Anyone else feel its easier to DCL than WDW?

[HFC1969]

We have been attending WDW and DCL before our son was born. Each year we have returned to either WDW or DCL for a vacation.

Lately though we have been only doing cruises when our 7 year old is with us. Maybe its the fact that he says he likes it better that makes the trip easier..


But in our mind we look at it this way.. The WDW parks always seem to operate easier at less than capcity crowd. However the DCL seem to operate the same wether the ship be sold out or not.


MY wife and I were just discussing this the other night and thought I would throw it out there for the board to discuss.

 

[Fast Pass]

I don't know why it is but you are right. I guess part of it is the cruise ships are controlled environments and the parks can't really be controlled.
The parks are just to big to predict every possibility and predict every single day what will happen.

 

[Cruise]

I definitely feel like it's easier. I like getting on the ship and feeling like that's where I'll be for the next 7 days. I can go up a couple of levels to grab some food, I can go down a couple levels to get some entertainment. I can stay on the ship the whole time, or I can disembark at the ports.

The parks are just so spread out now and there's so much to plan. Even if you stay on property, it seems like coming and going is a huge effort. I guess I consider the cruise a more "relaxing" time whereas the parks would be more "go, go, go."

 

[Aunt Jo]

My husband and I have been to WDW numerous times and we both love it but then we got old (78/85) and somewhat fragile. Our last trip to WDW was May 2006. Our daughter was with us and kept the trip from being a disaster. DH needed a wheel chair and I get tired quickly. We were sad on the way home because it seemed apparent that our trips to WDW were over. Our daughter and her husband had been cruising a few times and loved it so we began to wonder if maybe we could do a Disney cruise. Turns out we could - and did. We did a 4 day last January and are looking forward to a 7 day Eastern in December. We enjoy everything about a cruise so we are still able to get our Disney fix without wearing ourselves out as happens when we do the parks. We may sign up for another cruise while on board.

 

[mruhaak]

Yes! It's definitely easier.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

It's an apples to oranges comparison. I love both WDW and DCL. However, I'd definitely recommend the cruise over the parks. The parks really are a very high energy vacation, and it can be borderline stressful when trying to keep everyone in the party/family happy at once.

Every Disney cruise our family has sailed, the ship (Magic) has been full capacity. However, one would never know because the crowds are regulated.

 

[missyoh8]

Ditto!

We used to take multiple trips to WDW and then one year we did a land and sea..........haven't done the land part since.

We cruise once a year now though.

 

[frdeb1999]

We feel it's a whole lot easier and a lot more relaxing. The parks are wonderful, but if your looking for some down time and disney...DCL is the place! We did both this past year...6 days Poly and 4 days Wonder and it was beyond wonderful not to have to run nonstop and still be able to have a wonderful time!

 

[cruzings]

It's the cruise for us. Let me count the ways: It is more relaxing. No lines, everything (almost) is paid for, you can go to your stateroom if you get tired, kids are taken care of at the clubs and they have fun there, the shows are spectacular, food is equivalent to fine dining, etc. I can go on and on and on. We try to do the parks every now and then but it is just too hectic sometimes.

 

[yndygo]

I was discussing this with a friend the other day who is convinced that the parks will be easier with her nearly 5yo DD and 1yo DS...
She and her family were supposed to be with us on the upcoming Nov 7-day Eastern (we booked that week b/c it's both her and her DD's bdays) and then backed out and booked a week at Disneyland instead. Granted, it's cheaper - but personally, you couldn't drag me to the parks with a 1 & 4yo if you paid me.
But I'd live on board DCL if they'd let me! lol.

Yeah, less walking, not as crowded, more oriented toward all ages... we won't do the parks again for awhile, I expect.

 

[CM_Mom]

Someone has to be insane and doesn't know what she's missing by not doing the cruise. Years ago when WDW first opened, DH and I saw parents with cranky kids trying to get their money's worth. We swore that we wouldn't go back with kids until they were at least 6. Turns out we waited till they were 8 and 11. Now those kids are grown and one works on the Magic. I can't imagine doing the Parks with little ones, but I'm sure we'll do the Magic even after DD "retires" and has little ones of her own. It's just too easy and fun.

We just returned from the Magic where my MIL really enjoyed the cruise, although she is mobility impaired and we pushed her ina wheelchair most of the time. She wouldn't have enjoyed the parks at all.

 

[pgfour]

I think the cruise is definitely easier, especially with younger children!! The thing I like most about cruising with the family is that the food situation is taken care of.

On a "regular" vacation, it seems like one kid isn't hungry when the family stops to eat. But is hungry about an hour later. . .thus begins the cycle and stress!

On a cruise, it's all paid up front and food is available all the time, so it's not so stressful.

 

[coastgirl]

Really hoping to test out this conclusion--we've done WDW with the kids twice and it was wonderful, but yes, "relaxation" isn't the top word I'd use to describe it. We took the kids at 2 and 5, then 3 and 6 and with planning, it was truly wonderful. I've never seen the kids enjoy so much in one day. We had to plan, take breaks, and we went at relatively slow times, but I wouldn't trade those memories for anything, even if dd was too young to remember much (she still remembers a LOT more than I'd expect). We'll go again in a few years, and it'll be different and fun and probably easier, but I would never recommend skipping it til they're older b/c of the hassle. Also, b/c we're Canadian and we're coming further, we had more days than many Americans--10 days and then more than 2 weeks.

But this time, we are ready to relax!! I told dh, no driving for a week, it's gonna be so weird for him! (He is seriously considering a day-rental on St. Maarten, but I think I've talked him out of it!) No passes to worry about, or daypacks to strategize, or snacks to pay for...

 

[momm2four]

Oh Lord, YES!!! We have four sons who were 10, 8, 6 and 4 when we went in 10/05. We did the four night Wonder, and then we went to WDW for 7 nights. Here are the differences:

DCL: a time for mom and dad to have time for themselves (Our boys loved the clubs)
WDW: we had to watch our kids 24/7

DCL: food was prepared for us by people who would even squirt ketchup on my kids' plates
WDW: standing in lines, jockeying for a place to sit

DCL: food is paid for up front, if my 10 year old was hungry, he could just go get anything he wanted for "free", if they wanted to see a movie, just step on in
WDW: I felt like I was being nickeled and dimed to death. Every water, every ice cream cone

DCL: There were activities on board for the kids that didn't involve me spending more money, they weren't constantly asking me for more money to buy "stuff" (except for the eye patch on pirate night)
WDW: EVERYTHING is a money trap, even the rides. You come of out Pirates of the Carribean, you enter a big store...You exit Space Mountain, hey look! it's another store

DCL/WDW: Even though the CM's at WDW are great, I felt that on my particular cruise, the DCL CM's couldn't even be touched. I have NEVER seen such perfect service. It was like their sole purpose in life was to make us happy.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE DCL and wouldn't be bothered if we never returned to WDW, but would cry if I thought I'd never see another Disney Cruise.

Lori P.

 

[PenskeSth1]

We think doing the cruise is Much easier. When we go to WDW I only go in the parks a few hours, it is just to crowded and busy. I end up getting my money's worth at the resort.

The cruise is just so relaxed. Even at the ports we take our time. Even with all the other folks on the ship it just doesn't seem crowded.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

We did the Land/Sea vacation last Nov. when my boys were 8 and 12. We had done Disneyland tons of times, but this was the first for WDW. We had 4 days (not enough I know) for the parks, then it was on to the ship. My favorite quote of the whole trip came from my 12 year old son after we boarded the Wonder, got lunch and he sat down poolside to watch football on the big screen. "Wow, why did we even bother with the parks?"

 

[yndygo]

Someone has to be insane and doesn't know what she's missing by not doing the cruise. Years ago when WDW first opened, DH and I saw parents with cranky kids trying to get their money's worth. We swore that we wouldn't go back with kids until they were at least 6. Turns out we waited till they were 8 and 11. Now those kids are grown and one works on the Magic. I can't imagine doing the Parks with little ones, but I'm sure we'll do the Magic even after DD "retires" and has little ones of her own. It's just too easy and fun.

We just returned from the Magic where my MIL really enjoyed the cruise, although she is mobility impaired and we pushed her ina wheelchair most of the time. She wouldn't have enjoyed the parks at all.

I think her issue is that she was a CM at Disneyland back-in-the-day - so she thinks it will be easy to navigate b/c she 'knows' the park. But I just smile and say "okay - to each her own! We're still sailing for a few more years."