We are considering taking the extended family (with kids/grandkids) on a Disney cruise during a school break in 2027 out of San Diego. I am reading about different levels of training for people who describe themselves as Disney experts. Who has put a cruise trip together for an extended family (I did for an Alaska trip many years ago) and what tips can you share about doing this for a Disney cruise? I already know which ship we are looking at based on scheduling. Please share resources, referrals (unless you work for the company, that’s a no-no), personal contacts a well as both good and bad experiences you have had with companies. Thanks
Has anyone used an agent from one of the big Disney cruise companies? Do you get personalized service? The local person who was recommended says their agency does not give any onboard credit which we would prefer since we are a large group that will be expensive. Anyone know if the pricing will be the same? Any military discounts?
I have zero personal experience, but Small World Vacations is recommended by Mousesavers, which has been around for a long time.
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Thanks! That’s the one I reached out to
I’ve done 3 Disney cruises, but all out of Florida (although one ended in LA as it was a repositioning cruise). There were several experts in Florida and they got the discounts you could get anywhere, the only difference being the ‘perks’ the travel agency gives. Sometimes it is a welcome gift, like a backpack or water in your room. Costco seemed to have the best as it was a gift card worth a percentage of the cost of the cruise, so could be a lot. I think the cruise itself always costs the same (a LOT!) You get a military discount (sometimes only on some cruises).
You honestly don’t need a lot of tips on Disney as they are very good about telling you everything. You can link the rooms and will be assigned the same dining time/table. If you are the head of the group, you should be able to sign everyone up for the excursions you want, boarding time, etc. If you want to dine in the adult restaurant, you should be able to book a table for all the adults.
Have fun. The food is really good.
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I have planned several Disney vacations on my own before without issue but four years ago we did use an agency to plan a combination Universal/Disney trip with grandparents where we were switching hotels halfway through and I would definitely use one again if we ever went back now that I see how much easier it made things. They presented great room/hotel options for our group size that we hadn’t even considered and tracked discounts so we ended up with a great rate. They gave great recommendations and suggested itineraries/tips that we didn’t have to follow but that were super helpful in maximizing our time. The best part was that they were able to get early access to reservations and booked all of our dining for us without us having to wake up super early and jump on a computer to fight for time slots. We ended up with everything we wanted at the times we wanted and I would use them again in the future for that reason alone. It was called Mouse Class Travel at the time we used it but they have expanded beyond Disney/Universal now and are called MC Travel. I know they help with cruises too but have not personally used them for that. There’s a Facebook group you can join for more info/to see reviews.
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I’ve been on several west coast Disney cruises. Sometimes we book directly through Disney. Other times we’ve used Costco. Are you looking for a travel agent who specializes in Disney or are you looking for help putting it together yourself? Are you looking at booking on opening day (this week)?
Have you looked at the DisBoards? The DCL forum is helpful.
Are you looking at the Magic or the Wonder? Have you sailed on either?
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Thanks everyone. I would prefer to work with someone who will do the legwork for me ! We have cruised but never on a Disney so we have no status. It will be on the Wonder. Have you been on it, @lkg4answers ?
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Are you looking at booking on Tuesday, September 8?
Yes, I’ve cruised on the Wonder four times. We cruised the Magic to Alaska earlier this year and liked the crew so much that we booked another Magic cruise (out of SD) this fall.
The Wonder is a great ship. How old are the kids?
We have to work around the kids’ school vacations. We will need to book the nursery for the little one (he will be a bit under 3). The others will be almost 5, almost 6 and 10.
My sister just came back from a Disney Alaska cruise she had with her 3 D’s and their kids & spouses. She and her H booked a concierge class cabin so they could all use her benefits with her. I will ask her for any other tips. We didn’t go. They all had a blast!
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Sister said she tried AAA but they were slow at responding, so she worked directly with Disney, so she had more control and could make adjustments as desired. If you use travel agent, you have to have them make changes/adjustments, etc.
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Thanks
AAA did offer her some perks (luggage tags, bags, etc) if she’d switch to them, but she decided she preferred to work directly with Disney and was happy enough with how things turned out.
When we cruised Alaska with some friends, we used a travel agent and the friends booked on Costco.com for same cruise. They got a lower price on their cabin plus a Costco gift card. I’d check cruise critic to see what your likely view out your cabin will be, so you don’t have a lifeboat obstructing your view.
We’ve done three Disney cruises and booked them all directly through Disney. We loved every one of them and hope you will too! They provide a wonderful onboard experience, and the food is great too.
Unless a travel agent can offer you some perks (like onboard credits or a portion of their commission), I’m not sure you really need one.
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Disney site says only the people who are in the concierge rooms can used all the benefits. Some can be shared, but not all.
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Slowly working our way through the planning with incredible help from a cc’er!!
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The travel company does offer onboard credit which is one (of several) reasons I chose to get the extra help. We have travelled a lot but this is the first time on a Disney cruise so I don’t mind a little (or more than a little) hand holding.