POST YOUR DISNEY DREAM TIPS/MUST do'S!

[ForeverWithStitch]

Excited great info!

 

[Doodledisney]

Thanks also for the great info we are going on our first cruise on the dream

 

[tinkmom2]

Do you guys think you could buy wine online and have it shipped to a Disney resort that your staying at beforehand? Just because we're flying and have no rental car. It doesn't look like Costco does. Know of any place that would? (Not sure if you can even buy alcohol online actually...but I know there's those wine clubs online)

We bought from Garden Grocer along with other groceries. And our towncar stopped at Walmart so on the way to port so we could stock up. You can also get alcohol very cheaply in the ports like Nassau.

 

[dreamer2014]

I'm so excited I found this! We are going on our first cruise next year. Our boys will be 6,4, and 3 when we go. I read that the kids club offers lunch and dinner if the kids want it. Does anyone know what times they do this? We have second seating, so I was wondering if we'll need to get them a snack before going to dinner. I know they'll probably want to be there as long as possible. I know we have a long time to go, but I'm just so excited!

 

[StephanieB]

Here are my tips:

-While you are waiting to get into your stateroom, look around the ship. It's huge!
-Go to the Princess meets! The times are listed in the Navigator as well as the PALS line on the phone
-Show up to the Princess meets about 15 minutes early to get a good place in line.
-Carry a camera with you at all times. You never know who you will bump into! I brought a underwater camera, a cam corder and several SD cards. We take our own pics instead of buying the ones onboard.
-The FE is a gift exchange between Disers. And it's awesome! Sign up on the Disnmeets boards
-Have your pirate gear and extra stuff sent to the ship before your cruise. Adults dress up too.
-Do one of the "Everyone can cook classes." They are free and you get to eat!
-First thing go to guest services and get your free sea sickness pills.
-Use the Oceneers club for some one on one time. My youngest daughter loved the club. Be prepared for them not wanting to come out.
-Bring your own alcohol on board or get some very cheaply in port on Nassau day along with Rum cakes.
-Bring water shoes. Some people's feet are gross! We came home with plantar warts last cruise. (yuck)
-bring your own sun lotion. It's expensive on ship.
-get a button from guest services for your special day like Birthday or anniversary.
-If you are celebrating a birthday on board, bring your own streamers, tape, and confetti. Your stateroom host might help you set the room up. Ours made my daughter a towel birthday cake.
-Look at the Navigator every night and highlight what you want to do the next day.
-If you have second dinner seating, have a big breakfast, a lunch around 2 and a nap, then a snack before the show or room service.

Great tips!

 

[AudreyKThompson]

To comment on a few pp-

Alcohol is cheap in many ports but is it my understanding that alcohol purchased in ports such as Nassau may not be consumed on board.

I think dinner in the kids club is around 6, but it will be listed in the navigator.

HTH-

 

[MichelleVW]

To comment on a few pp-

Alcohol is cheap in many ports but is it my understanding that alcohol purchased in ports such as Nassau may not be consumed on board.

I think dinner in the kids club is around 6, but it will be listed in the navigator.

HTH-

Not true. We bought some rum in Nassau and carried it back on the ship and drank it while on board.

 

[AudreyKThompson]

Good to know. I read somewhere in cruise literature that they would package it and hold liquor for consumption once off the ship-- maybe that's for ship store liquor?

 

[MichelleVW]

Good to know. I read somewhere in cruise literature that they would package it and hold liquor for consumption once off the ship-- maybe that's for ship store liquor?

I'm not sure, all I know is that we bought rum and drank it on board!

 

[the.carter.5]

Any tips on how to ensure you get a seat for the shows everynight. We have second dining.

 

[neg58]

Any tips on how to ensure you get a seat for the shows everynight. We have second dining.

You just show up. If you want to sit front and center, you need to show up about 30 minutes before show time and wait until they open the doors. If you just want a decent seat, show up 15 minutes early.

There are plenty of seats and we never had a problem finding 3 good seats together.

Nancy

 

[neg58]

Do you guys think you could buy wine online and have it shipped to a Disney resort that your staying at beforehand? Just because we're flying and have no rental car. It doesn't look like Costco does. Know of any place that would? (Not sure if you can even buy alcohol online actually...but I know there's those wine clubs online)

Florida is strange about shipping alcohol (into Florida). I think it has to be from the brewery/winery, and I think it must also be to a private address, not a hotel. Not 100% sure. You can order it from Woot! deals but not from everywhere.

Now you might find a service to deliver it to your resort, but at some point it is just going to be cheaper to buy what is on board or to buy it in your first port.

Nancy

 

[shrinkydinky]

If you're flying, you can put a couple bottles of wine or whatnot in your checked luggage. Or if staying at a resort, you can have the Garden Grocer deliver it to your resort room. They don't put that on their website, but if you call them they will buy what you want and deliver it. https://www.gardengrocer.com/

You can take alcohol on the cruise ship but it must be in your carry on. We bought one of their cool fruity drinks when we first boarded in a plastic Disney glass (that you get to keep as a souvenir) then would use that to take wine to our dinners at night. It's perfectly fine and no one ever bothered us about it. Of course, we also bought drinks on the ship. i found them very reasonably priced

 

[Traveler4Life]

More please!

Don't take a nap after dinner (early rotation). We did and missed the pirate deck party and fireworks!!!! The noise from the fireworks woke us up but by that time it was too late to see the display!

I was completely bummed!

 

[Whirlybird]

Thank you for the great ideas! I'm so excited in sailing my 1st Disney cruise on the Dream

 

[bumbershoot]

Regarding shipping wine, USPS, UPS, and FedEx will not ship from a normal consumer if they know what it is. I'm not comfy lying, wen by omission, to them so I didn't ship wine. You have to have it sent by the winery and they know all the states they can't ship to.

We had to check our wine then switch it to the carryon for the cruise. Huge pain, in retrospect, because I went to every effort to make sure the wine didn't break. Bought "wine diapers" and a WineChek bag complete with proper shipping box inside etc etc. and yet I would probably do it again because I almost never drink anymore and it was just lovely to have it on the cruise.

 

[kid-at-heart]

Still on the wine topic, we have carry on hard-side luggage we use just for wines, bbq sauce (yep), and other liquids we buy or take when traveling. We check this piece of luggage. We do not put our clothes in this piece of luggage. If anything breaks (never has), the liquid should be contained in the suitcase.

We use wine diapers and wrap everything in loads of bubble wrap. We also layer the suitcase with old towels. The suitcase will hold six or more well wrapped bottles of wine. Last trip it weighed about 30 pounds. We have learned though to use a TSA lock on it. In Tennessee we had it loaded with bbq sauce and other breakable items and someone decided to "see" what was in there. You could tell they were hurrying in their search. They tore everything out of the wine diapers and just left the bbq bottles laying on top of the diapers in the bag. Luckily nothing broke. I do not think TSA would have been so rough and in a hurry if they had been the ones checking the goods. Since it was a nonstop flight we are pretty sure it was at the TN airport that the rummaging occurred. Our luggage was one of the first to come on the belt at our arrival so I doubt there would have been time to search at our destination airport.

wine diapers
http://www.amazon.com/WineDiaper-Re...8&qid=1364821075&sr=8-5&keywords=wine+diapers

 

[jlbmd]

Thanks for all the good info! Excited for our trip in two weeks!!

 

[Arrgh Dream]

Wow I am so happy I found this thread! Thanks everyone! So helpful for a first time cruiser.

Questions:
1. Should I get each child a small bag to carry with them wherever they go for wave phone, room key, camera, autograph book, etc.?
2. Someone suggested checking in for the cruise at the airport. How and where would I do that?
3. Where can I get more info on booking the next cruise on board? It took us 3 years to save for this one so we will not be able to go again anytime soon, but I would like to take advantage of any discounts. How far in advance can you reserve?

Thanks!!!

 

[PoohJen]

\Questions:
1. Should I get each child a small bag to carry with them wherever they go for wave phone, room key, camera, autograph book, etc.?

3. Where can I get more info on booking the next cruise on board? How far in advance can you reserve?

Not sure how old your children are (young enough to want autographs, but old enough to wander around the ship on their own?), but having a small bag sounds like a great idea if they are carrying things around. Put your name in the bag in case it gets lost so when it gets turned in you'll be easier to find. If your room keys might be in there, don't put your room number there.

Re: reserving on board. You put down a (relatively small) deposit, and my experience has been you get a 10% discount plus an onboard credit. The deposit is fully refundable (provided you cancel within the time parameters - XX days out from the reserved cruise). You can book as far out as the current openings of rooms. We have always done this - we book a "dummy date" for the last month of openings, then when the later cruises are announced, we reschedule to our desired date. I had a dummy date I booked two years ago for this coming December...just this weekend I switched it to...next month! Woo Hoo!

Have a great time!