Parks 1st and then cruise or Cruise 1st and then Parks???

[littlbugmom]

Which would you do and why?
or does it matter?


Our next vacation is Fall 2012. We want to try a 4nt cruise and a week in the parks. Do you think it matters if we fly straight to the cruise and then spend a week in the parks or the other way around?

 

[WeLoveDisneyAlways]

We dont want to risk missing the ship so we are flying in day before cruise spending 1 night at Disney not doing a park only a character dinner and fireworks from our room. Next day wake nice and refreshed for our cruise. Spend 4 nights aboard the dream, then back to Disney for the parks. We are going to the parks after because we don't want to start our cruise off exhausted. I find WDW very tiring. We want to relax on the ship then wear ourselves out.

 

[Mandersons04]

I think it just depends on which way you'd feel most comfortable. We're on the Oct. 23rd cruise on the Dream and we're hitting the parks afterwards. Initially, this was because DD's birthday is on the 27th and she wanted to spend her actual birthday at Magic Kingdom.

But if it were any other land/sea trip, I think we'd still do the parks after cruising. I'd rather leave to go home from the parks than from the ship as I'm sure leaving the ship is much harder than leaving the parks (at least in my opinion).

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

Take it from me please do the parks FIRST and the Cruise SECOND. The first Disney Cruise that we did was 3 days we did it first and then 8 days at the Park my then 3 yr old was still in cruise mode and was ready to go home after the 3rd day of parks. This year we did the Dream and no parks. You will need the cruise to relax after the parks.

 

[RedSox68]

We've done both over the years -- even did WDW before AND after the cruise (would not recommend that itinerary).

There are pros and cons. Doing the parks first gives you a chance to relax on the ship. But doing the parks after can also give you a chance to unwind at the resorts by the pool and strolling through the parks if you are not rushed.

 

[LUVMICKEY]

We just got home from the Member Cruise and we stayed at BCV the night before the cruise and then back to BCV for 7 days after the cruise. We like doing it that way. We just prefer knowing we still have more Disney time before we have to go home.

 

[FanOfFigment]

We usually do the parks first and then the cruise because we tend to feel a bit stressed/rushed in the parks, with all the crowds and so much to do; and the cruise is usually a great way for us to relax. It's what works for us, although I'm sure that any time on a Disney cruise and at WDW is great, no matter what order you do it in!

 

[jel0511]

I've done it both ways and prefer the parks AFTER the cruise. It helps lessen the "cruise over depression" IMO to know you're still on vacation when getting off.

 

[Polarone]

We've done the cruise first (3-day) and then the park (5-days). Afterwards we said we'd always do it the other way around since we came off the cruise so relaxed and ended up getting on the plane absolutely exhausted.

It may also have made a difference that we were travelling with a 14-year old and very active 8-year old who ran us ragged in the parks and who wanted to stay until the 3AM EMH closing time twice!

 

[Melcatfish]

For me it depends on your approach to the parks. If you are a "charge round from one ride to another on a tight schedule" kind of family then I would do the parks first then the cruise. If you have been a few times before and know you will be back sometime soon then go to the parks afterwards and enjoy the theming, atmosphere and take them at a leisurely pace.

Being from the UK with a loooooong flight to get to Florida our WDW vacations tend to be longer than those taken by those of you already on the right side of the Atlantic so we like to hit the parks first, then cruise and then have a few days to revisit our favourite attractions after the cruise but at a slower pace. Best of both worlds. Our last Florida trip in 2009 was 5 nights OKW, 7 nights cruise, 5 nights in a villa.

Mel
x

 

[edisneydreaming]

Having done both I prefer going to the parks first and then taking the cruise to relax! Next time I hope to add a beach day at the end of the trip just because you are up so early that last morning You can't go wrong either way so enjoy your trip.