Welcome to my pre/post trip report. If you are planning to comb through this post looking for typos and spelling errors you can point out, you have hit the jackpot. I spelled first, frist, on our door magnet last year and didn't notice until it was up on the door and pointed out by a friend. If you see errors, feel free to point them out, but no promises I will fix them. If you see something factually inaccurate though, please tell me because I never want to spread misinformation. This is a pretty long post, but I tried to include all the things I want to know about other people's trip and some shout outs to the people who helped to make my trip magical.
Background-My name is Joy and I am a 2nd grade teacher from WV. I am married to my wonderful husband of 16 years and I have 2 sons. The first is 23 and out on his own and the youngest is turning 15.
WDW-We went to WDW 6 years ago and had an amazing, perfect, once in a life time experience. I planned more for that than my big church wedding, and it paid off big time. There are so many amazing experiences to have and places to go in the world that I am more of a check it off the bucket list kind of gal. So when I had no real desire to return, it wasn't a surprise, or a negative statement about WDW.
DCL-My husband has no interest in cruising which I respect even though I can’t understand. I wanted to go for years and finally decided to take my son and go. We did a 4 night on the dream out of Port Canaveral. (And we were so close, that we did go back to HS to do what was under construction during our last go round, and we did both Universal parks) Unlike with almost every other experience in my life, I knew this was something I wanted to do again and again. My teenage son is not what I would describe as a Disney fan. He is a stereotypical teen boy who is into football, girls, music, and video games. There are no Micky posters in his room (though no judgment if there are in yours) but he LOVED our first cruise and is excited to go again.
Pre trip-I am so 10/10 excited for this trip. We were originally scheduled for the Wish in November for me and my son 15. This will be our 2nd cruise. Then the Disney + discount went up and we were able to take my best friend and her son with us for a small difference by switching to a Marval Day at Sea cruise on the Dream in February. That would give us an extra night, friends to share the experience with, and we will now be onboard for my son's birthday.
Last trip -VS- expectations for this trip-The ship and the ports during the cruise are the same as our last cruise, but there are some major differences as well.
Covid Protical changes-We last sailed right after the Covid-19 shut down. We had to be up to date with vaccinations, test at the port, and wear masks inside. All of that has changed. While recommended, there are no vaccination requirements and no testing is required. (I fully appreciate it was for everyone's safety, but talk about stressful. To drive 11 hours and then not know if you will be able to board, was a big leap of faith). Mask are also allowed but not required. Unfortunately, the digital Muster Drill which was so nice and convenient has gone back to the hassle I have only heard about. But on the upside, deck parties and Pirate night are back. We missed out on the Sail away party and Pirate night was not back to full swing yet. They were only performing 2 of the 3 shows so we have not yet seen the Golden Micky's. The capacity was way down so there was no wait for the aqua duck and there were free seats and deck chairs everywhere we went, but my son didn't make any new friends in the teen club because he and his friend we traveled with were the only ones in there. The ship wasn't empty, but not close to full. This sailing appears to be nearly sold out so I expect it to be pretty crowded.
Travel plans-Next, the ship and stops are the same, but because the Wish has taken over 3 and 4 night sailings out of Port Canaveral, the Dream has relocated to Miami. Last time we drove the whole way. This time, there is a very very discounted airline that flies out of Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale so my husband is going to drive us to the airport, we will fly to FLL in Fort Lauderdale, take a free airport shuttle bus to the Tri-Rail which is $3.75-5.00 per person, and ride the train to MIA in Miami. It should cost us over 1/2 as much as flying straight to MIA, and maybe a tiny bit less than driving. We are flying in the day before and out the day after, so we have wiggle room incase a wrench gets thrown into one of these many moving parts, but the kids are really excited to be doing every form of transportation except space shuttle (I couldn't get us on space X this trip, lol). Getting there will either be an added adventure or a total disaster. I'll keep you posted. If you have ever attempted this, please let me know how it went.
Post Trip-
Travel Plans- There was a snow storm predicted for my area the morning that we were scheduled to leave. It was not supposed to be doing anything but some rain in Concord, NC though. We decided to stay in Concord the night before to miss the storm. We flew Allegiant and it is much less expensive than other airlines even after extra baggage cost. To save on travel from Fort Lauderdale to Miami, we took the tri-rail. The adventure of getting from Fort Lauderdale airport to our hotel was quite the odyssey. Google says it is about 30 minutes away. It took us 4 hours from the time we left the plane until we entered our hotel room. Everything went pretty smoothly. You just have to do a lot of waiting because the trains and buses had specific stops you had to get to and pick up and drop off times that didn’t correlate, so there was a good bit of waiting involved. It cost us $20 for 4 people. We could have ubered for about $40. That is exactly what we did to get back to the airport after the cruise, lol. It wasn’t that bad if you want to try the adventure, but if you are between saving $20 at 3.5 hours, I recommend saving the time. I would still recommend Allegiant if you can work with their dates and you have a back up plan just incase because if they are grounded, they don’t partner with the other airlines.
On the Ship- embarkation was quick and easy. We scheduled our port arrival for 1:00 so we could go right to our room. We dropped carry on bags off in the room, got the kids registered for the kids and teen club and ordered some room service to relax, eat, and enjoy our veranda view before heading to the muster drill.
Muster Drill-That was awful! Why Disney, why! Last time was so much better when we did it on our phones. They had us smooshed in closer than on the mid ship elevator at first dining/show time!
Our Sailing and stateroom-The itinerary was Miami, Cast Away, Marvel day at sea, pirate night/Nassau, sea day, back to Miami. Having, all the themed days/nights made this trip feel more “busy”. We didn’t really relax until Thursday. There was a TON of motion this time on the trip. Im not sure why. We don’t get sick, but it was hard walking up stairs in the Walt Disney theater. Our stateroom was 10038. We were right under the pool deck, but it wasn’t loud. We were on the port side mid-ship, and I think I prefer starboard side mid-ship for the views of Castaway. Castaway was amazing as always. We went snorkeling and looked at all the “sunken treasure “. The kids did the slides. While the water was cool, it wasn’t too cold. Marvel day was not for us. There were some terrific shows. Don’t miss Dr.Strange or the big show on the pool deck at night. We aren’t meet and greet people, and at least ½ of MDAS is meet and greets. Pirate night was cute. I love seeing everyone in their costumes. As with any show, ESPECIALLY deck and atrium shows (because unlike theater shows, everyone on the ship is watching at the same time. ) GET THERE 45-60 MIN. EARLY!!!
Meals- Cabanas had a good selection and we love shrimp and crab legs. The sweets in the coffee shop were the perfect breakfast for my quiet morning to myself in the adults only area. We ate a lot of chicken tenders and fries from Flo’s. The rotational dining was every bit as great as I remembered. Our dining room staff, Putu, Jackson, and Zoltan were excellent and even though I know they treat every guest with the same level of attention, they really know how to make each table feel special. The surprise this time was how much room service we ordered. Last time, my roommate ordered coffee each morning, but we didn’t do any meals. This time we ordered chicken tenders (again with the chicken, yup they are really good) burgers, a cheese plate, Micky bar, warm cookies, and a sandwich. It was so nice to sit on our veranda and eat away from of the hustle and bustle of deck 11 (pool deck and Cabanas).
Kids Clubs- My friend's 8 year old liked the kids club , but it was hit or miss depending on what activities they were doing. My teenage son loved Vibe last time. This time he didn’t really go at all. There were a lot more kids on the ship this time and he didn’t really click with the other guys that were in there. He spent most of his time with us doing family activities which is fine too.
Shopping-There was a pretty good selection of shirts and cups. I really wish there was some smaller packs of things like pencils, stickers, plastic pirate Micky coins…I am a teacher and it just isn’t reasonable to buy 20 kids a $22 plush, but I wanted to bring them back something from my trip.
Wrapping up- I booked my place holder on Wed so I wouldn’t risk forgetting. I booked 2 rooms so I can hopefully recruit more friends into making the trip with us. It lets you select to book with your agent, so I booked with my awesome Dreams agent Merrie Thomas. If I don’t need both rooms, I can always get my $ back. I also filled out and turned in my surveys. I had no trouble marking every crew member we interacted with especially Alvin our stateroom host and our dining staff all excellent as they deserved it. This was another terrific trip, and I can’t wait for the next one. We are definitely hooked!
Background-My name is Joy and I am a 2nd grade teacher from WV. I am married to my wonderful husband of 16 years and I have 2 sons. The first is 23 and out on his own and the youngest is turning 15.
WDW-We went to WDW 6 years ago and had an amazing, perfect, once in a life time experience. I planned more for that than my big church wedding, and it paid off big time. There are so many amazing experiences to have and places to go in the world that I am more of a check it off the bucket list kind of gal. So when I had no real desire to return, it wasn't a surprise, or a negative statement about WDW.
DCL-My husband has no interest in cruising which I respect even though I can’t understand. I wanted to go for years and finally decided to take my son and go. We did a 4 night on the dream out of Port Canaveral. (And we were so close, that we did go back to HS to do what was under construction during our last go round, and we did both Universal parks) Unlike with almost every other experience in my life, I knew this was something I wanted to do again and again. My teenage son is not what I would describe as a Disney fan. He is a stereotypical teen boy who is into football, girls, music, and video games. There are no Micky posters in his room (though no judgment if there are in yours) but he LOVED our first cruise and is excited to go again.
Pre trip-I am so 10/10 excited for this trip. We were originally scheduled for the Wish in November for me and my son 15. This will be our 2nd cruise. Then the Disney + discount went up and we were able to take my best friend and her son with us for a small difference by switching to a Marval Day at Sea cruise on the Dream in February. That would give us an extra night, friends to share the experience with, and we will now be onboard for my son's birthday.
Last trip -VS- expectations for this trip-The ship and the ports during the cruise are the same as our last cruise, but there are some major differences as well.
Covid Protical changes-We last sailed right after the Covid-19 shut down. We had to be up to date with vaccinations, test at the port, and wear masks inside. All of that has changed. While recommended, there are no vaccination requirements and no testing is required. (I fully appreciate it was for everyone's safety, but talk about stressful. To drive 11 hours and then not know if you will be able to board, was a big leap of faith). Mask are also allowed but not required. Unfortunately, the digital Muster Drill which was so nice and convenient has gone back to the hassle I have only heard about. But on the upside, deck parties and Pirate night are back. We missed out on the Sail away party and Pirate night was not back to full swing yet. They were only performing 2 of the 3 shows so we have not yet seen the Golden Micky's. The capacity was way down so there was no wait for the aqua duck and there were free seats and deck chairs everywhere we went, but my son didn't make any new friends in the teen club because he and his friend we traveled with were the only ones in there. The ship wasn't empty, but not close to full. This sailing appears to be nearly sold out so I expect it to be pretty crowded.
Travel plans-Next, the ship and stops are the same, but because the Wish has taken over 3 and 4 night sailings out of Port Canaveral, the Dream has relocated to Miami. Last time we drove the whole way. This time, there is a very very discounted airline that flies out of Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale so my husband is going to drive us to the airport, we will fly to FLL in Fort Lauderdale, take a free airport shuttle bus to the Tri-Rail which is $3.75-5.00 per person, and ride the train to MIA in Miami. It should cost us over 1/2 as much as flying straight to MIA, and maybe a tiny bit less than driving. We are flying in the day before and out the day after, so we have wiggle room incase a wrench gets thrown into one of these many moving parts, but the kids are really excited to be doing every form of transportation except space shuttle (I couldn't get us on space X this trip, lol). Getting there will either be an added adventure or a total disaster. I'll keep you posted. If you have ever attempted this, please let me know how it went.
Post Trip-
Travel Plans- There was a snow storm predicted for my area the morning that we were scheduled to leave. It was not supposed to be doing anything but some rain in Concord, NC though. We decided to stay in Concord the night before to miss the storm. We flew Allegiant and it is much less expensive than other airlines even after extra baggage cost. To save on travel from Fort Lauderdale to Miami, we took the tri-rail. The adventure of getting from Fort Lauderdale airport to our hotel was quite the odyssey. Google says it is about 30 minutes away. It took us 4 hours from the time we left the plane until we entered our hotel room. Everything went pretty smoothly. You just have to do a lot of waiting because the trains and buses had specific stops you had to get to and pick up and drop off times that didn’t correlate, so there was a good bit of waiting involved. It cost us $20 for 4 people. We could have ubered for about $40. That is exactly what we did to get back to the airport after the cruise, lol. It wasn’t that bad if you want to try the adventure, but if you are between saving $20 at 3.5 hours, I recommend saving the time. I would still recommend Allegiant if you can work with their dates and you have a back up plan just incase because if they are grounded, they don’t partner with the other airlines.
On the Ship- embarkation was quick and easy. We scheduled our port arrival for 1:00 so we could go right to our room. We dropped carry on bags off in the room, got the kids registered for the kids and teen club and ordered some room service to relax, eat, and enjoy our veranda view before heading to the muster drill.
Muster Drill-That was awful! Why Disney, why! Last time was so much better when we did it on our phones. They had us smooshed in closer than on the mid ship elevator at first dining/show time!
Our Sailing and stateroom-The itinerary was Miami, Cast Away, Marvel day at sea, pirate night/Nassau, sea day, back to Miami. Having, all the themed days/nights made this trip feel more “busy”. We didn’t really relax until Thursday. There was a TON of motion this time on the trip. Im not sure why. We don’t get sick, but it was hard walking up stairs in the Walt Disney theater. Our stateroom was 10038. We were right under the pool deck, but it wasn’t loud. We were on the port side mid-ship, and I think I prefer starboard side mid-ship for the views of Castaway. Castaway was amazing as always. We went snorkeling and looked at all the “sunken treasure “. The kids did the slides. While the water was cool, it wasn’t too cold. Marvel day was not for us. There were some terrific shows. Don’t miss Dr.Strange or the big show on the pool deck at night. We aren’t meet and greet people, and at least ½ of MDAS is meet and greets. Pirate night was cute. I love seeing everyone in their costumes. As with any show, ESPECIALLY deck and atrium shows (because unlike theater shows, everyone on the ship is watching at the same time. ) GET THERE 45-60 MIN. EARLY!!!
Meals- Cabanas had a good selection and we love shrimp and crab legs. The sweets in the coffee shop were the perfect breakfast for my quiet morning to myself in the adults only area. We ate a lot of chicken tenders and fries from Flo’s. The rotational dining was every bit as great as I remembered. Our dining room staff, Putu, Jackson, and Zoltan were excellent and even though I know they treat every guest with the same level of attention, they really know how to make each table feel special. The surprise this time was how much room service we ordered. Last time, my roommate ordered coffee each morning, but we didn’t do any meals. This time we ordered chicken tenders (again with the chicken, yup they are really good) burgers, a cheese plate, Micky bar, warm cookies, and a sandwich. It was so nice to sit on our veranda and eat away from of the hustle and bustle of deck 11 (pool deck and Cabanas).
Kids Clubs- My friend's 8 year old liked the kids club , but it was hit or miss depending on what activities they were doing. My teenage son loved Vibe last time. This time he didn’t really go at all. There were a lot more kids on the ship this time and he didn’t really click with the other guys that were in there. He spent most of his time with us doing family activities which is fine too.
Shopping-There was a pretty good selection of shirts and cups. I really wish there was some smaller packs of things like pencils, stickers, plastic pirate Micky coins…I am a teacher and it just isn’t reasonable to buy 20 kids a $22 plush, but I wanted to bring them back something from my trip.
Wrapping up- I booked my place holder on Wed so I wouldn’t risk forgetting. I booked 2 rooms so I can hopefully recruit more friends into making the trip with us. It lets you select to book with your agent, so I booked with my awesome Dreams agent Merrie Thomas. If I don’t need both rooms, I can always get my $ back. I also filled out and turned in my surveys. I had no trouble marking every crew member we interacted with especially Alvin our stateroom host and our dining staff all excellent as they deserved it. This was another terrific trip, and I can’t wait for the next one. We are definitely hooked!
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