atakaratemom
<font color=blue>Butt-kickin' black belt Mama
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2005
- Messages
- 1,209
I cant believe our Magical Disney cruise has come and gone. Here is an overview of our wonderful adventure:
About us: DH43, DW41, DS11 and DD5 (almost 6). Never been on a cruise before.
Embarkation: We live about an hour and 15 minutes away from Port, so it was an easy drive. We arrived about 10:15 a.m., dropped off our checked luggage with a porter, parked our car and walked into the terminal. We were immediately greeted by Disney staff, given boarding number 6, and directed upstairs to check in. The check in process took about 15 minutes and we headed to the waiting are where my DH sat with our carryon bags while I took the kids to register them for the Oceaneer Club and Lab. Since I had pre-registered them online, I was directed to a shorter line and the process went very quickly. My DD was given a bracelet and I received instructions on checking her in and out of the club. I also received a pager and schedules for both the Club and the Lab for the entire week. I was a little worried about being number 6, but embarkation went really fast. They called groups 1 and 2 at 11:45 a.m. and by 12:30 they were calling our group to board. My kids were so excited when we walked in and they announced our familys name over the loudspeaker.
Onboard: We went immediately to Rocking Bar D and made Palo reservations, as I had been unable to book online. It was no problem at all and I got the first date and time I requested. Since Parrot Cay was full at that point we went to Topsiders Buffet for lunch. We sat right by the window and took in the view of the bridge and enjoyed our lunch, especially the fruit and custard tart for dessert! Thanks to the DIS board I made sure that my kids had their swimsuits and they got in the pool right after lunch and enjoyed the fact that it was not crowded at all. I lost count of all the trips down the Mickey slide! While they swam DH and I enjoyed our first cocktail and couldnt wipe the smiles off of our faces. Our stateroom was ready by 2 p.m. and we went down and unpacked and got ready for our life vest drill at 4 p.m. After the drill we went back up on deck 10 and enjoyed the Sail Away party. It was an absolutely beautiful day. We had the late seating so we went to the early show. The show that evening was All Aboard: The Magic Begins and it was very entertaining. Our dinner rotation began with Animators Palate, which we just loved, and we had a great dinner provided by our super servers San and Sandra. After dinner we headed back to our room for the night, as we were all pretty tired.
Sunday at Sea: Today was our Character Breakfast in Parrot Cay, which was really fun. Since we had the 9:45 seating we were too full for lunch, so kids went off to their clubs. I went to a DIS meet at the Promenade Lounge and then met my DH up on deck for some relaxation in the sun. My DS was thrilled that he could check himself in and out and do whatever he wanted. He kept in contact via hand held radios we brought with us and he had free run of the ship. He swam, played in the arcade and ate cheeseburgers from Plutos and basically had the time of his life. Later that afternoon DS, DD and myself went back to the Lounge and played Scattergories, which was fun. That evening was formal night and the Golden Mickey Show. DS and DD got interviewed on the red carpet and they loved that. The show was great! Since DH and I had 8:30 Palo reservations we ordered room service for the kids and sent them off to their clubs for the evening. Palo in a word is spectacular. Our server was Jemma and she was amazing. The service, food and ambiance are not to be missed. We spent a leisurely two hours making our way through a parade of some of the best food I have ever eaten topped off by a chocolate soufflé that was simply out of this world. After dinner we took a walk on deck and enjoyed the beautiful evening. It was my favorite night!
Monday at Sea: DD would have spent her entire vacation in the Mickey Pool, but I quickly discovered that by noon it is packed. Today we went first thing in the morning after a quick room service breakfast (and a delivery of donuts from Topsiders provided by DS) and she literally had the pool and slide to herself. She swam for over an hour while I just relaxed in a lounger. Lunch was a tasty Asian buffet at Parrot Cay. DH went off to relax after lunch while I took kids to see Howls Moving Castle in the Buenavista Theatre. After that we went back to the room and ordered more room service. Cheese platters, fruit bowls, Cake of the Day, Cookies My family absolutely loved room service and we ordered something everyday. It was especially great in the afternoon to help tide them over for our late dinner. Between that and Plutos they were very well fed. Dinner that night was at Lumieres, which is beautiful. The food was excellent and the desserts every night are an event in themselves!
Tuesday Puerto Vallarta: Our excursion for Puerto Vallarta was the Paradise Beach Resort. We chose the later time (12:40), which turned out great, as it was a little overcast in the morning, but got sunny in the afternoon. My DD had already spent the morning in the Mickey Pool, but she and DS were more than happy to get to the beach. It is a beautiful resort and the beach was very nice. We found a Palapa right in front and used it as our base for the afternoon while we played in the ocean and DH and I enjoyed a couple of cocktails. They had warned us that jellyfish had been sighted in the vicinity, but there were lots of people in the water and no one got stung. As soon as we got back to the ship, DH took a nap while kids and I went to see Herbie Fully Loaded in the Walt Disney Theatre. After that it was time to change the kids into their pirate gear and head to dinner at Animators Palate. After dinner we rushed up to Deck 10 to enjoy the Pirate Party. It was really fun and the desserts at the buffet were amazing!
Wednesday Mazatlan: In Mazatlan we did a non-Disney excursion with Mazatlan Frank. It was fun and he was a great guide. He made sure we saw all of the sights in the city including the Light House, Cathedral, Cliff Divers, Monuments, Old Town, the Golden Zone and the El Cid residential area. We had planned to finish the day at the beach before heading back to the boat, but DD was very tired and cranky. I think she was still on overload from the full day and night before. We opted to have the driver take us back after the City Tour while the two other families headed to lunch and the beach. I heard they had a really nice time. Frank is very personable and informative and we enjoyed meeting him and seeing Mazatlan. After a short nap, DD was raring to go so we headed to the Mickey Pool and ate at Plutos while she played in the water. I enjoyed a visit to the Rainforest in the spa while kids went off to their clubs."Twice Charmed" was the show that night and it was superb. Even my DS loved it and he was very skeptical about seeing a show about Cinderella! Dinner was in Parrot Cay followed immediately by bedtime as we were all exhausted and we had an early day planned for Cabo.
Thursday Cabo San Lucas: Cabo is truly a beautiful destination. We really loved our day there. We took an early (7:55 a.m., yikes!) excursion. It was the Coastal Highlights tour that takes you to a glass blowing factory,and then to a hilltop restaurant with awe-inspiring views of the rock formations and the Magic. This is followed by a quick trip to San Jose del Cabo, an absolutely charming town for sight seeing and shopping. It ends with a trip to a cactus garden, which is very pretty and then drops you back in the center of Cabo for lunch and shopping. We had lunch at Cabo Wabo, which was fun, delicious and expensive! It was a great experience, but watch out for those margaritas. I was walking a crooked line back to the ship! A word of warning! The last tender back to the boat is at 4 p.m. and they mean it. We found out from a CM that two families did not come back and they got left behind. That would be a dismal end to any vacation. Today we decided to take advantage of the matinee performance of Disney Dreams". Again, it was a great show. Tonight was semi-formal night and DD dressed in her Minnie Mouse dress. We got some great pictures. Since we didnt have an evening show, we decided to see the Walk the Plank game show in Studio Sea. It was very funny. Lobster night dinner at Lumieres followed with Chocolate Lava Cake for dessert. Yum! After dinner they did the balloon drop in the Atrium Lobby.
Friday at Sea: We woke up feeling a little sad today, as it was the last day. We decided not to let it interfere with our fun though. DH and I were lucky enough to have a second meal at Palo where we had been on the waiting list for brunch. Like our dinner it was just spectacular. Although it was rather cold and windy, both kids played in the pools one last time. DD had to have one more trip down that slide! We did an art project at a family craft session and went to the afternoon show of Who Wants to Be A Mouseketeer. It was fun even though none of us got picked to play. That evenings final show was Remember the Magic. It was funny at times and poignant at others. I teared up several times thinking how I wished our trip were longer. Our final dinner was at Animators Palate, which was my favorite restaurant, (next to Palo). After dinner we went to the final party in the Atrium where all the characters come to tell you good-bye. It was great. My DD got pictures with a number of characters she had missed during the week and it was a really friendly and intimate character experience that she will not soon forget. Somehow it was just so special to have them all there together. I really think it was one of the highlights of her trip. Our bags were packed and outside the door before dinner and we went to bed that night with mixed feelings. We were happy to have had such a great trip and sad that it was ending.
Debarkation: After a quick farewell breakfast at Animators Palate (8:00 a.m. seating) we were off the boat by 9 a.m. and through customs in our car on the way home by 10 a.m. All in all it was very easy.
Observations:
Our stateroom (2646) was very nice and we enjoyed the big window. Next time I would really like to be higher up and have a balcony. There was some noise from the engines at times, but it wasnt bad at all. It can be a long wait for the elevators but I took the stairs much of the time to help burn off extra calories.
Kids didnt spend as much time in the clubs as I thought they would. They liked them, but there is so much to do on board that they wanted to be out and about as well. This was fine as we had a decent amount of couple time, but enjoyed our family time together too.
The ship is immaculate! I never saw trash anywhere. Our room was always spotless and the sanitary precautions are very reassuring. I loved it when they handed me a hand wipe before entering the dining room.
DIS Board is awesome! I was so well prepared by reading this Board that I felt like it really helped us maximize our fun. I learned about door signs, room service, secret deck 7, character autographs on items through guest services, the Rainforest, pirate night, Palo, excursions and so much more. I cant even begin to think how lost I would have felt without all the great tips I picked up here.
There are so many things that we didnt get a chance to do and it makes me excited to go again next year. I learned that you have to pace yourself and you realize early on that you cannot do everything. For me the shows, shore excursions and Palo were must dos. Everything else just kind of fell into place on a day-by-day basis and that was great. Part of the fun is being spontaneous.
Today when my DD told her brother, Remember, all you need is faith, hope and a little bit of pixie dust, I knew without a doubt that it was a trip that we will always remember.
About us: DH43, DW41, DS11 and DD5 (almost 6). Never been on a cruise before.
Embarkation: We live about an hour and 15 minutes away from Port, so it was an easy drive. We arrived about 10:15 a.m., dropped off our checked luggage with a porter, parked our car and walked into the terminal. We were immediately greeted by Disney staff, given boarding number 6, and directed upstairs to check in. The check in process took about 15 minutes and we headed to the waiting are where my DH sat with our carryon bags while I took the kids to register them for the Oceaneer Club and Lab. Since I had pre-registered them online, I was directed to a shorter line and the process went very quickly. My DD was given a bracelet and I received instructions on checking her in and out of the club. I also received a pager and schedules for both the Club and the Lab for the entire week. I was a little worried about being number 6, but embarkation went really fast. They called groups 1 and 2 at 11:45 a.m. and by 12:30 they were calling our group to board. My kids were so excited when we walked in and they announced our familys name over the loudspeaker.
Onboard: We went immediately to Rocking Bar D and made Palo reservations, as I had been unable to book online. It was no problem at all and I got the first date and time I requested. Since Parrot Cay was full at that point we went to Topsiders Buffet for lunch. We sat right by the window and took in the view of the bridge and enjoyed our lunch, especially the fruit and custard tart for dessert! Thanks to the DIS board I made sure that my kids had their swimsuits and they got in the pool right after lunch and enjoyed the fact that it was not crowded at all. I lost count of all the trips down the Mickey slide! While they swam DH and I enjoyed our first cocktail and couldnt wipe the smiles off of our faces. Our stateroom was ready by 2 p.m. and we went down and unpacked and got ready for our life vest drill at 4 p.m. After the drill we went back up on deck 10 and enjoyed the Sail Away party. It was an absolutely beautiful day. We had the late seating so we went to the early show. The show that evening was All Aboard: The Magic Begins and it was very entertaining. Our dinner rotation began with Animators Palate, which we just loved, and we had a great dinner provided by our super servers San and Sandra. After dinner we headed back to our room for the night, as we were all pretty tired.
Sunday at Sea: Today was our Character Breakfast in Parrot Cay, which was really fun. Since we had the 9:45 seating we were too full for lunch, so kids went off to their clubs. I went to a DIS meet at the Promenade Lounge and then met my DH up on deck for some relaxation in the sun. My DS was thrilled that he could check himself in and out and do whatever he wanted. He kept in contact via hand held radios we brought with us and he had free run of the ship. He swam, played in the arcade and ate cheeseburgers from Plutos and basically had the time of his life. Later that afternoon DS, DD and myself went back to the Lounge and played Scattergories, which was fun. That evening was formal night and the Golden Mickey Show. DS and DD got interviewed on the red carpet and they loved that. The show was great! Since DH and I had 8:30 Palo reservations we ordered room service for the kids and sent them off to their clubs for the evening. Palo in a word is spectacular. Our server was Jemma and she was amazing. The service, food and ambiance are not to be missed. We spent a leisurely two hours making our way through a parade of some of the best food I have ever eaten topped off by a chocolate soufflé that was simply out of this world. After dinner we took a walk on deck and enjoyed the beautiful evening. It was my favorite night!
Monday at Sea: DD would have spent her entire vacation in the Mickey Pool, but I quickly discovered that by noon it is packed. Today we went first thing in the morning after a quick room service breakfast (and a delivery of donuts from Topsiders provided by DS) and she literally had the pool and slide to herself. She swam for over an hour while I just relaxed in a lounger. Lunch was a tasty Asian buffet at Parrot Cay. DH went off to relax after lunch while I took kids to see Howls Moving Castle in the Buenavista Theatre. After that we went back to the room and ordered more room service. Cheese platters, fruit bowls, Cake of the Day, Cookies My family absolutely loved room service and we ordered something everyday. It was especially great in the afternoon to help tide them over for our late dinner. Between that and Plutos they were very well fed. Dinner that night was at Lumieres, which is beautiful. The food was excellent and the desserts every night are an event in themselves!
Tuesday Puerto Vallarta: Our excursion for Puerto Vallarta was the Paradise Beach Resort. We chose the later time (12:40), which turned out great, as it was a little overcast in the morning, but got sunny in the afternoon. My DD had already spent the morning in the Mickey Pool, but she and DS were more than happy to get to the beach. It is a beautiful resort and the beach was very nice. We found a Palapa right in front and used it as our base for the afternoon while we played in the ocean and DH and I enjoyed a couple of cocktails. They had warned us that jellyfish had been sighted in the vicinity, but there were lots of people in the water and no one got stung. As soon as we got back to the ship, DH took a nap while kids and I went to see Herbie Fully Loaded in the Walt Disney Theatre. After that it was time to change the kids into their pirate gear and head to dinner at Animators Palate. After dinner we rushed up to Deck 10 to enjoy the Pirate Party. It was really fun and the desserts at the buffet were amazing!
Wednesday Mazatlan: In Mazatlan we did a non-Disney excursion with Mazatlan Frank. It was fun and he was a great guide. He made sure we saw all of the sights in the city including the Light House, Cathedral, Cliff Divers, Monuments, Old Town, the Golden Zone and the El Cid residential area. We had planned to finish the day at the beach before heading back to the boat, but DD was very tired and cranky. I think she was still on overload from the full day and night before. We opted to have the driver take us back after the City Tour while the two other families headed to lunch and the beach. I heard they had a really nice time. Frank is very personable and informative and we enjoyed meeting him and seeing Mazatlan. After a short nap, DD was raring to go so we headed to the Mickey Pool and ate at Plutos while she played in the water. I enjoyed a visit to the Rainforest in the spa while kids went off to their clubs."Twice Charmed" was the show that night and it was superb. Even my DS loved it and he was very skeptical about seeing a show about Cinderella! Dinner was in Parrot Cay followed immediately by bedtime as we were all exhausted and we had an early day planned for Cabo.
Thursday Cabo San Lucas: Cabo is truly a beautiful destination. We really loved our day there. We took an early (7:55 a.m., yikes!) excursion. It was the Coastal Highlights tour that takes you to a glass blowing factory,and then to a hilltop restaurant with awe-inspiring views of the rock formations and the Magic. This is followed by a quick trip to San Jose del Cabo, an absolutely charming town for sight seeing and shopping. It ends with a trip to a cactus garden, which is very pretty and then drops you back in the center of Cabo for lunch and shopping. We had lunch at Cabo Wabo, which was fun, delicious and expensive! It was a great experience, but watch out for those margaritas. I was walking a crooked line back to the ship! A word of warning! The last tender back to the boat is at 4 p.m. and they mean it. We found out from a CM that two families did not come back and they got left behind. That would be a dismal end to any vacation. Today we decided to take advantage of the matinee performance of Disney Dreams". Again, it was a great show. Tonight was semi-formal night and DD dressed in her Minnie Mouse dress. We got some great pictures. Since we didnt have an evening show, we decided to see the Walk the Plank game show in Studio Sea. It was very funny. Lobster night dinner at Lumieres followed with Chocolate Lava Cake for dessert. Yum! After dinner they did the balloon drop in the Atrium Lobby.
Friday at Sea: We woke up feeling a little sad today, as it was the last day. We decided not to let it interfere with our fun though. DH and I were lucky enough to have a second meal at Palo where we had been on the waiting list for brunch. Like our dinner it was just spectacular. Although it was rather cold and windy, both kids played in the pools one last time. DD had to have one more trip down that slide! We did an art project at a family craft session and went to the afternoon show of Who Wants to Be A Mouseketeer. It was fun even though none of us got picked to play. That evenings final show was Remember the Magic. It was funny at times and poignant at others. I teared up several times thinking how I wished our trip were longer. Our final dinner was at Animators Palate, which was my favorite restaurant, (next to Palo). After dinner we went to the final party in the Atrium where all the characters come to tell you good-bye. It was great. My DD got pictures with a number of characters she had missed during the week and it was a really friendly and intimate character experience that she will not soon forget. Somehow it was just so special to have them all there together. I really think it was one of the highlights of her trip. Our bags were packed and outside the door before dinner and we went to bed that night with mixed feelings. We were happy to have had such a great trip and sad that it was ending.
Debarkation: After a quick farewell breakfast at Animators Palate (8:00 a.m. seating) we were off the boat by 9 a.m. and through customs in our car on the way home by 10 a.m. All in all it was very easy.
Observations:
Our stateroom (2646) was very nice and we enjoyed the big window. Next time I would really like to be higher up and have a balcony. There was some noise from the engines at times, but it wasnt bad at all. It can be a long wait for the elevators but I took the stairs much of the time to help burn off extra calories.
Kids didnt spend as much time in the clubs as I thought they would. They liked them, but there is so much to do on board that they wanted to be out and about as well. This was fine as we had a decent amount of couple time, but enjoyed our family time together too.
The ship is immaculate! I never saw trash anywhere. Our room was always spotless and the sanitary precautions are very reassuring. I loved it when they handed me a hand wipe before entering the dining room.
DIS Board is awesome! I was so well prepared by reading this Board that I felt like it really helped us maximize our fun. I learned about door signs, room service, secret deck 7, character autographs on items through guest services, the Rainforest, pirate night, Palo, excursions and so much more. I cant even begin to think how lost I would have felt without all the great tips I picked up here.
There are so many things that we didnt get a chance to do and it makes me excited to go again next year. I learned that you have to pace yourself and you realize early on that you cannot do everything. For me the shows, shore excursions and Palo were must dos. Everything else just kind of fell into place on a day-by-day basis and that was great. Part of the fun is being spontaneous.
Today when my DD told her brother, Remember, all you need is faith, hope and a little bit of pixie dust, I knew without a doubt that it was a trip that we will always remember.
