Yes. You read that correctly.
65 desserts. On a 13-night Disney cruise.
And no, I am not embarrassed.
Did I eat all 65 desserts? Well, technically, yes. Some only got a bite or two. Others disappeared completely. Not a crumb left behind.
Would I do it again?
Absolutely. Without hesitation.
I love sweets. I really, really love sweets.
If you've read any of my previous blogs, you probably know that I am a ridiculously picky eater. There are entire sections of menus that I simply pretend don't exist.
But put a dessert menu in front of me?
Suddenly, I am the least picky person on the ship.
Chocolate? Yes.
Cake? Absolutely.
Ice cream? Always.
Something I can't pronounce but has whipped cream on top? Bring it over.
Now, I am still a little suspicious of no-sugar-added desserts. I have trust issues with desserts that insist they're just as good without the sugar. But even those are starting to win me over.
Apparently, I am becoming more adventurous in my old age.
At least when sugar is involved.
Enter JR. The Man Who Understood My Dessert Situation.
Our wonderful server, JR, figured out my love of desserts very quickly.
And he did two things that made our 13-night cruise extra special.
First, he stopped making me order dessert.
Yes. You read that correctly.
He just brought me ALL the desserts.
Every single night.
When it was time to order, JR would give me a little wink.
That was it.
No discussion. No decisions. No need to pretend I was only going to order one.
A few minutes later, an entire collection of wonderful desserts would appear in front of me.
It was glorious.
It was magical.
It was probably slightly concerning to anyone watching our table.
But JR understood.
And honestly, isn't that what Disney Cruise Line is all about?
Well, that and the desserts.
But My Favorite Thing JR Did Involved a Spoon.
Yes.
A spoon.
Not a special dessert. Not a fancy cake. Not even an extra scoop of ice cream.
A spoon.
Let me explain.
On Disney Cruise Line, you can order a sundae at dinner. And if you know me, you know that sundaes are among my absolute favorite desserts.
But there is a problem.
A very serious problem.
At the bottom of the sundae dish, hiding beneath all that wonderful ice cream, is one last delicious little morsel.
And I want that morsel.
Every. Single. Time.
Unfortunately, a regular dessert spoon is too big to reach the very bottom of the dish.
You can try. You can tilt the dish. You can perform some questionable spoon gymnastics.
But that last little bit of goodness remains just out of reach.
And that is unacceptable.
Many, many cruises ago, Disney Cruise Line used to give you two different spoons at dessert time.
A regular dessert spoon and a long, skinny sundae spoon.
The sundae spoon was perfect. It reached all the way to the bottom of the dish.
Somewhere along the way, Disney stopped automatically providing those wonderful little spoons.
Why?
I have no idea.
But I noticed.
Of course I noticed.
During our very first dinner with JR, I casually mentioned the old sundae spoons.
Something along the lines of, "Do you remember those long sundae spoons Disney used to have?"
It was just a passing comment.
I wasn't complaining.
I wasn't asking him to find one.
I was simply reminiscing about a spoon.
As one does.
Well, JR found me a sundae spoon.
And not just for that one dinner.
Every. Single. Night.
He actually kept my special sundae spoon in its own little spot at his workstation.
When dessert time arrived, there was my spoon.
Waiting for me.
Can you imagine?
Of all the things happening in that dining room, all the guests he was taking care of, all the meals he was serving, JR remembered my silly little spoon.
And he made sure I had it every night.
I never asked him to do that.
I certainly never expected it.
But he did it anyway.
And because of JR, I could eat every last bite of my sundae.
Including that precious little goody hiding at the bottom.
Sometimes Disney Magic Is Just a Spoon.
I've been on a lot of Disney cruises.
I've experienced some incredible moments, beautiful destinations, wonderful meals, and spectacular entertainment.
But sometimes the things that stay with you aren't the big things.
Sometimes it's a server who remembers something you mentioned once.
Sometimes it's someone who goes out of their way to make you smile.
And sometimes it's a ridiculously long spoon.
To JR, it probably seemed like such a small thing.
To me, it meant so much more.
It was kindness.
It was thoughtfulness.
It was someone making me feel special without ever being asked.
And that is the Disney Cruise Line magic I love most.
Thank you, JR.
For the desserts.
For the winks.
For remembering.
And especially for my spoon.
Okay.
That's enough mushy emotion from me.
We have 65 desserts to discuss, and I believe I've already established that I take dessert very seriously.
Let's get down to the good stuff.
Dinner #1: Animator's Palate
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: Magical Express Sundae!
You simply cannot go wrong with mint chocolate chip ice cream.
It's refreshing. It's chocolatey. It's delicious.
And yes, I realize it tastes a little like toothpaste.
But really GOOD toothpaste.
The kind of toothpaste you would happily eat with a spoon.
Which, now that I think about it, is probably not the best endorsement for a dessert.
But I loved it anyway!
Worst Dessert: Panna Cotta
It tasted like nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
I kept taking bites, hoping a flavor would eventually make an appearance.
Nope.
Nothing.
It was like eating a dessert that had forgotten it was supposed to taste like something.
And for someone who takes dessert VERY seriously, that is practically unforgivable.
Dinner #2: Enchanted Garden
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: Chocolate Garden Torte
Chocolate. Chocolate. And more chocolate.
My kind of dessert!
It was wonderfully rich, incredibly chocolatey, and absolutely delicious.
But the real surprise?
The caramel soil!
Yes, apparently we're putting soil on desserts now.
And I fully support this decision.
It added the perfect amount of texture and a little crunch to all that wonderful chocolate.
Honestly, if all soil tasted like caramel, I might take up gardening.
Worst Dessert: Southern-Style Pecan Tart
Nope.
Absolutely not.
I live in Florida. I know my pecan desserts.
And this?
This was just wrong.
I don't know exactly where this tart went off course, but somewhere along the way, it lost its Southern credentials.
I wanted a delicious, sweet, nutty pecan tart.
Instead, I got disappointment in pastry form.
As a Floridian, I feel qualified to lodge an official complaint.
The South would like a word.
Dinner #3: Royal Palace
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: Crème Brûlée!
Oh, this crème brûlée.
THIS CRÈME BRÛLÉE!
It was easily one of the best desserts I had on the entire cruise.
The top had that perfect, hard caramelized sugar crust that makes the most satisfying little crack when you break through it with your spoon.
And underneath?
Soft, creamy, luscious perfection.
Everything a crème brûlée should be.
It was so delicious that we did something completely reasonable.
We ordered another one.
Because when you find perfection, you don't just walk away from it.
You ask JR to bring you more.
Worst Desserts: A Double Disaster!
Yes. TWO desserts earned this unfortunate honor.
Apparently, this dinner decided to give us both the best and the worst of the dessert world.
First, the Soufflé.
Now, I love a good soufflé.
But this one had a rather significant problem.
It wasn't cooked all the way through.
I took one bite, lifted my spoon, and watched the inside practically pour right off it.
It was SO runny.
I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to eat it or drink it.
I'm all for a soft, fluffy soufflé, but I do prefer my desserts to remain on my spoon.
And then there was the Tapioca Pudding.
I genuinely applaud Disney for trying something different.
Really, I do.
But this dessert had entirely too many things happening at once.
Strawberry-lime salsa.
Matcha crumble.
Coconut pudding.
A chocolate circle.
Individually, some of those ingredients sounded interesting.
Together?
Nobody was getting along.
The strawberry-lime salsa didn't belong with the matcha crumble. Neither seemed particularly interested in the coconut pudding. And the chocolate circle was just sitting there, wondering how it had gotten involved in this situation.
It was like four completely different desserts had accidentally shown up on the same plate.
And nobody wanted to leave.
A complete mess of competing flavors.
Thankfully, the crème brûlée saved the evening.
And yes, I would have happily ordered a third one.
Dinner #4: Animator's Palate
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: Chocolate Walnut!
Now THIS is what I'm talking about!
Dark chocolate and a delicious walnut crust.
Simple. Wonderful. Absolutely delicious.
I loved the combination of the rich dark chocolate and the crunchy walnut crust. The textures worked beautifully together, and every bite made me happy.
And I ate the entire thing.
THE ENTIRE THING.
For someone who usually likes to sample a little of everything, that is a very serious compliment.
Not a crumb was left behind.
Worst Desserts: Three Very Different Disappointments!
Apparently, this was another evening when the desserts decided to test my patience.
First, the Key Lime Pie.
I love key lime pie.
LOVE IT.
And living in Florida, I have eaten my fair share.
Unfortunately, this was the same overly sweet key lime pie I've encountered on the Disney Wish-class ships.
Why, Disney? WHY?
Key lime pie is supposed to have that wonderful balance of sweet and tart.
This one apparently forgot about the tart part.
It was SO sweet.
Thankfully, I did enjoy the raspberry gel and the crust.
So I did what any reasonable person would do.
I ate those parts and left the rest.
Apparently, dismantling food is becoming one of my special talents.
Next, the Chocolate Beetroot Cake.
I struggled with this dessert before I even picked up my fork.
Because it had a very concerning word in its name.
BEETROOT.
Excuse me?
I ordered dessert.
I did not order vegetables pretending to be chocolate.
I have absolutely nothing against beets living their best lives in a salad.
But they need to stay out of my chocolate cake.
Still, in the spirit of trying new things, I took a bite.
And you know what?
It wasn't nearly as terrible as I expected.
Was I converted into a beetroot cake enthusiast?
Absolutely not.
But I will admit that it surprised me.
Personal growth. One suspicious vegetable dessert at a time.
Finally, the Cookies and Cream Sundae.
This dessert was a tale of two completely different experiences.
The cookies and cream ice cream?
WONDERFUL!
Creamy, delicious, and filled with big chunks of Oreo cookies.
I loved it.
But then there were the actual cookies served with the sundae.
Oh, those poor cookies.
They were so stale that I couldn't even break them with my spoon.
I tried.
I pushed.
I questioned whether I needed to borrow a hammer from the ship's maintenance department.
Nothing.
How do you serve wonderful cookies and cream ice cream alongside cookies that appear to have been sitting around since the Disney Dream's maiden voyage?
I ate the ice cream.
I abandoned the cookies.
And once again, I found myself wondering why a perfectly good dessert needed so many unnecessary complications.
The winner of the evening was clear: Chocolate Walnut.
No vegetables. No stale cookies. No overly sweet key lime filling.
Just chocolate, walnuts, and one very happy Maggie.
Dinner #5: Enchanted Garden
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: The Seven Seas Sundae!
ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM!
My absolute favorite ice cream aboard the Disney Dream.
And here's why.
There are so many goodies packed into this ice cream that I'm pretty sure the actual ice cream is just there to hold everything together.
Seriously.
The ratio of delicious chunks to ice cream is magnificent.
And then Disney added pieces of red velvet cake!
RED VELVET CAKE!
Inside my sundae!
Whoever came up with this combination deserves a promotion.
Or at least an extra scoop of ice cream.
I also really enjoyed the Seasonal Fruits dessert.
The fruit was delicious, and I loved the puff pastry. Sometimes something simple can be absolutely wonderful.
It also came with sugar-free vanilla ice cream.
I did not try that part.
I have a complicated relationship with sugar-free desserts, and I wasn't quite ready to explore it.
The fruit and pastry were perfectly happy without my participation in the ice cream portion.
Worst Dessert: Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Oh, the disappointment.
I was SO excited about this dessert.
Peanut butter?
Cheesecake?
Two wonderful things that should have created something spectacular.
I had high expectations.
Very high expectations.
Unfortunately, the cheesecake did not get the memo.
It was just... blah.
Where was the peanut butter flavor?
Where was the rich, creamy cheesecake goodness?
Where was ANYTHING exciting?
And then came the aftertaste.
Oh, that horrible aftertaste.
Not only was the flavor disappointingly weak, but it left behind a taste that I definitely did not want to remember.
I was hoping for a big, bold peanut butter cheesecake experience.
Instead, I got a dessert that seemed afraid of its own ingredients.
Thankfully, the Seven Seas Sundae saved the evening.
Dinner #6: Royal Palace
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: “It's Elsa's Coronation Sundae!”
THE MINT ICE CREAM WAS BACK!
And I was very excited.
Apparently, mint ice cream and I have developed a rather serious relationship on this cruise.
And yes, I am still perfectly aware that it tastes a little like toothpaste.
Delicious, frozen toothpaste.
But this sundae was wonderful!
I loved the marshmallows and the adorable little snowflakes. They made the whole dessert feel like a tiny Frozen celebration in a bowl.
My only complaint?
I wanted more crunch.
Something crispy. Something with a little texture. Something that made my spoon work just a tiny bit harder.
But even without that extra crunch, I loved it.
Elsa did not disappoint.
Worst Dessert: Everything Else.
Yes.
EVERYTHING.
And this one genuinely makes me sad.
These desserts originally came from Arendelle on the Disney Wish, and I have been trying to love them for years.
I really have.
Every time I see them on a menu, I get excited.
Maybe this time will be different!
Maybe I'll finally understand what everyone else seems to enjoy!
Maybe my taste buds have matured!
And then I take a bite.
Nothing.
Another bite.
Still nothing.
It's like someone carefully arranged a collection of beautiful desserts on a plate and then forgot to add the flavor.
I don't know if it's my palate.
Maybe I'm just used to bolder flavors.
Maybe these desserts are supposed to be delicate and subtle, and my taste buds are standing there demanding chocolate, caramel, and a marching band.
But I just don't get them.
And I WANT to get them!
I keep trying. I keep giving them another chance. I keep hoping that one day I'll take a bite and suddenly understand the magic.
So far?
No magic.
Just disappointment.
But I refuse to give up.
Maybe someday I'll finally appreciate these Arendelle desserts.
Until then, I'll be over here with Elsa's mint ice cream.
At least Elsa and I understand each other.
Dinner #7: Animator's Palate
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: Warm Banana Sticky Toffee Pudding!
Now, here's something that makes absolutely no sense.
I don't particularly like bananas.
I don't particularly like sticky toffee pudding.
But apparently, if you put them together, something magical happens.
Because I LOVED this dessert!
It was warm, gooey, sweet, and absolutely delicious.
It felt like a big hug.
A warm, comforting, wonderfully sticky hug.
And honestly, it was the perfect Pirate Night dessert.
I don't know why.
Maybe pirates enjoy warm pudding after a long day of plundering.
Maybe Captain Hook secretly has a weakness for bananas.
Whatever the reason, this dessert belonged on Pirate Night.
And I would happily order it again.
Worst Dessert: Pirate's Treasure Sundae
Oh, this was unfortunate.
The sundae featured coconut-pineapple ice cream.
Sounds tropical, right?
A little pineapple. A little coconut. A lovely island-inspired treat.
Except there was one tiny problem.
IT TASTED EXACTLY LIKE SUNSCREEN.
Not a hint of sunscreen.
Not a vague reminder of a day at the beach.
Actual sunscreen.
I took one bite and immediately thought of sitting by the pool covered in SPF 50.
And not in a good way.
I don't know what happened to that poor ice cream, but my taste buds were convinced someone had accidentally scooped it out of a bottle of Coppertone.
One bite.
That was enough.
I put down my spoon and surrendered.
Apparently, the real Pirate's Treasure was the pudding.
The sundae belonged at the bottom of the ocean.
And that, my friends, is why you should never judge a dessert by its tropical nam
Dinner #8: Enchanted Garden
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Desserts: White Chocolate Floral Dome and Greek Frouta Ke Yaourti!
Let's start with the White Chocolate Floral Dome.
WOW.
This dessert was absolutely beautiful.
It looked like a little masterpiece sitting on my plate. Almost too pretty to eat.
Almost.
Because I have never let a beautiful dessert stand between me and chocolate.
And then came the surprise.
THERE WAS CARROT CAKE INSIDE!
Carrot cake!
Hidden inside a gorgeous white chocolate dome!
What an unexpected little treasure.
And unlike some of the other desserts that looked beautiful but forgot to bring any flavor, this one actually tasted as wonderful as it looked.
I loved it!
Then there was the Greek Frouta Ke Yaourti.
Now, this dessert was a completely different kind of wonderful.
Fresh fruit, yogurt, and honey.
Simple.
No complicated towers. No mysterious ingredients. No desserts pretending to be something else.
Just delicious fruit with yogurt and honey that complemented it perfectly.
The yogurt and honey brought out the natural flavors of the fruit instead of trying to compete with them.
Imagine that!
A dessert where all the ingredients actually get along.
I was very impressed.
Worst Dessert: Coconut Bliss Sundae
Disney.
We need to talk.
Specifically, about your coconut ice cream.
PLEASE THROW IT OVERBOARD.
I have tried to give this coconut ice cream a chance.
I really have.
But once again, it was terrible.
And calling it Coconut Bliss did not make it any better.
There was absolutely no bliss happening in my mouth.
Thankfully, the sundae also had mango and pineapple.
And those were delicious!
So, naturally, I ate the fruit and left the coconut ice cream behind.
Apparently, I have developed a special talent for dismantling Disney desserts and eating only the parts I like.
But seriously, Disney.
Keep the mango.
Keep the pineapple.
And let the coconut ice cream walk the plank.
Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, there is a perfectly good place for that ice cream.
It is not in my sundae.
Dinner #9: Royal Palace
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Desserts: Raspberry-Vanilla Crème Brûlée and Warm Braided Apple Strudel!
Another winner in the crème brûlée department!
Seriously, Disney. Who is making these masterpieces?
Because I would like to meet this person.
And possibly hug them.
The Raspberry-Vanilla Crème Brûlée was absolutely magnificent.
The flavors were wonderful. The creamy custard was luscious. And that beautiful caramelized sugar topping?
PERFECTION.
Everything worked together exactly as it should.
At this point, I'm beginning to think the Disney Dream has a secret crème brûlée genius hiding somewhere in the kitchen.
And I would very much like to know their name.
Then there was the Warm Braided Apple Strudel.
Oh, this was delicious!
The pastry was absolutely bursting with apples.
Not three lonely little apple pieces hiding inside a mountain of pastry.
ACTUAL APPLES!
And my favorite part?
The vanilla sauce was served separately!
Thank you, Disney!
I could decide exactly how much sauce I wanted with each bite.
The pastry stayed lovely, the apples were delicious, and the vanilla sauce was there when I needed it.
Everyone had a job.
Everyone did their job.
A beautiful dessert partnership.
Worst Dessert: Pear and Blackberry Crumble
This one was disappointing, but not necessarily because of the flavors.
Honestly, I couldn't really tell you how it was supposed to taste.
Because by the time it arrived at our table, the ice cream had already started melting.
And the crumble?
SOGGY.
So very soggy.
Now, I have a very important opinion about fruit crumbles.
THE CRUMBLE SHOULD CRUMBLE.
It's right there in the name!
I want that wonderful crunchy topping. I want the contrast between the warm fruit and the crispy crumble.
What I do not want is a sad, soggy dessert swimming in melted ice cream.
And the frustrating part?
This could have been avoided so easily.
Just serve the ice cream separately!
Let me decide when to add it.
Let the crumble maintain its dignity.
I genuinely wish I could have tasted this dessert the way it was intended.
But unfortunately, the ice cream got there first.
Thankfully, the crème brûlée and apple strudel more than made up for it.
And somewhere aboard the Disney Dream, I hope that mysterious crème brûlée genius knows just how much I appreciate their work.
Dinner #10: Animator's Palate
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: Pecan Pie Ice Cream Sundae!
Well, somebody had to win.
And I suppose the Pecan Pie Ice Cream Sundae gets the trophy.
Not because it was spectacular.
Not because I loved it.
But because it was the least disappointing dessert of the evening.
Congratulations?
Now, I can't say this for certain, but those little pecan pie bites tasted suspiciously familiar.
Remember the disappointing pecan tarts from earlier in the cruise?
Well, I have a theory.
I think those pecan pie bites might have been their long-lost relatives.
I have absolutely no proof.
Just my taste buds and a very suspicious feeling.
Thankfully, the sundae also had vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce.
And really, how badly can you mess up vanilla ice cream and butterscotch?
Those two ingredients did most of the heavy lifting.
The pecan pie bites were just along for the ride.
Worst Desserts: Everything Else.
Oh, dear.
Where do I even begin?
Actually, that's the problem.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY TASTED LIKE.
And I ate them!
That's how completely forgettable these desserts were.
Nothing stood out.
Nothing surprised me.
Nothing made me want another bite.
They were all just... blah.
Even the strawberry cheesecake, which should have been a perfectly respectable dessert, was merely okay.
Not terrible.
Not delicious.
Just there.
And for someone who takes dessert as seriously as I do, that might be the greatest disappointment of all.
I can remember spectacular desserts.
I can remember horrible desserts.
Apparently, I can even remember desserts that tasted like sunscreen.
But these?
Nothing.
My taste buds have absolutely no recollection of the evening.
When the best dessert of the night wins simply because it has vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce, you know it's been a rough night in the dessert department.
Dinner #11: Enchanted Garden
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Desserts: Forest Berry Sundae and Crème Brûlée Cheesecake!
Now THIS is what a sundae should taste like!
The Forest Berry Sundae was absolutely delicious.
The mixed berry compote was bursting with flavor, and paired with the vanilla ice cream?
PERFECTION.
The berries brought all that wonderful fruity flavor, the vanilla ice cream added just the right amount of creaminess, and everyone got along beautifully.
No strange combinations. No mysterious ingredients. No ice cream that tasted like sunscreen.
Just a wonderful sundae doing exactly what a wonderful sundae should do.
And then there was the Crème Brûlée Cheesecake.
Oh, my goodness.
CRÈME BRÛLÉE AND CHEESECAKE!
Two magnificent desserts decided to join forces.
And I am so glad they did.
It was so delicious that I ate the entire thing.
Every. Single. Bite.
Who knew that crème brûlée would become one of my great loves on this cruise?
I certainly didn't.
But here we are.
At this point, I think I've eaten enough crème brûlée to qualify for some sort of honorary membership in the Crème Brûlée Appreciation Society.
And now I have a problem.
I need to find this cheesecake somewhere on land.
Because I cannot possibly book another transatlantic cruise every time I want crème brûlée cheesecake.
Although...
No. That's ridiculous.
Probably.
Worst Dessert: Coconut Rice Pudding
Disney.
Please.
I'm begging you.
STOP WITH THE COCONUT.
We have discussed this.
Repeatedly.
The coconut ice cream was terrible. The coconut desserts have been disappointing. And now we've moved on to coconut rice pudding.
And guess what?
I still don't like it.
But wait!
Remember that strawberry-lime salsa from earlier in the cruise?
The one that didn't seem to belong with anything?
IT WAS BACK!
Apparently, Disney was determined to give this salsa another chance.
Unfortunately, it still didn't go with the dessert.
And then, just when I thought things couldn't get any stranger, there were fried rice noodles on top.
Fried.
Rice.
Noodles.
On my pudding.
I'm sorry, but WHY?
They looked strange. They were awkward to eat. And I couldn't figure out what they were supposed to contribute to the experience.
Was I supposed to break them apart?
Eat them with the pudding?
Use them to build a tiny nest?
I genuinely didn't know.
The whole dessert was a confusing collection of ingredients that didn't seem particularly interested in working together.
Thankfully, the Forest Berry Sundae and Crème Brûlée Cheesecake saved the evening.
And Disney, if you're listening, I have a suggestion.
More crème brûlée.
Less coconut.
And please find that strawberry-lime salsa a new home.
Preferably somewhere far away from my desserts.
Dinner #12: Royal Palace
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Desserts: California Grapefruit Cake, Chocolate Lava Cake, and Captain's Table Sundae!
Well, this was an unexpected turn of events!
My dinner entrées might have been terrible, but apparently, the dessert chefs decided to save the evening.
EVERY SINGLE DESSERT WAS SPECTACULAR!
And I had three absolute favorites.
Let's start with the California Grapefruit Cake.
Oh, this was lovely!
Light, delicate, and absolutely delicious.
The grapefruit glaze was the real star. I could actually taste the grapefruit, and it had that perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Not too sweet.
Not too sour.
Just wonderful.
And then there was the Chocolate Lava Cake.
The complete opposite of the grapefruit cake.
Rich. Dense. Intensely chocolatey.
Everything I want in a chocolate dessert.
And here's where things got really exciting.
I started alternating bites.
One bite of the light, delicate grapefruit cake.
One bite of the rich, decadent chocolate lava cake.
Back to the grapefruit.
Back to the chocolate.
IT WAS MAGNIFICENT.
These two cakes had absolutely nothing in common, and somehow, they were the perfect dessert companions.
I had accidentally created my own little dessert tasting experience.
And I was very proud of myself.
But wait!
We cannot forget the Captain's Table Sundae.
Because guess who made another appearance?
MY BELOVED MINT ICE CREAM!
For the THIRD time!
At this point, I was beginning to think the mint ice cream was following me around the ship.
And I was perfectly fine with that.
But this sundae had something the earlier mint sundaes were missing.
CRUNCH!
The dry meringues were absolutely perfect.
They added that wonderful crispy texture that I had been begging for.
Finally!
Someone understood that ice cream needs a little crunch.
Mint ice cream, delicious toppings, and crispy meringues.
I was in dessert heaven.
Worst Desserts: NONE!
That's right.
Not a single one.
No strange coconut creations.
No suspiciously soggy crumbles.
No desserts that tasted like sunscreen.
No ingredients fighting for attention.
Every dessert was wonderful.
EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
And considering how disappointing my actual dinner had been, this was quite the turnaround.
I went from wondering why I had bothered ordering dinner to wondering whether it was socially acceptable to ask for another round of desserts.
Honestly, I should have skipped the entrées and gone straight to the good stuff.
Sometimes dinner is a disaster, but dessert comes riding in to save the entire evening.
And on this night, dessert deserved a standing ovation.
All of it.
Especially the mint ice cream.
Dinner #13: Animator's Palate
Desserts:
Clearly Maggie's Thoughts:
Best Dessert: The Rocky Mountain Sundae!
Our final dinner aboard the Disney Dream.
Our final dessert.
And what a wonderful way to end thirteen nights of eating!
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SUNDAE!
Rocky road ice cream.
Roasted marshmallows.
Chocolate wafers.
Fudge sauce.
OH. MY. GOODNESS.
This sundae had EVERYTHING!
My beloved rocky road ice cream was back, and this time it brought all its friends.
The roasted marshmallows were wonderful. The chocolate wafers added that perfect crunch. And the fudge sauce?
Well, everything is better with fudge sauce.
It was everything I wanted in a sundae.
After thirteen nights of dessert adventures, Disney had saved one of the very best for last.
A perfect sundae. A perfect spoon. A very happy Maggie.
Worst Dessert: Chocolate Decadence
Now, Disney.
We need to discuss the word decadence.
Because when you put that word in the name of a chocolate dessert, I have expectations.
BIG expectations.
This dessert promised bitter chocolate crème, truffle crème, and chocolate sauce.
Three different chocolate components!
THREE!
Surely, this was going to be a rich, intensely chocolatey masterpiece.
Right?
Wrong.
WHERE WAS THE CHOCOLATE?
I mean, technically, there was chocolate.
But where was the FLAVOR?
Where was the richness?
Where was the decadence?
I kept waiting for that wonderful, deep chocolate flavor to make an appearance.
It never did.
Instead, I got a perfectly ordinary, mildly chocolatey cake.
It wasn't terrible.
It wasn't spectacular.
It was just... okay.
And I'm sorry, but you cannot call something Chocolate Decadence and then serve me a dessert that tastes like it's afraid of chocolate.
THAT IS FALSE ADVERTISING.
I wanted a chocolate explosion.
I got a polite chocolate suggestion.
Thankfully, the Rocky Mountain Sundae more than made up for it.
And honestly, after thirteen nights of desserts, I couldn't have asked for a better ending.
Well, except maybe another Rocky Mountain Sundae.
With extra fudge.
And my favorite spoon.
Obviously.
Clearly Maggie’s Advice 🚢
Here's something I wish more people knew about Disney Cruise Line dining.
You are not limited to ordering just one dessert.
Can't decide between the chocolate cake and the sundae? Order both. Curious about something you've never tried? Give it a chance. You can even ask your server for recommendations.
And if you love sundaes as much as I do, ask whether they have a long sundae spoon available. I can't promise they'll find one, but it never hurts to ask.
Most importantly, get to know your dining team. Disney Cruise Line's rotational dining means your servers travel with you from restaurant to restaurant, learning your preferences along the way. Don't be afraid to mention the little things that would make your meals more enjoyable.
Sometimes those little things become your favorite cruise memories.
And please, don't leave the best bite of your sundae at the bottom of the dish.
That would be tragic.
But Wait! What About Dinner?
Before I ate my way through 65 desserts, there were 13 nights of actual dinners! Some were magnificent. Some were questionable. And a few sent me straight to the pizza counter.
Want to know what we really ate? Read 13 Nights, 13 Menus: What We Really Ate on the Disney Dream for the complete dinner adventure!
