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  • On Mar 4, 2026
    Lana from BC Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    we would like to plan for a family vacation, 8 in total; 3 adults and 5 children; we are looking to do disney world than would like to do a disney cruise after. and would like information on how to plan, budget and get the most out of our experience.

    Hiya, Lana!

    Oo-de-lally! Golly, what a day! That sounds like my kind of family vacation. Do you have room for one more?

    Actually, my family recently finished booking a Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line land and sea vacation. Here are the steps I recommend for planning your epic adventure.

    1. Start by booking your Disney cruise. Use the Find a Cruise tool to search for an itinerary that speaks to you with a start date that works for your schedule. When combining your cruise with a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort, I recommend using the "Departing from" filter to search only for cruises embarking from Port Canaveral, Florida. Since you have a larger party, be sure to add multiple staterooms when you select the number of passengers. If you prefer, a Cast Member at the Disney Cruise Line call center can help with itinerary selection and booking.
    2. Plan out the Disney World portion of your trip. Decide if you want to visit Disney World before your cruise, after, or both! You can book your entire party at once if you choose to stay together in a Deluxe Villa. Or you can book your Disney Resorts Collection accommodations separately and link your vacations together using the My Family & Friends list. Using the Disney World website, you can build the perfect experience by selecting a resort hotel that fits your preferences and budget, adding theme park tickets, an optional Disney Dining Plan, and even a few extras to make things special.
    3. Arrange for ground transportation. I like to seamlessly tie together the Disney World and Disney cruise portions of our vacation with convenient motorcoach transfers between the airport, cruise port terminal, and Disney World hotel. It makes it so nice not to have to worry about how to transport all of our family members and our luggage between locations. And the comfort and theming of the buses keep us serenely within our vacation mode.

    Budgeting for your Disney vacation is a piece of cake. A fixed deposit is all that is required to reserve a hotel-plus-tickets vacation package to Disney World. Most Disney cruise reservations require only a 10% down payment. The balance of your vacation can be paid intermittently over time or all at once on the respective due dates. Disney World vacation package balances are due at least 30 days before arrival. Disney Cruise Line balances are due 90 days in advance for most staterooms. The due date for those booked in suites or concierge staterooms or on itineraries of six or more nights is 120 days before embarkation.

    Lana, your vacation plans sound marvelous. I hope you visit us again here at planDisney. We'd love to offer more advice and recommendations for specific aspects of your magical experience.

    Have a wonderful time, Lana!
    ~Tony

thumbnail image for Tony

Meet the Panelist: Tony, Utah

Coming to you from the Beehive State, I’m a Disney-loving dad and husband, buzzing with excitement to share advice and tips for making your Disneyland Resort vacation as magical as possible! I’m excited to help you discover the storytelling magic of the “Happiest Place on Earth!” Learn More About Tony

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Panelists have received/will receive a Walt Disney World® Resort, Disneyland® Resort or Disney Cruise Line® vacation for panelist and up to three family members and/or park tickets for their planDisney participation. The views expressed on plandisneypanel.com are those of the panelists, who are independent contractors. These views are not intended to reflect the opinions of Disney Destinations, its affiliates, its management, its agents or its employees and have not been reviewed or approved by Disney Destinations prior to posting.

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