Help us decide which Disney vacation to go on

[DisneyDad1736]

My wife and I are having a hard time deciding whether we should do a Disneyland trip or a 7 day Disney cruise with our kids. We will have a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old by the time we travel.

If we were to do Disneyland it’d be about four days and we’d stay at the Disneyland hotel or another nearby one. Going to California, I also have family there so it’d be a combined SoCal + visiting family trip.

For the DCL we’d do a 7 day eastern or western Caribbean. I’ve heard everything there is about DCL and how great they are so not much needs to be said about DCL lol.

My wife is leaning towards the DL trip and I’m leaning towards DCL. I’m having a really hard time deciding which one would be the best Disney vacation with two kids. Just looking for some thoughts and feedback. Thanks!

 

[BadPinkTink]

Do you want rides and pay out of pocket for food or do you want an all inclusive resort stay??

 

[bbeagle]

My wife and I are having a hard time deciding whether we should do a Disneyland trip or a 7 day Disney cruise with our kids. We will have a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old by the time we travel.

Why are you taking an expensive vacation with a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old? They're far too young for an expensive vacation like this.

No matter which one you choose, neither kid will remember it, and it won't be a vacation for you two either. Unless you bring along a nanny.

Go on a vacation by yourselves - you deserve the break with 2 young kids around. Wait until both kids are 5, then you'll all make memories. If you think you NEED to take a vacation, go camping, go to a Six Flags - or something less expensive.

 

[CharissaOKC]

I would say DL. If you decide to do DCL maybe leave the kids at home? Being around a lot of beaches and pools on a cruise sounds stressful with 2 super young kids.

 

[sponica]

I'd skip a cruise until both kids are fully potty trained. A) the pool deck is easier to navigate with potty trained kids B) diapers are a lot easier to get when you're land based and can have amazon drop them off if you've miscalculated how much you'll need.

C) A 10 and 1/2 month old will still need bottles. That would make me want to be land based.

 

[DisneyDad1736]

Why are you taking an expensive vacation with a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old? They're far too young for an expensive vacation like this.

No matter which one you choose, neither kid will remember it, and it won't be a vacation for you two either. Unless you bring along a nanny.

Go on a vacation by yourselves - you deserve the break with 2 young kids around. Wait until both kids are 5, then you'll all make memories. If you think you NEED to take a vacation, go camping, go to a Six Flags - or something less expensive.

Just basing it off other people. We’ve known a lot who’ve taken little kids like that on a cruise. Granted, if we did the cruise my parents would also most likely come and to California as well. We have to go there at some point to see family so I figured we’d add in a Disneyland trip there as well

 

[bbeagle]

Just basing it off other people. We’ve known a lot who’ve taken little kids like that on a cruise. Granted, if we did the cruise my parents would also most likely come and to California as well. We have to go there at some point to see family so I figured we’d add in a Disneyland trip there as well

If your parents are on vacation with you, it would work much better. You can take turns taking care of the kids / resting with them when they're sleeping.

I'm a parent with two kids as well. My youngest just turned 6. We took my daughter when she was 5 / almost 6 to Disneyland with parents. She's 14 now. She remembers one or two small things about Disneyland - but pretty much nothing. We're going to DisneyWorld later this year. We know the 14 year old will love it now.

DisneyLAND is much better for kids under 8. Don't have to worry about transportation issues like DisneyWorld. Stay at the Grand Californian and it is doable. You can be back in the hotel room in less than 10 minutes from the parks.

 

[juxtapose]

Disneyland for sure. We did DL summer 2021 and DCL this past May. Kids loved both but both adults enjoyed DL way more, unpopular opinion here, but we were pretty unimpressed with DCL. We've taken our kids on long/expensive trips starting at 9 months old and we've had enjoyable times knowing our limits. I find DL to be the easiest park with young kids (compared to WDW), you're just so close to everything and can easily go back for an afternoon break.

 

[Einstein509]

I wouldn't do DCL until your kids are old enough to get into the kids club which means they need to be potty trained and at least 3 years old.

Otherwise, you will have to use the nursery, which costs extra while the kids club is free. This will allow the adults to actually have a vacation while someone else watches the kids.

Also would be hard for you guys to do any shore excursions with two very young kids in tow.

 

[brockash]

My wife and I are having a hard time deciding whether we should do a Disneyland trip or a 7 day Disney cruise with our kids. We will have a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old by the time we travel.

If we were to do Disneyland it’d be about four days and we’d stay at the Disneyland hotel or another nearby one. Going to California, I also have family there so it’d be a combined SoCal + visiting family trip.

For the DCL we’d do a 7 day eastern or western Caribbean. I’ve heard everything there is about DCL and how great they are so not much needs to be said about DCL lol.

My wife is leaning towards the DL trip and I’m leaning towards DCL. I’m having a really hard time deciding which one would be the best Disney vacation with two kids. Just looking for some thoughts and feedback. Thanks!

I'd have a REALLY hard time doing a cruise with a baby and 2 year old. I'd do Disneyland now and wait to do the cruise when they're a little older and you all can actually enjoy it.

I love Disney, vacations, cruises and always travel with my kids, but a cruise with 2 under 3 kinda sounds miserable.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

We looked into cruises when DS was about that age but he wouldn’t have been able to use the pools so we decided against it.

I’m a big fan of travel even when kids are little. Sure, they might not remember the specifics but they can have a wonderful time, and will build positive associations for the place and for adventures in general. My 13 year old son still talks about how when he was not quite 3 he did Barnstormer 8 times in a row, and both kids still enjoy the hedge maze at Epcot where he played with some big kids on the same trip. Plus if you start playing the game of “there’s no reason to go until the youngest is old enough” then your older child will have missed so much.

Disney is magical for kids. And if you can swing GCH so much the better!

 

[katyjeka]

Why are you taking an expensive vacation with a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old? They're far too young for an expensive vacation like this.

No matter which one you choose, neither kid will remember it, and it won't be a vacation for you two either. Unless you bring along a nanny.

Go on a vacation by yourselves - you deserve the break with 2 young kids around. Wait until both kids are 5, then you'll all make memories. If you think you NEED to take a vacation, go camping, go to a Six Flags - or something less expensive.

We've taken several expensive trips with our kids over the last twenty some years and don't regret one. I was selfish and wanted the memories for me, I knew our kids wouldn't remember them.
To answer the original post I would go with Disneyland. It's tough to cruise with a baby who isn't quite old enough to enjoy the pools.

 

[MamaMermaid]

It's not really going to matter to your kiddos so pick the vacation that you or your wife want!

 

[ShannyMcB]

I would vote for DL especially when considering diapers and potentially formula as a previous poster mentioned...may I add seasickness potential with little ones, not many treatment options for kids that small. And if the baby is learning to walk or even just crawling there is typically more space for that in a traditional hotel room as opposed to a cruiseship stateroom. Save the cruise for when they are a bit older and see the mouse on land!

 

[danceintherain]

I'd skip a cruise until both kids are fully potty trained. A) the pool deck is easier to navigate with potty trained kids B) diapers are a lot easier to get when you're land based and can have amazon drop them off if you've miscalculated how much you'll need.

C) A 10 and 1/2 month old will still need bottles. That would make me want to be land based.

This. Pools are limited/not an option for kids who aren't potty trained on cruises.
The kids clubs are also less accessible for kids under 3. They carry an additional cost.
We're doing a cruise with our kids soon, and while I'm looking forward to it, I know the 2 year old is going to be the most difficult to entertain. The cabins are small, and while there's a small splash area where he can play, we will have to distract him when we pass the main pool, where he isn't permitted.

Our trip was chosen (and funded) by my Dad for his 60th birthday, and has already been rescheduled once, otherwise, I would wait until my youngest is potty trained.
Also, right now, testing and vaccine requirements for COVID are cumbersome. We haven't vaccinated our 2 year old yet, which means we have to put him through a PCR test a few days before the cruise, then he has to be rapid tested the day we embark AND a day before we get back.

 

[tinkerjo]

DL for sure! I have taken littles on a cruise and my just 2 year old who was mostly potty trained still couldn’t use the pools. (Couldn’t trust him not to have an accident) and it wasn’t as fun as when he was older whereas trips to Disney are more magical at that age and DL is easy to navigate with that age. I also am a big advocate for taking babies and toddlers on vacation. It makes them good travelers which makes trips even better as they get older but cruises are just hard with that age. We didn't use the nursery, couldn’t use the pools and was worried about DS getting burnt in the tropical sun. It was still nice but much preferred the park days when they were younger. Save the DCL cruise until they are potty trained.

 

[Frozen2014]

We did Disney Magic when my younger one was 2.5 years. Great cruise for kids....but....she wasn't allowed in the pools, or kids club (except during common hours when we could go with her) because she wasn't potty trained.
Having said that...For us, I disagree with the response "leave kids at home". I'm one for building memories, even if at this point it's just you and your wife's. They grow so fast and these are precious times.
They definitely will be very different trips and it may depend too if your kids embrace or are scared of the characters but still can have a lot of fun at both. There are lots of good rides at Fantasyland at DL, and then a cruise there is always stuff going on.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Why are you taking an expensive vacation with a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old? They're far too young for an expensive vacation like this.

No matter which one you choose, neither kid will remember it, and it won't be a vacation for you two either. Unless you bring along a nanny.

Go on a vacation by yourselves - you deserve the break with 2 young kids around. Wait until both kids are 5, then you'll all make memories. If you think you NEED to take a vacation, go camping, go to a Six Flags - or something less expensive.

Thanks for sharing your opinion. I can hardly remember the trip I took to Italy when I was 23. It was over 30 years ago. Parents know their very young kids won't remember it. That doesn't mean people should stop vacationing just because they have babies. My job is physically and emotionally draining. I need vacations to unwind with my family and reconnect. I work too hard to take cheap vacations.

OP, we started cruising when our youngest was 4. As much as I love DCL, I would choose DL. They are very strict that children who are not potty trained can't enter the pool. No "swim diapers" or any of that allowed. I always feel bad for toddlers who can't go in. As a pp mentioned, once they're 3+ AND potty trained, they can go to the kids clubs which is when parents get some relax time. My kids didn't spend a huge amount of time there but they enjoyed it. The cabins are smaller than an average hotel room so if you need a pack n play in there too it would be extremely cramped. DL has plenty for all ages.

 

[kboo]

I wouldn't do DCL until your kids are old enough to get into the kids club which means they need to be potty trained and at least 3 years old.

Otherwise, you will have to use the nursery, which costs extra while the kids club is free. This will allow the adults to actually have a vacation while someone else watches the kids.

Also would be hard for you guys to do any shore excursions with two very young kids in tow.

Exactly this. We didn't know, and did it for a big birthday for DH. Our youngest was still nursing and in diapers, so we had to trade off going on the aquaduck, and also spending time with the baby in the baby water area. We did use the nursery but that had to be pre-booked which was a little bit of a hassle (and also had some limitations on how much time they could spend there. I think there was a minimum time to book also.)

 

[Dust2]

Depending on the timeframe, you might consider a 3 day cruise on the Wonder leaving from San Diego and a few days in DL. The prices on the Wonder leaving September-January are very low. They even have Halloween and Christmas cruises included in the sale. This way you can experience both.