Ahoy there, Ward! Thanks for sailing by planDisney with your question! I uncorked your message in a bottle and would be glad to help. While next January seems far away, I applaud your thinking so far in advance! That's a planDrew-approved approach if I've ever seen one.
While I never like to see a
Disney Cruise Line ship sail away without someone aboard, I definitely understand the practicality of looking into changing vacation plans to
Walt Disney World Resort. The good news is, there are always
plenty of itineraries for whenever you decide the ocean is calling you!
I had an inkling about this but figured I'd pull alongside a helpful crew member to verify my thoughts. Our helpful crew member Pete was able to confirm that any payments or Future Cruise Credits made towards a Disney Cruise Line are non-transferable to another type of vacation, such as a Walt Disney World vacation. So it looks like both your instinct and mine were right on the map that refunding and restarting is the best course to chart.
Since you've only placed a deposit, based on the current cancellation fee schedule you are due 100% of that back if you cancel far enough ahead of your cruise. Now, your reservation is outside the dates listed among those with a
relaxed cancellation fee schedule, so to be safe I'd be sure to make that decision at least 119 days prior to your scheduled departure since that's the "normal" cancellation window for a 100% refund. As always, I'd keep checking back on the
"Book With Confidence" page to stay aware of the latest policies.
If you just can't bring yourself to cancel, knowing you've got some time to make a decision and the second saddest sight is watching a Disney Cruise Line ship sail away without you, might I suggest planning your potential Walt Disney World Resort trip on either side of your cruise? As time passes, tides change, and the horizon comes a bit more into focus, then you can decide which of the vacations would best suit your needs well within your cancellation fee schedule - or heck...if fortune smiles upon you, you could always turn them both into a
Disney Vacation by Land and Sea!
What's that you say? What's the saddest sight? Well, as Captain Jack Sparrow would tell you, it's watching another Captain sail away with YOUR ship...twice...
Whatever you decide, I wish you and your crew an incredible time on whichever adventure calls you at the time! Whether shoreside or on the deep blue, you really can't go wrong with a Disney vacation. If you run into any other questions while making your decision, send a message in a bottle my way - I'm always on the lookout!
Fair winds and following seas,
Andrew