Cruise first or later??

[jdubs808]

This past March, we went on the Mexican Riviera Cruise on DCL for a week. After that, we went to the DL parks for 5 days. It was a hard transition. I recommend doing the cruise last, and be pampered with the excellent service and relaxation!

 

[Alexander]

We have always had at least 1 day before and 1 day after the cruise at WDW.

Getting off the ship is heartbreaking--it is so depressing--so we like to have a day just to get our minds wrapped around the fact that we have to go home. We usually will stay at the BCV because we feel like we are still on the islands as we sit by the pool and the kids play in the sand.

This trip we are doing 5 days at AKV then B2B 3 and 4 night cruises. We are flying home the day we disembark, but not until 8:30 PM, so hopefully, that will be enough to be "ready" to go home!

I think it depends on your WDW style too. We are definately not commando-type park visitors. We look at the parks as something to do if we want something to do. If we decide to meander around a park, we do, if not, then we don't.

 

[WDW1974]

I think it depends on how much time you have and what day the cruise starts....for example, DS's spring break 3/29-4/9....so I am AKV (for now anyway) 3/29 thru 4/5; then 5-day cruise 4/5-4/10; then one last night so we don't have to go straight to airport after cruise at AKV. I always take the last flight out so it will be two park days after cruise.

 

[tjkraz]

Parks first then the cruise. I would never describe us as "commandos" in the parks but we do tend to visit at least one theme park per day (sometimes two--before and after a mid-day break.) After a few days of walking around the parks--not to mention to and from the parks--the cruise is a great way to unwind. Keeps us from returning home in need of a vacation to recover from our vacation.

 

[edk35]

In June we did 5 day Tree Houses, 5 day Cruise than 4 day Beach club. We had a great time . The last part of our trip we didn't run around allot and just enjoyed the resort.

I like that idea too of doing Beach Club after the cruise.

 

[karana]

If you are cruising for a week, I would do the cruise last, bc I had a bit of an adjustment period to land each time I left the ship. You can sometimes "feel" the boat beneath you for a few days. You do get spoiled on the cruises and they are very relaxing, almost the opposite of what it's like trying to beat the lines for rides, figuring out where to eat, and all that walking. You can exercise on the ship to work off any pounds you may gain eating.

 

[RLRDA]

We just booked a 5 night cruise for August 2012. We were going to stay 4 or 5 nights at WDW before the cruise....my DH had the same opinion as PPs about parks first and relaxing cruise second.

After giving it some thought we are now going to book 2 nights before at BCV and 2 night after at AKV CL hopefully. The thought of getting off the cruise ship and going straight home really bummed me out plus I've always loved the fact that I return home from vacation with suitcases full of clean clothes after a DVC stay (love that W/D )

Putting the CL stay at the end seems like the perfect ending - we can relax in the lounge up until we have to leave for the airport. Looking forward to maybe a day at EPCOT before the cruise and a water park after with LOTS of relaxing the whole way through.