Partying around Europe on the Disney Fantasy
Mar 9, 2012 Travel
One of the big misconceptions about going on a Disney cruise is that you will be surrounded by mouse ears and children all the time. And while I wouldn’t mind the mouse ears, I don’t do well when I can’t get away from children periodically, even my own (especially my own?).
Not only is there an adult-only pool on the new Disney Fantasy, there’s an entire entertainment district, called Europa. Some of the bars are adults-only after 9pm, some of them are off limits to kids all the time. So there are always places to go and get away from the little people.
The most charming thing about these bars and lounges on the Fantasy is that they’re populated with employees from the countries each bar is inspired by. It gives the experience an authentic feel, and makes for some interesting conversations with the bartenders and servers.
La Piazza
Our first stop was La Piazza, a charming and romantic space inspired by Italy. There’s a gorgeous carousel bar in the center, and quiet nooks and booths around the perimeter.
O’Gills Pub
Our next stop, O’Gills Pub, was exactly what you would expect from an Irish pub, with some fun touches, such as Wii and XBox games on giant screens. This is a great place to go and watch a game while drinking a beer (two things I don’t do, but I realize I’m in the minority on both). I think this was probably the least Disney-feeling spot on the ship.
continue reading: Partying around Europe on the Disney... Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Travel
Drinking & eating…& eating…& eating on the Disney Fantasy
Mar 8, 2012 Travel
Anyone who has cruised has probably gushed about the food. Multiple seatings, buffets, snacks, sundae bars, piles of dessert. It’s everywhere, sure, but on the Disney Fantasy, it’s also awesome. Because what’s the use of massive amounts of food if it’s the equivalent of a $3.99 steak dinner in Vegas?
I visited the Fantasy twice last week, and on the second visit got to have dinner in The Animator’s Palate. As you would expect with Disney, this restaurant has excellent food and entertainment.
My favorite thing about dinner on Disney ships is that your wait staff follows you from restaurant to restaurant, night after night. If you tell them the first night that you drink Diet Coke with every meal and hate mushrooms, those are things you won’t have to repeat. Disney restaurants also take great care with food allergies.
The decor of The Animator’s Palate is whimsical but classy. TV screens are everywhere, but at the beginning of your meal they simply look like lithographs on the walls.
I’ve never wanted to create a distraction and steal a couple of chairs so much in my life!
continue reading: Drinking & eating…& eating…& eating on... Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Food, Travel
So what do kids do on the Disney Fantasy?
Mar 7, 2012 Travel
There’s plenty for families to do on the new Disney Cruise Line ship the Fantasy, which I visited twice last week while it was docked in NYC. There are the pools, the AquaDuck water coaster, interactive paintings that come to life when you walk by and other games scattered throughout the ship, three different amazing mainstage shows, movies, parties, and lots more. But what about when you don’t want to be with your kids? What about when you want to go to the adults-only pool area, or have a quiet lunch with your husband, or take an excursion?
The Oceaneer’s Club, for kids age 3-12, is one of the most amazing play spaces I’ve ever seen. The grown-ups didn’t want to leave during our tour.
The main room is full of big screens and a huge, interactive, touch-sensitive floor that we played an UP-themed game on.
Off of this room are a bunch of other themed rooms, geared towards different ages and interests.
Pixie Hollow give little fairies a chance to dress up and play.
continue reading: So what do kids do on... Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Travel
The Disney Fantasy: Gorgeous from head to toe
Mar 7, 2012 Travel
One of the best things about Disney World is all of the details and care that have gone into the entire experience. From the breathtakingly beautiful decorations to the little touches you might only notice if you really know where to stop and look, these details take Disney to another level. That same attention to detail is present in every corner of the new Disney Fantasy cruise ship.
I was lucky enough to visit the brand new ship twice last week as it was docked in NYC. When you first walk onto the ship you go into the grand atrium, which is, um, grand. But it’s also functional. Behind hidden panels are lights so that in case of bad weather, parties that would usually be held outside on the deck can be moved inside the atrium. Always thinking, those Disney designers – they’re not going to let weather ruin a good party!
continue reading: The Disney Fantasy: Gorgeous from head... Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy, Travel
From bad, to worse, to great with runDisney
Feb 25, 2012 What's Going On
I’d been sick for several days before heading down to Disney World on Thursday for the Tangled Family 5K and Princess Half Marathon. By Friday morning, when my alarm went off at 5:30, I was feeling terrible. I’d woken up every fifteen minutes or so all night until 4:30, then finally managed to get one solid hour of sleep. And even though I just had a cold, it was a bad one, and I wasn’t sure I could walk to the lobby, let alone do a two mile walk/run.
Our meet-up that morning was with Jeff Galloway, a training consultant with runDisney and someone I have a huge amount of respect for. I first met him before last year’s Princess Half, and he introduced me to his Run-Walk-Run method. This was a revelation to me, because I know a lot of runners and they all seem to see it as a failure of some kind if you have to walk part of the way. But here was this amazing athlete, who in the early 1970s competed in the Olympics and ran 10 miles in under 48 minutes (only slightly longer than it takes me to “run” 3 miles), telling me that it was OK to alternate walking with running, that it’s a completely legitimate way to complete a half or full marathon.
Jeff Galloway
We gathered just inside of EPCOT as the sun was coming up.
Jeff led us on an easy run/walk through EPCOT as the park’s workers were getting things ready for opening. Well, it would’ve been easy, but I was feeling awful. By the end of the two miles I felt like I was going to pass out. I was getting really worried about the rest of the weekend.
I stopped to take this picture on the way. Partly because it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen, and partly because it gave me an excuse to stop for ten seconds.
We were met at the end of the run with tiaras and breakfast, and really, I’d like someone to arrange for that to happen when I get back to my house from a run. OK? Every time, please.
As we ate we got to hear from an interesting group of speakers: Rachel Booth has won the Disneyland Half Marathon twice, and is going for a win at Sunday’s Princess Half Marathon. We also heard from Betty Wong, editor in chief of Fitness Magazine, Lori Stultz Lovell, the current runDisney mom on the Disney Moms panel, and Suzy Favor-Hamilton, an elite runner who has battled depression and anxiety and is now a motivational speaker.
Rachel Booth
Honestly though, it was kind-of a blur because I felt so awful. But I couldn’t pass up some very special Disney photo opps.
The best part of these Disney press trips is the private time with the characters. You’ve never seen a bunch of grown-up women so excited. We were beaming. And the characters made each one of us feel special, just like they would have with little kids. :-)
When I got back to my room I crawled back into bed, sweaty and exhausted. I really started to think that I had made a big mistake getting up so early and heading out sick. When I woke up from my nap, though, I started to feel better. That was the turning point, and things got better very fast.
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. This post has Compensation Levels of 7, 8, and 16. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
Want to catch up on my runDisney adventures? Here are the other posts (newest first):
Disney’s Tangled Royal Family 5K
Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo
And then a few zebra wandered by
A half marathon that fits on a t-shirt
From couch potato to 26K with runDisney
Diary of a Disney Princess Half Marathoner – Part 2
Disney Princess Half Marathon: Done
Diary of a Disney Princess Half Marathoner – Part 1
So this is what Disney does to me
Tags: Disney Princess Half Marathon, Disney World, jogging, Travel
And then a few zebra wandered by…
Feb 24, 2012 What's Going On
Zebra
So after a check-in glitch that left me without a working room key until 11pm last night (very un-Disney-like!), I’m now happily ensconced in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. The thing about these press trips is that we do more in a day than I usually do in a week, and I’m still not feeling well, but my first twenty-four hours here have still been really fun.
Ostrich
I’d never been to the Animal Kingdom Lodge before yesterday, but it’s like staying in a hotel next to some kind of wildlife preserve. When you check in you’re asked not to bring any plastic straws or lids into your room, and to not throw food to the animals.
Antelope
Animals are roaming around right outside of the hotel. Sitting on my balcony so far I’ve spotted roan antelope, reticulated giraffe, zebra, and an ostrich. And no, I’m not some sort of animal expert. There’s a guide in my room that I can use to identify the animals, and check off the ones I see.
Last night our group of bloggers were taken to Sanaa for dinner, which is in the Kidani Village section of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I was a little nervous that there wouldn’t be anything for me to eat, because I imagined that an African themed restaurant would serve mostly meat dishes. I was thrilled that just about everything brought out to us was vegetarian, not to mention delicious! Plus, it was all very spicy, and since I’ve had a very bad cold this week, I was glad to be able to taste something. From three kinds of bread with about twelve dips, to the best roasted cauliflower I’ve ever had, and a tangy, oniony chickpea salad, the meal was wonderful.
Above our table at Sanaa
Disney World is known for how well they can accommodate special eating requests. One person in our party had some kind of food allergy and they took great care of her. Our servers also came right to me as each course was brought to the table and let me know which of the dishes were vegetarian.
I managed to keep my camera in its bag all through dinner, making fun of everyone else snapping away, but I had to join in and take a picture of our desserts. And they were as delicious as they were pretty.
Chocolate cake, chai cream, and mango sorbet
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. This post has Compensation Levels of 7, 8, and 16. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
Want to catch up on my runDisney adventures? Here are the other posts (newest first):
Disney’s Tangled Royal Family 5K
Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo
From bad, to worse, to great with runDisney
A half marathon that fits on a t-shirt
From couch potato to 26K with runDisney
Diary of a Disney Princess Half Marathoner – Part 2
Disney Princess Half Marathon: Done
Diary of a Disney Princess Half Marathoner – Part 1
So this is what Disney does to me
Tags: Disney Princess Half Marathon, Disney World, Food, Travel
From couch potato to 26K with Run Disney
Feb 22, 2012 What's Going On
I’m weird when it comes to exercise, I’ll just admit that there’s no logic to it. I will bribe my kids to get something for me from upstairs, but voluntarily participate in long races. What can I say: I like a big challenge more than I like getting off of my couch to find my cell phone.
Last year I finished the Disney Princess Half Marathon, and despite having to get up at 2:30am and the exhaustion and the pain, it was worth it. Dare I say, it was even fun. And that’s because it gets the Full Disney Treatment.
I even managed to post right before, and during, and then right after the race.
From muscular men bouncing on trampolines to photo opps with Disney Princes, this is a race designed for women. There are men who participate, but they’re in on the joke: often they’re dressed in costume and there to support the woman they’re running with. Plus, they’re not allowed to win medals. [To clarify, they get the bling at the end, they just can't be awarded any medals fro finishing in a top spot.] And while I didn’t think I cared about the medals, this is some serious bling.
The first real race I ever ran was a four miler in Central Park, and it was intimidating. It was filled with real runners, many of them using that short run as a qualifier for the NYC Marathon. I was twice as big and half as fast as most people there. And while I finished just fine (slow but fine), I would not recommend a race like that for your first one.
The Princess Half Marathon, though, is perfect for a first timer. There are runners of all sizes. Many are in princess skirts. A lot of people walk/run it like I do. Everyone around you is supportive. They want you to succeed, they don’t want to beat you.
Well, except for the people in the front. There are some serious runners who take part. They want to beat you, and they are not in costume. But they are in the minority, and I will never be close enough to them for it to matter. In fact, the closest I got to the frontrunners last year was just a couple miles into the race. It takes a long time to get 17,000 runners started, so about half an hour in for me, the first ones to start passed us on the highway, going the other way, almost done. That was weird to watch. They were flying!
So, back to this year. I’m less nervous, now that I know I can finish. I would love to improve on my time, even by a few minutes, but I haven’t been training hard. I started jogging again in October, but I had gained a lot of weight since the last Princess Half, and could barely finish a couple of miles. I realized that I had to focus on losing weight instead, so while I haven’t been running much, I have taken off twenty-five pounds since October, bringing me back to roughly what I weighed for last year’s race.
Like last year, I’m on this trip as press, but unlike last year, they’ve put Saturday’s Tangled Family 5K on the itinerary, so that will be like a warm-up for Sunday’s half marathon. Plus we’ll be watching the kids’ races, which sound like a lot of fun. I’m considering bringing Jake next year if he keeps jogging with me (he’s been helping me train – he’s a great cheerleader!).
It will be a long weekend of not much sleep. Our press events start at 6am on Friday, and we have to leave for the races at 4:45am on Saturday and 3:30am on Sunday. Ouch.
But it will be worth it. I can’t believe I’m looking forward to this. There’s just nothing like that feeling of accomplishment when you achieve something that’s not at all easy. And the fact that it happens in Disney World makes it even more special.
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. This post has Compensation Levels of 7, 8 and 16. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
Want to catch up on my runDisney adventures? Here are the other posts (newest first):
Disney’s Tangled Royal Family 5K
Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo
From bad, to worse, to great with runDisney
And then a few zebra wandered by
A half marathon that fits on a t-shirt
Diary of a Disney Princess Half Marathoner – Part 2
Disney Princess Half Marathon: Done
Diary of a Disney Princess Half Marathoner – Part 1
So this is what Disney does to me
Tags: Disney Princess Half Marathon, Disney World, exercise, jogging, Travel
Bing Travel: It does the guessing for me
Dec 5, 2011 Product Review
A few weeks ago I was presented with an in-depth look at Bing Travel. This was not the first time I’d heard of it – I go to a lot of Microsoft events and it’s always being demonstrated – but all of the other times I’d pretty much ignored it for shinier, flashier things. Why would I need Bing Travel when I have a bunch of other sites that I always check?
This time, though, I was a captive audience, sitting in a comfy chair with nothing else to pay attention to. I swear, I’m like a toddler sometimes. If you don’t take all of the other cool stuff out of my line of sight and make me sit still, I won’t focus. So, I paid attention this time, and I have to say it was rather revelatory. I had several batches of plane tickets to buy, and I couldn’t wait to get home and give Bing Travel a whirl.
For starters, Bing Travel looks at hundreds of sites when searching for your flights, so I didn’t have to check all of those other sites (but I did the first time anyway, just to make sure Bing was finding what it was supposed to). I was kicking myself for having waited so long to book my flight to Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show in January, but was thrilled at what Bing Travel found:
$408 round trip on Virgin America? Score! And yes, I know what you’re thinking, I would’ve found that flight on one of the other sites I routinely check (and I did). But then I clicked on the Fare Predictor and saw this:
Confirmation that if I’d purchased my tickets back in October, I could’ve saved about $180. And while that’s not exactly good news, I was fascinated that I was getting that info with my search. It even told me that it was 75% sure that I should buy my tickets now. So I did. The search results gave me several choices of where to buy my tickets from, so I picked buying directly from Virgin America and clicked over to their site, where my chosen tickets came right up. It was really easy.
Next I searched for tickets for a trip to Florida. These worried me even more than the Vegas tickets. Not because I’d waited too long, but because in the past we’ve paid wildly differing amounts for tickets between NYC and Fort Myers. I never know when to buy and I know I’ve totally overpaid some years.
The search found lots of options, but they were all more than I wanted to pay. The Fare Predictor told me that I should wait, though, and it was 80% certain! So, I’m waiting. I’m going to check it every few days and see what it says. I got the same results – 80% certain I should wait – for a third trip I need to book. So, I’m doing lots of waiting, but based on the past ticket prices I’m not worried.
I also tried out the Bing Travel Hotel Search. While not as excitement-inducing as the Fare Predictor, everything was very organized, and I ended up choosing my hotel from that search.
The one complaint I have about the hotel search is that I re-sorted my initial results by distance, and after clicking over to read more details about one hotel, I had to re-sort again when I went back to the search results. From then on I remembered to open the details in a new tab, but I think that should be done automatically.
Other than that small complaint though, loving Bing Travel. Can’t wait to plan more trips!
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. This post has a Compensation Level of 8. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
