Is Mickey a Captain or a Jedi? Both! - May '15 Land & Sea ~ Updated 6/14: Trip Report Started!

[Tracy161]

Your plans for this day sounds great!!! And this day just so happens to be my arrival day! I plan on being at Epcot until close (or close to it) and then heading over to MK to shut that park down. Let me know if you'd like me to crash your solo time for a meet up!

Izzy is going to be one well-decked-out little girl! It is a long trip and you do need to make sure she has lots of change options so what else are you suppose to do?!

 

[Dugette]

I absolutely love that SW shirt! It is very appropriate. The breakfast should be fun, it will be interesting to see how Izzie reacts. I know I saw you post some where (maybe the SWW thread) that she likes Darth Vader, my ds2 does too but I'm wondering what he'll do when he actually meets him . Anyway plans sound great you'll have to let us all know what you think of a Trader Sam's.

Thanks, that shirt was just too perfect for a breakfast with Vader! Yes, I did post that over in the SWW thread when she asked what we were looking forward to. I'm really curious what Izzy will do when she sees Darth Vader before breakfast. I think her version of him is a lot more cuddly and fun than the real thing - I don't know if she'll try to hug him or run away crying.

I'm excited to see Trader Sam's and just check out the changes at the Poly in general. We love that resort and it will be nice to get back there for a bit.

Glad I'm not alone in that! 2 outfits per day times 10 days = A LOT of shirts! So you aren't alone by any means!

Yes! I'm glad you understand the absolute necessity of my shopping! I do think the outfit changes are justified this time of year - she's going to be a total mess of sweat after napping in her stroller, so she's gotta have at least one fresh change of clothes each day. I actually need to go through her wardrobe and make sure she has enough shorts and skirts to pair up with all these shirts.

Perfect for that meal for sure!

Thanks, I thought so!

I've heard some clarification on this and I don't think it will work. The only thing her band is good for is opening the room. Aparently.

I can tell you from experience that, unless something has recently changed, it DOES work. It's one of those loophole-Disney-knows-about-but-hasn't-bothered-to-change things vs. something Disney encourages, though. So, use at your own discretion. Back in August, I used Izzy's band to get extra FP+ to use as my own, which kept us moving quickly though our list at MK. It ONLY works at the kiosks, NOT in the MDE app. It will give you three FP+ your first time, then works like all others where you can get one at a time for your 4th+. I do peek at the latest on this thread from time to time to make sure it still works and there has been some chatter today indicating it might not anymore, but it's unclear: http://www.disboards.com/threads/ma...-new-mde-see-post-227-before-posting.3245463/ Just a warning, this thread is about the loophole in general and a lot of people are pretty much out of their minds (in my opinion) and doing all kinds of wacky things to get extra MBs that they can use for extra FP+. All I have ever done or would ever consider is using Izzy's (or once Dug's) MB to pick up some same-day FP+. If we can still do it on this trip, great - it may help us out when park-hopping. But, if not, our plans are good without it. Just a bonus/convenience.

I will keep that in mind -we are usually bored when we visit the in-laws and are looking for things to do!

Yes, it would be fun to have a playdate!

Too funny that you bought MORE clothes for Izzy! She will definitely be well-dressed.

Eh, I guess her wardrobe needed an update anyway.

The pot roast at 50's PTC is really good - and this is coming from someone who rarely eats meat! I haven't had the milkshake, but have heard a lot of good things about it!

Sounds great! I'm anxious to try this pot roast! And I'm not so sure about the shake, but it seems like something I should try at least once, since so many people love it.

That is smart about the one-way rentals to the port. The only downside would be that you have to store the carseat in your stateroom, right?

Correct, we'll have to stash it in the room somewhere. I'm sure it'll be fine, though.

I can't wait to hear about Trader Sam's. We won't check it out when we're there next week since Michael is the only one who could indulge (I'm being selfish!)

Haha, I don't blame you for wanting to avoid it for now (though I do think I read they have some good non-alcoholic options too?) Something to look forward to next time!

I'm working on getting details together for our December trip (no park hours yet... so waiting on that), but you've inspired me to do a late night solo trip! My husband doesn't even care to do one at this point, but I'm getting so excited for it! Interestingly, in the 4 or so adult trips I've taken, I don't believe I've ever been in the park alone. I know that I've sat and waited for people, or looked for people or gone to the bathroom --- but I've definitely never been like "I'm going to go ride Splash! See ya!". So, I'm super excited to just have the freedom to do whatever I want! Here's hoping my husband will let me sleep in the next day, too!!! (not sure why, but this driving the bus emoji seemed so happy and fitting!)

Sounds great!! I actually haven't really done it yet, either - last family trip (Dec. 2013), we intended to each have a late MK night. Dug had his and came back on a total Disney high - just had a blast doing his own thing at his own pace. But we got mixed up on our days and I ended up missing mine! I had really been looking forward to that time where all I had to think about was me and what I wanted. New mommies don't get enough of that sometimes. So, I'm still really looking forward to that. We did do some things on that other trip to try to make up for it, like I did actually run off and ride Splash - but not the same as a whole evening to meander. Before Izzy, we used to routinely stay out late in the MK and with her going to bed early, it seems like we are wasting time by sitting in the room - why not trade off having fun?

ok, backed up two updates but will try to comment on the highlights

Wow, lots of comments!

First, reading your update about always new things to try keeps drawing you back and how at Disney $15 is free reminds me of something I saw today that said Walt Disney World is a people trap set my a mouse

So true!

Hope things work out with your morning in AK - definitely seems like you are trying to fit in all your "must dos". depending on how things work might have to pick Dinosaur or Everest to still get to Sanaa on time

I'm hoping we can get both, but that is something to keep in mind. Might depend on the weather, if it comes to that - indoor vs. outdoor ride.

Speaking of Sanna ...

Yay, drooling smiley!

So I read today that they will not change the name to Disney Springs until it is done in 2016 so definitely good to still call it DTD for now.

Okay, great, DTD it is!

Definitely might be nice just to walk around and check out what is new/different. They should have the new dockside margarita place in which could fun to check out. Hope dinner works out - probably will be nice to have some adult conversation - hopefully the kids cooperate.

I need to read up on the new things at DTD, I think. Will be fun to check it out. My co-worker who was just there raved about how much better it is. I hope the dinner goes great and the kids are pretty good at meals, so I think that will be fine. I've heard it's loud in there, so I'm thinking that will hinder conversation more than anything. I'm sure we'll still have a blast!

Of course they are adding new things to SWW - never underestimate their ability to squeeze another buck out of people ... though, it actually sounds like a fun area and I know we were joking about $15 being free at Disney, but if it is something unique and have some characters, etc, $15 really is pretty reasonable.

The latest word is that it will be a reservable sit-down of some sort. Really curious about this. Does sound reasonable, but hard to get excited until we actually know what the deal is.

Hi my name is Dugette and I am addicted to buying Disney clothes for my daughter [crowd]Hi Dugette![/crowd]

Reading about Dug showing Star Wars cartoons to Izzy reminded me of a video I saw to today of people showing the Star Wards trailer to toddlers - I bet that would be funny to capture Izzy seeing it. (I posted a video of Emma watching it to Facebook - pretty funny even if some of her reactions were just coincidence)

I watched your video - super cute! (and she's getting so big!) Izzy actually has seen the SW trailer a few times and enjoyed it. Didn't think to take video of her, though. Dug was showing her a couple of the Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles episodes lately and she has really loved them!

Sounds like a great MGM 1/2 day. The galactic breakfast sounds so cool (just breakfast at Sci Fi looks good - and I think they play fun Star Wars stuff instead of B-movie sci fi stuff). The trading with jawas sounds really fun too. I read some reports where people said they got like a broken button back or something. They you have FP+ for all the big stuff which is great and then lunch at Prime Time - really seems like a nice schedule.

Yes, that's right, I think they have SW clips! Should be fun!

The new Trader Sam's looks awesome! They have the outside patio too if there is too long of a wait for the main room - plus they have a dole whip shake you can only get outside. Some of the other drinks look fun too - read good things about the dark and stormy. They have some snack too there so if you can get some food there then might only need more snacks later at MK.

Oooh, I haven't heard about the dole whip shake! I think either option will work well for us! I think there are some good snacks, but I need to check out the menu/reviews more.

Sounds like a good idea to focus on family rides that afternoon and for you two to hit the bigger rides during your solo time.

Yeah, otherwise there's really limited chances to get in rides for Izzy.

Your plans for this day sounds great!!! And this day just so happens to be my arrival day! I plan on being at Epcot until close (or close to it) and then heading over to MK to shut that park down. Let me know if you'd like me to crash your solo time for a meet up!

Oh, that's awesome! We should exchange numbers to text or something - that would be fun to ride something together!

Izzy is going to be one well-decked-out little girl! It is a long trip and you do need to make sure she has lots of change options so what else are you suppose to do?!

Thank you for the validation!

 

[Dugette]

One Month from Today – Monday, May 18th

We’ll have breakfast in the room again this morning. If we didn’t end up picking up the rental car the prior day, I’ll have to get it this morning at 8am. We’ll need to pack up and get ready for our Disney Dream cruise!

I still need to find out if we can leave some luggage with Bell Services at BWV – I just posted on the cruise board to see if anyone knows. I’m hoping we can do this, as it will just minimize the things we’ll need to lug around and store. Assuming we can do this, we’ll leave the WDW-only items in bags and just pack what we’ll need for the cruise. (Yay, I’ve started getting responses to the question and it sounds like we’ll be able to leave luggage with Bell Services!! )

I think we’ll probably aim for hitting the road around 8:30am. I believe the drive is about an hour and a half, maybe a bit less. I think we may want to stop on the way to get some drinks to bring on board with us. Not 100% sure – we’re not huge drinkers (and we’re already signed up for Mixology and I plan to get some drinks of the day), but it would be nice to enjoy some wine on the verandah.

Here’s where we get to the part peppered with questions for experienced Disney cruisers…

Our Port Arrival Time is 10:45am. My understanding is that I can drop Dug and Izzy off at the port, along with our luggage (for the porters) and a carry-on bag (with our drinks and whatever we’ll want that afternoon) and Izzy's stroller/carseat. Then I can drive the car back to the Enterprise location and return on the shuttle.

They can check us in if I’m not back yet by using my passport and then I can use my driver’s license – I think? I read something like that. Not entirely clear. By the way, Dug and I both have valid passports and we were going to get Izzy one before this trip, but decided not to. She doesn’t need one – just her birth certificate. We thought it would be nice to have one anyway, just in case there were some unusual situation – or in case we plan any out-of-country trips down the road. However, they are rather expensive and we’re already spending way too much on this trip, so we decided to hold off. The only out-of-country thing we have on the radar is a potential conference for Dug in Barcelona, Spain – but it’s very expensive to get there, so I might not even be able to go with and $1100+++ airfare for Izzy probably isn’t happening either (by this fall!) So, long story short, no passport for Izzy yet.

I’m hoping that I’m able to catch a shuttle back pretty quickly from Enterprise. I’ve heard it can get crowded sometimes , but it should help that I won’t have any bags to deal with. Anyone know if it’s walkable? I wouldn’t mind doing that if it were safe and I could avoid crowds if the shuttle is busy.

I believe that, depite our 10:45am arrival time, we probably won’t be able to board until close to Noon. We will probably have an early boarding number and get on soon after boarding starts, though. In the meantime, we’ll check out the terminal and see if we can get in any character meets for Izzy. I’ve read that parents who have kids going to the kids’ club can get the bracelets and do registration at the terminal, but Izzy will be in the nursery, since she’s not 3 yet – is there anything we’ll need to do? I’m unclear if they do the bracelet thing too.

Oh, by the way, our plans for carry-on are Izzy’s stroller with carseat attached to the back of it and probably one rolling carry-on sized bag. We’ll have to stow the carseat in the room, once we get in. I don’t know if we’ll use the stroller much, but I wanted to have it and it does fold small and I’m sure we can store it easily in the room. Whatever other luggage we need, we'll have the porters deliver to our room.

I’m glad that I just found a very recent (early April) Navigator for our cruise that was just put online yesterday – that helps me with this next part! I know there is no guarantee things will be exactly the same, but I’m going with it for now. Though I believe the character meets vary tremendously from cruise to cruise, so I won’t go by that – I’ll just say that we will probably be checking the schedule and working in as many of them as we feasibly can throughout each day.

So, once we board, there are a few things I know we need to take care of:

1.) Reserve a brunch at Palo for our sea day. The Navigator shows that can be done from 1:00-3:30pm at Royal Palace. Do we have to wait until then or will they do it earlier – anyone know?

2.) Timed tickets will be available for Disney Junior, Princess Gathering, and Anna & Elsa character meets. They are available at the Port Adventures Desk on Deck 5 from Noon-2:30pm. Unless we can get Palo right away, we’ll probably go here first, as I’d like to obtain tickets for all three. Does anyone know how the times work – do you pick or just get something?

3.) I don’t think this is urgent, but we will need to book some more nursery time for Izzy. We have our 10 advance hours booked, but will need to add some time during our Mixology class (sea day) and during Palo Brunch, if we get one. We also want to do the open houses at the nursery and kids clubs this afternoon, so maybe we can just take care of that at the same time?

4.) This is not urgent, but we need to make sure to sign up for the free allotment of wifi – it’s only available to sign up for on this day.

Other than taking care of those errands, our first priorities are to eat lunch and to swim and/or try the Aquaduck (if we can catch it with short lines). I’m not sure which order to do things in, though. If we eat first, will the pool and Aquaduck be a madhouse already when we’re done? Either way, I read a tip to wear swimsuits under clothes so you don’t have to wait in line to change in a bathroom since the rooms won’t be ready yet, so I think we’ll consider that.

For lunch, I think there are a couple of options? Any recommendations? I want to say I’ve read you can do the buffet or a sit-down that is lesser known?

For the pool, Izzy should be qualified, as she’s done a great job potty training (the pools on the ship require potty trained kids without swim diapers). So, I’ll just need to make sure to bring her to a restroom beforehand. That, as a side note (and skip this paragraph if you don’t want to hear about potty training), is going to be a whole new thing to get used to for me – in diapers, she could just go whenever she had to go, no problem. Now I have to think about such things a bit more (not just on the cruise, but at WDW). This is all fairly new to me, as she’s been “potty trained” for maybe a couple months now – meaning, she goes in the potty, but wears diapers and almost always keeps them clean and dry (except night and some naps, since we’re not pushing that right now). So, last weekend, I finally just switched her over to underwear and she’s done great. Only one accident all week – she was lingering too long over dinner and wet her high chair. I actually am kind-of glad that happened, though, as I wanted to make sure she knew what it felt like to have an accident, since she’d had her diapers as a back-up until recently. If anyone has tips for either WDW or the cruise with a newly-trained toddler, let me know. Should I bring some sort of potty seat? I know there are some folding travel ones, but haven’t looked into it. Otherwise, I’m just thinking I should bring spare shorts and underwear in our park bag and a couple diapers/wipes as back-up and for naptime. Oh, and I’ve read a tip to bring post-it notes to put over the autoflush sensor so it doesn’t scare the kid by randomly going off. I have no idea how she feels about autoflush, as we haven’t encountered it yet, but we do have post-its, so I may throw them in.

But back to the cruise plans! We’ll swim and eat and switch off riding the Aquaduck (Izzy will be too small for both that and the Mickey slide, by the way). At some point after 1:30pm, we’ll go check out our room, #8100. I’m excited and sure it will be wonderful! One question: although Izzy will still happily sleep in a Pack ‘n’ Play and we plan to use one at WDW, we are thinking of having her sleep on the pull-out couch with bedrails during the cruise to save space in our room. I have a crib request anyway, in case she doesn’t like the couch, but I don’t see any way to request bedrails in advance. Do I just need to ask the room attendant once we are settled?

I’m hoping we are in our room fairly early, because Izzy will need to nap. And, because we have the crib request in, I’m hoping there will be a Pack ‘n’ Play in the room for that, since we probably won’t have the bed/rails all set up yet. Hoping she can get in a good nap while we unpack and settle in. Oooh, this reminds me - I should pack nap items (blanket, pillow, etc. in the carry-on). This might be a good time to chill on the verandah. Or we could take turns exploring the ship – I definitely want to do that early on to help me figure out where things are.

Looking at the schedule, I’m not entirely sure where we’ll fit in the kids’ club open house. I had been thinking this afternoon, but I want Izzy to nap and that doesn’t really leave any time. There might be a small window between the muster drill and dinner? Maybe one of us will need to just go and book the nursery time we need during her nap and then do the open house another day?

Her nap will probably get cut short by the muster drill at 4pm. We’ll go to our station and do whatever. Just hoping she’ll have gotten some sleep (sometimes she takes forever to actually fall asleep).

After the muster drill is the Sail Away party. I think I read that it is good to watch from Deck 12 instead of 11 because you can get up to the rail and see over everyone? I’d like Izzy to be able to see her beloved character friends. (Dug just reminded me that Deck 12 is also helpful so that Izzy doesn't rush the stage and get restrained by CMs - we may have had some incidents at Aulani with her undying love for Minnie. ) Can’t wait to hear that horn play a Disney tune!

We will have the early seating dinner, which is at 5:45pm. I was just saying to Dug today that a lot of people fret about their toddler making it through a lengthy dinner, but I think Izzy will have no problem, as she routinely stretches her dinners out to 1-2 hours at home. Seriously, the kid can stall like nobody’s business. I’m hoping her leisurely dining habits will help for our cruise dinners. I am looking forward to seeing all the dining rooms and enjoying the cuisine on the ship (not to mention the great service)!

Maybe we’ll catch a character meet between dinner and the show. And a bathroom break, of course. The show this night should be the Golden Mickeys. I think it sounds like something Izzy will enjoy. It’s at 8:30pm, which is on the late side for her, but hoping she can handle it. Looks like it will be done around 9:30pm and maybe we can catch another character meet on our way out.

Then we’ll have to get Izzy to bed and decide what to do. Maybe sit on the verandah in the dark? Maybe take turns checking out the nightlife on the ship? If either of us wants to see the comedy act, it may be going on this night (we’ll miss it on Pirate Night if we go to our Palo dinner). I’m really looking forward to just enjoying the ship and some semi-relaxation on the cruise (I feel like there’s so much to do that I’m not sure how much relaxing will happen).

The next day is our Nassau day and we are planning to just stay on the ship and enjoy some of the activities onboard. Neither of us has any strong desire to see Nassau (now if Jon Bon Jovi shows up early, that might change…)

 

[Gracefulskinny]

I can tell you from experience that, unless something has recently changed, it DOES work. It's one of those loophole-Disney-knows-about-but-hasn't-bothered-to-change things vs. something Disney encourages, though. So, use at your own discretion. Back in August, I used Izzy's band to get extra FP+ to use as my own, which kept us moving quickly though our list at MK. It ONLY works at the kiosks, NOT in the MDE app. It will give you three FP+ your first time, then works like all others where you can get one at a time for your 4th+. I do peek at the latest on this thread from time to time to make sure it still works and there has been some chatter today indicating it might not anymore, but it's unclear: http://www.disboards.com/threads/ma...-new-mde-see-post-227-before-posting.3245463/ Just a warning, this thread is about the loophole in general and a lot of people are pretty much out of their minds (in my opinion) and doing all kinds of wacky things to get extra MBs that they can use for extra FP+. All I have ever done or would ever consider is using Izzy's (or once Dug's) MB to pick up some same-day FP+. If we can still do it on this trip, great - it may help us out when park-hopping. But, if not, our plans are good without it. Just a bonus/convenience.

Now this just confuses me. But no worries, I've got good FP's already so I don't really need to "cheat the system".

is going to be a whole new thing to get used to for me

Same here. We are still in the pull up stage. Little MIss still wets herself kinda regularly.

Should I bring some sort of potty seat?

DH and I were discussing the SAME thing over dinner! And for us if the answer is yes, then which one do we bring?

Oh, and I’ve read a tip to bring post-it notes to put over the autoflush sensor so it doesn’t scare the kid by randomly going off.

My mother was watching Little Miss a while back and forgot about the trama of an autoflush and Little MIss wouldn't touch any potty (even hers) for over a week.

Dug just reminded me that Deck 12 is also helpful so that Izzy doesn't rush the stage and get restrained by CMs - we may have had some incidents at Aulani with her undying love for Minnie. )

but I think Izzy will have no problem, as she routinely stretches her dinners out to 1-2 hours at home.

Little Miss is bad about it as well.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

The Darth Vader bacon shirt is AWESOME! I know several friends that would LOVE that shirt even if they weren't going to Star Wars Weekends!

I adore that pot roast and PB&J shake from the 50's.

I hope you have good luck and get into Trader Sam's without much hassle. I'm hoping to try it out myself as it looks awesome!

It will be so exciting to board the ship! I went on a Disney cruise years ago (before Disney had their own cruise ships) and thought it was super fun. I look forward to trying an "official" Disney cruise sometime. I hope you get the Palo brunch and extra childcare hours that you need!

 

[kroseycorn]

We're doing a short three night cruise on the Dream after we do the parks in Dec (12/21-christmas eve). I've cruised twice before on the Fantasy, but really wanted to get a feel for the short duration cruises. I'm super worried that i'm going to be disappointed with the length and continually have to remind myself that its good to try new things!!

We've never had an issue getting into our rooma right at 1pm. They keep the little seatbelt-straps across the hall doors until around that time, but once the time rolls around somebody seems to flick their finger against it and the halls are flooded with people. At any rate, i doubt it will be an issue. My father-in-law is notorious for ducking under the strap and throwing his carry on(s) in the room. He's never been scolded, but he's shameless!

One thing I will say is that, in our experience, the aqua duck lines tend to be super long right after you get on the ship, and the pools are extremely full. I remember getting on our first cruise and donald's pool was so overloaded with screaming kids and adults trying to watch their screaming kids that you couldnt even see the water. This was before that boy drowned and now i think they have lifeguards that help manage a bit, but be prepared for the potential of it being a little crazy (there have been plenty of other times during our cruises that the pools were super empty/manageable... But each time weve boarded its been insane!!). The splash pad might be better? We didn't have a child on either of our previous trips, and so priorities will undoubtedly shift this time around, but I will probably not set my daughter's swim expectations too high (like, maybe you guys don suits and wait to put hers on until you know??). I hear Nassau suuuucks, so it might be the perfect day to hit the pools hard while everyone goes to Atlantis.

 

[Dugette]

Now this just confuses me. But no worries, I've got good FP's already so I don't really need to "cheat the system".

To each their own - and, yeah, that thread is super confusing. I only check it because the underlying factor is the same for them and what I've done. Just to be clear, I'm not at all advocating the sorts of tricks they are doing (fake MDE accounts, throwaway rooms, etc. ) - I can't imagine jumping through all those hoops just to get a few less-popular same-day FP+. What I've done is more akin to using FP+ after the window in the days before they started enforcing the time frame - one of those things that Disney knows people do to make their park time more efficient. Just getting a few not-in-demand FP+ for my kid - much like getting a 4th FP+ when you park-hop - you aren't taking headliners away from anyone, just the scraps that would go to waste otherwise. At any rate, as I said, I'm happy with our FP+ too, but will keep it in mind if it still works when we go.

Same here. We are still in the pull up stage. Little MIss still wets herself kinda regularly.

I'm actually really surprised that Izzy caught on so well to staying dry while wearing diapers. Everyone told us that she'd have to be wearing underwear to know what it was like to have an accident and therefore not do it - but she had that down with regular old diapers. We just skipped pull-ups - though we might use those for naps/bed once we run out of our dwindling diaper stockpile.

DH and I were discussing the SAME thing over dinner! And for us if the answer is yes, then which one do we bring?

Love the dinner conversation with a toddler in the house! I need to look into this more, I think. I'm not really a germaphobe and she has used public potties without a special seat, but it's hard to hold her up like that.

My mother was watching Little Miss a while back and forgot about the trama of an autoflush and Little MIss wouldn't touch any potty (even hers) for over a week.

Oh no! I've heard it can be traumatic, but we haven't encountered it yet. But they're everywhere at WDW!

Yeah, she's a bit of a Minnie fan-girl.

Little Miss is bad about it as well.

It's amazing all the things they can come up with to do when bedtime is approaching...

The Darth Vader bacon shirt is AWESOME! I know several friends that would LOVE that shirt even if they weren't going to Star Wars Weekends!

Thanks! It's on thinkgeek's website, if anyone is looking for it.

I adore that pot roast and PB&J shake from the 50's.

Ooooh, another recommendation! Can't wait to try them!

I hope you have good luck and get into Trader Sam's without much hassle. I'm hoping to try it out myself as it looks awesome!

I'm hoping so too. Since it's so new, it's hard to tell if it will be crazy or not in a month.

It will be so exciting to board the ship! I went on a Disney cruise years ago (before Disney had their own cruise ships) and thought it was super fun. I look forward to trying an "official" Disney cruise sometime. I hope you get the Palo brunch and extra childcare hours that you need!

Thanks, I can't wait to try it out! Everyone says such great things and I've loved the two (non-Disney) cruises I've been on!

We're doing a short three night cruise on the Dream after we do the parks in Dec (12/21-christmas eve). I've cruised twice before on the Fantasy, but really wanted to get a feel for the short duration cruises. I'm super worried that i'm going to be disappointed with the length and continually have to remind myself that its good to try new things!!

Oh, fun, a Christmas cruise! Were both of your Fantasy cruises a week long? I can understand the worry about the length - I'm certain that 4 nights are going to go by in a flash. I remember our last cruise (Royal Caribbean in 2008) - we saw people getting off the ship and they seemed so sad to leave and we were so excited to board - and then, a week later, it was us. Thank goodness we have WDW on both sides to cheer us up.

We've never had an issue getting into our rooma right at 1pm. They keep the little seatbelt-straps across the hall doors until around that time, but once the time rolls around somebody seems to flick their finger against it and the halls are flooded with people. At any rate, i doubt it will be an issue. My father-in-law is notorious for ducking under the strap and throwing his carry on(s) in the room. He's never been scolded, but he's shameless!

Oh, so they might actually be ready by 1pm? That helps out a bit. And, if not, we'll be okay. No huge rush, but I'd like to stand a chance at getting in a good nap.

One thing I will say is that, in our experience, the aqua duck lines tend to be super long right after you get on the ship, and the pools are extremely full. I remember getting on our first cruise and donald's pool was so overloaded with screaming kids and adults trying to watch their screaming kids that you couldnt even see the water. This was before that boy drowned and now i think they have lifeguards that help manage a bit, but be prepared for the potential of it being a little crazy (there have been plenty of other times during our cruises that the pools were super empty/manageable... But each time weve boarded its been insane!!). The splash pad might be better? We didn't have a child on either of our previous trips, and so priorities will undoubtedly shift this time around, but I will probably not set my daughter's swim expectations too high (like, maybe you guys don suits and wait to put hers on until you know??). I hear Nassau suuuucks, so it might be the perfect day to hit the pools hard while everyone goes to Atlantis.

Thanks for all the feedback! How early did you board on your other cruises? I was thinking, since we'll likely be on the early end, that it wouldn't be so crowded yet. But if it will be, maybe we'll just save swimming for the Nassau day? We're not huge pool people, so we'd be fine waiting if that makes it more manageable. The more I'm thinking about it, the more I'm liking the idea of holding off and freeing this time up a bit.

 

[Dugette]

One Month from Today – Tuesday, May 19th

This is the Nassau day for our cruise and we plan to stay on the ship. Neither of us has ever been to Nassau, but neither of us particularly cares to go there either. We are looking forward to more time to just enjoy the Dream, hopefully with lower crowds. So, our schedule today is pretty open and it’s mostly just a bunch of ideas of things we could do.

First thought I had is that maybe we should take our time and try a sit-down breakfast, since we’re not rushing to leave the ship? It looks like our options would be Enchanted Garden or Royal Palace? Any thoughts on this?

Otherwise, this could be a good day to hit the pools and Aquaduck. I think Izzy will enjoy Nemo’s Reef (the splash pad) too – she was initially scared of the one at Aulani, then couldn’t get enough of it.

I also really want to try the Midship Detective Agency game, so this might be a good day to try it. Or the sea day. Or both.

I was also thinking we could deliver our Fish Extender gifts this day.

I’d like to try Goofy’s mini-golf, but not sure if that’s something we should do with Izzy or do while she’s in the nursery. Her Papa did briefly teach her how to hit a ball, but I doubt that her skill level is high on that yet.

Naturally, we will try to work in character meets – it appears that most don’t start until later afternoon, as people are returning to the ship.

Not sure what we’ll try for lunch. Any recommendations?

This could also be a good day to do the open house at the kids’ club if we don't do so arrival day. Izzy would love to play in Andy’s room, I’m sure. It appears this will be going on a couple times throughout the day.

We also should get ice cream sometime this day. I just told Izzy today about the ice cream onboard and she was VERY excited that Mickey was kind enough to provide this on his ship! (as a side note, does anyone know where I can get Mickey sprinkles? I am considering an ice cream sundae kit for the kids' fish extender gifts).

Oh, I have also considered booking another cruise onboard, but am undecided. I understand that it’s a good deal and you can change it around and maintain your deal for the next (I think) 2 years. We have no plans for another cruise right now. But I like deals. But we really shouldn’t be spending even more money right now. So, I don’t know on this one.

Wow, that’s actually a lot more to do than I thought. Not to mention there are a couple activities in the Navigator that look interesting:

I see something called “Puzzle Playtime with Mickey and Friends”, but I’m not too clear on what it is or if Izzy’s old enough – but she loves puzzles! Loves them! She’s frighteningly good at them too.

There is also a Disney Junior Pirate & Princess Dance Party, featuring Jake and Sofia. However, it’s at 2pm, so she may well be napping. Wouldn’t be a big loss, as she only is mildly aware of these two, but I do think she’d enjoy it. And she loves to dance.

I also see something after that called “Toddler Time”, but I have no clue what it is. Maybe appropriate, though?

I think we’ll hang out on the verandah while Izzy naps in the stateroom this day. Or go do things separately on the ship, if there’s anything we are itching to try.

We’ll have dinner in whatever dining room we are assigned this evening.

After dinner, we have nursery time reserved for Izzy because the Villians Tonight show is the one I think she will be least interested in seeing (based on reviews I’ve read). I figured this could be a good chance for her to play/sleep at the nursery and us to have a little “date night”. We can see the show and then maybe check out the nightlife before picking her up and heading back to the room.

Did I miss anything for this day? I’m excited to have a day onboard the Dream!

 

[ashw100]

I am loving g reading you plans for the cruise portion of your trip. I have no advice to give as I have never done at Disney cruise but I think you're going to love it. It's probably a good idea to stay aboard at Nassau as I heard it can be pretty sketchy there. Those activities sound fun and yay for a date night!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

We just skipped pull-ups - though we might use those for naps/bed once we run out of our dwindling diaper stockpile.

Heads up, Pull ups aren't as absorbent as diapers and tend to leak a lot sooner than a diaper would. a pull up might be alright at nap but I wouldn't let her sleep a whole night in one until you are practicing night time potty training.

Love the dinner conversation with a toddler in the house!

You mean not everyone talks of poop and bodily functions at the dinner table?

 

[hokieinpa]

Yay, I’ve started getting responses to the question and it sounds like we’ll be able to leave luggage with Bell Services!!

Yay! Great news!

If anyone has tips for either WDW or the cruise with a newly-trained toddler, let me know.

When we went in October, Colin had only been potty trained for 6 weeks or so. He could go about 1.5-2 hours between bathroom trips. I think we took him almost every time we passed a bathroom. We didn't take a potty seat and he did just fine but he stands most of the time (sorry, TMI), so one less thing to lug around. We did bring one to leave in the room so he could sit and take care of things (which he wouldn't do in the parks - sorry again, TMI).

Otherwise, I’m just thinking I should bring spare shorts and underwear in our park bag and a couple diapers/wipes as back-up and for naptime.

I think I packed 3 extra pairs of underwear/shorts each day (and I usually had to reload during our break). He had about 2 accidents each day. He was just drinking so much water since it was hot that he was in turn going more.

I would also bring some kind of baggy to put the wet clothes in to transport back to the room. We used diaper disposable bags but ziplocs could work too!

Oh, and I’ve read a tip to bring post-it notes to put over the autoflush sensor so it doesn’t scare the kid by randomly going off. I have no idea how she feels about autoflush, as we haven’t encountered it yet, but we do have post-its, so I may throw them in.

Colin didn't have any trouble with this but I have heard that tip too. Post its are small and it will help for sure if she is frightened!

Or we could take turns exploring the ship – I definitely want to do that early on to help me figure out where things are.

I think this is a great idea! I just read a TR and there was a ship tour the first afternoon if that sounds interesting to you!

Can’t wait to hear that horn play a Disney tune!

Neither of us has ever been to Nassau, but neither of us particularly cares to go there either.

When we went there during our honeymoon cruise, it was nothing too special. Mostly vendors trying to get your to buy stuff.

I think Izzy will enjoy Nemo’s Reef (the splash pad) too – she was initially scared of the one at Aulani, then couldn’t get enough of it.

Again, I've heard great things about Nemo's Reef on other TRs. Looks like fun!

I figured this could be a good chance for her to play/sleep at the nursery and us to have a little “date night”. We can see the show and then maybe check out the nightlife before picking her up and heading back to the room.

Sounds like a GREAT plan!!

 

[MEK]

I really don't know all the answers to your cruise questions. I do know that you can't walk from any rental car drop off to the port. The drop offs are in a completely different direction. When you go to drop off the car you can probably find a liquor store in that area. I know there's a Wells Fargo bank (and probably others). I would get your bottle of wine before you leave Orlando. There really aren't that many places to stop on the way.

Denny and I got to the port so late that our rental car driver drove us back in the same car. haha. It worked out great because we checked in, got on the ship, found our room, and went to eat.

Of course, we ate at Cabanas. I don't know if any of the restaurants are open.

It is very easy to get off the ship and right back on in Nassau in case you change your mind and just want to go for a quick walk. We did a walking food tour which was really fun.

I'm sure you are going to love being on the cruise. We didn't do a Palo brunch, just dinner, so I don't know about the sign ups.

 

[kroseycorn]

Oh, fun, a Christmas cruise! Were both of your Fantasy cruises a week long? I can understand the worry about the length - I'm certain that 4 nights are going to go by in a flash. I remember our last cruise (Royal Caribbean in 2008) - we saw people getting off the ship and they seemed so sad to leave and we were so excited to board - and then, a week later, it was us. Thank goodness we have WDW on both sides to cheer us up.


Oh, so they might actually be ready by 1pm? That helps out a bit. And, if not, we'll be okay. No huge rush, but I'd like to stand a chance at getting in a good nap.


Thanks for all the feedback! How early did you board on your other cruises? I was thinking, since we'll likely be on the early end, that it wouldn't be so crowded yet. But if it will be, maybe we'll just save swimming for the Nassau day? We're not huge pool people, so we'd be fine waiting if that makes it more manageable. The more I'm thinking about it, the more I'm liking the idea of holding off and freeing this time up a bit.

Yes, we took our first cruise over Halloween -- but it was before they had the tree and all of that. And we ended up in Hurricane Sandy and 50 ft waves in the middle of the night (fortunately for everyone else, I don't think Disney would consider driving TOWARDS a hurricane (yes, it was still a hurricane when we were in it!) again... we were the guinea pigs I guess! Plus we got 25% off a future cruise! That's the hard part about this upcoming cruise... its the SAME PRICE as our last cruise, but 4 days shorter!

Yep, both a week long. I just know its too short, but better something than nothing! Plus, every cruise, no matter the length, counts towards your status. I'll be silver for awhile, but this will be my hubs 5th and we'll have GOLD status after that!! Woot!

Funny that you mention WDW on both sides -- I think we're going to get APs. Originally we were just planning to head to Sarasota afterwards and completely avoid the parks because Christmas Eve and Christmas sounds crazy. But we get off so early and can't check into the apartment until 4...... so maybe AK??? Just for a few hours and to have some snacks?!? Ha! Can't help myself!

One Month from Today – Tuesday, May 19th

First thought I had is that maybe we should take our time and try a sit-down breakfast, since we’re not rushing to leave the ship? It looks like our options would be Enchanted Garden or Royal Palace? Any thoughts on this?

I also really want to try the Midship Detective Agency game, so this might be a good day to try it. Or the sea day. Or both.

Not sure what we’ll try for lunch. Any recommendations?

We also should get ice cream sometime this day. I just told Izzy today about the ice cream onboard and she was VERY excited that Mickey was kind enough to provide this on his ship!

Oh, I have also considered booking another cruise onboard, but am undecided. I understand that it’s a good deal and you can change it around and maintain your deal for the next (I think) 2 years. We have no plans for another cruise right now. But I like deals. But we really shouldn’t be spending even more money right now. So, I don’t know on this one.

I also see something after that called “Toddler Time”, but I have no clue what it is. Maybe appropriate, though?

After dinner, we have nursery time reserved for Izzy because the Villians Tonight show is the one I think she will be least interested in seeing (based on reviews I’ve read). I figured this could be a good chance for her to play/sleep at the nursery and us to have a little “date night”. We can see the show and then maybe check out the nightlife before picking her up and heading back to the room.

We've only gone to the sit-down breakfast on the last morning... I think you have a better selection at Cabana's. You don't get the atmosphere of the evening dining and it's always felt a bit rushed to me. Also, I absolutely ADORE getting up and sitting on the back of the ship, outside at Cabana's. If you're a fairly early riser (8am Cabana's is pretty empty -- fills up at 9-10), you'll almost always get a table (I've even been that lady pulling tables out and chairs of stacks so I can sit back there). The ocean just feels so VAST and blue from the back of the ship.... it's my favorite (FYI: sometimes it can be a little windy).

Midship Detective Agency game(s) are so fun! I bet Izzy would be somewhat into it, and you get a chance to see a lot of enchanted art too!

For lunch? I like fancy food... don't get me wrong. We've done Palo and Remy every time. But I am such. a. sucker. for UNLIMITED CHICKEN STRIPS AND ICE CREAM. All day. Every day. And right next to the pool? I was pregnant on our last cruise and I would chicken strips, float, nap, ice cream, chicken strips, float, chicken strips, ice cream, float, chicken strips, ice cream, ice cream, nap. GLORIOUS.

Umm, yep. Ice cream ALL. THE. TIME. (They are actually pretty small!)

Booking another cruise. Do it. You'll regret that you didn't when you are hankering to get out to sea again in a year and wish you had that 10% off! We haven't, but my in-laws go every year and that gives us a little bit more time. That said, I did not think I would be a cruise person and we've gone every year! Now you don't have to book the stupid dummy cruise and worry about it... and you're going to want to go on the Fantasy!! Plus its fully refundable until like 90 to 120 days out.

If you can make it to toddler time, I'd love to hear about it!

I would definitely try to hit the District. I looooove Europa on the Fantasy. I'm hoping the District will be similar. Sit at the bar and talk to the bartender... they're almost always super nice and fun. That said, Meridien is my absolute favorite for the same reason that I love Cabanas. There isn't much in this world that can replicate sitting on the back of a ship in a well-designed bar on a moonlit night enjoying a glass of wine!

 

[afwdwfan]

First off, doing this report is dangerous for me. I went to look up a picture to post of a Star Wars shirt I’d gotten from Target awhile back – I couldn’t find my shirt, but I found toddler shirts on clearance (up to 50% off) PLUS a sale where you get another 10% off if you buy two, plus all my normal discounts. Long story short, I had no intention of adding to her collection, but Izzy now has 6 more Disney shirts

That’s why I was looking up shirts. I’ll probably wear mine and Izzy will wear one of her Star Wars ones and Dug will wear this shirt I got him for Christmas, just for this occasion:

That shirt is awesome!!!!!

And very appropriate for breakfast.

After that, we’re doing something we haven’t done since pre-Izzy: the Muppets! FP+ arrival window is 11:25am-12:25pm and we plan to get there in the earlier part of that. Hopefully Izzy will like this show, but who knows. I guess I should show her some Muppets stuff soon (I think she’s seen some?)

I'm sure she'll like it. If you can get her to tolerate the 3D glasses. Our kids quickly fell in love with the Muppets.

So, once everyone’s up and ready (and maybe we pack for the cruise ), we can drive over to the TTC, then walk from there to the Poly….to check out the new Trader Sam’s! Honestly, I would have preferred to do this while Izzy was napping in her stroller, but it sounds like it doesn’t open until 4pm, so too late for that. We’ll just hope she enjoys it too. We’ll want to get there around 4pm and hope to avoid crowds. At 8pm, it changes to adults only, but it’s family-friendly until then. I need to study the fun drink menu!

Looks like a great plan!!! I want to hear all about it if you do get to go there!

I’m not sure if they’ll take the bus or if they’ll take the ferry or monorail to the TTC, then drive the rental car back. Whichever they do, I’ll do the opposite when I head out.

Whatever they choose, I hope they let you know before you venture off.

(Yay, I’ve started getting responses to the question and it sounds like we’ll be able to leave luggage with Bell Services!! )

That's good news! It will definitely be helpful to have a few bags less to have to haul around.

Not 100% sure – we’re not huge drinkers (and we’re already signed up for Mixology and I plan to get some drinks of the day), but it would be nice to enjoy some wine on the verandah.

Seems very reasonable, and cost effective, to me!

(Dug just reminded me that Deck 12 is also helpful so that Izzy doesn't rush the stage and get restrained by CMs - we may have had some incidents at Aulani with her undying love for Minnie. )

The next day is our Nassau day and we are planning to just stay on the ship and enjoy some of the activities onboard. Neither of us has any strong desire to see Nassau (now if Jon Bon Jovi shows up early, that might change…)

Probably a good idea. And it looks like you've got an action packed day even just staying on the ship.

And good luck with that whole Bon Jovi thing.

After dinner, we have nursery time reserved for Izzy because the Villians Tonight show is the one I think she will be least interested in seeing (based on reviews I’ve read). I figured this could be a good chance for her to play/sleep at the nursery and us to have a little “date night”. We can see the show and then maybe check out the nightlife before picking her up and heading back to the room.

I like this idea. Should be fun to check the ship out in an adults only setting. It's nice that they have the nursery with child care available there for you to use. And if it is like I hear most people who have taken these cruises say, she'll likely prefer to be there than with you.

 

[disney ny]

I've enjoyed reading all about your plans. There is nothing better than the anticipation and planing of a Disney trip. You remind me of myself! I can't believe that Izzy is getting so big and is potty trained. My Avery is one stubborn little thing- perhaps I can send her to you for a few weeks to get her all trained? I can not stand potty training!

 

[Tracy161]

I think it's a great idea to stay on the ship this day and do some exploring with lower crowds!

Ahhh, I'm so excited you'll get to try the Aquaduck - and a little jealous, if I'm being honest!

Yay for date night!!!

 

[Dugette]

I am loving g reading you plans for the cruise portion of your trip. I have no advice to give as I have never done at Disney cruise but I think you're going to love it. It's probably a good idea to stay aboard at Nassau as I heard it can be pretty sketchy there. Those activities sound fun and yay for a date night!

Thanks! Yeah, Nassau sounds a bit questionable - lots of people aggressively trying to sell you things, etc. I'd rather be on the Dream.

Heads up, Pull ups aren't as absorbent as diapers and tend to leak a lot sooner than a diaper would. a pull up might be alright at nap but I wouldn't let her sleep a whole night in one until you are practicing night time potty training.

Oh, that's good to know, thanks! Maybe I will just get some more of the same diapers when we run out. We're just using them for naps and night (and she sleeps in her crib still), so that would work well.

You mean not everyone talks of poop and bodily functions at the dinner table?

Well, most people I know do these days.

Yay! Great news!

It will make things so much easier to leave the bags there!

When we went in October, Colin had only been potty trained for 6 weeks or so. He could go about 1.5-2 hours between bathroom trips. I think we took him almost every time we passed a bathroom. We didn't take a potty seat and he did just fine but he stands most of the time (sorry, TMI), so one less thing to lug around. We did bring one to leave in the room so he could sit and take care of things (which he wouldn't do in the parks - sorry again, TMI).

Oh, that's a good idea to bring one for the room! I'll do that. Wow, that's a lot of bathroom breaks. Izzy tends to go a long time dry - like 3-4 hours.

I think I packed 3 extra pairs of underwear/shorts each day (and I usually had to reload during our break). He had about 2 accidents each day. He was just drinking so much water since it was hot that he was in turn going more.

This is a good point, though - more heat = more water = more potty breaks.

I would also bring some kind of baggy to put the wet clothes in to transport back to the room. We used diaper disposable bags but ziplocs could work too!

Thanks for the reminder! I always travel with a variety of ziplocs, but I will make sure to have enough along in the parks to handle any potential accidents.

Colin didn't have any trouble with this but I have heard that tip too. Post its are small and it will help for sure if she is frightened!

I just grabbed a small pad of them from work today!

I think this is a great idea! I just read a TR and there was a ship tour the first afternoon if that sounds interesting to you!

I read another TR where they weren't too impressed by the tour, but we'll see. I know we'll want to explore in one way or another.

When we went there during our honeymoon cruise, it was nothing too special. Mostly vendors trying to get your to buy stuff.

That sounds like what I've been hearing. I think we'll feel okay about missing that.

Again, I've heard great things about Nemo's Reef on other TRs. Looks like fun!

It does look really cute and fun! I hope Izzy enjoys it.

Sounds like a GREAT plan!!

It will be nice to have a little time together to enjoy the adult areas of the ship!

I really don't know all the answers to your cruise questions. I do know that you can't walk from any rental car drop off to the port. The drop offs are in a completely different direction. When you go to drop off the car you can probably find a liquor store in that area. I know there's a Wells Fargo bank (and probably others). I would get your bottle of wine before you leave Orlando. There really aren't that many places to stop on the way.

Thanks, great information!

Denny and I got to the port so late that our rental car driver drove us back in the same car. haha. It worked out great because we checked in, got on the ship, found our room, and went to eat.

No waiting around for you!

Of course, we ate at Cabanas. I don't know if any of the restaurants are open.

I know I've heard people talk about having a lesser-known option, but I'll need to check into things more, I think. Cabanas is a good bet, though, especially if we get there before it gets crowded.

It is very easy to get off the ship and right back on in Nassau in case you change your mind and just want to go for a quick walk. We did a walking food tour which was really fun.

That is good to know, thanks! Walking food tour sounds like a fun thing to do.

Yes, we took our first cruise over Halloween -- but it was before they had the tree and all of that. And we ended up in Hurricane Sandy and 50 ft waves in the middle of the night (fortunately for everyone else, I don't think Disney would consider driving TOWARDS a hurricane (yes, it was still a hurricane when we were in it!) again... we were the guinea pigs I guess! Plus we got 25% off a future cruise! That's the hard part about this upcoming cruise... its the SAME PRICE as our last cruise, but 4 days shorter!

Wow, you cruised in Hurricane Sandy?!?! Scary! 25% off another cruise is pretty sweet, though! I can totally understand the sticker shock after that.

Yep, both a week long. I just know its too short, but better something than nothing! Plus, every cruise, no matter the length, counts towards your status. I'll be silver for awhile, but this will be my hubs 5th and we'll have GOLD status after that!! Woot!

Something is definitely better than nothing. And good point about it counting towards your status.

Funny that you mention WDW on both sides -- I think we're going to get APs. Originally we were just planning to head to Sarasota afterwards and completely avoid the parks because Christmas Eve and Christmas sounds crazy. But we get off so early and can't check into the apartment until 4...... so maybe AK??? Just for a few hours and to have some snacks?!? Ha! Can't help myself!

One of my Disney-loving co-workers was at WDW between Christmas and New Year's this past year and said it was just insane! She said that if she hadn't been a frequent visitor, she wouldn't have wanted to go back. And she's never going back that time of year again. They didn't get to ride much with 3-4 hour lines for things. But if you have APs and a not-terribly-aggresive agenda, why not?

We've only gone to the sit-down breakfast on the last morning... I think you have a better selection at Cabana's. You don't get the atmosphere of the evening dining and it's always felt a bit rushed to me. Also, I absolutely ADORE getting up and sitting on the back of the ship, outside at Cabana's. If you're a fairly early riser (8am Cabana's is pretty empty -- fills up at 9-10), you'll almost always get a table (I've even been that lady pulling tables out and chairs of stacks so I can sit back there). The ocean just feels so VAST and blue from the back of the ship.... it's my favorite (FYI: sometimes it can be a little windy).

The back of the ship sounds nice. I guess I didn't really know what the location was like. We're not necessarily morning people, so not sure what time we'll get up there. I know I've heard the last morning is rushed.

Midship Detective Agency game(s) are so fun! I bet Izzy would be somewhat into it, and you get a chance to see a lot of enchanted art too!

I'm hoping it's something we'll all be able to enjoy together.

For lunch? I like fancy food... don't get me wrong. We've done Palo and Remy every time. But I am such. a. sucker. for UNLIMITED CHICKEN STRIPS AND ICE CREAM. All day. Every day. And right next to the pool? I was pregnant on our last cruise and I would chicken strips, float, nap, ice cream, chicken strips, float, chicken strips, ice cream, float, chicken strips, ice cream, ice cream, nap. GLORIOUS.

Sounds like a nice way to spend the day.

Umm, yep. Ice cream ALL. THE. TIME. (They are actually pretty small!)

Mmmm, ice cream!

Booking another cruise. Do it. You'll regret that you didn't when you are hankering to get out to sea again in a year and wish you had that 10% off! We haven't, but my in-laws go every year and that gives us a little bit more time. That said, I did not think I would be a cruise person and we've gone every year! Now you don't have to book the stupid dummy cruise and worry about it... and you're going to want to go on the Fantasy!! Plus its fully refundable until like 90 to 120 days out.

Aaaaah, peer pressure! I am tempted to book something, just to not miss out. As you said, it's refundable for a long time. And you maintain the 10% off if you change dates/cruises?

If you can make it to toddler time, I'd love to hear about it!

If we do, I'll let you know!

I would definitely try to hit the District. I looooove Europa on the Fantasy. I'm hoping the District will be similar. Sit at the bar and talk to the bartender... they're almost always super nice and fun. That said, Meridien is my absolute favorite for the same reason that I love Cabanas. There isn't much in this world that can replicate sitting on the back of a ship in a well-designed bar on a moonlit night enjoying a glass of wine!

Oh, wow, that sounds really nice! Thanks for the recommendations!

We just had a nice box of shirts show up today. I showed Izzy and she remarked that Dug and I needed a box of shirts too.

That shirt is awesome!!!!!

And very appropriate for breakfast.

I just love it!

I'm sure she'll like it. If you can get her to tolerate the 3D glasses. Our kids quickly fell in love with the Muppets.

Oh, yeah, I have no idea what she'll think of the 3D glasses. Hoping she'll take to the Muppets like your kids did.

Looks like a great plan!!! I want to hear all about it if you do get to go there!

I will be sure to include a full report! Hoping we're able to check it out!

Whatever they choose, I hope they let you know before you venture off.

Good reminder - Dug can be absentminded at times, so I'll need to get confirmation before I let him wander away.

That's good news! It will definitely be helpful to have a few bags less to have to haul around.

Absolutely!

Seems very reasonable, and cost effective, to me!

Yeah, the last thing we need to do is shell out more money for a wine package or something onboard. Might as well take advantage of having the car to save a few bucks.

I can't wait to get to those parts of the Aulani TR! We have a VERY dedicated Minnie fan.

Probably a good idea. And it looks like you've got an action packed day even just staying on the ship.

And good luck with that whole Bon Jovi thing.

I'd get off the ship to say hi to Jon.

I like this idea. Should be fun to check the ship out in an adults only setting. It's nice that they have the nursery with child care available there for you to use. And if it is like I hear most people who have taken these cruises say, she'll likely prefer to be there than with you.

I really like that there is a quality childcare option. Since she's under 3, we have to pay $9/hour for the nursery, but it's worth it. I know the kids' clubs (for 3+) are supposed to be amazing and the nursery might not be quite as exciting, but I think she'll enjoy it enough.

I've enjoyed reading all about your plans. There is nothing better than the anticipation and planing of a Disney trip. You remind me of myself! I can't believe that Izzy is getting so big and is potty trained. My Avery is one stubborn little thing- perhaps I can send her to you for a few weeks to get her all trained? I can not stand potty training!

I can't believe she's getting so big either! I'm sure Avery will get there soon. I have noticed that Izzy is HIGHLY motivated by being a "big girl". We do a lot of, "Does so-and-so wear a diaper? No? Because she's a big girl, right? Does so-and-so wear a diaper? Yes? Because she's a baby, right?" This also seems to be working on her paci-addiction. Just this last week, after reminding her that big girls don't need pacis, she has started handing it to us first thing in the morning and saying, "I don't need this. I'm a big girl."

I think it's a great idea to stay on the ship this day and do some exploring with lower crowds!

I'm really looking forward to this. Seems like the best use of our day!

Ahhh, I'm so excited you'll get to try the Aquaduck - and a little jealous, if I'm being honest!

I'm super excited to try it! Looks fun!

Yay for date night!!!

It will be nice to have this in the middle of our trip. I know some people go to WDW with parents/grandparents, so they have date nights, but we haven't had that yet - this is a good opportunity.

 

[Dugette]

One Month from Today – Wednesday, May 20th

This is our Castaway Cay day! Neither of us is a huge beach person, but I understand this is a can’t-miss slice of paradise, so we plan to enjoy it while we can.

I don’t really have a clear time frame in mind for getting up, eating, and getting off the boat. I know that loungers can fill up, but since we don’t really plan to sit out all day, I’m not sure if we need to rush. I’d rather not.

I guess my thoughts for the morning are to meet some characters on the island, spend some time at one or both family beaches, and just have some unstructured time.

Then eat lunch at the Cookie’s BBQ place on the island before bringing Izzy back onboard for a nap in the nursery, which we have reserved for a few hours this afternoon. That should allow us to head back out and take the tram to the adult beach, Serenity Bay, to relax there for a bit.

After that peaceful time, we’ll return to the boat, get Izzy, and get ready for, um, “first dinner.” I guess we’re still not 100% sure of our dinner plans, but here’s the rundown:

We couldn’t get a Palo Brunch in advance, so I grabbed a dinner instead. My initial plan was just to have that as a back-up in case we couldn’t get a brunch at Palo once we boarded. But, after thinking about it since then, I am leaning towards keeping this dinner either way. I mean, chocolate soufflé, right?

So, there’s a chance we cancel Palo and go about our normal routine. But, assuming we keep it, we’ll just accompany Izzy to our normal first-seating dinner and maybe have a small appetizer or something to tide us over until our late dinner.

After Izzy’s dinner, we’ll head to the Mickey’s Pirates in the Caribbean show (oh yeah – it’s Pirate Night ) at 7:45pm. Once the show is done, we’ll drop Izzy at the nursery and go to Palo for our 8:30pm reservation.

The show this night is likely to be the comedy/variety act, so we’re okay missing it. We will also likely miss the Captain Jack Sparrow pre-show to the fireworks, but that should be okay too (I watched a video of it). The fireworks are probably at 10:30pm, though I’ve seen reports that some ships are experimenting with doing them earlier – if that’s the case, it could change our plans. Assuming they are at 10:30pm, though, I think we should be able to watch them from the deck outside of Palo. Then we can enjoy the ship a bit if we choose before picking up Izzy and heading to bed.

A few fun trip-related things from today...

Went to pick up some more Disney Gift Cards at Target today and found $100 cards instead of just the $50!



Tonight, this arrived:



We should still have two more sets on the way.

Izzy also got her Old Navy shirts and shoes:



She told us that we both need boxes of new shirts too.

 

[SevenWonkas]

I think you asked a question about where to eat for lunch on the day of boarding. Cabanas, Enchanted Garden, and the quick-service place by the pool should all be open when you board (or shortly after you board). We've been on the Dream three times -- we've done Enchanted Garden twice and the quick-service place once. CMs will be near elevators encouraging you to go to Cabanas or Enchanted Garden (they'll name one - whichever is less busy at the time, I'm assuming), but with this knowledge you can decide yourself where you want to go! We were none the wiser on our first trip and were encouraged to go to EG.... Which turned out to be a great choice. I imagine Cabanas can get pretty busy on boarding day, and we didn't want to have to search for a table.

They will seat you at a table in Enchanted Garden, and you will have a dedicated server. There is a lovely buffet set up for lunch on this day, but the server can get you chicken fingers from the back if you want! (Perfect for Izzy!). Of course, the quick-service is outside (by the pool), so you are able to enjoy the sunshine if you go there!

Of note, it's a similar set-up for breakfast at EG. They seat you, and there is a buffet. They can also order a customized omelet for you at breakfast (there is no omelet station, but they do make it in the back).

 

[Gracefulskinny]

She told us that we both need boxes of new shirts too.

How thoughtful!