Mama scratched her tropical trip itch with the funnest little boys I could take along with me. It really was "The Trip" for us. So memorable and so needed. Disney does everything top notch and cruising does a single mom good. I decided to put those things together tossed with a water park and amusement park thrown in tailored to our vacation requests. I wanted a place in the tropics with white sand and clear waters where no one can interrupt my time with my family. Benny requested water slides and The Sergeant just wanted somewhere he could wear a wet suit to. The Sergeant had an odd request but he doesn't have much body fat and gets cold easily. Warm Atlantic waters on an island country would satisfy my high maintenance boy. Taking a Disney Cruise through the Bahamas was... the glorious verdict.
Flying to a climate with constant humidity could be disastrous for vascular migraines. I was most certain to be full of thanks that I prepared this time with Triptans in all of my carry-alongs. The babies had a surprise in store for them. We were supposed to stay in Florida on Cocoa Beach for a few days preceding the cruise. However, there was a recent shark attack near shore too close to that area for my vacation comfort. So mid-flight after a game of Phase10 I broke the news that we are going to Disney World!! They were ecstatic... me too.
We stayed at a wonderful Disney resort surrounded by giant sports in front of a lush tropical garden. Our room was near the basketball court. My boys found some other boys from Argentina to play a competitive soccer game with on our arrival at the football field.
Just when I was about to change our room to be near these sweet people from Argentina I found that they like to be loud, bold and I needed my peaceful sleep at night.
The three of us explored The Magic Kingdom and it lived up to magical. We started our thrills out with Space Mountain and ended it at The Haunted Mansion at night after a wonderful Italian dinner meeting Mickey. I missed fireworks on the 4th this year, but the Wishes fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom Castle prior to park closure was enough to awe me for many years to come.
Disney World was a tasteful side dish to our 2014 vacation entree. The main squeeze was coming up. I knew the ship was going to be big but seeing it with your own eyes was absolutely magnificent. The Disney Dream is a 130,000 ton vessel measuring 1115 feet by 125 feet of pure family fun and entertainment. Our room was an upgraded beauty with a breathtaking verandah. As the ship was in Port Canaveral and everyone finished boarding we went to one of the movie theaters located on the ship and watched Million Dollar Arm. We watched a few other live Disney Theatre Shows prior to dinners on the ship and had a pirate party with more fireworks. I met another single mother with two darling boys of her own, and we came to find out that our rooms were right next to each other!! What a dessert. The boys enjoyed playing together and zooming down the ship's Aqua Duck slide at day and night hours.
Daytime excursions were planned by mom. Our first stop in Nassau Bahamas was at Paradise Island's Atlantis Resort and Water Park. There, we were welcomed into Cartoon Network Lagoon where an obstacle course similar to Wipe-Out was created in the Atlantic. It looked easy standing at view of it on the beach. Not so... I couldn't even master a portion of it, no matter how hard I tried. I slid down and at times right into the ocean. My body hurt in so many places from unfamiliar muscle use after those obstacles. We all agreed that was our most fave side dish on the trip. So fun.
Castaway Cay took the scenery prize. In fact... it looked so beautiful it seemed fake. It has to be one of God's finest creations for us. It's better than what the pictures look like and the feel of it is unexplainable. I started the beach day with some time at the spa... heavenly. When we went to explore the island, we rented bikes and rode around the entire place... it even sprinkled! There wasn't a lot of people there because this was Disney's private island where just our ship had for the day. What a luxury. We snorkeled, played soccer and lounged after a BBQ.
The dinners and company on the ship were spectacular. I almost had my Sergeant who wore his suit and tie every night eat escargot. It's so fun to go at our leisure by day and dress up by night with one another to chat it all out. We even took Kevin and Calvin along with us... they had their own suitcase.
After dinner Ketut, our room steward would have them in a different place in a different position. That and the towel art with chocolate on our beds was such a sweet tid bit to open up the door to. Benny got his room service every night. And that verandah... ugh. I loved that area. That quiet area I frolicked about on sipping my pre-dinner sunset wine and enjoying the breeze and sunrise with a cup of Earl Grey. What a start and finish to everyday.
I packed too early and forgot an important pair of shoes. Yes, my running shoes. So I was forced to do nothing but relax. No deck 14 work-outs on this ship. It was total mind and body relaxation. I think I needed it and it was fabulous. I was concerned about the weather as we were there but prayers were answered and it rained on our arrival, when we did inside rides at Disney World and sprinkled on our bike-ride.
I wanted to stay there, but it's always comforting to come home, when you get there. The boys missed the smell of our house and took a big whiff when we walked through our home doors. It really was a magical time... and I hope I re-live our moments in my dreams and thoughts forever. It was a busy year for us all and we came together to wholeheartedly focus on what really matters in life: family and all of those moments that possess it.
