Secret Porthole Rooms

[Hopkins]

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with these staterooms on deck 5? The secret porthole rooms are category 10 (deluxe inside staterooms) with obstructed porthole views. The following are the staterooms: 5520, 5522, 5524, 5020, 5022 and 5024. Check-out Inkkognito's site (www.*****************) for a much better explanation and photos. Other questions?... What are those tanks? How often might you see a maintainance worker out there? Do those tanks change position, therefore blocking a better view stateroom?

I e-mailed our travel agent to see if these rooms (staterooms 5020 and 5520) are available and the price difference between it and the category 11 room that we booked on deck 7 mid-ship.

Thanks in advance.
Tina
Magic Western 1/18/03
333 days

[skip]

we stayed in 5020 last august and the tanks never moved and we never saw workers out there once.the tanks are blocking maybe 10 percent of the porthole at the most.i have heard from other people that 5020 is the least blocked of them all.the other good thing is that 5020 is in a dead end coridor with little trafic.we are staying in the same room next january we loved it so much.

[Hopkins]

I was getting really excited about the possibility of changing our cat 11 to these rooms, but for our sail date, they are already booked. That's 333 days out. The travel agent wanted to know if it became available if she could book it for us without us giving the OK at a later date. She thought the chance of this happening was extremely remote, though. Did you hear any noises from the restrooms below for the Walt Disney Theater?

Thanks.
Tina
Magic Western 1/18/03
Category 11 Great mid-ship deck 7 location LOL!!!

[skip]

we didn't hear any noise at all in 5020.if you get the chance scoop it up.
p.s saw your travel date for next year ours is 1/19/03 in 5020 for the 4 day cruise.

[inkkognito]

We have been in 5520 multiple times, and yes, we HAVE seen a crew member out there! Definitely be "decent" if you have the porthole curtain open (it is very heavy, so when it is closed, you will have total privacy). We've never heard any noise from below. The most noise seems to come from the fact that you are at the head of the hall, so you get a lot of hallway traffic. Also, because these rooms hold four people and four of the six are adjoiners, your chances area greater of being near a large family. We have never found this to be a terrible problem...it is outweighed by that great free porthole. :)
But I wouldn't stay in one of the adjoiners, as we had a little experience with the "kickboxing" family next door (the kids liked to slam each other into the door!). It probably wouldn't be as noticable if there were more sedate people next door.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.*****************

[my3kids]

I know you specifically asked your TA about the 2 #20 cabins which were unavailable(I booked WAY more than 333 days in advance to get 2 of those 6 rooms!) but what about the other 4. Maybe there is another of the secret portholes available on your date. Yes, the view would not be as good as the __20 rooms, but better than an 11!;)

[MickeyMagic]

We stayed in 5020 in January on the Magic. Several times during the week, a maintenance worker was outside moving the barrels around. (I still want to know what's in them). The barrels moved away from 5020 toward 5024. By mid-week, we had no obstruction out our window.

[Loudbmw]

We were in cabin 5520 and loved it also. Now to the question of what is in those barrels that partially obstruct cabins 5024 & 5524.

The barrels contain life rafts that can be lowered by a nearby hoist. In the event the ship was to sink suddenly, they are designed to come loose and inflate as soon as they hit the water.

While we were at Castaway Cay on day, the crew was practicing and inflated one - looked pretty big to me.

I could be wrong but I think if the ship is completely evacuated, the passengers with some crew gets the lifeboats and the balance of the crew get the rafts.

Lou

[Hopkins]

We are on the wait list for these rooms (secret porthole), but in the meantime, we upgraded from our category 11 great mid-ship location on deck 7 to a category 10, but all the way forward on deck 7.

I really hope we get the secret porthole room, but we made it too popular on these boards. LOL!!! 333 days out and they are already booked for a January cruise.

Wishing upon a star!
Tina :)

[KarenT]

... and priviledged. I have 5020 booked for our 4 day cruise on February 9, 2003. I didn't even request it, but Regina at DU got it when I emailed for my quote. It's like getting the brass ring.



KarenT

[Kirby]

What is so special about secret porthole rooms? Just curious.....

[KarenT]

I believe it's the fact that you get a catagory 8 stateroom (Deluxe OUTSIDE statroom w/ porthole) for the same price as a catagory 10 stateroom (Deluxe INSIDE stateroom - no porthole). The porthole is partially obstucted, but the obstuctions are minimal. Stateroom # 5020 has the least obstructed view.:)




KarenT

[caskar]

I had to book in May 2001 to get a secret porthole in August 2003. I got 5520. Is it as open a view as 5020 on the opposite side of the ship?

[inkkognito]

You can view photos of the obstructions on my website at www.*****************
It really doesn't change much. Lifeboat equipment is what is stored in the "mystery barrels."
The secret porthole rooms are one of the reasons we book so far in advance. We've already booked one for multiple dates in 2003.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.*****************

[momofofo]

I will be on the Magic March 2 in the porthole # 5520.

I can't wait. My TA doesn't believe me that the room has a porthole.

I will tell you all about it when I will be back.

[inkkognito]

Send your TA to my website and explain that I am not nearly skilled enough with photo editing software to fake that porthole! I have even heard of people who were told by DCL ressies people that the secret portholes do not exist...I guess that's why they're "secret." ;)
Maybe it's better that she DOESN'T know, or else she'll probably be recommending them to all her clients!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.*****************

[two4ruff]

We called our TA after reading about the secret porthole rooms and asked if we could switch our reservation (we had a cat 10 inside room). We were switched and confirmed in a matter of minutes. This all took place with only 8 weeks until our sail date. Was this just beginners luck??

When we called Disney directly, they claimed there was no such rooms...only a rumor....

Hmmmm, maybe they don't want the "secret" out! :D

[babynurse31]

Do all of the secret porthole rooms hold 4 people? We need several rooms together due to a family reunion, but need 4 in each room.

[my3kids]

Yes babynurse, all 6 of these rooms have beds for 4 people.

[Lthouseprincess]

We got 5020 for the Magic sailing 1/11/03. This is so great, I can not wait!! DU rocks!

[kshabare]

Bump

[Hygiene99]

we got 5022 , on our 1st cruise , just random before we knew
about the secret porthole business , and have requested
that room or one of the others ever since
we have 5022 on our 7 day MAY 11 , 2002
cruise
and also for our dec 3 day
great value..
peter

[kendall]

We are booked in 5020 for our 4/5/03 cruise. We were in a regular porthole room on our first cruise in 2001 (cabin 7514), and decided we could definitely live with one of these secret porthole rooms! When one was available for our next cruise we grabbed it! Those savings go a long way toward excursions and photos!

[kpgclark]

Kendall-
We'll be in 5020 the week right before you. Perhaps we'll leave a secret message for you.....

[kendall]

Hey kpgclark - small world - a hidden treasure would be a kick!

I wonder what percentage of secret porthole cabins are booked by DISers......Hmmmm....?

:bounce:

[kshabare]

We were on the Magic for the 2/9-2/16, and when we booked it a year in advance, we needed a connecting room at a reasonable price, our TA pointed out that 5522 and 5524 were available, we knew nothing about secret portholed cabins at the time, but we came home and read Barb and Tony's site and we were so excited, we recently re-booked for 2/1/2003 for the western, and we requested 5522 but it was already booked, of the 2 that we had 5522 was less obstructed than 5524, so we looked into the otherside 5020,5022,5024 and 5020 was available, so we grabbed it up quickly, so needless to say we are very excited, we thought the area was perfect location.
Just my thoughts, everyone enjoy your secret portholes

Norm and Kim

[We Love the Mouse!]

We just returned from the 2/17 Wonder and had 5524. The view was a little obstructed but having a porthole was great!! We saw workers out there several times. We did not notice much noise from the elevators, hallways or adjoiner. The best part was that we only upgraded to the cat. 10 a few weeks ago. i don't know how we got so lucky!