krismomof3boys
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2003
- Messages
- 59
First a warning to other 1st time cruisers, I don't know why no one tells you this but the Post-cruise let down is H U G E!! I can't tell you how silly and ridiculous I feel for being bummed about everything back at home but it's really hard.
PROS:
The Dream is beautiful, well kept, service is top notch. Our waiters, housekeeping and everyone else we encountered were the best, excellent service all the way around.
Castaway Cay is officially the best place on earth now.
I knew it was Disney's private island but I did not know it was basically a lagoon that Disney created with the barriers (rocks) My family and I went snorkeling both days and loved every single minute. PS -- I bought our kids snorkeling gear from Walmart so they could get used to the idea at home in the pool, Walmart stuff worked just fine. 
The "funnelvision" movies playing on the pool deck were wonderful, especially at night.
Aquaduck -- kids favorite....unless you are starving when you board, go straight to the Aquaduck and ride, no lines until about 3pm. Also, last night my kids rode from about 9:30pm until 11pm (closing time) again very empty. I guess people did not want to take wet suits off the boat in the morning?
Kids Club -- very nice, Disney theme (obviously) Andy's Room and Monsters, Inc. were very well done. My kids went there about an hour every day. Very nice place but I don't think they could spend the entire cruise there. Everyone's children are different so you would have to gauge your own kids' interest in staying.
Shows -- we saw all the live performances and all were Broadway quality. DH and I were trying to figure out who was who from the previous performances.
CONS:
Nassau Aquadventure -- while my kids had a great time I would never do this again. I was really suprised by how bad this was handled. Disney has you meet (apparently everyone who is doing any DCL excursion) in one of the lounges, crowds and crowds of people everywhere...why don't they stagger them? Also, they give you timed tickets but there were people in front of us checking in with later times
What is the point of having timed tickets if you can just show up whenever you want?
It took 1hour and 15 minutes from check in onboard until we touched towel to beach chair in Atlantis.
Atlantis itself was fine, but not worth what we paid, nothing more special then any other waterpark I have ever been to. The ride that ended in the shark tank was different but other then that, eh. PS -- the Mayan slide they show on the Atlantis commercials is much less impressive in real life. Also the service at the food bars is S L O W... terrible, I guess they all ready have your money, they don't have to care.
Unless you have a burning desire to tell your grandkids about how you got ripped off....seriously....avoid this place.
The pool deck is HOT...wear shoes or your feet will be buring.
Also, the navigator on the last day stating the pools would be open until 11pm but they were closed when we got there at 9:30pm. The Aquaduck was open and we rode that until closing (as stated above)
Aside from the Atlantis rip-off....this was the best vacation we have ever had. The service and atmosphere is just so wonderful, you can't get enough of looking at the ocean every day and night.
PROS:
The Dream is beautiful, well kept, service is top notch. Our waiters, housekeeping and everyone else we encountered were the best, excellent service all the way around.
Castaway Cay is officially the best place on earth now.
I knew it was Disney's private island but I did not know it was basically a lagoon that Disney created with the barriers (rocks) My family and I went snorkeling both days and loved every single minute. PS -- I bought our kids snorkeling gear from Walmart so they could get used to the idea at home in the pool, Walmart stuff worked just fine. The "funnelvision" movies playing on the pool deck were wonderful, especially at night.
Aquaduck -- kids favorite....unless you are starving when you board, go straight to the Aquaduck and ride, no lines until about 3pm. Also, last night my kids rode from about 9:30pm until 11pm (closing time) again very empty. I guess people did not want to take wet suits off the boat in the morning?
Kids Club -- very nice, Disney theme (obviously) Andy's Room and Monsters, Inc. were very well done. My kids went there about an hour every day. Very nice place but I don't think they could spend the entire cruise there. Everyone's children are different so you would have to gauge your own kids' interest in staying.
Shows -- we saw all the live performances and all were Broadway quality. DH and I were trying to figure out who was who from the previous performances.
CONS:
Nassau Aquadventure -- while my kids had a great time I would never do this again. I was really suprised by how bad this was handled. Disney has you meet (apparently everyone who is doing any DCL excursion) in one of the lounges, crowds and crowds of people everywhere...why don't they stagger them? Also, they give you timed tickets but there were people in front of us checking in with later times
What is the point of having timed tickets if you can just show up whenever you want?It took 1hour and 15 minutes from check in onboard until we touched towel to beach chair in Atlantis.
Atlantis itself was fine, but not worth what we paid, nothing more special then any other waterpark I have ever been to. The ride that ended in the shark tank was different but other then that, eh. PS -- the Mayan slide they show on the Atlantis commercials is much less impressive in real life. Also the service at the food bars is S L O W... terrible, I guess they all ready have your money, they don't have to care.
Unless you have a burning desire to tell your grandkids about how you got ripped off....seriously....avoid this place.
The pool deck is HOT...wear shoes or your feet will be buring.
Also, the navigator on the last day stating the pools would be open until 11pm but they were closed when we got there at 9:30pm. The Aquaduck was open and we rode that until closing (as stated above)
Aside from the Atlantis rip-off....this was the best vacation we have ever had. The service and atmosphere is just so wonderful, you can't get enough of looking at the ocean every day and night.
