Need some help planning our first Disney Cruise

[3kids4me]

Hi everyone...and I apologize in advance for this very newbie question!!

We are planning our first ever Disney cruise (actually, our first cruise ever) in 2006. We are a family of five and need to have enough space for all of us, but also cannot afford the really deluxe two bedroom suites I see advertised.

We need to travel either after school ends for the year, or during a school vacation period. (President's Week or mid-April).

Can you please share the best place to look for a good deal? I already know that I should book airfare separately, and not do the "cruise/resort" package together to get the best deal.

Also...our kids love WDW and do not like to lay around too much...so any suggestions for the best route would also be appreicated! I'm looking at a seven day option right now.

Our cousins on the West coast will actually be traveling with us, so we're very excited!!

Thank you so much!!!

 

[jrydberg]

My bit of advice, don't go in April if budget is a concern. The price will be a heck of a lot higher due to outrageous demand during spring break I haven't looked but I would imagine President's Day and summer would be a bit better pricewise. Personally, I said the heck with it, my daughter can miss a week of kindergarten for $3000 difference in price

 

[MO Disney cruiser]

Instead of the 2 bedroom, go with 2 connecting cat 10s (if insides are ok) or cat 9s (if you need a porthole). It will give you lots of space and 4 bathrooms (2 split baths in each stateroom).

Also, check out several weeks. A one week difference can make a huge price difference. Also, book real early. Prices almost always go up. Especially when you are planning to travel.

I would suggest to try several on line sites. I've seen many say Allseas is good. Dreams Unlimited sponsors this board and many use them. I've also heard Costco. I always just book direct w/ DCL. The $75 I would have saved for this cruise just wasn't enough to lose control over my reservation.

 

[CACruiser]

I would get two connecting CAT 10 rooms. There will plenty of room for all of you.

A really good travel agent will help you find the best deal by looking at the times of year you have available.

Unfortunately, the times you need to travel are the peak price times. You may want to ask your school if they have an "independent study" option for students who do travel during the school year. Many schools now have that option if you plan ahead. It depends on major events and testing in the school program AND it would cause the kids to have some homework on their trip. (My neices and nephews did this option and they did all their homework on the plane and arrived homework free)

As for the best course for WDW, I would get a great guide, such as the Passporter (Passporter.com) They have maps and well planned itineraries and recommendations for having a great trip!

LisaCA

 

[TheWog]

I would do the 7 day cruise, try and take your kids out of school if possible, depending upon ages and your comfort level, and get two connecting room rooms of a lower category or go for a cat 6 and 10 across the hall (once again depending upon ages). This way you can have both a verandah and inside with all the bathrooms and storage. Non peak time (vacations, summer, christmas, etc.) you can save so much more money. Like said above, thousands of dollars. So you need to decide. There was a thread recently about taking your children out of school for and against with suggestions.

If you are coming from CT I would choose the winter. Very cold here, very warm there.

 

[3kids4me]

Thank you for the great information...please keep it coming! The room info was invaluable already!

My oldest will be 14 in 2006 and there is just no way he can miss school at that age. My middle child will be 12 and my youngest will be 7. My cousin's kids will be 15. So, I would say we're stuck with school breaks. Actually, I don't think she has President's Week off and I will bet that our April vacations are different, so the choices are probably Christmas/New Year's week and late June. Both are probably the worst times to travel as far as pricing!!

But...if there were any way they could all miss school, what would you suggest....November?

Thank you again!!

 

[jrydberg]

The May 1st-8th cruise I went on was fairly reasonable (as DCL cruises go anyway). September through November would likely be cheapest.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I book my trips in October around the end of my DD's first quarter of school. She is off that Thursday and Friday and so she only misses 3 days of school. I just can not afford summer or spring prices.... DOUBLES!!!

The two connecting rooms are your best bet. If you book far enough in advance you can request your rooms and there are two sets of connecting cat 10 "Secret Porthole Room" Which means you get a window with limited obstruction,but pay an inside price!! I had one of the SPR rooms last trip and I have another booked for 10-05-05.....Best deal going...I am sure you plan on booking early anyway. Check out the rooms at ***************** This way you will know room #'s to ask for.

Even Consider a 4 day instead of 7 and you may be able to book around your kids off days and only miss a couple. Our school is ok with planned vacations,but my DD is younger.

The boards are full of great info and everyone is so helpful.

We love cruising Disney! I can not even explain it! It is the most fun I have ever had in my life.....

happy planning....

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

Anyway here are the connecting Secret porthole rooms on deck 5

Request either 5522 & 5524
or 5022 & 5024


You will love them

The website is ...(castawayclub) then .com

Maybe that worked to get you the idea???

 

[GrayFal]

Originally posted by 3kids4me
My oldest will be 14 in 2006 and there is just no way he can miss school at that age. My middle child will be 12 and my youngest will be 7. My cousin's kids will be 15. So, I would say we're stuck with school breaks. Actually, I don't think she has President's Week off and I will bet that our April vacations are different, so the choices are probably Christmas/New Year's week and late June. Both are probably the worst times to travel as far as pricing!!

But...if there were any way they could all miss school, what would you suggest....November?

Thank you again!!

Hi Sharon,
We went as a group over New Year's for my parents 50th anniversary - It is shockingly more expense - for a 4 day cruise for 10 adults 6 kids under 12, the cost was $16,000 for four Cat 8 cabins.

It is a personal choice regarding school, but for the best price, try November - there are sometimes 2 school holidays for Veteran Days and election day in the same week. Also, book as soon as those dates are released for the best price. And try ALL the different travel agencies as recommended on the board includng, DU, All Seas, AAA, Costco, Sam's Club, etc

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

Sharon, keep in mind too, that if you're looking at a 7-day during the summer, there is a possibility that the Magic will be on the west coast again. Whether the Wonder will take up the slack and do 3,4 and 7 night itin's is unknown. Good luck working out the dates and keep up posted.

 

[Greysword]

I would like to suggest trying to book around more obscure holidays.

For instance, you may think abotu a 4 day in mid/late January for Martin Luther King day. The price on AllSeasTravel.com for that holiday weekend, 5 people, in two cat 10s would be $2600. A 3-day would be less. Then if you can miss school for only a day or two, then you can fit in a couple nights at WDW as well.

For instance, let us say MLK day is on a Monday. You take a Thursday 3-day (flying in the night before after school) cruise. Your children will miss that friday in class. The ship will return that Sunday, and you get the day in WDW and stay in a hotel for the evening. You can then decide to either fly back on MLK day (the Monday), or take an extra day at WDW (2 days from school).

This may be able to work around teacher planning days, or other federal/state holidays.

 

[3kids4me]

Thank you everyone! I've been checking prices...and boy, is it more expensive during school break time!! I'm going to check with my cousin to see how she would feel about her kids missing school for a few days. I know that my son is apprehensive about it, and he's only in the sixth grade right now! (I think she's going to want a seven day cruise, though, since they are coming from California. )

Thank you so much for the cabin suggestions...that was great!

Hey Pat...haven't I seen you somewhere before?

 

[Duckielucky]

I see a lot of useful tips here but before I can suggest anything I would need to know the age and sex of your children and the cousins and/or second-cousins. If they are four or five you have one situation. If they are teenagers, totally different story.

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

My oldest will be 14 in 2006 and there is just no way he can miss school at that age. My middle child will be 12 and my youngest will be 7. My cousin's kids will be 15.

 

[GrayFal]

Originally posted by 3kids4me
Hey Pat...haven't I seen you somewhere before?

Possibly

signed: Under Cover TUGger