TRAVEL LOG: Day 2-Port Day – Our Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream
Day two of our Very Merrytime Cruise brought us to Nassau, Bahamas. We’ve been to Nassau many times and decided not to explore the port. That just gave us more time to explore and enjoy the Disney Dream! We toured the kid spaces, enjoyed meeting the characters in their holiday outfits, and got to experience some of the holiday offerings. Learn more about our second day below.
1 – Kid Spaces on the Disney Dream
We started our day with a tour of the kid spaces on the Disney Dream. These spaces are where Disney Cruise Line really shines. The elaborately themed youth areas where a generous sprinkling of pixie dust and beloved Disney characters combine to lead children into their favorite Disney stories. On board the Disney Dream, there is nearly an entire deck of spaces designed to inspire, entertain, and spark the imagination of children. We’ll cover the kid spaces in greater detail in a future article, but for now, read below for an overview of the different spaces kids can enjoy on the Disney Dream.
Disney’s Oceaneer Club, open to 3-to-12-year-old children, transports kids to the magical lands of Disney fairies, courageous Super Heroes, adventuresome toys, undersea exploration and Force-filled characters that are out of this world.
Disney’s Oceaneer Lab takes 3-to-12-year-old children on a journey of discovery and exploration. Upon entering the main hall, filled with maritime instruments and nautical artifacts, children feel as though they are embarking on a great adventure. At the main hall stage, kids can create and star in swashbuckling performances, hear stories of great expeditions and watch movies.
In the It’s a Small World Nursery, infants and toddlers up to age 3 enter a whimsical world inspired by the classic Disney theme park attraction and original artwork by Disney Legend Mary Blair. The theme’s signature fanciful style in a patchwork of pastel colors creates an inviting and comforting space for little ones.
Catering to this basic fact of family-vacation life, the Disney Dream provides ultra-cool plush pads exclusively for teens and tweens who want a little independence. These trendy and tranquil areas offer an elite getaway for teens and tweens to set their own vacation agenda, whether socializing with new friends, playing the latest video games, experiencing cutting-edge technology or just chilling out. At Edge, tweens ages 11 to 14 have fun, make friends and play games in a bright, colorful hangout. Teens rule in their own exclusive club aboard the Disney Dream with Vibe, an extensive indoor/outdoor space on Deck 5 forward created especially for guests ages 14 to 17.
2 – Holiday Character Greetings
One of the reasons many people love sailing on Disney Cruise Line is that so many of their favorite characters are available for character greetings. Characters are out throughout the ship on multiple days and in different outfits such as their sailor and captain’s outfits, pirate, formal, and other special occasion outfits. The holiday outfits the characters wear are always something we look forward to.
This year, the characters debuted new holiday outfits, and we loved them. We took the time to greet almost all of the characters in their holiday gear. (Click here for our Instagram Story Highlight from Day 2 with photos of the characters we saw on Day 2). It can be challenging to find them all. The Disney Cruise Line Navigator app is the place to find their schedule. Do note however, that the app does not say which outfits they will be wearing. Cast Members are always helpful with information. I was told that the characters would be wearing their holiday outfits on Day 2 in the afternoon and evening, and again on Day 4 but only in the morning. Because we had brunch plans on the morning of Day 4, we had to make sure we saw them all on Day 2. If greeting the characters in certain outfits is important to you, talk with a character handler on Day 1 so you can make your plans for your cruise.
3 – Dinner at Royal Palace
The second evening of the cruise was a chance to experience another restaurant. That night we enjoyed Royal Palace, a restaurant inspired by Disney classics “Cinderella,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Sleeping Beauty.” The restaurant itself is lavish and elegant. The décor features ornate details and custom furnishings and fixtures that incorporate iconic symbols from the films: glass slippers, apples, roses, and tiaras. Royal Palace décor includes a hand-blown centerpiece chandelier with glass slipper accents, luxurious custom carpeting with a pattern of flourishing roses, and ornate marble floors—including a “family crest” of inlay featuring a tiara crown, glass slipper, rose and apple. The Royal Palace’s circular floor plan, fluted columns, and iron railing work were recreated from the “Cinderella” ballroom scene. Wall sconces are fashioned after those in “Beauty and the Beast.”
Hand-painted portraits of the princesses—Cinderella, Snow White, Belle and Sleeping Beauty (Aurora) —and their princes grace the far wall. At Royal Palace guests enjoy world-class continental French cuisine with a menu that includes some unique options, especially for a Disney restaurant. Chad especially enjoyed the duck. Overall, we really enjoyed the meal.
4 – Mickey and Minnie’s Holiday Party
Themed cruises also provide guests with the opportunity to experience exclusive deck shows, and this year, a new show debuted. Mickey and Minnie’s Holiday Party is a high-energy deck show that will pull at your heartstrings and remind you of what’s important during the holiday season. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Chip ‘n Dale, Goofy, and a surprise guest sing a mix of classic and original holiday songs. We really enjoyed this show. Disney just knows how to get you to feel those emotions, and we might have gotten a bit teary. But it has a happy ending, and the kids really seemed to love it. Tip: if you want a good spot, be sure to get to the upper decks about thirty minutes before showtime to get a good viewing location.
5 – “Disney’s Believe”
We ended our evening with seeing “Disney’s Believe,” another Broadway-style production. The lavish production tells the story of a workaholic father who, through the power of Disney magic, reconnects with his daughter and learns a valuable lesson about what is important in life. “Disney’s Believe” takes guests to the garden of Dr. Cornelius Greenaway, a brilliant botanist obsessed with cultivating his precious plants. Dr. Greenaway is so preoccupied with his garden that he overlooks the birthday of his daughter, Sophia. Saddened, Sophia makes a special birthday wish and the impossible happens: Genie from Disney’s “Aladdin” appears to make her wish come true. Joined by a host of characters, Genie takes Dr. Greenaway on an enchanting journey into the world of Disney stories. Through spirited production numbers, Dr. Greenaway learns that magic is real and is embodied in his beloved daughter. More than 20 of Disney’s most beloved characters take the stage during “Disney’s Believe,” including Cinderella, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Belle (“Beauty and The Beast”), Rafiki (“The Lion King”) and Princess Tiana (“The Princess and the Frog”).
Once again, we were blown away by the production and talent of the cast. Genie was especially funny and had us all laughing. The Tiana number was also spectacular. We’ve seen this show a few times now and always love it. We highly recommend seeing it if it’s available during your cruise.
Click here to see photos and video from Day 2 of our Very Merrytime Cruise!
Our Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream
Learn about Very Merrytime cruises along with cruise tips and advice in our travel logs below!
Travel Log Articles with Cruise Tips
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Follow Along on Our Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Getting Ready to Sail-Part 1 – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Getting Ready to Sail-Part 2 – Packing for a Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 1-Part 1 of Embarkation Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL DAY: Day 1-Part 2 of Embarkation Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 2-Port Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 3-Castaway Cay & Pirate Night – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 4-Sea Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVE LOG: Day 5-Debarkation – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
Our Review & 13 Tips & Tricks for the Best Very Merrytime Cruise on Disney Cruise Line!
Instagram Story Highlights
Click here for our Day 1 Instagram Story Highlight for photos and videos from our first day!
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Editor’s Note: Disney Cruise Line provided a complimentary Very Merrytime Cruise and special media-specific events during the cruise. However, as always, the thoughts and opinions about Disney Cruise Line contained in this article are entirely our own.