Midship Detective Agency on the Disney Dream
My family and I recently sailed on the Disney Dream and we have been in a deep Disney depression from the minute we debarked. There were so many things we absolutely loved about our cruise, from the activities to the character interactions to the kids’ clubs to the dining to the outstanding service…I can go on and on! There was really something for everyone onboard! Along with my husband, 10-year old son, and 2-year old daughter, I was traveling with my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I can confidently say that no one was ever bored or left wondering what to do! In fact, every morning, I would knock on the connecting door between our staterooms to inform everyone of all the activities we were going to try to get to that day! My father-in-law would joke with me asking if they were allowed a bathroom break or if that would throw off our schedule! I guess I could allow that…
One of the activities that everyone in our party took part in and really loved was the Midship Detective Agency! There are 2 registration kiosks onboard. Head to either Deck 2 or Deck 5 (Midship, hence the name) and you will be able to register to become a detective, get your badge, choose a case to solve, and get a map. There are 3 cases to choose from: The Case of the Plundered Paintings, The Case of the Missing Puppies and The Case of the Stolen Props. Once you decide which case you want to start with and you have your badge in hand, you will “register” the badge and watch the on-screen directions telling you exactly how to play and what to look for.
Throughout the ship there are enchanted paintings, which may look like ordinary paintings, but when activated by your detective badge, they come to life and give you important details regarding your case! You may be given clues about the suspects or you may find an item that was missing. Any information you are given should be written down on your map, so that you can go back to your notes later. With each clue, you are one step closer to solving the mystery and figuring out which suspect committed the crime!
The paintings are spread throughout the ship, so get ready to do some serious walking! It doesn’t matter what order you visit the paintings because your progress is saved in your badge’s code. So if you don’t want to run back and forth, take a minute to look at the map and strategically head to the paintings in the same part of the ship. For example, go to the paintings that are all “aft” and use the stairs to get to the next deck. Once you finish with those, head “midship” and do the same, then finally make your way “forward.”
Not only is it so magical to watch the paintings come to life, it is a great family activity that continues even in between finding clues. We started one and didn’t do the whole case in one shot. So, while we weren’t actively looking for clues, we would talk about who we thought committed the crime and why.
People of all ages were playing: kids, teenagers, parents, grandparents! That’s one of the greatest things about Disney…everyone can be a kid- no need to grow up!
In our travel party, not everyone did all the cases and not everyone did all parts…but that was fine! My son and I were the tried and true detectives of the group. We solved all 3 cases and would’ve done them again if only we had more time!
The best part about all of this is that you can play each case multiple times and get a different solution each time! Just be sure to reuse your detective badge, so that it sets up a different scenario for you!
Which would do you think you would start with?
-
The Case of the Plundered Paintings
Help Mickey, Donald and Goofy find the paintings that have been stolen from the ship! Follow the clues along the way to figure out which suspect is guilty! Which one of your favorite villains did it? Was it Maleficent, Cruella De Vil, Evil Queen, Captain Hook, Jafar, Dr. Facilier, or Yzma? Once you are ready to solve the mystery, the enchanted painting will take you through the villain’s stateroom to see if you are correct!
-
The Case of the Missing Puppies
The Dalmation puppies are missing! Roger and Pongo need your help! Help Mickey gather clues, find the puppies and solve this mystery! Maleficent, Cruella De Vil, Evil Queen, Captain Hook, Jafar, Dr. Facilier, and Yzma seem to be behind this one, too! I know, you are all thinking that it has to be Cruella De Vil…just remember, this is Disney and anything is possible! Make your guess and check their stateroom through the enchanted painting to see if you are right!
-
The Case of the Stolen Props
This time, Kermit and Pepe need your help! Props for the Muppets’ show they have been rehearsing are gone! Since the show must go on, they are asking all detectives to help solve this mystery. Not only will you be visiting the enchanted paintings, but there are several other spots on the ship that will help you solve the crime! Keep your eyes open and be sure to stop by Pepe’s room- there are so many clues on his door! Everyone is a suspect in this one: Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, Sam Eagle, Gonzo, Camilla, Rowlf, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Lew Zealand, Swedish Chef, Beauregard, Bobo, Rizzo, and Statler & Waldorf. So whodunnit? You’ll have to play to find out!
I absolutely know that this will be on our itinerary again for our next cruise! It’s truly a fun activity for the whole family…but can we really expect anything less from Disney?
Kathryn Finkelstein
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner – Platinum Level
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-844-MICKEY-0 (direct)
1-203-982-8961 (cell)
kfinkelstein@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
Click here to join my Facebook page!