It's a "Wonder"ful Life

Well it's been a couple of days now, and I was not able to get hooked up to the internet until now - there's been just too much to do!

So today's post is really yesterday's. I'll catch up in a day or two, once I know how fast (or not) the internet connection is via satellite... So, sorry, members of my family will have to wait one more day for Kiara's 3rd birthday pics to arrive...

C'mon Alex, cut the waffle, get to the good stuff...

After my tour of our overnight hotel - pictures and write up will feature on our regular agency website when I get back (www.letstakethekids.travel) - we got into our rental car... and got lost again. We missed a turning that Google maps said was there, because some thoughtless construction crew had closed the road. Imagine! The audacity! Anyway, at least we will know the way back to Disney World at the end of the cruise, as that is where we accidentally ended up!

Once we were on the correct road our straightforward journey to the port was made even easier as we came across a Disney Cruise Line transfer coach on the highway, and just followed it most of the way. For those of you thinking of renting a car for the trip to the port, there are a number of rental companies in the area. Even though they are not actually located in the port, most (like Hertz that we used) have a couple of shuttles running continuously to and from their depot. We found it simple and painless.

The ship is stunning-looking. While it is a modern ship, it was designed to look like a "classic" ocean liner, while still somehow looking like Mickey Mouse at the same time. For those of you that have not seen the pictures - where have you been? - it lives up to its designer's dreams. It is very impressive.

Check-in was quick, though thorough, with lots of the usual security checks that we have become used to. Signing up our children for the kids programming was easy too and there was no problem signing Kiara, our youngest, up for the 3-4 year old program even though it was not her birthday till the next day...

And then we were on the ship! We went straight to the cabin, which is a marvel of efficiency. We had packed fairly lightly - no mega-suitcases full of just shoes, or anything - but we could have packed almost double and there still would have been enough ingeniously designed storage to handle it. The cabin has a living area (with sofa bed that converts into half a bunk bed, the upper berth mysteriously appearing at night, as if by magic - but actually by Danillo, our cabin steward - from the ceiling), queen bed and the smart "bathroom and a half" that enables a family to get ready in two bathrooms at the same time. Although both bathrooms are small, there is even room for a tub in one of them.

We got to eat and drink - more on the dining later - and then we zoomed down to check out the kids club facilties. Now, I have been on this ship before, for 2 hours, as part of my Disney training, so I knew the rough layout and what the kids club looked like without children in it. However, there is no comparison to seeing it heaving with kids, all super-excited, and looking forward to lots of great times there over the coming days. It was very exciting. Our children tried out the pirate ship slides, the play area, the dress-up closet, even the cool miniature toilets, before we were kicked out to go and join the "Sail-Away Party" up on deck.

Lots of noise, razmataz, a great live band, noise, happy holiday makers, happy staff, bewildered 2 year olds, noise, etc. etc. A really amusing contrast to the other two ships in port, one of whom slipped its moorings and slunk out into the channel in embarrassed silence, the other one of which had crowds thronging its railings wondering if they had chosen the right ship after all. Theirs may have been bigger, but ours sure looked to be having a lot more fun!

After swimming in Goofy's pool - he didn't join us - we showered and dressed up for dinner. We wanted to go to the welcome show, and as we are on late dining (well someone has to...) this was before our meal. It introduced us to a lot of the staff and Disney characters that we will meet on the cruise, and was good fun. By the time we got to dinner our two kiddies were about ready to drop, and barely ate anything, but we enjoyed meeting our waiters Brenton (from St Vincent WI) and Ericsson (from the Philippines) who will be rotating around the various themed restaurants with us, which is the rather cool way that Disney Cruise Line handles these things.

And then it was time for bed, to look forward to Kiara's birthday.

P.S. The more observant among you may have noticed that I have changed my description in my profile from "Disney-obsessed travel agent" to the more accurate "Disney Specialist" which is my earned title. I knew that I wasn't Disney-obsessed (I have a number of clients that are way more obsessive), but I know my stuff, have sold lots of Disney vacations and have lots of positive customer feedback. But there was simply no way that I could keep that description after setting foot on the Disney Wonder. On this ship there are people that ARE Disney-obsessed. Some are SERIOUSLY Disney-obsessed. In fact to a large degree I would say there are two main types of people on the ship: families with children and Disney nuts!

Signing off for now... much more to come!

 

On to... September 18th 2006 - A Special Day at Sea

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