Wishes Cruises (yes, I have read the sticky Illum post)

[airtime]

I have a number of questions about booking a Wishes cruise:

1. Are these a lot easier to book than the Illuminations cruises? (Everything I've read so far makes it seem so.)

2. If they require the same kind of split-second atomic-clock timing to secure, what is the minimum info the reservationist needs to quickly secure a boat? "Specialty cruise", date, and time? For Wishes, what time would that be? One hour before its scheduled time?

3. Is the extra $50 worth it just to get the audio feed? Opinions, please!

4. On that topic, how do I ensure that my reservation is for the boat size I want? Is that another variable in the initial request? Or should I just be happy to get what I can?

5. Is it worth the extra amount to make it a birthday celebration cruise?

6. Can the cruise leave from any MK resort? Specifically, can it leave from the Contemporary?

7. Opinions, please: it will be my DD's 17th birthday. Will a surprise of doing this for her and the rest of the family (DW , DD15 , DS14 , and DD17's BF ) be a great experience?

Thanks a lot!!


Tim, who thinks all the information flying around online about this is mucho confusing!

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

1. Are these a lot easier to book than the Illuminations cruises? (Everything I've read so far makes it seem so.)

Yes, Illuminations only has 4 boats, maybe 5, Wishes can handle dozens - Seven Seas Lagoon is much bigger, more marinas service it, and they aren't forced to park under a bridge.

3. Is the extra $50 worth it just to get the audio feed? Opinions, please!

Depends on if you have ever seen Wishes before. We could hear just fine without it.

4. On that topic, how do I ensure that my reservation is for the boat size I want? Is that another variable in the initial request? Or should I just be happy to get what I can?

Most are the standard pontoon boat that can hold 10-12 people. Not a variable.

5. Is it worth the extra amount to make it a birthday celebration cruise?

Will you have had a big birthday meal before the cruise? The cake is large, they give you drinks.....

6. Can the cruise leave from any MK resort? Specifically, can it leave from the Contemporary?

Yes, and can drop you back at any of them, just ask your driver - and don't forget to ask if you can stay and see the Electric Water Pageant.

It is definitely worth it - we have done both Illuminations and Wishes, and much prefer the Wishes cruise.

Michael

 

[Twigs]

I can't answer all your questions, but I will give you some. When I booked our wishes cruise last year, I did all the steps in the sticky (I was actually trying for Illuminations) and I got Wishes. We had audio in the boat and it was great, I don't think it would have been as good without it. We had booked it as a birthday cruise, which at that time was the only way to get the snacks and drinks, and the the boat was decorated with a banner and balloons. We also got a cake, which from what I have read recently is no longer available (which is too bad as it was a great cake and we are not really cake eaters.) So from what I read now(I could be wrong), to make it a birthday cruise the only difference is getting the decorations, and it would depend on how badly you wanted that. I was asked which resort I wanted to leave from, and the Contemporary was one of the choices.

 

[ACDSNY]

What's the cost for the Wishes Cruise? I'm sure it's gone up since I did it in 2003.

 

[nicolemarie]

I just booked a Wishes cruise yesterday and it was $275 for the "celebration" cruise - we got the premium package with the music piped in, room for 10 people instead of 8, and 25' boat instead of 21'. That is $250 as opposed to $200 for no music and an 8 people max (21') boat. The $25 extra is for decorations - which I will probably cancel as they said it is a banner and balloons - quite a rip-off for $25!! I was booking for Mar 30th and that's not so far away and there was plenty of availability. That makes me a little nervous!!

 

[Crazy Hakim]

I was booking for Mar 30th and that's not so far away and there was plenty of availability. That makes me a little nervous!!

Why would this make you "a little nervous"?
March 30th is a Thursday Night, and just a few weeks before Easter. I would think that most people might opt to wait a few weeks to go to Disney during the holiday week, or when their children have off school for Spring Break. Also, as mentioned above, Wishes Cruises are not as limited as IllumiNations, since the Wishes Cruise Boats park in the Seven Seas Lagoon, while the IllumiNations Cruises are strictly limited to 5 pontoon and Breathless because that is all that will fit where they park.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[aviva5675]

So if there are only 3 of us we would be in a boat with others, to fill the 8-10 ?? Its $200 for our whole party of 3? or???....

 

[airtime]

Thanks for the help, everyone. DisneyGeek2000, your point-by-point answers were especially helpful.

Everyone who hasn't chimed in yet: I'll be checking in for more responses, so please don't be discouraged just because I'm thanking the participants so far. I'll be back!




Tim, who loves this first-hand info!

 

[MareQ]

So if there are only 3 of us we would be in a boat with others, to fill the 8-10 ?? Its $200 for our whole party of 3? or???....

No - you will not be in a boat with other people unless you invite other people. We just did a Wishes cruise on 2/4 with just DH and I and our 3 kids. We had the large pontoon boat - we could have fit 5-8 more people but we honestly preferred our intimate little cruise.

We had the music and had snacks and soda on the boat but we didn't eat or drink as we had just come from dinner at 'Ohana.

We left from the Poly dock - saw the parade first, then cruise the lakes, then saw Wishes.

We would DEFINITELY do this again.

 

[challada]

We are booked on a Wishes cruise for the first week of April...my question(s) are:

1. Can you see everything from the boat for the Wishes show? i.e. the projections and such?

2. If you are booked at 8 pm or whatever that last time is and the fireworks are scheduled for something like 10 pm, what do you do for two hours? or do I need to amuse the kids on the dock for that amount of time?

3. What did you tip the boat staff for the cruise? Is there just a driver or are there other staff w/you? We have 8 people if that helps figuring the amount.

4. If we are leaving the Grand Floridian, we can park there too, right?

THANKS
Chris