Epcot IllumiNations Cruise

[lisagirlyUK]

Hi,

Has anyone done the Illuminations cruise and is it worth it?

I was thinking about booking one for my family - there will be 6 of us and a 3 year old. Would we have to pay seperately for the little one?

We'll be there between 9-23 Aug so if anyone else is going to be out there the same time and is interested in doing one, let me know and maybe we can work something out!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!

lisagirly

 

[Melcatfish]

Hi

I haven't done an illuminations cruise (yet) We are also there this August 2nd - 23rd I do know however that the cost is to charter the boat so is not done on a per person basis. The pontoon boats hold 12 guests.

I am going to be trying to get one of these for sometime between 3rd and 17th August - you have to ring up 90 days out at 7am Florida time and they go FAST!

Hope this helps
Mel
x

 

[allie5]

Yes, we did it last year and yes its well worth doing!

The boat costs $120 to hire and you can fit around 12 persons aboard. The DIS has a forum especially for people looking to share boats and Im sure someone clever will post the link soon!You can opt to try and book the vessell yourself through CR and advertise for people to share with you. Or, you can simply request you are looking for a boat to share on certain dates.

We shared with two other families via the Who Wants To Share An Illuminations Cruise thread on the DIS. Each party consisted of 2 adults and one child, so there were 9 of us and we had plenty of room spare (my mum and baby son were also meant to be aboard, but they got sick that day ).

You pick up the boat at the Yacht & Beach club aat around 8pm. We then sailed round to MGM via the swan and Dolphin. As the light faded we glided underneath the bridge into Epcot and moored against the other boats waiting for the cruise. It was a sight to behold out there on the water and one of the biggest highlights of last years trip. We will try to get on another one this year as well!

Each family put in $40 and a $5 tip for the driver, so it worked out a very reasonable excursion.

Hope you get one booked for your trip!
Allie

 

[lisagirlyUK]

I thought the boat was a certain amount up to 4 people and then you had to pay an additional fee per person after that (well thats what it says in SimonVs book).

Mel, if you are going to book the cruise for some time in the second week, let me know - I'd be happy to split the cost with you. (How many are in your party?)


Thanks!!

lisagirly

 

[BONZO]

Not long back since Easter and just done an Illuminations cruise, but on The Breathless - it was the best experience IMHO.

It's a "cut above" the pontoon boats but all these get booked REALLY fast.

The Breathless is the motor boat named after the Dick Tracy character. It is a 24 foot ChrisCraft reproduction of a 1930 runabout powered by MerCruiser 350 cubic inch engine reaching speeds of 50 mph! It has bench seats and can accommodate 6-7 persons.

Cost for Breathless for IllumiNations is $179.24 + tax to rent the boat for the cruise and it includes a driver.

(Not my pic - I'll try and get one up later)

 

[KayleeUK]

Wow Bonzo...The Breathless looks a lovely boat

We have shared both an Illuminations cruise and the Magic Kingdom Cruise with other DISers - a lovely experience

 

[MrsGrumpy]

We did the Illuminations cruise last year with friends and parents for her father's 81st birthday - I would really recommend it, a fantastic evening. Picked the pontoon boat up at the Boardwalk, don't know if we just struck lucky with the girl driving it, but she took us for a 'guided tour' beforehand and then after Illuminations she took us round to catch the end of Fantasmic from the water - out of this world. The other boat just seemed to head straight back.

 

[RUSHBURY]

We did the illuminations cruise in Oct 2003 and my DS7 was allowed to 'drive' the boat - the guy we had was fantastic and gave us a lot of info and paid particular attention to my DS7 - we are going again in Oct this year and I am waiting patiently for our 90 day reservation date to hopefully book another cruise - well worth the money and very highly recommended. We were collected and dropped off at the Boardwalk.

 

[poet123]

Is there a thread which shows anyone with spare seats on the cruises? we failed miserably to get one for the time we are in WDW. Would love to share we are party of 6

 

[allie5]

Yes, click the link below.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=368533

You can then choose which month you are looking for a cruise. Bear in mind it will only show months which are available for booking, so if you are going later in the year you will need to check back around the 90 day marker.

Good luck!

Allie

 

[UKDEB]

Here you go, poet. This thread tells you how to be in with a chance of booking one and contains links to other threads with details of those willing to share their cruise. We've been lucky enough to share with US DISers three times now. If it wasn't for these boards I doubt I'd have even heard of an IllumiNations Cruise, let alone experienced one and met some fantastic people into the bargain. They really are very special - you'll feel like a VIP.

 

[UKDEB]

You beat me to it, Allie!

 

[allie5]

Great minds obviously thinking together today Deb .

Allie