DVC Member's Cruise - July 23, 2018 - Castway Double Dip

tidefan

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Starting the meet thread! Look forward to meeting everyone!

UPDATE:

DIS FE Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xv3gpX3_MJ6cH1q5eecRYwzTo7iple3VwUdXCJzqcAY/edit?usp=sharing

To join the FE, simply PM or post the info included in the sheet above in the thread! All are welcome! We will not close the FE list until later in the year (I am thinking June 1st).

Local Candy/Snack exchange interest:

maburke
bobbiwoz
minniescout
Capang
tidefan
bluedoggy
PDZS
Lindy Stevens

Pre-cruise meet and greet @ Top of the World Lounge (Bay Lake Tower):

There will be a pre-cruise meet and greet at TOTWL to watch fireworks and to meet fellow cruisers on July 22nd!

Breakfast at Royal Palace (Day at Sea):

@bobbiwoz is organizing a meet for breakfast on the sea day. Meet in the Atrium @ 8:30am
 
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Hi! Am looking forward to meeting folks here, and then in person on the cruise.

I have often organized Local Candy/Snack Exchange on DCL Cruises! We use Fish Extenders to pass out a local treat, and we print out some from the internet telling about our offering. I had been on DCL's EBTA in May, and I just finished enjoying some mint candy from one of the Carolinas. If you think you would be interest, mention it here. I will collect stateroom numbers and allergy information starting in May, so by June you will know how many are in your group. I keep group numbers between 6&11. Each cruise is different. On one Member Cruise there were 32 participants, 4 groups of 8. On this year's there is only 1 group of 5! Things like FE help make DCL cruises even more fun! We pass out the goodies once.


Candy Exchange info!

On May 15th and through June 10, I will be asking for participants to send me a “conversation” with your stateroom number, the number of adults/children in your cabin, and if there are any allergies. As I assign you to a group, I will look at deck numbers, which should help as you distribute your goodies. If anyone wants to be in more than 1 group, that’s something else you can tell me.

So, begin to send me your information on May 15. Please title the conversation “Member Cruise Candy/SnackExchange.”

Post 329 has the above information!
Bobbiwoz
 
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Hi! Am looking forward to meeting folks here, and then in person on the cruise.

I have often organized Local Candy/Snack Exchange on DCL Cruises! We use Fish Extenders to pass out a local treat, and we print out some from the internet telling about our offering. I had been on DCL's EBTA in May, and I just finished enjoying some mint candy from one of the Carolinas. If you think you would be interest, mention it here. I will collect stateroom numbers and allergy information starting in May, so by June you will know how many are in your group. I keep group numbers between 6&11. Each cruise is different. On one Member Cruise there were 32 particu, 4 groups of 8. On this year's there is only 1 group of 5! Things like FE help make DCL cruises even more fun! We pass out the goodies once.

Local Candy/Snack exchange interest

Bobbiwoz
That sounds like fun! I'm interested in joining in!
 


Hi! Am looking forward to meeting folks here, and then in person on the cruise.

I have often organized Local Candy/Snack Exchange on DCL Cruises! We use Fish Extenders to pass out a local treat, and we print out some from the internet telling about our offering. I had been on DCL's EBTA in May, and I just finished enjoying some mint candy from one of the Carolinas. If you think you would be interest, mention it here. I will collect stateroom numbers and allergy information starting in May, so by June you will know how many are in your group. I keep group numbers between 6&11. Each cruise is different. On one Member Cruise there were 32 particu, 4 groups of 8. On this year's there is only 1 group of 5! Things like FE help make DCL cruises even more fun! We pass out the goodies once.

Local Candy/Snack exchange interest

Bobbiwoz
Us too! We will also want to do the FE as well.
 


Will there be another type of FE? I'd never even heard of this until a few days ago when I started really researching Disney cruises! I don't eat sugar and my husband and son don't like chocolate so we're probably high maintenance for a food related one.
 
Will there be another type of FE? I'd never even heard of this until a few days ago when I started really researching Disney cruises! I don't eat sugar and my husband and son don't like chocolate so we're probably high maintenance for a food related one.
Usually someone does start a general FE, it just depends. I understand why you would not find The Candy/Snack especially to your liking. We have gotten chips, sweet potato ones from St. Louis! I started organizing the Local Candy Snack exchange after I participated in one. I hope someone steps up and organizes a general one. The person doing it on this year's MC is not going on next year's, but anyone can start one.
 
Usually someone does start a general FE, it just depends. I understand why you would not find The Candy/Snack especially to your liking. We have gotten chips, sweet potato ones from St. Louis! I started organizing the Local Candy Snack exchange after I participated in one. I hope someone steps up and organizes a general one. The person doing it on this year's MC is not going on next year's, but anyone can start one.

Cool! Thanks! I'll be on the lookout. I love things like that. Since this is my first cruise and I'm overwhmed enough I won't be in charge but if cruising becomes our thing I would totally do it!
 
Many people view cruising as a very relaxing vacation, and with 2 days at Castaway Cay, this one can be. Sometimes when you have one port day after another, it can get hectic, visiting new places, sightseeing, etc.

My only suggestion to people who are new to Member Cruising is to read what they give you in the room that first day. It's an overview of the special events planned by DVC. They may even give the times, and days they will be offered. Since this is also a DCL cruise, there are certain activities like, Bingo, Trivia and Pirate experience that DCL offers on every cruise.

So, there will be a lot going on. I personally, concentrate on the DVC events, because they are what I am paying the premium for. On normal cruises, I do more trivia and movies then I do on Member Cruises.

However, on the first Navigator, DCL's "newsletter of activities" there is a list of all the movies that will be shown in the Buena Vista theater. If you do want to see a movie in the theater, on the big screen, take note of days and times.
I do enjoy going to that theater to see a movie.

There is a DCL app for your pad or phone, and that is very important to download, so you can always see what is going on!

Tom and I really enjoy cruising. I hope you will too! I hope other experienced cruisers come on and chime in with their special things they like to do on cruises!
 
We did the MC to Alaska a couple of years ago and it was our favorite cruise we've ever done. Some of the things we enjoyed:

1) if they do a broadway night it is not to be missed. We had Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), among others, who were absolutely amazing

2) on that cruise, the DVC management held mixers in the Roy and Walt Disney suites for members. It was a really nice touch and we got to have a nice conversation with Ken Potrock and his team.

3). As Bobbi said, make sure you look at everything early. On our trip, there was a preview of everything at the sail away party, so while seasoned DCL cruisers may skip that, don't do that on this sailing.

4). We had a number of the Pixar folks on board that cruise (we got to see Inside Out about a month before it came out in Theaters) and had a fabulous seminar one morning with the gentleman that made the short "Lava" that aired prior to that movie. He even played the song for us live on his ukulele.

5). Bring an extra suitcase for all of the SWAG. Not only does DVC give a lot of gifts (we had to mail a large box back from Juneau because we had too much SWAG halfway through that cruise), but people really stepped up the FE gifts on that cruise as well.

6). Not a bad idea to pre-order merchandise. We ran out of some shirt and sweatshirt sizes on our sailing.

So looking forward to this cruise. Anyone staying a few nights at WDW prior?
 
I will book 2 nights before the cruise. I am deciding on which resort. I almost always go to TTOTW the night before to meet some other DVC folks. So, BLT or WL are most likely where we will stay. How about you?
 
I will book 2 nights before the cruise. I am deciding on which resort. I almost always go to TTOTW the night before to meet some other DVC folks. So, BLT or WL are most likely where we will stay. How about you?
Most likely, at Poly. I am low on BLT points since we stayed there over NYE a couple of years ago.
 
We did the MC to Alaska a couple of years ago and it was our favorite cruise we've ever done. Some of the things we enjoyed:

1) if they do a broadway night it is not to be missed. We had Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), among others, who were absolutely amazing

2) on that cruise, the DVC management held mixers in the Roy and Walt Disney suites for members. It was a really nice touch and we got to have a nice conversation with Ken Potrock and his team.

3). As Bobbi said, make sure you look at everything early. On our trip, there was a preview of everything at the sail away party, so while seasoned DCL cruisers may skip that, don't do that on this sailing.

4). We had a number of the Pixar folks on board that cruise (we got to see Inside Out about a month before it came out in Theaters) and had a fabulous seminar one morning with the gentleman that made the short "Lava" that aired prior to that movie. He even played the song for us live on his ukulele.

5). Bring an extra suitcase for all of the SWAG. Not only does DVC give a lot of gifts (we had to mail a large box back from Juneau because we had too much SWAG halfway through that cruise), but people really stepped up the FE gifts on that cruise as well.

6). Not a bad idea to pre-order merchandise. We ran out of some shirt and sweatshirt sizes on our sailing.

So looking forward to this cruise. Anyone staying a few nights at WDW prior?
Thanks for the tips! We are staying at WDW before AND after the cruise. It's going to be a big vacation....
 
FYI

Some of you know that DCL does not offer their cruise insurance for charter cruises. Right now, Tom is on the phone trying to book insurance for us. We get insurance primarily for medical evacuation and since we are in our 70's, we want pre-existed conditions covered. Sometimes insurance companies insist that you buy their insurance within a few days of "full payment " and since we paid in full yesterday, that clock is ticking.

We are both excited...we spend a lot of our retirement time on vacations, and dreaming about and planning vacations. Plus right now our kitchen is being renovated, our house is a mess with boxes everywhere, and it is pouring rain.

Bobbi:boat:
 
Thanks for the tip on cruise insurance, Cast member gave me a phone number to call, but I thought I had time to wait until I got the official confirmation in about a month. I will call now.
Peace and Cheers!
 
We did the MC to Alaska a couple of years ago and it was our favorite cruise we've ever done. Some of the things we enjoyed:

1) if they do a broadway night it is not to be missed. We had Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), among others, who were absolutely amazing

2) on that cruise, the DVC management held mixers in the Roy and Walt Disney suites for members. It was a really nice touch and we got to have a nice conversation with Ken Potrock and his team.

3). As Bobbi said, make sure you look at everything early. On our trip, there was a preview of everything at the sail away party, so while seasoned DCL cruisers may skip that, don't do that on this sailing.

4). We had a number of the Pixar folks on board that cruise (we got to see Inside Out about a month before it came out in Theaters) and had a fabulous seminar one morning with the gentleman that made the short "Lava" that aired prior to that movie. He even played the song for us live on his ukulele.

5). Bring an extra suitcase for all of the SWAG. Not only does DVC give a lot of gifts (we had to mail a large box back from Juneau because we had too much SWAG halfway through that cruise), but people really stepped up the FE gifts on that cruise as well.

6). Not a bad idea to pre-order merchandise. We ran out of some shirt and sweatshirt sizes on our sailing.

So looking forward to this cruise. Anyone staying a few nights at WDW prior?
We will be planning a trip to WDW , Animal Kingdom, Kidina is our home prior to the Member's only cruise. Definitely interested inFE, we did this on our Very Merry Christmas cruise out of Galveston last November.
 
We will be planning a trip to WDW , Animal Kingdom, Kidina is our home prior to the Member's only cruise. Definitely interested inFE, we did this on our Very Merry Christmas cruise out of Galveston last November.
We are interested in FE as well, I just haven't done one so I don't want to organize it.
 

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