Which is more relaxing w/ small kids: cruise or parks?

[scrapquitler]

I am planning a big trip for my 40th. With a 6 and 3 year old in tow, wondering if you all think it's more relaxing to do a 4 night simple vacay to the parks (staying at a monorail resort) or a 4 night Wish cruise?

In what ways does the cruise beat out the parks for those ages?

In what ways is the cruise tough for those ages?

I have never been on any brand of cruise line. Seems like the kids clubs are a real TREAT for both parents and kiddos!

I don't think a vacation exists that would be relaxing with little kids.

I'd be concerned about how little kids would react to potential sea sickness.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Our son is 4. We've done both - I vote cruise!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I never done a cruise with a toddler. My daughter was 10 when we did our first Disney cruise. But we did plenty of WDW and DL trips at those ages. But for a long time now, a WDW vacation has not been relaxing for us nor as enjoyable. Too much planning, lines too long, too many hoops to jump thru. Now with Genie+, which we haven't even done yet, it's just too much everything. We will be on The Fantasy at the end of this year and The Wish next year.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

My kids have no bid for Kids Club, ever.

If you like the all inclusive nature of a cruise but you are concerned about potty training what about an all inclusive Caribbean or Mexican resort?

 

[CinderEmma94]

We are Orlando locals, and have done the parks many many times. We just got back from our first Disney cruise and man it was so nice to shut off the world for a week. I didn’t buy internet and only used my phone for the DCL app and taking pictures. I went alone with my not-quite-fully potty trained 3 year old and it was magical (DH and DS stayed home this time, but they will come next time). The magic may not be the same in the parks as it once was but it’s alive and well on the ships. I vote cruise. Honestly no vacation is a blissful walk in the park with young kids but if you understand that going into it, you’ll be fine. My DD couldn’t go in the pool - so what? It’s people soup and unbearably packed except on port days anyway. No kids club alone? She was content going for an hour a day during open house. We just got home and she keeps asking when we can go “back to the ocean on the big ship” but she doesn’t ask about the parks like that

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

So we've now done Disney twice as parents, once with a 2.5 year old and once with 5 year old and a 22 month old. The first trip with the 2.5 year old was so relaxing. Kiddo was so entertained, did well in the stroller, napped on the go. Zero issues. When we went back it was a whole different story - the younger one HATED the stroller (screaming, physically flat out refusing it EVERY SINGLE TIME), refused to walk where we needed to walk, didn't sleep well at all. It was honestly a little bit of a nightmare.

We haven't done a cruise with them, but we have done beach vacations and same deal. There've been good ones and bad ones. Times where they were easily amused and happy and we were all relaxed, and times where everything went wrong and we were stressed and miserable.

Point being, it's a toss up. Choose whichever you think will make you the happiest, and know that there's no right or wrong here because no matter which choice you make, it really all depends on your kids and the phases they're in at that time. It's hard to plan for that or to know exactly how it will all pan out.

I've always found that being in the parks takes the pressure of us as the parents to entertain them, which is in and of itself a relaxing break for us. That said, I have heard that the kids clubs on Disney cruise lines are amazing, so that might be a factor for you in terms of getting some kid-free down time.

 

[nancipants]

We just got back from a 7 day cruise. We are Orlando locals so I don’t have the perspective of a parks trip. The cruise was not relaxing like our old trips were and there was a bit of a learning curve to figure out how to cruise with a toddler. I would not have been able to handle it had we not been traveling with family. I think once he’s kids club age it will be a lot easier.