The Frickles Family Sweet Dream Cruise, 7.24.15

[Frickles]

Welcome to my trip report where I intend to tell you all about cruising with teen boys, enjoying the Dream, and eating like you will never be fed again! I enjoyed reading DCL trip reports before my cruise so I'm here to return the favor as well as relive this fabulous vacation! Our family sailed on the Disney Dream on July 24th for five nights, with two lovely stops at Castaway Cay. This was an anniversary treat, a birthday celebration, research trip and a much needed family vacation. I co-own a travel agency that specializes in Disney vacations, so this trip was necessary in so many ways.

I met my business partner right here on the Dis Boards (hi Jami!) ten years ago! We started a WDW and DL itinerary planning business called Fairy TripMother eight years ago. We had to put all this Disney knowledge to use and help our friends have dreamy trips! We never meant to be travel agents, but it happened. We worked for another agency for a few years then decided to go out on our own and FTM Travel came to life. We have a lot of our great Dis friends working with us so we have a lot of fun and LOVE what we do!

In April 2015, Jami and I got an invitation to sail on the Disney Magic for seven nights for an Agent Education Program. We said yes without hesitating and broke the news to our families that we were off on another necessary adventure. We invited our dear friend and top cruise seller, Cheryl, aka Grammyof2. We had a blast while learning more about DCL. It was hard work, but we survived. Barely.


Jami, me, Minnie and Cheryl... the happiest ladies at CC that day!

I didn't think I was a cruiser, but I quickly found out that I loved it!! I was treated like a princess and the Disney "magic" was everywhere. My eyes leaked on multiple occasions from pure joy. I had no idea what I had been missing. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from that wonderful trip!




























This last picture does show that we had actual WORK to do!!! We all passed with flying colors, of course!


I came home from that cruise ready to book and go again. Lucky me, the wish came true! Let me introduce you to my family!



We are all SO happy in this picture because we were about to walk on board the beautiful Dream.
Brad - my hubs and the birthday boy. Also the person I thought would never step foot on a cruise ship. Huge BAMA fan, Roll Tide! He owns a sign company and he works so hard. Brad had unexpected back surgery in early June so a cruise seemed just right to give him the relaxation he needed to continue his recovery. Yes, he is still recovering. I was excited for him to sail away from the stress and his phone. We celebrated year #22 with this sweet cruise as well! When I asked him if he had packed five outfits for dinner he said, "No, I only packed two. We are going to be eating on islands all the time aren't we?" Hahahahaha, the boy had no idea and he was in for such a dining treat!

Christy- that's me! I'm a full time dream vacation designer and a huge Disney fan. I'm a UGA grad, Go Dawgs! I was a K & 1st grade teacher for seven years and I retired after the birth of child #2 to stay home with our boys. I've built a fun business with my friend Jami and when I say I love my job, I really mean it. My first trip to Disney was in 1972 and my parents took us back almost every year while growing up. I have a slight obsession with Disney jewelry and Disney coffee mugs. I spend large amounts of time in the gift shops. I also overpack. I was reminded of this every time my children attempted to lift my luggage.

Tanner- Our 16 year old who is a great student and a wonderful kid. He stays busy with crew, swim/dive team and with his job as a lifeguard. We've taken him to Disney since he was one and he can spout off more Disney fun facts than I can. He is always playing a game of some sort when he has down time because his mind always needs to stay busy. Part of my research was to see what would happen when he was disconnected from his phone! The results were impressive!

Spencer - Our 14 year old that cracks us up with his carefree and happy self. He is an avid golfer and he is addicted to sugar. Spencer is severely allergic to all nuts which makes traveling to new places a little unsettling for him. Part of my research was to find out how Disney takes care of those with food allergies. I can tell you that the child ate like a rock star and he never worried. That was an incredible gift. The ship had to re-order ice cream cones half way through the cruise because of him.

We booked our trip in early July. I was scared to pull the trigger on anything with Brad's back issues. When he felt well enough to even think about traveling, the cruise seemed to be the best option for everyone involved. He could rest, I would stop bugging him about going on a Disney cruise, we could let the kids do their own thing without worry, we could actually have some date nights and I wouldn't have to cook or clean for 6 days! #winning

We let our kids think that we weren't going anywhere for summer vacation, so we got them good when we did a scavenger hunt to surprise them with the news. I know they are 14 and 16, but scavenger hunts have been our thing for many years and they know that when they get a clue, something good is coming their way. I started the surprise by calling them to the living room and requesting in an ill-mommy voice that they hand over their phones. I let them know we were going to do something about the constant phone & x-box usage. I could see the tension building and the 'but moms' started in. "But mom, I just got back from camp." "But mom, I don't use my phone much." HAHAHAHA "But mom, I was in the middle of a game!" I told them that dad and I wanted them to disconnect from those phones for a while, we were tired of them sitting around the house and we were going to do something about it. I looked at their sad, mad, fearful yet sweet faces and I couldn't pull off the stunt any longer without giggling. That's when I handed them their first clue and off they went to find the end prize. They thought they were getting a puppy. oops. But, I must say they were VERY excited to discover they were going on a cruise that was just three weeks away. I enjoyed being peppered with questions and planning our adventure with them!

Here was the itinerary that I thought was perfect:
July 23rd - Depart for Orlando on a late flight and stay at the airport Hyatt
July 24th - 29th Sail on the Dream
July 29th - Downtown Disney for one last visit to Disney Quest with a late flight home

I will tell you all about what I learned and would/wouldn't do again. The most important thing that I will leave you with for now is this. When you are boarding your dog on the day you leave for vacation, be sure your vet doesn't close early that day. You're welcome.

Next up, the craziness of departure day!

 

[disney2mom]

Joining your TR You have a lovely family! I'm so jealous that you get to do what you love! I have dreamed of becoming a Disney planner, much like you, I obsess over all things Disney and love helping others plan their trips! I love helping my friends plan their trips, it helps with my Disney blues in between trips! My family and I also traveled on the Dream for the first time in March and we fell in love! I look forward to reading more!

 

[jamal]

Waaaahhh! Oh Christy, you have ruined my work day because all I want to do is go back to the Magic! That was one sweet work trip. Of course, we have had a few of those over the years!

I was thrilled to hear that your precious family would finally get to cruise. It's your Dream come true!


Welcome aboard, disney2mom! You are in for a fun ride. My partner in crime--er--business partner--can weave a beautiful tale!

 

[Frickles]

Thanks for joining Disney2mom! I see you have older children too.. did they love it!? My kids can not wait to go back!

Hi Jami! We have some good memories, don't we!

 

[condorthb]

bump

 

[Frickles]

condorthb, I appreciate the bump! More to come soon!!!!!!

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I can't wait to hear all about your cruise! We cruised on the Dream in May. It's addictive.

 

[Frickles]

On July 23rd, I woke up with some huge excitement and a long to do list. We had plans to leave town at 6:00pm to head to Atlanta for our 10:00pm flight. Southwest has offered some great rates and I was able to book us each for $98 round trip if we were willing to fly out that late, and we were. It had been at least 6 years since the kids had been on a plane so they were jazzed about a short plane ride instead of a long car ride. I took care of a few last minute business to dos and went off to get my necessary mani/pedi and run the typical bank/dry cleaners errands. When I got home, I started the final stages of packing and had plans to leave the house at 2:30pm to drop off the dog at the vet for her vacation. We happily loaded up Lily, our dog, and drove 20 minutes to the vet. A boatload of panic settled in when I pulled in and there wasn't a single car in the parking lot. I jumped out and tugged on the front door to find it LOCKED. And CLOSED. Yes, on Thursdays, they close at 12:00pm. It would have been nice to have been told that when I made her reservation! I called the Emergency number and pleaded for someone to meet me. It was just a call center that catered to more than one office. I was panicking. I had three hours to figure out a plan for the dog, shower and finish packing. Not good. I called the vet close to our house and thank goodness they were able to take her.

This next event seems to always happen when I am leaving for vacation, and I'm definitely not complaining, but a client called ready to book her Christmas cruise on the Magic. I had to help her! When I finished with her reservation, I was in full on frantic packing mode. I can not stand frantic packing mode and it's even worse when you have two children asking for things. I didn't even do a final check on my children's suitcases which I had 95% packed the night before. That was a mistake. I had set aside Tanner's nice shorts to iron and totally forgot to iron them! He didn't think to add them to the suitcase anyhow, so he was a little low on nice shorts. oops. I told the boys to zip 'em up and load 'em up. I made a pact with myself to not answer my phone or check an email until I was at the airport.

We were scheduled to fly out of Atlanta at 10pm on Southwest and arrive in Orlando at 11:30pm. Didn't happen. Delays kept us on the ground until midnight... yuck. We didn't arrive to our room at the Orlando airport Hyatt until 2:00am. What I learned? Starting off your vacation so tired isn't worth the money I saved by booking a late flight. If I had to do it again, I would have chosen a flight that left earlier just in case there was a delay.

We were thankful to have an A boarding pass so we could get a nice pick for our seats. Spencer and I sat together and Brad sat with Tanner. Spencer had been begging us to fly instead of drive for the last six years. As we got to the airport, he continued to tell me how nervous he was getting. As we sat in our seats, his nerves really kicked in. During takeoff, I thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest. The boy had some anxiety going on. It didn't help that our plane had to travel a mile to the appropriate runway and every time the pilot hit the brakes, it sounded horrific. The squeaking that came along with each brake tap was just ridiculous and I began to worry about the brakes during landing. Nice.


Too nervous for a picture!




Thankfully we had a peaceful flight and the brakes worked when they needed to. We made our way to the Hyatt before going to baggage claim. It was almost 2:00am at this point. I drug myself to the check in desk and let them know we had finally arrived. We got a massive upgrade to a Junior Suite. I can only guess it was because we were SO late checking in. Either that or I looked really pitiful when I arrived at the front desk. Or that I was planning on putting two very tall boys in a full bed together to duke it out for a good night's sleep. I had originally booked a regular room and now we had a small apartment for the night. Why can't upgrades like this happen when I'm staying somewhere for more than one night!? We all enjoyed our very short stay here! We had a queen sleeper sofa, a roll away (sorry Spencer) and a perfect King bed.






The view from our window at 2:30am.

We had private car service set up for the next morning with Pegasus Professional Transportation. I had booked an SUV but my friend at Pegasus, Saeed, called me before we left Atlanta to tell me he was sending the limo instead so I could check it out. GIDDY!!! I told Brad about it that night while we were getting ready for bed because I didn't want him to stroke over paying for a limo. We kept it a surprise from the boys. We all got a nice five hours of sleep and the wake up call came. YEAH!

How do you dress and prepare for Embarkation day in July? Here's what we did. I knew I did not want to lug around a big carry on. You shouldn't want to do so either! I threw our necessary medications and travel documents into a small bag and planned on checking the rest. The boys both have these amazing shorts that double as a swimsuit. Have you seen these? They are awesome. That's what they wore so they could hop on the Aquaduck once we were on board. I knew that I needed to dress in something comfortable and lightweight that was suitable for dinner just in case we got our luggage late. I also knew the shoes were important because we would be walking around the ship a lot and exploring.

Our ride was set for 10:00am and we were downstairs and ready to roll by 9:55am. I could see the gorgeous limo out front and thought it could possibly be ours. Of course the kids were commenting on it, but knew it wasn't for us. haha. It was a wonderful treat when Lincoln came inside and looked at me and said "Christy?" We followed him outside and when we walked to the limo, I looked at the boys and said "Surprise!" The look on their faces was fabulous! What a beautiful way to travel to our cruise!







The phones..... so ready for the phones to go away for 5 days!



No, we aren't happy. Not happy at all!


It was pretty perfect to kick back and relax in this gorgeous car. The boys immediately began to text their friends about their sweet ride. We had a complimentary stop at Publix, which is right by a beverage store, to pick up water bottles and sunscreen. We made the decision to not carry on any alcohol for this trip. We were going to let Disney pour our drinks! Do you really need a case of water with you? It's nice to have in the room and to throw in your bag as you head out for excursions, so it's something I like to bring onboard. The water on the ship tastes great though!

It wasn't long before this exciting moment occurred!


Next up, Embarkation and sailing away!

 

[jamal]

I can't believe you ironed. You know my favorite service on the ship is the IRONING! For those of you who haven't sailed, bring your wrinkled dinner clothes onto the ship. The first day, stick those items into the laundry bag provided in your closet and write 'Iron Only' on the ticket. Place the bag outside your door and the clothes return the next morning magically pressed! The low fee for this is half the price of dry cleaning each item so a couple of dollars for a skirt or blouse. It was soooo worth it for my linen skirt and top I had brought!

That sweet room, ride (yay Saeed!) and the looks on your faces made MY eyes leak a little. This has been a long time coming, my friend, and you all deserved to do it in style!

 

[Frickles]

Jami! I know! I had way too many wrinkled clothes for this crew not to iron a few things. Bless Tanner that his favorite shorts were left behind. I did save my linen pants for onboard ironing, but didn't even send them because I had a good feeling I wouldn't wear them. #overpacker

 

[disney2mom]

Thanks for joining Disney2mom! I see you have older children too.. did they love it!? My kids can not wait to go back!

Yes, they absolutely loved it and can't wait for our next cruise on the Magic!! It was so nice to have our family time on the ship but also give them the freedom to explore the ship and teen clubs so hubby and I could also enjoy our time!

Woohoo for the limo, my kids would have been stoked! Can't wait to read more

 

[AshClan]

This is awesome Christy! I love that photo of you and Brad in the limo! You all deserved this trip so much and I'm so happy that you got to do it! I'm taking all kinds of notes for my next cruise, so keep it comin'!

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

I'm IN!!!! IN!!!!! So inn!!!! NOBoardwalk


OMGosh! Love the pics of you, Jami and Grammyof2!!! Too(2)! TBH hug

Now... gotta go back and start reading!!!!


Cheers, Mel

 

[BelleLulu]

I'm joining in for so many reasons, but mostly to hear about the cruise. We are going the end of February 2016! Just hubby and I, 21 year anniversary, congrats on 25!

 

[Alex Aymar]

Reading also trip report so far

 

[AshClan]

C'mon girlie. We're waiting.......

 

[Frickles]

Hi everyone posting and reading along! I have had to take a little break to take care of my youngest. He had 4 wisdom teeth removed and 4 primary teeth yanked out as well! Ahhhh has he ever been a fun yet needy patient! I will be back with more very soon!

edited to add: In his drugged state he thought he was Taylor Swift, he thought he was pregnant and he thought our dog was a polar bear. It was sad yet hysterical!

 

[Alex Aymar]

Hi everyone posting and reading along! I have had to take a little break to take care of my youngest. He had 4 wisdom teeth removed and 4 primary teeth yanked out as well! Ahhhh has he ever been a fun yet needy patient! I will be back with more very soon!

edited to add: In his drugged state he thought he was Taylor Swift, he thought he was pregnant and he thought our dog was a polar bear. It was sad yet hysterical!

Hope he is feeling better can't wait for the rest of your TR!!!

 

[Frickles]

Day 1, part 2:
We arrived at the cruise terminal an hour before we were scheduled to check in. We had our luggage tags strapped onto the bags we wanted to check - you are allowed 2 per person. I did one last frantic triple check that I had all necessary documents with me. I'm OCD about my cash and my travel documents. Seriously I think it is going to jump out of my purse and run away or something. I have a problem. Jami and Cheryl have seen it and can verify that I am a total bag rummager and triple checker. Anyone else have this problem? We tipped the cast member who helped us with our bags and off we went to the terminal. During your online check in, you select an arrival time but apparently it is ok if you arrive before your scheduled block because we were allowed to go on through. I had heard a scary rumor that they were no longer going to allow guests to bring their own alcohol on board. As we went through security, I spoke with a guard to see if there was any truth to what I had heard. He said it had been discussed over the last two weeks, but no changes had been put in place. Hmmm, it could be coming. Someone's thinking about it. Do it while you can.

We breezed through security and went on to find our appropriate line for check in. Since I had sailed before, I puffed out my chest and proudly walked to the Castaway Club line. We had a great cast member that took our forms, verified our documents, and presented me with my lanyard as my gift for sailing again. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders when I found that I had everything needed for us to board that ship! I asked if there was still an opportunity to upgrade and she said there was and I should head over to the last station to inquire. I wanted to bump up to concierge so badly. I wanted to ask for starboard side so badly. We were all set, we had all memorized our room number, and here I was wanting to change it up. I decided against it. I reminded myself all was well and we were going to be just fine in room 10034 even though I had read we would be right under the pool deck and could possibly hear the early morning ruckus of the lounge chairs being moved around. I had sleeping pills and a sound spa. I could enjoy the view from the starboard side any time I wanted. I decided to let it be.



I joined my happy family and we waited for our boarding number to be called. It was close to 11:45am and we had been told the ship may not be cleared until 1pm. What a treat to find that they were already boarding group #6 and we were in group #11. We explored the terminal and read our Navigator newsletter from cover to cover. I highly recommend doing the same!

When you board the ship, Disney makes you feel special right away by announcing your family name as you enter. The staff is there to cheer and clap for you as you walk on. I didn't tell my family this as I wanted it to be a surprise. When I cruised with Cheryl and Jami, we used "the Fairy TripMothers" as our family name and the tears just started flowing as I walked on. I couldn't help it, I was overwhelmed! And I don't cry! It was a milestone in my travel agent career and stepping onto the ship was dreamy - the beautiful atrium with a happy staff clapping and welcoming you aboard. This time, I cried when we were in line to board. Our number was called, we lined up and as we stepped into the area that connected the terminal to the ship, the eyes started to well up with happy tears. Spencer looked at me and was mortified. The tears dried up and I pulled myself together!

The Frickles Family was finally announced and we were onboard! Finally! What a fantastic feeling!! My first item of business was to dump a load of cash onto our account. I went to Guest Services and placed enough money on our account to pay for all of our excursions and my specialty coffees and adult beverages. Game on. They handed me a print out of the excursions I had booked and had just been charged for since my feet had landed on the Dream. Uh oh. The fishing excursion that I thought I had taken myself off of to save $160, still on there. I let the cast member know there must be some mistake because I had cancelled my reservation in plenty of time.
He looked on his computer screen and gave me the bad news that it didn't cancel and it was non refundable even if I didn't want to go. Ouch. My three hours alone at Serenity Bay just got snatched away because I was going fishing whether I wanted to or not. Here is a tip, if you make a change to your excursions, make sure you confirm it and see it through til the end. I modified our reservations 5 days before our sail date and apparently goofed on this one. You can modify up to 3 days before sailing and after that, apparently they are yours for good.

After I got over the sick feeling of spending $160 on me fishing, our first task was to check out the VIBE, the ever so cool teen club for guests 14 - 17. The pictures I took do not do it justice and I was sad that this would be the only time I was allowed in there because it was awesome! We got the boys registered and noted Spencer's nut allergy with them. They have a smoothie bar and I had to be sure they weren't making anything peanutty in those blenders because if so, he needed to avoid drinking a smoothie. They eased my mind and all was well. I could tell the boys were VERY pleased with the Vibe!! Phew!



























We went straight to the AquaDuck next but it was down for service, apparently someone's raft had gotten stuck. The boys waited in line for a little while as they tried to clear it and Brad and I got the drink of the day. This drink comes in a souvenir glass for a little less than $10 and you can refill the glass with the Drink of the Day throughout the cruise for $5.46. TIP: gratuity is automatically added to every drink you order and you do not pay tax. Also, your room key is your charge card. You never pay any other way, which I adore.



We got tired of waiting for the Aquaduck to re-open so we made our way to Cabanas to have lunch. Brad and Tanner took off to load their plates with crab claws and shrimp while I took Spencer to meet the host. We let them know about his allergy and their response was "what would you like to eat?" The possibilities were endless. He picked what he wanted and they prepared his meal in a separate kitchen. They gave him the peace he needed to eat without fear and that was huge! This was also the moment where I was very glad we checked our bags and I wasn't lugging our stuff around Cabanas. It's tight quarters in there at this point and it's very hard to pile your plate high with food while fussing with a big bag. Eating at Cabanas for lunch on this first day seems so crowded and it's difficult to find a table. The place is ginormous too and it is easy to get separated from your family. It's also tempting to let your brain think that this is what the entire cruise will be like. Don't. Just don't think that. The load lightens up and it is very pleasant after this first lunch crush. Our meal was great but I didn't return to Cabana's for the rest of the cruise. I love the great options offered at the Main Dining Rooms for breakfast and lunch, plus I love having someone wait on me. It's a short Princess life on the Dream so enjoy it when you can.

There was an announcement that our rooms were ready so we made our way to the 10th floor to see our home for the next five nights. At this point, it started raining as well. Of course we had to stop for an ice cream first at the Eye Scream Zone. We verified that it was safe for Spencer to have, the cast member there had a printout of the ingredients for us to see so that was great. My first cone flopped and was a complete mess. It was still super good.

We took one flight of stairs down to the 10th floor and found room 10034. It was a quick walk to elevator and stairs which gave us easy access to the pools and the ice cream. Our room seemed just perfect! We stepped out onto our lovely veranda to watch the storm.








We were in the room for less than five minutes when we heard "Can we go?" The boys took off on their own to explore the ship and the Vibe. This is where the sleep deprivation from the night before kicked in. I'm not a napper because I don't want to miss anything, but I had to crash. So did Brad. When we woke up, our luggage was in the hallway and we unpacked and got situated. There was plenty of storage for all of our things and this overpacker/hanger hog had all the space and hangers I needed. We had plans to reconnect with the boys at 3:45pm for the safety drill. Once that was over, we went to the Sail Away party. I was so very bummed that it was rained out and they had to move it inside. When we got to the atrium, we couldn't see a single thing because it was packed and I was SO sad. Rather than battling the crowds for a view, because Brad does not like crowds, we returned to our room to watch our departure from our balcony. We had a great view of the Pilot pick up. Apparently, a pilot takes the ship out of Port Canaveral and disembarks when we are safely at sea. I had heard about this on our last cruise and it was neat to see it actually happen.




We could see the Captain!



Disney has two seatings for the main dining experience, 6:15pm and 8:15pm. You are assigned a seating when making your reservation and if you don't get the one you want, there is a wait list and you can also ask Guest Services to change it when you board. We had second seating for dinner so that meant our show time was 6:15pm. In a normal world, I would cringe at the thoughts of eating at 8:15pm but it works wonderfully on the cruise because you never go hungry. This set up gives you a little more time to swim and relax if you aren't attending the show. We also found that the AquaDuck would clear out when the first dinner started.

Our first show of the cruise featured a ventriloquist and I must say, he was hysterical. He brought volunteers on stage and had us all laughing. I laughed so hard I had tears. Here is a picture of a fraction of the gorgeous Walt Disney Theatre.



We went to the first Bingo session after that to see what the hype was about. I think we would have enjoyed Bingo more if we had won! The winning pot started at $100 this night and it grew with every game. There was a chance to win $3000 this evening if you had a blackout before the 48th? called number. It was fun to dream. I will never forget how Dollar Dino (I think that was his name) said 33. It came out as tirty tree every time and every time we giggled. Bingo research completed! Spoiler: I get sucked in to playing again.






Our dining rotation for the cruise was Enchanted Garden, Royal Palace, Animator's Palate, EG and RP. At dinner we met our main and assistant servers, Neville and Mateo. One thing that sets Disney Cruise Lines apart from the rest is that your servers travel with you on your dining rotation. They greet you by name from the start and remember what you like. They were fabulous and they took great care of Spencer and made him feel like he could eat without worry. I just can't tell you what a relief that was. When I made our reservation, I requested our own table rather than sharing a table with another family. DCL honored that request because of Spencer's allergy. Had we been paired with a child who ordered PB&J, Spencer would have mentally been miserable even though he would have been safe.

I will say that our table at the Enchanted Garden was in the worst spot ever. We were close to the kitchen and I can't tell you how many large trays of food passed over my head. It was also a bit loud. Much different than my time on the Magic. Our server also seemed more rushed than our server on the Magic. Would I have noticed if I had never sailed with Disney before? No. When we cruised for our agent training, I asked our server if concierge guests received a better placement in the dining room. Unfortunately, I don't recall her answer because it was a yes & no type answer, so I'm going to research that a little more. If you know, can you please reply?! Thankfully we had better table placement at the other MDRs.

When we finished dinner that evening, the head server came over and took Spencer's order for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next day so he wouldn't have to wait for or worry about his food. What a nice service! They really took their time with him and explained how they prepared the food. We chose to have breakfast back in the Enchanted Garden so that is where his meal would be waiting on him.

After dinner, we returned to our room to find that our stateroom hostess had turned down the beds, made a cute towel animal, left chocolates on our pillows and delivered the Navigator newsletter that listed all the activities for the next day. The old people crashed and the young ones went to the Vibe until it shut down at 2am. Go big or go home!

Next: Day 2 at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay & the dreadful troll fishing excursion!

Edited to add: I'm sure there are grammatical mistakes from my tired typing fingers and sleepy brain, so let's just roll with it....

 

[AshClan]

Frick, y'know I'm a grammar freak and I didn't notice any grammatical mistakes, so I think you're good. Either that or I'm really tired too (even tho it's morning)! OF COURSE you had your sound spa (do you ever NOT?), and I am very impressed that were enough hangers (!) and closet space for your over-packing self. Be honest, though, the boys had to fold and drawer all their stuff, didn't they? I have only been on DCL once, on the Wonder in 2001, and I can see a lot has changed. I am sad that my boys never got to go to Vibe (they were too little even if it was around back in '01). It looks amazing. I didn't realize that you had tried to cancel that fishing excursion. What a shame! I knew it was expensive and that (spoiler alert) it sucked, but I at least thought it was an intentional piece of research for you. Bummer. That's a lot of fruity drinks..... I love that you ate breakfast and lunch in the dining rooms instead of the buffet area. I always intend to do more of that on cruise ships, but it never seems to happen. I can't wait to hear more about those meals. It is SO wonderful that they made Spencer's eating so stress-free. I am sure that was a huge relief for all of you. Keep it coming girl! I am loving it (and SO can't wait to get on one of these ships soon!).