September 29,2013 - DVC Member Cruise

[KerryFamily04]

thanks so much for this. Sounds like there will be some really great alternatives to enjoy. So the plan was to get there before my granddaughter actually turns three early Jan. This way both kids were free. But they keep putting it off and they're running out of time plus it's now into the holiday season.

So all I can do is emphasize the need for an overnight stay vs a daytrip. I really hope they pull this off early Dec. I hope they either parkhop or upgrade to a two day pass. I'll share some of the tips here with them.

Lucky for them if they don't volunteer that she's 3 they CM won't ask. I don't get a ticket for my daughter till she blows the whistle. Lol! But 2 days for the first time early December would be perfect for the first time.

 

[Henlady]

Well, we JUST this morning got our call from DCL about this cruise being cancelled!! Can you believe they are still doing an initial notification to people!?!?!

JQ & PI: How great for you to be going to the world for a few days so soon.
Years ago, Don went to a seminar at WDW and I tagged along, they were a couple of wonderful days I spent on my own, just doing whatever I wanted, so relaxing.
Have a great time.

DD and I are starting to get excited about the April Cruise. Can't wait. I just realized I can do online checkin & book Palo on Jan 12th

 

[poison ivy]

The new Fantasy Land is amazing you will love it! What seminars is Poison Ivy doing?

Well he's not here to defend himself but it's a tax seminar. yeah, I know real glamorous!!! So while I'm fighting to keep awake, JQ is planning to take his new toy - the DVC Premium AP - and run around the world eating holiday treats and forgetting all about me. I tried to bribe him with a free lunch ticket. I doubt it will work - I'm up against some serious competition.

Lucky for them if they don't volunteer that she's 3 they CM won't ask. I don't get a ticket for my daughter till she blows the whistle. Lol! But 2 days for the first time early December would be perfect for the first time.

I think it's so beautiful this time of year. Thanks for that age tip. I will pass it along. We have a motto in our household - "act confident"! It helps tremendously. but I can just picture my granddaughter holding up 3 fingers!!!! Too funny!!!!

btw - what did you guys decide to do with this cruise?

Well, we JUST this morning got our call from DCL about this cruise being cancelled!! Can you believe they are still doing an initial notification to people!?!?!

JQ & PI: How great for you to be going to the world for a few days so soon.
Years ago, Don went to a seminar at WDW and I tagged along, they were a couple of wonderful days I spent on my own, just doing whatever I wanted, so relaxing.
Have a great time.

DD and I are starting to get excited about the April Cruise. Can't wait. I just realized I can do online checkin & book Palo on Jan 12th

OK - I must have gotten the call behind you because I just got off the phone with them too! And when I said we'd been in contact with the DVC she mentioned our rep by name. I confirmed yes that's him!!! She stated they are simply making sure they have made contact with everyone. Wonder if we'll get 4 calls then since we listed JQ's cell on all the rsvps!!!

Oh and don't encourage James about the conference!!! He needs very little to get motivated here. I can just see all the picture texts I'm gonna be getting!!!

Really glad you are getting excited for the Fantasy. You will love it.

 

[Dreamer7787]

We also got our call. I had missed it so the message they left said I had until December 5th to call them back. I got put on hold for ~10 minutes until they came back to say I should be fine and that they probably shouldn't have called me.

 

[poison ivy]

JQ just called me and said " the cruise line just called me asking for Joe". To which I replied "you're such a dork! what did you say?"

"I told them no I wasn't Joe but I'm the main contact on the rsvp". the rep told him to have Joe call them and left a number.

I said you're gonna get more calls, just play along.

 

[Johnny Quest]

Ok, when they called I was right in the middle of working and it threw me when they asked for "Mr. Joe". Who the heck uses first names like that. My catholic guilt reflex took over instantly and I told the truth. She wanted nothing to do with me, just wanted to talk to "Mr. Joe". I'm blaming it on my wonderful honest parents...they raised me right.

At least I'm an honest dork.

 

[Henlady]

My catholic guilt reflex took over instantly and I told the truth. She wanted nothing to do with me, just wanted to talk to "Mr. Joe". I'm blaming it on my wonderful honest parents...they raised me right.

At least I'm an honest dork.

You know, that guilt reflex does stick with you. I totally cringe everytime someone calls for my boss and he says "just tell them I'm out of the office", and he's sitting in his office, reading sports updates on his computer.

 

[aan1701]

I have to be honest after seeing the excitement here. I find the new Fantasyland very underwhelming. It's just a bunch of meet and greats and a clone if our Little Mermaid rude here at DCA. Maybe when the Dwarfs mine train coaster opens I will a little more excited but right now it's not doing much for me. Glad to see other are getting called. What is everyone doing for new cruises.

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[KerryFamily04]

I think it's so beautiful this time of year. Thanks for that age tip. I will pass it along. We have a motto in our household - "act confident"! It helps tremendously. but I can just picture my granddaughter holding up 3 fingers!!!! Too funny!!!!

btw - what did you guys decide to do with this cruise?

.

I haven't decided anything yet. I sure wasn't planning on the ridiculous price jump, nor changing. They called and left a message but I have made absolutely no effort to call them back, till I'm in a negotiating/fighting mood. I better get something for the nonsense. Really for the price change I would rather do a 7 day. I was planning the 4 connected to a week and a half at WDW. So I need to re think now. Do I still shoot for Halloween festivities/food and wine or move towards Xmas festivities. UGh! I don't like change. Lol!!

 

[poison ivy]

I haven't decided anything yet. I sure wasn't planning on the ridiculous price jump, nor changing. They called and left a message but I have made absolutely no effort to call them back, till I'm in a negotiating/fighting mood. I better get something for the nonsense. Really for the price change I would rather do a 7 day. I was planning the 4 connected to a week and a half at WDW. So I need to re think now. Do I still shoot for Halloween festivities/food and wine or move towards Xmas festivities. UGh! I don't like change. Lol!!

My advise, is do not allow the DCL to cancel until exploring all options directly with the DVC. Have you been in contact with them?

 

[poison ivy]

I have to be honest after seeing the excitement here. I find the new Fantasyland very underwhelming. It's just a bunch of meet and greats and a clone if our Little Mermaid rude here at DCA. Maybe when the Dwarfs mine train coaster opens I will a little more excited but right now it's not doing much for me. Glad to see other are getting called. What is everyone doing for new cruises.

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Are you basing this on the photos etc...
I can see your point since you already have the little mermaid attraction. If someone hasn't been to DCA then this attraction would stir some excitement as NEW!!!

Our Dumbo ride has been in survival of the fittest mode for 30 yrs. I used to feel so triumphant in mastering the crowds on this years ago. I don't know if you read it, but there's a whole section in the unofficial guide called "dumbo do or die!!!" So the dueling dumbos is quite the draw right now! A much needed change.

You gotta admit the MK Fantasyland was in desperate need of a makeover, which is the main reason for all the hype So different vs DL. I never understood why but your park does have a substantially better area with the storybook boats and casey jr's train, the castle walkthrough, the beautiful small world, alice in wonderland. The beautiful DL rail cars, the monorial dropoff inside the park, the Nemo submarine voyage, the whole toontown. The spectacular Small world and HM makeovers for christmas I could go on and on. I think the matterhorn is on life support though. (had to get that in)

Oh and your Space Mountain in Tomorrowland puts ours to shame. Why didn't our refub match yours? I don't get it.

 

[aan1701]

First let me say I actually like the WDW Space Mountain better because of its track layout. Yes the WDW Fantasyland needed help in the worst way. It would have been nice though to have more rides and less meet and greats. That's all I am saying. It does look really awesome though, just not enough to get me to fly cross country.

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[KerryFamily04]

First let me say I actually like the WDW Space Mountain better because of its track layout. Yes the WDW Fantasyland needed help in the worst way. It would have been nice though to have more rides and less meet and greats. That's all I am saying. It does look really awesome though, just not enough to get me to fly cross country.

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You know what I would love at both parks? A one line multiple meet and greet like on the cruise ship. 5 princesses on line in the same place. Waiting in 5 45+ min lines suck for parents and kids especially when it's hot.

 

[Henlady]

Not sure if they still do it, but about 3 years ago, in EPCOT, Future World, between the 2 exhibit areas, there was a building where they did character greetings. After waiting in line, you went thru and there was Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Chip & Dale, Pluto and Goofy. Each character had their own area/setting and they would take pictures and you could take you own, the kids got a minute or two of "one on one" time with each character. It was great. Once you were in there, there was no pushing or shoving, very organized. I thought at that time that this was the best setup ever.

 

[Johnny Quest]

First let me say I actually like the WDW Space Mountain better because of its track layout. Yes the WDW Fantasyland needed help in the worst way. It would have been nice though to have more rides and less meet and greats. That's all I am saying. It does look really awesome though, just not enough to get me to fly cross country.

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I definately think DL's Space Mtn. is a much better ride. My major problem with the Florida version is my age! It's a little too rough on my bones. You will understand some day. I love to go 93mph from 320' on Millenium Force at Cedar Point, but the ride is smooooth. It's like Magic Mountain's Goliath on steroids. I agree, Fantasyland should have more rides.

 

[Henlady]

Hmmmm, let me "date" myself with regard to Space Mtn in WDW.....Back in 1976 when I first rode SM, it was a bit different. Your "rocket" slowly traveled up a very steep incline that was flanked by pulsating red lights on each side, with a 10-9-8-7-6 announcement, all you could see ahead of you was pitch blackness. Our dear friend declared as we were ascending "OH, No, We're all gonna die". The ride at that time went quite a bit faster than it does now, if memory serves me right, it was around 60mph!! They put Don and I in the front of the "rocket", Don is 6'2 and I am 6', me seated directly in front of him wedged between his legs. I thought I was going to fly out of that thing. The ride now is not near what it originally was which is probably a good thing.

 

[poison ivy]

It's must be tough to spend so much time in line waiting for characters. We'd been past that point for years but it may start again with the new generation of our family.

That multi-character mickey and friends meet was still in that same area near Innoventions at Epcot during our last visit. I think the Fab 5 are all there.

There was a really good one with multiple characters all together (many princesses and princes and other characters) in a hidden area of Adventureland (past the dole whips inside an adjacent bldg) at MK a couple years ago during MNSSHP. Not sure if this is still active.

AK has all 4 pooh characters lined up together if you follow a path to the right before the entrance to Dinoland. (I only know this because we had to seek out characters as part of our 4pks / 1 day challenge last June)

That Space Mountain in the 70's story gave me a good laugh! I used to ride it over and over with my brother back then. I think we had our own cars though. We'd get there at park opening and run right on. then we'd briskly try to exit all the way off and run right back up for at least 2 or three more times until the line would form.

We had this game where we'd go on every ride - good bad or ugly. So you can imagine how we felt when it was time to board the subs!!! think murky water and bad plastic plant life and fake flourescent painted sea creatures. We were way too cool for that!!!

We also had a rule that we had to use every mode of transport available. Back then we were in the campground which had a tram and a bus and a boat and a train. We did have to ride the monorail too.

 

[aan1701]

I can safely say that Space Mountian never went 60Mph. I have seen both original models at WDI and the labels listed on turns and drops never shows any speed greater than 28Mph at both resorts.

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[Johnny Quest]

Exactly 8 days from right now we will be 30000ft above the carolinas on our way to Florida for 4 days of food, rides and Holiday treats! Unfortunately it will be a table for 1, single rider line and solo treating.

Geez Kris, just a little bit off on that speed estimate! I guess it just "felt" like 60mph.

 

[Henlady]

Oh, I'm sure 60mph was an exageration on my part. But it did go pretty fast. A couple of years later, when we rode it again, it was considerably slower than that first ride. The group of people who was with us on the first trip who also went back at varying times and expressed how much slower the ride seemed from that first time. But I do know, when we went "down" and on some of the curves, I was lifted upward from my seat.