September 22-25, 2011 Disney Dream Cruise

[alikat99]

So, I'm pretty sure that I missed last week's countdown & question, so here it is!!!
​

10 Weeks until Sailaway!!!​

Question of the week:​

What made you decide to cruise on DCL for the first time? ​

 

[alikat99]

What made you decide to cruise on DCL for the first time? ​

For us, we live in central FL and we've always been huge Disney fans. I've had annual passes since I moved here in 1997. We almost decided to cruise DCL for our honeymoon in 1998, but we weren't sure if we really wanted to be on a cruise ship.

Fast forward several years and we had our first DD, and it was her 2nd birthday and we wanted to do something fun (since her sister was going to make her grand entrance in a few months). We had friends that were also huge Disney fans and had cruised Disney. They were totally shocked that we hadn't done it yet!! So, I checked out the cruise forum here on the DIS and jumped right in. We booked a 7-night on the Magic and were instantly hooked!!!

We were impressed from almost the moment we arrived onboard. We had a huge DISmeet on our 1st cruise and a bunch of us headed straight to lunch at Parrot Cay. While we were finishing lunch, someone mentioned which night was Formal night. I had an instant panic attack, as I didn't remember having our formal clothes when we dropped off our luggage (we had left it in the closet at the Hilton Downtown Disney).

DH jumped right up and headed straight for Guest Services. He was asking what time they stopped allowing people on the ship, as he was going to get off, drive back to Orlando, get our stuff and come back. The CM told him that he'd see what he could do and told my DH not to get off yet. They called the Hilton, got a driver to get our garment bag from the Hilton and drive it back to the Magic. The CM told my DH that if the bag didn't make it to the Magic before it sailed, they guaranteed that it would be in Key West the next day when we got there.

We were skeptical, but there was nothing we could do. We went to the muster drill and up to the sailaway party. We got back to our room to get ready for dinner, and our garment bag was hanging there! We fell in love with DCLs guest services from that moment forward! They didn't have to do that for us, it wasn't even a Disney hotel, but they went that extra mile and it was an instant selling point for us!

 

[Crystal_27]

Question of the week:​

What made you decide to cruise on DCL for the first time? ​

​

DH and I got married when I was 18 and he was 21 and, due to the fact that he was in the Army and was transferring from Fort Bragg to Fort McPhearson (NC to GA), we had a bit of a shotgun wedding (and, no, I wasn't pregnant, despite the fact that a lot of people thought so at the time). Well, our shotgun wedding resulted in no honeymoon, so for our first anniversary we went to Disney World to celebrate. We went to Disney on the super, super cheap, stayed off-site, and shopped at the outlet malls for our souvenirs. Fast forward 9 years, and we are coming up on our 10th anniversary (and we have a 3 year old daughter). We hadn't been back to Disney since our first anniversary, and I really wanted to go there and celebrate our 10th anniversary, so we decided we were going to splurge and stay on-site. Well, when I started looking at options, I saw a choice for a land/sea package, which sounded like an even better way to celebrate our anniversary, so we booked it. Now, 4 years later, we are DVC members, have Gold Castaway Cay status, and can't imagine not going to Disney for every vacation. We absolutely love Disney, and are so grateful that we can make such amazing family memories there. ​

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

we have 19 state rooms so far, 12 girls, 10 boys not including evan with evan it is 11 and 35 adults. about a week or two before the cruise i am gonna email the list and the map to everyone.
if yall want to we can. If you want me to email you the list so far just PM me your email address. You are very welcome

I guess we should find out how many want to do a meet and greet. On our cruise on the Wonder we met.... well I can’t remember where we met. I will need to look at the Wonder Layout. but we met the first day I think after the drill. It was quick but nice to put faces with Dis names, and it was so nice to see familiar faces around the ship throughout the cruise. I know on my cruise on the Freedom of the Seas we all wore Mardi gras beads the first day, which made it easy to spot each other.

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

DH and I got married when I was 18 and he was 21 and, due to the fact that he was in the Army and was transferring from Fort Bragg to Fort McPhearson (NC to GA), we had a bit of a shotgun wedding (and, no, I wasn't pregnant, despite the fact that a lot of people thought so at the time). Well, our shotgun wedding resulted in no honeymoon, so for our first anniversary we went to Disney World to celebrate. We went to Disney on the super, super cheap, stayed off-site, and shopped at the outlet malls for our souvenirs. Fast forward 9 years, and we are coming up on our 10th anniversary (and we have a 3 year old daughter). We hadn't been back to Disney since our first anniversary, and I really wanted to go there and celebrate our 10th anniversary, so we decided we were going to splurge and stay on-site. Well, when I started looking at options, I saw a choice for a land/sea package, which sounded like an even better way to celebrate our anniversary, so we booked it. Now, 4 years later, we are DVC members, have Gold Castaway Cay status, and can't imagine not going to Disney for every vacation. We absolutely love Disney, and are so grateful that we can make such amazing family memories there.

Crystal what a lovely Story!

 

[disney honeymooners]

I think we met on the pool deck on ours but only about 5 staterooms met and 4 of us were sitting at the same table at dinner

 

[alikat99]

For several of our cruises on the Magic & Wonder, we met at the lounge on Deck 3 (down the hall from Guest Services). Not sure, but it looks like the Vista Cafe' on Deck 4 could be a good meeting place too. Another thread someone mentioned that they had their DIS meet there.

Now, the question is when to have it. The majority of times, we met around 3pm, which gave people time for lunch & the pool (if desired) and time in their room to unpack. Then, we all met, said HI, and then headed out to the Muster drill at 4pm. But, other cruises that I went on we met right after Muster (but that didn't work as well, because most wanted to get up to the sailaway party).

Thoughts???

 

[disney honeymooners]

we also met before the muster drill it is a little less crazy then.

 

[lizanb]

I can't wait to meet everyone. I'm so excited for the cruise. We're going on the DVC before this cruise so, hopefully we will get off and back on fairly quickly. I'm a bit behind on my FE because the one for the DVC group is so huge! I'm not sure if I should do the same thing for both cruises. Decision, decisions. I'm traveling with my 3 goddaughters 10, 10, and 5 but I decided to try my luck at getting ressies for Palo and Remy for 1. I lucked out and get one for each on this cruise. The DVC one was probably booked by 12:01 midnight! I think meeting up sounds great. I actually like the idea of the Mardi Gras beads that someone suggested.

 

[NicksTgrMom]

I think meeting before the drill sounds good. I know having faces to go with names will help me remember the names! I'm terrible with names until there's a face to associate it with. And mardi gras necklaces would make it easy to spot each other.

So I've seen posts where some of you are not going on excursions. This is our first cruise and we keep going back and forth about doing one in Nassau. Is anyone doing a Nassau excursion and which one? For those that have been to Nassau before - which excursions did you wish you hadn't signed up for? Currently we are signed up for the Sea and See (or maybe it's See and Sea). But my DH and I really could take it or leave it since we don't know what we would be missing!

Thanks!
Gina

And DH Andy, DS9 Nick since I hadn't put it on the FE list.

 

[mousejunkie98]

I can't do any Nassau excursions this time around because I'm attending a conference that will be meeting on the ship that day, but when my family went in May we did the Dolphin Encounter on Blue Lagoon Island and it was fantastic!!! So worth it. You can stay and use their beach all day. Oh, and it's cheaper than Atlantis.

 

[alikat99]

We've been to Nassau a couple of times now, so we probably won't be getting off for more than an hour or so, if at all. We stayed there for a friend's wedding and actually got to stay for a week, see the beaches, Atlantis, etc. If you've never been, I'd go ahead and get off and look around, maybe do a short excursion.

 

[Crystal_27]

Crystal what a lovely Story!

Awwww, thank you.

 

[1153rsmith]

We are game to meet anytime..... unless I can't get my kids off the Aqua duck because there is no line.

 

[Crystal_27]

While it might make more sense to meet beforehand, I will tell you, though, that the process of getting on the ship for the Dream seemed a lot more hectic than the Magic or Wonder (perhaps because there are so many more people?). We got to the terminal at 10, and I think we had boarding number 13, and didn't end up boarding the ship until after 1. And, of course, by that time we were starving, so we had to hit the buffet first thing. So, for those who are arriving to the terminal later, they probably won't get on the ship until 2 or 3 (or later), which is going to affect our meet. I just don't want anyone to be left out due to not being able to get on the ship early enough. Maybe if we met right after the drill (especially since we don't have life jackets to ditch), there would still be ample time to get to the sailaway party?

 

[alikat99]

While it might make more sense to meet beforehand, I will tell you, though, that the process of getting on the ship for the Dream seemed a lot more hectic than the Magic or Wonder (perhaps because there are so many more people?). We got to the terminal at 10, and I think we had boarding number 13, and didn't end up boarding the ship until after 1. And, of course, by that time we were starving, so we had to hit the buffet first thing. So, for those who are arriving to the terminal later, they probably won't get on the ship until 2 or 3 (or later), which is going to affect our meet. I just don't want anyone to be left out due to not being able to get on the ship early enough. Maybe if we met right after the drill (especially since we don't have life jackets to ditch), there would still be ample time to get to the sailaway party?

Oooh, that's actually a good idea! I forgot that there's no life jackets anymore! If we all went straight to the meet, just got to introduce ourselves and then we can all head up to the sailaway!

Oh, btw, has anyone been reading the main board about the enforcement of check-in times starting Aug 2nd?? Hopefully they'll have it all straightened out by our cruise. That gives them a good 6 weeks to make it work!

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

Hello Everyone, I have heard that everyone will be assigned a time to enter the port and that it will be strictly enforced, I guess we will have to wait and see if DCL will actually implement the change. I think we have the 11:00am boarding which was the first time that was available. I will be there on time with bells and whistles on. I am never on time for anything, but I bet I will be on time to get on the ship. As far as Nassau goes, we never do anything when we go. I am considering this time to do a day pass at the Sheraton or the Hilton not sure yet. If we don’t do the day passes Evan and I will get off just to take a couple of pics and then we will be back on the ship. What hotel is everyone staying at before the cruise?

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

Seems like we are all in favor of doing a meet and greet, I think it will be fantastic and if we all can agree on wearing the mardi gras beads that will be even better, so all we need to do is all agree on a time and a place to meet and then we will be set!, Hope everyone has a great week!

 

[1153rsmith]

Hello Everyone, I have heard that everyone will be assigned a time to enter the port and that it will be strictly enforced, I guess we will have to wait and see if DCL will actually implement the change. I think we have the 11:00am boarding which was the first time that was available. I will be there on time with bells and whistles on. I am never on time for anything, but I bet I will be on time to get on the ship. As far as Nassau goes, we never do anything when we go. I am considering this time to do a day pass at the Sheraton or the Hilton not sure yet. If we don’t do the day passes Evan and I will get off just to take a couple of pics and then we will be back on the ship. What hotel is everyone staying at before the cruise?

How did you get your assigned time? I have started online check-in but am waiting on an updated credit card to come with a new expiration date. Once I get it, does it then let me pick an arrival time? We are staying at All-Star Sports the night before, and I want to get on the ship as early as I can. If they would let me on at 7am, you can bet I would have the kids there.

We are just planning on doing a little shopping in Nassau. Last time we were there, the Del Sol store was closed. My DD wants to go there.

 

[mousejunkie98]

How did you get your assigned time? I have started online check-in but am waiting on an updated credit card to come with a new expiration date. Once I get it, does it then let me pick an arrival time? We are staying at All-Star Sports the night before, and I want to get on the ship as early as I can. If they would let me on at 7am, you can bet I would have the kids there.

We are just planning on doing a little shopping in Nassau. Last time we were there, the Del Sol store was closed. My DD wants to go there.

You get your port arrival time when you do online check-in. I did mine at midnight the first day it became available for silver Castaway members, and got the earliest time of 10:30. However, I've been reading that they're pushing back the earliest time to 11, and not letting anyone into the port before that. I've been trying to check online but the site is a bit screwy lately. Every time I click on the online check-in tab it dumps me back to a login screen! Disney sites are notoriously glitchy. I'm supposed to be boarding at 11 a.m. with the other TA's attending my agency's conference, for a ship tour, so I'm hoping we can get into the port before then!!