Value Resorts and Inside Staterooms? Bah Humbug! 30 days of Disney fun! 02/10 Day 30

[Stefy]

Great start to your Cruise, so nice of MaryEllen to send you guys a gift

 

[YukiPhnx]

How nice to be in the exact same stateroom! Just like coming home! And those gifts were so thoughtful of them! I thought maybe the cruise had somehow memorized what you liked. The bag of goodies look very good too. How were the rice crispy treats? They look too cute to eat!

 

[TinkerbellinNY6]

Cali grill by far was my favoritist meal evah!!!! I think we spent 4 hours there in Oct. Our ressies were for 5:45 and we were still at our table when wishes started at 9. Ron was the best CM. I have his card and if we need end up there in May I will call him to make sure he is our server.

Got caught up on the TR today. Remind me, Austrian schools go year round right? Thus the long breaks that you get. Isn't it amazing that you can spend so much time at one place and still always see something new? Love the magic of Disney.

We went to Coco this last time and when you drive over that hill and see the cruise ships it is a magical view. Almost made me want to get on one. I said almost. Still have that nagging fear of the boat going upside down LOL.

I saw your ticker and we will be at Disney World the same time as you!!!!!!

 

[jenseib]

What a wonderful surprise to find extra goodies in the room! It looks youumy!
I can't wait to hear more about the trip!
1 week from today I wil lbe arriving at CC for the first time myself!

 

[MamaPotts]

Busy week at work so I'm just getting caught up on some of my favorite TRs: yours!

Austrian schools - our school year starts the second Monday in September, and it will end on the second Friday in July. Inbetween we have a nine week break during the summer (2 weeks off for Christmas, 1 week for half term and nearly 2 weeks for Easter). So with a 9 week break we can easily go away for 4 weeks during the summer (Tom gets 6 weeks off a year).
I guess we will never get tired of the place, but then we venture offsite as well. As I told Tina this February - things you take for granted are very exciting for us - the size of Publix and going shopping for school supplies at Walmart!
But we will always come back home to Disney!

So funny that you said that you enjoy Publix and buying school supplies. Here in NYC, our grocery stores tend to be small and cramped so I going to Publix or Target is an event for me! Last summer I bought all of DS' school supplies in Florida before heading back north. And having a washer/dryer in the Villa is heaven! Sometimes I do laundry just because I can.

Now off to read more about your cruise...

 

[dizneeat]

It sounds like the cruise was off to a great start! DCL is wonderful and I can't wait to cruise again!

It was a wonderful start to our cruises!
We just love DCL and can't wait for this year's cruises! 11 days on the DREAM!

Great start to your Cruise, so nice of MaryEllen to send you guys a gift

Mary Ellen and Joe are such nice people and they never fail to surprise us! And it helped starting off our cruise with a bang!

How nice to be in the exact same stateroom! Just like coming home! And those gifts were so thoughtful of them! I thought maybe the cruise had somehow memorized what you liked. The bag of goodies look very good too. How were the rice crispy treats? They look too cute to eat!

We booked that stateroom especially! We WANTED to come home. The gifts were just the icing on the cake.
DCL gives great welcome back gifts! I can't comment on the rice crispy treats, as we gave them to Joe. He LOVES rice crispy treats and we had WAY too much food on our hands!

I saw your ticker and we will be at Disney World the same time as you!!!!!!

Yippie! Reason to celebrate!

 

[dizneeat]

What a wonderful surprise to find extra goodies in the room! It looks youumy!
I can't wait to hear more about the trip!
1 week from today I wil lbe arriving at CC for the first time myself!

And before I got to answer your post, you are already back from your cruise and visit to WDW!
Time just flies by too fast! But the gifts in the stateroom were such a nice treat!

Busy week at work so I'm just getting caught up on some of my favorite TRs: yours!

So funny that you said that you enjoy Publix and buying school supplies. Here in NYC, our grocery stores tend to be small and cramped so I going to Publix or Target is an event for me! Last summer I bought all of DS' school supplies in Florida before heading back north. And having a washer/dryer in the Villa is heaven! Sometimes I do laundry just because I can.

Now off to read more about your cruise...

Thank you for catching up on MY tripreports!

For us, going to Publix or other huge stores is so different. We have larger stores too, but nothing the size of the ones in the US. So this is part of our vacation experience. And there are so many things I can get for my pupils that we don't get here - and I can always use some reward treats for them.

I just LOVE the washer/dryer at OKW. If you travel for 4 weeks on limited luggage it is such a blessing. Coming home and throwing a few things in and being able to use them the next morning is just too good to be true.

 

[englishrose47]

Just checking in on my FIXED laptop!!!

 

[dizneeat]

Just checking in on my FIXED laptop!!!

Yeah for the fixed laptop!

 

[dizneeat]

Day 13, August 26

Going back to the WONDERful Disney WONDER and some WONDERful surprises - Part 3

We walked back to our stateroom to find that our luggage had arrived.

So we started unpacking and asked our stateroom host, Arturo if he would be able to separate the beds. He was sorry he didn’t have time right away, but would do so before turn down service.

We unpacked all of our things, hung the Fish Extender outside our door and decorated the door with our magnets, and then stowed the suitcases under the writing desk for the time being. After everything was done we sat outside on the verandah for a while.

It was soon time for the safety drill.

So once we heard the signal we put on our life jackets and went outside to join the stream of people. We made it to our station in no time and the drill was over in just a few minutes and we were on our way back to our stateroom to put away the life jackets.

We both got our cameras and headed upstairs again to watch the Adventures Away Party.

They were just warming up the audience when we arrived and we were able to find a nice spot to watch all the action.

The party was real good fun and soon it was time for the countdown and Captain Henry to steer the ship out of the port!

We stood on the top deck and waved to CM at the port and people who were watching the ship leaving port.

Very soon we had left the port and were on our way out to sea and Nassau.

 

[Stefy]

Oooh exciting exciting, eagerly awaiting more cruise recaps

Quick question for you, do you think its worth catching the Sailaway party, or is it worth going to the front to see the dolphins in the bay? I know there's no guarantee, but have also heard you can get some great shots from there as well and its pretty quiet

 

[podsnel]

So THAT'S what sailaway looks like....I had forgotten....

 

[dizneeat]

Oooh exciting exciting, eagerly awaiting more cruise recaps

Quick question for you, do you think its worth catching the Sailaway party, or is it worth going to the front to see the dolphins in the bay? I know there's no guarantee, but have also heard you can get some great shots from there as well and its pretty quiet

There are lots more cruise updates coming up!
To be honest, I would not miss the Sailaway party. You will have lots of time to see the dolphins before the party and even from your stateroom. We saw them from our balcony when we got back from our first cruise. We woke up, walked out onto the balcony and there were several playing in the harbour!

I was really disappointed when on our first cruise we had "liquid sunshine" (Disney term for pouring rain! ) and the party was held in the atrium. Nice show, but so much more fun on deck!

So THAT'S what sailaway looks like....I had forgotten....

Ellen, only you ..........

 

[jenseib]

I LOVE this update! Can't wait for more!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi Karin! I am so excited to read the Wonder part of your trip. We will be sailing on her in. 5 DAYS Nice castaway Gifts! You look cute in your life Vests!

 

[Stefy]

There are lots more cruise updates coming up!
To be honest, I would not miss the Sailaway party. You will have lots of time to see the dolphins before the party and even from your stateroom. We saw them from our balcony when we got back from our first cruise. We woke up, walked out onto the balcony and there were several playing in the harbour!

I was really disappointed when on our first cruise we had "liquid sunshine" (Disney term for pouring rain! ) and the party was held in the atrium. Nice show, but so much more fun on deck!

Yeah? Well maybe we will try and find a good spot to catch it then

 

[dizneeat]

I LOVE this update! Can't wait for more!

More coming up shortly!

Hi Karin! I am so excited to read the Wonder part of your trip. We will be sailing on her in. 5 DAYS Nice castaway Gifts! You look cute in your life Vests!

Only 5 more days?

The gifts were cool! It was nice to see the extra touches.

If you happen to go past stateroom 7058, say hello to my favourite stateroom, please!

Yeah? Well maybe we will try and find a good spot to catch it then

You have to decide for yourself, Stefy, but the dolphins will be there before the ship leaves and when you return IF there are any at all - the sailaway party is a sure bet and you would even look really awesome on the dancefloor!

 

[dizneeat]

Day 13, August 26

Going back to the WONDERful Disney WONDER and some WONDERful surprises - Part 4

Very soon we had left the port and were on our way out to sea and Nassau.

Once we got back to our stateroom we found out that Arturo had already separated the beds, and put fresh ice into the wine/ice-bucket.

We sat on the balcony again for a while watching the sea, then got changed and walked downstairs to watch the early performance of The Golden Mickeys.

It was as fun as it had been the previous year and time just flew by.

There was just little time left before we were supposed to go to dinner, so after walking around the ship we just sat out on the balcony until it was time for dinner.

Our first dinner was at Triton’s and we got there a little early.

 

[dizneeat]

Day 13, August 26

Going back to the WONDERful Disney WONDER and some WONDERful surprises - Part 5

Our first dinner was at Triton’s and we got there a little early.

We joined the queue and were let into the restaurant after just a few minutes. Our server introduced herself and soon after a second couple joined our table.
They did not seem interested in conversation much, so we just kept it to ourselves. Then a third couple was seated and that is when the husband of the second couple started to get talkative.
He told everyone that he had 5 sons and that he had left them all at home for this trip and how he was a brilliant auctioneer and how he did everything in his life brilliantly and he knew everything, had been everywhere, had seen everything. The more he talked the quieter we all got.
Finally the fourth couple joined our table and was told everything about Mr. Know it all’s past too.
Tom and I ordered a drink each and it was good we did, as it might have helped getting through the evening with Mr. Know it all.

Tom got The Royal,

Sparkling wine, Crème de Cassis and Peach Schnapps, while I ordered the Cosmopolitan L'Orange,

Grey Goose L'Orange, Grand Marnier, Cranberry Juice, dash of lime juice.

The server quickly came round to take our orders for the starters. Tom ordered the Duck Confit,

Salted and Slow-cooked Duck, Dried Prunes, Candied Walnuts, Chicory and Mixed Leaves with Apple Walnut Dressing. I ordered the Avocado - Citrus Salad

with Iceberg and Radicchio Leaves and an Orange Vinaigrette, which was far too sweet for my liking and I didn’t really eat much of it.

Next up were the main courses. While Mr. Know it all informed everyone that he thought there was nothing to his liking on the menu, Tom ordered the Slowly Braised Lamb Shank

with a Creamy Polenta and Portobello Mushroom in a Red Wine Sauce as his entrée, which he really enjoyed. I ordered the Three-Cheese Lobster Macaroni,

Lobster Meat, Gruyère, and Cheddar Cheese Sauce tossed with Tubular Pasta and topped with a Parmesan Wafer.
Tom had had it the year before and I could not wait to order it myself. It was as good as it looked and we both cleared our plates.

Next up were the desserts. Tom ordered the Chocolate Mousse

with Brandy-marinated Cherries, which was not too sweet and he enjoyed it very much. I guess I hit the dessert jackpot. I had The Brioche and Pannetone Pudding

with Toffee Sauce. OH MY GOD, this was a little piece of heaven. The Pudding was soft and gooey and the toffee sauce was out of this world.
It was well worth the wait, as the server had brought out the wrong dessert first, and it took a little while for the pudding to arrive!

By then we had all heard far too much about Mr. Know it all and everyone quickly made their escapes.

We walked back to our stateroom and found a cute towel elephant, a poster and some chocolates.

Then we got changed into something more comfortable and then finally took our map and the first part of our Fish Extender goodies and went on our first round to fill the Fish Extenders of this cruise’s participants.

It took us nearly an hour to actually find all the cabins as some people had been upgraded or moved but in the end we made it.

Once back in the stateroom we opened the bottle of wine and the cheese plate and nibbled for a while until we were too stuffed to eat just one more bite.

We sat on the balcony for a few more minutes, enjoying the sound of the waves and the smell of the salty sea air before it was time for us to finally get a little rest.

 

[Kat in GA]

I am all caught up! I can only dream of spending that much time at the world - or even of doing a back to back cruise - and trust me, I do dream it

Can't wait to hear of your further adventures (and of the next dinners with MR Know it all!).