Disney Cruise Line!

Let me start by saying that I haven't had the good fortune YET to take a Disney Cruise.  But I was lucky enough to get to tour the Disney Dream when I was in Florida last year for an agent education program.  I took a few pics of the ship and would love to share those with you.  Based on all that I saw, I can't wait to set sail someday soon!!

We were in Port Canaveral, but Disney sails out of Galveston, San Diego, Miami, New York and many other departure ports.  The ships sail anywhere you can imagine - including Europe and Alaska!  Be sure and save some time by doing as much of your check-in as possible online before you get to the port - I can help with that!

There are 3 pools on this ship - one of them is an adult-exclusive pool.  Keep in mind that while the other pools are kid-friendly, you can't swim in them unless you are potty-trained!  Swim diapers are only allowed in the splash area (Nemo's Reef on the Dream).  The main pool has a 24-by-14-foot LED screen called Funnel Vision on which you can watch classic Disney animated features or live-action movies.  

For the thrill seekers, be sure and take a ride on the AquaDuck which is an exciting 765-foot-long water coaster that transports Guests on an exhilarating journey up, down and around 4 decks, over the side of the ship and through the Forward Funnel

Trust me when I say you won't go hungry.  There are 3 different restaurants that you rotate through each evening for dinner and you keep your same wait-staff since they rotate with you!  If you want something more casual, there are a couple of quick-service type restaurants on board.  And don't forget, there is 24-hour complimentary room service!!  If I ever do make it on a cruise, I'll be eating my weight in Mickey bars for sure.

There are a few food items that aren't included in your cost of the cruise...  Vanellope's Sweet and Treats sells ice cream, gelato and candy.  But looking at the price list, it's not that expensive.  If you want something a bit different than the standard ice cream that is compliementary, check this out.  There are also 2 adult-exclusive restaurants (Palo and Remy) that aren't included.  Might be worth it for some time alone though!

On board, you'll find all of your favorite characters for Meet and Greets!  Some require a ticket (it is free but you need a reservation) and some you'll find randomly throughout the ship.  We were lucky enough to be greeted by Mickey as we boarded the ship!

Although you want to spend your vacation with your family, it's nice to have an option if you want to do the adult-exclusive dining or other activity.  Disney Cruise Line provides Disney-themed youth clubs, areas and immersive interactive programs and activities designed to allow your child’s imagination to soar while aboard the Disney Dream.  Honestly, after seeing the youth clubs, I imagine I would have a hard time dragging my boys out of them!  

The Small World Nursery is adorable for children aged 3 months to 3 years.   It does have an additional charge though and you need reservations.

Have someone traveling with you that loves sports?  So does Goofy!  There are a lot of options for the sports-lover to enjoy.

If you're into nightclubs and dancing, you have several options!  Take advantage of the kids' clubs and hit the dance floor!!

There are 2 theaters on board - a movie theater and a theater for a Broadway caliber show.  Currently the Dream is doing Beauty and the Beast.  

There is so much more to a Disney Cruise that I haven't even touched on here.  Most itineraries sail to Disney's private island - Castaway Cay.  You also have the option to book some amazing Port Adventures in the ports that you visit (these are an additional charge).  You'll also enjoy Fireworks at sea, Deck parties, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Spa and Fitness amenities, Midship Detective Agency, Shopping...  And did I mention free Mickey bars??  

The least expensive rates on a Disney cruise are when the itineraries are first released.  So if you're thinking of taking a cruise, let me know as soon as possible so that we can get you the maximum fun for the least price.

Oh and if you're like Don and a bit of a germaphobe, you need to know about these awesome automatic hand washers that you have to use to get into the buffet line.  Now you have no excuse to not sail with Disney!!  Call me - my services are FREE to you!!

This is US

As much as I like the TV show This is Us, this blog post is about a different US - Universal Studios!  Sorry to disappoint those of you that were expecting info about the show!  :)

I've done a blog post previously that is mainly about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - check it out here.  

This post is about some of the other rides and attractions that Universal has to offer.  My main reason for going will always be to hang out with Harry, but they've got a lot of other fun spots too.

First of all, something that seems to confuse a few people - Universal is not a part of Disney.  They are two completely different companies.  I think the confusion comes from the fact that Disney has a movie studios type park in Hollywood Studios.  But Universal is not on Disney property - it's about 10 miles away.  

There are 3 parks now at Universal Studios - Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of  Adventure and Universal's Volcano Bay (which is a water park).  Both Universal Studios  and Islands of Adventure house Harry Potter areas - with delicious butterbeer at each!  Universal Studios is home to Diagon Alley while Islands of Adventure is home to Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.  To ride the Hogwarts Express between the two parks, you must have a park-to-park pass.

Universal Studios Florida

This is the newest part of The Wizarding World - Diagon Alley.  It has the most incredible ride around - Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.  The ride is a huge thrill mixture of roller coaster and virtual screens.  So. Much. Fun.  And the line to the ride is really cool as you make your way through the bank lobby into the vaults.

Here are a few other rides at this park that I highly recommend:

• Revenge of the Mummy - really good and thrilling with a great surprise near the end.
• E.T. Adventure - I LOVE this ride.  It is a super calm and pretty ride about the movie.  I love that you ride on your bike through the ride.
• Transformers: The Ride
• The Simpsons Ride - made all of us nauseous but I know a lot of people love it!
• Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon - new!
• Rip Ride Rockit - only Don was brave enough to ride this one.
• Terminator 2
• Men in Black - fun and you can compete against your family!
• Shrek 4D - really cute and funny movie with 4-D effects.

There are also a lot of great places to eat - the food at the Leaky Cauldron is delicious.  But save room for dessert - there's butterbeer ice cream or a giant donut in the Simpson's area at Lard Lad Donuts!

You're probably thinking this donut could feed more than 1 person.  Hmm...  Mine didn't.  :)

Universal's Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure has the original Wizarding World - you can visit Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.  Be sure to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - the line takes you through Hogwarts.  Once you've explored all of this world (and had plenty of butterbeer), head on out to check out the rest of the park.

Here are the rides at Islands of Adventure you need to be sure and check out:

• Doctor Doom's Fearfall
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Skull Island:Reign of Kong
• Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
• Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges

We've been to Islands of Adventure a couple of times but our kids were too young to like the thrill rides.  Plus this park has a lot of rides that are basically water rides and we're weird about not liking those.  So while the Harry Potter area is AWESOME, if I had only one day, I'd spend the majority of it at Universal Studios Florida.

But if you're wise and have listened to me, you'll have a park-to-park pass so that you can ride the Hogwarts Express.  If you hurry, you can hit a few rides here when you're done with the other park.

Speaking of ways to save time...  Universal offers a little different take on the line skipping pass.  Unlike Disney's FastPass, it is an extra charge.  But you get to skip the line once on all the rides - where Disney just gives you 3 to start.  If you're staying on-site at Universal, some of the resorts include an Unlimited Express Pass which is good on the rides as many times as you want to use them.  Well worth the money if it's a crowded day - and if you're staying on-site it just might be included!

Volcano Bay

You've heard me say before that my family really doesn't do water parks.  So while I don't have personal knowledge of Volcano Bay, I have done training on it from Universal Studios.  It's an amazing park and if you're into water parks at all, it's a must-do!

Be sure to give me a call if you're interested in a Universal vacation.  I'd love to plan and book your trip and make sure you're getting the best value for your money!!