Disney Magic Cruise August 1 - August 8 (Photo Heavy)

[WheresMickey]

Welcome to my Honeymoon trip report. I know a few people have been waiting for this trip report and would like to say sorry that it took me this long to post it. I have been so busy since I have been back.

My wife and I spend our honeymoon on the Disney Magic for 1 week from August 1 – August 8. It was the best trip we have taken so far. The cruise was to take us to the Eastern Caribbean. The boat made stop at St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and finally Castaway Cay.


I still remember this trip like it was yesterday. We decided to leave 1 day earlier, so we didn’t have to rush the day the cruise was going to leave. So on July 31 we had a flight out of LAX at 10am and to arrive in Orlando at 6 PM.

My wife found this great deal on-line, it was called "Fly, Snooze, Cruise" package with La Quinta hotel at Cocoa Beach. Included in this package was:
· Transportation from Orlando Airport,
· 1 night stay at a hotel (with continental breakfast),
· Transportation to the cruise line the next day,
· When you arrive back to Orlando, transportation back to the airport.

First it was a great idea to arrive the day before; it is less stress the day of the departure. Once we arrive to the airport we called the shuttle company to pick us up. We were told to wait at the pickup location and the shuttle should be there in about 30 minutes. To make a long story short, we sat there for 2 hours and waited for the Shuttle. The Shuttle Company was having issues that day with no enough drivers (which we found out later). But what annoyed us was that every time my wife called the company, they kept on saying 30 minutes. If they would have been honest we would of sat inside in the air conditioning airport and not outside in the humidity.

Once the shuttle company picked us up, it was about an hour drive to Cocoa Beach. This is the closet city you can stay at if you are taking a cruise out of Port Canaveral. We finally arrive at the hotel around 9pm and we were starving. We check in to our room and check what time is breakfast and the time the shuttle is to pick us up in the morning. Lucky there was a Denny next door, we went there for dinner.

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and our shuttle was schedule to pick us up at 9 am. Yup, you guess it; it was on time. Soon we were on our way to see our home for one week. It was only about 15 minute drives from the hotel to the port. I highly recommend staying at Cocoa Beach the night before if you have a cruise.

When we arrive at the gate, we were greeted by port workers that took our bags.





We made sure we keep one bag with us because you won’t see your other luggage till that afternoon on the ship. It was a great idea to arrive early to the cruise terminal because you get to check in, take your picture with little or no line at all. This was good because as the morning went on, there were a lot of people. Also the sooner you arrive and check in, the sooner you actually get to board the ship. When you check in, they give you a group number. Once your group number is called you can board the ship. Here is a TIP: do all the check –in stuff on-line and you don’t have to fill any paper work when you arrive. This saves us a lot of time during check in.

[WheresMickey]

We were very impress by how organize the check in process was. It was very quick and easy.




We soon found some seat and took in some sight at the cruise terminal.






They had this ship model at the terminal, very good detail.










Mickey and Goofy came out and took pictures with families.




By 11:30 they started calling group number and we were call in. YAY!

[WheresMickey]

Here are some pictures while walking to get on the ship.

When you arrive you are greeted with a person with a mic. He asks for the name of your family and where you are from. Then he will announce your name and the CM’s will clap and cheer for you.


Then one of the CM will walk you to the side and let you know what is going on for the day. We were told that our room won’t be ready till 1:30 and we can go upstairs to the buffet to have some lunch.

Before we headed to lunch, we wanted to book “Tea with Alice and Mad Hatter” and see if they still did the “Bridge tour”. We were able to book “Tea with Alice and Mad Hatter” but were told that the “Bridge Tour” was no longer available. I think it could have been since 9-11.

Here are some pictures from the buffet.





Yes this is a Roast Beef.





After lunch, we decided to walk around the ship to see where everything is.

Here are some pictures from ship.

[DonDuck]

Simply wonderful TR! More, more!

[Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bo]

Hi There,
Thanks for letting me know you posted your photos! You know I've been waiting The photos you took are wonderful. I have done so much research on the Disney Cruise Lines, it just looks so magical and fun.... I'm really glad you had a great honeymoon, can't wait to see more photos.

[WheresMickey]

Before I get into detail about each day, how about some pictures of different places on the ship and what they had there.

(Pictures to be added as I sort thru more photos)
Animator’s Palate (Dinner location)




Art Gallery

Buena Vista Theatre (New Disney Movie are shown here)


Cove Café

Diversions

Flounder’s Reef Nursery (Take care of babies)


Goofy’s Galley

Goofy’s Pool


Guest Services

Lumiere’s

Lobby Atrium

Mickey’s Mates (Store)







Display in the store.








Some items sold there.

What is good about buying a Vinylmation on the cruise is that if you bought one and it was a duplicate one that you have. You can actually trade it with a worker at a store that other people have traded also.


Mickey’s Pool and Slide



Oceaneer Club

Oceaneer Lab

Ocean Quest

Outlook Bar

Palo

Parrot Cay

Pinocchio’s Pizzeria


Pluto’s Dog House

Port Shopping Desk

Preludes

Promenade Lounge

Quarter Masters

Quiet Cove Pool


Rockin Bar D

Sessions

Shore Excursions Desk



Shutters

Signals

Studio Sea

The Stack

Topsider Buffet

Treasure Ketch (Store)

Some Items Sold in the Store





Up Beat

Walt Disney Theatre



Wide World of Sports Deck

[WheresMickey]

Pictures from our cabin, we decided to book a room with a veranda.









The rest room was in two different rooms.

One with a shower and a sink.

One with a toilet and a sink.



After walking around and checking out our room. It was almost 4:00; during this time is a mandatory Boat Drill. Everyone must do the drill. They will check each person room number at the drill location. Each life vest will show them your room number and they do know how many people are staying in each room. So don’t try to hide or not attend. The drill only took about 15 minutes.

[NeverNeverland]

Loving all these pics but where are the pics of you guys???

[WheresMickey]

Soon everyone started to head to the Goofy’s pool where they have a party called “Adventures Away”. Let me say all the entertainment on the ship was very well done.



















We were now off for the week!




After the show we wonder around the ship.

[WheresMickey]

Originally Posted by NeverNeverland

Loving all these pics but where are the pics of you guys???

LOL, I was wondering when that question was going to come up. I have posted a few trip report but with no photos of myself or anyone that has gone with me.

I'm a shy person and my wife would not want me to post pictures of us.

I think there was 1 pictures that I was in the background at this past year anniversary for MiceChat. Other than that I don't think people know how I look like.

[Gino USMC]

Was this your first cruise?

[WheresMickey]

Originally Posted by Gino USMC

Was this your first cruise?

Yes, this was my first cruise. Can't you tell with all the pictures, and this is only day 1.

[WheresMickey]

Every night at Sea there is always a big show to see at night at the Walt Disney Theatre. The first night was called “All Aboard: Let the Magic Begin.” These shows are like a Broadway production, just not in NYC. It was all very well done with the space they are given (More on that in the future). All photos taken during the show was with no flash.





















Tonight show also had “The Comedy and Juggling of Ron Pearson, and The Magic and Illusions of Jason Bishop).
















After the show it was off to dinner. The dinner locations were always different every night. Everyone rotates to 3 different restaurants. But you always sat with the same people and the same waiter. We were very worried about who we were going to sit. Was Disney going to sit us with a big family or would it be all separate couples? It turns out that we ate with 3 additional couples. We were so relief with that. Also they were the nicest people that we have met. Maybe cause it was Disney, but we all just got along great!

For our first night, we were to eat to Animator’s Palate. If have your watch the Disney Cruise on the Travel Channel, you will know that this restaurant start off in black and white and by the end of the dinner the walls all have color. Let me also add that all the food at the restaurant were very good.








The menu for the night.








After dinner we decided to catch a show name “Match your Mate”. What happens is they choose 3 couples to go on stage. They ask the women questions and the men has to answer it, and vic versa. This was very entertaining. Questions and pictures will not be shown here. J/K


After dinner we decided to take a walk on the upper deck to see how it was. The movie “Cars” was ending on the Goofy pool. What is cool is that Disney has a huge screen that shows movies and cartoon while you can lounge and swim if you like.



Here are some random character appearances for today.



After that we called it a night and look at what we found in our room.

[Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bo]

Wow, you added so much more. I really like the character shots too. This makes me sad... I really wanted to go on this... No worries, I understand about your wife not wanting you to post photos of you two on here, but thanks for sharing the rest of the photos with us.

[WheresMickey]

Day 2 ~ Day at Sea

Today was our group day to have our character breakfast. Everyone on the ship gets 1 day assign to have a character breakfast if you would like to attend. Our character breakfast was in Parrot Cay.



Pictures of the restaurant.





Characters at the breakfast.








After breakfast we wanted to try out some BINGO, which is the closest you will get to gambling on a Disney Cruise ship since they do not have a casino. Just to let you know that as more bingo session is going on throughout the week the cost to play gets higher. I believe this session was $40 - $60, and the last session was over $100. But if you are a regular player that week there is a small discount, $5 or $10 off I believe.

After BINGO we went to the lobby where there was a dance party going on with some characters.








Follow the train




Everyone dancing together.