34 DAYS TO GO . . .

     SUNDAY MARCH 20, 2011

     THE SAIL AWAY PARTY. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgkhiwtvjoo)  EVERY DISNEY CRUISE (MOST CRUISE LINES IN FACT) KICKS OFF WITH A STAGE SHOW CALLED THE "SAIL AWAY PARTY" AS YOUR SHIP PULLS AWAY FROM THE DOCK.  YOUR CAPTAIN WILL GREET YOU FROM THE BRIDGE VIA DISNEY'S HUGE VIDEO SCREEN OVER THE POOLS AND DECK, YOU'LL MEET AND HEAR FROM YOUR CRUISE DIRECTOR AND BE ENTERTAINED BY CAST MEMBERS TO MUSIC AND DANCING AS YOU AWAIT THE TRUE DISNEY HEADLINERS.  ALL DISNEY SAIL AWAY PARTIES STAR THE BIG 8 - CHIP & DALE, GOOFY & PLUTO, DONALD & DAISY, AND OF COURSE MINNIE & MICKEY! 
      THIS IS ABOUT A 45 MINUTE SHOW TO GET YOU IN THE MOOD FOR YOUR CRUISE.  IT WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO THE CAST AND SOME CREW AND SOME OF WHAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO AND IN STORE FOR YOUR VOYAGE.  IT TAKES PLACE RIGHT AFTER THE MANDATORY LIFE BOAT DRILLS BEFORE AND DURING CAST-OFF.  THERE ARE SING-ALONGS AND DANCE-ALONGS, BUBBLE BLOWING AND POM POM WAVING, AND OF COURSE LOTS OF SCREAMING AND YELLING FOR THE BIG CHEESE AS YOU COUNT DOWN TO THE BLOWING OF THE SHIPS HORN TO OFFICIALLY KICK OFF YOUR CRUISE.
      ONE OF THE LITTLE SECRETS TO THE KICK OFF OF A DISNEY CRUISE IS TO LOOK TO THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE TERMINAL FOR THE ON-SHORE CAST MEMBERS WAVING TO THOSE ON THE SHIP WEARING THEIR MICKEY MOUSE WHITE GLOVES.  ANOTHER OCCASIONAL SURPRISE IS THAT IF YOU GO TO THE FRONT OF THE SHIP (OR BOW) AS YOU HEAD OUT OF PORT, YOU WILL OFTEN SEE DOLPHINS SWIMMING, JUMPING, AND DIVING WHERE THE FRONT OF THE SHIP MEETS THE WATER.
     THIS IS OFTEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET FELLOW PASSENGERS AND EMPLOYEES.  YOU CAN ALSO HAVE THAT FIRST DRINK.  YOU'LL SEE CAST MEMBERS WALKING AROUND WITH COLLECTIBLE GLASSES FILLED WITH THE "DRINK OF THE DAY".  THEY OFTEN COST MORE, BUT MAKE A NICE REUSABLE SOUVENIR FROM YOUR TRIP.  GET OUT AND ENJOY.  YOUR TRIP HAS BEGUN!
     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº
TONIGHT'S MOVIE IS "THE JUNGLE BOOK".  ON A SIDE NOTE, IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD SWING BAND, BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY'S VERSION OF "I WANNA BE JUST LIKE YOU" FROM THE JUNGLE BOOK MOVIE, IT'S WELL WORTH LISTENING TO!