Disney Dream Cruise Review
Who takes the absolute best care of first-time cruisers, especially when one cruiser in particular has an overly healthy fear of open water? Disney of course! As Disney lovers through and through, we frequently travel to Florida to escape the real-world and soak in all the magic the mouse has to offer. However, the idea of boarding a boat with countless other people to float helplessly in the open ocean (cue the Titanic’s somber orchestra) sparked every fear possible in me. With images of uncontrollable sea-sickness and forcing my kids to wear life-jackets the entire trip filling my imagination, the idea of cruising was (in my mind) as far from a relaxing vacation as possible. Fast-forward to a monorail ride back to our resort one night and eavesdropping on a couple who just returned from a Disney cruise and had stopped in Orlando before heading home. My husband, who can literally talk to anyone about anything, inserted himself into their conversation asking that she convince me to give cruising a try. Her response: Who takes better care of you than Disney? Can’t argue with facts. A year later, we boarded the Disney Dream in Miami Florida and loved (almost) every minute!
Below is my honest review. If you are on the fence with cruising, do it! Are things ever perfect? No. Is it expensive? Yes. Will the memories last a lifetime? Absolutely!
The Good Stuff
Everything is BEAUTIFUL! From the moment you step on the ship, you are immersed in Disney quality ambience and above-and-beyond customer service. I mean, they announce and applaud your family as you board; making the moment even more special (especially for the littles).
Our boarding time was a bit later than I think most people like it to be; but I really think this helped our family navigate the newness of everything because the peak rush of a crowd trying to board had already passed. We parked in the garage across the street, dropped bags with the porters in front of the terminal, moved quickly through security, and were only in the “waiting room” long enough for a bathroom break and to grab a soda from the machine. A 3:00pm boarding time would have made me nervous that the ship would leave without us; but I highly recommend a 12:45/1:00pm boarding time if you are new to navigating cruise terminals.
Now, there are a million other things that I could list (like Mickey waffles, the towel folding class, the refillable beer mug, the magic tricks, the lamb chops, the cleanliness, etc.), but I’ll wrap up The Good Stuff with… the smell. As frequent Disney resort guests, I have come to appreciate how each resort has its own distinct fragrance; so why would a Disney cruise be any different? Thank you Disney Dream for whatever magical scent that wafts through your corridors. It is truly delightful.
Now, onto the service! We had top-notch service the entire time. We met our cabin steward within 10 minutes of entering our room, had an exceptional dining team that was quick to ensure meals were an experience of their own, and saw how every cast member went above and beyond to make the Disney Dream a special place. Also – a quick side note – we didn’t realize that the same cast members on the ship also prepped everything for our day on Castaway Cay. They get off the ship early to prepare the island (chairs, umbrellas, food, drinks, activities, etc.) and stay after everyone is back on board to clean it all up! Check out the giant tractor bringing the towels from the beach back to the ship to be laundered.
Back to the review, let’s talk about the Broadway level entertainment. I’m a boy mom and could only talk one kid into seeing the live performance of Beauty and the Beast (my husband and older son went to see a Marvel movie instead). While it was no surprise that I LOVED it being a 90s kid and all; I especially loved seeing it through my son’s eyes. He could not stop talking about how awesome it was, and how Gaston is a jerk, and how Beast flies up in the air. So much talking in fact, that he easily convinced my older son to go with us to see Disney’s Believe. Now Believe is a whole other level of performance. Not only is it an absolutely amazing show, but it pulls at your heartstrings and gives you that warm, fuzzy, Disney magic feeling that sticks around well after the curtain closes. No spoilers. Just see it!
The Not So Good Stuff (but you’re on a ship with 4,000+ other people so what do you expect?)
Before you leave port, the ship runs a safety drill where every single person must show up at a designated time in a designated area. I repeat EVERY SINGLE PERSON. Except, some people don’t think this applies to them and so…they don’t show up. And in the process of not showing up, they hold up the embarkation process. Depending on your designated area, this could mean standing in the heat for a substantial amount of time with children who don’t understand why you can’t leave and older folks that just need to sit down. So, please don’t be the person to not show up. Please.
If you are lucky to get to visit Castaway Cay – you will have a blast. The water is beautiful, there are tons of chairs and umbrellas, you can ride bikes or run down the island’s airstrip, there is shopping, and snorkeling, and banana boating; but the food is meh. Classic backyard barbecue hamburgers, hotdogs, and sides that are just mediocre. Does it fill you up? Yes. Is there unlimited soft serve? Definitely! Will I ever crave that Castaway Cay cheeseburger? Nope.
Finally, elevators on debarkation day are my nemesis. People are trying to get to Cabanas (the buffet) on deck 11 to eat. People are trying to get to the main dining rooms on deck 2 and 3 to eat. People are trying to get to deck 3 to exit the ship. 4000+ people are trying to get somewhere all at the same time. The elevators are in a constant state of overcrowding and stagnation. Do yourself a favor and hit the weights a few months before your cruise so you can Hercules your luggage down the stairs and avoid the chaos that is at each elevator landing area.
Things to remember for next time…
Bring the wine and/or beer. Drinks on board can be expensive! But bringing the allowable wine/beer per person is a bonus. It’s easy, peasy getting through security and so nice to have a cold drink on the balcony while you wait for the ship to sail away.
- Find the Happy Hour! Be sure to check the Navigator (schedule of each day’s activities) for happy hour each night. I don’t drink wine, so happy hour for us was spent at Pub 687 for half off draft beer. While you are there, don’t forget to ask about the complimentary bar snacks.
- Consult the packing list below. From the magnetic hooks to the reef save sunblock, these are things we found handy and don’t want to forget next time.
- Buy the souvenir. The gift shops are only open when the ship is at sea AND if something sells out – it’s gone. So, if you see something you like – snag it. It may not be there later.
- You will be tired. Be sure to build in a nap (or three). There is so much to do and you want to do it all. With dinner seating at 8pm and Pirate Night starting at 10:30pm, you think you’ll be up for it. Maybe you will? Maybe you will just want to snuggle into those comfy beds and try again next time.
- Enjoy your people. Disney cruises create memories that will last a lifetime – savor every second but don’t forget to focus on enjoying your loved ones too. Memories made together are the best memories possible.
The Packing List
Things we were VERY glad to have and recommend for future cruises:
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Magnetic Hooks for hanging damp bathing suits, lanyards, pirate patches, and anything else you want to keep off the floor.
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Water bottles or travel cups to limit the number of trips to the soda fountain or coffee maker.
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Silicone earplugs just incase someone in your cabin snores. These are the absolute best!
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Waterproof phone case for those underwater snorkeling pictures.
Reef-safe sun block that can handle the Caribbean sun.