Why cruise instead of WDW land vacation?

[onceuponadream]

Hi

My family is currently planning to visit WDW in March 2003. We were going to spend 4 nights AsMo and 5 nights Poly/CR or Dolphin. For about the same price we can take a 7 day cruise. Can't decide if this is a good idea as there are only 3 ports of call and 3 days at sea (seems like a lot of sea days with kids). My husband and I have cruised 4 times before but not with Disney. Can you compare the 2 vacations? I am not too concerned with activities for the older kids but I don't want to pay lots of money for a family vacation to put them in a kids club most of the day. We love the parks but also love to cruise...just not sure if it's a great idea with kids our kids ages? You all are experts...why do you choose a cruise over a Disney land vacation? Any pros and cons?? Thanks so much for any help

 

[prymsu]

my family personally enjoys the cruise more than WDW these days.

no lines, more relaxing, and more cost effective in my book.

From what i can tell most of the kids, especially the younger ones enjoy the clubs and they beg to stay.

 

[lzj21428]

Why not try a 7 day land/sea package. 3/4 days at WDW and 3/4
day cruise. We did 3 days at WDW and 4 day cruise in August. We all had a great time. An option to consider and you get the best of both worlds.

Nina

 

[BeanoC]

What ages ARE your kids???

It's not really a matter of one vacation being better than the other - you'll get a hundred different opinions on that - but what fits your family best.

We did 10 days at WDW 2 years ago. Kids were 8 and 10. It was a great vacation. One we'll never forget and one we thought would be hard to top.

Last year we cruised with Disney, and everyone agreed it was a better vacation than WDW! )We cruise on the Magic again in 4 weeks!)

The kid's clubs are only a small percentage of the activities on board. There is a full-sized movie theater, a couple of pools, a teen club (Common Grounds), and lots more.

Disney cruises are a great family vacation, and since you've cruised before, you know what cruises are like, but you'll be amazed at how well Disney does it! The staterooms are larger than most cruise lines and everything is just first class.

The cruise is certainly more relaxing than WDW; much more laid back and carefree, no "park commando" mentality!

We love Disney, but as long as they have cruise ships sailing we are not likely to spend a whole vacation at WDW! We will be there for 4 days this year before our cruise, then 7 days on the Magic... Can't wait!!


'Beano'

 

[SweetSpot]

We went to WDW last year and will be going on our first cruise this year. We went in November last year and were able to ride every ride we wanted several times without lines. We saw every show and can't imagine just redoing it all again this year when there are other things to see. Having a cruise linked to Disney is a perfect answer to me because they are so kid friendly and service and family oriented. I personally am really looking forward to coming home from a vacation with the kids relaxed and not totally exhausted. No lines, decisions on what or where to eat or which ride to go on next, and who wants to go on it and who doesn't. From what I have read there is so much for a family to do together if you choose so the kids don't have tospend the day in the clubs if you don't want them to. Knowing that the clubs are there if the kids are bored or you want time with your DH (to us that in itself is unbelievably rare) is such a bonus.

I love WDW and can't wait to go back someday but I am really looking forward to what I hope will be total relaxation on the ship.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

First when you talk about the two being the same cost are you counting your meals in WDW? That would add on some serious money unless you are the pb&j type! We come back from WDW several months ago and we've also cruised (not DCL). Hands down cruising is much more of a relaxing vacation! The kids can be in the clubs as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Plus, many people have been complaining on the WDW resorts/trips reports that the cut-backs are starting to have an effect on the usual Disney "magic". I, personally wouldn't realize much of a difference because it was 7years in between trips!! I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you and your family. Good luck!!

 

[Euphscott]

For me and my family the cruise is an easy choice over the parks.

If you spend any time on the Rumors board, you hear of Disney losing it's magic with all the cut backs, limited maintenance schedules and so forth. However, the cruise ships are not suffering from this company wide malaise. Each day the ship is meticulously cleaned, the CMs are generally VERY friendly and helpful and there is no shortage of good will offered on board.
If Disney is losing it's park magic, I believe it is not slipping one ounce in the cruise business.

That said, the cruise will less likely cause sore feet, will provide very few lines to stand in, will save you a bundle in food costs, and will show you all the characters, whimsy, and hopeful feelings you get in a park based vacation.

It is indeed a personal choice. Some would not do well with beautiful blue ocean, sandy white beaches and different cultures. For those that don't do well in that environment, go take a stay at the Resorts and leave room onboard for me!!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Well, we are trying the 4 day cruise/3 day parks thing next summer. We've done WDW 4 times since 2000 and although we are in DVC so the cost is lower, we also feel we have done about all we can do--don't get me wrong we love it, and that's why we are still doing 3 days next year (remember Mission, Space! will be open) but I wanted to try the cruise really bad. Now in 2004 we may trade out our DVC points and go elsewhere--but I am secretly hoping (don't tell DH) that he will like our cruise so much that we will be able to go on another one. Then we'll go back to WDW in 2005.
Robin M.

 

[ncligs]

We are also going on our 1st Cruise (Wonder-4 day) in Feb 2004.
Just booked it this week. We are DVC members also and have been to WDW at least 1-2 times a year for the last 4 years, so we decided to try our 1st Cruise. We wanted to start out with the 4 day cruise to see if we would like it. But from what I have been reading on this Forum, it looks like we will be doing the 7 day in the near future also.
We did book this through Dreams Unlimited,catagory 7 with navigator veranda(7120), not through DVC.

 

[disneyholic family]

they're two different types of vacation and they're both nice...
we've been going to WDW every year for the last 30 years (and we spend 3 weeks there every time)....so i don't have to say that we love WDW (and my kids won't agree to any other long vacation).....
we went on our first cruise this summer (in addition to the 3 week stay at WDW)...
we also loved the cruise......unfortunately we might not be back in the states until 2005, so our next cruise/WDW vacation will have to wait until then....but if we were living in the US, the cruise would be added on as at least an annual event (probably more often than that)..
but there's no way for me to make a comparison.....perhaps the 3/4 day land sea is the way to go (we were on the 3 day wonder cruise and loved it....while we would have liked to have stayed on the ship for another month or two, the 3 days were very nice)...

 

[floridaminnie]

On the cruise there seems to be more "magic". They spoil you and you can eat and eat. They are very good with their guests and there is so much to do, but it is also very relaxing. We went on the seven day cruise and it is hands down the best vacation I have ever had.

 

[bennett]

We decided on the 7 day eastern over WDW because of the ages of the children. They are 4 and 6 -we wanted them to see lots of characters-we thought they would get really tired alot faster at WDW-it was wonderful and I don't think we would have seen as many characters (and get so close) at WDW. I also have older children and they loved it-my 16 year old had a BLAST!!!

 

[Tluvs2talk]

I say Do them both. Hubby and I have been to WDW 35 times since we honeymooned there in 1988. We can't get enough. We will be going on our 4th disney cruise in less than 4 weeks. I love both and can't decide so we do both now.

 

[disneyholic family]

Teri.....
i see you're a soulmate...if only we lived as close as you...(we have to pay over $10,000 just for the airline tickets to get to orlando each time!!!...
our friends think we're totally nuts for going back year in and year out......and for 3 weeks at a time....they just don't understand what a great vacation it is....besides which, they go to their cottages every summer...so what's the difference???...i just happen to prefer the happiest place on earth to a summer cottage...
anyway....it's good to give our friends something to gossip about...it keeps them out of trouble...

 

[Tluvs2talk]

disneyholic family,
Yes, we LOVE Disney World. I want to live in Celebaration one day and work at Disney. I would like to be a ride operator, or pilot one of the Resort boats. We bought an annual pass this year and have been to Disney world 5 times this year. We will be going in less than 3 weeks and will stay 5 days before our cruise. We also have Disney's Hilton Head Resort 2 hours away from us, so we can alway's get a "Disney Fix". I guess we are addicted, and I don't want a cure.
It is alway's nice meeting and talking with people who share a love for Disney.

 

[inkkognito]

I agree wholeheartedly with Euphscott.
We used to do WDW every year at Labor Day and/or the holidays, and we started adding a DCL trip to the Sept. WDW vacation. But we have been so dissapointed in the cost cutting measures at the parks, even before 9/11, that we didn't even bother with them this year...we just stayed on the Wonder for three cruises in a row. The Disney magic is very evident on the cruise ships. I miss the "old" WDW, but for now, I will choose the cruise. We have one more cruise this year and 8 more booked in 2003.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[disneyholic family]

hmmm.....i don't know.....having been to WDW every year for the last 30 years i'd say i'm in a position to judge...
much like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too, is that illusive concept of disney magic.....
perhaps WDW has lost its magic for you......not us....
everything is what you make it......