So, is a DC better than 6 nights @ Disney?

[Travelfanatic1]

Trying to figure out if a cruise is better than a 6 night, 7 day WDW vacation?

We have been lucky enough to have visited Disney several times (many long work hours and lots of payments in advance), but is a Disney cruise worth the extra money?

Someone please help me see the difference between the two. We have cruised 1 time before on Carnival, though fun, very tiring going from port to port and being hurried like cattle, not sure I am up for the game.

Will be traveling with my husband of 32 years and our daughters family (husband, 2 yr. old, grandson & 16 yr. old granddaughter.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I've never personally been, but the couple of people I've know that have done them raved about the experience. They both say its awesome and totally worth it.

[one2goofy]

After going to the park 10+ times with my family (DH, DD 13 and 11) and going on 3 cruises with them over the past 10 years, I would say that a cruise is definitely worth it.

It is a different type of vacation, one that I find to be as busy or as relaxing as you want it to be. It has so many activities for all ages of people.

I would highly recommend it and would go at any chance I have (especially when it is -7 outside, like it is here)

Either way you can't go wrong!! Happy planning.

[BrerGnat]

Yes, but not for summertime or holiday break prices. My rule of "worth it" is that a price of up to $200 per person per day is good. More than that and it starts to be overpriced, but that is just my opinion.

[joonyer]

Our Disney cruise was a lot of fun, and something different, but I wouldn't choose a cruise over a week long visit to WDW at the same price. And if the cruise costs even more, then my vote would tend even more strongly toward WDW.
Now if you've been to WDW lots of times and never been on a Disney cruise, that would factor into you decision. I would like to go on another Disney cruise, but only when I can get a really good deal.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I think they have a land and sea package, where you do four nights cruise and four nights at the park, maybe that's the way to try it out

[CanadianWDWFan]

Like a previous poster noted, maybe you could try the land and sea packages.

We have a Christmas cruise this December booked. We are planning right now, arriving two days before the cruise departs so we can get our Disney fix in. For us it is the best of both worlds.

[MarkC]

I think it depends on how many times you've been to the parks. After roughly 25 park visits we wanted to check out a cruise. They are awesome and for all ages. If you've only been to the parks a few times and can't get enough, stay on land. If you've been 10 times or more (as it looks like you have), a cruise is an unbelievable vacation. Disney is the best.

My only cruise recommendation is that just like a WDW trip, they go very fast. I won't even consider a 3 or 4 day trip. 7 days or more for us is our only choice.

One more comment-- we did the 7 day Mediterranean cruise this past summer. I can't imagine a better trip. Seeing some unbelievable history, sites and scenery with the magic of Disney on the Disney Magic. Will be tough to ever top that trip.

[joanna71985]

That's a hard one. For me, I would go with the cruise (I'm going on my 4th cruise in 2 weeks, and I can't wait!).

[tundramom]

I think this is totally subjective and based on your preferences. We go to WDW yearly for a minimum of 7 nights...our first cruise was with Disney 4 nights. We booked the Disney suite because I was dreading seasickness and told DH the only way I'd cruise was in a large enough room to not be claustrophobic if I was going to be sick the whole time. The ship was gorgeous, the staff and concierge service was impeccable, the shows were great, and we enjoyed our side trip to Atlantis a lot. But, I wouldn't pick a cruise over WDW- mainly because we are a very active family and really felt that cruising was much too sedentary. I particularly felt "trapped" on the ship due to the amount of time spent every evening getting ready for dinner, sitting through dinner, sitting at the show, etc. We have since cruised on Carnival (basically used it as a floating hotel to sample the western Caribbean ports) and it did not compare in any way to DCL but it was an economic way to travel. So, I would say ...examine your vacationing style and enjoy!

[DizneyRox]

Haven't been to Disney is quite a few years, we've been cruising, I find it more enjoyable and overall a better value.

7+ days for me as well, we've done shorter, but they are too short for a cruise IMHO. 11 is the sweet spot for a cruise I think. You're ready to go, but not burnt out.

My biggest complaint about DCL is the lack of variety. You have all sorts of choices with the other cruise lines, but because they are limited with ships, their cruise options are a little limited.

They are probably on the top of the scale if you're comparing cruise lines. Not sure if they are the best cruising value out there. You do get what you pay for with cruises.

I've never been on a bad cruise (although I know people who have). I stay away from some of the lesser lines, Carnival among them..

[BrerGnat]

I will also say, it is kind of impossible to be bored on a WDW vacation. I find myself bored fairly often on cruises. There is a LOT of down time. That is great if you are looking for a relaxing vacation, but no so much if you like to DO things. I always hear "there is SO much to do on a Disney Cruise you can't do it all!" Well, that assumes a LOT of things about one's personality and interests. I find the majority of the scheduled activities to be either hokey or completely out of my realm of interest. Thus, lots of time with nothing to do. I am not someone who will park it on a lounger by the pool and stay there all day. I have a finite amount of time I can spend on a beach, etc. So, if a cruise doesn't have interesting ports of call and a rather full itinerary, I get bored. And then I eat too much. And then I feel cruddy.

I recommend looking up some Navigators for the cruises you are interested in to see if the types of activities offered by DCL appeal to your family. A simple Google search for "DCL Navigators" will give you some good results.

[GreenBeetle]

Hello: Having just stepped off the Disney Fantasy on Saturday, I'll throw in my

I completely agree that the cruise is as busy or relaxing as you would like it to be. The time of year you choose to go, staterooms, and your itinerary will have quite a bearing on the cost. I believe your 2-year old grandson would LOVE it! And if your 16-year granddaughter is outgoing and loves to meet kids her own age, she will have a great time as well.

We have also been to Disney World many times and last week was our 4th Disney cruise. The weather was terrible for most of the trip, and Disney added activities, movies etc. to keep people entertained. We tried Carnival once and there is NO comparison. Just the attitude of the Cast Members makes the experience worthwhile. They truly seem like they want to be there. Sorry to say, I could not say that about Carnival.

Good luck with your decision.

[susie & perla's mom]

I'd suggest that you should wait until your grandchild turns 3 so he can enjoy the kid's club for free. That was our regret when we did our first cruise with Disney, but it did not stop us from coming back again and again...We are booked for our #6 cruise with DCL this November.

[GoldenDreams]

Since you've had the opportunity to go to Disney several times, I would say to try a cruise because for us, it was an AMAZING experience for our whole family. We enjoyed exploring the ship and getting to see new places in the Caribbean. There is nothing like that bright aqua blue water! You are treated like royalty and that is an experience in and of itself. We love Disney World too, but we had so much fun on our first cruise, we went back and took another cruise the next year. While the activities and the pace are different from Disney World, it has the same intent -- for you to enjoy every minute.

I hope that helps. Good luck with your decision.

[Christine]

I would go with the cruise over the parks in a heartbeat. The exceptional service, the relaxed vacation vs pounding the pavement of the parks...that's just our kind of vacation!!

Best part? No FP+ on DCL!!