Posted at 10:42 am by taryngirl, on February 18, 2024
10/21/24
Fun Times for today:
Today was a sea day, and there was a whole lot of nothing on the agenda! We started our day at the buffet for breakfast.
I had a made to order omelette, sausage, potatoes, and a bagel.
It was all very good!
I spent the time from breakfast until lunch, just laying out in the sun on a chair!
At lunch time, I went to see what was on the buffet. This was in one line:
And this was in the other line:
It’s nice that they provide a more “ethnic” option, and then comfort foods as well. I loved the variety!
Here’s a quick scan through video of one of the lines:
Buttttt, I had heard through the grapevine, that on sea days, ironically The Seafood Shack served CHINESE! So I was all in for that obviously…
This was delicious!
About an hour later, an announcement came over the PA system that a small boat was spotted and we were turning around to check it out. I decided to go scope things out and walked to the front of the ship.
The bridge with binoculars:
This went on for a little while. We had to keep turning and trying to get closer. And then they inspected from the bridge to see if anyone was onboard. It was determined to be an abandoned boat, and we were back on our way.
After this I did my typical afternoon nap and shower before dinner.
Tonight’s menu:
ScreenshotScreenshot
We had a special guest at our table for dinner tonight, Monica Doria-Trujillo, who is a Strategic Partnership Specialist for Carnival Cruise Line. We had a great time learning more about Carnival, and providing our feedback as well.
She brought us little goodie bags with Carnival branded items. So thoughtful!
Now, onto the food!
Cream of Mushroom Bisque:
As usual, the soup was amazing!
Broiled Lobster Tail:
This was definitely not mine because I do not eat any seafood!
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara (with a side of grilled chicken!):
This was mine and it was delicious! I really wanted some protein, so asked if I could add grilled chicken. They had no problem doing that for me.
We all had a shot, courtesy of Monica. I have no idea what it was, but it was yummy!
(During dinner, someone comes around with a “shot of the day” type thing and you can purchase on the spot.)
Vanilla Creme Brulee:
Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake:
Again, SO GOOD!
There was some entertainment in the dining room tonight. This man was a waiter at a neighboring table. He was fantastic! He was so happy all of the time, very attentive, and funny! He was all in during the entertainment.
After dinner, we headed to Playlist Productions: Epic Rock show in the Teatro Rosso. Monica had secured us front row seats!
Posted at 2:03 pm by taryngirl, on October 30, 2023
10/16/23
Day 3
After doing our own little self-led ship tour on Deck 5, we went back to the room to rest for a little bit before it was time to go to Tea Time in the Canal Grande Restaurant. The Tea goes from 3:00-4:00 p.m. I’m not sure if it was on every sea day or not. You have to check the Fun Times to see! It is complimentary and included with your cruise.
We went right at 3:00 p.m. and there was a long line of people already. They led us all to one area in the back of the restaurant and we could sit wherever we wanted. These were the place settings:
They immediately started coming around with tea sized treats! I don’t eat any seafood, but this was the first plate to come by our table:
Macarons:
These were coffee flavored I think?? It was good, but I’m not a coffee fan.
Cucumber sandwiches:
These were my favorite! I did have to wave someone over so I could get one more.
Scones:
Cream for the scones!
These were delicious and the cream was heavenly!
This was some kind of vanilla cake with lemon frosting.
It was actually delicious and my second favorite thing that I had. It was super moist and I loved the filling.
At this point, we were still waiting for our tea! We flagged someone down, and after 15 minutes we were served.
This was some kind of peach crisp:
I didn’t taste it, but Chrissy didn’t love it. It was very dry.
They also served fresh strawberries.
There really was no rhyme or reason to the order that they brought things out. Each waiter was just given a plate to walk around to the tables. A few waiters were in charge of the tea to distribute. In my opinion, they should have done this first to make sure everyone got some! We waited forever and actually had to flag someone down to get the tea. It was a little disorganized, but the crew was very polite and accommodating. There was more served than what is pictured here, but not everything made it over to our table. I think if they would have had certain waiters assigned to certain areas, it would have been better, and everyone would have been taken care of. It was a nice treat for the day though and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.
We were still hungry though so we went to get some pizza on Deck 10! These are the choices, and you can get as many slices as you would like. This is complimentary and included in your cruise.
My favorite ended up being the Quattro Formaggi. It was delicious! This pizza location is open from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 a.m., so if you need a super late night snack, this is the place to go!
After our snack, we went back to the room to nap and shower before dinner. It was about the time I was getting into the shower, when I was feeling SO FULL. We had eaten so much between tea and the pizza. I was dreading having to go to dinner!
Tonight’s main dining room dinner menu:
Lentil, Pumpkin and Chorizo Soup:
Chrissy ordered that. I didn’t order any appetizer tonight. I still was not super hungry at all.
Casarecce (short twisted pasta tossed in beef Bolognese, white wine, olive oil and parmesan bread crumbs)
Roasted Leg of Lamb (Dijon potatoes, skillet brussel sprouts, au jus)
Our table partner, Dana, ordered this. She liked it! We ended up loving our tablemate who was randomly assigned with us! We hung out after dinner sometimes and had a blast.
Grilled Chicken Breast (garlic & herbs, sauteed vegetables, buttered potatoes)
This was mine and I loved it! It might not look like much, but the flavor was wonderful and it was the perfect serving size.
Zuppa Inglese (cocoa trifle, orange custard). Funny story about this! None of us thought this sounded particularly good at all. The orange custard sounded gross, etc. etc. We told our waiter this and he said he would bring one to us anyway.
We ended up liking it!
Cheesecake (strawberry sauce)
Chrissy ordered this and liked it.
Fresh Tropical Fruit
I ordered the good old fruit! Fresh and good as always.
On this particular night, the Phillies were playing. Chrissy lives in Philly and wanted to catch some of the game. So she headed to the Heroes bar where it was playing. There were a lot of Philly fans on board! This is the hallway just outside of the bar.
The one activity we were looking forward to was Silent Nights, a silent disco! We have so much fun with these!
At a silent disco, everyone is given a pair of headphones. There are 3 music channels you can switch between. So what you are listening to, your friends may not be hearing. Everyone just sings and dances to their own song!
The party went from 9:30 p.m. until midnight! In the past, other silent discos I have gone to have been about an hour. This was nonstop for 2 and a half hours and it was a blast!
Carnival also offers Late Night Snacks on the buffet every night. I haven’t really seen this on any other ship either! Here’s the menu:
After our snack, we went to the Casino for a little it.
Posted at 10:35 am by taryngirl, on October 27, 2023
10/16/23
Day 3
Fun Times for the day:
We had a super late start this day! We decided to go to Sea Day Brunch again since it was an in between time. As a reminder, this was in the Canal Grande Restaurant. I also realllly wanted to try Tea Time at 3:00 p.m.
This time we tried the Skillet-Cake (whipped ricotta, guava preserve, marshmallow, maple butter). This was like a giant, thick pancake! It was good, but I really only ate a few bites because I was so full after eating my omelet.
My veggie omelet, with bacon and brunch potatoes. So good!
When we came out of brunch, we decided to check out Deck 5. I had heard great things about this deck and we hadn’t really had a chance to see it yet.
The first thing we saw was this beautiful bar! This is where they had karaoke every night. It’s also located near the Terraza Suites.
From there we just strolled down Deck 5 on the inside.
On the left here is Pixels Gallery, where you could access all of the photos you had taken around the ship.
This is the Gondola Lounge. Lotsssss of activities happened here throughout the week. Live music, games, trivia, etc.
From there, we went outside because I had heard about some great seating areas on the deck.
There’s also a quick service grill outside on this deck. Sadly I didn’t even get a chance to try it! It’s open on sea days.
We ended up stopping here and I did some work.
Back inside to another bar, Frizzante!
There are also some more upscale shops inside on Deck 5.
Another bar! Amari!
You can also peek down into the Casino from here.
There are a few premium, upcharge restaurants onboard. They are all located right here on Deck 5.
The Piano Bar is also on this deck.
This shopping area reminded me of a shopping mall!
In summary from this part of my day…there is no shortage of seating areas, bars, shopping, or places to eat! This ship is amazing, with so much to do, and the crew is one of the friendliest I have encountered.
I had to break this up into two parts because I have so many pictures and videos!
Posted at 7:32 pm by taryngirl, on October 25, 2023
10/15/23
Day 2
Fun Times for the day:
Today was a day at sea. We slept in and decided to try the Sea Day Brunch in the Canal Grande Restaurant. You can use the app to make a reservation, and then it will alert you when your table is ready. It does tell you how about how long until your table will be ready (10-20 minutes, 20-30 minutes, etc.) and then once it alerts you, you have 10 minutes to get to the restaurant. We made the reservation and then headed that direction. On the way, I took some pics of some shops.
In the Fun Times and on the app, you will see daily specials noted…2 for $30, up to 75% off, watch specials, etc. etc. There are two little stands on Deck 4 forward, one on each side of the ship, where they offer these deals. Each day is something different.
Also on Deck 4 forward, The Carnival Store with branded merchandise:
Deck 4 forward, Cherry on Top (a candy store):
From there we went through the Casino. You cannot walk from 3 forward, to 3 aft. It does not connect. So we went up one level to Deck 4 forward above our stateroom, and walked the length of Deck 4 to the aft. In order to do this, you have to go through the Casino.
The Casino was ALWAYS a happening place when it was open. It was almost impossible to get a machine sometimes! I also want to note that this is a smoking casino. And there was tons of smoke all the time. There is a small nonsmoking casino adjacent to this one if you are sensitive to smoke.
Also along the way, we passed by the Heroes Tribute Bar. This is the place where they showed the Phillies games. There was always a sporting event on the screen!
This hallway is also where the Art Gallery is located. Pieces of art line the walls in this corridor.
At 9:54 a.m., we still had a 10-20 minute wait.
Here you can see the crowd hovering, waiting for their tables.
At 10:15 a.m., our table was ready! Sea Day Brunch in included with the price of your cruise. There are a few upcharge items, including Fresh Pressed Specialty Juices, and a few Emeril’s Bistro Specialties. You can see prices next to those items in the menu.
We were seated at quite possibly the best table in the restaurant! It was right next to the window in the back of the ship. We had a GREAT view! For my beverages, I ordered the orange juice, and hot tea. You can order anything you want off of the menu, and as much as you want.
I also ordered white toast, the vegetable omelet, bacon and brunch potatoes.
This was all SO GOOD!
Chrissy got the eggs benedict, sausage, and hash browns.
She really liked the eggs benedict!
We both also ordered the banana cream pie, and this was AMAZING! It was SO GOOD! I loved the little extras they put on the plate.
This dining room also serves as one of the Main Dining Rooms. If you are assigned Your Time Dining, this is the restaurant where you will be eating. It’s gorgeous on the inside! Here are a few pics:
After brunch, we really wanted to check out some other decks. I really wanted to see the adult only area, Serenity! Serenity is located on Deck 15 aft.
There is tons of seating here, all different types…lounge chairs, couches, tables and chairs, umbrellas, etc.
It was cloudy and slightly cool with a few sprinkles. So not a great day to be sitting out! I completely forgot to come back here once the weather got better later on in the trip.
Next we went down to Deck 12. (Note…there is no Deck 13!)
On this deck you can find outdoor fitness machines, the jogging track, mini golf, The Warehouse (arcade), and the Waterworks (waterslide and water play area).
There are also several loungers on this deck. In the picture below you can see the retractable roof that is over top of the Lido Deck, Deck 10.
The Waterworks is a great area for smaller children. Children who are not potty trained may not go into the regular pools, so this is a good option for them.
The ropes course is just above us here.
Some of the outdoor fitness equipment:
After our little ship tour, I went back to change and head to the fitness center and Chrissy went to a comedy show and then the Casino. A short nap and shower, and then it was time to get ready for dinner. It was Elegant Night and also Masquerade Night!
Tonight’s menu in the main dining room:
I chose the Caesar Salad. It was your basic Caesar.
For my entree I ordered the Filleto Di Manzo (beef tenderloin, string beans, red wine sauce). This was absolutely delicious! Super tender and the taste was amazing.
It was also cooked perfectly medium for me.
For dessert, I had the Fresh Tropical Fruit. Nice and fresh!
During dinner, the wait staff sang a song for us and did some dancing. Chrissy got roped into dancing for THE ENTIRE SONG! Hahahaha! She kept trying to escape but he kept bringing her back. This waiter was not ours, but he was amazing! He was so positive and upbeat the entire time with his tables.
After dinner, we went to The Punchliner Comedy Club in the Limelight Lounge to see Will Marfori. This was R rated for 18+. He was HILARIOUS! He has Cerebral Palsy and was on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
After the comedy show, we just stayed for the club.
Posted at 6:45 pm by taryngirl, on October 24, 2023
10/14/23
Day 1
I was so excited to be asked to attend this FAM cruise on the Carnival Venezia for my travel agency! The Carnival Venezia is new to the Carnival family. It was previously owned by Costa, Carnival’s sister line. The ship is currently sailing from its homeport in NYC. I have so many clients that look for a cruise that sails from NYC so they don’t have to fly to a port prior to the cruise. I’ll be detailing my embarkation day, starting with my transportation to the port.
In researching my transportation options, and thanks to a Facebook group, I was able to find Trans-Bridge Lines. This bus travels roundtrip from the Lehigh Valley International Airport to the Manhattan Pier (which is Pier 88, and exactly where the Venezia is docked).
We arrived at the Lehigh Valley Airport at 8:50 a.m. They ask you to arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Our scheduled departure time was 9:25 a.m. The bus arrived at 9:10 a.m.
This was sent to me in the mail for parking purposes:
Roundtrip for an adult was $118.40, and for a senior it’s $64.20! Parking at the airport is free for the first 3 days, then $5 per day thereafter. To me, this was TOTALLY worth it. I did not want to drive into the city, and I did not want to pay to park in the city for 9 days. You can see the time schedule attached as well.
It’s important to note that the cruise line will provide luggage tags during online check in that must be printed out at home and attached to whatever baggage you want the porters to take at the port and get onto the ship for you. These are your checked bags.
When the bus arrived to pick us up, he loaded our luggage, and checked our names off of his list. NOTE! There are other buses that go from this location to other places. So make sure you look at the website closely when you are booking so you are booking the correct bus.
I usually only ever take a checked suitcase along with me on a cruise, besides my backpack. However, for this cruise, I decided to take a 12 pack of soda, a bottle of wine, and my fan, so that all went in a rolling carry-on suitcase! Whatever cruise line you are going on, be sure you check the policies for what beverages you can carry on, etc.
We left the airport at 9:25 a.m., right on time. We were due to arrive at the Manhattan Pier at 12:10 p.m. We did not stop at the Clinton stop for some reason, there was no traffic prior to entering the city at all, and we were in Manhattan by 11:05 a.m.! It rained the entire drive, and it was still raining when we arrived. During my online check in, I selected 12:00-12:30 p.m. time slot for getting onto the ship. I didn’t know what this meant for us when we got to the terminal.
There was a lottttttt of traffic IN the actual city. There was some kind of marathon going on near the piers, and Comic Con was going on at Javits. We arrived at Pier 88 at 11:40 a.m. After our bus pulled into a spot, one of the porters (maybe a head porter if there is such a thing???) got onboard before we got off and proceeded to shout instructions to us. They were already getting the luggage out of the bottom of the bus while he was talking. Basically, any of the pieces of luggage that had the luggage tag attached to them, were automatically put on a cart to go directly to the ship. Anything that didn’t have a tag on it was put in a separate area. He reminded us to make sure we had our boarding pass and identification (passport, driver’s license), and that they were not in any checked luggage. He also mentioned tips, saying that they are separate from the bus driver, and they appreciate tips as well.
Once inside the terminal, it took us about 30 minutes until we were entering the ship. There were so many staff members working, and they were all friendly and helpful. There were different lines for everything…security, check-in desk, boarding, and everyone was great at directing.
The chaos just entering the ship on Deck 3, Piazza San Marco:
Once on the ship, we went directly to the elevators. I was happy to see a “Lunch Express” elevator that went directly to Deck 5 or 10 only. Embarkation day is always crazy. Many people have luggage with them, and cabins are not ready until later in the afternoon, so it feels extra busy and crowded. In this express elevator, they had a staff member controlling it. I don’t recall ever seeing this on any other cruise I have been on, but it was nice!
It took foreverrrrrr for us to find a seat. We walked all over the buffet area. Most people find a table and camp out there until the rooms are ready at 1:30 p.m., even though these signs are on the tables:
There were many good choices on the Italian themed buffet. (Each day would be a different theme.) We didn’t know at this point that there were actually 4 different buffet lines. And we also didn’t know that the lines served different food (2 served one menu, and the other 2 served a different menu). One thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is that the desserts at the buffet were AMAZING! SO GOOD. And several different choices. It was so crowded, I was not able to get any videos on this day of the buffet! I was lucky to get a pic of this menu!
All of this was very good!
The staterooms were ready at this point, so we went to our muster station first on the way. The muster drill is very different now from pre-Covid times. You just have to go before sailaway and check in, and then watch a short demonstration. He basically taught us how to put on the life jackets, and what sounds to listen for.
We were in stateroom 3207, an Ocean View. We didn’t get to choose our stateroom, it was assigned to us, as we were part of a travel agent group.
This is what the hallway looks like. Luggage that was checked with the porters prior to entering the ship was being delivered. It’s put in the hallway just outside of your stateroom.
Our Sail & Sign cards were in an envelope in the mailbox on our door. These function as the stateroom key, and is the cashless on board program for all money transactions. Anything extra that you purchase on the ship can be charged with this card and go on your shipboard account. This is paid then with the credit card that you put on file during online check in.
Here is a video tour of our stateroom:
Things I LOVED about this cabin!
Location—It was on the same deck as the main dining room and the atrium bar. It was just one deck down from the theater and the casino. It was close to the elevators.On port days and debarkation, we were very close to the exit deck, which ranged from deck 0-3.
Split bathroom—One bathroom had a large sink, a stand up shower and a toilet, while the other had a shower/tub combo and a small sink.
It was spacious! I never felt cramped. The sofa was a good size.
Storage—There were two closets, as well as drawers and lots of shelves within the bathrooms.
We had preordered bottled water and beer. We did this on the app, and it was in our room upon arrival. I ordered two 12 packs of water ($19.90), and a 4 pack of Miller Lite ($24.00). I had looked at pricing ahead of time and this was cheaper than ordering it once onboard from the bar. Since we had a beverage cooler, I liked this option. I like to have bottled water on port days and in the stateroom. Water is available at the buffet and on deck 10 but it’s not bottled.
Each day, you are given a copy of Fun Times, which lists all of the activities going on on the ship for the day. There’s information about dining, shows, music, etc. This is all available on the app as well.
We took a little nap before heading out. We wanted to go up to deck 10, the Lido deck, for the Sail Away Party. On the way, I had to take this pic of the lobby! SO festive for Halloween.
The Sail Away Party was next to the pool area on the deck, however the roof was not open because of the weather. It was raining and cool. We had the privilege of having DJ Cue! He is actually my favorite DJ I’ve ever had on a cruise! He played such a variety and some 90s oldies that I love. We also got to meet the cruise director at this time.
We had late dinner (7:45 p.m.), so we were able to go outside and wait to pass the Statue of Liberty. It was raining, and gloomy and gray. We started moving at 5:20 p.m. and were passing the Statue of Liberty at 5:55 p.m.
We were actually starving around 6:00 p.m. We had such an early start in the morning. We stopped at the deli for a bite to eat. The deli is located by the buffet on deck 10.
My friend Chrissy got the BLT and fries. (She got this almost every day after as well!). They put SO MUCH BACON on these sandwiches! She thoroughly enjoyed this.
I got a hot dog and fries. The hot dog was eh, and I only ate a few bites. But the fries were good!
After our snack, we went back to the room to unpack some more and get ready for dinner. While we were in the cabin, our stateroom attendant, Suazo stopped by to introduce himself and drop off our excursion tickets for later in the week. I asked him for some more hangers and he gladly brought me some.
We went to dinner right on time and were led to our table. There is always a long line on the first night until you know where your table will be located.
Tonight’s menu:
The menu can be accessed with a QR code, or within the app, or you can ask for a paper menu.
Dinner started with some bread. This had cranberrries in it and I didn’t love it.
We met our wait staff…I Made, Edi, and I don’t even know the other one’s name! He was the bread/beverage guy, and he didn’t really have a personality or talk to us. When I Made came to take our order, he told us to give our entire order at once. They take the orders on a phone type device now and it has our picture there. It also shows up in the app under our account as to what we ordered every night for dinner!
I started off with the Mixed Greens (tomato, cucumber, red onions, carrots, balsamic dressing), and it was really good. I figured I better fit in as many vegetables as I could this week!
I also got the Pappa Al Pomodoro (tomato soup with Tuscan bread). This was good! But there was no bread with it??
For my main course, I ordered Pollo Arrosto Con Salsiccia (half-roasted chicken with sausage, herb-sauteed potatoes, broccoli). This was DELICIOUS! It had such good flavor.
For dessert, I ordered the Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake. It was yummy! It’s served HOT!
Chrissy got the Tiramisu (mascarpone, espresso, savoiardi biscuit). She liked this!
I also wanted to note that this ship’s motto is “Fun Italian Style.” And on each menu for dinner, the Italian dishes were noted with an Italian flag next to the dish.
After dinner, we went to the Welcome Aboard show in the theater. The cruise director was hosting. He told us there were 4,123 passengers on board, and 380 of those were children under the age of 18. We also got a small glimpse of the performers for the week while they put on a little show for us.
That’s a wrap for Day 1! It was a long day, and we were tired.
Posted at 1:27 pm by taryngirl, on August 27, 2018
It’s time to take a tour of our stateroom! Since we had two separate staterooms, we wanted them to be connecting. Options were somewhat limited for this for the exact category we wanted. We knew we wanted to be on a low deck mid-ship due to some motion sickness issues. The 4th, 5th, and 6th decks had all of the action, so we opted for the 3rd deck knowing we could walk up a few flights of stairs if the elevators were full. Elevators were not an issue for us except on embarkation day when EVERYONE is trying to get up to deck 9! Also, I always check the deck plans of the ship so I can see what’s below us and what’s above us.
I was able to find cabins 3059 (Inside–Category 2V), and 3061 (Inside–Category 1V). Both were 136 square feet. Just a little blurb on Inside vs. Oceanview vs. Verandah vs. Suite…we prefer an Inside cabin. I like it to be dark, and I like to save some money so we can do more excursions. The price difference is just too much for me to justify it based on how much time we actually spend IN the cabin! We are basically there to shower and sleep! Now, when we do an Alaskan cruise or Panama Canal, then I would consider a balcony/verandah.
Another word of warning before you watch this video…cruise cabins are SMALL! Not like normal sized hotel rooms. My filming seems very CLOSE…well it was! There’s only room for 1 person to stand in the bathroom. I promise I will get better at videos!
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The sleeping area:
The desk area and closet:
Inside the cabinets and the safe:
These are the ONLY 2 plugs in the entire cabin! Surge protectors are not permitted and they are very strict with this on this ship! They confiscated a large number of these from people’s luggage. I may or may not have had to go to the naughty room myself! To be discussed in a later post…
Posted at 10:40 pm by taryngirl, on August 25, 2018
I know I’m in the middle of writing my August Grandeur of the Seas trip report, but I have to also start my DISNEY WORLD trip report! So I’ll probably be alternating, but to read straight through either report, be sure to check my Trip Reports tab where I will have links so you can follow in order.
THE PLAN:
Who–myself, my two daughters, my cousin, her two daughters
What–all girl cousin trip!
When–August 11-18th
Where–Polynesian/Bay Lake Tower
Why–one last hurrah before school and soccer start, to use our DVC points, we all have an annual pass, and WHY NOT?!
So we knew we wanted to go in August, but had to plan around school and soccer schedules, and other family vacations. Also, because I am a Disney Vacation Club Member, my new points came available August 1st. So I had to plan for some time after that. My cousin, Alex, had already made her reservation at Polynesian Village Resort, by renting DVC points. She planned to arrive 3 days before us. We had gone once in August before and I swore NEVER AGAIN! It’s so dang hot, and it rained every day. But alas, August it was! After several changes of resort for us, we decided on Polynesian Village Resort and Bay Lake Tower. I wanted to do the split stay so I could experience more than one resort to share with my Disney clients.
About a month ago, we made the decision that my oldest daughter would not be able to make the trip. She is on a premier soccer team and we had gotten the schedule. You guessed it…a tournament! It’s her first year on this team and we just didn’t think it was a good idea to miss several practices and then a tournament. So it would just be my youngest daughter and I making the trip.
We had been cruising from August 2-11th from Baltimore. Upon return to Baltimore, we had flights booked leaving at 1:30 p.m. ish. After researching, I saw there was a flight that left at 11:05 a.m., and there were varying times you could depart the ship. So I called Southwest and made the switch and canceled my oldest daughter’s ticket! It was super easy, and we now have a credit for her to use.
We departed the ship around 8:15 a.m., got our luggage, went through customs and met my husband in the parking lot by 8:40 a.m. We headed directly for the airport. He dropped us right around 9:00 a.m. There was a flight leaving at 9:45 a.m. ish that I inquired about at the counter, but it was too late because our luggage still had to be checked. It would not have made the plane! So we could leisurely make our way to our gate. One note at security…we had to take out any electronics that were larger than a cell phone. I’ve never had to take my iPad out before. Also, all food/snacks had to be taken out and put in a separate bin. (This was the moment I found the huge zip loc bag my mother had given my daughter in case she got hungry. It was filled with chocolate twizzlers and caramel creams…)
We made it through security and headed to our gate. We weren’t hungry because we had eaten breakfast on the ship before we got off. I caught up on some work things and Kinsey caught up on her YouTube. By the way…I LOVE MY NEW AMERICAN TOURISTER MICKEY LUGGAGE!
We had a great flight, and once in Orlando, made our way over to the B side to head to the Magical Express transportation area. I noticed a new sign! AND hand sanitizer! That was a definite difference I noticed on this trip. Hand sanitizer dispensers near or in most restaurants on Disney property. I am a fan!
This was about 1:45 p.m. on a Saturday. Look how empty it is! The Polynesian was lane 2 and we were the only ones in it!
A few people did eventually come in behind us before we were able to board a bus. But it was still very empty in this whole area!
If you are brand new to Disney World, or have never used Disney’s Magical Express, GO HERE to read all about it! It really is so convenient. In summary:
Disney will send you luggage tags in the mail once you register with Magical Express. They are yellow, and you attach them to any luggage you are checking at your airport.
You get to the airport and make your way to the B side of Orlando Airport and head down to the Magical Express. Watch for signs! And there’s a map they will send you with your luggage tags. DO NOT GO TO BAGGAGE CLAIM if you put the yellow tags on your luggage!
You scan your Magic Band at the check in area, and they tell you which lane number to get in.
You board the bus and they drop you directly at your resort!
Your luggage will be delivered to your room…normally within 4 hours of arrival at the airport.
WHAT I PACK IN MY CARRY ON! Since it can take up to 4 hours to receive your luggage, pack your carry on with any essentials you think you might need in that time frame. For me: Wallet, electronics, chargers, medication, deodorant, bathing suits if I think we will swim, MagicBands, a brush. This is all in case the luggage does not show up before we head to a park or to dinner, etc.
I spy! This particular bus was stopping at three different resorts. We were lucky, and drew the first stop! Taken through the bus window because we were very near the front seat.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS RESORT! This is 100% my decor and atmosphere. We actually had professional pictures taken here at this resort when the girls were 3 and 5. This was one of the spots!
Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures 