Ship: Disney Dream
Dates: August 15-19, 2016
Ports of Call:
Nassau, Bahamas
Castaway Cay (Private Disney island)
Departing Port:
Port Canaveral, Florida
Port Canaveral, Florida:
Port Canaveral is only a 45 minute drive from Disney World and it is an easy trip. There are clear signs along the interstate to guide you to the port, but there are SO.MANY.TOLLS.
I think we went through 6 and many of them asked for exact change or cash only. Although we don't have a SunPass, we drove through the SunPass lane instead of stopping because we did not have any cash and were totally unprepared.
Thankfully, SunPass will send you a bill for all the tolls you skip. :)
There are also Publix, Chick-fil-a, and other fast food restaurants to stop at along the way. If you purchase a 24 pack of bottled water, you can add a Disney Cruise luggage tag to it and have it sent to your room when you arrive at the port.
The Disney ships are not hard to find, but it is a bit confusing trying to get there. I recommend you research what port number you are boarding from keep an eye out for port number signs as you drive.
Once you arrive, you will need to have a photo id for everyone in your car before you will be allowed to park. There is also a valet luggage area that allows you to unload luggage and passengers before parking.
Parking:
We paid $80 for 4 nights of parking in the parking deck. The walk was maybe 100 yards to the building and our car was completly safe.
Be aware, the Disney Cruise check-in area is small. There will be characters to meet but the line gets long very fast. You will likely be shoulder to shoulder with others if you arrive during the first check-in slot time.
There is also an opportunity to register for the Kids Club, but you can pre-register online before your cruise and won't have to wait in line.
Nassau, Bahamas:
I did not get off the boat in this port. I had read that it was a typical Bahama port with local merchants and markets and we thought it was a good opportunity to enjoy the amenities on the ship without the crowds. We were correct. It was also incredibly hot out and making our way through a port while hauling a toddler and watching for pickpockets did not sound fun. My mom however, did go for a few hours and said it was beautiful but hot and a little like the ports in Jamaica.
Castaway Cay:
As I said previously, I ran the Castaway Cay 5K with my brother and was able to see more of the island than I probably would have seen otherwise.
The walk onto the island from the ship will take you 5 minutes and there is a tram that will take you farther into any sections you wish.
The paths are paved with bathrooms and beverage stations along the way.
The island is split into 3 sections; the activities section (across from Scuttle's Cove), the family beach and the adults only area.
Scuttle's Cove is the kids area that is a lot like the Kids Club on board. You do not need the Kids Club magic band for your children to participate but you will need to register them when you drop them off.
The activities area is where you will meet for snorkeling, jet skis and other excursions. This is also where you can rent snorkeling gear and set out on your own. You will still be required to wear the yellow life vest so the lifeguards will know that you are snorkeling and can keep you away from the swimmers.
The family beach was great! The water was clear and the sand was nice. There are small fish that you can see in the water and there are lifeguards everywhere to keep you safe. Also, the beach is sectioned off from the ocean to prevent larger animals from entering the water.
I was weary of the chair situation and asked my husband to score our spot early while I ran. In reality, the family beach is so large that there was never a shortage of umbrellas or chairs. The beach has lots of palm trees for shade and you are just a few feet away from bathrooms and beverages. There are also employees walking around with bottled waters that are $2 each or a cooler of 6 for $9. If you don't want to spend the money you can go to the drink machines located just across from the family beach. They are similar to the ones on board and you can fill up any personal bottles you brought with you.
There are also play structures with slides in the shallow water for kids to climb on. They ask that you not take any shells from the beach but there are some really nice ones as well as sand dollars to look at while you are there.
The one downside of Castaway Cay was the lunch. My 3 year old was not keen on waiting until 12 to eat after swimming all morning. One employee told us that we could grab a bag of chips from a food cart but that no food is provided until 12, not even snacks for purchase. My daughter and I ended up boarding the ship and having lunch there while my husband stayed on the island and snorkeled.
Keep in mind that Pirate night is the same day as Castaway Cay. If you want to stay up for the 10:30 Pirate Night fireworks, you might not want to stay on the beach all day.
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