What is the BEST cruise tip you ever learned from the Dis?

[jrabbit]

Here's my "anti-DIS" suggestion - Don't over plan the cruise before you go. Meals will happen (but menus change). Entertainment happens (entertainers and shows change, however individual entertainers routines don't change), Ports are stopped at (but sometimes missed and alternate ports added), Not all servers do magic tricks or will make Mickey ketchup for your child or cut up thier food, Not all room stewards make towel animals.

If you "know it all" then there's no room for the Magic to just happen, you'll be looking for it and when it happens you'll go "oh well that was nice " and it won't be too special, but if "it" doesn't happen you'll be disapointed.

Don't obsess over what the "perfect" dinning rotation is (you have a 33% chance of getting it! (so far I have only heard ONE explaination as to why someone needed a particular rotation that I felt was valid - and no - being in Lumiers on Formal night and in Parrot Cay on Tropical / Mexicalli / Pirates night doesn't count).

Booking spa and excursions and flounders before you leave home seems very, very reasonable.

So now I'll get back ON Topic...

the Best Tip is read you Personal Navigators every night. Bring highlighters so you can mark the items of interest to you.

 

[Francisca64]

Saves tons of money...

 

[DisneyTart]

Here's my "anti-DIS" suggestion - Don't over plan the cruise before you go. Meals will happen (but menus change). Entertainment happens (entertainers and shows change, however individual entertainers routines don't change), Ports are stopped at (but sometimes missed and alternate ports added), Not all servers do magic tricks or will make Mickey ketchup for your child or cut up thier food, Not all room stewards make towel animals.

If you "know it all" then there's no room for the Magic to just happen, you'll be looking for it and when it happens you'll go "oh well that was nice " and it won't be too special, but if "it" doesn't happen you'll be disapointed.

Don't obsess over what the "perfect" dinning rotation is (you have a 33% chance of getting it! (so far I have only heard ONE explaination as to why someone needed a particular rotation that I felt was valid - and no - being in Lumiers on Formal night and in Parrot Cay on Tropical / Mexicalli / Pirates night doesn't count).

Booking spa and excursions and flounders before you leave home seems very, very reasonable.

So now I'll get back ON Topic...

the Best Tip is read you Personal Navigators every night. Bring highlighters so you can mark the items of interest to you.

jRabbit ~ There couldn't be any better advise than what you shared above!
I do plan for vacations and get info BUT then I check my expectations at the door. It's the surprising and sometime crazy things that happen that make a trip special. Thanks for sharing ~ Bethany

 

[kcashner]

Forget the hangers. Your room attendent will give you as many extras as you need, and will express his regrets that they are wire hangers, not wooden ones.

Remember that this is a vacation--relax and have fun. You can't possibly do it all in one cruise, which is incentive to book another one!

 

[the kabuki]

Bumping...

 

[eileensupple]

Ditto-over the door shoe holder was the best!

 

[PizzieDuster]

Bring extra hangers!

I was surprised that there wasn't much drawer space in the cabins. We were a family of 4 in a Category 11, Inside Stateroom. Without the extra hangers, I would have had stacks of clothes everywhere!

I always go to my dry cleaners to ask for 50-75 wire hangers wrapped nicely and stick them on the bottom of my suitcase.

And the best part of taking a vacation, especially a Disney cruise, IS the PLANNING. I love knowing ahead of time what's going on. For instance, just knowing that on our upcoming Mexico cruise, from navigators posted, I knew it was best for us to make Palo brunch reservations on Sunday rather then Monday because my daughter is afraid of Captain Hook and will not want to be anywhere NEAR the kids clubs for those activities listed for Monday. So she'll want to be with us on Monday. Stuff like that!

 

[ericamanda01]

Room service cake of the day! That was a real treat!

 

[NancyIL]

Mine has to be...if you have to have an inside stateroom, book on deck 7 aft, so you'll have the "secret verandah" to go out and enjoy. We did just this in April and it was wonderful.

Do you mean a Category 11 inside room, such as cabin 7129 or 7629?

 

[Joelzme]

I can't believe no one else has posted this. But my favorite tip is use room service for your wakeup call. In the top center drawer of the desk in your room is a morning room serivce card that you will out the night before and place on your door. You can choose from coffee, tea, mimosa's, bloody mary's, crossisonts, pastry's, cereal, basically all the continental stuff. They will deliver anywhere from 5-11.

There is nothing like having coffee and crossionts in bed first thing in the am. Just hope you dont get some wise guy who came after us one time and doctored our card. We ended up with a buffet one morning! Keep a pair of shorts handy by the bed so you dont kill yourself getting to the door half alseep!

Joel

 

[rsjj]

get a wake up call! mickey will personally call you to wake you up! was a real treat for our DSs!

 

[Jillpie]

Do you mean a Category 11 inside room, such as cabin 7129 or 7629?

That is exactly what I mean. In fact, our two rooms were 7627 and 7629! They were so perfect, especially when you needed a few moments alone or together. I'll never forget the sun reflecting off the water on this verandah. It was just unbelievable.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Be early for Palo's

 

[mhelsley]

A mickey bar and a bottle of Rosa Regale work well together as a nightcap for the evening. Also this wine goes great with the famous palos souffle.

Melinda

 

[PizzieDuster]

Be early for Palo's

Laurajean: Do you mind if I can ask why? I never thought of this. What happens if you are early? A better seat? Just wondering. Good tip.

 

[jlawall]

The BEST tip I learned from reading these boards is...........GO TO THE RAINFOREST!! What a phenomenal experience and extremely affordable!!

 

[the kabuki]

Be early for Palo's

How come you need to be early?..better seating...service...???

 

[mbw12]

These are the two best tips that I received from these boards:

1) Over the door shoe holder (clear) for the bathroom

2) Board early, and have the kids wear their bathing suits under their clothes. They got to enjoy the pool right away and when it was not crowded! Definitely their best swimmming day!

Bobbi

 

[Jillpie]

The BEST tip I learned from reading these boards is...........GO TO THE RAINFOREST!! What a phenomenal experience and extremely affordable!!

What exactly do you do in the Rainforest?

 

[happygirl]

thanks guys I have learned alot