How do you all split the family if you do two connecting cat. 10s?

[Rock'n Robin]

We are a family of 5 looking into a 3 or 4 day next year. We can swing a 3 day in a cat. 4, but are looking into a 4 day in 2 connecting category 10s. We will be booking one or the other next week if I have to tie DH down to make a decision (next week is our 11 month DVC window).
We have never cruised, but I sure would like to try the 4 day.
If you have done the 2 cabin thing, how do you split up the family? Of course the connecting door will stay open. Our children will be 5, 8 and 11, and I won't want them wandering the ship alone.
Would it be parents in one room and kids in another, or girls in one room boys in another (only the youngest child is a boy). How have you all done it?
Robin M.

 

[bennett]

I myself would not feel comfortable leaving children of those ages in the rooms by themselves-I guess if it was us I would be in one room and my husband in the other room-

 

[jwolfe]

Hi! we have actually booked 2 category 9 rooms for this october 4 day on the wonder. My children are ages 5, 6, 8, and I am not leaving them in a room by themself. My husband and I are planning on each being in a room with the children splitting up and either sleeping in one room with me or with him. I feel this is the best way and even though it is vacation, we are taking a Disney Cruise, so for me I'm sure I'll have fun, but this is for the kids, only my opinion . Hope this helps a little.

Juli

 

[my3kids]

We will have the kids in one and us in the other....similar to staying in an Embassy Suites. For booking purposes, an adult has to be in each room, but then you can mix it up any way you want. (I would never do this with rooms that didn't connect. ) They will know at the start they aren't to open the door to the hall at night.

I think of it like a suite with the kids in the living area and a private bed and bath for Mom and Dad.

 

[Mom of 4 Princesses]

I will try to put the kids in one cabin and the other cabin for the DH and I. I see no problem with this if the INSIDE CONNECTING DOOR is kept open.

Of course, I think the kids have other ideas!

 

[Katesdad]

At home my three children sleep in their own room, my wife and I sleep in ours (we do not share a "family" bed). When we booked the two Cat 10 hidden window rooms two years ago, I didn't see the need to all of a sudden switch sleeping arrangements. There is a connector door (do you sleep at home with your bedroom door open or closed?). The hallway doors lock (just like the outside doors at home). Seemed to me nothing much had changed other than we were on the ocean instead of on land. The three children (two girls, one boy) slept in the one room while DW and I slept in the other. Made sense to me!

 

[disney6]

We had adjoining rooms with our 4 kids and let me first say it was GREAT! My DH and I and our youngest (19mo) slept in one room and our others (DD2,DD4,DS8) slept in the other. Our doors were kept open the ENTIRE cruise, that's day and night. From our bed we could see the two younger girls in the other queen bed, the baby was behind the curtain in our room, and our son had his own "private room" behind the curtain in the other room - perfect. Believe me if your girls can open the hall door you WILL hear it!!! That was in cat. 9, this year we are in cat. 10's so I think the couch area/bed area is reversed from cat. 9 so we won't be able to see but will still do the same.

 

[wovenwonder]

I would feel safe putting even the smallest of children in a seperate room. You can dead bolt the outside doors so they can not even be entered with a key. One piece of advice would be to take along some bungee cords to keep the connecting doors open. Your little ones will likely be closer to you than they are at home.

For booking purposes -- an adult MUST be booked in each room.

 

[din]

Rock and Robin: A follow up point to wovenwonder's point.

I am not sure if you got the price/points yet from DVC, but each room will be charged full price. The prices are based on two person per room regardless of age. 3rd and 4th guest are priced depending on age, again per room. So you may be paying cash and/or point for 4 adults and 1 child.

BTW my vote, do the 4 day!!!! Even that you will find it short.

 

[Julie 363]

We have two connecting rooms and we will be letting the girls stay in "their" room alone. They will be almost 15, 14 and 12 though. But even if they were younger I think I would allow them to stay in there as long as you leave the connecting door open at all times.

 

[aseafish]

The kids themselves may help you decide where they'll sleep. In MHO there's no issue at all in both parents being in one room. As others have stated, that's what most of us do at home.

 

[mcnuss]

I agree with those who say put the kids in one room, you and spouse in the other. Why would you worry about it? As long as you double-lock the doors, no one can get it, and it is highly unlikely that even if your kids could open the door without you hearing that they would even try.

 

[bennett]

Being at home is completely different than at a hotel or on a cruise--We do not share a family bed either To me, I am very nervous about my children being in the other rooms by themselves-maybe I am considering their ages-- thats why I am so nervous-just like so many other questions on these forums-you will get a lot of different opinions--

 

[eye R.N.]

I did the same thing you are doing, it worked out fine.
A word of caution. . . . . Don't be surprised if your kids find out about "24 hour room service". I was roused out of a sound sleep more than once, by roomservice delivering to my kids next door.

I figure this was there vacation too, but I made sure they tipped hansomly from their own funds.

Have a great cruise.