Dreamin'....and needing some help!

[Wendy]

Okay it's done! We leave in early June!

Congratulations, you will have a brilliant time Can't wait to hear all about it

[shimmerplanet]

Thank you We just went to Disney World in December, and my daughters FINALLY got their mama's Disney Bug. When this cruise opportunity fell into my lap I felt like they just had to go.
Thank you for the web cam link - this will definitely help me make it more real to my kids!! I am driving down, I figured we'd leave on Saturday and make a day of it. I am reading there are many hotels in the Port Canaveral area that offer a park and cruise package. I think this is the best way for us to do it - I'll need to spend the night anyway and it will save on port costs.
I'm a researcher by nature so I've looked into things like Vinylmations and pin trading and have read mixed reviews. Some say there is limited pin trading and no Vinylmations, although both are for sale, and some say both have limited trading. Anyone know for sure? We are big Vinylmation collectors and began pins in December during our trip to WDW.

Excellent! Congratulations! You're going to have such a marvelous time.

In the meantime, if you want to get more excited, here's a link to the Port Canaveral web cam. Right now, it appears that the camera is oriented to point out the channel toward the Atlantic. But sometimes (like when the Fantasy arrived) they have it oriented to point into the turning basin. You can get unbelievable views of the Disney ships as they enter or leave the port. Right now, according to the map below the camera, the Magic is in port.

Another thing you might be interested in. Based on where you are, will you be driving down to Port Canaveral? On our first DCL cruise, my DW and I drove down a few days in advance and stayed a night or two in St. Augustine before taking a casual drive down the coast to Port Canaveral on the day before our cruise. We then stayed the night in Port Canaveral and were right there on the morning of our cruise. Of course, the cruise terminal typically doesn't open till about 10:00 AM and we were ready long before that. So, we had to sit around and get ridiculously excited for a couple of hours. Wouldn't have missed it for the world!

Tom (... I'm soooo excited for you! )

[catrancher]

I am driving down, I figured we'd leave on Saturday and make a day of it. I am reading there are many hotels in the Port Canaveral area that offer a park and cruise package.

We've always stayed at the Radisson at the Port. It's "adequate" for a single night, has a nice pool. There's a nice little restaurant right next door named Kelseys. In fact, Kelsy's is to a large degree one of the reasons we continue to stay at the Radisson when we're cruising. The hotel restaurant is kind of fun for breakfast on the morning of your cruise. It's fun to sit there and pick out the other people going on DCL who stayed there too. They're usually not too hard to pick out. The Mickey t-shirts and such tend to give them away. The hotel does have a park and cruise package available although we've always just parked our car in the covered parking deck at the port. Granted, it's more expensive but it's sooo much more convenient after the cruise to be able to just have the porter throw your bags in the car and leave rather than having to wait for the bus back to the hotel to pick up your car.

I'm a researcher by nature so I've looked into things like Vinylmations and pin trading and have read mixed reviews. Some say there is limited pin trading and no Vinylmations, although both are for sale, and some say both have limited trading. Anyone know for sure? We are big Vinylmation collectors and began pins in December during our trip to WDW.

Not being Vinylamtionites, I can't really speak to those on board. I did notice some of them in the gift shops but I can't recall how many. Most of the ones I saw were cruise oriented like these:

VMBlog_20110914_DCLMagic.jpg

Don't recall if there were others. Also not too sure about pins. I "think" they had some on board but since we didn't go shopping specifically for them, I can't be sure. There's some, but just how much I can't tell you.

I can tell you they have plenty of merchandise in the gift shops. I don't think you'll be disappointed. One caution however. I always buy shirts. Polo shirts specifically. Since I take an extra large in those, I've learned to get them early in the cruise. On one of our first cruises I waited until later only to discover they had sold out of my size. Just something else to think about.

Tom (... you're going to have so much fun!)

[catrancher]

Thank you for the web cam link - this will definitely help me make it more real to my kids!!

Check the web cam on any given sailing day (4/10, 4/15) at 5:00 PM. That's sailing time. All passengers have to be onboard by 3:45 but the ships actually sail at 5. You can see the ships leaving at that time on the web cam. If you're lucky, you may also hear the ships horn playing "When you wish upon a star"!

Tom (... that'll get the old juices flowing! )

[uscwest]

Tom,

I'll second the Radisson. We stayed there on our only cruise. The restaurant was very nice. We didn't drive however, so didn't have to worry about parking, but it nice to know they do have that option.

[Mari]

Ohhhhh... Now I really NEED a Disney cruise!!!!!




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[shimmerplanet]

I CAN NOT believe I'm 60 days away from it. When we booked the WDW trip last year it was April, and I held in the secret until the day we left in December. Omiword...hardest thing EVER!!! This trip is going to be here before I know it, and the girls both know and I'm even MORE excited. Can that be????

Ohhhhh... Now I really NEED a Disney cruise!!!!!




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[shimmerplanet]

Fantastic!!! We are actually excited about the Vinylmations that commemorate our visited places -- so the one you pictured (or one like it) would be perfect. I am not crazy about the pins, but the little Princesses who live here are. I simply can NOT wait. 60-ish days.

I'll check out Kelseys!

We've always stayed at the Radisson at the Port. It's "adequate" for a single night, has a nice pool. There's a nice little restaurant right next door named Kelseys. In fact, Kelsy's is to a large degree one of the reasons we continue to stay at the Radisson when we're cruising. The hotel restaurant is kind of fun for breakfast on the morning of your cruise. It's fun to sit there and pick out the other people going on DCL who stayed there too. They're usually not too hard to pick out. The Mickey t-shirts and such tend to give them away. The hotel does have a park and cruise package available although we've always just parked our car in the covered parking deck at the port. Granted, it's more expensive but it's sooo much more convenient after the cruise to be able to just have the porter throw your bags in the car and leave rather than having to wait for the bus back to the hotel to pick up your car.



Not being Vinylamtionites, I can't really speak to those on board. I did notice some of them in the gift shops but I can't recall how many. Most of the ones I saw were cruise oriented like these:

VMBlog_20110914_DCLMagic.jpg

Don't recall if there were others. Also not too sure about pins. I "think" they had some on board but since we didn't go shopping specifically for them, I can't be sure. There's some, but just how much I can't tell you.

I can tell you they have plenty of merchandise in the gift shops. I don't think you'll be disappointed. One caution however. I always buy shirts. Polo shirts specifically. Since I take an extra large in those, I've learned to get them early in the cruise. On one of our first cruises I waited until later only to discover they had sold out of my size. Just something else to think about.

Tom (... you're going to have so much fun!)

[Mari]

I CAN NOT believe I'm 60 days away from it. When we booked the WDW trip last year it was April, and I held in the secret until the day we left in December. Omiword...hardest thing EVER!!! This trip is going to be here before I know it, and the girls both know and I'm even MORE excited. Can that be????

Thats fantastic!!

I love Disney surprises!!

We were able to keep the last trip hidden until we were on the plane best surprise EVER!... longest plane ride ever too! hahahaha

You will have a wonderful time!!

[catrancher]

Can that be????

Yep! It can. And it will get worse.

Your drive down to Port Canaveral will be unreal. Try to keep the speed below 3,000 MPH. The Port will still be there if you take your time. But the excitement will build to incredible levels.

Once you arrive in Port Canaveral on Saturday, I'd take a drive over to the area with the actual cruise terminal is and just have a look around (you may want to peek first in Google maps). That way, you'll be familiar with how to get there the next morning. Now, when you do that on Saturday, the ship will not be there. It won't arrive back in port until the Sunday morning of your cruise. Do not plan on getting any sleep on Saturday night. You will be too excited to sleep.

And it won't matter a bit.

The next morning, take your time getting up and getting ready. You'll be up at oh-dark-thirty but the cruise terminal won't even open till 10:00 AM. Have a nice breakfast. Play the "bet I can pick out other people going on DCL" game. When you finally do head over to the cruise terminal, you'll be presented with a view that looks something like this (that's the Dream by the way):

DSC_0043.jpg

At this point, your excitement will have built up until it's distinctly possible you'll bust. No problem. Ambulances are standing by (just kidding). Pick your jaw up off the ground, drop your luggage with the porters (except for your carryon), go pass through security and make your way upstairs to the terminal. Here, you'll check in, present your credit card for your onboard charges, have your passports checked, get your Key to the World card, and be assigned to a boarding group. First come, first served. This is the reason my DW and I like to get to the terminal early. An earlier boarding group gets you onto the ship earlier. Now, just find a place to park yourselves and wait till they call your boarding group. Boarding usually starts around noon. While you're waiting, take a look around. Take a peek at the model of the Magic:

Magic.jpg

Say "Hi" to Captain Mickey:

Mickey.jpg

And finally, when it's your turn, pass through the mouse ears portal (that's them in the background) and board the ship:

Portal.jpg

At this point, you've made it. Go have a nice lunch. You'll probably be able to get into your stateroom somewhere around 1:00 PM. Your luggage will be delivered to the hall outside your stateroom sometime later. Should be in plenty of time for dinner and the show though. Now, just head on up to deck 10 for the sail away party at 5:00PM. And be sure to listen for the ships horn as you depart.

Have a wonderful time.

Couple of things to be aware of though. You will need proof of citizenship for you and your kids. A passport will be required for you and Disney strongly recommends passports for the children also. It's probably not a bad idea since this will not be your last Disney Cruise.

Keep watching the mail for your cruise documents from Disney. They should be showing up soon!

Tom (... I wanna go again! )