Disney Dream Cruise Ship Launch

Disney Dream's Christening was Assisted by Mickey Mouse

The Disney Dream cruise ship represents what Disney does best: family friendly entertainment done BIG. This is no small cruise ship; the Disney Dream is a 4,000 passenger cruise liner with top-of-the-line Disney themed entertainment and activities onboard. Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat: The Disney Dream is an amazing, fantastic cruise ship that will do gangbuster business for the larger Disney Corporation. After the Disney Dream Christening and cruise launch — which was 3 days and 2 nights of 24hr/day Disney — my 9 year old was already making plans to return for a full week family cruise vacation. I’m sure she wasn’t the only one.

The Disney Dream launch started with a media-heavy christening, complete with appearances by American Idol/Disney Dream Godmother Jennifer Hudson, and Disney CEO Bob Iger. The over the top, live-broadcast production set the stage for the next few days’ big shows, bright colors, and continuing stimulation of children and parents. Can’t fight it, Disney knows how to impress.

Disney Dream Cruise Ship Christening Featured Godmother Jennifer Hudson in a Lavish Production

The Disney Dream cruise ship is more in-your-face Disney than are, say, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. Those two ships take a more subtle approach to a Disney cruise vacation (although seeing “Disney” and “subtle” in the same sentence has to be a first). The more cartoony aspects of a cruise vacation on the Disney Dream include constantly piped-in music from Disney animated movies, frequent sightings of Chip n’ Dale, Daisy Duck, Mickey Mouse and other stalwarts of the Disney pantheon, and Disney-inspired decor throughout the ship.

AquaDuck with Splendiferous Views of Caribbean Isle

A lot of the post-cruise ship launch chatter has been about the AquaDuck. This water coaster is incredibly fun; in fact, I imagine that similar water coaster ride copycats will start to be implemented on other family travel-oriented cruise lines, unless Disney has a patent on cruise ship water coaster rides. Disney Dream passengers sit on rafts (holding one or two at a time) and are taken on a ride through a clear tube around the perimeter of the cruise ship. This is not a scary roller coaster, instead, it’s exhilarating — the raft never gets too fast and is only in darkness for a couple of seconds. Children taller than 48 inches may ride the AquaDuck, and believe me, they will want to. Again and again. It’s the most innovative family-friendly activity I’ve seen on a cruise ship.

The youth spaces are incredible. Honestly, they are so entertaining for kids, and the teens and tweens as well (in their own areas) that parents really will be able to relax, soak up some Caribbean sun, and take a vacation from everyday parenting concerns. Disney Dream’s Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab

Oceaneer Club for Kids

kept my daughter and her friends so engaged and happy that us parents had to remind them when it was time to eat. The Media Room and Animator’s Studio in the Oceaneer Lab were perfect for the more stolid of the kids in our group, whereas the Oceaneer Club’s Explorer Pod and Andy’s Room enabled children to jump and run and climb — all the full-body physical movement that helps kids end their cruise days happy and tired out (which is useful, as parents know).

Be warned, the more cynical among you: this is a cheery, optimistic boat, and those inclined to rolling their eyes at such sunniness will not find many similarly inclined passengers. Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who historically has been quite cynical about the perceived travel experiences of “floating hotels.”

The good news for weary adults is that parents can spend as much, or as little, time with their children on this cruise as they want, and their kids won’t mind: There’s so much entertainment and interactive Disney fun on this cruise, the kids might not even notice that their parents are off at The District splitting a bottle of Merlot.

It’s not a unique travel experience, it has nothing to do with an authentic cultural immersion experience, it’s just pure Disney. Sometimes, though, that’s exactly the vacation a busy family needs.

Mickey Waits His Turn on the Disney Dream Cruise AquaDuck Line.