Disney World After cruise?

[Wdwdreamer101]

Has anyone done Disney World right after their cruise? What time did you arrive? Do the Disney shuttles offer a ride to the resort?

 

[FigmentSpark]

We went to Disney Springs right after our cruise and then WDW the next morning. If we had done express walkoff, we would have been there sooner, but we were still in plenty of time to go for an early lunch at DS.

The next year, we were driving home and needed to get going. We found ourselves in Daytona Beach before 9:30 am, so I assume, had we wanted to get to WDW, it would have been similar timing.

 

[kelymo]

We paid for the DCL transport back to Port Orleans French Quarter resort. We got there around 11am, dropped off our luggage, and were at Hollywood Studios before noon.

 

[fsjking]

Whenever I've done cruises, I couldn't fathom going and walking around a theme park after I got off the ship. Before a cruise doesn't sound bad, but after, I'd want at least a full veg out day before I even thought about it.

 

[soniam]

We paid for the DCL transport back to Port Orleans French Quarter resort. We got there around 11am, dropped off our luggage, and were at Hollywood Studios before noon.

That was about our experience too; however, I think our bus didn't leave until after 9am, because someone was delayed getting off the ship or through customs. We might have been the last resort too. So, it might have been closer to noon before we were at our hotel. We did main seating, so we were on the bus around 7:45am at the latest. We have decided to do private transport back to WDW on the next cruise to take the most advantage of the time.

 

[Rob1872]

Got to Yacht Club around 10:30, dropped off our bags with the bellhops and walked into EPCOT early enough to do some things before lunch and starting on the Fast Pass reservations.

 

[Rob1872]

Do the Disney shuttles offer a ride to the resort?

Same price to take the DCL bus to the airport or a WDW resort.

 

[MomOTwins]

On our last trip, we did a Minnie Van after the cruise. It was expensive, but well worth the splurge for us because we only had one post-cruise park day so wanted to make the most of it and get there early.

We had early dining so had breakfast early (6:45), lined up to disembark around 7:25, got our bags and went through customs and were on our Minnie van around 7:50 (I was told they can pick up as early as 7:30, but we didn't want to do express walkoff so we factored in time to get our bags). The Minnie van driver met us as we left the terminal and his van was right outside the door, so it was very quick and easy. Arrived at Yacht Club just around 9am, dropped our bags with bell services, and headed to Epcot just a little after rope drop. It was a fun day

As a general matter, we have done parks before and after the cruise and MUCH preferred after, which I know is contrary to the popular wisdom here. When we did parks before, I was constantly stressed out about getting sick and being denied boarding on the cruise--we get sick a lot after Disney World because of the crowds, buffets, etc. Then, we were super tired, sunburned, and ready to go home before we even got on the cruise. Plus, disembarking from the cruise and heading straight to the airport to wait around for your flight is such a bummer of a way to end a vacation. When we did the parks after, we started our cruise fresh and ready to enjoy vacation, left our cruise relaxed and happy for the parks, and on the day we returned home, we able to enjoy a nice morning at Disney springs before heading to the airport instead of arriving early from the cruise and waiting at the airport for hours.

 

[Cavs49]

We have done the parks after the cruise. Wouldn't want to do it any other way.

Debarkation is not hectic. We aren't worried about rushing to find our ride to the airport if our flight home is noonish or early afternoon, we don't have to wait in the airport for hours if our flight isn't until late afternoon or dinner time. We typically would get back and spend the afternoon at Disney Springs (so we aren't rushed) and then go to the hotel and spend a couple days in the parks after that.

Also - another big plus to us ... is that our kids don't worry about all the character interactions at the parks. On the ships we get all the pictures are character interactions that we could want. So when we go to the parks ... there is no longer any waiting around to see Mickey, or princesses, or Donald. That has all been accomplished already - so we can just enjoy the other parts of the parks. Makes it so much more enjoyable and gives you many more hours to explore instead of wait for pictures with Mickey (which in our experience is a WAY longer wait in the parks)

 

[Wdwdreamer101]

We paid for the DCL transport back to Port Orleans French Quarter resort. We got there around 11am, dropped off our luggage, and were at Hollywood Studios before noon.

Did they take you directly from the port to your resort?

 

[Rob1872]

Did they take you directly from the port to your resort?

Sort of. Depending on the number of people going to WDW, there are several different resorts on the same bus. In our case, we were the 3rd stop. So it is a bit of the luck of the draw as to which resort your bus goes to first and how many people are getting off.