Disney Alaska Cruise: Icy Straights vs Skagway with young kids?

[CanadianCruiseCritic]

We are going on a Disney Alaska Cruise July 20, 2020 with our then 3.5 year old daughter and 22 month year old son. Our first Disney Cruise! We live in Vancouver and chose to do the Alaska Cruise not so much to see Alaska (although I know it’s going to be beautiful), but bc we don’t have to fly anywhere and the cruise provides child care so we can get a bit of a break! Plus my daughter is a Princess fanatic so she’s going to love it.

 

We chose the July 20th sailing bc of the Canadian Residents Offer, but didn’t realize this itinerary is the only one that goes to Icy Straights instead of Skagway. We can get the Canadian Residents Offer if we do the July 6th or July 13th departure instead (all 3 cruises are the same price for an interior room on deck 2) and go to Skagway instead. Thoughts? 

 

Not sure it would make much diff to us. With our kids being so young I don’t know if they could handle a 3h train ride in Skagway or the 4-6h round trip drive to Emerald Lake anyway. I read all the excursions in Icy straights are geared towards the older crowd. Maybe Icy Straight Cruise will be slightly less busy since my understanding is this is a less desirable port? Was thinking maybe Icy Straights day could be a good day to stay on the boat with the kids to meet characters and do other activities? 

 

Any considerations with weather/mosquitos late July vs early July departure? I read August is the rainiest month so worried July 20th is getting close to the rainier weather.  Any thoughts or advice much appreciated!

[lasekeye]

Do you mean, Icy Strait Point Cruise stop...at the community of Hoonah?

 

[Essiesmom]

Skagway has lots to do without taking train or bus.  Lots of space for youngsters to run around and burn off energy.  Visit the Ports of Call board here for Alaska for more opinions.  EM

[capriccio]

We haven't been to Icy Strait but have been to Skagway three times; the most recent with our 2 adult children, their spouses and our  3 1/2 year old granddaughter in July 2018.  Our DD, SIL and DGD stayed in town while the rest of us took the train to the Yukon.  They had a great time in town.  The town is a National Historical Park (https://www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm).  Check out the kids and youth section of the website (https://www.nps.gov/klgo/learn/kidsyouth/index.htm). There is a nice kid's playground that our granddaughter enjoyed and a Junior Ranger Activity Center.

[RSLeesburg]

We stopped in Icy Straight Point last year - it is nice, authentic.  We booked our whale watching excursion at this stop, and that was great - lots of whales, and would be perfect for little kids.