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Disney Dream – A Trip Report

Ship Overview

Andrew (a fellow Dad Married to a Doctor) and his family recently returned from their first ever Disney Cruise Line (DCL) sailing. Andrew and his family are Disney Vacation Club owners and HUGE Disney fans. I am always excited to hear back from a fellow Disney fan after their first DCL vacation.

Disney Cruise Line has 4 ships broken into two classes, the larger of the two contains the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream, both are home ported out of Port Canaveral, Florida. The second, older and smaller class comprise of the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic.

All four of the Disney ships are small by today’s mega-ship standards, but are jam packed with family friendly activities aboard each ship. While the current DCL ships offer less concierge and suite options than Royal Caribbean and NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line), Disney currently has 3 new ships on order and many industry insiders expect there to be many more premium or luxury categories on the yet to be names vessels.

  • Gross Tonnage: 130,000 tons | Length: 1,115 feet | Beam: 121 feet | Draft: 28 feet | Height: 216 feet
  • Speed – Cruising: 22 knots • Max: 23.5 knots
  • Capacity – Passenger: 4000 • Crew: 1458
  • Passenger Decks – 14
  • Staterooms – Inside: 150 | Outside – Verandah: 901 Ocean View: 199

Disney ships are known for their family friendly inclusions, all of which forego the on board casino in favor of expanded kids club space. In recent years the Disney Company has purchased the Marvel and Star Wars properties and characters from both have made their way to the Oceaneers Club on board each Disney Cruise Line in addition to other Disney and Pixar favorites.

Additionally, excellent kids programming, Disney inspired evening entertainment, deck parties and amazing water activities make the Disney Cruise Line stand out in an ever crowded family friendly cruise marketplace.

In addition to the well kept up ships, family friendly spaces and activities, possibly the most popular aspect of a Disney Cruise is the cruise line’s private island, Castaway Cay. The island is currently hands down the best private island experience in the Caribbean (Royal’s new CocoCay experience is looking to change the game once it opens Summer 2019) and Disney recently announced a second private island experience coming sometime after 2021.

The Review

Was there any special reason you and your family decided to take this trip?
We wanted a Disney escape for Spring Break

Whom did you travel with?
Just the immediate family. My wife and two high energy boys age 6 and 4.

How was your experience with embarkation/embarkation?
Embarkation was much smoother than I expected. We arrived at the terminal in the afternoon so perhaps we missed the rush, but the lines were short and we walked right onto the ship.

What were your first impressions of the ship?
The ship was beautiful and the Disney theme immediately made me happy. I guess it helps when you love all things Disney but it was a great start to the trip.

What  were your overall impressions of your room? Layout? Upkeep?
For an interior room I was impressed with how comfortable and livable it was. We had plenty of storage. We have frequently booked larger suites on other cruise lines, however availability was low for this cruise due to our last minute plans.

What were your impressions of the kid/family offerings on this ship?
The kids clubs are the highlight of the Disney Cruise Line. Other cruises have to try and cater to all ages from Senior Citizens to little children but Disney really makes sure the kids have a magical vacation

How was your experience dining aboard the Dream?
Dining was good and the service was consistent. I enjoyed having our waitstaff follow us through the different dining rooms for our rotations.

Did you do any of the Adult only dining options?
We did not try any of the Adult only dining options on this cruise since we specifically wanted to see each of the dining rooms and it was a short cruise.

What advice would you offer to someone considering a DCL sailing? Prepare for the most comfortable mattress on any cruise ship or almost any hotel for that matter.

In your opinion what does DCL need to improve upon?
The only little thing that was frustrating was paying for popcorn when most other food is included. This felt annoying especially since popcorn is very cheap but kids really want it when going to movies and shows.

Would you recommend this ship to your friends and why?
Yes – there aren’t many DCL ships yet so I can’t say why this ship is better or worse than another, however DCL is a better experience, especially with kids, over other cruise lines.

Would you book another Disney Cruise?
Yes

What is your favorite memory from this trip?
When my boys were chosen to participate in one of the shows. For the Golden Mickeys show they select 7 kids from the audience to dress as Dwarfs and come out on stage during the first part of the show. They come around before the show to find the kids so if people wanted a good chance of their kids being selected they should get to the show early and sit toward the front.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the quality of service and why?
10
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the quality of food/dining?
8 (Adult only dining would probably be better but I am picky about food quality)
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the quality of public spaces?
10
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the experiences available for children?
10
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the quality of inclusions on board DCL?
9
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the experiences available for children?
10
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the quality of inclusions  on board DCL?
9

How to book?

Physician Travel Guide is part of the Pixie Vacations family, a full service travel agency, and would be happy to help you find the perfect vacation for your budget and travel styles. Make sure to ask about our DMD and PMG booking bonus!

Email us for your no obligation quote at john@pixievacations.com

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