Never Cruised Before. Is A Disney Cruise Worth Skipping WDW?

[Flossbolna]

I think the Disney cruise really offers a lot of what you say you love about WDW. It’s loads of little touches. The Disney music in the hallways, the nightly chocolates on the bed with a towel animal, seeing characters walk around the ship, doing Disney trivia, the servers making a Mickey head with ketchup on your plate etc.

I do agree with others though that a 4 night cruise is too short to trade for a longer WDW vacation. And I think you would be more comfortable on another ship than the Wish.

One thing that might help with affording a longer cruise: in my opinion it’s not necessary to book a verandah stateroom. Especially on the Dream and Fantasy booking a category 8 stateroom will get you an amazing porthole that is nearly from floor to ceiling. There are so many wonderful areas on the ship that are designed for you to enjoy being outside that you don’t need the verandah. I find the ship is different in that regard than a hotel. There public areas are more just places to walk through. The ship really invites you to treat the public areas as your common living room.

 

[elsawasajedi]

Once my kids went on a Disney Cruise, they had no interest in going back to the parks. Of course Mom and Dad were paying. They are now FL residents and go to the parks all the time but will jump at a DCL cruise if they can afford it.

this is our 8 and 10 year old in terms of prefer dcl to park. us too.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Absolutely 100% worth skipping WDW for

 

[jimmymc]

The best things a Disney Cruise offers you are shows, themed dining, and character meets with shorter waits than in the parks, all included in your cruise fare. So while it doesn't have all the attractions, if those things are why you like visiting WDW, then a cruise is a great choice for you.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

The price point for a cruise in December, a Merrytime Cruise, is higher than others. A 9 day WDW vacation shouldn't be compared to a 4 night Wish cruise. I would not recommend a 4 night cruise for your first DCL experience. We did the 4 night Wish for our daughter (Marvel) and to sail the newest ship, but it was not long enough. Just when you're going the lay of the land, it's time to get off. I would definitely go on the Wish again if it was a long cruise. We're DVC too and now prefer cruising than the parks. We'll still go to the parks, we're going in May, but it won't be the go-go-go all day, everyday. How we do the parks now has changed a lot.

 

[Geomom]

We own DVC and enjoy DCL as well. We cruise for itinerary first, so we did Alaska, Baltic Sea, and Norwegian Fjords--nowhere near Disney, so didn't miss it. We did do Fantasy Western Caribbean in 2022 to use up a 2020 cruise credit. For that cruise we used our DVC pts to stay at Vero Beach 2 nts pre cruise, and did a week at Disney world after with our pts.

It would definitely be hard to be near Disney and not go to it, despite loving our cruises. Do you have an annual pass? If you need to buy tix to the parks, you could skip the parks, stay at a DVC resort before/after cruise (it's recommended that you don't fly in day of cruise.). Enjoy Christmas decorations at the resorts and the ship.

I would not trade a 9nt vacation for a 4nt though. Not sure when you're traveling in the Christmas season. Most expensive weeks are Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year, so if you can avoid those it'll be cheaper.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’ve been on a lot of cruises although never a DCL one because they’re ridiculously priced but they really are two very different kinds of vacations. That being said I would never trade a 9 day trip for a 4 day one, no matter the other circumstances. A cruise (even the Disney ones) is absolutely nothing like the parks so if you want to try it you should not go into it as comparing it to the parks but as it’s own thing and you’d probably enjoy it more. Sounds like you really love WDW (I hear you, I do too) so maybe if you only have the one trip to take just stick with that until you feel more ready to try the cruise. Me personally, I absolutely love WDW and would choose it over DCL anytime and the 5 less days for the same price would seal the deal.

 

[Flcruising]

I have never cruised in my life. I LOVE Disneyworld and go every year, and now I’m debating on trying DCL. I want to know if it’s worth skipping a WDW trip to try a Disney Cruise? I just can’t afford both, it actually costs more for a 4 night Disney Cruise on the Wish then my 9 day WDW trip (since I have DVC, which I will rent out to help pay for the cruise) and I would be skipping my FAVORITE time of the year (December) at WDW.

I’ve done a decent amount of watching videos on YouTube and reading this board but I want opinions from people who love WDW and DON’T find WDW exhausting, like me. Because I don’t go for the rides (they are just the icing on the cake) , we take our time, enjoy the resorts and the many beautiful restaurants and just LOVE the ambiance of WDW and just being there.

I know most will say they are very different but for someone who can only afford one, and you love WDW and don’t think it’s exhausting, I need an answer of which one is the better vacation.

There are very few videos and podcasts I’ve seen that directly compare these. The only (most recent) one I found that actually does is this one:

Please also share any you have seen or know that would help. Thanks!

I am surprised at the responses saying you will get the same feeling on a cruise as WDW. I don't get it. As much as we like DCL it doesn't evoke the same feelings. Imagine standing in the middle of main street all decked out for the holidays, twinkle lights, snow falling magically, music, Santa tucked away near the fire station, on one end you have the giant Christmas tree with people gathered, and you turn to see the other end of main street, the castle all lit with Mickey and Minnie at the entrance. The stores holding Christmas wonders while you spot something special you had never seen before even though you have been there several times. Everywhere you look you see the park decorated for the holidays., a cruise is not going to replace that.
In fact, when you analyze it there are very few areas completely decked out for Christmas on the ship. It is wonderful but nothing like the feelings of nostalgia and hope WDW evokes. We love both but your post definitely implies you have an emotional connection with WDW. A cruise probably can't replace that. But can enhance it by giving you a new branch to explore.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Our first DCL cruise was a 7-night Eastern on the Magic in Feb 2007. I actually cried when I walked through MCO knowing we were NOT going to WDW. For that day, I doubted that I had made the right decision. Once we boarded the ship the next day, we were all in agreement that it's the best kind of Disney vacation for us. We all had a few meltdowns that first cruise. I thought it would be a big 'once in a lifetime' kind of trip. We just sailed our 27th Disney cruise. The parks are more work than going to work. Sixteen years later, our kids are grown and we still love DCL. There is not a single cruise we have sailed where we didn't book again while onboard. We didn't choose our first DCL cruise because we felt that WDW was too exhausting. We were park commandos back then and could easily do 7 consecutive park days, opening and closing the parks every day. We couldn't get enough of it. Cruising has changed all of that for me. I get my Disney fix in a much calmer, less chaotic way now.

I think you should try at least a 5-7 night cruise to get a real taste of it. 3-4 night cruises are like taking a few licks on a popsicle then someone taking it away. We didn't skip WDW forever after we discovered DCL but we would do 1 day at parks the day before we sail. That was enough of the parks for me. We haven't done a full week at WDW since trying DCL, except in March 2021, right after getting the covid vaccine and I felt safe enough to travel, and I was just desperate to travel but cruising hadn't reopened yet. Once it did, I booked immediately. Dh is utterly "parked out" and doesn't want to return until we have grandchildren which means possibly never.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

The biggest con of cruising cs WDW is the lilited amount of things to do compared to wdw and that certain thibgs are now or never: activities, character meets, shows they are at a certain time you go then or you miss it.

 

[Dug720]

I'd personally prefer a cruise just because I love being at sea.

BUT reading the OP's post and responses, it really sounds like they're going to be comparing every little thing and constantly thinking about what they're missing at WDW - which would make for a miserable cruise (for them, and possible for anyone around them if they're complaining and moping). So for them, I'd say stick with WDW.

 

[foolish-mortal]

I absolutely think it's worth skipping WDW. It's a great change of pace, and to me it's just as good or better than WDW. It has the magic of Disney with a lot less stress and planning. But not if you're planning a short cruise. If you really want to unwind and enjoy everything it offers then (to me) I think it needs to be a 7 night cruise.

 

[MonaMN]

Our first cruise was a 4 night with a short time at WDW before. Like you, we weren't sure if we were going to like the cruise so we did a little of both. It was exhausting. While a cruise is relaxing if you want it to be, if you're new to it and you want to check it all out, you're still doing a lot of walking around the ship and heading to events. We decided we weren't going to try to do both again - so our next cruise was a 7 night.

I'd agree with others who have said that you might want to look at other times/ships/ports that allow you to take a longer cruise for a lesser cost. It's a completely different but incredibly lovely experience. Things like character dance parties where you just get to see the characters in an informal setting instead of standing in long lines to meet them... going to trivia and game shows... the stage shows... it's all delightful but very different.

We still like to do both (though our cruise luck has been bad so we haven't been for TOO long). We're DVC owners too so I understand the challenge of paying for the cruise when you've already basically paid for part of another trip... but I definitely think it's worth a try at least once to see what you think.

 

[lscrivan18]

We love the parks and don't think it's exhausting. Also love cruising. We just did our first DCL cruise earlier this month, 10th cruise overall. We absolutely loved it! However, for our next trip we are doing WDW because I miss it. They are two totally different animals and I love both. We plan on WDW next year and then cruise after that. I think going back and forth on the two works best for us because there are elements I love on each that are unique to both land and sea vacations.

So I say give the cruise a shot! You won't hate it, but you might prefer WDW at the end of it all and that's ok. You'll never know unless you try. Definitely do not do anything less than 5 nights though. It's simply not enough time to get a true cruise experience and that's not a fair way to judge if DCL or WDW is your preferred vacation.

 

[MartyParty]

I have never cruised in my life. I LOVE Disneyworld and go every year, and now I’m debating on trying DCL. I want to know if it’s worth skipping a WDW trip to try a Disney Cruise? I just can’t afford both, it actually costs more for a 4 night Disney Cruise on the Wish then my 9 day WDW trip (since I have DVC, which I will rent out to help pay for the cruise) and I would be skipping my FAVORITE time of the year (December) at WDW.

I’ve done a decent amount of watching videos on YouTube and reading this board but I want opinions from people who love WDW and DON’T find WDW exhausting, like me. Because I don’t go for the rides (they are just the icing on the cake) , we take our time, enjoy the resorts and the many beautiful restaurants and just LOVE the ambiance of WDW and just being there.

I know most will say they are very different but for someone who can only afford one, and you love WDW and don’t think it’s exhausting, I need an answer of which one is the better vacation.

There are very few videos and podcasts I’ve seen that directly compare these. The only (most recent) one I found that actually does is this one:

Please also share any you have seen or know that would help. Thanks!

Hi there, my wife and I went through this a few years back and have landed on these thoughts which will share below. We also have DVC and understand your concern:

+ Cruise is all inclusive for the most part (food, entertainment, character meet and greets, etc.)
+ You will walk way less steps. We do about 1,000 to 2,000 steps a day on the cruise. In the parks its more like 25,000 steps.
+ The characters are abundant if that's something you like. And on the cruise they tend to bring out hard to find characters that you may not often see in the parks.
+ Christmas on the cruise is spectacular! Decorated to the hilt. And they tend to have one night for Christmas carols, simulated snow fall, fireworks, etc.
+ For the Christmas cruise one of the nights they will have a special dinner resembling the season.
+ You'll likely sail to some place even warmer than December Florida weather and have some fun in the sun and pool.
+ The on ship grand movie theater is great and you'll get to see new movie premiers if available. We got to see on of the new Star Wars movies (forget which one). Just prior to the move starting, the lights went out and Darth Vader appeared on the the stage and started going though the audience. Heavy breathing, lightsaber, sound affects and all. I really really really felt scared he was coming for us!@ Hahaha...

Lots more +'s to list, but those are the main ones that come to mind.

- Since you have DVC points and your hotel stay is essentially paid for, the cruise alternatively will cost more even if swapping your DVC points
- Compared to WDW, the cruise really has no rides unless you count the couple of water slides. If you're into rides, the cruise won't compete
- We enjoy the cruise dinning experience but you are locked in to what the boat has to offer. WDW you have tremendous dining choices in the parks, resorts, Disney Spring, or the overall area around Disney.

My last thought is we love the cruise for different reasons. Its a different experience. We tend to do the cruise in the off season (better pricing) and when it doesn't conflict with our normal times we'd like to visit the parks.

Good luck.

 

[tvguy]

We made our first trip to WDW 6 years ago and to be honest, not sure we will be back. We are a Disneyland family and WDW just isn't the same. So, with that disclosure, not going to WDW when going on a Disney cruise would not be an issue for us. And we did not go to WDW when we did our Disney cruise.
But another disclosure that I have posted before, we never had enough vacation time when we were working to be able to take such extended vacations. Never got more than 4 weeks in a year. And my wife preferred to take a week off every 3 months so.......in her words.......she didn't kill someone at work.
It would be different now that we are retired, but my wife is going back to work today, part time, 24 hours a week in a position that has no paid time off or any benefits.

 

[ambula603]

I've enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts. I was like the OP in my fear of missing the nostalgia and magic. I have to say, I love WDW for the memories from my own childhood. However, once we did DCL I have the NEW memories from my children's childhood. Does that make sense? So now they both hold memories and moments in my heart that are irreplaceable.

That being said, I totally vote for a longer cruise on a cheaper ship. The Fantasy was our first and so it will always be my favorite. The classic colors and ambiance are really special. We still haven't sailed on the Wish or Treasure and I am fine with that because I would rather have a longer (and cheaper) cruise. Unless we are doing a land & sea, that is the ultimate combination for our family! But for our first cruise, I was glad we went with a 7-night.

Last thing, when we were on our first cruise I started to feel overwhelmed and like I missed WDW. I told my husband I was afraid I made a mistake. But as soon as we finished the trip I looked back so fondly because I was relaxed and pampered and had enjoyed my 7 night Disney bubble! So once you decide to try DCL, pour yourself into the cruise and try not to "what-if" or second guess your choice. That won't help anything.

I vote that you try it one time, knowing that you live in a wonderful world with both WDW AND DCL to choose from in the future.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm going to echo that they are 2 entirely different vacations. It's really hard to compare. I lean towards the cruise, but I've never been an every-year-WDW vacationer either.

Our first cruise we did a split, 4-night cruise followed by 3 nights at WDW. It was a different vacation from the usual parks vacation and we did more non-park things but still got WDW. The Wish is an expensive ship; I'd suggest looking at a different ship, though depending on your dates that may mean additional travel which complicates. So crunch the numbers. Consider if an oceanview or interior cabin might suffice instead of a verandah to save costs. Our first cruise we didn't do much that was extra cost, we just enjoyed the ship and walking around ports and the CC beach. I prefer 4 nights vs 3 nights, but if 3 nights is all that fits the budget it gives you a taste of cruising and you can book a placeholder onboard for a discount next time.

 

[MomOTwins]

We are dvc members too and did a 4 night Wish cruise but added a resort only stay at BCV before the cruise and another night after at BRV with a halloween party evening (got a dvc discount on the Halloween tickets too!). You could do the same with the Christmas party. I thought it was a good balance—I got my WDW fix without having to pay for a full price park tickets, and we didn’t feel the need to spend a lot of money on food at the resorts because we knew we’d be eating a ton on the cruise, so the cost beyond the cruise price was minimal. Ticket price and food for 9 nights at WDW isn’t a trivial amount. If you are still finding a significant price difference for the cruise you might want to look at a cheaper stateroom category (we loved our deck 2 oceanview room) or switching to a 3-night cruise with a longer dvc stay on either end.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

However, once we did DCL I have the NEW memories from my children's childhood. Does that make sense? So now they both hold memories and moments in my heart that are irreplaceable.

I can relate to this. Our kids are grown and we have so many fond memories of them cruising with us. We just sailed the WBPC this month on the Magic, our first Disney ship. It brought it all right back.
I texted my 23 yr old during our cruise to tell him I get choked up when I see a 6 year old boy in red Mickey Crocs or seeing kids holding a ziploc bag of Flubber.
I think we had 3 or 4 bags of old Flubber in our fridge at one point with him begging to never throw them out.
I also have these happy memories with my parents. They were close to Platinum level.
It brings me back to when they were “young” and healthy. Now my mom is deceased and my dad is 80+ and has dementia. Back then, it seemed those good times would never end.