So yes! We went on a cruise. A Disney one. We've heard so many people raving about them - we had to try one. Looking back at these pictures is so fun. I remember, however, on this cruise feeling really tired. Probably because we had just spent 3 days at Universal before this. Freddy was feeling a little sick and had a rash so that was stressful. Also - there was so much magic packed into such a short cruise that it was a little overwhelming. The schedule was chock full of things like: Cinderella reading to your kids at bedtime (10:00!) and Anna and Elsa hosting a coronation party and mad science for Luke's age group and it went on and on. There were parties and characters around every corner and I remember just wanting to veg and lay by the pool! I think if we were to do it again we would do a longer cruise and not do back-to-back vacations because, man, we were tired.
Ok - now that the brutal honesty is out of the way --- let's get to the MAGIC. Because.. there was plenty of it!
First of all - we had these two come along with us:
which was the best. They were my kids' favorite part of the cruise.
So, I was impressed with the check-in system. It went smoothly. Getting the bags all sorted from our van and making sure we had everything was hectic and so I made all the kids stand against the wall and not move while I sorted everything. My mom thought it was funny and took a picture of them.
And she was so great because in line she made up a personalized handshake with each kid. It was so cute. They still remember them.
Ok, not quite to the magic yet sorry ---- still a little more reality. Freddy had a rash and so the minute we got in our rooms, we gave him a bath and tried to have him nap. He, like his parents, started out the trip exhausted.
Oh and speaking of awesome grandparents - this was Freddy's dream come true. A little one on one with his grandpa... in the middle of the ocean.
Ok - so the sum up my intro: rashy kid, tired me, awesome parents ... eh em. And now for all that Disney MAGIC!
Our first night we went to a musical, the Golden Mickeys and then had dinner (at 8:00!) at Triton's.
This is the beautiful mosaic on the wall.
It was so lovely to be all together in such a fancy place ordering whatever we wanted and just relaxing and talking. It was wonderful.
The kids club was where you could drop your kids off to do crafts, draw, learn and ya know, play with their life-long Disney heroes. It was so fun to hear all kids tell you in breathless excitement what they got to do. And Lucy brought back loads of adorable crafts. Luke was somewhat of a zombie which is what happens to him when he doesn't get enough sleep. But it seemed like the things he could absorb - he enjoyed. :) The parents weren't allowed to go with their kids or take pictures but there were a few open houses where the kids got to show us around their cool club.
Pool side
Luke's favorite thing about the cruise? Ice cream. He wrote in his journal "There was free ice cream! Me and lucy had four cones a meal! I loved breakfast, lunch and dinner. You get to eat doughnuts, croissants and ice cream plus you eat over the ocean. The rooms are the best. They have a tv, paper and pens and a couch that turns into a bunk bed." 😍
He actually had his first babysitting job in said room. He didn't want to go to the Frozen Musical the last night and Freddy had fallen asleep early. So he stayed in the room watching the Disney Channel and had the wave phone to call us if Freddy woke up. He was in heaven just being able to chill out all by himself. He was also old enough to check himself in and out of the kids club. He did a good job navigating the boat. I think he loved the freedom.
And oh the princesses you will meet!
It really did my mother-heart well seeing my girls light up in complete ecstasy when Ariel joked with them about her dinglehopper or Cinderella listened intently to their story about ... whatever. I love that Maryanne is just in her pajamas and crazy hair. It's like she just wandered out of her room and there were princesses there to greet her. I loved Ariel the most - she was a lot of fun.
More friends...
pirate friends
That night was
Pirate Night on the ship.
we really are a delightful band of pirates.
costumes were mostly from the Carters. They are disney cruisers and just handed us a duffle bag full of them!
[Oh and I can't forget MOANA. It's funny because Lucy's very favorite part of the cruise?? Yeah, it was watching Moana in the movie theater. We skipped the 2nd night musical (I know, my FOMO was through the roof) and watched Moana. I just can't think about it too much. (the fact that we could watch that at home and were missing a live musical) But my kids REALLY wanted to see it and it was the only time we could fit it in.]
Next was dinner at Animator's Palate. This was for sure my favorite restaurant of the cruise. It was so perfect for my art-loving kids and dad.
The walls were covered in sketches and toward the end of dinner they slowly started to fill in with color and come alive. Then music started playing and all the walls changed colors and the drawings were finally in full animation. It was just the coolest thing and our kids loved it.
Here's our beloved
Chamnan. He had the funniest, squeakiest voice and was so good with our kids, especially Freddy. I just wanted to take him home with us. It's cool because our waiters stayed with us all three night so we really got to know them.
Those Mickey ice creams! He ordered one every night.
Luke's animation
The next day we got to experience what was I think most of our favorite part of the cruise...
Castaway Cay. This was a day of no schedule, all-you-can-eat delicious food and true relaxation. It was heaven.
photo by steve? pat?
Minnie was there in her beach garb to welcome us
we found our spot
Maryanne was so brave and went down the big waterslides on the beach.
The kids' first snorkel
Your personal tour of Joey's snorkel - there's a surprise find at the end...
Lucy's cornrow braids. They lasted like 5 weeks!
When we got back on the ship, we had to rush to our Elsa & Anna appointment. So, the girls are in swimsuits in frozen Arendelle....brrrr :) Lucy and Maryanne got to just hang out with these cool chicks and just shoot the breeze for like 15 minutes. I think as parents we get almost as giddy as our kids just knowing how fun this must be for them.
And then, as a parent, sometimes you are just done and want to go lay on your bed but your daughter wants to get Donald's signature in her book. So then you just wait in a huge line for donald... Donald! He was actually pretty great though.
That night was
fancy night.
And this had to by Maryanne's favorite night. Her whole personality turned fancy and she was cracking us all up. Oh that girl.
We dined at
Tiana's Place and we got to meet her, listen to live jazz music and dance around her restaurant New Orleans party style.
saying goodbye to our buddies: Zelton and Chamnan
And that was our last night of our crazy, whirlwind of a 2.5 day cruise. The next morning we got off the boat and went home. But that night before we went to sleep was actually one of my favorite memories of the whole cruise. It was my mom and dad and Luke and me staying up late giggling our faces off. My parents and Luke were telling each other funny childhood stories and we were all sort of delirious and silly...oh I am fond of the silliness. And for me - that was the real magic of that trip. So yeah, best moment right here.
