Dallas to Honolulu to Melbourne (on the Wonder!) to Auckland Nov 2024

[EaridescentFirefly]

Aloha! I'm not Hawaiian, I am just a dork. My family and I are about to take our 4th DCL trip (2018: Jamaica & Puerto Rico, 2020: Key West & The Bahamas, 2022: Alaska), and our 10th Disney trip overall. This is our first trip to Hawaii, Australia, or New Zealand, and our second cruise on the Disney Wonder.

The Fam:

https://flic.kr/p/2q1D7yL

Eddie & Sue -- Both early 50s, married for 33 years, both work in Higher Ed (that's American for university).

https://flic.kr/p/2q1D7yR

Jonah: 16, only child, still into Disney.

Our Plans

Tuesday, 19 November: Fly from Dallas, TX to Honolulu, Hawaii. Stay on Waikiki Beach at beachfront hotel.​

Wednesday, 20 November: Enjoy beach, eat at Monkeypot and Duke's Waikiki. Take Hop-on-Hop-Off tour of Honolulu.​

Thursday, 21 November: Fly from Honolulu to Melbourne, Australia.​

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Friday, 22 November: Arrive in Melbourne local time 7:40 p.m. Stay at City Business District (CBD) hotel. Dinner at The Sherlock Holmes.​

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Saturday, 23 November: Take tram to Melbourne Zoo. Kangaroo Experience followed by lunch. Take the tram to the Melbourne Immigration Museum and board bus to Philip Island to visit Koala Preserve and see Blue Fairy Penguin Beach Parade.​

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Sunday, 24 November: Brunch on St. Kilda Beach, board the Disney Wonder around 4:00 P.M. This is our second cruise on the Wonder, so we're somewhat familiar (we've also sailed her sister ship The Magic). Hope we get Tiana's for our first rotational dining.​

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Sunday, 24 November-Friday, 29 November: Sail the Tasman Sea on the Wonder. Meet exciting Aussies and Kiwis, LOL. Play pub trivia, bingo, Senses Spa trips, Vibe teen club for the boy, game nights at Azure, deck time, Pirate Night, hopefully see at least "Moana 2" at the Buena Vista theatre, have Mickey Bars for room service, sleep in, have a romantic night at Palo, have an unusual American Thanksgiving aboard a cruise ship off the coast of New Zealand.​

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Friday, 29 November: Dock in Auckland. Disembark and take bus to CBD hotel near the Sky Tower. Check-in and freshen up, tour the Auckland Sky Tower. Try to find shops selling Troye Sivan's Tsu Lange Yor scents. Dinner at Nana's Fish House.​

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Saturday, 30 November: Up super early to be picked up by a van to drive us the Hobbiton Movie Set tour, followed by Rotorua and Te Puia tours. Eat on the road, get back to Auckland and collapse.​

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Sunday, 1 December: Hop-on-Hop-Off tour of Auckland. Art Museum. Eat at hotel, early night.​

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Monday, 2 December: Fly back to Dallas, drive back back home. Attempt to cultivate Kiwi accent.​

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Back with more in December! ~ Sue

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[Agent 86]

hopefully see at least "Moana 2" at the Buena Vista theatre, have Mickey Bars for room service

Mickey Bars weren’t available for the majority of the inaugural down under sailings. Maybe they’ll fix this for the upcoming season, but it’s unknown.

Also, the movies were tied to the Australian, not the US, release dates. It looks like we might be getting it on 27/28 November, but if that changes, you may not get to see it.

I’m also not sure what, if any, Thanksgiving celebrations there will be on board as we don’t celebrate that in Australia or New Zealand.

IF Tiana’s is your first rotational dining, you may not get the show that night. I requested Tiana’s as the first dining rotation because I knew it would be my daughter’s favourite. But, there was no show the first night. Instead, it ended up being scheduled for the last night of the cruise (but, by then my daughter had caught one of the many germs going around and sadly we missed it).

 

[EaridescentFirefly]

Mickey Bars weren’t available for the majority of the inaugural down under sailings. Maybe they’ll fix this for the upcoming season, but it’s unknown.

Also, the movies were tied to the Australian, not the US, release dates. It looks like we might be getting it on 27/28 November, but if that changes, you may not get to see it.

I’m also not sure what, if any, Thanksgiving celebrations there will be on board as we don’t celebrate that in Australia or New Zealand.

IF Tiana’s is your first rotational dining, you may not get the show that night. I requested Tiana’s as the first dining rotation because I knew it would be my daughter’s favourite. But, there was no show the first night. Instead, it ended up being scheduled for the last night of the cruise (but, by then my daughter had caught one of the many germs going around and sadly we missed it).

I knew that about Mickey Bars from another Aussie cruiser and forgot. Makes total sense, though.

That’s interesting about the movie release dates.

You realize that my family and I can quietly celebrate the American Thanksgiving (as opposed to Canadian Thanksgiving) I referenced between the the 3 of us, right? It’s just a meal and gratitude. Although getting told as a history prof that Australia and New Zealand don’t celebrate a U.S. holiday will give me something to talk about at work tomorrow, LOL.

Fingers crossed for Tiana’s!

 

[Agent 86]

You realize that my family and I can quietly celebrate the American Thanksgiving (as opposed to Canadian Thanksgiving) I referenced between the the 3 of us, right? It’s just a meal and gratitude. Although getting told as a history prof that Australia and New Zealand don’t celebrate a U.S. holiday will give me something to talk about at work tomorrow, LOL.

I was only trying to be helpful. I'll certainly reconsider trying to be helpful in the future.

Many Aussie cruisers hoped that Halloween would be celebrated onboard, but it wasn't. There was also a lot of uncertainty about what, if any, Christmas decor and celebrations there would be (although there did end up being some Christmas decor). That's the only reason I mentioned it.