Disney fantasy with 3 year old

[DisneyMom2000000]

any disadvantages to bringing a 3 year old on a Disney Cruise? She can stay in the kids clubs correct? We also have a five year old.

I don’t think we will do excursions but would like any suggestions on those with young children.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

She has to be fully toilet trained to go into the club or use the pool.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

She has to be fully toilet trained to go into the club or use the pool.

Thanks! She is, as of last week The cruise is not for a few months so fingers crossed we don't have any regressions!

 

[lorimay]

I don't see any disadvantages. Our grandson was 3 and granddaughter 1(almost 2) on their first Disney Cruise.
He fell in love with club and we couldn't get him out.
She only went to the nursery for Palo meals, she didn't love it, she was a real mommas girl back then.
Even now at 10 & 8, he loves the club/lab hard to get him to leave. She can give or take it.
The interactions with the characters are so much better on the ships than in the parks, if she loves the characters she will be in heaven.

 

[Quellman]

Same disadvantages as anywhere else. might still need some naps, late nights aren't going to be a thing. We've cruised at this age no problem. We knew our guy wasn't going to do clubs all day, so we would drop him off right before a group activity was going to start and then pick him up about 30 minutes after it ended so he got free play.

 

[Weedy]

One advantage you’ll have is the 3 year old can use both the kids club and the nursery. The nursery does cost $9 per hour I think?? So if she’ll nap in there it will give you some time to do some things with your older child.

 

[pezgirlroy]

We were on the Fantasy with a 2 year old last year and it was wonderful. She loved the nursery until Mickey came to visit and then she wasn't a fan. Nemo's reef is great. She will be three on this year's cruise and can't wait to go back on "the Mickey boat".

 

[Marc D]

She can go to the kids clubs but will she want to ? Only you can tell. Our son was 3yo at the time of his first cruise and wouldn’t stay more than 30 minutes at a time. We gave up trying after a few days. We had no expectations so it was ok.

 

[MomOTwins]

I've heard the Dream/Fantasy kids clubs are much more crowded than the Magic/Wonder, owing to the larger size of the ship. I haven't been on the older ship so can't compare, but my three year old would not do well in the kids club based on what I saw on the dream. Older kids sprinting around, bowling over little ones, and it is a lot of self-directed free play (they have activities, but kids have to opt in and won't be "shepherded" into the activity by the staff; it is not like clubs at resorts where ever kid is doing the same activity at the same time). Then again, others have young kids who love it. Does your little go to preschool and would be comfortable being left by mom and dad in a crowded place?

Regardless, there is still the nursery, where there is much more one on one attention from the staff and it is very quiet.

 

[ScooterScott44]

I've heard the Dream/Fantasy kids clubs are much more crowded than the Magic/Wonder, owing to the larger size of the ship. I haven't been on the older ship so can't compare, but my three year old would not do well in the kids club based on what I saw on the dream. Older kids sprinting around, bowling over little ones, and it is a lot of self-directed free play (they have activities, but kids have to opt in and won't be "shepherded" into the activity by the staff; it is not like clubs at resorts where ever kid is doing the same activity at the same time). Then again, others have young kids who love it. Does your little go to preschool and would be comfortable being left by mom and dad in a crowded place?

Regardless, there is still the nursery, where there is much more one on one attention from the staff and it is very quiet.

The number of kids on the classics is more likely due to the different itineraries. The classics do quite a few routes that will have less kids, Europe, Alaska and repositioning cruises. Any cruise can have lots or few kids. There are reports that certain ages are not allowed to be booked for some closed loop Wonder out of New Orleans since the kids clubs are full. The Dream class ships are out and back from Port Canaveral so it is easy for families easpecially coupling with a stay at WDW.

Disney does a great job with the kids but only you know your child and if they are likely to engage. The consulars do a pretty good job keeping the kids entertained but it is possible to be overwhelmed for some since there can be a lot of activity at certain times.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

I've heard the Dream/Fantasy kids clubs are much more crowded than the Magic/Wonder, owing to the larger size of the ship. I haven't been on the older ship so can't compare, but my three year old would not do well in the kids club based on what I saw on the dream. Older kids sprinting around, bowling over little ones, and it is a lot of self-directed free play (they have activities, but kids have to opt in and won't be "shepherded" into the activity by the staff; it is not like clubs at resorts where ever kid is doing the same activity at the same time). Then again, others have young kids who love it. Does your little go to preschool and would be comfortable being left by mom and dad in a crowded place?

Regardless, there is still the nursery, where there is much more one on one attention from the staff and it is very quiet.

I think she'll have a hard time at the first drop off but then will end up liking it. She does go to preschool and she has a 5 year old sister who will be with her the whole time. Good to know about the free play though -- I like to prepare them as much as I can!

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Anyone have any opinions on excursions with a 3 year old? Should we do any or just beach it?

 

[uandmfan]

We took our 3.5 year old on the magic last year. He loved it. He did go to the club, although only for about an hour at a time. Which honestly was enough time for us to have a break.

We watched as many characters as possible. He was scared of most of them so we watched from a distance and didn't push it.

A few nights he was really tired. One night he didn't make it through dinner (early seating). On the bright side my husband's food was sent to our room!!

We did excursions. A boat tour in grand Cayman, snorkeling in a glass bottom boat in Cozumel and a beach in Costa Maya. Nothing was booked through disney and they were all short and suited to small kids.

We are going on the Fantasy this year and he's very excited to go back!!

 

[TestingH2O]

Anyone have any opinions on excursions with a 3 year old? Should we do any or just beach it?

Where are you cruising?

 

[hcox31]

Our first cruise our daughter was 2 months shy of 3, our second she was 2 months shy of 4. sooooo..... be prepared for needing breaks. My husband had to take her out of the restaurant a couple of times at early seating because she was throwing a tantrum from being overtired. He would take her back to the room, order room service for himself. Last cruise our servers sent his food to his room after we were done eating which was amazing.

We took lots of breaks with her. Used the stateroom a fair bit. Sometimes it was watching a movie and cuddling on the bed, sometimes we were able to sneak a nap out of her. First cruise she couldn't use kid club (not yet 3 nor toilet trained) and the nursery was wonderful. She loved it there. Cinderella came in to read them a story (apparently... she says this but we can't prove it! lol). Second cruise she was in Oceaneer's and loved the open house time but didn't like us leaving her there even with her older brother there.

She loves characters so we spent a lot of our day wandering the ship looking for characters to hug. lol

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Tortola British Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas US Virgin Islands, Castaway Cay

 

[uandmfan]

Tortola British Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas US Virgin Islands, Castaway Cay

That's our itinerary too!! When are you going?

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

That's our itinerary too!! When are you going?

In April!

 

[uandmfan]

In April!

We are going in February!! If you can remind me I'll let you know how our excursions go with our 4 year old.