Today, Disney opens it's bookings for 2013 for travel agents. One question I often get is "Should we go on a Disney Cruise, a Disney World Vacation or both?"
As I always say, "Depends on what you want."
When comparing a Disney World Vacation and a Disney Cruise, there are a few very important questions about your family:
How many activities do you want to do without your children?
Disney cruises have the best kids' program on the sea and it is included in the price of the cruise for ages 3 and up. You can drop off your kids for hours at a time. They will have the time of their lives and you can relax by the pool, go to the spa or enjoy a great meal. This is a huge benefit of a cruise over a Disney World vacation. Select resorts in Disney World do offer a child care program for potty trained children ages 3 and up. The cost as of 7/11/12 is $11.50 per hour. If your children is under 3 on a Disney Cruise - there is an additional charge of $6/hour for the first child and $5 per hour for an additional child under 3. Disney World currently does not have a child care program for children under 3. (Thanks for the comment Kate!)
When thinking about Disney World - are you more excited about: the rides or the characters?
The biggest benefit of a Disney World vacation is the rides. Watching your child's face lit up in It's a Small World or that slight look of terror on his/her first roller coaster ride is pretty amazing. A cruise provides many opportunities to have one-on-one interaction with the characters, but there are no rides.
Do you want to go to the beach?
The cruises out of Port Canaveral offer a beach day. There are no swimming beaches at Disney World.
Do you want to see something other than Disney?
In the case of a Disney World Vacation, you would need to arrange separate transportation to see more of the non-Disney side of Orlando. On a Disney Cruise, you are docking at different countries that offer history, activities and shopping you wouldn't find on a Disney World vacation.
Benefits that both Disney World Vacations and a Disney Cruise offer:
- Movie nights
- All meals included - Disney World has a meal plan option. A Disney Cruise includes all meals in its price.
- Fantastic shows
- Great service
For more information about booking a Disney World Vacation, please email me.
don't forget your children need to be 3 years old to be able to participate in the childrens programs on disney cruise! otherwise, babysitting is available, (daycare) at cost.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kate! I updated the post to reflect that information.
ReplyDelete