Our Disney Dream Adventures – Part 1 I #DisneyCruise #DisneyDream

Disclosure: I was invited on a media trip aboard the Disney Cruise Line Disney Dream. All opinions are my own.

Magical. At 37 years of age that’s the word I would use to describe our recent excursion – my first Disney adventure of any kind – on board the Disney Dream Cruise Line. By “we” I mean Edgar and yours truly. We decided to make this, our first cruise ship experience, a father-son trip from the moment we learned we were invited to take part in this pretty amazing opportunity.

After weeks of anticipation we finally made our way to Port Canaveral, Florida last week. Once there almost immediately the charm of this Disney adventure began to overcome both of us. From the “magical bus” that transported us from the airport straight to the Disney Dream cruise ship, to the friendly attendants who made it a breeze to check in, to the formation of cruise staff welcoming each arriving family by announcement and applause, everything was exciting and so new for us.

We soon set sail and were off to our first destination, the Bahamas. To be quite honest, I had been a bit nervous about actually setting sail because I didn’t know how my body would react. Luckily though neither Edgar nor I really felt any different at all. We had forgotten to purchase any medication for seasickness before we left and as it turned out we didn’t need it after all.

That was a big relief.

Our stateroom, which was a Verandah, was so comfortable and spacious for the two of us. It also came with a private verandah, which we immediately fell in love with. I think that was one of my favorite amenities on board the Disney Dream. Being able to sit outside and just enjoy the amazing ocean views from the privacy of our own room was such a treat. We sat out there for at least an hour or two every day.

The other biggest surprise for us was the quality of the service. By that I mean all of the wonderful staff who were on board and who made it their mission to make sure we had everything we needed at all times. Almost every single time we walked out of our room the head stateroom attendant for our section of the cruise ship was nearby with a smile on her face and asking us if we needed anything.

It was no different at each of the three main restaurants we ate dinner at aboard the Disney Dream.

Our head waiter and his second in command followed us from restaurant to restaurant and from the very first night already knew both of us by name. We dined together at Enchanted Garden and Animator’s Palate. Our third and final night, I attended a private adults-only dinner at the exquisite Palo restaurant, while Edgar had duck at Royal Palace. And while everything was delicious at all the restaurants, it was also nice to know we always had the option of grabbing a quick snack from the pretty elaborate buffet too.

There were quite a few other breakfast, lunch, and dinner options too aboard our cruise ship.

I guess that’s the thing that was most surprising for me. Just how large the Disney Dream actually is. There are literally exclusive areas on board the cruise ship for all of the different age groups of any family. Tweens could spend time together with other tweens at Edge, while teens could all gather together at their exclusive private area known as Vibe. There was even a group for 18 to 20 year olds, which was appropriately referred to as the 1820 club.

You can tell the Disney Cruise Line family puts a lot of thought behind the comfort of their passengers. As someone mentioned to me since we’ve been back, the Disney Cruise Line experience is really top of the line. I couldn’t agree more.

There’s quite a bit more to share from this incredible experience, and I will be doing that in a couple of additional posts in the very near future.

However, I did also want to mention just how excellent the entertainment on board the Disney Dream was.

That’s really where the magic came in for me.

At the first show we attended I was almost immediately overcome with the giddy sensation of being a kid again. The performers transported me onto the stage with them and I was again that little boy who grew up watching Mickey Mouse and all of the Disney characters on TV, only this time they were real and they were singing and dancing together with me on one stage. It was such a special moment. We made all of the other shows on board too and they were just as good as the last. The level of talent in the shows was superb.

Y’all know me. I’m not usually one to rant and rave, but this experience is one I think Edgar and I are going to hold on to for many years to come.

Until our next post, here’s a little video compilation of our time together on board the Disney Dream and at our ports of call: Nassau, Bahamas and Disney’s Private Island Castaway Cay. Enjoy!

Want more Disney Cruise Line adventure? Check out these posts from some of our blogger buddies!

For Candy, it’s all all about the details. Check out what she’s already missing from the Disney Dream.

Traveling with preschoolers? Mama Smith has 5 tips for making the cruise experience more fun for the entire family.

And over at Dancing Hotdogs, Divina is sharing the best of the experience for her family as well.

In case you need another reason to say yes to a Disney Cruise Line excursion – or say 10 – you wont’t want to miss this list by Young at Heart Mommy.