Because Jason works in professional hockey (and I used to) the only time we can really take vacations together is over the summer. All year long we look forward to those glorious few weeks we get to spend up on Cape Cod!
It’s definitely frustrating that we don’t get to escape the cold winters to wonderfully warm tropical islands and instead he spends most of his time from September to May literally hanging out on ice…
Jason & I at the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
…but every 4 years there is an exception to the rule.
Two weeks right smack in the middle of hockey season where we can leave behind any ice that’s not keeping our drinks cold. Where we don’t have to give a puck (like how I did that??) about practice days, travel schedules and hockey equipment.
Two weeks when we can get our butts out of the cold and on to a beach in FEBRUARY! Did you hear that?!? A VACATION IN FEBRUARY!
Two GLORIOUS weeks we look forward to once every FOUR years. Two weeks you may know better as…THE WINTER OLYMPICS!
Yup, every four years the NHL hits pause on their season and sends their best and brightest to represent their home countries in Olympics Games!
So, where are we off to for our “put hockey on ice” once every four years winter vacation??!
Well, we debated Aruba…we LOVE Aruba…we did get married there after all…
Aruba, August 2007
…but being the procrastinators that we are we didn’t actually go to book anything until about 2 weeks ago (I mean HELLO, we’ve only known this was coming for FOUR YEARS!!!) and by then all the hotels we were interested in were either booked or insanely expensive!
So, we went to choice B. A choice B that I have been trying to get Jason to agree to for several years now, but he’s had no interest. A choice B that has it all – beaches, dinners, shows, spas…
And without further ado, I present Winter Olympics Vacation 2014 CHOICE B…
…A DISNEY CRUISE!
Posing with a Disney Cruise Line bus
during the 2014 WDW Half Marathon!
Yes, in just 16 days the NHL will break, hockey players will trade cold New York for cold(er?) Russia and Jason and I will flock south for 4 nights on the Disney Dream stopping at Nassau and Castaway Cay followed by 2 nights at Walt Disney World!
As I mentioned Jason’s really never been interested in going on a cruise (he’s never been on one before), but now that we’ve started planning I think he’s getting a bit more excited about the whole thing (or maybe he’s just excited about not standing on ice all day…).
I’ve been on cruises, but not in years and never on a Disney cruise!
So, I’d love any advice, tips, tricks or suggestions from those of you that have!
Oh, and that reminds me, there’s one more race I’ll be doing this year that I left off my What’s Next: Running Edition post yesterday – the Castaway Cay 5k!
Have you ever been on a Disney Cruise??
What’s your favorite vacation destination?
And is it too early to start packing?!?
**P.S. – I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the NHL powers that be for allowing the NHL players to participate in the Winter Olympics again and allowing Jason and I to take our once every four years “get out of the cold during hockey season” vacation!**
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You will love it!!!! We were on Fantasy in November and had the most memorable holiday 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that! I’ve heard nothing but great things about the Disney Cruises, we’re really looking forward to it!
Fun! I had my bachelorette party on a 2-night cruise on the Disney Magic. Be sure to book a dinner at Palo or whatever other adult-only restaurant is on board. We did it one night and wish we’d done it both nights.
Yup, made a reservation at Palo one night! We just did one night because we want to be able to check out the other restaurants on the ship too!
Hey Dani…
I heard they have ice skating rinks on the cruise ships…. so my suggestion, stay the “puck” away from them! After all, you wouldn’t want to slip and get hurt.
Ha! Don’t worry, I made sure we were on a ship WITHOUT an ice rink!
Ok, now I’m officially jealous. You’re absolutely going to LOVE it! Yes, Palo is awesome, and make sure you get to the other restaurants as well. I hear great things about Remy too, though it’s pricey. I suggest you just keep eating until you explode. 🙂 Oh, and don’t miss Pirate Night where they fire off firework from the ship!
Since I know how disappointed you were with character photos during Marathon Weekend, you are going to be over the moon when you see how many opportunities you’ll have on the ship and on Castaway Cay! Speaking of, I suggest doing the package where you get a bike, inner tube, and snorkel rental for like $40, if you’re into that sorta thing. And the BBQ lunch on the island is really good too.
Have an amazing time! Can’t wait to hear all about it!!!
Yay, I’m so excited! We have a reservation for Palo and then figured since it was a 4 night cruise we would do that 1 night and then get to do each of the other 3 “regular” restaurants once – we’ll save Remy for another time!
I can’t wait to see Castaway Cay, it sounds amazing!
Very cool! I haven’t taken a Disney cruise, but we usually go to watch the ships leave port when we visit the area around Cocoa Beach, FL. There’s some fun little bars right on the water where all the cruise ships go past – Disney’s plays music of course! If you think you’ll have time, I can look up the names of the bars.
The only cruise I’ve been on was from Vancouver and went up through Alaska. That was freaking uh-mazing!!!! So much to see! Such beauty!
Oh my gosh, I went on an Alaska cruise with my family about 15 years ago and it was amazing – definitely my favorite! I would love to take my husband to do that one day!
I doubt we’ll have time hit up and of the bars in the area but thanks for offering!
I love the cruise my parents and I did in 2005. You go to sleep in one port and wake up in another. Have a lot of fun too! The Destination channel always shows stuff about DCL and the ships look spectacular.
Haha, I just DVR’d the Destination Channel show on the Disney Cruises! I’ve seen it but I’m hoping to get my husband to watch it before we go : )
So glad,told Jayson when we had dinner here in Tampa he would love a cruise. Most wonderful way to get away together and eat,eat,and then eat more. The cruises I’ve been on we’re wonderful ,if we could we take at least one a month,well, at least one a year. You are going to love the peace and time away from the hellter skelter of every day life. Even thow your with a couple thousand other people your as alone as you want to be. Just pace yourself at the rastaurants,you can really eat 24 hours a day. You are really going to love your it.
I used to love when my family took cruises growing up, we did some really great places (Alaska, Baltics, Panama Canal…), but it’s taken me 7 years of being married to your son to FINALLY convince him to try one!
Fingers crossed he likes it or I’ll never hear the end of it!
oooh – I can’t wait to hear all about this…we take our kids to Disney e.v.e.r.y year…and the hubs and I have been toying with the idea of doing a Disney cruise this year instead….
We go to Disney a lot too so I thought this would be a nice change – plus with only doing a 4 night cruise we’re doing 2 nights at Disney too! I’ll be sure to let you know how it is!
Yup, what Michelle said…really want to hear how it goes! Never been on a cruise, but Disney would be a great first
Oh yay! I’m so glad you guys ended up doing a cruise! You’ll have to tell me all about the awesomeness that is a Disney one! Total cruiseaholic, you guys are going to have soooooo much fun!
Haha, I’ll definitely tell you all about it! Beaches + Disney!? What could be wrong about that!
Luckyyyyy. I’ve never Disney Cruised but one of my best friends just came back from one and won’t stop raving about it! Can’t wait to hear about your experience!
I’m so glad to hear EVERYONE that comes back has nothing but good stuff to say about it!
SO jealous!! That is on my list, I just need to chill out on the runDisney races.
I know how it is with crazy schedules. B’s doesn’t allow us to take many trips together. It sucks.
Yeah, working around an entire sports season is frustrating so we always feel like we need to take advantage of Olympics and All Star breaks when we can!
SOOOOOO exciting!!! I can’t wait to hear how you love it 🙂 Brent and I are considering a cruise after Marathon Weekend next January (funny enough, a 4-night Bahamian cruise on the Dream) so I’m even more excited to hear about your fun! ENJOY it!
Oooh…cruise right after marathon weekend would be awesome! I’ll let you know how it is!
It’s never ever too early to start packing for a really great vacation. It’s like that half marathon cruise stop was just waiting for you to get aboard!!!
Haha, I know! I’m not gonna lie to you, I was pretty excited when I saw it, especially since I had only booked the cruise like 2 days before!
Cruises are so relaxing and fun. I know you will have a blast. Enjoy the Castaway 5k, I will be jealoous of your little medal from that race! It is not a possibility, but I would love to go on a Disney cruise…..Tom is totally against it! 😦
It’s funny because I’ve always been worried about the amount of kids on a Disney cruise, but I keep hearing that it’s really not bad since the Disney Cruises have SO MUCH for kids to do you rarely see them!
Looking forward to hearing what you think of your cruise! I’m excited for you guys to have a vacation…and so soon!!
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I had no idea you were doing a Disney cruise! You will have a blast girl!
Thanks Heather! I read through a lot of your recaps as we were deciding and planning so I feel like I know exactly what to expect! : )