Tink Talks
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Margaret Kerry and Mickey
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Early November 2009, I received a phone call from a good friend, Margaret Kerry, who was the original reference model for Tinker Bell in the legendary animated film of Walt Disney�s Peter Pan from 1953. As we had discussed visiting Walt Disney�s Studios during December to see the decorations, shop at the Studio Store and have lunch at the Commissary, I wasn�t surprised when she asked what my plans were for December. When I answered �not much,� she did surprise me by telling me that she had been asked to appear professionally on a 7 day Disney Caribbean Cruise and asked me if I would like to go along as her room mate. My first words were �Don�t you want to take one of your daughters?� When she said she wanted to take me, my answer was �YES, thank you�, followed by �When is it?�  I didn�t care what I had planned, I just knew that here was a trip of a lifetime being offered to me and I was going!!!! 

Friday, December 11, 2009, I met Margaret at Burbank Airport for our flight to Orlando where a private car took us to Port Canaveral. We checked into our hotel, had dinner and went to bed to be ready for the beginning of our big adventure the next day on the Disney Magic. After breakfast on the morning of Saturday December 12, we took the hotel shuttle to the Disney Cruise Departure Desk and as we entered the Main Deck, we were announced as Tinker Bell and Scarlett. Our cabin was spacious and lovely with two separate beds and a separate area with a couch and dresser that could be closed off from the main bedroom by a curtain. There was also a private balcony for relaxed sea days. Additionally there were two separate bathrooms, which was convenient. Margaret had commented �Talk about your staterooms! Wow! Ours was spectacular. Room 5140 had two just-the-right-size bathrooms � one with a bathtub! Scarlett loved the shower overhead but I have to say� a leisurely soak in a deep tub aboard a gently moving vessel with luxurious towels awaiting me as I stepped out of the water was lovely! Nicole Kidman never had it so good.� 

Us in Lumieres the last night
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There were rotations at dinner for the different dining rooms but with the same servers, who went with us nightly. Two evenings we dined at Animator�s Palate with the changing scenes from Disney movies on the walls throughout dinner. Two other evenings we ate at Parrot Cay, which was reminiscent of The Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland. Another two evenings we dined at Lumiere�s, which was both Margaret�s and my favorite as it was quieter and the conversation flowed more easily at the table. Lumiere�s was very elegant but not really atmospheric except for the one wall area, where Belle and the Beast were pictured. Luckily we had assigned seating at the table in front of that area or probably we were seated at that table because Margaret is Tinker Bell. The only other touch of Disney atmosphere were the ceiling lights with a red rose and three separate petals inside the glass from Beauty and the Beast. Our server, Leo, was from India and made a big production of taking our arms and escorting us nightly to our tables. Romaine from Jamaica was our assistant server and was quiet but always attentive. The food was superb as was the service with different selections nightly. All the dining rooms were decorated with Christmas garland and Lumiere�s even had a Christmas topiary to add a festive touch. We found that most often we would go to Lumiere�s for our breakfast and lunch as there was a more elegant choice of meals. I can still taste those lovely eggs Benedict! However we did try Goofy�s Galley, Pinocchio�s Pizzeria and Pluto�s Dog House on the days when I had missed lunch while in port. Our last evening dinner was in Lumiere�s and after dinner, the head servers, servers and assistant servers put on a lovely show for us. Margaret was most impressed with the staff parading around the room with the flags of their countries and I do believe every country was represented as this is a multi national crew. I was most impressed with them parading around with the flaming Baked Alaska, which is my favorite of all desserts and I can not get in the Los Angeles area.