Disney Dream Cruise Ship Review and Tips

Disney Cruise Line may only have 4 ships, but they put all of the Disney magic into each one.  I love that they have kept the spirit of the classic luxury liners with their dark blue hulls and red stacks, but Disney has also integrated some state of the art technology to add some of that enchantment into every part of the boat.  Whether it’s the 1920’s look of the gilded 3 story atrium or the 760 foot long world’s first water coaster, there is something for everyone.  Disney cruises aren’t just for kids, but if you want to feel like a kid again you will love this ship.

This Disney Dream review will cover some of the features, amenities, dining options, entertainment, and other aspects of the ship to help you decide on booking a cruise or to help you enjoy the cruise you have already booked with an informed point of view.

Fun Facts about the Disney Dream:

• Can accommodate 4,000 passengers in 1,250 staterooms
• 14 decks
• 130,000 tons
• 1,115 feet long
• The first water coaster at sea (Over 760 ft long)

The Staterooms

The Disney Dream has some of the more spacious rooms onboard than other cruise lines.   Even the smallest interior rooms are 169 square feet, and the rooms that have only a window start at over 200 square feet.

But the most innovative part of this ship’s rooms is the virtual portholes in the interior rooms.  One of the worst parts about an interior room is that you never know what time of day it is and you feel detached from what’s going on outdoors.  Now there are little screens that show a real-time display of the ocean view from one of the ship’s camera.  And once in a while a little Disney creature will pop up on your window as well, so the kids will really enjoy that.

The balcony rooms have a couple chairs and a table on the verandah, and they also have plexiglass railings so you don’t have to worry about your kids out there.  The suits are luxurious and some of them are huge at over 1,700 square feet if you feel like living like a king for a week.

Each room has 2 wireless Wave phones which allow you to keep in touch with your group for free.  This is a great feature that I think more cruise ships will eventually have.

The split bathrooms in the Disney ships is also ingenious.  One room has a toilet and sink, and the other room has a shower, tub and sink.  So it’s like having a double vanity in every room, plus it makes it easier if there are more than 2 people in a room and they are trying to get ready in the morning.  Also the tubs make it easier to wash babies onboard.

The Dining Options

The Disney Dream may not have as many dining options as some of the mega ships of today, but Disney keeps it simple and fun with their 6 dining choices, which includes the buffet at Cabanas.

The buffet offers made-to-order dining for breakfast and lunch, and for dinner time the space is turned into a table-service dining room that is surprisingly refreshing for a buffet on a cruise ship.

There are 3 main dining areas (Animator’s Palace, Enchanted Garden, and Royal Palace) and you will rotate from one to the other each night so that you get a different atmosphere and get a chance to enjoy every ambiance of the Dream’s charm and décor.  The wait staff will also follow you to each dining room so you will also get the benefit of getting to know your waiter/waitress while also getting a different perspective each night.  Keep in mind that only traditional assigned seating is employed on the Dream, so if you want something more flexible you may have to try to buffet.

There are 2 other surcharge restaurants that people are raving about as well and are for adults only.  One is French and the other Italian/Mediterranean.  “Remy” is the French restaurant that will cost you an industry high $75 a person.  It may help to brush up on your high school French just to order from the menu and the attire for eating at this exclusive eatery is definitely high class.  But for special occasions the quality of food can’t be beat.  “Remy” was inspired by the Disney film “Ratatouille”.

“Palo” is the Nothern Italian restaurant that is also adult-only and it offers authentic Italian cuisine for $25 per person.

Fun and Entertainment

As you would expect with a Disney cruise ship, the entertainment and Broadway style shows are magical and fun in Walt Disney Theatre.  On the Dream you can see shows like “Golden Mickeys”, “Villains Tonight”, and “Disney’s Believe”.    And of course you can see classic shows like Aladdin and Cinderella as well.

In Buena Vista Theatre you can also watch 3-D movies and first-run movies that have not even been released yet.

All over the ship you will also find different Disney characters, including the all-important Mickey along with some other characters.  And thanks to Disney’s award winning nursery and a childcare program, you can enjoy some alone time with your special someone any time of day.

The 765 ft. Aquaduck is claimed to be the first water coaster at sea and it really packs a punch.  There are some slow parts and some fast parts, including jets of water that actually push you up stream.

There are a number of pools throughout the ship, including Donald’s 5 foot pool and Mickey’s 2-foot pool for the littler ones.  The Quiet Cove Pool is for adults only and offers 4 feet of relaxation and an in-pool bar.

There is a basketball court/volleyball court on Goofy’s Sports Deck, which also offers a mini-golf course as well, which has become almost standard on newer cruise ships.

The state-of-the-art fitness center offers ellipticals with TV screens built in and a variety of other fitness machines and classes like Yoga, Pilates, and health seminars.

The Disney Dream really offers something for everyone, and whether you want a place for you kids to hang out or a luxurious dinner with just you and your spouse, you can find that everyone can have fun aboard the Dream.