Panama Canal--what to do?

[Dancing Mickey's]

Okay so we all have seen all the great pricing for the December sailing but here is a question that I haven't been able to find the answer to.

What do you do on the boat for 14 days??? What extra shows do they do?

Don't flame me but just wondering what will be different for us. We have been on the Wonder a few times and have seen all the shows. Would love to have more I am sure they will have the bingo, presentations on the canal, movies, trivia, golf, art of entertaining, etc.

Will we be itching to get off at the next stop? We have done the MR before so not sure if we would even plan to get off the boat but then that is a long time just on the boat too. SUPER SAD they are not stopping at CC. It's not like they dont have time

So if any of you out there have heard or have done the panama canal with Disney before I would love to hear.

Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Okay so we all have seen all the great pricing for the December sailing but here is a question that I haven't been able to find the answer to.

What do you do on the boat for 14 days??? What extra shows do they do?

Don't flame me but just wondering what will be different for us. We have been on the Wonder a few times and have seen all the shows. Would love to have more I am sure they will have the bingo, presentations on the canal, movies, trivia, golf, art of entertaining, etc.

Will we be itching to get off at the next stop? We have done the MR before so not sure if we would even plan to get off the boat but then that is a long time just on the boat too. SUPER SAD they are not stopping at CC. It's not like they dont have time

So if any of you out there have heard or have done the panama canal with Disney before I would love to hear.

Thanks!

Well, I can't speak to what shows will be done on the Wonder (except, of course for the regular production shows), on our Magic Panama Canal cruise in 2008 we had:

Welcome Aboard! Let the Magic Begin
Ricky Kalmon (comedian/hypnotist)
The Golden Mickeys
When Mickey Dreams
Kevin Johnson (comedian/ventriloquist)
Scott Record (impressionist)
Twice Charmed
The Art of the Story (a sort of history of Disney stories)
Los Caporales Festival Folklorico (local dancers)
Joe Fatone & Alphonso Ribeiro (TV/music stars)
Crew Talent Show
Mike Super (Magician)
Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic
Remember the Magic; A Final Farewell

There was plenty to do. We also had talks about the Panama Canal (history of/building).

 

[Dancing Mickey's]

What is when mickey's dreams? Is that a movie or a show?

Did you feel like you were on the boat for a long time without stops?

Do you have the same servers all 14 days? Last time we were on the wonder they just never got it. We were spoiled our first cruise and have not found the same great combination yet.

Did they do any special midnight buffets or other special events?

Thanks.

 

[jdb in AZ]

What is when mickey's dreams? Is that a movie or a show? [COLOR["]It's a show.

Did you feel like you were on the boat for a long time without stops? [COLOR]"]No, there were enough port days to mix things up.

Do you have the same servers all 14 days? Yes. Hope you'll have a better team next time. Last time we were on the wonder they just never got it. We were spoiled our first cruise and have not found the same great combination yet.

Did they do any special midnight buffets or other special events On Canal day they had an extensive buffet/barbeque up on deck. Best food of the cruise.Thanks.

.

 

[Dancing Mickey's]

Sure appreciate the information. I like surprises but I LOVE details

Any more information to share? Just trying to decide if this is what we want to do. My DH is worried for leaving work for so long. His motto "commission never sleeps." So that means neither does it's wife

Thanks.

 

[kcashner]

We have done at several 14 night or more cruise...and a couple more of more than 7 but less than 14.

You are treated WONDERFULLY on the special cruises. On the PC in 2005, there were special entertainers brought on just for one show (well, 2 shows in one evening). There is a new, different menu each night --not 7+ repeat 7, 14 different ones. The are the 3 main shows and some less technically demanding shows just for the long cruises (Once Upon A Song, the Walt tribute one...) There are tons more activities. And, you'll be able to get more than one Palo time if you wish because there are fewer people and more slots available. They also brought on the former director of the Panama Canal visitor's center to do talks as well as a boring dude to narrate the passage thru the canal.

Ditto on the Trans-Atlantics--they bring on extra entertainers, plan extra activities, etc. I don't think we'll see the adult PJ party on the pool deck again though......Hi Peter! Did you have fun chasing the props as they were blowing overboard??? They had a pair of dance instructors who did daily family and adult only dance classes. The movie schedule was totally different each week, so if there is something you want to see do not put it off--it might not be running the second week!

Some of the "extras" are standard for the longer cruises--crew talent show, "Dancing with the Officers" (a take off on the TV show of similar name. Some are for that cruise only.

 

[kdeans1010]

I've been looking at that fare really thinking about it. The inside room sounds fun too... My one problem is from Miami to Seattle is $600+ for airfare. It would be $90 to fly to LAX, and I have family there (get my uncle to pick me up and take me...), but the way back... Can't live in Miami, it's too hot.

 

[dthogue]

We will be on this cruise - the rates are fantastic - we are paying just a bit more for 14 nights than the 7 night Fantasy cruise we had booked for November.

If you decide to book - join us the meets thread - we have a great group of DISers sailing!

I don't have an answer to your question, but we are looking forward to all the seas days on board. I'm hoping it will be a more relaxed trip - more time to enjoy all the activities without always being rushed.

My only complaint is that we are not stopping at Castaway Cay

 

[jillianjigs7]

Okay so we all have seen all the great pricing for the December sailing but here is a question that I haven't been able to find the answer to.

What do you do on the boat for 14 days??? What extra shows do they do?

Don't flame me but just wondering what will be different for us. We have been on the Wonder a few times and have seen all the shows. Would love to have more I am sure they will have the bingo, presentations on the canal, movies, trivia, golf, art of entertaining, etc.

Will we be itching to get off at the next stop? We have done the MR before so not sure if we would even plan to get off the boat but then that is a long time just on the boat too. SUPER SAD they are not stopping at CC. It's not like they dont have time

So if any of you out there have heard or have done the panama canal with Disney before I would love to hear.

Thanks!

My parents and I did the first panama canal cruise that was ever done on Disney Cruise Line. This was years ago, but from what I remember, they had special guests come on board - We had Boys 2 Men come and do a "concert" one night, Bob Saget came aboard and did a comedy show another night, and Joey Fatone (from the boy band N'Sync) came aboard one night as well.

My hardest part of the cruise was the 5 consecutive days at sea. I became stir crazy not getting on land. I would bring lots of books (if you are a reader). I also joined in bingo a lot on that cruise as well. You will have a wonderful time.

That is ashame they don't stop at CC. We did when we went. It was the first stop, the first day. Nevertheless you will have a WONDERFUL time!

 

[Dancing Mickey's]

This is all great information. THANK YOU!

Anymore out there? Trying to get information to see if is something my DH would be willing to do.

Did you get Cell service or internet service the whole way or just partial?

We sailed one time with Joey Fatone and his family. They were just on vacation. He is funny. He also did a special meet and greet and got up to sing during karaoke night.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This is all great information. THANK YOU!

Anymore out there? Trying to get information to see if is something my DH would be willing to do.

Did you get Cell service or internet service the whole way or just partial?

We sailed one time with Joey Fatone and his family. They were just on vacation. He is funny. He also did a special meet and greet and got up to sing during karaoke night.

Internet/cell service is s-l-o-o-o-o-w and expensive onboard. But it is available.

Better to do is find a free (or low cost) internet cafe while in port, if you really need to be in touch back home. Ask the CMs where they are.

 

[Dancing Mickey's]

I guess we could handle s l o o o o w if he had to. Just want to know options. He has never been away from work for more than a week at a time so that is the hard part.

How long does it take to go through the canal?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I guess we could handle s l o o o o w if he had to. Just want to know options. He has never been away from work for more than a week at a time so that is the hard part.

How long does it take to go through the canal?

All day. We fueled up at something like 4 am before entering. Entered the canal about 6 am, and exited at 5 pm.

 

[ACDSNY]

My only complaint is that we are not stopping at Castaway Cay

Castaway Cay was on the schedule for our January 2011 PC, but we were unable to dock due to the winds and sea conditions.

We loved the PC cruise. I was worried my DH would be bored at times, but it was his favorite vacation. We had "Ducky" Williams on the cruise along with a few other entertainers that came and went during the cruise.

 

[Bookwood]

Did the Canal on the Wonder in Jan 2011, and are doing Hawaii in Oct DH and I said just last night I wonder how we'll ever go back to 7 day cruises. I love sea days (although realize they aren't for everyone) and it's so relaxing. The best part was on day 7 we still had a whole cruise to go. I never played bingo, did one spa treatment, enjoyed the warm sunshine and read a lot early in the mornings (when I didn't run), tried to do a few classes- the cooking ones, Disney ones, of course Ducky Williams lecture, and the Panama Canal classes. Never was bored.

 

[rillsung]

We did the Magic Panama Canal from LA to PC in 08. There was so much to do that we were exhausted by the end of it! That was our first cruise! We just did our 2nd and 3rd, 2 7-day back to back. What was a little disappointing was that the menus were pretty much exactly the same from week to week and so were the shows. On the repo, it was 15 days of different meals and shows. We weren't bored with the B2B though but were able to plan to see certain shows on the first cruise and skip on the second cruise.

 

[jaygalterio]

Well, I can't speak to what shows will be done on the Wonder (except, of course for the regular production shows), on our Magic Panama Canal cruise in 2008 we had:

Welcome Aboard! Let the Magic Begin
Ricky Kalmon (comedian/hypnotist)
The Golden Mickeys
When Mickey Dreams
Kevin Johnson (comedian/ventriloquist)
Scott Record (impressionist)
Twice Charmed
The Art of the Story (a sort of history of Disney stories)
Los Caporales Festival Folklorico (local dancers)
Joe Fatone & Alphonso Ribeiro (TV/music stars)
Crew Talent Show
Mike Super (Magician)
Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic
Remember the Magic; A Final Farewell

There was plenty to do. We also had talks about the Panama Canal (history of/building).

We did this cruise as well. Good memories...

I thought there were also one or two Prem-ears at Sea too. But I can't remember what the movies were. The Bridge to Teribethia maybe? Or Prince Caspian?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We did this cruise as well. Good memories...

I thought there were also one or two Prem-ears at Sea too. But I can't remember what the movies were. The Bridge to Teribethia maybe? Or Prince Caspian?

Prince Caspian.

 

[SweetSpot]

Our Panama cruise was the one of the most amazing times of our lives. Although it was so long, we still didn't want it to end. We were constantly entertained with special entertainers and got to know the CM's and other passengers really well. The menus weren't repeated and shows weren't repeated. Not once were we bored.

We were lucky and it was the end of August so we could take our teen kids with us and they loved it also. Sadly it will be years before they are we could go for so long again but given the chance we would go in a second.

 

[Dancing Mickey's]

So glad to hear all the great things. I read them to my DH each night.

He is just worried about the whole work thing. We leave for a family reunion in a few days so he said, "Let's see how this goes and then we can decide."

I hope the special pricing will still be available when we get back.

Anymore information would be great. Was a typical day like other Disney Cruise Days? How was the water? The weather?

Thanks again! LOVE TO DIS family