First Disney experience for my toddler: Cruise or Disneyland?

[Miss Snow]

Hi Everyone!

I am planning to take my 4 yr old son to experience the Disney wonder~~~ (Yay for me! he still has no idea what "Disney" is LOL)

I am debating between Disney Cruise vs DisneyLand, please kindly share your feedback or experience which Disney you took your little one to visit first, any pros and cons that you can share would be great!!!

Thanks!

 

[sponica]

We took our daughter to WDW first as we're east coasters. I've been on a Disney Cruise, I think my oldest would have been ok on a cruise, my youngest is a maniac and there's no way I'm letting her on a cruise until she's older.

From what I remember of the cruise, there were plenty of characters. But i feel like most 4 year olds will just want to be on the pool deck the entire time.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Is he fully, fully, fully, 100%, no-risk-of-accident potty trained? There is extremely little to do on the ships for young kids who still need swim diapers or are otherwise at risk of an accident.

 

[sponica]

Is he fully, fully, fully, 100%, no-risk-of-accident potty trained? There is extremely little to do on the ships for young kids who still need swim diapers or are otherwise at risk of an accident.

I totally forgot about that part (my cruise was in the pre-kid days, so I wasn't paying attention to the little people).

 

[Doingitagain]

We took my granddaughter on a Disney cruise at 14 months and just got back from a WDW trip when she was 3 and a half. I would pick the Disney Cruise. We really enjoyed seeing it through her eyes! She loved the splash pad and seeing the characters and just dancing in the atrium to the music.

At WDW, we had to worry about crowds, overstimulation, heat, rain, etc. And lines to see characters.

We are trying another cruise. What I would consider is mask requirements, since your 4 year old won't be vaccinated they will need to wear a mask in clubs. For younger kids, nurseries currently aren't open, but we are OK because we have 7 adults so can take turns with grandchildren while others do "adult" things.

 

[prestoncaldwell]

My daughter was 4 when we took her to WDW and her single only memory is me telling her 7DMT wasn't a roller coaster.

I say do what YOU would most enjoy, a 4 year old will love either, and his most vivid and lasting memories will be made when he is a few years older.

 

[Miss Snow]

We took our daughter to WDW first as we're east coasters. I've been on a Disney Cruise, I think my oldest would have been ok on a cruise, my youngest is a maniac and there's no way I'm letting her on a cruise until she's older.

From what I remember of the cruise, there were plenty of characters. But i feel like most 4 year olds will just want to be on the pool deck the entire time.

haha, that's true. Kids at such young age even a cardboard box is fun to them LOL

I guess on the other hand cruise the little one can enjoy and the parents can be a little more relaxing in a way.

 

[Miss Snow]

Is he fully, fully, fully, 100%, no-risk-of-accident potty trained? There is extremely little to do on the ships for young kids who still need swim diapers or are otherwise at risk of an accident.

He is. Good to know tho, I guess it make sense haha

 

[Miss Snow]

We took my granddaughter on a Disney cruise at 14 months and just got back from a WDW trip when she was 3 and a half. I would pick the Disney Cruise. We really enjoyed seeing it through her eyes! She loved the splash pad and seeing the characters and just dancing in the atrium to the music.

At WDW, we had to worry about crowds, overstimulation, heat, rain, etc. And lines to see characters.

We are trying another cruise. What I would consider is mask requirements, since your 4 year old won't be vaccinated they will need to wear a mask in clubs. For younger kids, nurseries currently aren't open, but we are OK because we have 7 adults so can take turns with grandchildren while others do "adult" things.

Thanks for sharing! That's so true about the crowds, heat and rain etc... I was just thinking what to do with his nap time in the park! (he still takes one nap for about 1.5 hrs after lunch) My boy is willing to wear masks so makes it easier.

 

[DLgal]

Disneyland. No contest.

I honestly don't know how much fun a cruise would be for a 4 year old. My kids were 6 and 8 on their first Disney cruise and had been visiting Disneyland for their entire lives before that, and they were kind of bored for much of the cruise. Disneyland has FAR more to entertain little ones than a cruise ship (even a Disney cruise ship) does.

I think the sweet spot for Disney cruises is ages 7-12.

 

[Doingitagain]

Thanks for sharing! That's so true about the crowds, heat and rain etc... I was just thinking what to do with his nap time in the park! (he still takes one nap for about 1.5 hrs after lunch) My boy is willing to wear masks so makes it easier.

We had two strollers, one for each grandchild. We decided that would be easier to split up and allow for less distraction if one fell asleep. We found shaded areas in the parks or in air conditioned buildings to allow them to nap in the stroller if needed. The 3 year old wouldn't nap, but all the activity and resort pool swimming had her exhausted. The resort TV had a channel (30) with "read aloud Disney stories that were perfect for her after bath winddown for a special Disney touch.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Disneyland. No contest.

I honestly don't know how much fun a cruise would be for a 4 year old. My kids were 6 and 8 on their first Disney cruise and had been visiting Disneyland for their entire lives before that, and they were kind of bored for much of the cruise. Disneyland has FAR more to entertain little ones than a cruise ship (even a Disney cruise ship) does.

I think the sweet spot for Disney cruises is ages 7-12.

The cruise depends on the itinerary IMO. My kids did their first cruise in December at 7, 4, and 1 and everyone had a blast. It was a 5 night trip with two stops at Castaway Cay and the two island days were just perfect.

 

[DLgal]

Thanks for sharing! That's so true about the crowds, heat and rain etc... I was just thinking what to do with his nap time in the park! (he still takes one nap for about 1.5 hrs after lunch) My boy is willing to wear masks so makes it easier.

When are you planning on going? Rain isn't much of a factor at Disneyland like 350 days a year. Neither is heat. Disneyland had plenty of quiet spots for nap time. I wouldn't worry about these things at all.

 

[DLgal]

The cruise depends on the itinerary IMO. My kids did their first cruise in December at 7, 4, and 1 and everyone had a blast. It was a 5 night trip with two stops at Castaway Cay and the two island days were just perfect.

That's exactly the itinerary we did also. But my kids HATED the kids club secure programming, so they were with us the whole time and we never got any adult time. We aren't the types who like organized activities like bingo and our kids were too young for trivia. They enjoyed the pool deck, Aquaduck, and one liked CC, but one, as we discovered is TERRIFIED of swimming in water that has visible fish, so that was fun (not). We spent a LOT of time in out cabin watching Disney movies on TV in between meals and pool time, and basically being bored. We are a parks family, we realized.

I asked my kids recently if they wanted to go on another Disney cruise on the Wish or back to WDW next year and they both chose WDW with no hesitation. I guess those 2 Dream cruises were enough for them.

 

[sponica]

one, as we discovered is TERRIFIED of swimming in water that has visible fish, so that was fun (not)

My kindred spirit, I saw a stingray at the adult beach and RAN LIKE MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT. I'm a pool person, only a pool person.