Pre-booking Excursions?

This is our first Disney Cruise (Woo Hoo!:D ) and I'm unsure how the excursion booking process works. I can't book them now because the web-site tells me I have to wait until the 75 day mark. So my question is this, do you book and pay right then (like Carnival and RCL) or do you just reserve and pay onboard (like Princess)? And do they sell out quickly? If we wait until onboard are the good things to do on Castaway Cay sold out?

Sorry that was more than 1 question:)

Thanks

We are first time Disney cruisers and I found that I logged in the first day I could pre-book, and was very frustrated. My biggest problem was trying to book for swim w/dolphins. If you can't get what you want the first day, I suggest checking back frequently. It seems as though space opens up at later times.

Still trying to get Palo booking though.

I think Disney doesn't charge til your onboard (best I can tell).

Also - look for the thread with first time cruiser info - lots of good tips!

Enjoy!

Excursions will get charged to your shipboard account...I believe the day of your excursion.

As for booking, some excursions will fill up fast. Cruisers in stateroom catgeories 1-3 (not sure if it includes 4?) or who have booked the romantic escape at sea package get to check-in and begin booking at 105 days. Repeat cruisers (castaway cay club) get to book at 90 days. First time cruisers just have to sit back and hope. :(

Jim

When you make your excursion reservations on-line, you'll be charged after boarding -- you get tickets for your excursions on embarkation day. If there are excursions that you really really want but are unable to get, there are a couple of things to remember -- one, keep checking back because as it gets nearer to sailing day, other passengers may cancel excursions -- they "grabbed" them on the first days and then changed their minds, or maybe DCL adds some slots. Another thing is that not all slots are made available online -- they hold some in reserve for those guests that are not able to access the DCL website. (Same for Palo reservations.)

I've found that it's a good idea to look ahead of time and put the excursions you want on your "wish list" so that when it's time to book, you have quicker access to them.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm hoping I can get the excursions that we want.

This is our first Disney Cruise (Woo Hoo!:D ) and I'm unsure how the excursion booking process works. I can't book them now because the web-site tells me I have to wait until the 75 day mark. So my question is this, do you book and pay right then (like Carnival and RCL) or do you just reserve and pay onboard (like Princess)? And do they sell out quickly? If we wait until onboard are the good things to do on Castaway Cay sold out?

 

Sorry that was more than 1 question:)

Thanks

I had no problem booking everything we wanted to do on our recent cruise, even though I had to wait until the 75 days out. The dolphin encounter did sell out though. Castaway Cay has lots and lots to do, plenty of floats, bikes, snorkel gear, etc. We enjoyed the Stingrays and especially parasailing. There are plenty of lounge chairs at Castaway Cay, no need to hurry off the ship and run to the beach like a couple of people we saw did - remember, it's Disney and they take good care of your wants and wishes! We did the catamaran sail and reef snorkel at Nassau and highly recommend it. Good luck, it will all work out! You also don't pay until your cruise!