Best bet for 1st cruise?

[FaithTrustPixieDust]

Only DH has cruised before- this will be the first cruise for myself, DD7, and DS5. (will be 8 and 6 by cruise time) We have talked about the Disney Cruise for a few years, but so far we keep deciding to spend the time and money on WDW and the parks instead.

I'm leaning toward the Land and Sea, but I'm concerned that we will not feel like we had enough time for either one!

What would you recommend for a group like ours?

[Walt Lucas]

I just came back from a land & sea (4 day park/3 day cruise) If you love the parks, that'll give you quite a bit of time to take in what you want at the 4 parks, but not much else (ie, water parks, downtown diz, ect.) and with it being your first cruise, it'll give you 3 days to see if you enjoy it or not.
I say go with this option especially since you are traveling with children. There's plenty for them to do on the cruise, but if they end up being "bored" it's only 3 days for them to be "bored" :mickey:

[ElenitaB]

There is so much to do onboard and we found the 3-night cruise to just be too short! If you do decide for a land/sea, I'd recommend 3 nights at the parks and 4 on the cruise.

[Auroring Good Time]

I can't imagine only cruising for 3 or 4 days. I enjoy it too much. With kids your age, good luck trying to get them out of the Oceaneer's Club and Lab. They won't want to leave. They'll have too much fun. :captain:I have done the Magic 3 times for 7 days each time and every time I wish I could have stayed longer.

[johnO]

Only DH has cruised before- this will be the first cruise for myself, DD7, and DS5. (will be 8 and 6 by cruise time) We have talked about the Disney Cruise for a few years, but so far we keep deciding to spend the time and money on WDW and the parks instead.

I'm leaning toward the Land and Sea, but I'm concerned that we will not feel like we had enough time for either one!

What would you recommend for a group like ours?

We did the same thing until this year. We're absolute WDW nuts, but DW and I thought it was time for something different. We decided on a cruise and in the end a Disney Cruise. Of course we couldn't go to FL without stopping by WDW so we drove down and checked in at ASmovies at around 11pm on Monday. We went to Epcot the following day, than Wednesday we went to MK. On Thurs. Morning we got up and drove to Port Canaveral. We took a 3 day cruise and it was amazing! I do have to say though it really did feel rushed. I expected a lot more 'down' time laying out watching the waves go by (which I wanted), but there was so much to do and see. You need more time on the ship. We're planning on a 7 day cruise for next year!

[JerseyDad]

....we did a 4 day cruise last November on The Wonder. It was my first cruise EVER...and I loved it. It was just enough exposure to what activities are available on board to whet my appetite for a longer cruise in the future. I think that the day at Castaway Cay probably sealed the deal for me...it was a great time. We did follow up the cruise with a 4 day stay at POP in WDW...but it was not an "official" Land & Sea deal.

....as a side-note I just got back from a 5 day cruise to Grand Cayman & Cozumel last week on Carnival Cruise Line....and my desire to do even MORE and LONGER cruises is now off the charts!! I think next fall's vacation is set for a "Land Only" one at WDW....but maybe I can get the wife primed for a 2010 cruise on the Wonder or Magic....(or maybe one of the new ships that is being built!!)

[dmosher]

I agree. Go with the 4 night cruise. Sure you may not have time to do it all (you wont, even with a 7 days) but it will give you a good taste of what you can get and if you find you are not a huge fan of cruising, then you wont have more and more days of it.
:pipes:
D

[DakotaDisney]

If you have been to WDW and want to try a cruise I would recommend an option not on your poll.

Do your own Land and Sea trip.

I would definitely recomend the 4 day cruise over the 3 day. And then add on your own days at WDW before and/or after your cruise at whatever resort you want and for however many days you can afford. This way you also have more selection of resorts and other options.

I would also reccomend the 4 day cruise with 2 stops at Castaway Cay.

[Mr. Brass Bonanza]

I would choose the seven night cruise. Even putting the option of WDW aside, a three or four day cruise, especially for your first, just seems too short. My first two cruises were three nights, and just as I was getting into it, it was over! However, our seven day cruise was perfect. Well..a 10-day would be even better, but the seven day was enough that we felt like we had a nice time to relax and really enjoy it.

If you can put a few extra dollars together, the perfect combination would be a seven day cruise then a two night stay at a WDW value resort--I recommend Pop Century--to do your favorite things. We did that, and it was absolutely perfect.

[mouseketeer mom]

We did the 4 night Wonder cruise and it went by in a blink. We also added on our own days before the cruise instead of booking the land/sea package. It worked out much better for us. We did 3 nights at WL, then the 4 night cruise. We all agreed we would do a longer cruise next time. There was very little "down time" on the 4 night cruise. We went from excursion to meal to activity..you get my drift. My point is, I wouldn't suggest the 3 night cruise at all. By the time you got settled, it would be time to disembark.

[Pixie Power]

3-Nights on the cruise ship is not enough, imho. For our 1st cruise ever, we did a 4-night with time @ the parks on the front & back ends. That was great, but it would have been better if we did the parks in full before the cruise and then had the cruise to 'recover'. :laughing:

After having done a 7-Night cruise since then, I'd recommend just skipping the 3-Nt. & 4-Nt. altogether and go straight for the gusto and do the 7-Nighter. :) So that got my vote.

But if you feel you must do the parks in conjunction with a cruise, I'd do park time first and then at least a 4-Night cruise, if not the 7-Night.

HTHs!:mickey: