Trip Report We're Sailing on the Fan-ta-sy!

The title sounds a lot cooler if you sing it to the tune of the Festival of Fantasy parade: a song that plays very frequently on our car rides. So it was only fitting that I altered the lyrics slightly to hype up the kids for their first Disney Cruise... on the Disney Fantasy! I booked this cruise the first day I could back in November 2023 after I got the serious itch to go Disney Cruising at the beginning of the year. I held out all 2024 in favor of the perfect itinerary and in hopes that we would be 42 inches tall to ride the AquaDuck. Then the waiting began. The kids knew about it from the moment I booked because I can't keep my mouth shut. They were excited, but the excitement really ramped up a few months out, asking every day to see the countdown and trying out everything from formal to pirate outfits. Also ramping up for me was the anxiety. I tracked the weather obsessively, worried that it would be too cold for us to enjoy the water or walking around the deck. I became an even bigger germaphobe than I already was, and hounded everyone to stay healthy. I just wanted it to be everything we dreamed it would be, but it was out of my hands. I would just have to take a deep breath and hope for smooth sailing.

Who: Our family of 4 - myself, husband J, son Nemo (6), daughter Boo (4)
What: 5-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral
When: January 19 - January 24, 2025
Where: Nassau, Disney Castaway Cay, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point
Why: J and I have been on two Disney Cruises. A 4-Night Bahamian Cruise on the Disney Dream in 2012 and a 4-Night Bahamian-turned-Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Magic in 2015. It's been a whole decade since we've been on a Disney Cruise, and it would be a great way to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. But mostly, our Walt Disney World-loving kids were so ready to experience some Disney magic at sea!

We flew into MCO the day before the cruise. We were staying at the Hyatt and taking Disney transportation to Port Canaveral. Was it the most cost-efficient option? No. Was it the easiest and most advantageous? It sure was. Nemo woke up in the morning and said “I think my wish is coming true today. I get to go on my very first cruise.” We were on the first bus to the port and were in the terminal before 11am. The kids were thrilled to see the boat from the window.

Boo: It’s the cruise boat!
Nemo: Yup, that's our boat!

The display provided lots of entertainment while we waited for embark. There were also lots of cute photo opportunities. Nemo saw the pressed penny machine and really wanted them, so I had to oblige. Although they aren't as cool anymore if you don't get to crank them.
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We walked up the gangway and entered the Atrium to the announcement of our party. "Party?!" When I told Nemo that they were welcoming our family, he made an aw shucks face. Look who was there to greet us right away. Captain Mickey!
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The Atrium was beautiful. Everything was gleaming gold and the chandelier was gorgeous. I loved the Dream's chandelier and could see the Art Deco vs Art Nouveau distinction.
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We took the fancy elevator up to Deck 11 and the kids were taking all the newness in. Lilo and Stitch on Funnel Vision? AquaDuck? Pools? There was too much to process! The weather was very pleasant for the moment. The forecast had called for 100% chance of rain this afternoon, so we would have to see what that would mean for the Sail Away Party.
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We went straight to Cabanas. There is no other way. I loaded the kids up on beef, fish, broccoli, and of course, mac and cheese. They ate it all before I came back with my own plate of food. We dined next to the window with a view of a Carnival ship which Nemo kept saying was "SO COOL" and I was like... c'mon man. We ate happily, vacation was finally here.
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Nemo: There's a bird in here.
Me: *stuffing my face* Oh, really? How did it get in here?"
Nemo: No, look behind you.
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Next up on the agenda was to visit the Oceaneer Club for the Open House. We were not planning on dropping the kids off there by themselves this trip, so Open Houses would be the only way we could all visit. They had the coolest hand washing station there. They loved it and so did I. DCL was taking cleanliness very seriously and it was appreciated.
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J and I popped into the Open Houses on our other cruises just to see the space, and we dreamed of taking our own children someday. That day was here, and they were running across the floor and we couldn't stop smiling. They ran straight for the Star Wars: Command Post and Boo piloted a spacecraft. Nemo got an AT-AT for Christmas and screamed "AT-AT!" when he saw it.
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Andy's Room was the other highlight. They sat in RC Car and turned the wheel furiously. "The eyes move!" of course they do. That's Disney magic! That's something Nemo has been telling me a lot recently. "Disney magic is real!" Since we were early, people were still boarding and/or eating, we had the whole room to ourselves for a bit.
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Connected to the Oceaneer Club was the Oceaneer Lab. The kids went to The Wheelhouse to steer their own ship. I literally had a picture of J doing the same thing all those years ago. Just one of those surreal moments. There was also Animator's Studio where they could choose a character drawing and trace it on the lighted table. Boo made Nemo a Pooh Bear drawing that said "Hero Hunny" which he laughed at, and then kept saying for the rest of the day. When we left the Lab, we saw a tiny stateroom door for the Muppets. The kids tried to open it with the MagicBands that were lent to us for the kids club, but no success.
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Deck 5 is lined with hilarious artwork. Nemo would explain what was happening in each one to us, and this one was his favorite. Coincidentally, it was my favorite on the Dream as well. Looking at all the artwork around the ship is truly one of my favorite things.
 
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belledream

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Original Poster
These made me stop in my tracks. I want them!
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We were on our way to Deck 4 to visit the D Lounge. They had 3D Paper Crafts going on in there. It was a cruise ship, so that was perfect. The kids appreciated the ships Mommy and Daddy made for them. Then we walked down to the Atrium on Deck 3 and saw an absolute downpour taking place from the gangway. It seemed like embarkation had paused and I was feeling really grateful we weren't stuck in that. We took some pictures in front of the pretty mosaics and then continued down one more deck to our room.
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We were on Deck 2. Immediately walking down to that floor brought me back. The glass flower decor, the vases in the walls, they were long lost memories. Our room was ready and the kids were so excited to go in. They ran straight for the porthole and sat in it, just as I had envisioned. I adored the curtain, my favorite lampshade, and the split bathrooms again. The room is definitely a lot smaller when you have double the amount of people in it... good thing we all like each other. Nemo was very invested in the bunk bed and wanted to make sure it would be happening.
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Our luggage had not arrived yet so we did not stay long. We decided to go up to Deck 11 to get some ice cream. We got the cool corner elevator this time and like another long lost friend, we were surprised to see a bunch of characters going up with us. Carl, Russell, and Dug, the 3 Good Fairies, the Incredibles, Dumbo, Three Caballeros, and Mickey and Goofy flying a plane. The kids were overtaken with all the magic. We got our ice cream from Eye Scream, except Nemo. He doesn't like ice cream but he does just eat the cone. The rain had stopped, but the pool deck had flooded and Boo got her shoes wet, so we went back to the room to drop them off. This is different from park life for sure, where we never go back to the room. We met our Stateroom Host this time. His name was Sana. He was from Indonesia. He was so friendly and pleasant. I told Nemo to ask politely for the bunk bed and he did, and Sana assured him that he would have it ready for him during turndown service.
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We ended up back at the Oceaneer Club, which was more crowded now, but things were happening. We met C-3PO and there were games going on on the PlayFloor in the Lab. I looked away for a second and looked back to see Boo and Nemo holding hands and jumping up and down together on the floor. My heart... it was the sweetest thing.
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We decided to go visit Europa, the bar area, while there was nothing going on. One thing about my kids is that they find entertainment in anything. Little things excite them. I have never heard them say something is "boring" or that they are "bored." Therefore, they loved The Tube. No one was there and they went in the phone booths and gave us a small performance on the stage. Boo is a little dancer. She even told me when she grows up, she wants to be "a star." They stood on the chairs and grabbed the hand rails and pretended to be on the metro. In the nearby La Piazza, there was a cool motorcycle/sidecar that they played in. We explored the Skyline lounge where Nemo found a small green duck hidden in the bookshelf. He was confused when I told him he could keep it. I never really understood why people do things like hide ducks but now I kind of get it. The kids were really excited about it and we ended up finding four more during the cruise. But while I’m ranting, I also don’t get Fish Extenders... like why do kids need gifts when they're on a Disney Cruise? Is that not enough already? And why do people decorate their doors to make it look like a college dorm? Too much STUFF… I want the clean, classy look. But again, the kids loved it. And that being said, I did come prepared with three homemade DCL themed magnets cause I knew I would get questions about it.
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The sun was out again but it had cooled down a bit and was probably not swimming weather. The AquaLab looked SO cool. I couldn't wait to go tomorrow. Like, I actually wanted to go and play too.
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We were slowing down, but were happy to just be exploring the ship. Nemo had even asked me before we got on, “Since you have been on a cruise before, will you give me a tour?” We did the Muster Drill and they were shockingly well-behaved. Then it was Elevator Wars to get up the Deck 12 to watch the Sailing Away Party. I held Boo the whole time and we bopped to the music. She likes watching the dancers. Nemo went in and out of watching and was more interested in watching us pull away from port. 🎶 We are sailing, sailing away… 🎶 made me teary-eyed. We were here. It was actually happening.
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We left the party when they started playing real world music. No thanks! We made our way to the very front of the ship where all was quiet. Until the ship horn blared the classic "When You Wish Upon a Star" and other tunes. Nemo was excited that we were following the Carnival boat. He also found a “not-so hidden-speaker” which made everyone around laugh and then he struck up conversations with these adults. He is a better conversationalist than us.
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When we hit open water, we went back to our stateroom to relax and get ready for dinner. Our luggage was here so J and I unpacked. J said, “You brought 5 pairs of shoes?”
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Looking out the porthole, I saw two dolphins jump out of the water as we left Port Canaveral! I was the only one to catch it though. Seeing us moving along so close to the water was something else. We were all mesmerized. The kids sat in the porthole with their hands and noses pressed up against the window and Boo said, "This is so beautiful!" and "Wow the clouds are pink!" I asked them where we were going and they said, "Bahamas!" Then they shut the curtains in their porthole and claimed it "The Kid's Club No Adults Allowed.”
 
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belledream

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Original Poster
First up on our Dining Rotation was Enchanted Garden, my personal favorite, and right outside our room. We are those overdressed people on the cruise. Boo was so cute in her new dress with a bow in her hair and Nemo was handsome in a brand new white polo. We were Table 2 which made me jokingly wonder, was I one of the first people to book this thing? The kids went right for the kids menu and colored feverishly. Boo's coloring has improved a lot. She was using appropriate colors for Rapunzel's hair, dress, and everything. She can also do pretty advanced mazes no problem. Our Servers were Sashelle from Jamaica, and Allan from Brazil. Both were very nice and welcoming, and brought the kids their requested lemonade right away. Nemo circled Mac and Cheese on his menu but I told Sashelle he would actually be getting the pork. Same with Boo. They both ate well and I felt relief that I don't normally feel on Disney World trips.
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J and I split all four appetizers and left nothing to waste.
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Prosciutto, Mozzarella, and Tomato Bruschetta: delicious.
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Fried Spice Calamari: so delicious, even the kids both tried it.
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Smoke Salmon Carpaccio: delicious, but to be fair, anything smoked salmon we will devour.
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Chicken Bastilla: okay. I barely remember it.
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Clam Chower: always delicious.
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For the main course, I chose Pan-Seared Halibut. I mainly chose it for the smashed green peas. I had a pea puree at Cabanas earlier and couldn't stop thinking about it. Very good meal.
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No question, J was going to get the Pork Tenderloin Wellington. He's never had one before and this was his chance. He liked it but did wish it was beef instead.
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For dessert, I got the Dark Chocolate Bombe. Chocolate and raspberry are two of my favorite combinations and I shamelessly ate ever last bit.
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J got the Kahlua Creme Brulee. The kids ate the biscuits on top, and each ordered a Mickey Ice Cream Bar which came in a dish with a good amount of Mickey sprinkles. Dipping the ice cream parts into the sprinkles enticed Nemo to eat some. Boo's face was a mess and she was proud of it.
 

belledream

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It was a wonderful first dinner and with so many more to come, I was feeling very grateful. We stopped by the fountain to admire and they grabbed hands again and pretended to dance a little.
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I absolutely love how we watched the sun set in the restaurant. Nemo even noticed that the flower lights were originally closed and had now opened.
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Dropped a few things off in our room and saw Sana there. The bunk bed was in progress. He kept the room divider curtain drawn to keep it a surprise for later. We went upstairs to the shops, which were a madhouse and I honestly was not impressed with the merchandise. Not as much cruise specific merchandise as I thought there would be. It was just not our jam or scene there. They were tired. We came back to the room and were all smiles when the bunk bed was revealed. Also, the towel animal would become a highlight every night.
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While they showered, I got a few homemade surprises ready for them. I had brought our old Castaway Club lanyards and put keychains I had won from Disney music trivia on our Magic cruise, and Minnie and Mickey keychains from home. I told them they could store their pressed pennies from the port in them and it would be both a useful and meaningful souvenir. Nemo asked where I got it from and I just said playfully, "Oh you know." He smiled at me. He just knew it was that Mommy magic.
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They were giddy on the bunk beds. I designed a pulley system from them out of our sand bucket and the new lanyards to pull their stuffed animals up and down (or swing, as I saw them invent while I was watching from the shower door mirror). J went up to Deck 11 to get some fruit at Flo’s Cafe and they shared it while watching a few short cartoons before bed. It was the perfect little evening we needed after two days of stop and go travel. Nemo was so excited to sleep on the top bunk. I was not quite sure how comfortable I would feel with him sleeping up there, and I totally forgot once I saw how happy he was. There were even constellations on the ceiling! How cool is that? Boo was also so happy and proud in her lower bunk and I waved to her from the bed. We pulled the room divider curtain, which was so handy. I need these at resort rooms so I don't have to hide under the covers to use my phone.
 
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belledream

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belledream

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I don't sleep very much on vacation. Too much excitement I suppose. I laid in bed for a few hours until it started to get light outside and took a peek out of the porthole window. Watching the water go by to the hum of the ship was soothing.
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I also got bathroom pictures since it was impossible to get them in all the chaos the previous day.
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I do enjoy the split bathroom, but with so much stuff this time, I kept forgetting which one everything was in. Thus, I kept having to move between the two which made me feel silly.
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Everyone was starting to wake up and were praising the bunk bed. I felt they did sleep better in comparison to when they share a bed at Disney and are constantly rolling on top of each other. While they rested in their beds and looked out the window, I decided to go take a walk by myself. The hallways were nice and quiet and just had that yummy hotel smell.
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Turning these corners never failed to make me smile. And those green vases I was talking about earlier.
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J joked that we were on Deck 2 "with all the poors" but the more we explored the ship, the more I appreciated the extra touches and space that wasn't just all staterooms. I would stay on Deck 2 again in a heartbeat.
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Plus, the curved staircase walk right up to the Atrium was always a treat. All nice and empty early in the morning.
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Fancy elevators dripping in gold on the outside and the inside.
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And a closeup of this jaw-dropping chandelier. I will never get over it.
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I was treated to a beautiful sunrise on Deck 4.
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I took in the breeze for a little bit before deciding to go get my party so they could see it as well. And of course, we had breakfast at Cabanas waiting for us.
 
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belledream

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The kids wandered curiously after me to Deck 4. They were intrigued but obviously unfamiliar with their new home. We played some shuffleboard and had a few falls on the slippery deck, but no harm done. We could already see improvement in their skills.
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Cabanas opened at 7:30am and we were there. I loaded up plates with Mickey waffles, cinnamon rolls, eggs benedict, croissants, muffins, yogurt, eggs, sausages, and bacon, and everyone just took what they wanted. We sat next to the ocean and it was windy but warm enough to be pleasant.
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Outside Cabanas, I told them, "Someone wants to see you." Nemo took a picture with Nigel, and Boo hovered in the corner, not sure how she felt about it.
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It was still early and things hadn't opened yet, so we just wandered and scoped out everything we'd want to do (or eat) later.
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We went up to Deck 12 and Timon and Pumbaa were giving some of their Wild About Safety tips. We're big Timon and Pumbaa fans over here and had to stop and watch a bit.
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Nassau was coming into view. We watched as the pilot boat came closer and closer to ours so the pilot could hop on and steer us into port.
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The kids think Donald is hilarious. Boo always asks, "Why is Donald so grumpy?" Well, this is why. I told them Donald tested the AquaDuck for safety so they could go on it later.
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We wouldn't be getting off the ship today, but it was cool to watch us move in.
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All while playing a round of Goofy Golf, of course. Nemo was focused on getting through the tricky/fun parts of the course and didn’t really care much for getting the ball in the hole after that. Boo would just hit and continue to walk through. Though she loved taking a few balls from the bucket and putting them in the no return hole at the end.
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I even hit a casual one-handed hole-in-one at the end and J couldn’t believe my luck.
 

belledream

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Original Poster
Nemo had been telling everyone it’s his first cruise and that it’s his first time sleeping on a bunk bed. We went back to our room to get our autograph book for Royal Gathering and saw that it had been folded back up for the day. Nemo checked with Sana to ensure that it was going to come back, and that it was his first cruise and that it’s his first time sleeping on a bunk bed. Anyways, Royal Gathering. Boo was jumpy and smiley while we (hardly) waited to meet the princesses. She went right up to Cinderella, Tiana, Jasmine, and Belle. Nemo was a good sport and gave hugs. You can tell he's still excited and believes in it. While they're not the most interactive children when it comes to characters, it's always fun for them. Worth the midnight rush.
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After that, it was finally time to get wet. We changed into our swimsuits and headed up to the pools. We admired the colorful buildings of Nassau.
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We hopped in the Mickey Pool just to get kicked out cause someone pooped. Good thing we were only there for a literal second. We pivoted to the AquaLab and oh my goodness, it was Disney adorableness personified. Leaky pipes from above, spraying jets from below, water tanks, splash zones, Plug the Leak, and buckets of water being dumped on top of us.
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They used their sunhats to block the jets of water and did it for at least 30 minutes. I had such an enjoyable time just watching them up close and from high above while also watching J play some basketball.
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There was also a narrow pool, basically a fountain, on the side of the ship that had bubble fountains that the kids liked to sit under. On the Dream, it was where the hot tub was. We unfortunately did not get any hot tub time this trip.
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But when one door closes, another door opens because now that we had kids, we were able to go into Nemo's Reef!
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Boo lined up for the Mr. Ray slide all by herself. My big girl.
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There was also what I imagine the Rainforest Room is like, but for children, where they could walk under the curtain of rain and sit on a coral chair and enjoy the ambiance. Yeah, the spa is still not our thing.
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I just loved it all.
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Boo was cold so we left J and Nemo, who was using his hat to collect water from the rain curtain, and get some drinks. I would dilute the juice so they could have a sweet drink that wasn't terrible for them. I told Boo to save some for Nemo and she said, "Nemo can have his own." Well alright then, I guess that's true. We brought the drinks back to the table where J and Nemo were watching a lifeboat drill.
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We hopped in line for the AquaDuck a few minutes before noon when it opened, and it was quite long, but moving. When we reached the staircase, people started walking down. Apparently the conveyor belt got stuck and so yeah, we weren't riding. I promised the kids that we would make it happen and they were fine with it. The good news is that we did measure Boo and she would be tall enough! We were quickly distracted with mac and cheese at Cabanas. Nemo insisted on sitting at the high table under the umbrella, but it did not fit the normal plates. So J and I sat at the next table with them behind us. They ate so quietly I almost forgot they were there at times while I chowed down on crab legs that J cracked for me. Later on, I'd realize that I'm a lot better at it than he is so I would take over. I took the kids to the dessert area and they both screamed Jello-O! I had a delicious raspberry cheesecake and was seriously just eating everything without a second thought. No food pictures though because we are hungry monsters.
 

belledream

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Original Poster
We had passed the Sweet on You Ice Cream and Sweets shop a few times when going to and from Cabanas. We popped in for a visit.
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There were some elaborate creations that were really fun to look at.
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There was also a cute Minnie and Mickey photo opp that I took of the kids, and then they insisted on taking one of us. Boo took one all crooked and Nemo photobombed. Then Nemo took over and walked so far back that he got all the other patrons in the shot as well. Good stuff.
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We went back to our stateroom to change out of our swimsuits and went to Oceaneer Lab for the Open House. The Animator's Studio was a big draw this time, and Nemo drew the Disney Cruise Line logo.
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I knew that there would be a special activity overlapping the Open House time, so we got front row seats to make Stitch's Space Goo. Children and adults alike were invited to mix glue, water, and "Essence of Stitch" and we ended up with some really sticky stuff for a temporary souvenir.
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This scientist man was absolutely hilarious. He made us pledge to not flush our Space Goo down the toilet, or put it on the walls or carpet, and most importantly, not wash it off our hands in the automatic hand washing machines at the front of the Oceaneer Lab... unless we wanted our cruise bill to go up by whatever amount an automatic hand washing costs.
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We went back to the Lab for a good while afterwards. Our family participated in the PlayFloor and we won the car race twice in a row. J was very proud. Then Boo got tired and wanted to sit on my lap and color while Nemo continued hopping nonstop like the Energizer Bunny for many games after that. I heard him yell, "That one is my favorite!" when the laser jumping game came on. We went back to the room and I made Boo lie down for a little bit and Nemo asked to work on his cruise packet that we printed and brought from home. He liked filling out the names of all the crew members that have been helping us. I sat on the couch and closed my eyes trying to simultaneously fall asleep and stay awake. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do, but it is not in my DNA to nap on vacation.
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Back out we went to do the Midship Detective Agency! When booking the Fantasy, I knew that the kids would go wild over this. Any sort of mission and collecting of things is totally their thing. We started with the classic: Case of the Plundered Paintings. With the card, gold medallions on the ground, and magic paintings to see, we were hooked.
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I loved this hallway. It strangely reminded me of the olden days of Yacht Club with the carpet colors. Instead of following the directions and traversing the ship Forward to Aft a bunch of times, we just went up a flight of stairs or two to hit any paintings in the vicinity. It wasn't until we walked up almost 10 decks that J said, "We should have started at the top and worked our way down." But our investigation was complete, we caught the culprit, and the kids took turns so well sharing the card. They earned piggybacks back to the room.
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We watched an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and got changed for "Optional Dress Up Night", or just "Formal Night" for us. I know Boo was really looking forward to this, but so was Nemo. I bought him a $16 dress shirt/vest/pants outfit on Amazon a few months prior and he would occasionally say, "I can't wait for Formal Night." When I came out all dressed (old bridesmaid dress), he asked, "Is that your formal dress Mommy?" and Boo said "You look beautiful!" They are so sweet. Nemo looked sooo handsome and Boo was beautiful as usual in her classy sequined Boden dress. And to top it off, she got her first real heels for Christmas. I specifically wanted her to wear a dress instead of a costume on this night and it paid off. We got a nice portrait done in front of the Cinderella Castle mosaic and then the photographer took solo shots of the kids. Nemo has his hands in his pocket. Boo had her hands on her hips and the leg pop going.
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We would be dining at Royal Court tonight, most appropriate.
 
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belledream

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We were seated in a small room that separated us from the main area. At first, I wished that we were in the main area because there would be more to look at, but it ended up being nice and quiet in here. We settled in and dug into our bread service. Halfway through stuffing my face, we noticed Nemo stick a fork in his bread roll with one hand and start sawing it with a knife in his other. He had the most determined face on. It was a Top 5 moment of the trip for sure.
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All four appetizers were brought out to us. They were exactly the same as the ones from Lumiere's on the Magic ten years ago.
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Gaston's Escargot Gratinee: I remember loving this the most on the Magic and I would have to say the same again. Funny story: We play the Hedbanz game at home and one time, J had "Snail." He asked if he was a food and Nemo said, "Sometimes." Which stumped J for a bit. But we were really impressed that Nemo thought about it that way.
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Breaded and Deep Fried Brie: J loved this. I thought it was good, but the cheese taste could have been stronger for me.
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Duck Confit: Not my favorite. It was too cold for my liking. And once the guy sitting at the table next to us also tried it and asked me what I thought of it, he said it looked like cat food and I couldn't unsee that.
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Iced Lobster and Jumbo Shrimp: Just a tad light on the lobster, but good. It's shrimp cocktail.
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Potage Parmentier (potato leek) and French Onion Soups: both very tasty and wishing that I could have it at Be Our Guest Restaurant but they are pricing me out over there.

While we are going through our appetizers, the kids already have their kids meals. They both wanted Cheeseburgers today but they hearty portions that come with steak fries and broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. And they ate it all in their fancy getup. When Nemo gets a burger, he never puts it down until it's all gone. Boo will eat fries until I take them away and tell her she can have them back when she eats other stuff. The timing works well because they'll finish as our main courses come out and then they'll finish coloring their menus while we eat.
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Roasted Rack of Lamb Medium: J's choice and probably his favorite main course of the trip. Boo loves eating things off of bones, especially chicken legs. She had already finished her dessert and saw J eating this and said, "What's that? I want it." And so she gnawed on it after eating an Ice Cream Sundae.
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Crispy Roasted Duck Breast: Now this is duck. So juicy and flavorful. Probably my favorite main course as well. And guess who wanted the duck leg?
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J chose the Classic Opera Gateau for dessert. Sponge cake dipped in coffee syrup and chocolate ganache. This was a "Signature Dessert" and it was rich and dense. Very good.
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I got the Tahitian Vanilla Creme Brulee. Creme Brulee is probably my go-to dessert and I've had better, but still good.

A professional photographer came by the table during the meal and asked if we wanted pictures. We have this running joke that Boo is always eating during pictures, which she usually is. But now, they think it's funny and do it on purpose. The photographer was not having it, so that took a while. I learned to say no thanks to these offers after this.
 

belledream

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It was Rush Hour. Early Dining people finishing dinner and Late Dining people finishing the show and coming to the Atrium before dinner. We walked around some, admiring the chandelier which Nemo kept remarking how beautiful it was. Captain Mickey was out, but the line was too long for our liking. We went back to the room to change into normal clothes and decided to go for a walk along Deck 12 at night. It was nice and empty. I felt like we spent a lot more time inside than J and I normally would, so I craved the fresh air and breeze. Nemo and Boo ran around a pole chasing each other laughing while J and I pondered doing AquaDuck after later tonight, but it seemed like too much.
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"Make sure you get Donald's butt, Mom!"
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We walked through an empty Cabanas and enjoyed looking at the mural.
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Then where else did we go but Deck 4 for some shuffleboard and nighttime waves. As they were running towards the shuffleboard area, I had an I-can’t-believe-it moment that we have two big kids running along the same deck that we used to love.
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A little before 8:30, we headed to the Walt Disney Theater for the first time. The kids were excited. We were seeing Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular! We watched the movie as a refresher for the kids before the cruise. One of the best. The Genie was obviously the absolute star of the show and kept kids and adults at the edge of their seats the whole time. The kids had identical laughs. Aladdin was really good too, and honestly, kudos to the Magic Carpet. These shows have a way of making you suspend belief for a full hour and you just melt away into a whole new world.
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After the show, I was walking briskly because I wanted to get these tired kids to bed, but Captain Mickey was right in front of us with no wait this time, and so it happened. Happy kids, happy parents. I told them as we left, "See, I told you we'll always make things happen" and Nemo said “Mommy, you’re the best!”

They ran in the hallway now and knew where to go for our room. Nemo said, "I wonder what towel animal Sana left today." He’s like a legend now. As Nemo headed into the shower, he asked that I set up the pulley system for them, and of course I did. I came out of my shower to them laughing hysterically because Boo was making her stuffed dog "Bear" move side to side like a clock. I asked, "What are you, Clock Cleaners?" And they exploded. (It's one of those classic Mickey cartoons they love). They fell asleep instantly. Like under 2 minutes. It was a 15 hour day filled with positivity and zest for life from these two.
 
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cgersic

Well-Known Member
Wow, what a wonderful beginning to what I'm sure is going to be a spectacular report! I remember your children from previous reports and all of the sweet things that come out of their mouths. Keep it coming!
 

belledream

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wow, what a wonderful beginning to what I'm sure is going to be a spectacular report! I remember your children from previous reports and all of the sweet things that come out of their mouths. Keep it coming!
You are always so sweet! Thanks for following along on our adventures :)
 

belledream

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Today was a big day: Castaway Cay day! It was the main draw of the itinerary and as I'm sure it was for most, supposed to be the highlight of the trip. We knew what it could be, but we wouldn’t let ourselves believe it until we saw it. How much did I obsess over that wind icon on the Weather app for the week prior to the cruise? A little too much. But I had a hard time believing and letting go. On our first cruise, we had the most amazing day at Castaway. How could we not? The beautiful beaches of the Bahamas with that Disney hospitality and touch. On our second cruise, we did not make it. Granted it was an actual hurricane and not winds, but still, I had trust issues now. I won't believe it until I see it.
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But Cruise Director Ashley made an enthusiastic mention of heading towards Castaway the night before, and I saw land in the distance when I woke up, so I was feeling the good vibes.
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I snuck out of the room to grab two platefuls of breakfast from Cabanas and brought them back so we could eat in the room, in our PJs, and just change into swimsuits and roll on out from Deck 2 to Deck 1. The kids were very pleased with "Breakfast in the Bunk Bed." We watched ourselves back into the dock from our porthole. It was happening!
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My plan worked perfectly. The line to disembark had just reached its way to Deck 2 so we walked right into it and didn't wait long. All ashore at 8:30am and on the tram by 8:45.
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It's been too long!
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Isn't it beautiful? Nemo has seen pictures of us on a water trike here and said it was something he definitely wanted to do.
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I felt like I had been transported to Typhoon Lagoon in some places. Calypso music, colorful umbrellas, themed signage. I felt so happy and peaceful. This is the type of vacation I need. No planning entertainment and transportation, or being stressed and nervous. Just feeling blissful.
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We were among the first on the Family Beach and were ready to go. It was 75 degrees and sunny. I had been expecting cold and cloudy all this time and even bought the kids wetsuits. Not sure they were needed, but I received zero complaints so I’ll say they worked. Plus, they looked really cute in them. The water had the slightest chill at first, but oddly, the moment you dove in fully and came out to the tropical sun, it was very comfortable and refreshing.
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Nemo and Boo were all set with their shovels and cups from dinner (I was told to save the buckets for the pulley system). Hey, the cups worked... I was suddenly craving a caramel milkshake or Coke slushie. They also brought their ducks, Quack and Whack. They were so happily entertained wading in the water, collecting shells, and digging holes. I settled in a chair with my feet in the water and soaked everything in.
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J did not. A few months ago, he decided that if time permitted, he wanted to run the Castaway 5k. I told him we could definitely make it work, and upon seeing how content everyone was this morning, he could probably leave and come back to not much change. Plus, I wanted that medal. Sure enough, about 30 minutes later, he came back all sweaty and unintelligible, with his prize.
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The kids said, "Congratulations, Dad! I think the whole world is proud of you today." (A line from Curious George).
 
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belledream

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We brought the kids their own snorkel sets, but I don't know who I was kidding. It was not going to work on a 4 and 6 year old. They did curiously try it out, but they shed it pretty quickly and asked for their goggles. Then J and I tried them on. We deluded ourselves into thinking we should swim all the way out into the lagoon to see the sunken treasures with two kids in tow. We all had lifevests of course, but we didn't get very far before I pulled the plug. Not trying to cause a scene at 10:30 in the morning.
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Luckily, the kids didn't seem to care about not making those discoveries and were more interested in chasing this school of fish around. It was actually so cool for them. Nemo tried to scoop them up with a cup and said, "Did I get it?" So close, bud.
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Plenty of coconut sightings around. "Watch out!" We made our way to Pelican Plunge and stopped for some ice cream on the way. They had Strawberry on the island! Boo's favorite. She walked along with her signature messy face. Nemo gnawed on just the cone again.
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We waded to the platform and then immediately went to the water sprayers and tried to hit the target. Such a cute idea.
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I told Nemo that if he stood under the dumping bucket, I'd buy him a souvenir. He complied so fast.
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Then he decided he wanted to take the Pelican Plunge, so he and J got in line for the slide while Boo finished up some water-spraying. Then she and I made our way back to land so we could watch the boys come down the slide from the viewing deck. Nemo plopped out into the water. He had a big smile on his face after.
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We took some pictures with this magical backdrop. How did we get so lucky?
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With all this fun in the sun, we were definitely feeling ravenous. Cookie's Too BBQ, here we come! My food photography game has never been the same since having kids, and this picture is deceptive because we ate so much more. But there were burgers, chicken, hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, fish, coleslaw, potato salad, bean salad, and so much more. Oh, the sauerkraut. I LOVE SAUERKRAUT. Boo downed a hotdog minus the bun before I even came back from cleaning my hands. And of course, ice cream and chocolate cookies for dessert.
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After lunch, we asked them if they wanted to go to Scuttle's Cove, the youth club on the island. The answer was, "Oh yeah!" As we headed out, we stumbled upon a bunch of red wagons and picked one up. The kids hopped in and it was a gamechanger. And the look of pure joy on their faces was a sight to see. It's the simple things.
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As soon as they let them through the gate, Nemo took off yelling, "Let's go! Let's go Boo!" as she trailed behind him. We didn't do the Open House that morning so we never got to see what they had in there, but from afar, I could see a giant Connect 4 and splash pad, so I knew they would be alright.
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Now J and I were in uncharted territory. We're on vacation... without our kids? What do we do? I suggested we just go back to the Family Beach and chill there since it's closeby. In case the kids called us. Then I thought, they're not going to call us. I asked J if we should go to Serenity Bay and he said, "Might as well check it out. We're here." So we walked to the tram and took a breezy ride down the airstrip. I suddenly wanted to take pictures of everything so I could show the kids later. We also saw some other runners doing the 5k. I finally had to ask, "Who runs on vacation?" and J said, "Funny you should ask. I noticed earlier the medal says "I Run On My Vacay."
 
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