Interested in Cruise... Need Help Booking

WendyTinkerbell

WendyTinkerbell

Active Member
Original Poster
Hello,

So, I'm going to WDW in May for my 10th anniversary. I was going to add an additional night on to that trip, but at $600 for the additional night, I thought I would look into adding a cruise to the reservation instead.

There is a cruise on the Dream before the stay or a cruise on the Magic after. I don't know which would be better. I was also looking for some assistance in booking the cruise, as I am very comfortable with everything WDW, I have never done a Disney Cruise before.

Thanks!
Wendy
 
EOD K9

EOD K9

Well-Known Member
Tammy aka @Disneyfalcon is our resident guru travel agent. She can be a huge assistance. In reference to which is better, that is a tough call.
The upside of a cruise before the stay is that you get off of the ship and are still immersed in the magic. Your vacation doesn't end when you go back through the terminal. The downside is that you get hit with reality and that you now have to pay for food, stand on line, etc. IMO, the cruise is the new standard for how Disney should operate. The parks can be hectic after relaxing at sea.
The downside of a cruise after, is that when everyone's vacation ends, so does yours. However, you should be able to just get off the ship fully relaxed and not have to worry about being a park commando. I've done land first then sea. I have also done sea only while staying on property but not doing the parks. That let us continue the fun but gradually easing us back to normal life. Hope that helps.
 
DisSplash

DisSplash

Well-Known Member
This will be something where you will just have to weigh your pros and cons. But I will share my personal experience in this area. We just did a 4-Night Dream Cruise last month and followed it up with 3 days at the parks, for many of the reasons noted in the above post (did not want things to end, and it was an add-on surprise for the kids). I think if we ever combine them again, we would flip it. First, while none of us felt any motion sickness at all while on the ship, about 2 hours after disembarking, and right about when we arrived at the WL, we all started to feel a little sea-leggy (wobbly on our feet). This lasted into the morning hours of the next day (despite some Dramamine that first evening). Then I think my kids must have picked something up on the cruise --- my DD was up all night each night coughing and my son had some weird 24-hour virus thing that cut our 1st park day at HS short (he was in bed at 4:00 pm that night, but thankfully was loads better the next day). Of course they both swore that they were absolutely 100% fine when I suggested we throw in the towel and go home that first day, so we played it all out and ended up with 2 fairly nice days at MK and EPCOT. But all in all, and while I am sure there are plenty of people who successfully tack on the parks after the cruise, given the physical after-effects we experienced, we think parks first, cruise second would be the way to go for us next time.

Of course, since you have your choice of two different ships, your decision may end up being driven by which ship piques your interest the most. Our Dream cruise was our first, and I absolutely fell in love with that ship. But I have heard that people are very impressed and happy with the refurbishments on the Magic so ..... check them both out and see what you prefer!

But I do agree that when faced with a $600 charge for 1 night in the hotel, a cruise is a very smart alternative! :)

Good luck!
 
Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
For $600 a night for a hotel room, I'd definitely go for the cruise. They're incredible vacations. The FAQ thread at the top of the forum will help some. And ask questions here. We love to talk cruising! :)
 

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