Magic_Fan_Bruce
20K Crewmate
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2003
- Messages
- 257
Cast: Myself (Bruce-43), DW(Sandy-39), DD(Amanda-11), and DD(Jennifer-8).
I didnt keep a detailed log so this is from scratch and my brain was in vacation mode so many details may be missing.
This was our forth cruise on the Magic, all 7 day, 3rd Western, 1 eastern, and first since the latest dry-dock.
We booked this cruise only two weeks out. DW was just assigned a massive project at work and she will not be able to take a full week off anytime in the next six months. We knew we wanted to sail this summer, but since that was not possible now, we just went for it. Im not sure if I like booking so close to the cruise date, but I know I wouldnt like waiting over a year from the time I booked, I am very impressed by those people who know what they are doing that far in advance.
We arrived at the port at 1pm, which is early for us because we normally wait until after 2pm for shorter wait time. We like Palo and the Spa, but we dont have to do either to thoroughly enjoy the cruise, so we like to wait before boarding. The reason for our early arrival this time was a launch scheduled for 1:21pm of a Titan 4 rocket which is the largest in the US inventory, and deck 10 of the Magic in port is the best viewing of launches (for many reasons).
Upon entering the terminal, I was very happy to see a single queue line for check in. This line fed all the stations at the registration desk, and a cast member at the beginning of the queue was checking to make sure everyone had all of their paperwork completed BEFORE they got in line. I proudly showed the CM our completed and organized paperwork waiting for a Good Job compliment, when she asked where our release form was. It appears a promotional video was being shot, and everyone needed a release form which we didnt have, so we went to the tables where the blank copies of the form was and filled it out before returning to the queue. As a note, the only time we saw the film crew was as we passed them with all of their equipment walking out of the terminal as we were walking in. Im not sure if they were even on the ship. The new queue setup worked so much better, and even though the line was long, it moved non-stop and we made it on-board before the scheduled launch time.
The backdrop for the arrival photo has changed, and although I didnt know what to think about it when I saw it, in the picture it looks good (not great, but good). What is nice is they no longer have the tacky A-frame sign with the cruse date on it. They now print that on your picture and I think it looks much better.
We were announced on board, waved to Mickey, and I headed with the kids to deck 10 for the launch we had 3 minutes before the opening of the launch window. Sandy headed to the stateroom to drop off bags and place the valentine Tigger and Eeyore so they would be waiting for the girls went they went into the room. As we headed past the mid-ship elevators (and the crowd waiting for them) toward Beat Street, a CM ask if we needed directions, I said Nope, were heading for deck 10 via the forward elevators, he said Ah, youve done this before. Tip: the forward elevators are always the quickest except for after shows in the main theater, and when the forward gangway is open.
The thing about rocket launches is they have a window of when they can launch. The countdown starts so liftoff will occur at the beginning of the window, so if they have any holds, they have as much time as possible to try for the launch. I set my watch earlier that week with the US Naval Observatory, so when it said the 1:21pm launch time went over by two minutes I knew there was a hold, and with no TV or radio, I had no way of knowing if it was a hold, a delay, or a cancellation. So when Sandy came back from the room we headed to Topsiders for lunch.
The line at Topsiders was not bad, and the shrimp was still there. We sat outside on the aft deck, and as I peeled my first shrimp Sandy said Oh Look!, I looked up to see the rocket had just cleared the tower and was lighting up the gloomy sky more than the sun was that day. Some of the CMs got real excited and so did some of the guests, although some didnt even notice it going up. The rocket was only visible for about 45 seconds before it went into the clouds, and the CM standing near us came over and said That was great and that he had never seen anything like that before (he was from Kenya, not much of a space program there), I said wait til you hear it, about that time I could See the sound from the launch traveling across the Indian River lagoon and as it reached us I said Now and the rumble sound started and then built to a low roar, (my kids, and the CM where very impressed). Seeing a launch live is great, but hearing it is the best. Nothing else can imitate the sound of that much power, Shuttles are even better, but the best was the Saturn Vs, you could hear those in Orlando, and at KSC you could see that sound heading for you as it crossed land.
So there I was, on the Disney Magic, sitting outside on deck 9 aft, with my family, a plate full of peel-and-eat shrimp, watching a rocket launch, and about to set sail on a 7-day cruise to the western Caribbean. Even though I had already eaten one shrimp, it seemed like an appropriate time to say thanks for my many blessings. As it turned out, the Angels were so happy for us, they cried with joy which washed out the on-deck sail-away party and caused it to be moved to the Atrium.
Bruce
I didnt keep a detailed log so this is from scratch and my brain was in vacation mode so many details may be missing.
This was our forth cruise on the Magic, all 7 day, 3rd Western, 1 eastern, and first since the latest dry-dock.
We booked this cruise only two weeks out. DW was just assigned a massive project at work and she will not be able to take a full week off anytime in the next six months. We knew we wanted to sail this summer, but since that was not possible now, we just went for it. Im not sure if I like booking so close to the cruise date, but I know I wouldnt like waiting over a year from the time I booked, I am very impressed by those people who know what they are doing that far in advance.
We arrived at the port at 1pm, which is early for us because we normally wait until after 2pm for shorter wait time. We like Palo and the Spa, but we dont have to do either to thoroughly enjoy the cruise, so we like to wait before boarding. The reason for our early arrival this time was a launch scheduled for 1:21pm of a Titan 4 rocket which is the largest in the US inventory, and deck 10 of the Magic in port is the best viewing of launches (for many reasons).
Upon entering the terminal, I was very happy to see a single queue line for check in. This line fed all the stations at the registration desk, and a cast member at the beginning of the queue was checking to make sure everyone had all of their paperwork completed BEFORE they got in line. I proudly showed the CM our completed and organized paperwork waiting for a Good Job compliment, when she asked where our release form was. It appears a promotional video was being shot, and everyone needed a release form which we didnt have, so we went to the tables where the blank copies of the form was and filled it out before returning to the queue. As a note, the only time we saw the film crew was as we passed them with all of their equipment walking out of the terminal as we were walking in. Im not sure if they were even on the ship. The new queue setup worked so much better, and even though the line was long, it moved non-stop and we made it on-board before the scheduled launch time.
The backdrop for the arrival photo has changed, and although I didnt know what to think about it when I saw it, in the picture it looks good (not great, but good). What is nice is they no longer have the tacky A-frame sign with the cruse date on it. They now print that on your picture and I think it looks much better.
We were announced on board, waved to Mickey, and I headed with the kids to deck 10 for the launch we had 3 minutes before the opening of the launch window. Sandy headed to the stateroom to drop off bags and place the valentine Tigger and Eeyore so they would be waiting for the girls went they went into the room. As we headed past the mid-ship elevators (and the crowd waiting for them) toward Beat Street, a CM ask if we needed directions, I said Nope, were heading for deck 10 via the forward elevators, he said Ah, youve done this before. Tip: the forward elevators are always the quickest except for after shows in the main theater, and when the forward gangway is open.
The thing about rocket launches is they have a window of when they can launch. The countdown starts so liftoff will occur at the beginning of the window, so if they have any holds, they have as much time as possible to try for the launch. I set my watch earlier that week with the US Naval Observatory, so when it said the 1:21pm launch time went over by two minutes I knew there was a hold, and with no TV or radio, I had no way of knowing if it was a hold, a delay, or a cancellation. So when Sandy came back from the room we headed to Topsiders for lunch.
The line at Topsiders was not bad, and the shrimp was still there. We sat outside on the aft deck, and as I peeled my first shrimp Sandy said Oh Look!, I looked up to see the rocket had just cleared the tower and was lighting up the gloomy sky more than the sun was that day. Some of the CMs got real excited and so did some of the guests, although some didnt even notice it going up. The rocket was only visible for about 45 seconds before it went into the clouds, and the CM standing near us came over and said That was great and that he had never seen anything like that before (he was from Kenya, not much of a space program there), I said wait til you hear it, about that time I could See the sound from the launch traveling across the Indian River lagoon and as it reached us I said Now and the rumble sound started and then built to a low roar, (my kids, and the CM where very impressed). Seeing a launch live is great, but hearing it is the best. Nothing else can imitate the sound of that much power, Shuttles are even better, but the best was the Saturn Vs, you could hear those in Orlando, and at KSC you could see that sound heading for you as it crossed land.
So there I was, on the Disney Magic, sitting outside on deck 9 aft, with my family, a plate full of peel-and-eat shrimp, watching a rocket launch, and about to set sail on a 7-day cruise to the western Caribbean. Even though I had already eaten one shrimp, it seemed like an appropriate time to say thanks for my many blessings. As it turned out, the Angels were so happy for us, they cried with joy which washed out the on-deck sail-away party and caused it to be moved to the Atrium.
Bruce
That sounds so neat! 
