Help us decide between 5nt Wonder vs 4nt on NEW Magic - The DIS Discussion Forums

dsokolik · 05-13-2013, 02:58 PM

Hi, we are planning our first Disney cruise for spring break next year. It'll be a family affair for us, our 2 kids (5, 15), my parents, and my sister/bro-in-law and their daughter (4). Scheduling this around my kids spring break leaves us with two options....5 nights on the Wonder from Miami or 4 nights on the Magic from PC.

We had planned on the Wonder until recently learning about the planned additions to the Magic and now are seriously reconsidering our choice. However, we aren't thrilled about the idea of Nassau.

For basically the same price.....we would lose a day of the cruise, but gain all the cool new stuff on the refurbished Magic.

I'll add that our 5yo son LOVES Toy Story and the Avengers.....and our 15yo daughter would love the waterslides.

Just struggling with the idea of paying the same for one less day.

Obviously no one can provide first hand advice about the new Magic yet, but if it were you what would you choose?

PrincessShmoo · 05-13-2013, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsokolik

Hi, we are planning our first Disney cruise for spring break next year. It'll be a family affair for us, our 2 kids (5, 15), my parents, and my sister/bro-in-law and their daughter (4). Scheduling this around my kids spring break leaves us with two options....5 nights on the Wonder from Miami or 4 nights on the Magic from PC.

We had planned on the Wonder until recently learning about the planned additions to the Magic and now are seriously reconsidering our choice. However, we aren't thrilled about the idea of Nassau.

For basically the same price.....we would lose a day of the cruise, but gain all the cool new stuff on the refurbished Magic.

I'll add that our 5yo son LOVES Toy Story and the Avengers.....and our 15yo daughter would love the waterslides.

Just struggling with the idea of paying the same for one less day.

Obviously no one can provide first hand advice about the new Magic yet, but if it were you what would you choose?

In my book, longer is always better. I vote for the Wonder.

Also, Wonder has Toy Story - the Musical as one of her shows. Plus, if (IF) the Wonder gets the same changes on her drydock, you will have had the opportunity to experience one of the classic ships in her original theming.

The "new" Magic will be around for quite some time.

TwinPrincessMermaids · 05-13-2013, 03:08 PM

Miami is huge to sail out of. That is a drawback for me. Magic is going to have the upgraded Animator's Palette with the placemat drawing. That looks neat. I happen to love sailing out of PC, its a lil more, but its a beautiful lil port easy to get to and not a huge built up city all the way at the bottom of the state. Plus it's close to WDW which means we add on a day or two at the parks and then drive 45 min and get to the port.

I don't see Nassau as being a drawback, at all. I've taken 2 cruises this spring that went there, and both days were wonderful, one possibly the most memorable, and the other was a great and beautiful stunning day.

Most people would say to book the itinerary and more days that you like better. I have only cruised theDream, but it was a fantastic experience. I am also considering the Magic next year after updates. (I'm worried that the mid ship detective agency and various extras like that might be needed to entertain a not-too-keen-on-cruising BIL though and entertain my ADD husband...)

I understand your dillema for sure. The Wonder is cheaper. I don't like Miami though to cruise out of. It's just SOO crowded and harder to get to and PC is so fresh and not packed and parking is cheap and it puts me close to WDW which has worked in my favor twice this year!

Those are just my thoughts.

..poor Nassau gets such a bad rap...

MikeAndNick · 05-13-2013, 03:46 PM

If you were looking at a 4 day vs a 7 day I would say always go with more. Now with looking at 4 day vs 5 day it gets harder. Being the fist cruise I would be tempted to go on the Magic with the new toys. The ports are nice but the ship maks the cruise.

Silverfox97 · 05-13-2013, 04:04 PM

Wonder.

5 nights. Last chance on original 'classic' ship. Same price as 4 night. No Nassau!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

dpswift · 05-13-2013, 06:25 PM

If you have not gone on a Disney cruise I would say the Wonder for sure. The extra day makes a big difference in a cruise. In addition to the extra day Cozamel has so much more to offer than Nassau even if you do not leave the port.

The Wonder has alot going for it. I want to do Magic or Fantasy next only because we have been on the Wonder twice and I want to try a different ship. Right now we have a Magic cruise booked with OBB. We will be changing it because of the date. When I booked it I did not plan on taking it because the itinerary is the same(or close to) both our Wonder cruises. With the changes being made to the Magic we might just decide to sail her.

whichever you choose you will have a great time. I would choose the extra day 4 days is just too short.

darkwing818 · 05-13-2013, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverfox97

Wonder.

5 nights. Last chance on original 'classic' ship. Same price as 4 night. No Nassau!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Enough said....

dsokolik · 05-14-2013, 02:36 AM

Thanks for all of the responses. This is a tough decision to make.

I totally get why people would suggest 5nts vs 4nts, but i'm a bit confused by the "last chance for a classic ship" argument. If we KNOW the kids will like the additions better, not sure what would be so great about the Wonder vs the Magic.

It seems to me that the renovations just add to what's already a great experience. I mean, unless i'm missing something they are not taking away anything that would really be missed are they?

The Miami port vs PC is something to consider too. I agree that 4nts vs 7nts would be a no-brainer, but 4 vs 5 makes this harder.

We are leaning towards switching to the Magic. My wife made a good point.....if we treat the Nassau port day like a day at sea, the day we would be missing out on would be a beach day at Cozumel and we could always extend our trip in Florida to have a beach day. It doesn't change the fact that it would be a shorter cruise, but it would soften the blow.

Most of all, I want the kids to love the trip.....this is for them and we won't be doing this every year. Might be the last chance for our 15 year old to still enjoy being a kid.

GatorMomInNC · 05-14-2013, 07:33 AM

Normally I would always opt for a longer cruise, but in this case I say go for the new Magic- especially since your kids love the Avengers and Toy Story and the new AquaDunk.

KashasMom · 05-14-2013, 07:57 AM

I didn't like to "old" Magic so no way would I sail on the "old" Wonder. If you haven't been to Nassau, it's a new experience. If you have then just hang on the ship and enjoy all the new amenities.

csidisney · 05-14-2013, 09:44 AM

Something else to consider - does your 5 night have a stop at Castaway Cay? I know some of the 5 nights don't stop there. If you have never been, you should go for the itinerary that stops there.

dsokolik · 05-14-2013, 12:48 PM

Both options for us stop at Castaway Cay......for sure wouldn't want to miss that!

Husurdady · 05-14-2013, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsokolik

Hi, we are planning our first Disney cruise for spring break next year. It'll be a family affair for us.

We had planned on the Wonder until recently learning about the planned additions to the Magic and now are seriously reconsidering our choice.

For basically the same price.....we would lose a day of the cruise, but gain all the cool new stuff on the refurbished Magic.

Obviously no one can provide first hand advice about the new Magic yet, but if it were you what would you choose?

HI ,
Which one would you choose you ask;................" C "....all of the above.

.....That is what we did for 2014....the Magic in April and the Wonder 10/01/2014...A double dip 5 day cruise by way of Key West.

Keep those classic ships ported out of PC and I'll show you how many I will book .

dsokolik · 05-15-2013, 10:22 AM

Ha! That's not going to happen, but I wish!

cruisecrasher · 05-15-2013, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Husurdady

HI ,
Which one would you choose you ask;................" C "....all of the above.

.....That is what we did for 2014....the Magic in April and the Wonder 10/01/2014...A double dip 5 day cruise by way of Key West.

Keep those classic ships ported out of PC and I'll show you how many I will book .

That's exactly what we're doing while we've got them in Texas. Three since September and two more booked after this summer

05-13-2013, 02:58 PM	#1
dsokolik Earning My Ears Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	Help us decide between 5nt Wonder vs 4nt on NEW Magic Hi, we are planning our first Disney cruise for spring break next year. It'll be a family affair for us, our 2 kids (5, 15), my parents, and my sister/bro-in-law and their daughter (4). Scheduling this around my kids spring break leaves us with two options....5 nights on the Wonder from Miami or 4 nights on the Magic from PC. We had planned on the Wonder until recently learning about the planned additions to the Magic and now are seriously reconsidering our choice. However, we aren't thrilled about the idea of Nassau. For basically the same price.....we would lose a day of the cruise, but gain all the cool new stuff on the refurbished Magic. I'll add that our 5yo son LOVES Toy Story and the Avengers.....and our 15yo daughter would love the waterslides. Just struggling with the idea of paying the same for one less day. Obviously no one can provide first hand advice about the new Magic yet, but if it were you what would you choose?

05-13-2013, 03:46 PM	#4
MikeAndNick If you can dream it, you can do it. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Fresno, CA Posts: 609	If you were looking at a 4 day vs a 7 day I would say always go with more. Now with looking at 4 day vs 5 day it gets harder. Being the fist cruise I would be tempted to go on the Magic with the new toys. The ports are nice but the ship maks the cruise. __________________ Mike and Nick Disney Cruise Lines: Wonder Land and Sea – Bahamas 2005, Magic Eastbound Trans Atlantic 2010, Magic Mexican Riviera Nov 20, 2011, Fantasy Western Caribbean June 23, 2012, Wonder Bahamian December 14, 2013 Princess Cruse Lines: Panama Canal 2006, San Francisco Alaska June 19, 2011 Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines: Mexican Riviera 2009 Carnival Cruise Lines: Encanta Mexico 2009 NCL Cruise Lines: Mexican Riviera 2008

05-13-2013, 04:04 PM	#5
Silverfox97 * GOLD Castaway Club!! * My Driveway to WDW = 1 hour!!! Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tampa, FL resident since 2007 (formally from Lorain & Columbus O-H-I-O) Posts: 4,086	Wonder. 5 nights. Last chance on original 'classic' ship. Same price as 4 night. No Nassau! Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards __________________ Emily Scott Isabelle Tiger Bogey Zoe Singer Brutus WDW Annual passholders since September 2007 & making about 2 day trips a month! 2014 - Fantasy Mar Eastern; Magic - Oct SOUTHERN ~ 2013 - Fantasy Mar Eastern; Magic B2B Oct ~ 2012 Dream (Feb) & Fantasy x2 - June Eastern, Dec Western ~ 2011 Magic x2 - 5n DD (Jan), 7n Western (Oct) ~ 2010 Wonder 5n DD (Aug) ~ 2005 Fairytale Wedding @ GF Wedding Pavilion & 3n Wonder ~ 2001 DL - Grand Californian

05-14-2013, 02:36 AM	#8
dsokolik Earning My Ears Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	Thanks! Thanks for all of the responses. This is a tough decision to make. I totally get why people would suggest 5nts vs 4nts, but i'm a bit confused by the "last chance for a classic ship" argument. If we KNOW the kids will like the additions better, not sure what would be so great about the Wonder vs the Magic. It seems to me that the renovations just add to what's already a great experience. I mean, unless i'm missing something they are not taking away anything that would really be missed are they? The Miami port vs PC is something to consider too. I agree that 4nts vs 7nts would be a no-brainer, but 4 vs 5 makes this harder. We are leaning towards switching to the Magic. My wife made a good point.....if we treat the Nassau port day like a day at sea, the day we would be missing out on would be a beach day at Cozumel and we could always extend our trip in Florida to have a beach day. It doesn't change the fact that it would be a shorter cruise, but it would soften the blow. Most of all, I want the kids to love the trip.....this is for them and we won't be doing this every year. Might be the last chance for our 15 year old to still enjoy being a kid.

05-14-2013, 07:57 AM	#10
KashasMom Mouseketeer Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 336	I didn't like to "old" Magic so no way would I sail on the "old" Wonder. If you haven't been to Nassau, it's a new experience. If you have then just hang on the ship and enjoy all the new amenities. __________________ 1972 Home Lines Homeric (Bahamas), 1977 Cunard Princess (Bermuda), 1986 Carnival Holiday (Eastern Caribbean), 1987 Carnival Jubilee (Eastern Caribbean), 1988 Premier/Big Red Boat Starship Oceanic (Bahamas), 1991 Premier/Big Red Boat Starship Atlantic (Bahamas), 1991 Costa Riviera (Western Caribbean), 1993 Carnival Fantasy (Southern Caribbean), 1997 Celebrity Century (Western Caribbean), 1997 Celebrity Century (Eastern Caribbean), 1998 Grandeur of the Seas (Eastern Caribbean), 1998 Disney Magic Inaugural Celebration (Bahamas), 2000 Carnival Destiny (Canada), 2001 Celebrity Infinity (Alaska - Inside Passage), 2003 Royal Princess (South America), 2008 RCI Serenade of the Seas (repo -SF to Vancouver via Alaska - Inside Passage), 2010 Caribbean Princess (Southern Caribbean), 2010 Caribbean Princess (b-b Southern Caribbean), 2012 Disney Magic (NY-Bahamas), 2012 Brand-New Carnival Breeze (Eastern Carib), 2012 NCL Epic (Eastern Carib) --------------------------------------------------- 6/9/13 Brand-Spanking-New NCL Breakaway Family Reunion Cruise 12/7/13 DCL Fantasy

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05-13-2013, 03:08 PM	#3
TwinPrincessMermaids DIS Veteran Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: KY Posts: 668	Miami is huge to sail out of. That is a drawback for me. Magic is going to have the upgraded Animator's Palette with the placemat drawing. That looks neat. I happen to love sailing out of PC, its a lil more, but its a beautiful lil port easy to get to and not a huge built up city all the way at the bottom of the state. Plus it's close to WDW which means we add on a day or two at the parks and then drive 45 min and get to the port. I don't see Nassau as being a drawback, at all. I've taken 2 cruises this spring that went there, and both days were wonderful, one possibly the most memorable, and the other was a great and beautiful stunning day. Most people would say to book the itinerary and more days that you like better. I have only cruised theDream, but it was a fantastic experience. I am also considering the Magic next year after updates. (I'm worried that the mid ship detective agency and various extras like that might be needed to entertain a not-too-keen-on-cruising BIL though and entertain my ADD husband...) I understand your dillema for sure. The Wonder is cheaper. I don't like Miami though to cruise out of. It's just SOO crowded and harder to get to and PC is so fresh and not packed and parking is cheap and it puts me close to WDW which has worked in my favor twice this year! Those are just my thoughts. ..poor Nassau gets such a bad rap...

05-13-2013, 06:25 PM	#6
dpswift Mouseketeer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Central New york Posts: 79	If you have not gone on a Disney cruise I would say the Wonder for sure. The extra day makes a big difference in a cruise. In addition to the extra day Cozamel has so much more to offer than Nassau even if you do not leave the port. The Wonder has alot going for it. I want to do Magic or Fantasy next only because we have been on the Wonder twice and I want to try a different ship. Right now we have a Magic cruise booked with OBB. We will be changing it because of the date. When I booked it I did not plan on taking it because the itinerary is the same(or close to) both our Wonder cruises. With the changes being made to the Magic we might just decide to sail her. whichever you choose you will have a great time. I would choose the extra day 4 days is just too short.

05-14-2013, 07:33 AM	#9
GatorMomInNC DIS Veteran Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: North Carolina Posts: 754	Normally I would always opt for a longer cruise, but in this case I say go for the new Magic- especially since your kids love the Avengers and Toy Story and the new AquaDunk.

05-14-2013, 09:44 AM	#11
csidisney Mouseketeer Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 298	Something else to consider - does your 5 night have a stop at Castaway Cay? I know some of the 5 nights don't stop there. If you have never been, you should go for the itinerary that stops there. __________________ Disney Wonder - 4 nights Oct 2009 Disney Dream - 4 nights May 2011 Disney Magic - 4 nights May 2012 Disney Fantasy - Eastern Carribean 7 nights March 2013

05-14-2013, 12:48 PM	#12
dsokolik Earning My Ears Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	Both options for us stop at Castaway Cay......for sure wouldn't want to miss that!

05-15-2013, 10:22 AM	#14
dsokolik Earning My Ears Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 7	Ha! That's not going to happen, but I wish!

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