please help with Disney and cruise ideas???

[scorpiomum]

We live in Ireland and have never been to America so i was thinking of planning a Disney holiday and tack on a cruise to make it even more memorable (and we might need to relax after Disney)! As the airfare to the USA is so expensive for us and we may not make it back, i really want this to be a memorable trip. Kids ages are 7 and 10. So could anyone please make some suggestions for me? Not sure we would be up to driving so i would need to arrange transport to the cruise. We have been on RCI before but would be completely open to cruise suggestions. Oh and i was thinking end of October this year as the kids have a week off and i will add another week to it.

 

I really would appreciate any suggestions as i am great with med ports, but have no idea what type of cruise to go for over that side of the world.

[cb at sea]

You should look for a ship leaving from Port Canaveral....that's the closest to Disneyworld. RCI can arrange transfers for you, so you won't have to worry about driving. If you stay on a Disney property, you won't need transport there, either---they have their own shuttles to and from all the parks.

Your kids are at the PERFECT age for Disney...if they're too young, they just do "get" the magic!!!! They will have an absolute BLAST!

Port Canaveral is about 45 mins. from Orlando, Fl.

[scorpiomum]

cb at sea thank you...that gives me somewhere to start. I figured that the eldest boy wouldnt be keen in a few more years so may as well enjoy the magic now as a family.

 

we have been to disneyland paris and loved it and we love cruising so i think combining the two will be amazing. Had a quick look at Disney Cruise Line and i think they are going to be too expensive so will have to look around and see who else cruises from Port Canaveral.

[Tggrtoes]

Definitely stay at a disney property... from the contemporary you can walk to the magic kingdom and are on monorail for epcot (although contemporary is a little more expensive) but any disney property has the shuttle. Go to DisneyWorld's website... you can check out the various packages they have... sometimes it is better/cheaper to do a package - they have value resorts and mid-resorts too that are really nice.

 

As far as passes to Disney goes, I'm not sure if this will work for you in ireland, but I've had a lot of good success with purchasing passes off e-bay... lots cheaper than at the park. Also remember that there is lots to do in Orlando that is cheaper or free. Universal Studios has a theme park that is a lot of fun (they also have an actual studios you can tour, but might not be as exciting for your kids... the theme park is really fun. Wish i could remember what it's called.) if you stay at a resort that has a really nice pool area, even in October it likey will be nice enough to swim... your kids can enjoy that for the cost of your hotel stay without incurring additional charges. Sea World is also a highlight in orlando (not sure if you have one or something similar near you).

 

lots of cruise ships/lines go out of Port canaveral so you won't have any problem finding something really fun.

[isk8]

Do it!! If you could spend an entire week at Disney, that would be great. There is so much to do there. Way more than Disneyland Paris (although I did enjoy DLP!). The end of October should be a good time to go weather-wise and crowds wise. RCI Freedom of the Seas is in Port Canaveral. We are sailing her in September.

[Essiesmom]

Disney, RCI and Carnival have ships permanently homeported at Port Canaveral. NCL sometimes sails from there, or maybe they just stop in as a port call...If you don't stay on the grounds of disney World, there are many hotels nearby that have free shuttles to and from the park. EM

[scorpiomum]

Essiesmom - thanks i will look again at disney. thought it was originally too expensive but you never know, we could get lucky. RCI is familiar to us .....but we were kind of hoping for a change.

 

isk8 -i was thinking 5 - 7 nights depending on how we can manage dates etc so i am glad you said you could spend a week there easily. as for weather, we have pretty crappy weather in Ireland so i am hoping the end of October feels like summer for us over there.

 

ok i am busy researching...thanks for your input everyone. I am getting excited but not game to tell the kids until i have a plan.

[woostercruise]

If you do 5 to 7 days at Disney I would recommend taking a day in the middle to just relax and hang out at your hotel, maybe go to a park in the early evening.

 

One thing to consider if you do stay at one of the Disney resorts and don't rent a car your dining options are somewhat limited to Disney which can be expensive (although, Disney does sometimes run specials on their dining plan)

[chipmaster]

We live in Ireland and have never been to America so i was thinking of planning a Disney holiday and tack on a cruise to make it even more memorable (and we might need to relax after Disney)! As the airfare to the USA is so expensive for us and we may not make it back, i really want this to be a memorable trip. Kids ages are 7 and 10. So could anyone please make some suggestions for me? Not sure we would be up to driving so i would need to arrange transport to the cruise. We have been on RCI before but would be completely open to cruise suggestions. Oh and i was thinking end of October this year as the kids have a week off and i will add another week to it.

 

I really would appreciate any suggestions as i am great with med ports, but have no idea what type of cruise to go for over that side of the world.

 

End of Oct is a great time to be visiting Disney World as crowds will be light and thus prices and lines short :D

 

We did the Disney Cruise/World combo a longtime back. If you can afford the cost and perk of both the Micky Mouse Boat and Hotel you get some premium treatment on the seas as well as convenience of in Park Accomidations. Clearly you can also save a bundle by staying at the many off Micky rooms, but being on site means convenient interpark transportation. The themed hotels are also very timeless.

 

I'd recommend the 4 day land and 3 day cruise if they still offer it. I'd think about doing the land part first and cruise afterwards. Its a short cruise but just enough to rest up from what will likely be an exhausting 4 days at the park.

 

Of course you could do Cruise and Hotel package seperate from Micky and save a bundle with other lines.

 

Either way your kids and you would have a blast in October as the crowds during Summer/US Holidays is killer as is the heat in summer.

 

A Med cruise is also timeless depending on whether you want to make it a kids carnival or a world history, only you can decide :confused: I'd do Micky again except my two older don't hold the mouse ears to the same amazement as they once did. It is something to consider as they are young only once :mad:

 

Good luck.

[ma23peas]

Welcome to America!! How exciting for your family to take a nice break! My daughter is in love with all things Irish (we're mostly Irish decent) and she begs me for a trip to Ireland...so hopefully in a few years you can help me plan a trip to Ireland! :) We took them to England 3 years ago and we had the best time!

 

I would definitely scrimp and save to do the land/sea package...I would simply do the 4 day parks/3 night cruise...you could spend one day at each park and on the day you do Animal Kingdom squeeze in a water park...if you're aggressive you could manage both water parks. I would go for the cheapest room on the cruise, you might get a free upgrade and you really won't be in the room much at all...go for a category 11/12 and you might be bumped up..October sailings are not as booked as summer so good pixie dust could mean a nice upgrade...or sometimes you can check at the port to see how much $$ it would cost to do an instant at port upgrade, many have received great deals that way.

 

You will have had the best America has to offer as far as family fun/theme parks (my opinion! :) ) Just priced it with a category 9 (4 land/3sea) and it came to about $4,000.00 Sometimes they have the free dining plan so you might check with Disney directly and see if there are specials that include the dining while you're on the land...hope this helps!!

 

Tara

[SelectSys]

Too bad you can't swing both the park and the cruise from Disney. I agree that the DCL is expensive. We went twice when our kids were of similar age to yours and had a great time. Kids really liked the fact that the characters on the ship were so approachable and Castaway Cay. We also liked the ship quite a bit and all of the family entertainment.

 

I agree with others that "staying on property" is great. The buses make getting around a snap and you can use your room key for charges anywhere.

 

BTW - Hopefully the airfares will drop at some point and you'll be able to take a trip to "America" with your family beyond theme parks.

[scorpiomum]

SelectSys & ma23peas - thanks so much for your input. i had originally discounted disney land and sea package as too expensive for only 7 nights...thought we would need more time than that. but if you are saying its worth it i will go back and look into options there. we have only ever cruise 9 and 11 nights so the idea of a 3 night cruise didnt appeal to me....but i will rethink that!

 

ma23peas - i am an aussie who has lived in ireland for nearly 5 years so would be more than happy to help you with any trips planned in either place. we are trying to make the most of our opportunities to travel while the kids are young, hence my desire to do disney now before the 10 yr old becomes a grumpy teenager and no longer likes the idea!

[RENMama]

i personally think 4 days is much too short for a "once in a lifetime" walt disney world experience with kids.

and i prefer 7 days of cruising (with 5 day minimum).

[ma23peas]

i personally think 4 days is much too short for a "once in a lifetime" walt disney world experience with kids.

and i prefer 7 days of cruising (with 5 day minimum).

 

I agree if you're just talking cruising, but they've never been to America..I can't imagine putting the Disney cruise above all the magic of the parks...I have friends who have done Disneyland several times and say they have no interest in Disneyworld..it's like comparing an oreo to an oreo cookie factory! :) I did Disneyland in 4 hours, every ride! I think if they're only coming to America once with the kids at this age, they could get a taste of both...a Disney cruise is not seeing "America"...it's seeing the Caribbean! :) If we based our opinion of England on just London and not the countryside we would have left with not so great an opinion :)

 

Tara

[Essiesmom]

No matter how you slice it, Disney World is going to be exhausting. But I think following it with a three day cruise, no matter what the cruise line, would not be that relaxing. I just did my first 3 day cruise (after many longer ones) and I found it very dissatisfying. You barely find your way around before you have to get off. there are large groups sailing together, trying to fit seven days of fun/activities into two. Large family groups in the dining room in fixed seating, straggling in as if they had no concept of punctuality. It was frustrating to me, watching the wait staff trying to cope...I would try to stretch to at least a four day cruise. Also, don't look solely at Port Canaveral...In the great scheme of things, you are coming all the way from Ireland, think about going the other direction to Tampa, and cruising from there. It will give you totally different options from P. Canaveral. EM

[SelectSys]

SelectSys & ma23peas - thanks so much for your input. i had originally discounted disney land and sea package as too expensive for only 7 nights...thought we would need more time than that. but if you are saying its worth it i will go back and look into options there. we have only ever cruise 9 and 11 nights so the idea of a 3 night cruise didnt appeal to me....but i will rethink that!

...

 

I think your original assessment was correct regarding a 3 night cruise. I really think the plan for 7 days at the park and 7 days at sea would be really great if you can afford it. It takes at least one day to see a major park like EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom. With a visit or two to Blizzard Beach and Typhon Lagoon and there goes the week!

 

On both our trips we took a 7 day cruise followed by 4 nights at the parks. It was really great. The only thing I might have done differently was to take the cruise second as everyone was really tired on the trip back home.

 

I would really shop hard as business is off with the economy and you might just get a very good deal. Good luck!

[scorpiomum]

Essiesmom - i think you are right. i was getting stressed just thinking about doing it all in 7 days so i really dont think we would enjoy only 3 nights at sea. and i like your idea of checking other ports besides Port Canaveral....they didnt seem to have a wide enough choice of cruises. I really wanted to go over our school holiday here 26 - 31 october and add a week on either before or after so the kids only missed 1 week of school. so trying to find a good cruise that fits the timeframe is hard when i was only looking at 1 port.

 

Can i ask, if we dont hire a car and drive would it be hard to get from Orlando to another cruise port? are their shuttles? I tried to do a bit of an internet search but i am finding this harder to plan than my normal holidays....guess its early days and will soon fit together.

 

SelectSys - thanks for your advice. I think that i could limit WDW to 5 nights but wouldnt do less than that as i imagine we would be feeling pretty tired the first day after flying anyway.

 

can anyone tell me if we are likely to have other kids on the cruise around this time? our med cruises have only ever had about 30 kids but it was enough as long as my boys made a few friends....

 

thanks again for all the help and advice.

[SelectSys]

...

SelectSys - thanks for your advice. I think that i could limit WDW to 5 nights but wouldnt do less than that as i imagine we would be feeling pretty tired the first day after flying anyway.

 

can anyone tell me if we are likely to have other kids on the cruise around this time? our med cruises have only ever had about 30 kids but it was enough as long as my boys made a few friends....

 

thanks again for all the help and advice.

 

If you are worried about jet lag you could always take the cruise first. The seven day cruises out of Port Canaveral typically start with a sea day. 5 days are the parks will be fine.

 

I am sure the cruise ships will have plenty of kids on board especially if you go on Disney and/or are leaving out of Port Canaveral. It will certainly not be like a peak holiday but I'm sure your kids will have fun on board.

[cruisin'3]

Disney has its own message board that discusses ALL the ins and outs about vacationing with them.

 

WDW Florida and Disney Cruise Line each have their own forum within the message board. You will get a lot of information and help as these people are Disney Fanatics. LOL

 

www.disboards.com

 

check it out!

[PaganView]

Disney often offers very nice deals for UK residents. Check with an online UK travel agency or check the Disboards UK board.

 

There are shuttles that run all the time from Disney to Port Canaveral. Mears is the most established company for shuttling. I'm sure they have a website. (If you choose a land/sea package with Disney, the shuttle is included)

 

For a first (and possibly only) trip to WDW, I would recommend staying as long as you can. Epcot and the Magic Kingdom need at least 2 days to do everything. Animal Kingdom can be done in a day and Disney Hollywood Studios, while not my favorite park, is great for roller-coaster lovers. That's 6 days right there.

 

We have cruised Carnival out of Port Canaveral (after a quick trip to Orlando). We found the port to be incredibly easy to navigate.

[powelweb]

Scorpiomum~

 

I see what you mean about the airfare from Ireland- just checked out of Dub and Snn for late Oct into early Nov and it was running $700 to $800 per person.

 

I'm sure there will be lots of kids onboard a disney cruise anytime of year, but if you wanted to check out other cruise lines departing from either Miami or Fort Lauderdale, they are only about a 4 hour drive south of Walt Disney world and it's pretty much straight highway.

 

In 2007, we did a long weekend at WDW followed by a 4 night Royal Caribbean cruise out of Miami, and we rented a passenger van to transport 4 adults 2 children plus luggage - cost us about $100 plus gas and tolls.

Wendy

[CanadianTwosome]

My sister is part Irish (we're adopted) and so I did some research in getting her to Ireland last year and WOW, those airfares are crazy! I completely understand your desire to try to get the most out of being in Florida while you're there.

 

Disney is FABULOUS. I agree with previous posters who say 4 days isn't enough. It's extremely tiring and it's nice to have extra days so that you don't feel like you have to 'see it all' as quickly as possible. There are four parks and they all have wonderful things to offer. I recommend doing lots of research before you get there so you know which things appeal to you the most and are 'not to miss'.

 

As for cruising, I seem to be one of the only NCL cruisers on this board. Unfortunately I checked and they don't have anything out of Port Canaveral, but my family and friends drove from Orlando to Miami for our last cruise and are intending to do the same again in 2010 when we go on the Epic - with some theme parks before and after. It's actually a great drive; the toll freeway is beautiful. It's well maintained, with rest stops all along the way, and it goes by really quickly. I actually prefer that drive to Port Canaveral, which I've done as well. Most rental car agencies now provide a GPS option, which we took on our last trip, and it takes you exactly where you need to go. Your only issue would be driving with left hand steering and on the right side of the road, but at least on the freeway, it's divided, so it's not like you have to worry about oncoming traffic. :p

 

Now, on to my recommendation of NCL... I have a daughter who has been cruising with us since she was 8; she'll be 11 on our next cruise. The NCL kid's program is fantastic and she always looks forward to it, and their newer ships are designed with wonderful kid/family areas. As far as length goes, I absolutely recommend at least a week, as the short ones have less to offer in the way of port variety and you're getting off just as you're getting into the swing of things on board. NCL also has Freestyle, which means that there are no set dining times, and that works REALLY well for my family, since we never feel rushed and can eat when we're ready, not when we're told. Sailing in November, it would be off season, so while you may encounter some lines for meals in the main dining rooms, it probably wouldn't be an issue; it never has been for us. They also offer specialty dining options for a fee, and they're really, really good. With their typically lower fares, we always feel quite comfortable spending the extra a couple of times to enjoy a teppan grill experience and their steakhouse, as well as some other Asian fare - especially if they're open for lunch. Freestyle also allows you to wait in your cabin when it's time to disembark, rather than having to be out by a certain time and find somewhere to hang out with your carry ons in public areas. They also offer express debarkation, where you carry your own luggage off. Our experiences as a family have always been exemplary, so I believe it's worth checking into, even though the 'getting there' is a bit farther.

 

Also, for 'getting there', you can speak to your travel agent about a circle fare - fly into Orlando, then to Miami of Fort Lauderdale, and then back to Ireland. There are also 'open jaw' fares where you could fly into Orlando and back from Miami or Fort Lauderdale and find your own way down by car or shuttle. I have never investigated a shuttle from Orlando to Miami because I don't mind the drive, but I would be shocked if none were available.

 

As far as ports are concerned, from the east coast of Florida, you're pretty much looking at the Caribbean. Varying from east to west, there will be ports from Latin America and Mexico, the Caribbean, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Island, and the Bahamas. Do some research and find out ALL the cruises available - all lines - from Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami for the dates you've got to work with. Once you've got that list, eliminate the ones that aren't in your budget. From there, list the ports that you can visit on the various cruises and do some more research; check the excursions offered by the various lines and use them as an 'idea board' to know what's available in each - then do a little more investigating to see what you could do via private tours. The destination boards here can be a great resource as well. Most importantly, get together as a family and decide which ports and ship amenities are going to be most appealing to all of you. In the end, you'll find one cruise - or at least a much shorter list - to choose from. Don't let the travelling from Orlando affect your decision too much; Orlando is inland and you're going to have to find a way to ANY port you can cruise from. If the cruises from Miami or Fort Lauderdale are the most appealing, you will find a way to get there - and if this is potentially the only time you're going to get here while your kids are kids, it's worth it to investigate EVERYTHING.

 

I'm sure you'll have an absolutely wonderful and truly memorable family vacation whatever you choose!!! :)

[scorpiomum]

CanadianTwosome - thank you for your fantastic post, it was really helpful. I had almost given up the idea as i called a big Irish internet travel agency on the weekend and they were so unhelpful. coudlnt give me different flight options, tell me about shuttles or even help with cruises....i could book flights through them but would need to contact their UK equivalent for cruise info.....isnt that pathetic!! no wonder i usually organise holidays myself. but this one is out of my comfort zone so i have really needed the help.

 

i have been looking into cruises for the dates we had and was getting frustrated with the limited options, but i guess if its an easy drive to Miami i should put that back on the options list. my husband isnt a big driver and so it would be me driving on the other side of the car/road!

 

powelweb - the airfares are crazy arent they? thats why we usually cruise the med as its closer. i thought that end oct would be off season but apparently not.

 

thanks for the suggestion of the disnet boards...going to head over there and see what i can find....

[stsomewhere]

We live in Ireland and have never been to America so i was thinking of planning a Disney holiday and tack on a cruise to make it even more memorable (and we might need to relax after Disney)! As the airfare to the USA is so expensive for us and we may not make it back, i really want this to be a memorable trip. Kids ages are 7 and 10. So could anyone please make some suggestions for me? Not sure we would be up to driving so i would need to arrange transport to the cruise. We have been on RCI before but would be completely open to cruise suggestions. Oh and i was thinking end of October this year as the kids have a week off and i will add another week to it.

 

I really would appreciate any suggestions as i am great with med ports, but have no idea what type of cruise to go for over that side of the world.

 

There is a UK planning section on the Disboards. com. It is a site specifically for Disney planning. One of the moderators Wayne flys over here for a month at a time. He should be able to help you.

[MTElkwhistle]

October is a hugely popular time to go to Walt Disney World from the uK, the air fares are pretty steep, some flights (ie Virgin) were sold out within days of being released. I dont know what route you are looking at.

 

If you book a WDW hotel you may well get free dining depending on your dates but there is much more to the area than just WDW - we have been going since my DS was 18 months - he is now 14 and we always find new things to do.

 

In your position I would do 7 nights at WDW, a 4 night cruise from Pt Canaveral either disney or Royal Caribbean then 3 nights at a Universal Hotel.

 

I have done this in the past and it works really well.

 

Go to http://www.thedibb.co.uk for UK/ireland specific disney/orlando/cruise information - they are all a very friendly bunch over there, and a lot of us post here as well.