Wonder - January 21, 2011 The Cruise To Nowhere In Particular..

[ibouncetoo]

Hi Litle Pixie Dust -- I'm new so can't PM or email yet -- would you please add me to the roll call, myself and my mom, first-timers on DCL, and mom's first cruise (My sixth) - no little ones. I'm trying my mom out on a cruise to see how she'll do, for maybe a longer one later. GTY status, and I think FE's are a gas, will definitely do one!

WELCOME!

.

​

 

[dsnydaddy]

Well, good and bad news for us! Looked up the AP discounts at the GC. $320/night! Wow! I'd have paid $250 but $320 for off season is crazy! PP was even $220/night. Decided to look around a bit before booking and snagged an AP discounted rate at Howard Johnsons for only $59. So that where we'll be.

 

[ibouncetoo]

I remember getting AP rates at the GC for $199....back in 2002-03. Yep, most my DLR visits are offsite now...even use up some time share point to stay at Peacock Suites for 'free'.

.

 

[katieandmattsmom]

Well, good and bad news for us! Looked up the AP discounts at the GC. $320/night! Wow! I'd have paid $250 but $320 for off season is crazy! PP was even $220/night. Decided to look around a bit before booking and snagged an AP discounted rate at Howard Johnsons for only $59. So that where we'll be.

We will be there too! We are coming in on Monday though and staying till Friday.

 

[dsnydaddy]

We will be there too! We are coming in on Monday though and staying till Friday.

Cool! We'll see you then! We come in late Wednesday. Spend Thurs in the park.

 

[DisneyCruiser83]

Happy Sunday all! I hope all of your football teams are winning today! Sorry I have been MIA for a bit, but DH and I went away for our anniversary. Six years and more in love than ever! I can't believe time has gone by so much already. Halloween is around the corner! I don't think we will be doing Palo for brunch or dinner. After the WBPC, I think we will be too stuffed. I think we will just relax and watch the water go by. I am aiming to spend no more than tips, but we will see how long that plan lasts.
I hope all of you are well!

 

[bubbasmom99]

Good morning cruisers! We are back from our quick trip to DL to celebrate our birthdays. It was a lovely weekend, albeit hot and humid (yuck). Went to Mickey's Halloween Party on Friday night, and did the WOC dining package on Saturday. thumbs up on the Halloween party, but we all though the dinner @ Ariel's was mediocre. DH and I both agreed that we're pretty spoiled by WDW dining options and DCL food.... Disneyland just can't keep up. But it was worth it for the viewing area for WOC - just wouldn't do it again...

We did a very early morning flight down and I think we're going to take that experience and NOT do it again. It took all of us a day to reset... so for this cruise, if we don't do anything beforehand, we're still going to fly the night before and take it easy.

Any suggestions on what to do in the area for the evening (we plan to take a taxi from LAX to the port so no car available to us). I am thinking of going for the Crowne Plaza on Priceline...

 

[dsnydaddy]

Good morning cruisers! We are back from our quick trip to DL to celebrate our birthdays. It was a lovely weekend, albeit hot and humid (yuck). Went to Mickey's Halloween Party on Friday night, and did the WOC dining package on Saturday. thumbs up on the Halloween party, but we all though the dinner @ Ariel's was mediocre. DH and I both agreed that we're pretty spoiled by WDW dining options and DCL food.... Disneyland just can't keep up. But it was worth it for the viewing area for WOC - just wouldn't do it again...

We did a very early morning flight down and I think we're going to take that experience and NOT do it again. It took all of us a day to reset... so for this cruise, if we don't do anything beforehand, we're still going to fly the night before and take it easy.

Any suggestions on what to do in the area for the evening (we plan to take a taxi from LAX to the port so no car available to us). I am thinking of going for the Crowne Plaza on Priceline...

I felt the same about the WOC dining package. It was alright, I just won't be doing it again. There's not many places in that area that are truly good viewing. Pretty much anywhere you are, there's a head in your way. Unless you get right up front. For such a magnificent show, they really spent little to no thought about making sure that people can see it.

I'm for the first time ever going to fly down to LA this Nov. We always drive. But thought that it may be fun to fly. it was fairly costly though. Again, not sure I'll do it again. I've got to really feel like I got my money's worth out of it.

 

[bubbasmom99]

Our drive from Elk Grove is just about 6 hours, door to door, taking into account one gas fill up and one other quick stop for food/potty, averaging somewhere around 70-80mph. For us, flying, when affordable, is definitely the way to go... the kids get so antsy now more than they did when they were younger. The only downside is that we can't bring a bunch of stuff with us like we're used to when we drive.

Speaking of flying, I was not a fan of John Wayne airport. The TSA seemed to be overly vigilant (not toward us or anyone in particular, just seemed to be really over cautious beyond reason toward everyone... never encountered this at any of the larger airports we've flown through), and the stupid noise abatement rules... why schedule flights before 8 am if you cannot allow the planes to take off before then? We had a 7:45 flight that didn't take off till 8:15 (we were 8th in line to take off at 8:00). I know alot of people don't like LAX but I really like it better.

 

[dsnydaddy]

You do a lot better than I with your drive to Anaheim. It'll usually take us 7 hours and that's if I don't run into any LA traffic! That 7 hours become 14 hours round trip and is pretty much an entire day. By flying, we were able to leave after the kids get out of school on Friday. Fly down Friday night and spend Sat, Sun and Mon in the parks and then fly back Monday night. if we were driving, I'd leave after school on Friday drive all the way being exhausted once we arrived then tired all Saturday. Then have to leave Early on Monday in order to make it home at a decent hour to make sure that the kids can be at school on tuesday.

That's good to know about the TSA at JWA. Next time I might try LAX.

 

[bubbasmom99]

Steve, how can it take you longer from Ceres? Are you coming down 99? We fly down I-5... nice easy drive. I avoid 99 if at all possible, even in Sac... just too congested with bad drivers.

Yep, we tried driving down on a Friday night once and it was really bad traffic in LA. We usually leave first thing daybreak and are in the parks by around 1 pm after checking into hotel. But it does eat up alot of time if you are trying to get out for a quick weekend. My kids are in year-round school so luckily we don't have to rush back usually. Still, it's a nice thing to not have your butt fall asleep for 6 hours on the road!

 

[bubbasmom99]

So what do you think us Silvers have a chance of scoring Palo brunch ressies?

 

[4fosterkids]

You do a lot better than I with your drive to Anaheim. It'll usually take us 7 hours and that's if I don't run into any LA traffic! That 7 hours become 14 hours round trip and is pretty much an entire day. By flying, we were able to leave after the kids get out of school on Friday. Fly down Friday night and spend Sat, Sun and Mon in the parks and then fly back Monday night. if we were driving, I'd leave after school on Friday drive all the way being exhausted once we arrived then tired all Saturday. Then have to leave Early on Monday in order to make it home at a decent hour to make sure that the kids can be at school on tuesday.

That's good to know about the TSA at JWA. Next time I might try LAX.

Long Beach is a great option, if your airline fly's there. It has got to be one of the easiest airports to fly into and out of.

I love hearing everybody's trips & plans to DL and WDW

 

[dsnydaddy]

Steve, how can it take you longer from Ceres? Are you coming down 99? We fly down I-5... nice easy drive. I avoid 99 if at all possible, even in Sac... just too congested with bad drivers.

Yep, we tried driving down on a Friday night once and it was really bad traffic in LA. We usually leave first thing daybreak and are in the parks by around 1 pm after checking into hotel. But it does eat up alot of time if you are trying to get out for a quick weekend. My kids are in year-round school so luckily we don't have to rush back usually. Still, it's a nice thing to not have your butt fall asleep for 6 hours on the road!

Laura and I had the same conversation after reading your post this morning. Next time I'm going to take I5 and see howuch it cuts off the trip. I usually take 99 because its visually more stimulating and I'm less apt to get bored and sleepy. But the towns do slow one down.

 

[dsnydaddy]

So what do you think us Silvers have a chance of scoring Palo brunch ressies?

I know I'm hoping for a shot! My in-laws are with us and I'd love to take them.

 

[tink1963]

I know I'm hoping for a shot! My in-laws are with us and I'd love to take them.

I'm hoping too. and for the same reason.

 

[ibouncetoo]

We won't be booking Palo...so there's a Gold you don't have to worry about!

.

 

[PizzieDuster]

Does the Wonder have Ocean Quest? Went to the FAQs and only saw it on the Magic.

I want to visit the spa...so I'll wait to see what is available onboard .... who knows if DD will be tied to my hip

or having fun with new friends

 

[suzcruz]

I am getting both excited & nervous. i'm worried that, unlike my first cruise, the ship is going to feel so crowded because no one is getting off the boat the whole time!

re ocean quest, the wonder does not have it but i heard that in december the wonder will have a program for 11 to 13 year olds, not sure where it will be.

 

[bubbasmom99]

Laura and I had the same conversation after reading your post this morning. Next time I'm going to take I5 and see howuch it cuts off the trip. I usually take 99 because its visually more stimulating and I'm less apt to get bored and sleepy. But the towns do slow one down.

My husband used to have a sales route that took him down as far south as Madera in a day, so he's used to the long drive. I usually snooze for about an hour between Tracy and Hanford-ish, and then I'm good for the duration and talk my husband's ear off We have a DVD player in the back so we're usually reciting lines from whatever Disney movie my kids have popped in. I think the drive is much more boring on the way back, probably because I've got nothing to look forward to.