May 15, 2012

We are both very excited to be going on this trip.  Although we were away on vacation in February, it seems like we’ve been home forever.  That’s probably because we have been held very close to home since my knee surgery in early April.  So we are really looking forward to seeing old friends again at Walt Disney World and aboard the new Disney Fantasy as we sail the eastern Caribbean.

Carol has been busy for a few weeks, assembling all the gear we will need for our two weeks away from home.  She uses a bed in a spare room as a staging area.  It gets piled up with cameras, computers, a backpack, trading pins, trading vinylmations . . . etc., etc.   Just a few days before we leave the clothing gets packed in.  She insists that I must have nothing to do with this process.  My participation is limited to loading the car on the day of departure.

Today we were in no rush; all we were doing was driving to Syracuse NY where we catch a flight to Orlando tomorrow.  So we had a leisurely morning, lingered over coffee, read the newspapers and by 9:00 we were ready to roll!   

Of course, the dogs can sense even the smallest change in our routine . . . they knew something was afoot!  Zak was giving Carol the evil-eye!  He mopes and pouts all the time we are getting ready to go!  Carol’s parents dog-sit while we are away so we dropped them off at their vacation resort and we were on the freeway by 9:40 a.m.

We rolled across the border into the USA at 10:20 and headed south on I-81 in light traffic.  Our first stop was in Watertown where Carol picked up a few little things at Walgreen’s and I made a few purchases at Harbor Freight Tools.  Then we stopped at Best Buy.  Carol has been thinking that she might like an eBook reader so we looked at a few and picked up a 7” Samsung Galaxy Tablet for her to “test-drive” while we are away.  If she doesn’t like it I know I sure will!

Before leaving Watertown we had a nice lunch at Olive Garden and were back on I-81 by 12:45.  We made a quick stop for gas along the way and reached the Carousel Mall in Syracuse at about 2:00.  We went directly to JC Penny; we like this chain because they always have a nice selection of clothing in the “big-boy” sizes I need.  I paid for the pile of shirts Carol threw at me while she wandered off to the Disney Store.  I sat in the car and played with her new tablet while I waited.  Guess what?  She came back from the Disney Store empty-handed.  That does not happen often!

We checked in at the Holiday Inn Express beside the airport and I started setting up Carol’s tablet while she headed off for more shopping at The Christmas Tree Shop and K-Mart.  She arrived back just before 6:00 with a few items from each store.

After dinner at Appleby’s we settled in for an evening of TV.  We have a 5:00 a.m. wake-up call so bed-time will come early!

Wednesday May 16, 2012

Wow . . . we had forgotten how dark it is at 5:00 a.m.  It’s a painful time to start your day; but of course there was a grand destination waiting for us so we scurried to get ready.  Ok, I admit it . . . it was more of a bleary-eyed shuffle than a scurry, but we were showered, dressed and out the door in thirty minutes.  We had a coffee from the continental breakfast and I had a quick bite to eat.  By 5:45 we were aboard the shuttle for the seven minute trip to the airport.

There was no one in line when we arrived at the Jet Blue desk and they whisked us right through.  The attendant even came out to help Carol drag our luggage over to the TSA screening area.  That was great service!  It’s my first time flying Jet Blue and I’m impressed.

We picked up a coffee and sat in the lounge adjacent to our gate until we boarded at 6:30.  The pilot stood at the door to the flight deck and entertained us with jokes for twenty minutes then took his seat.  Within five minutes we pushed away from the gate and our 7:00 a.m. flight took off ten minutes early.  The flight was smooth and uneventful.  We were on the ground in Orlando by 9:50.  The airport here is huge so Carol had arranged to have a wheelchair waiting.  An airport attendant pushed me all the way to the baggage carousel (not an easy chore) while Carol hustled along beside us with the carry-on items.

Everything was flowing so smoothly today that it just had to end right?  No, it didn’t.  The first two bags to come down the carousel were ours.  We were across the road and picking up our rental car before 10:30.  Carol had a voucher for a free upgrade so our Chevy Cruze became a Mercury Grand Marquis.  Nice ride!

We came through the main gate on World Centre Drive at 11:00 and pulled into Port Orleans French Quarter at 11:05.  This is when the magic ended.  Our room wasn’t ready, they promised to send us a text message when it was cleaned and available.  No problem, we really hadn’t expected it to be ready . . . Carol said, “Let’s have lunch.”  So we stopped at the hotel’s food court for a bite.  Naturally it’s a New Orleans theme, so I had a muffaletta sandwich and Carol had a chicken po-boy.  Big mistake.  They were both tasty, but the two of us could have split either one of them.

Next stop – Property Control where Carol did some shopping.  There were no great treasures today but she did buy a few little trinkets.  On our way back to the hotel we stopped in at Fort Wilderness Campground to see if our camping friends from Missouri were there.  No such luck, they must have been off at a park, so we left a note on their motor home and carried on.  As we were leaving the campground my precious and lovely bride said, “Take me to DStreet.”  I sat in the Downtown Disney parking lot and read while I waited.  She was soon back with a snazzy new Vinylmation and we returned to the hotel at 2:30.  The room still wasn’t ready so we took a seat in Scat Cat’s lounge to wait.  Finally at about 2:50 the text message came . . . and we settled in to our room.  It was nap time!

We were rolling again at 4:45 when we boarded the boat and took a nice cruise down the Sassagoula River to Downtown Disney.  We were joining a group of friends from the Tagrel.com web site with plans to eat our way around Downtown Disney.  This consisted of a sandwich at the Earl of Sandwich followed by ice cream at Ghirardelli’s.  Since we arrived well before the 6:00 p.m. meeting time, Carol had lots of time to shop.  In the Art of Disney shop she picked up a matted print of the Disneyland Railroad.  She’s wants the mat for a Ducky Williams print she has.  I don’t know where she plans to hang it; I may have to build some new walls when we get home!

Some of the gang were already at Earl’s when we arrived about 5:45 and more soon joined us.  The group included SusanL, Bookwood, Topaz, Rosebud, AmyMouse, Snickerdoodlesmommy, Snickerdoodles, TheOneAndOnlyAshley, Bill, Daddio, Cathy, Mellissa, Carl, towncrier, Sarah, Barrie, Robin and DisneyHouseDad.  After a lot of chatter and some great sandwiches we sauntered over to Ghirardelli’s.  There was some light drizzle but we managed to find cover as we enjoyed our ice cream treats and yet another gab-fest.

By 8:00 we were growing a tad weary after a long day so we said our farewells and headed back to the boat.  It was waiting as we approached and in no time we were once again plying the Sassagoula River.  It’s a pretty trip!

Back at our resort we were wowed when we entered the room.  Suzy, our MouseFanTravel.com Agent had sent a wonderful gift bag.  It's a nice Disney cooler bag filled with snacks and drinks.  The card wished us a Happy Anniversary!  Thanks Suzy. 

After admiring the gift we changed into our bathing suits and headed out to the pool and hot tub.  I took my beat-up old knees directly to the hot tub while Carol went to dip her toes in the pool.  She soon found it too cold and joined me in the tub.  After a leisurely soak we returned to the room and crashed!  Tomorrow is another busy day!

Thursday May 17, 2012

Once again we were up with the crows . . . OK, the crows probably beat us . . . but we were rolling by 6:30.  We stopped in the food court where I had a quick bite of breakfast and then drove to EPCOT.  We were parked at the park by 8:00 a.m. and sat in the car while we sipped on our coffees.  We left the half finished coffees and reached the entry turnstiles at 8:30, a full half-hour before opening.  Guess who was first in line?  Bookwood, Rosebud, Ray Sharpton, SusanL, Carl  and Topaz.  They must have been true early-birds!  We were about 30 people back and we were joined by Mary501 and towncrier.

Carol atoned for ditching me by allowing me to share her orange juice and muffin at Sunshine Seasons where we all stopped for a while.  Soon our FastPasses were valid so ten of us rode a second time.

Next stop was Spaceship Earth.  This time the group wanted Ray and I so they could use the special handicap entrance  . . . there was a good deal of sucking up going on and Ray and I relished it.  Unfortunately the ride was down so we missed one of my favorite EPCOT attractions.

The group broke up, some went off to Hollywood Studios and some of us wandered around EPCOT enjoying the Flower and Garden Show which winds up next Sunday.  Carol and I stopped at Guest Relations where she bought some Disney Dollars and then slowly wandered toward England.  Our trip took us through Bambi’s Butterfly House and then through the Rose Garden.  We snapped pictures all along our route.

We arrived in England just in time to check in for our lunch at Rose & Crown.  We had not eaten there for several years so it was nice to visit again.  Carol had her favorite, cottage pie and I tried the fish and chips (and a Guinness).  Yum, we both enjoyed it.

We headed toward the park exit and made a brief stop at the Art of Disney Store where artist Larry Dotson was appearing.  Carol had been wanting one of his prints so we stopped to pick it up and have Larry sign it for her.  We took a few more topiary pictures as we left the park and headed back to our resort.  It was 91 degrees and humid so we needed a break (and a nap).  When we hooped in the car at EPCOT the coffee we had left behind in the morning was just as hot as when we left it, so we finished it on the way back!

After a nice rest we loaded the car again and by 4:30 we were on our way to Magic Kingdom.  The first stop was at the Fire Hall where we both picked up some Sorcerer Cards, Carol’s latest collection.  Then we wandered through Adventureland hoping that the Tortuga Tavern would be open for dinner.  Nope, not today.  We checked out the menu at Pecos Bills and nothing appealed today.  We didn’t want burgers after a big lunch so we carried on and wound up at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café where we both enjoyed a grilled chicken sandwich.  They were good!

After dinner we wandered around Fantasyland to see the newly opened attractions.  There is still plenty of construction going on but the little bit that is open looks great!

We had both been craving a cold treat so we headed to Adventureland.  I picked up a pineapple float at Adventure Isle and then carried on to join Carol who was picking up a citrus swirl at Sunshine Terrace.  She was in line with Mary501 when I caught up so I grabbed a table and the three of us sat trying to get a three-way brain freeze.  When we were done Carol and I wandered over to Casey’s Corner and after waiting a few minutes we acquired a nice corner table where our group could assemble to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade.  Soon Mary501 joined us, followed by Ray Sharpton.  Then along came Bookwood, SusanL, Daddio, Cathy, Melissa, ddindy, Timon, Barrie, Rosebud and towncrier.  We yakked until the lights dimmed and we watched the parade from our seats. 

When the lights came back on I was surprised to see Photographer, she had snuck in quietly during the parade.  We chatted a bit more while we waited for the crowd to disperse a bit and then we made our way to the exit and headed home.  We arrived back at the hotel at about 10:15, tired after a long, hot day.  It was still 77 degrees when we got home.

Friday May 18, 2012

We missed rope drop today.  The fates conspired against us.  I didn’t finish writing up our trip report last night so I was up at 6:00 this morning adding some finishing touches, uploading pictures and getting it published.  I got it finished just in time to have a shower and head down to the hotel lobby where Gary from “More Than Mobility – Central Florida” met me.  I had some minor technical difficulties with my rental ECV scooter yesterday and they were quick to come and swap it for a new one.  This is the third time I have rented from More Than Mobility and they are very nice to deal with, good prices, free delivery and pick-up.  Today I found out how good their service is!

I had a quick breakfast sandwich in the food court and by the time I arrived back at the room Carol was ready to go!  We hit the road and arrived at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at 8:25.  This is the first time we have been at Walt Disney World during Star Wars Weekend so we were looking forward to something different.  We found it right away . . . there were Storm Troopers on the roof over the entry turnstiles and they put on quite a show as we entered.  We stopped for a few minutes for some pictures. 

Since our group from Tagrel.com had gone to ride Toy Story Midway Mania at 8:00 a.m. Carol sent a text message to find out where they were.  We went to the Animation Courtyard and had a nice chat with David Rippberger, a cel artist, in the Animation store.  Soon Carol received a text, the gang was heading to Tower of Terror so she scurried over to take the plunge with them while I stayed to chat with David a while longer.

As we were chatting a lady walked up and said, “You’re Gary!”  I replied, “Yes, I think so.”  It was ChrisR who was there with her husband and sons Scotty and Nick enjoying Nick’s Make-A-Wish trip.  I bumped into them three times during the day, it was great to meet her.  Here is a picture of ChrisR and family taken later in the day at Hollywood & Vine.

I headed over to Sunset Boulevard and waited at the exit to Tower of Terror.

Soon Carol and the group emerged, none the worse for wear.  They all posed nicely for a “group scream” picture and then everyone went their separate ways.

Carol tracked down her pin trading friends who were in line at the Darth Mall tent waiting to buy some event merchandise.  They had been in line for the tent since 8:00 a.m. (1 hour and 40 minutes) and were just about to enter.  She said a quick hello and then she and I wandered around looking for Star Wars characters . . . they were everywhere.  As we passed Toy Story Midway Mania we stopped in for a ride.  Ouch – our arms are sore!

We slowly made our way to toward the Star Tours attraction, the focal area for Star Wars Weekend events.  The closer we got the more crowded it became.  It was fun to see the characters but it was just waaay more crowded than we are prepared to deal with!  We took a few more pictures and hurried through as quickly as we could.

We stopped for a short rest under an umbrella near Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner and then Carol had to check out the pins under the big hat.  She wandered through a few shops while I headed over toward the 50’s Prime Time Café, the Tagrel group was convening there at 12:25 for lunch. 

DisneyHouseDad was waiting when I arrived and soon Carol joined us.  It wasn’t long before Timon, Topaz, Daddio, Cathy, Melissa, Carl, SusanL, Bookwood, Rosebud, towncrier and Barrie arrived and the fourteen of us went in for lunch. 

As usual is was a riotous good time.  We were all seated in the same area at two tables and our server, Elaine, was terrific right until the end.  Among the fourteen of us we had four Tables in Wonderland cards and one person on the dining plan.  Elaine made it just too much of an ordeal to work out the bills.  The process took over 30 minutes and left me with a bad attitude.  We had a sweet time and a good lunch but it had a bitter ending for me.

We lingered outside chatting for a few minutes then Carol and I headed to the parking lot, hoping for some time at the pool this afternoon.  As we left Hollywood Studios the skies darkened and there were rumbles of thunder and a few raindrops by the time we arrived at French Quarter at 2:30.  We decided to skip the swim.  I had a short nap and then wrote a few comments for the trip report while Carol went to the shop beside the hotel lobby.

By 4:30 we were back in the car, heading to EPCOT for the concert at America Gardens Theatre.  It was originally scheduled to be Davey Jones of the Monkees but shortly after Davy’s sudden death his old friend and band mate Mickey Dolenz stepped up to replace him. 

We arrived at the park by 4:45 and slowly made out way back to World Showcase to see the topiaries we missed the day before.  We made our way past Mexico, Norway, China, Germany and Italy on our way to the America Gardens Theatre, snapping pictures along the way.

Bookwood was waiting sitting on a convenient wall when we arrived and soon the rest of the gang joined the three of us.  By the time we hopped in the line to enter the theatre it stretched all the way back to Italy and we wondered if we would get a seat.

No problem, by the time we got there the theatre was only half full.  Because of my scooter we were directed to the handicap seating area and there was room for Topaz, Rosebud and Timon to join Carol and I there.   Bookwood, SusanL, Robin, AmyMouse and Photographer all found seats together about five rows behind us but near the centre of the house.  We all had good seats and Mickey didn’t disappoint. 

Carol and I have seen quite a few “oldies” acts there and Mickey’s voice has survived better than most.  He sang the old Monkey’s standards and a few other classic 60’s hit.  His sister Coco was part of the group and sang back-up vocals.  At one point she took centre-stage and belted out a stirring rendition of Grace Slick’s White Rabbit.  It was a great show, Carol enjoyed it . . . and she’s not an oldies fan!  If he comes back for future shows, try to get to one.

After the show we said our goodbyes.  Everyone else was heading off to the traditional fun-filled Tagrel gift exchange but we decided to skip this year.  We’re heading off to Port Canaveral in the morning and Carol had to pack our bags again.

Just as we left it started to rain so we ducked into the quick-service restaurant at China.  We found a table inside and Carol dashed off to get some food while I guarded our seats.  The skies opened up and I quickly discovered that over half of our table wasn’t covered by a roof.  The rain was running off the table on to my legs as I picked up all the stuff we had sitting there.  The folks at the next table saw my plight and invited us to join them at their dry table.  Carol arrive back with our dinner and we enjoyed chatting with them while we ate.  The rain had pretty much ended by the time we were finished so we made our way to the exit. 

Carol spotted a great blue heron near the Odyssey building so we stopped for a few minutes to watch it.  We left the park at 8:00 and by 8:20 Carol was packing our bags.  We had hoped to get to the pool but the weather was still threatening so the TV went on for the first time since we arrived.  Early to bed tonight, we want to be well rested for our sail-away day.

Saturday May 19, 2012

I was awake at 5:00 a.m. this morning, probably just too excited about our cruise . . . my mind was racing and I couldn’t make it stop.  After tossing and turning for a while I got up and played at the computer.  That doesn’t work very well when I can’t see the keyboard in the dark.  So I soon went back to bed and read for a while . . . then I was able to nod off again until 7:00.

When I emerged from the shower Carol was up and bustling fumbling around with last minute packing.  I scooted down for breakfast while she showered and we were soon loading the car.  I drove the rental ECV scooter over to Bell Services where it will be picked up later and Carol drove the car around to pick me up.  By 9:30 we were eastbound toward Port Canaveral.

Carol got more and more excited the closer we got.  We were still ten miles from the coast when she pulled her camera out to get that first picture of the ship. 

Who were next to us in line?  It was Doug and Audrey from Waterdown Ontario.  We had met them at the AllEars “December to Remember” celebration last year.  We were quickly through the “Welcome Aboard” photo and proceeded to the Atrium. When we got to the Atrium a cast member announced us and we were welcomed aboard by a line of cast members.  We just stood in the atrium for a while soaking in all the new scenery!  Wow!

It was noon so we headed directly down to Deck #2 with Doug and Audrey and had a nice lunch at the Enchanted Garden.

After lunch there were a few chores to be done, we needed to head to Deck #12 to shift the time on a Palo brunch reservation and we needed to check in with AllEars.net on Deck #4.  Audrey wanted to book a Palo brunch and a tea so we decided to split up.  Carol and Doug went to Deck #4 to check in with AllEars while Audrey and I went to Deck #12 to deal with the Palo reservations.  We were successful in rescheduling the brunch and Doug and Audrey will be joining us for it. We were soon down to Deck #4 and joined Carol and Doug at The Tube where they had just finished checking in.

We bumped into a few friends along the way, Masayo, Gail, Beci, Annette, Sandy, David, James, Patrice, Deb, Linda, Barrie, Melanie, James and Linda.

We checked to see if our stateroom was ready . . . not yet . . . so we took a seat pool-side on Deck #11 and rested for a half-hour. 

At 1:30 we headed back down . . . the ropes were still up to block access to our hallway but they soon came down and by 1:40 we were in our stateroom #10160.  Wow, it’s nice.  Similar to the staterooms we’ve had in the past on the Magic and the Wonder but the bathrooms seem to be about 10% bigger and I think the living space is a bit larger too.  The balcony is certainly bigger . . . it’s about seven times bigger.  We are at the back of the ship and the balcony is at least fifteen feet deep.  Let’s have a party!

Soon the luggage arrived and Carol spent a few minutes getting us all unpacked and settled.  I stretched out and relaxed on the bed to avoid getting in her way!  By the time she was done it was time for the mandatory lifeboat drill.  We were called at 4:00 and our group met outside on the Promenade area on Deck #4.  Within 15 minutes it was all over and we were dismissed.

We went immediately to Deck #12 midship and joined the Sail Away Party which was just getting started.

The AllEars.net group assembled on the starboard side between the two stacks and we watched the stage show taking place one deck below.  Then the MouseFan Travel Vagabond Road Show put on their boot-scootin’ boots and gave us a private show on Deck #12.  They were great!

We pulled away from the dock at 4:50 and the girls swung into action.  Folks at home and at Walt Disney World were poised at their computers watching the Port Canaveral web-cam so Carol and fellow Canadian Audrey unfurled the Canadian flag and held it in front of us.  We waved furiously as we passed Fishlips Restaurant where the camera is located.  Just a few minutes later Carol received a text from SusanL . . . they had seen us clearly on the web-cam.  Mission accomplished . . . we put the flag away until our next cruise.  Before we knew it we had left the harbour behind and were sailing off into the Atlantic.

We elected early dining this cruise so dinner time came at 5:45, very soon after the Sail Away Party.  We stopped in the stateroom to freshen up and headed for the Enchanted Garden where we had a wonderful dinner.  Our table-mates are Melanie from Colorado, Barrie from Oregon and a couple we had not met before, Lou and Kathy from the Tampa area.

After dinner we headed to Deck #3 where Carol familiarized herself with the layout of the shops.  I thought it would just be an exploratory mission but I was wrong . . . she bought a charm for her Pandora bracelet.

We headed up to Deck #4 to enjoy the nightly show from the balcony in the Walt Disney Theatre.  Tonight it was “Fantasy Come True” a spirited music and dance show.  It was very entertaining . . . then came Michael Holly, a juggler and comedian.  He had us in stitches.  The only French word he knows is “faux pas” – that’s what a pirate dog wears instead of a hook!  Our ribs were sore when it was over.

We thought quickly about going for a nightcap somewhere but dismissed the idea . . . we were both tuckered out.  We were back to the cabin by 9:45 where we settled in for the night.

Sunday May 20, 2012

It was a sea day – time to relax . . . aaahhhh!

We were both wide awake at 6:30 a.m.  Carol had pre-ordered room service and our coffee and croissants arrived at 7:00 a.m. so we sat and savored them as we watched the Caribbean flow past our balcony.  Nice!  In all the cruising we have done, this is the first time we have ordered room service.  We will definitely do it again . . . it’s already ordered for tomorrow!

I left at about 7:30 to roam the deck a bit and get my bearings before the 8:00 a.m. Cawfee Talk meet in the Cove Café. 

Deb greeted everyone at the Cove Café and we spent a leisurely hour chatting with other members of the group.  Many of these people we have met at other AllEars events but there are quite a few newcomers on the cruise as well.  Carol even came; it was her first time at one of Deb’s coffee meets.  Carol prefers some solitude for the first few hours of her day!

After the Cove Café meet we wandered the upper decks for a while and then made our way to the Enchanted Garden for breakfast.  There are servers who seat you and bring juices and coffee while the breakfast itself is served buffet style.  After a light snack of eggs, sausage and fresh fruit we headed to Deck #4, the Promenade deck and settled in some deck chairs to wait for the 11:00 a.m. party for Gold and Platinum Castaway Cay members held in The Tube. 

Captain Mickey came to join us and we all had the opportunity to pose with him.  There were some free drinks, mimosa and a few other fruit and liqueur concoctions and a light selection of finger foods while Cruise Director Ray Smale and Captain Marco mingled with all the guests.  A short video reviewed the history of the Disney Cruise Line and then thanked us all for our patronage.  It was a nice event! As we left the tube we were each given a Mickey Rice Krispie treat.

We headed back to the stateroom and donned our bathing suits.  We are still orienting ourselves to the new ship and it’s been a bit challenging because of my walker.  We know the Magic and the Wonder like the back of our hand but everything aboard the Fantasy is new to us.  We have encountered a few dead-ends where we have had to backtrack because I am not able to walk up a flight of stairs.  The good news is we are starting to know where these impediments are and in a few days we’ll have it mastered.

We made our way to the adult pool beside the Cove Café and settled in for a few hours of relaxation.  Carol picked us up a sandwich from the Tow Mater Grill and we wasted a few hours between the pool, the hot tub and some lounge chairs!

Soon it was time for the 2:30 AllEars.net Ice Cream Social.  Fortunately this was only about fifty feet from our lounge chairs so we didn’t have to hurry.  By the time we arrived at 2:25 there were already about forty people there.  We sat around and yakked with some old friends and made some new acquaintances while we enjoyed soft-serve ice cream.  There was a flurry of card trading.  AllEars Trading Cards have become a hot commodity and the wheeling, dealing and wrangling was a sight to behold!

By 3:30 the heat and humidity had caught up to us so we said our goodbyes and headed to the stateroom for a well earned siesta.  I snored on the bed while Carol stretched out on the couch.  At 4:30 Melanie arrived and delivered the pins for tomorrow’s pin trading event.  After a short visit Melanie left and Carol started filling up a corkboard with pins.

We freshened up and changed for dinner in The Royal Court.  It’s formal night . . . that means I put on long pants.  Dinner was terrific, it’s a pretty setting in a “princess motif” and we enjoyed a very nice meal while getting to know our tablemates a bit better.

At about 7:40 we headed back to the cabin and changed back into casual clothes before heading to the Walt Disney Theatre for the 8:30 Aladdin Show.  This is the first time we have tried the early seating for dinner and so far we like it.

The Aladdin show is just amazing . . . very similar too the show in Disneyland’s Hyperion Theatre.  Some of the staging effects are cut back compared to the west coast version but that is probably due to the constraints of the ship.  It is an excellent show, not to be missed!

After the show we hustled to La Piazza, an Italian themed bar on Deck #4.  Some of the AllEars group congregated there for a few drinks after the show.  We lingered for a lot of chatter and a couple of drinks before calling it a night just before 11:00.  Tomorrow will be another busy day of rest and relaxation so we need our beauty sleep!