I haven't been able to motivate myself to take my trip report notes and rewrite them into a real, legible Trip Report. I have, however, processed and uploaded all of my photos and am working on Jennifer's, and still have to scan and upload the shipboard photographer photos -- should be pretty soon. But since I can't seem to get the real report written, I'm pasting here my in-progress notes, cleaned up a little bit for publication. Feel free to ask if anything isn't immediately clear and enjoy the read!
Some acronyms:
DME = Disney's Magical Express
DtD = Downtown Disney
TTC = Transportation & Ticket Center
V&A's = Victoria & Albert's
SsE = Spaceship Earth
AKL = Animal Kingdom Lodge
WDT = Walt Disney Theater (on the Magic)
RBD = Rockin' Bar "D" (on the Magic)
My photos: on Picasaweb -- captioned and geotagged
Jennifer's photos: on Picasaweb (part 1 and part 2) -- check back soon for captions
Scanned shipboard photography: on Picasaweb -- captioned and geotagged
The report, such as it is:
07: Bumpy flight but uneventful and on-time. DME & shipped suitcases delivered while we were at dinner @ food court. Boat to DtD, bus to Swan, walk to Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf. Open 'til 11 every night. Taxi back.
08: Taxi to Shades of Green, pick up car. Kona Caf has turkey bacon. TTC to pick up park tickets. Target. MK, snack at Harbour House, PotC, Mansion, back to room. Dinner @ V&A's: $374.98. Adventurer's Club - closed 10 minutes after we got there due to "technical difficulties".
09: Typhoon Lagoon. Crush-n-gusher! Epcot. Smart Watermelon! Pretzel at Germany, late/light lunch @ Tokyo Dining, bought 2 bottles of sake. Very hot day. Morocco: get mint tea w/ cup of ice. SsE, sent digital postcards. Back to hotel, dinner @ Earl of Sandwich, Adv. Club.
10: Up very early, meet up @ AKL for ride to port. Waited around a bit then boarded ship. Made Palo reservations. Lunch @ Parrot Cay, walking ship tour, Adventures Away, spa tour, booked hair & personal trainer appts. Dinner @ Parrot Cay, AVP's tour ended @ Diversions.
11: Hair appt. @ 8:00, meet for breakfast @ Topsiders. Debark for day at Castaway Cay. Snorkling, lunch @ Serenity Bay. Made way back to ship, quiet cove pool for a while. Dinner @ Lumiere's, Family Magic Quest - we won! Wii bowling. John Charles cabaret.
12: Slept very late. MousePlanet meet @ noon, lunch @ Parrot Cay. Panama Canal talk in WDT. Art of the Theme Show ship tour w/ Melita. Back to cabin to change for dinner @ Animator's. "Golden Mickeys", after-party in Atrium. Diversions - played Clue.
13: Breakfast @ Topsiders. Jen booked tequila shot treatment (lime & ginger salt). "Art of Entertaining" oil & vinegar in Studio Sea. Making of the Disney Magic talk in Diversions. Cruisin' for Trivia in Promenade. Personal Trainer session. "When Mickey Dreams". "Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer?" Dinner @ Palo, 8:30. Disney karaoke in Studio Sea, Diversions, bed.
14: Breakfast @ Lumiere's. Ashore to Aruba, walked around a lot. Ice cream. Shopped at a couple of places including Hong King Market. Lunch @ Iguana Joe's. A bit more shopping then back on board. Soak in quiet pool for a while. Change for Tropical night dinner @ Lumiere's. Ventriloquist showtime in WDT - he played with the sign language interpreters. Tropical deck party. Musical impressionist cabaret in RBD. Cocoa and cookies from room service.
15: Breakfast @ Topsiders. Dessert presentation @ Studio Sea. Canal operations talk in WDT. Art of Table Service presentation. Mediterranean lunch @ Topsiders. Gym workout. Dinner @ Animator's. Early bedtime.
16: Up very early - 4:00 am - to be on deck for Canal transit by 5. Watched a Navy sub go by. Under way through locks. Watched through first lock then retired to cabin to rest and cool off. Brunch @ Palo. Back to cabin for a while, watching transit from balcony. Lots of people on shore and other ships watching the Magic. Finished transit around 3:30. Personal Training session. Jen went to dinner @ Parrot Cay, I had a veggie burger on deck later. "Prince Caspian". Seas starting to get a bit rough now that we're in the Pacific.
17: Slept in a bit. "Desperate Shipmates" in WDT. Cheese presentation & sampling in Studio Sea. Lunch from Goofy's Galley on deck 9. Hang out in cabin for a while, downloading photos and other chores. 45 mins on treadmill. Dinner @ Lumiere's. Diversions. "Twice Charmed" in WDT. "Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer" in Studio Sea.
18: Personal Training & treadmill. Reviewed photos at Shutters but didn't buy any. Lunch @ Lumiere's. Picked up Goofy boat-building materials. Hung out with A & T for a bit. Soft-serve ice cream from Goofy's Galley. Cove caf, waiting for library to open. Dinner @ Animator's. Not feeling well so went to bed early.
19: Acapulco port day. Wild thunder & lightning overnight. Couples massage. Breakfast @ Parrot Cay. Waiting for our excursion meet time - "Cultural Walking & Shopping Tour" supposed to be 4-4.5 hours, actually 5.5. Very very hot and tired when we got back. Light dinner @ Parrot Cay. Quiet Cove pool. Change for deck party - Jen bought a new senorita-style party dress and looked fantastic. Still warm so we went down to Diversions for awhile, then back up to deck 9. Danced on the pool deck until it started to rain, then went to bed.
20: Jen went to distribute MouseAdventure packets while I was in the cabin feeling yucky. Met for brunch @ Lumiere's - chicken soup fixes everything. 80's trivia in Diversions - we won! Shutters, sorted and bought photos. "Desperate Shipmates" question session in Studio Sea. Jen went to Cove caf to read, I went to the cabin for a nap. Dinner @ Lumiere's. "Mickey Mania" game in Studio Sea. Soaked in Cove pool. "Rockstar" party in RBD, then music/comedy show, then more dancing.
21: Puerta Vallarta port day. Canopy zipline tour. Very fun! Shopped in port mercado area then re-boarded & hit the pool. I had my final personal Training session while Jen had dinner @ Animator's. Met up for "Pirate's Life" game in Studio Sea. Crew talent show. I had a quick bite from Pluto's, then we met up for Mickey Mania in Studio Sea.
22: Cabo San Lucas port day. ATV tour - dirty but fun. Shopped downtown Cabo, had lunch @ "Ol Ol", took photo holding a lion cub, tender back to ship. Relax in pool. Dinner @ Parrot Cay. Back to cabin to change for pirate party. "Pirates IN the Caribbean" deck party. Late night comedy in RBD.
23: Up @ 8 to walk treadmill. Breakfast @ Parrot Cay. "Art of Entertaining" in Studio Sea. Shutters. Trivia in Promenade. "Desperate Shipmates" answers & finale in WDT (Storm, portfolio, blueprint). "Mouse-2-0" on deck 9. Rest in cabin for a bit. Completely forgot to go to the kitchen tour. "Win a Cruise" bingo - didn't win. Made Flubber in Oceaneer Lab. Formal dinner @ Lumiere's. "Disney Dreams" in WDT. "Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer" - Jen won! Mike Super magic cabaret in WDT. Dessert buffet in Lumiere's.
24: Stageworks in WDT. Quick breakfast from Topsiders. Art of Entertaining in Studio Sea - churros in chocolate-Kahlua sauce. Packing. Terri Hardin lunch in Parrot Cay. Shutters to download Wanee picture. 80's trivia in Diversions (I did not win). Jen & Adrienne did a dance class in RBD. Juggling workshop in RBD. Cruisin' for Trivia in RBD - A & T won, we came in 2nd. Pack some more, last room service (iced tea & cheese). Dinner @ Animator's. Pack some more. "Remember the Magic" in WDT. Finish packing & put five suitcases outside for pickup. "'Til We Meet Again" in atrium lobby. Pub Night in RBD. Last walkabout on deck 4 & 9. Packed laptop bag.
25: Up @ 6. Last packing and out of cabin. Shutters to pick up Wanee photo. Jen dropped it back in the cabin, I stood in line for breakfast @ Animator's. Quick breakfast then slowly disembarked, cleared customs, found luggage and loaded it with Tony onto a taxi van. A & Jen & I walked around the terminal building, saw some crew, took some ship pics. Tony picked us up & drove us to Jen's grandmother's house where we left the car. Visited for a bit then drove to our hotel (Hyatt Orange County). Room was ready! Shuttle to DLR. Quick lunch @ TJ's Taqueria. Meet A & T at AMC for Indy. Into park. Tomorrowland to photograph Monorail Red. Wandered a bit then to French Market for dinner. Mansion, Pooh Corner, back side of Fantasmic, Pooh, Pirates, out.
26: Check out early. Disneyland to watch & photograph the new Indiana Jones show. Jungle Cruise. Breakfast @ La Brea Bakery. Processed & uploaded phots from Hearthstone Lounge. Hit the road for home @ around 2:30.
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