For OP, take this for what it is worth, we have been on Magic and not the Dream, we are users of the DCL transfer ease. With all of the talk of you can't get in before this time, hurry up and wait in this line to get to that line, no thank you. We put luggage out in the morning, go have a nice leisurly breakfast while others are in cars at the parking deck trying to get in, we then go to the bathroom if we want in our room or at the resort, rather than getting out of the car that is still in line and running into the parking gargage (which I think is a great idea by the way, since I had not figured out how they were going to accomodate all those folks with kids bladders) - then we may goof around in the gift shop while others get parked (or get dropped off) whichever be the case, then we get with our other 10-30 people going on the cruise while waiting inside in the A/C, instead of outside in line in the heat and or rain, then we board the bus noon ish or so, maybe make 1-2 stops to pick up other folks, then about 10 minutes in the cartoons start, while others are still outside in the heat. About 2 cartoons in, the folks are getting into the terminal to wait in another line and get upset that DCL gave them boarding pass number 42 instead of the 1 or 2 that they wanted, even though those folks are on the ship already, some lugging luggage, some not. We pull up after a nice ride and happy cartoons and a video tour of the ship and see Mickey, Minnie and all the gang, then the little one needs to go to the bathroom, so you get back out of line and go back to the parking garage since it is not your time to enter the terminal, we get up go to the back of the bus and use the restroom and return to our seat only missing a few minutes of the cartoon, then we unload the bus, while you jsut got on the ship 15 minutes before we got there, if you got there real early, you may be on the ship lugging around your backpack, your kids backpack, and other crap you have already accumulated because the room is not ready, and then we walk through security, maybe taking 5 to 10 minutes at the absolute most (don't think it has ever taken that long even if on the back of the bus) but for arguments sake, then you walk to the large mickey hand waiting for you at the top of the stairs, walk straight to one of the waiting customer service folks, or ok,one person is in line in front of you, then walk straight onto the ship, take your boarding pictures at one of the waiting photographers, go drop stuff in the room, walk up to the buffets, find a seat and enjoy lunch and by this time it may be 2-2:30. We are having a great time and others have already started the stress of hurry hurry hurry.
Really long sentence to say, well worth the $100 difference for us!
Sorry for the ramble, but I guess people really amuse me on vacations, (to each their own, I do understand the get as much out of it as you can group too) roll with things and enjoy life, it is too short and work sucks to bad to work at having fun! We consider the night before, the bus and the cruise all part of the experience. Now if you were talking $1,000 difference, ok, but after reading the above, $100 is worth your sanity!