PALS FOREVER 4/28/12 FANTASY PRE-Trip Report

[taswira]

I haven't posted here in awhile, as I've mostly been concentrating on our upcoming Dream cruise - 34 days from today. Yay!

But midnight last night was the time to make the online reservations for activities and adult dining for this 4/28/12 sailing. I was just a bit apprehensive about it since Disney changed their online res system yet again since I last cruised. Amazingly, the process was fast and smooth. It went as follows:

12:01 a.m. - Reserved, saved & confirmed Cabana #5 for Castaway Cay
12:02 a.m. - Reserved, saved & confirmed Palo High Tea for 3 p.m. Sunday
12:03 a.m. - Reserved, saved & confirmed Palo Brunch for 10:30 a.m. Thursday
12:04 a.m. - Reserved, saved & confirmed Palo Dinner for 6 p.m. Wednesday

We got exactly what we wanted, quickly and simply. THANK YOU, DCL, for not having system glitches last night! Now it's time to relax and get ready to party (in our Disney way!)

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

And thank you for staying up to do all that. (although I was there on the phone, you had to do all the work going back and forth on their site)

I'm thrilled because we got exactly what we wanted!

And I'm thrilled we have a cruise upcoming to help with waiting for this one!

Holly

 

[taswira]

Greetings to anyone who cares to read this - LOL. The Dream is over for us (in more ways than one, but that's another story entirely!) and we can now concentrate on our upcoming FANTASY!

I am nearly packed again. Anyone who knows me can tell you how obsessive I am about that. This time I won't be making any "night before" alterations to my "system."

Since Holly and I will again be sharing a Cat. T, I'm hoping the room, err, "suite," will be somewhat familiar to us. Just MAYBE we will have some idea of which light switches control which lights - haha.

This time Holly will take the incredibly soft (and that's a SERIOUS understatement unless they will be different on the Fantasy) bed in the bedroom, while I plant myself firmly in the living area on the supposedly firm sleeper sofa. Here's hoping she won't wake up each morning with a lower backache as I did (even though the bed was heavenly for first drifting off to sleep) and I will find the sofa bed long enough for me and firm enough but not feel like I slept on the floor. I WILL be pulling the curtain to in order to make my own little "cave," since I am accustomed to what I call "Taswira's Den" at home.

Holly's liking for alcohol (But she REALLY doesn't drink much, folks!) has prompted me to suggest that we do a variety of tastings on this cruise - Wine, Margarita, and Martini. I'll do it for the ambiance provided it doesn't interfere with our "schedule," as if I have more than a few sips of alcohol I tend to get hot (Don't even think about it!). I WOULD love it if I could find someone to make a lovely Apple Black Martini like I used to be able to get on the Magic several years ago, but if not, maybe our Concierge will bring me pitchers of iced tea each day again.

And my next post is a "Let's give them something to talk about!" post. Oh, Duffy .......

 

[taswira]

For those who occasionally want to act (and feel) like a child again, whether or not you are one! Also for those who enjoy promoting a Disney "product!"

WHAT: Breakfast with Duffy & Shellie Mae (personal plush bears)

WHEN: MONDAY, April 30th - 8 a.m.

WHERE: Royal Court - Deck 3, Midship

DETAILS: Bring YOUR Duffy the Disney Bear or Shellie Mae (Shellie May) bear for a breakfast meet at Royal Court. Adults & families welcome, but each party must have a Duffy or Shellie Mae. RSVP required. BTW - This is Grand Cayman day, but all ashore is not until 10:45 a.m.

CONTACT: RSVP via PM to "taswira" on the Dis by April 15th. Specify number of adults, children & bears.

 

[tokyodisneydad]

Hello from the country of origin for Duffy and Shellie Mae. In fact I just had lunch at Tokyo Disney SEA today. You ladies would fit right in over here. My wife and I counted 142 Duffys and Shellie Maes pass by in a 15 minute period. To say the least they are very popular over here. Hour waits for picture ops, lines at the two shops that sell them and their outfits. Their clothes cost more than mine If you ever make it over to Tokyo Disney bring your pals along. Disney SEA even has special seats around the park to sit your stuffed pal in for photo ops.
I personally don't have a Duffy, but my daughter has two and a Shellie Mae. She used to dress the other Duffy in dresses before Shelie Mae cam along. I always worried about that poor cross dressing bear I do have a Goofy in a Scottish Kilt though and I'm a 43 year old man. Do I take him to the park...well no, but I might if the chance ever presented itself.

Anyway I just wanted to say I am looking forward to reading more of your adventures.

 

[taswira]

Thank you, tokyodisneydad! Sounds like great fun over there, but I've seen videos of the mob scenes of Duffy fans in the shops and at character meets. I don't think I could deal with that!

But I would love the special places for photo ops. That's the real reason that I occasionally take him to WDW or on a DCL cruise. To add Duffy to the "scenery" personalizes the pictures, since I'm not very fond of photos of myself.

To all of those with kids, please don't take "Duffy goes cruising" too seriously. It's all in FUN, because it is DISNEY. Personally, I am a lifelong fan of Chip 'n' Dale, but that's another topic!

 

[tokyodisneydad]

It is crowded and looks like a mob, but it is a very organized mob. Japanese people are very polite and wait patiently. I have been here 13 years and am still surprised at the diference in culture.

By the way I will be on the DREAM for the 2013-2014 NYE cruise. I hope it is worth it as everything else is on hold for me to be able to pay for that.

 

[taswira]

I hope you'll enjoy the Dream, tokyodisneydad. She is a BEAUTIFUL ship!


In moving on to the Fantasy, we are hoping that the "adult district" will have more activity. We only did a walk-through or two on the Dream. Perhaps it was bad timing, but from my experience they could have aptly named it the "Ghost District." Where was everybody? Umm . . Nevermind. It appears they were all on Deck 11 or in line for the AquaDuck.

Our Duffy & Shellie Mae will also show up at Ooh La La sometime on formal night for a bit of champagne and ambiance, but if that place even vaguely resembles the Dream's Pink, we'll be surprised if anyone else is around.

I do think the clubs/lounges are nice and have potential. Supposedly on the Fantasy they will be a bit larger. That was the biggest shock to me about the Dream - - how small the nightclubs are. (FYI: They look a lot larger in photos!) But when WE saw them, I guess it didn't matter, since there was almost no one there anyway.

 

[DisneyFanDC]

Our Duffy & Shellie Mae will also show up at Ooh La La sometime on formal night for a bit of champagne and ambiance, but if that place even vaguely resembles the Dream's Pink, we'll be surprised if anyone else is around.

We are on your 4/28 cruise, and I've so enjoyed reading about your plans! Given our 20+ trips to WDW, it's hard to believe that this will be our first cruise. You mentioning formal night prompts me to ask, do you know which night it will be on our cruise? Thanks so much!

 

[taswira]

Yes - Formal night will be Sunday. Semi-Formal night will be on Thursday. Pirate night is Wednesday.

 

[DisneyFanDC]

Yes - Formal night will be Sunday. Semi-Formal night will be on Thursday. Pirate night is Wednesday.

Thank you SO much! Appreciate it. We made our Remy reservations for the 4th night (Costa Maya day), and I would have hated to miss formal night with the kiddos You have put my mind at ease!

 

[taswira]

While still counting down the days to this cruise (70 from today I think), this afternoon I switched my other Fantasy cruise from 1/5/13 to 2/23/13. Holly switched also. So for that one we are now back to the eastern itinerary to San Juan and we managed to each snag a Cat. V on the starboard bump-out, right next door to each other. Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for the one other thing I'd like, but I won't know about that for awhile.

For this April sailing, I've decided that Duffy will wear his standard sailor outfit but with a couple of special pins. Any other attire will be entirely "space available" in my bag. Sorry, Duffy!

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

And JillJill thought I was stalking her! Every time you change a cruise, I follow!

I am sooo looking forward to our Pals cruise! Although ShellieMae has already said she'd like a couple of outfits, after all she is a girl!

 

[taswira]

And JillJill thought I was stalking her! Every time you change a cruise, I follow!

That you do!

I am sooo looking forward to our Pals cruise! Although ShellieMae has already said she'd like a couple of outfits, after all she is a girl!

As I said, my Duffy's attire will depend on available space in my bag. I am NOT giving him his own luggage for his wardrobe, like Pal Mickey had back in '07.

 

[taswira]

Since Holly told me she ordered a formal dress for Shellie Mae, I ordered a naval officer uniform for my Duffy. I figured he could get double duty out of that, in case he doesn't bring a tux. I'll probably have him wear it when boarding and leave his regular "sailor suit" at home.

Only 65 days to sailing!

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

ShellieMae is all excited about having a formal dress!

Now I have to find something good or she's going to out-class me by a mile.

 

[taswira]

ShellieMae is all excited about having a formal dress! Now I have to find something good or she's going to out-class me by a mile.

I know what you mean! I should REALLY get something new for myself for this cruise, but I hate clothes shopping more than almost anything on the planet!

 

[taswira]

Seriously, how are we going to compete with these?

And of course you want to be careful not to clash with Shellie Mae's dress!

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

ShellieMae's formal dress arrived yesterday and it looks fabulous! Let me tell you, my little girl bear is going to catch a few eyes in that.

 

[MissSixty]

I really want to know what went wrong on your Dec 2010 cruise. Only because I was on that one too and I am nosy like that!