Disney Dream and Cozumel

 

  Our time on the Disney Dream was wonderful, everyone had an incredible trip.  There were a few things we weren't able to do, like see some of the live shows, because by the end of the night the whole crew was usually too tired to go back out.  We were able to go to the sit-down dinner most nights and it was such a treat!  The characters were all over the ship at different times and there were a lot of things for everyone to do from teens clubs to Mickey dance parties.  

  During the cruise we got off the boat at two stops, first at Cozumel where we booked our own day at a beach club that was so much fun.  They had beautiful water, slides, a splash pad, and a floating obstacle course.  We spent the whole day and were sad to leave but excited to get back to the boat - and to buy some ice cream at the port on our way back.  

  Later we stopped at Disney's island; Castaway Cay.  As with everything Disney it was well thought out but busy.  They had a ton of things to do but mostly we just enjoyed relaxing on the very pretty beach and in the water for a bit.  The weather was pretty hot so when it was time to start heading back to the ship, we were ready for it despite the great day.  

  The 5-day cruise was about the perfect length, any longer and I think we would have all been exhausted.  The shorter 3-day cruise would also be fine for us to return to, but we're glad we had 5 days to see everything and get the full experience.

Fort Lauderdale and Boarding Disney Dream

 

When deciding on what to do for the kids this year we looked at 10 or more different things but as we were making other plans we found a great deal on a Disney cruise and felt like everyone would love to try it at least once, so we booked it - a little last minute which isn't surprising for us. 

First stop, two nights in Ft Lauderdale because leaving early meant cheaper flights and allowed us to see the beach and be sure we were in town on time for the cruise departure.  As a bonus we were able to snag cheap upgrades to first class; these kids are really getting spoiled, but they loved it.  

We stayed right on the beach in FT Lauderdale so we got to experience the beautiful sun and sand as well as a really nice pool at the beachfront Westin.  We started the trip off with a mild sunburn but nothing some lotion and a night's sleep couldn't fix - looks like one of our sunscreens was old and expired.  

In typical Disney fashion, boarding our ship - the Disney Dream - was a long process full of many steps but was also well managed by the abundant staff.  This being our first Disney - and only second ever - cruise, there were many things we wish we had known and will make our time better if we decide to do another.  There are mixed instructions online about what can be brought into the waiting-to-board area after dropping off your luggage; and we wish we had brought more with us to pass the time better. 

Once we go to the ship it was an exciting experience and Disney makes the ship entry very special as they announce each family as they come onboard.  From there the process is pretty painless as you can go to your room, go straight to the pool, or anything else.  We checked our room and were happy to see our luggage already delivered which was nice; so after quickly shoving that away we went straight to the pool and grabbed perfect seats to camp out for a few hours and let the kids play as much as they wanted.  

Departure was very neat, many other ships were leaving at the same time and we had a fine view from our room.