Comparing the Dream and the Fantasy
By Jessica Johnson
One of the questions I am asked fairly often about the Fantasy is: “How is it different than the Dream?” Well, hopefully this blog will clear up just that! ;o)
From the outside, the ships are pretty much identical. For the most part, their layout is identical as well. So, if you are familiar with one ship you will feel “at home” on the other one, which is always nice. We’ll start with the surface differences. The overall theme or décor of the Disney Dream is Art Deco. The Disney Fantasy is done in Art Nouveau. As you enter the atrium, they have very different styles though the layout is the same. Of course, in the Atrium you find the main character of the ship; Donald on the Dream and Minnie on the Fantasy.
The restaurants are all in the same locations and all but one of them are identical in appearance. On the Dream you have Royal Palace just off of the Atrium. On the Fantasy you have Royal Court in the same spot. Animator’s Palate on the Dream features Crush as the star of their show while the Fantasy has a brand new show that is amazing! Don’t worry, though because on your second night in Animator’s Palate you’ll still get to see Crush! The other restaurants, including Enchanted Garden, Palo, Remy, Cabanas, as well as Flo’s on Deck 11 are the same on both ships.
The children’s activities are all in the same locations and they are all pretty similar on both ships. All of the Clubs have the same names, age ranges, etc. The big news for the kids, however, is that on the Fantasy there is a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! This can be found on Deck 5 above the Atrium. On Pirate Night, the Pirates ransack the Boutique and turn it into the Pirate’s League, making it a super fun place for all kids!
Another high priority for the kids is swimming and the pools are the same on both ships. You’ll find the Aqua Duck on both as well as Donald’s Pool, Mickey’s Pool and Nemo’s Reef. New on the Fantasy is the Aqua Lab, a water play area with lots of splashing and spraying.
For adults, you’ll find the Quiet Cove Pool in the same place as the Dream, but new on the Fantasy is Satellite Falls on Deck 13. The Falls are made up of a circular splash pool and a cascading rain curtain.
The Senses Spa and Salon is pretty much identical on both ships. The other adults-only area, however, is pretty different. On the Dream you have The District, which is the nighttime entertainment area. It’s made up of a series of clubs and lounges, The District Lounge, 687, Skyline Lounge, Pink and Evolution. On the Fantasy, the nighttime entertainment is in the same area on the ship but it’s a whole new world, to steal a Disney phrase. There you will find La Piazza, O’Gill’s, Oh La La, The Tube and Skyline Lounge. While both have Skyline, they feature different cities and have different feels.
It is actually kind of amazing to see how Disney can start with the same basic ship and make it into two totally unique experiences. I, personally, look forward to spending more time on both of them. ;o)
