DCL with a fam of 5?

[CK1]

Was looking through the DCL stuff the other night -- any comments on best accommodations for a fam of 5? (3 kids, who at cruisin' time would be 11,10,and 6)

So many of the rooms say they sleep 3, maybe 4... just wondering what folks do with the "5th dimension".

Also -- what kind of good deals have you gotten for cash on DCL?

Lookin' into a cruise in near future... thanks for input.

Cindy

 

[Woobie]

I personally have found that 2 category 10's (adjoining) works out to be cheaper than a cabin that holds 5 (can't remember the 1st ctegory that does this). This way you get 2 bathrooms, too.

Woobie

 

[dbond]

Our family of 5 cruised twice, we chose a different option each time. The first cruise, we had a family suite, category 4. We thought the room was really cramped with 5, all bed and no place to put bags, clothes, shoes. The next cruise, we booked 2 category 6 rooms, adjoining. We were able to save a little on the extra room by inviting grandparents to go with us as the paying couple in the 2nd room and then we paid for the 3rd person. It was nice to have that little bit of extra space and not having to pull down that 5th bed really helped on the floor space. We could actually walk in and out of the balcony door without surfing on beds!

 

[jfis1020]

We just cruised in June as a family of five. DS9, DS6 and DD4 had a blast!!!

We had connecting 10s. We loved the arrangement. DH and I had our own room! The bathroom and shower room are separate which is really nice. We loved having two bathrooms!!! The kids had their own bed this way too. DS9 took the King. DD4 took the converted couch and DS6 slept "upstairs"! They thought they were big stuff with their own room

You have to pay for two adults per room, but it is still cheaper to get two connecting 10s than a category 4 (see Ann's notes about that, I haven't done one of those).

I am one of those, you just sleep and shower in a room, so this suited us well.

Good luck!

 

[jfis1020]

OOPS! Sorry...........see dbond's notes................

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by jfis1020
We just cruised in June as a family of five. DS9, DS6 and DD4 had a blast!!!

We had connecting 10s. We loved the arrangement. DH and I had our own room! . DS9 took the King. DD4 took the converted couch and DS6 slept "upstairs"! They thought they were big stuff with their own room

They have king size beds in Catagory 10s????

 

[jfis1020]

The King Bed is actually two twins, so you have that option (just in case you need to "punish" DH!!!!)

 

[AnnaS]

We took two cat. 11 staterooms for our July 01 cruise and now for our Western (just got back), we had one cat. 11 for my two ds and one cat 6 with /verandah for myself, dh and dd. If we book again for 2005, I will mostly likely be booking two cat. ajoining rooms.

 

[disney6]

You'll actually want connecting rooms (adjoining are just next to each other, connecting actually "connect" with a door inbetween - be specific when booking to make sure you get what you really need). We always get connecting, us and one child sleep in one and the other 4 kids sleep in the other -- we NEVER close the doors between them (the steward will propped them open for you). It's GREAT! We may be inside (cat. 10) but we are in our own "suite"!

This time we will be alone so I am anxious to try an upper deck!

 

[jfis1020]

I didn't realize that the steward would "prop" the doors for us! We took bungee cords and did it ourselves.

If I were going w/o kids, I too would try something a little higher. With kids I was perfectly content with the two connecting 10's. DH and I loved having our privacy which was a vacation first for us!!!!

 

[hilltopfamily]

We just got home from our "magical" July 26 Eastern cruise. We're a family of 5 w/similarly aged children to yours. From advice of this board, we had 2 Cat. 10 Connecting Rooms--kids slept in 1 room, parents in other. Steward propped open the doors w/special "tool" (i.e. plexiglass piece!). I also took duct tape and taped across the locks on both doors so they wouldn't lock persons from 1 side out of the other room when door props were removed (for increased privacy). We almost always had the doors open and it was really convenient.

Keep in mind 1 Adult is "assigned" on paperwork to each room and their KTTW card works only to that room. Kids KTTW card works only to the room they are listed under. This is why keeping doors open to both rooms is handy--both adults & kids can access either space.

Would NOT trade having 2 bathrooms for a veranda---we never would have made early dinner without them!

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

Like dbond, we are fortunate to have my MIL and FIL joining us and taking in two of our four kids! We'll be in connecting SPH rooms on the Wonder; 5022 and whichever room connects to it (I can never remember if it's 5020 or 5024!).

DCL, like most of the rest of the world, is not set up well for families of more than four. At least got a nice child tax credit check!

 

[jfis1020]

"The world's not made for a family of more than four" were wise words of wisdom from a friend, but I have always felt that Disney did the best job of anyone in accomodating our needs. True you have to go to a higher category of room to accomodate five, but I still am pleased with Disney in general.

 

[reddaddy04]

We're a family of 5 (DD's 6,4,2) going on first Dis cruise feb 14 04 Western. On advice of friends who went twice previously we chose to go with 2 cat 10's vs one cat 4 due to the privacy/bathrooms/ overall space. Giving up the veranda but sounds from most postings as a worthwhile sacrifice!

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by jfis1020
The King Bed is actually two twins, so you have that option (just in case you need to "punish" DH!!!!)

Oh so its more just a full size bed not a king...I didn't think they were that big when I slept in them LOL....

 

[carlfrank1]

I join the chorus recommending two connecting cat 10s. We just did that on 5 July cruise with thre daughters 9,11 and 15. We also kept doors propped open most of the time and found the extra bathroom to be very helpful. More space and cheaper than cat 4.

 

[CK1]

If I'm not being too nosy here, can you cruise - savvy folks give me a ballpark figure on what it costs to sail with a fam in either a cat 4 or 2 (cat 10) rooms? And aside from the cruise itself -- how much "extra" expenses are there (like at WDW you have park passes, meals -- what are the "other" money eaters, besides souvies, on a cruise?)

Thanks --

Cindy

 

[AnnaS]

And, if your kids prefer/don't want to/can't sleep together, don't forget to ask your stateroom hostess to split the bed when they get a chance - no touching, no fussing, no taking up space.

 

[jfis1020]

We cruised on points/cash, so I am of no help there. Allow about $1500-$2000 for drinks, souvies, excursions, Palos, spa, etc. We didn't do the soda cups. We were all happy with coffee, tea, lemonade, and milk!

If you have three kids there are the option of 3-4 beds in a 10. There is the "big" bed or split in to two twins. There is the convertable couch, and the drop down. That would accomodate up to 4 kids!