Category Archives: Disney Cruise Line

Things You Don’t Have to do on a Disney Vacation

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RM-Main-Street-USA-Magic-KingdomDo you go on vacation for a little rest and relaxation?  Do you vacation to experience new and special things you can’t find at home? Do your travel plans include NOT cooking or cleaning?  Are you hoping to find fun, adventure and quality time with your family?  Us too!  We are all about getting away from it all and taking a little break from work, stress, and yes, the previously mentioned household chores.

There’s been a lot of negativity going around on the interwebs lately via message boards and the like.  Disney vacations are gaining a bit of a reputation as not being the magical family fun they were once upon a time.  There are a lot of “too’s” attached to those criticisms – it’s too crowded, there’s too much planning and research involved, there’s too much to know, too much technology – the fun is gone.  RM-Fantasyland-CrowdNot true, I say!!!  Disney vacations are our family’s favorite – and have been for many years.  Sure, getting used to the newest developments in customer care may take a minute or two, but new does not necessarily mean bad.  There’s still a lot to recommend about Disney parks & resorts and Disney Cruise Line.  Mainly I’m talking about…

Things you do not have to do on a Disney VacationWalt Disney World Summer Crowd

  1. Plan Every Minute – It’s simply not true that you have to plan too much too far in advance.  Prioritize and decide what’s important to your family.  Sure, if you want to eat at a super-popular table service restaurant or dinner show, you will need to make a reservation 180 days in advance for the best chance to dine there.  Citricos-WindowIf you don’t want to spend (possibly) an hour or more waiting in line for headline attractions, you’ll want to book FastPasses as far in advance as you can.  Planning some things in advance is very helpful, but planning every minute would eliminate spontaneity and be detrimental to the whole “rest and relaxation” part of vacationing.  Which brings me to the next point.RM-Tower-of-Terror
  2. Hurry All The Time – NO!  Sure, if this makes you happy, you’re welcome to hit the ground running and rush all day from attraction to attraction as fast as you can.  Just thinking about that makes me tired!  Better to take the most offered advice around – get up early (see #4) and beat the heaviest crowds of the day.  Then slow it down so you don’t miss the amazing Disney magic all around you.Epcot-Statue
  3. Sweat The Small Stuff – Yes, Disney details (sometimes the tiniest ones) are often the most fantastic parts of a Disney vacation.  BUT, there’s no reason to obsess over what you might be missing if you decide to detour from time to time as the mood strikes.  It’s about being together as a family for us – and maybe, if it’s that way for you too, it’ll be okay to not worry about being a super-parent.  You may think you know what will thrill your little one and it turns out to be 180-degrees the opposite – don’t worry about it!  Go with the flow, eat dessert first, change your plans suddenly – it’ll be okay.Bay-Lake-Tower-Sunrise
  4. Stay Up Late – Early to bed and early to rise does not negatively impact a Disney vacation!  I know this from personal experience – I’ve never taken advantage of any late night Extra Magic Hours and I’m perfectly happy about it.  We go to sleep early and appreciate that early morning is sometimes the most special (and productive) time of the day!Entrance for Toy Story Midway Mania
  5. Do It All – There’s just no way to do it all in one trip.  Here’s where research helps a lot.  Knowing what’s important to you and your travel party can help you prioritize.  Don’t think about what you might be missing at the expense of what you’re enjoying at any given moment.  Weather, heat, distance between activities or attractions can take a toll.  Go in with realistic expectations and a willingness to be flexible – nobody wants you to be a bossy, crabby vacation dictator.  Do what you can & come back again if you want.  Don’t mar your vacation memories by putting unnecessary pressure on your family.  Don’t do it!

What are your favorite “don’t have to do’s” on a Disney vacation?

 

 

My Disney Life in a Countdown Calendar

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Days to Go AppStep closer and listen to my story.  I don’t usually share bundles of personal information here at Living a Disney Life, but for this Friday Five, I’m going to have to.  Share, I mean.  See, I’ve been skipping a day or two of posting in recent weeks and that trend might continue (or worsen) for a little bit longer.  It’s not that I’ve run out of Disney stuff to write about – I’m pretty sure that might be impossible.  And it’s not you, I promise.  You guys have been great!  Your comments, tweets, Instagram and Facebook likes – that’s all been wonderful!  It’s me, honest!  I’ve been a tiny bit preoccupied.  Let me explain…

My Disney Life in a Countdown Calendar

In 29 days, I’ll be something I’ve never been before.  Kind of a short-term but life-changing gig, really.  I’ll be a Mother of the Bride.  A responsibility I’m taking very seriously.  It’s going to be a great wedding full of special, magical details I cannot wait to share with you.  After that, I’ll have yet another new role as a mother-in-law.  Since we’re crazy about our future son-in-law, that seems like a pretty good deal.  Megan’s going to be a beautiful bride and I’m sure I’m going to cry my eyes out!  You can probably guess where the happy couple will be going on their honeymoon.Mr.-and-Mrs.-Disney-Wedding-Pins

In 93 days, I’ll be running my 7th half-marathon.  I’m looking forward to it because our son, Joseph, will be running with me and this will be his first half marathon.  To be perfectly honest, I’m not very motivated to do the actual training for this race.  I’m hoping my attitude will change once the weather cools off a bit.  Someday, I’m hoping Joseph and Megan will both enter a runDisney race with me.  I’ll cross the finish line just in time to celebrate!  In 94 days, I’ll turn…well, let’s not discuss my birthday.  I’m having another one.  ‘Nuff said.

In 134 days, I’ll be at Walt Disney World!  Christmas will be over by then, but the spirit of the season will be everywhere at Disney World and Raymond and I will be soaking it up.  All those gorgeous decorations!  Wrapping up 2015 – for our family, an eventful year of both happy and sad occasions – Disney style.Christmastime at Walt Disney World

In 188 days, we’ll be headed to Walt Disney World again, but this time to meet up with my Disney Exchange Podcast co-hosts for runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend.  I’ve registered for the Glass Slipper Challenge (10k on Saturday, half-marathon Sunday) and Nick and Dave will be running (okay, Nick will be walking) the 10k with me.  I’m pretty stoked about this!!!  If you’re planning to be there, be sure to watch the podcast’s website or Facebook page for meet-up details!RM-Lisa-and-Glass-Slipper-Sign

191 days to go before we board the Disney Dream for a bit of rest and relaxation on a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas.  In Nassau, we aren’t planning to leave the ship – I’m planning to just rest and recover from the very action-packed Princess Half-Marathon Weekend and enjoy some guilt-free Disney cruise dining!

I’ve got no complaints.  I’m excited!  I’ve just got a lot in the works right now.  Bridal showers, rehearsal dinner, wedding, running, holidays, Disney, more running and finally, the grand finale, floating around with nothing to do.  I appreciate each of you for visiting me here, for your kind words, good-natured teasing, excellent debates, and steadfast support.  In 73 days, Living a Disney Life will be two years old…I could never have come this far without you.

How many days until your next Disney vacation?  Where are you going?

 

 

 

Disney’s Magic in Norway – The Grand Finale

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Lifeboat Drill Lineup

Gracious!  We’d done and seen so much!  Having the last day of our Disney cruise in Norway be a day at sea might seem anticlimactic, but in reality, it was absolutely perfect.  We’d worn ourselves out hiking, kayaking, bicycling, touring and finally, an entire day of relaxation stretched before us.  To make it even more wonderful, the weather was incredible.  Clear, sunny, warm, calm – just spectacular.  Leaving Megan and Joseph sound asleep, Raymond and I took to the upper decks for a stroll – letting the day unfold the way it would.

First we grabbed some breakfast at Cabanas.  Then we walked around soaking up the sights and sun.  Magic-on-Deck6 Magic-on-Deck5 Magic-on-Deck4 Magic-on-Deck2 Magic-on-Deck3We ran into our new friend, Philip Walker, and chatted with him for quite a while.  Moving on, we decided an adult beverage in the form of a specialty coffee in the Cove Café was in order.  Magic's-Cove-Cafe Magic's-Cove-Cafe-MenuMagic's-Cove-Cafe-Foam-MickeyThis little grown-up corner of the ship is a great place to hang out and we visited for a while with a fantastic young couple from Colorado we’d first met on our hike to Pulpit Rock.  Then we just roamed around – trying to squeeze the last bit of magic from the Magic on the last day of our unbelievable vacation.Sailor-Donald

Suddenly, my phone started going crazy with notifications – Disney’s onboard texting service meant our kids could let us know if they needed us for any reason and, based on the number of texts rolling in (accompanied by many exclamation marks), Megan and Joseph were in O’Gill’s Pub and needed us immediately.  Hmmmm – what could that possibly be about?  TRIVIA!  It was Movie Quotes Trivia and we, ancient parents that we are, were actually going to be of some use for that!  We didn’t win, but that didn’t matter – we managed to get lots of correct answers and we had so much fun!Disney-Cruise-Movie-Trivia Disney-Cruise-Movie-Trivia-With-Jo

When the game ended, we realized it was time to do one of only two things we’d planned for the day – See Avengers – Age of Ultron!  In 3D! (Check out Meg and Joe’s tee-shirts – pretty cool, aren’t they?)  Movie-on-the-Disney-MagicWe’d seen the movie before, but something about seeing it at sea made it just as enjoyable as the first time.  Then it was time to get ready for the second thing we had planned – Dinner at Palo to celebrate Joseph’s birthday!

We had to hightail it back to our stateroom and convinced Joseph to take his shower first so we had time to get his presents ready and run them up to Palo.  We’d celebrated Megan’s 23rd birthday two years earlier on the Magic, also in Palo, on our Mediterranean cruise and knew that the Cast Members in Palo would be more than happy to hold Joseph’s gifts until we were between entrée and dessert.  Unfortunately, we’d taken a detour to the shop for a couple of last minute items and by the time we got back to our cabin, we were really pressed for time.

That’s when we discovered that the shower – sure, Joseph got to take his shower – was broken.  The handle was stripped and would just spin around…without turning on the water.  We’re not the type of family to let something minor like this throw us off our stride or make us grumpy.  We made two phone calls – one to the maintenance department and one to Senses Spa.  A repair person would be right up and, of course, the spa had no problem at all with us schlepping all our evening-out-prep-supplies there to get ready.  The spa is so posh and relaxing, it was tempting to curl up and take a nap, but NO!  We had to hurry!!!Magic's-Spa Magic's-Spa2

We arrived at Palo almost on time and looking pretty presentable, if I may say so.  Seated at the very same table we’d had in 2013, we were ready to relax and enjoy some incredible food, provided by exceptional service, in an enchanting atmosphere.  Palo-Entrance Palo-Megan-by-the-WindowPalo-ServerPalo has always been exactly what we’d hoped for, every single visit – and this time was no exception.  We loved our food and Joseph was (or at least acted) surprised when our server brought out his gifts.  I scooped up every moment into my heart and memory as fast as I could. (Joseph loved his new sunglasses!)Palo-Birthday-Toast Palo-Birthday-Joe

What a great way to end one of the best vacations we’ve ever taken!  Two years of planning and anticipation and the results exceeded our wildest expectations.  I cannot wait to get started on the next adventure.  We have plans…big plans!  And as soon as we know for sure they’ll work out, you’ll be the first to know.

Thanks for sticking with me for this lengthy trip report – I appreciate your comments and support here, on Twitter, on Facebook and on YouTube more than I can say.

Links to the other parts of this trip report:

Disney Cruise Line – What’s the Food Like?

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DCL-DessertI watch what I eat very closely and eat healthy food most of the time.  On vacation?  Not so much.  I love vacation food and look forward to it as something special to be experienced on our Disney vacations.  Especially on our Disney cruises!  It’s completely different than planning those Disney World advance dining reservations 180 days pre-vacation.  The cruise line’s rotational dining, among other things, will ensure I visit different restaurants with a wide variety of menu choices.  The only reservations we worry about are at Disney Cruise Line’s adults-only dining options.  If I’d never sailed on Disney Cruise Line, feeling the way I do about my vacation food, I’d be wondering…

Disney Cruise Line – What’s the Food Like?DCL-Bread

1.  You won’t go hungry.  There are opportunities to eat morning, noon, and night.  Picky?  Don’t worry – Disney’s used to that and will pull out all the stops to make sure you never walk away unsatisfied.  Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory, light or totally loaded with decadent sauces (and calories), you’ll find it on a Disney ship!DCL-Entree4 DCL-Entree5 DCL-Fish-Entree

2.  Gluttony isn’t expensive.  Only a couple of food items are not included in your cruise fare:  Snacks for movies & shows, certain similar snacks on the room service menu, and adults-only dining.  Alcohol and specialty coffees are not included either, but soft drinks are.  When you order soft drinks with dinner or help yourself to them at the beverage station on deck, there’s no extra charge for that.DCL-Scallop-Appetizer DCL-Entree3 DCL-Entree2

3.  Bottomless pits are welcome.  I vacation with one, I know this to be true.  Joseph is 20 now, but still has that ridiculous teenage appetite.  He’s about 5-foot-ten and weighs maybe 145 lbs. (maybe).  Nearly evening of our cruise he ordered an appetizer, TWO different entrees, and dessert – and cleaned every plate!  Our servers April and Andres never batted an eye….just kept the food coming.  OH, to have that kind of metabolism!DCL-Entree DCL-Dessert3 DCL-Dessert2

4.  The options are unbelievable!  Fast food?  Yep – pizza and snacks, and soft-serve ice cream.  Breakfast buffet?  You betcha (and it’s awesome!)  Room service?  Sure!  Loads of choices – two of our favorites include the “All Hands on Deck” cheese platter (makes a great afternoon/happy hour snack) and breakfast foods of all sorts.  Bring me coffee – I don’t feel like going out.  What else is fantastic?  Pub grub!!!  O’Gill’s Pub in the grown-up nightlife area of the ship puts out a spread in the evening that will certainly satisfy your late-night cravings!  Even little churros are there to really make you feel Disney-ish.DCL-O'Gills-Pub-Grub-Sweets DCL-O'Gills-Pub-Grub2 DCL-O'Gills-Pub-Grub

5.  Upcharge for adults-only dining…Worth it!!!  On the Disney Magic and Wonder (the only two ships we’ve sailed on, so far), Palo is the place to be for an excellent Italian dinner or seriously unbelievable brunch.  We book at least one meal at Palo on every trip.  I LOVE talking about Palo and plan to be back soon with another review!  (My fave Palo dessert is here.)DCL-Palo-Menu-CoverIf you’ve sailed on Disney Cruise Line, what’s your favorite menu item or restaurant?  What tips on Disney Dining would you offer?