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On a sunny morning in July I put on my favourite Disney CD and set off from Essex on my way down to Dover to visit the amazing Disney Magic cruise ship. Being a Disney Champion for Tui, I had a good idea of what to expect. But I was still overwhelmed when I pulled up and saw the ship – straight away I had a magical feeling. When we mention to our
customers about cruising on a Disney ship, the consensus is often that it will be just “too Mickey” and “in-your-face Disney”, and to some extent I also thought this would be the case. Well let’s just say I was very wrong. The ship has really classy and tasteful décor. Yes, there are hints of Disney, but it’s classic. You enter into the atrium which has an amazing chandelier and a big bronze Mickey as its centrepiece. My absolute favourite part was the Disney welcome; it is such a personal way to start your holiday that no other ship offers.
Special welcome As you board you are greeted by the Disney cast members, and across the ship you hear “welcome on board the Disney Magic…the Lawrence family” – and of course this is adapted to each family’s name. You can just imagine how the children love this as characters wave from the balconies and welcome them on board, giving a real idea of what is to come. Before my visit I was really
interested in how I could introduce a Disney Cruise to clients other than families. I wanted to see the adult-only areas and get an insight into how the dining works, as this is something Disney really does differently. Again, I was shocked by how well this works on board. Adults have a choice of three adult-only bars, an adult-only pool complete with padded loungers and also the beautiful restaurant Palo. So
the screen will have come to life with modern characters. The waiters will pass through the restaurant in full colour suits followed by Mickey himself! This isn’t just a nice dinner out; it’s a real dining experience which can’t be found anywhere else.
Zoe Lawrence meets Minnie Mouse
for those travelling without children, or whose little ones are enjoying the incredible kids clubs, they certainly won’t be disappointed if looking for a bit of adult time. While the adults are chilling
around the pool or enjoying a drink, what are the children up to? Well this is really when Disney Cruise Line comes into its own. Firstly the kids clubs are included in the price and are open until 1am! The clubs cover ages 3-17, and for those really diddy ones a crèche service is available for a minimal $9 an hour. To get a real feeling for the clubs, I took myself back to the age of seven and hopped into Disney’s Oceaneer Club, entering a real life-size Andy’s Room from Toy Story before pulling apart a giant Mr Potato Head, climbing on Andy’s bed and coming down via a slide inside Slinky Dog! As a 26-year-old I was amazed, so imagine your child’s reaction! My favourite part of the kids clubs was Marvel’s Avengers Academy. As the “Agents Assemble” call rang out, I stood in front of a screen and watched as Iron Man locked on my armour before all my movements were shown on screen – with me in my digital superhero outfit! At the end
of the session I had officially become a superhero and was given my special badge! This is totally unique to Disney Cruise Line.
Dining experiences After being a superhero for half an hour I was pretty hungry, so I had my chance to experience how Disney does its unique ‘rotational dining’. On board the Disney Magic there are three restaurants included in rotational dining, and these will be pre-booked so there is no chance of missing any experience. All three are included in your price and are full sit-down meals, giving you that important family time. As you make your way around the restaurants your waiter will stay with you each evening so they get to know your family’s individual needs and will adapt the experience to really make it personal.
My personal favourite was
Animator’s Palate; I have never been to a restaurant with such a unique experience. As you enter, everything is black and white with the older characters sketched across the walls. During your meal the restaurant starts to come to life with touches of colour, and by the end the whole restaurant will be in colour and
Magical moments Once you have finished your dinner, what do you do next? Go to watch a Disney musical of West End proportions of course – at no extra cost! Currently running on board the Disney Magic is Tangled – The Musical. And if a theatre show isn’t your thing you can join one of the family-friendly deck parties or enjoy Movie Magic under the stars with a nice cosy blanket. Now I only had one thing
left to try, I needed a good night’s sleep! There are several different stateroom types and these should be selected based on your guests’ preferences. We were lucky to view one of each type and the first thing I noticed was the size. I have cruised a few times and these cabins were way bigger than usual, with the décor classic nautical Disney. So that concluded my Magical day on board! I am in awe of how well Disney has put together this product. I can confirm it is not “too Mickey” or “too in-your-face Disney”. They have got the perfect balance for families and couples alike, meaning it really is an all-round product with a little bit of Disney magic for everyone. And with so many Disney Differences setting it apart from other cruise lines, this really is a special trip and something you can’t experience anywhere else.
For more information on Disney Cruise Line visit
disneytravelagents.co.uk
❜ 31 August 2017
travelweekly.co.uk 35
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