Just booked Disney Fantasy- having second thoughts(LONG)

[mustcruise1217]

Let me start off by saying.. I LOVE DISNEY!! You could say that I have a slight Disney obsession. I never thought I would like cruising until last Oct. when my Disney obsession led me to book a 3 night cruise to the Bahamas on the Disney Dream. We loved it (DH, DD7 and myself) Well, I loved the Disney part and enjoyed the islands. DH loved the islands, the Disney not so much. DD is pretty much out of the Disney stage. She enjoyed the trip, but I think she would be happy anywhere.

 

We are now all addicted to cruising. We are booked on the Freedom of the Seas Sept. 2012 for the Western Caribbean.

 

I went ahead last night and booked us on the Disney Fantasy for Nov. 2013 for the Eastern which for the category I want is about $3900.

 

I paid the deposit and was feeling pretty good. DD will be 9, it will most likely be our last DCL cruise since DH doesn't love Disney and after that DD will start getting to an age where DCL is kind of boring, especially after RCL. We will just do it so that I can have MY trip. I am dying to see the Fantasy, I love the Disney details.:o

 

Now, 24 hours later I am thinking maybe I should just give up DCL. We can go on Carnival for on the Breeze or Liberty and with the extra $1500-1900 we can do a weekend at Disney or DH and I can go to Bermuda.

 

I guess I just feel like it's now or never for DCL. Carnival and RCL will always be there but DCL just won't be happening once DD gets past 9/10. However I just really think DH and DD will enjoy RCL and Carnival more.

 

Any thoughts? One more time on DCL for this Disney lover or just be happy with my WDW time and enjoy a cruise on Carnival or another cruise line where we can probably squeeze in an extra cruise for DH and I?

[Gatrcruzer]

I feel your pain. I am also having second (more like 3rd) thoughts about my booked Fantasy trip. Our financial situation has now changed and I just don't think we can manage the amount of money anymore.

 

Here is my recommendation to you: hang onto the Fantasy booking for now. Final payment is well over a year away, so you have a lot of time to decide whether or not it is worth the extra money. Go on the Freedom cruise in November and see what you think. Maybe after that trip you will decide that RCI is a great product and you don't need to pay premium prices for what Disney has to offer. Or you might try it out and go running back to Disney! Prices on Disney cruises tend to go up over time (except for last minute specials with limited options, guarantee categories, and such), whereas most other lines have price drops over time (RCI included). Hang onto the Fantasy booking until you know for sure you definitely don't want it. Bide your time and see what the reviews are like for Breeze, and how you like the RCI experience. Personally, I'm quite fond of RCI, but cost and itinerary are often an issue for us.

 

Good luck in your decision-making!

[Jordansmominjax]

Hi, I am also a Disney fanatic. My poor husband has learned to live with it. Since we finally moved to Florida, we make 4-8 trips to Disney a year. We are headed down there again the end of this month. As I have not been on any cruise yet. I am giving you my opinion based on that. Our cruise is not until September 2012. I also looked at the Disney cruise as a lot of people in my office have taken it and they LOVED it. Being a Disney fanatic like you, I am going to say, IF you have the money, then go for it. You do not want to look back with regret. At least you will experience it for your self. That is how I was about the Grand Floridian. I wanted to stay there. I planned that trip for a year. Would I do it again. NO! Not unless they totally renavate that place. But, glad I did it. So, if you truly have your heart set on the Disney cruise then do it for yourself. Go on expecting little and come off happy! I think sometimes when we spend a lot of money for things then our expectations go way up and when those expectations are not met we are dissapointed. Of course sometimes when we miss the boat, we never forget it! Good luck with your decision.

[Jordansmominjax]

I feel your pain. I am also having second (more like 3rd) thoughts about my booked Fantasy trip. Our financial situation has now changed and I just don't think we can manage the amount of money anymore.

 

Here is my recommendation to you: hang onto the Fantasy booking for now. Final payment is well over a year away, so you have a lot of time to decide whether or not it is worth the extra money. Go on the Freedom cruise in November and see what you think. Maybe after that trip you will decide that RCI is a great product and you don't need to pay premium prices for what Disney has to offer. Or you might try it out and go running back to Disney! Prices on Disney cruises tend to go up over time (except for last minute specials with limited options, guarantee categories, and such), whereas most other lines have price drops over time (RCI included). Hang onto the Fantasy booking until you know for sure you definitely don't want it. Bide your time and see what the reviews are like for Breeze, and how you like the RCI experience. Personally, I'm quite fond of RCI, but cost and itinerary are often an issue for us.

 

Good luck in your decision-making!

 

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. Outstanding Advice!

[Friend100]

PP has already given you good advice on the difference in pricing trend between DCL and other cruiseline. We did RCI, DCL and HAL and like each of them for different reasons. We will try to adjust our vacation schedule in order to cruise DCL at a price that we can afford, and try not to compare too much to what the price of other lines are. If I can't afford a 7-day, I try to do a 4-day. I just feel that there is something unique on a Disney cruise that we prefer. Maybe the fact that we have never been to any Disney park or resort and that we aren't really a Disney fanatic makes the DCL cruise a much more unique experience to us.

[VillaHappy]

I do feel your pain. Our trip on DCL just reinforced how much we love RCI! My kids are 12 and 8. The 8 yo loved it, the 12 yo did not enjoy it as much. The "sweet spot" for kids to enjoy DCL, I've read and now believe, is ages 6 to 10. Good luck making your decision!

[Friend100]

I do feel your pain. Our trip on DCL just reinforced how much we love RCI! My kids are 12 and 8. The 8 yo loved it, the 12 yo did not enjoy it as much. The "sweet spot" for kids to enjoy DCL, I've read and now believe, is ages 6 to 10. Good luck making your decision!

 

We cruised Disney Wonder when kids were 5 and 7 - least favourite cruise. We did the Disney Dream a year later - most favourite cruise. The oldest "kid" in my family who enjoyed DCL the most in both cruises is DW :D.

[rdevine10]

Funny, we have a Nov 2013 Eastern Fantasy booked too. Even though its in my signature Im pretty sure we are going to cancel it. We just came back from a Carnival Cruise and had a fantastic time. I do want to cruise Disney one more time, but I think we will likely go with the Dream again - Fantasy is just too pricey for 7 nights, even with my "good" price.

 

But its very hard to look at the prices of other lines and compare- the Carnival Dream & Breeze are less than half the price as the Disney Fantasy the same week I have booked. RCL FOS (which looks fun too) didnt have prices out the last time I was checking for that week.

 

Im now rethinking if we want to cruise next year at all, or maybe do Disney for a longer vacation and possibly tag a 3 or 4 night Dream cruise on instead. Or maybe just do a land based vacation. As you can see I have no clue yet, but I think the Fantasy is just too much :( so I get your 2nd thoughts!

[Friend100]

But its very hard to look at the prices of other lines and compare- the Carnival Dream & Breeze are less than half the price as the Disney Fantasy the same week I have booked. RCL FOS (which looks fun too) didnt have prices out the last time I was checking for that week.

 

Just yesterday RCI released the dates and prices for Oasis, Allure and Freedom of the Seas up to April/May 2014.

[Stratus22]

Our excitement is building as well. We decided on Royal in 2014 because of the $$$ plus the youngest will be 3. Our biggest hope is that Disney stays in NYC because if it does then we are on the next booking for 2015 or maybe 2014, if we win the lottery:D. We don't want to go too late because I have heard how kids just get to that age where Disney is just not their thing anymore.