Disney cruise: crowded?

[Anonymous]

What else is there to do on the boat besides the pool?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What else is there to do on the boat besides the pool?

Movies, shows, a detective game, activities, kids club, character appearances, eating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went early October and it was very crowded. We enjoyed it for our first cruise with a child but I'm not sure I'd do Disney again. If your child likes the characters, yes, but if not, its just another cruise. Dining was a hassle. The open food places were very busy and chaotic. The sit down sit every at the same time so you have to wait for everyone to arrive as they serve multiple tables at once. The waiters often cut the kids food and babysit while some parents ignore their kids. We had to wait multiple times for the kids next to us to get the waiters to cut their food and feed them (and the joy of a screaming kid) and our food got cold waiting. The kids at the table were a nightmare partly because of poor parenting and partly because it was the later seating and they were exhausted.

Public areas were also a zoo. It was very hard to see the characters and near impossible to get near the tiny pools and slides. The kids club was hit or miss but it wasn't as interesting as we hoped. Our kids would go an hour or so a day and want to eat and be with us.

We had a very nice trip but the crowds were a huge issue for us and the kids behavior (including older teens alone who were just rude).

This was your big mistake. Main dining is way better.

No, my kids behaved. The early dining is an issue if you do shore activities. You'd miss three dinners, which made no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went early October and it was very crowded. We enjoyed it for our first cruise with a child but I'm not sure I'd do Disney again. If your child likes the characters, yes, but if not, its just another cruise. Dining was a hassle. The open food places were very busy and chaotic. The sit down sit every at the same time so you have to wait for everyone to arrive as they serve multiple tables at once. The waiters often cut the kids food and babysit while some parents ignore their kids. We had to wait multiple times for the kids next to us to get the waiters to cut their food and feed them (and the joy of a screaming kid) and our food got cold waiting. The kids at the table were a nightmare partly because of poor parenting and partly because it was the later seating and they were exhausted.

Public areas were also a zoo. It was very hard to see the characters and near impossible to get near the tiny pools and slides. The kids club was hit or miss but it wasn't as interesting as we hoped. Our kids would go an hour or so a day and want to eat and be with us.

We had a very nice trip but the crowds were a huge issue for us and the kids behavior (including older teens alone who were just rude).

This was your big mistake. Main dining is way better.

No, my kids behaved. The early dining is an issue if you do shore activities. You'd miss three dinners, which made no sense.

? Aren't you supposed to be back on the ship by 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went early October and it was very crowded. We enjoyed it for our first cruise with a child but I'm not sure I'd do Disney again. If your child likes the characters, yes, but if not, its just another cruise. Dining was a hassle. The open food places were very busy and chaotic. The sit down sit every at the same time so you have to wait for everyone to arrive as they serve multiple tables at once. The waiters often cut the kids food and babysit while some parents ignore their kids. We had to wait multiple times for the kids next to us to get the waiters to cut their food and feed them (and the joy of a screaming kid) and our food got cold waiting. The kids at the table were a nightmare partly because of poor parenting and partly because it was the later seating and they were exhausted.

Public areas were also a zoo. It was very hard to see the characters and near impossible to get near the tiny pools and slides. The kids club was hit or miss but it wasn't as interesting as we hoped. Our kids would go an hour or so a day and want to eat and be with us.

We had a very nice trip but the crowds were a huge issue for us and the kids behavior (including older teens alone who were just rude).

This was your big mistake. Main dining is way better.

No, my kids behaved. The early dining is an issue if you do shore activities. You'd miss three dinners, which made no sense.

I'm talking about the other kids at your table, whom you were complaining about. We did main dining and still did great excursions at every port. It was never an issue getting back on time. Our kids go to bed by 8, as do most young children. No way would I sit down to dinner at 8:15 with a room full of tired kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went early October and it was very crowded. We enjoyed it for our first cruise with a child but I'm not sure I'd do Disney again. If your child likes the characters, yes, but if not, its just another cruise. Dining was a hassle. The open food places were very busy and chaotic. The sit down sit every at the same time so you have to wait for everyone to arrive as they serve multiple tables at once. The waiters often cut the kids food and babysit while some parents ignore their kids. We had to wait multiple times for the kids next to us to get the waiters to cut their food and feed them (and the joy of a screaming kid) and our food got cold waiting. The kids at the table were a nightmare partly because of poor parenting and partly because it was the later seating and they were exhausted.

Public areas were also a zoo. It was very hard to see the characters and near impossible to get near the tiny pools and slides. The kids club was hit or miss but it wasn't as interesting as we hoped. Our kids would go an hour or so a day and want to eat and be with us.

We had a very nice trip but the crowds were a huge issue for us and the kids behavior (including older teens alone who were just rude).

This was your big mistake. Main dining is way better.

No, my kids behaved. The early dining is an issue if you do shore activities. You'd miss three dinners, which made no sense.

? Aren't you supposed to be back on the ship by 4?

Varies by port but it's always in plenty of time for the first dinner seating.

[Anonymous]

Disney cruise ships are no more crowded than any other ships or similar size. They are way less crowded than Disney parks.

[Anonymous]

We've done both their bigger and smaller ships. The bigger ship felt crowded. Tons of people on the pool and pool deck and everywhere. But the smaller ship (the Magic) was great-- the pools aren't much smaller but there's half the number of people using them. Also the ship itself is smaller to walk around. I'm not a cruise person but really loved that cruise. (Also, the time of year matters. If you go in the summer you'll have a lot more school-aged kids. Go during the school year and it's mostly younger kids).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went early October and it was very crowded. We enjoyed it for our first cruise with a child but I'm not sure I'd do Disney again. If your child likes the characters, yes, but if not, its just another cruise. Dining was a hassle. The open food places were very busy and chaotic. The sit down sit every at the same time so you have to wait for everyone to arrive as they serve multiple tables at once. The waiters often cut the kids food and babysit while some parents ignore their kids. We had to wait multiple times for the kids next to us to get the waiters to cut their food and feed them (and the joy of a screaming kid) and our food got cold waiting. The kids at the table were a nightmare partly because of poor parenting and partly because it was the later seating and they were exhausted.

Public areas were also a zoo. It was very hard to see the characters and near impossible to get near the tiny pools and slides. The kids club was hit or miss but it wasn't as interesting as we hoped. Our kids would go an hour or so a day and want to eat and be with us.

We had a very nice trip but the crowds were a huge issue for us and the kids behavior (including older teens alone who were just rude).

This was your big mistake. Main dining is way better.

No, my kids behaved. The early dining is an issue if you do shore activities. You'd miss three dinners, which made no sense.

? Aren't you supposed to be back on the ship by 4?

I think we had to be back at 5 or 5:30. We want to shower and change before dinner. My kids have always been a night owl and we'd just get room service so they'd have dinner then dinner was basically a snack or another meal depending on how hungry they were. Room service was fantastic. You don't wait to a late meal time to feed your kids. If we had early dinner, then we'd have to get a meal or snack before bed and then we would be stuck by the pool which had marginal food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've done both their bigger and smaller ships. The bigger ship felt crowded. Tons of people on the pool and pool deck and everywhere. But the smaller ship (the Magic) was great-- the pools aren't much smaller but there's half the number of people using them. Also the ship itself is smaller to walk around. I'm not a cruise person but really loved that cruise. (Also, the time of year matters. If you go in the summer you'll have a lot more school-aged kids. Go during the school year and it's mostly younger kids).

This. Stick to the smaller ships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went early October and it was very crowded. We enjoyed it for our first cruise with a child but I'm not sure I'd do Disney again. If your child likes the characters, yes, but if not, its just another cruise. Dining was a hassle. The open food places were very busy and chaotic. The sit down sit every at the same time so you have to wait for everyone to arrive as they serve multiple tables at once. The waiters often cut the kids food and babysit while some parents ignore their kids. We had to wait multiple times for the kids next to us to get the waiters to cut their food and feed them (and the joy of a screaming kid) and our food got cold waiting. The kids at the table were a nightmare partly because of poor parenting and partly because it was the later seating and they were exhausted.

Public areas were also a zoo. It was very hard to see the characters and near impossible to get near the tiny pools and slides. The kids club was hit or miss but it wasn't as interesting as we hoped. Our kids would go an hour or so a day and want to eat and be with us.

We had a very nice trip but the crowds were a huge issue for us and the kids behavior (including older teens alone who were just rude).

This was your big mistake. Main dining is way better.

No, my kids behaved. The early dining is an issue if you do shore activities. You'd miss three dinners, which made no sense.

? Aren't you supposed to be back on the ship by 4?

I think we had to be back at 5 or 5:30. We want to shower and change before dinner. My kids have always been a night owl and we'd just get room service so they'd have dinner then dinner was basically a snack or another meal depending on how hungry they were. Room service was fantastic. You don't wait to a late meal time to feed your kids. If we had early dinner, then we'd have to get a meal or snack before bed and then we would be stuck by the pool which had marginal food.

My kids didn't need a snack after eating a 3 course dinner at 6pm. And we showered everyone from 5-5:45.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went early October and it was very crowded. We enjoyed it for our first cruise with a child but I'm not sure I'd do Disney again. If your child likes the characters, yes, but if not, its just another cruise. Dining was a hassle. The open food places were very busy and chaotic. The sit down sit every at the same time so you have to wait for everyone to arrive as they serve multiple tables at once. The waiters often cut the kids food and babysit while some parents ignore their kids. We had to wait multiple times for the kids next to us to get the waiters to cut their food and feed them (and the joy of a screaming kid) and our food got cold waiting. The kids at the table were a nightmare partly because of poor parenting and partly because it was the later seating and they were exhausted.

Public areas were also a zoo. It was very hard to see the characters and near impossible to get near the tiny pools and slides. The kids club was hit or miss but it wasn't as interesting as we hoped. Our kids would go an hour or so a day and want to eat and be with us.

We had a very nice trip but the crowds were a huge issue for us and the kids behavior (including older teens alone who were just rude).

This was your big mistake. Main dining is way better.

No, my kids behaved. The early dining is an issue if you do shore activities. You'd miss three dinners, which made no sense.

? Aren't you supposed to be back on the ship by 4?

I think we had to be back at 5 or 5:30. We want to shower and change before dinner. My kids have always been a night owl and we'd just get room service so they'd have dinner then dinner was basically a snack or another meal depending on how hungry they were. Room service was fantastic. You don't wait to a late meal time to feed your kids. If we had early dinner, then we'd have to get a meal or snack before bed and then we would be stuck by the pool which had marginal food.

My kids didn't need a snack after eating a 3 course dinner at 6pm. And we showered everyone from 5-5:45.

Ok, mine do. And, mine don't eat a 3 course meal and rarely eat sweets.

[Anonymous]

we went on the fantasy for spring break. awful crowds. just awful. never again.
No chairs on the pool deck. No room in the pool. Lines for everything.

[Anonymous]

I've never read such negative comments about a Disney cruise. There is usually one Negative Nancy on cruise ship threads, but this one has several. We are booked on our first Disney cruise in April. I'm looking forward to it ... I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never read such negative comments about a Disney cruise. There is usually one Negative Nancy on cruise ship threads, but this one has several. We are booked on our first Disney cruise in April. I'm looking forward to it ... I think.

I think you're good. Most satisfied customers don't bother coming on here to post. I would definitely switch to first dining though if you haven't already.