Fall 2026 itineraries

[DisneyChick04]

Why can't you use your placeholder that expires in 5 months?

It should’ve said expires January of 2027. We don’t have any vacation left for this year, so we are looking at next year. We already have plans for the beginning of the year, so we have been planning on fall of 2026 since the itineraries usually come out with plenty of time to book and schedule the vacation, and that is the time that works best for us. I understand I *can* use the placeholder before it expires, but if it’s not the time of year that I want, I will *choose* to do something else.

 

[Kit21]

You're right, we're not the majority. I would guess that anyone following this thread is not the "average" cruiser. And yes, our schedules are not traditional. I'm not suggesting that Disney open up schedules just for my family; however, it does not change the fact that we have a placeholder that has to be used by January '27 and we've already bid all of our vacation for this year. By Labor Day, we will have bid all of our vacation for next year. If Disney does not release itineraries before then, we will not be able to use the placeholder, and will have to go with a different vacation option that won't be Disney. I understand, that we are a very small minority that have schedules like this, but our feelings of frustration are valid just the same.

Tbf, quite a few who come from EU/UK/other long haul destinations, or those where the full holiday time/cost is high, or have a large group where schedules can be a nightmare, plan quite far out as well. Maybe not over 16 months for all, though were not asking for 16 months in advance, or at least with things booked (mainly because they can't be booked), but definitely 12-15 months with a few in the 15+ catagory.

For example, the free dining for WDW drops late April, and includes dates up to December the following year, with incentive to book in the first few months its released. So for those booking December thats 19/20 months and some of those do plan cruises before/after/between. Even those not booking that specific deal still plan 13+ months out, purely from a budgetting perspective.

We've been roughly planning ours since 2023 for budgetting reasons, only recently able to start booking things. We have had to blind book accommodation (to take advantage of an offer) in hopes that the cruise we wants comes available as we hope, and pay more deposit for a refundable option, because the cruise dates aren't out like they previously have been. Yes, some of the schedules are pretty standard and guessable, but we have also done that one year and the schedule completely change from guesstimated. We lost a great deal we had for AKL because of it (though ultimately we had to cancel all of it, as it was meant to be fall 2020, but we didn't know that when the cruises were announced in 2019)

 

[Cfabar1]

Is it? I was on the Wish in late February for two cruises and they were both almost full at 4000 passengers. This was the last week of February, so it should have been after the northeast's winter break and before most schools have spring break.

There are many Wish discounts right now. Even more than the Dream which is essentially offering the same product right now...

We switched from the Dream to the Wish on our September cruise (3 night) and it lowered our cost by $700. Wish had FL Res VGT rate pretty much every weekend in September on the 3 night. Disney Dream had, I believe, one weekend only. They also started letting people stack discounts on some of the September Wish sailings...

I think part of the problem with Wish bookings is overcapacity - running 3 night and 4 night cruises the same days in both ports is probably more capacity for those dates than they need. The other problem is the Dream is supposed to be the "step down" product and is priced accordingly barring discounts, but for a number of reasons, the Dream is arguably the "step-up" product.

 

[DCLMP]

There are many Wish discounts right now. Even more than the Dream which is essentially offering the same product right now...

We switched from the Dream to the Wish on our September cruise (3 night) and it lowered our cost by $700. Wish had FL Res VGT rate pretty much every weekend in September on the 3 night. Disney Dream had, I believe, one weekend only. They also started letting people stack discounts on some of the September Wish sailings...

I think part of the problem with Wish bookings is overcapacity - running 3 night and 4 night cruises the same days in both ports is probably more capacity for those dates than they need. The other problem is the Dream is supposed to be the "step down" product and is priced accordingly barring discounts, but for a number of reasons, the Dream is arguably the "step-up" product.

I'm sorry you had to downgrade to the Wish.

 

[Kwami]

There are many Wish discounts right now. Even more than the Dream which is essentially offering the same product right now...

We switched from the Dream to the Wish on our September cruise (3 night) and it lowered our cost by $700. Wish had FL Res VGT rate pretty much every weekend in September on the 3 night. Disney Dream had, I believe, one weekend only. They also started letting people stack discounts on some of the September Wish sailings...

I think part of the problem with Wish bookings is overcapacity - running 3 night and 4 night cruises the same days in both ports is probably more capacity for those dates than they need. The other problem is the Dream is supposed to be the "step down" product and is priced accordingly barring discounts, but for a number of reasons, the Dream is arguably the "step-up" product.

Well, sure, but September is the low season because school's just started and people are worried about hurricanes. The 3/4-night cruises from PC very often have GT rates and other discounts available, but that's been true for years.