Dining on 5 Night Western Caribbean on Dream

[Debonna]

Hi everyone! We’re gearing up for our second Disney Cruise, and I’m hoping to get some advice from seasoned cruisers on the main dining room offerings and scheduling. Our first cruise was a year ago — a 3-night sailing to Castaway Cay on the Dream. This year, we’ll be sailing from Port Everglades to Cozumel and Castaway Cay on the same ship, from June 7-12, 2025.

I’ve already seen that Pirate Night will fall on night two (based on the pirate makeover offerings), but I’m curious if the Pirate Night menu will be featured that evening?

I understand we won’t know our MDR assignments until we’re onboard, but I’m wondering if anyone has insight into what the dinner menu might be on the first night. I have heard about a "Let the Magic Begin" menu, but I'm not sure if that's something typically done on 5 night cruises. We’re trying to figure out the best nights to schedule Palo and/or Remy dinners, but we also don’t want to miss out on any "new to us" menus that we didn't experience on the last cruise.

One more thing: During our last cruise, we got the Turtle Talk show in Animator's Palate, but I’ve heard there might be animated drawings during longer sailings. Does the Dream offer this on its longer cruises, or is it exclusive to certain sailings?

Thanks so much for any tips and advice!

 

[erionm]

For 4-night and longer cruises, Pirate Night will have the pirate themed dinner menu. While 3-night cruises have the pirate deck party & fireworks, they don't have the pirate themed dinner menu.

 

[Mommb]

For most 5-night Caribbean/Bahamas cruises, each restaurant will do its signature menu one night, one night will have the Pirate menu in all restaurants, and one night will have another menu that is the same in all restaurants. If there are no special nights, that night may be "Let the Magic Begin" on the first night, but not necessarily. You may have to choose between a "new to you" menu and Palo/Remy, because it's difficult to know exactly what will happen each night in advance. You can always try to change a reservation once you're onboard if you would prefer a different night.

Since some guests on a 5-night cruise won't get to Animator's Palate twice, there will probably be only 1 "show" night there, probably the same one as on the 3-night cruise. To get 2 shows, you'd need a cruise with at least 6 nights.

 

[Joanna71985]

No, it wouldn't be the animation show

 

[Joel0917]

we just did 5 night dream (castaway and lookout) and bahamas.
1st night all restaurants had let magic being menu
2nd , 4 and 5th night were signature restaurant menu
night 3 was pirate.
animators only did a "short" version of turtle talk with crush. no animation drawing

 

[Debonna]

we just did 5 night dream (castaway and lookout) and bahamas.
1st night all restaurants had let magic being menu
2nd , 4 and 5th night were signature restaurant menu
night 3 was pirate.
animators only did a "short" version of turtle talk with crush. no animation drawing

Thanks! Just curious - what was the order of your MDRs? Which two did you repeat?

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

I am on this cruise! We are doing concierge so I requested the dining rotations a couple months ago. I was surprised that they are:

RRAER
AAERA
EERAE

Honestly I’m hoping it changes. I don’t know why they think anyone would want 3 nights in one dining room and only 1 in the others.

 

[Debonna]

I am on this cruise! We are doing concierge so I requested the dining rotations a couple months ago. I was surprised that they are:

RRAER
AAERA
EERAE

Honestly I’m hoping it changes. I don’t know why they think anyone would want 3 nights in one dining room and only 1 in the others.

Thank you for sharing! That is crazy.

 

[Erica1016]

One more thing: During our last cruise, we got the Turtle Talk show in Animator's Palate, but I’ve heard there might be animated drawings during longer sailings. Does the Dream offer this on its longer cruises, or is it exclusive to certain sailings?

Unfortunately, the animation show is only for longer sailings, like 7 nights (maybe 6?). It is the second show in Animator's Palate, so it's only available if everyone's rotation gets a second night there. I wish they'd change it and make it the first show, I love it so much more than Crush.

 

[Joanna71985]

Unfortunately, the animation show is only for longer sailings, like 7 nights (maybe 6?). It is the second show in Animator's Palate, so it's only available if everyone's rotation gets a second night there. I wish they'd change it and make it the first show, I love it so much more than Crush.

I wish the animation show would replace Crush too

 

[dreamer17555]

We have done the Dream 5 night twice this year. They have been 1, 1, 2, 3, 1 each time which I did not love. Three night in one place makes no sense but yes it is the current rotation

Night One- Let the Magic Begin
Night Two- Pirate
Night Three to Five- Standard Dining Rotation with the Crush show in Animator's.

I asked on this forum recently why Animation Magic was no longer the default since out of FL there are very few 7 night sailings on the Dream or the Fantasy and I was told it is because it is harder on the servers when they do Animation Magic.

 

[Gentry2004]

We have done the Dream 5 night twice this year. They have been 1, 1, 2, 3, 1 each time which I did not love. Three night in one place makes no sense but yes it is the current rotation

Night One- Let the Magic Begin
Night Two- Pirate
Night Three to Five- Standard Dining Rotation with the Crush show in Animator's.

I asked on this forum recently why Animation Magic was no longer the default since out of FL there are very few 7 night sailings on the Dream or the Fantasy and I was told it is because it is harder on the servers when they do Animation Magic.

Is one of the nights considered dress up/semi formal?

We are on the 5 night Dream this summer going to CC, Lookout, and Nassau.

 

[dreamer17555]

Is one of the nights considered dress up/semi formal?

We are on the 5 night Dream this summer going to CC, Lookout, and Nassau.

Yes it was night 3 for us but I know on some sailings it was night 4- optional dress up\semi formal

 

[Joel0917]

Thanks! Just curious - what was the order of your MDRs? Which two did you repeat?

We had ERRAE
Night 3 in royal was pirate

 

[Joel0917]

Is one of the nights considered dress up/semi formal?

We are on the 5 night Dream this summer going to CC, Lookout, and Nassau.

It was optional dress up on night two on ours

 

[Joel0917]

Is one of the nights considered dress up/semi formal?

We are on the 5 night Dream this summer going to CC, Lookout, and Nassau.

Sorry part two: we had same itinerary as yours. Night two was dress up and night three was pirate

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

Updating since we just got off the Dream (5 night Western carib). We had been told before sailing our dining rotation would be EERAE, which seemed odd. It did end up being ERAER. I was happy not to have 3 nights in the same dining room.

 

[Erica1016]

Updating since we just got off the Dream (5 night Western carib). We had been told before sailing our dining rotation would be EERAE, which seemed odd. It did end up being ERAER. I was happy not to have 3 nights in the same dining room.

That's good! That makes a lot more sense, in my opinion. Hope you had a great trip!