"Olaf's head falls off if you kick it...accidentally of course" **Fantasy Oct 4-11**

[epfootballcutie04]

Heeyyyyy fellow Disney lovers!
I'm Crissa
My family, husband and I just got off the Fantasy this past weekend and it was a pretty cool vacation! Not as cool as previous Disney cruises, and I'll get into those details later, but let's face it... i wasn't at work and the weather was awesome so how bad could it be, really?

Our itinerary was the 7 night EASTERN caribbean....
Boarding day
Sea Day
Sea Day
St. Maarten
St. Thomas
Sea Day
Castaway Cay
Debarkation Day

In case any of you want to see the trip report for the absolute best Disney cruise we have been on (last year in November) here is the link to that:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3222476

It's also in my signature if the link doesn't work.

And Here is a directory of all my report posts if you don't want to go page by page:

Entry 1: http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52451258&postcount=9

I'm currently in the process of uploading a 15 minute video to youtube of our vacation which was taken with my new best electronic friend, the go pro! Once that posts, i'll post the link in here for everyone! I will also have many photos to post for you all and I took notes sooooooo be prepared for what could be a fairly lengthy report

Until then, have a magical day and make sure to follow up on my report for more updates!!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

First to follow, woot-woot!!! (Connie Countdown from the FB page)

 

[Lizzards]

Following too! Doing this same cruise next year so ready to hear your report!

 

[aneshka]

I've booked this trip but had to cancel So would want to see and hear what I was missing out on!

 

[epfootballcutie04]

First to follow, woot-woot!!! (Connie Countdown from the FB page)

Hi Connie!! Thanks for following along!

Following too! Doing this same cruise next year so ready to hear your report!

Thanks for following along! I hope you like my report It was a nice cruise. Have you cruised Disney before?

I've booked this trip but had to cancel So would want to see and hear what I was missing out on!

Oh I'm so sorry you had to cancel! I hope you like reading my report.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Alright everyone!
I post this video on our cruise Facebook page already, but for those of you reading along and that weren't on our sailing, here is the link to the youtube video I made of our vacation. Note: it's taken by our go pro and everything is handheld so it has the tendency to be a bit shaky at times Watch at your own risk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqdpskk4H5o

It's 15 minutes long but gives a good general overview of the trip!

Now...

As far as how my report will be, I remember everything in order for the first couple of days... after that (pretty much after we set sail) I don't remember the order in which we did stuff. So, with that being said, I'll probably go chronologically for the first couple of days and then by "topic" for the rest of the report

If you guys have questions, PLEASE ask me!
This was my 6th Disney cruise. I've been on the entire fleet. I've done DVC members only cruises and I used to work at Disney World, so did my hubby... so I'll do my best to answer any questions you guys have!

I'm working on getting some pictures uploaded to photo bucket so I hope to have my next entry soon

 

[oopsiDAISY]

I commented on the video on FB, but it is worth repeating on here, too...GREAT VIDEO! You all look like such a fun bunch! I am pulling my thoughts together, will be starting my TR today. It will be interesting to see differences and correlations in our stories and opinions of the trip!!

 

[epfootballcutie04]

I commented on the video on FB, but it is worth repeating on here, too...GREAT VIDEO! You all look like such a fun bunch! I am pulling my thoughts together, will be starting my TR today. It will be interesting to see differences and correlations in our stories and opinions of the trip!!

Thanks Connie
Im sure you'll do so anyway, but make sure to post your trip report link in the FB group, or on here if you wish, so we can all follow along!!

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Here goes nothing, guys!
I'm pretty awful at getting things started off so I guess I'll just start off on Friday October 3rd, 2014... at 2:55am when my alarm went off!

Surprisingly enough, I was WIDE AWAKE and ready to do my hair and put on my face because I was about ready to see the mouse and go to my happy place My sister and her boyfriend arrived the day before so they already had a day under their belt. Lucky ducks.

I wanted to leave the house by 4:15am to make it to the airport on time and what time does my hubby wake up??? 4:10.... he made me NERVOUS! I should have took that as a sign that it was how the rest of my day was going to go

We got to the airport, stood in line for Southwest check in since we had bags to check and when they asked me to type in my confirmation number I thought "ok no problem, it's on my phone.... BUT WHERE WAS MY PHONE!!!????!!!! I panicked. I looked everywhere. I knew I had it in the car, so I know I didn't leave it at home so I ran all the way back out to the car and there it was... hiding... underneath my seat wedged between the seat cushion and the middle console. Don't worry, hunny, momma found you. you're safe now....

goodness gracious!

So I went back to stand in line again to get checked in and to security we went! Indy security is never long. Ever. At least not for me. But wouldn't ya know it... on the day that I'm all flustered now it's like the longest line in the history of security lines. And when I say this i REALLY mean it was only like 15-20 families long, but for Indy... that's enormous.

So we look at our gate number... the last possible gate all the way at the end "Of course" - i think - good thing we left when we did !
When we eventually made it to the gate Tim and I went and got starbucks and then all was right with the world. So good, that we took time to take our typical airport selfie



You (the reader) will quickly learn that in all reality, this trip report should have been "but first let me take a selfie"... it happens. When there is normally only two of you and you both want to be in a picture, it's just what we do.

Soooo we board the plane, we fly into Orlando and even though we actually had Magical Express set up, we still had to go claim a bag for each of us because silly Magical express only sent us 1 luggage tag a person and I didn't realize that until the day before we left when I went to pack... everyone else in our party got 2 a piece. But oh well, so we had to go to baggage claim in "A", get our bags, then go up and over and down to "B" side to catch the Magical Express.

We told the driver we were going to the contemporary (Bay Lake Towers) and after waiting for about 20 minutes for the buss to get full we were off!! So naturally that means it's time for another selfie:



This video they played on board the Magical Express bus was new and when I knew we were getting close to the "welcome to Walt Disney World" sign that we all know and love I made sure to have to go pro AND my cell phone in camera mode all ready to go.... and then.... POW! Our bus blew a tire not more than a football fields length away from the sign! Thankfully everyone was fine and nothing awfully really happened, but the driver pulled over, unloaded our bags and said another bus was coming to get us.

That bus turned out to be... A DISNEY CRUISE LINE BUS!!! We all got settled and then off we go again! I had to get my phone out quick because the sign came up FAST!



The first stop on our acting DME bus was the (used to be) beautiful Polynessian Resort. That place was under a LOT of construction. I know it will be worth it in the end, but my heart cries a little anytime something is less than "Disney Show Quality". Then, to the place we stayed at last year... Disney's Grand Floridian Resort! Beautiful as always <3 Always brings back MANY fond happy wedding memories! There was even a wedding going on! <3
Then off to the Wilderness. That place is enormous. And so beautiful. I get an urge to want to cozy up by a warm fire w/ a cup of cocoa every time i see it. And then... finally BAY LAKE... well, the contemporary

I ran inside to the lobby to be greeted by my sister and Shawn!! Finally!! It had seemed like it had been forever!!

It was only 11:30 at this time and we were booked in a 2 bedroom villa: theme park view so I knew our room wasn't going to be ready but I thought I'd check in anyway and get everything set up so my parents wouldn't have to worry about when they arrived in about an hour and a half. That way, the 4 of us could head off to DTD for some lunch and they would just text me when the room was ready!.... Well...

OUR ROOM WAS ALREADY READY!!! AWESOME!!!!!

First Impression of the Contemporary
It was very clean. A lot of clean lines. Very modern. My mom had done the online check in prior to our arrival and I know at some hotels they have a separate check in line for those people, but the contemporary did not. Or at least they weren't utilizing it at the time we were there. All of the CM's (Cast Members) seemed very nice, a couple were "overly nice" like they were "trying" but hey, maybe they were having a bad day and just trying not to show it? The lady that checked us in was very nice, but a tad awkward. She might have been newer or maybe she was transferred from a different resort. I used to work in a DVC resort and I know they do that often. She was very nice though and our room was ready so no complaints from me Rank: 8/10

We decided that instead of heading straight to DTD that we would head to the room first to check it out...

On the walkway from the Contemporary to the Bay Lake area:


Our view (a bit zoomed in ):


A couple shots of inside the room:







Overall Hotel Room Impressions
The room was nice! Awesome view. I personally prefer more "theme" that are relevant in other Disney Resorts but the room was very nice nonetheless. The windows, however, were pretty dirty and some areas on the walls in the bathrooms were in pretty rough shape. Rank: 7/10

Well that's about it for this post... I need to organize my photos a bit better
Up next we will have Downtown Disney, MNSSHP and the drama afterwards with luggage! dun dun dun....

Edit to add: I just realized how massive my photos are... sorry about that! I'll try to size them a bit better on my next post

 

[Lizzards]

Thanks for following along! I hope you like my report It was a nice cruise. Have you cruised Disney before?

This will be my first Disney cruise! My husband and I did a 7 night Carnival years ago. I tired to watch your video from the link posted but it said it wasn't there to play in any case we are doing this same itinerary. Love to read the trip reports. Thanks!

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Hi, it's Nancy from your cruise group. Just reading along! Enjoying your report so far.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Thanks for following along! I hope you like my report It was a nice cruise. Have you cruised Disney before?

This will be my first Disney cruise! My husband and I did a 7 night Carnival years ago. I tired to watch your video from the link posted but it said it wasn't there to play in any case we are doing this same itinerary. Love to read the trip reports. Thanks!

For some reason, it won't let people watch it on any mobile device but once they try on an actual computer it will work just fine. I tried to change settings on it but I can't figure it out? Does anyone know how I can change the settings?

My husband and I did carnival for our honeymoon and LOVED it!!

 

[princessnpirate]

Following!

 

[Benchley]

I'm in! Can't wait

 

[FeFeMJ]

Yay! I'll be following along. It was so nice to meet you guys on the cruise!

Felicia

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Thanks to the new followers!! I've been back at work the last couple days so I haven't been able to post as much as I would like to. I hope to make another entry tonight though

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Downtown Disney & MNSSHP

After we checked out the hotel room we head over to DTD to grab some lunch and check out the shops. We were STARVING! When we got to the bus stop at the Contemporary there were a LOT of people waiting for the DTD bus. Apparently it had taken forever to show up and when it finally did show up everyone obviously made a mad dash to be the first one on .

On the way to DTD the guy sitting behind Jenna and Shawn had just got off the Dream and told Jenna about how she HAS to do Palo. I laughed because I had been trying to convince her to do Palo forEVER and she kept telling me no... did she do it? You'll just have to wait for my Palo pictures and review to find out

Downtown Disney was a total mess. Lots of construction and the place that Tim and I wanted to eat that we ate at last year was no where to be found so we met up with Jenna and Shawn at Earl of Sandwich. It was my first time eating there and HOLY COW it was DELICIOUS!!!



The best part about it was that my sister had a couple free sandwich coupons! They were packed but the line moved really fast and it was a nice, clean restaurant so they get an A + from me

We decided to go to my favorite store after lunch (The World of Disney) and my sister and I recreated a photo that we took together 10 years ago



After a quick peek in the World of Disney, we decided to head back to the hotel so the men could take a quick dip in the pool before we head of MNSSHP:



Not long after that it was off to MNSSHP!! Now, just like last years trip report, I will mention this again:

*Disclaimer*: Tim and I have been there, done that, for everything in the MK. If a line wait is over 20 minutes, that's just way too long and not worth it. We are spoiled. So we really didn't do that much at the party but we still had a nice time!

We went to the Contemporary and got in line for the MONORAIL!!! I love that thing



Then once that finally showed up, we took it upon ourselves to have a photo shoot in our empty area Tim's a photographer, after all <3







Before we knew it, we were at the Magic Kingdom! We literally entered the park, stepped foot on main street and it started to POUR! it rained on and off the whole night which put a little damper on the party (no pun intended ) We still managed to have fun though!

First we took the obligatory Castle photos :





The first ride on my agenda: THE HAUNTED MANSION OF COURSE!!!! It's my absolute FAVORITE

(Ignore our rain messy hair)...




Then Jenna decided she needed to go on Small World... Ugh... Here's my reaction to that...



And you can see that Tim was way more excited about this than I was

***WELLLLLLL.... looks like photo bucket said I was working too hard on this and it decided to stop working, so I suppose that this is the end of this update

The next update will be more MNSSHP, Lugage Drama (dun dun dun)

Until next time!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

I'm in!

 

[epfootballcutie04]

I'm in!

Welcome to my report !!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

MNSSHP is on our Disney bucket list still... in fact, we are in cahoots with the friends we traveled with for the cruise in contemplating an adults only trip in 2016 just for MNSSHO and F&W. If course, the five children involved are not happy with us.