robbalvey

Not yet. That's coming in part 2 of this report I believe.

Well, it's both. You are given your rotation schedule at the start of the cruise, and since all the restaurants seat 1/3 of the ship's guests fairly equally, everyone in that rotation will pretty much rotate together to the next restaurant and your staff goes with you. And it's not like the entire group is sitting at one table or anything it's just an entire restaurant full of people. I hope I'm answering you correctly, the question was worded a bit confusing, sorry.

I will give you the same advice I tell people when going to parks who ask this question... At that young of an age, they most likely aren't going to remember any of their trip when they are older. So them being there are more for you and your memories, the photos you take, and the enjoyment you have with them being there. Keep in mind the ship does have many activities and facilities for even toddlers (we'll get into some of that on our future installments) but really I think the decision is more up to you and how important it is to you for them to be there. If this trip is more to focus on the 5 year old because this will be their first cruise and something they will more likely to remember, that's is something to consider as well. Hope this helps!

REGISTER for our forum to leave a comment! Day One of our Disney Magic Cruise! Day Two of our Disney Magic Cruise! Day Three of our Disney Magic Cruise! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day One Well, I guess all "epic trip reports" have to start at the beginning, so here goes... I'm sure as many of you have figured out by now, when we aren't at theme parks or riding roller coasters we like to go on Cruises as kind of a vacation from theme parks, but over the years we've seen a trend where cruise ships have become a lot more like "floating theme parks" (this isn't a complaint...in fact, it's a preference!) The same can be said for Disney Cruise Line! We recently returned from a 5-night sailing on the Disney Magic and our experience was absoultely "magical" on so many levels! This sailing included "Marvel Day at Sea" which exceeded all expectations, Kristen was introduced to the "tween club" for her first time, and there were may upgrades made to the ship as it had just returned from a dry dock refurbishment. We will cover all that and more as we post about our experience over several updates. Overall though, we simply cannot recommend enough the Disney offerings "outside of the parks" and this includes Disney Cruise and Adventures by Disney. (If you missed our epic report from our Adventures by Disney River Cruise last year, you can catch up on it HERE!) So let's begin our adventure on the Disney Magic! Good morning from Miami, Florida! We are about to board the Disney Magic! Super excited to be back on a Disney Cruise ship! We are ready to sail off on our next family adventure! One of my favorite moments on a Disney Cruise is when they “announce” you coming on board! This is always such a fun, cool, special moment! Watch below and Volume UP! [twitter] [/twitter] We have just walked into the ship but first let's take a quick little tour around to some of the different locations! Our first stop is going to be the pool deck...and of course get something to eat! (Because that's what you do on cruises!) I love all the wide variety of food options on Disney Cruise ships! You can get Chicken Shawarma at the Duck-In Diner on the pool deck! And yes it was fantastic! “Welcome on board! Have a plate of meat!!!” More reasons why I love Cruising! When you first board a Disney ship, we highly recommend doing your own "self-guided" tour and be sure to check out the Oceaneer Club as this may be one of the only times adults get to see it. It's the "kids club" on the Disney ships but it's absoultely magical! Have a look at the Marvel section: The area itself is themed much like what you'd expect from a Disney theme park! Yes, there was a complete Iron Man suit in here. Thor is probably going to need this at some point! Click play on the video below to get a nice little tour of this area: [twitter] [/twitter] All of the "kids areas" are highly themed and unlike anything you'll see on other ships. I love that they have animation classes in here! It's just such a "Disney" touch! And just like in the theme parks, there are rides! Even ones with a little bit of thrill! The Aqua-Dunk is a "trap door" water slide and it's not totally for the weak at heart. And YES, you slide through a transparent tube OVER THE SIDE of the ship!!! We'll get back to this later on in the report! Let's take a look at our stateroom, shall we? IMO Disney's ships have some of the most impressive staterooms as they manage to make the most out of the space they have. This is a pretty good overview of the room. Here's from the opposite side of the room. As you can see, it's pretty roomy considering you're on a cruise ship. This is pretty much your standard "balcony" cabin. That sofa will become another bed for Kristen later in the evening! There's also a desk with the TV, plenty of room for the laptop, and there is a good amount of storage all around the room. Disney is also one of the few cruise ships who does these "split bathrooms" which we love! Two separate rooms. This one has your shower and sink #1 This room has sink #2 and is for doing other business. And here's our balcony! Here is our stateroom number. Now that "fish" above it is actually quite important and is responsible for quite an interesting "subculture" of Disney cruising. Let me explain further... This is what is known as a "fish extender" and they come in all different shapes and sizes, most of them are home-made, but there are also people who sell them through their Etsy stores. This is an "un-official" activity that happens on the Disney ships where you sign up online through many different groups (usually there will be a Facebook Group for your sailing) and you will exchange gifts in a "Secret Santa" sort of way with other guests also on your sailing. It's probably my favorite "unofficial" activity of any cruise ships! The whole idea that complete strangers will band together and do nice things for each other in the spirit of fun is something I feel this world needs more of! And people who really get into the whole "fish extender" will also go all out and do the entire door! You can already see some of the gifts delivered and it's super cool that people do this! The fish extenders really do come in all different shapes and sizes... And we took many photos of some really impressive doors that we will post later on in the report! Taking a stroll around the pool deck you can see the other slide and more of the outdoor areas. Here's the big screen where you can watch Disney movies pretty much the entire cruise day and night while hanging out on the pool deck! I love the Disney Cruise Line logo on the ship's funnel. It's so iconic! It's the Sail Away party! Always a highlight of a Disney cruise as it signifies that your vacation has officially begun! You can see the re-cap of our live stream from the Sail Away Party here: [fbvideonew] [/fbvideonew] Kristen is ready for an amazing time over the next five days! Elissa's rodents made an appearance! See 'ya later Miami! There is no shortage of food on this ship! Everything from high-end dining to simple pizza! We will cover it all! Did we mention that soda is included on the Disney ships? That's important because it is not on most other cruise lines. Get it? Look who Kristen found! Daisy is one of her favorites! (Check out her shirt!) The PhotoPass photographer said “both of you give me some sass!” LOVE IT! Our first nights dinner will be at Lumiere's. There are 3 different themed dining rooms on the Disney Magic and we will visit each one of them at least once on this sailing, some of them twice! The dinning room "staff" follows you to each restaurant each night so you get to know your servers quite well. It's amazing! Each of the dinning rooms are uniquely different. Lumiere's, themed to Beauty & The Beast in case you couldn't tell, is more of a traditional "elegant" dinning room, but with a Disney touch! Here's the menu... See anything you like? And now we invite you to relax As the dining room proudly presents... Your dinner!" I started off with the French Onion Soup which did not disappoint at all! Wonderful! The Chateaubriand was cooked just how I like it, very pink in the middle! Kristen went for the Seared Ahi Tuna! Overall, the meals in the Disney dinning rooms are a step up from most other cruise lines. In fact, I'd put the "included" dinning rooms on Disney on par with some of the "up charge" restaurants on other cruise ships. And while the ship has some absoultely amazing desserts on the menu, it has been a tradition for me on every Disney cruise to end the meal with a Mickey Ice Cream bar...because, it's awesome!!! Remember those fish extenders I mentioned earlier? Well, when we got back to our room, look what we found! Guests have already started giving us stuff! And it’s amazing! I love this unique “hidden gem” about Disney Cruises! Just adds a whole other layer to the magic! We just got our picture with Tiana! Love her! So awesome that the ships have all the characters you would expect to see at the parks! (and then some!) There is just such an "elegance" about the Disney ships... Everywhere you go, everything just seems a bit more higher end and very polished... But without losing that "Disney touch." For example, do you see that drink in the middle of the After Hours logo? Turn it upside down and what do you see? Mickey's Sorcerer's hat! There are things all over the ship that, no matter how elegant and amazing it all feels, you're reminded "It was all started by a mouse!" Look what they have in the shop! Cruise line Duffy! Yes! He's amazing! The gifts we have been getting from our fish extender group are amazing! It’s so rare you see complete strangers doing things for each other that are so nice! I love this sub-culture and it's one of the many things that set doing a cruise on Disney apart from other lines. Look what was playing on the big pool deck screen tonight! Yessss! Love this so much! And if you're looking for more “adult” activities on a Disney Cruise, tonight there was a “Cognac Tasting” in the adults area! There is so much to do on these ships for all ages! Here's another one of the night clubs in the "After Hours" section of the ship, which is the "adults only" area. (We love this!) We also got to meet the man himself tonight... Captain Mickey!!! There is just something so meta about this picture! That wraps up the first part of the report! Goodnight from the Disney Magic! It’s been incredible already! Click HERE to read Part Two of this report! Oh yes, be sure to POST YOUR COMMENTS!!! (we took the time to write the report, the least you could do is say something nice about it!) Conveluted.nltrack Quatro_[R]_Real.nlpack Rebel_[R]_(Real).nlpack

So this came in today...

What kind of a person tries to hi-jack my trip report thread by posting a link to another theme park site about a coaster and a park that's not even mentioned in this report??!?! When people ask me "Robb, why do you get so frustrated with stupid people?" This is why.

That is the case with all parks. It would be one thing if the park was open and the video was taken from public areas, but when a park is closed that is still considered "private property" until the park is open to the public.

The only Cedar Point employee who is allowed to post anything is Tony Clark. And yes, I'm sure there will be some jobs compromised for that video. Pretty stupid decision if you ask me.

Guys remember this... Yes this is still in effect while the park is not open to the public. So that means testing videos that have not been authorized by the park may not be posted to the forum or you will be banned forever from TPR. There is not open for discussion and we will take a zero tolerance stance on this. Thank you for understanding.

Here was another amazing coaster we rode during this trip! (And yes, I will get to more of this report, soon!)

We do not have spots for the US Tour, sorry.

We just had someone drop from our upcoming Japan trip which means we have ONE SPOT OPEN for a male participant due to rooming situations. If you are SERIOUSLY INTERESTED in going to Japan with TPR this summer, please see the following post on the forum and apply for the trip: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=75614 Again, only fill out that application if you are SERIOUSLY INTERESTED in doing this trip with us. It will be an amazing trip to places all over Japan including Tokyo Disney, Universal Japan, Nagashima Spaland, and Fuji-Q. --Robb Alvey http://www.themeparkreview.com

Remember, one of the main entrances into Toy Story Land will be from that street so that area will actually probably be VERY busy when the new land opens.

Continuing on with our report... Since the main focus on this event was Pixar on both coasts, let's take a closer look at what is coming to both the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure opens on June 23rd and Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World Hollywood Studios opens June 30th. Pixar Fest will begin at the Disneyland Resort (both parks) on April 13rd and run through September 3rd. Here are a few "fun facts" about Toy Story Land that you might not have known... • More than 400 toy blocks fill Andy’s backyard. • In Toy Story Land, Andy’s footprint is about 25 feet long or the equivalent of a size 240 shoe. • It would take a Green Army Man roughly 12 steps just to travel the length of one of Andy’s shoeprints. • You would need a backpack the size of a school bus to carry the Buzz and Woody figures that tower over Toy Story Land. • The weight of the Slinky Dog Dash track and support columns weighs almost as much as 125,000 gallons of milk. • Together Rex and the Jenga Tower are as tall as 71⁄2 Green Army Men standing on top of one another. Now on to some photos & video! It was a real treat to be able to see the Imagineers at WDI working on the model for the upcoming Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure opening June 23rd! The transformation is going to be fantastic and it will bring a new cohesive theme to an area of the park that was currently didn't really have one. Everything on the "roller coaster" side of the pier will get a new Pixar theme, while the attractions on the other side of the water, will be part of "Paradise Park." We were there for the announcement and unveiling for "Jessie's Critter Carousel!" This should be a fun new theme to the carousel featuring those familiar critters you see at the end of the Toy Story Mania attraction! We got to see the mock up of the critters during our visit to Walt Disney Imagineering. And even were given a walk-through on how the "maquettes" for the ride are created. These little models are sculpted by hand and used to help build the final ride vehicle you will see on the attraction. Here's an artists overview of what it will look like. The new Pixar Pier entry way with the Pixar lamp welcoming you to the area! The Adorable Snowman serves "yellow snow" frosted treats! (He swears they are lemon flavored!) lol The "Poultry Palace" which will serve you everything chicken! And even "Spanish Language Setting" Buzz Lightyear makes an appearance at his Churro stand! Cute! Of course the star of the area will most likely be the new Incredicoaster which will offer a new Incredibles theme to California Screamin'! I'm a huge fan of both the coaster and The Incredibles, so I'm most certainly looking forward to this one! Pixar Fest opens April 13th and new entertainment will be in BOTH Disneyland and California Adventure! Here's the new lead float for the Pixar Play Parade at Disneyland. There will also be a new float in the parade with characters from the movie Up. Over at Disney California Adventure, Paint The Night will return with a new Incredibles themed float. We got to see a preview show of the new Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular, and spectacular it was! The fireworks are amazing, and the projections will display on the castle, down Main Street, on It's a Small World, and on the water screens in Rivers of America. I won't give away too many spoilers about this show, but I will share this image with you and some clips in this video below... [fbvideonew] [/fbvideonew] Heading back to Orlando, we got to take a look at the construction site for Toy Story Land opening June 30th! Slinky Dog Dash is the central focus of the land as it sprawls almost over the entire area. The coaster will feature a "double launch" which I believe is a first for any of the Disney parks! While Slinky Dog Dash is more of a "family coaster" (think Seven Dwarfs Mine Train meets Big Thunder Mountain) it will offer thrills for all ages and be "just enough" for those who don't want something too extreme. While we were getting our tour of the construction site, they were installing the Wheezy character who you will hear singing "You've Got A Friend In Me" throughout the day. Check out the Slinky Dog Dash headband they premiered for us at the event! lol Cute! We are also looking forward to the Alien Swirling Saucers! Another fun new attraction that will join it's other Toy Story friends in the land. And yes, the aliens have a headband too! (the eyes both glow and move!) Woody's Lunch Box will be a new quick service dining option for Toy Story Land. And the entrance to Toy Story Mania will be moved so you enter the attraction from the new land. Always a fun ride! Even though it's only about 10 years old, IMO it's already a "classic!" Toy Story Land opens on June 30th and we are looking forward to getting our first rides on Slinky Dog Dash! And hanging out with the rest of the Toy Story characters throughout the land!

Aquatica in Orlando has one, but they had to tone it way down since the opening.

The word "insane" has only been used in 9 posts out of 42 pages of this thread.

We originally limited the selection to the largest traveling coasters at the time - Olympia Looping, Alpina Bahn, Spinning Racer, Hollenblitz, Teststrecke, Spinning Coaster XXL, and Wilde Maus XXL. Considering the Drifting Coaster's popularity and uniqueness, we'll consider adding it to the 2018 poll. Thank you. It was one of the surprise hits of my Octoberfest trip last year. On another note has the coaster poll officially closed already? I’ve already ranked over 100 coasters but could add more tonight if it’s still open. If not, no worries. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Yes, it is closed, sorry.

lol! I'm sorry, but I sort of have to laugh that you sign up for our forums the day AFTER the poll closes and we have been discussing the beta test for nearly 4 months only to tell us now what you don't like about it in a "compliment sandwich" format. While we all appreciate the feedback, it sort of makes it hard for us to take it seriously.

LAST DAY to submit your ballot is TODAY!!! Don't miss out! https://coasterpoll.com/

Thanks for the feedback but it is not broken so there is no need to fix it. It is very common to drop the "the" when listing out names of things. None of the coasters that have "the" in their official name have it on our poll. For example "The Voyage."

And let's be honest here, everything that guy posted was the most obvious common sense crap to take a stab at. I mean, yes, it's probably very likely that Vekoma will be doing the Guardians ride system, but things change at a moments notice ALL THE TIME in this business. Yes, you can easily connect the dots and I don't need some bullshit Disney fansite to come and tell me they are "industry insiders" when they are going to end up being a bunch of Disney geeks with a common sense crystal ball. Because I can tell you with great certainty (and having worked for Disney for many years) that if you actually know something, YOU DO NOT RISK YOUR JOB TO TELL ANYONE outside of your non-disclosure agreement. And anyone that tells you otherwise is either lying, doesn't know, or about to get fired.

I'm more curious to see what will happen with relationships like the one Disney has with Vekoma. That relationship has helped Disney produce some of the best rides we've seen at their parks yet (Expedition Everest, Tron, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, etc) and a change in owners could impact that. We shall see... I think it's safe to add the Guardians coaster to that list as well. We don't know that for sure. Remember, Disney did NOT go with Vekoma for their most recent coaster. Pretty well regarded insiders have confirmed it will be Vekoma. I know it's not official, but unless Disney decides to drop the work they're having Vekoma do and start over with someone else then it's pretty certain. https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-179#post-8032740 https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-220#post-8123320 I put zero stock in any of the Disney fan sites and rumors. They are wrong most of the time. And, to be honest, I laughed out loud at your "Pretty well regarded insiders" statement! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! That right there is s funny crap! Well, to name a few recent things: these are the insiders that knew Avatar was happening a year before the announcement. They knew the ride systems and capacity per hour as well. They said the Speedway wasn't going away well before Tron was announced for MK while every other Disney site was saying it was. And right now, they've mentioned to expect a Gringotts-type ride for the Guardians coaster but without show stops after the launch, heavy possibility of Mary Poppins to the UK Pavilion, and the Brazil pavilion is still moving slowly. Oh and a pre-1994 styled Tomorrowland which is finally getting underway now, over a year and half after they first mentioned it. All of this well before everyones favorite clickbaiter/news stealer gets it. They've been pretty right for several years so I think it's fair to trust them. But that's where I stand and I get that everyone else won't. Excuse me while I roll my eyes the hardest they can possibly roll... This is what I think of your bullshit "insider information." Seriously, it's just so laughable but you don't understand that or why, so please just carry on, it's very amusing to me! “Those who know don't tell and those who tell don't know.”

I'm more curious to see what will happen with relationships like the one Disney has with Vekoma. That relationship has helped Disney produce some of the best rides we've seen at their parks yet (Expedition Everest, Tron, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, etc) and a change in owners could impact that. We shall see... I think it's safe to add the Guardians coaster to that list as well. We don't know that for sure. Remember, Disney did NOT go with Vekoma for their most recent coaster. Pretty well regarded insiders have confirmed it will be Vekoma. I know it's not official, but unless Disney decides to drop the work they're having Vekoma do and start over with someone else then it's pretty certain. https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-179#post-8032740 https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-220#post-8123320 I put zero stock in any of the Disney fan sites and rumors. They are wrong most of the time. And, to be honest, I laughed out loud at your "Pretty well regarded insiders" statement! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! That right there is s funny crap!

I'm more curious to see what will happen with relationships like the one Disney has with Vekoma. That relationship has helped Disney produce some of the best rides we've seen at their parks yet (Expedition Everest, Tron, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, etc) and a change in owners could impact that. We shall see... I think it's safe to add the Guardians coaster to that list as well. We don't know that for sure. Remember, Disney did NOT go with Vekoma for their most recent coaster.