Cruise only or land/sea package...which do you prefer?

[debbiebones]

I'm curious as to what everyone prefers...especially with small children...a Disney 7 day cruise....a 3 day land/4 day cruise or a 4 day land/3 day cruise package? My husband seems to think that our 4 year old and almost 3 year old (when we cruise) will do best with the 4 day land/3 day cruise package. I, being a cruise lover would love to do the 7 day cruise or the package with a 4 day cruise/3 day land deal. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DisneyKids]

We prefer the 7 day and usually add some WDW to either end or vacation there separately. We want as much time on the ship as possible. We have young kids, as well, and they love it too. The 3 and 4 day cruise portions of a land and sea just seem to short. Just as you get into the swing, you're back at port.

 

[mrsltg]

Hi Debbie-

My family and I did the land/sea 15 years ago when it was the Big Red Boat. The group consisted of my parents, DB (15), Me (12), and DB (1). It was fine as far as older DB and I were concerned, but little DB made it very difficult for my parents. Mom and Dad still swear that they wouldn't do a land/sea again because it was just too rushed. I would never do it because it would bring back too many memories of Mom pretending to be Grumpy as she packed for the third time in 6 days!

Go with the 7 day cruise... I think you'll be glad that you did!!!

Erin

 

[prymsu]

we have been to WDW several times now, and we prefer to take the seven day cruise. To us, it seems more relaxing...

 

[jeanie]

I did the 4 day sea/3 day WDW (instead of the 7 day cruise) our first time cruising as a family, because I was not sure if the kids would like to cruise. I think that the 4 day is a perfect introduction to cruising, the 3 day is just to short....

With 3 days in WDW you can't see everything and so we decided to do the parks/rides that we really wanted to see. We stayed a the Beach Club which was great because Epcot and MGM were the parks that we liked the most, so convienent!

If your kids have never been to Disney before then 3 days is not enough so I would skip the land/sea and go for the 7 day cruise!

Needless to say the kids loved the cruise and we have a 7 day planned for 2004!

 

[kplatt]

Our first introduction to cruising and our kids' (ds 11 & dd 9) introduction to WDW was last November with a 4 day land/3 day sea pkg. We were absolutely exhausted after our 4 days of WDW, and rushed around the ship like maniacs trying to do and see everything. Ended the vacation swearing never to do THAT again!! Felt that it was just too much in too short a time.

But after thinking about it more and decided that we really liked the cruise, booked another land/sea (this time 3 day land/4 day sea) for this November. Then decided we (I) couldn't wait that long, and booked a 7 day cruise over spring break. Had a wonderful time!! When we got home I changed the 3 day/4 day package to another 7 day cruise for November, and we'll be able to visit Disneyland this summer to get a park fix. Everything just fell into place!!

Karen
Wonder 11/01
Magic 3/02
Magic 11/02

 

[Otisp]

Wow, kplatt. After our 3-land/4-sea package (first time parks and cruise), we felt just about the same way you did. Just 3 days in the Parks wore us out. We aren't quite ready (financially) to book again, but when we do, it will be for a 7-day cruise. Also, we resolved that when we do the parks again, it will be on a separate trip of at least 5 days (1 in each park, and a rest day in the middle).

 

[PiperG]

We took a land and sea last year and had no idea what to expect on the cruise portion. We just took it easy (after running around the parks for 4 days, mostly the MK) and had a very relaxing time. Yep, I would qualify it as to short to do everything. As long as you just relax, the 3-day proves a nice end to a perfect park vacation.

We played in the Mickey pool all day and kept exursions to a minimum, even at CC. When DS5 slept, we just sipped wine on the verandah. Very nice!!!

We are just about to book another land and sea for '04 (7-day Magic planned for '03).

Good luck!

 

[LarryGadget]

We're going on our first cruise with 3 day Land and 4 Day Sea in October (me, DW, DD6, DD4). It sounds like good advice for ensuring that you don't have any regrets when the week is over - is to relax and not plan too much or try to do too much in the short time that you have. Does that sound right?

 

[ruvidu]

We have done the 4 day land/3 day cruise, the 3 day cruise only and the seven day cruise only. We have decided that we will probably never do the 3 day cruise again. It is just to short especially after you experience the 7 day cruise. Our plan for next year is to book WD for 4 night and then follow that with the Wonder 4 day cruise the first week in December. We want to stay in WL for our land portion and then book a Cat. 11 for the cruise portion. This combo is not available by booking the package. Just something to think about.

Russ

 

[padisneyfan]

I always recommend that people book WDW and the cruise separately. That way you can customize it to your own needs, plus you can go with a lower category room on the cruise. With discount codes you can get your rooms at WDW much cheaper than you can with their combination package. Having only done the 3 and 4 day cruise would recommend the 4 day.

 

[Travelingmice]

I would NEVER book my cruise and land vacation as a package again. We had a lot of problems with it. We were doing 3 land/4 sea with 5 land added on after. We could not stay at the hotel we wanted to stay at for the 5 days after because the cruise did not book the yacht club. So we ended up at Poly. (We like the Poly but wanted to do yacht or beach and beach concierge was under construction). Then we ended up driving since our trip was 9/20/01 and they couldn't guarantee planes would be flying. Disney was nice enough to refund the air and travel package, but we couldn't cancel the Poly and change to the Yacht club since it was so close to our travel date but we were not using the travel package anyway.

So, we will never book combined land and sea through disney again.

But we had a great time with DS 1.75 then that we are doing 7 day cruise this Sept.

With small kids, if you think you will do it all, you will only ruin everyone's vacation. So relax and remember, you can always come back!!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

We started with a 4 day land/3 day sea package when kids were 8 & 10 and that worked well for us as neither had been to WDW before. Then went to a 3 day land/4 day sea when they were 10 & 12 and will be doing 7 day cruise only for our next trip.

BUT there are a couple of words of caution? advice? I'd add. From our expereince and that of many friends who have been to WDW numerous times, 3 & 4 is really too young for anyone to enjoy WDW. Particularly in short stretches - the kids just go into meltdown. If I was going with kids that young I'd only do the cruise I think.

The other thing is there is no way to do everything and at that age they really can only minimally participate in planning, choosing highlights, etc so they probably wouldn't know what they are missing.

Do the cruise and save WDW for when they are older and everyone can enjoy it more! IMHO

 

[Rock'n Robin]

We are doing our first cruise in June of next year, followed by 3 days at WDW. I don't think we'll be rushed because we have been to WDW 4 times since 6/2000 and have seen most of it (we are DVC) that we want to. I know we'll want to check out 'Mission Space" and see what they have for Mickey's 75th BDay. But we can relax too, because we'll be back.
We booked cruise/land separately for DVC reasons, but I'd do it that way anyhow. I wanted the 4 day cruise for our first one since we won't be too rushed. And I'm not going to load us up with shore excursions either--except I want to get to Castaway Cay as early as I can!!
Who knows if we'll ever do a 7 day? Ask me next year!
Robin M.

 

[Cheerio]

We'll be going with two young children, ages 4 and 3 and we're taking the 7 day cruise. I feel they would be too young to enjoy WDW anyways, plus there is the kids club for them to play.