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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Royal Caribbean Grand Suite - Monarch of the Seas

On our recent cruise on Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas, we were lucky enough to get a taste of the "suite life" in a Grand Suite.

The Monarch is one of the cruise line's older ships and is in the smallest class.  In fact, Royal Caribbean has sold the Monarch to their Italian line, Pullmantur, and she will be removed from the fleet in April.  However, while the staterooms are much smaller than what is typically found on newer Royal Caribbean ships, the suites are still spacious and comfortable, though dated in decor.

The Monarch doesn't have any balcony staterooms besides suites.  All of the suites are located on deck 10.  We were in room 1038, which was the Grand Suite closest to the elevator on the starboard side.


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The suite had a dry bar equipped with glassware and a coffee maker, as well as a flat-screen television (regular staterooms had tiny old-school box TVs).

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The room had a king bed with plenty of floor space on all three sides.

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A spacious vanity...

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Three large closets with robes and slippers.

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The sofa bed folded out into a queen size bed.

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Lots of storage!

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The balcony was very large.

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We were welcomed with bottled water and a fruit basket.

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As well as several invitations to events throughout the cruise.

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The bathroom had a full-size bathtub.

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And upgraded toiletries.

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Suite guests receive gold SeaPass cards so that they can easily be identified by crew members.  On larger cruise ships, gold SeaPasses give people access to the Concierge Lounge and reserved seating on the pool deck, but the Monarch of the Seas didn't have the amenities (alternative to Concierge Lounge was an invitation to the nightly Diamond Plus event in the Viking Crown Lounge).  There was, however, a reserved area in the Sound of Music theater for suite guests.

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One of our favorite suite perks was the ability to order room service from the dining room menu.  Instead of having to fill out the breakfast room service card the night before, we could call that morning and have breakfast delivered to the room.  It was a great convenience and sure beat battling the crowds at the Windjammer.

Other suite perks on the Monarch included -
  • Private party on Coco Cay with free cocktails
  • Reserved breakfast area in the dining room (never used it)
  • Pillow menu with variety of pillow options (also didn't use)
  • Priority embarkation
  • Priority tendering (not really necessary on the Monarch since it's such a small ship)
  • Free pressing service for formal night
  • Chocolates at turn down
  • Daily treats delivered to the stateroom (sushi, fruit, bottled water, etc.)
We were really glad that we chose to stay in a suite.  It was a good experience and did spoil us a little.  The 4-night cruise was an affordable way to see if the suite benefits were worth the upgrade (and on a larger ship, there would be even more benefits).

Monday, July 16, 2012

Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party - Magic Kingdom Fireworks

Claiming a fireworks spot to watch the nightly Wishes fireworks with the view of Cinderella's Castle in the background can get competitive - especially during peak season (summer, Christmas, spring break) at Walt Disney World when people begin to stake out spots in the Castle hub and along Main Street 2-3 hours in advance!  However, there are a few ways to ensure a great view of the fireworks without having to stand your ground or get pushed out of the way... or to hold a spot for two hours, only to have someone hoist their small child on top of their shoulders, in turn blocking your view.

The desire for reserved fireworks seating has contributed to the popularity of the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party.  And the irregular schedule of opening the dessert party for Advance Dining Reservations has also added to the difficulty of obtaining a reservation.

Reservations for the dessert party are different than typical Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs) for Walt Disney World restaurants, which open 180 days prior to your visit, as well as dinner shows, which can be booked up to 90 days in advance.  The release period for the dessert party is typically 2-3 months in advance, and instead of opening it a day at a time, they open the entire month at once.  However, the release date is completely irregular - for example, they opened the month of May on March 7 and the month of June on March 27.  Luckily, I had been following this thread on the DISboards where people dedicated to calling everyday to find out if they are accepting reservations yet post when they open up the next month.

You pay for the party upon making a reservation.  It's $35 per adult and $15 per child (ages 3-9).

I booked the party as a surprise for my sister, Rachel, and her friend, Meredith's graduation celebration at Magic Kingdom.  I had read online that it's a good idea to arrive 30-45 minutes before the party begins at 9:00, which made us the third or fourth family in line.  They didn't begin letting us into the party until 8:45, but I was glad that we had arrived early because while other families were still waiting to enter, we had the dessert buffet to ourselves.

The desserts are miniature and adorable (not to mention delicious).

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While they didn't serve soft drinks, they offered lemonade, water, and coffee.  In addition to miniature desserts, "homemade" ice cream was available.

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All seating at the dessert party is assigned.  Historically, the sooner you make a reservation, the better your seat will be.  People who booked the day it opened have reported to be seated at tables on the front row, while people who have booked last minute reported that they were seated in the back row.  However, it's important to note that the front and back rows consist of tables for 2-3 people, while the middle row consists of tables of 4 or more people.  So no matter how soon you book, if you are a party greater than 4, you will be seated in the middle row.  Also, table location doesn't matter too much because you are allowed to stand along the railing to view the fireworks.

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Here's our view from the table -

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You can see and hear the Main Street Electrical Parade, but you don't have a very good view of it from the terrace.  If you wish, you can leave the party (you're given a wristband upon entry) to get a closer view of the parade.

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Now, the annoying part of the Fireworks party was right about the time the parade ended, people from the back row of tables positioned themselves against the railing in front of the front row of tables. I had heard that people were allowed to stand against the railing for a better view, but I was shocked that they claimed their spot so early, just as if we were lining up for fireworks on Main Street. It was a little rude in my opinion because they essentially stole the spot directly in front of the first row of tables - taking the view of people who might've not been aware that they would need to stand up.

When this was happening, I was already against the railing in front of the buffet area, taking photos of the castle from the most direct head-on position. So, I lucked out with a great spot and had my family come join me. A CM then told us that we had the best view (which is funny because we were the last to claim a spot).


The view:

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We had a good view of The Magic, The Memories, and You, as well as the fireworks.

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There's a great view of Tinkerbell overhead.

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They don't restock the desserts throughout the party, though it described as a buffet. However, there were plenty of treats still remaining after the fireworks, just not as much selection.

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After the fireworks (actually during), the Cast Members go into clean-up mode.  They had left all of the desserts out, but had put away all of the flatware, so if you wanted another dessert, you had to use your fingers.  We got the hint to leave when a CM came by and asked us if we were going to finish our drinks (which we were clearly still drinking). We told her yes.  The CMs were very nice, but it was pretty obvious that they were ready for us to leave... though it was technically a public area, and we could hang out there if we wanted to.

While the dessert party was a fun experience, it isn't something that we're going to need to do every trip.  I wouldn't say that we really saved any time that we would've spent staking out a parade and fireworks location by doing the dessert party, and we still had to wait in line to get in... heck, we weren't even as close as we could have been had we waited in the Castle Hub.  But, it was nice to be able to have a relaxing pre-fireworks experience.  Not to mention, the desserts were really good!  I'd recommend eating a light dinner beforehand.

If you're interested in booking the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party, you can do it online or by calling Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE. 

Sunday, July 15, 2012

World of Coca Cola Museum in Atlanta

I'm one of those people who enjoys museums and aquariums and just looking and learning about things.  My sister, however... not so much.  In fact, she hates museums... and aquariums!  So while in Atlanta with my boyfriend, Max, on what started as a Ralph Lauren shopping spree (this guy is obsessed), I suggested that we check out the World of Coca Cola in Atlanta because I haven't been there since they moved to new location.  And being a go-with-the-flow guy who is always willing to please, Max agreed!

First: The new building looks great!

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It shares a plaza with the Georgia Aquarium, and when purchasing tickets, you have the option to bundle with the Georgia Aquarium and/or an Atlanta Braves game.

General Admission is $16 for adults, $12 for children (ages 3-12), $14 for seniors (ages 65+).

Parking was $10.  The parking garage is convenient to both the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca Cola.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Pink Elvis Surprise Birthday Party!

I feel like everyone has a "second mother" - you know, your mother's best friend who has watched you grow up and is listed as an emergency contact on all of your school forms.  Well, my second mother is Gail, or "Gay-Gay" as so many affectionately refer her.

Every year for as long as I can remember, Gay-Gay has not had a birthday... but a birthday week, combined with the 4th of July celebrations on the lake, her niece's birthday, and ending with her mother's birthday.  Gay-Gay loves the birthday attention... well, every year except this year... the big 5-0.

She told her husband she didn't even want to acknowledge her birthday.  She just wanted a quiet day around the house... which is good because that's exactly what she got.  However, the lack of birthday festivities apparently bothered Gay-Gay (ohhh, she voiced her disappointment!) which was also good - because we had a huge surprise planned for her.

The surprise party had been in the works for a few weeks.  My mother and her daughter, Emily, had been working on it.  The guest list had quickly grown from not just the current closest friends and family, but good friends from years past who had lost contact (which was perhaps the coolest part about the party).  Little did Gay-Gay know, her birthday would become a huge reunion.

A black, over-the-hill theme was a huge no-no.  For theming, we decided to go with Gay-Gay's favorite color, pink, and her one true obsession, Elvis.

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I designed the invitations using Adobe Illustrator and printed them on 4.25x5.5" cardstock

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The cake was created by Kim Brown.

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We ordered the slightly larger-than-life Elvis standee from Shindigz.com

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The table cloth was actually from my mother's wedding reception... 27 years ago!

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The party space

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Nothing like walking into a room full of Elvises...

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I printed the Elvis heads on cardstock and hot glued them to flat wooden dowels.

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The glasses have 'bling' so everyone can identify theirs... we host quite a few parties.


Pulling off a surprise is of course the trickiest part.  The plan was that Gay-Gay, Emily, Mom, and I would go see Magic Mike and while we were at the movie, all of the guests would come to the house.  Dad and Gay-Gay's husband, Perry, would park the guests' cars at the end of the street so that when we came home, it would look like a typical, lonely evening at home.

Getting Gay-Gay to our house... we had already ditched Gail for dinner (ohhh, she was not happy) with the excuse that my mother had to drive my sister to Columbia (we had to prepare food and decorations for the party).  After the movie, Gay-Gay wanted to get fro-yo at Yogurt Mountain... but we had to get her to the house.  It took some pleading... literally.  Mom - "Ohh, Gail, I forgot your birthday present at home!  Please why don't we just go to my house?  Can we do that?"  Gail - "Oh, that's fine." (No, that was not fine.  You could read it all over her face.)

YES!  We were headed home.  Pulled into the driveway and there were no cars except my father's.  I ran downstairs to grab the camera and we shoved everyone into the bedroom.  It's a good thing Gail was behind us because it took everyone a minute to calm the giggles while holding up Elvis masks.

Mom - "The cake's in the basement.  Hey, I put a new bedspread on your bed [Gail has spent the night here a few times... one of the first and only people to actually sleep in our guest room], take a look!"
Gail - Knocks on the door. "Alec [sister's boyfriend who has also stayed there] isn't in here, is he?"  Opens the door.

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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

How to Throw a Blacklight Party

Summer started with a bang, as I planned a blacklight party to celebrate my sister's high school graduation.

A few weeks ago, I shared the glowing party invitations which were inexpensive and super easy to make.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to capture as many details as I wanted from the party because we set it all up during the day, but it didn't get dark until right about when the party started... and things started getting moved around.  I did get some party pictures and video, though.


When planning for the blacklight party, I did a lot of research on blacklights to try and figure out how many we'd need, but there honestly wasn't that much information out there (mostly people who have blacklight bedrooms).  I figured I'd contribute my new-learned knowledge to those who are also looking to plan a blacklight party.

We spent the most money on blacklights.  Because the party was outside, we needed more lighting than if it were inside.  We spent several nights testing different blacklights so that we could get the perfect arrangement to create the best glow.  We found that our best investment was in four 48" blacklight bulbs which we put into two different shop lamps from Home Depot (similar shop lamp here).  The shop lamps cost ~$15 each, and the bulbs cost ~$12 each (2 bulbs per lamp).  So, for roughly $40, we had four times as much light as the 22-inch bulbs sold in the casing.  We hung the shop lamps over our covered dance floor.  For our extended dance floor that wasn't covered, we extended 24-inch bulbs (found for $18 each at Walmart) over the side of our porch above so that the people below would be illuminated.  We also replaced all of our outdoor lights with blacklight bulbs.

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For decoration, I bought blacklight rope in four different colors from blacklight.com to string over the dance floor.  I also purchased 2" blacklight ribbon which we wrapped around the poles outside.  I purchased blacklight balloons from blacklight.com, as well as LED light-up balloons from coolglow.com, and we inflated them with a Balloon Time helium tank.  We had a bit of trouble with the balloons... the light on the LED balloons is kind of heavy, so you have to really inflate the balloons so that they will float (and even then, they won't float for long).  And with the blacklight balloons, we thought we'd just let them float on the ceiling, but they all ended up escaping... we should've tied them down.

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Our cheapest and most effective decoration was washable Neon Tempura Paint by Creatology.  The day before the party, Rachel and I flung paint all over the ground, creating a cool splattered effect that really glowed underneath the blacklight.  At just $2 a bottle, this was a great, inexpensive decoration for an outside party, and afterwards, it washed off easily with a hose and a scrub brush.

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One of our most important purchases was the DJ. A blacklight party needs good, loud music to create a raging atmosphere.  We hired my friend from school who DJs.  They brought their own lights that were synced to the music which they were able to project onto the moon bounce for a cool effect. When looking for your own DJ that doesn't break the bank, you might consider searching at nearby universities for students who are just getting started, but are young and can really connect with the audience.

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The dance floor was actually something we already had... Rachel's practice floor for tap in our basement.  My dad had built it out of the plenty of leftover bamboo flooring.  He placed it on top of foam mats which was good for the basement garage, but not so good for the ground.  It rained towards the end of the party, and the dance floor became one giant slip-n-slide.  After one girl busted it, we had to take apart the dance floor and move it.... it was good for the first half of the party, at least!

To encourage a party atmosphere, it's important to define a smaller, more intimate space that invites guests to dance. If building a dance floor is out of the question, you might opt to define the dance floor with lights or other barriers.

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We rented two moon bounces for the party... well, one bouncy house and one inflatable slide.  The slide turned out to not be very fun dry, but became very exciting once it began to rain. The idea behind the inflatables was that guests who do not enjoy dancing could still have fun in an energetic way. However, our guests enjoyed dancing so much that two inflatables was a little unnecessary. If we did it again, we would probably only rent the inflatable slide, as it was much more utilized than the bouncy house.

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It was a fun and memorable party, and the "kids" seemed to be having a great time.

*This post contains affiliate links.

I'd be glad to answer any questions - ask in the comments below!