April 21, 2011 - Disney Dream

[Deb T.]

My kids are very excited about the kids areas...I'd love to hear about any favorite kids club experiences!

I'm having fun reading the boards & trip reports...I think the anticipation is half the fun!!

I agree about the anticipation! I love doing all the planning!

The kids' areas on the Dream are very different than on the Magic and Wonder. But, everything I've read so far sound positive! Sorry I'm not more help on that one.

Next post... I mean... next question...

Have you booked any excursions, spa treatments, Palo, or Remy?

 

[nonniemaria]

So we aren't going directly home after the cruise--heading back to Grand Lakes in Orlando--just made lunch reservations at T Rex in downtown Disney for 11;30==do we get off the ship in time to make this??

 

[Deb T.]

So we aren't going directly home after the cruise--heading back to Grand Lakes in Orlando--just made lunch reservations at T Rex in downtown Disney for 11;30==do we get off the ship in time to make this??

Fun!

Do you have main (6pm) or late (8:30pm) dining? Your dining time and last restaurant in your dining rotation determine your breakfast time on the morning of debarkation.

If you have main dining, you will be assigned breakfast between 6:30-6:45am on the last morning. Late diners are assigned breakfast between 7:45-8am. Flo's Cafe and Cabana's should be open for continental breakfast items, also.

No matter what time you are assigned breakfast, though, everyone is supposed to be off the ship by 9:30am so that it can be cleaned and readied for the next batch of eager cruisers.

You should probably allow for at least 2-1/2 hours to debark, clear customs, retrieve your vehicle, drive to Downtown Disney, park, and walk to T-Rex. So, you might want to plan to leave the ship no later than 9am. If it were me, I'd probably try to be ready to leave by 8:30am because I've heard that there have been long and slow lines of cruisers waiting to debark around 9am.

 

[MPS516]

DW and DD get back from Greece tomorrow and they are already looking forward to getting on board the Dream. They have been so spoiled by our Magic and Wonder cruises that their time on Louis Cruise Lines just couldn't stack up - not even close.

Just enough time to get 4 weeks of school and laundry done and off to Fla

 

[halldm]

We are. Two adults with two kids. Cannot wait. Our poor two year-old has to wait until she is old enough to be out of the nursery to come, too. We are thinking about staying on the ship rather than excursuions since the ship looks so fun.

 

[Deb T.]

We are. Two adults with two kids. Cannot wait. Our poor two year-old has to wait until she is old enough to be out of the nursery to come, too. We are thinking about staying on the ship rather than excursuions since the ship looks so fun.

Welcome Aboard! Is this your first Disney cruise?

We will probably stay onboard in Nassau, too. This will be our 12th Disney cruise and 9th time docked at Nassau, so we would fall under the "Been there, done that" category. However, Castaway Cay is pure paradise, so we always enjoy getting off the ship there.

 

[Deb T.]

DW and DD get back from Greece tomorrow and they are already looking forward to getting on board the Dream. They have been so spoiled by our Magic and Wonder cruises that their time on Louis Cruise Lines just couldn't stack up - not even close.

Just enough time to get 4 weeks of school and laundry done and off to Fla

Wow - Greece! Exciting!

Yup, there's nothing like a Disney Cruise! The only way we'd cruise on another line would be if we won a free trip!

 

[TiffLB]

Next post... I mean... next question...

Have you booked any excursions, spa treatments, Palo, or Remy?

The only thing we've booked is the snorkeling/float/bike rental combo for Castaway Cay. We're planning on staying aboard the Dream at Nassau and enjoying the ship for the day. I wish we could have taken a longer cruise so we'd have more time - but I guess we'll have to save that for our next trip!! Anyone have any favorite Disney itineraries for future trip planning?

Any suggestions for must-do's while on Castaway Cay?? I'm excited to take the kids snorkeling - they love to play with snorkels in our pool in the summer - I can only imagine how much more they'll like it when there are actual fish to look at!

We're skipping Palo & Remy this trip as well - we want to enjoy the rotational restaurants with the kids (and my parents, who are joining us on this trip.)

 

[Deb T.]

I see you're up to 5 posts so far... keep going so you can pm me your FE info!

The only thing we've booked is the snorkeling/float/bike rental combo for Castaway Cay. We're planning on staying aboard the Dream at Nassau and enjoying the ship for the day. I wish we could have taken a longer cruise so we'd have more time - but I guess we'll have to save that for our next trip!! Anyone have any favorite Disney itineraries for future trip planning?

We've never done the Eastern or Western. Our favorite Disney itinerary was the Baltic cruise last July, then the Mediterranean in '07. All the families with young children that I talked to felt those two cruises were well worth the money for the experience. To be honest, we're really tired of Nassau and wish Disney would switch up the shorter cruises.

Any suggestions for must-do's while on Castaway Cay?? I'm excited to take the kids snorkeling - they love to play with snorkels in our pool in the summer - I can only imagine how much more they'll like it when there are actual fish to look at!

Snorkeling's great. Have you looked into the stingray adventure? The kids will also enjoy the Pelican's Plunge slides if they are good swimmers. The Crab Races are fun to watch, too.

We're skipping Palo & Remy this trip as well - we want to enjoy the rotational restaurants with the kids (and my parents, who are joining us on this trip.)

We love the rotational restaurants! We did Palo dinner on our first cruise in 1998 and weren't wow'd by it. We did Palo brunch for the first time last July and really didn't think it was worth the extra surcharge (now $20pp) when there's plenty of other food available onboard. The only reason we're doing a Palo dinner this trip is because we're Platinum so it's free. But, we're still planning to do our rotational restaurant that night, too, because we don't want to miss any "shows" on this short cruise!

Any more questions?????

 

[MPS516]

Yup, there's nothing like a Disney Cruise! The only way we'd cruise on another line would be if we won a free trip!

We have tried several and find Disney to be so far superior to all others can not even compare - if we won a cruise on NCL i would give it to the church - never, ever, never again on that line ! EVER !

 

[TiffLB]

We have tried several and find Disney to be so far superior to all others can not even compare - if we won a cruise on NCL i would give it to the church - never, ever, never again on that line ! EVER !

We are still pretty new to cruising - the Dream will be our third cruise. Last year my DH & I cruised NCL to Bermuda & had a great time (and loved that it cruised from Boston, so we didn't have to fly anywhere.) I've heard so much about Disney's spectacular service - so I can't wait to finally experience it!

 

[TiffLB]

Ooh lookee! I'm at 10 posts...yipee! Now I can PM my FE info....so exciting!

 

[Deb T.]

Ooh lookee! I'm at 10 posts...yipee! Now I can PM my FE info....so exciting!

Got it! Now check your pm for a reply with additional info!

 

[Deb T.]

Hi Everyone! Here is an update to our FE Exchange! Remember, the deadline to join is 4-1-11.

Fish Extender Exchange:
Deb T. & DH
Mouseskis & DH, DS8, DS5 – need cabin number!
Private Message participant & DFiance
mummy lee, DS13, DD10
magic2go & DH, DD13, DS11
Nebraska Traveler & DH, DD13, DS11
mdurette & DH, DD5
Private Message participant & DH
Private Message 3 friends traveling together
Private Message participant & DH, DD4
Mom_3_mouseketeers & DH, DS11, DD9, DS7
TiffLB & DH, DD11, DS7

Anyone else??

 

[mummy lee]

Just had to post as I'm so excited.

We are all set, my youngest even has her pirate outfit ready.

We have booked for the stingray adventure!!!!! J really wanted to but needed a participating adult, so that will be me. I don't like fish/anything that swims or snorkling so it will be very traumatic so no laughing at the mad English woman squealing in the stingray lagoon.

We now have everything we need for our American adventure, park tickets, fast pass Q things, some meals booked, airline special seat for A and disabled parking permit. We will need an extra suitcase for all of our paperwork x

 

[Deb T.]

News from DCL:

-- Starting this week, dining times onboard the Disney Dream are being changed. Both dining periods will begin 15 minutes earlier than originally scheduled -- First dining will begin at 5:45 p.m. and second dining at 8:15 p.m.

-- Beginning today, March 22, 2011, you will have until 11:59 p.m. the day before cruise departure to complete online check-in forms. (Previously, your deadline was two days prior to vacation commencement.)

I just read this in my latest weekly email issue of AllEars and thought you'd like to be the first to know!

 

[Deb T.]

Just had to post as I'm so excited.

We are all set, my youngest even has her pirate outfit ready.

We have booked for the stingray adventure!!!!! J really wanted to but needed a participating adult, so that will be me. I don't like fish/anything that swims or snorkling so it will be very traumatic so no laughing at the mad English woman squealing in the stingray lagoon.

We now have everything we need for our American adventure, park tickets, fast pass Q things, some meals booked, airline special seat for A and disabled parking permit. We will need an extra suitcase for all of our paperwork x

Very exciting! Thanks for sharing with all of us! And I promise not to laugh if you squeal in the stingray lagoon!

 

[darrenwatson66]

My partner and I are sailing on this cruise too! Very excited to spend Easter on the cruise and at the parks!! We sailed on the inaugural and it was even more magical than ever expected!!! If this is your first time on the Dream...prepare to be amazed!!! D

 

[MPS516]

My partner and I are sailing on this cruise too! Very excited to spend Easter on the cruise and at the parks!! We sailed on the inaugural and it was even more magical than ever expected!!! If this is your first time on the Dream...prepare to be amazed!!! D

During our Mediterranean cruise we booked our Alaska cruise but after hearing so much good about the Dream we decided to sneak this one in between. Can't wait

 

[MPS516]

Exactly 4 weeks from this very minute we will be making out way to the Cabanas for our first meal on board