Filed under: Disney Dream, Disney-Dining, top-feature
Dining Aboard the Disney Dream
I once heard someone say that if you were going to travel with hungry teenage boys, take them on a cruise. Since all your food and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the price of your ticket, they can be satisfied eating nonstop as there is always food available somewhere on board. Having just returned from the Disney Dream cruise, I must say that this is indeed the case, and while I didn’t eat non-stop, I certainly could have.
From the moment we arrived on board, which was lunchtime, a full buffet was spread out before us at the casual dining spot Cabanas. Soups, sandwiches, salads, cheeses and cured meats, pasta dishes, stir-fry, grilled foods, peel ‘n eat shrimp, freshly prepared bite-sized sushi, a variety of breads and tempting desserts stretched in curved rows with servers standing ready to assist with any request. It was obvious that the question was not what would I eat, but how was I going to fit it all on my plate!
A new concept in cruise ship casual dining, Cabanas provides 16 specialized free flowing food and beverage stations offering the eclectic array of dishes for breakfast and lunch. The breakfast menu includes a variety of breakfast foods and made-to-order omelets. Even a bowl of oatmeal with a wide variety of toppings including dried fruits, nuts and coarse brown sugar was fun to create and delicious to eat. Table side service is used for evening meals with all items made to order. Inspired by the beaches of California, the decorations at Cabanas are sea-themed with that touch of Disney whimsy and a nod to the characters of Finding Nemo. Whether sitting indoors or dining out, both options offer great ocean views.
Other casual dining spots are located near Donald’s Pool on Deck 11 and include the quick bite Flo’s Cafe, themed for the Disney-Pixar film “Cars” and offers such favorites as burgers, chicken tenders and pizza. Frozone Treats, like the ice making super-hero in “The Incredibles”, mixes up frozen drinks, while Eye Scream offers soft-serve ice cream and a variety of sundae toppings and is inspired by everyone’s favorite one-eyed monster, Mike Wazowski, from “Monsters, Inc.” Eye Scream proved to be a very popular spot and waiting for a midnight snack, I discovered may result in a limited number of toppings.
Another innovative dining concept, rotational dining, has been introduced aboard Disney cruise ships. With rotational dining guests enjoy different on board restaurants each night of their cruise. Since their servers accompany them, guests enjoy a variety of dining options with familiar and personalized service. This was especially pleasant one evening when my husband and I were not able to finish our bottle of wine. Like magic, the bottle appeared at our table the next night at a different restaurant. Included in the rotational dining are the restaurants Animator’s Palate, Royal Palace and Enchanted Garden. Elaborate themes and classic Disney touches combined with fine cuisine made me grateful I was able to experience more than one.
Fit for a queen, or other member of the royal family, Royal Palace is an elegant and regal restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. If the grand decor looks slightly familiar, think back to some of your favorite moments in classic Disney films as the floor plan is recreated from Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast. Be sure to take a close look at the large chandelier hanging in the center of the room as it is adorned with glass slippers and hand-painted portraits of the princesses and their princes hang on the far wall. Tables in the open dining room are set with white linens, china and crystal giving the air that little princes and princesses need to, by all means, use their best manners.
The fine continental cuisine served at Royal Palace suits the majestic surroundings. Classic appetizers like jumbo shrimp, escargot and French-onion soup compliment a fine selection of entrees. I selected the beef tenderloin with lobster medallions for my entree and while the lobster was a bit tough, the beef was tender, juicy and flavorful. Our table companions dined on Salmon that appeared moist and flaky and had we had another night on board, I would have been back to try it. Since there is always room for dessert, or in my case Creme Brulee, I was delighted with the rich and creamy custard topped with the perfectly browned sugar topping and worth every calorie.
The formality in dining carried over to breakfast, and was slightly uncomfortable in the early morning hours, though the food was as delicious.
Animator’s Palate is perhaps the polar opposite of Royal Palace. Highlighting the magic of Disney animation, guests feel as if they have entered an animator’s studio. Full of whimsy, over-sized pencils and paint brushes serve as pillars and character sketches from popular Disney and Pixar movies adorn the walls. Once diners are all seated (remember on cruise ships there are two seating times for dinner, an early or in this case 6:30 pm and a second seating at 8:30 pm) the sketches turn into “windows” of an undersea world. As a favorite character, Crush, from the movie Finding Nemo enters the windows and engages diners in real time conversations like a comedian working the room. Some diners that we talked to felt that the engagement came at inappropriate times and was almost obtrusive to their meal while others, in the words of Crush himself, though it was a most excellent experience.
The food served at Animator’s Palate fits the lighter atmosphere with fresh flavor combination like lemon-thyme chicken, veal and smoked salmon tartare. There is also a nod given to Pacific Rim cuisine with a variety of stir-fried dishes and wines from California served to complement the menu.
My favorite dining spot was by far, Enchanted Garden. It is whimsical and casual, yet has an air of distinction like the gardens of Versailles for which it is modeled. Diners feel as if they are dining in a conservatory and while the air is open and light, curved booths and trellises offer guests more privacy and quiet dinners. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Garden takes on the light of the day and a bright blue sky for breakfast and lunch, while dinner becomes nighttime in the Garden with a twinkling field of stars shimmering overhead.
A seasonal menu of market-fresh ingredients is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, dinner is full-service and plated with amazing presentation. While I am usually very conservative when restaurant dining, the fact that our meals were included allowed me to be a bit more adventurous in my menu selections. In fact, my husband and I split all four of the featured appetizers including the lobster ravioli which was very light and not as rich as I expected and surprisingly the selection of yellow and red beets were quite tasty. By far my favorite entree of the cruise was the Chilean Sea Bass served over a bed of Risotto. Since no meal for me is complete without dessert, I opted for a trio sampler of hand-made confections, and while all were tasty, there really wasn’t one that jumped out as over the top.
Two other adult premier dining options are available aboard Disney Dream for an additional charge. Palo features northern Italian cuisine and offers sweeping views of the ocean, while the French-inspired Remy treats guests from a menu created by two award-winning chefs, up to nine small courses in a lavish and leisurely affair. Since my husband and I were on a short, two-night cruise, we were more than satisfied with the dining options that were provided to all passengers. However, on our next cruise, I would love to explore these dining options.
While a lot can be said for the dining choices aboard the Disney Dream another option not to be overlooked is room service. Ordering coffee and juice one morning to share on our veranda while listening to the rush of the waves was totally relaxing and restful and perhaps the best treat I have given myself in a long-time.
No matter what your age or your appetite, you will find pure delight in dining aboard the Disney Dream.
Coming up: A Day at Castaway Cay
Photo Selections: DCL News, Disney Dream photographer David Roark, Animator’s Palate photographer Matt Stroshane, Remy photographer Todd Anderson,
While the author was given a complimentary cruise for the purpose of a review, the opinions expressed herein are purely those of the author.
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