Am I crazy??????

[Disneymom201]

My family of 5 DH, DSs 16, 12 & 3 & myself are booked on The Magic Oct 14-18. This will be our second cruise, as we sailed The Dream 2 years ago. I am now starting to second guess this decision & looking to book our vacation on property instead.
I have been thinking & discussed with my husband last night I feel that this time will be hard with our 3 year old. I feel the only way I am going to have "fun & relax" if he goes to the kids clubs. Looking at the shore excursions, we are very limited too. We were only able to get second seating for dinner, not sure how he'd do that late.
I feel guilty putting him somewhere to have to enjoy my vacation. He cries just about everyday he is dropped off at the sitter. He has been going to her since he was 3 mos, I don't think he will do well going to the kids clubs.
Our thoughts are we should spend time at the parks this year where we can enjoy time together & postpone the cruise til he's a few years older.
Thoughts? I'm having such a difficult time, but need to make up my mind soon because we are approaching the 180 time frame.
BTW...the older 2 boys have no idea we are going.

 

[tmitch]

I've taken my son on two cruises through dcl. One at 18 mnths and one at 28 months. Not once did my wife or I think the vacation wasn't fun or relaxing. Granted that shore excursions were somewhat limited, but nothing was missed that I would go changing a vacation over

 

[wdwstateofmind]

I think once your kid is on the ship, he'll want zero to do with you and just want to play with other children. Remember, the ship through a child's eyes is probably the equivalent of visiting NYC for a week or something. You'll probably be upset more over kiddo not needing mommy than anything else.

 

[heatherkatheleen]

I have a client at work who had the exact same dilemma as you currently do with her youngest (he was 3 and a half at the time.) He was the tiniest bit fussy the first time the left him at the kids clubs, but after that, it was (no pun intended) smooth sailing for the rest of the cruise. Similar to what @wdwstateofmind mentioned, once the first 'goodbye' passed he wanted nothing more than to spend every waking second in the kids clubs.

 

[MaryJaneP]

We have always asked for and received second seating. None of our kids are that young though. Second seating dinner may not be as late as you have expressed concern over. The evening show, if you choose to attend, is something kids seem to like, and since it is before dinner, it is something your kids may enjoy and pay attention to. If it were after dinner, you may not be able to attend and post-meal tiredness is something we usually experience. If you need to expedite dinner, telling your server so can speed service somewhat, and you are always able to leave if circumstances (meltdown) dictate. There is plenty on board to keep youngins occupied, even on port days. We have spent some port days onboard, never leaving the ship. Partially for money, partially for less-than-desirable excursions. We hope you have a great cruise. Please share your experience in a trip report.

 

[Ralphlaw]

Let me be the naysayer: I think an on property vacation might be better, especially if you can stay in one of the Disney resorts and can get back to the room midday for a break. My daughter is a great traveler and has few qualms about being dropped off at clubs, but we didn't take her on a cruise until she was 5. In my opinion, time at the parks would be better. If you don't have an exorbitant cancellation fee, I'd book on property instead. Wait a couple years for the cruise. FYI: I've been to Disney World a dozen times and on 5 Disney cruises. With a 3 year old, I'd stick to the parks.

 

[Disneymom201]

Let me be the naysayer: I think an on property vacation might be better, especially if you can stay in one of the Disney resorts and can get back to the room midday for a break. My daughter is a great traveler and has few qualms about being dropped off at clubs, but we didn't take her on a cruise until she was 5. In my opinion, time at the parks would be better. If you don't have an exorbitant cancellation fee, I'd book on property instead. Wait a couple years for the cruise. FYI: I've been to Disney World a dozen times and on 5 Disney cruises. With a 3 year old, I'd stick to the parks.

Thanks!!!! I feel out numbered, but I'm asking for others opinions. This will be our 11th year traveling to WDW. We did cruise The Dream 2 years ago, but Jack was 1. He really didn't understand he was going to childcare there.
My current feelings are he will be included at the parks. I'm feeling guilty that I feel in order to "relax" (because that is what I consider cruising to be "relaxing ") I will need to put him in childcare.
He may really end up enjoying it, but his history has been he has a hard time
separating himself from me.
Our thoughts were to do the parks for another year or two, the cruise when he's going to choose the kids clubs over us. We never saw out older sons on The Dream, which was so nice for my husband and I.
We would definitely stay on property. Most likely ALK. Stayed there a handful of years go and really LOVED it.
Haven't decided 100% yet, but need to soon since we are approaching the 180 mark.
Thanks for your response!

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

I will just let you know, my daughter was 5 on our first cruise. We put her in the kid's club to go to mixology and we got a text saying she wanted to leave. She wouldn't go back to the kid's club on the ship after that. But every kid is different. Disney cruises are too expensive to not enjoy yourself. If you think you would have more fun in the parks, definitely do that. You can always take a cruise later.

 

[ChuckElias]

But every kid is different.

Bingo. Only you know how your kid is likely to react. My nephew LOVED the Oceanear's Club at 3 years old. But if you're that concerned about separation anxiety, and you don't feel that you'll enjoy yourself if you are restricted to the family pool (or Mickey pool), then I would postpone the cruise. The last thing you want is to go into your vacation with that anxiety.

You really can't go wrong with either vacation. So if your "consolation prize" is WDW, I think you're doing ok.

 

[Gaston's gal]

We took a cruise with our daughter when she was 4 and she also had a hard time staying in the Kid's Club. You and your husband do know best on how your child will do. It doesn't matter if you do the DCL or WDW, you will have a wonderful vacation. Good luck on making your decision!

 

[lebeau]

It's a personal decision.

Personally, I can't think of any vacation less relaxing than hauling a three-year-old around the parks. But that's just me.

 

[wdwstateofmind]

We have always asked for and received second seating. None of our kids are that young though. Second seating dinner may not be as late as you have expressed concern over. The evening show, if you choose to attend, is something kids seem to like, and since it is before dinner, it is something your kids may enjoy and pay attention to. If it were after dinner, you may not be able to attend and post-meal tiredness is something we usually experience. If you need to expedite dinner, telling your server so can speed service somewhat, and you are always able to leave if circumstances (meltdown) dictate. There is plenty on board to keep youngins occupied, even on port days. We have spent some port days onboard, never leaving the ship. Partially for money, partially for less-than-desirable excursions. We hope you have a great cruise. Please share your experience in a trip report.

I feel you're breaking the unspoken cruising etiquette. Most people book second seating when they don't have kids and/or want a quieter dinner with kids they know they can control. Most families seem to respect that and it seems to be the 'trend' on multiple lines; it's not uncommon for dining rooms to be less than 75% full and a lot of couple tables for second seating. Please have mercy on us second seaters.

 

[Disneymom201]

I feel you're breaking the unspoken cruising etiquette. Most people book second seating when they don't have kids and/or want a quieter dinner with kids they know they can control. Most families seem to respect that and it seems to be the 'trend' on multiple lines; it's not uncommon for dining rooms to be less than 75% full and a lot of couple tables for second seating. Please have mercy on us second seaters.

It definitely was not my preference. We booked The Magic in January and first seating was sold out. We are wait listed for earlier seating and do hope this happens for our benefit. But I am sure that we will not be the only family with a child at second seating. It is a Disney Cruise, right?

 

[Disneymom201]

It's a personal decision.

Personally, I can't think of any vacation less relaxing than hauling a three-year-old around the parks. But that's just me.

So true! That's why we decided to stick with our original plans. We will hit MNSSHP the night before we sail and probably do one day at the parks prior to our flight home.

 

[MaryJaneP]

I feel you're breaking the unspoken cruising etiquette. Most people book second seating when they don't have kids and/or want a quieter dinner with kids they know they can control. Most families seem to respect that and it seems to be the 'trend' on multiple lines; it's not uncommon for dining rooms to be less than 75% full and a lot of couple tables for second seating. Please have mercy on us second seaters.

Will do. Mercy all around, please. Our "kids" were 15, 18, an 21 on our last cruise and are very well behaved on their own, without our need to control them. We chose the second seating, as mentioned previously, to accommodate our late arriving excursions and our desire to see the show, if we caught it, before we ate. Certainly did not mean to suggest families with young kids choose second seating, merely trying to calm a frantic parent.

 

[Maelstrom Troll]

We did a three night Bahamian cruise when my daughter was three and it worked out alight. She liked the kids area but ended up with a big black eye from a careless older kid. No harm, no foul and Disney gave her a huge goodie bag. The second day she went, she spent a lot of time watching movies at first then got involved. Next year she will 6 when we go to Alaska so she might be more able to do smaller excursions and might spend less time there unless she wants to. Don't sweat the small stuff and roll with it is my only advice.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

We like 2nd seating because of the time zone change. Eating at 2nd seating time is around when we normally have dinner in our everyday life. I saw tables with adults and older children, as well as tables with kids 4-5 years old.

Whatever trip you choose, have a great one!