Virtual Maiden Voyage – Day Seven
DISNEY FANTASY VIRTUAL MAIDEN VOYAGE – DAY SEVEN
Location: Castaway Cay
Sunrise: 6:55am Sunset: 7:29pm
Evening Attire: Cruise Casual
Dinner menus:
Animator’s Palate: See Ya Real Soon
Enchanted Garden: See Ya Real Soon
Royal Court: See Ya Real Soon
Our dining rotation: AERAERA Table: 20 Dinner: Second seating (8:15pm)
(On Disney Cruise Line, you “rotate” to one of three different “main dining” restaurants each evening. You have the same table number and waiters at each and a different theme nightly)
Drink of the day: Paradise Punch (Alcoholic) and Parrot Song (Non-Alcoholic)
Walt Disney Theatre entertainment: Disney’s Believe (6:15pm & 8:30pm)
About the show: Genie from Aladdin and many of Disney’s most beloved magic makers take a father on a magical journey to show him that anything is possible if you just believe.
Character Meet & Greets today: Captain Hook & Smee, Captain Jack Sparrow, Chip & Dale, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy, Lilo & Stitch, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Timon
ABOUT THIS PORT – CASTAWAY CAY
Discover the 2019 Cruise Critic Destination Award-winner for Best Cruise Line Private Island.
Castaway Cay invites cruisers to enjoy balmy tropical weather and world-class recreation on a Bahamian oasis with signature Disney hospitality. After disembarking on Castaway Cay, you can obtain beach towels and use your convenient Key to the World cards for retail transactions on the island. Everything needed for the perfect beach getaway is here—from lounge chairs and beach umbrellas to tasty food and family-friendly entertainment.
Island Preservation
Disney Cruise Line does its part to preserve this pristine island with clear turquoise waters, white-sand beaches and swaying palm trees. Castaway Cay researchers are restoring the health of coral reefs by transplanting long-spined sea urchins and fostering their growth. Disney Cruise Line Crew Members help protect and monitor endangered loggerhead sea turtle nests on Castaway Cay.
Solar panels in backstage areas of Castaway Cay are used to fuel water heaters for bathing, dishwashing and laundry for Crew Members living on the island. Additionally, Disney Cruise Line recycles 7,000 pounds of used cooking oil each week to power a fleet of Bahamas Waste Management vehicles in Nassau.
Things to See and Do
Castaway Cay visitors find an island completely outfitted for premium family leisure. Ample amenities include sprawling beaches, sparkling lagoons teeming with curious sea life, splash-worthy water play areas, scenic walking trails, open-air BBQ dining locations serving complimentary meals, 2 shops featuring Castaway Cay gifts and souvenirs, free tram transportation around the island and more.
Take advantage of Disney Character Greetings, including a Dance Party with Lilo and Stitch. When you’re ready for some solo time, supervision for children ages 3 through 12 by Disney counselors is available at Scuttle’s Cove, an on-island kid’s club.
Castaway Family Beach
Find your place in the sun at this gorgeous beach set aside especially for family fun. Have a blast sailing, paddling a kayak, or swimming and snorkeling in the blue lagoon. With your family in mind, we’ve laid out a feast at Cookie’s BBQ. You can also take advantage of a host of good-time activities, from lively music and dancing at the Gazebo to tetherball, volleyball and soccer at the Sports Beach. Children can even engage in an array of supervised games at the fanciful In Da Shade Game Pavilion!
Snorkeling Lagoon
Snorkelers of all skill levels will be enchanted by the undersea realm of marine life off Castaway Family Beach. Novices can follow the Discover Trail, while more experienced snorkelers may wish to tackle the Explorer Trail. Keep an eye out for the hidden Mickey!
Serenity Bay
Escape to this secluded, adults-only oasis reserved exclusively for adults 18 years of age and over. There, you can unwind in the heart of serenity, treating yourself to such offerings as an open-air cabana massage under the swaying palm trees, or frozen specialty drinks at the Castaway Air Bar. Air Bar BBQ has hearty fare and savory dishes to satisfy your appetite when hunger strikes.
Pelican Plunge
This 2,400-square-foot floating platform—adorned with nautical Flotsam and Jetsam. At this water-play area and platform, which celebrates the island’s native pelicans, take a ride on one of the 2 twisting water slides that carry you into the refreshing lagoon. Or, get soaked by the giant “bucket dump” that sprays hundreds of gallons of water on eagerly awaiting bathers beneath.
Spring-a-Leak
Kids can cool off at this 2,400-square-foot water play area and quench their thirst for adventure by exploring the “remnants” of a washed-away beach dwelling. The splashing fun begins as they enter the storm-ravaged structure and are greeted by dripping pipes, broken plumbing and hissing misters that have been exposed and twisted by the tropical tempest that “wiped out” the original structure.
Teen Hideout
Teen Hideout is just what it’s named for: a place where teens 14 to17 years of age can lounge—carefree—in their very own slice of paradise.
Scuttle’s Cove
The youngest cruisers will enjoy this kid’s club—a “hub” of youth activities supervised by Disney counselors from the ship. This sandy play spot features a whimsical water play area: a 1,200-square-foot soft wet deck area provides fresh-water fun with an array of pop jets, geysers and bubblers. With organized activities and Monstro’s Point—a giant whale-bone excavation site—kids will be delighted all day long. (A limited number of all-terrain wheelchairs can be obtained here.)
In Da Shade Game Pavilion
Take a break from the sun to play games, such as table tennis, foosball, billiards and basketball, inside this shaded structure, centrally located near Castaway Family Beach.
Sports Beach
Meet at the Sports Beach for beloved beach pastimes, including volleyball and tetherball.
Character Greetings
Throughout the day, meet and befriend some favorite Disney Characters at the Post Office, Gazebo, gangway and elsewhere on Castaway Cay. These are perfect moments for photo-snapping!
Castaway Cay 5K
Go the distance in paradise when you take off on a spectacular 5K around Disney Castaway Cay. Make your way past swaying palms as you run or walk along the air strip to the observation tower and take the lead past sweeping shorelines to the finish line. All finishers receive an exclusive Disney Castaway Cay 5K medal. For an additional charge, a Premium Package option is also available where participants receive a Disney Castaway Cay 5K cinch sack, water bottle and hat. This event is open to Guests 10 years of age and older and is available to book online before your cruise. Space for this event is limited.
Boat Rentals
Set sail in the boat of your choice and embark on a breezy excursion atop the crystal-blue waters of Castaway Cay. Choose a sleek 1-person sea kayak, a charming 4-person paddleboat, a fun 2-person aqua trike or an active stand-up paddleboard for your water adventure!
Shopping
Check out exclusive beachwear, hats, souvenirs and collectible pins with the Castaway Cay logo—all on sale at She Sells Sea Shells…and Everything Else! The Disney cruise staff will be happy to deliver your purchases to the ship.
Olaf’s Summertime Freeze
This wintry watering hole features specialty frozen drinks in souvenir cups. Visit Olaf’s Summertime Freeze near the Pelican Point tram stop, by Castaway Cay Family Beach.
Gil’s Fins and Boats
Rent snorkel gear for all family members, along with kayaks, paddleboats, aqua trikes and other water equipment for your day as a marine adventurer.
Flippers & Floats
Rent inner tubes, snorkel masks and fins from this festive location.
Here are the highlights from today’s Personal Navigator:
For our final night, we will dine one last time in Animator’s Palate, although each of the three restaurants will dine from the same menu:
We’ve enjoyed seven great nights of dining in the ship’s main restaurants, but there are also two adults-only specialty restaurants that deserve recognition.
PALO is a Northern Italian restaurant open for dinner nightly and for brunch on sea days. It is an additional charge ($30 per person for either meal on this maiden voyage) and well worth the cost. This is an adults-only venue and children are not allowed at any time. The restaurant is at the back of the ship near the top deck, providing a wonderful panoramic view of the ocean.
REMY is an exquisite dining experience that rivals anything you can find on land.
A French-inspired menu of superior seasonal ingredients ensures dining at Remy is always a first-rate gastronomic affair. Gourmet selections are specially crafted by Chef Scott Hunnel, from the award-winning Victoria & Albert’s at Walt Disney World Resort, and advising Chef Arnaud Lallement—a 3-Michelin-starred chef who not only helms the celebrated l’Assiette Champenoise restaurant just outside Reims, France, but was also recently named one of the world’s 10 best chefs in a list compiled by Le Chef, which was voted on by other 2- and 3-star Michelin chefs from around the globe.
At Remy, Chef Arnaud presents a dinner menu steeped in the rich legacy of epicurean excellence. Dinner begins with a complimentary “Collette,” a chilled Champagne cocktail prepared at your table. A quick glance at the seasonal menu reveals Chef Arnaud’s culinary influence throughout, with multiple tasting courses celebrating the sea, the earth and fresh ingredients culled from the world market. Artfully prepared dishes include such delicacies as langoustine, duck, elk, sablefish and Kobe beef.
Guests also get to enjoy the global offerings of a gourmet cheese trolley, an extensive wine menu and after-dinner coffee service.
Remy is open for dinner nightly, and also features a Champagne brunch and a dessert tasting event on sea days. This is also an adults-only restaurant. At the time of the Maiden Voyage, dinner was $75 per person.
It’s only appropriate that on our final night, the gift waiting in our stateroom will be a collection of the dining menus we’ve enjoyed over the past week.
Tomorrow morning, we arrive back at Port Canaveral and will disembark the ship. Our final blog tomorrow will be a short one but will have some final thoughts on this incredible experience and a hint at how you can experience this yourself and FOR REAL. More tomorrow. In the meantime, a virtual “good night” from onboard Disney Fantasy.
