Opinions on our itinerary next year - what would you do?

[lundve]

So our family has had a Dream cruise planned since the booking dates opened way back last November. We know we want to make this a total of a two week trip. I have gone back and forth trying to decide how and when.

We do have a confirmed THV ressie for Sun 8/14 and Mon 8/15 at THV. We have stayed there before and the boys want to go back. But I just don't have the points to do a two bedroom the whole time. Our cruise is Tues 8/16 - Sun 8/21.

We know we want to wait until our 7 month window and make a ressie somewhere other than our home resort SSR. But the question is do we stay 8/7 - 8/13 (we don't mind a move as we will have a car), or do we stay from 8/21 -8/27? Where would you stay with two boys ages 6 and 4? I am glad I still have almost four months to decide.

 

[ToddyLu]

Now you have to take my advice with a grain of salt since DH and I do not have little ones. I think I would do WDW the week before the cruise, then use the cruise to relax from the week at WDW. Since there are so many things and places to drop the kids off on Disney cruises...I would use the cruise as my relaxing part of the vacation before going home. Go all out for the kids the week before then the adults get to regroup before going back to work.

 

[ToddyLu]

I think Pop would be fun the week before moving into the THV. It will be August and a package there could probably get you free dining....my vote for a DVC resort with two little ones would be AKV for animals or BLT for location.

 

[lundve]

Valid point about the relaxing. Anyone else - what would you do?

 

[snyderla]

I'd go AKV, too. Or BCV for Storm Along Bay. We took my grandkids to BCV when they were 5 and 7 and they loved the beach play area at SAB.
DVCLori

 

[mousefan1972]

We are on the same cruise. For us the trip will be "only" 11 nights, 2 nights before the cruise, 5 nights on the ship, and 4 nights after. Right now we are at BLT but may try to change at 7 months.

 

[dizmom2mwjk]

We took a cruise and WDW trip similar to yours in 2005. We also had small children. I would definitely recommend WDW first, then the Cruise. For some reason, when you get off the cruise ship, you are exhausted. Something about transitioning from the enclosed space (although lovely and fantastic) of the ship to the land is exhausting and takes at least a day for adults to master. Also, on our cruise, there was a virus/illness passed around and most of us (we had nineteen in our group) ended up getting sick the day/next day we got off the ship....it was ship wide, and on several cruise lines...not just our group, however...

Take advantage of the kids activities and relax as a couple...enjoy your time together... unwind...

The only time we left the ship was to go to the private island...we did not go into any ports...we stayed onboard and enjoyed the pools those days with low capacity... that is just how we chose to do it...and we loved it...

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Where would you stay with two boys ages 6 and 4? I am glad I still have almost four months to decide.

If it's just the 4 of you, stay in a studio or 1 br for a few days. You could do a value at AKV, the boys would like the pool and the animals. You could do a studio at BCV, the boys would love SAB. Truth be told, at their ages, any resort pool/slide would be enjoyable!

Good Luck!