Vacation Limbo!!

[ekatiel]

So, I feel like I am stuck in vacation limbo for this year. DH's bonus just came in, and I still don't know what to do. A DCL cruise is on my bucket list and they are cruising out of Galveston (our home port) this coming year, which is probably the only way we'll ever be able to afford a DCL cruise. The hang up is that we cruise every other year with the kids, and we JUST cruised over Spring Break. This coming year is our WDW "year", and DH is on team WDW. He is pretty flexible with vacation plans, though, and says that he's willing to switch to the cruise as long as we can do WDW sometime in the next year or two. Here are the three options we're looking at:

Option 1:
Go to WDW over Thanksgiving (we actually have this one booked, ADRs made, etc). It would be a super long trip b/c we'll pair it with a conference for DH the weekend after Thanksgiving. We would travel from 11/14-11/26. This trip pretty much hinges on free dining being available. It's looking good for free dining, but nothing's been announced yet, which makes me nervous! We'd have to HOPE that DCL decides to send the Magic back to Galveston for the 2013-2014 school year so that we can cruise on her, otherwise we're out of luck on the DCL front.

Option 2:
Take a 7 day DCL cruise in December. Go to WDW in Fall of 2013. Pros: The DCL ship will be all decked out for Christmas. It will be a full seven day cruise. DCL is offering a free upgrade from an oceanview room to a balcony. Cons: No Disney park this year.

Option 3:
Attend a conference for DH at DisneyLAND over Thanksgiving, staying 5 or 6 nights (2 or 3 we would pay for, the rest covered by the conference). THEN, book the 6 day Magic cruise out of Galveston for May. Pros: We'd get to go to a Disney park this year. CARSLAND!! Cons: This is obviously the most expensive option, but since it's spread out over the school year, we could swing it. The cruise is only 6 days instead of 7.

So, I'm a little spoiled that I get to make such "tough" decisions for our family . I would really like to make a choice and get out of vacation limbo, though!! Since two of the options revolve around air travel at Thanksgiving, I need to choose soon, before airfares go through the roof. What would you do? Are there any other pros and cons I'm not thinking of? --Katie

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

Option 3 for allowing 2 vacations

 

[disny_luvr]

Boy, I wish I had this dilemma. (j/k)

Anyway, I'd go with option 3 because then you'd get two Disney vacations instead of just one.

 

[mrsklamc]

I'd go with option 2. Wdw is still going to be there, and I'd give the crowds time to thin at Carsland go later. Have they offered free dining at TG before?

 

[Marionnette]

So, I feel like I am stuck in vacation limbo for this year. DH's bonus just came in, and I still don't know what to do. A DCL cruise is on my bucket list and they are cruising out of Galveston (our home port) this coming year, which is probably the only way we'll ever be able to afford a DCL cruise. The hang up is that we cruise every other year with the kids, and we JUST cruised over Spring Break. This coming year is our WDW "year", and DH is on team WDW. He is pretty flexible with vacation plans, though, and says that he's willing to switch to the cruise as long as we can do WDW sometime in the next year or two. Here are the three options we're looking at:

Option 1:
Go to WDW over Thanksgiving (we actually have this one booked, ADRs made, etc). It would be a super long trip b/c we'll pair it with a conference for DH the weekend after Thanksgiving. We would travel from 11/14-11/26. This trip pretty much hinges on free dining being available. It's looking good for free dining, but nothing's been announced yet, which makes me nervous! We'd have to HOPE that DCL decides to send the Magic back to Galveston for the 2013-2014 school year so that we can cruise on her, otherwise we're out of luck on the DCL front.

Option 2:
Take a 7 day DCL cruise in December. Go to WDW in Fall of 2013. Pros: The DCL ship will be all decked out for Christmas. It will be a full seven day cruise. DCL is offering a free upgrade from an oceanview room to a balcony. Cons: No Disney park this year.

Option 3:
Attend a conference for DH at DisneyLAND over Thanksgiving, staying 5 or 6 nights (2 or 3 we would pay for, the rest covered by the conference). THEN, book the 6 day Magic cruise out of Galveston for May. Pros: We'd get to go to a Disney park this year. CARSLAND!! Cons: This is obviously the most expensive option, but since it's spread out over the school year, we could swing it. The cruise is only 6 days instead of 7.

So, I'm a little spoiled that I get to make such "tough" decisions for our family . I would really like to make a choice and get out of vacation limbo, though!! Since two of the options revolve around air travel at Thanksgiving, I need to choose soon, before airfares go through the roof. What would you do? Are there any other pros and cons I'm not thinking of? --Katie

If doing a Disney Cruise is high on your list, then go with #2. I've been on the ship when it is decorated for Christmas and it is beautiful. You won't get to see that any other time of the year. And having a balcony to retreat to when the kids are falling off to sleep is really nice. Plus, if you delay going to Disney World until the fall of 2013, you are guaranteed to see all of the Fantasyland expansion. Although, going to California to see Carsland is pretty tempting. Maybe book a Cars family suite at AoA in 2013 instead?

 

[ekatiel]

I think it's definitely between #2 and #3, unless DCL magically releases its Fall 2013 itineraries soon, and Galveston is still a home port. I need to sit down and work out all the numbers for the DL/DCL option, and make sure we can swing it without sacrificing future vacations. That balcony on DCL in December is really calling to me, though !! DH feels like he won't get enough of the Disney "magic" being on the cruise to satisfy his Disney urge. LOL-- I told him the ship was CALLED the Disney Magic!!! You can't blame a guy for wanting more Disney, though . --Katie

 

[mrsklamc]

I guess it depends on which part of Disney is what makes it magical for him. (i.e.,the food does nothing for me.) If he's into the rides, well, no.

The only thing that occurred to me after you posted- they aren't visiting Castaway Cay out of Galveston, are they? I'm not certain I would want to cruise DCL if the ship is not visiting CC.

 

[mrsklamc]

Does which ship make any difference to you? The second half of 2013 was announced today for the Magic and Wonder & the Wonder will be coming to Galveston.

 

[ekatiel]

Does which ship make any difference to you? The second half of 2013 was announced today for the Magic and Wonder & the Wonder will be coming to Galveston.

I saw this today. I guess option one is back on the table!! Still hoping for free dining!!!!! --Katie

 

[danceintherain]

I like option 1. How can you beat 12 days at Disney?
I get seasick on cruises though.

 

[Eeyore98]

The only thing that occurred to me after you posted- they aren't visiting Castaway Cay out of Galveston, are they? I'm not certain I would want to cruise DCL if the ship is not visiting CC.

Nope. That's actually what made the decision for us. Even though Galveston is a fairly close, easy drive, if I'm going to spend the money on DCL, I want to go to Castaway Cay!

Not sure if the Wonder's itinerary will be different, but the Magic will be doing 7-day "Western Caribbean"s that stop at Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Costa Maya.

 

[ekatiel]

Since we know we can cruise on the Wonder next year, I think we've decided to go with option one. I've even made a "no free dining" back up plan that will shorten our trip to eight nights, if free dining doesn't come out. I feel like we've finally reached a decision!! Now I've got to take a look at my ADRS and try to make some sense out of them, as well as decide when we're going to MVMCP. It looks like the WDW planning is back ON !! --Katie