Monday, September 1, 2014

YO HO YO HO A PIRATE'S CRUISE FOR ME - by Cheryl Giardi

Ahoy, me hearties! - Looking for an adventure on you next trip for those swashbuckling buccaneers?  Look no further - The Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage is just what you need!



We planned this event for the last night of our vacation this summer.  It runs Friday through Monday nights out of the Contemporary Resort.  Book early as it is limited space, I was able to book at 180 days before with my dining reservations so wake up early that day to call!   At the time the prices for this adventure were adults $59.00 and kids (3-9) $34.00.  Why did my son have to be 10 on this trip?  You also will pay when you book this but don't worry you will be able to cancel if you need to.  This was a surprise for my first mate and buccaneer boys so I made the card above and then had t-shirts made from Etsy (no names as I am an overprotective/crazy MOM). 


My last blog entry was entitled "The Power of the Poncho".  I know traveling in July there is always that chance for a rainstorm late afternoon each day but usually it cools things off and we carry on.  Well this past vacation those afternoon rainstorms came at about 2pm daily and never stopped until the wee hours of the night.  So of course the day our Pirate adventure was planned - it rained, no it poured with thunder and lightning to top it off!  By this time the Giardi family is not only well equipped with ponchos but umbrellas as well purchased in China at Epcot!  By day 9 we are just used to the rain and we carry on! ARRRR!

We arrive at the Contemporary by 8:30 soggy and tired but hopeful our adventure is still on for the evening!  We sign in and receive a ticket to enter and a cool bandana to wear.  We were told if the voyage is cancelled (due to lightning nearby not due to rain) they will still have the before activities and then we will head up to the top floor to watch the fireworks.  They tell us we will have a full refund if the boats don't go out.  A win-win situation.   There is a scavenger hunt around the resort and coloring pages but we just find a spot next to a quiet bystander to wait (and perhaps dry off a bit).


We are led into the ballroom by two pirates by the names of "Patch" and "Patch" and that's where it all begins.  There is a bounty of food to pillage!   Blimey!  There's popcorn, cotton candy, cookies, granola bars (okay like who's choosing those?) popcorn, a HUGE cake and treasure chest full of chocolate pieces of eight (gold coins).  Heave Ho! I must fill me pockets!  There are drinks, tea, and a freezer full of ice cream delights including some shaped like our favorite mouse.  Blow me down!  In walks none other than Captain Hook and Mr. Smee for a photo session.  Don't worry mates all will have a chance!

We were then told that although it was still raining, the lightning had passed and the voyage was on!  We gathered our booty and headed out of the doors!  Half of the crowd went with Captain Hook and luckily our half followed Mr. Smee (Captain Hook= one scary dude)!  If I didn't LOVE Disney World enough that day I was about to even more.  As we were led to boats docked behind the Contemporary we were greeted by the lifeguards with heated towels!  I thought I had died, went to heaven and took two!  

Captain Hook and Mr. Smee left us and Patch was now in charge. Patch was fantastic and led us off into the rainy Seven Seas lagoon with a pirate sing along!  There was dancing, yes dancing!  There were jokes!  What's a pirates favorite letter? "ARRRRR" and even trivia (mostly surrounding the movie Peter Pan so I was glad we rewatched it before our trip).  The boat dropped its anchor in time for the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular.  We were in perfect view for Wishes and they had the audio piped in throughout the boat.  I had heard this was a perfect way to view the fireworks if you had a child sensitive to loud noises! Perfect! 

After the fireworks we headed back to the resort (note; on a clear day you would also see the Electrical Water Pageant).   More songs and trivia and my kids won more weapons (a knife and sword) to add to their lightsabers previously bought.  TSA is going to love us.  Arriving back at the docks we walked to plank, returned our heated towels - NOOO! and headed into the resort only to be greeted by Peter Pan himself! (Note: he is usually outside waiting.) He signed autographs and posed for pictures!



It's a pricy adventure especially with those 10 year old "adults" but even in the rain, it was worth the doubloons (pirate money - like I'm not saving that one for Jeopardy?). 

So... As for the booking the Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage on your next Walt Disney World vacationI'm totally "HOOKED".




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