The Drive, the Dream and DVC - A March 2011 Birthday Surprise TR(NEW 11/9 p. 32 END)

[Disney Mommy 3]

Subbing! I love seeing the pics from the Disney Dream, how cool! And I love the pillowcases and the fish extender, so cute!!

hey emma!!! I haven't seen any TRs from you lately...I didn't miss any did I? Last one was your European Vacation...miss reading your stuff...you are almost thru with school,right?

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Shawna - Emma's got one going now from her summer trip - including the POLY and Yacht club!! You have to go read it! She has some awesome pictures!!

 

[MEK]

I really enjoyed reading all about your arrival and your first few hours on the ship. What a lovely room!

That kid's club is amazing! What the heck - I could play there all day. I am really impressed.

What a great kick-off to the start of your cruise.

Thanks for the great updates!

 

[Jump4Joy8390]

Hi Sheree!

I'm loving your TR so far! It's bringing back so many great memories! Congrats on the DVC add-on....I hear it's contagious! Chloe was so excited to see your video and then to read about herself when you mentioned meeting us! Makes us feel like celebrities! We really enjoyed meeting you guys, too. Hopefully, we'll meet up with you again someday....

Can't wait to check out the rest of your TR.....

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Shawna - Emma's got one going now from her summer trip - including the POLY and Yacht club!! You have to go read it! She has some awesome pictures!!

Oh good! Thanks Sheree! i will head over there and read all about it!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I know it's been forever since an update, I just have not been motivated to do it! Isn't that awful? I have been enjoying some "work at home" time lately, and getting the house organized and pulling things for my garage sale. So I've been doing things, just not DIS things! I was trying to get my Dolphin Encounter photo CD uploaded so I could post them, but I think I may have a bad CD. Neither my Mac or PC seem to like it much. The PC will read the disc, but I can't copy the pictures. I might scan a couple for you guys to see. They are really cute.

Great pictures! I really want to do a Disney cruise sometime...maybe next year?? They will be sailing out of NYC next year, so it's always an option. Flights from Buffalo to NYC are super cheap and an 8-night cruise to the Bahamas would sure be nice.

Thanks Meghan - I think everyone should try a Disney cruise! The ship is so wonderful, it almost doesn't matter where you go!!

Nope that one wasn't me! We're Adrian Peterson fans though since he went to school at my alma mater

I might get him a Mauer jersey for his birthday, but that isn't until September. I'll let you know if I have trouble finding one. Thanks for the offer!


I loved this latest update!! I'm getting so excited to go on the Dream myself! We have a Deluxe Family Stateroom w/ Verandah as well so you gave me a nice preview of what we'll have. It looks like a great room.

Ah, we are big into AP too! DH worked the Vikings games and met his dad one time. Very nice man!
You let me know if you need help with a Mauer jersey.

Oh- I'm glad you could get a preview! It was a really nice room. I had very little to complain about. (I can always find a little something!).

I really enjoyed reading all about your arrival and your first few hours on the ship. What a lovely room!

That kid's club is amazing! What the heck - I could play there all day. I am really impressed.

What a great kick-off to the start of your cruise.

Thanks for the great updates!

Yeah, the whole ship is just amazing and beautiful! I can totally understand that parents say their kids did not want to leave the club! That's why I'd like to take a longer cruise. The kids could spend a day in there, I could enjoy more adult activities and areas! I'll try to get some more updates up soon!

Hi Sheree!

I'm loving your TR so far! It's bringing back so many great memories! Congrats on the DVC add-on....I hear it's contagious! Chloe was so excited to see your video and then to read about herself when you mentioned meeting us! Makes us feel like celebrities! We really enjoyed meeting you guys, too. Hopefully, we'll meet up with you again someday....

Can't wait to check out the rest of your TR.....

Hey Corrinne!!! Thanks - isn't it fun to remember? It makes me wish I had something else planned, but that's okay. That DVC! I think they do something to you when you are there and hypnotize you into buying more points! It's addicting!
Oh, Chloe is so sweet! You guys are in our trip quite a bit!! Sarah is quite jealous that you have two more trips planned already and wanted to know if we could go then too. Unfortunately, I had to tell her no. And this time I was being totally honest.

We are considering trying to use our points (the ones we're allowed to) for Disneyland Paris in March. That way we could have a few days in Paris with no cost for hotel. Of course, when we add park tickets, it will be more expensive than paying for the hotel!!

 

[GoofyWife]

I've never cruised so I have two questions - I know some people stay at the Residence Inn and you can leave your car there while on the cruise - but if you don't do that - where do you leave your car - is there a parking area? Also, I really like the look of the rooms with verandas and I noticed that on they offer rooms with verandas on different decks - are some decks better or nicer than others or does it matter? Thanks!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I've never cruised so I have two questions - I know some people stay at the Residence Inn and you can leave your car there while on the cruise - but if you don't do that - where do you leave your car - is there a parking area? Also, I really like the look of the rooms with verandas and I noticed that on they offer rooms with verandas on different decks - are some decks better or nicer than others or does it matter? Thanks!

When we drive, we park at the port. They now have a large parking ramp there. It costs $15 per day to park, you pay when you leave. I think a number of the hotels in the area offer the option of leaving your car.

There are a couple different category rooms that have verandahs, so that may play a part in which deck they're on. I think the suites are up on higher decks and probably have bigger verandahs. We liked being a bit higher, but for some people it is more important to be near the decks where they spend more time. The dining rooms are lower on 3 (If I recall off the top of my head), Cabanas and pools are up on the high decks. Kids clubs are on 5. Otherwise, I think it doesn't matter. We booked so late, that we didn't have any options! We were very happy with our location. I like midship - seemed convenient. I would be fine on deck 7 or 8 too! I'd look at the deck plans and see where things are that you might be interestd in being near (or far!). Some people are concerned about being too near noisy places (like having a dance club above your room!).

Hope that helps!

 

[GoofyWife]

It does, thanks!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

After we delivered a few FE gifts, we wandered toward the Walt Disney Theatre for the 6:15 showing of The Golden Mickeys.

We enjoyed the show. At the beginning, while you're waiting they do a "pre-show" with a reporter type lady out in front of the theater and have people walk the red carpet, and she interviews them a bit. They broadcast that inside the theater. It's cute and the little kids are pretty funny when they are asked where they're from etc. They had added some portions and music from Princess and The Frog I think, and from Tangled. Most of the rest was the same. Next time I would probably do something else instead, just so I could enjoy more new things!
Inside the theater:

There's a few little substitute dwarves!

this is a cruddy picture - but that's Rapunzel up in the box on the side.

sing it with me - Beauty and the Beast~

After the show we went shopping a bit - I bought an ornament and some pins. I'll show those later. I kept looking at the D&B cruise bags. So cute, but SOOOO expensive! Did I really need one? I didn't buy one then, but kept looking throughout the cruise. You'll have to wait and see if I got one.

We delivered a few more FE gifts on our way to dinner and then had to wait a while before they opened the doors for seating. I have to learn to take my time going to dinner. No reason really to get there early.
Waiting

Such bad lighting - I have to figure out how to use my camera!! Should have had the flash on!

I love the decor in here - lots of cute details!
We were seated at Table 7

trying to decide what to order - HA! She's pretty much always gotten chicken strips, or chicken fingers, or chicken tenders, or chicken nuggets...maybe a hot dog.
Cute chairs, but hard to move in and out from the table!

We were seated a couple tables over from Crush's big screen! He was pretty funny.

cont. in next post - the food!!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I ordered an appetizer of truffle pasta pockets, which were amazingly good, the butternut squash soup, which I just wanted to try, since it seems popular everywhere (it was okay - not my thing), and a shrimp pasta dish. It was delicious!!!

There were a few big shrimp, but a bunch more smaller ones underneath.
DH ordered the potato cheese soup and the veal trio.

He surprised me with that one, he usually gets a regular steak or filet. He said it was good.
Both of us ordered the brownie cheesecake for dessert.

Okay, I'm no food critic, but why, oh WHY do they have to always swipe some kind of sauce on the plate and try to make it look artsy? This wasn't so bad because it was fruit (raspberry), but when they do that with a chocolate sauce, oh that is not attractive!!!

My notes tell me that both girls ordered the minnie burger - which is shocking for Sarah! I guess they ate it! I have no pictures!
Paige decided to go with the Dine and Play plan. At about 9 p.m. (for the 8:30 dinner) the CMs from the Oceaneer's club/lab come to the dining room and take whatever kid would like to go play and not sit through the long dinner. You tell the server at the beginning and they bring out the kids' meals early - at about the time you would get an appetizer. So then they can eat and leave, and you can have a nice leisurely dinner. That is a BRILLIANT plan!!! Sarah wanted to wait for dessert - she wanted apple pie! So after dinner (around 10:15!) we took her up to the club for a bit. It was crazy looking back - they never stay up that late at home! But they were so happy! DH and I wandered around the ship exploring a bit. Took a few pictures. I wish we had gone to the adult nightclub section! Those places were down on Deck 4, and we mostly roamed up top on 11 and 12 that night. Oh well - next time right?

some signs around the pool area

we couldn't eat another bite, but we'd be back here!!

Looking down at the adult pool

These are the "windows" where they are always serving food - sandwiches, pizza, salads etc up on Deck 11. Cars themed, obviously!

Luigi's - Pizza

Tow Mater's Grill - Burgers, chicken, YUMMY fries!

Fillmore's Favorites - wraps, sandwiches, fruits (like sliced melon!) and salad

This area up on deck 11 was a great place to grab a bite while hanging out at the pool or just wandering around. We tended to eat something late afternoon or around 5 since our dinner was not until 8:30. The burgers and fries were really good, the pizza was good, the ice cream - Yumm! you could put chocolate and/or caramel syrup on it, the wraps were good, and Paige loved getting watermelon slices!

Anyway - we went and picked up the girls at around 11. They ask for the password and scan the little wristband device on the kid, and off you go! We got back to the room and discovered the thing I forgot in my hasty rainy packing up from Pop!!
The kids and i had NO PAJAMAS!!!
I forgot to switch them from the little Pop suitcase to the cruise suitcase!!! We had another set in the WDW suitcase, but that was in the car too! DANGIT!
So what did we do? We shopped of course!
We raced down to the store (which was open for about 15 more minutes) and bought the girls each a set of cute little PJs. I got a big t-shirt to wear and then DH could have it afterwards. That was some unplanned extra $$ spent!!

Finally to bed a little before midnight! All in all, a great first day on the DREAM!

Tomorrow ~ Nassau, Dolphins and Palo!!!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Hey there! I just found this and I can't wait to read all about your trip! It sounds great so far. We are going on the Dream in October so I'm counting on you to educate me!

All your food looked really good. A shrimp pasta dish is one of my favorite meals. I think I will order that for sure! And you have my interest peaked on the next update. I'm hoping you did the dolphin swim at Nassau b/c I'd love to see your pictures! I really want to do something like that. I just don't know if we should do a dolphin excursion through DCL or wait until we get to WDW after the cruise and go to Discovery Cove. The price is about the same but they both have plusses and minuses so I keep going back and forth.

So how did your girls like the kid's clubs? Did they like the Toy Story areas or the lab areas more since they are older?

And another question (sorry so many ), did you get passports or just use birth certificates? The passports are so expensive that I'm hoping the BCs will be fine.

Can't wait for more!!!

 

[MeMom]

I would really enjoy seeing the shows.

The brownie cheesecake looks good.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Hey there! I just found this and I can't wait to read all about your trip! It sounds great so far. We are going on the Dream in October so I'm counting on you to educate me!

All your food looked really good. A shrimp pasta dish is one of my favorite meals. I think I will order that for sure! And you have my interest peaked on the next update. I'm hoping you did the dolphin swim at Nassau b/c I'd love to see your pictures! I really want to do something like that. I just don't know if we should do a dolphin excursion through DCL or wait until we get to WDW after the cruise and go to Discovery Cove. The price is about the same but they both have plusses and minuses so I keep going back and forth.

So how did your girls like the kid's clubs? Did they like the Toy Story areas or the lab areas more since they are older?

And another question (sorry so many ), did you get passports or just use birth certificates? The passports are so expensive that I'm hoping the BCs will be fine.

Can't wait for more!!!

Hi! and I'm glad you found me! Congrats on going on the cruise! How many days?
We did our Dolphin Encounter at the Blue Lagoon and you can only book it through DCL as an excursion, you can't book directly with Blue Lagoon. They have the encounter, where you get in and do what we did, or you can actually swim with them where they push you out in the water etc. There is also one through Atlantis that my neighbor is doing in May. I'll be telling you about ours in the next couple updates. I've never done Discovery Cove, so I can't compare. One thing is that we didn't have anything else we wanted to do in Nassau, so it was either that or stay on the ship (which a lot of people do).
My kids LOVED the club/lab. They went back and forth between the club and lab, and whenever we went to pick them up, they were in the lab. Now they allow them to go back and forth (they're connected) so the age thing isn't as big of a deal.

We already had passports that we'd gotten from a previous cruise in 2008 when they were first changing the rules. However, you do not need one for DCL. Jenseib just went at the end of March with only birth certificates. As long as the cruise starts and ends in the US, I believe you do not need passports. At least for now...the rules are always subject to change. Kids' passports expire after 5 years too. So unless you are planning another international trip in the next few years, there's no need to spend the money. We are planning Europe next year, so it's a good thing we have them - less $$ to spend on that trip!
Don't be shy about questions! I'll happily answer anything I can!

I would really enjoy seeing the shows.

The brownie cheesecake looks good.

The shows are so good - very high quality performers - I would say they could be in Broadway shows! Lots of great music!!
Oh anytime you combine cheesecake and a brownie, I'm a happy girl!!

 

[jenseib]

Reading this is bringing back the memories. I loved the Golden Mickeys. It was my favorite of the 3 shows. We sat in the balcony each night and I was a liitle sad we didn't enter where all the action was going on, but we can do that next time (and there WILL be a next time! )
I love seeing your food. It's nice to see what other options there were.
You are so right about those chairs in Animators. I swear once you sat down it was like the cemented themselves to the carpet.
I think Claire was upt to at least 11 everynight too. We just had so much going on and who wants to sleep with all the fun.
I have forgotten PJ's before too. When I was pregnant for Claire we went to Niagra Falls for a few nights, and I realized I forgot to pack mine. I wasn't huge at that point, but it was still hard finding a big enough shirt to be comfy in. Then when I brought it home and washed it it shrunk a ton. But it was worth it for the time being.

I can't wait to read more and hear your take on the Dolphin Encounter. (though you already told me some of it already! )

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

WOW Sheree!!! That ship looks SOOOOO amazing!!!!!

I am sooo wanting to try a Disney Cruise sometime! After this trip in August I think are going to wait until 2013 to go back to WDW so may a cruise in 2012????

The food looks fabulous! Yummers to the max!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Weird - double post!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Hi! and I'm glad you found me! Congrats on going on the cruise! How many days?
We did our Dolphin Encounter at the Blue Lagoon and you can only book it through DCL as an excursion, you can't book directly with Blue Lagoon. They have the encounter, where you get in and do what we did, or you can actually swim with them where they push you out in the water etc. There is also one through Atlantis that my neighbor is doing in May. I'll be telling you about ours in the next couple updates. I've never done Discovery Cove, so I can't compare. One thing is that we didn't have anything else we wanted to do in Nassau, so it was either that or stay on the ship (which a lot of people do).
My kids LOVED the club/lab. They went back and forth between the club and lab, and whenever we went to pick them up, they were in the lab. Now they allow them to go back and forth (they're connected) so the age thing isn't as big of a deal.

We already had passports that we'd gotten from a previous cruise in 2008 when they were first changing the rules. However, you do not need one for DCL. Jenseib just went at the end of March with only birth certificates. As long as the cruise starts and ends in the US, I believe you do not need passports. At least for now...the rules are always subject to change. Kids' passports expire after 5 years too. So unless you are planning another international trip in the next few years, there's no need to spend the money. We are planning Europe next year, so it's a good thing we have them - less $$ to spend on that trip!
Don't be shy about questions! I'll happily answer anything I can!

Thanks for all the info! I had asked Jenseib about the passports too and she told me the same thing you did. I'm just paranoid about it I guess. I'd be soooo ticked if I got there and then couldn't board the ship!

I'm having the same issue with Nassau. If we don't do the dolphin swim there, then I don't want to get off the ship. I have NO interest in going into Nassau. I've read too many reviews that say it's a dump and people don't feel safe there. NOT FOR ME!

We booked the 3 night cruise... I wanted the 4 night, but I got our cruise for $1400 (which was a fantastic price for 3 people) and the cheapest 4 night was $800 more... hard to justify spending that much more for just one extra night without an extra port stop. What I REALLY wanted was the 5 night double dip but they don't offer that in October.

So anyway, since we only have 3 nights on the ship, staying on at Nassau would give us more time to do ship activities. I also think we would get more for our money at Discovery Cove (which also includes admission to Seaworld, Aquatica, or Busch Gardens). But on the flipside, I have shipboard credits that I can use to offset some of the cost if we do the dolphin swim in Nassau. And Blue Lagoon lets you take your own pictures and video, but DC doesn't. Big money saver there. See what I mean... back and forth, back and forth. I really hope your review of it will help me make up my mind!

What did you think of the 2nd dinner seating? We have that too, but I'm not thrilled about it. It's seems really late to be eating all that food.

Glad to hear your kids liked the clubs. When they start to get a little older, you just ever know what they are going to be too cool for!

A Dinsey cruise to Europe next year.... You can count me in on that TR too!!!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I love the photo of the girls waiting to go into dinner. They're so pretty Sheree! I love the idea of the Dine and Play plan.

 

[momoflizandains]

Enjoying your TR...waiting for more. Thanks for sharing!