Travel dates: July 25 to Aug. 1
Travel method: Fly from San Diego
Accommodations: PORR, Disney Dream, Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport
Ages Represented in Group: 50, 47, 15, 13
Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: 2nd visit to WDW, 1st Disney Cruise
Disney Dreamin
Were always planning our next Disney vacation, arent we? So after our familys first visit to WDW in 2014, it wasnt if but when. The trip we really wanted to do was a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas with a short stay at WDW before getting on the ship. None of us had ever been on a cruise and a Disney Cruise just sounded amazing. Not an inexpensive vacation, but as they saythe kids werent getting any younger. So in mid-January, after getting some good news about our 2015 taxes, I called Small World Vacations and started planning for our land-sea vacation. We booked a 3-night cruise aboard the Disney Dream to the Bahamas with stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay (pronounced Key not Kay). The cruise dates were July 29-Aug. 1 since that was during a short window after my daughter finished summer school. Next we added three nights at Disneys Port Orleans Resort Riverside (PORR) immediately before the cruise (we later extended this to four nights). We had stayed at PORR, one of WDWs moderate resorts, in 2014 and had absolutely fallen in love with the place. Theres nothing better than getting that confirmation email saying Congratulations on your upcoming Disney vacation! A few weeks later, when prices dropped (due to an annual promotion), we extended our stay to four nights. Since we used Southwest miles for our San Diego to Orlando flights, we were able to move our departure up a day with no change fees.
Planning, Planning, Planning
Of course, booking your trip is just the start of planning for a WDW/DCL vacation. There are seemingly endless decisions to make in the weeks and months leading up. For WDW resort guests, the key date/time is 7 a.m. 60 days prior to your check-in date thats when your FastPass+ window opens for those who have purchased park tickets (in addition to your resort reservation). Unfortunately for West Coast people, this is 4 a.m. Ironically, our family was visiting the Disneyland Resort at that time. So at 4 a.m., while staying at the Hyatt Place Anaheim, I did what many of you dedicated parents have done or will do: I woke up and secured those prime FastPass+ times. Then I tried to grab a little more sleep before spending a 14-hour day in those other Disney parks.
Based on our travel schedule, we had three full days in Orlando for the land portion of our land-sea vacation. The girls were REALLY excited to spend one day at Universal Orlando and experience some of the Harry Potter attractions. For our other two days, we decided on visiting Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach. We had ended our 2014 visit by rushing through Animal Kingdom right before the park closed for one incredible ride on Expedition Everest. The new nighttime entertainment that was added at AK over the summer looked cool. Blizzard Beach was one of our favorite experiences from 2014 and really fun way to beat the late-July heat in Orlando. To keep our costs down, we decided on just one-day, one-park tickets for both Universal Orlando and Animal Kingdom since theres plenty to do at these parks anyways.
Friday, our fourth day, we would leave PORR mid-morning to start our cruise. As with the WDW parks, Disney Cruise Line (DCL) offers guests a planning window for making reservations for shore excursions, spa appointments, and dining reservations this window varies based on how many Disney Cruises youve been on. As first-time cruisers, that was 30 days for us. We were told this would open up at midnight, but I was able to access the DCL website at 9 p.m. (Pacific) and lock in our Palo reservation (we didnt plan any shore excursions for Nassau or Castaway Cay and made our spa reservation when we got on the ship).
Honestly, planning a WDW vacation was much easier the second time around. For first-time visitors, its hard to really understand just how big WDW is especially for us West Coast people familiar with the DLR. Other than the WDW and DCL websites, helpful resources included Touring Plans, Mousesavers, Undercover Tourist, and of course Mouseplanet. I purchased a touring plan for Universal Studios Florida, which my teen daughters said had better rides than Islands of Adventure. It was also helpful and fun to follow many official Disney and Disney-related sites on Twitter for updates and tips.
Finally, as the days counted down on the DCL app to single digits, it was time to head to the airport and begin our trip. Our flight was, thankfully, uneventful. We picked up our bags ourselves and then grabbed a free ride to our resort aboard Mickeys Airport Express (if you use the MAE luggage tags your bags transfer to your room directly but you might not see them for hours). During our flight, I had received a text from PORR letting us know our room was ready we could head there immediately on arrival at PORR and use our Magic Bands to access the room. While aboard MAE, I used the Touring Plans online room finder to see the exact location of our room and confirm through photos taken by prior guests - that we had a great view of the Sassagoula River. Nice app!
Welcome Home to Port Orleans Riverside
When you stay at a WDW resort (or any Disney resort) youre likely to hear one of the castmembers say Welcome Home! On this, our second time at PORR, it really did feel like home. Our room, we booked one of the Royal Rooms in the Magnolia Bend section, was amazing! These rooms are filled with special touches that ensure that every guest feels like a Disney princess - definitely worth the upgrade. The resort itself is massive but at the same time feels very homey and special. It generally wraps around the Sassagoula River and a true to its name includes a working port which keeps busy all day and into the evening with charming little boats which shuttle guests at no cost to other resorts and Disney Springs. At the center of PORR is Old Man Island with its amazing pool and Muddy Flats bar. The resort includes a large lobby, gift shop, food service area that includes the Boathouse a full-service restaurant, a massive food court, and a bar.
Target Achieved!
After getting unpacked, we really didnt have much time our first evening to do anything other than grab dinner at the food court. However, walking around the resort on a warm summer evening was itself pretty charming and special. So many happy memories and our whole trip to look forward to. On our way back to our room, we noticed it was movie night: every other evening in the summer the resort shows a different movie under the stars (alternating nights movies are shown at Port Orleans French Quarter). Jana wanted to stay for a while and watch Zootopia. A castmember provided us with a couple of pool towels to sit on, and some free popcorn, and we made ourselves comfy on the grass. I checked my phone and it flashed this notification (from my fitness tracker): Target Achieved! I smiled. Yes, target achieved.
Animal Kingdom
We started our WDW vacation the exact way we ended our 2014 visit at Animal Kingdom riding Expedition Everest. Definitely the best thrill ride at WDW. We rode it twice using the very convenient single rider line the second time through. Next we wandered over to Dino Land U.S.A., which we found hot and really out of place in this otherwise beautiful theme park/zoo. Unfortunately, Dinosaur was closed for a mid-summer refurbishment. Using our first FastPass, we boarded the Kilamanjaro Surfaris, which was a blast. We saw so many animals highlighted by the elephants swimming and spraying themselves with water to cool down. After lunch (our own PBJ sandwiches), some Dole Whips, and a ride on Kali River Rapids, we headed back to PORR for a mid-afternoon break in our pool. This is definitely one of the biggest benefits of staying on property. We returned to AK in the evening for dinner at Rainforest Caf and the evening Jungle Book show. It was no Fantasmic, but Lucita and the girls (who hadnt read the reviews) really enjoyed the show. We loved the nighttime transformation of the Tree of Life, which was really well done and probably more true what AK is all about. Having finally given AK a full day (including the new nighttime entertainment), we all put AK at or near the top of our lists for favorite WDW theme park.
Blizzard Beach
We enjoyed Blizzard Beach (BB) so much in 2014 we decided to return again this trip. With late-July temperatures in the high 90s, it was a great way to stay cool and a nice alternative to hot, crowded theme parks. So we had a leisurely breakfast with no rush to beat the crowds or Fastpass reservations to worry about. Of course, like the theme parks, BB does get crowded and there are wait times for the water slides and chair lift (which also offers a single rider line). But we spent a larger percentage of our time in the wave pool and on the lazy river both of which are a blast. Also, dont miss the chance to get the entire family on the Teamboat Springs, a 1200-foot whitewater group raft flume. Nowhere in WDW does the ice cream taste better than sitting in your wet swimsuit after a great day of family fun at a water park. Note: Disney recently changed its bus routes and you now need to transfer at Animal Kingdom before getting a bus to Blizzard Beach (from your resort). This went pretty smoothly on the way there but we opted to use Uber for the trip home. The driver was already waiting in the parking lot and we were all amazed at how quickly we got back compared with bus travel.
Disney Springs
Our bucket list this trip included a visit to Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney). A big incentive was the chance to take a boat ride down the Sassagoula River from PORR direct to Disney Springs where we had dinner reservations at Raglan Road. This turned out to be as charming as it sounds and the 20-minute ride gave another unique perspective on a side of WDW we hadnt seen. We also experienced a little of the Disney Castmember magic as our boat captain Cody diverted to drop us off at a closer dock so we could make it on-time to our reservation! We made a point to thank him and get a photo with him before rushing off to dinner. Raglan Road has a reputation as one of the top dining experiences at WDW. It lived up to all these expectations with great food, friendly service, and non-stop entertainment. Otherwise, Disney Springs was a pleasant surprise plenty of entertainment, unique stores, and all kinds of restaurants definitely worth at least a few hours if you have the time. We finished our evening trip with a quick stop at Port Orleans Resort French Quarter for some Mickey beignets.
Wizarding Fun at Universal
For our last full day, we took Uber across town to Universal Orlando. It took about 20 minutes and was remarkably easy (the cost was about $18 but we had a free ride coupon through Chase Bank). Universal is split into two theme parks: Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure both of which include Harry Potter themed attractions. I did a little research but relied mostly on my daughters who had talked with their friends and got word that Universal Studios Florida was the better of the two parks for teens and other big kids who like intense rides. So I went ahead and bought tickets online (saving a few bucks) and a touring plan (through Touring Plans). Turns out there was some failure to communicate: when we got to the parks my oldest daughter informed me it as Islands of Adventure that has all those thrills! So after a minor meltdown, we just headed for IOA (and had no problem at the gate using our USF tickets).
Universal vs. Disney
Lets just put it out there: Universal is not Disney. For us Disney fanatics, visiting another theme park may seem like just another theme park. However, in Universals defense, I was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the castmembers. And, as has been well-documented, Universal has made some significant recent investments in its parks especially in advanced ride technology. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is on another level from anything Ive experienced at a Disney park and Hogsmeade is as good as advertised. Our visit at IOA was relatively short we only stayed about six hours due to the heat and crowds but entertaining. We spent about half that time in Hogsmeade. Arriving about 9 a.m. and were able to get on all three rides with almost no wait times. The girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves trying butterbeer, purchasing a wand at Ollivanders, and otherwise exploring every nook and cranny. For lunch, we had the family meal at the Three Broomsticks. It was a lot of food and a pretty good value. Definitely try the frozen butterbeer, which is like butterscotch ice cream. Highlights from the non-Potter side of IOA included getting wet on the Jurassic Park River Adventure and the 3D experience on The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (both of which offer single-rider lines).
Land to Sea
Friday was transition day as we packed up and checked out of Port Orleans and headed for Port Canaveral to board the Disney Dream. We opted for a town car instead of the Disney Cruise Line transfer (bus). The cost for a ride from Tiffany Transport was about the same as the bus and we could check in for our cruise at 10:30 a.m. the earliest possible time. Port Canaveral is about an hours drive from WDW, pretty much a straight shot east. About 5 miles away, as we cleared a small rise, our driver pointed out the Disney Dream in the distance. The girls screamed and it reminded me of when you first spot the Matterhorn driving north on the I-5 to Disneyland. The check-in process was relatively uneventful, we were in the second boarding group and after a quick photo with Captain Mickey, we were able to board the ship at 11:30 a.m. well ahead of most other passengers.
Discovering the Dream
Welcome Aboard Beresford Family! Our arrival aboard the ship was announced just like the guests at the ball in Cinderella. We stood there for a moment in the lobby of the amazing Disney Dream just taking it all in. It might as well have been a grand ball. What a beautiful ship! Since our stateroom wouldnt be available until 3:30 p.m., so we spent the next several hours having lunch and exploring the ship as other guests boarded. Navigating the massive ship for the first time was a bit of a challenge but we eventually found our way to the spa, where Lucita and the girls made reservations. While they were there, I opted for a short walking tour of the ship I saw listed in the Navigator (a useful printed daily guide of ships activities). The tour only covered two of the Dreams 14 floors but the information provided by staff was helpful. Finally, it was time to see our stateroom: a category 4A verandah stateroom on deck 7, starboard side. Category 4A is the most expensive non-concierge stateroom that has about 130 more square feet of space than a regular stateroom. It was much more roomy than we expected and I was glad we opted for a slightly larger room. Soon we had our bags and were ready to begin cruising!
Setting Sail
After a brief, all-ship safety drill, the Dream pushed off and headed to sea. Thankfully, there was very little perceptible motion one of my 13-year olds biggest concerns. Instead, we watched from our veranda as Port Canaveral slowly disappeared from view and the sun set into the ships wake. For those on the fence about the value of a veranda Ill just say this was my personal favorite part of the entire cruise. The first evening, we skipped the show and opted to hit the pool and AquaDuck. A special feature on the Dream and Fantasy, the AquaDuck is a water roller coaster slide that takes one or two riders around the outside edge of the ship on an inflatable raft. At one point the AquaDucks path extends beyond the ships deck out over the ocean! It was even better than it looks in the promotional videos! Note: theres a 42-inch height limit to ride.
Dining on the Dream
One of the highlights of Disney cruise is dining. For first time cruisers, it might seem a little complicated. Actually, its not. During online check-in, you choose either main seating at 5:45 p.m. or second seating at 8:15 p.m. for dinner. We opted for the second seating. Disney boats use whats called rotational dining youre assigned a different dining room each night but your servers are the same. Our first night, we dined at Animators Palate and met our servers Richie and Putra. These guys were hilarious and really made us feel special. They were especially good at keeping the girls entertained. Its really an international crew aboard the Dream. Richie is from Jamaica, Putra from Indonesia. This was pretty cool and added to the feeling that you were traveling abroad. Of the three dining experiences, our familys consensus favorite was the Enchanted Garden, which is modeled after the famous gardens of Versailles, France.
Nassau
Our first port of call was Nassau in the Bahamas. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in Cabanas as the Dream pulled into port. We had already planned to stay aboard most of the day and enjoy the ship so the scattered showers coming down only made it an easier decision. Actually, a little rain was a good thing: we had the pool and Aqua Duck all to ourselves (it was still quite warm out). It was fun to have a day to just play with no scheduled activities. We went to see a movie, played miniature golf, soccer inside the sports simulator, and hit up the free frosty cones at least once or twice. In the afternoon, we decided to get off the ship and walk around Nassau. It was sort of quaint but like a lot of other tourist towns youve probably been to. We cut our walk short and headed back to the friendly confines of the Disney Dream.
Pirate Night
The second night of our cruise was Pirate Night, which should not be missed. Guests are encouraged to dress like a pirate and everyone comes to the pool deck for a brief show and fireworks. In all the frenzy of getting ready for our vacation, we didnt have time for costumes (many guests were in the same boat). So we just wore the bandanas provided by the Dream and still had a great evening. The rain that had hung around most of the day in Nassau was gone and it was a truly magical evening under the stars. After the fireworks, theres a big dance party for pirates of all ages. Then theres a late-night buffet in Cabanas. Whats a few hundred more calories, right?!
Castaway Cay
Definitely the highlight of the cruise was our day at Castaway Cay, Disneys private island. Yes, its every bit as idyllic as it looks in the brochures and on the videos. After an early breakfast at Cabanas, we were on our way and ready to spend the day snorkeling, swimming, playing on the water slides, and of course eating. Before our trip, we purchased our own snorkeling equipment. You can also rent just about anything you need right there on the island. A tram takes you from the ship to one of several stops where you chose your activity. The girls really enjoyed the Pelican Plunge, a floating platform with water slides, bucket dump, and play zone (accessible from the Family Beach stop). Lucitas favorite part was snorkeling as a family in a lagoon that included some underwater landmarks just waiting to be discovered. We brought along our Go Pro camera and got some great video. After a buffet lunch (provided free-of-charge), we walked together on a beach area reserved for those renting luxury cabanas for the day. It was a great way to end our day at Castaway Cay.
See Ya Real Soon!
For our final night aboard the Dream, Lucita and I dined at Palo. It was a nice splurge and didnt really cost that much: about $80 for the two of us for a multi-course dinner in an unforgettable setting. The service, as you might imagine, was spectacular and the food was incredible including a special desert to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. After catching the final show, the girls dined by themselves at the Royal Palace dining room. Richie and Putra assured us in advance they would keep the girls well entertained and that they did. We joined back up with them as they were finishing desert. We still had one last piece of business to attend to: a final nighttime ride on the Aqua Duck! So, we literally ran back to our room to change into our swim suits and then ran to the Aqua Duck, which was closing at 10 p.m. We made it just in time! The next morning we said goodbye to Richie, Putra and all the other crew who had made our cruise so special. It was time to head back to Orlando and catch a plane ride home (after a brief daytime stay at the airport Hyatt). We were sad to end our short trip but its one our family will never forget.
Travel method: Fly from San Diego
Accommodations: PORR, Disney Dream, Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport
Ages Represented in Group: 50, 47, 15, 13
Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: 2nd visit to WDW, 1st Disney Cruise
Disney Dreamin
Were always planning our next Disney vacation, arent we? So after our familys first visit to WDW in 2014, it wasnt if but when. The trip we really wanted to do was a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas with a short stay at WDW before getting on the ship. None of us had ever been on a cruise and a Disney Cruise just sounded amazing. Not an inexpensive vacation, but as they saythe kids werent getting any younger. So in mid-January, after getting some good news about our 2015 taxes, I called Small World Vacations and started planning for our land-sea vacation. We booked a 3-night cruise aboard the Disney Dream to the Bahamas with stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay (pronounced Key not Kay). The cruise dates were July 29-Aug. 1 since that was during a short window after my daughter finished summer school. Next we added three nights at Disneys Port Orleans Resort Riverside (PORR) immediately before the cruise (we later extended this to four nights). We had stayed at PORR, one of WDWs moderate resorts, in 2014 and had absolutely fallen in love with the place. Theres nothing better than getting that confirmation email saying Congratulations on your upcoming Disney vacation! A few weeks later, when prices dropped (due to an annual promotion), we extended our stay to four nights. Since we used Southwest miles for our San Diego to Orlando flights, we were able to move our departure up a day with no change fees.
Planning, Planning, Planning
Of course, booking your trip is just the start of planning for a WDW/DCL vacation. There are seemingly endless decisions to make in the weeks and months leading up. For WDW resort guests, the key date/time is 7 a.m. 60 days prior to your check-in date thats when your FastPass+ window opens for those who have purchased park tickets (in addition to your resort reservation). Unfortunately for West Coast people, this is 4 a.m. Ironically, our family was visiting the Disneyland Resort at that time. So at 4 a.m., while staying at the Hyatt Place Anaheim, I did what many of you dedicated parents have done or will do: I woke up and secured those prime FastPass+ times. Then I tried to grab a little more sleep before spending a 14-hour day in those other Disney parks.
Based on our travel schedule, we had three full days in Orlando for the land portion of our land-sea vacation. The girls were REALLY excited to spend one day at Universal Orlando and experience some of the Harry Potter attractions. For our other two days, we decided on visiting Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach. We had ended our 2014 visit by rushing through Animal Kingdom right before the park closed for one incredible ride on Expedition Everest. The new nighttime entertainment that was added at AK over the summer looked cool. Blizzard Beach was one of our favorite experiences from 2014 and really fun way to beat the late-July heat in Orlando. To keep our costs down, we decided on just one-day, one-park tickets for both Universal Orlando and Animal Kingdom since theres plenty to do at these parks anyways.
Friday, our fourth day, we would leave PORR mid-morning to start our cruise. As with the WDW parks, Disney Cruise Line (DCL) offers guests a planning window for making reservations for shore excursions, spa appointments, and dining reservations this window varies based on how many Disney Cruises youve been on. As first-time cruisers, that was 30 days for us. We were told this would open up at midnight, but I was able to access the DCL website at 9 p.m. (Pacific) and lock in our Palo reservation (we didnt plan any shore excursions for Nassau or Castaway Cay and made our spa reservation when we got on the ship).
Honestly, planning a WDW vacation was much easier the second time around. For first-time visitors, its hard to really understand just how big WDW is especially for us West Coast people familiar with the DLR. Other than the WDW and DCL websites, helpful resources included Touring Plans, Mousesavers, Undercover Tourist, and of course Mouseplanet. I purchased a touring plan for Universal Studios Florida, which my teen daughters said had better rides than Islands of Adventure. It was also helpful and fun to follow many official Disney and Disney-related sites on Twitter for updates and tips.
Finally, as the days counted down on the DCL app to single digits, it was time to head to the airport and begin our trip. Our flight was, thankfully, uneventful. We picked up our bags ourselves and then grabbed a free ride to our resort aboard Mickeys Airport Express (if you use the MAE luggage tags your bags transfer to your room directly but you might not see them for hours). During our flight, I had received a text from PORR letting us know our room was ready we could head there immediately on arrival at PORR and use our Magic Bands to access the room. While aboard MAE, I used the Touring Plans online room finder to see the exact location of our room and confirm through photos taken by prior guests - that we had a great view of the Sassagoula River. Nice app!
Welcome Home to Port Orleans Riverside
When you stay at a WDW resort (or any Disney resort) youre likely to hear one of the castmembers say Welcome Home! On this, our second time at PORR, it really did feel like home. Our room, we booked one of the Royal Rooms in the Magnolia Bend section, was amazing! These rooms are filled with special touches that ensure that every guest feels like a Disney princess - definitely worth the upgrade. The resort itself is massive but at the same time feels very homey and special. It generally wraps around the Sassagoula River and a true to its name includes a working port which keeps busy all day and into the evening with charming little boats which shuttle guests at no cost to other resorts and Disney Springs. At the center of PORR is Old Man Island with its amazing pool and Muddy Flats bar. The resort includes a large lobby, gift shop, food service area that includes the Boathouse a full-service restaurant, a massive food court, and a bar.
Target Achieved!
After getting unpacked, we really didnt have much time our first evening to do anything other than grab dinner at the food court. However, walking around the resort on a warm summer evening was itself pretty charming and special. So many happy memories and our whole trip to look forward to. On our way back to our room, we noticed it was movie night: every other evening in the summer the resort shows a different movie under the stars (alternating nights movies are shown at Port Orleans French Quarter). Jana wanted to stay for a while and watch Zootopia. A castmember provided us with a couple of pool towels to sit on, and some free popcorn, and we made ourselves comfy on the grass. I checked my phone and it flashed this notification (from my fitness tracker): Target Achieved! I smiled. Yes, target achieved.
Animal Kingdom
We started our WDW vacation the exact way we ended our 2014 visit at Animal Kingdom riding Expedition Everest. Definitely the best thrill ride at WDW. We rode it twice using the very convenient single rider line the second time through. Next we wandered over to Dino Land U.S.A., which we found hot and really out of place in this otherwise beautiful theme park/zoo. Unfortunately, Dinosaur was closed for a mid-summer refurbishment. Using our first FastPass, we boarded the Kilamanjaro Surfaris, which was a blast. We saw so many animals highlighted by the elephants swimming and spraying themselves with water to cool down. After lunch (our own PBJ sandwiches), some Dole Whips, and a ride on Kali River Rapids, we headed back to PORR for a mid-afternoon break in our pool. This is definitely one of the biggest benefits of staying on property. We returned to AK in the evening for dinner at Rainforest Caf and the evening Jungle Book show. It was no Fantasmic, but Lucita and the girls (who hadnt read the reviews) really enjoyed the show. We loved the nighttime transformation of the Tree of Life, which was really well done and probably more true what AK is all about. Having finally given AK a full day (including the new nighttime entertainment), we all put AK at or near the top of our lists for favorite WDW theme park.
Blizzard Beach
We enjoyed Blizzard Beach (BB) so much in 2014 we decided to return again this trip. With late-July temperatures in the high 90s, it was a great way to stay cool and a nice alternative to hot, crowded theme parks. So we had a leisurely breakfast with no rush to beat the crowds or Fastpass reservations to worry about. Of course, like the theme parks, BB does get crowded and there are wait times for the water slides and chair lift (which also offers a single rider line). But we spent a larger percentage of our time in the wave pool and on the lazy river both of which are a blast. Also, dont miss the chance to get the entire family on the Teamboat Springs, a 1200-foot whitewater group raft flume. Nowhere in WDW does the ice cream taste better than sitting in your wet swimsuit after a great day of family fun at a water park. Note: Disney recently changed its bus routes and you now need to transfer at Animal Kingdom before getting a bus to Blizzard Beach (from your resort). This went pretty smoothly on the way there but we opted to use Uber for the trip home. The driver was already waiting in the parking lot and we were all amazed at how quickly we got back compared with bus travel.
Disney Springs
Our bucket list this trip included a visit to Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney). A big incentive was the chance to take a boat ride down the Sassagoula River from PORR direct to Disney Springs where we had dinner reservations at Raglan Road. This turned out to be as charming as it sounds and the 20-minute ride gave another unique perspective on a side of WDW we hadnt seen. We also experienced a little of the Disney Castmember magic as our boat captain Cody diverted to drop us off at a closer dock so we could make it on-time to our reservation! We made a point to thank him and get a photo with him before rushing off to dinner. Raglan Road has a reputation as one of the top dining experiences at WDW. It lived up to all these expectations with great food, friendly service, and non-stop entertainment. Otherwise, Disney Springs was a pleasant surprise plenty of entertainment, unique stores, and all kinds of restaurants definitely worth at least a few hours if you have the time. We finished our evening trip with a quick stop at Port Orleans Resort French Quarter for some Mickey beignets.
Wizarding Fun at Universal
For our last full day, we took Uber across town to Universal Orlando. It took about 20 minutes and was remarkably easy (the cost was about $18 but we had a free ride coupon through Chase Bank). Universal is split into two theme parks: Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure both of which include Harry Potter themed attractions. I did a little research but relied mostly on my daughters who had talked with their friends and got word that Universal Studios Florida was the better of the two parks for teens and other big kids who like intense rides. So I went ahead and bought tickets online (saving a few bucks) and a touring plan (through Touring Plans). Turns out there was some failure to communicate: when we got to the parks my oldest daughter informed me it as Islands of Adventure that has all those thrills! So after a minor meltdown, we just headed for IOA (and had no problem at the gate using our USF tickets).
Universal vs. Disney
Lets just put it out there: Universal is not Disney. For us Disney fanatics, visiting another theme park may seem like just another theme park. However, in Universals defense, I was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the castmembers. And, as has been well-documented, Universal has made some significant recent investments in its parks especially in advanced ride technology. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is on another level from anything Ive experienced at a Disney park and Hogsmeade is as good as advertised. Our visit at IOA was relatively short we only stayed about six hours due to the heat and crowds but entertaining. We spent about half that time in Hogsmeade. Arriving about 9 a.m. and were able to get on all three rides with almost no wait times. The girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves trying butterbeer, purchasing a wand at Ollivanders, and otherwise exploring every nook and cranny. For lunch, we had the family meal at the Three Broomsticks. It was a lot of food and a pretty good value. Definitely try the frozen butterbeer, which is like butterscotch ice cream. Highlights from the non-Potter side of IOA included getting wet on the Jurassic Park River Adventure and the 3D experience on The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (both of which offer single-rider lines).
Land to Sea
Friday was transition day as we packed up and checked out of Port Orleans and headed for Port Canaveral to board the Disney Dream. We opted for a town car instead of the Disney Cruise Line transfer (bus). The cost for a ride from Tiffany Transport was about the same as the bus and we could check in for our cruise at 10:30 a.m. the earliest possible time. Port Canaveral is about an hours drive from WDW, pretty much a straight shot east. About 5 miles away, as we cleared a small rise, our driver pointed out the Disney Dream in the distance. The girls screamed and it reminded me of when you first spot the Matterhorn driving north on the I-5 to Disneyland. The check-in process was relatively uneventful, we were in the second boarding group and after a quick photo with Captain Mickey, we were able to board the ship at 11:30 a.m. well ahead of most other passengers.
Discovering the Dream
Welcome Aboard Beresford Family! Our arrival aboard the ship was announced just like the guests at the ball in Cinderella. We stood there for a moment in the lobby of the amazing Disney Dream just taking it all in. It might as well have been a grand ball. What a beautiful ship! Since our stateroom wouldnt be available until 3:30 p.m., so we spent the next several hours having lunch and exploring the ship as other guests boarded. Navigating the massive ship for the first time was a bit of a challenge but we eventually found our way to the spa, where Lucita and the girls made reservations. While they were there, I opted for a short walking tour of the ship I saw listed in the Navigator (a useful printed daily guide of ships activities). The tour only covered two of the Dreams 14 floors but the information provided by staff was helpful. Finally, it was time to see our stateroom: a category 4A verandah stateroom on deck 7, starboard side. Category 4A is the most expensive non-concierge stateroom that has about 130 more square feet of space than a regular stateroom. It was much more roomy than we expected and I was glad we opted for a slightly larger room. Soon we had our bags and were ready to begin cruising!
Setting Sail
After a brief, all-ship safety drill, the Dream pushed off and headed to sea. Thankfully, there was very little perceptible motion one of my 13-year olds biggest concerns. Instead, we watched from our veranda as Port Canaveral slowly disappeared from view and the sun set into the ships wake. For those on the fence about the value of a veranda Ill just say this was my personal favorite part of the entire cruise. The first evening, we skipped the show and opted to hit the pool and AquaDuck. A special feature on the Dream and Fantasy, the AquaDuck is a water roller coaster slide that takes one or two riders around the outside edge of the ship on an inflatable raft. At one point the AquaDucks path extends beyond the ships deck out over the ocean! It was even better than it looks in the promotional videos! Note: theres a 42-inch height limit to ride.
Dining on the Dream
One of the highlights of Disney cruise is dining. For first time cruisers, it might seem a little complicated. Actually, its not. During online check-in, you choose either main seating at 5:45 p.m. or second seating at 8:15 p.m. for dinner. We opted for the second seating. Disney boats use whats called rotational dining youre assigned a different dining room each night but your servers are the same. Our first night, we dined at Animators Palate and met our servers Richie and Putra. These guys were hilarious and really made us feel special. They were especially good at keeping the girls entertained. Its really an international crew aboard the Dream. Richie is from Jamaica, Putra from Indonesia. This was pretty cool and added to the feeling that you were traveling abroad. Of the three dining experiences, our familys consensus favorite was the Enchanted Garden, which is modeled after the famous gardens of Versailles, France.
Nassau
Our first port of call was Nassau in the Bahamas. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in Cabanas as the Dream pulled into port. We had already planned to stay aboard most of the day and enjoy the ship so the scattered showers coming down only made it an easier decision. Actually, a little rain was a good thing: we had the pool and Aqua Duck all to ourselves (it was still quite warm out). It was fun to have a day to just play with no scheduled activities. We went to see a movie, played miniature golf, soccer inside the sports simulator, and hit up the free frosty cones at least once or twice. In the afternoon, we decided to get off the ship and walk around Nassau. It was sort of quaint but like a lot of other tourist towns youve probably been to. We cut our walk short and headed back to the friendly confines of the Disney Dream.
Pirate Night
The second night of our cruise was Pirate Night, which should not be missed. Guests are encouraged to dress like a pirate and everyone comes to the pool deck for a brief show and fireworks. In all the frenzy of getting ready for our vacation, we didnt have time for costumes (many guests were in the same boat). So we just wore the bandanas provided by the Dream and still had a great evening. The rain that had hung around most of the day in Nassau was gone and it was a truly magical evening under the stars. After the fireworks, theres a big dance party for pirates of all ages. Then theres a late-night buffet in Cabanas. Whats a few hundred more calories, right?!
Castaway Cay
Definitely the highlight of the cruise was our day at Castaway Cay, Disneys private island. Yes, its every bit as idyllic as it looks in the brochures and on the videos. After an early breakfast at Cabanas, we were on our way and ready to spend the day snorkeling, swimming, playing on the water slides, and of course eating. Before our trip, we purchased our own snorkeling equipment. You can also rent just about anything you need right there on the island. A tram takes you from the ship to one of several stops where you chose your activity. The girls really enjoyed the Pelican Plunge, a floating platform with water slides, bucket dump, and play zone (accessible from the Family Beach stop). Lucitas favorite part was snorkeling as a family in a lagoon that included some underwater landmarks just waiting to be discovered. We brought along our Go Pro camera and got some great video. After a buffet lunch (provided free-of-charge), we walked together on a beach area reserved for those renting luxury cabanas for the day. It was a great way to end our day at Castaway Cay.
See Ya Real Soon!
For our final night aboard the Dream, Lucita and I dined at Palo. It was a nice splurge and didnt really cost that much: about $80 for the two of us for a multi-course dinner in an unforgettable setting. The service, as you might imagine, was spectacular and the food was incredible including a special desert to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. After catching the final show, the girls dined by themselves at the Royal Palace dining room. Richie and Putra assured us in advance they would keep the girls well entertained and that they did. We joined back up with them as they were finishing desert. We still had one last piece of business to attend to: a final nighttime ride on the Aqua Duck! So, we literally ran back to our room to change into our swim suits and then ran to the Aqua Duck, which was closing at 10 p.m. We made it just in time! The next morning we said goodbye to Richie, Putra and all the other crew who had made our cruise so special. It was time to head back to Orlando and catch a plane ride home (after a brief daytime stay at the airport Hyatt). We were sad to end our short trip but its one our family will never forget.