T-Day Cruisers 2011, November 19-26th, 2011

[Lauri]

Just two months from today....we'll be on the cruise.

It's been a while since i checked in, but it's band season here, and that really takes up alot of our lives. I'm getting jealous of all the FE talk, but not something we can just whip together at the last minute. We're happy just taking the cruise.

See everyone in two months!

Lauri

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Just two months from today....we'll be on the cruise.

It's been a while since i checked in, but it's band season here, and that really takes up alot of our lives. I'm getting jealous of all the FE talk, but not something we can just whip together at the last minute. We're happy just taking the cruise.

See everyone in two months!

Lauri

I totally get it. We are in the middle of tennis and 2 a day swimming. Swimming starts in 3 weeks. We're swamped, but found something we can do a little at a time. I wouldn't do it, but we missed it a lot when we didn't do it last cruise. We'd walk by everyone's FE's, and we were bummed.

We can't wait. We have gone GTY more times than not. And it always has worked well. As far as porthole or balcony, when we take everyone, we are never in our room, so we just go for cheap. The only place we would go for a balcony is in Alaska. We're always on the go, so it is nothing more than a place to sleep and shower.

Can't wait to see everyone!

 

[ICEMANPAD]

As an FYI, with a group this small, FE's can be made very easy by ordering from Oriental Trading or the like...and it can be inexpensive, but still nice.

Chuck

 

[lck33]

Looks like it is a busy time for all of us. Just think how fast the time is going.

My girlfriend and I went to a huge yard sale this past weekend. I found a couple of old pepsi looney tunes glasses to add to my collection and for my bargain of the day I bought a mickey waffle iron for $2. Brought it home, cleaned it up real good (it was in good shape to begin with) and on Sunday morning we had the best waffles ever! Just like the ones on the ship!! I know what we will be having on Sunday mornings from now on...

Hope we get our cabin numbers soon....... I'm starting to crawl out of my skin with anticipation... HA!

 

[ICEMANPAD]

I am not too concerned about cabin number b/c odds are we will change it by the time we actually board the ship, but if not, no big deal. The important thing is that we are on the ship.

Chuck

 

[ICEMANPAD]

Though it would be nice if they added the virtual portholes to the Magic / Wonder...and I have heard that might occur....inside cabins on the Dream, only about 12% to start with of the total cabins, are selling out like crazy and can sometimes be more expensive then outside views.

Chuck

But we will miss the Aqua Duck.

 

[amyren]

Hi there! We are right near each other.

I just purchased my cruise a few weeks ago. Are you guys driving down?

Hi neighbor. We are driving, the question is when. DH is a teacher and has the entire week of Thanksgiving off . The problem he has to work Friday the 18th (it's a "critical day" so he can't ask off). We are trying to deicide if we should leave as soon as he gets off Friday and stop for the night somewhere off 75 or get up super duper early Saturday (like 4am) and drive to the port. We've made the trip to the port in just over 8 hours. It just makes me nervous because we wouldn't have much room for error. What's your plan?

 

[StacieinAtlanta]

We are the same way. My husband is working on Friday and the kids are in school until 2:20. I am planning to be on the road by 4 and we will just find some place to stay on the way down. Probably in Gainesville.

We are in Fulton County so my kids are missing two days of school to go on the cruise. I am totally fine with that!

Hi neighbor. We are driving, the question is when. DH is a teacher and has the entire week of Thanksgiving off . The problem he has to work Friday the 18th (it's a "critical day" so he can't ask off). We are trying to deicide if we should leave as soon as he gets off Friday and stop for the night somewhere off 75 or get up super duper early Saturday (like 4am) and drive to the port. We've made the trip to the port in just over 8 hours. It just makes me nervous because we wouldn't have much room for error. What's your plan?

 

[lck33]

Chuck - I would love it if they added the virtual portholes! We have considered cruising on the Dream but have heard the amount of people is really hard to deal with. I don't think we would like it as much as we do the Magic. We can't wait until it comes to New York so maybe we can score some last minute New York resident deals... if they will even exist.... HA!

 

[jd99]

Though it would be nice if they added the virtual portholes to the Magic / Wonder...and I have heard that might occur....inside cabins on the Dream, only about 12% to start with of the total cabins, are selling out like crazy and can sometimes be more expensive then outside views.

Chuck

But we will miss the Aqua Duck.

Agree on both fronts. We didn't love the Dream but we loved the Aquaduck. Decided the perfect ship would be the Magic with the Aquaduck.

 

[Mean Queen]

We got our room number! I got an email from Disney and it had our updated information. I also did my online check in and got 11:30 - 12 for our port arrival time. We may be a bit earlier, but that is around the time we normally get there.

Though it would be nice if they added the virtual portholes to the Magic / Wonder...and I have heard that might occur....inside cabins on the Dream, only about 12% to start with of the total cabins, are selling out like crazy and can sometimes be more expensive then outside views.

Chuck

But we will miss the Aqua Duck.

I like the virtual porthole rooms but I'd rather have the real porthole or a balcony because of the space.

Chuck - I would love it if they added the virtual portholes! We have considered cruising on the Dream but have heard the amount of people is really hard to deal with. I don't think we would like it as much as we do the Magic. We can't wait until it comes to New York so maybe we can score some last minute New York resident deals... if they will even exist.... HA!

I wasn't a fan of the crowds, but I still loved the Dream. I'm hoping that they clear up a few of the issues on that boat when they build the Fantasy. For one, the adult pool area on the Dream is not that great. Plus, CC was way too crowded.

 

[djoch]

We got our room number! I got an email from Disney and it had our updated information. I also did my online check in and got 11:30 - 12 for our port arrival time. We may be a bit earlier, but that is around the time we normally get there.

congratulations!! we are also set to check in between 11:30 and 12 noon.

under 60 days and REALLY getting excited!!

 

[ICEMANPAD]

A few comments:

I would strongly suggest leaving Friday and not Saturday for a couple reasons...First, the longer the trip, the more likely you hit a delay...always better to get there the night before if possible...Second, you are paying for the first day...thus if you are completely exhausted from the drive...enuf said.

As to the Dream, there were pros and cons...the technology overall was great as to improvements across the board...the Aqua Duck is enormous fun...on the downside, whoever designed much of the seating must have been short as the seats in the theater, Evolution and parts of Palo are just lacking leg room and/or back support...however, we were on CC 4 times (2 trips) and really had no trouble with the crowds, but we were off the ship early and went out by Pelican Plunge / Cookies 2...also the new version of Shutters was a massive improvement, ie personal binders and thus far less chaos ( am presently unaware whether the Magic has made a similar change, but have not heard anything to date)..

That said, we like both sets of ships and will be on the Fantasy next summer.

As to boarding, we will be in group 1 or 2 automatically as platinum members, but since we switched late, we need to deal with Palo brunch on board, but feel pretty confident we will get the brunch w/ 3 sea days.

Chuck

 

[Scooby3x1y]

A few comments:

I would strongly suggest leaving Friday and not Saturday for a couple reasons...First, the longer the trip, the more likely you hit a delay...always better to get there the night before if possible...Second, you are paying for the first day...thus if you are completely exhausted from the drive...enuf said.
Chuck

Who is leaving Saturday? I agree....big mistake, unless you live under an hour away. Just my opinion. There are too many unknown variables. If you're driving, a flat tire, accident, or whatever. If you're flying, well, its fairly obvious all the delays that could happen.

Just re-read what Stacie and Amy said. If that is the only way to do it, you have to do what work says sometimes. However, I would make every effort to leave early. Who knows what the weather will be, , I hope it works out for everyone!

 

[JackNMel]

Hi Lori, I was wondering if you could do a graphic for me too? We are the Griffith Family. I would love to make a magnet for our door!

I can't believe the cruise is coming up so fast, I need to buckle down and get focused. I haven't started any FE gifts, although I have a vague idea of what I want to do. If only I could put my regular life on hold for a little while to get some cruise stuff done, lol.

Looking forward to a whole week on the Magic, it will be awesome!

 

[amyren]

Who is leaving Saturday? I agree....big mistake, unless you live under an hour away. Just my opinion. There are too many unknown variables. If you're driving, a flat tire, accident, or whatever. If you're flying, well, its fairly obvious all the delays that could happen.

Just re-read what Stacie and Amy said. If that is the only way to do it, you have to do what work says sometimes. However, I would make every effort to leave early. Who knows what the weather will be, , I hope it works out for everyone!

Believe me I want to leave Friday but DH wants to leave early Saturday. I'm currently trying to convince him to take a half day on Friday so that we could make the entire drive Friday and stay at a hotel near the port Friday night. We've stayed at the Hilton on Cocoa beach in the past. Wish me luck

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Believe me I want to leave Friday but DH wants to leave early Saturday. I'm currently trying to convince him to take a half day on Friday so that we could make the entire drive Friday and stay at a hotel near the port Friday night. We've stayed at the Hilton on Cocoa beach in the past. Wish me luck

I am wishing you lots of luck AND pixie dust. Tell him even I'm having anxiety for you.

 

[Scooby3x1y]

 

[djoch]

Believe me I want to leave Friday but DH wants to leave early Saturday. I'm currently trying to convince him to take a half day on Friday so that we could make the entire drive Friday and stay at a hotel near the port Friday night. We've stayed at the Hilton on Cocoa beach in the past. Wish me luck

Here's our luck as well. Even if it's just a few hours, get as far south as you can on Friday. We usually take the Amtrak Auto Train to/from Florida (DH doesn't fly). Several years ago the trains were shut down last minute and we wound up driving. If we hadn't planned to arrive a day early, we would have totally missed the ship.

Try not to stress out too much.

 

[Mean Queen]

We drive up the morning of, but we are less than 3 hours away. We usually make it in 2 1/2 hours and take off first thing. This way if there are any issues, we have time to still make it to the ship on time.

I'm getting very excited that the cruise is coming so soon.