DCL Less-Reviewed Activites with W/C

[KPeveler]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise this October for our honeymoon/1-year anniversary. We are on deck 9 in a wheelchair accessible room (both of us have chairs, though I can walk a little). I believe the cabin in 9160 on the Dream.

I have seen pics and reviews of that cabin, the major shows, and dining areas. I am looking for any suggestions or reviews for other activities - such as the lounges/bars and little shops/food service locations. Is there one that is better than others in terms of navigating with 2 wheelchairs? I know some places like that can be a little tight. Are some harder to get to - i.e. multiple elevator rides? This will likely not be our last cruise, as we will be living in the Orlando area, so we do not need to do everything. We just want a chance to relax TIA

 

[tobikaye]

I can only help with some of this. My sister had her rollator on our cruise, but I usually try to pay attention to some situations. For the shops, when they are open, the doors are all wide open sliding doors. As long as they are not too busy, most should be easy to navigate with a mobility device. As for the lounges and bars, I only made it to Pink and that was for a tasting. Pink was not large, but as long as they were not standing in the aisles, you could maneuver through there.

As for multiple elevator rides, for the most part, any of the elevators will get you to the lounges and shops without having to switch elevators. I thought you could not get through Deck 5 all the way across, and it might be difficult with a mobility device. I found this thread after my cruise. The last comment would have been a bit helpful in a couple of situations: http://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-dream-deck-5-can-aft-stairs-get-to-kids-club.3368875/.

 

[lanejudy]

9160 on the Dream doesn't look to be HA. Maybe 9170? That's a corner cabin; I've had a peak and they are HUGE.

I'd recommend forward and aft elevators, as they don't get quite as crowded as the mid-ship elevators. And another tip I've read is to be willing to go the opposite direction and then ride back (if you want to go UP to Cabanas on deck 10 but the elevator is always full, be willing to ride in a less-full elevator going down and then stay on to go back up).

Congrats on the nuptials and enjoy your honeymoon/anniversary cruise! (be sure to have that noted on your reservation)

 

[stitchlovestink]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise this October for our honeymoon/1-year anniversary. We are on deck 9 in a wheelchair accessible room (both of us have chairs, though I can walk a little). I believe the cabin in 9160 on the Dream.

I have seen pics and reviews of that cabin, the major shows, and dining areas. I am looking for any suggestions or reviews for other activities - such as the lounges/bars and little shops/food service locations. Is there one that is better than others in terms of navigating with 2 wheelchairs? I know some places like that can be a little tight. Are some harder to get to - i.e. multiple elevator rides? This will likely not be our last cruise, as we will be living in the Orlando area, so we do not need to do everything. We just want a chance to relax TIA

I have sailed the Dream several times. One of your biggest hurdles is going to be the elevators. You will need a near empty, if not empty elevator to fit 2 WCs on at the same time. There are times where that is going to be SUPER TOUGH!
Mid ship elevators are the biggest but also the busiest. IMO you are going to have the best chance of getting on the same elevator by using these. And I agree with a PP's suggestion... during the busy times always grab the elevator going in the opposite direction of the bulk of traffic. It will only add an extra minute or two to your time in the elevator, but I bet when you go past the floor on the reverse trip, the same people will still be standing there, waiting!
The issue we found with the aft & forward elevators were that they are a bit smaller. So depending on the size of your equipment, you may not be able to fit both of you in one of those at the same time.
The clubs are navigable. However I suggest arriving early if you are going to a show or such in Evolution. Evolution has TONS of chairs/seating and as it fills, it does become more difficult to navigate. People will move to help you, but the emptier it is the easier it is.
There should be a notation of sorts on your reservation so that your dining room assignment puts you at a table close to the various restaurants' entrances (rather than deep in the restaurant).
Be sure to arrive to the theatre shows early as HC seating is limited and they are definitely worth seeing!
Cabanas, the buffet, can be a bit tricky. But a CM will help you with any needs you have. They are all over the place in Cabanas. Or another easy option is to go the sit down restaurant that is open for breakfast or lunch and order from a menu just like any other TS meal.
Let me know if you have any other specific questions. I have cruised DCL many times and have been on other DCL ships as well.

 

[KPeveler]

Okay, yes, I meant 9170.

We do not mind taking two elevators to get to the deck we want. It is okay if it takes us a little longer to get where we want - we will plan extra time. We have two small custom manual chairs, so nothing too difficult to get around.

I will be sure to get to the theatres early, as this is the thing we are the most excited about! Thanks for the info.