It's simple... I've been thinking of booking a Disney cruise. It would be me, my wife and our daughter (4). Should I do a cruise or go to the world? What's your take?
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Disney Cruise or Disney World
- Thread starter coleandrachel
- Start date
TDF
Well-Known Member
Well you asked the wrong section, as we will probably all tell you cruise LOL! Anyway, I think it depends on what you are looking to do and what can fit in your budget. If you are looking to relax and just sit back and use the pool do a Disney Cruise you will not regret it. If you are looking to do something more like enjoy the parks and ride the rides do the world. Also be aware that Disney Cruise’s aren’t the cheapest but there are a variety of rooms. After just coming off a Disney Cruise we are having the same issue. My brother and I are thinking Cruise for June but my Mom and Dad are thinking the World. We will just have to see. 
- Justin
- Justin
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Have you been to WDW? ((I'm guessing the answer to that is "yes" 
) Have you been on a Disney cruise? If the answer to the 2nd question is "no" then that would be my basis for booking the cruise.
I'll tell you to choose DCL over WDW all day long. The service and overall quality of experience to me is way more "Disney" than what I feel at the World nowadays.
) Have you been on a Disney cruise? If the answer to the 2nd question is "no" then that would be my basis for booking the cruise. I'll tell you to choose DCL over WDW all day long. The service and overall quality of experience to me is way more "Disney" than what I feel at the World nowadays.
heatherkatheleen
Well-Known Member
As someone who has done both but never both together in the same trip... I would say....
At the age of 4, your daughter is going to love the parks or the cruise... She will be equally amazed with either of her surroundings no matter what you choose (the castle will leave her in awe... and so will the club for kids on the ship.)
The real deciding factor is yourself and your wife... If the two of you are very "go-go-go!" people, and you don't mind lots of planning and travelling (between parks, resorts, DTD, etc.) I'd say sure, go for the parks, as lots of people consider them to be the 'classic' family vacation.
The cruise is total relaxation... And an amazing part of it is that yourself and your wife will have ample opportunity to spend quality time with your daughter, but you'll also have the option of having special times for just the two of you (dinner at Palo, anyone?) without needing to worry that your daughter isn't being well-cared for or isn't having fun.
Parks were very exhausting for my family when my brother and I were young, since we were always trying to make it to reservations on time, then get to fireworks, and before that try to get in all the rides we wanted to do. The cruise was TOTAL zen relaxation for my parents and TOTAL fun for my brother and I. If you feel guilty about leaving your daughter in the children's clubs for time with your wife-- don't! When I was 5-6 I had the most amazing times in the Oceaneer club and still have really fond memories of my time spent there.
Overall.. I think I lean towards the cruise. If both are an option and you're traveling far to get to Port Canaveral, perhaps you could consider going down a day early and spending one day in the Magic Kingdom before your cruise?
At the age of 4, your daughter is going to love the parks or the cruise... She will be equally amazed with either of her surroundings no matter what you choose (the castle will leave her in awe... and so will the club for kids on the ship.)
The real deciding factor is yourself and your wife... If the two of you are very "go-go-go!" people, and you don't mind lots of planning and travelling (between parks, resorts, DTD, etc.) I'd say sure, go for the parks, as lots of people consider them to be the 'classic' family vacation.
The cruise is total relaxation... And an amazing part of it is that yourself and your wife will have ample opportunity to spend quality time with your daughter, but you'll also have the option of having special times for just the two of you (dinner at Palo, anyone?) without needing to worry that your daughter isn't being well-cared for or isn't having fun.
Parks were very exhausting for my family when my brother and I were young, since we were always trying to make it to reservations on time, then get to fireworks, and before that try to get in all the rides we wanted to do. The cruise was TOTAL zen relaxation for my parents and TOTAL fun for my brother and I. If you feel guilty about leaving your daughter in the children's clubs for time with your wife-- don't! When I was 5-6 I had the most amazing times in the Oceaneer club and still have really fond memories of my time spent there.
Overall.. I think I lean towards the cruise. If both are an option and you're traveling far to get to Port Canaveral, perhaps you could consider going down a day early and spending one day in the Magic Kingdom before your cruise?
Disneyfalcon
Well-Known Member
Everyone has a lot of good points! I'd pick cruise. We will never stop going to Disney World (or land), but cruises are our favorite vacations. We get off counting the days until our next one. There's a different experience to have every time. Diffferent ships, different places to visit, etc.
You can relax, you can go go go, the choice is up to you. You will love a cruise!
You can relax, you can go go go, the choice is up to you. You will love a cruise!
joanna71985
Well-Known Member
Cruise!!
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry to come in late to the conversation, but I think there's a typo in the title of your thread. I think you meant it to be "Disney Cruise AND Disney World". As they say in Emperor's New Groove: "It's a pretty crucial conjunction!"
"Fine!! Tell us where the talking llama is OR we'll burn your house down!"
The serious answer is that it really depends on what you'd like to do on vacation. If you're kid is a daredevil and wants to ride Space Mountain and the Rock 'N' Roller Coaster, then the cruise is the wrong vacation. If you have multiple specific things that you love in the parks and you want to share them with your daughter, then you should spend your time at the parks. (My sister wanted nothing more than to ride "It's a Small World" with her son when he was your daughter's age. WDW was the right choice for their vacation.)
If your plans are more open-ended but you want a "Disney experience", then I would definitely recommend the cruise. There are a lot of things on the ship that you could also experience in the parks (characters, live shows, dining), but you'll be visiting other ports, which a great experience for a child. My first DCL cruise was when my daughter was 6 years old. We still talk about how great it was. You'll also get supervised child care, so you and your husband will be able to get some adults-only time if you'd like. There are very few things about the cruise experience that are "worse" than in the parks.
So I really do think it just depends on what you hope to do on vacation. Hope that's a little helpful.
"Fine!! Tell us where the talking llama is OR we'll burn your house down!"
The serious answer is that it really depends on what you'd like to do on vacation. If you're kid is a daredevil and wants to ride Space Mountain and the Rock 'N' Roller Coaster, then the cruise is the wrong vacation. If you have multiple specific things that you love in the parks and you want to share them with your daughter, then you should spend your time at the parks. (My sister wanted nothing more than to ride "It's a Small World" with her son when he was your daughter's age. WDW was the right choice for their vacation.)
If your plans are more open-ended but you want a "Disney experience", then I would definitely recommend the cruise. There are a lot of things on the ship that you could also experience in the parks (characters, live shows, dining), but you'll be visiting other ports, which a great experience for a child. My first DCL cruise was when my daughter was 6 years old. We still talk about how great it was. You'll also get supervised child care, so you and your husband will be able to get some adults-only time if you'd like. There are very few things about the cruise experience that are "worse" than in the parks.
So I really do think it just depends on what you hope to do on vacation. Hope that's a little helpful.
5thGenTexan
Well-Known Member
In 23 days we are doing both. 
heatherkatheleen
Well-Known Member
In 49 days I am also doing both!In 23 days we are doing both.
Both for the first time, might I add..
disneyfan1995
Well-Known Member
You might be able to do one of those land and sea combos (3/4 night cruise and 3/4 nights at the world)?
heatherkatheleen
Well-Known Member
I feel the need to correct my sentence as it was a bit misleading.. Both for the first time in the SAME trip! Lmao!!!In 49 days I am also doing both!
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
They don't book the land-n-sea packages the way they used to but it's common for folks to give their first Disney cruise a whirl by pairing it with a short WDW trip. That's what we did. Well, sorta. I don't think the WDW portions we had before and after our first cruise (3-night Dream) made the entire trip all that short but you get the idea.
You have to book the land and sea portions seperately. Definitely recommend using a Disney-specific travel agent to help coordinate all the details for first timers who might not be fully aware of all the nuances. Makes it a lot easier!
Disneyfalcon
Well-Known Member
Kelly is correct, they don't technically have the land/sea combos anymore, but you can create your own! They're much more flexible this way and really works out better for everyone. I usually recommend booking each component seperately to save money, although the cruise line is working on improving that process.
stalkingmickey
Active Member
I am doing both in Sept...I have never cruised b4 so I am doing a 4-night and then going to disney for 4 nights. I can't be that close to the world and not go
coilback
Active Member
In 49 days I am also doing both!
You leaving out of Texas? That's pretty close to the one we are taking
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
My, I would rather take a 5 day Disney Cruise than spend 8 days in the parks.
Unless of course there is something new in the parks to see - but at the rate they are going, I can visit once every 5 years now (except for Food & Wine - that is about the ONLY real draw WDW has on me now)
-dave
Unless of course there is something new in the parks to see - but at the rate they are going, I can visit once every 5 years now (except for Food & Wine - that is about the ONLY real draw WDW has on me now)
-dave
Genie of the Lamp
Well-Known Member
Cruise over WDW for me as well.
heatherkatheleen
Well-Known Member
No! I'm leaving out of Port Canaveral. We are going to WDW staying at my home resort OKW from the 23-25 and then the afternoon of the 25th we sail out of Florida on the Fantasy
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
@heatherkatheleen! What y'all doing on the 24th??? We're Typhoon Lagoon bound! Probably hit up DtD for dinner.
heatherkatheleen
Well-Known Member
MK for the day (we have dinner reso's at Be Our Guest!!!!! Yippee!) What hotel are you and your fam staying at?!