2013 Christmas Cruise on Royal Princess - A Photo Review!

[lynwar]

Hi

Your review of WDW is really opening my eyes to the many opportunities that are there. We're retired Florida residents who have never visited the grounds, although, as a college student back in the 1960's I toured Disneyland, and took some rides there. The Haunted House was just being built then.

The last time we were at MGM, now Hollywood Studios, my younger son had just graduated from the Navy Boot Camp in Orlando (1989). He now works for NBC/Universal. We visited there with him and his family when my grandson was 3. He'll be turning 6 in June. (Universal). Is there a comparison between it and WDW?

 

My older son will be making his annual visit here from California in the spring. What would you recommend as the most cost efficient option for the three of us? We've been going down to Ft. Lauderdale, but that is getting to be a bit rusty now. One year we might finally get him on a cruise.

 

Thanks again for your reporting. It is my little mini-vacation.

Lynne

[JanaJohn]

And then, the most exciting part of the safari.... the male lion was awake!!! Lions sleep around 22 hours a day, so usually whenever you drive by the lion habitat, you can barely see them sleeping up on the rocks. But today he was up and looking over the kingdom! And then in another completely rare event, a female lion came and joined him! What spectacular timing!!

 

Once again Great Pictures! Did you go out later that night and buy a lottery ticket? Cause it was your LUCKY DAY if you got to see both the male and female lions! Not to mention they were both standing up. At best I normally see maybe one of them when they're laying down. Next time down I'll wait until after a rain before going on the Safari. Maybe I'll have better luck. Have you ever done Wild Africa Trek? You really get up close to some of the animals like the hippos and Nile Crocodiles.

 

I just love Expedition Everest! Did you ever get a picture of the yeti? I'm happy if I even get a glimpse of him.

[LittleMissMagic]

Hi

Your review of WDW is really opening my eyes to the many opportunities that are there. We're retired Florida residents who have never visited the grounds, although, as a college student back in the 1960's I toured Disneyland, and took some rides there. The Haunted House was just being built then.

The last time we were at MGM, now Hollywood Studios, my younger son had just graduated from the Navy Boot Camp in Orlando (1989). He now works for NBC/Universal. We visited there with him and his family when my grandson was 3. He'll be turning 6 in June. (Universal). Is there a comparison between it and WDW?

 

My older son will be making his annual visit here from California in the spring. What would you recommend as the most cost efficient option for the three of us? We've been going down to Ft. Lauderdale, but that is getting to be a bit rusty now. One year we might finally get him on a cruise.

 

Thanks again for your reporting. It is my little mini-vacation.

Lynne

 

I haven't been to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure since 2007, so I can't give you any recent, detailed comparisons. Walt Disney World is much, much larger. While you can conquer most of US/IOA in 2-3 days, you can visit WDW for 7 days and still not see everything there (however, 4-5 days is definitely suitable for at least visiting all of the parks). WDW has much more family-friendly attractions. The tallest height requirement for WDW thrill rides is 48", while Universal has some that are 54" (Incredible Hulk and the formerly named Dueling Dragons... which is now Harry Potter themed). I think that Universal does a great job with theming... with Islands of Adventure in particular (I have yet to visit the new Harry Potter World, but I hear it's amazing).... Disney is who they are trying to compete with, so if you really enjoy details, you'll love Walt Disney World. And I haven't seen any of Universal's shows recently, but that's an area that I think Disney really excels in. They provide Broadway-quality sets and costuming in their parks, making great performances accessible to so many people.

 

As Florida residents, you might be eligible for discounted 4-day passes (there are blackout dates), and you are definitely eligible for Florida annual passes and season passes (season passes have blackout dates). Depending on how many days you want to visit, it might be just as or more affordable to purchase a FL Resident season/annual pass. For advice on when discounts for FL residents are being offered, you can visit the WDW website or for some insight on when they may be offered (based on years past), visit Mouse Savers' website.

 

I really recommend staying on-site because it's so much more convenient, and the Disney resorts are really well-themed. The resort just adds to the Disney experience. The value resorts are the lowest priced Disney resorts, followed by the moderate resorts and cabins at the Fort Wilderness campground. And then the on-property yet not Disney-owned hotels, the Swan and the Dolphin offer a great location for a reasonable price. If you'd like to stay at a deluxe resort, annual passholders get fairly frequent room discounts of 30%, so it might be worth it to purchase a pass just for the savings (also discounts on food and merchandise). You can also rent points from Disney Vacation Club owners (try Mouse Owners for the best deals) as an affordable way to stay in deluxe accommodations.

 

I'm so glad you've enjoyed my review! If you have any more Disney questions, I'd be happy to answer or send you to a source that can help.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thanks again for your review! Disney and cruising are my two favorite things!!

[chartl]

Thank you so much for this review! I'm so excited to see this beautiful ship for myself!

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[LittleMissMagic]

Once again Great Pictures! Did you go out later that night and buy a lottery ticket? Cause it was your LUCKY DAY if you got to see both the male and female lions! Not to mention they were both standing up. At best I normally see maybe one of them when they're laying down. Next time down I'll wait until after a rain before going on the Safari. Maybe I'll have better luck. Have you ever done Wild Africa Trek? You really get up close to some of the animals like the hippos and Nile Crocodiles.

 

I just love Expedition Everest! Did you ever get a picture of the yeti? I'm happy if I even get a glimpse of him.

 

I haven't done the Wild Africa Trek, but it's on the top of my list of tours to try. I'd also really like to do the Wild by Design tour. Animal Kingdom is so fascinating to me. The theming is spectacular.

[LittleMissMagic]

After relaxing in the room for a bit, Rachel and I decided that we wanted to hit up Magic Kingdom since it was open until 1AM. Dad was coming down with a cold of some sort, and Mom had had enough for the day, so it was just the two of us.

 

I'm not sure why, but it took some persuasion for Dad to let us drive the car. He wanted us to take the shuttle... which was obnoxious because we had just missed its hourly departure. He then was going to drop us off, and we could take the shuttle back. "Why can't we just drive?" "Oh, I guess you can take the car." Sometimes Dad forgets that his little girls have grown up...

 

I think I've forgotten to mention the valet at the Waldorf. You have to call 15 minutes prior to when you want to leave so that they can get your car. It costs $24 per day, and it's your only parking option, as they don't have a self-service lot. However, there is a giant, intimidating parking garage between the Waldorf and the Hilton which would be a bit of a hike, and I'm unsure of the price and if it's limited to Hilton guests only, but it might be worth investigating.

 

It was my first time driving anywhere in Walt Disney World (shocking, right?), and I must say that it's very easy. There are signs everywhere. As long as you have some general idea of where things are located, (okay, maybe we had a little advantage) you can't really mess up. I say this because my Dad took a wrong turn earlier during our stay and ended up at the cast member entrance to Epcot. This is not the first... or the second time that we have found ourselves attempting to go "backstage" when driving on Disney property.

 

As annual passholders, we get free parking at the parks, but when I drove to the parking ticket window, there was no one there... so I just keep driving. I guess after a certain hour, they no longer care if people pay the obnoxious $16 for parking (we remember when it was $6!). I parked as close to the Transportation and Ticket Center as possible because I wasn't sure of the frequency that the parking lot tram was running. I actually accidentally parked in the handicap lot, and after debating, decided to move. I think I would have been okay because it was the end of the night and the lot was empty and I doubt anyone was checking, but I wasn't about to take any risks.... and I'm pretty sure bad things happen to you when you park in a handicap space and you aren't handicapped.

 

There was heavy monorail traffic. The monorail in front of us was having problems, so we were stop-and-go the entire way to Magic Kingdom.

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

When Rachel and I arrived, they were doing the castle projection show. We thought that we had arrived just in time for fireworks, so we went to the castle hub. After further investigation, we realized that they were about to have the Main Street Electrical parade. We didn't want to watch the parade, so we headed on for Magic Kingdom and decided to do every attraction with a reasonable wait.

 

First stop: Tea Cups.

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We then walked through New Fantasyland and rode Dumbo.

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Here's a trick to making Dumbo exciting: press the lever up, and before you've actually gone up, push it right back down. You can make Dumbo bounce along really fast, and it's pretty fun.

[LittleMissMagic]

We then did the Little Mermaid attraction. It was listed as a 20 minute wait, but we walked right on (after making our way through the long, empty queue which took a minute or two).

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

The Little Mermaid has Rachel's favorite soundtrack, so she's a big fan of this ride.

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.01.14 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We then headed to the Haunted Mansion. After, we put our ponchos on and rode Splash Mountain. Then after we folded them up, we rode Big Thunder Mountain. When the train came in, Rachel asks, "Why is the seat wet?" "Well, you do go under that thing that squirts water in the beginning." As soon as our train left the building, we knew why the seat was wet! It was raining! Pouring down rain! We closed our eyes and shielded our faces as we went back and forth and back and forth in the seat. They guy behind us was hysterical - "It wasn't like this earlier! Not the rain! Ahhhhh, it came in like a wrecking ball!" I think it was the most exciting Big Thunder Mountain had ever been.... too bad we took off our ponchos after Splash Mountain.

 

We decided to go ride Space Mountain and that we couldn't get any wetter, so we didn't bother with the ponchos as we crossed the park. That walk feels much longer when the rain is pelting down on you. We finally made it to Space Mountain, and after we got out, the rain had lightened up a bit for our journey home. We had lasted in the Magic Kingdom until 1AM and didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for anything.

[lynwar]

Victoria,

Thank you so much for your quick reply. We will look into WDW further.

We didn't go to the Harry Potter side of Universal, but went to the one that has the attractions for the younger children. I really enjoyed it... but my grandson was afraid of the action figure re-enactment and didn't like the loud noise surrounding it. But, he had recently turned 3. He has since been to Disneyland in California on a visit there and had his picture taken with Pluto, Andy, from Toy Story, Mickey, etc. So, a return visit might pay off later, here in Florida.

You and Rachel looked like you were really enjoying yourselves on the teacups!!!

 

Your input has been very valuable. Thanks, again.

Lynne

[The Big Booper]

We have been to Harry Potter land twice at Universal, the first time a week after it opened, just a coincidence that we were in Florida that time frame. A truly wonderful experience.

 

JKR refused to sell the rights to Disney, eventually dealing with Universal. No Harry Potter figures walking around the park with mouse ears attached. At Hollywood Studios we sar R2D2 rolling around wearing the ears. Boo :eek:.

 

As always, great pictures.

Edited January 17, 2014 by The Big Booper

[JudeAnn]

It was windy and uncomfortable on the top deck, especially with the scattered rain storms. You should know that after the first rain, the deck attendants came around and removed all of the wet Princess towels. Being on deck 17 was so miserable that I can't believe I stayed as long as I did.

 

I left because I couldn't tolerate it anymore, and Mom and Rachel caught up with me soon later in the cabin. We decided to try out the deck 7 sun chairs. What I really like about the Royal Princess is that deck 7 has an uncovered sun deck. While it would be a lot cooler if it wrapped around, it's fun to be able to be in the sun on such a low deck. And the wind is much better down there, too.

 

12.24.13 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

12.24.13 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

12.24.13 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Soon after we sat down, there was an announcement from the bridge that there would be storms for the rest of the afternoon, and they suggested that those of us outside might want to take cover.

 

We went back to our stateroom for an afternoon nap...

 

12.24.13 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Where on deck 7 are the lounges to sit in the sun? It is such a big ship, I would like to know where I am going. Leaving tomorrow, thanks for the tour!

[LittleMissMagic]

Where on deck 7 are the lounges to sit in the sun? It is such a big ship, I would like to know where I am going. Leaving tomorrow, thanks for the tour!

 

 

Deck 7 Aft - there are doors by the aft stair and that is where the loungers are. You can find some plush chairs midship by taking the doors by the shops.

[LittleMissMagic]

January 2, 2014 - Magic Kingdom + See You Real Soon

 

It was another rainy morning.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We checked out of the Waldorf and drove to Magic Kingdom.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Luckily, the sky had cleared up.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Our first FP+ was for Big Thunder Mountain

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Does anyone else see the parasailer to the right of the castle, beside Space Mountain? They offer Parasailing over Bay Lake, but I never realized if you had the right perspective, it would appear like the parasailer was inside the park.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

Edited January 17, 2014 by LittleMissMagic

[LittleMissMagic]

I was very hungry.... the about to be sick kind of hungry. My dad has this habit of whenever Rachel or I tell him that we're hungry (I don't think my mother ever gets hungry) saying, "I'm not hungry." And if we say that we want to go eat somewhere, "Oh, I'm not hungry." But we ARE! So my dad, who wasn't hungry, really wanted to eat at this waffle place to the front left of the castle. And we got there, and the menu just didn't seem at all substantial or what I needed, so we decided to head over to Columbia Harbour House so that we could at least sit indoors and enjoy the air conditioning. Thank goodness! That little lunch break was just what we needed to refresh a little. Not to mention, we timed it perfectly, because after we sat down, the lunch crowds started rushing in.

 

Afterwards, we headed to New Fantasyland for our FP+ for Enchanted Tales with Belle.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

I decided to get a FP+ for this because we had yet to see it, and the line is usually 40 minutes or more. I knew that it was a story for little kids thing, but I had read that the effects used in it were really cool, so I figured it was worth checking out.

 

You move through three rooms. The first is Maurice's workshop. Then we go into the room with the Wardrobe which is a well-done animatronic who casts the actors and actresses in Belle's story. The first role they cast was for the knights in shining armor. Everyone, even adults, had to march in place. Well, they chose my dad as one of the knights in shining armour. I don't know why, but my dad has always been a popular pick for audience participation.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

He took his role very seriously.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Every kid who wanted a role was cast a part. At the end, after she did all of the major part castings, she asked if anyone else wanted to participate and handed out props to all of them.

 

There was this really weird scenario which I feel I have to mention to you. There was this little bitty boy who I would estimate to be around 18 months (though I don't have a baby and am not good at guessing baby ages).... but he was definitely older than a year, but definitely not two. Anyway, he somehow makes his way in the front with all of the castings and runs, screaming from one side of the room to the other and smashes full-force into the wall, falling down backwards. He then gets up and proceeds to run right back to the other wall and smashes full-force into it. It was so bizarre, that Rachel and I could not help laughing out loud.

 

Finally, we made it to the library.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Belle had a very nasally voice. It was absolutely wrong in casting. Imagine a Kardashian Belle. I felt like I was watching a very painful episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians where Khloe portrays Belle in a play.

[LittleMissMagic]

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Dad was very disappointed that he didn't get a picture by himself. All of the other little kids got a photo opportunity alone with Belle, but he had to share the photo with the other knight in shining armour.

 

Remember the little boy I told you about earlier? Well, he was sitting beside me in the lap of his mother, and he could not remain still. He screamed and fought her the entire show. Somehow, at the very end when they were taking photos, he ended up on the floor with his mother hovering over him, trying to get a grip on him. He repeatedly picked himself up and smashed his body into the floor. It was absolutely bizarre - I think this kid was enjoying inflicting pain on himself. After the show ended, I overheard a cast member go to the mother and tell her that she couldn't let her son run around like that and it wasn't safe. I don't think the mother really had any control over her little boy.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Goodbye, Kardashian Belle!

 

Rachel said that Enchanted Tales with Belle was a complete waste of a FastPass, a waste of her time, and she would never do it again. I'm glad that I got to see it, but it's definitely not anything I'll be doing again.... at least not unless I am with a child who is obsessed with Belle. But I can't recommend this show for adults.

[LittleMissMagic]

After Enchanted Tales with Kardashian Belle, we went to the castle hub to watch the parade. I had misread the schedule and thought it was going to be the Christmas parade. But no, the last showing of the Christmas parade was on Tuesday (hate I missed it!). However, I did get to see one of the last several runs of the Celebrate the Magic Parade which ran for five years. This parade will soon be replaced by the new Festival of Fantasy Parade.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

After, we headed to Tomorrowland for our FP+ for Space Mountain. We were then going to ride the PeopleMover, but it was temporarily down. So instead, we headed to Main Street to do some final shopping.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

You might have picked up on this, but we enjoy shopping at Walt Disney World. Their merchandise is just so cute. I really don't enjoy touristy junk, but Disney's is just themed so well and useful for other things. And it had improved drastically in the past five years. They just really hit the nail on the head. It's the only place I ever go where I want to buy "souvenirs." Rachel wanted to replace her Mickey crocs because she had rubbed a hole in them (they're canvas slip-ons), and I wanted a sweatshirt and wine bottle stoppers. They had a cute set of red and black wine stoppers in the kitchen merchandise which I had spotted earlier that week.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We made a final stop in the Confectionary to grab a treat for the ride home.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

[Colo Cruiser]

 

There was this really weird scenario which I feel I have to mention to you. There was this little bitty boy who I would estimate to be around 18 months (though I don't have a baby and am not good at guessing baby ages).... but he was definitely older than a year, but definitely not two. Anyway, he somehow makes his way in the front with all of the castings and runs, screaming from one side of the room to the other and smashes full-force into the wall, falling down backwards. He then gets up and proceeds to run right back to the other wall and smashes full-force into it. It was so bizarre, that Rachel and I could not help laughing out loud.

 

Finally, we made it to the library.

 

Coffee on my screen!! :D I can only imagine!

[LittleMissMagic]

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

The sky was getting dark... we were motivated to leave before the bottom fell out of the sky.

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Just as we were walking to our car in the parking lot, it started raining. Luckily, we were only about six cars away, so we got shelter quickly.

 

A treat for the road -

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

01.02.2014 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

See Ya Real Soon!

[Ancon]

LMM - your photos are all wonderful (especially the low light exposures) and you have an excellent eye for composition. I have the Nikon D7000 camera with a prime 1.8 lens and an 18-300mm zoom. I really love the 18-300mm lens, but with the camera, an 18-300 lens and a Nikon SB 900 flash, the camera can get pretty heavy.

 

We have only been to WDW twice (in 25 years) and never been on a Disney Cruise Ship. We are taking our family (7 members) and grandchildren (ages 4 & 5) on a 3 day pre-cruise and 3 day post-cruise to WDW (Contemporary Resort - Theme Park View) along with a 7 Day cruise on the Disney Fantasy.

 

At WDW, we have arranged for breakfast at Cinderella's Castle. Based on your experience, do you think the Cinderella Breakfast would be a positive experience for our 4 year old granddaughter and 5 year old grandson? In addition, we are thinking about arranging for a 10 hour VIP Tour…is the VIP worthwhile in your opinion?

 

Thank you,

 

Ancon

[canadiancruisers11]

Thanks for your review....we will be on the royal Feb 16/2014

 

Hey so are we. Where yah from?

[Mom33]

I haven't been to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure since 2007, so I can't give you any recent, detailed comparisons. Walt Disney World is much, much larger. While you can conquer most of US/IOA in 2-3 days, you can visit WDW for 7 days and still not see everything there (however, 4-5 days is definitely suitable for at least visiting all of the parks). WDW has much more family-friendly attractions. The tallest height requirement for WDW thrill rides is 48", while Universal has some that are 54" (Incredible Hulk and the formerly named Dueling Dragons... which is now Harry Potter themed). I think that Universal does a great job with theming... with Islands of Adventure in particular (I have yet to visit the new Harry Potter World, but I hear it's amazing).... Disney is who they are trying to compete with, so if you really enjoy details, you'll love Walt Disney World. And I haven't seen any of Universal's shows recently, but that's an area that I think Disney really excels in. They provide Broadway-quality sets and costuming in their parks, making great performances accessible to so many people.

 

As Florida residents, you might be eligible for discounted 4-day passes (there are blackout dates), and you are definitely eligible for Florida annual passes and season passes (season passes have blackout dates). Depending on how many days you want to visit, it might be just as or more affordable to purchase a FL Resident season/annual pass. For advice on when discounts for FL residents are being offered, you can visit the WDW website or for some insight on when they may be offered (based on years past), visit Mouse Savers' website.

I really recommend staying on-site because it's so much more convenient, and the Disney resorts are really well-themed. The resort just adds to the Disney experience. The value resorts are the lowest priced Disney resorts, followed by the moderate resorts and cabins at the Fort Wilderness campground. And then the on-property yet not Disney-owned hotels, the Swan and the Dolphin offer a great location for a reasonable price. If you'd like to stay at a deluxe resort, annual passholders get fairly frequent room discounts of 30%, so it might be worth it to purchase a pass just for the savings (also discounts on food and merchandise). You can also rent points from Disney Vacation Club owners (try Mouse Owners for the best deals) as an affordable way to stay in deluxe accommodations.

 

I'm so glad you've enjoyed my review! If you have any more Disney questions, I'd be happy to answer or send you to a source that can help.

 

Disney has a deal for Florida residents going on now. $129 for 3 days, one park a day. We use to get an annual pass, but now look for these kind of bargains. :D