Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures

Tales from my (mostly Disney) travels!
Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures
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    • Animator’s Palate – Disney Fantasy

      Posted at 9:07 pm by taryngirl, on December 10, 2019

      June 2019

      This was our night to dine at Animator’s Palate.  This dining room is fun!  And dedicated to all things animation.  On a 7 night itinerary, you eat here twice.  The first night you get to hear from Crush from Finding Nemo.  He interacts directly with people at their tables kind of like Turtle Talk with Crush in Epcot!

      Here’s the dinner menu:

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      The adorable butter knife!

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      My favorite item on the menu…Black Truffle Pasta Purseittes.  I personally ordered three of these and told them to bring them as my main meal!

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      Sliced Serrano Ham:

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      Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.  I got this also and it was really good!  Nice and creamy and really good flavor.

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      Pennete Bolognese.  My daughter ordered this.  It was just basic penne pasta.  I would choose something different!

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      Ginger-Teriyaki Dusted Angus Beef Tenderloin.  I did have a bite of this and it was super tender!  Good flavor!

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      Lemon-Thyme Marinated All Natural Chicken Breast:

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      Herb Crusted Pork Chop:

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      (I only commented on the ones I tasted!  I didn’t hear any bad reviews from anyone though.)

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      Cookies ‘n Cream Sundae.  I had this and it was a nice treat!

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      Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake:

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      Our assistant waiter was really good at origami!  He made this cute dress for Kinsey.

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      Overall, I love this dining room.  It’s a little bit more laid back of an atmosphere and the theming is true Disney!

      Posted in Animator's Palate, Cruise, Dining Review, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | Tagged Animator's Palate, Cruise, Dining Review, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy
    • Royal Court Dinner Review

      Posted at 2:32 pm by taryngirl, on October 18, 2019

      6/16/19

      For dinner on our second night, we were scheduled in Royal Court.  This was also our formal night.  I requested a specific dining rotation so we would be all dressed up in this dining room!  This was in the most formal in my opinion.  It’s all about the princesses in here.

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      I loved the special touch with the way the napkins were folded into shirts!  And the bread basket is my favorite.

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      Thinking back now, I did not get any pictures of the kid’s menu!

      Kid’s spaghetti:

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      Kid’s pizza:

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      Gaston’s Escargot Gratinee:

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      Farmhouse Salad:

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      This was mine and I loved every bite of it.  The dressing is super light, and I like the addition of the sliced fingerling potatoes and goat cheese crouton.

      Wild Mushroom Stuffed Pasta in a Vegetable Broth:

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      Chateaubriand-Roasted Filet Steak:

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      This was mine and it was super tender and delicious.  It was really good dipped in the sauce.  It was the perfect portion size!

      I don’t have a picture of the dessert menu, but this was some flavor of Creme Brûlée and some kind of soufflé.

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      This was an apple dessert and very good!

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      The chandelier in the Atrium, just outside of the restaurant:

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      Grandparents with grandchildren:

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      Overall the meal was fantastic and the dining room was perfect!

      Posted in Dining Review, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Royal Court, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Cruise, Dining Review, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Main Dining Room, Royal Court
    • Disney Fantasy – Palo Brunch Review

      Posted at 12:38 pm by taryngirl, on October 9, 2019

      Combining from my June and September 2019 cruises!

      Palo is a specialty restaurant serving brunch on sea days, and nightly dinners for guests ages 18 and older only.  You must have reservations to dine here, and those can be made online during your check-in process for the cruise itself.  I’m not going to lie…these reservations sell out quickly and are hard to get!  But are TOTALLY worth it!  (If you cannot make a reservation online, upon embarking, you can head directly to Palo and try to make reservations then.  I’ve done this twice successfully.). There is a dress code, as this is more upscale than the main dining rooms.  Be sure to check that when you are packing for the cruise!

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      The view!

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      Included are mimosas or a glass of champagne.

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      After being led to our table, the waiter explained the dining process.  There is a menu to order from, as well as a “buffet” style set up.  The meal is slowwwwww.  You are not rushed and can spend as much time as you need.

      Here’s my first plate from the buffet section:

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      The cinnamon roll was SO GOOD!  Warm and gooey.  And the parmesan cheese…I couldn’t get enough of it!

      The first table…filled with delicious fruit, breads and pastries.  The almond croissant was one of my favorites!

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      The next table was full of seafood offerings, caviar, vegetables, and more!

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      The third table had a variety of cheeses, olives, meats, etc.

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      You may make as many trips up to these tables as you wish!

      Here is the menu we ordered from for made to order items:

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      Heirloom Tomato and Basil Soup:

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      Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast:  This is my favorite food on any of the Disney Cruise ships!  It’s SO GOOD!  And the Risotto is perfect with this.  This is 80% why I schedule this brunch on every cruise.

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      Celery Soup:

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      Roasted Red Snapper Filet:

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      Lasagna Bolognaise:  I also was able to taste this.  It was good but I feel like since we were one of the last tables for the day, it was sitting for awhile maybe??  It’s a good shareable option though!

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      The dessert table:

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      I love that the portions are small so we can try a bunch of different things!

      June cruise:

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      Our waiter also brought us several of these lava cakes to share.  They were good but we were SO FULL!

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      September cruise:

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      (Apparently I have my favorites!)

      It was my niece’s graduation celebration on this cruise and they brought here this:

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      If I didn’t comment on the food, that means it was someone else’s but I just took a picture to share!

      This is hands down one of my favorite parts of the cruise!  It’s $40 per person, and that is charged to your stateroom account.  I highly suggest trying it at least once!

      Posted in Cruise, Dining Review, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Palo Brunch, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Disney, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Palo Brunch
    • Disney Fantasy, Enchanted Garden Dinner

      Posted at 2:15 pm by taryngirl, on August 29, 2019

      6/15/19

      Our first night’s dinner was in Enchanted Garden.  I enjoy the theming in this dining room!

      Here’s a look at the menu:

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      Chickpea Garlic Puree for bread dipping

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      This was yummy!

      Cucumber Garden Roll

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      I ordered this.  It was very light and refreshing!

      Ahi Tuna and Avocado Tower

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      Romaine Wedge

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      I also had this.  It was good, but could have used a little bit more dressing.

      Kid’s Chicken Fingers and Fries

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      My daughter had this every other night.  She alternated with pizza!  I love Disney chicken fingers…

      Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions

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      I’ve had this before with different potatoes.  The pork was really good!  I will probably asked for mashed potatoes next time.  The potatoes underneath were a little crunch.

      Pan-Seared Sea Bass

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      Caramelized Sea Scallops

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      Chocolate Garden Torte

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      This was soooo good.  I surprisingly liked the coffee cream on the side!

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      Southern Style Pecan Tart

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      The inside of the restaurant

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      Our group minus 1 who wasn’t feeling great.

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      Overall I loved my food here!  And I love the ambiance and atmosphere of this dining room.  Our cabin was on the same deck as this so it was super easy to get to.  On a 7 night cruise, I put in a request for Enchanted Garden for the first night, because that will put us in Royal Court for formal night.  To me, that’s the “fanciest” of the dining rooms.  Just a personal preference!

      Posted in Cruise, Dining Review, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Enchanted Garden
    • Disney Fantasy – Around the Ship

      Posted at 12:34 pm by taryngirl, on August 11, 2019

      I was able to capture some pictures of general areas on the ship.

      First up is the pool deck, which is Deck 11.  On this deck you can find the Salon and Spa, Fitness Area, Quiet Cove Adult Pool, Cove Cafe, quick service dining options, Donald’s Family Pool, Mickey’s Family Pool, and Cabanas buffet.

      We spent a lot of time at Donald’s Pool and watching the Funnel Vision movies!

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      One thing that sets Disney Cruise Line apart from other cruise lines is the soft drink situation.  There are Beverage Stations on Deck 11, offering complimentary soft drinks, hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and Powerade.  On other cruise lines, you either have to buy a beverage package, or pay as you go for each soda.

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      There’s no need to bring your water vest, as DCL provides them for you on the pool deck.  They are also provided on Castaway Cay.

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      Nemo’s Reef offers an interactive splash play area for kids 8 years of age or younger.  As a reminder, kids who are not toilet trained and are wearing swim diapers are NOT permitted in the regular pools!  This is a great alternative for those kids.

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      The Aqua Lab is another fun water zone for guests under the age of 16.

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      Located on deck 12, the entrance to Palo and Remy is pretty spectacular.

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      If you didn’t know, the Cove Cafe on deck 11 offers some nibbles throughout the day.  In the morning, they usually have muffins and pastries, but in the afternoon and evening, they have more finger foods that are a great snack for in between meals.  (Also at the Vista Cafe on deck 4 they offer this!).  It’s free!  You just have to ask them to serve you.  Beverages at these places will cost you though.

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      More to come!

      Posted in Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | Tagged Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line
    • Disney Fantasy Cruise Line – Embarkation Day and Cabin Tour

      Posted at 2:11 pm by taryngirl, on August 3, 2019

      June 15, 2019

      The day had finally come!  The day we embarked on the Disney Fantasy Cruise Line, for an Eastern Caribbean cruise!  We had been preparing for this for over a year for my niece’s graduation.

      (We had rented a car through Hertz from MCO, and returned it the night prior to leaving for the cruise.  Hertz was right in the parking lot of our hotel.  My husband spoke with them when returning the car and explained we were going on the cruise in the morning.  They told him we could come back and take the shuttle the morning of the cruise.)

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      Here we are at Hertz waiting for the shuttle to the port.

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      And here we are with the rest of our travel party!  They had rented cars from another place, so we just met once inside the terminal.

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      Priority upon embarking for our family:

      • Head straight up to the pool deck and secure some seats near the pool.
      • Ride the Aquaduck.
      • Eat some lunch.
      • Head to Palo to secure brunch if unable prior.
      • 1:30 p.m. Head to our cabin to drop off carry ons and unpack a little bit.
      • Go to the DVC Member party.
      • Go to the Facebook meet up.
      • Check out kid club open houses.
      • Head to the sail away party.

      Here is a tour of our Stateroom #2550 which is a Deluxe Oceanview:

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      (I forgot to snap a picture, but the couch flips down to a twin sized bed and the other bed comes down from the ceiling.)

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      These extra goodies can be ordered through DCL, except for the sling bag.  That is a gift from DCL for returning cruisers.  The owner of my travel agency, Mad Hatter Adventures, had sent us these goodies!

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      After checking out our room, we went to the DVC Member party.  They usually have a character of some sort, and this time it was Princess Tiana!

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      One plus is you get a free drink and some bottled water.

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      The spillway party is always fun!  We go to deck 12 so we can look down on the party and also look over the railing as we are sailing out.

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      The DCL terminal.

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      This area is full of restaurants!  We ate here the night before sailing.

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      More to come!

       

      Posted in Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Port Canaveral, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | Tagged Cruise, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Eastern Caribbean, Port Canaveral
    • March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 4}-Part 2! (Common Areas and Kid Clubs)

      Posted at 9:36 am by taryngirl, on June 15, 2018

      Moving on now to other “common” areas around the ship.

      This is the entrance to the Quiet Cove Adult Pool.  One great thing about the Disney Cruise ships is they all have adult only areas.  And they adhere to them!

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      Yes, this pool has its own bar.

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      Another adult only area is Satellite Falls.  This is hands down my favorite area to be when I’m kid free on the Dream or the Fantasy!

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      You can’t see good in this picture, but all around the perimeter are padded loungers.  And there’s a glass wall to block the wind.

      This next picture is showing the Mickey Slide and Mickey’s Pool.  Above you can see the AquaDuck slide.

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      At the other end of this area is Donald’s Family Pool. (not pictured)  There’s also a big screen where they play movies throughout the day.

      In case you didn’t know, in order to swim in the regular pools, children must be POTTY TRAINED!  NO SWIM DIAPERS!  And please, please, please adhere to this.  If there’s an accident in the pool, the entire thing is shut down, which is no fun for anyone.  So please, just follow the rules!  Available for children ages 8 and under is Nemo’s Reef.  This is more of a “splash pad,” but is a great option for those kids who wear swim diapers.

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      From here we moved to the Kid Clubs.

      There are a few different age-specific experiences on Disney Cruise ships.  For children under the age of 3, group babysitting and play time happens at It’s a Small World Nursery.  A small fee DOES apply here!

      Children ages 3-12 have the option of going to the Oceaneer Club or the Oceaneer Lab.  There are so many activities going on at both of these locations!  Here’s a quick summary of the CLUB.  And here’s a quick summary of the LAB.  One note…your child can participate in a scheduled activity, or they can just go there and find something to do on her/his own.  All kids participating will get one of these Magic Bands.  They scan this everytime they enter the clubs.  One topic I read about often is parents in clubs.  The only time parents are permitted inside the club is during “Open House” hours which will be listed on the Navigator (schedule of events for the day).

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      Oceaneer Club:

      On the Dream you have Andy’s Room

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      Pixie Hollow

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      Star Wars Millenium Falcon

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      Disney Infinity Game Room

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      This is the large room right where you enter.  It has a magic floor!

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      This is the way to get to the Lab once inside the Club.  Kids don’t have to walk out in the hallways, as you can get back and forth once inside.  This is also where they eat if they are eating a meal in the club.

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      EDGE:

      This club is meant for kids ages 11-14.  Unfortunately I got no pictures!

      VIBE:

      This club is mean for kids ages 14-17.  This space was….AMAZING!  If I was a kid, I would never leave this space.  It has its own sundeck!

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      Watch this video of Vibe that I took!

      Up next…{Day 4} Evening!  Magic Kingdom and Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

       

      Posted in Disney Cruise, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Cruise, Disney, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Dream, Edge, Kid Clubs, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Vibe
    • March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 4}–Part 1 (Cabins and Dining)!

      Posted at 8:33 pm by taryngirl, on June 4, 2018

      Friday was such a jammed packed day, that I have to break this post into two different parts!  It started off with a quick breakfast at French Quarter and then boarding a bus to the DISNEY DREAM CRUISE SHIP!  Disney Cruises are my family’s FAVORITE vacation.  This is the only Disney Cruise ship I haven’t personally cruised on, so I was excited to see it and compare it to the other three ships.

      It takes about an hour, hour and fifteen minutes to drive from the Disney area to Port Canaveral.  We arrived around 10:15 a.m. and the terminal was practically empty!

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      Those seats and the entire terminal will be packed with people before too long!

      Here we go!

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      After walking through the Mickey head, you will stop and scan your Key to the World card that you get at check in in the terminal.

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      This beauty is in the Atrium!

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      Our first stop was on Deck 2…Enchanted Garden.  This is one of 3 Main Dining Rooms.  Disney Cruise Line is unique in that it has rotational dining.  Guests rotate through all three dining rooms throughout the cruise while their wait staff travels with them.  This is one of our FAVORITE parts of the cruise!  Each dining room is amazing in its own way.

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      The other two Main Dining Rooms on this ship are Animator’s Palate and Royal Palace.  There is also a buffet called Cabanas, which is a more casual dining spot.  They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in Cabanas.  It’s a great option when you are sitting pool side because it’s located on the same deck.

      We headed up to Deck 11, which is the pool deck.  And right after getting a FREE soda, I hit the FREE soft ice cream machine!  Both of these are included with your cruise fare.  Disney seems to be one of the only, if not THE only, cruise line that does not charge for soda.  It’s available on deck 11 for 24 hours a day. 

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      Vanellope’s Sweets and Treats is a fun little shop.  The items in here are NOT included in your cruise fare and must be charged to your stateroom account.  They do not accept cash, so we were unable to partake in the goodies!  They did let us inside to browse around though.  IMG_0656

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      So when you think “Disney” cruise, you may think Mickey, and kids, and nothing for adults…well NOT TRUE!  On Deck 4 is an area called The District, which is home to several different themed bars and pubs.  Each evening, these areas become “adult only.”

      Pub 687 food and drinks, also not included in your cruise fare.  A really cute pub that we passed through!

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      Pink:  Wine and Champagne Bar

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      There are some adult drink “package” options that you can purchase once onboard the ship.  You will find them on the pool deck on embarkation day.

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      Of course, if you don’t want the package, you can order individually at any of the bars located throughout the ship.

      I want to take a moment here to also mention that on DCL, you can bring beer or wine onboard with you!  You can read the official policy with allowable amounts HERE.  You may also bring a case of water onboard with you as a carry on.  Do not put it in your checked luggage!

      Time to see some cabins!

      Interior Cabin

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      Deluxe Oceanview Accessible Cabin

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      Deluxe Verandah

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      Category T–Concierge Bedroom Suite–Sleeps up to 5

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      Category R–Concierge Royal Suite–Sleeps up to 5

      YES!  I was able to see inside the Roy Disney Suite!!!  It was AMAZING!

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      It was so spacious!  And the verandah was HUGE.  If I win the lottery, this is the first thing I’m booking!

      Next up…{Day 4} Common Areas and Kid Clubs!

       

      Posted in Disney Cruise | 0 Comments | Tagged AEP, Cruise, Cruise Cabins, DCL, Disney, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Dream, Enchanted Garden, Port Canaveral, Roy O. Disney Suite, The District, Vanellope's Sweets and Treats
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