Disney Wonder 9-Night Alaskan Cruise: Day 1/Part 2 of 3

Beth, Richard and I next took a tour of the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab before returning to the Edge for Beth's access sticker. (The photos are on my business Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/Kimberly.Oehrlein.Vacation.Planner.)  Richard started another round of chess when we got to the Edge and had no desire to leave to go visit the teen space in the Vibe, so Beth and I went by ourselves. 

The Vibe is located in the forward funnel, in what once served as a sports bar. It's a fun, funky, coffee-shop-like space. Here are a few photos:

The elevator will go down from the Vibe, but no one can take it up to deck 11 as a precaution to keep the space exclusive to teens. The elevators go up to deck 10 and then teens enter the club via staircase. 

Beth found some how-to-draw books in the Edge, so she stayed to enjoy those while Richard kept up the chess game. 

One of my DCL must-dos every embarkation day is to visit the Vista Spa drawing. Chuck and I both won prizes one voyage, when computer delays kept everyone from boarding on time and we were the only people to show up. No such luck this time, but I did talk myself into the Tropical Rainforest Pass. It's pretty pricy ($190 plus automatic gratuity), but I'll be able to use it all nine days. I figure the heated stone chairs, sauna and steam rooms would be a nice way to warm up after our days in port. Since we had booked this cruise using the onboard booking offer, we had $200 in onboard credits, so I'm trying to tell myself that this was "free."

After the spa, we met back up with the kids in our stateroom and proceded to the mandatory muster drill. I'm so glad we are no longer required to wear life jackets to these. Our muster station was on deck, which is SO much better than when it's in a restaurant or theater. 

Muster drill complete, it was time for Adventures Away, the sail away party. Richard can be hit-or-miss on these, but luckily we found his favorite member of the Cruise Staff team (JD, which honestly stands for his legal name of "Jelly Donut") and said hello. That got him all pumped up and ready to hit the dance floor. Beth, Chuck and his parents went up to deck 10 to watch the festivities while Richard and I danced on the pool deck. So much fun!

Here are a few shots of the characters and Cruise Director Jimmy at the party:

After the party, we went back to the stateroom to get ready for the performance of  "All Aboard! Let the Magic Begin." I started unpacking and suddenly realized we were almost late for the show. We rushed to get down to the theater and happily found Chuck's mom right as we were about to enter. We had previously agreed to sit on the right side of the theater and were pleasantly surprised to find two American Sign Language interpreters at the front of the stage right in front of us! Beth and I just started ASL classes a few weeks ago and had spent our last Walt Disney World (WDW) vacation trying to catch every interpreted performance. We recognized Amy, who had interpreted during our Magic Kingdom day, and were excited to see her again. She and her cohort, Ty, did a fantastic job. The WDW interpreters had told us that they and their Disneyland counterparts also interpret for select DCL voyages, but only when a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Guest requests their presence. I'd been hopeful this cruise would have a Deaf family or two and just couldn't believe our luck. 

After the show, we were all treated to a taste of magician David Williamson's performance. He did a great job of keeping the kids and parents entertained and I *almost* regret that our Palo dining time is during his performance. 

In Part 3, I'll cover the rest of our evening. Stay tuned!

Disney Wonder 9-Night Alaskan Cruise: Day 1/Part 1 of 3

Greetings from the beautiful Disney Wonder, our home for the next 8 nights. We embarked at Ballantyne Pier and arrived just a little before our 11:00 Port Arrival Time. The line to get through security seemed long at first, but I think that's because they didn't start moving people through until that time. The process went very smoothly once we got to the front, and we were excited to be on our way. 

Beth had received a camera for her 14th birthday just 3 days ago, so when Richard and I grabbed a Personal Navigator and made a beeline for the check-in desk determined to make it into an early boarding group, she and Chuck called us back to take photos with the Disney Cruise Line (DCL) display. I mentally grumbled a bit, Richard proceeded to accidentally knock down the display while we posed, and I feared we were off to a bad start. Here are the photos for posterity:

We finally got to -- and through -- the line to a super-excited Cast Member (CM). I responded with matching enthusiasm and started going over paperwork with her. Meanwhile, another CM came up to us and asked if we'd like to be Family of the Day. Of course we would! She said she had chosen us because she could tell we were excited since we had been taking photos earlier. So a huge thank you to Beth and Chuck for making us do that. 

At the same time, Chuck spotted his parents in line behind us. (Their Port Arrival Time was 30 minutes after ours.) Beth and Richard ran up to say hello and to tell them the news about being chosen. We were thrilled when we were told they would be allowed to join us. 

Once they finished checking in, we were given this certificate:

We were escorted to the front of the line to take photos with Minnie Mouse. I felt a little rude for cutting the line, but we were Family of the Day, gosh darn it. (And yes, that was our family motto for the entire cruise.)

 
We were then escorted to sign-ups for Youth Activities. I realized that both kids were the perfect age: at 14, Beth is able to visit both the Edge tween club and the Vibe teen club, while Richard at age 11 has access to the Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab and the Edge.

 

Kids in the Club and Lab have to wear RFID bracelets like the one above for the entire voyage. Although they look better and are much less unwieldy than the old bands, the same safety processes apply. Adults can only check out the children whose RFID bands are linked to their room keys. They also need to provide a family password each time they check their child out. Older children are permitted to do self-check ins and outs if their parents allow, but even then, they need to wear the bracelet. The wristband is very similar to Walt Disney World's MagicBand. It may be kept (for a fee of $12.95) or it may be returned at the end of the trip. 

Wristband acquired and Youth Activity questions answered, we were next escorted through customs, where the only other people being processed were those who were sailing back-to-back voyages. (Lucky ducks!) Once we cleared customs, we were allowed to board immediately. Oh, but first, another photo session. 

We gave our names to the CM at the end of the gangway and were announced. I always love boarding the ship to the sounds of applause and this time was no different. But after that point, we were no longer the special Family of the Day. It was a little bittersweet to go back to being "normal" people. We shifted gears and went up to Beach Blanket Buffet, where we practically had the place to ourselves while everyone else boarded. What a civilized way to start our vacation!

We looked at our Navigators while we are and made plans for the afternoon. Here are photos of the pages:

After lunch, Chuck, his dad and I went to take care of Palo reservations and maybe sign up for a tasting or two. We ended up switching our previously booked Palo dinner to the third night of the cruise, our Parrot Cay night. The Parrot Cay menu is not my favorite, so it was an easy decision. And we scored the previously ungetable brunch for our last sea day. Mission accomplished!

We then proceeded to Guest Services, where we signed the four of us up for mixology. We added beer tasting for the men and champagne tasting for the women. Interestingly enough, our mixology class will take place right after brunch. So don't be surprised if I don't have much to say/remember about the last night of our voyage! Then, our wonderful CM, Carmen, asked if we would want to sign up for the character tea as well. I would have never known about it if she hadn't volunteered the information. There are only 100 spots, so I'm eternally grateful she said something. Chuck and his dad didn't want to do it, so we registered Beth, Chuck's mom and me to make it a girls' special occasion. When we met back up with the kids, Richard said he'd like to attend as well, so he and I went back to Guest Services immediately, where Carmen was able to add him to our seating. Whew! I had been afraid the last spot would have vanished while we were walking over. We also confirmed that Beth's birthday celebration had been noted for our dining team. Richard seemed proud to be trusted with the secret and did a great job of not spilling the beans. 

The two of us next went down to check out the Edge. The first thing I spotted was a huge chessboard. While I checked in with one of the counselors, Richard roped the other into a game of chess. They gave each other quite a run for the money and I have a feeling they will have a number of rematches. (Richard is currently down, with 2 losses and 1 win.) 

Here are some photos of the Edge:

I learned that kids need stickers on the back of their key cards in order to access the Edge and/or Vibe. Sorry the picture is blurry, but they kind of look like this:

We needed Beth's key for this, so I dragged Richard away from the chess game and we finally went to our stateroom. As Douglas Adams fans, we had selected stateroom 6042 (get it?), which is a Category 5C Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah on the port side of the ship. Here are a few photos:

I was excited to see that our Castaway Club gift had been delivered already and even more pleased that it was a along backpack rather than the tote bag other recent cruisers had been offered. The goodies inside looked like this:

They were a magnetic dry-erase board and marker, a highlighter for use with the Daily Navigator and a game tin. Here are the contents of the tin:

Contents included a DCL version of Bananagrams, playing cards, a pen and pad of paper. Here's a sample of what those look like:

We met up with Beth and proceeded to the check out the Youth Activities spaces. Photos to follow in Part 2, so stay tuned!

The 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Expo

When my plane landed at MCO, I hit the ground running. So much to do and so little time! I boarded Disney's Magical Express and arrived at Animal Kingdom Lodge without incident. After I checked in, I spotted Kristen, another runner from my small town. It's so funny that we see each other more at Walt Disney World than we do back at home.

I dropped off most of my belongings in my room -- which was actually ready when I checked in -- hooray! I left my favorite raincoat on the back of the chair (this small detail becomes important later) and loaded my tote bag with everything I would need for the expo. I was picking up my Dopey bibs along with race packets for my family members, friends, and clients and was afraid I'd forget something in my rush to get out the door.

The expo was running along pretty smoothly by the time I got there. The New Balance shoe craziness had already come and gone, with the early birds having already received their shoe fitting appointment spots. I proceeded to the HP Field House, where I spotted Kristen's mom. Too funny! I liked the logistics of being able to pick up both Goofy/Dopey race packets and shirts in one building. That was a nice touch this year. Of course, I still had to visit the Jostens Center to get my 5K shirt and everyone else's individual shirts, but since that's where the largest selection of merchandise is located, I didn't mind a bit.

Speaking of the shirts that were included with our registration, they are incredible. RunDisney tweeted this photo on January 5, so we were able to get a sneak peek:

They posted the Goofy shirt on Instagram on January 6:

And then they posted the Dopey shirt on the runDisney blog on January 7:

It was almost like a treasure hunt to try to find these images across the different social media platforms, and I enjoyed sharing them with the Dream Come True Vacations Running Team on Facebook the moment I came across each one.

In the past, the Champion tech shirts were a waffle-weave type of material. This year, they are silky smooth. They are also gender-specific, which makes me very happy. The light blue marathon shirt is my favorite of the bunch, but of course the Dopey shirt will have the most sentimental value. What a nice souvenir of an inaugural challenge!

After picking up the shirts that came with our registrations, it was time to do a bit of shopping at the runDisney official merchandise booth.

The "Idiot Shirt" selection for the 10K was limited to the above, very girly Minnie Mouse print, so I decided to get one only for my daughter. (I think my husband and son were grateful for that.) I decided to get my son an "I Did It" Mickey plush toy so he wouldn't come home empty-handed. And even though I already had 5 tech shirts as part of the Dopey Challenge, I decided I had to purchase the tech "Idiot Shirt" to go with it. In the past, these have been regular t-shirts which are part of my everyday wardrobe since I work from home. I was a bit disappointed that a cotton shirt wasn't an option, but Facebook tells me I am in the minority. I also decided to purchase the Dopey logo Champion running jacket even though it is virtually identical to the Goofy jacket I purchased last year. I normally purchase a half marathon golf shirt for Chuck to wear to work, but that wasn't an option this year either. So he is also the proud owner of yet another tech running shirt.

Expo missions accomplished, I returned to Animal Kingdom Lodge. As I was entering the hotel, I saw a bunch of "suits" and tried to figure out what was going on. Then I spotted a guy with a very distinctive earring. It was Imagineer Joe Rohde, and I was starstruck! He and his team were examining the artwork just inside the lobby entrance. Spoiler alert: The "Lobby Decorative Shield Rehab" is scheduled for refurbishment March 10-14. Very cool to have witnessed a small part of that decision-making process.

I spent the rest of the day working and waiting for my friend Amy to arrive. She was running the Dopey Challenge with me. It took a while for her to get to the resort, so we just grabbed a quick dinner at The Mara and prepared for our semi-early wake-up call.

Next up, the Disney Family Fun Run 5K

Just a few more hours to go

I think I'm just about packed, other than the computer and early morning necessities like my toothbrush. I'm about to head off for 12 days of magic/work/running at the happiest places on earth.

The Dopey Challenge technically begins with the 5K on Thursday, but tomorrow's expo is going to be phase 1. I will have a marathon of packet pick-ups and deliveries for my clients to get through first. And of course, there will be some fun shopping to do shortly after my plane lands. I'm a sucker for "idiot shirts" at the expo!

We've had some below-freezing temperatures this week, which will make Florida all the more enjoyable. The kids have a delayed opening -- the third this week -- due to concerns about the buses starting in the cold, but hopefully the roads will remain free of ice. Chuck will celebrate his 43rd birthday by driving me to the airport in the early morning. What a great guy!

2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: Pre-game

I'm taking a break from packing and decided to catch up on Twitter for a moment. Look what runDisney just posted:

I think I'm in love! I can't wait to see what they have in store for us Goofy/Dopey people.

Meanwhile, I need to get back to my packing. Glad I took a break today!

2014 already?!?

I have definitely fallen off the blogging bandwagon. I just finished the second installment of Goofy Weekend 2012, but the memories are a bit fuzzy after all this time. Sorry the post just fizzled out at the end there. Suffice it to say, I went on to complete several more races in 2012 and 2013, including another Goofy Challenge and the inaugural Dumbo Double Dare. Rather than try to recap all of those races, I'm just going to resolve to restart my blog anew and will just jump in with where I am now.

I did not run today, which is a little sad. New Year's Day is such a great day for a run, but I'm battling a cold. Normally this wouldn't be a huge deal, but I'm getting ready for the inaugural Dopey Challenge a week from today and don't want to risk this cold turning into something worse. The Dopey Challenge consists of a 5K on Thursday, 10K on Friday, half marathon on Saturday and marathon on Sunday. I will take a few days of vacation and will then head out to California to run the Tinker Bell 10K and Half Marathon the following weekend. It should be a fun, hectic, and slightly crazy start to my 2014 running calendar.

Stay tuned for all the gory details and race recaps!

Goofy Day 2 (Mickey) 2012

Another day, another early wake-up call. I woke up feeling excited about the marathon. I was on a quest to complete six marathons in 6 months in order to become a two-star Marathon Maniac and today's race would be my third in 3 months. Halfway there!

Once again, Chuck and I stumbled through the kitchen to prepare our water bottles and fuel belts. And once again, we were grateful for the breakfast provided by the hotel. We met up with our friend (my son's savior from the previous morning) and her husband in the lobby and proceeded to the shuttle bus. Once again, we were all rock stars at the Galloway tent. I usually have a Diet Coke with my breakfast on my long-run mornings*, so I was once again thankful those were provided for us in true VIP fashion.
*Please remember that in an earlier post I mentioned that this is NOT a nutrition blog!

The Birmingham Galloway group had been a bit confused as to the technique used by walkers. Instead of a run/walk/run, the walking strategy is described as walk/shuffle/walk but we never could figure out just how to shuffle. Due to some foot issues, my friend's husband was planning to walk the whole marathon, so we decided to ask Jeff Galloway for a last-minute demonstration of the shuffle technique. He graciously shuffled for about 25 yards and back so we could observe. To my chagrin, I learned my "run" is actually very similar to his "shuffle." It's a close-to-the-ground, low-impact, high-speed forward motion. Afterward, we joked that we should have videotaped his demonstration and created a soundtrack using the LMFAO song where they say "Every day I'm shuffling."

We hung out at the tent for a while but didn't wait until the last minute since another member of our party was a first-time marathoner and was eager to get to the starting corrals. Chuck was running the second leg as a member of the Sorry ExCuses relay team, so he stayed behind for a while drinking coffee (lucky him!) before heading off to the shuttle that would take him to the relay exchange point.

Here is the view of our route in Google Earth (race route from 2010):

If you'd like to check it out using Google Earth, I saved the data HERE. Man, that looks like a long way (and it really was!), but it was a great time. I can no longer remember the details of the race, but I do remember that it was a PR for me. Completely unexpected, and so very thrilling to accomplish.

Chuck finished the second leg of the relay, which earned him a membership into Half Fanatics at the Jupiter (4 moons) level. Sadly, this ended up being the first and last year of the Chip N Dale Marathon Relay. So Chuck has a very special medal and tech shirt that are probably now collector's items.