Trip Report Disney Land & Sea is the place to be! COMPLETED

belledream · Nov 5, 2015

We hailed a taxi-van-thing and headed towards Paradise Beach. It was a good 20 minute ride or so, so yeah, we definitely could not have walked. We saw some people riding mopeds on the very street we were zooming on and I joked with J that we should have chosen that mode of transportation instead. We ended up at a place that I honestly think was an excursion-type-place because there were people with wristbands lounging in the pool, and people paying for chairs.

Hah..no thank you. We just walked a little further down the beach to an uninhabited area and plopped down on our towels.

The water did not look too inviting. It was definitely not as clear as the waters we've seen in the Bahamas or in the Dominican, and there was all this debris washed up against the shore. Nope, we decided not to go in. And that was fine with us. It was just nice to feel the sand, see the palm trees, and be alone.

Mexico is hot. The sun is strong.

We actually ended up retreating to the shade, and the effect was quite nice.

Shortly after, we realized we were actually in someone's backyard. Well, they actually looked more like vacation homes, but nevertheless, I did not want to get busted for trespassing, so we laid low.

We spent probably less than two hours here. It was nice to get a change of scenery, but we had had enough, and wanted to go back to the ship to eat, to play, and to be in Disney again. We would have preferred Castaway a million times over this. Of course. No question. But we had to remind ourselves again that it was for safety, and that DCL was trying their best not to screw us over. Plus, we had parasailing booked at CC and while we were looking forward to it...it was also really expensive. :hungover:

So that's about $400 that we saved that we can put towards another Disney vacation!

Well Cozumel, it was nice to meet ya, but if you don't mind...we're going to excuse ourselves and go back to our beautiful Disney home on the seas. As we got back to the dock...it was 'oh honey, how I've missed you!' I'm such a clinger.

We went to Cabanas and seriously chowed down. This was my first plate, but after this, we went back for multiple servings of just crab legs. They were soooo good. They were like miracle crab legs. So easy to extract the good stuff. So juicy it was like running down my arms. We had a good time.

Mural in Cabanas that we hadn't really taken the time to appreciate until now.

Was it just our imagination or did it get a tad cloudy while we were at lunch?

Brace yourselves!

Wendy Pleakley · Nov 5, 2015

With the unexpected itinerary change, did Disney offer any excursions in the new port, or were guests strictly on their own?

belledream · Nov 5, 2015

Wendy Plealey said:
With the unexpected itinerary change, did Disney offer any excursions in the new port, or were guests strictly on their own?

Right after they made the announcement, they handed out Port Adventures brochures and opened up the desk for bookings. We just chose not to book anything because nothing really appealed to us.

ScarletBegonias · Nov 5, 2015

Well good for you for getting out and going somewhere! I would have been too intimidated to go do anything, and would have went back to the ship! At least you did something! The beach does look pretty though!

belledream · Nov 5, 2015

ScarletBegonias said:
Well good for you for getting out and going somewhere! I would have been too intimidated to go do anything, and would have went back to the ship! At least you did something! The beach does look pretty though!

Haha thanks! It was definitely a case of...well we're already here so we might as well do it.

And yeah, the beach was definitely a relaxing and calming place to just chill for a few. Wish we could've gone in the water but I just felt icky about it haha.

belledream · Nov 5, 2015

So it wasn't our imagination. There were definitely some clouds rolling in.

Super spooky to see the other cruise line ship in the distance start to disappear in the fog...

It was weird to see clouds and practically feel the raindrops start to hit half of our bodies, while the other half remained dry in the cloudless sky.

And then the rain hit us full on. We retreated into covered area of the Wide World of Sports Deck where we saw rain hitting against the glass walls as we played a little bit of ping pong.

We saw some people heading back to the ship in a hurry. Glad we weren't caught out there in the storm.

J took this picture with some miniature setting on the camera. It looks pretty cool!

After a little bit of people watching, we decided to head back to our stateroom to start our transformation for Pirates in the Caribbean night. I wanted to draw facial hair on J using eyeliner and he surprisingly agreed. I was even able to give him a skull and crossbones tattoo on his arm.

We could feel the rumble of the ship, meaning we were getting ready to leave Cozumel. As we left, our stateroom host remarked that J grew facial-hair-growing-skills were very admirable.

The sun set really fast. And we were able to enjoy all of it. The show tonight was not a Disney show, but some comedian who's name I couldn't recall. Anyways, we decided to skip it and have a pirate photoshoot.

We were leaving Cozumel pretty fast. I was not prepared for how choppy everything felt. The ship was rocking back and forth so much so that we actually found ourselves stumbling around. Hold on tight!

belledream · Nov 5, 2015

We settled in our favorite spot as felt the wind blow by us.

We then decided check out this pirate gameshow thing in the D-Lounge. Everything from the crew's outfits to the lighting had transformed! Super cool. Equally cool was looking at other guests' costumes. Some people truly went all out with wigs and boots and the like. Others just donned the red bandana that DCL leaves as a gift for you in your stateroom. Either way, the pirate spirit was palpable!

After that, it was time for our pirate dinner. At Animator's Palate...yay! Not that we've been to Cariocas yet, but I just had a gut feeling that if you have to repeat a restaurant on board, this one would be it. And in true Disney fashion, the restaurant had transformed from the previous night.

Paintings on the wall ranged from sketches of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride to Captain Hook. So much fun to look at!

Special menu in honor of Pirate Night. So even though Animator's Palate is known for 'Pacific Rim' cuisine, we'd be getting something completely new tonight.

Animator's Palate glowed different shades of orange and red all night.

We started with Pearls of the Caribbean, which was couscous mixed with crabmeat, fish, and topped with shrimp. All completed with a zesty lemon-y sauce.

Next was Blackbeard's Jumbo Crab Cake. Onto of some kind of carrot coleslaw, and accompanied by a spicy dipping sauce.

Then we tried Pirates Golden 'Pot Stickers' which were deep fried pork dumplings, and you can't really go wrong with those.

I decided to get the Jerk Chicken Salad as well because I was feeling the need to be healthy, but this didn't really do it for me. The chicken was nicely sauced and seasoned, but the salad itself was very meh. So then I ended up just eating the chicken...haha.

J went for the Caribbean-style Conch Chowder. Not sure if I still understand how conch tastes different than say, clams in clam chowder, but it was hearty and filling.

ScarletBegonias · Nov 5, 2015

Oh goodness!! Choppy waters would scare me a bit. I am so afraid of being sea sick!

belledream · Nov 5, 2015

An example of some of the POTC ride pictures that came to life during our dinner.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!

Despite the fact that we were feeling the fullness, main courses came and we dug right in.

I chose Jack Sparrow's BBQ Marinated Beef Short Ribs which was Gede's recommendation for the night. The ribs fell off the bone, and the sauce was very powerful. Just the way I like it!

J chose The Dutchmen's Dijon-Crusted Sirloin of Beef. I have to say, it was a good piece of meat, and I'm not a Dijon fan at all.

We received a message in a bottle at our table through which we were able to lay our grubby hands on these desserts.

Looking back at this menu, I'm not sure why I chose the Banana-Chocolate filled Crepe when I could've gotten cakes, cobblers, or sundaes. What's wrong with me!? I must have been really, really full. Though that coconut fluff looks really good...

J got the Sweet Temptations which consisted of Floating Island (a fluffy meringue of fruit), Fruit Cobbler (with vanilla ice cream), and Rum-Soaked Chocolate Cake. So I guess this is why I went for the crepes, because I could just try everything from J's plate!

I think I definitely ate more than him tonight. But that doesn't take away from the fact that we were both severely stuffed. It was all worth it, but literally...we were waddling around after this.

belledream · Nov 5, 2015

How do we round out Pirates in the Caribbean Night? With a Pirates of the Caribbean Deck Party of course!

We just enjoyed the view and people watched from our spot for a while. The wind and choppiness had calmed down, and it was just the perfect temperatue for life.

And as the party began, Pirate Mickey came ziplining over our heads towards the stage. No big deal.

Just kidding, that was AWESOME. Isn't he just the cutest?!

And with that, we got to experience the first and only fireworks at sea. Way to go, Disney! Sure it's no Illuminations or Wishes, but hey, YOU'RE ON A BOAT.

A dance party would commence, and we headed towards Cabanas to check out the Pirate Dessert Party. I seriously wish we weren't so full because there was so much in the offerings that it made me sad I couldn't eat anything! We ended up settling for some fruit. Probably a wise choice.

After our nighttime stroll, we headed back to our stateroom to find out last towel animal and Personal Navigator. Since tomorrow would be a day at sea, there was sure to be a bunch more activities planned for everyone, so we were eager to see what that might be.

But there was another surprise in store. We got a letter from Palo saying our brunch reservation was confirmed for tomorrow! We were so excited! Originally, we were told that the itinerary change would mean no Palo, but they must have figured things out because WE WOULD BE DINING AT PALO TOMORROW! Movin' on up in the world!

We settled in for the night with our own little crew, Pirate Goofy and Pirate Pluto.

belledream · Nov 9, 2015

We woke up refreshed and energized to enjoy one lovely day at sea. What was in store for us today? We had very little idea, but we were ready to go!

We stopped by Cabanas for a very tiny breakfast because we had some serious dining plans coming up later. Miniature, self-packaged cereals sitting outside by the railing, feeling the wind, and seeing nothing but water was the perfect solution!

It was hard to believe that it was our last day, but we knew that we'd make the most of it. We were blessed to experience this land & sea vacation together for the first time, as honeymooners.

Empty, pristine pools.

Empty rec area.

We glimpsed land is the distance. Looks like we were literally coastin' back to Miami.

The other side of the boat, where the sun shone strongly.

We did some morning lounging to this view, listening to the Disney songs playing around us. Did a little dancin', and a lot of smilin'.

Even though it was Day 4, sights around the ship would not get old for us. It was our home on the sea, and a place of hakuna matata for sure!

The Atrium became one of my favorite places on board. Of course, how could it not? Elegance done Disney.

We headed back to our stateroom to dress up a bit for our real breakfast...lunch...brunch...whatever you want to call it. Food extravaganza at Palo! Wooohooo! Our bodies are ready! Enjoyed some Monster's Inc. on our TV while getting ready.

belledream · Nov 9, 2015

When the elevator doors opened and we stepped into the hallway that leads to Palo, we were automatically stunned.

Everything felt immediately upscale, and seemingly overwhelming, but in fact it was not, because this is the extravagance that is Palo.

We were hungry and ready to eat, but we realized that we might have to class it up a bit whilst dining here. We were immediately seated and greeted by our waiter, Alvin. He seemed very professional, but also inviting and personable. He explained to us that he would escort us over to the food and explain how this whole process would work.

Our miraculous view...it was a good sign of many good things to come!

So to the good stuff we go!

A free-for-all area of breads, cheeses, dips, seafood, olives, garlic, fruits, veggies, oh my!!! It was literally a feast for our eyes. When I say seafood, I mean crab legs, seared tuna, cured salmon, shrimp, mussels, crawfish, scallops, pretty much everything you could imagine. And we were very happy about it.

We were so eager to load up our plates, but Alvin continued the tour and led us over to the kitchen where we would be able to enjoy made-to-order pizzas.

Also available were eggs-in-so-many-ways, stacks of pancakes-too-pretty-to-eat, and some savory, more-bordering-on-the-side-of-lunch dishes.

So armed with that knowledge, we each formulated our own strategies for how we would tackle the food, and we went to it.

Accompanied by complimentary mimosas, we thoroughly enjoyed our first round selections from the buffet. J left, me right. I laughed at him for eating crackers at a place like this, but as I soon found out, nothing here was ordinary.

belledream · Nov 9, 2015

From the kitchen, we ordered a pizza, half Margherita, half Spicy Sausage. It was pizza as we've never had it before. The Margherita pizza felt so fresh, with barely any taste of tomato sauce slathered on it because the tomatoes themselves provided such a juicy taste. The fresh basil was just the cherry on top. The Spicy Sausage was as advertised. Just when you think the sausage itself is hot, the crushed red pepper on top kicks in and gives it an extra boost. Not to be overlooked in all of this was the thin, crispy-yet doughy crust that cooked to perfection.

As for more entrees, J got Veal with Mushroom’s Tomatoes and a Wine Sauce. I'll admit I'm not to really know/appreciate the difference between veal and regular beef, but it was definitely tender, and the sauce was scrape-worthy. It was good to order something we don't normally try outside of vacation.

I chose the Pappardelle Noodles with Black Truffles in a Butter Sauce. It was an odd choice for me, since it didn't have any meat, but this dish proved to me that you don't need meat in everything...because the noodles dripped-dropped in this dangerously-delicious butt sauce. And the cheese shavings on top of it, coupled with the black truffles made this a simple yet exciting dish.

With a few extra plates of this and that from the buffet again, we were definitely reaching breaking point. But we could not miss dessert. No siree!

The sweet selection was just as pretty as the savory section. In fact, I can't choose which one makes me more excited! Cream puffs, chocolate tarts, fruit tarlets, cannoli's, cheesecake, yogurts, tiramisu, puddings...oh sweet lord!

So how did we choose?

J went very chocolate. Chocolate cake squares, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate cannoli, chocolate pudding shots.

I went very fruity. It was kind of funny how different our plates turned out! I love berries. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, I love 'em all. My favorite thing on this plate that I ended up getting seconds...and thirds of...was the Grand Marnier-soaked berries in that cute martini glass. Soooo addicting.

We were overjoyed that we were able to experience Palo. We usually opt of our things that cost extra because we very much enjoy what we already have, but as this was our honeymoon and there were new avenues to discover, we decided to try it out and are beyond grateful that we did. Palo brunch is a good value for the money and the atmosphere was unrivaled. We had the most wonderful time geeking out over the selections, telling each other to 'try this', and taste Italian cuisine like we've never tasted before.

Before we left the hallway, we stopped by the restrooms, and of course I had to take a picture because it was so pretty.

We walked outside, right past the window where we had been sitting and saw the last of our dishes...that was kinda funny.

All drains lead to the ocean!

The things you discover!

ScarletBegonias · Nov 9, 2015

Wow. Palo looked AMAZING! What I wonder is how they handle people with Celiac on these cruises? I wonder if you have to special order everything, or do they have certain sections with food that is okay to eat... hmmm

belledream · Nov 9, 2015

ScarletBegonias said:
Wow. Palo looked AMAZING! What I wonder is how they handle people with Celiac on these cruises? I wonder if you have to special order everything, or do they have certain sections with food that is okay to eat... hmmm

It was everything and more than I ever expected!

I'm sure they can definitely accommodate on the made-to-order dishes. As for the buffet, there weren't any notes anywhere like 'gluten-free' or 'contains peanuts' but they should be able to accommodate there as well. A heads up before you arrive would probably help plan for things better.

belledream · Nov 10, 2015

As noon rolled around, we participated in various activities and lounged in a variety of places. It was really the most relaxing, go-wherever-the-wind-takes-you kind of day.

Shopping fun with Goody & Pluto.

Hallway exploring.

In the biiiig blueee worlddd...like the shadow of the AquaDunk!

Dance party with the faves.

Oh, and more trivia! This time is was Disney Songs. I felt really confident going into this. I live and breathe Disney songs, scores, etc. But this was a lot harder than I thought it would be. 1. Because they literally played a less than 2 second clip of some. And 2. Because they threw in songs from High School Musical and Miley Cyrus stuff that I've never subjected myself to. The one I was most proud of myself for getting was 'The Egg Travels' from Dinosaur. That was a toughie! Of course, J is no help when it comes to this.

After this, we wrapped ourselves up in blankets and lounged outside in the shade. We napped and it was glorious...a soft wind, warm towel, and Disney music playing all around.

Next up, we decided to pop into the Open House at Edge to see what it was all about. It was a small but trendy space. Some part of it (not the one pictured) reminded me a bit of Mama Melrose with the brick walls. Except with video games on it.

We resorted to more lounging as the afternoon was winding down. We sang more Disney songs like we did that night at Contemporary, and enjoyed the solidarity. Couldn't believe it was all coming to an end, but we still had a wonderful night to look forward to!

Tonight's show was Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic. It was about a girl named Anne Marie who needed a little help believing in the magic. When she falls asleep, she is visited by the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio. Then, she is aided by an adorably-charming Peter Pan who wants to help her fly, but she must believe before she wakes up. Following that, she finds herself immersed in the worlds of Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Lion King. Though princess scenes are always beautiful, Lion King steals the show with a remarkable soloist that left us speechless with the Circle of Life. There's snow, there's sparkle, there's pyrotechnics. It was the perfect ending.

We dressed in our formal best for sure. I wore this floor-length pale pink gown that I had bought years ago for no real reason at all other than the fact that it was $35. J wore his nice new Calvin Klein suit. We attracted some compliments and some 'looks'. We wanted to feel fancy and that is exactly what we did! Definitely feel that more people took Pirate Night more seriously than Dress Up Night. The highlight was seeing a boy wearing a shirt that said 'I'm with stupid' with an arrow that pointed to his sister.

Feeling very at peace with the world, we enjoyed the sunset together as we reflected on what has been a dream come true of a Disneymoon.

belledream · Nov 10, 2015

One more dinner. One more new place to discover. Welcome to Cariocas!

A festive nod to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and South American cuisine.

It seemed a lot quieter than the other two restaurants, which is odd considering we've been dining with all of the same parties over the past four nights. It felt more intimate, that's for sure.

Gede had mentioned to us at another meal that he wanted to do something to celebrate our honeymoon. All we told him was don't embarrass us please! So when we arrived to our table, we saw these beautiful birds at our table. Gede said he 'had caught them while he was outside this morning.' Such a unique and cute gesture. Thank you for everything, Gede!

For appetizers, we started with a Deep-fried Lobster Croquette. It was almost like a mozzarella stick, but with lobster inside. Also, lentils are awesome.

Next up: Empanadas Panzudas de Carne. Translated: Argentinean Beef Empanada with Red Chimichurri. (Such a fun word.)

And this is what J had been looking forward to all year, remembering one he had at Enchanted Garden on the Dream: Ahi Tuna and Avocado Tower. Share, man! We scraped this. Easily the best of the bunch.

I got myself a Cuban Salad. Watercress, avocado, pineapple...a intriguing combination.

We split a tomato-y soup which I can't remember the name and it must be super seasonal cause I can't find the name of it on any menus online. Ah well, you can bet it's probably good. Most Disney soups are, in my opinion.

So far, so good. We didn't get to eat a lot of food like this so far either at Disney World or on the cruise, so it was nice to treat our tastebuds to something completely new.

Mindy16 · Nov 10, 2015

Oh wow! Palo looks amazing! The views of the ocean are definitely making me want to take a cruise!

belledream · Nov 10, 2015

Mindy16 said:
Oh wow! Palo looks amazing! The views of the ocean are definitely making me want to take a cruise!

Palo was definitely an eye-opening, worthwhile experience. We had so much fun poring over all the offerings, even if we couldn't eat it all!

Ocean views are pretty spectacular. It's hard to truly imagine until you're there. Can't see anything but water for miles and miles...

belledream · Nov 10, 2015

Onto the main courses...the main courses that hit everything else out of the park! While J was considering ordering the Swordfish, just to try it, he could not resist getting something along the lines of...what he always gets.

Garlic Rubbed Roasted Beef Rib Eye. Is that a piece of meat or what? Can we also take a moment and admire that double-baked potato?

What is this contraption you wonder? It's called a José Carioca's! A humongous grilled shrimp on a bed of Mexican tomato rice, along with 3 skewers of Beef Tenderloin, Brazilian Sausage, and Chili-Crusted Lamb. This was hands down, my favorite dinnertime meal. Yes, the presentation was fun, but the food was so delicious, I couldn't help but eat it all as my dress was stretched to the breaking point. Each of the meats were cooked perfectly, and brought different flavors to the table.

Speaking of the dress issue, I wondered to J why it was so tight when I had tried it on a few weeks ago when packing for the honeymoon, and his response went something like this. "You know how much we ate over the past two weeks right? And you know we burned like 7 calories today." :hilarious:

Of course, we went all in for dessert. J chose the Coconut Tres Leches which is a moist coconut that is basically soaked in milk and crème and caramel and all that good stuff. Delish.

For some weird reason, I went for Carioca's Ice Cream Sundae which I'm pretty sure is on the menu for children, but Dulce de Leche ice cream? With a mini churro and a Mickey chocolate on top? Gimme!!!

And it actually felt 'light' to eat, even though I know it's not. Don't worry, I'm not kidding myself.

With that, our meal at Carioca's was coming to an end and we go to give Gede, Darko, and George (the Head Server who trains all the servers) recognition for their outstanding service. Even though we would see them tomorrow morning for the See Ya Real Soon breakfast, it felt bittersweet to know we were really close to saying goodbye. Gede walked us out of the restaurant and stopped to take some beautiful pictures for us by the tapestry that made it look like we were standing on a cliff, overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro at sparkling away at night.

We headed towards the Atrium to take some more pictures and just soak in the sights and sounds for one of the last times. All the while, a piano player played some beautiful Disney tunes.

We decided this would be our spot for the See Ya Real Soon Party, admiring the Disney characters we could find in the railings and panels.

And sure enough, as the Atrium began to fill up, look who came down the stairs!

My babies! The gang was all here, and what a way to say goodbye, surrounded by family.

Long after this, we waited for the Atrium to clear out so we could take some pictures on the staircase. And they are my favorites of the entire honeymoon. They'll hang in our house forever.

A last nighttime stroll outside on the deck was upon us. We savored the breeze, the lights, the sound of the ocean, and held hands...thinking about what an adventure we had over these past two weeks. From our very first day at Disney World fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine to wear Bride & Groom ears, to all the new restaurant and resort experiences we've shared, to taking what the cruise gave us and making it the best of times, there is hardly a better way to put it other than, simply, we had the best time together. Bigger moments can be immortalized through words and pictures, but it's the little moments that we share, just the two of us together, that mean the most.

I cannot wait to embark on our next adventure. We're always dreaming...of going back to where it all started...and of setting our sights on new things. We're already envisioning our trips with our children, with Grandpa tagging along, maybe Disneyland, Aulani, and an Alaskan Cruise on the Disney Wonder someday. The possibilities are endless, and how lucky and blessed I am to have explored so much already, yet still have so much to discover with J by my side.

Thanks for reading! Hope you've enjoyed the adventure.

Trip Report Disney Land & Sea is the place to be! *COMPLETED*

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Trip Report Disney Land & Sea is the place to be! COMPLETED