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The Year In Review: DIT Takes Disney Love To A New Level In 2017


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Happy New Year!! It's hard to believe 2017 is over, and 2018 is here.  For a variety of reasons, 2017 was a bit of a tough year around the DIT ranch.  I got off-line to focus on more important th

Yes, I'm still alive. A little bird told me that Dave was embarrassing himself by doing a TR, so I needed to read how he crashed and burned..........this time. I sure hope he didn't run into Melvin th

Trip #5 - Fall Break at Dollywood Our kids typically get 3 days off in October for fall break, which makes for a 5 day weekend.  Not long enough to head to the Fort unless we pulled them out of s

13 hours ago, Lantana said:

I laughed out loud at your towel animal!!! Especially in light of your dinner + buffet emoji23.png Great report


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Thanks for reading and commenting!!  The comments help keep me going.  

13 hours ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

This sounds like it's going to be really good..

Yeah, that or a colossal disappointment.  :lol:

12 hours ago, bhall said:

This is pretty much why I like reading DIT TRs the most.

Thanks!  But shouldn't you wait to find out if I'm just going to post another picture of a cinnamon roll?  

11 hours ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

I love bananas foster. I'm thinking of saving the picture of the banana foster sundae and making it my phone's wallpaper.

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I don't think I could look at that every day.  I'd always be hungry.  

47 minutes ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Oh my...that is an immense amount of food.  Hurt, just reading it :lol:

Yes, I completely fell off the rails.  Don't worry...I'm finally getting back onboard.  Nearly a year later.  :ph34r:

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14 hours ago, DaveInTN said:

For my appetizer, I tried the boudin.  

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I've had boudin in south Louisiana before.  Outstanding stuff.  Have any of you ever had Don's boudin?  

 

 

 

After the fireworks, it was buffet time.  Keep in mind, we had just finished dinner.  A multi-course feast, with multiple appetizers and desserts.  Which itself had followed all you can eat wings.  I wasn't in the least bit hungry.  But, when cruising, you sometimes have to put on your big girls pants and dive in head first.  

Besides, they had crepes.  And turkey legs!

Just one little plate wouldn't hurt, would it?

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I took it in full Pirate mode.....AARGH!

 

I can't figure out how to split a quote anymore...

Comments on Boudin:

 W is four and loves boudin, he eats it all the time, I wasn't expecting much from Tianna's boudin balls but W downright refused to taste them, he said that was not boudin, and I have to agree something just wasn't right.

I think we talked about this before but next time you're in Scott, LA go to Billy's Boudin, it's the same exit as Don's.  They are better than Don's or the Best Stop!  They have pepperjack boudin balls or Boudin Wraps (boudin in a egg roll wrap) that are the bomb!  The only problem is that they have a huge line almost all day long.

Pirate Buffet:  We were sad to find out they don't do the pirate night buffet any more, at least not on our cruise in December.  Has anyone else experienced that?  Honestly it wasn't a big loss to us, but we were planning to go, our waiters said that they stopped doing it based on customer feedback.  Which is odd because it was packed on our first cruise.

Looking forward to more!

WBI

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21 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

I have a huge fear of ships.  Irrational... I know, but still, it's a fear.  So, I think the chance of us getting on a cruise ship is pretty slim, but the big vat of real blue cheese?  Well, that might just do it  ;)

How long was the bus ride?

My best friend was like that with any kind of boat. So much so that we had to give her Xanax to get her on the ship we took to the Bahamas one time. Finally convinced her to go on a cruise for my grandparents 60th anniversary, she really didn't want to go but wanted to be there for my grandparents. Well that's all it took now she goes on at least one cruise a year, she's hooked!

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1 hour ago, WannaBeImagineer said:

I can't figure out how to split a quote anymore...

Comments on Boudin:

 W is four and loves boudin, he eats it all the time, I wasn't expecting much from Tianna's boudin balls but W downright refused to taste them, he said that was not boudin, and I have to agree something just wasn't right.

I think we talked about this before but next time you're in Scott, LA go to Billy's Boudin, it's the same exit as Don's.  They are better than Don's or the Best Stop!  They have pepperjack boudin balls or Boudin Wraps (boudin in a egg roll wrap) that are the bomb!  The only problem is that they have a huge line almost all day long.

Pirate Buffet:  We were sad to find out they don't do the pirate night buffet any more, at least not on our cruise in December.  Has anyone else experienced that?  Honestly it wasn't a big loss to us, but we were planning to go, our waiters said that they stopped doing it based on customer feedback.  Which is odd because it was packed on our first cruise.

Looking forward to more!

WBI

I remember our conversation about boudin before....I haven't been back to Scott or really anywhere in LA in quite a while.  Hopefully someday I get back for work....or perhaps head down with the RV and get some good eatins!  

That is surprising to hear about the Pirate night buffet.  I can't imagine that customer feedback would lead to eliminating a buffet.  More likely it was MBA feedback.  

1 hour ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said:

My best friend was like that with any kind of boat. So much so that we had to give her Xanax to get her on the ship we took to the Bahamas one time. Finally convinced her to go on a cruise for my grandparents 60th anniversary, she really didn't want to go but wanted to be there for my grandparents. Well that's all it took now she goes on at least one cruise a year, she's hooked!

 I believe it.  I was so dead set against ever cruising.  Now we have our 4th cruise booked, in the last 6 years. 

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1 hour ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said:

My best friend was like that with any kind of boat. So much so that we had to give her Xanax to get her on the ship we took to the Bahamas one time. Finally convinced her to go on a cruise for my grandparents 60th anniversary, she really didn't want to go but wanted to be there for my grandparents. Well that's all it took now she goes on at least one cruise a year, she's hooked!

Funny thing is, I grew up riding the ferry boats (the big ferry boats) and they didn't bother me however.... I could see land.  The idea, of not seeing land, and the possibility of being on rough seas...combine that with the sheer size (would make my "big" ferry boat probably looks like a dingy) and yeah... SMH now.  I don't know.  Tom really wants to go on one... but... sigh.

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It's Castaway Cay day!!!!

I've never made it a secret that I hate beaches.  And fortunately I married a like minded person.  So we simply don't take beach vacations, and all is well in our world.  

When we did our first DCL cruise, we had a day at Castaway Cay.  We had all the kids with us, which meant the typical day of trying to keep Anna from eating so much sand that she poops sandcastles.  I'm not kidding.  She gets so sensory overloaded that she tends to scoop up handfuls of sand into her mouth.  So needless to say, our first CC day was fairly short, and we headed back to a quiet ship after lunch.  

So this time, we'd get to experience CC without having to watch kids, worry about applying their sunscreen, stop them from drowning...you know, all that parental garbage.  We could just "be".  And I'd been told by several of you all that we needed to check out Serenity Bay, the adult-only beach on the island.  So, that was our plan.  

Oh, and one other thing.  We had booked a couples massage at Serenity Bay!  So let's go....

There is something to be said about waking up to this view.

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We enjoyed our usual coffee on the balcony, with an island view on this day!

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Ah, what I wouldn't give to be doing that today, instead of working and dealing with bitter cold temperatures.  

Anyways, back to the ship.  A glance to the right toward the beach confirmed what many have previously posted about....the giant fake palm has been defrocked.  

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They hadn't started letting folks debark yet, and believe it or not I was hungry, so we headed out to get some breakfast before leaving for the island.  

Instead of doing the buffet this day, we opted for table service at the Royal Court.  

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Sometimes it's nicer to sit and be served rather than dealing with a buffet.  Especially on Castaway Cay day, when it seems everyone is hitting the buffet at the same time before they allow you to leave the ship.  It was fairly peaceful, and after enjoying our food and coffee we headed down below to leave the ship.  

When going to the family beach, you have the option of taking the trams or walking.  I think walking is at least as fast, if not a bit faster.  But to get to Serenity Bay, the walk is pretty far, so we rode the trams all the way there.  Before long, we were settled into chairs and this was our view.

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We had walked down the beach a bit where we were able to snag a hammock with a couple of lounge chairs.  Unlike the family beach, where the same Moms who go up to the pool deck early in the morning to save loungers with towels seem to rush off the ship as soon as they open the gangplank to save all the shaded loungers they can find, Serenity Bay seems to have plenty of loungers, and even hammocks, to go around.  Perhaps it's a bit easier when the smaller ships dock, as the capacity of the Dream and Fantasy are that much higher that the chairs probably disappear faster, but we had no issues getting a nice spot that had a bit of shade. 

I wandered out into the water to take this pic looking back at INC.  Notice all the empty lounge chairs.

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That right there is heaven.  

If we ever take another DCL cruise with our kids, I am making a deal with my older girls.  I pay for your cruise, and you are in charge of your younger sisters while Mom and I go to Serenity Bay.  Sounds fair to me, right?  

Some Buffalo Bills representation in paradise.

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It wasn't long before I had company.  

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Do you see it?  

Sting Ray...

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I had company up above too.  

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I'll take sting rays and pelicans over other humans any day.  

Oh, and this too.  

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And....this.

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Our massage was scheduled for early afternoon, so we basically laid around on the beach all morning.  We didn't rent bikes, we didn't snorkle, we didn't explore the shops or anything.  We laid around.  And it was heavenly.  

Well, we may have enjoyed another drink or two as well.  Along with the laying.  

Anyways, eventually we did get hungry.  I know, hard to believe.  So we wandered over to the BBQ spot at Serenity Bay and hit the buffet lunch.  

Beach lunch...

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That there is a steak sammich.  

Like the regular family beach BBQ spots, they have burgers, hot dogs, and bbq at Serenity Bay.  But they also have steak.  The kids over at the family beach don't get steak.  

Suck on it, kids.  

I wanted to try the steak, and I thought it might be tasty to put it on a roll with cheese and some steak sauce.  

It was.  

After lunch, we headed to the bar to get another drink.  You can be served at your lounge chair by roaming waiters, but you can also belly up to the bar for a beverage.  This is what the bar looks like. 

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Like many buildings on the island, it's themed like an old airport hanger.  

We grabbed some seats there near the bar to sit for a bit, and enjoyed the beach views from here.

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The people watching in these situations is always good too.  

At this point, we noticed something a bit unusual.  There was a man wading in the water holding a small child.  At the adult beach.  Which seemed to be a clear violation of the rules, but being Disney this didn't surprise me.  

What did surprise me was when he turned slightly, and we realized that it wasn't a child he was holding.  It was a dog.  

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This dog was wearing a life vest.

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The man clearly loved his dog, because he appeared to be taking selfies of the two of them.  

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But it also seemed like they were posing for someone else.  They were taking selfies, but they were also smiling and looking toward the beach.  That's when I first noticed that the man and dog were not alone.

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Mom was on the beach with the BIG camera!  

Also, check out that overloaded stroller in the last picture.  That was the dog's stroller.  I don't think we ever carried that much crap around for 5 kids, much less for one dog.  But that's none of my business.  

Anyways, after they snapped their fill of pictures, the man and the dog exited the water.  

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Like any good parents, they wrapped baby up in a towel.  

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So there you have it.  No kids allowed at Serenity Bay.  But dogs are apparently just fine.  

At this point it was about time to head over to the check in area for our massage, which is basically right behind the bar.  But don't worry, if you think that encounter with the dog was the bizarre experience I referenced earlier....things get much, much stranger later in the day.  Let's just say we have't seen the last of our furry friend.  

So let's wrap up this excursion on Castaway Cay.  We did the couples massage, which as GREAT!  It was done in a little wooden bungalow right next to the beach, so you could hear the waves and the seagulls.  Very relaxing.  Yes, very expensive.  We could have gotten 3 massages back home for what it cost.  But the fact of the matter is, we never do that at home.  We enjoyed this very much, and it was a one time splurge, so we felt it was worth it. 

Afterwards, we reluctantly started heading back to the ship.  We took the tram from Serenity Bay to the tram depot at the family beach, where we spend a little time browsing through the shops.  

We got our obligatory ship-in-the-background selfie.

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And we then hopped on the tram back to the ship.

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This is always a sad sight....

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And with that, our Castaway Cay day was over.  

We headed to the cabin to get cleaned up for our last evening, which would include dinner at Royal Court and the new Frozen, A Musical Spectacular show!!

Oh, and another encounter with the pooch.  

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Like any good parents, they wrapped baby up in a towel.  

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It has been my observation on several occassions (especially when I am at WDW) that some individuals have a very strange relationship with their dogs.  To the point that some seem to be treated better then many children.  (shaking head in confusion)

Love your trip report - but have after three days of all that food I'd gain 20 lbs and be wadling off the ship !!!

 

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2 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Funny thing is, I grew up riding the ferry boats (the big ferry boats) and they didn't bother me however.... I could see land.  The idea, of not seeing land, and the possibility of being on rough seas...combine that with the sheer size (would make my "big" ferry boat probably looks like a dingy) and yeah... SMH now.  I don't know.  Tom really wants to go on one... but... sigh.

Funny....I'm the opposite.  It's the smaller boats, especially speed boats, that I hate.  You mentioning the ferries reminds me of when INC and I camped on Bainbridge Island and took the ferry back and forth to Seattle.  That didn't bother me as much as a small boat.  And the big ships I am fine with.  It's funny how people's fears are different from one another.  

2 hours ago, kadancer said:

Anxiously awaiting the bizarre.....but I think maybe I need a snack after reading this installment.

Yes, a snack is always the answer.  

1 hour ago, desiphil said:

Great pics. Following along. 

Thanks!  Get a snack while you wait.  

1 hour ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

If you pay for my cruise, I will watch the younger girls while you and INC go to Serenity Bay.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

Sounds like a plan.  Watch Izzy, too.  She might get into trouble.  

11 minutes ago, lightbikes said:

Like any good parents, they wrapped baby up in a towel.  

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Z4a3wY6dYaE6kjawZVC1klVz-tffLoSSzZYDBHHX

 

It has been my observation on several occassions (especially when I am at WDW) that some individuals have a very strange relationship with their dogs.  To the point that some seem to be treated better then many children.  (shaking head in confusion)

Love your trip report - but have after three days of all that food I'd gain 20 lbs and be wadling off the ship !!!

 

You think I wasn't waddling?  :lol:

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11 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

Funny....I'm the opposite.  It's the smaller boats, especially speed boats, that I hate.  You mentioning the ferries reminds me of when INC and I camped on Bainbridge Island and took the ferry back and forth to Seattle.  That didn't bother me as much as a small boat.  And the big ships I am fine with.  It's funny how people's fears are different from one another.   

Yes, I've been on that ferry.  Grew up in Anacortes...so rode the ferry to the islands and Canada.

Oh... I HATE speed boats.  If I'm one, we are not speeding anywhere.  Now, I don't hate slow boats.  I can actually like those.  But it needs to be a pretty day, with calm water and we need to be going very slow.  You know when boats slap the water (the front end, on the waves)... makes me cringe just sitting here typing that.  That, that I cannot handle.

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Okay... went back to read the update, lol.

My gosh...that water.is.amazing.  I could sit there, all day.  Day after day.  Put some beautiful mountains in the background, some horses and my family and I'm pretty sure that's the piece of Heaven that the Lord has set apart for me.  Beautiful.

I agree with Andrew... the dog situation is weird.  People get strange with their pets.  If our world cared about people, as much as they seem to care about pets, we'd be better off.

Oh... and now I'm hungry.  So, thanks for that.

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13 minutes ago, desiphil said:

In fairness to the dog... It appears to be an older Dachsund. We have a 10 year old mini dachsund that is turning white/grey around the nose and feed. Poor guy is falling apart and we basically have to baby him.

I completely get that.  There are times that my wife and I have chuckled to ourselves that we treat our dogs better than our kids.  I really tried, when posting those pictures, to not sound too judgmental.  If their dog means that much to them, and they derive happiness from their interactions with it, I seriously try not to judge.  I have no idea what their situation is.  But....it will be really, really hard for me not to sound judgmental when I post the next interaction with them.  

11 minutes ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Yes, I've been on that ferry.  Grew up in Anacortes...so rode the ferry to the islands and Canada.

Oh... I HATE speed boats.  If I'm one, we are not speeding anywhere.  Now, I don't hate slow boats.  I can actually like those.  But it needs to be a pretty day, with calm water and we need to be going very slow.  You know when boats slap the water (the front end, on the waves)... makes me cringe just sitting here typing that.  That, that I cannot handle.

Yep yep yep.  No speed boats.  

5 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

I wish I was at Castaway Cay today too. It looks like you had beautiful weather. 

That dog situation is weird. Good job taking all of those photos to share. 

I can't even imagine what might be coming next. 

TCD

You've seen an awful lot over the years at Disney.  Set your mind to it, and you can imagine.  

4 minutes ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Okay... went back to read the update, lol.

My gosh...that water.is.amazing.  I could sit there, all day.  Day after day.  Put some beautiful mountains in the background, some horses and my family and I'm pretty sure that's the piece of Heaven that the Lord has set apart for me.  Beautiful.

I agree with Andrew... the dog situation is weird.  People get strange with their pets.  If our world cared about people, as much as they seem to care about pets, we'd be better off.

Oh... and now I'm hungry.  So, thanks for that.

You're welcome.  

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Yes, I'm still alive. A little bird told me that Dave was embarrassing himself by doing a TR, so I needed to read how he crashed and burned..........this time. I sure hope he didn't run into Melvin the Moose on his cruise. All we need now is for TnBob to show up. 

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20 minutes ago, Lou... said:

Yes, I'm still alive. A little bird told me that Dave was embarrassing himself by doing a TR, so I needed to to read how he crashed and burned..........this time. I sure hope he didn't run into Melvin the Moose on his cruise. All we need now is for TnBob to show up. 

 It's a Festivus miracle!

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2 hours ago, Lou... said:

Yes, I'm still alive. A little bird told me that Dave was embarrassing himself by doing a TR, so I needed to to read how he crashed and burned..........this time. I sure hope he didn't run into Melvin the Moose on his cruise. All we need now is for TnBob to show up. 

Nice to see you post. Keep it up.

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