Updating the 'Everything you need to know' thread

**Bats** · 8 Feb 18, 01:07 PM

Well, I didn't realise it was so out of date! I've been taking advantage of a quiet work day and started updating it .. I've done posts 1-5 so far and it's looking bright and sparkly again with new photos.

As I carry on though, would anyone like anything added, do you have any ideas that would really help the newbies?
Do you have experience of a particularly aspect of Disney Cruises ... cruising with children, cruising with special needs or anything else?

I'd love some more input from those who have cruised DCL before, but also .. for you newbies, what do you need to know from the guide?

Thanks all

Joa

**Gill H** · 9 Feb 18, 08:05 AM

Thanks for updating the thread, Bats - it was very useful for us!

Just a couple of suggestions:

Post 1 - the video doesn't work for me. Is there another one?

Post 2 - I think you mention this later, but is it worth mentioning that you can have lunch in the MDR which means you're not having to negotiate buffet plus luggage?

Post 8 - Palo is now $30 which you probably know!

Fish extenders - I wish I had known that if you order one from a US seller on Etsy or similar, you will not only pay shipping to them, but you may also have to pay customs. Our fish extender is beautiful and we use it at home every day for storing post, coupons etc - but if I had known it would cost me �60 then I might have reconsidered!

Also I would encourage people, if they join a FB group, to please post on the group! There were so many people in our FE that I knew nothing about, even the names of the children, because they never posted anything. And it would have been nice to have seen posts afterwards thanking us for the FE gifts. Not that we did it for the thanks, of course, but we put a lot of thought into them and it would have been nice to know they were enjoyed.

One idea we did was create a 'treasure map' with a challenge to find something on the ship which began with M, A, G, I, C (guess which ship we were on...). For a prize, we included a little bag of sweets or a pack of those tissues which look like �10 notes.

Also you've been hit by the 'curse of Photobucket' so some photos in various posts need replacing. Maybe ask people if they would like to contribute some? I would!

DisneyBride08 · 11 Feb 18, 10:06 AM

Special needs was something we really needed to know about with our son. Also I think you helped with a tip to find the rooms with 5 beds as he couldn't sleep in a bunk. Searching for a booking of 5 people to locate the cabins with the extra bed. Something so simple but reduced so much stress for us.

**Bats** · 12 Feb 18, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Gill H

Thanks for updating the thread, Bats - it was very useful for us!

Just a couple of suggestions:

Post 1 - the video doesn't work for me. Is there another one?

Post 2 - I think you mention this later, but is it worth mentioning that you can have lunch in the MDR which means you're not having to negotiate buffet plus luggage?

Post 8 - Palo is now $30 which you probably know!

Fish extenders - I wish I had known that if you order one from a US seller on Etsy or similar, you will not only pay shipping to them, but you may also have to pay customs. Our fish extender is beautiful and we use it at home every day for storing post, coupons etc - but if I had known it would cost me �60 then I might have reconsidered!

Also I would encourage people, if they join a FB group, to please post on the group! There were so many people in our FE that I knew nothing about, even the names of the children, because they never posted anything. And it would have been nice to have seen posts afterwards thanking us for the FE gifts. Not that we did it for the thanks, of course, but we put a lot of thought into them and it would have been nice to know they were enjoyed.

One idea we did was create a 'treasure map' with a challenge to find something on the ship which began with M, A, G, I, C (guess which ship we were on...). For a prize, we included a little bag of sweets or a pack of those tissues which look like �10 notes.

Also you've been hit by the 'curse of Photobucket' so some photos in various posts need replacing. Maybe ask people if they would like to contribute some? I would!

yes that blasted Photobucket! All great suggestions, thank you. I'll add them in .. feel free to send photos Gill! You have my email right?

For FE, it's not a requirement at all to post afterwards about your gifts, it was never the intention of the FE to get thank you's after. I know you didn't do it for the thank you's, but it's not common to get them at all.

Originally Posted by DisneyBride08

Special needs was something we really needed to know about with our son. Also I think you helped with a tip to find the rooms with 5 beds as he couldn't sleep in a bunk. Searching for a booking of 5 people to locate the cabins with the extra bed. Something so simple but reduced so much stress for us.

I can certainly add that ... how do you fancy writing a bit on how you found DCL with a special needs child? Doesn't need to be war and peace, just little things you may have found useful ... food, shows etc. It must be a different experience if you have additional needs to consider?

Thanks
Joa

**Gill H** · 15 Feb 18, 08:41 AM

I don't think I have your email, but I'll sort through my photos and see if there are any you might want.

As for FE, I wasn't suggesting it was a requirement to thank people at all. It's just that I spent a lot of time interacting with people on that FB group, and got to know quite a few, but almost all the ones in my FE group were people who never posted. So it was difficult to know whether what we were doing was the right thing. It was more of an encouragement that if you join an FB group, please do post on it so people can get to know you!