I know some of this boils down to personal prefference but...

[Gupsmom]

Maybe I can get some opinions anyway.

Last Easter we did the 3 day cruise and booked while on-board for the 4 day this Easter. We plan on booking while onboard again this time.

Here's the thing. My kids only get 1 wk at Easter in 2005. We hoped to do the 7 day this time. All 3 of my kids will be in the same age bracket from Feb 2005-May 2005. If we book the 7 day at Easter, we cannot combine it with Disney and/or Universal. We LOVE to hit the parks too. WE could book a July cruise instead. The price might even be a bit better but the temps are hotter and it's hurricane season. Or we could do another 3 or 4 day and have time for the parks....but it would be nice to try the Magic.

I can come up with benefits to both but I'm curious to hear what others might conisder the pros and cons.

Thanks..

Jess

 

[ChattyKathy]

When is your 2004 cruise? April 11 on the 4 day Wonder?
Curiosity ~how old are your kids ?

Your lucky your kids get that long off, ours only get Good Fri and Easter Monday off.


Do Universal or whatever the Saturday before the cruise and Kennedy Space Center or whatever on the Th you get back? Would you have to fly to Fla, where are you located at?



Good luck!



Kath

 

[Gupsmom]

This Easter isn't the problem. We get 2 full weeks and we're booked for the parks and the cruise. It's next Easter that we only get 1 wk. So, I have to decide whether to do the 7 day only, or the 3/4 and parks or wat until July and do the 7day and add a day or 2 at the parks.

As for this Easter. We are booked for the April 11th Wonder. I have 3 children. My son will be almost 7 at cruise time. My girls will be 5 1/2 and 4. I wish I could bump the 4 yr old up to the next age bracket. She's very mature and will want to be with her sibs but I doubt they can accomodate that at Easter. Oh well...we only use the clubs here and there..she'll survive.


Oh...we drive down from Western NY.

Jess

 

[ChattyKathy]

OUCH
Yes, either way you do it...

What does your husband think or doesn't he?lol

How close to the next age bracket is the one daughter, can't she be put with the other two anyways? or does Disney stick to the age brackets pretty close?

Is Easter a busy time...? You mentioned you didn't think they could accomodate her at Easter...

 

[Gupsmom]

She's only be 4 yrs 2 months so she isn't close to 5. Easter is packed with kids so I don't think they can give that much with the age brackets. I understand and I know she'll be ok. It would have been nice to have them together....next Easter they all fall in the 5-7 bracket. If we wait until July, I think I can keep my son down in the younger bracket. I'd actually rather have him in the 5-7 bracket (at 8 yrs 2 months) than the older bracket anyway.


I'm just afraid of missing the parks if we do the 7 day cruise Easter 2005. We could do the 3 or 4 day but I'm not sure I want to do that a 3rd time. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn it down but I'm also excited about trying the Magic. We didn't do that for this easter because 1) we wanted the kids in the same bracket...easier to schedule our day and 2) If we were going to spend that much money we wanted our youngest to be old enough for the tours we want (snorkling etc). She'll be 5 for the 2005 cruise.

Jess

 

[Dreamer04]

Hi Jess. As far as price goes, the summer is usually more expensive.

It does all come down to personal preference. Since you're already all set for this Easter (meaning 2004), then I would go for the 7 day in 2005. Just my humble opinion.

 

[cyndilou01]

I just returned off a 4 day cruise,it was not disney, I have vowed never to go on another ship other than disney...
I have done both the 4 day and the 7 day with disney. I enjoyed the 7 day much better because of the activities were better. so much more to choose from on the 7 day... I would not go in the summer months if I had a choose, I just went in November and got burnt to a crisp...

 

[Gupsmom]

Do you really think it would cost more in July than at Easter. It was the opposite this past year. It would have cost less if we had done July than it is costing us at Easter.

It's not a huge price difference either way so it's not really a big decision maker. I'm just so torn about not having days in the park if we do the 7 day in 2005 at Easter.

Thanks again for the replies so far.

Jess

 

[noahsmom]

We were at WDW for 3 nights then a 4 night cruise. It was unbelievably hot at WDW but managable. We stayed at the Poly so it was very easy to go back to the hotel in the afternoon for a swim/rest. My DS was 4.5 yrs old then. The cruise was perfect. The seas were calm as could be and the heat didn't seem as bad. Of course the ship is always moving so there is a breeze.

Would we do it again? Yup, in July 2004. My dh is a teacher so summer is our only time. This trip will be 4 nights at the Poly (we've been spoiled) and 4 night cruise.

I have a coworker who went on a dcl cruise last January and based on her experience I would not go in the winter. She said although it was much warmer than home (Wisconsin) they did have to wear jeans and sweatshirts at night. To me that's not being in the Bahamas. JMHO.

Kelli

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

Jess, Easter and Christmas are also high priced times usually, just because that's when people can take vacation. So I wouldn't be surprised if you've seen lower prices in July. If you'd rather do a summer cruise than Easter, check into August, before your kids get back into school. Later weeks then tend to be a little lower. Just a thought. Mike

 

[JCarangal]

What a wonderful dilemma you are faced with!!

My personal opinion (since that is what you asked for) ...
I would go for the 7 day cruise for Easter 2005. You have done the 3-day and will be doing the 4-day with time for the parks during both of those trips (I am assuming). So, the 7-day would be something a bit different. And an aside - I have done DisneyWorld in July and it is extremely hot and crowded.

Have fun whatever you decide!!