56 DAYS TO GO . . .

     SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2011

     COVERED THE NUMBER OF STATEROOM DESIGNS AND THE NUMBER OF KIDS CLUBS, SO TODAY I THOUGHT I'D COVER THE THE THREE MAIN DINING ROOMS ON THE DISNEY DREAM. 
     UNLIKE MOST CRUISE SHIPS THAT PUT YOU IN ONE DINING ROOM FOR YOUR ENTIRE CRUISE, DISNEY SCHEDULES YOU FOR ALL THREE OF THEIR MAIN DINING ROOMS.  YOUR FAMILY "ROTATES" THROUGH THESE DINING ROOMS TOGETHER ENJOYING A DIFFERENT MENU EACH EVENING.  AND MOST UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE SEAS, YOUR TABLE MATES AND SERVERS ROTATE WITH YOU.  YOU CAN ALWAYS BYPASS YOUR SCHEDULED RESTAURANT AND EAT AT ONE OF THE ADULTS-ONLY DINING CHOICES (PALO OR REMY), ONE OF SEVERAL SNACK COUNTERS, ROOM SERVICE OR THE BUFFET RESTAURANT ON DECK (CABANAS).
     YOU WILL LEARN YOUR DINING ROTATION ORDER ON YOUR VERY FIRST DAY WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR (ROOM) "KEY TO THE WORLD" CARD.  PRINTED ON YOUR CARD WILL BE THE FIRST LETTER OF EACH RESTAURANT FOR THE NUMBER OF NIGHTS OF YOUR CRUISE IN THE ORDER YOU ARE TO ATTEND.  I.E. - AERR (ANIMATOR'S PALATE, ENCHANTED GARDEN, ROYAL PALACE, ROYAL PALACE).  YOU'LL NOTICE THE THIRD AND FOURTH NIGHTS REPEAT ON THE 4 NIGHT CRUISE.  TWO NIGHTS WILL REPEAT ON ANY CRUISE LONGER THAN 3 NIGHTS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE NIGHTS, DESPITE BEING IN THE SAME RESTAURANT WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT "PIRATE NIGHT" THEMED MENU.  YOUR ROTATION MAY BE BASED ON THE AGES OF THE, OR SOME, OF YOUR PARTY OR THE SIZE OF YOUR PARTY AS WELL, ALTHOUGH YOUR ROTATION ONLY APPLIES TO DINNERS.  YOU WILL ALSO HAVE THE SAME TABLE NUMBER IN EACH RESTAURANT, MAKING IT EASIER FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
     THE DREAM HAS TWO DINNER SEATINGS, THE FIRST AT 6:00PM AND THE SECOND AT 8:30PM.  SEATINGS ARE BASICALLY BASED AROUND THEATER SHOW TIMES, WHICH THE DREAM NOW HAS 3 INSTEAD OF 2; 5:00PM, 7:00PM, & 9:00PM, BECAUSE DINNER CAN LAST OVER 2 HOURS.
     THE FIRST MAIN DINING RESTAURANT IS THE LARGE SIZED ENCHANTED GARDEN (www.youtube.com/watch?v=twif5qmwpwe), INSPIRED BY THE GARDENS OF VERSAILLES.  WITH LOTS OF TRELLISES, A FOUNTAIN CENTERED BY A CHERUB MICKEY, GREENERY AND SCENES OF FRENCH HILLSIDES, IT BRINGS THE OUTDOORS IN.  THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE RESTAURANT IS IT'S SWEEPING DAYTIME BLUE CEILING THAT CHANGES DURING YOUR MEAL TO A GOLDEN RED OF A SETTING SUN TO A NIGHTTIME CONSTELLATION OF TWINKLING STARS.  ALSO, FLOWER LIGHT FIXTURES "BLOOM" AND BECOME FILLED WITH COLOR AND SCONCES CHANGE AS WELL.
      THE SECOND MAIN DINING ROTATION RESTAURANT IS THE ROYAL PALACE (www.youtube.com/watch?v=shgp4thkv9a).  THIS LUXURIOUS SPACE IS INSPIRED BY THE PRINCE AND PRINCESSES OF DISNEY FILM.  DECORATED WITH MARBLE, CHANDELIERS, HAND-PAINTED PORTRAITS, GLASS SLIPPERS AND TIARAS, THE RESTAURANT ITSELF WILL MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN CINDERELLAS BALLROOM.  GUESTS TEND TO DRESS UP EVEN MORE FOR THIS RESTAURANT JUST BECAUSE OF THE FEEL AND ATMOSPHERE.
      THE THIRD AND FINAL RESTAURANT THAT IS PART OF THE ROTATIONAL DINING IS THE ANIMATOR'S PALATE (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezcd7a407kg & www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjfm0cxdamo).  THIS IS THE ONE RESTAURANT THAT CARRIED OVER FROM THE TWO ORIGINAL "CLASSIC" SHIPS, BUT IS HARDLY THE SAME AS IT'S PREDECESSORS.  THE ORIGINAL DINING ROOMS ON THE MAGIC AND WONDER WERE ALL BLACK AND WHITE SPACES, AT LEAST WHEN YOU ENTERED, INCLUDING THE WAIT STAFF UNIFORMS.  AS THE EVENING PROGRESSED, EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE WALLS, THE TABLES, THE WAIT STAFF UNIFORMS, ALL CHANGED SLOWLY TO COLOR, AS THE MUSIC SWELLED AS WELL. 
     THE DREAM'S ANIMATOR'S PALATE IS DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE AN ANIMATOR'S STUDIO OR OFFICE, WITH LOTS OF LIGHT WOODS LIKE A DRAFTING TABLE AND SKETCHES, DRAWINGS, AND SCULPTINGS ADORNING THE WALLS AND SHELVES.  THE CHAIRS FOR ALL THE TABLES ARE DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE MICKEY MOUSE WITH THE BLACK, RED AND YELLOW BUTTON SPOTS.  BUT THE REAL ATTRACTION HERE IS "THE SHOW".  AS YOUR DINNER PROGRESSES THE RESTAURANT SEEMS TO MAGICALLY SINK UNDER WATER.  THE PICTURES, CORK BOARDS, AND SCREENS ALL TRANSFORM INTO WINDOWS AND PORTHOLES INTO THE OCEAN AROUND YOU WHERE ALL THE CHARACTERS FROM THE DISNEY FILM "FINDING NEMO" APPEAR, SWIM AROUND THE ROOM, BY ALL THE WINDOWS CONTINUOUSLY AND ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH GUESTS.  NOT EVERY GUEST WILL GET TO TALK TO CRUSH AND HIS FRIENDS, BUT MANY DO, SO IT CAN GET A BIT LOUD WITH THE KIDS (AND ADULTS) REACTIONS.  BUT FOR FANS OF THE SPECTACLE OF DISNEY (LIKE MY SON & I), THIS IS A HIGHLIGHT!
     HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY.  SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº