WDW and a Disney cruise??

[inkedupmomma]

I know I haven't even gotten the final say to go ahead with this disney wedding, but to keep my spirits up I'm still going to do research and plan my wish list

ok, question is.. has anyone done the wdw land and sea package?? am i being too ambitous here?? is it ridiculously expensive?? i would love to do a cruise after our wedding.. but also want time in the parks... i'll have a 3 yo and almost 9 yo with me at the time...

 

[disneygal922]

we are totally on the same page!!! lol this is exactly what we were thinking. DF has never been on a cruise so we thought we would do the 3 land 4 sea or whatever it is for our Disneymoon!!! when we looked into it. we figured after tax and all the extras it'd be around $5000 -$6000 total... hopefully. i went to the regular disneycruise site so i don't know if there are any honeymoon specials or anything. we were just guesstimating!!

 

[inkedupmomma]

dang.. i cant do 5k.... i'm hoping to do dress..invites.rings,disneymoon..amongst other things all for 5k.. again ambitious.. but lurky did it lol i know i can do 8 days at disney in sept for under 2,500(that is including spending money, and money put away for rent and what not since we dont get paid vacations with our jobs, and gas to drive down there..yeah i dont fly) I just think it would be super fun for me and a great expirience for my dd (and ds..but he'll only be 3) family trips and memories are soo very important to me!

 

[disneygal922]

i completely understand the budget and the vacations and family memories being important. if i were you i still would check it out. we were being kinda of crazy with it. doing the top rooms and that just so we could get a feel of how much we could wind up spending, not that we plan on spending that much... we are budgeting ourselves accordingly though... more for this less for other things, etc. you still might be able to do it!

 

[GJLS10108]

I didn't look at the land and sea package, but we are getting married at Disney, staying there for a couple days and then going on the 4 day Disney cruise. We decided to go with a room with a balcony and we added the honeymoon package (no idea what that includes) and we went through AAA. I think the total came out to around $1700.

Oh yeah and we added insurance too. I do remember regular state rooms being relatively inexpensive.

 

[Keira1387]

I didn't do a Land/Sea package, but after our wedding we are using our complimentary night to stay at the Gf, then leaving for a 4 night Disney cruise, when the cruise is over we are going pack to the Disney parks(using our room block) and staying another 4 nights!

*Edit* I forgot to tell you... If you haven't been on a Disney cruise, then book if you can! It's the BEST cruiseline I've ever been on. It's totally worth it!

 

[29apr00]

we're doing land/sea for our VR, but we aren't booking it that way. I'm booking the 3 night Wonder with DCL and doing the VR then. But i'm planning on renting DVC points for a 5 nt stay at VWL. I should need about 50 points, at $12 each, is $600 for 5 nights at Wilderness Lodge!! SUCH A DEAL!!! The 3 night cruise for 4 of us is going to be about $2000 plus the VR.

Jennifer

 

[irisbud]

We are doing a cruise along with our Disney trip for our HM as well. We will be at Disney for 7 nights/8 days (and have the wedding there) and then do a 4 night Disney cruise. Our cruise is in a cat 7 and is about 1700 with transfers. We are figuring about 2100-2400 for rooms at Disney (appx.) but don't know until 2009 prices are released. It can definitley be done for less than 5K, esp. if you dont have to be delux all the way like us

Also, sometimes the L/S package costs more than booking each leg seperetly does. It is hard to compare when Disney won't release 2009 prices for WDW though

 

[inkedupmomma]

i'm really hoping to do this.. now that its in my head, its all i want!!! darn me!!! i'll have to try and figure a way to do this and still get free dining lol!!!(in hopes that is still offered in sept of 09!!)

so what is included in the price of the cruise?? what extras would we have to pay for?(ex: the atlantis water park?? activities at the cove??) seems liek it could get real pricey..real quick

 

[Megster76]

DCL is AWESOME...
went on two disney cruises then tried out carnival.
lets just say DCL has ruined it for any other cruise line. once you go disney you'll never enjoy anything else!!!

 

[Lynn5700]

We did it 2 years ago and loved it!!!! thinking about doing it again for our anniversary!

 

[InstImpres]

DCL definitely has high and low seasons cost wise. September is incredibly low priced, which sounds like when you are hoping for since you mention free dining. Also, unlike WDW, DCL prices only go up so the sooner you book the better the rate.

Rates will include:
room
port fees
taxes
entertainment
kids clubs (unless the 3 year old is not potty trained, than it is $7 an hour for the nursery)
non-alcoholic drinks (24 hour a day beverage station)

Extras may include:
insurance
transfers to and from the port (car service or rental car is cheaper than DCL for a family)
gratuities
spa treatments
excursions (but these are not always necessary)
photos
shopping
alcohol

You can also get shipboard credits from many TAs to help offset these expenses. Try cruisecompete.com for the best deal

Enjoy

 

[disneygal922]

Irisbud ~ I didn't even think to see how much booking the sea separately from the land could save. Thanks for the tip!

Inkedup ~ I'm sure there is a way for you to do this! I knew all the wonderful people on these boards would help find ways to save money! Like i said before, we were definitely high-balling it. also, i think we are probably going to be going in a high-season so that probably didn't help my guessitmation either. Sorry i wasn't much help.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

My VR on the 3 day Wonder is $1500...Now I am paying ALOT more for the cruise than I did for my 7 day Magic cruise in September..so if you do a 3 or 4 day in Sept..it should be under 5k

 

[inkedupmomma]

Irisbud ~ I didn't even think to see how much booking the sea separately from the land could save. Thanks for the tip!

Inkedup ~ I'm sure there is a way for you to do this! I knew all the wonderful people on these boards would help find ways to save money! Like i said before, we were definitely high-balling it. also, i think we are probably going to be going in a high-season so that probably didn't help my guessitmation either. Sorry i wasn't much help.

no no.. everything everyone is saying is super helpful and gives me a lot to think about.. i never even thought of a disney cruise til i cam on here lol.
nw im wondering if i should book a dc seperate from the parks.. or if i should do the land and sea package... anywho.. anyone with this expirience lemme know!!!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I have heard that it is cheaper to book your Land and Sea separate..that is what the Passporter recommends

 

[irisbud]

In some ways, it depends what you want. L/S package can be restrictive. L/S basically locks you into 4 nights land/3 nights cruise or 3 nights land/4nights cruise. You cannot stay at a Value with the L/S package. With a moderate, you are in Categories 12-8 (price dependant on category) I believe 11 & 12 are inside state roomes, and 10-8 have portholes. None of these rooms have balconies. Your choice of resort may also be limited. In categories 7-4 (or maybe 7-3) you get a delux resort (Poly, BC, Saratoga, AKL or S/D I think). These rooms have verandas on the ship. With categories 3-1 or 2-1 you get to stay at the Grand Floridian. These are concierge rooms on the ship. There are exceptions and adds ons, but that is a general idea. With L/S you also get a 4 or 5 day parkhopper, which you won't need if you get an AP for your wedding, but can use at a later time. Transfers are included in the L/S package. Sometimes it is equivalently priced to booking seperatly, sometimes it is less and sometimes it is more.

If you want to spend more on your WDW stay and then go for a lesser room on the ship or vice versa L/S as packaged does not work. Also, the days you have to stay at WDW are fixed as well. It is a good package, but it is restrictive.

You should visit the cruise boards, they would be able to explain the plusses and minuses to you in great detail

 

[Mocharilla]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this (didn't see it), but remember, if you're doing land/sea, that includes park tickets, and you get APs for doing a wedding.

Or am I wrong?

 

[disneygal922]

Thanks for the info everyone... i didn't know that the land/sea came with park tix. so we would probably be better off staying right after the wedding for a few days and then doing a 4-night cruise???

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I thought they aren't doing the AP's anymore...i could definitely be wrong since I am only doing the VR..but I thought I saw a thread the other day that said they have cut this out of the wedding deal