Trip Report - Hawaii bound on the Disney Wonder - Thursday, September 10, 2015

Today was our third (out of five) sea days and guess what was on the plan? 

Relaxation. Yes, I know you’re surprised! :)

After having breakfast with Michelle at Beach Blanket, I got ready for the day and decided I’d like to see the newest Avengers movie in the Buena Vista Theatre.  I’d seen it at home when it was released, but thought it’d be a nice way to spend the morning. 

As I rounded the corner to the theatre, I smelled that “you’re at a movie” smell - popcorn. YUM. I couldn’t resist, and bought some popcorn in a reusable Disney bucket. For $7.50, you got the popcorn and bucket, with refills at $3.50.

The movie was about two and a half hours, so then it was time for lunch! :) (are you sensing a pattern here…..eating and eating and more eating). They were having a BBQ as another lunch option, but the crowd was pretty good-sized so I decided to just do the regular lunch buffet.

After some couscous salad and veggies (OK, OK, I had dessert too….I’m on vacation!), I decided to make my way to Deck 10 to read my book. And there I stayed for about 2 hours. HEAVEN. Michelle recommended a book to me and so while the internet was at a cooperating point, I was able to log into Amazon and purchase it, and download it to my Kindle. Score! :) it was a super relaxing afternoon; I was on a chaise on Deck 10, facing the ocean and just reading and watching us sail peacefully across the Pacific.

Some people have asked about the sea conditions as you cross the open ocean. We had AMAZING weather and it’s been such a calm passage. I haven’t noticed any difference between this cruise and when we’re sailing towards the Bahamas or Caribbean. As I sat here writing this, I was watching the ocean and it was just perfect; small waves here and there, but quite calm. There had been some hurricane activity in the area last week and so we weren’t sure if we would need to go off course and sail around storms, but so far so good.

After a quiet and calm evening, I did some more reading in the room when Michelle and her son went to a movie. Michelle and I then had a fabulous dinner at Palo - antipasti, appetizers, that amazing Filet and of course, the Palo Souffle. We rolled ourselves out of Palo and right into bed. With full bellies, we were asleep in no time!

LIVE from the Disney Wonder - Tuesday, September 8th 2015

Today was our first of five at sea days. These days are my absolute FAVORITE of any cruise itinerary; honestly, if they could do an itinerary where they just sailed around nowhere and you had all sea days, I would book that in a hot minute.

We all slept really well. I am still getting used to the time change, and so I did wake up early, about 4AM (which is 6AM at home). However, I was able to get back to sleep until about 8:30AM so that was great. I’m trying to get on the current time sleeping-and-waking schedule and so far, so good. Once I got up, I went and grabbed some coffee and Michelle and I sat on the balcony, chatting for a few minutes before it was time to get ready for Palo brunch!

Oh Palo brunch…..you guys, seriously ~ I could go ON AND ON. It’s so delicious. At $30/person I feel like it’s well worth it. There are so many great options - fruits, savory items, caviar (YES), pastries, desserts as well as made-to-order items that you can have as well. Michelle and I decided to split a pizza (they will do half and half if you want to try more than one flavor), I got Eggs Benedict (the BEST) and Michelle chose the Chicken Parmasan. You also get a complimentary beverage like a mimosa or sparkling wine and of course soda, tea, coffee, etc are included. Michelle knew (name) from past cruises and so we requested him. Another excellent DCL server! Really, these folks are amazing.

It was a nice leisurely meal, and we were there about an hour and a half. After eating, we decided to visit the cruise shopping options. There is a SUPER CUTE Mickey and Minnie graphic for these Hawaii cruises and I wanted to get a Tervis cup with that graphic. I like having a larger cup to fill up at the beverage machines vs their smaller cups they provide and figured they’d have a special one this cruise, so I didn’t bring one from home. I’ll probably go back and get a magnet and that’ll be the extent of my souvenir shopping.

After changing out of the dress I wore to Palo, I decided to go up the adults area on Deck 9 and do some blog writing. Another thing I love about cruising is all the uninterrupted writing time I have, and so far this cruise has been no exception.

I spent a nice hour or so writing blog posts, and then decided to head to the room for a bit. Having a balcony is SO nice, it was great to spend some time out there with my Kindle and read, watching the ocean go by…..bliss.

Dinner tonight was at Animator’s Palette, one of my favorite menus of the cruise. Michelle and I split the pasta pursettes, which is right up there for me as one of my favorite DCL appetizers EVER. I also had the squash soup, and the beef tenderloin. I typically don’t choose red meat but decided to go out on a limb today and was so glad I did - it was delicious. We also saw the special show they do at Animators with a special guest - Mickey Mouse! This is my favorite incarnation of Mickey Mouse and so I always love this show.

I ended my night in the Rainforest spa, in the saunas and showers. SO relaxing. I also discovered they have the facial cleaners and toners that they use in the spa, free and available for our use.

We ended the night by watching movies in the room, and drifted off to sleep. We got a notice in our room that we were to turn our clocks back an hour before we went to bed - getting closer to that Hawaii time zone!

Thanks for reading; I apologize that my internet has been spotty and I’ve not been able to post live blogs as I would like, so these are a few days behind “real time”. 

Have a magical day!

LIVE from the Disney Wonder ~ Hawaii Cruise, Embarkation Day!

Hello from somewhere in the Pacific Ocean! :) I was hoping to post every day but our internet out here on the Pacific has been spotty. I'll post updates when I can; and when we get to Hilo, HI on Sunday, I'll have even better signal so hopefully I can post some more blog updates. I will also be posting more photos to Facebook and Instagram, so stayed tuned for those!

On Sunday AM, I flew out early from Des Moines and arrived in Vancouver about 11:30AM local time. Michelle (my agency owner) and her son also arrived about the same time, which was great. We went through security and customs at the airport, grabbed our bags, and then got on the train to go from the airport to downtown Vancouver, and the Pan Pacific Hotel.

A quick note about the Vancouver airport; if you’re flying in from the US, you will go through a customs line in order to gain entrance into Canada. Once you get off the plane, customs is the first thing you do (and I didn’t see any chances to visit the restroom before you get in line, so you’ll want to do that on the plane before you disembark). The line can look long, but it moves pretty fast. They have these pretty neat self-serve machines where you scan your passport, answer some questions and then a receipt is printed out. You get in another line (which also moves pretty fast) and then show that receipt and your passport to one of the Canadian customs agents. From there, you are right at baggage claim and then it’s a very easy walk to the train, taxis or shuttles. I would say it took about 15-20 minutes to get through customs.

We then exited the airport and went to the train station; it’s about $6 US to get a train ticket, and it only took about 20 minutes to arrive at the Waterfront station. From there, it was a quick 5 minute walk and then we arrived at the Pan Pacific!

Seriously, you guys - if you sail out of Vancouver, you HAVE to stay at the Pan Pacific. The location can’t be beat; the cruise port is RIGHT at the hotel, so you just go downstairs to do your check in and go through security. They even have a service where they’ll come and get your bags from you, and transport them to baggage services for you! You just attach those baggage tags that come in your documents and they’ll grab them for you. 

The price for a room is about $250-300 per night, but for convenience and ease it can’t be beat. You’re also very close to lots of eating and shopping, as well as places like Stanley Park, so if you’re looking for things to do in the days before you sail there is plenty to do. 

When we arrived Sunday night, we chose to stay pretty close to the hotel and relax; we knew we’d have a busy day on Monday so we wanted to stay close. Michelle and I did end up walking to a market/grocery store that’s about a 5-10 minute walk from Pan Pacific, and getting some snacks and extras we forgot to pack. We then all turned in early, and were getting SO excited to cruise!

Coming up next - Monday: cruise embarkation day!

Bon Voyage! Vancouver and Hawaii, here I come!

Hello, friends! Today is the last blog entry before I leave on my Vancouver-Hawaii adventure on the Disney Wonder. I am leaving home tomorrow afternoon, with an early flight to Vancouver on Sunday morning.

I will be doing a post each day about what happened the previous day, so be sure and stay tuned for those!

I will also be sharing LOTS of pictures and videos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so be sure you're following me there (those links are on the top of this page).

Once we get to Hawaii, I'll also be doing LIVE Periscope videos from the islands, as well as Disney's Aulani Resort, so make sure you're signed up for Periscope if you're not already.

I'm pretty excited to take this journey and am equally excited to have you along!

Have a magical day!

Expenses on a Disney Cruise - Making your Vacation Budget

REAL soon is right!

It's just a short two weeks until I cruise on the Wonder. As I posted a few weeks ago, I'm finalizing my plans, packing list, etc.

Another item that's always on my pre-vacation list is finalizing my vacation budget. Some items are fixed and some expenses are varied, so let's talk about those.

Fixed expenses can include:

 - Your cruise fare.

Yes, you have to actually pay money to cruise. I know, I know...what a bummer. :)

 - Travel expenses to get to the port.

Whether you fly or drive, you'll have some expenses in getting to the port before your cruise. This may include plane tickets, pre and/or post cruise hotels, gas, parking fees, food while on the road, etc. I always estimate on the high side, and add in 10-15% extra for unexpected expenses.

 - Gratuities and tips.

Some might say these aren't in the Fixed category, but I feel they're so important that they're always in that column of my vacation budget. With Disney (and many other cruise lines), the set tips for your cruise are added to your onboard account. You can always increase or decrease those amounts, but please plan on paying those. I've always had exceptional service on cruises and I want to convey that thanks to the stateroom attendant and dinner staff.

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Now let's talk about those expenses that you CAN have, but certainly aren't necessary. Depending on my budget for the cruise, I might add some of these extras into my vacation.

Your extra expenses might be:

 - Excursions

Whether you do excursions through the cruise line or on your own, you can spend some big bucks. I usually pick one (maybe two) excursions over the course of the cruise. For instance, in Honolulu I really want to see Pearl Harbor, so that's my excursion for this cruise.

Also, you can do a little research and see if there are cheaper options to tour the ports, or if there are other reputable companies running less expensive tours. Just be sure that if you decide to walk around or book an excursion through another company that you do your research and keep safety in mind.

 - Spa treatments

The spa on Disney Cruise Line is a magical place, but that magic comes at a price. If you're looking to cut down on expenses, I would stay away from the spa treatments.

If the spa is your "thing" on a cruise, and you're on a tight budget, consider having your spa treatment(s) stand in for excursion and/or souvenir expenses. I did this about a year ago, and had the BEST hot stone massage of my life. It was heaven. SO worth it!

 - Alcohol or extra food charges (such as Palo) 

On DCL, all of your food is included with the exception of some of the Signature dining offerings such as Palo. Palo is adults-only and offers both brunch and dinner. It's $30/person and VERY much worth it, I think. I always include at least one Palo meal in my cruise budget! On the Dream and Fantasy, there is also Remy, a very fancy French restaurant that is $75/person.

Of course, alcohol is also an extra expense. Disney recently revised their carry on policy for alcohol; you can no longer bring on liquor but you can, at embarkation and each port, up to two bottles of wine or champagne or 6 bottles of beer per person over 21. If you like to have a glass of wine or beer during the day and would rather not pay the cruise prices, feel free to bring some on board with you. (They ask that you only consume it in your room.)

 - Souvenirs

I try and limit myself to just a few souvenir items on vacation. On the cruise, I'll typically buy a small commemorative item, such as a pin, a magnet, etc. If I see a really cute DCL Tervis cup that I love, I'll buy that too. On a cruise of this length (10 days), I'm planning on spending less than $50 on souvenirs.

I used to buy a lot. A LOT. And then I moved and started to sort through all the crap (I mean, priceless treasures) that I'd bought over the years and realized that I just don't need all of it. A few small tokens and reminders of the trip work great for me.

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One of my favorite aspects of a Disney cruise are all the free activities that you can do, without spending another dime. You can see the Broadway-caliber stage shows, go to cooking demonstrations, trivia, and fun classes like learning how they fold those sweet towel animals, all for FREE. It's very possible to not spend a fortune in on board charges, and you can still have a GREAT cruise.

What extras, if any, do you budget for on your cruise vacations?

Have a magical day!

Movin' with Mickey Monday - Update + My Healthy Cruising Plan

Hello, everyone! Hope you all had a magnificent weekend! If you followed along on our Facebook page, you saw ALL the great and wonderful news coming out of Anaheim and the D23 event. I'll do a recap later this week, but it's time for a Movin with Mickey progress report so I didn't want to neglect that.

I wanted to give you a general update on how the Movin with Mickey is going - short answer, it's great! In the last 6 weeks I've lost over 9 lbs so that's been great to see. Some of my clothes are starting to get loose, which is always fun!

I am not doing so great on my plan to do yoga a few times a week but am planning on doing that this week. I always feel great after I do it, I just need to make the time.

I also wanted to give an update on how I'm planning on following my eating and exercise plan while on Disney Cruise Line. For those of you who might not know - in early September I am going on a 10 night cruise on the Disney Wonder from Vancouver to Honolulu, Hawaii. I want to enjoy my vacation but not put myself behind fitness and eating wise, so here is my plan:

* Walk around Deck 4 every day for 2-3 miles.

On the Classic ships (the Wonder and the Magic), three times around Deck 4 is a mile.  It's also one of my favorite parts of DCL, such a great place to relax and watch the world go by. I plan on walking every morning or at some point during every day, as both a way to relax and get in some exercise.

* Make sure I get all my fruits and veggies in during the day.

At meals and for snacks, I'll make sure I continue to choose lots of fruits and vegetables like I do at home. One of the great things is not only are there lots of healthy choices available in the dining rooms, you can also get walk-up fruits and veggies as well from the quick service locations on deck.

*ENJOY myself on vacation!

I am not using vacation as an excuse to go wild and throw away the progress I've made - but I also realize that vacations are special, and so I'll enjoy the treats I'll have. Some of my favorite breakfast items on DCL are the Mickey waffles and the Eggs Benedict. I will still enjoy those, but perhaps every other day instead of every morning. I also plan on having a dessert at dinner each night, so perhaps I'll not have the soup or appetizer course each night as well. I'll continue to make good choices while not stressing out about it, because where's the fun in that?

How are you all doing on your fitness and health journeys?

Have a magical day!

Getting my ducks in a row for my Disney Cruise

Hi, all! I realized it's been about a week since I chatted with you here (oops!) but wanted to give you the scoop on what I've been doing.

It's about 4 weeks until I leave from Vancouver on the Disney Wonder for my 10 night cruise to Hawaii, and as a consummate planner, you know I'm already getting my ducks in a row for vacation. I wanted to share with you some things I do, and some of the things I like to bring along with me when I go on Disney Cruise Line.

* Cash in my spare change jar for room service and baggage tips.

I have a coffee cup near my desk where I put my change, and in a few weeks I'll go the bank and cash that in. I don't pay with cash all that often (I use my debit card more often) but I typically find myself with at least $40 in change when cruise time comes around. I like to get that mostly in $5s and $1s so I can have tip money ready for baggage helpers at the airport and hotel, and also for room service on the cruise.

* Finalize my packing list.

As I've mentioned before, one of the oddities about me (hold your laughter, I know there are more than a few!) is that while I LOVE to vacation, I HATE packing. Seriously one of my least favorite things to do. So thus the next item on my cruise-prep list.

I am going to *try* to pack for about 2 weeks in a carry-on bag. I know. Hold me.

But seriously, when I pack a ton of clothes I never wear half of them so I don't feel like lugging around a giant suitcase, and I also would prefer to save the $50 in checked baggage fees. During the day, it's swimsuits, tees and shorts, so that's easy. At night, I do like to dress up for dinner but I'm planning on packing 3-4 skirts and pants, and 3-4 tops, in coordinating colors and patterns, so I can create multiple outfits from just a few pieces. In terms of shoes, I'll bring 2 pairs of sandals, one pair of walking shoes and also a pair of dress shoes.

I am also planning on doing laundry at least once during the 2 weeks so there's no need to pack tons of clothes.

I like to have a list (because, well do you know me at ALL?!) as it makes packing easier, quicker and even less painful. No muss, no fuss. No last minute "should I take that?!" decisions. Just use the list, baby.

* Load up the Kindle.

Probably my favorite vacation activity is reading. I don't find myself doing a lot of (for fun) reading during my normal schedule/life so knowing that I have all that free time to get into some great books is really fun. I'm going to peruse some of the new releases to see which one(s) will be added to my cruise reading list. If you have any favorites, I would love to get some suggestions!

I also really enjoy audio books; those are perfect for the plane, in particular. I have a few credits burning a hole in my Audible.com account so I'll find a few gems there, as well.

* Round up the fun little cruise "extras" to spiff up my stateroom.

On Disney Cruise Line, your stateroom doors are magnetized and so lots of people (me included!) like to bring items to decorate the door. I LOVE the magnets from Hair Majesty Boutique on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HairMajestyBoutique); I have a few already, and am thinking about getting another one or two to add to my collection, probably the Hawaiian/beach Mickey and Minnie. They're a fun way to spruce up your space, and also help you spot your door (especially in those first few days when you're getting your bearings!).

Just make sure they're magnets and NOT adhesives, as this will ruin the doors (and you'll get a nice, hefty cleaning/repair bill from Disney!).

How to do get ready for cruising?

Have a magical day!

Dining on the Disney Magic

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a nice weekend.

Today, let's cover dining on the Disney Magic. You've already made your way to port (whether that be Port Canaveral, Miami or perhaps Europe!), you've checked in and your boarding number has been called. First things first - let's eat!

When you get on the boat, you can go up to Cabanas and grab lunch; that's a cafeteria style buffet with LOTS of choices that's good for breakfast and lunch. You can either sit inside the dining room, or there is outside seating as well, which is really nice. Typically, one of the evening table service restaurants is also available for lunch on embarkation day - check the Daily Navigator or ask a Cast Member when you get onboard.

For snacks and grab-and-go, there are many places on board to eat a quick lunch or snack on pizza, sandwiches, fruit and more. On the Disney Magic, you can find these on Deck 9: Daisy De-Lites, Pete's Boiler Bites, Pinocchio's Pizzeria and my personal favorite, Eye Scream and Frozone Treats, where you can help yourself to soft-serve ice cream in flavors that change every day.

For dinner, Disney Cruise Line has what they call rotational dining. This means that each night of your cruise, you'll go to another of the sit-down restaurants and your serving team will follow up. This is very nice because they get to know you, your likes, any allergies or dietary restrictions you have, etc. When you check in you'll get the dining rotation for your cruise, which will be printed on your Key to the World card (a card which opens your stateroom and is also used for charging privileges). You'll rotate among Animator's Palette, Carioca's and Lumieres. Attire for dinner is dressy-casual (they really don't want you wearing swim suits, cover ups, flip flops, etc but nice shorts, capri pants, skirts, pants, etc are all fine). On longer cruises, Semi Formal and Formal nights will be part of the itinerary. You can dress up as little or as much as you like; but don't worry, tuxes and tails are NOT required!

In addition, before dinner each night there will be photographers and characters in the main lobby/atrium area if you'd like a family pictures. These pictures can be purchased at any time during the cruise. There are two main dinner seating times, 5:45PM and 8:15PM. Dinner usually takes between 60-90 minutes. You'll be greeted by your server and assistant server and you'll be given the menu for the evening. If it's a Formal night, or perhaps Pirates in the Caribbean Deck Party night, you'll be given special menus. 

Each menu has courses for appetizers, soup/salad, main course and dessert. You can choose WHATEVER you want here; don't feel like you have to choose one from each category. Perhaps none of the appetizers appeal to you, but you'd love to have both the soup of the night and a salad. Go for it! Also feel free to order more of something if you really, really like it. All your food is included so don't be shy if you'd another serving, or if you want to try something else.

For those 18 and older, you can also have dinner at Palo (or brunch on cruises with at least one sea day). For $30 per person, you'll get an amazing dining experience. Brunch is a buffet like you've never seen, with choices from caviar to croissants to fruit and more. You can also order warm items that will be made-to-order such as pizza, Chicken Parmesan and Eggs Benedict. (Psst - for those over 21, you also get one free mimosa with your meal.) Dinner is equally excellent with antipasti service, a phenomenal menu featuring filet, lobster, pasta and more, and the real star of Palo - the chocolate souffle. Order it, just trust me. You won't regret it! Attire at both brunch and dinner at Palo is dress pants and shirt or jacket for me, and dress or pantsuit for women. They request no jeans, shorts, capri pants. tennis shoes or flip flops. If you happen to dine at both the Palo brunch and dinner on your cruise, you'll have the same server (although he/she will be a different server from your regular ones during the evening dining).

Remember that with Disney Cruise Line, all of your food is part of your cruising fee (apart from Palo) - even the room service menu! The only things not included are alcohol, popcorn and snack items at the movies and if you order soda from room service (as they bring you cans of soda). If I go to a movie and want a snack, I order room service and have them bring chocolate chip cookies - an awesome movie snack! :) Otherwise, everything else is included.

I do like to bring a some $1 bills to tip the room service staff; everything on the ship is credit only (on your Key to the World card, you won't use cash or credit cards to purchase items while on board) but with room service I find it easier to bring some $1 bills and tip them with those.

There are self-serve beverage stations on the pool deck with coffee, soda, water and tea - I either bring a Tervis or similar cup from home, or buy one on the boat. They have cups at the self-serve stations but they're a bit small, I think, so I like to bring my own cup.

If you've dined before on the Disney Magic, what's your favorite restaurant? How about favorite grab-and-go place?

Have a magical day!

Attention - Fall 2016 Disney Cruise Line Intineraries Announced!!

Attention Disney Cruise Line fans - - we heard today that the Fall 2016 itineraries for the DCL cruises are available THIS week. Often, the best prices for the cruises are right when they're announced so if you're thinking about a cruise next fall, now is the best time to book.

Exciting announcements include:

 - New 7 night Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises out of the Port of Miami

 - More cruises from the port of Galveston

 - And what is MOST exciting for me - - cruises departing from New York City!! I am for SURE going to be on one of those babies!

Cruises can be booked starting TOMORROW, May 19th, for Gold and Platrinum Castaway Club members (those who've sailed DCL before, at least 5 times) and on Wednesday May 20th for the general public.

If you're thinking about a cruise for Fall 2016, please send me an email to katie@mouseworldtravel.com and I can get a no-obligation quote for you.

Have a magical day!

Attention - Control Freaks and Do It Yourself-ers!

Attention Control Freaks and Do It Yourself-ers! (and I say that with love and joy in my heart, because I am one of you!)

For those of you who might not know, I am a travel agent specializing in Disney Destinations. (Regular readers of this blog probably DO know that, but just in case I wanted to make sure!) I LOVE my job and enjoy nothing more than helping people experience that "Disney magic"! You might not think you need, or want, to work with a travel agent with planning your Disney vacation, but if you're thinking of booking a trip, please consider booking with me!

* Booking with me costs you NO extra, vs booking with Disney directly. Disney pays our commission and so with a room and ticket package, I will plan your Disney vacation at NO additional charge to you. I'm here to answer questions, be a sounding board for ideas, talk about touring plans, make your dining and FastPass+ reservations (so you don't have to get up early or stay up late!), etc.

* I know some of my fellow Disney fans really enjoy doing their own planning, pouring over the Disney websites, making those dining and FastPass+ reservations on their own, etc. Good news - you can work with a travel agent AND still do all of that, if you prefer! You can have total control over these items, if doing them is fun for you. You're still able to do the things you enjoy (and pass off to me the things you don't!) AND you're supporting a small business! Win/Win!

I'm always happy to do a no-obligation quote for you; please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com. (and remember - I can plan your non-Disney travel, too!)

Thank you for your support!

Adult Beverages on the Disney Cruise Line

I take my role as a blogger very seriously. When I find out good information, tips and tricks, or other good to know items, I must share them with you. It's my duty, as you are my lovely and faithful readers!

In the spirit of this, I have taken it upon myself to showcase some of the most delicious adult beverages on the Disney Cruise Line. Because I'm a giver like that.

:) I love my job!

Here are some of the drinks from the last few cruises; some were drink of the day offerings, and others were special orders at the bar. We also took part in a mixology class and got to experience how to make mixed drinks, shots and specialty drinks such as Bellinis. YUM!

As you scroll through the pictures, just imagine you're on one of the four DCL ships, enjoying your beverage as the world rolls by. Calgon - take me away!

 

 

 

 

Have a magical day!

Our Balcony Stateroom - The Disney Magic Stateroom 7552

On my birthday cruise, we stayed in a Balcony cabin, stateroom #7552 on the Disney Magic. We picked this room because it was mid-ship, and looked to be a great location for getting to various places on the ship.

The room was very similar to other Balcony cabins we've had in the past; in fact, this was right next door to the stateroom my friend Alice and I shared in January 2014! To the left of the door in the first picture are two good sized closets, with plenty of hangers. To the right of the door is the split bath; one bathroom with a sink and the toilet, another bathroom with a sink and the shower. This is SO nice because it allows multiple people to shower, get ready for the day, etc.

The balcony was also standard, but nice; perfect for sitting with a coffee in the morning, watching a sunset or relaxing before dinner. Bliss!

We'd for sure pick this room again - it was a great one! Here are some pictures of our room, as well as as picture of the Gold Castaway Club gift we received. I can't wait to fill up that photo album with cruise memories.

 

 

Have a magical day!

Our Day in Grand Cayman - February 2015

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I got home from my big birthday cruise and I have yet to share any trip report with you! Bad blogger!

I am going to do things a bit differently this time around and not necessarily do posts in date order. I want to tell you all about my birthday cruise onboard the Disney Magic and can't wait to share it all with you!

Today I want to bring your our experience in Grand Cayman. This was our second (of four) port of call on our Western Caribbean 7-night cruise. After the great day we had in Cozumel the day before, I had high hopes of Grand Cayman.

Grand Cayman is a port where you tender; this means that instead of pulling up to the dock and being able to walk directly onto land, the boat is out from shore and you take smaller tender boats to the dock. To the right is a picture of what one of those boats looks like, taken from our tender. It was a quick jaunt from the tender boat to shore, and only took about 5 minutes.

We were initially supposed to tender at another part of the island, but it was pretty windy and the waves in that area were too choppy for us to dock. No matter - Disney took care of it as they always do. There was an announcement that morning that we were going to tender at a different location, and to come to the Walt Disney Theatre to wait for the next tender. At the Theatre, they handed out a tender ticket for each person and 2 bus tickets per person so we wouldn't have to pay for transportation between the boat and the downtown area. The normal tender pulls up right to the downtown, so they didn't want us to have to hassle with getting to the shops. It was super easy, handled very well and Disney did a great job. When we pulled up to the dock, Disney cast members were there guiding us, and also helping us get into busses for the trip to downtown.

We didn't have any excursions scheduled for today, and so our plan was to wander down the main shopping area and see if there was anything we wanted. As in many of the Caribbean islands, there were lots of jewelry stores and specialty shops, as well as stores that are familiar to us in the United States. We'd gone to a shopping seminar on the boat and received a map of the stores that Disney recommends shopping from, as they vet them for customer service, quality of merchandise, etc. I thought about purchasing a tanzanite ring but didn't see one that I loved, for the price I wanted to pay. The stores are supposed to bargain with you about price, but quite honestly I'm not super comfortable with that process. I would rather have the item be a certain price, and I pay it. I just never know if I'm actually getting a good deal, or if the person who walks in after me is going to be a better price. Know what I mean?

After a leisurely few hours in Grand Cayman, we decided to make our way back to the boat and grab lunch on the ship. On the drive to and from the downtown area, we were given a mini guided tour of the island by the bus drivers, telling us about the history, famous residents and more. It was pretty interesting and very neat to see some of the more residential parts of Grand Cayman. We passed one house in particular - I wish I would have taken a picture for all of you! It was HUGE and tropical-looking and gorgeous. A sprawling estate. Our bus driver said over Christmas, the owners open up the grounds and they have Santa, and give out treats for the kids on the island.

As you can see in these unedited pictures, the water is gorgeous. Crystal clear and just beautiful. The weather was perfect, too; breezy but warm and a sunshine-filled sky.

We had a great day, and I'm excited to go back to Grand Cayman again and perhaps try their world-famous snorkeling. We didn't book it this time but are glad our hearts weren't set on it, as some of the excursions were cancelled due to the wind. In general I do not love the shopping areas at ports (pushy salespeople and not a lot of variation on product from port to port) but we did have a nice time walking around.

Have a magical day!

Sunday with Friends - Missy Khamvongsa

photo courtesy of Franklin Khamvongsa

It's another Sunday! I hope it's going to be a beautiful day in your neck of the woods. In central Iowa we're seeing temps in the mid 40s and it's GLORIOUS. We might see the 60s by the end of the coming week - here's hoping!

Today on Sunday with Friends, I'm happy to introduce you to Missy Khamvongsa! I started following the social media pages and website that Missy and her husband Franklin created, called www.MagicofMainStreet.com. Be SURE and check it out, it's a very fun site!

So, now on with the show!

* Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm a Disney lover, through and through! My husband (Franklin) and I are Disney Vacation Club members and we're annual pass holders at both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

To pay the Disney bills I work as an editor in the sports department of The Washington Post. In my spare time, I run MagicofMainStreet.com. I want Magic of Main Street to be the ultimate Disney hang-out where people can come for their Disney news, planning help and fun trip reports. My words are only half the story on the blog. Franklin is an amazing photographer and his photos bring everything I write to life. He loves seeing Disney through his camera lens and he takes the most unbelievable photos of all our favorite Disney things; the parks, the resorts, fireworks, parades, rides, characters and so much more!

photo courtesy of Missy Khamvongsa

* What is your favorite time of year to visit the Disney parks or sail Disney Cruise Line?

Fall. Hands down. The Food and Wine Festival is my favorite Disney event of the year My perfect Disney day is a lazy pool morning at Boardwalk, followed by lunch grazing at the Food and Wine booths, an Eat to the Beat concert and capping the night with dinner in the World Showcase and Illuminations! There are always so many yummy treats to try and so many exciting events to check out.

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is also so much fun. Dressing up for the party has been an amazing experience. We were Mickey and Minnie in 2012 and Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in 2013. Cast members kept calling Franklin "boss" when he was dressed up as Mickey, it was absolutely hysterical.

* If you had to pick your favorite attraction at Disney World or Disneyland, what would it be?

It's so touch to choose! My top three attractions at WDW are:

 1. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
 2. Haunted Mansion
 3. PeopleMover

I've never been a huge thrill-ride person (though I'm getting better!) and I'm a sucker for Disney classics.

* Tell us a story about one of your favorite memories from your Disney vacations.

I was eating breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table with Franklin. When the waiter brought out our dessert, mine was a glass slipper on a bed of rose petals and the slipper contained an engagement ring. I was so incredibly surprised and overwhelmed, I nearly didn't realize Franklin had gotten down on one knee! It was a magical morning that cemented the very special place Disney holds in our hearts.

photo courtesy of Franklin Khamvongsa

* If you had a friend visiting a Disney park or sailing on the Disney Cruise Line for the first time, what tip(s) would you give them?

Take a deep breath! Disney World can feel overwhelming and it will make for a far more enjoyable vacation if you realize you can't see and do everything in one trip.

I often tell people planning their first trips to pick three things they want to see/do each day and let everything else be gravy. Disney is in the details and you'll miss all those details if you don't stop and smell the roses during the trip.

Hopefully I'l come back from my first Disney cruise in April with lots of new DCL advice to give!

Be SURE and visit Missy and Franklin's website, and also follow them on their social media accounts!

Twitter: @MissyKhamvongsa

Facebook: The World of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy: www.facebook.com/missyfranklindisney

Instagram: @themissykhamvongsa

Have a magical day!

Welcome to the Disney Magic!

One of the most fun parts of the cruise is just getting onboard. All the planning and all the excitement come together and you're back in your happy place (or there for the first time!).

Getting on the boat is great for another reason, too. This is Disney - do you think they'd just let you walk on the boat without some pomp and circumstance? No, sir! No, ma'am! This is Disney Cruise Lines, and they do it right.

Here's what you can expect when you first get onboard your Disney Cruise Line ship; can't you just hear them calling YOUR name?

Have a magical day!

Sunday with Friends - Julie Ranken

Happy Sunday, everyone! It's March 1st - isn't this year going fast?!

It's also time for another edition of Sunday with Friends - so please give a warm welcome to Julie Ranken! 

Hi, Julie! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I teach Latin in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where I have been at the same school for 17 years. My husband Bill and I have been married for almost 6 years, but we have no children. However, we do have three cats, all named after characters from "Up" - Carl, Russell and Dug.

What is your favorite time of year to visit with Disney parks or sail Disney Cruise Line?

If we are sailing, I love to sail in early to mid March. I am a teacher so I can't go when prices are cheaper and things are less busy, so this is usually when my Spring Break is. However, the temperatures in the Bahamas are very pleasant and you can still get some sun and enjoy all that the cruise has to offer. If we are going to Disney World, Christmas is busy, but fun!! So much fun!!!

If you had to pick your favorite attraction at Disney World or Disneyland, what would it be?

I could ride Peter Pan's Flight over and over again. When my family went to Disney World in 1987, we probably rode it five times a day so it holds a lot of good memories. We say "hello" to Nana at the beginning  of the ride and quote some of the lines as we go through the ride.

Tell us a story about one of your favorite memories from your Disney vacation(s).

I have so many favorite memories, so I'll share by husband's favorite. On our first trip to WDW together, we had seen lots of characters, but we had yet to see Daisy Duck. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom at rope drop and were walking towards the flag pole when I saw her - Daisy! I am not a runner, but I took off. Bill was putting something in our backpack, so , when he finally looked up, I was just a blur running towards Daisy. It was then that Bill realized that the woman he married had the heart of a five year old.

If you had a friend visiting a Disney park or sailing on Disney Cruise Line for the first time, what tip(s) would you give them?

My tip would be that you do some research before going. If you don't learn how FP+ works or how to correctly use your tickets or dining credits, you'll find that you waste a lot of time and a lot of money.

Julie is a travel agent with Mouse World Travel and you can find her Facebook page here - please go and join her page!

Have a magical day!

I'm Home!

Hello, everyone! I'm home and we had a GREAT time on the Disney Magic. It was a week of PERFECT weather, awesome food and super relaxation. I'll be bringing you more pictures and information over the next few months but I wanted to check in and at least say hi!

Have a great Monday!

Just Checking In...Hello from Cozumel!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I'm having a great cruise so far, and I'm celebrating my birthday today in Cozumel. So far we've had lots of nice relaxing time, some fun spa treatments, and a great excursion (more about all that to come later!). We've had lunch, and now are enjoying a nice, leisurely afternoon on the Disney Magic before celebrating tonight with dinner at Palo.

Everything is fantastic - crew is fabulous, our servers are great, and the weather?! As you can see in the picture, it's pretty incredible.

I'll be checking in a few more days during the week, but of course stay tuned when I get home for more in-depth information about the cruise!

Have a magical day!

It's Cruising Time!

You know what day it is?!?! You know what day it is?!?!

Say it with me (in your best hump-day camel voice) It's CRUISE DAY! Today we embark on the Disney Dream for a fun and sun filled 3 day cruise to Nassau and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay.

We're getting ready this morning and then heading to the port. It's about a 45 minute drive from Orlando to Port Canaveral; we'll get there by 10:30AM, check in and start the cruise fun!

I'll be posting some pictures on Facebook and Instagram this morning before we leave, so be sure and check those out!

Also, if you're interested in watching the Dream sail out of port - here you can access the Port Canaveral webcam.

I will be checking in once or twice while we're at sea, so be sure to keep reading here (and sign up to get the posts emailed to you, if you haven't already) and on social media.

Have a wonderful, magical day!

It's Vacation Time, Baby! My Travel Checklist

First, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are still celebrating with your family and friends. I don't know that we have any set-in-stone plans for today; will probably just visit as the kids play with their Christmas presents.

As I leave for Orlando in just a few days (!!!), it's time for that pre-trip ritual, the "Holy crap, I am leaving in a few days and here's what I have to get done" vacation checklist.

It's truly a time-honored tradition, one where I run around like a banshee in the days and hours before my trip, trying to do the things that inexplicably I put off doing in the weeks beforehand. Because pre-preparation and relaxed packing is for suckers.

* I am going to lay out the clothes I want to take, and then edit from there. Once again, I'm going to pack in just a carry on and a backpack (for the post that started me on the road to "Carry On Only", here is that post!). We're going to stay at Saratoga Springs for a few days, and then head over to the cruise on January 2nd. We'll have laundry in our villa at Saratoga, so I can do laundry and there's no need to pack 1/2 my wardrobe.

* I'll find, and assemble, my cruise "extras". I have magnets for our stateroom door, and my Fish Extender as I am participating in the FE again for this cruise. We are also doing a Secret Santa, but I am picking up that gift at Disney so no need to pack that. Phew.

* One of these trips, I am going to come up with a "master list" of things I always bring every trip, so I don't have to try and recreate the list each time. We'll see, maybe this will be the time. Or I'll just wing it, like I always have. (It's important to have goals.)

* I like my house to be mostly clean and put together before I go out of town, so in the next few post-Christmas days I'll tidy up and get the house in decent shape. However, I am not going to tackle taking down decorations until AFTER I get back.

* I am going to take some time to write blog posts for 2015 and take and edit LOTS of pictures while on this trip (yes, it's vacation but this work IS relaxing for me), so I want to make sure and bring my nice camera. And the lenses. You laugh - but this fall I went to the Disney Archives exhibit in Chicago, took that fancy camera with me - - and forgot to put on a lens. Rookie mistake.

How do you get ready for vacation? What are your rituals, traditions, etc?

Have a great Saturday!