April 2026 - 14-Night WB Panama Canal - Why so popular?

[obsesseddisneyfan]

I was excited to book it and took what I think were some of the last rooms (Inside 2nd floor). Not where I would normally pick but I will take what I get. My husbands really wants to go through the locks, I love Disney and one of the weeks was the kids spring break. It was a no brainer. My deposit is paid. I was jumping for joy that as a silver I was able to get them.

 

[JM_97]

PC cruises don't happen as often as they used to and they are very popular in general.

Also, right now there's some mystery around the future of the Magic. I think she is going to be in the Pacific with the Wonder for a while (a reunion of sorts!) since Disney is going to push hard with their bigger ships in the Bahamas and Caribbean because that's the way the industry is going.

There's a theory that this could be the curtain call for the Magic for good, but I don't believe that.

 

[semiswtkindalife]

A combo of oh! a sailing that may not happen again for who knows how long?, and IF it's the curtain call for the Magic (don't want to believe this), we want to be there.

 

[Cfabar1]

A combo of oh! a sailing that may not happen again for who knows how long?, and IF it's the curtain call for the Magic (don't want to believe this), we want to be there.

I don't think it is the curtain call either, but it does seem likely that it won't be in FL for a long time with the other ships...

PC seems to look like it will be:
3-4 night on wish
4-5 night on Fantasy
7 night on Treasure

PE looks like it is heading to be:
Disney Destiny (I'm guessing 3-4 nights)
Disney Dream

Maybe Magic gets assigned Cali cruises, or maybe gets moved to Singapore?
Wonder does something similar to the current schedule - maybe moving to California year round after a couple years and not doing the AZ cruises as much?

 

[mpetersen]

Easter will be on Embarkation Day. Are the school breaks tied to Holy Week (the week proceeding) or is it more a fixed week based on terms (like 6 week blocks)?

Depends on your state. In NYC area catholic schools get Holy Week while public take Easter week itself (I grew up there).In Massachusetts (where I am now and teach) we get Patriots day week, which happens to coincide with Easter week in 2025. New Hampshire takes the week after that almost always.
Colleges follow more of a term break schedule and many take break in March but they end in may and do not get a February break like the schools do.

 

[disney2you]

For me it is a great deal as well. European cruise of that length are about twice the cost and air fare to Galveston and San Diego is cheap for me. I was looking at doing transatlantic on the Dream but looks like they might be switching to the Fantasy in Europe now (at least for 2025, I'm also slightly terrified of being in the middle of the ocean on the trans cruises). Never been on the Magic so seemed a good choice. I only saw one room available on inside deck 7 (there were guaranteed inside still available but I like to choose) so I booked now.

 

[Erica1016]

I was excited to book it and took what I think were some of the last rooms (Inside 2nd floor).

I would take it in a heartbeat...although we're typically inside cabin people. The Panama Canal is very high on my bucket list, but I can't generally take time off in April. However, I talked with my supervisor yesterday and she said we could probably work it out. Now that it's not available, I'll be checking regularly for it to open up again, but we'd most definitely need/want an inside room.

 

[Flossbolna]

I wouldn’t be surprised if close to PIF you will actually see lots of availability pop up. DCL fans (those with high status) thought this looked interesting and wanted to secure a spot. It's such a long time off, many people will change plans between now and then. I do remember some of the Hawaiian cruises selling out on opening day and then actually offering VGT rates in the end.

 

[Sakura1017]

I would take it in a heartbeat...although we're typically inside cabin people. The Panama Canal is very high on my bucket list, but I can't generally take time off in April. However, I talked with my supervisor yesterday and she said we could probably work it out. Now that it's not available, I'll be checking regularly for it to open up again, but we'd most definitely need/want an inside room.

Start checking at night since holds are dropping now. I saw tonight was just inside category remaining.

 

[myolite]

I was able to get an interior gty an hour ago. I've been checking every night.

 

[aka Charles]

I was excited to book it and took what I think were some of the last rooms (Inside 2nd floor). Not where I would normally pick but I will take what I get. My husbands really wants to go through the locks, I love Disney and one of the weeks was the kids spring break. It was a no brainer. My deposit is paid. I was jumping for joy that as a silver I was able to get them.

I, too, am a silver member,
I have already booked a number of short cruises for later this year and for 2025.
I have been thinking about doing a longer cruise in 2026, and had been toying with the idea of a South Pacific cruise, until this Panama Canal cruise was announced,
Like you, I got excited about the chance of this experience, especially due to it's rarity.
I followed the cabin availability as I was waiting for it to open to Silver members.
Concierge went first, I assume all booked by Pearl members.
Verandahs went next while Platinum members were booking. I started getting worried.
Gold members booked what was left of Oceanview cabins. I was getting more worried, lol.
The morning it opened for Silver members, I could not log in until I got to work.
As soon as I got there I logged in and saw that there were a few inside cabins left that were available for choice (not IGT).
I think I got the last one on deck 7. I booked it as soon as I saw it.
After I got it booked, there were none left but a few on decks 1 and 2, and a few on deck 6 aft.
A short 20 minutes later... sold out.
I am still jumping for joy that I was able to get that cabin!
I cannot wait to see everyone there!
.

 

[Sakura1017]

I, too, am a silver member,
I have already booked a number of short cruises for later this year and for 2025.
I have been thinking about doing a longer cruise in 2026, and had been toying with the idea of a South Pacific cruise, until this Panama Canal cruise was announced,
Like you, I got excited about the chance of this experience, especially due to it's rarity.
I followed the cabin availability as I was waiting for it to open to Silver members.
Concierge went first, I assume all booked by Pearl members.
Verandahs went next while Platinum members were booking. I started getting worried.
Gold members booked what was left of Oceanview cabins. I was getting more worried, lol.
The morning it opened for Silver members, I could not log in until I got to work.
As soon as I got there I logged in and saw that there were a few inside cabins left that were available for choice (not IGT).
I think I got the last one on deck 7. I booked it as soon as I saw it.
After I got it booked, there were none left but a few on decks 1 and 2, and a few on deck 6 aft.
A short 20 minutes later... sold out.
I am still jumping for joy that I was able to get that cabin!
I cannot wait to see everyone there!
.

Same I like the South Pacific because it’s going to new places but at the same time I have to factor out itinerary. Disney is not great with new itineraries with port adventures so I’d rather go when they get more experience in it, plus it’s always more expensive the first year. I’d rather spend more days in Australia and might do that as a land tour. Panama Canal is easier with both embarkation/disembarkation with us cities and it lines up leaving and arriving on a weekend date. Plus with it being gone for 2 years when in the past it did at least a sailing each year got to grab it because of the unknown of when it will be next.

 

[iivye]

PC is on my bucket list so I was excited to see it offered again. I prefer longer cruises with lots of sea days so we booked opening day.

 

[schepp]

This will be our fourth WBPC and we like the length and cost (cheapest per night cost/per person). The ports are not as important to a lot of return travelers. It is the longest cruise that starts and stops in the U.S.A. so cheaper traveling costs for a lot of people. Also, it is more of an adult-centric cruise with fewer children and guests since many of the rooms are just two people.

We enjoy going through the canal (old locks were more interesting) and we pass by where we lived while stationed in Panama. Used to be fun swimming and diving in the canal and Gatun Lake.

 

[SeanSD]

Damn I missed it Was busy with work and not on top of it when announced/open. Maybe next time. Do any cabins ever open with cancellations?

 

[Karin1984]

Damn I missed it Was busy with work and not on top of it when announced/open. Maybe next time. Do any cabins ever open with cancellations?

Yeah, people's plans change, this is a cruise 18 months from now. A lot can happen in the meantime.

Cancellations can happen at any moment, but you usually see more cabins becoming available just before when the final payments are due.

 

[SeanSD]

Yeah, people's plans change, this is a cruise 18 months from now. A lot can happen in the meantime.

Cancellations can happen at any moment, but you usually see more cabins becoming available just before when the final payments are due.

I better calendar that date, thanks!

 

[otten]

Panama Canal is a bucket list trip for a lot of people and it's also now not guaranteed that there will be another one the following year since Disney has been changing their strategy. It makes sense to me that the first one scheduled in a while would book up really fast with people thinking it was maybe a now or never thing.

Keep in mind that the first hawaii itineraries did this too a few years back and then at the end there were rooms available and even discounts.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Add to the above the fear that a bigger ship will get repositioned to the West Coast/ Alaska - and you don’t go through the old locks. Because that is some people’s idea of a PC experience.

We sailed a WBPC on the Wonder in March 2022 and on the Magic in Oct 2023. Neither time did we sail through the old locks. Dh was disappointed but overall a great cruise.
Ever since the duck tails were added to classic ships, they no longer fit in the old locks.

Fun fact: The very first ship to cruise through the new locks was the Disney Wonder.

ETA: Ooops. Now that I continue reading, I see this was already discussed. We were told onboard that it was due to the ducktail. Maybe they just like the new locks better and use that excuse.

 

[happycamper47]

Maybe they just like the new locks better and use that excuse.

Nope, they can no longer safely enter the old locks due to the duck tail. We were told that was why the Magic could no longer do the PC when we took our first PC cruise in 2015. The Aqua Duck also is an issue with the Magic since it sticks out past the side of the ship.