"Changes" on Magic since July Last Summer?

[catjammies]

Went on the Magic July of last Summer????

Are there any particular changes since then/?????

tanks!

 

[invaderzim]

The Magic was dry docked in October 2003 for two weeks for refurbishing. Some of the changes include:

The teens club has moved from Common Grounds to The Stack (former ESPN club)

The former Common Grounds is now Cafe Cove -- a cigar and cognac club.

The Dueling Pianos club has been made into an Irish Pub (forget the name).

I'm sure more recent cruisers can think of more changes.

A QUESTION to recent cruisers: In the refurbishing, did they change the color of the hallways? From some of the recent cruise pictures, it seems like Decks 6 and 7 have lighter colored walls in the hallways to the staterooms.

 

[alexandrew]

We havent been on the Magic since 10/02....I heard there is now a coffee/cappucino place....Where is it and what is it called?

 

[MarkRG]

Almost right, here's the rundown.

Old use of location=========>new use of location

ESPN Club sports bar=======>The Stack teen club
Common Grounds teen club===>Cove Cafe coffee bar
Off Beat dueling piano bar====>Diversions sports bar

Cove Cafe is a Coffee bar, not cigars/cognac. I believe that's in Diversions, the Cheers type themed place. And a word of note the coffee in the bar is not a very good gourmet blend (ie Starbucks or such) and might possibly be Nescafe like the rest of the ship from what reports I have read, not being a coffee drinker myself I couldn't say, and won't see it for myself on cruise #6 in Dec.

 

[alexandrew]

That's disappointing about the coffee....I enjoy a good cup of Starbucks every day, and was hoping to indulge in some coffee of that caliber onboard...

 

[markm0926]

There is no ESPN now ????

 

[Debbie H]

The Cove Bar does have cigars and cognac as well as a coffee bar. It is also a full service bar. It is wonderful. It also has internet in there. They sort of blocked off that area of the ship hoping that people with young children would go elsewhere. It still amazes me how many people take their kids to the Quiet Cove pool.

 

[lancerguys]

Originally posted by markm0926
There is no ESPN now ????

No, and that totally bums me out. I heard Diversions is cool, but I loved going up to ESPN and watching sports on the huge screen while eating nachos.

Does anyone know what kind of snacks they have in Diversions now?

 

[MarkRG]

Originally posted by Debbie H
The Cove Bar does have cigars and cognac as well as a coffee bar. It is also a full service bar. It is wonderful.

Really. As I said all my info is what I've read on here. And with that piece of information it'll stay that way as the cigar smoke was the turnoff for my ever going in the ESPN club. :/

 

[rae519]

The Magic lost it's Magic for us as a family and adults when it took Off beats and made it a Sports Bar. The Dueling Pianos (with Fidelio) venue kept us "rockin' and rollin', singing, laughing and clapping"!

THAT was our evening entertainment as a family. With the "changes", so went the magic for us.

Fidelio is not one of those cheaper "Milli Vanilli" substitutes that the Magic Entertainment Director had often hired - Fidelio is the real thing - a gifted entertainer who could not only play the piano but make it come alive!

The other changes haven't impressed us at all.

Rae

 

[jlawall]

Hey Catjammies, we sailed with you last summer! We are going on July 31st, how about you?

Can anyone tell how the new changes are going? Are there any new spots which should not be missed???

 

[randytenn]

In my opinion, they really didn't add much. I went into Diversions, and it lived up to it's name . . . people were obviously diverted from going there. It was pretty empty.

The Cove Cafe was nice, but it had 2 people at the most when I was there.

I think the kids enjoyed The Stack, but I didn't get to go up there.

Adding Diversions and the Cove increased to 3 the number of "Quiet Areas for Adults" (along with Sessions), and they all seemed identical, with the exception of the TV's in Diversions. Do we really need that many quiet adult areas?

 

[invaderzim]

Well, here I am again, pushing the letter writing issue! Just like I said on previous threads about the smoking issue and the lack of teen clubs, write DCL your letters and/or emails -- AND MOST IMPORTANT, note it on your comment cards at the end of your cruises that you want Dueling Pianos brought back.

It was our favorite lounge on our last two cruises and as randytenn said, how many "quiet adult" areas do you need?

Look, Disney listened about the soda issue and the fresh brewed iced tea issue over the past couple of years, and they are always looking to make changes to make us happy. So let them know how you feel -- after all, it only costs 37 cents and it can't hurt! Just my honest opinion......

 

[catjammies]

Sodas -- are they an extra charge on the ship????

ie- if my DD orders a Shirley Temple at dinner -is it $1.75 ???

 

[skyhawk]

Originally posted by alexandrew
That's disappointing about the coffee....I enjoy a good cup of Starbucks every day, and was hoping to indulge in some coffee of that caliber onboard...

I like a good cup of extra large Starbucks coffee at least three times a day my wife says it makes me hyper but I don't think it does sometimes my kids say I'm hyper and if nothing else I think the extra coffee calms me down because I look forward to my three cups of large Starbucks coffee everyday so after I get it then I am happy and content and only looking forward to the next day of drinking three cups of extra large Starbuks the next day and oh boy I can't wait to go on my cruise so that I can drink coffee at the new coffee place even if as you say it may not be Starbucks and oh by the way did I mention that I like to drink three extra extra large Starbucks a day?

 

[invaderzim]

catjammies:

Up until a few weeks ago, there was a charge for sodas on the ship and castaway cay except in the restaurants. They have now put a drink station in on Deck 9 and at CC. Sodas only cost at the bars and with room service now.

 

[rae519]

AS a 9 cruise veteran, all I can say about the free sodas - it's about time!!!

Rae