Monthly Archives: February 2014

Cruising Disney’s Magic in the Mediterranean (Part 3)

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DSCN2922This is Part 3 of our Mediterranean Cruise on the Disney Magic Trip Report.  Part 1 can be found here and Part 2 here. (Links to all parts of the trip report are at the bottom of this post)

Barcelona, Spain:  Cruise Departure Day.  Raymond and I are early risers.  On Saturday, August 10th we were up, showered, dressed and packed in record time (too excited to sleep!).  We’d left the rest of our party the night before with strict instructions on what time we needed to meet in the hotel lobby, knowing they would sleep until the very last possible minute.  This gave Raymond and I an unexpected bonus adventure – we had plenty of time to walk leisurely from the hotel to (do not get mad at us!) one of the many Starbucks of Barcelona for breakfast.  After coffee and muffins, we strolled back to the hotel soaking up the early morning sights and sounds and saying goodbye to a great city…we vowed to come back someday and visit again.

Surprise!  Megan, Grant, Joseph and Jason were all up and ready to go by the time we got backDSCN2894 from breakfast.  We gave them directions to a couple of different bakeries (including Starbucks) and sent them off (yes, I was a little nervous knowing they were out there alone in a foreign city) – threatening them with dire consequences if they didn’t return on time for our appointed port shuttle departure.  As usual, I worried needlessly and we were all situated with plenty of time to spare.

The lobby of the Renaissance is tiny (as are the rooms and most especially the elevator) compared to American hotels.  There were a ton of cruise passengers (many different nationalities) everywhere waiting to leave and in that DSCN2888cramped space, it was pandemonium!  We were clumped together with our properly tagged luggage with several minutes to kill when one of the Disney reps approached us (seemed grateful we were both ready to go and in good humor) and offered to let us board the bus that was just about to leave – YES!  Even in Spain, Disney pixie dust is present.

Now WAY ahead of schedule, we were already on our way to the Magic.  Barcelona has such incredible architecture and scenery – I DSCN2934concentrated on seeing as much of it out the motor coach’s window as I could on our way to the cruise port.  Soon, the Magic came into view and we found ourselves standing in line outside the cruise terminal.  The air was crackling with excitement!  The line moved quickly, we got our paperwork processed, received our Castaway Club lanyards and were boarding the ship in what seemed like no time at all.

The weather was gorgeous and we would soon be sailing for France – life was feeling pretty DSCN2935darned sweet as our group enjoyed the buffet in Parrot Cay (now Carioca’s) before spending the afternoon exploring, completing our life-boat drill, and getting unpacked  while soaking up the the overall feeling of excitement among everyone on the ship.  Raymond’s and my assembly station for the drill was actually in Animator’s Palate – so, of course I then referred to our assigned location as our “mustard” station for the rest of the cruise.  We invited the rest of our traveling party to our cabin for happy hour (opened the wine we’d purchased in Barcelona) before our early dinner seating (which became a daily ritual).   Dinner that night was in Animator’s Palate and the show for the evening was All Aboard Let the Magic Begin.

The next day (Sunday, August 11th) was spent at sea.  I believe at-sea-days intimidate some people – they worry there won’t be enough to do on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean.  This was the first of two at-sea days for our cruise and we absolutely packed them full of action.  For me this day started out (after breakfast) with a visit to the spa for a pedi.  Every member of our party had a spa appointment scheduled during the cruise – Joseph, Jason, and Raymond were each getting aDSCN2960 massage and Megan and Grant a couples’ massage.  I just wanted cute toenails, but as it turned out, the pedi included a fantastic leg massage that did wonders for my poor still-swollen-from-jetlag feet!  Raymond and I had scheduled a Martini Tasting seminar in Sessions bar – Anne Marie from Jamaica was our hostess and we had a LOT of fun learning about martinis (which we drink….never).  As we were getting in the elevator after our seminar, I mentioned to Raymond that, while I’d enjoyed the Martini Tasting, I probably shouldn’t have finished all the samples we were given – a lovely woman from Great Britain turned to me and exclaimed, “Why NOT?!!  You’re on HOLIDAY!”  Yes, indeed!

We (all six of us) relaxed that afternoon by the Cove pool.  Then, as Raymond headed off for his massage, I got ready for Formal Night.  We had an “All Hands On Deck” cheese platter with our happy hour glass of wine before, looking very spiffy, we made our way to dinner.

Once again, we were back in Animator’s Palate, but this time we were dressed to the nines.  We enjoyed our meal very much and the DSCN2964evening’s show afterwards was Twice Charmed.  Honestly – we were so excited to arrive in Villefranche the next day and all of us, except Grant, had seen this show before – we kind of wound down and were ready for sleep once the show was over. Well – Raymond and I headed back to our cabin and the youngsters…. probably best we didn’t ask.  (Really – they were well-behaved as far as we know.)

Back in our cabin, Raymond and I sat out on our balcony with a little bit of wine (leftover from happy hour) and the chocolate left on our bed by our cabin steward.  The Mediterranean was so calm, the weather beautiful, the stars in the sky so different from home – we loved this moment so much, it also became our habit every night of the cruise –DSCN2966 to end the evening just this way.

Tomorrow we would arrive in France.  I had studied French from 7th grade through my first year of college.  This was a big deal for me – not just because I had always imagined what France would be like – I had planned no formal tour or excursion in France.  We’d be on our own.  I had a plan – well, several in fact, but they depended on ME!  Getting us around and safely back to the ship.  Armed once again with Rick Steves’ induced confidence…we drifted towards our next port and off to sleep.

Please come back for Part 4 (Villefranche) on Tuesday, February 11th!  If you have any questions about cruise planning, excursions, anything at all, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best.

Links to other parts of this trip report:

 

 

What is The Disney Bubble?

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IMG_3280The Disney Bubble – it’s a very real phenomenon (doo-doo-do-doo-doo).  In fact, I’d ague that for most “Disney people”, The Disney Bubble is an integral, vital part of the Disney vacation experience and one of the primary reasons we feel compelled to return to Walt Disney World time and time again.

What is The Disney Bubble?

For those of you who haven’t yet experienced it, didn’t notice it, or haven’t known what to call it, the Disney Bubble is the total immersion in the magic of Disney upon arrival at Walt Disney World.  You enter the Bubble and everything changes – the worries, stresses, and cares of everything outside the Bubble disappear.  The weight of adult responsibilities – mortgage, bills, car repairs, office politics, home maintenance, kids’ homework, activity schedules, and so on just lifts away.  Once that weight is gone, you feel better, younger, lighter, happier.

For Disney Bubble addicts, once we leave the Bubble, one of our primary concerns is always IMG_2025when and how we will get back in.  This is why count-down calendars/calculators are so popular with us.  There have been particularly stressful times in our life when knowing that if we could just make it through the next XX # of days, we could get back to Disney and the Bubble would make everything seem better.  People that, sadly, have never experienced this most amazing aspect of Disney travel are the ones we can count on to be perplexed at our propensity to vacation at Walt Disney World over and over.  They ask, “Where are you going on vacation?” We answer, “Walt Disney World” and they look at us in confused pity and say, “AGAIN?”  If you haven’t felt the Bubble’s power, you cannot understand its draw.

My personal Bubble Testimony:  There were a few years there along the way when Megan was literally dancing 7-days-a-week and Joseph was involved in martial arts as a teacher, student, and national competitor.  We joked that people thought Raymond and I had gotten a divorce because we were never seen in the same place at the same IMG_1194time.  Every day’s schedule was based on a “divide and conquer” strategy.  Walt Disney World and the Disney Bubble helped our family reconnect, relax together, eat together and enjoy each other’s company.  All while having fun – simple, old-fashioned good times.  Even looking forward to a Disney vacation gave us a common focus when our day-to-day lives were going in many different directions.

If you’re planning a Walt Disney World vacation and haven’t yet embraced the Disney Bubble phenomenon, here are my tips for making the most of the experience:

  1. Stay on Property.  Whether you’re a value, moderate, or deluxe resort fan.  This is an integral part of the Bubble Effect.
  2. Use Disney Transportation.  If you fly to Orlando, use Disney’s Magical Express to get to the IMG_2614resort from the airport.  It’s included in your resort stay and Disney will get your bags from the airport for you.  Just walk off the plane and onto the motor coach.  It’s literally that easy to get right into the Bubble!  If you drive to Orlando, park your car at the resort and leave it there until it’s time to go home.  Bus, boat, and monorail are important parts of the Disney Bubble – let Disney transportation take care of you and eliminate the worry of driving directions, navigation, and parking.
  3. If you must visit other, non-Disney theme parks which shall remain unnamed in this (and every) post, do not leave the Bubble to do it.  Try to stay at Walt Disney World just for Disney.  Go stay somewhere else if visiting other Orlando attractions.  Think of it like this – coming and going from the Bubble diminishes its power.  If you can, stay on Walt Disney World property either before or after visiting those other places.  If I were you, I’d save the best for last, of course.

IMG_1170Do you believe in the Disney Bubble?  I have a theory that some people are, tragically, immune to the power of the Bubble.  We refer to these unlucky souls as “non-Disney people”.  I don’t know where their happy place is, but it is not at Walt Disney World.  Probably we shouldn’t try to convert them – it wouldn’t work anyway.  Plus, it leaves more room in the Disney Bubble for the rest of us.

 

What are your thoughts about the Disney Bubble?

 

 

 

100 Days of Living a Disney Life

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1MinDisneyDreamLiving a Disney Life.com has reached a small milestone today – The blog is 100 days old.  During that time, I have written about every Disney topic from Disney cruise ports, theme parks and restaurant reviews to DIY Disney Christmas ornaments, Disney vintage vinyl, Disney Pin trading, and Disney recipes to cook at home – I guess I’ve had a thing or two to say about my love for Disney!

Let’s take a sec to ponder how this happened.  It all began with a tweet I noticed on September 4th.  It was from @WDWDisneyDiva and it said, “So you think you know Disney?  Recruiting Disney Writers!”  I thought – “I know Disney” and followed the link to find out more.  I submitted an article for consideration called The Importance of Planning, But Not Too Much – I sent it in on a whim – because we are huge Disney fans at my house, because I thought writing that one article would be fun, because I like a challenge and trying new things, but mostly because my youngest child had just left home and I was finding out first hand that “empty nest syndrome”, something I used to make jokes about, was an actual thing.  Along with my article, I submitted a silly top ten list of reasons the selection committee at Tips From the Disney Divas & Devos should choose me as an article writer.  It was for fun, but guess what?  I got the job!

It was like setting a match to very dry tinder.

My brain kicked into overdrive.  I made lists of articles I could write and I became consumed IMG_2398with thoughts of Disney – how our family had always loved Disney and how huge a role Disney had played in our lives, how our happiest memories involve Disney vacations, how we have so many Disney collectibles, Disney books, Disney pins, Disney clothes.  I started waking up in the middle of the night thinking of more and more Disney things to talk about.  There was NO way I was going to get this under control submitting two articles a month – I needed to start my own Disney blog so I could get some sleep!

I did consider carefully what I’d be getting into.  You can’t embark on something like this then abandon ship – well, I guess you CAN, but that’s not my style.  I have pretty good sticking power and have never been afraid of commitment (I did say yes when Raymond proposed to me just 6 weeks after we met!).  For about the price of a new purse (that was my justification, anyway) I bought my own website URL for three years.  So, honestly, Kristin the Disney Diva and fellow Diva, Amy get the credit (or the blame, I suppose) for Living a Disney Life.com’s existence.

IMG_2100I knew absolutely nothing about blogging other than knowing I like to read a few.  Google was my classroom and I crammed as if studying for final exams – blog hosting sites, Word Press basics, themes, widgets, pages, links, SEO, categories, tags, spam blocking, how to set up a Facebook page for a website.  Exciting stuff!  I published my first Living a Disney Life post on October 26th and this is my 102nd post in 100 days!  I still have a LOT to learn but at least the raging firestorm of Disney thoughts has now been contained to manageable flames – with an occasional flare up.

It’s like discovering buried treasure in my own backyard!  I had a twitter account purely for the purpose of spying seeing what my children and their friends had to say…today I have over 500 followers.  The number of fans that make up the Disney Community is amazing and those that I’ve met through this experience have been kind and funny and, most of all, welcoming and supportive.  Living a Disney Life on Facebook  has over 250 “likes” and I’ve been building small audiences on Pinterest and Instagram as well.  I even have a Klout score and I know what it is!  One of the most exciting things to happen so far, though, involves my love of Disney Podcasts.

Early on, I confided in Raymond a secret wish I’d been keeping – maybe someday, after a while, if my blog became successful, maybe I might get lucky enough to be invited as a guest on one of the Disney podcasts I love so much.  I couldn’t believe when, after day 69’s post – Disney Podcasts – Are you a Podperson?  brought so much attention – My wish came true!  The fabulous, gracious Disney Dream Girls asked me to be a guest on their show to talk about my Disney New Year’s Resolutions.  I’m still amazed that this happened to me!  The episode aired on January 9th – if you haven’t had the chance, please give the Dream Girls a listen.

So today I just wanted to look back a mere three months and reflect on all the fantastic thingsMed Cruise 2013 Camera 003 that have happened during that time (with The Fam’s unwavering support – I love you!).  Tomorrow’s post will be back to normal with another random Disney topic from my Disney life.

Please accept my very heartfelt thanks for taking the time to visit and read this and other posts, thank you for following me on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.  Thank you for liking the blog’s Facebook page and for every comment you’ve left me there and here.  Yes, I would probably still tweet, pin, and post even if you weren’t here – but you are what has made this experience unbelievably magical instead of ordinary and for that, I am sincerely grateful.

 

 

Disney Character Close-up – Lady Tremaine and The Steps

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IMG_3285If you’re taking little ones to Walt Disney World, you will, of course, want to take them to see their favorite characters.  The Fab Five, Princesses, Winnie the Pooh and Piglet too!  Character autographs, character meals, character meet and greets – opportunities abound.

Again – I want to point out (I’m not trying to make you sad, I promise) – your kiddos won’t stay little forever.  The importance of character interaction will wane a bit as you find yourself with tweens, teens and young adults.  This may surprise you, but meeting characters becomes a whole lot more interesting when your children get a little older!

Enter the more “sophisticated” characters.  Characters that can be intimidating or downright terrifying to small children are absolutely wonderful for interacting with older kids and adults.IMG_3289   Examples include the likes of Captain Hook, Jafar, and – to me, truly the very best characters for older children, Lady Tremaine and the Step Sisters.

IMG_3290We first ran into Lady Tremaine and the Steps unexpectedly near Cinderella’s Wishing Well in the Magic Kingdom – we laughed hysterically at their antics.  Lady Tremaine is dead serious in her unflappable adoration of her beloved offspring.   Anastasia and Drizella are pretty amazing in the level of selfishness and conceit they display!  At that time, Megan and Joseph could appreciate the humor, but weren’t quite ready to be a part of the “show”.

We next ran into Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella during our magical VIP parade seating.  Joseph was old enough to really interact with the Steps and knew just what to do.  He showed them some attention and, as expected, that was all it took before one of the girls, Drizella, screamed, IMG_5221“MOTHER!  I want this ONE!”

Later that night during the Main Street Electrical Parade, Joseph saw Drizella and Anastasia again on a parade float and blew a kiss – Drizella immediately focused all her attention on Joseph as the float went by.  As it moved along the route, Joseph stood with one arm longingly (and dramatically!) outstretched towards his now favorite character as she reached towards him with equally passionate dismay.  C’mon – that’s hilarious!  Priceless Disney magic….character interaction for big kids is every bit as fantastic as it was with little ones.

IMG_5222On our upcoming Walt Disney World vacation, I’ve booked a character meal at 1900 Park Fare (buffet at the Grand Floridian).  Oh, seeing Cinderella and The Prince will be nice, but I can’t WAIT to see Lady Tremaine and the Step Sisters again.

Need to tell them apart?  Drizella is the oldest and wears blue / green.  Anastasia is the younger sister in Pink.

It’s your turn:  Who do you think are the best characters for older children?  Who are your favorite characters to interact with?