25 DAYS TO GO . . .

     TUESDAY MARCH 29, 2011

     WITH ALL THESE UNBELIEVABLE OPTIONS OF THINGS TO DO ON-BOARD YOUR CRUISE, YOU'LL BE COVERING SOME SERIOUS GROUND, AND DECKS.  DON'T WORRY.  A SHIP ALMOST 4 FOOTBALL FIELDS LONG AND 14 DECKS HIGH HAS IT'S OWN ELEVATORS; IN THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS I BELIEVE.  ONE SET IS TOWARD THE BACK OF THE SHIP, ONE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHIP, AND ONE IS TOWARD THE FRONT. 
     THE MID-SHIP ELEVATORS ON THE NEW DISNEY DREAM ARE TRULY SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.  THEY'RE LOCATED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHIPS ATRIUM LOBBY THAT ALONE IS THREE DECKS HIGH.  THEY'RE BEAUTIFULLY APPOINTED GLASS ELEVATORS WITH A SPECTRUM VIEW OF THE ENTIRE SHIPS CENTRAL HUB OF AN ATRIUM.  THE CENTER PIECE OF WHICH IS A GIANT ART DECO COLORED GLASS CHANDELIER HANGING FROM THE CENTER OF THE LOBBY'S CEILING.  BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.  THE ELEVATORS SHAFT WALLS ARE ALSO ADORNED WITH FANCIFUL DISNEY ANIMATION PAINTINGS TO VIEW AS YOU RISE AND FALL ON YOUR RIDE.  NO ONE DOES THE LITTLE THINGS LIKE DISNEY.
      AHH, BUT THERE IS A DRAWBACK.  THESE SAME CENTRALIZED ELEVATORS ARE THE MOST USED BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION NEAR THE LOBBY, SHUTTERS PHOTOS, RESTAURANTS, ETC.  SO CATCHING ONE OF THESE AT TIMES WITHOUT A LONG WAIT CAN SEEM ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE UNFORTUNATELY.  THE FORWARD AND AFT ELEVATORS RARELY HAVE NEARLY THE SAME CROWDS OR WAIT TIMES, SO IF YOU CAN PLAN FOR IT, IT MAY BE WORTH THE WALK ACROSS THE SHIP TO ONE OF THOSE.
     THE OTHER OPTION, AND ONE MOST SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER, IS TAKING THE STAIRS.  THAT'S RIGHT.  I SAID IT.  NOW GRANTED, MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE HOOFING UP STAIRS FROM THEIR ROOM ON DECK 2 TO THE POOL ON DECK 11 AND BACK EVERYDAY, BUT THEY MAY BE THE EXCEPTION.  CASE IN POINT: OUR STATEROOM IS ON DECK 5 AND PRETTY CLOSE TO THE FORWARD ELEVATORS.  BUT SHORT OF NO LINE OR ANYBODY IN THEM WHEN THEY STOP, WE'LL TAKE THE STAIRS.  WHY?  IT'S A LITTLE EXERCISE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE CONFINED TO NOT DOING TOO MUCH WALKING.  ALREADY KNOWING THE CROWDS AND THE WAITS, EVEN GOING FROM DECK 5 TO DECK 11, WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE IT FASTER. 
     MOST PEOPLE ARE TAKING ELEVATORS AT THE SAME TIMES.  BREAKFAST.  LUNCH.  DINNER.  AFTER.  THE SHOWS.  THE POOLS.  PRETTY CONSISTENT CONSIDERING MOST THINGS ON A CRUISE ARE SCHEDULED, SO YOU CAN EITHER PLAN AROUND THE CROWDS OR PLAN AROUND THE ELEVATORS. 
     STAIRS DON'T STOP.  STAIRS ARE NEVER TOO CROWDED FOR TWO MORE.  IF YOU KNOW WHAT FLOOR YOU'RE HEADING TO, THAT BIG NUMBER ON THE STAIRWAY DOORS SHOULD MAKE IT PRETTY EASY FOR ANYBODY.  GRANTED SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO TAKE THE STAIRS, BUT COME ON, MOST OF US CAN.  I'M GONNA USE EM TO TIRE MY KID OUT!  MAKES FOR AN EARLIER BED TIME AND SOME FREE TIME FOR ME.  ;-)  SO NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON THE SHIP, KEEP IN MIND THAT THE STAIRS ARE ALWAYS AN OPTION WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING TO COMPLAIN LIKE CRAZY THAT YOU HAD TO WAIT SO LONG FOR AN ELEVATOR!
     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº
BREAK IN THE CHRONOLOGICAL CHAIN TONIGHT.  "TANGLED" CAME OUT ON DVD TODAY, SO WE RENTED IT.  NEITHER OF US HAD SEEN IT AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T, DO SO.  IT WAS GOOD.  REALLY FUNNY.  NICE MIX OF A GIRLS PRINCESS STORY AND BOYS SLAPSTICK HUMOR.  AS GOOD AS ALL THE REVIEWS.