Am I crazy?

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Hi!
We've been trying to decide exact dates for a cruise in 2005- and almost decided on June 4th (7 day western) -just trying to decide between either cat 3 or two cat 7's so we could book it when June 2005 was available to book. (We're a family of 5- 3 children- so we'd need either a larger room or 2 rooms... and to me it's just not worth the extra cost for cat 4 and still be quite cramped and the verandah virtually impossible to use when the murphy bed is out)

However, I've been doing some thinking and checking dates and other staterooms/etc. And I started thinking how UNimportant the verandah or even oceanview rooms are to us. We're the type that only shower/change and sleep (a LITTLE... LOL) in our resort rooms and we're okay with being cramped if the price is worth it- we proved that on our last 12 night stay at ASSp in one room. LOL
It seems to turn out a lot cheaper if we go with connecting cat 10's though! A lot cheaper. So am I crazy to want to do this? LOL Here's the scenario.... for about the same amount it would cost to do that 7 day cruise in cat 3 (just a little more than cat 7's- already got a "quote" on what that will probably be when that date is opened based on last year's rate booked early)-- we could INSTEAD do this: (neither including airfare)
All starting Feb 3rd, 2005
2 nights at Grand Floridian- lodge concierge
(1 day at Magic Kingdom- tickets not needed as we have plenty of days left over on park hopper pluses)
Eastern 7 day cruise starting Feb 5th- back on Feb 12th
AND
Western 7 day cruise starting same day- Feb 12th- Feb 19th.

That's a lot longer cruise (and must also point out that it's still cheaper than it would be for us with two cat 10 rooms for the 10 day Dec 2004 cruise- already checked that out too LOL) PLUS 2 nights at the GF (we've never stayed there before)!!!

The difference being that it's in Feb instead of June (both in 2005)- June is a lot warmer from what I've read and the start of hurricane season- but is Feb too cold? (keep in mind we're Texans- so if it's in the 60's- it's too cold for us to swim even in heated pools!)
Also means the kids would miss a few days of school (this would be right when they have a week of break plus 1 day of teacher inservice day- so they'd miss 5 days of school... which they also missed this year for our trip and the schools/teachers didn't mind at all. However, that is with son in kindergarten and doing so well he's been recommended for Gifted and Talented- so she wasn't worried about him.... and daughter in 4th grade straight A student. Feb 2005 might be quite different- as son would be in 1st grade and she would be in 5th. With them going in higher grades- especially the oldest- and youngest started school later that year in 2005.... it would probably be the last time we'd ever take a vacation that had them missing any days of school!

To put it simply- which would you choose? A 7 day western cruise in June 2005 with the kids not missing any school (but hot and potentially hurricane weather) in a cat 3 or two cat 7's..... OR 2 nights at GF, 1 day MK, 7 day Eastern & 7 day Western both in two cat 10's? Am I crazy to go with the latter?

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Just sent you a PM.

 

[SeaSpray]

I don't think you'd be crazy to go with the latter idea, as long as you know that you'd all be fine in Cat. 10 cabins for 2 weeks. I love the idea of such a LONG Disney land/sea vacation! Let us know what you decide!!

 

[jwann]

DUH -- go with the latter!!!!!!!!!!
Varandah's and port holes are nice BUT --
STRETCH your vacation dollar -- you won't miss the view -- go up a deck or two if you want to see the ocean -- we won't laugh if you are wearing your robe

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

LOL
Are you sure?? You might laugh... LOL

I think we'll be just fine in the cat 10 inside staterooms- long as we get connecting ones. There's no way I'd have the kids in a totally seperate room with outside doors only- that's why I'd never do two rooms at a resort until they were MUCH older. LOL We've never really had fancy "lodging" on any of our vacations- I'm usually such a cheapskate when it comes to that and want to spend my money elsewhere. It's just when it came to the cruise- it was like saving the money for WHAT? Might as well go more on the stateroom. LOL
But then I figured out how I could stretch that dollar more!
Actually- if anyone is wondering how it turned into a little at WDW then 2wks cruise instead of just one week cruise then and much cheaper.... it's because I prefer the Western cruise- it's the one I really want to do. But it's the one that doesn't "fit" exactly with the kids "winter" break. But the Eastern before it does... not wanting to give up the Western- I checked out how much it would be for both. No sense sitting at home with the kids for a week AND THEN taking them out of school for 4 days to do the Western!
I was trying to figure out any other time other than super hot summer time- and tried ALL their breaks and time off from school- all except the Feb break were higher in price.. I guess Feb isn't a month that most schools take a break in? I know this area kinda splits up the breaks they have year round. So the Feb was cheaper- but the Western cruise didn't coincide perfectly.

The extra 2 nights at GF just "materialized" because the kids have that Friday off for a teacher inservice day and DH just happens to be off on his rotating schedule that Thursday and Friday also. So I figured why waste Friday- leave Thursday night, get there early so we have a better chance of NOT missing the ship for any weather reasons (we tend to have worse winters such as ice here in Texas in late Jan/early Feb as opposed to Dec like other states/areas. The first week of Feb last year they closed schools for 2 days due to ice!) AND I just want to stay at GF... our WDW trips are going to be fewer and further between, and it would feel like spending too much to stay at the GF for that many days when we're spending most of our time at the parks- so this just fit perfectly for a little taste of GF. LOL

I forgot to mention why this may be considered crazy... it's all our FIRST cruise ever! Kinda long for the first time eh? I have read many take shorter cruises just to get a feel for being on the ship, in case they don't like it, etc. But unless one of us has major seasickness- I just don't see us not liking it. DH is just happy it's not the WDW parks (ugh.. when will I ever get him converted? LOL) and I know the kids will have a blast in the labs/clubs- that's so totally up their alley. LOL And it's probably the last time we could ever take such a long trip unless it was in the summer- which means bigger crowds, more heat, etc.

But is it really cold in Feb? Big difference from 1st week of June?

 

[jilljill]

You can never predict the weather, no matter what time of year. Last week was a good example - hurricane season was over but 2 tropical storms appeared, it was in the 30's at night at WDW.
I say go with whatever you feel comfortable doing - if that means taking the kids out of school, then do it; if you want to be in the heat and humidity of June then do that. Only you can decide what is best for your family.
I will give you MTCW: go for the 2 week back to back and enjoy the ship as it is meant to be. Let the kids learn all they can at each of the ports and in the club/lab and have them do a small report to take back to school.
Let us know what you decide and happy planning.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Brrrr! One of the days we were at WDW recently it barely got over low 40's the entire day- and we were freezing to death in the late evening! But we stuck it through... for biergarten, Candlelight processional and Illuminations. Any other night and we'd have hunkered down under the blankets in the room! LOL Us Texans were freezing I tell ya! LOL Fortunately it was only one day... weather there is a lot like Texas- changes constantly and can't really predict it (except here you CAN predict hot summers LOL). We were at Typhoon Lagoon in low 80's the day before that!!!! You're right- can't predict the weather!

Thanks for the advice about school. Hopefully if we took them out then- their teachers will be as great about it as they were this year. (My daughter's 4th grade teacher asked if she could come- so we might have lucked out with a fellow Disney lover there... LOL) If we can turn WDW into a learning experience- surely we can on the cruise also! They took a little homework with them- but mostly just caught up when they got back (teachers weren't prepared that far ahead to give them the lesson plans in advance) -and they did journals, took their masks & passports from Epcot to show at school, oldest read books we took so she could test on them when she returned (mostly read on the flight and late evenings) and not get behind on "AR" points, etc. It went very well- I would hope the cruise would also. We were really lucky also though- for instance that week my son would have been learning R and r. His name is Robert. LOL Both of those are in there... so he already knew all about R and r. LOL Just had some math worksheets to do and some short books to read.
I do think 5th grade is probably the highest grade we would take them out though. School gets harder each grade, and even though my oldest does well even with taking time out- it would get harder and harder on her I think.

Oh and I put a request in with DU, so I'm waiting to hear back from them. I did some comparing on my own here and there- but I'd like to do it all through them if possible. Not sure that they can do all "parts" of that itinerary- but if atleast the 2 back to back cruises- that's fine. Waiting to hear from them and hoping the price is atleast the same as I have found elsewhere online.

 

[AKB]

If you go for the connecting cat 10's ask for the secret porthole rooms. There are 6 of these on deck five. Also two sets connect. They are rooms 5522 and 5524 or 5022 and 5024 that connect. Booking early you will have a greater chance in getting one of these - just request them with DU. That is what we did and we got one for our cruise in 2005 (we only needed one room). Go to http://www.castawayclub.com/ to see photos of these rooms. Good Luck!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

OMG you're kidding me! I had read ALL about those secret porthole rooms but didn't know they were the exact rooms I am hoping on getting! In my request with DU I listed out rooms I would like to get in order- you guessed it, I am hoping for deck 5 (so not so high- maybe less motion felt but also close to the labs/clubs- to save time- we'll have 3 children in 3 different age groups!) -the ones I asked for in order are: 5022/5024 then 5522/5524 then some connecting rooms on deck 7 if those are unavailable!
How freakin' cool that THOSE are THE secret porthole rooms I had read about on that website!!??
It's fate I tell ya.. this cements it. LOL

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Oh now I'm REALLY anxious to hear back from DU..... now that I know those rooms are secret porthole ones- that would be great BUT that also means harder to get. And you already booked for March 2005! So I might be too late to get connected rooms for Feb 2005.
*fingers crossed!*

 

[dis4me]

Good Luck getting your room request. I would definatley take the longer vacation and go in Feb. BTW Can I come ? LOL We cruise in 2000 on the Feb 1 cruise for our anniversary. It was Eastern and the weather was terrific. It was not cold on any of the islands but the water was a bit cooler on Castaway Cay-not cold just cooler the the rest if the Carribean. The Western will be fine as.Just think 2 days at CC, St martin, st thomas, key west, grand cayman and cozumel in a two week period plus night s at the Grand Floridian--Are you sure I can't come???

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Sure, you can come... we'll have atleast one extra bed (maybe more if they sleep 4??) You sleep in the kids room though- sorry. LOL

You're on your own at GF though... I'm afraid we've hit the limit there with 5 in the room. Sorry. LOL

Oh and I know!!!! Just think... all that for about the same price we would pay for a 7 day cruise in the summer in cat 3!! It will definitely be a trip of a lifetime... and with that much time we won't be freaked out if weather causes us to change itineraries or miss some ports of call. And hey, TWO chances to be sure to make Castaway Cay!

I figure after this trip- future trips will just be land/sea packages. (with maybe extra days at the parks tacked on the beginning). Then I and the kids get our fill of WDW... then cruise for DH. LOL And we'll have already done the long cruise- so it won't bother me to only cruise for 3 or 4 nights!

Ooooh, I hope DU is able to get me those rooms on those dates! Hope hope hope....

 

[AKB]

BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Hopefully it is not to late and you will get the secret porthole rooms for your cruise. At least for one week if not both. Good Luck and let us know what happens.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Thanks AKB! I will definitely let y'all know! I'm so stoked now.... LOL

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Can't wait to hear what you get!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Sitting here on pins and needles... just waiting for a reply from DU. I imagine with that itinerary- I won't hear back from them super quick like. LOL

 

[wovenwonder]

Good Luck! I have some pics of the connecting secret porthole rooms on my website [linked below].

And CONGRATULATIONS on your loss/maintaining with Atkins!

 

[strawberryblonde]

I haven't tried this myself but I'm thinking aloud here....

I think you could book those exact rooms through DCL directly (if they are still available). Then you could switch your ressie to DU or another TA for a better price if they had a better price. Then you could know right now if you could have those rooms

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

DU has already contacted me by email.. some unforeseen things personally have happened to the representative that I emailed- but they will try to get back to me as soon as possible about my request.
I didn't know you could book exact rooms directly through DCL?
I think I'll wait a bit and see if DU can come through for me soon. That's a good idea though.

wovenwonder -great website! Thanks for directing me to it! Great pictures and info!
And thanks (about Atkins)

 

[MrsPete]

I think two connecting rooms would be better -- especially because you'll have five people sharing the bathrooms.

If you do back-to-back cruises, don't forget to factor in the extra week of tips. Times five people, that's a significant amount of money. Also, don't forget to factor in the extra costs for excursions, drinks, etc. for the second week.