Alone on the Disney Dream - Part 1
by DVP Lisa R
I love cruising with Disney Cruise Line® as much as I enjoys the parks. I am a true DCL fan, so much so that I was married on Castaway Cay during a cruise aboard the Disney Wonder in 2008. I recently went on two Disney Cruises on the Disney Dream. This is commonly called a "Back 2 Back" or a "B2B" cruise. It is a way for you to enjoy a seven night Disney Cruise on the ship that does 3 and 4 night sailings. In our case it was the Disney Dream. This was my first "Back 2 Back" cruise and my 8th and 9th Disney Cruises. There was a lot I loved about it! I LOVED two stops at Castaway Cay the most. Another thing I loved was the fact that while we had to get off the ship when everyone else did after the first 3 nights, we got to get back on the ship first! We were back on the ship before they even let new guests into the port.
When we walked back onto the Disney Dream it was a very weird feeling. We were the only guests on the ship. Well us and the two other guests who were also doing a "B2B" cruise. I explored the ship with my camera in hand to take tons of pictures to share. It was nice to see the ship empty of guests and to be able to appreciate the fine details that can be overlooked when you are sharing the space with 4,000 guests.
I started in the lobby. The Lobby is breathtaking. Disney has such a way with making things "Disney" and elegant all at the same time. The Art Deco chandelier was custom designed for the Disney Dream and is a story-and-a-half tall and over 22 feet wide. Decorated with Swarovski crystals, it’s covered with 24-karat gold plating and cascades down from the atrium ceiling. Do you see the Hidden Mickey?
I love cruising with Disney Cruise Line® as much as I enjoys the parks. I am a true DCL fan, so much so that I was married on Castaway Cay during a cruise aboard the Disney Wonder in 2008. I recently went on two Disney Cruises on the Disney Dream. This is commonly called a "Back 2 Back" or a "B2B" cruise. It is a way for you to enjoy a seven night Disney Cruise on the ship that does 3 and 4 night sailings. In our case it was the Disney Dream. This was my first "Back 2 Back" cruise and my 8th and 9th Disney Cruises. There was a lot I loved about it! I LOVED two stops at Castaway Cay the most. Another thing I loved was the fact that while we had to get off the ship when everyone else did after the first 3 nights, we got to get back on the ship first! We were back on the ship before they even let new guests into the port.
When we walked back onto the Disney Dream it was a very weird feeling. We were the only guests on the ship. Well us and the two other guests who were also doing a "B2B" cruise. I explored the ship with my camera in hand to take tons of pictures to share. It was nice to see the ship empty of guests and to be able to appreciate the fine details that can be overlooked when you are sharing the space with 4,000 guests.
I started in the lobby. The Lobby is breathtaking. Disney has such a way with making things "Disney" and elegant all at the same time. The Art Deco chandelier was custom designed for the Disney Dream and is a story-and-a-half tall and over 22 feet wide. Decorated with Swarovski crystals, it’s covered with 24-karat gold plating and cascades down from the atrium ceiling. Do you see the Hidden Mickey?
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I really think the Bon Voyage Bar is a great addition to the Lobby Area. You can enjoy a drink before dinner or while enjoying any of the events that take place in the Atrium on Deck 3. 
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After exploring the main atrium I wandered up to Deck 4. This is where the Port Adventures Desk is located. Port Adventures are shore excursions selected by Disney Cruise Line to provide the very best recreation, leisure and sightseeing for each Port. Some Port Adventures are quite popular and space can be limited, I recommend booking excursions online. But guests can also book or make inquiries on board at the Port Adventure Desk. |
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I was very excited to have this time to explore the Kids Clubs on the Disney Dream. There are three of them. A Small World Nursery, Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Lab. These are in addition to the Edge which is a "tween" club and the Vibe which is the club for Teens! Small World Nursery is for guests age 3 months to 3 years old. There is an additional charge to use the nursery and guests are urged to make reservations online before sailing. The Nursery is divided into 3 areas. The Main Play Area, the Nap Area and the entrance area. The Nursery is full of bright colors and kid sized tables and chairs. There is plenty to keep little ones busy. The trained counselors engage children in crafts, stories and movies. |
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I was next allowed into the Oceaneer Club. You must wash your hands when you step into the Club. Self-powered hand-washing stations place soap and water on your hands automatically when you place your hands into the hand washers. There is space in the club for 200 children at a time. Instantly I wanted to be a child again. It was amazing. There are different rooms to explore in the club. Andy’s Room in the Club, which is designed to make kids feel as if they have shrunk to the size of toys, is popular with the younger set. The room offers hands-on activities, such as monkey challenges — hanging multiple pieces from Barrel of Monkeys; driving RC; and climbing through Slinky Dog. |
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In Pixie Hollow, there is an amazing dress-up play area and also an area for crafts.
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In the Monsters Inc. Academy, kids can play amongst the laugh floor
from Disney's Monster's Inc. their energy is used “to help power the
ship.”
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The Magic Play Floor games can accommodate up to 60 people. This area is in the Center of the Oceaneer Club.
There really are sand and shells embedded in the floor around the Nemo submarine.
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The club offers special programs, such as Princess Storytime, Anyone Can Cook, Hefalump Challenges, Toy Story Boot Camp, Tinker Bell’s Talent Show and Puzzle Playtime. The two clubs are connected by craft rooms so children can travel between the two. Also near these craft rooms are kid sized bathrooms. |
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The Oceaneer Lab is amazing and so colorful. There is free play and structured activities. Some activities at the Oceaneer Lab are structured and meant to be done in a group setting such as activities with Professor Make-O-Mess and The Animators studio, which is designed to let children learn to draw their favorite Disney Characters There are also themed areas that branch off the main room. In these areas kids can play video games, kick back and watch movies or read a book. |
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I then headed up to the pool deck to explore this area. There are
currently 3 pools on the Disney Dream and the Water Splash Area known as
Nemo's Reef.
Continue to Part 2 of Lisa R's tour of the Disney Dream
Continue to Part 2 of Lisa R's tour of the Disney Dream
