ELFINJOJO'S DREAM adventure across the pond. Completed 4/20/2011

[SoonerGirl]

I didn't realize that the princesses came to visit you at the Royal Palace! My boys won't care, but I think it's neat

Congrats to your DD for getting to be in the show, how fun! How early did you have to arrive to the show to be able to find a seat in the location you wanted?

 

[Elfinjojo]

Great TR! Can't wait to hear the rest.

It sounds like you kids loved the club/lab. What fun!

Thanks for reading and enjoying The kids clubs are what makes the holiday for my two. They couldn't care less what port we are heading to, they just want to go play and make friends and as its their holiday too, then we want them to be happy.

I didn't realize that the princesses came to visit you at the Royal Palace! My boys won't care, but I think it's neat

There are two private rooms within the Royal Palace that are named after Cinderella and Tiana - I don;t know if you have to pre-request these or if its just luck of the table assignment. But because of these rooms, that is why they have the Princesses visit the whole resturant(the other Princesses don't come round)

Congrats to your DD for getting to be in the show, how fun! How early did you have to arrive to the show to be able to find a seat in the location you wanted?

We arrived in the theatre about 10 mins before the show started to get seated. We were on early show times(5pm) and with the new system of assigned showtimes you are guarenteed a seat in the theatre. I think it was just luck that we were able to get to the same area of seating each time.

 

[jenseib]

I didn't realize that the princesses came to visit you at the Royal Palace! My boys won't care, but I think it's neat

Congrats to your DD for getting to be in the show, how fun! How early did you have to arrive to the show to be able to find a seat in the location you wanted?

I think the Princess coming around is a random thing. They didn't do it on our 3 night cruise, and I have only heard about it a handfull of times so far.

We arrived in the theatre about 10 mins before the show started to get seated. We were on early show times(5pm) and with the new system of assigned showtimes you are guarenteed a seat in the theatre. I think it was just luck that we were able to get to the same area of seating each time.

They have now changed the show times and down to 2 shows a night.

 

[Elfinjojo]

So today we have a stop at Castaway Cay. Breakfast first, a relaxed affair, we are in no rush the Island is going no where
Once we have had breakfast we head on back to the stateroom to collect our towel bag and to cover up in sun screen - yeah the weather is blessing us today - lovely and warm. The children are not bothered by going in the sea , they only want to go play in Scuttles cove, so thats where we will head first.

As we leave the ship we meet

Rob and Evan have strolled on ahead but Holly insisted on having her picture taken, she had lots of Smooches from Smee

As we come up to the post office we see

of course we had to stop for a picture with the boys!!

After the long walk around to the family beach we spot Mickey

and Pluto

We leave the children at Scuttles cove with their favourite people of all this holiday - The councillors we love them too as they have taken great care and shown a great interest in Holly and Evan - maybe because they don't see that many British children on board, who knows?
We head over to look around the shops - Rob needs those T-shirts and then we hitch a ride on the tram and head for the adults beach, but when we get there it is unbelievably crowded There is not even a seat, let alone a sunbed or hammock to spare, so we head right back to the family beach, where there is ample beds to spare and its so much quieter So Rob and I pitch here for a chill, me with my book, Rob snoozing and we enjoy the sun for awhile, until its time to catch a cool drink and watch the traditional crab racing

We decide to eat back on the ship, so grab the kids from the club and head back to the Dream

we grab a light lunch and then head to the pool - Cars is on the big screen and its the first opportunity for the kids to get in the pool, which is almost deserted

Rob joins them for a bit(not me, I am not much of a pool person)I like to watch them play. Rob then decides to see if he can get Evan on the Aqua Duck. Remember how we had height issues for the Harry Potter ride?, well there was no way the castmember on height check was going to let him on despite being just a smidge under, so dissapointed Evan has to come back to the pool. We watch and wait for Rob to come down the ride

and then Evan goes on the new and improved MIckey slide and is happy with that!

Surprise surprise the kids want to go back to the club so after pool time thats where they go, and I head off to watch the early farewell show(is the trip over all ready?) I'm not so sure that the early show will have the same atmosphere, but I am counting on the fact that most folk have only just returned from the beach so it will be not so busy in the atrium and a good time for photos.

(see reaction to farewell in next post)

.

 

[Elfinjojo]

Not so sure I like the new show, the characters are introduced and come down the staircase. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, Goofey and ChipNDale only - no Princesses, no Cruella etc... They head to their posts and have the usual 15-20minute photo opportunity before returning to the stairs to sing their new song. No More "Now its time to say goodbye to all our family....M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E ", but a more rousing song that personally didn't have the same goosebump effect on me and the lump on the throat reaction I normally get from these shows. The one good thing about having the early show was the chance to get the photos that you really wouldn't get the chance to later when it is busy! Maybe the atmosphere will return on the later show?

I get a picture with the Captain

Time for the early show - tonight its the new show "Believe" which is great fun and has the same standard of performance as all the other shows, and its great to see appearances form rarely seen characters like Mary Poppins and her sweeps, Baloo, Alladin and Jasmine and Tiana gets a song too. The guy who plays the genie is the same guy as Hades in Villans tonight and he is just a scream. Holly and I get front row seats this time in a change to our normal seats and the view is great.

After the show we meet up with Rob and Evan and head to dinner in th elong anticipated Animators, which on the other ships is our favourite resturant. This one however seems really crowded and cluttered. The decoration is bright and I loved the paint brush style cutlery, but its very noisy. We were unfortunate to be placed in the middle of the room, so really not in the action for the show screens, although we could see that characters swimming about in and out of the screens, when it came to the interactive part, well unless you were seated around the edge of the room, you had no hope of even hearing what the passengers were saying as they interacted with the Crush. The finale to the show wasn;t really all that. Crush did a tutorial on his surf speak and put actions to it and then had everyone stand up and "perform" - this got mixed reactions. We sure Miss Sorcerer Mickey

Rob heads back to the stateroom to put the cases out(I didn't mention about the packing as thats just boring stuff)after a final trip to the store, and I drop the kids off for their final time in the club before heading to Shutters to pick out and collect our character pictures. On route to the club we finally get to see my favourite character - where has he been all trip? He gets one 15minute appearance all trip

I then head down to get a picture with Stitch but the que is soooooo long! So I just shoot from the side

I check back in with Rob and find the bags have gone(Oh no we really are going home), we chill with a film before I then head off to get the kids from the club one last time. They are so sad to leave, this is always the hardest part of the trip. We head to the farewell show and despite not having a camera with us we queue for hugs with the characters. Holly and Goofey do a take on "dancing with the stars" and she gets the biggest hugs from Pluto. Now I am starting to feel emotional, and I did get the goosebumps at the end of the show but its really not the same.

Now its time for bed, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow

 

[Elfinjojo]

Port Canaveral - a place of happiness and sadness -depending on which end of the trip you are on!

Early dining meant early breakfast - far to early, and back to animators we go for pancakes and coffee/chocolate milk/juice. We then head staright for the atrium to await the doors to open - Oh my EVERYBODY seems to be getting off at the same time, the Atrium is packed to capacity and no sigh of the doors opening yet. People are complaining left right and centre about the situation but there is nothing you can do other than wait patiently so that is what we did and eventually we got off the ship and into the hall to claim our bags, which goes smoothly - we didn't buy bright pink cases for the fashion statement you know and before we know it we are thru passport control and heading to the DCL buses back to the airport.

A sad moment, but departing with great memories, and already looking forward to the next cruises that we have booked, especially the latest one that we booked onboard - B2B christmas and Newyear this year!!!

We get to the airport around 10.30am and set up base at some comfy chairs as we are going nowhere for ages yet. Our flight isn't until 5ish and we can't check in until 2pm. So we pass the time with naps, strolls around the shops and eating until we can move thru to the departure lounge. Finally its UK here we come. A long and pretty uneventful flight other than Holly being a little airsick about 2hrs away from landing. We arrive home to a very chilly morning, with the knowledge that we have to go food shop, collect dogs from the kennels and get ready to go back to school/work the very next day.
Holiday over then

Thankyou for sharing our trip report, and wishing you all safe and happy cruises to come

 

[LuvEeyore]

Thanks for sharing your family and trip with us!!

 

[tessasmom]

Great TR! Thank you for sharing! B2B Christmas & New Year, wow!

 

[jenseib]

I missed the farewell show. I was just too busy. So an excuse to go back and seee it now!

I'm so sad your report is over. Thanks for sharing