Disney Magic in Halifax!!!

This is long overdue, and not for lack of interest. Disney really knows how to roll… and to sail! Disney Magic is one of their cruise ships and it stops right here in the port of Halifax! I was lucky enough to be invited on board for lunch and a tour with the lovely Angela. 

 

She treated us like the stars Disney always treats their guests. I’d been to Disney World and after being blown away by every little detail had high expectations. I was not to be disappointed!

 

The dining room was lavish and had exquisite food, drinks and service. We were treated to a fancy cocktail, and a lovely lunch including fabulous dessert. Throughout the meal Angela filled us in on the wonders of the Disney Magic, and other ships in the Disney Cruise line.

 

Guests are assigned wait staff who follow them throughout the ship to the many different options for dining. They ensure all dietary needs are addressed by the kitchen staff without guests having to repeat information.

 

This is the family vacation spot for all! Have you ever felt like family vacation is vacation for everyone but you, the parent responsible for everyone’s happiness? < or so it seems when no one else remembers the toothbrushes, extra undies, or swimsuits 😉 > I have returned form many a family vacation feeling like, now I need a vacation of my own. Disney has it covered, regardless of age. There are services available for children from newborn through to teens!

You could literally not see your children from morning ’til night, if you so wish! There are kids’ clubhouses where parents are actually not welcome past the doors! And the kids don’t want to leave – with science experiments, cooking lessons and art classes happening everyday, why would they? The only real drawback I see here < besides not actually spending vacation time together > is that I might not be able to drag the kids off the ship at ports of call to check out the local sights!

 

There are kids pool decks – equipped with water slides, a pirates playground, and an adults-only pool deck. There is scheduled entertainment, including exclusive screenings of Disney movies, family dance bar, and a spa & fitness centre!

Every detail has been considered to give the ship the Disney feel, from the magnificent entrance lobby, to the Mickey adorned funnel on the ship’s smoke stacks.


I must admit, I’ve never been one to consider a cruise as a vacation aspiration, but I do now! < Kids, momma wants a vacation too! >

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Experience PEI

Did you know there are more than 30 golf courses on Prince Edward Island? If I were a golfer, or at least had a golfer in my life, this would probably really excite me. 🙂

An invitation to experience Prince Edward Island ~The Gentle Island~ on the Halifax waterfront turned an unsuspecting evening into one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in my favourite/home city. And now I have locked in PEI as one of my family vacation destinations for the near future.

Being from Nova Scotia, it’s not the authentic island experience that attracts me so much, or even the coastal drives (I’d actually really like to cycle the Island coastline one day), but the rich farmland of the Million-Acre-Farm right next to the coast and of course the theatrical experiences of Anne of Green Gables to share with my 9 & 11 year old girls.

Recently I’m spending most evenings on my own I decided to take a chance and invite a new friend I’d only just met to join me. Lucky thing I seem to find like-minded adventure seekers to share my time with!

 

We arrived as Chef Corbin Tomaszeski of the Food Network‘s Dinner Party Wars”, “Restaurant Makeover” and “Crash My Kitchen was introduced and he explained how we were going to have an interactive food experience cooking with a team rather than sit and listening to him as he demonstrated “How boring would that be?” But just to make things interesting, he insisted we switch partners with someone else in the room since we could/did cook with our guests all the time! I looked at my guest, we gave a little chuckle. So much for talking over our food and getting to know each other better! Chef Corbin is very entertaining. We had a lot of laughs as he described such things as his nocturnal racoon-like wife who is expecting twins in just two weeks, and “hiding” his mom’s rice under the rim of his plate as a child. He had us prepare and taste 3 different dishes that each included lobster and fresh vegetables that will be plentiful during PEI’s Fall Flavours festival, which Chef Corbin will be a part of.

photo provided by Tourism PEI

After the food demonstration and tasting ended, we moved outside to the Courtyard of the Lower Deck. I love the summer experience of Halifax waterfront, and it did not disappoint. The weather was perfect. There was more food and great musical entertainment from PEI. 2011 ECMA winner Meaghan Blanchard started us off with her spectacular voice while we ate more tasty PEI treats and had a few drinks, then Paper Lions came on. Their music was a complete change from Meaghan’s and every bit as wonderful.

photos provided by Tourism PEI

 

photo provided by Tourism PEI

We mingled with the other guests had lots of great conversation, then left with a big gift basket filled with PEI delights! I’ve already devoured everything and didn’t even share. I guess I’ll have to restock when we visit.

 

I can’t wait to spend time getting to know the National Park of the Island, where the whole family will be able to enjoy the activities we love like cycling & running, hiking and swimming! There’s even a 75km challenge we could participate in for the 75th anniversary, if we get there before October 2012!