Make a Wish

[sealuber]

The Make a Wish Foundation has chosen my son age 12, to grant his wish. He wants to go on a Disney Cruise. We have only cruised once on NCL to Alaska. My question to everyone that is a Disney Cruiser is, Which itinarary is the best to go on? My 9 year old daughter and husband will also be going. Any comments and feedback will be apperciated. We will be cruising this summer once my husband gets home from deployment.

Is the ship very wheelchair accessible? What are their kids programs like? What can we expect from a 7 day cruise?

Thank you very much,

Liza & family

Future disney cruisers

[nelfamily]

My, 9 at the time, son was also granted a Make A Wish and he wanted to do the cruise too. We did the four day cruise to Nassau and Castaway Cay. We had asked for the 7 day cruise and were informed they only gave 4 day cruises because of the cost of the 7 day. We had already exceeded the usual wish amount with just the four day, so we were grateful with whatever we got. He no longer needed his wheelchair when we sailed, but the ship is very wheelchair accessible.

 

The kids clubs are incredible and it was hard to get them to leave because they were having too much fun. The crew were awesome with the kids. We had been informed that our son wouldn't be able to have an onboard "aide"- that they wouldn't cater to him, but once he got to the club he won over one of the crew members and they were inseparable from that point on. The one crew member that was great was Colin. He works/worked at Guest Services, on the Wonder, and he was the one that set up all the Make A Wish stuff onboard. My son got little gifts in the cabin when we arrived, and each day after, which were totally unexpected, and we got to do a private meeting with Capt Mickey the same day as we were at Castaway Cay with the other Make a Wish families onboard that cruise.

 

We were also given a generous excursion credit onboard the ship. We were under the impression that if we didn't spend it all it would go to waste (we'd never cruised before) so we overbooked our shore excursions. It felt like we were running from one thing to the next. We definately learned our lesson the hard way, and know which ones to choose again on our next cruise and which to leave behind.

 

If you have any more questions, just ask.

[sealuber]

Thank you for your reply :) We are meeting with the Make a Wish people on Thursday. I know that he has his heart set on a 7 day cruise. We live in WA state and its such a far way to travel for 4 days. He was also thinking of going to Europe. I would love to do it on disney but their cruises are soooooooooo expensive and don't return there until 2010. My son needs his wheelchair on long excursions. He can walk but he had a hard time walking the ship this summer. We did take his chair and he found himself using it more than what we thought he would.

Did they fly you out the same day? or where you there pre-cruise? Do they also pay for your gratuties? I am just greatful for this opportunity.

Liza

[nelfamily]

We flew out of Boise the day before we sailed. The flight was supposed to be down to Phoenix then to Orlando but we were sent to Chicago instead. Chicago doesn't bother me at all. Been there several times and I actually like the airport. It's almost impossible to get lost in the Chicago airport. Anywho, we landed in Orlando at night very tired from the day. The Orlando airport is amazing. We went from the airport to a mall to the Hyatt and didn't leave the building. We stayed over night at the Hyatt and the next morning we had our luggage out side our room ready for pick-up while we ate breakfast. We got back to the room to gather up our carry-on stuff and wandered around the mall until we decided to get on the shuttle to head for the port.

 

Gratuities were taken care of by Make A Wish.

 

I'll post up again if I can think of anything else that may be helpfull to you. Enjoy your cruise.

[cruiserbryce]

My favorite itinerary that DCL sails has been the West Carib, but if you have to go with the 4 day you will not be disapointed

[nelfamily]

Ditto to cruiserbryce. You won't be disappointed with a 4 day. The only disappointment is that it ends. There was MORE than enough to do each day without even leaving the ship. One thing you don't have to worry about is any expenses regarding the travel. They provided gas to get to the airport, a hotel room the night before we flew out, a GENEROUS food allowance for both days traveling to and from the cruise. Then they added on the excursions, souvenir money, etc. We had more than enough to do whatever we wanted to do. We actually added to the tip envelopes that were provided for the staff because they had paid just the minimum to them and we felt they were worth more. Needless to say by the time you added up the travel, cruise, and extras our son's wish was twice the usual amount that they spend per child. We weren't disappointed in the least.

 

By all means ask for a few different things. He can always make up his mind once he sees what his options are, and what he really wants to do. If he doesn't care about it being a Disney cruise then they may just give him the trip to Europe on a different line for the same amount that Disney charges. We just really wanted the Disney experience for our family.

[sealuber]

I have been reading the boards for a while and I see that there is no experience like a Disney one. I will let everyone know how it turns out after we talk to them on Thursday. Thank you everyone for your feedback.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

If you are offered a 7 day the sidwalks and roads on the Western are better equipped for wheel chairs than on the Eastern. which is something to consider.

We love the ports on the Eastern better but the sidwalks are in better shape on the Western.

 

if you do a 4 day and stop at Nassau some of the sidewalks there are not wheel chair friendly, so watch your step. They have a lot of pot holes, cracks and no ramps on the corners to cross the streets with.

 

If you go to the side where Atlantis is the sidewalks are very nice. It is more modern there.

[gatour]

My thoughts exactly "Mom". Especially now that Cozumel has fixed "front street"

 

I believe castaway caye has beach wheelchairs also. The other great thing about Castaway Cay is that you dock.

[iu97alum]

My DD is getting her wish this weekend with a 4 night on the Wonder. :) I have a PTR over on the other board if you want to PM me. She isn't in a wheelchair and younger but if there's anything I can helpwith, let me know. If you DO get the cruise, I would highly recommend the Passporter for planning!!

[Mickey Moe]

The eastern docks at all ports. You don't have to tender .

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The eastern docks at all ports. You don't have to tender .

 

 

We have done several Eastern cruises and we have had to tender all but one time, so they do tender sometimes. We usually go the end of November. I dont know how the schedule works for tendering but we tendered every November and didnt tender in March one year.

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[RandomIam]

We just got back from a 7-day eastern carribean. It was the best trip we have ever taken! We have a 1 yr old and 3 yr old. We were on the Magic and the kids programs are fantastic. My son was so excited and didn't seem to ever want to leave the club. He is still talking about it every day. We did not tender in St. Croix, that was a nice stop as ships just started going back there, and the locals really did a nice job organizing a nice day in Fredricksted. We did have to tender in St. Thomas which was a bit of a pain, but the long tender line was the closest thing to a problem we had all week.

 

The kids programs are really great, we spent a lot of time in the club just watching the kids have a great time, talking with the counselors. On the Magic, Joshua was the best! He was awesome with our son, and we talked to him quite a bit. He even booked us into Palo and got our babysitting set up for us. We are going back later this year when he comes back from his vacation. All the counselors are awesome. you guys will love it.

[sealuber]

Thank you everyone for such great advice! It went great on Thurs and he wished the disney cruise. They will work on it. They put in for a 7 day cruise and hopefully we will get it. I am so excited!!! I was trying not to peek at what we are to expect but I did, We are truly a blessed family that we have been given this opportunity. Again thanks to everyone that has responded. I will update everyone on our itinary. We are suppose to go in May.

Liza and family