Very nice article Barb. I had to do a little search to find it since it was in Friday's paper, but I attached the article below and here is the photo that went with the article.
Pair set for 45th Disney voyage
Couple keep cruising along
BY LYN DOWLING
FOR FLORIDA TODAY
New friends. Barb Lesniak and Tony Gibas of Chicago make new friends during a recent cruise aboard the
Disney cruise ship Magic. In a few weeks, they will return to Port Canaveral to board Magic's sister ship, Wonder, for their 45th Disney cruise. Disney photo
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Cocoa Beach, FL
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Once upon a time, in a cold and windy city called Chicago, there lived a most modern couple named Tony Gibas and Barb Nefer Lesniak.
Tony, a computer programmer and a doctor of psychology who designs Web-based training programs, and Barb loved Walt Disney World. So, for a couple of weeks every year, they headed south for plenty of sunshine.
They became Mouseka-connoisseurs, learning which resorts had the best service, where the best chefs could be found and when rates were the lowest.
But Tony and Barb yearned for something more: an everything-included place where they could escape the high-pressure lifestyle and chilling winds for a few days.
So, in September 1998, they headed for the
Disney Cruise Line's terminal at Port Canaveral to take a three-day cruise on Magic, and faster than you can say bibbidy-bobbidy-boo, they found just that.
The result was that in a few weeks, they will return to Port Canaveral to board Magic's sister ship, Wonder, for their 45th Disney cruise.
They also have:
Booked "five or six" more cruises for the coming year.
Built a home in Celebration, mainly because of its proximity to their beloved ships, not to mention the theme parks.
Developed a much-respected Disney-centric Web site, **********************
Seen Lesniak become a
travel agent so she can book other people's cruises.
Become familiar visitors to Port Canaveral, Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach.
"We're just Disney-holics who didn't like a lot of the things that we saw in (other) resorts, and when we saw what the cruise line had to offer, it seemed perfect," Lesniak said.
"It's just a fun few days because you get away from everything -- no work, no phones, no distractions, nobody bothers you and the level of service always is excellent," Gibas said. "Other people have their vacation cabins or favorite hotels; that's not so unusual. We have the Disney Cruise Line."
The childless duo admit they were surprised to discover how tranquil Disney cruises are.
"Everyone (seems concerned) about the kids on the cruise, but there's no problem with that at all," Lesniak said. "The 'adult' thing really is a big thing to us. When Disney says it has children's areas, they're really children's areas; you really don't see much of kids and when you do, they're not a problem."
They also rate Disney's spas highly and point out that similar service on other cruise lines came as the result of Disney's creative and successful spa operations.
They also name and describe various familiar workers, from greeters to baggage handlers ("Tanya, Barbara, Maura . . ."), and have discovered the Space Coast while in the process of going to and from the port.
"Do you ever eat at Roberto's in Cocoa Beach?" Gibas asked. "That's a great little restaurant. Shirley Nelson Brown, who owns The Perfect Gift in Cape Canaveral, turned us on to Roberto's, and Roberto's has spoiled us."
"We go there and to the Tea Room in Cape Canaveral," Lesniak said. "We were concerned after the hurricane destroyed the old (Tea Room), but were glad to see that it reopened at another location. We're planning to spend more time on the beach, so we'll be back there."
They can come back more often, now that they have that home in Celebration, which they describe as their new "base of operations." Barb operates her travel business and Web site from home, and telecommutes when possible to her old job in Chicago. Tony commutes to the Midwest more often.
They cheerfully admit they built the home in what formerly was Disney's own little community in order to get here fast. An entire room is dedicated to
DCL memorabilia and souvenirs, with some space for their other adventures at sea.
When their cell phones ring, it is with "When You Wish Upon a Star," and when you dial their home, you use the number of their favorite stateroom.
"You know, if you had asked me 10 years ago if we would be cruising this many times, I would have thought you were crazy," Lesniak said. "But we have had the best times and met the best people, both on the ship and the shore side, and that has made it so worthwhile.
"The Disney Cruise is our home away from home, and who knows how many times we'll sail in the future. We love it."
NICE
