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

[SoonerGirl]

Continued from the previous post

We left then for the lifeboat drill, which is a necessary evil, I guess, but it all seemed rather pointless. We were crammed into a tiny little space like sardines, it was hot all smooshed together and we stood there doing nothing for a much longer time then was spent on the actual instruction. Also we could barely hear what was being said. I prayed that there would be no need for an emergency evacuation, because I wasn't sure any of us really knew what to do if the need arose!

We all cheered when were finally dismissed and allowed to go on our way! We went back to the room to change into our swimsuits. The plan was to watch the Sail Away Party and then hit the pool before we needed to get ready for the show and dinner. The boys announced as we got back to the room that they were ditching us and meeting up with Baylor again. I figured we'd at least see them on the first day until they got comfortable with the ship, but I guess not!

We decided to watch the Sail Away Party from Deck 12, above where the actual stage show took place. We found a spot on the railing, just off to the side of the stage. As the show was about to start Don decided that we needed a drink, so he went off in search of one. So here I was, watching the Sail Away Party......by myself........

Again, I started to feel that little twinge of disappointment, shouldn't I be having fun with my family right now? I tried to push that aside and enjoy the show. Don showed up soon with another DOTD for me, so that made things better

A few pictures from the show - it was pretty cute and the entertainment staff had so much energy, it was infectious!

After the Sail Away Party, and since we had no kids with us, we decided to check out the Quiet Cove, adults only pool.

Ironic that there is a child walking through the area in this picture, we saw a lot of kids walking through here even though there are signs placed that proclaim that children under the age of 18 are not permitted. I get it though, you have to walk through the area to get to the forward elevators, so there was lots of foot traffic going through all the time, really not very 'quiet' - the pool is really poorly placed if you ask me......but nobody asked me!

We grabbed a couple of lounge chairs so that we could look out and watch our departure - we were moving!

I popped into Cove Cafe to get us some snacks, they had chocolate covered strawberries - yum! And after we devoured our snack we spent some time sitting in the pool and sipping our cocktails. All too soon it was time to get out and go get showered for the evening though. I had no intention of missing my first cruise ship show!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Yay on becoming 'Princess of Dream!' and I agree in that it was waiting for you

I love how you take pics of the pretty light fixtures - will have to remember to try and get some shots of some lights on our trip!

Hearing all this talk of D&B bags is making me want to purchase one in Sept

Wow the Walt Disney Theatre looks amazing! Love the pics of the Sail Away Party - am sad you had to watch some of it alone.

Looking forward to hearing about your first cruise ship show and hope the boys managed to get on Aquaduck soon.

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

Oh, darn, that's too bad that work is sending you to CA - there is absolutely nothing to do there We went to DLR a few years ago, I've got a TR from that trip in my siggy if you're interested in checking it out. It was my first TR though, so keep that in mind

Guess what, I had started reading it yesterday!!!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

Wow, the Dream is just amazing! I want to see that sail away party some day! It looks too cute.

 

[KatMark]

Great update, Michelle.

Why does it NOT surprise me that Don really liked the sports bar????

Kids that age tend to want to go and do their own thing, even if we want them with us on a family vacation.

Your pictures are beautiful, and the Sail Away Party looks really cute.

 

[UGAFan0829]

Wow, it looks like y'all were able to explore a good bit of the ship!! I loved seeing all the pictures, especially the champagne bottles in Pink...I don't drink the stuff, but it looked really cool!

I haven't been onboard yet, but I do agree that the Quiet Cove pool is in a terrible place!!

 

[tch121]

Looking forward to those Cove Cafe strawberries in October!

 

[Happy Elf]

Great update! It looks like you got to explore quite a bit of the ship! Can't wait to hear more.

 

[brookelizabeth]

So Don admitted at least some of the enchanted art is cool and he liked the sports bar. This is good....

The Sail Away party always looks like so much fun! Did the boys even see it, or where they off in a completely different area of the ship?

 

[jenseib]

Oklahoma is called the Sooner State because of the people that crossed the starting line early at the onset of the rush for the old Indian lands in the 1890's. Thus the nickname of the populace as Sooner's.

Yes, the "Sooners" were the people who snuck across the line and staked their claim early during the land run in Oklahoma territory. BUT, more importantly around here (because we are a BIG college football state), the University of Oklahoma's moniker is the Sooners. Calling ourselves a Sooner is just showing pride in the fact that we are fans/alumni of the university.

Thanks so much for the explanitions!
Claire was Princess of the Dream too! WE had massive rain on our boarding day, so we didn't get to explore the outside areas till much later. I need to go back and see an sail away party on the actual deck now!

 

[ariel1025]

Reason #627 to go on another cruise ... we still haven't tried the adults only pool OR Cove Cafe

Sorry to hear that you experienced some twinges of "this isn't what I imagined" for your vacation. I think sometimes that's the downside of doing so much planning and getting so excited ahead of time ... it never quite goes the way it was pictured

 

[MEK]

I can't believe your boys totally ditched you. Psych - of course I can, because mine would do the same thing.

Loved the pictures of all the bars. I see where your priorities lie!

That adult pool does look a tad small, but I'm sure it served the purpose.

That cruise ship continues to amaze me more and more!

 

[hardingk]

Another great update!! Can't wait! We have a little over a month left!!

 

[Wicket's Mom]

When we went on our last cruise the boys went with us. Once we boarded the ship we never saw them except at dinner & when docking to go ashore at the ports. That was a good part of cruising.

I did worry about those railings because I could see in my mind a child climbing them & falling overboard.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I absolutely adore the black and white Walt art. Those give me tingles. Those window seats sure are neat! It seems like so much to see and do in such a short amount of time. That just means you'll have to go again!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Michelle, you are killing me with these updates right now! Summer seems to be getting longer and longer and hotter and hotter! That pool looks so good! And that sailing away picture gave me butterflies! I know that must have been exciting to see the ship pulling away!

I can't believe your boys have ditched you already! Well, at least they had a good time. Sounds like Don was pretty impressed so far too!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Yay on becoming 'Princess of Dream!' and I agree in that it was waiting for you

I love how you take pics of the pretty light fixtures - will have to remember to try and get some shots of some lights on our trip!

Hearing all this talk of D&B bags is making me want to purchase one in Sept

Wow the Walt Disney Theatre looks amazing! Love the pics of the Sail Away Party - am sad you had to watch some of it alone.

Looking forward to hearing about your first cruise ship show and hope the boys managed to get on Aquaduck soon.

I was certain that they brought that throne aboard specifically for me

I have a few Disney D&B bags in my collection........

The theater was really nice - everything was actually!

Guess what, I had started reading it yesterday!!!

Wow, the Dream is just amazing! I want to see that sail away party some day! It looks too cute.

The Dream WAS amazing! Call me when your ready to book a cruise - I'll fix ya up

Great update, Michelle.

Why does it NOT surprise me that Don really liked the sports bar????

Kids that age tend to want to go and do their own thing, even if we want them with us on a family vacation.

Your pictures are beautiful, and the Sail Away Party looks really cute.

I can't imagine why you'd think Don would like the sports bar

I really wasn't bothered too much by the boys wanting to go off and do their own thing and I was really happy they hit it off so well with Baylor. I just wish we could've experienced a little more of the first day excitement together!

Wow, it looks like y'all were able to explore a good bit of the ship!! I loved seeing all the pictures, especially the champagne bottles in Pink...I don't drink the stuff, but it looked really cool!

I haven't been onboard yet, but I do agree that the Quiet Cove pool is in a terrible place!!

I'm not much on champagne either, but I thought the concept and the decor was really cool!

I really don't know what genius decided to put the Quiet Cove pool in such a heavily traveled area - they obviously weren't thinking! It was MUCH quieter than the Mickey & Donald pools though

 

[SoonerGirl]

Looking forward to those Cove Cafe strawberries in October!

I could go for some right now!

Great update! It looks like you got to explore quite a bit of the ship! Can't wait to hear more.

We were able to see a lot, and it really helped us get a good feel for where everything was, so I was glad we had time to do it.

So Don admitted at least some of the enchanted art is cool and he liked the sports bar. This is good....

The Sail Away party always looks like so much fun! Did the boys even see it, or where they off in a completely different area of the ship?

Don liked a lot about the ship, seriously, what's not to like?! It was amazing - you'll see for yourself in just a few short days. I hope I don't read about a TA that tied herself to the railing and refused to leave

The boys did see the Sail Away Party, the three of them watched it together.

Thanks so much for the explanitions!
Claire was Princess of the Dream too! WE had massive rain on our boarding day, so we didn't get to explore the outside areas till much later. I need to go back and see an sail away party on the actual deck now!

Yeah, I bet the party isn't quite the same indoors. I think you need a do over

Reason #627 to go on another cruise ... we still haven't tried the adults only pool OR Cove Cafe

Sorry to hear that you experienced some twinges of "this isn't what I imagined" for your vacation. I think sometimes that's the downside of doing so much planning and getting so excited ahead of time ... it never quite goes the way it was pictured

It's really easy to find more reasons to go on another cruise isn't it?

You are so right, and I'm a serious overplanner. I tried to do less of it this time, but in my mind I still had this vision of how things were supposed to look - I gotta stop doing that and just enjoy what comes to me!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I can't believe your boys totally ditched you. Psych - of course I can, because mine would do the same thing.

Loved the pictures of all the bars. I see where your priorities lie!

That adult pool does look a tad small, but I'm sure it served the purpose.

That cruise ship continues to amaze me more and more!

Oh I totally expected to be ditched - I just didn't expect it to happen so fast

You know what's funny though, I thought we would spend so much time in the bars - and that first exploration hike was the only time I spent in them!

None of the pool were very big, unfortunately. We didn't spend much time in them at all though, so it didn't effect us. At least I don't think it did......wonder if the kids tried to swim??

Another great update!! Can't wait! We have a little over a month left!!

You must be getting so excited - it's just right around the corner!!

When we went on our last cruise the boys went with us. Once we boarded the ship we never saw them except at dinner & when docking to go ashore at the ports. That was a good part of cruising.

I did worry about those railings because I could see in my mind a child climbing them & falling overboard.

That sounds about right, we saw them for the shows and dinner and then while we were ashore in port, otherwise they were doing their own thing. We were happy that they were having such a good time!

I'm pretty sure all the railings on the Dream were on the outside of the plexiglass and therefore impossible to climb

I absolutely adore the black and white Walt art. Those give me tingles. Those window seats sure are neat! It seems like so much to see and do in such a short amount of time. That just means you'll have to go again!

I loved it too. If I had my own office I would so decorate it in prints like that!

There was way too much to do and not nearly enough time to do it in. Don and I both agree that our next cruise needs to be at least 7 nights.

Michelle, you are killing me with these updates right now! Summer seems to be getting longer and longer and hotter and hotter! That pool looks so good! And that sailing away picture gave me butterflies! I know that must have been exciting to see the ship pulling away!

I can't believe your boys have ditched you already! Well, at least they had a good time. Sounds like Don was pretty impressed so far too!

You'll be sailing away yourself before you know it!

Ugggg, don't bring up the heat - it's been crazy hot here. Yesterday after Jared's football practice, driving home at 8:30 at night, it was still 102

It was exciting and a bit nerve wracking for me to watch the ship pull away - at this point I was still worried about how my body would adjust to being at sea!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I have a couple of things I'd like to share here.

First, I booked my airfare today for my October trip. I was looking at fares on Southwest's site and just decided to log in real quick and take a peek at Don's points. Well he had more than enough points for a free flight, so I took a few off his hands and booked my trip

Second, we have a new outlet mall opening here and I just found out that they will have a Disney outlet there!!! The grand opening is this weekend and my friend and I plan on being there as soon as the doors open Friday morning. Oh, and they have a Coach outlet too, really not a good thing for a bag addict...........