Disney will deliver in ways beyond your imagination

When it comes to creating an extraordinary world of escape, there is nobody who does it better than Disney. Whether you are nine or 90, it is impossible to come away from a Disney experience and not be amazed by it, even awestruck, and completely relaxed and renewed. Disney has created an environment, where no matter how stressed out you are, no matter your level of worry, you will be transported into its alternate reality, filled with all the stuff that dreams are made of.

Walt Disney World in Orlando or Disneyland Park in California or other members of the Disney theme park family around the globe are well known but since 1998, Disney has been taking its world of magic to sea. The Disney Cruise Line is made up of four ships (Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy) that travel to destinations including the Caribbean, Bahamas, Europe, Hawaii, and Alaska. (New itineraries of varying lengths are always being added.)

The shortest cruise is a three-night excursion from Port Canaveral, Florida to the Bahamas and back on board Disney Dream. From the minute you hear its horn signal as you depart, (the first seven notes of When You Wish Upon a Star), the fairy-tale tone is set for your voyage.

A first-time cruiser might fear feeling cramped or restricted onboard but this is a needless concern. These ships are like communities on the water. Dream, for example, is over 1,100 feet in length with 14 passenger decks. In comparison, it is longer than the height of either the Eiffel Tower or the Chrysler Building. The staterooms are also 25 per cent bigger than many other ships and larger than some hotel rooms in Europe.

Just outside your cabin door, you will find endless activities and adventures for everyone.

First, for children and youth, Disney spares nothing to ensure a good time. For the younger set, there are costumed Disney characters with whom children can interact. Specific times and locations where the characters can be found are given to parents in the daily activity itinerary (a very useful tool that lists all ship activities) provided in the room.

By day, kids can frolic in the water. There are two large pools and one smaller water-play area for smaller children. Above them all is a gigantic screen with endless Disney classics running all day long. Dream sports the first water coaster at sea, the AquaDuck, which stretches 765 feet in length, spans four decks in height, and zips over the edge of the ship, 150 feet above the water, much to the glee of every rider. There are also bottomless drink machines as well as an ice cream bar and other fast-food options open well into the night to keep your children’s (or your own) sugar high going. For healthier food options, the Cabanas casual dining restaurant delivers. The buffets are amazing with lots of variety.

In the evening, Disney created an innovative option for dinner. With its rotational dining concept, featuring three themed restaurants, guests dine in a different venue each night, accompanied by their same serving team. The Animator’s Palate is a fascinating restaurant that has screens everywhere with Disney characters popping up. The artwork on the walls is stunning with drawings and paintings of the animation process that brings the characters to life. It’s worth taking the time to look around and soak up the creativity.

All parents need time without their kids. Disney understands. There is a nursery for wee ones, a teen club (Vibe), a tween club (Edge) and a club for other ages (Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Lab). They are drop-off centres with Disney Counselors who keep your kids busy. In fact, your kids have so much fun they don’t want to leave. There is a large interactive computer game on the floor where groups of children play together, guided by the Disney Counselor. A giant screen in front of them boasts Disney characters who appear and interact with the children. There are flight simulators, sailing simulators and other computer games. It is one sophisticated play area as you might imagine and probably expect. There are, of course, traditional arts and crafts, dancing, hula hoops and of course, movies. The Counselors are amazing and the Oceaneer Club and Lab are open until midnight so take advantage of the long hours and enjoy some well-deserved free time.

Hit the adults-only locations, for example. There is a whole variety of bars for every taste. Check out the spa, impressive fitness centre and adults-only pool. There are two kid-free gourmet restaurants to boot with incredible wine lists (with an extra cost).

If you do want to hang out with the kids, there are endless organized activities. Every night, there are original and elaborate musicals offered in the Walt Disney Theatre. Themed deck parties are a lot of fun. There is an unbelievable fireworks display, the first of its kind at sea. (In fact, Disney, which is always looking to provide that something extra, has many cruise industry firsts.) If you are a movie buff, you will be blown away with the full-sized movie theatre that offers movie premieres at sea on the same day a film debuts in theatres, including films in Disney Digital 3-D. Family dance parties, bingo, karaoke, animation lessons, family game shows are all on the agenda if you choose. The fact is there is always something going on. Be sure to experience the detective game with your children. You set off to find clues around the ship with a special paper that, when it comes in contact with enchanted artwork, provides the clues.

If you want to just stay in your stateroom, each television has dozens of Disney movie choices as well. There is wifi available but truthfully, it is pretty expensive. It is a great excuse to leave the real world behind.

While there are many Disney cruises with various ports of call, the three-night Bahamas excursion has one day stop on Disney’s own private island, Castaway Cay. Disney is the first cruise line to have a dock allowing guests to walk on and off the ship (thus eliminating the need for boats to bring them ashore). On Castaway Cay, there are the usual water activities you would normally expect from a traditional, beach resort experience. If you feel like moving around, there is an organized 5k run, but if running isn’t your thing, there are bicycles to check out the island. It is quite stunning.

While immersed in fantasy and fun, the reality is Disney is one professional, slick, sophisticated, wellrun organization. Every logistical detail is perfect right down to the yellow-coloured lifeboats. Rather than the traditional regulation colour of orange, Disney was granted special permission by the U.S. Coast Guard to paint the lifeboats yellow, in order to keep with the special colour theming of the ships, the colours of Mickey Mouse himself. This may seem like an insignificant feature, but it points to the lengths Disney has gone to create the perfect environment.

Another example of its supremely well-oiled organization is how well you are taken care of ashore. Whether you are heading to Orlando for another Disney experience or heading to the airport, Disney buses will get you there. There are Disney representatives to guide you every step of the way.

Walt Disney World is a mere hour drive from Port Canaveral. That, of course, is worthy of its own trip. However, there are themed Disney hotels/resorts that are great places to either get you in the Disney mood before your cruise or to continue the magic after. They all have organized activities as well, including movie night on the beach with marshmallow roasting, but the real attraction is the theme park. That said, even if you don’t have time to visit the park, the hotels are fabulous places to stay.

Another fascinating feature of all the different Disney branches is the diversity of the staff. The Disney Cruise Line alone has more than 86 different nationalities represented. All staff is, without exception, kind, warm and hospitable. Furthermore, all ages are represented, including seniors. It is strangely moving to see Mickey Mouse earrings in the mature ears of some of the Disney guides. It speaks volumes to the fact that the wonders of Disney are for everyone.

Disney Cruise Line is the recipient of many prestigious cruise industry awards and to experience its magic first-hand you fully understand why. This March Break, or for any break you and your family need, Disney will deliver in ways beyond your imagination.

While you might think ships are environmental disasters, the fact is Disney takes its responsibilities seriously, showing business savvy and sophisticated forward thinking by taking steps to minimize environmental impact. There are many initiatives but here are a few:

• Each ship has an on-board Environmental Officer to oversee all the recycling, waste minimalization efforts.
• Disney reclaims natural occurring condensation from the air conditioning units, recycling it to supply onboard laundry facilities and using it to wash the decks. That step alone saves 30 million gallons of fresh water per year.
• Each week, more than 1,000 gallons of used cooking oil are offloaded and recycled. One hundred per cent of that is recycled in ports of call. In Nassau, for example, cooking oil is recycled and converted into biodiesel fuel to power a local fleet of vehicles.
• On the ship hulls, there is a coating that is non-toxic which reduces surface resistance in the water, allowing the ship to be more fuel efficient.
• Organic cleaning products are used.
• There are advanced wastewater purification systems on-board.
• Disney Cruise Line clean up. So far, it has removed 31,000 pounds of trash and debris from beaches and waterways.

For more information go to: disneycruiseline.com