Hi Everyone--
We had intended to have a day by day up "live" on our blog, but the internet on the ship is very spotty on this trip and we are having trouble connecting and uploading. (blogs are partially blocked)--
So, in the interim I am going to upload a few pictures of things to our Facebook page, and will do the blog entries once we are back to having good internet again.
Tonight for New Year's Eve Disney is having a "ring in the new year" party in Wavebands, and a gala celebration in the atrium lobby with champagne for all (well, all over 21 that is!)
We are spending the day in Cabo, and will be back to the ship early (last tender of the day is 1:30 today.)
Tonight is semi-formal night to go with New Year's Eve.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year! 'Till we can connect again....
DreamFinder Travel! (find your dreams and make them memories!)
Finding Dreams and Making Memories, one vacation at a time.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
disney Wonder day 1
we arrived at the port at about 11 a.m. and the crowds were not too bad. Being a Platinum Castaway Club member we proceeded directly to the designated line to check in which was very short...only one person in line in front of us. the other lines were quite short as well. The ship is full so no upgrades were being offered. The kids club check in line was extremely long so we opted to get the check in band at the Lab after boarding. The Wonder is all decorated for the holidays with the gingerbread house and the 22 ft Christmas tree. The ship is beautifully decorated. We are headed to the emergency drill in a few minutes, then off to the sail away party.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Almost cruise time--a packing list
I always find myself waiting until the very last minute to pack, and then trying to remember everything that I need to take. Have you ever wondered what you should pack to take on your Disney Cruise? Below are a few items that you might not think of when packing, that will come in handy:
First, make sure to take a a day bag to carry onboard (without checking at the port.--since your luggage may not arrive until close to dinner time.) In the day bag you should have:
- Medications (I recommend in their original containers)
- Passport and travel documents
- Camera (batteries, memory cards, etc.)
- Bathing suit, sunglasses & Sunscreen (and a cover up)
- Reading material (books, Kindle, Nook, etc.)
Things to take you might not otherwise think of:
- Power Strip (there are very few plugs in the room to use)
- Gallon size zip-lock bags (for those wet items that just won't dry before packing)
- Downy Wrinkle Release
- a sweater or jacket
- pre-printed labels with your name/address/contact info on it to use for your luggage (for disembarking the ship)
- wine/alcohol/spirits (yes, you can carry these on with you)
- water (you can take bottled water with you, then you won't have to purchase it once onboard)
- corkscrew (if you bring your own wine)
- fold up hamper
- sewing kit
- individual packets of laundry soap (tide makes a sink pack that is perfect!)
- stain stick or wipes (like shout stain wipes)
Dinner attire is "cruise casual," which means no shorts, swimwear or tank tops. Palo diners will want to dress up a bit more than when dining at Lumiere's or Triton's, though Guests are free to dress up for any dinner. Make sure you take dressy clothes for formal/semi-formal nights if you are on a 7 night or longer cruise.
Hopefully you will find this helpful--now I'm off to packing! Only 2 more days before DreamFinder Travel sets sail on the Disney Wonder for New Year's Eve!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
New Buffet test at Coronado Spring's Pepper Market
Disney is trying out a new buffet concept at the Pepper Market (food court area) at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort.
For Breakfast and Lunch there is a new buffet style of dining being offered. Instead of ordering from the stations, you now pay one set price and it's all you care to eat from everything being offered. Dinner is still being offered a la carte.
Pricing is currently $14.99 for breakfast ($8.99 for children ages 3 - 11), and $16.99 for lunch ($9.99 for children ages 3 - 11.)
The buffet includes a non-alcoholic beverage and dessert.
Breakfast offerings include waffles, made to order omelets, french toast, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and more. Lunch has everything from burritos and chicken, to pizza and sandwiches, to a carve-to-order roast of the day, and much more.
There has not been an indication as to how long this will be in a test, or if it will go permanent.
For Breakfast and Lunch there is a new buffet style of dining being offered. Instead of ordering from the stations, you now pay one set price and it's all you care to eat from everything being offered. Dinner is still being offered a la carte.
Pricing is currently $14.99 for breakfast ($8.99 for children ages 3 - 11), and $16.99 for lunch ($9.99 for children ages 3 - 11.)
The buffet includes a non-alcoholic beverage and dessert.
Breakfast offerings include waffles, made to order omelets, french toast, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and more. Lunch has everything from burritos and chicken, to pizza and sandwiches, to a carve-to-order roast of the day, and much more.
There has not been an indication as to how long this will be in a test, or if it will go permanent.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
"Super Cars" coming to WDW's Richard Petty Driving Experience
Have you ever wanted to feel the exciting speed of racing around a track in a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche or Audi? Well now thrill-seekers will have the option of doing just that at Walt Disney World, at Richard Petty's Driving Experience!
If you have never experienced the Richard Petty Driving Experience, it is a thrill-seekers rush! The Walt Disney World Speedway is a one mile, slightly banked tri-oval track. The new Exotics Course is a hybrid design which will use the tri-oval's backstretch and turn #2, before it takes drivers into a newly designed interior section which includes a series of fast right- and left-hand turns inside of street-course style barriers. This course will allow drivers to rapidly accelerate to high speeds while also testing the handling and braking of some of the world's most incredible supercars!
Prices for a ride-along experience are set to be $99, with the actual driving experience (where you drive, and the instructor rides along) will start at $199 for six laps. Prices will vary depending on the car (all cars will have automatic transmissions.)
Bookings can be made at ExoticDriving.com, or have your DreamFinder Travel agent take care of the booking for you (it's one of the many services we offer our clients for free!)
Photo above is DreamFinder Travel agent, and director of travel services, Sue Ellen Soto-Rios, enjoying the rush of the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
If you have never experienced the Richard Petty Driving Experience, it is a thrill-seekers rush! The Walt Disney World Speedway is a one mile, slightly banked tri-oval track. The new Exotics Course is a hybrid design which will use the tri-oval's backstretch and turn #2, before it takes drivers into a newly designed interior section which includes a series of fast right- and left-hand turns inside of street-course style barriers. This course will allow drivers to rapidly accelerate to high speeds while also testing the handling and braking of some of the world's most incredible supercars!
Prices for a ride-along experience are set to be $99, with the actual driving experience (where you drive, and the instructor rides along) will start at $199 for six laps. Prices will vary depending on the car (all cars will have automatic transmissions.)
Bookings can be made at ExoticDriving.com, or have your DreamFinder Travel agent take care of the booking for you (it's one of the many services we offer our clients for free!)
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Is anything really free?
Who says nothing in life is free? Well, booking a vacation with DreamFinder Travel gets you your own personal Disney Expert, Vacation Travel Planner (aka DreamMaker) for absolutely NO COST to you! What could be better? (okay, so a free trip could be better....but hey--this is still pretty good stuff!) It's a win-win situation for you. You book your Dream vacation, AND you have a go-to Disney specialist at your disposal for free--nada, zip, zilch--absolutely FREE!
What does your "DreamMaker" do? Well, not only are our DreamMaker's your own personal concierge, they are your Disney expert, your one-stop shop! THE place to go for information, tips, and help. Your DreamMaker is there to not only make sure you avoid all of the "rookie" mistakes, but also to make sure you get the very best pricing available. DreamFinder Travel tracks pricing and discounts, and often know about them before they are released to the public. We take care of automatically applying any promotion to your reservation, EVEN AFTER YOU BOOK your reservation, to make sure you have the very best pricing available. We are here to save you both time and money.
Your DreamMaker is there every step of the way through your vacation planning, and will even take care of booking your dining, recreation, and other activities for you.
Even better--if you are booking a Disney Cruise with DreamFinder Travel, you also get FREE MONEY! Yes, that's right--I said FREE MONEY! What would you do with an extra $25 - $600? Book your cruise with DreamFinder Travel and we will give you an onboard credit to spend on the ship (it can be spent for anything onboard, including souvenirs, shore excursions, spa, alcohol, etc.) The onboard credit amount is dependent on the cost of the cruise, so contact us for more details.
So, whoever said that nothing in life is free, was mistaken. :)
Head over to DreamFinder Travel for your free, no-obligation vacation quote today!
What does your "DreamMaker" do? Well, not only are our DreamMaker's your own personal concierge, they are your Disney expert, your one-stop shop! THE place to go for information, tips, and help. Your DreamMaker is there to not only make sure you avoid all of the "rookie" mistakes, but also to make sure you get the very best pricing available. DreamFinder Travel tracks pricing and discounts, and often know about them before they are released to the public. We take care of automatically applying any promotion to your reservation, EVEN AFTER YOU BOOK your reservation, to make sure you have the very best pricing available. We are here to save you both time and money.
Your DreamMaker is there every step of the way through your vacation planning, and will even take care of booking your dining, recreation, and other activities for you.
Even better--if you are booking a Disney Cruise with DreamFinder Travel, you also get FREE MONEY! Yes, that's right--I said FREE MONEY! What would you do with an extra $25 - $600? Book your cruise with DreamFinder Travel and we will give you an onboard credit to spend on the ship (it can be spent for anything onboard, including souvenirs, shore excursions, spa, alcohol, etc.) The onboard credit amount is dependent on the cost of the cruise, so contact us for more details.
So, whoever said that nothing in life is free, was mistaken. :)
Head over to DreamFinder Travel for your free, no-obligation vacation quote today!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
2012 WDW Star Wars Weekends Announced
Disney has announced that they will hold the Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park on the following dates in 2012:
This is a very popular event and reservations at the Walt Disney World resorts fill fast! Be sure to make your reservations early. Contact DreamFinder Travel for your reservation today!
- May 18 - 20
- May 25-27
- June 1-3
- June 8-10
This is a very popular event and reservations at the Walt Disney World resorts fill fast! Be sure to make your reservations early. Contact DreamFinder Travel for your reservation today!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
New Spring WDW Discount
Walt Disney World has released a new promotional discount for travel between February 21, 2012 and June 14, 2012. (for room only and package reservations.)
Discount ranges are as follows:
- Value resorts – 5% to 20%
- Moderate resorts – 5% to 25%
- Deluxe resorts – 5% to 30%
- Deluxe villa resorts – 5% to 30%
Must be booked by 1/22/12 for travel by 3/8/12 and by 2/28/12 for travel from 4/13 - 6/14.
Contact your DreamFinder Travel Planner for a no-obligation quote or more details. www.dreamfindertravelgroup.com
Thursday, December 1, 2011
New Fantasmic! Dining Experience, A Taste of Hollywood to Go.
There is a new Fantasmic! Dining Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is called “A Taste of Hollywood To Go”
This is a more casual dining experience that you can enjoy on-the-go and at your leisure up to 1 1/2 hours before the Fantasmic show. You can pick-up your meal at Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner beginning at 11 a.m. through 1 ½ hours prior to your selected show time. You can choose which performance you’d like to attend when you order your meal.
**Reserved viewing is first come, first served.**
From savory dishes and vegetarian fare, to kids meals and snacks--pricing is $14.99 per adult (age 10+) and $5.49 per child (age 3-9) and dessert package add-ons are available for $9.99 and $11.99.
You can use one quick service meal option per person from your Disney Dining Plan for this event and a credit card is needed to guarantee the booking. Reservations can be made beginning today. Currently the report is that the dates available are from 12/18/11 to 12/31/11.
**Reserved viewing is first come, first served.**
From savory dishes and vegetarian fare, to kids meals and snacks--pricing is $14.99 per adult (age 10+) and $5.49 per child (age 3-9) and dessert package add-ons are available for $9.99 and $11.99.
You can use one quick service meal option per person from your Disney Dining Plan for this event and a credit card is needed to guarantee the booking. Reservations can be made beginning today. Currently the report is that the dates available are from 12/18/11 to 12/31/11.
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