Pre or Post Cruise Week at WDW

Hi All, it's been a very long time since I've been on Cruise Critic as we have been keeping our winter vacations strictly to WDW for the past 4 years. This past February we spent 2 weeks at the Contemporary but decided that this coming February we'd try to do a 1 week cruise and 1 week resort stay. I've already booked the Fantasy for the Feb 2/13 WC cruise and we are very excited. I can't find much information on pre or post cruise stays at the world at this point and certainly no bundled offerings. Has anyone out there done this before and if so, did you book the two separately? It's too soon for the winter 2013 deals to be offered for the resorts so it's just planning and speculation at this point.

Thanks very much for any and all insight!

Personally, I prefer to do the cruise last. Once, I did the cruise first and I didn't like it. I can't quite put my finger on exactly why, but I guess it's just nice to end a vacation on a cruise ship.

Hi All' date=' it's been a very long time since I've been on Cruise Critic as we have been keeping our winter vacations strictly to WDW for the past 4 years. This past February we spent 2 weeks at the Contemporary but decided that this coming February we'd try to do a 1 week cruise and 1 week resort stay. I've already booked the Fantasy for the Feb 2/13 WC cruise and we are very excited. I can't find much information on pre or post cruise stays at the world at this point and certainly no bundled offerings. Has anyone out there done this before and if so, did you book the two separately? It's too soon for the winter 2013 deals to be offered for the resorts so it's just planning and speculation at this point.

Thanks very much for any and all insight![/quote']

 

Disney no longer offers land/sea combos. They stopped after most people figured out they could do a better deal booking WDW and DCL separately. You can add a couple of nights pre or post cruise through DCL, but it's usually not a good deal.

 

I prefer WDW first, cruise second, also. You're on the go so much at WDW, and it's much more relaxing to cruise afterwards.

 

:)

I agree with the other posters. I have done it both ways and I am a MUCH bigger fan of cruising POST-Disney rather than pre-Disney.

It's almost like a reward after a crazy week of parks, crowds, busses, aching feet, tired children, and long lines. My step-daughter was the first to point out that my vacation began on the bus ride to Port Canaveral. :D

It takes me a couple of days to recover from a WDW vacation and I don't want to be sore and exhausted on my cruise so I'll vote for WDW after the cruise. On a cruise, I like to do everything that doesn't involve sitting out in the sun. Being tired from WDW would put a cramp in those plans. I can sleep in at home after my vacation.

I have to agree with BEFORE the cruise. I did WDW after a cruise last year and I was exhausted afterwards. I like to relax on a cruise and it would have been perfect if I could have done that. Next year we are alse doing WDW for 1 week before our 7 night Fantasy cruise. Except ours is in August.

As others said, WDW pre-cruise gets my vote! I much prefer relaxing after WDW. Also, as previously stated its better to book the two separately. We get to take advantage of free dining for our upcoming WDW trip, which we wouldn't have been able to had we booked together.

You have to book everything separately, but that's a much better deal than doing it through Disney. It's like the WDW packages: often you can save by booking room only and buying park tickets through a site like UT.

If you want convenience, you can always arrange for Disney to do your transfers. Frankly though, it would likely be cheaper to use a rental car, and since you can park free at WDW if you're a resort guest, it wouldn't add extra.

Presuming park crowding isn't a issue (obviously there are higher and lower crowd weeks at WDW) we prefer doing WDW AFTER the cruise. This is in large part because of 'cruise letdown'. Disembarking a cruise ship is one of the saddest things you will ever experience, and doubly so on DCL. Knowing that you are going to WDW really helps with that!

Second, when we are on a cruise (any cruise, not just DCL) we eat like pigs. Yeah, I admit it, I'm the multiple dessert type. :D So I always gain weight and when I get home I have to work to lose it. OTOH, a WDW vacation really burns up the calories for me. I don't eat as much when the food is no longer unlimited, and I'm go go go all day, running around and really raising my metabolism. So after WDW, by the time I get home I'm well on my way back to my normal weight!

And just so you kow I'm not blowing it out my ear... I'm putting my money where my mouth is. We're booked on the June 9 Fantasy cruise, then going to Universal Studios for 2 days and then WDW for 5 days. AFTER the cruise! ;)

If you want convenience, you can always arrange for Disney to do your transfers.

I plan to visit WDW pre-cruise and stay at one of their resorts. Can I arrange for transfers from Orlando airport to Disney resort to Disney cruise back to Orlando airport? And is that complimentary?

I plan to visit WDW pre-cruise and stay at one of their resorts. Can I arrange for transfers from Orlando airport to Disney resort to Disney cruise back to Orlando airport? And is that complimentary?

you will use magical express from mco to your disney resort that is free.

disney resort to disney cruise is 35 dollars a person and disney cruise to mco is 35 dollars a person so 70 dollars round trip.

WDW first, DCL second. You can relax from the theme parks. Either way, have fun.

Hi All' date=' it's been a very long time since I've been on Cruise Critic as we have been keeping our winter vacations strictly to WDW for the past 4 years. This past February we spent 2 weeks at the Contemporary but decided that this coming February we'd try to do a 1 week cruise and 1 week resort stay. I've already booked the Fantasy for the Feb 2/13 WC cruise and we are very excited. I can't find much information on pre or post cruise stays at the world at this point and certainly no bundled offerings. Has anyone out there done this before and if so, did you book the two separately? It's too soon for the winter 2013 deals to be offered for the resorts so it's just planning and speculation at this point.

Thanks very much for any and all insight![/quote']

 

To answer your question Disney will be releasing the 2013 summer rates at Disneyworld next month(june). Suggest you may want to use a travel agent. I too am planning a cruise and Disneyworld with my 5 grandkids. I have handed everything over to our travel agent. She is putting the package together; Air/Transportation/Hotels/Food/Cruise. Good Luck

Hi All' date=' it's been a very long time since I've been on Cruise Critic as we have been keeping our winter vacations strictly to WDW for the past 4 years. This past February we spent 2 weeks at the Contemporary but decided that this coming February we'd try to do a 1 week cruise and 1 week resort stay. I've already booked the Fantasy for the Feb 2/13 WC cruise and we are very excited. I can't find much information on pre or post cruise stays at the world at this point and certainly no bundled offerings. Has anyone out there done this before and if so, did you book the two separately? It's too soon for the winter 2013 deals to be offered for the resorts so it's just planning and speculation at this point.

Thanks very much for any and all insight![/quote']

I agree with most. Take the cruise second and end your vacation on a relaxing note. I am a Disney Vacation Club member, and honestly it was the best investment of my life. Sometimes I use points for the cruise, other times for the parks, and sometimes both. If you are a big disney fan and love the cruise as well as the park, think about DVC... you will save TONS of money over time! Have fun.

As Dvc members we have done most of our DCL cruises in the middle usually ending up and Vero Beach as its only an hours driver from the port.

We have a 4 yr old and she was going to bed after the shows but up at the crack of dawn the following day. Going for a no parks afterwards is highly recommended. We have booked the Dream for October next year are are planning 3 WDW cruise Vero, with no main parks just a water park and sea world.

We love to go on the disney cruise then completely chill at our DVC timeshare Vero beach. Love Vero Beach!:D