Anyone have a 2 year old during your cruise?

[mickeydonald]

Considering Disney Cruise for Spring Break '04. We have a 2 and 5 year old. Anyone take the cruise with kids in that age range? Too early for them? Did it work? Was it a hassle?

Thanks.

 

[OurDogCisco]

Over the years we have always traveled with our kids now dd5 and dd2. Our kids are good for the most part. Our vacations aren't like when we were childless and you could be up from sun up to sun down.... I think, if you set your expectations low you'll have a great time. You know what your kids can and cannot handle as far as dinner in the dining rooms, going on tours, hanging out by the pool, watching theater shows, etc.... Just figure out a plan of what stuff you want to do and how you are going to do like only one spouse goes to the shows, older child hangs out in club, send younger child to Flounder's during dinner, etc... Also, figure out that these things might not work either so, have back up plan just in case. We had a blast on our 3 day cruise with a 1 year old and a 4 year old. We booked a 7 day for next May... Can't wait. Have fun...

Tina

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Good morning mickeydonald.

Anyone have a 2 year old during your cruise?

No matter how long the gestation period, all children are born at age 0...

 

[aprilgail2]

I took my daughter last year when she was two and she still talks about that trip....we are going again next May when she will be 4. We had a great time when she was 2 there, couldn't do any nighttime adult things but to be honest we were up by 7 and by 10 I was ready for bed with her!

 

[jel0511]

Our first DCL cruise we had a 4 1/2 YO and an 18 month old, and you do have to go in with low expectations. The smaller child doesn't have child care available a lot, so you'll be with the smaller child a lot. My 4 1/2 YO only wanted to go to the clubs in the evenings, so she also was with us, so we couldn't do any of the :"adult" things during the day. Now, both of my kids did go to their respecitive "clubs" during the evenings (and had fun!!), but we picked them both up by 9:30, since that was already WAY past their bedtime and I don't want them falling alseep and then taking them back to the cabin, they don't do well with that. We had a great trip, but it definately wasn't like the cruise we took pre-kids. We were going to cruise this Nov again, with a 5 1/2 YO and a 2 1/2 YO, but decided against it. My DS (the 2YO) would have been too old for Flounders IMO (I think it's more geered towards the 1-2 YO range) and probably would have been bored. He also would have wanted to go where his DSis was going, and that would have caused tons of anguish. So, we decided to wait another year, when both will be old enough for the clubs.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by jel0511
My DS (the 2YO) would have been too old for Flounders IMO (I think it's more geered towards the 1-2 YO range) and probably would have been bored. He also would have wanted to go where his DSis was going, and that would have caused tons of anguish. So, we decided to wait another year, when both will be old enough for the clubs.

My daughter went once to Founders and she would not go again, she said it was all baby stuff there and boring LOL most of the toys there are for the younger kids and they have about 10 of each toy, not a wide variety....this year maybe she will try the clubs, if not I am fine with her staying with me the whole time, I am taking my 14 year old god daughter and all I am asking of her is to watch my daughter one evening for 2 hours if she doesn't like the clubs so I can go to Palo.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Hello MickeyDonald,

Looks like BuckaroosDad strikes again!!! LOL!!! ( He is the resident funny-man here!) When I saw the subject line on this thread, I could just see that comment coming!

I will throw in my humble opinion.... Well aware that many many others will differ! We purposefully make the decision not to even consider a cruise with DS when he was very young. Here are some of the reasons:

1. These cruises do not come cheap. Especially if you are thinking of cruising during the Spring Break high season.

2. I do not think that cruises are what I would consider 'child friendly' for little bitty ones. It is a very structured set up.... Dinner at this time... Show at that time... Meet for shore excursion at this time... etc... While there is the Mickey Pool, and a few limited shore excursions that toddlers can do, it seems like the vast majority of what is offered on a cruise ship is limited to older kids, and adults.

3. Put the two of these above things together... and I could see paying out all that $$$ to spend lots of time sitting in the cabin, with a napping little one. Or, missing the dinners and shows and activities due to a fussy little one, etc.. etc...

Your two year old may be very easy, adapt to different environments, and travel, very well.... Our DS was NOT that way! A cruise with him at that age just did not seem like a good vacation option for us at all...

DS is now 5, and we have our first cruise planned for Sept... I think he will love it!

 

[disney6]

When we first cruised our two youngest ones were 2-3/4 and 18mo. (we also had a 4 yr old and 8 yr old). We had a great time. The 2 yr old talked about the big boat for months! Now this was when she could still "swim" in the Mickey pool and that is where we spent all our time. We did not even step foot in the adult areas (except the surial bath at the spa and Palo's twice). We didn't see any shows (seemed like time slipped away from us). We didn't do any shore excursions - just beach at St. Maarten and stayed on ship at St. Thomas. The kids were great at dinner.
Next cruise they were all old enough for the clubs (3,4,6,10) and we did see shows, adult clubs and did shore excursions. I wouldn't say one was better than the other because they were both fabulous.

 

[beattyfamily]

We've gone with a 2 year old twice. Our first cruise in 1998 our older DD was 2. Then we waited 3 years when we had 2 DD's ages 2 and 5 and we had a wonderful time!!!!

The 2 year old NEVER wanted to go back to the cabin. She also cried when we got home for an hour at the front door to go back to the Mickey boat.

We didn't have any problems and would do it again in a heartbeat! She was FREE too, another added benefit.

I didn't find it to be a hassle at all! We all enjoyed it.

 

[Dancind]

"She also cried when we got home for an hour at the front door to go back to the Mickey boat."

I did the exact same thing! Only I'm not two...

Diana

 

[lbgraves]

Our kids will be 3 & 5 when we cruise in November. We are not planning on doing any excursions but will walk around in port an hour or two before returning to the ship & enjoying the pool with the kids. That doesn't include CC of course!!! DH & I will take turns enjoying the adult pool/spa/high tea in the afternoon while the other stays in the room with the kids for their naps...and probably catching up on some zzzs too. I'm pretty sure DS will love the club!!! He is getting so excited now & happy to be meeting his new friends in a few months. I am hoping to have DD PTd by the cruise so that she can go to the club with her BB. I know she will like some of the activities, and if she isn't PTd we will take her for a few things and stay with her. If she isn't...oh well! She likes going to the shows at BG & enjoys the movie theater so she should be fine for the later shows so we will still be able to enjoy them. Early dinner will help us, along with sitting with fellow DISers with kids their age. It will be an extra treat if she is PTd because then we will be able to go to Palo's or spend some time together without the kids.