Land & Sea -- In Which Order?

[Tom P.]

Forgive me if this topic has been done to death before. But if you are doing a land and sea deal with a cruise and some time in the parks, which do you prefer to do first? Or do you think it makes a difference at all?

 

[jdb in AZ]

We like to do both. If you do the parks first, you can wear yourself out then relax on the ship. Also, if your flight is delayed for whatever reason and you arrive in Orlando a day late it won't affect your cruise.

Doing the parks after: If you just can't bear to say good bye to the Mouse at the end of your cruise, you still have the parks to look forward to. Then it isn't such a sense of "withdrawal" when you leave the ship.

If we could only do one, we would do the parks first.

 

[karpy111]

The cruise is really tough to leave. My kids cry everytime. I would say go to the parks after. This way you have something to look forward too and the sadness of leaving the cruise won't be as bad.

 

[Bdunn]

I'll vote the other way. We like to go pedal to the metal at the parks and then relax on the ship.

But, you really can't go wrong, can you?

 

[moremouse]

We like to do both. If you do the parks first, you can wear yourself out then relax on the ship. Also, if your flight is delayed for whatever reason and you arrive in Orlando a day late it won't affect your cruise.

Doing the parks after: If you just can't bear to say good bye to the Mouse at the end of your cruise, you still have the parks to look forward to. Then it isn't such a sense of "withdrawal" when you leave the ship.

If we could only do one, we would do the parks first.

I totally agree!

We do it before for that reason.

If you need one more whiff of the mouse before you go, you could always stop off at Disney Springs the day after the cruise.

We tried to do both last month and were exhausted the day we went home.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'll vote the other way. We like to go pedal to the metal at the parks and then relax on the ship.

But, you really can't go wrong, can you?

That's our preference, also. Wear ourselves out at the parks, and then relax on the cruise.

 

[closetmickey]

The cruise is really tough to leave. My kids cry everytime. I would say go to the parks after. This way you have something to look forward too and the sadness of leaving the cruise won't be as bad.

If it is your first cruise, I would definitely do the parks after. For two reasons: I don't want my kids exhausted before the cruise starts. So much fun to be had, begin well rested. And second- I wholeheartedly agree with the above post. We did the parks first on our first cruise and it was just too sad to leave!! The next time we did parks after and it was perfect.

 

[clten]

We like to head down at least a day before the cruise (you don't want to risk missing the cruise for a delayed/cancelled flight and you don't want to be so exhausted on day 1 because you left your house at 4am to catch the first flight to Orlando). So if we are going to do park time, we prefer to do it before the cruise. Also, it seems better coordinated if you do the parks first. If you use Disney transportation from the resort to the port, they handle the luggage pick up right from your room to your stateroom onboard the ship. If you do the cruise first then the parks, you handle your luggage from the terminal (there are porters, but don't forget to tip if you use) until you get to the resort (and either bring it to your room or turn it over to Bell Services). It's always sad to end vacation. But using Onboard Airline Check-in seems painless to me (and a lot smoother than DME for us).

 

[holula]

Land then sea!

 

[hoffman1]

We prefer the parks and then cruise because the parks are so exhausting.
But with that said, we sometimes add day at a park after the cruise before heading home (we like to postpone reality for as long as possible).

 

[Becky925]

We like to do the parks after. Not only is there the sadness of leaving the ship which is helped by knowing you have your park stay to come, it's also a packing issue. I don't like wasting my last night/day/any time really, packing properly to get home. This way I can just throw whatever fits into whatever bag and then reorganize at the parks. I know that may seem like a silly reason, but for me, packing seems easier at the Disney hotel than on the ship. Maybe it's a space issue.

 

[iambrink]

We have done both and I have to vote for sea then land. We are so sad to leave the ship that parks after take some of that sadness away...however, having to pay for food and missing those buffets and dining rooms is also hard! You can't really go wrong!

 

[Laundress]

I prefer Land then Sea because I would be usless at the parks with "Land Sickness" It takes weeks for my head to readjust.

 

[ludari]

I have done both but I prefer land then sea. My reason might sound silly but after going on a cruise I am so used to being catered to by the cast members and enjoying all the free food. It's a little adjustment hitting the parks after a cruise to realize that I have to pay for food and that I don't feel as special as I do when I cruise. I feel lost in a crowd of thousands visiting the parks.

 

[FindMeAFishingSpot]

We prefer land before sea so we can run around like nuts at Disney then relax on the cruise, but truthfully, we usually do whichever works out best for us price wise. If it's cheaper for flights before, we go before, cheaper after, we go after. This year will be after.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I have done both but I prefer land then sea. My reason might sound silly but after going on a cruise I am so used to being catered to by the cast members and enjoying all the free food. It's a little adjustment hitting the parks after a cruise to realize that I have to pay for food and that I don't feel as special as I do when I cruise. I feel lost in a crowd of thousands visiting the parks.

It would be nice if cruise food was free. All-inclusive yes, but definitely not free! I understand what you mean. When we went to WDW after a cruise, DGS who was about 8 at the time was mad that he was expected to pay for food at the hotel food court.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Definitely land then sea. The parks are exhausting and the cruise is so relaxing!

 

[LSUfan4444]

I want to piggy back on this topic with my thoughts since I am about to book and Land and Sea as well and have quite a few questions.

First, I already have an OBB ressie that I need to take before June of 2017. The cruise I am targeting is a 4 night Bahamian Cruise departing May 22, 2017 aboard the Dream. Follow me here as I try to be specific, but not lengthy...

DD gets out of school 1/2 day on Friday May 19 so we would drive down on Friday afternoon/evening then have park days on Saturday and Sunday then Monday we would cruise out.


Park day 1 - Saturday May 20 (2016 crowd predictions from Josh on Easy WDW are 6/10 both days, however same weekend in 2015 was 8/10 and 9/10 for Star Wars Weekends)
Park day 2 - Sunday May 21
Cruise Day 1 - Port Canaveral
Cruise Day 2 - Nassau
Cruise Day 3 - Castaway Cay
Cruise Day 4 - Sea Day
Cruise Day 5 - Port Canaveral
Resort / relax day - Saturday May 27
Park day - Sunday May 28
Monday May 29 drive home
Tuesday May 30 back to reality

What I am thinking is renting DVC points (David's) for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and buying tickets through undercover tourist (3 day park hoppers) and we have no interest in the dining plan. We would likely have our own vehicle if we decide to drive, but hypothetically if we flew we would just pay the bus transfer fee or rent a car (to pick up at MCO and drop off at Post Canveral when we depart). I know we will have to find some sort of accommodations post cruise as well but that would probably depend on if we drive or fly.

What components am I missing or not thinking of?

Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

Always WDW first followed by DCL.
It is more go go go while at WDW, getting from point A to B to C etc. Buy lunch and bus your dirty dishes and scraps (I hope you do) to the conveniently located trash barrels than onto points D to E to F etc. until you call it a night and head back to the resort.
On the cruise it is pure relaxation for us!!!