Adding a WDW trip to a cruise

[RBrooksC]

My wife and I were looking into doing this as while I was trying to push for a longer cruise, she would rather combine it with a few days at the parks. But when you add a WDW park trip to your cruise, the restrictions are incredible. I mean, REALLY incredible. It is almost like Disney doesn't want you to do a land/sea combination.

Does anybody have a clue as to why they are so restrictive in that regard?

[DizneyRox]

Explain these incredible restrictions? Disney offers transportation back and forth to the Disney cruise terminal. Not sure what other tie in would be necessary.

[RBrooksC]

This is why I asked it... With the Resort Add-on, you can only add a full-price resort stay in a standard room before or after your cruise. You cannot:

book anything other than a standard room (no themed or view rooms, or suites);
get a discount on your hotel room;
add tickets other than full-price 1-day to 5-day tickets with the Park Hopper option (no Base Tickets, Water Park Fun & More or No Expiration options are available); or
add a Dining Plan at all (you’d have to book a separate vacation package to get a Dining Plan).

[Niecyboo]

The best way to do a Disney Cruise and a WDW stay is to book them separately. That way you can book whatever type of room and whatever discount is available. You can still add Ground Transfers to or from WDW and the port, so there really isn't anything you lose by booking them as 2 separate reservations.

[BrerGnat]

We did this last August. 3 night Dream followed by 4 nights at the Wilderness Lodge. We booked them separately and it was no hassle at all. We did use a room discount and bought military tickets. We booked the DCL transfers through the cruise line and just told them where we were going after the cruise. We booked DME to take us back to the airport. It was all very easy.

[CanadianWDWFan]

We also booked a WDW trip separately from our Cruise. We wanted to start our trip off with a bang so we booked three nights before our cruise. We booked it a long time after we booked our cruise. By doing it separately we were in control of our plans.

[DizneyRox]

This is why I asked it... With the Resort Add-on, you can only add a full-price resort stay in a standard room before or after your cruise. You cannot...

Bah! I've never had a problem booking exactly what I want. Last year we used our DVC points to stay before and after our cruise which was booked directly to with the cruise line. Used DCL transfers between the port and the resorts no bubbles, no troubles.

I never accept Disney 'standard' options.. They may be convenient for them, but never for me. Don't they limit the accommodations based on stateroom category too? Kind of an antiquated way of thinking...

[mamatedd]

The best way to do a Disney Cruise and a WDW stay is to book them separately. That way you can book whatever type of room and whatever discount is available. You can still add Ground Transfers to or from WDW and the port, so there really isn't anything you lose by booking them as 2 separate reservations.

This is exactly how we did it. We got an awesome deal on our tix, and booked two different resorts- one before and one after. We had our own car, so ground transfers didn't really apply. Good luck & have a great trip!

[lightyearfan]

i agree with allot of whats been said, me and dw have booked a seperate wdw reservation b4 our cruises, we've done it this way the past 4 trips and we'll be doing it again in sept. this is really the best way to do it. if your dvc member it can be a little easier (imho), with room selection. when doing it this way it does give you more freedom and less restrictions than if you tried to do a land and sea package.. hope this helps

Victor