Wednesday, April 20, 2011

3 DAYS TO GO . . .

     WEDNESDAY APRIL 20, 2011

     THE TOP 10 REASONS TO CRUISE DISNEY:

I LEARNED A LOT FROM THE PASSPORTER BOOKS AND WEBSITE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, SO IN AN HOMAGE TO THEM, I PUT MY SPIN ON THEIR TOP 10.

1.)  STATEROOMS - NOT ONLY DOES THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE DECORATE THEIR STATEROOMS WITH TOP OF THE LINE FABRICS, BEDS, LINENS, AND ACCESSORIES, BUT THEY ARE UP TO 25% LARGER THAN OTHER COMPARIBLE ROOMS ON OTHER CRUISE LINES.  THEY ALSO FEATURE THE DCL "SPLIT BATH, WHICH IS BASICALLY A BATH AND A HALF.  REALLY NICE TO HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE A FAMILY THAT NEEDS TO GET READY.

2.)  ROTATIONAL DINING - YOU ROTATE THROUGH THE 3 MAIN DINING ROOMS THAT EACH DISNEY SHIP HAS, INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE, AND GET COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DECORS AND MENUS.  PLUS, YOUR SERVERS ROTATE WITH YOU SO THEY GET TO KNOW YOU AND YOU GET TO KNOW THEM, IMPROVING SERVICE.  OTHER CRUISE LINES WILL HAVE YOU EAT IN THE SAME MAIN DINING ROOM EVERY NIGHT UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO EAT SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND PAY FOR IT.

3.)  DRINKS - UNLIKE ANY OTHER CRUISE LINE, DISNEY OFFERS FREE SODAS AT IT'S MEALS AND 24 HOURS A DAY AT IT'S BEVERAGE STATIONS.  MOST CRUISE LINES MAKE YOU PAY EXTRA FOR SODA.  DISNEY ALSO LETS YOU BRING YOUR OWN ALCOHOL ON-BOARD WITH YOU, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SNEAK IT ON; AN INDUSTRY FIRST.

4.)  FAMILY ORIENTED - THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE WAS VOTED THE BEST "FAMILY ORIENTED CRUISE LINE".  IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE IDEAL CRUISE LINE FOR SINGLES LOOKING TO HOOK UP, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO CRUISE WITH YOUR FAMILY, YOU CAN DO NO BETTER.  EACH SHIP HAS AREAS FOR FAMILIES TO DO THINGS TOGETHER, AS WELL AS PRIVATE AREAS FOR KIDS, TWEENS, TEENS, AND ADULTS TO BE ALONE.  THERE IS INTENTIONALLY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

5.)  CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING - NO CRUISE LINE DOES CHILDREN'S AREAS AND ACTIVITIES BETTER THAN DISNEY.  FROM FLOUNDER'S REEF FOR THOSE UNDER 3 UP TO THE "OCEANEER'S CLUB AND LAB" FOR KIDS UP TO 10, TO THE TWEEN'S "EDGE" CLUB FOR KIDS 11 TO 13, TO THE TEENS "VIBE" CLUB.  EACH WITH THEIR OWN AREAS AND ACTIVITIES FROM THE CRACK OF DAWN TO LATE AT NIGHT.  THEY ARE TRULY A SIGHT TO BEHOLD.  THE FANTASY AND IMAGINEERING OF DISNEY WORLD ON A SHIP.

6.)  DISNEY CHARACTERS - LET'S FACE IT, EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE LINES THAT DISNEY CHARACTERS CREATE, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT SMILE WHEN YOU SEE THEM.  AND THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE IS THE ONLY PLACE TO FIND THEM ON THE HIGH SEAS, AND A LOT LESS PEOPLE HOPING TO SEE THEM.  THIS IS THE ONE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY RUN INTO A CHARACTER IN THE HALLWAY OR THE LIKE AND HAVE THEM ALL TO YOURSELF.

7.)  BROADWAY QUALITY SHOWS - MOST CRUISE LINES ONLY OFFERED VERY AVERAGE STAGE SHOWS OR A GLITZY LAS VEGAS TYPE REVIEW.  DISNEY HAS BEEN STAGING FULL ONE HOUR PRODUCTIONS ON THEIR SHIPS JUST LIKE THE ONES THEY PUT ON BROADWAY TO SOLD OUT THEATERS NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.  THEY HAVE RECEIVED SUCH OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE REVIEWS THAT OTHER CRUISE LINES ARE NOW SPENDING MILLIONS TO ACTUALLY BRING BROADWAY PRODUCTIONS TO THEIR SHIPS TO COMPETE.

8.)  CASTAWAY CAY - A FEW OTHER CRUISE LINES HAVE THEIR "OWN" ISLANDS, OR PRIVATE BEACHES, THAT THEY CALL THEIR OWN.  NONE HAS DONE IT LIKE DISNEY.  ASIDE FROM THE ABILITY TO FIND DISNEY CHARACTERS THERE, THE THEMING, MANICURED SURROUNDINGS AND TOP NOTCH FOOD HAVE PUT DISNEY'S PRIVATE OASIS HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE COMPETITION.

9.)  DISNEY CREW MEMBERS - I SHOULD START WITH THE FACT THAT, LIKE THE DISNEY PARKS, EMPLOYEES ARE CALLED "CAST MEMBERS, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL A PART OF THE SAME PRODUCTION, AND IT SHOWS.  ALL TRAINED BY DISNEY IN THE DISNEY WAY, FEW CAN COMPARE TO THAT OVERWHELMING FEELING OF BEING WELCOME AND APPRECIATED.  THEY CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST MARKS AROUND.

10.)  ENTHUSIASM - YOU SEE IT AND FEEL IT EVERYWHERE.  IT'S NOT JUST THE AVERAGE CREW MEMBER.  IT'S THE OFFICERS DOWN TO THE COOKS.  AND BECAUSE OF THAT YOU FEEL IT IN MOST OF THE PASSENGERS AROUND YOU.  IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE DRUNK, LIKE SOME PLACES.  IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL HAPPY TO BE THERE, JUST LIKE THE DISNEY PARKS.  YES, IT MAY HAVE COST YOU A PRETTY PENNY, BUT DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU DIDN'T GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH FROM A DISNEY VACATION.  YOU USUALLY COME HOME TIRED BECAUS YOU DID SO MUCH.  YOU USUALLY TAKE TOO MANY PICTURES BECAUSE THEY'RE SO MUCH TO SEE.  AND YOU USUALLY HAVE ENOUGH MEMORIES TO LAST YOU A LIFETIME.  CAN YOU REALLY ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE FROM A VACATION? 

     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº
TONIGHT'S MOVIE IS "ENCHANTED".  WHILE IT'S TECHNICALLY NOT AN ANIMATED FILM, THERE IS SOME ANIMATION IN IT, LIKE "MARY POPPINS", AND IT IS INCREDIBLY CUTE.  AMY ADAMS IS FANTASTIC IN IT.  IT'LL KEEP YOU SMILING!


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