Thoughts on trip plans (cruise+WDW)

[DisneyDoug85]

We have our first disney cruise planned for november 12th 2018, we're also going to stay 3-4 nights in WDW. At first I was planning on staying in WDW prior to the cruise based on most peoples suggestions, now I'm considering staying after instead. Reasons being-

1) My sons 4th bday is the 16th, which would be our travel day home if we do WDW first. If we do cruise first, he'd get to spend his bday in WDW.

2) I think we'll be staying at Wilderness Lodge and we're really looking forward to seeing the Christmas decor etc for the first time. I think theres a chance the tree won't be up if we stay before the cruise (Nov 8-12th), but it should be up if we stay after (Nov 16th-20th, Thanksgiving is the 22nd).

My questions- What are your thoughts and experiences of visiting WDW before vs after your cruise? Also, I know crowds are at their busiest around Thanksgiving, would i run into that a couple days prior? Or does it start getting real bad on Thanksgiving and last throughout the weekend etc?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[LAKid53]

Thanks, ill have to look into that. I think what i could possibly do is the morning of the cruise i could use the rental car to drop off our luggage, then go back for my family and to drop the car off. That way we don't have all of our bags with us on the shuttle etc. Ok so basically you're saying to make sure that all of our names exactly match whats listed on our passports? We'll be getting our passports any day....so thats good to know.

Yes. No nicknames, etc. So it needs to be Robert Smith, not Bob Smith. And if your travel party includes step children, a letter from the custodial parent must be presented. I believe on the DCL website all this is explained in the documents section. I've read stories of guests being denied boarding due to missing parental permission forms and passport that names don't match what's listed on the reservation or the contract you also need to bring with you - the contract is filled in and completed once yiu can syart yiur online check-in 90 days before your sail date.

 

[LAKid53]

Oh, OP, one more thing. Each passenger will set up an on-board account. All expenses will be charged to this account - alcohol, purchases, gratuities. We've discovered that using a debit card as the payment method can create problems since charges can be international. My daughter discovered this when they returned from their honeymoon ship and she got stopped getting off the ship, since her bank wouldn't authorize the charges. I got the phone call since her new husband wandered off.... Fortunately he returned and handled it.

I purchased the nice DCL lanyard for each of us - it has a clear pocket in the front to slip your stateroom card it and a folding picket in the back for more ID. I put my key card in the clear plastic pocket and my passport card, a credit card and a $20 Bill in the back. I wore this everywhere onboard the ship. Your stateroom card (looks just like the old Key to the World card) also activates the power in your room - there's a slot for it by the door. So having that card handy in the lanyard was important. This is it:

Disney Cruise Line Lanyard Wallet
https://m.disneystore.com/disney-cruise-line-lanyard-wallet-1288967

 

[DisneyDoug85]

Yes. No nicknames, etc. So it needs to be Robert Smith, not Bob Smith. And if your travel party includes step children, a letter from the custodial parent must be presented. I believe on the DCL website all this is explained in the documents section. I've read stories of guests being denied boarding due to missing parental permission forms and passport that names don't match what's listed on the reservation or the contract you also need to bring with you - the contract is filled in and completed once yiu can syart yiur online check-in 90 days before your sail date.

Ok great, should be easy enough. No step children etc, so we shouldn't have to jump through any of those hoops.

Oh, OP, one more thing. Each passenger will set up an on-board account. All expenses will be charged to this account - alcohol, purchases, gratuities. We've discovered that using a debit card as the payment method can create problems since charges can be international. My daughter discovered this when they returned from their honeymoon ship and she got stopped getting off the ship, since her bank wouldn't authorize the charges. I got the phone call since her new husband wandered off.... Fortunately he returned and handled it.

I purchased the nice DCL lanyard for each of us - it has a clear pocket in the front to slip your stateroom card it and a folding picket in the back for more ID. I put my key card in the clear plastic pocket and my passport card, a credit card and a $20 Bill in the back. I wore this everywhere onboard the ship. Your stateroom card (looks just like the old Key to the World card) also activates the power in your room - there's a slot for it by the door. So having that card handy in the lanyard was important. This is it:

Disney Cruise Line Lanyard Wallet
https://m.disneystore.com/disney-cruise-line-lanyard-wallet-1288967

So kind of like the magic band when its linked to a credit card etc? We did that in WDW last year, loved the convenience of being able to purchase anything without needing to have your wallet on you. We typically use credit if were not using cash, but thanks for the tip on the debit card issues. Are these cards water proof? Or are the lanyards? Just curious what you do with the card when you are taking a dip in the pool or whatever.

 

[LAKid53]

Ok great, should be easy enough. No step children etc, so we shouldn't have to jump through any of those hoops.




So kind of like the magic band when its linked to a credit card etc? We did that in WDW last year, loved the convenience of being able to purchase anything without needing to have your wallet on you. We typically use credit if were not using cash, but thanks for the tip on the debit card issues. Are these cards water proof? Or are the lanyards? Just curious what you do with the card when you are taking a dip in the pool or whatever.

Cards are waterproof. But you can just leave them on your poolside chair. We have a beach bag that we throw our room card, ID, one of the wave phones (phone in your room that you can use all over the ship since cell phone won't work), beverages in. There's the big pool on Deck 11, several hot tubs, a teens only area pool, and an adult only area with pool and bar. We've never had a problem with stuff going missing.

 

[DisneyDoug85]

Cards are waterproof. But you can just leave them on your poolside chair. We have a beach bag that we throw our room card, ID, one of the wave phones (phone in your room that you can use all over the ship since cell phone won't work), beverages in. There's the big pool on Deck 11, several hot tubs, a teens only area pool, and an adult only area with pool and bar. We've never had a problem with stuff going missing.

Thanks! I'll have to order a couple for my wife and I. Sound like they'll come in handy!