Trip Report #36, February 2004 on the Wonder

Escape from the Chicago Winter
My hubby and I think the best way to spend our wedding anniversary is at sea, so Disney cruise #36 was our annual February cruise. Although we were married on Valentines Day, we usually sail a week or so early because the airfare is cheaper. Besides being our anniversary month, February is also a great month to sail if you live in a cold climate. December and January are bleak, miserable months, so by the time you get to February, you’re ready for some sunshine and lush, green vegetation to replace the gray skies and snowy landscape.

As usual, we flew on ATA out of Midway Airport. Living in Chicago, we have the advantage of choosing from two airports and multiple airlines. We used to vary between American, United, and ATA, but lately American and United haven’t had any good deals. ATA is generally pretty reasonable, even compared to Southwest. They have assigned seats, nice leather seats with adjustable headrests, and in-flight entertainment (you pay $2 for the headphones, but then you can keep them for future trips). Most of their fleet is pretty new; I love the 757-300 stretch planes, although landing in one of those on Midway’s short runways is a real experience.

Of course, our trip began with the trip to Midway. We live in the south suburbs of Chicago, and it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour to get to the airport, depending on traffic. Our most direct route is Cicero Avenue, but sometimes we opt for Pulaski, which takes us out of our way but tends to have less congestion (“less” being a relative term). Lately, we’ve had pretty good luck on Cicero, and this trip was no exception. We made one of our best times ever, reaching the airport within half an hour.

I absolutely hate shuttle buses, so we usually park at Midway Park Savers, an independent lot that is within walking distance of the Orange Line entrance to the airport. The lot is so vast that they have an internal shuttle to bring you to the front if it’s really crowded. But usually we get a spot close to the front. Some of the spots are tight, especially if you drive an SUV. I have an Aztek (yes, a Survivor car, although I prefer to think of it as a Canyonero, ala the Simpsons). That means that sometimes I must be choosy about where I park if I don’t want another ding in my door or to have trouble getting out. But as I said, usually there are plenty of good spots to choose from.

We’d been going through a multi-day snowy period in Chicago, so the parking lot was coated in white and people were parking willy-nilly without regard for the yellow lines. I chose a spot by the fence, figuring that was safe enough, and hubby and I gathered our luggage, huddled in our coats, and headed across the street. It’s a chilly walk through the bus stops and parking garage before you reach the warmth of the terminal building, and we were wearing light coats because we didn’t feel like carrying big, bulky ones around Florida. The cold made us step very lively, and soon we were in the terminal.

The security line was short, so we were through within minutes. We had done web check-in, so all we had to do was head to the gate and wait. We knew that there wouldn’t be many people on the flight; we could tell when we changed our seats (online check-in allows you to switch to an exit row). Boarding proceeded in record time because of the light crowd, and our flight managed to take off as scheduled. I was pleased because we’ve had weather delays on three of our last four flights. I guess we were due for an on-time trip.

Unfortunately, the wind was against us. The captain warned us that it would be a bumpy ride, and the usual two hour and nine minute flight stretched out closer to three hours. At least we spent them in comfort because we’d selected our favorite exit row, a two-across row with tons of legroom and kitty-corner from the restroom for easy access. We bring books, handheld games, CD players, a DVD player, and a laptop computer, so we’re well prepared for delays. I am finalizing my Disney cruise planning CD, so I spent some time working on that and then rewarded myself with a few games of pinball (in between white knuckle periods when the turbulence got especially bouncy). Even though the flight was longer than usual, the time passed quickly because I was busy, and soon we were touching down in Orlando.

Usually we catch a hotel shuttle and then take a town car from Happy Limo to the port in the morning. I know that some people do a one-way car rental, but I’ve never tried that because I prefer being a passenger. But since I am doing research for my CD, we decided to do a rental from whichever company was cheapest and then have Happy Limo pick us up for our return. We used to use the Disney Cruise Line bus a long time ago, for our first cruises, so this way I’d be able to report on all of the options firsthand.

Three car rental companies (Avis, Budget, and Hertz) offer a free shuttle from their Cocoa Beach location to Port Canaveral. Two (Avis and Budget) are onsite at Orlando International Airport. You have to take a shuttle from MCO to Hertz, but I’ve used them before via Priceline when we do quickie weekend trips, and it’s still a smooth experience. Their shuttles are always right there waiting, and they’re only a few minutes away from the airport. I had no big preference, so I went with the one that offered the best deal.

First, I looked for discount codes on www.mousesavers.com, but none of them made much of a difference for a one-way rental. Finally, I went to www.hotwire.com. They don’t handle one-way rentals, but they have a link on their site to several major companies that automatically puts in a discount code. I found the cheapest prices using their link, and the least expensive company was Budget, so that’s who I chose. I was glad it wasn’t Avis because I’ve seen massive crowds waiting for their shuttle on disembarkation day. I don’t know if it’s that bad for embarkation, but I didn’t want to find out. On the other hand, the number of people waiting for Budget is usually modest, so I figured they were a good choice.

At MCO, we headed to the Budget counter, which is the farthest one down on the left hand side, meaning that it’s a pretty good hike. There were quite a few people in front of us, and two people working the counter, so we waited about 15 minutes. I am used to booking through Priceline, which means that the rental is pre-paid. I’ve read about some companies trying to raise the price on a regular booking when you arrive, so I was on guard for that. The reservation contains a disclaimer that the amount may not be exact, but I expect it to be pretty darn close.

Fortunately, the price given to me at the counter was within 99 cents of my quote. The agent brought up the insurance and upgrades, but he wasn’t overly pushy. We had rented the cheapest car, but we ended up being upgraded to a Taurus. It was a nice, big vehicle with a cavernous trunk. It had over 16,000 miles on it and a shimmy when driven over 60 m.p.h., but it had really good acceleration, and overall it seemed capable of getting us safely to the port. We loaded up, checked the car for any pre-existing damage (nothing but a minor ding; we always document any problems with our digital camera, just in case), and were on our way.

Wake Up, Sleepyhead
The next morning, we got a later start than we had planned, so I was hoping the wait for the shuttle to the port wouldn’t be too bad. Since we had a rental car, we had spent the night in the Disney World area. The drive from the airport to Port Canaveral is only about 40 minutes, but starting from Disney World adds another 20 to 30, depending on traffic and where you are staying. We were on the road at 10:00 a.m., heading down 417 to 528, which goes directly to Cocoa Beach, where it turns into A1A. That’s the main drag where the car rental companies are located. Expect to pay a toll to get on 417, plus more $1 tolls and then a $1.25 toll on 528.

Thankfully, traffic wasn’t too bad, and we arrived at Budget a little after 11, after a quick stop to fill up the car with gas. The Budget office was just past the Radisson hotel, on the right. It was quite different from the hustle and the bustle of the airport location. They directed me to pull the car around the back, and hubby unloaded the luggage while I went inside to pay. There was no one else waiting for the shuttle, so within a few minutes we were piling in and heading to the ship. I noticed that they had two vans, which must be good at crowded times.

Port Canaveral is not far away, and within minutes we were passing the Disney Wonder. No matter how many times I see it, I am always in awe of its size and beauty. It looks so classy, even in comparison to the newer ships. My stateroom, 5650, is in the butt end of the ship, on the side facing the terminal, so I caught sight of it as we drove past.

We pulled up to the terminal building and stacked up our luggage for the porter. Your bags are taken to the ship for delivery to your stateroom after sail away. You should have a day bag with the items that you will need immediately after embarkation. One item not to forget is your swimwear. Most people don’t realize that before the safety drill on embarkation day is an ideal time for a dip. The pools typically aren’t crowded because many people don’t think about packing their swimsuits in their day bag. Usually you’ve just arrived after a hectic morning of travel, and you’ll probably be hustling for Palo, spa, and/or Flounders reservations, so after all that is done, a swim or a soak in the hot tub is a great way to unwind.

We never forget our swimsuits, which were safely packed in our day bag. The security line to get into the port wasn’t too bad, but be aware that if you have a laptop computer, they will make you boot it up. Soon we were through and heading up the escalator to the massive check-in area.

The check-in counter is built to handle a large volume of people. Also, on the 3 and 4 day cruises, many people are on land/sea packages and check in at their resort. That means that your wait time is typically minimal. There were plenty of check-in agents available, but we wanted to say “hi” to our friend Tanya and she was already waiting on someone, so we chose to wait. Soon she was free and welcoming us back for our 36th departure.

I was surprised that the embarkation line was pretty minimal, especially since we’d arrived at the port later than usual (the shuttle had dropped us off around 11:30). I know that the wait to embark seems like forever to some people, but to me time jumps into fast forward mode the minute I enter the terminal building. People were wandering around, looking at the ship model, and getting their photo taken with Captain Mickey. Soon enough it was noon, and the boarding announcement was made. Time to head through the giant Mickey head and onto the Disney Wonder!

As you board, your photo is taken in front of a dated sign, and then you give your name to a member of the cruise staff and they welcome you aboard over a microphone as you walk into the atrium. By now, it’s very familiar to me, but if it’s your first cruise, the sight of the red carpeting, the enormous blown glass chandelier overhead, the statue of Ariel, and the twin staircases is very impressive.

We headed aft to Parrot Cay for lunch. The embarkation buffet is served in two locations; Parrot Cay is an indoor restaurant where you are assigned to a table, and Beach Blanket Buffet, which is up on deck 9, is a buffet restaurant with indoor and outdoor self-seating. Both have pretty much the same lavish spread. The only big difference is if you are a soda drinker. You can get soda included with your meal in Parrot Cay, where a crew member will come to take your drink order. In Beach Blanket Buffet, you get your beverage at the end of the line, and the selection is limited to things like coffee and non-carbonated beverages such as fruit punch and lemonade.

Of course, if you are a big soda drinker and want easy access in any location, you can buy an all-you-can-drink soda mug. Then, you can have it filled at one of the bars and bring it with you to the buffet. But hubby sticks to coffee, while I prefer iced tea, so we never bother to get one.

The buffet contains a wide variety of salads and hot dishes. I am a salad buff myself, while hubby focuses on the jumbo shrimp. There is also a carving station at the end of the line, which usually has beef although I’ve occasionally seen ham or lamb too. Then you can head to a table where breads and soups are available. My favorite is the cold strawberry-banana soup, which tastes a lot like a smoothie. I usually get a bowl and have it for dessert, although there is a table laden with lots of tempting dessert items too. There is also a spread of kid-friendly items like chicken fingers and macaroni & cheese, so if you little one turns up their nose at the selection on the main buffet, bring them to the kiddie section.

As we chowed down, we read through the information sheet and Navigator (activity list) that we had been given to plot out our strategy for the day. You will definitely want to read those sheets thoroughly because they contain important information like the times/locations for Palo, spa, and Flounders reservations. They also tell what is happening in the evening (showtimes, activities, etc.) so you can get an idea of what you’d like to do after the safety drill.

I noticed that the spa and Palo reservation times were staggered. On our previous few trips, they both started at the same time (1:30), which could pose a challenge unless you send one member of your party to each location. Now, Palo started at 1 p.m. and the spa opened at 1:30, so you could take care of one and then head directly to the other.

The Palo reservation process is very orderly. It usually takes place in Wavebands, where you line up and go to the correct table for the night of your choice. You also go to Wavebands if you want to make a change in your dining arrangements, like switching from late seating to early or visa versa. But be warned that if you are on late seating, a switch to the earlier shift might not be possible. Because of the number of families and children on board, first dining spots go very quickly, and the dining rooms can only hold so many people. You can get on the waitlist or make a request, but it’s not guaranteed.

Of course, hubby and I never have that problem because we like the second seating. First seating is at 6 p.m., which is really 5 p.m. to those of us on central time. That’s pretty early to eat, and it feels like we’re rushed in our daytime activities. We like to laze around the ship on Nassau day, and on Castaway Cay day, the Castaway Club party is usually from 5:15 to 6, which would bring us right up to dinnertime. We prefer 8:30, which gives us plenty of time to do whatever we want all day without rushing. When you are on second seating, you see the main stage show before you eat, and first seaters see it afterwards. Personally, I like the 6:30 showtime. It’s easier to get ready for a show early than for dinner, as you don’t have to get all dressed up.

Spa reservations take place in the Vista Spa on deck 9. They will take you on a spa tour, but if you already know what you want, you can ask to skip it and make your reservations immediately. The tour can be very informative if you’re not familiar with some of the more exotic treatments like the seaweed wrap (one of my favorites). Of course, I have the spa offerings memorized, so I always have my treatments planned out in advance. If you are only interested in the Rainforest (a room containing heated tile loungers, saunas, steam room, and scented showers), you won’t have to worry about reservations. You just come to the spa and sign up when you want to go in. For all the other treatments, appointments are a must.

The spa also has a list of the classes that will be offered throughout the cruise. The classes are free, and there is a really nice variety. My favorite is the beach yoga on Castaway Cay, and they have started offering Pilates, too. If you are a fitness buff, you’ll also want to check out the fitness room, which is free. The equipment is available on a first come, first served basis.

You will need to make reservations for baby care at Flounders as early as possible, but you don’t have to worry as much about the Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Lab. If you child is on board, they will get a space. I don’t travel with children, but our tablemate told me that it’s a good idea to register your child early, even though you don’t have to worry about registrations filling up. She said that the line was very short before the safety drill, but when she brought her daughter in the evening, it was massive.

Once you are done with your lunch and reservations, it’s time to relax. If you brought swimwear, now is the time to hit the pool or hot tubs. If not, you can explore the ship or go to the shore excursion or port shopping talks. They do a lot of little giveaways at the shopping talk, so if you like freebie, be sure to attend. Last time I went, which was several cruises ago, I got a neat little dolphin keychain from Del Sol that looks like it is made of clear plastic but that changes color in the sunlight.

Hubby and I headed for the hot tubs at the Quiet Cove adult pool, which is our usual embarkation agenda. Usually they are warm rather than hot, but this time they were blazing! I turned on the jets to see if that would cool things down, but it didn’t make much difference. We have a high tolerance, but we spend half of our time sitting on the edge and dipping our legs. The heat felt really good after the sub-zero temperatures we had left behind in Chicago. The weather was very nice, and it seemed to be drawing people out because the adult pool was the most crowded that I’ve ever seen it. Usually there are a few people laying out on the chairs or dipping their toes in the water, but this time there were sunbathers everywhere and lots of intrepid souls swimming in the pool or hot tubbing.

The time before the safety drill always flies by, and soon we had to drag ourselves out of the water and don our lovely orange life jackets. Because we are in stateroom 5650 so often, we could probably find our lifeboat station in our sleep. We had dropped off our day bags in our stateroom before lunch, and when we arrived before the drill, the rest of our bags were already there. That was really fast; it usually takes a little longer, so don’t panic if your bags don’t show up immediately. It takes quite a while to distribute the luggage for 2600 guests. In 36 Disney cruises, they have never lost any of our bags yet, so you can have faith that yours will show up in time to dress for dinner.

I stepped out on the verandah for a few minutes before leaving for the drill. I love stateroom 5650 because of its peaceful location, just about as far back in the ship as you can get. It has a verandah with a solid metal railing rather than plexiglass, but it’s curved due to the shape of the ship so it’s larger than normal. It is also somewhat recessed, which gives you more protection in case of bad weather so you can still sit outside in a light rain. Best of all, it’s so far back that it there is almost no hallway traffic, except for the safety drill when people pass by to use the staircase down to Animators Palate (the stairs are only open for the drill). You might hear an occasional lost soul, but for the most part people don’t wander that far aft.

We trooped down the stairs to Assembly Station Q. All of the stations are at various locations inside and outside of deck 4. The lifeboats are on deck 5, but they would be lowered in case of emergency. As we headed in, we saw our friend Sasha. I was very excited because he had left the ship several months before, and I didn’t expect to see him again. He had been called to do a brief fill-in, and coincidentally it coincided with our February cruise. We said a quick hello as we headed past him to our station; there was no time to talk, as the drill was beginning. But afterwards, we were able to have a proper greeting and let him know that we’d see him at the events later.

The safety drill is only about 15 or 20 minutes long, and then you head like salmon back to your stateroom. We’re lucky that 5650 is located right at the head of the staircase, so we get “home” very quickly. We had booked spa appointments for 4:30, so we whisked into spa gear and headed out for our first decadence of the trip.

The Vista Spa
The spa is usually one of the first things we do. Sometimes we watch the sail away from our verandah, but most times hubby and I are sprawled on massage tables and semi-conscious as the ship leaves Port Canaveral. The earliest you can make an appointment is 4:30, when the spa opens after the drill. On this trip, I had booked a regular massage, while hubby had scheduled a seaweed wrap. After the drill, we headed up to our stateroom to change and then hustled off to the spa. It was a little before 4:30, and the line outside the doors was building, Most of the people were there hoping to make an appointment, so they were separated from the people coming for a treatment.

Before your treatment begins, you are given a sheet to fill out with some general health questions. If you have multiple treatments throughout your cruise, let your therapist know so they can save the sheet; that way, you won’t have to fill out another one. Hubby and I know the questions by heart, so we whisked through them and waited to be called in for our treatments. My massage was wonderful, as usual. I was drifting off to sleep, but I was conscious enough to hear the ship’s whistle blast out “When You Wish Upon a Star” as we sailed away. Meanwhile, hubby was getting slathered in warm seaweed and wrapped up like a baked potato. For years I tried to convince him to try a seaweed wrap, but he wouldn’t. He loves the Elemis bath synergies, which he buys on the ship, so I knew that seaweed would be right up his alley. I don’t know if it was the idea of stripping down and donning paper panties or being covered in a green, gooey substance, but I couldn’t talk him into it.

Finally, a little over a year ago we did three cruises in a row on the Wonder and I signed him up for a wrap. At first he claimed to have hated it, but then he had to admit that he was pimping me and that he’d actually loved it and wanted to book another one. Now, he always gets at least one, and sometimes more. It is a very detoxifying treatment, and ibeing combined with a massage that makes it even more of a treat.

On Nassau day, we had scheduled a surial bath in the morning, plus an Absolute Face & Body (massage and facial) for me and another seaweed wrap (of course) for hubby in the afternoon. It’s been a while since we’ve done the surial, so it was really fun to relax in our own private steam room and slather each other in mud. It’s a neat couples experience where you are escorted to a private room containing a shower area and a steam room with three seats, each with its own top and side showers and cold water hose. You are given mud (anywhere from one to three types) and a selection of spa products to use. Then you are closed in for an hour; the attendant will knock on the door 10 minutes before your time is up.

When you arrival for your surial, you will be given a locker key so you can undress and store your clothes. But we’ve done this so much that we just wear swim gear and robes so we don’t have to bother with the locker room stop. We arrive ready to jump right into the surial as-is.

We had a great time, as usual. Covering up in the mud and then steaming myself into a good sweat feels almost as detoxifying as the seaweed wrap. In order to start the steam, you usually have to jiggle the button and hold it in for several seconds. Don’t panic if it doesn’t seem to be working; just push in the button and count slowly to ten. Once we got it going, we used some devils mint defoliant and then slathered ourselves in red clay-like mud. People often worry that the grout is dirty, but don’t worry. The room is clean even if you notice the clay-colored tint. After several years, the vivid color from the mud has dyed it, even when it is freshly cleaned.

The hose and showers in the steam room are cold, but there is a hot water shower out in the main area of the surial chamber. We washed off the mud, and then I tried some lotions while hubby applied some instant refreshing gel. He uses a lot of the spa products, but I think that one is his favorite. The Chicago winters are hard on his knees, so he always keeps tube of it around the house.

Once the surial was over, we headed off to lunch and then back to the spa in the afternoon for more treatments. While the rest of the ship is in Nassau being pursued by hair braiders and haggling over t-shirt prices, I prefer to be pampering myself. Hubby was having yet another seaweed wrap, and I was looking forward to my Absolute Face and Body. It’s a really long and relaxing treatment that starts out with a back of the body massage. After that, you flip over for a lengthy facial that always puts me to sleep. The only part I don’t like is having to regain consciousness enough to turn over after the massage. When I am done with the AF&B, I feel like a limo noodle as I leave the spa.

On Castaway Cay day, hubby opted out of spa treatments, so I finally managed to get a seaweed wrap of my own. Sometimes I like to do a cabana massage on Serenity Bay, but it’s always a hard choice between giving up precious island time or just having something done later, after I return to the ship. On this trip, I scheduled the wrap for 3 p.m., which would allow me to enjoy a full day on the beach and still get back early enough to avoid most of the returning crowds.

Hubby headed back to the ship with me, as he planned to relax in the Rainforest. We got back a little early, so I joined him in there. It’s a great way to prep for a treatment, as the heated tile loungers or the mild sauna always put me into a state of relaxation. Soon enough, it was time for my treatment and I was covered in the warm, gloppy seaweed mixture and wrapped into foil to bake for a while. Usually you wear paper panties during this process, but they were out of stock, so I was provided with a paper sheet and sarong.

Normally you get two wraps; the seaweed and then a plain one after you shower off to really sweat the toxins out. But both hubby and I prefer to bake in the seaweed a little longer and forgo the second wrap. The second part of the treatment is a back of the body massage, although on one memorable trip hubby actually skipped the massage in favor of staying in the wrap even longer! I don’t think that he had one bit of sweat left in his body by the time it was done. For myself, I would never skip the massage at it’s the perfect capper to the treatment.

Three day cruises go by much too fast, but we do manage to squeeze quite a bit of spa time in. I like to go to some of the classes, too, particularly the beach yoga. The only reason that I skipped it this time was that you have to meet quite early; everyone meets in the spa and then travels to the adult beach together. Since the weather forecast was calling for storms, I opted to sleep a little later in case the yoga was rained out. As to whether our streak of 36 beach days remains intact or was a washout, that comes a little later in this report.

Food, Food, Food!
People often associate cruising with unlimited food, and they’re not far off the mark. In between various main meal options, on Disney you will find quick service food stands serving items like pizza, hot dogs, and chicken strips and Scoops, serving soft-serve ice cream with toppings. These are not open 24 hours a day, but room service is available around the clock in case you get a late-night hunger pang. You will also find other options, like cookies, fresh fruit, and wraps throughout the day.

Over time, hubby and I have found our favorite items and settled into a rut at the restaurants. This starts with his heaping plate of jumbo shrimp at the embarkation buffet, while I pile on my favorite salads. We both like the cold strawberry/banana soup, too; I eat it as my dessert, but hubby enjoys it with his meal because he can never resist the regular dessert offerings. In Animators Palate, I love the duck and goat cheese flat bread (extra goat cheese, please), and In Tritons I always go for the vichyssoise (cold potato soup), and either the beef or the lamb (with lots of mint jelly on the side) for dinner. We were on the Animators/Parrot Cay/Tritons rotation on his trip, so we skipped Parrot Cay to go to Palo on Nassau night. Kapur, who we met as a head server many cruises ago, is how the manager of Palo, and Dalibor, one of our favorite servers, was back from vacation. They took excellent care of us as we indulged in a delicious Palo meal.

Palo is an adults-only restaurant that requires reservations and incurs a $10 cover charge. It can be hard to fit it in on such a short cruise, but if at all possible, I highly recommend it. Palo has its own galley, and all of the food is made to order, just like in a restaurant on land. The cuisine is Northern Italian, with daily specials supplementing the regular offerings. The spread includes antipasto and fresh bread with three yummy dipping sauces, although lately hubby and I been skipping the antipasto to save room for a full meal of appetizer, dinner, and dessert.

I love the steak with bleu cheese, but on this trip I opted for something new and tried the shrimp scampi-stuffed chicken breast. Hubby was tempted by veal scaloppini, one of the daily specials. Both were excellent choices, as was my chocolate souffle for dessert. Palo has a variety of excellent dessert offerings, and although hubby is adventurous and has worked his way through all of them, I am in a souffle rut. It is a chocolate lover’s dream.

We are not big breakfast eaters, but I always make room for breakfast on Nassau day because I dearly love the eggs benedict from Tritons, with a side order of corned beef hash (it’s not on the menu, but you can request it because it is served in one of the breakfast skillets). There is also a very nice breakfast buffet on deck 9 if you want something faster and a little less formal. On Castaway Cay day, we skip breakfast because we know that we’ll be indulging in a big lunch at Cookies Barbeque. A smaller version is served on the adult beach, but we usually return to the family beach to eat because hubby loves the lobster burgers that are served there.

Onboard the ship, it’s always a toss-up as to whether we’ll eat lunch at Tritons (sit-down) or Beach Blanket (buffet), because I really enjoy them both. I like a relaxing sit-down meal, and if you are a soda drinker, it will be included with your meal at Tritons (personally, I stick to water and iced tea). They also serve a great Hawaiian salad, to which I like to add a handful of maraschino cherries. But at the buffet you can sample a wide variety of offerings, and they have excellent made-to-order pasta. This time around, we opted for Tritons because I had a taste for an ice cream sundae…real ice cream, not the soft-serve glop that is served at Scoops. I know there’s nothing wrong with soft serve, but it reminds me of the stuff that is served at Old Country Buffet or Ponderosa. I think I am still prejudiced by memories of the old days, when Scoops served real scooped ice cream. It was so delicious! But that was discontinued years ago because you can do a lot more volume with soft serve than with hand scooping. Anyway, sundaes were not actually on the dessert menu, but I knew that they could whip me something up in the dining room.

We were seated with a couple and their three year old daughter. They had another one on the way, so they wanted to do a cruise before the new member of the family arrived. Their little girl was just the right age to really be fascinated with the characters. Our first dinner was in Animators Palate; she had wanted to go to the kids club because they were going to have a character party, but when her parents realized that they were in the restaurant with the show, her dad went to retrieve her. She made it through quite a while, but the show is at the end of the meal, which can be a long time for a little one to wait. Finally her parents gave in and dad walked her back to the club. When he returned, he reported that they had met Lilo in the elevator. Lilo and his daughter walked hand in hand to the club, and she got the biggest kick out of it. The next night we were in Palo, but at our last meal, in Tritons, they showed us the cutest portrait that had been taken at the princess party. They had selected a picture with Princess Aurora and had also gotten signatures from the other princesses in the frame.


On this trip, our server was Atilla from Hungary. I’m pretty sure that he served us before. My grandma was from Hungary, too, so we discussed delicious native dishes like chicken paprikas and grape strudel (something I’ve never found at any restaurant…I haven’t had it since my grandma passed away 25 years ago). Our assistant server was Arlan; after the first night, he had my “special” iced tea waiting. I hate the regular stuff, which comes out of a tap, so I always request freshly brewed flavored tea. Our head server was Michelle, and our old friend Ali was the dining room manager, so we were well taken care of.

Adult Activities
Many people think that because we’ve childless, we’re crazy for taking so many Disney cruises. What they don’t understand is that Disney puts as much effort into taking care of the “big kids” as they do with the little ones. Granted, if you really can’t stand children, then Disney probably isn’t the cruise line for you. There will be lots of families on board, although surprisingly, we saw just as many kids on all of our Royal Caribbean cruises, including Alaska.

But although kids will be around, they won’t impede your enjoyment. You’ll have plenty of adults only areas to escape to (supposedly RCCL has this, too, but I never saw any enforcement). And when you’re around the kids, it can be a lot of fun to watch them meet the characters or explore the ship or see the shows with an expression of awe and delight on their little faces. After 36 cruises, I enjoy the opportunity to see the cruise through fresh eyes, and the kids remind me of my sense of wonderment the very first time I set sail.

Hubby and I are in a rut on which adult activities we attend. Our favorites are 70s Night and Match Your Mate. I love Wonderquest, too, ibut we don’t usually get to attend. We’re always on the second dinner schedule, and it starts too early. I wish they would have it a bit later, especially since it’s an adult activity and there are (theororetically, at least) more adults on the late seating. Wonderquest is a very wild scavenger hunt that is played in teams. I don’t want to spoil it, but I will warn you that hubby is often borrowed by many teams because of a unique physical characteristic (and by “borrowed,” I mean physically grabbed and dragged up to the host). I said it was wild!

We like 80s Night, too, but we skipped it this time around because we didn’t know that the main stage dancers had started performing their dance routines again. On our last trip, they weren’t part of the party. Other than that, the 80s Party consists of dancing, trivia for free shots, and an amusing battle of the bands.

Match Your Mate was on Nassau night, so we headed down to Wavebands after sticking around for some dancing at the Sailaway Party. The contestants for Match Your Mate are chosen via a combination of number of years married and general rowdiness. Three couples are selected: newlyweds, longest married (we once saw a couple who had been wed for 60 years), and a pair that is somewhere in the middle. If you want to be selected, be enthusiastic to the point of insanity. Jump, shout, yell, wave your arms, and maybe even do gymnastics (I’ve seen it done).

Using rowdiness as one of the selection criteria usually helps to ensure some pretty wild contestants, and this trip was no exception. Because the show is adults only, it can get a little more risque…of course, it’s a Disney ship, so there are still some limits, but it’s generally a riot. I won’t go into specific details because I don’t want to give away the questions, but let’s just say that the words “dong” and “ta tas” came up a few times. There was also a stunning revelation about what goes on at lunchtime in a Six Flags parking lot. I was laughing so hard that my face hurt.

The 70s Party was on the last night. I prefer it to be first because I can stay up late and then sleep in on Nassau morning, but I like it so much that I am usually willing to give up some shut-eye, even though it means I will be half asleep the next morning when I disembark. When we arrived at Wavebands, the crowd was so small that I was afraid they might cancel it. A few more people trickled in when Dueling Pianos ended, and the dance floor started to fill in. As we bumped and grooved, more and more people showed up. I think that they were probably delayed by last minute packing, since the party starts at 10:45 and you have to have your luggage out by 11 if you want it to be delivered to the terminal.

There are usually several freestyle dance numbers and then a Soul Train-style dance line to “Car Wash.” They also do the Electric Slide, but I bail on that because coordination isn’t one of my stronger points. That leads into the appearances by Gloria Gaynor and John Travolta, capped off by an appearance by the Village People.

A few years back, my knee cap popped off while I was dancing at a 70s Party on the Magic. For a long time after that, I had to wear a clunky knee brace and take it easy when dancing. Finally, not too long ago, the doctor gave me a clean bill of health and said that I can abandon the brace and be wild once again. I’m glad because I love dancing, and it also allows me to pretend that I’m actually burning off enough calories to make a dent in the dessert I just devoured.

While I was shaking my groove thing with hubby, someone from the cruise staff came up to ask if I would “volunteer to help out.” I’ve been on enough Disney cruises to know what that means, but I figured what the heck. Hubby had appeared as John Travolta a couple of cruises ago (he was full of champagne at the time), so I played along.

Once the line dance was over, the volunteers were called up to the stage. There were three men and three women…the men were told that they would be judges and sent to sit down on the sidelines, while we were prepped to participate in the Gloria Gaynor Lip Sync Contest. I was the only one who knew what was going on; the men would soon be getting theirs when they discovered that they would be performing as John Travolta. The contests are the best part of the party. Because different guests are chosen every time, it’s always a different show.

I was pegged as the second Gloria. I knew that hubby was waiting at our table with his camera in hand. Usually we don’t bring it to the party, but we had just gone to “Til We Meet Again” to get photos of the characters, so we had it with us. Oh well, when he was John Travolta, we happened to have it with us too, and I had gotten some great incriminating photos. I guess that turnabout is fair play.

While the first Gloria performed, I waited out in the hall with #3, an older woman who seemed to be ready for anything. She told me, “I‘m always volunteering for all sorts of things!” We were not allowed to watch, but I assured her that it was going to be lots of fun. The guy on cruise staff who had picked me overheard us and said, “You’ve done this before?” I responded that it was my 36th Disney cruise, and I think he nearly fainted! Most of the cruise staff knows us, but he was one of the few who didn’t. I’m sure he’ll never forget us now.

When it was my turn, I nearly strangled myself with the Feather Boa of Power, but once I recovered from that little mishap, I launched into some wild moves for the three judges. I’ve seen the show enough times to know the sort of things that will crack up the crowd. When watching, I like it best when the contestants are really wild, so I tried to put on a performance that I know I would have enjoyed.

The third lady was even wilder. She went right out into the audience and grabbed some guys to bring back to the stage. The crowd went absolutely wild! I was sorry to miss the first performance, but I don’t think it could have topped #3. When we were done, we kicked the guys out of their chairs and settled in to watch them strut their John Travolta stuff. They were even crazier than we were. One performed a lap dance for us, and another did the infamous “body floss” routine with the white jacket. Sometimes the contestants are shy and it’s not as much fun; I like it when everyone really gets into it.

To top it all off, the Village People made their appearance. They whipped off their shirts as soon as they climbed on stage and led us all in a round of YMCA. After that, there is still dancing, but that usually my cue to head off to Dreamland. As we walked back to our stateroom, hubby proudly showed me his blackmail photos. I think he just pointed and kept clicking! All in all, it was another great 70s Party.

Of course, the adult activities are not all wild p& crazy parties and games. If you want peace and quiet, you can opt for the Dancing Under the Stars event at the Quiet Cove Pool, have a romantic dinner at Palo, or sip a cocktail and listen to piano music at the Cadillac Lounge. And on Castaway Cay, you’ll get plenty of quiet time and relaxation at Serenity Bay, the adults only beach.

Often the adult beach is nearly deserted, but on this trip there was quite a good crowd. I suspect that there were more people than usual traveling without kids, since school was in session. Or who knows…maybe they just convinced the kiddies to stay at Scuttles Cove and escaped for some child-free time. Even where there are a lot of people, there is still plenty of room. You just might have to walk a little farther down the beach to find a spot.

Stage Shows
In addition to the adult entertainment, there are plenty of activities for families. We usually don’t go to those, but we rarely miss the main stage shows. On the three night cruise, “Hercules” usually plays on the first night, followed by “The Golden Mickeys” and “Disney Dreams.” On this trip, the order of the first two was temporarily flip-flopped, so I got to see my favorite first.

This was only the third time that I’ve seen “The Golden Mickeys,” at it premiered on Labor Day weekend. But I already know that it’s going to be like “Disney Dreams”; I’ll never get tired of it, no matter how many times I see it. Like “DD,” it is a compilation of scenes and characters from popular Disney movies. The story line that holds it all together revolves around an awards show where Golden Mickeys will be presented in such categories as Romance, Comedy, Heroes, and of course Villians. A character named Ensign Benson is reluctantly thrust into the role of hostess. She receives some encouragement from Roy Disney, who shares some of the story of how his Uncle Walt never let hardships get in his way. I just love that part; with all the turmoil on the Disney board and Roy’s resignation, I’m always afraid that they’ll pull him out of the show. So far he’s still there, thank goodness. Hubby says he gets teary eyed at the end of “Disney Dreams,” but it’s the first part of “The Golden Mickeys” that always chokes me up.

The numbers include scenes from Snow White (check out the cute little kids from the audience playing the dwarves), Sleeping Beauty (the color changing dress is very cool), Toy Story, 101 Dalmations, Mulan, Tarzan, and the Lion King. The show moves at such a rapid pace that it will be over before you know it. One of the highlights, at least for me, is when Terk takes over the comedy sequence and Elvis Stitch makes an appearance before they are all frightened off by Ursula. If you are sitting in the front tow, watch out for her tentacles!

I always get a laugh out of “Hercules,” but this time I was nearly rolling on the floor between Hades and the fifth Muse. Hades is always funny, but often Pain and Panic steal the show. Not this time! His constant jokes and wisecracks reminded me of the old days, when his monologue towards the end of the show was much longer. The fifth Muse is always good, too, and each actor brings his own unique style to the role. The one who is playing him now had both hubby and I cracking up at his antics. That’s one thing that I like about “Hercules.” There is some room for improvisation, so each cast brings their own unique touch and it’s a slightly different show every time. By the time we sail again, there will be a new cast, so we’ll have yet another new experience.

“Disney Dreams” is the grand finale on the last night of the trip. I never get tired of seeing Peter Pan teach Anne Marie to find her own magic. It contains scenes from Aladdin, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and the Lion King, but the pace isn’t nearly as fast as “The Golden Mickeys.” This is Disney Cruise Line’s signature show, and I hope that they never get rid of it. Just about every time that we’ve seen it, it’s earned a well-deserved standing ovation.

Castaway Cay
In the adult activity section, I mentioned the adult beach, which makes a good lead-in to our day at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island paradise. It’s always a highlight of our cruises. Like “Disney Dreams” and “The Golden Mickeys,” it’s something that I never get tired of. I’ve been to RCCL’s private island, CocoCay, and it is very nice, but in a different way. CocoCay is more rustic, whereas Castaway Cay is like Central Casting’s version of a perfect tropical island.

Sometimes the weather can prevent docking, but in all of our cruises we’ve been fortunate enough to never miss the island. Amazingly, we’ve never been totally rained out either. There have been a couple of days where a storm snuck in later in the day or it rained in the morning and then cleared up, but we’ve never had a total washout. We carry large garbage bags with us to protect our stuff, just in case, but we’ve always managed to get in at least some beach time, and usually the weather is good all day.

On this trip, I was a bit worried. The night before, Captain Henry had told us that the weather wasn’t looking too good. A storm was poised on the radar, ready to strike. Would our streak be broken? I went to bed wondering, and when I woke up the next morning, I listened anxiously to the thrusters as we docked. I’ve been in stateroom 5650 enough times to know the sound of a smooth docking vs. a wavy, windy day when the Wonder is struggling to dock. On our Thanksgiving trip, docking was a real challenge, but this time everything sounded just the way it should.

I dragged my sleepy body out onto the verandah and was greeted by sunshine and a nice, blue sky, with just a sprinkling of non-threatening clouds. It felt warm enough for a nice swim, at least for a hearty Chicagoan like me. We like to disembark early, so we took quick showers, slathered on our sun screen, packed up our beach bag, and headed down to deck 1. There was no line, so we flashed our ID and room cards and stepped down the gangway and onto Castaway Cay for the 36th time.

Our first order of business was a quick stop at the post office, and then we paused for the photo opportunities on our way to the tram. Normally we walk rather than ride the first tram and then catch a ride to Serenity Bay, which is a bit too far away for walking. But the first tram was just pulling in, so we decided to hop on board. Once we climbed off, it was just a short distance to the tram stop for the adult beach, but as we arrived, we saw that it had just pulled away. We knew it would be a little while before it came back, so we settled in to wait. Since we wouldn’t be among the first on the beach, I figured that getting a hammock would be a lost cause. There are only four on the whole adult beach, so if you’re not an early bird, they’ll be claimed by the time you get there.

When the tram returned, we climbed aboard and rattled down the old runway to Serenity Bay. As I had expected, there were quite a few people on the beach already. As I hiked down the sand, looking for a lounge chair, I noticed that the last hammock didn’t seem to be occupied. The beach yoga was just finishing up nearby, so I don’t think anyone had wandered down there yet. We shifted the hammock into the shade, and hubby settled in for a nap while I went for a swim.

One of my biggest pleasures on Castaway Cay is to go for a nice little water job. Working out in the pool at the health club back home always seems like a chore, but doing the same exercise turns into fun when it’s done in the ocean. I headed out to the boundary of the beach, and just as I was approaching it, a man at the shoreline called out, “Look behind you!” I turned and saw a gray blur approaching me. I’ve seen many stingrays at Serenity Bay, so I thought that this was another one. The man said, “No, it’s a nurse shark.” I did a double take and watched in amazement as the little creature glided by me. Sure enough, it was a nurse shark, just like the ones I’ve seen at aquariums. I’ve seen some interesting critters, including an ink squirting squid, and hubby has had a couple of close encounters with Barry the Barracuda, but the nurse shark was by far the most exciting so far.

I did a little internet research once I got back home, as I had been surprised to see a shark so close to shore. But it turns out that nurse sharks are bottom feeders who like to hang out in shallow areas. The only odd thing was that they are usually nocturnal, and this was a morning encounter. When I got back to the main part of the beach, I heard from other people that there had actually been two nurse sharks swimming around. I sure wish that I would have had a camera!

After I got back, I took over the hammock while hubby headed off for some snorkeling. I love to settle down on the beach with a good book. The only minor unpleasantness in an otherwise lovely beach day was the two chain smokers who settled down in the chairs next to me. We usually try to pick a spot that’s not too close to other chairs, but since we had taken a hammock, we couldn’t be as choosy. But of course the wind was blowing my way, so my relaxation was somewhat hampered by the yucky smell. Unfortunately they were chain smokers, so they didn’t go more than a few minutes with lighting up. In between, I noticed that they just dropped the butts into the sand rather than using an ashtray or disposing of them in one of their drink cups. Sadly, on our past few trips, I have noticed that the beach is becoming very littered with butts. If you try to bury your toes in the sand, around the chairs and umbrellas, you will most likely find some. I know that the beach is an outer area where smoking is allowed, but I wish that smokers would pick up one of the ashtrays near the bar rather than littering the beach. The same people don’t throw cups, napkins, and plates on the ground, and cigarette butts are in the same category.

Other than that, I enjoyed my reading time, and all too soon hubby was back from his swim, announcing that it was lunchtime. Time goes fast enough on a cruise as it is, and it seems to shift into quadruple speed when we reach the island. I think it must because docking at Castaway Cay signals the arrival of the last day of the cruise. I dearly love it, but I still feel melancholy because I know that in less than 24 hours I’ll be back at Port Canaveral. Oh well, I never let that interfere with my enjoyment of the beach.

Hubby had a taste for lobster burgers, so we packed up and headed to Cookies. Personally, I opted for a cheeseburger and K. C. Masterpiece barbeque chips, which I like to dip into the cole slaw. I know it sounds gross, but it’s a real taste treat. The buffet lines were pretty long, but we had no trouble finding a picnic table. You can select one under one of the large shelters or opt for a free-standing table with umbrella. After we had finished eating, we stopped at the gazebo for a quick photo with Mickey and then headed back to the ship.

On the way, we stopped at Gils Fins and Boats, but a wicked wind had blown up so there were no boat rentals. We were a bit disappointed, but we figured we’d just head back and spend some time in the Rainforest. There was a matinee performance of “Disney Dreams,” but it interfered with our spa appointment times, so we figured that relaxing in a sauna would be a nice way to spend the rest of the day until treatment time.

The last time we were on Castaway Cay, it was all decked out for the holidays. It was odd to see it transformed back again; even though our last trip was Thanksgiving, it didn’t seem like that long ago. This year, we are sailing on both Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I can hardly wait to see it decked out in its holiday finery twice.

Christmas in February
Speaking of the holidays, when we sailed at Thanksgiving, we noticed that Shutters was selling Christmas cards made from photos taken on the ship. We had a set made with our portrait in front of the Christmas tree in the atrium. On this trip, we noticed that they were still for sail; I realized that not everyone sails as often as we do, so offering the cards all year gives people a chance to buy them no matter when they are on board. That way, they can have their cards all ready when Christmas rolls around again.

We had gotten great comments about our 2003 cards, which featured our picture in the middle of an ornament dangling from Mickey’s hand. I had chosen that design because it reminded me of the decorations in the terminal building. We decided that if we found a photo we liked, we would have some made for Christmas, 2004. This time around, I chose a design of Mickey making a “snow”man out of sand on Castaway Cay. We took as many photo opportunities as possible, and we decided on a nice shot with Mickey in his formalwear. Hubby and I were dressed up for Palo, so it turned out to be a lovely shot. We bought 25 cards, and if we find another shot that we like on an upcoming cruise, we’ll probably get 25 different ones.

We got several other shots, too, including an embarkation shot to add to our collection and a photo of Mickey on Castaway Cay in his tropic gear to match the one we got of Minnie a few months back. They also have a great new backdrop of the ship with an ocean full of fish below it. I was hoping for a picture with Stitch, my favorite character, but I never saw him listed in the Navigator. I did get a photo with him at “Till We Meet Again” on the last night, but that’s another story.

Character Greetings
That’s a good lead-in to a bit about character greetings. When you sail on a Disney ship, you are probably expecting to catch lots of sightings of the characters. Happily, you will not be disappointed. Various characters will make appearances throughout the cruise for photo and autograph opportunities. It’s easy to find out when and where they will be. There’s a board posted in the deck 3 atrium and one at the entrance to Shutters on deck 4. You can also dial 7-PALS on your stateroom telephone to hear a recorded schedule.

At most of the events, there will be a photographer from Shutters on hand, and you can also bring your own camera. I recommend taking as many opportunities as possible to let the photographers snap a shot, even when you take one yourself. It’s fun to head to deck 4 and see how your photos have turned out, and you’ll probably find several that you like enough to buy.

On board the ship, most of the character appearances will be in the atrium. The schedule will have details on whether there will be autograph signing or whether it will be a photo opportunity only. For the most popular characters and events, such as the Princess Party (typically held on Nassau morning on the 3 night cruises), you’ll want to arrive a little early. The line grows quickly, and it might be cut if it gets too long.

On Castaway Cay, the best spots to meet Mickey and the gang are at the post office and Mount Rustmore in the morning and the gazebo near Cookies in the afternoon. The appearances start around 9 a.m., just in time for the main flux of people disembarking the ship. You’ll know the exact times and who will be where if you check the board or call the character greeting line before you head off to the island.

One of my favorite character greetings is “Til We Meet Again,” held on the last night of the cruise in the atrium at 10 p.m. We don’t always get to attend because we are always on the late seating of dinner, and we’re not always done in time. But when we are, we head over for the last big farewell.

At “Til We Meet Again,” you will not only see assorted characters but also many of the main stage performers. At various times I’ve seen the Muses, Pain Panic, and Hades, and Peter Pan is usually out clowning around with Anne Marie from “Disney Dreams.“ They all come down the staircase in front of Tritons and head out into the waiting crowd. Usually some of the characters will be up on deck 4 for photographs too. This is a less formal event than most. Everyone crowds together, and once the characters come out into the atrium, you try to head for your favorites. They stay out for about 20 minutes, so if you are lucky, you can get several good photos. The Shutters photographers don’t take pictures here, so be sure to bring your own camera.

On this cruise, we weren’t planning to attend, even though I was itching for a photograph with Stitch. I didn’t know how crowded it would be, and I didn’t want to rush through my dinner. Our last meal was in Tritons, where you can see the atrium through the window. “Til We Meet Again” started just as we ordered dessert. I glanced out and happened to notice that the crowd was very minimal. Hubby had our camera with him, as he always take a photo of our servers on the last night. I told our server that we would be back, and we hurried down the hall to see if we could locate Stitch.

We had to go out the back door, since the front is closed during the event. As we approached the atrium, I could hear disjointed banging on the grand piano and a voice saying, “Stitch! Stop that!”, so I knew that we were headed in the right direction. Sure enough, as soon as I turned the corner, I saw him making mischief. The line wasn’t bad at all, so we quickly joined it. Finally, I would get my coveted photo!

Stitch was doing all sorts of antics to amuse the waiting people. One little boy wanted an autograph, and his pen was promptly stolen. Then Stitch tossed it back at him! You could tell he was having a lot of fun clowning around. That’s one nice thing about “Til We Meet Again.” Because it is a little less formal, there is usually more time for interaction. This was especially true on this trip, since the crowd was smaller than usual.

When it was my turn, I told Stitch, “You’re my favorite character.” He gave me a big smooch and immediately headed back for the piano to serenade me. His handler finally managed to get him back on task, and she used our camera to snap a photo of Stitch with hubby and I. We still had time, so hubby confessed that he’s always wanted a photo with Pete Pan and Anne Marie. I’ve often seen them near the shore excursion desk, so we headed that way, and sure enough, there they were. Minnie Mouse was nearby, too, but amazingly, her line was shorter than theirs. We got our photo and started working our way back to Tritons and dessert. On the way, hubby had to pause to tell the fifth Muse how much he enjoyed his act.

Although we didn’t stay for the grand finale, I highly recommend it. When the photo/autograph session is over, the characters head back up the staircase and turn in each direction to give everyone one final photo opportunity. Then, pixie dust is dropped over the crowd. The kids always get a real kick out of that.

Disembarkation
Unfortunately, as much as I enjoy “Til We Meet Again,” it signals the end of the cruise. We still had the 70s Party to attend, but I knew that the fun was almost over. Fortunately, disembarkation on the Wonder is usually a breeze. On other cruise lines, it can be a long, tedious process where you have to sit around and wait for your color to be called. On Disney, you leave whenever you prefer once the ship has been cleared. In 36 Disney cruises, we’ve only had significant delays twice. One occurred when someone else mistakenly took our luggage, and the other was due to a change in the terrorism alert level (fortunately they seem to have that worked out now).

But that’s jumping the gun a little. On the afternoon of the last day, there is a disembarkation talk in the Walt Disney Theater that covers all of the details you’ll need to know about tips, customs forms, breakfast, etc. Don’t worry about attending as it will be replayed all evening long on the television in your stateroom.

We hate to rush our packing on the last night of the cruise because we’ve busy up until dinner time, and then we’re usually rushing somewhere afterwards. Instead of worrying about the 11 p.m. deadline to have it out, we just pack at our leisure and carry it with us when we disembark. Also, since we eat so well on a cruise, we generally skip breakfast on the last morning because we’re usually not hungry. Of course, if you want, you can go to your assigned seated or grab a quick bite at Beach Blanket Buffet. But personally we just like to roll out of bed, shower, finish up our last minute packing, and reluctantly head home.

Hubby is usually an early bird, but on this trop he slept in till 7:30, much later than he normally would since we had scheduled Happy Limo to pick us up at 8:30 a.m. As he rushed to get things together, I ran down to Shutters to pick up our Christmas photos. They are the only shop that is open on embarkation morning. Usually it’s pretty crowded, but I lucked out and was the only one at the cash register. The guest services line can be long on the last morning, too, so we always get a printout of our bill at dinnertime on Saturday night. It’s usually pretty quiet then, and that gives us time to find any errors and deal with them before the disembarkation rush.

It’s always so sad to leave my nautical home. Before we go, I like to step out on the verandah for a few minutes to say a last goodbye. But I couldn’t delay the inevitable for too long, so I reluctantly stepped in to gather the luggage and join hubby for the long trip home. We left the Wonder for the 36th time, already looking forward to our return in April.

When we carry all our luggage bags with us, we go to the mid ship elevators before heading down. It’s too crowded to walk across deck three because there is always a big crowd of people heading into Parrot Cay for breakfast, which makes us feel like salmon trying to swim upstream. We also select both the up and down buttons. Often, the down elevators are already crowded with people from decks 8, 7, and 6. By going up first, we are already on board when it heads back down.

Sometimes there is a minor line to disembark, but this time around everyone was just strolling off the ship. On the way out, we paused for a chat with Captain Henry, who was bidding goodbye to the guests. As we stepped onto the gangway, I had a flashback to Chicago…the temperature was in the 40s! Brrrr! Oh well, that might be chilly, but at least it’s not single digits, and I prefer a view of palm trees to snow.

We were running a little early, but our Happy Limo driver was waiting for us already. It felt good to settle into the town car and take a nap on the way to Orlando. Driving myself out to the port wasn’t bad, but my preference is always to be chauffeured.

When we reached the airport, the tote board informed us that our plane was delayed. We stopped at Bow Wow Meow to pick up some cat nip toys for our pets and then headed through security and to the gate. When we got there, there was no explanation for the delay, so I found a seat near an outlet, plugged in my laptop, and did some work on my planning CD while the trip was still fresh in my mind. I had wanted to work on it during the trip, but although I had good intentions, I never opened the laptop even once while we were on board. Since the ship date for the pre-orders is March 8, I figured that the delay would be a good time to get some work done.

Delays are always an annoyance, but I’d much rather have them happen going home than when I’m on the way to the ship. It really wasn’t bad because working made the time go by quickly. Eventually we were told that it was on its way in from Chicago, and that we would be able to board as soon as possible after everyone deplaned. I knew that the weather wasn’t supposed to be bad in Chicago, so I had no clue why it was running so late.

When it finally landed, I’ve never seen an airplane be readied so fast. I swear they must not have even cleaned it; as soon as the last person stepped off, they were calling the pre-board to get us on. It was a 737, rather than my favorite huge 757-300. We had gotten an exit row, but since I’m not familiar with the seat configuration on that plane, it was a little smaller than I am used to. There are three exit rows all in a row, and we were in the middle one, which is only two seats across. It wasn’t bad, but the three seaters had a little more legroom.

Once we were airborne, the pilot got on the intercom and explained the delay situation. I was wondering if it had been mechanical, but it turned out to be even more interesting. Our original plane had been in some foreign country, and it had been seized by the FBI for searching because of suspected drugs on board! That left no plane to run its route and eventually make its way to Orlando. Finally, at Midway, they managed to grab a plane that was supposed to go to Denver and re-route it to Florida (I don’t know what happened to the poor Denver passengers). Whew! I was hoping to get some more details on the news, but I never saw anything about it once we got home.

Hard to believe that another trip is over and I’m back in the cold and snow. At least working on my trip report has given me the change to relive some of the highlights, and Easter week (our next trip) is not so far away.

Trip Report #35, Thanksgiving 2003 on the Wonder

Ever since the Wonder set sail, it has been out tradition to spend Thanksgiving at sea. The terminal and the ship are always festively decorated, and it's a great way to kick off the holiday season. This year, we were also in for a new treat: for the first time ever, Castaway Cay had also been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. This has been a year of "firsts" for us, such as the Fourth of July fireworks and the debut of the "Golden Mickeys" show on our last trip. That's one of the things we love about Disney. They never settle for the status quo; they are constantly dreaming up new surprises.

But I don't want to get ahead of myself, as that was on the last day of the cruise, and so much happened before that. It's amazing how much fun and how many experiences can be crammed into three short days. As much as I love Castaway Cay, I always find arriving there a bit melancholy because I know that I'm less than 24 hours away from arriving home in Port Canaveral.

The Busiest Travel Weekend of the Year
The trip ends in Port Canaveral and starts there, too, but for hubby and I, the journey really starts in Chicago. As usual, we had booked our outbound flight for the night before our cruise. Thanksgiving weekend is known as the busiest travel weekend of the year, and I am a compulsive planner, so I built lots of extra time into our schedule to allow for any potential delays. I'd rather get to the airport early and have to sit around at the gate than leave late, get stuck in traffic, and feel my stress level rise as precious minutes tick away and the chances of making my flight grow slim.

Hubby had taken a vacation day, so he had everything ready when I got home from work.. We loaded my Aztek Canyonero, did a last minute pet check, and were on the road with time to spare. We fly ATA out of Midway, and hubby had checked us in online that morning, which is a real time saver. But a word of caution: ATA still hasn't ironed all the bugs out of their online check in process. We usually change our seats to an exit row or bulkhead, and we've had trouble with getting them to honor our boarding passes because they erroneously assign our seats to someone else at the airport. Generally I can get them to honor my pass, since I got the seats 24 hours in advance and it was ATA's mistake to give them to someone else. But it takes a lot of arguing, and I've even had to call their Web Check In Help Desk on my cell phone and have the phone person argue with a supervisor at the gate. Fortunately, this didn't happen on the way out this time (the trip home is another story, but I'll get to that later).

Hubby and I debated whether to take Cicero or Pulaski. We live south of the airport, and Cicero is closer, but Pulaski can be faster when the traffic is bad. We opted for the more direct route, and although Cicero was busy, the traffic was keeping a slow but steady pace that got us to Midway in a reasonable amount of time. We park at Midway Park Savers, an offsite lot across from the Orange Line entrance, so we turn off before reaching the main part of the airport where the backups can be very bad. I like being able to walk to the airport vs.taking a shuttle bus, and there is a "One Day Free" coupon for the lot on ATA's website. The parking spots are pretty tight, but I can usually find one to maneuver my Canyonero into with too much trouble.

As we turned off Cicero, I breathed a sigh of relief because the parking lot was only a few blocks ahead. I said to hubby, "That wasn't bad at all!" He was just about to agree when we noticed that traffic was at a standstill. The parking lot is right before a set of train tracks, and there was a freight train chugging along. The cars were stopped just far enough back to prevent us from making it to the parking lot gate. So close but yet so far!

We waited for about 10 minutes while the turtle train crawled by. Finally, it ended and we were able to drive those last few feet to the parking lot entrance. I had been worried that the lot would be full; to my amazement, we got the second spot by the entrance! I couldn't believe my luck. Usually on a normal day I end up parking about halfway down. Now, on the day before Thanksgiving, I wind up with a primo spot! Hubby and I gathered our bags, headed across the street, and joined the stream of salmon heading from the trains to the terminal building.

Usually, there are only one or two other parties walking to the terminal, but this time the stream of humanity seemed endless. I was wondering how bad the ticket counter and security lines would be, but when we got into the airport, we found that lines were virtually non-existent. Before we knew it, we were through security and on our way to the gate to await our flight to Orlando. We were on our usual flight, which leave some time between 8 and 8:30 p.m. and gets in between 11:30 p.m. and midnight (ATA likes to vary the exact time). Even though the late arrival is rough, I prefer to fly out a night ahead because Chicago's weather can be so unpredictable and there is always the potential for mechanical problems or other delays, too. In the past, we've experienced a six-hour diversion due to storms and a ten-hour delay due to fog. Fortunately, neither of those was on a cruise trip, but I've learned to be cautious. When I've got a ship to catch, I want to allow as much of a cushion as possible.

The plane was a bit late coming in from Vegas, so that made us a bit late in boarding. But soon enough we were settled into the huge 757-300 (my favorite type of aircraft, although getting that large of a plane off the ground at Midway is nothing short of miraculous) and winging our way to Orlando. I was sitting in the row behind hubby, but since there was no seat in front of me, I could easily lean forward to chat with him.

Lately, our flights have been very quiet and uneventful, but this time I was in front of the Restless Smoker and next to the Wrestling Couple. I knew that the woman behind me was going through Nicotine Withdrawal because she begged her companion, "Give me a cigarette! NOW! I won't smoke it, I swear. I just need to hold it." She rattled, kicked, and poked my seat the whole way to Orlando. Finally I reclined, figuring that if I was going to be jostled for two hours, I might was well suffer through it in comfort. She did provide me with one of my favorite quotes of the trip. She was talking to someone on a cell phone while waiting for take off and informed them, "The time zone in Orlando is about one and a half hours different than the time in Chicago." I'm not sure when that extra 30 minutes snuck in!

The Wrestling Couple next to me were fairly subdued for most of the trip. But as soon as we started our initial descent, they launched into a smackdown that never ceased until we parked at the gate. I thought I was going to end up with one of them in my lap. Smack, poke, punch, push...they would have done well in the WWF. Between them and the woman behind me, my fellow passengers were more entertaining than the in-flight videos.

Over the River and Through the Woods, to Mickey's Ship We Go
Flying in the night before gave us the opportunity for a good night's sleep. Even with our late arrival, we were able to sleep in a little. We arranged for Happy Limo to pick us up at 10:00 a.m. for the journey to Port Canaveral. That's what I like about taking a towncar; you choose your own pick up time and have a nice private vehicle to yourself. You can also have a free grocery stop, which we often use. After I had made our reservation for 10, I read on the DIS boards that embarkation now starts at 11:45 (it used to be sometime between 12:15 and 12:30). I debated an earlier pick up, but decided that the extra sleep would be more valuable.

Traffic wasn't bad, so even with a grocery stop, we arrived at the port around 11. Our driver told us that Happy Limo recently got a stretch Hummer. I can only imagine the size! Once we had pulled in, we had to wait a few minutes for a spot to open up in the drop off area on the side of the terminal building. Soon enough, we were able to pull up. A porter took our luggage for later delivery to our stateroom. The security line to enter the terminal was minimal, and then we were on our way upstairs to check in.

I noticed that the catchphrase "The Disney Difference" is being used a lot by DCL lately. I can vouch for the fact that there is a BIG difference in the embarkation process. Boarding Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas to go to Alaska was a nightmare. You literally waited in line to get a number to get into the check in line. Then you were herded into another line to get another number and be placed in a group for boarding. The whole thing was totally disorganized, so nobody knew where to go or what numbers were being called. We suffered through well over an hour of confusion before finally getting to the boarding area, only to discover that hubby's key card didn't work. Then we waited another half an hour while they found someone who could fix it. Ugh!

Contrast that with the Disney process: check in at your resort if you are on a package, or else head over to one of the vast expanse of check in counters, where there is typically little or no crowd because they are fully staffed. Then head over to the boarding line and wait until it's time to pass through the giant Mickey ears to begin your vacation. The RCCL waiting area was a warehouse-like room with folding chairs. The DCL terminal has couches and televisions, as well as many things to look at, like a model of the ship. Disney characters have been known to pay a visit too. One person in your party can hold your place in line while the others explore, and you can even buy coffee or another beverage at R. E. Fresh's.

Over time, we've become friends with several people at the port. We love being welcomed by Tanya, Barbara, and the rest of the excellent port crew. We chatted with them a bit and didn't even realize how quickly the time was slipping away. Before we knew it, it was 11:45 a.m. and boarding had begun!

As we stepped up for our embarkation photo, we saw that there is a new backdrop. It is tan colored for an old time look, with a scene of people (and Mickey) waving farewell on the decks of a ship, sort of like the sailaway scene in Titanic. It matches the folders that the Shutters photos come in. It's hard to describe, but I really loved it and had to buy the photo. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll post a scan on the Shutters page of my website. I have a lot of different embarkation photos, and this one is my favorite.

I like the new earlier embarkation time, although I'm sure it's a challenge for the crew to get the ship turned over so quickly. Palo and spa reservations are taken at one, so if you arrive at the port early, you'll have plenty of time for a leisurely lunch before the "ressie scramble." If you arrive later, you'll still have time to get the reservations made and then eat lunch before the safety drill at 4 p.m. Of course, the times are subject to change, so check your information sheet when you board the ship.

Spa reservations are taken at the Vista Spa on deck 9 forward. On this trip, Palo ressies were taken in Wavebands on deck 3 forward, although the location sometimes varies. Since they both start at the same time, it's wise to send a different member of your party to each location. The Palo process is very organized, with tables labeled for each day. Dining rotation changes can also be requested in Wavebands. Our friend Ali, the dining manager, was there, assisting guests with their various requests.

We had lunch at Parrot Cay, where I was greeted warmly by Katrina and Lito, two of our former servers. It always amazes me that they can remember us. Hubby piled his plate with jumbo shrimp, while I opted for salads and carved beef. We both had the delicious cold strawberry banana soup...mmmmm!

Between lunch and the ressie scramble, it can feel a bit hectic when you board, but things settle down very quickly. If you like the water, be sure to pack swimsuits in your day bag because embarkation is one of the best times to enjoy the pools and whirlpools. It is our tradition to don our swimwear and soak in one of the adult whirlpools until safety drill time. At first, we were the only ones in the whirlpool, but as the afternoon wore on, more and more people joined us. We had some very pleasant conversations with our fellow travelers until we reluctantly had to leave because it was almost four o'clock.

One word of caution: if you plan to use the hot tubs for any length of time, bring a swimsuit that you don't mind getting faded. The chemicals are wicked; hubby once had a navy blue suit fade out to orange, and I have a pair of pink tie-dyed shorts that started out as solid purple. Now, we have "special" suits that we use strictly for the whirlpools, and we save our good swimwear for Castaway Cay.

Back Home Again
Our home for this trip, as usual, was stateroom 5650, a secluded Category 6 cabin that is as far aft as it's possible to get on deck 5. Stateroom size is another Disney Difference. On many cruise lines, the staterooms border on being closet sized, even in the more expensive categories. That's especially true on the older ships, but even on Radiance and RCCL's Voyager, one of their new mega-ships, we were amazed at the lack of space in the rooms as compared to the Magic and Wonder.

On Disney's ships, your stateroom will be the same size whether you are in Category 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, or 5. The only difference is the presence or absence of a porthole or verandah. Cats. 11 and 12 are somewhat smaller, but still generous for the cruise line industry. Cat. 4 is a family room, which is a little longer, and Cats. 3, 2, and 1 are multi-room concierge suites that are larger than my first apartment!

I've had people ask whether the service suffers if you are in a cheaper category. The answer is a resounding no! Other than the fact that concierge service is limited to the top three categories, you will get the exact same service whether you're in Category 4 or 12. The Cat. 10, 11, and 12 staterooms are right across the hall from Cat. 9, 8, 7, 6, and 5 staterooms (Cat. 4s are on deck 8, where there the staterooms are all on one side). This means that a Cat. 11 room will have the same stateroom host or hostess as the Cat. 5 or 6 across the way. All staterooms are cleaned twice a day and receive turndown service, complete with chocolates and towel animals. You're in for the same first class service no matter what category you book.

Another Disney difference that families with small children really appreciate is that virtually all of the staterooms have a bathtub (the handicapped rooms are the exception, as they have a roll-in shower). Most ships have showers only, but I've talked to many parents who like to have a tub for bathing their little ones.

As I mentioned, 5650 is a Cat. 6 stateroom, meaning that it has a verandah. Most of the Cat. 6 and 5 verandahs are similar, but the aft-most staterooms have solid metal instead of a plexiglass rail, and some (like 5650) have a larger than average balcony.

People often ask, "What is the best stateroom?" The word "best" is vary subjective and is different for almost everyone. You have to determine what is most important to you. Do you like being near the elevators? Would you rather be in a more secluded spot? Does hallway noise bother you? Do you need adjoining staterooms? Are you sensitive to motion? Do you like upper decks, or would you rather be closer to the water? These are just a few of the considerations that should go into choosing your ideal room.

If you party into the wee hours of the night, a room under the nightclubs might not bother you, but a family with small children who crash early might hate it. Being near the elevators is convenient but can also mean more hallway traffic (although I've been near them a couple of times and have never noticed excessive noise). Being next door to a stateroom that sleeps four or next to adjoiners can mean more potential noise since they might be occupied by larger families (we learned this being next to the adjoining secret porthole rooms). In contrast, a stateroom that only has a neighbor on one side, like 5622, may be quieter.

5650 has only one neighbor, plus it's at the end of the hallway and there are no staterooms across from it, so there is virtually no hallway sound. I like that, as we usually sleep in on Nassau morning and then go to bed early so we're up with the sunrise on Castaway Cay day. I also like being as close to the water as possible, and deck 5 is the lowest deck with verandahs. The larger verandah is the icing on the cake; I know that some people don't like the solid metal verandahs, but it makes no difference to me.

The majority of people I've talked to seem to favor mid-ship, and I've met lots of forward fans as well. But I'm a major aft fan myself, and I've met many others like me. I've stayed on almost every deck in various areas, but aft has won me over.

Even though there were lots of large families on board for the holidays, which means more potential for hallway noise, 5650 was an oasis of peace and quiet as usual. We slept late with no disturbances and spent many relaxing hours lazing out on the verandah. Our stateroom host, Jhony, kept the room clean and left us an amusing towel animal each night. One of our former hosts was servicing the rooms at the head of the hall, so each time we passed through the hall, we got two greetings. We've been in 5650 so often now that I've lost count, and I always enjoy staying in my "home away from home."

Decadent Dining
Hubby and I have been dieting since the summer, but on a cruise we give ourselves permission to indulge. I don't think a person can stick to dietary constraints if they never splurge once in awhile. The trick is not to use the splurge as an excuse to get off your eating plan entirely.

Another new discovery on this trip was that the menus have changed again. The changes are relatively minor, and most were for the better, like the addition of cold mango/papaya soup at Parrot Cay (yum!). I was very sad to see that the cold avocado soup was gone, but at least the vichyssoises is still offered in Triton's. We'll post the new menus with full details of all the current offerings.

We were on the Tritons/Animators/Parrot Cay dining rotation. Rotational dining is another Disney difference. Instead of eating in the same restaurant every night, you rotate through three different ones, and your dining staff rotates with you. Our servers, Arnold and Marian, took excellent care of us and indulged all our special requests. Our head server was Stephanie, who we're never met before; turns out she just came over recently from the Magic. It's always fun to meet new crew members, as they quickly become old friends. Speaking of which, one of our former head servers, Kapoor, was also on our rotation.

We really enjoyed our tablemates; they were a couple from Orlando and a family from Celebration. The only thing that I regretted was that we had to give up one night in a main diningroom to go to Palo. The three day cruise is too darned short!

Our friend Chef Vinnie was onboard on this trip. If you are on the four-day cruise, be sure to go to the cooking demonstration and you might see him. His scallops are sensational!

We went to Palo on Nassau night, as it's very enjoyable to eat with the city lights as a backdrop. Our server, Nico, was from Italy, which fit in nicely with the theme, and he took great care of us. Along with my veal (the special of the day), he talked me into trying the gnocchi, which he promised would be just like his Mama makes. They were very delicious. Hubby opted for tuna, and it was prepared just the way he likes it...seared on the outside and pink on the inside. Of course, he is a sushi fan, but if I want something rare, I'll stick with beef or lamb.

For dessert, I had the famous chocolate souffle, while hubby opted for the pistachio torte, with panna cotta on the side. So much for diets! I think we must have consumed an entire week's worth of calories in one meal, but it was well worth it.

Ivan, the manager, was making the rounds to be sure that everything was going smoothly. The food and service were both top notch; Chef Patrick is doing his usual excellent job.

Of course, we didn't suffer too badly at our regular rotation restaurants either. At Triton's, I had my beloved vichyssoises, and since it was Thanksgiving, I had the special turkey dinner with all the trimmings. In Parrot Cay, hubby had the Mixed Grill, which has changed a bit and is every bit as delicious as its previous incarnation. I ordered it with lamb chops only (it usually comes with beef and sausage too) and slathered them with mint jelly. Even though the mango/papaya soup is technically an appetizer, I had that as my dessert.

There are some changes to the breakfast and lunch offerings, too. The new breakfast items in Triton's (special pancakes and French toast) are not printed on the menu yet, but hopefully they will be by our next cruise. At Beach Blanket Buffet, home of the famous Mickey waffles, they are still offering made to order omelets, and they have added something new for lunch: in addition to made to order pasta, they also serve fresh crepes with your choice of sauces and fruit fillings.

I am going to have to check out the new Triton's items, but in the morning I am typically lazy and order room service to enjoy on my verandah. On this trip, I finally met Morgan, who I've talked to on the phone when placing my order for goodness only knows how many cruises. Before we sailed, I had heard he was working in the dining room, but now he is back in room service and doing deliveries. It was fun to finally meet the man behind the voice. I think he probably knows my usual order by heart now.

At dinner, I usually don't pay much attention to the attire of my fellow cruisers. I like to dress up, but I don't really care what other people do. However, on the DIS boards, dress codes are a very controversial matter. Many people feel that the no jeans/no shorts suggestion should be strictly enforced. I'm sure they will be happy to know that Palo now has a sign requesting that no jeans or shorts be worn there. I don't know if it's enforced, but on this trip people were quite dressy. There was no one attired like my two favorites that I spotted on previous cruises (the barefoot woman in jeans and the fashion plate couple with the husband in jeans and a flamingo pink t-shirt while his wife wore a muumuu and flip-flops).

The main diningrooms don't have signs, although there is a "no jeans or shorts" request in the Navigators. Perhaps it was due to the holiday, but I was amazed to see people a lot more dressed up than usual at Triton's and Parrot Cay. I remember a couple of Thanksgivings ago, when I wore a formal dress to Triton's, which is supposed to be the most dressy restaurant, and discovered that I was totally overdressed as compared to my fellow cruisers. This time, my dresses fit right in.

It's Showtime!
Disney is synonymous with entertainment, and you're in for a real treat with the main stage shows on the Wonder. The two old standbys are "Hercules" and "Disney Dreams," both of which have been around since the inception of the cruise line. The first couple of times I saw "Hercules," I wasn't too fond of it, although hubby loved it. Now that I've seen the movie, the cornball humor always gets me laughing. Lately, Hades, Pain and Panic have been stealing the show.

I've always loved "Disney Dreams" from the very first time I saw it. We've missed "Hercules" a few times, but we make it a point never to miss DD. As the cruise director says, it's Disney's kiss good night to the audience. It features characters and songs from a variety of Disney movies, including "Cinderella," "Beauty and the Beast," "The Little Mermaid" (my favorite sequence), "Aladdin" (my second favorite), and "The Lion King." The plot revolves around a little girl named Anne Marie, who meets Peter Pan and has to find her own magic so she can fly away with him to the place where dreams come true. As I'm sure you can guess, there is a happy Disney ending. My favorite part is when Tinkerbelle covers the ship in pixie dust at the end.

"Disney Dreams" is hubby's favorite (he's even confessed that it makes him misty eyed), but I must admit that I was won over by "The Golden Mickeys" on our last cruise, and I loved it just as much this time around. "The Golden Mickeys" is a brand new show that just debuted on the Wonder Labor Day weekend. It is structured like "Disney Dreams," with a loose plot acting as the thread that binds together a series of sequences from popular Disney movies and cartoons. In this show, the plot involves Ensign Benson, who reluctantly agrees to host the show despite a lack of confidence. She gets a boost from Roy Disney himself, although now that he has resigned, I'm guessing that the beginning might change. I hope that it doesn't change too much because it's my favorite part of the show. Roy tells Ensign Benson the story of his Uncle Walt as old-time clips roll on the screen. He explained how Walt's first creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, was stolen from him and how he fell on hard financial times, but through it all he never lost hope.

That beginning is so cool. I love to hear about the history of Disney and see the old footage of Walt. One of our dinner tablemates said it actually brought her to tears. Then the show shifts to numbers highlighting various themes, such as Romance, Comedy, Friendship, and of course, Villians, as Ensign Benson hands out the awards...or at least tries to. The numbers include Snow White (with kids from the audience playing the seven dwarves), Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Tarzan (featuring my favorite song from the movie, "Son of Man"; this sequence will remind you of the Tarzan Rocks show at the Animal Kingdom), 101 Dalmations, Toy Story, Sleeping Beauty, the Lion King (the costumes will remind you of the Broadway play), Pocahontas, and Lady and the Tramp.

Terk also comes out to lead a rousing rendition of "Trashin' the Camp," featuring my all-time favorite character, Stitch (okay, second-favorite character, as Figment will always be number one with me). When the villians take over, you'll be amazed at the life-like Ursula. We were sitting in the front row, and her tentacles were only inches away. As footage of various Disney villians flashed on the screen, I had to laugh when Darla from Finding Nemo popped up!

This may sound like a lot, especially given the fact that there is an opening number and a grand finale too, but the show is over in less than an hour. That is my only complaint with this show; it's way too short! It is so action-packed that you'll find yourself trying not to blink so you won't miss anything.

There have been some minor changes, but they are all improvements. My favorite is at the ending, when Ensign Benson trades in her dress whites for a beautiful princess-style dress. It really enhances the happy ending (I'm sure you can guess that by the end of the show, she's gained new confidence and poise).

If you get to the theater early, you'll get the red carpet treatment. Since this is an awards show, the guests are treated like celebrities as they enter the theater. The paparazzi snap photos, and there are even "celebrity interviews" that are broadcast on the jumbo screens inside of the theater. I had to stop and be interviewed so I could embarrass poor hubby, who was already inside, by welcoming to cruise #35 onscreen.

Speaking of red carpets, this cruise also featured another exciting event...the "premear" of "The Haunted Mansion." When a Disney movie premieres on land, there is a gala premiere on the ships, too. The movie was shown at various times throughout the cruise so everyone would get a chance to see it. We went to the 2 p.m. showing on Nassau day in the Walt Disney Theater. Usually movies are shown in the Buena Vista Theater, but for newer releases, they are often shown in the larger venue too.

I've always been a fan of the Haunted Mansion ride, so I was interested to see how it would translate to the big screen. Although it was slow moving in parts, Madame Leota (the face in the crystal ball) was a riot, as were the singing busts. And of course the hitchhiking ghosts put in an appearance too.

I was hoping to see "Brother Bear" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," too. They were both still showing on board, but with so much going on, we never got around to seeing them. Oh well, I can always catch them on DVD.

A Lazy Morning in Nassau
Hubby and I have been to Nassau so many times that we rarely disembark anymore. For us, it's just a lazy day to recuperate from a late night of partying and enjoy a leisurely breakfast out on our verandah. Before going to bed on Thursday night, we ordered room service for 9 a.m. Friday morning. I actually woke up a bit early, but I forced myself to go back to sleep so that I would be well rested for an early rise on Castaway Cay morning.

Around 9, hubby and I crawled out of bed because we knew that our breakfast would arrive at any minute. Room service is very prompt, so we often use it as our wake-up call. I went out onto the verandah to check out the weather, and when I stepped back into the room, the food had arrived. It was delivered by none other than my buddy Morgan, who I always think of as the "voice of room service" because he always seems to be the one who takes my call. I've talked to him on so many cruises that he probably knows my usual order by heart. Before this cruise, I heard that he was working as a server in the dining room, and I was anxious to meet him in person. But he moved back to room service, although not on the phone...now he is doing deliveries, so we finally got to meet him face to face.

If you are not as lazy as us, there are many options for breakfast. Room service offers continental options, but there is a huge spread up at Beach Blanket Buffet or you can opt for a table service meal at Tritons.

Once we were fueled, we had gained more energy, so we decided to exercise. Hubby has lost almost 50 pounds since the August 2002, and I have lost almost 30. Even when we're on vacation, we try to minimize the damage by keeping up with our workout routine. We grabbed water bottles and headed to the deck 4 promenade, but after a couple rounds it was closed off due to crew lifeboat drills and maintenance. We headed up to deck 10, which is another nice place to jog or power walk.

As we headed up the aft stairs, I noticed how the style of the carpet changed between decks 9 and 10. Another Disney Different: the seamless changing of themes. It changed from nautical to a pattern that matches the Palo décor, just as the walkways change between the different lands in the Magic Kingdom.

Hubby walked a couple more round with me, then headed to the spa to relax in the Rainforest. I continued my walk and enjoyed noticing more of the seamless theme shifts. As I walked past the Quiet Cove adult area, the music was slow and relaxing to complement the peaceful atmosphere. Just a few steps away, by the family pool, the music changes to energetic tunes that match the lively area. It changes again as you approach the Mickey pool and the gleeful youngsters played in the ears and splashing down the slide.

In addition to the sounds, I enjoyed the delicious smells from the restaurants in the aft area. They wafted up to signal the winding down of breakfast and the preparations for lunch and dinner. I watched my fellow passengers as they strolled the deck, basked in the sun, sipped drinks, played basketball, soaked in the whirlpools, splashed in the pools, or enjoyed the glorious morning in some other way.

Before I started working out regularly, I used to do a mile on deck 4, wanting to get done as quickly as possible and never walking any extra. Now, I walked for 45 minutes without even realizing how far I'd gone or how much time had passed. I finally had to quit because I'd worn my stiff canvas shoes and they were giving me a blister. My poor feet couldn't take any more abuse, so I headed back to my stateroom for some quality verandah time.

It was noon already, and the premiere of "The Haunted Mansion" was only two hours away. Time was flying much too fast, but it had been a lovely morning in Nassau. As I stood on the verandah, I noticed a Coast Guard ship pulling out, and then I did a double take. The Imperial Majesty Ocean Breeze was docked nearby, as usual, but I didn't recognize it at first because it had gotten a complete paint job. I always look for that ship because it's such a dog. It does overnight cruises, with most of the passengers sailing for free in exchange for going to a timeshare presentation. The ship is ancient, and it's always amazed me that it has boarded-up portholes! Actually, I guess "puttied up" would be a more accurate description, but it looks very tacky. Oh well, the food must be fresh because once I spotted some of the Ocean Breeze crew sitting on a trapdoor and fishing!

But now the ship looks almost decent, as the color scheme is brighter and the blocked portholes aren't so prominent. Oh well, I'll still stick to the Disney Wonder. It certainly stands head and shoulders over the Ocean Breeze, and even when compared to the new mega ships it holds its own.

A Green Christmas
As always, the terminal and ship were decked out in holiday finery, but as I mentioned earlier, there was a new surprise this year. For the first time ever, Castaway Cay had also been transformed for Christmas. At the disembarkation area, there were really cute iconic decorations, like a snowman, tree, giant presents, and a sleigh dubbed the S. S. Kringle. Be sure to bring your camera, and the Shutters photographers will be out there in the morning to take photos, too. Even the usual photo backdrops had been decorated. For example, the "Fresh Catch" backdrop was festooned in garland and ornaments. Carolers at the post office added to the festive atmosphere, and the tram was decked out in garland, with a giant set of reindeer horns on the front. Our cruise was very windy, but I hear that when the weather cooperates, you might even see some snow.

The decorations fan out all over the island, and many have a nautical flair (for example, the buoy Santas and the lighthouse tree topper). The typical music has been replaced by Christmas carols with a Caribbean flair (thank goodness...I think if I hear "Cheeseburger in Paradise" one more time, I'll go insane). Even the crew members get into the spirit in their red and white winter hats and scarves.

This is another big Disney Difference. We've been to both of RCCL's private islands, Labadee and Cocoa Cay. Labadee is anything but private. It's part of Hispanola (Haiti), and the natives shake you down for money when you try to sit in a lounge chair and even when you exit the bathroom. The Labadee marketplace was worse than Nassau's Straw Market. I had several merchants physically grab me, which I feel is a major violation of my personal space and not something I expect on a supposedly private island.

Cocoa Cay is much nicer than Labadee, and like Castaway Cay, it really is private. But somehow I doubt that it's undergone a holiday transformation.

The best was yet to come; sailaway, which typically takes place at 5:00, was delayed until 5:45 so we could see the Christmas tree lighting in the dark. It was such a lovely farewell. With Captain John and Mickey standing by, the tree suddenly was ablaze in lights as guests watched from decks 4, 9, and 10. You would also be able to see the tree lighting from your verandah if you have a view of the dock.

In case you won't be sailing over the holidays, we've posted a selection of Castaway Cay Christmas photos. And if you will be sailing, check them out anyway as they will really build you anticipation.

Smile for the Camera
Another neat holiday addition is the Christmas cards that are now offered at Shutters. You pick a photograph and a style, and your cards will be ready by the end of your cruise. I suggest taking advantage of as many photo opportunities as possible so you will have lots of pictures to choose from. There is no charge for having photos taken; you only pay if you buy. The friendly Shutters staff will be on hand all around the ship and on the island, too.

We chose a formal portrait that was taken in front of the huge Christmas tree in the atrium. It was a hard choice, as our Palo photograph came out really good too. Usually they take it at your table, but we asked the photographer to let us pose in front of some of the Palo Christmas decorations. The style we chose was Mickey's hand holding an ornament that contains the photo, with a drawing of the ship at the top. This is only one of several styles from which you can pick.

We noticed that there are now several more options for digital enhancement on your photographs. I've always liked the border that you can get digitally added to your embarkation photo, but now you can have one added to your photo with the captain too. We were busy during the captain's party so we missed that photo op. But later, when I was looking at our other photos, I noticed a neat border on the portraits with the captain listing his name, the date, and even "Wonder Facts."

But Shutters doesn't just take the photos. If you take your own, and you can't wait to see how they turned out, you can drop off your film for processing. They can handle just about any type of film, including Advantix and underwater cameras. When you drop off your film, your photos will be ready for you the next day.

Indulgence at the Vista Spa
Hubby and I believe that a cruise is the most relaxing type of vacation and that it should include plenty of time in the spa. He had two seaweed wraps, while I opted for a shipboard massage, a cabana massage, and an Absolute Face and Body (massage and facial). Hubby also spent some time in the Rainforest, a room containing scented showers, steam rooms, saunas, and heated tile lounge chairs. He noticed a great addition to the Rainforest: there is now a table containing a variety of spa products that you can sample. That has always been available in the Surial Bath (a private couples sauna room where you and your partner get to slather each other with mud). I'm really glad they've added it to the Rainforest, too, as the Elemis products are great and I know that people will really enjoy trying them.

Yet another new additional at the spa was pilates and yoga classes. I tried out the beach yoga on Castaway Cay, and it was the perfect way to start my day. Although the class starts at 9 a.m., you meet in the spa at 8:15 so there will be plenty of time to get to the adult beach, where it is held. It was very windy that morning, so when we got to the beach, there were huge white-capped waves crashing onto the shore. The relaxing sound of those waves was the perfect backdrop to the class.

The class was about 40 minutes long, and the level was simple enough to where even a beginner would feel comfortable. We used towels as mats, and our instructor led us through some sun salutes and simple poses such as the Warrior, as well as a progressive muscle relaxation exercise. I hope they continue to offer this because if they do, it's going to become a regular part of my Castaway Cay day. I had a massage scheduled at 10 a.m., so the timing worked out perfectly. The massage cabanas are right at the adult beach, and I was already relaxed before I even collapsed onto the massage table. What a way to kick off the day!

Hubby was quite excited to see that there is new equipment in the workout room. He loves elliptical trainers, so he was pleased to see brand-new ones that are almost just like his favorites at the health club. He took new photos to post on our website.

Castaway Cay...Barely!
Amazingly enough, we've never missed docking at Castaway Cay, nor have we been totally rained out, in all of our Disney cruises. What's even more amazing is that we sail mainly during hurricane season and in the winter, which are the more problematic times. When the cold fronts come in, the wind and waves can prevent the ship from docking. I had read on the DIS boards that this had happened to a couple of cruises in the weeks before ours, but the ocean was calm when we docked in Nassau so I thought that we'd be fine.

The next morning, I awakened to the drone of the side thrusters. I've been in 5650 enough times to be able to tell when the ship is having a hard time getting in. It sounded labored, which surprised me, since the weather had seemed calm the day before. I went out on the balcony and was greeted by gales of wind and frothy white water! As I watched, I began to think that I'd have yet another new experience on cruise #35: a missed CC docking and a day at sea. But finally Captain John managed to back us in. I think he must have used every bit of his skill to do it. Out of all our previous cruises, I can only remember one other time when it was that bad.

I was pleased that we had docked but a bit concerned about the gloomy gray skies and the wicked wind. But hubby and I are prepared for every eventuality. We always bring rain ponchos and plastic bags to keep ourselves and our gear dry in case of a sudden downpour. We planned to disembark separately, as I was doing the beach yoga and he had signed up for the nature walk/kayak trip. Since my meeting time was 8:15 at the spa and his was 9 a.m. in the Promenade Lounge, we made plans to meet at the adult beach later.

Although the wind was strong, I was still warm enough to do the yoga in my swimsuit. But I noticed a lot of people who were bundled up pretty well. I suspect that they were the natives of warmer climates, like Florida. When it's winter in Chicago, so anything above 60 degrees feels warm to me.

After yoga, I settled into a hammock to read. There are only four hammocks on the adult beach, so usually you have to be very early to get one. But on this trip, the threatening sky was keeping people away and the beach was virtually deserted. The ocean waves looked inviting for body surfing, and when I stuck my toe in, the water didn't feel nearly as cold as I'd thought it would. But after yoga and a massage, I was feeling supremely lazy so I opted to relax with my book.

Eventually hubby showed up. The kayak part of his trip had been cancelled, but they'd still gone on the nature walk (I think they refunded half of the price). He was eager to share all the trivia he'd learned about the plant and animal life on Castaway Cay. We decided to head over to Cookies for lunch and then return to the ship, as a matinee of "Disney Dreams" had been added in case the weather got worse. As we rolled along in the tram, he explained that the beautiful red "flowers" were really leaves and how many of the plants were native to the Bahamas, but not originally to Castaway Cay. He told me about the birds they had spotted and how most of the island is in its native state, with only a relatively small area developed. I don't think I've ever seen him so enthusiastic about nature! He is already looking forward to signing up again on our next trip in hopes that he'll be able to kayak through the mangroves.

By the time we reached Cookies, the sun was making an earnest effort to displace the clouds, and more and more people were heading off the ship. We got some food and found a table in the sun. I had a cheeseburger and some ribs, while hubby indulged in his favorite lobster burgers. And of course I topped off my meal with a generous serving of frozen yogurt. In deference to my diet, I had managed to avoid Scoops for the entire trip, but no visit to Castaway Cay is complete without some frozen cookie dough yogurt.

Somewhat reluctantly, we headed back to the ship. I was sad that we hadn't had a chance to swim, and I noticed that quite a few brave souls had now made it into the water. But the idea of seeing the "Disney Dreams" matinee was appealing, as it would give us extra time to pack at night and get to bed a bit early. At least I was happy in the knowledge that once again our docking streak was unbroken.

The Castaway Club Party
I don't think I've ever missed a Castaway Club party, except way back in the early days of Disney Cruise Line before there even was such a thing. Since I consider hubby and myself to be Platinum members, it's a matter of pride to attend on each cruise. The party is typically held on one of the clubs on Beat Street (or, in the case of a really large number of repeaters, the entire Beat Street area might be taken over). On #34, it was in Studio Sea, but usually it's either Wavebands, the Cadillac Lounge, or Barrel of Laughs.

If you are a repeater, you will receive an invitation with all of the specifics. This time, Wavebands was the place, so at 5:15 we headed down for some snacks, a Bahama Mama (or a glass of wine in hubby's case), and some pleasant conversation with the crew. This trip was the first time that we've met Cruise Director Teresa, and we also chatted with our old friend Brent, Mike (the hotel director), and of course Captain John. The party is a great opportunity to meet some of the officers and even to get a picture with the captain.

There are some other nice little benefits to the Castaway Club, too. When you board, you will find a nice little gift in your stateroom. Currently, you receive pins and a towel, although it has changed many times over the years. My collection includes two different types of bags and Magic and Wonder picture frames. The towel is probably my favorite, although the old blue bags were very handy. We still bring on of our old ones on almost every trip.

Adult Antics
Disney is most commonly associated with kids and family entertainment, but on the Wonder they do a great job of keeping the adults busy too. If you just want to be lazy and enjoy some quiet time away from pint-sized horde, head over to the spa, the Quiet Cove pool, or the adult beach. The kids might try to invade, but you'll find that Disney takes the adults-only rule quite seriously. As we soaked in the Quiet Cove whirlpool on embarkation day, we watched as crew members shooed away kids who tried to take over the pool.

If you're in the mood for a party, you'll discover that Route 66 is an adults-only playground after 9 p.m. There are various events and theme nights; our favorites are the 70s Party and the Match Your Mate game show. On this trip, I thought that 70s Night might not be as hilarious as usual because the women who played Gloria Gaynor were all very subdued. But when the guys stepped up to do their John Travolta dances, all hell broke loose! The entire room was in hysterics. I don't want to give too much away in case you've never been to this event before, but let's just say that this was the first time I've ever seen an encore (and what an encore it was!).

Match Your Mate is always good for a few laughs, too. Three couples are chosen as contestants; the ones who have been married for the shortest length of time, a "mid-range" couple, and the ones who have been married the longest. On this trip, there was an elderly couple who had been married for an unbelievable 65 years! I think that's the most we've ever seen on any of our cruises. I don't want to give away the questions, but I do have to share the funniest moment. The elderly gentleman told the story of his honeymoon, when he and his wife were driving through Mexico. This was in the 1930s, and they were driving a giant car. They picked up a little Mexican boy who was hitchhiking and who didn't speak a word of English. Each night, they would remove one of the huge bench seats so the boy could sleep outside of the car, and then they bedded down inside and...well, you know, did what newlyweds do. When he told this story, everyone in Wavebands was practically rolling on the floor.

I saw Wonderquest on the Navigator, but we didn't get to do it because it began at 9:45 p.m. and we were still at dinner. It's a really crazy scavenger hunt type game that I highly recommend. We also missed 60s night, which I haven't seen yet. Apparently it has replaced 80s night on the 3-night cruises. I was sorry to miss it, but it was on the last night and we still had packing to do. Oh well, at least we'll have another new experience on cruise #36 in February.

Now It's Time to Say Goodbye
Parting is always such sweet sorrow, especially on a three day cruise when the days seem to whiz by at quantum speed. We know the disembarkation procedure by heart, but if it's your first time, the cruise director gives a talk that is repeated on your television throughout the evening. It details everything you need to know about luggage, customs, etc.

Disembarkation is a huge Disney Difference. RCCL's embarkation might be a pain, but it's nothing compared to their horrible disembarkation process. They issue you colored luggage tags, and you cannot leave the ship until your color is called. This may not sound bad, but I know from personal experience that it might be a couple of hours before you are called. People gather like cattle in the public areas of the ship, anxiously waiting for liberation.

On Disney, you get colored luggage tags, too, but that's just so you can easily find your luggage when you disembark. You leave the ship whenever you want to, once it's been cleared by customs. You can leave early if you have an early flight, are heading to Disney World, or are spending the day in Cape Canaveral or Orlando. If you have a late flight, relax and enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading off. You have an assigned breakfast seating based on your dining rotation, but you are free to skip it if you choose. You can skip breakfast altogether (which is what we usually do, since we're typically tired of eating by the end of the cruise), or you can eat whenever you want up at Beach Blanket Buffet.

You can leave your luggage out the night before to be brought down to the terminal for you (which is where the colored tags for identification come in), or you can keep it with you and carry it off the ship yourself. You leave via the exit in the deck 3 atrium, present your forms, ID, and proof of citizenship at customs, and that's it...you're done! I still haven't figured out why the rest of the cruise industry doesn't follow Disney's lead.

We had arranged an 8 a.m. pickup with Happy Limo, as we were heading to the Kissimmee area to spend the day before our late evening flight. Our driver was waiting for us when we arrived with a big, beautiful limo! We piled in and headed away from Port Canaveral; already, I was missing the Wonder and wishing that our next trip would be sooner than February. But I know that I do have to go to work sometime!

Web Check-In Roulette
Use of web check-in used to be pretty uncommon in Orlando, since most people are there on vacation and don't have access to a computer. But that is changing rapidly due to the availability of internet cafes, laptops with wireless connections, and business centers in hotels. More and more, we see fellow passengers clutching the tell-tale black and white boarding pass printouts.

As I mentioned earlier, it's always a crapshoot on whether ATA will honor our seats when we select them via web check-in. I had been lulled into a false sense of security because it had been a while since we'd had any problems, but our lucky streak was about to end. Boarding had just begun when hubby was paged to the check-in desk. Not a good sign. At first I told him to go himself and I would watch the luggage, but then I decided that I'd better go along because he is very mild-manner while I'm more...uh, persuasive. I got there just as I heard the agent saying that his seat had been double assigned. Considering all the problems we've had in the past, we have ATA's customer service number programmed into our cell phones. Even when we've checked in first via the internet, they have tried to let the person who got our seat later, at the airport, keep it, and I refuse to accept that. On occasion, I've actually called customer service to back me up and handed my phone to the desk supervisor to let them duke it out.

But things didn't turn so ugly this time, as the person working the desk was someone who has dealt with us in the past. When we saw who it was, he immediately told the other person, "I'm sorry, but these people selected those seats first." I breathed a sign of relief, as the plane was literally full and I didn't want to set stuck crammed somewhere in the back.

The flight was a bit bumpy, but not too bad. As we descended into Midway, I looked out over the houses below decorated with blinking Christmas lights and they reminded me of one of those miniature villages. There was no snow yet, but I still felt the Christmas spirit in the air. On the way out, I had found it hard to believe that it was Thanksgiving weekend already. Now, having seen the beautiful decorations on the ship and Castaway Cay and having heard a variety of Christmas carols, from Caribbean style to traditional, I was definitely in a holiday mood. We've already got our reservations for Thanksgiving 2004 on the Wonder, and next year we'll be spending Christmas on the ship too. But happily, we won't have to wait that long to sail again, as we embark on our annual anniversary cruise in February, and I can't wait to see what new surprises will be in store.