Disney Mediterranean Cruise with Greece: Day 8 – Shopping in Kusadasi

Date of Visit: June 22, 2013

Kusadasi was the one non-tendering port we did not book Mik a port adventure. The reason was there was not a private vehicle with lift option and the only accessible option was a group bus tour. The group bus tour would not have been too bad, but it was about $400 a person. Thus, it would have cost almost as much for him and mom as the private vehicle tours they did, although actually more than the non-lift ones in Turkey. Also, he hates buses in general and it lacked the flexibility you get on your own, so we thought it better to not waste money on it. In the end though, it might have been cheaper to send them on that then let them get off just to shop in Kusadasi.



I encouraged Mik and Mom to get off and just walk around the port a little before Dad and I left on our port adventure, as the dock was right next to the city and Mik wanted to at least say he really had been in Turkey. Well, they did get off, but they did not get far. They only went to the shops on the dock and they did not even get far in there. They ended up buying some leather jackets and a vest before they decided they must return to the ship before they did any more damage. At least Mik has already gotten some wear out of his vest (photo is him in Mykonos) and we did not do the port adventure for them because I have a feeling they would have still gotten the leather.

Disney Mediterranean Cruise with Greece: Day 8 – Mediterranean Menu @ Animator’s Palette

Date of Visit: June 22, 2013

The Mediterranean Menu is another one that is the same in all restaurants that night.

Appetizer – Mik tried the Tapas, Taste of the Mediterranean for the appetizer, but did not particularly like it. It comes with proscuitto, sun dried tomatoes, marinated olives, and parmesan cheese with grissini stick (this was the one thing he liked).

Soup – Mik had the Spicy Andalusian Tomato Soup. It certainly was spicy, but he enjoyed dipping the table bread in the soup (foccacia and rolls, not the pumpernickel that came with the soup).

Entrée – Mik had the Braised Center Cut Osso Bucco “Milanese” and really enjoyed it. He also like the risotto that it was served on top of.

Dessert – Mik was full from all the bread and Osso Bucco, so he almost skipped dessert. He did end up trying the Chocolate Custard, though, and really enjoyed it.

Disney Mediterranean Cruise with Greece: Day 7 – Greek Menu @ Lumiere’s

Date of Visit: June 21, 2013


The Greek Menu is a themed menu served in all three restaurants on the same night. Near the end of the meal the servers came out carrying Greek flags and danced around the dining room.



Appetizer – Mik ordered the Kalamarakia Tiganita (i.e. fried calamari/squid). He enjoyed his so much that he also finished half of Mom’s and another order of it.

Soup – Mik thought the Parosoupa was okay. It is Fisherman’s soup with red snapper, mussels, and vegetables.

Entrée – Mik had the Rosemary Marinated Lamb Sirloin since he had enjoyed the lamb so much at a previous dinner. It did not disappoint, although he was disappointed in the oregano roasted potatoes being rather light on the oregano.



Dessert – Mik tried the Greek Lemon Cake and the Serano Chocolate Cake. His first choice would have been the lemon cake, but he actually only like the chocolate cake, so it was glad he had ordered both from the start.

Disney Mediterranean Cruise with Greece: Day 7 – Athens by Private Vehicle w/ Lift

Date of Visit: June 21, 2013


In Athens, Dad and I were supposed to do a Port Adventure that involved competing in games at the Panathenaic Stadium, but two days before the Pireaus port call we got a note that said our Port Adventure was cancelled due to not having enough people. Thus, we joined Mik and Mom on the Private Vehicle w/ Lift tour that was already booked with an itinerary to visit the Panathenaic Stadium as well as the Acropolis. The four hour tour ended up being just the right amount of time to enjoy both rather leisurely.

Panathenaic Stadium

Here the driver parked right in front for us to visit. Most of the bus tours also stopped here, as it is a good photo stop out in front. However, we also took the time to go inside the stadium. The cost was 3 Euros for adults, but Mik only had to pay the student price (1.5 Euros) and one companion got in free with him. The walkway around the track is rather flat, but it is a large step up onto the track. There appears to be a ramp in the front, but it is part of the gated off section. For us, it was easy to just lift Mik up onto the track. There you can run around the track, take pictures on a medal podium, and see tablets inscribed with the years and host cities of the modern Summer Olympics (they are in Greek and interestingly over the past century the spelling of Athens and London seems to have changed).

For Olympic fans like us, it was cool to see the stadium for the first Modern Olympics in 1896 (it was also used for more ancient games), although it is annoying Dad did not show us the pamphlet that came with the tickets until we were back on the ship because we missed climbing up to the seat with the founder of the modern games on it. Mik would not have been able to go up there, but he would not let me climb up to the top at all because he did not want to wait for us (it was his tour Dad and I joined after all). However, if he had known there was something to see other than a different view he would have been fine with me going up there.

Acropolis and Parthenon

At the Acropolis, the driver drove right up to the ticket office area to drop us off. He could not stay parked there, so he parked the vehicle and came back up to wait for us to be done and then brought the vehicle back up to pick us up and return to the ship.

When we started out tour we were warned that Mik might not be able to visit the Parthenon, as apparently it is pretty common for the elevator to not be operating. The driver checked for us before unloading and if it had not been working we would have gone to the Acropolis Museum instead.

The path to the “elevator” (Dad called it more like a mine car) is where those climbing up and down exit. They only allow one person to go with, so Dad went with him. They both got to go in free. Mom and I could have got tickets and climbed up, but we thought we would likely end up taking longer to do the climbing and since it was Mik’s tour we did not want him to have to be waiting for us.

Mik was glad Dad and my tour was canceled because he would never have been able to do the Parthenon with Mom. The worst pathway was the area at the bottom around the ticket office and shops. Dad almost tipped Mik since his front wheel got stuck in a crack. Up at the Parthenon it was better, although it is old worn stone that can be slippery and not totally even. For an ancient ruin, though, it is pretty accessible other than it sounding like you may need luck for the elevator to be operating when you visit.

Disney Mediterranean Cruise with Greece: Day 6/7 – Monsters University 3D PremEAR at Sea in Walt Disney Theater

Date of Visit: June 20, 2013

The Monsters University movie was released in theaters during our cruise and they showed it in the Walt Disney Theater and Buena Vista Theater at 12:01 a.m. for a PremEAR at Sea 7 hours before it was even midnight opening day in the United States. It was shown again many times in the Buena Vista and even though the next day was a port day, we decided to go to the PremEAR because it did not coincide with anything else. The 3D option was only in the Walt Disney Theater, so we decided to watch it there. In hindsight, the 2D in the Buena Vista would have probably been more enjoyable.

The main issue with watching a movie in the Walt Disny Theater is the only wheelchair seating is in the back and it is not in the center. This means you are off center and quite far from the screen. Overall that would not have been a problem, but they never closed all the doors in the back and light came through causing reflections in the 3D glasses.

Mik did not have too much of a problem, though, as right before the movie he asked for a sweatshirt and we gave him his birthday present a few days early, since we had only packed the hoodie Grumpy sweatshirt that was his gift. The hood is fluffy soft and he was wearing it up before the movie even started and it ended up being quite useful for him to enjoy the movie. He was glad we saw it for free, though, as otherwise it was not really worth it in his opinion (he sort of thought it was a sequel, but it’s a prequel).

Disney Mediterranean Cruise with Greece: Day 6 - Bella Itala @ Parrot Cay

Date of Visit: June 20, 2013

The Bella Itala was a themed menu that was the same for all restaurants that night.

Drink – Mik did not initially want the special non-alcoholic drink, but once he saw my Dolce Vita he wanted his own. It is a blend of apple and cranberry juice, agave nectar, chamomile tea, pomegranate puree, and fresh lemon juice.

Appetizer – Mik choose the beef and pork tortellini. He liked the tortellini, but not so much the mushrooms and the thyme red wine reduction that went with it.

Soup – Mik tried the Cream of Trevi Celery Soup. It was somewhat of a disappointment because he found no croutons in it like the description suggested it had.

Entrée – Mik had the Spaghetti con Polpette (i.e. spaghetti and meatballs). He really enjoyed the huge meatballs.



Dessert – For dessert Mik tried both the Sicilian Chocolate Indulgence and the Warm Stuffoli. He did not really like the Sicilian Chocolate Indulgence, but it had a pistachio cake and it was kind of surprising he even ordered it. He totally loved the stuffoli, which are mini doughnuts, although he did not particularly like the honey lemon dipping syrup.

Disney Mediterranean Cruise with Greece: Day 5 – Prince & Princess Dinner @ Animator’s Palette

Date of Visit: June 19, 2013

The Prince & Princess dinner was the themed dinner for the Formal Night in all the restaurants.

Appetizer – Mik tried the Slow Roasted Duck and Cheese Quesadilla. He liked it, although, it was different than a typical quesadilla since it was with phyllo dough rather than a tortilla.

Soup – Mik had the Beast’s Potato and Sausage Casserole Soup.

Entrée – Mik could not decide between the Oven Roasted Tom Turkey Breast and the Rosemary-scented Medallions of Lamb. He went with the turkey because the sides seemed more to his liking, although we thought sweet Mashed Potatoes meant regular potatoes sweetened and not Mashed Sweet Potatoes, which Mik never likes. In the end, he also asked for some lamb, so he tried both anyways. He ended up preferring the lamb, but still liked the turkey, especially the stuffing with it.

Dessert – Mik choose the Prince Charming Chilled Chocolate Souffle. He had been wondering what a soufflé was since it was on another menu earlier and he had instead choose something else. At least the chilled one was a lot like the mousse dessert.