We are long time WDW fans but recently took our first 5 night cruise on the Dream. Thank you to everyone on this forum for making the planning so enjoyable and answering lots of my questions.
Some quick thoughts
-First of all, we had high expectations for this trip and it exceeded this by a lot. My DH was very reluctant to book and take this cruise but he really enjoyed himself and is open to another in the future which is a huge win in my books!
-We used our DVC points to stay at Vero Beach for a few nights before the cruise. WOW - this is an amazing resort - a total hidden gem. I was worried about the drive down the morning of the cruise but we didn't hit any traffic. I would totally stay here again for a pre/post cruise stay.
-The Port of Miami was well laid out and everything with embarkation went very smoothly.
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DCL reminded me of the old school WDW that I loved so much - many things included in the overall price, amazing service and lots of unexpected touches. The postcards in the desk, chocolates on the pillow, daily fresh towels and in room movies were all little things that really elevated our experience. I did not feel nickel and dimed around every corner. I didn't have to wake up at 7am every day to book things in order to have a great day. DCL has got it right and I hope they are able to maintain this mindset.
-The beds were so incredibly comfortable! We slept so well. We had a family verandah room which was laid out thoughtfully and had tons of storage. I am glad we had a verandah for the fresh air.
-We are resale DVC owners and at WDW we always feel a bit awkward since we are restricted from so much. On DCL, we were treated like every other DVC member - we had DVC lanyards in our stateroom waiting for us, received daily "gifts", invited to the member event and were welcomed home all over the ship. A small thing, but it was a nice change from WDW.
-The kids clubs were astounding. When we went to the open house, I wasn't sure how my girls (7 and 9) would enjoy them. They looked beautiful but they seemed a bit...boring during the open house? The magic though is the CMs. During regular operating hours there were SO many organized activities going on. The CMs played Uno, Mario Kart and countless other games with my kids. They led them in activities, crafts and science experiments. Truly this was worth the price of the cruise alone!
-While my girls were spending hours at the kids club, my husband and I headed to the adult pools - WOW - those are amazing. So relaxing and comfortable. While the main pools were crowded and kind of gross, these were serene. The drink of the day was always delicious and a great deal!
-my daughter won $700 (USD! Even better for us Canadians) at bingo… that was exciting! It was first given as an onboard credit but then we were able to go to guest services and have it changed to cash.
-I had prebooked Castaway packages (snorkel, tube and bike rental). In the future I wouldn't do this - we didn't end up biking at all and my youngest only snorkelled for about 5 minutes before it was too hard for her which meant I didn't snorkel either. Next time I will just book what we want the day of.
-Castaway was everything I expected and more. A true paradise and I want my next cruise to be a double dip!
-On our way from Castaway to Cozumel we had a 180 degree turn and then stopped. The horn sounded 3x, a "Mr Mob Starboard side" announcement came on and we could see someone floating on a raft. It was a tense hour with everyone unsure what was going on, but Disney handled it very professionally and kept everyone as updated as they could. He was rescued which was a relief but we had a sense of sadness as we realized what that person must have went through.
-Cozumel was disappointing - we didn't book an excursion and just planned on walking around the port. There was not much there. The Mega store was a nice tip I had seen on the Dis and we were able to purchase some souvenirs there without being hounded to buy things or deal with negotiating. We were back on the ship by lunch and enjoyed a quieter atmosphere for the day.
-We were a party of 7 and this was the perfect multi-generation trip. Everyone could do as they pleased, at their own pace.
-One member of our party has pretty significant and uncommon food allergies - DCL handled it flawlessly as Disney does.
-I was able to get Palo Brunch for DH and I by refreshing often - this was a highlight and an absolute steal for $45 per person. Every bite was delicious.
-A small thing that made a big difference for me (as someone who struggles with stomach issues) was the "nearest bathroom" notation on the map outside every elevator.
-Speaking of washrooms, I couldn't believe how clean they were. More often than not, someone was in there cleaning. The whole ship was sparkling.
-The debarkation process was very smooth. We did express walk off and were off the boat at 7:20, through customs and back at our car by 7:45.
-We did not feel seasick at any point during our trip (my husband was quite worried about this before we left). But funny enough, since getting off the boat I have been struggling with nausea and motion sickness. I was not anticipating this but after talking with other cruisers I am hearing that it is quite common. The first 2 days were very difficult but today I am finally feeling better. If I had known, I would have continued taking Gravol and wearing my seabands even after debarking.
Overall we had an absolutely wonderful time and can't wait to do another in the future! Happy to answer any questions.
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! After an emergency family meeting we agreed they could each made a splurge purchase and then the rest would go towards another family vacation...everyone was happy, so all's well that ends well ! But I told my husband if $700 caused us this much grief, I don't know if I'd want to win the lotto! 
