Trip Report: * Christmas with Mickey 2010 * "The Surreal Trip!" w/lots of pictures!

[MelMel11]

Count me in. I really enjoyed reading your post. Cant wait to read more.

 

[Staceycs]

Yes I totally agree- this is a wonderful trip report! I can't wait to read more. I can see us booking a cruise after reading this....

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Count me in. I really enjoyed reading your post. Cant wait to read more.

I'm glad you found my thread. The REAL fun is about to start!!!!!

More to come ... These rolling black outs are killing me! Bring on Spring!

Jennifer

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Yes I totally agree- this is a wonderful trip report! I can't wait to read more. I can see us booking a cruise after reading this....

and THANK YOU!!!

It's great to have you along for the journey. We love love love Disney Cruise Line!!!! We are presently booked for a November 2011 cruise on the new Disney Dream. I can't wait! We've explored every nook and cranny of the Wonder and Magic. There's new territory to explore!

I have so much more to report on our trip. Thanks for reading along!

Jennifer

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

I wanted to thank the readers of this Trip Report for your patience on my posts. I have been typing the Trip Report in Word and then copying it over to this thread. However, photobucket has been giving me problems with the pictures. I didn't want to post without the accompanying pictures. Sorry this Trip Report is taking so long. It has been a hard process with the technological hiccups. Please stay tuned and I will "eventually" get this Trip Report finished.

Stay tuned ... The REAL fun is about to start!!!!!

Jennifer

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY THREE (Part 2)
SUNDAY - December 12, 2010
Before I knew it, it was time to embark. We made our way through the Mickey ears and our first stop before stepping onboard was to get our individual picture taken for the DCL database. Then, we made our way to take our family embarkation photo. Throughout the cruise there are many photo ops and CMs snapping your picture. You can purchase the pictures onboard. Finally, it was time to walk the gangway and onto the Disney Wonder.

There are Cast Members waiting for you at the door and they announce EVERY party that boards. There is crew to greet you and cheer as you embark. It is a fun way to start the cruise.

The CM Welcoming Committee

Then, a CM walks you towards Parrot Cay or the elevators. At first, I thought this was to be nice. But, I later learned they do that so people don’t clog up the atrium when people are boarding. It keeps the atrium clear of people = crowd control.

The Disney Wonder's atrium greets you with a statue of Ariel and a beautiful blown glass chandelier by Dale Chihuly.

Our stateroom was not ready yet, so we had to figure out where to have lunch (Parrot Cay or up on Deck 9). We decided to try the buffet lunch at Parrot Cay. Normally, we head upstairs and get fast food from Pluto’s Doghouse and let the kids swim in the Mickey pool. But, it was still too cold. So, it was nice to try something new.

Parrot Cay (I found it odd that Disney pronounces Cay in Parrot Cay as you'd expect. But, for some reason they pronounce the Cay in Castaway Cay like "Key". Go figure.)

We were greeted at the restaurant door by a smiling waiter and were seated immediately. There was an extensive lunch buffet with something for everyone. I am glad we decided to eat here. I forgot to take pictures at lunch. I was so excited to breeze through lunch to explore the ship.

After lunch, we were able to get into our stateroom. So, we walked down the one flight of stairs to where our staterooms awaited on Deck 2. Since we are a party of six, we got two joining-porthole staterooms. We’ve never stayed in anything but a stateroom with a verandah. So, I was leary of our stateroom not having a balcony or the option to open a door for fresh air. I was pleasantly surprised with the staterooms. They felt to be the same size as our normal cat 4 and had a BIG porthole (I thought we’d have a little circle window like you see in the movies).

Our Porthole

Phew! I can handle this room. On the DCL paperwork we have all the boys in one room and girls in the other room. But, I planned on sleeping with Bill and Cole (DS5) would stay in our stateroom and Mom, Emily (DD8) and Will (DS10) in the other stateroom. It worked out perfectly with Mom and Emily sleeping in the bed and Will slept on the pullout. Waiting for us on our bed was a welcome bag from DCL for being Castaway Club Members. There were all kinds of goodies in there. Also, in our stateroom was a bag from the DIS group. That bag included a Jodi Benson CD, Charles Ridgway book, Bob Gurr picture and a BIG magnet. Also, I had pre-ordered water and it was waiting in the stateroom too. You can never have enough fresh clean water on a ship. I've found that after day two, the water tastes funny when brushing my teeth. So, I use the bottled water.

Our Castaway Club Member Goody Bag

We had some time before the Muster Drill. So, we gave Mom a tour of the ship which ended with a drink on deck 9.

Mom and Bill have the first of their many Midori Coladas this trip.

Exploring the ship before the masses arrive ...

The ship was decorated for the holidays ...

It was time to head back to our staterooms to grab our lifejackets. Before the cruise can “officially” begin and set sail, everyone is required by Maritime Law to participate in a Muster Drill. That is when you put on your lifejacket and meet at your designated emergency area.

Don't we look stylin'

Lucky us (sarcasm!), ours was outside. Good thing I made sure to wear my jacket and reminded everyone else to wear theirs too. It was still chilly outside and the wind was picking up speed. Bring on that warm Caribbean weather!!! We waited what seemed like forever outside. The Crew was waiting for the stragglers. They can’t dismiss our group until everyone is present. It stinks because there’s always that one family who’s late and looking around like “What?” Also, we had a couple of children in our area that were blowing those disgusting distress whistles attached to the lifejacket.

Note to parents: They DON’T clean those whistles!

I gave my kids the look of death that said “Don’t you dare blow your whistle.” They know “the look” and didn’t even touch their whistles. LOL! Finally, we got the all clear and could go back to our stateroom and drop off our lifejackets. When we got back to the staterooms, Mom wanted to lay down before the Sail Away Party. So, we relaxed and freshened up before heading up to Deck 9 for the Sail Away Party.

COMING UP: Why aren't we moving????????

 

[DVCsince02]

It was sooooo cold!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

It was sooooo cold!

I assume since you were down the hall from us, you were outside and on the same side of the boat as us. We got the wet and windy side. Fun! Fun! I was so glad when they let us go back inside. They didn't have to tell us twice.

I am Dreamin' of a warmer cruise in November.

Jennifer

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY THREE (Part 3)
SUNDAY - December 12, 2010
We arrived at the Sail Away Party just in time to see the characters dancing and streamers shot out onto the deck. It was still cold and now there was a mist in the air. It was raining! So, after the characters left most of the crowd left too. We’ve been on four Disney cruises and that was honestly the “weakest” Sail Away Party I’ve ever been to.

We didn't have the best view of the Sail Away Party. We did stay dry under the covering though.

Bill and I have a tradition of having a Midori Colada as we sail away from Port Canaveral. However, it was honestly more like hot tea weather than a fruity cold tropical drink. We decided to move up to deck 10 and wave to the people on land as we sailed away. We waited and waited and waited … we weren’t moving! Finally, I overheard someone tell another passenger that they were waiting on some passengers whose flight was delayed. So much for this sail away experience, it was a total dud.

A wet and windy start to our cruise. Poor Mom ...

We decided to head back inside and get ready for dinner. We had early seating. We quickly refreshed and headed to Parrot Cay, our first restaurant in our dining rotation. We’ve been on enough Disney cruises to know that this is our least favorite sit down restaurant in the rotation or would tonight be different??????

COMING UP: Dinner at Parrot Cay and exploring the ship WITHOUT the kids!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY THREE (Part 4)
SUNDAY - December 12, 2010
We walked up the one flight of stairs to dinner at Parrot Cay. This is a Caribbean-themed restaurant. It is very bright and very casual.

Parrot Cay

(Above pic from DCL)

We were greeted at the door immediately and whisked away to our table. We had requested a table for six (sometimes, they will sit you with other passengers). We didn’t want to intrude on another family’s dining experience. I can never tell how the children will act after a “leisurely” dinner onboard. Our assistant server met us and took our drink orders.

The view from our table.

Our server and assistant server will be the same throughout the cruise. They rotate with us. Before long, our server introduced himself and we were ordering dinner. I am the first to admit that I am TERRIBLE with names. So, I honestly can’t remember what our server and assistant server names were. Isn’t that terrible???? Then again, if the service was superb, I may have remembered better.

I ordered …

Appetizer: Fried Calamari
It was coldish and chewy. Definitely NOT like the calamari they serve at Palo. After this appetizer, I made sure NOT to order anything else in the main dining rooms that was fried. I assume they fry them in big batches earlier and they sit around waiting to be plated.

Salad: Romaine lettuce with hearts of palm
The dressing was light and very refreshing. I ate around the hearts of palm. They are an acquired taste.

Main Entrée: Steak with twice-baked potato and broccoli
I made sure to order my steak medium WELL. Unlike Bill who ordered his medium. Mine was slightly pink making it more medium and perfect for me. Bill’s was RARE and still mooing! The flavor of the meat was “okay”. I shaked a little salt and pepper on it for added flavor. I discovered that I am NOT a twice-baked potatoes person. I like them simpler I guess. I did eat all my broccoli though.

I’ll be honest, I had to go back and look at my pictures to remember what I ate that night. It was all very forgettable. Nothing stood out except my dessert …

Dessert: Mint chocolate chip ice cream with bananas and caramel sauce
It tasted just as “strange” as it sounds. It was a very weird combination. Next time, I would get the mint chocolate chip ice cream by itself.

Emily enjoying her dinner at Parrot Cay.

After dinner, we waddled out of the restaurant. We normally don’t eat an appetizer, salad, main course AND dessert in one sitting. I can see how people could gain weight on a cruise if they’re not careful.

DCL link to Parrot Cay HERE

Parrot Cay - Dinner (DCL Wonder)
Food
Service
Atmosphere

Rating: 5 Best - 1 Worst

COMING UP: A childless evening. Thank you Disney Cruise Line!!!!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY THREE (Part 5)
SUNDAY - December 12, 2010
As soon as we exited the restaurant, the kids were asking us to drop them off at the kid’s clubs. So, we dropped Cole off at the Oceaneer Club & Will and Emily went to the Oceaneer Lab.

Oceaneer Club

Oceaneer Lab

(Above pic from wdwinfo.com)

Emily having a blast and making friends in the Oceaneer Lab.

Bill kept an ear on the pager in case we needed to get Cole. Cole stays home with me and we weren’t quite sure how he would do in the club with the CMs and new children.

I felt this was a great time to decorate our stateroom doors. This is something fun I’ve done on all our cruises. It is fun for the kids to see and it honestly helps me find our stateroom easily. I am terrible at remembering numbers (and names as I previously told y’all). Also, I put out our fish extenders. We joined a fish extender gift exchange group. Throughout the cruise, people would put little gifts in our fish extender. It felt like Christmas every time we got back to our room. The kids would get excited to check the fish extenders.

Our decorated stateroom doors.

Since the kids were still happy in the clubs (no page!), Bill and I decided this would be a good time to distribute our fish extender gifts. Mom was tired and decided to stay in her stateroom and lay down. Bill and I went off play Santa. We finished in a flash and had plenty of time before the kid’s clubs closed. So, we explored the ship a bit. It was Sunday and the Dallas Cowboys were playing. Somehow, we found our way to the sports bar (Diversions) and sat down to watch the game. There were quite a few people in there. After a few quarters, we decided to call it a night and go get the kids (The Cowboys were losing. Boooooo!).

Diversions

(Above pic from DCL)

I was very relieved when I went in to pick-up Cole. He was playing Wii and having fun with the other children. He didn’t want to leave. I promised he would return tomorrow. This made my night because we have upcoming adult-only plans on the cruise. Phew! We can still do them.

Cole having fun in the Oceaneer Club.

This is the first cruise we didn’t have to book Flounder’s Reef (babysitting club). I felt so free being able to drop the kids off whenever we wanted. Bill got Will and Emily and we met at the elevators. It was time to head back to our staterooms for the night.

The fish extender fairies work quickly because we already had goodies waiting for us when we got back to our staterooms. When we entered the stateroom, the first thing I noticed is that our room steward had paid us a visit and turned down the beds and left us a little towel animal. Returning every evening on a cruise is a treat because you never know what animal awaits you. This evening we had a bird/swan.

Towel Animal: Swan

Mom was already asleep when we got back. So, we quietly got ready for bed. Normally, the kids fuss a little when trying to put them to bed away from home. There was no resistance this evening. Before I knew it, the kids were all fast asleep. Not too long after them, I was off to Never Land dreaming of tomorrow’s day.

COMING UP: ~ Port - Nassau, Bahamas ~ Do we get off the ship??????

 

[DVCsince02]

I assume since you were down the hall from us, you were outside and on the same side of the boat as us. We got the wet and windy side. Fun! Fun! I was so glad when they let us go back inside. They didn't have to tell us twice.

I am Dreamin' of a warmer cruise in November.

Jennifer

Ya know, I don't think our muster was too bad. Chilly yes, but I don't remember being wet. I was just happy to be going back inside.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY FOUR
MONDAY - December 13, 2010
I was woken up by the sound of the ships engine. I didn’t notice it last night. But, for some reason the commotion woke me up. I looked out our porthole and we were getting close to Nassau. Everyone else was still asleep. So, I took the quiet time to enjoy the passing view outside our porthole. Something that caught my eye was a jetty made out of old oil drums.

This is one way to recycle.

Also, there was a little island with a few houses on it.

I wouldn’t mind living here …

The closer we got to the port, the louder the ship’s engine roared. On our past cruises, I was still asleep when the ship was docking. So, this was fun to watch. First I had a view of the shoreline where the shops and hotels were. Soon, we were turning completely around. The Captain was backing the ship into port. Then, I caught a view of the lighthouse and Atlantis in the distance.

Pictures from our porthole.

It was a wet and windy day. I could see the palm trees swaying and the workers on the dock had on hooded jackets. This is the Caribbean right? Before I knew it, the Captain was propellering us sideways into the dock without a single bounce. Smooth docking. We have arrived in Nassau, Bahamas. Yea!!!!!!!

COMING UP: Do we get off the ship? Better question, with the terrible weather ... will we get to Castaway Cay tomorrow????

 

[DVCsince02]

I will never cruise on December again... LOL!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY FOUR (Part 2)
MONDAY - December 13, 2010
Everyone was moving slowly this morning. We decided to order room service for breakfast (some muffins and donuts). This also gave time for people to shower and get ready leisurely. Our plans this morning were not set in stone. We didn’t book any DCL excursions for Nassau. We did have a wine tasting booked later through a fellow DISer (Thank you George!) onboard in the Cadillac Lounge. We figured that some people might get off the ship today. So, this would be a good time for the kids to use the pools if they wanted. I didn’t have to ask them twice, all three wanted to swim. So, after breakfast they put on their swim suits and we headed up to deck 9.

I didn’t plan on swimming. So, the Mickey pool was the best one for Cole. It is shallow. Plus, Emily wanted to go down the slide. When we stepped onto the deck, I couldn’t believe how windy it was and … it was chilly! I thought once we left Florida, the warm Caribbean sun would greet us in the Bahamas. Oh how I was wrong! Finally, the sun decided to make a brief appearance. Of course all the chairs in the sun were taken or had towels on them. So, I moved around to find some warmth in the sun while the kids swam. I mostly stood near the exit of the slide to catch Emily come down. She was going over and over again with no wait. She was having fun. Will and Cole made some friends in the Mickey pool.

The kids having fun at the Mickey pool.

Bill and Mom wandered around deck 9 for a bit. When it was around lunchtime, we met back up at a table near the Mickey pool. It is nice having Pluto’s Doghouse and Goofy’s Galley near the pools. So, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat on deck 9 outside for lunch. One of my favorite foods on DCL is the chicken tenders at Pluto’s Doghouse. I don’t know what it is about them. They are just yummy! So, I got those.

My DCL chicken tenders ...

Emily and Cole got the chicken tenders too. Will’s favorite at Pluto’s Doghouse is the fish sandwich. Mom got a panini and fruit from Goofy’s Galley. Bill went near the Goofy pool and got pizza from Pinocchio’s Pizzeria. When everyone’s bellies were full, we decided to head back to our stateroom to get the kids changed. Coming up on the DIS events itinerary was the Jodi Benson concert. I didn’t want to miss that!

The boys really wanted to go to their clubs and skip the concert. So, we brought Cole to the Oceaneer Club and Will to the Oceaneer Lab. Emily came with us to the Jodi Benson concert. The concert was in the Walt Disney Theatre. This is where they do the stage productions each night. We missed last night’s production called The Golden Mickeys. We’ve seen it before and honestly enjoyed just roaming the ship.

The Walt Disney Theatre

We found some great seats in the lower section near the middle of the stage. I had heard of Jodi Benson before the cruise. She is best known as the voice of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. But, she has also done Broadway shows and most recently the voice of Barbie in Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. I was very excited to hear her sing in person. Pete Werner (from the DIS Unplugged Podcast) came up on stage to introduce Jodi and the concert began …

Jodi Benson Concert

In between song she would give us a little bit of her history and the history of the song she was performing. Her voice was flawless. She is truly a great performer. I am very lucky to have had this amazing experience.

After the concert, Jodi was doing a meet and greet and signing outside the theatre. This is where patience came into play. Somehow, we were in the middle of the line and then ended up to be the back of the line. I don’t know how long we were in line. But, it had to be “at least” an hour. The DCL crew came out and brought everyone in line some Evian water bottles which I thought was nice.

Emily was all smiles as she met Jodi. Ariel is Emily’s favorite Disney Princess. We brought The Little Mermaid DVD sleeve and a Toy Story 3 Barbie doll for her to sign. In the gift bag from the DIS was a CD from The Little Mermaid. So, we had her sign the CD too. She was very nice and gracious.

Meeting Jodi Benson

Emily with her autographed doll.

After our time with Jodi, I looked at my watch and noticed that it was almost time for our wine tasting. So, Mom and I brought Emily to the Oceaneer Lab and Bill would meet up with us at the Cadillac Lounge where the wine tasting was taking place. This day was moving so quickly!

COMING UP: My first Wine Tasting!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY FOUR (Part 3)
MONDAY - December 13, 2010
WINE TASTING
I have never done a wine tasting. I am definitely not a connoisseur of wine. But, I do enjoy a good wine when I come across one to my liking. The Cadillac Lounge was filled with some familiar faces. Over the years, we’ve attended a few DIS Events like DISapalooza last year and a DIS group Adventures by Disney trip last April. So, we’ve gotten to know a few DISers and members of the Podcast crew over the years.

The wine tasting group.

All the tables were full. So, we hopped up onto the bar stools.

Ready for my first wine tasting.

Waiting on the bar was a flight of wines for the tasting. Some reds and some whites.

My flight of wine.

Also, there was chocolate and white chocolate to accompany some of the wines for the tasting.

The yummy chocolate. (I couldn't help myself. I munched on it during the whole tasting! LOL)

A DCL sommelier led the wine tasting. He gave us the history of each wine and told us the proper way to swirl the wine and taste.

Our DCL Sommelier.

Some of the wines were good and some were really, really bad. I was surprised how the chocolate made the wine taste differently. I can now see how pairing wine with the right food can make the wine taste better (or worse).

Mom "enjoying" the wine tasting.

Cheers Bill!

Being my first wine tasting, I learned a lot. I wouldn’t mind doing another one in the future.

This was my favorite wine.

After the wine tasting, we went to check on the kids in the clubs. Since, we (Mom, Bill and I) are having dinner at Palo tonight, we aren't eating in the main dining room. So, we wanted to catch the early stage show (Toy Story - The Musical). The boys were having too much fun. So, Emily came with Bill and I to the show. Mom went back to her stateroom to shower and get ready for dinner later. We've seen Toy Story - The Musical on past cruises. It is a condensed version of the movie with some new songs. It is cute.

Pictures from Toy Story - The Musical.

All throughout the day, people had been mumbling whether we would get to Castaway Cay tomorrow. There was a nasty storm brewing offshore. Conditions have to be just right for the Captain to pull into CC. We finally heard that we would stay docked in Nassau for the night and the Captain would head out to sea early in the morning for our At Sea day. He was switching up the days. Then, he would "try" to dock at Castaway Cay on Wednesday. Fingers crossed we get to Castaway Cay.

I decided to step outside to get some fresh air and take some pictures before heading back to our stateroom to get ready for our Palo dinner. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt the wind and rain. It was nasty outside.

Deck 4 Pictures (not a soul in sight)

A wet and windy evening in Nassau.

I sure am glad we are staying docked this evening. Otherwise, I might have to break out the Bonine. The kids were all safe in the clubs. So, I could get ready for dinner without any distractions. Besides being with my family, there are two things I look forward to most on a Disney cruise ... our day at Castaway Cay and dinner at Palo. I am really looking forward to this dinner.

We made our way to the elevator and pushed floor 10. Dinner at Palo awaits!

COMING UP: Dinner at Palo

 

[DVCsince02]

Woo Hoo! Love Palo!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY FOUR (Part 4)
MONDAY – December 13, 2010
Palo

Stepping out of the elevator on deck 10, we were right at the entrance to Palo. Leaving the rest of the ship to enter Palo, I could feel that this was an adults-only area. It was elegantly decorated with an Italian-theme. We were greeted by a smiling CM. He told us to have a seat and we would be seated shortly. Within a minute, he came back and was leading us to our table. The restaurant was packed, but not loud. People were speaking in low tones which I really appreciated. It added to the romantic ambiance of the room.

Our reservation was for 8:30 pm. So, the view outside of the window was darkness. For this cruise, the earlier seatings were booked. In the future, I would try and get a reservation around sunset. Since we were still docked, the restaurant was very still. This helped in enjoying our meal without the threat of motion sickness.

We were seated for only a moment, when our server came to introduce herself. She was very friendly. However, I felt it was a “forced” friendliness. Even so, she was very attentive throughout our dinner. She took our drink order. Mom and Bill ordered martinis I opted for cranberry juice and vodka. Then, a basket of breads and dipping sauces were placed on the table.

Dipping Sauces

(Pic from DIS)

Bill and I already knew what we wanted before even opening the menu. I have been looking forward to this meal since we booked this cruise. I ordered …

Fried Calamari
This was hot and crispy. Definitely fresher than what I was served at Parrot Cay last night. The squid was tender and perfectly cooked. It was a hit with everyone at the table. Too soon, it was all gobbled up. I definitely could have even more of this!

Quattro Fromaggi (Four-Cheese) Pizza
This was piping hot and crispy. It was very tasty. It had mozarella, mascarpone, gorgonzola and parmesan cheese. It tasted just as good as it sounds. Yummy! With three of us at the table, this was gone in a flash. Like the calamari, I could have eaten one more slice of the pizza. But, I was saving myself for my entrée and dessert. There was no way I was coming to Palo and being too stuffed to eat dessert. So, I paced myself.

(Pic from DIS)

Lobster and Mascarpone Ravioli.
On our last cruise, I got the steak. I didn’t like the sauce on it and ended up eating Bill’s lobster ravioli. So for this dinner at Palo, I ordered my own lobster ravioli. My first bite was yummy filled with lobster and the cream sauce worked well with the ravioli. However, my other two raviolis didn’t taste as good. By the time I got to them, the sauce was getting cold and the lobster flavor tasted “off”. It was weird. So in the future, I will try something different. Our server never really came by while I was eating this or I probably would have ordered something else. Then again, I was getting a little full and wanted to save room for …

Chocolate Soufflé
Everyone at our table ordered the chocolate soufflé. This came hot with chocolate and vanilla sauce which our server poured over each soufflé. I wish she would have left the sauces because half-way through eating my soufflé, I wanted to add more sauce (just my personal taste). Bill and Mom loved theirs the way it came. I loooooove chocolate! So, I was really looking forward to this sweet ending to my meal. This was chocolatey and yummy as usual. No complaints here! Yummmmmmmm!

Our server also brought out a selection of gelato for us to try. They were very refreshing.

After dessert, our server brought us a shot of a chilled lemon drink. I think it was limoncello. It was strong and very sweet.

Too soon, it was time to leave Palo. It left me wanting more. So of course, we will be back during a future cruise.

Palo - Dinner (DCL Wonder)
Food
Service
Atmosphere

Rating: 5 Best - 1 Worst

After dinner, we decided to go back to our stateroom to get into more comfortable clothing. Then, we went to WaveBands, the adult-only nightclub. It was crowded. We found some familiar faces and relaxed a bit before getting the kids.

Hanging out at WaveBands.

Even Bob Gurr (Disney Legend) was in Wavebands hanging out with the DISers onboard. He is a hoot!

Bob Gurr surrounded by DISers.

While we got the kids out of the Oceaneer Lab and Oceaneer Club, Mom stayed with our friends in the club and was going to meet back up with us in our staterooms. While getting the kids into their pajamas, Mom came into her stateroom. One more day had come and gone on The Wonder too quickly. Since the Captain is switching days, tomorrow would be our "At Sea" day. We have some great things planned for tomorrow. I can’t wait!

COMING UP: Brunch AND High Tea at Palo and meeting up with some Adventures by Disney friends.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

DAY FIVE
TUESDAY - December 14, 2010
We got in late the night before. So once again, everyone was moving slowly this morning. The DIS Unplugged Podcast was taping this morning onboard. There was no way we were making it. I was still in my pajamas waiting on room service when the show began. I was a little bummed, because I wanted to see the taping. One of these years we’ll get to one. During DISapalooza in 2009, we missed the taping because we ended up taking Cole (DS5) to the Magic Kingdom that day. Will and Emily couldn’t miss school (we had just taken them out a week the month before for a WDW trip). So, I got a nanny to stay with them. Shhhhhh! They still don’t know to this day that we went to Walt Disney World for that long weekend without them. We told them it was a business conference. LOL Cole has never spilled the beans. Smart kid! Okay, back to this morning … For breakfast, we got an assortment of pastries, cereal and fruit. Our kids aren’t fussy when it comes to breakfast. Will we get to enjoy breakfast “outside” of our room on this cruise??????

Room Service Breakfast

Bill and I have a brunch reservation at Palo today. Yea!!! I couldn’t get a reservation for the three of us for brunch. So, Mom and I are doing the Palo High Tea later. We’ve had brunch at Palo before. So, I know what to expect (thinking back, I don’t think I ate breakfast that morning). I’m going in there hungry!

We didn’t rush today. We brought the kids up to their clubs after our late breakfast. Mom had the morning and early afternoon all to herself. She could explore the ship or just sit on deck and take a nap. I know she appreciated the quiet time. I was going to meet her back in the room later. So, we could go to Palo together for our tea.

Palo Take Two ...

Palo Brunch

Bill and I got to Palo a little early for our Brunch. The room once again was VERY full. So, we waited a few minutes before being seated. Our server from our dinner last night, was our brunch server too. She remembered us and greeted us with a smile. I just remembered her name, Mariana from Argentina.

Our Server Mariana

She gave us a tour of the buffet. One thing I noticed, there was a lot of empty spaces on the buffet. It didn’t look like they were replenishing the buffet. Our reservation was for Noon (the only time we could get). Next time, I’ll try and get an earlier seating.

The Buffet

Made-to-order selections on display.

Once back at our table, Mariana took our drink orders and made-to order items. I ordered the chicken parmigiana. I have to get with Bill to remember what he ordered. I was focused on my own plate. While Mariana placed our order with the chef, we made a beeline for the buffet. We’d better hurry up and get food while it was there! I got some fruit, cheeses, meats and crackers to nibble on before my chicken arrived. By the time we got back to our table with our filled plates, our drinks were waiting on the table. It didn’t take long for our made-to-order meals arrived.

Chicken Parmigiana
The chicken was crispy and obviously cooked fresh. The tomato sauce was light and complimented the chicken well. The breading on the chicken was very light as if it were coated in panko breadcrumbs. I may have to try that at home the next time I make chicken parm. It was very tasty! The chicken was placed on top of cheese risotto. The risotto was perfectly cooked and creamy. I DO plan on getting this at our next Palo Brunch. It was “that” good.

Bill and Jennifer enjoying Palo Brunch

What is a Palo Brunch without dessert? After devouring my chicken (not a bite left on my plate!), we made our way to the dessert table.

Dessert Buffet

Everything looked yummy, but what I really wanted was not there anymore … chocolate-covered strawberries. When we took the buffet tour earlier, I noticed the strawberries. So, I was anticipating ending my meal with one. Well now, there wasn’t a chocolate-covered strawberry in sight. Our server went out back to see if there were anymore, but came back empty-handed. Another thing for next time, when I see the chocolate-covered strawberries … grab one! I settled on a cream tart and pudding-like dessert.

My plate of sweets.

Both were “okay”. I didn’t waddle out of there feeling bloated like I anticipated. I want a redo on Palo Brunch for an earlier time. It’s on my list for our next cruise.

Palo – Brunch (DCL Wonder)
Food
Service
Atmosphere

Rating: 5 Best - 1 Worst

COMING UP: Quick Meet and Greet with Bob Gurr, Charles Ridgway and Lee Cockerell!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Sorry this Trip Report has been neglected. A lot going on here ... trips to San Diego, Las Vegas, Utah & Colorado, school things with the kids, crazy weather (tornado and hail storms), fire in our laundry room and honestly I haven't been online that much lately. I've been living life! I still want to complete this trip report. The best is yet to come! So, here I go ...