Magic Kingdom with NCL

[Xpto]

Hi,

I'll be in Breakaway on 29th of March with my family. We were two times in Miami but never gone to Orlando. The first stop of our cruise is Port Canaveral. My daughter, age 8, wants to go to Magic Kingdom park. I know we'll be on a Spring Break weekend, the park will be 8/10 full, won't have much time in the park, the price is very high, but... it's a "unique" opportunity to go to Disney because I don't know when I'll back in Florida. I'm planning to go with NCL to have the peace of mind of don't think in traffic/delays.

 

 

So, can anyone tell me how it's was its experience in the park leaving Port Canaveral in a shore excursion? Advices to have a better experience?

 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide us.

[jbonwater]

If you go, highly recommend your family have lunch at Cinderella's Castle. Your eight year old daughter will love it. You can reserve and buy tickets online at Walt Disney World website. Suggest you reserve as soon as possible.

 

It will be a very tiring day but one your daughter will remember for a long time.

 

jbonwater

[happy cruzin]

If you go, highly recommend your family have lunch at Cinderella's Castle. Your eight year old daughter will love it. You can reserve and buy tickets online at Walt Disney World website. Suggest you reserve as soon as possible.

 

 

 

It will be a very tiring day but one your daughter will remember for a long time.

 

 

 

jbonwater

 

 

Agreed! We did the Cinderella breakfast when my nieces were young and in all the princess stuff.

 

Quite an experience - we still talk about our breakfast with "Cindi and her friends" almost 20 years later!!

 

 

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[aquarianne11]

Hi,

I'll be in Breakaway on 29th of March with my family. We were two times in Miami but never gone to Orlando. The first stop of our cruise is Port Canaveral. My daughter, age 8, wants to go to Magic Kingdom park. I know we'll be on a Spring Break weekend, the park will be 8/10 full, won't have much time in the park, the price is very high, but... it's a "unique" opportunity to go to Disney because I don't know when I'll back in Florida. I'm planning to go with NCL to have the of don't think in traffic/delays.

 

 

So, can anyone tell me how it's was its experience in the park leaving Port Canaveral in a shore excursion? Advices to have a better experience?

 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide us.

 

 

My family love Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney World (WDW). As you have already mentioned, the price of the excursion is very high and you will have very little time in the park. If you are okay with that, then I think the ship sponsored excursion is the way to go for peace of mind.

 

Port Canaveral is about 60 miles away from WDW. So be prepared to sit in the bus for about 1 hour each way. Maybe more depending on the traffic.

 

We have a 7 year old daughter. We have never done the excursion from NCL, but we go to Disney almost every year, including last July (summer and very crowded). We will be back again this December (Christmas Week).

 

Check out the map/layout of the park and prioritize the rides and attractions that you want to do. Magic Kingdom has a lot of rides to choose from. Some are not as busy as the others.

 

FastPass+ is very helpful. You can get 3 FastPass+ as soon as you get in the park. You can obtain more FastPass+ reservations once you've used your first set or once their reservation times have expired (whichever comes first).

 

Get a free APP to check the wait times. Undercover Tourist Disney Wait Times

 

Bring lots of patience and have fun! Hope this helps.

[garycarla]

You are trying to jam a multi day experience into a short day. If you go, make it worthwhile.

 

- understand the park layout in advance.

 

- avoid going into shops and spending time just looking at stuff. You can do that at home.

 

- get past Main St as quick as you can. Even if you never went on a ride, the park is so big and so much to see....

[bangzoom6877]

We go to disney World every other year (but we drive down, never gone on a cruise). Buy your tickets in advance from undercover tourist. You will get the best prices from them, and they are completely legitimate. You really have to be careful of who you buy tickets from. We've been buying them from UT for years now and it's always been great. They will ship the tickets to your home for free as soon as you buy them. And you can book the transportation only option to get to the parks, through the cruise line.

 

Second step is to create a My Disney Experience account online, on the official Disney World website. It is free. 180 days before you plan to be at Magic Kingdom, you need to book any table service dining you would like, especially if you can Cinderella's Royal Table inside the castle. This is a pre-paid meal by the way, but other table service restaurants at Magic Kingdom are just a credit card guarantee.

 

Then, once you get your tickets, you link them to your account. 30 days before you are at Magic Kingdom, you can reserve 3 Fastpass+ rides. That means that you can reserve the time you want to go on a ride 30 days in advance, which is very useful for this sort of thing since you won't be arriving at park opening time. You decide which rides and when, but the times must be at least an hour apart for each of your selections. You have a 1-hour window to get to your ride or attraction once the time comes that you reserved the fastpass+. For example, if you reserved Peter Pan for 2:00, you have to ride it between 2:00 and 3:00 with your fastpass+. They are very strict with return times since it is all done by machine. In addition, you cannot reserve a fastpass+ twice in the same day for the same ride...so for example you cannot reserve Space Mountain twice in one day. It has to be 3 different rides. Once you use up your third fastpass+ of the day you may reserve another one at one of the kiosks in the park.

 

So yes, this is completely do-able but your 180-day mark is coming very soon when you will be able to book any dining you wish to do. The online booking begins at 6am at the 180-day mark, or 7am for the telephone booking (I always take advantage of the earlier hour and do online booking for dining). So if you wish to dine inside the castle, you need to make that decision right away as it books up very quickly due to popularity and the fact that it is small inside.

 

Sorry this is so long a reply, but feel free to ask if you have any more questions. Every other year we spend 10 nights at Disney World and I do a lot of detailed planning for every trip. So I know a lot about it! :)

[bangzoom6877]

Oh one more thing...we always save any trips to the gift shops and the shops on Main Street for the end of our day at the park. We always ride the rides first to avoid longer lines. The stores will always be open!

 

Oh and ...try a Dole Whip, they're very good! (Pineapple soft serve at the Aloha Isle kiosk in adventureland). ;)

[Sauer-kraut]

They will ship the tickets to your home for free as soon as you buy them. And you can book the transportation only option to get to the parks, through the cruise line.

:)

 

This might not be the case as the OP is in Portugal and that company might not mail them free of charge.

[bangzoom6877]

This might not be the case as the OP is in Portugal and that company might not mail them free of charge.

 

Ahh, very good point.

 

The tickets could also be booked directly through Disney though and linked to the My Disney Experience account so that the OP could enjoy the benefits of fastpass+.

[dizneydawn]

There is no savings on a one day, one park ticket, so no advantage to buy from undercover tourist. If u purchase the ticket in advance, make sure it is a Magic Kingdom ticket. They are a different ticket from the other three parks now.

[SuiteTraveler]

As a tip to get the most out of your day, on entering the park, it is best to head towards Liberty Square first. For some reason, most people tend to head towards Tomorrowland or Fantasyland first and ride what is closest. If you head towards the Haunted Mansion around the time the park first opens, there is usually almost no line at all. Then work your way back going on rides as you come across them getting fast passes if there is a line. Here is the map of the park so you can plan your day:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/map/#/id=new-fantasyland/

Here is a list of all the experiences inside the park for more planning help - this site will allow you to choose what to do based on your daughter's age:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/entertainment/magic-kingdom/

 

If you need anything such as aspirin or anti-diarrhea medicine while in the park, many of the Disney shops carry these items, often hidden behind the counter.

 

Cinderella's Royal Table is the restaurant inside Cinderella's castle. Another special restaurant to consider is the "Be Our Guest" restaurant which is inside Beast's Enchanted Castle in the new Fantasyland area - it's quick service at lunch. There are 3 rooms to dine in representing rooms in Beast's castle. Each room is unique and the attention to detail will make you feel like you are in the movie. You get to choose where you want to eat. If your excursion is long enough, you may even be able to have an early dinner here as it opens at 4pm.

 

 

If you look on YouTube, every attraction at Disneyworld including the rides, shows, parades and restaurants have been videod and you can preview the attractions to see what would be the best ones for your daughter.

[Mikkar]

The Breakaway usually doesn't get to Port Canaveral until noon so you won't arrive at the Magic Kingdom until after 1:00, so you won't have the advantage of early arrival at the park. Definitely book fastpasses but I wouldn't book anything before 2:00 because it takes a while to get into the park and to the attraction after arrival.

We go to Disney every year and we're not early risers, so we don't usually get to the parks until after noon, but the new fastpasses have made it very easy to get on the most popular rides.

[philatiger]

The OP is planning to purchase the NCL excursion which includes transportation and the ticket. So buying the ticket from UT or direct from disney is not an option unless they want to purchase tickets and get to the park themselves.

 

Fast Pass plus only works if you have a ticket number to tie to the fast pass and my Disney experience. Not sure if NCL can provide the ticket number in advance to be able to reserve a FP. Getting to the park so late will greatly limit the fast pass options. They will be able to make dining reservations ahead of time.

[bangzoom6877]

The OP is planning to purchase the NCL excursion which includes transportation and the ticket. So buying the ticket from UT or direct from disney is not an option unless they want to purchase tickets and get to the park themselves.

 

Fast Pass plus only works if you have a ticket number to tie to the fast pass and my Disney experience. Not sure if NCL can provide the ticket number in advance to be able to reserve a FP. Getting to the park so late will greatly limit the fast pass options. They will be able to make dining reservations ahead of time.

 

Yes, but doesn't NCL have a transportation only option to get to the parks? Then the OP could purchase tickets in advance through Disney and link them to the My Disney Experience account in order to be able to make fastpass+ selections 30 days in advance. Does NCL not have the option to just purchase the transportation without a park ticket any more?

[Linny13]

We did this tour option last July on the Gem with my 2 year old grandson, daughter and son-in law and husband.

 

It was a VERY VERY expensive day for about a total of about 5 hours in the park!!! I think it was over $700!!:eek:,

 

.......BUT....it was worth every $$$ when I saw my grandsons face when he met Mickey Mouse for the first time! PRICELESS!!:D

 

You will probably not get into the park before 2 pm (disembark ship, 1 hour drive, arrive transportation center, pick up monorail, p/u stroller??) Don't forget you also have to eat during those 5 hours, so really not a lot of time to wait on lines and go on rides.....try to plan ahead as much as possible!!:)

 

Have fun! It is magical!

[brikee]

Thanks all for the details!

[Xpto]

Hi,

Thanks to all good advices you give me. That's the reason I always came to CC to prepare my cruises.

 

 

As I told before I never been on Disney, so I don't know how the process of online tickets works. They send the tickets home or I need to print a voucher and pick the tickets on park?

 

 

My first option was to buy the shore excursion with the entrance, but like you said if I buy with NCL I can't book online the Fastpass, and like NCL has one shore excursion that only includes the transfer probably that's the best choice. If I book with NCL, how that works? They give me the MK tickets in the bus? When we arrive to the park, I think that all shore excursions let the passengers on the transportation center and after that we need to catch the monorail. That's correct? If so, it's the same, buying the tickets online or with NCL, and then I can book the fastpass!

[bangzoom6877]

Hi,

Thanks to all good advices you give me. That's the reason I always came to CC to prepare my cruises.

 

 

As I told before I never been on Disney, so I don't know how the process of online tickets works. They send the tickets home or I need to print a voucher and pick the tickets on park?

 

 

My first option was to buy the shore excursion with the entrance, but like you said if I buy with NCL I can't book online the Fastpass, and like NCL has one shore excursion that only includes the transfer probably that's the best choice. If I book with NCL, how that works? They give me the MK tickets in the bus? When we arrive to the park, I think that all shore excursions let the passengers on the transportation center and after that we need to catch the monorail. That's correct? If so, it's the same, buying the tickets online or with NCL, and then I can book the fastpass!

 

I'm not sure if Disney sends you the tickets, or if you have to pick them up when you get to the park. The website should have instructions for you.

 

If the cruise line transportation drops you off at the Disney World Transportation and Ticket Center, then yes, you would have to take either the monorail or the boat to get to Magic Kingdom. The boat ride is slower, I would go with the monorail to get there. If you have enough time though at the end of your day, try to take the boat. It's a beautiful ride, just slower than the monorail.

 

Also take a look on the Disney World website for all the attractions, so you could prioritize what you want to ride and see. There are rides, shows and character meet & greets available with fastpass+ but you could also meet the characters at a character meal. They have one at the castle with the princesses, and one at a really good restaurant called Crystal Palace, with the Winnie the Pooh characters. If you want to meet Mickey there, you would have to go to a character meet & greet and I suggest a fastpass+ for that since the standby line will be very long. If meeting mickey is not important to your group, you could just use your 3 fastpass+ selections for 3 of the popular rides that tend to have a long wait (Peter Pan, Space Mountain, splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, 7 Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster which had the longest wait within 30 minutes of park opening when we went in July!).

[jenny105]

I love Disney and I don't want to be a debbie downer but we did this excursion last year and it wasn't worth it. By the time you get inside the park you have maybe about 5-6 hours to enjoy it before you have to make your way back to the port again. IMO, during the time of year you're traveling, that's not enough time at all especially if you've never been there before. I don't think you'll be able to utilize Fastpass+ in advance because you won't get your ticket until you board the bus. If you wish to use it, buy tickets somewhere else, and just book the transportation to the park through NCL.

 

If you're set on going go to http://www.wdwinfo.com or http://www.allears.net They are head & shoulders above the Disney World site with all of the information that is available. http://www.easywdw.com is great too because they have a crowd calendar and touring plans for the park which may be helpful to you.

Edited September 22, 2014 by jenny105

[hencoll]

I love Disney and I don't want to be a debbie downer but we did this excursion last year and it wasn't worth it. By the time you get inside the park you have maybe about 5-6 hours to enjoy it before you have to make your way back to the port again. IMO, during the time of year you're traveling, that's not enough time at all especially if you've never been there before. I don't think you'll be able to utilize Fastpass+ in advance because you won't get your ticket until you board the bus. If you wish to use it, buy tickets somewhere else, and just book the transportation to the park through NCL.

 

If you're set on going go to http://www.wdwinfo.com or http://www.allears.net They are head & shoulders above the Disney World site with all of the information that is available. http://www.easywdw.com is great too because they have a crowd calendar and touring plans for the park which may be helpful to you.

 

I have to agree with the post above. We are big WDW fans and visit at least once a year. We are on the Breakaway cruise the week before you and I'm not planning to set foot in any of the theme parks. Both of our weeks fall during prime Spring Break season. The parks will be packed... wall to wall people. Not enjoyable at all especially if it's your first visit.

 

As others stated the only way to make it worthwhile would be if you can get your ticket in advance and make your 3 FP+ options ahead of time. At least that will guarantee you 3 attractions. Maybe consider booking a character meal at the 180 day mark to avoid wasting time standing in the long character lines.

[bangzoom6877]

I have to agree with the post above. We are big WDW fans and visit at least once a year. We are on the Breakaway cruise the week before you and I'm not planning to set foot in any of the theme parks. Both of our weeks fall during prime Spring Break season. The parks will be packed... wall to wall people. Not enjoyable at all especially if it's your first visit.

 

As others stated the only way to make it worthwhile would be if you can get your ticket in advance and make your 3 FP+ options ahead of time. At least that will guarantee you 3 attractions. Maybe consider booking a character meal at the 180 day mark to avoid wasting time standing in the long character lines.

 

I agree with this. If you could make fastpass+ selections, then it makes it a lot more worth going. There will also be some attractions that usually don't have a very long line for them. The websites that the above posted mentioned are really great for planning. And they're free! They also have restaurant menus and other tips besides just the best order of doing the attractions.

 

We are also huge fans of WDW and we go every other year. The times we went on the Bahamas/Florida cruise, we didn't even get off the ship. We enjoyed the day by the pool where there were very few people and the kids had a blast. But if it was my only chance to see WDW, I would go with purchasing the ticket on my own and just utilizing NCL's transportation.

[spiritualtraveller]

we did magic kingdom excursion last december from breakaway. got to the park about 1:30 and were told that the first bus back leaves about 7pm. the park was crowded, but we were able to ride about 5 rides and enjoyed every second. it is very pricey but we feel it's worth it. don't waste yr time with sit down meals, takes a long time. just eat anywhere quick service. in this way you can enjoy more rides/experiences. just mho. in any case, enjoy it all!!

[hencoll]

We are also huge fans of WDW and we go every other year. The times we went on the Bahamas/Florida cruise, we didn't even get off the ship. We enjoyed the day by the pool where there were very few people and the kids had a blast. But if it was my only chance to see WDW, I would go with purchasing the ticket on my own and just utilizing NCL's transportation.

 

That's exactly what we are planning to do, enjoy the ship and pools.

[ClarkBHM]

Do check to see what time the park closes. In March, it may not be an issue, but if you're travelling in the off season, they begin scaling back the park hours to sometimes close at 6 PM.

 

Our cruise out of NYC was diverted from Bermuda to the Bahamas, so we planned this at the last minute. The ship arrived on time and docked at noon. We arrived at the Transportation and Ticket Center at around 2 PM and were walking in the main gates of the Magic Kingdom at 2:30 PM. The last bus back to the ship left promptly at 8:15, so by 7:30 we were leaving the Magic Kingdom to head back towards the buses. That gave us 5 hours in the park. For our family of four, it cost almost $600 at $120/hour.

 

For us it worked out well. It was the first time our kids had been to Disney World. It happened to coincide with my daughters fifth birthday and it was a great treat for her to visit on that day. Plus, we got the Disney monkey off our back for a few more years. However, it was very expensive day for 5 hours in the park, and it's not likely something that we will repeat. Had it not been for my daughter's birthday that same day, we would have likely chosen something else and waited to visit Disney when we could stay longer.

[Nikkimouse76]

We were on the Breakaway last Dec. we rented a car and drove to downtown Disney on our on. We had a blast, and got enough of the Disney feel to be fulfilled. You could always rent a car and do a character dining at one of the Disney properties? Best of luck with your decision.

 

 

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