Sailing with 2 youngsters

[Biddler]

Is it really worth going on DCL with a 4 1/2 and an 21 month old?I have been hearing conflicting stories, so I thought I would ask the experts!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[GoofyDisney]

YES!!! This is the perfect vacation for families with young'uns! There is something for everyone!

It is so hard to find a vacation that really aims to meet everyone's needs. Not only is a cruise a great way to get the "full package" with food, entertainment and lodging in one great place, but it is fun for kids and adult kids who love or even kind of like Disney because it has something for everyone!

If you haven't already, check out the Magical Guide. It may help you feel better about doing this with little ones when you see all the things that are offered for kids of bith ages.

http://www.wdwig.com/cruise.htm

Check out the cruise guide! It covers everything from info on the kdis clubs to Flounders Reef Nursery. We traveled with our 2 yr old and it was the vacation of a lifetime that has since become an annual event! We take our next cruise in October!!!!

Have a great cruise!

 

[TeensMom]

My kids are older now, but I remember doing WDW when they were about your kids ages. My daughter (the oldest) remembers it the most, she could have died happy after visiting Mickey and Minnie. My son laughed and giggled and had a good time while we were there but has no memory of it now. So, they will have fun, but if this is your "once in 10 years" vacation, it's too early.

Another consideration - you should really think about what excursions you will be able to do with young ones. This may or may not be important to you. How much do you want to lug around and how long can your kids stand to be on a tour, etc.

 

[liza]

If you're really looking for an honest answer, here's my opinion: It depends upon your expectations. We were three families who cruised last March with a total of 6 children: Ages 3, 3, 4, 4, 5 1/2 and 7 1/2. The 23-month-old child of one family was left back at home with grandparents.

All of the adults had (unrealistic, as it turned out) expectations about having adult time while children were in the childrens' clubs. That's one reason we took only children who were at least 3 and potty-trained.

All children spent some time in the clubs, but the older ones enjoyed it much more than the youngest ones did. My nearly 8-year-old son awoke every morning asking how soon he could go to the club. On the other hand, my 3-year-old daughter was not as eager to spend as much time in the clubs, although she was happy there for some of the time. And she was happier in the club than some of the other children we were with.

My expecations going in were that all children would love the clubs and the adults would have long parts of each day without children, relaxing with a book by the ocean. That did not turn out to be quite true.

So if your expectation is that it is a vacation for YOU while the children are happily occupied elsewhere, with such young children that may be an unrealistic expectation. I now view it as a vacation more for the children, and as such it was a complete success. Much of the fun for us was seeing the joy the children experienced. They loved the characters. The stateroom TVs show Disney movies, and when we were in the stateroom I allowed them to watch those movies, while I was happy to sit on the veranda. The movie theater was a big hit. The sports deck was also a positive.

One one of the days at port, the adults left the children in the program while we explored the island, then we returned later that day to pick up the children and go to the beach. It was nice to have that option. I don't know whether you can leave the little one in Flounder's Reef while you leave the ship.

Bottom line: I personally would not do it with a child too young for the program. Of the three families that went last year, we are the only ones considering going back next year (youngest will be 4). One family thinks it's too much money to spend on children so young, and that renting a beach house with a pool works as well or better. One family, the one with three children, won't go back again until the youngest child is 5.

My children are looking forward to it. My son loved doing snuba and my daughter loved Minnie Mouse and Cinderella and the other characters. I felt it was a pretty safe environment. My husband and I spent our honeymoon diving Grand Cayman years ago, and we'd like to return, and this is an easy way to go with the children. I can't think of what other, better vacation I want to take with a 4-year-old, that my husband and I will also enjoy. When she is 5 we will go skiing like we did with her brother, but for this next year we will probably go back on the Disney cruise.

Good luck to you whatever you decide! I know there are a LOT of people who bring babies and toddlers on the cruise. I wouldn't find that fun, but we're all different!