I just got off the Disney Magic; one week Western Caribbean with a stop at Castaway Cay their private island. This was my first time to sail on Disney and it won't be my last. Since this is "off topic" I won't say much just that the service was top notch and the food was very good to excellent.

If anyone has any questions I am happy to answer them.

Hi Sue,

Glad you had a nice cruise. What ports did you visit?

Sue, this isn't off topic, it's about cruising! I am eager to hear the details!

As a "Disney-Nut" me two,please
Pat

we sailed on her 2 years ago with a group of 35 family members from age 3 to 60 and had a blast! I just loved it. The ship is beautiful. Glad you enjoyed her too, Sue.
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Helen

The Disney Cruise Line has a very, very loyal following. The private island and the shows in the theater are the best of any cruise line.

But the impression that Mona and I got after one cruise about eight years ago is that you really have to like being around lots of children.

Tom.

How fun!! I would like this when our Grandkids get a little older.

I just wasn't sure how much to post since Disney is not a preferred cruise line of LCT, but I am happy to share.

I was offered a great travel agent rate for this cruise. Tom is busy so I asked a good friend to go with me (Donna from No-Name cruise). We had an oceanview stateroom with a navigator balcony (a huge porthole on the balcony vs the full opening) and we really enjoyed this.

The bed was not so comfy...too soggy, but I slept well. The bathrooms are nice as they are divided into two rooms; one having the toilet and a sink with vanity and small shelf area and right next to this is another room of a tub/shower combo and a sink/vanity. This gave us each a bathroom to get ready in and saved much time.

There was a lot of storage space for our clothes which really surprised me. Nice flat screen TV, cute clock in the shape of a ship rudder (sp). Our room attendant Geronimo was excellent...our room was spotless and he never was intrusive in any way, but very kind and helpful.

Great room service (free you just pay $ tip each time)where we ordered coffee/fresh raspberries/strawberries and pastries each morning before going to bkfst. I also had room service lunch one day of a great steak sandwich and a Mickey ice cream bar.

What was a nice touch is they called you a few minutes prior to your order arriving so you knew it was on the way...great way to wake up and not have to scurry out of bed looking awful when you hear the knock on the door and scare the poor person with your order!

No one ever asked for or expected a tip. Tips were prepaid before our cruise, but we also gave everyone that served us at dinner and our room attendant extra $'s because it was the best service ever. Always a smile on their faces, patient when we had many ?'s about the menu items, fast service and so entertaining too (showing us tricks at dinner time).

I am a member of the Dis Boards and joined in on a Dis meet the first afternoon. There were over 50 of us there and it was a nice way to meet others. Donna and I also took part in a fish extender gift exchange (sort of like a secret Santa deal). There is a hook outside your door in a fish shape where you hang a banner sort of looking deal with pockets on it. You purchase fun little gifts and sneak around to the other staterooms that have decided to be part of the FE gift exchange. It was so much fun to go to each stateroom (we had to purchase gifts for 38 adults/kids and did 3 days of gift giving) and drop off the gifts and then return to our room to find goodies for us. To give you an example one gal was from Boston and she gave us a box of the Boston Baked Bean candy and a deck of Red Sox playing cards.

We stopped at Key West (I love this port), Cozumel (been there done that) and Grand Cayman (were diverted to Nassau due to heavy winds and rough seas) and then one day at Castaway Cay the private island for Disney (this place is so much fun and so beautiful).

Disney has a dining rotation where you eat at different restaurants for dinner, but your wait staff follows you. One night was Animators Palate where everything is black and white when you arrive (even the vest worn by the wait staff) and by the time the dinner is over with the pictures on the wall and the waiters vests come to life in full color. I had a wonderful roasted chicken in lemon/thyme. The next night was at Lumieres (French type) and was formal night (some dressed to the nines while others wore nice church type dress). Forgot what I ordered here. Mickey and Minnie were in a tux and lovely long white ball gown (so cute). The third night we ate at Parrot Cay with a tropical feel where as you entered they were playing lively Caribbean music and you were encouraged to dance your way to your table (so much fun). Great jerk chicken and ribs!

Big party for Pirates in the Caribbean night - all restaurants served the same menu (can't recall what it was) and you were encouraged to dress in pirate attire. At your table each person was given a pirate type head scarf to take home. The deck party was rained out and moved in the Atrium with fireworks the next night under the stars.

Another night was a special menu in all restaurants called Princess Night (lobster on menu plus other great offerings).

We ate one evening at Palo the specialty restaurant ($15 surcharge). You started off with fresh assorted breads, calamata olive paste, garlic spread and a fresh tomato spread along with a nice selection of anti pasta. I ordered a small pizza margherita to share at our table, the best minestrone, a nice tomato/mozzarella salad, lime sorbet palate cleanser, shrimp/pasta arrabiatta (spicy with a rich tomato flavor)and dessert was chocolate souffle. At the end of the meal we were given a shot glass of limoncello mixed with a bit of something else that was so good. This was the best meal I have ever had on a ship!!!

Entertainment was wonderful - lovely broadway productions, funny comedians. Great movie theater of first run movies and good movies on your stateroom TV.

Nice adults only area of a specialty coffee/snack lounge, outdoor lounge area as well as adult only pool and hot tub. A tall cup of hot cocoa was only $1.95 and if you purchased 5 coffees the 6th was free.

The sailaway deck party was the most fun...lively music to dance to and all the characters out on deck.

If you are not fond of Disney maybe this would not be for you. We are Disney nuts and love to see the characters. The programs they offer for children seem to be so wonderful as well as educational and the kids seem to love it and are well taken care of.

Many adult only activities, many family things to go too.

Nice onboard booking incentive of 10% off any future cruise plus $100 to $200 shipboard credit. We will sail on Disney Wonder 4 nts right before Christmas and then on the new Disney Dream for 5nts (taking our adult kids) to celebrate our 35th anniversary late May 2011.

Thanks for the great reporting Sue. I wonder if they give a discount to former Disney employees regardless of what decade they worked there :D :D :D

Thank you Sue, I am trying to talk my relatives into taking a family cruise for Christmas instead of all of us gathering in the snow belt each year!

I think Disney would be a good fit, from your review. I like that your wait staff follows you around!

Thanks for sharing, Sue! It sounds ideal for families, for sure. My sister and her husband & two daughters have gone on a number of Disney cruises and just love it.

Sue, where is the Disney Dream going to home port? We have been talking of going again but dont want to do the same itinerary. Maybe Panama Canal?
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Helen

You are all very welcome. Kristin; you would be surprised at how many couples were on there with no children as well as single adults.

Helen; the Dream will be in Port Canaveral doing 3/4 and 5 nt sailings for the first year. I am not sure where she will go after that. Next year the Magic will be in Alaska.

2012 Disney Fantasy will make her maiden vogage so I would assume the Dream will sail elsewhere.

At the Disney Vacation Club gathering they had on the ship they were talking about the new DVC opening in Hawaii and made a slight mention (using your imagination) to possibly a ship sailing there. It was stated like "well you know Disney Vacation Club will open soon in Hawaii and there are two new ships so who knows what can happen".

Sue, if you don't mind, I am going to move this post to the review section.

Karen that is fine. ;)

For those who have not sailed the line, it really would not matter because outside decor / naming issues the Magic and Wonder are functionally the same but the Wonder will be in Alaska (and Mexican Riviera and Panama Canal repo) in 2011 and the Magic will be in Europe (the Med) for 2011 with EBTA and WBTA repos.

We enjoy Disney Cruise Line as well and are hoping some new itineraries / ports come out of having the 2 new ships on line. IMHO you can only go to Nassau / Atlantis so many times...

This is likely to be our next cruise, given our young kids (though not any time soon). Thanks for the review, Sue!!