WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013

[KeithS]

Okay cruisers, Della and I need some advice from you all.

We are looking at booking the Disney Fantasy 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise which sails on 23 March 2013.

We were looking at deck 9 (which is where Anthony stayed I think) in a class 5A deluxe oceanview stateroom. I've found there are lots of reviews of individual staterooms available, but can you actually book a particular room number or is it like a hotel and you just get allocated a room based on your category? Can you even pick which side of the ship you want? (as you can see - I've got zero idea of how the bookings actually work). The reason I'm after a particular room is because there are a handful that don't have adjoining doors - and we'd prefer one of them

I also understand that there are two different dining times, early and late sessions - what do you guys prefer? What are the pros and cons? When do you have to decide whether you want early or late (is it at time of booking?)

We will probably be going to the ship from WDW. Should we take the DCL bus service, or make our way out to Port Canaveral ourselves. I seem to recall the DCL bus gets you there late in the day, whereas you can go out early and enjoy lunch onboard or something like that and explore the ship before too many people arrive - is that the case?

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated - we want to book within the next few weeks!

[churros]

Very exciting -/

We were on the Wonder room 6558. This room caters for 4 with a balcony on the port side. The location was excellent! Midship right next to central stairs and lifts, easy access up and down to all facilities.

I don't know that port or starboard makes much difference. We had great view of castaway cay but I have seen ships reverse in so...

Families with little people tend to eat earlier, so choose the later sitting. This means you can see the live shows while they are at dinner then eat after the show.

I recommend a town car to drive you to the boat earlier. The Disney bus does arrive later and you want to get on and start your cruise as soon as possible.

You can't go past the Passporter's Disney cruise line book for all the tips and hints!

[mushu mama]

Thought I would just throw my 20 cents in as an ex-agent from that point of view -

if you book through an agent, you can choose both your deck number and cabin number dependent of availability, they have real time access to whats still available at that moment so requests for particular cabins should be fairly easy.

I don't know how it works if you book direct though or online though.

[churros]

I went through an agent

[KeithS]

Thanks everyone for all the replies. Gives me something to go on.

I'm going to download the Passporter's guide - $16 for 400 pages on Disney Cruising sounds great!

I'll keep you all updated as to our booking progress

[KeithS]

You can't go past the Passporter's Disney cruise line book for all the tips and hints!

Wow - I bought this tonight and it is brilliant (will lose a lot of sleep reading in the coming weeks!)

Thanks again Beth

[sandie]

I would always go with early dining - I prefer to eat before i watch the show. We went out of school holiday times so there were not a lot of kids.

Keith is that a balcony room? We loved ours so much we would only go with a balcony!

[KeithS]

Keith is that a balcony room? We loved ours so much we would only go with a balcony!

Yes - I've always had this fantasy of sitting on a balcony reading my book as the ocean sweeps by (probably just an illusion as I'm more likely to be riding the Aquaduck, eating, or seeing a show - but I can dream!)

[sandie]

Oh and Jeannette is a Magic for Less Travel Agent - let me know if you want her email

[ajp]

I think the others have covered most things well. I differ from Sandie and prefer late dining. You get to see the show before you eat, there are a lot less rug rats screaming in the dining room, and you finish dining at the right time to get to the evening shows in the bars, which are worth seeing. Definitely go the balcony, and don't dream the sitting and reading as the water drifts by, do it! It is so therapeutic and a hell of a way to pass a couple of hours. But don't stress on what room you get, seriously, they're all the same. I honestly can't believe some of the stuff I read on Disboards about people and their room choices. Whatever you get, will be fine. But you can stipulate joining rooms, so make sure you go through a TA. on the Magic we were right below the dining room and got the rumbled carts at 3 in the morning, but it didn't bother us, it wasn't that noticeable, only heard it when going for the middle of the night constitution. Disboards will be your friend once you book, getting to know people before you go is better. Sandie met people we met, and I know our kids, Eloise and the American girl they met all keep in touch. Disboards have an iPad app, how cool is that. I'm sure amongst the few of us that have been you will have it all covered, but whatever we tell you will be insignificant to what you will experience, it is just awesome on the Fantasy.

[churros]

I enjoyed breakfast room service on the balcony

[KeithS]

Yay - with the assistance of Daniel from our club, we are booked for our next big adventure.

I thought I'd stick it in the WDW thread as we'll be spending the majority of our time there, but we'll also be taking in Universal Orlando (Harry Potter - can't wait), a Disney Cruise, NASA, and Disneyland on the way home.

Here is the preliminary itinerary, which I'll expand on in the coming weeks!

3 March 2013 - depart Sydney and head to Orlando. Staying at the Royal Pacific at Universal and a day at NASA.

8 March 2013 - Check in at The Art of Animation Resort for 15 nights staying in a Little Mermaid room.

23 March 2013 - Sail on the Disney Fantasy on a 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise, visiting, St Thomas/St John in US Virgin Islands; San Juan Puerto Rico; Castaway Cay.

30 March 2013 - WDW, staying at Port Orleans Riverside for 3 nights

2 April 2013 - Disneyland, staying 5 nights at the Carousel Inn.

7 April 2013 - Fly home

[mushu mama]

sounds spectacular... -/

[ajp]

Sounds an awesome time Keith. You'll love Royal Pacific at Universal,

[churros]

Brilliant!