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2018 Club Trip

KeithS
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby KeithS » Thu May 11, 2017 8:56 am

Just a quick update - as you all know, we are planning a 2018 Club Trip in September-October next year to celebrate 25 years of the Down Under Disneyana Club.

At present, we are still waiting for Disney Cruise Line to release the cruise schedule for that time of the year.  They've only released up to early September which covers the end of the Alaskan cruise schedule.

Our plan is to look at the cruises undertaken by the Disney Wonder immediately after the Alaskan season; in recent years, they've run a seven day Halloween cruise out of San Diego to the Mexican Riviera which is our preferred option.

Once the new schedule has been released and a sailing has been determined, we'll post more information!
Keith

Trip history:
DLR: 2005, 06, 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18
DLRP: 2006
HKDL: 2006 (Mar & Sept), 11 (Apr & Dec), 14, 19
SDR: 2017
TDR: 2008, 10, 17
WDW: 2006, 13 (Mar & Sept), 16, 19
DCL: 2013, 15 (Alaska & Hawaii), 18
Aulani: 2015

calisota
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby calisota » Thu May 11, 2017 12:21 pm

Looking forward to hearing more.


Greg
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KeithS
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby KeithS » Fri May 12, 2017 7:01 am

The dates have been released!

I'm just on my phone at the moment so I'll post more later but the seven night cruise departs 7 October from San Diego.

I'll speak to Wayne over the weekend as we settle on our plans. The cruise bookings open on 18 May, so no rush!
Keith

Trip history:
DLR: 2005, 06, 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18
DLRP: 2006
HKDL: 2006 (Mar & Sept), 11 (Apr & Dec), 14, 19
SDR: 2017
TDR: 2008, 10, 17
WDW: 2006, 13 (Mar & Sept), 16, 19
DCL: 2013, 15 (Alaska & Hawaii), 18
Aulani: 2015

calisota
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby calisota » Fri May 12, 2017 1:45 pm

The cruise bookings open on 18 May, so no rush!
But, but...that's only 6 days away! :-)
Greg
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calisota
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby calisota » Fri May 12, 2017 1:49 pm

Just had a look at the prices and almost fell off my chair. Then I realised it was twin share for the cabin.

Anyone want to share a cabin? I don't snore but I will throw any stuffed Mickeys overboard. It will be a Duck only cabin. :-)


Greg
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KeithS
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby KeithS » Fri May 12, 2017 11:44 pm

Okay - now I've got a bit more time to write something substantial.

I've spoken to Wayne and we have a couple of options for the club trip and we are interested in hearing your thoughts.  As Greg says - the bookings commence in 6 days time, but I think we'll have a bit more time than that.  The cruises won't sell out on the first week!  I'm posting the options here, but we'll also email out the following for those members who don't participate on the web forum (and as we know - that's most of our members!!!)

So here are the basic options.

School Holidays
The NSW school holidays in spring 2018 are from Saturday 29 September, until Sunday 14 October 2018 inclusive.  As quite a few of our members have school aged family members - we've agreed that we'll use those two weeks for the majority of the trip (and you might need a day or two at either end for travel time).

That gives us two options for itineraries:

Option 1 - 5-night cruise followed by Disneyland
  • Depart Sydney for LAX late September (participant's choice) and then head to San Diego by 29 September.
  • On Sunday 30 September - join the Disney Wonder in San Diego for 5-night Baja Mexico cruise.
  • On Friday 5 October - disembark cruise in San Diego.  You can stay a day or two in San Diego to visit the famous zoo or Sea World (or if you want to, just head straight up to Disneyland).
  • On Sunday 7 October, commence a one week stay in Anaheim at the Disneyland Resort area which will include a one day tour mid-week of the Los Angeles area with Disney-related stops around the Burbank, Glendale, and Hollywood areas.
  • You can then decide your own return date to Australia, or perhaps you would want to continue your stay elsewhere in the United States.
Option 2 - Disneyland followed by 7-night cruise
  • Depart Sydney for LAX late September (participant's choice) and meet at the Disneyland Resort on Sunday 30 September.
  • On Monday 1 October, commence a one week stay in Anaheim at the Disneyland Resort area which will include a one day tour mid-week of the Los Angeles area with Disney-related stops around the Burbank, Glendale, and Hollywood areas.
  • On Saturday 6 October, board a bus to San Diego and stay one night in San Diego.
  • On Sunday 7 October, join the Disney Wonder in San Diego for 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise.
  • On Sunday 14 October, disembark the Disney Wonder in San Diego where you can then determine your own return date to Australia or perhaps you would want to continue your stay elsewhere in the United States.

Cruise Itineraries
I've included the two cruise itineraries below for you to compare.

Option 1 - 5 night cruise
Day 1 - Embark San Diego California
Day 2 - At Sea
Day 3 - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Day 4 - At Sea
Day 5 - Ensenada, Mexico
Day 6 - Disembark San Diego California

Option 2 - 7 night cruise
Day 1 - Embark San Diego California
Day 2 - At Sea
Day 3 - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Day 4 - Mazatlan, Mexico
Day 5 - Puerto Vallara, Mexico
Day 6 - At Sea
Day 7 - At Sea
Day 8 - Disembark San Diego California


Prices for the two cruises are not yet available however the 5-day Baja cruise in April next year is currently priced from $2,150 for an Inside Cabin; from $2,380 for Oceanview; and from $2,720 for Verandah (US dollars). I can't give a 7-day cruise estimate as there are many factors affecting the cost, including how far out we book and what class of cabin you buy.  We'll have more detail after the 18 May when prices become available.

So in the meantime - we'd like everyone to consider the options above - do you want a 5 night cruise followed by a week in Disneyland; or a week in Disneyland followed by a 7 night cruise?

Please post a comment here or let Wayne know your thoughts as soon as possible so we can gauge the general consensus and make an informed decision based on people's preferences.

I'm looking forward to everyone getting on board and planning this club trip together! 
Keith

Trip history:
DLR: 2005, 06, 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18
DLRP: 2006
HKDL: 2006 (Mar & Sept), 11 (Apr & Dec), 14, 19
SDR: 2017
TDR: 2008, 10, 17
WDW: 2006, 13 (Mar & Sept), 16, 19
DCL: 2013, 15 (Alaska & Hawaii), 18
Aulani: 2015

KeithS
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby KeithS » Fri May 12, 2017 11:57 pm

Okay - so those are the options above, now for my personal opinion.

I've never heard of anyone getting off a Disney cruise and saying - "gee...I wish I had spent less time on that ship!" - so I personally am voting for option 2 and the 7-night cruise. I think the itinerary is better and the two consecutive days at sea means you get to enjoy a lot more of what the ship has to offer and will also allow us to have a club meeting on board. Also I believe the cruises offer the best service and food of any part of the Disney corporation so I like to end the trip on the highest note of quality and enjoyment.

The 5-night cruise does have an advantage that Wayne pointed out to me tonight however - your bags won't be full of Disneyland purchases because Disneyland comes after the cruise.  That's personally not a worry for me though - I've dragged multiple suitcases on to Disney cruises before and it is not a bother, but it is something for you to consider if you intend shopping in Disneyland.

Anyway - we are very interested in your feedback, so take time to consider the options and get back to us once you've talked it over with your families!
Keith

Trip history:
DLR: 2005, 06, 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18
DLRP: 2006
HKDL: 2006 (Mar & Sept), 11 (Apr & Dec), 14, 19
SDR: 2017
TDR: 2008, 10, 17
WDW: 2006, 13 (Mar & Sept), 16, 19
DCL: 2013, 15 (Alaska & Hawaii), 18
Aulani: 2015

DisneyKaren
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby DisneyKaren » Sat May 13, 2017 12:14 pm

........if you intend shopping in Disneyland.
There is a slight possibility..... however I'm thinking Della can teach me how to REALLY shop at a Disney park.  If you guys can fit your luggage on a Disney cruise then I'm all good.
I've contacted my sister to get her opinion and to even check if she's interested.  If she's not I'll be looking for a non-snoring cabin mate - but not one who sacrifices fun loving characters to the depths of the ocean!!
I'd prefer the cheaper option mainly due to 2 overseas holidays this year, also I'm not even sure how my head/stomach will go on a cruise.  For me it's about travelling with a group of Disney fans and having an amazing time seeing how you guys do it.  I'll be the bag holder when you do any ride outside of Fantasyland (or Soarin').
1996: Disneyland & Epcot | 2001: EuroDisney | 2014: DLR & DLRP | 2015: WDW | 2017: DLR, Aulani, TDR | 2018: DLR | 2020: SDR & HKDL | 2023: WDW

calisota
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby calisota » Sat May 13, 2017 5:04 pm

As I would probably be travelling with little more than a carry-on bag and be limiting my souvenirs to a couple of fridge magnets I don't think either option will worry me too much

That being said, I can't help feeling that I would rather get into the Disney spirit on the ship and then be fired up to hit the Park after. It might also be better to tackle the flight home straight from the Disney feeling rather than add in an extra day or so to get back from San Diego to Los Angeles and having to face the TSA.

As for Mickey sacrificing himself...well, he is a selfless little fellow. :-)


Greg
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby Mel » Tue May 16, 2017 12:42 pm

I WISH!!!  Either option looks good, but we have no trips planned for next year.  :(  I wish the kids were a little less in love with Disney, then we could ditch them without worrying if they'd ever speak to us again.  You guys will have the best time with whatever option wins out.

Are the West Coast cruises more expensive than Caribbean?  I remember pricing them a while back and they seemed a lot more expensive, at least for a family of five.
The Big Trip: DL, WDW and Disney cruise 2016

KeithS
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby KeithS » Thu May 18, 2017 7:48 am

I think they are more expensive due to supply and demand. There are so many Caribbean cruises by Disney and others, but only a handful of Mexican west coast cruises so it forces prices up.
Keith

Trip history:
DLR: 2005, 06, 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18
DLRP: 2006
HKDL: 2006 (Mar & Sept), 11 (Apr & Dec), 14, 19
SDR: 2017
TDR: 2008, 10, 17
WDW: 2006, 13 (Mar & Sept), 16, 19
DCL: 2013, 15 (Alaska & Hawaii), 18
Aulani: 2015

KeithS
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby KeithS » Sat May 20, 2017 10:03 am

Just a quick pricing update for the cruises.

Booking is now available and I've put together the prices as at 9:45am on Saturday 20 May (Sydney time).

Option 1 - the 5 night Baja Mexico "Halloween on the High Seas" cruise departing Sunday, 30 September 2018:
Inside staterooms from: $2,083
Oceanview rooms from: $2,233
Verandah rooms from: $2,583
Concierge rooms from: $4,733
Image


Option 2 - the 7 night Mexican Riviera "Halloween on the High Seas" cruise departing Sunday, 7 October 2018:
Inside staterooms from: $3,268
Oceanview rooms from: $3,492
Verandah rooms from: $4,136
Concierge rooms from: $8,714

Image

Prices are quoted from the Disney Cruise Line website and are in US Dollars.  It includes taxes, fees and port expenses based on a party of 2 adults - if there are more people in your party, make sure you undertake your own pricing enquiry.
Keith

Trip history:
DLR: 2005, 06, 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18
DLRP: 2006
HKDL: 2006 (Mar & Sept), 11 (Apr & Dec), 14, 19
SDR: 2017
TDR: 2008, 10, 17
WDW: 2006, 13 (Mar & Sept), 16, 19
DCL: 2013, 15 (Alaska & Hawaii), 18
Aulani: 2015

KeithS
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby KeithS » Sat May 20, 2017 10:24 am

There is quite a bit of price difference between the two options (again because the Riviera cruise is a one-off so more demand).  

That said, I'm still preferring the second, longer option.  You have to factor in that the cruises depart San Diego on a Sunday, so that means if we pick option 1, the latest we can depart Australia is Saturday to get to LA by Saturday lunchtime, then we'd have to catch another flight straight away to San Diego.  Then the next day, we'd be getting on board the Wonder and heading out to sea still jet-lagged...not sure if I'd like that.  

You could leave Australia a couple of days earlier, but that would be mid-week and means taking more time off work/school and the extra days of hotel accommodation and the San Diego flight cost for each of your party will cancel out what we save by taking the cheaper cruise option.

I still think Disneyland first works better as we can have a slower day or two on arrival at the parks (especially if you are feeling run-down from the long flight) without the pressure of rushing to board a ship - in fact, it gives you options to leave a little later from Australia if you need to work on a Saturday or whatever and join us in Disneyland anytime during the week before the cruise.  We'd then travel together as a group by bus to San Diego which will be a saving in transport costs for those families with larger parties.
Keith

Trip history:
DLR: 2005, 06, 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18
DLRP: 2006
HKDL: 2006 (Mar & Sept), 11 (Apr & Dec), 14, 19
SDR: 2017
TDR: 2008, 10, 17
WDW: 2006, 13 (Mar & Sept), 16, 19
DCL: 2013, 15 (Alaska & Hawaii), 18
Aulani: 2015

calisota
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby calisota » Sun May 21, 2017 4:23 pm

I think the extra couple of hundred is worth it for an ocean view regardless of how limited that view may be.

I hadn't considered a group bus ride to San Diego. that would be fun and a good way to build up the excitement.I would be arriving in Los Angeles a few days earlier probably to do a few "me things" (nobody wants to be sitting next to me when I hit a Denny's) but it does sound like a good option. I could spend the whole drive telling everyone cruise horror stories...no, just kidding, I wouldn't do that. :-)

The second cruise also has more ports.

Greg
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Re: 2018 Club Trip

Postby calisota » Wed May 24, 2017 6:43 pm

So what seems to be the consensus at the moment and when would we need to book by?

I've been looking at the cruises, the ship and getting an idea of flights so it's at the exciting planning stage. One of my dreams as a crew member was always to be able to just sit in one of the nice lounges with a coffee and a pastry and look out at the water and this may be my opportunity since cruises don't normally figure in my travel plans. Not sure I'm the type to dress up as a Pirate though

Greg
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