What was your favorite experience from a DCL ship?

[Aisling]

My favorite, intense unforgettable experience was during all the crowd and party commotion on decks 9 and 10, I suddenly realized that were were moving, the ship was moving! It seems like such a simple thing, but to me, it was so exciting, I didn't know what to do! Except to tell my kids over and over again, "we're moving!" I rushed over to the rail to watch us glide over the water through the canal and out to sea. It was so unbelievable for me, a first-time cruiser. We were really going!

 

[Voireon]

I think my favorite moments are held in the "secret" deck 7 aft.

The sea is absolutely beautiful, and simply being outside with either new friends or close family, the feeling is absolutely wonderful.

Especially at night, when leaving a city. I love how the lights hit the water.

My absolute favorite of all time was when we were on a day at sea, and they let my 9-year-old sister play chip it golf. She whacked the ball two times for two, then whacked it a 3rd time and got 15! She beat everyone there, it was awesome!

 

[StitchMad]

Love this thread, so many great memories.
My best experience was probably aboard the Disney Magic in October 2005. I was the first "kid" in the new, re-modelled Oceaneers Lab. It was great to meet all the Cast Members who worked in there personally, and get to know them before most of the other kids. It was great.
Another amazing experience was on that same trip, playing about on the virtual ship down on Deck 2. It was very fun to control the Disney Magic through a labyrinth and dock it into Castaway Cay. It's a perfect vacation I will never forget.

 

[sherrlon]

WOW! These stories are so great, I get all weepy reading them because i am so excited!
Thanks for sharing these stories, for those of us who never have been on a Disney cruise it really helps give you a sense of what magic will be waiting for us on the cruise.

 

[threeCsmom]

You guys are great! I am just sitting here smiling ear to ear - keep the warm memories alive.

Here are a few of ours (as told to me by the kids):

DS4 - He was our magical souviner from our first Disney cruise - when that was really not possible! We went on our second DCL when he was 2 - and he is a complete Peter Pan fan. One afternoon he had on his Peter Pan outfit while we were walking around and ran into Captain Hook. Captain Hook "thought" DS was the real Peter Pan and carried on with him forever! Every time Captin Hook would try to shake his hand with his "hook" - DS would hold his sword up to fight and go "say your prayers Hook." It was just too much. After we left Hook, in about 5 minutes we ran into Peter Pan! I think the world came to a stop by the expression on my son's face! The moment was priceless!

DD11 & 9 - our first cruise, they were only 6 and 4, and they still talk about getting stuck in the elevator with Donald Duck and his handler! It was right after the Goofy workout session on Deck 9. We got on the empty elevator, turned around and in walked Donald! Then - the elevator wouldn't move! Donald just played with the girls - and allowed us to take tons of photos!

And finally, laying on the beach at Cataway Cay, looking up in the sky and spotting a hidden Mickey cloud! I am not kidding!! When my husband saw it, he just shook his head and said "only Disney could make that happen!"

Is it October yet??

 

[Footnotegirl]

I've got two, one from each trip:

On our first Disney Cruise (7 night western) we had Jean from France as our server. He soon found out that the four of us enjoyed snarkiness in good humor, etc. At formal night, he came to greet us at the door. My friend and I were in full length gowns, and he took one of us on each arm and lavished effusive praise upon us "Ladies! Enchante! So lovely!" etc. etc. took a few steps, paused, look back at our husbands so very dapper in their tuxes, sniffed and said "I suppose you two will do." and then took off with us again.

On our second, (7 day eastern) my husband's birthday occurred on a sea day. I managed, with the help of several CM's around the ship, to set up surprises for him throughout the day. Getting to see his face when he received a new pin at everything we went to (at lunch, at tea, at Palo, in the spa) delivered to him by a CM was delightful. But the very best was when we got back for the night. I'd given our room steward two pins, and asked if he would use them for the eyes of our towel animal that night. Not only did he do that, but he gave us the full romantic turn down experience, with the swans in a heart shape and rose petals leading to the bed!
It was really

 

[SmeeLover5150]

My Daughter winning Bingo, and the kids all dressed up for dinner. I just loved it all.

How is the Bingo...Is it worth the $40 you have to pay to enter?? Is it fun??

 

[branv]

I've mentioned this before, but on our cruise were 2 special needs adults, I'm guessing in their 40's or so. We saw them a number of times, and were absolutely lucky to see the complete happiness and bliss on their faces. In fact, during the sail away part, DH and I were standing on the deck above watching the fun. We are too shy and self-concious to participate. But down there were the two ladies, and they were having the time of their lives, dancing, singing, laughing, and clapping.

One other thing, nothing special but still makes me smile:

DH and I stopped off at Cove Cafe one night to get a specially made coffee. The barista made a big to-do about making up my layered cafe mocha, flourishes and all. He was so proud of his creation that he made me pose with it for a picture!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I love these memories!

Seeing sorcerer's apprentice Mickey in AP. He is my favourite Mickey after the traditional one. You never see SAM at WDW or DL or at least I haven't.

Unless it has changed--we have seen SM at MGM studios. Haven't looked lately though, so not sure if they still have him or not.

 

[pumpkin5156]

thanks guys.i now look like a real idiot, crying at my computer.

Wonderful stories......
cant wait for my first!

I know! my DH is watching the Padre game behind me, and I'm trying to hide my tears. This is making me so so so excited for our trip! Keep the reports coming!

 

[lawhit88]

bump

 

[3sons]

I know! my DH is watching the Padre game behind me, and I'm trying to hide my tears. This is making me so so so excited for our trip! Keep the reports coming!

If I posted pictures you would certianly cry, but...on a sea day I had a few hours at the ADULT pool alone. Well, here comes Daisy Duck in her swimsuit. Yep, I had a CM take our picture together! She looked better that me in her suit, but I sure enjoyed that moment!
Couldn't quit giggling. (I'm certian the drink of the day had nothing to do with it!)

 

[Sandaneli]

THe picture in the corner is from the 10 deck of The Magic when we were leaving Cape Canaveral on our first cruise.

It was an incredible moment. The Captain was getting ready to take the ship out and we were watching and waiting for the ship to move. We looked up and there was Mickey in the clouds watching us leave the Port.

A magical beginning to an incredible vacation.

 

[njdisneyfans]

My daughter (10 yrs. old at the time) and her newly-made friend just said goodbye to us after lunch and were getting in the elevator to go off to explore the ship together. Just as the elevator doors are closing, Captain Hook sticks his hook in the door to hold it open so he & Mr. Smee can also get inside. The look on the girls' faces? Priceless!!

Later in the day DD confided to me that "she thought she was going to pass out" when Captain Hook got into THEIR elevator! She was beside herself with anxiety & joy at the same time! DD is 16 now and she STILL talks about that experience!!

 

[waltfan1957]

My wife in her powerchair saying whats on this deck (7) we went out onto the deck, and she was challenged to a race by a beautiful 8 year old girl also in a power chair she beat my wife, but she now calls us Aunt and Uncle no vacation memory will ever beat that moment

Love to C

 

[JennL]

Love this thread!

DH on the varanda with the look of calm about him that I had never seen before.

Winning a trivia contest and getting a SM antenna topper for DH's car (I already had Mickey on mine.) Now which ever car we are trying to locate in the parking lot we say - "There's Mickey" and for a moment we are back on our honeymoon and having a Magical Disney Day!

 

[lg3]

On our last cruise, DH had brought a picture of Ariel in a frame onboard the ship secretly, to have it "signed" by Ariel and given to DD. She LOVES mermaids and wants really badly to believe they are real. We gave the picture to concierge to get it signed. The next night, we were coming back from the show, and DD (then 8) walked into the cabin, to see the surprise that "Ariel" had left for her on the bed. Ariel had written a note to DD, and signed it "your friend Ariel". There was sparkly confetti all over the bed, and going from the bed to the floor, to the verandah door, and out on the verandah; it looked as if Ariel had jumped onto the verandah, come into the cabin, and placed the picture on the bed, leaving behind "mermaid pixie dust". DD said "I KNEW it was true, mermaids ARE real!". I cried like a baby!
That picture now hangs in my DD's bedroom.

Okay, I just lost it right there - how absolutely wonderful!

 

[pumpkin5156]

bump bump bump

I can't post until I go on a cruise,so until then, you guys have to keep it going!!

 

[mollygirl13]

My best moment aboard the Disney Magic was right afterPirate night. DH and I stayed around to watch POTC on the 'Dumbotron'. I grabbed 2 lounge chairs while DH ran back to the room to get blankets. (It was a bit chilly up there) Onhis way back, he stopped and grabbed sodas and cookies for us to eat while we watched the movie. We snuggled under the stars watching our favorite movie together. It was, indeed, pure heaven!!

 

[Luv2Travel]

Now that I've dried up my face and nose, I thought I'd add one of my favorite memories:

My children were DS12, DD12, and DS10 on our first cruise. I was worried if they would be "too old" to do a Disney Cruise (silly me ). I was also worried that since my children were older that they would not feel the "magic" or get the attention that the younger children on board feel. Well, that worry quickly went away at our first meal as our server Rocky started to perform magic tricks with my youngest son. They also "teased" my children by cutting their steaks and spoon feeding them. Rocky and his assistant JoJo knew exactly how to entertain my children (and DH and myself) and how to share the magic with them even though they were older children. My youngest son who will be 12 on his next cruise is still asking if we'll get to have Rocky and JoJo again because he enjoyed them so much. It was little things, but the attention that Rocky and JoJo gave my family made us all feel the magic of a Disney Cruise!