jedimaster1227 Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 (edited) In keeping up with my annual tradition, I made a short trip out to the Disneyland Resort this year, but took it a step further with a back-to-back vacation on the Disney Dream as soon as I returned from California! As I'm sure you've expected, I geeked out on both legs of the trip, ate lots of food and took a ton of photos (over 3000 actually). I'm happy to say I whittled those photos down for you quite a bit, but I'll start up this year's report with a look at our first day and a half of fun at Disneyland... Isn't it funny how Paradise Pier has become the place that I always go to first when I get to the Disneyland Resort? Maybe this is why... Lobster Nachos! It's great to be back! Still finding new details to love in Cars Land. Luigi's Flying Tires continues to be one of my favorite attractions at the resort. It is simple and fun but it really gets me each time. It's no Captain EO, but I seriously loved the Guardians of the Galaxy extended preview in the Magic Eye Theater. Neat to see a Frankenweenie tie-in added to the Haunted Mansion queue... This. This gets me. The monster in me has returned. Yes, I am that addicted to Mint Juleps. The Conquest of the Planet of the Mint Juleps has begun! He's probably just getting gorgeously tanned in Summer... Still doesn't make any sense to me. Hunny is one strong hallucinogen. Do you wanna eat a snowman? HOME!!! Stand back! Well, this is new. Man, I love this place. First Space Mountain ride of the trip! This portion of Paradise Pier really isn't any worse off without the Maliboomer... You might even say it is better. I love the Golden Zephyr. Seriously, seriously love this ride. I always forget that the monorail passes through the main entrance of Soarin' over California. Very different from Florida's inside. Well, this is new... Thankfully, this is virtually the same. "You are with Sigourney Weaver aboard the Spaceship NOSTROMO." Yeah, these are brilliant too. I can stare at this mountain range all day long. Much detail. So water. Many wow. I can never get enough of Radiator Springs Racers! Love this ride! LOVE IT! Where could I be now? This always amuses me at the Boudin Bakery Tour. What have we here? OMG YES!!!! Since we were already here... That is the best looking Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich I've ever seen! The Jolly Holiday Combo for the win at the Jolly Holiday Bakery! Cone you believe I'm here AGAIN? This is also known as a "Handwich." I had to try this. I was so eager to try it that I didn't wait to eat half before I realized I hadn't grabbed a photo. It was pretty solid. Not Corn Dog Castle-level, but solid. So then this happened... Take the Tunnel!!! It feels so awesome to still be able to sit in the front cab of the monorail here. The views are incredible! It was a real bummer that the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was closed for refurbishment during this visit, but I'm glad to know it will be re-opening later this year, contrary to popular rumors. Progress! Look at this! If only a train had passed by... An awesome start to an incredible set of trips! Edited October 15, 2014 by jedimaster1227 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBpony414 Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 So...Much...Food... I want it all!!! How was the s'more bar? The picture looked not so good but what you ended up getting looked delicious. Now I want s'mores! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 (Continued) I never get tired of seeing this! Autopia... Not my favorite attraction but still unique. A tribute to Midget Autopia... Off-road! Yes. I have a mild obsession with the Rocket Rods track. Heaven. I love this place so much! The pupu platter is always a winner in my book! Radiator Springs Racers continues to hold a spot as one of my favorite Disney attractions anywhere. A new interactive game has been added to Mickey's Fun Wheel as a preshow for World of Color... It is like a giant game of "Simon" played on mobile phones and the winner of each set of rounds gets to control the lighting on the wheel for sixty seconds! Pretty awesome if you ask me! I'd trade much of Walt Disney World just to have Paradise Pier in Florida. Prepare for my fandom... Fandom... I love this show. So freaking much! Subtle sorcerer's hat! So neat! FIRE!!! Still my favorite thing ever. Always worth a visit to see Mickey and the Magical Map! Air Louie comin' at ya! Avenger-ventions. Iron Man's Hall of Armor still looks awesome! Disneyland's oldest cast member. ...Yeah. I never get tired of seeing the Disneyland All-American College Band perform! Time for more foodgasms at the Carthay Circle Restaurant! Let's start with the sriracha-lime glazed duck wings! And the Carthay House Biscuits never fail to impress! The Miso Salmon is still one of the best I've ever had. This lamb was SUPERB! This atrium. So incredible! Love this! Tried the Fantasmic! Dessert Package for the first time and really enjoyed it! It gave a great view too! I'm finally going to admit it... I think I finally like Disneyland's Fantasmic! better than the version at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Still a cool effect. This wins it all. Love this! I went on Space Mountain a lot during this trip! Really, a lot! Noticed this window for the first time when walkin' right down the middle of Mainstreet USA. Love this little story detail at the exit of Toy Story Mania... Mickey's Fun Wheel is another favorite of mine! The BEST! Hilarious! Another hidden gem in this park. Boiler man makes me smile. I forgot how much I enjoy California Adventure's Tower of Terror. It isn't Tokyo's or Florida's but it is still VERY fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 (Continued) Still cool after all these years! Love this ride! The Pixar Play Parade still rocks the route at California Adventure! Love this! Disney detail. Still fun after all these years. FIRE! Fans of Finding Nemo: The Musical at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park will recognize the design of most of the characters in the Pixar Play Parade as they are copies of the ones used in the show in Florida, though some are mounted to floats, like Crush here. That Tinker Toy is still the most evily-awesome parade contraption ever! Back again... Stopped by the Mad T Party for old time's sake. I still miss Flynn's Arcade. Went to Wine Country Trattoria for the World of Color Dinner Package and got my favorite lamb shank again! The dessers here are great too! Sure, we got soaked for it, but standing at the absolute front of the lowest tier on the water for the Paradise Bay viewing area was worth it. The view is killer! Seriously perfect! So much for me to gush over with this show! Still one of my favorite effects! The giddy fan in me flips out every time I see The Old Mill segment. Still my favorite. And I got soaked for it, but I have no regrets! Annual tradition photo! Hiya Squirt! Because I love my camera... Time to ogle over Cars Land at night... Such awe. So wow. Many awesome! So much neon! Still a fun little gag! I love this park so much! So perfect! Rock Candy Moutain tribute! Guess who's coming here soon? Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is coming to Disnet California Adventure! Frozen Pre-Parade before Soundsational... I stare at this a lot. Time to enjoy the splendor that is ASIMO! He's peer into your soul thru the internet. He's the latest in a long line of robotic beings that will eventually lead to humanity's downfall. He can stand on one foot. And annihilate humanity. Â Just kidding! So... New Orleans Square. Everyone's been up in arms over the Club 33 expansion visibly altering the place too much. But I'll be honest... I barely noticed a difference as a fan. I doubt the general public would even know at this point that anything ever changed. The Court of Angels is now a part of the main entrance of the new Club 33. This is the new entryway to the club. Here's the buzzer. Here's some glasses. You can now see into the club along this pathway, but I think it is still pretty subtle. The old entrance remains for historic value. Pirate Red has been retained! I love this version of Big Thunder Mountain! Neat new shout outs to the other parks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 (Continued) Such a fun ride! The Three-Cheese Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans is a winner! Time to see Fantasmic! again! Still so awesome! Nothing like the original thing. It's huge! Some close ups from my special viewing location... Here's another . Love this! It was also a great view for the fireworks! I love that they still feature local bands on the Tomorrowland Terrace stage after all these years! I told you, I rode Space Mountain a lot during this trip! And Buzz Lightyear too... A hidden gem location behind Sleeping Beauty Castle! So beautiful at night! Just wish I could have seen Light Magic run down this street. There's something very beautiful about this. Ever burning... Classic. Such a fantastic queue and exit line for Radiator Springs Racers. They really did an incredible job bringing Cars Land to life! Seriously unreal. It just looks so grand! This cracks me up... I'm so easily amused! I used to love the look of the Sun Wheel... California Screamin' is still silky smooth! Launch time! Here we go!!! Twisty!!! Here we go! I love this motion over the Boardwalk. The money shot. Seriously my favorite view of the ride... Hiya Donald! I love the new look of the Pacific Wharf! Went back for more... Always have to visit the original Enchanted Tiki Room while in town. Time for more All-American College Band fun! And more Space Mountain! It is a little know fact that at the end of the ASIMO presentation in Innoventions, Nick Fury appears from out of the shadows to recruit him for the Avengers Initiative. Wrapping up the Disneyland portion of the trip in the perfect way... Uh-Oa!!! FIRE!!! Such a neat effect! This flatbread was awesome! The shrimp tacos were pretty solid too! It's raining! Pay no attention to the man holding a squirt bottle! The fried long beans are incredible! Navy Grog is the best drink you can order from the "hidden menu" at Trader Sam's... It gets the job done. And one last Krakatoa Punch for the road before heading home to Florida... To catch a cruise on the Disney Dream! Photos from that coming up soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WFChris Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Always fun to read your mega fan-boy reports:) My pass is expiring in a few weeks and I don't think I'm going to renew...but your report is seriously making me consider otherwise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteornotes Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I really want to go on one of these cruises at some point. Â dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jray21 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Loving your report! Carthay Circle and Jolly Holiday are really great options. I do love the Mint Juleps, but you forgot to get the Mickey Mouse Beignets as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 All that food looked wonderful! You definitely have some favourites, I can see. Very yummy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 The second-half of this Double-Disney Vacation was another sailing on the Disney Dream, my third so far! I love Disney Cruise Line's Dream Class ships (I've also sailed once on the Disney Fantasy) and I jumped at the chance to sail again once I had some time off from work! Do you want to take a cruise now? That's right folks! It is time for another cruise on the Disney Dream! I truly love this chandelier! The Cove Cafe serves these AMAZING pineapple tartlets. I had something close to ten of them on this sailing. We've got dinner reservations for Palo! our stateroom for the sailing complete with some awesome gifts! I'm happy to be here again! The sailing away party is always a great kickoff for the sailing... The view from our stateroom's verandah... Our first dinner of the sailing, and my favorite of the three rotational dining venues onboard the ship! The venue really is gorgeous! So much detail! Lobster Ravioli for the win! The Avocado Tuna Tower is my favorite appetizer in any of the ship's three rotational dining venues. Had to order the Sea Bass again. Once again, this fish did not disappoint! These palate cleanser pre-dessert cubes are fantastic! The orange ones are like Jungle Juice (Animal Kingdom Lodge's signature drink) candy! I always recommend going with the appetizer trio in the menu if you have the chance! Per our server's recommendation, we tried the Date Cake. It was AMAZING! Our first towel animal of the sailing! We spent our day at the port of Nassau enjoying the ship and concluded with dinner at Palo, the ship's additional-charge Italian dining venue. My favorite design element of Palo is the inclusion of this gorgeous Chihuly piece. The meal starts off with unlimited antipasti... We shared the Lobster Ravioli (I'll order seafood whenever and wherever I can if given the chance). One of my favorite Disney food items ever is Palo's polenta-stuffed portobello mushroom. This thing is heavenly and indulgent and I dream about it consistently! A new test was going on during our meal in which an established violinist actually roams the restaurant, adding beautiful music to the atmosphere of the venue. I seriously hope this becomes a permanent addition to the Palo experience! Our table at Palo provided a fantastic view of Atlantis as we sailed away from Nassau! Our first entree was the rack of lamb, a solid start for sure. Next up was the handmade gnocchi in a light Alfredo sauce. These were fluffy and light to eat, but a super-filling dish despite the consistency. We both loved them! Palo's signature tenderloin is always a must, no matter how many times you've dined there. But the real surprise came in the form of the stuffed chicken. It was easily the best preparation of chicken either of us had ever had with the meat being perfectly cooked and still moist, the breaking-based stuffing had a great flavor to it and the red wine sauce it was served with was decadent. The chocolate soufflé is also a must at Palo. You can see the warm vanilla and chocolate sauces being poured into it here. They even made this special plate up for my girlfriend's birthday! This frozen calvados shot is seriously masterful. I need to make these at home. E.T.!!! The best logo on the ship! Disney Cruise Line hosts midnight "PremEars" onboard the ship's when new Marvel, Disney and Pixar (eventually Lucasfilm too) films come out on land. I seriously LOVED this film. I saw it twice on the ship, and once more on land. Nothing makes me smile more than seeing Tim Curry onboard the ship. The AquaDuck is so photogenic at night! This ship is beautiful. Disney Cruise Line hosts Pirates in the Caribbean, an evening full of Pirate fun that begins at sundown and runs thru the end of the night. As you can see, it gets to be pretty popular. Jolly Roger is your host for the evening! The Buccaneer Blast show featuring Captain Jack Sparrow is an enjoyable jaunt into his typical antics... The show actually kicks off the fireworks. After the fireworks, guests have access to a Pirate Buffet filled with savory items and sweet desserts. And there are plenty of turkey legs to be had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 (Continued 2) More fun at the pirate buffet... Hi Elissa! There's a baked potato bar here! I might have gone overboard when it came to the pirate buffet... I might've. Our welcome back gifts for the evening! The next morning I woke up early to get some food in... Why would I need food so early? I decided to try my hand at the Castaway Cay 5K! It's not really a race, but a designated trail on Castaway Cay for guests to run for fun. With a bad knee to blame, I was one of the last to finish, but I did finish with more than 10 minutes to spare before the cut off. But not to fear, folks. I got a medal! Hey you guys! There are many picturesque locations at Castaway Cay. Oh captain, my captain! After that run, I needed a drink. Apparently so did Olaf. Serenity Bay, the island's adult beach, is so perfect! Just relaxing in the Summer sun, lettin' off steam. The Serenity Bay Beach BBQ provides another opportunity for me to pig out! Get it? The pelican is pointing! An overview of everything on the island. Mt. Rustmore. I love this view! I love this view too! Such a neat trademark of the ship. Officially a part of the Bahamas. Our stateroom host decorated our stateroom with our medals... How nice! They show those awesome Mickey Mouse shorts onboard the ship on the in-room TVs. This one is my favorite! In a matter of a few hours the sky opened up... And then the deluge. Time to go! The violinist from Palo performed in the Atrium that night! This is kind of awesome. Not sure what I was doing here. Time for a different kind of dining experience... Animator's Palate begins as an animator's studio... Very nice feel at the start... But next thing you know, the restaurant transforms and the walls are filled with windows looking into the world of Finding Nemo, complete with Crush the Sea Turtle being able to talk with you. Totally different feel! It's a cruise ship made of moonfish! These truffle pasta pursuiettes are the greatest. ROCK LOBSTER! It's like I'm back at Disneyland! The herb crusted veal chop was huge! Shark! Real shark! It isn't a Disney experience without a Mickey Bar! One of the few decent photos of me from the trip... Sacher torte for the win! And another birthday treat for my girlfriend! Time to start wrapping up this cruise... Hi Elissa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 (Continued 3) Hello Captain Mickey! Hung out with the ship's cruise director for a few... One final towel animal before the end of the sailing... I can't stop staring at this thing. A hidden piece of Enchanted Artwork in the Vista Gallery onboard the ship. D Lounge has the neatest use of LEDs on the ship. The wall is lined with them! One of my favorite areas... So much to see... So much to drink! Hello Pink! Thr signature Taittinger champagne they serve onboard the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. Look closely at the bubbles in the walls... You may see a heffalump or woozel pop in. More Chihuly for the win! I love Skyline so much! The windows give off the illusion that you're sailing through major city skylines. And they have drinks themed to those different cities... Evolution is the ship's dance club. My favorite Enchanted Artwork comes in the form of the dueling Pirates of the Caribbean pieces. Currents looks great at night! Meyer Werft. A sign of quality! I will never get tired of looking at this. Or this. Or this... We also loved the Midship Detective Agency game onboard the ship. 687 is another favorite hangout of mine. Had to see it again... Heritage. Fun fact: Wilson Matua from Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom makes a cameo in George of the Jungle. Fun fact: Stan Lee makes a cameo in Princess Diaries 2. Love these murals! One on each side in Cabanas... OSWALD! Time to say goodbye... I love this ship! See ya real soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Adam, don't you know. You are supposed to continuously wear the medal, not hang it up. Â Why did it have to be more food photos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WFChris Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 ^I was wondering if people wonder around the ship for the remainder of the cruise with their medals on. Â Â I was curious, is there any part of the ship that is NOT a 'favorite hangout' of yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jray21 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 So beyond jealous! It's been way too long since I've been on a Disney cruise. The food pictures are amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBpony414 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Enjoyed seeing the rest of your trip! I've never been on a Disney cruise (hoping to remedy that soon!) but I have a question: does the cruise feel like it's too short, being that it's only 3 nights? There's so much to do and it seems like you'd need at least another day to soak it in. Or maybe that's part of their marketing plan - to leave people wanting more and then they book another cruise? Either way it looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Looks worth it for the food alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrlandoGuy Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Wow I'm almost 100% positive we were on the same cruise . We take a lot of Disney cruises, and this summer was especially cruise-heavy, so I'm hazy on dates and don't have the documents right in front of me at the moment, but we had the Guardians premiere and the heavy storm upon leaving Castaway so I think it's safe to say we were on the same boat. Crazy how that stuff works! Â Anyway, glad you had a good time, thanks for the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteornotes Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 I just ate breakfast, and now I'm hungry again from all the amazing food photos. Â dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 ^And I just ate dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jray21 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Those food pictures never get old. So depressing seeing those as I drink a disgusting protein shake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Those food pictures never get old. So depressing seeing those as I drink a disgusting protein shake. Same. Â Never been on a cruise so I love all of the pictures you post, Adam! I really need to look into one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPDave Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Great photos Adam! This ship looks amazing!! I hope I get to sail on it some day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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