A Disney Cruise Vacation Package is one of the best ways to enjoy a Disney vacation for the best possible price. You do not worry about parking, waiting in lines, eating, hotel stay, and overcrowding! You also do not worry about spending more money on extra things that were not accounted for. In some regards, these are better than the Walt Disney World Vacation Packages that many people flock to each year.

Disney Cruises have 2 cruise ships, the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic, and picking one basically boils down to where you want to go and how long you want to stay there. Some of the cruise itinerarys overlap depending on time of year, but essentially the Disney Magic sails for seven days in the Caribbean and the Disney Wonder sails for 3-4 days in the Bahamas. There are special times when the ships ( both ) will sail for longer times and in different locations, so it is best to check ahead of time.

The ships will also stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s very own private island filled with lots of family fun. Activities at Castaway Cay fill up quickly, book anthing you want to do early when looking for things to do here.

The cruise ships board up to 877 passengers, so you can make sure that your trip is not over crowed like the theme parks normally are. Dining is also better on the cruise ships when compared to the parks, but the overall theme of dining is catered to children. Both ships feature nightclubs, shops, spa, fitness center, and kids programs, but no casinos.

I would suggest having as much fun as you can at Castaway Cay. This private island features secluded beaches, dining, snorkeling, kids’ games, biking, hiking, kayaking, and other water sports that you will not find on the ship!

Even though the cruises seem to cater to children ( I mean it is Disney! ), they have outdone them selves to cater to adults. There are a ton of adult only beaches on Castaway Cay, adult bars and night clubs, and adult only places on deck. Many times you will find honeymooners and couples without children who appreciate the oversized staterooms and underutilized adults-only areas.

Getting the best possible price on these cruises is to use a travel agent. Many times these agents have special group rates because they book so many groups at one time with the ships. You can also find great bargains with last minute deals at Expedia.com. Expedia also has group rates and can not fill all of there rooms and offer last minute deals. Booking with a travel agent can also snag you several onboard credits that you can use for services on the ship.

I would advice buying trip insurance and getting a passport. During Hurricane season ( June 1st to Nov. 30th ) you can end up being rerouted or delayed which causes penalties and extra cost such as extra stays at hotels and car rentals and trip insurance covers these kinds of things. While you don’t need a passport as of now to sail in international waters ( at least not until 1/1/2008 ), you do need one to fly back into the US if you get rerouted on your cruise or have a medical emergency and need to fly back.

The biggest tip is to do everything early.. book early if can, board early if you can, reserve on shore activities early, get in line early! Doing this can place you first for doing activities and avoid long waits and extra cost.

You need to remember people are going to be doing things in droves. Disney does a good job directing people to things they want you do to, and all at the same time. This means when boarding, they try to have everyone going to the same places to ease crowd control. Keep this tip in mind when you board, as you can bypass the crowds following the herds of other people and skip right to lunch and the pools which are empty at this time. Try to do the opposite of what everyone else is expected to do to avoid lines and wait. If you can’t do it early, do it late and still avoid hassles!

Walt Disney World vacations have become a staple in American summer vacation planning. For years, people have been visiting everything Disney has to offer which now includes two water parks, four theme parks, four mini golf courses, twenty four on site resorts, an interactive video game park, and a shopping / nighttime entertainment area. Not to mention all the outside surrounding attractions as well such as the Disney Cruise Vacation Packages that go on sale year long.

With all your options, how do you know the best ones to pick? An average family now spends over $200 dollars each day per park just for admittance into the park alone, so picking the best deals and not waste time is a top priority for many families going to Walt Disney World for a vacation.

First Tip, do not a rent a car if you are staying on WDW properties. There is so much to see even for a visitor that has came multiple times that renting a car is a waste of money. Why?, because Disney has gone through a lot of expense to ensure their transportation system is the best in the area. At most, I have only had to wait 10-15 minutes tops for a shuttle and they know where everything is in the park to boot!

Second Tip, use a meal plan if offered. If you are not offered, then ask for one. Generally, the daily rate per person, per night, is $45.00. This is by far the best option for your family when eating at WDW. Tell your waiter you are on a meal plan and you can sometimes get option on the menu not offered to the general public as well. Buying food without a plan is outrageous in the parks.

Third Tip, do research about the time of year you go to Disney. You may not want to go right after school lets out for college or high school, and you may not want to go when Florida is under Hurricane season. These small factors can impact your stay heavily.

Fourth Tip, always ask questions. When planning your trip, call and pester your travel agent or the people that reserve your tickets at Walt Disney World Travel. This is by far the most important tip I give. Many times the best rates and options ( tons of them ) are not offered online or to the general public. YOU HAVE TO CALL DIRECT AND ASK. I know people that have called everyday and asked about every option, did their homework, asked some more, call around, pestered the people on the phone, and saved over $500 total by doing this before they even left home.

Fifth Tip, bring walkie talkies, umbrellas, fanny packs, and electronic hand held games for the kids. The wait in the lines is immense at times and having an umbrella to shield you from the sun is a must. They also come in handy when it rains at times! While waiting in line ( sometimes up to 3 hours or more ), the kids will become bored and well be happy you brought along the hand held games for their entertainment. Walkie Talkies are a good option for when your family wants to split up and enjoy the park on their own. I can not imagine how many people waste time because they became lost in the park. Finally, fanny packs are essential as carrying extra snacks, coins, tickets, ID’s, wallets, and other items become a problem if you do not have one.

Final Tip ( for now ), do timeshare. These timeshare deals are all over the place in Florida. It takes 30 minutes to an hour at times, but if you go in and listen to them and at the end of the session tell them you are not interested, you can still get your tickets for only $15 each to over 20 attractions around and including Disney. I have done this myself every time I go to Florida and have literally received free tickets before to Disney. It is very annoying and high pressure when in a timeshare meeting though. These guys will do anything to get you to buy into a timeshare. I go in knowing I will not buy one, listen to their speech, and then they send they partner over to me to talk about it, I tell them politely I do not want a timeshare. After a few minutes of going back and forth, the salesperson gives up and will let you have your tickets. Not bad for 30 minutes worth of work.

Remember, there is a lot to do in and around Walt Disney World and doing your homework and ASKING for things is the best way to save money, time, and have the best experience possible. If you are looking for more info on Disney Vacation information, please use the links on this site to find them.