Two Adults DREAM BIG! A Feb TR! - 3/17 NEW x3 AND REMY'S!!!

[Happydog]

Well HELLO fellow cruisers!

Hello Fellow DISNEY Cruisers!!!

I know we are ALL waiting for pictures and TRs of The Fantasy, and I am certainly in line waiting to see the pictures myself!!! But since I have just returned a week ago from a short cruise, just DH and I, I thought I would share our ADULT'S only Cruise on the Dream! Maybe this will help pass the time until the first TRs start to roll out on the DIS!!! DH and I were onboard the Dream over President's Day weekend, a four night cruise with one night in WDW prior to the cruise.

I am Happydog, here on the DIS boards, and I am happy to admit I am a Disney lover with out question! Like anyone reading this wouldn't be, right???!! This NEW TR is also my diversion as I am busy planning for my summer Disney World vacation as well, so feel free to pop over there if you want to! Here is that link! SUMMER TR

We have been lucky to cruise Disney in the past, and we have cruised as adults solo on Disney as well. However, THIS cruise was quite different for us, with several new experiences that we didn't get to do the previous trips aboard, on the Dream, or the other ships. I was looking forward to it, and we really enjoyed it, AND I can't wait to share these photos and experiences with you!

I Hope you will come along for this short but action packed TR!!!

Welcome!!!!

Here is a hint of things to come.... "CHEERS!"

 

[Linda67]

Thanks for helping me to pass the time before I finally get on board The Fantasy

I'm really keen to hear your thoughts on Remy (thanks for the photo clue) as we have a reservation there on our May cruise

 

[jedijill]

Cheers!

I'm in!

Jill in CO

 

[eandesmom]

I'm here! I guess this means you kept the Remy reservation! I can't wait to hear about all of it.

 

[dinkerbelle]

We're going on our first cruise on the Dream in May! Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

 

[LuvEeyore]

HappyDog,
Cant wait to hear more!! Especially want to hear about Remy!!

 

[kimpossible]

So excited to read this. DH and I are going on a 3 nighter in May. We have sailed DCL 3x before, but this will be the first without the kiddo's. Anxious to hear the scoop

 

[bluejasmine]

Excited to read it as well!

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I'm here too

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Well, hello DIS buddy!
I can't wait to hear all about this golden cruise of yours!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Here and ready for lots of wine and fun!

 

[newtexan]

hopped over from your pt to read along

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Joining in! We have our 1st cruise booked on the Dream for a 4 night cruise. Can't wait to hear all the details!

 

[youalleverybody]

 

[happenin2you]

Joining in, getting excited for my first trip on the Dream with my husband in January 2013!

 

[Happydog]

Thanks for helping me to pass the time before I finally get on board The Fantasy

I'm really keen to hear your thoughts on Remy (thanks for the photo clue) as we have a reservation there on our May cruise

Well HELLO!!!!! Yes, I need time to pass as well How exciting to try out the Fantasy!!! We are looking forward to it as well, but we have until next November! So a few more months, but at least we'll see WDW in between!!!

Remy's was SO cool.... it was really special!

Cheers!

I'm in!

Jill in CO

Hello!!! Welcome!!! Glad you are joining in!!!

I'm here! I guess this means you kept the Remy reservation! I can't wait to hear about all of it.

Oh yes, this trip, it was a DEFINITE!!! We dropped in in June (when we were with the kids) and opted for a second Palo's instead. This time we did Palo's AND Remy's, and well, that was hugely indulgent and absolutely fabulous LOL!!!

We're going on our first cruise on the Dream in May! Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

Well, you'll get some notes here which hopefully will be useful!

HappyDog,
Cant wait to hear more!! Especially want to hear about Remy!!

Oh I am going to wax poetic, don't worry!!!!!

So excited to read this. DH and I are going on a 3 nighter in May. We have sailed DCL 3x before, but this will be the first without the kiddo's. Anxious to hear the scoop

Hey there!!! Oh good! I am glad to know you have been on other DIS cruises, b/c you might opt for some of my tips, if only b/c you have been on their cruises... have the others been on the Dream?

 

[Happydog]

Excited to read it as well!

Great! Glad you are reading along!!!!

I'm here too

WOO HOO! Thanks for joining!!!

Well, hello DIS buddy!
I can't wait to hear all about this golden cruise of yours!!!

HEY WIGD!!!!!! Can you believe you are off in just a short while, and from my standpoint, summer will be here before we know it as well!!!

Here and ready for lots of wine and fun!

Oh yes, lots of wine, lots of fun and, well, just repeat!!!!

hopped over from your pt to read along

Great!!! Well, I'll be updating there soo, too!!!! But I am glad you are here for starters!!!!

Joining in! We have our 1st cruise booked on the Dream for a 4 night cruise. Can't wait to hear all the details!

OH BOY!!! You will have such an amazing time, it really is such fun!!! The kids LOVE it....

Thanks for coming along!

Joining in, getting excited for my first trip on the Dream with my husband in January 2013!

GREAT! You guys will have an awesome time... This was DH and I's third getaway cruise. It was such fun!

 

[Happydog]

So, welcome everyone! Let me say I hope you enjoy my Cruise TR. There will be some very different bits and pieces on it, because for DH and I this was a hugely different cruise for us as a couple, and with those new experiences I hope to just give out a few ideas or things to consider should you have the interest. Since this was NOT our first Disney cruise, and we didn't have our kidlets with us, we probably made choice that some of you won't consider -- at least not yet -- but at least you can have some different ideas too.

SO, here is a Thanksgiving cruise photo, the Happy Dog Family at Thanksgiving Dinner on the Disney Magic, just this past November 2011...

Between DH and I are DS 9 and 6. Yes, they stayed home this trip, left with my DMIL, but they are going to get a 10 day trip to the World in June/July, so please do NOT feel sorry that they were left behind Tho I will confess, I think DH and I were missing them plenty! We both realized that to a certain extent, we could have had many of the same experiences we had on our solo cruise, even if they had come along in the first place. I feel confident saying this because we were on the Dream last summer and on the Magic this past November, and even as a family cruise, we still found some time to do different things. However this time I really paid attention to what we did as a couple, and knowing how we used our time on this solo trip, I can see us getting family and couple time in even more so without trouble when we cruise as a family again.

So what am I saying? Well, I think this ability for everyone to have time to do what they want together and apart, without feeling guilty, etc. is the most appealing part of the Disney cruise line. I know my kids are NOT going to miss me, your kids will NOT miss you, trust me! So if you are planning a solo or a family cruise ala Disney your first time, you are in for a treat!

So our adventure alone started with a VERY early flight out of Regan National in DC, and we got to MCO and into our rental car by 10:00am... TOLD you it was early LOL!!!

We rented a car for one day, b/c we wanted flexibility to get to the port the next morning. We were headed to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for one day/night, and then the next day to Port Canaveral!

We stopped at Target on our way to WDW -- we grabbed two bottles of wine, sunscreen, and a few other things we had forgotten. On the past cruises we had brought sparkling wine and rum, but this was a short cruise. Last February on our solo cruise, and on our Five night cruise this past summer, we bought the three bottle premium wine package on board. But with us eating at Remy's one night, and Palo's another, and us wanting to really try all the cocktail bars this cruise, we figured we wouldn't be able to drink a whole bottle each night. So, in this case, we grabbed two bottles, and figured we'd be able to put those away before dinner, after dinner, etc., over the four nights! ... and no, it was not a problem.

That morning, our drive in was rather overcast... so knowing that this was the case, we figured a pool fest was not on the agenda... The sun did come out, though, so while it wasn't a clear sky, at least we had a warm afternoon...I put on shorts so that is saying something!

Instead, we got to the resort, checked in, didn't need to do much unpacking, obviously, but basically, we got organized a little, and headed down to the lobby where DH relaxed with a book, and I hopped a bus to the MK! I had ONE day in the park, and since I had an AP, I was going to use it! I wanted to check out the new interactive Sorcer's game and do a little shopping! I won't post photos here, because this is a Cruise TR, afterall, but here is ONE photo that I took, while I was watching a little boy try it out... the lines were not long, but it is my understanding that they have gotten really busy! So I am a little worried about that for this coming summer... I hope they run it all night!

I saw kids exploring the Sorcer's game throughout Fantasyland, and I just know my boys are going to go crazy for this!!!! I will post more photos over on my July PTR

So after a walk about, and of course seeing all of the dance teams prance their way down mainstreet during the parade, AND some souvie shopping, I headed back to the AKL. I grabbed a few snacks as well -- Hey, I didn't have lunch

When I got back to the resort, DH and I decided to get cleaned up and head over to the Boardwalk for dinner. We were going to do apps and cocktails at Blue Zoo, one of our favorites!! Knowing that we were going to be over eating on the cruise, we decided to just do an appetizer meal at the Blue Zoo. They changed the menu a little, but fortunately they still had my crab nacho favorite, and indeed, we had those, but no rock shrimp tacos, b/c they took them off the menu... BOOOOOOO BOOOOOO BOOOOO... NOT happy Oh well, the flatbread pizza was good too, but I was so looking forward to those tacos!!! Here is a silly photo of DH, one cocktail down, trying to emphasize the effort it takes to eat these nachos... meaning, stuffing his face. He didn't eat this way, he was trying to be silly, and of course I guess I thought it was "funny" b/c I took a photo. Of course I had finished my first Serenity as well, so... for those of you who know me, I am queen of random photos of sky, tree, and such, and well, this was one too...

I didn't include flash, so know that it is a little dark and I tried to change the setting to see the nachos! NOW, in this next photo, there are two of their new cocktails...

DON'T ask me what they were... one was something with tequilla and a big ice sphere... yep, a big round ice cube in the middle, and it came out "smoking".... talk about a concoction! Of course DH's first cocktail came out flaming (ala the flaming burnt orange margarita) so we are just keeping up with our spectacle drinks I guess Mine was the tall glass, and it was a ginger something or another!!! It was also yummy.... the Blue Zoo has these new interactive bar menus, which I really thought I took a photo of! I will look to see if I can find one. BUT, for the purpose of this TR, once we were replete with food and drinks, we then stroll-aggered... over to the boardwalk, narrowly missing a runaway pedal carriage, but fortunately finding a bench, where we relaxed, saw the fireworks, and just enjoyed the pleasant evening and buzz of the other vacationers! It was nice to just sit and people watch, and of course share some ice cream!!!

Back to the resort we went, totally excited to head out early for the port and our DREAM cruise for two!

NEXT UP!!! Getting onboard!!!

As you can see, we had a little luck, at least!!!

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Looking forward to reading more ... we now mostly cruise without our offspring, who are now young adults, so it will be nice to read about your experiences. I agree it is so wonderful to make time for ourselves as a couple every now and then ... and not feel guilty about it.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I do believe you have coined a new term, Happydog -- "stroll-aggered!" I need to do some "stroll-aggering" this summer.

Thank goodness the crab nachos are still on the menu -- you know my heart is set on them! Those drinks look mighty enticing, too!

Looking forward to more pictures of the Sorcerers game. Apparently, it is super popular -- I hope we can fit it in!

Too bad it was cloudy and there was no pooltime at AKL, but it looks like you found plenty of things to do.