If we do not get a verandah

[HappyPeach]

We have a child who is still taking naps, so we find a verandah to be a huge plus... almost a "must" for us. When everyone in your family is old enough that the room's just for sleeping and changing, then it's not such a big deal. When your 1 y/o is napping, the parent who is in the room on nap-duty can just pull the room-dividing curtains to darken the room and then go sit out on the sunny balcony.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Not trying to argue, but for those with toddlers that nap, what do you do when staying at WDW while your child naps? Most resorts don't have balconies, right? Just saying, we all get by.

For us a balcony is at least $800 for our Oct. 7 nt Western. I'd rather put that down on a future cruise. We've tried a balcony on RC w/o kids once and barely used it. We have even less lounge time when cruising with kids so less incentive to upgrade.
I do like a window, just for natural light. I like to close the curtains behind me at night and watch the ship's wake.

 

[HappyPeach]

Not trying to argue, but for those with toddlers that nap, what do you do when staying at WDW while your child naps? Most resorts don't have balconies, right? Just saying, we all get by.

We've always had a balcony when we've stayed at WDW. I guess it's different strokes for different folks... we all like different things!

 

[Chaosfilms]

Having cruised only once on RCL (3 Day), we ended with a Verandah because it was the only place left due to a late booking. We loved the verandah, we had our daughter with a crib who was just beginning to crawl and we ended up back in the room for naps and early bed times. The verandah was great for sitting and reading or at night for a breath of fresh air. We're booked on the Magic, 12/4/10 (7 days) and are springing for the verandah, mainly because we're not going to cruise very often. Our daughter will be 4, so there maybe lots of early nights for her and the parent that will stay with her will have the verandah. Living in L.A., this is a big trip for us and probably won't be repeated for a number of years. So even though money maybe be an issue, you might want to ask yourself how much are you going to be cruising in the future?

Steve

 

[Davids-Coco]

Not trying to argue, but for those with toddlers that nap, what do you do when staying at WDW while your child naps? Most resorts don't have balconies, right? Just saying, we all get by.

We also always have had either a balcony or a one-bedroom so there is somewhere to go while the child(ren) sleep.

I think that it is one of those things with a napping child. Yes, you could sit in the dark room or sleep while the baby does, but getting away for some mommy or daddy only time to read/eat/talk in peace is wonderful. It does the soul good! If price is not an issue, I'd go for the veranda.

 

[DisneyCampers]

We are booking the 4 day cruise in Spet without a verandah and we are getting ready to also book a 7 day cruise for Aprol 2011 and we will be booking a verandah than. As for as my baby sleeping, we take a lot of trips so we purposely got her just to sleeping with lihhts and noise, this child could sleep anywhere and through anything so even if she is sleeping in the rrom lfe would resume as usual, we would use this time to get freshened up, eat lunch in the room or watch T.V.

 

[PearlySwan]

On our 7-night DCL we had a verandah. Since we are earlier risers, we spent a fair amount of time there in the early morning hours. We also used it while the kids napped. It was fantastic! But I do agree booking a stateroom with a verandah does get pricey. As other posters have said, it's all up to personal preference. If you don't feel you'll be spending a lot of time on your verandah then don't pay for it. We know that on our next cruise we won't have one. We'll be happy with an inside deluxe room (a little bigger than standard inside rooms). It is a shorter cruise though, and we only plan on going to the stateroom for sleeping, showering, and changing clothes. Hence, no need for a verandah next time. Hope you have a wonderful cruise no matter what you choose.

 

[Happy100]

Not trying to argue, but for those with toddlers that nap, what do you do when staying at WDW while your child naps? Most resorts don't have balconies, right? Just saying, we all get by.

Some of us with toddlers...napping children do not do WDW because waiting in lines for more than 5 mins on a kiddie ride is more nightmarish then vacation with a toddler.

 

[CyndiandChris]

but that's our preference. We spent time in the room while my youngest was napping last year and it was nice to have a beautiful scenery and to sit outside and talk without waking her.

The room's aren't so small that you would feel claustrophobic, though, I don't think, without one.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

The photos do the talking.

But it depends on your cruise budget, what you want to spend, some people have the opportunity to take lots of cruises, as they live closer to the ships, or have lots of vacation time, some like to spend the extra on shore trips.

I apart from this year, have to pay more for flights than a cruise fare, and I have limited time off work, as no one else does my job.

So I want a good vacation.

Now you get fresh air, you get sunlight in the early morning and late at night, you can have room service without the smell, lingering, you can avoid seasickness by looking at the horizon, you can watch the ship pulling into port, or pulling out of port, you can have your private space, when all the pool chairs have towels on them.

Watch the sea life, have a shade, I watched the Panama canal all day (x2) with Air con and room service, and will watch us go up/down Oslo Fjord and other places in the Baltic.

As people post, if you have kids, you can let them sleep and still enjoy your cruise in your time, whilst being there and they are safe.

But also us chaps have somewhere to go, when the ladies take over the bathroom, and they told us to suit up first, and dont want to walk around at 5.30pm in a Tux.....

 

[NancyIL]

The photos do the talking.

To be fair - your photos are of the balcony on a cat. 3 suite - right? A standard balcony is much smaller.

 

[Angelhalo]

So I want a good vacation.

We still have a good vacation even when we don't have a balcony.

I think its just a personal decision. Sure we like having the verandah. But, if the choice is go and not have a verandah, or don't get to go at all, I will give up the verandah in a heartbeat!

 

[Jennifer in MI]

I haven't read all the responses, but we've cruised in connecting inside rooms once and in a porthole room twice. When we were in the inside room, it was our first cruise and we didn't spend much time there at all.

Our second cruise, we got an SPH and now I don't want to cruise without at least an ocean view. Dh and I found ourselves enjoying our room when we had a view. We didn't know what we were missing in an inside room before we had the ocean view! But, we both said we felt disconnected from the cruise when we were in our inside rooms. The porthole rooms were nice because we still felt like we were on a cruise. Make sense?

We won't travel with a balcony for a LONG time! Those rooms are expensive - especially when you need TWO of them!!!! So, I can't help you there!

 

[FLORIDA_DAD]

Having young kids DS6 and DS4 we are sticking to the inside and ocean view rooms - to freaked out about having to watch them. I would be on pins and needles. Also you can save some money for another cruise. http://www.wdwinfo.com/images/smilies/cool1.gif

 

[TheWog]

Having young kids DS6 and DS4 we are sticking to the inside and ocean view rooms - to freaked out about having to watch them. I would be on pins and needles. Also you can save some money for another cruise. http://www.wdwinfo.com/images/smilies/cool1.gif

Kids that age can't open the door. The locks are high and the doors are very heavy. Of course, door left open and unattended would be a different story, but I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[Presentation]

Just wanted to point something out in case someone missed it.

Disney Cruise line is going to do something different and in my opinion, very cool on the new ship Disney Dream with inside rooms.

See this video for a mock up view
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZw8o3vvN-o

The inside rooms will have a “Virtual Porthole.” Think flat panel TV connected to a camera that is outside.

In addition to light and an outside view, you will get visitors.

I like the concept and hope it turns out as good as my imagination is telling me it will.

 

[Angelhalo]

Kids that age can't open the door. The locks are high and the doors are very heavy. Of course, door left open and unattended would be a different story, but I wouldn't worry about that.

unless they climb on a chair....which happened to my neice

 

[TheWog]

unless they climb on a chair....which happened to my neice

on the balcony or in the room?

 

[Angelhalo]

on the balcony or in the room?

In the room. When mom went to the bathroom for just a few seconds, she left the restroom door open so she could hear what was going on in the cabin. The 5 year old climbed on a chair and unlocked the door. She was pulling on it to open when mom ran out of the restroom to stop her. So it may be rare, but it can happen. I don't have kids so it doesn't effect me yet. Just sharing an experience.

 

[tripodjw]

Just wanted to point something out in case someone missed it.

Disney Cruise line is going to do something different and in my opinion, very cool on the new ship Disney Dream with inside rooms.

See this video for a mock up view
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZw8o3vvN-o

The inside rooms will have a “Virtual Porthole.” Think flat panel TV connected to a camera that is outside.

In addition to light and an outside view, you will get visitors.

I like the concept and hope it turns out as good as my imagination is telling me it will.

The virtual porthole is why we specifically booked inside stateroom for the Dream in 2011. Once i've seen that I'll be satisfied and will happily sail wherever my budget takes me.

As to the OP's question, you just have to decide what suits your family and your budget best. I prefer booking inside rooms so i can use the saved cash on other trips. I do however consider upgrading at low cost if upgrades are available at port.

I travel with just DH so an inside room (even a standard one) is plenty big enough. I don't miss a verandah as i like sitting in the comfy chairs on deck 4.