February 5, 2012: Day 1 of Disney Dream Cruise

 We arrived at the Disney Terminal in Port Canaveral at just before 11 a.m. Our boarding time was at 11-11:30.  Ray dropped the luggage, the kids, and I off at the curb and went to park the car.  We met him inside the terminal then we went through security.  Not as horrible as airport security.  Then we checked in and got our boarding number. While we waited we checked the kid's into the oceaneering club since we already preregistered them.  We boarded around 11:30 but could not go to our stateroom until 1:30 p.m.  Upon entering the ship they asked our name and announced "The Disney Dream welcomes aboard the Walden family."  Then the crew clapped for us as we walked on.  One of the crew members walked with us a short distance and talked to us.  The atrium is beautiful.  The chandelier (a picture comes in a later blog) is gorgeous.  Almost as beautiful as the one's in the celestial rooms of the temples.  The atrium also houses this beautiful grand staircase and a grand piano.  At different times of the cruise some one would be singing/playing there.  I needed to nurse Joshua so I sat on one of the beautiful couches and took care of him while the kids and Ray looked around.

 Here are the boys on one of those couches.

 The girls and I in one of the princess chairs.  We boarded on Deck 3 and walked right into the atrium.  On one side of the atrium is the Royal Palace Dining Room.  Behind that is the Animator Palate Dining room.  On the other side of the atrium is guest services, a bar, the elevators, and the stores.  Behind the stores is one level of the Walt Disney Theatre.  They were serving lunch on Deck 11 at Cabanas buffet restaurant or in the Enchanted Garden on Deck 2 at 12:15.  We decided to go down to the Enchanted Garden Restaurant.  We went through the buffet line and then one of the servers took my some of our plates since we were carrying kids and took us back to our table.  It was not crowded in the Enchanted Garden.  I had some yummy ham wrapped salmon and asparagus.  The brought out the kids some chicken tenders and fries.

We thought we had the late dinner seating because that is what we were told when we booked and we were put on the waiting list for the earlier seating.  We didn't realize we got the earlier seating so after lunch we went back up to the Royal Palace to get on the waiting list again.  It was already changed which we discovered once we got to our state rooms.  Here the kids are sitting in one of the portholes across from the side door of the Royal Palace. After lunch we made our way up to Deck 9 where our stateroom was.  At 1:30 they opened the doors and people headed for their rooms.  We had a carryon with our swim suits since our luggage might now arrive until later that evening.  One of our staterooms was still being made ready so we went into the one.  We had rooms 9526 and 9528.  The kids slept in the 9528 and Ray, Joshua, and I in the other one.  We had adjoining rooms so kept the inside door open.  We also had balconies on both.  We changed into our swimsuits and headed up to the pools on Deck 11.  The Aquaduck already had a huge line.  It is their water slide.  I don't think I got any pictures unfortunately.

 We put the kids in the Nemo's Reef.  Joshua was sleeping ad Kimberly ended up not liking it.  Ray went in there for a little bit with them.

 The other kids loved it but this is the only time we ever went in there.  Sheila and Timmy ended up like the Mickey pool better so that is what they usually did.

 While the kids were playing in the pool  I took Kimberly to see Minnie.  She liked it until we got to close than she didn't want anything to do with any of the characters.

 We watched the sailing away from our stateroom.  Here we are leaving the terminal.  We left at 5.  Our dinner was in the Enchanted Garden at 5:45 (the first seating.)

 We ate dinner at the Enchanted Garden.  Ray and I really didn't care too much for the food and Kimberly was horrible at dinner.  She would not sit still and Joshua had a blow out and I ended up leaving with Joshua and Sheila to go to the rest room.  Right after I nursed Joshua again we went up and saw Ariel.  Our servers at dinner were Emre from Turkey and Ania from England.  She sounded French to me but Ray said her nametag said England.  Anyway, they were our servers every night no matter what restaurant we went to.

 After dinner we also dropped Sheila and Timmy off at the Oceaneer's Club.  The were there for 2-3 hours until they texted us one our stateroom cell phones that Sheila was ready to be picked up.

 The stateroom guy, Bart, left us towel creatures evernight on each of the queen beds. The first night we got a pair of dogs.

 The kids wre really tired so we didn't go to the show that night.  We put Joshua and Kimberly down and ordered room service.

Timmy and Sheila wanted to share the other big bed.  I don't blame them.  Those beds were way comfortable.  I should find out what kind of mattress they used becuase it was the first time I ever slept in a bed other than my own where I didn't wake up with a backache.

Sorry if there is grammatical errors.  I tried to reread it but it has taken me so long and I have a screaming toddler right now.  I will try to come back and edit out any mistaked later.