Mom's note: The Polynesian was fabulous. Gotta try the Dole Whips! And Tonga Toast. Ohanas was waaaaay too much food for our family of 5 to eat, and it was all cold by the time the kids got to it (so much fun to be had for kids in there). The electric water pageant and fireworks from the beach were a trip highlight!
The
Disney Cruise Line Bus is much like the Magical Express. We got to port from Poly at 1 pm. ***The bus will not wait on you, so don't be late for your pick up! A family was behind us but wandered off and missed the bus! I'm sure Disney got them to port though.
Mom's note: They will announce you however you wish when you board the ship. We were announced as The Incredible Family! Boarding was a breeze. We had no trouble just using birth certificates.
Mom's note: Characters are all over the ship. If you see them and want a photo, get in line fast. The lines do get long fast, and they are cut after a certain number of people. You'll want to arrive early for the Sail Away party to get a good spot.
Mom's note: My kids LOVED LOVED LOVED the Midship detective agency. The paintings throughout the ship come to life and give them clues to solve crimes!
Mom's note: The Golden Mickeys was THE BEST part of the trip for me. I had heard on the Disboards that if you hang out near the large mural before the show, your kids may get interviewed on the red carpet! Then, the interview is shown live, inside on the big screens! I made my boys matching Golden Mickey shirts just for the occassion! The shows were all fabulous. ***If you can, sit up front and center in the theater, not under a balcony. Fun things - like confetti and bubbles - often fall from the ceiling!
Mom's note: The best part about our Nassau day was playing mini golf. Max showed up and played a round with just my boys! How neat is that?
Mom's note: We each rode the Aquaduck once. We stayed on the ship at Nassau hoping to make it an Aquaduck day with short lines. But, there was still a 30 minute wait. And yes, someone threw up on it which made our wait an hour. But, it was fun.
Mom's note: The boys LOVED the kids clubs. It was tough to get them out of there! They gave them bracelets that could not be removed the length of the cruise.
Mom's note: All the boys agreed, the stingrays were the BEST part of the trip. They were not afraid of the rays. They only got to feed twice each, but they got to pet every stingray that swam through the feeding area, which was a bunch. They also loved the snorkeling afterwards. Highly recommend this excursion.
Mom's note:
Castaway Cay was beautiful, but crowded beaches. The kids only did Pelican Plunge once. The water was very cold. My youngest LOVED Spring a Leak pop jets. Best part for the kids was playing in the sand.
Mom's note: Pirate night was a blast! Get in line early for Captain Jack. It gets long fast. The kids loved that Mickey and friends saved the ship from Captain Hook. It was very windy on deck, so hold on to you hats!
Mom's note: The adults' favorite restaurant was Royal Palace, by a long shot.
I gained 7 pounds on the cruise! BUT ... the kids liked Animator's Palate best. Our servers were fantastic.
Mom's note: The Yacht Club was amazing. BUT, I switched resorts a handful of times before our trip. Couldn't decide! Afterwards I asked the kids if they liked Yacht Club Club Level or Polynesian (Samoa) best ... and they picked the Poly! They loved the Poly pool games and beach. At the Yacht Club, the older boys really enjoyed the pirate slide and whirling waters portion of the pool. My youngest liked the kiddie area at the base of the pirate slide. It did not find it difficult to keep track of my children here, which was a concern of mine when booking. *** Try the Kitchen Sink at Beaches and cream!!!
Mom's note: The Halloween party had the best Disney fireworks display I'd ever seen. It was very crowded, and despite all my planning, we missed the parade both times and were only able to get photographs with 2 characters. Did the kids mind? Not at all. We threw my schedule and plan out the window and just did what the kids wanted to do. Buses to and from Disney World from the Yacht Club were fast and not crowded. After the party it only took 17 minutes from exit to Yacht Club. ***I would NOT recommend doing Disney World AFTER a cruise to anyone. I was dizzy and felt the ship moving for well over a week after our cruise. Next time, we do Disney World FIRST!
