DCL Disney Dream

The Disney Dream is the third ship in Disney Cruise Lines 4 ship fleet. It entered service in 2011 and is currently sailing mostly 3 and 4 day Bahamian cruises. All the amenities that you have come to expect from DCL are included in this ship, and because the Dream and her sister ship, Fantasy, also have some things that the Magic and Wonder don't. Along with water slides the Dream has a Disney first, the Aquaduck. The Aquaduck it a water roller coaster which has a portion go over the side of the ship (this is also clear so you can look down, although I am not a fan of heights...so no                            thanks). 

It's Oceaneer's kids club has a space for every type of kid from those who like to do arts and crafts, dress in costume, play computer games, dance and move, or hang out in Andy's Room or Monsters Inc. play areas. I am not going to lie, I was quite jealous that my son got to go there because it looked like a ton of fun. The kiddos even get to enjoy meals there if they choose to dine away from mom and dad. There is also a tween, and a teens club that offer both those are brackets the newest tech areas to hangout in and make some new friends.I am excited about this because it means we can cruise Disney for a long time to come without my son getting bored.

Just because this is Disney don't think that they forgot about the adults. There are adult only areas on the ship that are secluded away from the hustle and bustle of family life. There is an adults only pool complete with bar and snack service, the Vista Spa (which is wonderful and a total splurge), and an area called the District that is full of night clubs, bars, restaurants, and other entertainment that would have children yawning with boredom or embarrassed because dad and mom are busting a move on the dance floor (that's right I said bust a move, what is your point). My point is even if you are child free you will have a blast on this ship (and most of the time you will not even realize how many kids are on this ship).  

The food choices are wonderful. Along with the three main restaurants Animators Palate, Enchanted Garden, and Royal Palace. There are two more that you must pay a nominal fee Palo, and  Remy that have exquisite gourmet food prepared lovingly by master chefs. If it is a quick service you are looking for they have that covered too with Flo's Cafe, and Cabanas to get your craving for a slice of pizza after a swim. Add that to all the ice cream self serve areas and drink stations and the glutton or the foodie in you will be sated.

Do yourself a favor and don't miss the night time shows. My wife and I hit two of the three and were pleasantly rewarded with wonderful singing and choreography that challenges anything you will see on Broadway. I am not normally a musical kind of guy but this was fun and didn't take itself to seriously, in essence brain candy. We also managed to see a special showing of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" on 3-D that had some, surprises, that I won't spoil for you. If you like movies they have you covered with first run movies in a state of the art theater, or sit by the pool and watch sports or Disney classics on the funnel-vision (like I said they have you covered).

Basically what I have described above just scratches the surface and doesn't even count your stops, excursions, Castaway Cay day, or cruise demonstrations (they had a cooking one when we went), also during the holiday times they have special events then too. Is a Disney Cruise more expensive? Yes, it is. Is it worth the extra money? Yes it is. They have the largest standard rooms at sea, and with only four ships in the fleet I would say they are better maintained than the larger cruise lines. My only complaint was that I wish that Disney restricted one of their elevators for mobility impaired folks as a convenience because it can take some time to get where you are going. Try it out, I think you will like it.

34 Days Until Launch (to Megavacation!!)

We are now just over a month from our big Disney Cruise/Walt Disney World trip and we are all very excited around here. Now we start with the real fun. If you are taking a cruise there are plenty of things you need to be doing right now. Most cruise lines have online documents you need to complete to be able to board the ship. It takes about an hour to complete it all and you will need to have all travel documents (i.e. flight info, ground transfers, passports for everyone in your party). It is kind of a pain but it should shorten your time at the terminal checking in. Also make sure that you have sent in your special needs form or you may not get the accommodations you need.

This is also the time that you will want to check your online flight information. If you book your flights a long time before you need to fly, things have a tendency to change. Our flight went from being a 7 a.m. flight to a 5 a.m. flight and we didn't even get an email. Also while you are checking the times it is always a good ideal to review seats. You might even be able to change them to suit your needs. A little inconvenience now can save you time when you are in line.

So while you are doing these little "administrative duties" there are some that a lot of people might forget. You will want to place a hold on your mail and newspaper deliveries to avoid any build up in your box or front porch. I also recommend getting several timers for lights in several places in your house and hook them to lamps and maybe even a radio. I know some people also lower the temperature on their water heater to keep from having that rack up unnecessary expense while they are gone. These last tips can save you money but also are more about security of your home. 

Finally, if you are boarding your pets, this is the time to verify that reservation and double check the vaccination records to make sure that you have all the shots they require. I almost missed my last Hawaii trip because the vet didn't fax over the updated shot records. That is NOT how you want to start your vacation, believe me. 

Now that we are in the final stretch, I will be posting more about what we do before our trip. As always if you have any tips to share please leave me a comment.