Enchanted Review

One of my favourite recent Disney movies is the live action/animated, Enchanted.  Released in 2007, Enchanted has big name stars including Amy Adams as Giselle, James Marsden as Prince Edward, Patrick Dempsey as Robert and Susan Sarandon as Queen Narissa.  While most of the film takes place in the live action city of New York, there are some parts, mostly toward the beginning, which are classically animated in a way that reminds me of older Disney movies such as Snow White.

The movie begins (animated) in a song where Giselle and Prince Edward meet, fall in love and agree to get married.  Just before the wedding can begin, Giselle is whisked off by an old lady (Prince Edward's stepmother Queen Narissa in disguise) who insists on giving her a magic wish on her special day.  Queen Narissa pushes Giselle into a magic fountain as she is making her wish and sends her away to a place where there are no happily ever afters.  Giselle emerges from a pot hole (here the animation changes to live action)and is immediately scared of where she has ended up, in the busy streets of  New York City.  Eventually a man, Robert, and his six year old daughter, Morgan, discover her and try to help her.  Uncertain of this strange new world, Giselle tries desperately to find her prince who has also made his way to New York in search of her.  In a tale of fantasy meets reality, things are certainly never boring and always fun.

There are so many elements to this movie which make it perfect for a real Disney fan.  To start off with, there is the perfect female lead, Giselle.  She is the typical Disney Princess, reminiscent of the classical princesses such as Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty but there is definitely a bit of Ariel in her too.  Much like the film is a tribute Disney movies, Giselle is a tribute to Disney princesses.  There are scenes throughout the movie that show Giselle doing things in ways that remind me of moments in other Disney movies.  A notable one is when she is scrubbing the floor and there are bubbles everywhere, which is very similar to a scene in Cinderella.

Photo Courtesy of Fernl on DeviantArt
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Speaking of Disney Princesses, there were some past ones in this movie.  I spotted the first two of three almost right away.  The first one is Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel, who plays Robert's secretary.  The second one is Paige O'Hara, the voice of Belle, who is an actress in a soap opera.The third one is Judy Kuhn, the singing voice of Pocahontas, who is a woman with children.  Audiences can also enjoy Mary Poppins herself, Julie Andrews as the narrator.

There is also a prince in this movie - Prince Edward.  He is the image of Disney Princes, very charming, handsome and meant for this role.  He gets very into being a prince, doing the classic storybook tale of trying to find a princess to marry.  There is also another leading male, Robert, who is a divorce attorney in New York.  He has stopped believing in fairy tales and happily ever afters and is trying to raise his daughter not to believe in either.  He is very handsome though and has some quirky qualities to him that make him a fun challenge for Giselle. 

Every movie needs a villain and this one has Queen Narissa.  She is mostly like the Evil Queen from Snow White and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.  There are a couple times where she is in disguise as an old hag, which is very similar to when the Evil Queen did the same thing in Snow White.  She also transforms herself into a dragon, like Maleficent did in Sleeping Beauty.  However, both of these happen in the real world, so its neat to see old animation re-imagined into the modern world.  When she is in her regular human form, Narissa is a representation of the classic Disney villain - evil, mean, yet stylish in the typical villain way.

Photo Courtesy of Fernl on DeviantArt
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There are a few songs, mostly sung by Giselle, which help make the movie a true Disney classic.  All the music was done by Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken, the latter who has been creating music for Disney since The Little Mermaid.  If I had to pick a favourite song it would be "That's How You Know," which is sung by Giselle in New York's beautiful Central Park.  In the song, she explains to Robert that he should try to show his girlfriend Nancy that he loves her in romantic ways.  This is the big, show stopping number in the movie, as Giselle gets everyone in the park joining in, singing and dancing with her.  The other two main character-sung songs include "True Love's Kiss" and "Happy Working Song."  The first is a typical Disney romantic song, as Edward and Giselle both express their desire to find their one true love.  The second is Giselle's way of cleaning Robert's messy apartment with the help of her new animal friends in New York City.  This one reminds me of Snow White's "Whistle While You Work," as it is a fun cleaning song.

As you can see, there really is more to this movie than meets the eye.  It has every Disney element you could ever want, including a truly special happily ever after.  It has the princess, the prince, the music and even a villain.  So next time you want to enjoy a great Disney movie, be sure to check out this unique masterpiece and be enchanted.  

My Disney Cruise - Part 3

This week I end my three part series on my Disney Cruise Honeymoon with my husband Scott.  I will end by talking about the Broadway-style shows, the dining and food experiences and ports of call.

Broadway-Style Shows

When it comes to entertainment, there is plenty of it aboard a Disney Cruise.  On the Disney Fantasy specifically, we enjoyed some very entertaining shows at the Walt Disney Theatre, including three Broadway-Style shows.

Walt Disney Theatre

Photo from personal collection

The first show we got to see was Aladdin, based on the popular 1992 movie.  This was the perfect way to start off our Broadway show experiences.  Aladdin is one of my favourite Disney movies and seeing it on the stage was quite a treat.  All of the songs you know and love are there, including One Jump Ahead, Friend Like Me, Prince Ali and one of the most romantic songs of all time, A Whole New World.  There is also a special song that isn't in the movie but is in this show which was a really nice touch which I'll leave for you, my readers, to discover on your own.  The songs themselves were performed in such a way that you'd think they were meant to be performed on stage to begin with.  One minor setback was that Abu and Rajah weren't included, however the show did good without them.  Speaking of characters, my favourite was the Genie.  He made everything hilarious and really stole the show.

The second performance we saw was Wishes, an original Disney Fantasy Cruise Line show.  It's the story of three friends, Kayla, Brandon and Nicole, who are just about to graduate high school.  While spending the day at their favourite place, Disney World, they make a wish at the wishing well to go on the ride of their lives.  They are taken through a variety of beloved Disney songs, where along the way, they discover life lessons, including the importance of staying in touch with their inner child.  The music includes songs such as Hakuna Matata from the Lion King, Zero to Hero from Hercules, I've Got a Dream from Tangled, I've Got No Strings from Pinocchio and many more including an original song called Ride of Our Lives.  I definitely got in touch with my inner child while watching this - in fact I believe she was singing along to every song.

The third and final show we saw was Believe, a show that can be seen on both the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream.  Believe is the story of a horticulturalist, Mr. Greenaway and his daughter Sophia who is celebrating her birthday.  Along with a special guide, Mr. Greenaway learns to believe in magic though some Disney persuasion.  Like Wishes, there are a variety of Disney songs including Higitus Figitus from Sword in the Stone, You Can Fly from Peter Pan, Once Upon A Dream from Sleeping Beauty, Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast, just to name a few.  There is also a really beautiful original song called What Makes a Garden Grow. 

So when it comes to entertainment, these Broadway-style shows will be sure to impress.  They are without a doubt some of the best shows I have ever seen.  The singing, the dancing, the costumes, the sets, it all just comes together to bring you into worlds you never thought you'd get to see this way.

 

Scott and I at the Walt Disney Theatre

Photo from personal collection

Dining and Food

Feeling hungry?  Well you will be once you hear about all of the food aboard the Disney Fantasy because its everywhere.  There are different types of dining depending on the time of day and the kind of food you want.  For breakfast and lunch, check out the Cabanas.  It's a huge buffet on deck 11 where you have a huge variety of food choices, lined up in two sides.  You can have a meal either inside or outside and you can enjoy a Finding Nemo theme, with the seagulls watching down at everyone who walks through.  It was one of my favourite places to enjoy a great meal.

 

Entrance to the Cabanas

Photo from personal collection

In the evening, there is what is known as rotational dining for supper.  There are three restaurants and two dining times.  Your dining ticket will include your dining time, as well as the order you'll be going to the restaurants, as well as your table number, which remains the same at each.  You get the same waiters that travel with you to each location and they get to know you and what you like.  This is a great way to really feel like home on the ship by seeing and getting to know these waiters and waitresses.  The three restaurants on the Disney Fantasy are Animator's Palate, the Royal Court and the Enchanted Garden.

Animator's Palate

Photo from personal collection

At Animator's Palate, the theme is a tribute to the animation of Disney.  When you enter, it's almost like you've walked into an animator's studio.  Fitting props are everywhere, including large screens that look like sketch pads.  As you're enjoying your meal, you can be entertained by different videos on those screens, including a tribute to just about every food scene Disney has ever had in all of their animated movies.  The Royal Court is designed to look very elegant and reminiscent of Disney Princess movies.  There are unique details everywhere that really make you feel like you've stepped into a castle's dining room.  Enchanted Garden is a beautiful place that makes you feel like you've stepped right into the middle of an beautiful garden.  The flowers, green details and overall feel can make one feel very serene and relaxed.

Enchanted Garden

Photo from personal collection

Finally, for the adults, be sure to check out the two speciality restaurants, Palo and Remy's.  Both are some of the finest dining you will find at sea.  Remy's is based on the movie Ratatouille and named after its star, Remy the rat.  The cuisine is French inspired and the theme is a sophisticated, classic French style.  The other restaurant Palo, is also very beautiful and elegantly themed.  This one takes after Italy though, with a wonderful Italian themed menu.  We were only able to do Palo but we hope to do Remy's on our next cruise.  If it's anything like our experience at Palo, it will be the finest dining we have ever done and it will be amazing.

Scott and I at Palo

Photo from personal collection

So wherever you dine, Bon Apetit!

Ports of Call

Disney Cruises travel all over the world and offer some the most unique off shore excursions (basically fun adventures to the places you travel).  During our cruise we travelled to the beautiful islands of St. Martin and St. Thomas, both of which were terrific.  They were the perfect examples of Caribbean paradise.  However the highlight of the Ports of Call was without a doubt our visit to Castaway Cay, Disney's own private island.  Opened to the public in 1998, this little piece of heaven is accessible only by Disney Cruise ships.

View of Castaway Cay from the ship

Photo from personal collection

From the moment we stepped off the boat and onto the beautiful island, we felt like we were in a very special place.  Its so cut off from everywhere else, all you can do is take in the natural wonder of it all and appreciate every moment that you're there.  It is one of the places in the world that I feel lucky just to have spent the time that I did there.  However, it is a place I will definitely be going back to! 

Sidewalk at Castaway Cay

Photo from personal collection

Much like the ship, the island is divided up into different areas depending on age and activities.  For instance families can enjoy Castaway Family Beach but if the adults want a little getaway, they can check out the 18+ Serenity Bay beach.  We spent the majority of our time in the waters of Serenity Bay.  It is pretty big and not near as crowded as the family beach.  The sand felt amazing on my toes and it was a nice way of reminding me that this was actually real.

My feet in the sand at Serenity Bay, Castaway Cay

Photo from personal collection

The water was so clear and beautiful and you could see different things in the sand such as shells, seaweed and even some small fish.  However the biggest surprise we saw came when we were standing at just over waist deep water.  As we were standing around enjoying the view, Scott managed to see a sting ray.  We did stay clear of it but it was quite the thing to see that close.

Sting ray at Castaway Cay

Photo from personal collection

However we didn't spend our time in Serenity Bay alone.  We did go check out the two water slides at Pelican Plunge, located right near the family beach.  You swim out to the wharf and have the option of a covered or open slide.  The covered one is shorter and faster, while the open one is longer and slower.  Both are very fun and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, as was evident by grandparents joining their grand kids in all of the sliding fun.

Pelican Plunge at Castaway Cay

Photo from personal collection

So that brings my Disney Cruise to an end.  It was the most incredible trip I have ever taken and I am truly lucky to have been able to experience it.  I would recommend a Disney Cruise to everyone, without a doubt.  Every element is brought together seamlessly to bring guests a world that they thought they could only dream about.  It is truly a magical experience and one that I hope to do again.

Disney Fantasy Life Buoy

Photo from personal collection

My Disney Cruise - Part 2

Last week, I began to share mine and my husband Scott's experiences aboard a Disney Cruise Ship.  This week, I continue as I discuss the the daily navigator guide, character experiences and the pools/Aquaduck.

The Daily Navigator

This is the perfect way to stay organized and make sure that families can get the most out for their Disney Cruise.  You will receive your first Daily Navigator when you board the ship and the rest will be left in your room by your housekeeper in the evening.  It is the all-in-one guide to making sure you can do the activities that you want.

On the front page, you will see the highlight of the main activity taking place that day, such as one of the Broadway-style shows.  Also, you will see the daily weather forecast, as well as the evening cruise attire.

Sample of a Personal Daily Navigator we received
Photo from personal collection

Inside you will see activities that will appeal to different age groups.  From the Oceaneers Club for kids, to Vibe for the teens and even some special adult exclusive activities, there is something for everyone.  Cruisers will also find a removable single page which will have a time line for the day, broken up in into the various age categories, as well as specific types of activities, such as character experiences.  This allows families to plan their days, making sure that everyone gets to do exactly what they want to do.

Sample of a Personal Daily Navigator we received
Photo from personal collection

Character Experiences

Scott and I with Goofy
Photo from personal collection

Nothing makes a Disney vacation like getting to meet all of your favourite characters.  It is one of the rare times when you can freely let that inner child of yours out.  And if your inner child is anything like mine, chances are they will jump for joy at the sight of that favourite Disney character.  It's that feeling of seeing your dreams in reality and it's an opportunity to share in some truly special moments.

Scott and I with Mademoiselle Minnie
Photo from personal collection

One of the coolest things for me was to meet the Disney Princesses and all at once at a Royal Princess Gathering.  We stood in one line and got to meet Ariel, Tiana, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Cinderella and Snow White. 

Scott and I with Princess Ariel
Photo from personal collection

Prince Ali was also making his way through the crowd and I must say, he was pretty slick.  He asked us to tell Snow White to stop giving Abu apples.

Scott and I with Prince Ali
Photo from personal collection

Something I didn't expect to see were Disney Pixar characters.  We were able to meet some of our favourites from Toy Story, including Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jesse.  We also met Remy, from the movie Ratatouille, who happens to be Scott's favourite Pixar character, because he is a chef and loves rats.

Scott and I with Remy
Photo from personal collection

One of the character experience highlights for me was meeting Pinocchio.  When I was little, my late grandfather used to poke fun at me for having a long nose.  He would call me Penelope, Pinocchio's sister and it was always a funny thing in our family.  So when I got to meet Pinocchio aboard our honeymoon cruise, I knew I had to take a special picture for my grandfather.

Pinocchio and I pointing at each other's noses
Photo from personal collection

Pools/Aquaduck

When it comes to places to cool down, there are plenty of places you can do just that aboard a Disney Cruise.  There are pools and play areas just for kids, such as Donald's Pool and Nemo's Reef.  There is also a family pool located nearby called Mickey's Pool.  To be perfectly honest, we didn't spend a lot of time at the family pool, mostly because we were travelling without children.  We spent the majority of water time at Quiet Cove, one of the adult only pools.  The pool has three levels, the first one came up to about waist level when seated, the second which was 5'5" and the third one was ankle deep and had a bar at the end.

Quiet Cove Pool
Photo from personal collection

Aside from the pools, the other cool water attraction aboard the Disney Fantasy (as well as the Disney Dream) is the AquaDuck.  This is the coolest water slide Scott and I have ever seen!  It's a clear acrylic tube that goes around the ship, while passengers sit one or two to a floatation tube.  There are twists and turns, hills and lots of splashing.

The Aquaduck sign/stairs
Photo from personal collection

So this concludes part 2 of our Disney Honeymoon Cruise Adventure.  Be sure to check back for the final instalment where I discuss the Broadway shows, the dining and food experiences and offshore excursions/ports of call.

My Disney Cruise - Part 1

Last week I talked about my Disney wedding.  This week, I'll begin part one of a three-part series about my Disney Cruise on the Disney Fantasy with my wonderful husband Scott.  I've decided to break it down over three weeks because there is so many things to talk about that I don't want anyone to get overwhelmed by all of it but at the same time, I want to share all of my experiences.

This week, I'm going to talk about the atmosphere and my first impression of the ship, as well the staterooms and cast members.

The Atmosphere/My First Impression

I will never forget the way I felt as I took my first steps onto the Disney Fantasy.  There were two cast members on either side of the double doors, announcing each family as they took their first steps into the lobby of this magnificent ship.  I had just been married two days before, so to be announced onto this ship by new married name was extra special.  I had seen pictures of it but it was so much bigger, grander than I could have ever imagined.

Scott and I at the staircase in the main lobby
Photo from personal collection

There were many wonderful things in the three story lobby alone, including a beautiful chandelier, which was the focal point of the room.

The Chandelier
Photo from personal collection

After we left the lobby, we began to explore what would be our home for the next week.  Walking through the halls, you could hear Disney music everywhere.  It wasn't too loud but you could hear it as a nice, soft background music and it really created a nice environment.  One other thing about walking all over the ship that I really enjoyed were all the paintings.  Everywhere you looked you saw something and they were all meaningful pieces that helped set the Disney tone.

Beast's Castle Painting
Photo from personal collection

Some of them even moved when you stood in front of them which I thought was a nice interactive touch.

Moving Ariel Painting
Photo from personal collection

Overall, I could not believe what I was seeing.  The whole ship was incredibly beautiful and I felt like I was dreaming just being on it.  I could tell that this was going to be a memorable experience right from the very start.

Staterooms

After exploring the ship, it was time to settle into our room for the week.  We had chosen a Deluxe Family Oceanview room.  As the name implies we had a great view from our porthole window and it came with seating.

Reading our Daily Navigator while laying on our viewport bench
Photo from personal collection

It also had a nice couch and long desk with dresser drawers, which provided plenty of storage space.

The couch in our room
Photo from personal collection

However, the highlight of the whole room was the bed.  It was without a doubt the most comfortable bed my husband and I have ever slept on.  It was like sleeping on a very supportive but very light, fluffy cloud.

Our comfy bed
Photo from personal collection

When it came to our stateroom, I couldn't have asked for better.  The room we had was mid price range, there were rooms with inside portholes and rooms with verandas.  This one suited our needs just fine, but considering the type of ship this is, I think we could have easily been happy no matter what our room.

Cast Members

Cast members, or employees, work very hard at Disney and they do it all with a smile.  From the housekeepers, to the lifeguards, to the servers and everyone else, every Disney cast member plays a role in ensuring all guests are happy.  They will answer any questions guests may have, or at the very least be able to direct guests to someone who can help them.  They have great personalities and you can tell that they are here because they want to be.  Scott and I talked to many of them and each and every one was interested and did everything they could to ensure we were having the best time.

One interesting thing about Disney cast members, which goes for all of them, including ones in theme parks and resorts, is that they wear name tags which states where they are from.  We saw so many countries represented and it really brings forth Disney's idea of celebrating diversity.  It was great to be able to talk to people from all of these places who are all being brought together by one common thing, the love of Disney.

On our cruise, we met so many wonderful cast members and we will forever be grateful for them for providing us our perfect honeymoon.

Cast members and passangers celebrating at the Sail Away Party
Photo from personal collection

So that sums up part one of my Disney Cruise Honeymoon.  Be sure to check back next week for part two, where I'll talk about character greetings, the Aquaduck and pools and the daily navigator.