A WONDERful Alaskan Adventure - Sept 4th Last Day at Sea

DisneyDiva84

Fantasy is real and reality is fantastic!
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
We are back! And what an amazing adventure it was!

Our sailing party consisted of our two kids (4 and 18 months) and my in-laws. The trip was an early gift for Christmas last year. We are beyond grateful to them as we probably wouldn't have done Alaska anytime soon on our own. When my father in-law asked where we wanted to go I asked what ideas he had to better understand our options. His response? "Well how about renting a RV and traveling around Nevada/Arizona, or maybe Hawaii, Peru, or Alaska? Something like that?":ssst: It was very difficult to keep the smile off my face I assure you.

Since traveling in an RV with an 18 month old was not the ideal situation, we moved onto Hawaii. In all my research, folks said island hopping was the best way to experience it. All I could think of was all the transit time, planes and shuttle transfers with an 18-month-old and my head already hurt! o_O So my husband and I suggested the Disney Wonder. We thought it would provide options for all the Mousketeers in our sailing party and the view didn't seem that bad either :woohoo: As luck would have it, we were sailing with them on the Magic in November. We had invited them to join us after the amazing time we had on our first sailing with DCL aboard the Fantasy in 2015. This seemed to provide the perfect opportunity to snag that onboard booking offer and a chance for them to see what we had been talking about before committing.

After researching, I suggested the September 4th sailing. It was by far the cheaper option (nearly 2K less!) and embarkation on Labor Day meant one less day for my GA-PRE K guy to miss. Lucky for us, my in-laws absolutely loved their time onboard the Magic so we booked the trip and the countdown officially began. As a side note, the onboard booking agent confirmed that the cheaper Alaskan prices will always be at the start and end of the season - similiar to Carribbean as kids are in school so it's seen as a non-peak period. Just in case anyone is looking at prices!

We were in rooms 5512 and 5514 with no adjoining door. I will do a post on the room later but we LOVED being so close to the Oceaneer Club!



I cannot believe we are back and I have a lot to share for anyone who is interested. First update will be on our travel to and time around Vancouver. Stay tuned!
 
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Packing and travel to Vancouver: Day 1

First off, I want to cover packing. We had to travel on two different flights each way and even with being able to check one bag for free per person on Delta, I didn't really want to pay for more bag fees so space was limited.

I did so much research on this topic and they all said the same...Alaskan weather is really tricky! They weren't kidding either. Apparently the cruise before us had a lot of rain. :umbrella: We had amazing luck and barely saw any rain during the day. Even our cruise director noted it on his daily announcements. Keep in mind that Alaska is part of a huge rainforest, Ketchikan is actually one of the rainest cities in the world. I took a photo with my son in the rain, went into a store, came out within five minutes and it was sunny! Here's what the days looked like to give you an idea:

  • September 2 - 4th Vancouver - high 70s/mid 80s
  • September 4 - 5th Embarkation and at Sea - high 70's and clear skies. My son went on the waterslide both days!
  • September 6th Endicott Arm - Mid 50's but really clear skies for the most part. We had a little rain as we approached the glacier itself but it stopped when we arrived!
  • September 7th Skagway - High 50's/Mid 60's - it had rained overnight and it was very windy! Still comfortable though once we got away from the pier. The weather was comfortable for Freezing the Night Away on deck that evening
  • September 8th Juneau - Low 60's - some rain in the morning but again, comfortable
  • September 9th Ketchikan - High 50's - clear skies
  • September 10th At Sea - rough seas in the morning until we got to the Channel and then it cleared up. This was the only time the seas were remotely rough the entire trip :tink:Someone had to have had some extra pixie dust or something
  • September 11th Vancouver - 70's and sunny!

So how exactly do you pack for such a crazy climate and not over do it? Your guess is as good as mine because I came close but I kind of over did it. Especially where the kids were concerned. I started with them and then went to packing for myself and my husband. We then looked at everything laid out and thought about what we could cut. I figured if any of us were underpacked it should be us and not the kids right? Here's a list of the basics we took.

  • Water resistant jacket for everyone - I had a light Eddie Bauer Windbreaker which worked great! If you can find them with hoods all the better!
  • Fleece jackets for everyone - for the really chilly days
  • Day outfits for everyone
  • Dinner outfits for three nights - we purposly cut back on dinner attire because the cruise is more casual. A lot of the exursions are longer so people either miss dinner or head straight there after their day. It was acutally kind of nice dressing down for a change but I do love a fancy night in the Caribbean princess:
  • 2 pairs of shoes for everyone - in case one pair got wet, we did not bring rain boots (too heavy)
  • Swimsuits (which we actually got to use! YAY)
  • Diapers and stuff for our lil one's nursery bag
  • Airport distraction bag (more on that later ::MickeyMo)
  • Medicine - just in case (each kid has a seperate bag since one is an infant and one is a toddler)
  • Hats and gloves for everyone for glacier day (we did use these quite often for extra warmth)
After we were all packed, there was nothing left to do but wait for the fun to start. My in-laws arrived to our house Friday evening and we were off and running the next day at 5:30 AM! Our flight was scheduled at 8:30 AM. When we flew to Mexico this past summer, we learned a fun fact. International infant in lap rates require a small fee. You need to call the airline before to ensure it is paid and then you have to check in when you arrive. You cannot do it online. Just one more line to sit through right? :rotfl2:



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7 hours of flight time and one connection in LA was a lot more than we had ever attempted before so I did some online reading before hand for ideas. Thanks to someone on Pinterest, I got a great idea. Visiting Target's dollar section and Amazon, I found a lot of small distractions. Coloring books, window clings, suckers, favorite snacks, etc. I wrapped them all in Christmas paper. I reversed it so I could write myself hints at what was inside. Each hour, the kids got a new surprise to unwrap. It was a big hit!

  • Coloring books and crayons - worked out great
  • Snacks - all of them were welcome!
  • Lollipops - literally saved us on the time on the runway when they would get the most anxious
  • Books - worked okay, didn't hold their attention long
  • Surprise distraction - the games on the screens in the seats! Our oldest sat on those for a full hour each way!
  • Window clings - huge hit, our youngest played with them for quite awhile. Only recomendation is to bring two sets for each plane ride. They get kind of yucky and we didn't want to take them with us
  • Homework - we brought our oldest his GA-PRE K homework and had him do it on the flight and at the Vancouver hotel. It was a great way to get it done before the trip began


We connected in LA and it was a bit of a hassle since there is a lot of construction going on right now. We had to take a shuttle to the other terminal so we didn't really have any time to rest between flights. Fortunately, the flight to Vancouver was about two and a half hours so after our four hour journey to LA that felt like a small walk in the park!


My husband and daughter killing what little time we had in LA


We are officially seeing pretty scenery - this will become frequent throughout the posts (fair warning)

Vancouver customs: I had heard a few stories about monster lines in Vancouver. The lines were there but it went fairly quickly. Maybe I had prepared myself for the worst? Our bags arrived, we got a taxi van, and were on our way to our hotel.

We stayed at the Mariott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel. It was a really great spot in the heart of downtown Vancouver. I would recommend it to anyone considering it. We were about a five minute walk from the Olympic Cauldron and two minutes away from a McDonalds. Plus, our room gave us a great view of the ships pulling into the harbor!


Next up: Fun in Vancouver the day before Embarkation
 
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Fun in Vancouver - Day 2
We are officially on a three hour time change. Translation? Kids getting up at 4:30/5 AM. We did our best to push them the evening before. Thanks to all the time sitting on a plane, we were able to push them to about 8 which was 11 PM for them at home! Even with that late of a bedtime they still got up a little early. Tip: Knowing we would have an earlier breakfest than normal, we packed pop tarts and had a few bananas we took from the lounge the night before. That way they had something to munch on.



Since we were up early, we headed to the Olympic Cauldron and pier area. It was a very easy walk (maybe five minutes?). The cauldron is really pretty in person. I like that you can get close to it as it made for some good shots!



We headed over to the Digital Orca statue next. It's right next to the Cauldron and the views are really nice. We watched some sea planes take off (our son loved this). Then we made our way over to Canada Place. My in-laws had debated walking over to the pier on embarkation day. You could absolutely do this. We knew it wasn't for us since we couldn't lug our bags and kids five blocks, so we just hopped in a taxi. The fare was very reasonable (~$7-8) and they are easy to grab.





Canada Place/Port of Vancouver, what can I say? This is by far my favorite port to we've ever sailed out of. We've sailed from Charleston, New Orleans, Miami, Port Canveral, and Tampa so this is definitely a compliment. The scenery is wonderful and I will speak more to how organized they were on the embarkation post. But one of our favorite parts was that we could get right up alongside the ships! They board a level below the pier area so you can walk around and watch folks get on and off. Fly Over Canada is here too. We didn't ride it but I've heard good things.



After all our walking around we were pretty worn out, my daughter actually fell asleep as I was carrying her back to the hotel around 10 AM. We took a short break and then headed back out for lunch.

First stop, Bella Gelateria. I know, dessert before the meal but this is a very popular spot in Vancouver. There was a line everytime we walked by so when we saw a smaller crowd we took advantage. I will say the line does move slowly but it's pretty great. They let you sample three different flavors before choosing which I liked too! I sampled the lavender but went with the Sea Salted Chocolate. It was amazing!



I wanted to go to Meat and Bread for lunch but the one closest to us was closed (weekend hours are shorter for some reason). We searched around and found a pizza place. We took the food back to the hotel and ate in the lobby while we waited for the tour to pick us up.

After researching things to do in Vancouver, I chose LandSea Tours. They offer a lot of different excursions to meet any need you may have. But the thing I appreciated the most was the complimentary car seats for each of my kids. We went with the Vancouver Highlights tour which was four hours long. Jason was our tour guide. We loved his commentary as he wasn't over the top and was pretty honest about some popular sites.

They picked us up from our hotel at 1:45 PM and the tour began at Stanley Park.



We stopped at the Totems first for about 15 minutes. It gave us time to get a few great pictures.

I just have to include these because those of you with kids know how smiling shots don't typically represent the norm.




And I promise Audrey did not fall off the wall! My husband and I both love this photo though cause it certainly looks that way!!!!! I think we were just trying to get her to come back over into the shot again or something. They were both pretty upset with us at this particular part. Fortunately they got it together and enjoyed the rest of the tour!

Next stop was Prospect Point. It's another area of Stanley Park and overlooks the bay. It was really pretty. We had some more time here (about 30 minutes). They have an ice cream shop and restrooms. My father in-law ended up buying some amazing Maple Leaf cookies. I honestly wish we had bought another pack to take home with us but it was one of those get-these-kids-some-sugar-stat moments. Saved us from a meltdown - thank you maple syrup frosting gods! :worship:

A huge old tree stump in the area


Looking at the bridge we would be going under the next day


Looking out.


The next stop was Granville Island. We got an hour here and honestly I wasn't a fan. I get where some people would be but there wasn't a lot for the kids to do. They have a big kids warehouse but it's kind of chaotic so we took a rain check. The cement factory had a really cool display with moving balls and gears that our kids watched for maybe 20 minutes!


Playing boo! with Daddy

There was also an adorable broom shop (yes, like the ones people used to sweep with!) They made them by hand and they were so cool. If we didn't have hardwood floors that scratched with hot wheels, I would be all about it.


Reasonable prices too. I think this small one she is playing with was maybe 20 dollars (canadian)

Our last stop was the Vancouver lookout. This was included in our tour fare and was definitely worth seeing as it provided a 360 view of the city. Vancouver really is quite beautiful and I'm glad we were able to explore it!

Photo of Jason showing Avery where we had been. Actually we had kind of panicked for a moment because we didn't know where he had gone. I ran around the corner and here is Jason giving him a lesson. He apologized because he had asked if Avery could come with him and thought I was nodding at him when in fact I hadn't heard him! Life with two kids right? Either way, he was really an amazing guide and great with the kids!



After the tour, we headed back to our hotel, got McDonalds and went to bed.

Next up: Boarding the Disney Wonder and leaving for America's Last Frontier!





 
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Cute, we were on the cruise before this, and it did indeed rain most of the time.
 
Granville island less than amazing? now I am concerned I've got a day planned around that next may...
 
Joining in and excited to hear about your trip - I love reading all the Alaskan trip reports. Plus I am taking notes of where people have stayed and what they did in Vancouver as we are on the California Coast cruise next May.
 
Great report! I agree with Granville Island. We walked pretty much the whole thing and didn't find it very interesting.
 
We stayed at the Fairmont waterfront. We had amazing service and they took our bags to the port for us so we did not have to drag them. They said they did that for ALL the guests not just the ones Disney booked.
Joining in and excited to hear about your trip - I love reading all the Alaskan trip reports. Plus I am taking notes of where people have stayed and what they did in Vancouver as we are on the California Coast cruise next May.
t
 
Cute, we were on the cruise before this, and it did indeed rain most of the time.
I hope it didn't impact your trip too much. When it rained the morning we were in Juneau, I loved that the Cast were giving out free park ponchos. I feel for you though as it probably felt a bit colder too! Hope you had a great time regardless!
 
Granville island less than amazing? now I am concerned I've got a day planned around that next may...

I'm going to be honest, it really wasn't a highpoint for us. I certainly don't want to put a damper on your plans or anything though. If it seems like something you and your family would enjoy definitely keep it on the list! There were some interesting shops and also a brewery that we didn't visit (not enough time). Personally, I wouldn't plan a full day around it. Should you alter anything though, I strongly recommend LandSea Tours. They had a few different options that were reasonable and some tours were even 10 hours. We strongly considered it as it's a great way to see the city and beyond but 10 hours is a bit much for young kids. We didn't book the tour until mid-August and they had space so you definitely have time if you alter anything.

PS. If this is your first Disney Cruise (or cruise in general) you picked an AMAZING one. We thought Alaska was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Now, thanks to the cast aboard the Wonder, we are trying to plan another one when our kids are a bit older. It was fantastic. Best wishes! I'm happy to answer any questions you have about other ports etc! Just send them my way!
 
Joining in and excited to hear about your trip - I love reading all the Alaskan trip reports. Plus I am taking notes of where people have stayed and what they did in Vancouver as we are on the California Coast cruise next May.

Awesome! I definitely hope I help some folks out as there are not a lot of these reports around. Especially of the Wonder post-dry dock. I struggled because the reports from last year had a different rotational main dinning option etc. So, if this helps that's awesome to hear!
Mariott Pinacle was amazing in regards to the view. Delta Downtown Suites by Mariott (we stayed there on the return) was amazing for service :) Both are great though, I'd recommend them to anyone.
 
Great report! I agree with Granville Island. We walked pretty much the whole thing and didn't find it very interesting.
Glad to see I'm not the only one! I always feel bad giving "okay" reviews but it really didn't wow us as much as we thought it would.
 
We stayed at the Fairmont waterfront. We had amazing service and they took our bags to the port for us so we did not have to drag them. They said they did that for ALL the guests not just the ones Disney booked.

t
Wow, that would have been so lovely!
 

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