My Mommyology

Learning from Motherhood.

Our Disney Dream Favorites (Part 1)

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As a follow-up to last week’s post on the Disney Dream, here are some of our favorite parts from the cruise (based on inputs from our entire family).  Watch out, a ton of pictures are coming your way…  🙂  Again I hope this is useful information to you for future vacation plans and considerations!

A room with a view and the double-decker bedsWe were told that if you’re easily seasick and slightly claustrophobic, it’s better to get a room with a veranda.  I think it costs a tad bit more than the lower rooms, but it’s also not as expensive as the suites.  Jamie saw Dolphins as the ship was leaving the port too.

Taken from the door towards the veranda

Taken from the door towards the veranda.

The rooms are small but they’re quite cozy and clean.  And it’s always good to go back to a room you like.

And a veranda is always good for practicing model poses.

And a veranda is always good for practicing model poses.

When we first entered I thought that our whole family would share a bed, but as we came back after dinner, we discovered that they had provided for two extra beds (with guard-rails upon our request) for the girls to sleep on.  And they really did sleep in their own beds!  It was such a treat to have space and not get kicked in the face for a few nights! 🙂

I will use this as a pre-cursor to getting them to sleep in their own beds SOON.

I will use this as a pre-cursor to getting them to sleep in their own beds SOON.

In the adjoining room, the girls discovered that their cousins had bunk beds.  Of course for one night, Sam asked our cabin attendant if she could have a bunk bed too!  Of course, she slept on it only for a while because I was losing sleep with her being so high up.

The double-deck request.

The double-deck request.

Hair-braiding.  This was Sam’s top agenda when we got onto the ship and moved around.  She wanted her hair braided.  She didn’t want it all braided, just a few strands.  Of course Jamie did too, and they insisted on keeping it all on for the entire cruise.  You can imagine how frizzy their hair was when I finally took it off!

Here they are in their hair braiding glory.  Mind you, it's $2 a braid.

Here they are in their hair braiding glory.  Mind you, it’s $2 a braid.

Free Ice Cream.  Actually, there was free food almost 24/7.  Certain restaurants had buffet breakfast open from 6AM – 11AM, and buffet lunch open from 10AM – 5PM (which is just about the time that the first batch of dinner runs started).  At the top deck, there were ice cream swirl machines that you could just get from.  They would change the flavors too every so often, so you didn’t know what you were gonna get that day (apart from Vanilla and Chocolate).

Eye scream for Ice cream!

She was indeed an ice cream monster!

Literally the kids could have them even at 3 in the morning because they were just THERE.  Jamie my little ice cream monster made good use of them for the entire trip.

The Nightly Shows at the Walt Disney Theatre.  At 545PM every afternoon, our little family would make our way to the Walt Disney Theatre to line up for the 615PM show.  It was good to be early and get good seats (fourth or fifth row center were typically good) because the shows were all worthwhile (pictures aren’t allowed inside while the show is ongoing).  You’re not allowed to reserve seats too, so it’s important to have everyone there to sit in their seat.And as the days passed, more people knew they had to be there early too.

My little muse outside the Theatre.

My little muse outside the Theatre.

The production value of these shows is amazing.  And it’s the same ensemble for all four days — you can imagine how many dance steps songs and character roles they had to memorize!

If you catch the show on the first day, you can buy one of those buckets of popcorn and take them again with you the next day to refill at a cheaper price.  It also gives the kids something to do while waiting for the show to start.

Sam and Jamie had been watching Hercules before we left, and on the second night of the show, Pain and Panic were roaming the aisles.  Of course my little Peacock did not hesitate to get a picture with them both.

This is Sam with Panic.  Or is this Pain?!

This is Sam with Panic. Or is this Pain?!

Animator’s Palate.  Every night set dinner at a specific restaurant is assigned to your family.  For our last dinner we ate at Animator’s Palate, which was actually at the back of the ship.  And at the onset the wall decor is pretty cool because it showcases the drawings of the animations of different characters.  Once everyone is seated though and the dinner service starts, suddenly the “walls” become interactive screens.

It's amazing to watch the drawings turn into screens.  You'd never guess.

It’s amazing to watch the drawings turn into screens. You’d never guess.

I suppose since we were on a boat, the theme was an underwater submarine and Crush and the rest of the Finding Nemo characters would appear.  Crush would talk to the kids as well and ask them their name and where they’re from and things like that.  The kids were thoroughly entertained because Dory asked them to play guessing games too.

Here's Bruce scoping out the folks.

Here’s Bruce scoping out the folks.

Of course the food was excellent.  But the place totally blew me away.  I’m told there’s a restaurant like this in one of the Orlando parks too.

The Oceaneer Kids’ Club (or Lab).  Half the 3rd deck is dedicated to a kids only zone called the Oceaneer Lab.  We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside but the place is really every child’s haven.

Outside the Oceaneer Lab

Outside the Oceaneer Lab

If you wanted to, you could leave them there the minute they woke up and pick them up right before they go to bed (of course we didn’t do that, but technically you can).  And there are enough people watching over the kids there that no one gets lost or bored or hurt and every kid has an awesome time.  Ask any child, they want to go back over and over again.  Jamie my clingy little Dove generally wouldn’t want to leave my side, but when we dropped her off at the Kid’s club, she willingly said goodbye and didn’t look for me.  In fact when we picked them up, she didn’t want to leave.  There was a Toy Story bootcamp inside one of the club’s rooms and the girls met one of the green toy soldiers who gave them “parachute” backpacks and taught them how to march and salute and do all kids of solider things.

Hungry soldiers after bootcamp.

Hungry soldiers after bootcamp.

Upon registration for the kids when you board the ship, they tag each child with an arm band that’s sort of like a GPS tracker.

It is waterproof, sandproof and childproof!

It is waterproof, sandproof and childproof!

Essentially it can tell you where your child is on any part of the ship and any point in time.  And at the Oceaneer’s club, when you check them in, they scan the band so that they can track which room your child is as well and tell you exactly when you pick them up.  Pretty cool!

There is a continuation to this post, coming soon…. 😉

Author: mymommyology

I am the mom that I am because of my two wonderful little girls. They teach me everyday.

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