Welcome aboard, David! The hardest part of
sailing with Disney is choosing which of their magical itineraries and ships to enjoy. Seeing that you're in California, you have the added bonus of not being too far from the
Disney Wonder's home port of San Diego for the spring and early fall. But, you mentioned Walt Disney World, so you must be looking at sailing from Port Canaveral this time. No matter which ship or itinerary, you're in for all sorts of magic.
The
Disney Dream sails three and four night itineraries from Port Canaveral. I don't know the exact reason why the ship leaves when it does, but I'm guessing that in order to give a long weekend option for those looking for a quick trip, the cruise sets sail Friday afternoon and returns Monday morning. This is perfect for guest who want to escape for a long weekend getaway. That leaves a Monday afternoon through Friday morning sailing of four nights for the next trip. The good news is that you can easily
add a Walt Disney World Resort stay to either the front end or the back end of your cruise, or even both! Fly in on Saturday to enjoy the whole weekend at Walt Disney World before you head out to sea. Or, disembark the ship on Friday and stay through Sunday at the resorts.
Disney Cruise Line offers optional
ground transfers between Port Canaveral and both the Orlando International Airport and the Walt Disney World Resorts, so you can easily transition from land to sea and back again. My family and I love to let Disney do the driving!
Have fun planning your exciting getaway, David!
Marcy