Could the Dream Turn the Grump into a Believer? Charleston Update 10/13

[PirateKate]

The Dream looks so amazing! I love those pictures that change as you look at them. The show looks incredible, too. I'm impressed they can put on a show like that on a ship, but, that's Disney for you.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Michelle, our anniversary is the 13th, it will be our 45th! I can't believe that it has been that long since we got married. We got married right out of high school. I wouldn't recommend that today, but we had a good start.

 

[MEK]

Michelle -

That show looks amazing. thanks for all the great pictures.

And your family pictures are really excellent. You are such a cute and photogenic family. Very nice!

 

[kschafer]

Woefully far behind!!

The boys were in the backseat lamenting over the fact that we couldn't go ride anything.

Was Don listening to this??

I asked Greg if he would build me something like this and he told me we have to buy a house with a bigger yard first. Sadly true, but he didn't say no!!

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Thankfully we left without dropping a small fortune on sporting equipment that we did not need.

THAT would piss me off I think!!

I walked past the Douney & Bourke counter, I could NOT spend my money on a D&B, at least not yet

Since I know the end of this story, I can't help but Sorry Michelle

I asked what, he said I just had to follow him. He lead me to the Bippity Boppity Boutique.

Oh Don

With all the yummy treats in there my boys opted for the sour powder. Honestly I think they just like filling the tubes.....

I don't get the appeal either but the boys got them on our June trip and I must admit helping them fill the tubes WAS fun

 

[kschafer]

Don and I decided to go for a little walk around the resort

I've only been to AKL once and it was night so everything looked so dark. I also had hit the wall and just didn't have the needed energy to look around and enjoy it. Gonna have to get back one of these days!

Here's the more flattering side of Pumbaa

More is certainly a relative term isn't it!!

Love these guys!!
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He said, and I quote, "get out of your car and start walking"

Ok, that right there is awfully funny ...although not at all helpful

Our bill was just under $150 with tip, which I made sure to point out to Don, was just as expensive as a meal at WDW.....

Yeah, that pic of Don and the boys in front of the beach club, you should have just gone right in and walked up to Cape May. All the crab legs one could want!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

The Dream looks so amazing! I love those pictures that change as you look at them. The show looks incredible, too. I'm impressed they can put on a show like that on a ship, but, that's Disney for you.

The enchanted art was really cool! I could have taken a day and just walked around the ship looking at all of it!

Disney certainly knows how to entertain

Michelle, our anniversary is the 13th, it will be our 45th! I can't believe that it has been that long since we got married. We got married right out of high school. I wouldn't recommend that today, but we had a good start.

Don and I started dating right before my senior year of high school, but we waited until I finished college before we got married. I still feel like I got married young though, I hope my boys wait until at least their mid 20's.

Michelle -

That show looks amazing. thanks for all the great pictures.

And your family pictures are really excellent. You are such a cute and photogenic family. Very nice!

Thanks Mary Ellen!

Woefully far behind!!

Boy you were far behind!! Glad you're here now!

 

[SoonerGirl]

After we dropped my new prized possession off in the cabin it was time for dinner. Our rotation had us dining at the Enchanted Garden tonight and when we arrived we saw that Marc, Anita & Baylor were already there. We met our servers, Mario (at least I think that was his name - Anita, please help me remember!) was our head server, he was from Honduras. And Petar was our assistant server, can't remember where he was from (this is what I get for not keeping up with my trip journal!), some eastern European country I think.

We placed our drink orders and Don decided to buy the wine package that came with 3 bottles, it was $89 plus an automatic gratuity, total was $96.60. I ordered one of the special cocktails, which I never got. I wasn't charged for it though, and they were very busy, so I didn't say anything.

I could still feel the motion of the ship and was a bit nervous about eating, but decided that since it hadn't bothered me so far, I should be fine. And I was. After this first night I never felt the boat move at all, I don't know if we just had rougher waters that day/night or if it was the speed that we were moving - we were going really fast, probably to be able to make it all the way to Nassau by the next morning. Either way my fears of seasickness were unfounded because I was just fine the entire time.

For appetizers Don got the Ahi Tuna & Avocado Tower

Justin and I both ordered the Lobster Ravioli

Jared didn't order an appy - he just ate bread

Salads - Don & Justin both had the Romaine Wedge, I got the Baby Spinach Salad, Jared had more bread

Other than the fact that I didn't get the drink I ordered, our service was very efficient. And the food was really good! Entrees:

Don & Justin both got the NY Strip

Jared decided to be adventurous and ordered the Sea Bass

He ate most of it, but this was the last night that he went out on a limb.

My dinner was the Caramelized Sea Scallops - so yummy!

Dessert, always the best part of any meal, right?

I think this was the sugar free chocolate mousse, and I think it was mine, and maybe Justin ordered it too

Sweet Temptations - pretty sure this was Don's

Jared went safe with dessert and ordered a Mickey Ice Cream bar

Once our meal was complete and our servers weren't so busy anymore we were treated to a bit of their personalities - and oh my, what a treat it was. They were joking around with each other and just babbling on and on, it was really funny and we were all just laughing at them. Which of course encouraged them to keep going. Eventually it got to be too much and were all just wishing they would stop so we could leave, but Mario felt compelled to try and tell us a few jokes, which failed miserably. It was like he was leaving off part of the joke, they had no punch line! We had no idea when we were supposed to laugh - he would just suddenly stop like the joke was over. We all just kept looking at each other like 'what am I missing?' Finally we were able to get enough of a stop in the banter that we all stood up to leave. As soon as we were outside of the restaurant Anita and I just looked at each and died laughing, the whole thing was just so bizarre!

Continued in the next post

 

[SoonerGirl]

We made our way back up to our room and found that our beds had been turned down and this guy was waiting for us

The ceiling above the upper bunk - kinda cool that Jared was able to lay up there and stare at the stars!

The boys changed clothes and left us again. So Don & I decided to go for a little walk. We checked out Cabana's first since we hadn't really gotten a good look at it earlier in the day.

Loved the Nemo mosaic!!

Next we walked around and saw the Aquaduck.

We went up to the sports deck next, thinking that we would see the kids up there, but they weren't there - not sure where they were! They said that they tried to shoot baskets that night, but it was too windy. And it was! We were moving so fast and it was crazy windy up on the upper decks. Don and I were laughing at the people trying to play ping pong in that wind.

Here is where my boys spent the majority of their time on board

At this point we decided to head back to the room. I filled out the room service order for Don's coffee in the morning, then we sat out on the verandah enjoying the nighttime sea air until the kids got back. We all crawled into bed that night excited for the new adventure that awaited us the next day.

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

I just booked the Dream for May 2012 and I am truly loving your review. Can't wait for the next part!

Question - did you ask for a certain dining rotation? Do you think there is a better rotation than the other?

 

[UGAFan0829]

Wonderful update!!

Congrats on your D&B! You gotta share a pic with us though!! I have one of the original sketch totes and I love it!!

Dinner looked awesome! Sorry to hear about the awkwardness with the servers!!

I love the pictures from your walk around the ship. After dark is one of my favorite times to stroll around and get pictures. Something about the way everything is lit up, and sometimes quiet, is just so neat!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

Alright, I know I haven't been dising like I should but how did I miss the D&B purchase? Did you post a picture? Those purses are soo cute. I would love to have one.

Looks like you had a great evening at Enchanted Garden. Glad to hear that you didn't get seasick.

 

[TanzUnited99]

I'm glad to hear that your fears of seasickness were unfounded

Wow your meal at Enchanted Garden looks amazing! I laughed at your description of the servers and how they were cracking bad jokes!

 

[DisneyBoundinDec]

great reviews!! and the food looks yummy!!!!

I have heard that you have to request to be at a table by yourselves? Is this true? I have heard that you may be seated with another family... is that true?

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

All your food looks yummy! I am totally with you on the scallops! LOVE them! I'm sure I will be ordering those too!

How odd about your waiters??? Do you think it was a language barrier type thing that messed up their jokes?

I am so glad to hear that you never got sea sick!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I just booked the Dream for May 2012 and I am truly loving your review. Can't wait for the next part!

Question - did you ask for a certain dining rotation? Do you think there is a better rotation than the other?

You'll love the Dream! I've been plotting a way to get back ever since we've been home

I did not ask for a certain dining rotation, it really didn't matter to me.

Wonderful update!!

Congrats on your D&B! You gotta share a pic with us though!! I have one of the original sketch totes and I love it!!

Dinner looked awesome! Sorry to hear about the awkwardness with the servers!!

I love the pictures from your walk around the ship. After dark is one of my favorite times to stroll around and get pictures. Something about the way everything is lit up, and sometimes quiet, is just so neat!

You'll have to stay tuned, there is twist in my D&B story......

I have a few Disney Dooney's - the original sketch, the black one with the different color Mickey's on it & the brown tonal, and I've got my eye on another one for when I go in October - yes, I have an addiction

Dinner was really good! Our servers were, well, interesting

I wish I had taken more after dark pictures, I just spent more time enjoying the stroll than taking pictures.

Alright, I know I haven't been dising like I should but how did I miss the D&B purchase? Did you post a picture? Those purses are soo cute. I would love to have one.

Looks like you had a great evening at Enchanted Garden. Glad to hear that you didn't get seasick.

It was in the update that included the pictures from the Golden Mickey's, did you see that one? As I told UGAFan0829, there will be more to the D&B story coming up - but not for awhile, so you'll have to be patient

I'm glad to hear that your fears of seasickness were unfounded

Wow your meal at Enchanted Garden looks amazing! I laughed at your description of the servers and how they were cracking bad jokes!

I can't tell you how excited I was that I didn't get seasick, especially since I loved the cruise so much, now I know I can go back!

great reviews!! and the food looks yummy!!!!

I have heard that you have to request to be at a table by yourselves? Is this true? I have heard that you may be seated with another family... is that true?

Yes, there is a posibility that you will be seated with another family. We knew in advance that we would be cruising with another DIS family that I had 'known' for several years so we requested to be seated together. There did seem to be quite a few smaller tables though so I think if you request to be seated alone there shouldn't be a problem with that request being granted. Just make sure you do it well in advance before they begin to assign seating.

All your food looks yummy! I am totally with you on the scallops! LOVE them! I'm sure I will be ordering those too!

How odd about your waiters??? Do you think it was a language barrier type thing that messed up their jokes?

I am so glad to hear that you never got sea sick!

Mmmmmm, wish I could order those scallops for dinner tonight......

It could have been a language thing with the servers, who knows, I felt bad for Mario though that his jokes that he had been 'working on' were falling flat

 

[jenbear123]

Love all the Dream updates. What a gorgeous ship. The food looks fantastic too. I had no idea they had an entire restaurant devoted to Nemo theme. My sister would die if she saw those mine, mine, mine seagulls. Your family is stunning

 

[Happy Elf]

Your dinner looked delicious! That right there has me ready to go on a cruise!

Cute towel animal! How did the boys like sleeping on the bunk beds?

 

[PrincessInOz]

Another foodtastic update! The food does look amazing and I'm glad that you didn't get seasick. Yet again - your pictures show what a dream the Dream is!

 

[cherokeemamma]

Great update Michelle! Glad to hear you didn't get seasick. That is my fear too! When I was younger I would get sooo carsick...now I just drive everywhere and I am fine. Did the Bonine make you sleepy?

Love your family pictures as well as the ones from Golden Mickey show.

It is funny you were talking about how windy it was up on the sports deck. My DS and I were just talking about this yesterday. He loves BB and he was laughing about how difficult it might be to shoot hoops in the wind. I can imagine ping pong being even worse.

TTFN
Darlene

 

[Toria]

The food looks amazing! I really can't wait to try all of it. I am going to gain all the weight that I am losing right back.