has done a cruise on a Royal Caribbean ship at Christmas, I'd love to hear all about it. I haven't gotten too hard core with any planning yet, I'm still focused on our Disney trip in Oct this year! Edited to add: It goes from Sydney to Isle of Pines, Mystery Island, Vila, Champagne Bay, Noumea then back to Sydney.

That sounds great! What a relaxing way to spend Xmas.

Funnily enough, I almost booked the same ship and itinerary for Xmas this year. But when I crunched the numbers, I worked out that we could afford to do another USA trip in Sep/Oct, so we decided on that instead.

I'm yet to cruise Royal Caribbean, but from what I understand, Radiance of the Seas is one of the better ships that cruises regularly in Australian waters. All that glass looks great.

I also think that that looks like one of the better pacific itineraries. Champagne Bay and Isle of Pines look stunning. I've never seen the appeal in the ones that visit a lot of Sth Pacific cities such as Suva.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Glad to hear I'm not alone with planning way ahead We usually don't start planning our trip till under the 12 month mark but I've already made the first booking for our August/Sep 2015 trip . Had to book Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone 16 months out to get the room we wanted We're only doing a brief stop at DL at the end of this trip but so much has changed at DL since our last trip, I reckon I need all the extra lead-time to work on my plans... Andona

Good on you for getting in early for Yellowstone. It's crazy how organised you have to be to book a holiday there. I'd love to hear about your plans.

I'll be there in just over 3 1/2 months and can't wait.

I managed to get 2 nights in a shared bathroom room in the original part of the lodge at about the 10 month mark. However about 3 months ago, road closures for September were announced and I had to ring up and change one of my nights to a cabin at Lake to avoid overly long drives. The great thing about making that call was that I rang just in time to pick up a cancellation for one of Old Faithful's old house ensuite rooms. So stoked! I can't wait to relax in my claw foot bath.

We're also staying 2 nights at the Yellowstone Gateway Inn in Gardiner (to do a Yellowstone Association tour) and one night in 3 Bear Lodge in West Yellowstone (as I decided my son will love one of their little Goldilocks clubhouse bedrooms).

 

[Andona]

Good on you for getting in early for Yellowstone. It's crazy how organised you have to be to book a holiday there. I'd love to hear about your plans.

I'll be there in just over 3 1/2 months and can't wait.

I managed to get 2 nights in a shared bathroom room in the original part of the lodge at about the 10 month mark. However about 3 months ago, road closures for September were announced and I had to ring up and change one of my nights to a cabin at Lake to avoid overly long drives. The great thing about making that call was that I rang just in time to pick up a cancellation for one of Old Faithful's old house ensuite rooms. So stoked! I can't wait to relax in my claw foot bath.

We're also staying 2 nights at the Yellowstone Gateway Inn in Gardiner (to do a Yellowstone Association tour) and one night in 3 Bear Lodge in West Yellowstone (as I decided my son will love one of their little Goldilocks clubhouse bedrooms).

Congratulations on getting those bookings, Wanderlust I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time in Yellowstone. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of the Old Lodge rooms, I tossed up but decided to book a room in the newer wings instead - I was too late to nab an Old-Fathful view but should have a room overlooking the rest of the geyser basic. This will be our second trip, we stayed at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in October 2009 and loved our visit to the park .

We had planned to drive the Beartooth Highway into the park from Red Lodge but the road was snowed in so this is a return trip to try again! It's amazing how the weather closes in around there, the snows came down and stopped us getting down to the Grand Tetons as well, but it was really kind of magical to see the lakes and geysers in the snow.

We also spent a night in Gardiner that trip, I had the best steak of my life in a little restaurant in Gardiner

Andona

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Congratulations on getting those bookings, Wanderlust I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time in Yellowstone. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of the Old Lodge rooms, I tossed up but decided to book a room in the newer wings instead - I was too late to nab an Old-Fathful view but should have a room overlooking the rest of the geyser basic. This will be our second trip, we stayed at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in October 2009 and loved our visit to the park . We had planned to drive the Beartooth Highway into the park from Red Lodge but the road was snowed in so this is a return trip to try again! It's amazing how the weather closes in around there, the snows came down and stopped us getting down to the Grand Tetons as well, but it was really kind of magical to see the lakes and geysers in the snow. We also spent a night in Gardiner that trip, I had the best steak of my life in a little restaurant in Gardiner Andona

It's fantastic that you enjoyed it so much you're going back. It certainly sounds like the type of place that draws people back again and again.

I'm not sure what kind of view my Old Faithful room will have, or even whether I had a choice. I feel silly that I didn't think to ask. Either way, my family are a bit of a pushover for history and character, so I think we'll be happy regardless. I've already made my dinner reservations for Old Faithful Inn and Lake Hotel, and I can't wait to sit and absorb the ambience. It all looks so delightfully charming.

Can you remember the name of the restaurant? If it serves good steak, it sounds like the type of place I need to take DH.

Also what part of October did you visit. We're there the end of September and first few days of October, and we realise that snow is a real possibility. It's part of the reason we're spending our last few days in Gardiner and West Yellowstone, so we don't get snowed in and miss our flight. We'll be staying a few nights in Jackson at the start and coming up through GTNP. So I'm extra hopeful that the south entrance doesn't close.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

By the way, apologies to the OP for taking this thread slightly off-topic. Feel free to tell me to go away.

 

[Andona]

Can you remember the name of the restaurant? If it serves good steak, it sounds like the type of place I need to take DH.

Also what part of October did you visit. We're there the end of September and first few days of October, and we realise that snow is a real possibility. It's part of the reason we're spending our last few days in Gardiner and West Yellowstone, so we don't get snowed in and miss our flight. We'll be staying a few nights in Jackson at the start and coming up through GTNP. So I'm extra hopeful that the south entrance doesn't close.

I've been trying to remember the name of the restaurant - I'm pretty sure it was a restaurant attached to a hotel and I *think* the Hotel was something like the "Golden Mine", or something like that? It wasn't a fancy place and I wasn't expecting much so my lovely steak was a very pleasant surprise

We were in Yellowstone in the first week on October. The snows came down heavily on the 4th and we were due to leave Old Faithful on the 5th, planning to drive out the east entrance of the park through Cody ( we were heading towards Mount Rushmore in South Dakota) The snows closed the Southern and Eastern exists so we left via West Yellowstone and had to drive all the way up to Bozeman and take the interstate East. Even the road within the park from Old Faithful to the Lake was closed because the road climbs up over a pass.

I think the snows were early that year so I think you'll be fine, but maybe have a backup route planned just in case?

They did a great job of keeping the roads from the West and Northern exits ploughed and it was really beautiful driving through the snow

Andona