Bailing from Bunk Bed

[working to live]

We are planning a DCL vacation and are struggling to select a stateroom type. Our major delema is that our boys will be 4 and 6 at the time of sailing and I am concened about my 6 year old in the upper bunk as he is a restless sleeper. The side rail pictured looks soooooo small for such a height! Has anyone else struggled with this and found it to be a non-issue once they did it???
Thanks!

 

[Regina]

You can request bedrails if you feel that the bar is inadequate.

 

[mickeyboat]

I was concerned as well, but my 4 year old (who is not a restless sleeper) did fine in the upper bunk. My 3 year old (who is a restless sleeper) slept in the lower bunk with no problem either. The kids were so exhausted when they went to bed at night, they didn't move the entire time.

My worst fear was that they would be so tired that they wouldn't make it to the bathroom! They did fine.

Have a great time!

Denae

 

[disneylover5]

My eight year old was asleep in the top bunk and managed to roll out of the top of the bunk bed by her pillow. Her teenage brother just happened to be sitting next to me on my bed and caught her and kept her from getting hurt.
She would have hit the table next to my bed.

We have been on 5 Disney cruises and this has only happend once.

 

[3xthecharm]

Our pediatrician and state regulations state that you must be 6 to sleep in a top bunk. There must be a bedrail with the same regulations that apply to crib rails. From what I have read, DCL will provide a bed rail.

Our doctor's main concern is that the child will wake up during the night and forget he is in a bunk. If he gets up to "go" he could fall out. By six they are less likely to get up during the night in the dark. If you have an inside cabine, remember to take a night light.

 

[cats04]

We were on a Carnival cruise last year w/our then 4 and 6 year olds. Both bunks were uppers. We used our extra pillows along the rail to try to keep them contained. When the cabin steward saw this he brought even more pillows. I'm glad this yr. on Disney we only have to worry about 1 bunk.

 

[budwmn]

My DS (at that time 7), thought it would be fun to sleep in the top bunk. The problem wasn't the side rail, it was the lack of rail at the top of the bed (no headboard). In the middle of the night, his pillow fell right off. He didn't fall because it was only his head that didn't have support. He has a bunk bed at home, but refuses to sleep on the one on board the ship.

 

[ashtravel]

I have 9 year old twin boys and we have been on the Magic 4 times. The first time was for their 5th birthday and we always took the mattress off the top bunk and put it on the floor.They took turns sleeping on the bed or the floor mattress. This worked great for us. On our last cruise on the Mariner of the Seas in November, they both wanted to sleep on the top bunks. We didn't want them too so we did the same set-up. The first night, my son fell out of bed and the ship wasn't even rocking. We were so glad we didn't let him sleep in the top bunk. He would have hit his head on the table on the way down. If your kids are restless sleepers, I suggest you put a mattress on the floor.

 

[working to live]

OMG!! Thanks so much Ashtravel. That is such a common sense idea BUT it never occured to me. You made my day! It just goes to show that it never hurts to ask.

ps. was there any challenges to removing the matteress or does it just pull out??

 

[ashtravel]

I'm glad I could help. The mattress is not a standard twin mattress so it is very easy to move about. My husband would put it on the floor right before bedtime and put it back up the next morning. It was very comfortable for them and they never argued about who was going to sleep on the floor. (and they argue about everything). The cabin steward can even set it up for you at night and put it back in the morning. It is a very easy fix for your very valid concern.
Have a great time. We also bring a night light since it is so dark in the cabin. And don't forget the hand sanitizer. Make sure the kids and you wash your hands before you eat. We have been on 5 cruises and have never gotten sick. I'm assuming this has helped us stay healthy.

 

[aprilgail2]

I would go with putting the mattress on the floor. I wouldn't let my 5 year old sleep in the bunk bed, to risky IMO. The bar is very small and it is easy for them to slip around it. Better to be safe than sorry!! My daughters friend just broke her collarbone falling out of a bunk bed in their motor home!

 

[Skuba2]

You also have to worry about the ladder used to go up and down. I found it to be very loose when you try and use it to the point it would slide. I was afraid with my 9 year old that she wouldn't be careful getting down in the middle of the night and the ladder would just fall off.


Putting the mattresses on the floor seems like a great solution.

DG

 

[druiser]

We found it to be no worry at all, but our 4 yr old sleeps like his old man - NOTHING can wake him up, and he doesn't move around much. The problem we had was in the evenings after turn down and in the mornings before breakfast - our 2 yr old wanted to climb the ladder with big brother and play up and down the entire time. Ok while supervised, but a worry. We just placed the ladder ON the top bunk until bedtime. Now the 2 yr old sleeps like a steam roller - moves all over the place. He did end up on the floor (from the bottom bunk - of course he ended up in our bed, his bed, the floor, his bed, our bed, his bed .... you get the idea.