What: A Two Night Adventure on the Galactic Starcruiser

When: March 7-9, 2022

Why: When the Starcruiser dates were released, Mukta and I knew we were booking.  I couldn’t make the first couple of dates, so we booked the third (fourth?) date! 

Who: Mukta, Myself, Kevin, and Gautam!

Here we are!

More About the Starcruiser: This was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever done, and I suspect unlike anything most of you have ever done either! Therefore, I’ll break from my normal format and give you some more information before we dive in.

Disney had made it very clear from the beginning that this was no ordinary hotel. In fact, you can’t even choose your number of nights to stay, or the day you would check in. It’s a two-night experience, and everyone checks in and out on the same day. You are with the same group the entire time.

There are 100 rooms onboard, and that’s a great number. It never felt overly crowded, and small enough where you saw familiar faces often.

This entire experience was set up like a cruise (albeit a cruise in space!). I can’t even begin to tell you how much I felt like I was on a cruise. And as an avid cruiser, I loved that!

This was also a very expensive two nights! Stephen, even being a Star Wars fan, said this didn’t sound like his kind of thing, so I went with Mukta! Splitting a room with someone else made the cost much more palatable.

This was my first experience with LARP-ing (Live Action Role Playing). In fact, I had never heard of LARP-ing before. And dressing up in costumes for events is not my thing! Once I realized that’s kind of what it was, I wasn’t sure I was ready for that!

Disney said this for the dress code – “We encourage you to dress the part with appropriately themed outfits and creative costumes that add to the fun.” They also said that guests were welcome in clothes from their home planet! Ha! 

I (wrongly) assumed that was our plan. When Mukta sent me pictures of her costumes, and told me Kevin and Gautam were working on theirs, I realized I could not be a fuddy dud! So I was in full scramble mode. I decided I was going for more of a Star Wars “bounding” idea as opposed to full costumes, although I did give in an order a Padme cape from a link of purchase options that Disney sent us before we left.

I mentioned to Ally that I was looking for things to wear and she said, “Why aren’t you just wearing Space Force clothes every day?”

I was like – Oh. Lightbulb. Such a good idea! Unfortunately, while I do have lots of Space Force gear, I didn’t have a lot of what I wanted and I didn’t have time to find it at this point, but I did throw some in! My t-shirt in the picture above is somewhat hidden, but it’s Space Force!

In the days leading up to the Starcruiser, I was on an actual ocean cruise on Royal Caribbean! Stephen listened to all the podcasts and read experiences from the first few voyages. On Sunday morning I was driving from Ft. Lauderdale after disembarking, on my way to Orlando where we would board the Starcruiser the next morning. Stephen called to tell me a few things. I asked him if he wanted to go now that he’d heard everything, and he said, “Oh yes. Totally.” So that was a good sign!

He did tell me I needed a backstory!

Um. Wut?

I didn’t have a backstory! He promised to write me one and send it. He did, and it was perfect!

Here are three of our backstories:

Mukta’s –

Gautam’s –

Mine –

The highlights of mine? I’m the leader of the Space Force on Coruscant, and I’m married to a mid-level imperial officer. If you know anything about Stephen, you will realize how perfect that is.

Enough preamble! On with the trip report! 

A Whole New Kind of (Space) Cruise – March 7-9, 2022
Day 1 (Part One) – Whoa 
Day 1 (Part Two) – So Much Whoa
Day 2 (Part One) – Excursion to Batuu 
Day 2 (Part Two) – There May Have Been Tears 
Day 3 – Back From Space!

What: A quick getaway to Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa!

When: February 4-9, 2021

Why: Stephen had a few days of leave, and Aulani fit our budget and schedule perfectly!  And after 2020, who didn’t need a getaway?

Who: Just Stephen and I!

What: This trip was strictly for relaxing!  We barely went anywhere!  We had no plans, and that’s what I wanted.  If you want to see some more things to do on Oahu, check out one of my other Aulani trip reports!

Aloha, 2021! – February 4-9, 2021
Day 1 – Travel Day 
Day 2 – Pictures of All the Things
Day 3 – Resort Day
Day 4 – Super Bowl Sunday 
Day 5 – Excitement on the Lazy River! 

What: Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World with the Fam!

When: November 26-December 1, 2019

Where: Animal Kingdom Lodge

Who: The fam! Stephen, Tammy, Ally, Chase and Olivia
Dad and Mom (The Pneumonia!)
Brian, Bonnie, Colby, Carter and Ellie

Here we all are!

Over Christmas, we were trying to decide what we should do for the next holiday. We knew we wouldn’t have Chase and Olivia (we share them with Olivia’s parents of course, and we alternate which year we have them), so we thought we should do something at Thanksgiving with everyone. We threw out all number of destinations, our house, San Francisco, a cruise, etc.. Then Chase and Ally reminded me that they had never ridden Flight of Passage!!!

What? What kind of mother am I?

Thanksgiving at Disney World it is!

We knew it would be crowded, but our two goals were to spend time together and ride Flight of Passage. Everything else was gravy!

So let’s go!

Twelve is the Perfect Number!
Day 1 – What’s the Name of that Orange Bird? 
Day 2 – Food and More Food 
Day 3 – Thanksgiving at Disney! 
Day 4 – Nailed. It.
Day 5 – Fastpasses for Dinosaur? Yes please!  
Day 6 – Spoilt and Ruint 

What: Tokyo Disney, Kyoto and Tokyo!

When: May 5-14, 2019

Why: Because Japan!  And Disney! 

Who:  We had such a fun group!  It was me, Ally, Mukta, Sherry and Ileen!

Tokyo or Bust!

Day 1 – On Our Way! To China? 
Day 2 – Hello, Japan! 
Day 3 – DisneySea 
Day 4 – Tokyo Disneyland 
Day 5 – Park Hopping 
Day 6 – Bullet Train to Kyoto 
Day 7 – Massive Tour of Kyoto 
Day 8 – Back to Tokyo
Day 9 – Home Again! 

What: It’s the Fifth Annual Ladies of Leisure!

When: September 18-26, 2017

Why: Because the ladies leisure.  That’s what they do.  Why wasn’t I there, you may ask?  Well I was for the pre-trip!  Which was quite a long trip!  I was planning on cruising too, of course, but about 6 weeks before the trip, Disney invited a few travel agents on a cruise to Canada, where we would discuss Marketing.  There were only about forty invites out there, and I was just ill at the thought of missing it.  So, Missy and Heather jumped in to take my place!  I knew the ladies would be in excellent hands with Heather and Missy.  Plus they got two ladies for the price of one.  Seems like a good trade over all! 

Who: A whole bunch of us popped in and out on this one!  There were 24 ladies on the actual cruise!  Before the cruise there were several cameos – like me!  And Kelly’s husband Tracey!  And Kris’s daughter Shallon!  And a recurring guest star for the Ladies of Leisure – Mukta.  It was so fun!

Here are some of us:

And here are the ladies onboard:

Ladies of Leisure – Leisuring Without Me! 
Day 1 – Travel Day! 
Day 2 – Blizzard Beach 
Day 3 – The Studios and Victoria and Albert’s!
Day 4 – Volcano Bay! 
Day 5 – Three Bedroom Grand Villa, Baby! 
Day 6 – Magic Kingdom and Celebrities 
Day 7 – Animal Kingdom 
Day 8 – Goodbyes All Around! 

When: April 22 – May 2

What: A quick getaway to Walt Disney World with Stephen, followed by the third annual meeting for Storybook Destinations!

Where: This is crazy – Four nights at the Polynesian, one night at Royal Pacific at Universal, one night in a cabin at Ft. Wilderness, three nights at Old Key West, and one night at Universal’s Portofino Bay

Why: The dates for SDAM, as we affectionately call it, were set for a while. As they were getting closer, Stephen realized he needed to take a few more days of vacation time. He couldn’t come for SDAM (that’s not a vacation!), so we decided to go a few days early. Misty and her husband Buddha (actually Steve, but it’s an Air Force call sign thing that you will understand when you see his picture above), were also coming a few days early, so we made some plans together!

Who: So many people! Stephen, Misty and Buddha, and all the SD agents!

Stephen and I:

Most of the agents!

How Many Times Can We Change Hotels in One Trip?
Day 1 – Animal Kingdom 
Day 2 – Epcot
Day 3 – Magic Kingdom
Day 4 – Epcot and the Studios
Day 5 – Universal, Disney Springs, and Len Testa 
Day 6 – Universal and Ft. Wilderness Cabins 
Day 7 – Ship Tour 
Day 8 – Meetings 
Day 9 – Trophies and Epcot 
Day 10 – Universal! 

What: We spent so much time at WDW before the 4th Ladies of Leisure, I decided it needed it’s own trip report!

When: September 11-19

Who: Here we are!

WDW Pre-gaming the 4th Ladies of Leisure September 11-19, 2016
Day 1 – Arrival at All Star Sports
Day 2 – Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Shopping
Day 3 – DHS, Epcot and After Hours at Animal Kingdom
Day 4 – Much Food and No Wine!
Day 5 – Three Parks and One Cupcake
Day 6 – Moving to Animal Kingdom Lodge
Day 7 – Epcot in the Sweltering Heat 
Day 8 – Resort Day and Jiko

What:  Disneyland Paris following our British Isles cruise!

When: June 17-20, 2016

Why: We were in London, and decided we couldn’t pass up a chance to visit Paris too!

Who: Just Ally and I for this one!

Disneyland Paris – Couldn’t Not go to Disneyland Paris! June 17-20, 2016 
Day 1 – Traveling to Paris 
Day 2 – Paris! 
Day 3 – Disneyland Paris! Finally! 

What: Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World and Universal

When: November 21-29, 2015

Where: Animal Kingdom Lodge for 6 nights (in a two bedroom and three bedroom villa) followed by Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Studios

Who: The whoooooole fam!

Why: We’ve started a fine family tradition of Disney at Thanksgiving! It’s a great time for us with one in college and one in high school because they’re always off. Our families are usually off as well, so it’s good family time plus no one has to cook or clean! Woohoo! We’ve done cruises the last two years, and this year everyone requested a trip back to the World. Deal!

Here we are from last year’s cruise!  We got all dressed up for this trip report!

Dad and Mom (aka – The Pneumonia)

Sister and Fam – Brian, Bonnie, Colby, Carter and Ellie

In-laws – Larry and Helen

Stephen’s older brother wasn’t on the cruise last Thanksgiving, but he made it to Walt Disney World! Here’s a picture of him on our Med cruise from a couple of summers ago. This is Scott!

Stephen’s younger brother and fam – Stuart, Misty, Amber and Erin

Part of us – Stephen, Tammy, and Ally!

Chase was sick that night and not in our picture so here he is – and breaking news if you haven’t heard, Chase has a girlfriend! This is Olivia.

Our adventures are coming up! Thanks for reading!

Ohana Means Family – Unless… November 21-29, 2015
Day 1 – Arrival
Day 2 – Check-in!
Day 3 – Epcot and Giant Pizzas
Day 4 – Hollywood Studios and Dang It Joan!
Day 5 – Animal Kingdom and Kathy with a “K”
Day 6 – Magic Kingdom and the Actual Ohana
Day 7 – Thanksgiving at Animal Kingdom Lodge!
Day 8 – Universal at O’Dark Thirty
Day 9 – Universal Alllll Day
Day 10 – Last Day!

What: Three Nights at Disneyland

When: May 4-7, 2015

Why:  Although we didn’t know the specifics, we knew we would be moving from Las Vegas in the summer of 15. Back at Christmas we decided to see if we could get any nights at the Grand Californian with our points so we could have one last family trip while it’s so easy to get there. We found two nights in a one bedroom and grabbed them!

Lucky us, it was the one week Chase was going to be home for the summer! Yay! Ally had to skip school, so of course it made sense to bring a friend to also skip school with her.

We also decided to add a night so we could get three full days. We couldn’t find any more at the Grand, so we stayed at Embassy Suites the first night.

Stephen declared that this would be a different Disney trip for us.  He said he wasn’t getting the same snacks he always does, we weren’t going to eat at the same places, etc. etc.  He said we were going to do Disney differently!  3-D if you will!

We shall see how successful we were…

Who: The Whiting Family Plus One Friend of Ally

Here we are on an empty tram the first night we arrived!

Disneyland – Doing Disney Differently May 4-7, 2015
Day 1 – On Our Way! 
Day 2 – Chef’s Counter at Napa Rose! 
Day 3 – California Adventure 
Day 4 – Last Day!