Disney Cruise wear. 5 clothing items for guys to bring

Like most people we have a tendency to over pack. This is especially true for the first Disney Cruise we took back in 2008. We had been given advise about cruise wear from people who had not been on a Disney Cruise, and therefore were a bit more formal than you need to be on a Disney cruise. Now that isn't to say that you can or should be a total slob on a DCL boat. But unless you really want to put on the Ritz you can leave your tux at home. I do want to quantify I am not saying that you should dress tacky or in any way against local customs. I am going to give you my own personal ideals of what you should bring.

1. A nice polo shirt or short sleeve button up shirt (no Aloha shirts please). This will usually get you into all the dining rooms and also into Paulo without any fuss. It should be clean, free of holes, and logo free if possible. I like the polo option because it folds nicely and because you are in the tropics cotton will be your friend.

2. Cargo shorts. I actually like cotton cargo shorts for the obvious reason, storage. I have several nice pair that are no issue for going to lunch or a casual dinner. Also cotton not denim because it dries faster and stays cooler. Add this to the fact that they pack tightly and you have a winner.

3. Sandals. Sandals ( not flip flops) are a great option to sneakers when traveling in the tropics. A good pair of Keens will set you back $70.00 but are sturdily constructed and offer what few sandals can, toe protection.

4. Khaki or linen pants. These types of long pants will be the most versatile and easiest to pack and most likely to be wrinkle resistant or steamable. they are going to look the nicest so you can wear them to your nice dress up dinner as well as other meals. They can be washed so you can take advantage of laundry service if you get curry sauce on them and they are breathable and look pretty nice with just about anything.

5. Sun Glasses (extra sunglasses). This is a must as sunglasses (as well as batteries, film, SD cards, band aids, etc) can be very pricey when you are in a touristy area. I was forced to buy a pair of sunglasses on St Martin and it ran me about $40 for a cheapo pair. Be prepared for the fact that you may leave them somewhere and buy a pair for in case of emergency.

Honorable mentions:

A. a Hat. You are not going to be used to this type of sun and you will need covering of some type. That is unless you like a third degree sun burn.

B. raincoat. It does rain and if you happen to be in a down pour you will want to have a light rain jacket to keep dry. If you are visiting WDW you should consider a poncho (I know dorky but you will be dry)

C. Age and status appropriate swim wear. What does this mean? Simple, (Guys) no one wants to see a man in a pair of Speedos. No one wants to explain to their child why that man is wearing his undies on the beach. (Ladies) think about what you will be doing on the beach. Are you going to be playing with your kids around other kids/tween/teens/adult males? Do you really want to be in that string bikini and have a body part fall out? Maybe a nice one piece would be a better idea. You can still look like the hot mom but respect your children enough to cover up some. Also please cover up, I really don't want to have to talk to my son about a thong.

You may be right, I may be crazy...

I may very well be a little insane to use Disneyland as incentive to potty train my son, thinking I would have a little time before he would "meet Mickey". However whats done is done and I plan to uphold my part of the bargain. That being said I want it to be a good trip and that means planning. I and my wife have been to DL many times and I could probably give you directions around the park over the phone just by what you describe to me. Having a little one with us is a bit of a switch, as we will end up in all the areas we avoided on previous trips. As with all my trips I have a distinct order of how I plan (alongside my travel agent Mary in the Mt Vernon AAA office). Start off with the following and you should do well:

1. How much time do I have between now and the trip? This will let you figure out how much money you can save between now and then. Hopefully alleviating any need to go into debt. I know some people who wait until tax time because they figure they can use their refund on a trip. What ever you are comfortable with.
2. How much money do I currently have for the trip? This is very important, as it will determine not only if you can go, but were you can afford to stay/eat/souvenirs/and transportation/etc. Try to do a budget and then look at how much you can save realistically for this type of trip.
3. Once the money is figured out then you can start looking at the hotels that your budget will allow for. Even if you are on a bare bones budget you can get a decent hotel. You just have to look hard and consult experts ( travel agents, friends who go there a lot, you know). If you have little kids make sure that they have good ratings on travel sites, that they have a pool (your kids are not going to want to be at the park the whole time) and that it is in some part restful. After all that is the reason behind a vacation.
4. Admission and other askadentals. Park admission is steep. However we just learned that if your kiddo is under 2 years old he gets in free (partially the reason we are doing this trip before his birthday). Askadentals are the things that are not covered as incidentals (i.e. glow sticks, balloons, baked goods, and that glass of wine with dinner).
5. Transportation to the park. Do you live close enough to drive (or do you want to do a National Lampoon trip before the park). What would it cost to fly or take the train. Do I take shuttles, cabs, or rent a car. These are all deeply individualized things. I can tell you that we will fly and take a super shuttle, and use the ART system if we need to get around Anaheim.
6. Make your travel lists (what do I need to do/pack/buy/etc. before the trip). These will be revised over and over before you leave. It is just a guideline so that you don't forget your kids blankie.
7. Get in  "park shape". This may mean that you have to do some exercise. Walking, weights, any cardio to prepare you for the hours and hours of walking transfers, lifting of children, and various other activities. It would be a shame to hurt yourself, or get so exhausted on the first or second day that you cannot enjoy the rest of your time there.
8. Review all your travel documents. You will want to be relatively familiar with your travel itinerary so that you will know where you need to be, at what time, with which air carrier/bus company/train station/shuttle company/rental car agency. If you save this for the day of the trip you will just add stress to that day and make it more difficult than it needs to be.
9. Travel. Once you have prepared yourself as well as you can it is time to roll with the punches. Things will happen. It just will so try to remain calm, and work with the people who may be trying to help make your situation better. Yelling at the ticket person doesn't do any good and it might keep you from boarding the plane.

Number nine is very important because once you have stepped out of your house the day of the trip you are on vacation, and therefore have very little control. Things will go right, and things will go wrong. If you plan ahead it will make both scenarios go just a little smoother.

Activities for everyone

I have talked before about the many great things that Kauai has to offer as activities. Hiking, Surfing, Shopping, Beachcombing, Snorkeling, fishing, the list goes on and on. If you have mobility issues they are striving to make things a little better. They are in process of creating a 10 mile long paved path along the eastern side of the island that is right along the coast for bikers, joggers, strollers, and us folks who spend our time on 4 wheels. In fact two miles are already up and running and I hope the next time I am there the rest will be too.

I also want to give props to this island state for creating a monster playground that has ramps, for kids or adults with mobility impairments to access multi levels of the structure. Built in the 90's Kamalani Playground is a giant wood play structure that has slides, caves, bridges, swings, and a place for mom and dad to sit and rest while the kids are playing. It is made of wood and has tons of things to look at and play with.

Now for the adventure lovers take one of the many downhill bike tours through Waimea Canyon. It starts at the top of the picturesque site and takes you all the way to the ocean. All down hill. Or you can take a charter to the Napali coast and walk on virgin sand beaches, on the way you will likely see turtles, dolphins, and maybe a whale or two. Sure you can hike to some of them but I prefer an ocean view on my way to secluded beaches.

All this just makes me want to go back. Maybe someday soon.

Quick post for a quick tip.

Keep all of your travel documents together. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people juggling their carry-on, laptop case, and water bottle trying to get their tickets for the gate attendant. This just irritates the people behind you so here is an easy solution. REI, AAA, Target, and I am sure other fine retailers out there have cool little dossier holders that you can keep all of your travel paperwork together in a nice neat little case. This will alleviate your stress trying to not spill your triple shot non-fat mochaccino with whip. It will also let you not be the guy everyone wants to see seated by the bathrooms in the back of the plane (you know who you are, from my last trip. Like I said easy and quick.

Your New Best Friend

OK, as I have stated many times, it is good to use a professional travel agent for some things. After all like all professionals they know things that you won't. It is their job to assist you in making your trip restful and (in our circumstances) affordable. You wouldn't think of doing home dentistry (or maybe you would in which case I would mock you incessantly).

I am lucky that I have two agents that I have regularly used for years. One for the local jaunts, and destination vacations. The other I use for things that are a little more adventurous. I consider them to both to be friends. So it in this spirit that I give out another tip. Make friends with your agent, get to know them and their families. Let them into your life. This will enhance both of your abilities (yours to trust that they will do their very best in planning, and theirs to know exactly what you may need even when you don't voice it).

My travel agents are great because they can anticipate some of my needs. I really love to visit them and find out what is going on with them outside the offices. I write this because after a tough week of work I went to the mail box to get my mail and my itinerary was in there. I went in to ceremoniously open it with my wife, and after stripping away the white AAA envelope we discovered....It was gift wrapped by the brilliant Mary at AAA Mt. Vernon. It was a nice way to start off the weekend. And AAA Incorporated if you are reading this, you really should give that woman a raise as she is a great representative for your company.

More later...

Won't you let me take you on a sea cruise...

I have been on lots of different types of vacations and I must say that I have really taken a great shine to cruises. Now my experience is limited to just one Eastern Caribbean cruise. However my wife and I have done quite a bit of research for the cruise line, ports of call, and excursions. So we have a bit of knowledge on the subject. I will just give you my own opinion, take it in the way it was intended.

First off, consult a professional (my trusty AAA travel agent Theresa and Mary). These folks have extensive knowledge on ALL the cruise lines so they can direct you to the right one. This is important because if you are wanting to relax, perhaps the Spring Break Carnival Cruise with tons of college kids isn’t what you want. A travel expert will be able to let you know what the facilities will be on the ship, if the ports of calls are dockside or tendered (this is when they take you from the ship to a little boat and then to the dock..Most cruise lines will NOT assist you with this). The more information you can get the easier it is to start doing your own research (and you will need to do research).

So the great thing about cruising is that you only have to unpack once. For most lines the food and most of your entertainment in also included in the price of the ticket. All this plus there are partner airlines that will offer deals for your airfare. It is a great deal.

As I said I took an Eastern Caribbean cruise on Disney Cruiselines and I had an incredible time. We booked last minute but it was still a pretty great deal that included airline and a hotel for the night before the ship left. We ended up splurging on a wonderful couples massage (I totally reccommend if you can swing it. I was totally spasm free at the end of it). I have made some inquiries on other lines and have heard that Princess ships going to Alaska even hook up with an accessable rail line to their own private resort. Royal Caribbean is the nice halfway point between Carnival Cruiselines and Norwegian Cruise lines.

Now here is the beautiful thing. If you don't feel like getting off the ship to battle the throngs of shoppers most lines offer discounts on shipboard services. You may even find duty-free liquor and other goodies for the same prices as at the island shops. Just something to think about. I will talk more about this in detail in another post.