Some random thoughts after a cruise on the Dream that kind of tie into the general themes of past discussions …
· The service really is THAT good. Fast, efficient and friendly. Only exception? The American workers in the port once you disembark. Clueless (over half seemed to be in training), no signage, allowed the lines to get out of control.
· Talking to fellow guests, opinions of WDW run from middling to poor. Crowds the #1 complaint (last week was the one they extended hours), but also a lot of variations on “they could learn a lot from the cruise staff.” Also heard a couple Friday the 13th Villain Party horror stories I hadn’t even heard as a local--my tablemate swore she heard a driver on the radio crying because guests were threatening to kick out his bus's windows to get off. Most guests view Magic Bands primarily as a replacement for door keys (although they are positive about that).
· The new Mickey Mouse cartoons—the Ren & Stimpy meet Mary Blair ones—played on one channel in a loop. Very funny. Also caught the original PotC movie on the pool deck one night; with the overexposure of Capt. Jack and the sequels, I’d forgotten how good that movie truly is. In terms of live shows, "Villains Tonight" is still brilliant and "Believe" remains schmaltzy fanboi kryptonite, but "Golden Mickeys" is seeming a little long in the tooth.
· They have a “beer mug” program—buy it, get 22 oz for the price of 16. It looked just like the shoddy Food & Wine mugs, but I broke down and got one anyway, planning to ditch it when done. Imagine my surprise when I go to lift it and it’s real, heavy glass, not cheap plastic. Later, at Castaway Cay, real silverware and cloth napkins for the outdoor picnic. Did I mention the free poolside fast food that exceeds any theme park quick serve in Orlando (even Krusty Burger)? DCL is not chintzy.
· The new Bahamian rum distillery in Nassau does not distil anything, and does not offer actual Bahamian rum. It’s named after a pirate who, near as I can tell, never visited the mansion that houses it. The premixed cocktails post-tour are $11. I stand by my belief there is no reason to get off the ship in that port.
Finally, I get that MM+ was “inspired” by DCL. But people aren’t in love with the line because they can pay with their room key, or because they can see the densely packed schedule months in advance. It’s because (1) there’s something for every age group as well as things for families to do together, and (2) the service is top notch, beyond anything in the U.S. MM+ is like looking at a Ferrari and deciding painting your cars red will make them sell better.
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