In Part Two of the Disney Dream Cruise Preview, we talked about food, but what about entertainment? Disney again is the leader. There’s a place for every age group. On board, Disney has the most comprehensive child-care venue on the high seas. For infants and toddlers, parents can drop their kids off at It’s a Small World Nursery where experienced counselors will keep the little ones happy while mom and dad grab some adult time. You can even check on the children through a one-way mirror. For kids aged 3 to 10, The Oceaneers Club is the place. They have a 103 inch plasma screen for watching movies, a magic play floor, and Andy’s Room where the Toy Story films come to life. In addition, kids can play in Pixie Hollow, Monster’s Academy, and the Explorer Pod. All of these areas can be found on deck 5, midship.

For ages 11 to 13, the Tween club Edge has notebook computers, a dance floor, and a way to create and star in their own photo postcard. All this is inside the forward funnel on deck 13. There is the Chill Spa just for teens 13 to 17. Located on deck 11 in the Senses Spa and Salon, they have their own treatment rooms and an area for their guests. And for the 14 to 17-year-olds, the Vibe is an exclusive club on deck 5 forward with offers both inside and outside play areas. There is a dance club, where teens can try their hand at being a DJ; a media room; a fountain bar; and an outside private deck area with pool, fountains, and deck games.

For the Adults, one of the most exciting areas on any cruise ship is The District. Located on deck 4 aft, The District is an area where guests 18-years-old and up can enjoy numerous themed bars and lounges with entertainment. This is a self-contained fun spot where adults can unwind and enjoy the night life. A novel lounge, Pink, is an intimate place for specialty Champagne cocktails–all in a, you guessed it, pink setting! For Entertainment, the District Lounge has it all: cocktails and live music in a modern setting. The Evolution nightclub has all you want in a contemporary setting. The Skyline is a sophisticated metro bar with city skylines that are always changing. And the 687, modeled after a traditional pub, is a place to relax. One lounge not in the District but special in its own right is the Meridian Bar, located between Palo’s and Remy’s. Here you can relax with a libation, while you wait for dinner, in a setting reminiscent of sea travel of days gone by. Another adult haven is the Cove Café, an upscale coffee house where you can relax, grab a gourmet coffee, read, or surf the web. This is one of my favorite spots on board because it’s just so relaxing and comfortable.

The ultimate place to relax and lose all that stress is the Senses Spa & Salon. Located on decks 11 and 12 forward, it comprises more than 16,000 square feet. The décor has natural woods, soft hues, and natural green colors for that ultimate calming effect. You can get massages, facials, and body wraps. You can also take advantage of the steam room, steam bath, or whirlpool hot tubs. For the ultimate experience, there are two spa villas for couples with private verandahs complete with personal whirlpool hot tubs and showers. Finally, for the gym crowd, the Dream boasts a beautiful 2,500 square foot workout area with all the latest in exercise equipment. You can also take free yoga, aerobics, and Pilate’s classes.

Now, let’s talk about some of the unique Disney Magic that the Dream offers its guests. One of the most talked-about innovations is the new AquaDuck water coaster. This 765 foot long shipboard flume ride is a cruise industry first. Guests board a rubber raft for a twisty, wet, and wild adventure that drops, turns, twists, and goes through one of the funnels. One loop takes riders 12 feet over the side of the ship, 150 feet above the ocean! The AquaDuck is powered by high-pressure water jets pushing 10,000 gallons of water a minute. Another industry first is the Magical Porthole that comes with all the inside staterooms. Live high definition cameras around the ship send real-time video to the Porthole, and, as an added dose of Magic, you might see some of your favorite characters float by!  Also new on the Dream are removable deck covers for the Mickey and Donald pools; these covers allow extra deck space during special events and at night, instead of roping off the pool area. Brilliant!

What about shows and entertainment? Every night in the 1,340 seat Walt Disney Theatre, you can enjoy the best Disney shows and musicals. Disney’s Believe, an original show premiering aboard the Dream, tells the story of a forgetful, workaholic father who, through the help of Genie from Aladdin, enters the world of Disney. With the aid of more than 20 Disney characters, he learns that magic is real and that it lives in his daughter. The Golden Mickey’s is another classic stage show that acknowledge the musical heritage of the Disney animated films. A comic twist on the Disney Villains stars Hades of Hercules fame who tries to bring evil back to the underworld through music and crazy antics.

Other amenities on board include separate commodes and showers in the majority of staterooms, which in nice for privacy. Of the 1,250 staterooms, 88% are outside staterooms, 199 have an ocean view and 901 have verandahs. Even the showers have two clotheslines for drying those bathing suits. Another innovations is that you must keep you room key in a slot for the lights of your stateroom to stay on, a new way Disney is going green. In Shutters photo studio, you no longer have to wade through tons of pictures on the wall to find yours. Now you place your room key card against a reader, and it tells you where you personal photo album is. Just pull it out and there are the pictures. And speaking of pictures, the many “pictures” you see on the walls throughout the ship on the Dream will magically come to life as you stand in front of them.

There is just so much about this new Disney Dream that make sailing on her the ultimate cruise vacation. What other ship has Mickey’s Pirates IN the Caribbean party complete with the Buccaneer Blast fireworks over the open sea? Or any of the other magical shows and entertainment only Disney can bring? With venues for every age group, award-winning cuisine, child care services, and its own private island getaway, Disney’s Cruise line is the leader in the industry. And Disney will continue to lead the industry when the second new ship, the Fantasy debuts in 2012. The Disney Cruise Line will continue to bring that special “Disney Magic” to guests for generations to come.

Here are some fun facts about the Disney Dream:

Staterooms:  1,250

Crew: 1,458

Passengers:  4,000

Speed:  22 knots cruising, 23.5 knots maximum

Decks:  14

Height: 187 feet

Draft: 27 feet

Beam: 121feet

Length:  1,115

Tonnage: 130,000 gross tons

Maiden Voyage: January 26, 2011

Contributed by: Bill Iadonisi (NDH#35) Bill is the DDL History Blogger.

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