Up next in 10
This episode of Daps Travels features a deep dive into recent voyages on the Disney Wonder, sailing out of its picturesque home port in San Diego. Mr. Daps is joined by regular co-host Johnny and special guest Caitie to compare their recent experiences, including a media-hosted sailing and a birthday celebration in the Royal Suite.
Highlights from this episode include:
* The San Diego Advantage: Why the B Street Pier is considered the most convenient home port for the fleet, offering a "deliciously retro" feel and proximity to local landmarks like the USS Midway and the Gaslamp Quarter.
* The "Disney Difference" in Service: A look at the personalized boarding process where families are announced by name, setting a high bar for hospitality from the moment you step on deck.
* Rotational Dining Breakdown: The team reviews their favorite meals and atmospheres across the ship’s three main restaurants—Triton’s, Animator’s Palate, and Tiana’s Place.
* A Masterclass in Hospitality at Palo: A detailed review of the premium dining experience at Palo, highlighting exceptional service from servers like Nikki and Louise, and why the "guests feel perfection" philosophy truly shines here.
* Lounges and Nightlife: Discover the unique charms of the ship’s specialty spaces, from smoke bubbles in old-fashioneds at the Cadillac Lounge to trivia nights at the Crown & Fin Pub.
* Magical Character and Performer Encounters: Personal stories of meeting Captain Mickey and enjoying live sets by resident piano player Caitie Bell.
Whether you're a seasoned Castaway Club member or planning your first cruise, join the conversation for tips on navigating the ship, finding the best chicken tenders, and making the most of every magical moment at sea.
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0:07
Welcome to Daps Travels. I'm Mr. Daps
0:09
and today I'm joined as always by
0:11
Johnny. And not as always, we are joined
0:14
by Katie as well because
0:16
>> hi. We've all had a similar but
0:18
different experience recently, and that
0:21
is cruising on the Disney Wander out of
0:23
San Diego, which just announced an
0:27
extended agreement with the Disney
0:28
Cruise Line that will keep it there for
0:30
an extra 5 years and a million
0:32
passengers.
0:33
>> Girl, who's going to be okay, isn't it?
0:36
>> Yes.
0:36
>> I mean, Nicole Kidman, like
0:38
>> literally the moment the announcement
0:40
came out, I was like, I know who the
0:41
happiest person on earth is right now.
0:43
And uh
0:44
>> great for my wellbeing. Dangerous for my
0:46
wallet.
0:46
>> Yeah, but great for your castway status.
0:49
>> Correct. I will be Pearl in no time.
0:51
>> There we go. Uh so we just got back well
0:54
a couple weeks ago from a media hosted
0:56
cruise on the Disney Wonder and Johnny
0:59
just went on a 3-day uh last week.
1:02
>> Yeah, literally it was last Friday to
1:04
Monday for my birthday.
1:05
>> So happy birthday by the way. We already
1:08
>> texted you and did all the social media
1:10
stuff.
1:10
>> What was your birthday?
1:11
>> Um what is that? gagged.
1:13
>> But we have lots to talk about and we
1:16
thought since Katie was on board the
1:17
Disney Wonder, we should include her in
1:19
this conversation.
1:21
>> Um, you were there. We were all there.
1:22
You were there.
1:23
>> And you were there. Yes.
1:24
>> And you were there. You were there.
1:26
>> Let's start with the beginning of the
1:29
cruise which was in San Diego.
1:33
>> And they are down right in downtown
1:35
where you get on the ship. It pulls
1:37
right into I mean it looks like it's
1:39
parking in downtown. San Diego probably
1:41
is the most convenient
1:44
>> homeport that Disney Cruise Line has in
1:46
regards to how close it is to the
1:48
surrounding area, how close it is to
1:50
parking and everything like that.
1:52
>> B Street Pier is right on the
1:54
waterfront.
1:54
>> And doesn't it feel so deliciously
1:56
retro?
1:57
>> It does. I felt like I was stepping back
2:00
in time into like
2:02
>> we've we've watched uh the Love Boat on
2:04
other cruises that you know might be
2:07
>> connected with that show. And um
2:10
literally you're walking up to the pier
2:12
and I'm like oh this feels more like the
2:14
Love Boat than the Love Boat
2:16
>> as it does today in Los Angeles. And we
2:18
I was going to say because we did just
2:19
sail out of um Port of Los Angeles,
2:22
which is where the Love Boat originally
2:24
was sailing out of and we were like,
2:26
"Oh, this is this is quaint. It's fun."
2:29
Cuz we've
2:30
>> the part of LA scares me.
2:31
>> We've done we've
2:33
>> big it is. It's so confusing.
2:34
>> We've done ports where it's like, "Oh,
2:36
you hike to the ship." So, we're like,
2:38
"Oh, this is fun." And then we did San
2:40
Diego. We were like,
2:42
>> "Well,
2:43
>> this is the best." I think the biggest
2:46
win for Disney Cruise Line is you're
2:49
already in a tourist area.
2:52
>> Like there's the Midway, there's
2:55
>> you are in like the tourist area for
2:56
downtown because you have
2:58
>> baseball, there's gas lamp,
2:59
>> you have gas lamp, you have Seapport
3:01
Village, the zoo is literally like 5
3:03
minutes away. Baloa Park is right there
3:05
too. Everything is so nearby.
3:07
>> And even the airport's right there. We
3:08
were watching planes take off
3:10
>> and it was just
3:12
>> Yeah, it was just so great watching
3:13
that. We're just like, "Oh, which
3:15
airlines that?" "Oh, there's that one."
3:16
And it was like, "Oh, okay."
3:18
>> And if you're if you get the right hotel
3:19
the night before, you can literally see
3:21
the entire harbor and the sunset. It's
3:24
gorgeous. We were at the was
3:25
>> Diet.
3:26
>> Um and that was they have a rooftop bar
3:29
that was perfect for the sunset. And
3:31
>> I love the Manchester.
3:33
>> The train is also right there.
3:36
>> Yeah, the train comes right down there,
3:37
too. So, it's very accessible. Yeah, I
3:39
totally forgot about that because a
3:41
friend of mine is also, funny enough,
3:42
sailing on the Wonder tomorrow and he
3:44
was asking me about taking the train
3:46
there from Fullerton and Santa Fe Depot
3:48
is literally two blocks away.
3:50
>> We could see it from
3:51
>> you can see everything there like from
3:53
any of the hotels you're staying at
3:55
there or even if you're on the ship
3:56
because the ship um just pulls into the
3:58
port directly. So bow is like facing
4:01
there. It's so pretty. I'm actually
4:03
pretty sure I filmed a video that will
4:07
be up on on our YouTube channel at some
4:09
point, but when we have our vlog up, uh
4:12
we walked out on the bow when we were
4:14
still in the port before we left. And
4:16
I'm 90% sure the train station is in it.
4:19
Not not intentionally, just
4:21
inadvertently cuz it's that
4:22
>> you can definitely see it cuz I even saw
4:24
the the MTS trolleys going by there. So,
4:27
you can see everything. It's just it's
4:29
so nice. I love that port. The the other
4:31
advantage is not just the the things on
4:35
land in the port. It's when you're
4:36
leaving it's a gorgeous departure. Um
4:39
like you're looking at all of the navy
4:41
stuff and all of these ships and
4:43
sailboats and I love it cuz like our
4:46
stateateroom was on the port side. So
4:48
when we were leaving we got to see the
4:49
view of Coronado Island and the naval
4:51
base over there. And then on the
4:52
starboard side you got the view of
4:54
PointLoma and everything as you're
4:55
leaving. And there's something so
4:56
picturesque about pulling out of there
4:58
and you get to see Cababrio over there
5:00
and just it's so
5:02
>> Don't you feel it's kind of the
5:04
California like
5:06
>> when you idealize what California is?
5:09
>> It's it's that like California dream
5:11
like this is exactly what you
5:13
>> lighthouse and there's a bridge.
5:14
>> Yeah. There's a reason why she was in
5:15
soaring over California.
5:17
>> Exactly. And and there you go.
5:19
>> I did indeed make that joke when we were
5:22
pulling. I was like
5:22
>> you asked the question, is that the
5:24
ship? And I was like no. Um,
5:25
>> and then once I did see the ship, I
5:27
went, "Oh my god, it's just like so over
5:29
California." That was the joke. I wasn't
5:31
supposed to tell the part where I didn't
5:32
know what ship it was.
5:34
>> It's okay. It So, uh, it's a lovely
5:37
port. It's a lovely departure. And I
5:40
think one of the the big parts that
5:42
Disney does really well is as you're
5:44
boarding the ship before you departure,
5:47
um, they welcome you very like it's
5:50
unlike any other cruise. And the the
5:54
attention to personal detail as you're
5:57
walking on the ship, don't you think is
5:59
different than than any other cru like
6:02
you've done a few cruises now?
6:03
>> I have. Yeah.
6:04
>> What did you think as they were
6:05
announcing the DAP's family?
6:07
>> So, one, I had seen videos of it and I
6:10
was like, hm, I wonder if this is
6:11
something that like actually happens,
6:13
right? Because I was like, oh, maybe
6:14
it's like if you're a certain room
6:16
booking or whatever. And I was like, ah,
6:18
I don't know, but I won't get my hopes
6:19
up, right? because I was like, "How are
6:21
you going to announce every person that
6:23
gets on a cruise ship?" And then I heard
6:25
them announce every person that gets on
6:26
a cruise ship. Um, so they do have uh
6:29
greeters essentially who ask, which I
6:32
love this touch. How would your family
6:33
like to be addressed? Yes.
6:35
>> So, how would you like to be announced?
6:36
Um, so you heard people announce like
6:38
first name, first name, cuz it's like,
6:40
oh, they're friends or like, oh, it's a
6:41
girls trip or what have you. Um, and so
6:45
us being able to see the DAPS family led
6:48
to a really cool experience, especially
6:50
because uh, Captain Mickey,
6:52
>> but
6:52
>> which was really my big goal for the
6:54
cruise was to meet Captain Mickey.
6:56
>> Getting on other cruise lines. There's
6:59
almost a um
7:02
uh anticlimactic element to boarding
7:05
because it's like you, you know, you get
7:07
up the ramp cuz every time you you're
7:09
getting on a cruise ship, like there's
7:11
this ramp and then you scan and then
7:12
there's this moment you step onto the
7:14
ship and you're like, "Wow, this is the
7:16
ship." And most cruise lines, it's like,
7:19
"Okay,
7:21
>> go on."
7:22
>> And they're just like, "Keep walking."
7:23
>> Basically, it's like, "Uh, this is a
7:24
walkway, ma'am."
7:25
>> Or it's the, "Oh, we're selling watches
7:27
over here." Oh, we're we're like, "Would
7:30
you like to eat over here?" Like,
7:32
there's nothing
7:33
>> there's nothing rude. It's just kind of
7:35
a like come this way.
7:37
>> It feels like you walked into
7:39
>> Is it like walking into like a mall?
7:40
>> It kind of does. The ships that we've
7:43
been in, the um embarcation area has
7:45
been in like to the central shopping
7:48
like the plaza or the
7:50
>> And when you get on board, they're just
7:51
like, "So, here's how you're going to
7:53
spend your money." Well, and the first
7:54
thing you see when you walk in,
7:56
>> here's where to get your pizza or here's
7:57
where to get like
7:58
>> this is the these are the shore
8:00
excursions. Like, do you want to book
8:01
now or do you want to book dining?
8:04
>> It's kind of like when you get to the
8:05
other end of the atrium.
8:06
>> Yeah.
8:07
>> Like just skip the welcome part and like
8:09
you're now in the other part.
8:10
>> Oh,
8:11
>> so it's kind of that where they're like,
8:12
"Oh, you could eat here, you could shop
8:13
there, whatever."
8:14
>> And it's um the other piece. What was I
8:18
going to say? I completely lost that.
8:20
Never mind. Go.
8:20
>> We're walking on board. Uh yeah, I was
8:22
going to say, oh the other thing is that
8:24
they other cruise lines have these
8:26
people in vests typically like think
8:30
traffic safety vest
8:32
>> security at Disneyland.
8:34
at Disneyland and it's like ask me about
8:37
internet
8:38
>> or ask me about it's giving like the
8:40
character host at Disneyland when they
8:42
have a button that says ask me about
8:43
characters but it's just
8:44
>> but it's like neon and they have like an
8:47
iPad and they're like looking for people
8:49
that look confused and and that is their
8:51
way of hospitality but it's not as
8:53
welcoming as hi to your family like we
8:57
already know who you are. We're
8:58
welcoming you aboard. We're making it a
9:00
celebration. Well, even security was
9:02
welcoming. Like security was amazing.
9:04
The whole thing was great.
9:05
>> Um, so you get on the ship, it's great.
9:08
And and where is like you always go get
9:11
food first if I remember from other
9:13
cruises that you've you've
9:15
>> pretty much I mean yeah whenever cuz my
9:17
family pretty much only sails concierge
9:20
cuz we just we love it so much. So
9:22
>> shocked. Um, fork found in kitchen. Um,
9:25
>> so where do you eat? I mean, we they
9:27
bring you to the dining room that's
9:29
actually in just right off of the at
9:31
room or the Grand Hall, depending on
9:32
what ship you're in. So, on the ship,
9:33
it's Tritons.
9:34
>> Tritons. Okay. That's where we had our
9:35
first dinner.
9:36
>> But also, you do have the option for all
9:39
guests to have a nice sitdown lunch at
9:41
the restaurant that is in the aft of the
9:43
ship.
9:44
>> So,
9:44
>> so on the Wonder it would be Tiana's.
9:46
>> Oh, okay. Okay.
9:48
>> Yeah. Wonder it was Tiana's on the map.
9:49
>> Oh, yeah. There was a line for that. We
9:50
just didn't know what it was.
9:52
>> There was the line for Tritons and the
9:53
line for Tiana's. And we were still we
9:55
were so like
9:56
>> we don't
9:56
>> so we're like let's go to cabanas
9:58
instead which was fine like it was it
10:00
was good. It was it was a buffet. It was
10:01
>> that or like deck food. Deck food is
10:03
also always a good choice for me. I'm
10:04
just like making hindsight
10:06
if we'd have known better. Like it's
10:08
kind of you don't know what you don't
10:09
know. So
10:10
>> oh our first cruise I was so lost. And
10:13
I'm the person that likes to do my
10:15
research and I did my research and I'm
10:16
walking in there like I have no idea
10:18
what I'm doing. We've been doing this
10:20
podcast for quite some time now and like
10:22
we talk about Disney cruise all of the
10:24
time and we walk on the ship and I'm
10:26
like I have no clue where anything is.
10:29
>> I don't know what we should be doing
10:31
right now. Like I know we're kind of
10:32
supposed to eat so overwhelming but I
10:35
feel like it's so overwhelming in the
10:36
best way possible. Like you don't
10:38
actually feel stressed or anything like
10:40
that. You're just like do I go here?
10:41
What about here? Do I want ice cream?
10:44
It's like you're just there. you're like
10:46
looking around and seeing everything
10:47
there and you're like, "Wo!"
10:49
>> Well, and the Wonder is such a different
10:52
ship in some regards
10:54
>> because of its size. So, it's not like
10:56
it's not like when you're on a big royal
10:58
ship or a princess ship, you're like,
11:00
"Oh, I just walk down the middle."
11:01
Because you can't just walk down the
11:03
middle. And there's not really a
11:06
>> when you first get on, there's not
11:08
really a like natural, oh, this is where
11:11
I should go vibe. It's you kind of have
11:14
to explore your way and you're like,
11:16
"Oh, cool. Now I'm outside or let's go
11:18
up cuz that seems to always be a good
11:20
idea on a ship.
11:21
>> Always go up on
11:22
>> Yeah. Always
11:23
>> like I don't know. So, we explored a
11:24
little bit and we got some great views
11:25
and photos and and quickly fell in love
11:28
with the ship. I think was the immediate
11:31
like this is a fantastic ship and then
11:33
we had cabanas and it was great. And I
11:35
will say
11:37
the lesson I have learned and you can
11:39
tell me if this is your experience also
11:41
is you get chicken nuggets on the um
11:44
>> chicken tenders.
11:45
>> Chicken tenders on the the deck food
11:48
places not in cabanas because that is
11:51
correct. That is correct.
11:52
>> They're so hot and fresh
11:55
>> cuz when I had them in cabanas I was
11:57
like these are fine.
11:58
>> And the thing is too they're like in a
11:59
hot holding container over there. So,
12:01
like,
12:01
>> but they're still but they're they're
12:03
still so good and they're so crunchy and
12:05
everything and like how? And I was just
12:06
like, these have been here for a minute
12:07
cuz they're in a hot held area. What do
12:09
you mean they taste like they're just
12:10
fresh?
12:11
>> I literally went from like oh that's
12:12
nice to
12:13
>> I get it.
12:14
>> I was like okay I want more. And then I
12:16
would get chicken tenders and ice cream
12:19
every day and that was just like you get
12:21
ice cream and then you get chicken
12:22
tenders.
12:23
>> Spoiler bites next to the pool.
12:25
>> Yeah.
12:25
>> I I had so many chicken tenders when I
12:27
was and hot dogs and burgers. I did like
12:31
the burger. Yeah,
12:32
>> we didn't try a hot dog.
12:34
>> We did not.
12:34
>> I see. And it's one of those things. You
12:36
don't know what you don't know. And And
12:37
that would be one I'm like, "Oh, I wish
12:39
I'd tried that."
12:40
>> Um, it's okay. I had to tell somebody
12:42
that they still serve schwarma on the
12:44
>> I saw that today. I saw that. I
12:45
literally was like, "Oh my gosh, even I
12:46
knew the answer for that." I was like, I
12:48
wanted to be like, "Okay, so you can tag
12:49
me."
12:50
>> We know where this is.
12:51
>> Uh, on the Disney Wonder. Actually, this
12:52
is where you could get Sharma. Sometimes
12:54
a salmon sandwich also.
12:55
>> So, they have rotational dining.
12:57
>> The spicy chicken sandwich. And it was
12:59
great for us because we had four nights
13:01
to eat.
13:01
>> Yes.
13:02
>> And you had three nights, but you've
13:04
been everywhere. So, it's
13:04
>> I was about to be alone this past
13:06
sailing. I did not go to the rotational
13:07
dining a single time.
13:08
>> So, this is good that Katie's here
13:10
because you can you can ask us any
13:11
questions. So, we had Tritons the first
13:13
night. Yes.
13:14
>> Then we had uh Animators Palette the
13:16
second night. Then we jumped over to um
13:18
>> Paulo
13:19
>> Paulo which was wonderful. And then we
13:22
went to Tiana's the last night, which I
13:25
thought was the perfect progression of
13:27
restaurants.
13:28
>> That is actually a fire rotation. That
13:30
is probably like the ideal rotation on
13:34
Disney cruise line.
13:34
>> Perfect send off in my opinion.
13:36
>> It was great cuz it's
13:38
>> it's a party at the very cuz it's just
13:40
like nice and you just get to like when
13:42
you have this
13:44
>> which we'll we'll get into this. We'll
13:45
get into this. I shouldn't I'm jumping
13:46
ahead of myself.
13:47
>> So my question is have you eaten at all
13:49
three of these restaurants? Okay. there.
13:50
Then we can we can all participate.
13:52
>> Have you also done the other animator's
13:54
palette on the other ship? The one that
13:56
has the interact.
13:56
>> We're going to skip that for now.
13:57
>> Oh, I was I was gonna say yes, I have
13:59
done that. There's there's different
14:00
versions, but
14:02
>> um
14:03
>> off the pod.
14:04
>> So, Triton's animator's palette and then
14:08
Tiana's. What was your favorite
14:10
experience and what was your favorite
14:12
food?
14:13
>> You go
14:14
>> in terms of restaurant.
14:15
>> Okay. For for rotational dining.
14:17
>> Yes. for rotational dining because I
14:19
don't think it's fair to put
14:21
>> I love I love my good rotational dining.
14:23
I'm sorry. I if I if it's a choice
14:25
between you and Paulo, you are literally
14:27
getting thrown overboard. Like I'm going
14:30
>> I'm like
14:31
>> you can't come.
14:32
>> If money were no option, I would be
14:33
there every night.
14:34
>> All right. I would do brunch. I would do
14:36
lunch. I would do um so
14:37
>> which I guess brunch is the best.
14:39
>> That's what I've heard. So, I would say
14:42
that the best experience was Tiana's in
14:45
my opinion because that was magical and
14:48
I would say the best food
14:53
uh was Triton's actually. I really
14:56
enjoyed it.
14:57
>> I would 100% agree with that.
14:59
>> I actually agree with you too.
15:00
>> 100% in agreement.
15:02
>> I was like saying it and I was like I
15:03
think it's Triton.
15:04
>> I think so too. which which surprised me
15:07
because
15:08
>> I felt thematically Triton's was the
15:11
perhaps least exciting cuz it's it's
15:14
easily factory.
15:16
>> It's pretty like it's fine.
15:17
>> Oh, you need to see Lum's magic then.
15:19
That is more Cheesecake Factory.
15:21
>> Like I liked the mural at the end of the
15:23
wall. Like that was pretty and the
15:25
service was phenomenal. But like
15:27
>> there wasn't, you know, the Mickey Mouse
15:29
moment or the Tiana like it it just was.
15:31
>> But the food stood out there.
15:33
>> But the food was great. I think that's
15:35
their take on it's definitely supposed
15:36
to be the more elevated of the three
15:38
rotational dining restaurants in regards
15:40
to even like the cuisine that they have
15:41
and the environment because
15:43
>> on all the ships there's essentially
15:45
something like that where there's two
15:46
heavily themed ones.
15:47
>> Oh, interesting. And then there's just a
15:49
very nice one because you have royal
15:50
palace and royal court on the dream
15:53
class ships and those are just like
15:55
walking into like a castle very princess
15:58
themed much more elegant
15:59
>> and then you have 1923
16:01
>> which when you eventually sail on a
16:03
witch class ship you're going to walk
16:04
into 1923 and be like is Holly going to
16:06
come around the corner? This is birthday
16:07
circle.
16:08
>> Oh that's mad.
16:09
>> So that one will be my favorite.
16:10
>> I love it's my favorite restaurant on
16:12
all the 1923. Um, okay. So now of those
16:16
three, do you have are you agreeing with
16:18
this on favorite food, favorite?
16:19
>> Oh, easily.
16:20
>> Okay, so that that was actually
16:21
>> I was going to say Tiana's definitely
16:22
has the best environment and best
16:24
experience. It is just so much fun. I
16:27
love it. They get
16:28
>> Your servers are super interactive with
16:30
you. Just everything is amazing. And
16:31
then Triton's out of all three menus is
16:34
my favorite one.
16:35
>> Mhm.
16:36
>> Animators palette, I love you. But
16:38
please,
16:38
>> it was fine.
16:39
>> I enjoyed it.
16:39
>> Like it was it was fun. I liked the
16:41
Mickey Mouse moment at the end. That was
16:43
just adorable.
16:44
>> I've had the pork chop there
16:46
>> three separate times and it's just been
16:48
dry every time. So that's why I'm just
16:49
like the pork chop. True.
16:51
>> Those pasta purses though. I need all of
16:53
them. Give me like an entire bowl.
16:55
>> You got the pasta pett.
16:58
I felt like
16:58
>> being that good.
16:59
>> Everything I ate on the cruise. The only
17:02
thing that I was kind of like eh was the
17:04
original chicken tenders.
17:05
>> Yes.
17:05
>> On in cabanas
17:07
>> on the Yeah.
17:08
>> But you didn't get room service ones.
17:09
>> No. No. So, the trick was, and this is
17:12
not a This was so kind of them. Every
17:17
time we went to the room, Disney had
17:19
sent us something. Whether it was
17:21
they're like, "Oh, here's a cheese
17:23
plate, or here's some macarons, or
17:25
here's some like chocolate dip
17:26
strawberry.
17:26
>> Chocolate dip straw." Like, literally
17:28
every time we went back to the room,
17:29
there was something to eat, it seemed.
17:31
And they were so I love that. They were
17:34
so gracious.
17:35
>> They were so kind and they're so
17:36
attentive.
17:36
>> It was amazing. We, if we're being
17:39
completely honest,
17:41
we weren't expecting anything the first
17:42
time we walked in the room. So, we were
17:44
like, "Oh, this is wonderful." Like,
17:45
this is this is what we get.
17:47
>> Wonderful.
17:48
>> The
17:49
>> I had made that joke a few too many
17:51
times. But then every time we'd come
17:52
back to the room, we'd be like, "Oh my
17:53
gosh, there's something else." We're
17:54
like, "Okay, well, this is going to be
17:56
it." And then we'd come back again and
17:57
we're like, "There's something else." At
17:58
one point, we were on our veranda.
18:01
>> This is the most magical to me. We were
18:02
on our veranda. We were uh drinking
18:05
procco on the veranda because as one
18:07
does. We go back inside. We're like,
18:10
"There's macarons here. Where did the
18:12
macarons come from?"
18:14
>> I I didn't hear a thing. And I I'm
18:15
pretty attentive. Like I'm
18:18
>> like I notice things, especially when
18:20
I'm in my own little circle of envir
18:25
>> um
18:26
>> crazy stuff like that.
18:27
>> Uh yeah. So
18:29
>> cuz I wanted a room service grilled
18:30
cheese. Let's I guess we should just hit
18:32
the elephant in the room and that's
18:33
that's Paulo. Um
18:36
>> because this is really what this is the
18:38
only reason they're here is because they
18:40
wanted to talk.
18:41
>> I'm leaving after this.
18:42
>> Um so
18:44
>> Paulo is in the back of is it deck 10?
18:47
>> It's deck 10 after.
18:49
>> Aren't you impressed? I remember that.
18:50
>> I am. Yeah.
18:51
>> Um so we
18:53
>> had that on night three.
18:56
>> Correct.
18:56
>> And that was also pirates night for us.
18:58
>> Yes. And
18:59
>> we're not missing anything with the
19:00
rotational dining pirate night menu.
19:02
>> Yeah, right. I I don't even know what it
19:05
was. But um so we realized that we were
19:09
going to be cutting things a tiny bit
19:11
close as we were hearing from everybody
19:12
like, oh, allow a few hours for this and
19:14
whatever. And so we just were like,
19:17
we're kind of hungry. Let's just go up
19:19
and see if they'll take us early. And so
19:21
we showed up a half hour early and we're
19:22
like, hey, can we just check in whenever
19:24
you want to seat us? It's fine. Like
19:26
we'll hang out or whatever. They're
19:28
like, "Oh, no."
19:29
>> Who was your server in Palo?
19:31
>> Uh, Becky. Nikki.
19:34
>> Nikki.
19:34
>> She was amazing.
19:35
>> Was a Y.
19:36
>> Yes. Uh, from Italy. Um, Milan.
19:39
>> From Milan.
19:40
>> Yes.
19:40
>> I was getting there. I was cracking what
19:42
was all all of our things. Uh,
19:44
absolutely charming, amazing server. But
19:48
what amazed me was the moment we walked
19:50
in. Like how many times have we been to
19:52
a restaurant anywhere, whether it's
19:54
Disney or beyond, and you show up a
19:56
little bit early and they're like,
19:56
"Okay, well, you can stand over there
19:58
and it's whatever." They're like, "Go to
20:00
the corner."
20:00
>> Yeah. We fully saw the benches and we
20:02
were like, "Oh, we'd be more than happy
20:03
to like here." Um the manager was like
20:07
so like almost like offended that we
20:09
were like, "Oh, we can wait." He was
20:10
like,
20:11
>> "No, I I have something ready for you."
20:13
And then we were like, "Yeah, we we came
20:15
up initially to watch the SpaceX launch,
20:17
but it got delayed, so we're just going
20:19
to, you know, we just thought we'd see
20:20
if we'd come in." And he's like, "Oh,
20:23
well, you just tell your server if you
20:25
want to go outside for the space launch,
20:26
just tell them to hold your food and you
20:28
can go watch the launch and then come
20:29
back in."
20:30
>> He's like, "But make sure you grab me by
20:31
the coat.
20:32
>> They grab me on the way." And then and
20:34
then I will admit the experience was so
20:36
great, we forgot.
20:37
>> Yeah.
20:37
>> Like I think might be the best thing I
20:40
can say about
20:40
>> because we do not miss. We have lunch.
20:43
We love lunch. Yeah. Paulo.
20:46
>> I've done Paulo on both magic class
20:49
ships and I have done Remy on the
20:52
fantasy.
20:53
>> Okay.
20:54
>> I like Paulo a lot more than Remy and I
20:58
love it because Remy itself was just a
20:59
phenomenal, beautiful, elegant dining
21:01
experience. And the servers were just so
21:04
personable with you still like how they
21:06
were in Palo.
21:07
>> But I just love the environment of Palo.
21:10
I love also our server, my girl Louise,
21:12
she remembered us when we were on the
21:14
Wonder last year.
21:14
>> That's fun. We when we sat down for our
21:17
concierge lunch, I saw her walk up to us
21:19
and initially she didn't recognize us
21:22
because I'm just like, "Okay, you
21:23
literally see like thousands of people a
21:25
year. I do I get it."
21:27
>> But then I just looked at her. I was
21:28
just like, "Girl,
21:30
>> it was just like you were a server when
21:31
we were in Alaska on the Wonder." And
21:33
then she looked at me and she was like,
21:34
"Oh my god."
21:36
>> Yes.
21:37
>> So she was a gem. We were I was there
21:39
yapping with her. We were in dinner for
21:41
two hours and like I'd say a good hour
21:43
of that was just us yapping with her
21:44
because I think we were one of her only
21:46
tables and it was
21:46
>> that was similar. We had such
21:49
>> I loved her. I love her so much.
21:51
>> Phenomenal time talking. We just started
21:52
talking about like where are you from in
21:53
Italy? Where would you recommend we
21:55
would go to Italy? Um you know and we
21:58
really we are big people that if we
22:00
can't decide between things we will ask
22:02
for opinions. She was more than happy to
22:05
share. She's like, "Oh, well,
22:06
personally, I love this sauce." Or
22:08
>> it helps. Like it it definitely guided
22:11
the meal.
22:11
>> Everyone says that oversoul, by the way.
22:13
Everybody you ask
22:14
>> cuz it's so damn good.
22:16
>> Which it will be what I try next because
22:19
I did go with a steak instead because I
22:21
just was
22:22
>> oh my
22:22
>> craving it. It was delicious.
22:24
>> Um like the food was delicious.
22:26
Everything was fantastic. Like I've got
22:28
no notes. I've not stopped thinking
22:30
about the
22:31
>> um which one though? The chocolate.
22:33
>> We got one of each. He got the tiramisu.
22:35
>> Like they were both good.
22:36
>> I love you, but you're wrong. Amord all
22:37
the way.
22:38
>> The am I got it?
22:39
>> Amord.
22:40
>> It was so high.
22:43
>> I was actually so bad this cruising. I
22:45
was alluding to this earlier when I said
22:46
I have a story about Paulo. I didn't go
22:47
to the dining rooms a single time. I
22:49
>> I think I picked up on that.
22:50
>> I had Paulo every night because we were
22:53
staying in the Walt Disney Royal Suite.
22:55
And one of the perks that you get with a
22:56
Royal Suite on Disney Cruise Line is
22:58
that you can order room service, your
23:00
rotational dining, or palo to your room.
23:04
>> Rough.
23:05
>> And I was like, it's my birthday. I'm
23:07
going to do whatever I want. Choice.
23:09
>> If it was my birthday, I would be
23:11
drowning myself in palo in Palo Mac and
23:14
cheese. That pasta that And the funny
23:19
thing is that's literally what we had. I
23:21
literally because we did
23:22
>> I would bury myself in those.
23:24
>> I ordered that to the room. the first
23:25
night and then the second night for my
23:27
actual birthday we went to the dining
23:28
room
23:29
>> and then night three I was like I want
23:30
the I want an amora sule and then
23:33
Bethany also ordered the kafatapi pasta
23:36
shared pot also
23:39
>> it's $6 and it's like this big huge
23:43
literally huge
23:44
>> we we shared all of ours insane
23:46
>> and we didn't finish
23:47
>> we didn't finish
23:48
>> cuz I think we got mashed potato or the
23:50
whatever
23:51
>> the potato puree we got the kavatapi we
23:54
got the asparagus guess and we got
23:57
>> everything there is so good and for an
23:59
elevated elegant dining experience I
24:01
cannot emphasize it enough that value is
24:03
phenomenal for like what you pay as well
24:05
for that cuz it is a premium dining
24:07
experience
24:08
>> you walk away though and you're like
24:11
>> I need like I will come back here I
24:13
don't care how like I'm coming back here
24:15
>> I walked away being like I want to go to
24:16
sleep now
24:17
>> and then at the same time I'm going to
24:19
go film some pirates now and some
24:21
fireworks. Um the other thing and I I
24:23
I'm talking about this in an article
24:25
that I'm also currently writing is um
24:28
there is funny enough uh with
24:30
unreasonable hospitality it ties back in
24:32
the story of Walt Disney um doing the
24:35
enchanted tiki room and he was like well
24:36
why aren't the birds breathing and
24:37
they're like well Walt no one's going to
24:38
ask why aren't the birds breathing and
24:40
he said guests feel perfection
24:42
>> and that is something that I think about
24:43
a lot um and Paulo felt like that guests
24:47
feel perfection you don't walk in you
24:49
don't go oh wow you know the the glass
24:52
is turned the right way, the design is
24:53
facing me or whatever, but you do
24:56
subconsciously notice these things. One
24:59
of the things that really impressed me
25:00
about Apollo was, um, we order and
25:03
Nikki, our waitress, goes,
25:06
well, how do you guys feel about
25:07
mushroom? We're like, we like mushroom.
25:10
She goes, okay. And then it comes back
25:13
and there was like a starter like a
25:15
pallet cleanser essentially of it was
25:17
like a light mushroom with a
25:19
>> the the friedo.
25:21
>> It was del but it was one of those
25:24
things had that not happened we probably
25:26
wouldn't have even noticed. we would
25:27
have still had a wonderful meal, but it
25:29
was setting the stage of like you're
25:31
about to experience something truly
25:32
awesome,
25:34
>> which and I did see a table that said
25:36
apparently that they didn't like
25:37
mushrooms because I didn't see that show
25:39
up. But I don't know. Uh speaking of
25:44
people feel perfection and that that
25:46
element of um going the extra mile and
25:50
and showmanship almost in the
25:52
hospitality. I think it's a good pivot
25:54
point to talk about some of the
25:57
specialty places throughout the the
26:01
ship. So maybe it's um Cadillac Lounge,
26:04
maybe it's uh Finn and
26:06
>> Crown and Finland.
26:07
>> Crown and Finn. Thank you. I was like
26:08
this is not coming out right in my head.
26:10
>> Yeah, Crown and Azour French Quarter
26:12
Lounge.
26:13
>> French Quarter Lounge. Great, great
26:14
choice. Um, we had phenomenal
26:18
service in we didn't have service in
26:21
Azure, but the other three we we checked
26:23
out and each one as I'm sitting here
26:27
talking about this, somebody did
26:29
something that was above and beyond
26:32
whether it was uh smoke bubbles in my
26:34
old fashion in Cadillac Lounge, which
26:36
there will be a video up at some point,
26:39
>> but I think I had like what, four,
26:41
>> like he saw how much everybody was
26:43
enjoying the moment, So he just kept
26:45
giving more and then he gave one for
26:47
Katie's champagne because she was
26:50
enjoying it and like the entire
26:52
>> lounge was enthralled with this guy
26:54
doing smoke bubble
26:55
>> including the entertainer.
26:56
>> Including the entertainer. Fantastic.
26:58
And and then over at um French Quarter
27:02
>> French is that right? French Quarter.
27:05
Yeah. Uh you get the little card
27:08
collecting things when you're like
27:09
>> the coasters. coasters that are that are
27:11
cards and and she noticed we were
27:14
collecting them the the server and
27:16
>> we flipped over went, "Oh, that's cool."
27:17
>> And so we're geeking out about them a
27:18
little bit. She's like, "Oh, well then
27:20
you need all four." And so she literally
27:22
went away and came back and made sure
27:24
that we had all of them and and that
27:26
they weren't um ruined by, you know,
27:29
>> I got you guys extra because you're
27:30
using these ones for your drinks. It was
27:32
very sweet.
27:33
>> And again, would we have noticed if that
27:35
didn't happen? No. But it was going the
27:38
extra mile for something that makes that
27:41
moment that much more memorable. Are we
27:43
going to know where those coasters are
27:44
in 20,30 years? Possibly not. Are we
27:47
going to remember the way that that
27:49
server went out of their way to make our
27:51
experience that much more magical?
27:53
Absolutely.
27:54
>> And then I would just follow up with
27:55
Crown and Finn. The server that we had
27:58
literally felt like he should be a
28:00
bartender in Cheers or something because
28:02
he was very invested in like talking
28:05
with us, chatting about what we do, like
28:07
where are we from, where is he from,
28:09
like it was a very fun and engaging
28:11
conversation. I particularly loved that
28:14
they have the Kentucky Kentucky
28:16
>> bourbon barrel age beer, which is or
28:19
ale, which is what I love to get at the
28:21
American Pavilion in Epcot, and you
28:23
cannot get it anywhere. The last time I
28:25
found it was in Illinois and the fact
28:28
that we get on the ship and we're
28:29
sitting in there as trivia is going on
28:32
and it was just like
28:34
>> it's well I I looked at I need the whole
28:36
I looked at the menu.
28:37
>> Oh, they were the big glasses.
28:38
>> I looked at the menu. I closed it and I
28:40
said, "I know what you're ordering." And
28:42
he went, "I don't know." He goes, "Oh, a
28:44
Guinness." Because in a pub you get a
28:46
Guinness.
28:46
>> And I hadn't really looked at the
28:47
>> And I go, "No." I was like, "Well, I'm
28:50
getting the cider." And you should just
28:51
look above the cider. and he goes,
28:53
>> "Is it?" And I go,
28:55
>> "It was it was very fun." Um,
28:57
>> I love that.
28:58
>> Did you have any fun experiences in any
28:59
of the lounges or or
29:02
>> You didn't really go to
29:03
>> this sailing. I didn't go to any of the
29:05
Cadillac,
29:06
>> but you have in the past.
29:07
>> So, we did I was in Cadillac for a whole
29:09
10 minutes.
29:10
>> Oh, love that.
29:11
>> I got I I got a beverage there. I said
29:14
hi to Katie.
29:15
>> Katy Bell.
29:15
>> Yeah, Katy Bell. She was great and
29:17
whatnot. And I told her and just said,
29:18
"I'm going to try to come back to see
29:20
your sets." Um, news flash. I I I did in
29:22
fact not
29:23
>> That's okay.
29:25
>> I was cuz we were concierge. I was
29:27
primarily in the concierge lounge up
29:29
there because
29:31
>> why not?
29:32
>> Yeah. And especially
29:34
the bartender that they had specifically
29:36
on the sailing I think is probably the
29:38
best bartender that we have ever had.
29:40
>> Wow.
29:41
>> On
29:42
>> any of our sailing so far.
29:43
>> That's that's a testament.
29:44
>> That's magical.
29:45
>> Her name is Pear like the fruit.
29:47
>> She spelled the same way.
29:49
>> Okay. She was an angel. She made the
29:52
absolute best old fashioned best
29:54
espresso martinis. There was a day where
29:56
I'm just like, you know what? I'm just
29:58
not feeling that great. But you know
29:59
what? We're going to rally. We're going
30:00
to push through.
30:01
>> As one does in a cruise.
30:01
>> I had a ginger ale. I had a double blank
30:03
of ginger ale.
30:04
>> Love.
30:05
>> So good. Everything.
30:06
>> It was just great.
30:07
>> Life balance.
30:08
>> Yeah. Correct.
30:09
>> And it's actually this past sailing was
30:11
not about balance. This past
30:12
>> three or four days. You just go. This
30:15
past sailing was gluttony.
30:17
>> Oh, because it's your birthday. I think
30:18
birthdays are a thing to be celebrated.
30:20
So,
30:21
>> yes. Uh, as we mentioned, Katie Belt was
30:23
the piano player in the Cadillac Lounge
30:26
for however much longer she's doing
30:28
that. Uh, fantastic performer. Very fun
30:31
to uh listen to her and engage with her
30:34
as we were uh watching
30:37
or spending the evenings, I guess, which
30:38
it's a great location in the ship, too,
30:40
cuz you get the water right outside.
30:42
Like, it's those ships. I mean, the
30:44
magic and wonder, the old ladies of the
30:46
fleet,
30:48
best locations for literally everything
30:50
on board.
30:51
>> Also, it's so fun. It's It's just at a
30:53
good enough level that you can look out
30:54
the window and see the water, which I
30:56
always find to be very magical. I also
30:59
thought there was something so nice. Um,
31:03
I can speak specifically to Katie Bell.
31:05
Um, the music that Katie was playing, it
31:09
was there was something for everybody.
31:12
At one point, because they were an
31:14
excellent connector, she ends up uh
31:17
talking to a guest. Well, actually, I
31:19
can think of two separate occasions. She
31:20
ends up talking to guests. One, they
31:22
say, "Oh, um, Werewolves of London." And
31:26
she goes, "I haven't heard that song in
31:28
a really long time." Next night, comes
31:29
back and had brushed up on it to play
31:32
for that guy. Um, and then the second
31:35
one, um, she's like, "Oh, I've got a
31:37
couple songs left. I don't really know
31:38
what else to play." And this guy walks
31:40
up to her and also had one of the
31:42
Cadillac regulars and asks for
31:44
something. Goes, "Oh, do you know this?"
31:46
Katie goes, "Yeah, I know that." Goes
31:48
back. It was Make You Feel My Love. Uh,
31:51
which turned out it was their wedding
31:52
song and it was their anniversary.
31:54
>> It's also the last song on the last
31:56
night of the cruise. So, it's it's the
31:58
one that
31:59
>> So cute.
31:59
>> And they danced in the middle of like
32:01
they slow danced in the middle of the
32:02
lounge. And there might be video of it.
32:04
>> There is also video of it
32:05
>> that will be up at some point.
32:06
>> But it was I love that this moment that
32:08
was so like
32:10
>> it it adds to the Disney magic of like
32:12
you are you in an overtly Disney place?
32:15
No. Like nothing there's not Mickey
32:18
Mouse print on the walls. There's not
32:19
whatever. But it's that magic that
32:21
Disney delivers of like you just got to
32:24
watch somebody on the last night. It
32:27
it's 12:30. we're closing this place out
32:30
and it's this magical moment of Katie
32:34
didn't have to take a request but was
32:36
like and like as Katie's playing piano
32:39
is literally just like watching it and
32:41
it's like you can see that moment of
32:43
like
32:43
>> it was magic
32:44
>> it was so cool
32:45
>> it was very it was very
32:47
>> and that's just the level that everybody
32:49
on the ship want wanted to deliver not
32:52
like oh this is what's expected of me it
32:54
was like oh this is what I want to give
32:55
every guest on this ship
32:57
>> well and I
32:58
A next step for that would be talking
33:00
about the character experience. Have you
33:02
had character experiences on the We
33:03
don't really talk about these. I just
33:04
realized
33:04
>> I am not a character person. I see them
33:06
and I run away.
33:07
>> I like to take pictures of them and
33:09
that's about my level of like
33:11
>> I I see them walk out of the hallways
33:12
and I'm like oh well time to go to the
33:14
deck time to go time to go hide in the
33:16
cabin.
33:17
>> Fair. So we may not be the greatest
33:19
character people. She's very good with
33:20
it.
33:21
>> So she was very good at playing with
33:24
Mickey, playing with Chip and Dale. I
33:26
think Pluto at one point. Like there
33:28
were quite a few different characters,
33:29
but the best character moment you can
33:31
share about Katie was on deck four um
33:36
outside
33:37
>> on the day at sea, I think.
33:39
>> So that was the the first full day that
33:41
we were on the ship. Um what happened,
33:43
Katie?
33:43
>> So we
33:44
>> and to my credit,
33:46
>> I actually did start this this
33:48
engagement and I did interact with them
33:50
for a good minute or two.
33:51
>> Uh it like I had gone to the bathroom or
33:54
something, so we were separated.
33:55
>> Yeah, I was stuck. That's right.
33:56
>> Yeah. Yeah. You You were trying to take
33:58
pictures of just like the ocean and um I
34:03
come out of the bathroom and I like I
34:05
the door slides open and I look and I
34:08
go, "Oh my god, Chip and Dale are little
34:10
sailors." Like I think that's it all
34:13
came out. They were they were cute.
34:14
>> It all came out as one word.
34:15
>> So cute.
34:15
>> Um because I was like, "Are you kidding
34:17
me? This is so stupid." Um, and so I
34:20
walk up and they were Oh, they were
34:22
helping um the girls with their
34:25
scavenger hunt.
34:25
>> Yeah, it was Oceaners Club or whatever.
34:28
>> Like they have the little scavenger
34:29
hunts going on.
34:30
>> They said, "Oh, get a character to take
34:32
a picture with this thing. You get a
34:34
focus point." And so Chip and are doing
34:36
that. Super fun. Love that. And the
34:37
whole time just standing there, I'm
34:39
like,
34:39
>> "Oh my god, they're so cute." And so
34:41
Daps is taking photos and
34:44
uh I'm taking video and I don't even
34:48
know how we get from point A to point B,
34:51
>> but I start running away with Dale like
34:54
down the deck.
34:55
>> Oh my god.
34:55
>> Start running away. Um and I start
34:58
telling Dale, I'm like, "You know,
34:59
you've always been my favorite." Like,
35:02
>> and so we go off starting chaos. we come
35:05
running back um at some point because
35:08
you know brothers can't be far apart for
35:10
too long and so I started apologizing to
35:12
Chip and I'm like Chip I'm so sorry I
35:13
don't know what came over me like I I
35:15
just I had to run away with Dale um and
35:17
then we decided that everybody else on
35:20
the deck was not part of our cool kids
35:22
club so then we made a huddle and we all
35:24
decided to tell secrets and I said
35:27
specifically to Mr. Naps, "You can't
35:29
know our secrets." Okay. And literally
35:31
the chipmunks both went
35:33
>> and then we went back into our huddle
35:34
and I was like secret secrets secret
35:37
secrets and we all were like
35:39
very important business to attend to
35:42
>> and the whole time because
35:44
>> and nobody else is out there.
35:46
>> Nobody else is out there like
35:48
>> I didn't feel like I was taking anything
35:49
away from anybody because frequently I'm
35:51
like I'm an adult. I want families to
35:54
have these experiences but I was like
35:56
I'm not taking anything away from
35:57
anybody. I'm gonna go crazy and have fun
35:59
because I am very good at spending
36:02
disbelief and I I love characters.
36:06
Characters are so fun. Um like it
36:09
becomes me and this character are the
36:10
only people in the world and I'm like
36:12
yes, no, tell me more. Like oh yeah, you
36:15
do need to go eat cheese. That's crazy.
36:17
Like I very I'm very locked in. Mhm.
36:20
>> So that experience has to go down as
36:22
like in my almost 30 years of being a
36:26
Disney fan. Probably one of the best
36:28
character interactions I have ever in my
36:30
life.
36:31
>> And then 2 days later we get called up
36:33
to the the top deck and they're like,
36:35
"Hey, we want you to meet at 8 a.m.
36:37
>> for something,
36:38
>> a surprise,
36:39
>> surprise, whatever." And and as is our
36:42
case, like I always believe you show up
36:44
early because, you know, early's on time
36:47
and on time's late and that's not
36:48
acceptable. And and so we're up there
36:50
early and the photographer that we'd met
36:54
on the first day who took pictures of us
36:56
with Bluey because they gave us a
36:58
preview of you know different things and
37:00
during a media reception
37:01
>> took a picture at Animator's Palette
37:03
>> and Animator's Palette
37:05
>> which she remembered us there. So she
37:06
sees us kind of looking around cuz we
37:08
weren't entirely sure where we're
37:10
supposed to end up and she's like, "Hey,
37:12
over here." And like she's for us, like
37:15
our group.
37:16
>> And so we end up getting pictures in
37:18
front of the funnel, just the two of us,
37:20
and then also with our uh
37:22
>> our media reps.
37:23
>> And then as we're just kind of sitting
37:25
there chatting, waiting for people to
37:26
show up, out of nowhere, Captain Mickey
37:29
shows up. And like I've got this
37:31
picture. It's actually my favorite one
37:33
is him walking up. It's not him in front
37:35
of the uh the funnel because it's just
37:38
it's him strolling his ship. And it was
37:40
such a fun moment and that was really
37:42
one of the things I wanted like
37:44
>> we were our goal for that day was to
37:47
meet Mickey. Like that was all on the
37:49
agenda. Like it actually opened up our
37:51
>> Yeah, it did.
37:52
>> So we got to experience more of the
37:53
because of that.
37:54
>> That's always good.
37:55
>> Yeah, it was fantastic. And so we got to
37:56
take pictures and she she chatted and
37:58
played with Mickey a little bit and um
38:00
and then we got a group picture with him
38:02
as well which was fantastic. But the I
38:05
think the takeaway we noticed is just
38:07
how hard these characters work. Like
38:09
they go above and beyond for everything
38:11
to make the magic to make the moment to
38:14
you know you know there was a lady that
38:17
walked up that wasn't part of our group
38:18
and and I think this is really what
38:20
Disney magic's all about.
38:22
>> And they were they weren't like turning
38:24
people away or anything but they were
38:25
like oh this is for a special thing and
38:27
and then they would I think just trying
38:29
to keep things moving quick. Um, but
38:30
this lady walks up and and I'm kind of
38:32
off to the side and she's like, "Do you
38:34
think I could meet Mickey Mouse?" And I
38:37
was like, "You know, I don't I'm not in
38:39
charge, but I I don't know why not." And
38:41
she's like, "My brother just died and I
38:44
he really loves Mickey Mouse or loved
38:45
Mickey Mouse." And this lady is probably
38:48
65. Like, she's an older lady. And I was
38:51
like
38:51
>> I'm like, "I'm pretty sure you can meet
38:53
Mickey Mouse." And and literally in my
38:56
head I'm like,
38:57
>> "She's going to meet Mickey Mouse.
38:59
whatever happens here. And thankfully
39:01
like everybody kind of just went with it
39:03
and she got to meet him and it was a
39:04
very sweet moment and u
39:06
>> but none of the cast had any idea. None
39:08
of them had no clue. like they just made
39:10
the magic moment and then as they walked
39:12
away I was like you guys just made this
39:13
lady's trip like this was the moment and
39:16
and you know it all touched them and and
39:19
moved them which I think is also part of
39:21
the Disney magic is the hearts behind it
39:23
and and you really do see what a little
39:26
extra kindness a little extra
39:28
hospitality that little extra Disney
39:30
magic can really be life-changing for
39:32
some people and and I thought that was
39:34
just a phenomenal moment but then you
39:36
also see the characters like dancing and
39:38
this the what are they called the the
39:41
>> the parties
39:43
>> like that I can't even imagine like we
39:46
had a pretty smooth trip but like I can
39:48
imagine there's times where well even
39:50
some of the the stage shows which we'll
39:52
get into in a minute but
39:53
>> like the boat moves a little bit it's
39:55
it's not like a massive boat
39:57
>> multiple times you can feel the ship
40:00
moving through the water
40:01
>> but like the the sail away sail away
40:04
>> Mickey's Mickey's sail away party yes
40:08
And and you can describe this like
40:10
you've you've seen this, right? Yeah,
40:11
describe it. I don't need to keep
40:12
talking.
40:13
>> Have you seen a sailor wave?
40:14
>> Well,
40:15
>> you know, actually, now that you asked
40:16
me. Yes, I have.
40:17
>> I was like, I don't know if he he went
40:18
out for
40:19
>> I've seen all three different variants
40:20
of
40:20
>> they do a concier sell.
40:23
>> I wasn't going to ask. Um
40:24
>> Nikki goes, "Sir." Anyway, so sorry.
40:28
Continue.
40:28
>> Have some cheese. Um
40:30
>> sir, my finest cheese.
40:32
>> They did have cheese in the see.
40:36
>> They had it. They had it. They had a
40:38
cheeseburg
40:42
that we sail away. The sail away party
40:45
it happens obviously when you think it
40:48
would. So after everybody embarks the
40:49
ship. It actually happens after the
40:52
thing that everybody dreads most on
40:54
this.
40:54
>> I didn't think it was a big deal.
40:56
>> Yeah, it wasn't that bad.
40:58
>> I don't
40:58
>> the mustard.
40:59
>> My hot take.
41:00
>> I I forgot about it. Now
41:02
>> this will probably this will probably
41:03
get me crucified by saying this. Uh oh.
41:05
Should I hide? Oh,
41:06
>> I like them having the in-person muster.
41:09
>> Oh, it's great.
41:10
>> I get and I think why they do it is
41:13
because especially when you have
41:15
primarily a ship that is centered around
41:17
families and little ones, little ones
41:21
aren't going to be able to remember if
41:23
they might be wandering on their own or
41:25
even if they're in the kids club or
41:26
whatnot where to go in case of
41:28
emergency. So, it's always good to have
41:31
them physically be there. So, that way
41:32
you can show your five, six,
41:34
sevenyear-old like, "See this green sign
41:35
here that says the letter E?
41:37
>> This is where you go in case you hear
41:39
the noise that's happening right now."
41:40
And it sets better in their mind and
41:43
it's just easier for everybody. Well, I
41:45
think it also for us at least, it was a
41:48
connection point with crew members, too,
41:50
because they're greeting you and
41:51
welcoming you and putting you in your
41:53
spot and these people were people that
41:56
we saw around the ship for the rest of
41:57
the four days or whatever. And it was
41:59
kind of one of those almost icebreaker
42:01
moments that I didn't even realized in
42:04
that moment, but now as you're talking
42:05
about this, I was like, "Oh, yeah." Cuz
42:06
you know, you had the guy that was the
42:08
guy in charge or whatever and he's like
42:10
goofing off a little bit and like
42:13
>> they make it funny. Disney magic.
42:14
>> They make it fun and they make it
42:15
entertaining because obviously as we all
42:17
know safety is the number one key for
42:19
the Walt Disney Company and it very much
42:22
shines through on Disney Cruise Line
42:23
because everything that they talk about
42:24
>> it showed that we're serious about it.
42:26
>> Yes. It
42:27
>> not in a hoidy toy way.
42:29
>> Yeah. No,
42:30
>> there's there's minimal fanf fair on
42:32
other ships um or other cruise lines cuz
42:34
the cruise lines that we have sailed on
42:36
um you go you basically scan your um sea
42:40
pass or in this case of the world card.
42:44
>> Um you do that and they go cool there's
42:46
where you come. There's not a big
42:48
gathering. It's you do it. You get it
42:50
out of the way but there's not this like
42:51
concrete like hey and it's like okay
42:54
watch a video on your phone. This did
42:56
feel very like this is the sound you're
42:59
going to hear. And I agreed we had
43:00
families.
43:01
>> It's intentional. It is very intentional
43:03
with their approach behind it. And
43:05
again, I
43:07
>> don't get me crucified. I believe it
43:09
should be like that too because
43:10
especially again when you're dealing
43:12
with a lot something that inherently has
43:14
a lot of families children even
43:16
something as simple as like a
43:17
communication barrier because
43:18
>> some people on board as guests might not
43:20
even be able to speak like fully fluent
43:22
English or
43:24
>> that happens
43:24
>> things like that can happen knowing
43:26
where to go and physically be there it
43:28
just makes it
43:30
>> easy for everybody to remember
43:32
>> physically be there for an extended
43:33
period of time it's not just checking in
43:35
checking out it's like okay everybody's
43:37
going to here and then you're going to
43:39
go to all.
43:41
>> And the thing is too, that extended
43:42
period of time is literally just 15
43:44
minutes.
43:45
>> It's not it's not like, oh my god, I'm
43:46
waiting out on the open deck. Like, we
43:48
were lucky for the stateateroom that we
43:49
were in that our must station was the
43:50
Walt Disney Theater.
43:51
>> Oh, okay.
43:52
>> So, we got to sit down, but there's been
43:54
other times where I've sailed on the
43:55
Magic and the Wonder where my must
43:56
station has been on the open deck and
43:58
it's again,
43:59
>> it was fun.
43:59
>> Like 15 minutes.
44:00
>> Yeah, it was not a big deal.
44:01
>> That's not bad. We were like, "This is
44:03
>> I would say the only hard part was we
44:05
were overachievers right afterwards."
44:07
And where everybody else was heading for
44:09
the elevators, we headed for the stairs
44:11
and climbed from deck four to deck 10
44:15
upper level for the sailor wave.
44:17
>> So that's not that bad. When we were on
44:19
the fantasy, I had to climb from deck
44:20
three to deck 12.
44:22
>> Yeah. See, that would be
44:23
>> We were running.
44:25
>> Oh, no. I've done that before. just like
44:26
that. So the advantage is is we had the
44:29
best spot to watch Sale.
44:31
>> That's I saw where you were for sale and
44:33
my exact response was, "Oh, wow."
44:35
>> Yeah, I heard that.
44:36
>> I was like, "Oh, you did earn that.
44:38
>> You did.
44:38
>> You did earn that." I was sitting
44:40
exactly there, too. My final night there
44:42
when I was just wandering the ship and I
44:44
saw where you were and I was just like,
44:45
"This looks familiar." Oh, wait. Mr.
44:47
Week and a half. Yeah. You were like,
44:48
"Mr. Daps has stood here."
44:50
>> Mr. Daps has been here. Oh my god.
44:51
>> You picked up the sand. and you went
44:53
>> and then I had the I had the uh Darth
44:55
Vader line I sense something the
44:57
presence I haven't felt since
45:00
>> anyway sail away
45:01
>> anyways because this if there's one
45:04
thing we do it's love to get off topic
45:05
um sail away
45:07
>> it's just a super very high energy dance
45:10
party with all your favorite characters
45:12
where they're out on stage dancing you
45:14
can just feel the energy and you could
45:17
listen to you know what is possibly one
45:19
of my favorite songs ever created for
45:20
Disney entertainment or anything. It's
45:23
the theme song to Mickey's Mix Magic.
45:25
>> But you know what?
45:25
>> And I don't know what the name of the
45:26
song is because that's how much I don't
45:28
like it.
45:29
>> Uh I think it's called It's a Good Time
45:33
>> that thing. Anybody who's anybody who's
45:36
had the misfortune of listening to
45:37
Mickey's Mixed Magic knows what song I'm
45:39
talking about.
45:39
>> It works better on
45:40
>> But it works. It works well.
45:42
>> Yeah.
45:42
>> It works well here. So I can't I can't
45:44
be mad at it. I I had an unfavorable
45:46
reaction when I said, "Oh, we're
45:48
listening to this Disney Cruise Line
45:49
podcast or playlist
45:52
>> and you said,
45:53
>> "No, you I said I sent it." And he went,
45:55
"That's not going to be the same because
45:58
>> and he said, "It's Mix Magic." And I
46:00
said something along the lines of, "You
46:02
must be kidding." Um because I was like,
46:03
"Really?" But on the ship, I was like,
46:06
"Oh my god, everybody get your ears on.
46:08
Get your ears on."
46:10
>> It actually makes sense. like all the
46:14
time.
46:15
>> And this has been a common theme that
46:16
we've obviously touched about the entire
46:17
time because we're obviously very much
46:19
parks people here, but
46:20
>> I've never been to Disneyland before.
46:22
>> That's actually so funny. Neither have
46:24
I.
46:25
>> Anyway, what were we going to say?
46:26
>> Whoa. We should go sometime.
46:28
>> We should Let's Let's go to Carth and
46:30
get some martinis.
46:31
>> Oh my god. Okay. Anyway, sail wave.
46:33
>> So, everything that we've talked about
46:35
tour is just like you're talking about
46:36
how amazing, how phen how fantastic, how
46:39
just absolutely wonderful DCL is. It is
46:42
such an elevated version of like what
46:44
the Disney experience is. Yeah. Is and I
46:46
think I can speak on behalf of all three
46:47
of us saying where it is the
46:51
current standing pinnacle of what the
46:53
Disney difference is.
46:54
>> It's it's the
46:56
it's the exception that you get at
46:58
Disneyland from select cast members that
47:00
are absolutely phenomenal.
47:03
>> And if you put them in there, they would
47:04
still be absolutely phenomenal, but
47:06
they'd just be leading a pack of people,
47:08
their peers. Correct. And um and there's
47:10
definitely there's definitely an
47:13
exceptionalism that you find on the
47:15
cruise line that um that I was I don't
47:19
know if I was skeptical about, but I
47:21
definitely had the I want to see it for
47:22
myself.
47:23
>> Is that a fa safe?
47:24
>> No, that's totally understandable
47:26
because you hear people talk about it
47:27
and you're just like really is that
47:29
true? I don't know. And then you go on
47:30
there and you're just like
47:32
>> they they were not lying to me. Like it
47:34
is it is there and it is very much live.
47:36
I say to everybody that I know that
47:39
Disney Cruise Line is in my opinion so
47:41
like what the Disney difference is and
47:43
they role model it day in day out
47:45
through every interaction. Everything is
47:47
done with thought and intention behind
47:50
every single thing no matter how big no
47:53
matter how small.
47:53
>> So my hot take with all this
47:55
>> and then you can go.
47:56
>> Okay.
47:56
>> Um it actually was very familiar to me.
48:00
>> Okay. which shocked me because I got on
48:03
and within about a day I was like, "Oh,
48:06
this is what it would be like or this
48:08
was what it was like to be at Tokyo
48:10
Disneyland."
48:11
>> Yep. That's exactly what I was saying.
48:12
>> It felt like the hotel there. It felt
48:13
like the service in the parks. Like it
48:15
felt so familiar other than no language
48:17
barrier. But but like it was such a and
48:21
and you didn't have quite the same
48:23
actually you did have a similar crowd
48:25
flow of like
48:26
>> cuz the thing that
48:28
>> I don't know if it surprised me but it
48:30
definitely was worth noting is like when
48:34
there's character meet and greet times
48:36
>> you
48:36
>> this is probably part of the reason you
48:38
move away is like
48:40
>> it's it's a popular thing like I had no
48:43
clue
48:43
>> especially if it's the Fab Five in the
48:45
Atrium.
48:45
>> Yeah. Then the Navigator app.
48:47
>> Yeah. If you favorite anything in the
48:48
Navigator app in regards to like
48:50
character show times or not, the
48:51
Navigator app sends you a reminder 15
48:52
minutes before they're scheduled.
48:54
>> You're already too late.
48:55
>> You are too late. If you get in line,
48:56
you're going to be waiting an hour.
48:57
>> If you're reading this, it's too late.
48:59
>> Yes. Uh no, it was it it was not
49:01
something that was on my radar of like
49:04
Oh,
49:04
>> cuz the the ship did not feel full the
49:08
entire like it felt comfortably like
49:09
there's people there, but it it did not
49:11
feel
49:12
>> crowded in any way. And so you don't
49:14
expect there to be a line for charact
49:16
and there really does
49:17
>> they do and I think what it is is
49:18
because they have such a large variety
49:20
and plethora of entertainment
49:21
opportunities
49:22
>> combined with a fantastic ship design
49:28
>> that the Disney Wonder can be loaded
49:29
with its grand total of around 2,800
49:31
guests and you don't ever feel like that
49:34
because of how they are able to
49:35
distribute people. It works
49:36
>> and also you can always find a table.
49:38
You can always find a place to sit. You
49:39
never wait super long for ice cream.
49:42
Important to me. Um,
49:43
>> but it does feel like Tokyo Disneyland.
49:46
>> Yeah, it's it's very much like that. Uh,
49:48
so then we we had that deck party when
49:51
you sail away, which I thought I was
49:54
sail I don't know how I didn't pick up
49:56
that there was a pun in that. But
49:58
>> there was literally the big hand that
50:00
>> literally the hand is the V.
50:02
>> I was looking through it.
50:03
>> It's fine.
50:05
>> It's fine.
50:06
>> It was once I realized I was like, "Oh,
50:08
that's cute." Um, but then also Pirate
50:10
Night, you have another deck party
50:12
thing. Um, which I loved. Like the
50:15
Sailor Wave I thought was fun. Pirate
50:17
Night I loved because you got Captain
50:20
Hook and Mr. SME crashing this
50:23
>> pirate. It kind of reminded me of some
50:25
of the interactive shows we have at the
50:28
designer resort where they're like do
50:29
this and join the, you know, like you're
50:31
you're part of it but you're you're
50:32
watching also. And um the best part of
50:35
that one to me was when Captain Hook and
50:38
Mr. Smei showed up, they used the music
50:41
of Hook, not the Disney Peter Pan music.
50:44
John Williams,
50:45
>> you guys don't understand how big of a
50:46
deal this is.
50:47
>> And it was such a brilliant use of music
50:50
that also I was kind of like, you have
50:52
your own Peter Pan music, you have your
50:54
own Captain Hook music. Arguably, I'll
50:56
like this one better. But it was one of
50:59
those geekout moments that probably went
51:01
over the heads of 99% of the people that
51:04
were watching that night. And
51:06
>> me included.
51:07
>> You didn't know. See, did you?
51:08
>> I didn't. I didn't watch the party.
51:10
>> That's okay.
51:11
>> I was about to be like the sailing. I I
51:13
didn't watch the party cuz we were in
51:14
Palo.
51:14
>> Have you seen that one before?
51:16
>> No. So the wonder So the magic has a
51:18
different version of it right now.
51:21
>> Because did Mickey
51:23
>> kind of come down between the two
51:24
funnels?
51:25
>> No. This one? Yes,
51:26
>> they had a pirate do that.
51:27
>> Yeah. So, they had Mickey do that on
51:30
>> Doesn't Captain Jack in another one?
51:32
>> Yeah, I think that's on
51:33
>> I think there's different versions.
51:34
>> There's different versions of the show
51:35
amongst the different classes of ships
51:37
and the one I saw previously on the
51:39
Magic I saw. And then I want to say this
51:41
is the one that I saw on the similar to
51:42
the wishes one.
51:43
>> Okay.
51:44
>> So, I'm not sure cuz I'm
51:47
>> I love waiting for the shows, but if
51:49
there's an area I can just watch the
51:50
fireworks from where I'm not in a crowd
51:52
of people, that's where I'm going to be
51:53
a home run. And and like now that we've
51:55
done it, I do think it wouldn't be
51:58
something I would do every time. Like I
51:59
could see it being one of those like,
52:00
"Oh, this is a different show. Maybe I
52:02
want to check it out." But I also would
52:04
definitely see the like, "Oh, I can sit
52:06
here and just watch the fireworks
52:08
because the fireworks see really are
52:09
surprisingly fun."
52:10
>> Yeah.
52:11
>> Um it's it's not just tiny little pyro
52:14
or not something where you think of like
52:16
at the castle at Disneyland where the
52:17
pyro just comes out of it. It's just
52:18
that they're actually really cool.
52:20
>> Yeah. It was I thought they did a great
52:21
job. The music made sense. It was fun.
52:23
from where we were standing kind of
52:25
where we were just talking. I was
52:26
basically in the same spot. Um you could
52:29
see them launching it like off to my
52:30
right. So you could see like the little
52:32
>> Oh, yeah. Cuz they're in the aft funnel.
52:33
>> Yeah. And I was I was like,
52:35
>> "Oh, this is so cool."
52:36
>> It was the coolest thing in the world.
52:37
Like it was
52:38
>> I I thought it was a great show.
52:39
>> My favorite thing about that, too, is
52:40
that all of that's biodegradable and it
52:42
turns into fish food.
52:43
>> That's uh we were told at Crown.
52:46
>> Yeah. He goes, "I bet you guys didn't."
52:47
Or he says, "Oh, well, you know the the
52:49
fireworks." Cuz we were dressed for
52:51
pirate night. Goes, "Yeah, you know the
52:52
fireworks. uh they actually turn into
52:54
fish food. I was like, and I had this
52:56
moment. I say it in one of our vlogs, of
52:58
course Disney would go that extra mile.
53:00
Like, of course Disney would not be
53:01
launching fireworks if it was a threat
53:03
to any life in the ocean. But I never
53:06
even considered like, oh, we're actually
53:08
feeding the fish out here. I was like,
53:11
>> oh, exactly.
53:13
>> Well, why not?
53:14
>> Yeah, it was it was fantastic. Um, but
53:16
no, I thought it was it was a great
53:18
entertainment offering and they had
53:20
three other fantastic entertainment
53:21
offerings and that was in the Walt
53:24
Disney Theater.
53:24
>> The three shows in the Walt Disney.
53:26
>> I got there finally. So, what are the
53:27
three shows, Johnny?
53:28
>> It's going to be the Golden Mickey's
53:30
>> which we had our first night.
53:31
>> The Golden Mickey's are tonight.
53:32
>> The Golden Mickey's are tonight. I
53:33
actually won. And by won one, I mean I
53:35
went to the shop and bought one.
53:36
>> Fair. You know what? Good choice.
53:38
>> And men's.
53:39
>> Yes.
53:40
>> And then we have Frozen. And then what
53:42
is possibly pro one of my favorite
53:44
productions on Disney Cruise Line,
53:45
Disney Dreams and Enchanted Classic.
53:47
>> I thought they were fantastic.
53:49
>> I was shocked by it.
53:50
>> It's
53:53
I think for me personally, The Wonder
53:56
probably has the best show lineup. Maybe
53:59
outside of The Treasure because I feel
54:02
like The Treasure would also have a good
54:03
one because you have Sees the Adventure,
54:04
Moana, and Beauty and the Beast.
54:06
>> Mhm.
54:07
>> But I can't speak for that yet because I
54:08
haven't seen those.
54:09
>> Put it on the list.
54:10
>> Get on it. Out of
54:13
probably out of the four Golden Girls,
54:16
The Wonder has the best show lineup. And
54:21
of the three, what was your favorite?
54:23
>> Um, I would say the what is it?
54:26
>> Disney Dreams. Disney Dreams.
54:27
>> Disney. I was like, I'm so sorry.
54:28
There's so many uh adjectives that could
54:30
describe Disney Magic.
54:32
>> Yes, Disney Dreams, in my opinion, was
54:35
my absolute favorite. Um, which shocked
54:38
me. Um, and something double shocking
54:42
that's been running since the ship had
54:45
its maiden.
54:46
>> Clearly, they updated it because like
54:48
the whole Rapunzel part, I was like,
54:49
"Wait a minute." But it was it was
54:51
adorable.
54:52
>> Yeah. Right.
54:52
>> Uh, and the kid had, you know, an iPad.
54:54
Um,
54:56
>> I was like, the original script the kid
54:58
didn't have.
54:58
>> It was a book or something.
55:00
>> Yeah. A book with like a light or
55:01
something.
55:01
>> I mean, it did it does make you wish you
55:03
could have gone back and seen the
55:05
original version to see how it evolved.
55:07
Oh, there you said no videos.
55:09
>> I know, but there there is video that I
55:11
have found.
55:12
>> Okay. Well, it exists. Somebody somebody
55:14
was not I mean, we saw people that
55:15
weren't necessarily listening.
55:17
>> But that that one really shocked me
55:19
because um you know, Frozen obviously
55:21
feels like just a home run, especially
55:22
when we come from California. Frozen
55:24
Live at the Hyperion. It does kind of
55:25
feel like an adapt version of that.
55:26
>> Gone but not Forgotten.
55:27
>> Gone but not forgotten.
55:28
>> I thought it was better.
55:29
>> I thought it was better as well.
55:30
>> Yeah. Like I thought Yeah.
55:31
>> I thought the pieces that were different
55:34
were better were improvements. Um, I
55:37
thought the Golden Mickeys were magical.
55:38
I had no idea what to expect. Um, I was
55:40
like, obviously it's an award show type
55:41
thing.
55:42
>> So charming.
55:43
>> So, so stinking charming. At no point
55:46
did I like I knew there was going to be
55:48
this grand costume change. Friends and
55:49
Benson obviously did not expect the
55:51
trombone.
55:52
>> It It was a little predictable, but it
55:54
was wonderful.
55:55
>> I not I the trombone really caught me
55:57
off guard like here, play this. I was
55:59
like, what? Um, but Disney Dreams, it
56:03
was encapsulated
56:05
like
56:07
this. It's almost, it's almost
56:09
Hookesque. Funny enough you say Hook. In
56:12
the like, yeah, dreams are for babies.
56:14
Like, I got to grow up. And like Peter
56:16
Pan teaching this girl starting middle
56:19
school how to like dream.
56:22
>> I was like, "Oh, this is like such a fun
56:26
Disney." Like only Disney. It's
56:29
quintessential Disney. Like you look at
56:31
that and it conveys all the emotions
56:34
>> and it's warm fuzzy. It's
56:36
>> it's warm fuzzy and then by the end of
56:37
it I'm crying like a little baby.
56:39
>> It was phenomenal.
56:40
>> She flies and you're like
56:41
>> Uhhuh. It's so good.
56:43
>> You can fly in Marie.
56:44
>> Look at these performers doing these on
56:46
a moving vessel.
56:47
>> Yeah.
56:47
>> Because I feel like every night when we
56:49
were in the front, you could feel the
56:51
ship moving more than
56:52
>> in the places of the ship.
56:54
>> The forward of the ship, you can feel
56:55
the movement. And that's where the Walt
56:56
Disney Theater is on every ship. And it
56:58
was amazing like and they just did their
57:00
thing and made it work. And I think we
57:02
had one was it in Frozen where there was
57:04
a moment where we
57:05
>> like stop the show
57:07
>> in the Golden Mickey's gold. It was
57:08
right before Aurora.
57:10
>> Yeah. So there was like there was
57:11
definitely things that happened because
57:13
it's a a breathing shift.
57:15
>> Yeah. Technical that happened with us
57:17
twice during Twice Charmed on the Magic
57:19
where we had two stops for technical
57:20
difficulties but they do such a good job
57:22
recovering from it. The other thing
57:23
that's so wild and crazy to me is have
57:25
been having been somebody that was in
57:28
theater. Shocking. I was I was a theater
57:29
kid. Who would have guessed? Somebody
57:31
that had done theater. When there is an
57:33
open pit, you don't go within 2 feet of
57:37
that open pit. Okay. I was like, there's
57:39
an open pit. You're doing choreography
57:41
near and the ship is moving.
57:43
>> It was amazing.
57:44
>> Oh my god, you guys are so good at what
57:45
you do. Like that I because all I would
57:47
just stare at it like this. I was like,
57:50
>> yeah. My god, they're so
57:51
>> No, they are. Mhm.
57:53
>> They're so good at what they do. They're
57:55
>> top tier talent. Like when they say
57:57
Broadway,
57:58
>> they use the term Broadway style.
58:01
>> Yes.
58:02
>> For me personally, I would say it's more
58:04
like Broadway caliber because you get
58:06
really, really, really close to the
58:08
talent level that you would get.
58:09
>> Do you think part of it too is just is
58:10
not as long?
58:11
>> Like I had this thought in my head. I'm
58:13
like maybe part of that is,
58:15
>> you know, it's a little bit more
58:16
truncated so they're not doing a full
58:18
>> I think so. And then we were also lucky
58:20
when we were sailing on the magic where
58:22
they will sometimes do like the Broadway
58:24
stars at sea on select sailings and our
58:27
sailing on the magic was one of the ones
58:29
where they had some people on. So
58:30
>> that was the sailing after us on the
58:32
wonder.
58:33
>> That would be very cool. Um the final
58:35
thing that we had from an entertainment
58:36
standpoint was the was it till we say
58:39
till
58:40
>> oh till we meet again. Till we meet
58:42
again.
58:42
>> Till We Meet Again,
58:43
>> which is this adorable goodbye moment
58:45
with all of the characters from both
58:49
like on the decks and also on the stage.
58:51
And they all came out,
58:52
>> which mind you, we didn't know about.
58:53
>> We we found out about it very last
58:55
minute. It was fantastic. And and we
58:57
ended up with a very I thought great
58:58
spot for it. And it is
59:01
>> it is just a moment to say goodbye.
59:03
>> They know what they're doing. Like they
59:06
know what they're doing. I I have to
59:08
give Disney Cruise Line credit where
59:09
credit's due because every single time I
59:12
disembark one of those vessels, I'm
59:14
always so upset that it's coming to an
59:16
end. And I sometimes have those similar
59:18
feelings when I'm staying at Disneyland
59:19
or Walt Disney World. But it doesn't
59:21
come near to like the same feeling and
59:23
the yearning for wanting to go back than
59:25
it would be on Cruise Line.
59:27
>> Yeah.
59:27
>> Especially like that little thing. It's
59:29
just
59:30
>> again it's all warm and fuzzy and it's
59:32
just so
59:33
>> It's like 15 minutes. Like it's not
59:34
>> It's short. It's short and it's just
59:36
like literally like the cherry on top of
59:38
this beautiful like well decorated cake
59:41
that could describe your voyage on the
59:43
ship. Exactly.
59:45
>> Something that would be so easy to not
59:48
do and I think that's really what sets
59:50
hospitality apart is are you going to do
59:52
the thing that if nobody does it or if
59:55
you don't do it nobody's going to
59:56
notice. Are you still going to go and
59:58
pursue it because it's going to make it
59:59
more magical? And that's what Cruise
1:00:01
Line does. Um, because this is a moment
1:00:03
they do a a big introduction of
1:00:05
characters, but say you were like, I
1:00:07
really wanted to meet Ariel and I
1:00:08
haven't. This is your like chance to say
1:00:11
hi to Ariel, to say hi to a bunch of
1:00:13
characters, people from the stage shows,
1:00:15
like a lot of really cool things, but at
1:00:17
the end, and I've I've talked about this
1:00:19
in person, and I want to say it here cuz
1:00:21
I think it's so important. Um, I'm sure
1:00:23
there's other ones where it's like, you
1:00:25
know, magical and boom, and boom, and
1:00:26
confetti, and we're doing this. They do.
1:00:29
Um, now it's time to say goodbye to all
1:00:31
our company. Amazing. Then they go M I C
1:00:36
K E Y and they sign the rest of the
1:00:41
song. M
1:00:42
>> and I we've had a lot of moments about
1:00:46
um uh representation and I just think of
1:00:50
the kids that maybe sign is a secondary
1:00:52
language or a primary language or their
1:00:54
kodas or whatever it is and being able
1:00:57
to see their language represented like
1:00:58
that is magical and it's doing it in an
1:01:01
art form. It's making it like it's
1:01:04
literally saying goodbye to everybody
1:01:07
there. And it like it was one of those
1:01:10
things where I was like,
1:01:11
>> "Oh my god, I saw a work of art."
1:01:13
>> It it it reinforced the strength of
1:01:16
these uh the song sign.
1:01:19
>> Yeah.
1:01:20
>> That they're doing on Disney Plus.
1:01:21
>> Um like those are fantastic as well. And
1:01:24
it really was a a beautiful simple
1:01:26
little moment that that allowed
1:01:28
everybody to say goodbye. But as we are
1:01:30
starting to run out of time and get
1:01:32
prepared to say goodbye ourselves, for
1:01:34
each of us, what is your favorite thing
1:01:38
about a cruise on the Disney Wonder in
1:01:40
the month of April or May?
1:01:44
So, this last cruise for each of you,
1:01:45
what is that one thing that that stands
1:01:48
out that really like if if you could
1:01:50
just share that that thought, that
1:01:53
moment, that feeling with the world,
1:01:54
what would you pick? And whoever wants
1:01:57
to go first can because I think Johnny
1:01:58
might have thought of something right
1:01:59
away.
1:02:00
>> Go for it.
1:02:00
>> I was going to say mine is very unique
1:02:04
because
1:02:06
our port day in Catalina Island was on
1:02:08
my birthday. So we had been in Catalina
1:02:10
Island. We' done everything we wanted.
1:02:12
And
1:02:14
before we had disembarked on our tender
1:02:15
boat, I went up to the concier ranch to
1:02:17
get something. And the concierge lead,
1:02:19
Fabiola, absolute gem of a woman, told
1:02:22
me, she's like, "You need to come back
1:02:23
up here later on today. we have
1:02:25
something for you. And immediately when
1:02:27
I hear that, I'm just like, I'm
1:02:28
suspicious.
1:02:29
>> What's going on here?
1:02:30
>> Yes.
1:02:31
>> So, I'm doing everything, whatnot. I'm
1:02:34
going back up into the lounge. I just
1:02:35
after we get back on board at around
1:02:36
2:00, 2 2:30 p.m. and kind of just going
1:02:38
back and forth enjoying my day. And then
1:02:41
I decide to go ahead with my friend
1:02:43
Bethany, we decide to open one of the
1:02:45
bottles of wine that was in our
1:02:46
stateateroom. And we go ahead and just
1:02:48
sit there and enjoy on the veranda
1:02:49
because you get this very picturesque
1:02:51
view of the ship in Catalina. And it
1:02:54
looks like the Mediterranean.
1:02:55
>> Yeah, it it does. It
1:02:56
>> really does. So, we're just there
1:02:58
enjoying it and then all of a sudden I
1:03:00
hear my dad in the background calling my
1:03:02
name and I'm like, "Yeah, I'm over here
1:03:03
just like on the veranda cuz just like
1:03:05
maybe doesn't know where I'm at."
1:03:07
>> I come by and I see
1:03:11
two of our concierge hosts and our
1:03:13
concier lead server. So you see Fabola,
1:03:16
Amanda, and Andrew over there holding a
1:03:20
certificate that says like we're wishing
1:03:22
you a happy birthday
1:03:24
>> with a button and this tiny little cake
1:03:27
dessert. It's cute as they're singing me
1:03:30
happy birthday and I
1:03:34
>> going above and beyond like that,
1:03:35
especially where it's just you see this.
1:03:37
Yes, I got to know them what especially
1:03:39
because with Favola, she had been a
1:03:40
previous host for us on the Disney
1:03:42
Wonder prior. So just having that deep
1:03:46
of a level of connection where it's like
1:03:47
they're really going out of their way to
1:03:49
ensure that this guest feels celebrated,
1:03:52
feels appreciated, things like that. It
1:03:54
really warmed my heart.
1:03:55
>> Especially because this birthday didn't
1:03:57
feel like anything special. I'm just
1:03:58
like, "Oh, it's just another day." That
1:03:59
got me to cry. Like it really got me to
1:04:01
cry. I was just there looking. My friend
1:04:03
got video and it was just I was
1:04:07
>> Thank you, Bethany.
1:04:08
>> Like great. But it was just such a
1:04:12
wonderful experience.
1:04:14
>> Well, the thing I love about that too is
1:04:17
down in in the um
1:04:20
rotational dining rooms,
1:04:22
>> I noticed as we were getting on that
1:04:24
people that had been on multiple cruises
1:04:26
were having
1:04:28
>> similar reconnections, I guess, is it
1:04:31
>> and and so it shows that it's across the
1:04:33
whole ship, too. and you have your
1:04:35
unique version of that up in in
1:04:37
concierge, but like you saw these little
1:04:40
reunions, I guess you could say,
1:04:42
happening. And it was almost weird in a
1:04:44
way for us just that like it it was kind
1:04:47
of like going to Disneyland where it's
1:04:49
like, oh, hey, whoever, you know, pick
1:04:51
our pick our cast member that we love.
1:04:53
And it kind of had that feeling, but
1:04:55
you're you're going somewhere, too. So,
1:04:57
it was such a weird and awesome thing.
1:04:59
All right. What's your favorite?
1:05:00
>> So, I actually alluded to this at the
1:05:02
beginning. We love a foreshadowing. Um
1:05:07
Tiana's was our last meal uh for
1:05:10
rotational dining. Um, so the the part
1:05:14
one of this experience is Tiana coming
1:05:17
around while you're eating food at
1:05:19
Tiana's and Tiana talking to you about
1:05:22
like, "Oh, you know, I got this from my
1:05:25
daddy and I did this and you know this
1:05:28
sugar mill and like it's literally the
1:05:30
whole like
1:05:30
>> and commenting on my bow tie."
1:05:32
>> Like, oh my god, this play's about you.
1:05:34
Like that's that was the first part was
1:05:36
I was like, "Oh my god, this is
1:05:37
something that literally it can't happen
1:05:39
on Princess Cruise Line." Like, is
1:05:41
somebody from the Love Boat going to
1:05:42
come out? Like, I don't know. Um,
1:05:45
>> Captain Stubing.
1:05:46
>> Yeah, surprise. Um, remember the monkey
1:05:49
that guest starred in one episode and he
1:05:51
was wreaking havoc.
1:05:52
>> He's here. Um,
1:05:54
>> love your hat.
1:05:56
>> But it's like that's something that can
1:05:57
only happen on Disney Cruise Line. The
1:05:59
second part of that, and this is why I
1:06:01
loved that this was our final rotational
1:06:04
dining. There's this big party at the
1:06:06
end where they do like the the third
1:06:09
line that they do in New Orleans where
1:06:11
like there's like the party and and um
1:06:14
they all have the umbrellas and they're
1:06:16
dancing and it feels like especially
1:06:18
when you have this camaraderie with your
1:06:20
servers and you've gotten to know them.
1:06:22
Um it's so fun to see them like cuz
1:06:25
we've all been to the restaurants where
1:06:27
like Cold Stone where they have to sing
1:06:29
when you tip them or like the
1:06:30
restaurants where they line dance or
1:06:31
whatever. You can see the employees that
1:06:33
go, "My god, it's every 15 minutes.
1:06:35
Okay, I have to do this again." Um, and
1:06:37
this they were like lining up and
1:06:39
they're like, "Oh, yes." Like, "We get
1:06:41
to do this big party
1:06:44
again." And it was one of those moments
1:06:46
that is so quintessential Disney. And I
1:06:48
I found myself kind of welling up
1:06:51
because I was like, "This is what
1:06:53
Disney's about." Is it the mo again? Is
1:06:55
it the Mickey Mouse is on the wall and
1:06:57
there's fireworks from the ceiling? No.
1:06:59
But it
1:07:01
>> never did happen at Animator's Palette.
1:07:04
>> I was going to say you're describing
1:07:05
Animator Palette,
1:07:06
>> which was its own magical moment. But
1:07:08
there was just something so human about
1:07:12
this and it was so hospitable and it
1:07:15
just felt like being at a party with
1:07:17
your friends that you love and it was
1:07:20
that's kind of the moment that when I
1:07:22
reflect back I'm like that was such a a
1:07:25
warm fuzzy hug of a moment.
1:07:28
>> Yeah. Nice. Um, I'm going to go with a
1:07:30
generalized one, and that's the space.
1:07:33
And I loved Cadillac Lounge mainly
1:07:36
because I always love everywhere we go,
1:07:37
I love finding that cheersesque
1:07:40
environment where you come in and this
1:07:43
was definitely like I think the whole
1:07:46
ship was really kind of a cheers
1:07:47
environment. Like if you're going into,
1:07:50
you know, rotational dining within
1:07:52
moments at Paulo, like even the guy at
1:07:55
that that would serve the chicken
1:07:57
tenders, like they start recognizing you
1:07:59
very quickly and they go the extra mile
1:08:01
to make you feel like they do know your
1:08:03
name. They do. Um, but uh I felt like
1:08:07
especially in Cadillac Lounge, you had
1:08:09
that kind of Cheers familiarity and we
1:08:12
might not have had Norm there, but we
1:08:14
did have some of the other personalities
1:08:16
that were there every night
1:08:17
>> because we all ended up back in see the
1:08:20
show and then later in the night you'd
1:08:22
go there and it was just a fantastic
1:08:24
vibe and and community that that came
1:08:27
from all of these different walks of
1:08:29
life that just ended up in this cars
1:08:32
themed and cars I mean quite literally
1:08:34
Not like Cadillac cars.
1:08:36
>> Like an like like an actual car.
1:08:37
>> Yeah. Vehicle.
1:08:38
>> Not cars.
1:08:39
>> No Pixar. Kachow.
1:08:41
>> Not Radiator Springs.
1:08:42
>> I was like, "Slow down.
1:08:43
>> I can see it racing yet." I could
1:08:46
totally see it at some point. But um but
1:08:48
no, it's such a charming and wonderful
1:08:50
environment. And you know, that was
1:08:52
definitely And I always love a good
1:08:53
piano. Like if you have a good
1:08:56
winding down with some Disney jazz and
1:08:59
it does become an adults only area after
1:09:01
6:00 p.m. or something.
1:09:02
>> Mhm.
1:09:04
But yeah.
1:09:04
>> Yeah, sure. Um, but it's like it becomes
1:09:07
that adults only area. Disney jazz. It's
1:09:09
like a sophisticated lounge. It's just a
1:09:11
nice
1:09:11
>> That's like how it was on the Magic 2 in
1:09:13
Keys cuz Keys is their version.
1:09:15
>> It's their version of it. Exact same
1:09:17
footprint but like different theme just
1:09:19
like that too. Same on the Fantasy with
1:09:21
Ooh La which is like their French
1:09:24
inspired one but that's the piano one.
1:09:26
>> It's a champagne bar.
1:09:28
>> Divine.
1:09:29
I'll go on a tangent like that, but
1:09:30
>> it's that same environment and it's that
1:09:33
same motif. And what I love, like I'm
1:09:36
going to go on a little tangent here.
1:09:37
What I love about those areas, what I
1:09:40
love about After Hours, the district,
1:09:43
and Europa on the Golden Girls is that
1:09:46
they are just so beautiful and well
1:09:49
done. They have that Disney quality,
1:09:51
that Disney level of immersion, but it
1:09:53
isn't distinctly Disney. And if you go
1:09:56
into Crown and Finn, there's some really
1:09:58
fun little Easter eggs.
1:09:59
>> Same with O'Sill.
1:10:00
>> So many. Yeah. And it's like you can go
1:10:01
>> to Totally makes sense.
1:10:02
>> You can go to like these little places
1:10:04
and it's going to be something super
1:10:05
small and it's just going to be there as
1:10:07
an Easter egg. But they are truly these
1:10:10
>> grownup adult refined elevated spaces.
1:10:13
It was great.
1:10:13
>> Love.
1:10:14
>> Yeah. Fantastic. Um and there's so much
1:10:16
more that we could talk about with the
1:10:17
cruise, whether it's excursions, game
1:10:19
shows, trivia, other entertainment. Like
1:10:22
there was so much. Like it's it's hard
1:10:24
to pack it all into one episode, but we
1:10:26
did our best. But before we wrap this
1:10:28
up, Johnny, what do people need to do
1:10:29
that we forgot to tell them to do at the
1:10:30
beginning of the episode?
1:10:32
>> Oh, no.
1:10:34
>> They should definitely go ahead and give
1:10:36
this a fivestar rating if you really
1:10:38
enjoyed listening to this and go ahead
1:10:40
and give us a follow so that way you
1:10:42
could go ahead and listen to all of our
1:10:44
continued YAP sessions of this type,
1:10:47
whether it be Cruise Line, whether it be
1:10:49
other travels or anything else related.
1:10:51
And definitely be sure to go ahead and
1:10:54
check out Dap's Magic on any of your
1:10:56
social media platforms and make sure to
1:10:57
give it a follow. There we go. And and
1:11:00
share it if you liked it. Share it for
1:11:01
anybody that would enjoy joining the
1:11:03
conversation with us as well. Thank you
1:11:05
for joining us, Katie, and giving us an
1:11:08
hour of your time. And thank you for
1:11:10
listening, watching, whatever it is, cuz
1:11:12
you can watch us now. That's that's
1:11:14
stepping up in the
1:11:15
>> You can see video for you can see what
1:11:16
we actually look like.
1:11:17
>> This is us. It's really us. But
1:11:18
>> oh, this is not what I looked like. I
1:11:20
did facetune myself before I got here.
1:11:21
>> Oh, okay. There we go. But, uh, anyway,
1:11:23
thank you for watching. Make it a great
1:11:25
week, everybody. Keep kind, we'll see
1:11:26
you in the parks or on the ship.
1:11:28
>> Bye
1:11:28
>> bye.
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