Review of the new Disney Dream

Posted by Mark on Apr 4, 2011 in Beach, Cruise, Featured | 1 comment

Ah, the memories of Disney. We have all been there. For some reason, Disney has a knack for creating experiences that defy the imagination and turn even the oldest adult into a kid again.  Well, not to be outdone, Disney has introduced its first new ship in over a decade, the Disney Dream.

Seeing is believing with Disney and one of our clients, The W family, just returned from a voyage on the Disney Dream. They were kind enough to share some of their photos for this post, so rather than the normal “canned corporate shots”, we have included some of their photos to show you what the Disney Dream is all about.

As blogs are meant to share bite sized information rather than diatribes, I am providing this link to the Disney site so you can see the cool features for yourself. http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/dream/

Thanks to the wonderful feedback from them we have pictures and the highlights (according to them) of their trip.

Dining — The dining is something you would only expect from Disney. Your wait staff rotates dining rooms with you so even though you have a different dining experience every night, you have the comfort of a consistent supporting cast. There is now virtual entertainment whereby animated Disney characters actually interact with you via big video walls throughout the restaurant. This technology has been used at EPCOT Center for years, but they brought it to a much more intimate setting…your dinner table.

Entertainment — There is much more to do on a cruise than just eat (although eating is still fun as noted above). The Disney theatre offers THREE live performances a day in one on the most sophisticated entertainment venues at sea, plus there is a movie theatre on board that always offers the latest Disney movies. This is a huge departure from normal cruise lines that offer two night time shows and MAYBE a movie during the day. Also, there is a big outdoor movie theater by the pool.

“The kids favorite parts of the ship were Goofy Sport Deck and the Swimming Pool.  The swimming pool was crowded but none of the kids seem to even notice.  There is a movie running above the pool constantly…we watched Wall-E and Up while swimming. Very fun!  Goofy Golf is a miniature golf set up that we must have played 50 times…seriously 50.  They also have foos ball and ping pong.  It is a very cool set up.” – Mom

Water – Both onboard and onshore, Disney offers a truly magical experience that involves both sun AND water.

Dominating the outdoor pool area is the AquaDUCK. It stretches 765 feet in length and is more than 4 stories tall. This water slide pushes you along the clear acrylic tubes via powerful jets.

Disney owns its own private Caribbean island. So, once on shore you can play in the big pirate water park, swim with the dolphins OR even enjoy a private adults only section while your child partakes in the kids activities.

“Castaway Cay is amazing…so much to do.  We did a snorkel excursion and swam with the Sting Rays and still had time to eat the BBQ lunch, see characters, play at the beach and just sit….awesome!” – Mom

Children’s programs — Child care is provided, this is Disney after all so they are expecting a few children. They have a nursery for infants up to three year olds, Disney Oceaneer club for ages 3 – 10, the Edge Tween club offers games and video entertainment for ages 11 – 13 and finally a full fledged teen club called The Vibe which includes hot tubs, a dance floor and media entertainment rooms for children ages 14 – 17.

Staterooms – All staterooms include LCD flat screen TV’s, two wave phones to use onboard so that families can communicate with each other while they are out and about. If you need a little peace and quiet in your room they offer iPod docking stations, a mini refrigerator, queen sized pillows and Frette linens.  You may never want to come out. By day there is a couch so the family can sit and relax, but by night the sofa turns into a bunk bed so your children can sleep comfortably and not take up too much space.

We invite you to email us at info@theviaggiogroup.com to learn more about Disney cruises and determine if it is right for you and your family.