Family Affairs and other matters

TOP TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR DISNEY HOLIDAY

If you are thinking about a Disney holiday then there is some information on a the following link: http://mydisneyworldplanner.co.uk/ There you will find some videos to help you plan your trip to Disney World, Where to Stay, Disney Dining Plan, What to do and Disney Cruise Line.

There are lots of top tips for planning your Disney Holiday. Join Jenny Powell as she shows you all the excitement that awaits every member of your family at Walt Disney World by clicking on the photo book. Then click the button below to meet Emma, their UK Disney Holiday Expert, in a series of videos to help you plan your holiday.

You need to register for one of the three events, which you can do at www.mydisneyworldplanner.co.uk

DISNEYLAND PARIS APPOINTS HUGO BURNAND AS FIRST PHOTOGRAPHER IN RESIDENCE

Disneyland Paris has announced that their first photographer in residence is Hugo Burnand, who recently took all the official photographs for the royal wedding… so this is a really amazing opportunity to get a once-in-a-lifetime family photoshoot. UK families visiting Disneyland Paris between 12th and 15th August who would like to apply for a free [...]

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BOB IGER, CEO OF DISNEY MEETS THE UK BLOGGERS

One of the major highlights of my recent trip to attend the christening of the new Disney cruise ship, the Disney Dream was our one-to-one meeting with Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger and Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Our meeting with him proved to be the “hot ticket” [...]

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DISNEY MAGIC 2011 MEDITERRANEAN ITINERARIES & PRICES

Disney Magic Mediterranean Itineraries

Virgin Holidays Disney Cruise Line Fact Box – 7-night Disney Magic Cruise from £999

With the same entertainment, unique rotational dining, kid’s activities, adult-only areas and outstanding levels of service, the Disney Magic is back in the Mediterranean this summer. This means UK guests can enjoy the complete Disney Cruise experience with the convenience of short-haul flights and a new 7-night itinerary.

Join ‘Disney Magic’ for seven nights from Barcelona, Villefranche, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples, Palma, and Barcelona. Prices are per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes flights from a London airport. Based on departure date 27 August 2011. Includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Visit www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk or call 0871 781 9893 to book

Disney Magic 2011 Mediterranean Schedule 
 
Departing out of Barcelona, the Disney Magic will sail seven‐, 10‐ and 11‐night European itineraries for the 2011 summer season starting on 28 May. Once again, guests will be able to explore the culture and beauty of Italy, France and 
Spain, with a family friendly experience only Disney can deliver. 

The longer itineraries also include visits to Tunis in northern Africa, the island 
nation of Malta and Ajaccio, Corsica, an island oasis off the southern 
coast of France.  
 
Rates for the seven night European cruises start from £999 per person for a 
standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy 
(see Virgin Holidays Cruises fact box for further details). 
  
Disney Magic 2011 – Mediterranean 
 
7‐Night Mediterranean - 6/8/11 – 3/9/11

10-Night Mediterranean – 8/6/11, 29/6/11, 20/7/11

11-Night Mediterranean – 28/5/11, 18/6/11, 9/7/11

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“DISNEY DREAM” OVERVIEW – STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

I have seen white sand and clear turquoise water. I have snorkelled with sting rays and barracuda’s and collected sand dollars from the sea bed. I have sat in a chair at the water’s edge reading my book and drinking Conk cocktails at Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay in glorious sunshine. I have watched fireworks and kissed Mickey Mouse. I have talked to Crush, everybody’s favourite turtle in the interactive restaurant and I have over-eaten delicious food served by the smiliest most helpful people imaginable. I have had pre-dinner drinks in the cool bars, during-dinner drinks in the impressive restaurants and post-dinner drinks in yet more bars and then danced inappropriately for someone my age in the nightclub with all my new friends and I have spent several days laughing at everything and nothing. I have felt happy and safe and secure and excited. I have watched the new show “Disney’s Believe” and for a minute…believed. I have stood on my balcony and marveled at the enormity of the sea and the smallness of me. I have wished upon a star. Listened to the waves. The wind. Watched the sunset. It all felt luxurious. Everything that one could possibly want was provided for and more. I chose mostly relaxation, others chose mostly stimulation. Real life, in grey, wet London seemed like a million miles away and I felt as if I was literally floating on a shiny happy cloud. That is the beauty of a cruise of this nature. You can pick and choose to your hearts content. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble. Everything was easy. This aspect particularly appealed to me because when I am on holiday with my children I don’t want to have to worry about how I’m going to get somewhere by myself with them, that is the bit that I find most difficult and on a Disney cruise holiday you are most certainly paying for the privilege of relinquishing all responsibility – both for yourself and your family to highly trained professionals who will try and cater for all your specific needs.

So what would be a typical day spent on the Disney Dream cruise ship for someone like me? Obviously, this is the best, best, best age – this is the stuff dreams are made of:-

But as a single parent with three children of significantly different ages and gender who don’t want to do anything together there is still much to be enjoyed. The beauty of a holiday like this is that instead of the family being looked at as one single unit, Disney recognise that each individual has different requirements. There was literally something for everyone. Lots of somethings for everyone. Everywhere you looked.

If we weren’t on Disney’s private island then this was the area I liked best:-

Which housed the adult pool and bar and spa area where we sampled several different cocktails whilst lounging around on the top deck:-

But my children would have preferred to be here in the “Vibe” teen section:

Their own private sun deck:-

Media room:-

Main room with TV/dancefloor, moveable furniture:-

For more information on teenage facilities please look at my specific post in the travel section of this blog: http://www.familyaffairsandothermatters.com/facilities-for-teenagers-on-the-disney-dream-cruise-ship/

We might all meet for lunch and dinner in one of a variety of restaurants OR if they were busy with their friends I might choose to eat in one of the adult only restaurants. See my specific post on restaurants for more details: http://www.familyaffairsandothermatters.com/disney-dream-cruise-ship-restaurant-review/

We might all then go and watch a show in the splendid Walt Disney Theatre. More than 20 of Disney’s most beloved characters take to the stage in the new “Disney’s Believe” and it includes such famous songs as “Never Had A Friend LIke Me”, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (I’ve always wanted an excuse to write that down), “Bear Necessities”, “Circle of Life” and many more and it was surprisingly moving and uplifting:-

Then my children might go back to their respective clubs whilst I take a stroll down to “The District“, the evening entertainment area for adults which was very cool . A selection of bars that all intertwined.

The Skyline – a chic, metropolitan bar where the view changes every 15 minutes to another city – I took a very bad photo of Hong Kong without a flash – but you get the general idea:-

“Pink” an intimate cocktail bar – which in an all too brief period of time became our favourite. Here is a picture of it earlier in the day before it got busy:-

Then hopefully at some point I will remember that I have children, go and collect them (or vice versa) and sleep peacefully in luxurious beds dreaming of how we are all going to do it again tomorrow.

Thank you to Disney and Virgin Holidays for inviting me out there to check it all out. I loved every minute. Especially the silly game of Crazy Golf we played with champagne in one hand and a club in the other:-

For prices and further information please read my blog post review:- http://www.familyaffairsandothermatters.com/the-disney-dream-cruise-review-with-prices/

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FACILITIES FOR TEENAGERS ON THE “DISNEY DREAM” CRUISE SHIP

I was very impressed with the facilities provided on the “Disney Dream” cruise ship exclusively for teenagers. They have full use of a vast area of uber cool stuff:- Teen Club – “Vibe” An extensive indoor/outdoor space on Deck 5 created especially for guests aged 14 to 17. A “teen-only” swipe card provides access to [...]

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THE “DISNEY DREAM” CRUISE REVIEW WITH PRICES

The new cruise liner “Disney Dream” elevates the experience of family entertainment to new heights. It is the largest of their ships with a capacity of 4,000 passengers and features an elegant, art deco interior design throughout it’s 1,115 foot length.

The Disney Dream sails alternating three and four night cruises from Port Canaveral, Fla to the Bahamas and Disney’s private islamd, Castaway Cay. During the summer months, the ship alternates four and five night itineraries.

There are some fantastic and amazing aspects to the ship, including:-

AquaDuck Water Coaster

A cruise industry first – an exhilarating flume ride featuring twists, turns and a “swing out” loop over the edge so that you can see the ocean 150 feet below. You can see it in this picture:-

Children’s Clubs

All sorts of different facilities for children of all ages.

Its A Small World Nursery

For babies from 12 weeks old to three years. Their babysitting services offer the longest operating hours of any cruise company.

Oceaneer Club

A pirate themed supervised adventure area including an interactive gaming floor.

Oceaneer Lab

Here kids can enjoy a wide range of supervised activities in a room filled with maps, maritime instruments and swashbuckling artifacts. There are experiment stations, music stations, computers, video games and more. They can try their hand at animation, become a pop star or navigate ships through digital seas.

Chill out Zones for Tweens and Teens

Edge

A lounge for kids aged between 11 and 13. Filled with hi-tech entertainment including the ability to create and star in photo postcards and video karaoke using green-screen technology.

Vibe

The exclusive club for the teenagers. 9,000 square feet for kids of 14-17. They can create videos, play computer games and try their hand at mixing dance tracks. They have a private sun deck and it is all uber cool. I took some pictures of the teen area to show you:-

Sun deck

Media room

(check out my post on teenage entertainment for further information and photographs)

Excellent restaurants featuring their rotational dining concept where you visit different restaurants each night with the same servers. The restaurants include:
Animator’s Palate
Royal Palace
Enchanted Garden
Remy
Palo

(see separate post on restaurant reviews)

Adult areas include “The District” a nighttime entertainment area with a selection of different bars and the “Evolution” nightclub and the Senses spa and salon as well as the last two restaurants mentioned above.

There is entertainment for the entire family for all ages, day and night. This includes live theatrical productions, game-show experiences, movies, deck parties, fireworks at sea, swimming pools, crazy golf, basketball, ping pong, exclusive Disney character interactions and so the list goes on……

Castaway Cay is Disney’s private island exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests with activities and areas for families, teens and adults.

Staterooms are family sized and smartly designed. Most of the rooms now offer a split bath and a half with a sink and bath/shower in one room and a separate sink and loo in another which is much better if there are a few of you staying together.

Disney Cruise Line offers 3,4 & 7 night itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean out of Port Canaveral. Land/sea holiday packages that include a stay at Walt Disney Resort are also available. To find out more or book a holiday go to disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500 or contact your travel agent.

From the UK Virgin Holidays Cruises is part of the Virgin Holidays family and offers customers fully packaged cruise holidays:-

11 night Disney Dream Stay & Cruise from £1,249

After 7 nights in Walt disney World Orlando, join the Disney Dream for 4 nights. Prices are per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis with direct flights with Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick.

11 night Disney Dream Stay & Cruise from £2,099

After 7 nights at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, join “Disney Dream” for 4 nights. Prices based as above.

For more information please contact:
Lydia Lancaster, PR Executive, Virgin Holidays Cruises

Lydia.lancaster@virginholidays.com
01293 496184

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