Girls only on the Dream! Jan 2-6 2013

[kalel29]

Great trip report so far. Interesting enough I've got an DS18 who will be going with us on the Fantasy in June. Maybe 1 or both of your DD's could give their thoughts on what they thought about the trip. What were their highlights? Recommendations? My fear is that since he is no longer young enough for the Vibe, he now has to hang out with the older crowd and may not like that.

 

[Joanna71985]

Following along! Great TR so far

 

[MichelleVW]

Thanks...that's what I wanted to hear! I posted te question on CC and you'd think I was trying to tour all four parks with the answers I got lol.

The pics of your DDs with the characters are too cute. I love that they still love it all too! My boys are teens now and people are always surprised they can't get enough Disney.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Lol...I saw the responses over there. You could even go to Ron Jon's first to check it out and THEN head to DTD and still have plenty of time to get to the airport for an 8 pm flight.

Great trip report so far. Interesting enough I've got an DS18 who will be going with us on the Fantasy in June. Maybe 1 or both of your DD's could give their thoughts on what they thought about the trip. What were their highlights? Recommendations? My fear is that since he is no longer young enough for the Vibe, he now has to hang out with the older crowd and may not like that.

They would say make sure he goes to the 18-21 year old ice breakers and activities. My girls didn't really go other than the first night, but it's because they have each other to hang out with. They do like to make new friends, but with them both being at college and not seeing each other very often they really just wanted to spend that time as "seesters" as they call each other. I am so lucky that they get along so well! Hopefully you will have great table-mates like we did. It was a family of 4 who brought their niece along. So at our table we had my 19 and 21 year olds, and they had a 17 year old boy (who acted way older) and two 21 year old girls. Disney couldn't have done it any better!

Looks like Castaway Cay is going to have to wait until tomorrow....it's 9pm and I JUST finished dinner and I'm beat....

but I will leave you with this pic that I took of Serenity Bay in July 2011...



IMG_5925 by michellevw04, on Flickr

 

[MichelleVW]

Castaway Cay

Serenity Bay at Castaway Cay is pretty much my most favorite place on the planet! The girls weren't old enough to go there on their last cruise so they were pretty excited this time.

Got up early and had a small breakfast at Cabanas and headed off the ship around 9:15 or so.

We skipped the first tram and walked towards the tram spot for Serenity Bay and took a few pictures and looked in the shops along the way. I wanted a new Castaway Cay sweatshirt but just couldn't find one I liked.


<untitled> 3298 by michellevw04, on Flickr


I think we were on the first tram out to Serenity Bay! We saw the people running the 5K and while I admire those people they don't look too happy Lol.


Had pretty much our pick of where we wanted to sit!


<untitled> 3309 by michellevw04, on Flickr


We picked the first two hammocks on the right so we would be close to the food/bar/bathroom!!

DD21 got motion sick on the hammock Lol so she opted for a chaise.



<untitled> 3331 by michellevw04, on Flickr


So from 9:30 until 11 this is what we did......



<untitled> 3334 by michellevw04, on Flickr


I think I went up to lunch around 11:15 to 11:30 by myself since the girls weren't hungry yet. I had the steak which is AMAZING and a TON and I mean a TON of mango!! I think I went back for 4 or 5 different plates of mango. Then I went and got a cookie and topped it with soft serve!!

While I was stuffing my face with mango the girls were meeting Capt Jack on the beach!


<untitled> 3348 by michellevw04, on Flickr


Then the girls went up for lunch and then it was time for more of this.....



<untitled> 3365 by michellevw04, on Flickr


After lunch there was a couple that showed up to take wedding pics.



<untitled> 3386 by michellevw04, on Flickr



The girls were brave and got in the water....but not me.....



<untitled> 3403 by michellevw04, on Flickr


I think we headed back to the ship around 2-2:30ish. Gave up our hammocks to a couple that had dropped off their kids at the kids club and wanted quiet time.

Had to get the typical pic from the beach with the Dream in the back.


<untitled> 3411 by michellevw04, on Flickr

Looked in the shops one more time, but never found anything we wanted.


to be continued

 

[wiigirl]

Great TR!

 

[Dave Dizney]

I think we must have passed each other in Serenity Bay that day - but I don't think I saw you there! The steak was unbelievable there - I though since it was thin it would be tough, but it worked perfectly on a bun!

That day was about as perfect as it could be. Sigh.

 

[MichelleVW]

Castaway Cay cont

As we headed back to the ship we took a few pics



<untitled> 3413 by michellevw04, on Flickr



<untitled> 3419 by michellevw04, on Flickr



<untitled> 3426 by michellevw04, on Flickr


then we headed back to the room to pack up a bit...

Can't really remember what we did after that Lol...but my guess is we chilled in the room and watched a Disney movie on Demand!

Cleaned up and went to the 6:15 show. We never got to the shows very early yet we always got pretty good seats. After the show we went to Evolution for 90's Trivia with Nick. We lost of course, but it was still fun! Dinner the last night was Animators Palate again. Food was awesome and we gave our servers their envelopes with their tips and heard a few more stories from our server Kamil. He was awesome but ready for a vacation as he only had a couple weeks left before he had a few weeks off. He was excited because he was being moved to Palo. Dinner was a LONG event the entire cruise and lasted no less than 2 hours every time. We said goodbye to our tablemates since we weren't going to breakfast in the morning and then headed to Evolution for one last night.

The last night they had the Magician and his wife preform one more time. That woman changed clothes every 2 seconds!! He was good, but I'm just not a magic fan since I want to know how they do it. After the magic show came pretty much the best part of the cruise....the goodbye sketch by the crew. Holy Moly it was HYSTERICAL!!! We were rolling!!! What made it funnier was that we had met and talked to a few of them so it was like watching your friends be silly. After that we said goodby to Nick (adult actives director) and headed back to our room since we had a long day ahead of us the next day....


<untitled> 3431 by michellevw04, on Flickr


up next...the sad task of leaving the ship

 

[Dave Dizney]

Castaway Cay cont


The last night they had the Magician and his wife preform one more time. That woman changed clothes every 2 seconds!! He was good, but I'm just not a magic fan since I want to know how they do it. After the magic show came pretty much the best part of the cruise....the goodbye sketch by the crew. Holy Moly it was HYSTERICAL!!! We were rolling!!! What made it funnier was that we had met and talked to a few of them so it was like watching your friends be silly. After that we said goodby to Nick (adult actives director) and headed back to our room since we had a long day ahead of us the next day....

This was one of the only nights we missed the show in Evolution - but we were finishing up in Palo, saw the character sailing away showette, played the midship detective game, and other assorted activities. Would have loved to have seen the crew goodbye sketch - I've heard it was great!

Also, DW has informed me that we DID cross paths in CC - at Serenity Bay and that we ate at the same time for lunch two tables apart from each other. I guess I was too focused on the steak and mangos!

 

[MichelleVW]

This was one of the only nights we missed the show in Evolution - but we were finishing up in Palo, saw the character sailing away showette, played the midship detective game, and other assorted activities. Would have loved to have seen the crew goodbye sketch - I've heard it was great!

Also, DW has informed me that we DID cross paths in CC - at Serenity Bay and that we ate at the same time for lunch two tables apart from each other. I guess I was too focused on the steak and mangos!

Lol....I just couldn't get past the mangos to notice anyone!

 

[pooksma]

 

[Jess6001]

Love the trip report! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May (my mom, my sis (22), and me (26)...so very similar to you guys! Looks like you all had a great time Can't wait to see it ourselves!

 

[MichelleVW]

Love the trip report! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May (my mom, my sis (22), and me (26)...so very similar to you guys! Looks like you all had a great time Can't wait to see it ourselves!

Glad you liked it!!! I'm going to try and add the last day when we got off the ship later on tonight. You'll have a great time on your cruise!

 

[MichelleVW]

Last Morning

Boo....last morning.......but YEA since we're heading to Epcot as soon as we pick up the rental car!!!


Since we were going to skip breakfast and head straight to Disney we kept our luggage the night before and took it off the ship ourselves. It really wasn't that big of a deal. Did have a bit of a scare when they were swiping our cards on the way out!! My card flashed something and they had to call to make sure it was ok that I left!!! Finally after what seemed like FOREVER they said I could go!!! I had left a credit card on file before we boarded, but I didn't see the note on the paper that said I had to go to guest services to settle my bill. Not sure what the point of leaving a credit card on file is if you still have to go to guest services. But whatever Lol! Got through customs easily and then headed out to find the rental car spot.

We were first in line for the rental car van and they came quickly. We stopped at a few other cruise ships to pick up people and I felt a little sorry for them for having to sail on such "ghetto ships" lol! One little girl was asking her dad why they couldn't go on the Disney ship and he said it was way too expensive.

The rental car experience was HORRIBLE!! We used Thrifty and the counter people were SO SLOW!! It didn't help that the people ahead of us renting cars weren't American and I don't really think they understood the process at all. There were 3 families ahead of me and I think it took 30 minutes for me to get to the counter. It was nuts.

Finally we got the car and before you know it we were in France buying artwork on the street!!!


<untitled> 3464 by michellevw04, on Flickr

 

[pequele]

Love the trip report! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May (my mom, my sis (22), and me (26)...so very similar to you guys! Looks like you all had a great time Can't wait to see it ourselves!

Jess I think we may be on the same trip looking at your dates (May 9- Dream?).

Loved this report! Trying to decide what to do in Nassau. Love to see you just walked around and enjoyed some time there then went back to the ship to enjoy that, too! It is our first DCL and 1st time in Nassau so I was trying to decide what to do (it is me, my mom and my 4 yo DS). I am debating on the trip to Blue Lagoon and doing the shallow dolphin experience. Have you done that? We definitely plan on a beach day at CC. ARGH now what to do

 

[MichelleVW]

Jess I think we may be on the same trip looking at your dates (May 9- Dream?).

Loved this report! Trying to decide what to do in Nassau. Love to see you just walked around and enjoyed some time there then went back to the ship to enjoy that, too! It is our first DCL and 1st time in Nassau so I was trying to decide what to do (it is me, my mom and my 4 yo DS). I am debating on the trip to Blue Lagoon and doing the shallow dolphin experience. Have you done that? We definitely plan on a beach day at CC. ARGH now what to do

I almost booked the Sea lion encounter in Nassau at Blue Lagoon but it just took so much time. I didn't want to waste a whole day away from the ship!

 

[AussieMice]

great trip report i cant wait until im on the Dream

 

[linetbo]

Hi, I am doing a three nights with my DD 13, want to do the duscover atlantis tour since she does not remeber when we where at the Atlantis before, but I am not sure.

 

[pequele]

I almost booked the Sea lion encounter in Nassau at Blue Lagoon but it just took so much time. I didn't want to waste a whole day away from the ship!

Good to know. My little guy is 4 and the trip is so short though I do think we will have to go again sometime (or maybe 3 ) just to get enough ship time! I just booked Alaska 2014 today for 9 days. Different ship of course but I haven't even gone on a Disney ship and I am already hooked

 

[MichelleVW]

Good to know. My little guy is 4 and the trip is so short though I do think we will have to go again sometime (or maybe 3 ) just to get enough ship time! I just booked Alaska 2014 today for 9 days. Different ship of course but I haven't even gone on a Disney ship and I am already hooked

Congrats on your Alaskan booking!! We just booked a 7 night Mediterranean for May 31 2014!!!