Saturday, April 2, 2011

24 DAYS TO GO . . .

     WEDNESDAY MARCH 30, 2011

     ROOM SERVICE.  ROOM SERVICE ON DISNEY CRUISE LINES IS AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, EXCLUDING YOUR DEBARKATION DAY.  DISNEY DOESN'T WANT YOU ORDERING FOOD TO YOUR ROOM SO YOU CAN HIDE OUT AND SLOW THEM FROM GETTING YOU OFF THE SHIP AND THE NEW GUESTS ON.  PLUS WITH THE ENTIRE SHIP BEING CLEANED AND PREPPED, THE KITCHENS ARE DOING THE SAME, SO ROOM SERVICE IS CLOSED ALL TOGETHER.
     ROOM SERVICE HAS THE SAME MENU ALL DAYS AT ALL TIMES (www.disneyfoodblog.com/disney-dream-room-service-menu) EXCEPT EARLY MORNINGS FOR BREAKFAST (www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/01/28/disney-dream-dining-cruise-line-room-service).   ROOM SERVICE IS FREE AND INCLUDED IN YOUR CRUISE PRICE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SODAS AND ALCOHOL.  MAINLY BECAUSE YOU PAY FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINKS EVERYWHERE ELSE AND YOU CAN GET FREE SODAS FOR YOURSELF IN THE DINING ROOMS, QUICK SERVICE SPOTS AND BEVERAGE STATIONS.  YOU'RE BASICALLY PAYING FOR THOSE FOR THE CONVENIENCE, BUT ALL THE FOODS ARE STILL INCLUDED.  LIKE THE BARS, IF YOU ORDER AN ALCOHOLIC DRINK, A 15% GRATUITY WILL BE CHARGED AUTOMATICALLY.  BUT THE ROOM SERVICE STEWARD DOES NOT GET TIPPED UNLESS YOU TIP HIM.  YOU CAN EITHER WRITE IN A TIP AMOUNT ON THE RECEIPT HE HAS YOU SIGN OR TIP HIM IN CASH WHEN THEY ARRIVE.  A GENERAL RULE OF THUMB IS $1 - $2 PER PERSON EATING OR IN THE ROOM.
     LIKE ANY OTHER ROOM SERVICE YOU SIMPLY PLACE YOUR ORDER FROM YOUR ROOM PHONE AND IT SHOULD ARRIVE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 15 - 45 MINUTES DEPENDING ON WHAT AND HOW MUCH YOU ORDERED AND WHEN YOU ORDER IT.  JUST LIKE A RESTAURANT, SOME TIMES ARE BUSIER THAN OTHERS.
     YOU CAN ALSO ORDER ROOM SERVICE BREAKFAST BY CHECKING OFF THE ITEMS ON YOUR BREAKFAST PRE-ORDER CARD IN YOUR ROOM THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HANGING IT ON YOUR DOOR TO BE PICKED UP.  YOU JUST PUT A NUMBER OF HOW MANY YOU WANT IN THE BOX NEXT TO THE CORRESPONDING ITEMS.  BREAKFAST CAN NOT ONLY BE ARRIVING WHEN YOU WAKE UP, BUT IT CAN ALSO SERVE AS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR A SCHEDULED TIME.  COFFEE DRINKERS CAN REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING HOT COFFEE DELIVERED UPON WAKING.
     WHILE SOME HAVE RAVED ABOUT CERTAIN ITEMS ON THE MENU, ON THE WHOLE, MOST HAVE SAID THE DCL ROOM SERVICE FOOD IS EXTREMELY AVERAGE.  ODDLY ENOUGH, THE BLT GETS SOME OF THE BEST REVIEWS.  AND ALTHOUGH NOT LISTED ON THE MENU, THE MICKEY SHAPED ICE CREAM BAR CAN BE ORDERED THROUGH ROOM SERVICE AND IS BY FAR THE MOST POPULAR ITEM.  THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE ITEMS IS REALLY WHAT MAKES THEM SO VALUABLE.  FOR EXAMPLE: MY SON'S BIRTHDAY IS THE 3rd DAY OF OUR CRUISE, CASTAWAY CAY DAY.  WE LIVE NEAR THE BEACH.  WE KNOW WHAT A DAY IN THE SUN ON THE SAND CAN DO TO YOU.  HE'S ALREADY WILLING TO COME BACK AND TAKE A NAP BECAUSE HE KNOWS THERE ARE FIREWORKS AT 10:30PM (WAY PAST HIS BEDTIME) AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE TOO TIRED.  AND BECAUSE I KNOW HE'LL BE SLEEPING I CAN ORDER A FRUIT AND CHEESE PLATE, COOKIES, AND DRINKS (SOME OF HIS FAVORITES) FOR WHEN HE WAKES UP AS A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE.  IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS, AND DISNEY DOES THEM BEST.  TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.  ORDER COOKIES AND MILK LATE AT NIGHT.  ORDER SOMETHING TO SOAK UP THE ALCOHOL AFTER BEING OUT DRINKING.  ORDER SOMETHING TO QUIET THE KIDS OR BUY YOU SOME TIME BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED DINNER TIME.  ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES AT NO EXTRA COST.  NICE HUH?
     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº
TONIGHT'S MOVIE IS "OLIVER AND COMPANY".  BEST KNOWN FOR BILLY JOEL'S MUSIC, IT HASN'T HELD UP AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CLASSIC FILMS BECAUSE IT WASN'T A TRUE FAIRY TALE AND FELT A LITTLE TOO TIED TO POP CULTURE.

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