The Disney Dream dwarfs the nearby buildings when in port.
If you've been on the Disney Dream you know just how big this ship really is. On my last voyage my son and I were playing the Midship Detective Agency game and there were a few times where I honestly couldn't tell which side of the ship I was on nor which direction I was headed. And let me just say I'm very good with navigating, I never have pull the car over and ask anyone for directions. My wife will attest to that.
So here are a few tips I learned to help you navigate the Disney Dream while onboard. Plus, I thought it would be fun to include a few fun facts and secrets.
If the room plaques have a fish on them you're on the port side of the ship. If you see a starfish, you're on the starboard side of the ship.
These maps in the carpet help you determine which direction you are walking. If you're facing north, you are walking to the front. See those nautical flags? They spell out the name of the ship in signal flags.
Even More Secrets
Disney first got into cruising by partnering with Premier Cruise Line and the Big Red Boat. But there were too many guest complaints about customer service. But Disney was able to establish that there was indeed a market for cruising and in 1994, Disney Cruise Line was born.
The Disney Dream can accommodate 4,000 guests.
Head up to Deck 13 and 14 midship, you'll find an overlook deck.
The Disney Dream isn't black, it's actually blue - Monica Blue to be exact. The color was inspired by a pair of pants worn by a Cast Member at a meeting. Yes, her name was Monica!
The Disney Dream is actually blue, not black.
If you look at the Disney Dream, you won't many many straight lines. Curved lines help give the ship a beautiful design. The design team did everything they could to avoid making it look like a floating milk carton.
The Disney Dream cost more to build than the Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship.
Pub 687 is named for the Disney Dream's working title while it was being built. It's bad luck to call a ship by it's name until it is completed. The Disney Dream is the 687th ship to be built at Meyer-Werft Shipyard in German to is was known as "Project 687" respectively.
The AquaDuck was originally supposed to be a lazy river attraction but engineers studied the design and thought it would make the ship top heavy.
Why did Disney register their fleet in the Bahamas and not the United States? American maritime law requires that 70% of the crew be American. The cruise line industry prefers non-American crew members to save money on salaries. But don't let that fool you, the crew members on the Disney Dream are absolutely amazing.
With the ships being registered in the Bahamas, Disney is required to have its fleet stop in the Bahamas at least once a year.
When a Disney ship goes to drydock for refurbishment, the crew is put to work supervising vendors, hauling trash, running keys, and standing by on fire watch.
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Darren Wittko is rated a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.