Wrapping Up Day 1 on the Disney Wonder

So we have a lovely lunch, buffet style, at Parrot Cay; and by the time we are finished lunch here, it is time to check out our staterooms.  We have cruised on other cruise lines, but I have to say, the cabins on the Disney ships are laid out really well.  I especially like that the bathroom is divided, so if someone is in the shower, there is still another separate room with a toilet and a sink, so other people in the room can continue to get ready.

As we are admiring our balcony, and my nephews are enjoying their balcony next door, the luggage begins to arrive.  So far, only two bags from our cabin, but I get nervous when none of the luggage from Ann’s room shows up.  Without acting to anxious, I ring guest services to see when I should truly begin to panic, and they assure me that the luggage was probably picked up, and it will be in the cabin by 5 that evening.  Back to enjoying our balcony…

Something we have never seen on any of our other cruises is the door magnets!  We love them!  Jim had made me promise for this cruise we would decorate our door with magnets, and I, of course, agreed that we should have stuff from top to bottom adorning our stateroom door.  So a few days before we leave, with no magnets in hand, Jim hauls us down to Office Depot to pick up magnet sheets, and after I send him some files to work with, he prints us up a bunch of magnets that I love.  Gotta love his attention to detail.  The kids have a great time putting the magnets on the door – well, most of the kids.  Danny didn’t find our efforts terribly amusing, as you can plainly tell by the look on his face when we made too much noise knocking on the door to their cabin!

Another great thing on the Disney ships is the swag they always leave you when you are a return cruiser!  We have gotten umbrellas and tote bags on other lines, but Disney’s stuff is always much cooler.  The kids loved the goodie bag we got this time around!

By the time we do the lifeboat drill, it’s time to head on deck for the sail away party.  This is Jim’s first opportunity to indulge in his favorite cruise activity – testing the drink of the day!  We end up getting a couple of non-alcoholic versions of the drink of the day for the kids to enjoy, and Jim gets the rum punch concoction for he and I to share.  The sail away special drinks come in a souvenir cup, and the best idea EVER – when you are headed back down to your stateroom, you can exchange your dirty cup for a clean, plastic wrapped one to pack in your bag!  That was such a nice touch! 

The sail away party was a hit with the kids – who especially loved seeing the characters up close and personal, dancing into the early evening hours.  It was great fun for everyone!

    

    

 

My gang has been up since oh my goodness this is early AM, and I know I’m tired, since I got up an hour before the girls did.  But after the sail away party, they want to head to the show, which tonight is the Golden Mickeys.  I love this show, because it really does showcase all of our favorite Disney movies, and the kids sit really well through it, but they are hungry and tired, and I’m so glad it’s nearly time for dinner.

Our first night is at Animators Palette, a restaurant that transforms before your eyes from a stark black and white to a burst of color and warmth by the end of your meal.  Everything from the walls around you to the waitstaff undergoes the change, and it’s a sight to behold.  We imbibe in one more drink of the day – again, a fruity and delicious rum punch.

  If I wasn’t sufficiently tired before dinner, I am now!  We opt to have the kids participate in the Dine and Play program, which is AWESOME.  If your kids order from the children’s menu, they expedite the delivery of their meals, and counselors from the kids club come to the dining room at 9 PM to pick them up.  My kids LOVED it – especially Brighid, who was usually nominated at dinners past to be the one to drop the younger girls off.  This is both good and bad.  None of the kids hung around to see the complete effect of the changing of the dining room, which was kind of sad, because I think they might have enjoyed it.  On the other hand, they loved getting to go to the kids club, where they NEVER wanted to leave!

We finished our dinner, and headed out of the dining room.  After a quick trip around the ship, it was off to pick the kids up and head to bed.  We have no plans this cruise – no excursions booked, no agenda to follow.  The word of the weekend – RELAXATION!