Orlando Travel Guide

There's hardly a Florida tourist market that WDW hasn't successfully tapped. Ocean-going vacations are no exception. Disney Cruise Line (tel. 800/951-3532; www.disneycruise.com) launched the Magic and Wonder in 1998 and 1999, respectively (two new ships are scheduled to debut between 2011 and 2012). It didn't take long before the line made it all the way to the top of the family cruising market.

The Magic is Art Deco in style, with Mickey in the three-level lobby and a Beauty and the Beast mural in its top restaurant, Lumiere's. The Wonder's decor is Art Nouveau. Ariel commands its lobby, and its featured eatery, Triton's, sports a mural from The Little Mermaid.

Subtle differences aside, these are nearly identical twins. Both are 83,000 tons with 12 decks, 875 cabins, and room for 2,400 guests. There are some adults-only areas including Palo, an intimate and romantic Italian restaurant; however, both ships have extensive kids' and teens' programs that take up almost an entire deck. They're broken into four age groups: the Flounder's Reef Nursery for ages 3 months to 3 years; Disney's Oceaneer Club for ages 3 to 7; Disney's Oceaneer Lab for ages 8 to 12; and Aloft (on the Wonder) and The Stack (on the Magic) for ages 13 to 17. Ocean Quest (on the Magic) is the newest addition, filled with activities for almost every age it features video games, plasma TVs, and a simulator that allows kids to steer the ship in and out of ports of call.

Restaurants, shows, and other onboard activities are extremely family-oriented. One of the line's unique features is a dine-around option that lets you move among main restaurants (each ship has four) from night to night while keeping the same servers.

The 3-night voyages visit Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney's own private island; 4-night voyages add Freeport. There also are 7-night eastern Caribbean (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. John, and Castaway Cay) and 7-night western Caribbean (Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Castaway Cay) itineraries. There are also 7-day itineraries to the Mexican Riviera (Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas) and 15-day cruises to the Panama Canal. Special 10-day and 14-day Caribbean cruises, as well as 10-day, 11-day, and 14-day (trans-Atlantic) Mediterranean cruises are offered; call for details and rates.

Seven-night land-sea packages include 3 or 4 days afloat, with the rest of the week at a WDW resort. Prices at press time ranged from $939 to $5,399 adults, $399 to $2,199 kids 3 to 12, and $189 kids younger than 3 (Note: infants younger than 12 weeks are not allowed aboard ship), depending on your choice of stateroom and resort. Packages are available that add round-trip air and unlimited admission to the WDW parks, Pleasure Island, and other Disney attractions. Cruise-only options for 3 nights are $429 to $2,999 adults, $229 to $1,099 kids 3 to 12, and $149 those younger than 3; 4-night cruises are $499 to $3,999 adults, $329 to $1,199 kids 3 to 12, and $149 kids younger than 3. Disney's 7-night cruises sell for $849 to $5,399 adults, $399 to $2,199 kids 3 to 12, and $189 kids younger than 3.

The 10- and 11-night Mediterranean cruises out of Barcelona, Spain, aboard the Disney Magic feature stops in such ports of call as Naples, Italy, and Marseilles, France, among others. Also included are two 14-day transatlantic sailings (to Barcelona from Cape Canaveral and vice versa). The sailings are limited and advance bookings are recommended. Rates range from $1,399 to $6,699 per person base on double occupancy. For more information on the European sailings, call tel. 888/325-2500.

With the exception of select west coast and Mediterranean itineraries, cruises depart from Port Canaveral, which is about an hour east of Orlando by car. If you buy a Land and Sea package, transportation to and from Orlando is included. You can get discounted fares if you book well in advance and go during nonpeak periods, and specials or "Magic Rates" run periodically. For more information, call Disney Cruise Line or check out its very informative website, which also allows you to plan and reserve shore excursions before you go. Another good source of detailed information on both cruising and the Disney line is Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call.

Avoid the Ups & Downs -- Nothing spoils a cruise like a storm -- or worse. In the first case, consider avoiding hurricane season altogether (June 1-Nov 30, though the peak is July to mid-Oct). These unpredictable storms can both spoil your fun and upset the strongest of stomachs. Avoiding the stormy seasons aside, pack a few motion-sickness pills or patches just in case.

Speaking of spoiling a cruise, several cruise ships, including the Disney Magic, have had outbreaks of a virus that caused stomach flu-like symptoms in the past. This is no ill reflection on any one line: Cruise ships are closed environments, and sometimes a passenger brings the illness on board. For an Internet rating by the Centers for Disease Control, go to www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm. Note, however, that the site is often weeks out of date.