Connecting secret porthole or 2 sideways cabins?

[KalamityJane]

I'm planning on booking the WBPC cruise in 2017, we have 3 youngish kids (8.5, 6 and 4 when sailing)

Would you pick connecting secret porthole rooms, 2 sideways rooms (not connecting) or 2 regular connecting rooms?

The portholes are the most expensive and best view out of the 3 but I'm drawn to the possible extra feeling of space with the sideways rooms.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

I'm planning on booking the WBPC cruise in 2017, we have 3 youngish kids (8.5, 6 and 4 when sailing)

Would you pick connecting secret porthole rooms, 2 sideways rooms (not connecting) or 2 regular connecting rooms?

The portholes are the most expensive and best view out of the 3 but I'm drawn to the possible extra feeling of space with the sideways rooms.

I'd take the connecting portholes or connecting insides. With kids that age, the non-connecting wouldn't even be an option.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

Repeat cruisers and people "in the know" may get to the secret porthole rooms before you, depending on your Castaway Club status.

 

[KalamityJane]

Repeat cruisers and people "in the know" may get to the secret porthole rooms before you, depending on your Castaway Club status.

I actually already have the connecting secret portholes booked for the August PC cruise, waiting to see what prices are for the May PC cruise as it works better for our dates.

 

[Flossbolna]

We ended up in a secret porthole room (5022) on our WBPC because we had big issues with our stateroom and they moved us there. I really loved the room and the obstruction did not matter to us very much at all. We actually spent quite a bit of the canal day in the room because it was cool inside (Panama is hot and humid!) and we had a great view.

I have also been in one of the sideways cabins on the Magic for our Norway cruise and did not really like as much as I thought I would. Yes, because of the layout you don't have that feeling of a long tunnel that other inside staterooms can have. However, I missed the split bath and felt that there was a lot of dead space in the corner between closet and bathroom. I also noticed that we heard much more of whatever was going on in the hallways, especially the announcements, than in any other cabin I had been in.

Of course, it is a question of how big the price differences are. But this is a case where I think the secret porthole might be worth a certain up charge. Usually I am someone who prefers to have. Ore spending money for other things and tries to save on the room.

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

For us (family of 4... 2 kids)
It's a sideways room or nothing...I hated, hated where the bed is located in the porthole rooms.
The main bed is next to the bathroom, everytime someone got up to go pee at night they would have to walk past the bed! Then they turn the light on. Which lights up the whole room..
At least in the sideways room we could close the curtain and not be woken up by someone having to use the bathroom.

Also that "dead space" by the closest and bathroom.. Our mouse keeping showed us how to pull the coffee table over there for a extra bathroom counter space or for a suit case so you don't have to keep bending over to get it out under the bed.
When sleeping 4 in a inside room that little extra floor space made all the difference to us!

 

[scrappinginontario]

We've stayed in both a magical porthole room (Fantasy) and a sideways room (Wonder). LOVED the sideways room but if our group was like yours with 3 younger children I'd choose a connecting room hands down over everything.

 

[MunFam]

I was on the 2015 WBPC with a 4 year old...let me tell you what...15 days on a ship is a LONG time. There are a lot of sea days and having a window was worth its weight in gold. I am not opposed to inside rooms and I think verandahs are a waste of money, but if I had to cruise for 15 days (and only 3 or 4 ports of call) again, I would need the window. There was something about the natural light that just felt better. A few days without it isnt a big deal, but half a month...

We were on deck 2 midship and we were able to watch the locks, see dolphins playing in the wake, and get some really great views in port. It was also fun to see other ships go by. We did not spend "that" much time in our room, but gosh, I was so thankful we had the window. For cost purposes, we planned to sail in an inside, but a special rate opened up for a window and we took it.

We also had rough seas a few days and having the window to view the horizon helped a lot.

 

[KalamityJane]

I was on the 2015 WBPC with a 4 year old...let me tell you what...15 days on a ship is a LONG time. There are a lot of sea days and having a window was worth its weight in gold. I am not opposed to inside rooms and I think verandahs are a waste of money, but if I had to cruise for 15 days (and only 3 or 4 ports of call) again, I would need the window. There was something about the natural light that just felt better. A few days without it isnt a big deal, but half a month...

We were on deck 2 midship and we were able to watch the locks, see dolphins playing in the wake, and get some really great views in port. It was also fun to see other ships go by. We did not spend "that" much time in our room, but gosh, I was so thankful we had the window. For cost purposes, we planned to sail in an inside, but a special rate opened up for a window and we took it.

We also had rough seas a few days and having the window to view the horizon helped a lot.

This is a really good point. Do you think 15 days is too long for kids? I have very active kids, so I'm very interested in the PC however, I'm a bit worried about the confinement for as long as the cruise is.

 

[MunFam]

This is a really good point. Do you think 15 days is too long for kids? I have very active kids, so I'm very interested in the PC however, I'm a bit worried about the confinement for as long as the cruise is.

No, not at all. There were so many activities going all the time. We kept busy and the BEST part about a PC cruise is that there are so few kids, but the same amount of characters and kid's counselors. They knew our DD by name within a few days and greeted her when they saw her. It was SOOO magical when the characters would greet her using her name. She felt like a star. It was our first Disney Cruise, and I would do it all over again...but not in an inside room. That is just too much darkness. We did spend time in our room relaxing and watching movies.

Also, towards the end of our cruise, we would skip dinner and show and head up to the pool and we were almost always the only family there. The lifeguards would play with DD and she went on the slide over and over again...no lines! We also watched movies on the funnel vision...as the only family on deck. Definite perks to the PC cruise.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

No, not at all. There were so many activities going all the time. We kept busy and the BEST part about a PC cruise is that there are so few kids, but the same amount of characters and kid's counselors. They knew our DD by name within a few days and greeted her when they saw her. It was SOOO magical when the characters would greet her using her name. She felt like a star. It was our first Disney Cruise, and I would do it all over again...but not in an inside room. That is just too much darkness. We did spend time in our room relaxing and watching movies.

Also, towards the end of our cruise, we would skip dinner and show and head up to the pool and we were almost always the only family there. The lifeguards would play with DD and she went on the slide over and over again...no lines! We also watched movies on the funnel vision...as the only family on deck. Definite perks to the PC cruise.

No, not at all. There were so many activities going all the time. We kept busy and the BEST part about a PC cruise is that there are so few kids, but the same amount of characters and kid's counselors. They knew our DD by name within a few days and greeted her when they saw her. It was SOOO magical when the characters would greet her using her name. She felt like a star. It was our first Disney Cruise, and I would do it all over again...but not in an inside room. That is just too much darkness. We did spend time in our room relaxing and watching movies.

Also, towards the end of our cruise, we would skip dinner and show and head up to the pool and we were almost always the only family there. The lifeguards would play with DD and she went on the slide over and over again...no lines! We also watched movies on the funnel vision...as the only family on deck. Definite perks to the PC cruise.

Not to hijack, but I'm so glad to her your opinion on the inside cabin on such a long cruise. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[KalamityJane]

Not to hijack, but I'm so glad to her your opinion on the inside cabin on such a long cruise. Thanks for sharing that.

Same! We have had insides on shorter cruises, but natural light is very important to me, so I'm happy MunFam brought it up! I'm definitely going to try to go for the secret porthole rooms.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

Same! We have had insides on shorter cruises, but natural light is very important to me, so I'm happy MunFam brought it up! I'm definitely going to try to go for the secret porthole rooms.

Me too! I'm glad I'm Gold now, so I have a fighting chance of getting one.