If you don't use it, then just don't use it. If you have a vacuum leak in the cruise system, then you an just remove it and plug the vacuum line, and everything will still operate fine, but you won't have cruise.
Sounds like you want to put one of those cone filters in the engine bay. You can get a K&N that's identical in size and shape as that of a stock filter and it fits right in your filter canister. The filters located inside the engine bay breathe hot air and most aren't set up for the Intake Air Temp sensor, so you are losing efficiency and horsepower.
If you actually want to disable the cruise, just unplug the little orange connector on the dump solenoid at the passenger end of the cruise control vacuum canister.
