Help me choose please. DCL 3 or 4 niter

[yeahdisney]

I just read the thread by The LK 4. And now I'm second guessing our pick, we have a 3 day cruise in Dec, cause we were worried kids might get seasick. We have land before the cruise booked cause we never want to go to MK on a Sat ever again if we don't need to. So here are the two choices.
Booked 3 adults 2 kids age 11 and 8
Fly Thur Thanksgiving late stay cheap hotel $100 food $20
Nov 27 Nickelodean hotel, hoping $225 food $100
Nov 28 Nick again $225 food $100
Nov 29 Boardwalk 2 bedroom DVC points dining plan $170 go to MK
Nov 30 BWV dining plan $170 ish go to A.K and MGM
Dec 1 BWV dining plan $170 sleep in, night MVMCP
Dec 2 BWV dining plan $170 rest day, swim, pee wee golf
Dec 3 3 nite Caterogy 3 DCL
thru Dec 6 Sunday go home.
Price only for the sums above $1450. Cruise already have that amount saved for. Kids miss 5 days school. Sister assures me she snores loud! Rental car 11 days price? We do not rush around at disney.

Choice 2
change to
Fly Sat Nov 28 after Thanksgiving in AM. food $100 Hotel cheap $100 or Nick
Nov 29 DCL Catergory 3 will cost us ($700 more Sister will pay $50) so $650
Nov 30 DCL
Dec 1 DCL
Dec 2 DCL
Dec 3 BCV One Bedroom (no 2 bedrooms left) dining plan $170. A rest day.
Dec 4 BCV Fri dining plan $170 MK
Dec 5 BCV Sat dining plan $170 AK, MGM
Dec 6 BCV Sun dining plan $170 MK
Dec 7 go home Rental car 8 days
Price for only sums above $1530. Gain one more night DCL, I'm pretty sure we will not do a Cat 3 again. If we do the 4 nite we will go to Atlanis for the day. Probably skip that on the 3 nite cruise. Kids will miss 6 days of school. We would trade down to an one bedroom. You can put 5 in an one bedroom, disney will not give you extra linens. No MVMCP if not offered. Possible more crowds after the cruise due to the weekends.

Which would you pick the extra night DCL with Atlantis? Or extra days in Florida with a 2 bedroom? Thanks. DH and sister do not care which we do, they do not obsess over disney, who obesses it's my hobbie. D

 

[The LK 4]

Hi there! Which thread were you referring to? I would definitely choose the 4 day cruise over the 3 day if you have a choice.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

My vote, jmho, would be scale way back on the WDW and jack up the DCL portion. 7nts. minimum. We never add WDW to our DCL trips. Our kids would miss too much school. First time flying into MCO and NOT doing WDW was a little hard, til we got on the Magic. Second time was easy-peasy.
Our boys are 8 & 12 and we've lately found we can get our fill of WDW with quickie trips here and there, long weekends but can't ever get enough DCL.

For me that would be too much packing and unpacking too. Again, jmho. You know what your family likes best.

 

[yeahdisney]

The LK 4 sent you a PM.
If the kids enjoy the cruise we might book a 7 night for the next year but a lesser catergory, using the discount, and reward points to pay for the downpaymet. So still undecided.

 

[scootch]

I would do the cruise first not so much as if it is 3 or 4 day... but you might as well MISS Thanksgiving crowd a bit at WDW... you will be on the cruise while WDW is the busiest.... and then get off the cruise for lighter crowds at wdw.

 

[DisneyWhirled]

I would do the 4 night cruise.

We haven't cruised before, but since we wanted to do WDW, too a 7 night curise wouldn't work. I thought a 4 night would be a good taste. Hopefully, it will lead to more cruises.

We are doing WDW after the cruise.

I hope you make the best decision for your family.

 

[jlowejd5]

Having done each of the offerings (land-sea, straight 4-day, and a 7-day), if your choice is between a 3 and a 4, do the 4 if it's financially reasonable.

Here's why. The 3-day goes by SO FAST it will absolutely make your head swim. Thursday is all the insanity with getting to the port, checking in, getting onboard, dealing with Palo/spa/kids club, lifeboat drill, oh gosh it's time to get dressed for dinner, now let's go to the show, I'm exhausted, pass out boom.

Friday is Nassau, look how pretty, see the other big ships, whoops, gotta get going for my excursion/Atlantis/shopping excursion, back on the ship, chicken tenders, maybe some bingo, time to get dressed, eat, show, sleep.

Saturday is Castaway Cay, and, if you've got kids, it's, well, it's just like taking kids to the beach. Swimsuits, sunscreen, toys, gotta get some lunch at some point, rinse your feet, it's time to go. Dinner and a show (again), oh, gotta pack and get those bags out, does everybody have clothes for tomorrow?

Sunday you're up at oh-dark-thirty, back on dry land, bleary-eyed, thousands of dollars poorer, and begging, pleading, and crying to turn right around and go back again because it was the best time of your life.

Whew.

The reason I prefer the 4-day in that scenario is that it adds an entire day that looks like this: Get up whenever. Do whatever. Or don't. Just sit and stare at the waves, or the clouds, or the people, or the umbrella in whatever it is you're drinking. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

 

[Kwalters]

We did the 4 day land and 3 day sea for our honeymoon and I can honestly say...It was NOT enough time on the ship! We did not get to see nearly everything DCL has to offer! You are on Nassau one day and CC the next, so the only time you have on the ship is at night. We didn't even get a chance to swim onboard.
We are going in July on a 7 night for our 10 year anniversary, and I can't wait to actually spend time on the ship!
I would not do anything less than a 4 night, because at least then you have a full day at sea.

 

[frdeb1999]

We prefer to do the land first and then the cruise 2nd. And for us when we did our 1st 4 nt it just flew by....I could'nt imagine doing anything less then that. Would just feel too rushed.

 

[TnRobin]

We have done one and only one 3 night cruise. It seems like you just get on board and then have to turn right around and get off. My vote is for the 4 day cruise.

 

[jhoshowski]

I have done a 3 night cruise and an 11 night one. I will NEVER do a 3 night again (except maybe as a cheap, quick getaway for me and DH). We are doing a 4 night November 29 because it is for my parent's anniversary. They have never cruised before and want to start off small. Otherwise, we would be doing a 7 night for sure. IMHO, there is no such thing as "too long" on a cruise ship.

Come join us on the 29th!