Disney "Land and Sea" Preview

We are within the final countdown stage of our upcoming Disney "land and sea" adventure.  I wanted to write this preview because I am excited about some new experiences we are about to have.  Most of my readers know that we have been to Walt Disney World numerous times and have sailed on the Disney Wonder several years back, but this fast approaching vacation will have several first-time moments.

We start our adventure a few days before the cruise on December 6th.  As we normally do now, we are driving down from our home in middle Tennessee and are scheduled to have 2 pre-cruise nights. Our first night will be spent at the Orlando World Center Marriott.  Our plans the first night will be to head to Downtown Disney for a little shopping and eating fun and see how some of the new construction is coming along.  Then on Sunday morning, we will pack up and head out to the Port Canaveral area where our next night will be spent at the Courtyard Cocoa Beach Cape Canaveral.  But one of our first time experiences occurs on this day.  I have always wanted to sit at Fish Lips Waterfront Bar and Grill and enjoy a tasty drink and meal while watching the various cruise ships meander by on their way out to sea.   For those that take a peek occasionally at the Port Canaveral webcam, it sits atop Fish Lips.  So our plan is to get there early, grab a table outside and watch Royal Caribbean, Disney and Carnival ships sail by which will make the excitement build for our cruise that sets sail the next day (Monday the 8th).

So on the 8th is when a lot of new experiences begin and they are all related to the category of stateroom we are staying in on the Disney Dream.  I decided to splurge a little since this is a short, 4 night cruise so I booked us a category 00T which is a one bedroom, concierge suite.  Can I get a whoop whoop?! Uber-excited am I.  So here is why I am so excited; when we arrive at the pier and after clearing security, we will be able to head to a nice, less-congested check in area designated for concierge level guests as well as platinum Castaway Club members.  Once checked in, we will also be in the very first boarding group once embarkation begins.  So that is new experience number 2. Once onboard, we will have the choice of heading to the buffet, which is our normal cruise routine, or heading for the concierge lounge where snacks and beverages are served only for concierge-level guests.  I have a feeling we will be heading to the lounge which will be new experience number 3.  The cool part about the lounge, besides the exclusivity, is that they serve snacks during the day as well as free "adult beverages" at certain times each day. That can actually offset some of the higher cost of the stateroom assuming you are an "indulger" of such a beverage.

So 3 new experiences already and we will be only 3 days into our 9 day trip.  But one of the biggest new experiences of them all will happen once we step inside our one bedroom suite.  The suite has over 600 square feet (including the verandah) and comes with 2 full baths.   The master bath comes with a large tub as well as a walk-in shower, double vanities and a tv built into the mirror while the second bath comes with a single vanity and a walk in shower.  There is a separate dining area as well as a living area with a convertible sofa, 2 chairs and a large flat-screen tv.  The bedroom comes with a  queen sized bed and upgraded bedding.  I am leaving a lot of the little details that are included out because they will be covered in my full review after the trip.  But needless to say the suite is large as well as the verandah and I am excited about it all!

So I will lump the suite into one big new experience making it the new experience number 4 on this trip.   We sail to Nassau and Castaway Cay which will not be new to us, but we have a new excursion planned for our day in Castaway Cay.  We are going to try Parasailing for the first time.  I am a little nervous and excited about it all at the same time.  It will be a great opportunity for some cool GoPro camera footage.  So adding them up so far...that makes new experience number 5.

So before this preview gets too out of hand as far as a word count goes...let me jump ahead now to the "land" part of the trip.  After we disembark on the 12th, we are heading for Disney's Yacht Club Resort.  This will be new experience number 6.  We have stayed at several onsite properties such as the Grand Floridian, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin, Polynesian, Caribbean Beach and the Pop Century.  But this will be our very first time at the Yacht Club and we are excited to be back in our most favorite area of WDW...close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.  No upgrade for us at this resort but excited nonetheless. We are staying 3 nights...yes I wish it was more, but from the time we leave home until the time we get back home, this will be a nice long trip.

So two more new experiences I have yet to mention.  New experience number 7 will be breakfast at Captain's Grille.  We have heard good things so I will let you know what I think again in my trip review post.

And finally...new experience number 8 will be getting to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for the very first time.  I was excited about this attraction when when the first renderings were released and I am anxious to see how the new riding technology really feels.  We have not been back since it opened so getting a little giddy about finally being able to ride it.

So there you have it...a land and sea adventure chalked full of newness.  If any of these new experiences are new to you as well, make sure you subscribe to my blog so you will be notified of my review once we return in mid-December.

A Vacationer's Dream

Ok, you have decided to take a vacation so you sit down and create your to-do list.  Hopefully it looks something like this:

1. Discuss possible destinations--check
2. Set a budget for the trip--check
3. Pick possible dates for the trip--check
4. Call a travel agent to help plan the details--check
5. Officially book the trip with the help of the agent---check

Now the excitement begins.  You find great apps or other ways to countdown the days until you leave. Time has flown and the time is getting close enough to start packing the bags and then...BLAM, a new form of stress hits.  Who is going to watch the dog?  Who is going to pick up the mail?  Do I have all of my prescriptions?  What about the groceries in the fridge?  The to-do's start to mount up again and they can zap some of the fun away from the vacation itself.

So what if I told you that there are services out there that can even take away those stress factors and give your brain more time to focus on the really fun aspects of your trip?  Wouldn't it be a dream to have someone you could call and they would literally take care of all of those tasks that you can't ignore, but would prefer never to have to worry about?  Imagine not having to worry about anything related to your trip other then things like, "did we load the bags in the car" or "do we have all of our travel documents?"  You know...those things that are actually a part of the trip.

So enough of the lead-in teaser stuff.  Let me introduce you to one such company.  The name of her company is Julie Hullett Concierge LLC and naturally Julie Hullett is the owner.  This is a sample of what she can do for you while you pack your bags (and I even have someone who can offer advice on what to pack, but that is for another post); Julie can take your pet to the boarding kennel, pick up your dry cleaning that you need for the trip, pick up any necessary medications from the pharmacy, and anything else that you might need or need to do before you leave home.

Then picture that the trip is coming to an end and you are about to head home.  Your brain starts to get out of vacation mode and into "what do I need to do when I get home" mode.  Now picture Julie going to get your pet and having him or her there waiting for you when you walk in the door.  Imagine the heat or the AC being at the right temp, your fridge being full with those staples that you knew you would need but hated to buy right before you left home, your mail laid out and organized on your dining table and so on and so on.  Are you getting the stress-free picture?  This is why I call her and her services a "vacationer's dream."  Life would not skip a beat while you were gone.  The transition from before the vacation starts to being on vacation to returning back home from vacation would be so smooth and stress free that you would never plan a vacation the same again.  You would forever be hooked and your concierge's phone number would be a "favorite" in your contacts list.

So the next time you plan a vacation, add one more planning item to your list besides calling a wonderful, all-knowing travel consultant like myself (was that a little much?)...make sure you make an appointment with a concierge service like Julie's.  And if you are in the Nashville area...call Julie.  She is awesome to work with.

Have you ever heard of a service like this?  Have you ever used a service like this?  I would love to get your feedback.