Conorama
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2012
I am taking my life in my own hands (OK, maybe not really, but it feels like it) and writing this trip report from the perspective of people who have (be ready here) NEVER done Disney before.
Fair warning - if comments are not welcomed by me, I will ignore them.
OK - so, here we go.
The crew:
So... why did we go?
Basically, a really good friend, who knows us well, thought we would enjoy DCL. 2012 marked the year where I finished my never-ending graduate degree, (while working full-time), so we decided to celebrate by trying something different from our usual all-inclusive vacation.
In July, 2012, we finally decided to bite the bullet and book our vacation. We used our favourite travel agent - a Disney fanatic - and she steered us to the 7-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary in late January on the Fantasy.
The big question- will we go back?
You'll just have to wait for that.
Oh, yes, forgot our family photo. Here we are, in all our glory... or at least, as Conor sees us.
Conor and I are playing in the snow, and that's DH's footsteps heading into the house. DH is not actually standing on the fridge, but he is in the kitchen cooking supper.
(Real photos to follow.)
Edited to add in links- I always find these helpful, so I'm going back and putting them in.
Planning
When in Rome .... (or Disneying the trip up)
75 days out - and booking info
The annoying 2 months before leaving - part 1
The annoying 2 months before leaving - part 2
The (now really annoying) 2 months before leaving - part 3
Finally on our way to Orlando
Flying and MCO
Hyatt Regency - MCO (Review)
Having done our bit with planes, trains (shuttle), and automobiles, we clearly need a bus now
Port Adventures... by which I mean, our experience at Port Canavral and boarding
Day 1 - Highs and (minor) lows - part 1
An Ode to Fantasy Stateroom 9120
Day 1 - Highs and (minor) lows - part 2
Two things I forgot - one great, one near-awful (Including a basket from A Perfect Gift)
Day 1 - Highs and (minor) lows - part 3 - dining and bed
Day 2 - First real day at sea - morning
Day 2 - First real day at sea - lunch and beyond
Reflections on Day 2
To FE or not to FE?
Day 3 - Second day at sea
Reflections on Day 3
Day 4 - St. Thomas - Part 1 - Getting off the ship (includes Coral World review)
Day 4 - St. Thomas - Part 2 - Getting back off the ship (includes short review of Butterfly farm)
Pirate night - or, Pirate Evening, to be more precise
Reflections on Day 4
Day 5 - San Juan - Isla Verde Beach Escape
Day 5 - San Juan - just 'splorin, as Conor calls it
Day 5 - San Juan - wrap up
Day 6 - At Sea (includes Rainforest room review)
Day 6 - Palo
Reflections on Day 5 (forgot!) and Day 6
Day 7 - Castaway Cay day - but not Castaway Cay yet
Day 7 - Castaway Cay - in which we are, by the end of the day, actually, looking forward to getting home
Day 7 - Castaway Cay - in which we are, by the end of the day, actually, looking forward to getting home - part 2
Packing to go home
Day 7 - Odds and Ends
Printing on board - or one more thing I forgot to mention
Reflections on Day 7
Day 8 - AKA Disembarking/Debarking/Getting off the ship
Quality time at MCO
Planes, and a cautionary tale from a previous trip
Back at YYZ
Sheraton Gateway YYZ
The Aftermath - or how you feel after the vacation is over
The Verdict
Epilogue
Fair warning - if comments are not welcomed by me, I will ignore them.
OK - so, here we go.
The crew:
- Conor - age 4.5 - loves pirates as much as he hates characters. Does watch Disney Junior (loves Jake) but has never been able to get through a Disney movie except Cars (the first one). Everything else either has too many princesses, is too scary, or both!
- DH - 44 - never been to anything that looks like Disney
- Me - 41 - ditto.
So... why did we go?
Basically, a really good friend, who knows us well, thought we would enjoy DCL. 2012 marked the year where I finished my never-ending graduate degree, (while working full-time), so we decided to celebrate by trying something different from our usual all-inclusive vacation.
In July, 2012, we finally decided to bite the bullet and book our vacation. We used our favourite travel agent - a Disney fanatic - and she steered us to the 7-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary in late January on the Fantasy.
The big question- will we go back?
You'll just have to wait for that.
Oh, yes, forgot our family photo. Here we are, in all our glory... or at least, as Conor sees us.
Conor and I are playing in the snow, and that's DH's footsteps heading into the house. DH is not actually standing on the fridge, but he is in the kitchen cooking supper.
(Real photos to follow.)
Edited to add in links- I always find these helpful, so I'm going back and putting them in.
Planning
When in Rome .... (or Disneying the trip up)
75 days out - and booking info
The annoying 2 months before leaving - part 1
The annoying 2 months before leaving - part 2
The (now really annoying) 2 months before leaving - part 3
Finally on our way to Orlando
Flying and MCO
Hyatt Regency - MCO (Review)
Having done our bit with planes, trains (shuttle), and automobiles, we clearly need a bus now
Port Adventures... by which I mean, our experience at Port Canavral and boarding
Day 1 - Highs and (minor) lows - part 1
An Ode to Fantasy Stateroom 9120
Day 1 - Highs and (minor) lows - part 2
Two things I forgot - one great, one near-awful (Including a basket from A Perfect Gift)
Day 1 - Highs and (minor) lows - part 3 - dining and bed
Day 2 - First real day at sea - morning
Day 2 - First real day at sea - lunch and beyond
Reflections on Day 2
To FE or not to FE?
Day 3 - Second day at sea
Reflections on Day 3
Day 4 - St. Thomas - Part 1 - Getting off the ship (includes Coral World review)
Day 4 - St. Thomas - Part 2 - Getting back off the ship (includes short review of Butterfly farm)
Pirate night - or, Pirate Evening, to be more precise
Reflections on Day 4
Day 5 - San Juan - Isla Verde Beach Escape
Day 5 - San Juan - just 'splorin, as Conor calls it
Day 5 - San Juan - wrap up
Day 6 - At Sea (includes Rainforest room review)
Day 6 - Palo
Reflections on Day 5 (forgot!) and Day 6
Day 7 - Castaway Cay day - but not Castaway Cay yet
Day 7 - Castaway Cay - in which we are, by the end of the day, actually, looking forward to getting home
Day 7 - Castaway Cay - in which we are, by the end of the day, actually, looking forward to getting home - part 2
Packing to go home
Day 7 - Odds and Ends
Printing on board - or one more thing I forgot to mention
Reflections on Day 7
Day 8 - AKA Disembarking/Debarking/Getting off the ship
Quality time at MCO
Planes, and a cautionary tale from a previous trip
Back at YYZ
Sheraton Gateway YYZ
The Aftermath - or how you feel after the vacation is over
The Verdict
Epilogue