May, September or December - When should we cruise?

[DVCinderella]

As a surprise retirement gift for my Dad, I am planning on taking my folks on the 4-day Wonder, followed by a week at WDW. I am debating between May, September or December.

DH and I took the 4-day Wonder last September, and we loved it. The weather was perfect.

I am not only concerned about the weather on the cruise (and crowds, of course), but I am also concerned about WDW. In May, there is the Flower & Garden Festival; September doesn't offer much; and December offers all the Christmas decorations & special events.

If I had to plan the trip based on WDW only, I would choose December (I think my Mom would love the decorations).

Factoring in the cruise is causing my dilemma. Can anyone help me weigh the pros & cons of these 3 months?

 

[PiperG]

We did a land and sea package last Dec and the weather was great for both the park and the ship.

 

[Bev J]

Check out the price differences. We love WDW in September and the weather is still warm for swimming. December might be a bit cool for the cruise if you are planning on beaching or snorkeling, but the parks are beautiful during early december. Don't know about May.
The ship will probably have less kids in may or september. Stay away from holiday time in December unless you love crowds of kids.

 

[4nana]

Aren't you the sweetest daughter to do this for your parents. That is so nice and they are going to enjoy it so much! The season is just a matter of personal preference. We are not doing WDW but chose Dec.14 for our Magic cruise as we thought May might be humid, Sept you chance storms and Dec is so cold in Md. the warm weather will be great. Plus it is also still value season and we get the bonus of all the Xmas decorations!! Good luck in your decision, I'm sure they'll have a wonderful time no matter the season!

 

[taysalyn]

depends on when you go in December. DH and I always go the week after Thanksgiving. This year it will the the first week in December but we decided on the 7 day cruise. The past two years we went to WDW during this time and never had a problem with crowds. In 2000, it only rained once and in 2001 there were no drops. The crowds were non existant. We didn't have to wait for anything. We had the christmas decorations on both occasions and loved the atmosphere. I did go in September last year, (the weekend before 9/11) and it was really hot. Kinda crowded too, even after a holiday weekend. So it really depends on when you go during those months.

I'm sure whatever you decide, you and your family will have a blast.

 

[DVCinderella]

Originally posted by taysalyn
So it really depends on when you go during those months.

I should've added the following to my original post. These are the 2003 cruise dates I'm considering:

May 4th:
Following the cruise, we would spend a week at WDW, and thus we would be at WDW for Mother's Day...a special treat for Mom. I know Epcot has a special Mother's Day Brunch during the Flower & Garden Festival.

September 14th:
Mom & Dad's anniversary is 9/16, so if we took the 9/14 cruise, we would celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary on-board!

November 30th:
I also love the early weeks of December at WDW...crowds are low, and you get to enjoy all the Christmas decorations. I'm just concerned about the weather, and hitting a cold-snap. But I would love to see how they decorate the ship for the holidays.

To add to my dilemma, my Mom is not exactly pro-Disney. She has only been to WDW twice ('79 & '82), and both trips were during summer vacation, when crowds were high, as well as the temperatures. I want her to experience WDW in the off-season...I think she will be amazed at how much it has grown in the past 2 decades...it's not just one crowded theme park and fast food anymore. There are beautiful resorts and fabulous restaurants that I know she will enjoy.

My Dad is going to love this, regardless of when we go...it's Mom that will need some convincing. Two things I need to avoid are crowds and extreme heat...those will not go over well. And if Mom is not having a good time, Dad won't either. So in order to give Dad the trip of a lifetime, I need to make sure Mom is happy!

 

[luckymom]

Your best bet for both a cruise and the park is probably late Nov. or May. It seems that the hurricanes are more of a threat to Florida (and therefore - rough seas) during September - its also very rainy in general. My family usually camps at Ft. Wilderness in Nov. before Thanksgiving and the weather is usually wonderful - and it is not as crowded in the parks. It is usually close to the first week of Dec that it starts to get cold, but it doesn't last long (couple of days). May is nice weather wise as well, we went to the park two out of the five weekends this year and Epcot is very pretty during the Flower and Garden time. September would be if-y for a cruise, especially if Mom gets seasick. Hope this helps!

 

[kramer_clan]

I would choose May. It is one of the best times to cruise and best times at WDW weather wise. Always warm enough to swim, but not overbearingly hot.

Vicki

 

[fireplug]

We have taken the cruise in May and January but we have been to WDW in Dec and the weather was really good. It was very warm in May but Epcot has the flower festival then so there are tons of floral displays and topiaries. Dec. has all the decorations
and the crowds were much smaller. Cool in the evening but still very nice.

Have a great time whenever you decide to go.

Steve

 

[BethC1952]

We did a land and sea vacation in May of 2001 (for the Flower and Garden Festival, which was lovely). We had a great time, but the weather was VERY warm--much warmer than we had expected.

We're doing a similar trip the first week in December this year (primarily because I couldn't schedule time off until then!) with my Father-In-Law. We've been to WDW at Christmas time before, and have encountered every kind of weather, from high 90's to freezing cold (and that was all in one trip), but we haven't cruised in December before.

I think December is a great time because of the holiday decorations. If it's too cool to swim, that just leaves time to do other stuff!

I would avoid September because of the potential for hurricanes.

Beth

 

[Parrotheader]

I've been to WDW on all 3 of those months you're talking about and went on a 3-day Wonder in May. Weather-wise, I think September is the absolute perfect time to be in Florida. Warm enough to swim (it varies day-to-day in December) and just the ideal temperature all around. Also, the crowds are a LOT thinner then. Hurricane season could affect your cruise though and that's the prime time for them.

Being at WDW at Christmas time is truly amazing and something I hope to do again very soon. Everything is EXTRA decked out and the weather is usually very nice. However, it's also VERY crowded. May is crowded too although if you go at the beginning of May there's a lull between the Spring Break and Summer crowds where the number of people should be much lower. In late May it starts to warm up quite nicely and the crowds pick up as well.