|
If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
| Posted By |
Message |
Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
|
If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
Looking into a Disney cruise for March 2014. I originally wanted to do a 7 night but now I'm thinking a 3-4 night Bahamas cruise with 3-4 nights at Disney would be better.
If you went on a Disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks? If so, how many days did you do?
Would you recommend doing parks before or after the cruise?
Did you take Magical Express to/from airport or the resort to the cruise ship?
|
Posted 10/3/13 10:44 PM  |
| |
|
Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
We did not do any parks before/after the cruise. Our plane landed the night before the cruise. We rented a car from Orlando airport, as a one way rental to Cape Canaveral to be turned in the following day. We stayed overnight in Orlando (much less points than it was to stay near the port). We drove the port in the morning at around 9:30am, took us about 40 minutes. We dropped the car at Hertz, and Hertz took us to the ship port (2 minute drive). The rental car was $35 for the one way.
On our return trip we took Disney transportation back to the airport, only because I was nervous about dealing with a rental car, etc. and not making it to the airport in time. Turns out we had 3 hours at the airport, so next time I will rent a return car.
Disney transportation is $35 each way, each person, so if you are looking to save money, a rental car is the obvious choice.
I wouldn't do a 3 night cruise, too short. I felt 4 nights was good. There was so much to do on the ship, we were hustling around a lot, so I don't think I could have added theme parks to that. Disney vacations are not relaxing IMO LOL!
|
| Posted 10/4/13 7:17 AM |
| |
|
lynnd126
LIF Adult
Member since 3/11 2630 total posts
Name:
|
If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
We did. 5 nights world, 4 nights cruise. Parks first bc it's exhausting and then great to relax on the cruise without itineraries etc.
|
| Posted 10/4/13 7:21 PM |
| |
|
NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
I would LOVE to cruise & park.....talk about best of both worlds!!!!
|
| Posted 10/5/13 9:07 AM |
| |
|
Kelly9904
Mommy to 2 amazing little boys
Member since 5/05 9306 total posts
Name:
Kelly
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
we did 3 days at hte parks followed by the 4 nights cruise on the dream, this past April.
It was nice but to be honest I wish we just did the 7 night cruise. we originally wanted to just do the 7 night fantasy but no one in our family had ever cruised and we didnt know how everyone would like it. Plus the other family we went with couldn't do the 7 nights (they just did the cruise with us not WDW)
Anyway, my DS's were 5 and just turned 2. Honestly it was alot for my 2 year old. I think WDW was too overwhelming because he doesnt like to sit in the stroller and doesnt like to hold hands so it was hard to keep track of him. We all agree that we preferred the cruise part of our vacation. My 5yo could literally be a DCL sales person now, he is so passionate about it! LOL.
WE just felt the cruise was the perfect balance. There was plenty to do , DS1 loved the kids club, DS2 loved the shows, they both loved the pools, nemos reef, etc. Castaway Cay was hte best day we have ever had at a beach! and when DS2 needed a break it didnt mean the whole day had to stop. one of us just went to the room with him while DS1 stayed with the other or went to the kids club for some fun (he made cookies there, did crafts, ahd a Pajama party and colored a pillow case, made a volcano and had it errupt. Having hte nursery for DS2 (most cruises dont have child care for kids that young) was great too because DH and I had a nice dinner ALONE at Palo.
For our family teh cruise was just such a nice relaxing and Fun family vacation. While we have been to disney with DS1 3x now (this was DS2s first time) it was never as relaxing as this. no one in our party wanted to leave the cruise whereas usually after 5 days we are ready to leave WDW because we are so tired out! lol
Either way I think you will have a great vacation, just depends on what your family enjoys!
ETA?: do a min of the 4 night cruise, There is alot to do on the ship that really I dont think 3 is ever enough. Basically that will give you 2 dyas on the ship because night 1 is the night you get on the ship, we were on about 1230, then you would have 2 days (one at Nassau and one at Castaway Cay which you will want to spend the day on the island) and then the following day you have to get off the ship right after breakfast (I think by 9:30 we were basically kicked off lol)
Message edited 10/5/2013 5:07:15 PM.
|
| Posted 10/5/13 5:02 PM |
| |
|
Kelly9904
Mommy to 2 amazing little boys
Member since 5/05 9306 total posts
Name:
Kelly
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
Oh, also we rented a car in disney, stayed off site at the Sheraton Vistana Villages (which we loved spreading out in the 2 bedroom with the kitchen for breakfast) so we had the car and drove to Pt Canaveral. Budget rental had a shuttle to the port from their return site, Then coming home we got a shuttle van for our family and our friends. I dont remember the pricing but I feel like the disney shuttle was kinda pricey.
|
| Posted 10/5/13 5:05 PM |
| |
|
Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
Posted by Kelly9904
we did 3 days at hte parks followed by the 4 nights cruise on the dream, this past April.
It was nice but to be honest I wish we just did the 7 night cruise. we originally wanted to just do the 7 night fantasy but no one in our family had ever cruised and we didnt know how everyone would like it. Plus the other family we went with couldn't do the 7 nights (they just did the cruise with us not WDW)
Anyway, my DS's were 5 and just turned 2. Honestly it was alot for my 2 year old. I think WDW was too overwhelming because he doesnt like to sit in the stroller and doesnt like to hold hands so it was hard to keep track of him. We all agree that we preferred the cruise part of our vacation. My 5yo could literally be a DCL sales person now, he is so passionate about it! LOL.
WE just felt the cruise was the perfect balance. There was plenty to do , DS1 loved the kids club, DS2 loved the shows, they both loved the pools, nemos reef, etc. Castaway Cay was hte best day we have ever had at a beach! and when DS2 needed a break it didnt mean the whole day had to stop. one of us just went to the room with him while DS1 stayed with the other or went to the kids club for some fun (he made cookies there, did crafts, ahd a Pajama party and colored a pillow case, made a volcano and had it errupt. Having hte nursery for DS2 (most cruises dont have child care for kids that young) was great too because DH and I had a nice dinner ALONE at Palo.
For our family teh cruise was just such a nice relaxing and Fun family vacation. While we have been to disney with DS1 3x now (this was DS2s first time) it was never as relaxing as this. no one in our party wanted to leave the cruise whereas usually after 5 days we are ready to leave WDW because we are so tired out! lol
Either way I think you will have a great vacation, just depends on what your family enjoys!
ETA?: do a min of the 4 night cruise, There is alot to do on the ship that really I dont think 3 is ever enough. Basically that will give you 2 dyas on the ship because night 1 is the night you get on the ship, we were on about 1230, then you would have 2 days (one at Nassau and one at Castaway Cay which you will want to spend the day on the island) and then the following day you have to get off the ship right after breakfast (I think by 9:30 we were basically kicked off lol)
Thank you for the feedback. This will be our first family cruise with the kids. I personally am not a big cruise fan so I was worried that we would get bored on the ship and I was trying to minimize the days at sea. Cruising is not my preferred method of travel but hoping it will be a good compromise with the kids. If the Caribbean cruise goes well, I want to do a European cruise next.
My younger 2.5yo loves Disney. Has has been there 3x over the past 2 yrs. We really liked the boardwalk area next to epcot. I'm thinking of staying at beach club for 2 nights or so before the cruise. We may just skip magic kingdom this time around and only do AK, HS and Epcot. I think MK is the only one where I feel super rushed to race to ride since lines get long so quickly. I never feel that way at epcot or animal kingdom.
Was your 2yo able to do most of the activities on board? We chose beaches for our last Caribbean vacation because I read non-potty trained toddlers were not allowed in the pools on the ship. DS should be potty trained by our spring trip.
|
| Posted 10/5/13 8:59 PM |
| |
|
Kelly9904
Mommy to 2 amazing little boys
Member since 5/05 9306 total posts
Name:
Kelly
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
Posted by Bridex100
Was your 2yo able to do most of the activities on board? We chose beaches for our last Caribbean vacation because I read non-potty trained toddlers were not allowed in the pools on the ship. DS should be potty trained by our spring trip.
Things to do on the ship that my 2yo (who turned two in MK so he was JUST 2) could do.
- Nemo's Reef
- pool, while you are not supposed to go in the pool in swim diapers, I double diapered the way I do for swim lessons, and I think the mickey pool had a bench around it that DS could stand and the water was just up to his knees, then it got deeper in the middle but honestly he spend all his time in nemo's reef.
- There were plenty of characters signings and dance parties on board
- there is a movie theater (although we didnt use it this time)
- Mini golf course
- Mid Ship detective (DS2 didnt really do this activity but we all walked the ship as DS1 did it to solve the mystery)
DS2 loved the night time shows, they were really well done, DS1 only saw the first one and then prefered we take him to kids club after dinner so DH and I just went with DS2
There was the nursery too w hich was $6 per hour for kids under 3 who are not potty trained. I have heard that if your kid is close to 3 and completely potty trained (needs no help pulling up pants, wiping etc) they can go to the Oceaneers club which was alot of fun. DS2 went one day for the open house and we had to drag him out of there he loved the place!
DS2 and I stayed on the ship in Nassau (DS1 and DH got off and took a little walk around) so we took a walk around the ship bumped into characters and got some ice cream while they were gone.
Castaway Cay was a great day. We spend the day at the family beach just playing in the sand and water. There was a game center on the island with basketball, ping pong, a giant connect 4 board etc. There was a bbq lunch.
On the 4 day cruise there is only 1 full day at sea. So We got on the ship on Sunday around 12:30, Monday was nassau, Tuesday was Castaway Cay, Wed was at sea and Thu we were off the ship by 9:30.
My 2yo is wild and stubborn and prone to tantrums so disney world which DS1 did great in as a 2yo, DS2 was just too overwhelmed and had too many breakdowns bc he wasnt getting his way. we didnt feel rushed in the parks, bc we have been there 3x too and know we will be back in the future so it wasnt like we had a check list of must dos, it was just alot for our 2yo (plus in fairness he was sick but was better by the second day of the cruise) The cruise IMO had the perfect amount of things for us to do. Honestly the 4 night just wasnt enough for us to do all we wanted. There were dance parties for the kids we missed, character events, etc.
On disboards you can find the daily navigators, which will give you and idea of the various specially planned activities on board, each day had different stuff, for kids, and adults! Our friends even took their 5yo to bingo!
|
| Posted 10/6/13 11:05 AM |
| |
|
BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
I posted the Navigators from our Dream cruise in September. If you search my name on here, they should come up. It gives you an idea of everything they offer on the cruise (SO much!)
|
| Posted 10/6/13 12:50 PM |
| |
|
hanna7636
LIF Adult
Member since 8/06 921 total posts
Name:
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
I cannot tell you about the cruise ( I am going this Saturday on the Fantasy) but the park was too much for me. We went last year when my son turned 4 and it was a disaster. He was tired and did not want to leave the park.
|
| Posted 10/6/13 2:14 PM |
| |
|
Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
|
Re: If you went on a disney cruise, did you spend time at the parks?
Posted by NewlyMrs
I would LOVE to cruise & park.....talk about best of both worlds!!!!
DH just said ok to park and cruises. 
We are just trying to coordinate with our friends for dates.
|
| Posted 10/7/13 12:33 PM |
| |
|
Potentially Related Topics:
Currently 750685 users on the LIFamilies.com Chat
|
Long Island Bridal Shows
|
