Disney Cruise vs. Disney World: Which Vacation Is Right for You?

You can’t go wrong with a Disney vacation, but what kind of vacation experience do you want?

There are plenty of options to choose from, such as amusement parks, cruises, international trips, and even a Hawaiian retreat. The more you research, the more you can avoid throwing your money away on the wrong vacation.

Consider these key factors if you’re trying to decide whether to visit the Magic Kingdom or set sail on a Disney vacation.

One of the first differences you may notice when comparing Disney World and Disney Cruises are the destinations.

Think about where you want to go on your vacation. A Disney World trip keeps you in central Florida, while a Disney Cruise takes you to different cities and even Disney’s private island, so you’re never in the same spot day after day.

Disney World has plenty of park options. Depending on your preferences, you can try a different one each day, such as Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios, which features Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

On the other hand, a Disney Cruise has one ship you get on and off each day. The scenery may change, but there’s only one park, and it’s a fun cruise ship.

Disney Cruises has some options that can vary, like different restaurants you can try when you’re not in the main dining sections. But it can be limited by what’s available on your cruise.

Disney World, on the other hand, has plenty of different options throughout its parks, and you can leave Disney property and try out local restaurants if you want to get away for a bit.

A Disney Cruise sets your itinerary, including where you’re going and how many days you’ll be on the ship, which may be good if you want everything planned and don’t mind being locked into certain days.

But Disney World provides flexibility in choosing which days to book for your vacation. You can also skip a Disney day and go to a non-Disney park in the area or just explore Orlando for the day.

On Disney Cruises, most of the planning is done for you. With set itineraries and specific times for dinner and entertainment options, it can be easy to hop on and off the ship as you please, depending on each destination.

Disney World, however, requires extra planning, such as booking certain restaurants months before your trip or coordinating different fast-pass options throughout the park while you’re on vacation.

Before you book a vacation, consider whether you’re a planner or like to go with the flow.

When you head to Disney World, you can choose from plenty of amusement park rides. You can select fast rides, slower kid rides, and plenty of big and small options.

Disney Cruises also offers fun options like water slides or mini golf, but you won’t find the same number of amusement park-type rides on a cruise ship.

One of the cool things about going on a Disney Cruise is the clubs for kids to attend throughout the day and night. They can play with kids their age, and there are different options for little kids or teens.

You can’t find those same types of clubs at Disney World, making it more of a family-centric vacation where your kids may not have chances to hang out with others their own age.

Disney vacations can be expensive no matter where you decide to go, but it may cost you more to go on a cruise.

Disney Cruises may have fewer price-level options, but quite a bit is included, such as meals and entertainment. Those extra costs are included in the price, so you may not have much flexibility with the expenses.

You may find that Disney World has more price points for what you can and can’t afford. You may be able to opt for a cheaper on-site hotel or skip the cost of tickets for a day to enjoy Florida or sit by the pool at your hotel.

Have a few days off in the middle of the week? Disney World could be a good option to fit in some days at the park.

You won’t have that same flexibility when booking a Disney Cruise, which has set cast-off dates and specific trip times.

The youth clubs on Disney Cruises run throughout the day, allowing you to drop the kids off and have a nice adults-only dinner at one of the restaurants or spend time by the pool. It’s a great way to get a break during your trip and enjoy some time alone.

Disney World doesn’t have the same option. You can still have plenty of fun if you visit the resort without kids, but it could be harder to coordinate some adult-only time if you’re on a family vacation with the little ones.

Kids love to meet their favorite Disney characters while on vacation, and they can find plenty of them at Disney resorts or a Disney cruise.

While the cruise may have shorter lines to meet characters, there are also fewer characters, which may be a bummer if your kids want to meet a specific character.

On the other hand, Disney World could have longer lines, but there are plenty of options for who you can meet when you’re wandering around the different parks.

So, is a Disney Cruise or Disney World the right vacation? It depends on what you want from your vacation.

One way to save money is to use a great hack from Costco and book your Disney vacation through the warehouse retailer with your membership. You might get extra perks or discounts through Costco.

You can also look into the best travel credit cards, including a Disney Rewards credit card, to earn extra perks and points for your next Disney vacation.