we're home :( live updates started page 2, summary on page 7

[wayneg]

Welcome home.
Great to read about your last few days, incl the cruise.
When we boarded the Magic we were group 15 always get on one of the 1st but we set off a bit later and then had to drop car. Worth getting up a little earlier next time.
We put the cases under the bed this time, saves a lot of space. Read on here that they lift and enough room for them.
2nd dining is too late for us so we were on the 1st but they had brought it forward to 5:45(used to be 6~6:30) which is too early, can't win.
We did snorkeling again, found the Mickey statue and submarine, never been out so far before, took us around 2 hours of swimming to find them.
Sounds like you enjoyed the DDP as much as us. I am torn for next year now, loved trying the places in Disney but missed offsite.
Nassau we just get off for a walk and back on again, will bear in mind Segway tour in future.
Thanks for all the updates and hope you post a few pics.

 

[karentan]

wayne, have you thought of doing a split stay, that way you could add on dining for part of the trip, then eat offsite for the rest?
i tried to fit the cases under the bed, but they didnt fit too easily and knowing me i'd have forgotten about them and left them there. plus they fitted in the wardrobe anyway!

scojos, you'll love SSR, some people say its too big, we were in carousel for the first 8 nights, and apparently thats one of the furthest bits. we walked to the main buildings a few times, took us 8 mins, but its a nice walk and you walk so much in disney anyway, 8 mins isnt too bad! it was a 20 min or so walk to DTD but again its a really nice walk.
we didnt use the main pool, we stuck to the small pool near the paddock bus stop, it was lovely and quiet, had a hot tub, and they played some nice music in the background.
it justified our decision to move to SSR from ASM one night when we were at DTD, the queue for the all stars had to be moved to the car park as it was soooo long, this was about 10pm, i'm guessing they were sharing buses at that time, and the queue had to have about 100 people in it easily.
being at the carousel, we were the second bus stop, so easy to find seats on the bus, although we ended up giving them up a lot of the time, as people with small kids were getting on and no other people would give up their seats. some people really do make you despair, they always looked the other direction to avoid eye contact with the people who are holding 2 kids and juggling a pram. tut.
we had requested the congress park section both times, we got it for the last night, but for the main stint i really wasnt too bothered that we didnt get it, we were in such a nice quiet place.

 

[wayneg]

wayne, have you thought of doing a split stay, that way you could add on dining for part of the trip, then eat offsite for the rest?

Yes we have but I am not really putting too much thought into yet, more interested in getting flights under £500pp(£400 indirect), never book hotels until I have the flights. I know there will always be a hotel.
We might go for the split stay even though we hate moving hotels. Even though we love cruising we totally dislike the packing and unpacking that goes with it.

 

[disney_princess_85]

Thank you for your updates and final thoughts. Looks like you had a fantastic time! I just got back at the weekend so I'm still a little jetlagged. I know what you mean about the humidity, it was crazy some days!! September is a great time to go though isn't it, we hardly saw anyone in our building the whole time we were there either.

 

[natalielongstaff]

Welcome home Karen

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Great report and final summary = keeps the magic going for me

 

[eeyorefanuk]

we went to seaworld yesterday, gary had bought me the 7 hour VIP tour for my birthday, best thing ever. we were the only people in the tour so we had the guide to ourselved all day! because we didnt have anyone else with us, we got round the whole park in a day, we expected to have to go back today to do the rest of the shows and exhibits, but we made such good time that we got to all 3 shows, all of the exhibits, and even got to go backstage to the animal quarantine areas, and the service areas. i absolutely wouldnt hesistate to recommend this to anyone!

QUOTE]

Hello,

We had this on our list to do, but are now wondering with it being August when we go if we will find it too much running around for seven hours in the heat ........... we have now brought it down to dolphin spotlight tour and dine with shamu ... but now not so sure - your thoughts???

 

[karentan]

if you're planning on going on all the rides and shows, i'd say go for the tour, you get reserved seating at shows so you wont have to turn up really early to get a good seat, you get front of queue access to the main rides, which again will save probably a couple of hours in the summer season, if you're going to be walking round the park all day anyway, i'd say the tour is a good idea, they provide you with water throughout the day anyway, and its just cool having your own guide.
also they're very good with doing the tours at the right pace for the people involved, they dont rush you at all at any point, and there's more than ample opportunities for rest breaks etc

 

[eeyorefanuk]

if you're planning on going on all the rides and shows, i'd say go for the tour, you get reserved seating at shows so you wont have to turn up really early to get a good seat, you get front of queue access to the main rides, which again will save probably a couple of hours in the summer season, if you're going to be walking round the park all day anyway, i'd say the tour is a good idea, they provide you with water throughout the day anyway, and its just cool having your own guide.
also they're very good with doing the tours at the right pace for the people involved, they dont rush you at all at any point, and there's more than ample opportunities for rest breaks etc

Thank you for coming back so quick ... I was just saying to my mum, that when you take into consideration the fact you watch a couple of shows ? and dine with shamu then it is not all rush, rush and on your feet I suppose - we were just worried about the heat.

If your choice, do you think do this tour or the dophin spotlight tour and dine with shamu? many thanks

 

[karentan]

i dont know much about the dolphin tour, but at absolutely no point were we felt rushed, our tour guide actually said to us that it was nice to just have us two, as normally it takes longer to get around because of strollers/wheelchairs/ECVs, it normally takes more time to get round the park. i took that as meaning that it normally is quite slow paced, as they will only go as fast as the slowest person in the tour, we weren't going quickly at all and we got to all of the attractions in the park. if you can swing it, i dont think you'll be at all disappointed with the vip tour

 

[eeyorefanuk]

i dont know much about the dolphin tour, but at absolutely no point were we felt rushed, our tour guide actually said to us that it was nice to just have us two, as normally it takes longer to get around because of strollers/wheelchairs/ECVs, it normally takes more time to get round the park. i took that as meaning that it normally is quite slow paced, as they will only go as fast as the slowest person in the tour, we weren't going quickly at all and we got to all of the attractions in the park. if you can swing it, i dont think you'll be at all disappointed with the vip tour

Oh looks like might think about the tour again then There will be eight of us, so hopefully it might just be us in the tour if we book it - thank you for you quick responses.

 

[Cyrano]

Just caught up with your final updates. Sounds like you had a great time Karen