August 20, 2005 - L.A. to Port Canaveral - Eastbound Repo Cruise - The SHIP OF FOOLS

[ehtpnt]

I have to throw in my comment. We have stayed at the Carribien, the Contemporary, Old Key West, and off site. Two years ago Phil and I were down for a week, just the two of us and we toured all the resorts. Just drove around and checked them out. We decided to do one of the All Stars since they are more or less the same. We did the Movies cause I'm an old time movie fan. It was something we would never do. The buses were lined up in front 4 deep and 6 or 7 in each row. We walked in the front doors and a wall of noise hit us in the face. It was terribly loud, all from the enormous food court. People were running around the lobby yelling at each other. We were in the place about 10 minutes max. We decided right then that if we couldn't afford one of the other resorts we'd stay off site. Made the nice quiet Holiday Inn we stayed at for years when we couldn't afford the on site resorts look fantastic. Of course to each his own but as Grumbo said at 50+ I like to go back to the hotel and chill out.

The leak is repaired and we are working on drying the space so we can return the dishwasher to its' home. And now for the next project, the sink in the powder room has decided to die. Shame it's only 40 or so.
Estelle

 

[sandygirl]

I am back from vacation and honestly don't know what page we were on when I left. Should have written it down somewhere. So I am completely lost! Anything really important or exciting happen here while I was gone?

What is this about a forum on ThreeCircles?

Glad to be back.
Darlene

 

[Bmwdsny]

Originally posted by sandygirl
I am back from vacation and honestly don't know what page we were on when I left. Should have written it down somewhere. So I am completely lost! Anything really important or exciting happen here while I was gone?

What is this about a forum on ThreeCircles?

Glad to be back.
Darlene

You mean you missed the naked man and the ugly toes??

Go to Jason's site and you will see another forum chat line...Yeah, another one , i never get off this computer!!
Here is the site: Three Circles Forum

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Bob,

Thanks for doing all the leg work on the Anaheim Ho Jo's. We are definately in!! I am going to try the reservations link. Do you think it is necessary for me to contact Willie also?

Some info I have gathered is that those cheaper room (kingsize rooms) are located in a noisy section of the hotel. I think DH and I will reserve a room in the "prefered" section with a DL view. The rates are great!!!

On the other forum I posted a question and have not yet recieved an answer. Perhaps some one here will know the answer. I understand that there is an over-the-highway walkway to get acrossed S. Harbor Blvd. and to the DL entrance. Does anyone know exactly where this walkway is located (like near which hotel)?

Lynda

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Quick update...

The Ho Jo's reservation site states no reservations until 364 days out.

I don't want to screw up something with the group offer by contacting them on my own. Do you want me to let you handle the DIS reservations? That would be cool with me. I need one room for two adults (well one of us doesn't always act like an adult, but age wise we both qualify!!)

P.S. Non smoking room, Please!!

Thanks again! You are the best!!!

 

[Flitter]

Wow, there sure is a group going on this cruise. I guess I'm gald that my DH and I will be included in the "ship of fools". Haven't had time to read all 194 pages of this post but have read at least the first and last page.
We had originally wanted to do the May cruise but our DD decided to get married right smack dab in the middle of it and we couldn't talk her into getting married on the cruise so I guess it will be August for us.
It turns out really good for us as we have a wedding to attend in San Diego on the 13th and will just stay in sunny CA for a week until the cruise leaves. Will have time to take our adult children to DL and to visit a bit with the family while there. I am really looking forward to this trip.
Hope to meet all of you soon.
Mary (and Lee - DH)

 

[TDC Nala]

I like DVC. I'll be 77 when it expires so most likely I won't have to worry about who to leave it to, since I don't have any kids.

I like Pop Century, too. Less expensive onsite rooms with only one bus stop... I'll go for that.

 

[ThreeCircles]

TDC Nala--

Love the new avatar!

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[paulcrsb]

Jason - I'm with you. We love Port Orleans. I think it's my favorite moderate. Nice, quiet and I like taking the boat to Downtown Disney!

Paul

 

[ThreeCircles]

Ah, yes, boat rides along the Sassagoula!

 

[Scratch42]

You will have to read all pages 'cause you will be tested on your knowledge by our Head Fools!LOL

You are in for the ride of your lives!

Question for those that have stayed GC Concierge ~ is it worth the extra expense or not?

Scratch

 

[carolsherman]

The Holiday Inn sounds great is it comparable to the Candy Cane Inn which is where we stayed last year. We are booked for the other hotel at the port the last night but if Hojos is going to give a shuttle to the port the kids and I will just stay at Disneyland till Saturday and take that shuttle at that rate that you got that is awesome. Thanks for the work looking forward to meeting everyone next year

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Welcome on board Mary (and Lee). Is that how we should address the DH as (Lee)? Just joking with you!!

Please register your info on the Three Circles Web site. The link to it is found on page 1 of this thread. It's a great way to get to put names and faces together. This is a great bunch of crazies here. Some a little crazier than others!!! No names will be mentioned. (You'll figure that out yourself in reading just a few pages!!)

Glad to have you along on this cruise! It's gonna be GREAT!!!

 

[izzinmac]

Lynda,

Willie told me it probably would be mid September before we could make the reservations for HoJo's. The website does say 364 days, but it is usually a few weeks past that before the data is entered. I tried some right at the 364 day mark and it said no rooms available for that date. Willie assured me that is just a reservation system issue and when reservations can be made, we will have no problem getting the reservations we want.

I will keep checking the system starting August 20 and let you know when reservations are open. You will have to make your own since the reservation will require a lot of info I won't have - unless you want to give me your credit card # and expiration date. I promise I won't abuse it !!!!!

Willie told me the noisy King rooms are in Bldg 1, but there are King rooms in Bldg 2 that face away from the Freeway that are not noisy. He told me that during our discussion where he stated using this preferred reservation system would get us the best rooms in each category.

Regarding overpass/crosswalk location, I think it is near the Best Western Park Place Inn. Here are links to a couple of maps. The first one shows the location of HoJos and I think the crossover is about where the circle F is. Second map shows more detail and I'm guessing the crossover puts us next to the Lion King unloading area. I'm sure Barbara can verify all this.

http://www.casenet.com/travel/anaheimmap1.htm
http://www.*************.com/DL Area Map.htm


Carolsherman,

I assume you meant HoJo, not Holiday Inn. The shuttle thing is not a done deal yet, but in work. I will let everyone know what happens as soon as I hear from Willie.

Bob

PS Lynda, I'll check to see if either of the pools are equipped with a water slide!

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Thanks again, Bob.

I'll wait and contact them after I hear from you. I'll PM you with all my credit card information..... NOT!!!!!

We printed up the room layouts from the link you provided. Thanks again! There are alot of choices.

I did get a responce about the walkway. There are no over- the- highway cross overs. (Like the ones on the strip in Las Vegas.) There are crosswalks at the traffic signals and S. Harbor Blvd. is a 2 lane street not a highway. They tell me there are buttons to push for a walk/ don't walk light. The cross walk closest to the DL entrance is located near the Park Vue Hotel and the Tropicana Hotel, but there are several stop lights along the hotel part of the street. Hope that makes some sense!!

I was hoping they had a slide at the pool!! Thanks for checking that out for me!!

 

[mickeyfan1]

Did you miss me?

I think not!!!!!!!!!!!

I am settled and moved in, the last of the new furniture arrived this morning. Still waiting for the DSL kit to arrive. And trying to decide if we will get Dish or DSS again as there is no cable available. So I am using dial up, it is tre slow. Pictures will be available after DSL, I don't even have internet access on my own laptop, so no way to upload them. Thank goodness my spare laptop had Juno loaded on it for DHs travels, or I would be having withdrawal!

Skimmed the pages, guess I need to think about the REAS package. Dreams can add it I'm sure. A massage a week could be nice.

Off to get the window treatments ordered. I hope to be around more, but this dial up is not the best. Free but lots of ads!

 

[Denine]

If the HOJO can provide shuttle service to the port, we are in! Now to get to the hotel from the airport...

I could use a nice cruise along the sassagoula from the OKW right now.

Welcome Aboard the Ship of Fools Flitter!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

We will probably be in for HoJo's as well unless Jeanne's dd is still willing to house us after her wedding. The transportation is the BIG issue for us. We have rented cars in CA before but doubt that any of them shuttle to the port like Port Canaverals Avis and Hertz.

Mark and Mary Jo I pm'ed you two.

Welcome Mary and Lee. Be prepared. This is a crazy group!

We have stayed at the All Stars a lot but recently we feel that they have gone down hill. Our very favorite is Port Orleans Riverside (aka Dixie Landings). The atmosphere is great. We are not ones for "foo foo" so we don't look for that.

Gotta run. So busy, so busy.

 

[dletz]

Some suggestions. For transportation, I think it was mentioned before, the airport bus is a bus that has regularaly scheduled trips from DL area to LAX and SNA (not sure about other airports). The bus drop off area is right across the street from the HOJO, but they will take people to their individual Hotels. I've never ridden it, but know of people who have years ago. When I looked into it last year it was the cheapest. I chose not to take it because We only had 3 hours between when Howard got off work at DL and when our plane left. I was worried he would get stuck at work just long enough to make us miss the one bus, and we'd have to wait an hour for the next one, and we'd get to LAX with less than an hour (and at that airport could me your not going to make your flight). Also we arrived late at night with only half an hour before their last bus, and I was worried if we missed the last bus we would be stuck.
Here's their webiste http://www.airportbus.com/apb7b_001.htm

I also found this site which gives a bunch of options for arriving and leaving the airport
http://www.toandfrom.org/airport/calif.html

Disneyland over the street walkways. There are two briges over the 5 freeway, one on Harbor and one on ball. The HoJo is right next to this bridge, but you wouldn't walk over it to get to DL. You could either cross harbor right at the hotel and walk down the DL side of the street to DL, or you could walk down the hotel side of the street and cross directly across from DL. Each has it's own advantages and disadvantages. Hotel side has many hotels and restuarants with many different driveways you must cross, with cars trying to get into them. At peak times (like DL closing) when mobs of people are walking down Harbor and cars are trying to go into the hotels/restuarants it can get scary. DL side you have the entrance for CMs and the Taxi exit. Those Taxi drivers don't like waiting to leave, so when they see a small spot to exit they go. You will also cross walk through the bus stop which isn't a big deal, but you might we walking through the exhaust. Then you'll cross the bus/taxi entrance (which has a light at it) and walk straight into DL. Also Anaheim has a bus system called ART. They're actually Red trolly looking busses. I know that they were supposed to be able to transport you throughout the anaheim resort area. Never been on them so I don't really know much about them. In most cases you have to pay a small fee for them (my understanding is that some hotels do pay the fee for you, but I don't know)

Donna

 

[invaderzim]

JUST SOME IDEAS.......

I've been trying to keep up with this thread and everyone's ideas and suggestions and great links, etc. Since everyone has been giving out ideas and recommendations for hotels, airport trans., sightseeing, etc., thought I'd throw in my two cents and tell you what we've come up with for next year. This actually turns into a three-week vacation, however, and I know a lot of people won't be able to do that. We are actually pooling vacation days this year to save for next year.

We're flying into Las Vegas on Friday night (8/12) and staying three nights at the Luxor (my daughter's graduation gift) with tickets to Blue Man Group. Then on Monday we're driving out to Hoover Dam. From there we will go to Los Angeles. We're staying Monday through Friday at the Anabella Inn and touring L.A. plus a couple of days in DL. Then we'll dump the car and head to the port on Saturday.

We figured it saves us separate trips to Las Vegas and the west coast! Thank goodness we have a year to save!!!!