Running the Castaway Cay 5K with runDisney

March 30, 2012 By

This beautiful run is calling all runners. Add the Castaway Cay 5K to your “must do” list for your Disney Cruise adventure. This was the perfect start to my day to get my run done and my sweat on before a long day of relaxing in the sun, sand, and sea. Plus getting a great run in certainly helped lower the guilt about all my yummy dining indulgences during Disney Fantasy preview cruise vacation.
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You know I love running and NEVER leave home without my running shoes. It was extra exciting to be able to have a group of people to do an organized run with while on vacation – and even cooler to do it runDisney style as I’m now slightly obsessed with runDisney after racing the incredible Disney Princess Half Marathon last month.

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We met on the ship before we all disembarked together at about 9:00 AM. Then we took a nice leisurely walk on Castaway Cay to the race start which gave us a nice chance to loosen up and enjoy the views of the water. The race was totally a fun run but it was officially a a 5K as runDisney gave us all official race numbers – which made for a great souvenir – and there was an official clock to time the race as well which was nice too.

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The weather was steamy as expected with all that Caribbean humidity and the course was 100 % flat which was a wonderful. We basically ran 2 loops on the bike path and headed out to Serenity Cove, the adult only beach, on the main flat road on Castaway Cay.

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I’ve visited Castaway Cay 2 times before, but somehow always missed the memo that there was a fun run on the island first thing in the morning. Now that runDisney is partnered up with Disney Cruise line to make this 5K run an official event, it was promoted much better via our daily activities guide – and I’m so happy I didn’t miss the memo this time.

Now I’ve just got to find a way to run a 1/2 Marathon at Disneyland – it’s on my bucket list as I’ve never even been to Disneyland before and I can think of no better way to do it than to runDisney there!

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Filed Under: Disney, Disney Cruise, Running, Travel Tagged With: , , ,

Disney Fantasy’s New Aladdin show

March 26, 2012 By

Marvelous entertainment! Tonight we saw Disney’s Cruise Line’s latest show, Aladdin which showcases on the Disney Fantasy.

Aladdin is one of the best musicals we’ve ever seen – and the length of 45 minutes is perfect for young children. Kenzie and Kyle were both totally enthralled – as were Mike and I. Non stop music, comedy, and top notch sets and special effects that match anything you’d ever find on Broadway.

We literally sat in the 1st row as we arrived in the theater about 10 minutes early for the 6:15 show – and let me tell you the front row was awesome. Aladdin had lots of special effects in the way of smoke to create the look of clouds during Aladdin’s magic carpet ride with Jasmine and at various points when the Genie was working his charms. Being up close we got very fogged out a few times but it made it all the more extraspecial and real.

Every seat in the theater is excellent, but being in the front row meant that characters were literally walking in front of us every time the cast ran around the theater to get close to the audience. I thought that was exciting but for a 4 & 6 yr old that was VERY exciting!

My advice is to definitely NOT miss this show if you sail on the Disney Fantasy…… Aladdin is fabulous!

I know with kids it’s tough because it’s a juggling act with bedtime and a million awesome amazing activities to consider – however, in my opinions the one thing you never skip on a Disney Cruise is their Entertainment shows. Truly they are top notch and spectacular. Something you can never really experience at home so they are a total “MUST DO” while on any Disney Cruise.

Here’s a clip of some of the new entertainment on the fantasy including a number from Aladdin! You will recognize it when you see all the Genies dancing around!

Each evening while on the Disney Cruise, there is a different musical or show to see. Either at 6:15 or 8:30 depending on your dinner rotation and seating time. Tomorrow, we’ll see the new show Wishes created especially for the Disney Fantasy as well. It looks awesome based on our preview shown above that we saw while at the Christening Ceremony for the Fantasy in NYC earlier this month.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Disney Fantasy. I have lots more to share but the Internet WiFi connection on the ship is a bit slow as far as uploading media for videos and photos since we are now officially at sea.

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Day 1: Sailing on the Disney Fantasy

March 26, 2012 By

And we’re off to sea after a fabulous Sail Away party and afternoon exploring the Disney Fantasy.

Wow! This ship is incredible. Art Deco inspired it makes you feel like your boarding a ship from the 1920′s.

The Disney Fantasy is the way to travel – the most fancy giant floating resort ever. With lots of hidden Disney Magic if you want to look for it too!

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Filed Under: Disney, Kids, Travel Tagged With: ,

Room with a Savannah View at Animal Kingdom Lodge

March 26, 2012 By

If there ever was a place to have a view, it’s the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I could have sat on our balcony for hours. We saw giraffes, zebras, warthogs, pelicans, ankole cattle, impala and even an Ostrich!

Simply incredible and the vibe of the decor feels very African and authentic.

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Filed Under: Disney, Travel Tagged With: ,

Finally! My Disney Princess Half Marathon Race Photos

March 21, 2012 By

Words can’t even begin to describe the thrill and inspiration of running the Disney Princess Half Marathon. These photos capture a bit of the magic. The race started with Fireworks, we ran down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom and through the Castle, and finished at Epcot. With all kinds of music, marching bands, and beloved Disney Characters cheering us on – and taking photos with us too!

Here’s my official results from Run Disney – all my splits too for the 5K, 10K, 15K on my way to the final finish in 1:47.44. 

Here’s my splits below. Overall place Women’s Division – 277 th out of 15,802

I was thrilled with my time – averaged 8:13 per mile and I stopped for lots of character photos for the 1st half of the race to keep me relaxed and easy. The last 3 miles were tough – as my longest training run was a 10 miler – so there was no stopping as I feared I’d never start again if I stopped moving lol :)

5K Split: 24:45
10K Split: 49:51
15K Split:  1:15:21

 

We ran around Epcot as we neared the final 1/2 mile of the race.

Crossing the finish line – 1:47: 44 was my actual final time. Here are all the splits.

The finish line was glorious. Characters were dressed up cheering us on at the Finish chute – Goofy was decked out in his finery and confetti was everywhere.

 

Filed Under: Disney, Kids Tagged With: ,

Disney Store 25th Anniversary Giveaway and In Store Events

March 13, 2012 By

Happy 25th Anniversary to the Disney Store! On March 28th, the Disney Store will turn 25 years old and they’ve got an entire month of awesome free & fun activities lined up in store every Saturday for kids and families. And of course they’ve got  classy and commemorative 25th Anniversary Celebration merchandise available for sale. You can view the entire collection of 25th Anniversary Disney Store goodies for sale here and be sure to check out the Disney Store blog for all the latest happenings and learn more about how you can celebrate at your own local store.

 

Win it! Enter below to win a 25th Anniversary Celebration goody bag from Classy Mommy. One lucky winner will receive a special 25th Anniversary gift pack with some of the below goodies in our video. (Plush Mickey, 25th Anniversary frame, journal, pen, and reusable tote bag!)

Here’s a snapshot of journal which features the beautiful artwork used on many of these special 25th anniversary goodies from the Disney Store.

Enter to win by leaving a comment below by April 1st, 2012. Daily entries allowed. 

Disclosure: Thanks to the Disney Store for sending us these samples to facilitate our feature and giveaway. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Filed Under: Disney, Giveaways Tagged With: ,

The Muppets Parody the Hunger Games Trailer

March 6, 2012 By

For all you Hunger Games fans (yes I profess that is me!!!!), you might get a kick out of this parody trailer with the Muppets from Yahoo Movies! Take a peek here:

I can’t wait to see both the Muppets on DVD with my kids and to see The Hunger Games in theaters later this month.

The Muppets is Available March 20th! The Wocka Wocka Value Pack, contains the movie on Blu-ray high-definition, DVD and Digital Copy (3 discs) plus a download card for the film’s soundtrack from Walt Disney Records!

Filed Under: Disney, Movies, Videos Tagged With: ,

Simply Spectacular Disney Fantasy Christening Event

March 2, 2012 By

Wow! Triple Wow. Wishes do come true. And Disney is simply magical. Always.

What a night. After touring the new Disney Fantasy cruise ship all day long with Disney Imagineers (AMAZING!), I changed into a fancy strapless dress and met Mike for an evening of fabulousness at the Disney Fantasy Christening event.  It was simply spectacular. Tough to describe in words the incredibleness of the Fantasy Christening Celebration. Every detail was thought about and the entire evening was ripe with non-stop entertainment and decadence as only the Disney Cruise Line can provide.

All the entertainment was top secret until the moment the show began. Neil Patrick Harris was the emcee of the evening. I nearly died when he walked out on stage as I’ve adored him ever since my crush on him in Jr. High when he play Dr. Doogie Howser. He sang and danced and introduced the evenings talent. All the dance routines were very New York mixed with Disney magic which I loved – Disney has my number!

And Jerry Seinfeld was the major “comedy” act of the evening. He was unbelievable. Totally hysterical. Mike and I were dying he was so good. I’ve never experienced comedy like that and I wish we could have his stand up act every date night! His comments on public bathrooms and the miscommunications between husbands & wives had Mike and I in stitches.

Every moment just got better and better with more surprises, glitz, glam, entertainment, divine food, decadent desserts and of course lots of celebrities - from Ty Pennington to Mayor Bloomberg. Being included in this guest list of about 800 people felt like winning a lottery ticket. I’ve just never been to a party like this before. It was unreal and simply spectacular.  The need for a 24 hour babysitter so we could both attend was well worth every penny for a date night like this – a far cry from our usual dinner and a movie in the suburbs.

I loved the confetti and fanfare of it all. I felt like we were living a dream as it all rained down on us  on multiple occasions throughout the evening!

Mariah Carey was named the Godmother of the ship and popped the cork on that HUGE Champagne bottle with her blessing to let loose all that magic!

Here’s lots of great photos from the Christening Celebration  - at Animator’s Palate – a magical meal with friends and where our own drawings were literally brought to life and animated on the big screen at the restaurant all in the time between the appetizer and dessert. Food was beyond yummy too!

We dined at a table with @SavvyMommy. So wonderful to catch up with old friends!

Our desserts were divine!

The ambience was awesome. Very artistic!

Hanging with my blogger friends @FoodieCityMom @RoleMommy @Mom101 @SelfishMom and @SavvyMommy. What a night!

Post dinner Mike and I toured the ship to take a few more snapshots of the glam environment and hang out in Europa. Europa is the adult “night club” district on the ship. It is magnificent and made up of 7 different countries – and 7 areas – all themed in totally different ways to match each country. Think an Irish pub, a bubbly champagne bar, an Italian Piazza, and my favorite – the Tube – a London dance club.

Loved the dessert trays they were strolling around with in Europa along with the Light Up cocktails that glowed in the dark.

Desserts at the Tube – so very London with the red teleophone booth.

Look at this Chocolate slipper!

 

No company throws a better party then Disney – they are in the Entertainment business after all and they sure know how to create magical memories. We’ll never forget our evening at the Christening of the Disney Fantasy and I can’t thank Disney enough for including Classy Mommy.

Stay tuned for continuous coverage of the new Disney Fantasy Cruise ship on both ClassyMommy.com and Disneyed.com as I’ll posting videos and photos of my tour with Disney Imagineers yesterday and Kenzie, Kyle, Mike and I will be sailing on a preview cruise for 3 nights later this month.

 

Filed Under: Disney, Travel Tagged With: , , ,

Preview Photos from the Disney Fantasy!

March 1, 2012 By

Quick update with the cell phone pictures today during my media tour on the Disney Fantasy in New York City. Tonight is the big Christening Gala event and I can’t wait to get glitzy, find out who the secret entertainer is and who will be the new Godmother of this crazy amazing cruise ship.

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Walking on deck aboard the Fantasy with the skyscrapers and New York City skyline in the background was beautiful. However, I was sporting a parka as it is very chilly & wet in New York City today – not exactly Caribbean weather!

I’m dying to sail on this new ship and my kids are going to LOVE so many of the new features and enhancements. The Disney Fantasy has the same Footprint as the Disney Dream but since this boat is meant for 7 day sailings instead of only 3 or 4 day cruises, it has additional richer entertainment on board for guests – I’ll dive into all those details later but now I need to throw on my dress and try to get fancy!

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We’ll be cracking open this bottle of champagne later tonight at the Christening! I love the Minnie Mouse statue in the Atrium. The decor is all very “art nouveau” and Minnie has a hat box and feathers – super cute. The entire atrium is also detailed with gold and a touch of whimsy as the characters are in the trim in a subtle classy way.

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The gorgeous chandelier fixture in the atrium. The iPhone does not do all these jewels and glass justice!

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On deck peeking at the AquaDuck and Mickey Pool. All these pools can get covered up when it’s time for the Sail Away party and Pirate Parties in the evening on deck.

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Hanging out in my parka by Nemo’s Reef – Kenzie and Kyle adore this safe and secure splash area for kids.

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I was beyond impressed with the Enchanted Art on board the ship. I didn’t think it was something I’d care about but found it super entertaining, beautiful and fascinating. When you step up to a picture or poster, they literally come to life – and in the case of these Dumbo posters the characters and train move from one Poster to the next. Magical!

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The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is now on the Disney Fantasy. They also have 2 unique outfits / costumes sold JUST on the Fantasy. Daily this will operate as a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique but on the day of the Pirates Party the boutique will transform into the Pirate’s League. Another magical touch that kids will love – and a reason to visit twice too!

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The Royal Court restaurant. Inspired by four princesses and all the detailing is incredibly Princess. Stunning and beautiful.

A carriage light a la Cinderella. Roses for Belle. And so much more!
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Bread baskets shaped like a carriage too!

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We had lunch in Animator’s Palate and previewed the Animation Magic show that is new on board the Fantasy. Awesome as our own drawings will be brought to life by Mickey on screen. We doodle during the appetizer and see our work manifest as cartoons by dessert.

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Paintings and mosiacs in the Royal Court restaurant.

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All the bathrooms even have “Mickey” mirrors. Tons of these “hidden mickey” ships throughout the ship – some are more subtle than others. Mickey’s on the seat fabric in the theater, on the carpets, the belt buckles on the waiters belts at Animator’s Palate and more.
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Pepe the Prawn’s very own door on board the Fantasy. He has clues on his door that can be useful during the Muppet and Kid detective games. You can also even call Pepe on his cell phone via your on board ship “wave phone.” Kenzie will be gaga for this as Pepe the Prawn is ironically her fave Muppet of all time!

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And here’s my Itinerary for Mike and I tonight. I can’t wait!

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Filed Under: Disney Tagged With: ,

The Disney Fantasy Christening & Tour – Who will be the Disney Fantasy’s Godmother?

March 1, 2012 By

Up Next: I’m in New York City and raring to go bright and early as I can hardly wait to step on board the Disney Fantasy cruise ship this morning.

I step on the boat at 8:45 but I think I’ll be on the pier snapping photos by 7 AM as I can’t wait to see Dumbo on the stern and those Mickey Ears.

Rumors about about who will be named Godmother. Entertainment and the Godmother will be revealed tonight during the Gala. I can’t wait to attend this glitzy event on the Fantasy. I feel like I’ll be stepping back in time to the gilded cruise ship age of the early 1900′s. This will be a party to remember! Last year’s Christening of the Disney Dream was incredible. The kids attended with Mike and I and it was quite an event – Jennifer Hudson singing as godmother, characters galore, a parade, fireworks, and even a helicopter flying over the ship to pop a giant bottle of champagne on the stern.

Tonight, Mike will be heading into the city by 5 PM to accompany me as my date as tonight is an “adult only” affair. Many of my New York based blogging friends will be in attendance too which will be fun and of course lots of celebrities will be in attendance. Rumors say Jerry Seinfeld will be on board and I imagine many other “ABC” based media, TV, and movie stars will be there. Last year we sailed with Whoopi Goldberg from the View, John Stamos and more.

The big question is about the reveal of the Disney Fantasy Godmother. Who do you think it will be?

In the cruise industry it’s often royalty or a famous singer. Disney even had Tinkerbell, a character, as godmother on one of their ships so that is a possibility.

A few online rumors include:

Miss Piggy (Amy Adams?)

Julie Andrews

Mariah Carey

Angela Lansbury

Anne Hathaway

Mandy Moore

As soon as it’s revealed I’ll be posting the news.

Here’s our Disney Fantasy Christening itinerary for the evening:

Evening Schedule:
6:00pm  Welcome Aboard – Atrium
6:45pm  Entertainment Showcase – Walt Disney Theatre
7:45pm  Christening Celebration – Atrium
8:15pm  “A Taste of the Disney Fantasy”
9:45pm   After Party – Europa Entertainment District
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