rutgers1
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2008
- Messages
- 1,496
Like just about everyone here, I spend a huge chunk of my vacation dollars with the Disney company (DVC member, multiple trips per year). And, overall, I have really high expectations any time that I am on Disney property. In the past, I have been critical of several of my experiences. In fact, if you go back and read my old posts, you'll see that I am quite critical of the Saratoga Springs resort.
I mention all of that because, as you will see, my review is quite complimentary - perhaps more complimentary than 90% of the Dream reviews that you have read. And considering I am not one to shy away of doling out criticism when it is warranted, I am hoping that my positive review calms the fears of some readers.
TERMINAL: We entered the terminal fully expecting a horrible experience. I had read one horror story after another here on the board. Well, we got there, took a few minutes to fill out a form, waited a few minutes on line to check in, and had just enough time to register for the kids club (short wait) before getting on the ship. It seemed to be about 45 minutes total. Given the large amount of people they have to process in a short time, I wasn't displeased in the least. In fact, when I mentioned to the woman that the time we were given on the web was different from what we were assigned upon entering, she said that the online system isn't quite "live" yet and then changed our number so we could get on the ship a bit quicker.
THE ROOM: We were in 2538, a great room with a nice big porthole. The kids had a great bunk bed, which was transformed from a couch by the room steward every night. She cleaned the room 2x per day and left cute towel animals several times during the cruise. Very roomy, all things considered. In fact, we felt that we had more storage space in the room than we did in the Bay Lake Towers room we stayed in on Disney property prior to the cruise.
DINING: Our server and assistant server were GREAT. We particularly liked the assistant, Barbora, who was from Hungary. They took the time to get to know us, and they often interacted with the kids. The food was excellent, and the restaurants were beautiful. Some have mentioned that the walkways were crowded in the restaurants and, while that was true (some spots where servers were bumping into one another), I never found that it took away from my dining experience. Someone on this board said that the Animator's Palate was too noisy, which was a criticism that didn't quite compute with me since it is supposed to be a more "fun" and family-friendly place.
If you showed up right before your seating, you might be dismayed to see a crowd forming outside the restaurant. However, your table is waiting for you -- no need to wait for it once they let you in. We would show up about 15 minutes late and walk right in and sit down - no wait whatsoever. We had more than enough time to eat.
ENTERTAINMENT: Awesome. There were more than enough entertainment options. The shows were great, and for those who didn't want to go to the shows, there were 4 or 5 movies rotating in the theater. We watched Gnomio and Juliette, as well as Mars Needs Moms. Getting a seat for a show or movie was never a problem. Even if you showed up after the show started, there were always seats available somewhere. The movies were often sparsely attended.
CROWDS PART 1 (Common Areas): This is the hot topic. In fact, it was the issue that I most feared as I stepped foot on the ship. For the most part, the crowds were concentrated at mid-ship in the common areas --- and they were concentrated at peak times (right before/after a show, etc.). If you were willing to use the stairs, or walk 20 seconds to the next set of elevators, you could avoid the crowds altogether. When I read the criticisms of the crowds, I can't figure out if the person posting didn't realize that the crowds could be avoided by walking to the next staircase/elevator, or if he/she was expecting a ghost town.
CROWDS PART 2 (Pool): OK, this is the one criticism that I agree with. For a ship the size of the Dream, with the amount of people on-board, the pools are woefully inadequate. We were really looking forward to spending the days poolside. While getting a good spot beside the pool was easy if you arrived early, and while the crowds were non-existent in off hours, it was quite comical if you arrived during prime hours. The pools are of the backyard variety (size wise). When I first walked out to the main pool area on deck 11, I walked over to a crew member and asked where the "big" pool is. She laughed. The only thing we concluded was that they limited pool space on purpose so that people wouldn't stay on-board during excursion days.
CROWDS PART 3 (Aqua Duck): This is another area where I scratch my head when I read criticisms. Yes, if you tried to ride the Aqua Duck during prime hours, there was a long wait. However, if you showed up during the morning hours, during dinner, or later in the evening, the wait was usually minimal. In fact, we had it to ourselves at several points.
CROWDS Part 4 (Peace and Quiet): I've read some criticisms that people couldn't get a lounge chair, particularly on days at sea. This is only a valid complaint if you showed up to the main pool area during prime hours. Outside of that small geographic area, there were always hundreds of available chairs all over the rest of the ship at all times. A great, great spot for sunbathers is located on deck 12. If you go through the "adults only" pool area, there is a staircase that leads to a "family" deck that gives you more space than you need to lounge out. The area has a bar, as well as several shaded areas. We also retreated to deck 4 several times, where there were many lounge chairs, as well as a small bar a few feet inside.
OTHER GUESTS: I heard about the much-feared "rude" guests that would be bothering me throughout the trip. I found like 1 or 2, and they were no bother at all. And by "rude" I mean a family or two who clogged up a hallway or were a bit annoying in an elevator. But other than that, everyone was great. I found that everyone - from the guests to the staff - were jolly and quick to exchange pleasantries with others.
STAFF: Awesome. Better than awesome. We loved our servers, and we had more pleasant exchanges with staff members than we can count. It was to the point where I was surprised if a staff member walked past me and didn't exchange a "hello" or other kind word. People went out of their way to help us.
I don't want to make a sweeping generalization about people who criticize the Dream, but after talking at-length with my wife about the criticisms (and our contrary experiences) throughout the cruise, I have concluded the following:
1) Some people are very hard to please. Any time you spend so much time in one place over the course of several days, a few things will go wrong. But when balanced out with all of the great things, it is hard for me to walk away "disappointed" in the least --- with the exception being the size of the pools.
2) Some people either weren't aware that there are multiple staircases and elevators, or they are not willing to walk down the hallway to access them. I'm actually glad that people didn't take the time, as I often felt that I had my own stairways/elevators.
In sum, if you are slated to cruise the Dream, you are in for a treat. Just be prepared for the pool situation. Be strategic --- Realize that you aren't going to "swim" during prime hours. Stand in a crowded pool, yes. Swim, no. If you want to use the Aqua Duck, ask yourself, "When will other people not want to use it?" and then go at that time (early, late, during dinner). If you don't like crowds, avoid mid-ship. You can get nearly everywhere by using alternate staircases and elevators.
Enjoy!!!!!!!!
I mention all of that because, as you will see, my review is quite complimentary - perhaps more complimentary than 90% of the Dream reviews that you have read. And considering I am not one to shy away of doling out criticism when it is warranted, I am hoping that my positive review calms the fears of some readers.
TERMINAL: We entered the terminal fully expecting a horrible experience. I had read one horror story after another here on the board. Well, we got there, took a few minutes to fill out a form, waited a few minutes on line to check in, and had just enough time to register for the kids club (short wait) before getting on the ship. It seemed to be about 45 minutes total. Given the large amount of people they have to process in a short time, I wasn't displeased in the least. In fact, when I mentioned to the woman that the time we were given on the web was different from what we were assigned upon entering, she said that the online system isn't quite "live" yet and then changed our number so we could get on the ship a bit quicker.
THE ROOM: We were in 2538, a great room with a nice big porthole. The kids had a great bunk bed, which was transformed from a couch by the room steward every night. She cleaned the room 2x per day and left cute towel animals several times during the cruise. Very roomy, all things considered. In fact, we felt that we had more storage space in the room than we did in the Bay Lake Towers room we stayed in on Disney property prior to the cruise.
DINING: Our server and assistant server were GREAT. We particularly liked the assistant, Barbora, who was from Hungary. They took the time to get to know us, and they often interacted with the kids. The food was excellent, and the restaurants were beautiful. Some have mentioned that the walkways were crowded in the restaurants and, while that was true (some spots where servers were bumping into one another), I never found that it took away from my dining experience. Someone on this board said that the Animator's Palate was too noisy, which was a criticism that didn't quite compute with me since it is supposed to be a more "fun" and family-friendly place.
If you showed up right before your seating, you might be dismayed to see a crowd forming outside the restaurant. However, your table is waiting for you -- no need to wait for it once they let you in. We would show up about 15 minutes late and walk right in and sit down - no wait whatsoever. We had more than enough time to eat.
ENTERTAINMENT: Awesome. There were more than enough entertainment options. The shows were great, and for those who didn't want to go to the shows, there were 4 or 5 movies rotating in the theater. We watched Gnomio and Juliette, as well as Mars Needs Moms. Getting a seat for a show or movie was never a problem. Even if you showed up after the show started, there were always seats available somewhere. The movies were often sparsely attended.
CROWDS PART 1 (Common Areas): This is the hot topic. In fact, it was the issue that I most feared as I stepped foot on the ship. For the most part, the crowds were concentrated at mid-ship in the common areas --- and they were concentrated at peak times (right before/after a show, etc.). If you were willing to use the stairs, or walk 20 seconds to the next set of elevators, you could avoid the crowds altogether. When I read the criticisms of the crowds, I can't figure out if the person posting didn't realize that the crowds could be avoided by walking to the next staircase/elevator, or if he/she was expecting a ghost town.
CROWDS PART 2 (Pool): OK, this is the one criticism that I agree with. For a ship the size of the Dream, with the amount of people on-board, the pools are woefully inadequate. We were really looking forward to spending the days poolside. While getting a good spot beside the pool was easy if you arrived early, and while the crowds were non-existent in off hours, it was quite comical if you arrived during prime hours. The pools are of the backyard variety (size wise). When I first walked out to the main pool area on deck 11, I walked over to a crew member and asked where the "big" pool is. She laughed. The only thing we concluded was that they limited pool space on purpose so that people wouldn't stay on-board during excursion days.
CROWDS PART 3 (Aqua Duck): This is another area where I scratch my head when I read criticisms. Yes, if you tried to ride the Aqua Duck during prime hours, there was a long wait. However, if you showed up during the morning hours, during dinner, or later in the evening, the wait was usually minimal. In fact, we had it to ourselves at several points.
CROWDS Part 4 (Peace and Quiet): I've read some criticisms that people couldn't get a lounge chair, particularly on days at sea. This is only a valid complaint if you showed up to the main pool area during prime hours. Outside of that small geographic area, there were always hundreds of available chairs all over the rest of the ship at all times. A great, great spot for sunbathers is located on deck 12. If you go through the "adults only" pool area, there is a staircase that leads to a "family" deck that gives you more space than you need to lounge out. The area has a bar, as well as several shaded areas. We also retreated to deck 4 several times, where there were many lounge chairs, as well as a small bar a few feet inside.
OTHER GUESTS: I heard about the much-feared "rude" guests that would be bothering me throughout the trip. I found like 1 or 2, and they were no bother at all. And by "rude" I mean a family or two who clogged up a hallway or were a bit annoying in an elevator. But other than that, everyone was great. I found that everyone - from the guests to the staff - were jolly and quick to exchange pleasantries with others.
STAFF: Awesome. Better than awesome. We loved our servers, and we had more pleasant exchanges with staff members than we can count. It was to the point where I was surprised if a staff member walked past me and didn't exchange a "hello" or other kind word. People went out of their way to help us.
I don't want to make a sweeping generalization about people who criticize the Dream, but after talking at-length with my wife about the criticisms (and our contrary experiences) throughout the cruise, I have concluded the following:
1) Some people are very hard to please. Any time you spend so much time in one place over the course of several days, a few things will go wrong. But when balanced out with all of the great things, it is hard for me to walk away "disappointed" in the least --- with the exception being the size of the pools.
2) Some people either weren't aware that there are multiple staircases and elevators, or they are not willing to walk down the hallway to access them. I'm actually glad that people didn't take the time, as I often felt that I had my own stairways/elevators.
In sum, if you are slated to cruise the Dream, you are in for a treat. Just be prepared for the pool situation. Be strategic --- Realize that you aren't going to "swim" during prime hours. Stand in a crowded pool, yes. Swim, no. If you want to use the Aqua Duck, ask yourself, "When will other people not want to use it?" and then go at that time (early, late, during dinner). If you don't like crowds, avoid mid-ship. You can get nearly everywhere by using alternate staircases and elevators.
Enjoy!!!!!!!!
