CLEW Travel Sailing on Disney Fantasy Jan 21 - 28, 2017 updated 3/26/2017 About This Page:

[CLEWTravel]

Hello! My wife, Brooke and I (Charlie) have taken 10 Disney Cruises with our family over the past 10 years. Our children absolutely love going (they save their own money during the year to go on another Disney Cruise). We have 4 kids, 3 girls and 1 boy and using the first letter in each of their names, we came up with CLEW Travel. Caitlyn (age 8), Lila (age 5), Emily (age 10) and Weston (age 4) = CLEW. You can read more about us on the profile page.

We love the Disney Cruise and decided that this Christmas we would surprise our kids with a vacation on the Disney Fantasy Jan 21 - 28, 2017. The kids were all super excited and so were we, as this was going to be our first experience with Star Wars Day at Sea and the Rainforest Room. It was non-stop, a true whirlwind experience, and we got to do it all. Besides again missing the port in Grand Cayman due to rough seas (though this unexpected day at sea was one of our favorites), everything was better than expected and remembered.

DAY 1: EMBARKATION DAY
Everyone was excited, but especially Emily and Brooke. During the cruise, Emily would ask me at least a dozen times to learn to be the captain so that we could live on the Disney cruise, explain that her heaven would include the Disney cruise and ask seriously if she could home school so that we could live on the Disney cruise. We departed our house around 9 AM to arrive near our scheduled embarkation time and take advantage of as much time as possible on the ship (don’t call it a boat!). Different from our previous experiences, check in was very quick and we were able to immediately board the cruise ship.

Once boarded, we always first seek out if any of the free ticketed events are still available and attempt to adjust our schedule for other events to best suite our itinerary at Guest Services. A few times we have also had to request 1st seating for dinner (545 PM vs 830 PM), but we luckily were already assigned to 1st seating. Brooke was able to score tickets for the Princess Gathering and Frozen Meet and Greet. Next, we always seek out lunch. This time was no exception and lunch was being served buffet style in Enchanted Garden, one of the 3 rotational restaurants on the Disney Fantasy. The food on the Disney cruise is stellar and our first buffet did not disappoint.

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After lunch, we usually spend our time waiting for the cabins to be ready by visiting the kids clubs during their open house. This is a great time to get the kids familiar with the different play areas inside the club, make sure they are properly registered and get some photos of the kids in the area. Once the club go “secure” (no parents roaming around), they do not allow for pictures to be taken. The Disney Fantasy has great kids areas, themed for Pixie Hollow, Andy’s Room (from Toy Story) and Monsters Inc. in the Oceaneer’s Club, lots of alcoves for crafting and learning in the Oceaneer’s Lab and an eating/science experiment area connecting the two clubs.

After all this exploring, it is easy to build up another appetite, and the food is always available, fresh and delicious, so we visited the 11th deck for more snacks and ice cream. It was then that Weston began to fully realize the awesomeness in store with always available soft-serve (or was that me?).

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Looking at the time, we knew that our cabins would be ready (we have to book two adjoining cabins because they cannot accommodate a party of 6 in one cabin), so we quickly made our way down and forward to check out our living quarters for the next week. We were welcomed by a Castaway Club bag and two stainless steel cups, along with a form allowing us to request our preferred experience for Star Wars Day at Sea, something we had yet to experience on the Disney cruise.

After the obligatory emergency practice and meeting, we made our way to the 11th Deck for the Sail Away party. Lila and Weston were soon discouraged from getting close and participating because they are both very adverse to loud noise (and it was really loud). Emily and Caitlyn hung out near the front and enjoyed watching the characters and entertainment team dance and encourage the passengers to get into vacation mode

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We spent more time exploring the ship, enjoying the view from our balcony, unpacking and decorating our door before our first dinner at Animator’s Palate (my favorite restaurant on the ship).

During dinner Caitlyn began to feel sea sick and eventually left early to rest at the room. Fortunately by the time I returned with her to-go dessert, she was feeling better and ready to adventure out some more. Lila and Weston opted to check into the Oceaneer’s Club while Emily and Caitlyn attended the evening’s entertainment with us which featured a short broadway style musical and Michael Harrison, a comedic ventriloquist. After the show, the kids switched and we picked up Lila and Weston while Emily and Caitlyn checked in. Some quick window shopping (the kids received Disney gift cards for Christmas to spend while on the cruise) and more ice cream later, we ended up back in the room ordering room service. The room service is included on the Disney cruise and offers some great options. Brooke loves the All Hands on Deck cheese platter and the kids opt for Uncrustables.

Quite worn out from the day’s non-stop action, I dragged Emily and Caitlyn out of the Oceaneer’s Lab where they had learned animation techniques (and took them for a quick ice cream stop). We all soon fell asleep and I spent my dozing off time realizing just how much you can eat when all opportunity costs are removed!

[pamcarey]

What a great first day on your cruise! I'm so jealous that you can leave your house at 9:00 and be at the port by your embarkation time! Your kids are adorable! I love the picture with two of them holding hands!

[CLEWTravel]

Originally Posted by pamcarey

What a great first day on your cruise! I'm so jealous that you can leave your house at 9:00 and be at the port by your embarkation time! Your kids are adorable! I love the picture with two of them holding hands!

Thank you! Yes, we are very lucky to have the commute in the morning!

[benchley]

Oh to have that commute to the ship. Ours was 9 hours on a plane! Your report is bringing back happy memories, thank you.

[jenifermg0]

Originally Posted by benchley

Oh to have that commute to the ship. Ours was 9 hours on a plane! Your report is bringing back happy memories, thank you.

RIGHT?!?! I see you flew in from England...we came from the other direction - Alaska! LLLOOONNNGGG flight, but worth it in the end.

[belle0517]

Great first day!

[CLEWTravel]

Some people thrive on new environments, meeting new people and quickly adapt to their surroundings. Others revel in comfort at familiarity and take time to adjust. Most of our family falls into the second category, including myself, meaning that it takes a few days to fall into ease when somewhere new, and the Disney Cruise is no exception. Emily, Lila, Weston and I all take some time to get our bearings and adjust, and we started to do so fairly early on this trip by the second day.

Even though Emily and Caitlyn had fallen asleep after midnight the day before, everyone was awake and ready to go by 730 AM. We headed up to Cabana’s for breakfast at the buffet and the kids were welcomed with Krispy Kreme donuts and the promise of their availability for every morning of the cruise. The offerings ranged from normal breakfast cuisine to seafood, fruit and boxed cereal (…grabbing a few extra of those for later thank you very much). After breakfast, Lila and Weston wanted to head to the Oceaneer’s Lab while Emily and Caitlyn wanted to go swimming.

We obliged both parties and after a short while, the two older girls decided to join the others in the club, allowing Brooke and I some time alone, the first of what we thought would be many such occasions on this vacation. We used the time to attend the Gold and Platinum Castaway Club Members Gathering where Disney was providing hor devours and cocktails while the upper management staff mingled with the guests.

The commodore spoke for a while, but shortly into his speech, our Disney Cruise App buzzed letting us know that one of the kids would like to be picked up. We mainly were attending the gathering because they had in the past provided us with some yummy goodies and were slightly disappointed (in the 1st world on a cruise in the member’s area sort of way) that they did not hand them out this time. But, much to our delight on our way out, there was the basket of chocolate covered, Mickey Mouse shaped rice krispy treats.

We asked for four and bounded up the stairs to show the kids what surprises we had in store for them!
It was already time again to eat and we headed back to Cabana’s for a lunch buffet, but by this time Weston was starting to not cooperate and would only settle for an Uncrustable like the one he got from room service the night before. We found head waiter and asked (if you want something/anything on this cruise, just ask, they love to make you happy) and he sent someone to fetch two Uncrustables for us (by this time Caitlyn had joined in on the request). As I should have known, however, the Uncrustable would not arrive at the exact right temperature for a four year old’s advanced taste, which would cause further breakdown. We attempted completing a craft (door hangers), but Weston delved further into tantrum and we proceeded back to the cabin.

It took quite a while, and depleted our store of patience, before he started to calm down. At this point, I decided it would be best to have them get some exercise and we all participated in the Midship Detective Agency game.

This cool game involves solving mystery by collecting clues at interactive paintings in the public areas around the ship. At the starting point, you grab a map and an ID card, which provides a simple QR code for the interactive paintings to recognize. The card is then used as a controller of sorts as you perform different tasks at each painting. The kids loved it and we spent the next hour rushing from one painting and clue area to the next solving who stole the Muppet’s props (I won’t ruin the surprise…).

After the mystery has been solved, Emily and Caitlyn decide to go to the Oceaneer’s Lab to participate in a cooking class (they made, decorated and ate cookies) and Lila and Weston wanted to go swimming. Again, we obliged as the two younger ones enjoyed the hot tub, Mickey slide and Nemo splash area with Brooke while I went jogging on the 4th deck outdoor running/walking path (2.5 laps = 1 mile). After meeting back at the cabin, Brooke took Emily to the Bippity Boppity Boutique. We had given the girls a choice of this special treat or an excursion while on land and Emily had chosen the pop star makeover. She loved the pink hair, nail polish and pixie dust!


Tonight was Formal Night, so with Emily already prepared we quickly got the rest of the crew ready for a fancy night aboard the boat and hoped for the best that we could get 1 picture.

With Weston’s meltdown already occurring earlier, we were not so optimistic this would happen. He was slightly cooperative as we posed for a few pictures and then made our way to Enchanted Garden for dinner.


Disney Cruise pioneered the rotating dining concept in which your serving team follows you around to the different restaurants and they quickly get to know your preferences. Sure enough, when we arrived at dinner, our drinks were already set out and the server had suggestions off the menu ready to go. The entire meal was great, including the desserts off the kids menu. During the entire cruise, we were impressed with the service we received from our team, especially our main server, but the kids were even more impressed with the origami skills of our assistant server and main server, as they showed off these skills in making great paper airplanes, flowers and a working (flapping) bird.

After dinner, Lila and Weston opted to go back to the Oceaneer’s Club instead of attending the Broadway style show of Aladdin. The performance was fantastic; it is always amazing to watch the dancers move of the stage as it rocks back and forth, never knowing exactly where they will land. The display immediately took Brooke and I back to our middle school years when this movie was first released and we didn’t get buzzed to pick up the kids until almost the very end. Lila had just wanted to make sure she could change into her pajamas for the Pluto PJ Party, so I quickly took her back to the cabin to change and Emily and Caitlyn also decided to join her. We had hoped that Weston would want to as well, but he was exhausted and fell asleep before the girls even left the room. Brooke and I hung out at the cabin, ordered some room service and waited for the girls to be ready to be picked up. I met them just after 11 PM when they had finished coloring in their Pluto pillowcases from the party and Lila was ready for bed. But, not Emily and Caitlyn. There were more activities to attend and so we did….1130 PM Family Karaoke. Finally, we were back in the cabin, again asleep after Midnight.

[CLEWTravel]

Some people thrive on new environments, meeting new people and quickly adapt to their surroundings. Others revel in comfort at familiarity and take time to adjust. Most of our family falls into the second category, including myself, meaning that it takes a few days to fall into ease when somewhere new, and the Disney Cruise is no exception. Emily, Lila, Weston and I all take some time to get our bearings and adjust, and we started to do so fairly early on this trip by the second day.

Even though Emily and Caitlyn had fallen asleep after midnight the day before, everyone was awake and ready to go by 730 AM. We headed up to Cabana’s for breakfast at the buffet and the kids were welcomed with Krispy Kreme donuts and the promise of their availability for every morning of the cruise. The offerings ranged from normal breakfast cuisine to seafood, fruit and boxed cereal (…grabbing a few extra of those for later thank you very much). After breakfast, Lila and Weston wanted to head to the Oceaneer’s Lab while Emily and Caitlyn wanted to go swimming.

We obliged both parties and after a short while, the two older girls decided to join the others in the club, allowing Brooke and I some time alone, the first of what we thought would be many such occasions on this vacation. We used the time to attend the Gold and Platinum Castaway Club Members Gathering where Disney was providing hor devours and cocktails while the upper management staff mingled with the guests.

The commodore spoke for a while, but shortly into his speech, our Disney Cruise App buzzed letting us know that one of the kids would like to be picked up. We mainly were attending the gathering because they had in the past provided us with some yummy goodies and were slightly disappointed (in the 1st world on a cruise in the member’s area sort of way) that they did not hand them out this time. But, much to our delight on our way out, there was the basket of chocolate covered, Mickey Mouse shaped rice krispy treats.

We asked for four and bounded up the stairs to show the kids what surprises we had in store for them!
It was already time again to eat and we headed back to Cabana’s for a lunch buffet, but by this time Weston was starting to not cooperate and would only settle for an Uncrustable like the one he got from room service the night before. We found head waiter and asked (if you want something/anything on this cruise, just ask, they love to make you happy) and he sent someone to fetch two Uncrustables for us (by this time Caitlyn had joined in on the request). As I should have known, however, the Uncrustable would not arrive at the exact right temperature for a four year old’s advanced taste, which would cause further breakdown. We attempted completing a craft (door hangers), but Weston delved further into tantrum and we proceeded back to the cabin.

It took quite a while, and depleted our store of patience, before he started to calm down. At this point, I decided it would be best to have them get some exercise and we all participated in the Midship Detective Agency game.

This cool game involves solving mystery by collecting clues at interactive paintings in the public areas around the ship. At the starting point, you grab a map and an ID card, which provides a simple QR code for the interactive paintings to recognize. The card is then used as a controller of sorts as you perform different tasks at each painting. The kids loved it and we spent the next hour rushing from one painting and clue area to the next solving who stole the Muppet’s props (I won’t ruin the surprise…).

After the mystery has been solved, Emily and Caitlyn decide to go to the Oceaneer’s Lab to participate in a cooking class (they made, decorated and ate cookies) and Lila and Weston wanted to go swimming. Again, we obliged as the two younger ones enjoyed the hot tub, Mickey slide and Nemo splash area with Brooke while I went jogging on the 4th deck outdoor running/walking path (2.5 laps = 1 mile). After meeting back at the cabin, Brooke took Emily to the Bippity Boppity Boutique. We had given the girls a choice of this special treat or an excursion while on land and Emily had chosen the pop star makeover. She loved the pink hair, nail polish and pixie dust!


Tonight was Formal Night, so with Emily already prepared we quickly got the rest of the crew ready for a fancy night aboard the boat and hoped for the best that we could get 1 picture.

With Weston’s meltdown already occurring earlier, we were not so optimistic this would happen. He was slightly cooperative as we posed for a few pictures and then made our way to Enchanted Garden for dinner.


Disney Cruise pioneered the rotating dining concept in which your serving team follows you around to the different restaurants and they quickly get to know your preferences. Sure enough, when we arrived at dinner, our drinks were already set out and the server had suggestions off the menu ready to go. The entire meal was great, including the desserts off the kids menu. During the entire cruise, we were impressed with the service we received from our team, especially our main server, but the kids were even more impressed with the origami skills of our assistant server and main server, as they showed off these skills in making great paper airplanes, flowers and a working (flapping) bird.

After dinner, Lila and Weston opted to go back to the Oceaneer’s Club instead of attending the Broadway style show of Aladdin. The performance was fantastic; it is always amazing to watch the dancers move of the stage as it rocks back and forth, never knowing exactly where they will land. The display immediately took Brooke and I back to our middle school years when this movie was first released and we didn’t get buzzed to pick up the kids until almost the very end. Lila had just wanted to make sure she could change into her pajamas for the Pluto PJ Party, so I quickly took her back to the cabin to change and Emily and Caitlyn also decided to join her. We had hoped that Weston would want to as well, but he was exhausted and fell asleep before the girls even left the room. Brooke and I hung out at the cabin, ordered some room service and waited for the girls to be ready to be picked up. I met them just after 11 PM when they had finished coloring in their Pluto pillowcases from the party and Lila was ready for bed. But, not Emily and Caitlyn. There were more activities to attend and so we did….1130 PM Family Karaoke. Finally, we were back in the cabin, again asleep after Midnight.

[pamcarey]

Great family picture from formal night!!

[MayraLR]

Great start!!

[CLEWTravel]

The consecutive late nights caught up to us a bit and we slept later than planned. We had already docked at Cozumel and were allowed to get off the ship once we were finally out of bed. The day looked to be absolutely beautiful and we were ready to experience some Mexican beaches. Caitlyn and Brooke were booked for a Sea Lion experience at the Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park advisor-trip-tripadvisor-icon-0 at 11 AM so we had a hard and fast timeline to work with today. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Cabana’s for breakfast and towed away our lunch for the day. We had ordered room service the night before consisting of Uncrustables, chips and cookies so that we would have a lunch to bring with us for the kids. We paired those items with some small boxed cereal and we knew the kids wouldn’t care to eat any of the local fare.

After debarking the ship, we found taxi transportation to the park and got Cailtyn and Brooke checked in.



We still had 30 minutes to get our bearing at the park and take in the Sea Lion show.



They brought out a few different sea lions to perform tricks and entertain the crowd, but by far the most memorable performance was a lip syncing rendition of “I’m a Believer”.

Shortly after the show, Brooke and Caitlyn met up with their group for the sea lion experience, donned their life jackets and headed back into the same pool where we had seen the sea lion show. They spent about 45 minutes in the water (which they said was freezing) touching the sea lion as it swam by, doing tricks with the sea lion and getting kisses. I was not allowed to take pictures (because they want you to buy their pictures instead). I was prepared with some warm towels for them when the experience was over and we headed directly for this little man-made cove and beach area to relax and let the kids play.

We ate lunch, played in the sand and water and enjoyed some time in the sun. It was rocky at the beach and it didn’t take long for one of the kids to fall and get hurt (Weston). While he rested, Emily and Caitlyn went with Brooke to the pool. Lila entertained herself by continually throwing a ball into the ocean waves and waiting for it to come back; a bit like self-fetch.

We switched and Lila and Weston spent some time at the pool while Emily and Caitlyn went with me to explore the rest of the park. We found Mayan artifacts and monuments, some replica huts and steam houses and a waterfall.



It was time to head back to the cruise ship, so we boarded the taxi back to the port to explore and do some shopping. After boarding the ship, Lila and Weston bolted off to the Oceaneer’s Club and we finally got to take Emily and Caitlyn on the AquaDuck, 765 feet long water raft ride that starts on the 12th deck and goes all around the ship, up and down, including a 4 deck descent, before ending up at the 11th deck. The water was freezing, but the ride was exhilarating, so we hardly noticed. We quickly got the other kids, took showers and got ready for Pirate Night. We made it time for dinner, this time at the Royal Court, where Weston proceeded to hide under the table the entire meal because he didn’t want anyone to see him.

After dinner, we really wanted some pictures, but Weston was not cooperating, which is why most of the pictures from that night were just of the three girls.



Weston was very tired, going all day out in the sun and sand without a nap, but we all did make it through the main entertainment for the night, a full set from the ventriloquist Michael Harrison. The kids thought he was hilarious, but as we returned to the room, it took less than 2 minutes for Weston to fall asleep (and Brooke was shortly thereafter). The girls and I explored the ship some more, but eventually we made this the earliest night in of the entire cruise.

[pamcarey]

What a great day in Cozumel! Great picture of the girls in pirate night. Sorry that Weston wasn't cooperating.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[CLEWTravel]

The fourth day of the Disney Cruise held us in much anticipation with a special character breakfast, a day in Grand Cayman at the Turtle Farm and the special animation night for dinner at Animator’s Palate, plus we felt more rested than previous days. Brooke’s clothes coordination called for navy and green today, so we donned our picture taking best and headed to the Disney Junior character breakfast. This ticketed event is bookable ahead of time on the Disney Cruise website once you have booked your cruise. We picked a day that was still available even though it was not our first choice and then attempted to change it at the Guest Services desk when we first boarded. They had nothing available for either of the at sea days, so we kept our original reservation. The breakfast includes sit down service and a few special menu items, along with visits from Disney Junior characters to your table while you eat. Caitlyn was most excited about the characters and we could not get Weston to take a picture with Jake the Pirate, but he did pose with a few other characters.



After breakfast, we headed to our next ticketed event, the Princess Gathering. On the way, we made some quick picture stops. The kids loved sitting in the large portholes and it was one of the few places we could always guarantee a smiling picture from them all.

When we first starting going on Disney cruises, the lines for characters were amazingly long and if you wanted to get a picture, you had to get in line early and wait. For the most popular characters, Disney has recently changed the process where they provide tickets to gatherings so that there is no wait. Again, Caitlyn was the most excited to pose with the Princesses, but we were able to get Weston involved for one family shot (which is an accomplishment)!



Because it was located nearby, we stopped by the Guest Services desk for a few items (like lost and found) and while in line, the Commodore came over the loud speaker to announce that we would unfortunately not be able to make port at Grand Cayman. We were expecting the announcement to let us know that the tendering boats were now ready to take us to the island, but the recent cold front had brought in a huge swell and the port had closed to all cruise ships that day. The Grand Cayman stop involved using smaller tendering boats instead of actually docking right to the port, so the swells caused an even larger concern for passenger safety. Unfortunately, we had experienced this same issue on our last Disney cruise aboard the Disney Magic, which also couldn’t make port at Castaway Cay. These two missed stops on our last cruise created us to pause on re-booking another Disney cruise all together. While we were disappointed to not make it onto Grand Cayman and to the Turtle Farm, we were more anxious that the same fate would await us in missing Castaway Cay, which is by far our favorite stop.

Determined to make it the best spontaneous day at sea possible, we quickly stopped by the room to grab a few things and then back to the Guest Services desk to pick up an updated Daily Navigator to pick out the best activities for the day. Weston and Lila immediately requested to go to the Oceaneer’s Lab, while Emily and Caitlyn decided to do some karaoke. Emily’s previous attempt at karaoke had not gone well and she left the stage during the song. She was determined (and courageous) this time around to sing her best the whole way through. Caitlyn only wanted to sing if Brooke would join her on stage. The all did great!



We didn’t stay much longer after they both sang and decided to explore parts of the ship that we had never set foot in before. During my jog, I noticed that the entrance to the teen club was sort of hidden on the 4th deck. You had to go out on the deck and around toward the front of the ship, ascend some metal stairs (they looked like crew type stairs) and then into the teen lounge. During each day, each of the children areas (the two younger kids clubs: Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, the tween lounge: Edge and the teen lounge: the Vibe) would provide an open house, allowing anyone to visit. We climbed the stairs, entered the area and the girls were amazed. There were still some teens hanging out, so we got some hardly interested but annoyed looks from them as we explored. The teens have it made here, with comfy lounge seats to watch tv or play video games by themselves, or a huge big screen to play together, and the main area turns into a nightclub during late hours. There was a small kitchen area where they make smoothies and other treats, along with a seating area for board games. The best part, however, was the teen only pool. Secluded, this pool was the largest on the ship and was sure to be the least crowded. We played a quick game of Yahtzee and then grabbed some pictures in the entrance hall (the only place we didn’t feel awkward taking pictures…).

Weston and Lila were still happy in the Oceaneer’s Lab, so before picking them up we attended a Disney Trivia Challenge in La Piazza, one of the adult lounges (it shifts to adult only at night). This section of the ship is amazing for lounges and bars, and though we did not get much time to explore, it serious made us consider going on another Disney cruise without the kids just to have time to hang out in these areas. The Disney trivia was extremely difficult, I believe we score 11 out of 20 or so, but with questions like “What is Remy’s brother’s name?” (Emile), “Exactly what time did Cinderella arrive at the ball?” (8 PM) and “How many stones were used to build Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom?” (0, it is made out of fiberglass), we knew we would be outclassed by the hardcore Disney fans. I ventured up one deck to pick up Lila and Weston while Brooke took Emily and Caitlyn to a family game show. By the time I returned, however, the contestants for the game show had already been chosen, and the requirements for being chosen included having the entire family present. The game show was still entertaining and we watched until hunger kicked in for everyone and we grabbed some food at the quick service area (fruit, burgers, hot dogs, fries, pizza and, of course, ice cream).

Our next highlighted activity was the Mickey 200, which was noted on the Navigator that participation may be limited. Not knowing what to expect, and wanting to make sure we could participate, we arrived a few minutes early and secured our spot. It turns out that the Mickey 200 is a race car competition, where the cars are created out of potatoes, carrots and wheels. It is amazing how much effort Disney puts into activities even as inconsequential seeming as this, but there was a branded racetrack, a logo and other decorations. We were provided our vegetables, a knife, some toothpicks, a cutting board and some wheels and told to get started making our car.

We did our best to create something with enough weight to make it down the track, aerodynamics to be quick about it and Disney design to appeal to the judges. We were in the first heat of the races and the kids all gathered around to watch the results.



Unfortunately, one of the other cars toppled into our lane, obstructing our path down and we did not place first in our heat. We had still had a great time, however.

Nursing our defeat, we decided the best remedy would be grab some desserts at the buffet (which did help). After Weston’s difficulty at dinner the night before, we proactively sought out nap time for him, during which the rest of the kids went back to the Oceaneer’s Club to play and Brooke and I took a quick nap as well. After resting, we all got ready for dinner, to which we had been looking forward all cruise. Tonight, we would be dining again in Animator’s Palate, but would be designing our own characters for a special animation show. You are asked to arrive 5 minutes early and provided a drawing sheet with instructions how to draw your character to be animated. Emily and Brooke are our best artists and we all quickly set to work.



Disney then takes these drawings and incorporates them into an animation show that is played at the end of dinner. It is very cool to see your drawing moving around and dancing in full coordination like it was intended to be there. The kids really loved seeing their names and their characters on screen. After the show, dessert was brought out and the kids ordered Design Your Own Cupcakes that was presented like an artist’s paint palate; so cool (and really good too).

After dinner, all the kids except Emily wanted to go back to the Oceaneer’s Club and Emily wanted to play some Bingo. Disney cruises do not have gambling areas like most cruise lines, so Bingo tends to attract a large crowd (and provide large winnings). We grab our cards and some digital boards and pressed our luck.

We weren’t so lucky this night, but were looking forward to the Broadway style show playing as that evening’s entertainment called Wishes. All of us attended, and only five of us left awake, Lila falling asleep during the show. I believed that to mean that one of us would have to stay in the cabin with her for the rest of the night, but we decided to see how she would do for a fun family night out while still asleep. We made our way over to a party hosted by Donald Duck, followed by another family game show and then family karaoke; all in the D Lounge. Lila slept through the entire night’s activities until the last song at karaoke.



She was still tired, as was Weston, and they returned to the cabin with Brooke while Emily and Caitlyn spent the last few remaining minutes available back in the Oceaneer’s Lab. Lila was rewarded for waking up by ordering a Mickey bar from room service, which she enjoyed in bed (Weston got one too).

We capped off the fun-filled, whirlwind day by picking up the girls and quickly falling asleep. We had big plans for our next day in Jamaica.

[CLEWTravel]

The fourth day of the Disney Cruise held us in much anticipation with a special character breakfast, a day in Grand Cayman at the Turtle Farm and the special animation night for dinner at Animator’s Palate, plus we felt more rested than previous days. Brooke’s clothes coordination called for navy and green today, so we donned our picture taking best and headed to the Disney Junior character breakfast. This ticketed event is bookable ahead of time on the Disney Cruise website once you have booked your cruise. We picked a day that was still available even though it was not our first choice and then attempted to change it at the Guest Services desk when we first boarded. They had nothing available for either of the at sea days, so we kept our original reservation. The breakfast includes sit down service and a few special menu items, along with visits from Disney Junior characters to your table while you eat. Caitlyn was most excited about the characters and we could not get Weston to take a picture with Jake the Pirate, but he did pose with a few other characters.



After breakfast, we headed to our next ticketed event, the Princess Gathering. On the way, we made some quick picture stops. The kids loved sitting in the large portholes and it was one of the few places we could always guarantee a smiling picture from them all.

When we first starting going on Disney cruises, the lines for characters were amazingly long and if you wanted to get a picture, you had to get in line early and wait. For the most popular characters, Disney has recently changed the process where they provide tickets to gatherings so that there is no wait. Again, Caitlyn was the most excited to pose with the Princesses, but we were able to get Weston involved for one family shot (which is an accomplishment)!



Because it was located nearby, we stopped by the Guest Services desk for a few items (like lost and found) and while in line, the Commodore came over the loud speaker to announce that we would unfortunately not be able to make port at Grand Cayman. We were expecting the announcement to let us know that the tendering boats were now ready to take us to the island, but the recent cold front had brought in a huge swell and the port had closed to all cruise ships that day. The Grand Cayman stop involved using smaller tendering boats instead of actually docking right to the port, so the swells caused an even larger concern for passenger safety. Unfortunately, we had experienced this same issue on our last Disney cruise aboard the Disney Magic, which also couldn’t make port at Castaway Cay. These two missed stops on our last cruise created us to pause on re-booking another Disney cruise all together. While we were disappointed to not make it onto Grand Cayman and to the Turtle Farm, we were more anxious that the same fate would await us in missing Castaway Cay, which is by far our favorite stop.

Determined to make it the best spontaneous day at sea possible, we quickly stopped by the room to grab a few things and then back to the Guest Services desk to pick up an updated Daily Navigator to pick out the best activities for the day. Weston and Lila immediately requested to go to the Oceaneer’s Lab, while Emily and Caitlyn decided to do some karaoke. Emily’s previous attempt at karaoke had not gone well and she left the stage during the song. She was determined (and courageous) this time around to sing her best the whole way through. Caitlyn only wanted to sing if Brooke would join her on stage. The all did great!



We didn’t stay much longer after they both sang and decided to explore parts of the ship that we had never set foot in before. During my jog, I noticed that the entrance to the teen club was sort of hidden on the 4th deck. You had to go out on the deck and around toward the front of the ship, ascend some metal stairs (they looked like crew type stairs) and then into the teen lounge. During each day, each of the children areas (the two younger kids clubs: Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, the tween lounge: Edge and the teen lounge: the Vibe) would provide an open house, allowing anyone to visit. We climbed the stairs, entered the area and the girls were amazed. There were still some teens hanging out, so we got some hardly interested but annoyed looks from them as we explored. The teens have it made here, with comfy lounge seats to watch tv or play video games by themselves, or a huge big screen to play together, and the main area turns into a nightclub during late hours. There was a small kitchen area where they make smoothies and other treats, along with a seating area for board games. The best part, however, was the teen only pool. Secluded, this pool was the largest on the ship and was sure to be the least crowded. We played a quick game of Yahtzee and then grabbed some pictures in the entrance hall (the only place we didn’t feel awkward taking pictures…).

Weston and Lila were still happy in the Oceaneer’s Lab, so before picking them up we attended a Disney Trivia Challenge in La Piazza, one of the adult lounges (it shifts to adult only at night). This section of the ship is amazing for lounges and bars, and though we did not get much time to explore, it serious made us consider going on another Disney cruise without the kids just to have time to hang out in these areas. The Disney trivia was extremely difficult, I believe we score 11 out of 20 or so, but with questions like “What is Remy’s brother’s name?” (Emile), “Exactly what time did Cinderella arrive at the ball?” (8 PM) and “How many stones were used to build Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom?” (0, it is made out of fiberglass), we knew we would be outclassed by the hardcore Disney fans. I ventured up one deck to pick up Lila and Weston while Brooke took Emily and Caitlyn to a family game show. By the time I returned, however, the contestants for the game show had already been chosen, and the requirements for being chosen included having the entire family present. The game show was still entertaining and we watched until hunger kicked in for everyone and we grabbed some food at the quick service area (fruit, burgers, hot dogs, fries, pizza and, of course, ice cream).

Our next highlighted activity was the Mickey 200, which was noted on the Navigator that participation may be limited. Not knowing what to expect, and wanting to make sure we could participate, we arrived a few minutes early and secured our spot. It turns out that the Mickey 200 is a race car competition, where the cars are created out of potatoes, carrots and wheels. It is amazing how much effort Disney puts into activities even as inconsequential seeming as this, but there was a branded racetrack, a logo and other decorations. We were provided our vegetables, a knife, some toothpicks, a cutting board and some wheels and told to get started making our car.

We did our best to create something with enough weight to make it down the track, aerodynamics to be quick about it and Disney design to appeal to the judges. We were in the first heat of the races and the kids all gathered around to watch the results.



Unfortunately, one of the other cars toppled into our lane, obstructing our path down and we did not place first in our heat. We had still had a great time, however.

Nursing our defeat, we decided the best remedy would be grab some desserts at the buffet (which did help). After Weston’s difficulty at dinner the night before, we proactively sought out nap time for him, during which the rest of the kids went back to the Oceaneer’s Club to play and Brooke and I took a quick nap as well. After resting, we all got ready for dinner, to which we had been looking forward all cruise. Tonight, we would be dining again in Animator’s Palate, but would be designing our own characters for a special animation show. You are asked to arrive 5 minutes early and provided a drawing sheet with instructions how to draw your character to be animated. Emily and Brooke are our best artists and we all quickly set to work.



Disney then takes these drawings and incorporates them into an animation show that is played at the end of dinner. It is very cool to see your drawing moving around and dancing in full coordination like it was intended to be there. The kids really loved seeing their names and their characters on screen. After the show, dessert was brought out and the kids ordered Design Your Own Cupcakes that was presented like an artist’s paint palate; so cool (and really good too).

After dinner, all the kids except Emily wanted to go back to the Oceaneer’s Club and Emily wanted to play some Bingo. Disney cruises do not have gambling areas like most cruise lines, so Bingo tends to attract a large crowd (and provide large winnings). We grab our cards and some digital boards and pressed our luck.

We weren’t so lucky this night, but were looking forward to the Broadway style show playing as that evening’s entertainment called Wishes. All of us attended, and only five of us left awake, Lila falling asleep during the show. I believed that to mean that one of us would have to stay in the cabin with her for the rest of the night, but we decided to see how she would do for a fun family night out while still asleep. We made our way over to a party hosted by Donald Duck, followed by another family game show and then family karaoke; all in the D Lounge. Lila slept through the entire night’s activities until the last song at karaoke.



She was still tired, as was Weston, and they returned to the cabin with Brooke while Emily and Caitlyn spent the last few remaining minutes available back in the Oceaneer’s Lab. Lila was rewarded for waking up by ordering a Mickey bar from room service, which she enjoyed in bed (Weston got one too).

We capped off the fun-filled, whirlwind day by picking up the girls and quickly falling asleep. We had big plans for our next day in Jamaica.

[pamcarey]

Sorry you had to miss your day in Grand Cayman, but sounds like you had a great at sea day to make up for it! I love your coordinated outfits! The picture of Lila sleeping is so cute!


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