Your Guide To Planning a Disney Land & Sea Getaway For 2022
This has been a HUGE week for Disney theme park and cruise line news! This week, Disney took an unprecedented step and released 2022 vacation packages for January – June five months early! In addition, Disney Cruise Line announced they Star Wars Day at Sea itineraries for 2022 as well as Marvel Day at Sea itineraries!
That’s why it’s not surprising that some of you are asking about pairing your 2022 Walt Disney World vacation with a Disney Cruise Line sailing out of Port Canaveral. With that in mind, I thought it would be handy to outline some of the logistics to help you get the most out of our dream vacation.
Let’s Dive In!…
Coordinating the logistics between the Walt Disney World portion of your stay and the Disney Cruise portion of your stay can be a daunting task! But that’s where we can help. A great launching point is to plotting out your days. How long to you want your vacation to be? How many days would you like to spend at sea? How many days do I want to visit the theme parks?
Let’s Get Started With Cruising!
When it comes to sailing out of Port Canaveral, there are three popular sailing options that are classic paired with a Disney getaway for a land & sea package. These are as follows:
3-Day Sailings Bahamian Sailings With Time at Walt Disney World
This is a fabulous option for first time cruisers as it gives you a taste of life at sea and pairs perfectly with with a few days at Disney World for a week of fun! These 3-day sailings aboard the Disney Dream typically stop at Nassau and Disney’s private Island Castaway Cay. 3-Night Sailings leave from Port Canaveral on a Friday afternoon and return on a Monday morning.
These sailings can currently be booked through May of 2022.
4-Day Bahamian Sailings With Time At Walt Disney World
For those looking to spend a bit longer on your cruise the four-night is an awesome option. Also aboard the Disney Dream, you’ll also enjoy time at Nassau and Castaway Cay with the added advantage of an extra day at sea! These cruises typically depart from Port Canaveral on a Monday and return to Port on a Friday. You can add a few days at Disney World for the ultimate 7-8 day getaway!
These sailings can currently be booked through May of 2022.
7-Day Eastern or Western Caribbean Sailings With Time At Walt Disney World
For those looking for a nice long luxurious land and sea package, Disney Fantasy’s 7-night sailings out of Port Canaveral are a fantastic options! You can choose between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. These sailings typically run for Saturday to Saturday! You can easily combine this with a pre or post visit to the parks for a 10+ ultimate Disney getaway.
7-Day sailings aboard the Disney Fantasy can be booked through end of May 2022.
Disney World Before or After?
There’s no right or wrong answer to this Disney friends! I’ve planned both pre and post Disney visits for my clients and both have their perks! However, the more popular option tends to be to visit the theme parks first followed by the cruise. The reason being is that many guests prefer to get the fast-paced and rigorous visit to the Disney theme parks out of the way first so that they can end their vacation by kicking back and relaxing on one of Disney’s fully decked out ships!
That being said Disney World’s flexible package options make it easy to do your Land & Sea getaway your way with a pre, post or even pre AND post visit to the theme parks!
How Do I Book In Both Elements of My Land & Sea Getaway?
Let me just preface this section by saying that when it comes to something like a Land & Sea getaway which is heavy on logistics, it pays to work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner who are skilled experts at organizing all of those teeny details so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy your vacation! At MickeyTravels we liaise with both Disney World and Disney Cruise Line to seamlessly connect both components of your getaway into one cohesive magical vacation.
That being said, if you prefer a DIY approach then there are two ways that you can typically go about booking a Land & Sea!
Book Both Elements Separately
For those wanting greater flexibility and the option of nabbing a discount, this is the way to go. This option is perfectly customizable allowing you to build the package just the way you want it. You can pick the resort you want, room category you want, park tickets, dining plans and may even be eligible for discounts like room discount packages when they come out. However, the downside is that you have 2 separate reservations, deposits and payment deadlines. However, I think its a small price to pay for total flexibility!
Book The Walt Disney World Portion As An Add-On To Your Disney Cruise
For those wanting the convenience of having both elements of your vacation all in one place then you can add a Disney World stay onto your Disney cruise directly with Disney Cruise Line. This means one package and one payment. However, going this route does have its downsides. Only standard rooms are available, park hopper tickets must be purchased and you can’t use a dining plan with this option (if they were to be reimplemented in the future). In addition your add-on WOULD NOT be eligible for discounts.
My advice? Book them separate! But use a Travel Agent to manage all of the logistics (and keep track of payment deadlines for you!)
How Far In Advance Should I Book?
Cruising: When it comes to cruising with Disney, the earlier you book the better! Disney Cruise Line rarely offers last-minute discounts. Instead, the cruise line will offer their cheapest rates as soon as cruises go on sale. The prices then increase the closer you get to your sailing date. Booking early means you may be saving hundreds of dollars over those that booked at the last minute! You can currently book the Cruise portion of your getaway for itineraries through May of 2022.
Walt Disney World: The Walt Disney World portion of your stay works a bit differently. When packages are released they are usually non-discounted. However, discounts can be applied later (should they come out.) Walt Disney World Vacation packages are currently available to book through the end of June 2022.
Photo Source: Go Port Canaveral
How Do I Get From Disney World To Port Canaveral?
Land & Sea getaways are such a popular package that Disney has streamlined the process of getting you between the theme parks and cruise port! Here’s a look at how this works:
Disney Cruise Line Bus – On the morning of your sailing a cruise coordinator will meet you in the lobby of your Walt Disney World resort or at a designated location in the airport to take you to Disney’s Cruise Line shuttle that will take you to Port Canaveral. Guests should note that there is a charge for the Cruise Line Bus. As of going to print the cost is $78 round trip per person.
After Your Cruise – Disney Cruise Line buses can either take your directly to Orlando International Airport for your flight home or (for those booking the Walt Disney World vacation after the cruise) to your Walt Disney World Resort (fees above apply.)
A Note About Disney’s Magical Express
Historically Disney World has offered a complimentary shuttle service between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and your Walt Disney World Resort. Those booking a Land & Sea getaway and looking to get from the airport to your Disney resort or vice versa will (STARTING IN 2022) need to do so via private transfer as the Magic Express service is being discontinued. There are private shuttles, taxi services, or even car rentals available for guests! Let MickeyTravels work for you to make this transition seamless!
What To Know If You’re Booking Flights
Unlike a Disney World only vacation, if you’re planning on linking up flights with your travel plans there are some details you’ll want to be aware of:
- For Those Cruising First – If you are going directly from the airport to Port Canaveral please make sure your flight gets into the airport NO LATER than 11 am.
- For Those Flying Out The Day Of Your Cruise Ends – On the return, you’ll usually disembark from the ship around 9am. Its advised that you book a departure that leaves AFTER 1:00pm.
We hope you’ve found these Land & Sea tips helpful! You can take the first step of organizing your dream vacation by getting a FREE no-obligation quote (see below.) Readers are also encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for the latest Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise line news and updates!
Get a Jumpstart On Your Travel Plans And Get A FREE Disney Gift Card!
Have you heard the news!? Walt Disney World vacation packages are currently available through June 2022! Book your 2022 stay with ME through May of 2021 and I’ll throw in a Disney Gift Card!* Plus 1 lucky family will be picked each month to receive a special in-room delivery from Disney Floral & Gifts! Simply fill out my form below to get your FREE, no obligation quote!
With new policies and procedures in place for next year, there’s never been a better time to work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner who can help you navigate through Disney World’s new way of doing things! Just fill out my form HERE to get your FREE, no-obligation quote. Alternatively, feel free to reach out at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook!
