Disney has never offered more ways to experience the magic — and 2026 might be the most compelling year yet to go. But with Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line all vying for your vacation budget, how do you choose?
It depends almost entirely on what kind of traveler you are. The park experience — whether Orlando or Anaheim — is built around rides, shows, and characters. A cruise, on the other hand, wraps Disney's signature hospitality around a Caribbean or Alaskan itinerary. They're genuinely different trips, and the right one for your family hinges on a few key questions.
We've spent the past year testing all three — back-to-back park days at both coasts, and a 7-night Disney Wish sailing through the Bahamas. Here's what surprised us, and the questions we wish someone had asked us before we booked.
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The cruise, we should say upfront, was the biggest surprise. We expected it to feel like a theme park on water. Instead it felt like a genuine luxury sailing that happened to have Mickey Mouse on board — and somehow that combination works far better than it has any right to.
Whichever route you take, the 2026 anniversary programming at Walt Disney World and the recent additions at Disneyland — including a much-improved Galaxy's Edge and the new Tiana's Bayou Adventure — make this a banner year to go.