5 Adults, 2 Staterooms, 1 Amazing Western Caribbean (C) Cruise on the Disney Fantasy!

[LittleMissMagic]

New to your trip report and loving it! Your photos are amazing!

Thank you!!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Glad you posted this on the Dis! I've actually been reading the report over on your website. I found your Breeze review on CC about a month ago and really enjoyed it. I was excited when you mentioned going on the Fantasy and I eagerly awaited this report! Love your writing and professionalism, keep it up girl! Can't wait to hear more and glad you came back to cruising DCL>

Thank you so much, and I'm really glad that you read my blog!

Long time lurker, first time poster!
I'm really enjoying your trip report! You have really peaked my interest in Playa Mia. We are on the Halloween western and have recently started thinking about excursions. Thank you for all of the fantastic photos! And congratulations on your graduation!

Thank you very much! I hope that you have a wonderful time on your cruise and that maybe my trip report will build your excitement!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I am soo excited you went to playa mia, we are looking forward to checking it out next year. Did playa mia provide towels, or do you bring them off the ship? were the kayaks/tubes/and other water equipment free to use(included in entry price)?

I did not notice if Playa Mia provided towels, as we had brought ours from the ship. All non-motorized water sports were included - paddle boating, kayaking, catamaran (though you need sailing experience to take it out), the aqua park, and water slides. I did not notice them having any inflatable floats, but they did have foam floats.

Really enjoying your trip report! We've done several Disney cruises, but this October will be our first time in Jamaica, so I'm looking forward to hearing about your day there. Thanks for posting!

Thank you! We had a great time in Jamaica, despite our not-so-great weather. We actually booked the Chukka Beach Break excursion through DCL.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Enjoying your TR. The mixology class looks like a lot of fun. And Playa Mia looks like a blast! Your pictures are great!

Thank you very much!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Back Aboard


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr


Cozumel, Mexico by vshingl, on Flickr

The trouble that we ran into all week was that on a port day, by the time we got back on the ship, Cabana's was closed. Therefore, we ate many meals on the pool deck at Flo's V8 Cafe. We are people who enjoy simple food, so the chicken tenders, hot dogs, and hamburgers satisfied us.

After lunch, Rachel and Mom went to check out the spa, Max and Dad went to fill their beer mugs, and I headed to the 12th deck to take photos as we left Cozumel. I was beginning to wonder where they were when they came up with their mugs full and told me that the Fantasy was almost out of Michelob Amber Bock which was their preferred draft beer. The bartender from Frozone's Treats had actually gone upstairs to the "hidden" bar to get them some from the only keg remaining on the ship.


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr

I looked down at the Donald pool and thought "people soup." I don't know if it was the time of year or something specific to Disney Cruises, but I don't think I've ever seen more packed-out pools, yet empty loungers!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr


Cozumel, Mexico by vshingl, on Flickr


Cozumel, Mexico by vshingl, on Flickr


Cozumel, Mexico by vshingl, on Flickr


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr

Max and I took Dad on the Aqua Duck. The second time, Dad and Max rode together to pick up more speed. Having ridden in it by myself, with Rachel, Dad, and Max, I can confirm that the more weight, the faster you go! I remember hearing stories when the Aqua Duck first opened on the Dream of children getting stuck and cast members having to come and bump them along. Now children under a 54" tall must ride with another person. (The minimum height to ride is 42" tall. Single riders must be 54" tall. Children under 7 may ride with someone 14 years of age or older as long as they meet the 42" height requirement.)

 

[LittleMissMagic]

"Hidden" Waves Bar by vshingl, on Flickr

We then went to the "hidden" Waves Bar so that Max and Dad could get more Michelob Amber Bock. We were told that the bar is primarily used by the bartenders who circulate the pool deck. Max was glad that the bar was in such a remote location (it's located on deck 12 beside the Aqua Lab and stairs to the sports deck).

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Dinner - Animator's Palate

Animator's Palate is an interactive restaurant, telling the story of Disney Animation. This is the only restaurant theme which was carried from the Disney Magic and Wonder to the new Disney Dream and Fantasy. On the original Disney Magic and Wonder, Animator's Palate progressed from a black-and-white to a color restaurant over the course of the meal (the Magic as recently been "re-imagined" and while Animator's Palate has received updates, the black-and-white to color theme is continued). On the Dream and Fantasy, an entirely new dimension is brought to the restaurant with the addition of video and audio.

The 7-day Disney Fantasy has a total of three animation "shows" - A Finding Nemo themed show (utilizing technology used in "Turtle Talk With Crush" at Epcot's The Seas with Nemo), "Animation Magic" (which brings your drawings to life), and a special Pirate Night theme.


Animator's Palate by vshingl, on Flickr

Max loved the butter spread in Animator's Palate. You can actually buy them in the gift shop for $9.95 each. Disney never misses a merchandise opportunity.


Animator's Palate by vshingl, on Flickr


Animator's Palate by vshingl, on Flickr


Animator's Palate by vshingl, on Flickr


Animator's Palate by vshingl, on Flickr


Animator's Palate by vshingl, on Flickr

The restaurant design is wonderful. I love the chairs, dishes, and decor. Of all of the restaurants, it is the most overwhelmingly Disney, but it's appropriate for the theme.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Smoked Salmon Tartar by vshingl, on Flickr

For an appetizer, I had the Smoked Salmon Tartar which I enjoyed.


Baked Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup by vshingl, on Flickr

The Baked Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup was also good, but I remember finding it too filling to eat it all before my main entree.


Seared Red Snapper by vshingl, on Flickr

And for an entree, I had the Seared Red Snapper which definitely wasn't the best fish I had all week. I only ate a few bites. I did like the potatoes underneath, though.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Animator's Palate by vshingl, on Flickr

Now, what I really did not enjoy about Animator's Palate was the Finding Nemo theme. It's like you're eating dinner inside of an aquarium, except that the fish can talk. Talk about a nightmare come to life. The entire restaurant was incredibly loud with the music and audio. In addition to that, they played this game on the big screens where they lined up schools of fish to make pictures (like in Finding Nemo) and had everyone guess what they were making. So children were encouraged to scream at the walls, "A DOLPHIN!" "A TURTLE! A TURTLE!" The little boy at the neighboring table was especially enthusiastic about having his answers heard. You would think that after a few guesses, the children would understand that it didn't matter what they said - no one was listening (well, except us, unfortunately) and there was no reward for getting it right. My mother suggested that they should give the kids iPads and let them answer digitally so that there would be less screaming in the restaurant.

While I loved the decor in Animator's Palate, I found the atmosphere that night to be incredibly overwhelming. Due to the noise, none of us really felt well and didn't eat much. This made Tana very concerned, as we normally devour any food placed in front of us. He offered several times to get us different dishes.


Cookies n' Cream Sundae by vshingl, on Flickr

For dessert, I had the Cookies n' Cream Sundae. Sundaes are always a good choice.


White Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake by vshingl, on Flickr

Max had the white chocolate cheesecake.


VIC_6500 by vshingl, on Flickr

During perhaps the absolute most stressful moment during the entire meal, we entered the East Australian Current, and the music blared and the lights spun, as digital turtles circulated the room and they encouraged us to get up and dance.

Speaking of turtles, Crush came around to each large television screen throughout the meal and talked to nearby guests. It's the same technology that they use at Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot's The Seas with Nemo. However, we didn't think that the actor's voice was quite as good.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

VIC_6501 by vshingl, on Flickr

My favorite part was when all of the living aquarium screens were killed and they displayed concept art from Finding Nemo.


VIC_6502 by vshingl, on Flickr

VIC_6503 by vshingl, on Flickr

I felt rather bad for these guys, as they were in all of my photos (as well as everyone else's) of the television screen both nights in Animator's Palate. I learned after the cruise that they were actually one of the families from our Fish Extender Group, and that they are the husband and father of Rachel H., a contributing author of The Adult Side of Disney. Be warned: if you sit with your back to a large television screen, people will be taking pictures, inevitably of you eating, or in this case, perhaps falling asleep at the table.

At the end of dinner, Tana came to ask us how he has been doing so far, and if there was anything we wanted to make sure we didn't miss the rest of the week. My mom asked about Key Lime Pie. He said that he would get us Key Lime Pie later that week. We also told him that we would be dining in Palo the next night, so we would not see him at Enchanted Garden. Too bad, because we were missing the Princess menu.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

D Lounge by vshingl, on Flickr

My mom had noticed Disney Trivia on the Navigator in the D Lounge at 10:15. We all really wanted to play some Disney Trivia because we figured between the five of us, we covered a wide range of knowledge. Well... it wasn't really Disney Trivia. It was Family Fusion... "Bring the entire family and test your Disney knowledge in the high-tech interactive game show, Family Fusion." We felt weird actually getting up there to play because the entire room was filled with families that had children, and we had no children. We stayed to watch, and I suppose it's a good thing we didn't play because we would have dominated that game (partly because we're all adults). It was funny to watch others play though because children say the weirdest things, and most of the families had no idea what Disney characters they were comparing themselves to. It was strange.


Towel Animal by vshingl, on Flickr

We returned that night to another strange towel animal. Max exclaimed, "LOOK at our towel animal! What IS THIS? Here, take a picture of me.... wait, never mind. Bad idea."


Palo Invitation by vshingl, on Flickr

And our Palo invitation.

 

[KelleyK75]

Great update! Animator's Palate looks really neat. I love all of the little touches of Disney. I love Finding Nemo so it would be fun to eat in there, although I'm sure the loudness gets annoying.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Great update! Animator's Palate looks really neat. I love all of the little touches of Disney. I love Finding Nemo so it would be fun to eat in there, although I'm sure the loudness gets annoying.

We were seated by three children yelling at the screen, so maybe that is what really agitated us. We did enjoy Animator's much more later that week.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

May 13, 2014 - Grand Cayman

Rachel had gotten up early that morning to run laps around the promenade deck and do her own yoga. I was waiting for her to come back, but she had been gone for over two hours, so I figured that she must have gone to Mom and Dad's. I called their room to see if they had her, and then asked them if they wanted to go to Disney Animation class with me. Rachel was still nowhere to be found, but we went on to the D Lounge for animation class.

Disney Animation - Persistence of Vision

There was a series of four animation classes offered throughout the week, and I had missed the first two (that's okay... I can draw Mickey Mouse on my own time). The class we attended was entitled Persistence of Vision and covered how Disney animation has evolved over the past 85 years. We learned how to draw Buzz Lightyear. The cast member (on the entertainment team... I forget his name, but his slogan was, "Whoop! Whoop!" which you were supposed to call out to him whenever you saw him on the ship) prefaced the lesson by making us swear that we would not judge our own drawings or anyone else's - his included. Buzz Lightyear is also a very challenging character to draw, especially since he is a three-dimensional character that we were drawing two-dimensionally.

Throughout the class, the instructor draws on a giant sketch pad with a black marker, and his sketch pad is projected onto a large screen, much like at Animation Academy at the Magic of Disney Animation at Disney's Hollywood Studios. However, unlike Animation Academy, the characters change between each class (unless it is a repeat of the class later that day) and progress in difficulty throughout the week.

My annoyance with the Disney animation classes is quite similar to my annoyance with my freehand drawing class (which I took last semester in architecture). It frustrates me to do step-by-step drawings. In freehand drawing, I wanted to draw the landscape/building in the order that I wanted. And in animation, I really just wanted them to flash up the final drawing of Buzz so that I could draw him. I think that also may be why I much prefer written tutorials as opposed to video tutorials... I can just scroll to the bottom of the page and see the final result, then go at my own pace. Now, that being said, there is great value to step-by-step instruction and breaking down drawings into little steps. I learned a lot of great technique, as well as method, in my freehand drawing class. As painful as it was for me to wait for the next step, drawing (what felt like) blindly, I'm really glad that I endured it (it was an elective I chose to take that I considered dropping) because now I have a new perspective on how to construct a drawing.... just like I now know how to set up the guides for Buzz.

I know I promised not to judge, but I don't think that my Buzz Lightyear looks much like Buzz. I mean, maybe there is a slight resemblance. But his mouth is far too large and crooked. I was also really wishing that I had a thick pen... like a Pentel sign pen... to draw with. But in all honestly, I'm not the best in drawing characters or anything that is supposed to look how it actually is, for that matter.


Buzz Lightyear-2 by vshingl, on Flickr

As a perfectionist child (and a perfectionist adult), I do think that I would have gotten very frustrated at animation class. In fact, I would have cried (actually, I think I did cry as a child drawing Mickey Mouse). So if you have a child (or you yourself) would like to attend animation classes while on your Disney Cruise, I have a few suggestions to produce higher-quality work and perhaps allow yourself to fix some drawing mistakes...

1. Bring an eraser (or intentionally don't). They do not give pencils with erasers. The pencils are actually really crummy golf pencils that may or may not be sharp. The idea is to use a light-over-dark method which is what I do when I sketch (personally, I sketch with pen) because I think that all of the guide lines and mistakes only add character. Mess up? Fine - just draw the correct line and make it darker. A lot of people don't like to do that, though, so I would suggest bringing an eraser. However, if you think you or your child might spend more time erasing than drawing, maybe you should decide to leave the eraser behind.
2. Bring your own pencil or pen. The pencils they give you are very small (golf pencils) and not very good for drawing. I was really wishing that I had my Pentel sign pen with me.
3. While you're at it, you could bring your own paper or sketch book. The paper they give you is also really crummy copy paper. If you'd like something a little more substantial, I'd suggest bringing your own paper, sketch pad, or sketch book - especially if you plan to attend all four animation classes. Bringing your own sketch book could make a really fun souvenir.
4. Bring colored pencils/crayons/markers/watercolors (probably not for children on the watercolor suggestion... that's a mess waiting to happen). While there is no time in the class to color, you or your child might want to take some time outside of the class to color your drawing.

After animation class, I returned to the room to find... still no Rachel! I decided to wake Max up, and a few minutes later, Rachel came in.

Rachel - "FINALLY! Where have you been?"
Me - "Me? Where have you been?"
Rachel - "Coming in and out of the room trying to find you, but you're never here! You or Mom and Dad!"

That's when it would have been nice if we had made a practice of using our Wave phones provided to us (2 per stateroom). The reason we didn't use the Wave phones was that until then, we didn't really have any trouble keeping up with one another, and the Wave phone was just one more thing to carry around. Not only that, but they are old school phones that we were having difficulty using (remember the old number keypad texting?) and didn't really want to spend the time to learn. Also, the speaker was blown on one of my parents' Wave phones, so it sounded like Donald Duck was talking.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman is a tender port, which means that the ship does not dock, but anchors in the harbor. Guests are taken to port using smaller boats. This was Max's first tender port, and as he was asking me about it, we found it really funny that a stranger lady in front of us decided to turn around and answer all of his questions like he was asking her.


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr


Disney Fantasy by vshingl, on Flickr

I remember the tender ride over being especially miserable because we sat in front of a family that was ridiculing one another about how they pronounce things. "It's CON-see-AIR-juh." "No, CON-see-AIR." "CON-see-AIR-juh." "CON-see-AIR." I would have rather swam to shore.


Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr

We were in port with the MSC Divina, which is a MSC Yacht Club ship. It's actually their only ship sailing from a US port, and I read recently that they will be pulling Divina from Miami after this year. I'm familiar with MSC because many of their ships sailed in my "home port" of Genoa, Italy when I lived in the Clemson architecture villa last spring, and I was actually in town for the Christening of the MSC Preziosa.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Seven Mile Beach - Surfside

We took a bus from the port to Seven Mile Beach. There was a list with a variety of stops, and we chose Surfside, a public beach, for $5 per person. They really pack you into the vans - every jump seat was pulled out. Max was placed shotgun, and I rode in the jump seat beside him!


7-Mile Beach - Surfside by vshingl, on Flickr

We were excited to find that this was actually the same part of the beach that we had visited while on the Island Princess Panama Canal cruise over Christmas in 2012. When we were last there, the beach was one huge party. They were giving shots out of the bottle and playing drinking games. While there was still a DJ while we were there, the atmosphere was entirely different. We wonder if they tailor the music and games to the ships in port or the time of the year. At Christmas, we were in port with two Carnival ships.


7-Mile Beach - Surfside by vshingl, on Flickr

The bright orange towels belong to the MSC Divina passengers. I thought it was funny that all of the Divina passengers looked very stereotypical European.


7-Mile Beach - Surfside by vshingl, on Flickr


7-Mile Beach - Surfside by vshingl, on Flickr

They didn't have any White Tip Lager which is a local beer, so we tried Pirates Gold, another Cayman Island beer.


7-Mile Beach - Surfside by vshingl, on Flickr

The MSC Divina must have had a much earlier departure time than us. Once those passengers all left, the beach was almost empty!


7-Mile Beach - Surfside by vshingl, on Flickr

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Margaritaville - Grand Cayman

Before getting back on the ship, we wanted to do a little shopping. We found the liquor store that we had such great luck in back in 2012... but they were closed to cruise ship passengers! It turns out that they will only deliver alcohol directly to the ship, so they don't sell to Disney Cruise Line passengers because Disney does not check alcohol.

So we went on to Margaritaville. Mainly because Rachel and I wanted to do the water slide.


Margaritaville Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr

The slide was already really fast. Then we tried the trick that we learned the day before at Playa Mia, and it was crazy fast!!


Margaritaville Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr


Margaritaville Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr

After getting in enough rounds on the slide to hold us over to the next one, we decided to actually sit down at the restaurant and order drinks and food (maybe we did that backwards). Despite there being no one else there, service was a bit slow, and they didn't notice when my dad spilled his drink. Or maybe our waitress was intentionally ignoring him so that she wouldn't have to clean up the mess.


Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr

We were told that Disney Cruise Line guests could purchase alcohol at the duty free shops right at port and carry them on the ship, but the prices were ridiculous - it was more expensive than the United States! What a rip-off. We did something unthinkable and went a day without buying more booze.


Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr


Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr


Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr


Grand Cayman by vshingl, on Flickr

 

[DisneYE]

I've been reading this TR for the past few days and I have to say, it's one of the best ones on here.. ah...the Fantasy...my fav ship..how i miss it..
Excellent job on the pics, the writing...you're a very talented girl and you have a lovely family..
Congrats on your graduation.
Thanks for sharing..