Word on the theme park beat is that those looking for a Disney fix are ditching the crowded and pricey parks and sailing on a Disney cruise instead.
After all, it has it all – theming, Broadway-level entertainment, creative food, surprising children’s facilities and sunny foreign shores, including two private destinations. They even have the only fireworks at sea (apparently there is fish food in the rockets.)
Best of all, the grandparents who handle the family — because let’s face it, it’s often the one who pays — can kick their feet up by the pool with a Hippopotomai-tai cocktail instead of walking 20,000 steps around the Magic Kingdom (yes, I counted it.)
Judging by the park-inspired ride on the newest ship in the fleet, Disney Treasure, designers have taken note.
Departed this week and has been sailing seven-day Caribbean cruises from Florida since December. 21, the 1,246-room, 144,000-ton Disney Treasure is the first of six Disney ships to bring much-loved park rides right on board.
The Haunted Mansion Lounge, painstakingly recreating the much-loved theme park ride, will welcome mortal guests to enjoy smoking spirit libations as everything unfolds around them – storms, ghostly events, Mrs. Liotta, statues that melt, even skeleton fish that appear in the aquarium. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that this will be packed to the rafters with bone mesh, possibly even leading to the first Virtual Queue at sea.
Another watering hole, Periscope Pub, evokes the retro 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride, sports diving helmets and vintage submarine taps with specialty ales. Shadow sharks and rays, filmed at Epcot’s Coral Reef, swim overhead.
There’s also an atrium-style bar, Skipper Society, that echoes the atmosphere (and bad games) of Jungle Cruise. Sit by the old radio and you can hear some of the hokey laugh-out-loud commentary.
Elsewhere, it’s all too heavy on theme, hidden Mickeys, and attention to detail, and you could waste your entire vacation time looking for them all.
Restaurants include the Plaza de Coco, where mariachi, Miguel and friends hold court, to the Guardians of the Galaxy dining space at Worlds of Marvel.
Kids’ clubs offer spacious areas themed around classics like Star Wars and Frozen, plus some tech wizardry – build your own roller coaster on a computer, then ride in a special car parked in front of a giant screen.
Teen vibe club lives like an urban loft, complete with a gas fridge, plus an indoor basketball court (or no ball for the aforementioned grandparents?) also doubles as a silent disco space.
Adult luxury doesn’t escape Thesari either, with a Senses spa complete with indoor and outdoor rainforest, as well as the tranquil cove and adult pool are always welcome. Signature enhanced dining includes Enchante, from three-Michelin-star chef Arnaud Lallement, and offers a themed escape (wait, there’s the Beauty rose in a glass terrarium outside.)
The outdoor deck is wrapped around the Aqua Mouse or watch a (Disney) movie by the pool. Later, continue the water theme in the theater with the ship’s signature show, Disney The Tale of Moana. Finish at the Scat Cat Lounge piano bar.
Of course, Disney cruises don’t come cheap — prices for Treasure itineraries start at $4,466 for two, according to the website, and there are no free Wi-Fi packages or other lines’ drinks — but if you have princesses and pirates kids, or you’re a huge Disneyphile, you’ll want to be all over the sea here.
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Image Source : nypost.com