7/24/2011 5 Night Disney Dream cruise

[VKtravel]

When it comes time to register next week, should I try for Palo brunch or dinner? I guess I'd better be glad with whatever is open but I'm just wondering. I don't know if I want to miss any of the other dinner nights. Thoughts?

 

[PoohJen]

VK, take a look at the dinner menu and see if it tempts you. You can go for both, if open (but brunch wasn't even open when my window opened on the gold round - brunch is only on sea day, and we only have one sea day).

Both are lovely. I'm with you, though, I never like to miss dinner in the dining rooms. When I've done Palo dinner in the past, DH and I join the family for early dinner in the dining room (we just eat an app with the family) and take a later Palo ressie.

If there's nothing open, don't despair - chances are good you can still book on board - good luck!

 

[PoohJen]

Just booked Port Orleans French Quarter for the Friday after the cruise. We're not going to the parks, but I still wanted to stay at a Disney resort!

We LOVE Port Orleans!!!


Welcome daboof!!!

 

[DISnutzFromCO]

Does anyone know what type of fridge - if any - is in the Dream cabins?

We were on the Dream in March and our stateroom (cat 5C) had a small fridge in the cabinet beneath the TV. It is a typical small size that you might find in a hotel room in the US. It is not stocked, so you can put your own beverages in it. Just guessing here ... I would say it would be big enough for a bottle of wine and at least 6-8 cans of beer or water bottles. Maybe more. We consistently had about 8 water bottles in it and it wasn't full. You can also ask your cabin steward to fill your ice bucket and use that too if the fridge isn't cold enough.

 

[MichelleVW]

We LOVE Port Orleans!!!


Welcome daboof!!!

We stayed at Riverside last year and loved it, so I figured we would try French Quarter this time around. So far we've stayed at AKL, ASMusic, ASMovies, Pop, Caribbean Beach and Riverside. Trying to get them all someday!!

 

[mmtska]

Is anyone visiting the park before or after the cruise? We just got 2 park tix and I'm debating whether to go before the cruise or not. The hot weather is what is worrying me. We always seem to go when it's hot and I swear I'll never do it again, but then I do! Decisions!!

We are. We arrive at OKW on the 19th, and we're there until the cruise. Then it pretty much depends on life right now. I might be making a pit stop on the way back because we might be moving to Orlando..... *crossing fingers*

 

[keishashadow]

When it comes time to register next week, should I try for Palo brunch or dinner? I guess I'd better be glad with whatever is open but I'm just wondering. I don't know if I want to miss any of the other dinner nights. Thoughts?

didn't see brunch last time i checked either

wondering though since i already have palo booked for dinner, would i even be able to 'see' if a brunch opens up

it's my understanding you can book palo only once pre-boarding, but wasn't sure if that means once for dinner, once for brunch & once for high tea (which i didn't see either & not sure if available on our cruise)

 

[VKtravel]

VK, take a look at the dinner menu and see if it tempts you. You can go for both, if open (but brunch wasn't even open when my window opened on the gold round - brunch is only on sea day, and we only have one sea day).

Both are lovely. I'm with you, though, I never like to miss dinner in the dining rooms. When I've done Palo dinner in the past, DH and I join the family for early dinner in the dining room (we just eat an app with the family) and take a later Palo ressie.

If there's nothing open, don't despair - chances are good you can still book on board - good luck!

Everything on the dinner menu looks fabulous! Only a few more days to countdown before I can register online. Hopefully there will be something.

didn't see brunch last time i checked either

wondering though since i already have palo booked for dinner, would i even be able to 'see' if a brunch opens up

it's my understanding you can book palo only once pre-boarding, but wasn't sure if that means once for dinner, once for brunch & once for high tea (which i didn't see either & not sure if available on our cruise)

Thanks! I will check for both of them before I do the final booking. I'm confused...what's the difference between brunch and high tea? Menus?

 

[js]

Hi everyone!
Can I join too!
We booked our July 24, 2011 cruise March 2010 and cannot wait!
We cruise often but only once on Disney Wonder.
My family of 4, ds-13, dd-17, have two aft 6Bs on Deck 6 booked with my mom, using our points.
My sister and her family of 3 little boys are in 2 insides across the hall.

We are doing 4 nights pre cruise. First night (just my dd and my mother and I flying in) at BWVs and made ressies for that night at BlueZoo and taking KTTK tour Thursday. Thursday day, my sister and her family and my dh and ds come in and we are going to THVs. They will do the parks, my family will NOT over summer!

During my open Silver CC time, I was able to make ressies for Palo for night 4 for 5 ppl for 8:30 pm. I was not able to book Remy for 5 ppl.
Then, today, I was reading about Remy and thought, let me just try again.
Booking for 5 ppl was open and so was Night 4. I booked it for 5 ppl, 7:20 pm (great time for us) and then canceled Palo. It looks wonderful and the reviews seem to be great.

Does anyone else have children closer in age to mine? We usually sail RCCL but using our points for DCL since my sister and her family never cruised.

Thanks.

 

[js]

i booked the aqua adventure excursion thru disney but really not liking the sound of a 20 minute walk from bus to/from the resort. I can't imagine where it'd let you off so far away when they could pull right up to resort.

my middle DS is a policeman. I still have comfort suites booked, may just cancel the excursion. My rate is w/SAMs club code & is $223.21, with taxes/fees bringing est total to $299.29 but that doesn't include the $12.95 & $5.00 pp surcharges...if im adding it up correctly approx $335 for 2...was more of a bargin w/i had a kid or 2 along...best part is it's a nice walk from nearby towel stand thru the resort & no 'preview' required

decisions, decisions

Hi. My dh is retired NYPD and we always use the Govt/Military Rate.
Is above what you got with that rate? $315 in Nassau. Not sure but if no one gets off ship in Nassau, I may spend the money. Thanks.

 

[PoohJen]

Welcome JS!

My children are close to yours in age - My eldest son is 18 and graduating next month; my twin boys are 14; all three are seasoned DCL cruisers!

We are sailing with my Mom and Dad, and my sister and brother and their familiies for Dad's 75th. My sis (BeautyFan on the Dis) has a 4yo daughter and my bro has a daughter who will almost be 3 at sailing.

 

[Cheryl726]

Does anyone else have children closer in age to mine? We usually sail RCCL but using our points for DCL since my sister and her family never cruised.

Thanks.

Hi, I have DS12 and DS9, they are excited to try the clubs!

 

[js]

Anyone else onboard for the July 24, 2011 Disney Dream cruise with 2 stops at Castaway Cay?

I'm Danielle and will be sailing with my DH Derek, and my then DS14 Keegan and then DS10 Brennan. It will be our 14th DCL cruise and 1st on the Dream (unless we can squeeze another one in if any great deals come out!)

Welcome JS!

My children are close to yours in age - My eldest son is 18 and graduating next month; my twin boys are 14; all three are seasoned DCL cruisers!

We are sailing with my Mom and Dad, and my sister and brother and their familiies for Dad's 75th. My sis (BeautyFan on the Dis) has a 4yo daughter and my bro has a daughter who will almost be 3 at sailing.

Hi, I have DS12 and DS9, they are excited to try the clubs!

Hi guys! We are seasoned cruisers but not on DCL. This will be only our second and my kids were very small on the last DCL. PoohJen, my dd turned 17 in March and we have begun the college search. We are on the East Coast and keeping our search about 2-3 hours close to home (we live in New York). Great birthday present for your dad! My son is 13 and loves RCCL so hopes he loves DCL clubs. Perhaps they can e-mail once the summer comes. He is big into baseball.

Cheryl: My son is 13 so also very close in age to your son. While my ds isn't on the computer much (more video games LOL) perhaps they can all e-mail each other have get to "know" each other prior to getting on the ship?

Looking forward to July!

 

[keishashadow]

Hi. My dh is retired NYPD and we always use the Govt/Military Rate.
Is above what you got with that rate? $315 in Nassau. Not sure but if no one gets off ship in Nassau, I may spend the money. Thanks.

No, that was SAMS club rate. The govt rate is approx $50 less when i checked today.

My DH is ex military but not retired. Choice is one of few providers that grants the military rate to both official and leisure travel w/o any military photo id or travel orders. FYI, their website states that "certain military associations are extended the rate on leisure travel". DH belongs to several such associations and we've never had a problem stateside, just not sure i'd want to be turned down in Nassau & have to pay rack rate.

I may just keep the aqua adventure i booked & cancel the hotel reservations, it's not that big of a savings to book the hotel for just 2 people im finding. I just hate the idea of waiting for bus at the pier & long hot walk to resort...according to reports i've read. I posted a Q on main board, maybe will get some good advice.

I just got done paying my DSs college deposit & housing fees, happy joy - not! He received almost $110,000 in offers from a bunch of universities. Turned down free ride to PITT & near-one to Thiel (grrrrr!). He fell in love with the Robert E Cook Honors College @ Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Wants to be a trader, and accepted in their Eberly School of Business honors track, seems to be a good fit for him.

if he's happy, i'm happy...repeat mantra (often) & keep signing the checks

 

[js]

No, that was SAMS club rate. The govt rate is approx $50 less when i checked today.

My DH is ex military but not retired. Choice is one of few providers that grants the military rate to both official and leisure travel w/o any military photo id or travel orders. FYI, their website states that "certain military associations are extended the rate on leisure travel". DH belongs to several such associations and we've never had a problem stateside, just not sure i'd want to be turned down in Nassau & have to pay rack rate.

I may just keep the aqua adventure i booked & cancel the hotel reservations, it's not that big of a savings to book the hotel for just 2 people im finding. I just hate the idea of waiting for bus at the pier & long hot walk to resort...according to reports i've read. I posted a Q on main board, maybe will get some good advice.

I just got done paying my DSs college deposit & housing fees, happy joy - not! He received almost $110,000 in offers from a bunch of universities. Turned down free ride to PITT & near-one to Thiel (grrrrr!). He fell in love with the Robert E Cook Honors College @ Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Wants to be a trader, and accepted in their Eberly School of Business honors track, seems to be a good fit for him.

if he's happy, i'm happy...repeat mantra (often) & keep signing the checks

keishashadow-Congratulations on your son and his admission to college and his offers! How wonderful! We are in the thick of college visits and most in PA. We are tying to keep it no longer than 2-3 hours away. We live in NY. In PA, we visited, Villanova, Lehigh, Lafayette and last week visited with Muhlenberg. We have been to UDel, Fordham and Quinnipiac. Villanova, right now, is her first choice. I guess prom and graduation are coming up soon for you. How exciting. I keep thinking this time next year she (I LOL) will be done and we will know where she is going. She took her SATs in both January and March so done with those. She is taking SAT II Subject tests this Saturday and hopefully that will be the last of the standardized testing for college. AP tests this week and next.
Again, congraulations on the offers. You must be so proud.

Regarding Nassau, have you been on cruisecritic.com? It is like the disboards but for cruising. It is a wealth of information. They have a Ports of Call board with Nassau, where you can find out much information.

Has anyone made any ressies for Remy or Palo. I am excited we were able to get Remy since we have done Palo (even though it was long ago).
The $75 is rather steep compared to RCCL that charges $25 per person for their speciality restaurants, which I also find wonderful.

Looking forward to July

 

[PoohJen]

PoohJen, my dd turned 17 in March and we have begun the college search. We are on the East Coast and keeping our search about 2-3 hours close to home (we live in New York).

My son is 13 and loves RCCL so hopes he loves DCL clubs. Perhaps they can e-mail once the summer comes. He is big into baseball.

Hi JS,
I grew up on Long Island and went to college waaaayyyy upstate (8 hours!). DS surprisingly chose a school only an hour away from us (he'd prefer it was halfway around the world! ) but went to look at it and fell in love with it. Lucky for us (he'll live there, but it definitely makes travel easier!)

Did you say BASEBALL????!!!!! omg, omg, omg - we are so into baseball!!! DS 14 has been playing travel ball since he was eight - he's at his pitching lesson right now, then to the cages to hit! On the Disney ships, you'll find him most days hanging out on the sports deck! Sounds like they may be a good match!

 

[minniemouse86]

Hello,
For all of you looking at colleges, my DH is the Director of College Counseling for the independent school at which we both work. He would be happy to provide any advice or guidance that you might need. If you don't want to get into a public discussion on the Board please PM me. My DS just finished the process and is off to The College of Wooster in the fall. I am counting the days to graduation and our cruise

 

[VKtravel]

Hey everyone! I am just now getting on the boards for the day and I feel like I'm going through withdrawal! Does anyone have kids my age? DDs will be 9 and 7 when we sail but they don't know anything about it yet. We're surprising them!

 

[PoohJen]

Thanks for the generous offer, Minnie - and congratulations and good luck to your son! I bet he is excited!

 

[Lauri]

Wow, I just left college confidential, and I feel like I'm back there. DS 16 is finishing up his junior year. He says by the end of this year, he'll have taken every type of standardized test offered (SAT, ACT, AP, SAT II, and various local tests.) This cruise is supposed to be a well-deserved brake for him, before he starts the college application process in the fall.

DD 14 will be starting HS in September. sounds like they'll be lots of teens in Vibe.

js--as far as Remy, it's supposed to be like V & A at the Grand Floridian. DH and I went there for our anniversary two years ago, and it was really wonderful. If this was a 7 night cruise, we would definitely go. But we'll do our one night at Palo and spend the rest with the kida and check out the rotational dining on the Dream.

Lauri