We were laying by the pool and on the Aqua Duck before lunch of the first day! We traveled with bestie S and her family and met up with them in no time.
When the rooms were ready around 1:30, we jetted down to six to see what our first stay in an oceanview verandah would be like. And it was grand!!! At first the littles were sad about not having a magic porthole, but Honey and I LOVED the extra space and being able to sit out in the sun and soak it all in.
We popped in for some fun trivia, cocktails and smoothies at the DVC welcome reception…
And then the littles were dying to go preview the Oceaneers Club… even though they know the place like the back of their hands.
Also at the top of their list was room service! We did the late dinner rotation this time and BLTs and cheese plates were just the refresher we needed.
Even though we’ve seen the shows a few times, they were still fantastic!
We squeezed in a little Minnie and some shuffleboard before dinner at Royal Palace.
The littles were beside themselves to get to kids club, so we headed with the men to the sports bar to catch up on the Masters.
Our family loves breakfast in the Enchanted Garden. They talk about this on a weekly basis. So, the next morning we enjoyed our feast looking out at Nassau!
Honey slept in a little so I entertained the littles with mini golf before we met up with some very special ladies…
… Anna and Elsa!!!!!!!! Yes, they have made it to the Disney Dream!!!
With the littles happily off at kids club, we spent an amazing few hours at the adult pool. We were giddy… plush cushioned chairs, cast members walking around with plates of cool towels, a swim up bar. It was divine!
Before getting ready for dinner, we did the rounds with the fab five in pirate garb. They were SO cute! We’ve never seen some of these get-ups before.
John adores the #1 duck…
And Whit, rather appropriately, loves him some Goofy.
Since it was Pirate Night, Peter Pan and Hook were out as well! When John told Pan he heard Hook was on board, Pan charged him with being a pirate sympathizer. It was hysterical.
We made our ten thousandth trip for ice cream and hit up the aqua duck a few more times before getting ready for the show and pirate dinner.
We brought our costumes from the Pirates League and sought out Captain Jack Sparrow. The littles were especially keen on this since we had just watched his first two movies at Vero Beach. Whit said “Hey, I’m Captain Jack Sparrow.” Well, a hysterical interaction ensued and had us all belly laughing.
We went up with the masses for the deck party before a wonderful dinner at Animators Palate.
We lucked out with a table right in front of a screen and Crush came to chat with us MULTIPLE times throughout our dinner. This is by far my favorite night on the Dream!
With the littles back at kids club, the adults secured a wonderful seating area at the top of the adult area for the fireworks show. This is the way to do it!
We woke up the third day in Disney’s Castaway Cay!
Honey and I checked the littles into Scuttles Cove and headed for our second Castaway 5K. It was much hotter than November, but my ankle is totally healed and the brand new RunDisney medals were worth it all! (We wore our Tink and Hook tees from Raw Threads.)
Bestie S scored front row lounge chairs while we were gone, and when we got the littles we lucked out with Minnie, Pluto and Mickey looking precious in their beach gear.
I was SO hot and sweaty that it only took the mention of Pelican Plunge to have me headed that way!
And we spent the better part of our day in that way… lounging, swimming, eating and downing frozen treats (the adult kind too!).
Back on the boat, we decided to do the early See Ya Real Soon party … after ANOTHER ice cream cone and playing a few card games down in the atrium.
After the show we joined the officers for pin trading and headed off to dinner at Enchanted Garden.
The littles, of course, spent their last night in kids club so we went down to Skyline in the District. It was really neat and someplace Honey and I hadn’t been before.
And on the fourth morning we gobbled up our last breakfast at Enchanted Garden and were on our way back to Atlanta.
It as a wonderful and memorable and totally Disney week together!!!! These are the days…
xoxo
As an independent consultant with Glass Slipper Concierge, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland® Resort, Adventures by Disney®, Aulani and other delightful destinations.
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DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED
Sounds so fun!! Can you write about how you packed for this all with kids and the three different types of trips in one? Did you do laundry at all? Thanks!
Our car was insane!! We packed all of our camping stuff in separate small duffle bags. Then everything else we left in the car. We had a washer and dryer at vero so that was great! I washed everything from camping and put that Back in the car. I hadn't planned to but it was damp. Our beach and cruise stuff overlapped so I also washed that the last night at the beach and then repacked just what we were taking on the cruise.
Lol Denae was reading my mind!
Denise
Wow! That is some serious vacationing! It looks like y'all had a great time. I'm sure your boys will have lifetime memories of these trips.
Lilly was crazy here too. I wasn't sure I was even going to go. I woke up around 7:00, grabbed a quick shower and went by myself to "check it out". I arrived at our local Target about 10 minutes before they opened. There were no limits on anything at my Target. I was able to get two shifts, the green and white pants, the blue shorts with pom poms, the 2 bright pillows with pom poms, and 2 beach towels. Sorry I don't know the "official" names. I could have picked up more before it was all gone, but I felt it was enough. The only thing I didn't get that I really sort of wanted was the coffee cups. I'll be stopping at Target on my way home from work every day just in case. My husband, when I got home, said "You should have bought more. You obviously panicked."
love this! always dreamed of going on a disney cruise! do you have any "Dos and Donts" that you would recommend for someone going their first time? any tips on packing? love all your lilly! you are so beautiful! looks like a great trip!
Yes! I will post tomorrow :-). Thank you!!!!
Such fabulous family time and wonderful memories. Great pictures!!!!
The cruise definitely sounds like the best part of the trip. What a vacation! xo
Great post. Did you need tickets for Anna and Elsa Meet-and-Greet?
Yes! They were available to pick up at port adventures deck 5 on the first afternoon while still docked. I think I went at 12:30. It took all of 5 minutes.
Also one ticket gets 6 ppl in and they don't all have to be in the same stateroom.
Thank you!!! Do you know if other Character Meet-and-Greet tickets (i.e. for the Princesses and Disney Jr. gang), as well as 5K sign up are available at this desk or at Guest Services on deck 3?
Yes, all other character tickets as well as the 5k are at port adventures on 5. However, when I first asked they said no to the 5k, but then they were corrected. If you are dropping off anything to be signed by the characters and be delivered to your stateroom that is guest services. Have fun!!
Wonderful!! You're such a wealth of information :))))
What a fabulous way to end your spring break!! Loved your pics and write up about the cruise! Curious where you got your shirts in the first pic? Love them! So glad y'all had a great time!
I got mine on the boat on a prior cruise, the boys were target online $8, and we picked up Honey's in vero beach :-)
Thanks!! I'm already looking for ones for us : )
That's funny. I was going to ask the same question about laundry. I thinking of planning a three step vacation with our large extended family and I was wondering how you kept that all organized. Thanks.
See above :-).
Great pictures! My husband and I are going to take our kids on the Dream in the next couple of years. Just gotta save save save for it! Thanks for sharing!
Hi,
Long time reader of your blog, first time commenter! Looks like a fab spring break and cruise! I would love to do a cruise with a balcony on that ship and I have a 1 year old and 5 year old. The metal bars on the balcony make me a little nervous and I can't tell from your pics, is there glass enclosing the balcony as well in addition to the bars? Worried about my 1 year old and may have to wait in cruising for awhile until she's older if that's the case! Thanks, love love love your blog and all your great Disney tips!
Holly from Minnesota
I would not do it! There is glass at the bottom but it would be quick and easy to fall overboard if you have a climber. I mean I would never leave one out there unattended but at the ages yours are I say no. Go with the interior magic porthole room :-)
Love reading your Disney vacation recaps! We are going on our first Disney cruise in October. Would you suggest early or late dining? We have 2 kids ages 10 and 4. Thanks for suggestions!
After having now done both we definitely prefer early seating!!
I was wondering the same thing! I have us booked at the late seating – our kids will be 10 & 13. I was thinking/hoping this would give us a more relaxed day. On vacation, we typically like to stay on the beach/by the pool til late afternoon/early evening. Then get ready for dinner leisurely….thoughts? Thank you so much!!! : )
Yes!!! Amanda please post a packing guide for family vacations!!!
I'm spending 7 days in Disney then going on the Dream cruise. Plus we're flying!!! I need all the tips I can find!
So overwhelmed with the Disney parks bag, then cruise carry on bag, then last day sending off luggage & putting four of us in a carry on home. Please share some tips for managing all this.
So fun! I love that you are outfitted in Lilly on this trip :)
Please share where you get your monogrammed bikini tops from – the Lilly ones and plain ones? My daughter would love those!