Parents love Disney cruises for the same reason they love Disney theme parks: Endless delights for their kids and stellar customer service, plus dining and activities that appeal to grown-up tastes. This is exactly what we loved about our time on board Disney’s Dream cruise ship.
For me, the Disney Dream combined much of what we love about the Disney parks with the convenience and all-inclusive pricing of a cruise.
Here’s what you can expect if you choose to come aboard.
More Cruise-Planning Help:
• 9 Tips for A Wonderful Disney Cruise
• 5 Surprising Reasons Cruises Are Great Family Vacations
• And Download My Cruise Packing List.
Here’s What To Expect On The Disney Dream Cruise Ship
That Distinct Disney Touch
Our first Disney cruise experience was on the Dream, a 2011 ship that was refurbished in 2015 and sails out of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, PR.
Words that come to mind in describing the Dream are innovative, creative, tech-savvy, fun and timeless.
With a passenger capacity of 4,000 people it’s another mass-cruise experience. But Disney does mass entertainment well. And the Dream is carefully designed to provide magical encounters throughout your sail.
For example, take time to study the “enchanted art,” digital paintings that come to life as you stand inn front them.
Magical portholes provide an “ocean view” to guests with inside cabins. They’re still inside cabins, with all implies, but that extra makes it feel a little more upscale than your typical windowless stateroom.
As with the brand’s resort hotels you’ll find small, subtle brand reminders all over. Mickey and Donald drawn at the bottom of the family pools, which reliably thrills young children. Adults will notice the grown-ups-only pool is shaped like a head with mouse ears.
And of course, there are hidden Mickeys to find.
Onboard Activities for Every Age Group
There is a good balance of thoughtful adult spaces and made-for-kids fun, which makes this cruise a surprisingly good option for multi-generation vacations. It’s easy or everyone to find activities they like and to have a balance of together time and on-your-own time.
You’ll find the water slides, arcade, spa, basketball court, fitness center and fabulous Broadway-style live shows that all mass-market cruise lines offer these days.
There are also Disney-only activities like Goofy-inspired mini-golf, themed deck parties with characters and first-run Disney movies. Princess meet-and-greets are as popular at sea as they are on land.
We loved the AquaDuck, Disney’s industry-first “water coaster.” It adds the mechanics of a roller coaster to a waterslide and offers 765 feet of thrills. It’s for guests who like adrenaline-pumping rides. It’s handy if you’re sailing with tweens and teens.
For a fun family activity we picked up a packet at Midship Detective Agency and solved a mystery together. It’s the kind of thing 7-to-12YOs really get into.
If you’re concerned you’ll never have the chance to explore those adults-only spaces, don’t worry. The Kids Clubs are as good as you would expect them to be and entice kids to want to spend at least some time in them with both activities and themed decor.
Different parts of the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab are decorated to resemble Pixie Hollow and Andy’s Room from Toy Story. The 2015 update added a Millennium Falcon room, too.
Tweens have their own space called Edge and teens have something called Vibe, which offer age-appropriate experiences just for them.
Fun Dining on the Dream
Do your kids sit quietly through dinner? Mine don’t always do so well, I freely admit. Disney’s dinner entertainment sure helps pass the time while you’re waiting for your meal to be served. That’s a big bonus in my book.
The Animator’s Palate Dining Room is outstanding from service to food to interaction. As in many places, you can draw on your placemat. But here your doodles become a live show at the end of your meal. And mom and dad do as much doodling as the kids.
Adults whose kids visit the kids club in the evening can try two premium restaurants just for them: Remy offers a French menu that changes seasonally. It requires jackets for men so come prepared.
Italian-themed Palo doesn’t require a jacket. It’s Italian-themed menu offers a well-priced prix fixe option.
The night-life “district” has five clubs and lounges, should your kids let you stay out late. Disney doesn’t do at-sea casinos, though.
Tip: Gratuities are the most common pricey surprise for first-time cruisers. Disney always suggests a per-guest/per-night flat rate. You can pre-pay online if you like.
Pin it for later!
Becky J. Beall is a travel journalist with four Disney-loving children and two grandkiddos who are learning about all things Disney. You can find her fun and frolic at The Travel Voice by Becky.