Hello again, Shawnee!
I love the way you are combining your adventure at sea with some adventure at the Happiest Place on Earth. What an amazing vacation you have planned!
When it comes to disembarking your ship at the end of your Disney Cruise, you have two options. Your first option is to participate in Express Walk Off to be among the first guests to disembark the ship. If you would like to do this, you may be able to exit the ship as early as 7:30 a.m. Guests choosing to utilize this option must handle all of their luggage on their own. I'd suggest that you be up and grab a quick breakfast at
Cabanas and then return to your stateroom to retrieve your luggage and wait near the atrium for the ship-wide announcement that will indicate you are cleared to disembark. The time it takes you to get off the ship and through Customs at the terminal will vary based on the number of people joining you in Express Walk Off. It is feasible that you could be off the ship and ready to be picked up as early as 8:00 a.m.
If you'd prefer a slower pace to your morning, you can participate in the traditional disembarkation process. You will be instructed to pack any luggage that you would like to be taken off of the ship for you and to place it outside of your stateroom on the final evening of your voyage. You will receive a special luggage tag with a Disney Character to place on your items. You will also be invited to a final farewell breakfast at a specific time between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. (the time will depend on whether you have the Main Dinner seating or the Second Dinner seating). After you finish your breakfast, you will listen to the announcements that indicate when your luggage tag Character group is invited to disembark the ship. I have disembarked several Disney Cruise ships and have learned that the lines for this process can be long on occasion. I'd estimate that you could be off of the ship and ready for a pickup between 8:45-10:30 a.m.
I know that is quite the time frame, so you may prefer that you arrange transportation to pick you up from one of the nearby hotels. There are hotels directly across the street from the terminal in San Diego with comfortable lobbies and a place to sit while you wait for your ride to the
Disneyland Resort.
Have the BEST TIME EVER!
Adrianna