Our 17th anniversary!!! So we’re back on the ship and CSP said he wanted to go swimming. Up to the pool we went. We weren’t there 20 minutes before these crazy high winds came out of nowhere! One poor crew member was running around trying to tie down all the cushions to the lounge chairs as they were flipping and flopping in the wind. No rain, mind you, just crazy wind. I was trying to hold down our towels and stuff when CSP’s pool slide shoes just took off! Thankfully a nice man retrieved them for me (as well as a lip gloss that had flown out of my wristlet) while I was yelling for CSP to get out of the pool. It was like a cartoon- CSP’s slides went flying again so he was chasing after them and I was wind wrestling with our towels while trying to get back inside. Crazy! But! Foreshadowing!
We went back to our room and did some packing then got showered and dressed for dinner. We were so sad! It was our last dinner of the trip! I filled out the tip envelopes and threw in some extra for Neil our room steward, Alit our server, and Kwan our assistant server. I put the envelopes in my wristlet and we headed off to Tiana’s Place for dinner and Mardi Gras! When we arrived at our table our normal clear water glasses had been replaced by cool colored glasses. 
Love the menus! 
The frog plates were back. 
So cute! 
Kwan gave us Mardi Gras beads! We had a fabulous dinner and we noticed that on our entree plates the frog was sporting a crown! 
The band was back and so was Tiana. She sang and danced with all the kids again. 
When it was dessert time Alit brought us out beignets with chocolate sauce, then he disappeared! 
The beignets were really good but we could have shared a portion as they are filling!
The music started up again and Tiana led Louis and the Second Line through the dining room with kids (and grown ups too) following her dancing.
That’s when we spotted Alit and Kwan! They were part of the parade! There was even a limbo contest!
Once all the merriment died down (slightly), Alit and Kwan reappeared. For dessert CSP had ordered a 9 layer chantilly creme cake and I ordered the white chocolate bread pudding (OMG! so good!!!). We were enjoying our desserts when all the sudden Alit was there with ANOTHER dessert in hand! 
An anniversary cake! The little chocolate even says Happy Anniversary! He sang us a little song and gave us some sage advice. I gave him his tip envelope and he said “For my family” as he tucked it away in his pocket. GAH. I about cried when he said that and just wanted to give him everything we have. They work SO hard and are separated from their spouses and children for months and months at a time. But he never appeared without a giant smile and a spot on Mickey impersonation!
We gave Kwan her envelope and the one for the head server then it was time to go. We stopped to check out our photos in Shutters one last time and then stopped by the gift shop. On Castaway Cay CSP had stopped into the gift shop to buy a Castaway Cay magnet for our collection. While there he picked up 2 new Stitch pins for my lanyard as a surprise! Sweet! BUT one of the pins kept popping it’s back off and falling off my lanyard. So we stopped in the gift shop to see what could be done about that. Luckily they sell locking pin backs. Problem solved!
Now, I would be remiss if I came to the end of our cruise without mentioning one very special person, my friend Lisa. Lisa got us hooked on Disney cruises when we cruised the Wonder in 2008 as I was a bridesmaid in her wedding on Castaway Cay. Seriously, because we had a bad experience on a different cruise line in 1998 CSP said he was NEVER cruising again. Well I forced him onto the Wonder for Lisa’s wedding and by the end of it he said he would cruise, but ONLY Disney! Then a few years later Lisa started her dream job of being a travel agent who specializes in all things Disney! That girl knows everything from which rides to ride first at the parks to which rooms to book on the cruise ships to get the secret giant verandahs. Now, you can certainly book your cruise on your own but why would you? The price is the same whether you use a travel agent or not! I love knowing all I have to do is email Lisa about the cruise we want and everything is taken care of! I can rest assured there will be distilled water in our room for my CPAP machine, that we’ll be signed up for the 8 pm dinner rotation, etc. And if you’re wondering how Disney knew it was our anniversary? Lisa! So if you’re even just thinking that my cruise looked pretty fun and you’d sure like to cruise too…. email Lisa at Lisa@PixieandPirateDestinations.com and she will take SUCH good care of you!
Back to the cruise. When we were finished at the gift shop we went back to our room to finish packing and to fill out the comment card that was left in our room. The comment cards are super important so don’t skip them! It only takes a couple minutes. Then it was time for bed.
Well, so I thought. Remember all that wind I told you about? Our room was in the Forward section of the ship but I know Laci was feeling it in the Aft section where their room was too. We were rocking and rolling I tell you! It felt like we were on a little speed boat hitting those waves! The bathroom doors were opening and slamming shut. The closet doors were too! And through the whole thing CSP slept like a baby! I said an extra prayer that we make it back to Port Canaveral in one piece and went to sleep.
He wasn’t even a foot away from me! Then he must have gone and told his friends because within a few minutes there were tons of birds hanging around, drinking CSP’s Coke, eating CSP’s chips (!!!) and dive bombing us!
See the bird on the left side of picture? Contrasted against the towel.
CSP came back and I went to the buffet to get my lunch. On the way back to the table 3, THREE different crew members asked to take my tray to the table! Finally a man just took it from me! I led him to our table and we had a nice lunch. They have all kinds of stuff for you to choose from. I had a spicy chicken sandwich, corn on the cob, and some potato salad. CSP had some mahi mahi and chicken and a bunch of other stuff I can’t quite remember. Kwan brought us some coconut and banana bread to try and it was lovely.
So cute! Before we knew it Glenn, the concierge guy, came by to tell us the island taxi would be by to pick us up at 3:30. The afternoon just FLEW by. I got my stuff together but CSP decided he would rather walk back to the ship on his own. He wanted to stop by the shops on the way to the ship. While I waited for the taxi I took a selfie and that’s when I realized I’d forgotten sunscreen on my face!!! Doh!
Inside was a map of Castaway Cay, a lot of information, and 2 wristbands for our CABANA!!!! Yep! I miraculously scored a cabana on the family beach (the best side in my opinion)! Gather round and I’ll tell you how it happened. Our new friends Laci and Rusty sailed concierge this cruise. Concierge gets first dibs on the cabanas and there are only 25 on the whole island! 21 on the Family Beach and 4 at Serenity Bay, the adult only beach. Well, Laci and Rusty ended up with 2 cabanas and they only needed one. So they offered up the 2nd cabana to our cruise group! So generous and nice!!! I plead our case, that it’s our 17th anniversary and we reeeeeaaaalllly wanted one and they let us have their spare! Woot!!! I mean, we still paid for it but just getting the cabana is a huge feat in itself so we are immensely grateful!
To get to our cabana you walk down this lush path. 
Our’s was right near the restrooms which is v v convenient!
Then there’s a counter top with a drink menu and a basket full of snacks. 
On the wall above the counter there’s the controls for music and there’s a button. Push the button and a cabana crew member will appear to help you! Under the counter are more towels, a garbage bin, and a mini fridge that’s stocked with water, soda, a fruit bowl, and chilled towels. V v fancy! 
To your left is the main living area. 
There’s a sofa, a couple chairs, some small tables, a bench, and a changing area. Keep walking forward and there are 2 chaise lounges and a mini sofa with a couple more tables. 
On one of the tables is a basket with sunscreen in it. Overhead is a sail cloth shade so you’re not in direct sunlight. 
Walk down the stairs and to the right is the shower and to the left is the hammock. 
Walk straight ahead and there’s the Caribbean sea and the private beach. 
Amazing! Just check out our views! 
Your own private world!
Oh, how I wish in that moment I had remembered to slather my own face with the SPF 100 sunscreen I brought with me. CSP put sunscreen on my arms & neck and I did (most) of my legs. I missed one spot on the inside of each knee somehow. Burn, baby, burn. While CSP was out riding his bike I read more of my book 
Bless Your Heart 