Our 14 day Cruise on the Magic *COMPLETE 9/23/05* About This Page:

[disneyfan4994]

Even though I have been a passporter for over a year now I have never done a trip report! So this will be my 1st attempt at one. It may be very short if I can’t get the hang of this but I wanted to give it a try. Here goes:
The Cast: Me (Kathy 34) DH (Tim 32) DS (Matt 10) DS (Ryan 4) My Mom DM (Sharon 63) & My Dad DF (Bill 67)
The event: 14 day Panama Canal Cruise on the Disney Magic
Dates: 8/20/05 to 9/3/05

Day 1 8/20/05

Our day started out very early with a 7:30am flight out of Midway airport in Chicago. My Mom believes in being at the airport very early so by 5:15am I was at the airport. The flight was uneventful & due to the 2 hour time difference in our favor, we touched down in L.A. about 9:40am local time. We claimed our luggage & found the Disney rep in baggage claim; before we knew it we were on a bus & headed to the Port of Los Angeles. We were to the port by 11am & checked in with hardly any wait. We were assigned a boarding group #16 & they had just started with group #1! I had registered both DS’s for the kids club on line so I went to the check in desk & claimed our pager, before joining the family to wait to board. It wasn’t too long & we were hearing our names announced as we boarded the Magic for the 3rd time.

DS’s wanted a picture with the Mickey statue in the atrium.


They also had a lovely ice sculpture of the Magic.



Then it was up to Topsiders for the embarkation buffet. We took a picture of the port. It sure is different from Port Canaveral.


After lunch we explored a bit before heading to our stateroom then of course the mandatory life boat drill. If you have never done one it is an experience. You have to wear your very uncomfortable life jacket & walk to your muster station. You then have to stand very close together while attendance is taken & a few announcements are made. It is hot, sweaty, & many kids are usually crying, but safety first! After the drill it was on to the sail away party on deck 9.


A lot of people turned out to say goodbye to the Magic


After we sailed away we headed back to our room to get ready for dinner. We were on the APL (Animator’s Palate, Parrot Cay, Lumiere’s) rotation. Tonight’s menu was “Let the Magic Begin” & we met our server’s Glendene from Trinidad & Joy from India for the 1st time. Dinner was great. After dinner we headed to the Walt Disney Theatre for the “Let the Magic Begin” variety show. We saw a juggler David DiMuzio & a ventriloquist Taylor Mason who was fabulous, as well as a couple numbers by the Disney main stage performers. After the show we were all very tired so we headed back to our stateroom to unpack & get some sleep. We had 2 weeks of fun ahead of us!

Next up: Our 1st day at sea

[DawnDenise]

What a great start Kathy!!!!! Can't wait to hear about your fist day at sea!!!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Kathy

More please

[disneyfan4994]

Day 2 8/21/05 Sunday

Today was our 1st day at sea. We woke up about 7:30am & headed to Topsiders for breakfast. We enjoyed the buffet for breakfast every morning. I tried to keep it light sticking with a bagel, or Danish & maybe hash browns. DH liked the scrambled eggs & toast. DS #1 stuck with bagels & several donuts. DS #2 usually had pancakes & bacon. DS #2 is very picky about his pancakes. At home the only microwave pancakes he will eat come from Market Days. If I try to give him any other brand he tells me they are the wrong color, so we were very happy to see the “Mickey Boat” had the right pancakes. After breakfast my Dad took the boys to the pool, & me DH & my Mom headed to the DVC member celebration. We received DVC baseball hats, lanyards & luggage tags as gifts. I also won a great DVC tote bag in a raffle. There were a lot of DVC members on board. After the celebration we headed to the Mickey pool to meet up with the boys & my Dad. The Mickey pool became one of our favorite hangouts during the cruise. The boys had a great time playing in the pool.

Matt & Ryan ready to jump in



Ryan trying out the Mickey slide


Matt in the pool



Ryan in the pool



DS #1 also tried out the Oceaneer Lab today which would become his 2nd home for the next 2 weeks. He was in the 10-12 age group. He went to a session of Mickeymation & learned to draw his favorite mouse. Spent time Stormin’ the Lab, which is basically free time where the kids can use the computers & the play station. Skipped the evening show to go see the Incredibles in the Buena Vista Theatre & attended a Carnival Party. He basically stayed in the Lab every night until they kicked him out, usually at midnight! We all joked he had the best night life of all of us.

Dinner tonight was in Parrot Cay. It reminds me of the Tiki Room at MK. It is very colorful & busy. The menu tonight was “Taste of California” & was great as usual. After dinner we took in the evening show which was “Art Imitating Art an Acrobatic Adventure.” The performers were very talented, especially when you remembered they were doing acrobatics on a moving ship!

We roamed the decks & stores a little after dinner, and then headed back to the room for some rest.

Our room steward Derrick always left us a towel animal, & DS #2 loved them.



Up Next: A stop in Cabo… or not; & will this ship ever stop rocking??

[Disneyfan62]

Great trip report!

[Colexis Mom]

What a cool towel animal! Glad the kids are having a great time More please

[disneyfan4994]

Day 3 8/22/05 Monday

DH & I both woke up at about 5:30am & boy was the ship rocking. This is our 3rd cruise & this was the most I had ever felt the ship move. I went out on the veranda to check the weather. It was raining & gloomy & the seas looked really rough. I came back inside & we turned on the voyage channel that tells you the course, how far you’ve gone, how far to the next port & the weather. The channel still said we were stopping at Cabo San Lucas so we decided to get dressed. About 7am Captain Tom made an announcement that we had passed Cabo earlier that morning. Due to hurricane Hillary it wouldn’t be safe for us to tender in. We would be spending a day at sea & stopping tomorrow in Manzanillo, Mexico (where??) Instead of our scheduled day at sea.

We quickly had a revised Navigator delivered to our room by our steward. The Navigator is a guide to all the day’s activities, & they had scheduled a lot to keep us busy. While we checked out the Navigator we received a phone call from Palo, the adult’s only restaurant. I had us scheduled for brunch for tomorrow, but since our day at sea changed our brunch would be today. They only serve brunch on sea days. I went next door to see my Mom & Dad & Mom was kind of seasick. She said we should still go to brunch though & she would take the boys to the family craft session at 10am, then back to the room while we did our 11am brunch, so that was the plan. Brunch at Palo is amazing. They have a buffet set up with breads, crackers, cheeses, shrimp, crab legs, & tons of other things not to mention desserts. You can get flat bread pizzas & other things like pancakes, & filet made to order. DH & I both had some items off the buffet & ordered a cheese & tomato flat bread pizza to share. We also both ordered the filet & it was yummy. We were too full for desert, but the buffet looked great.

After brunch we headed back to the room to meet my Mom & the kids. We decided to take the kids to the Buena Vista Theatre to see the Pacifier at 12:30. Mom was still not feeling well so she decided to lie down. We had never seen the Pacifier & thought it was a cute movie. Mom met us outside the theatre when the movie was over & said she felt a little better. We then headed to the Promenade Lounge for the David DiMuzio juggling worships at 2:30pm. The kids had fun trying to learn to juggle. After that DH, Ryan & I headed to room so he could take a nap, & Matt headed to the club to hear Gary Landrum an Imagineer speak & the Storm the Lab. I should probably mention that while I could not get DS Matt (age 10) out of the Lab I could not get DS Ryan (age 4) into the Club. Now this is a child who has been in daycare since he was 6 weeks old, but he wanted no part of it. I went in with him & told him I’d sit in the corner while he played, figuring after he got acquainted I could sneak out, but no dice. One of the counselors said a lot of kids are like that, even though they are in daycare at home they figure they’re not missing anything because you’re at work. On vacation they’re afraid they might miss something if they’re not with you. Oh well maybe next time.

Dinner tonight was in Lumiere’s. We had the “Around the World” menu. Great food & service as usual. The evening show was Taylor Mason a ventriloquist who uses puppets he makes himself. This guy was so funny. I think most of the kids on the ship spent the rest of the cruise quoting lines from his act. After dinner we headed up to deck 9 as we had hardly been outside all day. They had the pools closed & the water was sloshing out because the seas were still so rough. I don’t get sea sick, but DH & I both agreed we were ready for some calmer seas & smooth sailing. Matt headed back to the Lab & the rest of us headed back to the room to get some sleep.

We didn’t take too many pictures today, but here are a few of our stateroom.

Me by the bed


Matt by his & Ryan’s bed



Today’s towel animal from Derrick



Up Next: We’re in Manzanillo Mexico? Anyone ever heard of this place?

[CRCrazy]

Lovin your report so far! Keep up the great work - your boys are adorable - and I LOVE the towel animals!

Can't wait to read what happens next! Glad you enjoyed your brunch.

[iamgrumpy]

Love the Report Keep it coming!

Amy

[Colexis Mom]

Another cool towel animal Sorry you missed Cabo San Lucas Can't wait for more

[Tara O'Hara]

What a report and great pictures!! Sorry that you missed Cabo San Lucas! I hope the stop you do make is great!

[Tig&Poo]

Thank you Kathy, I am enjoying your report. More please!

[dsnytina]

Kathy:
Great report!
So sorry you're having rough seas!
Can't wait for more!
Tina

[lauren-roxy]

Great report Kathy!! Sounds like you are having an awesome time so far!! Can't wait to read more!!

[DawnDenise]

Sounds like an incredible time Kathy!! the towel animals!