DCL before WDW...?

[UGAFan0829]

Just wondering how many of you actually cruised DCL before you ever visited any of the parks for the first time.
The DH and I took our first cruise with Disney back in January, and he's never been to any of the parks. I've only had the chance to visit Epcot and MGM, and that was a few years ago with my school. Now that we've cruised, that's all I want to do...

 

[ericamanda01]

DH and I always go to the parks before we cruise. We live so far away that we really want to do it all while we are there. The best thing about going to the parks first is knowing that you have the cruise to relax.

 

[Henlady]

We are going to WDW after our cruise in October. It just seemed like a nice way to finish up our vacation. Get off the Cruise, head to WDW for 3 nights then head home. We'll be park hopping for 2 days and then 1 day for pool time and a little shopping, a nice dinner and some time at Pleasure Island. Our time spent at the parks is at a leasure pace. We don't do "Kamakaze" pace anymore. We are also traveling without children. We are traveling by AutoTrain so that gives us the ride home to relax and do nothing.

Kris

112 Days till we leave our 30th Anniversary Wonder Cruise and a few days at PO-R

 

[pppiglet]

Loved the cruise and love DL here in CA, but for some reason I have no desire to go to WDW. I think it will be too overwhelming!

 

[pjpoohbear]

DO NOT DO IT! I know, done it twice.

You will be in the line ups saying to yourself, why did we not do the parks first. Then be pampered and relaxed on the ship. Do the parks before and then if you must, do a resort/DTD/dinning short stay after, but do not do the parks, it will feel like work after the cruise.

I 've finally learned my lesson, will do the parks for 4 days before my next cruise, so I don't feel like I have missed out, but won't do them after again. Too much culture shock!

Penny

 

[floridaminnie]

I"ll second doing the parks first then the cruise...gives you a chance to relax after the hussle and bussle of wdw.

 

[Lew]

DO NOT DO IT! I know, done it twice.

You will be in the line ups saying to yourself, why did we not do the parks first.

I can't think of a worse way to end a DCL vacation than hopping on a bus or driving to the airport and flying home. A shock like that could be detrimental to your well being!!

Not all WDW vacations are the same. We don't stand in long lines; we don't rush, rush from attraction to attraction; we don't try to hit every attraction on every trip (it just can't be done); and we take time off during the day to enjoy the pool or relax in some other way. Our WDW vacations are fun and very relaxing and yours can be too.

We have been on two Disney Magic cruises: the first was a 4-night, the most recent a 7-night eastern. They were both wonderful cruises; however, I must tell you that we packed so much into the 4-night cruise that we were extremely tired upon disembarkation.

We were so thankful that we didn't have to fly home that day. We drove to OKW where we recuperated for a week before returning home.

You just might want to consider planning your WDW stay after your cruise. It makes re-entry back into the real world so much easier if you can do this after your cruise.

Think about flying into Orlando the day prior to your cruise, staying off property (near the airport or the port), enjoying your cruise, then a stay at WDW.

Whichever way you do it you'll have a wonderful time...
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

[TheWog]

If I understand your question correctly, DW has never been to WDW. She really has no desire to go, but will have to soon as we will be taking our son. I went once in 1979 or 80 before even Epcot was open or Thunder Mountain was completely built, so I went once but not sure if it counts, since so much has changed since then. My DS8 has also never been to WDW. So essentially our whole family has been on a Disney Cruise without going to WDW.

 

[Kerlynne]

You just might want to consider planning your WDW stay after your cruise.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Although I can't say first hand yet, since we havn't cruised yet, I would disagree with the above post, only with the thinking, that you never know how you will feel.
You could be sick, whether cold or sea sick, Or motion sick.I would want to get home, not spending more money to stay in a hotel, unable to get out, because i was feeling ill.
No way of knowing, so I'll plan is to go to the parks first, then relax on the ship.

 

[UGAFan0829]

If I understand your question correctly, DW has never been to WDW. She really has no desire to go, but will have to soon as we will be taking our son. I went once in 1979 or 80 before even Epcot was open or Thunder Mountain was completely built, so I went once but not sure if it counts, since so much has changed since then. My DS8 has also never been to WDW. So essentially our whole family has been on a Disney Cruise without going to WDW.

Yes, you understood exactly what I was saying. Just wondering if there was anyone else out there who had been on a cruise and had not yet been to WDW!

 

[Jsme]

Normally we just go on the cruise, but in November 2006 we are doing the cruise and then a few days at WDW. I would much rather do the parks first then the cruise, but due to our work schedules and the cruise we have scheduled we can only do the parks afterwards.

 

[zellda]

Lew,

I second your comments. I can't think of much more depressing than rushing to a plane or car for an exhausting trip home. After each of our 7 DCL cruises we have spent at least a couple of days at WDW. We have been many times, so we don't have to do the park commando thing. We just continue with the relaxed pace (well, not quite THAT relaxed) of the cruise, to help diminish the withdrawal. Works well for us - with or without the kids.

 

[lbgraves]

We booked our first 7 day cruise without ever having been to WDW. We spent a day at MK before going to the ship & when we got home I told DH that I didn't care if we never went back to WDW as long as we went on a cruise every year. LOL! We have since been back to both. We usually go to WDW before the cruise, however this time we aren't able to do that. I would rather go after the cruise than not at all.

 

[donaldsgal]

Read what she said (emphasis added is mine):

Just wondering how many of you actually cruised DCL before you ever visited any of the parks for the first time.
The DH and I took our first cruise with Disney back in January, and he's never been to any of the parks. I've only had the chance to visit Epcot and MGM, and that was a few years ago with my school. Now that we've cruised, that's all I want to do...

She's not saying, "Should we do WDW before or after the DCL?"

She's saying, "Has anybody ever cruised without ever having been to the parks?"

To answer that question, we booked a land-and-sea combination for our trip to WDW AND our first cruise on any cruise line! It was a double dose of being "newbies". LOL - soooooooooo much I didn't know then. Anyways, we got more immediately hooked on WDW because they're a bit less expensive and seems somewhat "easier" because we fly straight there, don't need to then drive another hour to get to the ship. However, we always knew we'd make it on a 7-nighter. Whaddya know - that'll happen this fall!

Hope that clears up the confusion and answers your question.

 

[HIHO...HIHO]

We went to WDW for 6 days prior to our cruise...and we had never been to WDW before that! For that matter...we had never cruised before! Needless to say we loved both...however WDW was a bit overwhelming with DD5 and DS7 and the heat of May. Don't get me wrong - they loved WDW also...just not at the pace we were going. 3 hours/day at the parks would have been enough for them, but I thought to myself 'I paid $800.00 in park hopper tickets, we are getting our moneys worth'! I think I would prefer the cruise again just until the kids are old enough to endure the walking and actually like the big rides! They really enjoyed the cruise also - I am very proud of my little travelers!

 

[lbgraves]

We are understanding what the OP said. That has simply led to additional comments, as most threads do.

 

[HIHO...HIHO]

We are understanding what the OP said. That has simply led to additional comments, as most threads do.

Yes...i agree - we did understand. Many of us tend to be ramblers - especially when we had great experiences to share!