DCL vs. WDW

[slk537]

Hello All!

We are DVC members in the process of planning our 2005 trip and since we joined primarily for the 7 day cruise, we are seriously contemplating booking an October cruise this week. However, we really love the parks and would combine the trips so as not to miss out. My questions: how is the cruise different from a WDW stay? How is it better? What is missed? What is it that makes a new Castaway Cay member want to go back? Any opinions are very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Jennifer (Steve and Max)

 

[CM_Mom]

We found the cruise MUCH more relaxing. Much less rushing around, waiting in line, etc. Just LOTS less hectic.

Also, all of your food and on board entertainment is included in the price of the cruise so you're not worrying about buying lunch and then having a kid not eat it or ordering something and finding out you don't like it. On the cruise, if you order something you don't like, you just ask the server to bring you something different.

Also, the distance from your cabin to the activities is up or down a couple of decks instead of walking to the bus stop and waiting for the bus, then going to the park and walking forever to get to a ride.

While I really love the parks, I found the cruise relaxing where the parks tend to be fun but tiring.

 

[lbgraves]

YUP!!! Just what CM Mom said. We did our first trip to MK 2 days before our first cruise. I would be happy if I never set foot at WDW as long as I can get on the Magic again!

 

[SeaSpray]

They are very different kinds of vacations. Both are wonderful though! But we are now hooked on cruising. It's such a great escape from your everyday life. You get waited on hand and foot, for the entire week! Most people who try cruising end up loving it.

 

[Dreamer04]

Just to add to what others have said-a cruise is the most relaxing vacation I have ever had. And a DCL cruise is by far the most magical!

Lots of people do the parks and then a cruise. Great vacation.
Personally, I wouldn't even try the reverse. It would be like culture shock-going from DCL to WDW-no way! Going from relaxing to running-not for me!

Why so many repeat cruisers? I've been on 3 other lines and DCL is the only repeat. The service, entertainment and atmosphere can't be beat!


Ursula

 

[erikthewise]

You won't be getting a balanced opinion on the cruise board!

I enjoy the cruise, but I would not say it is in any sense "better" than WDW. It's just very different. It is possible to have an "intense" or "relaxed" vacation either either way, depending on your approach, though I think it is true that the cruise lends itself more to the relaxed approach.

We can only take one 8-10 day Disney vacation per year. I have not considered a 7-day cruise because there is no way I would want to miss WDW for an entire year just to have a longer cruise.

We are doing cruise then parks this year, because that was the only sensible way for us to do it with a 4-day cruise. I don't have any concerns about it. We will be moving to a room that is 3 times as large (DVC 1BR suite)! And because we've been to the parks several times we don't have to try to do "everything". I like the activity level involved in visiting the parks, and we are fortunate to be able to visit at a time of year when waiting is at a minimum. I don't really care that much about being pampered all day long.

 

[PatriciaH]

Sorry guys I did not like the Disney Cruise as much as the parks. I thought the service was much better on RCCL and Carnival! The only show we liked was Golden Mickeys. The food was pretty good-Palo was very nice but my steak at Jiko was far better than my steak at Palo Our RCCL balcony cabin was just as big as our DCL one, and we paid more for a 3 night Disney Cruise than what we paid for a 7 night RCCL one! I would try a 3 or 4 night DC combined with the parks and see how you like it.

 

[smchan]

Put me in the crowd who prefer the cruise over the parks. I don't really like crowds and lines, and I feel the cruise is a better value.

That said, I'm sure I'll be going to the parks soon. I wouldn't want to deny by 4 and 6 year old boys that experience.

My wife and I are currently "discussing" where we're going to spend our 10 year anniversary next year. I've got the 14 day west bound repo cruise reserved, but she wants to cancel and spend time at GF instead with a meal at Victoria & Alberts. Spending at the park for my anniversary doesn't strike me as fun, so I may need to negotiate a compromise. (To me, going on a Disney cruise was a compromise itself - she gets Disney and I get my cruise.)

Sam

 

[westjones]

If you are flying and can go from Sunday to Sunday, it is nice to go to the parks for 4 days and then go with the 3 night cruise. With DVC points, the points are lower on Sun-Wed nights also, so it is a good way to use points.

IF you need more travel time at the end (like we do), the 4 night with 2 nights at WDW works well. I know it is better to go to the cruise after the parks, BUT we did find that it helped us not be depressed about leaving the ship knowing we were heading to the parks instead of home.

Of course the 7 night cruise is very nice, but it doesn't leave much time for the parks if you only have 1 week's vacation (we did this in September, went on the 7 night Eastern and then headed over to WDW for 1 day of the parks before flying home on Sunday---Our plans were changed due to Hurricane Jeanne, but that's another story).

Next year my twins will be in middle school and we are not going to take them out for trips, so we will be going over spring break in March every year starting in 2006. Our plan is to do a 4 night cruise with 2 nights stay at a DVC resort while we visit the parks.

I will mention that the DVC points for the cruise have gone up quite a bit and you may want to consider paying for your cruise with cash and saving your points for your stays at the DVC resorts. We used points once for a cruise, but decided we could do better with cash reservations for now on. Just something to consider.

DJ

 

[WDWDennis]

WDW for me- fun, fun,fun-but VERY tiring!!

DCL for me- fun, fun, fun-but VERY relaxing!!

Plus, I love being able to go eat breakfast every morning at the buffet and not haveing to worry about what its gonna cost me!!

I am doing the 7-night western in 3 weeks and I'm doing it all on my DVC points. Like the poster before me said, they have gone up quite a bit this year (which annoys me ). I guess this will be the last year I do it this way. Also, you can use DVC for part of your cruise and pay cash for the rest.

 

[cristit14]

WDW was magical, but completely exhausting.
Cruise was magical, but very relaxing.

Our next cruise is going to be a 7day with a couple of days tacked on at WDW. I think we would enjoy WDW more if we go next time at a less crowded time of year.

 

[slk537]

Thank you to all for replying! I think we're now sold on definitely doing both. I just don't know what a trip to Disney would be without the parks, but the cruise sounds so wonderful!

 

[smchan]

I'm not much of a park afficiando, but I did manage to strike a nice compromise back in March. My wife and I had a 7 day Western on the Magic in early March. Before we left, I got the opportunity to speak at a conference in The Swan & Dolphin the very day the ship got back to Port Canaveral. The request was last minute and The Swan & Dolphin were sold out, so the lady handling my hotel for the conference asked whether I'd mind staying at the Yacht Club.

Totally broke my wife's heart. Not! So we got 4 nights at the YC plus my meals paid for since I worked the conference, and I flew my wife's sister down to keep my wife company in the parks.

The downside is that after 7 days on the Magic and 4 days of WDW and YC, I'm afraid I've set a fairly high level of expectation for my wife.

Sam

 

[Mickeyhugger]

We too, had a hard time imagining a 'Disney' vacation that wasn't WDW. Once we did the cruise, however, there was no turning back. We still enjoy WDW immensely, but if forced to choose, we'd do the cruise hands down.

We're booked for our fourth DCL Thanksgiving week of 2005, and I don't know how we're going to last until then!