My First Disney Cruise! A PICTURE Review of Disney Dream!!

[jwalk03]

 

Allison went to sleep as soon as we put her in her stroller. She was pooped!

 

 

A few more pics of the ship from our walk back:

 

 

 

 

[jwalk03]

 

 

 

 

And that's the end of our wonderful day at Castaway Cay! It went soo fast. I feel like there is so much more to do here, that we will most definitely have to come back again soon. Luckily just about every Caribbean Itinerary on Disney includes a stop here, so I am sure we will be back! Next time we will have to checked out the Serenity Bay adult only beach for sure.

 

Edited May 8, 2014 by jwalk03

[jwalk03]

Lots more review still to come from our last night on board the Disney Dream. Stay tuned...

[jwalk03]

Since there was still plenty of sun left to enjoy and Allison was sleeping anyway, we decided to drop her at the nursery for a little bit. We were able to just drop her off stroller and all and they just let her stay in her stroller to nap until she woke up.

 

We wanted to check out some things on board we were not able to do with her. First on our agenda was, the AquaDuck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The AquaDuck is a very cool idea, and certainly unique to the Disney Dream (and Fantasy). Its a fun raft ride, with WONDERFUL views! Sometimes the line looked really really long, but since a lot of people were still on Castaway Cay when we rode the wait was only about 10 minutes. Its not a scary type water slide at all, so its definitely fun for the whole family, at least the family member that are old enough to ride it. It was worth the short wait.

Edited May 8, 2014 by jwalk03

[jwalk03]

While we were waiting for the AquaDuck, Aladdin was playing on the Funnel Vision screen! Aladdin is my all time favorite Disney movie! (Side note, Disney would you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE release Aladdin on Blu-Ray already!! Its such a wonderful classic and deserves to be a part of the Diamond Editions! All this nonsense about it not being PC anymore is garbage!)

 

 

 

Some other pics of the pool area as well.

 

 

 

[jwalk03]

 

 

 

 

[jwalk03]

 

 

 

 

I really enjoyed the AquaDuck, but I really missed the regular old waterslide that most Carnival ships have. The Mickey slide that is shown in some of the pictures here is for kids only, no adults. I am not suggesting that the Disney Dream should not have the AquaDuck, I just wish it had a regular body slide or 2 also! Maybe on the next Disney ship I suppose.

Edited May 8, 2014 by jwalk03

[jwalk03]

After the AquaDuck we wanted to check out the adult only pool area. This really excited me. On Carnival most ships have Serenity, but none of the ships have pools in the Serenity area (Except Sunshine, which I have not been on yet.) Most of the Serenity areas on Carnival have hot tubs, but no pools. Hopefully Carnival addresses that on the upcoming Carnival Vista.

 

The adult pool area on the Disney Dream is fabulous! Its very relaxing, and really was kid free! I never saw a single one. I love kids, but its nice that Disney offers a wonderful area as an escape for adults on board. Its very well done.

 

The pool has 3 different depths. A deep part in the middle, with a shallower area designed to just sit in to the left, and then a zero depth area to the right.

 

 

At the end of the zero depth part there is a conveniently located bar. No quite a swim-up bar, but close.

 

 

 

 

[jwalk03]

The adult only area also includes the cove cafe. I never actually went inside but I believe that have coffee and drinks as well as some light food items.

 

 

There are also 2 very neat hot tubs in the adult pool area. They are both positioned right up against the glass wall on the side of the ship and have a clear side (similar to an infinity pool.) and have some clear tiles in the bottom as well, so you can look straight down to the ocean below you while in the hot tub. Pictures didn't really do it justice, but its very cool.

 

 

 

 

 

There is also a nice seating area around the pool, and a second level above as well.

 

[jwalk03]

Pics from the seating area above the adult pool.

 

 

 

Here is also a pic of the Teen club area from above. Looks pretty awesome, almost makes me wish I was a teenager again. Ok, not really. but still looks very cool.

 

 

We were not in a concierge cabin (I WISH!), but there is also a private sun deck nearby for concierge guests only. Its just off of the Concierge Lounge near the Concierge cabins. Maybe someday I'll get to stay concierge, probably not anytime soon though.

Edited May 8, 2014 by jwalk03

[jwalk03]

After taking advantage of being child free for a little while, we headed back to the cabin to get changed, and also to do some quick packing. It really was sad to think about going home already. We were having such a fabulous time. 3 days is just NOT long enough. No more cruises this short for me!

 

While Misti worked on the packing, I headed down to the nursery to pick up Allison. We wanted to spend the rest of our on-board time all together so we returned her Mickey Band as we were checking out. This is not a $15 souvenir that interested me! lol

 

As we were heading back I noticed Mickey was there taking pictures and had a very short line, so we stopped to see him for a few.

 

 

 

Elevator ride back to the cabin

 

We got most of the packing done, and got ready for our evening. Reading up on the Personal Navigator to see what we wanted to do tonight.

 

Allison helping with the studying

[jwalk03]

Tonight's assigned dining was Enchanted Garden. While we really wanted to go so that we could see the 3rd restaurant that we had not been to yet, we ultimitly decided we didnt want to spend 2 hours on dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

We did make sure to leave our auto gratuities on (as we would have anyway) because the service we received throughout the cruise was fabulous, we just were not in the restaurant to pass out the envelopes. Is the envelope thing really necessary with auto gratuities? I mean to others enjoy doing this, or is it just a tradition for some? Just curious, as I have never done this on Carnival, just leave the auto gratuities on, move along, making my vacation experience as simple as possible.

[jwalk03]

We had planned to go to Cabana's for dinner instead, until we got there and discovered that dinner is not offered on the last night of the cruise. (What's up with that?) The lack of offering a dinner buffet at all is one thing I did not like about Disney. I have read that even when Cabana's is open for dinner, (which is only 1 night of a 3-day cruise) that's its still a sit down restaurant rather than a buffet. This is the only food area where I think Carnival wins, they at least offer a buffet option for dinner every night. (Though I have found a lot of the Carnival Dinner buffet food to be less than amazing, lets just say.)

 

Since we didn't want to spend the time to go to dinner in the MDR, and Cabana's was not an option, that left us with room service or the quick serve options on the pool deck. We didn't want to go back to the cabin for room service, so pool deck food it was. On a side night in 4 cruises, I have STILL never ordered room service! Every cruise I say I'm going to try it, and every cruise I never do! One of these days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though the food was very good, it really wasn't exactly what we wanted. O, well I should have read my Personal Navigator a little closer and made sure Cabana's was an option before we missed Main Dining Room dinner. Now I know. The one other thing that was a little irritating was that all the pool side stuff closes up quick and without warning, leaving pizza as the only option. I went up and got some food and when I went back for seconds, only the Pizza window was still open. Again I should have watched the time and checked the schedule a little closer I guess. It would be nice if there was more option than just MDR or pizza on the last night.

 

Anyway, Ill be better prepared for next time!

[jwalk03]

We needed milk for Allison which is not available on the pool deck, but we tracked down a cast member in Cabana's and he found a carton of milk for us.

 

 

After dinner, we headed to the Walt Disney Theater for tonight's show, Believe! I managed to sneak one picture during the show tonight.

 

 

I didn't find this show to be that great to be honest. We actually did not stay for the entire thing because Allison was getting a little antsy anyhow, but I would say the part I did see was just ok. If you are going to skip a show, I would pick this one to miss.

 

After we left the show I did get another pic that is right up there with my favorite from this trip.

 

 

[jwalk03]

There was a princess gathering in the D Lounge we wanted to go to tonight, since we had done lots of charterers but not princesses so far, but we had some time to kill so I wondered around to take some more pics of various places on board.

 

We wanted to go see Frozen all cruise, but never quite made it. The times just never really worked with all of the other things we wanted to do.

 

 

 

 

 

[jwalk03]

We also headed to Shutters to see what our professional pictures looked like.

 

 

 

 

The photo system on Disney is about a million times better than on Carnival. Instead of hunting through thousands and thousands of pictures trying to find yourself, you just scan your Key to the World Card and it tells you which folder contains all of the printed pictures that have been taken of you. You can also scan your card on the kiosks to see other pictures of you that have not been printed. The kiosks also allow for some basic editing of pictures before printing if you like. The whole system is fabulous! If Carnival had a system like this I might actually want to buy a picture, but alas they do not and as a result I have never purchased a single one. Honestly, I typically don't even both to go look anymore, its way to difficult to find your pictures. I purchased a few pictures on Disney, though not until just before Debarkation the next morning.

[tropicaliggy]

I'm really enjoying your review! It's making me super excited for my upcoming cruise on the Dream in September.

 

I love this pic of your daughter and Mickey! Too cute!

 

[pandacruisin30]

Thanks for the review it brought back memories. Disney Dream so far has been my Disney cruise but I do want to go on the Disney Magic next. I love the picture area and the Golden Mickey show. Palo is a great restaurant by the way I did that on my cruise and I was dressed up as Belle (My favorite princess).

Right now the only thing that is holding me back from sailing Disney again is the cost since I am a solo cruiser and that rate is high:(

[AF-1]

Jwalk03,

 

I bet you have some great cruise photos hanging in your house. So many good ones to choose from. Thank you for the great review.

[pmctrish]

Thanks for the detailed review. I enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading the commentary. We are taking our five grandchildren (ages four to nine) on the Dream in December.

[Godiva5]

Thanks for the detailed review. I enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading the commentary. We are taking our five grandchildren (ages four to nine) on the Dream in December.

 

Which sailing will you your family be on. My extended family will set sail Dec. 1st. My nine year old granddaughter will be the only kid in the bunch.

[pmctrish]

Which sailing will you your family be on. My extended family will set sail Dec. 1st. My nine year old granddaughter will be the only kid in the bunch.

 

We are also on the Dec. 1 cruise, and we have a nine year old granddaughter!

[kGCAL]

really enjoyed your review

[giswam]

After playing in the water for a while we headed back to our loungers and got a couple of drinks from the bar waiter as he went by. It really was a perfect day to be at the beach.

 

After a while it was time for lunch. So we headed for Cookies. Let me just say that the lunch provided was FABULOUS! Hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, tons of freshly cut fruit, potato salad, corn on the cob, baked beans, and lots of other stuff I probably can't even remember. It was all delicious! I ate WAY TOO MUCH! There is free fountain soda available just like on the ship as well. There is also self serve soft serve ice cream! I had a banana/strawberry twist, that was wonderful!! I was very very impressed with lunch, not 4 star cuisine or anything, but absolutely perfect for an afternoon at the beach!

 

Thank you for a wonderful review, complete with photos. I completely agree with you about the lunch at Cookies. It is the best private island BBQ lunch we have ever had and I find myself thinking about the food on occassion.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[jwalk03]

After Shutters it was time for the Princess gathering at the D Lounge.