Make Sure You Get My Shake in the Pic *~* A Lavenous SWDAS Trip Report *~*3/4/17*~*

[noahsketomom]

Joining in....we are going to be going at almost the exact dates next year!! Can't wait to hear all about it!!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Joining in....we are going to be going at almost the exact dates next year!! Can't wait to hear all about it!!

Thanks for joining! It sounds like those dates are popular next summer!! I saw a whole thread on the double dips next summer going and several people had posted they would be on the same cruise. We decided to book when the girls were out of school and there's a super short window between school ending and soccer starting so those dates were perfect! I hope you enjoy the report!

 

[shishta13]

Following! Don't want to miss any

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Following! Don't want to miss any

Welcome to the party! Glad you are here!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Before my next update, I need to share my Disney excitement with you all!

We are taking a 13th birthday vacation to Disney World July 30th for Piper's birthday and the girls don't know it but we added a 3 day cruise on the Dream to the end of the trip. We aren't going to tell them until we are on the way to the port. This weekend we paid the cruise in full which is always an awesome feeling. We are traveling with two other families on that trip. If you have read my previous trip reports you will see some familiar faces as well as some new ones! Let's just say the peach on the beach and her family will be back again!

What I really wanted to share is that we snagged the Grand Cabana! #21! OH. MY. GOODNESS!!! I seriously cannot wait! The only Cabana that would fit all of us and we actually were able to reserve it! We have never been in one of the Castaway Cay cabanas so this will be a new experience and I can't wait to take pics and include it in that future trip report!

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.....

 

[TestingH2O]

What I really wanted to share is that we snagged the Grand Cabana! #21! OH. MY. GOODNESS!!! I seriously cannot wait! The only Cabana that would fit all of us and we actually were able to reserve it! We have never been in one of the Castaway Cay cabanas so this will be a new experience and I can't wait to take pics and include it in that future trip report!

I can't wait to see pictures!

 

[chunkymonkey]

I'm here! Excited to follow along now that my cruise TR is over! Love the fun start of the trip!

Wow a grand cabana?? That sounds amazing! Are you sailing concierge?

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

I can't wait to see pictures!

Thanks I'm super excited!

I'm here! Excited to follow along now that my cruise TR is over! Love the fun start of the trip!

Wow a grand cabana?? That sounds amazing! Are you sailing concierge?

Hello! Thanks for joining in - LOVED reading your entire trip report! I've got to get reading your foodie force report! We aren't sailing concierge so I was shocked when I got a text that our friend had been able to reserve the grand cabana!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Who forgets underwear?​

After I got out of the shower I made another trip to the van to look for warmer clothes, passing by the pool. We had all brought summer type clothes - shorts, tanks, etc. for the day but it was really chilly out. This is was when I realized that "someone" only packed 2 pairs of underwear for 11 days!! Apparently there would be a lot of laundry in my future on the cruise! Underwear. Who forgets underwear? Apparently this girl!

We made our way down to the breakfast area to get something to eat before we headed out. The area was PACKED. There was a lot of people there at the time but we eventually were able to get a table and something to eat once it started clearing out. We made a few phone calls/texts while we had breakfast.

They had scrambled eggs, sausage, toast, pastries, yogurt, juice, fruit, etc. as well as make your own waffles which the girls love.

Once we ate we packed up and headed to the car to go to the port. We had one stop to make as I wanted to find a Walmart to look for a Go-Pro battery. After searching the internet for Walmart locations we found the closest one and Andy dropped me off by the door so I could go take a look to see if they had what we needed.

Unfortunately they did not carry the batteries. They had all kinds of accessories but no battery packs which means there are sadly NO videos or underwater pictures this entire trip.
But it was now official - we were ON OUR WAY!!! Soon we would be at the port! I believe it was about a 45 minute drive.

The cruise that was disembarking from the Fantasy had missed Castaway Cay due to a mechanical issue which apparently caused the ship to have to move at a slower pace and it would need to be repaired. I had been keeping an eye on social media sites for updates as we were wondering if the Fantasy had made it into port and if our cruise would be delayed at all. While we were on our way to the Port we saw a DCL bus headed in the opposite direction which was a great sign!

We were planning on parking at the port which was I believe was $120 for the 7 days. I can honestly say the process for parking was pretty flawless! Soooo easy! When you arrive you make a couple of quick stops where you show your ID and i believe we might have shown our cruise documents. Then you pull up along the curb and drop off your bags. You then head towards the parking area, stop at the booth to pay for the week, and then find a spot. It was great! I took a picture of where we parked so we could remember it after the cruise.

When we went to head into the building there was a decent sized line waiting to get in. Time for a few more photos on our phones!

Here we are - we made it!!! Isn't the Fantasy gorgeous in the background?

I took a picture of just the ship before we went inside and guess what? Disney Cruise LIne's official IG page featured it! Here it is in case you want to take a peek!

Next up - boarding the beautiful Fantasy for a week of pure magic!

​

 

[TestingH2O]

But did you buy underwear?

 

[Cheerio]

We had an extra go-pro battery! Wish we had known, DH went out looking for camera batteries at the same time that morning haha. Ron Jon's had what we needed

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

But did you buy underwear?

Crisis averted!

We had an extra go-pro battery! Wish we had known, DH went out looking for camera batteries at the same time that morning haha. Ron Jon's had what we needed

Too funny that you were looking for batteries as well! I wish I would've thought to ask around the group during Mixology! Which was awesome by the way!!! Thank you!

 

[Flossbolna]

Sounds like a great start to your vacation (besides the packing mistakes and unpacking mistakes - but these stories make great trip reports)! Looki9ng forward to reading more about your cruise!

I love the family picture!! You definitely look very cool! I had no idea that they were doing Photopass pictures there, but it is a great spot!

 

[saxmangeoff]

Underwear. Who forgets underwear?

<- that's me raising my hand.

Completely forgot to pack underwear for a trip to WDW a few years ago. Discovered it in the hotel the night before we flew out. Fortunately, there's a 24-hour Walmart in Airway Heights, WA.

To this day my family teases me about it.

 

[starousse]

Joining in!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

<- that's me raising my hand.

Completely forgot to pack underwear for a trip to WDW a few years ago. Discovered it in the hotel the night before we flew out. Fortunately, there's a 24-hour Walmart in Airway Heights, WA.

To this day my family teases me about it.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'll probably never live this one down either! Thank goodness for Walmart

Joining in!

Welcome!! Thanks for joining!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Sounds like a great start to your vacation (besides the packing mistakes and unpacking mistakes - but these stories make great trip reports)! Looki9ng forward to reading more about your cruise!

I love the family picture!! You definitely look very cool! I had no idea that they were doing Photopass pictures there, but it is a great spot!

Sorry I missed your post before! It was a GREAT cruise! Thanks for the kind words about the family pic - I've never noticed photopass there before but as soon as I saw it I dragged everyone over - the props put it over the top - love it! I wish they would do more photopass opportunites like that!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

I'm baaaaaaaaccccckkkkk!!!

Sorry everyone for the long time in between posts! Unfortunately Piper injured herself and 4 casts and a surgery (with 1 more to go) later my time has been very limited! But I finally have a chance to get back to updating so I hope you will all still join in on this crazy adventure! And don't worry she is doing GREAT now!

Up next - Boarding and day 1 festivities!

 

[cheermom2four]

Yeah!!! cant wait to continue to read your TR! Hoping your dd is better!!

 

[TestingH2O]

So sorry to hear that! I'm glad you're back though.