Background on us:
Veteran Cruisers but first Disney Cruise.  Me – 49 and an ex-Disney castmember, My husband JK – 54 tolerant of my love of Disney.  Traveling without kids.

Pre-cruise (Wednesday - 9/6/2006)
Once we found our way to the DisBoards*, we believe the cruise experience started for us! Checking the boards, making our fish extender, planning our fishy gifts, and chatting on the phone with other DisBoarders really added a new and wonderful element to this trip. It was so much fun to plan and we were very anxious to meet everyone. Due to possible hurricanes and the shuttle launch we changed our air flights to the day before the cruise to ensure that we would make the sailing. We always try to fly out the day before because it is so much nicer to arrive at the ship rested and ready to sail. This is the only time we were going to fly out the same day because we wanted to experience the Disney transfers. However, worry got the best of me and we left on Wednesday and stayed at the Marriott at the airport. But first we stopped at the Disney store at the airport to stock up on pirate wear. I got the pirate Mickey ears and JK got a Pirates of the Caribbean t-shirt. We used Marriott’s free shuttle and were at the hotel in about 5 minutes.We watched a great lighting storm from our window. We were very glad we were already in Florida

General Info:

Ship: Disney Wonder
Itinerary: 10 Day Southern Caribbean
Captain: Captain Henry Sweden
Cruise Director: Brent Australia
Assistant Cruise Director: Christiaan (U.S.A)
Live Music: NTWINE (deck parties and clubs), Bobby Hamilton (piano), Tim Moss (piano), Ben and Dana (evenings in Promenade Lounge)
DJ: Brian
Server: Mark Anthony Salvacion Kapal Philippines
Assistant Server: Jackie Brown Jamaica
Head Server: Jeff (“real name” Japheth Omwenga
Stateroom Host: Christopher Raphael Tribhuwa

Day 1 Embarkation (Thursday – 9/7/2006)
Lunch: Parrot Cay
Event: Muster Drill and Sail Away Celebration Deck Party
Evening Attire: Cruise Casual
Dinner Menu: Let the Magic Begin in all restaurants
Live Stage Show in the Walt Disney Theatre: Welcome Aboard Show –Mike Super (magic and illusions) and Michael Harrison (comedy and ventriloquism) and the Disney Wonder Dancers
Movies available in Buena Vista Theatre: The Shaggy Dog
Movies available on stateroom TV (Thursday – Monday): American Dreamz, Chicken Little, Eight Below,Rumor Has It, Chronicles of Narnia, Keeping Up with the Steins Scheduled Character Appearances: Minnie, Dopey, Donald, Lilo, Stitch
Note: NFL Miami vs. Pittsburgh and the Canadian Open (PGA) were being shown in Diversions

We caught the 9:30 Marriott shuttle to the airport and they dropped us off right at the Disney Transfer area. We checked in and were given an “O” so we were on the second set of buses. A castmember told us they were about to bring down all of the people who were staying at the Hyatt, so we should get in line right away. So, we were actually in front of the Hyatt people. Since the Hyatt is right at the airport, many people think that staying there is the best way to be on the first set of transfer buses. The “W” bus (the first set of buses) were people who were at the airport very early…I am guessing people who took red eye flights. We met two DisBoarders in line who we linked dining reservations with after meeting on the boards. We all ended up on the same bus and so we developed our game plan for once we embarked.

Our plan was since C1 and C2 are Castaway Club members, they would be able to get on the ship before us... so C1 would go to Guest Services to work on Galley Tour tickets, Bridge Tour tickets, etc. and C2 would go to WaveBands to work on Palo Brunch reservations. Then we would all meet up at Parrot Cay for lunch. The film shown on the bus was the first thing that made me cry. It was so magical and a great introduction to our cruise. It was timed to end just as we went over the bridge and could see the ship for the first time.

It would have been fun to see the Shuttle launch but actually I was quite glad that it was delayed. We could have been caught in a "parking lot" because I understand everyone parks along the highway to watch.

We arrived at the terminal and met up with some other DisBoarders who were handing out the lanyards they made. The lanyards were awesome. Not only did the lanyards make it easy to spot other DisBoarders, but so many DisBoarders had our trip's cruise logo printed on their shirts that it was really easy to meet the other people we had "talked to" on the boards. C1 told me where Captain Mickey would come out into the terminal and we were able to be one of the first people in line to get a photo with him. As it turns out C1 and C2 pulled boarding number 4 and we pulled #5, so we got on the Wonder right after them.

No matter how many times you have cruised, it is a magical moment when they announce you by name upon boarding and you get applauded and escorted by a cast member through the lobby. It's like being announced on the red carpet. No other ship gives such a warm welcome.

We notice C1 is still at Guest Services, so we head over to help her. It turns out that they have no information on the Galley Tour so Guest Services cast member Maria made a few calls and found out that tickets would not be needed but the tours were scheduled for the 3rd and 4th sea day. (Note: Later in the cruise they did decide to issue tickets for the tours due to the number of people who wanted to attend). We then met up with K and E and headed over to WaveBands to help C2. More success! We are scheduled for Palo Brunch on the 2nd day at sea, which will work perfectly since we have our DisBoard wine tasting later that afternoon. We finally meet up with C3 and J and our dinner table group is complete. We headed to Parrot Cay for lunch and had a wonderful meal. K and I talked to one of the Chefs and inquired about the ingredients in the chocolate cake since I have food allergies. Before we knew it, he had a special chocolate dessert (minus the allergy ingredients) delivered to our table. Disney Magic! It was scrumptious! All of our tablemates are great and if our lunch is any indication, we are going to be quite a table! This is going to be a great cruise!

Next stop – our stateroom. We are assigned to 7632 a starboard white metal veranda stateroom near the “secret” aft deck. We have the new bedspread and the Frette linens in our stateroom – very nice! The new propeller clock is very cool, too. Be sure to use it at least once as an alarm clock. It plays the whole “When you wish upon a star” tune. First impression, while I can see the split bathroom may be helpful if you are traveling with children, I would have preferred one bathroom that was a little bigger.

JK and I headed off to explore and ran into S and more of the DisBoarders on deck 9. Before we knew it, it was time for Muster Drill. We made friends with Louise from Guest Services who snapped our traditional life vest photo. C3 and J were across from us. Attendance and the drill went quickly and we headed back to our stateroom.

Still no luggage. But we decorated our door with our fish extender and magnets. We received our Character Breakfast tickets. Eek! We are scheduled for our character breakfast the same time as our Palo Brunch. I know we are adults but I do not plan to miss the character breakfast or Palo. I make it my personal mission to get the character breakfast changed. In the meantime, they delivered someone else’s character breakfast tickets to our room, so we went to deliver them and it turned out to be JMcA and her husband from the boards. They gave us a quick tour of their room (an accessible room with roll-in shower) and we were on our way again.

Well, we had a Sail Away party but no "sail away" happened. Sail Away is always one of the most special moments of a cruise...that's why we named our travel agency "Sail Away Adventures." The cruise staff is sure energetic especially that dynamo, Ian. He is awesome. If he spots anyone without a smile he is right there…no wait…he’s there…oh no, now he’s over there…face it ...Ian is everywhere getting people involved and smiling!

Time to run to the room to get ready for the show and dinner. We had a great view of the bins of luggage that were still sitting on the dock and all of the provisions that were still being loaded and it was after 6:00 pm!!! The terminal was already dark. No one was there to wave us off with their Mickey hands...We head off to the first of many magical shows and then to dinner. We have a truly great wait staff. No request is denied and let me say our pickiness matches our enthusiasm.

Before bed we decide to deliver the first of our fish extender gifts as a way of working off the wonderful dinner. Then we made one more trip to Guest Services to drop off our pillowcases and frame mats. Guess who was working the desk…Louise from the muster drill. We chat for a while. It is her last cruise of this contract and she has pulled the night shift for the cruise. I vow to visit often. We are exhausted and ready to be lulled to sleep by the rocking of being at sea! Yes, an aft stateroom on the Wonder does creek more than other ships we’ve been on but even though I am a really light sleeper I have no trouble drifting off to dreamland.

Good night Mickey! Good Night Tinker Bell!

* Note: While the DisBoards are run by a competive travel agency, I hope our clients find the DisBoards fun. I am confident that our clients appreciate our level of service, so I am not worried about our clients jumping ship (bad pun) to the DisBoard's affiliated travel agency. Thanks in advance for your loyalty.