Thinking of adding park days after DCL cruise

[GroguAndStitch]

Looking for advice. We booked the Fantasy next March for 5 nights out of port Canaveral.

We get back on a Wednesday and are considering going to the parks Thurs/Friday now. So we'd need 3 nights in Disney world. I think we'd get water park tickets the first day, so my hope is we could take the DCL bus back to the hotel, drop our stuff, then head to a water park for the 1st day on property.

Can the bus drive you to any resort? What is the timeline on arrival at the hotel generally like? Just debating if its really possible to have a "water park day" or if we'd end up there really late. I dont want to buy a park ticket for that day.

Im thinking we will stay at POP or rent DVC points and stay in a deluxe studio at BWV. We want to go to Epcot and MK on Thurs/Friday.
Thanks

 

[Hubie]

The busses leave the port shortly after 9 AM and you should arrive at your resort as least by 10:30. You'll need to check your bags and then you'll have the rest of the day to enjoy one of the water parks. Have fun!

 

[Mommb]

You can certainly book transportation through Disney Cruise Line to the hotel where you are staying. As Hubie said, you should arrive at WDW in mid-morning, leaving plenty of time for a water park.

 

[edudansil]

We just did this last week and it was the perfect way to ease back into the 'real' world LOL

 

[GroguAndStitch]

We just did this last week and it was the perfect way to ease back into the 'real' world LOL

Oh awesome to hear! Can I ask where you stayed?

 

[Clarkson U]

I would say go to WDW first and DCL second if you can swing it. WDW and the theme parks are absolutely NOT relaxing and then you can get on DCL and really enjoy the time and relax on the ship.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Oh awesome to hear! Can I ask where you stayed?

I stayed at Disney’s Old Key west resort. 3 days Before and 3 days after. DCL transportation was perfect! First on the ship before noon and back at the resort at 10am.
Seamless!

 

[GroguAndStitch]

I would say go to WDW first and DCL second if you can swing it. WDW and the theme parks are absolutely NOT relaxing and then you can get on DCL and really enjoy the time and relax on the ship.

I wish we could but the timing doesn’t work we may be able to do one day before but not more than that with work

 

[auntlynne]

Brillant idea! Having waited in the airport for an afternoon flight after a cruise, I have come to believe that spending at least one night and doing something fun after disembarkation is a better use of my time.

The operating water park typically is open from 10-6. Even with bus ride, luggage drop off and bus from resort to BB/ TL, you should have plenty of time to splash.

There is an ongoing debate of pre- or post-cruise WDW visits. Whichever works for your life - have fun!

 

[kiford]

Is this in 2025? IIRC, as of 2025, you can go to a water park for free on your check-in day. So it could be worth going for just a part day if you don't have to pay for tickets.

 

[Honeypot]

I wish we could but the timing doesn’t work we may be able to do one day before but not more than that with work

It probably is more relaxing to do WDW before the cruise, but we had the same issue with timing last year and did 2 park days post cruise. And my kids are go go go ride ride ride so it was not a relaxing two days. But we still had a lot of fun, and it was better to do it post cruise than not at all (at least for us).

 

[brentm77]

We did Universal post cruise due to timing last year. It wasn't as good as doing the theme parks prior to the cruise, but it almost makes you ready to come home, which helped me with my post-cruise let down. I would do it again, but would do WDW over Universal and take it slow instead of trying to do too much.

 

[auntlynne]

Is this in 2025? IIRC, as of 2025, you can go to a water park for free on your check-in day. So it could be worth going for just a part day if you don't have to pay for tickets.

That makes it an even better idea. The value resorts are included, too.

Beats the current ticket price of $64 or $74 adult. (I’m still doing using prepaid $5/day water parks and more tickets).

 

[Scubadaddy32]

We went on the Wish last year (4 day) and then stayed Friday, Saturday and took the latest flight home on Sunday night, so we could get as much time in parks on our departure day. We spent all 3 days in the parks, but the same would apply to the waterpark. Like others have said, you should have plenty of time.
When we exited customs, we were directed to the bus terminal area. The Disney cast members asked which resort we were heading to and placed us on the appropriate bus that was heading to that resort area. They had us back at the resort by around 10:30 - 11:00, if my memory serves me correctly. We stayed at CSR in the Gran Destino Tower. We simply got off the bus, grabbed our bags, walked in and dropped our bags off at bell services and then walked back out to jumped on the bus for the park. Disney made all of that very easy. We checked in online that morning and we were notified that our room was ready at some point while we were in the park on the app. We arrived back at the hotel that first night picked our bags up from bell services and went up to the room.

 

[kylenne]

In Sept we are doing the parks pre-cruise, staying at the GF 5 nights before our 4 nights on the Wish, because I just think it makes more sense that way—get all the walking out of the way and then just chilling on the ship. But then we are doing one more night back at Poly CL post cruise before flying home late Saturday night. We are undecided as to whether or not we will go back into the parks for those couple of post-cruise days, but wanted a treat to help with the debarkation blues, and the Poly is our fave resort. I don’t like flying the same day as embarking or debarking a cruise so it works out for us.

 

[GroguAndStitch]

It probably is more relaxing to do WDW before the cruise, but we had the same issue with timing last year and did 2 park days post cruise. And my kids are go go go ride ride ride so it was not a relaxing two days. But we still had a lot of fun, and it was better to do it post cruise than not at all (at least for us).

I agree. I’d love to go before but it’s not feasible with timing.

 

[GroguAndStitch]

Thinking about another thing: if we stay on property the night before the cruise- we’d get a water park pass. Then if we came back and stayed on property again would we get another?! Are both water parks open at same time of year or would be only able to go to one? We’ve never done water parks. But that could be a fun thing to get them both in

 

[edudansil]

Oh awesome to hear! Can I ask where you stayed?

We stayed at the Grand Floridian.

 

[kiford]

Thinking about another thing: if we stay on property the night before the cruise- we’d get a water park pass. Then if we came back and stayed on property again would we get another?!

I would assume so - they would be booked as separate stays.

 

[Skippyboo]

Thinking about another thing: if we stay on property the night before the cruise- we’d get a water park pass. Then if we came back and stayed on property again would we get another?! Are both water parks open at same time of year or would be only able to go to one? We’ve never done water parks. But that could be a fun thing to get them both in

They have not had both open since the before times prepandemic. For March it would be Blizzard in the early part and then they switch to Typhoon Lagoon. So depending when you cruise and when they switch you could go to one waterpark pre cruise and then a different one post